Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Doh! April Fools!

Good one, Cap.

[:D]

One must be on one's toes today, musn't one? [;)]

[Cap Mandrake]

*****East coast of Bataan, 8 miles S. of the Mauban Line, January 31, 1942*****


A soldier has just finished painting a sign that reads "Philippine Division HQ"

Soldier 1: There, how is that?

Soldier 2: Shouldn't that be "Philippines Division", with an "s"?

Soldier 1: No, you RE-tard.

Soldier 2: Well, Professor Einstein, how many islands are there here? Nobody says "The Philippine".

Soldier 3: I think it is about who is in it...so it should be "Fillipino Division", with two "l's" one "p" and an "F" at the front.

Soldier 1: Oh yeah, are you Fillipino?

Soldier 3: No. Puerto Rican.

Soldier 1: And what division are you in?

Soldier 3: Fillipino division.

Soldier 1: NO, NO, NO, NO NOOOH! "P-H-I-L-I-P-P-I-N-E"

Soldier 3: No, two "L's"

Soldier 1: No, one "L"

Soldier 3: Then why does "Fillipino" have two "L's"?

Soldier 1: IT DOESN'T

Soldier 2: I think he is right about that. There are two "L's"

Soldier 1: OK, let's ask the Lt......Lt., is this sign right?

Lt.: No, you chowderheads. That's "D-I-V-I-Z-I-O-N"

[Chickenboy]

The elder Lt. Quayle making his rounds, I see.

[wpurdom]

In AE, they show with 35 experience pilots which really does make them "clay pigeons". I have a plan. I figure we can make one capable A-24 squadron from the pilots of the two Enterprise squadrons which are still in Northern Oz with only 4 SBD's between them and no replacment SBD's showing up in Oz.

Sorry if I puncture your balloon, but those Banshee sqn's will only accept army pilots ...

Any army squadron been training pilots in naval bombing? If not, search out some of your accidentally more skillful naval bombing pilots to put into group reserve and then transfer, and put a few squadrons to train naval bombing pilots, Stateside. Then switch the pilots out to your A-24 squadrons when they surpass the ones you have assigned. Any bomber can be put to naval bomber training, but only A-24's, torpedo bombers (even when carrying bombs), and Catalina's seem to be able to hit a ship at this stage of the war.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: wpurdom

In AE, they show with 35 experience pilots which really does make them "clay pigeons". I have a plan. I figure we can make one capable A-24 squadron from the pilots of the two Enterprise squadrons which are still in Northern Oz with only 4 SBD's between them and no replacment SBD's showing up in Oz.

Sorry if I puncture your balloon, but those Banshee sqn's will only accept army pilots ...

Any army squadron been training pilots in naval bombing? If not, search out some of your accidentally more skillful naval bombing pilots to put into group reserve and then transfer, and put a few squadrons to train naval bombing pilots, Stateside. Then switch the pilots out to your A-24 squadrons when they surpass the ones you have assigned. Any bomber can be put to naval bomber training, but only A-24's, torpedo bombers (even when carrying bombs), and Catalina's seem to be able to hit a ship at this stage of the war.

Yes...I had some B-26's or A-20's on naval attack training in Hoboken. I found some chaps in the mid 40's there. Also the Observation squadron in the PI flying those birds from the Triassic had some naval bombing skill in the 50's. They have a new job too.

Also, the depleted Navy SBD squadrons in Oz found a gold mine of sorts. More to follow.

[Cap Mandrake]

OK, pretend I didn't read the manual for AE...or WITP either.

Now that I have a goodly number of "volunteers" trapped in the Manila perimeter, will those chaps draw sustenance from the resource pts available there?

I have a vague notion that resource pts + (something) = supplies [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

******2,000 ft above Charter Towers Field, Australia, January 31, 1942*******

Ensign O'Boyle has to bend his neck a bit to fit under the canopy of the aircraft. You might say, "why the SBD has a capacious cockpit, what is he some kind of circus freak?"

You might say that but I am pretty sure you would feel bad afterward because he is not a freak, he is just sitting on another pilots lap. Now, you might then say, "wait, you mean what I heard about the Navy is true?"

You might say that too but you will surely be revealed as an intolerant, bigoted, jerk as he is merely sitting on the other pilot's lap as part of a clever accomodation to wartime shortages. You see, VB-6 fought hard and played a major role in sking one Jap CVL a CVE and Akagi. In the process, they lost 15 aircraft and 5 crews. That leaves 26 crewmembers and only 3 aircraft. They have been ordered to Charter Towers for refitting and the railway that used to be present in WITP is now gone, so they have to fly in to Charter Towers. Now, you can do that math, but you can plainly see they will have had to fly multiple shuttle flights putting further wear on the scarce SBD's...or they can "double up". In the event, the entire squadron voted to try to make the transfer in one hop.

What started like a frat house prank with much hilarity and ribald jokes has, after the three hr. flight, become an epic test of endurance, especially after Lt. Tomlinson ate 3 helpings of boiled cabbage shortly before take off.

Ensign O'Boyle banks the plane to the left and enters the race track landing approach used to scrub off speed and altitude for carrier pilots. There are groans of pain as the load shifts for the crewmembers at the bottom of the scrum. Someone yells, "Godamnit Tomlinson! How can you have anything left?"

At the end of the downwind leg, those that can see out of the cockpit are treated to an awesome sight. A section of tarmac is set off with bright orange flags fluttering on a rope. Inside the rectangle of flags are 5 rows of 10 each of beautiful, spotless, new or low mileage SBD's. Most have some message scrawled on the canopy in white paint. One reads "Lo Miles", another "Radio Included". A third says "Try Me". A smiling young man in fine linen slacks waves up at the three SBD's overhead.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

OK, pretend I didn't read the manual for AE...or WITP either.

Now that I have a goodly number of "volunteers" trapped in the Manila perimeter, will those chaps draw sustenance from the resource pts available there?

I have a vague notion that resource pts + (something) = supplies [:)]

Raw material production (=resource and oil centres) ceases one enemy troops are co located at the hex. On the other hand, industrial production (=heavy industry, light industry and refinery) continues even if enemy troops are co located at the hex.

Thus, in your situation regarding Manila, as long as the Light Industry located in the city still has resources stockpiled, it will continue to produce supplies. The supply production rate from a Light Induxtry centre is input 15 resource points (NB a single resource centre produces 20 resource points), output is 1 supply point.

Alfred

[Mynok]

What started like a frat house prank with much hilarity and ribald jokes has, after the three hr. flight, become an epic test of endurance, especially after Lt. Tomlinson ate 3 helpings of boiled cabbage shortly before take off.

LMAO!

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

OK, pretend I didn't read the manual for AE...or WITP either.

Now that I have a goodly number of "volunteers" trapped in the Manila perimeter, will those chaps draw sustenance from the resource pts available there?

I have a vague notion that resource pts + (something) = supplies [:)]

No. They get no supply production if there's an IJA unit keeping them company in the same hex. Of course, you would know this if you had read...wait a minute-I'm pretending that you didn't read the manual for either game whilest furnishing this response.

[BrucePowers]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

OK, pretend I didn't read the manual for AE...or WITP either.

Now that I have a goodly number of "volunteers" trapped in the Manila perimeter, will those chaps draw sustenance from the resource pts available there?

I have a vague notion that resource pts + (something) = supplies [:)]

No. They get no supply production if there's an IJA unit keeping them company in the same hex. Of course, you would know this if you had read...wait a minute-I'm pretending that you didn't read the manual for either game whilest furnishing this response.

well I haven't read the manual yet either[:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

No. They get no supply production if there's an IJA unit keeping them company in the same hex. Of course, you would know this if you had read...wait a minute-I'm pretending that you didn't read the manual for either game whilest furnishing this response.

Ut-oh

Chow time South Luzon HQ

[Cap Mandrake]

There is something in the South Pacific about 500 nm SE of Truk, moving in a generally SE direction at a pace of 120-200 nm per day. This force consists of at least two TF's, one possible containing a CV (based on a sub sighting).

They are still out of search range for PBY's at Luganville and Funafuti. The sub picket screen South of Truk also jsut picked up tankers headed SE from Truk.

My take on this is this is an invasion grouping, likely well escorted. My first guess is their target is Fiji, as this is the best developed base in the direction of movement, but they can go just about anywhere they want if they have four carriers. It could also just be a raid to beat up on Allied shipping, in which case it will fail as I have good notice.

Allied dispositions:

Fiji: 1 Kiwi Bn. each at the two bases on Fiji (the third Bn. was sent to Noumea, a fact which I now regret). There are 50-60 aviation support points at Suva and a Field Arty unit. The airfield is still level 3.

Air complement is one squadron each of P-40B's and P-39's with moderately good training. There are also 3 squadrons of B-26's just being upacked.

Noumea: One Army Regt, one Marine Regt, two arty Bn. and naval support, engineering and aviation support troops. The Kiwi Bn. and the Frenchies are headed to Koumac.

Air complement consists of two squadrons of Marine SBD's and one squadron F4F's. Airfield building to level 3.

Pago Pago: I think there is a Marine Def Bn., a squadron of B-26's and PBY's

Tonga: Nothing

Naval forces: Light surface group at Suva. Two carriers just finsished refitting at Adelaide. I have one Marine Def Bn. embarked which I will try to get into Suva in time.


You know something? This is a seriously cool game.

[Kwik E Mart]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

No. They get no supply production if there's an IJA unit keeping them company in the same hex. Of course, you would know this if you had read...wait a minute-I'm pretending that you didn't read the manual for either game whilest furnishing this response.

Ut-oh

Chow time South Luzon HQ

is it just me, the angle of the photo, or some other anomoly, or does this dude have some freakishly small hands? [X(]

edit: just realized it could also be a freakishly large noggin...

double edit: and yes, i can attest from personal experience that one can find some fine eats in the Pee Eye... [;)]

triple edit: damn, that didn't sound right...i need an adult beverage stat... [:(]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Kwik E Mart

is it just me, the angle of the photo, or some other anomoly, or does this dude have some freakishly small hands? [X(]

edit: just realized it could also be a freakishly large noggin...

Looking funny is an asset for a comedian.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtZTIwSIuGw

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

There is something in the South Pacific about 500 nm SE of Truk, moving in a generally SE direction at a pace of 120-200 nm per day. This force consists of at least two TF's, one possible containing a CV (based on a sub sighting).

They are still out of search range for PBY's at Luganville and Funafuti. The sub picket screen South of Truk also jsut picked up tankers headed SE from Truk.

My take on this is this is an invasion grouping, likely well escorted. My first guess is their target is Fiji, as this is the best developed base in the direction of movement, but they can go just about anywhere they want if they have four carriers. It could also just be a raid to beat up on Allied shipping, in which case it will fail as I have good notice.

Allied dispositions:

Fiji: 1 Kiwi Bn. each at the two bases on Fiji (the third Bn. was sent to Noumea, a fact which I now regret). There are 50-60 aviation support points at Suva and a Field Arty unit. The airfield is still level 3.

Air complement is one squadron each of P-40B's and P-39's with moderately good training. There are also 3 squadrons of B-26's just being upacked.

Noumea: One Army Regt, one Marine Regt, two arty Bn. and naval support, engineering and aviation support troops. The Kiwi Bn. and the Frenchies are headed to Koumac.

Air complement consists of two squadrons of Marine SBD's and one squadron F4F's. Airfield building to level 3.

Pago Pago: I think there is a Marine Def Bn., a squadron of B-26's and PBY's

Tonga: Nothing

Naval forces: Light surface group at Suva. Two carriers just finsished refitting at Adelaide. I have one Marine Def Bn. embarked which I will try to get into Suva in time.


You know something? This is a seriously cool game.

Cap'n-is this invasion group too far West to be heading towards Canton or Tarawa?

And, yessir-this is a freakishly cool game.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Cap'n-is this invasion group too far West to be heading towards Canton or Tarawa?

And, yessir-this is a freakishly cool game.

Tarawa is alrady in Jap hands. If they bear ESE they could hit Canton and there wouldnt be much I could do about it either.

I have aviation support and supplies on Baker with 12 PBY's. There are 10 PBY's with a seaplane tender at Funafuti. They will have trouble escaping detection. The direction of travel appears to be on a line from Truk toward Fiji...but who knows.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

OK, pretend I didn't read the manual for AE...or WITP either.

Now that I have a goodly number of "volunteers" trapped in the Manila perimeter, will those chaps draw sustenance from the resource pts available there?

I have a vague notion that resource pts + (something) = supplies [:)]

No. They get no supply production if there's an IJA unit keeping them company in the same hex. Of course, you would know this if you had read...wait a minute-I'm pretending that you didn't read the manual for either game whilest furnishing this response.

Why do you say this? It is not consistent with what the manual says on pages 230-232 nor the actual praxis in WITP classic. Has a developer said somewhere else something which supports this conclusion and therefore makes what I outlined in my post #528 to be incorrect? I would be more than happy to be shown to be in error as I do not wish to provide, nor personally operate in my own games, erroneous information.

Alfred

Alfred

[witpqs]

Alfred, I don't have a reference at hand, but it is also my best recollection that enemy presence in the hex suspends production within the hex. IIRC been that way since WITP. I could be wrong...

[Alfred]

No. It only stops raw material production. Industrial production continues provided the necessary inputs are available. The manual is clear on this point regarding raw material production being stopped but significantly is silent on industrial production being stopped by the mere presence of enemy troops.

In my praxis in WITP classic, I could always get my Heavy Industry to produce even with enemy units being present in the same base - production occurred even if I had to actually ship in the necessary raw materials. That is why I am perplexed at the advice offered which seems to me to be based on a general assumption without actually carefully noting the specifics. If it has changed, then I would appreciate being corrected by a careful exposition of the facts.

Alfred