In the early months of the Battle of Burma in 1944, lack of AA really hurt John's army. He worked hard to shift AA forward (too little, too late as it turned out), apparently stripping other areas. He also decided to concentrate his AA in defending strategic targets, perceiving that Allied 4EB would become a serious threat in early 44. My decision to forego strategic bombing while focusing on operational warfare has thus caught John's AA out of position to help in the Luzon campaign. He only a had a couple of AA units present.
It's too early to know whether delaying strategic bombing was the right call, but you can see the various impacts of our decision-making in this regard. To this point, Japanese AA has been a non-factor in the second half of 1943 and first half of 1944.
And the flip side is "strategic bombing" has been a non-factor. If he overreacts and sends AA to the front then strategic facilities will be lacking AA cover.
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That would get John excited but seemingly not in a way to match the tenor of his comment. One more CV (or two) isn't going to shift the balance of power. This seems to be something broader and almost "instantaneous," like a change to infantry TOE or a new model of aircraft available.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 4/17/2017 2:56:14 PM >
As a native of Augusta, GA, I'm pretty happy that Sherman spared my city on his march. Pretty interesting that he did, considering the powder mill we had back then. After the war they were converted into textile factories and now house a set of luxury (as luxurious as it gets in Augusta) townhome apartments. The Riverwalk down the Savannah is absolutely gorgeous in the springtime, though the Master's golf tournament can go hang. I know it brings a ton of money to the city every year but ye gods the number of out of towners that clog up the roads worse than they already are...
You do know there is a nuke lying in said Savannah River, don't you?
Well they *did* make them right across the river in SC, wouldn't surprise me none. Would explain our ridiculously large catfish too!
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7/01/44
Sub Warfare: I'm attending to moderately to heavily damaged subs today, making sure that all are en route to ports. Manila's size-40 shipyard will come into play now. But it may be time to ramp down the sub war, as enemy ASW makes it difficult and costly to accomplish anything.
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7/1/44
Mini KB is moving north, perhaps as a decoy meant to draw Death Star (at Legaspi) south, thus clearing the way for KB to approach Formosa from the east. Or...it could be something else entirely.
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Bookkeeping notation: With every carrier TF now fully refueled at Legaspi today, the port has 17k remaining, and TKs and AOs there have 208k fuel aboard. Miri has 31k and is generating about 3.5k per day. Sorong has 40k. TKs with 42k just arrived at Boela. Fuel appears to be adequate to handle Peep Show and related operations into the medium term.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 4/18/2017 8:18:08 PM >
I know it goes against your nature, but why not cruise down and smash the Mini-KB? You're still tied down in reducing the remaining PI strongholds & the Deathstar isn't exactly necessary to keep your holdings secure, is it?
If John wants to put assets in your crosshairs, why not take advantage of it?
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I agree with your thoughts on maintaining your directional course and being able to threaten the Home Islands in the very near future. However, there seems to definitely be an opportunity to make all of SE Asia and the DEI a huge PW camp by taking Hainan coupled with landings on the Kwangchow penninsula to meet up with the Chinese driving down from the northwest(?) (if possible). With this you will completely sever all land access to SE Asia as well as garner full control of the South China Sea. Folled up by, or in tandem with, a move on Formosa after clearing northern Luzon and the Batan Island group means that John can only opperate from the Home Islands. Everything else will wither and die on the vine.
The enemy should already be regarding Hainan and Vietnam as liabilities; let him continue to think so. Your supply line is already long and precarious, a leap to the Chinese coast only adds another weak link. Formosa is near, and opens up many options; take it and set the yellow hordes in motion.
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Is that an oddity? It's been generating about 3.5k per day since it's fall some two or three weeks ago.
Gents, I'm reading and considering your thoughts. You bring up most of the issues I'm mulling, sometimes expressing them in ways that bring a new clarity or insight into an issue.
The original Peep Show target has units 100% prepped and can go as soon as Bataan falls. But the other primary possibilities have roughly 25% to 33% prep. I don't have to wait for 100%, but at least to 50%. I'll be giving this further thought as things develop over the next week. In the meantime, I won't be "still." Alot's going to be happening.
Paulus, I don't think John would risk Mini KB against Death Star. So I really doubt he takes any chances. He'll probably back away tomorrow, so that any sortie by Death Star uses fuel to no good purpose. I don't mind a showdown, but I don't want to spend precious fuel that can later be used for "non-moving" targets that offer much more certainty and permanence.
Even though it will use some fuel, I think I would move DS to the South 8 hexes to see what he is doing. If he continues to move to the East/Northeast you could see about an intercept and never use full speed.
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Tough decisions. The situation cries for action. But at this point, in this position, there's always something crying for action. Some enemy vulnerability. Some juicy target. Some opportunity to strike. So many opportunities. The end result is that Death Star tends to remain at sea perpetually, burning fuel while on various important missions: supporting the invasion of Miri, meeting Mini DS on its way in from Oz, moving up to Luzon to intercede in John's Dunkirk operation, and now something new.
The situation cries for action, so Death Star shall return to sea after a single day in port. The mission is a good one. I won't give details until tomorrow.
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
Is that an oddity? It's been generating about 3.5k per day since it's fall some two or three weeks ago.
Gents, I'm reading and considering your thoughts. You bring up most of the issues I'm mulling, sometimes expressing them in ways that bring a new clarity or insight into an issue.
The original Peep Show target has units 100% prepped and can go as soon as Bataan falls. But the other primary possibilities have roughly 25% to 33% prep. I don't have to wait for 100%, but at least to 50%. I'll be giving this further thought as things develop over the next week. In the meantime, I won't be "still." Alot's going to be happening.
Paulus, I don't think John would risk Mini KB against Death Star. So I really doubt he takes any chances. He'll probably back away tomorrow, so that any sortie by Death Star uses fuel to no good purpose. I don't mind a showdown, but I don't want to spend precious fuel that can later be used for "non-moving" targets that offer much more certainty and permanence.
In stock, it is size 300/300, so even if fully repaired it should only be producing 2700. Perhaps more is flowing from elsewhere?
Miri in RA, should be producing 1350 fuel/day. It is a 150 size refinery in my version of RA. What is the size of the Refinery? I have seen the Miri refinery in various mods as high as 500 [Focus Pacific]
< Message edited by Termite2 -- 4/19/2017 11:53:21 AM >
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Oil/Fuel, Oil/Fuel, Oil/Fuel - I spent the night at a Holiday Inn Express, so I'll talk about my part time position as a Japanese economics minister. I'm in early Feb '42 as Japan vs Gen Patton and have all but Magwe captured, so this is a focal point then and now. IMO, your next series of invasion should have the primary objective of cutting off John's access to the Oil/Fuel in the DEI from the Home Islands. At this point in the game both sides have to manage fuel. While you cut off John's access to fuel, I would try to get Tarakan and/or Balikpapan to help alleviate your shortages. If not, then bomb his Oil centers back to stone age. Its a long way from California to Luzon.
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In regards to NYGiants oil/fuel point, an interesting decision had to be made about two months ago. The Allies had drawn within 4EB range of Miri and Balikpapan. The first raid against Miri was quite effective (see Miri details above). Then I stopped the bombing, on the belief that these bases would be taken relatively soon and because I'd need the fuel generation capabilities. I thought John would have some difficulty in extracting oil and then getting fuel back to the Home Islands. That proved the case with Miri, which John stopped using and which then fell to the Allies quickly. He's still using Balikpapan heavily, but I don't think he has any way to get the fuel back to Japan. A US division is 100% prepped for the base and that invasion will likely take place in six to eight weeks.
Lowpe is right: a fascinating decision point in the game. Interesting and complicated options, each with pluses and minuses. The decision was made last night, and the first steps will be taken over the next two or three turns. Death Star is going after enemy islands rather than enemy carriers. The islands are closer and less likely to take evasive action to avoid Death Star, wasting it's fuel.
The islands are closer and less likely to take evasive action to avoid Death Star, wasting it's fuel.
It's more fun to see enemy carriers get thrashed, but I have to concede you have a good point here. And if any of your air crews complain of islands taking "evasive action" ... then it's time to check what happened to all the booze.
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I know a carrier battle would be good theater, but I think we'll end up with a close second. John will probably commit his kamikazes when Death Star nears Formosa. And it's possible he'll commit KB too.
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