Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (A) vs darbymcd (J)

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (A) vs darbymcd (J)

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Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (A) v... - 4/26/2013 8:53:13 PM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

Not sure what has pushed me to do that but I have decided to play Allies in DaIronBabes scenario 30 mod. This is a Scenario 2 conversion into the DBB format, with extended map, reduced ship cargo capacity and stacking limits. We play 2-day turns, no idea how this will affect me but one thing is certain - we will move faster than we would with standard turns.

My opponent is darbymcd (Darby), who is thereby nicely asked not to read any furher

We have also decided to let Japan have unrealistic R&D, so I fear I will have a lot of fun in the air.

HRs as follow:
- PP to be paid for trans-border movement of restricted troops
- no night bombing at all
- Japan does not bomb Chinese industry
- Allied planes in China have to use Allied aviation support
- no army 4E bombers on naval attack missions below 10k ft

So pretty much a free-style game, with all the dirty tricks one fancies to employ (if only one knows how to use them

).

First turn sent back and awaiting the cowardly strikes against PH.

< Message edited by Elladan -- 4/26/2013 8:54:20 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/26/2013 9:12:38 PM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

The first area I'm going to cover here is China � I was allowed to make my moves here on turn 1.

With all honesty I don't have much of an idea how to defend with poor Chinese troops against superior Japanese divisions so will not try anything fancy. My first target is to establish a more or less solid line of defense approximately along the red line on the map below.

I want to defend Sian and Changsha so my biggest troop concentrations will have to be in the rough hexes in front of those cities. I would also like to keep Kweilin and Kukong to present a credible threat against the Canton/Hong Kong area as well as have an airbase from which I can keep an eye on the Formosa straits. Can be useful for my subs there.
I'm slowly withdrawing all my units from the south and east of the red line, leaving only some of the small ~50AV corps to act as raiders.
Chinese airforce has been withdrawn deeper into interior and set to training � I don't have the numbers nor good planes so I better have at least decent pilots.

Is there anything I could do to possibly push some supplies from India/Burma towards China? I think I read something somewhere about a manipulation of supply demand settings in bases along the supply line but can't recall any details.

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RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/27/2013 6:04:53 AM

SBD

Posts: 65
Joined: 2/18/2010
Status: offline

Good luck!

I like your defensive line in China although I think trying to hold Kukong may be a bit optimistic. I like to run as much supply as I can into Rangoon. It seems to eventually trickle into China. Not sure if there's anything that can be deliberately done to speed the process.

(in reply to Elladan)

Post #: 3

RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/28/2013 10:43:26 AM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

First 2 turns replayed and it seems the Japanese attacks are pretty standard, with landings occurring at Batan, Vigan, Legaspi and Kuching. No landings in the Malaya, he is probably disembarking at Singora and Pattani. No landing at Aparri, I will see if that's still the case after the next turn I might try to resist farther north than Clark Field.
Other than that Hong Kong has been invested, few cleaning-up moves done in China, Wake and Guam bombarded in preparation of unevitable invasions. Port attacks had been conducted against PH, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore and Rangoon. Nothing hugely devastating has been achieved against Manila, which is a relief, but Pearl Harbor has been dealt with thoroughly. I have lost West Virginia and Tennessee outright and the remaining 6 BBs are heavily damaged, although not in direct danger of sinking. Some of them won't be coming back into service before well into 1943.
On a positive side it seems my opponent has left his KB fighters on airfield attack and they did so on the second day. The price has been high, with 39 reported destroyed by flak over Pearl. That's quite a nice blow, which could have consequences later on.
On to do my turn now, quite a massive task as it is :)

(in reply to SBD)

Post #: 4

RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/28/2013 12:47:53 PM

MrKane

Posts: 790
Joined: 3/9/2013
From: West Poland
Status: offline

Here is a few hints base on my experience.

1) If you opponent has some experience with land warfare you not going to hold line Loyang - Yenan. I am strongly suggest to start building 2nd line around Sian. Move there your arty unit from Chungking to help you with his tanks.

2) Put some units to Lanchow to avoid encircling attack from east. This city is like "golden apple" for your opponent.

3) Take opportunity to destroy his units in Ichang. Take hex 84 48 next move you force into city and crush his division. ( easy task, just remember do not attack until all corps are in place)

4) Counterattack each time you opponent get into your hex when you have AV advantage.

5) Keep Nanning as long as possible. This city is blocking his resource moving form Vietnam to China.

I hope this will help you.

(in reply to Elladan)

Post #: 5

RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/30/2013 12:15:05 PM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

SBD, MrKane - thanks for your comments guys. In China all depends on what my opponent really wants to get as I don't have the strength to oppose a determined push. Having said that Sian and Changsha are my main targets now and I'm going to try and defend them in force, preferably in favourable terrain in front of those cities. All I need is some time to redeploy and dig in.

Ichang - Japanese forces had already withdrawn from this exposed position so no chance to catch them. I'm sending a small corps to invest the city but it will not be defended.

Nanning - As with everything in China what I need most is time. Currently there is nothing of combat value in the city and my nearest corps are still marching towards it. Japanese regiment crossed the border from Indochina and we'll see if my single corps can hold them in place. Overall, there is not that much of Japanese strength in this area, so provided I can get my units in place I should be ok.

Artillery reserves - my plan is to wait and see what the Japanese want to achieve and then send them to the place where they can be most useful. At the moment they're resting and training.

(in reply to MrKane)

Post #: 6

RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 4/30/2013 12:51:36 PM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

All right, I have sent my 9-10 Dec 41 turn to my opponent and have time for some insight into my broader strategic planning for this war.

I'm going to focus my offensive operations on 2 strategic areas, both vital for Japanese war effort.

1. Kuriles - to allow me access to mainland Japan with it's industries. To achieve this goal the first step is to secure Aleutians - I'm going to send significant forces there, already have one division and 3 regiments earmarked with more forces to follow. I'm going to build Seward as a main convoy terminus, from which smaller cargo task forces will distribute supplies, fuel and troops as needed. First target now is Adak with it important port, both to deny it's use to enemy and use it as an operational base for my subs. Will take me some time before I can amass enough force in this theatre for a serious presence but I'm rushing a regiment to Adak ASAP to at least guard against any cheap moves by my opponent.

2. Oil sources in DEI. The plan is to mount a serious land offensive through Burma and towards Siam/Indochina supported by amphibious landing along the coast. To achieve that I will need to send quite some American forces and that is what I mean to do. The second claw of the prong will be represented by a thrust from Western Australia into Eastern DEI and ultimately towards Phillipines/Formosa. Along those two I plan to make some amphibious landings on the western coast of Sumatra or Java, if opportunity arises.
My immediate concern here is to secure base areas for those offensives, i.e India, Ceylon, Western Australia and, importantly, Cocos Island just off the coast of Java. 18th UK division is rushing towards Cocos and will establish a nice atoll resort there. Additional reinforcements are being pushed to Ceylon and Perth and I will continue to build up my forces there.

Eastern Australia and Pacific will be of secondary importance, with effort being made to hold on to Hawaii, Fiji and Australia with the only semi-offensive goal being Port Moresby. I'm rushing some reinforcements there and will fight for it. If I can hold it so much better for my other operations westward, if I lose, not much of a deal.

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RE: Empire of the Setting Sun - DaIronBabes - Elladan (... - 5/6/2013 4:21:27 PM

Elladan

Posts: 300
Joined: 8/18/2005
From: Manchester, UK
Status: offline

9-12 December 1941

Pacific

KB has been seen taking a southern hook around PH, probably hoping to catch my carriers returning to base. Being sneaky like a fox

I have managed to keep out of harms way and positioned Lexington CAG 2 hexes from Tabiteuea. That paid of quite nicely as my planes managed to nail an invasion force sinking apparently 1DD and 2 xAKs, without any troops unfortunately. Both carriers retiring to Australia at the moment.
Other than that action nothing of interest happened, not even a customary Wake invasion. I'm pushing some troops and supplies north to build up Aleuties and a little bit south to Fiji but other than that it's all quiet.

Solomons/New Guinea

Few weak bombardments of Rabaul by several Netties are all that stands for war here. I'm evacuating frontier forces to Port Moresby and rushing reinforcements there. This will be my stronghold, Solomons are optional and will commit only to pin Japanese forces if opportunity arises.

Phillipines

Further landings occurred at Aparri and Altimonan. I'm evacuating everything I can to Manila for a last stand. Tried to stand for a short time in air over Manila but have to give up - lost 27 P-40s in just 2 days of sweeps. Can't afford such losses.
B-17s from Cagayan visited Babeldaoab and sunk AMc and xAKL. Japanese landed and took Davao.
Most of my shipping is still trapped in Manila, with Japanese cruiser TFs roaming around it's not healthy to sail around. Just hope they will have to retire soon and then I will be able to sneak at least some through.

DEI

Lost Kuching, troops landed at Brunei and will invest that base in the next turn. Japanese carriers and cruisers roam around Celebes Sea, without all that much of success in killing shipping but they do succeeded in blocking my access to that area.
I'm flying some engineers from Singapore to Palembang, along with small Dutch troops from around to hopefully increase odds of refineries being damaged on capture.

Malaya

Japanese managed to cut off my troops in Alor Setar. Somehow I was unable to move by rail from there to Singapore and so lost too much time changing to strategic mode and back to make it before them. Oh well.
The rest of my forces makes it to Singers, no chance to stand and fight elsewhere.
My Buffalos where quickly swept from the skies over Singapore by enemy Zeroes, again as over Manila I simply can't stand against them and suffer such losses.

Burma/India

Not much to say here, my troops are moving around as needed and no enemy action with the exception of sweeps over Rangoon. I'm going to rebuild 1st Burma Division and maybe move some of the Chinese divisions there if time allows. Other than that my main defense position is in north eastern India.

China

My troops are slowly withdrawing from exposed positions to a more defensive ones. I'm looking to shorten the front and release some corps to act as reserve and perhaps an offensive force with the aim to draw Japanese troops to China and not allow any withdrawal for other theatres.
I can see some troops moving towards Changsha but can't say how big this force is. Will see.

(in reply to Elladan)

Post #: 8

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