Dutch AVP Arend: Scenario 1 Exploits

[WEXF]

The briefing also pointed out that the 1st and 3rd Motor Brigades had also had their TOE changed. Prior to the change the 3rd Motor Brigade structure included 24 M3 Grant/Lee tanks.

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After the upgrade the M3 tanks had been replace by Humber I.
It was clear that the 3rd Motor Brigade was an combined infantry/armor unit of significant strength. It was not planned to further upgrade the TOE of the unit, although the Humber I tanks were to be upgraded in the future.

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[WEXF]

The final item on the meeting agenda was an update on the status of the West Sumatra Base Force. The two components of the unit (Padang BF and Djambi BF) were now at Geraldton and were combined.

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It was pointed out that although the WSBF was currently relatively weak it would become a significant support unit in the near future, providing aviation support and AA defenses. It has been a long haul for the Dutch troops that make up the WSBF and a number of rounds of drinks were bought in their honor that night.

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[WEXF]

Oct 1 found the port at Carnarvon 45%>L3. The daily briefing was a summary of the results of "Operation Resource" conducted during September to determine the ability of moving Resource Points away from the north western bases.

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The month started with there being 32587 RP at CD. As 2000 are produced at CD everyday there would have been almost 93000 by the beginning of October. There are however only 22712 meaning that roughly 70000 RP moved.
The numbers for Port Hedland show that there was little change in the number of RP at that base, although there were quite a few TF removing RP from the base. It seems clear that as RP were removed from PH they were replaced from CD.
At Exmouth, where RP were set to accumulate and numbers of TF were used to move RP south, the amount of RP varied from only a few hundred to almost 15000.
At Kalgoorlie, RP production was used to augment Perth, the only base in the west to need RP, with the remaining either remaining at the base of moving east toward Adelaide.
TF activity at Carnarvon, loading and unloading RP, resulted in large variations in the number of RP at the base and the "system" reacted to the activity. At Geraldton RP quickly moved out of the base heading for Perth.
In terms of "game mechanics" here is what "Command" took away from the exercise.
1. Resource Points are an "abstraction" and do not move by any specific rate of travel. When the "system" sees a need for RP they get to where they are needed as long as they do not have to leave a land mass. RP will move within Australia but RP from Australia cannot "automatically" get to New Zealand.
2. Setting a base to "store" RP will increase the amount of RP sent to that base even of there is no industry there that needs them.
3. The more activity of TF loading or unloading RP at a given base the higher the number of RP that the "system" will look to supply the base with.
4. If a base has activity that creates RP in that base but no industry or activity that needs RP, the RP will leave quickly.
Command was satisfied that the process of removing RP from CD was working as planned and would continue. There was no immediate threat of Japanese invasion of the north but one was expected soon.

[WEXF]

This AAR is just entering October 1942. I said I would provide some details on how the overall campaign was going at the end of each month. The next few posts will do that.
Here is the Intel screen for October 2. I would appreciate any comment on how the numbers compare to the experience of other players.

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Here are the lists of the largest Allied and Japanese ships reported sunk. The Allied list is accurate, the Japanese list is subject to FOW.

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[WEXF]

October 2 has the port at Carnarvon 48%>L3. Arend is enroute to Exmouth.

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I don't have a feeling on how air losses during this campaign compare to the experience of others so please feel free to comment here. I am wondering if the number of operational losses for Japanese airframes is unusually high? The same for Japanese fighters? I know that FOW is in play but nevertheless the numbers do seem a bit high to me. Also 151 Jakes lost to ops?

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[WEXF]

The war has regions of bad news, good news and areas where anything can still happen. Since we are in October 1942, the rate of Japanese advances has certainly slowed in the Pacific. The status of Port Moresby is about to change as the few remaining Allied troops are starving and out of all kinds of supplies. China is also in deep trouble from lack of supply. If there is one region that is looking OK it is Burma/India. There have been no Japanese invasions of India and except for an occasional submarine poking around no naval actions. In Burma, a major Japanese advance including 3 infantry divisions supported by large groups of smaller infantry units, armor and artillery of all kinds has been slowed down by an Allied counter attack supported by large numbers of medium and heavy bombers of all kinds.
The supply lanes from the US to New Zealand and Oz are open as are the routes from Cape Town and other off map ports.

[BBfanboy]

The Japanese may be nearly exhausted in the NG area too. If you have to scrape up a relief force with lots of fighter cover to run a convoy into PM you should do so. It's your Guadalcanal.
You could consider bringing some of those HBs in Burma back to Australia. PM is not a game changing location for the Allies but it will be much harder to start a NG campaign if Japan holds it, and the slog up the Solomons will be much harder too.

[WEXF]

Thanks for the comment. I will have to look at what is available to help PM. If something can be done, I will post the details here.
WEXF

[WEXF]

The morning of 5Oct42 found the port at Carnarvon 58%>L3. ABDA HQ was now jut five days before departing the region. Fortunately, no new enemy activity has been detected locally.
At Geraldton, the Albany, Carnarvon and Geraldton RAN Base Forces were combined to form the 3rd RAN Base Force. This was a lengthy process.

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This engineering unit was currently equipped at a fraction of their TOE, lacking lots of important material.

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The biggest change going forward for this unit will be the addition of a strong AA capability. As the unit is Australian, it should not take long for missing devices to be added.

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[WEXF]

The morning of 6Oct had the port at Carnarvon 61%>L3. No reports of new enemy activity were received on the north or west coasts of Australia.
At Geraldton the newly reformed Australian 3rd RAN Base Force had received replacements and was now at 45% of TOE.

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The unit received 2 6" Guns, 3 Aviation Support, 2 Engineers, 2 Engineer Vehicles, a radar set and 1 each support and naval support. In three days it looks like some more support and engineers will be added. Interestingly, none of the AA guns in the TOE (see previous screens) were or are likely to be added soon. The pools of those guns are currently empty although there is some production. Hopefully, the AA guns will be added soon.

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[BBfanboy]

Where there are a number of units waiting for a device, the AI will look at the base size, supply availability and then distribute them starting with the largest base/lowest unit database number. If you want to ensure they go to a particular unit you pretty much have to set all the other units to no upgrade and no replacements until your target unit has what you want.

[WEXF]

Where there are a number of units waiting for a device, the AI will look at the base size, supply availability and then distribute them starting with the largest base/lowest unit database number. If you want to ensure they go to a particular unit you pretty much have to set all the other units to no upgrade and no replacements until your target unit has what you want.

Thanks for this posting. The 3 RAN Base Force is Australian and is the only Australian unit waiting for the AA guns, there are a number of British units waiting for the same guns so I am not surprised to see the 3 RAN not getting them. The unit database number of 6082 is lower than most other similar units so they should have a decent place in the queue.

[WEXF]

It has been over two years since I started this AAR and I have learned a lot about our great game from all of the comments I received from those that have followed the adventures of AVP Arend and the activities of the Allied Command on the west coast of Australia.
That being said, the game this AAR has been based on, while still continuing, has not shown any significant activity on the north or west coast of Australia for quite some time. Therefore, I have decided to suspend posting on this AAR for the foreseeable future. It makes no sense for me to try and find interesting sideshows for this AAR. If things change, the exploits of AVP Arend will return.
A special thanks to those that followed this AAR and provided feedback during the last 2+ years.
WEXF

[anarchyintheuk]

I've learned a lot as well. If you ever need to forward deploy the 3rd RAN Base Force, keep us posted.

[WEXF]

I've learned a lot as well. If you ever need to forward deploy the 3rd RAN Base Force, keep us posted.

Glad you were able to benefit from the AAR. I'll certainly keep an eye on the 3RAN Base Force.
WEXF