A family affair - Speedy vs El Padre

[Lokasenna]

Your Malaya plan is good, with 7 divisions, but....are there any others you can bring? Such as the 4th Div from Sasebo (starts unrestricted), or even the 33rd from Bangkok instead of sending them to Burma right away? If your dad tries to fortify Singapore, you could need them. If you don't think he'll fortify the place, then...

FWIW, in my game I had ~10-12 divisions attacking Singapore (about 5-6k AV, can't remember now - I checked in late December and had 4586 AV prepping for it). I took the base in the first deliberate assault after the fatigue/disruption were down to acceptable levels. I'll do the same thing every time, if I can. I did land at Mersing, but late. Only cut off a couple of brigades from Singapore.

[Speedysteve]

The 4th division is already at Saigon preparing for Mersing.

I doubt dad will reinforce Malaya and in 3 days time he won't be able to as I'll have Nettie's at Singkawang [:)]

[Cribtop]

Careful with mini KB. Savvy Allied players sometimes hightail their CVs through the Torres Strait and try to jump the CVLs if they linger too long unsupported in the eastern DEI. A sub screen, LBA and the eventual arrival of part of KB will deal with this threat, but be aware of the possibility.

[Speedysteve]

Hi Cribtop,

Agreed but he'll only have 1 x CV active at present after losing Lexington and Enterprise!

[Cribtop]

Hehe - I'm reading enough AARs that I forgot you got both! In that case, pray he comes for you. [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Luzon:

Frustratingly bad weather socks in the Bombers due to hit Manila's AF's and Port. Although the Zeros manage to take off and sweep thin air. Grrr. Ah well. We try again tomorrow.

Troops are nearly ready to attack Lingayen and should do so in 2 days time.

------------------

Borneo:

Engineers are now ashore at both Miri and Brunei to expand the ports.

Sandakan was taken and men have landed at Singkawang (we attack tomorrow). A Jap covering Cruiser force located an AKL trying to flea the area and sank it.

There was little Allied interference with only a few desultory air attacks by Mediums from Singapore. No hits were sustained.

Jolo's Netties hit Tarakan's port again and planted more bombs into an AVP, CM and PC.

----------------

Rest of SRA:

Mini-KB continued further south to within 7 hexes of Broome harrying the fleeing Allied Ships. 4 were hit with bombs with an AS most likely sunk.

Subs did well off Java today sinking the already damaged AD Black Hawk trying to reach Batavia and I-122 reported sinking a small Dutch Sub (KX)

----------------

Southern China:

Hong Kong finally fell today after tough fighting. Frustratingly the industry is damaged but is needed so will be repaired.

Lots of little skirmishes across China. The screenshot below shows recent advances with blue arrows indicating Chinese and red Japanese.

My aim is not to take China (as I feel it's massively unrealistic) but to take some of it and in particular the fringe areas containing industry.

I'm quite happy with progress as I trapped a Chinese Corps in Shaoshing (SE China) which will be destroyed, I evac'd Ichang in time and plan to sweep on Chuhsien and Wenchow from the east over the next month or so. If Nanchang can hold in this period it will be fine as troops from the SE will then reinforce this area.

Dad may also have 3 Chinese units trapped north of Hankow soon as they marched into that hex from the east and tomorrow Ill have a Jap unit in the hex behind them to cut them off.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Firstly a question: Is it normal for the R&D facs to take ages to repair? I have made sure I have at least 15-20K supply at each Japanese city but at best the size 30 facs have repaired 1-5 units so far and this is with the A6M3 series. The Tojo IIa has repaired 2 of 30 facs so far!

Luzon:

Japanese forces continue to move inland.

Cabanatuan was taken on the 26th, Atimonan entered on the 22nd and Japanese forces will attack Iba tomorrow.

In the air IJAAF LBA, from Aparri, bombs Manila daily sinking PG Tulsa and 5 x PT in port.

A couple of small Allied B17 raids hit Japanese troops near Cabanatuan. No real problem though.

---------------------

Borneo:

Much of Borneo is now under Japanese control. Singkawang, Pontianak and Tarakan have all fallen.

Netties and Zeroes are now at Singkawang and launched the first air raid over Java on the 26th. 11 x Betty attacked allied DD's off Merak without success. Zeroes did claim shooting down 2 enemy fighters on CAP.

Singapore Allied LBA stopped attacking Japanese shipping off Singkawang on the 25th when local Zeroes shot down 10 enemy planes without loss.

The only Japanese losses were 2 x AK burnt and wrecked by CD Fire off Tarakan.

----------------

Rest of SRA:

Part of KB is 2 days out from Cam Ranh Bay. Tomorrow Troops will begin to embark ships at Saigon bound for Mersing.

Once ships set sail from Saigon, escorted by KB, the Japanese host in Northern Malaya (Alor Star/Patani) will set loose heading south into Malaya.

33rd Division has reached Bangkok and will head NW to join the Japanese units entering Burma.

No real action in the rest of the Pacific as the other half of KB waits at Truk for the arrival of Guards Mixed Bde from Tokyo. Once at Truk they'll head south to take Rabaul.

Mini-KB is still NE of Darwin attacking Allied shipping. At least 6 enemy ships have been sunk over the past 5 days (DD, AS, AVP, TK, AK).

---------------------

Northern China:

The below screenshot shows the limited advances in northern China. All going to plan here to date.

[Spidery]

Firstly a question: Is it normal for the R&D facs to take ages to repair? I have made sure I have at least 15-20K supply at each Japanese city but at best the size 30 facs have repaired 1-5 units so far and this is with the A6M3 series. The Tojo IIa has repaired 2 of 30 facs so far!

Yes.

My first Tojo factory finished repairing at the end of March 1942.

[Cribtop]

Yes. That is part of the R&D algorithm in general. By repairing slowly and somewhat randomly, they simulate the fits and starts of the process IRL. The factories will not begin contributing R&D points toward advancing aircraft introduction dates until fully repaired. General consensus as a result is the the ideal size for R&D factories is 30.

[Lokasenna]

IMHO, expanding the port at both Miri and Brunei is unnecessary. Pick one. I'd pick Miri, as it gets a larger load bonus to Oil.

[Speedysteve]

Thanks Guys,

Lokasenna: - Can oil/fuel flow from one base to the other without a road between them?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Thanks Guys,

Lokasenna: - Can oil/fuel flow from one base to the other without a road between them?

It does flow, but of course fuel will spoil a bit. Oil doesn't, so that's another reason to build Miri up, leave Brunei, so the fuel doesn't go there.

These ports are good hunting grounds for subs too, so air patrols and small ship coast hugging convoys back to Singers have worked best for me to get the stuff safely to larger ships for the transit to the HI. Your smaller tankers will load more quickly there and of course you lose less when they get butchered.

[Lokasenna]

In my AI game, I actually was shipping fuel out of Brunei due to its larger port size at the start and Oil out of Miri. I set the fuel draw higher on Brunei to accomodate this. Very little should be lost traveling just one hex, and some would have been lost to spoilage at Miri anyway.

For Oil/Fuel/Resources/Supplies traveling from one base to another, the better the infrastructure between source and destination the faster and better the flow of a resource will be. A grey ("major") road will accomodate a larger flow of resources than the "goat track" minor roads, for example. I think the major rail lines are even better than major roads, but I'm unsure where the minor rail lines fall on that spectrum.



PS - Oil has been flowing out of Urumchi, Obvert, just not as much as I would like. Probably due to the very large distance it needs to travel.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Ok thank guys. Makes sense. I'm just expanding Miri's port now.

Interesting intel from this turn. Apparently BB Pennsylvania sank at PH on 7th December. If so good.

-------------------

Little to note this turn.

Jolo's Netties attacked Samarinda's AF destroying a Bomber on the ground.

On land Ambon was taken and Netties and Zeros will fly in on the 29th.

On Luzon Iba was taken and forces are advancing on Clark Field now. See the screenshot below for the picture. You can see part of KB to the NW of Luzon heading towards Cam Ranh Bay.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

In my AI game, I actually was shipping fuel out of Brunei due to its larger port size at the start and Oil out of Miri. I set the fuel draw higher on Brunei to accomodate this. Very little should be lost traveling just one hex, and some would have been lost to spoilage at Miri anyway.

For Oil/Fuel/Resources/Supplies traveling from one base to another, the better the infrastructure between source and destination the faster and better the flow of a resource will be. A grey ("major") road will accomodate a larger flow of resources than the "goat track" minor roads, for example. I think the major rail lines are even better than major roads, but I'm unsure where the minor rail lines fall on that spectrum.



PS - Oil has been flowing out of Urumchi, Obvert, just not as much as I would like. Probably due to the very large distance it needs to travel.

How can you tell? [;)]

With the other oil producers in the area it's really tough to figure out if it is traveling. Mine should be as well. God knows there is a need, but I'm just not confident it is.

I'm not sure there will be spoilage at Miri if you get a lot of little TK in there. but there is no road at all between the two, so without knowing the calculation or anything, I'd just rather not have the fuel travel across if I don't have to.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

In my AI game, I actually was shipping fuel out of Brunei due to its larger port size at the start and Oil out of Miri. I set the fuel draw higher on Brunei to accomodate this. Very little should be lost traveling just one hex, and some would have been lost to spoilage at Miri anyway.

For Oil/Fuel/Resources/Supplies traveling from one base to another, the better the infrastructure between source and destination the faster and better the flow of a resource will be. A grey ("major") road will accomodate a larger flow of resources than the "goat track" minor roads, for example. I think the major rail lines are even better than major roads, but I'm unsure where the minor rail lines fall on that spectrum.



PS - Oil has been flowing out of Urumchi, Obvert, just not as much as I would like. Probably due to the very large distance it needs to travel.

How can you tell? [;)]

With the other oil producers in the area it's really tough to figure out if it is traveling. Mine should be as well. God knows there is a need, but I'm just not confident it is.

I'm not sure there will be spoilage at Miri if you get a lot of little TK in there. but there is no road at all between the two, so without knowing the calculation or anything, I'd just rather not have the fuel travel across if I don't have to.

First, I had the refinery off and eventually I turned it back on. I looked at the Resource History of the base. The oil went up for a while, including past when I turned the refinery on, but there was one instance where the math for just the refinery use didn't make sense. I'll post a screenie when I get home, if I can remember.


I think in Alfred's Logistics 101 thread you can look up the supply cost of transportation. I think there's something about pressing one of the hotkeys (is it '4'?) to show the supply cost numbers for transiting through a hex.

I do know that Fuel does flow between the two with relative ease, and often enough (more than once/wk?) to suggest that the cost isn't that high.

It's usually all I can do to haul out all the Oil with the little TKs. And it's not like I need any Fuel or Oil to sit at Miri, so I like to haul it all out. That usually means using Brunei for a while.

[obvert]

Just curious. What's the communication been like so far with your dad? [:)]

Must be fun to do this. I can't even imagine.

[Speedysteve]

It's been quite low key with the game so far. I guess our view, at present, is it's still so early in the game that all that has happened so far (except US CV losses) is to be expected! It is fun chatting about AE to Dad though but I think it will get 'more fun' for both sides from late 42 onwards....

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Luzon:

A rush attack by 1st Kure SNLF at Lucena was rebuffed by a PA Division. 16th Division is hot on their heels though and will join the attack in 2 days time.

Further north troops are advancing on Clark Field.

--------------------

Southern SRA:

An Air Flotilla is now at Ambon and Betties/Zeroes have flown in. The Betties will attempt a port attack on Darwin tomorrow (30ish ships reported in port with no fighters reported.

Mini-KB has finished their current hunt, due to running low on ordinance, sinking 2 x AKL, 1 x AK, AS Otus as the ships fled Darwin to the east. Back to Babeldaob to re arm.

On Sulawesi Japanese troops landed at Gorontalo to cut off the Manado defenders who fled to Sidate.

----------------------

Malaya/Borneo/Burma:

KB Part 1 is 1 day out from Cam Ranh Bay. Mersing invasion troops will begin embarking tomorrow.

AVP Poolster was sunk by SS I-166 off the west coast of Borneo as it fled the NW parts after Japanese occupation.

33rd Division has reached the northern part of Thailand (Chiang Mai) and will march westwards into Burma. 55th Division elements are further south marching NW towards the Moulmein area.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Luzon:

16th Division arrived at Lucena and led the attack on the 30th which smashed the PA Division back to the north.

The Japanese arrived at Clark Field on the 30th and conducted a series of probes and bombardments on the 31st:

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 16819 troops, 241 guns, 93 vehicles, Assault Value = 726

Defending force 16517 troops, 296 guns, 420 vehicles, Assault Value = 534

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
48th Recon Regiment
47th Infantry Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment
Kanno Detachment
65th Brigade
48th Engineer Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
30th Fld AA Gun Co
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
31st Fld AA Gun Co

Defending units:
194th Tank Battalion
21st PA Infantry Division
Subic Bay Defenses
31st PA Infantry Division
11th PA Infantry Division
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
14th PS Engineer Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
91st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
North Luzon Force
Far East USAAF
1st PI Base Force
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment

It confirmed my recon that Dad has split his forces with some of the units still at Manila and in Bataan. I'm going to risk a Deliberate attack tomorrow.

----------------------

Southern SRA:

The Darwin port attack on the 29th was a let down as the commander decided to load bombs rather than torpedoes:

Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 44



Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
TK Gertrude Kellogg, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD John D. Edwards, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
PT TM-8, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AM Eland Dubois, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AVP Reiger, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Edsall, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AM Ipswich, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Raranga, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PT TM-5, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PC Zeeman, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Corregidor, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PT TM-4, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

With Gorontalo secured the Allied Manado garrison surrendered when cut off on the 30th.

SNLF forces, at Tarakan, are embarking in preparation for the invasion of Balikpapan. A BB SC TF is moving west from Babeldaob to cover the landings. Mini KB will likely be on the scene as well.

---------------------

Malaya/Borneo/Burma:

Mersing bound troops are now aboard ships and are leaving Saigon tomorrow escorted by a CA TF and part of KB.

Troops have been given their marching orders in southern Thailand/northern Malaya to advance SW towards Alor Star. Time to take Malaya......

The only action on Borneo was a few small LBA raids on Japanese ships by Singapore based LBA. Zeroes at Singkawang mauled these raids shooting down a reported 10 enemy planes over the past 3 days.

--------------------

Sub Attacks:

SS I-158 hit 2 Allied miens off Singapore and sank.

SS S-39 hit a Japanese mine off Bataan on the 30th.

SS RO-61 sank AKL Compagnia Filipinas SW of PM on the 30th.

SS I-124 sank AVP Heron as she fled Manila on the 31st.

---------------------

I've attached a quick overview of my industry at the start of the month.