Balade of the Newbie: The grand Campaign (Allies vs IJ AI)

[BlitzimX]

Thanks. The date is actually end of February (25th) .

I feel kind of stupid right now, i never noticed you could send fuel from EC to Aden before the opening of the Mediteranean, quite an oversight.

As for the Grang strategy, you're right, i'm not exactly sure what i'd be doing in 43. For all I know the AI is focusing on the Java area at the moment, and i've been busy shiping many of my base/ENG/Marine forces from US to Australia, without really know in advance where i'd put them. I just moved them forward "just in case". QUite a stupid move i think. Of course i moved some troops to key islands like Pago pago, Noumea or Christmas (also building up Adak up north as a SUb base), but other than this i'm more in the idea of "Get everything down fast".

I think i have a hard time figuring out a grand strategy because of the AI relative slow pace, which is quite stupid because this should gives me more time to think about the future.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: BlitzimX

Thanks. The date is actually end of February (25th) .

I feel kind of stupid right now, i never noticed you could send fuel from EC to Aden before the opening of the Mediteranean, quite an oversight.

As for the Grang strategy, you're right, i'm not exactly sure what i'd be doing in 43. For all I know the AI is focusing on the Java area at the moment, and i've been busy shiping many of my base/ENG/Marine forces from US to Australia, without really know in advance where i'd put them. I just moved them forward "just in case". QUite a stupid move i think. Of course i moved some troops to key islands like Pago pago, Noumea or Christmas (also building up Adak up north as a SUb base), but other than this i'm more in the idea of "Get everything down fast".

I think i have a hard time figuring out a grand strategy because of the AI relative slow pace, which is quite stupid because this should gives me more time to think about the future.

I have never seen the stock AI go after all of Australia or all of India, I have seen it frequently go for North Oz and occasionally NE Oz or Perth. Mostly it raids with a trip by KB around the island in March or so (if it already has PM). In the IO theater it will sometimes go for Ceylon/Diego Garcia or Calcutta and raid up the west coast of India. Until you get enough supply to India to start filling out Indian units and get their morale and experience higher, it is pretty hard to stop the AI early on. For that reason I do not put good units on Ceylon where they can be trapped and wiped out, until late 1942.

When you are not sure what you want to do it is OK to push forward units that are almost completely filled out and are well led. Again, prefer to put them in places you are likely to be able to defend rather than on small islands that can be traps if KB comes with an invasion armada. So good US, Brit and Aussie divisions go to continental land masses for the most part, until you get control of air and sea to use them in invasions. Since it takes three months to prep for a new target from scratch, you need to think at least that far ahead.

BTW, on my map you cannot ship fuel from EC USA to Aden until the Med opens in 1943. Note the dotted line in the last part of the off-map pipeline path. What I suggested was shipping fuel from Abadan to Aden. If you are using the stock map the route is entirely off-map and direct. With the extended map you would have to briefly bring your fuel convoy down to IO and then order it onward to Aden. Do NOT give orders to go directly between two off-map places that do not have a clear off-map path between them - the routing routine might decide to send them across the entire Pacific Ocean to get there rather than going quickly on map and then off-map again.

[BlitzimX]

Greetings tacticians

I've taken that time of quarantine to advance my game a bit further, now standing on the 1st of April.
At this stage i would really love if someone could have a look and tell me if i have make some fundamental mistakes, something so horrible that you
can't possibly recover from the mere fact you've seen it. Alteratively, something that against a player would have been fatal
My savegame is below.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1twMlu ... MmRD4LCNWq

For some context, here are a few elements:
- Singapore and PI felt the same day about a week prior, hence why i herded some subs over there.
- I was caught abit off guard by the invasion of Java, and still wait for a small opening to try and run off the remaining ships.
- I'm ot sure if betting on Luga so early was a great idea.
- I've fenced off 3 invasions of PM so far, yet they were meager ones.
- I don't really thrust the reports stating that the two BB have been sunk by mines in Manilla. THe CV and CVL however are done for.


I also have some questions :
- Is it more efficnet to have DDs as ASW escort for a convoy, or directly in the fleet? I've seen both and wonder which one is better.
- I think i need a few tips on how to handle the DDs in TFs (which ones to use for what)
- Is it a good idea to get my CV planes to land (when they get to their refitting phase) and use them against shipping for exp gain, or are they too precious
for thsi at this point?
- I think my situation in China isn't too bad, but despite some high moral and good numbers, i sometimes get crushed when attacking inferior forces.
How long does it take for Chinese units to be somewhat okay?

Any other advices and feedback are also welcome I quite enjoy the path it takes for now, as i'm not really sure where all the troops freed from SING and Manilla will go.

[traskott]

Done. I will try to answer your doubts asuming it's a practice to play a PBEM next.

- Yes. "all forwad ahead syndrome here!" [:)]. Don't worry, always happens.
- You are improving too many things at the same time. That consumes supply at a rate you can't afford yet. Always improve first one thing ( usually forts ), then port or AF, never the three at time, very inefficient. And if base is lost to a counterattack, you are giving free levels to the japanese.
- Check those convoys at Cape Town and Perth, remember transit between off maps bases don't spend fuel, but off map to on map YES. Your xAks at Perth and those near Brisbane looks like a Martini. Which leads me to:
- Logistics: Your SLOC doesn't look like secure. You are at Guadalcanal with Noumea ungarrisoned. Don't have enought supply or fuel to mantain a prolongued trust at Solomon, or a heavy fight. Against AI you will be fine, against a human player, you are beggin for a .
You have deployed CVs at OZ. Wrong movement. They will suck all the fuel and soon they will have to flee and you wont have fuel to support normal operations. There was a good reason those carriers didn't were deployed at Sidney in the war and the game simulate this very well. You need to create supply hubs where put tons of supply AND fuel, between USA and OZ, one step on a time. Christmas Islands-Pago Pago-Suva-Espiritu Santo-Noumea. All of those bases should be garrisoned with at least a RCT, Suva and Noumea with a division, if possible, and with convoys of fuel and supply to create stagging points to mount a counterattack AND to refuel convoys to Australia and OZ.

On the other side of the map, put several convoys with long range TKs from Abadan to CapeTown. You need to keep a medium level of 250k/300k to refuel the ships in the route CapeTown-Perth, and more fuel if you want to ship it to OZ.

- DDs as escorts: You will be short of them in 1942, so don't use them in convoy escort if possible. However, to protect the convoy, best use is with them embebded.
- DDs as part of T.F. : Check every type of DD: Usually british DD excel at ASW warfare, french at surface combat and the american at the end are truly beast. Use the ones with best endurance and ASW to protect your carriers, and always upgrade them.
- Not bad idea use the CV planes if you can see a target of oportunity, but check the pools, in 1942 allieds are shot of replacments.
- Your situation in China is good because you are fighting IA. . Against human hastly retreat is in order. Your troops are very inferior to the japanese, thats why you lose against inferior forces. You need moral99, supply and 3:1 ratio to make progress. That's very inusual on this theatre, so... You must wait (against human) till 1943 squads and enough supply to make some progress... if you are still alive [:'(]

[BlitzimX]

Thanks for the first feedback

What do you mean by transports looking like a MArtini? I'm aware this is a metaphore, but the meaning is a bit obscure :p
As for the speed of the convoys, i'm aware of the off map trick. I have forgotten some which are in process of doing the CT/EUS route, and forgot to remove the Full speed from some in map, my mistake.

I know my Guadalcanal thrust was a mistake and a player would have definetly punished me for it. But it was really tempting I shall try and consolidate the other islands in SOPAC, that will surely releive the fuel strain on OZ and CT, which always runs out of fuel. I'll also try to get some convoys from Abadan to CT, but Abadan also runs out of fuel quite often so far. This also answers one question i didnd't ask, which is how to support small protection forces at those key points, but if you create fuel dumps that shall be easier. However not sure if convoys to OZ need to refuel there, they seem to have a pretty good range as long as one or two ships have enough fuel.

I had planned to bring back the CVs from OZ back north, i was just waiting for their upgrade to be completed. April is going to be tough will all those retrofits ongoing.

In other note, anything you'd say is good or more or less well done?

[RangerJoe]

Actually, bring fuel to Capetown from the East Coast. The UK also gets some supplies and fuel that can be moved. The Abadan fuel is best moved to Karachi with maybe some to Aden. It will go to where it is needed. But the SW Indian ports can get the fuel which then can be moved to Ceylon. The fuel to Capetown can then go to Australia. Since you won't have enough escorts but will have plenty of supply and fuel to move from the US, simply move it to Capetown and store it there. Once you get enough escorts and/or the situation stabilizes, then go ahead and move it out. But it is not a problem to store 5 million supply at Capetown for later.

[traskott]

Martini Dry: No fuel.

Overall I think it's a great planning: Strategic ideas, logistical, etc... You only need some human oponent and u will be fine...

[BlitzimX]

All right then, new direction i guess

I'll take the oportunity of the April upgrade to redistribute my tropps and upgrade other key areas like Va'vu. I will also dispatch some minor forces (like support and ASW) to those key islands. I'll make more use of the Abadan fuel reserves to feed CT, the convoys from EA are not fast enough.
I think i will also get the British CVs in the SOPAC area, they don't do much in the IO.

I'll try to poke the AI a bit when my cariers will be refit, since the KB is around Java atm.

However something bothers me a bit: what's the main advantage of running the CVs from refuel points or islands, instead of OZ? Is it because the refueling trains are shorter? Also if you want to use refueling ships, do you just park them in the middle of the ocean?

[RangerJoe]

If you park your AOs in the ocean and the enemy finds out, you may find submarines converging on them - after any surface combat task forces swing by. The AOs are best set to follow when you are strong enough, otherwise keep them at a secure base with CAP, naval search, ASW in the area, and even a small minefield. Put ships like the AE, AKE, AD, and even the AR with them.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: BlitzimX

All right then, new direction i guess

I'll take the oportunity of the April upgrade to redistribute my tropps and upgrade other key areas like Va'vu. I will also dispatch some minor forces (like support and ASW) to those key islands. I'll make more use of the Abadan fuel reserves to feed CT, the convoys from EA are not fast enough.
I think i will also get the British CVs in the SOPAC area, they don't do much in the IO.

I'll try to poke the AI a bit when my cariers will be refit, since the KB is around Java atm.

However something bothers me a bit: what's the main advantage of running the CVs from refuel points or islands, instead of OZ? Is it because the refueling trains are shorter? Also if you want to use refueling ships, do you just park them in the middle of the ocean?

From LA, the longest-range US tankers can make OZ but not back, so they must take fuel from Oz or PH to get back (set Minimal Refuel on the TF screen). The big problem is that the Japanese player will know you need to bring fuel to Oz so subs will stake out the major ports and the Bass Strait near Melbourne. And even when you play the computer, the KB will sometimes come on a loop around Oz, sinking all the shipping it can find. The big tankers can make Suva or even Noumea and be a bit safer. Pago-Pago is also usually a fuel depot.

At smaller islands, you can disband a tanker in port and it will refuel ships that come there as if it was an AO instead of a TK. It just can't do it at sea. You must make a judgement call at bases the enemy might raid on the size of tanker you want to risk or whether to put one there at all. You can offload fuel at a small base too, but at a rate of a few hundred tons a day the tanker will be there a long time and the enemy may get intel on it being there...

[BlitzimX]

Not disbanding a tanker for refuel is so obvious i'm kind of ashamed i didn't think about it earlier, it solves so much fuel unloading and refueling problems.
Also yeah, not having to refuel your tanker is obviously a good idea, no wonder why my fuel reserves in OZ die so fast.

[Sardaukar]

Don't use Suva as fuel hub. Even AI might use KB to pay a visit..found that hard way and lost quite a few TKs.

I ship now from LA to Auckland and from there to Sydney. That's the easiest way. Human player might punish you for that, but AI rarely.

Andymac's newer AI files work well with stock map with BabesLite...and can give a nasty surprise.

[BlitzimX]

Back with a few questions, linked to the supply chain, as it seems i'm missing something here.

As i've seen, and as you've said, a better chain is to use LA to Auckland, then Auckland to Sydney. I get this is a safer route given the ships go further south, yet isn't it less fuel efficent? I've tried a few convoys, and barely any ship can you the full go and return route without refueling. WOuld you say the cost is quite inferior to the benefits? Or is it where Oilers and on route replenishment come to play?

I've also set up a route from Aden to CT for fuel with very long range Tankers, since it seems i can't get it to work with short range ones (i need to have them transit on the map).

Also do i understand well that India and Australia only need Fuel, given they make their own supply? If yes, what would be the point of trailing supplies to CT in the first place?

SOrry for those questions but supply is something i have a hard time getting a grasp on ^^'

[RangerJoe]

It is a lot longer for the fuel to get there if the tankers get sunk along the way.[:@]

You build up Capetown from the East Coast and some from England. That supply is for your offensive operations in SEAC, plus transfers to Australia, and hopefully to China. Dumping a lot of supplies in Burma will see some of those supplies get to the Chinese armies which need them desperately. If you dump a million supplies in China with a starving army, the supplies are gone fast.

While Australia does make supplies, it does not make enough for offensive operations. The best way to shut down the Japanese economy early is to starve it of oil and fuel. Early on, ship oil and fuel from the DEI to Australia.

Until you can ship directly to Aden, you can ship fuel to Aden from Abadan.

[traskott]

Indian operations, if japanese player launch some offensive, can be very supply demanding. I always keep a continuis line of xAKs, usually the Dominion L, between CapeTown and India, to keep it well feed.

Same with Australia. 80% of PBEMs, Port Moresby will be japanese, and you will need base 4E at Australia, plus improve lot of airfields. Thats takes a lot of supply, so another set of convoys from CapeTown to Perth/Melbourne/Adelaide is a must.

Long range convoys from USA to OZ are always impossible to make go and return without refuel. My trick is make the return point of the convoy at Christmas Island. 75% of the long range TKs and xAks can go Los Angeles-Sidney and return to Chrismas Island without refuel. You only have to keep Chrismas with plenty of fuel and voila.

Edit: When you got Libertys, they CAN go and back without refuel, but til 1943 you don't have enough.