Fuel Disaster!

[blueatoll]

Someone please help! I am playing the Allies in the 'Quiet China' campaign game. I am desperately short of fuel at all my forward bases and it seemed like the auto-convoy system was shunting my few tankers and oilers to backwaters instead of near the front. I have had at least 3 task forces run out of fuel or be trapped in far-away ports due to lack of fuel.

I am now directly managing the tankers and oilers and still not keeping up with demand at forward bases (especially in eastern Australia and around Noumea). Can anyone offer suggestions? The war effort is seriously being put on hold because I can't move fuel fast enough.

[geofflambert]

Don't use auto convoy, I hate that. It's mindless.

Of course, that has been said of me, as well. [8|]

[Canoerebel]

Shut down heavy industry in Australia (Syndey has it, for instance).  That will allow you to accumulate a little bit of fuel in Oz that can be used for shipping.
 
It's inefficient to try to send fuel to small bases or dot hexes.  They don't hold much and unloading tankers is very slow.  So you've got to choose some bases to serve as "oil hubs."  Get engineers to those bases and begin building.  There are lots of options, but many players start with Christmas Island (Pacific) and Tahiti.  Until you get those bases in shape, send as much fuel forward from West Coast to Pearl.  At least you'll be moving it forward.
 
You can also shuttle fuel foward from the USA to Capetown and thence to India and Australia.
 
Obviously, you need to have your tankers effectively spread around - long-range tankers serving in long streches of the Pacific and from Capetown to Oz; short-range tankers handling the smaller distances and ports.
 
Don't forget that xAKs can carry fuel.  They carry something like half loads, but it can be quite useful and effective.
 
Good luck!

[Canoerebel]

Also, use your AOs early as mobile refueling stations well behind the front lines.  You can spread them about the map to help refuel convoys and combat ships while you're getting your system up and running.

[blueatoll]

Thanks for the advice. I'll shut down the heavy industry right away. I assume that doesn't affect replacements and new units.

Noumea, Suva, and Pago Pago are all Level 3 ports (Noumea may be a level 4). Is that big enough to unload fuel at?

I'm in the process of moving all my long-distance hauling AKs at to California. I am loading AKs with fuel constantly. The Japanese took Baker Island so I've got to route convoys the long-way to avoid Bettys around Canton Island. Canton Island has repelled 2 invasions already (sinking a CA, 2 CLs, and 4 DDs along with a bunch of marus) and I've got Christmas Island cranking up the port size too.

[RogerJNeilson]

Abadan takes care of your Indian needs. You can also - Jap permitting, send fuel from it to Diego Garcia.

East USA to Cape Town is a good route for fuel and supplies and cannot be interdicted by the enemy. Set up some CS convoys from there to the Cape, then as you need supplies send it from the Cape to India, Diego, Perth and southern Oz ports.

Aden's not much use until the Med opens in 1943.

Roger

[Canoerebel]

Noumea, Suva and Pago Pago are often too close to danger to serve as effective fuel or supply dumps in '42 and first half of '43.  Too prone to raids by enemy carriers, combat ships and subs.  And who wants to create a nice fuel depot only to see the enemy take the base.  So usually you need to position your dumps further back.  Christmas Island and Tahiti are good candidates, but there are lots of others.

[Schanilec]

In the beginning I use anything I can get my grubby little hands on not so much AP types, but you must. If I could I'd be using those useless little AMc's. Australia is always a headache to fuel up. It won't improve somewhat until sometime in 1943. I'm at 25 March 1944 and still trying to keep Australia quenched.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

I'm at 25 March 1944 and still trying to keep Australia quenched.

It helps a lot to take Balikpapan. [:)]

[slane_slith]

Would stockpiling in Sydney do any good for refueling or does that only help industry?

Make sure your ships aren't refueling before they disband in your ports. I set my CS stuff to minimal. Everything else is do not refuel.

If your sending a TF out select your ships, set the destination' set fuel to minimal, refuel and then let them go.

[Schanilec]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

I'm at 25 March 1944 and still trying to keep Australia quenched.

It helps a lot to take Balikpapan. [:)]

Oh, thaaaaank you that helps. Why I oughta mortify you.[:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

I'm at 25 March 1944 and still trying to keep Australia quenched.

It helps a lot to take Balikpapan. [:)]

Oh, thaaaaank you that helps. Why I oughta mortify you.[:D]

Nyuk, nyuk! [:)]

Better days are coming.

It's snowing here in the west metro BTW. They can't decide if it'll be 6 inches tonight or twelve. Just texted my stepdaughter. She's in Miami at a five-star resort for a sales conference. She reports it is NOT snowing there.

[Schanilec]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58




It helps a lot to take Balikpapan. [:)]

Oh, thaaaaank you that helps. Why I oughta mortify you.[:D]

Nyuk, nyuk! [:)]

Better days are coming.

It's snowing here in the west metro BTW. They can't decide if it'll be 6 inches tonight or twelve. Just texted my stepdaughter. She's in Miami at a five-star resort for a sales conference. She reports it is NOT snowing there.

Ground her butt![:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Schanilec




Oh, thaaaaank you that helps. Why I oughta mortify you.[:D]

Nyuk, nyuk! [:)]

Better days are coming.

It's snowing here in the west metro BTW. They can't decide if it'll be 6 inches tonight or twelve. Just texted my stepdaughter. She's in Miami at a five-star resort for a sales conference. She reports it is NOT snowing there.

Ground her butt![:D]

She was All-Metro volleyball and went to UConn on a full scholarship. 6ft.1 and it's all muscle. I'm a little scared.

[dcpollay]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Shut down heavy industry in Australia (Syndey has it, for instance).  That will allow you to accumulate a little bit of fuel in Oz that can be used for shipping.

How do you "shut down" industry? I can't find any buttons to do it.

[Blackhorse]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Schanilec

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58




Nyuk, nyuk! [:)]

Better days are coming.

It's snowing here in the west metro BTW. They can't decide if it'll be 6 inches tonight or twelve. Just texted my stepdaughter. She's in Miami at a five-star resort for a sales conference. She reports it is NOT snowing there.

Ground her butt![:D]

She was All-Metro volleyball and went to UConn on a full scholarship. 6ft.1 and it's all muscle. I'm a little scared.

No problem. Ask her Mom to ground her.

[Blackhorse]

ORIGINAL: slane

Would stockpiling in Sydney do any good for refueling or does that only help industry?

Make sure your ships aren't refueling before they disband in your ports. I set my CS stuff to minimal. Everything else is do not refuel.

If your sending a TF out select your ships, set the destination' set fuel to minimal, refuel and then let them go.

+1 but I'd take this advice a step further.

Refueling your thirsty convoys after they arrive in Australia can suck up much/most of the precious fuel you just delivered.

Set your convoys from the West Coast to the South Pacific and Australia to do not refuel. Use waypoints -- first waypoint is PH with "full refuel", then "yes" to "return same route". After the first few convoys you will get a sense of what mix of vessels can make it to Oz and back without needing to refuel there at all.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Colonel Mustard

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Shut down heavy industry in Australia (Syndey has it, for instance).  That will allow you to accumulate a little bit of fuel in Oz that can be used for shipping.

How do you "shut down" industry? I can't find any buttons to do it.

You can do it via two screens.

1. On the Base Screen, the bottom row of buttons list the industry located at that base. Either click on the All Industry button (first on the left) or hover over the individual type of industry button you want to close down and click that. If the ON under Production is in yellow you can click on it to toggle it to OFF.

2. Short cut key "j" brings up all your industry facilities. Navigate to the desired industry and again click on the yellow ON production button to toggle off.

Note which Allied industrial facility you can toggle on or off is dependent on which exe version you have. Current official and beta patch does not allow for Light Industry to be toggled off.

And yes, notwithstanding what some "experienced" players would have you believe, it is possible to experience adverse results from indiscriminate shutting down of Allied industry.

Alfred

[crsutton]

If I recall, tankers were a little short in the early days. But you have so many large xAK and generally can't use but about half of them as you are not shipping many troops or supply in the early days. Just make a bunch of large xAK convoys and put them to work. They only carry half a load of fuel but if you use enough you should never have fuel problems. I did not bother turning off industry in Oz. Just don't ship fuel there and it will turn itself off, but still produce enough supply. Make sure you have three or four large xAk convoys shuttling fuel from the east coast to Cape Town. You will need fuel there. And then ship it to either Nomuea or Hobart if Nomuea is threatened. Keep a big reserve and don't worry too much about OZ.

Have another half dozen large AK convoys working the West Coast to the South Pacific.

Also, don't send all of your old BBs and carriers to the South Pacific in 1942. It is tempting to do so but they suck up gas.

Tell you the truth. I never turned off OZ industry, never really set my ships to minimum fuel or do not refuel and never really had too much trouble with fuel after early 42. One thing the Allies get is surplus shipping. Put it to use......

[98ZJUSMC]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Shut down heavy industry in Australia (Syndey has it, for instance).  That will allow you to accumulate a little bit of fuel in Oz that can be used for shipping.

It's inefficient to try to send fuel to small bases or dot hexes.  They don't hold much and unloading tankers is very slow.  So you've got to choose some bases to serve as "oil hubs."  Get engineers to those bases and begin building.  There are lots of options, but many players start with Christmas Island (Pacific) and Tahiti.  Until you get those bases in shape, send as much fuel forward from West Coast to Pearl.  At least you'll be moving it forward.

You can also shuttle fuel foward from the USA to Capetown and thence to India and Australia.

Obviously, you need to have your tankers effectively spread around - long-range tankers serving in long streches of the Pacific and from Capetown to Oz; short-range tankers handling the smaller distances and ports.

Don't forget that xAKs can carry fuel.  They carry something like half loads, but it can be quite useful and effective.

Good luck!

Thanks for the HI tip. Wouldn't have thought of that. I am running into the same hassles Aug-Oct 42. My TKs are running their guts out.

I built up Christmas and Palmyra, then jumped to Canton/Pago Pago and Suva. Suva was a MAJOR bottleneck for awhile. Capetown has excellent fuel supplies right now. I'll watch that. OK, let's see if I can't kick start some fuel storage in Sydney or I'm going to have to fire some S-4/G-4 OICs.

The AOs make a good (temporary) gas station. Definitely use it.