Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: ny59giants

When Japan takes Singapore early in the war, I have seen the AI pull supplies and fuel from Saigon and/or Camrahn Bay if there are lots of troops and ships there. That being said, I wonder if CF would put a large number of ships in Vietnam at Hanoi that the AI would pull up fuel from Singapore or anywhere between there and Hanoi. If I was him, I would try this to see if he can get more fuel out of this area.

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A BB TF came out of nowhere centered on KONGO, and tangled with my ships off San Jose; NEVADA took some damage, but we drove them off. Can't remember if I mentioned that.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I think Miller and I have both found that a good CA force can handle a good BB force.  IE, lack of BBs isn't as debilitating as one might think as long as one has enough CAs.

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ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I think Miller and I have both found that a good CA force can handle a good BB force.  IE, lack of BBs isn't as debilitating as one might think as long as one has enough CAs.

From what I'm reading on the AAR's, the CA force can prevent the BB's from getting to merchant ships or delivering a bombardment, but at a heavy cost. Especially, if the BB's are the more modern type with speeds of 26 knots or better, the CA's will be neutralized after the second round of combat.

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ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Can you have transport TF "follow" sub TF?? I wonder if this will help you if he sends a SC TF at you?? At least you might have a chance to hit a BB before it gets you. Our modern USN always has at least one fast attack sub along and I wonder how it could be done in AE.

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Burma - I would push down to Moulmein or a little further to allow you to open up supplies to China again. They could use a couple hundred thousand worth of supply.

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How are Beauforts doing in your game?? I loved them in WITP with their torpedoes. Their range now with P-38s should make a deadly combo.

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to coincide with a US Landing at Amoy or simliar port. I plan to link that up with the Chinese, hand out supplies, and start moving up the coast. That's the plan anyway. That way I can skip an invasion of Taiwan,

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ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Combat Report, July 23-30, 1943:

PINNACLE, Invasion of Burma: With all non-restricted units this time, we are making big progress in Burma. I forgot to make a map, but Cuttlefish is in big trouble already. The details:

LASHIO: X and Y Force HQ, plus Indian Troops, a multicultural melting pot, hit a brick wall at Lashio, in the form of 2nd Gds Div, plus 2 Regts. Ouch! A 1-8 attack told me we will make no forward progress here. Does keep some troops busy though.
SHWEBO: The 26th Indian Div ran into 38th Div, plus other troops at Shwebo. We didn't bother to attack; I know how that will turn out
MAGWE: There is a division at Magwe. The 18th UK division plus a Bde have crossed the Irriwaddy below Magwe; the 18th UK is moving north into Magwe, the Bde to the Southeast to cut the Railway. Meanwhile, 17th Indian Div. has crossed the Irriwaddy NORTH of Magwe, and is marching on Myiktinya, which is lightly held. This would cut the troops off in Shwebo and Lashio.
PROME: 2 Indian Tank Bdes, plus 2 British Bdes, came down the trail from Akyab, and took Prome on the first try, sending an Inf Regt, and Nav Gd unit fleeing to Rangoon. Tanks are rolling toward Rangoon.
TAYAUNG GYI: 2 Chindit Bdes dropped on Tayaung Gyi, routing the Infantry Bn. there, and capturing the base

All of this happened in the last 3-4 days, as I sort of had multiple prongs developing at once.

So, the rail line is threatened at several points, especially with Prome and Tayaung Gyi in Allied hands. So far I don't see the Japanese marching, I wonder if they will just stay and get cut-off. Either way, this is big-time trouble for Cuttlefish in Burma.

Phillipines: Otherwise, very little happening. I am piling units into Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, and Busuanga, in preparation for the invasion of Luzon; all have at least 1/2 dozen engineer units to max out the port and airstrips. I swept Manila with P-47s successfully, so we are working on the airpower over Luzon. Combined Fleet sortied from Takao, but turned back after being spotted by Catalinas, and after he spotted my CVs lurking in the South China Sea.

BBs: COLORADO is repaired and heading to the DEI. There she will join my other operational BBs: INDIANA, SOUTH DAKOTA, NORTH CAROLINA, and ROYAL SOVEREIGN. That's it! Everything else is in transit to repair damage (NEVADA, PoW), or in port repairing damage (WASH,WV,TN,MD,ID,MS,NM,). The closest to completion is WEST VIRGINIA, which will be fixed in 12 days at Colombo.

Speaking of damage, an ARD is STILL in transit to the DEI, and is a little more than half-way. At 2 hexes a day from the US West Coast, this voyage is taking awhile.

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ORIGINAL: ny59giants

How is your supply of sub mines?? I would be mining the river hex just SW of Rangoon, Moulmein, and Tavoy just to help you keep track of any attempts to bring in more supplies and/or troops.

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How about an Air HQ at Akyab with Catalina trained to carry torpedoes?? Make sure their leader is cautious so they don't try to push through heavy fighter.

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Double check to make sure you have Command HQs at the India/Burma border to pull in more supplies and are prepping for you next objectives. It is easy to overlook the importance of keeping these HQs close to the front lines. I would have at least one Command HQ prepping for your landing sites on Luzon.

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Most players are good at remembering to use Army HQs, but often become lax in using their Command HQ. In WITP, I would start prepping SE Asia HQ for Mandalay on day 1 before she moved from Columbo to Calcutta. If your not using North Pacific, South Pacific HQs, or any Command HQ not being used. I would ship them to the Philippines and start prepping for future landings.

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ORIGINAL: Swenslim

How is supply situation with all this troops in Burma ?

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ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Combat Report, August 29, 1943:

Luzon Operations: I had positioned my CVs in advance of the Luzon landings, to be in range of any "set-up points" for BB runs into the landing zone. Today, IJN BBs DID show up; exactly in the spot my CVs were YESTERDAY. Nice try, but I have learned the hard way to keep CVs moving if you don't want surface trouble!

Anyway, Helldivers and Avengers attacked the IJN BBs. Alot of bombs bounced off, but we did some damage. YAMATO took 12 bombs and caught fire, then TBMs put 3 torps into her; "Heavy Fires, Heavy Damage" are reported, so she might be in trouble. NAGATO took 13 bombs and reported "Fires", so she is probably damaged. Other bombs without much effect dropped on MUSASHI and YAMASHIRO. TAKAO took 4 bombs and reported "Heavy Fires, Heavy Damage", and is on the sunk report of the intel screen, for what that is worth.

At this point, the BBs are within 6 hexes of the landing zone; they can withdraw, or they might attack tonight to get their money's worth, though they will be exposed to air attack tommorow morning if they do that. Attacking the landing site is probably a bad idea, and if Cuttlefish does that it would be borderline suicidal. I have 5 BBs in the hex, CVEs and CVs positioned to easily finish off any damaged ships in the day-phase. The likely result would be a possible IJN surface victory, followed by a crushing day defeat.

All the APAs, AKAs, and good assault ships have unloaded and left the landing site; everything left is xAPs, xAKs, and other lower-value ships unloading supplies and odds and ends. So, even if he gets to the transports, I won't lose anything I can't afford to lose.

I should have an airbase up and running at San Fernando tommorow with SBDs and fighters. I have been continuously bombing Clark, Manila, and Aparri, the large IJA airfields on Luzon, and doing enough damage to keep them surpressed, so I have seen little LBA.

So far this has been a pretty bad defeat for Japan, with a landing on Luzon so cheaply, and BBs damaged to boot. It's not over yet, but so far not looking good for the Empire.