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Too few Thumbs. Too many holes in the Dyke.

February 3rd

Fall of Ambon

B-17s sent to Calcutta originally from Clark Field continue to get x10 the results as do blenheim bombers attacking the same target. Now three groups of blenheim units in the area reduce that to only x5 or x4 the return but only if all three units fly.

The A-24 banshees that appear in Australia (and the p-40s) with a removal date in march are a godsend. Something I can use in PM to kill ships as landbased bombers useless and out of range.

My remaining dutch air forces scramble to attack cargo TF that are within their attack range, putting them near Palembangs new CAP unbrella. Ouchies ensue. Unlike singapore where the Buffalos got regular replacements there are no dutch fighter replacements. CAP is dying. Bombers for naval attack also dwindling fast.

An idea comes to me. I have Banshees and P-40s in australia making mean faces at IJ forces. Move them here.. get use out of them.. IF I can get them here.

More troops land at Ambon and Cebu.

With the shock attack at Amdon, ambon falls. I wish I had sent another 1-2 of those tiny Dutch island infantry here just to hold the tide back under cover of their CD guns which have been fun to watch. Ambon still had supplies (just less than 5K) so their CD guns put many holes in xaks and xaps.


February 4th

Australian Hudson air units are sent to Java from Darwin. Darwin has more planes than support and Java needs teeth.
I continue to slowly beat up the two IJA forces East and Lang son. Taking forever.
IJA unit caught in the open trying to get behind my front lines surrounded and destroyed near Nanyang - IJA 32nd division.
IJA shock attaks Pegu. They border Rangoon. Changing my mind I have decided to stay and make them pay for it.

I hold PM by a thread:
Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5750 troops, 75 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 138

Defending force 4142 troops, 43 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Japanese adjusted assault: 87

Allied adjusted defense: 55

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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


February 5
Battle for Java begins.

Amphibious landings at Merak. In Java I have forces all over the island. Concentrated in Batavia and Soer but I have good strength at landing points. If landings are done with insufficient strength to push back the defenders I will pounce on said landings with nearby land forces. A very stong landing will result in defenders retreating and defenders making a stand at best defensible location to defend against the invasion.
Only thing I'd do differently is have my spare CD unit in Batavia already in Kalidiji. Remember, I stripped the DEI to send forces, fuel, and supply, here to defend in depth and combined many units.
In the West:
Merak: 75 AV behind the 2nd KNIL
Batavia: 946 AV including such mentionables as the 11th Indian Div w 357, 1st mech dutch cavalry w 89, NS Knil w 106, another two INF units in the 70's, an ARM unit w/ 50, and other assorted lesser units. They rest under the Dutch AA unit plus the 2nd Heavy AA unit formerly of Singapore. 82K supplies.
Landlocked Buitzen and Bandoeng: both have an INF unit avg-ing. 30 AV for protection versus airborne as well as isolated fresh unit for reinforcement whereever.
Tjilatjap: Behind their CD unit they have their 21 AV Base force (reconstituted from various subunits), an 10 AV INF and another INF batallion at 50AV.

Central to East:
Landlocked Djok, Soerak, and Madioen: Each have a base unit building AF, Djok has an INF unit w 32AV.
Semarang: Two INF units, one at 32 AV and the 1st Knil at 102AV.
Tjepoe: Closer to Soer it has two INF units at 19 and 41 - the latter the Winnipeg Grenadiers - its Base force has 14 AV.
Soerabaja: (Much later I have decided to move the Tarakan CD unit to Semarang) - Two CD units, 6th Knil at 77 AV, Barisan Knil at 84 AV, Menado Garrison at 52 AV, Base Force at 39 AV and three more INF units two in 20s and one in lower 30s. 75K supplies
Malang: Three INF units coming in at 46, 39,and 19 AV.
Probol: Two INF units at 27 and 28 AV.
Loemadjang: One INF at 28 AV.
Banjoe on the tip: One INF with 46AV.
Pameksan: One INF with 13 just to be invasion bait.

So far just a Recon Rgt is landing at Merak.

In other news - a ragtag fleet headed by the Warspite, formerly of the shipyard at Seattle, with 2 CAs assorted CLs and DD's bombard IJA attackers at PM and kill a massive.. 10 men. Yes. 10 men.

The Zuiho's task force is spotted and encountered east of Java.. to a most frustrating end as no one can hit a damned thing!
Night Time Surface Combat, near Sepandjang at 62,106, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVL Zuiho
CA Kinugasa
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
CL Yura
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Satsuki
DD Harukaze
DD Oite
DD Sawakaze
DD Tachikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Nokaze

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Tromp, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Dragon, Shell hits 1
CL Durban, Shell hits 3
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 1
DD Alden
DD Barker
DD Bulmer
DD Edsall, Shell hits 1
DD Paul Jones

PT task forces continue to be less than useless.

ight Time Surface Combat, near Toboali at 51,94, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Kaimei Maru
xAK Tyoyo Maru
xAK Kaisyo Maru

Allied Ships
PT-31
PT-33
PT-34
PT-35
PT-41

Improved night sighting under 78% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 78% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 11,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Japanese Transport TF evades combat

the cargo ships outran and outmaneuvered them............................................................................................
once again.. the PT forces continue to be proven to be manned by yellowbellies. Afraid to attack a BB is one thing.. afraid of a cargo ship?

February 6th

The Arizona is well enough to be taken out of drydock to be sailed to Seattle This will leave only the Tennessee in PH's drydock which was sucked in for refits along with repair.

The Chinese city of Anyang is apparently left ungarrisoned and switches to my side! only to have me pay a one VP penalty for not having it garrisoned. *really evil look* as I dare not send anyone between the Heathen Hordes on the east side of the river to man it.

I get word that the 88th Inf regiment is bound for PM. Damnit.

Air attacks all of Java. Dutch Air Forces scramble to get shot down. Dutch bombers hit an xak off of Merak.

PM attacked again. Just holding.
Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5654 troops, 75 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 126

Defending force 3998 troops, 43 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 76

Japanese adjusted assault: 45

Allied adjusted defense: 59

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
205 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
124 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

The PTs attack something.. and actually shoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Night Time Surface Combat, near Merak at 48,97, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Kaimei Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Tyoyo Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Kaisyo Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
PT TM-10
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-13
PT TM-14
PT TM-15

Glorious day!

The Warspite's TF, bitter from killing less than a bakers doven enemies moves to Terapo where I am told some transports still linger. MANY transports in fact.
They meet a TF of some 33 vessels. But decide after a few rounds of comabt that they're bored and are tired of killing defenseless IJN ships.

casualties gifted:
xAK Zenyo Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Nagara Maru, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Shinanogawa Maru, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAK Syoka Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Florida Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Nissen Maru #3, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Nitii Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire
xAK Shoho Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Sugiyama Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Surabaya Maru, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Taibun Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Toei Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Uyo Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yuzan Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire


February 7th

IJN Invades Noumea. I am caught with my pants down.
Landing in Java at Kalidjati and Merak.

I get intelligence of more units going to Wuchow (which I am comfortably defending presently) - the 23rd ARMY is en route.. and a division going to Sinyang which has been quiet for some time as the attackers couldn't make headway.

Lots of air raids in Java.

Dutch bombers score a hit! at heavy cost

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Billiton at 52,92

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 1 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 4
139WH-3 x 6

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 2 damaged
139WH-3: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

An xak and an xakl each hit by a bomb off of Kalidjati. only damaged.

Banshees from PM attack the cargo TF off of Terapo
Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 6

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Kazuura Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Florida Maru
xAK Syoka Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

One PT TF near Batavia meets disaster.... because NOW they attack ?!?!?!? i.e. they wouldn't attack at night but give them some daylight and its full speed ahead captain!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Batavia at 50,96, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Fuso
CA Mogami
DD Yugumo
DD Arashi
DD Kikuzuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Yakaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
PT-31
PT-33
PT-34, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-35, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-41, Shell hits 3, and is sunk

MORONS

dutch subs puts torps in two xakls off of Merak.

and Soerabaja's PTs feel the need to get involved in the stupidity.. remember they encountered the Zuiho at night in its last visit down here and ran away.. at night..

Day Time Surface Combat, near Pamekasan at 58,106, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVL Zuiho
CA Kinugasa
CL Nagara
CL Yura
CL Abukuma
CL Tatsuta
DD Satsuki
DD Harukaze
DD Oite
DD Sawakaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Nokaze

Allied Ships
PT TM-4
PT TM-5, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT TM-6
PT TM-7, Shell hits 1
PT TM-8, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT TM-9, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

the previous evening...................

Night Time Surface Combat, near Sepandjang at 59,107, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVL Zuiho
CA Kinugasa
CL Nagara
CL Yura
CL Abukuma
CL Tatsuta
DD Satsuki
DD Harukaze
DD Oite
DD Sawakaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Nokaze

Allied Ships
PT TM-4
PT TM-5
PT TM-6
PT TM-7
PT TM-8
PT TM-9


Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 60% moonlight: 6,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 6,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 7,000 yards...
Range increases to 8,000 yards...
Range increases to 9,000 yards...
Range increases to 10,000 yards...
Range increases to 11,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Japanese Air Combat TF evades combat


YEP.

Allied sub combo of S-18 and S-23 put torps and sheels in three xaks off of terapo.

In Java:
Kalidjati: attacked by 124th Inf batallion. Defenders seem even/slightly stronger.
Merak: attacked by 24th Recon - I am counterattacking.

PM continues to hold, but only just.

In Wuchow the 23rd army has already arrived.. thanks for the intel guys.. and the IJ forces attack commences now that their position is stronger.


February 8th

Perversely.. at Noumea my ships there encountered no IJN forces.. so..... I use my ships there/nearby to try and get out of dodge the Cebu base force and the Noumea INF unit...

I get intelligence...
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion is planning for an attack on Batavia. I would LOVE an amphib invasion at Batavia.. with their CD unit and decent defenders the IJN AKs ans APs would get a pounding.

IJA forces near Rangoon are now under CAP protection.. from Moulemein? Chew up some brit bombers.

I hit two xAKs off of Kalidjati damaging them, then one xAKL off of Merak.

IJN visits PM. Banshees put a bomb on the CA Chikuma.

Other Banshees put bombs on ships at Terapo
Japanese Ships
xAK Yuzan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Boston Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Nitiryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Nissen Maru #3, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Soerbaja land based bombers go after the Zuiho and get mauled by CAP.

More landings in Java at Merak and Kalidjati, more troops land at Noumea.

Dutch subs torpedo an xAKL and xAK at landings.. IJN responds with the I-22 near AUS attacking ASW forces and winning, sinking an AM.

Ground:
Fighting near Lang Son - still slightly in my favor. Costly fighting.
BATAAN - a IJA force arrives.. finally!! everyone pounces on the single unit...
Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 99 (99 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
7th Tank Regiment



IJ forces attack at Kalidjati - now two units
III./124th Infantry Battalion
48th JAAF AF Bn

At Merak I destroy the landed forces.

Ground combat at Merak (48,97)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2498 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 83

Defending force 570 troops, 4 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Allied adjusted assault: 76

Japanese adjusted defense: 2

Allied assault odds: 38 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
344 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 33 (33 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

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

Assaulting units:
2nd KNIL Regiment
Teloekbetoeng Base Force

Defending units:
2nd Recon Regiment


IJA takes Noumea.
The Cebu Base Force is not present for the flag raising.. only a part of the Noumea INF Bn is.


Viva La Resistance!

February 9th

Lots of sub action around Java. I pick off xAKs and their ASW forces put some DCs on my subs.

Sinyang - bombarding to weaken IJA forces.
IJA reaches Rangoon. Except for a few base units I am choosing to stand and fight.
Near Lang Son I have finally reached 2 to 1 odds in deliberate attacks.

More landings at Kalidjati in Java


February 10th

Lots of DDs go into refit. And some xAKLs, other xAKs come out of refit.

Dutch CAP is toast. Butch bombers on their last legs w/ few hits. Round the clock visits from Bettys, Nells, and Sallys accompanied by Zeros.

I catch and destroy the 9th RGC Route Brigade on the road between Nanyang and the eastern front on the riverbank.

First combat at Bataan!! goes pretty well - 4.7K casualties versus 333 casualties.

PM attacked again. Attacks have numbers - 5.2K to 3.7 and assault odds at 1 to 1 but PM holds. (Reinfiorcements from Darwin are enroute)

I attack at Sinyang - close to 1 to 1 losses slightly in my favor.


February 11th:

BBs Maryland and Pennylvania come out of the type of repair and then refit they were in, now working on the major repairs.

The Saratoga and Yorktown sail by hostile Noumea - no planes present.. no transports present.. they all bugged out. Damn.

Still 2 to 1 odds at Lang Son, casualties near to 1 to 1, slightly in my favor.
IJA bombards Bataan
Jap attack blunted at Rangoon
Sinyang combat odds now at 4 to 1. Casualties still at 1:1.

PTs sink some xAKs near Java but get jumped by some CLs and DDs.


February 12th


Dutch bombers sortie to get shot down. No bomb hits on any targets. CAs, Zuiho, or CLs.

Subs vs. transports and ASW forces versus subs at Java.

Lang Son - 2:1 odds, casualties 1:3
Bataan bombarded.. i kill mroe guns than get killed.
Rangoon holds against another deliberate attack
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 77 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
510 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled

Allied ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Sinyang: 8:1 odds, casualties 1:3 casualties ration.



February 13th:
BB Resolution arrives in CT.
Rangoon back up to size 2 forts.
BB Oklahoma finished with repairs and refit and rejoins active service.

I sortie a mix of Dutch and US naval forces from Soerbaja to try and catch the Zuiho TF. They miss and the De Ruyter gets a fish in the side.

Banshees at PM catch an xAK hauling troops near PM and sink it.
Allied TF landing troops at PM.

Lang Son: 3:1 odds, casualties 1:1
Rangoon and Bataan IJA bombardments
Sinyang: 9:1 odds, casualties 1:2

Java remaines well defended (infantry) PTS now scarse.. sub pickets all banged up, SCTF of Dutch and US still viable but have nicks and gauges.

First transports nearing port carrying P-40s and Banshee divebombers. Hoping the Zuiho remains in range. I hope the banshees can hit better than the dutch level bombers.
Another set of transports at perth waiting for remnants.

HELP.. Supply S.O.S.
Mid-February - The did I accidentally press something screwing up my logistic breakdown or does somethign special start in February as lots of bases suddenly stopped working like they had previously.

Subtitle: Carrier here, Carrier there.. enemy carriers everywhere!

In Java, and to a lesser extent Australia, bases are suddenly not being supplied.

In northern australia, Cairs and Cooktown have slowly been expendign supplies except what I am manually shipping in.
Derby and Broome same situation. I've had to ship them fuel but first time in game they';re red/yellow arrows in supply. NOTHING special at Derby or Broome - exact same BF detatchments.
Java - With Batavia at 79K supplies and Sorbaja at 67K supplies I didn't expect a total famine on Java but there is. No supplies are seemingly leaving the two cities. Neither is on stockpile. Batavia is NOT supplying Merak, Buitzenorg and Kalidjati. All three have had supplies dwindling and now all 3 at red ! levels. Same thing around Soerbaja. Malang and Loemadjang down to red ! levels, Madioen and Probolinggo at yellow ! levels. ALL of these bases I have requested extra supplies by placing the requested supply level to be between 1500 and 3500 depending on the base. Thing is NO ONE is getting supplies.

Enemy Carriers - I have confirmed enemy carrier attacks:
Zamboanga: A small CV TF is seemingly to their SE. (Claudes and Vals)
Bataan: B4Y Jeans (from the NE)
Bataan: Vals and Nates (from the west)

Sightings:
Zuiho TF near Batavia retiring NW
Unknown multiple CV TF ESE of Soerbaja
Unknown TF with a CVL SSE of Soerbaja


February 14th

Hudson attacks vs. Rangoon invaders does nothing.
B-17s from Calcutta take out 125. B-17s in need of maintenance badly.
Batavia under air assault. CAP non existent.
Near Kalidjati marblehead takes a torpedo.
Bettys and Zeros then Zate and Zeros punish minor SoerB CAP at Probolingo to take out the to AMs on ASW patrol.
Dutch bombers sucessfully hit ocean in bombing runs on enemy TFs - including multiple BB TF. Many bothans were lost.

Dutch and US surface fleet of 3 CLs and 6 DDs beats up some transports outside Batavia. Then gets a few shells in their gullets when they meet the CA Ashigara at Merak protected by 2 CLs and 2 DDs.

Ground Combat - there is a shift in the winds in China.......

Near Lang Son - Situation ceases to be a stalemate. Allied forces push the two IJA units west making them retreat with 1200 casualties reported out of 4142. the 52nd Chinese is pretty beat-up and will retire east. The 31st (41 AV) and the 66th (357 AV) will persue acompanied by the 22nd Artillery (0 AV).

IJA bombarding at Bataan, Cedu, Zamboanga, and Kalidjati
PM - IJA Delberate attack hit a wall as the 8th Australian has begun being offloaded. 1 - 4 odds in Allied favor.
Rangoon - Assault odds at 1-9 in Allied favor.

Sinyang - Allied shock attack

Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 77082 troops, 582 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1777

Defending force 24203 troops, 400 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 73

Allied adjusted assault: 1633

Japanese adjusted defense: 65

Allied assault odds: 25 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
2112 casualties reported
Squads: 98 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 97 (79 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
451 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Post combat five (5) IJA units wiped out by attrition
2nd Ind. Engineer Regiment Wiped Out at Sinyang by attrition!!!
8th Ind. Engineer Regiment Wiped Out at Sinyang by attrition!!!
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment Wiped Out at Sinyang by attrition!!!
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment Wiped Out at Sinyang by attrition!!!
1st Mortar Battalion Wiped Out at Sinyang by attrition!!!


February 15th

In Java - Due to the really weird supply situation all scout planes at Malang have been involuntarily gounded.
GVT-11 (4) Do-24k, GVT-2,3,4,5 each have (4) Catalina 5s, GVT-6 (4) Do-24K, all arein Reserve status. No planes in need re[pair status and no planes in active/available staus.
Same situation with two groups at Buitzenorg - no available planes - sqds being moved to Batavia.
Calcutta fortreses taken off combat ops to get numbers back up.

Hudsons meet CAP trap at Rangoon - I do not know what commands to give my allied fighter squadrons in the area to have them fight the Oscars over Rangoon.
67th RAF @ Prome set to: Sweep. 20K' Target Rangoon numbers @ 20/20/20/20 Cap/LCap/Trn/Rest
AVG 1st Squadron @ Toungoo. Escort. 10K' (same as local Hudsons) Target Rangoon numbers @ 20/20/20/20 breakdown.

Anyone have advice?!

Six seperate air raids into SoerB - Bettys and Zeros from land bases, Zeros and Kates from carriers beat up the local CAP and sink some cargo vessels trying to supply local bases where - for whatever fucking reason - the roads are closed to overland supplies.

IJA bombers doing a number on Wuchow now.

IJN BB fleets bombard Merak in Java

dutch bombers die gloriously again.

Dutch surface SCTF, headed back to SoerB and repairs, meets a cargo fleet:
DD Asakaze, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Kinkai Maru, Shell hits 22, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Miyadono Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Ryusei Maru
PB Naruto Maru #3, Shell hits 26, and is sunk

ORIGINAL: uncivil_servant
HELP.. Supply S.O.S.
Mid-February - The did I accidentally press something screwing up my logistic breakdown or does somethign special start in February as lots of bases suddenly stopped working like they had previously.

Subtitle: Carrier here, Carrier there.. enemy carriers everywhere!

In Java, and to a lesser extent Australia, bases are suddenly not being supplied.

In northern australia, Cairs and Cooktown have slowly been expendign supplies except what I am manually shipping in.
Derby and Broome same situation. I've had to ship them fuel but first time in game they';re red/yellow arrows in supply. NOTHING special at Derby or Broome - exact same BF detatchments.
Java - With Batavia at 79K supplies and Sorbaja at 67K supplies I didn't expect a total famine on Java but there is. No supplies are seemingly leaving the two cities. Neither is on stockpile. Batavia is NOT supplying Merak, Buitzenorg and Kalidjati. All three have had supplies dwindling and now all 3 at red ! levels. Same thing around Soerbaja. Malang and Loemadjang down to red ! levels, Madioen and Probolinggo at yellow ! levels. ALL of these bases I have requested extra supplies by placing the requested supply level to be between 1500 and 3500 depending on the base. Thing is NO ONE is getting supplies.

once the supply tipping-point is reached, things go pear-shaped w/ rapidity.

In Java, the robust rail-net will deliver supply where it's needed, but only if it's available. A base will keep 3 times its own 'supply-request' before it sends any to another base, so obv. Batavia & Soerabaja are using more than they can send out.

In North Oz, there's no rail-net, joints like Broome & Derby (or anything north of the line from Geraldton to Cairns) have virtually no ability to draw supply from the rest of Oz, supply for all bases from Carnarvon to Cooktown must be brought in by sea.

Running out of supply? heh, you've been wasting it for so long, it was only a matter of time before you noticed. It doesn't appear that you've made the connection between logistics & combat power.

- Useless bomber strikes waste supply, to arm the strikes & repair their dried remnants.
- Training airgroups uses supply, don't train in under-supplied bases.
- Re-arming naval combatants costs supply, base combatants at well-supplied ports.
- Under-supplied LCUs are very vulnerable in land-combat & will die quickly.

I get that you're playing your game w/ maximum Allied offensive reaction to the early-war IJ offensive, using available forces - but you're really doing rather badly at it, losing Singapore 18 days in advance of its historical fall - by this measure, can we expect you to lose Soerabaja by mid-Feb 42?

One of the things that suddenly eats up a lot of supply is arrival of new devices [squads, weapons, vehicles] to fill out your units. If you left the switch for automatic upgrades and replacements "ON", and industry started putting the new devices in the pools, your units suddenly start upgrading to fill out their TOE, and this uses supply.
Also, places like Java start with most of the supply in Batavia and Soerabaja, so from Dec. 7 they begin feeding supply to the other locations. Around February 1942 they run low on supply and will not share any more. It doesn't take long after that before they too are nearly out. Combat uses supply very rapidly so if Java has been bombed regularly, a lot went up as AA fire or was destroyed by the bombing. Bombing also causes a sudden increase in toilet paper usage.[:D]

BBfanboy - Units in Jav are on for replacements and upgrades. I have not seen any Java updrages as of yet though. I monitor that as a curiosity and in the past days the following have been upgraded: 17th: 10th RAF Base force - Magwe, Yorres straight Bn - Milne Bay; 16th: Tennant Creek RAAF - Teennant Creek, Hobart RAAF - Hobart, RAAF OTU Augusta; 15th: numerous but only is Australia and Marines on a few islands.; 14th - numerous but base forces scattered around. No dutch or allied in Java.

Now along with the extra units I sent extra supply here - which is why I'm down to 75L and 67K from a peak of century mark at Batavia and 80K at SoerB knowing I had extra forces to flesh out and supply.


Jmalter - I will have to look at the requested supply levels then as i have been requesting them to hold the "maximum" supply levels which is 27K and 26K on the city screens. As most of my combat ops have been operating in the exact same areas for a month the sudden change surprised me. Java has been my focal point in the DEI, and I have been a mixture of withdrawing and fighting in China based upon combatant ratios.

I will take your joyful critcims as an opportunity to examine what I am doing - not only from a resistance standpoint but also the logistics to combat power relationship but I am duty bound to point out that knowing Fortress Sing was doomed I withdrew: Numerous base support forces, two AA forces, and the complete 9th and 11th Indian Divisions. The 11th is parked in Batavia to give the forces in Java a 300+ AV hammer to wield and S-P's heavy AA unit for Bomber defense while the 9th went to Calcutta and from there can be used in Burma. Now not previusly playing this game in any fashion it was always going to be a learning process in what can one do, what one cannot do, and how that is determined as well as learnign curve items like supply. As it is already mid february I am ahead of the curve in Java. The only enemy forces landed have been around Batavia: Kalidjati where forces are outnumbered by defenders and a new landing to the west at Buitzenorg which the tactical picture is not clear as there has been no fighting - just a landing as of yet. The whole idea of the Java defense was defense in depth (all of the reloacted Dutch and Brit units) with two concentrations allowing a strong counter-attack to pin and destroy forces newly landed. With no supply leaving the two cities this plan is toast. Batavia's 900AV sits useless. Java was picked solely because it has light industry on-hand: Batavia 80, Bandeong 20, Semarang 20, Djokjakarta 20, SoerB 40 in a closed loop supply-train as they have their own resources which feeds industry, their own oil which feeds their own refineries. Java makes supplies, industry, and fuel. I figured they just needed the defenders with which to try and keep it.

India - decent shape supply wise - Bombay is bursting at 194K and 498K, Calcutta's at 100K supples, Colombo is at 100K supplies but as I sent fuel TFs elsewhere and very thristy ships to colombo the two did not create a great fuel supply scenario. Numerous TF are working on the EC to CT and Britain to CT supply route.

In Australia Sydney is at 50K and 250K, Brisbane at 26K and 80K, Melbourne at 22K and 39K, Darwin at 62K and 38K, Perth at 12K and 6K with numerous Aussie and Brit transports cycling through refits.

My island ports of call for the LA/SD to Australia run: Noumea and their 10/20K - LOST, Luganville - fuel supply drained from a Combat TF, 24K supplies; Suva - 15K fuel, 10K supplies; Savaii - 10K fuel, 24K supplies; Pago-Pago - 4k fuel and 39K supplies with tankers unloading a few more K fuel; Penereth Island - 1K fuel, 11K supplies with a fuel TF with 18K on board; Tahiti - 2K fuel, 30K supplies, fuel TF inbound; Canton Island - 7K fuel and 14K supplies except invaders just popped up; X-mas island - 11K fuel, 28K supplies; Palmyra - 14K fuel and 11K supplies.

The limiting factor is the number of ships to send it.

February 16th Sinyang is nearly cleared of enemy ground forces.

Repairs on the BB Nevada have finished in Seattle.
Hudsons abused going into Rangoon. Seriously - what settings should I put nearby fighters on to fight the either sweeping Oscars or the on LR Cap Oscars chewing up my forces over Rangoon?
Morning Air attack on 33rd Division, at 54,53 (Rangoon)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 3
Hudson I x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Hudson I bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
2 x Hudson I bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
10th I.F.Chutai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead

Dutch AF actually scores a few bomb hits on xAKs landing troops on Buitenzorg
xAK Madras Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Ryuyo Maru, Bomb hits 1
6 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 50 kg GP Bomb
3 x CW-22 Falcon bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 50 kg GP Bomb
Banshees at PM stand down as there are only three operational.

...and.... I took the Lady Lex and the Saratoga on a tour of the SouPac islands.. and to see if they could catch anything at Noumea.. nada at Noumea but they found stuff north of there at Guadalcanal.
xAK Horai Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Taihei Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nitiai Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Banshu Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Midori Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Kurohime Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Midori Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Enemy amphib landings at Buitenzorg - unknown strength but as bombing the xaks with an iddy biddy bomb killed 140 then I'd say enemy strength must be high.

I send my Batavia PTs into enemy held Osthaven:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Oosthaven at 48,96, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Isokaze, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Yamagumo
AO Naruto, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
PT-33
PT TM-4
PT TM-6
PT TM-10, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-14

That and the Warspite was again sent into Terapo, on my side on New Guinea...
ight Time Surface Combat, near Terapo at 96,127, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAKL Banshu Maru #56, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
xAKL Choun Maru #21, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Hinode Maru #20, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAK Keiyo Maru, Shell hits 42, and is sunk
xAK Akagisan Maru, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Sinsyu Maru
xAK Rokko Maru
xAK Belgium Maru
xAK Florida Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAK Aki Maru, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nittei Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Ryugi Maru, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
xAK Sanuki Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Sakido Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Nitii Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tatsuho Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 3
CA Australia
CA Canberra
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Perth
DD Shaw
DD Reid
DD Tucker

Ground:
Bataan, PM, Cedu, Kalidjati, Rangoon, Wuchow all bombarded

Sinyang - I attack:
round combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 77141 troops, 582 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1764

Defending force 7505 troops, 93 guns, 91 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 1650

Japanese adjusted defense: 9

Allied assault odds: 183 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
2450 casualties reported
Squads: 129 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 185 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 60 (54 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
84th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
75th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
21st Group Army
3rd Group Army
57th AT Gun Regiment
2nd Group Army
31st Group Army
7th Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
34th Division
11th Army


February 17th..a damned lucky shot.. the bastards..

SS Tambor - north of the Lady Lex CVTF is attacked by "Carrier Aircraft" near Kusae Island WSW of Kwajalein Island - hmmmmm - Lex CVTF started to be sent east then ESE out of the area - they were just SW of Guadalcanal.

2nd PI Base Force, at 73,83 (Puerto Princesa) eradicated.

off Lunga:
Lex and Saratoga have some fun
Japanese Ships
xAK Tofuku Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hakodate Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Miho Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ayo Maru
xAK Somedono Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Samarang Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Sumiyoshi Maru
xAK Gozan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Tempei Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Zenoa Maru

Japanese ground losses:
661 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

then again.....

Japanese Ships
xAK Zenoa Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Hino Maru #3, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Samarang Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ayo Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nichiren Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nisshun Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Sumiyoshi Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tonan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Genkai Maru
xAK Jinsai Maru
xAK Gozan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tempei Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Sumanoura Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Reiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Shirashika Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Hoko, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hakodate Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
1155 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)

and at Tulagi
xAK Heito Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Tasmania Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk

Warhawks and Bansees offloaded at SoerB - they try and hit the Zuiho but no dice.

Wuchow bombed fairly heavily.

Landings at:
Buitenzorg (3 seperate)
Canton Island (Crap)

at the end of the day the IJN gets some revenge

Sub attack near Auki at 116,136

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 1 presently at 6/36/0 damage wise.
DD Balch
DD Porter
DD Maury

PB Aso Maru #7 sunk after two actions.. it meets the PT TF which hits with a torp, then a sub finishes it off with another 2 torps.

Ground:
Deliberate attack at Bataan 336/126 casualties them/us

Ground combat at Canton Island (153,143)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 210 troops, 17 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Defending force 1970 troops, 34 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 33

Japanese ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Canton USN CPNAB
148th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
Guards Mixed Bde /1

Deliberate attack at Rangoon - 1214/199 casualties in my favor.

Sinyang attack.. all enemy ground forces at sinyang destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
6461 casualties reported
Squads: 94 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 496 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 38 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 62 (62 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 23 (23 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Defending units:
34th Division

Wuchow deliberate attack - 1846/196 casualties in my favor.

End of Day


>>> Important stupid question - ever since the tour the Lex and Saratoga have been on some Devastators have torpedos, some don't. The Lexington's Devastators have torpedos in red. The Saratoga's have theirs in yellow. Both are independent. Both on Carriers in same task force but both are't the same torpedo-allowance wise.

?????????

Same thing on the Hermes at Colombo. The swordfish have torpedo's Red'd out an unavilable. So I switch their "attached to" to the 224th, which is nearby - still not available.

What am I doing wrong?

hi u_c, i've moved past the point where my criticisms might be considered 'joyful', now i'm more into 'twisting the knife' mode.

I opened the savegame you posted in the tech forum, it's pert' sad - 0 fuel at Cape Town, 9k supply at Suva, chump pilots at Luganville, I could continue but I'd rather get back to my own game. You'll want to write off all that stuff you have in Java, it's gonna be crushed.

Dude - Really? Joyful advice - I was trying to be as diplomatic as I can be with someone who has freely been giving advice but recently has enjoyed, shall we say, the pointing out of flaws. Kind of like the fashion critic that stated that Kate Upton looked "chubby" - most people exmining would not have that be their adjective. But, just going on what I report, you decided to start wailing on me something fierce on the logistics front and you even took the time to open up a game file. ...and you point out that an island in my island chain between WC and australia has 9K supply. OK then. Noted. Bad me. Yep - CT at zero was a forehead slap but as I've had more cargo ships on map taking from CT to India/ColumboB than off map feeding combat area it ran out. I'm learning how many ships I need in a continuous cycle to feed the hogs.

Advice helps. Knife-twisting - not so much. The former I appreciate and have given numerous "thank you"s regarding advice, directed at yourself a couple of times. The latter - fuck off and play your own game then which frees you up timewise by not using time on an utter and complete newb like me.


Page three of this very AAR - and we're still on page three... as recently as end of April
" RE: NooB AAR(gh): Which way's north? a.k.a we'll buff ... - 4/25/2013 10:49:34 PM
Jmalter - thank you SO VERY MUCH for the advice.

" I was thanking you for guidance and assistance... after your help on pilot training


"hi u_c, i've moved past the point where my criticisms might be considered 'joyful', now i'm more into 'twisting the knife' mode.

I opened the savegame you posted in the tech forum, it's pert' sad - 0 fuel at Cape Town, 9k supply at Suva, chump pilots at Luganville, I could continue but I'd rather get back to my own game. You'll want to write off all that stuff you have in Java, it's gonna be crushed. "

uncivil_servant

>>> Important stupid question - ever since the tour the Lex and Saratoga have been on some Devastators have torpedos, some don't. The Lexington's Devastators have torpedos in red. The Saratoga's have theirs in yellow. Both are independent. Both on Carriers in same task force but both are't the same torpedo-allowance wise.

?????????

Same thing on the Hermes at Colombo. The swordfish have torpedo's Red'd out an unavilable. So I switch their "attached to" to the 224th, which is nearby - still not available.

What am I doing wrong?

Carriers only carry a small number of torps - 36, if I recall. Once they are used up the option is red'd out as unavailable. You need to put your carrier in a port that is big enough to replenish the ammo or that has an AE/AKE that can replenish the ammo.
Also note that Devastators cannot carry torps to their max range of 5, and the weather has to be nearly perfect at both launch and target hex for them to carry torps at range 4. I am not sure if the torp option will "red out" if you have them aboard but the range is too great to use them.

Columbo is big enough to reload Hermes but you must specifically hit "replenish TF from port" to do the deed. Remember to switch the Swordfish squadron back to Hermes control.

You don't say if the 224 HQ has torps and I can't remember if we covered how to get them in the HQ, so I will mention that you must use the HQ unit screen and push the button near the top to order torpedoes. Each torp uses 10 tons of supply. Once your HQ has torps, any TB squadron at that airfield, whether attached to that HQ or not, can select torps for the weapon load. Note that TBs on a carrier are NOT "at the airfield" so they cannot draw torps from the air HQ unless they are first transferred to the AF.

A final suggestion - don't select the torps option for your TBs unless there is a sighting of something worth using them on. Hits with torps are difficult to get and then there are a LOT of duds. Don't use them on CLs, DDs and small escorts, they are too agile. Don't use them on xAKs and xAKLs - bombs will do the job by getting them burning. Torps are for CVs, BBs, CAs, and large APs/xAPs.

Hope that helps.

Thank you for the insight BB. It helps to be reminded of the limited torp supply on a carrier as well as the info that TBDs cannot torpedo attack at range 5 and rarely at range 4.

What still confuses me is this - Same Carrier fleet (Saratoga and Lexington) - same TF, same port of call, etc. One carrier has their TBDs with carry torpedoes in yellow and with reduced supply but still have > 50%, while the other has the full capacity of torps as their TBDs have "carry torpedoes" in Red meaning unavailable. Both TBDs are set to "Independent" as to their CoC. During combat actions one carriers torpedo planes made torpedo attacks, the others TBDs in the same combat and range made bomb attacks.

For the torpedo bombers on the Hermes. I switched them from "Independent" to a local RAF Air HQ hoping it would resolve things. It didn't. Also, I made certain I paid for torpedoes for my air HQs. They are still in "carry torpedoes" being Red - unavailable. Hermes has not left port or engaged in any combat actions. Switching the HQ they reported to didn't work except if I take them off the ship and put them at the air base. Suddenly they had torpedoes. Placing them back on ship the use torpedoes was red again. Hermes has been in port for quite some time so it has been through many resupply from port" actions as I have been switching out CLs and DDs as they arrive on scene to build out the fleets (Air TF and a SCTF) with "like for like" pairings of vessels.

Also a big thanks for the advice on not wasting torps on larger more worthy targets.

ORIGINAL: uncivil_servant

Thank you for the insight BB. It helps to be reminded of the limited torp supply on a carrier as well as the info that TBDs cannot torpedo attack at range 5 and rarely at range 4.

What still confuses me is this - Same Carrier fleet (Saratoga and Lexington) - same TF, same port of call, etc. One carrier has their TBDs with carry torpedoes in yellow and with reduced supply but still have > 50%, while the other has the full capacity of torps as their TBDs have "carry torpedoes" in Red meaning unavailable. Both TBDs are set to "Independent" as to their CoC. During combat actions one carriers torpedo planes made torpedo attacks, the others TBDs in the same combat and range made bomb attacks.

For the torpedo bombers on the Hermes. I switched them from "Independent" to a local RAF Air HQ hoping it would resolve things. It didn't. Also, I made certain I paid for torpedoes for my air HQs. They are still in "carry torpedoes" being Red - unavailable. Hermes has not left port or engaged in any combat actions. Switching the HQ they reported to didn't work except if I take them off the ship and put them at the air base. Suddenly they had torpedoes. Placing them back on ship the use torpedoes was red again. Hermes has been in port for quite some time so it has been through many resupply from port" actions as I have been switching out CLs and DDs as they arrive on scene to build out the fleets (Air TF and a SCTF) with "like for like" pairings of vessels.

The number of torps available to your CV should be visible on the ship info screen, on the right side if I recall.
In the case of the two carriers in port, it sounds like the replenishment cycle used up all the ops points available for the port or AE for that turn and you need to keep repeating to fill out the carriers. Also remember to replenish your AE/AKEs using the "load tenders" item in the Port screen.

As for usage in combat, the aggressiveness, leadership and inspiration of the TBD Sqn. leader can affect whether they will launch with torps in marginal weather. If you look at the leaders of the two squadrons on the two CVs you should be able to see which is more likely to take the risk.

Note that many players unload the Devastators to a land base to do training or help repel invasions, so they can load a marine fighter or SBD squadron [carrier capable, not all are]. Until the Avenger arrives, this is the best configuration for your CVs. You simply aren't going to pull within three hexes of a significant enemy force to use your TBDs with torps!

As for Hermes and the Swordfish squadron - I'm not sure, but check the ship screen first to see if there are torps on board. After that, check the mission assigned to the TBs - I think torps option is red if the mission is anything other than Naval Strike and maybe Port Strike. Torps are just too heavy to carry on Nav Search or ASW.

BB - Hermes - Except for a few tours around the sloand the Hermes has done nothing. Yet the air squadron has never had access to torpedos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29953983@N08/8759669889/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29953983@N08/8760795308/

first one is of the Hermes, second is of the squadron itself.

some add'l notes on the savegame you posted,

evidently you started the game w/ All Construction = ON & Upgrades/Replacements = YES.

you should set construction OFF globally from the hotkey B Base Screen, & only turn it ON locally where needed. Read the Manual 9.4.2, construction costs supply! Building facilities at bases that are likely to become enemy-owned is a gift you don't want to give. Building AF, Port & Fort all at the same time isn't as time-effective as building one thing at a time.

you should globally set Upgr/Repl to NO from the hotkey G LCU Screen, & also prob'ly on the hotkey A & N air-groups screens as well. Upgr/Repl costs supply. You risk sending (usually scarce) planes & LCU devices to random places on the map, better to retain local control. Worse, many units are Permanently Restricted and/or scheduled for Withdrawal, you usually won't want to improve those units. Some units are scheduled to withdraw 'out of theater', never reinforce or upgrade these guys as their planes/devices are not returned to the pools when they withdraw.

finally, planes on NavSearch or ASWSearch always carry their 'extended range' ordnance load, so torps are never carried. Check the Brit TBs, some types can't carry ordnance when set to use drop-tanks.

February 18th

Night-time landings: Buitenzorg (now looking to be a potent force)
Canton Island: Landing Contested - no sign of anyone still around the next day.
Goodenough Island: Really? Why not a good n plenty island to0? There really is a Goodenough island? - and its a malarial swamp island? - good enough for what - malaria, dysentery and a slow death?
Pantar:

Air:
Batavia and Wuchow appear big targets by IJA air forces.
Medan and Bataan still beign targeted.
Bettys bomb SoerB in the night and destroy newly arrived P-40's. [:@]
dutch bombers actually hit two xAKs off of the B-landing in Java

Lady Lex and wounded Saratoga watch the world burn just a little while longer.....
xAK Tonan Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAKL Natsukawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tateisi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Daido Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Yamamizu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Zuiko Maru
xAK Natisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Hino Maru #3, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Quiet on the seas just a single xAK gets two torps in it sitting ar Oosthaven.

Ground:
Ground combat at Buitenzorg (48,99)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6606 troops, 46 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 243

Defending force 1137 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 44

Japanese adjusted assault: 225

Allied adjusted defense: 28

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Buitenzorg !!!

>>>>
I am going to immediately grab some Batavia forces to move to this landing area.
>>>>

Rangoon attacked: 2296:231 casualties in my favor


February 19th

PM gets Port size 2.

I accidentally lose a bunch of DDs from my Dutch/USN combined Light cruiser/Destroyer fleet as they go in for refit. DAMNATION

Get more intel of inbound troops for Merak again in Java.

Multiple "heavy transmissions" near Truk.

Landings: Unopposed at Sorong, landing at Kalidjati in Java, and a repulsed landing at Semarang - I have the Tarakan Coastal Gun CD unit here.
xAP Tatsuta Maru, Shell hits 2
xAP Tatsuta Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire
xAP Teikyo Maru, Shell hits 10, on fire
176 casualties reported

No one is on the shore come the next day.

A SCTF going from PH to AUS bombards Noumea on the way:
Naval bombardment of Noumea at 115,160

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB Idaho
CL Trenton
CL Detroit
DD Fanning
DD Dunlap

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 26
Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 1

no planes and no troops.

Jap air attacks sink some xAKLS around Java.

Banshees at SoerB bash the landing craft at Semarang:

Japanese Ships
xAP Tatsuta Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Teikyo Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

But Dutch bombers got hurt again attacking and the CAP at Bat and soerB took a pounding again.

a sub finishes off the burning Tatsuta Maru from above.

I get to to third base with the Hiryu!!! I touched.. i really did..
Sub attack near Midway Island at 158,91

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
DD Yukikaze

Allied Ships
SS Argonaut

SS Argonaut launches 4 torpedoes at CV Hiryu
Argonaut bottoming out ....
DD Yukikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yukikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yukikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yukikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yukikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

4 torpedos just deflected off the surface.. this time there was no Luke S. to make his next attack run.

The USN BB's catch two xAKs off Noumea:
ay Time Surface Combat, near Noumea at 115,160, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAP Rakuyo Maru, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Kasado Maru, Shell hits 10, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Idaho
BB New Mexico
BB Mississippi
CL Detroit
CL Trenton
DD Dunlap
DD Fanning

Japanese ground losses:
2146 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 83 disabled
Engineers: 97 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)

In thailand my forces near Lang Son have pursued the retreating IJA force to Lang Son.
Rangoon attacked again - 808:5 casualties in my favor.

Wuchow, Bataan, Cebu, bombarded.

Thank you Jmalter. All bases are not improving. Just those I have manually choosen to improve. When you advised me to monthly go through and swap pilots/reassign i also check to see if I want to change or keep the same their replacementas and/or upgrade status. Some I have both on, some I have both off, and some like Marine Buffalos I have replacement on but upgrades off as precious wildcats go to naval forces first, etc.

The Brit Swordfish on the Hermes aren't on either search or asw duty, and - from what I can tell - Swordfish I do not have drop tanks. There is no drop tank toggle nor are they mantioned in the Plane details screen where it show standard ordinance and long-range ordinance.

February 20th

Intelligence informs me the 51st brigade and the 13th Ind. Mixed brigade are both planning an assault on sinyang again. Bring it. I'll make it HURT. 45K combat infantry with some 2242 assault points currently resting, being being supplied decently, and sitting behind level 4 forts and climbing? Bring it. 600+ guns. 300+ Engineers and an anti-tank unit.

Also am informed the 140th Infantry Regimentn is goign to Milne Bay. The defenders, I dont believe, cannot take that on by themselves.

Wuchow and Bataan gets lots of bomber visits.

Nells from Palembang take down an xAK that was bouncing back and forth near Java running from one carrier fleet, then from another...

Amphib landing at Merak - 105 Japs drown in the surf.

the BBs near Noumea give one last Bombard then head West to Brisbane.

Dutch sub drops an xAK with 4 torpedos at Buitenzorg

More dutch subs torpedo an xAK in the Makassar strait, then to more xAKs off Makassar itself.

PTs vainly attempt to disrupt landings at Merak but meet BBs , one gets blown up, others launch and miss then run.

Near Plamyra, a tanker fleet meets a lone destroyer wayyy far away from everything.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Palmyra at 165,138, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Shikinami, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Hull
DD MacDonough, Shell hits 1
TK Alfred Clegg
TK Mobilfuel
TK Mobilstation
TK California Standard
TK Agwiworld
TK Pat Doheny
TK Gulfbreeze
TK Manzanillo

What was it doing?

fighting at Kalidjati - 541-159 casualties in my favor. 5K allied troops, 1.6K enemy.

Thailand - Lang Son falls as I keep up the skeer.

Ground combat at Lang Son (70,56)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15228 troops, 145 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 402

Defending force 1850 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 169

Japanese adjusted defense: 39

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Lang Son !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
374 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
31st Chinese Corps
66th Chinese Corps
22nd Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment

Rangoon attacked again - Japanese adjusted assault: 106

Allied adjusted defense: 1219

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 11 (fort level 2)

Japanese ground losses:
1550 casualties reported
Squads: 149 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Guns lost 23 (2 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (2 destroyed, 30 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
138 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Japs have three tanks regiments here: 10th, 11th, and the 14th. Allied tanks here also - the 3rd Cavalry Regiment.

At semarang some IJA forces made it tshore where they were destoyed. I./124th Infantry Bn /1


February 21st


Heavy Radio transmissions detected N or Bismark Archipellago (moved S from Truk?)

Landing at Merak in Java - more unopposed landings in Timor - landing at Milne Bay in New Guinea.

More attempted landings at Semarang -
Invasion Support action off Semarang (53,102)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

34 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAKL Momoyama Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Shoan Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires
PB Shonan Maru #2
xAKL Kayo Maru
Pre-Invasion action off Semarang (53,102)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

145 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAKL Shoan Maru, Shell hits 3
PB Shonan Maru #2
xAKL Momoyama Maru, Shell hits 8, on fire
xAKL Kayo Maru

Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Swordfish scores a hit on an AK (no x) Kinka Maru
Dutch sub at Merak puts three torpedos into the CA Myoko, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Bombardments at Bataan, Wuchow, and Kalidjati favor the allies...

Deliberate attack at Rangoon goes poorly for the Banzai charge.
Ground combat at Rangoon (54,53)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2709 troops, 97 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 274

Defending force 18530 troops, 187 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 768

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 675

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1094 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 60 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)

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

hi u_c, mebbe it's an artifact of opening your savegame in my DBB_B game (a bit altered environment which uses a different pwehex file), but all your bases read to me as building all facilities, likewise all your LCUs looked to have upgrades ON.

I think it's the Vildebeestie TBs that have the droptank/ordnance conflict.

I'll admit to being nasty two posts ago, but I really was gobsmacked when I opened your savegame & took a cursory look. Dutch air in ruins, all their (rather nice) BFs poised to get gobbled up in Java, Java LCUs positioned at every hex rather than turtling into Bat/Soer, no credible CAP - it's just a recipe for early defeat.

Going a bit further afield from Java, I see fighter sqns assigned to multiple tasks, rng>0, morale~90, fatigue>10, staffed w/ pilots that are barely out of school. A front-line fighter sqn needs pilots w/ exp70 & air70, morale >95 & fatigue<10, ntm a full complement of planes + 4 reserve aircraft. Sqns staffed w/ pilots w/ exp<40 & air<40 are combat-ineffective.

What it is, you've chosen to fight your game at continuous maximum offensive reaction to IJ advances. You've achieved an occaisional local success, but IMO you're getting creamed & are wasting the assets you'll need to mount a credible counter-offensive.

I'm glad I've been able to help put your pilot training on a pay basis, but really all I see from your AARs is profligate offensive use of ineffective assets, followed by, "well that didn't work, but I'll do the same thing again & hope for better results."

IMO, you're just holding your razor-blades up against the whirling carborundum wheel, then throwing the blunted remnants over your shoulder & casting around desperately for more razor-blades. It's hard for me to think that you're actually mounting credible military operations, it looks like you're just throwing your stuff into action & hoping for a good die-roll. I don't think this will work well for you. I think you should re-examine your ideas wrt the campaign.

Comment on the Hermes/TBs again: The ship screen shows that Hermes has 12 torps loaded so that is not the problem.
The Swordfish are set to range 6 which is, according to that screen, normal range. However, I am not sure the aircraft can carry torps that far. They may be able to carry torps to five hexes, bombs to six, and only do recon/nav search with no weapons in the seven-eight hex range.

Another thing to check - even though you had Naval Attack mission set for the squadron, any search or training specified in the buttons below would also apply - e.g. if you had them on training 100% and then switched them to Naval Attack without first "standing down" the unit, the training would still use up all the aircraft.

Comment on the Lang Son conquest: "Are you f&*#ing crazy?!"[;)] OK, I've calmed down now! [:D]
You are likely not aware that the Chinese and Vietnamese were ancient enemies and any Chinese invasion in the early part of the war [up to 1944 I think] triggers Viet Minh division reinforcements. He gets one division in Hanoi, one in Haiphong, and one in Luang Prabang . There may be more in other cities like Hue and Saigon - not sure about that.
Fortunately, the Viet Minh divisions are static in their arrival locations, have low morale and experience, poor to mediocre leaders, and no heavy weapons. They are not up to full TOE when they arrive either, but when they are I think the AV is in the range 100 - 150.

jmalter - your advice is good, but you need to expect that complete newbies will want to do some learning by doing, especially trying out battle tactics to see how that goes and to have some fun! Patience and husbanding resources takes a back seat to the exciting action at first!
Fortunately, uc_s has an equally newbie opponent who has not been using his forces at optimum either. I hope someone is advising him as well. I find the undisciplined but gleeful enthusiasm of two newbies refreshing! [:)]