Can a supply hub be cut off?

[Nikademus]

Experience in my AAR, about to wind down to victory if I understand the 1.20 vic conditions for the Japanese (Holding one or more several key bases by 1 jan 43)

So assaulting Nomura is pretty much moot. All i have to do is sit tight for two more weeks and i get sent back to Japan for a new ceremonial sword, a summer beach house and a big fat pension.

I am curious though. Taking Luganaville was a tough tough fight involving in the end over 66,000 Imperial troops (against a surviving force of 32,000 US and US marines. For most of the siege it was much closer (52,000 vs about 44,000 in the begginning) and as the attacker i was never able to score better than 0 to 1 odds given the huge numbers of troops, even after i'd reduced the fortifications to zero.

Once more it came down to logistics. Had i not been able to starve out the base with a complete air and sea blockade i doubt i'd have ever taken the base without at least another 30-50,000 troops. As such it still took almost 4-6 weeks to complete the operation.

The key aspect of this assault made me wonder about the default supply hub bases, Brisbane, Truk and Normura. Mainly, can these three bases, if under assault be "cut off" from their default supply status? Or will they continue to get 90,000 supply and 90,000 fuel each turn....even if enemy troops are in the same hex and even if the air is at least being seriously contested from the air?

If not and if the bases have accumulated as much air and land power as Normura has, it would seem an impossibility to take the base by storm or by siege.

[Raverdave]

I have tried to attack N with no luck....had 70,000 troops IIRC and was never able to win...even after reducing the fort level to zero and facing 50,000. Have yet to try Brisbane or as the allies Truk, but I suspect that you not be able to take Truk either........anyone else tried this yet?

[thantis]

At the point I have reached in the long campaign (middle August, 1943) - all the Japanese have left is Truk & Shortlands. I've decided not to attempt to take Truk - after a carrier raid resulted in the loss of over 100 US Dive & Torpedo bombers.

I can only imagine how many AAA battalions are sitting there will full support & full supply, not to mention how many engineers & infantry.

Even if I loaded up every single combat unit I had, I doubt I could even get them off the beach before I was annihilated by a shock attack.

[Jupo]

I have read from some post that someone has succesfully conquered Truk, so it's propably possible, but i don't know how

[Chiteng]

I doubt an extended siege is really possible on an atoll.
Either you win, or you get tossed of, or you sink it.

[doomonyou]

the "default bases" were supplied via uncontrollable convoys every turn or so that could be attacked and intercepted as per normal. If enough of these ships were nailed, perhaps the supplies flow be reduced, even in the extreme cases eliminated. Right now you can send twenty subs to Truk to prowl and its doesn't reduce its supply at all.

Just ain't right I tell ya...

[thantis]

That seems a bit gamey to me....if I knew that I could cut off all supply to my opponent, why wouldn't I send all of my submarines to prowl off Truk or Noumea????

Some abstraction is necessary - because since the theater is so large, supplies will be able to make it pretty much no matter what happens.

[doomonyou]

This is a historical simulatoin is it not? Was Truk not isolated to die slowly? Assuming that every US sub in the theatre skulks around truk, why can't they find any ships? 90K supply couldn't arrive in less than thirty of the largest merchantmen. The convoys wouldn't have to be naked, unescorted target practice, but interdiction of supply was probably THE tactic that won America the pacific war. Plus for very small islands like truk, you could defend yourself with ASW patrols relatively easily, making it a fair battle (ie you want to try to cut truk off with your subs American? Fine. I place all my DDs in groups of 12 around there. We will see who laughs last!)

In WITP this will be a more significant problem...but its still pretty annoying here too.

[bradfordkay]

The supply status of the main bases was debated long before UV was released. It was decided that for UV there would be no limitation on supplies at the hub bases. If you're down to having only Truk to attack, then it's time to start a new scenario.

In WITP, the situation will be different. What I don't know is how transport of strategic materials for Japan will be handled, and whether it will affect the overall supply status for that nation.

[HMSWarspite]

The supply status of Truk is a game abstraction. You will not get anywhere by complaining about it. If you look, you will also find you can't bomb Tokyo. Face it...you've won (hard I know but there it is;) )

[doomonyou]

Then I can skip bomb the summer palance from tokyo bay.,....

[XPav]

With B-17s at 100 feet?