Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice)

[jwolf]

Isn't Java pretty much self-sufficient in producing fuel for the fleet? Even with damage to the facilities, wouldn't they be repaired by now?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Hey, we're even. My comment wasn't directed at your comment. It was directed at Tarkalak's comment.

[:'(]
I confess I was venting somewhat after another frustrating attempt to find something in the manual. It may well be there, but without a good index entry I am pretty hopeless at searching now. Too easy for my old eyes and brain to skip over stuff. [8|]

When you install the game, there is a manual subfolder that has the manual in it. You can search it electronically, much
easier than the written manual.

There was an upgrade to Adobe Acrobat and after that it would not open the electronic manual. I figure the old PDF version must not work with whatever Adobe has out now.

[Canoerebel]

Oil production is repairing - up to about 131, with the refinery at about 115. I don't know how much daily fuel that translates to. I do know that the fleet sucked everything dry, including several dozen AOs. Once they were topped off, AO and TK deliveries could work on creating a reserve, which now stands at about 75k fuel. From what I've seen thus far, the enormous Allied fleet will need far more fuel than Java can produce.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Oil production is repairing - up to about 131, with the refinery at about 115. I don't know how much daily fuel that translates to. I do know that the fleet sucked everything dry, including several dozen AOs. Once they were topped off, AO and TK deliveries could work on creating a reserve, which now stands at about 75k fuel. From what I've seen thus far, the enormous Allied fleet will need far more fuel than Java can produce.

Once my invasion of the Home Islands got under way I had 6 tanker TFs plying back and forth between LA (my main fuel depot) and the HI. The smallest carried 192k while the largest carried 323k.

Even with those dedicated TFs working there were several points where I had to empty the 4-6 on station AO TFs to ensure an adequate supply of fuel at the front.

The Allied fleet in '44-46 has a very heavy thirst.

[Canoerebel]

9/23/44 and 9/24/44

DEI: Opening probing attack at Palembang yields favorable results. There's rot in the defense, and the base is likely to fall within a month. So the three bases targeted during the "CVE upgrade interval" - Palembang, Kendari and Ambon - have or will fall sooner than originally expected. This will promote security for Allied shipping and make future Allied ops more efficient (less worry about enemy attacks).

The Allies are chomping at the bit, ready to go as soon as the CVEs finish their upgrades. CV Ticonderoga should arrive in time to participate.

[BBfanboy]

Your preponderance in vehicles and engineers will give you fast fort reduction and greater ability to maintain the attack than he has maintaining the defence. I give Palembang a week.

[Canoerebel]

Well that sounds good. And some big reinforcements are inbound too.

[Canoerebel]

9/26/44

DEI: KB sighted at Manila; DS sorties for quickie raid vs. massed enemy shipping at exposed Balikpapan; third attack at Palembang to take place tomorrow.

The jeep carrier upgrades at Soerabaja should wind up in two or three days. Ground troops may begin loading aboard amphibs the day after tomorrow.

The first strike will be against Samarinda and Balikpapan. Three objectives: (1) further build the Allied security zone; (2) permanently deny Japan the oil; (3) paint a certain picture I intend to use in the following operation.

[Canoerebel]

9/27/44 to 10/1/44

DEI: Both Palembang and Kendari fall on the 1st, giving the Allies the "broad shoulders" desired prior to initiating the next lengthy, intense round of amphibious ops.

And the first of those is already underway, having departed Soerabaja bound for Samarinda/Balikpapan. D-Day should take place on the 3rd.

Samarinda is lightly garrisoned and Balikpapan only modestly so - not as strong as Kendari or Ambon. Dave may have already written these bases off, but he'll have to use KB effectively to have a chance to prevent this.

[Canoerebel]

10/2/44

DEI: Dave unleashes kamikazes, and they are effective despite massive, high-quality CAP.

If this situation deteriorates markedly, I'll revisit my post-Balikpapan plan of going deep. In that case, the Allies would continue to advance strongly but more linearly. Hopefully some adjustments and living a clean life will turn the tables on nefarious Japanese opponent, so that I can go non-linear, which is always fun.

[Canoerebel]

My airfield suppression activities were pretty robust that turn - Manado and Balikpapan hit hard, Miri given a glancing blow. Those were the biggest bases in the vicinity. Samarinda is "just" a level 3, but kamikazes make them potentially lethal too.

I don't think Dave will use Samarinda again tomorrow, so the B-29s will fly night missions vs. Balikpapan, Manado and Tarakan.

[JohnDillworth]

Well, all that damage can be fixed fairly quickly in Java. I have no idea how they got thought against your cap but you might want to check your layers. Clearly what you got now needs adjustment. Oh, and CVE's seem to be Kamikaze magnets. If the JV team was with you the kamikazes would have almost certainly gone for them. I don't know why that is but I suspect there might be something in the code that lends them that tendency. Dust the fleet off and check your CAP

[Canoerebel]

Yup, CVEs are kami magnets and tend to go "poof" when hit.

Oddly, more than 90% of the CVEs were present, but the kamis went after the carrier TF with the lowest TF number. I don't know if that's good or bad.

My CAP is well layered between 6k and 25k, but I made some adjustments, dropping a few lower and bringing a Corsair squadron or two down low, in case their speed might help out.

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

DEI: Dave sends KB to engage DS. Morning weather prevents any strikes....and DS strike aircraft are limited to range 2, to prevent blundering into CAP traps (especially Dave loading up KB with fighters, as he's done before).

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

DEI: Uh oh. This is the real thing, and well coordinated. As the shooting begins, I'm pretty sure there aren't kamikazes involved because Dave probably isn't ready to convert his carriers over to "all or nothing" warfare. Or so I think. And hope.

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

Battle of Makassar Strait: Allied CAP did a pretty darned good job dealing with the strike and the topnotch escorts. This is what made it through.

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

Battle of Makassar Strait: The strikes focus mainly on the CVEs, doing heavy damage to three. The few targeting the fleet CV TFs miss.

Enemy air losses are heavy; Allied losses are light.

I doubt KB will be in a position to attack in the next few days. If so, the Allies are fine. I can replace the carriers lost or heavily damaged and continue with planned post-Balikpapan ops. That's assuming there aren't further misadventures.

Dave did a good job configuring attacks that made it through Allied CAP. But I think the outcome is that the Allies can carry on, basically undiminished, while he's suffered serious carrier air and pilot losses. This is about the sixth time in the past few months.

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

battle of Makassar Strait: A Dutch sub does good work but pays the ultimate price.

A scattering of further enemy air strikes - LBA and KB - are unescorted and easily handled.

[BillBrown]

That ship repair yard at Soerabaja will be busy in the next few weeks. But very useful to have it.

[Canoerebel]

10/3/44

Intel Screen: Heavy enemy air losses.