Supply from South Africa

[blueatoll]

I am playing the Allies in March 1942. I don't fully understand the off-map supply situation. South Africa received massive supply convoys at the beginning of the game and I assumed that there would be one a month making South Africa a primary source of supply, especially for Australia.

Well, it's March 1942 and I've completely exhausted the supplies in South Africa to the point where they are low on supplies. I've got ships stacked up in South Africa just waiting to load up.

My question is this: Where is the actual 'neverending' supply depot for the British? Adaban? Do I need to be routing all my supply convoys there?

I am spending most of my time in this game manipulating the supply convoys and independent convoys just to make sure that I am getting supplies and fuel to forward areas. I didn't realize this game was some sort of spreadsheet logistics battle. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Can someone point me in the right direction?

How many TKs do I need in Ceylon to keep places like Brisbane fueled up?
Thanks

[geofflambert]

In my experience India produces plenty of supply for that theatre. In my current PBEM (it's Jan of '43) I've got about 2.5 million tons sitting at the Cape with not enough ships to move it. When I do, I send those to Oz or NZ. But those two places need supply shipped to them from the US too. It depends on where your xAKs are. I am low on fuel at the Cape though, I shipped a lot of that to Oz, but now I've stopped so I have an operational supply there.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: blueatoll

I am playing the Allies in March 1942. I don't fully understand the off-map supply situation. South Africa received massive supply convoys at the beginning of the game and I assumed that there would be one a month making South Africa a primary source of supply, especially for Australia.

Well, it's March 1942 and I've completely exhausted the supplies in South Africa to the point where they are low on supplies. I've got ships stacked up in South Africa just waiting to load up.

My question is this: Where is the actual 'neverending' supply depot for the British? Adaban? Do I need to be routing all my supply convoys there?

I am spending most of my time in this game manipulating the supply convoys and independent convoys just to make sure that I am getting supplies and fuel to forward areas. I didn't realize this game was some sort of spreadsheet logistics battle. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Can someone point me in the right direction?

How many TKs do I need in Ceylon to keep places like Brisbane fueled up?
Thanks

The Independant Supply Convoys are actually LCUs and apear in the Land Reinforcement queue. They go to different places besides CT, and they have different make-ups. You need to check on each one and see what it carries. Many of them carry primarily devices to dump into the pools. Most carry at least some fuel and some supply. You're just in a small dead zone for deliveries. They'll pick up again.

You can also carry unlimited supplies from the UK and EC to CT off-map for no cost in fuel or ship damage.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
You can also carry unlimited supplies from the UK and EC to CT off-map for no cost in fuel or ship damage.

Is this done by maxing the supply requirement at CT? What's EC?

In the same vein, is there a way to get supply out of the Soviets into China?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
You can also carry unlimited supplies from the UK and EC to CT off-map for no cost in fuel or ship damage.

Is this done by maxing the supply requirement at CT? What's EC?

In the same vein, is there a way to get supply out of the Soviets into China?

No, you carry the supply on ships from the UK or EC (East Coast.)

I know of no way to get supply from the USSR to anywhere else until the Soviets enter the war.

[moonraker65]

As the war progresses the Supply Convoys that arrive in CT tend to be just supply and fuel with not so many carrying LCU reinforcements. Keep an eye on this. You may need to ship some fuel in from the Eastern US to CT during the early part of of the war to keep up with demand

[Canoerebel]

Early in the game I set up fuel and supply convoys from East Coast (and sometimes Balboa/Cristobal) to Capetown.  (I find its necessary to supplement what comes in organically - especially the fuel.)  I run my supply out of Capetown to both Oz and India.  Somebody above said India can operate on its own.  I disagree.  In a game in which the Japanese move on India, supply can be the deciding factor.  Later in the game, when the Allies go on the offensive in the theater, I want it flush with supply.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: moonraker

As the war progresses the Supply Convoys that arrive in CT tend to be just supply and fuel with not so many carrying LCU reinforcements. Keep an eye on this. You may need to ship some fuel in from the Eastern US to CT during the early part of of the war to keep up with demand

In my experience you can ship only fuel. The CS convoys bring enough free supply to stock Oz and Colombo if you add in the LI supply Oz makes for free, and maybe with an assist from Bombay for Colombo if you use a lot of auto-convoy from there. Bombay needs fuel from Abadan, but you can dump it all in Karachi and it will walk to Bombay.

The CS convoys do evolve over the course of the war. Sometimes they go to Port Stanley, and sometimes to the Canal Zone. Later in the war some really massive million-plus ones come into Aden (from memory; but they're huge.)

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Early in the game I set up fuel and supply convoys from East Coast (and sometimes Balboa/Cristobal) to Capetown.  (I find its necessary to supplement what comes in organically - especially the fuel.)  I run my supply out of Capetown to both Oz and India.  Somebody above said India can operate on its own.  I disagree.  In a game in which the Japanese move on India, supply can be the deciding factor.  Later in the game, when the Allies go on the offensive in the theater, I want it flush with supply.

I've never needed to ship supply to India. Millions of points of fuel, yes. I've never fought a campaign there, but I've campaigned all the way through Indo-China and to Hong Kong on Bombay and Calcutta supply. It was enough. I think many players short India's fuel in order to build Colombo and Oz from the Mideast. I put six-figures a week through Karachi starting Week 1.

[moonraker65]

Indeed I've seen some of the big Convoys at Aden and as you say they bring in a lot of supplies and fuel. It's a case of putting your shipping assets in the right places at the right times I find

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: moonraker

Indeed I've seen some of the big Convoys at Aden and as you say they bring in a lot of supplies and fuel. It's a case of putting your shipping assets in the right places at the right times I find

When I've played the AI to engine shut-down in 1946 I ended up just leaving supply in place and using the sealift to move men and planes. I know in one game I looked at Vancouver and had about 17 million supply I didn't need in forward areas.

[Encircled]

Basically from Day 1, you need to prioritize your fuel shipments to Oz and Capetown.

Set up auto convoys from the East Coast to Capetown for fuel, set up auto convoys with as many escorts as you can spare (not a lot, but the tankers need protection) from Abadan to Karachi, and set up fuel convoys from Capetown to Perth, and LA/SF/SD to Oz.

Once you've got an idea where your opponent is aiming for, you can set up a way station in the Pacific to supply your forward operations.

I read on here that you need to think of your operations as spokes of a wheel, and the hub of the wheel being a supply base.

Helps a lot if you have a logistics/transport background btw!

[Gunner98]

Playing DaIronBabes and things are not as generous as I remember in the stock scenarios. For the OP, the convoys come on as LCU, CD (costal defence) units associated with Commonwealth. In DaIronBabes they all come on at Cape Town and the largest that I can find is 380K of supply but most are much less than 200K, fuel is an issue until the end of '44 and the small amount that comes in with the convoys is barely enough to keep your CS runs to Oz topped up. I definitely recall a low spot in Mar/Apr 42 and another in early 43. I have not transferred anything from the UK or EC to CT yet but will look at that now that you have pointed it out. The Med is now open for my so that should shorten the distances. I agree that India needs a supply supplement, and this helps the air-bridge to China as well, so I've been spending shipping to get it there.

For fuel I find Abadan keeps me going and I can keep India and - at a stretch (if Jap subs, Betties and raiders cooperate) Oz - supplied with fuel from there. The place never seems to run out!

Aden is a problem - it doesn't get enough supply or fuel to keep things going and I need to make sure my troop convoys have 'load only troops' clicked or I can drain it in a heartbeat and the convoy is waiting several days trying to top up supplies before departing for India with a much needed fighter squadron.

Port Stanley - at least in DaIronBabes is a starving rock with nothing but penguins and sheep unless you send supply there - and I don't see the reason to. I do recall that in stock it gets some supply automatically.

For the OP, you can set up 'CS' convoys to handle most of the nausea but I try and go back to each base once a month or so to monitor the situation. During one of the low spots (which you are in) I got bored with having a bunch of ships tied up at Cape Town and sent them all to the WC where they were either converted to xAPs (such as the Dominion and Pacific Troop class') and other useful ships or have been busy keeping Oz supplied from the WC - a bit longer but Sydney has a much better rail network for distribution than Perth anyway.

B

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Basically from Day 1, you need to prioritize your fuel shipments to Oz and Capetown.

Set up auto convoys from the East Coast to Capetown for fuel, set up auto convoys with as many escorts as you can spare (not a lot, but the tankers need protection) from Abadan to Karachi, and set up fuel convoys from Capetown to Perth, and LA/SF/SD to Oz.

I wouldn't use auto-convoys on this run if by auto-convoy you mean CS. They default to Cruise speed. Off-map you can run at Full and the code will auto-refuel if you don't first leave with ships at 0 fuel. Full cuts days and days off the route.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Gunner98

Aden is a problem - it doesn't get enough supply or fuel to keep things going and I need to make sure my troop convoys have 'load only troops' clicked or I can drain it in a heartbeat and the convoy is waiting several days trying to top up supplies before departing for India with a much needed fighter squadron.

Port Stanley - at least in DaIronBabes is a starving rock with nothing but penguins and sheep unless you send supply there - and I don't see the reason to. I do recall that in stock it gets some supply automatically.

For the OP, you can set up 'CS' convoys to handle most of the nausea but I try and go back to each base once a month or so to monitor the situation. During one of the low spots (which you are in) I got bored with having a bunch of ships tied up at Cape Town and sent them all to the WC where they were either converted to xAPs (such as the Dominion and Pacific Troop class') and other useful ships or have been busy keeping Oz supplied from the WC - a bit longer but Sydney has a much better rail network for distribution than Perth anyway.

B

For Aden I just throw 3-4 xAKs in at Abadan and CS them to run to Aden with fuel and supplies. Plenty to build out Aden's infrastructure and provide fuel and supply for TFs bound for the map. Aden makes a tiny bit organically, but Abadan makes more and it can help out.

Port Stanley can be used creatively to raid Christmas I. and the southern islands, or Tarawa and vicinity without having to transit on-map from WC or Pearl. You can just . . . appear . . . behind his search zones from deep to the SE. You can also, if you have patience, fill Stanley with fuel and launch Oz TFs from there and avoid having to dodge subs at San Diego or dogleg past Tarawa.

There are many, many creative things you can do with the off-map mechanisms if you put a little prep into it. Off-map is "free" of fuel use and damage accumulation. I keep saying it, so one more time--it's one of the best features the Allies have.

[Cpt Sherwood]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Basically from Day 1, you need to prioritize your fuel shipments to Oz and Capetown.

Set up auto convoys from the East Coast to Capetown for fuel, set up auto convoys with as many escorts as you can spare (not a lot, but the tankers need protection) from Abadan to Karachi, and set up fuel convoys from Capetown to Perth, and LA/SF/SD to Oz.

I wouldn't use auto-convoys on this run if by auto-convoy you mean CS. They default to Cruise speed. Off-map you can run at Full and the code will auto-refuel if you don't first leave with ships at 0 fuel. Full cuts days and days off the route.

If you set up the CS convoy, then you can go back and set it for full speed. It has been working fine for me.

Note that ships with a max speed of 10,11,12, or 13 will all travel 6 'hexes' per day. Those with a max speed of 14, 15, or 16 will travel 8 'hexes' per day. those with a max speed of 17 will travel 10 'hexes' per day. I use xAKs with a max speed of 14 to haul fuel and supply from the EUSA to Capetown. Moves quite fast.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Cpt Sherwood

If you set up the CS convoy, then you can go back and set it for full speed. It has been working fine for me.

Well, yeah, but doesn't that remove the usefulness of CS convoys? [:)]

Note that ships with a max speed of 10,11,12, or 13 will all travel 6 'hexes' per day. Those with a max speed of 14, 15, or 16 will travel 8 'hexes' per day. those with a max speed of 17 will travel 10 'hexes' per day. I use xAKs with a max speed of 14 to haul fuel and supply from the EUSA to Capetown. Moves quite fast.

Speed grouping is key. Nothing like finding a 10-kt xAKL burined in the middle of a TF of 14-kt speeders.

[Encircled]

Yeah sorry I meant CS convoys!

Couple of things as well to try and do from the start

Pull as much fuel as you can out of the DEI into Oz, and put as much supply as you can into Rangoon (which will get sucked into China)

[Cpt Sherwood]

Bullwinkle58, why do you think setting a CS convoy at full speed removes the usefulness of the CS convoy? I use them all the time for travel between two off map bases with no problem. They travel at full speed with no problem and reload fine.

[Canoerebel]

I personally don't use max speed for any ship moving between off-map boxes.  I don't think the ability to do this was intended by the designers.  That's my own personal preference.