dasboot1960
Posts: 389
Joined: 8/2/2009
From: St Augustine, Florida
Status: offline
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All right then - Now just getting ready to start my Jan 5, 42 turn. In the eastern and central Pacific, I have taken Waken, Midway, Baker, Canton and Tabiteyea. I the South Pacific, Shortlands, Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Ndeni, Luganville, and I am stalemated ashore at Noumea. In the resource area, am engaged at Clark Field and Manila, but have the rest of Luzon. I hold Davao and probably half the bases on Mindanao, but not Cagayan. Borneo is mine except Samarinda, Banjermassin, and the southwest coast. I have Singapore under siege, and hold Alor Star. I am making my approach into Burma. In China, I hold Hong Kong, but lost Ichang. I bollixed that one, forgetting how vulnerable it is. I had the time to reinforce but was not focused. Wenchow is the only Chinese port I don't hold, and I have taken Chengchow, with Loyang nearly in the bag.
I feel like both my air and naval losses are trending too high, I think both due to pretty aggressive reaches . I have sent too many unescorted bomber raids, and too many low-level airbase fighter attacks. At least playing one day turns, there haven't been any huge disasters. I also have had my successes. I now can put escorted Nav bombers over Batavia.The largest naval losses have been three of the large AMCs, but I knew I was risking them. As far as combatants, I have lost a CL, 2 DDs, and 3 Es. Truly, for as early as it is, and as extended as I am, I feel the losses are acceptable. My total hulls lost is 54, Aircraft loss points right now are tied at 614, but I anticipate that will swing back towards me with some future airbase captures. I have also put replacement pool guys right into front line units, in the hope that some will survive and train up, that may have affected losses too.
Obviously I'm trying to force an early USN carrier battle, but no dice yet. Kelly has hid them very well this time, but there is still a fight at Noumea, that has revealed at least one CV in the area. KB is stalking the area looking to pinch that one, or with luck, more. I'm having to scramble for troops to reinforce my landing there, he knew I would go there, and when my landing force approached I sunk several of his transports, including the QE, but he already had a couple brigades ashore. As early as it is, I am positive I will win, I just hope I can bag a couple carriers and perhaps some major combatants in the process. Needless to say, My AOs are working their asses off. The small carriers are all at Truk for additional support or to provide additional replacements.
In the Philippines, Kelly used the Clark/Manila/Bataan. strategy again. I think this is flawed. As allies I always pick Bataan. Early on, the triangle strategy might provide some rest/rotation opportunities,(that's all I can think of to recommend it). But once the real shooting starts, when Clark goes, The other two are both isolated. I'm bringing in 38th Div from Hong Kong to try and expedite that.
In Malaya, I went for Mersing. (trooplift losses ensued) This resulted in a good 20k commonwealth troops isolated north of Singapore. Additionally from the initial fight I had at Palembang, I think he pulled a couple Indian brigades out. My first assault at Singapore went off at 1-2, but I have the Imperial Guards coming down from Mersing and expect to crack it quickly. I'm looking to get may paras in to try and speed Sumatran occupation, at which point Java will bu a brute force undertaking after Singapore goes.
Burma will get sizable troop inputs post Java, I am seriously considering a major play for Calcutta.
Production - Ramping up early a/c & engine production. Trying to bring on R&D capacities. I really feel like I'm playing with fire here, so I trying to hold back some, in economic caution. I have accelerated the three Amagis, and raised NSY to currently 1464. I am only increasing capacity at Shimonoseki and Kagoshima right now, just because they are smallest. I haven't turned any carrier production or other combatants off, but did kull through the other ship classes. 'm fairly confident in this regard, but may turn some of the smaller subs back on later. Right now, progress on Musashi is every other day, due to NSY limits. Not really production, but I have upsized air squadrons as much as possible. So far, it merely screams how much I need to ramp up air production. I have disbanded/withdrawn some just so I don't have so many low-count units to go through. I intend to try and hold perhaps 75% of my squadrons back to maximize training, and the more pilots that each can have strikes me as better.
Economy - I'm only shipping out of prewar held ports, and just eyeballing levels at what I'm capturing for now. Trying to remind myself I'm only one month in. I've cause more damage this time around to oil infrastructure, and that sucks. Currently, Supply is 2.7m+. Resources 7.4m+ and Oil 3m+. Fuel is 4.3m+ I have kept a lot of ships parked for now. I have gone for the mass-conversion of small XAKs per notes I have found (I have read Solli's Into the Breach AAR front to back, and may have printed half of it, it has provided across the board insight.
I know there's too much I could include but have forgotten. The one thing that becomes more obvious to me every turn is the fact, (not to be too Rumsfeldian), of the known unknowns, but more importantly the unknown unknowns. May there be ever fewer unknown knowns. I'm not going political here, I'm just stealing his lines. Therefore, I invite criticism, kibitzing and insight. The forum has been a great learning tool for me, and I really prefer to learn things the hard way last of all. CHEERS!
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Down like a CLOWN!
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