Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I have no problem with the tactic.  In real life the US Navy used "commandos" for pre-invasion scouting of beaches and obstacles.  The Allies also developed a pretty detailed roster of the enemy troops they would face.  The game doesn't model this very well (there's no way to land "seals" and then retrieve them), but landing a cadre of troops accomplishes the same thing.

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The code no longer even allows sub raids or sub evacuations. Subs can only load/unload in a port and only if the air threat they are under is not too bad.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Hi all,

CBI -

22nd (east) African Bde has arrived at Mombasa. It's a decent unit equipment wise (African Squads have 55 ARM attack IIRC!) In due course she'll move to India.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedy

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The code no longer even allows sub raids or sub evacuations. Subs can only load/unload in a port and only if the air threat they are under is not too bad.

Really interesting. Didn't know that. Thanks

As I say it was really odd since whatever it was (no name shown) it was wiped out by attrition at the end of the turn so all's good as it's gone and Faber doesn't have free intel.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Alfred

quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedy

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The code no longer even allows sub raids or sub evacuations. Subs can only load/unload in a port and only if the air threat they are under is not too bad.

Really interesting. Didn't know that. Thanks

As I say it was really odd since whatever it was (no name shown) it was wiped out by attrition at the end of the turn so all's good as it's gone and Faber doesn't have free intel.

I'm not 100% certain that this is entirely accurate. I haven't conducted any sub LCU operations yet so I could be entirely wrong but I suspect the above is not a blanket cover for all subs. The normal SS probably fall within the above but SST I think are treated differently as they are "intended" to be the mode of transporting Raider units, so it may be that the air limitation does not apply to them.

Alfred

quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Hi guys,

Thanks for your thoughts (well other than Bruce).

Alfred - really interesting. Am going to ponder a lot on what you say. Some quick thoughts/queries based on what you say

1.) Hankow - a fair point. My forces aren't strong enough to take it (1500 Allies vs 1000 Japanese). To explain my logic for having a 'forward defense' - I wanted to occupt the Japanese in either neutral ground or at their bases since it allows my bases to make supply and prevents theirs from doing so.

You're right though as it stands with the changing situation up north I may as well re-consider their use now. However, by withdrawing from around Hankow i'll also be opening up the front down south since Faber can then feely move troops from Hankow/Wuchow area?

I guess i'm kind of viewing the whole of China as a deck of cards and with things being unhinged up north once I move forces from further south I feel i'll have to move them all back since say I move from Hankow i'll also need to move from Wuchow and Sinyang wince Faber could easily surround/outnumber me there.

I guess if I did that I'd need to strongly hold behind the river at Ichang with my forces from Hankow and then I could use my Sinyang forces to move NW to support a fighting withdrawal from Nanyang?

Your "forward defense" was fair enough although your stated rationale has one important flaw. Unlike classical WITP, in WITP:AE the presence of enemy troops at a base does not stop the production of supply. Enemy troops at a base stop production of raw materials but not industrial production. If a base has either a stockpile of the necessary raw materials or an open LOC for the importation of raw materials, supply will still be produced locally.

Yes withdrawing from Hankow frees up the Penguin but so what. His focus is clearly on conquering the Chinese oilfields and there is nothing of comparable value to Japan in the south. It is quite a difficult task for Japan to maintain two huge offensives in China simultaneously. The terrain in the south is also, generally speaking more conducive for defensive operations thus you can economise on your deployments in the south, thereby releasing forces to create reserves. In the worst case scenario for you, it is better to lose cities in the south than it is to lose the oilfields of the north. If you think supply is bad now, imagine the situation when you no longer have oil/fuel to feed your industrial facilities.

2.) Agreed. There're already moving upto Nanyang direction after recently defeating 2 x IJA Bde's.

3.) I agree now. I was holding Faber there before and the 600 AV of IJA to the SE of Nanyang is still cut off from supply and surrounded. Maybe on moving the forces out of Sinyang  I could use these to bolster that pocket and try to annihilate it before Faber moves in from the east?

Sorry, I don't understand on what you base your claim that the 600 AV of the IJA SE of Nanyang is cut off from supply and surrounded. That enemy force is only three hexes away from Kaifeng or the dot base Kweitah (sp) with no Chinese units blocking the flow of supply from those bases. This is not classical WITP, now when troops leave a non base hex, they do not leave a residual ZOC in the vacated non base hex.


4.) Interesting thoughts. I guess I have to judge how much I can move out of Loyang/Chengchow. I am concerned of moving anythign out since with 37 IJA units around Chengchow and Loyang I feel I either need to hold with what I have at Chengchow or move them all out - i.e. by moving a few units to the NE/N of Loyang I'm diluting there defence further?

The forces NE of Tsiaotso currently have an amnesty since a bug prevented me from moving 6 corps to a position NE of Tsiaotso. When they arrive (tomorrow) I will shock attack the 1 x IJA Bde holding there.

The other Chinese forces further to the east SE of Yenan are to move toewards Yenan since they#ll never get through the 2 x IJA Divisions in front of them.

Firstly, many of those 37 enemy units are probably low quality units fit only for occupation duties, not combat. Others are probably auxiliary such as artillery regts (hence why I suggested previously to move out your artillery from Chungking). You should not take fright too easily.

Secondly, I am overall suggesting that you need to prepare the ground for a fighting withdrawal - trading space for time. Yes you will dilute your defences at Chengchow but in the face of a determined enemy offensive you can't stay there in your strength indefinitely because Loyang to your rear is much weaker. Lose Loyang and then you really will be facing the distinct possibility of being trapped in Chengchow. If you simply withdraw from Chengchow you don't gain the necessary time to set up the defences for Sian which will eventually be hit by 3 major Japanese columns.

Thirdly, that is a very dark shade of red for a single IJA bde at Tsiaotso. Are you sure that is all there is there?

5.) Good point. Will do.

Really appreciate/enjoy this discussion! Keep it coming. My mind is buzzing what to do!