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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/19/2015 1:35:13 PM

Lowpe

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Another very long turn. Lots of data analysis with respect to supplies and their locations. I have 2.5 million having burned thru a 2.5 million in the last six months. I still make 16K supplies a day, and running out of HI, fuel or oil is exceedingly unlikely.

The relentless pounding of the Honshu airfields hasn't helped, and here is another little mistake I made. I should have been building forts more heavily from the beginning...instead I was hoping to save supply. All of the big cities should have good forts, if for no other reason than the benefit the forts provide for protecting aircraft and supplies which is hinted at in the rulebook.

But now I am going to start a program of stricter supply preservation. Of course repairs are off, except every now and then I blow a 1000 supplies to create a little more production either engine or fighter where I think it will last for a while. Previously I turned off all motorized support replacements and replacements to most engineer units. I have revisited that. A while back I turned off repairs for the RTA units which are going away shortly.

There definitely is a benefit to out of the way factories that get overlooked. Harbin, especially but its large factory makes my worst fighter the Oscar IV...but I will gladly take them.

I have now curtailed flight training somewhat even thou it hardly uses up supply.

Below is a picture of the PM; I have detected some movement here and dispatched two squadrons of Lilly divebombers here joining a chutai of Tonies. I also put a sentai of Norms on naval strike to see if this is an easy target....plus the KB is enroute.

Port Moresby, once held by the excellent 5th Divison, now has only the heavy artillery left. A Naval Guard unit is flying in while portions of a HQc are flying out. Rabaul just got resupplied, and still has plentiful aviation support and is garrisoned by a regiment and several naval guards units that will be evacuating for the PI shortly. No Allied detection here, just some naval search.

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< Message edited by Lowpe -- 10/19/2015 2:55:31 PM >

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/19/2015 3:58:11 PM

Lowpe

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I have really come to grips with losing ships and planes. What bothers me is when I can't trade them well in a VP sense.

I look for the little victories.

This turn, Lang Son really turned into a transport base as there are quite a few flying to points south and west picking up those troops (especially at Vientiane) that are air transportable and shattered. Getting a Garrison this day...saving probably about two weeks of travel time.

Plus HQs have arrived, some flown in from Hong Kong to really turn it into a (currently) rear area training and repair and rest depot.

I spent the points and swapped out the poor admin leader on that division. 37pp. Ouch. Obvert early on mentioned that by the time the endgame comes around Japan would be swimming in PP, but I sure don't see it. I don't think it is ever possible...I would love to be able to buy two more divisions from Manchuko right now, plus ship Captains need changing, etc., etc.,

Things are getting dicy again in Indochina as the Allies are moving 6 divisions on Saigon...I need him not to enter the hex for another few days...maybe. Retreat routes are nasty at Saigon depending what the Allies do.

Vinh is finally at 4(99), so forts 5 tomorrow. What a stronghold it will be.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/19/2015 3:58:42 PM

ny59giants

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There has always been lots of conversation on what plane models to produce and in what numbers. I don't think I've ever seen one on the strategic need to have certain airframes produced at certain bases. Hardbin is a good example.

quote:

Vinh is finally at 4(99), so forts 5 tomorrow. What a stronghold it will be.

My worry is once most of SE Asia is in Allied hands, a stronghold here will be by-passed as there are plenty of clear terrain bases to land on from Vinh to Shanghai. A little MacArthur strategy for the Allies...by-pass them!!

< Message edited by ny59giants -- 10/19/2015 5:01:18 PM >

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/19/2015 4:02:29 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

There has always been lots of conversation on what plane models to produce and in what numbers. I don't think I've ever seen one on the strategic need to have certain airframes produced at certain bases. Hardbin is a good example.

You figure you have four early approaches to Honshu: Kuriles; Bonins; Luzon; Formosa(China). Having your best fighter factories dispersed makes a lot of sense!

And don't forget about your engine factories!

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/19/2015 4:06:40 PM

Lowpe

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Yeah, I suspect Vinh can be bypassed.

After my recent China invasion scare, I have 7+ divisions heading for the beaches. There is already a full division at Pakhoi, and more supporting troops arriving.

Really buying time...plus forts 5 will allow fewer troops to hold the line I hope. Anything for more time to straighten out the defenses and drain Palembang of excess supplies.

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Post #: 6095

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 2:09:16 PM

Lowpe

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May 19th, 1944

Some Helens make night bombing runs...a few runway hits and some Seafires destroyed in Thailand. No planes destroyed on the Japanese Islands.

Some Georges get up their nerve and sweep the Allies...decent results with 5 lost for 6 according to the replay. Anytime I can trade 1-1 or better I am happy. Beats losing 3-1 or more to his Jugs.

About 13 for 13 according to Tracker.

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< Message edited by Lowpe -- 10/21/2015 3:37:37 PM >

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 2:16:36 PM

Lowpe

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Survive another day....Vinh is bombed...so perhaps we are at forts 4 (99)!

Lose several ships, some to subs, some to a B29 strike, some to SBDs cleaning up my ACMs around Honshu.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 2:20:20 PM

Lowpe

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Shikoku is bottled up....I wonder if I should try to scare up all my troops and attack on the belief he can't really invade anywhere else for a while or simply just move alot of heavy artillery here and duel it out with him.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 2:54:19 PM

Alfred

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No to either. The defensive terrain is too good for the Allies.

What would be smarter is to increase the logistics pressure by constant air bombardment on the LCUs. Makes the enemy to choose whether to divert fighters to CAP the LCU rather than escorting the bombers on strategic bombing or sweeping. Another benefit for Japan doing this is that it allows you to place mines by sub in the only enemy port on Shikoku. That gives you another weapon to use against enemy ships without zero chance of enemy CAP disrupting your operations. Plus as it would be a focussed effort your mine stockpile will last longer.

Alfred

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Post #: 6099

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 4:10:10 PM

Lowpe

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Thanks, Alfred.

Some quick math yields gross air points lost in the last 60 days:

Japan 5,292
Allies 3,959

That is a lot of planes!

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Post #: 6100

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/21/2015 10:16:58 PM

PaxMondo

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Some quick math yields gross air points lost in the last 60 days:

Japan 5,292
Allies 3,959

That is a lot of planes!

Yep ... a lot.

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Post #: 6101

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/22/2015 7:56:22 PM

Lowpe

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May 20, 1944

The IJA holds in Indochina for now...Saigon is now besieged.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/28/2015 1:31:06 AM

Lowpe

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A couple of days have gone by without an update. Sorry, and this one will be short.

The Deathstar is now rampaging off Jolo...

Heavy ground fighting from Saigon and north along the river with Japan holding for now, a sharp setback to an Allied division and brigade was administered by the 2nd Tank and a crack IJA division in the jungle roads...but my troops are stretched thin. Saigon held for the first attack, without the forts dropping...

Air losses have been about equal, slight advantage to the Allies, but at this stage of the game that is a plus for Japan.

KB still moving south to attack Oz. Having trouble refilling the squadrons thanks to the rampaging Deathstar to the north (near Jolo).

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Post #: 6103

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/28/2015 4:44:12 PM

Lowpe

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On the Pakse/Vientiane road in Thailand...the Allies suffer a rude jungle surprise despite heavy aerial bombing.

It would be nice to pound the reduced division and force a retreat, but I have to move the 2nd Tank Division further south to shore up a weak point near Pakse.

Ground combat at 64,62 (near Ubon)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10362 troops, 144 guns, 95 vehicles, Assault Value = 446

Defending force 19913 troops, 290 guns, 615 vehicles, Assault Value = 842

Allied adjusted assault: 201

Japanese adjusted defense: 1775

Allied assault odds: 1 to 8

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

Japanese ground losses:
186 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
481 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 12 disabled
Vehicles lost 57 (5 destroyed, 52 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
81st (West African) Division

Defending units:
11th Division
2nd Tank Division
5th RF Gun Battalion
31st Air Defense AA Battalion

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Post #: 6104

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 1:06:42 PM

koniu

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quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Some quick math yields gross air points lost in the last 60 days:

Japan 5,292
Allies 3,959

That is a lot of planes!

Yep ... a lot.

As Japan You can handle this but not as allies.

At this point of war allies have decent reinforcements but most of planes is at best average. Specially fighters. Next few months they have no P-47 reinforcement and maybe 200 total good army fighters, rest of them is early war junk.
Little better with Navy where he getting lot of F6F and F4U, but still it is not big number. You losing 5 planes for every killed allied 4. This is almost 1:1 ratio. Keep it going.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 2:50:49 PM

JocMeister

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He lost 4000 planes in two months?! Holy...

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Post #: 6106

RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 3:37:40 PM

Lowpe

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A look at the incredibly broad front in Indochina. The Allies have only 1 strong Tank Unit at Saigon, but they do have near 6 divisions down in that area.

Most Allied tanks are in and around Ubon, some caught in the jungle in an artillery mismatch and the IJA artillery is extracting daily destruction.

In return the Allies have total air supremacy, but almost all defensive positions have AA and are in the jungle.

Hoping to hold here for a while, it really depends upon how the Allies use their bomber forces and force a break thru my lines. Originally, I only wanted to hold long enough to enact my retreat, especially the Vientiane forces, but I believe I might try to hold longer now.

I have 6 divisions heading for the Chinese coast...another fairly long march. Pakhoi is being reinforced, and for now has a full division+ there.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 3:56:39 PM

Lowpe

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Just a quick note on giving up Pakse without a fight.

It was touch and go whether the 1st Tank and an ID could hold; if I tried to hold onto Pakse too, those troops might have retreated back to Pakse ensuring their isolation and destruction. I can't have that,and decided the least of evils would be giving up Pakse without a shot.

Painful to do, but necessary. Unfortunately it does give the Allies a nice forward base, and will probably help with their resupply, but I lacked the troops to defend both locations.

I really like the idea of fighting in all this rough terrain in Indochina, and have high hopes if I can hold for a couple of weeks allowing my troops to really rest and repair back at Lang Son and Vinh.

The engineers at Vinh have repaired the runways and we should improve the forts to level 5 on the morrow. Lang Son is building up nicely now too.

The great concern now is an amphibious invasion behind the lines. Surely the Allies are thinking about that too?

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 11:15:43 PM

witpqs

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Being able to specify a 'direction of retreat' (subject to the usual randomness to succeed) order would be nice, but we don't have it so you have to make decisions like that one. Both sides get bitten by it in my experience, so it's not unfair but it does feel unnatural.

You mean the Allies must be thinking about doing it, right? I assume so, but actual plans depend on what else they have planned and having the resources left over for it.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 11:44:34 PM

BBfanboy

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I haven't had to do the retreat thing too often, so I can't say for sure, but ... it seems to me that when the unit about to be retreated was already moving in a certain direction and had covered more than half the distance out of the hex, it retreated in the same direction. Anyone else observed that? ... or contrary?

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/30/2015 11:56:38 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I haven't had to do the retreat thing too often, so I can't say for sure, but ... it seems to me that when the unit about to be retreated was already moving in a certain direction and had covered more than half the distance out of the hex, it retreated in the same direction. Anyone else observed that? ... or contrary?

I think in all cases but one, for me, the troops retreated to the nearest base, and in the the one exception that they didn't it was because of really nasty terrain so that the troops most likely retreated the path with the highest supply line.

Did that make sense?

Well, I have been doing a lot of retreating lately, with more in the future.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/31/2015 12:02:46 AM

witpqs

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I haven't had to do the retreat thing too often, so I can't say for sure, but ... it seems to me that when the unit about to be retreated was already moving in a certain direction and had covered more than half the distance out of the hex, it retreated in the same direction. Anyone else observed that? ... or contrary?

I think in all cases but one, for me, the troops retreated to the nearest base, and in the the one exception that they didn't it was because of really nasty terrain so that the troops most likely retreated the path with the highest supply line.

Did that make sense?

Well, I have been doing a lot of retreating lately, with more in the future.

Yup, that's how it works. The retreat path is calculated using the same terrain cost model that movement and supply both use.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/31/2015 12:03:15 AM

witpqs

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I haven't had to do the retreat thing too often, so I can't say for sure, but ... it seems to me that when the unit about to be retreated was already moving in a certain direction and had covered more than half the distance out of the hex, it retreated in the same direction. Anyone else observed that? ... or contrary?

Dang! Where is your AAR, man?!

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/31/2015 12:14:07 AM

Lowpe

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From a Japanese perspective in 44, almost every position needs a clear route path.

Understanding that route path is critical to maintaining a credible defense.

Of course, there is something to be said for creating a pocket and fighting to the last man.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 10/31/2015 2:01:13 AM

BBfanboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I haven't had to do the retreat thing too often, so I can't say for sure, but ... it seems to me that when the unit about to be retreated was already moving in a certain direction and had covered more than half the distance out of the hex, it retreated in the same direction. Anyone else observed that? ... or contrary?

Dang! Where is your AAR, man?!

I'm playing sandbox, remember, so the orders from the top guy (a Stalin/Hitler strategist) is to fight to the last bullet ... and then fix bayonets and charge! Heck, it worked at Little Round Top, didn't it?

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RE: KB Strikes! - 11/1/2015 2:26:08 PM

Lowpe

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I have been reinforcing Shikoku with barges last turn. In addition, I moved the Wake CD unit to Oita along with steadily increasing the minefields there.

I was hoping to bag some Destroyers, but I will take the PT boats.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 11/2/2015 12:50:41 AM

Lowpe

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May 23, 1944

Catch some unescorted bombers...In general the Allies sweep way more than they escort, and don't seem to use LRCAP that much.

Nice catch here in Indochina.

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RE: KB Strikes! - 11/2/2015 1:04:21 AM

Lowpe

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Saigon is getting bombed with all the 4Es in theater....doesn't look good for holding and the retreat routes maybe a little messed up here. Need to pay close attention...

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RE: KB Strikes! - 11/2/2015 1:07:04 AM

Lowpe

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Yesterday we splashed 20 Allied planes for two losses; today we do even better. So for the last two days Allied plane losses equals 60 planes for just 4 Japanese. Of course the Allies are knocking on 30,000 strategic victory points which isn't pleasant, and I have them targeted at getting 40K, but I bet they will do even more than that.