BabesLite

[oldman45]

Thanks Symon.

[Symon]

New Zealand is a bit like Australia; It has lots of Home/Territorial units that don’t go anywhere, but take up almost all the space in the OOB section. Then, there’s the Pac Section of 2nd NZEF that participated in climbing the ladder in the Solomons, earning the respect and accolades of everyone who fought with them. There weren’t many, but still too many to fit in the small available slot footprint of the present OOB.

So did what I could with what was available, but created a special section of otherwise unused slots to flesh out 3rd Div, Norfolk, and the FDF appropriately. It won’t bother the AI much, if at all, when playing Japan against an Allied AI, but when playing the Allies, one will get some seriously righteous stuff. Battalions, yes, but battalions and commando companies of the FDF “[W]hose skills at reconnaissance, patrolling, and jungle fighting are simply … awe inspiring.”

New Zealand is looking pretty darn good and hasn’t tweaked the AI.

Hope this will float the boat of all the Kiwi fans out there. And for any Pacific Islanders out there, just wait till you see what I did with the FDF !! As Josefa Lalabalavu Vana'ali'ali Sukuna said, "Fiji will earn the respect of other nations by spending it's blood." He forced both the NZ Colonial Administration and the SoPac and SWPac commands to train and equip the FDF to contemporary standards and then use them, as units, in combat roles. They fought with the 182nd Infantry on Bougainville, where their service was characterized as "awe inspiring" by MajGen Oscar W. Griswold.

In the night, or in the jungle's shade; do not sleep or doze. From the shadows they come, and leave none to say what happened.

[oldman45]

Really looking forward to this update!!

[Ron Saueracker]

Me too!!! Bring it on MON![&o]

[stuman]

Thank you for working so diligently on this update. I am looking forward to it !

[Symon]

Yeah, and I'm looking forward to gettin it done !!

Added a couple artillery pieces just for the Aussies and Kiwis: the 4.5" Mk II howitzer, and the 6" Mk I howitzer (on the Mk 1P). So artillery in the antipodes can play like it did. You get 18pdr gun batteries, 4.5" howitzer batteries, 60pdr guns and 6" howitzers for the medium batteries. There's artillery brigades with a mix of Fld, Med, and Lt (3.7"H) batteries, that morph into 3 different styles of Field Regiments, and they all break down different depending on whether they are NZEF or NZTF and which brigade they are supporting, and what's left over after brigade group guns are accounted for, and what you can use as collections of independent batteries. Golly, just like the guys that talk with a fun accent had to do.

They are in new slots, so their (go to) upgrades have different times and device pointers. Roi't then.

[Symon]

Ok, Kiwis are finished. Whew !! Got down and dirty with the 2nd NZEF (Pac Div), which did as much morphing as the Aussies. Due to slot limitations and AI requirements, had to do some abstract amalgamation, but think it will work ok.

The battalions of 8th and 14th Brigades have nominal 1941 establishments (my sincere thanks to the research librarians at Victoria University of Wellington). They morph (upgrade) into their Brigade Group (Bn Battle Group) configurations in time.

35, 36, 37 Bns were specifically raised for Fiji reinforcement, so they appear there on Jan 2, ’42 (the date their troopships actually left NZ). I anticipated the reinforcement and bifurcation of 35 Battery, and put 37 Battery in place in Viti Levu, Western Area. These batteries do not collect into the brigade, and are disbanded, in late ’42, when the infantry units are reorganized to a functional, operational scale. and 17th and 38th Fld Rgts become operational

The Arty actually morphed into 17th and 38th Field Regts, the later actually not formed till April, ’43, but who’s counting. With the reorganization of the infantry, the guns of 17th and 38th are incorporated into the new “upgraded” TOEs. Saves slots, makes the AI happy.

53 and 54 AT batteries are folded into the ’43 upgrades, in place of the 8th and 14th AT “units” (reinforced AT troops), as are the RNZE field companies. 28 HAA, 29 LAA, 33 Hy Arty (C), and 144 Independent Battery, are all included (in their final composite form, if necessary).

So just about everything is there for participation in the Vela/Bougainville campaign.

Ciao. JWE

[Lecivius]

Waiting with baited breath...
 
 
<I'll go get some Tic Tac's>

[Symon]

Tweaking the Philippines. Went back over my notes of conversations with Don Bowen, and others, and added some devices from the Babes PI scenario. Should make the PI TO&Es a bit more interesting. Was again surprised to see the prevalence of M1917s over M1919s, both “on hand” and in the establishments, and was again reminded of the prevalence of War-I weapons (and organization) in the PA.

Could have used some of the US equivalent devices, but since the PI was cut-off, thought it better to have separate devices with their own pools and build rates. They do upgrade to certain US weapon types, but not till some time down the road.

So .. the new PI stuff:
A PA M1917 MMG Section: few in the pool, teensy build (represents recovery and rebuild). Not nearly enough to replace losses, much less raise new formations. Oh, well … .

37mm M1916 ‘gun’: these were the 37’s sent to the PI, for the PA, from armory stocks, in the 30s. They are not the high velocity AT M3. But they are darn good with ‘AP cannister’ and have some capability against thin armor (just as in War-I).

The Arty is several; You get some 75mm M1916s (rebored Brit guns in three different versions), some 75mm M1897s (don’t let the date fool you), and some 2.95” howitzers (reported as “pack’, “Mtn”, and often just as “75mm – pack or mtn, or whatever).

Infantry support arms are similar to the Arty. They had some (not nearly enough) 81mm tubes, but jack for ammo; they were reduced to shooting 28 year old 3” Stokes mortar bombs. Oh, yeah, an 81mm tube with a 76mm round – can you say accuracy of a Napoleonic musket ? Well, at least it slows the attacker down, so someone can shoot him.

Anyhoo. New PI stuff. Ciao. John

[Symon]

Hey Don!
Finally got the 3” Navy guns settled to bed, by courtesy of Mr Gordon (he wrote Fighting with MacArthur, NI Press). Was always confused by the Mk XI designation, since the ‘roman’ style was British, so wtfo ?? But they were Navy 3”/23 Mk 11 landing guns (Bethlehem, monoblock, vertical-sliding breech), taken from Asiatic Fleet ships and held in Naval District stocks. They had wooden wheels, iron rims, and old style limbers. The Navy also turned over about 7000 rounds of HE and about 5000 rounds of shrapnel, to go with (it was ancient stuff, but test fired ok). No AP, no AA. Decent df support kinda gun, mount didn’t allow enuff elevation to do idf, and there were no tables for them anyway.

Memo from BG E.P.King, commanding USAFFE Arty (Nov 12?, 1941) recommended allocation of these guns to PA forces in Mindanao/Visayas Force as:
8x Navy 3” to 61st Division;
6x Navy 3” to 81st Division.

Loss of those, and other guns and stuff, with the sinking of the Corregidor, was an irrecoverable body blow to PA units in the south islands. I have seen references suggesting Corregidor was sunk by a stray mine from a friendly minefield. (Lt(jg) M.Champlin, Flag Lt, VA F.W.Rockwell, 16th Naval District). Do you have any more info ??

Know it’s kinda late in the game, but hope this helps.
Ciao. J

[JeffroK]

Some people are just full of .................

[Hotschi]

......enthusiasm for the game and, coupled with knowledge, actually capable of modding -&nbsp;which means to me it's a pleasure reading their posts dealing with modifications.

[Don Bowen]

ORIGINAL: Symon

Hey Don!
Finally got the 3” Navy guns settled to bed, by courtesy of Mr Gordon (he wrote Fighting with MacArthur, NI Press). Was always confused by the Mk XI designation, since the ‘roman’ style was British, so wtfo ?? But they were Navy 3”/23 Mk 11 landing guns (Bethlehem, monoblock, vertical-sliding breech), taken from Asiatic Fleet ships and held in Naval District stocks. They had wooden wheels, iron rims, and old style limbers. The Navy also turned over about 7000 rounds of HE and about 5000 rounds of shrapnel, to go with (it was ancient stuff, but test fired ok). No AP, no AA. Decent df support kinda gun, mount didn’t allow enuff elevation to do idf, and there were no tables for them anyway.

Memo from BG E.P.King, commanding USAFFE Arty (Nov 12?, 1941) recommended allocation of these guns to PA forces in Mindanao/Visayas Force as:
8x Navy 3” to 61st Division;
6x Navy 3” to 81st Division.

Loss of those, and other guns and stuff, with the sinking of the Corregidor, was an irrecoverable body blow to PA units in the south islands. I have seen references suggesting Corregidor was sunk by a stray mine from a friendly minefield. (Lt(jg) M.Champlin, Flag Lt, VA F.W.Rockwell, 16th Naval District). Do you have any more info ??

Know it’s kinda late in the game, but hope this helps.
Ciao. J

Thanks John

Sorry for the delay in answering, just back from a long road trip. Great time - lousy weather!

Anyway. I had the 3/23 landing guns allocated 8 to the 81st and 4 to the 61st. Not sure where I got this, maybe (probably) from some thread on: http://www.network54.com/Forum/594514/. I'll change over to your numbers.

Looking forward to the modded B'Lite. Will it be out soon?


Edit. Found the post I was using. http://www.network54.com/Forum/594514/m ... naval+guns

It agrees with your numbers. I think I screwed it up when putting into my mod!

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen
Looking forward to the modded B'Lite. Will it be out soon?

Edit. Found the post I was using. http://www.network54.com/Forum/594514/m ... naval+guns

It agrees with your numbers. I think I screwed it up when putting into my mod!

Yep, that's the same Gordon. He probably just wrapped up his old info when he sent me his stuff. Looked through the first network54 link you posted (that's where I found Gordon), but seems it's worth spending some time there going through things. Lots of other pretty knowledgeable people there besides Gordon.

New B'Lite will be out in a couple weeks. Some RL stuff is getting in the way. Being dragged out of retirement kicking and screaming. [:D]

Ciao. John

[Don Bowen]

Ouch! Dragged out of retirement!?!?!?!

[oldman45]

That sounds not only painful but borderline sacrilegious. [;)]

[Symon]

Actually, as far as new B’Lite goes, I think it’s a dead horse. Doing new TO&Es is ok, but one needs new OOBs to go with. You know that one.

But there ain’t no more OOB slots such that the AI can do its thing. Have no desire to modify 30 or more AI files, and can’t get righteous with the standard slots, and the standard slots just don’t do the deed.

A fair idea that ran up against the game realities. Too bad. Oh, well. J

[John 3rd]

John: Do you have a realistic release plan? I want to use a full DaBabes Scenario as the template for the New Treaty Mod and then a tied-in Treaty--RA Mod.

Appreciate the hard work as always Sir!

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
John: Do you have a realistic release plan? I want to use a full DaBabes Scenario as the template for the New Treaty Mod and then a tied-in Treaty--RA Mod.
Appreciate the hard work as always Sir!

Release is for B'Lite. That dog don't hunt. So so new B'Lite. Too bad.

BigBabes is still out there. Thought you were using that for RA. You can use BigBabes or your RA take, your choice. [;)][;)]

Ciao. J

[Symon]

Don wanted to see the work we did so far, so we’ll pull our stuff together, as it is. We've got pretty far along with accounting for all the weapons in the PI, as of Nov 21, 1941, and how the PA units were likely equipped. As to arty, the numbers in Niehorster are rational, and follow an accounting quite well. The main question is whether the 14 M1916s were included in the totals of M1917s and M1917A1s, or not. If they were, then there’s only 2x 75mm howitzers unaccounted for that can be put in the pools; if not, there’s 16. There’s 4x 2.95” howitzers unaccounted for that can be put in pools, or used to make a battery for one of the 4 short battalions.

Since every weapon, arty piece, MG, jot, and tittle is accounted for at the beginning, any further growth of the PA will be in squads only. The PI devices are in a separate section, with limited pools and no build rate. There is no replacement for anything but grunts. What you see is what you get.

In the event that the PI holds out, there are two things that happen. One, is that the PA TO&Es upgrade (Jan ’43) to US scale weapon devices, so they can fill out, but they won't get much more capable; just some support weapon upgrades and some better arty. If the PI holds out long enuf, it is presumed that a supply line is established sufficient to equip the units.

The other, is something that cannot be put in a stock game, because the “gamey kiddles” will work it unmercifully. That is specific reinforcement units/convoys, using equipment (specific PI devices) on the docks at SFO, that must be loaded and sailed to the PI, where it is disbanded to the pools for use in re-equipping exhausted units. Requires a house rule that they may only disband at a major location in the PI. You can see why this won’t work in a standard game, so it will not be included. For modders, though, it’s an interesting option.

Oh, yes, ALL PA units are permanently restricted forever and ever, amen, to the PI. [8D]