Japanese Attrition

[HighwayStar]

I have played AE for many years but I have just run into a new situation: Japanese land unit attrition. Early in the war, when allied units are isolated, they eventually disperse. In my current game, I've isolated a large Japanese force just southeast of Pegu. I have captured every city in the surrounding area, bombed them for about eight months with everything from heavies to dive bombers and for the last four months with artillery from three Indian divisions, one British brigade and about eight artillery units. Direct attacks have done little, but it seems to me the Japanese (two divisions and fifteen smaller units) should have starved to death long ago. Any ideas? Is this a game design fault?

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Are you playing against the AI?

At what level of difficulty? if I remember correctly, at some levels, the AI will ignore supply requirements

[HighwayStar]

Yes, I am playing against the AI. Under Game Options, the AI Difficulty Level is set at Historical. If the AI ignores supply requirements at that level, it would explain a lot. The bombing causes some disables, but over time the Japanese units have actually increased their AV.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: HighwayStar

Yes, I am playing against the AI. Under Game Options, the AI Difficulty Level is set at Historical. If the AI ignores supply requirements at that level, it would explain a lot. The bombing causes some disables, but over time the Japanese units have actually increased their AV.

You don't give full info on location, but it's very possible they ARE getting supply. Supply can flow very long distances in some cases, especially where there is a complex road network. You say you've taken the nearby bases, but you don't say you've closed off all the hexsides to the stack. Japan usually has some very big, very rich bases south of Pegu. If the stack is not hex-isolated I'd bet they're eating OK.

[GetAssista]

Japanese AI is notoriously crafty in living off the land. Their LCUs don't die out as fast as yours even on lower difficulties, so you should not count on that.
But you can always stomp on those LCUs with your forces. With no supply adjusted AV is greatly reduced and a dozen attacks will extinguish the opposition. Preferably with tanks to avoid unnecessary casualties. But infantry also mostly stops getting hurt after all Jap supply is gone.

[HighwayStar]

The hex is 57,54. That particular hex has no roads or rail of any kind. I avoided moving armored units into that hex as it is jungle/forest, but perhaps AE doesn't care? I have control of Rangoon, Pegu, Chiang Mai, Moulmein, Rahaeng, Pisanuloke, Tavoy, and Mergui. The Japanese still hold Bangkok, Ayuthia, Naklon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Vientiane, and Lueng Prabang. I used the road from Moulmein to Rahaeng to move units there in prep for the assault on Ayuthia. Three squadrons of C-47's are airlifting supplies into the hex from Bangkok, which, along with Moulmein, are well stocked with supplies. I seem to recall from the manual that the Japanese do not have a supply airlift capability. For the last ten moves or so, I have decided to bite the bullet and use the infantry and artillery present to do the job. So far taking heavy losses but the Japanese force is being reduced. I am also moving up an armored brigade to assist.

[Andav]

A screen shot would be most helpful. Make sure you press the W key to display hex side control.

Wa

[JeffroK]

I have never heard that japan cant airlift supply??

IRL, the IJA was rather stubborn and could hold on well beyond most western troops, and be destroyed to the last man.
Western armies were likely to see the writing on the wall and surrender, a la Singapore & Bataan

[Bullwinkle58]

What's the hotkey, in AI play, to show the supply traces?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

What's the hotkey, in AI play, to show the supply traces?

The key is 5 , but you have to wait up to a minute for the results to show up. It only shows supply movement potential from the hex selected, so you have to pick a base, I think.

[szmike]

ORIGINAL: HighwayStar

The hex is 57,54. That particular hex has no roads or rail of any kind. I avoided moving armored units into that hex as it is jungle/forest, but perhaps AE doesn't care?

It doesn't to an extent of supply path, single base could supply long distance units over roads/rails and much shorter over rough terrain - 4 hexes of such terrain without roads in between, but it uses all roads without enemy units on its way to the target.
To cut off supply you'd have to literally surround them, or move into the hex from all sides, to change control of hex sides.

[HighwayStar]

Thanks for all the assistance. The best option seems to be to surround the Japanese on all six sides of a hex to completely cut off all supplies. Maybe the Japanese set up some sort of pre Ho Chi Minh trail system to supply distant units behind allied lines. I need to brush up on my Santayana...

[rustysi]

The key is 5 , but you have to wait up to a minute for the results to show up.

Depends on your computer, mine is almost instant.

I seem to recall from the manual that the Japanese do not have a supply airlift capability.

That is not true and is not in the manual.

[Alpha77]

"Out of supply and sourounded" troops in AE are often difficult to take out, it seems the case for the Chinese for sure (if Japan too that would be cool in fact). But as others have noted you need to make sure their supply path is really cut off.

[Yaab]

Maybe the Japs are sitting on a pile of supply unloaded in a non-base hex?

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