Japanese AKs and APs on 8 Dec 1941

[patrickl]

Hi,

I am learning to play Japanese. I notice there are quite a number of AKs and APs lying around Japan, Indo-China, Taiwan, Palau and Truk on 8 Dec 41 (Sc 15). I will use a lot of them to load troops to invade the various Allied targets but still I would still be left with alot ships idling. If I am to round all of them up and send them back to Japan, they would be idling in Japan ports too as the supplies situation in Japan is quite pathetic - even Osaka yields not more than 20,000 (3 to 4 AKs) supplies over 2 days. What can I do to manage these idle ships efficiently?[&:] I can think of sending some to Saigon and be ready to ship supplies once Borneo is secured. Others be to Korea and Shanghai to bring resources to Japan. Any other suggestions?

When I play Allies, I would round up all ships and send to SF and turnaround time is quick - next day the ships are fully loaded with supplies ready to sail to Australia.[:)]

Thanks[:D]

[ChezDaJez]

There are 2 lines of thought on this.

Some say that Japan comes way overstocked on transports and that many of these would have been engaged in normal commerce bringing in foodstuffs and whatnot in to Japan IRL. If your thinking is along these lines, take 50 or more and park them in Port Arthur or some other out of the way port.

Others, including me, say that Japan used small intercoastal freighters to move these items between China, Korea and Japan and so the merchant fleet was available to the military on demand. Basically, what I do is send about 15-20 AKs and 5-10 APs to the major ports (Singapore, Manila, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Palau, Soerabaja, Truk, etc) and leave them there until needed. That way I always have ships nearby that I can draw on for an emergency resupply or simply replace losses. I figure in these way, these ships would be engaged in commerce until I needed them but they would already be in the areas needed to move supplies.

There is no right or wrong way, just different opinions.

Chez

[patrickl]

Hi Chez,

Thanks for your comments![;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

They're never enough...believe me. When you plan those Huge invasions using 4/5 divisions in the early month of war you need something like 50/70 AK/APs for each division, considering the supplies and some free space for any problem that may arise.

[Twotribes]

Dont believe you need ships to bring resources from China, doesnt it flow to Korea and since only one hex cross to main land Japan?

[patrickl]

Hi

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Dont believe you need ships to bring resources from China, doesnt it flow to Korea and since only one hex cross to main land Japan?

I am not sure - Does it?[&:]

[patrickl]

Hi GH,

Roger.[;)] Will watch out for that!

[AmiralLaurent]

In the early months of the war, I use the transports not used for invasions to carry troops, supply and fuel to rear area bases to big ports or forward bases. For example, there are a lot of fuel in Eniwetok and no troop and the Palau transport are used to bring it to Kwajalein. Same with the Korean (supply and fuel) and Chinese (fuel only) port.
Another part of the transport fleet is in reserve, and will be used as soon as ressource and oil centers are taken to start to bring them to Japan.

Also at the start of the war I carry oil from Japan to Formosa.

[patrickl]

Hi AmiralLaurent,

Aye Aye AmiralLaurent[:D]. Playing Japanese means you have to think not only one step ahead but years ahead too! Stressful but definitely challenging and rewarding esp if one can get AV 4 to 1 or 3 to 1! [;)]

Thank you very much for your advice![&o][:D]

Cheers!
Patrick

[ChezDaJez]

Dont believe you need ships to bring resources from China, doesnt it flow to Korea and since only one hex cross to main land Japan?

But you still need ships to move it to Japan.

Chez

[Twotribes]

I read that stuff will move across one hex, there is only one hex between korea and Japan because of the island there.

[Xargun]

Stuff will move across water only if there is a port size 3+ on both sides.

Xargun

[TulliusDetritus]

Patrick, someone --I can't remember what contributor-- ironically called this game LitP. You get it? [;)] ... a.k.a. Logistics in the Pacific...

He was ironic and I deduced he did not like all that "logistic" thing. I love it though [:)]

[patrickl]

Hi TulliusDetritus

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Patrick, someone --I can't remember what contributor-- ironically called this game LitP. You get it? [;)] ... a.k.a. Logistics in the Pacific...

He was ironic and I deduced he did not like all that "logistic" thing. I love it though [:)]

Got it[:D]. How true, how true[;)]

[esteban]

Moving resources from China/Manchuoko/Korea to Japan is really easy. If you wait long enough, every few weeks a decent pile of extra resources builds up at Pusan. Send 4-5 AKs and you just cart it across the straight to Hiroshima or Osaka.

Are there too many Japanese transports in the game? Well, historically, the Japanese did use a lot of their "civilian" freighters for military purposes. Also, there is some confusion about what "resources" and manpower points represent. Each manpower point consumes one resource point per turn. Is that supposed to represent civilian consumption of imported food and raw materials for maintaining the general population, or does that one point of resources represent raw materials needed for the military infrastructure to train, equip and house new recruits for the army?

Based on the very limited info we have, I would have to say that the resource draw for manpower centers does represent feeding/clothing/housing the general population. For instance, if these manpower centers represented just military manpower, why would A) you need to spend lots of manpower points to expand your industry and B) if the manpower centers just represented the use of your pool of military-age recruits, why would there be no manpower points needed for filling out the navy?

The only way to actually REDUCE your available manpower pool as Japan is to build a lot of factories/shipyards/repair yards/etc. Other than that, you would probably have to build and run something like 1000-1500 points of vehicle and armaments factories to draw down your available manpower. It looks to me like the manpower requirement for industrial expansion basically says "ok, you want to build a new aircraft factory? You will need draw down your population reserves to provide a workforce"

[patrickl]

Hi esteban & Xargun,

Thanks for your comments![:D]

[Speedysteve]

Also guys don't forget that excess Resource/Oil will build up in Shanghai/Tsingtao etc. I will send a convoy probably once a month to pick this stuff up.

Steven

[patrickl]

Hi Steven,

Thanks, I know about Shanghai and now Tsingtao [:D] Yes more oil and resources to feed the glorious Japanese Empire. Banzai! Banzai! Banzai![:D]

Patrick

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: patrickl

Hi

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Dont believe you need ships to bring resources from China, doesnt it flow to Korea and since only one hex cross to main land Japan?

I am not sure - Does it?[&:]

Yes it does. China/Manchuria/Korea produces a surplus of resources. You can use AK to ship it to Japan. You can ship it from Korea, or any other ports you please.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Also guys don't forget that excess Resource/Oil will build up in Shanghai/Tsingtao etc. I will send a convoy probably once a month to pick this stuff up.

Steven

I'd caution against pulling oil out of China/Manchuria. They don't produce enough to feed their own HI.