Here we go again! tc464 (A) vs. Mike (J) - No tc464

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Thanks guys. You know, you crack me up.

I'm having no luck with my Mac. I'm trying to partition the HD with Boot Camp and install Windows. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Uhmmm - toss it into the trash and buy a PC ? [:D] [:D]

Xargun

[Mike Solli]

Hi guys. I got ahold of my esteemed opponent. Good and bad news....

Bad news - We're ending this game.
Good news - We're starting over! We both gained a lot of experience with AE and want to start over to do things differently.
More bad news - I don't think I can install XP on my Mac. I think I need to purchase Windows 7. [:@] If that is the case, I won't buy it until I get a full time job. It might be a while....

Anyway, I have a few ideas on how to do some things differently that I'll discuss here. Off to church then we're off to visit the kids at college. I'll be around later this afternoon to throw out what I've been kicking around.

Oh yeah, for anyone who has a Mac Mini, if you can tell me how to install XP without using Bootcamp Assistant (which only allows you to install Windows 7), I'm all ears. [:D]

[Chickenboy]

Hi Mike,

For the love of all that's holy, please don't leave PDU OFF next time. [:D]

[Mike Solli]

Chickenboy, I'm still torn with the PDU thing. I'll ask Ted, though he didn't care one way or the other last time.

Anyway, I've been thinking of my numerous mistakes this game and what to do differently next time.

Here's the initial list off the top of my head. Comments are welcome.

1. Conversion of Yusen-A (7) and Husimi(15+) to AK immediately.

2. Conversion of all Ansyu-C to PB immediately.

3. Convert all AK (above and Yusen-S) to AK-t immediately.

4. Combine elements of land units as soon as possible. I didn't do this in this game because I wanted to have the ability to task organize. Unfortunately, it resulted in many of the smaller units being trashed in combat. I think losses (and possibly disruption) would be lower if the divisions are combined before major combat.

5. Faster invasion timelines, especially in the DEI. Q-Ball and Chickenboy harped on me incessantly to speed up my timeline. They were right.

6. Take Ambon early! They harped on me to take this base in the initial round of invasions. I did't take it until late January. Japanese control of this base with Netties & recon there will cause more Allied shipping losses and cut off the northern DEI very effectively. I won't make that mistake again.

7. Take Singapore faster. I made two crucial mistakes here. I ran out of supply (stupid!). I'm going to send supply convoys from Japan at the beginning of the war this time. Too much supply is far better than too little. Second mistake was to not have enough ground strength. Here's my intent for initial invasions. I'll need some help tweaking this because I'll need to figure out how to get at least another division to the DEI.

Philippines
14 Army
16 Div
48 Div
65 Bde

Burma
55 Div
33 Div

SE Fleet
Gds Bde (Japan)
90 In Reg (Manchuoko)

Malaya
25 Army
ID Div
5 Div
18 Div
56 Div (-)
16 Army
38 Div
2 Div
Southern Area Army
4 Div
21 Div
21 Mixed Bde

This gives me 8 divisions and 1 brigade for Singapore. I think I can take it relatively quickly, given sufficient supply. My concern is Mindinao. I'd like to take at least Davao and Catabato (I think - whatever base the B-17s are located in). All I really have available is a regiment of the 56 Div and a bunch of small units. I'm thinking of sending the 2 tank regiments from 14 Army as well. What do you guys think?

I also want to make a beachhead in Java early, like in this game. I'm thinking 1 division and 1 bde plus support of course. The division will have to come from Manchuoko, I think. What about the 31 Division? Is that available initially or am I dreaming?

More comments later when I have time to ponder some more.

Lastly, does anyone have a spreadsheet with the starting ground units? From tracker possibly?

Thanks. I look forward to your comments.

[SuluSea]

Here you go Mike. Whoops forum doesn't support the document I'm trying to upload.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
This gives me 8 divisions and 1 brigade for Singapore. I think I can take it relatively quickly, given sufficient supply. My concern is Mindinao. I'd like to take at least Davao and Catabato (I think - whatever base the B-17s are located in). All I really have available is a regiment of the 56 Div and a bunch of small units. I'm thinking of sending the 2 tank regiments from 14 Army as well. What do you guys think?

"Harping"? "Incessant"? [:D]

The IR + may be sufficient to liberate Davao early in the campaign, but will be insufficient to to take Catabato (sp?), particularly if your opponent consolidates his myriad polyglot Mindanao forces into this hex and gets a fortification and rough hex defensive bonus.

S'OK. Put your Sally and Lilly training squadrons at Davao (or Jolo) and bomb the stuffing out of them for a few months. Soften 'em up nice and later-after Luzon falls liquidate them in situ with a larger force of your convenience.

I also want to make a beachhead in Java early, like in this game. I'm thinking 1 division and 1 bde plus support of course. The division will have to come from Manchuoko, I think. What about the 31 Division? Is that available initially or am I dreaming?

Well, if you're willing to wait a month or so to get onto Java, you may amass sufficient political points to buy out a division. Figure the IDs cost in the vicinity of 1800 points, you'll amass that in ~36 days. Have your transport standing by in Shanghai the end of January / early February and rail 'em in there from Manchuko for maximum speed. Set 'em to strat. move before you buy 'em and you can shave another 2-3 days off the transit too.

What are your plans for Sumatra? In my opinion, that merits at least as much attention for an early landing as Java. A full ID there in late December / early January isn't too much to ask.

[SqzMyLemon]

Glad to see you back Mike.

There are many things I'd like a chance to redo as well, knowing what I know now. Strike hard and fast. The faster you strike, the less time the Allies' have to react and set up any substantial roadblocks in your path in the first two months at least.

I'm looking forward to following along again and always am interested in your discussions about running the Japanese. Good luck.

P.s. Go with PDU on as Chickenboy suggests. I think the added flexibility will make the game more enjoyable in the long run and adds that much more flavour when running Japanese production.

[DivePac88]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli


I also want to make a beachhead in Java early, like in this game. I'm thinking 1 division and 1 bde plus support of course. The division will have to come from Manchuoko, I think. What about the 31 Division? Is that available initially or am I dreaming?

Hi Mike, and welcome back...

The three infantry regiments of the 31st division are available in China at the start for the grand total of 1249 PPs, and the other components of the division (Engineer regiment, mountain gun regiment, and the Tankette company) arrive at Shanghai in 438 days.

Edit; If you want a full infantry division to buy out, I think that the 20th division in Korea is a better option. It is a good quality division fully available at the start, but will cost you the grand total of 1572 PPs to buy-out all of it's components.

[Cribtop]

+1 on the 20th. 90th Regt is also available cheap.

[Mike Solli]

DivePac, Cribtop, thanks for the info. I pulled out the 3 regiments of the 31st in this game to garrison the northern border. I also pulled out the 20 Div. I won't pull out the 31 Div this game. I agree that the 20 Div is the one to pull as soon as possible.

This brings another concern: PP

I want to buy the following:

Gds Bde for SE Fleet (650 PP)
90 Reg for SE Fleet (??? PP)
20 Div for DEI (1572 PP)

Can someone lookup the cost for the 90 Reg?

I'll probably buy the 90 Reg initially, then probably the Gds and finally the 20 Div.

The intent of the 20 Div is to land in Java in Jan 42. I want to split the island ideally, but at least form a beachhead.

Lemon, I think I'm going to try PDU on this time around. That'll cause lots more planning, of course. [:D]

How many PPs do we start with? 500?

[Chickenboy]

Hi Mike,

If you haven't already replaced them, take a look at some of your carrier captains before burning all your PP on an ID. You've got a couple stinkers in KB that could / should be replaced before the start of hostilities, IMO.

[Mike Solli]

Chickenboy,

I won't take Palembang until I take Batavia, or at least neutralize it. I'm afraid Ted will bomb the oil from northern Java. Damaged oil there will really screw up the Japanese.

My goal this time around is to invade Southern Summatra in mid January.

I plan on being much more aggressive with my paratroopers as well.

The concern I keep coming back to is a lack of infantry. Tonight I'm going to take a hard look at the infantry assets available and try to map out some sort of strategy and timeline.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Hi Mike,

If you haven't already replaced them, take a look at some of your carrier captains before burning all your PP on an ID. You've got a couple stinkers in KB that could / should be replaced before the start of hostilities, IMO.

Yeah, I didn't mention that but that's usually the first thing I do with PPs. Most of them really suck.

[Mike Solli]

What divisions to the following regiments belong to? They're both Southern Area Army units and broken down into battalions at the start. Thanks.

4 IR
124 IR

[DivePac88]

4th infantry regiment is from the 2nd division, which starts in Sendai.

124th infantry regiment is from the 31st division, which only has the two other infantry regiments active in China at the start.

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

What divisions to the following regiments belong to? They're both Southern Area Army units and broken down into battalions at the start. Thanks.

4 IR
124 IR

From my notes the 4th IR belongs to the 2nd Division in the 16th Army
The 124 IR belongs to the 31st Division of the China Expeditionary Army, all those regiments aren't on the map yet but the rest of the division will be found in China.

[SqzMyLemon]

Isn't there another Rgt., the 144th or something, that needs to go to Burma to reform the 55th Division. Starts out around Babeldoab or something I think.

[DivePac88]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Can someone lookup the cost for the 90 Reg?

How many PPs do we start with? 500?

90th infantry regiment will cost you 123PPs per battalion 3 x 123 = 369

Yes Mike, you start with 500PPs, and it never seems enough.

[PaxMondo]

Mike, if you don't have it yet, your REALLY need to get Tracker 1.8. It has all of this at your fingertips ... [;)]

[Mike Solli]

Thanks guys. Lemon, yeah, I remember the 144 IR. It'll be part of the force to take Rabaul and PM then they'll marry up with the rest of the 55 Div. I have 90 IR and Gds Bde along with 144 IR tasked with those two bases.