Sardaukar's Newbie Tutorial AAR for Newbies (vs. IJ AI)

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Always remember one thing:

"If place is worth invading, it is worth invading with a lot".

Makin will (after a delay) establish US air cover in area and will be stepping point to roll up to Marshalls.

I might also add Tank Bn and Inf reg. First will go with assault, second is "floating reserve".

"The maximum use of force is in no way incompatible with the simultaneous use of the intellect."
-Carl v. Clausewitz

IIRC Makin has a stacking limit of 30,000, so the Japanese could have a lot of troops there. All the units you show prepping are small ones and we know that they do not do well in sustained fighting. I would definitely want the tanks, at least an Infantry Regiment, some Combat Engineers for the forts, and an Artillery Unit. If you figure he might bomb your troops, landing an AA unit is also a good thing before your air cover retires.
Of course good recon of the enemy is essential to getting the right force there.

PS - Three divisions at PH not prepping for other targets yet? Are you concerned about an invasion there in 1943?

Taking it slow. [8D]

It's just a start of "invasion phase". Bringing in more troops etc. I kind of like that my Marines will take brunt in Marshalls. 1944 will be more interesting.

I'll see what Japan has in Makin by..well..hammering it now that my slow BBs have repaired.I have 8 to use.

[Sardaukar]

Made a stupid mistake not to check... Midway, my main submarine base, Is almost out of fuel...

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Made a stupid mistake not to check... Midway, my main submarine base, Is almost out of fuel...

Been there ... done that ... many times and many bases! [:D]

[Sardaukar]

I have 4 main sub bases: Darwin, Brisbane (also repair base for Darwin subs), Midway and Adak.

Darwin takes care of DEI and Philippines. Brisbane (all S-boats) New Guinea and such. Midway and Adak are for Japan.

Since this is DaBigBabes, bringing ARD to Adak. Helps a lot.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Adm Mitcher with Enterprise, Yorktown and Hornet, is still covering reinforcements to Horn I.Unloading is slow, despite having AKs. For some reason, Torres Strait Bn refuses to take replacements even when supplies are plenty.

The AKs have a fairly large capacity so unless Horn Island has a built up port they can take a long time to unload.

I would check the pools of Australian AIF squads. If the Aussie units have been active the pools drain fairly quickly.
Also, units at small sized bases don't take replacements as frequently as large size bases, even if supply is good.

I have 4 AUS AIF divisions on map (6th, 7th, 8th and 9th)...so pool is bad. I didn't have heart to leave 8th into Singapore, so sent it to Port Moresby. Since I really wanted to keep it, also released 5th and sent that too. Which was good, since AI came in with force.

[Sardaukar]

Save updated to May 14 1943.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z12mgjeobg0gi ... 3.pws?dl=0

CAVEAT! This will be save for slot 3, so if you have something else there (and most would), please save first somewhere else (e.g. desktop etc.). Then rename the file e.g. wpae025.pws or some other free slot you have. This will avoid you accidentally overwriting your own save game.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Made a stupid mistake not to check... Midway, my main submarine base, Is almost out of fuel...

Been there ... done that ... many times and many bases! [:D]

CS convoys are your logisical best friend.

[Sardaukar]

On the way to Bombard Port Blair, one ship in VADM Somerville's TF gets hit by torpedo.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Little Andaman at 41,57

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 3
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire, Torpedo hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp


CA Dorshetshire has 34 flotation, but almost already at Colombo.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Made a stupid mistake not to check... Midway, my main submarine base, Is almost out of fuel...

Been there ... done that ... many times and many bases! [:D]

CS convoys are your logisical best friend.

Since I check my submarine bases every time, don't use CS convoy with those ones. And I am still bit short of TKs...just didn't notice lack of fuel. Managed to get AO Neosho there in time from PH, so no disruption of operation.

[Sardaukar]

Bangkok captured!

Ground combat at Bangkok (56,62)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 100441 troops, 1235 guns, 1557 vehicles, Assault Value = 2941

Defending force 32128 troops, 285 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 101

Allied adjusted assault: 1330

Japanese adjusted defense: 339

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Bangkok !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
11656 casualties reported
Squads: 233 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 631 destroyed, 169 disabled
Engineers: 158 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 167 (155 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 71 (71 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 18

Allied ground losses:
670 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
268th Motorised Brigade
6th Australian Division
26th Indian Division
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
7th Australian Division
17th Indian Division
23rd Indian Division
150th RAC Regiment
75th IAC Regiment
29th British Brigade
25th Indian Division
2nd British Division
9th Australian Division
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
168 RAF Base Force

Defending units:
124th Infantry Regiment
53rd Division
2nd RTA Division
7th Field Construction Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
23rd AA Regiment
3rd Air Army
6th Ship Engineer Regiment
3rd Fleet
Royal Thai Army
58th Construction Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
39th Field Const Co
32nd Field AA Battalion
110th Ship Eng Coy
4th JNAF AF Unit
Thai Aviation Coy
86th JAAF AF Coy

[Sardaukar]

Plus...first Essex CV just arrived. And F6F Hellcats are starting to equip my other CVs.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



Been there ... done that ... many times and many bases! [:D]

CS convoys are your logisical best friend.

Since I check my submarine bases every time, don't use CS convoy with those ones. And I am still bit short of TKs...just didn't notice lack of fuel. Managed to get AO Neosho there in time from PH, so no disruption of operation.

Understand and appreciate the tanker shortage. Even under those circumstances I advocate a single tanker TF with a single escort set as a CS convoy along with a single medium legged xAK.
This would be sufficient to keep the submarine base flush with adequate supply and fuel.

I would do that for any base I would use as a hub.

[Sardaukar]

Next is to start bombardment of Makin. I have 4 CVs in PH (one Brit).

We'll see how that goes. There seems to be quite a few Betties in Marshalls. But now, no shortage of slow BBs.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

ORIGINAL: HansBolter




CS convoys are your logisical best friend.

Since I check my submarine bases every time, don't use CS convoy with those ones. And I am still bit short of TKs...just didn't notice lack of fuel. Managed to get AO Neosho there in time from PH, so no disruption of operation.

Understand and appreciate the tanker shortage. Even under those circumstances I advocate a single tanker TF with a single escort set as a CS convoy along with a single medium legged xAK.
This would be sufficient to keep the submarine base flush with adequate supply and fuel.

I would do that for any base I would use as a hub.

It's bit of "leftover" from my "tanker scare" when AI used KB very aggressively. Lost 8 (!) TK in Suva... So didn't want to use them in CS convoys.

Soon I can start using CS convoys as you said. At least with Adak and Midway. No need for Brisbane and Darwin...well...can be dangerous, though AI air had been quite beaten.

But in this game, gave me couple of nasty surprises.

[BBfanboy]

Congrats on taking Bangkok in May 1943!

That seems early to me, even playing against the AI because you are playing a difficult setting.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Congrats on taking Bangkok in May 1943!

That seems early to me, even playing against the AI because you are playing a difficult setting.

It's because I rerouted most of reinforcements destined to Singapore. Thus, was able to make very good stand in Pegu. Didn't want to fight those jungle battles of Imphal/Kohima...and wanted to keep Chinese supply route open.

That is actually what UK should have done, IMHO. Give Bill Slim a chance!

I did let Indian brigades to go to Singers, but rerouted 18th UK Div to Australia. They are now enjoying wine and girls in Noumea. [:D]

Gurkhas and some other more "high-end" unit went to Rangoon.

I almost always also withdraw brigades of 8th AUS Div from Singapore. Just don't like to leave them there. They are now (as fully merged 8th Div) in Port Moresby.

[Sardaukar]

I really recommend playing 2-day turns against AI. It makes planning more important.

And since it's vs AI, you can change it to 1-day if you feel for it.

[HansBolter]

The AI is actually pretty easy to stymie completely in Burma with a defence at Pegu and extending along the river line.

It got where I was going it in every game and became bored with never having a campaign in Burma.

In AndyMac's Ironman Nasty scenarios he has infiltrators in Burma at game start that prevent the Allies from establishing the defense line.

In my current game that led me to decide to evacuate and the AI drove all the way to Imphal and Kohima, making for a much more interesting fight.

[Sardaukar]

Even worse is "Fortress Java" vs AI. Scripts just don't give AI enough leeway to counter massively reinforced Java. I don't think IJA/IJN would have been happy either. IJA commitment to "southern campaign" was relatively limited. They thought it's "IJN war".

So, while not inclined to give Burma to Japanese, Java I don't reinforce. I like to play with historical units, just to see possibilities.

[Bif1961]

Doesn't capturing Bangkok allow him to now form Kamikazis?