Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

Well, having fought Scott to the shores of Japan in late 44 (and disposed of Dmitry in fairly short order) it only seems right that I should finally take up the task of playing the Empire of Japan. The economic model is VERY intimidating and I still can't get the hang of which aircraft paths to follow but I'm sure with enough searches it will all come out right.

A couple of things I might try that are different.

1. I'm not going to escort my AKLs and small AKs. I want his fleet subs to attack them. My depth charges don't work very well but I noticed two things in my last game. A. US subs tend to attack lone merchants on the surface and, while depth charges don't work, deck guns sure do. I had a number of subs take significant battle damage from AK and AKL guns. Also, US subs will shoot a lot of torpedoes in a surface action and a lot of them don't explode. So, I expect my losses to be about the same but to do more damage to the subs.

2. Speaking of subs, I'm going after Manila on December 7th. I realize that it's random but the US does not lose too many BBs at Pearl if any at all so I'm not sure how many VP actually get picked up there. But, the subs at Manila should be blasted. And, while the slow pre-war BBs don't usually get a chance to sink much the subs do in the long run so I believe I'll be saving myself VP while actually making a few more.

3. I'm going for some aggressive invasions in the So. Pac. leapfrogging some of the allied bases to strike deeper than the original plan.

4. And, I'm doing No. 4 because I want to get into Australia. I don't think I can take it or get an autovictory, but I do want to do some strat bombing there. Until US fighters show up, the cities are pretty wide open and I hope to pick up some VP on the cheap.

5. I'll push into Burma but just to block supply to China and I'll push into China where opportunity presents itself.

Might not work, but, what the hell.

The turn is off to Scott so Ialia Iacta Est!

[Aurorus]

Good luck, John. Glad to see that you are doing another AAR. I enjoyed your last one with Dmitry.


The Japanese economy is not as complicated as it first appears to someone who is familiar with the game mechanics.

Setting up the Japanese economy is mostly just an issue of allocating supply efficiently. You want to expand your production levels at what you expect to need: not more and not less. More and you waste supply expanding beyond what you will use. Less and you will have excess heavy industry points. There really is not much more to it than that.

Air R&D is the most complex thing and depends on a wide range of things: first and foremost is whether it is PDU:On or Off. The basics are the same either way, but your choices will depend largely on this option and whether or not you want to skip steps in research or whether you do not. The basics are like this. If you expect to build 420 Franks a month, then you expand Frank production to somewhere around this level, maybe a little less. Same for whatever other airframes that you intend to build. Then you look at your intended builds, see what engines they use, and slowly expand engine production to these levels.

That should be enough information to get you started, and you will get as much as advice as you desire (and more probably) on where to best set production levels. The only thing that I will suggest is that you have plan for victory: autovictory early or try to slog through the late war to victory. Base you air R&D on this plan. For autovictory focus on fighters that will give you the edge in 43. For a late war slog to victory, focus on late-war models. Whatever you do, Frank is important and should be a major part of your plan.

[John B.]

Well, given my stated aims I think I'm pretty pleased with the results from Manila. It will be awhile before he has enough fleet subs to really start patrols off of the Home Islands and this is more subs than my ASW would have sunk in a year. It's nice to also get the electric boats since they have torpedoes that might actually explode.

Speaking of which, someone forgot to tell the brave lads in my midget subs that we were going for Manila and not Pearl. So, they all died bravely on the anti-sub nets but one of them did get a fish into the Arizona. It's always the Arizona isn't it.

Not really much else from the first turn. Scott did get 8 Nells over Singapore but I was able to put a number of hits on the airfield that will, hopefully, slow down his fort building there.

Aurorus, thanks for the support! As any good first time IJN player I'm not sure that I'd go for the autovictory since I don't know if I can be organized enough the first time to make a good push.

[John B.]

Day two! I"m slowing working my way through Japanese production relying on many of the great posts that people have put up in the past. It's been 48 hours of game time and so far Japan's economy has not collapsed.

Scott sent the Pow and Repulse back up to Mersing but the naval combats were lame. Even at night he scored a number of hits that went largely unreciprocated but my post combat reports showed that he may have lost a CL. My troops did get ashore and took Mersing so all in all that was probably a bullet dodged. His torpedo planes did fly and they did put two fish into a Japanese BB but it should survive. The KB sank some merchant ships and is heading down to Java to see if I can catch the PoW. Now, we're just waiting for various Japanese invasion convoys to hit in the Philippines and a couple of turns bombardment in China.

[Andav]

What MOD/Scenario are you playing?

As Aurorus said, the economy is all about planning. Get a plan and then stick to it. You can't just "decide to build something" and expect it to be online in a couple of weeks. There are plenty of plans out there to give you a head start.

Best of luck!

Wa

[John B.]

Thanks for the advice. I'm such a newbie as Japan that I worry about (a) trying to do too much too soon and (b) not trying to do enough. Should prove to be interesting.

We're playing Scenario One (the whole enchilada) and the latest Beta patch. Historical situation. It's the only way to game!

[ny59giants]

Haven't played Scen 1 in very long time, but you will need to ensure you are building Kates.
I think there is no factory for the Babs (IJN Recon). You need one!
Bases - Those in Japan that need to repair economic assets get +7k supply request or +5k for just a few assets.
Need to get some of the large xAKs to ports size 6 or larger (size 9 or 10 is best) to temporary convert to xAK -t (increased troop capacity).
6 to 9 Lima to AKEs.
BANZAI!!

[John B.]

Excellent advice. I just switched the Ida factory to Kates (don't think I'll be missing my Idas at all, they just exist to give VPs to the allies). I'll check into the Babs. And I do need AKEs!!

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Thanks for the advice. I'm such a newbie as Japan that I worry about (a) trying to do too much too soon and (b) not trying to do enough. Should prove to be interesting.

We're playing Scenario One (the whole enchilada) and the latest Beta patch. Historical situation. It's the only way to game!

The first turns as Japan are frantic and the forces disorganized. It takes me hours and hours to do each turn for the first week. Take your time, and always be planning your next move: i.e. where do I want these APs next. Do I have troops to move out of that port or armor? Do I want cargo or troop capacity there? Keep your ports busy... busy... busy.

Oh... and please do not send the 5th infantry division to an atoll... as a JFB, it pains me to see such things.

[John B.]

@ Aurorus, why should I just send the 5th division to an atoll when I could send THREE divisions and get them all wiped out in a week. It seems much more efficient that way.

[Capt. Harlock]

Well, given my stated aims I think I'm pretty pleased with the results from Manila.

Yes, I seem to recognize some names that did considerable damage IRL that now will not be a problem. But tsk, tsk -- 800 kg bombs were a bit much!

[dr.hal]

I think going after Manila is far more productive than going to Hawaii and your outcome seems to underscore this. Additionally, having the KB in action in support of a Singapore operation rather than in transit back from a dubious attack in the middle of the Pacific, is a great plus. The KB needs to wipe out Singapore as a base of operation so that you can get to the Sumatra oilfields quickly. Don't let the Dutch/Brits destroy those fields.

[John B.]

Day three, in which Japan learns that ships who route through Singapore don't come back. A CA and a DD were on a bombardment mission and I was not paying attention. Now, I don't have to worry about them any more. [:(]

But, two British CLs and an Austrailian CL have gone down and at least the US does not build replacements for them. Day 4 I'm ashore in the Philippines and I've pushed south from Mersing, but Scott has put some unit into Mersing and is doing he best to be annoying. I've got a search base set up at Jolo (an island in line with Davao) and the KB is off of Balikpappan. It has not done much but sink some merchant ships but it will swing around Borneo and hit the ports of Soerebja and then Singapore. I've also just landed in Swangkang (dutch base in Bornea) and Miri and Burnei will get hit next turn. In the So. Pac. I'm on shore at Manus and Rabaul will be invaded shortly. I'm also trying to swoop in on Efate, Shortlands, and Espiritu Santo and should be there in 2-3 and those islands quickly. I've bypassed Tawawa since it does not seem to really serve much purpose when I can push southwards and pick up other targets and then return to places like Tarawa. My hope is to pick up to So, Pac. islands before the American carriers show up. China is China. Hong Kong should fall in a couple of days and I'm hitting the scattered units as hard as I can.

@ Capt. Harlock. Why send a 250 kg. bomb when an 800 kg bomb will do the trick?

[Bif1961]

Push forward in SE and South Pac and back fill at your leisure later when troops become available. Make him reinforce NZ-OZ the land way around. In my game, it is May 42, that is what my Japanese opponent has been doing. Forcing me to risk a carrier battle to retake critical line of supply bases to NZ-OZ.

[John B.]

I see that Scott has started his own report on our game (he's panzercat). Be forewarned, everything he says is lies! Filthy lies!!!

[Bif1961]

Oh but what is he is lying about lying hmm?

[Kofiman]

Still not convinced about the bomb Manila with the KB plan that's popular. The only upside seems to be having the KB in the NEI, which although significant, hasn't seemed to be that big a deal. Sinking some subs scores a few points, but not many, and between air ASW and E-boats, the subs aren't that much of a threat. Whereas if you sink one battleship you score as many points as dozens of submarines. And you can get more than one.

[Bif1961]

I concur, I don't see the attraction or value. If you spend extra time sinking more Battleships at PH you gain more points and unlike real life they don't raise and repair them. That means less 14 inch plus guns bombarding your troops later.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Kofiman

Still not convinced about the bomb Manila with the KB plan that's popular. The only upside seems to be having the KB in the NEI, which although significant, hasn't seemed to be that big a deal. Sinking some subs scores a few points, but not many, and between air ASW and E-boats, the subs aren't that much of a threat. Whereas if you sink one battleship you score as many points as dozens of submarines. And you can get more than one.

I am not a big fan of it either. Tried it once against the AI for something different, and I think I sunk about 9 subs with KB, for a whopping 72 VPs of subs that are not much of a threat for the next 10 months. Subs are hard to sink in port, and one 250G bomb is unlikely to do it. Even an 800 KG is not a guarantee that it will sink.

[John B.]

On the one hand, if you sink some US BBs you get points up front, but you don't save many points later on. If you sink US subs you don't get many points now, but you save points later on. Even with effective asw the US subs do wrack up points even in 1942. And for awhile in 1943 they can really do some damage. Also, several times I've had US subs provide good intel (as in being spotted by carrier planes) as to the location of the KB even when the subs themselves didn't shoot. I see merits in Pearl but for now I think Manila is better. We'll see.

As for the actual war. We're just about two weeks in and I'm not sure if I'm doing well or not. I seem to be stuck for now just north east of Singapore. Scott has put his good troops into Jorhat Bahru (sp?) and I've been unable to push them out. I kill more than he does but they don't leave. I have taken Brunei, Miri, and Samarinda and I'm at some of the Dutch bases in the DEI. On Luzon I have not gotten to Manila yet (the patrol boats are really annoying in making my invasion TFs run away). Scott has adopted a forward defense strategy around the map. You can see the Malaya campaign but he also put some PA inf. divisions out. I think this works to my advantage as I've chopped up four of them. In China, he also has not run away and I'm trying to take advantage of this to kill as many of his troops as I can.

The invasion force is heading for Palembang and the KB is out there bombing airfields.