1.11 -- Buggy, but trying harder.

[Commander666]

...at least apart from the quite relevant random fluctuations.

Practically speaking one needs to mission all or nearly all of them right at the start of the war.

I think your strategy is quite off because it relies on test results instead of actual experience. You fail to even comment on the very important fact that destruction achieved varies with terrain. Of course, you could test for the destruction applicable to each terrain type. Knowing that and how many factories in each province, you could fire all the needed rockets to level that location. But as you admit that there is "quite relevant random fluctuations" you don't know if the missiles appropriated will be enough.

Back to checking the destruction actually achieved. Of course, there is also the quite relevant fact that the testing itself incurred random fluctuation which could seriously put into error any calculations of how many rockets should be needed per province in your astronomical launch of all, or nearly all of them, right at the start of the war. In short, your overall slant of "real simple", "working as designed", and "quite simple" is fine for your living room lab, but when you get into doing a real war trying to zero China's IC and are playing along with the "fog" that is very much inherent in strategic destruction results, then you might realize that - all in all - your presentation of the subject is far too simple. You think you can fire 150 rockets and - just like that - have all the right number of rockets hit in the right places for the perfect destruction result. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Pang Bingxun]

I think your strategy is quite off because it relies on test results instead of actual experience. You fail to even comment on the very important fact that destruction achieved varies with terrain.

I did not mean to comment on it, so i did not fail on commenting on it. The terrain does of course have to be included in the calculation for preparing the attack. But is seems fair to say that about 78 rockets need to hit Tokyo. I did not devise a concrete strategy, but just established some basics.

Of course, you could test for the destruction applicable to each terrain type.

Or just calculate it.

But as you admit that there is "quite relevant random fluctuations" you don't know if the missiles appropriated will be enough.

Or too many for that matter. That may be the greater risk as the total amount of rockets needed to zero all factories exceeds available rockets.

Back to checking the destruction actually achieved. Of course, there is also the quite relevant fact that the testing itself incurred random fluctuation which could seriously put into error any calculations of how many rockets should be needed per province in your astronomical launch of all, or nearly all of them, right at the start of the war. In short, your overall slant of "real simple", "working as designed", and "quite simple" is fine for your living room lab, but when you get into doing a real war trying to zero China's IC and are playing along with the "fog" that is very much inherent in strategic destruction results, then you might realize that - all in all - your presentation of the subject is far too simple. You think you can fire 150 rockets and - just like that - have all the right number of rockets hit in the right places for the perfect destruction result. GOOD LUCK!

Actually that seems reasonable enough. Is there a good reason not to mission all rockets right at the start of the war? If despite reasonable expections less rockets are need for one target, than their missions can be aborted. They may then be used to hit a different target instead. That really is the point about rockets. The damage is done real soon. In its essense it is fire and forget.

 

[Commander666]

In its essense it is fire and forget.

The primary goal should be to achieve zero IC so that it is unrepairable. While the rockets are "fire and forget", the goal they are aiming at is not. To attain the goal of zero IC indeed needs an extreme amount of checking every province to see where is that 1/3 and 1/2 ic left over after an attack; and which is resulting in the country overall still having 20ic - a figure that rapidly climbs to 30ic, then 60ic... and so on.

Oh sure, a massive rocket attack will get temporary goal of "lack of supply" on immediate battles... but can all the battles even be started before repair seriously diminishes that wanted negative modifier applied to the enemy? The simple answer is - unless it is a perfect attack that achieves nil IC - then something is wanting. The fact that nobody will ever get a perfect attack should be undisputed. So, the solution is "repeating some attacks as needed" until IC indeed is "0"

This is fairly easy when 12 bombers hit as heavy as they do, and the player is monitoring one location after the next everyday until zero IC is achieved. It is not at all easy when a rocket attack - to maintain its momentum to reach zero IC - must deal with the whole map at once to mission the second "wave". Again the calculations to determine how many rockets to send? Again checking the whole map at once?

Whereas the bomber stacks have so much over kill in the end phase of reaching the goal, that - play wise - it quite easy and, importantly, as regards micro-managing the rest of the war - the bombers only demand player attention for 1-3 provinces at a time (varies if the 3 stacks start operating independently). It is this difference in how 150 rockets can be managed versus 3 bomber stacks which contributes greatly to vastly different results, with the bombers always being able to finish the job, but not the rockets unless a huge reserve has not been fired off. As said, you will never get a perfect attack with 1st wave, unless you hedged with huge over kill. To be realistic, you need to plan for at least a second wave, and probably a small last wave.

Anyway, I hope MJF will detail his rocket attack by including such critical things as country start and end IC, number rockets fired, etc. It would be very interesting to see how it went.

My only experience with massive rocket attack was where the objective was very different - causing the USA to erupt into civil war. But that used 4 nukes hitting with about 100 rockets, IIRC. Now - in that case - one is wanting the biggest effect in one day. Rockets are perfect for that.

 

[Pang Bingxun]

Oh sure, a massive rocket attack will get temporary goal of "lack of supply" on immediate battles... but can all the battles even be started before repair seriously diminishes that wanted negative modifier applied to the enemy? The simple answer is - unless it is a perfect attack that achieves nil IC - then something is wanting. The fact that nobody will ever get a perfect attack should be undisputed. So, the solution is "repeating some attacks as needed" until IC indeed is "0"

If the attacks are distributed over a larger timespan, than the initial attack will do less damage, thus more ic remains to be spent on repairs which in turn will leave more ic available for repairs. So for an effective use of the rockets they need to be fired as early as reasonably possible.

As said, you will never get a perfect attack with 1st wave, unless you hedged with huge over kill. To be realistic, you need to plan for at least a second wave, and probably a small last wave.

Well, technically there would need to be many waves, one every 5 hours. But they would be missioned all at the same time, with the missions beginning 5 hours apart each. Withholding rockets that are needed to zero the ic would be counterproductive. After the initial series of attacks some strategic bombers can perpetuate the damage done. Rockets are less well suited for that job.

 

[Commander666]

If the attacks are distributed over a larger timespan, than the initial attack will do less damage, thus more ic remains to be spent on repairs which in turn will leave more ic available for repairs. So for an effective use of the rockets they need to be fired as early as reasonably possible.

For a technical description, unfortunately your English is losing clarity. I think you mean over a "longer timespan" and your point is nothing to do with "early" but rather "in quick succession". However, your point is correct as regards minimizing opportunity to repair the damage, but not correct as regards player practicality to mission 150 rockets to fire off in rapid unison. Have you ever tried missioning that number of rockets? And you wish to further set their times precisely. Have fun with the "umpteen hundreds" of total clicks you will need to complete to get the details into the game engine. Hope you don't get "mouse cramp".

Well, technically there would need to be many waves, one every 5 hours. But they would be missioned all at the same time, with the missions beginning 5 hours apart each.

Back to firing "blind" with # of rockets/target based on calculation. But actual damage obtained is subject to considerable random fluctuation... SO MEANING it will not be a perfect attack.

Withholding rockets that are needed to zero the ic would be counterproductive.

But even though a non-perfect attack is guaranteed because all broadsides will be fired without checking damage anytime, you wish to have no reserve. Well, I would not want you for my general with me being the cannon fodder because I already know that there is no flexible strategy in your preconceived notion that you think you can zero China's IC with a first wave rocket attack.

I mean, let's take this further Pang. Let's give you the number of rockets you calculate you need. Then you fire them all at once (or however you want to mission them in 5 hour waves), and when done.... let's see if you got every province to zero IC. Prove it with a screen shot. I already submitted my proof showing China at zero IC in earlier UPDATE I posted.

Want to see it again? Problem is we are not seeing anything from you... only talk.

After the initial series of attacks some strategic bombers can perpetuate the damage done. Rockets are less well suited for that job.

Ooh, now we get to the admission that the massive rocket attack might not zero the whole country. That would be acceptance of the true fact of random fluctuation and, possibly, even a human input mistake (which, of course, Pang would never do in setting 150 or so "time synced" missions). In short, you just left the door wide open to admit that it would not be a perfect attack.

And really, Pang, what on earth do you mean with some bombers can perpetuate the damage done? If the rocket attack had fulfilled its mission completely THERE WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING TO "PERPETUATE" because the damage result would be zero IC remainig. With zero IC nothing repairs. Not even 1 IC will ever repair. That is what my bombers achieve - guaranteed.. and proven via published screen shots. Like to see you show some evidence for your fantastic "rocket strategy".

 

[Pang Bingxun]

Back to firing "blind" with # of rockets/target based on calculation. But actual damage obtained is subject to considerable random fluctuation... SO MEANING it will not be a perfect attack.

Some of those random fluctuations will cancel each other out.

But even though a non-perfect attack is guaranteed because all broadsides will be fired without checking damage anytime, you wish to have no reserve.

This is not exactly what i said.

Well, I would not want you for my general with me being the cannon fodder because I already know that there is no flexible strategy in your preconceived notion that you think you can zero China's IC with a first wave rocket attack.

First off i refer to Japan all the way. Second i did not state that it would zero the ic. But any undue delay will mitigate the damage done.

Ooh, now we get to the admission that the massive rocket attack might not zero the whole country. That would be acceptance of the true fact of random fluctuation and, possibly, even a human input mistake (which, of course, Pang would never do in setting 150 or so "time synced" missions). In short, you just left the door wide open to admit that it would not be a perfect attack.

Arguably it would be perfect. It does of course depend on your understanding of perfect. If it cannot be improved, than it is perfect. Is there a better way to utilize a given amount of rockets than to fire all of them if the given amount will not suffice to zero all factories?

If the rocket attack had fulfilled its mission completely THERE WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING TO "PERPETUATE" because the damage result would be zero IC remainig. With zero IC nothing repairs.

That is false. But repairing takes much longer. Also it is expected that ic will not be down to zero. So chances are there will still be some work left to do.

 

[Commander666]

That is false. But repairing takes much longer.

It is not false because any commander worth their salt would annex the nation way before your "theoretical" repair can happen.

Also it is expected that ic will not be down to zero. So chances are there will still be some work left to do.

Why would you expect that? Are you aiming for an "imperfect attack"? I expect that ic will be at zero... and that country will never repair it. There is nil chance any more "work" needs to be done as regards the ic having been zeroed (if it was indeed zeroed). It is done. Naturally, there is also a ground war going on to conclude the matter. It's not like the Wehrmacht will go on holidays to come back and re-bomb what they just flattened!

 

[MJF]

Will you answer my questions or not?

All answered above. All Japanese puppets have military access through each other, no?

 

[MJF]

Anyway, I hope MJF will detail his rocket attack by including such critical things as country start and end IC, number rockets fired, etc. It would be very interesting to see how it went.

OK.

 

[MJF]

Hey -- all this chattering got me promoted to Colonel!!!

 

[Commander666]

Hey -- all this chattering got me promoted to Colonel!!!

Congratulations!

 

[Commander666]

UPDATE: The Race to More Powerful Weapons

We achieve Semi-Fission technology; and our existing nuke upgrades automatically. How supercalifragilistic! Otto Hahn (above) is tasked with achieving the next level of weapon – the incredible fission bomb.

Just a few days later the last reactor level possible under the old technology completed, and we went right onto constructing Level 8. Our nuclear timetabling is working marvelously – only suffering a 4-day hiccup. Once we achieve Fission Bomb, we can build the reactor to Level 9.

Meanwhile, our espionage program against Japan is proving crippling to the Imperial Japanese Navy. Nobody can figure out if the new aircraft carrier technology is getting closer or further from ever being achieved!

And the combination of more infra and liberating Guangxi Clique has gotten what we were looking for. From here onwards, any further green in the supply map mode is just “ESE gravy”!

We completed the 8th level on the nuclear test site but now need to idle the reactor until research catches up. No way around it… we are researching at 100%. We also achieved Modern Infantry and – after upgrading almost 300 GAR - were able to remove and disband many MP brigades. Our MP is climbing to figures we can’t remember seeing… it’s been so long.

Disbanding a whole bunch more MP brigades we get our MP to climb over 300. On this day, we achieve FISSION BOMB.
NOTE: MJF achieved Fission Bomb October 6/46. We are 7 weeks behind!

We scour the continents for whole GAR that we can remove now that the GAR (Modern INF-1947) have suppression of 12. Sometimes we are a bit over eager, and – fortunately – there are Canadians (and now Cubans and Hattians) to fix our “pink blushes”. But we get MP to climb above 400. Can we reach 500?

Finally, in response to MJF's last post, the following has been declassified, and approved for publication.
But how is it that our IC now is 1115/826 while MJF's is only 1103/685. Are we winning the IC marathon? Paradoxically – might it pay to not build too much IC in the beginning?
NOTE: Total Axis INTs = 177, and TACs = 64
Some countries are upgrading to INT-VIII and TAC-VI which is the current Luftwaffe standard (Turbojet).

And comparing to MJF’s latest screen shot below:

Other comparisons and comments:

In Post 535, MJF presented a screen shot showing that his 2nd nuke would be ready Feb 14/47. But he already has it. Estimate for when our 2nd nuke will be ready is April 30/47.
We are possibly ~ 4 months behind in nuke stockpiling. (see following Weather Report for "adjustment").

However, we were amazed to see that MJF is still fighting in Iraq. We settled that some years ago and, generally, our global situation is quite advanced. We intend that this will be the last winter that our troops will endure sitting in Sub-Arctic climate.

We are announcing that hostilities with Japan can begin as soon as the northern regions are no longer frozen. The ground war to annex Japan's puppets and secure the Korean Peninsula will begin Spring 1947.

Phase 2 - By the start of Summer 1947 (or sooner) we will begin the destruction of the IJN, followed by securing the greater Pacific region.

Phase 3 - The invasion of Honshu could begin anytime after September 1st, 1947.

Our primary goal is to get the least MP losses for Germany counting from 1939 to annexation of Japan and all her puppets. We believe that this is probably the single most meaningful comparison of the two otherwise differently played world conquests.

 

[Commander666]

Weather Report:

• Siberia - frozen
• Mongolia - patchy
• Manchuria - mixed clear/ frozen/ snowing
• China - mostly clear
• Thailand - clear
• Tokyo - sunny _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(See below)





EDIT: It seems we are only ~9 weeks behind MJF as regards having gotten the second nuclear bomb. The AoD "next nuke estimates" are off by about 1 1/2 months. But, maybe, what will really matter is who delivers the first nuke.

 

[Pang Bingxun]

Why would you expect that? Are you aiming for an "imperfect attack"?

The whole time i have been refering to the military build up by MFJ. According to last screen only 72 rockets are available. But even twice that amount will be insufficient. Or even 180. My calculations indicate that 228 are needed just to zero the 114 factories in national provinces, let alone the ones in nonnational provinces.

If instead refering to a less concrete and more deliberate build up, than diminishing returns might lead to the deliberation that slightly less than 100% of enemy factories destroyed by rockets is sensible. There is no need for overkill.

I expect that ic will be at zero... and that country will never repair it. There is nil chance any more "work" needs to be done as regards the ic having been zeroed (if it was indeed zeroed).

Donnot count on it. Even if there is zero ic left or more likely zero ic is left to be put on repairs after the bill for supplies and salaries is paid, than there is still the phenomenon of free repair. This is only a small fraction, but a small fraction of a large amount, like 39 factories at 200%, is still something.

 

[Commander666]

The whole time i have been refering to the military build up by MFJ.

I am not a mind reader. The whole time I have no idea what you refer to unless you clearly state so.

But even twice that amount will be insufficient.

Here you go again, now not indicating if you are referring to zeroing China, or the two China puppets that will become MJF's future enemies, or Japan that you mentioned earlier but is probably inapplicable to MJF's cause because his rockets can't reach there. In short, your statement is rather unclear unless one wants to add up who has 114 national factories (as RoC total IC also exceeds 114) .

Donnot count on it. Even if there is zero ic left or more likely zero ic is left to be put on repairs after the bill for supplies and salaries is paid, than there is still the phenomenon of free repair. This is only a small fraction, but a small fraction of a large amount, like 39 factories at 200%, is still something.

Oh, I not only count on it but have been proven correct by counting on it. Re-read past story line as regards "The Dragon Falls" and you should be able to figure out how long N. China stayed at zero IC after I put it there. Of course, you present the totally fictitious notion of a Germany going thru all the work to zero a country's IC (which is quite an undertaking) but then you think player should wait around to participate in the "phenomenon of free repair" instead of getting on with the war, and annexation. Any player of AoD - once they have gotten the war as far as having zeroed the enemy IC as shown on trade display - will always be in a position to annex nation before IC will ever repair to even just 1. In short, all your above is only a "phenomenon" that is not applicable to normal play except perhaps you, I guess, who perhaps would sit around and twiddle their Wehrmacht's thumbs waiting to be proven correct.

Anyway, the actual timeline that matters - the current war coming - has moved way past your involuted debate. Maybe you could keep up?

I think it is very sad that you always over-focus on the minuscule, the what-doesn't matter, the slightest of an imperfection in a general statement... instead of supporting the effort being made to present something interesting to forum as indicated by the huge number of views. What you are doing really amounts to derailing, IMO. Personally, I would have FAR GREATER appreciation of your posts if you got with the overall aim and made positive suggestions (such as perhaps pointing out strategy alternatives or suggesting positive moves that players may have over looked) ) instead of doing what I can only describe as nit-picking about mechanics - right down to phenomenon that don't even ever manifest (unless player is really, really slow).

 

[Commander666]

The weather over Asia is perfect! But in just 27 days we will achieve IMP Turbojet FTR, and then need to upgrade 60 squadrons. Should we change leaders today and DOW Japan May 10th? That gives us only 20 days to wipe out Siam, Mengkukuo, Manchuria and reach Busan before the FTR upgrade would begin. That is probably doable, but is it wise?

Or upgrade the FTR first - which would need until at least July 1st to complete? Then DOW Japan while having vastly superior fighters? It would leave the summer months to easily complete Phase 1, and also allow for most of the infra improvements to finish before war starts. Phase 2 - destruction of the IJN - should work fine given we are discussing weather in the Pacific for September-January which, traditionally, is the "sunny season".

And an invasion of Honshu starting in early 1948 might fit better with MJF's plans. Not knowing that is the biggest question of all.

 

[Pang Bingxun]

Here you go again, now not indicating if you are referring to zeroing China, or the two China puppets that will become MJF's future enemies,

I never referred to China.

In short, your statement is rather unclear unless one wants to add up who has 114 national factories (as RoC total IC also exceeds 114)

I mentioned those 114 factories before when clearly referring to japan. This figure is too specific to not mean Japan.

RoC has much fewer factories than 114. In a 1942 savegame i have at hand it has only 109 factories in all its national provinces including all those that it does not control like Tibet and Taiwan.

Any player of AoD - once they have gotten the war as far as having zeroed the enemy IC as shown on trade display - will always be in a position to annex nation before IC will ever repair to even just 1.

By the time the player is close to annexing the country strategic bombers would be in range. Japan is a common example where some time can pass between starting the war and actually annexing it. It also may be the most common example of rockets being available and making sense.

I think it is very sad that you always over-focus on the minuscule, the what-doesn't matter, the slightest of an imperfection in a general statement... instead of supporting the effort being made to present something interesting to forum as indicated by the huge number of views. What you are doing really amounts to derailing, IMO.

I was thinking similar about you. My motivation was to offer some insight in how rockets are to be utilitzed against the most common target. That was helpful. But then you moved in to expand the issue with many aspect i did not even refer too. In short you made a short investigation into a long discussion.

right down to phenomenon that don't even ever manifest (unless player is really, really slow).

I find it closer to the truth to state that the phenomon does always manifest, each and every day. In before mentioned Tokyo it is 0.0342 factories per day if Infra is at 200%. If Infra is at 0, than it is only 0.0171 factories per day. Infra itself was increasing 0.28% per day. So it is indeed small, but not quite negligible.

Somewhat interesting is that that both free repairs and paid for repairs are quite precisely twice as fast at 200% infra than at 0 infra.

Also paid for repairs did only amount to 2.5 times the repairs done without paying for it, so the paid for part is only 1.5 times as big as the free repairs. Those figures however only apply at the end when the spending on repairs is limited to 1 times the ic to build the factory or any other installation. When higher spending is possible, than the paid for part of the repairs is proportional to the ic spend on repairing the respective building.

Or upgrade the FTR first - which would need until at least July 1st to complete?

That seem wiser. The most heavy fighting tends to occur at the start of the war, so starting the war near the 22nd of june makes sense, because then the nights are the shortest. Nights disfavour the attacker at land.

 

[Commander666]

Germany starts upgrading to Me P.1099 Improved Turbojet-1947, or just FTR-5. There are 60 squadrons to upgrade. It is amazing what having +1000 ic can accomplish... 100% upgrade without even adjusting anything in production. So we need to fly the northern based wings back towards Berlin some ways... find some higher ESE airport than in Siberia... try to get done by the summer solstice, or our conquest goal of low losses might be in trouble!

Wonder where will MJF be on that "longest day".

 

[Commander666]

With almost all the 60 FTR squadrons upgraded, Germany checks on Japan in preparation for going to war. Our many spies continue to ensure that very few technology projects ever reach completion. We had over 60 spies earlier, but cut back on funding some time ago, and cancelled it finally to support the FTR upgrade. Hopefully "Modern Air Carrier" will not be realized before all their CVs are sunk. The IJN has added 2 flat tops. And Germany reached its goal of 600 MP (and still climbing).

 

[MJF]

The World is Not Big Enough... Phase One: Initial Attack

Beginnings - The removal of Japan from the Axis Alliance results in its puppets dropping out as well. Bye:

With Stacks of troops on Wake Island, Guadalcanal, Noumea, Burma, and Olekminsk & Irkutsk in Siberia, and elsewhere as stated earlier in this thread: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...t-trying-harder.1109629/page-27#post-24858581

War is declared 1 week later:

DOW'ing Japan does not put me at war with its puppets...

...so, in fairness, and in keeping with the Master Plan, I DOW them all:

Japan has around 280 IC, and 70 factories in Tokyo. ROC has 48 factories and over 100 divisions in Chongqing. I have formed my ballistic missiles in clusters of 3's. I launch 16 clusters - 48 rockets - upon Tokyo...

...and one of my 2 atom bombs on Chongqing, and the 100+ stack of infantry divisions located there.

I almost feel sorry for them:

48 rockets destroy infrastructure, but not facilities. They do a bit better vs factories than I was led to believe, yet 9 remain:

A rocket attack on Nanjing is effective, and the drive to Honshu begins with taking Wake Island:

This shows the Strategic Map, as of day 2:

The red lines to the Japanese Mainland are rockets.

An early change calls for Nimitz and his 6 CV V's to leave the south and move up to Kwajalein & The Marshall Islands, as Japanese carriers are finding holes in my northern advances, costing me transport damage. The Tasman & Coral Sea areas are devoid of enemy naval activity.

Adm. Withers and his 6 Am. State SSH's are sent into the Sea Of Japan, to convoy raid & distract the IJN. It works, but at great cost.

He & his men are awarded Iron Crosses.

Posthumously.


Rocket attacks continue on Japan, but the 200+ arsenal is soon exhausted:

More rockets are on the way.

Now for some early good news:

With the IJN starting with 24 CV's to my 10 CV IV's and 6 CV VIII's. I'll need all the breaks I can get, so we whittle away:

26 days in, and the slicing attacks against Northern China are going mostly well. However the attacks against Chongqing - Manstein from the north and Student from the south, are brutally slow.

Yet - an early, if small, victory:

One Month In:

While the northern attacks look good, "The Last Emperor" (Pu-Yi) has a huge stack of his loyal troops in Harbin, as well as north of Vladivostok, slowing me down considerably. Guderian is stalled north of Shanghai, with Model attempting to catch up. Student's attacks against ROC from Burma are still struggling through high mountains, and the drive to Hanoi crawls through jungles.

Unexpectedly heavy resistance is being encountered in Siam. Manstein struggles to slice southward through that valley north of Chongqing, meeting a stack of resistance along the way.

An English CTF was ordered into the South China Sea. They, er, got careless and were mauled by an IJN CTF 6 + 6 stack (not Yamamoto, but effective enough). This forces a limping southern retreat.


On the bright side, Marcus Island is taken, giving my STR's a base to bomb Tokyo & parts of Japan. 1 Atom bomb left, until maybe January '48. What to do with it...

...and where is Yamamoto?


10 days later, out of frustration and believing the 100+ stack of ROC troops in nuked Chongqing to be in no condition to fight, a 3-stack Fallschirmjager corps drops in for a visit, as well as on neighboring Chengdu. They are successful:

With exhausted bombers pushed to the limit, and amphibious attacks occurring unopposed on the Russian SE coast, we get more good news:

For 2 weeks now a SAG of 5 English Adv & SH BB's bombard the Tokyo Coastline. Thinking that if Yamamoto was there, he would come out & chase them off, I have my 6 CV VIII's + 6 DD VI's nearby. Only Japanese transports show up.

Finally, with most of the stack on Midway relocated to Marcus Island, with Guderian regaining organization north of Nanjing, with Rommel attacking across the Yalu, with S. E. Asian advances slow but sure, it becomes time for the Main Event: The attack on Honshu:

Now for the blunder:

Instead of taking Sendai in force, dropping an airbase there and moving my (tired) NAV's in to Port Strike/Base Strike Tokyo Harbor, I decide to trott into their capital with my Marines. That led to guess what?

...And I just started moving my two CTF's north & south, leaving tons of transports, some full, some empty, in Tokyo Bay!

I was able to retreat most of them. Exhausted luftwaffe helped. Guess who got away. Wasted opportunity. I got their attention however:

No deal. Meanwhile, another one bites the dust:

Two months in:

Naval Activity:

The IJN has lost about 1/2 of their carriers.

13 are left

...but so is Yamamoto.


Part II to follow!