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Omobono posted:Can't the Queen do like half* the map in a single turn? I feel that any attempt at engagement would end like a Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote (genius) cartoon. As GH and you said, QE was very fast. Ships like it generally served outside of a convoy because submarines couldn't catch them anyway, so there was no point in becoming too much of a target. The utter savaging GH has been laying down on transport convoys is exactly why the Admiralty was initially hesitant to embark on convoy sailings; they work great against subs but are a liability against a powerful counterforce. At 28.5 knots, very few warships could keep up with the big liners. The fastest of the battlecruisers and fast battleships had a few knots on them, as did some of the newer and better cruisers and destroyers, but older and slower ships and especially submarines were poo poo out of luck so long as the liners stopped for nothing. Shimakaze of course would be able to run them down quite easily, but she was a special ship. Sadly, the real Queen Elizabeth still lies in Hong Kong harbour, the victim of either insurance fraud or politically-motivated sabotage. An honourable death in combat would be a far nobler fate. E: 28 knots extends to about 1,250 kilometres in a day, or in real-world Pacific terms the distance from Jaluit to Ascension or from Rabaul to the other end of the Solomon Islands, past Guadalcanal. It's a little more than the distance from the Philippines to Okinawa or Iwo Jima to Tokyo. David Corbett fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Mar 15, 2018 |
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Mar 15, 2018 22:27
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How did the US handle shuttling supplies around the South Pacific in WW2 anyway? Did they bother to convoy it up, or was there a recognition that it was unnecessary, since the Japanese weren't using their subs for commerce raiding?
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Mar 16, 2018 00:43
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Yes, it's like a lava lamp.
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PittTheElder posted:How did the US handle shuttling supplies around the South Pacific in WW2 anyway? Did they bother to convoy it up, or was there a recognition that it was unnecessary, since the Japanese weren't using their subs for commerce raiding? Convoys were not used as much, mostly for the reason you already hit on. Another reason is that the pacific campaign had ships hitting multiple areas, more spread out than concentrated on a single point (beyond Australia). I found a neat article breaking down the different supplies, problems and logistics that quartermasters faced here .
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Mar 16, 2018 01:12
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Kodos666 posted:it seems the subs skipper wasn't good enough Why must you kidd so?
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Mar 16, 2018 02:41
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PittTheElder posted:How did the US handle shuttling supplies around the South Pacific in WW2 anyway? Did they bother to convoy it up, or was there a recognition that it was unnecessary, since the Japanese weren't using their subs for commerce raiding? it certainly helped that something like 140 CVEs were built, and they traveled at basically the same speed as merchant ships. Sure they didnt have a heavy concentration of striking power, but it was probably a lot harder to sneak up on them.
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Mar 16, 2018 04:33
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   The battleships get in on the action.  The cruisers get to much of the fun!  The carriers continue to strike.  They also continue to take losses.   I'd almost forgotten about Australia   More enemy troops land, but it's the bombardment that hurts!  Yes! Please sink!  Ahh, the broken combat system in one screen shot.   Loosing Kwaljelin hurts, but is not unexpected, we took our pound of flesh and slowed them down. The -OP mode must have been from the disruptive barrage. It's been two really bad days for my airframes!  This does mean I come out on the positive side in points!
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Mar 16, 2018 05:50
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An unfortunate loss but not an unsurprising outcome, the forces on Kwaljelin were listed as being in op mode since the first Allied landing and during this attack they had a negative supply modifier.
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Mar 16, 2018 06:03
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So the air war is very suddenly over, feels like. What happened? Why are we suddenly losing dozens of planes per day?
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Mar 16, 2018 06:05
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Crazycryodude posted:So the air war is very suddenly over, feels like. What happened? Why are we suddenly losing dozens of planes per day? Most of the skilled carrier pilots are dead. Every type of allied aircraft in use is far superior to current Japanese equivalents. Allied AA gets better and better with every ship refit. There's basically no way to not lose the air war as Japan. The reason why losses have been spiking around Rabaul is that the allies just moved a bunch of new squadrons with long range drop tank capability to completely cover Rabaul with Sweeps and escort any striking craft. Incidentally, when was the last time we saw anything happen in Burma or the DEI? has that entire front been silent?
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Mar 16, 2018 08:39
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Just daily small bombing runs on Rangoon. I'm not wasting any troops up there, and it seems the Allies are not either! The DEI seems to be being left alone as well, and as I'm shipping large amounts of oil and fuel out of there, I'm happy with the quiet.
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Mar 16, 2018 08:53
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Any daring tricks up your sleeve to stem the tide? Or just make it not worth it to be ground back to Japan? Historical footnote: The Anzio was used to carry back many American soldiers after the completion of the war. Top Hats Monthly fucked around with this message at 10:24 on Mar 16, 2018 |
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Mar 16, 2018 10:17
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Let's give GH credit, he did sink the RMS Queen Mary. The Queen Elizabeth would have been a good prize but we've had a good helping of bloody water. Reuben Sandwich fucked around with this message at 12:00 on Mar 16, 2018 |
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Mar 16, 2018 11:58
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Kwajalein must be a relief for the allies after the protracted fight for Jaluit. Also, all those airframe losses were from the airfields at Kwajalien being captured. Were you unable to get them off the island, Grey?
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Mar 16, 2018 13:04
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Yeah, sometimes it doens't even let you do the Withdraw/destroy option. It was a shame.
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Mar 16, 2018 13:09
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habeasdorkus posted:Kwajalein must be a relief for the allies after the protracted fight for Jaluit. Also, all those airframe losses were from the airfields at Kwajalien being captured. Were you unable to get them off the island, Grey? if the base's airfield is too damaged to let the undamaged planes fly out, and the bombings damage the airframes faster than the AvSupport can repair them, then you keep planes permanently stuck
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Mar 16, 2018 13:12
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Grey Hunter posted:
The ghost of Alfred Mahan is looking down upon you and smiling.
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Mar 16, 2018 17:56
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How realistic is it that the Cruiser and Battleship task forces are raiding convoys so successfully? Doesn't the US have air power in the area that should be able to track them down, especially since the IJN is relying on the land based aircraft for cover rather than having a carrier based CAP with them? They've been operating with impunity, seems like.
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Mar 16, 2018 19:16
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habeasdorkus posted:How realistic is it that the Cruiser and Battleship task forces are raiding convoys so successfully? Doesn't the US have air power in the area that should be able to track them down, especially since the IJN is relying on the land based aircraft for cover rather than having a carrier based CAP with them? They've been operating with impunity, seems like. In real life, TF 58 would drop just about anything to get a crack at Japanese carriers or major surface combatants, so they'd realistically be active as a threat in the Solomons. Since the allied AI script is stuck on trying to liberate atolls in the South Pacific, the carriers are bombarding husks there while the Japanese carriers and numerous surface groups are picking off unescorted invasion shipping around Rabaul.
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Mar 16, 2018 19:39
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That little sub chaser got hit by a 46cm shell. That is some good overkill.
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Mar 16, 2018 23:17
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Looking through the ship list it strikes me the safest service is probably submarines, which is hilarious.
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Mar 17, 2018 01:11
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RZApublican posted:An unfortunate loss but not an unsurprising outcome, the forces on Kwaljelin were listed as being in op mode since the first Allied landing and during this attack they had a negative supply modifier. Once supply goes your effective AV seems to drop to nothing.
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Mar 17, 2018 01:38
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I'm sure the Kwajaelin defenders did us proud in the end and committed mass suicide rather than surrender.
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Mar 17, 2018 02:07
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Grey, could we please, please play through Operation Downfall after your victory, if it is possible to mod an indeterminate game? I won't lie and say I don't enjoy it whenever you and Japan suffer, but I also really look forwards to your massive tactical victories and grinding down hundreds of thousands of allied troops, even as the occasional city goes up in nuclear fire! Now that would be a treat. Something for everyone! If you have the time and inclination.
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Mar 17, 2018 05:21
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  We drive off an armoured cruiser south of Rabaul.  The raiders trade shots as well.  They give chase, but take some damage, their not used to a foe who can shoot back like this!  My god, this guy has some guts.  This is a sad display.  Some defenders still hold out. They do get wiped out today though!  No mass sinking today. I'm a little sad.  At least it was full of troops!
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Mar 17, 2018 05:35
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surely the portland is slowed down enough that you can murder her though
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Mar 17, 2018 13:02
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16 March 1944 USS Tautog torpedoes the destroyer Shirakumo east of Hokkaido.
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Mar 17, 2018 17:29
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  A fresh squadron of Judy's has arrived. Their first attack goes about as well as you would expect.  The carrier strike is much more efficient.  Their Spitfires continue to murder us!  Most of my warships in Rabaul are undergoing what repairs they can at the pierside. I'm also a little sad at what happened to my nice new squadron. Baptisms of fire and all that!  Only one kill today, but it's a good one.  I also get a new toy! I assume the Americans got three new Essex class today.  The Junyo is taking forever to repair. I swear this was down to 12 days a while ago....
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Mar 17, 2018 20:25
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So, what's the ETA on new plane types coming online? Ours, I mean. We've seen a whole range of Zero updates, but I don't think we've seen anything brand new since... pretty much ever.
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Mar 17, 2018 20:54
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Based on a few minutes of research I think the next fighter that may push the air war back to parity is the Mitsubishi F-1. It's still a long ways out but research may have been rushed.
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Mar 17, 2018 22:46
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acidia posted:Based on a few minutes of research I think the next fighter that may push the air war back to parity is the Mitsubishi F-1. It's still a long ways out but research may have been rushed.  glad I googled this one
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Mar 17, 2018 22:57
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acidia posted:Based on a few minutes of research I think the next fighter that may push the air war back to parity is the Mitsubishi F-1. It's still a long ways out but research may have been rushed. Only get 77 airframes produced though. May as well hold out for the F2 airframe, at the very least you nearly get them in the triple digits.
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Mar 18, 2018 01:23
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In seriousness, I've no clue how the research system works but a drastically rushed A7M (historically just a few were produced before the war's end - as in 10 total, and thus had no effect but the capabilities are known) would certainly help balance out the current disparity in naval fighter planes. There is no stopgap between that and the A6M though, so naval aviation is, bluntly, basically hosed and getting worse until that comes online. For army fighters, historically the Ki-84 should be available for deployment in November, so I'd imagine a decent push to its research could potentially have it available fairly soon. Again, this was a very well-regarded machine that would certainly drastically help out in the air. Similarly, the Ki-100 historically comes online in a year, and again pushing up its availability certainly couldn't hurt. Of currently available (army) fighters, the Ki-61 should have started being introduced into combat squadrons a bit over a year ago, and the N1K-J should be doing similar right around now. Both match up well against current Allied fighters, especially the latter. I don't really recall seeing aerial reports involving them so far though, so who knows how or where squadrons are being reequipped with those.
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Mar 18, 2018 04:50
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Time to refocus all research and production on wunderwaffen jets is what I'm getting here
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Mar 18, 2018 05:05
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Crazycryodude posted:Time to refocus all research and production on wunderwaffen jets is what I'm getting here You joke, but Imperial Japan actually did have knockoffs of both the Me 262 (Kikka) and the the Me 163 (J8M) in the development/prototype stage at the end of the war. As might be imagined, they're far behind anything else in terms of when they'd be available. Also, a huge reason behind the massive delays of the A7M and the Ki-84 was simply the inability of Japan to design and produce engines powerful enough for them - the actual airframe designs were finished and tested long before their actual deployment dates. Given bomber raids on Japan itself seem like they'll be much farther in the future than historically (just given where the AI is currently in terms of island hopping), getting significant numbers of engines for the drat things might actually be reasonably possible far sooner - even aside from however researching planes actually works.
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Mar 18, 2018 05:29
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There was one of those game threads on the Matrix forums where the Japanese player focused development on a later model Ki-84 I think that had an upgraded engine and supercharger. I dont think it got past the prototype stage in real life, but he was able to build a ton of them, and they held up pretty good for a while. They were probably using some alternate scenario though.
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Mar 18, 2018 06:00
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Late-war Japanese planes are not poo poo, but did have lovely pilots, lack of fuel, and an overwhelming disparity in numbers. The only thing Japanese planes couldn't do well across the board was high-altitude interception.
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Mar 18, 2018 06:34
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The problem is, as I understand, that the Japanese player can focus production on various airplane models to help maintain parity. But the cost is in supply, which is a finite resource for Japan and which will lead to general problems elsewhere.
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Mar 18, 2018 06:49
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Also I'd wager actually figuring out how to direct R&D production is opaque at the level of, say, figuring out how normal R&D production works.
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Mar 18, 2018 09:22
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Lord Koth posted:You joke, but Imperial Japan actually did have knockoffs of both the Me 262 (Kikka) and the the Me 163 (J8M) in the development/prototype stage at the end of the war. As might be imagined, they're far behind anything else in terms of when they'd be available. No idea if this is thread knowledge or not but these actually exist in the game and it's theoretically possible to see them just like the P-80    I've only ever played allies so I have no idea how Japanese R&D works though. I'd be really curious to see what GHs pilot pools look like right now, too.
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Mar 18, 2018 11:22
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GH has a whole shitload, a real healthy and growing number, of pilots in one big pool and I'm talking about the Pacific Ocean here
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Mar 18, 2018 13:52
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