Slitherine

quote:

It is just as fast to haul fuel from Abadan to Perth as it is from the US to Sydney/Melbourne

quote:

IO area

quote:

Units that are in urban hexes with forts should fight as long as they can and then retreat to another place with good defensive values

quote:

have moved major parts of their armies toward the Burma road to protect this area and the supply it brings as long as possible.

quote:

There are a dozen or so units that are NOT permanently restricted

quote:

4th(b), start shipping fuel from EC to Cape Town right away. Use TKs or half-full xAKs. Don't let CT run dry of fuel.

quote:

Be sure to identify all transports that can upgrade to APA / AKA / LSI(L) status,

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Also, is it possible to have a list of all Leaders per nation?

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Hi there,

Thanks for these pieces of advice. These already bring me some questions:

quote:

It is just as fast to haul fuel from Abadan to Perth as it is from the US to Sydney/Melbourne

But of course we can do both at the same time i guess? Yes

quote:

IO area

What does this stands for? Indian Ocean. Note that there are two Christmas Islands and one of them has IO after the name to show which ocean it is in.

quote:

Units that are in urban hexes with forts should fight as long as they can and then retreat to another place with good defensive values

Retreat is something i was wondering about: when do you consider it is time to retreat? And when you do so, do you have to switch to "Move" mode or remain in "Combat mode?"

When your units are too beat-up to fight, move them out. I use 30+ disruption and fatigue as my standard, but other players let it go higher. You will also note that he is destroying
a lot more of your squads than you are of his. Defenders start with an advantage in dug-in positions and usually inflict more destroyed squads on the enemy when he attacks. When that stops happening
it is time to go. Note that your disabled squads may never recover because of the lack of supply, while his probably will recover in a few days. If you aren't destroying squads, bring in fresh troops and
move back your tired ones.

Leapfrog your units to new positions. Move the most heavily disrupted units first, and when they reach a defensible hex have them wait while you move the next group past or beside them. Continue until
you have set up a defensible line or strong blocking point. Moving in Combat mode is for marching to battle with good morale and low disruption. When you are whipped (high fatigue, disruption and low morale)
use Move mode to get out as fast as possible. Accept that you will lose a lot of troops if he attacks while you are moving, but most of them will move faster (fleeing). If you leave the troops where they
are to try delay him, you may disable some of his squads but he can recover them with good supply, and your troops will be wiped out.

quote:

have moved major parts of their armies toward the Burma road to protect this area and the supply it brings as long as possible.

I always saw "Burma road" in a lot of places here, but i never got what it truely represented. Do you confirm this is the road as shown in the screen below? That's quite far from the front for Chinese units to fall back and protect it, and besides Japanese are already in Burma , i think this part falls first.

Your route is a little off. The sand coloured roads are secondary roads where movement is ½ as fast as a main road. The Burma road runs from Lashio through Kunming and on to Chungking. Even if Rangoon falls, as long as you hold this stretch of road you get 500 more supply points a day for China.

quote:

There are a dozen or so units that are NOT permanently restricted

I had a look at Chineese OOB and i only see 3 or 4 ENG units who are not withing an HQ with [R] attached to it. Am i missing something?
If the name of their attached HQ is in white, they can be bought out with PP and changed to an unrestricted HQ such as NCAC (New Chinese Army Command). If the HQ name is in gray, you cannot
change it.

quote:

4th(b), start shipping fuel from EC to Cape Town right away. Use TKs or half-full xAKs. Don't let CT run dry of fuel.

I didn't know xAKs could load up some fuels? I thought only Tankers could.
xAKs can carry fuel at half the capacity they have for cargo. This simulates fuel in drums. A few ships have a dedicated tank for fuel (note the 5800 tonners, which have 5600 cargo space and 200 fuel space) which
does not use drums so the tank capacity is not cut in half.

quote:

Be sure to identify all transports that can upgrade to APA / AKA / LSI(L) status,

Is there a list of these ships or do i have to check all Ships ' upgrades manualy?

It is not so hard. Go to the ship list button (single ship icon at top of screen) and click it. Ships are listed by type and within each type they are grouped by class. Click away on the xAKL, warship and tanker ship types until all
you have left are AKs/APs/xAKs/xAPs. Class groupings will be apparent. Check one ship of each class and if it says it can convert or update to an APA [or British LSI(L)] or AKA in March to July of 1943, note the ship names or class and do not use it in risky
operations if you can help it. Transferring troops from US to Oz in well escorted convoys (with CV protection) is a good use for them before they convert.

Also, is it possible to have a list of all Leaders per nation?

AFAIK, the only way to get this would be to open the game editor and go to the leaders tab. I am not sure if it can be sorted by nation. Some leaders are not available at game start - they arrive throughout the game.
The easiest way to do this is just click on the leader name you want to change and the list of available leaders will come up. Click on the thing you consider most important for that leader (Naval Skill? Aggression? etc.) and look for
a leader with the right mix of qualities for the job. Note that CV and Air Combat TF commanders should have fairly good Air Skill, as well as decent Naval Skill. I use 50 in each as my minimum.

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Hi there,

Thanks for these pieces of advice. These already bring me some questions:

quote:

It is just as fast to haul fuel from Abadan to Perth as it is from the US to Sydney/Melbourne

OR east Coast to Cape Town and CT to Perth

But of course we can do both at the same time i guess? Yes

quote:

IO area

What does this stands for? Indian Ocean. Note that there are two Christmas Islands and one of them has IO after the name to show which ocean it is in.

quote:

Units that are in urban hexes with forts should fight as long as they can and then retreat to another place with good defensive values

Retreat is something i was wondering about: when do you consider it is time to retreat? And when you do so, do you have to switch to "Move" mode or remain in "Combat mode?"

When your units are too beat-up to fight, move them out. I use 30+ disruption and fatigue as my standard, but other players let it go higher. You will also note that he is destroying
a lot more of your squads than you are of his. Defenders start with an advantage in dug-in positions and usually inflict more destroyed squads on the enemy when he attacks. When that stops happening
it is time to go. Note that your disabled squads may never recover because of the lack of supply, while his probably will recover in a few days. If you aren't destroying squads, bring in fresh troops and
move back your tired ones.

Leapfrog your units to new positions. Move the most heavily disrupted units first, and when they reach a defensible hex have them wait while you move the next group past or beside them. Continue until
you have set up a defensible line or strong blocking point. Moving in Combat mode is for marching to battle with good morale and low disruption. When you are whipped (high fatigue, disruption and low morale)
use Move mode to get out as fast as possible. Accept that you will lose a lot of troops if he attacks while you are moving, but most of them will move faster (fleeing). If you leave the troops where they
are to try delay him, you may disable some of his squads but he can recover them with good supply, and your troops will be wiped out. You can always start retreating before they arrive and decide to cancel the mve should you have enough defense

quote:

have moved major parts of their armies toward the Burma road to protect this area and the supply it brings as long as possible.

I always saw "Burma road" in a lot of places here, but i never got what it truely represented. Do you confirm this is the road as shown in the screen below? That's quite far from the front for Chinese units to fall back and protect it, and besides Japanese are already in Burma , i think this part falls first.

Your route is a little off. The sand coloured roads are secondary roads where movement is ½ as fast as a main road. The Burma road runs from Lashio through Kunming and on to Chungking. Even if Rangoon falls, as long as you hold this stretch of road you get 500 more supply points a day for China.

quote:

There are a dozen or so units that are NOT permanently restricted

I had a look at Chineese OOB and i only see 3 or 4 ENG units who are not withing an HQ with [R] attached to it. Am i missing something?
If the name of their attached HQ is in white, they can be bought out with PP and changed to an unrestricted HQ such as NCAC (New Chinese Army Command). If the HQ name is in gray, you cannot
change it. Many CHI Infantry units have engineers as part of the unit so they, as long as they are in combat mode, will help build fortifications and airports

quote:

4th(b), start shipping fuel from EC to Cape Town right away. Use TKs or half-full xAKs. Don't let CT run dry of fuel.

I didn't know xAKs could load up some fuels? I thought only Tankers could.
xAKs can carry fuel at half the capacity they have for cargo. This simulates fuel in drums. A few ships have a dedicated tank for fuel (note the 5800 tonners, which have 5600 cargo space and 200 fuel space) which
does not use drums so the tank capacity is not cut in half. Make note of the storage size as well as making sure they do not refuel upon unloading fuel taking what you just unloaded - some longer range xAKS are particularly good as they can go the round trip with minimal refueling 16000 endurance with 5500+ cargo space.

quote:

Be sure to identify all transports that can upgrade to APA / AKA / LSI(L) status,

Is there a list of these ships or do i have to check all Ships ' upgrades manualy?

It is not so hard. Go to the ship list button (single ship icon at top of screen) and click it. Ships are listed by type and within each type they are grouped by class. Click away on the xAKL, warship and tanker ship types until all
you have left are AKs/APs/xAKs/xAPs. Class groupings will be apparent. Check one ship of each class and if it says it can convert or update to an APA [or British LSI(L)] or AKA in March to July of 1943, note the ship names or class and do not use it in risky
operations if you can help it. Transferring troops from US to Oz in well escorted convoys (with CV protection) is a good use for them before they convert.

Also, is it possible to have a list of all Leaders per nation?

AFAIK, the only way to get this would be to open the game editor and go to the leaders tab. I am not sure if it can be sorted by nation. Some leaders are not available at game start - they arrive throughout the game.
The easiest way to do this is just click on the leader name you want to change and the list of available leaders will come up. Click on the thing you consider most important for that leader (Naval Skill? Aggression? etc.) and look for
a leader with the right mix of qualities for the job. Note that CV and Air Combat TF commanders should have fairly good Air Skill, as well as decent Naval Skill. I use 50 in each as my minimum.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pws1225

Just a minor alteration to BBfanboy's excellent post: in a beta patch the original definition of the Burma Road was modified to include Rangoon as follows from michaelm's change log: "21/10/12: 1119e - Burma road not open if Rangoon in enemy hands"

quote:

4th(b), start shipping fuel from EC to Cape Town right away. Use TKs or half-full xAKs. Don't let CT run dry of fuel.

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Thanks for these answers. One last question before starting next part :

quote:

4th(b), start shipping fuel from EC to Cape Town right away. Use TKs or half-full xAKs. Don't let CT run dry of fuel.

Do you confirm i can't do it now? I don't have any ships in East Coast, and i can't transfer some from West coast. Or am i missing an element?

quote:

I would try to limit the use of (x)APs to moving troops and equipment around. If you are just going to move supply, use xAKs as you have got more of them and they carry more supply then the xAPs anyway..

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Thanks again for all these advise. It is now time to start out world tour (or more half world tour) of all the stuffs i do before the Infamy.

December 7th, 1941
H-5 Before Pearl Harbor Assault

Continental US


Naval :

First thing i do is recalling all the ships on route for PH, and get them back to SF. The only exceptions are the Prince Robert (AMc),Be sure to distinguish between an AMC (Armed Merchant Cruiser) and an AMc (Auxiliary, Mine, Coastal).
AMCs are armed with extra guns and manned by naval crews, and some of them can carry troops/cargo while others like Prince Robert cannot. They are too big and slow to fight it out with a warship, so best use for them appears to be additional protection
for a convoy or amphibious TF. AMcs are the ones you want to do daily minesweeping at important ports. IJN subs can all lay mines. the Cynthia Olson (xAK) and the McFarland (AVD), all 3 set to carry on to PH. The Mauna Ala (xAKL) is also redirected from Vancouver to SF.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket (SFO). Make use of Seattle, Portland, LA and San Diego too. Send all Canadian BFs except Vancouver via rail to Prince Rupert and develop the port immediately to support your ops in the North. Note the repair shipyard there.

In SF, A convoy composed of 2*TK, 8 short range xAK and 4 short range DDs is created and sent to Panama. It will be then sent to EC, where it will be used to feed CT. You do not need DDs to escort ships off-map. DDs are precious so once your convoy
is at the map edge, send them back to SFO/LA/SD to escort other important convoys or warships. Expect to have to use your minor warships like AMs and SCs to escort convoys because there will not be enough DDs to go around. Priority for DDs is Carriers/troop convoys/Cruisers/AOs/BBs, in that order.

Still in SF, a large convoy of 9 * Transports, 5*DD and 1*TK is created and set to load supplies. This convoy will be joined by 2*TK and 1*CL from San Diego , and then set to PH.

The 2*BB in Seattle are set to Pierside repairs. Note that the US BB there (Idaho?) has a Jan 1942 upgrade which will coincide with the end of current repairs. Your choice whether to say YES or NO to the upgrade. I would do it because the radar and AA is worth the wait.

Finally, all SS are gathered in 2 TFs and set to PH, with auto Disband there and no refuel. Subs do not use much fuel and should NOT be left in port to be sunk in the first air raid after Dec. 7th. Even if their torps are unreliable, the crews need to gain experience and they
are good for spotting enemy TFs to warn you or a raid or invasion. Send some of the short-range S-boats to Midway, Australia and Dutch Harbour. Send an AS support vessel to each location where you base subs that is not a level 7 port. Make sure you set them to "Do Not Unload" their stock of supplies as
they cannot support subs if they have no supplies aboard. The longer range fleet boats can operate from PH for now, or you can send a few to other locations that have support. Consider Columbo too - the British have very few subs. Dutch subs and their AS support should move to Oz when Soerabaja is no longer safe.


Air Force :

The very first action I do is to send Major Lynch to TRACOM. With his 81 EXP, I think he¡¦ll be more ussefull here than sitting in asquadron in the Eastern Coast.

All Permanently restricted squadron receive new pilotes from Reinforcment pool. Squadron where you only have 1 or 2 planes are not filled at full scale; no need to have 18 pilotes just on 2 planes. Pilotes with more than 50 exp are sent to Reserve pools and replaced with rookies.
They are also all used as training planes with the following parameters:
- P38 / P39/ P40/P43: Training 100% Escort, 1000 ft , 0 hexes
- B17/B18A/B25B/ : Training 100% Naval Search , 6000ft, 0Hexes
- O47/O49 : Training 100% Recon , 6000ft, 0Hexes

I perform the same actions with the Restricted and Unrestricted planes, but reduce to only 50 % training to prevent a too important attrition on these planes which will soon join the front line.

All Non restricted planes from EC are set to SF. No training for them until they arrive to destination.

Search planes in most major coast ports set to 50% ASW at 6000 feet. ASW by aircraft is very ineffective at first because none of the squadrons has much ASW training and because ASW only works after the sub has been spotted by some means (radio intel, attack made by the sub, or
naval search}. Use the aircraft for Naval Search until you can get some pilots cross-trained in ASW. You could set 20% of a squadron to ASW training while the rest search. Naval Search aircraft will sometimes attack a sub, but usually it dives first. This is good because it limits the sub's
own search for ships and it provides warning to TFs that there is a sub in the area. The TFs are then less likely to be surprised by the sub.

Finally, planes from the Saratoga are rebased to Los Angeles and start their training: (60 % Escort, 1000ft) for FT, (60 % Naval Attack, 6000ft) for NB and TB.
At 6000 feet, Dive Bombers and Torpedo Bombers will make a level-bombing attack which does not offer the best chance of a hit. DBs need to be between 10,000 feet and 15,000 feet to make a steep dive-bombing attack which offers best chance of a hit.
Torpedo bombers must be set to low level and using torpedoes to train in NavT attacks. NavB can be achieved by setting them to use bombs at 5000 feet or higher. I prefer to set them below 5000 feet to develop LowNav bombing skill.
You can read up on a lot of this stuff in the "War Room" section with the FAQ for Newbies; http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2260137


Ground :

All units are set to rest, apart the ENG kept to Combat status, and the 2 Units for PH + 1 Unit to Pago Pago changed to Strategic.
Most coast bases are set to Expand Port and Air Field.


That¡¦s all for Continental US ƒº Many other things to do in the rest of the world:

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

quote:

I would try to limit the use of (x)APs to moving troops and equipment around. If you are just going to move supply, use xAKs as you have got more of them and they carry more supply then the xAPs anyway..

Advice taken :) I switched the two xAps i had for two xAks in my TF.

December 7th, 1941
H-5 Before Pearl Harbor Assault

Pearl Harbor

I resist here the "all powerfull vision" i have on the events and do not moove my planes or ships to the nearby islands. The only thing i do it to have all my planes standing down to rest.

ASW patrols are set in Johnson Ilsand, PH and Midway.

The Enterprise and Lexington groups are ordered to sail back to Johnson Island where they will stay until they can safely sail to PH. Their pilotes are also immediatly set to training : (60 % Escort, 1000ft) for FT, (60 % Naval Attack, 6000ft) for NB and TB.

Sub patrols already at sea are redirected around PH, Johnson Island, Midway, Wake and Kure.


Finally , Johnson Island, PH and Midway are set to expand Port/Airfield/Forts. Wake is lost in near future so no need to waist ressources here.
The F4F fighters at Wake are precious in the early months. If Lex is still close enough to Wake, have the fighters fly to her. If necessary, transfer the near useless Devastator torpedo planes from Lex to Wake to make room aboard for the fighters.

quote:

Note that the US BB there (Idaho?) has a Jan 1942 upgrade which will coincide with the end of current repairs. Your choice whether to say YES or NO to the upgrade. I would do it because the radar and AA is worth the wait.

quote:

Subs do not use much fuel and should NOT be left in port to be sunk in the first air raid after Dec. 7th. Even if their torps are unreliable, the crews need to gain experience and they
are good for spotting enemy TFs to warn you or a raid or invasion. Send some of the short-range S-boats to Midway, Australia and Dutch Harbour. Send an AS support vessel to each location where you base subs that is not a level 7 port. Make sure you set them to "Do Not Unload" their stock of supplies as they cannot support subs if they have no supplies aboard. The longer range fleet boats can operate from PH for now, or you can send a few to other locations that have support. Consider Columbo too - the British have very few subs. Dutch subs and their AS support should move to Oz when Soerabaja is no longer safe.

quote:

At 6000 feet, Dive Bombers and Torpedo Bombers will make a level-bombing attack which does not offer the best chance of a hit. DBs need to be between 10,000 feet and 15,000 feet to make a steep dive-bombing attack which offers best chance of a hit. Torpedo bombers must be set to low level and using torpedoes to train in NavT attacks. NavB can be achieved by setting them to use bombs at 5000 feet or higher. I prefer to set them below 5000 feet to develop LowNav bombing skill. You can read up on a lot of this stuff in the "War Room" section with the FAQ for Newbies; http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2260137

quote:

ASW by aircraft is very ineffective at first because none of the squadrons has much ......

quote:

The F4F fighters at Wake are precious in the early months. If Lex is still close enough to Wake, have the fighters fly to her. If necessary, transfer the near useless Devastator torpedo planes from Lex to Wake to make room aboard for the fighters.

quote:

ORIGINAL: BlitzX

Before continuing, i would like if possible some advices on India and Australia.

I had a look at various topics on these two fields, but if the other theatres are quite straigthforward, i am a bit lost on what i should do with the units there (esp Australia).

I admit a bit of enlightments would be welcome here :)