The Armchair General's Tale -IJ SURRENDERS- (dontra85 (IJ) vs modrow (A)) - no dontra85, please

[BBfanboy]

It appears that Japanese captains have to be aggressive but do not need to learn how to maneuver their vessels. So when they see another ship headed to the same patch of water they are about to occupy they blow their whistles and shake their fists at the upstarts seeking to make them yield and keep on steaming! [:D]

Great work by those PTs. I hope the commanders of the sunk ones were rescued and "returned to the pool".

Re: Yamabiko Maru's heavy fires after just two shell hits, it could mean it had some fuel cargo - might be one of the bigger xAKs that have a small tank for fuel/oil cargo.

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

It appears that Japanese captains have to be aggressive but do not need to learn how to maneuver their vessels. So when they see another ship headed to the same patch of water they are about to occupy they blow their whistles and shake their fists at the upstarts seeking to make them yield and keep on steaming! [:D]

Everyone knows ever since the battle of Lissa in 1866 that ramming is the thing to do[8D]

Hartwig

[modrow]

Gentlemen,

Join me on another ride through an exciting turn which almost worked according to plan.

Below, you see the starting situation at the end of last turn. KB is at position 1, presumably moving away from the theatre.

If you looked through the last combat reports from La Foa which I presented above closely, you will have noticed that Dontra85 reacted to my harassing of his TF last turn by splitting of a CL/DD TF, which is one of the TFs at position 2. The other one are the merchants, slowly unloading at a dot base. The green TFs are a bunch of subs. To the West, there are the Pt boat that hit La foa last turn; they encountered the CL/DD TF in the day phase last turn and did not make it back to Noumea any more.

At position 3, Koumac, there were three TFs visible in mouseover, which I assumed to be a) a massive SCTF, b) the merchants that dropped Koumac Invasion at Koumac, slowly unloading at the Lvl 1 port and c) the support ship TF (AKE,AD) encountered previously by Leander and Achilles.

Position 4 is a 4 ship TF, presumably ASW.

I should also tell you that Noumea air base was not operational in the last few days, but could be operational again for the first time this turn and that I had carefully smuggled some light surface assets to the vicinity of Norfolk Island.

My assumption was that enemy would keep hoping his CLTF at La Foa would deal with the Pt boat threat and use his massive SCTF to bombard Noumea in order to keep the base closed. The automatically plotted course passes east of Noumea, so sending TF 4 made sense to me as a preparation of that move to reduce the sub threat – enemy knows I have a lot of subs in the vicinity, which are of course not very effective yet.

Accordingly, my plan was to start another PT boat raid in the night phase and run my SCTFs into La Foa in the day phase, hopefully dealing with the enemy merchants and/or his CLs DDs after they had seen some action. Even if the monster SCTF would be encountered, it would be with depleted ammo stores from the bombardment of Noumea. Here’s what became of the plan…

[modrow]

The turn started with enemy CLs/DDs killing the spent Pt boat TF West of La Foa. A short battle only, a pit about the valiant PT boats, but so far pretty much in accordance with my plan.

Night Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 113,159, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso
CL Tenryu
CL Yubari
DD Mochizuki
DD Yakaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Sanae
DD Tsuga
DD Kiku
DD Susuki

Allied Ships
PT-21, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
PT-22, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-23, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

[modrow]

Next, the Pt boats go in and meet the merchants. Excellent [:)]

@BBfanboy: You identified the reason for the tendency of his ships to develop heavy fires correctly, it is the fuel load. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that I think my opponent does not use the do not load fuel button in his amphib TFs and pays the price for that. The again, maybe he wanted to have some fuel at hand.

No collisions this turn, but we kill another ship and start some more fires on other ships [:D].

Night Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 114,159, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AV Akitsushima
CM Tokiwa
CM Okinoshima
DD Yomogi
DD Yanagi
E Hachijo
E Hashidate, Shell hits 1, on fire
E Uji
DMS W-18
AV Kimikawa Maru
AMC Kinryu Maru
AMC Awata Maru
xAK Aratama Maru
AMC Kiyosumi Maru
AMC Kongo Maru
xAK Tokai Maru
xAK Kamogawa Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Sinko Maru
xAK Tatuharu Maru
xAK Tatuwa Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAK Yamakaze Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Yokohama Maru
xAK Nitisan Maru
xAK Tenyo Maru
xAK Yamahuku Maru
xAK Panama Maru
xAK Ginyo Maru
xAK Arabia Maru
xAK Keisho Maru
xAK Lisbon Maru
xAK Delagoa Maru
xAK Bordeaux Maru
xAK Montreal Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Syohei Maru
xAK Kamoi Maru
xAP Asama Maru
xAP Kamakura Maru
xAP Suwa Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
xAP Rakuyo Maru
xAP Buenos Aires Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Yoshino Maru

Allied Ships
PT-39
PT-40
PT-41
PT-42

[modrow]

Next, the Pt boats go in and meet the merchants. Excellent [:)]

@BBfanboy: You identified the reason for the tendency of his ships to develop heavy fires correctly, it is the fuel load. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that I think my opponent does not use the do not load fuel button in his amphib TFs and pays the price for that. The again, maybe he wanted to have some fuel at hand.

No collisions this turn, but we kill another ship and start some more fires on other ships [:D].

Night Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 114,159, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AV Akitsushima
CM Tokiwa
CM Okinoshima
DD Yomogi
DD Yanagi
E Hachijo
E Hashidate, Shell hits 1, on fire
E Uji
DMS W-18
AV Kimikawa Maru
AMC Kinryu Maru
AMC Awata Maru
xAK Aratama Maru
AMC Kiyosumi Maru
AMC Kongo Maru
xAK Tokai Maru
xAK Kamogawa Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Sinko Maru
xAK Tatuharu Maru
xAK Tatuwa Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAK Yamakaze Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Yokohama Maru
xAK Nitisan Maru
xAK Tenyo Maru
xAK Yamahuku Maru
xAK Panama Maru
xAK Ginyo Maru
xAK Arabia Maru
xAK Keisho Maru
xAK Lisbon Maru
xAK Delagoa Maru
xAK Bordeaux Maru
xAK Montreal Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Syohei Maru
xAK Kamoi Maru
xAP Asama Maru
xAP Kamakura Maru
xAP Suwa Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
xAP Rakuyo Maru
xAP Buenos Aires Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Yoshino Maru

Allied Ships
PT-39
PT-40
PT-41
PT-42

[modrow]

This is a small disappointment from somewhere else. During the last few days, I have been trying to kill off this DD TF near Makassar, because it is a potential threat for some of my resupply missions. Tried again. Failed again.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Makassar at 65,106, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yugao
DD Hasu, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CL Tromp
DD Stronghold
DD Electra

[modrow]

Back in New Caledonia day breaks and one of the contacts I had hoped for is established by a SCTF.

Success is smaller than I had hoped for though, probably it did not help that McCall was hit by a long lance in round 1 of the battle.

In the plane losses of the day, a destroyed Alf shows up, indicating that Kiso may have been sunk. None of the hits on Tenryu was penetrating.

Day Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 113,159, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Tenryu, Shell hits 2
CL Yubari
DD Mochizuki, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DD Yakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Tachikaze
DD Sanae
DD Tsuga
DD Kiku, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Susuki, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Perth
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 8
DD McCall, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Maury, Shell hits 2, heavy fires

[modrow]

Did I forget mentioning the bombardment results ? No, it never happened. And now I find out why…

Day Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 114,159, Range 26,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 2 destroyed
Seagull V: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 3
CA Maya
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
CA Mogami
CA Kumano
CA Aoba
CL Nagara
DD Kazegumo
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Shigure
DD Yamakaze

Allied Ships
CL Perth, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 40, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Maury, Shell hits 17, and is sunk

Darn… if at all, I wanted to meet this TF with my ammo stores and op points full and his low. Now it is the other way round… The only small comfort is that the hits on Mutsu did not bounce off but each hit the superstructure, one of them even destroying a AAA gun.

But I still have one more bolt to shoot. Will I meet the CLs again? Will I meet the merchants?

[modrow]

No, it’s none of them. It is the big SCTF instead. [:@]

But my fresh TF sort of gets away. Hits on CAs and Nagato are meaningless, but a main gun of Mutsu is hit and we at least start a fire. Plus we get away…

Day Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 114,159, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Maya
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 1
CA Mogami
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
CA Aoba
CL Nagara
DD Kazegumo
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Shigure
DD Yamakaze

Allied Ships
CL Trenton, Shell hits 9, on fire
DD Meredith
DD Gwin, Shell hits 1

[modrow]

But unfortunately, not for long

Day Time Surface Combat, near La Foa at 114,159, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 6, on fire
CA Maya
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
CA Mogami
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
CA Aoba
CL Nagara
DD Kazegumo
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Shigure
DD Yamakaze

Allied Ships
CL Trenton, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Meredith, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Gwin

I guess I will lose the remains of this TF next turn. Oh well, the best laid plans… But it was exciting to watch and almost worked…

[Veloz]

nadie sabe mas que yo de surfaces combat, en Portaviones me ganais; siempre poner la pareja de acorazados correspondientes y 5 CAs, pero muy importante poner dos Cls

correcto

PD1; (he bombardeado tanto pearl harbour)

PD2; (los DDs pocos poner o los perderéis, que aguanten los Cls)

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: Veloz

nadie sabe mas que yo de surfaces combat, en Portaviones me ganais; siempre poner la pareja de acorazados correspondientes y 5 CAs, pero muy importante poner dos Cls

correcto

PD1; (he bombardeado tanto pearl harbour)

PD2; (los DDs pocos poner o los perderéis, que aguanten los Cls)

no etiende el espanol sufficiamente bien. lo siento

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: modrow

@BBfanboy: You identified the reason for the tendency of his ships to develop heavy fires correctly, it is the fuel load. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that I think my opponent does not use the do not load fuel button in his amphib TFs and pays the price for that. The again, maybe he wanted to have some fuel at hand.

That is an anomaly about the "do not load fuel" order. It will prevent loading of fuel in the dry cargo spaces (in drums), but if the ship has that extra tank for carrying fuel or oil the game engine considers it part of the planned "cargo" load and will load fuel every time. BTW, a cargo TF can include tankers so maybe the issue is with the definition of cargo including non-drummed fuel.
The allies also have a few xAKs that have the small fuel storage space (usually about 200 tons), so try to exclude them from your troop carrying TFs, (or at least load them separately with only cargo and then merge them).

[modrow]

@BBfanboy:

I am not sure I understand you correctly. I am talking about this switch

[modrow]

Sorry, 2bd attempt to show the switch

[modrow]

If I do click it, using one of C2 class ships (200 fuel capacity) in an amphib TF, I get the picture shown below.
No fuel loaded on the C2 ship.

Note - I use the C2 ships very carefully if at all, they have a very attractive conversion available.

[modrow]

If I do not click on it, I get this instead - fuel loaded

[modrow]

Sorry again, now with correct picture. You now see fuel is loaded.

[modrow]

Personally, based mainly on experience with the last official patch or the beta equivalent thereof (none of which is used in this game) my impression is that I can reliably prevent those fuel burning message by using this switch.

Hartwig