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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/28/2009 8:56:53 PM   
Swenslim

 

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In my game against Allied AI, LBA is dissapointing me, Nell's and Betty's cant hit anything that protected and moves fast. So I recommend you to have atleast 2 big CV's and all small CVL and CVE in Singapore to react on possible attacks on Java and Makassar-Timor bases. And i think Yamato better to be stationed with few BB's there too.

(in reply to Laxplayer)
Post #: 331
RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/28/2009 9:52:02 PM   
FatR

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

In my game against Allied AI, LBA is dissapointing me, Nell's and Betty's cant hit anything that protected and moves fast. So I recommend you to have atleast 2 big CV's and all small CVL and CVE in Singapore to react on possible attacks on Java and Makassar-Timor bases. And i think Yamato better to be stationed with few BB's there too.

In my experience against AI, torpedo-armed Netties fare well against early war Allied ships above DD. Unfortunately, they need very tight fighter cover. Although I suppose there were enough time to train up IJA Sally units for naval attacks in this game (don't remember any mention of them used anywhere for a long time), so Netties won't be alone and swamping enemy by sheer numbers is still an option, as long, as there are several good airfields in range.

Also, I think that splitting KB is folly in this sutuation. On the contrary, assuming that Allies have their carriers intact, I would consider forming 2 taskforces out of 6 original KB carriers and Junyo + Hiyo and use them closely together. Otherwise, Allies can probably bring significantly superior aircraft numbers to a decisive battle, just by massing all of their fast carriers. Splitting large carriers means that even with LBA cover the battle might happen at unfavorable odds. On the other hand, putting all battleships except Kongos (these, IMO, should escort carriers) into DEI or close to DEI (say, on Babeldaob), while CVs guard the Pacific, might be sensible. There they can fight under plenty of land-based air, and if the entire battleline sails together, Allies probably cannot quite match them in surface combat yet.

< Message edited by FatR -- 12/28/2009 9:55:34 PM >

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/28/2009 10:44:12 PM   
crsutton


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

You can never do too much reconnaissance.
- George S. Patton: War As I Knew It, 1947

---

8/9/1942 – 8/14/1942

The attack at Noumea resumed with odds just short of 1 to 1. That’s a little disappointing for 4 divisions against 1 division plus some smaller units. We will see what kind of progress Japanese forces can make this time, though.

In the meantime I have sent my carriers over towards Suva to do some sniffing around. I looked at my Val units to make some adjustments to their search arcs and got an unpleasant shock. At some point, probably the last patch, all of them had somehow gotten set to 100% training. Not only were the units somewhat fatigued, KB has been sailing around blind and with one arm tied behind its back for days without me knowing it.

And all that training only did a little good, since the pilots are all highly skilled anyway. Ah well, potential disaster averted.

Thinking about search arcs brings up an interesting point, though. Now that the search arc display feature has opened a lot of eyes, mine included, to how searches have always really been done in WITP and AE I have some questions about the best way to set search arcs for carrier groups.

Right now my carrier task forces have eight carriers, all travelling in the same hex. That means I have eight groups of Vals. If I set them all to 10% search each group can cover 40 degrees of arc (20% if the group has 15 or fewer planes – the game seems to round down at 15 or less, meaning that only one plane is assigned to search), or not quite enough to search 360 degrees around the task forces.

Should more planes be added to the search to try to cover 360 degrees? Or should the searches focus be on the likely direction the enemy will approach? Right now I have one group each searching directions considered possible but unlikely for enemy activity (00 to 90 degrees and 180 to 240 degrees) and two groups each searching directions considered likely for enemy activity (90 to 180 degrees). Directions I consider very unlikely (in this case behind the task forces back towards Luganville, with all its aircraft) are not being searched at all.

And of course the heavy cruisers and battleships with the carriers have float planes and they can cover quite a lot of ground too. Some of them (Petes, for instance) only have a range of 4, but Jakes have a range of 10. Do I use these to cover the areas neglected by the Vals or do I use them to reinforce the “best guess” searches?

It might be possible, I suppose, to gain a potentially decisive advantage in a carrier duel by appearing from an unexpected direction, provided one’s opponent is careless in setting search arcs or is looking for your carriers elsewhere. Or does carefully fussing over search arcs not make that much difference? Any opinions about any of this out there?

---

Setting the arc for Zuikaku’s Vals as my carriers approach Suva:






But is this really how it was done in WITP? I always set my carrier attack planes to 20% search and naval attack. It seems to me that they just about always spoted the enemy in any direction. It this was true then all of my planes in WITP would have been searching the same arc. I doubt that. I hope this is not the case in AE. I really don't want to be messing with search arcs for my carriers and ships. I want the computer to do it and if I got 20 to 30 aircraft searching would expect about every arc to be covered. I wish somebody would clarifiy this.



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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/28/2009 10:54:24 PM   
crsutton


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CF,

Could you list your warship losses to this point?

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/28/2009 11:03:58 PM   
String


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quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton



But is this really how it was done in WITP? I always set my carrier attack planes to 20% search and naval attack. It seems to me that they just about always spoted the enemy in any direction. It this was true then all of my planes in WITP would have been searching the same arc. I doubt that. I hope this is not the case in AE. I really don't want to be messing with search arcs for my carriers and ships. I want the computer to do it and if I got 20 to 30 aircraft searching would expect about every arc to be covered. I wish somebody would clarifiy this.




For the japanese it's easy. Just use a CS or two, with their Pete's upgraded to Jakes and you can cover everything around you 360 degrees.

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/28/2009 11:07:21 PM   
Smeulders

 

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quote:

I want the computer to do it and if I got 20 to 30 aircraft searching would expect about every arc to be covered. I wish somebody would clarifiy this.


If you don't set search arcs, the arcs are set at random. If you have enough planes, every direction will be searched.

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/29/2009 7:49:15 AM   
Swenslim

 

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With 1 CS al 360 are searched :) and all CA's and CL'S must have Jake onboard too.

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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/29/2009 7:53:09 AM   
Swenslim

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: FatR

quote:

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

In my game against Allied AI, LBA is dissapointing me, Nell's and Betty's cant hit anything that protected and moves fast. So I recommend you to have atleast 2 big CV's and all small CVL and CVE in Singapore to react on possible attacks on Java and Makassar-Timor bases. And i think Yamato better to be stationed with few BB's there too.

In my experience against AI, torpedo-armed Netties fare well against early war Allied ships above DD. Unfortunately, they need very tight fighter cover. Although I suppose there were enough time to train up IJA Sally units for naval attacks in this game (don't remember any mention of them used anywhere for a long time), so Netties won't be alone and swamping enemy by sheer numbers is still an option, as long, as there are several good airfields in range.

Also, I think that splitting KB is folly in this sutuation. On the contrary, assuming that Allies have their carriers intact, I would consider forming 2 taskforces out of 6 original KB carriers and Junyo + Hiyo and use them closely together. Otherwise, Allies can probably bring significantly superior aircraft numbers to a decisive battle, just by massing all of their fast carriers. Splitting large carriers means that even with LBA cover the battle might happen at unfavorable odds. On the other hand, putting all battleships except Kongos (these, IMO, should escort carriers) into DEI or close to DEI (say, on Babeldaob), while CVs guard the Pacific, might be sensible. There they can fight under plenty of land-based air, and if the entire battleline sails together, Allies probably cannot quite match them in surface combat yet.



I totaly agree with you about Big battleship TF in DEI. They can be stationed in Singapore for example, out of range of air attack and under air cover. And then they can use their fast speed + 6 hex reaction for sudden attack on any enemy force. Also they will be under air protection from Java airfields and Makkasar-Kendari if you have fighters there.

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/29/2009 11:59:34 AM   
String


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

With 1 CS al 360 are searched :) and all CA's and CL'S must have Jake onboard too.


IF you use 100% search..

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/29/2009 7:22:52 PM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton
CF,

Could you list your warship losses to this point?


So far Japan's warship losses are three light cruisers and eleven destroyers.



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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/29/2009 9:22:21 PM   
BrucePowers


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Those 11 destryers hurt..................

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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/30/2009 3:11:17 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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I claim we got a hell of a beating. We got run out of Burma and it is humiliating as hell. I think we ought to find out what caused it, go back, and retake it.
- Joseph Stilwell, November 1942

---

9/7/1942 – 9/12/1942

The British are definitely on the march; a number of units have been seen leaving their bases and heading into the jungles towards Burma. Though their targets aren’t certain yet I am deploying to meet likely threats. It looks like this theater will be heating up before long.

China: while the pace is slow my movements in the south are having an effect. Several Chinese corps have been routed and driven back towards Changsa and others are withdrawing. The first air combat in China for some time took place as Chinese fighters tried to interfere with Japanese bombing mission in the area a few turns ago. It didn’t go well for the Chinese; Oscars shot down 7 to 10 of them with no losses.

Pacific: two divisions are now out of Noumea and heading to more secure bases for a well-deserved rest. Japanese battleships shelled Thursday Island and caused some damage. After I refuel my carriers and rearm my battleships I may go ahead and try to take the island; the Allied recon planes based there see too much.

Under the Sea: since the latest patch I have noticed that ASW forces are behaving as advertised in the notes. Subs attacked in deep water are rarely damaged. Those attacked in shallow water and especially in ports are much more vulnerable. Japanese ASW has beaten up several submarines in ports lately. Deep water submarine attacks continue and have cost me an xAK and a PB in recent days. One of my large tankers appeared in the cross-hairs down around Rabaul but the torpedoes were duds.

No Loafing: even though there is not a lot of combat occurring these days its amazing how busy every turn is. There are all of those resource and fuel task forces to manage, air groups to train, and units to deploy. I don’t have as many construction battalions as I need so I tend to rotate them after certain goals are met, for example when one base reaches fort level 4 the battalion there is moved to a nearby base until it reaches level 4. High-priority bases keep their engineers, of course.

And the work of taking all those little green dots continues. There are even a few actual bases out there I haven’t picked up. I will probably be working on this into early ’43.



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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/30/2009 3:35:35 AM   
ny59giants


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quote:

And the work of taking all those little green dots continues. There are even a few actual bases out there I haven’t picked up. I will probably be working on this into early ’43.


Imagine all those stickers the infantry will have on their luggage when they go home.

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Post #: 343
RE: Hide and Seek - 12/31/2009 1:21:35 AM   
Capt. Harlock


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quote:

So far Japan's warship losses are three light cruisers and eleven destroyers.


Including, of course, THE destroyer.

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RE: Hide and Seek - 12/31/2009 4:11:38 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

quote:

So far Japan's warship losses are three light cruisers and eleven destroyers.


Including, of course, THE destroyer.


Alas, yes. *sniffle*

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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/31/2009 4:13:30 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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The vulnerable artery is the line of communications winding through the jungle. Have no L. of C. on the jungle floor. Bring in the goods like Father Christmas, down the chimney.
- Orde Wingate: Recommendations for wholly air-supplied operations, Myitkyina area, Burma, 1943

---

9/13/1942 – 9/16/1942

Advancing British units from Akyab have reached the road hex adjacent to my regiment. To the north other units are coming down from Imphal and two divisions are advancing from Mandalay to meet them. My armored regiment at the dot hex on the Mandalay-Myitkyina road has come under air attack. It is on in Burma.

Last turn the RAF attacked Mandalay but took a beating. The attacks were not coordinated and I was able to chew them one at a time. At a cost of two Oscars and ten Zeros I shot down about 20 Hurricanes and 20 bombers; half of the latter were Wellingtons and the rest were a mix of B-25s and B-26s. Whether I can repel sustained air attacks is uncertain. Whether he can sustain attacks in the face of such losses is also uncertain.

I also wish I knew how easy it is for him to push supply through the jungle to his advancing units.

Suspicions: a couple of turns ago a Japanese submarine spotted a large convoy with APs south of Wellington. Last turn I-157 torpedoed and sank a DD escorting more APs off Exmouth. Combined with other ship movements seen in recent weeks and increased Allied recon flights over Koepang I have developed a strong suspicion: Q-Ball is planning an invasion of Timor.

Mini-KB and a surface force with Fuso and Nagato are at Soerabaja and I will move them to cover Timor. I have also ordered KB to leave New Caledonia and head for the area with all practical speed. This latter move is kind of risky because if I’m wrong I’m leaving myself vulnerable to an attack in the Pacific. But I don’t think I have much choice. If I’m right it could mean the difference between a defeat I can’t afford and an important victory. I just hope I’ve put the pieces together soon enough and that my carriers will arrive in time.

If I’m wrong…well, you can’t win them all.

The rest of the Combined Fleet is a bit worn following the long New Caledonia operation and I ordered them back to the Home Islands for upgrades and refits a week ago. I would like to have those ships on hand but sys damage on most ships is in the 10 to 15 range and that’s just too high.



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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/31/2009 5:45:28 AM   
MrPlow9

 

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This post reminds me of something that happened today. I work at a large North American Airport and got to talking with one of the volunteers there who help with customer service. After talking with him for a while, I learned he was a British paratrooper officer in Burma during World War Two! Such a wonderful and funny man with a great outlook on life! And believe it or not, he still drives!

Sorry for my ramblings, just reminiscing...

MrPlow

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RE: Cake and Streamers - 12/31/2009 10:33:11 AM   
ny59giants


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quote:

I also wish I knew how easy it is for him to push supply through the jungle to his advancing units.


Can you still do what was done in WITP and place LRCAP over his troops and see if any transports are shot down?? It was an effective strategy done at irregular intervals.

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RE: Cake and Streamers - 1/2/2010 12:36:28 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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Surprise – the pith and marrow of war!
- Sir John Fischer: Memories, 1919

9/17/1942 – 9/23/1942

Well, holy cow. On 23 September Nells flying out of Roi Namur attacked enemy ships 14 hexes (their current max search range) to the east-northeast. There were Wildcats on CAP and I lost 6 Zeros to only one enemy fighter but all the Nells got through. They sank three xAKs and put a torpedo into AP St Mihel. There were troop casualties.

When I got a better look at the area following combat resolution I saw multiple enemy TFs in that location. Zounds! I am sending KB and the Combined Fleet to Kwajalein on the double but both are out of position.

Q-Ball undoubtedly hoped to get closer than this before being seen. Will he proceed with ships and surprise already lost? I’ve tripled the number of Zeros at Roi Namur for next turn and deployed submarines from Kwaj into his path. But this could get very exciting indeed. His target could be Majuro, Kwaj, or Roi Namur by the looks of things. Being atolls, none of them is well defended though there are coast guns at Majuro and Kwaj.

As they say, stay tuned.







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Attacks and Suspicions - 1/3/2010 9:24:40 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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The advantage of sea-power used offensively is that when a fleet sails no one can be sure where it is going to strike.
- Winston Churchill: Their Finest Hour, 1949

9/24/1942 – 9/26/1942

Q-Ball’s ships continue to move around in the Central Pacific. It looks as though their target is Wake but there are several factors I am considering:

- There are not enough Wildcats covering the task forces for a CV to be present.
- No battleships have been sighted.
- His ships are milling around getting shot at when they could have descended on Wake much more quickly.

All this, combined with continued heavy shipping sighted around Exmouth, leads me to think my earlier suspicion is correct: his target is Timor. The action in the Pacific is just a diversion.

So far the following has occurred: on 24 September Nells attacked a heavy cruiser task force northeast of Kwajalein but scored no hits. A few fighters went down on either side. On 25 September the cruisers shelled Wake and a large number of ships were sighted northeast of Kwaj, all heading due west. Nells attacked again and sank two troop-laden xAKs, again with a few fighters down on each side. On 26 November the Allied ships were three hexes southeast of Wake. RO-61 hit CVE Copahee with two torpedoes and sank the little carrier.

Meanwhile a Japanese submarine sank an xAKL off Exmouth and battleships were sighted in a separate task force. So much for combat-related events. As pleased as I am about sinking the CVE the fact is I am not sure this will go well for me. KB is almost within striking distance of Wake and the result promises to be a blood-bath of Allied ships if he presses home the attack. But a major attack against, say, Lautem will succeed easily. Mini-KB is there and could cause some trouble but if his carriers join the attack, and I’m sure they will, he can crush them and take the base easily. That would be bad.

In retrospect I think I should have gone with my first instinct and had KB continue on to the DEI. They would be there now and in position to contest an Allied move in the region. I don’t want to lose either Wake or Timor but in the long run I think that losing Timor does me far more damage.

Ah well, c’est la guerre. The die is cast now. Q-Ball has already lost seven ships of the Pacific invasion force; 5 xAKs, an AP (not confirmed), and an escort carrier. In the grand scheme of things, of course, these losses are mere annoyances to the Allied war machine, but we’ll see what further damage I can do there. As for Timor (or whatever his true target is) I will just have to do what I can and hope for the best. If I am right Q-Ball has concocted a cunning plan and it will be hard for me to emerge victorious.

Burma: our forces are in contact both below Akyab and north of Mandalay. I got a bad break when my two divisions in the north attacked a lone RM unit. During the movement phase two British divisions reached the scene and stopped my attack cold.

His attack against my regiment south of Akyab also failed. Jungle warfare is hell. Though the RAF has been active, strafing and bombing my troops, I don’t think Q-Ball has yet seen the two divisions moving up to join the fight near the coast. I hope this comes as an unpleasant surprise to him, though right now I don’t see either of us being able to force the other to retreat.

China: we have a nice little battle going on south of Changsa. I keep working up to 2 to 1 odds and forcing some, but not all, of his divisions to retreat. By the time my units are ready for another 2 to 1 attack he manages to get a fresh corps or two on the scene. It’s turning into a meat grinder for cranking out Chinese sausage but my progress is stalled for the moment. The way is open for the attack at Liuchow to resume, though, as soon as all my units in that area reach position.



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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/3/2010 6:11:06 PM   
Capt. Harlock


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Some very interesting and highly readable insights into your thinking. As I posted in Q-Ball's AAR, this is currently the most involving game going!

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 1:09:17 AM   
Skipjack_


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Some very interesting and highly readable insights into your thinking. As I posted in Q-Ball's AAR, this is currently the most involving game going!


I agree with Capt. H, these AARs have sucked me in! Interesting to watch both as they are updated

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 3:56:29 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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What boots it at one gate to make defense,
And at another to let in the foe?

- Milton: Samson Agonistes, 1671

---

9/27/1942 – 9/30/1942

Sometimes being right is not really all that satisfying.

Q-Ball’s forces near Wake abruptly disappeared from view, withdrawing with considerably more alacrity than they came. The following turn Allied four-engine bombers staged a large raid on Koepang airfield, and the turn after that a large invasion force was sighted approaching Koepang.

The run-up to the invasion hasn’t been cheap for the Allies. Japanese fighters defending Koepang downed almost 20 P-38s at no loss. The following turn they bagged half a dozen Beaufighters and a B-17. Meanwhile mini-KB struck against the massed CAP of the Allied carriers. The Zero pilots aboard the Japanese CVLs are good – I mean really good, among them the fighter groups of the three carriers have over 200 kills. But there were more than 180 fighters on CAP and though my fighters downed a few Wildcats all the Kates - 27 of them – were massacred.

The Allies had too much CAP, maybe. Allied carriers launched three unescorted strikes of Avengers at mini-KB, with the result that over 20 of them were shot down and no hits were scored. It was a bad day to be a torpedo bomber pilot on either side.

So it looks as though Koepang gets hit next turn. I have 260 AV there behind level 3 forts and have to assume he is bringing more than enough force to easily overcome that. Kido Butai is heading that direction but can’t arrive in less than a week. I am withdrawing the CVLs to Soerabaja, as they have very few Kates left and I want to preserve the flight decks and elite fighter pilots.

The situation around Timor:





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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 7:01:00 AM   
Swenslim

 

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Bad you did little mistake. When you no thar some base will be attacked - just put your CV's at the 5-6 range behind that base ! You could sunk lot of his ships if Mini KB was norther (at this map) of Flores Island.

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 8:54:44 AM   
FatR

 

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Are you saving your LBA for later, or the problem is in the lack of suitable airfields for a massed strike, Cuttlefish?

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 9:16:50 AM   
ComradeP

 

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Cuttlefish, I'm sure you've given it plenty of thought, but is not responding with naval force an option?

You now know he has plenty of CAP, and thus plenty of carriers. I'm guessing you could also calculate the chances of actually stopping the invasion when you know the number of transports involved, or have a rough estimate.

Let's assume you send KB and the Combined Fleet there. You lose a few capital ships, and, say, 2 carriers. He also loses a few capital ships and 2 carriers. It won't hurt him, but you're in trouble if your carriers go down with your elite pilots.

Attacking an invading force is basically a gut reaction, many military doctrines emphasize immediate counterattack. However, those counterattacks should be sensible. You would
be putting a lot of equipment you can't lose at risk, and Q-Ball doesn't have much he can't afford to lose. The chances of sinking an entire division in their transports so they won't come back are pretty small, and he will eventually have plenty of every kind of ship.

Instead of reacting to him, perhaps you could save your forces to fight another day. Take a deep breath, swallow the bitter loss of Timor (you could break up the forces at/around Dili and send a detachment away on a transport so the unit will at least come back when the forces remaining on Timor are destroyed), and plan a counteroffensive.

You're reacting to him without a solid plan or intel, a usually disastrous enterprise for Japan: Midway and basically every large naval battle after mid-1943 are good examples. He might be trying to pull you into a war of attrition in a fairly remote area (like Guadalcanal) with little chance of stopping an Allied avalanche considering that he's right next to northern Australia and has plenty of troops and equipment to spare.

Of course, this is all just my opinion, it's your war after all, but you are going to miss every ship, plane and pilot you would lose, and Q-Ball isn't going to miss any ship, plane or pilot you get, no matter how many.

< Message edited by ComradeP -- 1/4/2010 9:17:57 AM >

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 9:41:22 AM   
FatR

 

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On the other hand, Allies' advantage is going to only grow. Japan is unlikely to ever get another chance of fighting on roughly equal terms, particularly because if a bridgehead in DEI is established, Q-Ball can just hold back his main fleet until he has overwhelming advantage.

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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 9:44:16 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: FatR

Are you saving your LBA for later, or the problem is in the lack of suitable airfields for a massed strike, Cuttlefish?


Lack of airfields in the area is a problem. There is a large airfield at Ambon, with an HQ, and it has already joined in the action. The only other major air bases in the area, outside of Koepang itself, are at Soerabaja and Balikpapan and they are out of range of the current fight.



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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 9:55:05 AM   
Fishbed

 

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You have to react. As FatR says, he can only get stronger. But you have to react in a clever way, and Im not sure he's gonna sit there waiting for it. His deception was a masterpiece, and it worked. Planning for the invasion of Timor with fresh troops may be the key, while anticipating a big CV clash in the next weeks - subs may cripple him enough so you may expect one or two CVs less for the next battle.

Turn it into your "guadalcanal", without the mistakes and with the whole KB, and I guess that could work.


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RE: Attacks and Suspicions - 1/4/2010 9:58:21 AM   
Cuttlefish

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ComradeP

Cuttlefish, I'm sure you've given it plenty of thought, but is not responding with naval force an option?

You now know he has plenty of CAP, and thus plenty of carriers. I'm guessing you could also calculate the chances of actually stopping the invasion when you know the number of transports involved, or have a rough estimate.

Let's assume you send KB and the Combined Fleet there. You lose a few capital ships, and, say, 2 carriers. He also loses a few capital ships and 2 carriers. It won't hurt him, but you're in trouble if your carriers go down with your elite pilots.

Attacking an invading force is basically a gut reaction, many military doctrines emphasize immediate counterattack. However, those counterattacks should be sensible. You would
be putting a lot of equipment you can't lose at risk, and Q-Ball doesn't have much he can't afford to lose. The chances of sinking an entire division in their transports so they won't come back are pretty small, and he will eventually have plenty of every kind of ship.

Instead of reacting to him, perhaps you could save your forces to fight another day. Take a deep breath, swallow the bitter loss of Timor (you could break up the forces at/around Dili and send a detachment away on a transport so the unit will at least come back when the forces remaining on Timor are destroyed), and plan a counteroffensive.

You're reacting to him without a solid plan or intel, a usually disastrous enterprise for Japan: Midway and basically every large naval battle after mid-1943 are good examples. He might be trying to pull you into a war of attrition in a fairly remote area (like Guadalcanal) with little chance of stopping an Allied avalanche considering that he's right next to northern Australia and has plenty of troops and equipment to spare.

Of course, this is all just my opinion, it's your war after all, but you are going to miss every ship, plane and pilot you would lose, and Q-Ball isn't going to miss any ship, plane or pilot you get, no matter how many.


This is a reasonable analysis. One thing I have to consider is that losing Koepang by itself isn't really a problem for me. The problem is that it opens the door to the DEI, which is loaded with viable bases that have no Japanese presence at all. Above all else he cannot be permitted to penetrate far enough to threaten Palembang and the shipping lanes in the South China Sea. That means holding the line at Java and Borneo. It might make sense to build up there and conserve forces for that inevitable confrontation, but it also might make sense to take some calculated risks and do what damage I can to keep Q-Ball from getting too comfortable in his new possessions.

I have several turns to consider the situation before I am tempted to do something violent and rash. That will give me time to assess things and hopefully make some intelligent decisions. Or some not entirely disastrous decisions, anyway. Sometimes that's the best I can do...


(in reply to ComradeP)
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