Blue Storm Rising - No entry for Rominet

[emek]

I decided to make an attempt to write an AAR after reading some very nice examples in this forum.
This AAR is just another aspect for me to enjoy this game. I will share here what really happened, my thoughts about modern warfare and strategic plans.

I started to play modified CHS version called ROM 175 . Detailed description you can find here: http://www.campaigns-france.org/showthr ... post111703

One of the reasons I choose this mod was that it is much harder then stock and CHS in many aspects of the game but in few it is somewhat easier. It is very challenging mod and i have a very challenging opponent [:)].

We first met playing CHS game which was ended in March 1942 due to total destruction of Palamberang oilfields. So Rominet felt there is no point to continue while he can not sustain a reasonable level of economy. In this mod it can happen again but those oilfields were split to 4 centers which can be repaired x4 faster.

There are several major differences between this mode and any other mod i played.
First I have no working industry in US and complete luck of supply.
Second my ship cargo capacity significantly reduced.
Third at start i do not have pilots in my pool and no PP . It become even worse when Japan do have a constant 70 exp pilot flow to it's land based air groups (75 a month). This means i will face high experience Jap fighters all the time.
Forth fortunately i have the flexibility to adjust my air production. I will have to make some hard choices since i do not have enough supply to build everything i want.

[emek]

Lets start with first turn.

12/07/41

Heavy attack on Singapore . I lost 15 planes on the ground and 350 casualties.
Jap unusual 108 Zero low altitude attack on Manila. I lost 20 planes and 800 casualties + airfield closed down. Nice move.
Heavy raid on Clark field with 160 bombers . I lost 13 planes on the ground 360 casualties and the airfield was closed.
Usual raid on PH. All BB took between 15-20 bombs and 1-4 torp. Various ships were hit including most of CA and CL's.
Around Philippines my merchant fleet and some naval assets were slaughtered from the air and various small naval taskforces.
Port attack on Hong Kong sank or damaged almost all shipping there.
Naval bombardment on Kota Bharu 430 casualties. Guam and wake were next to be hit.
Landings in Kota Bharu,Vigan,Aparri,legaspi and Guam.

Based on this actions i decided to move my shipping from Philippines to SW and then to Aden, To try to rescue small Wildcat detachment in Wake with My CV's and to create a set of fortresses which will limit Japanese expansion.

[emek]

12/08/41

Landings continue at Kota Bharu,Vigan,Aparri,Legaspi and Guam.
Cagayan was hit by CA-DD taskforce and moderately hit.
Mini KB appeared in Philippines area. Some ships were hit.
Planes from various bases hit merchant shipping around Philippines.
Hong Kong Siege has began.

In this mod Philippine bases have no forts except fort 5 at Bataan. I decided to move all ground assets to Manila where i should have supply for a while and deny this City from Japan . All air assets will be moved to Singapore.

[emek]

12/09/41-12/13/41

Cagayan was my refuge for Philippine command planes until i will have enough political points to move them to Singapore. Not anymore. It was hit today by naval TF. Manila was hit again more planes lost on the ground.

Due to non existing PP i decided not to evacuate ground troops from Philippines and DEI. Cargo ships and subs will help to evacuate whole units from Singapore. I hate fragments [:)].

In Malaya there are no forts between Kota Bharu and Singapore. There is no point to wait. All troops were ordered to assemble in Singapore.

Japan forces landed and captured Tarawa.
Mini KB continue to create havoc in Philippine area.
Brunei was hit by CA taskforce. Same taskforce tracked transport convoy and hit it hard.
BB TF hit hard Menando. Additional landing is coming.

[emek]

12/14/41-12/18/41

Heavy air attack on Rangoon. Airfield closed some casualties to support units.
SS KXVIII was hit and sunk near Singora. I tried to have some sub screen but Japs moved ASW TF's in the area covering all landing forces. His TF's are very effective several subs were sunk and other damaged.
Wake was hit again by BB TF.
HK constantly bombed first assault 4-1 and it fell after 4 days .
Brunei was hit by BB TF moderate damage.
Cagayan was hit again. He wants that airfield closed. Luckily i moved my air groups else ware.

By now i can see invasion pattern. It starts with some recon flight to see what is in there. In most cases air assault for at least few days to close the airfield and drain supply. Then BB bombardment TF to do more damage and it stays there to protect invasion TF. Invasion TF consist of several MSW which come a day before to clear the mines and ASW group to hunt down subs.

I would say quite effective moves [:@]

[emek]

12/19/41- 12/20/41

Wake landing started and the island was taken later that day.
I moved my Chinese units to Nanchang. My opponent didn’t liked this and ordered an attack. My units retreated but he suffered more casualties.
My supply situation in China is close to desperate. I will limit my forces to defensive roles similar to how tank destroyers were used e.g. to seek contact but let him to attack me.

Japs noticed my air group move to Singapore. He sent a sweep of 106 ZERO against similar number . He lost 4 Zero's and i lost 87 !!

Nice Zero bonus [:@]

We exchanged emails on that topic:
Rominet - "The Zero's bonus is not a joke."

Emek - "That's the difficulty of this mod. I have obsolete fighters with average exp 50 against Zero pilots exp of 75 with Zero bonus.
The jungle rules... survival of the fittest ..."

Rominet - "The experience was nearer 85 than 75.
Sure that waiting a greater production of P-40E and the end of the Zero's bonus,
you don't have a lot of hope in dogfight against Zero. "

[emek]

12/21/41-12/24/41

Previous raid in Singapore and start of a bombing campaign against that city put to halt my hopes to mass my obsolete fighters to have at least some sort of advantage. My supply situation is bad . Only in Singapore i have more then 20,000 supply. In DEI i do not have enough to upgrade my air groups.

I decided at this stage to start moving my air groups to china via India where i still have some supply to replace my losses. I have hundreds of Buffaloes, P-36 and Dutch fighters so i plan to fill in my groups with those types and try to compensate my luck of experience and performance with quantities.

Japes landed at Davao. They will take this city in a few days.
Landing at Brunei with a usual target softening with bombardment TF.

I used my 2 AVG groups to ambush his bombers in China. With no loss i shot down 20 bombers.

Based on his continues bombings on Singapore and Rangoon this will be his next major targets.

I decided to move some ground troops to Moulmein to block few units advancing to that target. Bombings shifted from Rangoon to Moulmein.