January 16th 1942
I don't like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and it isn't of much value. Life hasn't revealed its beauty to them. (Boris Pasternak)
Ships, at last
One strange aspect of this war is the absence of ships. For about a month, very little happened at sea. Enemy submarines found a few cargoes, escorts sank a few subs, KB found three cargoes in Brisbane, and that is pretty much all. This changed today.
Over Surabaya, since fighter sweeps could not find the enemy, a port bombing run was ordered. The Betties found two submarines and a handful of minesweepers. On sub and five minesweepers were reported sunk. Tonight, the mine boats do not show up in the sunk list, but Tracker has them. I believe they will be reported tomorrow. More ships are reported in port, I will be back tomorrow…
In the Java Sea, bombers from Surabaya attacked my convoy returning from Bandjermasin. One cargo, the Ukyo Maru, was damaged. Two swordfishes and two Blenheims were destroyed in return.
But the most interesting action happened over Palembang. The enemy, committing his carriers, attacked my reinforcement convoy. Fortunately, troops had unloaded at dawn. All four cargoes were sunk, together with one escorting destroyer. Another destroyer was damaged (but will probably make it), and a light cruiser (CL Kinu) was left unscathed.
Operationally, the Allies achieved very little. The force ratio in Palembang is unchanged, we traded four cargoes and a destroyer for a couple of planes, and information on the position of enemy flattops (the number of planes attacking suggest two US carriers, Lexington and Enterprise, probably). But it sure is a wake-up call. All my naval operations are in this region, how com KB is not around?
An interesting question is, where are those carriers going? They could be headed west, towards India. I will evacuate Port Blair, just in case, or the could go east, back to Australia. I doubt they will stay around.
Last hopes
Around Nanyang, the Chinese did not attack. I now have 1700 AV in the hex, three more divisions will arrive tomorrow, bringing the total to 3000 AV, against about 2000 chinese.
In Chuhsien, another Allied deliberate attack ended at 1:2. Losses are not very high, but disruption is mounting. A division is arriving tomorrow, another one the day after. I am now convinced the city will hold.
Now when the land rings with the clash of arms –No soliinvictus please
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 17th and 18th, 1942
The days the weeks pass by beyond our ken
Neither time past
Nor love comes back again
Under the Mirabeau Bridge there flows the Seine
(Guillaume Apollinaire, tr. Richard Wilbur)
Au pas camarade!
The troops stationed in Johore Baru hit 2500 AV on the seventeenth. Two infantry regiments are around Kuala. Merlion is on, troops march on the Lion City.
“A Dieu vat!” Captain Kano, the commanding officer of the first company of the 113rd infantry regiment, who will lead the assault column, told our reporters as the 113rd regimental music was passing by, performing the 113rd marching song, “Marlborough goes to war”, on recorders and banjoleles.
Why recorders and banjoleles? Because they are French. But they are not! Yes, but the GHQ mistakenly thinks so, since the cultural attaché in Paris told them. Why the cultural attaché said so is a mystery. The Kempetai believe this might be disinformation fed to him by his French mistress, mamzelle Lili, a lead dancer in a Montmartre cabaret, as part of an Allied covert operation, codenamed Bozosan, which tries to make the IJA look ridiculous.
The Paris bureau of the Kempetai has sent a memo to Tokyo. When the GHQ receives it, recorders and banjolele will probably be replaced by more warlike (yet French, an oxymoron!) instruments, and the cultural attaché will be transferred to the 38th Field Latrine Construction Company, operating in the hot, damp and newly conquered base of Bandjermasin. But the Imperial Mail is not known for its speed, especially now, when the land rings with the clash of arms...
Right now, the 113rd is marching in, proudly, to the sound of the recorders and banjoleles, and to a brutal, albeit heroic, river crossing shock attack.
Meanwhile in the DEI…
Base hopping operations continue. Bandjermasin fell on the 17th, together with Taytay. Dili, on Timor, and Tulagi, were captured on the 18th. Port attacks over Surabaya destroyed another six or seven minesweepers, and damaged the repair yard. Tomorrow, my Nells will focus on the airfield, where a number of planes are stood down, if intelligence is to be trusted.
In Palembang, enemy carriers are gone. The 14th Guards Regiment landed on the 18th. I am now outnumbering him by 1.5:1, another regiment is three days away. It is a matter of time, now. In the air, the Dutch must be short of fighters, every day, a dozen bombers fly in from Batavia, try to bomb my troops, and get shot by zeros on long range patrol from Singkawang. At sea, a cargo was lost to the coast guns, she had already unloaded her troops.
Lost hopes
The Allies attacked again in Chuhsien, to little effect. The city is now fortified (level 2), and reinforced (three IJA divisions, an armored car regiment, and an engineer regiment). Assault value is roughly equivalent to what the Chinese have. I will try a deliberate attack tomorrow, in case enemy disruption and supply levels are worse than I think. If it does not work, recon suggests the garrison in Wenchow is very small. I might send two divisions there, knowing that the Chuhsien garrison can resist enemy attacks.
Around Nanyang, my attacking column hit thin air. The enemy has retreated towards Sian, and I am pursuing along the major road. In such closed terrain, I doubt even a reinforced enemy can dislodge or push me back, and my supply lines are pretty short. I have two and a half divisions north of Sian. If the enemy neglects the garrison to attack my main column, I might move to besiege the city, cutting enemy supply lines. The presence of rivers makes this an unpleasant prospect, though.
In the North, two divisions are closing on Yenan. I hope I have enough. Recon says 50k troops, but about half of them are the remnants of two corps I have defeated, so real numbers are probably more like 30k, or 600 AV. They should be low on supplies, too. Reinforcements are moving to Taiyuan, just in case.
In the far west, my troops are closing on Kiuchuan, they should arrive in a week. Reinforcements for Ningsia should arrive there in two.
My western offensive is slowed down. I should have moved earlier on Yenan. On the other hand, every day makes the chinese supply situation a little worse...
The days the weeks pass by beyond our ken
Neither time past
Nor love comes back again
Under the Mirabeau Bridge there flows the Seine
(Guillaume Apollinaire, tr. Richard Wilbur)
Au pas camarade!
The troops stationed in Johore Baru hit 2500 AV on the seventeenth. Two infantry regiments are around Kuala. Merlion is on, troops march on the Lion City.
“A Dieu vat!” Captain Kano, the commanding officer of the first company of the 113rd infantry regiment, who will lead the assault column, told our reporters as the 113rd regimental music was passing by, performing the 113rd marching song, “Marlborough goes to war”, on recorders and banjoleles.
Why recorders and banjoleles? Because they are French. But they are not! Yes, but the GHQ mistakenly thinks so, since the cultural attaché in Paris told them. Why the cultural attaché said so is a mystery. The Kempetai believe this might be disinformation fed to him by his French mistress, mamzelle Lili, a lead dancer in a Montmartre cabaret, as part of an Allied covert operation, codenamed Bozosan, which tries to make the IJA look ridiculous.
The Paris bureau of the Kempetai has sent a memo to Tokyo. When the GHQ receives it, recorders and banjolele will probably be replaced by more warlike (yet French, an oxymoron!) instruments, and the cultural attaché will be transferred to the 38th Field Latrine Construction Company, operating in the hot, damp and newly conquered base of Bandjermasin. But the Imperial Mail is not known for its speed, especially now, when the land rings with the clash of arms...
Right now, the 113rd is marching in, proudly, to the sound of the recorders and banjoleles, and to a brutal, albeit heroic, river crossing shock attack.
Meanwhile in the DEI…
Base hopping operations continue. Bandjermasin fell on the 17th, together with Taytay. Dili, on Timor, and Tulagi, were captured on the 18th. Port attacks over Surabaya destroyed another six or seven minesweepers, and damaged the repair yard. Tomorrow, my Nells will focus on the airfield, where a number of planes are stood down, if intelligence is to be trusted.
In Palembang, enemy carriers are gone. The 14th Guards Regiment landed on the 18th. I am now outnumbering him by 1.5:1, another regiment is three days away. It is a matter of time, now. In the air, the Dutch must be short of fighters, every day, a dozen bombers fly in from Batavia, try to bomb my troops, and get shot by zeros on long range patrol from Singkawang. At sea, a cargo was lost to the coast guns, she had already unloaded her troops.
Lost hopes
The Allies attacked again in Chuhsien, to little effect. The city is now fortified (level 2), and reinforced (three IJA divisions, an armored car regiment, and an engineer regiment). Assault value is roughly equivalent to what the Chinese have. I will try a deliberate attack tomorrow, in case enemy disruption and supply levels are worse than I think. If it does not work, recon suggests the garrison in Wenchow is very small. I might send two divisions there, knowing that the Chuhsien garrison can resist enemy attacks.
Around Nanyang, my attacking column hit thin air. The enemy has retreated towards Sian, and I am pursuing along the major road. In such closed terrain, I doubt even a reinforced enemy can dislodge or push me back, and my supply lines are pretty short. I have two and a half divisions north of Sian. If the enemy neglects the garrison to attack my main column, I might move to besiege the city, cutting enemy supply lines. The presence of rivers makes this an unpleasant prospect, though.
In the North, two divisions are closing on Yenan. I hope I have enough. Recon says 50k troops, but about half of them are the remnants of two corps I have defeated, so real numbers are probably more like 30k, or 600 AV. They should be low on supplies, too. Reinforcements are moving to Taiyuan, just in case.
In the far west, my troops are closing on Kiuchuan, they should arrive in a week. Reinforcements for Ningsia should arrive there in two.
My western offensive is slowed down. I should have moved earlier on Yenan. On the other hand, every day makes the chinese supply situation a little worse...
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 19th, 1942
Another one bites the plancton
(somehow this title doesn't work...)
SS Seadragon is reported sunk today near Truk. I know I hit her, but I am a bit surprised she died. Two days ago, SS Nautilus was reported sunk, the day before SS O-16 was sunk during the air attack on Surabaya, and the day before SS Pike ate a depth charge. Overall, eleven enemy submarines are reported sunk since the beginning of the war.
I understand the fog of war makes this nicer than it really is, but I still believe my ASW efforts are paying. Since enemy navy is nowhere to be seen, I could send most of my destroyers and others on antisubmarine missions. Right now, for every detected submarine, I usually have two ASW task forces reacting. They prevent most attacks on convoys (ASW ships tend to be attacked more, but they are also faster and better armored), and, in the long run, end up eliminating enemy submarines. Even if those subs were just damaged, this would still be a good thing. Allied subs operate far from their base, returning to repair and then back to the front takes a lot of time.
Almost there
I expected a shock attack in Singapore, but it seems my troops moved cautiously and will only arrive tomorrow. On Luzon, more than three divisions are stationed in Manila, another one is closing by. A first group, artillery and infantry, was ordered to Clark Field. I intend to bombard daily for a couple of weeks, and see how this affects the enemy. I believe it should make a difference. I am clueless on how to conduct the assault on Clark.
Over Surabaya, an airfield attack caught a number of planes on the ground. Four bombers and one fighter are reported destroyed. Targets: I will be back.
In Palembang, a first attack only achieved 1:2 ratio. Losses were the same on both sides, and forts are still level 1. I need to rest. Reinforcements arrive in two days.
Like every other day, I took a handful of bases. Kolaka in the Celebes, Tawau in Borneo, Manus in New Guinea. Air support and engineers are being sent to develop my new conquests, and all reinforcements I could muster are on their way.
Operations in the SRA are not very interesting. I am concentrating in Balikpapan, taking small bases all over the place, and hope to hold a beachhead on Java by the end of the month, but that's pretty much all.
I don't think it is because this area is not given enough attention. In fact, the area was conquered at a fast pace. We are only the 20th of January, and Japan already holds :
- all Malaysia save Singapore
- all the coast of Burma save Akyab
- almost all Borneo
- all Luzon but Clark and Bataan
- Palawan
- half of Mindanao
- Moluccas
- Celebes
- Ambon
- Timor
- the northern coast of New Guinea,
- Shortlands and Tulagi
- Ocean, Nauru and Tarawa
It is not *very* fast, but I don't think I'm late. (the only area where I am delaying is Port Moresby).
I believe the main reason why the SRA is not a very fun theater is, once more, the absence of enemy. Without enemy ships and planes, the game looks a bit like a historical and naval version of Transport Tycoon or a similar management game.
Stalemate
In Chuhsien, I wanted to know whether my three divisions were enough. Now, I know they’re not.
Ground combat at Chuhsien (88,56)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 35456 troops, 308 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 1256
Defending force 39581 troops, 195 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1286
Japanese adjusted assault: 827
Allied adjusted defense: 1477
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Japanese ground losses:
620 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 26 (18 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
476 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
It is not a tragedy, but it proves that, unless I reinforce the place (and I have no troops for this), the situation will probably not change. The enemy has not enough to take the base, I have not enough to chase them. This is an interesting situation, which happens a lot in real life. And, very often, attempts to break the enemy in such "stalemated hexes", only lead to horrendous losses and defeat for the attacker.
I will probably bombard a few turn, and then move away towards Wenchow. The rest of central and southern China is quiet now. I am waiting for their supply situation to degrade, or for my northern campaign to succeed.
The Gobi Campaign
Northwestern China is, and will be for a while, the only active theater in this campaign. Here is a map of the current situation. Red arrows are operations being conducted now, white are those planned for the end of the month, and yellow are food for thought.
The westernmost drive (Kiuchuan) looks like an easy one. I very much doubt the enemy reinforced the place. Once I hit the major road, things could speed up. I intend to move toward Hami and then Urumchi. My troops should arrive in Kiuchuan in about a week, and be in Ansi around the first of February. This means Hami around the 10th, and Urumchi the 20th of February. If everything goes according to plan (yeah, like it will!), the conquest of Chinese Turkestan could be over by April. My goal is the annihilation of Chinese forces in the West.
The move on Lanchow will probably be much slower. I need to regroup in Ningsia first, and then move down to Lanchow. It is about one month travel for the furthest unit in the group. At best, the battle for Lanchow will begin in the end of February. By then, Sian could already be Japanese. After Lanchow, the goal is Sining. Again, the aim is to eliminate Chinese troops and annex the area, at least until the Soviets invade in 1945.
Yenan is probably the next battlefield. My troops should arrive there (and shock attack over the river) in three days. I will soon know whether my forces are sufficient. I have reserves in Taiyuan, anyway. Whereas an early fall of Yenan would be nice, it is not necessary. I am invading there to prevent raids on my lines of communications, and troops defending the city will not raid.
Sian is, obviously, the prize of this campaign. There, the situation is evolving fast. On the major road from Nanyang, I am pursuing the Chinese. The recent battle in Chuhsien suggests I cannot defeat them, and they cannot defeat me (even with reinforcements).
My forces north of the river are two days away from crossing. If this hex is not strongly defended (intelligence suggests so), I might take it, cut the supply lines of the troops in the forest, and proceed on Sian to block supply production there. This, of course, involves some risks. I can lose troops to the river crossing, and, then, have my supply lines cut off if the siege of Sian lasts for too long.
A final note on the yellow arrows… I would like to push on Ankang, since this move could help isolate Sian and Western China from the Sichuan basin. I am just lacking the forces to do it now. An advance in this direction would also be exposed to raids from Ichang. Reconnaissance suggests it is lightly defended, I want this to be confirmed, but if so, I might launch an operation to retake it. In the short term, the only interesting of Ichang is protecting my flank. In the longer term, it could be an important base for further action against Changsha (and bombardment of Chungking). Again, I am not sure I have enough troops for this.
Another one bites the plancton
(somehow this title doesn't work...)
SS Seadragon is reported sunk today near Truk. I know I hit her, but I am a bit surprised she died. Two days ago, SS Nautilus was reported sunk, the day before SS O-16 was sunk during the air attack on Surabaya, and the day before SS Pike ate a depth charge. Overall, eleven enemy submarines are reported sunk since the beginning of the war.
I understand the fog of war makes this nicer than it really is, but I still believe my ASW efforts are paying. Since enemy navy is nowhere to be seen, I could send most of my destroyers and others on antisubmarine missions. Right now, for every detected submarine, I usually have two ASW task forces reacting. They prevent most attacks on convoys (ASW ships tend to be attacked more, but they are also faster and better armored), and, in the long run, end up eliminating enemy submarines. Even if those subs were just damaged, this would still be a good thing. Allied subs operate far from their base, returning to repair and then back to the front takes a lot of time.
Almost there
I expected a shock attack in Singapore, but it seems my troops moved cautiously and will only arrive tomorrow. On Luzon, more than three divisions are stationed in Manila, another one is closing by. A first group, artillery and infantry, was ordered to Clark Field. I intend to bombard daily for a couple of weeks, and see how this affects the enemy. I believe it should make a difference. I am clueless on how to conduct the assault on Clark.
Over Surabaya, an airfield attack caught a number of planes on the ground. Four bombers and one fighter are reported destroyed. Targets: I will be back.
In Palembang, a first attack only achieved 1:2 ratio. Losses were the same on both sides, and forts are still level 1. I need to rest. Reinforcements arrive in two days.
Like every other day, I took a handful of bases. Kolaka in the Celebes, Tawau in Borneo, Manus in New Guinea. Air support and engineers are being sent to develop my new conquests, and all reinforcements I could muster are on their way.
Operations in the SRA are not very interesting. I am concentrating in Balikpapan, taking small bases all over the place, and hope to hold a beachhead on Java by the end of the month, but that's pretty much all.
I don't think it is because this area is not given enough attention. In fact, the area was conquered at a fast pace. We are only the 20th of January, and Japan already holds :
- all Malaysia save Singapore
- all the coast of Burma save Akyab
- almost all Borneo
- all Luzon but Clark and Bataan
- Palawan
- half of Mindanao
- Moluccas
- Celebes
- Ambon
- Timor
- the northern coast of New Guinea,
- Shortlands and Tulagi
- Ocean, Nauru and Tarawa
It is not *very* fast, but I don't think I'm late. (the only area where I am delaying is Port Moresby).
I believe the main reason why the SRA is not a very fun theater is, once more, the absence of enemy. Without enemy ships and planes, the game looks a bit like a historical and naval version of Transport Tycoon or a similar management game.
Stalemate
In Chuhsien, I wanted to know whether my three divisions were enough. Now, I know they’re not.
Ground combat at Chuhsien (88,56)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 35456 troops, 308 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 1256
Defending force 39581 troops, 195 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1286
Japanese adjusted assault: 827
Allied adjusted defense: 1477
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Japanese ground losses:
620 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 26 (18 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
476 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
It is not a tragedy, but it proves that, unless I reinforce the place (and I have no troops for this), the situation will probably not change. The enemy has not enough to take the base, I have not enough to chase them. This is an interesting situation, which happens a lot in real life. And, very often, attempts to break the enemy in such "stalemated hexes", only lead to horrendous losses and defeat for the attacker.
I will probably bombard a few turn, and then move away towards Wenchow. The rest of central and southern China is quiet now. I am waiting for their supply situation to degrade, or for my northern campaign to succeed.
The Gobi Campaign
Northwestern China is, and will be for a while, the only active theater in this campaign. Here is a map of the current situation. Red arrows are operations being conducted now, white are those planned for the end of the month, and yellow are food for thought.
The westernmost drive (Kiuchuan) looks like an easy one. I very much doubt the enemy reinforced the place. Once I hit the major road, things could speed up. I intend to move toward Hami and then Urumchi. My troops should arrive in Kiuchuan in about a week, and be in Ansi around the first of February. This means Hami around the 10th, and Urumchi the 20th of February. If everything goes according to plan (yeah, like it will!), the conquest of Chinese Turkestan could be over by April. My goal is the annihilation of Chinese forces in the West.
The move on Lanchow will probably be much slower. I need to regroup in Ningsia first, and then move down to Lanchow. It is about one month travel for the furthest unit in the group. At best, the battle for Lanchow will begin in the end of February. By then, Sian could already be Japanese. After Lanchow, the goal is Sining. Again, the aim is to eliminate Chinese troops and annex the area, at least until the Soviets invade in 1945.
Yenan is probably the next battlefield. My troops should arrive there (and shock attack over the river) in three days. I will soon know whether my forces are sufficient. I have reserves in Taiyuan, anyway. Whereas an early fall of Yenan would be nice, it is not necessary. I am invading there to prevent raids on my lines of communications, and troops defending the city will not raid.
Sian is, obviously, the prize of this campaign. There, the situation is evolving fast. On the major road from Nanyang, I am pursuing the Chinese. The recent battle in Chuhsien suggests I cannot defeat them, and they cannot defeat me (even with reinforcements).
My forces north of the river are two days away from crossing. If this hex is not strongly defended (intelligence suggests so), I might take it, cut the supply lines of the troops in the forest, and proceed on Sian to block supply production there. This, of course, involves some risks. I can lose troops to the river crossing, and, then, have my supply lines cut off if the siege of Sian lasts for too long.
A final note on the yellow arrows… I would like to push on Ankang, since this move could help isolate Sian and Western China from the Sichuan basin. I am just lacking the forces to do it now. An advance in this direction would also be exposed to raids from Ichang. Reconnaissance suggests it is lightly defended, I want this to be confirmed, but if so, I might launch an operation to retake it. In the short term, the only interesting of Ichang is protecting my flank. In the longer term, it could be an important base for further action against Changsha (and bombardment of Chungking). Again, I am not sure I have enough troops for this.
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RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 20th, 1942
Percival’s heroes
The major news, today, were the initial shock attacks over the Causeway. My troops did better than I feared, achieving 1:2 odds against level 3 forts.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 74973 troops, 711 guns, 183 vehicles, Assault Value = 2556
Defending force 45700 troops, 526 guns, 381 vehicles, Assault Value = 1258
Japanese adjusted assault: 1074
Allied adjusted defense: 1835
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
3350 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 331 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 347 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 73 disabled
Guns lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 45 (13 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3822 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 194 disabled
Non Combat: 58 destroyed, 338 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 75 (13 destroyed, 62 disabled)
The enemy lost twice as many squads as us, this is good. I expect his assault value to be significantly lower tomorrow.
Disablements and disruption are extremely high. Many regiments are in the high 80s, some even over 90. This might take several days to heal. Orders for tomorrow are bombardment and air attacks (to damage installations and prevent fortifications from building further).
Prospects are quite good, though. In terms of raw AV, we were 2:1 today. Losses (including disablements) were about 1.3:1, so the force ratio is improving… I am pretty confident Merlion will be over before the end of the month.
I wish I were an accountant
After six weeks of war, the overall supply situation is as good as it can.
Resource production is now over industry demand. However, the Home Islands consume more than they have, and estimates suggest stocks could be exhausted in two months. Convoys from Sakhalin and Manchukuo (and a few others from the Japanese islands and Formosa) are helping, but I don’t seem to be able to pull enough resources from Hokkaido.
I will reinforce the convoys, but this sends me thinking along different lines. Transporting resources to feed the industry is very inefficient. Basically, you need 10 or 15 resource points to produce one supply point, and moving those points around needs large convoys. Also, half of my resources are used by light industries, which only produce supply points. About 75% of these factories are in the Home Island, where supply points are not needed now or in the near future. It might be worth shutting some light industry factories in Japan, and perhaps relocating a few in the East Indies.
Quick coffee table math suggests
- That Home Island resource deficit (convoy effects factored in) runs at about 25k/day, or the resource needed for 1700 Light Industries to producing 1700 supply points every day
- That Home Island supply point stocks increase by about 10k every day
- That global supply production is about 2.5k higher than needs, and that it will increase very soon, once Singapore, Palembang and Magwe get captured (right now, Rangoon is not refining, for lack of oil)
- That moving resources around to feed light industry needs 15 times more space than supplies, involves risks, and uses fuel
I will try to shut down about 2500 light industry factories in Japan, or one third of installed capacity. This will not eliminate supply surpluses in the Home Islands, but will reduce it a little, while solving the resource problem.
The next question is, do I really need to ship resources? If light industry were expanded, in the production regions, to the point where all resources were turned into supplies, convoy needs would be divided by 15, which means I might be able reduce merchant marine construction, or use “war conversions” for more cargoes.
Problem is, such expansions would cost supplies. At 1000 SP per factory repaired or expanded, light industry “pays back” after 1000 turns, or about 3 years. Expansions done today will begin to be profitable in 1945… I’ve see better returns on investment. Heavy industry has better returns, but it also uses fuel, and there are not so many HI factories out of Japan…
Percival’s heroes
The major news, today, were the initial shock attacks over the Causeway. My troops did better than I feared, achieving 1:2 odds against level 3 forts.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 74973 troops, 711 guns, 183 vehicles, Assault Value = 2556
Defending force 45700 troops, 526 guns, 381 vehicles, Assault Value = 1258
Japanese adjusted assault: 1074
Allied adjusted defense: 1835
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
3350 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 331 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 347 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 73 disabled
Guns lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 45 (13 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3822 casualties reported
Squads: 82 destroyed, 194 disabled
Non Combat: 58 destroyed, 338 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 75 (13 destroyed, 62 disabled)
The enemy lost twice as many squads as us, this is good. I expect his assault value to be significantly lower tomorrow.
Disablements and disruption are extremely high. Many regiments are in the high 80s, some even over 90. This might take several days to heal. Orders for tomorrow are bombardment and air attacks (to damage installations and prevent fortifications from building further).
Prospects are quite good, though. In terms of raw AV, we were 2:1 today. Losses (including disablements) were about 1.3:1, so the force ratio is improving… I am pretty confident Merlion will be over before the end of the month.
I wish I were an accountant
After six weeks of war, the overall supply situation is as good as it can.
Resource production is now over industry demand. However, the Home Islands consume more than they have, and estimates suggest stocks could be exhausted in two months. Convoys from Sakhalin and Manchukuo (and a few others from the Japanese islands and Formosa) are helping, but I don’t seem to be able to pull enough resources from Hokkaido.
I will reinforce the convoys, but this sends me thinking along different lines. Transporting resources to feed the industry is very inefficient. Basically, you need 10 or 15 resource points to produce one supply point, and moving those points around needs large convoys. Also, half of my resources are used by light industries, which only produce supply points. About 75% of these factories are in the Home Island, where supply points are not needed now or in the near future. It might be worth shutting some light industry factories in Japan, and perhaps relocating a few in the East Indies.
Quick coffee table math suggests
- That Home Island resource deficit (convoy effects factored in) runs at about 25k/day, or the resource needed for 1700 Light Industries to producing 1700 supply points every day
- That Home Island supply point stocks increase by about 10k every day
- That global supply production is about 2.5k higher than needs, and that it will increase very soon, once Singapore, Palembang and Magwe get captured (right now, Rangoon is not refining, for lack of oil)
- That moving resources around to feed light industry needs 15 times more space than supplies, involves risks, and uses fuel
I will try to shut down about 2500 light industry factories in Japan, or one third of installed capacity. This will not eliminate supply surpluses in the Home Islands, but will reduce it a little, while solving the resource problem.
The next question is, do I really need to ship resources? If light industry were expanded, in the production regions, to the point where all resources were turned into supplies, convoy needs would be divided by 15, which means I might be able reduce merchant marine construction, or use “war conversions” for more cargoes.
Problem is, such expansions would cost supplies. At 1000 SP per factory repaired or expanded, light industry “pays back” after 1000 turns, or about 3 years. Expansions done today will begin to be profitable in 1945… I’ve see better returns on investment. Heavy industry has better returns, but it also uses fuel, and there are not so many HI factories out of Japan…
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Make sure that you have started to build up the HI defenses. It consumes supply and its easy to forget about until a bit too late. You also want to make sure that you are getting your inner defenses built and supplies stocked at all those locations. You've also got units that aren't fully equipped. I selectively turn on replacements to get all of the units full. This also uses supply. i.e. you've got a lot of supply that you need to build, use, and get moved out yet. You know, like 250K to the Roi Namur/Kwaijelien (sp?), another 500K to Truk, etc.
Moving resources out of Hokkaido isn't too hard. Get Hakodate port built up and then use a large convoy two hexes to Ominato (also max out port). I put a few TK's in with them to move the oil. Set them to auto. Shouldn't be difficult at all, and doesn't use much fuel.
Edit: had to check your PDU settings. With PDU off, you will use less supply in '42, but in the end you will use more as you have to build so many more models to keep your air groups full. This starts to show up in '43. I'd want to have at least 2M supply in HI, with all of my key outlying posts well stocked before I start to turn down supply production.
mid and late war 4E attacks can burn supply in a hurry now. You have to have huge cushions to give your fighters time to whittle them down. At least, that's what I've seen.
Just my $0.02 here ...
Moving resources out of Hokkaido isn't too hard. Get Hakodate port built up and then use a large convoy two hexes to Ominato (also max out port). I put a few TK's in with them to move the oil. Set them to auto. Shouldn't be difficult at all, and doesn't use much fuel.
Edit: had to check your PDU settings. With PDU off, you will use less supply in '42, but in the end you will use more as you have to build so many more models to keep your air groups full. This starts to show up in '43. I'd want to have at least 2M supply in HI, with all of my key outlying posts well stocked before I start to turn down supply production.
mid and late war 4E attacks can burn supply in a hurry now. You have to have huge cushions to give your fighters time to whittle them down. At least, that's what I've seen.
Just my $0.02 here ...
Pax
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Hi PaxMondo,
Thanks for the advice. We play PDU off. So far, I had believed it was "resource neutral", but I think I see your point. More types of planes produced at the same time means more factories repairing, converting, etc... and therefore more supplies. I need to think about this. As for stocks, I now have over 3M supplies in the Home Islands, over a million on the continent, and about 200k in Truk, Formosa and Luzon. But I understand your point on not reducing too fast. I believe I need to figure how, and where, my supply points get produced. Ideally, stockpiles in bases should come from industry or refineries out of the Home Islands.
Hakodate : I've been doing that, for more than a month, and do bring a fair amount of resources to Honshu. Yet, I notice I have trouble to keep with production: total stocks in Hokkaido are growing. I will try to recheck my convoys.
Thanks again for the tips,
Francois
Thanks for the advice. We play PDU off. So far, I had believed it was "resource neutral", but I think I see your point. More types of planes produced at the same time means more factories repairing, converting, etc... and therefore more supplies. I need to think about this. As for stocks, I now have over 3M supplies in the Home Islands, over a million on the continent, and about 200k in Truk, Formosa and Luzon. But I understand your point on not reducing too fast. I believe I need to figure how, and where, my supply points get produced. Ideally, stockpiles in bases should come from industry or refineries out of the Home Islands.
Hakodate : I've been doing that, for more than a month, and do bring a fair amount of resources to Honshu. Yet, I notice I have trouble to keep with production: total stocks in Hokkaido are growing. I will try to recheck my convoys.
Thanks again for the tips,
Francois
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 21st, 1942
Today is the anniversary of the death of King Louis XVI of France. This is irrelevant to the war at hand, but since a number of my French-loving Japanese generals are celebrating it, I thought I would mention it.
The game is definitely slowing down. Most of my troops are now committed to a small number of very large operations (Singapore, Clark, Sian). When they end, troops will be freed, and Japan will be on the move again. But meanwhile, here is a report on the SRA (I will do China tomorrow).
Gilberts
Tarawa now has an airfield, and level two forts. I am planning to develop a few bases in the region, including Nauru and Tabiteuea, to guard my flanks. Further progress towards Fiji or Canton Island is not considered. It seems the amphibious bonus period lasts until the end of April (is this correct?), I will decide in March if I want/need to expand south.
New Guinea
Wewak and Manokwari fell today. Aitape and Vanimo are next, and will complete the conquest of the northern coast (up to a few dot bases). Engineers and base forces will follow. The objective is to build a network of air bases that can be used to interdict naval movement on both coasts of New Guinea. Hollandia, which will reach level 2 ports and airfield tomorrow, will be the main supply hub in the area.
Once the north coast is conquered (by next week probably), my troops will move to Rabaul for the next stage: conquest of the Solomon sea. The objective is to hold the area between Kavieng, Madang, Tagula, and Tulagi by mid February, and have strong air presence there by the end of February. Rabaul would become the major base in the region.
Celebes
Nothing new. Small bases are being taken, base forces and troops are arriving in Balikpapan. I am air transporting aviation support to Bandjermasin, in order to base fighters and bombers there, for operations against Java. Reconnaissance suggests Indian troops are present in Denpassar. Could my opponent intend to fight there?
Less enemy submarines are being detected, despite the same amount of ASW search. I don’t believe the enemy is abandoning the place. Probably, the subs need to rearm and refuel. I will bomb ports in the areas, with a little luck…
The next step is to develop the bases on Timor and South Borneo, recon and bomb Java (but the invasion will probably be delayed), and begin pumping oil and fuel out of Balikpapan/Samarinda, Tarakan and Babo/Boela.
Philippines
On Mindanao, west of Cagayan, I am attacking every day, achieving huge odds (like 17:1) yet the enemy, a Philippine Division, doesn’t move, and hardly loses any troops. Another infantry regiment arrived in Cagayan yesterday, and will reinforce, but this gives an idea of the amount of troops you need to take an enemy out of a jungle hex…
In Luzon, we are in Clark with 1250 AV and 540 guns. Bombardment will commence tomorrow.
Sumatra
I now have almost 450 AV in Palembang, the enemy is still reinforcing, but I doubt this will change the situation (kitchen sinks tend to have small assault values). I will attack the day after tomorrow. I have another regiment in Johore, ready to leave. It seems all available forces are now in Palembang, which means once the city fall, all the region is undefended. I intend to launch a quick assault on Sumatra as soon as I am done with Singapore.
Singapore
Bombardments commenced, and will go on for a while. Disruption is still in the 60s, my troops need more rest. Intelligence reports defender assault value have gone from 1250 to 1000 after the initial shock attack. I am at 2200, one more regiment is arriving tomorrow.
Burma
North of Rangoon, remnants of the BFF (the last surviving unit from the Rangoon garrison) were chased east, towards Pegu, where they will soon meet my armor on its way to Tounggoo. The rest of the Imperial Guards will arrive in Magwe tomorrow, the city seems abandoned. Zeros in Rangoon are ready to fly CAP over the base as soon as it falls. If the enemy tries to bomb, he is in for a surprise…
Today is the anniversary of the death of King Louis XVI of France. This is irrelevant to the war at hand, but since a number of my French-loving Japanese generals are celebrating it, I thought I would mention it.
The game is definitely slowing down. Most of my troops are now committed to a small number of very large operations (Singapore, Clark, Sian). When they end, troops will be freed, and Japan will be on the move again. But meanwhile, here is a report on the SRA (I will do China tomorrow).
Gilberts
Tarawa now has an airfield, and level two forts. I am planning to develop a few bases in the region, including Nauru and Tabiteuea, to guard my flanks. Further progress towards Fiji or Canton Island is not considered. It seems the amphibious bonus period lasts until the end of April (is this correct?), I will decide in March if I want/need to expand south.
New Guinea
Wewak and Manokwari fell today. Aitape and Vanimo are next, and will complete the conquest of the northern coast (up to a few dot bases). Engineers and base forces will follow. The objective is to build a network of air bases that can be used to interdict naval movement on both coasts of New Guinea. Hollandia, which will reach level 2 ports and airfield tomorrow, will be the main supply hub in the area.
Once the north coast is conquered (by next week probably), my troops will move to Rabaul for the next stage: conquest of the Solomon sea. The objective is to hold the area between Kavieng, Madang, Tagula, and Tulagi by mid February, and have strong air presence there by the end of February. Rabaul would become the major base in the region.
Celebes
Nothing new. Small bases are being taken, base forces and troops are arriving in Balikpapan. I am air transporting aviation support to Bandjermasin, in order to base fighters and bombers there, for operations against Java. Reconnaissance suggests Indian troops are present in Denpassar. Could my opponent intend to fight there?
Less enemy submarines are being detected, despite the same amount of ASW search. I don’t believe the enemy is abandoning the place. Probably, the subs need to rearm and refuel. I will bomb ports in the areas, with a little luck…
The next step is to develop the bases on Timor and South Borneo, recon and bomb Java (but the invasion will probably be delayed), and begin pumping oil and fuel out of Balikpapan/Samarinda, Tarakan and Babo/Boela.
Philippines
On Mindanao, west of Cagayan, I am attacking every day, achieving huge odds (like 17:1) yet the enemy, a Philippine Division, doesn’t move, and hardly loses any troops. Another infantry regiment arrived in Cagayan yesterday, and will reinforce, but this gives an idea of the amount of troops you need to take an enemy out of a jungle hex…
In Luzon, we are in Clark with 1250 AV and 540 guns. Bombardment will commence tomorrow.
Sumatra
I now have almost 450 AV in Palembang, the enemy is still reinforcing, but I doubt this will change the situation (kitchen sinks tend to have small assault values). I will attack the day after tomorrow. I have another regiment in Johore, ready to leave. It seems all available forces are now in Palembang, which means once the city fall, all the region is undefended. I intend to launch a quick assault on Sumatra as soon as I am done with Singapore.
Singapore
Bombardments commenced, and will go on for a while. Disruption is still in the 60s, my troops need more rest. Intelligence reports defender assault value have gone from 1250 to 1000 after the initial shock attack. I am at 2200, one more regiment is arriving tomorrow.
Burma
North of Rangoon, remnants of the BFF (the last surviving unit from the Rangoon garrison) were chased east, towards Pegu, where they will soon meet my armor on its way to Tounggoo. The rest of the Imperial Guards will arrive in Magwe tomorrow, the city seems abandoned. Zeros in Rangoon are ready to fly CAP over the base as soon as it falls. If the enemy tries to bomb, he is in for a surprise…
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 22nd, 1942…
… was yet another quiet day in the Pacific. I will continue my situation report, with China.
China at a glance
Japan made a lot of progress in China in the opening weeks of the war. The central plains were cleared of enemy troops, the coast and the Fujian hinterland were seized, and several columns were sent in the North West, through the Gobi desert. Enemy attempts at counterattack were foiled.
This was the easy part, of course. The enemy managed an orderly retreat, and formed a relatively continuous front line, which runs from Nanning, to Kukong, Changsha, Ichang, Sian and Yenan. The Chinese have lots of units, and stand on good defensive terrain. Direct attempts to break the front, like the historical one on Changsha, would certainly prove very costly.
Fortunately, supply situation in China is very bad. With the closing of the Burma road, KMT armies live on stockpiles and local production (made even smaller by early conquests). Until the Burma road reopens, time is on my side.
Southern China
Since the fall of Pakhoi, Japan holds all the coast, and the base of Wuchow, in the plains north of Canton. The preparations for Cornegidouille (the campaign of Luzon) withdrew a regiment and a division I was using in the area. I now have enough troops to hold the area, but not to conquer new bases. I have been building forts around my bases, and bombing enemy troops from the air.
In early January, Japanese troops in this region were vulnerable to an enemy counteroffensive. Much less so now, as supply levels go down, and as forts have been built.
This theater will probably remain inactive for several months, until operations in the North succeed, at least.
Wenchow and Chuhsien
At the end of December, a pocket had formed in Wenchow, where the enemy had concentrated about 100 000 troops. Bombed from the air, the garrison was probably starving, and a large fraction moved towards Chuhsien, in an attempt to take the city. Unfortunately, the division holding Chuhsien resisted attacks. Two more divisions reinforced it, but they proved unable to dislodge the attackers. It seems that no one can force a decision here.
I am leaving one divisions in Chuhsien, where forts are about to hit level three, and send the two others to Wenchow. I don’t think the troops in Wenchow will follow me (if they do, we are back to square one, with me having two more divisions in the area, and him having less supplies…)
The fall of Wenchow could happen in the first week of February. It will free three IJA divisions (I have one regiment in Shaohsing ready for garrison duties). If they are not needed around Sian, I would be tempted to send them either against Ichang, or southwest, as a feint on Changsha.
Yenan
We’re in! My troops, one division and two brigades, arrived in Yenan today, and shock attacked over the river. I had about 850 AV, defenders about 760, behind level 2 forts. With disruption, the initial attack ended at 1:4. Lots of disablements, a few squads destroyed. My troops will now rest and bombard. I will try another attack in a few days, but I suspect I need reinforcements to break in. I have one brigade, an engineer regiment and artillery arriving in about two weeks, and three divisions have been sent to Taiyuan, just in case.
This is now a matter of time. I doubt the base can be supplied efficiently, Yenan is, and will be, bombed every day, from Kaifeng and Kweisui. Will the lack of supply allow for a quicker fall? I will know in a few days. But in any case, my supply lines along the Yellow River are safe. This was, after all, the point of this offensive against Yenan.
In any case, I believe Yenan should fall by mid February.
I can’t help thinking that, in real life, such a northern offensive would probably have had long term consequences. In 1942, Yenan was the only base the CCP had. Had it been destroyed, it seems unlikely the Communists could emerge, after the war, in sufficient shape, and with sufficient support, to wage, and win, the Civil War against the KMT.
One step forward, two steps back
The large stack that was defending the major road to Sian seems to be returning to base. I expected them to stop one hex before the city, in defensive terrain, but it seems they are marching on Sian. If this happens, the Sian garrison will be 200k men strong. Wonder how those can be fed.
Another large stack, the one that was defending the minor road from Loyang, is moving across country to cut my retreat. This is fine… In this kind of terrain, they would probably need 12 days to move one hex, and supply lines will be difficult to cut. I believe these guys are out of the war for about two weeks.
A small cover force was left in the hex. I am attacking tomorrow. Then, I will proceed towards Sian. The garrison should be around 3200 AV (I’m considering 50k=800 AV, this is what I observed in Yenan and Chuhsien). I have over 3000, plus 1200 one hex from Sian. In clear terrain, with forts but low supplies, I think I stand a chance. If the enemy manages to reinforce Sian (in two weeks), then it will be something like 4800 vs 4200… I don’t think the Chinese can dislodge me.
I should be in Sian by the end of the month. Second half of February seems like a reasonable objective for the capture of the city.
… was yet another quiet day in the Pacific. I will continue my situation report, with China.
China at a glance
Japan made a lot of progress in China in the opening weeks of the war. The central plains were cleared of enemy troops, the coast and the Fujian hinterland were seized, and several columns were sent in the North West, through the Gobi desert. Enemy attempts at counterattack were foiled.
This was the easy part, of course. The enemy managed an orderly retreat, and formed a relatively continuous front line, which runs from Nanning, to Kukong, Changsha, Ichang, Sian and Yenan. The Chinese have lots of units, and stand on good defensive terrain. Direct attempts to break the front, like the historical one on Changsha, would certainly prove very costly.
Fortunately, supply situation in China is very bad. With the closing of the Burma road, KMT armies live on stockpiles and local production (made even smaller by early conquests). Until the Burma road reopens, time is on my side.
Southern China
Since the fall of Pakhoi, Japan holds all the coast, and the base of Wuchow, in the plains north of Canton. The preparations for Cornegidouille (the campaign of Luzon) withdrew a regiment and a division I was using in the area. I now have enough troops to hold the area, but not to conquer new bases. I have been building forts around my bases, and bombing enemy troops from the air.
In early January, Japanese troops in this region were vulnerable to an enemy counteroffensive. Much less so now, as supply levels go down, and as forts have been built.
This theater will probably remain inactive for several months, until operations in the North succeed, at least.
Wenchow and Chuhsien
At the end of December, a pocket had formed in Wenchow, where the enemy had concentrated about 100 000 troops. Bombed from the air, the garrison was probably starving, and a large fraction moved towards Chuhsien, in an attempt to take the city. Unfortunately, the division holding Chuhsien resisted attacks. Two more divisions reinforced it, but they proved unable to dislodge the attackers. It seems that no one can force a decision here.
I am leaving one divisions in Chuhsien, where forts are about to hit level three, and send the two others to Wenchow. I don’t think the troops in Wenchow will follow me (if they do, we are back to square one, with me having two more divisions in the area, and him having less supplies…)
The fall of Wenchow could happen in the first week of February. It will free three IJA divisions (I have one regiment in Shaohsing ready for garrison duties). If they are not needed around Sian, I would be tempted to send them either against Ichang, or southwest, as a feint on Changsha.
Yenan
We’re in! My troops, one division and two brigades, arrived in Yenan today, and shock attacked over the river. I had about 850 AV, defenders about 760, behind level 2 forts. With disruption, the initial attack ended at 1:4. Lots of disablements, a few squads destroyed. My troops will now rest and bombard. I will try another attack in a few days, but I suspect I need reinforcements to break in. I have one brigade, an engineer regiment and artillery arriving in about two weeks, and three divisions have been sent to Taiyuan, just in case.
This is now a matter of time. I doubt the base can be supplied efficiently, Yenan is, and will be, bombed every day, from Kaifeng and Kweisui. Will the lack of supply allow for a quicker fall? I will know in a few days. But in any case, my supply lines along the Yellow River are safe. This was, after all, the point of this offensive against Yenan.
In any case, I believe Yenan should fall by mid February.
I can’t help thinking that, in real life, such a northern offensive would probably have had long term consequences. In 1942, Yenan was the only base the CCP had. Had it been destroyed, it seems unlikely the Communists could emerge, after the war, in sufficient shape, and with sufficient support, to wage, and win, the Civil War against the KMT.
One step forward, two steps back
The large stack that was defending the major road to Sian seems to be returning to base. I expected them to stop one hex before the city, in defensive terrain, but it seems they are marching on Sian. If this happens, the Sian garrison will be 200k men strong. Wonder how those can be fed.
Another large stack, the one that was defending the minor road from Loyang, is moving across country to cut my retreat. This is fine… In this kind of terrain, they would probably need 12 days to move one hex, and supply lines will be difficult to cut. I believe these guys are out of the war for about two weeks.
A small cover force was left in the hex. I am attacking tomorrow. Then, I will proceed towards Sian. The garrison should be around 3200 AV (I’m considering 50k=800 AV, this is what I observed in Yenan and Chuhsien). I have over 3000, plus 1200 one hex from Sian. In clear terrain, with forts but low supplies, I think I stand a chance. If the enemy manages to reinforce Sian (in two weeks), then it will be something like 4800 vs 4200… I don’t think the Chinese can dislodge me.
I should be in Sian by the end of the month. Second half of February seems like a reasonable objective for the capture of the city.
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Reading with great interest. China has always been a quagmire for me.
Pax
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SqzMyLemon
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RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Hi fcharton,
I'm playing PDU off as well. To echo Pax's supply comments, you may find you also need to send large amounts of supply to Singapore and area depending how Burma is going for you and the amount of base expansions you plan on doing. The production at Singapore, Bangkok, Rangoon and Saigon are not enough on their own to meet the supply requirements of the theatre. You'll either have to expand the HI factories or ship in large supply TF's every few months to avoid shortages.
China is going well for you. A big push on Lanchow and Sian can really put a hurting on China's supply situation in conjunction with cutting the Burma Road. The extra fuel/oil for Japan is a real boon and allows HI in Manchuria and the East coast of China to be expanded if so desired.
I'm playing PDU off as well. To echo Pax's supply comments, you may find you also need to send large amounts of supply to Singapore and area depending how Burma is going for you and the amount of base expansions you plan on doing. The production at Singapore, Bangkok, Rangoon and Saigon are not enough on their own to meet the supply requirements of the theatre. You'll either have to expand the HI factories or ship in large supply TF's every few months to avoid shortages.
China is going well for you. A big push on Lanchow and Sian can really put a hurting on China's supply situation in conjunction with cutting the Burma Road. The extra fuel/oil for Japan is a real boon and allows HI in Manchuria and the East coast of China to be expanded if so desired.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 23rd, 1942
And another one…
SS Searaven was sunk today. ASW task forces had been tagging her for a while. This is my twelfth enemy sub, and the second around Truk this week.
I am expecting a few more kills in the upcoming days. Most of the time, they follow a pattern.
- One sub gets detected and attacked
- Several ASW forces react
- The sub get tracked, and attacked daily
- And sunk, eventually…
Right now, SS Trout, off Fukuoka, and SS Gudgeon, around Saipan, are getting attacked by my destroyer. I would not be surprised if they were next on the list.
Simon says, straight ahead, dammit!
The Imperial Guard took Magwe. Zeroes moved in, and aviation support was airlifted from Chiang Mai, just in case the enemy decides to bomb my new oilfields. The enemy is nowhere to be seen. Have all troops in Burma retreated overland to India, are they up north, or in Schwebo. The current arrangement suits me fine. Until Singapore falls, I have little reinforcements for Burma.
Along the coast, something strange happened. The 14th tank regiment had been ordered towards Tounggoo, but chose to go to Rangoon instead. Only a day was lost, but this was strange.
This is not the first time it happens. Two days ago, I ordered two divisions in Chuhsien to Wenchow, to find, the day after, that they had moved in another direction. Around Sian, troops that had been ordered chose not to move (for no reason I can understand, there was no enemy around, and the troops were supplied).
Such mistakes are not too bad, you usually correct them the next day. But they show the AI should not be trusted when one needs to move land units over long distances.
Going Dutch
Another deliberate attack in Palembang still did not manage to achieve better than 1:2 (so, I need to rest tomorrow), but destroyed more enemy squads than we lost.
South of Java, KB raided northern Australia. Trashed ports, and airfield, but did not find anything better than one auxiliary (an AM). Nagumo will now head north, towards the Celebes, to refuel, and then will be back bombing Batavia and Surabaya.
Zombies, immortal corps, and walking sound detectors
On the road to Sian, the Seventh New Chinese Corps was attacked and destroyed. It was one of those remnants from previous operations, which are now scattered all over China. Most of the time, they move over rail lines, I send troops and defeat them, and they retreat again. Sometimes, like today, they get destroyed, which mean they will respawn in Chungking in a month.
I understand many Japanese players view those immortal infantry units as very dangerous things, and do their best to avoid destroying Chinese units. I believe respawning is a mixed blessing for the Allies, because units restored will not be very good, yet consume supplies.
In Thailand, I am using Chiang Mai as an airlift base, to send aviation support to Burma. This works pretty well, except for a very small number of devices, which apparently cannot be transported. One fragment of the aviation support has been left back: a sound detector.
I don’t think I will ever need this device, but I don’t like the idea of leaving such fragments behind. The sound detector has been ordered to walk, through the jungle, towards Rangoon. I will write updates on its progress regularly.
And another one…
SS Searaven was sunk today. ASW task forces had been tagging her for a while. This is my twelfth enemy sub, and the second around Truk this week.
I am expecting a few more kills in the upcoming days. Most of the time, they follow a pattern.
- One sub gets detected and attacked
- Several ASW forces react
- The sub get tracked, and attacked daily
- And sunk, eventually…
Right now, SS Trout, off Fukuoka, and SS Gudgeon, around Saipan, are getting attacked by my destroyer. I would not be surprised if they were next on the list.
Simon says, straight ahead, dammit!
The Imperial Guard took Magwe. Zeroes moved in, and aviation support was airlifted from Chiang Mai, just in case the enemy decides to bomb my new oilfields. The enemy is nowhere to be seen. Have all troops in Burma retreated overland to India, are they up north, or in Schwebo. The current arrangement suits me fine. Until Singapore falls, I have little reinforcements for Burma.
Along the coast, something strange happened. The 14th tank regiment had been ordered towards Tounggoo, but chose to go to Rangoon instead. Only a day was lost, but this was strange.
This is not the first time it happens. Two days ago, I ordered two divisions in Chuhsien to Wenchow, to find, the day after, that they had moved in another direction. Around Sian, troops that had been ordered chose not to move (for no reason I can understand, there was no enemy around, and the troops were supplied).
Such mistakes are not too bad, you usually correct them the next day. But they show the AI should not be trusted when one needs to move land units over long distances.
Going Dutch
Another deliberate attack in Palembang still did not manage to achieve better than 1:2 (so, I need to rest tomorrow), but destroyed more enemy squads than we lost.
South of Java, KB raided northern Australia. Trashed ports, and airfield, but did not find anything better than one auxiliary (an AM). Nagumo will now head north, towards the Celebes, to refuel, and then will be back bombing Batavia and Surabaya.
Zombies, immortal corps, and walking sound detectors
On the road to Sian, the Seventh New Chinese Corps was attacked and destroyed. It was one of those remnants from previous operations, which are now scattered all over China. Most of the time, they move over rail lines, I send troops and defeat them, and they retreat again. Sometimes, like today, they get destroyed, which mean they will respawn in Chungking in a month.
I understand many Japanese players view those immortal infantry units as very dangerous things, and do their best to avoid destroying Chinese units. I believe respawning is a mixed blessing for the Allies, because units restored will not be very good, yet consume supplies.
In Thailand, I am using Chiang Mai as an airlift base, to send aviation support to Burma. This works pretty well, except for a very small number of devices, which apparently cannot be transported. One fragment of the aviation support has been left back: a sound detector.
I don’t think I will ever need this device, but I don’t like the idea of leaving such fragments behind. The sound detector has been ordered to walk, through the jungle, towards Rangoon. I will write updates on its progress regularly.
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Hi SqzMyLemon,
Very good points on supply needs in Malaya. One thing I have noted is that, now that I hold bases from Peking to Lan Song, supplies flow from Manchuria to Malaya (and even Burma). They don't move in the right direction,though (everything seems to end in Port Arthur), but I suspect the capture of Singapore (another level 9 port) will change this. I am beginning to load resource convoys from Manchuria with supplies on their way back, to try to balance my supply stocks between the home islands and the continent. This would save on ships. So far, I have not really looked at naval construction, but I am more and more thinking Japan should probably try to limit merchant (and naval?) construction to what it needs, and not all convoys are needed.
In the DEI, supply production is the main reason why I believe refining locally (as opposed to convoying oil) is a good thing.
As for China, I must say your AAR was one of the reason why I got interested in this theater in the first place. I am very curious about how things will evolve on your side. You should be right in the period of time when China is badly out of supplies, and the Burma Road is not yet reopened. I believe Fletcher's current success on this theater owes a lot to the supply situation, could the same be true for you?
Francois
Very good points on supply needs in Malaya. One thing I have noted is that, now that I hold bases from Peking to Lan Song, supplies flow from Manchuria to Malaya (and even Burma). They don't move in the right direction,though (everything seems to end in Port Arthur), but I suspect the capture of Singapore (another level 9 port) will change this. I am beginning to load resource convoys from Manchuria with supplies on their way back, to try to balance my supply stocks between the home islands and the continent. This would save on ships. So far, I have not really looked at naval construction, but I am more and more thinking Japan should probably try to limit merchant (and naval?) construction to what it needs, and not all convoys are needed.
In the DEI, supply production is the main reason why I believe refining locally (as opposed to convoying oil) is a good thing.
As for China, I must say your AAR was one of the reason why I got interested in this theater in the first place. I am very curious about how things will evolve on your side. You should be right in the period of time when China is badly out of supplies, and the Burma Road is not yet reopened. I believe Fletcher's current success on this theater owes a lot to the supply situation, could the same be true for you?
Francois
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 24th and 25th, 1942
Blunders‘r us
It had been a while since I last did something very stupid. So, here’s at last!
My transports, returning from Palembang were supposed to pick up the next batch of reinforcements, an infantry regiment in Johore. I did not realize that to reach Johore, you need to pass Singapore, its big guns and its mines. My ships tried, it wasn’t even fair.
PC Kaki, Shell hits 3, Mine hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Shonan Maru #17, Shell hits 3, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Hikawa Maru, Shell hits 12, Mine hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Korei Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
Other ships were ordered to Mersing to pick up the regiment for Palembang, but a week will be lost in the process. Meanwhile, in Palembang, the base is holding, my attacks still fail to reach 1:1 odds, which mean I am assaulting every other day only. Going there early was a pretty silly idea, too.
I am also learning the hard way that there is more to moving troops than clicking on a destination. I did understand you could not move across enemy lines (defined as the hexside they moved through), but it seems that, when ordered to do so, units actually move the other way around. This explains why my units in Chuhsien seem unable to move to Wenchow.
Victory in the jungle
On Mindanao, after a very long fight, the Philippine division west of Calayan surrendered on the 24th. The enemy is now concentrated in Malaybalay. It is good defensive terrain, but I doubt they are supplied. I will move there, bombard, and see what I am facing.
Back to square one
In Chuhsien, the enemy seems to be marching again, and there is only one direction he can move : towards Wenchow.
What will he do next? Moving back to Wenchow would seal the fate of these troops. There is no way supply will allow for another sortie. The Wenchow garrison will wither, until supply runs out and they become a very easy target.
Moving forward towards Changsha looks like the more logical decision. But I can counter this : my divisions in Chuhsien are on a major road, whereas the enemy is on a secondary one. As a result, I can move twice as fast as him, and can block escapes (or at least force him to fight his way through).
My opponent might surprise me, but the more I look at Wenchow, the more I think the 100k troops there are doomed. I will probably wait until their supplies are totally gone, and perhaps surround the place to capture everyone (or not, depends on my opinion about the virtues of respawn, by then). But I’m in no rush.
Before Sian
The situation around Sian is becoming very interesting.
Enemy forces are divided into three stacks. The “red hex” holds about 125k troops, probably about 2000 AV. They apparently are moving across country to cut the main road, and will not show up before about 10 days. When they do, they can cut my supply lines, so I need to reinforce the road hexes.
The blue hex holds 10 units, who have retreated along the major road. There used to be 2000 AV in this stack, but some may have retreated to Sian, and they may have been reinforced. I have 3200 AV in this hex. I am bombarding tomorrow, if they have not reinforced too much, I might be able to defeat them. 1200 AV, in the green hex, are moving in. Finally, Sian has 28 units, I have no idea of their assault value.
In reserve, I have a brigade north of Nanyang, a division in the city, and two more moving up, from Sinyang.
The key, here, is the red stack. If I can lengthen their supply lines and prevent them from cutting mine through the major road, they will move even slower, which means I can reinforce the road, and they will have lots of problems attacking. Short term plans are therefore
1- To recon the blue hex
2- To reinforce the major road
3- To move along the secondary road, in order to further isolate the red stack
My goal is to defeat the red stack, before I turn back to Sian. Enemy supply situation in the region is probably far from good. Time is on my side.
Blunders‘r us
It had been a while since I last did something very stupid. So, here’s at last!
My transports, returning from Palembang were supposed to pick up the next batch of reinforcements, an infantry regiment in Johore. I did not realize that to reach Johore, you need to pass Singapore, its big guns and its mines. My ships tried, it wasn’t even fair.
PC Kaki, Shell hits 3, Mine hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Shonan Maru #17, Shell hits 3, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Hikawa Maru, Shell hits 12, Mine hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Korei Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
Other ships were ordered to Mersing to pick up the regiment for Palembang, but a week will be lost in the process. Meanwhile, in Palembang, the base is holding, my attacks still fail to reach 1:1 odds, which mean I am assaulting every other day only. Going there early was a pretty silly idea, too.
I am also learning the hard way that there is more to moving troops than clicking on a destination. I did understand you could not move across enemy lines (defined as the hexside they moved through), but it seems that, when ordered to do so, units actually move the other way around. This explains why my units in Chuhsien seem unable to move to Wenchow.
Victory in the jungle
On Mindanao, after a very long fight, the Philippine division west of Calayan surrendered on the 24th. The enemy is now concentrated in Malaybalay. It is good defensive terrain, but I doubt they are supplied. I will move there, bombard, and see what I am facing.
Back to square one
In Chuhsien, the enemy seems to be marching again, and there is only one direction he can move : towards Wenchow.
What will he do next? Moving back to Wenchow would seal the fate of these troops. There is no way supply will allow for another sortie. The Wenchow garrison will wither, until supply runs out and they become a very easy target.
Moving forward towards Changsha looks like the more logical decision. But I can counter this : my divisions in Chuhsien are on a major road, whereas the enemy is on a secondary one. As a result, I can move twice as fast as him, and can block escapes (or at least force him to fight his way through).
My opponent might surprise me, but the more I look at Wenchow, the more I think the 100k troops there are doomed. I will probably wait until their supplies are totally gone, and perhaps surround the place to capture everyone (or not, depends on my opinion about the virtues of respawn, by then). But I’m in no rush.
Before Sian
The situation around Sian is becoming very interesting.
Enemy forces are divided into three stacks. The “red hex” holds about 125k troops, probably about 2000 AV. They apparently are moving across country to cut the main road, and will not show up before about 10 days. When they do, they can cut my supply lines, so I need to reinforce the road hexes.
The blue hex holds 10 units, who have retreated along the major road. There used to be 2000 AV in this stack, but some may have retreated to Sian, and they may have been reinforced. I have 3200 AV in this hex. I am bombarding tomorrow, if they have not reinforced too much, I might be able to defeat them. 1200 AV, in the green hex, are moving in. Finally, Sian has 28 units, I have no idea of their assault value.
In reserve, I have a brigade north of Nanyang, a division in the city, and two more moving up, from Sinyang.
The key, here, is the red stack. If I can lengthen their supply lines and prevent them from cutting mine through the major road, they will move even slower, which means I can reinforce the road, and they will have lots of problems attacking. Short term plans are therefore
1- To recon the blue hex
2- To reinforce the major road
3- To move along the secondary road, in order to further isolate the red stack
My goal is to defeat the red stack, before I turn back to Sian. Enemy supply situation in the region is probably far from good. Time is on my side.
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SqzMyLemon
- Posts: 4239
- Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:18 pm
- Location: Alberta, Canada
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Just a note on something I do to conserve fuel. It takes a little micro-management, but on long legged transport TF's I always set them to "do not refuel" when they are bound for the Home Islands. Once they've unloaded their cargoes I reset them to "full refuel" for the return journey to their loading hub. The hubs are always restocked with fuel locally. The trick is to always use transports that can return to port from their point of departure to fuel up. So I never use 4000 or 4500 transports on longer runs for example. This way I almost never have to refuel any TF's leaving the Home Islands with the exception of escorts and ASW TF's.
It's a great idea to refine more fuel in the DEI, but just make sure you have the capacity to remove it all. It will be a shame to increase refining capacity only to see it eventually fall into Allied hands.
I've read that many more experienced players really shun the conversion of naval shipyards to merchant ones. I haven't converted any myeslf. If anything I modestly expanded naval shipyards to produce more points and then simply stop production as I require less naval points. I belive the argument against converting is you'll never see a return on the supply used to justify the conversion. Also I believe other than tankers and CVE's a lot of the Japanese merchant transports can be halted altogether. I'm very selective in what merchant ships are currently being built and have stopped many of them. Merchant ship building pools are in the 70k range for me and it's only Oct. 42.
Good stuff, you are really getting a handle on the Japanese production side of things and your constant questions and ideas are making me start to look at different ways of doing things myself [;)]. You can always learn to be more efficient in my opinion. Keep up the interesting thoughts in your AAR.
It's a great idea to refine more fuel in the DEI, but just make sure you have the capacity to remove it all. It will be a shame to increase refining capacity only to see it eventually fall into Allied hands.
I've read that many more experienced players really shun the conversion of naval shipyards to merchant ones. I haven't converted any myeslf. If anything I modestly expanded naval shipyards to produce more points and then simply stop production as I require less naval points. I belive the argument against converting is you'll never see a return on the supply used to justify the conversion. Also I believe other than tankers and CVE's a lot of the Japanese merchant transports can be halted altogether. I'm very selective in what merchant ships are currently being built and have stopped many of them. Merchant ship building pools are in the 70k range for me and it's only Oct. 42.
Good stuff, you are really getting a handle on the Japanese production side of things and your constant questions and ideas are making me start to look at different ways of doing things myself [;)]. You can always learn to be more efficient in my opinion. Keep up the interesting thoughts in your AAR.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
+1ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
Just a note on something I do to conserve fuel. It takes a little micro-management, but on long legged transport TF's I always set them to "do not refuel" when they are bound for the Home Islands. Once they've unloaded their cargoes I reset them to "full refuel" for the return journey to their loading hub. The hubs are always restocked with fuel locally. The trick is to always use transports that can return to port from their point of departure to fuel up.
Also, best when done with really BIG convoys. It's amazing how much fuel a convoy can suck up.
Pax
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Captain Cruft
- Posts: 3752
- Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: England
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
The sound detector will eventually metamorphose into a radar if you have Replacements turned on for the unit. These can walk through the jungle too.
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Hi Captain Cruft,
Thanks a lot, the Promised Radar provides a great background to the story of the sound detector, walking through the jungle.
Reminded me of this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F53yUsgV ... re=related
January 26th, 1942
Marlbrough s’en va-t-en guerre!
After five days spent sorting out the guns, boots and banjoleles misplaced during the dreadful crossing of the Causeway, the Japanese troops are finally ready to attack Singapore again.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 75684 troops, 735 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 2498
Defending force 44529 troops, 538 guns, 384 vehicles, Assault Value = 1156
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
5396 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 385 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 320 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 41 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (5 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3352 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 48 destroyed, 240 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 55 (16 destroyed, 39 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
In terms of destroyed and disabled squads, casualties are comparable to those suffered during the initial shock attack (slightly less Japanese squads destroyed, though). One level of forts is lost, and allied destroyed squad count is pretty high. This means force ratios should improve.
Disruption is high, owing to the 1:2 ratio. I will be resting tomorrow, and attacking the day after. During long siege battles (and island invasions, in fact), there seem to be a trade-off between odds and tempo. If I attack very often, disruption and fatigue will accumulate, but the enemy won’t be able to rebuild, or repair disabled squads. If I rest more between successive assaults, I will be back at full strength, but so will the enemy.
Here, numbers suggest that I should give time to my units. I am at a numerical advantage, and I am destroying more squads than I lose. In the example above, I have “lost” 400 squads, but only 20 are destroyed, the enemy lost 166, but 66 destroyed. If we were to fight now, losses are 2.5/1 in his favour, and odds would go down. If we wait until “every one recovers”, losses ratios are 3:1 in my favour, and odd go up.
But players, like most commanders, tend to be a bit rash…
Wild wild West
The 12th Independent Regiment should reach Kiuchuan tomorrow. The 24th infantry division is one day behind. Supply is low, but morale is high, and the city seems undefended (enemy troops fleeing east towards Lanchow were spotted yesterday). Kiuchuan has an airfield. A squadron of Tinas (my longest range transports) have been deployed in Kweisui to help moving supplies (and possibly troops).
Two tank regiments are now 100 miles north of Lanchow, infantry will reach Ningsia in a couple of days. Lanchow has been reinforced. The base now sports 35k troops (that’s about 500 AV), another 8k (from Sining, I believe) are one hex away, and reinforcements are probably on the way. It seems the enemy intends to make a stand there.
I have about the same amount (one division and two tank regiments) about 10 days away, and another division 10 more days away. Altogether, I have a little more than 1000 AV, and expect equivalent numbers in Lanchow. My plan is to concentrate the infantry in Ningsia, put tanks in forward position, to discourage raids, and then to march on the city. The objective is to cut production.
In Yenan, little is happening. I am bombing daily, and Chinese forces are roughly equivalent to mine. My first batch of reinforcements (an infantry brigade and an engineer regiment) is about a week away. The idea is to try to attack and reduce the forts. If this can be done, Yenan is toast.
While bombing the airfield, I have been destroying AVG planes on the ground. Apparently, my opponent sent planes there, but the lack of aviation support grounded them.
Thoughts on fuel
Paxmondo, SqzMyLemon, thanks for the comments. This made me wonder about my actual fuel situation. Here are a couple of figures, and my current ideas on the subject. They are probably quite naïve, don’t hesitate to criticize and comment.
Right now, I have 7 250k fuel points (bunker fuel included), and my stocks are going down by about 5k/day. If I could keep up with this production and usage, I would have just enough for the whole war (about 1500 days).
On the production side, I have 1985 refineries, and 140 producing. This includes New Guinea, Borneo, and Burma, but not Sumatra, Java and China. To maintain production I use about 7k Oil points per day, and my stocks (4.6 millions oil points) could last for 650 days. Stocks provide about a third of oil usage.
This means that, if I maintained the same oil and refinery capacity as today, I could probably maintain the same usage for a little more than 1250 days, or three and a half year (or mid 1945). Of course, I probably won’t be able to hold the SRA that late in the war, but I will also have additional oil production in 1942 and the beginning of 1943. This is not an easy task, but it is not an impossible one either.
If I now look at fuel usage, tracker tells me I refine almost 18k/day, and that I use 5k more from the stocks. Total daily usage is 23k, 14.5k for heavy industry, and 8.5k for ships. In the long run, I will reduce industry usage, but there is no point of doing this now: fuel stocks can be lost, to enemy actions, to spoilage, to accident, and need to be transported. HI points, once in the bank, cannot be lost, and need not be transported. The best is to produce as much of them as possible, and keep all the factories working until the stocks are depleted (or HI stocks reach such values that they are not needed anymore).
To me, the best way to conserve fuel is to limit ship usage. This means keeping ships in port as often as I can, and reducing travel distances for task forces. For instance, reinforcements for Malaya shipped from Japan unloaded in Haiphong, and went to Johore by rail and road. My Borneo oil is now shipping to Cam Ranh, and “walks” back to Port Arthur. Task forces not in use are systematically. disbanded.
In game like this one, where the enemy navy is nowhere in sight, there is no urgent need to use all the IJN to patrol over empty seas. I am keeping my surface ships in port, most of the time. They are prepositioned in forward bases, to be able to read if my bombers (which I mostly use for naval search these days) detect enemy forces, but they are disbanded, and not using fuel.
I am still experimenting with these approaches, but I believe they can significantly reduce fuel usage. This would alleviate my dependence on oil (and the SRA), and help me sleep better when I think of the mess 4E bombing can do in oilfields...
Thanks a lot, the Promised Radar provides a great background to the story of the sound detector, walking through the jungle.
Reminded me of this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F53yUsgV ... re=related
January 26th, 1942
Marlbrough s’en va-t-en guerre!
After five days spent sorting out the guns, boots and banjoleles misplaced during the dreadful crossing of the Causeway, the Japanese troops are finally ready to attack Singapore again.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 75684 troops, 735 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 2498
Defending force 44529 troops, 538 guns, 384 vehicles, Assault Value = 1156
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
5396 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 385 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 320 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 41 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (5 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3352 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 48 destroyed, 240 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 55 (16 destroyed, 39 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
In terms of destroyed and disabled squads, casualties are comparable to those suffered during the initial shock attack (slightly less Japanese squads destroyed, though). One level of forts is lost, and allied destroyed squad count is pretty high. This means force ratios should improve.
Disruption is high, owing to the 1:2 ratio. I will be resting tomorrow, and attacking the day after. During long siege battles (and island invasions, in fact), there seem to be a trade-off between odds and tempo. If I attack very often, disruption and fatigue will accumulate, but the enemy won’t be able to rebuild, or repair disabled squads. If I rest more between successive assaults, I will be back at full strength, but so will the enemy.
Here, numbers suggest that I should give time to my units. I am at a numerical advantage, and I am destroying more squads than I lose. In the example above, I have “lost” 400 squads, but only 20 are destroyed, the enemy lost 166, but 66 destroyed. If we were to fight now, losses are 2.5/1 in his favour, and odds would go down. If we wait until “every one recovers”, losses ratios are 3:1 in my favour, and odd go up.
But players, like most commanders, tend to be a bit rash…
Wild wild West
The 12th Independent Regiment should reach Kiuchuan tomorrow. The 24th infantry division is one day behind. Supply is low, but morale is high, and the city seems undefended (enemy troops fleeing east towards Lanchow were spotted yesterday). Kiuchuan has an airfield. A squadron of Tinas (my longest range transports) have been deployed in Kweisui to help moving supplies (and possibly troops).
Two tank regiments are now 100 miles north of Lanchow, infantry will reach Ningsia in a couple of days. Lanchow has been reinforced. The base now sports 35k troops (that’s about 500 AV), another 8k (from Sining, I believe) are one hex away, and reinforcements are probably on the way. It seems the enemy intends to make a stand there.
I have about the same amount (one division and two tank regiments) about 10 days away, and another division 10 more days away. Altogether, I have a little more than 1000 AV, and expect equivalent numbers in Lanchow. My plan is to concentrate the infantry in Ningsia, put tanks in forward position, to discourage raids, and then to march on the city. The objective is to cut production.
In Yenan, little is happening. I am bombing daily, and Chinese forces are roughly equivalent to mine. My first batch of reinforcements (an infantry brigade and an engineer regiment) is about a week away. The idea is to try to attack and reduce the forts. If this can be done, Yenan is toast.
While bombing the airfield, I have been destroying AVG planes on the ground. Apparently, my opponent sent planes there, but the lack of aviation support grounded them.
Thoughts on fuel
Paxmondo, SqzMyLemon, thanks for the comments. This made me wonder about my actual fuel situation. Here are a couple of figures, and my current ideas on the subject. They are probably quite naïve, don’t hesitate to criticize and comment.
Right now, I have 7 250k fuel points (bunker fuel included), and my stocks are going down by about 5k/day. If I could keep up with this production and usage, I would have just enough for the whole war (about 1500 days).
On the production side, I have 1985 refineries, and 140 producing. This includes New Guinea, Borneo, and Burma, but not Sumatra, Java and China. To maintain production I use about 7k Oil points per day, and my stocks (4.6 millions oil points) could last for 650 days. Stocks provide about a third of oil usage.
This means that, if I maintained the same oil and refinery capacity as today, I could probably maintain the same usage for a little more than 1250 days, or three and a half year (or mid 1945). Of course, I probably won’t be able to hold the SRA that late in the war, but I will also have additional oil production in 1942 and the beginning of 1943. This is not an easy task, but it is not an impossible one either.
If I now look at fuel usage, tracker tells me I refine almost 18k/day, and that I use 5k more from the stocks. Total daily usage is 23k, 14.5k for heavy industry, and 8.5k for ships. In the long run, I will reduce industry usage, but there is no point of doing this now: fuel stocks can be lost, to enemy actions, to spoilage, to accident, and need to be transported. HI points, once in the bank, cannot be lost, and need not be transported. The best is to produce as much of them as possible, and keep all the factories working until the stocks are depleted (or HI stocks reach such values that they are not needed anymore).
To me, the best way to conserve fuel is to limit ship usage. This means keeping ships in port as often as I can, and reducing travel distances for task forces. For instance, reinforcements for Malaya shipped from Japan unloaded in Haiphong, and went to Johore by rail and road. My Borneo oil is now shipping to Cam Ranh, and “walks” back to Port Arthur. Task forces not in use are systematically. disbanded.
In game like this one, where the enemy navy is nowhere in sight, there is no urgent need to use all the IJN to patrol over empty seas. I am keeping my surface ships in port, most of the time. They are prepositioned in forward bases, to be able to read if my bombers (which I mostly use for naval search these days) detect enemy forces, but they are disbanded, and not using fuel.
I am still experimenting with these approaches, but I believe they can significantly reduce fuel usage. This would alleviate my dependence on oil (and the SRA), and help me sleep better when I think of the mess 4E bombing can do in oilfields...
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Captain Cruft
- Posts: 3752
- Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 12:49 pm
- Location: England
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
I would never turn off supply production. If you have an excess do some serious aircraft/engine research and/or ship it to China. You may also find it useful for turning replacements on for all LCUs.
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
Your fuel numbers jive pretty close to mine.
The Singapore (Cam Ranh) to PA is BIG saving in fuel.
I generally build up FUSAN and ship from there. Add some naval support at Fusan and you can move everything you need to FUK and SHIM. As you say, get it back to the Home Islands and convert to HI. At that point, it is safe. If you use Fusan, you can create a total sub death area in the straight between Fusan and FUK/SHIM.
The Singapore (Cam Ranh) to PA is BIG saving in fuel.
I generally build up FUSAN and ship from there. Add some naval support at Fusan and you can move everything you need to FUK and SHIM. As you say, get it back to the Home Islands and convert to HI. At that point, it is safe. If you use Fusan, you can create a total sub death area in the straight between Fusan and FUK/SHIM.
Pax
RE: Now when the land rings with the clash of arms (fcharton(J) vs soliinvictus(A))�NCNo soliinvictus
January 27th and 28th, 1942
A night in Magwe
On the 27th, enemy bombers showed up over Magwe. Zeroes were ready for them, but my cunning opponent sent them at night. Five oil points were damaged. A second squadron was set on night patrol and intercepted a bombing raid the next day. I wonder where those planes come from. They are Blenheim I, with a radius of 7, 8 maximum. Could be Imphal, Chittagong, Cox Bazaar, or Akyab, (or Comilla or Kohima is bombing at maximum range). I bombed Imphal yesterday, intelligence did not report enemy planes there. I suspect Chittagong.
Burma seems abandoned. There are troops on the coast (from Akyab to Cox Bazaar), but nobody in Mandalay or Taung Gyi. In Toungoo, the last soldiers of the BFF are being pushed around by my tank regiment. I expect to hold all bases up to Schwebo by the end of the month. This will conclude operation Saperlipopette.
So far, the conquest of Burma has been a light and bloodless affair. Plans for February are to reinforce once Singapore has fallen, conquer the north, up to Myitkyina and Paoshan, and establish a defensive line in the western jungles. Then, there are two equally promising lines: pushing north towards Kunming or West towards Ledo. This will depend on the evolution of China, and the speed of advance in the East Indies.
Merlion reloaded
The 28th, after a day rest, the 25th army attacked Singapore again. Forts were reduced to level one. The Japanese took lots of disablements, and the Allies lost a good number of squads. Two more enemy units were destroyed.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 72240 troops, 735 guns, 165 vehicles, Assault Value = 2275
Defending force 42549 troops, 542 guns, 371 vehicles, Assault Value = 1033
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 1071
Allied adjusted defense: 1949
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Japanese ground losses:
4970 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 301 disabled
Non Combat: 24 destroyed, 219 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 39 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2320 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 187 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 34 (16 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units destroyed 2
I should have waited a few more days. Disruption is very high now, and will need several days to recover. This might allow the allies to rebuild the forts. I tried to bomb the airfields to prevent rebuilding, but the flak is very strong, and my bombers are falling from the sky.
The battle for Singapore will probably extend over the first week of February. There is little I can do to speed it up.
Elsewhere in the SRA
In Clark Field, daily bombardments do not seem to have much effect. Air attacks seem to destroy supplies, and sometimes a lone enemy plane. Tanks have been maneuvering to seal the area, and prevent enemy sorties. I have 1700 AV, against 2400, not all very good and battle hardened, but in good defensive terrain, and behind level 3 (or 4) forts… I will bombard one more week, and then try a deliberate attack, to see what actual odds are.
On Borneo, Balikpapan and Singkawang sport very large airbases. I use them to bomb Batavia and Surabaya. A coastal minesweeper (AMc) was sunk yesterday (why does he keep those in port? Confusion with ACM?). I am beginning to ship oil and fuel from Miri and Brunei to Cam Ranh.
In Palembang, attacks go on every other day. Enemy bombers are not visiting anymore (Zeroes from Singkawang probably shot most of them). The base is not being reinforced, and another regiment is embarking in Mersing tomorrow. Intelligence still reports no damage to the oilfields and refineries. It might be fog of war, but if so, it would be sweet.
Most bases in the Celebes and Borneo have now been occupied. Koepang has a base force, and runs naval searches (like Ambon and Macassar). The northern coast of New Guinea is conquered, troops are converging to Rabaul. Tabiteuea is occupied, an airstrip is being built there. Betties operate from Tarawa.
Locusts at work
Part of my work as quartermaster of a greedy (and evil) empire is to leave no resource untapped. Over the last few days, I have been looking at places where resources and oil seem to accumulate.
Here is the situation for resources, visiting producers in decreasing order of importance.
On the continent, excess resources flow to Keijo, my convoy hub (this might change when I expand Fusan). It attracts resources from Northern China, Manchukuo and Korea. Since late December, when Kanhsien and other bases in Fujian fell, resources from South China flow there too. The link with Indochina (and Malaysia) opened after the fall of Pakhoi.
Sakhalin, and Hokkaido have convoys operating since day one. Those in Sakhalin are fine, those in Hokkaido need a little increase.
Formosa and Pescadores produce hefty surpluses. I used to send them to Nagasaki. I will redirect this convoy to Amoy and Swatow. Since the distance is very short, I will need fewer ships (and use less fuel, etc…)
Also, I was surprised to discover that Nauru island produces resources. There are almost 100k there. Since it is a relatively small port (size 2), I will probably have several three ships (plus one escort) task forces, from there to Japan. Since the Marshalls are on the way, I will probably use the return convoys to resupply them.
On Borneo, resources seem to flow to Balikpapan (mostly), and in the Celebes, they flow to Kendari. Convoys to Saigon will be set up.
Other small stocks of resources will be transported (either to Japan or Saigon) in an opportunistic fashion, when cargoes are in the area. The basic idea here is : never send back and empty cargo.
Oil is simpler. Continental oil flows to Port Arthur. Most of my surpluses are in Borneo, in Balikpapan (Miri and Brunei have enough refining capacity). I intend to send some of them to Tarakan, where I have extra refining capacity, and the rest to Cam Ranh. I have some production in New Guinea, which will also be sent to Cam Ranh. Right now, I am moving oil from New Guinea to Ternate, a larger port, which I will use as a regional hub.
Finally, fuel surpluses are mostly in Balikpapan, and to a lesser extent in Miri. I don’t intend to send them back to Japan, but to use them locally, turning those two bases into gas stations, and shipping some fuel to other forward bases in the area.
A night in Magwe
On the 27th, enemy bombers showed up over Magwe. Zeroes were ready for them, but my cunning opponent sent them at night. Five oil points were damaged. A second squadron was set on night patrol and intercepted a bombing raid the next day. I wonder where those planes come from. They are Blenheim I, with a radius of 7, 8 maximum. Could be Imphal, Chittagong, Cox Bazaar, or Akyab, (or Comilla or Kohima is bombing at maximum range). I bombed Imphal yesterday, intelligence did not report enemy planes there. I suspect Chittagong.
Burma seems abandoned. There are troops on the coast (from Akyab to Cox Bazaar), but nobody in Mandalay or Taung Gyi. In Toungoo, the last soldiers of the BFF are being pushed around by my tank regiment. I expect to hold all bases up to Schwebo by the end of the month. This will conclude operation Saperlipopette.
So far, the conquest of Burma has been a light and bloodless affair. Plans for February are to reinforce once Singapore has fallen, conquer the north, up to Myitkyina and Paoshan, and establish a defensive line in the western jungles. Then, there are two equally promising lines: pushing north towards Kunming or West towards Ledo. This will depend on the evolution of China, and the speed of advance in the East Indies.
Merlion reloaded
The 28th, after a day rest, the 25th army attacked Singapore again. Forts were reduced to level one. The Japanese took lots of disablements, and the Allies lost a good number of squads. Two more enemy units were destroyed.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 72240 troops, 735 guns, 165 vehicles, Assault Value = 2275
Defending force 42549 troops, 542 guns, 371 vehicles, Assault Value = 1033
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 1071
Allied adjusted defense: 1949
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Japanese ground losses:
4970 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 301 disabled
Non Combat: 24 destroyed, 219 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 39 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2320 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 187 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 34 (16 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units destroyed 2
I should have waited a few more days. Disruption is very high now, and will need several days to recover. This might allow the allies to rebuild the forts. I tried to bomb the airfields to prevent rebuilding, but the flak is very strong, and my bombers are falling from the sky.
The battle for Singapore will probably extend over the first week of February. There is little I can do to speed it up.
Elsewhere in the SRA
In Clark Field, daily bombardments do not seem to have much effect. Air attacks seem to destroy supplies, and sometimes a lone enemy plane. Tanks have been maneuvering to seal the area, and prevent enemy sorties. I have 1700 AV, against 2400, not all very good and battle hardened, but in good defensive terrain, and behind level 3 (or 4) forts… I will bombard one more week, and then try a deliberate attack, to see what actual odds are.
On Borneo, Balikpapan and Singkawang sport very large airbases. I use them to bomb Batavia and Surabaya. A coastal minesweeper (AMc) was sunk yesterday (why does he keep those in port? Confusion with ACM?). I am beginning to ship oil and fuel from Miri and Brunei to Cam Ranh.
In Palembang, attacks go on every other day. Enemy bombers are not visiting anymore (Zeroes from Singkawang probably shot most of them). The base is not being reinforced, and another regiment is embarking in Mersing tomorrow. Intelligence still reports no damage to the oilfields and refineries. It might be fog of war, but if so, it would be sweet.
Most bases in the Celebes and Borneo have now been occupied. Koepang has a base force, and runs naval searches (like Ambon and Macassar). The northern coast of New Guinea is conquered, troops are converging to Rabaul. Tabiteuea is occupied, an airstrip is being built there. Betties operate from Tarawa.
Locusts at work
Part of my work as quartermaster of a greedy (and evil) empire is to leave no resource untapped. Over the last few days, I have been looking at places where resources and oil seem to accumulate.
Here is the situation for resources, visiting producers in decreasing order of importance.
On the continent, excess resources flow to Keijo, my convoy hub (this might change when I expand Fusan). It attracts resources from Northern China, Manchukuo and Korea. Since late December, when Kanhsien and other bases in Fujian fell, resources from South China flow there too. The link with Indochina (and Malaysia) opened after the fall of Pakhoi.
Sakhalin, and Hokkaido have convoys operating since day one. Those in Sakhalin are fine, those in Hokkaido need a little increase.
Formosa and Pescadores produce hefty surpluses. I used to send them to Nagasaki. I will redirect this convoy to Amoy and Swatow. Since the distance is very short, I will need fewer ships (and use less fuel, etc…)
Also, I was surprised to discover that Nauru island produces resources. There are almost 100k there. Since it is a relatively small port (size 2), I will probably have several three ships (plus one escort) task forces, from there to Japan. Since the Marshalls are on the way, I will probably use the return convoys to resupply them.
On Borneo, resources seem to flow to Balikpapan (mostly), and in the Celebes, they flow to Kendari. Convoys to Saigon will be set up.
Other small stocks of resources will be transported (either to Japan or Saigon) in an opportunistic fashion, when cargoes are in the area. The basic idea here is : never send back and empty cargo.
Oil is simpler. Continental oil flows to Port Arthur. Most of my surpluses are in Borneo, in Balikpapan (Miri and Brunei have enough refining capacity). I intend to send some of them to Tarakan, where I have extra refining capacity, and the rest to Cam Ranh. I have some production in New Guinea, which will also be sent to Cam Ranh. Right now, I am moving oil from New Guinea to Ternate, a larger port, which I will use as a regional hub.
Finally, fuel surpluses are mostly in Balikpapan, and to a lesser extent in Miri. I don’t intend to send them back to Japan, but to use them locally, turning those two bases into gas stations, and shipping some fuel to other forward bases in the area.