RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks

RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (Full Version)

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Grotius -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/21/2005 4:38:55 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown How long do you spend on your turns? I used to spend at least 1/2 hour per UV turn, many times even longer. I like to micro-manage, especially when it comes to pilot fatigue. Can you now fly your planes on perpetual 60% CAP and not have them totally exhausted? That would save some time. Hi cap_and_gown; I don't know if you remember me from the UV forums. Anyway, CAP-fatigue is one thing that has improved since UV. You can keep the same squadron on 60% CAP for several days in row, even longer, without FAT getting over 8 or 9. Still, you have to keep an eye on morale, pilot experience, airfield/service damage, etc. There have been other improvements too. You can mouseover TFs to see what they're carrying, what destination, etc. The interface is still too clicky, but they've added more buttons and stuff that speed things up. More generally, the scale of this game means there's lots of stuff to watch. My PBEM turns do take at least half an hour each, sometimes longer. The first turn of the grand campaign takes everyone hours, but the subsequent turns go much quicker. Once things are in motion, there's much less tinkering to be done. But heck, the detail is what I love about it. How often do we get to fight a day-by-day treatment of all of World War II? Yes, there are still kinks and oddities in the system. All of us could point to a top-ten things we'd like changed. But it's still the best thing of its kind -- nothing else comes close.

EUBanana -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/21/2005 8:22:06 PM)
I hate to say this but I think you are going to get horribly mauled, and the mauling has already begun. On the other hand I think you should manage to maul the Jap quite well in the process. So I guess the end result will be a strategic victory for you. Such is my prediction. [;)] Also if you take Java he wont be able to retake it for some time, that has to have major strategic implications.

wobbly -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/22/2005 11:45:41 AM)
Another heavy day of fighting. The cruisers get their come-uppance and the Louisville seccumbs to this. I catch a large tanker TF just otside Soerbaja and put many bombs into it. Cap and Gown - He will be able to line up places like Tjilitap with BBs and bombard but the idea - as I learnt from earlier - it to get an inland base. There is only one of those and I will take it in the next few turns. His carriers will be amongst the shipping soon - and that will hurt. But he really needs to hit Tjilitap to get ships in port and some such. He hasn't bought a bombardment force of note so this wont be so problematic. He is loath to POrt attack through fighters as his precious pilots get killed by fighters and FLAK. SO as you say. He will dish out more hurt but I am now really bluntening his best weapon - naval bombers. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/29/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Teloekbetoeng at 19,58 Japanese Ships SS I-4 Allied Ships CA Louisville, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Truly all the subs in his inventory appear to be on the western side of Java! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 18,63 Japanese Ships SS I-154, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (sunk) Allied Ships PC Reliance APD Sands DD Farragut DD Phelps DD Cushing It swings both ways though as I catch up with one of the menaces. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 1178 encounters mine field at 24530592,18 Japanese Ships SS I-154, and is sunk Allied Ships CA Chicago, Mine hits 1, on fire Well the luck ges worse as the Chicago finds and explodable egg. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 34th Division, at 23,9 Allied aircraft Wellington III x 27 P-40E Warhawk x 14 B-17E Fortress x 17 Allied aircraft losses Wellington III: 1 damaged B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 153 casualties reported Guns lost 7 India hasn't gone away - I am still battling with damaged B-17s though with half the force grounded. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 23,65 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 14 Hudson I x 9 Beaufort V-IX x 6 A-20B Boston x 9 B-25C Mitchell x 18 No Allied losses Japanese Ships TK Sacramento Maru TK Hishi Maru #2, Bomb hits 2, on fire TK Kaijo Maru TK Juko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire TK Nikkoku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage TK Nissyo Maru TK Kuremente Maru, Bomb hits 1 TK Nichiei Maru TK Nisshin Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire MSW Misago Maru #11 MSW Shintohoku Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage TK Hokki Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire PzB is complaining about ships not following their planned route and this time it is his priceless tankers. Look at them all!! If only I could have put a bomb into each of them. If they are laden with oil it could be curtains for quite a number. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 A6M3 Zero x 15 G3M Nell x 11 G4M1 Betty x 14 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 9 P-40E Warhawk x 28 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 22 destroyed A6M3 Zero: 5 destroyed G3M Nell: 2 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 29 destroyed Allied Ships AP Fuller CL St. Louis, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Another massive LBA strike against Tjiltap but this time the long flight fatigue is really starting to tell. The Warhawks are still being knocked down but the ex-naval wildcats get amongst his bombers and they bug out except 3 betties. They get through, one is bought down by flak but another puts a torp into St Louis. It detonates on a piece of drift wood just short of the ship though and damage is at 11 SYS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,61 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 14 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 17 damaged Allied Ships CL Sumatra CL Java, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CA Astoria, Torpedo hits 1, on fire My hapless eastern Cruisers take some aerial pain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,61 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 A6M3 Zero x 2 G3M Nell x 3 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 2 damaged Allied Ships CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage And poor old hermes does not make it to a safe anchorage. She is 1 hex out but is now at 92 float. I set her to Auto disband and hope. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,58 Japanese aircraft Ki-30 Ann x 2 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed Allied Ships CA Chicago, Bomb hits 1, on fire A single 100 lb bomb and it blows a 8" turret to pieces - bugger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 23,65 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 14 Hudson I x 10 Beaufort V-IX x 6 A-20B Boston x 6 B-25C Mitchell x 15 No Allied losses Japanese Ships TK Nichiei Maru, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage TK Yuho Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage TK Arima Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage TK Kuremente Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage MSW Fukeui Maru #7 Coming back in the afternoon and the Madioen bombers continue their job on the tankers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 A6M3 Zero x 4 G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 7 P-40E Warhawk x 16 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed Morale in the Jap naval air forces is really starting to wane. All bombers bugged out -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Madioen at 21,64 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 4 G3M Nell x 3 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 5 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships DD Mahan The Kiwis are getting experience the hard way, but they are putting it to good use. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 17,61 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 3 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 1 damaged Allied Ships CA Pensacola, Torpedo hits 2, on fire Arggh Pensacola is 1 hex form Tjilitap and she gets savaged. Like Hermes it is down to hope. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,58 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied Ships CA Louisville, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage The torpedoing is too much for the Louisville she slips beneath the waves. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,61 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 29 G3M Nell x 3 G4M1 Betty x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 2 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged Allied Ships CA Astoria, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CL Java, on fire Back over on the western side and Astoria and her smaller companion take more hurt. I can't see the Astoria making it to the dubious safety of Tjilitap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 18,63 Japanese Ships SS I-158, hits 5, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships PC Reliance APD Sands DD Farragut Another sub found and sunk. There appear to be more subs in these same hexes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 20,62 Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 12068 troops, 171 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 2780 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 31 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 12 casualties reported Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! A Jap air HQ gets marched backwards. Unfortunately it has made it to the coast and might be picked up by fast transport. It is the unit PzB sacrificed his transport planes to get out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Djokjakarta Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 4940 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 28 to 1 (fort level 0) Allied forces CAPTURE Djokjakarta base !!! Another base is taken - this one by the 111th RCT. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 24,11 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 7385 troops, 77 guns, 2 vehicles Defending force 2914 troops, 51 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 151 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 69 casualties reported Guns lost 6 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! My Delhi hodge podge blocking force cannot hold. Help is on the way though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three large pieces of news that isn't in the combat replay. KB - or a part thereof was at Balikpapan and it is heading West at full speed. My undamaged Carriers put on full speed and head due South - hopefully they can get ahead of this menace and head on down to Perth. The Big E and Formidable will head out to the West and try to dodge his attempts to find them. Formidable is down to 37 float and Big E down to 45. The BB force travelling with them will head SW - they are slower than the carriers. The Lex however is in a very bad way. The level 25 fire she was sporting appears to have gutted her. She is now at 55 float and 87!!! SYS with size 13 fires still burning. She can go nowhere but attempt to make it back to Tjilitap. At speed 1,1 this may be a snowballs chance in hell. She did suffer a fuel explosion and the ramifications of this appear far heavier than first thought - bugger. There is a small chance however. If the fires are put out and the floatation doesn't increase. Then the main problem may be subs - which I am doing my best to remedy. Apparently PzB has rested his naval bombers as they are pooped. The last bit of important news is suddenly PzB has started reconning all the Northern Indian bases.I got the Chindits this turn so recon of Karachi will show more than is actually there. He may try reconning some of the hinterland bases which have no units on them. I may need to remedy this in a hurry. I don't want him landing in the rear if that is his plan! Ahlamabad is 9% off size 5 forts! The savaged Cruisers have not been destroyed in detail - maybe 4 will make it out with chances on the other 4 - who knows. The Astoria especially is looking very unlikely. If he looses those tankers though it will not have been in vain. So far the Loiusville, Caledon and an AP have been the naval victims to seccumb to this ruse. Again this turn I destroy twice as many ACs as he does. Good pilot must be getting rarer - all his attacks other than the Anns have been naval forces. I am taking a risk with my Madioen based bombers - they are set to range 5 with orders to continue to attack naval targets. I want another crack at those tankers. However, he is very likely to LRCAP them and I may pay more than him! More bombers - especially Beauforts - fly into Java this turn. I also find dauntlesses and wildcats that had landed on the other carriers. I send them to Tjilitap. My land force should all move another hex up and down Java this turn. In Southern India my forces manage to line up for the sidestep of Asansol but re-evaluation has forced me to call this off. Easier to go back to Dimapur and attempt to fly them in with Dakotas. ALl of the BFF got through this way and now the 14th is half delivered. The 1st marines begin unloading at Lunga - thats right I sent them here. It is well on the way to size 5 airfield and I might start using it to hit shortlands with B-17s soon enough. In San Fran the 2nd large TF filled engineering units and a RCT starts loading.

kaiser73 -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/22/2005 12:51:13 PM)
An attrition war is always bad for Japan. And even if you lose twice what he loses Japan will suffer. Too bad for the CV though. if you lose them, it's gonna be painful. and even if you save them, they will be out of action for a while :/. How many CV Allies and Japan lost so far?

String -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/22/2005 1:09:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kaiser73 An attrition war is always bad for Japan. And even if you lose twice what he loses Japan will suffer. Too bad for the CV though. if you lose them, it's gonna be painful. and even if you save them, they will be out of action for a while :/. How many CV Allies and Japan lost so far? afaik japs have lost hiryu and soryu and allies have lost none

wobbly -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/23/2005 12:17:38 AM)
In the short term the war of attrition actually favours me at 4-1. He needs that point difference by 1 - 43 in order to get an auto victory. The same equation works over longer time though. I am playing this game as the allies and one as the Japanese. The difference in the flow and numbers of replacements - ships and AC sqds - is marked. The Japs have lost the Hiryu and Soryu. The allies have lost the HMS Illustrious and are likely to loose the Hermes and USN Lexington. The Big E is also odds on in trouble. Wasp is 14 days away from release.

roberto5352 -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/23/2005 12:23:52 AM)
Any chance of drawing back SW of Java and engaging the KB with LBA cover? If you can sink even 1 or 2 CVs, it's a win in terms of 4-1 odds.

Hornblower -> RE: CVS damaged in massive attacks (2/23/2005 1:43:15 AM)
quote: The 1st marines begin unloading at Lunga - thats right I sent them here. It is well on the way to size 5 airfield and I might start using it to hit shortlands with B-17s soon enough. [X(] KB can't be everywhere at once. Good Luck Wob!

wobbly -> Karachi holds its breath (2/24/2005 4:50:31 AM)
The LBA does not stay away - but it still takes more losses than it inflicts to my airpower. The butchers bill grows. karachi is now under threat from bombardment and the IJA land forces are in Ahlamabad. PzBs sub forces start to pay for their impunity. Roberto - not really a chance of engaging KB with land support. With the incapacitation of the Big E and Lex I am seriously outgunned and the fighter sqds are depleted. I have been too gung ho for my own good lately and I think it is time to bravely run away away. Hornblower: Yeah little is happening elsewhere though. The marines are landing unopposed but I have few other naval or air forces to try invading while KB is around Java. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/30/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 10,63 Japanese Ships SS RO-34, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships CL Hobart DMS Dorsey Way out to sea my retreating BB force finds RO-34 and puts her under. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships SS RO-33 Allied Ships DD Drayton DD Porter DD Lamson DD Blue This guy is in Tjilitap harbour - cheeky sod. He gets away with it this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 62,89 Japanese Ships APD APD-2 APD APD-39 APD APD-37 APD APD-36 DD Numakaze DD Yukaze Allied Ships SS Seal No real reason to add this other than the very very rare occurance of an allied sub firing it's torpedos - the normal outcome eventuates though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 18th Division, at 23,9 Allied aircraft Wellington III x 33 P-40E Warhawk x 14 B-17E Fortress x 7 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 109 casualties reported Guns lost 8 3 large bombing raids on the Ahlamabad attackers - causing a total of about 300 casualties and 20 guns lost. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 2 Hudson I x 10 Beaufort V-IX x 6 A-20B Boston x 11 B-25C Mitchell x 23 No Allied losses Japanese Ships TK Juko Maru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage TK Hishi Maru #2, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage TK Nisshin Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage TK Hokki Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage TK Nikkoku Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage Well PzBs unruly tankers continue to have an attraction for Soerbaja. He has disbanded the TFs that were there now but it has not been without sizable pain. 2 sank today and I imagine more are to follow - even while they are at the size 8 port at Soerbaja - the 2nd Marines are baring down on the place. Another 3 raids occured on these guys causing more damage but they have been cut. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 17,4 Allied aircraft Swordfish x 2 Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Yudachi Oh - hullo. Swordfish at very long range attack a BB TF (choosing an escort DD to attack) with a target of Karachi. No zero defenders so it is likely he hasn't got carriers up there. All ships in harbour are put into a TF and aimed 1 hex to the south of Karachi. All the planes are moved to other airfields. NO ground combat units except base forces are in town, they have moved down to Malir - a chindit unit and a UK regiment - they can move back if he ries landings. Fighters now based at Malir will LRCAP the combined shipping TFs. I am toying with using all the surface ships that are currently functional to run down to Bombay while he sends these bombardment groups north. If I time it correctly, and he does not manage to scout them, I may be able to bombard Bombay while his BBs are doing the same to Karachi. Trying this on the first enemy bombardment run is fraught with danger as I don't yet know whether he has carriers available - the lack of LRCAP would lead me to believe he hasn't... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,60 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 A6M3 Zero x 12 G3M Nell x 10 G4M1 Betty x 32 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 2 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed G3M Nell: 4 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged Allied Ships DD Mustin DD Allen DD Walke, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage DD Hammann DD Case, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage The LBA still come out to play. Interestingly they are based in Batavia. The Walke is instantly sent to the bottom. The Chicago - who they were tasked with meeting - is attacked later in teh day but not hit and is now likely to make it to Tjilitap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,63 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 2 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied Ships APD Sands, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Another ASW platform is hit and hurt. heading for Tjilitap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 21,60 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 40 G4M1 Betty x 18 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged Allied Ships CA Astoria, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage A large attack hits the Astoria - still on the wrong side of Java - as expected she seccumbs to her wounds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 11,23 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 3 Allied aircraft losses Beaufort V-IX: 1 damaged Japanese Ships AP Suwa Maru, Torpedo hits 1 A few Beauforts are still based at Columbo and they reach out and hit an uncovered TF North bound towards Karachi. Interestingly, as an AP, it has no men aboard. What can this mean? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 33 G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 13 P-40E Warhawk x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 26 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed Allied Ships AK Admiral Halstead I still can't hit the bombers but boy -o boy are his zeros starting to pay for their continued long range attacks. He looses 15 today to my 5 P-40Es. What's more no F4Fs were downed and they are doing most of the damage. I have two pilots with 15 kills now! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 20,4 Japanese Ships SS RO-68 Allied Ships MSW Poole, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage MSW Burnie MSW Romney PG Hollyhock MSW Cairns ASW stuff doesn't all go my way - this is up North by Karachi and the Poole sinks instantly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 19,63 Japanese Ships SS I-155, hits 7, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships AK Peter Kerr AP Henderson AP President Fillmore AP Tasker H. Bliss DD Lawrence DD Monaghan It is not the end of ASW though as a sub between Tjilitap and Madioen tries to intercept the troops that were disembarking at Madioen (now heading to Tjilitap to finsh the job). It will become a famous Javanese toursit dive spot in the future. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bandoeng Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 3498 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1788 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese ground losses: 17 casualties reported Guns lost 1 A Jap guard unit is located at Bandoeng and my engineering regiment don't have the wherewithal to push them out. The two divisions: 27th and 25th US, will be a different story. The boys are set to shock attack and follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most of the shipping around Tjilitap that was heading for Tjilitap has now made it safetly. The outstanding shipping of note still in the open are the CA Chicago, the CLs Sumatra and Java and the CV Lexington. Chicago will make it this turn, Lex will be 1 hex short and the two CLs are now out of fuel, they are going to struggle to get back. I will heavily LRCAP Lex but it is going to be up to the Jap carriers. Is PzB going to head West and try to catch up to what he perceives are the escaping cripple carriers or is he going to head north towards Tjilitap? A northward move will be the end of the Lex. Even without this she may get punished by LBA. The undamaged carriers will get away. The BBs are another story - it really depends on what he decides to do - chase me or hit shipping still at Tjilitap and around Northern Java. Big E and Formidable make good progress out towads the West but the Formidable is scouted this turn - so he may be getting the general trend of my escape moves... I imagine I am going to get a bombardment group in Tjilitap and Carrier support. He will really not want to hit the port with carrier based bombers though so I am not entirely sure what he'll do... pzB reckons the 140K (I forgot the supplies on my other TF) will be used in a fortnight and I will need to try and sneak supplies through a cordon he is going to put in place. I know I have doughboys that require 6 Big Macs and 4 cheese burgers per meal but I would think that amount would last me a little longer than that. No the problem is actually fuel. My ships in Tjilitap are very low or out and the tankers I bought have been emptied by all the sprinting around I have done. There will no doubt be fuel in Batavia and Soerbaja but it is a little hard to get to! Other than the impending Naval bombardment of Karachi, the gound invasion forces are now in Ahlamabad. He has 120K troops and I have about 75K. A full tank Brigade is a couple of days out, and two more small Indian units are also on their way. I imagine he will bombard first for a bit of recon and I am at fort 5 with 25% complete on the next level. The ravaged Divisional formations - Oz and 5th Indian - are recovering nicely. Lucknow is filling with units flown in from Dimapur. I am still outnumbered 2 to 1 but an attack will have to get through the forts. There are 8 units in the hex to the W of Lucknow. I don't know their make-up but I imagine there are a few divisions. When they arrive I will be forced to leave. As a small headsup. With current losses I have managed to claw the scores up to 7100 while his unsubstantiated score is about 24500 so I have managed to creep away from the 4-1 line. As I had hoped he has heavily gunned for my java invasion. It remains to be seen whether this relief is enough for Northern India!!

wobbly -> Ahlamabad under seige (2/25/2005 11:54:20 AM)
Almost to clockwork our intrepid Norwegian sends in the night bombers - that must mean I am hurting his airforces! Somewhat belatedly he is after my stepping stone airbase - it's job is done. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/01/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 9 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged Allied Ships BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 1 Well no torpedoes and alot of fortune with the many of the bombers being restricted by weather - the bomb knocks out a 5" gun but doesn't cause any catastrophic explosion. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Waingapu at 27,74 Japanese Ships CA Takao, Shell hits 1 CA Atago CA Nachi CA Ashigara CA Mogami CL Natori CL Abukuma DD Hagikaze DD Tanikaze DD Oshio DD Michishio DD Arashio DD Natsugumo DD Yamagumo DD Asagumo Allied Ships DD Hotspur, Shell hits 36, and is sunk Poor Hotspur was just trying to send in some supplies. I move up some dakotas and they will have to provide the supplies. I am also going to lift as many of the troops I can with subs in the area. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Waingapu, at 27,74 Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged Empire: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Asagumo DD Yamagumo DD Natsugumo DD Arashio DD Michishio DD Oshio DD Tanikaze DD Hagikaze CL Abukuma CL Natori CA Mogami CA Ashigara CA Nachi CA Atago CA Takao Allied ground losses: 216 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 16 Port supply hits 6 He follows up with a very nasty bombardment - man I hate jap bombardments! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Delhi , at 27,10 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Ki-21 Sally x 27 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 24 P-40E Warhawk x 8 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 25 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged Runway hits 1 Knowing I have many ACs at Ahlamabad he strikes Delhi. My hurricanes are getting much better now though so he suffers a bit of a slapping. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 34th Division, at 24,8 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 4 Hurricane II x 10 Spitfire Vb x 18 Kittyhawk I x 8 Blenheim IV x 3 Hudson I x 6 Beaufort I x 4 Beaufort V-IX x 26 P-40E Warhawk x 8 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 14 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Many ACs taking to the air to hit the enemy troops now in Ahlamabad but they are suddenly missing their aim. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 5 Hudson I x 9 Beaufort V-IX x 4 A-20B Boston x 4 B-25C Mitchell x 6 No Allied losses Japanese Ships TK Nissyo Maru, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage MSW Fukeui Maru #7, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage TK Kaijo Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage 4 tankers slipped beneath the waves today. I am now on 7150 points. This is starting to make me feel just a little better - I hate saying that though as that usually means Murphy visits and I get slapped. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 19 G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 3 P-40E Warhawk x 20 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied Ships AK Maine Again the zeros and their pilots are falling out of the sky. I don't escape unscathed but I am surviving. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,60 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 15 A6M3 Zero x 13 G3M Nell x 14 G4M1 Betty x 21 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 1 P-40E Warhawk x 2 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged G3M Nell: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed Allied Ships CL Java, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage He saves his biggest strike for the hapless Java which sinks very quickly. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 107370 troops, 1046 guns, 13 vehicles Defending force 60337 troops, 467 guns, 377 vehicles Well he bombarded but didn't manage to hit anyone - very strange -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 29449 troops, 388 guns, 206 vehicles Defending force 133944 troops, 1302 guns, 22 vehicles Japanese ground losses: 462 casualties reported Guns lost 28 Vehicles lost 4 The allied bombers may hav had problems but the artillery don't. A good day for the gunners. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bandoeng Allied Shock attack Attacking force 3548 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1771 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese ground losses: 6 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Now I made sure all the units at Banseong attacked. Somehow it is reset and only the engineers have a go. They are suffering from fatigue so I reset this. I triple check the rest of the troops and try again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 22,64 Allied Shock attack Attacking force 16059 troops, 135 guns, 57 vehicles Defending force 822 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 1204 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 135 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Allied ground losses: 38 casualties reported Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! On the way to Soerbaja things work better. Unfortunatley my remnant tank unit, which was ordered to pursue, pursued all the way to Soerbaja! PzB should realise I haven't the power to resist his attack if he does so. Although he may be worried about attacking jsut as the marines arrive to defend the tanks - time will tell. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lucknow Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 13355 troops, 143 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 64817 troops, 416 guns, 641 vehicles Japanese ground losses: 8 casualties reported More Japs have arrive in Lucknow as have more troops flown in from Dimapur. With size 5 forts and a good move in the direction of level 6 I am staying until persuaded to move out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am taking a very large risk with my naval units at Tjilitap - they are put together into a surface force and will sit under teh still reasonable air umbrella of fighters. THere is a further reason for this - the Lex makes it through another day and should be in dock during the night. The weather turns to thundestorms and now the Big E is taking on water. She went form 47 float up to 50! I realy don't need her to get any worse so it is prey for better weather - she has a very long way to go! The attack on Waingapu also culminaes with the loss of the Jap carriers. I don't know where they have gone... Ahlamabad should weather the first attack from the Jap forces there this turn - it will be interesting in a macabre sort of way. The bombardment force off the coast of Karachi stayed exactly where they were! I don't know hat he is up to here but my forces move to the hex to the north of Karachi this turn. Back in the south pacific many TFs of supplies and fuel are arriving on the East coast of Australia. A couple of MLEs adn some AR ships arrive in Noumea and Luganville. The 1st Marines continue to unload in Lunga. In Pearl the Newly arrived North Carolina and Oklahoma refuel and head towards Noumea.

wobbly -> RE: Ahlamabad under seige (2/28/2005 12:46:46 AM)
I had a good weekend thank you very much - even if my troops didn't. We have had two turns and this is the combat replay of the second. In the first my much punished CVL Hermes was hit by one of his infuriating night torpedo attacks and sunk. A TF of transports I had delivering planes to Tjilitap unloaded and then headed to Karachi ( I forgot to check) they were hammered by naval bombers - 1 AK escaped from 6 ships! A massive bombardment of Madioen by a sneaky BB force, including the Yamato, during the day! He only hits one B-26 as all other planes are in the air. The Mutsu suffers 10 bomb hits but everything bounces. My Beauforts are not attacking with torpedos for some reason... The Yamato shrugged off everything The first clash of zeros and spitfires occured over Ahamabad and the losses are even. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/03/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft Fulmar x 6 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Fulmar: 1 damaged More night attacks at Tjilitap. The Lex has made it to this very dangerous anchorage and has managed to offload her AC compliment, but she could go the way of the Hermes. I have put the Fulmars on night duty... Strange occurance - the fulmars have expanded to a size 36 sqd - is this expected? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Madioen , at 21,64 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 14 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged He night attacks Madioen as well but most of the ACs have left there now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 18,69 Japanese Ships CL Isuzu DD Makigumo DD Kagero DD Hatsukaze DD Urakaze DD Hamakaze DD Nowaki DD Arashi DD Arare DD Shiratsuyu DD Shigure DD Murasame DD Yamakaze DD Ikazuchi Allied Ships AK Aldebaran, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk A mid ocean intercept. He is filling the lower Indian Ocean with alot of heavy metal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 23 Ki-48 Lily x 36 Ki-49 Helen x 19 Allied aircraft I-153c x 16 I-16c x 19 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 11 destroyed Ki-48 Lily: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-153c: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged I-16c: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged SB-2c: 5 destroyed, 6 damaged IL-4c: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged Airbase hits 6 Runway hits 12 Another change of tactics as he hits the airfields in Chungking. My chinese fighters do very well though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Lucknow , at 28,16 Japanese aircraft Ki-48 Lily x 23 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 14 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-48 Lily: 21 destroyed, 7 damaged Runway hits 3 Unescorted the Lillies loose 9 of their number but still press on to hit the airfield - damage is fixed by morning but this is valuable time taken away from enhancing the fortresses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 38th Division, at 24,8 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 45 Allied aircraft Wellington III x 4 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Wellington III: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged Crickey that's alot of zeros. All 4 Wellingtons fall in flames. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 5th Division, at 24,8 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 45 Allied aircraft Hudson I x 6 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hudson I: 14 destroyed, 2 damaged More bombers dispatched as the fly without escort. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 5th Division, at 24,8 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 45 Allied aircraft Wellington III x 15 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses Wellington III: 17 destroyed, 3 damaged Japanese ground losses: 10 casualties reported Another 6 valuable planes crash. The pilots are the real worry though - I have 2 in the British pools. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 18th Division, at 24,8 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 21 Allied aircraft Wellington III x 19 P-40E Warhawk x 11 B-17E Fortress x 23 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses Wellington III: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 20 destroyed, 4 damaged B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged Japanese ground losses: 116 casualties reported Guns lost 4 At last a few fighters start escorting the later arrivals. They still come out second in the capability stakes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 56th Division, at 24,8 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 44 Allied aircraft Fulmar x 7 F4F-4 Wildcat x 13 Wirraway x 7 Hurricane II x 22 Spitfire Vb x 16 Kittyhawk I x 10 Blenheim IV x 6 Hudson I x 3 Beaufort I x 6 Beaufort V-IX x 16 P-40E Warhawk x 6 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 100 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Fulmar: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged F4F-4 Wildcat: 11 destroyed, 1 damaged Hurricane II: 19 destroyed, 5 damaged Spitfire Vb: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged Kittyhawk I: 21 destroyed, 1 damaged Beaufort I: 1 damaged Beaufort V-IX: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 45 casualties reported Guns lost 2 But the zeros are tired now and the next escorted raid is above the airfield. Many zeros are dispatched. This is the heaviest air losses both sides have suffered in the war - 80 each. He looses 47 zeros!!!! My losses are splattered around more. Of course 80 ACs means another 240 points he needs to find for autovictory. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 145185 troops, 1275 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 64346 troops, 522 guns, 385 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese ground losses: 1981 casualties reported Guns lost 81 Vehicles lost 5 Allied ground losses: 1206 casualties reported Guns lost 47 Vehicles lost 4 The big push starts. He has 3 engineering regiments there and they manage to reduce the forts by 1. My engineers counter by raising them back up to 5! Next turn another 300 vehicles arrive in the form of one of the tank regiments and the 3rd Indian HQ gets into range to influence the action with it's brass. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lucknow Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 13523 troops, 145 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 91499 troops, 699 guns, 793 vehicles After an attack my rebuttal is hardly awe inspiring... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Rawalpindi Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 170 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Rawalpindi base !!! He has returned to his paradrop ways as expected. Rawalpindi had 350 supplies. He will have to fly them in if he wants to mount an attack from the rear. It is 10 lost points. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So the battle in the North has started in earnest. PzB is very sure he will have the place by the end of the week and I am inclined to agree with him. It really is up to the engineers. My bombers will continue to attack as I imagine his fighters will require a rest for a day or two to replenish their savaged numbers, but they haven't exactly covered themselves with glory. With the inclusion of the tank regiment and the HQ my troops will fight better and with higher odds but the forts are the real workhorses. How quick can the engineers do the work of raising them? More troops wind their way to the battle location but the heaviest hitters I have are already on site. If they do survive then another Chindit unit will add to the defense in 11 days. I imagine the first attacks at Lucknow are on the horizon. He attacked with bombers and that is usually the precursor. I have the 2nd UK Division and two of the smaller Indian units in attendance. Forts are size 5 with 75% completion to level 6. He has 3 divisions and about 4 tank units here. Down by Java there is now a massive air armada. But as others noticed, I am short of base units. I have one large 220 air support unit and it moved inland last turn. I am afraid I will have to move it back to Tjilitap in order to get some of the damaged planes flying and moved inland. The 51st air regiment is enroute but the gauntlet it needs to run is now substantial. My carriers are about 3 days out of Perth - but all the running around is starting to show. The Saratoga is at 14 SYS damage. The Big E continues to head South at float 52% and the Formidable is down to 17 float. PzB is moving his carriers to the SW though so he may be shutting the gate. If this is so then the damaged carriers will have to stay out on the brine. My BB group is making good speed to Perth and should slip passed his Carrier blocking force. Off the coast of Tjilitap his BB force is in line to be able to hit my major port again. I have a 25 ship TF there built around the Tennessee, New Mexico and Mississippi. The last two are injured as are some fo the cruisers in the force. But it is under air support so if I damage ships then the local bombers should be able to make him pay.

bbbf -> RE: Ahlamabad under seige (2/28/2005 2:26:24 AM)
Strange occurance - the fulmars have expanded to a size 36 sqd - is this expected? I've noticed that Naval squadrons strength can vary depending on where they are. One of my Kate groups will only allow 5 planes on land, yet expands to 13-17 depending on which carrier I put it on.

asdicus -> RE: Ahlamabad under seige (2/28/2005 6:59:03 PM)
I am glad to see the land battle at Ahmadabad is not too one-sided - this is the crucial battle for you in india. I notice it is not an urban hex which is a pity for you. I think you should take some risks with the reserves you are keeping back near karachi in case of a sea assault. If Ahmadabad falls then karachi is surely doomed anyway - as it is subject to sea bombardment and most of the defenders will be exhausted from previous battles. Move as many troops as you dare to ahmadabad and stop him there - even abandoning delhi if necessary. At the moment your ahmadabad garrison is just a bit too small - an extra full brigade or 2 will really make a difference I believe. Your air attacks on troops are good but why not use a lower altitude except for b-17's ? Try 1000' or 2000' instead of 6000' - after all japanese divisions have minimal aaa potential. You may do a lot more damage although I haven't tested it. In uncommon valour attacks at 100' by medium bombers seemed devastating - perhaps the witp code was changed for this ? For the b-17's have you divided them into squadrons for faster repair ? Also you might be able to transit more b-17's via java and columbo - you could certainly use them in india. I think you might be gaining air superiority in india now - he has lost a lot of planes and pilots - keep up the air offensive. By the way july is upgrade time for dutch bombers if you have any - also check any odd raf units still flying old planes. Finally you mentioned sending the usa carriers back to us west coast for repair - that is a long way and will take ages. I find sydney works fine for minor damage if you add a few repair ships - keeps you carriers in theatre where you need them. I am impressed that you have dodged his carriers so far - keep up the good work. It is a pity night bombing on ports in still too effective - witness his tiny night raids on java sinking ships without chance of being shot down - very annoying for you.

wobbly -> Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 12:44:59 AM)
This war just wont cool down. Massive naval attack at Tjilitap. Bombardment of Karachi. Lucknow feels the heat and Ahamabad gets the heat turned up! Soerbaja is returned to the forces of light. BBBF - that makes some sense. I am a little overloaded with planes in Java at the moment so this change is not that welcome - but being overloaded with resource is a good place. I am not going to moan too much [:)] Asdicus - Pleased to have your comments again sir. I am inclined to agree with you r.e. Ahamabad and have taken then exact measures you have put forward under my own steam - pleased to see we are agreeing on a few things. I do fear for Ahamabad though - it really is down to his disruption. I want him to attack and be heavily spanked so that he has to rest. Each day of rest is a god send. As to flying bombers in - I haven't room for the ones I have unfortunately. I could introduce more B-17s but there are only two bases that can take them: Delhi, which is doomed and Karachi which is fraught with danger. The Carriers I wanted to send back to the West coast were the ones that are now smashed. That plan is out the window. I have to keep them around Oz now in order to keep him Honest. Wasp is released in a few days and will make the transit to this theatre. With the larger F4F sqds this cut down TF will still pack some punch. While waiting for the Wasp I will do as you say and repair in Sydney. My ARs are currently in Noumea - they will be send to Sydney for the purpose. yes the night bombers are a right royal pain - they always hit the most important targets. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/04/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships CL Isuzu, Shell hits 1 DD Makigumo DD Kagero DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 1 DD Urakaze DD Hamakaze DD Nowaki DD Arashi DD Arare, Shell hits 22, and is sunk DD Shiratsuyu DD Shigure, Shell hits 1 DD Murasame, Shell hits 1 DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 1 DD Ikazuchi Allied Ships BB Tennessee, Shell hits 1 BB New Mexico BB Mississippi, Shell hits 1 CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 1 CA Chester CA Vincennes, Shell hits 1 CL Leander CL Sumatra CL St. Louis DD Meredith DD Gwin DD Hammann DD Mustin DD Russell DD Blue DD Helm DD Mahan DD Drayton DD Lamson DD Porter DD Monaghan DD Allen DD Litchfield DD Inconstant DD Lawrence My night fighting prowess is not that good. This was an enemy torp attack TF that fortunately did not live up to its capabilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships BB Yamato CA Chokai, Shell hits 1 CA Myoko, Shell hits 2 CL Sendai, Shell hits 9, on fire CL Naka, Shell hits 3 CL Nagara, Shell hits 1 DD Akigumo DD Kazegumo DD Kuroshio DD Hayashio, Shell hits 1 DD Maikaze, Shell hits 4, on fire DD Shiranuhi, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships BB Tennessee, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire BB New Mexico, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1 BB Mississippi, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1 CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 4 CA Chester, Shell hits 4 CA Vincennes, Shell hits 2 CL Leander, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CL Sumatra CL St. Louis DD Meredith, Shell hits 1 DD Gwin, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk DD Hammann, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Mustin DD Russell, Shell hits 1 DD Blue DD Helm, Shell hits 2 DD Mahan DD Drayton DD Lamson DD Porter DD Monaghan DD Allen DD Litchfield DD Inconstant DD Lawrence Then the big boys arrive. Both sides BBs appear to be witnesses rather than contenders. Yamato doesn't even fire and the Allied BBs only hit with secondary guns. This time the fearful long lances do come out to play and my last undamaged BB - Tennessee - wears one. Leander, my last Kiwi ship, is the worst for wear. She is at 72 Sys and 60 flood. I am taking another gamble this turn: The surface unit is disbanded as I think I wont see his surface attack force back. I do build two ASW TFs as there are two subs in the harbour hex. I think he will put his LBA on naval attack again so the ASW unit can act as bait while they fly through my fighters. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships BB Yamato, on fire CA Chokai CA Myoko, Shell hits 2 CL Sendai, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CL Naka CL Nagara DD Akigumo DD Kazegumo DD Kuroshio DD Hayashio DD Maikaze, on fire DD Shiranuhi Allied Ships DD Cushing DD Phelps, Shell hits 2 DD Farragut, Shell hits 34, and is sunk PC Reliance The Yamato et al continue on to find an ASW TF and do get the Farragut. Sendai is not looking too happy though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged Beaufort I: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged Catalina I: 2 destroyed 48 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships CA Mikuma, Shell hits 1 BB Fuso BB Nagato BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1 BB Haruna BB Kongo Allied Ships PG Cyclamen, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage TK Empire Viscount, Shell hits 6, on fire AK Empire Tugela, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 699 casualties reported Guns lost 6 Airbase hits 5 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 8 Port hits 14 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 2 Back in Karachi the much waited for bombardment happens. Many casualties are caused but they are base unit men and therefore not as essential as the fighting troops (pretty callous huh!) Cyclamen sinks. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 20,3 Japanese Ships SS I-153, hits 10, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Panther DD Paladin DD Napier DD Isis In contrast the allied shipping out in the bay - attempting to get away from the BBs - finds and sinks another sub. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Waingapu, 27,74, firing at TF 95 TF 95 troops unloading over beach at Waingapu, 27,74 60 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Nokaze DD Sawakaze DD Asagumo CL Abukuma CA Mogami Japanese ground losses: 1090 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The invasion of Wingapu has started - with massive loss to the landing Japs. I evacuate the patrol ACs I had there - no supplies remain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 20,4 Japanese Ships SS RO-68, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships MSW Bendigo MSW Burnie MSW Romney MSW Cairns Another sunken sub. This little bugger sunk two of my patrol craft before being put out of my misery. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 9 B-26B Marauder x 34 Allied aircraft losses B-26B Marauder: 4 damaged Japanese Ships ML Wakatake, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 28 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Port hits 1 Port supply hits 2 Back in New Guinea I have a crack at Lae again. A previously damaged ML in port takes a bomb hit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Karachi at 21,3 Allied aircraft Swordfish x 15 Wirraway x 4 Beaufort I x 6 Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 11 destroyed, 4 damaged Beaufort I: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships BB Kirishima, Torpedo hits 1 BB Nagato BB Haruna BB Fuso Despite the damage to Karachi anti-naval flights take off and attack through withering AAA. One torp strikes home and I'll take that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 17,59 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 6 SBD Dauntless x 23 Kittyhawk I x 6 P-40B Tomahawk x 2 P-40E Warhawk x 3 Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 3 damaged Japanese Ships BB Yamato, Bomb hits 6, on fire DD Maikaze, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Back around Java the ACs take off to interccept the fleeing Jap surface forces. The Yamato wears more 1000 lbers but no doubt shrugs them off. Hopefully the fires cause a little damage. The Maikaze however may be in real trouble - those are also 1000 lb hits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lucknow Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 84438 troops, 657 guns, 794 vehicles Defending force 30560 troops, 236 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4 Japanese ground losses: 620 casualties reported Guns lost 11 Vehicles lost 2 Allied ground losses: 1481 casualties reported Guns lost 47 Vehicles lost 1 The first attack at Lucknow and the forts aren't good enough to hold the Japs. I order a retreat. Better that than be forced. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 123581 troops, 1053 guns, 11 vehicles Defending force 71854 troops, 518 guns, 838 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese ground losses: 2330 casualties reported Guns lost 46 Vehicles lost 6 Allied ground losses: 1799 casualties reported Guns lost 63 Vehicles lost 7 Damn. He reduces the forts again. Two Jap attacks at 0-1. I would think he is struggling to keep his troops from disruption. I really need him to take a break as the forts are only increased to level 4 + 40%. He will knock down another level if he attacks again and then the numbers will really start to show. Strangely after the massive air attacks of the day before nothing flies today? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 45,30 Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 123683 troops, 939 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 11671 troops, 96 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 39 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 876 casualties reported Guns lost 15 Allied ground losses: 286 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! The Chinese in between Sian and Chungking force the Japs there to retire towards Sian. At last the Japs are taking more damage than I am. I don't want to stray too far from Chungking as that is likely to be the thorn in PzBs side. I want the whole Chinese army to be defending. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Soerabaja Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 21079 troops, 184 guns, 58 vehicles Defending force 7708 troops, 122 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0) Allied forces CAPTURE Soerabaja base !!! Japanese ground losses: 286 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 758 casualties reported Guns lost 28 Vehicles lost 8 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! The 2nd marines take heavy losses ejecting the Japs from Soerbaja but the job is done. Now down to Malang to finish the conquest of Southern Java. Soerbaja itself is a wreck. More than half the resources centres are smashed. This is a pain as ongoing supply relied on native production while the enemy Carriers were off the coast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 20,61 Allied Shock attack Attacking force 8318 troops, 126 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 5953 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 8 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 5 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 44 casualties reported Guns lost 9 On the coastal road, heading N to Batavia a Jap air regiment is parked. Despite getting 8 - 1 odds I can't make them retreat. In fact I take a bit of a slapping. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahamabad is a real problem. I am contemplating what to do with the likelihood that I will be forced out. There will only then be Malir and Karachi. We can see that Karachi is not a nice place to be. Another problem I have is the number of ACs I actually have. Attacks from Ahamabad itself were coming in pieces because it is size 4 and I had over 200 ACs there. This will only get worse as the bases are relinquished. With retreat ordered at Lucknow I also have to get ready for the loss of Delhi. I just don't have enough units to halt him. PzB tells me he has the same number of troops as are at Ahamabad now. That is too many for my meagre band. I am also having very large problems with morale. It just wont go up! I know I would be unhappy with constant war - unfortunatley there is nowhere for me to retreat them too other than Malir and I can't really do that while I am under the hammer like I am. I have bitten the bullet and ordered the Chindits and UK regiment south to Ahamabad. 3 more bitsa units are moving form Delhi and the BFF unit is with them. I don't know what difference they will make without forts though - he does have a power of engineers there. In Java I have moved the large air base unit back to Tjilitap. The ACs aren't repairing fast enough. The Japs will be and I need those fighters to defend the field. I only have about 60 operational at the moment and that will change as soon as he starts fighter sweeps. Most bombers are still set to anti-naval. I expect he will be LRCAPing his ships this turn though. I also expect he will head to Batavia and FT most of the troops there out. Nothing I can about this really. The Big E now has flooding of 54 - this is bad. I want it coming down not creeping up. She is still a very long way from Perth. the weather is better though and it is this that is causing the added damage I think.

frank1970 -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 10:03:28 AM)
"More than half the resources centres are smashed. This is a pain as ongoing supply relied on native production while the enemy Carriers were off the coast. " No Wobbly, this is great! You�ll have to leave sooner or later and then the resource centres will be damaged further which will make PzB howl in pain. He really needs all resources he can lay his hands on. Have you found his carriers yet? Be aware he might want to cut your retreat route towards Oz�s northern coast. Better move your cripples towards Perth and put some subs in position to catch his carrier TFs there. Hang on.

String -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 4:00:26 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Frank "More than half the resources centres are smashed. This is a pain as ongoing supply relied on native production while the enemy Carriers were off the coast. " No Wobbly, this is great! You�ll have to leave sooner or later and then the resource centres will be damaged further which will make PzB howl in pain. He really needs all resources he can lay his hands on. Have you found his carriers yet? Be aware he might want to cut your retreat route towards Oz�s northern coast. Better move your cripples towards Perth and put some subs in position to catch his carrier TFs there. Hang on. No.. it will take a month or two to clear off india.. and before that there will be no counter invasion of java. And by then '43 will be approaching fast. Unless Wobblys sea power is utterly decimated then wobbly is there to stay

frank1970 -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 4:09:45 PM)
The question is what he wants to do there. If he tries to hold out and build up he will loose his troops there. I�d say he should use the bases to raid neighboring resource areas plus shipping and then get out of Java as fast as his ships carry him. India is not yet lost and played right Wobbly should be able to reduce PzB�s fuel and supply transports into India, which will reduce Japanese efficency and give him a chance to hold. Wobbly doesn�t need the resources there so much as PzB needs them later on.

tsimmonds -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 4:23:51 PM)
As IJ the thing that would worry me more than anything else would be the possibility that Wob would bring in heavy LBA and do strategic attacks vs the oil centers.

String -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 5:04:08 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Frank The question is what he wants to do there. If he tries to hold out and build up he will loose his troops there. I�d say he should use the bases to raid neighboring resource areas plus shipping and then get out of Java as fast as his ships carry him. India is not yet lost and played right Wobbly should be able to reduce PzB�s fuel and supply transports into India, which will reduce Japanese efficency and give him a chance to hold. Wobbly doesn�t need the resources there so much as PzB needs them later on. To exactly what will he lose his troops when india won't fall? Basically all of PZB's reserves are there.. as far as I can see he might be able to pull a division or two and various smaller snlf battallions from here or there but nothing that could outnumber wobblys forces there (4 divisions iirc) and you basically need 2:1 advantage atleast to get wobbly out of there. It's july now and wobbly is only getting stronger

Hornblower -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/1/2005 9:03:54 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: irrelevant As IJ the thing that would worry me more than anything else would be the possibility that Wob would bring in heavy LBA and do strategic attacks vs the oil centers. I agree 100%. And his b-25's and a-20's should put a crimp in PZB's shipping lanes

wobbly -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 2:03:18 AM)
A bad day for my DD forces. More pain in Ahamabad. Lucknow is about to be abandoned. His carriers start moving west. Waingapu falls but the survivors have a retreat hex. thanks for the comments as always - but I am struggling - I cannot hold India. That releases all those Divisions. Rant at end of post. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/05/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 37 Allied aircraft Blenheim IF x 9 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IF: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 10 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 1 Night attacks at Ahmadabad are defended. As always night fighters are more likely to suffer damage rather than desuade attackers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships CA Suzuya CA Furutaka CL Kiso, Shell hits 1 CL Oi, Shell hits 1 DD Tokitsukaze DD Hatsuyuki DD Shikinami DD Hokaze, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage DD Namikaze DD Tomozuru Allied Ships DD Mustin DD Cushing DD Allen DD Inconstant, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk MSW Grebe, Shell hits 3, on fire MSW Bobolink Damn - I didn't expect him to come back with his surface forces. They race in and find my two ASW units smashing them. It isn't all one way traffic but I do loose more DDs than he does. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese Ships CA Suzuya, Shell hits 4 CA Furutaka, Shell hits 2 CL Kiso, Shell hits 2 CL Oi, Shell hits 6 DD Tokitsukaze DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage DD Shikinami, Shell hits 6, and is sunk DD Hokaze, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage DD Namikaze, Shell hits 4, on fire DD Tomozuru, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Lamson, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Phelps, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Clark, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage DD Monaghan, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk DD Lawrence, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk DMS Hovey, Shell hits 14, and is sunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 9 B-26B Marauder x 33 Allied aircraft losses B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships ML Wakatake, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 11 casualties reported Port supply hits 1 The attack here at last persuades the Wakatake to sink. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 5th Division, at 24,8 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 6 Hurricane II x 11 Spitfire Vb x 10 Kittyhawk I x 7 Hudson I x 3 Beaufort I x 9 Beaufort V-IX x 19 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 18 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Well flight operations start again but there effectiveness is still very poor. I am going to take the advice of those on the boards and lower the altitude. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 30th Chinese/B Corps, at 46,33 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 24 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12 No Japanese losses This is very ineffective but I think he is just training the pilots. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,61 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 14 No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage DD Hatsuyuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Tomozuru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage Well he is well ahead of the eightball during the surface battle - but the dauntlesses repay a bit of the hurt when the sun comes up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 4 A6M3 Zero x 4 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 26 P-40E Warhawk x 6 A-20B Boston x 3 B-25C Mitchell x 11 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Beaufort V-IX: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged A-20B Boston: 1 damaged Japanese Ships BB Yamato, Bomb hits 4, on fire CL Nagara CA Myoko, Bomb hits 1 yamato the bomb magnet continues to confound my ability to hit more deserving targets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 51 G3M Nell x 3 G4M1 Betty x 12 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 13 Kittyhawk I x 11 P-40B Tomahawk x 7 P-40E Warhawk x 6 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 37 destroyed G3M Nell: 2 damaged G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged Kittyhawk I: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed, 1 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed Allied Ships AK West Shipper AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 1 AP President Garfield Then all hell breaks loose. Despite the pain I felt about loosing the DDs that were lost, I was right in thinking he would unleash the naval air arm upon me again this turn. If the Bbs had been out then they would be spanked. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 8 A6M3 Zero x 14 B5N Kate x 25 G4M1 Betty x 3 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 7 Kittyhawk I x 7 P-40B Tomahawk x 2 P-40E Warhawk x 5 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged Allied Ships MSW Grebe DD Cushing MSW Bobolink, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Mustin, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Allen, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage The second ASW TF is found and spanked. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 14,78 Japanese aircraft A6M2-N Rufe x 5 A6M2 Zero x 82 A6M3 Zero x 14 B5N Kate x 9 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Bridge, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Suddenly the Carrier TF moves rapidly West and find the gate-keeper Aks I hadin position. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 15,75 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 22 B5N Kate x 24 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Argus, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Both are sunk. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 12,59 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Empire Southey, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage 3 betties also decide to attack a remnant from teh Karachi breakout - she is scuttled -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 46 G3M Nell x 10 G4M1 Betty x 50 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 5 Kittyhawk I x 3 P-40E Warhawk x 6 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed Allied Ships AP Tasker H. Bliss AK Peter Kerr, Torpedo hits 2, on fire AP Largs Bay, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AP President Garfield AP President Fillmore AP Henry T. Allen, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AP Harris AP Henderson, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Holy crap - 50 zeros!! I want to dominate him somewhere. Anywhere, please! Just a combat area where he doesn't outnumber me 5 to 1. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 35 G4M1 Betty x 4 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 Kittyhawk I x 1 P-40E Warhawk x 1 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed Allied Ships AP Henderson, on fire, heavy damage So there are now no fighters functional to rise and defend the shipping. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 139007 troops, 1033 guns, 2 vehicles Defending force 73501 troops, 465 guns, 836 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 1253 casualties reported Guns lost 52 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1642 casualties reported Guns lost 39 Vehicles lost 4 Ahmadabad is looking tenuous. Like a crowing cockeral, PzB is gloating about his ability to go through the defenses in Northern India. I am being reminded about how much better it would have been for me if I had bought a couple of Oz divisions - oh and the US carriers. NO problem I'll just wave the magic invisibility wand and the KB is neutralized! The forts are falling faster than aunt Maud the go-go dancer's draws and there is nothing I can do about it. I am now loosing more troops and guns than he is in a 0-1 attack. The uber Japanese juggernaut keeps on rolling. It's a good thing we have a pro-japanese bias to all facets of the early game, it would be awful to think it only lasted 3 years as opposed to 5! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lucknow Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 83691 troops, 636 guns, 790 vehicles Defending force 27831 troops, 195 guns, 2 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 602 casualties reported Guns lost 19 Vehicles lost 4 Allied ground losses: 1878 casualties reported Guns lost 45 Vehicles lost 1 Lucknow will fall tomorrow as all the troops move out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Waingapu Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4246 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1399 troops, 5 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Waingapu base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 4 destroyed Empire: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 24 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 8 casualties reported The planes stuck at Waingapu could not escape due to lack of suppleis to get them in the air. The troops themselves are able to retreat to the beach hex to the north of the island where I will endevour to pick them up with subs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ahmadabad Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 40088 troops, 353 guns, 663 vehicles Defending force 145612 troops, 984 guns, 1 vehicles Oh yeah - my troops are great - just great. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 20,61 Allied Shock attack Attacking force 8216 troops, 113 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 5943 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 9 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 86 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Gawd they are crap! this is two regiments of a US Division attacking a Jap Engineering Air regiment! I am getting 7 to 1 odds why the hell wont they retreat. Must everything be slanted in the Japs favour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do Jap air regiments have uber mega defenders too? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now please put up with me while I go on a rant. I understand that this is a game that is supposed to simulate the duration of a world war (well at least the pacific part). I also understand that doing so will cause difficulties between those that require a grognard aspect and those that want to play a game. Even more I understand that there is an element of �just wait and it will be the Jap�s turn�. Knowing all this, and actually being someone who previously liked the idea of being grognardy about what I come up against, and wanting to suffer some element of inability to step up to the bar against the early jap war machine, I took it on with the philosophy of �wait and see�. But now I am just plain fed up. It takes too long. For a game, you are just down too long. It takes 1600 or so turns, but I have only played 220 of those. We have done more than 1 turn a day at times but it has still been a lot of dedication to a game � and to this AAR. During 96 or so percent of these days I have had the crap kicked out of me. It is a chore not a pleasure. I don�t care that in 140 turns or so things will be different � PzB is ecstatic with the game because he thinks it will be a cracker in late 43 when the US Navy starts to roll: that�s 500 bloody turns away! Twice as much as we have done! I have had a long look at myself and I just don�t think I have the masochistic penchant required to be down that long. So I look at the way the game beefs up the Japs and despair. The reason behind this is to give them the ability to take the DEI and get out to a historical Prosperity sphere that can mirror the way history evolved. But to do that the Japs get handed soooo many early game bonuses. The problem with this is the early game can last as long as a year!!!! Japs have tactical and Strategic flexibility only dreamed of by their historical counterparts. When would the Jap high command have contemplated taking 13 or so divisions out to the tenuous supply location of India? I mean they built the Burma railway because the couldn�t trust the shipping to Rangoon! Others have shown that if they choose they can take out Russia � they had a crack at that in real life and had their arse handed to them. It is not that I think this sort of flexibility should be taken away, but in the instance of Russia and India, the map stops! I can�t keep retreating. All the shipping in Karachi has nowhere to go! So the Japs are handed this flexibility while the allies have to get lucky with where they defend. Don�t even think about defending Burma � he�ll just go around you. As the allies you get the benefit of extra divisions appearing if the jap lands in the US. Why, with 700 million people, would the Indians not have the same sort of response? Well because that would be too hard on the Japs. There in lies the problem � this is really a game about the Japs vs the US. But players aren�t singing from that song sheet � and why should they? The way to play the allies in the early years is to give ground wherever you are pushed. What if that means Russia, India or Australia? I still think the US is a hard ask against a human but the bonuses are all there to maybe make it possible. Any Jap player worth their salt, and I very much count PzB amongst them, will strike while they are in the ascendant. They will also do it with the best possible chance at getting themselves a victory. The crux of my chagrin is that, as an allies player, the dice are so loaded against you that you can�t stop them. And you can�t stop them for a years worth of play. You will have to be a better man than me to put up with that!

Fornadan -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 2:55:03 AM)
There are too few bases in India IMO. I think advancing any further west than the Calcutta area is a bit too gamey

Thayne -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 3:31:20 AM)
I would very much like to comment on the above rant, but . . . as the author of my own AAR . . . I think these discussions are best posted elsewhere. I would like to say, Wobbly, that I have been absolutely amazed at your ability to take punishment such as this and continue on. I can aspire to the level of sportsmanship that you have displayed so far, but I doubt if I could ever obtain it.

ADavidB -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 4:10:06 AM)
quote: The way to play the allies in the early years is to give ground wherever you are pushed. What if that means Russia, India or Australia? I still think the US is a hard ask against a human but the bonuses are all there to maybe make it possible. Any Jap player worth their salt, and I very much count PzB amongst them, will strike while they are in the ascendant. They will also do it with the best possible chance at getting themselves a victory. The crux of my chagrin is that, as an allies player, the dice are so loaded against you that you can�t stop them. And you can�t stop them for a years worth of play. You will have to be a better man than me to put up with that! Wobbly - I think that part of the problem is with the way that Allied players are playing the game - they are trying to play it historically and the game really isn't designed to be played historically. The Japanese players learn that fast. Certainly in the games where I have been playing the Japanese I've learned to avoid historical precidents and it has paid off very nicely. What you did in the DEI was a very good strategy from a historical p.o.v - you are right, in history that would have been a horrendous threat to the Japanese supply line and the ability of the Japanese to maintain an offensive in India. But in the game it quickly became an opportunity for the Japanese player to get lots of cheap shots at your forces that had only started to recover. That's why way-back-when I suggested to you that you invade northern Japan instead of the DEI. You were too committed at the time to try that, and I suspect that it seemed too "ahistoric" to you. But in the context of the game such a stroke allows the Allied player to focus strength in one region that is relatively close to the US bases. (Certainly close compared to the DEI.) I don't believe that an Allied player can do well in the campaign scenarios if he tries to do things historically. However, the more that the Japanese player plays ahistorically, the more the opportunities arise for the Allied player to counter the moves by his own off-the-wall moves. Should the game be this way? Fundamentally, I don't think so. I've always felt that the game should be designed to reflect the differences in the "generalmanship" of the two players. But it's too late to influence things - GG has abandoned the game and probably rightfully so - this is, after all, the third kick-at-the-cat for him and they've all ended up similarly. Right now I'm not certain that I will agree to another December 7, 1941 game start as the Allies once version 1.50 comes out. I'm bored with running away for six game months and it makes more sense to me to start in May 1942. And I find the Japanese supply system too cumbersome to bother with, so I will continue to take the Japanese side in shorter scenarios. Dave Baranyi

Grotius -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 5:20:35 AM)
Wobbly, if it's really feeling like a chore, maybe take a break for a while? Or, better yet, give yourself an antidote -- find someone who actually wants to play Japan in the 1944 or 1945 campaign. I think Wobbly's got a point about the map edge. I've long thought that extra British or Indian troops should appear in India if it were threatened in this way. There is such a rule for the USA (and Indochina?); why not India? This was the jewel in the British Crown. Still, the game can be played quasi-historically, if the players agree to house rules at the outset. Thayne's PBEM seems to be following that model. Raverdave's Allies seems to be giving Luskan's Japanese a tough time, and again the map seems roughly historical.

Zeta16 -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 5:53:40 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Grotius Wobbly, if it's really feeling like a chore, maybe take a break for a while? Or, better yet, give yourself an antidote -- find someone who actually wants to play Japan in the 1944 or 1945 campaign. I think Wobbly's got a point about the map edge. I've long thought that extra British or Indian troops should appear in India if it were threatened in this way. There is such a rule for the USA (and Indochina?); why not India? This was the jewel in the British Crown. Still, the game can be played quasi-historically, if the players agree to house rules at the outset. Thayne's PBEM seems to be following that model. Raverdave's Allies seems to be giving Luskan's Japanese a tough time, and again the map seems roughly historical. Not every Japanese player plays like that look at my AAR with Freeboy, I stop in Burma and only took northern China. I went for PM and such. I have a big lead in points becasue I shot down a lot of planes that were not escorted and sunk a bunch of ships while getting lucky mine where not sunk. However he is moving real well at the moment in 12/43, am I mad no becasue the little victory's make me real happy. Yes Japan in the game can be better than in real life and give the allied player a game in 43, but the Allies can move places better than in real life. It kinda evens out, don't worry have fun. he is losing his airforce to fast at the moment. I don't think he understands that. What good are his carriers if his pilots suck and you can not hold bases or protect them with out a good airforce. I think you are in a lot better shape than you think.

wobbly -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 6:58:41 AM)
Huh guys. I had a big feed of Indian last night - maybe getting the hoo haa kicked out of the creators of that cuisine was enough, but this morning I got out of bed decidedly on the wrong side! I don't take back anything I said in my rant - I think all those things are true - but they had hardly changed from the turn before. Hell, I was in the crap well before I spouted this list of "feel sorry for me's". In retrospect the hardest thing about this game is that the size of the team doing the beta testing could never have been large enough to cover, in any depth, the possibilities that a game of this depth could dredge up. But it is the dedication of time that you put in that means every mistake that is made seems to hurt more. I know that I had trouble justifying a restart in UV when the game lost its marbles. In this it is even worse. So when things like 'troops marching into the jungle as if on a rail line and then realise they are in mud and take 30 times as long to get back onto the rails' strike, you grit your teeth and live with it. But when something as fundamental as having it possible to take out the Russians or the Indians strike - man it is difficult to keep your chin up. Things like this have taken us the better part of 6 months to find - no way, with new versions coming out all the time- that these things would be found in Beta. But it is this incredible effort that you put in playing a mammoth game like this that you have trouble trying to justify when these things get in the way.

Andy Mac -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 6:54:28 PM)
Wobbly you have done a wonderfull job as a direct result of this AAR I managed to hold my opponents invasion on the beaches when my PBEM opponent tried this tactic on me. The fact is (and its a pity you had to be the guinea pig to prove the theory) that if the Japanese get ashore in force anywhere other than Chandpur - Diamond Harbour. i.e. especially Madras then I dont think the allies have a choice but to withdraw to the Ahmabad - Delhi line every where else can be flanked. I also in all of my PBEM's over committed to Burma but when I saw the way this one was going I withdrew troops to India (which saved my ass on the beaches). Having said all that I dont think this one is over. If you can hold at Ahmabad PZB is actually in a bit of trouble he has his entire available army stuck on the end of a nasty logistics train. His pilots are getting drained and his formations are stuck in India. Java is going to be very difficult for hime to retake. I would be considering an early 1943 invasion of Singapore/ Malaya after you have Java assuming he tries to respond use a few RCT's to harrass him in Cent Pac using Tarawa to really annoy him but dont overcommit to either. I would be building forces in Australia perhaps a Marine Division and a few Australian and NZ Divisions / Brigades plus a couple of US Army Div's. i.e. dont get caught up in a SW Pac campaign as anything but a distraction. Assemble 2,500 Assault Points of Infantry/ Marines and Armour and go straight for the jugular as soon as you get Corsairs he has to have stripped malaya to hit India and if he tries to counter invade Java yet more land forces are committed. He doenst have an inexhausable pool of big land units exploit it !!!. Good Luck Andy

AmiralLaurent -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 7:16:42 PM)
Woobly, take a break some days and think twice to it. I know your feeling. Getting his ass handed to you day after day is something hard to suffer. But you have to see it in game terms. You are probably still scoring more than 1 point for each 4 points scored by your opponent. Your landing in Java was a brillant idea and was less costly than what I thought initially. The losses suffered by Japanese airmen show that they have no more experienced pilots. Most of the losses were over your base, that means that your pilots may bail out while Japanese ones are lost most of the times. Every ship or plane or pilot you lose will be replaced. This is not the case for Japan.

Hornblower -> RE: Naval attacks at Tjilitap (3/2/2005 9:36:05 PM)
I�d have to agree with the Wob-one on the point of extra Indian troops appearing if a certain point in India is treated. Albeit low moral low experienced troops, but something should show-up. Which truth be told should happen if Japan is invaded- granted they would be armed with flintlocks and pikes, but I am sure that is something for a future thread. And as mentioned PZB came up with a new way of looking at Japans strategic goals and objectives, took a chance, and then made it work. Hindsight being 20/20 all allied players have learned from Wobbly�s status as guinea pig. If its any solos I don�t think many of any of us out here could have done anything beyond what you have. And I know it doesn�t help, but many turns from now the rolls will be reversed and PZB will be complaining the DEI is wide open, his shipping lanes are shut down, and he has no way to transfer his troops from India to defend against the allied attach in the south and central pacific. Good luck Wob! I�d like to see you pull it out.

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