What was I thinking?

[Mike McCreery]

It is now February 7, 1942. Singapore fell on the 6th (yesterday). Palembang may fall to an attack today.

2-7-1942-singapore.png (1.15 MiB) Viewed 628 times

[Mike McCreery]

I have a large amount of transports enroute to Singapore to distribute forces. The imperial guard and 5th division are going to do an amphibious attack at Pegu and possibly cut off forces east of Rangoon. This will start the move on Burma.

Once troops have landed the KB will return south and drop off troops on Java. Movement will continue in a crescent southeast to capture the remaining islands north of Australia. I am hoping to have the majority of this action finished by the end of February.

Between March and April I will use forces to interdict and conquer Rabaul, Port Moresby and the surrounding areas.

My focus has been to secure the oil and thus far it has been completely successful.

2-7-1942-Rangoon.png (1.18 MiB) Viewed 628 times

[Mike McCreery]

2-7-1942-Banda Sea.png (1.11 MiB) Viewed 626 times

[Mike McCreery]

2-7-1942-Rabaul.png (1.02 MiB) Viewed 625 times

Chickenboy, good question!! I dont have any idea but now that you made me think about it the 55th division and the 56th division have not been reformed yet but are close, so maybe one or both of them. The 33rd is 250 of about 400 so can participate but probably not win the day.

Hopefully I can be here by mid march at the latest, worrying about the amphib bonus and I want troops on ground before I lose that.

[Mike McCreery]

The struggle is real...

2-10-1942-Supply.png (139.9 KiB) Viewed 572 times

I have been putting a lot of effort into bringing resources and oil back to the home islands. There is a deficit of 80,000 supplies that are needed per day to keep current supply levels. Despite my best efforts I have been unable to move the needles much on my inventory.

HI is growing slowly, I am burning about 250 naval points per turn in the negative but I have tens of thousands of points to burn and it seems best to use them accelerating my carrier fleet. The supply at Tokyo just topped 1 million and is also growing.

I have decided to try to move Oil to Japan rather than have the refineries in other locations process it to fuel and supplies before moving it. There will have to be a balance here as many ships cannot move oil in an efficient manner so may have to turn refineries on and off based on built up supply and transport capabilities.

Trying to track the flow of resources and oil across the campaign map. I took Singapore 3 days ago and it has thrown a shock into the system. Within those days over 320K of resources have pooled at the base. As soon as I took Singapore I started dropping off oil so it has been 3 days. Oil has already teleported from Shanghai to Port Arthur and a tiny bit to Fusan. The only resource stockpiling request are at Fusan and they are all on but supplies. Hoping the excess starts moving to the east.

[RangerJoe]

If you don't want the resources/oil from the Malay peninsula stockpiling at Singapore, stop the flow at the base one hex away. Move oil from Western Sumatra to Georgetown and then it will move elsewhere. As soon as you can, get a longer part of the magic highway working. There is a way to get fuel from Urumchi to Port Arthur.

If the refineries elsewhere are also producing supplies, I would leave them on so you won't have to move supplies to that area. If they are producing a surplus of supplies, then those supplies can be moved elsewhere on ships that are not economical to move fuel. However, to remove a glut of fuel and/or if you have a surplus of cargo ships including transports, then move fuel in those ships. But I believe that it is best not to expand/repair refineries for the Japanese at this time, maybe later you can do so. Oil doesn't spoil but fuel does spoil but there is a limit to how much oil can be stored at an oil producing base. You will need the fuel in the DEI area so you probably should keep the refineries running.

[Mike McCreery]

If you don't want the resources/oil from the Malay peninsula stockpiling at Singapore, stop the flow at the base one hex away. Move oil from Western Sumatra to Georgetown and then it will move elsewhere. As soon as you can, get a longer part of the magic highway working. There is a way to get fuel from Urumchi to Port Arthur.

If the refineries elsewhere are also producing supplies, I would leave them on so you won't have to move supplies to that area. If they are producing a surplus of supplies, then those supplies can be moved elsewhere on ships that are not economical to move fuel. However, to remove a glut of fuel and/or if you have a surplus of cargo ships including transports, then move fuel in those ships. But I believe that it is best not to expand/repair refineries for the Japanese at this time, maybe later you can do so. Oil doesn't spoil but fuel does spoil but there is a limit to how much oil can be stored at an oil producing base. You will need the fuel in the DEI area so you probably should keep the refineries running.

The oil in China had been sucked dry before I started putting oil into Singapore. In 3 days it has magically teleported 11 tons to Port Arthur and even 2 tons to Fusan. Not realistic but I will take it. Appears the highway is already working.

What do you mean by 'Stop the flow' of the resources to Singapore? The only thing I can think of is to turn on resource gathering at Johore Bahru? (the adjacent city)

I have too much fuel at Palembang and have to immediately reduce supplies. 220K vs storage max 130K. Once a glut of that is removed the remainder can be shipped east to replace the large fuel stocks at Truck and probably put a bunch at Ambon to service the Banda sea region.

My plan is to use as little fuel sailing around as possible to maximize the length of time I can hold out in game. Would rather sit and be reactive mostly than try to be proactive and burn a lot of fuel. Not into the sit and react phase yet though.

[RangerJoe]

If you don't want the resources/oil from the Malay peninsula stockpiling at Singapore, stop the flow at the base one hex away. Move oil from Western Sumatra to Georgetown and then it will move elsewhere. As soon as you can, get a longer part of the magic highway working. There is a way to get fuel from Urumchi to Port Arthur.

If the refineries elsewhere are also producing supplies, I would leave them on so you won't have to move supplies to that area. If they are producing a surplus of supplies, then those supplies can be moved elsewhere on ships that are not economical to move fuel. However, to remove a glut of fuel and/or if you have a surplus of cargo ships including transports, then move fuel in those ships. But I believe that it is best not to expand/repair refineries for the Japanese at this time, maybe later you can do so. Oil doesn't spoil but fuel does spoil but there is a limit to how much oil can be stored at an oil producing base. You will need the fuel in the DEI area so you probably should keep the refineries running.

The oil in China had been sucked dry before I started putting oil into Singapore. In 3 days it has magically teleported 11 tons to Port Arthur and even 2 tons to Fusan. Not realistic but I will take it. Appears the highway is already working.

What do you mean by 'Stop the flow' of the resources to Singapore? The only thing I can think of is to turn on resource gathering at Johore Bahru? (the adjacent city)

I have too much fuel at Palembang and have to immediately reduce supplies. 220K vs storage max 130K. Once a glut of that is removed the remainder can be shipped east to replace the large fuel stocks at Truck and probably put a bunch at Ambon to service the Banda sea region.

My plan is to use as little fuel sailing around as possible to maximize the length of time I can hold out in game. Would rather sit and be reactive mostly than try to be proactive and burn a lot of fuel. Not into the sit and react phase yet though.

Yes, if Jahore Bahru is stockpiling resources, oil, and fuel then none of that from the Malay peninsula will go to Singapore. Instead it should travel to Saigon or past that. If you have to do so, you can dump resources in China and have them flow to Shanghai/Port Arthur/Fusan for loading. If Port Arthur is sucked dry of oil, oil will flow there. Including from Urumchi if/when you capture it.

At Palembang, I would stop the refineries until the fuel glut is removed. You may want to move some fuel from Osthaven to Java. In the meantime, you can always load xAKs with fuel and then disband them in port for unloading later if you don't want to use those to actually move the fuel.

[Mike McCreery]

If you don't want the resources/oil from the Malay peninsula stockpiling at Singapore, stop the flow at the base one hex away. Move oil from Western Sumatra to Georgetown and then it will move elsewhere. As soon as you can, get a longer part of the magic highway working. There is a way to get fuel from Urumchi to Port Arthur.

If the refineries elsewhere are also producing supplies, I would leave them on so you won't have to move supplies to that area. If they are producing a surplus of supplies, then those supplies can be moved elsewhere on ships that are not economical to move fuel. However, to remove a glut of fuel and/or if you have a surplus of cargo ships including transports, then move fuel in those ships. But I believe that it is best not to expand/repair refineries for the Japanese at this time, maybe later you can do so. Oil doesn't spoil but fuel does spoil but there is a limit to how much oil can be stored at an oil producing base. You will need the fuel in the DEI area so you probably should keep the refineries running.

The oil in China had been sucked dry before I started putting oil into Singapore. In 3 days it has magically teleported 11 tons to Port Arthur and even 2 tons to Fusan. Not realistic but I will take it. Appears the highway is already working.

What do you mean by 'Stop the flow' of the resources to Singapore? The only thing I can think of is to turn on resource gathering at Johore Bahru? (the adjacent city)

I have too much fuel at Palembang and have to immediately reduce supplies. 220K vs storage max 130K. Once a glut of that is removed the remainder can be shipped east to replace the large fuel stocks at Truck and probably put a bunch at Ambon to service the Banda sea region.

My plan is to use as little fuel sailing around as possible to maximize the length of time I can hold out in game. Would rather sit and be reactive mostly than try to be proactive and burn a lot of fuel. Not into the sit and react phase yet though.

Yes, if Jahore Bahru is stockpiling resources, oil, and fuel then none of that from the Malay peninsula will go to Singapore. Instead it should travel to Saigon or past that. If you have to do so, you can dump resources in China and have them flow to Shanghai/Port Arthur/Fusan for loading. If Port Arthur is sucked dry of oil, oil will flow there. Including from Urumchi if/when you capture it.

At Palembang, I would stop the refineries until the fuel glut is removed. You may want to move some fuel from Osthaven to Java. In the meantime, you can always load xAKs with fuel and then disband them in port for unloading later if you don't want to use those to actually move the fuel.

Very good suggestions, thank you.

[RangerJoe]

The oil in China had been sucked dry before I started putting oil into Singapore. In 3 days it has magically teleported 11 tons to Port Arthur and even 2 tons to Fusan. Not realistic but I will take it. Appears the highway is already working.

What do you mean by 'Stop the flow' of the resources to Singapore? The only thing I can think of is to turn on resource gathering at Johore Bahru? (the adjacent city)

I have too much fuel at Palembang and have to immediately reduce supplies. 220K vs storage max 130K. Once a glut of that is removed the remainder can be shipped east to replace the large fuel stocks at Truck and probably put a bunch at Ambon to service the Banda sea region.

My plan is to use as little fuel sailing around as possible to maximize the length of time I can hold out in game. Would rather sit and be reactive mostly than try to be proactive and burn a lot of fuel. Not into the sit and react phase yet though.

Yes, if Jahore Bahru is stockpiling resources, oil, and fuel then none of that from the Malay peninsula will go to Singapore. Instead it should travel to Saigon or past that. If you have to do so, you can dump resources in China and have them flow to Shanghai/Port Arthur/Fusan for loading. If Port Arthur is sucked dry of oil, oil will flow there. Including from Urumchi if/when you capture it.

At Palembang, I would stop the refineries until the fuel glut is removed. You may want to move some fuel from Osthaven to Java. In the meantime, you can always load xAKs with fuel and then disband them in port for unloading later if you don't want to use those to actually move the fuel.

Very good suggestions, thank you.

You are most welcome.

[Mike McCreery]

Here is an excel spreadsheet showing supply flow after the conquest of Singapore.

The numbers are wildly misleading due to the fact that many ports are drawing on oil/resource and transporting to the home islands. The singapore resource drop is due to direct withdrawl at the port.

Have set resource gathering at the base NE of singapore in effort to see if that blocks pooling at the base.

You can see that Port Arthur and Fusan have received supplies of oil.

supply lines.png (43.7 KiB) Viewed 476 times

[Mike McCreery]

I dropped troops at Pegu and found a large defending force in Rangoon. Several battles later I have not managed to push him out of the hex but I am happy to fight in open terrain. He has some tanks that are slowing me down. Have several tank regiments on the way, will cross into Sittang Bridge to pin the troops to the west next turn.

2-17-1942-Burma.png (1.13 MiB) Viewed 439 times

[Mike McCreery]

Java is slow going without the KB for air support. Just managed to land a few divisions from Singapore so land movement will begin shortly.

2-17-1942-Java.png (1.41 MiB) Viewed 436 times

[RangerJoe]

That appears to be the new map for Burma. There are lots of chances for paratroopers to drop in and cut the supply line to China.

[Mike McCreery]

February 23 1942

Big success at Pegu in Burma, the Allies tried to make a stand there and lost a good bit of troops although they retreated back into Rangoon. We will see how long that takes to route out. The supply to China will be cut and that was the major objective. Going slow in Java right now due to splitting forces.

Anyway, I have a strategic question for anyone who may read this post. This regards naval and merchant shipyard points. In scenario 2 you start with a major supply of points built up in your inventory. I have accelerated an aircraft carrier and was dipping into naval shipyards about 200 points per turn, I think I may have burned through about 7000 points.

Now that the ship is finished I am at +68 Naval points and -64 merchant points per turn.

My question is with those huge ship point pools would you take steps to use the pools up or would you keep the surplus for later in the war? Would you shut down some of the shipyards to save HI points and just burn up the pools? Would you accelerate some other ships to help in the war?

2-23-1942-Shipyard points.png (288.25 KiB) Viewed 317 times

[RangerJoe]

Accelerate your CVs and DDs . . .

Stop your cargo submarines, build your float plane carrying submarines. Japanese submarines get the worst of it after Allied ASW improves but can be useful. The Glens can be used as early warning systems later but initially can be used to find enemy convoy routes as well as to inspect enemy bases in his rear areas. That is, if you want the KB to go play there!

For the merchant points, I believe that some warships like CVEs use those points. The CS class vessels may also use merchant points but I don't remember. Stop all of the smaller xAKs except for the useful ones that can convert, but I wouldn't build any ships below the Standard C class vessels.

If you are going to convert your CS class vessels into CVLs, two of those have to be done at Tokyo with 100 point Repair Shipyards.

[Chickenboy]

Hopefully I can be here by mid march at the latest, worrying about the amphib bonus and I want troops on ground before I lose that.

Don't know why I waited a month of real time to go back over this post again in my mind, but here it is: March is too late to secure Rabaul. If you wait until the end of March before securing it, you can basically cross off any other SoPac early war target.

Noumea, Guadalcanal, Efate Port Villa and even Suva and Pago Pago are open to you *now*. But they definitely won't be (shouldn't be) in April. This will make the Allied CentPac much easier in 1942-1943 through the Gilberts and Carolines if they aren't concerned about ship lanes to Oz and a Southern flank.

If you're convinced you can't take Rabaul until March, please consider bypassing it and grabbing some other SoPac objectives while the grabbing is good.

[Chickenboy]

But I believe that it is best not to expand/repair refineries for the Japanese at this time, maybe later you can do so. Oil doesn't spoil but fuel does spoil but there is a limit to how much oil can be stored at an oil producing base. You will need the fuel in the DEI area so you probably should keep the refineries running.

Agree. Oil is more important to you than fuel given a choice between the two. And with excess refining capacity in the home islands, moving oil there (and allowing refining in the home islands to produce supply there) is helpful too. Refining at Palembang is super nice to have, but I wouldn't spend a bunch of supply to repair it or expand it.

[Chickenboy]

Accelerate your CVs and DDs . . .

Yes. Priorities for acceleration. If (when) it's an option for you, good ASW vessels are very valuable for the Japanese post-1942. Some of the "Number class" of ASW patrol vessels for the Japanese start coming in in late 1943-early 1944. Finally good depth charges and ASW ratings of 14+ (!)

By targeting limited numbers of ships for acceleration, you can make a significant difference in CV availability. My goal is to move all of my CVs and CVLs into 1944 or 1943 when possible. So I'll accelerate them until I've pulled them forward as much as is reasonably good and then revert them to 'normal'. Result: by late 1943, I should have 15 CV/CVLs available for service. By late 1944, I think that number should be 19-20.

Stop your cargo submarines, build your float plane carrying submarines. Japanese submarines get the worst of it after Allied ASW improves but can be useful. The Glens can be used as early warning systems later but initially can be used to find enemy convoy routes as well as to inspect enemy bases in his rear areas. That is, if you want the KB to go play there!

Again good advice. Many submarines aren't really necessary to build, let alone accelerate. I tend to halt production of submarines post-1943 and will selectively turn a few back on to replace subs that have been lost.

For the merchant points, I believe that some warships like CVEs use those points. The CS class vessels may also use merchant points but I don't remember. Stop all of the smaller xAKs except for the useful ones that can convert, but I wouldn't build and ships below the Standard C class vessels.

Yes, CVEs use merchant points. Doesn't matter really. The late war Japanese CVEs are total POS and not worth building, let alone accelerating. Good advice about the xAK and merchant fleet build out too.

If you are going to convert your CS class vessels into CVLs, two of those have to be done at Tokyo with 100 point Repair Shipyards.

The other two can be done in Singapore or Hong Kong. Because these take so long to convert, I generally hedge my bets and keep a couple CSs working while I convert a couple. One unconverted CS goes with KB for scouting. The other unconverted CS goes with mini-KB and is fitted with float fighters and aviators trained in both A2A and naval search. When used for CAP, these float fighters provide capable point defense, allowing the 'normal' fighters to escort TBs or DBs from mini-KB.

[RangerJoe]

One thing about the late war CVEs that aren't very useful is their air groups. If you can still supersize them and use them in combat, that can be helpful but that also depends upon your HRs as well. If nothing else, the fighter units can still be used for defense either on ships or on land. Since they will use the merchant shipyard build points, their acceleration won't slow down the production of your other carriers and escorts.