Notes from a Small Island

[Lokasenna]

Funny - the air sorties in this game are about 1.4x as many for the Allies, and about 1.15x as many for Japan, compared to my game. And yet air losses for Japan are similar, while for the Allies it's almost -20%.

[BBfanboy]

Your goal for the Parity in LCU destroyed VPs will be doubly hard:

Per the manual Section 17.0, for most Allied units (exc. Chinese, Philippine and Soviet) the Japanese get a VP for every 3 items destroyed but the Allies only get one VP after destroying 6 Japanese items.

[Canoerebel]

Yeah, the math is tough but it works in the long haul. At least, it works when the Allies can beat up on Japanese armies in open terrain in China.

Erik's defense of the Kuriles is strong and sensible, but one disadvantage is that he has somewhat marooned more than half a million men on those islands. There are alot of points to be gained there, and I think the gain will be efficient since much of the work necessary to reduce the islands will be done by navy and air force rather than sacrificing ground troops.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Yeah, the math is tough but it works in the long haul. At least, it works when the Allies can beat up on Japanese armies in open terrain in China.

Erik's defense of the Kuriles is strong and sensible, but one disadvantage is that he has somewhat marooned more than half a million men on those islands. There are alot of points to be gained there, and I think the gain will be efficient since much of the work necessary to reduce the islands will be done by navy and air force rather than sacrificing ground troops.

True to an extent. But if you want those VPs you have to pay the prep-time fee for them, then pay again for the HI. He has supply worries, but you have time worries. And if you're pounding Kuriles you aren't pounding his industry.

I saw your Corsair sweeps and well done. But it looks like you're not facing Frank-r yet. That's a very tough plane. They manhandled my Corsairs in the Loka game.

[Canoerebel]

Prep time isn't as big an issue since I'm sitting right on the edge of the Home Islands, China and Korea. IE, I don't have alot of island-hopping to do to get where I need to be. I'm pretty much there.

I've heard of a Frank-a and a Frank-b, but I don't think I've heard of a Frank-r. Whatizzit and when is it likely to show up?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Prep time isn't as big an issue since I'm sitting right on the edge of the Home Islands, China and Korea. IE, I don't have alot of island-hopping to do to get where I need to be. I'm pretty much there.

I've heard of a Frank-a and a Frank-b, but I don't think I've heard of a Frank-r. Whatizzit and when is it likely to show up?

Erik is a bit derelict in not having it yet, IMO. I think I had it in late 43 or early 44.

Superior in most of the stats that matter, except in range on the Frank-b. Frank-b has better guns but I didn't grab it in my game because of the altitude/climb/maneuver same-ness.

[HansBolter]

Frank-r's are tough. The AI got them early in my ironman game and they and the KI-95s (not sure if stock games get these) are the only planes capable of standing up to my air force in Jan '45.

Those and the Rita's that routinely shoot down CAP interceptors like Allied 4Es.

[Canoerebel]

Well, I suppose I can't do anything about it other than to watch for it and then adjust my tactics if it proves unduly lethal.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Prep time isn't as big an issue since I'm sitting right on the edge of the Home Islands, China and Korea. IE, I don't have alot of island-hopping to do to get where I need to be. I'm pretty much there.

I've heard of a Frank-a and a Frank-b, but I don't think I've heard of a Frank-r. Whatizzit and when is it likely to show up?

My only point was you have to prep to land and finish off any Kurile. Even if the defense is weak, landing with no prep will trash your landing LCUs. Then you have to re-prep for any HI landing, or any mainland Asia landing. Distance isn't the issue. It's the time.

Loka showed the Frank-r already. He got them very early in our game, when I was trying to fight them with P-38s and first-gen Corsairs. One reason my loss numbers are so bad. They also got at least 1:1 on Jugs. The George was a problem for me for awhile, but the second-gen Corsair and Jugs did OK. I never found a good ratio solution for the -r.

[Canoerebel]

Well, the armies are already 100% prepped for every island from Uruppu to Paramushiro.

When (and if) Ketoi falls, I'll change prep to a distant target. Since I have four or five invasions (each 100% prepped already), the Ketoi troops should have plenty of time to complete prep for that more distant target. And I'll do the same as each successive island falls. That's why I don't think prep time is a huge issue.

[Canoerebel]

10/29/44

Prep: Here's the larger units at Shikuka and Toyohara, showing their prep targets. There is a total of about 10,000 AV at these two bases. There's another 1800 AV at Ketoi.

[JeffroK]

Do have any HR about the Western Allies using Soviet bases.

Time is not too far away from having to plan to use the Russian hordes, maybe prepping them for their assault.

[HansBolter]

I've been wondering if Amphibious Force HQs provide any benefit in mitigating disruption and disablements from lack of preparation.

If so, the prevalence of them in the late war period might allow the Americans to move forward with invasions with less preparation.

I haven't thought to test it as I have been fully prepped for all of my planned invasions.




p.s. That's some pretty massive stacking that you wouldn't be able to pull off in a full stacking limits game. That base is surely experiencing some serious suburban sprawl to be able to house 522,000 troops.

[Canoerebel]

I've done this a number of times when bringing in reinforcements - perhaps about ten times now, in two games. Each time, fatigue/disruption of the unit coming ashore is minimal - usually 3/0. Disablements are a bit higher, but modest in comparison to what you'd expect for a unit with low prep. I just did this with a USA RCT at 40% prep landing at Ketoi. Fatigue/disruption were 3/0 and I think disablements were 15-20 combat squads.

If I need reinforcements, and if I have a 100%-prepped amphib HQ present - I'll bring in the reinforcements without hesitation.

[Canoerebel]

10/30/44

Ketoi: I believe this is the first bombardment that's had a noticeable effect on enemy combat squads. The bombardments aren't nuclear, by any means, but beyond the disablements and destruction, they probably keep disruption elevated and eat into enemy supply stocks.

[Canoerebel]

10/30/44

Burma: Allied armor attacks the large Japanese stack near Prome. The armor takes heavy disablements and will need some rest. No evidence, yet, that the enemy stack is actually leaving the hex, despite the movement dots on the stack.

[BillBrown]

Just to make sure you know, Motorized Support is also classified as a Vehicle, so some of those losses will be them, not actually tanks.

[Canoerebel]

10/30/44

Burma: Deliberate attack by a few units of Allied armor continue to show that this Japanese stack is weak. If supply levels are sufficient, the infantry will attack tomorrow.

This IJ stack also shows two movement dots, but thus far none of the units has vacated the hex. I think Erik has to pull back here; and I think if he has to pull back here, he likewise has to pull back from Prome. But I may be misreading things.

[Canoerebel]

10/30/44

Ketoi: Pretty effective bombardment, considering only a few Allied units were involved.

I think the enemy garrison is steadily weakening and that attacks now would be productive. The limiting factor is combat engineers - my big CE unit is still recovering. I might be able to hazard an attack tomorrow or the day after. Another large CE unit will arrive in about three days - 100% prepped for Paramushiro, but I think it will come ashore okay due to the Amphib Force HQ, per discussion above.

[anarchyintheuk]

The 40 squads of infantry that are part of the Indian tank/armored brigades oob are usually annihilated in any attack. I've started to not allow infantry replacements for them regardless of the amounts in the pools.