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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D

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RE: Another Question to the Gallery: R&D - 5/7/2014 10:42:45 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

quote:

I hate DEI campaigns and never wanted to use Darwin for that anyway. But northern Oz is a lot of VPs. He forced this campaign on me. I need the VPs, so we fight. Similar to the Aleutians. I will have them, he's fought hard there, losing most of the MKB over them, but if he'd left them alone I wouldn't have come close to the Kuriles for years.

Darwin has a value all of its own as a threat to the DEI. Darwin built up to it's maximum and some 4E's based from it would make me concerned. Even better, I'm sure that the Eastern DEI oil centers can be smashed by B-17s from Darwin.

I'd have to count to Soerbaja. Not sure. B-17s lose range with about every model upgrade. The longest legs are the pre-war Ds I think. The Fs are only 18 hexes I believe. There are a couple of dog & cat oil sources (Baola sp?), but nothing big unless Soerbaja is in range. And Soerbaja is going to be crawling with fighters.

It's Boela and the other base (Babo?) that I mean. They're easily in B-17 range. They might not be much, but the Empire is greedy for oil.

Lokasenna caught be out early in the war, and all I had to defend them was some Jake's on CAP

Which reminds me that I've neglected to get any sort of protection sorted out for them in the near future. They're a bit "off the beaten track", but I like the look of them to back up the Sorong complex.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 181

The Chungking Meatgrinder - 5/12/2014 8:07:34 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline

May 17th to May 23rd, 1942

North Pacific

The Aleutians lie abandoned, bar a single sound detector set on Attu that can't be flown off and isn't worth risking an xAKL to go and get it.

The Kuriles, however, are robustly defended. There's no naval assets to speak of, bar the KB sitting in Yokohama, but there is plenty of both ground and air assets defending these islands.

The KB itself probably will remain in Yokohama for a while. The Shokaku and Zuikaku both upgrade in a week or so. However, the KB is fully operational once again, with the destroyer AA upgrades being completed.

Central Pacific

Much needed troops start arriving here for garrisons. The Mixed Brigade for Tabuiteau still hasn't left China, but a host of Naval Guards are set up on islands needing garrisons. We're also due some SNLF units as reinforcements, and they'll be put to use garrisoning here.

One of the China divisions trashed in the fighting at Chungking finally gets a destination: Guam. The 60th Division will head out from Hong Kong to the island to recover and take replacements. It's being deployed far behind the frontlines for various reasons. It's at less than half-strength, and at 55 EXP is hardly a crack division, so it's not going to be a good fighting formation any time soon.

South-West Pacific

The only activity here is the steady progress of expansion to bases.

Shortlands is now a level 4 airbase, and Milne Bay is not far off. We'll build the forts of these bases up for another four days before sending the engineers off elsewhere.

Manus, Torokina and Kavieng are all progressing nicely.

As with the Central Pacific, more troops here would be nice. At present, it's just the Guards Mixed Brigade at Rabual. There's a Mixed Brigade at one-third strength destined for Guadalcanal from China, but it's not reached the coast yet.

Austrailia

Good progress here since the fall of Darwin.

The ABDA troops in Katherine are surrounded on all sides bar one, with a hexside to the direct east being occupied by 3 Austrailian units. The first IJA attack against Katherine is a massive success, getting 1:1 odds (nearly 2:1) and dropping the forts down to 2 as well as inflicting a great deal of damage to the ABDA units for few Japanese casualties.

Ground combat at Katherine (76,128)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 53997 troops, 523 guns, 263 vehicles, Assault Value = 2322

Defending force 61982 troops, 847 guns, 719 vehicles, Assault Value = 1539

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 2375

Allied adjusted defense: 1304

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
593 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2336 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 295 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 64 disabled
Guns lost 150 (3 destroyed, 147 disabled)
Vehicles lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Seeing as the ABDA troops can't be pocketed, we'll need to defeat them in several battles rather than simply surround them. This will prolong the timetable for Northern Austrailian operations, but not to a significant degree.

Darwin itself will soon be operational as an airbase close to the frontline, allowing more strikes against the British to be flown.

The only bad news is that an SNLF acting as a picket to the south-west of Darwin will be destroyed by an Austrailian brigade. The IJA regiment marching to save the IJN infantrymen won't reach the Yokosuka 4th SNLF in time.

Burma

Battleships will join in the bombardment of Akyab next turn as the IJA Arakan offensive picks up.

Some 1.1k AV is six miles from shock attacking into 3 British divisions. The Allies commit B-17s to bombing the troops on the 23rd for little effect.

The reinforcements from the Philippines start to pour in. The 21st Division has already off-loaded, but this unit has suffered badly from trying to break through the Bataan defences, and will garrison Rangoon until it has time to recover some strength. The 48th Division has yet to unload at Rangoon, and the convoy carrying the 16th Division is just passing through Singapore. Two additional divisions from Manchuria are marching to Burma through China. One is at Siagon and the other at Nanning. They'll be joined by a third at some point in the near future.

Aviation support and engineering units have also arrived, and are spreading out to develop the air defence network in Burma. The artillery that arrived from Bataan is already marching up to the frontlines to join in the offensive.

The Imperial Guards Division pushes the Chinese refugees into the jungle, where they're certain to escape to Burma. This leaves us a good Japanese division free in Burma, as well as a handfull of divided Thai divisions. With three more divisions heading to support the push on Akyab, the Imperial Guards will become the regional reserve until we find something for it to do.

At present, I'm considering sending the IGD and whatever combat troops are free to mount a limited push into China aimed at capturing Paoshan.

China

The hell that is Chungking grinds on.

This deliberate attack is much the same as those that went before: bloody.

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 221956 troops, 2459 guns, 1588 vehicles, Assault Value = 7075

Defending force 244422 troops, 1125 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 6587

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 4178

Allied adjusted defense: 9071

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
38081 casualties reported
Squads: 211 destroyed, 3385 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 368 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 281 disabled
Guns lost 143 (13 destroyed, 130 disabled)
Vehicles lost 222 (23 destroyed, 199 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
6982 casualties reported
Squads: 52 destroyed, 703 disabled
Non Combat: 45 destroyed, 334 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 29 disabled
Guns lost 71 (7 destroyed, 64 disabled)

How the Chinese keep getting a leaders bonus is beyond me. Despite several HQ's in the hex and picked commanders for everything at the divisional level and above, the Chinese seem to be outdoing me in leadership.

The forts, however, are getting low, and it looks like the Chinese are running out of supply.

We'll rest up, rotate the battered units and see what we can buy out, all the while we bombard the Chinese with everything from 75mm field guns to 30cm howitzers.

[image]https://www.ww2incolor.com/d/724021-2/o20125318523914f461a77e615b[/image]
Another push to break into the city center of Chungking met with bloody losses. The fighting for control of Chungking has already cost upwards of 100,000 lives.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:05 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 182

RE: The Chungking Meatgrinder - 5/15/2014 5:17:22 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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May 24th to May 28th, 1942

North Pacific

All quiet here. We're focusing on getting the forts up across all the islands.

I-boats spot an CVE's east of Dutch Harbour, but we're unsure as to how accurate that is, seeing as pilots love reporting TK's as CVE's. We'll see if we can confirm via torpedo attack.

The Yamato arrives, and will be based at Ominato. We've a naval HQ and the port nearly at size 7, so the monster battleship should be able to reload fairly close to the action. Once we get some destroyers to escort her, we'll have a strong surface combat group and plenty of LBA for it to operate under.

Central Pacific

Sub surge!

After months of fairly limited Allied sub operations, we get a half-dozen or so Allied subs pouring into the Marshalls. After the bungled Allied sub raid, we've got some good ASW assets in place, both in terms of ships and planes, and feel quite comfortable.

The last big Air HQ for the Marshalls is two or three days out, and once that arrives, we should be set in terms of aviation support.

Engineers are begining to move back to the second-line bases in this theater, mainly Kusaie and Ponape. I like the look of Ponape as it has a nice organic CD unit, and both Kusaie and Ponape give the Central Pacific defences some depth. I'm short on aviation support and garrison units for these bases, but there's some units in the reinforcement que that should fit nicely.

South-West Pacific

For the first time, recon spots Allied bombers on Luganville. I've been considering an air campaign against Luganville, but chances are between Allied flak and Allied engineers, I'll achive nothing, so I'll husband my strength

Other than that, no real change here.

Austrailia

The ABDA troops are running, and the IJA is doing it's utmost to cut them off. Every bomber that can fly is being rammed into Darwin in an effort to keep the Allied progress as slow as possible while the IJA race after the British. The hope is that we can catch them fairly close to Darwin, as the last thing we want is to be drawn into a battle in the vast depths of Austrailia.

Burma

Massive reinforcements arrive, and our bid for Akyab is looking good.

We cross the Kaladan, and our shock attack into two Indian divisions goes well. We're hampered by disruption, however, and we can't capitalize on our AV advantage in the hex. More Allied units are on the way from Cox's Bazaar, and we'll have our two crusier divisions bombard them.

We're getting ready to capitalize on our beachhead over the Kaladan with two divisions, plus armour and plenty of artillery moving up the road from Prome to Akyab. They'll take two weeks or so to arrive at the battlefield.

In northern Burma, we've plugged up the passes into China with a mixed bag of units. Some Thai's, some armour, a garrison unit and the Imperial Guards division will do it's best to prevent any Chinese escaping into Burma.

China

Our reinforcements for the Central Pacific are nearly at Hong Kong, and not a moment too soon.

The usual shuffle of battered and brusied units from Chungking continues, with the units fresh from R&R in Chengtu heading back to the meatgrinder. We're building Chengtu up to a level 8 or 9 airbase, and we've a host of aviation support moving into it. It should be operational as a big bomber base within a week or so.

Crude, but effective. Japanese troops crossing the Kaladan River in the face of opposition from Indian troops.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:11 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 183

RE: The Chungking Meatgrinder - 5/20/2014 4:55:02 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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May 29th to June 2nd, 1942

We've fallen to the second page, can't have that!

North Pacific

Nothing brewing, bar ASW aircraft seeing if any Allied subs are in the offing.

I'm going to let the engineer units build forts until the end of the month, before they're moved to dig more airstrips on Hokkaido.

Central Pacific

The Allied sub-surge comes to nothing. No signs of any Allied forces on the fringes of air search, nor any Allied sub invasions. Nevertheless, we've still got more troops on the way here, with garrisons for Narru and Kusaie Islands already on the way.

South-West Pacific

Vanua Lava and Noumea (both Allied bases) expand their airbase to levels 1 and 7 respectively. Naval search hasn't spotted any significant movement of Allied shipping, but with the airbases being built up so dilligently, operations with the KB here are probably out of the picture, a bid for Ndeni is probably in the offing.

Austrailia

The chase of the ABDA troops continues. We might be able to catch two Austrailian brigades and a Motor Brigade north-east of Daly Waters. We've a division marching on Daly Waters itself while the rest of the IJA strength in Austrailia is racing down the trail towards Normanton - the only feasable escape route for the ABDA troops.

In the (unlikely) event that the Allies make a successful break for it, we'll chase for three or so hexes before giving up the chase and starting our withdrawal.

Burma

Troops to support the bid for Akyab are making their way up the trail at a decent pace. They should be more than enough to overwhelm the already outnumbered British and Indian units north of Akyab and isolate the base.

Naval bombardments of Akyab are continuing, and Rangoon's port is being built up to level 5 to better support naval operations as well as making the transport of fuel and oil out of Burma easier.

China

Maximum effort is being applied to the expansion of Chengtu airbase. I'm hoping for it to reach level 8 and enable me to base much of the Chinese Expeditionary Army's air power out of that base and allowing me to transfer the bulk of the aviation support units in China to areas in Java, Sumatra and the Philippines.

The buildup for further assaults on Chungking continues, with more supply en-route to China.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:18 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 184

The Crux. - 5/24/2014 11:45:44 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline

June 3rd to June 15th, 1942

North Pacific

The Yamato arrives on-station at Ominato along with four modern destroyers, forming the naval component of the 5th Fleet. She's got the Japanese version of Cochrane in command, and I expect great things of her.

For now, she's sitting in port at Ominato. The last thing I want is another fuel-hogging battleship, and having an submarine scratch her nice new paint would be an absolute shame.

Elsewhere, the engineers are still digging.

Central Pacific

Two convoys of American minesweeping vessels are spotted heading south-west from Pearl Harbour. It's DMS's, and no other major ship was spotted. These ships have two functions - offensive minesweeping or ASW. The latter is of little concern, the former more so, seeing as it would suggest offensive action by the Allies. Dodgy reporting from my sub-floatplane pilots is always, so we'll send what subs are nearby in the hope of a better look.

Taibuitea's garrison arrives from China. They're at about 50% strength, and will enjoy the sun and sea as they take replacements.

Garrison units are flown out to Chichi-jima and Haha-jima from the Home Islands. An infantry group for each should keep any deep raids away.

The strategic reserve for the Central Pacific theater arrives in Truk. It's a battered division from China that needs some rest and replacements. The term "division" is a bit grand, considering it is at best a reinforced infantry brigade with hardly any organic artillery. Still, it was cheap, and I'll supliment the artillery with some stuff arriving as reinforcements.

Building up of the second line of defences continues. Ponape and Kusaie Island now give us a bit more strategic depth.

South-West Pacific

Calm and sedate.

We're working to developing the Guadalcanal-Rabual axis, with the bases near Shortlands being built up. Ideally, I want an interlocking line of airbases from Rabual to Guadalcanal - right now it's about 70% complete.

The Gudalcanal cluster of bases are also getting some more reinforcements in the form of a mixed brigade, again from China and needing rest and replacements, as well as additional aviation and some naval support for Tulagi.

With the Allied build-up on Noumea and the big airbase operating at Luganville, Ndeni is looking very, very exposed, and the capture of Ndeni would put Guadalcanal on the frontlines. To that end, this region will have priority for any reinforcements and PP expenditure.

I'm already considering sending some AA, but what we lack is boots on the ground. The 4th Division (destroyed on transports at Horn Island) is at about 60% TOE, and may shortly be boarding a ship for Guadalcanal or one of the islands nearby.

We put two torpedos into the Mississipi, giving us valuable intel as well as dealing some damage. Only a few uses for those slow battleships, and all the sums are adding up to a move on Ndeni in the near future. Hopefully, Lokasenna will hold off for another week or so, allowing the Shokaku and Zuikaku to rejoin the KB with their fancy new Type 21 radar sets.

Austrailia

We're reaching the point where I start feeling as if I've overstayed my welcome in Northern Austrailia. The ABDA troops may yet escape, I give them 30% odds of making a decent getaway with the bulk of their forces.

I intend to keep up my pursuit till June 25th, before turning tail and running back to Darwin. Already we've withdrawn all our engineers, who've went right to work on bases in the Lower DEI. Some battered units will shortly follow. We'll be pulling everything out, leaving our bastion at Broome till last, and re-establish most of the units in the Lower DEI to deny SLOC to Darwin.

B-17s attempt to slow down our troops, while we do the same with a hoard of Sally's, Lily's and Helen's. We've a dozen Nicks doing their best to down a B-17 or two, but no real luck so far.

Burma

Our bid for Akyab has stalled, and we're waiting for further troops before making another attempt.

We've the Imperial Guards Division as strategic reserve here, with the 21st Division joining the push on Paoshan, and another division from Manchuria marching into Burma from Thailand.

There has been little air combat, and I'm reluctant to sent my bombers into the Allied flak-traps, so both sides here are enjoying the lull.

China

Chengtu makes level 8 airbase, and I optimize my air force in China. A plethora of planes bomb Chungking every turn, as well as a massive IJA artillery bombardment.

Despite this, the KMT have recovered AV quicker than us! Part of this must be due to respawning LCU's, but we've got some units moving back into the frontlines, as well as reinforcements from elsewhere in China that should give us the edge in AV.

The Allied base at Noumea, New Caledonia. A possible jumping off point for the first major Allied offensive of the war?

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:23 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 185

RE: The Crux. - 5/28/2014 2:22:46 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline

June 16th to June 26th, 1942

It appears the tide of Japanese conquests has reached the high water mark.

North Pacific

Bar the occasional submarine contact in the Gulf of Alaska, this theater is quiet. The Americans are building Adak up into a formidable port and airbase, and I suspect it will be the base for USN submarine operations.

On the Japanese side of this theater, we've engineers digging hard at work on Hokkaido. I'm looking for at least two size 8 airbases (probably Bihoro and Sapporo) as a long term investment.

On Honshu, we're still developing the port at Ominato. Ideally so that we can dock the Yamato and Musashi as well as re-arm them.

Central Pacific

Quiet.

Engineers are still hard at work on the secondary bases. Kusaie Island and Ponope are operational, and should make nice secondary airbases for the defence of the Marshalls.

The problem, as always, is garrisons. I feel that only Wake Island is properly defended, with the CD unit, and about 100 AV worth of IJN and IJA infantry. There's a battered division resting at Truk, as well as the 4th Division taking replacements in the Home Islands, but I'm loath to disperse them over several islands.

I get several of the "garrison units" in a few weeks, most of which can combine to form brigades or divisions, but will the Allies wait that long?

South-West Pacific

British crusiers bombard Ndeni in what I assumed to be a pre-invasion bombardment, but nothing materializes. Nevertheless, I make the theater combat ready. The KB is still sitting idle at Truk, but a heavy and light crusier force has moved forward to Lugna to sit within easy strike distance of Ndeni in case the oppertunity presents itself.

As for Ndeni itself, we're already starting to fly units out of the base - no reason to give the Allies extra VP's, and the troops will be put to far better use defending Tulagi.

The Guadalcanal region is developing into a impressive fortress. Lugna is a level four airbase, Tulagi level two, and Tassarafonga level three (to be built to four). I also intend to build the Russel Islands hex up to size four as well, so that a Air HQ in Tassarafonga can enable torpedos from all bases. All in all, a formidable LBA bastion.

As is common with the Pacific theater, garrisons are a problem, but hopefully the Allied offensive will wait till my garrison units arrive.

Austrailia

The ABDA troops escape by a single mile. A tank regiment had the ABDA units held down, but the IJA infantry missed the boat by a single mile, and now the Allied troops have a clear run to Normanton. Disapointing, but not exactly unexpected.

We won't get the VP's from utterly destroying those units, but they've been subjected to some very rough treatment, and a host of Austrailian brigades and smaller units have been very roughly handled.

Preparations for the withdrawal from Austrailia are already underway, with units already falling back on Darwin. We'll likely wait until August or September before withdrawing the bulk of our troops so as to entince the Allies to keep in range of the size 7 airbase in Darwin that they so kindly let us borrow.

I'm also considering capturing Exmouth, just to give a bit more depth to the western flank of the Austrailian front.

The Mini-KB has sortied from Soerabaja, looking to hit convoys west of Perth. My subs have been getting regular contacts outside Perth, and I hope that an Allied convoy blunders into the IJN's strike aircraft. This will be a one-shot thing, just to make Lokasenna worry, as the Mini-KB won't live through a well-organized ambush by the USN and British fleet carriers.

Burma

We abandon our bid on Akyab. As tempting as those 20 odd units were, our units stood little chance of breaking through a heavy concentration of British and Indian units, backed up by good armour. We're going to transition to the defence here, while pulling units back from the frontline to support a move into south-western China.

China

The only front where Japan is still on the offensive, even if it is combined to a single city. We're building up for another attack, as I want one more attack to go in before the IJA tank divisions start to arrive.

The absurd air and artillery bombardments of Chungking continue.

The Japanese tankers did their job, but the infantry just couldn't arrive in time to prevent the escape of the Allied troops in Northern Austrailia.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:29 PM >

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 186

RE: The Crux. - 5/28/2014 7:25:22 PM

ny59giants

Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline

quote:

The Guadalcanal region is developing into a impressive fortress. Lugna is a level four airbase, Tulagi level two, and Tassarafonga level three (to be built to four). I also intend to build the Russel Islands hex up to size four as well, so that a Air HQ in Tassarafonga can enable torpedos from all bases. All in all, a formidable LBA bastion.

Those are fine, but I would send a Nick FB group or two down here for when "Mr B-17" comes to visit. Its still early enough in the war that the Allied player needs to mass what B-17 and soon B-24 strength to be the spearhead of an advance.

OT - What size AF does he have at Cooktown?? At extended range he can hit Rabaul and if you have anything in port.....

_____________________________

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 187

RE: The Crux. - 5/28/2014 7:54:44 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

quote:

The Guadalcanal region is developing into a impressive fortress. Lugna is a level four airbase, Tulagi level two, and Tassarafonga level three (to be built to four). I also intend to build the Russel Islands hex up to size four as well, so that a Air HQ in Tassarafonga can enable torpedos from all bases. All in all, a formidable LBA bastion.

Those are fine, but I would send a Nick FB group or two down here for when "Mr B-17" comes to visit. Its still early enough in the war that the Allied player needs to mass what B-17 and soon B-24 strength to be the spearhead of an advance.

OT - What size AF does he have at Cooktown?? At extended range he can hit Rabaul and if you have anything in port.....

There's a size 30 Nick group currently in the Kuriles that's just repaired all their planes, and one their half-trained pilots are swapped out for trained ones, they'll start hopping down to the Solomons.

Cooktown is still a size 1 airbase, but Chartes Towers has been built to a size five. I'll need to have a look at that. Even though I do my best to keep Rabual's port fairly empty, there's some regional transport shipping that is exposed.

(in reply to ny59giants)

Post #: 188

RE: The Crux. - 5/31/2014 4:04:47 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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June 27th to July 5th, 1942

Something's in the works...

North Pacific

Nothing to report.

Central Pacific

Some adjustment of garrisons and aviation support. Some engineers return to Miri to improve the forts as I hadn't realized it was a potential size 5 airbase with a 30k stacking limit. This makes the island very valuable indeed, and I'll make sure the forts are high and the garrison strong.

An Allied fleet manages to sneak into a crack in the naval search net around Canton, thanks to expert timing and the Emily's deciding to call the boss to say their sick and can't work this month. This fleet turns into a invasion of Canton on the 5th.

Lokasenna gets right up close, unseen, and takes the base with no effective Japanese opposition. I take the blame for poor set up of search arcs, as well as not having planes on random search as well.

Irritating, but I had no intention of defending so far forward, and I'd rather make my mistakes as far away from Tokyo as possible.

South-West Pacific

P-38 Lightnings play whack-a-mole with IJN CAP over Guadalcanal and Ndeni, while Allied 4 engine bombers go for Japanese airbases in the region. We get lucky when the Allied bombers decide to sortie against shipping offloading reinforcements and supply for Guadalcanal, downing seven Liberators and 3 B-17s while the Lightnings pounce on a token CAP of Rufe's over Ndeni.

We'll keep our CAP up over Guadalcanal in the hope that the Lightnings accept battle. I've no doubt that the Allied pilots will be the best Lokasenna has to offer, so I've concentrated well over a hundred Zeros and some thirty Oscars. Even 25 hotshot Lightning pilots will be hard pressed to deal with that, let alone the 30 Nick fighter-bombers that are one day away.

The P-38 is the most versatile Allied fighter at this point in the war, and I want to kill as many of them as I can. Night-time spoiling raids are in the works (a night port attack on Luganville netted an Allied sub), and the Maya and escorts are sitting off-shore of Lugna to pose a surface threat.

Air evacuation from Ndeni is progressing well. I'm annoyed to leave a size 2 airbase to the Allies, but it is a mistake that I won't make again.

On Guadalcanal, preparations are well underway for that island becoming the frontline. Minelaying subs (to use the excessive pool of sub-laid mines) are en-route, as are minefeild tenders. Some heavy artillery has just been off-loaded, and some AA is en-route from Truk as well.

The Kido Butai is recombined and sitting at Truk; the new radar sets on the Shokaku and Zuikaku seem to have been installed in just the nick of time.

Austrailia

Combat operations in this theater have died off as both sides break off contact. I'm going to withdraw the bulk of my forces to Katherine and see what develops over July. If Lokasenna appears content to sit in defence, I'll simply withdraw everything behind a screening force for use elsewhere.

The Mini-KB raid off Perth is a dismal failure. Four Allied xAK's are sunk, the element of suprise is lost, and the IJN carriers turn for home. I won't make any further raids off Perth, but possibly try to insert a light crusier force into the SLOC west of Ceylon.

Burma

I'm developing a liking for night-time raids for their nusiance value. In Burma, it's a big strike planned against Calcutta, where there's plenty of ships in port.

On the ground, the failed Akyab offensive disengages while some Chinese exiles wanders out of the jungle to attack Myitkyina. The successful Japanese defence was a close run thing, with the Japanese troops nearly being caught disembarking their transport trains.

The drive on Paoshan makes good headway, but a garrison unit (with it's infantry-heavy TOE) takes heavy losses. They'll be replaced by the Imperial Guards Division (in Rangoon as a garrison and to recover morale), and the drive to close up the mountain passes to Burma will carry on.

China

A deliberate attack goes in at Chungking and drops the forts to level 1!

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 281344 troops, 2912 guns, 1945 vehicles, Assault Value = 9778

Defending force 288678 troops, 1006 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7824

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 4044

Allied adjusted defense: 4115

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
39380 casualties reported
Squads: 130 destroyed, 3064 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 339 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 445 disabled
Guns lost 248 (10 destroyed, 238 disabled)
Vehicles lost 205 (4 destroyed, 201 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
13953 casualties reported
Squads: 263 destroyed, 1264 disabled
Non Combat: 89 destroyed, 510 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 69 disabled
Guns lost 91 (31 destroyed, 60 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

We came close to 1:1 odds, and Allied units destroyed is a excellent sign, as is the (-) supply mark. Only two or three units are in need of serious R&R, the rest of the disablements being fairly evenly spread throughout the attacking units.

Even better is the fact that the IJA tank divisions will be forming up within the next few weeks, and should arrive at Chungking itself by mid-August. Japanese tanks in large numbers against unsupplied Chinese troops behind low forts is a winning proposition for the Japanese.

Hopefully China being knocked out of the war in 1942 remains a possibility!

The Japanese airstrip at Lugna Point, Guadalcanal. This airbase is critical to opposing American landings at Ndeni, as well as defending against any possible push against the Solomons from Luganville.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:36 PM >

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Post #: 189

Canton Crumbles. - 5/31/2014 5:45:24 PM

mind_messing

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July 5th, 1942

Only action worthy of note...

Central Pacific

The Allies capture Canton Island!

While I knew the Allies were up for a move in the Pacific, the actual execution remained a mystery until July 4th, where a Betty spotted an Allied task force 1 hex from Canton Island.

The Allies were able to slip in a gap in my naval search beacuse the Emily squadron on Ndeni wasn't interlocking arcs with the Betties on Canton Island (mainly due to the high SR's of the Emily), essentially allowing the Allies to sneak up behind Canton Island and hit it with a big stick. Carriers, battleships, crusiers, amphibious vessals, the whole works.

After bombardment and bombing, the Japanese defenders stood no chance and the island now waves the stars and stripes. The only material loss is a squadron of Betties that I forgot to withdraw (as I suspected the TF was a sneaky bombardment force), but the only damage suffered by the Allies is a single mine hit on a destroyer.

It's irritating to think that I might have been able to set a nice ambush had I only the vision to place a AV and some Jakes somewhere in the Ellice Islands, but the past is the past.

Despite my suprise, I will not react to the invasion beyond reloacting what subs I have naerby. I'll fix my search arcs in the region and shuffle some forces around, but I am not going to risk Japanese carriers over Canton Island.

Lessons:

- check search arcs.
- check search arcs again, considering what they look like if you've 75% or 50% of the planes operational.
- use random search
- don't leave big empty areas inside your perimiter devoid of nav-search.

Due credit has to go to Lokasenna for taking the time to figure out the break in my naval search. By my guess, it was about a four hex wide dead-zone just east of Fiji.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:43 PM >

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Post #: 190

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 3:28:42 PM

mind_messing

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July 6th to July 14th, 1942

A flurry of action, then a return to the calm.

North Pacific

Nothing stirring, bar a Dutch and an American submarine at Sahkilin and Paramushiro-jima respectively. I've juggled ASW air assets to drive them away.

Central Pacific

Suitably educated by Canton Island being snatched from me, I've completely overhauled my air search program in the Central Pacific. Token seaplane bases are being set up in the Ellice Islands and in the Santa Cruz Islands, with what AF Coys and AV's I can scrounge up.

Tabituea and the rest of the Gilberts are now consider as on the frontline. Only Tabituea has a really considerable garrison, with the other main islands (Tarawa, Makin, and Abemama) only having naval guard units. Kuria (a potential size 5 airbase, is ungarrisoned). I hope to remedy the garrison problem with the arrival of IJA garrison units, most of which can combine to larger units.

I've started looking at heavier assets for those islands that are already well-garrisoned. Some 15cm guns are en-route to Tabituea, and they'll be joined by some AA and whatever artillery tubes I can buy out on the cheap. 15cm guns won't sink battleships, but they're miles better than the anemic 70 and 75mm guns common is most IJA units. Most will be earmarked for the South-West Pacific, as most Central Pacific bases have organic CD units about a regiments worth of dual purpose guns.

Excepting the Gilberts, the rest of the Central Pacific is fairly well defended. Wake Island is a redoubt, with 120 AV behind level 3 (soon to be 4) forts. Marcus Island probably needs another naval guard unit before I'll feel quite comfortable, and the same is true for Eniwetok.

Nell's, Betties and Zeros are in-theater in good numbers, and more are just a few turns transfer away.

South-West Pacific

A IJN submarine misses the Enterprise with torpedos, but the inteligence is even more valuable: furthering my impression of an Allied move in this theater occuring in the next few weeks. Both the Guadalcanal complex and New Guinea are ready for any Allied move.

As with the Central Pacific, the focus is on getting more infantry rifles, as well as heavy assets, into play. We've landed some AA and 32cm mortars at Lugna, and we'll be adding more.

In case Lokasenna is planning a deception, we'll keep an eye out on the opposite side of Austrailia. In his place, I'd consider feinting with my carriers to create a focus on the eastern side of Oz, then transfer my carriers to Perth and mount an offensive from there.

Austrailia

Combat has just about wrapped up as the IJA withdraws from its pursuit. We'll start the withdrawal shortly, as the Allies make no appearance of mounting an overland counter-attack, and the Japanese troops are needed elsewhere.

Burma

Our night-time raids on Calcutta have a good nuisance impact. When the moonlight improves, I might consider trying a firebombing campaign against Calcutta, Dacca and Chittagong, just to give the IJA bombers something to do as they've nothing that's a "soft" enough target to hit other than the Chinese.

On the subject of the Chinese, their bid to retake Myitkyina has failed miserably, and the Imperial Guards Division will shortly rail in to help the 10th Division drive the Chinese back into the jungle.

On the banks of the Kaladan, the two Thai Divisions are pulling back. I intend to use them to garrison the Burma pan-handle and allow them time to rest, train up and recover disablements. I've some faith that the Thai divisions will perform well in good terrain behind decent forts, provided they're backed up by IJA armour and artillery.

The 48th Division will soon join the 21st Division and a tank regiment for the drive on Paoshan. The prospect of shock attacking over a river into a mountain hex holding 100k Chinese troops is a bit too much of a risk for me, so the two divisions will adopt a defensive posture and release the armour for duties elsewhere.

China

With Chungking down to level 1 forts, the end is in sight. Already, the IJA is out-stripping the KMT in recovery of AV and an attack is schedualed for the end of the month.

Even better, the IJA 1st Tank Division has arrived, which will add a great many tanks to the Japanese push to knock China out of the war. Hopefully, the tanks, along with the lack of supply for the Chinese, will prove enough to break the back of the admirable Chinese defence.

Long-range Japanese floatplanes, combined with shore based bombers flying patrols and shorter-ranged single engine floatplanes will hopefully prevent a repeat of the Canton debacle.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:48 PM >

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Post #: 191

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 3:49:28 PM

Bullwinkle58

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RE fire-bombing Calcutta, while it looks "easy" the gains seem pretty thin for the costs. You get no strat VPs. He has plenty of supply generation to the west at Bombay, etc., plus lots at CT that can be brought in with mega-TFs at little risk. The rails do the rest. Hurting Calcutta's shipyard might hurt a little, but it's small and not essential. And if he wants to rebuild HI/LI at Calcutta he has the resources right at hand with no sweat.

You OTOH will lose bombers. Perhaps a lot if he has AA there. Most importantly, the bases you would have to fly from are not that easy for you to supply a major air offensive. A lot of supply for not much. I'd resist the urge to do something with your bombers "just because." If they don't have a target worth the supply and ops losses, let them sit and rest.

< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 6/5/2014 4:50:54 PM >

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Post #: 192

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 4:41:33 PM

mind_messing

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Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

RE fire-bombing Calcutta, while it looks "easy" the gains seem pretty thin for the costs. You get no strat VPs. He has plenty of supply generation to the west at Bombay, etc., plus lots at CT that can be brought in with mega-TFs at little risk. The rails do the rest. Hurting Calcutta's shipyard might hurt a little, but it's small and not essential. And if he wants to rebuild HI/LI at Calcutta he has the resources right at hand with no sweat.

You OTOH will lose bombers. Perhaps a lot if he has AA there. Most importantly, the bases you would have to fly from are not that easy for you to supply a major air offensive. A lot of supply for not much. I'd resist the urge to do something with your bombers "just because." If they don't have a target worth the supply and ops losses, let them sit and rest.

Ah, I was under the impression I got VP's from it. If I don't get VP's, it's not worth it.

It just goes to show that doing something just for the sake of doing something can be a bad idea.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 193

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 5:43:13 PM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Ah, I was under the impression I got VP's from it. If I don't get VP's, it's not worth it.

It just goes to show that doing something just for the sake of doing something can be a bad idea.

There was a major AAR about 2-3 years ago where the author was rubbing his hands in glee at all the strat VPs he was going to get out of India. After he had landed half the IJA there he was told by the peanut gallery that VPs don't accrue in India. I don't think that game went the distance.

Section 17.0

Industry damage � Two VPs per point damaged, 20 VPs per point destroyed (an item destroyed
when damaged will yield 18 more VPs). Industry can only be destroyed by firestorms and
A-bombs, but can be damaged by any type of attack (including firestorms and A-bombs). VPs
scored by damaging industry is cumulative; if an industry hex is bombed, damaged, repaired,
then bombed again, the player keeps earning VPs as long as the industry hex keeps generating
value by repairing itself.

This is true for all industry types including manpower.

Points will only be scored by the Allies for bombing industry in mainland Japan, and by the
Japanese for bombing industry in North America, Australia, and/or Hawaii.

< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 6/5/2014 6:46:16 PM >

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Post #: 194

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 5:47:49 PM

JocMeister

Posts: 8262
Joined: 7/29/2009
From: Sweden
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Hehe, Was that the game with Hortlund as the Jap?

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Post #: 195

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 6:18:05 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Ah, I was under the impression I got VP's from it. If I don't get VP's, it's not worth it.

It just goes to show that doing something just for the sake of doing something can be a bad idea.

There was a major AAR about 2-3 years ago where the author was rubbing his hands in glee at all the strat VPs he was going to get out of India. After he had landed half the IJA there he was told by the peanut gallery that VPs don't accrue in India. I don't think that game went the distance.

Section 17.0

Industry damage � Two VPs per point damaged, 20 VPs per point destroyed (an item destroyed
when damaged will yield 18 more VPs). Industry can only be destroyed by firestorms and
A-bombs, but can be damaged by any type of attack (including firestorms and A-bombs). VPs
scored by damaging industry is cumulative; if an industry hex is bombed, damaged, repaired,
then bombed again, the player keeps earning VPs as long as the industry hex keeps generating
value by repairing itself.

This is true for all industry types including manpower.

Points will only be scored by the Allies for bombing industry in mainland Japan, and by the
Japanese for bombing industry in North America, Australia, and/or Hawaii.

That, boys and girls, is why it pays to read the manual!

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 196

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 6:30:13 PM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hehe, Was that the game with Hortlund as the Jap?

I think it was. Against Canoerebel maybe?

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Post #: 197

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 6:31:56 PM

JocMeister

Posts: 8262
Joined: 7/29/2009
From: Sweden
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hehe, Was that the game with Hortlund as the Jap?

I think it was. Against Canoerebel maybe?

Yeah, and Hortlund promptly disappeared after someone informed him in his AAR he wouldn�t get any VPs for strat bombing in India.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 198

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 7:13:56 PM

ny59giants

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IMO, there is a small window from late June (CV Wasp arrives at Panama in mid-June) to about late Augusta or early Sept when the Allied can combine ALL Allied CVs into a "Death Star" that can do something vs a KB that is often down a pair of CVs as they go back to Japan for upgrades. Once the British CVs start to withdraw in second half of 42, this goes away until CV Essex arrives in early 43. The Allies need to land someplace that allows steady expansion under LBA at this time.

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Post #: 199

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 7:17:35 PM

rook749

Posts: 1105
Joined: 12/21/2006
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

IMO, there is a small window from late June (CV Wasp arrives at Panama in mid-June) to about late Augusta or early Sept when the Allied can combine ALL Allied CVs into a "Death Star" that can do something vs a KB that is often down a pair of CVs as they go back to Japan for upgrades. Once the British CVs start to withdraw in second half of 42, this goes away until CV Essex arrives in early 43. The Allies need to land someplace that allows steady expansion under LBA at this time.

I am in total agreement with this. Especially if you combine this with an effective training program, the arrival of the F4F-4s and the Avengers ---- you can meet and defeat the KB during this window. Don't neglect to carefully select your target and ensure proper scouting with air and submarine forces.

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AAR: This will End Badly @ http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3516510&mpage=1&key= & http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4074294

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Post #: 200

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/5/2014 7:37:17 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

IMO, there is a small window from late June (CV Wasp arrives at Panama in mid-June) to about late Augusta or early Sept when the Allied can combine ALL Allied CVs into a "Death Star" that can do something vs a KB that is often down a pair of CVs as they go back to Japan for upgrades. Once the British CVs start to withdraw in second half of 42, this goes away until CV Essex arrives in early 43. The Allies need to land someplace that allows steady expansion under LBA at this time.

We're playing with +/- 60 days variability on reinforcements, which makes things difficult to calculate, but nevertheless, the Allies have near carrier parity with the Japanese (bar the Yorktown, which ran into the KB on Dec 10th, and the British ships trashed of Exmouth).

As for Lokasenna's need for expansion under LBA, all he has to do to take Ndeni is actually land some troops. Afterwards, he'll have to throw himself against the Gudadalcanal complex, or sortie for the Gilberts, both of which are firmly my turf.

quote:

ORIGINAL: rook749

quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

IMO, there is a small window from late June (CV Wasp arrives at Panama in mid-June) to about late Augusta or early Sept when the Allied can combine ALL Allied CVs into a "Death Star" that can do something vs a KB that is often down a pair of CVs as they go back to Japan for upgrades. Once the British CVs start to withdraw in second half of 42, this goes away until CV Essex arrives in early 43. The Allies need to land someplace that allows steady expansion under LBA at this time.

I am in total agreement with this. Especially if you combine this with an effective training program, the arrival of the F4F-4s and the Avengers ---- you can meet and defeat the KB during this window. Don't neglect to carefully select your target and ensure proper scouting with air and submarine forces.

The KB is staying firmly in the shadows. I chanced letting the Shokaku and Zuikaku go for upgrades as I figured the radar was worth it, but I'll be holding off on the rest of the upgrades. I don't want to risk flight decks stuck in the shipyards when the Allies move for the sake of some 25mm guns.

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Post #: 201

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/11/2014 2:05:20 PM

mind_messing

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July 15th to July 28th, 1942

Some interesting turns, despite no real action taking place.

North Pacific

Nothing stiring, besides a couple of Allied subs sailing around. I've some good ASW air assets up here, so they're not doing much.

Central Pacific

Much the same here, but I've been moving air assets about a great deal, seeing as the main theater is farther south.

I'm floating the idea of using the 4th Division (currently training back up to 55exp in Tokyo) to re-take Canton Island. It would require the help of the KB, as well as a great many amphibious ships. While it would be a shrewd psychologoical blow, as well as set back the Allied time-table, I'm not sure that the possible costs would really be worth it.

What does the peanut gallery think?

South-West Pacific

USN carriers sortie from Noumea in an effort to test the IJN's strike capability in the region. A task force around the heavy crusier Pensacola is used as bait for air strikes, but the brave IJN fliers break through and land two torpedo hits on her, forcing her to retire.

The following day, an handfull of IJN Nells and Zeros break through the CAP of the Allied carriers, targeting the Enterprise. While all their bombs miss, it evidently spooks the Allies, as they run back out of range.

The Guadalcanal complex now hosts a great many torpedo bombers, and as many fighters as can be spared from other theaters, in preparation for the Allies making their move on Ndeni.

The KB sortied, with the inital hope of bringing the Allies to battle within range of the Guadalcanal complex, but following the Allied withdrawal, they were sent to attempt to intercept Allied task forces (a mix of heavy and light crusier forces, as well as cargo ships) moving between Canton Island and Suva. The Japanese carriers were spotted before getting into position, so they'll withdraw to Truk and wait for the Allied jump into the Santa Cruz Islands.

There's a major Allied sub presence in the Solomons now, and the IJAAF are doing their best to keep the Allied subs underwater. Some PB's and subchasers are on the way to help out.

So far, my general impression is that neither of us is really willing to commit until we have the best possible advantage. We're moving

Austrailia

The withdrawal order is given for Darwin. More transports are en-route to move the bulk of the IJA forces out. Most air units have already flown to rear-area bases, and now it's the turn of the major ground units.

The Allies seem content to let me hold Darwin unmolested, so we'll leave a picket IJA regiment in Katherine, a SNLF to protect against air-drops in Fenton, and a IJA division in Darwin as a rear-guard ready to be withdrawn at the first sign of a serious Allied bid to recapture Darwin. We'll keep a hold of Broome for the present, as it provides a excellent anchor for our naval search in the region.

About half of the units used in Northern Austrailia will be sent elsewhere. The Central and South-West Pacific, for the main part. The remainder will stay in the DEI should they be needed.

Burma

The Chinese refugees still battle for control of Myitkyna, but they're not going to beat two prime IJA divisions, even without a Thai Division providing moral support from the sidelines.

The only offensive action has been a strike on the Allied airbase at Dacca, which damaged some Hudson's. Apart from that, Burma is a big Japanese training airbase.

China

With a tank division and even more heavy artillery en-route to Chungking, we're looking at another big attack for early August. A crack IJA Mixed Regiment is bought out for the South-West Pacific (a good mixed regiment, that is actually mixed, with AA and tanks), and there's a few support and engineer units that are ear-marked for purchase next.

The IJN bombers never managed to land any bombs or torpedos on the Allied carriers, but it is an excellent result considering the small size of the strikes.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:49:57 PM >

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Post #: 202

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/11/2014 4:39:10 PM

Lowpe

Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'm floating the idea of using the 4th Division (currently training back up to 55exp in Tokyo) to re-take Canton Island. It would require the help of the KB, as well as a great many amphibious ships. While it would be a shrewd psychologoical blow, as well as set back the Allied time-table, I'm not sure that the possible costs would really be worth it.

What does the peanut gallery think?

Pretty far forward...you didn't really defend it to begin with...would you have to prep for 90 days for it? Might trigger a nice carrier engagement.

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 203

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/11/2014 7:13:10 PM

mind_messing

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'm floating the idea of using the 4th Division (currently training back up to 55exp in Tokyo) to re-take Canton Island. It would require the help of the KB, as well as a great many amphibious ships. While it would be a shrewd psychologoical blow, as well as set back the Allied time-table, I'm not sure that the possible costs would really be worth it.

What does the peanut gallery think?

Pretty far forward...you didn't really defend it to begin with...would you have to prep for 90 days for it? Might trigger a nice carrier engagement.

As far forward as it is for me, it's even further away from Lokasenna's bases. I've the Ellice Islands, as well as Howland and Baker Islands. They can't host strike aircraft, but they'll give plenty of naval search if needed.

90 days is more or less the time I'd need to get things prepared for it. I'd need to move my old BB's from Singapore, as well as get enough AK's assembled in Truk.

What I'm concerned about is what I get out of it. Canton Island isn't really worth risking big ship losses for, and if Lokasenna has done things properly (CD guns and some mines), I'll probably lose a couple of ships. It just seems a great deal of risk for little reward.

Then again, it might be a good way to force a carrier engagement away from the Allied bases in the Solomons. It does no harm to prepare it - it only will take two weeks to move the ships into position.

(in reply to Lowpe)

Post #: 204

RE: Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A) - 6/11/2014 11:16:39 PM

Miller

Posts: 2226
Joined: 9/14/2004
From: Ashington, England.
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: rook749

quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

IMO, there is a small window from late June (CV Wasp arrives at Panama in mid-June) to about late Augusta or early Sept when the Allied can combine ALL Allied CVs into a "Death Star" that can do something vs a KB that is often down a pair of CVs as they go back to Japan for upgrades. Once the British CVs start to withdraw in second half of 42, this goes away until CV Essex arrives in early 43. The Allies need to land someplace that allows steady expansion under LBA at this time.

I am in total agreement with this. Especially if you combine this with an effective training program, the arrival of the F4F-4s and the Avengers ---- you can meet and defeat the KB during this window. Don't neglect to carefully select your target and ensure proper scouting with air and submarine forces.

The F4F-4 is still a pile of crap compared to the Zero (In the game not in real life) and the Avenger still carries the same 50% dud rate torpedo as the TBD.

(in reply to rook749)

Post #: 205

General Overview as of August 1942 - 6/12/2014 8:19:00 PM

mind_messing

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So, theater by theater overview, seeing as Lokasenna's taking a couple of days off.

North Pacific

Looking nice and established up here. I wish I'd saved the time, effor and supplies spent in the Aleutians for the Kuriles, but every day is a school day. Despite my late start on getting things built up, we're looking good. Paramushiro-jima is a respectable festung, and the rest of the garrisoned bases will stand up to anything short of the most determined Allied attacks.

Shikuka and Toyohara, as well as Bihoro are being built up now, as we want a nice ring of second line airbases to add some depth for our defences up here.

Central Pacific

No picture, not much to show. Most of the developed islands have as good a garrison as I can get, but if I can, I want some more assets on Miri. It's got a 30k limit and a decent local CD unit, and I'll build it to size 4. It will serve as a nice, indigestable chunk along with Taibutea to give the CentPac some back-bone.

I'll need to get some AA to the bigger airbases here. The Allies will need to suppress these islands, so anything to make them a little extra difficult will hopefully pay dividends in the long run.

South-West Pacific

Just as well I'm not holding my breath for the Allied invasion of Ndeni - I'd have suffocated by now.

The Guadalcanal complex is fairly strong. The Russel Islands are currently without a garrison, but a good Mixed Brigade is walking to the Chinese coast after winning a holiday trip there. Guadalcanal proper has it all, troops, AA, artillery and aircraft. The garrisons might get shuffled about, but there will be an IJA division on Lugna, and probably a IJA regiment backed up by a Naval Guard unit at Tassafaronga. Tulagi will get a proper garrison (currently a naval guard and a IJA Raiding Regiment) once we get some IJA units off the reinforcement que.

We're working on getting the port up on Tulagi - idealy it will serve as a forward rearmament and replenishment base for light surface combatants

Also note the Japanese dox-hex base at Lakatoro - the two US units on Aoba Island and the dot hex adjacent are the Americans playing whack-a-mole with some IJA paratroopers and a single IJN transport plane...

Austrailia

I don't want to stay in Northern Oz, and Lokasenna either can't or won't take it from me. Suits my ends just fine, we'll leave a division and a regiment to discourage anything but a proper push while the rest gets distributed around the Empire. It's important to keep Darwin out of Allied hands, but with Broome and Port Moresby in Japanese hands, no supply will reach it anyways.

I'm still torn on anchoring the western flank of my Austrailia salient on Exmouth, just to keep even more distance between the Allies and Darwin. I'll get a division planning for it, and shelve it till the Allies make thier move for Ndeni. Once the Allied carriers show up off Eastern Oz, we move on Western Oz.

We're also keeping a close eye on Perth, just in case the Allies try to keep our eye focused on Eastern Oz while they land a blow on the Western Austrailian coast.

Burma

No fighting, bar the occasional IJA air raid and the Chinese trying to take Mytikyina with no support or supply. The IJA and the British are sitting staring at each other across the river at Akyab. I'm debating a possible limited offensive in Eastern India using the troops freed from North Austrailia. There's a great many units deployed very far forward

A landing at Chittagong, or even Cox's Bazzar, combined with a determined IJA push to isolate Akyab might bring great rewards, trapping the British and Indian units as they try to march back up that dirt road. Then again, it could be a massive failure and cost me dearly for no real gain.

We'll recon, and see what way the wind is blowing. After all, it would require the KB's (or at least the MKB) presence and a great deal of preparation, so it does no harm to get the smaller wheels turning. It galls me to see thirty odd LCU's sitting in a coastal hex with only one open hex-side.

There's alot of merit in a operation here, especially with the Allied carriers deployed on the other side of the map.

China

Not many Chinese flags here. Chungking, the three mountain holdouts and one base to the north is all that remains of the Republic of China. Chungking will be ours before 1943 for sure. The mountain bases may hold out a little longer, depending on how high forts turn out to be, but the worse case scenario we can bypass and isolate them, and work on reducing them over 1943 and onwards.

I'm in a real rush to free up the crack troops from China and Manchuria for use in Burma and elsewhere in the Empire: getting these elite troops away from fighting the abysmal Chinese troops and using them to bog down the Allied steamroller is a priority for me.

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 206

RE: General Overview as of August 1942 - 6/13/2014 3:56:57 PM

Amoral

Posts: 378
Joined: 7/28/2010
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I really liked these theatre by theatre updates. It's nice to get an overall picture once in a while to frame things.

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 207

RE: General Overview as of August 1942 - 6/23/2014 8:32:50 PM

mind_messing

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Joined: 10/28/2013
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July 29th to August 7th, 1942

North Pacific

It's the Thousand Mile Snore up here. I've withdrawn all the IJN submarines from this area, seeing as it's obvious that NorPac is a sideshow at present.

The Allied sub presence in the Kuriles vanishes. No sure if it's due to my dedicated ASW air groups or they're being sent elsewhere, but it's a boon nonetheless.

With things quiet up here, most airgroups are training up the rookies I've filtered in to them.

Central Pacific

We've the infrastructure for an excellent defence here, but we're chronically short on troops to man the pillboxes and emplacements. All the 6k capacity atolls are at or near maximum capacity, but the 30k capacity bases are our real weakspot. Mili is fairly decently garrisoned, but Narau Island only has a naval guard, and if the Allies get a foothold on a 30k capacity island with a possible size 5 airbase, it will be a thorn in the side of our CentPac defence.

PP's for the next few days will be dedicated towards buying out a garrison unit for Milne Bay. More of those garrison units are in the reinforcement que, due to arrive within two months, and they'll be sent straight to the frontlines to get comfortable behind their barricades.

South-West Pacific

Both sides are fighting a rather reserved air war. The Allies sent the 4-engined beasts over Ndeni, and an Allied crusier force was spotted within four hexes or so of the island.

A host IJN aircraft sit on the tarmac at Lugna, ready to be the torpedo equipped fist of the Empire, while we're sending a small SCTF based around the Maya to sit off Guadalcanal to see if we get favourable odds for an surface engagement.

Austrailia

The first troops withdrawn from Darwin are about half-way to Soerabaja. No response from the Allies.

China

Another deliberate attack at Chungking, to moderate results. The IJA loses more troops overall, but in terms of destroyed squads only lose about a regiments worth. The Chinese suffer much worse, with some five units destroyed. Forts stay up at 2, so we've a bit of work to do yet.

Having the 1st Tank Division here seems to be helping!

Burma

Nothing much happening, and we're using the lull to do some more training!

IJN Crusier Maya, headed for Guadalcanal to act as a deterent for Allied shipping in the area.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 9/25/2014 5:50:09 PM >

(in reply to Amoral)

Post #: 208

In the absence of orders... - 6/30/2014 8:12:51 PM

mind_messing

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The Situation

So, we're up to August 15th, and apart from some P-38 sweeps over Lugna, things across the board have been fairly quiet. The only real interesting development has been the Chinese remanants in the western mountains have started to slip away across northern Burma to India. I'm doing my best to prevent this, but the frontier is far too wide to place a secure enough net. We'll stop some, but likely most will get through.

However, despite this, the situation for Imperial Japan being excellent. With the conclusion of the Austrailian adventure freeing up several crack divisions, I'm thinking about making a bid towards capturing more and putting those crack troops to use.

There are several plans in the drafting stage, none of which I've really settled upon, and the broad strokes are as follows.

Operation Golden Pearl

The invasion of Sri Lanka:

Advantages: Removes a good naval base, shipyard and staging point from the Allies, as well as making naval operations in the Indian Ocean very difficult. Could lead to the destruction of a significant number of troops and the capture of a large stockpile of supplies.

Disadvantages: Little, if any Allied activity in this area. No big convoys sighted heading into Colombo, suggesting only a moderate build-up of supplies. Would require the KB to be tied up to support landing operations. Runs the risk of expending a great deal of fuel for very little gain. Firmly within range of Allied aircraft operating from the sub-contient.

Operation Hidden Dagger

Invasion of Bengal:

Advantages: Positions an IJA force behind a large number of British and Indian troops along the Burma frontier. Could lead to the capture of Calcutta and the oil, resources and industry in Bengal itself, as well as the entrapment of British, Indian and possible Chinese troops between Japanese Burma and a significant IJA force.

Disadvantages: Would require support from the KB, and despite significant British and Indian troop deployments along the Burma frontier, Calcutta and the surrounding region is likely to be heavily garrisoned. A heavy garrison in Calcutta would likely lead to a prolonged battle, allowing the British and Indian troops time to respond.

Operation Western Castle

Invasion of Western Austrailia

Advantages: Firmly secure the western side of Austrailia, as well as capture some industry and possibly destroy more Allied units. Close to the logistical base of the DEI.

Disadvantages: Lokasenna is doing this in another game, and he'll likely expect it based on previous comments I've made on the fourms as well as my move into Northern Austrailia. It could very easily be an invasion into a well-prepared defence.

Operation Eastern Castle

Counter-offensive in the Santa Cruz and SWPAC Area:

Advantages: Deal a strong psychological and material blow by blunting the building Allied offensive in the Santa Cruz area and general SWPAC area, leading to the destruction of large numbers of Allied units and the capture of developed frontline bases and setting back the Allied timetable. Could possibly force the commitment of the Allied carriers.

Disadvantages: Any operations would be conducted at the end of a long logistical chain, and it would require prolonged exposure of IJN ships to Allied LBA. The IJN would be stuck without a good shipyard, while the Allies would have Sydney right at hand.

On the whole, I'm inclined towards an operation on the western side of the map. The bulk of Allied assets have been deployed east of Melbourne, and it makes sense to attack where my opponent is weak.

Attempting the capture of Ceylon is the low-risk, low-reward move, but I'll need to step up recon flights to determine both risk and reward. If Ceylon is as defended as I suspect it is, landing a overwhelming force of crack Japanese troops, sanitizing the island and withdrawing should be well within the realm of possibility. At present, Ceylon is the option I'm favouring most.

Bengal and Calcutta is the high-risk, high-reward move, and it all comes down to a roll of the dice on capturing Calcutta. Based on older recon reports, Lokasenna has been diligent in garrisoning the city, so in all likelyhood, any operation in Bengal is doomed to never leave the planning stage. A landing elsewhere on the sub-contient is a possibility (Madras?) but with 1943 fast closing, a long-term commitment of Japanese assets is exactly what I don't want.

Western Austrailia seems to be a good option, but I'm wary. Lokasenna's making a bid for Western Oz against Bullwinkle, and he's likely going to be prepared should he find the shoe on the other foot, completely disregarding the impact my capture of Darwin has had on his planning.

I get the feeling that a counter-offensive in SWPAC would be playing into the Allies hands. Luganville is a formidable fortress, but with a landing, backed up by naval and air superiority, I'm confident I could wrestle it back from the Allies. While from a VP standpoint (both from the base itself and the troops on the island) and a strategic perspective (biggest frontline Allied base and it's capture would expose the Allied rear-areas re-taking Luganville would be very costly on the IJN, as I could easily expect a great number of ships exposed to Allied LBA, as well as the captial ship losses that would follow a likely carrier clash. Nevertheless, I feel that this operation, properly conducted, would by far be the most benificial to the Japanese war effort.

There is the 5th option: that of doing nothing. As this is a Scenario 1 game and the resources of Japan are not unlimited, I'm more than prepared to simply sit back, build by defences and feed my crack IJA troops from Austrailia into the pillboxes and bunkers of the DEI and Pacific and let the Allies fight them there.

What does the gallery think? Is a late 42/early 43 offensive unrealistic for a Scenario 1 game? I do get the feeling that I'd be attacking just for the sake of attacking.

Thoughts?

(in reply to mind_messing)

Post #: 209

RE: In the absence of orders... - 6/30/2014 8:59:04 PM

Bullwinkle58

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My only thought from the other side of his Japan game is his capture of Darwin had zero effect on me or my prep for western Oz. He just sank North Carolina between Perth and Geraldton, but he has over half his navy invested, many LCUs ashore, including a lot of tanks and two prime IDs, and so far only has Geraldton and no supply generation. He's lost at least ten AKs (not xAKs, real AKs), and is facing about fifteen Allied subs with more on the way. I only have to get lucky once.

Western Oz is a bad move for Japan IMO, except as a stall. I was locked and cocked to hit Noumea/Suva with the forces engaged in Western Oz, so in that sense it's a positive. But he has to supply all his forces by sea through one port, and Perth is a pretty fearsome base for the Allies. He has the full KB off the coast, and while he does I'm hamstrung at sea, although I can hit Geraldton from three air bases, two inland. Lots of 4E there. But as soon as the KB leaves it's playtime. And, as I said, I only have to get lucky once with any of a lot of subs.

_____________________________

The Moose

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Post #: 210

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