Rise of the Sheep! JocMeister(A) vs. Obvert(J)

[ny59giants]

Since I'm playing DBB 30, I'm looking forward to 1/44 when all my American BFs go from 72 to 96 in Aviation Support. A 33% increase. [X(] Some of the other BFs get some increase, but this is the one that will help the most.

YIPPIE!! [:)][:)]

Another reason to switch over to DBB based games.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Since I'm playing DBB 30, I'm looking forward to 1/44 when all my American BFs go from 72 to 96 in Aviation Support. A 33% increase. [X(] Some of the other BFs get some increase, but this is the one that will help the most.

YIPPIE!! [:)][:)]

Another reason to switch over to DBB based games.

I would gnaw off my arm for more AS! [:(] I have a small surplus in Burma but not enough to warrant sending it across the globe to the Marianas. I´m genuinely worried that the changes in the BETA has led to the allied player not having enough AS. While there are some BFs arriving with AS I don´t think it will be enough to service the hoards of B29s arriving.

I have about 80% of my planes stationed on level 9 AFs so I´m not sure I can do much more than what I have.

[House Stark]

That's odd that your USAAF base forces don't get aviation support upgrades. I checked my Scenario 1 and looked at a couple USAAF BFs and they had the early 1945 upgrade from 60 to 90 av support. Could one of the Betas have changed something, or the mod I'm using somehow have affected my Scenario 1?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: House Stark

That's odd that your USAAF base forces don't get aviation support upgrades. I checked my Scenario 1 and looked at a couple USAAF BFs and they had the early 1945 upgrade from 60 to 90 av support. Could one of the Betas have changed something, or the mod I'm using somehow have affected my Scenario 1?

I rechecked and it appears they DO upgrade to 90 AS! [&o]

No idea what the heck I was looking at last night! I blame it on the scotch and beer! [:D]

[witpqs]

I blame it on the scotch and beer!

Well hell, that explains it! [:D]

[JocMeister]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been super busy getting the master bedroom finished. Only managed a few turns during the weekend. Not the best allied turns as I made two mistakes rushing the turn to Erik. To top that off for some reason the Chindits moving to close the hexside of Erik superstack have only moved 2 miles per turn for the last 3 turns. I don´t know why. They are currently only at 28 miles while an identical BDE moving NW into the same terrain has moved 36. No clue whats causing this but it will most likely mean Eriks superstack will get away and if he can get them in supply will also maul 3000 Allied AV into pulp. [:(]

I hate when this game does stuff for no apparent reason that I can think of. Anyone knows why the important one is moving slower? [:(]

Here is the screen of the units. I´ll try to get a proper update up tonight.

[Spidery]

Comparing the two units pictured and assuming the standard map:

55, 59 is Jungle Rough, 56, 59 is plain Jungle. Jungle-Rough move is 4, Jungle is 5

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Comparing the two units pictured and assuming the standard map:

55, 59 is Jungle Rough, 56, 59 is plain Jungle. Jungle-Rough move is 4, Jungle is 5

Thank you! Thats it. Never realised 55,59 was jungle rough! So Erik is moving at exactly the same rate out of the hex, right?

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]20th-23th November -44[/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

Things are heating up again in Thailand as Erik is making an effort to slow my troops down. Because I rushed the turns over the weekend I paid a hefty price for it. I´m not going to do that again. Lesson learned. If I can´t manage the to do the turn properly I won´t send it anyway.

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Small disaster 1
------------------------
Erik sends in some bombers to Truk that hit a Tanker TF costing me two tankers and a PF. In response to this I set up a LRCAP on the TF. But I forget the change the range from 0 and that costs me another 3 tankers the following day. [:(]

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Small disaster 2
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I forget to rotate the LRCAP over my troops in Thailand. So my P47 pilots where flying with 20-30 Fatigue and payed the price for it. 48(!) P47s are lost in a single day. The worst day for the USAAF Fighter force since we stopped using the P40. Luckily only 4 Aces and 1 triple ace is lost.

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Waiting...
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I´m still waiting for things to fall into place for the next push. Armor just reached Legaspi and it should be secured tomorrow allowing additional troops to land.

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Thailand
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Some action here as mentioned before. Erik is throwing himself at my troops in the clear hex. Not causing much damage but dumping the troops out of move mode. Its really hard for me to stop this since he has almost 700 Fighters at Bangkok sweeping from only 2 hexes away. By the time his sweeps are done my LRCAP is already worn down. So I´m just having to rely on Erik troops being stuck in combat mode too. Or I could do something big here...I have an idea...Decisions decisions....

Ground combat at 55,59 (near Tavoy)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 48660 troops, 757 guns, 551 vehicles, Assault Value = 2145

Defending force 201718 troops, 2606 guns, 3063 vehicles, Assault Value = 6448

Japanese ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
43rd Infantry Division
XXXIII Corps Engineer Battalion
9th Indian Division
7th Infantry Division
XV Corps Engineer Battalion
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
209th Combat Engineer Battalion
IV Corps Engineer Battalion
6th New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
75th Infantry Brigade
33rd Division
29th Ind.Mixed Brigade
18th Division
2nd Tank Division
3rd Tank Division
22nd Tank Regiment
21st Division
79th Brigade
2nd Guards Division
38th Division
24th Ind.Mixed Brigade
5th Division
39th Division
2nd Division
55th Division
16th Division
1st Ind.Mixed Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
68th Field AA Battalion
43rd Const Co
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
43rd Ind.AA Gun Co
49th AA Machinecannon Company
5th Mortar Battalion
39th Field AA Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
28th Army
38th Field AA Battalion
1st Air Defense AA Regiment
11th Mortar Battalion
21st AA Regiment
25th Army
34th Field AA Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
2nd Area Army
14th Mortar Battalion
19th Army
3rd Medium Mortar Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
32nd Field AA Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
115th AA Regiment
2nd Army
33rd Road Const Co
56th Field AA Battalion
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
14th RF Gun (Pack) Battalion
11th RF Gun Battalion
69th Field AA Battalion
15th Army
1st RF Gun Battalion
52nd Field AA Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Burma Area Army
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th RF Gun Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd RF Gun Battalion
27th Fld AA Gun Co
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
70th Field AA Battalion
20th AA Regiment
7th JAAF Base Force

Judging by the result Erik is completely out of supply. Don´t know if that effects ground movement though? My bombers unfortunately was grounded due to weather. But this will bump him into combat mode right?

I should close the hex before Erik can get out since I started moving a day before he did. But that man sometimes have more luck then the devil so I´m really worried. [:(] If he does move out to the clear hex I have 3200 AV waiting there. Supply havn´t been a problem yet. But if Erik can get his superstack in supply he is just going to crush me in the clear terrain.

Not happy with how this could turn out. Erik has a division just outside Bangkok waiting just to "open the backdoor" on the hexside if he gets there.

The situation is incredible complex right now. Not much I can do but wait though. Erik is also moving OUT of the JR hex at 4 miles per turn? Right? Same as I´m moving IN?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hey guys,

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been super busy getting the master bedroom finished. Only managed a few turns during the weekend. Not the best allied turns as I made two mistakes rushing the turn to Erik. To top that off for some reason the Chindits moving to close the hexside of Erik superstack have only moved 2 miles per turn for the last 3 turns. I don´t know why. They are currently only at 28 miles while an identical BDE moving NW into the same terrain has moved 36. No clue whats causing this but it will most likely mean Eriks superstack will get away and if he can get them in supply will also maul 3000 Allied AV into pulp. [:(]

I hate when this game does stuff for no apparent reason that I can think of. Anyone knows why the important one is moving slower? [:(]

The manual states, right above the terrain/movement table, that fatigue modifies actual distance traveled. The table is a theoretical maximum, then modified by fatigue per LCU. I don't know if the loss ratio is described anywhere or in the forum archives. I doubt it has ever been verified by a dev.

[JocMeister]

Bull, I´ll check the manual! [:)]

No update last night as I didn´t get the turn to Erik. I had a couple of friends stay the night yesterday and they were supposed to take a flight to Turkey for a vacation last night. The morons got stuck at a bar in Stockholm and got to the airport after the check in had closed. So I had to drive to the bloody airport and pick the drunk idiots up and have them stay another night. Luckily for them they managed to get on a flight VERY early this morning. This time the had to take a cab as I refused to drive them at 4 in the morning.

I guess that little bar trip cost them about 1500 Euro in new plane tickets and a day less in Turkey. Idiots! [:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Bull, I´ll check the manual! [:)]

No update last night as I didn´t get the turn to Erik. I had a couple of friends stay the night yesterday and they were supposed to take a flight to Turkey for a vacation last night. The morons got stuck at a bar in Stockholm and got to the airport after the check in had closed. So I had to drive to the bloody airport and pick the drunk idiots up and have them stay another night. Luckily for them they managed to get on a flight VERY early this morning. This time the had to take a cab as I refused to drive them at 4 in the morning.

I guess that little bar trip cost them about 1500 Euro in new plane tickets and a day less in Turkey. Idiots! [:D]

My old CO used to tell sailors up at Captain's Mast for a drinking offense: "That's the most expensive beer you're ever going to drink." Then he'd bust them a paygrade and fine them two months pay. [:)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Bull, I´ll check the manual! [:)]

No update last night as I didn´t get the turn to Erik. I had a couple of friends stay the night yesterday and they were supposed to take a flight to Turkey for a vacation last night. The morons got stuck at a bar in Stockholm and got to the airport after the check in had closed. So I had to drive to the bloody airport and pick the drunk idiots up and have them stay another night. Luckily for them they managed to get on a flight VERY early this morning. This time the had to take a cab as I refused to drive them at 4 in the morning.

I guess that little bar trip cost them about 1500 Euro in new plane tickets and a day less in Turkey. Idiots! [:D]

Whenever I've missed a flight (whether my fault or theirs), they've just put me on the next one at no charge. Your airlines must work differently?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Bull, I´ll check the manual! [:)]

No update last night as I didn´t get the turn to Erik. I had a couple of friends stay the night yesterday and they were supposed to take a flight to Turkey for a vacation last night. The morons got stuck at a bar in Stockholm and got to the airport after the check in had closed. So I had to drive to the bloody airport and pick the drunk idiots up and have them stay another night. Luckily for them they managed to get on a flight VERY early this morning. This time the had to take a cab as I refused to drive them at 4 in the morning.

I guess that little bar trip cost them about 1500 Euro in new plane tickets and a day less in Turkey. Idiots! [:D]

Whenever I've missed a flight (whether my fault or theirs), they've just put me on the next one at no charge. Your airlines must work differently?

They had bought a "package trip" that included the flight, transfer and hotel. We call it "charter". Don´t know if you have something similar? Now they had to book a regular one way plane ticket to Turkey to get to the hotel they already paid for! [:D]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]24th November -44[/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

Not much going on.

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Thailand
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My Chindits are still slogging through the jungle. 4-5 days left. But as I set off 1 day before Erik tanks I should be fine. His infantry took off 2-3 days later then that. Sweeps were a lot less potent today. I´m putting a big LRCAP up with Spits and Corsairs. This time I will put the Spits low and the Corsairs high and see what happens.

Bombers refuse to fly for the second day in a row despite good weather and 300k supply. WTH?! [:(]

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Luzon
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The landing site is finally secured. Followup troops will land tomorrow.

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Marianas
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Not much going on right now. The big stuff have moved past Yap under heavy CV escort. Next big convoys are 2-4 week out. They will be covered by the CVE fleet returning from repair and refit.

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DEI
------------------------
Dili will fall pretty soon.

I´m sorry for the lack of updates and short posts. I´m just a bit burned out right now. Not on the game but in general. Last week has been a bit too much with all the real life stuff.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]A7M2 Sam[/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

This aircraft just made its combat debut over Thailand. I seen it flying since two days back but hasn´t done any combat. I almost never look at the actual combat nowadays but I did it this time to study the aircraft.

Can´t say I´m too impressed. The Sams dived on the Spit VIIs (piloted by not so stellar pilots) which in turn evaded and shot them down.

Afternoon Air attack on Southeast Asia , at 56,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 18
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 7

Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 50
P-51D Mustang x 27
F4U-1A Corsair x 38
F6F-5 Hellcat x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
A7M2 Sam: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Looking at the stats its a pretty mediocre plane. Something like a P38 with crappy range and only 1 engine. But its of course a massive improvement over the Zero. I don´t think this airframe will change anything. It will certainly not change anything I do.

[Lokasenna]

Compared to the Corsair, sure... But compare it to the Hellcat. It's faster, more maneuverable, climbs better, and armor/durability are pretty much the same. By the numbers, its gun value is less. But those are cannons, not MGs. It does lose out to the Corsair a little bit, mostly on speed differential.

What were the altitudes like in the posted battle? And who was sweeping whom?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Compared to the Corsair, sure... But compare it to the Hellcat. It's faster, more maneuverable, climbs better, and armor/durability are pretty much the same. By the numbers, its gun value is less. But those are cannons, not MGs. It does lose out to the Corsair a little bit, mostly on speed differential.

What were the altitudes like in the posted battle? And who was sweeping whom?

You are right about the Hellcat. But I havn´t had to rely on it for quite some time. All my CAP squadrons on the CVs are flying Corsairs. Hellcats only for Escort (about 30-40% of the CV squadrons) and as a LBA sweepers where I can use its altitude advantage.

I have found that almost two things really matters in the A2A model. Height and speed. In that order. And per our HRs Erik can only use the Sam up to 31k which makes it much, much less potent. I bet if I sweep from 38k with Hellcats I´m going to beat the Sam. At least I hope so! [:)]

The Sams were sweeping and the Spits were on LRCAP. So he really should have come out on top there. Then again I don´t know the quality of his pilots. I was assuming he was using the very best he had but he might have filled it with green ones to try it out.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]25th November -44[/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

The aerial skirmishes continues over Thailand.

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Luzon
------------------------
My landings are unopposed so far. A massive LRCAP is still hovering over the fleet. I will need at least another day to unload. Once this force is unloaded they will start heading north to establish a new landing site. I have a lot of engineers with the troops landing so I can set up a good airfield for CAP.

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Borneo
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I secure Tarakan. Sadly despite a normal attack only 28 oil of the 100 is still intact. [:(]

Ground combat at Tarakan (67,91)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4251 troops, 135 guns, 100 vehicles, Assault Value = 142

Defending force 1307 troops, 24 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 15

Allied adjusted assault: 54

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 13 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied forces CAPTURE Tarakan !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
535 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (8 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
109th Tank Attack Regiment
131st Field Artillery Battalion
II Aus Corps Engr Bn /5

Defending units:
455th Ind.Infantry Battalion
35th Fld AA Gun Co
134th JAAF AF Bn

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DEI
------------------------
Reinforcement arrive at Dili. Tomorrow another deliberate attack is ordered.

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Thailand
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My 4Es hit Eriks stack to try and burn some supply. Seems to be working as only 9 are lost today from 15k. I think Erik is flying in supply from Bangkok. Might try to stop that shortly.

Erik does try to strike at my troops again. I decided to set up a better organized LRCAP this time with some layering going on. It worked well and we shoot down 70 Peggies. Good day. We will maintain the LRCAP until the Chindits switch hex in 2 days. Then I will deal with Bangkok once and for all.

I forgot to take a screen of the turn this morning. But the situation in Thailand is almost exactly the same as in #1849.

[JocMeister]

Question

My chindits will cross into the hex of Eriks superstack next turn. What happens if his troops also change hex the next turn? [&:] Will we just pass through each other or what will happen? Anyone knows? I have a hunch the Jap side "moves first" and my chindits get their movement reset to zero and doesn´t close the hexside.