RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (Full Version)

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Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 3:30:02 PM)

3/16/43

The best day of the war for the Allies opens with this encounter and will culminate in fireworks that lay to rest (at least temporarily) my bad habit of only damaging enemy vessels.

Battle of Tarawa: In two encounters with CVE Unyo, Grayling scores six TT hits. Confirmed sinking, of course. She takes 15 Zeroes down with her.

Over the past four turns, two Allied supply TFs have managed to come in and offload (thanks to big naval support). Supply about 68k. Forts at 5.5.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/18BCC837785544C39FD7CB3C390D1ECF.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 3:35:39 PM)

3/16/43

Battle of Cocos Island: Dave sends a capital TF hunting DS. The enemy ships instead run into BB Washington TF, serving as combat escort. The resulting battle is a decisive Allied victory. The Fuso TF had bombarded yesterday evening, so would've been low on supply. And CA Kumano had hit a mine during the bombardment run. I think Dave intentionally, if improvidently, committed this TF, but there's a chance it might've reacted. Fuso, the two CAs, and several DDs confirmed sunk. The CL took heavy fires/heavy damage.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/FB087E6A2BEF425EBD4320138B7AE31F.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 3:40:20 PM)

3/16/43

Battle of Cocos Island: A counter-invasion force continues inbound and loses an xAP. Dave is very aggressively counterattacking. I hope he proceeds, as I think the landing would be an utter calamity. But sometimes battles turn on small things that change outcomes.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/04041F00FFE04D45A79FBB49F0CE2E7C.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 3:43:18 PM)

3/16/43

Battle of Cocos Island: KB launches yet another strike. This one fails too.

In this game thus far, Dave has been strategically conservative. He's mostly played inside the historic empire limits and hasn't gone for sexy thing like Ceylon or India or Oz or Fiji or Hawaii. But he's uber aggressive tactically. He commit carriers and combat vessels at flank speed and sometimes against tough odds. He gets in good punches, but today's action turned the tables rather dramatically.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/2C38A575C7874D44A59A01627A09B6DE.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 3:44:34 PM)

3/16/43

Battle of Tarawa: Mini-KB also sends another modest strike that LBA fighters handle well.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/64C288F4C58848E68A03C8B3D7FF0E30.jpg[/image]



Lecivius -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 4:23:20 PM)

Dang, your torpedos actually worked!! [sm=happy0005.gif]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 4:37:48 PM)

3/16/43 and 3/17/43

Battle of Cocos: In seeking separation, both side see a few more fireworks. As the 16th opens, a USN sub misses CV Soryu SE of Cocos. An enemy subs puts a TT into CL Honolulu, slowing her to 13 knots. And - gulp - a sub puts a second TT into CV Saratoga. Somehow, damage inflicted is minimal - Sara can still make 21 knots and handle aircraft. Allied combat TFs finish off two raiding DDs. It's time to bug out, as most of my combat TFs are low or bingo on ammo and enemy subs are flooding the zone and finding damage vessels aplenty. Intentionally, most Allied TFs have been moving in such a way as to suggest that Diego will be the objective. Indeed, a handful of TFs are heading that way. But DS and her fast combat escorts (and damaged ones too) actually moves WSW, hoping to break contact. On the 17th, that goal seems to be met. I think two USN CVs and both fast BBs will head straight to map's edge and Capetown. The RN carriers and Hornet may make for Colombo, or possibly Perth...or, if I get a case of the yips, to Capetown too. I think Dave might come charging back with carriers, combat vessels, and subs. In the meantime, I chanced sending a few small supply vessels back to Cocos. They made it and upped supply to 10k, with another 4k available. That's still woefully low. Dave can and likely will surround, reduce and eventually take this island back. But I think the force needed to do so will lower the pressure on places like Luganville, Tarawa, Midway and the Aleutians.

Battle of Tarawa: An enemy combat TF is loitering about 10 hexes NE, probably inbound to molest Allied shipping. I have two CL/DD forces and two PT boat squadrons. Supply is 69k, so this base can withstand pressure for awhile.

China: No stirrings along the MLR.

Bay of Bengal: P-38s and 4EB in an effective airfield strike vs. Rangoon on the 17th.

Midway and NoPac: No real enemy presence or threat.

The Other KB (the one that was recently in NoPac): May be upgrading, but Dave is so aggressive that I have to allow for him pushing the TF south at flank speed to contest Cocos Island or seek my carriers. Or maybe their quietly in drydock.



Miller -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 5:07:02 PM)

Well done, those CAs are like gold dust for the Japs and their loss will hurt badly. Really as the Japs you can only get away with splitting up your CV assets during the first 3 or 4 months of the war. After that you need to keep mini KB with the main KB to maximize your chances in a CV battle, as Dave as found out to his cost....



BBfanboy -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/17/2019 6:36:54 PM)

Hope you brought a clean-up crew to Cocos Is.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/16/asia/australia-plastic-islands-intl/



Bif1961 -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/18/2019 12:17:41 AM)

I am the Allies too and my game is about to enter 1943, so your sub success gives me hope.



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 7:46:16 PM)

3/18/43 to 3/25/43

Cocos Island: Dave's ships withdrew and a few Allied merchant vessels made it to port. Supply now at 15k. The wounded capital ships departed the map for Capetown. Considering the intensity of the fighting, the withdrawal went smoothly. No real problems with enemy subs and Dave didn't find a way to teleport/wormhole another carrier force across the map in two days.

Tarawa: Dave's withdrawn his combat vessels and air forces (temporarily) but has a half dozens subs posted around the island. Allied nav search has their location, so Allied merchant vessels have thus far succeeded in threading the needle to get into port safely. Supply up to 75k.

China: No action along the MLR.

Burma: Recon reports more AA inbound for Rangoon, which has been victimized by Allied 4EB coming in from Assam, targeting airfield and industry. A P-38G squadron at Akyab is giving Dave's fighters fits.

CenPac: With Dave fighting hard elsewhere, I think the odds of an attack at Midway are decreasing.

NoPac: Ditto here. I no longer exepct a massive offensive in this region, though I wouldn't be surprised to see a limited action to take Attu or another nearby base or two.




[image]local://upfiles/8143/6D11F125D1584C038EC244053A01E449.jpg[/image]



Bif1961 -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 8:13:28 PM)

You said earlier that the Sara could handle aircraft but I thought if the combined damage was 50 or above it couldn't conduct plane operations. The Sara is at 51 combined damage, 19 Sys, 15 Fly and 17 Eng. Did it just pick up a point or two since your previous statement or can it conduct operations in it's current conditions? Maybe it is not all three possible areas damaged combined to 50 or more that hinders flight operations?



BBfanboy -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 9:49:43 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

You said earlier that the Sara could handle aircraft but I thought if the combined damage was 50 or above it couldn't conduct plane operations. The Sara is at 51 combined damage, 19 Sys, 15 Fly and 17 Eng. Did it just pick up a point or two since your previous statement or can it conduct operations in it's current conditions? Maybe it is not all three possible areas damaged combined to 50 or more that hinders flight operations?

I thought it was total damage of 100 and no category above 50?



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 11:09:15 PM)

Sara was definitely conducting flight ops, and the damage numbers are down since the immediate aftermath of the battle.

The damage threshold that prevents flight ops is 50. My guess is that engine damage doesn't count in that total, but that SYS, FLT, and Fires do. Just a guess on my part.



Bearcat2 -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 11:22:10 PM)

15.4.1.2 AIRCRAFT STATUS ON SHIPS

"Planes on a ship may not fly if the ship’s combined System Damage and Floatation Damage are greater than 50. "



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/19/2019 11:40:28 PM)

Rules? We don't need to stinkin' rules!

Thanks, Bearcat, for checking on things I don't check. Not because I'm not interested or needful but because my brain is packed and there's a tendency to go on general notions and understandings because that's usually sufficient. Eventually I fill in the gaps through helpful Forumites like you, and as circumstances make info particularly pertinent.



BBfanboy -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/20/2019 2:23:41 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bearcat2

15.4.1.2 AIRCRAFT STATUS ON SHIPS

"Planes on a ship may not fly if the ship’s combined System Damage and Floatation Damage are greater than 50. "

Thanks. I looked quickly at the manual but didn't find that section. So apparently you can operate while fires are burning! Probably no problem getting volunteers to fly off a burning ship.

[image]local://upfiles/35791/416BDE6FAF5C485996ADBD893BAED767.gif[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/20/2019 3:35:38 PM)

In fairness, the fires (if not contained quickly) will rapidly increase System damage and render the CV inoperable in any case. But as I understand it, Sara is off the map, en route to Capetown so flight ops should no longer be an issue.

Dan, you sure poked a hornet's nest with that Cocos op! And things look pretty good at Tarawa.



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/20/2019 3:48:22 PM)

Sara will be in Capetown's yards in two days. She's in fine shape considering the intensity of that battle.

At Tarawa and Cocos, Dave reacted quickly and strongly to the incursions along his perimeter. His overall style of play indeed reminds me of Miller, though there are differences between them too.

In the two campaigns, capital ships lost: Japan - 1 CVE, 1 BB, three CA, 1 CL; Allies - none (one CVE very badly damaged and marooned at a dot hex for a long, long time to come). He also lost considerably more aircraft than I did. I lost a fair number of low-value DDs plus a good dozen or so transports. But where it counts - attrition of fighting power - these two campaigns have been Allied victories.



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/20/2019 3:57:45 PM)

3/26/43 to 3/31/43

China: Dave is about to attack at Kukong, a forward outpost on the Chinese MLR. He'll take the base as soon as he attacks. The real Allied strongpoint is the wood-rough hex behind the base. I've strengthened it and have some hopes it can hold, but this is going to be a hard fight. I don't see threats anywhere else on the MLR. If Dave can attack at two or more vectors, the threat increases substantially.

Cocos Island: Enemy forces except a few subs have been absent for the past week or more. This allowed the Allies to augment supply to 17k plus. Forts will be at four in a few days. Airfield was built to 2 to increase the supply limit to 32k. Dave will sooner or later impose a blockade around this important island and the situation will become dire.

Tarawa: As at Cocos, Dave has pulled most of his air/surface units back temporarily, leaving a handful of subs to guard the approaches. Nevertheless, supply TFs have come in, raising the stockpile to 100k. Forts now at 6. I don't think Dave can reclaim this base. Tabituea doesn't have enough supply, but I'm working on that.

Elsewhere: Dave is quiet in CenPac, NoPac, and Oz. The Allies have been/are distributing troops and assault shipping in preparation for future offensives. The plan is to patiently await the appearance of a big KB somewhere, allowing me to move with confidence somewhere far away. If Dave conceals his carriers for an extended period, I'll probe somewhere to elicit a reaction. Troops in numbers are prepped for points ranging from the Bay of Bengal to NoPac.



[image]local://upfiles/8143/0502F6F44A374B1E91A8123470C6076F.jpg[/image]



jwolf -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/20/2019 5:23:26 PM)

quote:

If Dave conceals his carriers for an extended period, I'll probe somewhere to elicit a reaction.


This is the difficult part. I would not want to be part of the "probing" task force.



Lecivius -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/21/2019 2:02:15 PM)

.

[image]local://upfiles/26061/8E90425B95ED435E9B88C4519D92AE36.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/21/2019 5:47:28 PM)

4/1/43 to 4/7/43

Marshalls: interesting SigInt about Kwaj base force aboard a ship bound for Ulithi. I've seen reports of other units bound for similar bases, like Pagan. But this is interesting because it raises the possibility that Dave is pulling back from the Marshalls. Recon will tell me more over the next few days. My carriers and combat vessels are recovering from the recent action, so I couldn't act on this intel yet (too, Dave could set a massive ambush using KB when and if I moved into the vacuum). But this info would prove helpful in assigning prep targets for units.

Other than that it's been quiet in the Marshalls and Gilberts of late. Supply at Tarawa at 90k, Tabituea at 20k.

Cocos: Similar situation here - Dave hasn't come back after getting his tail caught in the crack. Supply at 17.5k, forts nearing 4.

China: Dave will take Kukong in a day or two, unless he's timid. Overall, the MLR looks good at the moment.

Pacific: Darned quiet. One possibility is that Dave's familiar with my record of striking deep and has erred on the side of defending deep early. If so, there's some irony there, as I haven't considered striking deep yet. I've been more focused on moving forward in steps that don't risk everything early. Thus far it's worked well, and I haven't seen a need to take chances on the order of what I did vs. John III (Sumatra) or Obvert (Sikhalin Island).

[image]local://upfiles/8143/70D6E70195DD45AA9566B117E676E4C2.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 3:40:33 PM)

4/8/43 to 4/13/43

China: The Japanese have bombarded the Kukong garrison into oblivion but haven't attacked to finish them off. Each day gives my units a hex to the rear time to entrench. The problem at Kukong is that the units weren't drawing supply, even though the right hex sides are open. I'm evaluating whether Dave is pulling back from the Sian front to reinforce the Changsha/Kukong front. He can move faster, via railroad, but I can shift units fairly efficiently, as long as my MLR doesn't collapse.

Two AE Oddities, I Think: I have noticed repeatedly that there are times when fort building at certain bases progresses more slowly than it ought and that ships unload supply at ports more slowly than they ought. This is a regular, though not widespread, occurrence. I think it's something mechanical inside the game system as opposed to some failure on my part. I've noticed this repeatedly over two games with many instances and haven't been able to figure out anything that I'm doing wrong. The only commonality is that it seems to be within the game itself. For instance, at the same time, I unloaded supply and similar engineers at two Aleutian Islands. Fort building progressed at one notably faster than at the other. I've seen that before, from time to time. And, for instance, I have small cargo vessels that are unloading at Cocos Island remarkably slowly. It's a level one port, but the rate of unloading isn't explained by that. The same vessels unload far more quickly at other level one ports with all other factors being the same (absence of naval support in both cases, for instance).

Cocos Island: SigInt reports 6th Guards Div., currently at Pegu, prepping. Could be disinfo, but I think Dave will mount a major counterinvasion, so I'm buying it. The key to Cocos is supply. I've had lots of small xAKs and AGs come in, only to have supply dribble ashore sometimes at a rate of 10 or 20 points per day. The cargo ships have backed up. Dave's navy is going to come back soon and wreak havoc, so getting supply ashore is of paramount importance. I have an RN base force (nav support) inbound on fast transports. They need about four more days to make it. Whether they make it is certainly in question. At the moment, Dave is quiet here. That's gonna end soon.

Marshalls: I'm preparing the Allied bases and forces for a major enemy counteroffensive even while testing my hypothesis that Dave might've decided to withdraw from the Marshalls to concentrate further back. Recon is working but the info produced thus far is too little to make deductions. Troops for quick invasions are inboud to Hawaii, just in case it does look like Dave's bases are weekly held.






apbarog -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 3:46:06 PM)

I've seen a similar oddity with unloading. It's very rare, but I've seen it. Track how much you are currently unloading, if any. Disband the task force and reform it, and start unloading again. This has resolved it for me.



jwolf -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 3:56:58 PM)

FWIW in my one Allied campaign, vs. the AI, I found that Kukong was untenable because supply simply would not flow there despite the rail line. So I withdrew my forces to a position in the rough terrain 2-3 hexes up the rail line and held there until a time much later, when I could maintain a broad offensive in the China theater.



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 4:01:10 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog
I've seen a similar oddity with unloading. It's very rare, but I've seen it. Track how much you are currently unloading, if any. Disband the task force and reform it, and start unloading again. This has resolved it for me.


Thanks, aparog. I tried disbanded an AG carrying supply, re-created a TF, and put it dockside (it's a small ship). It's unloading, but still much slower than I'd expect. That's what prompted me to think over things and commit an RN base force (with nav support) via fast transport. I think that'll be an effective band aid, if I can get 'em ashore.



Canoerebel -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 4:03:18 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

FWIW in my one Allied campaign, vs. the AI, I found that Kukong was untenable because supply simply would not flow there despite the rail line. So I withdrew my forces to a position in the rough terrain 2-3 hexes up the rail line and held there until a time much later, when I could maintain a broad offensive in the China theater.


I didn't notice the supply-draw issue for awhile. The failure of the units to recover at all from enemy bombardments eventually drew my notice. But I'd never counted on Kukong as part of the MLR. It was really accidental that I still held it. The 3x hex to the rear has four decent corps entrenching, two of them for many months, and should be pretty stout.



BBfanboy -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 5:01:50 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog

I've seen a similar oddity with unloading. It's very rare, but I've seen it. Track how much you are currently unloading, if any. Disband the task force and reform it, and start unloading again. This has resolved it for me.

Besides the per-ship limit for the amount unloaded each turn, there is a total unloading limit for the port, dependent on port size. It is likely that the level one port there reached the unloading limit for the port before it reached the per-ship unload limit. I also presume that the limit applies even if some ships are unloading amphibiously because there is a limit to how much can be dumped on the beach without port vehicles to haul it away.



BBfanboy -> RE: Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice) (5/22/2019 5:04:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog
I've seen a similar oddity with unloading. It's very rare, but I've seen it. Track how much you are currently unloading, if any. Disband the task force and reform it, and start unloading again. This has resolved it for me.


Thanks, aparog. I tried disbanded an AG carrying supply, re-created a TF, and put it dockside (it's a small ship). It's unloading, but still much slower than I'd expect. That's what prompted me to think over things and commit an RN base force (with nav support) via fast transport. I think that'll be an effective band aid, if I can get 'em ashore.


AGs and all other support ships unload at a much slower rate than xAKs.



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