November crumble and defeat (Full Version)

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gladiatt -> November crumble and defeat (6/2/2010 7:22:06 PM)

5th - 16th nov 42

CHINA


[image]local://upfiles/28894/D45B4918924B40D39D4FC1C1298CD161.gif[/image]

1- 5th november, at Pakhoi, 50th chinese corps, trapped by ZOC sinc weeks, surrender.

2 - 10th nov, north of Nanning, the japs repulse with heavy losses for me my troops, thus helping me in "withdrawing" of units stucked since 17 days at 59miles of travel. They now have a 3 to 4 months travel before reaching a friendly base....and it will probably be too late.

3 - On 6th november, the japs cross the river near Changsa (someone to find the name ??), and 11 shattered corps retreat, but 8 others corps still resist until repulsed on 9th nov toward north.
On 14th nov, 2 chinese corps get on a wrong path, and come back here (????); they are heavily repulsed with losses for both side.

4- The japs had crossed Yangtze with 17th MixBde/A just north of Changsa. The chinese corps garrisoning the river did not manage to repulse this half unit; but on 6th nov, 756th US Tk Bn, escaped from Changsa, managed to repulse this unit. Then the US Bn withdraw west just in time to reach place number 3 when the japs repulse the whole chinese tack, thus avoiding being trapped.
But the chinese corps, slower, is trapped.

5- 12th nov, north of Wuchow, 1st chinese cav corps, surrounded since weeks, finaly surrender to an attack.
Kweiyang is besieged in strengh: on 6th nov, there are 4 japs div at this place, but on 16th, there are 6 japs div (including Imperial Div). 4 chinese corps (of them, three are at only 1/3 strengh after retreat or respawn) and a chinese div at 1/3 strengh try to defend the city. Forts are slowly rising (too slowly).
Chinese bombers Sb2c flying from Chungking start mission on japs troops at Kweiyang, making 180 sorties on 9 days, for a small 300 casualties, loosing 8 planes to the covering zeros.
On 16th nov, a jap delib attack reach odd 0/1, and fail to take the city.
The japs have totaly took control of the road, and my corps were too slow to cut the road between Wuchow and Kweiyang....

On 12th nov, AVG/A is back in China with new P-38, and ambush 10 zeros above Kweiyang, destroying 3 for no losses.
On 13th, they miss their target; on 14th and 15th they rest. On 16th, they ambush 27 Nate north of Sian making training straffing runs on chinese units, and down 4 of them for no loss.

The slaughter of chinese corps is surely not at an end. Chungking don't manage to reach 20000 supply, thus being unable to refit and rearm the respawned chinese corps !! Thus, the future defense of the capital should probably not last long...



gladiatt -> RE: November crumble and defeat (6/2/2010 7:55:37 PM)

5th - 16th nov 42

BURMA

[image]local://upfiles/28894/70C38885F8924FB2AD112A2595045632.gif[/image]

1- Siege of Pagan is a hard fight: there are powerfuls japs units in the place behind level 9 forts and they seem to have no supply problems. Are there huge stockpile ? Or a huge airlift? Willing to prevent a massive airbridge, i put some fighters on LRCAP over the base, and on 9th nov, they catch 2 Hickory, but nothing since had been intercepted...so what ?
There are 150 auxiliaries in Moulmein, are they supporting Pagan ? I whish i could close Moulmein, but the sweep launched previous week before a bomber raid had been too bloody.
The artillery duel is on the jap side, and i can't hurt the japs if i don't have the support of my bombers. No raid manage to take off from India between 2th to 11th nov [:@]. Damn weather.
But on 11th nov, 90 LBA attacking Pagan are intercepted by 10 Tonys, and 16 bombers are downed.
On 12th, a sweep of 33 allied fighters encounter 12 Tony, downing all for 5 allied fighters; but when 80 allied bombers come, they still face 7 Tony, wich destroy 22 bombers [X(][:@][:(]. The few casualties on ground are not enough to tam the japs unit, but help to reduce the artillery volley of the japs;
Between 13th and 16th november, no raid took off for Pagan (damn f.....g weather).

2- Still thinking about closing the base of Moulmein , a sweep is launched on 7th nov. But only 25 P-40B of 43th FG come to the mission; they face 100 Tojo and Tonys, loosing 24 planes to 17 japs. On 8th nov, 2 squadrons of P-38 gather only 22 planes, encounter 130 japs fighters, down 21 of them for 19 planes. Not a good result for a plane described as a good one by the manual or the stats ( 30 mph faster than a P-40E, 1 more manoeuver, 6 more durability !!). And Yes, i had read all the comments of both of you... BUT still i keep being disapointed.
P-38 was supposed to give a long range to my fighters, if i need to keep them at close range to raise it's power, that's a great lack of power.

3- north of Rangoon, along the Irrawaddy, a japs relieve force try to open the railroad leading north toward Pagan.
A SNLF and 64th Nav Gd are kept at bay by 3 british brigades. My lack of troop on this front is really hurting, but sending an entire Inidan division on the tracks between Imphal and Myitkyina is a 2 month trip at least, and i don't know what will have happend in 2 months. More, the supply is a huge problem, and feeding another div would be too difficult. Unless an advice tell me to (bit nothing mandatory, you vets should feel free if you wish), i made my decision for this front : no more troops here (although killing the jpas troops of Pagan would be really nice, but until now i hoped my planes would help me in this goal).
On 6th nov, the japs coming from Rangoon receive a reinforcement from 4th japs Inf Div , all the japs units triggering a shock attack that fail to repulse my troops.

- On 8th nov, 7 Wellington and 33 B-25 attack the japs unit, facing 3 Tojo, loosing 1 plane and causing 20 casualties...only. A second raid of 12 B-24 encounter 10 Tony, loose 1 bomber and cause 20 more casualties.
Raids on 9th and 10th cause 100 casualties for the loss of 1 B-24.
At Pagan, the 7th Arm Bde (Gal Anstice) leave the siege, heading south, hoping to reach the Irrawaddy bank in time.
- On 11th nov, a raid of 46 LBA with 32 P-38 escort, and face 10 japs fighters. 4 japs and 2 Lightning are destroyed; but a second raid of 12 bombers face 28 Tony and loose 7 planes for no result on ground [:(].
- On 12th, 31 Tony/Tojo encounter 30 LBA and 30 P-38; 6 japs are downed for 10 Lightning.
THIS PLANE IS REALLY A CRAP AND A BAD JOKE.
A second raid of 12 unescorted bombers cost me 2 planes. The lack of coordination, despite being in range of Claire Chenault 10th AirForce HQ, kill me !
- 14th nov, 12 more bombers are destroyed and 2 lightning for 2 Tony. At a rate of 1 for 7 in japs favor, Jan is soon to win this game.

ON the same day, 14th nov, 7th arm bde reach the front , and with 4 brit bde, launch a shock attack, in the hope of repulsing the japs on the other side of the river. It needed 3 days of fighting until the japs retreat...7th Arm is even in pursuit mode, in the hope to add casualties; don't know the result yet....
The supporting raids of 15th and 16th nov costed 4 P-38 for 8 japs fighters.
In these 11 days, Burma costed 70 japs planes for 132 allied.

4- ANDAMAN
Raided by BB Ise and Yamato on 9th november, destroying 40 planes of all kind ( patrol, fighters, naval bombers...), and sucking 3000 supply, thus dropping the base below 20000; the TF escape unharmed, even if being in range of the 5 Beaufort left after the shelling and the presence of 14 P-40E of AVG/C. The 80 mines and a dutch sub didn't made anything either.
On 16th nov, this TF is once more spotted near Sabang, probably heading for a new bombardement. Surely no planes from the small base will attack, and the 2 subs and 120 mines won't make anything more, for sure [:@].
WHY exactly am i trying to do things that seem purposed to FAIL ????? [:@].



gladiatt -> RE: November crumble and defeat (6/2/2010 8:36:26 PM)

5th - 16th NOV 42

SOPAC

[image]local://upfiles/28894/C1EBCB55F4A94E198BBCE21CB6852A87.gif[/image]

EFATE
Still trying to keep this base shut, raids of Marauders, Liberators and SBD destroy 9 japs patrol planes on 5th and 6th nov.
Weather prevent to send more raids since.

On 7th nov, KB show once more near Efate. An allied ASW TF was trying to hunt the spotted japs subs (evacuating troops ? Supplying the base ??). 24 zeros, 45 Vals, 17 kate face 7 F4F and 6 Kittyhawk. 3 japs planes are downed, and DD Hamman suffer a bomb hit. The TF rush for cover near Noumea. No 4E dare attack, despite KB being in range.
As KB seems to head south, a raid of SBD from Luganville is send to bomb Efate airfield on 13th nov, in order that no jap fighters land at this base. The hits are light (airbase 1, runway 2).

But on 14th, KB is back, and cover Efate with 80 zeros. 11 zeros are downed for 36 allied fighters and 9 marauders from Noumea. The Wildcat is a junk, as every other plane. I hate this game [:@].

Since KB is lurking between Efate and Suva, all convoys between Auckland and Pago-Pago are rerouted on a wide area to avoid the monster, but spending more days at sea.

My subs in the area try to head for KB, but only SS Tarpon manage to end on the same spot as KB on 11th nov, but making no contact (of course [:(][8|] ). Empty of fuel, it then sail back for a port (and nothing prevent it to get back to the fight).
Despite the numbers of subs, i am totally dumb and unable to guess where japs ships are ending there move. No contact is made, never [:@]. 2 subs are hit by kates and Vals on patrol, forced to sail toward a port for repair.

PORT MORESBY
On 13th, the japs start an offensive in New Guinea ( [X(][:(] ).
A sweep on Port Moresby gather 64 Tojo/Tony against 27 allied fighters (why so few, i have 70 in the base ?). 12 japs are destroyed for 19 allied, the Kittyhawk beeing a crapy plane (P-40E seem to act better, but the exp level of the squadron are roughly the same at 66) .

NOW A REAL QUESTION FOR THE VETS OR DEV (if some dare to read my crap). Are there some hard code info hidded in the game, telling that despite the stats, some planes act better than others ?? Kitty I and P-40E are the same plane, but the Kittyhawk have bad results (although the australians pilots are roughly good); the Tony seem to act better than the Tojo although the stats are nearly the same; and the SpitVB seem better than the Tojo/Tony; should i once more talk about the P-38, wich is faster than the japs Tojo or Tony, more manoeuvrable and more durable than the P-40, but have bad result, although my exp is not supposed to be crappy).

On 14th, new sweep of the japs. 52 fighters face my 22 defenders, loosing 11 and destroying 8 of mines. A second raid of 26 zeros and 23 Betty face 18 allied fighters. 11 zeros and 10 bettys are downed for 4 allied fighters and 1 lba on ground. A few hits are scored on the base.
The 15th nov, usual sweep cost 5 japs for 16 allied fighters ( [:(] ). Lae is targetted by 9 bettys ( [&:]). If Jan want to land there, i am in a bit S.....
16th, 24th FG/B is transfered from Port Moresby to Cooktown, depleted to 9 planes. 24th FG/C with P-38 is send in PM;
the japs sweep of 51 fighters face 12 Kittyhawk of 75th, 76th and 77th squadrons and 10 P-38 of 24th FG/C;
10 P-38 only ??? HOLY CRAP, 80% of 24 should not mean 10 planes). 15 japs are downed for 8 Kittyhawk and 1 P-38; and a new raid on empty Lae.





gladiatt -> RE: November crumble and defeat (6/2/2010 9:32:26 PM)


GLOBAL WAR

Repair Yards
These are full of ships to repair: AK hit by japs planes in previous raids (sometime months ago), surface ships trying to clear sea damages in order to upgrade, BB hit near Efate in July, subs, and so on.
No less than 48 subs are awaiting repair in a yard or another. I check all my yards since 20 game-days now, just to be sure that progress are made, but this is damn too slow.
CV are usually the last ships to repair, and CV Lexington is stuck at 6 of damages, unable to upgrade to the october refit.
And i find rather disgusting the speed at wich come damages at sea, and the amount that can be inflicted to warships, comparing to AK.

Strategic view
- No hope for Burma. I think Jan will relieve Pagan in some weeks, before i could reduce the place.
- No hope for China. It is now a question of time, but nothing can prevent this now. Not enough supplies, no way to refit the respawning troops, lack of firepower, of airsupport, of everything.
The rise of VP for Jan will be tremendous. Wathever people think about VP, they are still a measure of how the war goes.
When all China conquest will be achieve, it will give a huge lever of action for Jan. With 40 to 50 div and twice this number of support troops (arty, eng, base force, AA, Tk...) freed, he could steamroll the brits in Burma and India, or garrisonning heavily dozen of place in the Pacific before the US could come to contest and grab the places. Each landing will be a bloodbath, and no bypass could be done.
- No hope for SOPAC, the bettys are ships killer, and are backed by KB wich act without opposition .
- No hope for the Airwar : The new japs fighters, Tojo and Tony, are killers for my planes (bombers or fighters, they fall the same), are in much greater number and seem to have a high experience despite the heavy losses since the beginning of the war.
The air fight that went so well for me in summer 42 is now going in the japs way, thus getting me farther and farther of any kind of victory; also the weather grounding my planes too often hamper a lot my power.

The subwar is not really started yet. I am now waiting for 43 to reduce the dud rate but, (see post on repair yard) for now only a few subs are operating. And even comparing to this number of subs operating, results are near zero, nichts, nada, rien, quedal.
The numbers of contact are too too few (even at Johnston were i used to have small success against PC/PG i have no more luck).
The japs patrol planes now kill me, hitting too often my subs. Even the japs patrol boats seems quite effective.
With the high number of PP that i have, i had change dozen of subs commander, for no results yet.
I never manage to get on the path of the japs ships....except when waiting at a base (Andaman, Port Moresby or Koepang months ago), and for no result either.

For ALL THESE REASON (and with the help of several excel sets trying to guess the futur VP), i think i must convince myself that i am going to LOOSE this game (war ?).
The question is: should i suffer defeat quickly (giving up now) or slowly, trying to hang up as long as possible (until auto victory, maybe in 44 when the VP ratio will be at 2 TO 1 rather than the 4/1 of 42). But the last option is highly frustrating on a daily basis of a PBEM. Right now this game is no more giving me fun, and i have a hard time keeping it running.
Maybe i lack some real willpower or "opiniatreté" (sorry, didn't found the translation for this french word), but this is my true personality. I am also thinking of my opponant: although he is killing me , Jan seem a cool guy, and i know what it involve for readers of the forum to cope in a PBEM.
Hard time of question.....
Not even trying to hide my mind to the threadster brothers .

O GOD OF WARGAME, GIVE ME A SIGHT OF RELIEF, GIVE ME A VICTORY TO CHEW, TO ENLIGHT MY PATH OF DARKNESS !!!

( or maybe i should abandon each and every game, become a firm believer and start humanitary mission, but i know me enough to think this is not belivable)



rtrapasso -> RE: November crumble and defeat (6/6/2010 12:12:26 PM)

You will win the game as long as you don't give up... as i mentioned before, the vanilla version of WITP with PDU on is ahistorical in the airwar modelling... the Allies will generally take an awful drubbing into 1943... China can not be held from a determined Japanese assault.

US P-38s and Wildcats never took the ratio of losses that WITP produces in air-to-air combat. The Japanese Army bombers that are hell on subs never hit one in real life, i think.

But, you can also take advantage of the ahistorical nature of the game: namely, take your 4EB, put them on night bombing missions and pound the snot out of his bases (unless you have made a house rule against it - and if your opponent wants to once you use this, don't agree to it). This can hurt his airfield and bases badly.

China can hold out for a long time... if you can get most of your troops into Chungking (without having them eliminated through starvation, which means they won't come back), Chungking can sustain a siege for 1+ years.

Stop bombardments by the IJN using masses of PT boats. This is a gamey solution for a gamey tactic. You should start getting a fair number of PTs about now... concentrate them at critical bases and you will hurt any IJN ships coming to pay a visit.

This portion of the game can be extremely painful for an Allied player, but eventually production will pull you through.



gladiatt -> Gili Gili hammered (6/6/2010 2:37:47 PM)


Bob, thanks for advice and support [:o].

17th nov - 24th nov

SOPAC

After the sweeps of the jap on Port Moresby, i ordered some air raids to counter strike him, but i had to wait 4 days before it occur, for no particular reason (weather was ok on this front).
On 17th nov, 180 allied 4E attack Gili Gili, and face 20 zeros, 23 Tojo and 12 tony. My forces loose 13 planes, 45 more are damaged, but no less than 4 japs planes are downed by my 50 cal gunners. The result on the airfield is good: 27 fighters, 9 bettys and 1 dinah are destroyed, the airfield suffer 73 runway hits and 21 airbase hit !
As soon as 18th nov, no jap planes take off to defend Gili Gili ! a new raid of 100 planes scorch the place, destroying 28 japs fighters on ground, along with 14 bettys and 6 patrol planes, and adding 110 runway hits. The airfield is at 57% damaged.
As it seem that Gili Gili is close for a little while, AK are send with precious supply toward Port Moresby.
Raids keep on pouding Gili Gili nearly each days, but with less planes: the units are tired and many planes are damaged, and i must rotate those keeping the field close and those resting.

On 23th nov, one AK reaching Port Moresby hit a jap mine type 88. But others ships start unloading in here, for the first time since a long long time without fear of the japs planes.
As soon as 20th nov, australians bombers of Port Moresby are tasked for attacking the AG Convoys streaming between Gasmata and Gili Gili, but not until 23th nov is there an attack. On 23th, only one squadron of Beaufort attack, 3 others don't launch an attack (at 100 feet in order to catch the barges). 2 AG are sunk. There is no VP for this, but it will reduce a little bit the supply that Gili Gili can receive.

The global week costed 160 planes to the japs for roughly 20 for me.
Too bad i can't catch the opportunity, because i have nothing ready, and no Surface group to make anything serious here. This is only a partial local tactical victory.

KB is still lurking around Fiji. My subs never reach it; no LBA are in range to attack, and when they are in range they don't attack....
My convoys are scattered and rerouted, and until 24th nov KB catch nothing; so for now Jan is just burning some fuel for nothing.

BUT Funafuti (North of Fiji; West of Pago and Canton Island, North East of Hebrides) is targeted by Bettys from Tarawa.
What for ? this base is empty....
Is he targetting for a landing ? Is KB covering from any interception ?
If so, he will really bother me, by putting a new base deeper in my line of communication.....


[image]local://upfiles/28894/9FDC0E01492D489A97B1B1F58B315FC3.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> RE: Gili Gili hammered (6/6/2010 2:46:21 PM)


17th nov - 24th nov

CHINA
The retreating chinese corps , everywhere on the fronts ,seem stucked by the 59miles disease. Some are sent toward my base only when the japs reached them and kick them back, but usually with losses.
Kweiyang receive the support of the chinese bombers, that agree to fly bombing missions. AVG/A is stucked by bad weather until 24th nov, and tangle with Tonys, loosing 3 planes for 6 tonys.
Despite the bombing of the japs units, The japs manage to launch 2 deliberate attacks on 23th and 24th november, dropping my forts from 4 to 2.... the end is near.

Just south of Kweiyang, the corps retreating from Nanning try to escape the japs saliant under aerial bombing , but nothing is sure;
if Kwiyang fall, the road between Chungking and Yunan will be cut, so i try to send some troops to Yunan, hoping that what i will keep at Chungking will be enough.....

[image]local://upfiles/28894/45C46E480D3E406A9A7BA28C4230260D.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> BURMA soon to crumble ? (6/6/2010 3:07:27 PM)

17th nov - 24th nov

BURMA

Jan is going to clear this front !! In order to save the units trapped in Pagan, he has already sent a japs div (4th div), and a new one (52th div; isn't this one supposed to come from Home Island ??) has been spotted closing to Rangoon.
The airfield at Rangoon is now full of japs planes: at least 80 divebombers and a Datai of Zeros. These planes hammer the 7th armored bde on 17th, and i decide to get back behing the Irrawady. But the air bombing keep on this unit.
After 4 days of bad weather stucking my planes on the ground (did i ever tell you i hate the Pacific Theater Weather ??? [:@] ),
eventually a reduced squadron of P-38 try to protect this retreat; on 22th nov, 5 Lightning try to stop 24 Vals and 36 mary without cover....and down nothing !! [:@][8|]. On 23th, these Lightning catch 3 vals and 24 sally, downing 4 sallys, but the 7th arm bde still take a pounding !

On Rangoon, a raid is try 19th nov by my LBA; but the numbers of Tojo or Tony on CAP and the lack of result on ground incite me to give up (9 japs planes, mostly patrol planes and reccon planes, were destroyed, for 11 bombers downed, 12 damaged, and 2 ops losses of my P-38: a bit costly for me).

Now, how many time can i slow him before he reach Pagan ? What i feared weeks ago is now going to arrive : i will not manage to destroy the units in Pagan [:(][:@].

At ANDAMAN and Bengal Bay
Just to illustrate and show you the difference in skill/luck/gift to the gods/karma point/whatever.
The SS I-30 manage to sink 2 AK in 2 days (23th and 24th nov), Jan guessing where my ships will go from turn to turn !!
This is something that i never managed....how can a dumb like me have hope ???
On 24th, the japs bombers finish the differents TF of AK trying to deliver badly needed supply at Andaman.
If my fighters have good results ( no less than 13 japs planes are downed for no allied fighters; Even the pilots on Hawk75A manage to shoot a sally !! Major Boyington down a zero, reaching 14 kills), the AK lost are 4 and the base don't even reach 20000 supply !![:@]

BB Ise and Yamato are spotted in middle of bay of Bengal, between Ceylon and Andaman.
The Wellington and Blenheim warding Trincomalee attack on 24th nov, scoring no hits (exp level 82 !!! [8|][:(]), and 4 planes being damaged by flak.


[image]local://upfiles/28894/0650762FE4024F0D9332A93628736BD9.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> DEI and PI (6/6/2010 3:17:39 PM)


Philipinnas

On 17th nov, Roxas is CAPTURED by the Sasebo 8th SNLF

On 18th nov, the japs land at Iloilo, where the weak 61st philippinas div is starving of lack of supply. Sallys from Manila and Bettys from Tarakan are harassing the place. On 19th nov, the japs 23 NLF bombard the place. And on 20th nov, the allied div launch an attack that Repulse the japs [X(][:'(]. This is a minor minorum small picky victory, the losses are probably neal for the japs, but i have win , what, 4 days ?

More of a problem : TIMOR
I used to think Koepang could be a stronghold. It quickly became a jap training run. Days after days after days, the japs rise their exp and attrit my troops.
And on 22th nov, troops are spotted nearing the place....And it is too far away to expect any help from planes from Derby for example.
I will , once more, try to save a few squads from one or 2 units in there.
Once Koepang in japanese hands, any convoy north of Australia will be at risk; and bye bye the footspring for future ops in DEI;

Could someone tell my opponant that he is supposed to wait my blows ??? [8|][;)]

[image]local://upfiles/28894/279ABC70708A4CF780BA2A4F6274396E.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> question (6/10/2010 1:44:26 PM)


hi dear readers.
Game had been very low these days du to real life issue of both opponants.

a question has suddenly arrise in my sick mind; wich lead to others question, wich lead to strategic thinking.

I would like to discuss with readers willing to, but i must add that i am willing to be as secret as possible: being very very cautious can't hurt, no ? And i am not sure of the spy abilities one could gather from coming on this forum like a guest....

so, i have at least one question of doable/not doable with the game engine, and then it lead to : wise/not wise; fair/unfair; strategicaly interesting/to avoid.

You guys, if you are interested, could maybe PM me so it will stay a secret ?
Thanks for interest if any, and if not, no matter and no problems (i will still update from time to time this AAR).
Most of all, take care of you.



tocaff -> RE: question (6/10/2010 9:27:58 PM)

You now know my opinion.



rtrapasso -> RE: question (6/10/2010 10:11:42 PM)

Sending PM...



gladiatt -> RE: question (6/12/2010 10:42:09 AM)


25th - 30th nov 1942

SOPAC


On 25th nov, 2 australians MSW reach Port Moresby with a small convoy of 2 AK; while the AK start to unload their 14000 supply, the MSW start cleaning the mines led by the japs subs.

The harassement of Gili Gili keep going. The airfield has roughly 80% damages, the Port is receiving a bit of bombs too. The goal is to keep Gili Gili closes for as long as possible. The same goal as Efate, wich also receive some moderate daily bombing in order to halt any repair.
From Port Moresby, small squadrons of australians Beaufort and dutch TIV try to attack the AG supplying Gili Gili with altitude set at 100feet. In 6 days, no barges are hit; Zeros CAPing the convoys (where from ? Gasmata ? Rabaul ?) down 2 dutch planes and 3 australians. P-38 are set to escort, but for some reasons didn't give escort....

At Efate, many BIG TF of japs subs are spotted. I had 15 days ago a strange message saying many japs subs were loading 20 supplies or so around Peleliu (well, the map was centered there at this time). I suppose this is the way Jan maintain supply stream to Efate. But i can't stop them: my patrol planes don't hit any of them , and since KB was in the vicinity, i am for now unable to bring DD on ASW duty. Anyway, for now Efate is not a viable base for the japs.

And this is probably why....Funafuti is captured on 28th nov by a fragment of Yokosuka 3rd SNLF (by paradrop i suppose).
AND Nukufetau is captured on 29th nov by another fragment of Yokosuka 3rd SNLF;
a US sub was on duty on this last place (since the bombing of the base 4 days ago), and didn't see any japs ships (so that's why i suppose there was a paradrop).
These 2 base are going deeper in y communication lines between West Coast and Fiji, and if developped, will annoy me. This japs player is really cunning.

KB has disapeared.....[sm=scared0018.gif] and i feel all convoys between New Zealand and Palmyra Island are at risk.
(Stay tuned for beginning of december .. !!)

[image]local://upfiles/28894/0FBB7802793E4FEE9363E614BCE3ABB9.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> RE: question (6/12/2010 11:11:02 AM)

25th nov - 30th nov 1942

BURMA

Pagan: besieging this place is far from easy for me: i must keep an eye on the japs coming from Rangoon, and thus dividing my forces [:(].
The place should be hit on a daily basis by my LBA flying from Dacca or Akyab. But Mister Weather ( yes, i have now personnalized this thing, just so i can hate him much more easily [sm=00000003.gif] ) decide something else: in 6 days, 3 have too bad weather for ground attack missions. The rate is even lowest than 50% because many squadrons didn't fly a single mission [:(].
On 28th and 29th nov, my British/Indian/Chinese forces attack Pagan with the help of 2 Engineers Regiment (Bombay and Madras).
The forts level are dropped from 9 to 7; the casualties are 1000 japanese and 2700 allies. The disruption of my forces rise to 75, forcing me to halt the offensive....the japs AV barely dropped from 900 to 850.
I really would like to kill/destroy/disintigrate/anihilate/vaporized/hammer the japs here, but it take a too long time, taking into account the come back of the japs in the south....

North of Rangoon the japs are still behind the Irrawaddy. Are they waiting for a big air strike to disrupt my troops ?
The end of november is rather lucky for me: my P-38 lost 0 planes to A2A [X(][&o] (but 2 airops). The japs loose 13 bombers and 8 fighters [sm=00000622.gif]. There are roughly 300 casualties on ground.

[image]local://upfiles/28894/1A31ED794ED7479CA8614E4A6BD07313.gif[/image]


ANDAMAN
After a kind of cat and mouse game, the japs BB TF reach Andaman on 27th nov for a naval bombardement: 1000 casualties on ground (OUCH), airbase 6 hits, Runway 14, 22 planes destroyed on ground, no less than 2500 supplies lost in smoke.
Bad feeling about this base....probably lost because too far away from any conveniant support...
BUT DD Amagiri hit a mine (at least !! with all the efforts made by my subs forces to dropp some here); but once again, no sighting of sinking. The fact that Jan have many base very close to Andaman ( Victoria Point, for example) and a Repair Yard at Singapore probably mean every ship hit survive [:(].



gladiatt -> CHINA in November (6/12/2010 11:59:17 AM)


CHINA

Trying to slow down the japs ! [8|]

Kweiyang is a Hot Spot (don't know if it is translatable in english ??)
The japs bring more and more troops here : look at this, no less than 9 division (with the Imperial Guard Div, 2 Arty, 3 Eng).
The japs army try to grab the place by attacking on 25th nov (continuing the attacks of 23 and 24), odd 0/1 with 2700 japs casualties and 800 chinese. The forts dropp from 2 to 1; the town still hold.
On 25th nov, AVG/A manage to down 7 Tony for the losses of 2 P-38 in the skies above Kweiyang.
The chinese airforce manage to harass the japs. Maybe disruption of the japs, between failed attack and air raids, raised enough, so offensive stop on 26th nov, resuming land bombardement wich make casualties only on chinese side [:(].
On

South of Kweiyang, the troops in retreat from Nanning advance 1 more hex toward safety....the japs try to reduce this saliant, and bombard the retreating troops. AVG/A try to protect this and to ambush the japs planes.
On 29th nov, the P-38 loose 4 planes against a big datai of 36 Tonys, but manage to down 7 bombers and 2 Oscar on the same location.
Flt Lopez of AVG/A reach 27th kills , thus being 3rd on the top list pilot.

Ichang is threatened : it seem the japs would like to encircle the place with a north pincer , and another along the road leading to Chungking.
605th squadron, while suffering losses, still prove that the Spitfire Vb is one of my best killer plane !
Between 27 and 29th nov, the squadron lost 6 planes (so half the unit !) and down 6 japs fighters and 3 bombers. Not a perfect score, but against the Tony, this is quite good.
SLDR Edge is wounded. FO Gilchrist score 2 and reach 26, and FLT Stephen is the top allied Ace with 36 kills.

Despite these dogfights, the japs pound the chinese units on the ground trying to keep open the road between Ichang and the North.

Chungking is still not at 20000 supplies. There are respawning units coming every week, but none seems to receive reinforcement....(well to be honest 1 corps, wich had respawn at 1/3 strengh, had recompleted nearly all of it's gun tubes).
Now i must decide wich unit stay there and wich should be send elsewhere to try to slow down the Orcish troops of Jan, in the hope that my Elf's hold good before Rohan arrive to the rescue.
( could someone please get me back on the rights tracks [sm=dizzy.gif] [;)] ).


[image]local://upfiles/28894/CA319DEF86D644358C0F044E84A84994.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> CHINA MAP (6/12/2010 12:00:30 PM)


Situation 30th nov

[image]local://upfiles/28894/234F109B21314B7791AF0B21938E6E8C.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> NOVEMBER VP (6/12/2010 12:19:46 PM)


End of november

[image]local://upfiles/28894/C4E0205672A64147A1209887D4F5F423.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> Allied ship sunk list (6/12/2010 12:32:32 PM)


As it is near One year of war, a summary could be welcome.
Here are the sunken allied ships

[image]local://upfiles/28894/385062EA83B24848BDE140B89C247CEB.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> Jap ship sunk list (6/12/2010 12:33:22 PM)


the japs ships

[image]local://upfiles/28894/10D3DE72AA3142789DD44077CA77CCC5.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> destroyed planes (6/12/2010 12:37:06 PM)


the destroyed planes (not all the list)

[image]local://upfiles/28894/0F455C50C58942F3B2A8834D69E3069D.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> Victory point board (6/12/2010 1:08:26 PM)


hope it will make sense for readers.

In the above, the allies; in the bellow, the japanese points known so far.
By type: base vp, aircraft (ac), troops on ground (grond) and ships (shp). The vp are global cumulated, but also monthly on the second line of each type.
There is a counting (yellow line) excluding the base vp.
Next post i hope will be more clever, it will be graphs.

[image]local://upfiles/28894/4C9F0D32811F4A80AD46766F44FF9746.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> Victory point graphs (6/12/2010 1:15:39 PM)


Here are 2 graphs.
The first one is the monthly global amount of VP each opponant made.
The second one is detailled by type.

There are many things that can be seen: i am no longer earning VP for losses of japs ships ( i hope it will change);
The airwar is on my side, but the incoming of new japs fighters has cause me troubles.
On ground, my victory at Koumac is quite evident; also the war in China cost a few troops to the japs, but can't give me victory here (and even earning a lot of VP for the japs, although less than the great defeats in DEI/Malaya/Philippinas ).

Let's hope things will change in 1943 (and i am still not in January).

[image]local://upfiles/28894/731BA98A4EA548DB961B33C17AB12623.gif[/image]



thegreatwent -> RE: Victory point graphs (6/13/2010 8:36:47 AM)

Curious to see how this plays out. Good Luck.



gladiatt -> RE: Victory point graphs (6/14/2010 12:02:11 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: thegreatwent

Curious to see how this plays out. Good Luck.


Although Rtrapasso stated that i should in the long run win, i have the desperate feeling of being unable to really harm the japs for now (good examples are China/Burma/New Guinea fronts).
KB is lurking south of Fiji and East of New Zealand since nearly one month now, and it close my LOC between West Coast and Australia, stopping the supply/troops flow, and this is really slowing my rate of avalaible operations.
I feel that i need to nail and hurt KB before anything else....a very difficult task.

Thanks for reading.



gladiatt -> Still not harming the japs: december (6/16/2010 7:46:12 PM)

1st - 7th DEC 1942

SOPAC

Gili Gili is bombarded every day (400 sorties in 7 days). 3 japs patrol planes are destroyed on ground, and 9 supply hits are scored. On 3rd DEC, 5 zeros try to give CAP; 3 are downed for 2 Kittyhawk, 1 Vengeance and 1 beaufort.

Port Moresby, on 2nd dec, MSW Whyalla is fired at by SS RO-67; the torpedo miss and no counter strike come from the small ship.
On 4th dec, a raid of 25 zeros and 6 betty encounter 22 Kittyhawk and 4 P-38 on CAP. For the losse of 2 allied fighters, 15 zeros and 1 betty are downed, and target, MSW Bungaree, escape without harm.
Another raid on 7 th dec cost the jap 10 zeros and 1 betty for no loss; 75th, 76th and 77th RAAF are finaly providing correct cover.

Efate is under constant bombing. 276 sorties by Marauders and B-24 from Noumea, with just 6 supply hits.
A TF of several japs subs ( 3 or 6 according to the day of spotting) is spotted at Efate. Ressuplying, surely. Evacuating or reinforcing ?
No japs subs are hit by my patrol planes (SBD and B-25)....[:(]
Also 47th FS on P-400 made straffing runs to improve exp level.

Luganville On 4th dec, 90 zeros and 45 bettys launch a raid from Guadalcanal against a resupplyng TF of 7 AK.
A CAP of 37 allied fighters face the raid. Disapointing, as i got 120 fighters at this base....25 zeros are downed for 24 allied fighters. 8 torpedos hits are scored against 5 AK.
On 5th dec, the japs launch another raid. This time the japs launch no less than 103 zeros (and 29 betty), against 36 allied fighters; damn, why so few, with 80% on CAP i should gather 80 planes !!
15 allied fighters are destroyed for 34 zeros and 1 betty. VMF 121 on F4F fight badly. 47th FS loose 5 planes and pilots. The exp level, wich raised from 61 to 65 in 3 weeks dropped to 60 when adding new pilots [:(].
Of the 28th attacking betty, 7 score a torpedo hit. A high rate indeed. 4 AK are badly hurt, and 1 sink. Of the supply on board of the 7 freighters, less than 2000 is unloaded in the base.
Still the same comment : the japs bombers ALWAYS GET THROUGH, and supplying forward base cost me too much ships.
On 6th dec, this TF sail back toward Noumea is catch by 13 betty out of LRCAP range; 4 hits on the AK , one sinking, and 5 others are on the way of sinking...


[image]local://upfiles/28894/4AD784100FB147999453E990ECB43B41.gif[/image]

ON 2th DEC, far east of New Zealand , AVD Heron is hit by 11 Kate scoring 6 bombs hits. The ship sink 2 days later, providing a sad intel on the location of KB. All convoys in the area are rerouted at full speed.
On 6th dec, one of my sub trying to find KB is spotted by a Val.
The lenght of time that KB lurk here make me think that HE is sailing with AO. Spending few air sorties, it could stay there for a long time. NO way i can hurt HIM : my subs don't spot the ships, and my CV are still repairing in WC; even if i manage to gather the US CV, it could only mean 4 CV against a unknow number of japs carrier.
For the future, the loss of Nukufetau, Funafuti and Nanomea give a wider gap for KB to enter of exit my LOC.

TIMOR
The 13 japs units on Timor surely walk slowly toward the base of Koepang. This base is pounded daily roughly 130 sorties each days. Subs evac have started, but with only 3 damaged subs avalaible in the area it will only be a small part.
A TF of 2 DE is spotted on the south coast of the island, but no attack is launched by my Hudson squadrons although they are in range. This place is doomed, as many others.

PHILIPPINAS
Iloilo bombed daily by 20 sallys or so.



gladiatt -> RE: Still not harming the japs: december (6/16/2010 8:17:02 PM)

1st - 7th DEC 1942

BURMA

Pagan siege is too long as the japs press on the south of Irrawaddy (see below).
As usual, the weather greatly reduce the numbers of bombing missions that should have been conducted and that could have helped me there (did i ever tell you that i HATE Weather ? [:@] ).
The raids on Pagan gather 342 sorties on troops and base (thus trying to reduce supply, 6 hits scored in the week).
This could have been no less than 200 bombers per day, so meaning 1700 sorties !!! what a waste of power.
Also 457 RAAF sq on Kittyhawk fly LRCAP on Pagan, and intercept 2 Hickory (probably not enough according to the 250 auxiliaries spotted on Rangoon and Moulmein Airfield that are probably supplying the place).

The place is attacked on 3rd, reducing fort to level 6; 400 jap casualties for 1400 allied. The 4th, trying to recover disruption.
5th, 6th, 7th , attacks drop the fort to level 3. The total amount of casualties is 1300 japs and 14 guns for 3100 allies and 50 guns and 8 vehicules.
Probably too late to destroy the japs here.

On Irrawaddy the airbattle rage on. I try to LRCAP my troops and Jan try to disrupt them.
The japs loose 16 fighters and 3 bombers; i loose 18 fighters (14 of them being P-38) and 4 bombers. And the old P-40B is acting better than the P-38 [X(] (exp level and distance are THE SAME ! ).
The Tonys are real killers. The fact that Jan manage to muster 60 planes when i barely manage to have 10 cant help me.

On 5th dec, a first wave of japs troops cross the Irrawaddy, triggering a shock attack failing to succeed (odd 0/1) at dislodging my troops.
I had hopped that the jap disruption could be high, and decide to launch a counter strike on 6th dec. But the japs send a second wave (one div). This shock attack also fail at 0/1, and my own counter attack fail at 0/1.
But with 900 AV japs against my 300 AV, there is little luck that i could stand for long; and furthermore if my bombers refuse to fly or don't get through the japs CAP.
Thus the efforts on Pagan seem vain. I probably should fall back to Mandalay now, before some catastrophic results.
Once Pagan will be relieved, the japanese OOB in Burma will gather 4 Div, 4 brigades, 2 Tk reg, and several arty and AA.
Too much to resist [:(].

[image]local://upfiles/28894/32E003F3471C4C739527208C36704D20.gif[/image]




gladiatt -> RE: Still not harming the japs: december (6/16/2010 8:32:12 PM)


ANDAMAN

Same comments as for Luganville: resupplying forward base is TOO costly.
On 7th dec, a convoy of 7 AK try to enter the place under bad weather. But he bettys have eagle eyes and spot the ships.
2 raids are launched:
- the first one gather 25 zeros and 31 bettys facing 17 allied fighters. All allied squadrons fight well. 20th Sq (Hurricane II) down 5 zeros and 1 bettys; F2-VI-Groep (Hawk75) down 1 zero [X(][&o] , AVG/C down 5 zeros. 2 allied fighters are downed: FLT Baker of 20th sq (18 kills) is wounded; and Major Boyington of AVG/C score 2, reaching 16 , and is also wounded.
3 AK are hit by 5 torps !

- the second raid gather 28 zeros and 12 bettys. For the loss of 1 P-40, 3 zeros are destroyed, the bomber get through [:@][:(] and score 3 hits. 1 AK sink.
The resupplying runs are way too costly, and i sometime think i could be scarce of freighters before the end of the war....and giving too much VP to my opponant.

Subs patroling the Bay of Bengal are one after the other hits by patrol planes (3 in 7 days), and must sail back toward some dock yards.

[image]local://upfiles/28894/D7F4CFDEC0F24696BD816748D38AB281.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> RE: Still not harming the japs: december (6/16/2010 8:49:52 PM)


CHINA

Kweiyang
The japs bombard the city by land. The pounding can raise to 300 chinese casualties per day. Even if no attack is made, i decided to stop the building of forts (level 2 now): the rising is too slow and it only burn supply in a place that is already scarce (well, all China is scarce).
The chinese artillery make nearly no japs losses. My bombers flying 55 sorties from Yunan or Chungking try to support the place by bombing the japs troops. But the results are weak. But i must stop my raids : on 3rd dec, a LRCAP of 10 Tony down 5 chinese bombers and 2 Polykarpov. Than on 5th dec, a LRCAP of 8 Tony down 3 chinese bombers, 2 chinese fighters and 2 P-38 of AVG/A for no japs loss [:@][:(]. AVG/A is so depleted that it is sent back to India.

The japs are making flank manoeuver around the north of the city.
My troops south of Kweiyang walk way toooo slowly. Don't know if they will survive (WHO start to sing Gloria Gaynor).

ICHANG is nearly surrounded. The chinese troops in the area are pounded by air, but the japs are avoiding the city itself, probably because 605th Sq on SpitVb seem a bit costly for them.
I cannot put LRCAP everywhere, so Jan have the choice of his target.

CHUNGKING
I was hopping i could delay the japs for some time in the moutain ridge just south of the city.
My chinese bombers even received the reinforcement of a B-24 squadron (transfered from India) to bomb the japs troops.
But on 7th dec, a shock attack reach odd of 8/1, breaking the line. Hey, i thought the moutain were giving a X4 on assaut value for the defender ?
So i in fact barely win 7 days. In a game lasting 5 years, this is too short.
Now the siege of Chungking is about to start.

The power of the jap is so huge it can threaten all at once: Kweiyang, Ichang, Homan (by flanking manoeuver made by quick tank regiments) and Chungking.
Still unable to guess how many time i can resist. Rtrapasso stated that a siege of Chungking can last a year, but i am betting on a 3 to 4 weeks delay at the most (no offense mean against Bob, just the fact that the japs is HEAVILY powerful by now).


[image]local://upfiles/28894/C9BC626457044ED5A70B52EFA997A12B.gif[/image]



gladiatt -> Where is KB ? (6/20/2010 9:57:39 PM)


KB was last seen on 6th december, due east of New Zealand, hunting my convoys.
Since then, no sighting !
Not even a patroling sub spotted by a Val or a Kate. No nothing.

The map below show where KB could be : a huge area. Some choke point are covered by patrol planes (green circle) , and it is difficult to believe that KB could get through without being spotted. But the rest....KB could sail freely and fall unsuspected on a convoy, or worse, on warships trying to reach Sopac.
So for now, all ships are to be headed for Pearl until someone spott the Monster ....

[image]local://upfiles/28894/713C13F961A748BFADE7267D4EA2EEFF.gif[/image]



1275psi -> RE: Where is KB ? (6/23/2010 9:31:10 AM)

Don't panic with your situation
This is stock right?

You get corsairs soon - then its a whole new ball game ..............expect once it gets rolling to knock down 20 to 1



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