Insanity. Obscenity. Indecency. ITAKLinus (A) vs DesertWolf101 (J)

[mind_messing]

My current idea is to use the 5th Marine Regiment once beefed up. It has exp=70 and it's a good unit. USMC InfSquad have a/soft lower than the corresponding USArmy ones, but I can live with the difference.

Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.

Plus, most of the firepower of the US divisions as a whole is concentrated in the MMG and LMG squads which are shared between the two.

HQs = I'll bring them anyway. They don't create SL issues since they'd be in other bases. CommandHQ can be in range from a dot somewhere S-E and the CorpsHQ, as BBFanboy suggested, from Kure, dot WEST of Midway.

Strong discouragement on this from me. You may be fine with regular support squads and naval support squads, but motorized support will be a nightmare.

B) See my picture below. The group has NO date scheduled for any resize and should be 'resizeble'. I don't grasp. Maybe the fact Enterprise has 1000ops spent is a problem?

Click the yellow text in top left "No resize allowed" a few times. It should prompt a text box offering resize options.

I'm quite lost regarding their placement.

Can't go wrong with mainland India in my view, as it probably needs the most help in the early stages of the war. Effectively all the combat formations there are combat ineffective at start, and need some weeks of training reach reasonable EXP/morale levels.

Australian forces at start are in a slightly better state, but they can ramp up their effectiveness much more quickly thanks to how the Allied pools work. With careful management you can get most of the CMF militia units using the much more effective AIF infantry squads by mid-42.

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Click the yellow text in top left "No resize allowed" a few times. It should prompt a text box offering resize options.

It doesn't work!

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I haven't done a lot of naval air unit resizes, but every time I did the carrier had to be either disbanded in port or docked. It also took a turn, sometimes two, before the resize happened and another turn after that before aircraft started arriving.

Availability of aircraft in the pools might also be part of the criteria - I was not able to resize units early on when there were few aircraft in the pools but by mid 1942 I could.

Your SBD-1s are out of production. You will have to upgrade to SBD-3 to get enough aircraft for a unit of 36. Resizing to 60 DBs would likely be a mistake - if there are multiple threats to the CVTF, you want to be able to throw a squadron at each.

Swordfish are in short supply and then no supply. Putting them on US CVs where they would face the strongest enemy CAP would not be useful. USN CVs need more fighters on board and there are eligible Marine fighter units available to take the place of the Devastators. Some player have found the Devastators useful ashore at forward bases at risk of bombardment because they can be a threat to enemy BBs. They can also do ASW patrols for the port.

Roger. I think you're right about the production/pool. I suppose the only feasible way to fix the issue is to send the 7 a/c group to Sydney, have it upgraded and then sent back to Townsville area. Hopefully, all the planes will be repaired in short order and be transferred to the CV when they sail in the DEI area. I'll fix the resize then in DEI proper.

Next turn, however, I leave the group with the standing order of resizing, hopefully the next turn it will be done.



My process as Japanese has always been very straightforward: load the group on an empty CV, set the resize to a certain amount, disband the AirTF, done. I think I've never had the need of waiting a day to have the resize performed. Sometimes, for unknown reasons, I had to create the AirTF and disband it multiple times before the group resized.

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Small xAKL - you have many with capacity of 1750 that take 14 days to convert to small xAPs in India, Dutch, and Australia. They are very useful for moving troops and are part of what I call my "coastal navy."

Java - you have two large BFs here that I spent PPs to buy out as each is 100 Aviation Support. Much needed now and in the future.

Malaysian Air Force - Those short legged Buffaloes need to get to India via Sabang on northern tip of Sumatra to Port Blair to Burma and beyond. If not, then fly down to Batavia to load unto xAKs.

SoPac - It you still hold Suva/Pago Pago area in a few months, I develop Vava'u as my hub down here as it has the largest port size 6 outside of Aukland.

You have couple of USN BFs on the 'tail' of Alaska that can be moved to Prince Rupert and then RR to Cali to rebuild and head out. Each has 100 naval support which is helpful at your hubs in CenPac/SoPac.

A big decision right now is where to send the few construction engineer LCUs. Choose wisely my young Jedi. [;)]

Get those PBY-5s out of USA to Pearl and beyond, sir!!

ny59giants, thanks for your suggestions: gold as usual!

I will try to get those Dutch BFs out as soon as Java is threatened. Buffaloes in Malaya are still functional to the defense of the sector and I think their ROI is higher employing them there for the time being.

SoPac: Vava'u is meant to be my refuelling station in case I can "straighten" the West Coast - Australia sea route. For the time being, I work in Taithi area due to its relative safety.

ENG = that's indeed a huge decision to be made. I think I will ship them in SoPac for now and then redistribute them as soon as they set up a bunch of decent bases in the SoPac area. Currently, my priorities are: 1) securing key bases to allow faster shipments from US; 2) creating sufficient infrastructures to have bunches of mutually supportive bases; 3) fortify key bases in Australia, should things go really bad.


Catalinas are on their way to SoPac indeed! B17s as well (actually, they've reached Calcutta today for a period of rest and refit).

[ITAKLinus]

[center]ALLIED STRATEGY[/center]


The entire discussion about "where to send British reinforcements" has led me to the very simple and obvious conclusion that I cannot do the trick without having a strategy.

Delaying that to the end of amphibious bonus is probably a wrong idea under many possible points of view.



I am now in the process of analyzing the general picture and drawing some conclusions.

Broadly speaking, I think my main target is to "dilute" Japanese forces as much as possible, so that I can locally overwhelm them in offensive movements.

Having said that, I decided to go for a very CBI-centric strategy. It's something I'm naturally inclined to follow and I do believe in it.

The very basic idea is that in CBI I can discard (partially) Japanese naval supremacy and I can force a major strategic accomplishment, which is the opening of a land route to China, where the flow of supplies would create the interesting consequences of blocking there large IJA formations.

This has to be coupled with minor operations along the Pacific perimeter, where I can fight a logistical war against Japan and where a minor position can threaten multiple axis and thus make Japan commit relatively heavy amounts of materiel.
An added benefit is the amount of ENG Japan would need to fulfill its commitments in the area, ENG which are taken away from other duties.



The very basic concept can be summarized in creating the need for Japanese commitment in as many areas as possible, through the means of direct or indirect threats.



In this very framework, I do believe I need to create the conditions for an effective fight in Burma early on.

Ideally, I should be able to retake the upper half of it before fall '42. The key element is thus the creation of a sufficiently strong presence in India such as to discourage any fool Japanese move in the area while I'm heavily committed on the border with Burma. This, implies the ability to keep key bases along the coastline and to create a very heavy aerial deterrent.
Operationally speaking, I am still not sure on the path to follow to accomplish this. I suspect I will spend much of the initial months refitting my LCUs and creating proper infrastructures.

Strategically, I have needs that are to be met in order to accomplish my CBI-strategy and my "diluting" approach.

My forces operate on the arc of the circle that is the Co-Prosperity Sphere, while Japanese ones operate along the chord. This, implies a very basic consequence: I cannot credibly have a strategic mobility of my forces as strong as the Japanese.

Instead of trying to minimize the problem or solve it altogether, I have the conviction that the best approach is "holistic", meaning that each theater of operations will need to perform its tasks with minimal external support from other theaters. On top of that, operations will have to be multiple on multiple axis.

In better words: NoPac will need to perform a slow but constant advance on, fundamentally, its own. Same goes with CenPac and SoPac.
Small scale actions are paramount, so to minimize the exposure of materiel. Especially, I will need to operate along the lines of "passive aggressive advance", as I define it: basically, it's Guadalcanal logic, where the allies land in a lightly defended position and entail a Japanese answer, which, as successful it can be in the short term, is doomed to fail in the long one. He can shut down a base. He can shut down five bases. He cannot keep shut down a dozen bases thousands of KMs distant.

I see the Japanese as a dam and the Allies as a mass of water, which infiltrates through small cracks. The Japanese will try to close all these cracks but they cannot cope with many of them.


To recap these, very brief, strategic thoughts: contrarily to my initial assessment regarding the defensive needs, I need to actually send reinforcements to CBI theater.
On top of that, I have to start creating the logistical infrastructures which will favor minor operations in the Pacific Ocean (NOPAC/CENPAC/SOPAC).



Hope what I wrote makes sense and I, at least partially, expressed my thoughts.


EDIT: As far as I do remember, keeping the N-E area of Burma (Katha-Lashio) doesn't allow supplies to flow into China and instead the fellas there themselves have large supplies issue.
Other than developing all the bases on the Indian side, is there any trick to make the flow to China work or am I obliged to get Ramree Island and fix in the normal way?
My idea is to brutally exploit the fact that THAI cannot go into Burma and try to keep a hold in the area there with proper reinforcements coming from all around the world (but, mostly Chinese and US Army). This, obviously, provided India proper is sufficiently defended so to discourage the action I'd do as Japanese in such a situation: landing between Chittagong and Diamond Harbor and cutting everyone out.

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

My current idea is to use the 5th Marine Regiment once beefed up. It has exp=70 and it's a good unit. USMC InfSquad have a/soft lower than the corresponding USArmy ones, but I can live with the difference.

Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.

Plus, most of the firepower of the US divisions as a whole is concentrated in the MMG and LMG squads which are shared between the two.

Squad for squad, they are roughly the same as initial IJ units.

Both SNLF and IJA Inf Squads have 20 of a/soft OR 22.

USArmy squads have initially 23 a/soft
USMC squads have 21 a/soft


Until they do get upgraded, USArmy and USMC infantry squads are basically identical to SNLF IJA ones. 23 vs 20 of a/soft is little bit more than +10% in firepower: a lot, but not overwhelming as in late game.


This, talking about InfSquads. The rest is along the same lines in terms of infantry.

Let's take machinegunners:
IJA HMG squad has 33 a/soft
SNLF HMG squad has 24 a/sof
US MMG squad has 30 a/soft
US HMG squad has 40 a/soft




The 2nd Marine Regiment (not the 5th as I wrongly stated in another post) has 102 USMC Rifle Squads (21 a/soft each); 27 US MMG sections (30 a/soft) and 4 HMG section (40 a/soft).
32 mid to small calibre artillery pieces. 180xSupport+45xMotSupport.

A US Army Inf Regiment, taking randomly the 160th as an example, has: 91 USA Rifle squads (23 a/soft each); 12 US MMG sections (30 a/soft) and 12 US HMG sections (40 a/soft).
18 mortars and 28 heavy caliber artillery pieces. 89xSupport+89xSupport.


A typical 1xSNLF+1xNavGuards defensive scheme has:
96 SNLF squad (a/soft 20), 24 SNLF HMG squad (24 a/soft)
8 70/75mm artillery pieces and 4 mortars. 2 armored cars.



In Midway there is also, accordingly to SigInt, the 4th Tank Regiment with 52 Type 95 Light Tank.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

My current idea is to use the 5th Marine Regiment once beefed up. It has exp=70 and it's a good unit. USMC InfSquad have a/soft lower than the corresponding USArmy ones, but I can live with the difference.

Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.

Plus, most of the firepower of the US divisions as a whole is concentrated in the MMG and LMG squads which are shared between the two.

Squad for squad, they are roughly the same as initial IJ units.

Both SNLF and IJA Inf Squads have 20 of a/soft OR 22.

USArmy squads have initially 23 a/soft
USMC squads have 21 a/soft


Until they do get upgraded, USArmy and USMC infantry squads are basically identical to SNLF IJA ones. 23 vs 20 of a/soft is little bit more than +10% in firepower: a lot, but not overwhelming as in late game.

And yet, soft attack is only half the picture.

The IJA doesn't get anything with a anti-armour value higher than a 5 until the '43 IJA infantry squad, and that's only rolled out across a few units. The US squads start at 15 or thereabouts and just get better.

This, talking about InfSquads. The rest is along the same lines in terms of infantry.

Let's take machinegunners:
IJA HMG squad has 33 a/soft
SNLF HMG squad has 24 a/sof
US MMG squad has 30 a/soft
US HMG squad has 40 a/soft

The important thing to note is that there's no IJ MMG squad in the game whatsoever, so that's a net advantage for US formations over Japanese ones pretty much across the board.

The 2nd Marine Regiment (not the 5th as I wrongly stated in another post) has 102 USMC Rifle Squads (21 a/soft each); 27 US MMG sections (30 a/soft) and 4 HMG section (40 a/soft).
32 mid to small calibre artillery pieces. 180xSupport+45xMotSupport.

A US Army Inf Regiment, taking randomly the 160th as an example, has: 91 USA Rifle squads (23 a/soft each); 12 US MMG sections (30 a/soft) and 12 US HMG sections (40 a/soft).
18 mortars and 28 heavy caliber artillery pieces. 89xSupport+89xSupport.


A typical 1xSNLF+1xNavGuards defensive scheme has:
96 SNLF squad (a/soft 20), 24 SNLF HMG squad (24 a/soft)
8 70/75mm artillery pieces and 4 mortars. 2 armored cars.

Without getting too much into the weeds on comparative firepower between TOE's, the important thing to note is that:

1) The Allied squads have overall better stats.
2) The Allied TOE's have a more favourable distribution HMG squads and MMG squads that Japan doesn't have.
3) The Allied TOE has a substantial organic artillery advantage before adding specific artillery LCU's.

The fact that the IJ have 8 popguns and four mortars is the reason why you want to put tanks ashore on D-Day

[ITAKLinus]

I was mostly replying to this intervention you made: "Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.". It's not true until the first upgrades kick in.

The bottom line is, as you mentioned, the need to smash Japanese defenders by other means (especially tanks).



My plan is to use a very simple setup with the Marines, a unit or two of tanks, combatENG and the USMC Raiders.

They should do the trick even if Japanese are heavily entrenched.


Hopefully.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

I was mostly replying to this intervention you made: "Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.". It's not true until the first upgrades kick in.

You are not be using the latest device database files.

USA 41 Rifle squads have 15/20 (a/arm - a/soft)

USMC Rifle squads have 15/21

One point of difference is one point of difference, but there's more to in considering things like the MMG/HMG distribution and (likely more importantly) more combat engineers in the Marine units at the regimental level.

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

I was mostly replying to this intervention you made: "Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.". It's not true until the first upgrades kick in.

You are not be using the latest device database files.

USA 41 Rifle squads have 15/20 (a/arm - a/soft)

USMC Rifle squads have 15/21

One point of difference is one point of difference, but there's more to in considering things like the MMG/HMG distribution and (likely more importantly) more combat engineers in the Marine units at the regimental level.

Ohhh, now I see what's the issue. Yes, I think we are not using the latest database and in the one we use the USMC have a lower a/soft than USArmy and both are approximately similar to IJA/SNLF ones. At least in '41 and a good part of '42.


I know there are more things to consider: I was just considering the raw a/soft of the main infantry troops (rifle squads, MMGs and HMGs) since I'm not very familiar with early-war Allied infantry capabilities on the offensive.

[rustysi]

My forces operate on the arc of the circle that is the Co-Prosperity Sphere, while Japanese ones operate along the chord.

IOW Japan operates on interior lines and you do not.[:)]

[rustysi]

is there any trick to make the flow to China work or am I obliged to get Ramree Island and fix in the normal way?

OK, not too sure about all this 'stuff' with Ramree Island being a route to get supply to China. How would it when all the terrain past it would be controlled by Japan?

In addition its a 0(0) port, so that means small and under 1126b no help loading/unloading from NS devices. Add to that that there's only one hex to the mainland, and that's across a river into a jungle. Plus, its under the watchful 'eye' of Prome, which should be a rather large Japanese airbase, allowing substantial interference on the part of Japan.

So, how is it a solution? I really don't know.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

I was mostly replying to this intervention you made: "Don't get too fixated on this. Yes, the USMC units are better squad for squad than their Army counterparts, but both are miles ahead of IJ squads.". It's not true until the first upgrades kick in.

You are not be using the latest device database files.

USA 41 Rifle squads have 15/20 (a/arm - a/soft)

USMC Rifle squads have 15/21

One point of difference is one point of difference, but there's more to in considering things like the MMG/HMG distribution and (likely more importantly) more combat engineers in the Marine units at the regimental level.

Ohhh, now I see what's the issue. Yes, I think we are not using the latest database and in the one we use the USMC have a lower a/soft than USArmy and both are approximately similar to IJA/SNLF ones. At least in '41 and a good part of '42.


I know there are more things to consider: I was just considering the raw a/soft of the main infantry troops (rifle squads, MMGs and HMGs) since I'm not very familiar with early-war Allied infantry capabilities on the offensive.

Just remember this, the Allied infantry forces and especially the under-trained Indian forces are not very capable except for certain units.

The armoured units, when trained, are very useful and especially so when paired with good artillery units.

[ny59giants]

*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile. [8D]

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile. [8D]

That's just plain sneaky, Michael! [:-]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

is there any trick to make the flow to China work or am I obliged to get Ramree Island and fix in the normal way?

OK, not too sure about all this 'stuff' with Ramree Island being a route to get supply to China. How would it when all the terrain past it would be controlled by Japan?

In addition its a 0(0) port, so that means small and under 1126b no help loading/unloading from NS devices. Add to that that there's only one hex to the mainland, and that's across a river into a jungle. Plus, its under the watchful 'eye' of Prome, which should be a rather large Japanese airbase, allowing substantial interference on the part of Japan.

So, how is it a solution? I really don't know.

I think the rationale behind it is that it's the best substitute that the Allies have in Burma until they recapture Rangoon. Taking Ramree and building up the airbase there lets you run coastal amphib task forces from Calcutta to unload supply there.

The theory is that building a substantial stockpile in Ramree will let more supply flow into Burma. Getting it from there to China will likely require conquest of at least middle and upper Burma (and at which point there's something wrong if you've not already got Rangoon).

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile. [8D]

As a more general addition on this, overall you will want to keep ironclad control over Allied devices.

Squad devices are a particular pressure point, especially for aforementioned Australian CMF/AIF upgrades but also PIAT and Vickers more generally.

Tanks are a whole different kettle of fish. It's a good idea to take the time to properly understand what TOE's use what tank types, and where there is scope for to optimize. The specific advice I'd give on this is to not worry about what the "best" tank model is and instead to focus on getting as much onto the board as possible. A Sherman may be substantially better than a Stuart, but for your average IJ infantryman they're both effectively King Tigers.

[rustysi]

The theory is that building a substantial stockpile in Ramree will let more supply flow into Burma. Getting it from there to China will likely require conquest of at least middle and upper Burma (and at which point there's something wrong if you've not already got Rangoon).

Thanks m_m.

[ITAKLinus]

While I ponder your wonderful suggestions and tips, I review Allied naval traffic...

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: rustysi

is there any trick to make the flow to China work or am I obliged to get Ramree Island and fix in the normal way?

OK, not too sure about all this 'stuff' with Ramree Island being a route to get supply to China. How would it when all the terrain past it would be controlled by Japan?

In addition its a 0(0) port, so that means small and under 1126b no help loading/unloading from NS devices. Add to that that there's only one hex to the mainland, and that's across a river into a jungle. Plus, its under the watchful 'eye' of Prome, which should be a rather large Japanese airbase, allowing substantial interference on the part of Japan.

So, how is it a solution? I really don't know.

I think the rationale behind it is that it's the best substitute that the Allies have in Burma until they recapture Rangoon. Taking Ramree and building up the airbase there lets you run coastal amphib task forces from Calcutta to unload supply there.

The theory is that building a substantial stockpile in Ramree will let more supply flow into Burma. Getting it from there to China will likely require conquest of at least middle and upper Burma (and at which point there's something wrong if you've not already got Rangoon).

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile. [8D]

As a more general addition on this, overall you will want to keep ironclad control over Allied devices.

Squad devices are a particular pressure point, especially for aforementioned Australian CMF/AIF upgrades but also PIAT and Vickers more generally.

Tanks are a whole different kettle of fish. It's a good idea to take the time to properly understand what TOE's use what tank types, and where there is scope for to optimize. The specific advice I'd give on this is to not worry about what the "best" tank model is and instead to focus on getting as much onto the board as possible. A Sherman may be substantially better than a Stuart, but for your average IJ infantryman they're both effectively King Tigers.

rustysi, as mentioned by mind_messing, Ramree Island is the Rangoon-of-the-poor-man. I can't credibly capture (let alone hold) Rangoon anytime soon, but I can caputre Ramree Island and recapture or keep N-E Burma. Now, there is the entire area in central Burma to be taken as well, yes, but it's still a more feasbile undertaking than thinking at Rangoon.

I don't think that capturing central Burma entails automatically a caputre of Rangoon. My opinion is that the Japanese player can establish a solid position around Rangoon and the bad terrain around it a keep the position for a very long time. My perspective is that I cannot contest such a position until much later in the game, while I can try to force a re-capture of central Burma relatively early one. By then, Ramree Island with its lvl3 port is a decent entry-point for supplies, which hopefully will keep China in the war.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
Just remember this, the Allied infantry forces and especially the under-trained Indian forces are not very capable except for certain units.

The armoured units, when trained, are very useful and especially so when paired with good artillery units.

I know RJ, but what can I do? I do believe I can use them well in defensive prepared positions backed by support units (ART/ARM/etcetc).

ARM is going to be my reserve in the Indian Theater. My plan is to position ARM units so that they can counterattack the plains between Calcutta and Ledo, should he land in Chittagong area.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile.

This is gold, just like many other very precise and useful suggestions you always make. Thanks. I've put the garrison device on stockpile immediately this morning.
[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

[ITAKLinus]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

*** Garrison Device *** Immediately, go into Industry screen and click "Y" on this device to stockpile. If not any static LCU that is forced to retreat will the turn or two afterwards, suck up one of these devices and plant that LCU in some clear terrain hex that you don't want to defend. Some of those static LCUs can have some very useful and nasty artillery once mobile. [8D]

As a more general addition on this, overall you will want to keep ironclad control over Allied devices.

Squad devices are a particular pressure point, especially for aforementioned Australian CMF/AIF upgrades but also PIAT and Vickers more generally.

Tanks are a whole different kettle of fish. It's a good idea to take the time to properly understand what TOE's use what tank types, and where there is scope for to optimize. The specific advice I'd give on this is to not worry about what the "best" tank model is and instead to focus on getting as much onto the board as possible. A Sherman may be substantially better than a Stuart, but for your average IJ infantryman they're both effectively King Tigers.

I am digging a little bit more into the topic of allied devices/squads right now.
My understanding as inveterate Japanese player is that the Allies should brutally exploit their tanks until the last one gets blown up rather than upgrading to better ones immediately once available. I think the Valentine => Grant/Lee comes to mind but I might be wrong on the specific model.

In general, I am not fully grasping the entire InfSquads upgrades. I know for example that CMF/AIF squads can and should be upgraded, but how do I do that? IIRC there was the possibility to upgrade all the CMF to AIF with a relatively small pool of AIF.
If I'm not mistaken I should stockpile AIF squads until I have enough to upgrade a full division. Then, I just let every single division upgrade individually to the new standard and in few weeks/months all my Australian boys are no longer deseperate militia-men but rather furious AIF squads.
Am I missing something of the process?




Also, how do you approach replacements of Chinese InfSquads? Currently, I am stockipiling them and giving the Chinese just support units so that they "repair" more easily the infinite list of disablements they start with.
My intention is to stop any reinforcement to Chinese units as soon as I have few Chinese units in Calcutta and then turn just those on and let them fill up with infantry squads.
Is is a good approach to Chinese replacements?



Last, but not least, I am channelling all the British available replacements into the units defending Singapore. Am I doing something mad? To me, it looks like there aren't enough replacements in the pool to beef up troops in India and I want to have the highest possible AV count in Singapore before Omar crosses the strait. Since Indians&co are still repairing their infinite amount of disablements, I deemed reasonable to channel all the available infantry in Singapore.
What do you thing about this?




My general understanding about Allied pools is that you have to play with "no replacements" and stock as much as you can. Then, when you want a specific unit to have specific devices/squads, you "release" the equipment from the pool and accept replacements specifically for that unit.
Also, I am now thinking that it might be better to actually focus on few units per time and have them with a high TOE percentage, rather than giving little to everyone. Initial allied units are very squishy and I believe it's better to have a 400AV division with full TOE than 2 half-TOE divisions.
Generally speaking (there are always exceptions!), am I wrong in my current practice?

[mind_messing]

I am digging a little bit more into the topic of allied devices/squads right now.
My understanding as inveterate Japanese player is that the Allies should brutally exploit their tanks until the last one gets blown up rather than upgrading to better ones immediately once available. I think the Valentine => Grant/Lee comes to mind but I might be wrong on the specific model.

Correct.

Also never sent replacements or upgrades to LCU's that will withdraw. They'll happily take it off to Europe and you'll never see it again.

In general, I am not fully grasping the entire InfSquads upgrades. I know for example that CMF/AIF squads can and should be upgraded, but how do I do that? IIRC there was the possibility to upgrade all the CMF to AIF with a relatively small pool of AIF.
If I'm not mistaken I should stockpile AIF squads until I have enough to upgrade a full division. Then, I just let every single division upgrade individually to the new standard and in few weeks/months all my Australian boys are no longer deseperate militia-men but rather furious AIF squads.
Am I missing something of the process?

I think Lowpe goes in to detail in his AAR.

The essence of it is that you divide your Australian divisions into A/B/C components and stockpile the squads until you have enough to upgrade a full component. Because of how the rules work, if you upgrade 100 militia to inf squads, those 100 militia go back to the pools and get upgraded to inf squad there. So over several turns you can sequentially upgrade units.

The AIF upgrade is slightly trickier as those squads are much more scarce. It's been a while since I checked but IIRC you may need to disband some units to get it in a timely manner.

Note that Australian squads have a very low replacement rate, so take care if using them widely.

Also, how do you approach replacements of Chinese InfSquads? Currently, I am stockipiling them and giving the Chinese just support units so that they "repair" more easily the infinite list of disablements they start with.
My intention is to stop any reinforcement to Chinese units as soon as I have few Chinese units in Calcutta and then turn just those on and let them fill up with infantry squads.
Is is a good approach to Chinese replacements?

Not in my opinion.

Chinese inf squads have a massively high built rate, something like 10 squads/day (that then doubles come 1943).

You want those to be getting on to the map ASAP, preferably into high AV units with good leaders. I turn on the replacement taps to units that are going to be defending key positions over the course of 1942.

Last, but not least, I am channelling all the British available replacements into the units defending Singapore. Am I doing something mad? To me, it looks like there aren't enough replacements in the pool to beef up troops in India and I want to have the highest possible AV count in Singapore before Omar crosses the strait. Since Indians&co are still repairing their infinite amount of disablements, I deemed reasonable to channel all the available infantry in Singapore.
What do you thing about this?

This is a mistake.

It will not influence the fate of Singapore in any substantial way, and the British and Commonwealth devices are some of the biggest pinch points for the Allies generally.

The British Inf squads you will need to keep around so that the British divisions (which will form some of your few combat effective formations in this region in 1942) can face sustained combat.

It is vital to note that a large number of the Indian divisions have British squads as part of their TOE, so British squads are also needed to enable these formations to keep a healthy TOE.

Over time more British Inf squads will be freed by TOE upgrades in Indian LCU's, but that is a concern for 1943. See page 313 of the manual for further info.

The Indian Inf squads you will need to fill out the divisions already in India.

Then there's the shared Commonwealth pool, which is anything from Bren and Vickers squads (both key components in a units firepower) to the 3 inch mortars, up to 25 pounder guns. This is the real pinch point, as they're used in British, Indian, Australian and New Zealand units so there is far more demand for these devices than will be met.

What's needed is a very tight control over what you get as replacement and via convoys, and appropriate assignment of the devices to formations that can take full advantage of it.