General Patton vs. larryfulkerson Focus Pacific #75

[larryfulkerson]

Here's all the ground troops at Takao and my question now is should I load these guys on T1 and get them into the battfield before
they all have their required supplies, or should I wait at least one turn for them to gather up their supplies and THEN load them on
ships. Anybody waited and think it's a great idea? I was leaning toward doing that as I'm guessing the troops will fight better on a
full stomach. With the bullets they need, etc.

[larryfulkerson]

I just happened to mouseover the city hex at Pescadores and notice that there's no RES to feed the LI there and I went to
the industry dialog and found that indeed Pescadores and Saipan both are silently failing their LI industry due to lack of
RES. Pescadores has a RES center worth 100(0) which is magnificant but there's no RES there NOW, or YET. To get
the LI at those places to quit failing I'm thinking of feeding them enough RES to allow their LI to resume and maybe after
a few turns the Pescadores RES center will have caught up with demand. But Saipan seems to have a tiny problem. It's
LI is larger than the RES center there. I may have to continually feed Saipan a small amount of RES periodically. There's
probably other islands with this situation as well. I'll have to look for those and set up some kind of CS mission to fill
their RES needs.

EDIT: I bolded the last line because I needed to remind myself that I need to do this yet. It's on my todo list.

EDIT2: Okay, I've looked into it and I found out that there's quite a few cities silently failiing their LI industry. Each of
them needs a small load of RES to get back online

[paradigmblue]

Wait a turn or two before setting up any supply convoys. Most of these resource shortages for the light industry will work themselves out in very short order. Most of the bases, like Pescadores, will be producing plenty of resources to feed their light industry by next turn.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue
Wait a turn or two before setting up any supply convoys.

Are you serious? I can't imagine why in the world you would want to wait. I haven't even gotten through
with my first turn moves yet and I've already got some supply TF's set up. They are loading supplies as
we speak. I've set up at least five small RES shipments for places like Yap and Saipan and Tinian, that
have a perpetual RES problem, seemingly.

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue
Most of these resource shortages for the light industry will work themselves out in very short order.

Sounds good.

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue
Most of the bases, like Pescadores, will be producing plenty of resources to feed their light industry by next turn.

That's good news, I'm glad to hear it. But I'm wondering what will eventually happen to those places where the
LI is larger than the RES center there? Won't some supplimental RES be needed there?

[ny59giants]

Takao - the 21st and 23rd Air HQs need to be loaded and headed to Babeldaob and then into DEI, IMO. What other LCUs do you need further south than Luzon? BFs and construction?

Cargo to troop conversion - I leave the Aden Class to haul resources. I convert the Ehieme, Toho, and Akasi Class xAKs to xAK-t.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
Takao - the 21st and 23rd Air HQs need to be loaded and headed to Babeldaob and then into DEI, IMO. What other LCUs do you need further south than Luzon? BFs and construction?

I was planning on putting some HQ unit or other at Singkawang to dispense the TT's and I could see putting one on the east coast
of Malaya somewhere. I want to take one with me when I tackle Java and Sumatra. I haven't taken a look at the commanders of
the various HQ's. I'm curious to know if any of them needs to be replaced.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
Cargo to troop conversion - I leave the Aden Class to haul resources. I convert the Ehieme, Toho, and Akasi Class xAKs to xAK-t.

To tell you the truth I don't know the difference between the xAK's and xAK-t's. Please tell me more.

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
That's good news, I'm glad to hear it. But I'm wondering what will eventually happen to those places where the
LI is larger than the RES center there? Won't some supplimental RES be needed there?

If you want to absolutely maximize your efficiency in supply production, sure. But unless you really need the supply production to feed an island base, is it really worth the fuel to ship the resources there?

Ideally, most of your resource shipping should be to the home islands, where you have heavy industry, which a more efficient use of resources.

[larryfulkerson]

If you want to absolutely maximize your efficiency in supply production, sure. But unless you really need the supply production to feed an island base, is it really worth the fuel to ship the resources there?

I'm thinking of keeping the LI from running out of RES. To keep the flow of supplies going. Supplies that can be used to expand the
port and or airfield, etc.

Ideally, most of your resource shipping should be to the home islands, where you have heavy industry, which a more efficient use of resources.

It's been my experience with this scenario ( I've only had one prior short game ) that Tokyo runs out of RES in pretty short order and
I've had to shut down the HI to keep the LI going before. I was thinking of maybe shipping some RES from Hiroshima to Tokyo,
specifically to feed the RES maw there. I realize that it's practically a waste of fuel but at least it'll keep the industries running.

[larryfulkerson]

I realize that Tracker has the numbers of fuel burned per load moved or something like that
but has anybody ever done a test themselves to verify the Tracker numbers? I'm not the
sort of person who will willingly trust the numbers of a computer program. Too many things
can go wrong. I'm thinking about maybe doing a test myself by filling up a TF at point A and
moving a known load of cargo and NOT REFUELLING at the destination before I can get
a number for the amount of fuel burned by the ships. Dividing the fuel amount by the load
will give a fuel per ton of load figure that could be used as a rule-of-thumb thereafter.

EDIT: Yeah, I just now figured out that distance is a factor too.

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson
I'm thinking of keeping the LI from running out of RES. To keep the flow of supplies going. Supplies that can be used to expand the
port and or airfield, etc.

Yes, but if you have 30 LI centers and 20 resource centers, even with the shortfall you'll still be generating 20 supply a turn. My question is on non-home island bases that aren't producing HI points for you, does it really matter that you're not generating the 10 supply per turn as long as the 20 LI that are fed by the on-site resources are producing enough supplies for the hex?

It's been my experience with this scenario ( I've only had one prior short game ) that Tokyo runs out of RES in pretty short order and
I've had to shut down the HI to keep the LI going before. I was thinking of maybe shipping some RES from Hiroshima to Tokyo,
specifically to feed the RES maw there. I realize that it's practically a waste of fuel but at least it'll keep the industries running.

Oh, you should absolutely ship resources to Tokyo - but resources will flow between bases on the main islands without you having to ship them (I'm almost certain this is the case). Shipping them from Hiroshima to Tokyo would be a waste. You need to ship resources from Hokkaido, Korea etc. to the Home Islands, not between bases that are connected by major rail lines.

[larryfulkerson]

Yes, but if you have 30 LI centers and 20 resource centers, even with the shortfall you'll still be generating 20 supply a turn. My question is on non-home island bases that aren't producing HI points for you, does it really matter that you're not generating the 10 supply per turn as long as the 20 LI that are fed by the on-site resources are producing enough supplies for the hex?

OOooooohhhhhh, I get it now. I quite agree.

[ny59giants]

You can temporary convert cargo space to troop space on your xAKs (most show up afterwards as xAK-t). However, this can only be done in size 6 or larger ports. A word of caution is that in the size 6 ports you can over do it and cause the normal 5 days needed to convert become over 10 days if you try to do too many at once. [:-]

Class troop/cargo (these values are from my current RHS game, but should be close or same for FP)

Lima 490/6125 converts to 2020/4585 (takes 13 days)

Toho 280/3525 converts to 1160/2645

Akasi 300/3750 converts to 1235/2815

Ehime 285/3575 converts to 1175/2685

Husimi 350/4480 convert to 1455/3315

Aden 370/4670 converts to 1535/3505

As Japan you have plenty of cargo capacity, but not enough troop capacity at start. The most difficult skill for a Japanese player to master in the first few months of the game is tempo. Often, you are looking around for transports that can carry troops. For me, I send the Akasi, Ehime, and Toho Class that are not immediately being used to large ports (Shanghai, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Kobe, Tokyo) to get these conversions done. By the end of December, they are back to where they are needed and I'm not scrambling for troop lifting ships.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
You can temporary convert cargo space to troop space on your xAKs (most show up afterwards as xAK-t). However, this can only be done in size 6 or larger ports. A word of caution is that in the size 6 ports you can over do it and cause the normal 5 days needed to convert become over 10 days if you try to do too many at once. [:-]

Class troop/cargo (these values are from my current RHS game, but should be close or same for FP)

Lima 490/6125 converts to 2020/4585 (takes 13 days)

Toho 280/3525 converts to 1160/2645

Akasi 300/3750 converts to 1235/2815

Ehime 285/3575 converts to 1175/2685

Husimi 350/4480 convert to 1455/3315

Aden 370/4670 converts to 1535/3505

As Japan you have plenty of cargo capacity, but not enough troop capacity at start. The most difficult skill for a Japanese player to master in the first few months of the game is tempo. Often, you are looking around for transports that can carry troops. For me, I send the Akasi, Ehime, and Toho Class that are not immediately being used to large ports (Shanghai, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Kobe, Tokyo) to get these conversions done. By the end of December, they are back to where they are needed and I'm not scrambling for troop lifting ships.

I like what you've expounded very much. Thanks a lot. I'll get busy and convert my xAK's to xAK-t's.

[larryfulkerson]

Okie dokie.......I've received Brian's first turn moves and I'm watching the combat replay and I notice first of all that I had an Ida
group from somewhere attacking something they shouldn't and they were unescorted and got slaughtered. This is only one of
the many missions that I neglected to change and they died from my mistake. D'oh.

[larryfulkerson]

The Japs then hit Guam by a group of unescorted Bettys but this time the toll wasn't very high. I'm going to have to switch this
group to a night mission to hit the airfield. Unless I can find an escort for this group or maybe if I can get some Zeros to sweep
Guam before I run the bombing mission.

[larryfulkerson]

It was a little bit costly but an escorted group hit Kota Bharu and got some good hits. I've got troops inbound to that port. I'm not sure
when they will arrive but soon. There's a lot more Allied equipment at Kota Bharu to subdue before my troops get there. Maybe a
naval bombardment is in order.

[larryfulkerson]

I had a smallish group of Zeros sweep K-town and they went in against a much bigger group of Allied fighters but they still came
off the winner. More sweeps are indicated. Plus some more airfield attacks. Maybe a strike at the port for good measure.

[larryfulkerson]

And of course there was the requsite Pearl Harbor strike:

Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 109 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 148
A6M2-N Rufe x 6
B5N2 Kate x 177
D3A1 Val x 142

Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-50 Skyrocket x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 25 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 20 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 14 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 2 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 7 destroyed on ground
P-50 Skyrocket: 2 damaged
P-50 Skyrocket: 10 destroyed on ground
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 9 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 10 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 11 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 6 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed on ground
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 5 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 7 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 3 destroyed on ground
SNJ-3 Texan: 4 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1
BB California, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
PC Tiger, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AV Tangier, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AV Curtiss, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Breese, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 1
DD Phelps, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 1
SS Dolphin, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Repair Shipyard hits 3
Airbase hits 50
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 122
Port hits 22
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
10 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
25 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
14 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
15 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
15 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
14 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
7 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
1 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
24 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
26 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
13 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
13 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
14 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd PG/3rd PS with P-50 Skyrocket (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead
15th PG/Hq Sqn with P-36A Mohawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes
VMF-1002 with F2A-3 Buffalo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes

Training flight from VMF-1002 has been caught up in attack
Magazine explodes on BB Tennessee

[larryfulkerson]

Brian got in a good strike on Samah, the airfield there. I had a CAP of significant size but the bombers got though and there was
carnage on the ground. So one of my bigger priorities is to knock out these bombers or otherwise neutralize his airstrikes. Maybe
a bigger CAP. That won't work though because the airfield at Samah is overstocked as it is. Maybe some airfield strikes of my
own on HIS airfield(s).

[larryfulkerson]

There was an afternoon air strike on Pearl but it was anticlimactic. The strike didn't accomplish much but I did get a rough idea of the
size of the Allied CAP and it's pitiful. Maybe a second Pearl strike is in order for tomorrow. The carriers are moving north already but
they will probably still be in range for strikes to happen. We'll see what they do.