RE: Gyrations (Full Version)

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Canoerebel -> RE: Gyrations (2/24/2009 5:36:33 PM)

P.S.  IF the KB showed up en masse, John could destroy the RN combat TF at Hong Kong - the LRCAP would be brushed aside easily.  I've really fretted over this possibility, but there are a few things that give me a measure of peace about this (and you may get a chuckle over how even insignificant things can become intel to be considered):  

1.  First and foremost, John may be reluctant to come close enough to strike for fear of the Allied LBA in China.  That's the only real deterent at the moment, and were that all I was counting on I'd be very nervous.

2.  John sent an email with last night's turn grumbling about how and attack he had planned had gone awry.  Were he about to spring a trap on the RN, I don't think he would have referred to it casually.

3.  John's had the current turn since early this morning and has been in the forums for awhile posting in several AARs.  Had he been about to spring something big, he'd be chomping at the bit to run the turn.  That he's dallying a bit suggests that he doesn't have anything big about to happen.

Mind you, I realize I could be misreading the signs, or John could be intentionally misleading me, but I have a pretty strong hunch that the KB isn't going to strike tomorrow.



Canoerebel -> RE: Gyrations (2/24/2009 7:40:20 PM)

Quick note as I have to run some errands.  10/4/44 was a great day for the Allies:

1)  Massive and highly successful raid on Tokyo
2)  Landings at Hong Kong go smoothly
3)  Landings at Port Moresby go smoothly except a CD tears up some transports

As I sent the turn back to John these things dominated my thoughts:

1)  My greatest fear is the KB showing up near Hong Kong.  If it's going to happen to stop the invasion, tomorrow is probably the last day. 
2)  A Jap TF with a "CA" is moving west from Formosa on a heading for HK.  The KB?  A stout combat TF?  A decoy?  I don't know and it has me worried.
3)  Ichang is open and 50th Indian paratroops will hit there tomorrow.  Taking Ichang and reinforcing via air transport in big numbers would be a tremendous beginning to Operation Shooting Star.  I think it would really rattle John's confidence about his situation in China.  (50th Indian has really been a unit of distinction in this game, having take the following cities by air assault:  Kompong Song (Indochina), Kiangshan (Hainan Island, China), and hopefully Ichang.  These cities have been vacant to this point, but their seizures have really given the Allies important objectives.

I'll be holding my breath when the next turn comes to me from John.  I hate it when he yells, "Banzai!" at my expense.



Canoerebel -> RE: Gyrations (2/25/2009 2:00:01 AM)

10/4/44 and 10/5/44

Operation Shooting Star is off to a blazing start, and Tokyo is blazing.

Hong Kong: The landings at Hong Kong have been unopposed - no Jap naval presence and minimal air presence. The Chinese troops have gone ashore with next to no disruption or fatigue because the port has no guns to speak of. The garrison is 59th Division and a few other units of little worth in battle. The RN hit the city again on the 4th and bombers in numbers strike each day. The Allies have 800 well-supplied AV ashore (though unfortunately they are 80% prepped for Swatow). Tomorrow, another bombardment and all bombers in China and northern Vietnam are to hit the enemy ground troops. There is some possibility that the Jap units in Hong Kong have been roughed up by the bombardments and repeated bombings. The Allies will try a shock attack tomorrow. All transports that have finished unloading troops have been ordered to return to Haiphong to pick up the second wave. (Question: with Allied troops at both Canton and Hong Kong, does that prevent John from moving units from the latter to the former? If so, Hong Kong will fall pretty soon.)

Canton: 4,000 AV have arrived with another 2,000 closely following, and more behind that. It's enough to stalemate things in Canton while I deal with HK.

Ichang: 50th Indian paratroops took this vacant base on the 5th, wiping out nine forts. Two Chinese units heading for Nanchang are in the hex where the transports are based, so I've halted them, switched their prep to Ichang, and will begin transporting tomorrow. Ichang isn't that important in and of itself, but I think it fans the flames of Jap panic in China as things appear to be going crazy.

Japan: A massive, well-coordinated raid on Tokyo on the 4th. First, 74 P-47Ds from Tori Shima faced 109 Frank, 27 George, and 45 Jack, the Allies losing 20 and the Japs 112. Next came 16 P-47D and 59 P-38 from Iwo Jima facing 59 Jap fighters, the Allies losing 3 and the Japs 45. Then came 147 B-24 and 21 B-17 from Toyohara, followed by 233 B-29s from Shikuka. There was little CAP and just one or two bombers went down. The bombers targeted Tokyo's airfield (destroying 25 aircraft on the ground); Okha factory, now 2 (8), Frank factories, now 7 (32) and 2 (77), Jack factory, now 16 (41), and Resources, now 307 (564).

CenPac: The American carriers have just passed Iwo and are moving into the Philippine Sea to serve as a decoy to hopefully keep the enemry from focusing on the Hong Kong forces. I don't know how far they'll go, yet.

SWPac: Landings commenced at Port Moresby, which wasn't mined. No appearance by Jap ships or aircraft, but a CD gun has mauled some MSWs and a few transports. The Aussies are ashore in good numbers, with about 800 AV thus far to about 300 for the Japs. The garrison is 1st Mixed Brigade, 8th NLF (very small), the CD, and a base force. The Aussies brought two divisions, a cav division, artillery, armor and an HQ (all 100% prepped for PM). I don't know if it's enough, but I'll see soon.

KB: Still absolutely no sign of Jap carriers. John is doing a masterful job of hiding them, but he's got to commit soon/now, doesn't he? The Tokyo raid serves as another reminder that the Japs simply have to do whatever it takes to knock out Iwo or re-capture Sikhalin Island. He should have done it from the get-go. He should've done it awhile ago. He should do it now. So where's the KB? (Not that I want them to show up and interfere with these nice Allied opportunites).

As of the 4th, Points: (A) 74,019 (J) 56,538; Ratio: 1.31 to 1; Strategic Points: 13,148.



Canoerebel -> Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 3:39:36 AM)

(Those of you following my AAR know that I only have the game loaded on my work computer; therefore, when John sends a new turn late in the evening, I can only read the combat report without seeing the replay or viewing the game file; sometimes this leaves me a bit in the dark as to what actually happened, as now...)

Email Message from John the curdled my blood: "Weeeeee....still have some fangs...
I cannot believe that you moved away from Iwo Jima with the US CV TF. Guess it is time...BANZAI baby!"

Zoiks, I figured he had somehow done something bad to the American carriers, so I opened the combat report with fear and trembling, to discover this:

1. The Allied bombardment fleet that was to hit Hong Kong somehow didn't make it and thus fell outside the LRCAP protection afforded there. Jap kamikazes and torpedo bombers sortied in numbers, putting five torpedos and 11 kamikazes into BB Howe; I assume she's toast. There were also scattered torpedo hits against several CLs and CAs, plus a few transports.

2. This will probably embolden John to further action.

3. The American carriers launched a sea of strike aircraft against four lonely Jap APs; I think John orchestrated this on purpose, and had the KB chosen this turn to strike I'd be pretty ticked off. As it is, I'll evaluate this more carefully tomorrow morning, because it looks like I won't need the Americans after all...

4. Because Hong Kong is going to fall tomorrow. Here was the result of the attack (which followed some huge raids by bombers):

Ground combat at Hong Kong

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 34721 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 971

Defending force 13781 troops, 88 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 247

Allied max assault: 1418 - adjusted assault: 1002

Japanese max defense: 154 - adjusted defense: 265

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
596 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

5. I would've accepted the loss of the entire RN combat TF to take Hong Kong as that base holds the key to future Allied operations and threatens to isolate most of Jap troops in southeastern China. John must be fit to be tied. So that vast army at Haiphong that's almost 100% prepped for Hong Kong can be turned on other cities now. Once Hong Kong falls, the next move will be on Swatow.

6. John's email ticked me off for several reason. First, the boasting he has done throughtout the game each time the Japs accomplish something to his satisfaction; I've bent over backwards to leave out any hint of bragadocio in my emails to him, but still he does it. Secondly, early in the game I asked him not to discuss the events of the current turn in his email as I preferred to find out - good or bad - by viewing the replay. I've had to remind him several dozen times because he has some innate need to gloat. None of my polite reminders seems to have "taken." Now, that said, John and I are almost like brothers now, and this game has all the makings of a great brotherly rivalry. So although he pisses me off, dadgum it I like the guy.



String -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 10:11:39 AM)

If you're going to take Hong Kong this turn... it has a shipyard iirc and that might save Howe if you can keep her afloat for another turn. I suggest chaning the whole TF to escort TF so it doesn't fall apart and do the "return to base" nonsense, although setting the home base to somewhere in northern japan/aleutians might help as the route there will take them through Hong Kong.



Canoerebel -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 1:29:33 PM)

10/6/44
 
Hong Kong:  Hong Kong will fall tomorrow unless John is able to move reinforcements in from Canton, which I don't think he can due to the ZOC rules.  The successful Allied ground attack was preceded by two large bombing raids that inflicted 522/16 and 56/1 on the single Jap division.  The disruption undoubtedly contributed to the weak defense.  The RN bombardment TF didn't quite make it to HK and thus fell outside the LRCAP umbrella (a single Mosquito squadron offered the only protection) and Jap kamikazes and torpedo planes sortied from Aparri, Philippines and Amoy, China.  Although BB Howe was hit by five torpedos and 11 kamikazes, she's still afloat with 43 SYS, 94 FLT, and 42 Fires.   Had Hong Kong fallen yesterday, she'd probably survive, but I don't know if she can wait another day.  I have several base forces ready to move to HK by air transport.  John has loaded up the airfields (Swatow, Amoy, Taiching, etc.) in hopes of repeating today's success; I've detailed some 4EB to "carress" these fields - I don't think I need all of them targeting HK tomorrow.  The American carriers were coming this way to lend a hand if necessary, but since it isn't, they and the transports will return to Iwo, unload, and the troops will rest and reorganize to prepare for the next step. 

China:  The Allies began air transporting a Chinese infantry unit into newly captured Ichang.  Three Jap units of unknown size are trapped between Ichang and the river to the south.  I want to reinforce Ichang as quickly as possible, because these Jap units were probably already headed this way before the city fell. 

Strategic Implications:  From John's perspective things must look awfully grim, and with the fall of Hainan Island and Ichang and the imminent fall of Hong Kong, Operation Shooting Star is off to a fabulous start.  The fall of HK puts the Allies far ahead of schedule.  John will be worried about armies at Canton and Singyang getting cut off, and he'll probably try to reinforce coastal China.  The Allies will keep moving fast - the transports are on the way back to Haiphong and I'll try to hit Swatow within a week to ten days.  HK gives the Allies a big airfield (currently four, but she'll go to seven) and port right where they're needed to permit operations up the China coast and, hopefully, Formosa.  I "think" John will want to fight for China, I know he must be a little panicked, and I think he realizes now that China is the focal point of Allied intentions, not the DEI.  So I "assume" he'll send the KB this way.

Jap Carriers:  No sign of them.  Not the slightest indication of their location.  John's doing a great job of hiding them, and they are an important force in being that worries me constantly, but Singapore has fallen, Hong Kong is about to fall, and Allied aircraft on Iwo and Sikhalin Island are chewing up Japan.  It's time he tried to save the empire.

SWPac:  The landings at Port Moresby are nearly finished.  The Allies will try a probing attack day after tomorrow.



paullus99 -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 2:00:44 PM)

I have serious doubts as to John's wanting to launch an attack into the teeth of your airpower. What would happen if he committed his carriers in the South China Sea? How many bombers & fighters could you send after him the moment he shows himself (either here or up north)? He'd last all of about 3 days before you sent every ship to the bottom - regardless of the number of losses he would inflict in that time.




Canoerebel -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 5:44:32 PM)

Here's John's most recent email message this a.m.:

"I REALLY want to run this turn but [have some family matters for the morning].  Will be home for afternoon and we can get them done as fast as possible.  Perhaps we'll settle the final question as to who truly owns the Pacific..."

Hmmm, sounds like the KB is about to spring into action.

But, as noted previously, I've pulled my carriers back to Iwo since they aren't needed to cover Hong Kong.  So I don't know if the turn will come off as John anticipates.

John's message suggests, however, that the KB is in the area and that he is itching for a fight.  This was an important security breach on his part (or perhaps clever disinformation; but instinct tells me it's the real thing).





Canoerebel -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/25/2009 10:57:18 PM)

Well, no massive battle ensued, but Hong Kong fell to the Allies...

My email message to John in reply to his above: "Okay, where's the battle that was going to decide who controls the Pacific?"

His reply:  "It is at a time and place of MY choosing.  Your recon sucked last turn.  I knew you would retreat to the LBA though.  You have 8--3--1  high performance Fighters on CAP and you still retreat to LBA...  Cannot believe I got the Howe!  Those 2E Kamikazes did good work.  The Torp Attack couldn't have gone much better.  Still wasn't sure if she would sink or not."

My response:  "My carriers returned to Iwo because they weren't needed at Hong Kong.  My combat TF was supposed to be under LRCAP at Hong Kong but failed to make it there; fortunes of war. 

"But the Allies are elated to have taken HK at this cost and were prepared for it to cost much, much more.  You're more than welcome to select the time and place.  The Emporer fiddles while the Empire crumbles. 

"Heading home for the evening.  Have a good night."

More later.





vettim89 -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/26/2009 12:13:47 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: paullus99

I have serious doubts as to John's wanting to launch an attack into the teeth of your airpower. What would happen if he committed his carriers in the South China Sea? How many bombers & fighters could you send after him the moment he shows himself (either here or up north)? He'd last all of about 3 days before you sent every ship to the bottom - regardless of the number of losses he would inflict in that time.




You might want to take a gander at my AAR and see what happens when the IJN CV's take on 1943 levels of Allied LBA. I'll take 2000 lb bombs for the win please



Canoerebel -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/26/2009 9:52:49 AM)

10/7/44 and 10/8/44
 
It's not often that a complex plan comes together so well - in fact, ahead of schedule.  I'd better enjoy it while I can, because fortune has a funny way of changing sides and then nipping me in the fanny.

Hong Kong:  BB Howe went under on the 7th.  There were more scattered kamikazee strikes on a few transports (losing an AK in exchange for about 15 aircraft doesn't seem so bad).  The Allies have base forces and more than 100 aircraft in place at Hong Kong.  The troops rested for one day and will shock attack tomorrow.  The undamaged remnants of the RN combat TF (two CLs and about eight DDs) hit Jap transports at Swatow, sinking five AKs and a PC.  On the 8th, 167 B-29s and 44 B-24s hit Takao, Formosa's airfield and may have done enough to shut it down temporarily.  A sizeable contingent of Jap DDs plus at least one CA (Aoba) sighted in the straights north of Luzon on a westerly course that could take them to Hong Kong (or, less likely, this is the KB coming to raid).  I'm temporarily pulling my tansports back from Hong Kong as most are empty or nearly so.  The RN combat ships stayed at Swatow, for some reason (and luckily didn't come under air attack).  I've ordered them to return to HK and disband in port.  I've shifted more Allied airpower from rear fields (like Haiphong and Chungking) to forward fields (HK, Kiangshan, and Wuchow) and set everything for naval strike, including four B-29 groups at Changsha.  Note:  This is the first time I've set B-29s for naval strike in the game, and I've limited them to a range of just nine hexes.  In my game with Miller he said that B-29s hitting shipping 20 to 25 hexes distant was just too ridiculous and damaging to permit.  I haven't mentioned my self-imposed embargo on B-29 naval strikes to John, as I prefer that he at least fear the possibility of such strikes.

China:  Air transport of infantry into Ichang continues.  The defensive AV is closing on 200 now, so it will soon reach the point that John won't be able to re-take this city once he realizes that the threat to Singyang wasn't all that great.  As with previous turns, Jap troops are all over the place in China (even landing at Amoy and then marching across open fields to reach Swatow), and ships are too.  Clearly Operation Shooting Star achieved strategic surprise, or else John is late in just now deciding he really doesn't want to lose alot of China. 

Japan:  Big raid sheduled for Tokyo tomorrow.

CenPac:  The American carriers are two hexes south of Iwo and will remain there another day or two. The transports are unloading at Iwo to give the troops time to fully recover from the disruption incurred at Wake Island.  I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with the carriers yet.  They are short on fuel, several have 10-12 SYS now, and nearly all need upgrades from way back in mid-1943.  I want to see if John commits the KB to China; if he does, I may employ the carriers as a diversion.  If I can move on Swatow, China, without the KB interfering, then I will probably send the American carriers back to Midway to refuel, swap out fatigued ships for reinforcements, and then return for the invasion of Formosa.

SWPac:  The Allies tried a probing shock attack at Port Moresby on the 8th, and to my surprise the assault came off at 9:1 and dropped forts from 8 to 0.  The Allies have lost a good dozen ships to CD guns and small air raids from Lae and Rabaul, but this on-the-fly gamble has paid off handsomely.  Operation Mercury succeeded.

Points:  (A) 75,376 (J) 56,674; Ratio:  1.33 to 1; Strategic:  13,148.



String -> RE: Zoiks, Scoob! (2/26/2009 10:41:08 AM)

Perhaps now would be a good time to wreck the HI air defences with massive sweeps from your carrier force?



Heeward -> What is time (2/26/2009 5:38:36 PM)

As to where John's carriers are, consider what other assets he would deploy in support of them and where those assets are.

As to updating your fleet I expect due to position vs major ports you will be needing a three to four month update cycle, If you margin of superiority is great enough I suggest you get on this right away.



Canoerebel -> Operation Shooting Star (2/27/2009 9:58:00 AM)

10/9/44 and 10/10/44
 
Operation Shooting Star:  This operation is already a great success, having attained strategic surprise, taken the key objective (Hong Kong), threatened the enemy flank, and apparently thrown the enemy into consternation.  And the operation has only just begun...

Hong Kong:  The Allied CL/DD TF ordered to return to HK to disband encountered two enemy combat TFs and got the better of the ensuing clashes, sinking one CL, directly sinking at least four DDs and damaging other DDs that have since succumbed to LBA.  The Alllies lost four DDs.  The remnants are in port at HK with reinforcements, including BBs Queen Elizabeth and Valiant, nearby.  The Allies are basing 135 aircraft at HK now with more to come.  600 AV prepped for HK are loading at Haiphong and will arrive in about three days.  They will take over the effort to extinquish the surviving enemy units; the units currently at HK are resting and will embark to move on Swatow, the next port up the coast.  If I can take Swatow, then I will be ready to move on Formosa.

China:  The Allies have already air transported about 300 AV to Ichang and are in a standoff at Singyang.  John's going to try to come behind my army at Singyang, and may be able to force a river crossing to the rear where I have a smaller army posted, but that's fine by me.  This part of the operation is intended mainly to draw Japanese attention and troops.  The Allies have about 6000 AV at Canton and are heavily bombing ground troops, port, and aifield.  The Japs have 4 and 1/3 divisions here.  I will try a probing attack about the time I'm ready to move on Swatow (don't want to accidentally win at Canton only to send those Jap troops scurrying for Swatow).

Strategic Situation:  The western Allies (Chinese, Brits, Indians, etc.) can handle things in China unless John employs the KB.  If he does that, the American carriers will lend a hand; if John doesn't commit the KB, the Americans will crouch on the periphery to distract the enemy.  If John doesn't commit the KB, the Allies will be able to take Swatow and that will probably force him to evacuate Canton.  After that things will become increasingly difficult as the Japs are flooding reinforcements this way both by sea and land.  It's alot of fun to see John scramble to meet the emergency.  One result is that there's alot of Jap transports moving around coastal China, and Allied LBA from China have damaged or sanks several score already.

Japan:  A big bomber raid against Tokyo on the 9th met nearly no resistance - just nine Franks that couldn't handle 73 P-47D.  The bombers (167 B-24 and B-17 and 133 B-29) hit Okha, airfield, resources (the main focus), and heavy industry.  Another big raid scheduled tomorrow.  The American carriers will probably participate in raids on the HI a time or two unless duty calls them to China.

SWPac:  The Aussies took Port Moresby on the 9th.  Operation Mercury was a resounding success despite the loss of about ten MSW and transports to LBA and CDs.  Operation Venus (to be revealed later) is ready to go.

SEAC:  Allied LBA from Singapore, Johore Bharu, and other bases hit Palembang daily, with 3,000 AV at Singapore prepping for that city.  I don't have transports to carry these troops and don't want to stir up a hornet's nest while all my attention and most of my assets are up in China; however, once China bogs down, the Allies will be ready to move.

Points:  (A) 75,834 (J) 56,604; Ratio:  1.34 to 1; Strategic:  13,458.

Vacation:  The Allied commander and his family are heading out for a three-day family reunion, so there will be a temporary cease fire.  Y'all have a good one.




Alikchi2 -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (2/28/2009 1:09:36 AM)

Enjoy your vacation sir!

Wish that happened in the real war.. "Right, Nimitz has to attend his second-cousin's bat mitzvah.. war's off for a week"



Canoerebel -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (3/3/2009 2:01:12 AM)

10/11/44 to 10/13/44
 
Following the fall of Hong Kong and Port Moresby, the Allies are reorganizing and reloading in preparation for the next offensives.

SEAC:  LBA continue to focus on Palembang.

China:  Hong Kong-prepped troops are on the way to HK to take over the duty of wiping out the remnant Jap defenders.  It will probably take me two lifts to bring the needed troops from Haiphong.  When that task is completed, the Swatow-prepped troops will embark for that operation.  Kiungshan just went to level four airfield.  The first Allied attack at Canton will occur in about four days; LBA hits the Jap defenders at Canton in large numbers daily.  Quiet at Singyang at the moment as neither side has enough to dislodge the other.  The Allies have 400 AV at Ichang.

Japan:  Recon shows at least four CVs at Nagasaki.  Not sure why they are there, and the CAP doesn't seem overwhelming.  My bombers are recovering from their recent large raid on Tokyo (on the 11th), so it will be another day or two before they can strike.

CenPac:  The American carriers are currently in port at Iwo Jima.  Quiet elsewhere.

NoPac:  A second division is unloading at Cold Bay; after it recovers from disruption, the two divisions will commence attacking.

SWPac:  An American division will hit the beaches at Luganville tomorrow.  This is another shoestring operation predicated on the belief that the island is lightly defended.



Canoerebel -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (3/4/2009 12:31:37 PM)

10/14/44 and 10/15/44
 
China:  Two Hong Kong-prepped units (600 AV) arrived from Haiphong and immediately commenced attacking the remnant Jap army.  The Swatow-prepped troops are standing down to recover disruption; Swatow-prepped troops at Haiphong are loaded on transports that will begin the journey to Hong Kong tonight.  D-Day for the invasion of Swatow is perhaps six days away.  The Allied army besieging Canton continues to increase as new units arrive, but this action is intended primarily to hold the Jap army in place while the real focus turns to Swatow; if I take the latter, it essentially cuts off the Jap army at Canton.  The Japs have stopped flooding the sea lanes with troops ships, so at least temporarily it seems that the Jap effort to reinforce China is halted (or ended).  Swatow only has five units about 20K strong; the Allies probably have 2,000 AV 85% prepped for the base.

Japan:  The Superforts haven't flown since the 11th, but the forecast over Japan tomorrow is partly cloudy skies.  Recon continues to show four CVs plus a CAP of 200 fighters at Nagasaki.  With reservations, I'm going to try a strike against this port.  All Tori Shima P-47Ds are to fly sweep, with five B-29 groups from Shikuka targeting the port; of the four B-29 groups from Changsha, China, two will target the port, one will target resources, and one will target the Frank factory.  The remaining Allied 4EB on Sikhalin Island will target Tokyo (resources, Okha factory, and airfield) preceded by a sweep by Iwo Jima-based fighters.  This is a complicated operation against a target that John will defend heavily, so I'm worried about taking big losses.

CenPac:  The American carriers have been in port at Iwo for several days; they'll move out tonight just to shuffle the deck a bit.  They aren't going anywhere.

NoPac:  The Allies will shock attack at Cold Bay tomorrow; this follows a 2:1 shock attack on the 14th that dropped forts from 9 to 7.  The base should fall in a day or two.

SWPac:  40th Division landed at Luganville, which appears lightly held.  The troops will shock attack tomorrow and I expect the base to fall.

SEAC:  Allied bombers continue to hit Palembang daily.



Canoerebel -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (3/4/2009 11:36:32 PM)

10/16/44
 
My misgivings were misplaced as both Japan raids went well:

Nagasaki:  A fighter sweep by 85 P-47Ds from Tori Shima mixed with 136 George, Zeke, and Jack; the Allies lost 7 aircraft to 96 for the Japs.  Then some 88 B-29s from Changsha hit the port and other facilties, scoring 29 hits against CVE Unyo.  Next came about 230 B-29s from Shikuka; these scored 33 more hits against poor Unyo, which finally succumbed to her wounds (she had first been badly damaged in the Battle for Sikhalin Island about ten months ago).  (Recon shows two other CVs in port here, but no sign of them during the bombing runs.)

Tokyo:  The 4EB (non-B-29) from Toyohara found just a handful of fighters and did damage to Tokyo's resources, Okha factory, and airfield.  A subsequent fighter sweep from Iwo Jima downed a handful of Randy fighters.

China:  The Swatow troops left Haiphong and will reach Hong Kong tomorrow or the next day.  Two large Chinese units at Hong Kong are loading transports.  D-Day for the invasion of Swatow is no more than four days off.

NoPac:  The attack at Cold Bay dropped forts to 6.  I'll rest the troops a few days and try again.

SWPac:  Despite vast numerical superiority, the Allied attack at Luganville failed (due to lack of supplies).  Transports are on the way and the next attack should take place in three or four days.  I think it will succeed in taking the base.

Points:  (A) 76,774 to (J) 56,740; Ratio:  1.35 to 1; Strategic Points:  13,954.  (Note:  by the time I drew even with the Japs in this game I was six months behind my pace in my game with Miller; but the gap has narrowed to just over two months as of the dates in the two games for the Allies to draw ahead by 20,000 points).



Canoerebel -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (3/5/2009 5:21:26 PM)

10/17/44 and 10/18/44
 
Operation Shooting Star:  The operation picks up again tonight as the troop transports weigh anchor at Hong Kong.  They will proceed two hexes north tomorrow, finishing the day one hex from Swatow.  The transports will be accompanied by a combat TF.  Fighters from Wuchow will provide LRCAP.  When the landings commence in two days, LRCAP will be provided by fighters based at Hong Kong.  As best I can tell, John is concentrating on the threat to Canton via land, and possibly doesn't recognize the peril posed by an amphibious assault on Canton's flank.  Swatow has 5 units some 20,000 strong.  The landing force should carry something like 1,500 AV, with more troops at Hong Kong in reserve.  The Allies will have 7,500 AV at Canton in a few days.  John is pulling troops out of Kanhsien and apparently sending them to Canton, but they are on bad roads to travel.  I don't think they can reach Swatow in time.  If John's going to reinforce Swatow, he'll have to pull troops from Canton.  He'll be in a bit of a bind.

SwPAC:  Darwin-based B-29s hit Kendari's resources on the 18th, doing 70 points of damage.  Supply transports are unloading at Luganville, so 40th Division should be able to attack in two days.  I think think the base will fall then.



String -> RE: Operation Shooting Star (3/5/2009 5:41:47 PM)

Btw, traveling LCU's are a great target for bombers.



Canoerebel -> Africans to Hit the Beaches in China (3/5/2009 9:06:11 PM)

10/19/44
 
Swatow:  The amphibious armada ended the day a hex from Swatow and nothing has gone amiss to this point.  The invasion force includes a West African Division, Chinese, and British troops.  D-Day is tomorrow.  The troops transports, supply ships, and combat TF will be covered by LRCAP from Hong Kong.

SEAC:  To try to throw John a bit off balance, I had a large group of carriers suddenly arrive at Singapore.  His recon picked it up, so I hope he'll wonder if the Allies are about to move on Palembang.  These carriers include the British fleet carriers and American carriers Bennington and Ticonderoga.  When last I mentioned these ships, they were posted in the Coral Sea.  I didn't mention their subsequent move to the Indian Ocean out of concern that a security leak would be disastrous - especially while the ships were south of Java and in close proxmity to what I thought was the KB's location.

SWPac:  40th Division will attack at Luganville the day after tomorrow.



Canoerebel -> RE: Africans to Hit the Beaches in China (3/5/2009 11:32:58 PM)

10/19/44
 
Four big attacks ordered tomorrow, and the Allies are optimistic about three of them....

Swatow:  D-Day at Swatow went well, with about 1,000 AV coming ashore against what can best be described as a meager defense.  There are only two Jap infantry units at the base - a very depleted 39th Division with an AV of less than 100, and 116/B Divsion (1/3rd of the division) with an AV or something over 100.  The Allies will shock attack tomorrow, hopefully preceded by a massive bombing raid including four B-29 groups and hundreds of Liberators, Mitchells, and Wellingtons.  I don't see any signs that John has sent the KB this way, nor that he's loaded up the airfields within range.  I think there's a 60% chance Swatow will fall tomorrow.

Canton:  The Allies will try a deliberate attack tomorrow, with 7,500 AV facing about 1,500 AV in an urban hex with probably nine forts.  This attack shouldn't work, but I hope it will hold the Canton Japs in place while I secure Swatow.  This is the first try at Canton (well, the first since a stab at the city way back in '42).

Cold Bay, Alaksa:  An Allied shock attack today sent forts from 6 to 1.  This base should change hands tomorrow.

Luganville:  A Jap DD force sank the supply AK and possibly brought reinforcements to the Naval Guard unit, but 40th Division is nearly fully supplied, 80% prepped, and may take the base tomorrow.

SEAC:  The Brit and American carriers remain at Singapore.  I wonder if John will be enticed to strike?  I don't plan to leave them there very long, though, as even with 200 fighters based at Singapore I'd be worried about the KB.

B-29 Bug Strikes:  John raised cain when 29 B-29s from Singapore joined some PBY Liberators in hitting a small TF, damaging two Jap PGs.  The odd thing was that this B-29 group (the only one at Singapore) was set to "City Attack - Palembang - Oil" and flew that mission.  So the Superforts weren't set to fly Naval Strike missions but did so anyway.  John is pissed and referred to a House Rule prohibiting such use of Superforts.  I don't think we had such a House Rule, though I had imposed it on myself as I mentioned in an AAR post a week or so ago.  I did so because Miller had requested it in our previous game and it seemed like a reasonable rule.  Now John also wants to prohibit B-29s flying Naval Search missions.  That certainly wasn't part of our House Rules and I don't think it's reasonable.



marky -> RE: Africans to Hit the Beaches in China (3/5/2009 11:52:38 PM)

hah yeah the houserule stuff is getting out of hand

next my opponents will be asking me to not screen my carriers [8|]

this is a war game ppl, if u dont wanna fight a war then play a different game



castor troy -> RE: Africans to Hit the Beaches in China (3/6/2009 7:54:53 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: marky

hah yeah the houserule stuff is getting out of hand

next my opponents will be asking me to not screen my carriers [8|]

this is a war game ppl, if u dont wanna fight a war then play a different game



If you play this game without houserules (with all it´s deficiencies) then you´re better off playing world of warcraft... [8|]

Even with 56770 hrs you state in your sig it still will have deficiencies...



Canoerebel -> RE: Africans to Hit the Beaches in China (3/6/2009 2:40:30 PM)

10/21/44 (The previous post should have been 10/19 and 10/20/44)

The Allied attacks went as predicted:

Swatow: A shock attack overcomes three forts and the Allies take this base with the defenders retreating into the fields towards Amoy.  The Allies are moving in a small base force to handle 30 fighters at this level 3 airfield, which can be built up to a 9, I think.  The fall of Swatow isolated the Japanese garrison at Canton (map to follow in a little while).

Canton:  The probing Allied attack came off at 1:1, dropped forts from 9 to 8, and cost the Allies 7k casualties to 1k for the Japanese.  This was quite encouraging - in fact, a little too encouraging.  I'm not sure that I want this Japanese army to retreat yet.   I have another 1500 AV one hex from Canton, and I'll bring them in; but another 2,000 AV on the roads from Wuchow to Hanoi will now change their prep to Nanchang and change course to join the Allied army already sitting outside that city.

Luganville:  40th Army Division takes this outpost.

Cold Bay, Alaska:  Two army divisions take this base, the last Japanese outpost in the Aleutians.  In fact, outside of mainland Asia, the Japs now have only one remaining base in NoPac - Wakkanai on the northern tip of the island of Hokkaido.

Japan:  Big raid planned for Gumma tomorrow - fighter sweep from Tori Shima followed by five about ten bomber gropus from Toyohara and Shikuka.

Operation Shooting Star/Operation Neptune: When originally conceived, I could plan far enough ahead to envision the fall of Hong Kong, Swatow, and possibly Ichang.  All those objectives have been achieved, so now the Allies will begin planning for phase two.  On the coast, this means amphibious assaults to take the cities of Amoy and Foochow.  Troops at Hong Kong and Haiphong are prepping already.  In the interior, John's armies at Canton and Kanhsien are now threatend with isolation and he may pull out of either or both cities.  The Allies move on Nanchang will take priority over the next few weeks; if that base falls then John's position in China could be cut in two.  But the ultimate objective of Shooting Star is to give the Allies big air bases on the coast to (1) hit shipping, and (2) provide LRCAP for the invasion of Formosa.  Once Amoy and Foochow fall (and both are lightly held at the moment), the invasion of Formosa (hereby dubbed Operation Neptune) can get underway.  The Allied troops at Iwo Jima will be 100% rested and 100% prepped by then.

Points:  (A) 76,929 (J) 56,691; Ratio: 1.35 to 1; Strategic:  13,9546.



Canoerebel -> China Map (3/6/2009 2:47:37 PM)

See previous post for details.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/FEA0062B6B1B446FADD9E63D31D810EE.jpg[/image]



String -> RE: China Map (3/6/2009 3:57:08 PM)

Interesting.

You only need a unit NE and E of Canton and you can trap the japanese forces by forcing them to retreat to the hex SE of Canton.



Canoerebel -> RE: China Map (3/7/2009 2:26:19 PM)

10/22/44 to 10/24/44
 
China:  John complains bitterly about his troops being "stuck in Canton due to 59-mile bug."  I'm not sure that's the case; my guys attacked a few days ago, which generally freezes or halts movement.  Also, I think he's way to late to pull out of Canton anyhow.  He's got nothing but yellow roads to travel, and bombers would make mincemeat of his army.  Elsewhere, the Allied Army (British, West African, and Chinese) at Swatow are moving out in various directions; the Africans will move north into the fields to threaten Amoy.  Three big units plus artillery will move west to the hex adjacent to Canton.  The surviving Jap army at Hong Kong was extinquished on the 23rd.  So Allied troops in HK not prepping for the next invasion can join the party in Canton, where something like 8,000 AV has gathered.  The Amoy invasion could take place within a week - my troops would only be 10% prepped, but the Japs would be just as bad off.  Speed counts here.  But before then, the Allies may have a little surprise:  I'm sniffing around right now to see if it's possible....

Formosa:  John is hastily reinforcing this island.  Allied bombers from China damaged and sank perhaps 10 ships on the 24th, some at Formosa ports, some in between the island and the mainland.

Japan:  Four B-29 groups from Changsha hit the port at Nagasaki on the 24th, hoping to score against the three CVs located there for weeks.  The raid was preceded by a successful fighter sweep from Tori Shima (Japs lose 53, mostly George, and the Allies lose 3).  The bombers demolished three ARs and two TKs, but failed to report any carriers.  So I assume that John has carriers at Nagasaki, but hasn't disbanded them into the port.  Two days earlier, the five Shikuka B-29 groups, plus about 200 4EB from Toyohara, hit Gumma.  The fighter sweep first took care of the CAP (the Japs losing 60 fighters to just 7 for the Allies).  The bombers focused open several aircraft factories and Heavy Industry.



bigbaba -> RE: China Map (3/7/2009 3:06:23 PM)

@Canoerebel:

your perfect tactic (first sending a fighter sweep, then the heavies) seems to work extremly well. like mitchers attack on truk in the spring of 1944.[&o]

and amazeing killrate by your pilots..even against jacks, franks and georges. can you post a picture of your fighter pilots killstats please?



Canoerebel -> Allied Pilots (3/8/2009 8:51:38 PM)

Top Allied aces (as requested by Bigbaba). I haven't looked at this screen since the start of the war and don't know off the top of my head where all of the squadrons are posted. However, I do know about the Flying Tigers. They spent the first 2.5 years of the war in CBI, and the last year at Iwo Jima. They have done awful things to the enemy.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/08762920EF0E4141BF217CDE2CDC9B06.jpg[/image]



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