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Burkowski -> Happy New Year 1942 (9/21/2004 11:29:48 PM)
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Hello, all.
I have finished the first month of the campaign and am posting a general recap with a few specifics to solicit comments from those wiser than I...
v.: 1.21
Scen: 15; I am playing Japan
vs. AI: historical (to get myself bloodied)
Jap sub doc.: off
fow: on
weather: on
allied damage: on
allied sub doc.: off
hist. first turn: off
12/7 surprise: on
Overall thought was to go immediately for the outside of the desired perimeter when possible, mostly east of the DEI, and to "backfill" ASAP with NLFs, etc. Sort of island hopping from the IJ side. It is 1/1/42 and I am considering suspending ops until the 1.30 patch is born?
My perimeter is now the following line:
Wake
Makin
Tarawa
Apamama
Nauru
Truk
Guadalcanal (BDE +)
Tulagi
Tassafaronga
Rabaul (DIV +)
Finschafen
Lae
Salamaua
Bulla
Amboina (1/2 BDE)
Kendari (1/2 BDE)
Balikpapan (BDE +)
Tarakan
Kuching (BDE +)
Brunei (BDE +)
Khota Bharu
Songkhia
Bandou
Victoria Point
Tavoy
Malaya:
(recon says 27K Allied troops bottled up in Georgetown/Alor Star; I have two DIV. + 2 BDE + lots of engineers/arty watching them awaiting arrival of 55 DIV from Siam).
(Imperial Gds. heavily reinforced are approaching Moulmein; 4 MIX RGT + 33 DIV between Pagan and Taung Gyri, all in supply... 1 PARA RGT, 1 hex east of Mandalay, air ferry supply from Luang Prabang).
In the P.I.:
All of Luzon, save Bataan is in hand, building for final push (will 2 1/2 Div. + armor/arty/engineers be enough?). Base forces building, lots of air support for final push.
Mopping up Mindanao; will release 56 DIV to Luzon, when rested.
Jolo in hand; base forces established.
Borneo: 3 BDES in the major bases, ready soon for Java/Sumatra
Amboina and Kendari taken by 56 BDE split; Amboina air cap 4 and fully functioning with Zeroes, Bettys, and Mavis.
China (and this is still the big puzzle for me): my current line is:
Yenen
Chengting
Kaifeng
Hsinyang
Wuhan
Changsha
Canton
SCORE/LOSSES to date:
Japan 4952
Allies 6132
Losses:
Japan- 5DD, 7 MSW/ML, 2 TK (subs), 2 SS, 17 AP/AK
Allies: 2 BB (Pearl Harbor), 3 CL, 5 DD, AS, AV, 25 AK/AP, 2 TK/AO
Aircraft pts. lost: Allied 694
Me 235
Manpower 797
Heavy Industry 13561
Resources 15365
Oil 1438 (About 20K in transit?)
Shipy. Repair 561
Naval Shipy. 1176
Merchant Shipy. 1002
Armament 521
Vehicles 93
Aircraft Engines 1572
A/C Assembly 731 + (60-rd)
NEXT STEPS:
Pincers on the DEI with LBA and light carrier support; drives from Amboina/Kendari, Borneo, etc. ...
TF with 2nd DIV is about one third the way to Port Moresby with supply TFs, surface support and KB in attendance. This attack will be the southern limit of the perimeter and may draw out the US carriers. KB will move to DEI/Malaya when this move allows.
Secure Burma (maybe) and go over to the defensive ...
Three DIV (heavily reinforced) attack down the Malay peninsula.. try to kill the Indians/Australians upcountry rather than in Singapore?
"Backfill" quickly...
WHAT I THINK I KNOW:
I am extended to the limit, both in terms of assault strength and supply, at home and far afield. P.I. , Malaya, and DEI are porbably taking longer than expected, but SoPac has months of building up ahead of the game..
I didn't heed the good advice of Mogami and others about the proper sequence of things. I am sure I will pay for it. Soon.
I haven't done nearly the ship damage to the Allies I had hoped. I don't mean just at Pearl, either (Nevada and Tennessee). I expect this will come back to haunt me in spades.
In my effort at speed, I allowed myself the arrogance of some un- or lightly supported invasions and paid for it in APs. (e.g. got my arse handed to me at Balikpapan, in an air squeeze from Palembang and Kendari, largely by obsolete a/c!).
I invaded Wake largely from "tradition." It took way longer than I thought and cost me two DDs and a few APs and 2500 infantry I could have used elsewhere.
As a relatively inexperienced player (3 or 4 UV games), I concentrated initially way too much on assault forces in my planning. The real deal is finding and moving enough base/avaiation troops to make the invasions stick. I'll do better next time, and will probably play a game way closer to what the BETAS suggested.
WHAT I DON"T KNOW:
In terms of numbers, how close can I play it to "historical" numbers in China and Burma and still have a reasonable chance of success or at least making a decent game of it?
I am still largely guessing about the production system. I have read everything I could from Kid, Xargun, Mogami, Pry, et al and tried to steer some sort of middle ground. I guess I won't KNOW anything for another few months. What do you see in my numbers (beside the screeching sound due to lack of oil!)?
Where the US carriers are... I now have Patrol planes flying from Jaluit, Kwaj, Guadalcanal, Rabaul, Amboina, etc. I haven't seen them. I expect them to come calling soon. Best case would be if they try to interfere with PM ops and KB is nearby enough.
China: I am trying the "follow the railroad and resources" method here, but really don't know what to expect. Presently have the opportunity to "cut off" 50K Chinese near Hsinyang. In another turn or two, I should have 2 DIVS + lots of support on each side of them. Don't know if the limitations (kind word? [:D]) of the ground combat system will allow me to bag them though...
I am surprised at how active the Allied subs are so soon.. especially south of Kyushu, around Formosa and west of the P.I. I have placed many ASW groups (including DDs grudgingly) there and have even given over some Mavis and Betty AND IJA a/c to ASW duties... seems like a standoff so far, with lots of attack reports both ways each day... suspect we have killed more SS than the INTEL report says.. am I being optimistic? Land-based float planes show their value... sighting reports count, not as much as attacks, but it lets the Allied SS boys know we know!
WHAT I THINK:
Well, I am an English major and not inclined toward the formula/math approach to things. In other words, in terms of emphasis, I sometimes approach these things in less a cognitive and more an affective manner. That may sound silly given a simulation of this nature, and I can do the numbers when I have to, but I am also interested in the "feel" of WitP. At the end of 1941, I am delighted to report that what I have is the genuine "feel" of command of the Imperial forces. That's what I was after when I spent the $80.00. So, kudos to Matrix and 2x3!There is probably a large Allied sledgehammer in my near future, but it sure has been a fun first month! [8D]
Thoughts about the strategic situation?
Regards to all.
Burkowski
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