Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Update on how the economy is doing, over the past month. "on ships" means being hauled.

Supply: 4,209k + 75k on ships, up 214k
Fuel: 3,276k + 251k on ships, up 205k
HI points: 2,399k, up 32k
Resources: 21,958k + 585k on ships, up about a million
Oil: 2,039k +156k on ships, up 180k
Armaments: 169k, up 9k
Vehicle points: 29.7k, up 4700
Japanese Score: 45,319, up 1,603
Allied Score: 22,859, up 1,288
Japanese ships lost this month: 37 worth 206 points
Allied ships lost this month: 30 worth 447 points
Japanese planes lost: 9,944 (776 this month)
Allied planes lost: 11,236 (834 this month)

Looks like a great overall situation.

Keep the supply climbing. Have you started seriously expanding airbases and forts in the Home Islands and inner ring of bases yet?

The '44-'45 rush of reinforcements is a great boon to Japan, and even more so if they can be immediately deployed to positions where fort and airbases are already constructed.

It also looks like your timing on Chungking falling might be very serendipitous - you can pull units from China to buy you enough time for the first wave of '44 reinforcements to arrive and get settled. I'm a big proponent of keeping the Allies behind the historical timetable, simply because the Japanese reinforcements arrive as a result of historical losses (Marianas, Leyte). Getting those troops while holding those respective locations just gives you a bit more padding in the long run.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Thanks for the response, guys. I had split my army for much the same reason I like to do naval bombardments on consecutive nights. The goal is to disrupt/damage squads/planes the first night and then destroy them the second. Two armies were able to attack twice as often. Now that the forts are gone, I'm going to combine the armies into 1 to bash them. I also have more divisions headed there with another 3-4 freed up in about 8 days to add to the fray.

I move the divisions out to the base 2 hexes west of Chungking, then split them and set them to rest. I have the CEA HQ and an army HQ (range 1) commanded by the leader with the best admin score at my R&R base. That army HQ is supposedly best for allowing units to recover. It takes 6 days for movement back and forth. I've left a couple of units that participated in the last attack in Chungking to compare and see if it might save some time by leaving the units in Chungking. We'll see. At any rate, it'll be awhile before the next attack.

Not quite twice as often, and I'd still rather the big attacks on the forts.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Keep the supply climbing. Have you started seriously expanding airbases and forts in the Home Islands and inner ring of bases yet?

The '44-'45 rush of reinforcements is a great boon to Japan, and even more so if they can be immediately deployed to positions where fort and airbases are already constructed.

It also looks like your timing on Chungking falling might be very serendipitous - you can pull units from China to buy you enough time for the first wave of '44 reinforcements to arrive and get settled. I'm a big proponent of keeping the Allies behind the historical timetable, simply because the Japanese reinforcements arrive as a result of historical losses (Marianas, Leyte). Getting those troops while holding those respective locations just gives you a bit more padding in the long run.

I've been expanding airbases and forts in both places from 7 Dec 41. The question is how high for both. I started with fort level 6 forts for the critical bases, then started increasing that at a few, such as the Marianas. Airfields are another question. I typically don't go above level 4. I might increase that in the Marianas. I'm starting to look at that now.

Lokasenna had said that higher fort levels are force multipliers that can only be reduced by ground attack. That stuck with me. I'm increasing the 4 Marianas bases as high as is feasible. Ted must take them. I want to make it painful. But that'l mean large formations. I'm thinking at least 2.5 divisions per base, maybe more.

Serendipitous - had to look that one up. [:D] My wife prefers to say happy accident. That's more my speed. [:D] You guys convinced me that one large attack is preferable to two small ones. I've been buying divisions out when I have the points, maybe half a dozen so far. I'll get another in December.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Keep the supply climbing. Have you started seriously expanding airbases and forts in the Home Islands and inner ring of bases yet?

The '44-'45 rush of reinforcements is a great boon to Japan, and even more so if they can be immediately deployed to positions where fort and airbases are already constructed.

It also looks like your timing on Chungking falling might be very serendipitous - you can pull units from China to buy you enough time for the first wave of '44 reinforcements to arrive and get settled. I'm a big proponent of keeping the Allies behind the historical timetable, simply because the Japanese reinforcements arrive as a result of historical losses (Marianas, Leyte). Getting those troops while holding those respective locations just gives you a bit more padding in the long run.

I've been expanding airbases and forts in both places from 7 Dec 41. The question is how high for both. I started with fort level 6 forts for the critical bases, then started increasing that at a few, such as the Marianas. Airfields are another question. I typically don't go above level 4. I might increase that in the Marianas. I'm starting to look at that now.

Lokasenna had said that higher fort levels are force multipliers that can only be reduced by ground attack. That stuck with me. I'm increasing the 4 Marianas bases as high as is feasible. Ted must take them. I want to make it painful. But that'l mean large formations. I'm thinking at least 2.5 divisions per base, maybe more.

Serendipitous - had to look that one up. [:D] My wife prefers to say happy accident. That's more my speed. [:D] You guys convinced me that one large attack is preferable to two small ones. I've been buying divisions out when I have the points, maybe half a dozen so far. I'll get another in December.

Good to get strong forts in the Marianas. Don't ignore some closer to home bases though.

I would not then build anything higher than forts 6 in the area around the perimeter. Only those bases in B-29 range really.

On the HI some bases might need to go to forts 9, and I think you'll find that does the job nicely. It is a lot of supply though, so again there are some tough choices based on the progress of the game and instincts about your opponent.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Keep the supply climbing. Have you started seriously expanding airbases and forts in the Home Islands and inner ring of bases yet?

The '44-'45 rush of reinforcements is a great boon to Japan, and even more so if they can be immediately deployed to positions where fort and airbases are already constructed.

It also looks like your timing on Chungking falling might be very serendipitous - you can pull units from China to buy you enough time for the first wave of '44 reinforcements to arrive and get settled. I'm a big proponent of keeping the Allies behind the historical timetable, simply because the Japanese reinforcements arrive as a result of historical losses (Marianas, Leyte). Getting those troops while holding those respective locations just gives you a bit more padding in the long run.

I've been expanding airbases and forts in both places from 7 Dec 41. The question is how high for both. I started with fort level 6 forts for the critical bases, then started increasing that at a few, such as the Marianas. Airfields are another question. I typically don't go above level 4. I might increase that in the Marianas. I'm starting to look at that now.

Lokasenna had said that higher fort levels are force multipliers that can only be reduced by ground attack. That stuck with me. I'm increasing the 4 Marianas bases as high as is feasible. Ted must take them. I want to make it painful. But that'l mean large formations. I'm thinking at least 2.5 divisions per base, maybe more.

Serendipitous - had to look that one up. [:D] My wife prefers to say happy accident. That's more my speed. [:D] You guys convinced me that one large attack is preferable to two small ones. I've been buying divisions out when I have the points, maybe half a dozen so far. I'll get another in December.

Good to get strong forts in the Marianas. Don't ignore some closer to home bases though.

I would not then build anything higher than forts 6 in the area around the perimeter. Only those bases in B-29 range really.

On the HI some bases might need to go to forts 9, and I think you'll find that does the job nicely. It is a lot of supply though, so again there are some tough choices based on the progress of the game and instincts about your opponent.

There's a good arguement to be made that investing supplies to push forts as high as possible is always a worthwhile investment in the Home Islands.

- Allied bombing of port/airbases can burn supply. Fort levels mitigate this.
- There's therefore less supply to be bombed out in the first place (as it's been used on forts), so overall supply losses to bombing is lower.
- Forts provide a consistant combat modifier irrespective of other combat modifiers. IOW, units with no supply still benefit from fortification levels.
- High forts (especially in x2 or x3 terrain) offer the only effective method for IJA LCU's to overcome the massive firepower superiority of late-war Allied units.

Basically, my thinking on it is that when the Allied 4E's are plastering Japanese airbases, you want level 6 forts across the board so that there's less supply destroyed for no gain. Is forts the optimum way to spend that supply? Absolutely not, but I've the attitude that it's a case of "use it or lose it".

[Rusty1961]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

The US carrier bombers (35 Helldivers, 101 Dauntlesses, 72 Avengers escorted by 54 Hellcats) added to the damage to Rot-Namur's airfield.

'The Big Blue Blanket' is beginning to rear its ugly head. That's not good.

Said blanket is a CAP tactic.

[ny59giants]

Helldivers DBs - The 1st gen has SR3, so I don't place them on my CVs. I use the SBD-5s instead with their SR1. If he is using them in continuous operations, their availability goes down. I would monitor his use and plan accordingly. The next gen goes down to SR2 in 5/44, then 3rd gen goes down to SR1 at end of 44. Production of 2nd gen goes way up and I will change to them then.

[Mike Solli]

Not sure why he's using Helldivers, Michael. Plane shortage? I'm kind of surprised if that were the case. Here are the Dauntless losses to date:

SBD-3: 521
SBD-5: 248

Not sure if that's high or not...

[Mike Solli]

SB2C-1 Losses: 80

Ok, I did a count of SBD-3, -5 and SB2C-1s received to date:

SBD-3: 814-521 = ~300 remaining
SBD-5: 761-248 = ~500 remaining
SB2C-1: 350-80 = ~270 remaining

So, he should have enough SBD-5s left to outfit all his carriers and most of his Marine DB units, I think. The Bunker Hill arrives with the SB2C-1 aboard so I'll bet he just left them at the time. When she ate the torps, he probably swapped out those dive bombers with some other unit that got trashed. That tells me that Bunker Hill's damage isn't critical. Still, a couple more torpedoes into her side should probably do her in. If I can only catch her. [:@]

[rustysi]

OK, I've got about 10 minutes. I did it again, left no time.[8|]

Airfields are another question. I typically don't go above level 4.

In the HI and some areas of Manchukuo I'd suggest you go to a full 8. This doubles the base AS and can free bunches of other AS units for the front. I still like to go further at many other bases, but that's just me. Rabaul is at a full 9. IIRC that means I can put tons of planes there w/o restriction. Still gotta look that one up, but I recall something about level 9 AFs'. I intend to make Rabaul a real bitch to subdue. I even have plans for her supply that should make it a long haul to bring to its knees.

I'm thinking at least 2.5 divisions per base, maybe more.

IRL Japan had 30k troops on Saipan, roughly equivalent to 2.5 divisions. IIRC she had little in the rest of the Marianas.

You guys convinced me that one large attack is preferable to two small ones.

I was thinking the opposite as the two smaller ones seemed to be making headway. I will however go with experience here and say the one.

I've been buying divisions out when I have the points, maybe half a dozen so far. I'll get another in December.

Nice. I was wondering about that, and meant to ask. Now I don't have to.

OK, gotta run.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

SB2C-1 Losses: 80

Ok, I did a count of SBD-3, -5 and SB2C-1s received to date:

SBD-3: 814-521 = ~300 remaining
SBD-5: 761-248 = ~500 remaining
SB2C-1: 350-80 = ~270 remaining

So, he should have enough SBD-5s left to outfit all his carriers and most of his Marine DB units, I think. The Bunker Hill arrives with the SB2C-1 aboard so I'll bet he just left them at the time. When she ate the torps, he probably swapped out those dive bombers with some other unit that got trashed. That tells me that Bunker Hill's damage isn't critical. Still, a couple more torpedoes into her side should probably do her in. If I can only catch her. [:@]

Ok, I didn't look at reinforcement units being short or over strength in aircraft numbers. Here's the modified number of remaining aircraft:

SBD-3: 250
SBD-5: 300 (no effective change)
SB2C-1: 80 (no effective change)

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

OK, I've got about 10 minutes. I did it again, left no time.[8|]

Airfields are another question. I typically don't go above level 4.

In the HI and some areas of Manchukuo I'd suggest you go to a full 8. This doubles the base AS and can free bunches of other AS units for the front. I still like to go further at many other bases, but that's just me. Rabaul is at a full 9. IIRC that means I can put tons of planes there w/o restriction. Still gotta look that one up, but I recall something about level 9 AFs'. I intend to make Rabaul a real bitch to subdue. I even have plans for her supply that should make it a long haul to bring to its knees.

I'm thinking at least 2.5 divisions per base, maybe more.

IRL Japan had 30k troops on Saipan, roughly equivalent to 2.5 divisions. IIRC she had little in the rest of the Marianas.

You guys convinced me that one large attack is preferable to two small ones.

I was thinking the opposite as the two smaller ones seemed to be making headway. I will however go with experience here and say the one.

I've been buying divisions out when I have the points, maybe half a dozen so far. I'll get another in December.

Nice. I was wondering about that, and meant to ask. Now I don't have to.

OK, gotta run.

You sure are busy for being retired. [:D]

A couple clarifications:

Airfield size: that's outside the Home Islands and a couple of notable bases. Truk has been maxed out in size for a long time (7?). Rabaul was pretty high, maybe maxed out. Home Islands are 7-10 in most cases.

You're right that 2 smaller attacks were making good headway. I'm going to try one big one a few times to see how that affects things. One that for certain: I'll need to have combined attacks to get the magic 2:1 to push the Chinese Army out of Chungking/force its surrender. This last "small" attack netted me 1:3 odds, the best so far.

[Mike Solli]

By the way, yesterday was the 7th anniversary of starting this PBEM. [:D]

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

By the way, yesterday was the 7th anniversary of starting this PBEM. [:D]

A day that will live in infamy? [:D]

[ny59giants]

So you should be done around 2025, give or take a few years. 😏

[Bif1961]

You outlasted both the European and Pacific war are you going for combined total now?

[PaxMondo]

Well, there was a deployment (2?) in there, a retirement, new job, wedding (IIRC?) ….

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Well, there was a deployment (2?) in there, a retirement, new job, wedding (IIRC?) ….

Yep, all of that. Two weddings actually. I figure we actually played about 4 years during that time. Now, the delays are usually a week at most. Should be getting a turn today.

[rustysi]

You sure are busy for being retired.

Gotta stay busy, keeps you young.[:D] TBH, I can't figure out how I got anything done when I was working.

I'll need to have combined attacks to get the magic 2:1 to push the Chinese Army out of Chungking/force its surrender.

My experience has shown that enemy forces with nowhere else to go will surrender rather than retreat. You've captured everything else in China, no? If so I'm guessing they'll surrender, even if they have an exit route.

[rustysi]

By the way, yesterday was the 7th anniversary of starting this PBEM.

I didn't even have the game back then. Got it in 2012, long story. Great that you guys stuck it out through thick and thin.[:)]