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Good question Dan.
I don't see those problems thou. I've had experienced the same problem in China and managed to solve it.
Overstacking forces you to really obtain a superiority on the hex. Not in terms on sheer numbers, but in terms of firepower. And forces the attacker to play a battle along more days...as it should be and as it isn't in stock.
 
You can always overstack when needed...you just need to bring WAY more supplies...but the allies can do it.
 
However the main rule for me has been in China: if you face a an army of 50000 enemies, in an hex with 50k max limit, you need to maximise your firepower along those limits...and fight on...you have to expect long battles...
 
remember how long it took me to crank the enemy 40,000 stack in the northern China? That battle took me over one month...and i has the complete air superiority and a force much more superior in terms of quality. Yet he managed to keep on fighting for a very long time...as it should be imho.
 
The allies need to starve the japanese garrisons, to bomb them to dust and then, only then, to invade.
As they did in RL
 
Imagina what Tarawa could have been without the massive air and naval bombings and with a fully supplies garrison? Or Saipan? Or Iwo?

CR, I would add that as the firepower differential between 1 Allied AV and 1 IJA AV moves in the Allies' favor, it should mitigate that impact.

That said, I will be watching stacking limits AARs with great interest as they move into '43 and '44 to see how it plays out in practice.

June, 07 1943
 
The allies are estabilishing their supremacy in SOPAC.
A whole regiment of the 37th Div landed at Tabiutea and now many more support units are flowing in.
Tarawa is daily bombed.
 
In the Solomons the enemy has now a level 1 port and AF at Rekata. Onnekotan Java is daily bombed and will soon be invaded. Shortland is out of order and Munda is isolated and so is Lunga. Tulagi, after a fierce resistance, finally capitulated.
 
The enemy assembled what seems to be an invasion force 4 hexes west of Terapo (PGN) and a CV TF is escorting it, providing close air support.
 
Woodlark island is bombed into oblivion and so are Taberfane and Dobo in the DEI.
 
Lautem has been naval bombed again (we lost the I-157 in the process), while Saumlaki is visited every day by 50 enemy bombers.
 
Overall the situation doesn't look that fine. The allied steamroller is clearly on the move...and damn it: it moves fast!

Japanese players get so used to the massive allied leaps - launching themselves into the lion's den, that they forget that over short distances, the allies can develop huge advantages in troops & firepower over short distances very quickly. It doesn't give the Japanese player the opportunity to concentrate - they get overwhelmed at the point of contact very quickly - too quickly for you to react.

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Japanese players get so used to the massive allied leaps - launching themselves into the lion's den, that they forget that over short distances, the allies can develop huge advantages in troops & firepower over short distances very quickly. It doesn't give the Japanese player the opportunity to concentrate - they get overwhelmed at the point of contact very quickly - too quickly for you to react.

Oh you bet it! And Brad is surely doing so... There's now way i can stop him...just look at to what happen this turn:

Jun 08, 43

The allied landed at Terapo and in one single night they managed to unload a whole Aus division and a NZ bde... one single night!!!

We tried to fight him back with our air army...but the planes arrived too late... and then i screwed up the ranges of my 2E bombers and they decided it was better to target the enemy ships heavily defended at Rekata Bay...and got slaughtered...lost more than 150 planes for no gain at all...sure i sunk some APAs and some DDs...but the allied are ashore and they will smash me soon enough



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Terapo (96,127)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

46 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APA Zeilin
APA Henry T. Allen
APA J. Franklin Bell
APA La Salle
DD Farragut

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

APA Zeilin firing at 15th Garrison Unit
APA Zeilin fired at enemy troops
APA Henry T. Allen fired at enemy troops
APA J. Franklin Bell fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Terapo (96,127)

TF 106 troops unloading over beach at Terapo, 96,127

Allied ground losses:
393 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 160 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 43 (1 destroyed, 42 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (1 destroyed, 27 disabled)

10 troops of a Aus Cmbt Eng 42 lost from landing craft during unload of 2nd Australian Div /1
25 Pounder Gun lost from landing craft during unload of 2nd Australian Div /4
Motorized Support lost in surf during unload of 2nd Australian Div


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Terapo (96,127)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

52 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LSI(L) Australia Star
LSI(L) Dunedin Star
LSI(L) Empire Pride
DD Bulmer

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

LSI(L) Australia Star firing at Maizuru 4th SNLF
LSI(L) Australia Star fired at enemy troops
LSI(L) Dunedin Star fired at enemy troops
LSI(L) Empire Pride fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Terapo (96,127)

TF 157 troops unloading over beach at Terapo, 96,127

Allied ground losses:
146 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (0 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (0 destroyed, 7 disabled)

15 Support troops accidentally lost during unload of 8th NZ Bde /3


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rekata Bay at 113,134 [:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@]

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
G4M1 Betty x 29
P1Y1 Frances x 14
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 16

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 18
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 9
F4U-1 Corsair x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 20 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed by flak
P1Y1 Frances: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
CL Caradoc
CA Salt Lake City, Torpedo hits 1




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 20
D4Y1 Judy x 11
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 27

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 6
P-38F Lightning x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 16
F6F-3 Hellcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 5 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 3 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38F Lightning: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
APA President Hayes, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Farragut, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Meredith
APA Harris


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
A6M5 Zero x 25
D3A1 Val x 65

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 2
P-38F Lightning x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-38F Lightning: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Bulmer, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSI(L) Empire Pride, Bomb hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSI(L) Dunedin Star, Bomb hits 7, on fire
LSI(L) Australia Star, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Barker, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSI(L) Empire Star, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 10
D4Y1 Judy x 20
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 56

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 4 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
APA J. Franklin Bell, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
APA Henry T. Allen, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
APA La Salle, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Meredith



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
APA Zeilin, Bomb hits 1, on fire
LSI(L) Empire Pride, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Farragut, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSI(L) Australia Star, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Terapo , at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 34

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6
B-24D1 Liberator x 6
P-38F Lightning x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged
P-38F Lightning: 2 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terapo at 96,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 72

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 4 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
APA Henry T. Allen, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Meredith
APA President Hayes, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
APA J. Franklin Bell, heavy fires
APA Zeilin, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
APA President Monroe, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APA Harris, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APA La Salle, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rekata Bay at 113,134

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 29
P1Y1 Frances x 5

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 17
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 8
F4U-1 Corsair x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City
xAK Yunnan, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PT-153
CL Caradoc
xAK Kauri
PT-152
xAK Yochow, Torpedo hits 1
DD Grayson




The southern PGN is lost and so are the Solomons... not exactly a good day. I had hope those APAs could take at least one full day to unload... but in the morning they were already empty... my only hope was to catch some of those troops still aboard...but now...a full 1943 AUS division and a NZ bde? Against a Garrison unit and a SNLF small unit? ...we're already dead meat

I'm not sure how others feel, but if I was the Allied player I would not consider that a good turn. That is a lot of good APAs and LSI(L)s lost.
I see about 12 - 14 APA types lost and some combat ships that probably will not make it. I think you had a fairly good turn GreyJoy.

ORIGINAL: Cpt Sherwood

I'm not sure how others feel, but if I was the Allied player I would not consider that a good turn. That is a lot of good APAs and LSI(L)s lost.
I see about 12 - 14 APA types lost and some combat ships that probably will not make it. I think you had a fairly good turn GreyJoy.

Materials mean nothing for the allies. You can lose half your all fleet and still land in Japan in 1944. What matters are the strategic results...and the allies got there.

Now another fleet has been seen departed from Sydney... moving North east... probably their next step is Rossell Island

If now he's really coming for Rossell Island, maybe it's time to release the KB once again. I've kept her in the shadows for the moment...but with the allies gaining new bases it's getting more and more difficult to find some dark spaces in his naval search... This could be the last time i can handle a CV-CV fight... and i know his CVs are down there lurking... He has used a CVE/CVL TF to cover Terapo invasion... not so if he comes for Rossell

...mmm.... but if i reveal my KB and move it down there i may be opening the door for another attempt in the DEI or in Western Sumatra (he keeps reconning there)....

decisions decisions....

The air-to-naval battle of Terapo is over.
 
Japan lost 150 planes to the 25 of the allies..Ouch!
However the allies should have lost 4 LSI(L) and not less than 4 APAs, along with 3 DDs... not that bad...but not enough either

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

CR, I would add that as the firepower differential between 1 Allied AV and 1 IJA AV moves in the Allies' favor, it should mitigate that impact.

That said, I will be watching stacking limits AARs with great interest as they move into '43 and '44 to see how it plays out in practice.

It is not too far off the mark. 1943 and the Allies should have to isolate an atoll and starve it before being able to think of attacking. You put an American marine division ashore vs any number of low supply Japanese units and the American division will eventually win out even vs superior numbers. Then 1944 and 45 comes along and individual Allied units get much stronger in firepower. And you can throw in some very strong tank units. Wait until you get the flame tank battalions or the large amphib tank units.

Stacking limits notwithstanding, the Allies should be able to overwhelm atolls eventually. 1942 and early 43 are another story but it is as it should be.

The key is, and should be that the Allied need to defeat the Japanese fleet before they can really consider hitting up a bunch of atolls. No Japanese fleet and any atoll is doomed. This is what appeals to me about the stacking limits in dababes. I am anxious to give it a try.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The air-to-naval battle of Terapo is over.

Japan lost 150 planes to the 25 of the allies..Ouch!
However the allies should have lost 4 LSI(L) and not less than 4 APAs, along with 3 DDs... not that bad...but not enough either

The Allies really do not get many of these ships in 1943. It hurts to lose them. By the end of 44 he will be crapping them out in his morning sh*t but for now they are precious. So not a bad result.

double post

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The air-to-naval battle of Terapo is over.

Japan lost 150 planes to the 25 of the allies..Ouch!
However the allies should have lost 4 LSI(L) and not less than 4 APAs, along with 3 DDs... not that bad...but not enough either

Well, every engagement where allies loose APA/AKA and you don't loose CV's/CA i would consider outright Jap victory.
You are suppose to loose a bunch of planes/pilots at this point and they should be easy to replace, much easier than landing ships for US.
Considering that allies will have to make 20-30 jumps like that loosing 5-10 ships/jump in the long run would make US impotent for huge invasions, that will later come.

Not only did you inflict damage, you did something more important, showed your fist, your resolve, your ability to sacrifice men and material and mess up invasion with only LBA.
Be sure that he will evaluate what happened and what might have happened, he might even slow down paste of attacks to protect it better. In consequence you will gain time.

Next time put 500 planes on his axis of advance and yell: "Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war"

Although I'm coming to the party late here, I'd have to concur that this was a good result against an amphibious invasion at Terapo. It's a tough place to guard, and with those APA/LSI transports, it is really only a one day offload.

To get that many strikes through, take something for the move he made, is about all you can hope for there if he plays it well. If you take enough of those ships early enough, after a few of those he may be using some AP/AK ships in there, and then you might be able to get to troops before they hit the beaches.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The air-to-naval battle of Terapo is over.

Japan lost 150 planes to the 25 of the allies..Ouch!
However the allies should have lost 4 LSI(L) and not less than 4 APAs, along with 3 DDs... not that bad...but not enough either

Yeah but the allies gotta a lotta ships... Still, most of your AC loss is in fighters and you were prety much defensive so you lost much fewer trained pilots - yes?

The nice thing about this stage of your war is you can still crank out lotsa aircraft with your economy. Can I ask how robust your pilot training program is?

Thank you guys!
My training program is pretty good i'd say. What i'm always missing are torpedo bombers...i can't wait to get the Peggy-T so that i can start train army pilots for Naval-T
I have 300 IJN fighter pilots ready in reserve and some 1500 Army ones. But i still need to play carefully...those reserves can be eaten up pretty fast!
 

Jun 09, 43

A great day. We ambushed the usual allied naval mily run against lautem.
With perfect coordination, air and naval forces of the Empire annihilated a strong enemy SCTF, sinking 1 CA and 4 CLs and not losing a single ship (just 25 Kates)
[:'(]




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 72,115, Range 11,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 3
BB Fuso
BB Ise, Shell hits 2
CA Mogami, Shell hits 3
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 2
DD Shigure
DD Harusame
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Shirayuki, Shell hits 1
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Java, Shell hits 4
CL Sumatra, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Richmond
CL Nashville, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
CL Denver
DD Cony
DD DeHaven
DD Nicholas, Shell hits 2
DD Radford, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Bancroft, Shell hits 2
DD Frazier, Shell hits 1


Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 39% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards

Task forces break off...


Our ships are in perfect conditions!!![:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then our brave RO sub sunk another enemy CL

Sub attack near Lautem at 72,115

Japanese Ships
SS RO-34

Allied Ships
CL Sumatra, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Frazier



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Darwin at 74,120

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 74

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 destroyed, 16 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CL Denver, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CA Minneapolis, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CL Richmond
CL Java, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD DeHaven
DD Radford


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We won't last long....
Ground combat at Terapo (96,127)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13336 troops, 179 guns, 115 vehicles, Assault Value = 374

Defending force 5060 troops, 40 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 166

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2[:(][:(]

Allied adjusted assault: 121

Japanese adjusted defense: 251

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
416 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
436 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th NZ Brigade
2nd Australian/B Division
2nd Australian/A Division
2nd Australian/C Division

Defending units:
Maizuru 4th SNLF
15th Garrison Unit
4th Indpt SNLF Coy

.

Well, i think if you were right before, saying Brad would be more honest after the the Terapo raid, now that effect has been even amplified. we showed him we can still fight and win a surface engagement. A Brookling Class CL, a Cleveland Cladd CL, 1 CA and 2 small CLs...not bad, not bad
 
My DDs performed particularly well, keeping honest his own DDs (superior to mines) and allowing our CAs to do most of the job

That is definitely a good day!

It'll be interesting how this changes the daily actions in the DEI and if he continues to use naval bombardment as often. The best part is no losses for the IJN. [8D]