Notes from a Small Island

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Congratulations on Ketoi! [&o]

Now you can have a quicker turn around on your bombardment runs in the area, possibly hitting multiple targets. Destroy their supplies and equipment before spring and the invasions will be easier.

Well, with a level 1 port 100% damaged, it will be danged hard to unload enough supply to restock the AEs and AKEs that would support bombardment TFs. I think it will take nearly a month to repair everything, build a reasonable airfield for defence and build the port enough to handle supply unloading at a reasonable rate.

The workaround is to send AEs and AKEs back to Shikuka to stock up, but each trip exposes them to subs, MTBs and air-naval strikes. Its a PITA to cover it.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Congratulations on Ketoi! [&o]

Now you can have a quicker turn around on your bombardment runs in the area, possibly hitting multiple targets. Destroy their supplies and equipment before spring and the invasions will be easier.

In two more months he will no longer need a proximate port for replenishing bombardment TFs or the DS's air sortie level.

CR pay attention to where you have your DEs deployed and prepare in late December to marshal them together into a replenishment TF to place on station with the DS in January.
Replenishment is automatic as soon as the TF in need of replenishment shares the same hex with the AE replenishment TF.
The player doesn't have to manually prompt the replenishment, in fact I'm not sure the player CAN trigger the replenishment manually as the TFs are not occupying a port to have the interface available to manually prompt a replenishment.


MY bombardment TFs now get Remain on Station orders so they don't go running full movement distance back to a home port and instead can move one hex out of the target hex to the hex shared by the DS and the fuel and ammunition replenishment TFs.

[BillBrown]

I have not been there in a long time, but I thought that only 5" and smaller got reloaded outside a port after 1/1/1945.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

I have not been there in a long time, but I thought that only 5" and smaller got reloaded outside a port after 1/1/1945.

It depends on load cost.

[RangerJoe]

I would not depend upon underway replenishment for the Iowa class as well as other battleships per:

tm.asp?m=4095833&mpage=1&key=

since the OPs points might get used up prior to reloading the ammo.

While they CAN reload, they might not. They may only partially reload as well.

The AEs, AKEs, and the ADs can also return to the Aleutians to reload. The AOs can use a nice tanker for the source of fuel.

[Canoerebel]

11/6/44

Ketoi: Engineers expeditiously repair airfield and port. I think Cold Zone will slow actual construction, based upon my encyclopedic understanding of winter conditions. [8|]

Burma: At the moment it looks like Erik might be planning to stand at Rangoon and Pegu, rather than retiring, as I had expected given my encyclopedic understanding of what he is bound to do. [8|]

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
I would not depend upon underway replenishment for the Iowa class as well as other battleships per:

tm.asp?m=4095833&mpage=1&key=

since the OPs points might get used up prior to reloading the ammo.

While they CAN reload, they might not. They may only partially reload as well.

The AEs, AKEs, and the ADs can also return to the Aleutians to reload. The AOs can use a nice tanker for the source of fuel.

It is useful to control fuel availability in this regard. Ships use OP points for refuelling first, and small ports are not exactly efficient in doing it. With shortlegged bombardment runs there is no need to refuel BBs every time. So having 0 fuel in Ketoi and switching AOs between replenishment (when you do need to refuel) and other TF type (when you only need rearm) works best

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
I would not depend upon underway replenishment for the Iowa class as well as other battleships per:

tm.asp?m=4095833&mpage=1&key=

since the OPs points might get used up prior to reloading the ammo.

While they CAN reload, they might not. They may only partially reload as well.

The AEs, AKEs, and the ADs can also return to the Aleutians to reload. The AOs can use a nice tanker for the source of fuel.

It is useful to control fuel availability in this regard. Ships use OP points for refuelling first, and small ports are not exactly efficient in doing it. With shortlegged bombardment runs there is no need to refuel BBs every time. So having 0 fuel in Ketoi and switching AOs between replenishment (when you do need to refuel) and other TF type (when you only need rearm) works best

All good advice, but two months early for Dan's need to start bombardments going now. [:(]
But, in short order he will be able to rearm SC guns at Ketoi![:)]

[RangerJoe]

According to the discussion in the link that I posted, the AEs will refuel the ships prior to the rearmament, Since I have yet to get that far before the computer gives up, I can only go by what I have read.

[Canoerebel]

11/6/44

Shikuka: Lots of AE and AKE at Shikuka.

Six weeks back, at the height of the Siege of Shikuka, I was regretting having so many "marooned" there, facing destruction.

But they were needed early in the invaison (June '44) when the two Sikhalin ports were small and I anticipated a long, hard naval battle in which replenishment would be crucial and perhaps key.

[BBfanboy]

Yeah, I knew you would have a host of ammo ships there, it's the shuttle back and forth in the eye of the enemy that gives me the willies.

Aside: Mt. Hood has 6200 Capacity! That could come in handy if you capture Yamato or Musashi![:D]

[JohnDillworth]

What's the worst thing that can happen?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

What's the worst thing that can happen?

Yeah, naming an AE after HMS Hood is tempting the War Gods sense of humour too much .... [:(]

[Canoerebel]

Y'all remember the story of the merchantman carrying picric acid (for artillery shells) that exploded in Halifax channel in 1918? Utter devastation.

[Canoerebel]

The explosion was in 1917.

I think this photo was taken shortly thereafter.

[Canoerebel]

So too this one.

[RangerJoe]

Worse than naming the AE after the HMS Hood, it is/was named after a stratovolcano! [X(]

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount_hood/

. . . The Mont-Blanc was packed full of TNT, picric acid, gun cotton and aircraft fuel. With 3,000 tons of high explosives packed in barrels in its hold, it was a floating bomb.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyle ... story.html

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Y'all remember the story of the merchantman carrying picric acid (for artillery shells) that exploded in Halifax channel in 1918? Utter devastation.

The largest above-ground explosive event created by Man until the A-bomb. In fact the designers of the A-bomb studied the damage pattern at Halifax (and probably Port Chicago, although I think that was a series of explosions).
The flash of the explosion "bleached" the sides of brick building and left silhouettes of people standing in front.
A train dispatcher became a hero when he saw the burning Mt. Blanc and telegraphed the next station up the line to hold a train so it did not head into danger.
He died because he was still trying to get confirmation of the message getting through when the ship blew.

[HansBolter]

I have 12 AEs on station with the DS at Chichi Jima. 3 more are enroute. Some of the newer ones have 6400 capacity. They replenish 16" guns and carrier sorties with no problems.

[JohnDillworth]

US Liberty Ship SS Robert Rowan was hit by 3 bombs from JU-88's. It caught fire, miraculously everyone evacuated and no one was killed. Ship didn't fare too well.