wobbly
Posts: 1095
Joined: 10/16/2002
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Status: offline
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A bad day for my DD forces. More pain in Ahamabad. Lucknow is about to be abandoned. His carriers start moving west. Waingapu falls but the survivors have a retreat hex.
thanks for the comments as always - but I am struggling - I cannot hold India. That releases all those Divisions. Rant at end of post.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/05/42
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Night Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 37
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 1
Night attacks at Ahmadabad are defended. As always night fighters are more likely to suffer damage rather than desuade attackers.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya
CA Furutaka
CL Kiso, Shell hits 1
CL Oi, Shell hits 1
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Shikinami
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Namikaze
DD Tomozuru
Allied Ships
DD Mustin
DD Cushing
DD Allen
DD Inconstant, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
MSW Grebe, Shell hits 3, on fire
MSW Bobolink
Damn - I didn't expect him to come back with his surface forces. They race in and find my two ASW units smashing them. It isn't all one way traffic but I do loose more DDs than he does.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 4
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 2
CL Kiso, Shell hits 2
CL Oi, Shell hits 6
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shikinami, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
DD Namikaze, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Tomozuru, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DD Lamson, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Phelps, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Clark, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
DD Monaghan, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DMS Hovey, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
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Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 9
B-26B Marauder x 33
Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
ML Wakatake, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Port supply hits 1
The attack here at last persuades the Wakatake to sink.
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Day Air attack on 5th Division, at 24,8
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
Hurricane II x 11
Spitfire Vb x 10
Kittyhawk I x 7
Hudson I x 3
Beaufort I x 9
Beaufort V-IX x 19
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Well flight operations start again but there effectiveness is still very poor. I am going to take the advice of those on the boards and lower the altitude.
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Day Air attack on 30th Chinese/B Corps, at 46,33
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12
No Japanese losses
This is very ineffective but I think he is just training the pilots.
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Day Air attack on TF at 18,61
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 14
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsuyuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tomozuru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
Well he is well ahead of the eightball during the surface battle - but the dauntlesses repay a bit of the hurt when the sun comes up.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M3 Zero x 4
Allied aircraft
Beaufort V-IX x 26
P-40E Warhawk x 6
A-20B Boston x 3
B-25C Mitchell x 11
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort V-IX: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
A-20B Boston: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CL Nagara
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 1
yamato the bomb magnet continues to confound my ability to hit more deserving targets
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Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 51
G3M Nell x 3
G4M1 Betty x 12
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
Kittyhawk I x 11
P-40B Tomahawk x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 37 destroyed
G3M Nell: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
Allied Ships
AK West Shipper
AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 1
AP President Garfield
Then all hell breaks loose. Despite the pain I felt about loosing the DDs that were lost, I was right in thinking he would unleash the naval air arm upon me again this turn. If the Bbs had been out then they would be spanked.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
A6M3 Zero x 14
B5N Kate x 25
G4M1 Betty x 3
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
Kittyhawk I x 7
P-40B Tomahawk x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged
Allied Ships
MSW Grebe
DD Cushing
MSW Bobolink, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mustin, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Allen, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
The second ASW TF is found and spanked.
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Day Air attack on TF at 14,78
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 5
A6M2 Zero x 82
A6M3 Zero x 14
B5N Kate x 9
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Bridge, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Suddenly the Carrier TF moves rapidly West and find the gate-keeper Aks I hadin position.
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Day Air attack on TF at 15,75
Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 22
B5N Kate x 24
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Argus, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Both are sunk.
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Day Air attack on TF at 12,59
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Empire Southey, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
3 betties also decide to attack a remnant from teh Karachi breakout - she is scuttled
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Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 46
G3M Nell x 10
G4M1 Betty x 50
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
Kittyhawk I x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed
Allied Ships
AP Tasker H. Bliss
AK Peter Kerr, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
AP Largs Bay, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP President Garfield
AP President Fillmore
AP Henry T. Allen, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Harris
AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Holy crap - 50 zeros!! I want to dominate him somewhere. Anywhere, please! Just a combat area where he doesn't outnumber me 5 to 1.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
G4M1 Betty x 4
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1
Kittyhawk I x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed
Allied Ships
AP Henderson, on fire, heavy damage
So there are now no fighters functional to rise and defend the shipping.
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Ground combat at Ahmadabad
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 139007 troops, 1033 guns, 2 vehicles
Defending force 73501 troops, 465 guns, 836 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
1253 casualties reported
Guns lost 52
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
1642 casualties reported
Guns lost 39
Vehicles lost 4
Ahmadabad is looking tenuous. Like a crowing cockeral, PzB is gloating about his ability to go through the defenses in Northern India. I am being reminded about how much better it would have been for me if I had bought a couple of Oz divisions - oh and the US carriers. NO problem I'll just wave the magic invisibility wand and the KB is neutralized!
The forts are falling faster than aunt Maud the go-go dancer's draws and there is nothing I can do about it. I am now loosing more troops and guns than he is in a 0-1 attack. The uber Japanese juggernaut keeps on rolling. It's a good thing we have a pro-japanese bias to all facets of the early game, it would be awful to think it only lasted 3 years as opposed to 5!
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Ground combat at Lucknow
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 83691 troops, 636 guns, 790 vehicles
Defending force 27831 troops, 195 guns, 2 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3
Japanese ground losses:
602 casualties reported
Guns lost 19
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
1878 casualties reported
Guns lost 45
Vehicles lost 1
Lucknow will fall tomorrow as all the troops move out.
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Ground combat at Waingapu
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 4246 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 1399 troops, 5 guns, 3 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Waingapu base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
CW-21B Demon: 4 destroyed
Empire: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
The planes stuck at Waingapu could not escape due to lack of suppleis to get them in the air. The troops themselves are able to retreat to the beach hex to the north of the island where I will endevour to pick them up with subs.
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Ground combat at Ahmadabad
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 40088 troops, 353 guns, 663 vehicles
Defending force 145612 troops, 984 guns, 1 vehicles
Oh yeah - my troops are great - just great.
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Ground combat at 20,61
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 8216 troops, 113 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 5943 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 7 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Gawd they are crap! this is two regiments of a US Division attacking a Jap Engineering Air regiment! I am getting 7 to 1 odds why the hell wont they retreat. Must everything be slanted in the Japs favour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do Jap air regiments have uber mega defenders too?
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Now please put up with me while I go on a rant.
I understand that this is a game that is supposed to simulate the duration of a world war (well at least the pacific part). I also understand that doing so will cause difficulties between those that require a grognard aspect and those that want to play a game. Even more I understand that there is an element of ‘just wait and it will be the Jap’s turn”.
Knowing all this, and actually being someone who previously liked the idea of being grognardy about what I come up against, and wanting to suffer some element of inability to step up to the bar against the early jap war machine, I took it on with the philosophy of ‘wait and see’.
But now I am just plain fed up. It takes too long. For a game, you are just down too long. It takes 1600 or so turns, but I have only played 220 of those. We have done more than 1 turn a day at times but it has still been a lot of dedication to a game – and to this AAR. During 96 or so percent of these days I have had the crap kicked out of me. It is a chore not a pleasure.
I don’t care that in 140 turns or so things will be different – PzB is ecstatic with the game because he thinks it will be a cracker in late 43 when the US Navy starts to roll: that’s 500 bloody turns away! Twice as much as we have done!
I have had a long look at myself and I just don’t think I have the masochistic penchant required to be down that long.
So I look at the way the game beefs up the Japs and despair.
The reason behind this is to give them the ability to take the DEI and get out to a historical Prosperity sphere that can mirror the way history evolved. But to do that the Japs get handed soooo many early game bonuses. The problem with this is the early game can last as long as a year!!!!
Japs have tactical and Strategic flexibility only dreamed of by their historical counterparts. When would the Jap high command have contemplated taking 13 or so divisions out to the tenuous supply location of India? I mean they built the Burma railway because the couldn’t trust the shipping to Rangoon! Others have shown that if they choose they can take out Russia – they had a crack at that in real life and had their arse handed to them.
It is not that I think this sort of flexibility should be taken away, but in the instance of Russia and India, the map stops! I can’t keep retreating. All the shipping in Karachi has nowhere to go! So the Japs are handed this flexibility while the allies have to get lucky with where they defend. Don’t even think about defending Burma – he’ll just go around you.
As the allies you get the benefit of extra divisions appearing if the jap lands in the US. Why, with 700 million people, would the Indians not have the same sort of response? Well because that would be too hard on the Japs.
There in lies the problem – this is really a game about the Japs vs the US. But players aren’t singing from that song sheet – and why should they?
The way to play the allies in the early years is to give ground wherever you are pushed. What if that means Russia, India or Australia? I still think the US is a hard ask against a human but the bonuses are all there to maybe make it possible.
Any Jap player worth their salt, and I very much count PzB amongst them, will strike while they are in the ascendant. They will also do it with the best possible chance at getting themselves a victory. The crux of my chagrin is that, as an allies player, the dice are so loaded against you that you can’t stop them. And you can’t stop them for a years worth of play. You will have to be a better man than me to put up with that!
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Printable Version
RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks - 
Also if you take Java he wont be able to retake it for some time, that has to have major strategic implications.
KB can't be everywhere at once. Good Luck Wob!
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