Marbakka, you have mentioned a couple of times what to do with your old American BBs. You have gotten somew good advice about upgrading and the fuel costs of moving them about. I second those suggestions.
Also, you have considered detaching a couple of them to join with PoW and Repulse. I strongly urge not to group ships of such low speed with fast BBs. Try, in fact, to always group ships of similar speed in TFs. Of course, you have to put DDs with Tfs, so they don't count. By grouping the slower ships with fast ships, you will suffer badly if you fight a TF of significantly faster ships. First, if your BBs find a cruiser TF, it will quickly run away and your greater weight will be for naught. Secondly, if you engage say 4 IJN BCs with 2 old US BBs and Force Z, the IJN will likely cream you even though you have the larger guns and more of them. It's got a certain logic to it, but it is just the way the game model works.
lso, try hard to group cruisers of the same or similar speed in TFs too. Don't drop an older 24 knot CL into a TF of 3 Brooklun Class Cls...that slow CL will really hinder the TF's effectiveness.
Finally, keep surface combat TFs no larger than 12 ships. Many say the optimal size for combat TFs is 8, but do stay at 12 or less.
[Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Orders Summary - December 14, 1941
Malaya
- Prepping for the next big attack
- AUS unit finally ready to get on the train and head to Singapore
DEI
- Force Z is disbanded at Soerabaja for some minor repairs. Should be ready to strike out again in 2-3 days
Other
- CSF is being split into two. CL Boise and 4 DDs will proceed directly toward Brisbane (and meet an oiler on the way). The rest will sail directly to Kavieng and will be joined by CA Canberra, CL Perth, and CL Adelaide out of Rabaul. Hopefully, they can sink a few transports and disrupt that invasion before heading to the shipyards for a while
- Lexington is juking west and then heading to the safety of PH. I'll have to make a decision tomorrow about who I'm leaving at Wake. I'm inclined to take the marine fighters with me and leave the bombers, but then who flies CAP at Wake? Decisions, decisions.
Malaya
- Prepping for the next big attack
- AUS unit finally ready to get on the train and head to Singapore
DEI
- Force Z is disbanded at Soerabaja for some minor repairs. Should be ready to strike out again in 2-3 days
Other
- CSF is being split into two. CL Boise and 4 DDs will proceed directly toward Brisbane (and meet an oiler on the way). The rest will sail directly to Kavieng and will be joined by CA Canberra, CL Perth, and CL Adelaide out of Rabaul. Hopefully, they can sink a few transports and disrupt that invasion before heading to the shipyards for a while
- Lexington is juking west and then heading to the safety of PH. I'll have to make a decision tomorrow about who I'm leaving at Wake. I'm inclined to take the marine fighters with me and leave the bombers, but then who flies CAP at Wake? Decisions, decisions.
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Blackhorse
- Posts: 1415
- Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2000 8:00 am
- Location: Eastern US
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
ORIGINAL: marbakka
- All units of the 2nd US Fighter Command are on their way from Eastern US to Cape Town where they will be shipped to where they are needed
Be careful that you only ship unrestricted units, or units that can be bought out with PPs from restricted to unrestricted commands. You can move restricted units between off-map bases, but you can't move them on-map. So it is possible to move some II or IV US Fighter/Bomber Command units to Capetown, then discover that you can't send them forward from there.
. . .not that that's ever happened to me, of course.
WitP-AE -- US LCU & AI Stuff
Oddball: Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?
Moriarty: Crap!
Oddball: Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?
Moriarty: Crap!
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
ORIGINAL: Blackhorse
ORIGINAL: marbakka
- All units of the 2nd US Fighter Command are on their way from Eastern US to Cape Town where they will be shipped to where they are needed
Be careful that you only ship unrestricted units, or units that can be bought out with PPs from restricted to unrestricted commands. You can move restricted units between off-map bases, but you can't move them on-map. So it is possible to move some II or IV US Fighter/Bomber Command units to Capetown, then discover that you can't send them forward from there.
. . .not that that's ever happened to me, of course.
I'm fairly certain that they weren't restricted...but now that you've mentioned it I'm second guessing myself [:'(]
I'm debating sending all the unrestricted bombers that direction too. Haven't decided yet but I need to send them now if I'm going to do so.
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
December 7-13, 1941 - Week in Review (1)
My first week of a WitP PBEM game! In fact, I don't think I made it through a full week against the AI before we started, so I think we can call it my first week at all. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the game. I was concerned after the tedium of those first few days, but I seem to be settling into a rhythm.
The initial attack of the Japanese was at the Philippines. I lost almost all of my long range fleet subs in the first three days. The handful that survived were sent to patrol around Japan before reporting to Pearl Harbor. He is moving quickly in the Philippines, but I'm uncertain whether he has enough there yet to take CF and Bataan. The KBa (4 of the CVs) attacked from the South China Sea and slowly moved around the south side of Mindanao where I lost sight of them. I assume they are headed to Truk to rearm.
In Malaya, he has taken Kota Bharu and Mersing and will soon take Kuantan. The TF that I'm referring to as KBb (CV Hiryu and CV Soryu) is covering the landing at Mersing. AUS units are converging on Singapore. I hope to have enough PP by the time they are ready that I can snatch them out to use elsewhere.
Meanwhile, in DEI, Japan moved quickly to take Singkawang and Billiton. On day 1, I began transferring troops to "The Pillow Fort" (Palembang). I would hardly call this a "Fortress Palembang" strategy as the pace of the Japanese advance probably means that I won't be able to get more than a couple hundred AV in before the attack comes. In the east, Manado and Ternate fell to Japanese forces supported by at least one CVL. Enemy forces have also taken much of the eastern coast of New Guinea, though not far enough south to encounter Australian troops except at Kavieng where a depleted force will soon be forced to surrender. Rabaul is being evacuated, but progress is slow.
In Australia and India it is all about building a defense. Down under, Perth and its surroundings are building forts. Darwin is also building forts, though I don't expect to hold it if he wants it. Primarily, it is serving as a sub base and oil entry point until Java falls. The India defensive line is starting to take shape at Chittagong. Ceylon is being built up as a supply hub and Naval launching point
In the Pacific, mostly quiet. Ocean Island and Nauru Island have been taken by the Japanese, but other than that, it has mostly been submarine action. CV Lexington saw some action against a cruiser force SW of Wake and Wake itself suffered some bombing, but other than that, there has been little action. Pago Pago is undergoing heavy construction in anticipation of the first Cargo/Fuel convoys arriving in the next week or so. BB Tennessee was moderately damaged by a mini-submarine early in the week and is a day or so out from Seattle where she will be laid up. Prince Rupert is being expanded for use as a supply source for NOPAC. A force is being gathered for the defense of Adak including what I'm calling Force A - a heavy SAG including two BBs out of PH.
China is as expected. Troops that started in "the bulge" have been rapidly withdrawing but have been under heavy bomber disruption for a couple days now. Inchang was liberated. One AVG squadron is dancing between Chungking and Changsha while the other two are stationed in Rangoon and Palembang. The Palembang squadron is currently delayed at Singapore to help cover the threat from nearby KBb.
What do I expect over the next week? A lot of quiet. Lexington and Enterprise are both heading home for resupply. Saratoga is training in Seattle. Force Z is repairing in Soerabaja. ...and that's about what the next week looks like. I'm sure there will be some surprises, but I expect to be settling down for the Long Six Months now.
My first week of a WitP PBEM game! In fact, I don't think I made it through a full week against the AI before we started, so I think we can call it my first week at all. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the game. I was concerned after the tedium of those first few days, but I seem to be settling into a rhythm.
The initial attack of the Japanese was at the Philippines. I lost almost all of my long range fleet subs in the first three days. The handful that survived were sent to patrol around Japan before reporting to Pearl Harbor. He is moving quickly in the Philippines, but I'm uncertain whether he has enough there yet to take CF and Bataan. The KBa (4 of the CVs) attacked from the South China Sea and slowly moved around the south side of Mindanao where I lost sight of them. I assume they are headed to Truk to rearm.
In Malaya, he has taken Kota Bharu and Mersing and will soon take Kuantan. The TF that I'm referring to as KBb (CV Hiryu and CV Soryu) is covering the landing at Mersing. AUS units are converging on Singapore. I hope to have enough PP by the time they are ready that I can snatch them out to use elsewhere.
Meanwhile, in DEI, Japan moved quickly to take Singkawang and Billiton. On day 1, I began transferring troops to "The Pillow Fort" (Palembang). I would hardly call this a "Fortress Palembang" strategy as the pace of the Japanese advance probably means that I won't be able to get more than a couple hundred AV in before the attack comes. In the east, Manado and Ternate fell to Japanese forces supported by at least one CVL. Enemy forces have also taken much of the eastern coast of New Guinea, though not far enough south to encounter Australian troops except at Kavieng where a depleted force will soon be forced to surrender. Rabaul is being evacuated, but progress is slow.
In Australia and India it is all about building a defense. Down under, Perth and its surroundings are building forts. Darwin is also building forts, though I don't expect to hold it if he wants it. Primarily, it is serving as a sub base and oil entry point until Java falls. The India defensive line is starting to take shape at Chittagong. Ceylon is being built up as a supply hub and Naval launching point
In the Pacific, mostly quiet. Ocean Island and Nauru Island have been taken by the Japanese, but other than that, it has mostly been submarine action. CV Lexington saw some action against a cruiser force SW of Wake and Wake itself suffered some bombing, but other than that, there has been little action. Pago Pago is undergoing heavy construction in anticipation of the first Cargo/Fuel convoys arriving in the next week or so. BB Tennessee was moderately damaged by a mini-submarine early in the week and is a day or so out from Seattle where she will be laid up. Prince Rupert is being expanded for use as a supply source for NOPAC. A force is being gathered for the defense of Adak including what I'm calling Force A - a heavy SAG including two BBs out of PH.
China is as expected. Troops that started in "the bulge" have been rapidly withdrawing but have been under heavy bomber disruption for a couple days now. Inchang was liberated. One AVG squadron is dancing between Chungking and Changsha while the other two are stationed in Rangoon and Palembang. The Palembang squadron is currently delayed at Singapore to help cover the threat from nearby KBb.
What do I expect over the next week? A lot of quiet. Lexington and Enterprise are both heading home for resupply. Saratoga is training in Seattle. Force Z is repairing in Soerabaja. ...and that's about what the next week looks like. I'm sure there will be some surprises, but I expect to be settling down for the Long Six Months now.
- Attachments
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- Week1.jpg (105.95 KiB) Viewed 419 times
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Considering what you are up against in Scenario 2 you are not doing badly at all. Just a couple of thoughts:
Fortress Palembang - In Canoerebel's excellent AAR "Tokyo Rose was a Hussy" he saw his opportunity to go all-in on Fortress Palembang when his opponent made a big effort to take South Pacific islands all the way to Suva and even one of the Islands between Sydney and Noumea. This tied up a lot of his opponent's shipping and needed cover by KB and BB/CA task forces. Seeing DEI under only moderate attack, Canoerebel began moving everything he could lay his hands on to Palembang and the bases south and west of there on Sumatra. He concentrated his carriers, British and American, in the Indian Ocean to cover and bagged at least a CV and CVL that way. He also used BB and CA groups to raid enemy shipping and protect his ports. It took a month or two of game time for his opponent to notice the buildup because CR was also distracting him in SOPAC, NORPAC and Burma. Anyway, we don't know yet where your opponent will concentrate next, but interrupting his plans and making him guess where you will make a stand or counterattack is all part of the game. See if you can distract him from the pillow fort for now. If you move non-restricted units to the area have an alternate location to use them if they can't be landed and supplied where you intended.
Darwin and oil - There is almost no overland transportation to get oil/fuel out of Darwin to southern ports and Darwin can easily be cut off. Shipping it to the east coast of Austrailia is already risky because of those enemy bases on the other side of New Guinea. Nells and Betties [Netties] will soon carry torps from them and close the strait next to Horn Island. He will soon be able to take all those small bases west of Darwin and the oil you saved will be wasted. Better to send it to Perth now. The rail link there will ensure it gets spread around Oz industry.
Fortress Palembang - In Canoerebel's excellent AAR "Tokyo Rose was a Hussy" he saw his opportunity to go all-in on Fortress Palembang when his opponent made a big effort to take South Pacific islands all the way to Suva and even one of the Islands between Sydney and Noumea. This tied up a lot of his opponent's shipping and needed cover by KB and BB/CA task forces. Seeing DEI under only moderate attack, Canoerebel began moving everything he could lay his hands on to Palembang and the bases south and west of there on Sumatra. He concentrated his carriers, British and American, in the Indian Ocean to cover and bagged at least a CV and CVL that way. He also used BB and CA groups to raid enemy shipping and protect his ports. It took a month or two of game time for his opponent to notice the buildup because CR was also distracting him in SOPAC, NORPAC and Burma. Anyway, we don't know yet where your opponent will concentrate next, but interrupting his plans and making him guess where you will make a stand or counterattack is all part of the game. See if you can distract him from the pillow fort for now. If you move non-restricted units to the area have an alternate location to use them if they can't be landed and supplied where you intended.
Darwin and oil - There is almost no overland transportation to get oil/fuel out of Darwin to southern ports and Darwin can easily be cut off. Shipping it to the east coast of Austrailia is already risky because of those enemy bases on the other side of New Guinea. Nells and Betties [Netties] will soon carry torps from them and close the strait next to Horn Island. He will soon be able to take all those small bases west of Darwin and the oil you saved will be wasted. Better to send it to Perth now. The rail link there will ensure it gets spread around Oz industry.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
December 14, 1941 Report
More of the same, except...
- A force of 8 MTBs sallied from Iba to Vigan and encountered a cargo fleet to the following effect:
I'm quite please with this little encounter. My MTBs will return to Iba to lick their wounds. Meanwhile, I have a TF of PTs at Iba as well, and I believe I'll send them to do some cleanup.
- Lingayen, Nabire, Sidate, and Vanimo all fell under enemy control today. I don't think any of them were contested
- The CSF never managed to merge with the three cruisers from Rabaul. Upon learning that the enemy transport fleet at Kavieng was fleeing, those three cruisers pursued, sinking 1 xAKL and heavily damaging an xAK. The cruisers have all met in Kavieng now and will merge, bombard the enemy forces that landed, and return to Brisbane for refuel/rearm/repair
- Lots of sub action, especially around Billiton. 1 Dutch sub was heavily damaged and is limping her way to Singapore for repairs. We did sink a cargo ship outside of Kuantan.
More of the same, except...
- A force of 8 MTBs sallied from Iba to Vigan and encountered a cargo fleet to the following effect:
Code: Select all
Japanese Ships
DMS W-12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DMS W-17, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DMS W-18, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Kyo Maru #12, Shell hits 4
PB Kyo Maru #13, Shell hits 4
SC Ch 4
SC Ch 5
SC Ch 6, Shell hits 2
SC Ch 10
xAK Brisbane Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Sanko Maru
xAK Takao Maru
xAK Bunzan Maru
xAK Shinko Maru
xAK Oigawa Maru
Allied Ships
MTB 7
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 10
MTB 11
MTB 12, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB 26
MTB 27, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
I'm quite please with this little encounter. My MTBs will return to Iba to lick their wounds. Meanwhile, I have a TF of PTs at Iba as well, and I believe I'll send them to do some cleanup.
- Lingayen, Nabire, Sidate, and Vanimo all fell under enemy control today. I don't think any of them were contested
- The CSF never managed to merge with the three cruisers from Rabaul. Upon learning that the enemy transport fleet at Kavieng was fleeing, those three cruisers pursued, sinking 1 xAKL and heavily damaging an xAK. The cruisers have all met in Kavieng now and will merge, bombard the enemy forces that landed, and return to Brisbane for refuel/rearm/repair
- Lots of sub action, especially around Billiton. 1 Dutch sub was heavily damaged and is limping her way to Singapore for repairs. We did sink a cargo ship outside of Kuantan.
- Attachments
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- Dec141941a.jpg (94.39 KiB) Viewed 419 times
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Orders Summary - December 15, 1941
Malaya
- AUS unit should arrive in Singapore tomorrow. Right now, I can only afford to buy one. I need both. I'll sit on the PP for a few days and reevaluate later.
DEI
- Cruisers will bombard at Kavieng and then head to Brisbane
- Force Z is about 3 days from being operational again
- Diverted some tankers from Darwin to Perth (thanks for the tip, guys!)
- My AR is escorting a heavily damaged xAP from Batavia to Soerabaja. It'd be a bad time for a IJN SAG to cruise through the Java Sea
- AVG moved from Singapore to Palembang; will rest and then prepare for the enslaught
- Pillow Fort is around 150 AV now
India
- Chittagong Defense Line receives its first external reinforcements tomorrow
- Hermes should be ready for sea tomorrow. If only I had some aircraft to put on her. [:@]
I'm not going to say much about my carriers in the near future. All are in or headed to port and will remain there over the next week or so (at least).
Malaya
- AUS unit should arrive in Singapore tomorrow. Right now, I can only afford to buy one. I need both. I'll sit on the PP for a few days and reevaluate later.
DEI
- Cruisers will bombard at Kavieng and then head to Brisbane
- Force Z is about 3 days from being operational again
- Diverted some tankers from Darwin to Perth (thanks for the tip, guys!)
- My AR is escorting a heavily damaged xAP from Batavia to Soerabaja. It'd be a bad time for a IJN SAG to cruise through the Java Sea
- AVG moved from Singapore to Palembang; will rest and then prepare for the enslaught
- Pillow Fort is around 150 AV now
India
- Chittagong Defense Line receives its first external reinforcements tomorrow
- Hermes should be ready for sea tomorrow. If only I had some aircraft to put on her. [:@]
I'm not going to say much about my carriers in the near future. All are in or headed to port and will remain there over the next week or so (at least).
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
There are a couple of squadrons of Swordfish aircraft around - can't remember where but I'm thinking Columbo or Trincomalee??. Anyway, even if they are at Singapore you should consider using them on Hermes instead of risking them there. They MIGHT get lucky and put a torp in a valuable ship near Singers, but they are more likely to have eventual success on a mobile airfield. Plus, when enemy surface ships are not nearby, they are good ASW aircraft for your TF.ORIGINAL: marbakka
- Hermes should be ready for sea tomorrow. If only I had some aircraft to put on her. [:@]
BTW, good job with those MTBs. That is by far the best result I have seen them achieve early in the war. The PTs lack experience and have the old tube-fired torps, but they might get lucky too. Greyjoy had the ultimate luck - one of his PTs sank BB Yamato when it got a hit in the magazine!
Just noticed on the SIGINT report - he is loading troops on tankers! He must be confident that they will not be hit. Too bad the allied cargo ships and tankers are not as versatile.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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HansBolter
- Posts: 7457
- Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:30 pm
- Location: United States
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
ORIGINAL: marbakka
ORIGINAL: Blackhorse
ORIGINAL: marbakka
- All units of the 2nd US Fighter Command are on their way from Eastern US to Cape Town where they will be shipped to where they are needed
Be careful that you only ship unrestricted units, or units that can be bought out with PPs from restricted to unrestricted commands. You can move restricted units between off-map bases, but you can't move them on-map. So it is possible to move some II or IV US Fighter/Bomber Command units to Capetown, then discover that you can't send them forward from there.
. . .not that that's ever happened to me, of course.
I'm fairly certain that they weren't restricted...but now that you've mentioned it I'm second guessing myself [:'(]
I'm debating sending all the unrestricted bombers that direction too. Haven't decided yet but I need to send them now if I'm going to do so.
If they are attached to the II they are not restricted. The II is under SoPac and neither is restricted.
Well done with the MTBs. Iba is a great staging poit for an attack, although they will have to return to Manila to rearm. Send them out again! Don't forget to replace your PT TF commanders with the most agressive available. Getting the Dutch PTs to the narrow straits between Borneo and the Celebes can lead to some good attack oppurtunities as well.
Personally, I almost never buy out the Aussie ground units at Singapore. I do buy the Kiwi engineer. I usually extract as much of III Indian Corps as I can, since there is no PP cost and leave the two Aussie brigades to strengthen what is left. I find the cost of freeing the Aussies two steep as I use those points on releasing American units like the regiments of the 2nd Marine Div and the Americal. I wait for the Aussie brigades to be destroyed and then rebuild them, much cheaper in PPs although steeper in pool devices. In fact, III Indian Corps is a good source of strong units for forming a Fortress Palembang as long as you are willing to face their eventual loss (no worse than losing them at Singapore) and don't need them instead for bolstering the defense of Burma or supporting a DEI stand elsewhere. I'm currently using them for a Fortress Koepang. I have 800 AV in Koepang with 150 Fighters and almost the entire Dutch air force. I've even air transported most of the Dutch HQ units there.
All of the tankers that start in the DEI should be taking fuel out with them when they evacuate. In fact, depending on how quickly he seals off access to Java, they can make several runs back and forth betwen Java and Australia.
Hans
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
December 15, 1941 Report
PI
- The abuse of surviving troops in Mindanao continues and there is nothing I can do about it but watch in horror as they are hunted down in the jungle
- Legaspi and Lucena fell today
- My MTBs and PTs may two independent attempts today. In both cases, they charged in, glanced around at the defenseless enemy ships, and charged out without firing a shot. Both groups are ordered back to Manila where their commanders are to be summarily executed.
Malaya/Burma
- Survivors from Koto Bharu continue to endure harassment as they desperately attempt to flee southward
- Kuantan has been captured
- Victoria Point has been captured. I expect he'll para-capture Port Blair soon enough. That seals 1 squadron of AVG in the DEI for the time being
Other
- Enemy forces have taken Tabiteuea in the Gilbert Islands
- My cruisers in the Rabaul area bombarded the invasion force at Kavieng (to little effect) and are now headed home for refitting
I have a critical situation that has arisen as a result of my newbish ignorance. Fortunately, I saw this coming as I was issuing yesterday's orders, but the situation will not be resolved until tonight at the earliest and 2-3 days if my patchwork fix doesn't work. I'll be keeping OPSEC until the crisis passes. Just know that I'll be pacing around my apartment waiting on the next few turns. (I have an epic screenshot I'll share when the danger passes)
PI
- The abuse of surviving troops in Mindanao continues and there is nothing I can do about it but watch in horror as they are hunted down in the jungle
- Legaspi and Lucena fell today
- My MTBs and PTs may two independent attempts today. In both cases, they charged in, glanced around at the defenseless enemy ships, and charged out without firing a shot. Both groups are ordered back to Manila where their commanders are to be summarily executed.
Malaya/Burma
- Survivors from Koto Bharu continue to endure harassment as they desperately attempt to flee southward
- Kuantan has been captured
- Victoria Point has been captured. I expect he'll para-capture Port Blair soon enough. That seals 1 squadron of AVG in the DEI for the time being
Other
- Enemy forces have taken Tabiteuea in the Gilbert Islands
- My cruisers in the Rabaul area bombarded the invasion force at Kavieng (to little effect) and are now headed home for refitting
I have a critical situation that has arisen as a result of my newbish ignorance. Fortunately, I saw this coming as I was issuing yesterday's orders, but the situation will not be resolved until tonight at the earliest and 2-3 days if my patchwork fix doesn't work. I'll be keeping OPSEC until the crisis passes. Just know that I'll be pacing around my apartment waiting on the next few turns. (I have an epic screenshot I'll share when the danger passes)
- Attachments
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- Dec15-1941b.jpg (88.52 KiB) Viewed 420 times
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Orders Summary - December 15, 1941
China
- Ordered reinforcements to being moving to Changsha since he has a force of ~40,000 pushing from Wuchang
- Ordered the 1990 AV force sitting at Inchang to move into the forested hex to the east. I'm hoping he sees this as a threat to Hankow and Wuchang's rear and chooses to withdraw back to Wuchang
- AVG and Bombers to conduct ground pounding of enemy troops west of Wuchang
Malaya
- The enemy is without honor. They have cut off the rail line into southern Malaya, trapping about 160 AV worth of troops in the middle of the jungle. Those troops are ordered to gather and prepare for the end
DEI
- Force Z is only waiting on BB Prince of Wales to finish the last bit of repainting and then she'll be ready to head to sea.
- There is a Japanese SAG splashing about in the waters east of Balikapan. I believe this to be a trap intended to pull Force Z into that area. The KBa was last seen headed east toward Truk, but it could easily have returned
India
- Troops have begun arriving at Chittagong and are being distributed along the CDL
- I went through the Indian bases looking for troops that could be moved without dropping below the Garrison Requirement. There were precious few, but I'll be checking back every week or so.
Australia
- Adjusted some expansion
- Combined the 2AUS Div and set it to rest/training
Pacific Theatre
- Big fleets are headed toward PaPa. Engineers are already stacked high there and hammering away at the new port facilities
- Today, I received about 8 shiny new DDs (Sims Class) in Balboa. These have been sent to San Diego from whence they will head to PH or possibly join the various carrier groups
- Force A has arrived in the Bering Sea and taken up position north of Adak. Here's hoping he tries to land something there. My lighter SAG was sent back to Kodiak. A single AM has been sent westward as a picket of sorts
- BB Tennessee is holding steady at 16 floatation damage and should arrive in Seattle within the next 48 hours (they're taking their sweet time about it)
NEWB QUESTIONS
- What is the value of Horn Island (north of Australia)? Is that little piece of property worth having all those troops on?
- Are supplies automatically crossed from Wellington to Blenheim? I'm wondering if I'm going to need to supply both Auckland and a city on the other island or just the one.
- Talk to me about pickets. What ships are best to use? How do you use them (stationary or patrol route)? How far out? How many?
(I'm including some screenies to update you on China as I haven't said much about it thusfar)
China
- Ordered reinforcements to being moving to Changsha since he has a force of ~40,000 pushing from Wuchang
- Ordered the 1990 AV force sitting at Inchang to move into the forested hex to the east. I'm hoping he sees this as a threat to Hankow and Wuchang's rear and chooses to withdraw back to Wuchang
- AVG and Bombers to conduct ground pounding of enemy troops west of Wuchang
Malaya
- The enemy is without honor. They have cut off the rail line into southern Malaya, trapping about 160 AV worth of troops in the middle of the jungle. Those troops are ordered to gather and prepare for the end
DEI
- Force Z is only waiting on BB Prince of Wales to finish the last bit of repainting and then she'll be ready to head to sea.
- There is a Japanese SAG splashing about in the waters east of Balikapan. I believe this to be a trap intended to pull Force Z into that area. The KBa was last seen headed east toward Truk, but it could easily have returned
India
- Troops have begun arriving at Chittagong and are being distributed along the CDL
- I went through the Indian bases looking for troops that could be moved without dropping below the Garrison Requirement. There were precious few, but I'll be checking back every week or so.
Australia
- Adjusted some expansion
- Combined the 2AUS Div and set it to rest/training
Pacific Theatre
- Big fleets are headed toward PaPa. Engineers are already stacked high there and hammering away at the new port facilities
- Today, I received about 8 shiny new DDs (Sims Class) in Balboa. These have been sent to San Diego from whence they will head to PH or possibly join the various carrier groups
- Force A has arrived in the Bering Sea and taken up position north of Adak. Here's hoping he tries to land something there. My lighter SAG was sent back to Kodiak. A single AM has been sent westward as a picket of sorts
- BB Tennessee is holding steady at 16 floatation damage and should arrive in Seattle within the next 48 hours (they're taking their sweet time about it)
NEWB QUESTIONS
- What is the value of Horn Island (north of Australia)? Is that little piece of property worth having all those troops on?
- Are supplies automatically crossed from Wellington to Blenheim? I'm wondering if I'm going to need to supply both Auckland and a city on the other island or just the one.
- Talk to me about pickets. What ships are best to use? How do you use them (stationary or patrol route)? How far out? How many?
(I'm including some screenies to update you on China as I haven't said much about it thusfar)
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- Dec151941c.jpg (271.1 KiB) Viewed 419 times
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
The blue line is where I'd like to hold him, if able. This means withdrawing from some of the northern bases (something I've already initiated). North of the blue line, I'm harassing him wherever I can.
The Ichang forces are feinting toward Hankow. We'll see how that turns out.
He is also building up forces on the border with Indochina. I've sent the garrison from Nanning to the border, and have instructed troops from Kweiyang to fill the vacuum behind them.
Hong Kong should fall within the next day or two.
Troops in "the bulge" are generally heading NE, but he is bombing and attacking them with ground forces wherever he can. It's slow going.
The Ichang forces are feinting toward Hankow. We'll see how that turns out.
He is also building up forces on the border with Indochina. I've sent the garrison from Nanning to the border, and have instructed troops from Kweiyang to fill the vacuum behind them.
Hong Kong should fall within the next day or two.
Troops in "the bulge" are generally heading NE, but he is bombing and attacking them with ground forces wherever he can. It's slow going.
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- Dec151941d.jpg (291.56 KiB) Viewed 419 times
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
On China, I'd defend the woods in front of Ichang. The city itself is a nice place to rest and replace while you hold those woods.. You can get a BF or two into Ichang (from Loyang and the city next door) and build the AF to a respectable size. Since it is behind a river, I would not surrender it without a fight.
Early in the Scenario I games, Nanchang (SE of Changsha) can be taken fairly easily by the Chinese. In Scenario 2 games, with a free set up and extra troops....I don't think it is likely.
Finally, I am always loath to abandon those forest/hill hexes. They are a tough nut for even crack IJA troops to push an establish Chinese force out of.
Otherwise, I like your blue line, but doubt it is feasible in the North over the long period. Don't stay in Yenan too long once he crosses the river to the south.
Early in the Scenario I games, Nanchang (SE of Changsha) can be taken fairly easily by the Chinese. In Scenario 2 games, with a free set up and extra troops....I don't think it is likely.
Finally, I am always loath to abandon those forest/hill hexes. They are a tough nut for even crack IJA troops to push an establish Chinese force out of.
Otherwise, I like your blue line, but doubt it is feasible in the North over the long period. Don't stay in Yenan too long once he crosses the river to the south.
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
December 16, 1941 Report
A pretty boring turn, which is what I needed.
- Lots of sub action. IJ sub sunk one of the transports coming out of San Diego. It looks like he's positioned the sub to intercept stuff coming from Balboa
- Reports indicate that a mine at Mersing sunk the CA Kumano. I don't know how reliable the report is or WHEN this sinking took place, but it is showing up on tracker, and that makes me happy enough.
- Hong Kong finally fell to Japanese forces
- PI: Iba and Calayan fall. I have 3 INF units with a total of 308 AV left in Manila. I'd rather abandon Manila and make them pay for CF, but there is something to be said for bleeding them a little in the city streets. I dunno.
A pretty boring turn, which is what I needed.
- Lots of sub action. IJ sub sunk one of the transports coming out of San Diego. It looks like he's positioned the sub to intercept stuff coming from Balboa
- Reports indicate that a mine at Mersing sunk the CA Kumano. I don't know how reliable the report is or WHEN this sinking took place, but it is showing up on tracker, and that makes me happy enough.
- Hong Kong finally fell to Japanese forces
- PI: Iba and Calayan fall. I have 3 INF units with a total of 308 AV left in Manila. I'd rather abandon Manila and make them pay for CF, but there is something to be said for bleeding them a little in the city streets. I dunno.
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
Re: India garrisons - as the garrisons train and gain experience and morale, their AV will slowly increase. Sometimes this will allow you to release one of the units in garrison because the remainder have enough AV. Check about twice a month.ORIGINAL: marbakka
Orders Summary - December 15, 1941
India
- I went through the Indian bases looking for troops that could be moved without dropping below the Garrison Requirement. There were precious few, but I'll be checking back every week or so.
Pacific Theatre
- Today, I received about 8 shiny new DDs (Sims Class) in Balboa. These have been sent to San Diego from whence they will head to PH or possibly join the various carrier groups
NEWB QUESTIONS
- What is the value of Horn Island (north of Australia)? Is that little piece of property worth having all those troops on?
- Are supplies automatically crossed from Wellington to Blenheim? I'm wondering if I'm going to need to supply both Auckland and a city on the other island or just the one.
- Talk to me about pickets. What ships are best to use? How do you use them (stationary or patrol route)? How far out? How many?
Not sure why you sent those DDs to San Diego - they can go directly to PH from Balboa.
Re: Horn Island - it sits at a strategic choke point and if he takes it, Port Moresby is outflanked and isolated. If he built the AF to level 3 he could have Betties running down the east coast and as far west as Darwin. It doesn't do that much for you while you have Pt. Moresby, but if you lose PM, you want to keep that island to have a chance of running supply to Darwin and deny his warships easy passage south of New Guinea.
I read somewhere that supply can travel over one hex water separations at a rate of 5 per day [or was it week?]. Not enough to sustain very many troops or any construction. NZ can be nearly self-supplying if it gets fuel and if you put a few xAKLs [3 or 4] down there to move resources from the South Island to the industrial centres at Wellington and Aukland. The same ships can haul supply back to the South Island every other trip or so. The fuel has to come from the US. Austrailia has none to spare and it is a long haul from Cape Town/Abadan. Better to use that fuel for west Aus. I usually supplement NZ with a couple of larger cargo ships of supply [5-6,000 tonners] a month - more when the Liberty Ships start to arrive.
Pickets can be any vessel you are prepared to lose. Lots of players use xAKLs, but I like those little ships for supplying tiny ports that can't dock big ships. Subs are good pickets, especially after they get radar, but being a picket may take them away from the shipping lanes where they should be hunting. Using small auxilliaries like your AM and maybe SCs makes good sense. Just don't take the AM from a port where it is tending a minefield.
Also keep an eye on your Nav Search losses. If you start to get a bunch lost to enemy fighters in an area over the ocean, take a deep breath.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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HansBolter
- Posts: 7457
- Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:30 pm
- Location: United States
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
About those aborted PT attacks, it's going to happen as often as not even if you place the most aggressive commanders available in command. PT's can be fickle. It often depends as much on the moonlight condition as anything else. Low moonlight being better. Those guys don't want to be too visible when making thier attack runs.
I've mentioned getting the the most aggressive commanders available, but I failed to mention that naval skill is what is actually most important in determining how well any ship or TF will perform in surface combat. Agression determines how aggressively they will press home the attack. Yes, you want aggressive commanders but they must also have high naval skill. If you're looking at a list of available commanders and sort the list by agression and the top guy has 81 aggr and 45 nav and the next guy down has 75 aggr and 65 nav, you want to choose the latter. I have also learned to look at each ship commander I place in a SAG and not just the TF commander.
BBfanboy, as far as sending DDs or even APDs from Balboa to San Diego instead of directly to Pearl, since the US is so short of escorts, I find it can be useful to divert to SD first and use them to escort a transport mission on their way to Pearl, before committing them to other duties.
When leaving San Diego it can be useful to use the map edge to your advantage. Set your first waypoint 8 or 10 hexes south of SD directly on the map edge. It will often take you right around the sub's patrol zone.
Once your PT attack oppurtunities dry up in the PI you can either get your PTs out by base hopping, which can provide more attack oppurtunities or get your PTs slaughtered by a SAG patrolling in thier path or you can simnply return them to the pool for eventual use elsewhere.
In China, the 20th and 26th armies of the 6th War Area, spread out over the Hankow to Changsha area are two of the strongest, best fleshed out armies the Chinese have. If your opponent allows you the oppurtunity to concentrate them, you can threaten to take objectives from him instead of pulling back into better terrain and giving up all those cities concentrated in that area. If you can get 1500 to 2000 AV into a quadrupled defense hex like Hankow it will take en enormous concentration of his forces to have a hope of dislodging you even if you aren't strong enough to take it from him. This will hinder his ability to use that force to steamroll you elsewhere.
Keep an eye to the ship reinforcement track and note when and where your carriers arrive. A few DDs will often arrive at the ame ports a few turns ahead of the carriers and it's better to hold those DDs in port awaiting the arrival of the carriers than to make your carriers wait for escorts to come to them from Pearl.
I've mentioned getting the the most aggressive commanders available, but I failed to mention that naval skill is what is actually most important in determining how well any ship or TF will perform in surface combat. Agression determines how aggressively they will press home the attack. Yes, you want aggressive commanders but they must also have high naval skill. If you're looking at a list of available commanders and sort the list by agression and the top guy has 81 aggr and 45 nav and the next guy down has 75 aggr and 65 nav, you want to choose the latter. I have also learned to look at each ship commander I place in a SAG and not just the TF commander.
BBfanboy, as far as sending DDs or even APDs from Balboa to San Diego instead of directly to Pearl, since the US is so short of escorts, I find it can be useful to divert to SD first and use them to escort a transport mission on their way to Pearl, before committing them to other duties.
When leaving San Diego it can be useful to use the map edge to your advantage. Set your first waypoint 8 or 10 hexes south of SD directly on the map edge. It will often take you right around the sub's patrol zone.
Once your PT attack oppurtunities dry up in the PI you can either get your PTs out by base hopping, which can provide more attack oppurtunities or get your PTs slaughtered by a SAG patrolling in thier path or you can simnply return them to the pool for eventual use elsewhere.
In China, the 20th and 26th armies of the 6th War Area, spread out over the Hankow to Changsha area are two of the strongest, best fleshed out armies the Chinese have. If your opponent allows you the oppurtunity to concentrate them, you can threaten to take objectives from him instead of pulling back into better terrain and giving up all those cities concentrated in that area. If you can get 1500 to 2000 AV into a quadrupled defense hex like Hankow it will take en enormous concentration of his forces to have a hope of dislodging you even if you aren't strong enough to take it from him. This will hinder his ability to use that force to steamroll you elsewhere.
Keep an eye to the ship reinforcement track and note when and where your carriers arrive. A few DDs will often arrive at the ame ports a few turns ahead of the carriers and it's better to hold those DDs in port awaiting the arrival of the carriers than to make your carriers wait for escorts to come to them from Pearl.
Hans
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
HansBolter, reading your last two posts in this AAR is like listening to myself giving advice on this game. I was astonished at how closely you and I preceive and execute both strategy and tactics in this game. Well said on both posts, sir.
BBFanboy, I too take at least most my new DDs transitting the Panama Canal to SD initially for the reason Hans said. In fact, I sometimes leave 4 DDs in the SD/LA area and create an ASW TF to jab at the IJN subs off the West coast. I have only sunk one sub in two games doing this, but the TF has damaged many others causing them to take their nasty Glens and go home.
BBFanboy, I too take at least most my new DDs transitting the Panama Canal to SD initially for the reason Hans said. In fact, I sometimes leave 4 DDs in the SD/LA area and create an ASW TF to jab at the IJN subs off the West coast. I have only sunk one sub in two games doing this, but the TF has damaged many others causing them to take their nasty Glens and go home.
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
December 17, 1941 Report
Another quiet turn, but "radio chatter" indicates that the next will be eventful.
- Getting another report of a ship sunk by mines at Mersing. This time, it is reported that the CA Mikuma was sent to the bottom.
- Catanduanes and Taiping have fallen
- A TK was sunk by an enemy sub within two hexes of PaPa. I think this is probably the radio transmission contact that was reported 3-4 days ago. DDs dispatched.
- My PT/MTB groups in the PI ran into a brick wall when they encountered a group of DDs at Iba
Orders Summary - December 18, 1941
- Force Z is moving toward Ambon, mostly to stay out of IJ bomber cover out of Billiton and Singkawang. I won't be taking them very far north until I have some idea where the KB is (I don't have ANY indication of carrier locations right now)
- The crisis situation that I mentioned a day or two ago has not been resolved, and the resolution is still several days away. However, the alternate disaster may well occur this turn. This game is not good for my blood pressure.
- Three light AA units and a RAF squadron are loading at CT and bound for Chittagong
- Growth at the Palembang Pillow Fort continues at a frustratingly slow pace
- With the HQs safely to CF and Bataan, I have ordered the last INF units out of Manila. It is mostly drained of supplies and the enemy is at the doorstep.
Another quiet turn, but "radio chatter" indicates that the next will be eventful.
- Getting another report of a ship sunk by mines at Mersing. This time, it is reported that the CA Mikuma was sent to the bottom.
- Catanduanes and Taiping have fallen
- A TK was sunk by an enemy sub within two hexes of PaPa. I think this is probably the radio transmission contact that was reported 3-4 days ago. DDs dispatched.
- My PT/MTB groups in the PI ran into a brick wall when they encountered a group of DDs at Iba
Orders Summary - December 18, 1941
- Force Z is moving toward Ambon, mostly to stay out of IJ bomber cover out of Billiton and Singkawang. I won't be taking them very far north until I have some idea where the KB is (I don't have ANY indication of carrier locations right now)
- The crisis situation that I mentioned a day or two ago has not been resolved, and the resolution is still several days away. However, the alternate disaster may well occur this turn. This game is not good for my blood pressure.
- Three light AA units and a RAF squadron are loading at CT and bound for Chittagong
- Growth at the Palembang Pillow Fort continues at a frustratingly slow pace
- With the HQs safely to CF and Bataan, I have ordered the last INF units out of Manila. It is mostly drained of supplies and the enemy is at the doorstep.
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HansBolter
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- Location: United States
RE: [Clever Title Here] Texas_D (J) vs Marbakka (A)
ORIGINAL: princep01
HansBolter, reading your last two posts in this AAR is like listening to myself giving advice on this game. I was astonished at how closely you and I preceive and execute both strategy and tactics in this game. Well said on both posts, sir.
BBFanboy, I too take at least most my new DDs transitting the Panama Canal to SD initially for the reason Hans said. In fact, I sometimes leave 4 DDs in the SD/LA area and create an ASW TF to jab at the IJN subs off the West coast. I have only sunk one sub in two games doing this, but the TF has damaged many others causing them to take their nasty Glens and go home.
[:)] Been a wargamer since '73 and have played this series since Uncommon Valor. Most of what I advise is pretty basic stuff learned from playing quite a few games. It doesn't surprise me that it would have commonalities with what others have learned. [;)]
Regarding the mine hits, at the very beginning of the naval movement phases there is an audio file that plays when ships hit mines, it gives you a heads up that your opponent has run afoul of them. There is also a ship sinking audio that runs after sub attacks that gives you a clue that your target has sunk.
As for the PTs at Iba....too many times to the well......with the abandonment of Manila it's time to pull the little boys out.
Hans