I think consolidating the Dutch garrisons makes sense. The downside to bringing in fresh troops like 18 UK Div. is that they are then lost, but the Dutch are dead anyway. May as well get your money's worth. In general, it's a good idea to move troops around to change what the Japanese "know".
If you have time, don't forget the Barisan Regt on Pamakasan. It's a big unit, and completely wasted where it is.
Landing forces at Legaspi is a mistake for Japan. There is no reason to do so. Land everyone at Altimonoan or somewhere that is a quicker walk to Manila.
I think you're over-optimistic though on the forts you can put up. I think you'll find you'll top out at level 4 max, even if you get engineers from Singapore.
I would also have angst if you are sacrificing 18 UK Division. I see the point, but one of the limiting factors later in the game is a lack of ground units for the Allies, so disposing of a big one you have to think twice about. Even if you save a cadre, there aren't enough British squads to rebuild it. No harm on the Dutch or Malaya Army forces, they are dead anyway.
Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
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RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Q-Ball is right about forst. Usually, it takes no time to buid two forts, moderate time to build three, a heck of a long time to build four, and forever to bulid beyond that.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Forts,
Aye, it is possible that I'll hit Level 3 and find the remaining forts take a lot longer. My standard response to that is in sha'Allah. I'll do what I can to turn things in my favour ( flying in engineers etc ) and after that it is in the hands of the dice gods. I'm not responsible for the dice gods, just for doing the best I can with what I have.
Barisan Regiment: Aye, I've already lifted about half of that Regiment... a force utterly wasted where it was.
As far as 18th UK Division goes... Well it either fights forward or goes to Burma - a waste IMO as there it neither greatly aids India or the Southern Sumatran defence - or sits in India. Sitting in India invites an invasion there to capture south-eastern India, Burma is a bad idea as it can be bypassed by forces invading India or just destroyed in place there ( and its place can be taken by a larger number of Chinese forces which not only can, through sheer weight of numbers, fight as well as it but also materially improve the supply situation in China by being removed from that theatre. So, to me, the choice is to fight forward. Fighting forward means losing the division but at least in fighting forward it will help delay any movements on Burma and India.
In real life I wouldn't know about the LCU reinforcements ( or lack thereof ) in 1944 and so this is the decision I believe I would stick to.
We all draw the realism line in different places... My line is that while I have a fair idea of CVs coming down the pipes and also of aerial support within 30 days of arrival I don't bother looking much beyond that... Different strokes for different folks and all that.
The turn is with Mike so let's see what he does. He captured Kuching two turns ago but hasn't flown fighters to it... I've ordered my bombers to fly against it but for two days they have sat and waited... I managed to get about 3/4 of the combat and support troops out before Kuching fell.
Aye, it is possible that I'll hit Level 3 and find the remaining forts take a lot longer. My standard response to that is in sha'Allah. I'll do what I can to turn things in my favour ( flying in engineers etc ) and after that it is in the hands of the dice gods. I'm not responsible for the dice gods, just for doing the best I can with what I have.
Barisan Regiment: Aye, I've already lifted about half of that Regiment... a force utterly wasted where it was.
As far as 18th UK Division goes... Well it either fights forward or goes to Burma - a waste IMO as there it neither greatly aids India or the Southern Sumatran defence - or sits in India. Sitting in India invites an invasion there to capture south-eastern India, Burma is a bad idea as it can be bypassed by forces invading India or just destroyed in place there ( and its place can be taken by a larger number of Chinese forces which not only can, through sheer weight of numbers, fight as well as it but also materially improve the supply situation in China by being removed from that theatre. So, to me, the choice is to fight forward. Fighting forward means losing the division but at least in fighting forward it will help delay any movements on Burma and India.
In real life I wouldn't know about the LCU reinforcements ( or lack thereof ) in 1944 and so this is the decision I believe I would stick to.
We all draw the realism line in different places... My line is that while I have a fair idea of CVs coming down the pipes and also of aerial support within 30 days of arrival I don't bother looking much beyond that... Different strokes for different folks and all that.
The turn is with Mike so let's see what he does. He captured Kuching two turns ago but hasn't flown fighters to it... I've ordered my bombers to fly against it but for two days they have sat and waited... I managed to get about 3/4 of the combat and support troops out before Kuching fell.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
I see the point, but I think there is a third choice between wasting 18th UK in Burma or expending in Sumatra: Using for Amphib landings later, either in DEI, or SW Pacific.
Many of the British divisions are restricted, including most of the Indian Army. They can be bought, but you have alot of demands on your PPs. 18th isn't restricted, which makes it more valuable. There is no reason you can't send the 18th UK division anywhere. I used 2nd UK division to land on Soemba in my game v. Cuttlefish, and real good chance it won't see India ever again. Agree sending to Burma is a waste, Burma is best left to the Japanese.
As far as creating delay to prevent an invasion of India, unless he is landing to cut your troops off in Assam/Burma, I would welcome an Indian invasion. India to Japan is like Russia to Germany; he can pick up alot of territory, but can't destroy you. So what? There isn't even much Oil there, which is the only thing useful to Japan, and even then, they will burn a point of fuel for every 3 point of Oil lifted out. With the garrison requirements and accelerated reinforcements, a conquest of India is impossible in AE. The restricted Indian Div. you get are plenty, particularly if you decide to abandon Burma and pull out those 2 Divisions intact. (17 Ind, and 1 Burma)
Anyway, I would probably defend Benkolen with much less than Oosthaven; the terrain is much better, and he is more likely to try the closer landing hex, which is Oosthaven. I would probably focus the best units at Oosthaven, where the clear terrain is a problem for you.
Many of the British divisions are restricted, including most of the Indian Army. They can be bought, but you have alot of demands on your PPs. 18th isn't restricted, which makes it more valuable. There is no reason you can't send the 18th UK division anywhere. I used 2nd UK division to land on Soemba in my game v. Cuttlefish, and real good chance it won't see India ever again. Agree sending to Burma is a waste, Burma is best left to the Japanese.
As far as creating delay to prevent an invasion of India, unless he is landing to cut your troops off in Assam/Burma, I would welcome an Indian invasion. India to Japan is like Russia to Germany; he can pick up alot of territory, but can't destroy you. So what? There isn't even much Oil there, which is the only thing useful to Japan, and even then, they will burn a point of fuel for every 3 point of Oil lifted out. With the garrison requirements and accelerated reinforcements, a conquest of India is impossible in AE. The restricted Indian Div. you get are plenty, particularly if you decide to abandon Burma and pull out those 2 Divisions intact. (17 Ind, and 1 Burma)
Anyway, I would probably defend Benkolen with much less than Oosthaven; the terrain is much better, and he is more likely to try the closer landing hex, which is Oosthaven. I would probably focus the best units at Oosthaven, where the clear terrain is a problem for you.
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Well, a couple of you have asked about China so here you go.
The yellow line shows the initial defensive line I plan to hold to check the weight of his attacks and allow the redeployment of my reserves as I fall back to the main line of resistance ( the red line ) so that each of my defensive positions is appropriately weighted.
Ichang has served its purpose in drawing Japanese reinforcements along a dead-end axis of advance with two major river lines to cross. So far I've drawn another IJA division and a Tank Regiment into Ichang with at least 2 more units on the way ( and probably more as the road does appear rather full of IJA formations ). Now that the Japanese are fully committed I'm beginning my withdrawal behind the next river line where an additional 1,000+ AV of Chinese troops are waiting.
I'm holding at Changsha but it is really only to ensure that Mike has to manoeuvre for a flanking attack/take casualties attriting the Chinese at Changsha and knocking down their forts. My plan is to let him manoeuvre around or attrit the forts ( which should take a couple of weeks ) and then withdraw again into more favourable defensive terrain closer to my sources of supply. I'm abandoning quite a few supply-generating regions to the Japanese but, really, if they want them they can and will take them and there's little point wasting troops staving off the inevitable.
As you can see I'm not a big believer in trying to non-critical regions which can't really be held... far better to allocate resources to hold what's essential. In terms of his main, initial, thrust... I believe he will go for Sian. It is the most obvious choice ( a very bad thing indeed ) and he has all those lovely artillery pieces from Kwantung coming in there. Obviously when I suggested the house rules it was with the expectation that the house rule we agreed would tend to direct the initial thrust into the northern regions --- which are infinitely more easily defended than the much wider southern front. The only possible fly in the ointment is the artillery modelling in the code. If the artillery is still over-modelled then my troops could be obliterated by it. Still, I think the plan is a reasonable one in real life. All AE has to do is model real life appropriately and I should be fine.
The yellow line shows the initial defensive line I plan to hold to check the weight of his attacks and allow the redeployment of my reserves as I fall back to the main line of resistance ( the red line ) so that each of my defensive positions is appropriately weighted.
Ichang has served its purpose in drawing Japanese reinforcements along a dead-end axis of advance with two major river lines to cross. So far I've drawn another IJA division and a Tank Regiment into Ichang with at least 2 more units on the way ( and probably more as the road does appear rather full of IJA formations ). Now that the Japanese are fully committed I'm beginning my withdrawal behind the next river line where an additional 1,000+ AV of Chinese troops are waiting.
I'm holding at Changsha but it is really only to ensure that Mike has to manoeuvre for a flanking attack/take casualties attriting the Chinese at Changsha and knocking down their forts. My plan is to let him manoeuvre around or attrit the forts ( which should take a couple of weeks ) and then withdraw again into more favourable defensive terrain closer to my sources of supply. I'm abandoning quite a few supply-generating regions to the Japanese but, really, if they want them they can and will take them and there's little point wasting troops staving off the inevitable.
As you can see I'm not a big believer in trying to non-critical regions which can't really be held... far better to allocate resources to hold what's essential. In terms of his main, initial, thrust... I believe he will go for Sian. It is the most obvious choice ( a very bad thing indeed ) and he has all those lovely artillery pieces from Kwantung coming in there. Obviously when I suggested the house rules it was with the expectation that the house rule we agreed would tend to direct the initial thrust into the northern regions --- which are infinitely more easily defended than the much wider southern front. The only possible fly in the ointment is the artillery modelling in the code. If the artillery is still over-modelled then my troops could be obliterated by it. Still, I think the plan is a reasonable one in real life. All AE has to do is model real life appropriately and I should be fine.
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- china.jpg (230.04 KiB) Viewed 2149 times
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
So, time to update for the 25th and 26th December.
Essentially I lost 1 xAP moving into Singapore but have managed to use various naval manoeuvres ( by PT Boats and small DD flotillas ) around the Phillipines to draw KB East. This has given me the opportunity to move significant transport forces into Singapore and with another 2 days grace I should be able to get most of the Indian forces ( 1 Division + 2 Bdes ) sealifted out of Singapore and ensconsed at Palembang. I've already moved out 1 Bde, 1 Bn, 2 AAA units, the 2 Air HQs, a couple of artillery units and a few bits and pieces of engineers.
Mike must be really worried about the situation north of Legaspi as I am getting signals intel of multiple enemy regiments being redeployed to Legaspi by sea and he has targetted pretty much every Betty and Nell ( over 100 ) on the ground units there. On the 26th he even launched an alpha strike from KB against those ground troops. Over 160 strike aircraft flew against my ground troops. They did a real number on them but that's fine. Winning the ground battle here isn't all that important, banging the Japanese LCUs up, causing disruption to his plans and keeping the aerial forces which could butcher all those transports occupied elsewhere is the most important thing.
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25th December
Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15712 troops, 225 guns, 229 vehicles, Assault Value = 737
Defending force 11063 troops, 118 guns, 41 vehicles, Assault Value = 350
Allied adjusted assault: 389
Japanese adjusted defense: 220
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1832 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 88 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 59 (59 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
254 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 57 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (0 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Assaulting units:
41st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
16th Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
It would appear that tank Bns really do deliver quite a hammering. The Phillipine infantry did ok but the Tank Battalions appear to have done an outsized portion of the killing. Obviously Mike could see that on the 26th there was a good chance his force would be defeated so he committed everything he had to the battle --- and away from the far more critical point around Singapore.
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26th December. For some reason in spite of the fact that I had 40,000 tons of supplies in Manilla ( and had all my bases down to minimal supply requirements ) none of the supplies went to my combat troops. Instead they all got sucked into Clark Field. The end result was that my attack went in with insufficient supplies and had a massive drop in AV. Notwithstanding this I think they still did some excellent work and I'm going to keep attacking to keep the diversion going.
Has anyone got any idea why I can't send supplies south of Manilla? Is the PWHEX file broken or something?
Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14392 troops, 225 guns, 226 vehicles, Assault Value = 621
Defending force 8820 troops, 118 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 232
Allied adjusted assault: 44
Japanese adjusted defense: 166
Allied assault odds: 1 to 3
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-), supply(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1570 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 8 disabled
Allied ground losses:
437 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Assaulting units:
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
192nd Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
16th Engineer Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
So, over 2 days that's 41 IJA combat squads destroyed and another 140 disabled. Given an initial combat squad strength of 360 or so squads I think that makes their position tenuous indeed. In the face of KB's massive strikes I won't be able to push these troops back but while KB is doing this it won't be doing the much more strategically vital job of preventing my evacuation of Malaysian forces into Palembang.
In other news I think something must be going wrong with his Zero pilots... or else he just upgraded a low quality squadron and sent it into the air. I sent 2 AVG squadrons and about 40 Buffaloes into the air over Singapore to cover the evacuations and over the course of two days downed 9 Zeroes at the cost of 2 AVG planes and 2 Buffaloes.
Essentially I lost 1 xAP moving into Singapore but have managed to use various naval manoeuvres ( by PT Boats and small DD flotillas ) around the Phillipines to draw KB East. This has given me the opportunity to move significant transport forces into Singapore and with another 2 days grace I should be able to get most of the Indian forces ( 1 Division + 2 Bdes ) sealifted out of Singapore and ensconsed at Palembang. I've already moved out 1 Bde, 1 Bn, 2 AAA units, the 2 Air HQs, a couple of artillery units and a few bits and pieces of engineers.
Mike must be really worried about the situation north of Legaspi as I am getting signals intel of multiple enemy regiments being redeployed to Legaspi by sea and he has targetted pretty much every Betty and Nell ( over 100 ) on the ground units there. On the 26th he even launched an alpha strike from KB against those ground troops. Over 160 strike aircraft flew against my ground troops. They did a real number on them but that's fine. Winning the ground battle here isn't all that important, banging the Japanese LCUs up, causing disruption to his plans and keeping the aerial forces which could butcher all those transports occupied elsewhere is the most important thing.
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25th December
Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15712 troops, 225 guns, 229 vehicles, Assault Value = 737
Defending force 11063 troops, 118 guns, 41 vehicles, Assault Value = 350
Allied adjusted assault: 389
Japanese adjusted defense: 220
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1832 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 88 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 59 (59 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
254 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 57 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (0 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Assaulting units:
41st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
16th Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
It would appear that tank Bns really do deliver quite a hammering. The Phillipine infantry did ok but the Tank Battalions appear to have done an outsized portion of the killing. Obviously Mike could see that on the 26th there was a good chance his force would be defeated so he committed everything he had to the battle --- and away from the far more critical point around Singapore.
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26th December. For some reason in spite of the fact that I had 40,000 tons of supplies in Manilla ( and had all my bases down to minimal supply requirements ) none of the supplies went to my combat troops. Instead they all got sucked into Clark Field. The end result was that my attack went in with insufficient supplies and had a massive drop in AV. Notwithstanding this I think they still did some excellent work and I'm going to keep attacking to keep the diversion going.
Has anyone got any idea why I can't send supplies south of Manilla? Is the PWHEX file broken or something?
Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14392 troops, 225 guns, 226 vehicles, Assault Value = 621
Defending force 8820 troops, 118 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 232
Allied adjusted assault: 44
Japanese adjusted defense: 166
Allied assault odds: 1 to 3
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-), supply(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1570 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 8 disabled
Allied ground losses:
437 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Assaulting units:
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
192nd Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
16th Engineer Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
So, over 2 days that's 41 IJA combat squads destroyed and another 140 disabled. Given an initial combat squad strength of 360 or so squads I think that makes their position tenuous indeed. In the face of KB's massive strikes I won't be able to push these troops back but while KB is doing this it won't be doing the much more strategically vital job of preventing my evacuation of Malaysian forces into Palembang.
In other news I think something must be going wrong with his Zero pilots... or else he just upgraded a low quality squadron and sent it into the air. I sent 2 AVG squadrons and about 40 Buffaloes into the air over Singapore to cover the evacuations and over the course of two days downed 9 Zeroes at the cost of 2 AVG planes and 2 Buffaloes.
- Attachments
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- filip.jpg (92.75 KiB) Viewed 2149 times
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
Encirclement is a state of mind...
Well, today was an interesting day. The Phillipine army launched two significant assaults. The assault in the south near Naga faltered in the face of over 200 land-based and naval close support sorties but notwithstanding this the attack still managed to inflict 50% more casualties than it suffered. Japanese reinforcements are pouring into Naga so I will begin to step the attacks back here and sorting my forces out for a retreat back towards Manilla.
In the north the IJA moved into Baguio and the base north of Clark Field yesterday. I had intentionally left both of those bases empty and had estimated their rate of movement. Fortunately I guessed right and Phillipine army forces from both Clark Field and Manilla moved into Baguio yesterday in perfect synchrony. Today they attacked and threw a Japanese force, including several invaluable heavy bombardment Bns, back towards their landing zones. Tomorrow I will split the Phillipine army again and go after the Japanese to the north of Clark Field.
Mike tells me that he is very surprised at my fight south of Manilla as he "expected you to sit in Manilla and see how long you could hold out". I find it surprising that he seemed to believe that I would sit back and not look for opportunities to hurt and delay him on the way.
While KB itself is taken up bombing the hell out of the Phillipine ground forces mini-KB has shown up off Singapore to try to interdict the Allied withdrawal. Unfortunately for mini-KB things didn't go too well for it. Even my Buffalo squadrons managed to get 3 or 4 kills. In total it looks like Allied fighters downed about 6 Zeroes and a dozen Kates over Singapore today in return for a single xAP torpedoed. So, all in all the diversion continues apace and continues to do well.
December 27th
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Naga at 81,81, Range 12,000 Yards
Basically I sacrificed Peary in order to force the Japanese shipping at Naga to suspend unloading and withdraw. I've done what I can north of Naga and have reduced the IJA forces there from an AV of 350 to just 160 today. Time to pull back before new regiments flood the area and, combined with KB, overwhelm me.
Japanese Ships
CL Natori, Shell hits 1
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Yudachi
xAK Oigawa Maru
xAK Satsuma Maru
xAK Tofuku Maru
xAK Unkai Maru #6, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
DD Peary, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 64% moonlight: 12,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 12,000 yards
CL Natori collides with xAK Unkai Maru #6 at 81 , 81
One xAKl also got torpedoed by IJN submarines near Singers.
A sample of the airstrikes going in against the Phillipine army north of Naga...
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Morning Air attack on 51st PA Infantry Division, at 81,80
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
B5N2 Kate x 123
D3A1 Val x 78
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
Allied ground losses:
383 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (0 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Pretty devastating but a damned sight less devastating than a single day of these strikes against all the shipping around Singapore. If I get 2 or 3 more days of freedom around Singapore I'll pull out the Indian Division and 2 Independent Indian Bdes and immediately boost my forces in Southern Sumatra to about 1800 AV all told. That'll be a tough not for Mike to crack, especially as it'll be backed by large numbers of torpedo-capable aircraft.
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Ground combat at Cabanatuan (80,76)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 14236 troops, 342 guns, 142 vehicles, Assault Value = 621
Defending force 7901 troops, 55 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 111
Allied adjusted assault: 403
Japanese adjusted defense: 43
Allied assault odds: 9 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
2482 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 109 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 37 disabled
Guns lost 8 (5 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (17 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Units retreated 7
Allied ground losses:
803 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (0 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
11th PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Provisional GMC Gp
Defending units:
Tanaka Detachment
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Army
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
The best news here is that:
a) I hurt an Army HQ, everyone always needs support squads...
b) Those Mortar Units contain 16 x 32cm mortars and another 8 or so 155mm tubes. With 5 guns destroyed and 20% more lost due to auto-retreat I'm hopeful that quite a few of those really large pieces will have been destroyed.
c) Killing engineers is always good. Those guys will drop my forts if they're still alive.
d) This gives him another target for his bombers, lessens the pressure on my guys at Naga a little and should help their orderly retreat into Manilla.
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Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Shock attack
Pretty much the last attack for these guys north of Naga... I don't want Mike to amphibiously invade behind me so they'll begin pulling back, recovering a bit of disruption and, if he follows incautiously, can always snap back out and repulse his leading echelon if it loses its timidity.
Attacking force 12733 troops, 201 guns, 221 vehicles, Assault Value = 541
Defending force 7692 troops, 118 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 164
This is important, just two days ago these IJA forces could muster 360 AV. Now they muster only 164. Obviously many of these losses are disablements but every casualty helps in the long run.
I should also note that experience amongst my Phillipine etc troops at Naga has increased markedly since joining battle. Troops which had 20 Exp are now hovering around 40, troops which began with 40 are in the mid-50s.
Allied adjusted assault: 77
Japanese adjusted defense: 104
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1121 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
702 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (10 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Assaulting units:
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
51st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
41st PA Infantry Division
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
9th Infantry Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
16th Engineer Regiment
So, overall the plan's still proceeding well.... the Phillipines is acting as a focus for all his bombers and CVs which could be doing much more valuable work elsewhere, mini-KB has unmasked itself near Singers and promptly lost almost 20 planes and my ground forces have managed to push back a probe north of Manilla. Most importantly it is only 3 more days until the 4th USN CV is ready for action and that will give me 4 CVs with which to steam into harm's way. Initial targets have been chosen and I think they should serve to really discomfit the Japanese. Preparation is lacking but with enough BBs, CAs and CV support I figure I can overcome a lack of preparation.
Anyone want to tender a guess as to where and why?
To help I'll state that I have 6,000 troops on Wake and have built Level 3 forts there. I also have a regiment of troops, multiple AAA, Arty and Engineer units at Adak Island and am developing that as a main fleet base capable of rearming any ship in the fleet, including BBs and CVs. I have a small cruiser force at Rabaul guarding that base against invasion but apart from a small foray against Tarawa and Ocean Island Mike hasn't really made any moves in the south.
In terms of bombers I have a large number of B-17s at Pearl, have been very impressed by their ability to get through to land-based targets in spite of enemy fighter cover and am working on buying every B-17 I can out of restricted commands and flying them to the Phillipines and the bases I plan on capturing next. My goal isn't, necessarily, to hold the bases but mainly to give Mike two major strategic problems at opposite ends of his empire by late January 1942. He can only commit KB to one of these problems. If he commits KB to Sumatra then by the time he turns back to the Pacific I'll have a range of bases in crucial areas ( since I won't stop with the first couple I take ) and threaten strategically vital areas). If he commits KB to the Pacific then he'll stop me cold but it'll cost him a lot of ships and troops in Sumatra as his LRCAP of amphibious TFs gets overwhelmed and torpedo-carrying Vildebeest, Swordfish and PBY-5s come roaring in.
Alternately if you think I'm ueber-crazy to even contemplate a full-on offensive in mid-January 1942 then feel free to respond also. I may not change my mind --- I do, after all, play only for the challenge of putting together risky operations on shoestrings etc and not to win ---- but that kind of interesting strategic discussion is the reason I AAR.
On a side note:
Aeral war: I've been keeping a close eye on how the AVG and Buffaloes have been doing vs the Zeroes. Basically with the high altitude settings almost every Allied attack is initiated with a bounce. My poor pilot experience means very few of these bounces actually connect with the Zeroes and when they do they mostly result in damaged Zeroes instead of destroyed Zeroes. However if you have 30 planes ( half P-40s, half Buffaloes ) bouncing 15 Zeroes and 1 in 5 bounces achieves a damage while one in 30 achieves a kill you have just damaged 6 Zeroes and destroyed 1 at pretty much no cost to yourself. That leaves 8 Zeroes to tangle with your fighters and that pretty much guarantees you'll burn your way through those escorts and get at the bombers as they just won't have the numbers to stop you.
When the Hurricane II enters action I am expecting its multiple 0.303 Mgs to turn a significant number of these damages into kills.
High altitude is the way to go guys.... 30,000+ for most airframes vs Zero sweeps and maybe 25,000 or so vs bombers as you want to be sure to be well above the Zeroes and most people won't send in level bombers above 20,000 feet due to ineffectiveness. What you lose in number of passes ( as it takes a long time to get down to the level of the bombers ) you more than make up for in surviving airframes and downed Zeroes... Enemy Zero losses now surpass 160. Even accounting for FOW I'd say more than 120 have been downed. That's a lot of top-class IJN aviators which he'll find hard to replace dead and AVG and the Hurricanes etc are only beginning to get organised and properly into the fight.
In the north the IJA moved into Baguio and the base north of Clark Field yesterday. I had intentionally left both of those bases empty and had estimated their rate of movement. Fortunately I guessed right and Phillipine army forces from both Clark Field and Manilla moved into Baguio yesterday in perfect synchrony. Today they attacked and threw a Japanese force, including several invaluable heavy bombardment Bns, back towards their landing zones. Tomorrow I will split the Phillipine army again and go after the Japanese to the north of Clark Field.
Mike tells me that he is very surprised at my fight south of Manilla as he "expected you to sit in Manilla and see how long you could hold out". I find it surprising that he seemed to believe that I would sit back and not look for opportunities to hurt and delay him on the way.
While KB itself is taken up bombing the hell out of the Phillipine ground forces mini-KB has shown up off Singapore to try to interdict the Allied withdrawal. Unfortunately for mini-KB things didn't go too well for it. Even my Buffalo squadrons managed to get 3 or 4 kills. In total it looks like Allied fighters downed about 6 Zeroes and a dozen Kates over Singapore today in return for a single xAP torpedoed. So, all in all the diversion continues apace and continues to do well.
December 27th
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Naga at 81,81, Range 12,000 Yards
Basically I sacrificed Peary in order to force the Japanese shipping at Naga to suspend unloading and withdraw. I've done what I can north of Naga and have reduced the IJA forces there from an AV of 350 to just 160 today. Time to pull back before new regiments flood the area and, combined with KB, overwhelm me.
Japanese Ships
CL Natori, Shell hits 1
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Yudachi
xAK Oigawa Maru
xAK Satsuma Maru
xAK Tofuku Maru
xAK Unkai Maru #6, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
DD Peary, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 64% moonlight: 12,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 12,000 yards
CL Natori collides with xAK Unkai Maru #6 at 81 , 81
One xAKl also got torpedoed by IJN submarines near Singers.
A sample of the airstrikes going in against the Phillipine army north of Naga...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 51st PA Infantry Division, at 81,80
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
B5N2 Kate x 123
D3A1 Val x 78
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
Allied ground losses:
383 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (0 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Pretty devastating but a damned sight less devastating than a single day of these strikes against all the shipping around Singapore. If I get 2 or 3 more days of freedom around Singapore I'll pull out the Indian Division and 2 Independent Indian Bdes and immediately boost my forces in Southern Sumatra to about 1800 AV all told. That'll be a tough not for Mike to crack, especially as it'll be backed by large numbers of torpedo-capable aircraft.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Cabanatuan (80,76)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 14236 troops, 342 guns, 142 vehicles, Assault Value = 621
Defending force 7901 troops, 55 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 111
Allied adjusted assault: 403
Japanese adjusted defense: 43
Allied assault odds: 9 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
2482 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 109 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 37 disabled
Guns lost 8 (5 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (17 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Units retreated 7
Allied ground losses:
803 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (0 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
11th PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Provisional GMC Gp
Defending units:
Tanaka Detachment
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Army
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
The best news here is that:
a) I hurt an Army HQ, everyone always needs support squads...
b) Those Mortar Units contain 16 x 32cm mortars and another 8 or so 155mm tubes. With 5 guns destroyed and 20% more lost due to auto-retreat I'm hopeful that quite a few of those really large pieces will have been destroyed.
c) Killing engineers is always good. Those guys will drop my forts if they're still alive.
d) This gives him another target for his bombers, lessens the pressure on my guys at Naga a little and should help their orderly retreat into Manilla.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 81,80
Allied Shock attack
Pretty much the last attack for these guys north of Naga... I don't want Mike to amphibiously invade behind me so they'll begin pulling back, recovering a bit of disruption and, if he follows incautiously, can always snap back out and repulse his leading echelon if it loses its timidity.
Attacking force 12733 troops, 201 guns, 221 vehicles, Assault Value = 541
Defending force 7692 troops, 118 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 164
This is important, just two days ago these IJA forces could muster 360 AV. Now they muster only 164. Obviously many of these losses are disablements but every casualty helps in the long run.
I should also note that experience amongst my Phillipine etc troops at Naga has increased markedly since joining battle. Troops which had 20 Exp are now hovering around 40, troops which began with 40 are in the mid-50s.
Allied adjusted assault: 77
Japanese adjusted defense: 104
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
1121 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
702 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (10 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Assaulting units:
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
194th Tank Battalion
192nd Tank Battalion
51st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
41st PA Infantry Division
1st/45th PS Inf Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
Defending units:
9th Infantry Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
Kimura Det
16th Engineer Regiment
So, overall the plan's still proceeding well.... the Phillipines is acting as a focus for all his bombers and CVs which could be doing much more valuable work elsewhere, mini-KB has unmasked itself near Singers and promptly lost almost 20 planes and my ground forces have managed to push back a probe north of Manilla. Most importantly it is only 3 more days until the 4th USN CV is ready for action and that will give me 4 CVs with which to steam into harm's way. Initial targets have been chosen and I think they should serve to really discomfit the Japanese. Preparation is lacking but with enough BBs, CAs and CV support I figure I can overcome a lack of preparation.
Anyone want to tender a guess as to where and why?
To help I'll state that I have 6,000 troops on Wake and have built Level 3 forts there. I also have a regiment of troops, multiple AAA, Arty and Engineer units at Adak Island and am developing that as a main fleet base capable of rearming any ship in the fleet, including BBs and CVs. I have a small cruiser force at Rabaul guarding that base against invasion but apart from a small foray against Tarawa and Ocean Island Mike hasn't really made any moves in the south.
In terms of bombers I have a large number of B-17s at Pearl, have been very impressed by their ability to get through to land-based targets in spite of enemy fighter cover and am working on buying every B-17 I can out of restricted commands and flying them to the Phillipines and the bases I plan on capturing next. My goal isn't, necessarily, to hold the bases but mainly to give Mike two major strategic problems at opposite ends of his empire by late January 1942. He can only commit KB to one of these problems. If he commits KB to Sumatra then by the time he turns back to the Pacific I'll have a range of bases in crucial areas ( since I won't stop with the first couple I take ) and threaten strategically vital areas). If he commits KB to the Pacific then he'll stop me cold but it'll cost him a lot of ships and troops in Sumatra as his LRCAP of amphibious TFs gets overwhelmed and torpedo-carrying Vildebeest, Swordfish and PBY-5s come roaring in.
Alternately if you think I'm ueber-crazy to even contemplate a full-on offensive in mid-January 1942 then feel free to respond also. I may not change my mind --- I do, after all, play only for the challenge of putting together risky operations on shoestrings etc and not to win ---- but that kind of interesting strategic discussion is the reason I AAR.
On a side note:
Aeral war: I've been keeping a close eye on how the AVG and Buffaloes have been doing vs the Zeroes. Basically with the high altitude settings almost every Allied attack is initiated with a bounce. My poor pilot experience means very few of these bounces actually connect with the Zeroes and when they do they mostly result in damaged Zeroes instead of destroyed Zeroes. However if you have 30 planes ( half P-40s, half Buffaloes ) bouncing 15 Zeroes and 1 in 5 bounces achieves a damage while one in 30 achieves a kill you have just damaged 6 Zeroes and destroyed 1 at pretty much no cost to yourself. That leaves 8 Zeroes to tangle with your fighters and that pretty much guarantees you'll burn your way through those escorts and get at the bombers as they just won't have the numbers to stop you.
When the Hurricane II enters action I am expecting its multiple 0.303 Mgs to turn a significant number of these damages into kills.
High altitude is the way to go guys.... 30,000+ for most airframes vs Zero sweeps and maybe 25,000 or so vs bombers as you want to be sure to be well above the Zeroes and most people won't send in level bombers above 20,000 feet due to ineffectiveness. What you lose in number of passes ( as it takes a long time to get down to the level of the bombers ) you more than make up for in surviving airframes and downed Zeroes... Enemy Zero losses now surpass 160. Even accounting for FOW I'd say more than 120 have been downed. That's a lot of top-class IJN aviators which he'll find hard to replace dead and AVG and the Hurricanes etc are only beginning to get organised and properly into the fight.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Nemo,
shopping for a Semmelweis reflex ? [8D]
Hartwig
Alternately if you think I'm ueber-crazy to even contemplate a full-on offensive in mid-January 1942 then feel free to respond also. I may not change my mind --- I do, after all, play only for the challenge of putting together risky operations on shoestrings etc and not to win ---- but that kind of interesting strategic discussion is the reason I AAR.
shopping for a Semmelweis reflex ? [8D]
Hartwig
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
ORIGINAL: Nemo121
Most importantly it is only 3 more days until the 4th USN CV is ready for action and that will give me 4 CVs with which to steam into harm's way. Initial targets have been chosen and I think they should serve to really discomfit the Japanese. Preparation is lacking but with enough BBs, CAs and CV support I figure I can overcome a lack of preparation.
Anyone want to tender a guess as to where and why?
To help I'll state that I have 6,000 troops on Wake and have built Level 3 forts there. I also have a regiment of troops, multiple AAA, Arty and Engineer units at Adak Island and am developing that as a main fleet base capable of rearming any ship in the fleet, including BBs and CVs. I have a small cruiser force at Rabaul guarding that base against invasion but apart from a small foray against Tarawa and Ocean Island Mike hasn't really made any moves in the south.
Given the CV dispositions that you've told us and the hint of Wake, my guess is that you're going for Roi-Namur.
The initial garrison (and forts) there are very weak. Also, its quite close to Wake and if you have parked AO's/AE's there you can present a credible threat which he has to deal with before carrying on with the ops he really wants to do. This would be a neat example of snatching the initiative. Especially if you have planned to give him problems elsewhere while he's dealing with the recapture of R-N.
“Not mastering metaphores is like cooking pasta when the train is delayed"
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Ah that raises the question of whether one has to encourage a Semmelweis reflex or not. I would argue that the Semmelweis reflex is an inherent part of humanity and arises unbidden in any group and in most individuals. An excellent and reasonably obscure reference though which tickles my funny bone. As such you get one free game-related question I'll answer 100% honestly and with complete thoroughness ( particularly as I'm on a bit of a loose end tonight... and more particularly because such an abstruse reference which so adroitly conveys the right meaning deserves a reward.) [8D].
Anything at all in as much detail as you wish...
As to whether I was searching for a Semmelweis reflex... No not really, I was just hoping to foster discussion in addition to which one always has to keep in mind that I might be missing very important information and passing up hugely promising alternatives through ignorance. I think my planning is solid but I'm not stupid enough to assume it is so solid that it couldn't benefit from a sceptical re-examination.
Anything at all in as much detail as you wish...
As to whether I was searching for a Semmelweis reflex... No not really, I was just hoping to foster discussion in addition to which one always has to keep in mind that I might be missing very important information and passing up hugely promising alternatives through ignorance. I think my planning is solid but I'm not stupid enough to assume it is so solid that it couldn't benefit from a sceptical re-examination.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Grollub,
Good guess. The problems with Roi-Namur are:
1. Limited to 6,000 troops and thus eminently re-capturable by a divisional force. Hell even a regimental force supported by LBA could do it if the LBA can ground attack.
2. No possibility of fighter defence vs land-based IJA/IJN bombers as there are too many surrounding bases from which Zeroes can base and cut my paltry P40s apart.
3. It is a level 2 port and thus really not that suitable for replenishing etc. I am still struggling to get my head around the replenishment rules and while i know I could probably use a Level 2 port once I become proficient with the rules I know that right now I would just mess it all up and leave my ships with nothing but 40mm ammo to fight off the enemy battleline if I tried to replenish from a Level 2 port.
I want to hit Mike somewhere he cannot attrit me with LBA as capturing any base within Zero range of one of his developed airfields will simply result in Zeroes flying in, sweeping my fighters out of the sky and Betties beginning their reign of terror thereafter. Why is this? I want to force him to choose between committing KB in the DEI or in the Pacific. I'm betting he'll choose to use LBA from Singers etc to suppress the DEI and commit KB to the Pacific.... by which time I'll have done something else to muck his plans up.... something else which left port 2 days ago and is currently steaming.... somewhere to do something non-aggressive which will greatly help in breaking his OODA cycle --- IF I time things right.
I like your thinking about the initiative though, that's pretty much the 3rd phase of the plan alright. You've got yourself a free question too. Anything you want about anything at all game-related. 100% clear, detailed response guaranteed ( well, as clear as I can manage at this time of night
)
One hint though... Phased operations and shaping the battlefield are obsessions of mine. SO it is unlikely I'd just attack one target in one place. I'm far more likely to attack groups of targets in several different areas in a phased manner in order to draw the critical enemy force from area to area burning fuel whilst actually engaging nothing at all.
I'll make it easier...
Guess the phasing of operations by region and you win a prize ( probably something like a few questions directly answered PLUS cool points, we can't forget the cool points ). Take a stab at which bases I'll hit and if you're right you get even more cool points [8D]
Good guess. The problems with Roi-Namur are:
1. Limited to 6,000 troops and thus eminently re-capturable by a divisional force. Hell even a regimental force supported by LBA could do it if the LBA can ground attack.
2. No possibility of fighter defence vs land-based IJA/IJN bombers as there are too many surrounding bases from which Zeroes can base and cut my paltry P40s apart.
3. It is a level 2 port and thus really not that suitable for replenishing etc. I am still struggling to get my head around the replenishment rules and while i know I could probably use a Level 2 port once I become proficient with the rules I know that right now I would just mess it all up and leave my ships with nothing but 40mm ammo to fight off the enemy battleline if I tried to replenish from a Level 2 port.
I want to hit Mike somewhere he cannot attrit me with LBA as capturing any base within Zero range of one of his developed airfields will simply result in Zeroes flying in, sweeping my fighters out of the sky and Betties beginning their reign of terror thereafter. Why is this? I want to force him to choose between committing KB in the DEI or in the Pacific. I'm betting he'll choose to use LBA from Singers etc to suppress the DEI and commit KB to the Pacific.... by which time I'll have done something else to muck his plans up.... something else which left port 2 days ago and is currently steaming.... somewhere to do something non-aggressive which will greatly help in breaking his OODA cycle --- IF I time things right.
I like your thinking about the initiative though, that's pretty much the 3rd phase of the plan alright. You've got yourself a free question too. Anything you want about anything at all game-related. 100% clear, detailed response guaranteed ( well, as clear as I can manage at this time of night
)One hint though... Phased operations and shaping the battlefield are obsessions of mine. SO it is unlikely I'd just attack one target in one place. I'm far more likely to attack groups of targets in several different areas in a phased manner in order to draw the critical enemy force from area to area burning fuel whilst actually engaging nothing at all.
I'll make it easier...
Guess the phasing of operations by region and you win a prize ( probably something like a few questions directly answered PLUS cool points, we can't forget the cool points
). Take a stab at which bases I'll hit and if you're right you get even more cool points [8D] John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Ok, I was think more in terms of a raid with a setup looking like you would *try* to stay - only you wouldn't. I certainly agree with you on the analysis of interlocking LBA bases making it impossible to hold R-N any longer that the IJN would let you. The idea of this move however, would be to plant the seed in your opponents head that you're willing to do something as crazy as attacking his bases as early as it is in 1942. He would then initially have to reevaluate his own position in the entire pacific. In the long term, he would have to take this into account everytime you recieve more (ship) resources/capabilities.ORIGINAL: Nemo121
Grollub,
Good guess. The problems with Roi-Namur are:
1. Limited to 6,000 troops and thus eminently re-capturable by a divisional force. Hell even a regimental force supported by LBA could do it if the LBA can ground attack.
2. No possibility of fighter defence vs land-based IJA/IJN bombers as there are too many surrounding bases from which Zeroes can base and cut my paltry P40s apart.
3. It is a level 2 port and thus really not that suitable for replenishing etc. I am still struggling to get my head around the replenishment rules and while i know I could probably use a Level 2 port once I become proficient with the rules I know that right now I would just mess it all up and leave my ships with nothing but 40mm ammo to fight off the enemy battleline if I tried to replenish from a Level 2 port.
I want to hit Mike somewhere he cannot attrit me with LBA as capturing any base within Zero range of one of his developed airfields will simply result in Zeroes flying in, sweeping my fighters out of the sky and Betties beginning their reign of terror thereafter. Why is this? I want to force him to choose between committing KB in the DEI or in the Pacific. I'm betting he'll choose to use LBA from Singers etc to suppress the DEI and commit KB to the Pacific.... by which time I'll have done something else to muck his plans up.... something else which left port 2 days ago and is currently steaming.... somewhere to do something non-aggressive which will greatly help in breaking his OODA cycle --- IF I time things right.
I like your thinking about the initiative though, that's pretty much the 3rd phase of the plan alright. You've got yourself a free question too. Anything you want about anything at all game-related. 100% clear, detailed response guaranteed ( well, as clear as I can manage at this time of night
I will ponder your additional clues tomorrow. Right now I'm off to bed [:D]. My initial gut reaction, however, was that you're contemplating reinforcing the Solomon Islands.
Laters. [>:][>:][>:]
Edited: Ok I'll edit since you put in additional clues ... phased operations - holding a carrot on a stick in front of the horse, would you [;)] Nope, still to tired. G'night again [:)].
“Not mastering metaphores is like cooking pasta when the train is delayed"
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
The Kuriles, specifically Para or Onnek Jima (short-hand). Nearest decent airbase is a ways away. (Toyohara?)
Capturing Marcus would also get his attention, though it's easy to re-capture (will take some effort though)
I would say Wake, but I think you are still there?
Tarawa is likely still vulnerable.
Any of these might get KB moving east; the first one is guaranteed to do so
Anywhere in the Solomons can get swept from Rabaul pretty easy
Capturing Marcus would also get his attention, though it's easy to re-capture (will take some effort though)
I would say Wake, but I think you are still there?
Tarawa is likely still vulnerable.
Any of these might get KB moving east; the first one is guaranteed to do so
Anywhere in the Solomons can get swept from Rabaul pretty easy
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Grollub, excellent analysis ---- I'm off to pull all your posts up and read them... Well just as soon as I finish reading Q-Ball and Canoerebel's AARs ( and Cuttlefish's for comparison ).
Solomons: I don't have anything in the Solomons at present and think that putting troops there would not really cause him to change his strategic analysis. Currently his analysis is probably that's going to move from Truk to Rabaul (which I still hold ) and from Rabaul take Port Moresby and begin moving down the Solomons. If I put troops into the Solomons then all he will have to do is reinforce his Solomons thrust a little and over-run them. What I am looking to do is derail his entire threat analysis. I can only do that by changing the strategic situation significantly and presenting him with either current or potential threats which will worsen unless he reacts ( thus losing the initiative ) NOW !!!
Unfortunately I don't think I can play a subtle game of placement and displacement as his reconnaisance in the Pacific is rather lacking. As a result I cannot rely on him spotting my movements and drawing the appropriate conclusions. So, I have to make any actions very, very obvious - e.g. invasions - such that there can be no doubt that he receives the message I want him to receive. Really it is all about communication. I'm going to write him a message through combat. Each operation is a paragraph. At the end of each paragraph he has multiple choices. My goal is to make each choice he makes be a choice which leaves him out of position to react to the next paragraph. If he reads minds then he'll ignore the first few paragraphs and ambush me while I write the third --- and I'll suffer grievous loss. Such risk is what makes the game worth playing.
Q-Ball,
Good thoughts... I agree with you entirely about the Solomons. Rabaul and Truk can project so much force through the Solomons that a force there, at this early stage, is rather doomed, IMO which would be fine if it really altered the strategic situation and caused him to have to change gears and priorities but isn't a sufficient reward for just strengthening the defences along an expected axis. Also, strengthening the defences there is rather passive and doesn't help put him under any pressure IMO.
Paramushiro-Jima meets most of my requirements. It has unlimited troop capacity, the ability to host a good-size airbase and reasonable port ( level 7 airfield and level 4 port ). Unfortunately it is defended by some rather nasty-looking CD guns. As such I think Onnekotan-jima is a better bet. It has all of the same benefits plus:
a) it is one hex closer to Japan and
b) it is probably undefended.
Marcus Island,
Another good target. Unlikely to be strongly defended although may have a small garrison by now. Overall very low risk of suffering major losses and should create a stir. It is a good propaganda target but I don't think it is really essential to Japan. It is out of easy transfer range from Midway and Wake and so really might make a good PBY base but not too much more than that. Still, it'd be a good place to make him focus alright. Would it ensure KB would be transferred to the Pacific? It might but, IMO, it shouldn't. If someone took Marcus from me I'd be quite happy to just take Wake and Midway and let Marcus whither on the vine as a bomber training target. Of course, to be fair, I'd probably have KB doing something utterly essential instead of swanning around the DEI --- and now heading back to Japan for replenishment.
One other reason I dislike attacking Marcus on its own is that it would tend to draw the IJN into a central position from which it could react towards either of the flanks. I'm not sure that's a good thing to create as part of a shaping of the battlefield.
Taraw is still vulnerable but, again, it is like the Solomons. It tends to be a situation of making an existing axis of advance a bit more difficult as opposed to getting him to rethink the entire theatre. He can adjust pretty easily to making a single axis of advance a bit more challenging and he has enough force to sledgehammer such a problem into quiescence. If I take Tarawa he'll just send a bigger force backed by KB and some BBs and it'll fall back into his hands. I'll have delayed him a small amount but his OODA loop won't really be negatively effected IMO.
P.s. Grollub, that's my favourite ever Blackadder quote [:D]
P.p.s. QBall, for sticking your neck out you get a question too. Grollub has held his in reserve for later. Sneaky, didn't even ask if that were possible, just took his own authority and decided that's what he'd do... I like his style. Anyways, you can cash it in now and ask anything you want ( including the entire strategic plan for the Pacific etc ) or hold it in reserve for a later date. Your choice.
Solomons: I don't have anything in the Solomons at present and think that putting troops there would not really cause him to change his strategic analysis. Currently his analysis is probably that's going to move from Truk to Rabaul (which I still hold ) and from Rabaul take Port Moresby and begin moving down the Solomons. If I put troops into the Solomons then all he will have to do is reinforce his Solomons thrust a little and over-run them. What I am looking to do is derail his entire threat analysis. I can only do that by changing the strategic situation significantly and presenting him with either current or potential threats which will worsen unless he reacts ( thus losing the initiative ) NOW !!!
Unfortunately I don't think I can play a subtle game of placement and displacement as his reconnaisance in the Pacific is rather lacking. As a result I cannot rely on him spotting my movements and drawing the appropriate conclusions. So, I have to make any actions very, very obvious - e.g. invasions - such that there can be no doubt that he receives the message I want him to receive. Really it is all about communication. I'm going to write him a message through combat. Each operation is a paragraph. At the end of each paragraph he has multiple choices. My goal is to make each choice he makes be a choice which leaves him out of position to react to the next paragraph. If he reads minds then he'll ignore the first few paragraphs and ambush me while I write the third --- and I'll suffer grievous loss. Such risk is what makes the game worth playing.
Q-Ball,
Good thoughts... I agree with you entirely about the Solomons. Rabaul and Truk can project so much force through the Solomons that a force there, at this early stage, is rather doomed, IMO which would be fine if it really altered the strategic situation and caused him to have to change gears and priorities but isn't a sufficient reward for just strengthening the defences along an expected axis. Also, strengthening the defences there is rather passive and doesn't help put him under any pressure IMO.
Paramushiro-Jima meets most of my requirements. It has unlimited troop capacity, the ability to host a good-size airbase and reasonable port ( level 7 airfield and level 4 port ). Unfortunately it is defended by some rather nasty-looking CD guns. As such I think Onnekotan-jima is a better bet. It has all of the same benefits plus:
a) it is one hex closer to Japan and
b) it is probably undefended.
Marcus Island,
Another good target. Unlikely to be strongly defended although may have a small garrison by now. Overall very low risk of suffering major losses and should create a stir. It is a good propaganda target but I don't think it is really essential to Japan. It is out of easy transfer range from Midway and Wake and so really might make a good PBY base but not too much more than that. Still, it'd be a good place to make him focus alright. Would it ensure KB would be transferred to the Pacific? It might but, IMO, it shouldn't. If someone took Marcus from me I'd be quite happy to just take Wake and Midway and let Marcus whither on the vine as a bomber training target. Of course, to be fair, I'd probably have KB doing something utterly essential instead of swanning around the DEI --- and now heading back to Japan for replenishment.
One other reason I dislike attacking Marcus on its own is that it would tend to draw the IJN into a central position from which it could react towards either of the flanks. I'm not sure that's a good thing to create as part of a shaping of the battlefield.
Taraw is still vulnerable but, again, it is like the Solomons. It tends to be a situation of making an existing axis of advance a bit more difficult as opposed to getting him to rethink the entire theatre. He can adjust pretty easily to making a single axis of advance a bit more challenging and he has enough force to sledgehammer such a problem into quiescence. If I take Tarawa he'll just send a bigger force backed by KB and some BBs and it'll fall back into his hands. I'll have delayed him a small amount but his OODA loop won't really be negatively effected IMO.
P.s. Grollub, that's my favourite ever Blackadder quote [:D]
P.p.s. QBall, for sticking your neck out you get a question too. Grollub has held his in reserve for later. Sneaky, didn't even ask if that were possible, just took his own authority and decided that's what he'd do... I like his style. Anyways, you can cash it in now and ask anything you want ( including the entire strategic plan for the Pacific etc ) or hold it in reserve for a later date. Your choice.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
Nemo121,
Just rushed reading the hints, so i might have missed the value of one.
Without knowing the initial Japanese dispositions, I'll disregard that extremely valuable intel and proceed on the basis that you are primarily relying upon surprise. Plus noting what I think you would, in an ideal world, think would most discomfort the enemy when combined with your Sumatra plan.
(1) Conquest/destruction of the Sakhalin oil centres (with the capture of valuable but lightly defended Kuriles bases en route to provide you with (a) an air bridge to air evacuate from Sakhalin and (b) a long term threat). Your operation will be conducted in January 1942, so you will rely upon weather to limit enemy air operations. You would be very happy for Zeroes to be transferred north as this would take them away from the more vital area of Sumatra in the winter period of Jan-Feb 1942 and expose them to increased op losses. The real threat to this plan is the KB blocking the SLOC, but again it would remove it from the schwerpunkt elsewhere.
(2) Not as daring, a move on the Marianas to open up the SLOC to the Philippines and allow the allies to in turn interdict the enemy SLOC to the south, thereby helpng to indirectly defend Australia in the long term.
Alfred
Just rushed reading the hints, so i might have missed the value of one.
Without knowing the initial Japanese dispositions, I'll disregard that extremely valuable intel and proceed on the basis that you are primarily relying upon surprise. Plus noting what I think you would, in an ideal world, think would most discomfort the enemy when combined with your Sumatra plan.
(1) Conquest/destruction of the Sakhalin oil centres (with the capture of valuable but lightly defended Kuriles bases en route to provide you with (a) an air bridge to air evacuate from Sakhalin and (b) a long term threat). Your operation will be conducted in January 1942, so you will rely upon weather to limit enemy air operations. You would be very happy for Zeroes to be transferred north as this would take them away from the more vital area of Sumatra in the winter period of Jan-Feb 1942 and expose them to increased op losses. The real threat to this plan is the KB blocking the SLOC, but again it would remove it from the schwerpunkt elsewhere.
(2) Not as daring, a move on the Marianas to open up the SLOC to the Philippines and allow the allies to in turn interdict the enemy SLOC to the south, thereby helpng to indirectly defend Australia in the long term.
Alfred
RE: Encirclement is a state of mind...
ORIGINAL: Nemo121
Grollub, excellent analysis ---- I'm off to pull all your posts up and read them... Well just as soon as I finish reading Q-Ball and Canoerebel's AARs ( and Cuttlefish's for comparison ).
Why, thank you! [:D]. I'm afraid you won't find much though. I usually just post in the War Room/"THE THREAD" with the other nutcases there. I read almost all of the AAR's, but I seldom post in them. I found your AAR interesting as you're discussing operations in terms that I do in my daily work (OODA-loop, tempo etc). Another thing I like is that you're not just reacting to the japanese, you're trying to make him react to you. That's why I post here.
Ok, to summarize your hints and looking over the map with new fresh eyes; You're looking for bases that are;ORIGINAL: Nemo121
Solomons: I don't have anything in the Solomons at present and think that putting troops there would not really cause him to change his strategic analysis. Currently his analysis is probably that's going to move from Truk to Rabaul (which I still hold ) and from Rabaul take Port Moresby and begin moving down the Solomons. If I put troops into the Solomons then all he will have to do is reinforce his Solomons thrust a little and over-run them. What I am looking to do is derail his entire threat analysis. I can only do that by changing the strategic situation significantly and presenting him with either current or potential threats which will worsen unless he reacts ( thus losing the initiative ) NOW !!!
Unfortunately I don't think I can play a subtle game of placement and displacement as his reconnaisance in the Pacific is rather lacking. As a result I cannot rely on him spotting my movements and drawing the appropriate conclusions. So, I have to make any actions very, very obvious - e.g. invasions - such that there can be no doubt that he receives the message I want him to receive. Really it is all about communication. I'm going to write him a message through combat. Each operation is a paragraph. At the end of each paragraph he has multiple choices. My goal is to make each choice he makes be a choice which leaves him out of position to react to the next paragraph. If he reads minds then he'll ignore the first few paragraphs and ambush me while I write the third --- and I'll suffer grievous loss. Such risk is what makes the game worth playing.
Q-Ball,
Good thoughts... I agree with you entirely about the Solomons. Rabaul and Truk can project so much force through the Solomons that a force there, at this early stage, is rather doomed, IMO which would be fine if it really altered the strategic situation and caused him to have to change gears and priorities but isn't a sufficient reward for just strengthening the defences along an expected axis. Also, strengthening the defences there is rather passive and doesn't help put him under any pressure IMO.
Paramushiro-Jima meets most of my requirements. It has unlimited troop capacity, the ability to host a good-size airbase and reasonable port ( level 7 airfield and level 4 port ). Unfortunately it is defended by some rather nasty-looking CD guns. As such I think Onnekotan-jima is a better bet. It has all of the same benefits plus:
a) it is one hex closer to Japan and
b) it is probably undefended.
Marcus Island,
Another good target. Unlikely to be strongly defended although may have a small garrison by now. Overall very low risk of suffering major losses and should create a stir. It is a good propaganda target but I don't think it is really essential to Japan. It is out of easy transfer range from Midway and Wake and so really might make a good PBY base but not too much more than that. Still, it'd be a good place to make him focus alright. Would it ensure KB would be transferred to the Pacific? It might but, IMO, it shouldn't. If someone took Marcus from me I'd be quite happy to just take Wake and Midway and let Marcus whither on the vine as a bomber training target. Of course, to be fair, I'd probably have KB doing something utterly essential instead of swanning around the DEI --- and now heading back to Japan for replenishment.
One other reason I dislike attacking Marcus on its own is that it would tend to draw the IJN into a central position from which it could react towards either of the flanks. I'm not sure that's a good thing to create as part of a shaping of the battlefield.
Taraw is still vulnerable but, again, it is like the Solomons. It tends to be a situation of making an existing axis of advance a bit more difficult as opposed to getting him to rethink the entire theatre. He can adjust pretty easily to making a single axis of advance a bit more challenging and he has enough force to sledgehammer such a problem into quiescence. If I take Tarawa he'll just send a bigger force backed by KB and some BBs and it'll fall back into his hands. I'll have delayed him a small amount but his OODA loop won't really be negatively effected IMO.
-
[1.] Japanese held (preferrably weakly) and ...
[2.] Out of Zero range from other major bases and ...
[3.] Can accomodate unlimited troops and ...
[4.] Have >2 port for resupply
If you timed this right and manage to sneak in between his naval search, you could take Saipan/Guam by coup de main and be gone before he could intervene with KB. A regiment with some engineers, a BF (with some P-40's) and maybe some CD unit at each island would force him to be serious when trying to retake the islands, complete with time consumption for prepping etc. He'd also have to patrol the SLOC from Wake so that you couldn't reinforce/supply easily.
The next step in the staggered attacks would then be for your CV's to support an invasion of a Kurile island (on the way out from the Marianas). Onnekotan-Jima would be a good bet as you pointed out. I guess he would be quite chagrined to arrive with KB at the Marianas only to have the next carrot dangled in front of him up in the north [:D].
All of this would, as you pointed out earlier, focus his attention further away from S Sumatra giving you time to reinforce and dig in. Mission accomplished.
Yes, I want to hold my question in reserve. You've already adressed one of my immediate concerns, namely how to (better) deal with the sweeping Zeros. A longer term question that I was mulling about concerned if you had done any deception in preparation for your upcoming move. You already answered that though, in that the japanese initial recon is so lacking that you have to be very obvious to get his attention.ORIGINAL: Nemo121
P.s. Grollub, that's my favourite ever Blackadder quote [:D]
P.p.s. QBall, for sticking your neck out you get a question too. Grollub has held his in reserve for later. Sneaky, didn't even ask if that were possible, just took his own authority and decided that's what he'd do... I like his style. Anyways, you can cash it in now and ask anything you want ( including the entire strategic plan for the Pacific etc ) or hold it in reserve for a later date. Your choice.
As for not asking if I could save my question - It's easier to get forgiveness than permission [;)][:'(].
Edited: Disposition/spelling.
“Not mastering metaphores is like cooking pasta when the train is delayed"
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
ORIGINAL: Nemo121
As you can see I'm not a big believer in trying to non-critical regions which can't really be held... far better to allocate resources to hold what's essential. In terms of his main, initial, thrust... I believe he will go for Sian. It is the most obvious choice ( a very bad thing indeed ) and he has all those lovely artillery pieces from Kwantung coming in there. Obviously when I suggested the house rules it was with the expectation that the house rule we agreed would tend to direct the initial thrust into the northern regions --- which are infinitely more easily defended than the much wider southern front. The only possible fly in the ointment is the artillery modelling in the code. If the artillery is still over-modelled then my troops could be obliterated by it. Still, I think the plan is a reasonable one in real life. All AE has to do is model real life appropriately and I should be fine.
Is it viable to allow A "Death Star" towards XIan but prepare an envelopment. The only reason the Japanese didnt use Death stars historically is they would just be surrounded. If an attack goes to Xian it will come from the SE.
Underdog Fanboy
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Question:
I'm currently prepping the various TFs for the operation. This involves ordering TFs from India, Australia, Pearl Harbour, New Zealand, CONUSA and Alaska to all begin moving over the next 4 days or so with a view to synchronising them so that TFs from Oz link up with TFs from India and TFs from Oz link up with TFs from CONUSA etc.
I have that all pretty much in hand but my problem now is that at Wake I have found several of my "Amphibious TFs" --- I sent troops there combat loaded to avoid wasting time changing to and from Strategic Move --- are giving me "Cannot Finish Unloading" messages. It seems that they cannot unload engineer vehicles or Sound Detectors. My query is this... Could TRANSPORT TFs unload those device types over a beach ( Level 0 port ) or Level 1 port? I don't want to take something which requires rapid airfield and port building only to find out that I can't do that because I can't unload my radar or engineering vehicles no matter what I do.
Also, according to the manual an Allied xAK or xAP will unload 250 points per ship per turn as part of an amphibious TF. So, am I correct in thinking that if I wanted to unload 1,000 points of troops and 1,000 points of cargo ( IOW a fairly typical USMC Defence Bn ) I would require 4 xAPs and 4 xAKs to unload that Bn in a single turn?
Secondly I know various tenders allow reloading of armaments even when the port is too small.I've read the manual and my take on it is as follows ( Basically I'm asking someone to confirm or deny the correctness of my current understanding of the logistics model --- don't forget I've only get 3 weeks of play under my belt so I'm as green as grass as far as the new logistics go ).
1. Largest main gun in the Pacific fleet are the 16 inch guns on the Maryland BB. They require a Level 7 port OR an AE with 5400 tons capacity. I have two AEs which meet that requirement at PH.
2. AGs can reload depth charges, AAA guns and DD main armaments ( 5 inch guns ).
3. ADs can replace torpedoes expended by my surface fleet.
4. AEs with a cargo capacity of 500 tons can replenish CV sorties and with 1500 tons capacity can replenish CV torpedoes.
At present I have 3 AEs. 2 x 5400 ton capacity AEs which are good for replenishing even my largest BBs and another of 3600 tons capacity which could replenish all my ships except the 16 inch main armament BB AND, importantly, can also replenish my CV sorties and torpedoes.
So, essentially, if I advance with my 3 AEs, a few AGs and some ADs whilst leaving Maryland at home I will have the capability to replenish all my BBs ( since I'll only bring 14inch main armament BBs ), the torpedo tubes on my DDs and smaller combat ships, AND the sorties and torpedoes on my CVs. By bringing AGs along I can allow the DDs to load from them, saving the supplies on the AEs for the BBs... I don't want to re-arm my DDs and find I don't have enough shells for the BBs after all.
What I'm thinking is that this would give me great operational flexibility in establishing forward re-arming bases during the fluid phase of the upcoming battles. Sure I still want to build Brisbane, Perth and Darwin up to be Level 6 and 7 ports but even a Level 1 port with the appropriate support TF docked will be sufficient to give my CV and BB TFs resupply of ammunition and fuel.
OR.... am I missing something huge which negates this thinking?
I'm currently prepping the various TFs for the operation. This involves ordering TFs from India, Australia, Pearl Harbour, New Zealand, CONUSA and Alaska to all begin moving over the next 4 days or so with a view to synchronising them so that TFs from Oz link up with TFs from India and TFs from Oz link up with TFs from CONUSA etc.
I have that all pretty much in hand but my problem now is that at Wake I have found several of my "Amphibious TFs" --- I sent troops there combat loaded to avoid wasting time changing to and from Strategic Move --- are giving me "Cannot Finish Unloading" messages. It seems that they cannot unload engineer vehicles or Sound Detectors. My query is this... Could TRANSPORT TFs unload those device types over a beach ( Level 0 port ) or Level 1 port? I don't want to take something which requires rapid airfield and port building only to find out that I can't do that because I can't unload my radar or engineering vehicles no matter what I do.
Also, according to the manual an Allied xAK or xAP will unload 250 points per ship per turn as part of an amphibious TF. So, am I correct in thinking that if I wanted to unload 1,000 points of troops and 1,000 points of cargo ( IOW a fairly typical USMC Defence Bn ) I would require 4 xAPs and 4 xAKs to unload that Bn in a single turn?
Secondly I know various tenders allow reloading of armaments even when the port is too small.I've read the manual and my take on it is as follows ( Basically I'm asking someone to confirm or deny the correctness of my current understanding of the logistics model --- don't forget I've only get 3 weeks of play under my belt so I'm as green as grass as far as the new logistics go ).
1. Largest main gun in the Pacific fleet are the 16 inch guns on the Maryland BB. They require a Level 7 port OR an AE with 5400 tons capacity. I have two AEs which meet that requirement at PH.
2. AGs can reload depth charges, AAA guns and DD main armaments ( 5 inch guns ).
3. ADs can replace torpedoes expended by my surface fleet.
4. AEs with a cargo capacity of 500 tons can replenish CV sorties and with 1500 tons capacity can replenish CV torpedoes.
At present I have 3 AEs. 2 x 5400 ton capacity AEs which are good for replenishing even my largest BBs and another of 3600 tons capacity which could replenish all my ships except the 16 inch main armament BB AND, importantly, can also replenish my CV sorties and torpedoes.
So, essentially, if I advance with my 3 AEs, a few AGs and some ADs whilst leaving Maryland at home I will have the capability to replenish all my BBs ( since I'll only bring 14inch main armament BBs ), the torpedo tubes on my DDs and smaller combat ships, AND the sorties and torpedoes on my CVs. By bringing AGs along I can allow the DDs to load from them, saving the supplies on the AEs for the BBs... I don't want to re-arm my DDs and find I don't have enough shells for the BBs after all.
What I'm thinking is that this would give me great operational flexibility in establishing forward re-arming bases during the fluid phase of the upcoming battles. Sure I still want to build Brisbane, Perth and Darwin up to be Level 6 and 7 ports but even a Level 1 port with the appropriate support TF docked will be sufficient to give my CV and BB TFs resupply of ammunition and fuel.
OR.... am I missing something huge which negates this thinking?
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Dont know where your going ,personally anything closer than Tarawa is going to get smacked by whatever it takes with not too many losses for him and you cant afford to loose the troops . The Tarawa area has a few islands that cover each other and put pressure on him to reinforce the Marshals which can then be cut off. Activity here would also take KB in the Pacific away from Sumatra not sure if this is what you want.
I also like the idea of hitting Marcus Island and then going for some counter play in the DEI when he hits it with KB. Maybe 4 CV at an oil centre you may get some nice tankers. Since your holding SUmatra obviously you want his oil. Marcus is such a nice PBY base helps your subs find convoys and let you know what he is up to .
I also like the idea of hitting Marcus Island and then going for some counter play in the DEI when he hits it with KB. Maybe 4 CV at an oil centre you may get some nice tankers. Since your holding SUmatra obviously you want his oil. Marcus is such a nice PBY base helps your subs find convoys and let you know what he is up to .
Underdog Fanboy
RE: Salutations and solicitations.... 1EyedJacks (J) vs Nemo (A)
Marcus Island as a convoy spotter? I don't see how that would work really unless he is utterly negligent with his convoy routings.
Instead he should simply send them from Japan via Guam etc and then down to Truk. From Truk they can move to the Marshalls or down towards Rabaul/The Solomons. That would give no risk of spotting from Marcus Island.
Instead he should simply send them from Japan via Guam etc and then down to Truk. From Truk they can move to the Marshalls or down towards Rabaul/The Solomons. That would give no risk of spotting from Marcus Island.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, that's that settled then.