Back for the First Time – Allied AAR vs. AI - War in the Pacific: Admirals Edition

[Schlussel]

Thanks! Yeah I have made my share of mistakes, most notable was sending the entire 32nd ID to the SW Pacific without adequate escorts. I paid for that dearly, and I try to remember that every time I try to cut corners. Then again there's not enough to go around (at least right now) so this phase of the war is all about managing risk.

Like you, I am also surprised the KB didn't sortie. The 4-6 CV count seems realistic, I record the reports daily and they seem to hover right around 6. Plane count (280), on the other hand, suggests more like 4 carriers (I assume 70 aircraft per CV to be conservative on the CV count). If my numbers are right, Japan started the war with 6 Fleet CV's...they lost Soryu, so they should be right at 5. Whatever the number, their air wings (as you noted) are still deadly. Once the seaborne reinforcement of Rabaul is complete (ETC = week) I should be ready to divert some attention. In the meantime, I’ll try out your suggestion, and have an aggressive sub patrol the Hollandia hex. I have subs operating 1 hex away already, and they seem to get pretty high detection levels, so I’m thinking the Japanese base has some ASW patrols going pretty steadily. No harm in trying while I wait to bring in the big guns (errr…planes)

[Bif1961]

Well they do get two convert merchant medium sizes CVs with about 50 planes each.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Well they do get two convert merchant medium sizes CVs with about 50 planes each.

Good to know, thanks Bif1961. That and they also have a few CVL's still out there. I wonder if the AI converts ships, or if that's a human-only thing.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Well they do get two convert merchant medium sizes CVs with about 50 planes each.

Good to know, thanks Bif1961. That and they also have a few CVL's still out there. I wonder if the AI converts ships, or if that's a human-only thing.

I'm not sure if Bif was referring to Seaplane Tenders Chitose and Chiyoda which convert to CVLs. I do not know of any merchantmen that can become CVs.

Anyway, any time I play the AI it always sends the two CSs into harms way without adequate CV backup so they get sunk easily by my carriers. IOW, I don't know if the AI would convert them!

FWIW, some players say the CSs with Jake float planes are more valuable than having them convert to CVLs with new, inexperienced squadrons of carrier aircraft.

[Schlussel]

Week 70: April 7th – April 13th 1943
North Pacific:
Base building continues at Amchitka, Umnak and Attu, otherwise no action in this theater.




Central Pacific:
Theater is quiet.




Southern Pacific:
Theater is again quiet.




New Guinea/Solomons:
Despite the Allies best efforts, Japan still manages to sneak in some supply to Rabaul. The responsible ships are sent to the watery depths, but not before they unload some of their vital cargo. Bombardments that used to consistently damage and destroy Japanese squads are now reversed, and it is now the Allies that are suffering losses. Bombardments are suspended until a fix can be implemented. Meanwhile 4EB continue to plaster the defenders, who are without air cover.

The Japanese garrison at Kavieng is still holding out, but the Allied reinforcements have made an impact, with recent attacks knocking the forts down from 4 to 2. A few more assaults should do it.

On the northern coast of New Guinea, Allied forces at Saidor, are still resting up. Supplies are available but their recovery is a little slow. I am in no rush as Allied bombers are keeping the enemy suppressed.

KB is still anchored at Hollandia. Reports consistently indicate approximately 7-8 CV’s with 100F/180B. The damaged DD TF from last week made it to Finschafen and will get patched up before heading to the dry dock in Sydney.




DEI/Philippines:
In the Philippines, all my base are belong to Japan.

In the DEI, Japan continues their intermittent Brunei bombings, but no sign of invasion. Nothing else of note in the region.




SE Asia/China:
Continuing to wear down the Japanese the enemy at Akyab. Deliberate attacks during the week continue to get better odds, increasing up to 11:1 by mid-week. However, fatigue levels for Allied troops also rise, so I stand down for a few days. After recovering, they may be asked to shock attack to eliminate the remaining Japanese quickly (the enemy is out of supply, so risk should be low).
On the coast, the 9th Australian takes Ramree Island easily and engineers start base expansion, I’ll need lots of supplies coming in to support any advance towards Rangoon.

In central Burma, the British Chindit force captures Magwe, and things were looking good. However, I have a bit of an emergency near Myitkyina, as Intel reveals the IJA 54th Inf. Division is inbound. My recon of the area has been pretty lackluster, and although I did see a ground unit advancing toward Myitkyina, I had little info on its composition, and I assumed it was the unit that had retreated from Katha after I took the town. Myitkyina had a minimal garrison, so I employed my C-47s to shuttle the 48th Indian Brigade in. So far about 97 AV has arrived, boosting the cities garrison to 174. The Japanese arrive on the last day of the week and it is revealed they have about 355 AV. My plan is to weather the initial attacks and hopefully they will run out of supply, as my presence at Katha effectively denies them a supply route.

The IJA is also on the move further south, taking a vacant Taung Gyi and cutting my supply line to the Chindits at Magwe and Meiktila. The Japanese timed it just right, as my forces holding the town had just departed, and their replacements were two days away when the Japanese showed up. Once the replacements arrive, I’ll have a better idea of the enemy force that is present.

In China, Chengchow holds amid continued IJA deliberate attacks, however AV is down to 1,100. An exit strategy is being formulated. Japanese bombardments continue at Nanning.




IJN Watch:
-7 CVs (100F/180B) and 2 BB + escorts spotted at Hollandia all week.




Notable Base Captures:
-Emirau Island [New Britain] Occupied by Allies (4/8)
-Ramree Island [Burma] Captured By Allies (4/8)
-Magwe [Burma] Captured by Allies (4/12)




Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 4,157 [+90]
Biggest Losses (#):SBD-3 Dauntless (340), Hurricane IIc (308), F4F-4 Wildcat ( 283)

Japanese: 11,280 [+219]
Biggest Losses (#): G4M1 Betty (2,180), Ki-27b Nate (1,362), Ki-48 Lily (1,074)

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 489 [+7]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CVE Copahee, CVE Nassau, CA Astoria, CA Portland, CA Adelaide, CL Durban, CL Sumatra, CL Java

Japanese: 977 [+17]
Notables: CV Soryu, CVL Shoho, CVL Zuiho, CVE Taiyo, CVE Hosho, BB Kongo, BB Fuso, BB Mutsu, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya, CA Adoba.

Army Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,459 [+92]
Japanese: 5,454 [+124]
A/J Ratio: 1.73 to 1

VP Totals [change]:
Allies: 36,443 [+590]
Japanese: 27,160 [+273]
A/J Ratio: 1.34 to 1




Operation Tropic Thunder
Phase 1A - LAZARUS: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Finschafen – COMPLETE
-Capture Umboi Island – COMPLETE
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hansa Bay - UNDERWAY [Armed Force advancing from Lae have reached Saidor and are attacking, forts are down to zero]

Phase 1B – FOUR LEAF: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Namatanai – COMPLETE
-Capture Kavieng – UNDERWAY [Allied AV advantage is 247:55, Japanese forts down to 2]
-Capture Mussau Island – COMPLETE
-Capture Manus – COMPLETE

Phase 2 – TIGER BALM: March 1943 – April 1943
-Capture/Neutralize Rabaul – UNDERWAY [PAW-4 loading at Noumea, Japanese AV advantage is 1,238:1,212 Forts are at 8]
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hollandia




Other Notes:
-All Japanese ship losses are AKs running supply into Rabaul. Allied patrols catch most of them, but some supply gets to the base. Unfortunately this means it will hold out longer than anticipated.
-The situation in central Burma right now is a bit of a cluster, with both sides attempting to cut off the other. Luckily my Chindit forces are still effective when under-supplied, and my upcoming advance down the Burma coast will definitely help things.

[Bif1961]

Two Junyo class CVs converted Passenger Liners with 53 AC capacity. Available spring and summer of 42.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Two Junyo class CVs converted Passenger Liners with 53 AC capacity. Available spring and summer of 42.

Junyo and Hiyo are already in the building queue without any input by the player, so I was not thinking of those. Are there two others that you are referring to? That would be news to me.

[Bif1961]

He was trying to account for possible Japanese carriers at his stage of the game, he did not include the Junyo class as additions to the Japanese carrier fleet.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

He was trying to account for possible Japanese carriers at his stage of the game, he did not include the Junyo class as additions to the Japanese carrier fleet.

Ah, I overlooked that his count was off - thanks for your patience with my confusion!

[Schlussel]

Week 71: April 14th – April 20th 1943

North Pacific:
Base building continues at Amchitka, Umnak and Attu, otherwise no action in this theater.




Central Pacific:
Theater is quiet.




Southern Pacific:
Sporadic IJAF raids on Tabiteuea, targeting a re-supply convoy unloading in the harbor. All are turned back by CAP without hitting a single ship.




New Guinea/Solomons:
4 EB continue to pummel the poor IJA defenders of Rabaul. Allied ground attacks are suspended for most of the week to allow the infantry to rest up. On the 17th PAW-4 arrives (37th and 42nd Divisions) raising the Allied AV to about 1,650. A deliberate attack is launched on the 20th that gets a 1:2 resulting in about 1,500 casualties on both sides (10 destroyed/150 disabled squads). I’m not expecting to throw the Japanese out yet, just trying to get them to burn supply, fighting and repairing disablements.

The Japanese garrison at Kavieng is still holding out, but forts were reduced to 0 at the end of the week. One more assault should do it.

On the northern coast of New Guinea, Allied forces capture Saidor and advance towards the enemy reported at Madang. In a bid to keep up the pressure, I land a few infantry regiments at Madang. The initial landings go well, but a large LBA raid from Hollandia barely makes it through my LRCAP. Only 3 Bettys squeak through, but all score torpedo hits and two AP’s die a watery death…along with about 1,000 troops. I thought 50 fighters would be enough to protect the amphibs, but I was obviously wrong here. The next day, I add a few squadrons to LRCAP duty, so far seems to have worked. Fatigue is much higher for LRCAP missions, so I have been rotating in fresh squadrons each turn. Even so, fatigue is becoming a problem, and I’m probably gonna have to pull the transports back in a turn or two.

The Japanese also get a shot in on one of my carriers. While escorting the Rabaul reinforcements, an Air Combat TF consisting of Lexington, Saratoga, Victorious, along with 3 CA’s and 4 DD’s is ambushed at night by a 3 ship Destroyer TF. One lucky Japanese ship gets in close and launches three Long Lance torpedoes. Two of them hit CV Victorious, and that was all that was needed to sink her. While I’ve been able to whittle down the number of Japanese Cruisers, this shows their destroyers are still a force to be reckoned with. My TF had a pretty aggressive leader, and I’m assuming that’s why they attacked instead of attempting to retreat from surface combat. To combat this new threat, I have formed a few DD/CA task forces to patrol the areas around my carriers…the thought being that enemy surface forces will tangle with these before getting close to my flattops. I obviously can’t rely on embedded DD’s to protect CVTFs.




DEI/Philippines:
In the Philippines, all my base are belong to Japan.

In the DEI, Japan continues their intermittent Brunei bombings, but no sign of invasion. Nothing else of note in the region.




SE Asia/China:
Continuing to wear down the Japanese the enemy at Akyab. Tried a shock attack and got 11:1 odds. Both sides had about 100 combat squad casualties, the difference was that Japan had about 50% of theirs destroyed, while all of mine were just disabled. I’m encouraged to repeat this, however fatigue skyrocketed after the attack…so the troops rest up for the remainder of the week.

On the coast, the 9th Australian continues developing Ramree Island. The airfield reaches level 1, and P-40’s, Spitfires, and Hurricanes are transferred in. Now that the base can defend itself, development efforts are split between port and airfield expansion. CS Convoys are set up to bring in supply from Chittagong. Further down the coast, a recon unit approaches Prome to check the Japanese defenses in the town.

In central Burma, the British Chindit forces are digging in at Magwe and Meiktila. Taung Gyi and Myitkyina are sites of bombardments, but since force strength is equal, no deliberate attacks are launched by either side.

In China, the retreat begins from Chengchow, as lack of supply has made the town indefensible. The plan is to pull back to the North West to Loyang. Japanese bombardments continue at Nanning.




IJN Watch:
-7 CVs (100F/180B) and 2 BB + escorts spotted at Hollandia all week.




Notable Base Captures:
-Saidor [New Guinea] Captured by Allies (4/18)




Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 4,275 [+118]
Biggest Losses (#):SBD-3 Dauntless (340), Hurricane IIc (324), F4F-4 Wildcat ( 283)

Japanese: 11,559 [+279]
Biggest Losses (#): G4M1 Betty (2,754), Ki-48 Lily (1,647), Ki-27b Nate (1,350)


Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 496 [+7]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CV Victorious, CVE Copahee, CVE Nassau, CA Astoria, CA Portland, CA Adelaide, CL Durban, CL Sumatra, CL Java

Japanese: 999 [+22]
Notables: CV Soryu, CVL Shoho, CVL Zuiho, CVE Taiyo, CVE Hosho, BB Kongo, BB Fuso, BB Mutsu, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya, CA Adoba.


Army Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,567 [+108]
Japanese: 5,538 [+84]
A/J Ratio: 1.73 to 1


VP Totals [change]:
Allies: 37,015 [+572]
Japanese: 27,431 [+271]
A/J Ratio: 1.35 to 1




Operation Tropic Thunder
Phase 1A - LAZARUS: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Finschafen – COMPLETE
-Capture Umboi Island – COMPLETE
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hansa Bay - UNDERWAY [Armed Force has captured Saidor and is advancing toward Madang]

Phase 1B – FOUR LEAF: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Namatanai – COMPLETE
-Capture Kavieng – UNDERWAY [Allied AV advantage is 272:40, Japanese forts down to 0]
-Capture Mussau Island – COMPLETE
-Capture Manus – COMPLETE

Phase 2 – TIGER BALM: March 1943 – April 1943
-Capture/Neutralize Rabaul – UNDERWAY [PAW-4 arrives, Allied AV advantage is 1,659:1,231 Forts are at 8]
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hollandia




Other Notes:
-Like last week, almost all Japanese ship losses are AKs running supply into Rabaul. Allied patrols are better positioned now, and as far as I can tell, none have reached Rabaul with their precious cargo.

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy


Another thing I find about AI controlled convoys is that they somehow "know" about threats ahead of them and start running away, often in the wrong direction. I find this annoying, both because the AI knows there is a threat where there is no SIGINT or visual sighting in the area and because it gets to decide where the convoy should go. Maybe I'm a control freak but I like to make the choice and I want to realistically sail into the unknown.

The AI has saved scores of merchants from my Jap sub raiders by changing course, thus requiring painstaking micromanaging to change the patrol location of the wolf packs- that for most part i fail doing due the realy heavy follow up required.

I'd really need to let the AI control many of the subs, if I had a better experience on its managing. But i am too control-sick unfortunately

Playing Grand Campaign against allied AI.

[adarbrauner]

and i liked very much the map you are using. how did you do that, is it a Mod?

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy


Another thing I find about AI controlled convoys is that they somehow "know" about threats ahead of them and start running away, often in the wrong direction. I find this annoying, both because the AI knows there is a threat where there is no SIGINT or visual sighting in the area and because it gets to decide where the convoy should go. Maybe I'm a control freak but I like to make the choice and I want to realistically sail into the unknown.

The AI has saved scores of merchants from my Jap sub raiders by changing course, thus requiring painstaking micromanaging to change the patrol location of the wolf packs- that for most part i fail doing due the realy heavy follow up required.

I'd really need to let the AI control many of the subs, if I had a better experience on its managing. But i am too control-sick unfortunately

Playing Grand Campaign against allied AI.

Welcome to the thread adarbrauner! Yes I agree, I enjoy the micromanaging as well...why else would we be playing this great game? [:D]

As for the map mod, I am using one of Chemkid's awesome creations. He has his Topo Map project and Yamato Damashii. He has versions for pretty much whatever you prefer (normal/extended map, hex/hexless, etc). Check 'em out!

[Schlussel]

Week 72: April 21st – April 27th 1943
North Pacific:
Base building continues at Amchitka, Umnak and Attu, otherwise no action in this theater.




Central Pacific:
Theater is quiet.




Southern Pacific:
My re-supply convoy has long since departed Tabiteuea, but sporadic IJAF raids continue to target the island. Allied CAP performs admirably.




New Guinea/Solomons:
4 EB continue to pummel the poor IJA defenders of Rabaul. Allied ground attacks resume and engineers bring the forts down from 8 to 7. Grinding them down, slowly but surely.

The Japanese garrison at Kavieng is still holding out. I’m resting up the troops for a final attack.

On the northern coast of New Guinea, the Allied force that landed at Madang last week is picked up and rushed back to the safety of the waters around Umboi Island. IJAF attacks are just too strong to repel with LRCAP. I’ll reform and try again once the Fleet carriers are finished escorting the Rabaul reinforcements. On a brighter note, the Allies capture the hex west of Saidor and advance towards the enemy at Madang.




DEI/Philippines:
In the Philippines, all my base are belong to Japan.

In the DEI, Japan continues their intermittent Brunei bombings, but no sign of invasion. Nothing else of note in the region.




SE Asia/China:
Continuing to wear down the Japanese the enemy at Akyab. Tried a couple deliberate attacks and averaged 21:1 odds, killing about 4,500 enemy troops (100 destroyed/100 disabled enemy squads), while only losing 400 casualties of my own (60 squads, all disabled). With the Japanese losses climbing, the end to their presence at Akyab Island is near.

Further down the coast, the 9th Australian continues developing Ramree Island. Engineers and a base unit are shipped in to assist. IJAF attacks intensify as the week progresses, but so far the local CAP has managed to keep the enemy away from the ships unloading men and material in the port.

In central Burma, the British Chindit forces continue digging in at Magwe and Meiktila. Taung Gyi and Myitkyina are sites of bombardments, but since force strength is equal, no deliberate attacks are launched by either side.

In China, Chengchow is finally abandoned, as lack of supply has made the town indefensible. The starving Chinese defenders make it intact to Loyang, a town with a little better supply situation (but not much) Japanese bombardments continue at Nanning.




IJN Watch:
-7 CVs (100F/180B) and 2 BB + escorts spotted at Hollandia all week.




Notable Base Captures:
-Chengchow [China] captured by Japanese (4/23)





Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 4,373 [+98]
Biggest Losses (#):SBD-3 Dauntless (341), Hurricane IIc (326), F4F-4 Wildcat ( 290)

Japanese: 11,559 [+279]
Biggest Losses (#): G4M1 Betty (3,370), Ki-48 Lily (1,744), Ki-27b Nate (1,411)


Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 503 [+7]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CV Victorious, CVE Copahee, CVE Nassau, CA Astoria, CA Portland, CA Adelaide, CL Durban, CL Sumatra, CL Java

Japanese: 1,010 [+11]
Notables: CV Soryu, CVL Shoho, CVL Zuiho, CVE Taiyo, CVE Hosho, BB Kongo, BB Fuso, BB Mutsu, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya, CA Adoba.


Army Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,756 [+189]
Japanese: 5,661 [+123]
A/J Ratio: 1.72 to 1



VP Totals [change]:
Allies: 37,543 [+528]
Japanese: 27,724 [+293]
A/J Ratio: 1.35 to 1





Operation Tropic Thunder
Phase 1A - LAZARUS: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Finschafen – COMPLETE
-Capture Umboi Island – COMPLETE
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hansa Bay - UNDERWAY [Armed Force has captured Saidor and is advancing toward Madang]

Phase 1B – FOUR LEAF: Nov.1942 – March 1943
-Capture Namatanai – COMPLETE
-Capture Kavieng – UNDERWAY [Allied AV advantage is 310:27, Japanese forts down to 0]
-Capture Mussau Island – COMPLETE
-Capture Manus – COMPLETE

Phase 2 – TIGER BALM: March 1943 – April 1943
-Capture/Neutralize Rabaul – UNDERWAY [Allied AV advantage is 1,276:1,017 Forts are at 7]
-Advance up Northern NG coast to Hollandia




Other Notes:
-With Tropic Thunder winding down, the focus now turns to the Japanese combined fleet at Hollandia and Isolating Truk. Plans are already in motion, details upcoming.

[Schlussel]

**FLASH REPORT April 30, 1943**

**FOR YOUR EYES ONLY**

Content in the transmission describes Allied operation to isolate and neutralize Truk.


Code-name: FORBEARANCE


Plan: With Rabaul neutralized, the next operation will target Truk, the Japanese island fortress in the Central Pacific. The Allies have vowed to take the lessons learned from the Rabaul operation and apply them to this upcoming effort.

Truk is much better suited for defense (Jungle-Rough terrain, and 60K stacking limit) than Rabaul, so Allied high command has opted to bypass the enemy concentration and use multiple flanking movements to render it useless to the Japanese. These movements will also serve to cut off Japanese positions in the Marshal/Gilbert Islands and set the stage for future operations toward the Philippines and the Marianas.





Phase 1A: [May 1943 to August 1943]
-Establish naval blockade of Truk using DD's and submarines.
-Knock out Truk Airfield.


Phase 1B: [May 1943 to July 1943]
-Assault & capture Kusaie.
-Assault & capture Ponape.
-Assault & capture Eniwetok.


Phase 1C: [May 1943 to August 1943]
-Assault & capture Woleai.
-Assault & capture Ulithi.
-Assault & capture Yap.
-Assault & capture Babeldaob.




**END TRANSMISSION**

[Schlussel]

Situation Report – May 1st 1943





Central/North Pacific:

Capital Ships: 1-BB (@Pearl Harbor)

Fuel Reserves: 1,726K @ Pearl Harbor

Near-Term Plans: Continue developing bases in Aleutians.

Long Term Plans: Operation to secure critical bases in Marshalls/Gilberts. 27th, 43rd, and 7th Inf. Divisions are prepping for Tarawa, Kwajalein, and Roi Namur respectively.







New Guinea/Solomons:


Capital Ships: 5-CV, 6-CVE, 1-CVL, 12-BB

Fuel Reserves:
989K @ Noumea
223K @ Milne Bay
5K @ Sydney

Near-Term Plans: Capture Rabaul. Move up northern New Guinea coast towards Hollandia.

Long Term Plans: Advance up the New Guinea Coast towards Philippines. Isolate Truk and develop bases to be used as launch points for Marianas Invasion.







SE Asia/China:


Capital Ships: 4-BB (@Colombo)

Fuel Reserves: 1,387K @ Colombo

Near-Term Plans: Advance down Burma coast towards Rangoon. Chindit Raid in Central Burma to isolate/capture Mandalay.

Long Term Plans: Isolate/capture Rangoon.






Base Status:

Akyab:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 8.29 (+0.30)
Supplies: 62K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Amchitka:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 6.96 (+0.45)
Supplies: 2K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Attu:
Port Size: 2.91 (+0.22)
Airfield Size: 3.11 (+0.20)
Supplies: 4K (41 Weeks of normal operations)

Buka:
Port Size: 1.65 (+0.30)
Airfield Size: 3.70 (+0.36)
Supplies: 28K (18 Weeks of normal operations)

Buna:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 8.64 (+0.27)
Supplies: 71K (9 Weeks of normal operations)

Finschafen:
Port Size: 5.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 6.00 (MAX)
Supplies: 5K (3 Weeks of normal operations)

Kavieng:
Port Size: 4.00
Airfield Size: 6.00
Supplies: 11K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Lae:
Port Size: 2.00 (+0.00)
Airfield Size: 5.24 (+0.74)
Supplies: 2K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Lunga:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 7.98 (+0.16)
Supplies: 25K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Milne Bay:
Port Size: 5.34 (+0.34)
Airfield Size: 6.57 (+0.30)
Supplies: 155K (33 Weeks of normal operations)

Manus:
Port Size: 3.32
Airfield Size: 2.90
Supplies: 86K (37 Weeks of normal operations)

Mussau:
Port Size: 3.26 (+0.52)
Airfield Size: 5.66 (+0.68)
Supplies: 22K (7 Weeks of normal operations)

Myitkyina:
Port Size: N/A
Airfield Size: 4.38 (+0.25)
Supplies: 5K (3 Weeks of normal operations)

Pago-Pago:
Port Size: 3.54 (+0.12)
Airfield Size: 6.10 (+0.08)
Supplies: 5K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Ramree Island:
Port Size: 0.84 (+0.84)
Airfield Size: 2.14 (+2.14)
Supplies: 6K (3 Weeks of normal operations)

Tabiteuea:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 6.00 (MAX)
Supplies: 50K (25 Weeks of normal operations)

Tulagi:
Port Size: 6.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 5.00 (MAX)
Supplies: 155K (150+ Weeks of normal operations)

Umboi Island:
Port Size: 4.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 7.00 (+0.46)
Supplies: 22K (3 Weeks of normal operations)

Umnak:
Port Size: 3.00 (MAX)
Airfield Size: 7.01 (+0.89)
Supplies: 7K (30 Weeks of normal operations)

[jmalter]

5k fuel @ Sydney, 2k supply @ Lae, 4k supply @ Attu? These are subsistence/starvation levels of supply. If you're serious about defending & developing forward bases, they need >20k supply to adequately support their airgroups.

Ou, I say, ou sont les supply convoys d'antan?
</foghorn leghorn voice>

I'm glad to see your development efforts in the Aleutians, note that Attu can only rise to airfield lvl 4, inadequate to support a 4E LBA effort against Paramushiro. You need to build Shemya & Agattu to lvl 5, so your LB-30 bombers can deliver full ordnance against Paramushiro-jima.

Your recent post listed a bunch of bases, all seem to be furiously building their facilities, but most are inadequately supplied. You provide no info of their fortifications, combat strength, air support, or airgroups. Where are your advance fleet bases & auxiliaries (AS, AE, AKE, AR, AD, ARD, AVP) located? All I can tell is that you've got nearly 1m fuel at Noumea, so I assume it's a major fleet hub - but ain't it time to move those assets north to Tulagi, & get some of that fuel to Oz?

A-and how's your pilot training program doing?

[Schlussel]

Dangnabbit jmalter, I say, I say, nothing gets by you does it?[:D] Seriously though, I appreciate the questions, responding to them really helps my learning process.

ORIGINAL: jmalter

5k fuel @ Sydney, 2k supply @ Lae, 4k supply @ Attu? These are subsistence/starvation levels of supply. If you're serious about defending & developing forward bases, they need >20k supply to adequately support their airgroups.

Agree with you on Sydney, I just don't have enough TK's to go around (due to my self-imposed rule about not using AK's to ship fuel). Currently all I have is a CS convoy (4 ships + escort -> 20K fuel capacity) shuttling fuel in from Noumea. Basically it is keeping up with usage, but just barely. I'm debating temporarily turning Sydney's HI off to reduce fuel consumption for a bit, as supply is doing alright in Australia (2.5 mil in Sydney and growing).

As for Lae's supply, I have CS convoys running, but the level 2 port there is making unloading painfully slow. Actually the 2K supply is 4x the weekly consumption, so it should be okay for now....but I agree it needs to be increased if I want to use it as a forward base. Currently I have enough other airfields in the area to support air ops, and the rapidly moving frontline may make Lae relatively unimportant soon enough.

ORIGINAL: jmalter

I'm glad to see your development efforts in the Aleutians, note that Attu can only rise to airfield lvl 4, inadequate to support a 4E LBA effort against Paramushiro. You need to build Shemya & Agattu to lvl 5, so your LB-30 bombers can deliver full ordnance against Paramushiro-jima.

Good points! I have put together a few transport TFs, and they wil be picking up engineering units and delivering them to the bases you identified.

ORIGINAL: jmalter
Your recent post listed a bunch of bases, all seem to be furiously building their facilities, but most are inadequately supplied. You provide no info of their fortifications, combat strength, air support, or airgroups. Where are your advance fleet bases & auxiliaries (AS, AE, AKE, AR, AD, ARD, AVP) located? All I can tell is that you've got nearly 1m fuel at Noumea, so I assume it's a major fleet hub - but ain't it time to move those assets north to Tulagi, & get some of that fuel to Oz?

I use that list of bases to mostly check status of their supply and identify trends (I don't use tracker at the moment). In the next few days I should have some time to put together a quick rundown on the items you listed. In addition, I have a new supply map (did a bit of an overhaul on my supply routes to ease congestion @ Noumea).

ORIGINAL: jmalter

A-and how's your pilot training program doing?

Pilot training is going especially well for the US army, as there are lots of restricted US Army air units that can't be bought out in the US (they have nothing better to do but train, train, and train some more). I have about 600 pilots in the US Army reserve pool. The fighter reserve makes up the lions share of the US Army pool (247 are 50-59 EXP, 102 are 60-69 EXP, 27 are 70-79 EXP, and 19 are above 80 exp). The US Marine fighter reserve is also good, with about 100 pilots evenly distributed amongst the 4 experience groups mentioned above. All the other reserve groups are pretty bare, but there doesn't seem to be many training groups available. What I have been doing is training newly arrived groups till their EXP gets to about 50 and then doing the ol' baptism by fire...putting them in mostly 0 range CAP missions to increase survivability. Once these guys become seasoned (70+ EXP), I will take out about 10 pilots from the group and transfer them into newly arrived units. So far this has allowed me to ship newly arrived squadrons right to the front-lines, but hasn't allowed a reserve pool to be built up quite yet. (With the exception of the army fighters, which have have seen most of the combat so far).

[Schlussel]

New (and hopefully improved) Supply Map:

I added a direct route from US West Coast to Noumea to relieve congestion at PH. Most supply will now unload @ Shortlands to facilitate support at the front and free up Noumea to mostly handle incoming troops. Also added a direct supply route to Ramree in Burma to support the drive on Rangoon.





SW Pacific Base Update:

Status of main Allied bases in the theater. Once captured, Rabaul will be the main fleet base while Manus and Mussau will serve as forward bases for surface ships and subs respectively.






SE Asia Base Update:

Status of main Allied bases in the theater. Ramree will support the thrust south towards Prome/Rangoon. Currently most forces are marching from Akyab after vanquishing the Japanese there.

[cwemyss]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

Situation Report – May 1st 1942

SE Asia/China:
Surface Forces: 2-CV , 2-BB, 9-CA, 4-DD (@Colombo)
Fuel Reserves: 237K @ Colombo

Sorry to dredge up an old post... I'm reading your AAR from the beginning. I got the game for Christmas, working through shorter scenarios before starting a GC, and reading AARs. Yours is excellent, thanks for posting.

To my question: I love the look of this map. What art/visual mid are you using?

Follow up: do you lose some vital information on terrain types? Jungle vs clear vs other, that sort of thing.

Follow up to the follow up: What map and art mods are other folks using?