The Armchair General's Tale -IJ SURRENDERS- (dontra85 (IJ) vs modrow (A)) - no dontra85, please

[modrow]

Gentlemen,

so, summarizing the naval war so far, there has not been too much of it. The positive aspect is that Allied combat shipping (a considerable part of which is currently doing the 4/42 upgrades and, accordingly, is not really available at the front lines) has not taken a dent. The negative aspect is that it did not gain much experience, so it is likely just as vulnerable as at the beginning of the war.

Hartwig

[durnedwolf]

The Strategic map does not look bad in regards to the territory captured by Japan. Where is dontra85 currently focusing his operations? The DEI? You seem to have your sub fleet virtually intact. That's a handy tool to try and get dontra85 to change focus if you can focus on an area (like, perhaps, the South China Sea) where his resource TFs are getting dinged.

How is your Naval Search coverage on the map? NY59Giants is normally pretty good about establishing an aerial network of PBY and such to start tracking Japan's naval forces.

[modrow]

@ durnedwolf:

This is a strange aspect of the game right now, but eventually this is just a momentary situation, NY59Giants may be able to tell. This is the strategic map displaying enemy TFs. See any ? Me neither.



This is in spite of search operating from Koepang, Lautem, Ambon checking the DEI; Torres strait/approaches to Australian east coast, Carnavon for potential moves against NW Australia, Luganville for approaches from Solomons and several Pacific bases. I am relatively blind in the Indian Ocean/Bay of Bengal though.

The part of the sub fleet that is not in process of upgrading (numerous subs are doing that or marching to a shipyard to do that) is also currently traing to help in finding the enemy with a focus of the DEI.

On the other hand, there seem to be a lot of troops that are still fighting. According to NY59Giants, 6+ division assaulted Java, 8 divisions are still reducing Bataan, and a rag tag collection of naval guards is in process of finishing off Tulagi.

Hartwig

[modrow]

@ Durnedwolf 2:

Dontra85 also so far did not fly too many recon missions (which may also hint at his intentions) according to the aoperationsreport files. Outside of China, the only places he has been reconning since I took over are Port Blair and Koepang. How indiciative this is for his moves, I cannot tell yet.

Hartwig

[ny59giants]

Most of KB and a strong SC TF covered and operated around Tulagi. They haven't been seen for a few weeks. They did drop down and bombard Luganville, but damage was light (not enough recon was done before to raise DL). I kept DS at Darwin to protect Timor and area.

I had a bunch of small xAKL with supply leave Brisbane/Sydney for Luganville. I was going to form them into sigle ship TFs to run supplies up to Tulagi.

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

Most of KB and a strong SC TF covered and operated around Tulagi. They haven't been seen for a few weeks. They did drop down and bombard Luganville, but damage was light (not enough recon was done before to raise DL). I kept DS at Darwin to protect Timor and area.

I had a bunch of small xAKL with supply leave Brisbane/Sydney for Luganville. I was going to form them into sigle ship TFs to run supplies up to Tulagi.

[:)] I'm glad that was your plan, because did split them into several groups of ships even when approaching Luganville. But they are still a bit away from their destination, plus I diverted some of them. I did not find much shipping space available at Australian bases.

Interestingly, Donald seems to use numerous naval bombers in China. A waste IMO, but fine with me [:D]. Did you encounter his Netties anywhere else recently?

And did you find a correlation between his recon activities and his future plans? Can they be used to predict them, or does he cover them in some randomized recon activity? Any other habits that one can use against him?

Hartwig

[ny59giants]

Lots of different IJN bombers are present in China - Nell, Betty, and Vals. The big boys will go after Chungking every once in while. I have two AA units south of Ledo marching to China. I would send them to Chungking and offer a surprise to him for continuous bombings. [;)]

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

Lots of different IJN bombers are present in China - Nell, Betty, and Vals. The big boys will go after Chungking every once in while. I have two AA units south of Ledo marching to China. I would send them to Chungking and offer a surprise to him for continuous bombings. [;)]

Aye. But the quickest way to more AAA in China are some of the US equipped corps (at least 5th, 6th, 14th). They use device 1124, which can be upgraded via 1129 to 1132. In other words, that's a unit that can embed 36 40mm Bofors, which are pulled from US device pools that are deep enough to allow for this if you want it. Also does wonders to defensive firepower of those units. This ability should always be considered when deciding how and where to use these units, they need special attention.

Some of the other US equipped corps can pull Vickers AAMGs, but those do not only just upgrade to Lewis/Bren but are in short supply anyway. Better than nothing, because lousy AAA does not kill planes easily but still reduces bombing efficiency, but nowhere near as good.

Of course, for all of this you need enough supply - not just for conversion, also for operation. In China, it's always a daunting task to provide it.

Hartwig

[obvert]

For temporary supply to China it's always possible to use the 4E and 2E from Ledo. Mr Kane has shown this to be very effective in the short term to keep units fighting and stall a Japanese offensive.

[modrow]

Talking about supply and its optimized use in China, has anyone an opininon on this:

We typically are focussed on trying to give Chinese LCUs a chance to soak up more rifle squads (or at least I always used to be). But recently, I have started to ask myself whether the priority should be adding support squads first. IIRC those help to reduce disablements more quickly and, accordingly, could help to reduce the disablements and thus perhaps even increase fighting power in the long view more than the addition of rifle squads. Any experts around who tested this?

Thanks

Hartwig

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: modrow
Talking about supply and its optimized use in China, has anyone an opininon on this:

We typically are focussed on trying to give Chinese LCUs a chance to soak up more rifle squads (or at least I always used to be). But recently, I have started to ask myself whether the priority should be adding support squads first. IIRC those help to reduce disablements more quickly and, accordingly, could help to reduce the disablements and thus perhaps even increase fighting power in the long view more than the addition of rifle squads. Any experts around who tested this?

Switch off replacements altogether for all Chinese except those you evacuate to India. Chinese have enough disablements for months to R&R, and you need that limited supply to fight not generate new hapless cannon fodder.
To recuperate quicker concentrate your HQs in a large base and rotate your Corps. if you would have time for that that is
Edit: goes without saying that A/B/C split corps recuperate quicker. don't ask me why, they just do

[Anachro]

Do you tend to evacuate as many Chinese corps, once spent early in the fighting, to China ASAP?

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

Switch off replacements altogether for all Chinese except those you evacuate to India. Chinese have enough disablements for months to R&R,...

Aye. But first of all, that would make enabling quicker recovery of disabled squads all the more attractive, would it not?

Furthermore, isn't that a very strange observation if you compare to, e.g. recovery rates of disabled IJA squads during typical Chungking sieges? Why are they doing that much better?

- manual p. 197

Disabled elements (the numbers listed in parenthesis on the Ground Unit Information Screen)
may be healed/repaired and listed again normally (this requires supply, support troops, and a
low Fatigue level)

Typically, playing IJ you have to wait between Chunkgking attacks so that units are fully supplied again, so this is not because of a better supply situation.

It is evidently not a cosy large base helping IJ in this situation, which you mention correctly as useful effect.

And I typically put consolidated corps to use in china, including a group army HQ, often also a war area - but recovery of disablements stays slow even if HQs are present.

Potentially, better leadership may contribute, but some of the Chinese leaders are sort of competent, so at least such units should be better off.

But there is one more difference - the IJ LCUs are typically much closer to the support squad numbers demanded by their TOE.

...and you need that limited supply to fight not generate new hapless cannon fodder.
To recuperate quicker concentrate your HQs in a large base and rotate your Corps. if you would have time for that that is
Edit: goes without saying that A/B/C split corps recuperate quicker. don't ask me why, they just do

Are they hapless cannon fodder? I have been thinking in this way a long time, but I am not sure any more (thus the question).

- manual p. 182

The Support value (86) is the amount of intrinsic support (i.e., support within the unit) that
is available, while the Support Required value 96) indicates the number of support squads
needed to fully support the men and equipment in the unit. This unit is not able to draw extra
support from other units in the hex, so the Support Required number is in red. One support
squad is needed for every non-Support or Aviation Support element in the unit. Support in a
friendly base hex can be shared between units, so as long as the total support in the hex is
greater than the support needed by all the units in the hex, the units will be fully supported.
Support is not shared if not in a friendly base hex.

So the game checks whether the unit is fully supported or not. But what are the consequences if the unit is not fully supported?

Also, maybe (part of) the improved healing rate of disabled devices in bases with cumulated HQs partly connected to the ability to share support troops at a base hex?

I do not know for sure what suppport squads do, but my impression is that they may be more relevant than commonly assumed.

Just my speculations. If anyone really knows, please share your knowledge !

Hartwig

[Alfred]

You will probably find my posts in this thread
 
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4376273&mpage=1&key=recovery&#4381076
 
to be useful re disabled devices.
 
Alfred

[RangerJoe]

The forum is a bit less active than in the past, and I think the AAR section could use more comments added. Just a question, quick note or anything for those who are writing to see that, as you say, someone is reading and it's still worth doing. I used to love all of the discussions that would come up in the AARs.

I need to read more AARs to learn more things. I will also comment as well.

We typically are focussed on trying to give Chinese LCUs a chance to soak up more rifle squads (or at least I always used to be). But recently, I have started to ask myself whether the priority should be adding support squads first. IIRC those help to reduce disablements more quickly and, accordingly, could help to reduce the disablements and thus perhaps even increase fighting power in the long view more than the addition of rifle squads. Any experts around who tested this?

Against the computer AI, I have restricted replacements to units with 50+ experience. This should help to save supply which help get the disablements reduced. But I probably should stockpile the squad replacements so the support squads will increase even more.

[obvert]

Support troops are essential to fighting units getting ready, being ready and staying ready. They help disruption go down, fatigue go down, disabled be brought into a ready state and the unit morale to stay high.

In China I choose leaders that have high land and inspiration and aggression (if possible, and it usually isn't) for fighting troops. I'd choose high admin for getting those troops fleshed out and in a god state to fight in the rear somewhere.

The base forces in China also have a lot of support, so between the many HQs, internal support and base forces there should be enough at key points to get units ready and keep them somewhat stable in good defensive territory.

[RangerJoe]

True for defensive purposes but against the computer I captured Canton in January 1942 and Hong Kong on 18 March 1942 . . .

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: modrow

ORIGINAL: GetAssista
Switch off replacements altogether for all Chinese except those you evacuate to India. Chinese have enough disablements for months to R&R,...

Aye. But first of all, that would make enabling quicker recovery of disabled squads all the more attractive, would it not?

Support squads help, sure. But ready support squads, not disabled ones. And replacements arrive as disabled. You have enough disabled support already in the chinese infantry units to wait months for complete R&R, no need to add more. Also disabled squads do not fight, that's that I meant by cannon fodder

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista
Support squads help, sure. But ready support squads, not disabled ones. And replacements arrive as disabled. You have enough disabled support already in the chinese infantry units to wait months for complete R&R, no need to add more. Also disabled squads do not fight, that's that I meant by cannon fodder

I don't think that is correct. We are talking devices, planes are different. See example below.

Disablements stay identical, AV increases. I typically see AV and able device increases that correlate to the number of devices drawn according to tracker.

Hartwig

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

You will probably find my posts in this thread

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4376273&mpage=1&key=recovery&#4381076

to be useful re disabled devices.

Alfred

Sterling information, as usual, Alfred - thanks a lot. Especially the dependence on exp (which I assume to be a factor that acts in a non-linear way according to a pet hypothesis of mine) explains a lot. And the unit size - maybe a ratio of total available support / support needed involved? Speculations, speculations. I really need more time for testing and proper analysis of the data Tracker makes accessible.

Hartwig