Making Lemonade: JocMeister (A) vs. SqzMyLemon (J) BabesLite-B

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I quickly admit to females I get to know that I'm "fashionably challenged." [:D] I have trouble even faking an interest in that kind of shopping, but you have to do it as it is important to them.

"fashionably challenged" [:D]

[JocMeister]

17-24th of December

Not the best days for the Allies...

SRA
Massive air and sea power forces the allies to withdraw from the Banda Sea. 1CV, 2 CVLs, 4 BBs and many CA backed by LBA invades and captures Ambon. They then retire to an unknown location.

Batavia and Soerebaja is evacuated. Only Naval forces are left. They are substantial with 1 BB, 1BC, 3 CAs and 7 CLs. But 30 Nells are now based at Ambon severly limiting my ability to operate in the area.

I loose 2 raiding CLs north of NG inflicting only minor damage to a CA and a DD. Hopefully this at least leads to him detaching some forces from his main body to cover the flanks a bit better.

SoPac/CentPac

All convoys are taking the long way around using the off map movement. KB pops up a few hexes north of Fiji and sinks 3AG, 1AE, 1AvD and a PC. I had counted on their speed keeping them ahead of the KB but a AMC showed up and scattered the convoy in the wrong direction. I then forgot to re route a CA division. This will cost me a CA. I shouldn´t do turns in a rush at this stage but I want to keep the turns flowing. I think its worth the price to make some mistakes now and then if that means 1-2 turns extra per day.

Knowing the position of KB is a relief and convoys are rerouted to use shorter routes and many have already left the WC. KB is completely out of position around Fiji. It will take him some time to replenish I hope. Kates used bombs so I guess he is out of torps. With some luck he will turn south even deeper into Sopac. I have some convoys there but they are re-routed and should be outside his reach.

China

[ny59giants]

China - I have a semi-circle three hexes out from Sian from just to the NW of Nanyang up to the trail coming from Yenan covering 5 hexes. All are close to the stacking limits. His 1e bombers that he has to use are pretty much ineffective in rough and/or jungle hexes vs getting my troops killed in the clear terrain. I would not invest as much as you are at Nanyang. Once he sees you are trying to make a stand there, you will get hit heavy by his bombers. Then, his troops will get a 2:1 attack on you and make those troops combat ineffective for some time and allow him to push up the road to Sian. IMO, get out of clear terrain hexes with as much as you can and dig in in rough, jungle, and wooded hexes everywhere. My game is mid-March '42 playing DBB Scenario 30 (stock Scenario 2 with stacking limits transferred over to DBB format). China is now a general stalemate. [:)]

[JocMeister]

I didn´t invest in Nanyang. My troops just ended up there! [:D]

I´ll withdraw to the forest as soon as/if my 700AV stack can get free!

[JocMeister]

Just a short update since I´m a bit short on time.

Nothing major happened. Hong Kong finally fell when he brought an extra division. Jolo and Tarawa was invaded and fell.

Lost track of the KB again. Now he surely has to RTB?

[JocMeister]

Well, I certainly have a new found respect for all you guys that updates your AARs on a regular basis. Cudos to you all! [:)]

I´m already struggling to try and keep up. I won´t be able to update this on a turn basis but I will certainly try and update as much as possible. So here is an update!

SRA/Philippines

The invasion and occupation of Mindanao is in full swing. Again Joseph brings the hammer in a big way and lands more then a division worth of troops. A heavy bombardment of Cagayan by two BBs takes a heavy toll.

The rest of the area is eerie quiet again. In an email recently Joseph told me he is going to bring the hammer to Palembang next. I have no reason to doubt he will. He will probably be a bit surprised that I won´t challenge that landing. I have given it a lot of though and I will hold back any major resistance until he goes for Java. My meager airforce simply isn´t ready. Most pilots are in the low 40 in exp and have just reached 50 in Air skill. I will only get one shot and I don´t want to waste that on Palembang over a single airfield with too little Aviation support. Everything he has done so far indicates I won´t get any good opportunities. He will bring everything minus the KB when he goes for something. So I´ll wait for Java. That will give me a little bit more room to maneuver.

I´m also playing with the thought of sending away the PoW and Repulse and saving them for another day. PoW is a mighty good ship and having a fast BB in the Sopac early on can make a ton of difference I think. Thoughts?

SoPac/CentPac

KB spotted this turn north of Tahiti! Good news as it will be out of position for quite some time yet. I´m trying to reinforce Canton as fast as possible. I have a Marine defense Battalion in place and some major CD guns will arrive shortly. Fort approaching 3. Baker will be mined only.

China
I have saved what I can now. The forces stuck behind enemy lines will have to fight their way back or die trying. I will withdraw from all exposed hexes and cities moving into the forests.

Elsewhere things are slooooowly getting into position.

Found this yesterday. I would love to have the guns at the coast. Won´t do much good in the mountains of Bandoeng... Bug?

[JocMeister]

28th of December

Joseph is slowly bringing more and more bases under his control. Mindanao is soon under his control. Southern Philippines and Northern Borneo is also a done deal.

I´m making my stand in Manilla with 1800AV and level 2.77 forts.

I´ve decided to withdraw some of the surface units from Java including the PoW and Repulse. I can no longer refuel at Balikpapan or Palembang as they are within Betty/Nell range and fuel is already becoming a problem on Java. But the main reason for this is that I don´t think I will get any good opportunities to do something meaningful with Force Z. Joseph is playing very well using all advantages to maximum. Advancing slowly under LBA. Having the two CVLs and a fleet carrier operating around the Banda Sea also limits me.
I see no reason the waste the best ships I have just "because". I will leave some CAs and CLs to hang around and see if he makes any mistakes. But I won´t use them for hopeless situations.

Picked up some intel last turn. Looks like Kendari is his next target. Subs are on their way. Lets see if he brings "everything" this time too.

First sweeps go over Rangoon. Anticipated this for some time and stood down the 50 fighters I have there. I don´t want to go up against sweeps if I can avoid it. I moved my fighters out of Rangoon for now. As soon as his fighters starts escorting bombers instead of sweeping I will go back in.

KB is lost somewhere between Pago Pago and Tahiti.

[ny59giants]

Prince of Wales is your most valuable BB in '42 due to her high AA and speed. I don't like to risk her too much.

[JocMeister]

31st december

Turns are rolling right now at a good rate and its hard to keep up with whats happening!

Hollandia and Kendari are taken. I had good hope of trying to sneak in two TFs at the Kendari invasion but its well covered by atleast 2 BBs and 4(?) CVs. I guess the 4 CVs are the two CVLs and the CV spotted earlier.

KB has taken up station between Christmas island and Canton island. I didn´t have time to get the CD guns in place so they are going to PM or Horn Island instead.

Repulse was spotted by a sub on its way to Perth. Hopefully he will think they are moving for Darwin. At least they have the speed to get away if he starts hunting them.

Two big decisions to make.
Were to send my CVs? I have two at Sydney. Should I try and navigate Horn Island passage and try and give support in the SRA or do I try and intercept his operations in New Guinea?

What to do with the CVs at San Diego? Send them to NoPac or move them to OZ?

Also have the first big crisis in China...

[obvert]

It looks from your map as if you're rushing troops to the one critical road from another that is even more vital. The gray road from Nanyang is the most important block you can create. You need 3k AV on that road sitting and making forts. Another 3k on the small road would be ideal as well. If he only has 2k AV he can't touch you in the trees.

As for the South, I would say don't attack anything. Just make your Army a nuisance by leaving it in tough terrain. If he bypasses you then move behind and threaten bases later. If he attacks your troops in a good defensive hex you have a chance to keep a large army tied up doing nothing in SE China while you build forts and establish lines in the center. Another option would be to reinforce Kukong if you still control that base.

[JocMeister]

Morning Erik! [:)]

Yeah I know but I don´t have enough to leave to make even the slightest impact if he goes for that road anyway. I´m moving troops (about 1200AV) from the Changsha area NE towards the two roads. But thats about all I have to spare... I don´t want to strip the Changsha area completely. I only have about 1500AV left around the city. I can withdraw around 1k more to the city in case of an emergency. But his 2 divisions from Honk Kong are about to arrive in about 2 weeks or so...

Only good news is that I think he won´t have enought troops to go for both roads. At least I hope so... [X(]

[JocMeister]

Java 2nd of January

[DanielAnsell]

Don't get too stressed about the DEI. It's pretty much impossible to hold the area, especially if the Japanese player methodically crushes it, as your opponent is doing. He's clearly not going to give you the leisure to build a Festung Palembang.

My advice is get your naval assets out of there,start buying out Dutch air squadrons into ABDA, from the Dutch air command, and start moving them towards Oz. All they can do in the DEI is immolate themselves against the Japanese juggernaut. Once they get trained up, and are able to upgrade to the P-40Es and B-25Cs, they can make a substantive(if somewhat fragile due to a thin pool of pilots) contribution to the air war in your stated main area of interest, the SoPac, or possibly in defending Oz/NZ. The extra air search from the Dutch Cats will be helpful as well. But now is the time to get them moving, before you lose Timor, and thus your link to Darwin and Northern Oz.

[JocMeister]

Hi Carny and welcome! [:)]

After reading you post I spent quite some time looking over the map and think you are spot on. The way Joseph has conducted his SRA campaign so far I pretty much wont get a chance to get a back stab in. I withdrawn all combat ship larger then a CL towards OZ. I do have some 7-8 CLs with some DDs left. They are expendable so I will start probing his airsearch.

In other news we reached the 5th of January .

Not much going on actually. He tried for Canton Island and failed quite dramatically. Tihi! [:'(]

Ground combat at Canton Island (153,143)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3380 troops, 36 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 122

Defending force 1610 troops, 28 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Japanese adjusted assault: 35

Allied adjusted defense: 21

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1071 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (6 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
315 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Assaulting units:
Maizuru 1st SNLF
Maizuru 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Canton USN CPNAB
3rd Marine Defense Battalion



I also ambushed some Idas over Manilla and he lost 12 I think. I have tried for almost 2 weeks to catch one of his escorted raids in China without success as he rotates them randomly.

I actually find myself with little to do over the map. China is still a mess as expected. I will probably loose Sian 3 months earlier then I had planned on. Elsewhere things are slowly moving into positions. I have the first US troops arriving in OZ in a few days. Christmas Islands will get some naval support and a baseforce. Thats it. If he wants after he is done with Canton he can have it.

Shipping have started arriving in the off map bases of Cape Town, Aden and Adabadan (something something). Most went to Aden as I will have a lot of troops to move from there.

Early days as the allies arn´t much fun really! I miss my P38 from my other game! Although its nice to have Carriers again! [:D]

[JocMeister]

6-8th January

Joseph continue to bring the hammer at each outpost. He has now effectively cut off Darwin from the SRA. His forces are closing in on Singapore. I have spotted two different divisions so far. The river crossing will probably reveal his strength.

KB has disappeared from Canton Island moving West. I´m sure he will to OZ to hunt for Lex that took a torp just outside Sydney. But Lex is already long gone only suffering 7/6/0 in damage.

Troops are slowly arriving in SoPac. As the whereabouts of KB is unknown it takes some time.

Strategical thoughts:

I had high hopes of disrupting Joseph early on. A week here, a day there. But he is going slow and methodical not exposing himself. This means that any troops I leave behind to slow him down will be overrun quickly. I have therefore decided to completely change strategy. I will no longer reinforce and waste troops on locations that will make little difference. This means some locations I had initially decided to reinforce won´t get any additional troops.

These are:
Noumea
Port Morseby
Canton Island
Christmas Island.
and
Cocos Island.

Forces slated for first 3 will instead move to OZ and the forces destined for Cocos Island have been withdrawn and will garrison Diego Garcia, Addu and Socotra instead. I will maintain the presence on Horn Island as it is to risky to try and withdraw the troops.

I have also decided NOT to defend Darwin. I will leave the coastal guns in place and a token defense force. All other units will withdraw towards Alice Springs. I will also begin withdrawing from Burma. Looks like Joseph is trying to flank me between the Burma border and China. He has about 1k AV East of Pegu moving NE.

So in effect this will more or less mean I will do a "brave sir Robin". Not much fun but I see no point in throwing troops in front of the steamroller Joseph is bringing. But I will try and interfere with the Java landings when they do come. This will be done with the meager Dutch air force and the air squadrons bought out from the Philippines. We are digging in at Batavia and Soerebaja.

I want more PPs! [:D]

[DanielAnsell]

Are you sure that giving away Christmas Island is what you want to do? I've always found it to be an incredibly useful base as a way station for flying short legged fighters to SoPac from Pearl, not to mention a decent refuelling point for convoys.

Also, why waste the Dutch air force fighting around Java, when you can buy them into ABDA, and even if the way south is cut off, move them north, into upper Burma and join them up with whatever is left of the Singapore air groups, the Burma RAF, and the AVG, based upcountry in Burma, and really punish him as he builds forward airbases in Southern Burma,and marches his troops north.

[BBfanboy]

Carny, there are two Christmas Islands. I think JocM may have meant the one next to Java, near Cocos Island.

[DanielAnsell]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Carny, there are two Christmas Islands. I think JocM may have meant the one next to Java, near Cocos Island.

Just so. I hadn't thought of that, and if he means Christmas Island IO, I retract that part of my advice.

[JocMeister]

Ah, I actually meant the Christmas Island in the CentPac. I garrisoned it heavily in my other game. Built it up to max. And never used it. [:)]

Its just not part of my logistic plan. Just as little as PH. I don´t think I have moved a single convoy bigger then a few xAKLs between PH and the WC since mid 42. Never used PH either for that matter! Perhaps when/if I go for the Marshalls and/or the Marianas if will use them. But certainly not this early and certainly not before 43-44 anyway.

If he takes Christmas Island he can have it. I can just take it back in a year or two when I want it. Its way to exposed for him to keep that late. Same goes for PH. I won´t waste any troops garrisoning it. Besides I saw someone did a test a while back trying to invade PH and it was almost impossible. Don´t know if it ever has been done in an AAR? Besides Joseph won´t go for PH. He will go for OZ or India. Of that I´m 100% sure.

Regarding the Dutch airforce:
They are perm restricted. Don´t think they were in the vanilla game but the are in Babes! So they are stuck in Java! [:)]

[obvert]

Yes. I knew all of this already. One reason why my sub campaign has been dismal to say the least. [:)]

While in real life these ports were important, in game they don't have to be at all. Just go around far to the South and get things to OZ that way.