BattleMoose Versus Endy, help a Newbie (No Endy please)

[BattleMoose]

Hi,

I don't really intend this to be a proper AAR. But rather as a safe place where I can ask the questions I need and to get help and advice. I haven't actually played a whole game through so do have very many questions but am holding my own in this match up.

Its Scenario 2, DDB, C and I am Allies. Its September 1942 now.

Cliff notes.
Lexington was sunk near Cairns bad luck mostly, no CAP due to weather.
Yorktown took THREE torpedoes about 4 hexes from Brisbane, made it to Marlborough which was built up and is currently in Sydney drydock, about 3 months repair time now.
Prince of Wales, Repulse and Pennsylvania are also sunk.

Ryujo was sunk during a surface action in the opening turns of the game, CA Houston was the hero.
I *think* 3 Japanese CAs are sunk, really not sure and the names don't quite seem to be right.

Extent of Japanese advance.
Noumea, Darwin, Luganville, Port Moresby, Wake Island.

[BattleMoose]

The China problem.

He has advance deep into China now and has just isolated Chungking. It has level 6 forts with about 5000AV and is somewhat overstacked. He recently took Nekiang(?) a few hexes west of Chungking. At Chengtu about to finish level 4 forts and has about 4000+AV.

The units in Chungking have supply but there is marginal stored supply in Chungking now and with the fuel lines cut off it will only get worse.

I have some units covering the mountain approaches to Lungchow.

Now here is the problem.
His air assaults have been unrelenting and have caused massive casualties, mostly in slowing down LCU so they got surrounded and destroyed. But to meet this threat I rebased a large number of fighter aircraft to China. They have done well causing casualties and fighting defending battles so greater pilot preservation?

They are currently based at Chengtu and my opponent at the moment has been unable to launch large sweeps (range) on Chengtu so its relatively safe. But with Neikang in his possession that will change, level 1 airfield only thank goodness! I have about 150 fighters there, Chinese, USA and British. Three USA squadrons and about 9 RAF squadrons. Level 6 airfield with just shy of 20 000 supply.

But all my hurricanes are trapped in Chengtu! They cannot get droptanks due to the supply situation to get to Ledo! I think the supply is going into the forts at the moment, its at 96% completion so going to finish that, but I expect Chengtu to fall at some point and need to be able to get these squadrons out. All LCU there are set to "no replacements" and using just about every transport and level bomber to fly supply into Chengtu. He appears to be investing Chungking first so probably have a fair amount of time.

How do I do this? Help?

[BattleMoose]

Marcus Island,

Completely different issue. I have 2 regiments loaded on APs heading to Marcus island to ampib invade. Never done anything like this before. I don't think he has any significant naval assests in the area. KB is down at Rabual and so are his battleships and Cruisers. He might have some light cruisers in the general area but possibly not at Marcus.

I have 1 CA about 7 DDs a DMS and one CVE, with fighters and dive bombers. I intend to bombard with CA, 4 DD and DMS and try and identify what he has there and attack. Thoughts? Advice?

[topeverest]

YOu can't defend Marcus anymore than he can, even if you can take it.

Do you have Wake, Bikini, and Eniwitok as a bypass of Marshalls?

I would never venture so close to Japan with a few CVL's as air cover.

[topeverest]

IMHO, China is unbalanced, and the empire typically seems to conquer it in most new starts where they can focus Manchukuo garrison elements. I don't think you have a realistic shot at holding it, as there is no material support.

You have to gauge the risk of total loss versus saving the troops and retreating towards Kumming.

ORIGINAL: BattleMoose

The China problem.

He has advance deep into China now and has just isolated Chungking. It has level 6 forts with about 5000AV and is somewhat overstacked. He recently took Nekiang(?) a few hexes west of Chungking. At Chengtu about to finish level 4 forts and has about 4000+AV.

The units in Chungking have supply but there is marginal stored supply in Chungking now and with the fuel lines cut off it will only get worse.

I have some units covering the mountain approaches to Lungchow.

Now here is the problem.
His air assaults have been unrelenting and have caused massive casualties, mostly in slowing down LCU so they got surrounded and destroyed. But to meet this threat I rebased a large number of fighter aircraft to China. They have done well causing casualties and fighting defending battles so greater pilot preservation?

They are currently based at Chengtu and my opponent at the moment has been unable to launch large sweeps (range) on Chengtu so its relatively safe. But with Neikang in his possession that will change, level 1 airfield only thank goodness! I have about 150 fighters there, Chinese, USA and British. Three USA squadrons and about 9 RAF squadrons. Level 6 airfield with just shy of 20 000 supply.

But all my hurricanes are trapped in Chengtu! They cannot get droptanks due to the supply situation to get to Ledo! I think the supply is going into the forts at the moment, its at 96% completion so going to finish that, but I expect Chengtu to fall at some point and need to be able to get these squadrons out. All LCU there are set to "no replacements" and using just about every transport and level bomber to fly supply into Chengtu. He appears to be investing Chungking first so probably have a fair amount of time.

How do I do this? Help?

[BattleMoose]

I know I am going to lose China. I have a number of LCU covering Kumming. The garrisons of Chengtu and Chungking are committed and won't be able to make it to Kumming at this point.

My principal question is things I can do to get those hurricane squadrons out of China.

[BBfanboy]

+1 re: Marcus
One of the hard things to do in the first year of game time is resist the urge to "do something" with the small forces you have available. Put them into defending your essential bases and wait until you get a credible carrier force (numbers, better planes and experience) to take on invasions of his perimeter.

[JocMeister]

I second that of not landing on Marcus. If your opponent has any experience at all he will just let you land and then sit there to rot until he deals with it at his leisure. Use the troops elsewhere where they can make a difference instead.

Regarding the Hurricanes you will need to withdraw them. Planes will return to the pools and the squadrons will be back in 120 days. Lesson of the day: Never fly something into China that can´t fly back without DTs. [:D]

[BattleMoose]

My thoughts on Marcus is to take it, destroy what Japanese units are there and then withdraw. Maybe just a unit that is capable to support patrol planes. The idea is to draw some attention and Japanese assets away from Noumea.

I am hoping to build up supply in Chengtu so I can use drop tanks again. Impossible?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BattleMoose

My thoughts on Marcus is to take it, destroy what Japanese units are there and then withdraw. Maybe just a unit that is capable to support patrol planes. The idea is to draw some attention and Japanese assets away from Noumea.

I am hoping to build up supply in Chengtu so I can use drop tanks again. Impossible?

Well, I think you will sourly disappointed. Unless your opponent actually shipped some units there (which I doubt) you will find it empty. Might be an AVP in port but that can be just as easily destroyed by a simple port strike.

If you really want to go ahead with the landing I suggest you recon the base before landing. If its empty, don´t land. If you do land make sure you have 100% prepp or you will be gutted in the landing. Atolls are nasty business!

Regardning Chengtu you will never be able to build up 20k supply. Not a chance. [:(]

[BattleMoose]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister
Regardning Chengtu you will never be able to build up 20k supply. Not a chance. [:(]

I have 19200 supply there already and has been consistent. It generates a fair bit on its own and many aircraft flying supplies in.

[JocMeister]

Thats a very impressive number considering its China. Not sure how you managed that. [X(]

[BattleMoose]

Still haven't mastered the supply system yet, maybe a bachelors. I turned stockpile up there ages ago so I think its trying to maintain 20k supply there? About to finish lvl 4 forts and then will stop building forts. Turned replacements for all units off. So just need things to stop using supply. So frustrating, just fly some damn drop tanks in! Leave the condiments and contraceptives back in Ledo!

[BattleMoose]

Over the past few turns I have slowly been able to build up supply in Chengtu, its at 20077 but am not able to use drop tanks. Cannot find any details in the manual about droptanks? Its a level 6 airfield. I have been using the stockpile option to stockpile supplies, no idea if this is having an effect. Really do need those drop tanks.

I have a few more turns of fuel in Chengtu and then my supply will probably start steadily dropping.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: BattleMoose

Over the past few turns I have slowly been able to build up supply in Chengtu, its at 20077 but am not able to use drop tanks. Cannot find any details in the manual about droptanks? Its a level 6 airfield. I have been using the stockpile option to stockpile supplies, no idea if this is having an effect. Really do need those drop tanks.

I have a few more turns of fuel in Chengtu and then my supply will probably start steadily dropping.

I re-read the manual. I was sure I had seen the supply threshold, but you're right. It's not there.

A search of the forum archives showed a few posts from 2009, right after first ship, with this question. The best answer I found is that the threshold is not 20,000, but rather 2x the base Supplies Required number. This was never reported as verified, but all I could find.

I opened a testbed game I have, and all Hurricanes at fields where this was true do have drop tanks available. I moved a unit from Colombo to Tanjore where this was not true (but at a LV1 AF) and drop tanks grayed out and were unavailable.

You can set Chengtu's supply spinner to the minimum and see if you can get over 2x of that. That might work. If not, your best bet is to withdraw them before they're damaged by bombing or ops. You have to pay the delay price to get them back, but at least you don't lose them and the VPs.

Edit: in my testbed I can get the supply spinner at Chengtu down to 1728. You have well over 2x that now.

[Lokasenna]

There are definitely conditions to using drop tanks...

In my experience, the base can't have a yellow "!" - there needs to be at least 2x supply at the base in order to use drop tanks. I've had ample opportunity to test this against MM in NE Australia... when the base had less than 2x supply needed (not requested per the "spinner", but needed!), my short-legged recon planes couldn't use drop tanks.

When I had 2x supply at the base, they could.

Also think you might need AF 2+... ***



Can you simply withdraw the unit from Chengtu? Click on 'withdraw unit', even if the text is red, and see what it says. If it says "but planes may be lost", don't do it or you'll lose the planes but still save the pilots. If it's white text for withdraw, then you can withdraw them for 60 days. Do this as a last resort, and you'll get them back at Aden in 2 months (I believe).


EDIT: You can use DTs at a level 1 airfield. Just confirmed in one of my games.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

There are definitely conditions to using drop tanks...

In my experience, the base can't have a yellow "!" - there needs to be at least 2x supply at the base in order to use drop tanks. I've had ample opportunity to test this against MM in NE Australia... when the base had less than 2x supply needed (not requested per the "spinner", but needed!), my short-legged recon planes couldn't use drop tanks.

The line with the spinner is labeled "Supplies Required." With the spinner all the way to the right it gives the supplies needed by LCUs in the base and any other activities needing supply.

Which line are you looking at to calculate the x2?

[Bullwinkle58]

So looking some more it seems like it's that line, un-spun. That line is affected by the LCUs in the base. It's the same line used by the auto-convoy system I think.

So if he's got 20,000+ in the base and is still under x2, he can march units outside until the Supply Required number declines enough for 20,000 to be x2. Right?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

So looking some more it seems like it's that line, un-spun. That line is affected by the LCUs in the base. It's the same line used by the auto-convoy system I think.

Yes, that's what I meant. The "base" required could be something like 1500, but if you set it to require 5000 extra, it will attempt to stockpile 19500 supplies before shipping any out. However, anything over 3000 would meet the "base" x2 requirement. If you pay attention, you'll notice that yellow !'s only appear over locations that do not come up to this "base" x2 requirement.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
So if he's got 20,000+ in the base and is still under x2, he can march units outside until the Supply Required number declines enough for 20,000 to be x2. Right?

I would assume so, however the LCUs will take some supply out with them, yeah?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

So looking some more it seems like it's that line, un-spun. That line is affected by the LCUs in the base. It's the same line used by the auto-convoy system I think.

Yes, that's what I meant. The "base" required could be something like 1500, but if you set it to require 5000 extra, it will attempt to stockpile 19500 supplies before shipping any out. However, anything over 3000 would meet the "base" x2 requirement. If you pay attention, you'll notice that yellow !'s only appear over locations that do not come up to this "base" x2 requirement.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
So if he's got 20,000+ in the base and is still under x2, he can march units outside until the Supply Required number declines enough for 20,000 to be x2. Right?

I would assume so, however the LCUs will take some supply out with them, yeah?

First, ME?! Pay attention?! [:)] I doan need no steenkin' yellow marks!

Second, the LCUs would take their internal, organic supply with them, and then draw while out in the field. The 'Yes' on stockpile only prevents a base from sending to another base(s). But the draw would be very low unless there was combat.

But would you strip a base of defenders to get planes out? Especially when they're undamaged and can be Withdrawn? Not sure I would.

If BM has 20,000+ and it's still less than x2, he might need to do a lot of marching out.