The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[HansBolter]

I respectfully disagree.

If the atoll has a high fort level the engineers are essential in the first wave.

If you can't get odds to reduce the fort without engineers, you are also likely looking at a failed SA, which means you really, really need that first assault to at least succeed in reducing the forts.

I prep at least a combat engineer battalion, if not a regiment along with my division, tank battalion and artillery battalion for the first wave.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

I respectfully disagree.

If the atoll has a high fort level the engineers are essential in the first wave.

If you can't get odds to reduce the fort without engineers, you are also likely looking at a failed SA, which means you really, really need that first assault to at least succeed in reducing the forts.

I prep at least a combat engineer battalion, if not a regiment along with my division, tank battalion and artillery battalion for the first wave.

This is contrary to what I have seen - combat engineers do not get much fort reduction done in a SA but often suffer severe casualties. And I have similar force makeup to yours. I expect the first SA to fail if the forts are high, but I get lots of replacement infantry and few replacement CEs. Anyway, would be nice to hear other's experience but this should be in the War Room or main forum rather than continuing in this AAR. I am confident Canoerebel will take appropriate action in accordance with his own experiences - I just wanted to mention a way to minimize CE losses initially in case he has not thought about it with all the brain frying organization he has to do.

[Canoerebel]

I do appreciate the heads up. It'll give me something to chew on as I finalize targets, etc.

The targets are set and prep is mostly high, but the op has flexibility too. If John strongly reinforces at the last minute, I'll divert elsewhere. He has lots of troops in lots of places, but he has lots of holes, too. That can't be helped to an extent - he can't garrison everything - but there's a flaw in his defenses that he overlooked and that was in his control.

All combat troops commence boarding ships tonight. That's a day early, but I need to get troops aboard ship in order to see what's still at each base, what I haven't accounted for, and what ship capacity I have left. I felt immensely better once I entered the orders.

[Canoerebel]

3/19/44

The PTO is a swirling, violent vortex. See map for details.

[JeffroK]

Possible hint for the next big invasion.

From Day 1, build up the bases on all Hawaiian islands, gives you at least 4 big ports which you can enhance with Naval Support.

I reckon the target is Iwo Jima, from memory you have intended to invade 2-3 times and "retargeted" your attacks.

[BillBrown]

Iwo Jima is not enough for the armada he has. I think Okinawa.

[Lokasenna]

Why even land on atolls at this point?

[Canoerebel]

Question 1: I have fighter groups that are carrier capable but don't say "carrier trained." Should I be using them on carriers?

Question 2: I have VII Amphibious Force on AGC Rocky Mountain. Okay, where the heck does the ship go now? Does it go into a TF of its own (amphibious, "Do Not Unload") or does it go into the amphibious TF that's assaulting the targeted beach (and the AI knows the Force HQ remains aboard ship)? Or something else? It's been about eight years since I used one of these critters, so I've forgotten some of the details.

Comment 1: I just spent 200 PP changing out TF commanders, especially the important merchant TFs. Some of those guys had naval ratings in the teens. But some of my most important TFs didn't offer the chance to change out commander - there was only the one commander when I tried to pull up the screen of possibilities. Ouch!

Comment 2: John is pretty jazzed. I'm guessing it's mostly because of Celebes but partly because he knows something is up.

Comment 3: Fun House is very close to getting underway. Two carriers need five more days, but the rest of the fleet probably gets a head start beginning in two days. Good! Let's get this show on the road so that the click-fest can finally come to an end.

[Canoerebel]

I think Fun House exceeds 1,000 ships of all types, 40 carriers, eight or nine complete divisions + additional equivalents, and at least 150,000 men, maybe 200,000+. So it isn't an invasion of just an atoll or two, as Lokasenna points out.

[Canoerebel]

JeffK, right you are. I built Hilo large, so Fun House has used both Pearl and Hilo to good effect. But it would be nice to have Lihue and another base too.

[Lovejoy]

I'm a very new face around here, and I hope it's not impertientent for me to venture a guess as to the target of Fun House. I've been reading aars trying to learn and this aar has been a thrill! Based on the size of your force, I think you're going to hit something hard and take multiple bases at once. That means a large target or a large chain of targets. The Philippines seems unlikely, as you might have tried to stage such an invasion from Australia. Burma and anything in the DEI seems highly unlikely. Since you're using Hawaii as a staging area, that seems to indicate central or north pacific. I venture that we might see a "Hokkaido Hurricane". Unless the reply to JeffK meant that we will see Objective Iwo Jima

[Canoerebel]

Thanks for reading, Lovejoy. Glad you're enjoying the game.

In my previous game against John III (this was WitP around 2008), I invaded Hokkaido massively in December 1943. That turned out to be a bloody, crazy, wild ride that led to Allied victory.

And Hokkaido was the target for the Allied invasion in NoPac in June 1943 in this game, but I diverted at the last minute to the Aleutians.

So there is precedent for your hunch.

[Canoerebel]

You gents should have a hard time guessing where Fun House is going, although the possibilities aren't limitless at this point in the game.

Everything I've said about Fun House has been true ... but I haven't given the whole truth. And sometimes, truth in the absence of the whole truth can be misleading.

This was necessary in this case because I had a problem. It was the same problem that Stonewall Jackson faced on May 2, 1863. He had his Corps strung out on a flanking march. At one point - a landmark known as Catherine Furnace - the long line of II Corps would pass close to the Union lines. He detached a regiment to form a skirmish line near the furnace, and asked JEB Stuart to personally see to it's deployment.

The regiment chosen for that assignment was the 23r Georgia Infantry. The officer in command of that regiment was Col. Emory F. Best. His photo, which serves as my avatar, was taken a few weeks later, while he was a prisoner of war in Baltimore.

For the past seven weeks, I've feared a repeat of Catherine Furnace or worse. Thus I felt it best to stick to the truth, but not provide the whole truth.

We'll see if it works out better for me than it did for Emory Best (and Stonewall Jackson, who was mortally wounded later that day).
But

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Question 1: I have fighter groups that are carrier capable but don't say "carrier trained." Should I be using them on carriers?

Question 2: I have VII Amphibious Force on AGC Rocky Mountain. Okay, where the heck does the ship go now? Does it go into a TF of its own (amphibious, "Do Not Unload") or does it go into the amphibious TF that's assaulting the targeted beach (and the AI knows the Force HQ remains aboard ship)? Or something else? It's been about eight years since I used one of these critters, so I've forgotten some of the details.

Comment 1: I just spent 200 PP changing out TF commanders, especially the important merchant TFs. Some of those guys had naval ratings in the teens. But some of my most important TFs didn't offer the chance to change out commander - there was only the one commander when I tried to pull up the screen of possibilities. Ouch!

Comment 2: John is pretty jazzed. I'm guessing it's mostly because of Celebes but partly because he knows something is up.

Comment 3: Fun House is very close to getting underway. Two carriers need five more days, but the rest of the fleet probably gets a head start beginning in two days. Good! Let's get this show on the road so that the click-fest can finally come to an end.

1) Yes, if you have space.

2) TF of its own, same hex, do not unload. It must remain on the ship. A quirk of these is you can load them instantly in a port (a la aircraft units) without having to wait for it to resolve during the turn. Dock the TF, load the units, undock the TF, and cancel loading. You can verify that it's fully there by clicking on the unit in the ship. I suspect this is unique to this particular HQ, perhaps on purpose.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You gents should have a hard time guessing where Fun House is going, although the possibilities aren't limitless at this point in the game.

Everything I've said about Fun House has been true ... but I haven't given the whole truth. And sometimes, truth in the absence of the whole truth can be misleading.

This was necessary in this case because I had a problem. It was the same problem that Stonewall Jackson faced on May 2, 1863. He had his Corps strung out on a flanking march. At one point - a landmark known as Catherine Furnace - the long line of II Corps would pass close to the Union lines. He detached a regiment to form a skirmish line near the furnace, and asked JEB Stuart to personally see to it's deployment.

The regiment chosen for that assignment was the 23r Georgia Infantry. The officer in command of that regiment was Col. Emory F. Best. His photo, which serves as my avatar, was taken a few weeks later, while he was a prisoner of war in Baltimore.

For the past seven weeks, I've feared a repeat of Catherine Furnace or worse. Thus I felt it best to stick to the truth, but not provide the whole truth.

We'll see if it works out better for me than it did for Emory Best (and Stonewall Jackson, who was mortally wounded later that day).
But

I've vacillated between thoughts that you're going for Luzon or upper Indochina. Luzon is more points, Indochina is potentially easier for you to use and cut off the belly of the beast (although Luzon does help accomplish the latter, it's somewhat vulnerable for a while).

[CaptBeefheart]

I was originally thinking Marianas, as that would put you in B-29 range, but perhaps that's not dramatic enough. Also, four combat loaded divisions probably wouldn't buy much real estate in those parts. That leaves Luzon and/or Formosa, which offer plenty of possible invasion sites which are not likely to be well garrisoned. And yet, it sounds like you won't have all of your CV/CVL/CVE assets in the herd, which argues for something closer to home like Hokkaido. Either way, the operation will no doubt live up to its name.

I'd put that AGC in the Amphibious TF headed for the base that the VII Amph Force is prepping for. VII Force won't unload (I think it remains onboard until the base is taken), but it will help everything in that TF unload faster. I'm sure you know this, but I'd put a high land skill TF commander in charge of your crucial Amph TFs. That will also help them unload faster.

Cheers,
CC

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Question 1: I have fighter groups that are carrier capable but don't say "carrier trained." Should I be using them on carriers?

Question 2: I have VII Amphibious Force on AGC Rocky Mountain. Okay, where the heck does the ship go now? Does it go into a TF of its own (amphibious, "Do Not Unload") or does it go into the amphibious TF that's assaulting the targeted beach (and the AI knows the Force HQ remains aboard ship)? Or something else? It's been about eight years since I used one of these critters, so I've forgotten some of the details.

Comment 1: I just spent 200 PP changing out TF commanders, especially the important merchant TFs. Some of those guys had naval ratings in the teens. But some of my most important TFs didn't offer the chance to change out commander - there was only the one commander when I tried to pull up the screen of possibilities. Ouch!

Comment 2: John is pretty jazzed. I'm guessing it's mostly because of Celebes but partly because he knows something is up.

Comment 3: Fun House is very close to getting underway. Two carriers need five more days, but the rest of the fleet probably gets a head start beginning in two days. Good! Let's get this show on the road so that the click-fest can finally come to an end.

Q1. Yes - they will operate nearly as efficiently as Carrier Trained units.
Q2. To prevent it unloading set it in a separate TF set to Do Not Unload, then set it to follow the main landing TF at 0 hexes.

C.1 You probably did not see an alternative commander for that TF because you used up most of your PP and all the commanders that might have been available were too expensive for your PP wallet.

C.2 John's recent deployments indicate he thinks you will extend your DEI enclave to Java or Mindanao. I think he will be surprised. [:)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You gents should have a hard time guessing where Fun House is going, although the possibilities aren't limitless at this point in the game.

Everything I've said about Fun House has been true ... but I haven't given the whole truth. And sometimes, truth in the absence of the whole truth can be misleading.

This was necessary in this case because I had a problem. It was the same problem that Stonewall Jackson faced on May 2, 1863. He had his Corps strung out on a flanking march. At one point - a landmark known as Catherine Furnace - the long line of II Corps would pass close to the Union lines. He detached a regiment to form a skirmish line near the furnace, and asked JEB Stuart to personally see to it's deployment.

The regiment chosen for that assignment was the 23r Georgia Infantry. The officer in command of that regiment was Col. Emory F. Best. His photo, which serves as my avatar, was taken a few weeks later, while he was a prisoner of war in Baltimore.

For the past seven weeks, I've feared a repeat of Catherine Furnace or worse. Thus I felt it best to stick to the truth, but not provide the whole truth.

We'll see if it works out better for me than it did for Emory Best (and Stonewall Jackson, who was mortally wounded later that day).
But

I've vacillated between thoughts that you're going for Luzon or upper Indochina. Luzon is more points, Indochina is potentially easier for you to use and cut off the belly of the beast (although Luzon does help accomplish the latter, it's somewhat vulnerable for a while).

My bet is on Marcus Is. (since KB is in the DEI now), Daito Shoto, Okinawa, Taiwan, and maybe Pescadores. Then grab as many of the islands from Amami Oshima to Taiwan as you can, including Batan Island and Itbayat Is. above Luzon. That is too many places for the number of units likely available, but as in your last operation you can take them or not depending on balance of forces and ability of troops to redeploy quickly (fatigue/disruption etc. permitting).

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You gents should have a hard time guessing where Fun House is going, although the possibilities aren't limitless at this point in the game.

Okinawa.

[Itdepends]

Its too big a force for a single island a definitely not an atoll. The target needs to be large enough to offer sufficient airfields to be mutually supporting or they can be suppressed too easily. Assuming that the marianas are still in Japanese hands, Taiwan would be too isolated. The southern Phillipines or Luzon is my guess.