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RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D

 
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RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 3/27/2014 4:58:25 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

It will be interesting for me to see how he reacts to the Darwin plan. I feel sure he will see the attack coming from the west; he is very good and disciplined about search and recon. And when he sees it he has plenty of time to get south with the Darwin garrison and save them at the cost of the base. Will he?


I'm not so sure he has been in my game, at least around Austrailia. Most of my convoys around Port Moresby haven't been detected for some time, and there's not a interlocking search network in the SWPAC as far as I can tell.

At any rate, if he can't see what's coming without naval search, I'd be very, very suprised.

Based on the extent to which he has built Darwin up, and the troops he's poured in to it, he won't just walk south and let me take it. He's too good a player to invest in building up a base just to abandon it without a defence.

quote:

If he stays it will be a naval battle, not primarily land. He has to get supplies in by sea. I don't know what he has local, nor do I know what you have near Timor, or at Soerbaja, etc. But make no mistake--Darwin is a naval problem. I think you should decide now how much you want it. It might be cheap, it might not be. I'd balance that with how long you think you could keep it and thus prevent its use as a staging base for a DEI effort. He might think that balance favors him and thus you won't come.


I agree. Since the Repulse appeared, there's be a massive increase in Allied shipping movements - mostly xAK's sitting at the edge of search range north of Exmouth.

Timor is being built up as a major airbase. Koepang is supporting Betty operations, and will cover Broome until that base is operational. Soerabaja is still in Dutch hands, but only for a few more days.

Three older BB's are at Makassar rearming. The bulk of the IJN crusier force is at Singapore, as is the Mini-KB. The IJN is rather low on destroyers due to some of them getting much needed upgrades (depth charges that work, or even just depth charges in some cases!). The KB will be moving to this AO as well, once it tops off fuel bunkers at Truk.

The target of the operation isn't Darwin itself, but the troops therein. Looking at the map, I see a second Singapore. Sixty odd ABDA refugee LCU's sitting completely isolated from naval lines of communications and dependant on a single dirt trail for land-based logistics.

Denying Darwin afterwards is a bonus. The plan is to swing in, cut the troops off, destroy them, and bug out. A couple of regiments and Naval Guard units will be left to garrison the place and offer at least token resistence of Loka. wants it back.

If it wasn't for those 60 odd LCU's sticking their neck out, I'd be content with the Broome-Wyndham axis as outposts and depend on Timor to keep Darwin isolated. Perhaps the troops are there to entice me to invade. If that's the case, forewarned is forearmed and I'll be bringing such overwhelming force so as to make any sort of ambush tatics risky for him.

I can't help but get the feeling that he's going for a big strategic ambush. 60 LCU's in an exposed position? Big xAK convoys on the edge of search range screams "bait" for a carrier trap to me. USN carriers notably missing, and capital ships commited off Broome just a few turns ago?

If he is, I welcome it. I'd much rather fight it out off Northern Oz, with Palambang (fuel), Singapore and Soerabaja (repairs) very close to the battlezone. Much more so than I would in the Solomons, the Central Pacific, or even the North Pacific.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)
Post #: 91
RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 3/27/2014 4:58:28 PM   
Spidery

 

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quote:

Light Blue = Diversionary thrust against Daly Waters with the goal of blocking the road to the interior of Austraila and the Alice Springs railhead. Will consist of IJA armoured units for mobility and IJN Naval Guard units to give the armoured units the benefit of infantry support.


In the wide open spaces of Australia, if you don't have AA accompanying your troops, or fighters providing cover, my experience is that small units can be wiped out under a hail of bombs. This seriously hinders the chance to use armour to cut retreats. A few days of concentrated bombing can be enough to eliminate a unit. This particularly true for some of the tank regiments as they have no AA and can be strafed without risk.

A thrust on Daly Waters is likely to meet this fate.

Suggest you bring some Paras along as there is always the possibility that Daly Waters or Tennant Creek is poorly defended and can be snatched.

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 92
RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 3/27/2014 5:08:13 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Spidery

quote:

Light Blue = Diversionary thrust against Daly Waters with the goal of blocking the road to the interior of Austraila and the Alice Springs railhead. Will consist of IJA armoured units for mobility and IJN Naval Guard units to give the armoured units the benefit of infantry support.


In the wide open spaces of Australia, if you don't have AA accompanying your troops, or fighters providing cover, my experience is that small units can be wiped out under a hail of bombs. This seriously hinders the chance to use armour to cut retreats. A few days of concentrated bombing can be enough to eliminate a unit. This particularly true for some of the tank regiments as they have no AA and can be strafed without risk.

A thrust on Daly Waters is likely to meet this fate.

Suggest you bring some Paras along as there is always the possibility that Daly Waters or Tennant Creek is poorly defended and can be snatched.


Noted, hand't thought of that.

The bulk of the IJA AA has been sent to Burma to defend Magawe (once I acutally capture it), or is at Palambang. I'll shift the Palambang AA to support Operation Oswego. The only decent Allied bomber base in meduim bomber range is Darwin itself, which is subject to raids from Koepang. The Allies are building Katherine and Fenton up as well, though.

That said, I'm fairly confident in the ability of AA, LRCAP fighters from the Broome-Wyndham line and strikes against Allied bomber bases to minimize the damage that the Allied meduim bombers can do. If he decides to commit B-17s, then that's a different story.

(in reply to Spidery)
Post #: 93
RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 3/27/2014 5:12:59 PM   
Bullwinkle58


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Status: offline 		All I would add is that there are 60 LCUs there, but he doesn't have to leave 60, or go away with 60. A lot of the ABDA refugees are base forces and AA I'd think. They could go, cut supply consumption, and not really affect Darwin defense that much so long as enough Support was there in the HQs.

_____________________________

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(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 94
RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 3/27/2014 5:30:14 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

All I would add is that there are 60 LCUs there, but he doesn't have to leave 60, or go away with 60. A lot of the ABDA refugees are base forces and AA I'd think. They could go, cut supply consumption, and not really affect Darwin defense that much so long as enough Support was there in the HQs.


True, but Loka. seems to favour "festung" style defences. First Koepang, then Kunming, and now Darwin. Based on our email conversations, I think it's how he likes to couduct his defence in the first six months of the war.

Currently, I've just two SNFL units on the western flank of Darwin marching from Wyndham. Enough to cause mild concern, but not enough to provoke a flat-out withdrawal. If he's going to withdraw anything at all, I'll see it moving in the next few turns. Then we'll get a good idea as to his intentions.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)
Post #: 95
Battle Boat Boise - 3/31/2014 6:43:19 PM   
mind_messing

 

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An unfortunate turn.

North Pacific

The USN makes a sortie. A destroyer squadron has swung directly north of Attu while an Allied battleship is reported just off Dutch Harbour and heading west.

The Yamashiro and the small IJN destroyer squadron will make a move to intercept.

The Kuriles resembles a string of construction sites in a vast ocean as a couple more engineer units are freed up from Manchuria. Once the Kuriles hosts three decent airbases, the engineers will redeploy to the Marianas chain.

Central Pacific

Quiet, more and more air support units begin filling up the islands in the Japanese rear areas. We're still short on air units here, as well as garrison troops. Hopefully more Naval Guards can be freed up for garrison duties.

South-West Pacific

The Austrailian defence on Noumea must be on it's last legs. The Guards Mixed Brigade has battered itself half-to-death attempting to take the base, and are nearly there. Evidently the Allies interpret this as bait, with the KB waiting to swoop down on any attempts to land behind the GMB. We'll keep this deception up.

At least one Allied carrier is spotted at Sydney.

Troopships are sent to Ndini to withdraw some of the engineers that built that base up. They'll be sent to Guadalcanal, to start developing that island as an airbase to support Tulagi, while further up the Solomons chain, a Naval Guard unit and a air support battalion are sent to the base adjacent to Shortlands.

Australia

A reverse for the IJN. After taking Horn Island, the 4th Division is mauled when the transports are caught by the Boise and Leander. I plotted this turn when I was too tired and missed ordering a crusier force to cover the ships, and as a result lost most of the 4th Division. Two ships, and some 3000 men are all that remains, and they'll make for Horn Island in the hope of salvaging a cadre of the division. A IJN CL was lost as well.

Battle-boat Boise and company will now need to escape a net of IJNAF bombers to tell tall tales when they return to Sydney. Air search efforts have been stepped up to prevent such a calamity from re-occuring. This marks the first serious reverse to a IJN convoy since the war commenced.

More support troops begin to arrive in North-West Austraila in the build-up to Operation Oswego while small-scale Allied air raids continue.

DEI

A British carrier appears off the coast of Sumatra, and is welcomed by a strike from the Mini-KB at extreme range. Most IJN bombers don't fly, and the handfull of Kates that do fly only carry 250kg bombs. No Allied CAP is present, though the IJN bombers fail to do any real damage - only a handfull of AA guns are destroyed.

In response, Japanese fighter groups reposition from the Java campaign to protect the Sumatran oil centers while the Mini-KB will swing westwards to hopefully intercept the British raiders.

The Java campaign itself is drawing to a close as a division arives in Soereabaja. With Dutch resistance mostly broken, the last battle will be a swift victory for the IJA. However, a great many bases have still to be cleaned out of Dutch defenders.

Burma

The Royal Thai Army fails to cut off the British units defeated in Rangoon. Both enter the critical hex at the same time, and so no hexsides are closed. A chase to Akyab begins, which the RTA should win thanks to support from the IJAAF.

A great deal of IJA AA units arrive in Central Burma destined for the defence of Magawe. Once this base is occupied, the British are expected to bomb it to dust, and the intention is to force the British to pay a high price for doing so.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:45:19 PM >

(in reply to pontiouspilot)
Post #: 96
RE: Battle Boat Boise - 3/31/2014 10:48:42 PM   
mind_messing

 

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Scheming time.

North Pacific

USN light crusiers bombard Attu, damaging the floatplanes, but not knocking any out. Marauders go after Amchitka, but the Zero's shoot down a couple for good measure.

The Yamashiro might pull off an intercept around Adak tomorrow, depending on where the Americans plan to bombard.

Central Pacific

Quiet

South-West Pacific

The KB arrives at Truk, and the last of the fuel vanishes. More is en-route, however, and a sizable stockpile remains at Rabual in case it's needed. The KB undergoes a needed re-organization, with the three Kongo-class battleships (bar Haruna, which is in the yards at Hong Kong for another month) joining. The KB itself is split in two , but will operate together, with each half having an organic floatplane tender, battleship and crusier force.

Plans to deploy the KB to Austrailia are scrapped following inteligence that USN carriers are stationed at Sydney. The KB will attempt one last raid behind enemy lines before withdrawing to Japan to rest and refit. The Mini-KB will cover the Northern Austrailian invasion forces.

An IJN crusier force will seek to reinforce New Caledonia with the 1st Raiding Regiment, to help secure Noumea. This follows the US battleship Mississipi bombarding the base.

Austrailia

The 4th Division is wiped out at sea, bar a tiny fragment that is disbanded on Horn Island. The unit is bought back, and will be deployed to second line positions, possibily Hollandia, to refit and retrain.

DEI

Soerabaja falls, marking an end to major operations in this theater. Mopping up operations will continue, but the bulk of the IJA presence in Java starts preparation for Operation Oswego.

Burma

The Rangoon refugee units have likely escaped. The Royal Thai Army starts moving to garrison positions in Central and Upper Burma while the IJA reorganize to push on Akyab.

China

IJA units enter Chungking! A massive bombardment reveals some 6k Chinese AV against 2k Japanese AV. However, the IJA is making an effort to concentrate some 5.5k AV in the region for the siege of Chungking, while the IJAAF prepares a focused bombing campaign on Chinese troops. Combined with armoured units scrapped from Manchuria and Northern China, the IJA is confident of making at least some progress in the reduction of the moster KMT fortres.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:45:27 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 97
RE: Battle Boat Boise - 4/1/2014 3:13:35 AM   
mind_messing

 

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The run of Japanese bad luck continues.

North Pacific

The Yamashiro pulls of it's intercept as predicted...

...and runs right into the Warspite and Colorado, with the Phoenix and St Louis backing the heavies up.

The battle itself was a mixed affair, taking place mainly at long range, bar a short segment at 5000 yards. The Yamashiro performed with the fighting elan expected of the IJN - crossing the Allied Task Forces path and dealing heavy damage to the Warspite, Phoenix and St Louis, as well as sinking an American destroyer.

However, the superior numbers of Allied heavy guns took it's toll, and the IJN destroyers failed to strike home with any torpedos. The Yamashiro took a hit to the engines early in the battle, and this led to it being hunted down and forced under with fifty shell hits (at most 5-7 were heavy caliber shells, the rest hit the belt or superstructure).

Day Time Surface Combat, near Adak Island at 160,51, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 50, and is sunk
DD Kamikaze, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Karukaya, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Shell hits 6
BB Warspite, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Cummings, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Cushing, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
DD Preston, Shell hits 2
DD Flusser

Poor visibility due to Rain
Maximum visibility in Rain: 15,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Obata, Chozaemon crosses the 'T'
...

5th Fleet HQ is disapointed with this result. A irreplaceable Japanese battleship has been exchanged for a USN destroyer, and even the damage to the Warspite, St Louis and Phoenix cannot redress the unfair nature of this trade - 4 destroyed Segulls suggests the Phoenix went down. The forlorn hope is that the IJN submarine fleet off Dutch Harbour match the spirit of the Yamashiro and put some torpedos in to some capital ships.

The only consolation is that the psychological impact can only further the impression of a significant IJN commitment to the Aleutians, when this is no longer the case: no future ventures in to the Aleutians will be conducted. The Yamato, due in just over two months, will replace the Yamashiro as the flagship of the 5th Fleet.

Central Pacific

Calm and sedate.

South-West Pacific

KB moves off from Truk while another small Allied bombardment shells Noumea. A IJN seaplane tender is relocating to Koumac to enable better coverage of the Coral Sea and Fiji region. Luganville's airfeild reaches level 3, soon Ndeni will be exposed. Hopefully we'll have the Tulagi complex to fall back upon in that eventuallity.

Austrailia

Port Hedland is bombarded by three IJN BB's. Damage is minor as the assets in that base were tiny. Some more Marauder's are jumped by Zero's on LR CAP duty. British units remain rooted in Darwin despite the growing threat to their western flank - the strength of the Japanese forces in Northern Austrailia is growing, and will grow quicker as more assets are redeployed from Java.

Bathurst Island is seized, and engineers wade ashore at Sumalaki to build that base into a forward bomber base for the IJAAF.

Burma

The Chinese fleeing Lashio are driven across the border, leaving a single unit cut off to the north. The Imperial Guards Division will hold position around Lashio while the rest of the 15th Army redeploys to Prome to push up to Akyab.

More and more AA, air support and artillery tubes arrive in Rangoon to support this operation. A large convoy carrying supplies is also less than a week out.

Philipines

Still an active theater. The siege of Bataan continues, with the Americans low on supply and the IJAAF doing good work in inflicting damage to the troops holed up on the peninsular.


Gone after a brave fight. At least she took a destroyer and a light crusier down with her.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:45:35 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 98
RE: Battle Boat Boise - 4/1/2014 7:22:45 PM   
Capt. Harlock


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quote:

5th Fleet HQ is disapointed with this result. A irreplaceable Japanese battleship has been exchanged for a USN destroyer, and even the damage to the Warspite, St Louis and Phoenix cannot redress the unfair nature of this trade


Ships with "heavy fires, heavy damage" tend not to survive, so the odds are that Phoenix will go down. The down side is that Kamikaze and Karakaya will be lost as well. Still a bad trade, but a little better than before -- since Phoenix is one of those nasty Brooklyn class which are heavy cruisers for all practical purposes.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 99
RE: Battle Boat Boise - 4/1/2014 7:59:07 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

quote:

5th Fleet HQ is disapointed with this result. A irreplaceable Japanese battleship has been exchanged for a USN destroyer, and even the damage to the Warspite, St Louis and Phoenix cannot redress the unfair nature of this trade


Ships with "heavy fires, heavy damage" tend not to survive, so the odds are that Phoenix will go down. The down side is that Kamikaze and Karakaya will be lost as well. Still a bad trade, but a little better than before -- since Phoenix is one of those nasty Brooklyn class which are heavy cruisers for all practical purposes.


Phoenix is a goner based on four Seagull losses on the ground from that turn. Even with the pretty severe damage to Warspite, it's far from a trade advantageous to Japan.

My pipe dream for this theater is to get the Yamato operating to take out the Allied battleships in the Aleutians.

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)
Post #: 100
Remember the Yamashiro! - 4/1/2014 11:46:12 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		March 25th to March 26th, 1942

North Pacific

The I-28 helps avenge the Yamashiro by putting a single torpedo into the St Louis. Coupled with the damage done to the American crusier, it may well have finished her off.

Elsewhere, the usual nusiance USAAF medium bomber raids on Adak and Amchitka. Zero's will make a fight over Adak next turn to hopefully down a few more.

Central Pacific

Calm, as per usual. Fuel shipment is nearly at Kawajalen, so submarine operations should resume promptly.

South-West Pacific

The Maya and a gaggle of destroyers stop short of Koumac with a IJA Raiding Regiment. Then, search planes report a USN amphibious task force unloading troops at Noumea. The Pensacola and Louisville bombarded Noumea, so are out of ammo and out of the fight.

Better still, the Maya and company are undetected, so they've been ordered not to bother unloading troops and to make a quick run down the coast to hopefully take the ships unloading troops. It's a risk, but naval search shows no other USN surface forces in the area. Hopefully the IJA troops on the decks of the ships will get a good show.

Remember the Yamashiro!

The KB is about four days out. Hopefully the crusier raid will provoke the American carriers out from Sydney and in to the arms of the KB.

Reinforcement of Noumea makes the already shakey position of the Guards Mixed Brigade completely undefendable, so they'll withdraw back up New Caledonia and be withdrawn, probably to Port Moresby. As much as I'd love to have New Caledonia, it's too far forward, and with the Americans dug in far too deeply on Luganville, completely undefendable.

Austrailia

Another strange occurance west of Broome. IJN torpedo bombers strike and sink some troopships in the middle of the ocean in the AM phase, and run in to a British carrier in the PM phase. The thin British CAP makes enough of an impact to prevent any hits.

Imperial General Headquarters is confused. Possibly a bid to force troops and supplies through to Darwin. The Mini-KB is up by Southern Sumatra, and will head south to investigate. The possibility of the British carrier being bait to a trap is likely, so IJN search efforts will increase so as to rumble the Allies. More IJN torpedo bombers and escorting fighters have been moved in - if the Allies intend to move within range, they'll have a great many planes to deal with.

A light crusier TF consisting of Sendai and Naka and escorting destroyers will move into the area to at least threaten the British carriers.

Burma

More toys for the IJA arrive. Still short on ground troops. Ideally, another division or two would set this theater up for most of 1942. Artillery and troops start to concentrate for the IJA push towards Akyab while skirmishing with the Chinese continues.

The IJAAF plots a raid for Akyab aerodrome tomorrow. The British have stayed on the ground, so hopefully this will drag them from the deck.

China

Bombardments at Chungking continue to be a bloody affair for both sides. Chengtu is occupied with no resistance. 7 Tojo's and some Nates are flown in to defend against any British bombing raids from Ledo.

Philippines

No more flak bursts over Bataan, so the IJA bombers are ordered to go in lower, and more are given over to plastering the American troops. A deliberate attack will go in within the week.




Question to the Gallery

What's the best way to place Command and Air HQ's? I think the best use of Air Flottila's (1 hex range) is to enable single or binary base complexes and the bigger Air Fleet's/Flotilla's are to enable larger areas.

My question is what is the best geographic location for these units? Seeing as Command HQ's can provide torpedos, is it a good idea to swap the 4th Fleet (Command HQ, Truk) with the 6th Fleet (Naval HQ, Kawajalein)?

Is the 5th Fleet better served at a large port to assist naval operations, or smack bang in the middle of the Kuriles to enable all bases to carry torpedos?


A formidable opponent, as the Yamashiro discovered, but now severely damaged if not sunk.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:45:44 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 101
RE: Remember the Yamashiro! - 4/3/2014 1:45:37 AM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		March 27th to March 28th, 1942

Two turns in march, or how I learned to stop worrying and love logistics.

North Pacific

Things have calmed down following the Battle of Adak Island. RO-62 impales herself on a mine in Dutch Harbour, and the crew fails to contain the flooding and she sinks in the afternoon of the 28th.

Based on the great Allied commitment to this theater, 5th Fleet considers Japanese possession past 6/42 as a strategic victory.

A regiment is freed from China to garrison Paramushiro-Jimi. Despite it's average status (55 EXP), it will combine with another regiment and an artillery unit to form a mixed brigade at some point in 1944 to supliment the garrison.


The IJN presence in the Aleutians is restricted to submarines. Japanese air power consists of a collection of floatplanes and 14 Zero fighters.


Central Pacific

Fuel arrives at Kawajalein, and the IJN subs in the Central Pacific sortie back out. Their main focus will be on the battle developing around Noumea, and many of them may be rebased to Rabual to better take advantage of this.

A swap-around of HQ's is to take place. South-East Area Fleet (Naval/Command HQ, at Rabual) will move to Kwajalein, replacing the 6th Fleet (just an Naval HQ). The 6th Fleet will go to Truk and free the 4th Fleet (Naval/Command HQ) to move to Rabual. This will provide torpedos to the upper Marshall chain, as well as Rabual itself. Truk will no longer be a torpedo-enabled base, but due to it's location far from the frontlines, this is not a significant problem.

South-West Pacific

The KB may have a chance to get the jump on Allied ships unloading at Noumea. A collection of crusiers and amphibious ships remains in the area. The fast transport force turned surface action group that attempted to intercept the same ships found empty ocean. Hopefully the aviators of the IJN have more luck than the sailors.

An IJN sub off Sydney puts two torpedos in to the Mississipi, which shows no obvious signs of damage. Nevertheless, it's another Allied battleship out of the war, at least for a short period of time.

Plans for the evacuation of the Guards Mixed Brigade are drawn up. Shipping to withdraw about 70% of the unit is assembling at Rabaul. The KB, following it's Noumea strike, will move to attack Sydney. Following this, the KB will move back north-east and cover evacuation operations from Noumea.


The situation at New Caledonia. Luganville, even though no Allied aircraft are flying from it is still a fatal wound in the Japanese flank, and withdrawal the only cure. The KB is just off-screen to the top-left.


Austrailia

The British and Austrailian forces in Northern Austrailia start to realize the danger that they are in. Allied units are deployed against paratroopers on the rail-line running south from Darwin. Supplies and naval support is headed for Darwin while the bulk of the IJA forces to be used against Darwin collect themselves in Soerabaja.

Burma

A Chinese corps in good condition (300 odd AV) finds itself confronted by two IJA divisions and supporting armour. It will be pushed back across the border to China.

IJA garrison units and even more artillery are en-route to Rangoon. The garrison units will enable the bulk of the Royal Thai Army to hold the mountain passes against KMT attempts to cross the border.

China

The situation remains stable, with massive IJA bombardments at Chungking having mixed results. The air bombardment campaign keeps the Chinese wasting supply, and only a single nearby base remains in Chinese hands.

Is it advisable to close all the hexsides, or to force the Chinese to retreat and then destroy them again? From personal experience, I've found surrounded troops to hold out much longer than they would do if they had the option to retreat.

Based on this, I'm considering leaving a hexside to the open terrain under KMT control, pushing the Chinese out where Japanese bombers can have the greatest effect.

Logistics and Industry

I realize how little I "get" Japan. I spend a great deal of time attempting to rationalize my logistics chain, mostly tankers, in an attempt to iron out logistical difficulties on the frontline.

I'm pouring over Miki Soili's excellent AAR, so hopefully that will impart some improvement on to my logistics management. My main problem is getting fuel and oil from Sumatra to Singapore, and from there back to Japan. I think I've sorted fuel problems for Truk (inefficent convoys and excessive use of the KB), but getting the fuel and oil back to Japan in a slick (har har) manner is something I'm still working on.

Also, somehow 1.6 million resources in Japan vanished between turns 107 and 111, according to Tracker. They didn't go anywhere outside Japan, because global resources also dropped by 1.6 million between those turns. I'll gather the turns between 107 and 111 and have them looked at.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:45:52 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 102
RE: Remember the Yamashiro! - 4/4/2014 2:11:55 AM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		March 29th to March 30th, 1942

North Pacific

Things have calmed down since the clash of battleships of Adak, with no American air-raids or bombardments of the Japanese toe-hold in the Aleutians.

The 5th Fleet is taking advantage of this lull to complete the withdrawal of units dispatched here. Floatplane transports have pulled out the bulk of the air support from Adak Island, and will soon start work on withdrawing the 80th Regiment to Attu. From there, the units will be deployed to the Kuriles.

Work on turning the Kruiles in to a defendable bastion is about a third complete. Onnekotan-jima and Paramushiro-Jima will form the northern redoubt of defence, with Shimushiri-jima being the central link in the defence of the chain. Etorofu and Kunashiri are to be connection between the defence of the Kuriles and the Home Islands proper. On Hokkaido itself, Bihoro is a size 4 airstrip and has an Air HQ flown in from Honshu.

Troops to garrison the islands, however, are scarce. If the need becomes pressing, restricted troops can be flown out to many of them, though this has the cost of forcing them to leave behind heavy weapons.

Central Pacific

Calm, as is the norm. Tabiteuea becomes host to a level 3 airbase, and work on expanding it to a level 4 airbase has commenced. The engineers in the base will build forts up to level 4 or 5 before relocating to develop forts on Tarawa.

South-West Pacific

The amphibious ships at Noumea give the KB the slip, however, better prey is found in the form of a crusier task force to the west of Noumea. The still undetected KB will slide westward towards Sydney and attempt an intercept before striking at the Austrailian city.

Meanwhile, the shipping to evacuate the Guards Mixed Brigade makes a dash for Koumac, covered by the Mutsu, Maya and escorting destroyers.

Austrailia

IJN torpedo bombers sortie against an Allied destroyer force and a transport convoy of some sorts. Exmouth now hosts an Allied garrison. Shipping in the area has been ordered to flee and a light cruser SCTF has been sent to screen Broome.

The first wave of the force for Operation Oswego departs Java. The first wave will be the 38th Division, with a tank regiment and the 16th Army HQ. Their landing point at Wyndham is well prepared, with naval and aviation support already present. The 2nd, 5th, and 18th Divisions will follow on as shipping assembles in Soerabaja.

Burma

The last Chinese invader in Burma is thrown across the border.

Rangoon now hosts the 3rd Air Division, which is a much needed boost to the air units in the region. Rangoon will host a size 6 airbase. Moulmein will be the main base for Japanese air operations in Burma due to it's distance from potential Allied bomber bases and proximity to Thailand.

China

Some 7k Japanese AV assembles itself for the attack on Chungking. Another 2k or so is being deployed to screen the Chinese army at Kunming.

Philippines

The attack against Bataan nets mixed results. Forts fall to level 3, but Japan takes heavier losses. More heavy gun units fresh from Java are to be deployed against Bataan within the week, and another attack is to take place on April 10th.


With heavy guns such as these, it is hoped that Bataan will be cleared for mid-April, freeing the units on Luzon for deployment to Burma.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:01 PM >

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Post #: 103
Yamashiro avenged! - 4/4/2014 7:48:57 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		March 31st, 1942

A good day for the Japanese Empire!

North Pacific

Big raid by the Allied bomber force on Adak, destroying a few squads of the 80th Regiment. Most of the aviation support has been pulled off Adak, and the 80th Regiment itself will be withdrawing shortly as well.

I'll need to get the engineers that built Amchitka up to a level 2 airstrip off that island as well, leaving behind a caretaker garrison of Naval Guard units.

Central Pacific

Calm.

South-West Pacific

The KB, moving south-west from New Caledonia strikes gold with the appearance of a big USN amphibious force south of Noumea. The strike is somewhat scattered, due to a small task force centered around an AV to the west of Norfolk Island.

Damage is as follows.


Allied Ships
AK Castor, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Pillsbury
DD Farragut
AP Crescent City, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Leander, Torpedo hits 1
AP Hugh L. Scott, Torpedo hits 1
CL Boise
AP President Polk
AP President Jackson, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Bellatrix, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage

Allied Ships
AV Pocomoke, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Kingfisher

Allied Ships
AM Kingfisher, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Tydeman, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
AVD Ballard, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AV Pocomoke, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
AP Harris, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AP Barnett, Bomb hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
AP Hugh L. Scott, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
AP President Polk, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
DMS Southard, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Crescent City, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP President Jackson, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Castor, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Alchiba



Guns are reported lost aboard the ships.

The KB will side-step any attempts at a surface intercept by the Boise and company by steaming to the north-east and cut back in to prevent the escape of such valuable Allied ships.

The element of suprise for the raid on Sydney has vanished, but the destruction of such a convoy is an excellent consolation prize.

Elsewhere in the South-West Pacific, engineers are relocating to Buna and Guadalcanal in an effort to expand the network fo airstrips in the region. Troops are being withdrawn from Horn Island to capture and garrison Milne Bay, which will host a level 2 or 3 airstrip to assist in the defence of Rabual.

Austrailia

The Allied ships west of Broome vanish, leaving the IJN to hold the ocean uncontested. Naval support is on-hand at Wyndham to assist in the rapid unloading of the first wave of the invasion force.


The destruction USS Henderson, along with the other USN transport ships attacked by the Kido Butai, will go a long way towards slowing US operations in the South-West Pacific.[/i
]

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:09 PM >

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Post #: 104
RE: Yamashiro avenged! - 4/4/2014 8:41:08 PM   
ny59giants


Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline 		Oil & Fuel:

Palembang -
1) First thing is to increase AF to 5 to prevent spoilage. P4 + AF5 =9
2) Use TKs not bigger than 7950 capacity.
3) Form 2 CS Convoys with 5 TKs that are 7950 and about 3 PB/SC to go to and from Singapore. They should be just below the 48k limit for Palembang.
4) Use the small 1250 capacity TKs to get oil out of Palembang. Anything larger takes too long to load and ties up dockspace.
5) If you have lots of fuel and oil at Palembang, then use Oosthaven to ship out excessive fuel while you get the oil out. Base those 1250 or 7950 TKs out of Oosthaven and have them drop off fuel at Batavia (1 TF should be enough). Merak should have a minefield there with 2 ACMs disbanded.

Miri/Brunei -
1) I use the little 1250 in a TK TF with "coastal" to go to Manila. Its easy to get move it later.

Balikpapan & Tarakan -
1) I use my AOs that are not involved in active operations to move the fuel from these two bases to feed Babeldoab and Truk. Other TKs can be used.

Boela & Babo -
1) Again, those little 1250s rotate from base to base and take oil to Babeldoab or Davao. If you don't do this regularly, then they max out and stop producing (similar to Taihoku on Formosa). I use one TF for this area.

Hope you have lots of the Std A, B, & C xAKs to upgrade to small TKs on June 1st. You will need them!!

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Post #: 105
RE: Yamashiro avenged! - 4/4/2014 9:41:05 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Oil & Fuel:

Palembang -
1) First thing is to increase AF to 5 to prevent spoilage. P4 + AF5 =9
2) Use TKs not bigger than 7950 capacity.
3) Form 2 CS Convoys with 5 TKs that are 7950 and about 3 PB/SC to go to and from Singapore. They should be just below the 48k limit for Palembang.
4) Use the small 1250 capacity TKs to get oil out of Palembang. Anything larger takes too long to load and ties up dockspace.
5) If you have lots of fuel and oil at Palembang, then use Oosthaven to ship out excessive fuel while you get the oil out. Base those 1250 or 7950 TKs out of Oosthaven and have them drop off fuel at Batavia (1 TF should be enough). Merak should have a minefield there with 2 ACMs disbanded.

Miri/Brunei -
1) I use the little 1250 in a TK TF with "coastal" to go to Manila. Its easy to get move it later.

Balikpapan & Tarakan -
1) I use my AOs that are not involved in active operations to move the fuel from these two bases to feed Babeldoab and Truk. Other TKs can be used.

Boela & Babo -
1) Again, those little 1250s rotate from base to base and take oil to Babeldoab or Davao. If you don't do this regularly, then they max out and stop producing (similar to Taihoku on Formosa). I use one TF for this area.

Hope you have lots of the Std A, B, & C xAKs to upgrade to small TKs on June 1st. You will need them!!


That stuff is gold!

I've been using my inactive AO's to move stuff from Sumatra, but having them drain Balikipapan (letting the tankers there go to drain Sumatra) is a much better notion.

Sending Miri/Brunei to Manilia is an excellent idea.

My own tanker convoys haven't been optimized in the slightest, this will go a great way towards solving that problem.

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 106
RE: Yamashiro avenged! - 4/4/2014 10:27:52 PM   
ny59giants


Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline 		Use the mega-xAKs that have 'liquid' capacity to move Resources from Singapore to Japan. The small 'liquid' capacity will fill up with oil.

Philippine Archipelago - there are about 4 bases with size 2 ports and resource centers. Form 2 small TFs that you will have to micro-manage with two SC/PBs and some small xAKLs to get under the 12k limit. Have them go into Naga (expand to size 3 or 4 port). Later, larger ships can take the resources, oil, and fuel from Manila to Japan.

Hubs - Besides Singapore, you will need a few hubs to move resources, oil, and/or fuel to Japan and some of those come back with supply. Don't waste ships returning without anything. Soerabaja can be another and expand industry on Java slightly so it is self sufficient. Babeldoab and/or Davao are other options.

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Post #: 107
RE: Yamashiro avenged! - 4/4/2014 10:52:06 PM   
mind_messing

 

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Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Use the mega-xAKs that have 'liquid' capacity to move Resources from Singapore to Japan. The small 'liquid' capacity will fill up with oil.


Already done, for the most part. Hurting a little on suitable escorts, but I'll probably strip the small DD's (Minekaze's and such) from fleet operations to escort the convoys.

quote:

Philippine Archipelago - there are about 4 bases with size 2 ports and resource centers. Form 2 small TFs that you will have to micro-manage with two SC/PBs and some small xAKLs to get under the 12k limit. Have them go into Naga (expand to size 3 or 4 port). Later, larger ships can take the resources, oil, and fuel from Manila to Japan.


There are still a couple of holdout US garrisons in the Philippines. Once there dealt with, I'll do as you suggest. I like the idea of using Manilia as a warehouse for stuff heading back to Japan.

quote:

Hubs - Besides Singapore, you will need a few hubs to move resources, oil, and/or fuel to Japan and some of those come back with supply. Don't waste ships returning without anything. Soerabaja can be another and expand industry on Java slightly so it is self sufficient. Babeldoab and/or Davao are other options.


Java's HI has already been expanded as per Mike Solli's suggestions. It runs a resource deficit, but that will be sustained by regional resource centers. I'm undecided between Babeldoab or Davao for use as a hub, I'd lean towards Davao due to the resource loading bonus.

This is my biggest weakness. I've learned how to be fairly slick on the operational side of things, but my logistical chain is often tangled.

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Post #: 108
RE: Yamashiro avenged! - 4/5/2014 9:37:58 AM   
Encircled


Posts: 2024
Joined: 12/30/2010
From: Northern England
Status: offline 		Great info

Thanks


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Post #: 109
The Battle of Exmouth - 4/6/2014 8:52:35 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		April 1st to April 2nd, 1942

North Pacific

The USAAF raids on Adak are opposed by a single sqadron of 16 Zeros. They started off the war as rookie pilots for the IJNAF, and ended up being thrown into the Aleutians to provide token opposition to Allied raids on Adak. In this resepct they've excelled. Few bombers are shot down outright, but even a handfull of B-17s failing to make it home or stuck for a few days on the run-way is an excellent exchange rate.

Beside the occasional air intercepts of raids on Adak, the war in the north has wound down, for the time being.

Central Pacific

A big supply shipment arrives at Tabiteuea, some of which goes towards creating midget subs. Together with the bases minefield, it will make bombardment runs slightly more difficult.

Kwajalein is running low on fuel again. The number of ASW patrols assigned to the base is cut back, and a regular oiler convoy schedualed to run from Tarakan is established, and should keep this base topped up nicely.

South-West Pacific

Nell's flying from Tulagi hit a small Allied convoy off Vanua Lava at the top of the New Hebrides chain. The Allies were likely trying to get boots on the ground in order to exploit this base for a move on Ndeni.

With Tulagi the only Japanese base within distance to support Ndeni, the importance of developing Lunga on Guadalcanal is clear, and an engineer unit is already planned to be landed.

Further south, the KB heads north-west. Suprise is blown, and the risk of fragmented strikes being cut apart by Allied CAP or flak over Sydney is no longer worth the risk, considering that most Allied ships will have likely fled. As some small measure of compensation, the KB will strike Townsville, which has a light crusier and some submarines hiding in port and has only a dozen or so fighters defending it.

Austrailia

The highlight of the day occurs off Exmouth. The Mini-KB, supported by the Fuso, Ise and Hyuga, push west from Broome following the reported sighting of carriers on April 1st. Based on sightings and aircraft counts, the assumption is made that the carriers are British, and the Mini-KB seeks an engagement on the 2nd.

The battle turns out to be an overwhelming victory for the IJN, the second carrier clash of the war follows the first in that no Japanese ships are even damaged.

The battle opens with a string of torpedos smashing in to the side of the light carrier Hermes, dealing her a fatal blow. The Formidable takes two torpedos and three bombs and despite her armoured deck shielding her from bomb damage, she shows signs of heavy damage after suffering an ammo explosion.

The battleship Resolution takes a torpedo for her troubles, but the carrier Indomitable escapes with just two bombs exploding on her flight deck.

The British counter-strike is pitfull. 26 Albacores and Swordfish torpedo bombers, without any escort, attempt to attack the Japanese carriers. Spotted at 39 NM, the Japanese CAP had 25 minuites to halt the strike, and the unescorted British bombers were wiped out.

Damage report as follows:

Allied Ships
CV Formidable, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (Ammo storage explosion, suspected sunk)
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage (confirmed sunk)
BB Resolution
CV Indomitable, Torpedo hits 1
BB Ramillies
CL Enterprise


Allied Ships
BB Ramillies
CV Indomitable, Bomb hits 2
BB Resolution, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Durban
CL Dauntless
CL Emerald
CA Dorsetshire, Bomb hits 1



Despite the temptation to pursue, the Japanese carriers will withdraw eastwards, back under the air umbrella afforded by the airbase at Broome.

The justifcation for such a move is as follows:

- Confirmed sightings of the USN fleet carriers haven't occured for at least four/five days now
- Allied activity in the past month off North-Western Austrailia has included obvious baiting operations: unescorted convoys in the middle of the ocean, combat ships present without air cover ect.
- Allied subs in the lower DEI may have provided the Allies with enough warning to sortie the USN fleet carriers to a position outside Japanese search plane coverage (if they are not there already), leaving the Japanese carriers to blindly stumble into an engagement where they are outnumbered.
- The possible gains of a pursuit of the defeated British force does not merit the risk. The chance of destroying one British carrier and one old British battleship does not merit the possible destruction of some or all of the Mini-KB.


The situation off North-Western Austrailia


Nevertheless, two heavy crusier Kako and two destroyers will attempt to intercept the British fleet, and the heavy battleship force will destroy the Allied convoy unloading at Exmouth. The tempting target of Allied ships unloading at Carnarvon will be ignored as being an invitation to be ambushed. The Japanese carriers will withdraw slightly to the north and provide LR CAP over these moves before withdrawing to the north-east.

On land, Wyndham's level 2 airbase is nearly complete. Once finished, this will enable sweeps to start, giving Japanese bombers a free hand to start striking at the Allied bases and troops in and around Darwin.

Burma

Preparations for an offensive to capture Akyab and destroy the 20 Allied units defending it are underway. Three Japanese divisions and two Thai divisions, as well as a great deal of artillery will be deployed to this end. If possible, the troops will be trapped by Japanese troops occuping the road north to British India and the base itself subjected to heavy air and sea bombardment.

To celebrate the start of preparations, a big IJAAF sweep is ordered to go against Chittagong.

A further division will likely be allocated to Burma from the DEI to serve as a strategic reserve for this theater.

China

Troops crossing in to Chungking from the south are badly mauled in the mandatory shock attack. Chinese adjusted AV is over 15k. The bulk of some five thousand Japanese losses falls on the 60th Division, which narrowly avoids being wiped out.

The survivors are rewarded with the news that they've been reallocated to the Southern Army for the bargin basement price of 116 political points. Two Mixed Brigades are being sacraficed to close the remaining two river hex-sides, and they'll either be bought out destroyed or rebuilt for use in the Pacific.

These reinforcements bring Japanese strength in to about 4.7k AV to 6.2k Chinese AV. Some 3.4k Japanese AV has still to arive for the siege.

Bombing of the Kunming mountain bastion continues.


The HMS Hermes, struck by a trio of torpedos, slipped below the waves shortly after the first Japanese strike departed.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:19 PM >

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Post #: 110
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/6/2014 10:06:22 PM   
ny59giants


Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline 		Those 2 British CVs and CVL equals one American CV in my book.

I consider any Ammo or Fuel Explosion as a TT hit when figuring damage on enemy ship. So three TT hits on that CV may be close to finishing her off. I would move closer to get another shot, just in case. Allied damage control is great. Just had an American S-boat get hit at Wyndham with over 80 flood damage (less than 50 major) limp back to Townsville on cruise speed. She'll be back in action soon.

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Post #: 111
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/6/2014 10:14:04 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Those 2 British CVs and CVL equals one American CV in my book.

I consider any Ammo or Fuel Explosion as a TT hit when figuring damage on enemy ship. So three TT hits on that CV may be close to finishing her off. I would move closer to get another shot, just in case. Allied damage control is great. Just had an American S-boat get hit at Wyndham with over 80 flood damage (less than 50 major) limp back to Townsville on cruise speed. She'll be back in action soon.


Hermes is certainly gone, unless Allied damage control can make ships invisible.

I'd wage good money on Formidable being a reef as well. Two torpedos and an ammo explosion is no laughing matter, plus three bounced bombs for good measure.

Hopefully either the heavy battleships or the Kako can sink the Indomitable and make it a clean sweep. I'd have chased the British down if I didn't have a bad vibe about the big empty area west of Exmouth that no Japanese search plane can reach.

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Post #: 112
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/6/2014 10:49:28 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		Great victory...I'd be tempted to move two hexes closer and send surface ships in too. But you know you enemy, and it is a long game.

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Post #: 113
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/6/2014 11:07:00 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Great victory...I'd be tempted to move two hexes closer and send surface ships in too. But you know you enemy, and it is a long game.


I'm second-guessing myself now over if I made the right call. Hopefully the surface force will be alright with LR CAP from the carrier's Zero's.

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Post #: 114
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/7/2014 4:55:24 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
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Status: offline 		April 3rd, 1942

North Pacific

Nothing is stirring, bar a single Japanese task force heading to try to lift the Independant Engineer unit from Amchitka. If we can get them off, they'll be handy for getting the Kuriles built up.

Central Pacific

Calm, as usual.

South-West Pacific

The KB will strike Townsville tomorrow, then scoot eastwards and cover the evacuation of the Guards Mixed Brigade. The Brigade is at about 65% strength after a month and a half of heavy fighting on New Caledonia. They're about two days march from Koumac, where they'll find transports protected by a battleship and the KB. They're bound for Port Moresby, in leiu of the destroyed 4th Division.

Austrailia

The crusier Kako performs it's mission perfectly, running in to the carrier Formidable in the middle of the night. However, the British somehow manage to slip away thanks to the 92% moonlight, and the heavy battleship force gets no contacts.

Disapointed by the failure to finish the Formidable, the Kako will expend it's ammo on a preliminary bombardment of Port Hedland before withdrawing to Soerabaja to replenish. Following this, an SNLF will land at Port Hedland to secure that base with the goal of improving the coverage of the ocean north-west of Austrailia.

Following this, Exmouth will be considered as the final objective of the western flank of Operation Oswego to function as a tripwire for Allied attempts to recapture North-Western Austraila.

The first wave of the force to be commited against Darwin is about 70% ashore. A small transport convoy is moving the Southern Army HQ to Wyndham, and the second wave is awaiting the last few transport ships before departing Soerabaja.

Burma

Aggressive sweeps meet little, if any resistance. The commencement of a bomber campaign against British airbases is held up by the lack of suitable bomber bases. Rangoon is the only suitable candidate, and it is already playing host to a collection of fighters.

Other news

The Helen comes online, and production of some 60 units is ordered. This will likely increase.

Tanker task forces operating in the DEI are refined, and fuel starts to flow at a good rate to Singapore, to be shipped to Japan. The logistical knots that tied up campaigning in the Central Pacific are also being resolved, with a big fuel shipment bound for Truk.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:27 PM >

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Post #: 115
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/9/2014 2:47:29 AM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		April 3rd to April 5th, 1942

North Pacific

The Aleutians continues to be an exercise in covert withdrawal. The engineers start to embark from Amchitka, while flying boats continue to pull troops from Adak.

A small commitment in terms of troops and supplies has managed to deny the Allies the best real estate in the North Pacific for nearly five months now, though the IJN hasn't gained a favourable exchange ratio in terms of warships. However, Lokasenna has expressed (both ingame and via email) a strong preference towards this theater (within his other game with Bullwinkle as well), and for the five months the Kyokujitsu-ki has flown over Adak is five months that the Allies haven't been turning it in to a large port and airbase complex.

I'm regretting starting the Kuriles build-up as late as I did. I'm a convert now that the correct approach to the North Pacific theater is a weak screen of the most valuable islands (Amchitka and Adak) with token forces while engineers are poured in to the Kuriles from day one.

To fight in the Aleutians is to fight the Allies on their terms, a losing proposition. Geography and logistics works against the Japanese. Fighting in the Kuriles is the far better propositon for Japan.

Central Pacific

A great deal of shifting and changing. The 11th Air Flotilla is marked for Wotje, and various support units are being swapped about in the upper Marshall Islands.

Most of the Central Pacific's submarine force has been transfered to Rabual and patrols in the South-West Pacific area. A few long-range boats will keep Pearl Harbour picketed, but the bulk will operate the Suva-Aukland-Sydney triangle in the hope of finding better hunting grounds.

South-West Pacific

The Guards Mixed Brigade is about 60% loaded. Japanese operations on New Caledonia are drawing to a close.

After the initial failure of the Brigade to capture Noumea, I had hoped to use this unit as bait: it dangled, and sqirmed, and launched failed attack after another in the hope of provoking an Allied response. When the Allies did launch a landing to cut the Brigade off, it landed right in the path of the KB.

None of this was intentional from the start, but I'm nevertheless pleased with the results. A strategic victory for Japan: though we failed to capture Noumea (a valueless base, thanks to the American doomstack on Luganville), significant damage has been dealt to the USN's amphibious ships.

It will still be a few days before the battered troops are in the clear, however.

Austrailia

Port Hedland is secured, and an AV en-route to set up a floatplane base. Recon flights over Exmouth will be conducted to determine if that base will be occupied by an SNLF.

I now feel justified in failing to pursue the defeated British forces following the one-sided battle of Exmouth: two carriers are reported at Perth, though this is based on carrier planes being sighted by submarines. Perth harbour is being watched by two IJN submarines, to be joined by a third shortly.

In the skies above Austrailia, Marauder's attempt to bomb Wyndham airbase, and are slaughtered by Zeros. 19 of the Allied bombers are reported lost, and many IJN pilots are reported happy.

On the ground, the IJA spearhead, the 8th Tank Regiment, pushes forward towards Daly Waters, closely followed by the 38th Division. The 2nd, 5th and 18th Divisions are in various states of embarkment at Soerabaja, and will be ready for operations on the Austrailian mainland within the week.

Burma

Magwe switches ownership to Japanese, with the AA still a days march away. Every Japanese fighter able to fly will LRCAP the base, while a crack Oscar squadron is transfered from South-Western China in an effort to protect the oil and refinery centers in the hex.


Cold and bleak, but denying Adak to the Americans is vital to stalling any attempts against the Kuriles.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:33 PM >

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Post #: 116
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/9/2014 11:50:45 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		April 6th to April 9th, 1942

North Pacific

Evacuation of engineering units from Amchitka goes off without a hitch...until the Colorado with three minesweeping destroyers shows up. However, the Americans have orders to bombard Amchitka, and have no stomach to sink transports, and after a few shells both sides break apart.

The now free engineers are being sent to the Kuriles.

Central Pacific

Another Air HQ for the 11th Air Flotilla (Marshalls & CentPac area) arrives in Yokohama.

I'm unsure about optimium placement of Air HQ's in CentPac in general, advice would be welcomed.

South-West Pacific

The evacuation of New Caledonia goes off without a hitch. The Guards Mixed Brigade is being landed at Milne Bay, where a woefully understrength SNLF unit has failed to dislodge what remains of the Austrailians sent packing at Rabual.

Engineers start work on Lugna and Shortlands to develop those airstrips to counter any possible advance on Ndeni. Ndeni itself will not be defended.

Austrailia

Units are reshuffled as the combat troops pour in. Most engineers are being withdrawn to build bases on Timor and in the lower DEI seeing as most of our Austrailian bases are developed as far as we require.

Three Japanese battleships bombard Darwin to good effect. They'll head to Soerabaja to rearm before making it a regular run.

Burma

Magwe flips ownership, with most of the AA still a day's march away. Every fighter in the region that can fly is sent to defend the base, but the hoards of Oscars can't do much to the massed B-17s. Nevertheless, a collection are shot down, and the oil in the hex is a fairly healthy 175(125). We won't repair it, but any repeated raids will be forced to face the fire of a great deal of Southern Army's AA units.

On the coastal road to Akyab, a Indian Brigade is thrown back by a IJA division, with a RTA division and abundant artillery support. Another IJA division can move to support, with the Imperial Guards Division acting as regional reserve.

China

7.5k Japanese AV will square off with 6.2k Chinese AV next turn in the first deliberate attack against Chungking. Four IJA armoured regiments are en-route to assist the siege, but the first attack will be conducted with nothing but infantry, backed by huge numbers of artillery guns and whatever tanks are organic to the big IJA divisions.

Philippines

With the historic date for the fall of Bataan falling far behind, we move the schedual up. We're in no rush to clear out the Americans and open up Manila, but the two divisions invested in Bataan would be of great use in Burma.



< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:39 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 117
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/14/2014 10:33:25 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		April 10th to April 15th, 1942

A fair while since an update.

North Pacific

The Aleutains are calm and serene, while the Kuriles ring with the sound of shovels, spades and scarce few bulldozers.

The first of the small independant infantry units arrive for the Kuriles, and they'll be joined by a regiment from China shortly, which should give us a respectable garrison that should endure for 1942.

Central Pacific

Nothing stiring here, not even the USN.

South-West Pacific

The Guards Mixed Brigade performs the job assigned to it marvelously. Milne Bay is now in Japanese hands, and the Brigade loads back aboard the ships for Buna. After the fiasco of the 4th Division, I avoid unloading troops within a days sail of Allied bases, so the Mixed Brigade will march across to Port Moresby.

To replace the troops, engineers will arrive at Milne Bay from Hollandia, which has become the rear area depot for the South-West Pacific. Milne Bay will become a level 3 airbase and host some single-engined strike aircraft to contest Allied moves towards Rabual.

Lugna makes level 1 port, and the engineers start work on the airstrip there. Combined with Tulagi, this complex will mark the forward defence of the Solomons. Tassarafonga might be built up as well, depending on time and resources, as well as how the supply flows from Lugna.

Further back, engineers are building up Lae to make a level two fighter base to help cover Rabual and Port Moresby.

The KB returns safely to Truk, and will refuel. Likely it will stay for some time, with ships being detached for upgrades and so forth. No further raids are planned

Austrailia

The Allies respond to the troop convoys shuttling in to Wyndham with a sub surge on the estuary outside the base. In response, some PB's and subchasers are being rebased to Koepang, and some tankers sent to move fuel there. If possible, we'll set up an AKE in that base as well, so that the battleship bombardment runs can be conducted every four or so days.

Saumlaki (east of Koepang) is being built up to enable the IJAAF to bomb Darwin from the air. The intention is to keep the Japanese bases on the Austrailian mainland as small as possible, so that the Allies don't recapture anything really worthwhile. Two level 4 airbases (Wyndham, to enable bombing missions against the Darwin-Katherine line and Broome, for torpedo coverage of the western flank of the salient) are all the improvements that Northern Austrailia will get.

The Darwin invasion force has made good ground. The armoured spearhead has enjoyed good progress, with Zero's on LR CAP mauling Allied 2 engined bomber squadrons that attempted to impede their progress. The armoured spearhead is racing for Daly Waters, and has cut off two Austrailian armoured units in the desert. The slower infantry force is strung out over several hexes, but it appears that Austrailian units are moving from Katherine to intercept, rasing the prospect of a battle in the open terrain.

Burma

Another B-17 raid and a night raid by British bombers on Magwe is thwarted thanks to AA fire and a healthy CAP. The Oscars make a good showing, but they lack the punch to down B-17s. Some Zero's will be moved in to Magwe to provide CAP, and with luck their cannons should hurt the B-17s a little more. This will let the Ki-44's do the bulk of the sweeping and escorting.

The campaign towards Akyab progresses, with three IJN crusiers being moved to Rangoon to provide bombardment support for the IJA. If the British in Akyab prove too numerous or entrenched, the IJA will close both hexsides to the base and start a co-ordinated campaign on naval and air bombardment to force the Allies to rescue the base.


Japanese soldiers over-run Austrailian positions at Milne Bay. The opposition was exhausted and near starvation after the overland march from Port Moresby, but still stiff enough to bloody the SNLF unit tasked with securing the vital location.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:46:45 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 118
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/14/2014 11:04:11 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		Good luck with those B17s they are tough to shoot down.

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 119
RE: The Battle of Exmouth - 4/14/2014 11:34:46 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Good luck with those B17s they are tough to shoot down.


Indeed. I've some hope for the Nick's that are coming online shortly; they're a bit better armed and somewhat more durable.

That said, I think the real goal with the Allied four-engined monsters in the early war isn't shooting them down outright (which is rare, at best), but damaging as many as possible. Some might fall out of the sky on the way home, and the ones that do land alright will be down for a few days repair.

(in reply to Lowpe)
Post #: 120
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