The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

Just to make sure I have it down: VII Amphib Force is loaded on AGC Rocky Mount in an Amphibious TF (Call it TF A) that includes a few escorts. TF A is set to "Do Not Unload" and is following (and in the same hex as) TF B, which is a big amphibious TF with assault troops. TF A remains in the hex with the amphibious TF during unloading operations.

[Canoerebel]

It's encouraging to see you guys guessing from Hokkaido to Luzon to Vietnam.

Eventually, guesses are going to expand to include Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Malaysia and China.

The targets were selected about three months ago and prep is advanced. But if last-minute intel shows the targets are heavily defended, I can divert to other places. I've done enough recon to know that there are lots of holes in John's defenses, in just about every sector. "Holes" means vacant or weakly defended bases that don't require high preparation.

But things look good for the primary targets at the moment.

[paullus99]

I believe John is well and truly screwed - he's looking for another big tactical battle, but this isn't Sumatra from the last go-round....your troops are significantly better, plus you have a solid advantage in your fleet strength (particularly carriers).

Based on what I know of this mod and what John lost, his current carrier strength should be no more than a dozen real carriers....which should be easily swamped by what you are bringing to the party.

I await the outcome of your strategic move.

[Canoerebel]

If Fun House comes off as well as Big Tent, I'm going to have a large network of bases closer to John's vitals than Big Tent is.

I don't think he can sit back, as he did with Big Tent, to see what might happen. He'll have to commit his carriers and combat ships to have any chance at stopping the invasion. He'll have to do it even though he knows the odds are not in his favor. Undoubtedly, he'll look for a place where he can commit his carriers in proximity to his LBA, so that's where I'll have to be the most careful.

My priorities are to (1) defeat the Japanese navy, (2) attend to security of Allied combat and merchant ships en route, and (3) successfully implement the amphibious operations.

So the highest priority remains John's fleet.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Just to make sure I have it down: VII Amphib Force is loaded on AGC Rocky Mount in an Amphibious TF (Call it TF A) that includes a few escorts. TF A is set to "Do Not Unload" and is following (and in the same hex as) TF B, which is a big amphibious TF with assault troops. TF A remains in the hex with the amphibious TF during unloading operations.

That is correct. You have the option to stay one hex away (the command range of the Amphib Force HQ) if you want to sweep mines first before sending in the AGC. The mines are usually close to shore so the AGC rarely hits one anyway.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Just to make sure I have it down: VII Amphib Force is loaded on AGC Rocky Mount in an Amphibious TF (Call it TF A) that includes a few escorts. TF A is set to "Do Not Unload" and is following (and in the same hex as) TF B, which is a big amphibious TF with assault troops. TF A remains in the hex with the amphibious TF during unloading operations.

Yes. I would not set it to follow on the day of, however, and given them both the destination manually.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Just to make sure I have it down: VII Amphib Force is loaded on AGC Rocky Mount in an Amphibious TF (Call it TF A) that includes a few escorts. TF A is set to "Do Not Unload" and is following (and in the same hex as) TF B, which is a big amphibious TF with assault troops. TF A remains in the hex with the amphibious TF during unloading operations.

That is correct. You have the option to stay one hex away (the command range of the Amphib Force HQ) if you want to sweep mines first before sending in the AGC. The mines are usually close to shore so the AGC rarely hits one anyway.

I am fairly certain that for the AGC-based unloading bonus, you must be in the same hex.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Just to make sure I have it down: VII Amphib Force is loaded on AGC Rocky Mount in an Amphibious TF (Call it TF A) that includes a few escorts. TF A is set to "Do Not Unload" and is following (and in the same hex as) TF B, which is a big amphibious TF with assault troops. TF A remains in the hex with the amphibious TF during unloading operations.

That is correct. You have the option to stay one hex away (the command range of the Amphib Force HQ) if you want to sweep mines first before sending in the AGC. The mines are usually close to shore so the AGC rarely hits one anyway.

I am fairly certain that for the AGC-based unloading bonus, you must be in the same hex.

Yes!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



That is correct. You have the option to stay one hex away (the command range of the Amphib Force HQ) if you want to sweep mines first before sending in the AGC. The mines are usually close to shore so the AGC rarely hits one anyway.

I am fairly certain that for the AGC-based unloading bonus, you must be in the same hex.

Yes!

I tried to find the info in the manual and could not, but I have held the AGC one hex offshore and seemed to get the benefit. Is there a source for the yes/no answer?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna




I am fairly certain that for the AGC-based unloading bonus, you must be in the same hex.

Yes!

I tried to find the info in the manual and could not, but I have held the AGC one hex offshore and seemed to get the benefit. Is there a source for the yes/no answer?

Michael. It must be in the same hex (in a TF I believe, but since we are talking about invasions that point never came up). It benefits all the TF in the hex.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs



Yes!

I tried to find the info in the manual and could not, but I have held the AGC one hex offshore and seemed to get the benefit. Is there a source for the yes/no answer?

Michael. It must be in the same hex (in a TF I believe, but since we are talking about invasions that point never came up). It benefits all the TF in the hex.

If you want, I could dig up the thread, maybe. I looked for it about 4-5 months ago I think because I wanted the specifics. I got them, and it was pretty clear that the AGC + HQm had to be in the same hex.

If you want to use an empty AGC (empty!) it will help out the TF that it is in, but not as much as an AGC + HQm that is fully prepped in the same hex.



The Allies really should get more HQm's. They only get 3. That is not enough to counteract the crappy planning mechanism.

[Canoerebel]

3/20/44

DEI: Vortex on steroids. See map. I like all this activity, even though Celebes is painful.

Fun House: Some TFs are underway (on schedule) and many others leave various ports tonight and tomorrow. The main thing is that the slowest TFs (LSTs) are getting a heads start so that the faster TFs can catch up, thus speeding up things a bit.

The two carriers finish upgrades in four days. Then things get really, really busy. But most of the clicking is done now, thank goodness.

[Nomad]

Given how much CR has embarked, I say first Iwo, then Okinawa, and then Formosa.

[Anachro]

It's an early Operation Olympic! [:D]

[paullus99]

If it's not Tokyo Bay, I'll be disappointed (though only a little, since I'm sure the real target is going to be just as juicy).

[Encircled]

Luzon is my guess

[Canoerebel]

3/21/44

Celebes: 19th IJA Div. bombarded at Makassar and Musashi TF bombarded. My troops are badly beat up and should fall to a shock attack tomorrow (I think that's what John will do). Most of the HQ unit has been lifted out. 2nd IJA Tank Div. confirmed at Celebes. Watampone is two hexes from Makassar, so it'll take John a week to re-orient his units. By then, Death Star should be in the Gulf of Carpentaria bearing NW towards Celebes.

DEI: John's probing with ships on the north side, near Sorong, and with subs here and there. The cat has gotten ahold of catnip and is feeling frisky.

SigInt: looks good, to me.

Burma: Allied bombings continue unopposed. 70th Div. evaporated a few days ago; 59th will be gone in a few more days; 12th is in bad shape but not cornered yet. 33rd is at Toungoo and beaten up a bit. 18th is at Prome and I'm watching to see where it goes next.

Fun House: Nearly all troop loading is complete. Most of the ships have left port, though I'm still trying to pick up little fragments to get them going before the two upgrading CVs are ready in three days. 3rd Australian Paratroop TF has caught up to the pack (it left Kodiak a long, long time ago; I didn't think it would make it in time, but the upgrading delay worked to their favor). 2nd Marine Div. TF safely made it to a port that provides CAP. It's now awaiting Death Star and will join Fun House. It's 51% prepped for the same target that the Australian 'chutes are 45% prepped for. But theirs is a remote target that won't be under attack for awhile yet.

NoPac: Rocky Mountain Ranger Battalion upgraded at Adak, from militia to '43 Canadian squads. I had five naval construction regiments at Adak since the invasion last June, but forts are only 5.5. I looked into this more carefully and learned that none of the regiments had engineer vehicles. They upgraded today and forts jumped .15. It'll reach six in a week or less.

[Bif1961]

I have been to Cathrine Furnance. So let me offer a guess, Northern Luzon and Formosa. General Homma held on in Nothern Luzon for several months and awaited the end of the war there, seems you can do the same thing while it easily provides you bases to conduct and support air ops on the southern edge of your Formosa operation. It also is the vital Choke point between the Home Islands and thier last few producing oil fields. You will be splitting the Empire in half.

[Canoerebel]

3/22/44

Celebes: 19th IJA Div. wipes out the Allied army at Makassar. Unless John decides not to go full force after Watampone an Palapo, his Celebes army is going to still be engaged as Fun House unfolds. It's an interesting and complicated situation in which tactical, operational and strategic interests may be widely divergent. Let's ee.

Fun House: Most assets are now moving forward in good order. The key to the movement will be those last wo carriers. They'll be ready to sail in two days.

Burma and Vietnam: Details on map to follow this post.

[Canoerebel]

Burma and Vietnam