Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

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CyrusSpitama
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by CyrusSpitama »

I understood the question fully and gave the best answer I could. I do believe the priority most likely lies in YOUR needs for the game. Both generate supplies and other essentials. To see either in low stockpile too early would be a dire situation indeed.

Most likely the more experienced will pipe up on this soon enough.
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by SqzMyLemon »

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

My question was more of what deserves priority. There's a big pile of surplus oil and fuel sitting in the DEI just now, and it needs to get sent back to Japan. I was wondering if hauling the fuel back first, then focusing on the oil would be the best course of action.

Why not ship both? Tankers for fuel and transports that can carry both resources and oil. Or alternate trips between fuel and oil with your tanker TF's. If you get the land route to move oil then you can concentrate on moving fuel by tanker. Lot's of different ways to move stuff depending on what floats your boat.
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by obvert »

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
ORIGINAL: mind_messing

My question was more of what deserves priority. There's a big pile of surplus oil and fuel sitting in the DEI just now, and it needs to get sent back to Japan. I was wondering if hauling the fuel back first, then focusing on the oil would be the best course of action.

Why not ship both? Tankers for fuel and transports that can carry both resources and oil. Or alternate trips between fuel and oil with your tanker TF's. If you get the land route to move oil then you can concentrate on moving fuel by tanker. Lot's of different ways to move stuff depending on what floats your boat.

+1

Usually I focus on fuel first but move both. Dedicate tanker TFs to each, but the xAKs hauling other stuff down will be able to get both fuel and resources back on the return, just not oil. The key, however you do it, is to get ALL of the excess to the Home Islands ASAP.

You want to get as much hauled before US torps work as you possibly can, but of course you also have to make sure your ASW air is in place and you have some good ASW ships upgraded to Type 2 DC so you can handle the Dutch and Brit subs now. A delicate balance.

As for OZ, I have never gone strait for Darwin for just the reasons you mention. If you really want to cause a stir though, skip Darwin and go for Perth, which leaves everything else on the West coast dangling and makes him think you're going all-in for OZ. You could always grab Port Headland and at least have a look around before deciding where to go next. His divisions in OZ have to be combined and upgraded so are not in top shape early, especially if he's focusing on the Aussie troops elsewhere to use right now.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by mind_messing »

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
ORIGINAL: mind_messing

My question was more of what deserves priority. There's a big pile of surplus oil and fuel sitting in the DEI just now, and it needs to get sent back to Japan. I was wondering if hauling the fuel back first, then focusing on the oil would be the best course of action.

Why not ship both? Tankers for fuel and transports that can carry both resources and oil. Or alternate trips between fuel and oil with your tanker TF's. If you get the land route to move oil then you can concentrate on moving fuel by tanker. Lot's of different ways to move stuff depending on what floats your boat.

+1

Usually I focus on fuel first but move both. Dedicate tanker TFs to each, but the xAKs hauling other stuff down will be able to get both fuel and resources back on the return, just not oil. The key, however you do it, is to get ALL of the excess to the Home Islands ASAP.

You want to get as much hauled before US torps work as you possibly can, but of course you also have to make sure your ASW air is in place and you have some good ASW ships upgraded to Type 2 DC so you can handle the Dutch and Brit subs now. A delicate balance.

As for OZ, I have never gone strait for Darwin for just the reasons you mention. If you really want to cause a stir though, skip Darwin and go for Perth, which leaves everything else on the West coast dangling and makes him think you're going all-in for OZ. You could always grab Port Headland and at least have a look around before deciding where to go next. His divisions in OZ have to be combined and upgraded so are not in top shape early, especially if he's focusing on the Aussie troops elsewhere to use right now.

I'll examine the use of xAK's once I get a turn back. Yes, using them will be inefficent, but if they're bringing troops or supplies back, it will probably be worth it.

My intention is to go for Perth, but I feel that a strike on Darwin would draw my opponent to fight along the dirt trail from Alice Springs. While Darwin is impossible to supply overland, could I get away with leaving it in my rear?

One possibility that's occured to me is to strike at Perth first, then swing the troops back northwards to take Darwin as they're being pulled out for use in the DEI and elsewhere. Both Darwin and it's troops are pretty valuable to the Allies (even more so if they get supplied), but I'm unsure of what to risk in order to destroy their value.
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by obvert »

You can bomb the snot out of Darwin, ruin his fields and wipe out his supply, then station some planes nearby to harass any reinforcement ops. Bathurst Island with a level two base in 42 means no use of Darwin, basically. You can get the other smaller bases on the West coast with very minimal effort or troops and this will send the message that Darwin is next in line. Then get Perth.

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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by SqzMyLemon »

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'll examine the use of xAK's once I get a turn back. Yes, using them will be inefficent, but if they're bringing troops or supplies back, it will probably be worth it.

I can't recall the ship classes off the top of my head (Lima and Yusen maybe?), but the Japanese transports that can carry a whack of resources and either 300 fuel/oil I find do the best job. They can make the Singapore-Home Islands-Singapore route without needing to refuel until back in Singapore. Because of this I use no extra fuel from the Home Islands and I could care less whether they bring troops or supply back. Inefficient, to some it is, but if I can bring an extra 8-12k of oil and over 100k resources back to Japan per trip it's worth it to me.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton

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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by mind_messing »

ORIGINAL: obvert

You can bomb the snot out of Darwin, ruin his fields and wipe out his supply, then station some planes nearby to harass any reinforcement ops. Bathurst Island with a level two base in 42 means no use of Darwin, basically. You can get the other smaller bases on the West coast with very minimal effort or troops and this will send the message that Darwin is next in line. Then get Perth.



Oh. That I like.

I've a regiment dashing all over North-Western Oz by boat taking the bases on the coast. I'll have it take the base closest to Darwin last, to draw attention away from Perth. Once I've the air support network set up, I'll move on Perth.

I might be able to get away with just using the mini-KB to support landings, as well. Most of the US strength is in the east of Oz. Luganville has serious land and air assets deployed to it. Hermes, Enterprise and Lexington are all sunk. Saratoga dodged a long-range KB strike but took two bombs for it's trouble, so it's likely sitting damaged in Sydney.

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'll examine the use of xAK's once I get a turn back. Yes, using them will be inefficent, but if they're bringing troops or supplies back, it will probably be worth it.

I can't recall the ship classes off the top of my head (Lima and Yusen maybe?), but the Japanese transports that can carry a whack of resources and either 300 fuel/oil I find do the best job. They can make the Singapore-Home Islands-Singapore route without needing to refuel until back in Singapore. Because of this I use no extra fuel from the Home Islands and I could care less whether they bring troops or supply back. Inefficient, to some it is, but if I can bring an extra 8-12k of oil and over 100k resources back to Japan per trip it's worth it to me.

Already hauling!
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obvert
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by obvert »

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'll examine the use of xAK's once I get a turn back. Yes, using them will be inefficent, but if they're bringing troops or supplies back, it will probably be worth it.

I can't recall the ship classes off the top of my head (Lima and Yusen maybe?), but the Japanese transports that can carry a whack of resources and either 300 fuel/oil I find do the best job. They can make the Singapore-Home Islands-Singapore route without needing to refuel until back in Singapore. Because of this I use no extra fuel from the Home Islands and I could care less whether they bring troops or supply back. Inefficient, to some it is, but if I can bring an extra 8-12k of oil and over 100k resources back to Japan per trip it's worth it to me.

In 44-45 you'll find yourself scrambling for 20k fuel that you left at a forward base, and will risk ships to go get it. [:D]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by mind_messing »

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'll examine the use of xAK's once I get a turn back. Yes, using them will be inefficent, but if they're bringing troops or supplies back, it will probably be worth it.

I can't recall the ship classes off the top of my head (Lima and Yusen maybe?), but the Japanese transports that can carry a whack of resources and either 300 fuel/oil I find do the best job. They can make the Singapore-Home Islands-Singapore route without needing to refuel until back in Singapore. Because of this I use no extra fuel from the Home Islands and I could care less whether they bring troops or supply back. Inefficient, to some it is, but if I can bring an extra 8-12k of oil and over 100k resources back to Japan per trip it's worth it to me.

In 44-45 you'll find yourself scrambling for 20k fuel that you left at a forward base, and will risk ships to go get it. [:D]


Well, it's no loss in 44-45 if the ships don't get it!
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by mind_messing »

Strategic Overview

So, seeing as my opponent is busy, I've the ability to actually plan out an operation for a change, instead of conducting things on the fly.

It's Febuary 28th, and barring Soerabaja and Rangoon, all the Japanese first-phase objectives have been taken intact. This is good, as it gives me nearly two more months of the amphibous bonus to capitalize on.

For my second-phase objective, I'll be attacking Western Austrailia. It has industry, a repair yard, Austrailian LCU's to destroy and once secured, is near-impossible to recapture except by sea. For the moment, however, it is at least one month away.

Short Term Goals

Any attack on Western Oz will require both flanks to be secure. With a large Allied deployment at Christmas Islands (IO), this could be problematic. At least three divisions will need to take this island before mid-March. IJN heavy assets are already en-route to establish a constant cycle of bombardment. If the Allies have sent just the Indian brigades, then three divisions will be overkill. If they've instead sent all the British reinforcements, then it will be a excellent haul of good quality Allied LCU's.

On the other flank, Darwin needs to be suppressed. At present, it's only a minor annoyance as a patrol base, but it's on the list of Allied strongpoints to be liquidated.

On the eastern side of Austrailia, Luganville is another Allied strongpoint. Like Christmas Island, it's going to be getting a make-over treatment, all-expenses paid thanks to the IJN. Some sort of a deal has been made whereby the Allies can use it after the war to stage the moon landings. Unlike Christmas Island, it won't be getting invaded - there's coastal guns, AA and a few big Allied LCU's, and it seems a good chance to attrition the Allies down trying to reinforce it.

Rangoon is stalemated, but the IJAAF has control of the skies, and with only a few fighters left operating out of a damaged Rangoon, the fight might be long and bloody, but the IJA will win through.

Long Term Goals

Establish the perimiter and the citadels I need to defend it. I need engineers and garrison unts in the Andamans as quick as possible to get torpedo planes in the area.

Crack China. I've nearly 2k AV tied up in battering down surrounded Chinese stacks. I don't want them to spawn back, but I've no choice. With Changsha outflanked, the road to Sian blocked and Sian itself stalemated, 2k AV would break this theater wide open. I'm decided to start buying out all of the Kwantung air units for use here, and then sending them to Burma or elsewhere. There's not likely to be anywhere better for training than China at present - the AVG is down to a few dozen planes at best.

Clear the DEI of excess everything. I mean excess everything. Oil, fuel, resources, supply, the lot. I need the Std-C tankers as soon as possible to supliment my regular tanker fleet, and all the droves of xAK and xAKL needed to set up the local resource hauls re en route.

Opertunist Goals

Sink Saratoga! She'll probably be in Sydney drydock reparing the bomb damage she took south of Noumea. I'm considering a raid on Sydney with the KB to be the distraction on the left, while mini-KB escorts the powerfull right hook to Western Austraila. Considering my recent operations in the South Pacific, my opponent is likely to focus on this at the expense of other areas.

Push further up the Aleutians. The Allies are developing Cold Bay. Depending on the timing of operations and needs elsewhere, I might buy out a division or mixed brigade to use to seize Cold Bay. If I get things timed right, the same transports that land the Cold Bay invasion can collect the battered 90th Regiment, all escorted by the same carriers.

Get the 90th Regiment out of Alaska. These crack troops drew the short end of the stick, after having their transports sunk from under them and undergoing the joys of daily air bombardment from Anchorage. When the IJN carriers are heading back for their upgrades, they'll provide some air cover to help get those boys back to Adak to rebuild and dig in.
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by JocMeister »

Be very careful when going for the Perth area. If the allied player knows what he is doing he will have most if not all of the OZ divisions upgraded and ready by the time you will land. There is also a good chance you will encounter one of the really great OZ IDs (6th and 7th). They are among the best allied units in the game at this time. I would be very surprised if you didn´t find at least some US troops at OZ too. There are some debate about the usefulness of capturing the Perth area. Some argue its a critical area for the Allied. I tend to disagree with that. But each to his own I guess. [:)]

Regarding China I think all you need is to keep up the pressure. Changsha and Sian are key bases. Both are very very hard for the Chinese to defend. Especially Changsha is vulnerable with too many approaches to cover. Crappy Chinese recon is your best friend here. Once Sian and Changsha is lost supply will start to dwindle and run out pretty fast. Once it does its game over. Make sure your bombers work over the Chinese getting those four figure casualties per day. [:)]

You look to be doing well overall. Keep it up! [:)]
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RE: Mind Games: mind_messing (J) vs srv24243 (A)

Post by mind_messing »

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Be very careful when going for the Perth area. If the allied player knows what he is doing he will have most if not all of the OZ divisions upgraded and ready by the time you will land. There is also a good chance you will encounter one of the really great OZ IDs (6th and 7th). They are among the best allied units in the game at this time. I would be very surprised if you didn´t find at least some US troops at OZ too. There are some debate about the usefulness of capturing the Perth area. Some argue its a critical area for the Allied. I tend to disagree with that. But each to his own I guess. [:)]

I suspect, on no solid evidence, really, that the 6th and 7th are in India. With Rangoon and upper Burma still in Allied hands, that's where I'd send them, if I was my opponent.

As for the US troops, I'm convinced there's a small US Army presence in Australia. Luganville is VERY heavily garrisoned - arty, AA, CD guns, AFV's, the lot. Suva and Fiji, in comparison, are almost empty.

There's a significant British presence on Christmas Island (IO) of at least a division strength. So that's the British Division (70th?) or the three Indian Brigades. Perhaps both. Ships are on the way to deploy the latest IJN technology - recon-capable shells.

Even if both the Austrailian divisions are there, I'll be bringing the hammer. At least four IJA divisions, with a further division and a regiment in reserve, plus either another division or a few brigades to be bought out and sent to this theater.
Regarding China I think all you need is to keep up the pressure. Changsha and Sian are key bases. Both are very very hard for the Chinese to defend. Especially Changsha is vulnerable with too many approaches to cover. Crappy Chinese recon is your best friend here. Once Sian and Changsha is lost supply will start to dwindle and run out pretty fast. Once it does its game over. Make sure your bombers work over the Chinese getting those four figure casualties per day.

China will be squeezed till it cracks. I've the bomber reinforcements for China ready to go, and they're just waiting for the relocation of some air support before they start up on a big offensive to break the Sian front wide open. The AVG has been worn down, so resistance should be minimal. Once Sian is a possession of the Empire, everything will go in to breaking Changsha, already exposed by a flanking move and two Chinese armies trapped in Japanese cities.
You look to be doing well overall. Keep it up!

This is the "happy time", if you will, and it can end all to abruptly!
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