A very hot May

A very hot May (Full Version)

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mc3744 -> A very hot May (9/13/2005 11:00:27 AM)
May 22nd, 1942 INDIA-BURMA Total air supremacy has been achieved … so far. Oil and resource bombings have started and the pilots training is back to daylight. I’m airlifting the 222 RAF (270 AS) to Akyab, engineers are on their way too. Minesweeping operations have started from DH. Subs, additional MSW’s, ML’s and AS are en route to DH and Chandpur. CHINA Thousands of Japanese planes [X(] are bombing my units, just about everywhere. Supplies are to a minimum in each base. The situation looks grim. Reinforcements to Chungking are almost there. The main problem, however, will be the surrounding Japanese units. No doubt those (28) LCU’s will not all go for Chungking and with the bizarre game ZOC rules it may be difficult, if not impossible to disentangle. Chinese can play defence, but they can’t attack. I can keep a hex, I cannot clear it. I’m trying to think a back-up plan, but none come to mind. AUSTRALIA The closer I get the better the recon. The Japanese are spread out, they are afraid I’ll be playing their game, which I will. My guess is that those are small units, Naval Garrisons or, at worst, Rgt’s and split Divisions. No way he can have so many forces there. In the picture you can see the actual force disposition. I have one more division (5) hexes away. Here’s the plan. (2) Div + (2) Bde + (1) Tank + (1) HQ will engage Daly’s forces. Aim: keep them engaged without being pushed back. (3) Div + (3) Bde + (2) Tank + (1) HQ will split in two encircling groups. (1) Bde plus the incoming Div will take care of clearing enemy units trying to break the encirclement or to cut my supply lines. Any suggestion will be highly appreciated! ------------------------------------------ Operation Freedom [image]local://upfiles/11282/00305BF2993B4228A9C02C3820FDC748.jpg[/image]

Kereguelen -> RE: A very hot May (9/13/2005 12:31:56 PM)
India/China: Seems that he has withdrawn his planes from Burma. No wonder that you see lots of Japanese planes in China now. Chungking: His approaching forces should not have enough supplies coming along (even if his China Command HQ marches together with his troops). This should slow them down somewhat. If you manage to put some blocking forces in the hexes that he'll use for encirclement, even one Chinese corps should be enough to throw any Japanese flanking troops back. But you'll have to improve your supply situation somehow, use every available plane to transport supplies to China, even British bombers (trains them nearly as well as bombing Rangoon). China is much more important than Burma (the main use of Burma is to get supplies to China, if he invades India he'll come over the sea). If you somehow manage to rout this 28 LCU stack, these troops will need a long time to recover. It all depends on supplies... Australia: I would not count on encountering only weak forces as flank-guards near Daly. Japan has some tank units under Southern Area command. If they're not in Burma or the PI, they'll be in Australia. But your 5 divisons are a strong force and should be enough to get the upper hand. But who guards Brisbane, Sydney and Townsvile now? As soon as he'll become aware of your strength at Daly these locations will become endangered. K

mc3744 -> RE: A very hot May (9/13/2005 1:20:27 PM)
Hi Ker, Thanks for the inputs! [:)] CHINA The idea of using bombers to supply China is good indeed! The medium ones are not good anyway for city attack. The exp is not a problem most of the bomber crews are already 75+ exp. I'm not sure my Chinese unit can fight back the incoming Japs, but I'll give it a try. AUSTRALIA His tank Rgt cannot stop a full division, I know he has at least (3), but I'm more worried by his divisions. And I have tanks too. The East Coast is not as strong as I wished, but I still have there (3) divisions, (6) Bde, plus ART, CD, ENG and hundreds of planes he'd have to get through. He is heavily engaged in China, Australia and PI. Not enough troops to come to Eastern Australia. Once he gets rid of Manila, then it'll be a problem. I don't know why he doesn't try to attack. They wouldn't last a week.

Bliztk -> RE: A very hot May (9/13/2005 2:24:07 PM)
Given the WitP land movement mechanics, it`s better only to outflank him at Daly using only a very strong flank, send a "fake" manouver for the other side. He will not be able to react to your movements in time for a redeployment

mc3744 -> RE: A very hot May (9/13/2005 6:41:49 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Bliztk Given the WitP land movement mechanics, it`s better only to outflank him at Daly using only a very strong flank, send a "fake" manouver for the other side. He will not be able to react to your movements in time for a redeployment Hey Bliztk, [:)] It's a good idea, the thing is that I don't want only to outflank him, I actually need to surround him. Either he runs for it before the encirclement or remains trapped. Once/if he is trapped he has to stay so, hence I need to be able to keep the net on both sides.

mc3744 -> RE: A very hot May (9/14/2005 1:23:07 AM)
Quick update. The situation in China is deteriorating too quickly. [:-] All the Japanese Air force is there. Not one base is now fully supplied. I've decided something needs to be done, something drastic. I'm going to counter-attack in Burma. I know very well that it's too early, but I must draw some of his assets back to that theater, I can't reconquer Burma, but I can force him to commit more troops and planes ... or loose it. Several units have just received the new movement orders. If necessary I'll engage the RN too. China is collapsing. [sm=nono.gif]

Bliztk -> RE: A very hot May (9/14/2005 11:34:34 AM)
If I`m correct if you make the Japanese retreat and pursue they will retreat towards Darwin So if you get a pinning force in the other flank and another in Daly you will be behind Daly after you expel the Japanese from one flank. A unit cannot move from enemy ZoC to enemy ZoC thus he has to retire towards the nearest supply source not Daly Waters, so he should go north towards Darwin.

mc3744 -> RE: A very hot May (9/14/2005 2:24:53 PM)
Hi Bliztk, I need to clear both flank. Unless I own every hex around Daly he can escape selecting Darwin as destination. That's why I need to be strong on both flanks. He is concentrating more troops on the sides. But that allows me to send in Daly a smaller force. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

String -> RE: A very hot May (9/14/2005 2:50:52 PM)
Actually, I'd suggest routing him and pushing him back to Darwin. Yes he will be able to save his units (or atleast fragments) but you will more or less destroy them anyway. Surrounding and killing them off will take a lot of time, perhaps long enough for the japs to bring in reinforcements.

mc3744 -> RE: A very hot May (9/14/2005 3:04:28 PM)
Hi String, I wish I could kick him out of Daly, but I'm not strong enough. I have slightly more men than he does. Report tells me some 70-100k Japs. I have a bit more than 100k. Better units probably (all INF and ARM, with good exp) but not enough to face him in a fortified base. That's why I want to go around Daly. I need to get him pinned down in Daly with half of my force. The rest will go for Darwin, where he'll probably have no more than 10-20k men. If this works, he is cut out of supplies and I can slowly finish him off. If it doesn't ... I'll have to retreat, regroup and come back with more troops. And possibly he'll have won the game [:(] PI will also play a major role. If he finishs off Manila and brings those units to Australia I'm toast. I have to go for it real fast.

mc3744 -> Loosing the war (9/14/2005 10:35:59 PM)
May 27th, 1942 INDIA-BURMA The Japanese have lost all the interest for this theater. I'm moving the attacking units into position. I must force him to bring more troops in. CHINA [:(] From bad to worse. A Japanese attack between Canton and Wuchow had my forces (5 divisions and 2 HQ) retreat towards Pakhoi and not Wuchow. They were already moving vs. Wuchow, but the AI - in all its wisdom - sent them across a river to retreat!!!! [:@] Now Wuchow is defended only by (4) divisions. Ichang is now encircled, albeit by only one unit and since it has been at zero supplies for the last two months I see little difference. Overall it's looking really bad. DEI He has eventually started to attack Manila. Fortifications are falling. It will fall in one week tops. PACIFIC [:(] The usual Death Star (I found a CAP of 133 Zero's![X(]) is coming to take Christmas Is.. I started to build it up a couple of weeks ago. I thought he was satisfied with CENPAC, obviously he is not. Everytime it's a D-Day. [8\|] Once again little I can do. In the picture the units there. Not much, some 10k men, but it feels bad anyway. Maybe the 1.500 mines will hit something. The Fiji Bn in Suva is holding [;)], not for long but he wasn't expecting it. STRATEGIC OVERVIEW I'm loosing the war, plain and simple. [sm=00000007.gif] [image]local://upfiles/11282/DCFB1F5227EA4969BEC5291F53F2CDAA.jpg[/image]

String -> RE: Loosing the war (9/14/2005 10:39:20 PM)
You still have 6 months to reverse the situation, more than enough.

Tom Hunter -> RE: Loosing the war (9/14/2005 10:40:50 PM)
Never title your posts with something like losing the war, Hoepner can read the title, in fact it's impossible for him to miss when he checks the board, and he can see your moral is suffering. Go read an AAR the Allies are winning for some inspiration. I'm going crazy waiting for a combat replay, Revenge and Royal Sovereign should plow into multiple Japanese transport TFs off Kuantan today, but so far nothing has come back.

jwilkerson -> RE: Japanese Loosing the war ! (9/14/2005 10:47:58 PM)
Changing title [:D]

anarchyintheuk -> RE: Loosing the war (9/14/2005 10:53:53 PM)
With the exception of China situation and the big question of what Hoepner decides to do with those PI divisions I would think things look pretty good: no serious naval losses (altho my memory may be off in that regard), no more than usual lcu losses, no catastrophic air losses, Burma/India in great shape, the potential to turn northern Australia into a graveyard and p-38s aren't that far away.

BPRE -> Winning the war (9/14/2005 11:28:36 PM)
And you should hear the complaints from Hoepner in some of his posts. Take alook at Dude vs Zeta Hirohito style if you want to see how things can change. Keep on fighting BPRE

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 12:05:19 AM)
Hey? Thanks for the support! [&o] [&o] The morale is indeed low right now. [:(] Ok. let me take the chance for a brief overview. AIR LOSSES 1.900 : 2.600 in my favor. This is obviously the best part. Especially because it gets better every day. NAVAL LOSSES 144 : 52 in his favor. Main assets I lost: (1) BB + (1) CA + (6) CL This is average, nobody lost much. GROUND LOSSES 10.000 : 250 in his favor. [:-] This is where I'm loosing badly. I lost (2) full US divisions in CENPAC. Unbelievable! BASES Northern Australia! First time I loose it. I don't need to read AAR's where the Allies are doing all right. [:@] I'm doing all right in all my other games but this one! I mean: Australia!!! Has any of you ever lost it? [:(] China, if I loose Chungking it's 4.000 PPs gone, I'm going to loose to auto victory. No matter what. The game will go on, but morally it'll be a total defeat. If he gets most of China he will be playing defence and I can forget recovering the points. There's one theater only where I'm doing all right: India-Burma. It's not enough. I'm not giving up, no way. But it's a difficult time.[sm=nono.gif]

kaiser73 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 1:12:06 AM)
First of all, get moral high. You are not doing bad. Burma looks good. Northern Australia is useless. You didn't lose Australia. You lost some useless bases that with Andrews map is almost impossible to defend. And in Australia you have chance to damage him. You saved your CV and held Noumea. Except China you doing well. But let's be honest: china is hard to defend if Japan concentrate on it. and usually it's up to good will of the Japanese player. how are you on points?

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 12:52:25 PM)
Kaiser, you are being to benign with me [:)] I've made some bad mistakes in CENPAC and in Timor. Had I moved the Dutch units to Darwin and not to Timor the situation now would be totally different. May 29th, 1942 INDIA-BURMA No news. I started bombing the oil in Rangoon. Very soon there won’t be any more oil or resources in Burma. I’ll then switch to hitting his bases and troops to prepare for the attack. CHINA Chungking is now at 1500 AV and more units will be there soon. Hence I think it is no longer in immediate danger. The flanks are also – lightly – protected. The supplies airlifted from India are helping a bit. It’s a very unstable situation, it could crumble any time or it could hold long enough to cause him some problems in Burma. AUSTRALIA (1) hex from Daly. The Day is coming. Never knew Central Australia was so rainy. It must be a swamp. Two nights out of three my bombers cannot take off due to the bad weather! [X(] Aviation Rgt’s are unloading in Townsville and Sidney. That’s to make sure I can fly the hundreds planes I have, should he ever decide to make another surprise. CENPAC Some interesting news here. It seems that after (2) MSW’s and (1) PC sank trying to clear the mines at Christmas (thanks to the good guys of the CD Marine Defence Bn [&o]) he is withdrawing. Or at least waiting for reinforcements. [:D] Maybe he is eventually stretched thin. I’m moving in a RCT from SF, it’ll take a week or so, but I could make it. Probably he no longer has several divisions available for CENPAC, hence good fortifications, coastal guns, mines and a few good soldiers can do the job. I’m also unloading in Bora Bora a US Rgt. With the CD and ENG already there they can make sure that he cannot take it with little effort. Basically it’s the same in Fiji. The Defence Bn with fortifications at (5) – almost (6) - is holding a Japanese Bde off. And we are talking of a pitiful force. [8D] One ‘lost’ tanker TF showed up nearby Tarawa! I must have missed them. I’ve split the TF, one TK has been sunk already. I could loose another (9). [:(] VP SITUATION As you can see in the picture he is at 18.000, I’m at 5.900. However Suva will be a +675 for him, Manila a -1.200 for me and a plus for him of approx. 70k men lost. Therefore in a few days the VPs will be around 19.000 – 4.700. China will become critical. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [image]local://upfiles/11282/8EC283A55D4D417284DC197D95CE48EF.jpg[/image]

String -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 1:10:27 PM)
How much transports do you have transporting supplies to China? Are there any more to spare from other parts of the map? I'd also try sending a single AK to Pakhoi loaded with supplies around Java or somewhere, where he probably won't have many planes on naval search. Chances are that it'll make it through, and if it won't .. well.. it will give our good mate Tojo something to think about

Kereguelen -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 1:27:19 PM)
Hi, I think your overall situation is not that bad. Your only true blunders are the loss of the US divisions (never place divisions on islands or atolls if there're not at least level 6 fortifications!) and the placement of the Dutch leftovers at Exmouth (similar reasons, the place is simply too exposed). In China you're doing quite well (IMHO): If you manage to root him near Chungking (starting with one of his flanking forces) his whole front in China may collapse. The key to achieve this is of course the supply situation. Stationing some fighters (maybe some Spitfires once available) at Chungking and Kunming will help because of the HI there. And look at his plane losses: They're a desaster for him. An interesting question will be in which shape his Philippine divisions will be when he finally wins there. I guess that they'll need some time to recover, thus the danger they represent is not imminent. And as kaiser73 stated: Northern Australia is worthless for both sides. I'm quite surprised that Gen.Hoepner fights there with such large forces, their use elswhere would have been much more dangerous for you. The current situation there certainly favors you because you fight with Aussie divisions that otherwise would have done simple garrison duty, unable to hit Japanese forces. And if you keep your carriers intact until they get their upgrade to 36 fighters and the Avengers you'll be able to threaten all his gains in the Pacific! Just my opinion! K

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 3:23:45 PM)
A couple of replies and updates. I have some 120 TR and LB airlifting supplies to Chungking. They carry a few hundreds per day, which is beter than nothing. I cannot move anything between the two main areas because he is patrolling the Indian Ocean and, by house rules, I cannot use the Russian airfields. No way I can place fighters in China, every airfield is daily bombed by - literally - hundreds of LB's. Unless I can place a force strong enough to stop him at once, I'd be slaughtered. I still need to build up enough skilled pilots. I can defend Indian airfields thanks to the distance, but China? No way. Not yet. Plus, all HI and resources have long gone, he bombed them all. His PI divisions may be in bad shape, but my Chinese divisions are exhausted. Most of them are not even at 50% strenght. It is true that Australia is a gamble for the Japs. It is also true that if Australia was all mine I'd be now bombing DEI or New Guinea with my heavies. Some good news, he is retreating from Christmas and I just found that the 1st Marine Div is - on transport ships - a couple of days out. I'm moving it in. If he comes back he'll have a nasty surprise. Especially since fortifications are at (5) already. I'm counting A LOT on the Burma attack. But it'll take at least a month before it'll do any good. Thanks again for your support! [:D] It really helps keeping up.

kaiser73 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 3:55:27 PM)
losing ABDA units doesn't hurt Allies a lot. By late '42 you will have enough Aviation support for any base you need. Your only mistake has been the US Divs. but it's not a big deal. If you develope Noumea to the maximum, you gain lot of VP (if you care about them). In china i would personally move every TR you have on map in India. Remember that 1 aircraft with 10000 load means around 7 supplies/day. and b17 and liberators do move tons of supplies as well. Supply in china is the key factor. if you able to keep units supplied and avoid encirclements (and losing chunkin) you should be able to hold. don't be too cautious with airpower in China. you have AVG. what other Fighter group you have? he can't bomb all bases. what airfields he bombs? remember you can use LR CAP from another airfield.

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 5:18:13 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kaiser73 losing ABDA units doesn't hurt Allies a lot. By late '42 you will have enough Aviation support for any base you need. Your only mistake has been the US Divs. but it's not a big deal. If you develope Noumea to the maximum, you gain lot of VP (if you care about them). In china i would personally move every TR you have on map in India. Remember that 1 aircraft with 10000 load means around 7 supplies/day. and b17 and liberators do move tons of supplies as well. Supply in china is the key factor. if you able to keep units supplied and avoid encirclements (and losing chunkin) you should be able to hold. don't be too cautious with airpower in China. you have AVG. what other Fighter group you have? he can't bomb all bases. what airfields he bombs? remember you can use LR CAP from another airfield. Loosing ABDA units means loosing men. Game wise it means points, simulation wise it means human lives. It's a mistake either way. I can recover, but it's still a bad mistake. And I feel I've been an idiot. As soon as fortifications in Noumea are at (9) I'll build up the base. I cannot move any unit from Pacific-Australia to India-China because I cannot link. To long a range by air, to dangerous by sea. The AVG is now just another fighter group with the Zero bonus over. And they are low exp too, 65-70. I have several units training. But only 3-4 squadron over 75 exp. I'm not going to commit in China until I hit 80 exp. LRCAP with Hurricane's and Spitfire's doesn't work too well [;)] Anyway I will come back with the air force in China, but not before a couple of months I think. Last but not least, he can definitely bomb all my airfields, I think he has at least 1.000 bombers in China right now.

Tom Hunter -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 6:23:14 PM)
quote: I mean: Australia!!! Has any of you ever lost it? I haven't. Right now I am trying to figure out how to keep Java in Fear and Loathing. But even if we lose it, I won't lose it because it belongs to Captain Mandrake, so he gets all the blame. [:D]

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 6:24:59 PM)
May 31st, 1942 CHINA In the picture you can see the actual situation. The numbers represent divisions. The red explosions the Japanese attacks. The blue arrows my movements/attacks. Wuchow will surely fall next turn. AUSTRALIA Going in!! [sm=00000106.gif] (2) Australian Bde + (1) Australian Division + (1) US Division + (1) Australian Tank Rgt + (1) HQ are moving into Daly. The rest of the strike force will wait to see what’s in there and follow up accordingly. The main problem I’ll face is a sudden attack if my units don’t arrive together. CENPAC I’ve moved PBY’s back into Christmas and they spotted his carriers TF lingering about. I’m sure he is trying to get some transport TFs … and he would if I didn’t spot him. All the TFs in the area are moving away at full speed. [image]local://upfiles/11282/FC8C79CD42ED4B608BA32EADD99877AE.jpg[/image]

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 6:28:08 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter quote: I mean: Australia!!! Has any of you ever lost it? I haven't. Right now I am trying to figure out how to keep Java in Fear and Loathing. But even if we lose it, I won't lose it because it belongs to Captain Mandrake, so he gets all the blame. [:D] Now that's a good strategy! Ok who can I blame? ... uhm, uhm ... THE JAPS!!! It must be their fault!! [:D][:D]

Kereguelen -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 6:56:07 PM)
China: What about moving a small unit (division) from Chungking eastwards, crossing the river in NE direction (at the bend) into the clear hex and then onwards into the mountain hex with the road? Maybe you'll be able to cut his supply line (or, if he spots you, at least divert one Japanese division from other tasks).

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 7:09:19 PM)
It is actually a good idea. I will split a division and send the C section to annoy my dear enemy [:D] Thanks [:)]

mc3744 -> RE: Winning the war (9/15/2005 11:54:59 PM)
June 1st, 1942 AIR WAR June is a good month. I get Seafire, Spitfire, B-24D and F-5. I’m really going to use those! [sm=00000054.gif] INDIA-BURMA The usual oil hits and the units are advancing. CHINA Wuchow has fallen, but I don’t think he’ll be able to push forward, he hasn’t got enough units there. I’m following Ker's advice to cut the supply line to the North. (2) sections of a battered division are now heading NE from the hex E of Chungking. I’m throwing a little surprise party over Kunming. AVG/A will try to welcome his unescorted bombers. Let’s see if he gets sloppy once in a while. [;)] AUSTRALIA I’m waiting for the first clash. PACIFIC Three carriers TFs are roaming around Palmyra and Christmas. It would seem he has split his Death Star. "It would seem" … I know him well enough, now. He is trying to lure my CVs out before the July upgrade. No way I’m going to risk them now. He can waste as much fuel as he likes. I’m not engaging.

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