RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ball (A) v 821Bobo(J)

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ball (A) v 821Bobo(J)

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/27/2021 6:30:01 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Dec 15-16, 1941

Marblehead: USS Marblehead sinks after leaving Balikpapan; I obviously should've risked leaving here there a few more turns to pump out, but felt like I had to move soon with Jolo in Japanese hands and Ryujo hanging around. This is the first large Allied warship lost. She was damaged on Dec 7th by planes from Ryujo, so never really did much other than try not to sink....

IJN CVs: Speaking of RYUJO and friends, she is now moving NW toward Cam Ranh Bay. If I had to guess she is probably meeting ZUIHO and HOSHO to form a slightly more robust Baby KB. The real KB is now a day's sail from Truk and still in view.

Hong Kong: Attack on the 16th drops forts to Zero; it will fall in a day or two. I've been loading up supplies at Hong Kong and dropping them at Kwangchowan, but now Robert is wise to this and starting to sink my transports

Malaya: Japanese still moving down the peninsula; we use AVG to ambush a bombing raid:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Indian Brigade, at 51,78 , near Kuantan

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 20
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 21

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 15
Buffalo I x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ia Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
H81-A3: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
AVG/3rd Sqn with H81-A3 (15 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
15 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Raid is overhead
No.243 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Raid is overhead

Also attacking 3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment ...
Also attacking 22nd Indian Brigade ...

10 Oscars are reporting shot down for no losses on my side; solid result! I suspect this party is going to end soon though, he's starting to bomb Singapore daily, and also starting to bomb or capture the other airfields in Malaya.

Ground Forces Moves and PPs

So, here is a summary of what I am buying out with PPs. Please comment on what you think!!!!

43rd Indian Cav Regt and 254th Tank Bde: Cheap buys that I am moving to Burma, then China; they need to train up and get Stuarts and Valentines, but hope to make an impact in the future with them
5th Chinese Corps: I am buying out divisions from this corps to send into India. I plan to eventually buy a "Free China" army I can employ in India where there will be ample supply
All the USAAFE Air: The P-40s and B-17Ds were all bought out of the Phillipines; too hot to make much of a fight of it over Luzon. This was expensive, hope it will be worth it
AVG: I bought 2 units to send toward SRA, see above; seems to have paid some dividends.

So far that's what I can afford. Here are other things I am THINKING of buying:
--An Australian Brigade or two for PM or Koepang
--Better leaders in Singapore
--More "Free Chinese" units
--A US Infantry Division at some point

Ground Forces Moves:

Here are some unit moves, I may accelerate this:

--2 Indian Brigades to Burma
--1 Indian Brigade to Port Blair
--1 Ghurka Brigade to Cocos Islands
--The Kuching Units (Inf Bn, Base Force, CD unit) to Cocos
--Several Dutch units gathering at Palembang (marching or flying in)
--Moved Gull to Ambon, will move Sparrow to Koepang, where I am also moving Australian base force units
--I plan to start consolidating more Dutch units to Koepang via flying boat to make an annoying stand there
--34th US Infantry, 2 Marine Regts, plus base forces, are sailing to Noumea/Suva
--I pulled Lark Bn back to Moresby, where I am sending more Australians
--13th Australian Brigade to Koepang

Thoughts? Trying to set-up annoying festungs that will take awhile to reduce

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/27/2021 6:52:09 PM

RangerJoe

Posts: 13450
Joined: 11/16/2015
From: My Mother, although my Father had some small part.
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If I remember correctly, some units don't need to be bought out.

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Post #: 32

RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/27/2021 7:00:36 PM

Chickenboy

Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

--34th US Infantry, 2 Marine Regts, plus base forces, are sailing to Noumea/Suva

What do you have going to Christmas Island (Pacific), Pago Pago and +/- Wake? Christmas Island is a nice defensive bulwark to have early.

Also, If I had a Marine regiment and an ID speeding towards Noumea / Suva, I'd darn sure want to know exactly where KB was prior to their arrival anywhere near Noumea. CV / SCTF support for them as well? While the idea of slipping an ID onto Noumea would be putting like putting a stick in the spokes of the Japanese conquest wheel, that's putting those guys wayyy out there wayyyy early. Doing it 'naked' is asking for some real trouble.

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Post #: 33

RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/30/2021 1:35:55 AM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

--34th US Infantry, 2 Marine Regts, plus base forces, are sailing to Noumea/Suva

What do you have going to Christmas Island (Pacific), Pago Pago and +/- Wake? Christmas Island is a nice defensive bulwark to have early.

Also, If I had a Marine regiment and an ID speeding towards Noumea / Suva, I'd darn sure want to know exactly where KB was prior to their arrival anywhere near Noumea. CV / SCTF support for them as well? While the idea of slipping an ID onto Noumea would be putting like putting a stick in the spokes of the Japanese conquest wheel, that's putting those guys wayyy out there wayyyy early. Doing it 'naked' is asking for some real trouble.

Good questions. It is now Dec 17th. I am not 100% on any destination as of yet, the priority on Dec 8th was just get some units on ships and sailing west ASAP for....somewhere. Ultimately even if they just dumped in Australia, that's progress.

I have 34th Regt, a Contstruction Regt, and Base Force headed to Pago Pago at this point. I have a Combat Engineer Regt and Marine Defense Bn headed to Canton Island; this is a critical ferry point. I have already sent another Marine Bn to Midway. Suva and Noumea are getting Marines plus another Base Force. I also have a Base Force headed to Suva, where there is already a decent-sized garrison of New Zealanders (will be 2 Brigades in a couple weeks).

Where is KB? Today I am confident it is at Truk. Tomorrow it will be leaving, probably heading south toward Rabaul, which is already evacuated. I am unloading supplies and troops at PM, they will cut and run as soon as KB appears. I do have Catalinas operating from Rabaul, so I should get early warning.

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/30/2021 11:32:14 AM

ny59giants

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Joined: 1/10/2005
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I try to get the two large BFs off Java. They are 100 Aviation Support each.

In SoPac, I like to build up Pago Pago and Suva, and then make Vava'u my main port as largest Port potential outside of Aukland. I think building up New Caledonia is step too far as it would invite KB and Company to come down and sit off Noumea as I crushed anything sent there in early '42.

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 11/30/2021 2:26:42 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I try to get the two large BFs off Java. They are 100 Aviation Support each.

In SoPac, I like to build up Pago Pago and Suva, and then make Vava'u my main port as largest Port potential outside of Aukland. I think building up New Caledonia is step too far as it would invite KB and Company to come down and sit off Noumea as I crushed anything sent there in early '42.

Those large AV units are in Stock Scenario 1 IIRC; they are not in DDB-C Scen 28. Java is starved for AV Support, there isn't even enough for the Dutch.

Yeah, thought about Vava'u, it's a damn good port. I wish it had a higher stacking limit to collect stuff, but it will have to do.

Not bad advice on Noumea; I'll have to see how it plays out. My spidey sense tells me Burma/China are the Imperial priorities, but not 100% sure yet.

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/9/2021 3:33:19 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Dec 24, 1941

I haven't posted in awhile; 821Bobo has had RL delays, and there also hasn't been much Naval Activity. Until today!

I think Robert was shuffing ships around and wanted to time big moves all at once. I managed to smack a couple undefended convoys the first week of the war, and since them Robert has been very careful to escort everything, leaving me no opportunities.

Rabaul Area:

So, I have a picket line of subs between Truk and Rabaul, and one of them picked this up:

ASW attack near Truk at 109,115

Japanese Ships
CS Chiyoda
DD Hatakaze
DD Asakaze
DD Ushio
DD Sazanami
DD Yunagi
DD Asanagi
DD Hayate
DD Oite

Allied Ships
SS Pollack

No CV sighted, but that smells like KB....though I still don't see them on my sights. At this point I have nothing at Rabaul except a base troops and air search planes, so far they have only spotted a cruiser squadron. But I feel like he wouldn't send cruisers without CV support, so my working assumption is that KB left Truk and is heading south. Allied commands in SW Pacific are alerted accordingly.....

Borneo:

Much less doubt what's happening around Borneo, though I made a mistake in leaving a couple old CLs hanging out, and probably going to lose one or two, but oh well.... the RN D-cruisers ain't that great anyway.

I have quite a concentration of surface ships in the DEI, but I don't think this is the time for a massive fight.....if Robert's objective was to show so much power I would decline to contest this move, then...mission accomplished!

Logistics

Nothing major to report, other than I am working hard to move fuel, supplies, and anything else to forward areas or Australia/India. Canton Island just got a Regt and Base Force, so it's pretty secure. Other units heading southward. I movded all of the British troops in Borneo to Cocos Islands or Koepang.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Q-Ball -- 12/9/2021 3:39:14 PM >

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/12/2021 12:55:45 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Dec 25-26, 1941

Strange game so far.....Robert overall is being very careful in covering everything. KB is still only a few hexes off Rabaul; I expected him to sweep the Coral Sea, bomb Port Moresby, or bomb some Australian industry. Maybe because I jumped a couple undefended invasion forces early? Either way, right now everything is well defended. He's even escorting the bombers hitting Manila with Zeros...and I don't have any fighters withing 30 hexes.

Singkawang: Singkawang and Kuching are seized; Singkawang will be an active airbase....time to evacuate shipping from Batavia

Burma: I think the main thrust is moving overland from Chang Mai into the Shan States, not the usual route up from Moulmein. I am shifting units north as a result to hopefully hold at the river crossing on that road.

Overall, I am not defending Burma strongly right now, with basically 6 brigades worth of decent units

Allied Movements

I am collecting units at Koepang; I have over 250 AV and climbing, some Australian units but also Dutch units flown-in from other bases. I have another 150 AV collected at Ambon, but don't plan to add to that, as they are certainly doomed regardless...just hope to make it painful. Most of these collections are just gathering all the little garrisons together from Kendari, Manado, etc.

34th Infantry Regt lands at Canton Island, hopefully securing that base. Base forces land at Pago Pago to build it up. Marines are on the way to Noumea if KB doesn't enter the Coral Sea. Midway has been reinforced.

Up in the Aleutians, no sign of any Japanese activity. Adak is well secured with regiment and base forces, and I am moving another Regt forward to Amchitka. It may be there is just no Japanese movement here at all, we'll see.

Burma:

I am still shipping supplies in via Rangoon, but not sure how much longer that will last. We'll keep it up until I can't anymore.

China:

I mentioned before I have never won the war in China on either side. December is usually the Japanese gathering forces, and I think the main tank thrust is going to be up the Ankiang road. I have a fair amount of troops there, and a Corps in Ankang itself guarding against a para drop. He is also pushing on Sian from the east. The main road is not getting much pressure, but depending on what happens I may need to pull back anyway. I am OK pulling out of Sian if I have to, though I don't want to lose the road connection to Loyang, which would shut off most HI eventually for lack of fuel.

IJAAF has not been very active since AVG ambushed a couple bombing runs; very little in places I could intercept

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Q-Ball -- 12/12/2021 1:52:18 PM >

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/16/2021 4:31:31 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Dec 27th to 30th

Sometimes you find KB the easy way, sometimes you find the location of KB the hard way. This time, the hard way....

Morning Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 127,138

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
B5N2 Kate x 54
D3A1 Val x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Steel Seafarer, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK William Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
PC Pulaski, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Steel Trader, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Steel Navigator, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Steel Voyager, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Steel Exporter, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

This was an empty convoy heading to San Fran from Australia, so thankfully nothing lost other than digital sailors.

There are other convoys further south carrying more important stuff....they have been alerted appropriately so I think we can avoid any further losses from this move, but we'll see how deep he goes.

Other losses of note:

CL DRAGON and CL DURBAN are lost; I left them mistakenly off Kuching, and they were damaged a few turns back. Subs finished them off. I guess the Poles aren't getting their cruiser......

China:

I still think the main attack is developing up the Ankang road. Makes sense, would cut Sian off from the rest of China, though that slower road will make it harder to rotate units if there's a big fight. I am shifting units there and I do have a Corps in Ankang so he doesn't para drop there.

Otherwise, kind of quiet, too quiet....he is gathering strength I fear

Burma:

Intel reports 2nd Division is on Transports to Bangkok....confirmation that I think the road through the Shan States to Tauynggi is the main axis of advance, NOT up from Moulmein.

DEI:

Recon flight over Palembang, so Robert now knows I've been busy there. He'll see 15 units, colored Tan with a British one on top (an AIR HQ). The reality is that this is a collection of Dutch units only, but probably still enough to cause trouble and force a full division + to take Palembang, which is the point.

Singkawang is active airfield for the Japanese, but I am going to bombard with a cruiser squadron and see what we can kill on the ground.

There is a Japanese landing at the first Oilfield, Miri. Robert has been very cautious landing on these probably because he thinks I am going to bomb them. He might be right.....

Aleutians:

Not a peep from the Empire. I am landing a Regt on Amchitka. I'll probably stop there until I build the airfields up, but if there's nobody by April I'll assume he's leaving this area alone.

Attachment (1)

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/16/2021 4:41:58 PM

Nomad

Posts: 5905
Joined: 9/5/2001
From: West Yellowstone, Montana
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oops.

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/16/2021 6:18:36 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nomad

oops.

Yeah, this happens to me when I play because I can't really be bothered to check routing on every convoy. They should've been sailing further south behind air search screen. But oh well, just AKs, Allies aren't going to run out of those...

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RE: I Shall Return (If I can find a WiFi Hotspot): Q-Ba... - 12/16/2021 6:56:50 PM

Nomad

Posts: 5905
Joined: 9/5/2001
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Of course you know that you are not the only person do things like that?

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