Quote:
Originally Posted by TorpX
Yes, that is rather unfair.
I wonder how much notice was given to the ships and subs at sea. The decision certainly wasn't a spur of the moment deal.
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The submarine base at Manila had been shifted to the Corregidor/Mariveles area at the mouth of Manila Bay, after Manila was declared an open city by General MacArthur. However, they were only able to rescue about 300,000 gallons of fuel in barges and barrels before the Japanese arrived. Between that, having only on the old sub tender,
Canopus to rely on, the primitive docking facilities and constant harassment from Japanese air attacks the decision was made seven days after leaving Manila, to move the submarine base of operations to Surabaya in Java. This was on New Year's Eve, 1941 which I believe is about the time when the game takes Manila away from you as a base.
So historically, there was plenty of warning and wiggle room for submarines to pick up fuel (and evacuate personnel) if still operating in the area. US submarines continued to make supply runs in, and take passengers out until Corregidor fell in May of 1942. I was surprised those special missions never made it into SH4.