Q-Ball
Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002 From: Chicago, Illinois Status: offline
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Dual AARs are often alot of fun; I've done a couple, and they get tons of hits and comments. Unfortunately, I don't feel I have the time to really devote to a really involved AAR; but I thought I would at least provide some overall summaries, and provide the view from the other side of Greyjoys. I'm not allowed in there, but everyone else is, before the shooting even started he was up to like 5 pages....pretty amazing! Anyhow, I just sent the Dec 8th Allied turn, and here are my overall initial moves: Strategic: No offensive plans yet obviously. I am preparing Day 1 for the two biggest Japanese moves: Australia and India. And of the two, I think India is much more doable, and more vulnerable for the Allies. So, I'm planning to put alot of extra stuff into India as soon as possible. The 18th UK and the 2 Aussie Divisions, when I get them, will go there. I am already sending 3 fighter and 2 Bomber groups to Capetown; they should be in India by the end of January, and provide some buttressing of the RAF. I am also moving the US Marines to Australia as quick as possible, and I may continue them on to India as well. But overall, I am most worried about India, and focusing deep defenses there Pearl Harbor: PH raid wasn't bad from my perspective; ARIZONA sank, and CALIFORNIA is 80/20 to sink next turn (62 sys, 92 float, and still burning...I think she goes down). No other BBs are at risk. A single torp hit blew up PHEONIX, though; that one hurt, the cruisers are better than BBs early-on. I don't think he'll hit it again; under DaBabes it's highly unadvisable, and he's probably getting that exact advice. Initial Landings: The Japanese landed on Luzon, Malaya, and Miri, nothing out of the ordinary. A couple things though are interesting: 1. There is a CV TF south of Saigon, with other TFs. This is some sort of major move, IMO. It might be to cover Kuching, but why use the CVs for that? And why not hit Kuching on the 9th? I think it's a move on Kuantan or Mersing, probably Mersing. Mersing would be really risky unless one of the KB CVs is there. I'll see if I can get a read on what's there, but Air Search reports 2 CVs, not one, and RYUJO would be the only other one that could get there. 2. The Legaspi Fast TF is nowhere near Palau; it must be rocketing somewhere else. Where? I guess I'll find out. 3. A minimum of Japanese warships are blockading Luzon; just a few south of Puerto Princesa. CV Moves: LEXINGTON group is loitering north of Wake; we are going to jump any attempt at landing, and we also flew the Vindicators to Wake (more on that later). If KB comes toward Wake, though, we are going to flee north; I want no part of that! ENTERPRISE group is heading directly for Australia, and thence to the SRA SARATOGA is heading to Pearl, and we'll find something for her to do once she gets there. SRA: OK, that huge group of ships south of Saigon is up to something. I can't do anything about a move on Kuching, so we're making preps for a move on Mersing. I can't really stop a determined move on Mersing, but I hope to at least make it expensive. We are laying mines there, and moving the Dutch PTs up there (not sure I can make it in time). The Aussies are marching there. Everyone else in Malaya is boarding trains for Singapore, save for leave-behind Bns to prevent para drops. We are pulling the RN cruisers and all the Dutch warshpis we can to Singapore, and Force Z is hanging out to the south. Of course, we are also pulling Torp Bombers together in Singers, and hope to make use of them. Additionally, the Marine Vindicators on Wake will be staging ASAP to the SRA, via Guam or Rabaul, and should be on-scene in 5 days. Not sure if that's soon enough, but we should be able to surprise somebody at some point. We bought out a P-40 Sqadron on Luzon, and are going to stage them to Sinagpore. 2 AVG units are also headed that way. If I am wrong, I can still use all the airplanes I have gathered to defend Palembang. If I am right, a huge bloodbath will likely happen around Mersing. Most of the blook will be mine, unfortunately, but I can't let him land there without a fight! Other Moves: I beleive in moving units around to surprise the Japanese, and confound the beginning set-up intel. LARK BN is moving from Rabaul to Horn Island, which I hope to make a nasty Atoll. I am moving GULL and SPARROW, with an RN BASE FORCE, to the Cocos Islands. Hopefully that will be a nasty surprise in February. That's about all I can pull off at the moment, but more to follow. BOISE and HOUSTON are moving east into the Phillipine Sea. I am sending a large AK to meet them, to top off fuel. The Phillipine Sea is an air-search gap for Japan, and I hope to interdict something like the 16th Division Convoy heading to Luzon. I hope to hide there, and spring a surprise somewhere.
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