RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein!

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Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 7:02:20 PM)
11/30/42 Borneo: The Japanese reclaim Kuching. No additional IJA troops left the Singkawang hex, so I'm not sure yet the unit that left yesterday (a cav regiment) is the beginning of a general exodus. I'm bombing that unit, though, to slow it down to prevent it from returning to Singk timely. The Allied army is only eight miles short of Sngk and should arrive tomorrow. Singkep: The Japanese continue to land a sizeable army here - now more than 300 AV facing about 75 Allied AV. If the Allies can hold until Singk falls, I'll turn my attention here next. If this base falls before then, however, the Allies will probably try to pick up Kuching (though I'm kind of hoping Steve will be focusd on reinforcing there). Java Sea: Four good Allied TFs operating out of Billiton now with another arriving tomorrow. A CA group will patrol at Singkep tonight, hoping Japan has been lulled into a false sense of security since no previous clashes have occurred there. A Marine CD unit prepped for Singkep is on transports near Biliton, but I see no way of getting this force to the island intact. Instead, I will land it at Pontianak. From there it might march to Singk, or perhaps will try air- and fast-transprot missions to Singkep. Sumatra: Isolated IJA army at Padang has seen its AV drop from 930 to 898 in the past fifteen days - a drop of two points per day. Lack of supply is the problem. Malaya: Still waiting to see if 26th Indian Div. is needed for Singk, but the transports are enroute to a rendezvous point near Andaman Island. Burma: Japanese air force showed back up in Burma after being absent for weeks (doing duty at Singkep, Muntok and Kuching). The Allies will have to reinforce to take Pegu in all likelihood. NoPac: Quiet. SWPac: Landing of garrison units at Taberfane and Saumlauki continue (forts go to one at each base). More units enroute to theater from both Townsville and Auckland.

ny59giants -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 7:23:54 PM)
I know you are focused on Borneo, but taking Burma (mainly Rangoon) and opening up the Burma Road to China would add more headaches for little cost. If you were able to get a few large supply TFs to Rangoon and then use the supply draw buttons to get it into China would allow you to become very offensive minded here. A few large BFs with aviation support would be nice, if you can afford it. [:)]

BBfanboy -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 9:19:36 PM)
Couple of thoughts: Are you sure that APDs can take the big guns for that Marine Defence Unit? I know you can also use fast merchies for fast transport missions but aren't they the valuable ones that can be upgraded to APA/AKA later? Not worth the risk to the ships IMO. Re: the isolated IJA units on Sumatra, I think you can accelerate their decline by bombarding. This will increase their disruption/fatigue and make them more vulnerable to diseases that will reduce their ranks. If you have units in the same hex and not short of supply I recommend it.

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 9:29:33 PM)
The Allies bombard at Padang every day. We also tried a bombardment mission with BB North Carolina many months ago with terrible results for me. I won't try that again (the bombardment TF elected to stick around during daylight hours and got damaged moderately, plus the mission was a total fizzle). APDs won't carry bing guns from a Marine CD unit, but raw AV alone would be a big help to the garrison at Singkep. NYGiants, the Allies are targeting Burma and have been for months. Japan is pretty weak here, primarily because Steve recognizes (I believe) that he can't defend Burma if Singapore and the Malacca Straits get shut down.

BBfanboy -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 9:33:36 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Canoerebel The Allies bombard at Padang every day. We also tried a bombardment mission with BB North Carolina many months ago with terrible results for me. I won't try that again (the bombardment TF elected to stick around during daylight hours and got damaged moderately, plus the mission was a total fizzle). ... Well, good then! Only 449 days more before they are eliminated! [;)]

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 9:51:08 PM)
That's what I was thinking last night when I did the figures. [:)] I think it would drive me crazy if I had two divisions isolated. I think I would do just about anything to relieve them rather than lose them. I keep thinking Steve will try something dramatic or major at some point.

BBfanboy -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 10:35:17 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Canoerebel That's what I was thinking last night when I did the figures. [:)] I think it would drive me crazy if I had two divisions isolated. I think I would do just about anything to relieve them rather than lose them. I keep thinking Steve will try something dramatic or major at some point. Well, this being Scenario 2, perhaps he is using his research points to invent helicopters ... or that nifty "balloon tied to soldier" airborne snatch system the USAF used in Vietnam. It did require a pretty big clearing though, or the soldier got pretty minced by the trees. [8\|]

vettim89 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/16/2012 10:49:50 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: BBfanboy quote: ORIGINAL: Canoerebel That's what I was thinking last night when I did the figures. [:)] I think it would drive me crazy if I had two divisions isolated. I think I would do just about anything to relieve them rather than lose them. I keep thinking Steve will try something dramatic or major at some point. Well, this being Scenario 2, perhaps he is using his research points to invent helicopters ... or that nifty "balloon tied to soldier" airborne snatch system the USAF used in Vietnam. It did require a pretty big clearing though, or the soldier got pretty minced by the trees. [8\|] Sorry but for some reason this post has triggered a song going off in my head : Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Let me guess, Dan, you don't like that movie either?

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/17/2012 12:26:51 AM)
No, it's not one of my favorites. But it's better than We were Soldiers Once...and Young. It's better than The Patriot too. Mel Gibson needs to stay the heck away from American history. He needs to form a club with the muckrakers, yellow-journalists, numbskulls, and idjits that produce things like Cold Mountain, Dances with Wolves, and TMTSNBN. Not everything that comes from Hollywood and Friends is bad. Many movies have done a credible job in portraying history - striving to give people an idea of what it might have been like to have been there. Saving Private Ryan, Titanic (lame love story and all), Gettysburg, and Enemy at the Gates deserve plenty of accolades.

zuluhour -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/17/2012 3:03:12 AM)
I really enjoyed Eastwoods Iwo Jima story from the Japanese perspective. I thought very well researched and portrayed. Kudos to the actors who played the roles of the doomed garrison.

princep01 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/17/2012 4:00:10 AM)
Platoon.....and CR, on movies, we'd probably not agree on much:).

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/18/2012 3:22:46 AM)
12/01/42 Borneo: The Allied army arrives at Singkawang in good shape. I spend about 50 PP swapping out leaders to ones with high aggression ratings (and high in other categories too). These guys are rated "assault leaders." Tomorrow, a deliberate attack to test the strength of the defenses. No sign that Steve is reinforcing by air or sea. SigInt reports he is reinforcing Kuching. He did not withdraw his units from Singkawang - the single unit that moved a hex to the east must have been to control the hex to prevent the Allies from isolating his army. The Washington and the South Dakota TFs (plus a CA TF) will patrol at Singk tomorrow. Singkep: The Allies transferred in part of 5th Marines by air from Ketapang, bringing the AV to 120. Singkep should be too close to Singapore for the Allies to hold for long, but the effort is worth it - Steve is clearly fixated on the base. Malaya: Three USN CVs are ready for duty at Colombo. Saratoga will be ready in six days. Lexington is 18 days away. Whatever is available can cover an invasion of Victoria Point if and when the Allies confirm that 26th Indian Div. isn't needed at Singkawang.

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/18/2012 11:02:05 PM)
12/02/42 Singkawang: My coutenance fell when I received the new turn and an email message from Steve. "Just one day too late," he wrote. Then I opened the combat report to find that a massive IJ reinforcement convoy had arrive at Singkawang A big sea battle ensued: Round One Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses No Japanese losses Japanese Ships CS Chiyoda, Shell hits 5, and is sunk BB Kongo BB Hiei BB Kirishima, Shell hits 4, on fire BB Nagato, Shell hits 9, on fire DD Kazegumo DD Takanami, Shell hits 5, on fire DD Yukikaze DD Ikazuchi DD Uranami DD Shikinami, Shell hits 1 DD Sagiri DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Oite DD Yunagi LSD Shinshu Maru xAP Teiko Maru xAP Teia Maru xAP Hie Maru xAP Miike Maru xAP Yoshino Maru xAP Atsuta Maru xAP Dairen Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire xAP Hoten Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk xAP Tsingtao Maru, Shell hits 3, and is sunk xAP Shanghai Maru xAP Ukishima Maru, Shell hits 2 xAP Teifu Maru xAP Teison Maru xAP Teibi Maru xAP Umezaki Maru Allied Ships BB Washington, Shell hits 26, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Canberra DD Voyager DD Vendetta DD Arunta, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Banckert, Shell hits 6, heavy fires DD Stronghold, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Encounter Japanese ground losses: 3971 casualties reported Squads: 99 destroyed, 51 disabled Non Combat: 84 destroyed, 60 disabled Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 35 (33 destroyed, 2 disabled) Vehicles lost 17 (15 destroyed, 2 disabled) Round Two: Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Hiei BB Kirishima, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage BB Nagato, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Kazegumo DD Takanami, on fire DD Yukikaze DD Ikazuchi DD Uranami DD Shikinami DD Sagiri DD Yuzuki, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Oite, Shell hits 2 DD Yunagi LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 1 xAP Teiko Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire xAP Teia Maru xAP Hie Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire xAP Miike Maru xAP Yoshino Maru xAP Atsuta Maru xAP Dairen Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage xAP Shanghai Maru xAP Ukishima Maru xAP Teifu Maru xAP Teison Maru xAP Teibi Maru xAP Umezaki Maru Allied Ships BB South Dakota, Shell hits 5, on fire CA Pensacola CA San Francisco, Shell hits 1 CLAA Juneau DD O'Brien DD MacDonough DD Jupiter DD Napier DD Nestor Japanese ground losses: 228 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 14 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Results: I took comfort in these results, for sinking a CS and badly damaging, perhaps sinking two BB, at a cost of one BB (assuming Washington goes down) seems like a good day's work. I figured that alot of IJ reinforcement made it ashore, so I awaited the combat round with this results: Ground combat at Singkawang (56,88) Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 23022 troops, 365 guns, 377 vehicles, Assault Value = 885 Defending force 7689 troops, 70 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 177 Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Allied adjusted assault: 875 Japanese adjusted defense: 245 Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1) Allied forces CAPTURE Singkawang !!! Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses No Japanese losses Combat modifiers Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-) Attacker: Japanese ground losses: 2541 casualties reported Squads: 97 destroyed, 14 disabled Non Combat: 96 destroyed, 44 disabled Engineers: 21 destroyed, 1 disabled Guns lost 10 (9 destroyed, 1 disabled) Units retreated 5 Allied ground losses: 249 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 35 disabled Engineers: 2 destroyed, 14 disabled Vehicles lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled) Assaulting units: 110th Combat Engineer Battalion 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 23rd Marine Regiment 20th Indian Division 25th Indian Division XXXIII Indian Corps 226th Field Artillery Battalion Defending units: 114th Infantry Regiment 124th Infantry Regiment 51st Field AA Battalion 12th Base Force 22nd JAAF AF Bn Singakang by Christmas: The Allied goal of taking Sinkgawang by Christmas comes true. This level seven airfield gives the Allies "broad shoulders" in the Java Sea - a wide swath of water covered by interlocking large airbases. Japan can still encroach in the region, but it does so at elevated risk. What's Next: I'll post tomorrow after I've had a chance to run the replay and look and the next turn file. This is a key moment in the war. Combined with more IJN capital ship losses, this should be a devastating blow to Japan.

obvert -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/18/2012 11:25:01 PM)
Yet another devastating blow. Strange TF. Why all of the combat ships with the xAPs? It can't have helped the performance of the BBs.

House Stark -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 12:24:25 AM)
I'm guessing that he either is unaware of the performance penalty for BBs escorting transports like that, or else he feared that if the ships were in separate TFs an Allied TF could slip by his battleships and completely maul the transports. And it sort of worked that way, in that the BBs took the hits. And due to his previous losses, he probably didn't have enough major surface combatants to heavily escort the transports and provide a surface combat force as well.

princep01 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 12:44:42 AM)
Nice going, CR. Excellent timing on your use of those two modern BBs. Washington may be history, but my bet is that Nagato joins her and Kirishima doesn't make it home either. Even if one does, they won't be back for a very long time. A seaplane tender and a DD as a bonus is nice, but the big prize of Sinkawang is yours. Congrats on a well timed and executed offensive. A note: Had the Japs bombed your advancing column, it is doubtful you would have made it to the objective before he landed those troops. That was a mistake by Chez (noted earlier by you). It will be interesting to see your decision on the next "great leap forward"...but, the strategic initiative has decisively shifted to you. Keep up the pressure. At game's end, it would really be interested to know what Chez's oil situation was at this point. I wouldn't think it was critical, but the writing is likely on the wall and apparent to Chez even now.

paullus99 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 1:14:31 AM)
Very strange composition - he should have sent in the 4 BBs first (of course, those troops should have been on the ground days earlier). He doesn't have too many good escorts left for the KB, which will come back to haunt him when your carriers do finally engage. I have a feeling that the next few weeks may be bloody, but also may well spell the end of this game.

Cribtop -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 2:56:31 AM)
Great job, CR. Fortress Palembang was the end of the beginning. Singkawang is the beginning of the end (with apologies to Winston Churchill). [&o]

zuluhour -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 3:26:56 AM)
+1

vettim89 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 3:49:36 AM)
I for one am waiting to see what type of shells pentrated the IJN BBs. If the were 16 " AP hits that pentrated, that could mean their doom.

JeffroK -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 8:11:24 AM)
And if damaged enough they may still be within LBA range.

yubari -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 9:33:06 AM)
I wonder why the Chiyoda is still around as a CS and not upgrading to a CVL at this point? Another devastating blow for the Japs, I think that both of those battleships will go down as well, I guess that Singapore is not an option as a safe harbour any more and it is a long way back to Camranh Bay or Manila from there.

Miller -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 11:36:17 AM)
Horrible TF organisation by the IJN. I would have put a few DDs with the APs, covered by the BBs and the rest of the DDs in a seperate TF. I would imagine those 2 BBs will go down whilst Washington will survive..........

obvert -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 12:32:56 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: yubari I wonder why the Chiyoda is still around as a CS and not upgrading to a CVL at this point? Does it seem like the Empire is planning for the future right now? [;)]

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 12:41:24 PM)
It seems that Japanese TFs have had weird compositions for the past few weeks, going back to the Battle of Muntok in which Yamato was badly damaged. Sometimes Steve has used huge combat TFs (25 ships, which is way too many) and sometimes (like the most recent battle) in which he embedded four BBs into a transport TF. In part this may be attributable to the emergency nature of the war at the moment. Both sides are feeding ships into the meat grinder. For instance, notice that the Allied combat TFs are a hodge-podge of ships of all kinds - including Dutch and Australian destroyers teamed with top-of-the-line USN fast BBs. These BB TFs haven't been properly escorted by good USN and RN DDs. That's just a result of the constant need to assemble TFs from whatever's been handy in order to patrol Pontianak and Muntok and to blockade Singkawang. While the exigencies require less than optimal composition, though, I will say that this latest IJ offering was particularly bad.

BBfanboy -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 1:32:26 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Miller Horrible TF organisation by the IJN. I would have put a few DDs with the APs, covered by the BBs and the rest of the DDs in a seperate TF. I would imagine those 2 BBs will go down whilst Washington will survive.......... Only reason I can think of that he embedded the BBs in his TF was that he thought CR's army would reach and take Singkawang before it arrived and therefore he would be making an opposed landing. Or maybe he just wanted to boost the AA cover for the landing force. Still, having 4 BBs for covering fire when he is desperately short of them was not making best use of them. Could it be that he is not aware that having an amphib TF follow a SCTF practically guarantees it will be covered against other SCTFs?

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 2:01:02 PM)
About the Battlewagons: I've opened the file and confirmed that BB Washington sank, victim of a series of big-caliber hits from the Japanese BBs. In turn, Washington scored multiple 16" hits on Kirishima, Nagato, Chiyoda and a couple of xAPs. South Dakota also registered multiple 16" hits on Kirishima and Nagato, so hopefully the "heavy fires/heavy damage" reports for those two ships prove accurate. Halsey: I am pleased that Admiral Halsey, in command of the Washington TF, survived. Allied Combat Power in the DEI: The Allies keep bleeding combat ships due to the series of bloody and tough engagements of the past three weeks. South Dakota will need a few months in the yards (14 FLT damage will take some time). The Allies still have three RN BBs, several good USN CAs (Pensacola and San Francisco), plus CAs Hawkins, Canberra and Cornwall in theater. What's Next? Steve is trying to reinforce Kuching. The Allies will bomb and blockade, keeping the pressure up. In a week or two, a major (but empty) mock invasion TF will move toward Kuching coinciding with the Allied invasion of Victoria Point in Malaya. That invasion will be covered by Allied carriers and may include a fast transport landing at unoccupied Phuket. Once the Malaya landings are complete, the Allies will choose between Miri and Balikpapan as the next invasion target. Both targets offer advantages, but I'm not yet sure which I want to target.

paullus99 -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 2:27:50 PM)
CR - you've fought hard in the DEI & although you've had a lot of ships damaged, it doesn't seem like you've actually lost much of vital importance down the road. In terms of Costs vs. Benefits - you've bled your opponent to a much greater extent, and he's lost the surface core of the IJN (not to mention major hits to his carrier force). Those Kongo's shouldn't survive multiple 16" hits - especially given their distance to potential repair yards (and god help him if they head to Singapore). And if they do, I would expect to see them out of the war for at least a year (so they might as well be sunk).

Canoerebel -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 2:49:54 PM)
Paullus, I think Japan has lost alot more than the Allies. The Battles of the Java Sea commenced on November 15 at Muntok and culiminated at Singkawang on December 2. Japan has had three BBs and three CAs take heavy or mortal damage, lost a CS, and had several CLs, at least 10 DDs, and a host of transport ships go under. The Allies have lost BB Washington, CA Indianapolis. and 10 mostly old DDs (Farenholt, worth 7 points, was the best of the group).

Chickenboy -> RE: Das darf nicht wahr sein! (3/19/2012 4:45:03 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Miller Horrible TF organisation by the IJN. Yeah, no kidding. What's up with that?

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