Allied AI vs Fulkerson

[larryfulkerson]

I got lucky at Georgetown and with only 6 aircraft sunk a handful of ships. The march down the peninsula is slow but steady and Alor Star is kaput already.

[larryfulkerson]

It appears that I have miscalculated at Hong Kong. The Deliberate Attack was a tad bit premature and I lost a lot of people. I'm going to have to soften up the target with a lot of Arty before I can try another DA.

[larryfulkerson]

We captured Davao finally. Now to start building up the port and airbase there.

[larryfulkerson]

One of the occupants of the Alor Star hex was in the wrong op mode but on the other hand the only thing the defenders had going for them was the terrain so I won anyway.

[larryfulkerson]

Kevin just now sent me his moves so I'm having to put this game on hold for an hour or so. See ya soon.

[Puhis]

Midway is a small atoll! Stacking limit is 6000 troops, do not land entire 15000 men division there!!!

One regiment or brigade is enough to take Midway, it's much better to use divisions somewhere else.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Puhis

Midway is a small atoll! Stacking limit is 6000 troops, do not land entire 15000 men division there!!!

One regiment or brigade is enough to take Midway, it's much better to use divisions somewhere else.

I am a newbie myself, but I understand the only penality for overstacking is double supply demand? I would understand that this situation warrents using using about 120 AV fully prepped, but I am not sure I comprehend a hard and fast rule of never overstacking on the atolls. I might even propose that it is an advantage for the offense since the defense has to pay twice as much supply to keep overstacked forces, and thus will probably not overstack ensuring that an overstacked force will have the 2:1 adjusted to achieve favorable results.

Just my .02... in my AAR vs a PBEM adversary, I have been hitting the Marshall's with Divisions each Atoll ensuring quick work of the LYB. A level 4 port ensures one can get forces off quickly to do it again in 60 - 90 days.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

ORIGINAL: Puhis
Midway is a small atoll! Stacking limit is 6000 troops, do not land entire 15000 men division there!!!

One regiment or brigade is enough to take Midway, it's much better to use divisions somewhere else.

I am a newbie myself, but I understand the only penality for overstacking is double supply demand? I would understand that this situation warrents using using about 120 AV fully prepped, but I am not sure I comprehend a hard and fast rule of never overstacking on the atolls. I might even propose that it is an advantage for the offense since the defense has to pay twice as much supply to keep overstacked forces, and thus will probably not overstack ensuring that an overstacked force will have the 2:1 adjusted to achieve favorable results.

Just my .02... in my AAR vs a PBEM adversary, I have been hitting the Marshall's with Divisions each Atoll ensuring quick work of the LYB. A level 4 port ensures one can get forces off quickly to do it again in 60 - 90 days.

I admit I wasn't considering the stacking limits for atolls when I assembled the forces for taking Midway and didn't understand what the penalty was if I overstacked and so on, but my recon sub has revealed that it's possible that Midway is empty of Allied forces and that using a whole division there won't be necessary after all. And I could better use a lot of that 4th division at Wake to help those folks hold on and or take the island, finally. And I'm considering sending part of the 4th division to Rabaul etc. I really do appreciate the posts of both of you guys to help me understand stacking limits and the penalties therefrom because I'm still ignorant of a lot of the details of this fabulous game and I'd encourage you both to continue giving me your advice and I thank you both. Really.

By the way, what's an LYB?

[Puhis]

Yes, there's much better places for 4th Div (and I don't mean Wake either [;)] ) Do not learn bad habits by playing AI game. [:)]

You can always split divisions. Usually 1/3rd of a division, about 150 AV is more than enough to take an atoll, and then you don't have to worry about stacking penalty.

[sj80]

So Larry, I checked the manual regarding rearming (Page 284-286).

Cam Ramh Bay is in scenario 1 a port level 5 with 342 naval support (southern fleet + 9th base force). In the malaya area are 2 battleships with 36cm guns (Kongo, Haruna). Regarding to the manual a 36 cm in a level 5 port needs 572 naval support for rearm. So if you move the 2nd fleet hq with 233 naval support from Samah (Hainan island, is very close) to Cam you should be able to rearm the BBs in the port.

In Truk you have a level 6 port with 428 naval support. You need 534 naval support for the 36 cm guns. But you could try to use an AKE for the BB rearm at Truk. You have 1 AKE available in Hiroshima with 3000 cargo capability. Regarding to the manual an AKE can ream everything that has a lower rearm cost than it's cargo capability. The rearm cost of the 36 cm gun is 2970, in theory it should work. [;)]
The AKE has to be loaded with supplies and disbanded into the port. But the 40 cm guns of Mutsu and Nagato are to big for Truk and Cam.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: sj80
So Larry, I checked the manual regarding rearming (Page 284-286).

Cam Ramh Bay is in scenario 1 a port level 5 with 342 naval support (southern fleet + 9th base force). In the malaya area are 2 battleships with 36cm guns (Kongo, Haruna). Regarding to the manual a 36 cm in a level 5 port needs 572 naval support for rearm. So if you move the 2nd fleet hq with 233 naval support from Samah (Hainan island, is very close) to Cam you should be able to rearm the BBs in the port.

In Truk you have a level 6 port with 428 naval support. You need 534 naval support for the 36 cm guns. But you could try to use an AKE for the BB rearm at Truk. You have 1 AKE available in Hiroshima with 3000 cargo capability. Regarding to the manual an AKE can ream everything that has a lower rearm cost than it's cargo capability. The rearm cost of the 36 cm gun is 2970, in theory it should work. [;)]
The AKE has to be loaded with supplies and disbanded into the port. But the 40 cm guns of Mutsu and Nagato are to big for Truk and Cam.

Excellent work my friend. With your help I can win this game yet. Thanks muchly. I'll move the 2nd fleet HQ to CRB and move an AKE to Truk right away.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Puhis
Yes, there's much better places for 4th Div (and I don't mean Wake either [;)] ) Do not learn bad habits by playing AI game. [:)]

I DO find that gameplay is different between AI games and PBEM games. You're correct.

ORIGINAL: Puhis
You can always split divisions. Usually 1/3rd of a division, about 150 AV is more than enough to take an atoll, and then you don't have to worry about stacking penalty.

I've split it and so far I've got some going to Midway, some to Wake, and some to the Rabaul general area. I'm not sure how much of the 4th Div is going to each because I split the TF carrying the 4th Div into different TF's depending on the speed of the boats. I'll get back to you on that.

EDIT: Here's the first rough cut of the 4th division:

[Puhis]

I meant divide the division to get three "regiments". You cannot do that when unit is on ship. And I think you should check those ships, usually land units on ships are not equally distributed. Some ships might have mainly infantry squads, some ships have mostly support squads. You don't want to land just support squads...

[Uncivil Engineer]

ORIGINAL: Puhis

I meant divide the division to get three "regiments". You cannot do that when unit is on ship. And I think you should check those ships, usually land units on ships are not equally distributed. Some ships might have mainly infantry squads, some ships have mostly support squads. You don't want to land just support squads...

Puhis is absolutely correct. At this point you should probably send ALL of 4th Div to Guam, take the base, rest them a day or so, then divide into regiments. One can go to Midway, and the other two - Rabaul and Kavieng ? My 2 cents.
BTW, check the leaders after dividing - it's my experience that the normal division commander stays with the /A regiment - make sure the leaders for /B and /C aren't total losers!

[larryfulkerson]

That sounds like excellent advice gentlemen.....per your advice I'll send the 4th Div. to Guam and take the base and rest the Div. then divide the Div. properly into regiments and go from there. Thanks for your input(s) and keep that great advice coming.....I'm sure the other new guys reading this are appreacitive too.

[larryfulkerson]

Nobody was home on the north coast of New Guinea and there was only a handful of coastal guns and none of them connected so the landings went off without a hitch. I wish all my landings went so well. Now to concentrate on the Lae and Rabaul areas.

[larryfulkerson]

An Alllied TF just popped up on the radar screen and I'm thinking I need to chase it down and kill it. So I've got the two mini-CV groups chasing it now.

[larryfulkerson]

So um........I pulled the trigger for 13Dec41 and got the combat results file uploaded now, for those of you who want to see it, it's available below:

Here's the animated strategic map for 8Dec through 14Dec:

[larryfulkerson]

I may be rushing the invasion(s) a little bit. There's this tiny problem with Allied ships popping up all over the place and my surface combatants are out of position and aren't much help.

[moore4807]

Larry,

I learned here on these forums that LYB stands for Little Yellow B*stards, if it means something else...
RA4.1 is up and running, thanks for all your help!

My opinion is dont worry so much about enemy TF popping up - while not saying to ignore them, realistically Allied capital ships are all pretty much accounted for in your scenario until early/mid 1942. you may get a CA/CL/DD but you have been hunting them down these past 10 pages! Allies are pretty much on the run everywhere!