Japan - AG, PT, PC, PG, what to do with these

[KPAX]

This is the first time that I am playing as Japan. I am playing full campaign, PBEM.

1. What is the best us for each of these ships ?

2. What is an AG ? I see it is a Collier, but what the heck is that ?

[&o]

[Feinder]

AG - Barge. Small capacity, very short legged transports. Useful in Solomons and DEI (because of the short travel distances). They don't carry much tho.

PC - Useful for ASW in your convoys. Generally shorter ranged tho, so use them in convoys bringing supplies from bases to your collection points.

PG - Useful for ASW in your convoys. Longer ranged than PCs, so use them in convoys bringing supplies from your collection points to Japan.

[bombata]

i put alot of PG, PC, MSW (20+) in a TF and let them patrol in areas where enemy submarines are very active.

although most of this crafts have limited ASW abilities (when compared with fleet DD), the huge number of them causes very often the destruction of a detected submarine.


but another question about japanese ASW comes in mind.

is it realy usefull to set all float planes and some older dive bombers on ASW patrol and concentrate them on the important convoy routes?

i ask because i have nearly all my float planes concentrated around borneo and north philipines and they didnt sunk one of the noumerus submarine contacts so far.

what are your japanese ASW strategies?

bye

[Oznoyng]

ORIGINAL: bombata

i put alot of PG, PC, MSW (20+) in a TF and let them patrol in areas where enemy submarines are very active.

although most of this crafts have limited ASW abilities (when compared with fleet DD), the huge number of them causes very often the destruction of a detected submarine.


but another question about japanese ASW comes in mind.

is it realy usefull to set all float planes and some older dive bombers on ASW patrol and concentrate them on the important convoy routes?

i ask because i have nearly all my float planes concentrated around borneo and north philipines and they didnt sunk one of the noumerus submarine contacts so far.

what are your japanese ASW strategies?

bye

ASW patrols should not be viewed as unsuccessful if they do not manage to sink or damage a sub. They are successful the moment they spot a sub, because that sub has to move in order to avoid running afoul of your ASW groups. Remember that a sub that sits in a hex all day is going to have a shot at anything that goes through the hex that day. A sub that is moving only gets a shot if it ends a phase in the same hex that an enemy TF ends in. Spotting subs is also a big factor in success against them. You will probably note that when you have an ASW TF working in conjunction with ASW aircraft that you will have much greater success in sinking subs.

[Twotribes]

For game purposes AG ( colliers) are simply transpot ships with small cargo space. A collier was a coal ship, as I understand it Japan hauled a lot of coal out of Manchuria?

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: KPAX

This is the first time that I am playing as Japan. I am playing full campaign, PBEM.

1. What is the best us for each of these ships ?

2. What is an AG ? I see it is a Collier, but what the heck is that ?

I haven't really used the AGs yet - but plan on using them in the Solomans, DEI (islands north of OZ) as well as in Burma. They are short range cargo ships that are small, fast and carry a light light... I believe they are harder to spot by aircraft, thus safer to run under enemy airpower than normal AKs... I plan on setting up the cargo runs and turning them into computer controlled TFs to continuously run supplies... BTW, I believe a Collier is a coal ferrying ship (not sure though).. IJN has conscripted them into wartime service.

PTs - Japan has a total of 6 I think (at least so far). They are not that useful for japan in the beginning, but will be more useful when you are on the defensive... Put them in a small island chain (Solomans comes to mind) and they can stop invasion forces if you get lucky... But as for warships, they are not that useful... With the new patch and the lowering of the supplies needed at a port to replace torps, they will become more useful..

PC & PG - Use them as ASW escorts or put them into TFs of roughly 10 ships and use them to hunt subs... Use your air power (set to ASW patrol) to locate subs, and then have 1 or 2 of these TFs jump the sub... They will either drive it off, damage it, or sink it.. And if the sub sinks one of these its not a big deal as they are not good for much else. They can also be put into MSW TFs to find / destroy mines... but I wouldn't suggest just sending them in without some actual MSW... I've lost a couple PCs to mines they were trying to clear...

These ships are very fuel efficient so you can have them patrol sealanes you plan on running convoys through to keep subs away... They are not the best at sinking subs, but in reality a sub driven off is almost as good as a sunk sub...

Xargun