RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A)

RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (Full Version)

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Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (5/30/2011 7:58:50 PM)
Jan 30, 1942 A quiet day with a frustrating hiccup. Subs Nada. 4th Fleet Just as we are loading (slowly) for Canton, a small convoy approaches the island from the SW. 3 ships are spotted, with a PT and an AM reported. We doubt the PT, this is probably a group of small escorts. We vector two subs on intercept course and so far plan to proceed with the invasion. SE Fleet Wau occupied. 20th Division is still loading at Keijo. South Seas Fleet arrives at Truk and will clear SYS damage as we contemplate an invasion of Noumea with 90th Regt. 14th Army Taytay invaded. 16th Army As the Operation SM fleet approaches Samarinda (D-Day tomorrow), we realize we forgot to include lifeboats. D'oh. [8\|] We have lots of LRCAP and LBA in place, along with picket ships watching for any sniff of enemy CVs or surface ships. None so far. Assuming all goes well, phase 2 of the Op, the invasion forces for Makassar and Bandjermasin, will load at Jolo. The real bad news is at Darwin. KB doesn't launch due to bad weather in the target hex and is most definitely spotted by the enemy. Worse, the brilliant admirals in charge decide that today is a great day to re-fuel at sea, leaving the TFs low on ops points. [:@][:@][:@] Many players have been burned by this feature, but it sure leaves us hanging in the breeze. The BBs are tapped, the CVs have an average of 60% of their ops points left. We have little choice but to sit in place and hope the enemy doesn't get frisky. 11 hexes from a friendly port and plenty of gas in the tank! Arrgghh. Fortunately, tons of nav search, including long range Nell & Mavis, reveals nothing to the West, the last direction of the enemy CVs. We have additional info on the big tanker convoy at Darwin, which apparently contains DDs and AOs! We may have caught CF's fleet Oilers, which would be a lovely target to bag. The turn is away to CF and we await the replay with trepidation. Glory or disaster could be in the offing. We switch orders to "Do Not Refuel" and home port to Ambon to minimize the chances this self-imposed debacle is repeated. 25th Army We sweep and bomb the port at Singapore, downing a Buffalo and sinking 8 small patrol ships (HDML & ML). Good attack but a bomb strays into the shipyard. Oops. Back to airfield attacks tomorrow, recon shows no more anchor symbol at Singers. Mersing falls. Johore Bahru next. 2nd Division and Southern Army HQ are on their way by rail for the final act in Malaya. 15th Army Port attack Rangoon finds no CAP in the air and puts two xAKs and two xAKLs in probable sinking condition. We will avoid raids tomorrow due to an awful weather forecast and the ever-present threat of the so far inactive AVG. Waiting on the Toungoo Op for 1st Raiding Regt's fatigue to drop a little bit more. China We are almost 1 hex from Sian. To the south, Operation N will close the jaws on Nanyang in four days. CF is fast running out of time to run. North China Area army is moving by rail to Sinyang and is prepping for Sian. Big reinforcements arrive in 2 days.

witpqs -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (5/30/2011 8:06:54 PM)
The only way to avoid a TF refueling at sea when it needs to is to command it to refuel before that is automatically triggered.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (5/30/2011 10:01:18 PM)
Thanks, I feared as much. Fortuntately, it all worked out very well indeed. KB just laid the wood on Darwin. It's story time. [&o]

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (5/30/2011 11:23:46 PM)
January 31, 1942 Genda Minoru was anxious, his mood completely at odds with the balmy afternoon weather on the bridge of Carrier Akagi. The late afternoon weather. The glorious strike force of the Imperial Japanese Navy was about to launch possibly the most absurdly mismatched strike package in the brief history of carrier aviation, and it was Genda’s decision to do so. 130 Type 97 attack planes had just finished launching to assault the Australian port of Darwin. They would be accompanied by exactly seven Type 0 fighters, meaning that the strike would suffer extreme losses if the enemy had even a semblance of fighter cover at the base. Unbidden, his mind went over the arguments from earlier in the day again and again… “We are more than happy to die for the Emperor!” urged Fuchida Mitsuo for at least the tenth time. His voice rose in volume, also for at least the tenth time. “No one doubts your pilots’ bravery, Mitsuo, but there are strategic considerations at work,” replied Commander Daigo Yoshino, a promising young officer with a gift for diplomacy assigned to Genda shortly before the outbreak of war. “We must launch the strike not later than 1600 hours in order to recover our planes during daylight. We are faced with the choice of launching an incomplete strike immediately or waiting for the fighters to spot and launch well after that.” “An unescorted attack is foolishness. We will find a way to recover or even ditch near the fleet if necessary.” “Which will leave Kido Butai helpless in enemy waters, cost us at least an entire month’s production of aircraft, and significantly delay the invasion of Java.” “This discussion would not be necessary if your destroyers had kept better track of their fuel consumption.” This remark was acidly directed by Fuchida at Lieutenant Torii Sosuke of Des Div 6, part of the screening surface forces for the carriers. Torii remained stoically silent, as there really was no possible reply. A few days ago, Kido Butai had been ordered to transit the Torres Strait and assist operations in the Southern Resource Area, and Admiral Nagumo had requested additional anti-submarine support given the aggressive actions of the Dutch sub fleet in recent weeks. However, the final decision to transfer into Dutch waters was not made until after the successful amphibious operation at Port Moresby. On the fly, Combined Fleet had allocated an additional Des Div to the escort screen out of the Port Moresby invasion force, increasing available destroyers by 50% for both Carrier Divisions. However, no one had thought to ask the new vessels their fuel status. As a result, when Kido Butai diverted to the west to attack significant enemy shipping observed in harbor at Darwin, a seemingly innocent request for mid-ocean re-fueling created an unexpected crisis. The poor weather on January 30 prevented both the planned air assault and the re-fueling. Unfortunately, by January 31 the screening force commander was forced to admit that due to insufficient reserves several of his destroyers would be unable to continue normal operations. Worse, delivery of this news was put off until the last moment, forcing the capital ships of the mighty fleet to waste the entire morning and much of the afternoon re-provisioning their small protectors. Despite all efforts at haste, the hours had slipped away, while the valuable targets in Darwin, including tankers, sub tenders and various important support vessels, rested safely at anchor. The southern hemisphere’s long summer days were the only reason a strike of any kind could take off today, despite the relatively short range to Darwin. Genda broke the deadlock. “Gentlemen, please! We have three choices: Forgo the attack and retire on Ambon, launch the strike late with adequate fighter protection, or launch now without it. The first option would cover us in shame while allowing vital targets to escape; the second ensures the loss of our air groups. Only the third option will allow for success, albeit with risk.” “But what if the recon reports were wrong? We have only been flying over the port since yesterday, and in poor weather,” exclaimed Fuchida. All eyes turned to Genda. “True, but three search planes launched from Cruiser Tone and several Type 97s reported no fighters despite circling the harbor several times over the past 30 hours. The enemy’s odd dispositions are in all probability the result of the hasty flight of his shipping from the Southern Resource Area ahead of 16th Army’s advance. Furthermore, I know Tone’s air group commander personally. He would never let the Imperial Navy down.” With far more conviction in his voice than in his heart, Genda spoke on. “This discussion is concluded. I will recommend to Admiral Nagumo that we launch immediately with what fighter escort can be in the air by 1600 hours.” Later that day, Genda and Daigo waited nervously by the radio operator’s station on carrier Akagi, when at last the receiver crackled to life with Fuchida’s voice. “Target now in sight. Visibility excellent. Estimate 43 enemy ships of various classes at anchor. No enemy aircraft aloft. Repeat, no enemy aircraft aloft. Commencing attack immediately.” Yoshino was extremely surprised to receive a most undignified hug from the commander of Kido Butai’s strike aircraft. -------------------------------------------------------- A very busy day. Cribtop HQ is deeply relieved at the news from both Darwin and Samarinda. Subs The ASW TF leading the Samarinda invasion, and the invasion TF's close escorts, both DC K XVIII, keeping the sub's head down and avoiding an attack on the transports. The enemy TF headed for Canton Island likewise slips by our I-boats. 4th Fleet No change. SE Fleet A base force sails for Wake Island to enable basing of search aircraft there. Rabaul makes level 4 port and will shift to building up the airfield again. The Operation LPM fleet departs Rabaul for Truk. Two paratrooper LCUs finish unloading at Lae and will launch attacks as soon as that base's airfield hits level 2. 14th Army Taytay falls. 16th Army The big news of the day is the combined strike on Darwin by KB's Kates along with Nells from Kendari and Ambon. Not sure why so few Zeroes flew in escort, but we assume low ops points had something to do with it. There are sinking sounds after the strike. Here is an excerpt from the combat report: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 15 minutes Japanese aircraft G3M2 Nell x 24 Japanese aircraft losses G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged Allied Ships TK Semiramis, Bomb hits 1 AVP Reiger, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AO TAN 6, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires TK Manvantara, Bomb hits 1, on fire AM Cairns, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AG Deneb, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires AS Platypus, Bomb hits 1 AGP Aldebaran, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires Port hits 2 Aircraft Attacking: 24 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 11000 feet Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 15 minutes Japanese aircraft G3M2 Nell x 26 Japanese aircraft losses G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged Allied Ships AVP Bellatrix, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage TK Angelina, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk Port hits 1 Port fuel hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 26 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 15000 feet * Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 17 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 B5N2 Kate x 130 Japanese aircraft losses B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged Allied Ships xAP Koolama, Bomb hits 2, on fire xAP Marella, Bomb hits 1, on fire PC Zeeman, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk AMc Aroe, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk PG Isabel, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AO TAN 2, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk AS Platypus, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage AD Black Hawk, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage xAP Zealandia, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage AVP Arend, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk xAP Mijer, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AO TAN 5, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage xAP Koolinda, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires TK Francol, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires xAKL Lepus, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Van Ghent, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage TK British Sailor, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AM Deloraine, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage TK Strix, Bomb hits 1 TK Manvantara, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AS Janssens, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage xAKL Meroendoeng, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AG Gemma, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage AO TAN 3, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires xAKL De Klerk, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage xAKL Halldor, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage Port hits 5 Port supply hits 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KB will retire ENE and remain in range for a follow up strike tomorrow. The Nells are coming back as well. Lots of good tankers and support ships (particularly the two sub tenders) worth finishing off. Unfortunately the AOs were the dinky Dutch types, but they're still worth sinking. Commander Genda promises Cribtop HQ there will be more fighters on escort tomorrow. [:D] Samarinda is invaded without major incident, although 6 B-339's are shot down by LRCAPing Zeroes while trying to attack the invasion fleet. There is a moment of terror as the invasion fleet reports being overflown by a dive bomber, but it was not a Dauntless as we feared. Allied BA shows raw AS stands at 225:19. We still have some troops and supply to unload tomorrow, but our pickets report no enemy aircraft, so we will proceed. 25th Army We sweep Singers and pound the airfield. The bulk of 25th Army reaches Johore Bahru and will take it tomorrow as the enemy has abandoned it. Kuala Lumpur makes level 4 airfield. 15th Army We accidentally forget to cancel port attack orders for our Nells at Chumphon, so we put more bombs into two damaged xAKs. No CAP at Rangoon, either, thank goodness. During two distinct repair phases before the attack on Darwin we hear sinking sounds, presumably the merchants at Rangoon. Other Lots of reinforcements arrive in China.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/3/2011 9:47:09 PM)
February 1, 1942 The clock ticks over to February. The beginning of February is a chance for JFBs to think, "no problem, I've got two more months of invasion bonus." Then we remember how short a month February is... Subs No contacts. 4th Fleet The enemy TF at Canton Island contains an xAP and may be unloading or loading troops. Then again, it may just be re-fueling at Canton's generous pre-war stores. We will recon it to determine whether the approaching SNLF is insufficient to take the place. SE Fleet No change. 14th Army No change. 16th Army Sinking sounds, presumably from Darwin, are heard at each opporturnity throughout the turn. KB is overflown by a B-17 but receives no incoming strikes. Nells and KB's Kates wallop Darwin again, scoring more hits on numerous TKs, xAPs, a Dutch DD and various small craft. The two AS and the AVP are not hit today and thus we presume they sank. Losses are nominal (1 Kate and 1 Nell). The Darwin port intel shows ships in port have dropped from 43 to 25 overnight. This is without a single TF spotted fleeing the place. Ouch. KB will retire to re-fuel and support further offensive operations, but the Nells will return after taking one day off to reduce fatigue. DA Samarinda captures the base easily, odds 83:1, casualties 307(29) vs 108(2). Oil is captured at 99(1), which is excellent news. The invasion fleet finished dumping supply today and will retire on Tarakan tomorrow to re-fuel. There is something inherently satisfying with literally fueling fresh conquests using captured Dutch gas. [:'(] 25th Army Johore Bahru falls. We will get organized and cross into Singapore proper asap. 2nd Division has arrived to join the party and Southern Army HQ will lend support as well. Most LCUs are at least 80 prep for Singers. We hope to take the base quickly and move on to Sumatra and Java. In the air, the daily sweep of Singapore nets two more Buffaloes. Air supremacy has been obtained and Cribtop HQ orders an elite Oscar Sentai (the 1st) pulled out and shifted to the Burma front. 15th Army 21st Brigade begins to march on the Rangoon hex. DA as soon as she arrives. China We spot what appears to be two enemy MTBs in Hong. They traipsed in despite mines recently dropped in the hex. Two DDs will chase them out tomorrow if they remain.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/3/2011 10:16:08 PM)
February 2, 1942 Subs I-172 finds an enemy TK convoy just north of Vava'u. She is chased off but gains valuable intel. This sub was on a long north-south patrol just east of Fiji in an effort to find enemy convoy routes. Looks like we hit pay dirt (until CF moves them). Recon efforts in search of the enemy's deep bases continue and show some activity but no clear winner yet. A Jake from KB reports a hit on a Dutch sub near our secret mid-ocean rendezvous with fleet oilers near Boela. KB has once again dropped off the enemy's air search radar, hopefully this action doesn't tip them off as we will be vulnerable while we gas up tomorrow. 4th Fleet We will send two subs into the Canton Island hex to try to hit the small convoy there. Invasion fleet and a recon plane bearing AMC are nearing the island but may be recalled if reinforcements have arrived. SE Fleet We are considering using 20th Division and 90th Regiment for a deep strike on the enemy's supply base (assuming we can ever find one). Reinforcements are arriving in a few days and construction engineers are en route to both SE Fleet and 4th Fleet to begin constructing the perimeter. 14th Army Lubang occupied. Siargo and Puerto Princesa invaded. 16th Army KB slips into the hole in the enemy's search patterns near Boela to re-fuel as mentioned above. The Nells take the day off but there are again many sinking sounds during the turn. The port shows only 9 ships left vs 43 before the first attack. Some may have fled but we believe many were destroyed. A successful raid. Tandjoengselor (Really? What a spelling nightmare!) is shock attacked by an SNLF from Tarakan crossing the river to clean up the former Tarakan garrison. We drop forts to 0, obtain a 1:1, casualties an acceptable 30(1) vs 88(0). We need to rest from the SA and then will finish the enemy off. Cribtop HQ has taken stock and determined that operational sequencing will proceed as follows: 1) Operation DK (Timor) is loading today and will go in first with distant cover from KB; 2) Phase 2 of Operation SM (Bandjermasin and Makassar) will go next); 3) Denpasar (I think we finally spelled this base correctly) will be last. We will then move on Java and NW Oz, probably during March. 25th Army Sweep of Singers finds no CAP and validates our belief that air supremacy is obtained. The daily airfield bombings of the past week have destroyed many of the hated stringbags before they ever get a chance to sortie - a nice bonus against one of the few useful weapons in the Allied early war bomber inventory in this region. 15th Army The enemy launches a small ground attack on our troops at Rangoon, but AVG is still uninvolved. We will LRCAP tomorrow to defend against this. Cribtop HQ has run the numbers and decided against a drop at Toungoo. With 4 enemy base forces in place, we estimate even with the 1/10 AS for non combat troops that a 2:1 on an SA in a bad terrain hex with 84 fighters potentially shooting down transports is just not a winner. We don't mind risking loss of the crack paratroopers but we put the odds of success at <10%, which is just a waste of a valuable asset even by the rather brutal standards of the IJA. In addition, an unoccupied and useful alternative target has been discovered, namely Akyab. China The two IJN DDs detailed to chase off two PTs at Honk Kong perform their mission, but the enemy flees to fight another day. Naturally, this glorious victory is sufficient to merit mention by Tokyo Rose as a great victory. Hilarious. [:D] Operation N appears to have the enemy off guard. He has only 48 hours to slip out of the Nanyang hex before he is surrounded on all sides and so far there is no movement arrow. We have timed it so a division will appear on the road leading to Sian on Feb 4th. By that time our main armies will be one day's march from crossing into Nanyang itself. Worse, the Chinese have no ready made rescue force as they did at Loyang. This could be the start of something big, we shall see. At this point, Cuttlefish's only viable option is to immediately abandon Nanyang and try to bull through the division in the rough wooded hex behind the city, but if he doesn't start marching pronto he won't be able to get there in time. This is all because he has no eyes in the sky to realize our "anvil" division is doing anything other than guarding the LoC of our Sian Army. Speaking of which, the Sian Army is now 1 hex SE of that city and pinning the enemy's army in the region. Other Lots of little Val air groups arrived on the first and will be put to various productive uses (such as shipping out on Taiyo for her raid in the South Pacific and manning small non-torp enabled bases at the front, etc).

Canoerebel -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/3/2011 11:50:59 PM)
It's still early for the Allies to be establishing supply bases on the long route from Hawaii/West Coast to Oz. The Allies are critically short of engineers for months and it doesn't make sense to drop fuel or supplies at itty-bitty bases that can't hold them. There are some bases that are big enough to manage fuel and supplies - Pago Pago and Christmas chiefly - but many Allied players will be leary of PP's forward exposure once Ocean and Nauru (or Baker) fall.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 12:58:26 AM)
Ahhh, good to know. My knowledge of the Allied OOB is minimal.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 6:57:16 AM)
February 3, 1942 Cribtop HQ welcomes new addition Avery Grace to our family lineup. That makes Mom, Dad, 2 daughters and 3 dogs. Good Lord, I need a bigger house! Especially because Cribtop HQ is determined to add a son to the lineup next! [sm=love0028.gif] Subs DDs escorting KBL back to Jolo chase off O20. No contacts at Canton. Whatever the enemy is doing there he hasn't unloaded a second LCU. 4th Fleet So far, the invasion of Canton Island is still on (see above). The Baker Island invasion force launches from Kwaj. SE Fleet Finschafen occupied. We are shipping AA LCUs to Rabaul, Lae and Shortlands. 14th Army Lack of resistance for weeks causes Cribtop HQ to declare air supremacy in the PI and move a Nate Sentai back to Takao. From there they will upgrade to Oscars and move out to a new AO, probably Burma. Siargo falls. 16th Army Nells fail to raid Darwin today (due to weather?), but we STILL hear sinking sounds throughout the turn. KB and her Oilers RV near Boela. Today the CVs re-fuel at sea and will move 1 hex into a hidey hole. We hope Dutch subs won't follow. Operation DK fleet leaves Babeldoab for Manado to pick up additional forces. Operation SM fleet re-fuels at Tarakan. 25th Army We await 2nd Division's move out of strat mode at Johore B. Flak losses from day 1 of ground and airfield bombing are too high. Tomorrow the ground bombers will increase altitude to reduce casualties. 15th Army No change. China BA by 12th Army 1 hex SE of Sian shows raw AS at 1782 vs 2086. Given the wooded terrain we will await reinforcements. This bombardment was mostly maskirovka designed to convince CF that the main attack just stalled at the gates of Sian. In fact, the main attack will become apparent tomorrow as a division moves to block the road between Sian and Nanyang 1 hex NW of Nanyang. The enemy will then have 2 or at most 3 days to flee the city before IJA forces enter from all hexsides and force a siege with only one inevitable outcome - the surrender of over 150,000 KMT troops! DA against Lusu War Area HQ behind our lines results in a retreat with 134(7) vs nil casualties.

witpqs -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 11:19:31 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cribtop February 3, 1942 Cribtop HQ welcomes new addition Avery Grace to our family lineup. That makes Mom, Dad, 2 daughters and 3 dogs. Good Lord, I need a bigger house! Especially because Cribtop HQ is determined to add a son to the lineup next! [sm=love0028.gif] Congratulations! [sm=00000436.gif] [:)] Recommend heavy practice of submarine warfare for the next objective.

ny59giants -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 11:57:18 AM)
quote: Cribtop HQ has taken stock and determined that operational sequencing will proceed as follows: 1) Operation DK (Timor) is loading today and will go in first with distant cover from KB; 2) Phase 2 of Operation SM (Bandjermasin and Makassar) will go next); 3) Denpasar (I think we finally spelled this base correctly) will be last. We will then move on Java and NW Oz, probably during March. This is along the lines of SOP for the conquest of southern SRA region for Japan. KUDOS on the sinkings at Darwin. [&o] I don't know if it was CF's inexperience as Allies to try to reinforce that base. IMO, it is not worth the cost early war as I can land at Wyndham and march overland with some armor units to cut it off.

ny59giants -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 12:00:40 PM)
quote: Lots of little Val air groups arrived on the first and will be put to various productive uses (such as shipping out on Taiyo for her raid in the South Pacific and manning small non-torp enabled bases at the front, etc). Resize to 27 plane units and fill out slowly. You can just use them to train up pilots for now. Also they are good for deployment to size 2 AFs in anti-shipping role.

PaxMondo -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 1:17:47 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Cribtop Cribtop HQ welcomes new addition Avery Grace to our family lineup. Congrats!

princep01 -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 4:11:14 PM)
So nice to hear of Avery's safe arrival. I know Mom will enjoy the summer a lot more not having to carry her internally. In war news, your advance continues remarkably smoothly. Being the Allies is a grim business early on. I'm sure Cuttlefish is enjoying the challenge.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 4:30:11 PM)
Thanks for the comments on both the war and family fronts, gents. I'm on a short paternity leave so the turns should come quickly. After finishing Denpasar, we are looking at using the two Divisions assigned to 16th Army (21st and 38th), along with three armored regts pulled from Luzon, to invade NW Oz before Java. Alternatively, we could use these forces for an early Java invasion to seize a lodgment, decimate the Dutch air force and cut the island in two while awaiting reinforcement.

Canoerebel -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 5:47:37 PM)
Congratulations, Cribtop. So now we know your torpedoes aren't hampered by a dud rate!

rmlpanzer08 -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 6:53:56 PM)
Congrats Cribtop on the new addition to your faimly!!!

perkinh -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/4/2011 9:36:39 PM)
Congratulations on the addition! It took us four before we realized what was causing the swelling...... VACATIONS!!

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 7:22:35 AM)
Feb 4, 1942 Chief Petty Officer Matsuo Fujimaro sat in the ready room of the Genzan Air Group at the IJNAF's Chumphon airfield. Again. Since the commencement of hostilities, Japanese arms had achieved one victory after another. Unfortunately, this glory had passed his Hikotai by. Since early January, the 40 G3M2 bombers and 9 A6M2 fighters had patrolled the waters west of the Malay Peninsula with nothing to show for it. Except, of course, for a desultory attempt to bomb the port at Rangoon and a continual game of cat and mouse with British motor launches at the Dutch port of Sabang. The strategic thinking was sound - "watch the approaches to Rangoon and close off the Malacca Strait, etc, etc." In practice, it meant flying NNW toward recently captured Port Blair in the Andaman Islands, SSE toward Great Nicobar and Sabang, then ENE back to Chumphon. Fortunately, with 1/3 of the Hikotai on search duties, Fujimaro had two days out of three off to listen to the radio for war updates. From his point of view, the war may as well not be on. The situation had reached a low ebb when Japanese Army units moving by rail towards Singapore had made a point of delivering good will wishes wrapped in old newspaper discussing the "Sitzkrieg" days from the European war. Fujimaro was just propping his boots up on such a rag when the alert klaxon jolted him upright. "Attention crew." CPO Matsuo always used a formal style to address the crew of his G3M2. "Search aircraft report numerous British warships, including at least 2 battleships and 1 battlecruiser, moving SE in the channel near Great Nicobar. Our mission is to execute a torpedo attack on these vessels and sink them. May the Emperor live a thousand years. BANZAI!" This stirring speech was delivered just as the formation cleared the west coast of the Malay Peninsula over the captured enemy base of Victoria Point. Fujimaro felt a bit silly in retrospect as there was still over an hour of flying to the target's last reported postion. Still, he had to say something. He recalled the briefing from the Hikotai CO. No one was sure why the enemy's Eastern Fleet had appeared in such strength without air cover. Perhaps they were aiming to bombard the IJAAF's airfield at Alor Star. Perhaps they were sailing under the false impression that the IJNAF was operating from Victoria Point (that base's vulnerability to bombardment was one reason Chumphon was selected for the Genzan Hikotai). Perhaps they were making a last ditch effort to support the enemy's defense of Singapore. Regardless, the mission was clear. Attack the enemy task force with highest priority on the capital ships. Fujimaro's radio set interrupted his musings. "Enemy ships sighted, bearing 265. Estimate speed at 25 knots. No enemy aircraft present." This from the commander of a G3M2 search plane that had been keeping tabs on the English since early this morning. "All aircraft attack. Use standard pattern." A command to execute a multi-prong torpedo attack designed to present the enemy ship captains with "fish" approaching from ahead, starboard and port. In theory, no matter which way they turned the enemy would face several torpedoes streaking toward their long broadsides. There are few things more harrowing than an aerial torpedo attack. The crew of the target ships know that their lives are at stake, so resistance and evasion are employed to the fullest extent possible. From the perspective of the bomber, the approach is low, straight and steady. Easy to fly when no one is shooting at you. Terrifying when you must press home to the launch point, all the while knowing that you cannot deviate more than a few degrees from the designated approach vector. CPO Matsuo Fujimaro was not a religious man, but he found himself earnestly praying that the tracers whipping past the cockpit of his airplane would continue to miss. His prayers were interrupted by two simultaneous events. First, from his radio: "Enemy ships turning hard to starboard!" This meant the British commander knew his business. He had ordered a radical manuever at the last possible moment to ensure that most of the Japanese bombers would launch from points ahead or astern of the line of warships. This required the few aircraft approaching from broadside vectors, including Fujimaro's, to aim true if the attack had any chance of success. Second, flak from the target vessel, believed to be the modern battleship Prince of Wales, slammed into Fujimaro's aircraft along the port wing. It soon became apparent that the incoming rounds had been machine gun bullets rather than cannon shells, because the bomber still responded to her controls, however slowly. There was still a hope if Fujimaro could hold level for a few more seconds. He thanked the gods that no enemy fighters were present for thousandth time. "Launch!" exclaimed Fujimaro's co-pilot at the appointed moment. Survival now was the imperative. Matsuo pressed the throttle to full and begged the damaged wing to hold up. Amazingly, the G3M2, not the toughest plane in the world's air forces, responded and gained altitude. Fujimaro waited for the fatal strike to bring the end, but it never came. "HIT! Prince of Wales hit amidships! Well done, Matsuo." Fujimaro swelled with pride and relief as the Hikotai's commader reported that their aircraft's torpedo had run true and hit home. Fujimaro had no time to confirm the hit as he clawed for altitude, airspeed, and the chance to return home. Still, he knew in that moment he had performed his duty to the Emperor. From now on, death would be as light as a feather. The G3M2 set course for Chumphon, home base of the battle tested Genzan Air Group. Airfield of heroes. Subs Escorts from an amphib TF bound to pick up troops at Manado for Operation DK chase off Sealion. 4th Fleet Recon flights show that the enemy did indeed drop a second LCU at Canton Island. We order 1 CL and 1 DD to break off to bombard the island tomorrow. Intention is to determine enemy strength and to watch for the presence of a Marine Defense Battalion. The invasion fleet will sail to the Canton hex with "do not unload" orders. We will make a final decision tomorrow whether to invade or withdraw. SE Fleet We are moving an SNLF to Marcus Island to begin forming the perimeter. Base forces begin to unload at Ponape and Wake. CVE Taiyo launches from Yokohama with four DDs to raid the area East of Fiji looking for convoys. Nadzab occupied. 14th Army No change. 16th Army KB and her Oilers dodge enemy subs by hugging the coastline of the Arafura Sea. KB will move into the Banda Sea tomorrow while the Oilers return to Babeldoab. Operation DK fleet is en route to the target. Nells bomb Darwin but the enemy ships have either sunk or fled. No further hits are reported. 25th Army We order the crossing of the Singapore channel. Nells from Chumphon locate and then attack a large UK fleet near Great Nicobar Island (see above). We are somewhat disappointed as only 5 torpedoes strike home over the two air phases. Nonetheless, Prince of Wales and Royal Sovereign are each hit twice while Repulse is hit once. PoW shows heavy damage and there are sinking sounds in the phase immediately following the PM attacks. Tracker shows both BBs are claimed sunk, but Cribtop Intel assumes at most one BB down. We note what appears to be an escort TF of 2 ships in the hex after the replay. Best estimate is that PoW sank, Royal Sovereign is in the escort TF, and Repulse can still make battle speed. We believe the enemy was seeking to bombard either Alor Star or Victoria Point (in the mistaken assumption we were using that base). However, it is a bit of a headscratcher why CF exposed his UK battle line without any air cover. No matter, IJN subs and IJNAF Nells will be hoping for additional kills tomorrow. At a minimum we assume the enemy will be forced to abandon whatever mischief he had planned. 15th Army We will sweep, bomb and DA Rangoon tomorrow. China We complete encirclement of Nanyang today and order all units to converge on the city. All green hexsides will be turned red and we seriously doubt the enemy can get out of this predicament. Other Saigon makes level 7 airfield, Saipan level 4. Several DDs begin February refits at Tokyo.

Capt. Harlock -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 8:08:43 PM)
quote: Nonetheless, Prince of Wales and Royal Sovereign are each hit twice while Repulse is hit once. PoW shows heavy damage and there are sinking sounds in the phase immediately following the PM attacks. Tracker shows both BBs are claimed sunk, but Cribtop Intel assumes at most one BB down. Force Z meets its fate about two months behind schedule. Another mystery is why was Royal Sovereign along? That knocks five knots or so off the TF's maximum speed.

ny59giants -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 8:22:30 PM)
quote: China We complete encirclement of Nanyang today and order all units to converge on the city. All green hexsides will be turned red and we seriously doubt the enemy can get out of this predicament. This is a tough decision to make. Surround and totally destroy the units or just beat them up real bad. Ideally, you want to wreck his units rather than eliminate them as they come back at 1/3 strength in 30 days. I will leave some of my badly damaged units out in the open or move them that way so they can be totally destroyed.

DivePac88 -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 9:20:24 PM)
Seems a strange move to include Royal Sovereign in that Bombardment force with Prince of Wales and Repulse. By including the old unmodernised R-class battleship he significantly slowed that force down by 7-8knots, and lost his change of a quick in-and-out bombardment.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 10:41:09 PM)
Agreed. No idea why the RS was present. Was the TF doing something other than setting up for bombardment? Can't think of anything else it would be up to. Best bet is CF didn't know the Nells were at Chumphon and he figured the army bombers were no threat. Tough call on killing the Chinese units, but it seems a bit unrealistic not to finish them. CF is trying to rescue them but I doubt he can pull it off this time. Is there upside to destroying the large number of disabled squads KMT LCUs start the game with? That army is a monster held in check by lack of supply.

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/5/2011 11:45:47 PM)
February 5, 1942 Subs I-28 arrives at Tokyo. An I-boat sniffs the Nicobar Islands searching for cripples but finds nothing. 4th Fleet Bombardment of Canton Island by 1 CL and 1 DD draws no return fire. This leads Cribtop HQ to order the invasion tomorrow. Baker Island invasion is also approaching the target. Finally, a base force finishes unloading at Wake. A group of Jakes is at Saipan awaiting deployment there. SE Fleet An SNLF loads at Truk to garrison Marcus. AA units are outbound to Rabaul, Lae and Shortlands. 14th Army DA Puerto Princesa takes the base with 20:1 odds and forces the surrender of a PA base force. 16th Army KB moves into the Banda Sea and (so far) dodges enemy subs. The Operation DK forces are heading to a RV at Manado. KBL will meet up with KB and form MKB. CVE Hosho and CS Mizuho will find new employment as they are too slow to keep up with the fleet carriers. Sansapor is occupied by rowboat. This is interesting because the former garrison of Sorong retreated here and must have faded out by attrition. SA Balikpapan as a brigade of 38th Division crosses the river from Samarinda takes the base, odds 10:1. One LCU is destroyed and 3 retreat, casualties 1251(130) vs 254(13). Facilities are taken at 241(59), which is good for a shock attack. We capture loads of booty, including 39K oil, 54K fuel and 13K supplies. Tokyo Rose brags as usual. 25th Army Bettys from Sinkawang sink AS Holland as she tried to sneak down the Borneo coast. 15th Army No targets for our Nells out of Chumphon, but we do hear additional unexplained sinking sounds in the turn and Repulse is now also claimed as sunk. We doubt it, but do see a single ship trying to make Sabang from the east. Is this the DD assigned to the escort TF from yesterday minus her sunken charge? Who knows. We sweep and bomb Rangoon today with no CAP. Where is AVG? More accurately, why are the Americans cooling their heels in Toungoo? DA Rangoon goes well, forts drop to 2, odds 2:1, casualties 1099(26) vs 2483(5). We will attack again in a few days and believe we have sufficient force to take the base in time. China Recon shows CF attempting to march a KMT LCU to the rescue of Nanyang. However, they are coming overland from several hexes out and will soon find a Japanese unit blocking the path.

jrcar -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/6/2011 9:53:55 AM)
Good job at Darwin! Cheers Rob

jrcar -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/6/2011 9:56:02 AM)
Brit BB's are VERY hard to sink with air launched torps... takes around 6... but you may have gotten lucky! Cheers Rob

SuluSea -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/6/2011 2:38:51 PM)
Congrats on the new addition to the family Cribtop!! What kind of progress are you making in North China heading up towards Urumchi? Thanks!

Cribtop -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/7/2011 12:06:55 AM)
Jcar: I completely agree, which is why I'm skeptical we sank 1, much less 3 of the behemoths. Still, there is evidence in the form of otherwise unexplained sinking sounds and the odd 1 ship TF making for the nearest port that point in favor of at least 1 enemy BB sinking. Time will tell but at a minimum all 3 BBs will be in the (very small) Allied shipyards in the region for months. Sulu: Let's just say that Urumchi is a phase 3 objective, and that we hope you mean this as a compliment on our progress to date. [;)] We are not driving on the communist north as in our opinion there is little of value behind all the good(ish) troops and rough terrain up there worth taking, Sian excepted. Here's a screenshot of the north China plain front, however: [image]local://upfiles/29885/60D40E07D27C4F8098AA8D86B206BCE9.jpg[/image] 1 - Our Sian Army pins the enemy's Sian Army 1 hex to the SE of the city. CF's choice not to defend the approach to the city in the rough terrain helped us advance this far, this fast. We will string units along our LoC back to Loyang to prevent flankers and await reinforcements before pushing the issue here. 2 - Note hexside control in the Nanyang hex. We have two LCUs rapidly closing out the last two green hexsides. They will surely arrive before reinforcement and thus isolate Nanyang, which contains 18 LCUs. 3 - CF is moving this stack, a single corps, to attempt relief of Nanyang, but we have new units moving up from the south to block the river line. They are advancing through much more forgiving terrain and should arrive first.

SqzMyLemon -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/7/2011 12:41:30 AM)
Hi Criptop, What's your take on Lanchow? It offers more fuel/oil potential than Sian. Tougher terrain to be sure, but it doesn't leave your Northern Flank hanging out in the wind either if taken.

SuluSea -> RE: Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A) (6/7/2011 3:40:24 AM)
What a quagmire for Cuttlefish, it looks like he's fighting your war in China instead of his. He should have any number of his small guerilla outfits divided up and littered through out the countryside to try and stall your drive on Sian, I guess getting trapped at Nanyang thats all moot. He may have been better served with a token force at Nanyang and the bulk of his forces digging in on the road to Sian in better defensive terrain. Now that I see the map I can see why you haven't made a move north toward Urumchi. He's making a mistake by keeping those forces S/SE of Yenan considerimg the weak supply flow he'll probably be getting especially when he gets in combat. I get things started on the first turn those forces are much better protecting turf around Lanchow , Kungchang, Tienshui and acting as a reserve force for Sian if needed. He's at risk of getting rolled up out there if you take Sian and points north. I agree with the posts that say make Nanyang a prison camp instead of killing them off atleast for the time being. Good Job!!

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