Did I wake that giant AGAIN? vicberg(j) vs. BillBrown(A) - No Bill Pls

[ny59giants]

Just ask...

tm.asp?m=3532557&mpage=1&key=

last page helped me the most

[Lowpe]

Don't let these AFB's dissuade you!

Actually, I think Canada is impossible if American's can cross the border without paying PP. Kind of cheesey to think they should pay PP; but maybe not given the political fear that an invasion of Canada would have brought on America. We need to protect our beaches first; Canada second...perhaps.

Alaska, though is doable. Combine it with a grab at Noumea, China and perhaps a little of Australia or New Zealand and you might make AV.

Tough to do I think, but good luck!

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: vicberg

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Whoa! [X(]

Whoa doesn't help me, LOL. This is an all or nothing operation. It's not likely to extricate forces quickly once they are inland. The question is Edmonton/Calgary achievable?

Who knows?

Go for it!

You can hit the Seattle factories with air strikes and - if going all in - naval bombardment. Bunch of shipyards in the area to hit, too.

[witpqs]

Of course double-check on your HR to see if US forces require PP to cross the not-really-a-border.

[ny59giants]

Capture Los Angeles vs invading Canada may be more cost effective in the long run. "IF" a Japanese player could look at the airframes NOT being produced for America...P-38s, P-51, B-24s, SBDs, etc. Land at the two bases around LA and then lay siege to it. Afterwards, drive down to San Diego. Finally, pack up and leave.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Capture Los Angeles vs invading Canada may be more cost effective in the long run. "IF" a Japanese player could look at the airframes NOT being produced for America...P-38s, P-51, B-24s, SBDs, etc. Land at the two bases around LA and then lay siege to it. Afterwards, drive down to San Diego. Finally, pack up and leave.

Wouldn't that be scary as an Allied player losing all those aircraft? YIKES! [:D]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Capture Los Angeles vs invading Canada may be more cost effective in the long run. "IF" a Japanese player could look at the airframes NOT being produced for America...P-38s, P-51, B-24s, SBDs, etc. Land at the two bases around LA and then lay siege to it. Afterwards, drive down to San Diego. Finally, pack up and leave.

But the emergency reinforcements would not allow any real siege, right? You either capture on or right after the initial invasion, or not at all.

[vicberg]

Right now, my main focus is getting the economy stable. Though I've played this game forever, I've never been good with the economy. With the DBB reductions, I'm having to focus on diff per day and figure out where everything is going and how it will get into Japan. I'm running a 2500/day fuel shortfall, which is easily fixed. It's the oil that's the issue. All located 40-50 hexes away from Japan. This is going to be a challenge.

[vicberg]

January 8th, 1942

Java is in mop-up mode. Only a few remaining units left. Batavia and Soerabaja both fell easily. Minesweeping is commencing. Troops are now marching in Singapore. No resistance in Burma. New Caledonia will be invaded in a day or two under the cover of the KB. Port Moresby will take a bit of time to wear down. Thinking about Suva/Pago Pago, since he's not coming out to fight at all.

Operations have started on the Aleutians under the cover of 4xCVL and 3xCVE. The KB will soon shift to CenPac and then up to support Alaska, assuming I don't run out of fuel by then.

Here's where I have problems and I'm not sure how to fix. Chinese stacked in (god awful) 3x terrain. People are blasting through to Sian. How is this happening? I need to shift gears somehow as I'm stalled



My first pop at Manilla. Disappointed I didn't drop the forts any. A regiment of my combat engineers were destroyed.
Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39574 troops, 349 guns, 163 vehicles, Assault Value = 1154

Defending force 54819 troops, 446 guns, 57 vehicles, Assault Value = 1481

Japanese adjusted assault: 530

Allied adjusted defense: 1141

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1684 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 181 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 29 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (7 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
941 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 107 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 51 (2 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
65th Brigade
16th Division
48th Division
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Army
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Construction Battalion

Defending units:
91st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
24th Avn Sup
1st Constabulary Regiment
41st PA Infantry Division
31st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
35th Avn Sup
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
I/43rd PS Inf Battalion
4th Marine Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
11th PA Infantry Division
27th Avn Sup
2nd Constabulary Regiment
Clark Field AAF Base Force
24th PS FA Regiment
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
4th PAAC Avn Sup
Nichols Field AAF Base Force
II Corps
Far East USAAF
11th PAAC Avn Sup
US Forces Far East
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
Cavite USN Base Force
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
1st USMC AA Battalion
Asiatic Fleet
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp

[ny59giants]

Here's where I have problems and I'm not sure how to fix. Chinese stacked in (god awful) 3x terrain. People are blasting through to Sian. How is this happening? I need to shift gears somehow as I'm stalled

Logistics...Logistics...Logistics [;)]

I often believe that you have to view this theater through the prism of economics. For the Allies, its about supplies. In my game vs 1EyedJack that is only a few days behind yours, I have enough supplies to suck up those replacement "Chinese Inf Sqds" every day. Why?? Because I have enough supplies. I get those from Ledo to China air transports, but mainly through self generation - LI & HI. Thus, I would get a division (or stout brigade) into those x3 terrain hexes and "go North young man." You would cut off his oil and fuel for his HI at Chungking, Sian, Changsha, Chengtu, and Kunming. Thus, less supplies generated. You can add the oil from Lanchow (90), Urumchi (50), and hopefully Sian (20) to your inventory. Plus, some of the fuel from those bases. Indirectly, you can force the Allies to extended his MLR to cover these areas or lose them quickly. IMO, you need an AF close enough to bomb Chungking's AF and destroy his supplies. Don't allow him to have enough to suck up all those replacement rifle squads. [:-] It is true that he will defend well without much if any supplies with his troops, but you have to be more Napoleonic than WWI in your mind set here.

[vicberg]

Thanks, AVG disappeared out of Sian. I'm starting to believe my opponent knows what he is doing and has made a couple of mistakes. Unpredictable is a good thing and I'm starting to get a bit paranoid that he's luring me into complacency and waiting to spring something. We'll see.

Sian airfield is getting bombed right now. Don't want to see the AVG pop up back there and then I'll switch to Changsha and Chungking if in range. Armor regiments already in route to Urumchi and the Mongolians are going to try to capture their former glory at Lanchow. Doubt it will be enough.

Shifting tactics I'll leave divisions or really strong brigades in the 3x Terrain and start spreading his forces on the northern axis. I've been thinking about attacking along roads. There's a lot more hexes without them. Force him to spread out. I'll assemble as much of a reserve as I can and attempt to punch through where he is weak. I was trying to simply muscle through his units and that isn't going to happen allowing him to stack up. After thinking about this some more, I may push 3 divisions in Changsha to deny him the production there.

[vicberg]

January 10th, 1942

Colonel Nagino of the 1st Tank Regiment has received his orders. The attack on Singapore will begin Over 30,000 troops have amassed in Johore Bahru. 2 Divisions will take the western bridge and 2 will take the main bridge into the city. His tank regiment is to be the lead of the attack down the main bridge.

Over the radio, General Yamashito, 25th Army, tells his regiment to move out. The weather is good for once. The roads are in good shape and he is making good speed. The Woodlands Crossing is in sight. His supporting divisions are not.

“Where are the divisions?” His platoon leader says into the radio. Nagino thinks for a bit, “they move at their pace and we move at ours. The engine doesn’t consider all of these troops moving together as a single unit. We left our support divisions 20 miles back. ”

“We have to stop and wait”, the platoon leader remarks. There’s a worried tone in his voice.

“Can’t. Orders are already in and we can’t change them until tomorrow.”

“Can we at least get into combat formation?” There's now panic in the platoon leaders voice.

“Not until tomorrow.” Nagino issues orders to his regiment. “Prepare to cross the bridge, single file. Do not stop. Do not take combat positions. We will be victorious! Banzai”

Edward Mullins is 6 years old. He lives just outside the city. He’s proud of his ability to count. “1, 2, 3...40!” Edward is counting these very large vehicles moving down the road. He thinks they are called Tanks. They have red circles on them. He likes the color red.

After they pass, he goes back to playing. In the distance, loud bangs can be heard. Edward doesn’t pay much attention to them as there’s been loud bangs in the city every day. He hears vehicles coming back up the road. It’s the same red circles. “1, 2, 3...5!”

Edward likes counting.

[vicberg]

January 11th, 1942

The attack into Singapore bodes well. Resting for a day or two and resuming. Forts dropped 2. Elsewhere, Luganville and Noumea fell. Prepping for Suva and Pago Pago. Loading up for Aleutians.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 65178 troops, 640 guns, 294 vehicles, Assault Value = 2021

Defending force 46867 troops, 503 guns, 366 vehicles, Assault Value = 783

Japanese adjusted assault: 2361

Allied adjusted defense: 837

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
5445 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 286 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 72 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 34 disabled
Guns lost 34 (1 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3147 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 120 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 119 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 49 disabled
Guns lost 100 (9 destroyed, 91 disabled)
Vehicles lost 51 (12 destroyed, 39 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Division
56th Division
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th Division
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
124th Infantry Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Southern Army
25th Army
1st RF Gun Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
53rd Const Co

Defending units:
2/17 Dogra Battalion
11th Indian Division
3rd Cavalry Regiment
2nd Malay Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
SSVF Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
27th Australian Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Singapore Base Force
109th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd ISF Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
112th RAF Adv Base Force
224 Group RAF
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
109th RN Base Force
Singapore Fortress
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
AHQ Far East
223 Group RAF
110th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
Malaya Army
111th RAF Adv Base Force
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Field Regiment

[vicberg]

January 16th, 1942

Another attack scheduled for Singapore tomorrow. Java is about fully conquered. Manilla will be a grind for the next month. Aleutians are progressing. SoPac is about done. Pago Pago will be my stopping point.

The KB and mKB pushed forward and found a few ships for the first time since the beginning of the war.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Savaii at 146,159

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 83
B5N2 Kate x 24
D3A1 Val x 37

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK K.I. Luckenbach, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Poelau Laut, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PC Morris
AK Bellatrix, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Monterey
xAP Mariposa, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
3955 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 84 destroyed, 118 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 31 (19 destroyed, 12 disabled)

And again

Afternoon Air attack on Pago Pago , at 148,161

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 57
B5N2 Kate x 111
D3A1 Val x 59

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 11 damaged

Allied Ships
PC Alert
AS Fulton, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AK Arcturus, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk

Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 1

And again

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Savaii at 146,159

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 42
D3A1 Val x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Bellatrix, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
xAP Monterey, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Allied ground losses:
177 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

[vicberg]

January 18th, 1942

Another attack on Singapore tomorrow. One 3 remaining bases in Java and Dutch forces have been in full retreat Suva attack scheduled tomorrow.

In China, AVG and some friends are moving around between Changsha, Chungking and Sian. I have recon on all 3. The AVG has caused a bit of havoc over the last month. Today, I get some revenge.

Zeroes and Oscars knock quite a few out of the sky followed by an airfield attack at Chungking. 3-1 ratio of losses in my favor. As a bonus, I get two more TRACOM pilots, which are needed because in this mod, they don't start with many.

[vicberg]

Strategy

It's becoming pretty clear after reading many AARs that Japan have only a couple of choices for victory. 1) Attempt Auto-victory with a minimum goal of drawing the allies out to cause losses, 2) Build defensive perimeter. The problem with a defensive perimeter is that it's a fixed point defense. So interlocking bases are required. Japan doesn't have the ground forces or engineers to defend each island. My thoughts are 4 interlocking bases within range of each other. Still allows the allies to attack from so many different directions.

So though I'm taking Suva and possibly Pago Pago (there's 15 units reported on Pago Pago) and surrounding bases, defenses there will be light. That area is too easily cutoff to put heavy defenses into. It will serve to lock down eastern OZ. Then I can focus on locking down Western OZ.

I don't wish to do all of the allies work, so I'm thinking minimum level 4 airfields or higher, minimum level 4 forts or higher with sufficient ground troops (taking into account stacking). At least 4 interlocking bases for a geographical area. Have quick reaction LBA ready to move to where the allies are attacking and of course the KB. Then quick reaction invasion forces with fast AP/AK/APD to reinforce depending on which year it is. In 44, quick reaction forces may be out of the question. Places like Wake and Marcus will need forts as high as possible because they are pretty much on their own.

The real problem is all that the Allies can attack from so many directions. So I'm thinking of 3 lines of defense. I can't defend everywhere.

[vicberg]

January 19th, 1942.

II have to be careful about victory disease. It's been fairly mechanical at this point and that means sloppy.An Allied SCTF showed up led by the Canberra at Suva, 2 CL and 4 DD. The KB and MKB was about 200 miles away. Officially, I lost a PB and 2 xAK. Unofficially, the precious AV sunk.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Suva at 131,161, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Shotoku Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PB Okiyu Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
PB Kosin Maru #3
AV Kiyokawa Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
AK Sakito Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Borneo Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Brasil Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Chile Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Havana Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CL Java
CL Tromp
CL Perth
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1
DD Kortenaer
DD Evertsen
DD Trippe

Japanese ground losses:
3121 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 45 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 45 (36 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight

I had moved a CL TF to support Suva. They engaged 40 miles southwest of Suva

ight Time Surface Combat, near Suva at 132,160, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kitakami, Shell hits 2
CL Oi, Shell hits 1
CL Yubari
DD Oite, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Hayate, Shell hits 2
DD Asanagi

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Shell hits 1
CL Java, Shell hits 2
CL Tromp
CL Perth
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
DD Trippe

The damaged ships are heading for Noumea. Where did this SCTF come from? Not Pago Pago as the KB has been port striking it for 2 days. I have naval search at Luganvile, so if must have come from Shangrila. Suva has been under recon for days. Can't believe it came from there. Nothing else showing as ships in port. I have Betties with an Air HQ in Moumea and move Mavis's moving down, so hopefully I'll pick up where it came from and catch it in the future. I'm actually starting to regret this entire operation and in the future would only do it if I have nothing better to do. It takes a LOT of fuel and all the bases in the area are under-developed, so a lot of supply to build up. In all likelihood, I'm just doing the Allies work and giving him built up bases.

In Singapore, another attack.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 50733 troops, 535 guns, 276 vehicles, Assault Value = 1645

Defending force 45587 troops, 526 guns, 362 vehicles, Assault Value = 617

Japanese adjusted assault: 1338

Allied adjusted defense: 1063

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1052 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 76 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 30 destroyed, 19 disabled
Vehicles lost 9 (6 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1976 casualties reported
Squads: 63 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 113 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 55 (11 destroyed, 44 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Division
4th Division
5th Division
124th Infantry Regiment
34th Field AA Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
Southern Army
53rd Const Co

Defending units:
SSVF Brigade
11th Indian Division
2nd Gordons Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Malay Battalion
3rd Cavalry Regiment
12th Indian Brigade
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
Malaya Army
Singapore Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Singapore Fortress
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
AHQ Far East
109th RN Base Force
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd ISF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
110th RAF Adv Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
224 Group RAF
112th RAF Adv Base Force
223 Group RAF
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
111th RAF Adv Base Force
109th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
5th Field Regiment

[vicberg]

January 20th, 1942

I have issues with the ground combat system. I've never gotten a feeling of sustained combat. Rather, combat feels very much like all or nothing on any given day. Even though each hex is 40 miles, you can't actually pull a division off the line without moving into another hex. If your enemy retreats, your units don't maintain contact and start from 0 moving into the retreated hex unless a unit is in reserve mode, which makes no sense whatsoever. The reserves move forward but the front line troops don't? Who caused the retreat? Not necessarily the reserves... Plus, I believe there's just too much variability from day to day in the combat results.

Here's a perfect example of the lack of sustained combat feel in this game. 2nd day of sustained attacking and because the results are so extreme day to day probably too much disruption and/or fatigue and a bad dice roll. My AV is reduced to 1! The results below seem to show that the divisions didn't attack but the engineers did, pretty much alone and 1 engineer unit lost. Yet, I destroy more combat squads though I lose more non-combat?

For next version of this game, if there is one, I hope they address the land combat model and remove the extremeness. The air and naval models are beautiful. The land model feels like an afterthought in comparison. Units in a hex moving/attacking the same hex should be treated as a single operational force, not a bunch of individual units together. Instead of shock/deliberate, perhaps probe/deliberate/All Out/Bombard/Reserve/Rest (off the line) with losses/disruption less for both sides on a day to day basis.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 59374 troops, 637 guns, 284 vehicles, Assault Value = 1568

Defending force 44089 troops, 516 guns, 362 vehicles, Assault Value = 531

Japanese adjusted assault: 1

Allied adjusted defense: 855

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 855 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
497 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Division
5th Division
4th Division
18th Division
124th Infantry Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
34th Field AA Battalion
25th Army
Southern Army
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
53rd Const Co

Defending units:
11th Indian Division
2nd Malay Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
SSVF Brigade
2nd Gordons Battalion
3rd Cavalry Regiment
22nd Australian Brigade
12th Indian Brigade
Singapore Base Force
Malaya Army
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
111th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
Singapore Fortress
224 Group RAF
2nd ISF Base Force
112th RAF Adv Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
2/17 Dogra Battalion
110th RAF Adv Base Force
109th RN Base Force
109th RAF Adv Base Force
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
AHQ Far East
223 Group RAF
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
5th Field Regiment

[vicberg]

Economic Update

You stock guys have it easy. Yes, this mod provides more offensive firepower, but DBB makes the economy much harder to function.

I've been poring through Tracker. Japan is runs a deficit of 80k/day in resources and 2.5k/day in Fuel and 9.5k/day in oil. Unless I want to contract the economy, these deficits need to be addressed and here's the problem.

1) After conquering remaining cities in Malaya, Burma and Java AND assuming that I can get everything into Japan on a daily basis, there's will still be a deficit of around 5-6k in resources/day and 4-5k in oil/day. The 2.5k in fuel will be made up by the refineries located outside of the home islands, so the oil deficit in Japan I can live with.

2) Getting the resources/fuel/oil into Japan is no small feat. DBB greatly reduces transport capabilities, which has two affects. It costs more fuel than stock to transport the same amount of resources. The tonnage has remained roughly the same and a port can load a certain number of ships per day based on port size, requiring more supply to improve ports that would otherwise not be needed with a stock scenario.

3) Troop transport costs are increased, requiring troop transports (xAP, AK) which are in limited supply. A single division requires 3 of the biggest xAP, more of the smaller, 15 of the AK-T (cargo ships specialized in troop transports and new in this mod) or 40-50 cargo transports for a SINGLE div. Again, this increase fuel costs

4) It won't be enough to tread water in terms of the economy. Stockpiles will be needed for 44-45. Japan has enough fuel right now for 3 more months of operations assuming nothing major. This mod also reduced Japan's starting fuel reserves.

So what to do?

[vicberg]

More Strategy

There’s really two options. I’m going see what I can do to achieve both.

1) Auto-Victory. I understand the purpose of AV is to draw the allies out or risk losing the game, otherwise the Allies will simply turtle and come back in 43+ with overwhelming firepower. This is definitely achievable with this mod, but it's really and all or nothing with this mod and if we continue to play after AV, which is likely, Japan will certainly lose early. Japan needs to conserve to make it into 44-45.

2) China. This mod makes China more difficult with increased garrisons, but I'm understanding why it's so important to the Japanese war effort and why it's such a major focus in other AARs. It's the resources more than the freeing up of troops. The resources/oil in China will make up the Japanese deficit (or most of it) and without it, Japan has about 1 year of operations before it has to seriously contract everything and it won't be able to stockpile. There’s simply not enough resources elsewhere and DBB increases fuel costs to get them there. Plus, the LOC between Malaya and northern Chinese ports into Japan saves a tremendous amount of fuel. Looking at my tankers (also reduced capabilities for the most part) and assuming I don't lose any to subs which is a pipe dream, it will be very difficult to keep fuel flowing into Japan with DBB. I'm sure it can be done, but without the Malaya to Shanghai/Fusan road/rail network, the cost to move the fuel and resources will again hamper the war effort.