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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: Bad luck

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RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 12:00:20 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
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Yes guys, the second Frances has a svr rating of 2 (like the Betty) but it's slower (325 mph against 340).
However i agree that a service rating of 4 is not that good for a 2E bomber...especially in 1943. In another AAR i've just read comments about being hard in 1943 to find a suitable war ground to use the frances... To be honest i've faced them against Rader and, if well escorted, those beasts can bring havoc among a late war allied CV fleet if used properly!

BTW, i changed my mind and i'll keep 2 1x30 factories researching the second frances, while a factory will be producing 60/monthly of the first one (got plenty Ha-45 in pool to spare)... the idea is to place them in well supplied and supported bases like Rabaul, Ambon, Koepang or Shimushiri Jiima

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 10, 43

A mixed day. The allied subs got a good day today, sinking a big xAK near Shangai and torpedoing a big CM at Boela.
The Chinese tried to counterattack in the hope to open my offensive perimeter...got repulsed but my losses are too high! Sending some divisions to take care of the problem (north of Chikkiang).
Near Taberfane we sent a scouting DD TF, heavy CAPped... the allied SDB and Beauforts came in...unescorted...and got slaughtered... 35 of them will never get home again

. I'm giving Brad his own medicine...CAP Traps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Shanghai at 93,55

Japanese Ships
     xAK Midori Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
     SS Tautog

xAK Midori Maru is sighted by SS Tautog
SS Tautog attacking xAK Midori Maru on the surface

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Boela at 80,110

Japanese Ships
     CM Tokiwa, Torpedo hits 1
     CM Wakataka
     CM Ishizaki
     CM Kyosai
     CM Naryu
     CM Nasami
     CM Tsugaru
     CM Itsukushima

Allied Ships
     SS Haddo

SS Haddo launches 4 torpedoes at CM Tokiwa
Haddo bottoming out ....
CM Itsukushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
CM Itsukushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
CM Itsukushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
CM Itsukushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
CM Itsukushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Taberfane at 80,117

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
     A6M2 Zero x 17
     A6M3a Zero x 33
     Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 19

Allied aircraft
     SBD-3 Dauntless x 25

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
     SBD-3 Dauntless: 18 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Taberfane at 80,117

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
     A6M2 Zero x 17
     A6M3a Zero x 33
     Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 19

Allied aircraft
     Beaufort VIII x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
     Beaufort VIII: 5 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 78,47 (near Chungking)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 52017 troops, 116 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1723

Defending force 9399 troops, 53 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 301

Allied adjusted assault: 428

Japanese adjusted defense: 490

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
     2129 casualties reported
        Squads: 15 destroyed, 217 disabled
        Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
        Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
     Guns lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
     2978 casualties reported
        Squads: 14 destroyed, 368 disabled
        Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
        Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
     Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
   47th Chinese Corps
   27th Chinese Corps
   73rd Chinese Corps
   99th Chinese Corps
   34th Chinese Corps
   8th Chinese/A Corps
   8th Chinese/B Corps
   21st Group Army
   27th Group Army
   11th Chinese Base Force

Defending units:
   13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
   8th Mongol Cavalry Division
   5th RGC Division

(in reply to crsutton)

Post #: 1711

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 11:02:12 AM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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Mar 11, 1943

Things got bad today.
Brad foresaw my intentions and punished me hard.
After yesterday torpedo attack at Boela, i decided to disband some of the TFs that were sitting there... BAD IDEA! Brad, for the first time in this match, surprised me with a port attack. nearly 150 4Es arrived, with 44 P-38s in sweep mode at 30,000 feet. I had only a tiny zero sentai with 25 A6M2s.... all my CMs got sunk - 15!!! - (among them some valuable ones, like those who have 125 and 150 mines!!!!), along with several PBs, xAKs and a DD....

we lost 6 zeros, while Brad lost only 7 4Es in the process... a defeat...but a small one considering what i could have lost if i had disbanded my valuable ships (BBs and CVL that were sitting there)... clearly QBall was targetting those ones, not the minelayers...

several more ships are spotted moving to Darwin... some CA/CLs are just passing through the torrent straits... things will get hot soon!

No sign of the enemy CVs near PH... nor near the WC... how can it be??? I'm retiring my subs...there's no point remaining there waiting for being sunk... Brad must have seen my subs and moved them away (maybe Cape Town or took a longer route directly for the west coast).

The 4Es are now away from the East coast of Oz...now they are all packed at Darwin... soon the air war for the southern DEI will begin...

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1712

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 3:12:29 PM

obvert

Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
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quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Mar 11, 1943

Things got bad today.
Brad foresaw my intentions and punished me hard.
After yesterday torpedo attack at Boela, i decided to disband some of the TFs that were sitting there... BAD IDEA! Brad, for the first time in this match, surprised me with a port attack. nearly 150 4Es arrived, with 44 P-38s in sweep mode at 30,000 feet. I had only a tiny zero sentai with 25 A6M2s.... all my CMs got sunk - 15!!! - (among them some valuable ones, like those who have 125 and 150 mines!!!!), along with several PBs, xAKs and a DD.... we lost 6 zeros, while Brad lost only 7 4Es in the process... a defeat...but a small one considering what i could have lost if i had disbanded my valuable ships (BBs and CVL that were sitting there)... clearly QBall was targetting those ones, not the minelayers...

several more ships are spotted moving to Darwin... some CA/CLs are just passing through the torrent straits... things will get hot soon!

No sign of the enemy CVs near PH... nor near the WC... how can it be??? I'm retiring my subs...there's no point remaining there waiting for being sunk... Brad must have seen my subs and moved them away (maybe Cape Town or took a longer route directly for the west coast).

The 4Es are now away from the East coast of Oz...now they are all packed at Darwin... soon the air war for the southern DEI will begin...

It's good you only lost the CMs, but those are some good ships also. It will make any offensive mining have to rely on subs more.

I've learned to respect the range of the 4E. Anything in range is a target. I just had the third port attack this game taking out support ships. Although I think about it, and know not to keep any in port within range of a 4E capable base, sometimes I too get lazy and think I know where he can go and where he can't. The best lesson is to forget all of that and stay out of range completely when in port.

Soon I'll have to deal with the B-29 range. That will be a game changing transition, I'm sure.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1713

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 3:49:06 PM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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Agree erik, 4Es on port attack can really ruin your day. So far i've been pretty carefull on not disband important ships in ports where the 4Es can strike...but sometimes i forget and i always get punished :-)

Mar 12, 1943

A very important day today. The operation "running horse" is over today. We managed to finish our defensive disposition in the southern DEI, delivering at Saumlaki with a HUGE fast transport operation the "C" regiment of the 20th Division and an heavy artillery Bn.
Now Saumlaki has an Army HQ (the 8th), a Naval guard unit, an ind eng rgt, an heavy arty Bn (with 150 cm guns) and 2 full regiments. The regiment of the 20th division is an "heavy" one, composed by 1943 Heavy Inf squads

.

So now we have the whole arc between Roti-Koepang and Taberfane-Babo heavily garrisoned. He won't be able to advance here for quite a long time me think.

I really think the time for Tabiutea is coming... moving a full CAR DIV into position. AOs are enroute from Japan.

Today we had to withdraw 2 Betty sentais.... this really hurts

180 Bombers suddenly appeared at Port Hedland.... why in the world should he base there so many bombers?????

(in reply to obvert)

Post #: 1714

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 4:44:50 PM

crsutton

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Joined: 12/6/2002
From: Maryland
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Good point, the Japanese pretty much were unable and unwilling to port any ships in range of Allied bombers. This is well reflected in the game and creates a serious handicap for the Japanese player. And requires him to burn more fuel. I am again amazed at how beautifully designed this this game is...

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(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1715

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 5:02:53 PM

GreyJoy

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Yes CrSutton. This game is amazing!!!!

To summerize, this is our defensive first line in the southern DEI:

-ROTI: 1 regiment, 1 Naval Guard Unit, 1 AT regiment, 2 base forces (4 forts).
-Koepang: 1 Army HQ, 1 division, several AA units, 2 Naval Guard Units, 2 Arty units and several more support units.
- DILI: a mixed Bde, a naval guard unit, 2 AA units and 3 base forces.
-LAUTEM: 1 Division, 1 Army Area HQ (range 5), 3 Artillery units, a Guard Unit, 4 AA units and several base forces.

- Babar: 1 Garrison unit and 1 Regiment (266 AVs) (in range with the Army Area HQ at Lautem)
- Selroe: 2 regiments of the 69th Division (in range of the Army HQ at Saumlaki)
- Saumlaki: 2 regiments, a naval guard unit, an Army HQ, an Eng Rgt and 1 Artillery unit (pieces of 150 and 104 mm)

(in reply to crsutton)

Post #: 1716

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 5:50:34 PM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
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From: Winnipeg, MB
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Can those bombers reach your oil fields at Soerabaja? Assume they are B-24/LB-30 type.

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(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1717

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 7:33:57 PM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Can those bombers reach your oil fields at Soerabaja? Assume they are B-24/LB-30 type.

Nope, 25 hexes from Port Hedland to Sosarbaja (The LB-30 has a max range of 24 hexes). At Sosarbaja I keep, anyway, 27 N1K1 always on 60%CAP at 15k feet, cause from Cocos they can reach it (always unescorted).

I also keep Nicks and Tojos and Palembang and Batavia...just to be sure

Flak is present in every important base (meaning those who have industrial facilities).

Strategically thinking, i do believe now Brad has lost his momentum in Southern DEI. He will have to do the old way in order to advance "safely"....which means close all important AFs before attempting a major landing

The more i think of it, the more i think QBall will advance in CENTPAC first...but an advance in CENTPAC will mean a lot of time...and a lot of risky amphib operations...and that's exactly what i want.

We'll now slowly move back some of my units from the lower Solomons and re-direct them to Ponape and Kusiae Island.
Hollandia and Biak will keep on getting reinforcements.
Sorong is already at level 2 AF and i plan to bring more units to Menado area and start building the nearby bases

the defences of Sumatra are getting stronger every day. A small infantry unit has just gotten to Engano and now the most important islands on the western coast of Sumatra are garrisoned. Padang and Benkoleng are already two strongpoints in my defensive perimeter. Sebang too.

Things look good to be honest

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 1718

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 9:34:06 PM

GreyJoy

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Mar 13 1943

Ok guys, i think i can confirm you: CENTPAC is where he will be landing. Intel confirms that Pago Pago is FULL of 88 ships. Among them CAs, APs etc... do we have to believe to japanese intel? I do. Makes perfect sense.
Tahio is already on the move, along with the KB and Yamato's battle group (4 BBs, 4 CAs and 12 modern DDs).
The 56th Infantry divisions is being divided into 3 regiments and moved to Nauru Island, Kusiae and Ponape.
90 Betties and 60 zeros are being transfered, along with 18 Emilies and some 54 Vals.

In China he keeps on tryin to break the pocket around Chungking. My tank army is already moving to cut all his vectors and create a smaller pocket

Now it all depends on how's the status of Brad's CVs... Think Wasp is back online so i do think he has at least 4 operative carriers by now

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1719

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 9:42:14 PM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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Moreover, today 80 4Es paid again visit to Boela port and sunk some more damaged ships. But they came unescorted and 7 A6M2s on CAP managed to shoot down 4 beasts for no losses on our part!!!!

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1720

RE: Bad luck - 1/6/2013 11:31:33 PM

ny59giants

Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
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Where have you placed your large BFs that can upgrade to include small to medium CD guns?? They may not be much, but every bit helps.

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Post #: 1721

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 1:42:25 AM

Cribtop

Posts: 3890
Joined: 8/10/2008
From: Lone Star Nation
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GJ, I concur that you have built a wall in the eastern DEI and Q will probably seek other avenues of approach. This is a strategic victory for you as those other avenues are longer trips to anything vital. Be aware, however, that Q, having mentally committed to a Darwin-Timor advance axis, may need a solid defeat on that axis to admit he has to re-direct. In other words, well done, but don't fall asleep in the Timor region for a while.

Also, be aware that Q may see a CENTPAC or SWPAC offensive as a strategic diversion before a return to the DEI. Again, I think you have him covered up for now, but knowing how he is thinking provides an edge.

Banzai!

_____________________________

(in reply to ny59giants)

Post #: 1722

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 9:39:36 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Where have you placed your large BFs that can upgrade to include small to medium CD guns?? They may not be much, but every bit helps.

You mean the special base forces? One is at Etorofu (Kuriles), which is my main naval base for NOPAC theatre (while Shimushiri Jiima is my main air base), one is forming at Guam and another one is at Ambon.
CD guns are also present at Sebang and Ambon.

Provisional base forces are at Port Blair, Little Adaman and Rabaul.

(in reply to ny59giants)

Post #: 1723

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 9:51:35 AM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

GJ, I concur that you have built a wall in the eastern DEI and Q will probably seek other avenues of approach. This is a strategic victory for you as those other avenues are longer trips to anything vital. Be aware, however, that Q, having mentally committed to a Darwin-Timor advance axis, may need a solid defeat on that axis to admit he has to re-direct. In other words, well done, but don't fall asleep in the Timor region for a while.

Also, be aware that Q may see a CENTPAC or SWPAC offensive as a strategic diversion before a return to the DEI. Again, I think you have him covered up for now, but knowing how he is thinking provides an edge.

Banzai!

Yes Crib, i'm very much aware that the pressure on southern DEI will keep on growing. So i will be very carefull not to understimate the threat here. I won't strip my assets from here. CENTPAC and SWPAC will have only the necessary assets. nothing more.

I'm prepared for an enemy invasion of the southern DEI, but i really do not see where he could invade right now without all his CVs available. He will need to start a carpet bombing campaign of my AFs first. I'm ready to meet him.

Mar 14 1943

Today the 4Es came again against Boela, sinking 7 more damaged ships (nothing too valuable to be honest). 20 A6M3a popped up and destroyed 4 Bukas, losing 5 fighters (1 KIA pilot) in the process. But i like these rates. If i can take with me a 4E for every fighter of mine, fine!

Yamaguchi's reaching Truk, along with a 100k tons replenishment TF from Tokyo. From Pago we keep on recieving heavy radio signals... something is getting ready down there. If i'm not miscalculating we should arrive there in time.

Another infantry garrison unit arrived today. Will be moved to Onnekotan Jiima, while the 61st Division is being formed at Tokyo. Will be sent to Pagan (Mariannas) as soon as we get enough PPs.

Once the Mariannas willbe secured with 3 divisions, i'll need to start building Luzon and Mindanao...

(in reply to Cribtop)

Post #: 1724

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 10:51:47 AM

GreyJoy

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This is the list of the ships sunk during the Boela raids... as u can see, a part from a damaged DD (which got badly damaged during the last naval battle against the Devonshire), nothing particularly valuable (well, the two big CMs hurts, but i can live without them)

Attachment (1)

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1725

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 10:56:32 AM

GreyJoy

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KI-84a R&D factories are finally getting repaired. I'm already producing 8 R&D points daily... in few weeks we'll be able to get 12 R&D points daily...which means in June 1943 i should get the Franks

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1726

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 11:03:01 PM

GreyJoy

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As you can see... Something's up at Pago Pago....look at the radio activity of the last 5 turns....

Attachment (1)

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1727

RE: Bad luck - 1/7/2013 11:17:39 PM

GreyJoy

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Tomorrow (17th March) Yamaguchi will regroup and reorganize his carriers around the flagship CV Tahio. Tanaka will take command of the SAG TF, composed around Yamato, Kongo, Kirishima and Ise. All the modern CLs and CAs will be with them, along with the newly arrived Akitsuki Class DDs (with air radar).
Everybody will refuel at Truk tomorrow.
All my CVs are now equipped with Jills and Judys. We'll be able to launch torps at 8 hexes. That will be the key.

150 Netties arrived at Makin, along with 54 Zeros.
54 Judys are gathering to Tarawa, along with 27 Zekes and 27 Oscars.

15 subs are moving to Tarawa, preceded by 4 glens equipped I-boats.

A fast transport TF is already unloading at Nauru Island a SNLF unit. Another one will arrive in 2 days, along with some engineers to build up forts.

So is it possible that he never moved his damaged CVs back to a shipyard? Is it possible that he did some emergency repairs and committed his damaged CVs to CENTPAC?.

Mavis and Emilies are doing their best from Makin and from Tarawa. i'm doing my best

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1728

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 7:18:03 AM

GreyJoy

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Mar 16 1943

A good day.
We've been watching QBall moving most of his air and naval assets out of Burma in the last months. Of the Royal Navy only a bunch of minor cruisers and old DDs remained anchored at Chittaong, seldom bombarding Akyab at night with no effect. More than a month ago we decided to strike and to punish Brad for his lazyness in this theatre.
We moved slowly from Japan all our TB training groups and massed some 400 Tojos. Everybody regrouped at Mandalay...a place he stopped reconning LONG time ago
We waited for a clear forecasted weather for weeks now...
Today was the day.
300 Tojos swept without mercy Chittaong skies from 25,000 and 31,000 feet. We found only minor interference by some 50 old RAF fighters (Hurricanes and P66s). We shot down 40 of them, for the loss of 4 tojos!
Then nearly 110 Kates arrived in 4 different waves. Results weren't exactly astonishing but we managed to sink the CA Hawkins, the CL Capetown and the DD Tenedos, badly damaging the CA Forbisher, for the loss of 6 Kates due to Flak. Not bad. The reduced accurancy of the 45cm Japanese Air Torpedo is really showing its effects here...out of 98 torpedoes released only 6 have reached their targets!!!

I love the idea of keep him honest even in theatres he decided not to give importance to.

KB spotted by long range 4Es recon planes at Truk

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1729

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 7:58:52 AM

GreyJoy

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My guess is that Brad's next 4E raids would be against Ambon. So we're moving accordingly, emptying it from any not usefull plane and packing it with fighters. I need to get those Tojos back from Burma asap now!

At Port Hedland all those bombers are still sitting there. Seems that he moved out most of the 4Es and SDB from Oz eastern coast to move them to Darwin and Port Hedland... is he trying to defend that port from a possible KB raid or is he massing 4Es to attack my bases in order to support a landing in the southwestern DEI (from Sosarbaja to Roti)???
We must keep on tracking his movements in order to predict his next operation...

Pago Pago was quiet today but we intercepted some radio messages from Canton Island... for sure something's up in CENTPAC

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1730

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 8:51:25 AM

obvert

Posts: 14050
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From: PDX (and now) London, UK
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quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Mar 16 1943

A good day.
We've been watching QBall moving most of his air and naval assets out of Burma in the last months. Of the Royal Navy only a bunch of minor cruisers and old DDs remained anchored at Chittaong, seldom bombarding Akyab at night with no effect. More than a month ago we decided to strike and to punish Brad for his lazyness in this theatre.
We moved slowly from Japan all our TB training groups and massed some 400 Tojos. Everybody regrouped at Mandalay...a place he stopped reconning LONG time ago
We waited for a clear forecasted weather for weeks now...
Today was the day.
300 Tojos swept without mercy Chittaong skies from 25,000 and 31,000 feet. We found only minor interference by some 50 old RAF fighters (Hurricanes and P66s). We shot down 40 of them, for the loss of 4 tojos!
Then nearly 110 Kates arrived in 4 different waves. Results weren't exactly astonishing but we managed to sink the CA Hawkins, the CL Capetown and the DD Tenedos, badly damaging the CA Forbisher, for the loss of 6 Kates due to Flak. Not bad. The reduced accurancy of the 45cm Japanese Air Torpedo is really showing its effects here...out of 98 torpedoes released only 6 have reached their targets!!!

I love the idea of keep him honest even in theatres he decided not to give importance to.

KB spotted by long range 4Es recon planes at Truk

Nice work in Burma on the British. Sucks your TT don't work very well, as that many Kates should really wipe the board there with no aerial resistance. Still, the more old less valuable ships you take out, the more modern ships he has to use in dangerous areas.

So after all of this build-up in the DEI, I keep wondering where you found the necessary troops and support, especially in your mod, at this point in the war. What is still weak? There must be some big holes somewhere, right?

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 1731

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 9:13:31 AM

GreyJoy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

Nice work in Burma on the British. Sucks your TT don't work very well, as that many Kates should really wipe the board there with no aerial resistance. Still, the more old less valuable ships you take out, the more modern ships he has to use in dangerous areas.

So after all of this build-up in the DEI, I keep wondering where you found the necessary troops and support, especially in your mod, at this point in the war. What is still weak? There must be some big holes somewhere, right?

What is weak? Well, pretty much everything!

Sumatra has so many weak spots i can't even count. Java is lightly defended (too many bases!), Luzon and Mindanao are empty and so is most of Borneo and Celebes. SOPAC is very lightly held and CENTPAC should need a lot way more forces.

However we managed to garrison and defend pretty well imho the most dangerous bases, meaning those which have the potential of becoming a big AF.

The Mariannas are yet to be garrisoned properly (the 8th Div who had to go there has been diverted to Kendari) but we're slowly moving the support troops needed (base forces, Flak units, engineers etc).

You know Erik, with stacking limits the whole defensive strategic philosophy changes. The allies cannot simply put togheder a LCU death star and land somehwere. Sure they can overstack against an atoll and hope to get it fast enough not to burn every single drop of supplies in a turn but to do that they must expose themself...and Brad isn't exactly a risk-taking guy as far as i can tell.

So my defensive strategy has been, since the beginning, building around the concept of a deep defence, where the forward bases just had the task to hold the allied landings long enough to buy to the air and naval forces the time needed to concentrate in the backwaters and counterattack...which means lots of expendable troops very forward in not-built up bases. I'm not building any base which is directly threatened of being invaded and conquered. A dot base with forts is the worst possible landing target for the allies cause they cannot bomb its facilities (AF or port) and thety can't stop the forts building process. Sure they can bomb the LCUs, but in jungle terrain, with a bit of forts, results shouldn't be that interesting for them.

Another important point of my strategy has been to buy out of China only the regiments and Bdes badly distrupted by the heavy fightings at very cheap PPs prices... The regiments tend to get wiped out pretty fast in land fightings, especially on the offensive. this is a PITA but it gives you the chance of buy them out faster...and while a regiment or a Bde can't achieve much in China wuith stacking limits, it can be decisive in a defensive posture in a pacific island... at least enough to prevent any easy landing.

Now my goal for the rest of 1943 is to deny the allies any easy advancing vector, forcing them to take their risks and a longer route. I'm stripping on pourpose the southern Solomons...i'd love them to take that route of advance. in the meanwhile i'm building my defences around Rabaul and the whole new britain...

If i manage to deny him the easiest vectors towards the DEI or the Mariannas i think i'll be in a good defensive position in 1944, when all those fat LCUs will start arriving

(in reply to obvert)

Post #: 1732

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 9:35:57 AM

obvert

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Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
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quote:

You know Erik, with stacking limits the whole defensive strategic philosophy changes. The allies cannot simply put togheder a LCU death star and land somehwere. Sure they can overstack against an atoll and hope to get it fast enough not to burn every single drop of supplies in a turn but to do that they must expose themself...and Brad isn't exactly a risk-taking guy as far as i can tell.

Yes, I certainly wish we had adopted the stacking limits in the first year, but it wasn't fair at the time because we hadn't begun in China with them, so Jocke had suffered there and then wouldn't be able to do the same in Burma and elsewhere if we had adopted them. Next time though, for sure, whether it's DBB or just the stacking with vanilla.

quote:

Now my goal for the rest of 1943 is to deny the allies any easy advancing vector, forcing them to take their risks and a longer route. I'm stripping on pourpose the southern Solomons...i'd love them to take that route of advance. in the meanwhile i'm building my defences around Rabaul and the whole new britain...

If i manage to deny him the easiest vectors towards the DEI or the Mariannas i think i'll be in a good defensive position in 1944, when all those fat LCUs will start arriving

Yes. This is the way to go. Deny what he wants, and give him what he doesn't for long enough to make him commit, then fight tooth and nail for it.

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Post #: 1733

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 11:14:10 AM

GreyJoy

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From what i can tell, there may be enemy divisions at:
Port Hedland (60,000 troops).
Broome (30,000 troops).
Darwin (60,000 troops).
Townsville (55,000 troops).

A part from Darwin i don't see any good reasons for all those troops to be there. They cannot be simply support units so these may be all good starting points for an invasion.

For sure more units are by now stacked at Pago and maybe some more at Exmouth...so i need to keep my "lizard sense" very well awake

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Post #: 1734

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 4:08:00 PM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
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From: Winnipeg, MB
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quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Mar 16 1943

A good day.
We've been watching QBall moving most of his air and naval assets out of Burma in the last months. Of the Royal Navy only a bunch of minor cruisers and old DDs remained anchored at Chittaong, seldom bombarding Akyab at night with no effect. More than a month ago we decided to strike and to punish Brad for his lazyness in this theatre.
We moved slowly from Japan all our TB training groups and massed some 400 Tojos. Everybody regrouped at Mandalay...a place he stopped reconning LONG time ago
We waited for a clear forecasted weather for weeks now...
Today was the day.
300 Tojos swept without mercy Chittaong skies from 25,000 and 31,000 feet. We found only minor interference by some 50 old RAF fighters (Hurricanes and P66s). We shot down 40 of them, for the loss of 4 tojos!
Then nearly 110 Kates arrived in 4 different waves. Results weren't exactly astonishing but we managed to sink the CA Hawkins, the CL Capetown and the DD Tenedos, badly damaging the CA Forbisher, for the loss of 6 Kates due to Flak. Not bad. The reduced accurancy of the 45cm Japanese Air Torpedo is really showing its effects here...out of 98 torpedoes released only 6 have reached their targets!!!

I love the idea of keep him honest even in theatres he decided not to give importance to.

KB spotted by long range 4Es recon planes at Truk

You did well with that raid for using trainee pilots, so I am not sure why you are blaming the torpedos for lack of accuracy? Has there been some discussion suggesting those torps are not good?

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Post #: 1735

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 5:11:04 PM

GreyJoy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

You did well with that raid for using trainee pilots, so I am not sure why you are blaming the torpedos for lack of accuracy? Has there been some discussion suggesting those torps are not good?

Those trainee pilots had all their Naval T skill in their 70s... they lack in naval bombing skill and they are still training...
however the 45cm aerial japanese torpedoes have been reduced in their accurancy in DBB.... no more laser guided japanese torpedoes unfortunately

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Post #: 1736

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 5:14:37 PM

GreyJoy

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As far as i can tell, it's not the best idea to only use torpedo bombers against anything smaller than a CV/BB. without the dive bombers that can slow them down, Cruisers and DDs are simply too fast and too nimble for this modified version of the japanese torpedoes. If you need nearly 100 torps in clear weather with 70 NavT pilots to score 6 hits (which is a horrible 6%!!!), chances of really harming the enemy are really low... DBs seem to me very important to act in coordination and combination with the TBs... even if they do not inflict that much damage, they seem to slow down the hit ships enough to make them easy prey for the TBs

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Post #: 1737

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 5:24:03 PM

veji1

Posts: 1019
Joined: 7/9/2005
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quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

As far as i can tell, it's not the best idea to only use torpedo bombers against anything smaller than a CV/BB. without the dive bombers that can slow them down, Cruisers and DDs are simply too fast and too nimble for this modified version of the japanese torpedoes. If you need nearly 100 torps in clear weather with 70 NavT pilots to score 6 hits (which is a horrible 6%!!!), chances of really harming the enemy are really low... DBs seem to me very important to act in coordination and combination with the TBs... even if they do not inflict that much damage, they seem to slow down the hit ships enough to make them easy prey for the TBs

As it should be ! they were supposed to work together, with the Torps killing the boats slowed down by the DBs, if the mod allows to emulate that well another good point for this mod.

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Post #: 1738

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 5:31:23 PM

GreyJoy

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Joined: 3/18/2011
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Yes, DBB seems to do really a good job.
The reduced effect of the GP bombs really makes harder for both sides to achieve those atomic airfield bombardments (for Japan is almost impossible to even close an airstrip in China).
At the same time the reduced effect of AP bombs (not the penetration value, just the effect) makes the naval battles much more "real".
The reduced japanese torp accurancy allows to a better gameplay cause the laser-guided torps were really too much deadly (think they were modelled in stock based more on an exception (Nells against Force Z) rather than long term statistical records).

Mar 17, 1943

While the KB refuels and regroup at Truk, my Mavis spotted a cruiser TF (7 ships, with at least 2 CLs) at Canton Isl... seems that we were right!!!

We're getting ready to meet them

(in reply to veji1)

Post #: 1739

RE: Bad luck - 1/8/2013 5:37:28 PM

witpqs

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From: Argleton
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When you know before the turn about the situation (which many times you do not know ahead of time, of course) then you can set the TB to use bombs and have them glide bomb.

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Post #: 1740