Which LCU's should be evacuated in first 3 months ?

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thackaray
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:27 pm

Which LCU's should be evacuated in first 3 months ?

Post by thackaray »

Hi All,

After playing WIR for many a year I thought it would be nice to try this little gem. I'm just tinkering around with the first 3-4 months as Allies, with Japs AI historical moves.

My question relates to how which LCU's do you feel you need to evacuate from bases which will be overrun regardless: Singapore, Bataan etc and then be useful later when their experience gets better

On my first turn I managed to evacuate half a part of the 8th Ozzie Div in Singapore.
Next turn 1 Div from Jitra, half a part of 11th Ind Div, Philipine Div from Bataan.

In other turns, I got 3 Engr Corp from Kuala Lumpur out, I thought it would be useful for expanding bases.

I've got some Dutch forces out as well along with the Ozzie forces in Timor and Ambon Is.

Then I thought I'd risk it by trying to get the Marine Rgt out from Bataan because it's the Marines and high experience value. The TF comprised something like: a fast TF, 4 CL's 5 CL's, Several groups of CW destroyers and a fast AP group of 4 ships. Anti-Air for the TG was about 800 ish mark.

I sent it off and took 2 and half turns to reach Bataan from Subiraya (Sp) a few air attacks nothing much happened a few hits nothing to slow TF down, loaded part of a Phil Div as it had the lowest readiness, I should have moved the forces to Clark Field a few turns earlier, leaving only the Marine reg, but that's for another game. After the loading the troops from Bataan, the TF ran in a Surface combat TF of 2BBs, 5CL's and several destroyers. Needless to say, I came off worst. Alot of ships were now half speed at best but not yet ready to scuttle.

Then the TF went south from Bataan heading Cayagan (Sp). More air-attacks, it went north to Bataan, more air-attacks, then it when south Cayagan again, more air-attacks, North, air-attack, south again etc. This went on for several turns until the TF was no more and no ships survived.

I'm curious about the AI behaviour of this TF. After evacuating the troops, the TF automatically became a Transport TF heading to Darwin as Subiraya was in danger of falling in a couple of turns. I can accept that the TF was attacked it would try and find a calmer way through, but not to back where it loaded the troops up.

Any ideas or thoughts about the TF behaviour ? Any thoughts about which troops to evac out ?

Poopyhead
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Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:42 pm

RE: Which LCU's should be evacuated in first 3 months ?

Post by Poopyhead »

I never try to save any of them, for the reasons you've explained. You are better off splitting existing units to increase your force size. Split those in Pearl and on the west coast. The original divisions and engineer regiments slowly rebuild and you can split them again. The split off units you get can be combined into 100 squad engineer units or large divisions. Thus, you can double or triple your force size. There is a limit of 50 new units, but this is more than enough. Also, the new units do not get replacements for any losses they get. Your units take an experience hit too, but "quantity has a quality of its own".
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Capt Cliff
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RE: Which LCU's should be evacuated in first 3 months ?

Post by Capt Cliff »

Move the Aussie's out of Singapore to Rangoon, ASAP, like you said is a good idea! BTW I put AMC's out into the pool then pull them into Singapore to lift the entire unit. All the transports that brought the Aussie's in were in port when war started anyway. That's one of the few times I use the get transport function. Then move the two Aussie battalions, one each in Timor and Ambon Island, to Port Morsby then over the OS mountains to Lae and Buna. Other than saving the Dutch air units that's all I would say. Oh, one more you might also pick-up a PI division from Manila and move it to Kendaii then onto Darwin. Leave the Marines on Bataan to cost the Japanese time. But you really need to play against a human to get the feel of things.
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Capt. Harlock
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RE: Which LCU's should be evacuated in first 3 months ?

Post by Capt. Harlock »

I personally try to evacuate the lowest -- repeat, lowest -- experience Dutch LCU's and march them to somewhere safe, like Sydney. The reason? LCU's with experience below 20 are effectively useless in combat, and serve only to absorb supplies and deliver VP's to the Japanese. Buying time against the Japanese advance is vital, so I sacrifice the higher exp units to hold off the IJA for an extra turn or two.
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