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The engines were a bit dodgy. Perils of working at the bleeding edge of technology while pushing it at 100% as often as possible.
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Feb 10, 2018 16:26
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Reuben Sandwich posted:Additionally, a Tinian B-29 mechanic that I talked to years ago said their goal was 2 sorties a week if I remember correctly. He ranted about the Wright cyclone but I don't remember much of the details. Early B-29s were bleeding-edge technology, and it showed. They were maintenance hogs, and suffered significant rates of mechanical failure, especially compared to previous four engine bombers. (Which were radically simpler aircraft, generally.) Discovered while looking for a picture: Neil Armstrong was a pilot of one of the Navy P2B-1S’ that were being used to mothership the Douglas Skyrocket. He was one of the pilots onboard on March 22, 1956, carrying Jack McKay in the Skyrocket, when #4 had a prop runaway, which failed prior to shutdown, and apparently also did enough damage to #3 to warrant a shutdown and feather. McKay called no drop from the Skyrocket, but the P2B crew dropped him anyway.   Bad day.
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Feb 10, 2018 16:32
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Reuben Sandwich posted:Additionally, a Tinian B-29 mechanic that I talked to years ago said their goal was 2 sorties a week if I remember correctly. He ranted about the Wright cyclone but I don't remember much of the details. In game they have pretty high service ratings (I think earlier models are a 4, later drop to 3), so 2 is generally pretty good. The earliest B-29's (B-29-11 IIRC) started arriving in Aden in 11/43 if I remember correctly, but it's a relative trickle and it's mid-44 before you can really start bombing in any meaningful way. Even then it's super helpful to be closer than the Marianas, ideally within full bomb load range of B-24's. Taking Taiwan after the Marianas gives you lots of options.
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Feb 10, 2018 17:23
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   My fast supply ships run into some trouble.  This sub captain is conserving his torpedoes.  THIS sub captain is making the most of his!  I'm risking these guys to go play amongst the packed transports at Jaluit.  The shattering bombardment continues.   Curse you and your working torpedoes you side character from Game of Thrones.   That was a very quiet day in the air, but a good one for our subs!  That's an optimistic claim.
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Feb 10, 2018 19:16
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Might be valid. CVL vs Torpedo isn't the best odds for the boat. Point score doesn't seem to support it though.
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Feb 10, 2018 19:20
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Ron Jeremy posted:They also realized that irl, unlike in this game, level bombing was pretty much worthless for hitting targets smaller than a city. Eh, the Tirpitz got sunk by level bombing.
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Feb 10, 2018 19:41
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Basically the same size.
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Feb 10, 2018 19:44
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I'm trying to imagine artillery emplacements at Jaluit. Japanese and American guns only a few meters apart, lobbing shells over a ridge of corpses
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Feb 10, 2018 20:48
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Grumio posted:I'm trying to imagine artillery emplacements at Jaluit. Japanese and American guns only a few meters apart, lobbing shells over a ridge of corpses shooting back and forth forever
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Feb 10, 2018 21:34
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Grumio posted:I'm trying to imagine artillery emplacements at Jaluit. Japanese and American guns only a few meters apart, lobbing shells over a ridge of corpses It's more like really aggressive grenade throwing
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Feb 10, 2018 21:35
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Grumio posted:I'm trying to imagine artillery emplacements at Jaluit. Japanese and American guns only a few meters apart, lobbing shells over a ridge of corpses Imagine 4 guns at the end of a reef
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Feb 10, 2018 21:36
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Gort posted:Eh, the Tirpitz got sunk by level bombing. Christ imagine the accuracy of the AI bombers but equipped with tallboys
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Feb 10, 2018 22:24
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Has the supply run been aborted or still making a go for it? And good luck getting the cruiser force in there. Hopefully that CVL having to withdraw for repairs means that air cover will be minimal.
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Feb 10, 2018 22:42
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Gort posted:Eh, the Tirpitz got sunk by level bombing. After like 2 years of trying, while it was stuck in a harbor and couldn't maneuver...
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Feb 10, 2018 23:01
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Grumio posted:I'm trying to imagine artillery emplacements at Jaluit. Japanese and American guns only a few meters apart, lobbing shells over a ridge of corpses So https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr2GeWiDrdY but with explosions.
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Feb 11, 2018 03:48
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lenoon posted:Christ imagine the accuracy of the AI bombers but equipped with tallboys If you wait until about September '45, they do get tallboys.
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Feb 11, 2018 04:31
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And a little boy even sooner.
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Feb 11, 2018 05:11
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algebra testes posted:We're having trouble already and they're still to get B-29s. It was already briefly mentioned, but the issue really was range. The distances in the South Pacific are absolutely enormous, and the truly effective targets irl (as opposed to this absurd bomb sniping from 10,000m poo poo in-game) for level bombers were mostly in the Home Islands, or elsewhere well out of reach of Allied air bases. The B-29 was absolutely crucial for the strategic bombing campaign, with vastly more range than a B-17 - and they needed every mile of it. Gort posted:Eh, the Tirpitz got sunk by level bombing. Even aside from previously mentioned static location and miserable accuracy (All together, between three missions somewhere between 80 and 90 Tallboy-armed Lancasters were thrown at Tirpitz... they hit with 2-3 bombs total, with a few more near misses), there's also the issue that Tirpitz's anchorage had absolutely no fighter cover whatsoever - it was purely AA fire off the ship itself and emplacements around the fjord. While impressive-looking, that's incredibly inferior to having actual fighters to harass bombers. They were also bombing from far lower altitudes than normal for strategic bombing (like half the normal height), and doing so with a singular specific target in mind - which, combined with previously mentioned lack of fighter cover, meant some bombers were making multiple passes trying to get off a clean drop rather than any normal circumstances. Even if they did eventually get it, that's a hideously massive investment of resources in terms of actual gain.
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Feb 11, 2018 06:26
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If you haven't already, read one of the books about the minisub mission to sink the Tirpitz. It's 
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Feb 11, 2018 06:39
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  A surface attack ruins a small enemy vessel.  The cruisers blast through the Allies picket like it wasn't even there.  Then they are the proverbial fox amongst the chickens.  They are so focused on the island of Jaluit, they never see the experienced raider ships coming.  Luganville his hit again.  We fend of a carrier strike.  One of our ships gets tagged on the way out, but I think I can't really complain.  The enemy are also starting to take ground(?) on the island itself.   Please tell me this is another attempt to invade Rabaul.  Yep! Another failed assault.  What can I say, another big risk with my surface ships pays off!  In a big way!
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Feb 11, 2018 19:33
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You know, if nothing else, the IJN really is proving that sheer bloody stubborn-mindedness can move mountains. (Ones made of broken bodies and hulls, but still.)
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Feb 11, 2018 19:44
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Not a bad raid! Shame you didn't hit the transports, but a lot of sunk Destroyers is nice - particularly for your subs. One damaged light cruiser is a small price.
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Feb 11, 2018 19:48
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A raid that bags a CL, APA, LSD and half a dozen destroyers, along with a bunch of other things is a pretty loving good raid.
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Feb 11, 2018 20:21
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Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Grey Jaluit wgah'nagl fhtagn 
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Feb 11, 2018 20:40
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According to Wikipedia the HMS Caledon left the Eastern Fleet in 1942 to return to the UK for conversion to an anti-aircraft cruiser. It's a pretty old ship, but it's still a good kill for what it can do. The Caledon never returned to the Pacific during the war, and we can see why
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Feb 11, 2018 21:14
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Hang in there, Sendai! 
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Feb 11, 2018 21:29
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How is a DD worth only 5 points if a B17 is worth 4? I cost about 20 times more to build a destroyer and held 10 times the crew. Also tens of thousands of 4 engine bombers were built for the war and hundreds of destroyers.
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Feb 11, 2018 23:59
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10 February 1944 USS Pogy torpedoes the Japanese destroyer Minekaze north of Formosa (Taiwan).
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Feb 12, 2018 02:03
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Bip Roberts posted:How is a DD worth only 5 points if a B17 is worth 4? I cost about 20 times more to build a destroyer and held 10 times the crew. Also tens of thousands of 4 engine bombers were built for the war and hundreds of destroyers. Note that a Canadian Flower-class corvette is worth only one point less. This is not an error. HMS Tenedos was a wholly obsolete S-Class boat left over from the previous war. For any "modern" purpose, her sole value was that she was slightly better than nothing, and most of the boats in her class were refitted as training ships or minelayers.
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Feb 12, 2018 03:45
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Fellow sister ship HMS Thracian also went on to serve in the Imperial Japanese Navy after getting beached in 1942. She then got returned and sent to the scrapyard at the end of the war.
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Feb 12, 2018 03:55
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Gnoman posted:Note that a Canadian Flower-class corvette is worth only one point less. This is not an error. HMS Tenedos was a wholly obsolete S-Class boat left over from the previous war. For any "modern" purpose, her sole value was that she was slightly better than nothing, and most of the boats in her class were refitted as training ships or minelayers. Fun fact: the S-Class boats couldn't fit the broken torpedoes. So if they could catch something, they could actually sink it. The USN starts with a bunch of them in the Philippines, go nuts.
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Feb 12, 2018 03:57
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mllaneza posted:Fun fact: the S-Class boats couldn't fit the broken torpedoes. So if they could catch something, they could actually sink it. The USN starts with a bunch of them in the Philippines, go nuts. Those were US S-Class submarines. I was talking about the British S-class destroyer that was sunk in the last update.
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Feb 12, 2018 04:33
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Very nice haul, Grey!
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Feb 12, 2018 11:41
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Bip Roberts posted:How is a DD worth only 5 points if a B17 is worth 4? I cost about 20 times more to build a destroyer and held 10 times the crew. Also tens of thousands of 4 engine bombers were built for the war and hundreds of destroyers. The manual actually states 1 VP per plane, 2 VP for planes classed as "Heavy bomber". I'm not sure where the "1 point per engine" information originates, it's just kinda floating around. It could very well have been patched in at some point... A modern Fletcher class DD is worth 10 points and a Tacoma class patrol frigate (PF) is worth 6. The Tenedos was hot garbage.
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Feb 12, 2018 15:17
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Very old ships in the game tend to be worth less VP. The Revenges are worth a bit less than the QEs, which are in turn worth less than the Renown Battlecruisers, despite all 3 being fairly similar in terms of overall performance.
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Feb 12, 2018 18:48
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Triggerhappypilot posted:Very old ships in the game tend to be worth less VP. The Revenges are worth a bit less than the QEs, which are in turn worth less than the Renown Battlecruisers, despite all 3 being fairly similar in terms of overall performance. It would seem that the game values speed quite highly, the Revenges being budget spec QE's could only do 22knots, the QE's could do 24 (and sustain it better) while the renown could lol around at over 30 for an age. In a brawl though money has to be on the QE, if for no other reason then you don't bet against the Warspite.
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Feb 12, 2018 22:37
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  Surface attacks are quite popular these days.  Rabaul comes under attack again today.  Their Spitfires mess us up again.  We lose a few planes today.  Yeah, we lost some planes today. 
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Feb 13, 2018 06:07
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  That's a lot of planes for little effect.  Rabaul gets hit again.  We hold for another day at Jaluit.  I've spend twenty minutes shuffling men and aircraft ready for Operation Charnel House.
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Feb 14, 2018 05:38
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Is Jaluit going to be a hold out to the last man situation? Does it make sense to even evacuate troops in this game considering how inferior and supply limited Japanese troops are?
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Feb 14, 2018 15:09
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| # ? May 17, 2024 02:29 |
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No way Grey can fight local supeemacy for long enough to evacuate then. Also, it's not the way of Bushido! *junior officers jump out and murder anyone suggesting retreat*
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Feb 14, 2018 15:25
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