Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Encircled]

AFBs: How large a convoy of liberty ships do you guys run....say from West Coast to Pearl?

I am tending to run larger and larger convoys, especially to the front lines, and simply disband the cargo ship in port and activate it when I need the supply....perhaps that is a function of my exposed Sorong to Soc Trang line?

The more troops, ships and aircraft you have, the bigger and bigger the convoys get

[Lowpe]

Sept 19, 1943


A trick I noticed as Japan, is that if you have Avengers bombing a base....they always arrive earlier than heavy bombers. I wasn't expecting a CAP trap over Saigon, and our sweepers went in first (no opposition) followed by the Avengers then the bombers. I believe Avengers are the most plentiful Allied plane and somewhat expendable.

And they also are fairly effective and can fly out of smaller runways...

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[Lowpe]

Japan seems to be evacuating troops to Udon Thanai....now do I switch the 25th Divisions movement down to combat and allow a lot of them to get there....or do I continue to cut the rail line. I think Cut the rail line is the answer....and whatever gets there will be stopped by a defensive line in great terrain north west of Vinh.

Decent attacks today at Tourane and Saigon, although our dice roll at Saigon was poor. Both bases are damaged preventing base building....and should take Tourane tomorrow and Saigon the following day.

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[BBfanboy]

JanSako: The eastern side since you cannot run CS from off-map locations...

I don't think this is correct. I just set a CS convoy from Aden to Karachi and another from Aden to Abadan. But I did not run them so whether they would complete the CS orders is not tested yet. IIRC I did have a CS convoy running from Cape Town to Colombo and it worked just fine.

[Lowpe]

Tested the lrcap over the warships once....and some floatplanes attacked at night with no hits....

I have 31 destroyers at Tarakan to attempt an engagement with tonight...

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[Lowpe]

JanSako: The eastern side since you cannot run CS from off-map locations...

I don't think this is correct. I just set a CS convoy from Aden to Karachi and another from Aden to Abadan. But I did not run them so whether they would complete the CS orders is not tested yet. IIRC I did have a CS convoy running from Cape Town to Colombo and it worked just fine.

I have CS running from UK to Aden, and Aden to India. Plus Cape Town to Diego Garcia. Plus Abadan to Karachi. Panama Canal to multiple ports on map.

[JanSako]

Probably a user error then.
I seem to remember that if a ship loaded with RES arrives from say Cape Town to UK, it will not start unloading, says 'loading complete' on the status. If I leave it be and it is set to 'retirement allowed', next turn it just sails back to CT. (yes, Unload allowed is set ) I have seen the same with Supply ships on the E end of Panama Canal. The ships always unload in their 'home port' though so maybe that is the key.
That said, if it works for one person, then in my case it must be a user error.

[Lowpe]

Probably a user error then.
I seem to remember that if a ship loaded with RES arrives from say Cape Town to UK, it will not start unloading, says 'loading complete' on the status. If I leave it be and it is set to 'retirement allowed', next turn it just sails back to CT. (yes, Unload allowed is set ) I have seen the same with Supply ships on the E end of Panama Canal. The ships always unload in their 'home port' though so maybe that is the key.
That said, if it works for one person, then in my case it must be a user error.

I have seen the odd bug ? here where the task force reverses it commands. Not often, but it does happen at least to me. That or operator error.

[Encircled]

I have found that convoys that have waypoints on the map tend to turn around at the map edge and head back to whichever off map port they have come from - its not that annoying when its Abadan but its a right pain the backside when its Cape Town

[BBfanboy]

I have found that convoys that have waypoints on the map tend to turn around at the map edge and head back to whichever off map port they have come from - its not that annoying when its Abadan but its a right pain the backside when its Cape Town

Another mystery then - I have lots of convoys coming on-map and refueling at a waypoint base on their way to destination. In most cases the convoy has had its home port changed from the off-map base to an on-map one like SFO.

[CaptBeefheart]

So many supply… so few xaks. Are u keeping tabs with a couple of excels?

I set them to not unload, destination Pearl, home port Tabby. From Tabby they get set to coastal -- destination Shortlands, home port Sorong. From Sorong, they get destination Morotai, Home Port Soc Trang. Then to Singora area for refueling. Hopefully the return trip for supplies might be only to Shortlands or better Sorong. Some might go up the Straits of Malacca...

Wow, that's going to do you in. I'm not sure what the no-go zones are on your map, but definitely CS convoys are the way to go to save on clicks. Ideally, you can send SF or LA convoys to close to the front line with two fuel stops as your waypoints. For me, say if I've cleared CenPac, I'll have Pearl and Guam as waypoint fuel stops with destination Legaspi or maybe Okinawa. If it's not possible to stay out of harm's way going that far, then an intermediate dump is required with a lot of naval support (or shore parties).

Have your big convoys (for me, up to 150,000 tons of supplies--bigger as time goes by) go to the intermediate dumps and have smaller convoys go from there. The smaller convoys can also refuel at bases like Tarakan or Brunei. One thing about CS convoys is if you set them to refuel at waypoints, they'll refuel on the way back as well. That's the price you have to pay to save clicks (i.e. returning to LA with a lot of fuel). Send CS convoys of 4 TKs, an xAK of the same speed or better, and a DE or PF to keep your refueling waypoints in fuel. Why the xAK? The xAK will refuel your escort on the way. The TKs ironically won't and your escort may go dry, stall the convoy and build SYS damage. The idea is to automate logistics as much as possible to save time and clicks. I personally don't want to be checking all of my convoys every turn or every other turn. I'll check them after 3 or 4 complete runs.

Cheers,
CB

[RangerJoe]

That xAK can carry supplies to the way point but if it is an AG, then that could not just carry supplies but could also rearm and help repair any escorts. Those support ships can also be loaded without docking as well.

Another thing for your way points, take a quick check for damaged ships and detach them there for some repairs. Unload them and send them to a major base for repairs.

[Lowpe]

So many supply… so few xaks. Are u keeping tabs with a couple of excels?

I set them to not unload, destination Pearl, home port Tabby. From Tabby they get set to coastal -- destination Shortlands, home port Sorong. From Sorong, they get destination Morotai, Home Port Soc Trang. Then to Singora area for refueling. Hopefully the return trip for supplies might be only to Shortlands or better Sorong. Some might go up the Straits of Malacca...

Wow, that's going to do you in. I'm not sure what the no-go zones are on your map, but definitely CS convoys are the way to go to save on clicks. Ideally, you can send SF or LA convoys to close to the front line with two fuel stops as your waypoints. For me, say if I've cleared CenPac, I'll have Pearl and Guam as waypoint fuel stops with destination Legaspi or maybe Okinawa. If it's not possible to stay out of harm's way going that far, then an intermediate dump is required with a lot of naval support (or shore parties).

Have your big convoys (for me, up to 150,000 tons of supplies--bigger as time goes by) go to the intermediate dumps and have smaller convoys go from there. The smaller convoys can also refuel at bases like Tarakan or Brunei. One thing about CS convoys is if you set them to refuel at waypoints, they'll refuel on the way back as well. That's the price you have to pay to save clicks (i.e. returning to LA with a lot of fuel). Send CS convoys of 4 TKs, an xAK of the same speed or better, and a DE or PF to keep your refueling waypoints in fuel. Why the xAK? The xAK will refuel your escort on the way. The TKs ironically won't and your escort may go dry, stall the convoy and build SYS damage. The idea is to automate logistics as much as possible to save time and clicks. I personally don't want to be checking all of my convoys every turn or every other turn. I'll check them after 3 or 4 complete runs.

Cheers,
CB

Lots of AFB wisdom here...many thanks!

[Lowpe]

That xAK can carry supplies to the way point but if it is an AG, then that could not just carry supplies but could also rearm and help repair any escorts. Those support ships can also be loaded without docking as well.

Another thing for your way points, take a quick check for damaged ships and detach them there for some repairs. Unload them and send them to a major base for repairs.

Don't tell anyone, but I haven't seen an Iboat east of Tabby in a long time....which is a good thing given all my non-escorted task forces. I also have done a good job at sinking Iboats I think...

Subsequently, I have not had a problem rearming the escorts...but if they are using waystations for refueling then the port would likely be able to provide that and if not that, then I have an AG already there.

[Lowpe]

Trying to get the turn finished off this morning, but I have failed....and I have to go to the airport in the morning and then a big teleconference in the afternoon and other assorted meetings...which means most likely not done until tonight or even tomorrow morning unless I really shorten my turn. Sigh.

Oh well, It will give me time to think over rejiggering my supply logistics.

[BBfanboy]

Lowpe: ...rejiggering...

Hey! Isn't this supposed to be a family-friendly board?

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[Lowpe]

Well, I am now dancing a jig that my turn is done....I didn't really do it justice....but I think I covered the bases.

[Lowpe]

Sept 20, 1943

Allied Destroyer Escorts are simply killers...we finally have enough to accompany our pushes forward with decent coverage.

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[Lowpe]

But of course the table can be turned quite quickly:

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[Lowpe]

Our submarines provide a strong performance...it just gets stronger and stronger as we whittle down IJN escort ships.

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