RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Quixote

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Quixote

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/8/2012 12:24:06 AM

ctangus

Posts: 2153
Joined: 10/13/2005
From: Boston, Mass.
Status: offline

12/23 - 12/26/41

Malaya

Alor Star falls but Operation Bug Out II was a partial success. I successfully evac'd @ 60% of the surrounded 6th & 15th Indian Brigades. Though I still need to get them off Sumatra. Details, details...

After my opponent invaded Mersing I was able to rail 3 or 4 units back to Singapore but there's still 200+ AV hopelessly cut off. Operation Bug Out III will try to fly out large portions of another brigade or two.

50K+ supplies at Singapore, but barely over 600 AV to defend it.

Kudos to my opponent for keeping me continually off balance here and successfully attacking me piecemeal. Still sucks though...

China

SW of Chengchow, in clear territory, my Chinese troops were utterly CRUSHED.

Ground combat at 87,45 (near Chengchow)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 88279 troops, 788 guns, 581 vehicles, Assault Value = 3081

Defending force 42562 troops, 168 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1318

Japanese adjusted assault: 3433

Allied adjusted defense: 226

Japanese assault odds: 15 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
5287 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 513 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 25 disabled
Vehicles lost 58 (46 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
19776 casualties reported
Squads: 980 destroyed, 82 disabled OUCH!!!
Non Combat: 325 destroyed, 120 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 71 (54 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Units retreated 7

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

I didn't expect to hold here, but I certainly didn't expect these casualties either. While I'm trying to create some mischief with small forces around here I need to abandon both Chengchow & Loyang for now & head for safer territory. Between the two I believe that's 130 supply/day I'm abandoning.

I hate to give up the supplies but there's a silver lining - the loss of supplies is balanced by a lot fewer Chinese that need to be fed!

South Pac/SW Pac

While Rabaul held my opponent up for a few days he's subsequently been steamrolling the area with small ground troops. I hate to give this area up on the cheap but I haven't known how well his invasions have been covered.

Two reasons for that:

1. No good intel where 4 Jap fleet carriers are since @ Dec 10th or so (Car Divs 2 & 5).
2. Until two turns ago no naval search capability in the area other than what started at Port Moresby. On Dec 8th Admiral Bonnie told me I should send some AVs & AVDs to the theater ASAP. But did I listen to her? No...

Couple patrol bases operational now, at least.

I have two, soon to be three carrier TFs in the neighborhood. 1 NZ & 1 USN SAG as well. More than enough to stop a "cheap" invasion but I'm reluctant to commit them without better intel.

Noumea has only been reinforced with 1 NZ engineer unit which is building forts. More significant ground reinforcemnts are on ship but still 2+ weeks away.

In New Guinea the Aussie cruisers were sent to intercept an invasion of Milne Bay. They arrived too late to save the base but got some small retribution.

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< Message edited by ctangus -- 11/8/2012 9:03:28 PM >

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Post #: 31

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/8/2012 9:26:39 PM

ctangus

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From: Boston, Mass.
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12/27/41

Nothing momentous occurred this turn, so I'll provide longer updates on a couple theaters.

DEI

After my opponent's initial blitzkrieg of Palembang he advanced no further on Sumatra.

However he has been steadily expanding his hold on Borneo, Celebes & nearby islands. See the map. After a couple ineffectual attempts I've stopped (for now) attempting to challenge his invasions. Alex is keeping his invasions well covered with both air & naval forces.

I'm modestly reinforcing Java. Some multi-national air units & I'm flying in some isolated Dutch LCUs. I could get more in if I decided to ship them however I don't want to spend the PPs. Maybe if I have a little more time...

The remnants of Force Z, the Dutch cruisers & the Houston TF are in nearby waters. I intend to commit them in Java's defense if I don't see any earlier opportunities. I'll at least be able to provide them with some CAP. Also BB Warspite, recently repaired at Seattle, is now on her way via the Atlantic to Capetown, eventually to replace POW in Force Z.

I'm desperately short on fuel, too. A few turns back all but one of the small Dutch oilers were sunk in an air raid against Christmas Island (IO). The two Aussie oilers will be transiting the Torres strait in about a week to replace them.

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< Message edited by ctangus -- 11/10/2012 11:42:15 AM >

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/8/2012 9:44:36 PM

ctangus

Posts: 2153
Joined: 10/13/2005
From: Boston, Mass.
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Luzon

I had a few units cut-off in Northern Luzon earlier in the game though I successfully extracted some of them. Lost @150-200 AV.

I have subsequently declared Manila an open city and have retreated to Clark Field & Bataan. @36K supply between the 2 bases & 1300 AV. Another 180 AV in reinforcements arrives in 4 days.

This had the possibility of being a disaster (like Malaya) but I'm halfway content. The situation certainly could be better but it could be far worse as well. Hopefully I can last as long as the supply does. I'll need to start monitoring it.

Speaking of supply I've assigned Nautilus & Narwhal to supply duty and the first sub load will be dropped off in 2-3 turns. Won't make a huge difference but a few weeks of effort from them might buy an extra day or two. I've yet to try to send in any blockade runners. Alex (Quixote) did a very good job of interdicting shipping leaving the PI. Perhaps he'll relax his guard now that most the PI shipping has been sunk.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/10/2012 12:13:04 PM

ctangus

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From: Boston, Mass.
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12/28/41

I've seen the replay for the 29th but since I don't have the turn I'll write this like it hasn't happened yet.

Malaya

Johore Bahru falls.

OPSEC may be over for Operation Bug Out II. An airfield attack against Medan destroys 2 precious transports on the ground. Dutch transports & patrol planes are abandoning Medan. RAF & USAAF transports will continue operating from Sabang for the moment.

South Pac

IJN subs are active here & are sinking unescorted transports every day. The first troop transports have arrived at Pago Pago safely though. Reinforcements for Suva & Noumea should arrive in @ 9 & 12 days respectively.

Philippines, DEI

Mop-up invasions continue for now.

Northeast China

This continues to be a big swirling mess. I kinda am enjoying it.

The big threat continues to be 120K IJA troops driving on Chengchow/Loyang. That's 130 supply/day threatened. I do have level 3 forts there so I may try to defend for a few days.

I have abandoned Nanyang for now. 4 tank units have entered the city and it will surely fall on the 29th.

In the meantime I have guerrillas sitting on most of the major roads behind the front. Hopefully that will mess with the Japanese supply situation a bit. I'm also sending some small forces on flanking attacks to attempt to divert forces from the IJA schwerpunkt.

I invested Sinyang mainly to provide a training ground for Chinese troops however I now have 45K IJA troops surrounded there. I'm sure that won't last for long - too many enemy troops nearby. Anyway raw odds are roughly even plus the defender has woods and probably some forts. If I can get a few more troops in before the encirclement is broken I'll try a deliberate attack. I don't expect great success here but maybe I can beat up on those troops a little.

3 of the 4 units I booted out of Ichang marched out of the swamps & back into Ichang. (I thought they were headed NE.) Might be as much as 450 IJA AV albeit in bad shape. I only have about 120 AV between two beat-up Chinese Corps there. A little over half the Chinese artillery is there as well - it had been in transit north. If the IJA attacks this turn I could be in trouble. I don't expect an attack as there's a high unit count there but I'm still a little worried.

Reserves were next door and will be there in two days. I then should be able to complete encircling those troops and eliminate them once & for all.

Hopefully the picture makes a little sense:

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Post #: 34

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/10/2012 12:22:45 PM

ctangus

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Southern China

The threat here is to the 120 supplies/day at Wuchow with 7 IJA units driving on it. Reinforcements are on the way but still several days short. Nearby I've ordered a shock attack at Kukong. If successful maybe it'll divert forces from the Wuchow offensive.

On the 28th in woods SE of Nanchang I routed a small Japanese tank unit. I have forces trying to follow up. There are 4 units in Nanchang and now at least one of them is leaving to the northeast. I'm not sure what that's about.

Further east at Chuhsien I'm about to surround an annoying Japanese blocking force that has been sitting there for a number of days.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/12/2012 12:20:40 AM

ctangus

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12/29 - 12/30/41

Admiral Bonnie just got some top secret intelligence about our opponent. It appears that Admiral Catamoto is plotting for the IJN! link

North Pac

Japanese forces took Attu & Shemya with token forces in the first 2-4 days of the war but there has been no sign of them since. I think this was mostly a defensive move for the Japanese. However I do now have a small naval force (2 old CLS, 3 old DDs) in the area and am slowly but steadily building up Dutch Harbor & Umnak Island.

West Coast

I haven't said anything about this area up to now . There are 2 or 3 or 4 IJN subs operating just outside ASW range off the US West Coast. They've managed to hit 3-4 transports, all unloaded, and sunk most of them. I have a couple weak ASW TFs operating in the area but they've been completely ineffective so far.

While I've sent most free troops based on the West Coast to forward bases no troop convoys have been hit.

The worst damage was @2 weeks ago when CA San Francisco ate two torps. It took her @ 10 days to limp into port but she made it & will be operational again in @ 2 1/2 months. San Francisco was part of the screen I was pre-positioning for the arrival of CV Yorktown. Yorktown & 12 escorts are just recently on their way to South Pac.

SW Pac

I've been slowly reinforcing Port Moresby but on the 29th Netties from Rabaul sunk a small supply TF unloading there. A little over 7K supply there now so should last a little while - further resupply efforts will have to wait until I can provide fighter cover. Considering other priorities that's at best that's 2-3 weeks away.

Celebes Sea

I haven't said too much about the Japanese steamrolling Mindinao but they are certainly doing so. See the map.

I did just notice that there are potential high-value ships parked at Tarakan. What few B-17s I can muster are ordered to port attack next turn.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/12/2012 12:32:15 AM

ctangus

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Malaya

No advance on Singapore yet. The IJA seems to be waiting until they can wipe out the stragglers they cut off further north in the peninsula.

Meanwhile Operation Bug Out III is proceeding unhindered.

Burma

This has largely been a quiet theater but not completely. We've had a few air battles over Rangoon & for now I've withdrawn my fighters so they can rest & replenish.

On 12/11 Japanese paratroopers took Victoria Point.

A small IJA armored unit just entered Moulmein. I don't want to give up Moulmein on the cheap so I haven't evac'd anything there yet, though I'm preparing my initial defensive line in the jungle hex just across the river.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/12/2012 12:53:09 AM

ctangus

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Northeast China

This continues to be a busy theater. Hopefully the pic helps.

At Chengchow the IJA orders a bombardment attack, probably for reconnaissance purposes. Roughly 2K vs 1K AV for the bad guys. I'm retreating, but don't know if I can hold off attacks long enough to retreat orderly. Possible advantages for the brave Chinese: 1. Level 3 Forts. 2. I have guerrillas sitting on his major supply lines so hopefully his supply situation is tenuous.

Nanyang: the IJA took it easily after I abandoned it. 110 IJA AV. The Nanyang garrison just met up with reserves coming from Sian (@750 AV total) & we'll attempt to retake the base & hopefully destroy a few Japanese tanks in the process.

Ichang: Th IJA does try to shock attack me, but on the very day my reinforcements arrive. They are crushed. I could easily counter-attack with success but I want to wait until I can surround them. (@ 1 week.) I'd rather take the extra time to eliminate them rather than deal with weak IJA forces running over my rear areas for months.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/12/2012 1:11:40 AM

ctangus

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South China

A Chinese attack against the aggressors at Kukong was successful. However that hasn't as of yet diverted IJA forces from their Wuchow offensive.

I'm reinforcing the roadblock east of Canton with another (strong) Chinese Corps. If I can break that roadblock perhaps I can pull troops away from Wuchow.

I also have 400+ AV in troops and 2 artillery units rushing to reinforce Wuchow. Due to poor infrastructure they are moving FAR slower than their Japanese counterparts.

To be honest I think chances are that I'm going to lose the race to Wuchow. However I don't consider the situation completely hopeless & I'd really rather not give up that 120 supply/day.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 5:38:13 PM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

December 7th 1941, Dutch East Indies

In the early morning hours two Dutch subs encounter suspicious Japanese shipping but as no hostilities are yet declared the Dutch take the high road and do not engage.

Shortly thereafter the fragile peace in the Pacific is shattered when a Japanese transport TF tried to ambush the CL Boise as she was peacefully sailing to Balikpapan. While shocked at this breach of peace the Boise acquited herself well.

CL Boise and her sisters should be classified CAs. They have considerably more armor than most CLs and two to three times the firepower. I adore that design.

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Post #: 40

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 5:46:40 PM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

Cent Pac

Guam held a few days but has now fallen. Also Wake, Tulagi, Ocean & Nauru islands.

North Pac

Attu & Shemya are now Japanese, having fallen to token IJA units. I've sent a small SAG consisting of 2 Omaha class CLs and a short division of four-stackers to the theater.

China

China probably deserves two or three posts itself but here's an overview of my grand strategic plan:

Dude in life jacket doing the backstroke. Looks like a shark got his legs. I hope this grand strategy is confined to China.

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Post #: 41

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 9:06:48 PM

ctangus

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Thanks for stopping by. I've lurked on your AAR before but haven't posted since I've yet to have words of wisdom, or even silliness, to offer as of yet.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

CL Boise and her sisters should be classified CAs. They have considerably more armor than most CLs and two to three times the firepower. I adore that design.

I love the Brooklyn's also. I'm still in the process of re-organizing my US Fleet but I plan to use that class as well as the New Orleans class CAs as the backbone of my SAGs.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Dude in life jacket doing the backstroke. Looks like a shark got his legs. I hope this grand strategy is confined to China.

I have an even better plan than that for the Pacific!

Edit: While I'm usually pretty humble I have to brag a little: I'm doing a very good job at implementing the above plan. I've already lost 203 ships!!!

I probably haven't reported on it enough but here's the allied ship losses to date:

BB/BC - 1 (POW, lost Dec 7th)
CA/CL - 4 CL (Boise, Danae lost Dec 7th. Adelaide & Marblehead lost subsequently.)
DDs - 5 (3 at Manila)
SS - 22 (21 at Manila)
Others - I don't want to count.

My opponent did a very good job in interdicting shipping leaving the PI. Both by air & by sea. I didn't count exactly but I doubt I saved more than a dozen or so ships from there. He's also waging a very annoying sub war. I can pretty much count on losing at least 1-2 ships/day. Hopefully that'll get a little better as my ASW forces improve & I organize convoys. Most of my transports are still sailing unescorted as I consolidate my shipping.

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< Message edited by ctangus -- 11/13/2012 9:25:01 PM >

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Post #: 42

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 9:40:27 PM

ctangus

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12/31/41 - 1/2/42

As outlined above I continue to lose ships. Fortunately I still have Admiral Bonnie on my side - she takes personal control of SS KXI and send 3 torps into CA Chokai.

My intelligence officers have been saying for a while that 3 other Japanese cruisers have been sunk. Two received single torp hits, the last received a single mine hit. Anyway I've discounted those reports but I tend to believe them when they tell me Chokai is sunk. A new Top Secret intelligence program - the "Aircraft Losses Intelligence Screen" - reports 3 float planes destroyed on the ground.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 10:06:41 PM

ctangus

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From: Boston, Mass.
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Elsewhere

Malaya

IJA troops at Johore Bahru are already driving at Singapore. I expect to see @1200-1500 AV vs my 650 AV & level 2 forts. I am going to lose Singers far earlier than I wanted to...

Also the Japanese caught whiff of Operation Bug Out. LRCAP over Kuala Lumpur shot down 2 transports and I've discontinued the operation. It lasted for 2-3 weeks & I consider it a partial success - if & when I get everybody together I should be able to combine the 11th Indian Division at @ 40% TOE strength. Not great but I'm happy to salvage something from the disaster that is Malaya.

China

This continues to be a fluid theater. In the north Chengchow was lost with heavy lost of life & I'm at risk of being surrounded at Loyang. In the south IJA forces entered Wuchow well before my reinforcements could arrive. Not all doom & gloom - will post another pic next update.

DEI/Australia

A small IJN SAG enters Darwin. The CA Houston, with 5 4-stackers as escorts, holds her own. Chikuma only received 3 hits in 2 engagements but all were penetrating 8". Hopefully she'll need some yard time.

Concurrently IJN forces are spotted seemingly headed in the direction of Koepang.

I'm not quite sure why the Chikuma raid was ordered. Anticipating an easy kill against some transports? Trying to neutralize a potential threat to a Timor invasion? Dunno.

I haven't reinforced Timor at all yet & I my naval forces are not well positioned currently to contest an attack there if that's what the sneaky Japanese are doing.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/13/2012 11:13:45 PM

ctangus

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Random Strategic Thoughts

I've only made a couple decisions on what might be considered the strategic level so far:

1. With a Dec 7th Manila strike, not a PH strike, I consider any offensive against the Hawaiian islands extremely unlikely. I'll still build up defenses there just to be prudent but I sent a number of units from the West Coast to South Pac that might otherwise be going to Hawaii. The initial reinforcements of Samoa are now safely ashore. Fiji & New Caledonia reinforcements will arrive within a week or less.

2. With POW sunk on Dec 7th I decided to send Warspite to take her place in Force Z as soon as she was fully repaired at Seattle. She's currently in the wormhole and will arrive in the Indian Ocean sometime before 1953.

That's it for my decisions. Here are some random thoughts:

Singapore is going to fall WAY too soon. Alex seems to be concentrating on taking the SRA. I suspect most of those troops currently in Malaya will be used to take Java but he could probably spin some off to invade elsewhere. I haven't mentioned it before but the first air raids against Java have started already.

Even if he uses all the Malaya troops to take Java he'll still have time to launch a strong Phase II offensive.

Other random & disjointed observations: in South Pac the Japanese expanded as far as Luganville pretty quickly but I've had 2 patrol plane squadrons in the area for a week or so now & they've noticed absolutely no Japanese shipping. IJN subs have been active in West Pac, Cent Pac & (relatively less) Indian Ocean. Nothing around Australia, etc. I've lost track of KB for a couple weeks?! Sigint hasn't told me anything yet about Phase II objectives. For the most part my opponent has kept me off balance & leaning in the wrong direction...

I Australian Corps starts arriving in about 1 1/2 weeks & I haven't decided yet where to commit them. Want to decide on something before they start arriving.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Strat map below:

Attachment (1)

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/14/2012 1:27:51 AM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

2. With POW sunk on Dec 7th I decided to send Warspite to take her place in Force Z as soon as she was fully repaired at Seattle. She's currently in the wormhole and will arrive in the Indian Ocean sometime before 1953.

Warspite must be withdrawn. Do it at your first opportunity (in Panama) and forget about it. You can't afford the PP cost.

edit: she would slow your carriers down (if you are using her to screen) and you don't need her for bombardments before amphibious landings because you don't have anything to land (unless you're leaving a lot of stuff undefended that you shouldn't). She's a wonderful ship (for WWI) but don't think about using the New York for that duty either.

< Message edited by geofflambert -- 11/14/2012 1:33:38 AM >

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Post #: 46

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/14/2012 1:44:38 AM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus
Edit: While I'm usually pretty humble I have to brag a little: I'm doing a very good job at implementing the above plan. I've already lost 203 ships!!!

From my experience trying almost everything, the best thing to do is bull right through them. Your main problem with the PI ships is that light carrier force to the south. They can only sink so many ships (using Kates and Vals). Surface TFs are actually more dangerous and you should put your ships trying to escape on absolute and direct. Even doing that, they will still misbehave alot, just deal with it. Do not try to have the Houston track down the CVL force as it includes 3 CAs. The Kates will have a difficult time with a CA at speed and she'll get through most likely. If you order her to engage in a surface action, she'll be sunk.

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Post #: 47

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/14/2012 1:47:30 AM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

Thanks for stopping by. I've lurked on your AAR before but haven't posted since I've yet to have words of wisdom, or even silliness, to offer as of yet.

It's not very hard to be silly, I'm a moron and I manage nicely. Please feel free to embarass yourself in my AAR.

edit: Speaking about that CVL force, if I were playing the IJN, I'd let loose two of those CAs on surface combat with maximal reaction range. No need to worry about Allied subs, just go for it.

< Message edited by geofflambert -- 11/14/2012 1:51:54 AM >

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Post #: 48

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 12:03:33 AM

ctangus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Warspite must be withdrawn. Do it at your first opportunity (in Panama) and forget about it. You can't afford the PP cost.

I plan to use her in Force Z with Repulse. I'm not worried about the PP cost yet - I'm pretty confident I can sink her before her withdrawal date...

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

From my experience trying almost everything, the best thing to do is bull right through them. Your main problem with the PI ships is that light carrier force to the south. They can only sink so many ships (using Kates and Vals). Surface TFs are actually more dangerous and you should put your ships trying to escape on absolute and direct. Even doing that, they will still misbehave alot, just deal with it. Do not try to have the Houston track down the CVL force as it includes 3 CAs. The Kates will have a difficult time with a CA at speed and she'll get through most likely. If you order her to engage in a surface action, she'll be sunk.

He had Baby KB to the South of the Philippines, Kaga & Akagi to the West, 1 lone CVL/CVE to the north and the rest of the IJN Fleet CVs just to the east of Luzon. Plus a number of DD TFs patrolling in strategic locations. Thanks for the tip on the routing. I think most my ships had various "safe" orders and they wandered around all over the place.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

It's not very hard to be silly, I'm a moron and I manage nicely. Please feel free to embarass yourself in my AAR.

OK, I'll try my best...

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Post #: 49

RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 12:29:40 AM

ctangus

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1/3/42

Malaya

Bad news continues in Malaya. The Japanese cross the causeway:

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 45551 troops, 492 guns, 95 vehicles, Assault Value = 1585

Defending force 33370 troops, 420 guns, 283 vehicles, Assault Value = 687

Japanese adjusted assault: 496

Allied adjusted defense: 735

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
4510 casualties reported
Squads: 139 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 35 destroyed, 40 disabled
Guns lost 57 (26 destroyed, 31 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2168 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 148 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 63 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 46 (8 destroyed, 38 disabled)

The only good news is that the forts didn't drop. My troops are now down to about 500 AV however.

DEI

Well, I was correct in predicting an attack against Kopeang last turn. Not much I can do about it though. It hasn't been reinforced & the base will fall shortly.

So Pac

What appears to be a lone Japanese CVL is spotted east of the Solomons, headed SE.

West Coast

Quixote is waging an ever more aggressive submarine offensive. There are two Jap subs within spitting distance of both San Francisco & San Diego. I believe there are at least a couple more subs further out, too. I'd estimate the IJN subs sank at least 6 transports in this area in recent days and heavily damaged 2 more.

Transports from all over the map are just starting to trickle in. They're almost all unescorted so it's a happy hunting gtound for the Japanese.

Despite a lot of naval search & ASW patrols, plus 3 weak ASW TFs, I've had no luck at all with these subs. While I did have the foresight to set the entire 39th Bomber Group to ASW training on Dec 8th I did unfortunately overlook filling those squadrons with pilots. Admiral Bonnie was so disappointed in me when we noticed it that she ate my glasses last night.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 1:01:28 AM

ctangus

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North China

This continues to be a mess. Chengchow fell with huge loss of life. The remnants at Loyang were ordered to retreat but an IJA tank unit soon cut off their retreat path to the west.

I thought about this for a while but I decided to commit my last nearby reserves to try to break the blockade west of Loyang. My intelligence is imperfect but I think I'll be facing 200 AV or less of IJA tanks. I have 500 AV of Chinese infantry. If I'm wrong the road to Sian will be open for at least a couple weeks. If I'm right and can extract the Loyang units I'll be in a much more defensible position.

Nanyang exchanged hands twice without loss of life. I retreated & the Japs took it. Then the Japs retreated & I took it back. In a few days I'll have @1100 AV assembled here. In a couple weeks I'll have another 1000 AV or so of semi-experienced units that have up to now been besieging Hangkow.

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< Message edited by ctangus -- 11/15/2012 1:03:30 AM >

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 1:18:23 AM

ctangus

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South China

This is going a little bit better than the north.

A shock attack (barely, just barely) broke a Japanese roadblock in the woods east of Canton. The Japanese are fleeing & I'm chasing.

In the meantime the IJA offensive against Wuchow was much weaker than I thought. I have enough force to route them but my opponent has reinforcements coming - I don't know how strong they are nor when they will arrive. In hindsight I think I should have attacked but I've already sent the Jan 4th turn.

I have 400+ AV reinforcing too but they're still 5-6 days away. 2 artillery units will arrive sooner.

I just lost the supply generation at Chengchow. I'll lose Loyang's supplies in 4-5 days tops. I'd really hate to lose the supplies here too. We'll see...

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 4:12:39 AM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus
Quixote is waging an ever more aggressive submarine offensive. There are two Jap subs within spitting distance of both San Francisco & San Diego. I believe there are at least a couple more subs further out, too. I'd estimate the IJN subs sank at least 6 transports in this area in recent days and heavily damaged 2 more.

Do not patrol the open sea for subs, they are more likely to sink your DDs AMs or whatever than you are to sink them (early on before ASW upgrades). Also you have no air crews in any way competent to do ASW. Just hope the search plane units learn how to do it by trying. But how about those Bolos at Anchorage. Set them to train pilots for ASW and in maybe 3 months or so you'll have some people who can do it. I would suggest however, that you send them to Catalina units who are doing search/training at 50/50, so they can round out their experience with naval search. Search planes that spot subs will sink more of them than your ASW patrols, anyway.

< Message edited by geofflambert -- 11/15/2012 4:19:50 AM >

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 4:17:44 AM

geofflambert

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Warspite must be withdrawn. Do it at your first opportunity (in Panama) and forget about it. You can't afford the PP cost.

I plan to use her in Force Z with Repulse. I'm not worried about the PP cost yet - I'm pretty confident I can sink her before her withdrawal date...

Ha Ha! I never thought to ask if things scheduled for withdrawal cost PPs when they don't exist anymore. You're probably wise to sucker the Brits into being cannonfodder now, so you can save your pathetic 21 knot BBs to be cannon fodder later on.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/15/2012 4:22:41 AM

geofflambert

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By the way, does Adm. Bonnie set out to sea from the Firth of Clyde?

< Message edited by geofflambert -- 11/15/2012 4:27:20 AM >

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/16/2012 11:07:28 PM

ctangus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

By the way, does Adm. Bonnie set out to sea from the Firth of Clyde?

Nae, lad. The Firth of Forth. Her family has roots nearby.

As an aside - my family traditionally gives dogs names with some sort of Scottish connection. She was so cute as a pup that "Bonnie" was the only appropriate name. I'll try to do an update in a bit, but here's a pic of the Admiral when she was a mere ensign:

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/16/2012 11:48:59 PM

ctangus

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1/4 - 1/5/42

South Pac

On the 3rd what I thought was a lone CVL was spotted east of the Solomons. It disappeared on the 4th. On the 5th we've now spotted at least a good portion of the KB near the New Hebrides, apparently heading towards New Caledonia.

I'm not sure if I should believe the top line of my patrol plane's report or the bottom. Top line: 5 CVs, 3 CVLs & 1 CVE. Kaga's probably in the body & fender shop so except for a couple CVEs that would be all the IJN flattops.

Bottom line of the report: 73 fighters & 107 bombers on the Jap carriers. If that's true with USMC squadrons onboard the 3 USN CVs I have nearby slightly outnumber those figures. I could bring them to bear in 3-4 turns. Yorktown's at least two weeks away.

I'm not going to contest it - the risk far outweighs the reward. It's not a done deal yet but it still would suck to lose New Caledonia particularly considering how close I had my reinforcements. See the pic:

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/17/2012 12:02:48 AM

ctangus

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DEI

The Japanese have taken Koepang on Timor and a bunch of nearby islands, including one island which is the home of a French bipedal elephant. The allied cause may be doomed now...

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/17/2012 12:21:31 AM

ctangus

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Burma

This has largely been a quiet theater so far. There have been some air battles over Rangoon - 1st Squadron AVG did pretty well until the IJA brought in some overpowering force & we had to retreat for the moment.

In the ground war there is 1 IJA tank unit that just recently made it to Moulmein but there doesn't appear to be a serious offensive on that axis. However I did just spot 3 formations at Chiang Mai that might be trying to do an end around.

Not quite sure how to respond to that yet but as slow as their movement will be I'm sure I've got a few days to make up my mind.

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RE: Tilting at Windmills - Adm Bonnie (& ctangus) vs. Q... - 11/17/2012 12:28:58 AM

ctangus

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Elsewhere

China's still very active. More bad news in the north but modestly good news in the south. More of an update soon.

Two IJN subs were reported to have hit mines in the last two turns. One is reported as sunk though my intelligence officers are often too optimistic.

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