Into to fire: lagen(A) vs vonSchnitter(J) - record of Allied history

[lagen]

Luckily I didn't convert the Kittyhawk or the Luckenbachs. They have a capacity over 5000 and there is enough 5000 AKs ready for conversion.

Nothing fancy is planned for the next turn.[>:] Steady retreat to Singapore is continued. Chinese are marching towards their objectives. Ships are sinking and fleeing. Subs try to stay afloat and DDs try to whack some enemy submarines near Pearl Harbour.

Note for Allied players: I started to use those 4 engine bombers as Naval patrol. Their range is quite longer than Catalinas, especially Liberator has range of 16 hexes, Cat only 12. Problem is that they can't be based everywhere. Ofcourse this won't be their main job, but currently I don't have better job for them.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: lagen

Note for Allied players: I started to use those 4 engine bombers as Naval patrol. Their range is quite longer than Catalinas, especially Liberator has range of 16 hexes, Cat only 12. Problem is that they can't be based everywhere. Ofcourse this won't be their main job, but currently I don't have better job for them.

Have a look at the A-29s Hudson: 2E, range 15.

Kanimbla is an Armed Merchant Cruiser. Unfortunately, the low crew experience makes them rather useless for combat purposes in WitP. Although I notice that those Japanese attacks have increased the crew experience a lot already. [X(] Now here's an idea to train your crew! [;)]

[lagen]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: lagen

Note for Allied players: I started to use those 4 engine bombers as Naval patrol. Their range is quite longer than Catalinas, especially Liberator has range of 16 hexes, Cat only 12. Problem is that they can't be based everywhere. Ofcourse this won't be their main job, but currently I don't have better job for them.

Have a look at the A-29s Hudson: 2E, range 15.

Kanimbla is an Armed Merchant Cruiser. Unfortunately, the low crew experience makes them rather useless for combat purposes in WitP. Although I notice that those Japanese attacks have increased the crew experience a lot already. [X(] Now here's an idea to train your crew! [;)]

A-29 looks like a great plane for long range patrolling. Need to keep my eyes opened.

Kanimbla is something like 10 hexes from safety. I hope she survives. Stock game APs and AKs don't have this kind of weaponry.

I think naval crews wouldn't like about this kind of baptism of fire...[:)]

[lagen]

14/12/41

My ASW starts rattling enemy subs(I-3,I-173,I-20) but nothing serious. SS KXVII scored a torpedo hit on a AP loaded with troops and 2 hits from shelling to boot. I-3, I-7 were attacked from air.

Japanese air units sink a couple ships and bound Chinese some more.

Deliberate attack knocks Hong Kongs last fort level to zero without capturing it. Alor Star received a bombardment attack, luckily my Indian brigade had left allready.

[lagen]

I think vonSchnitter has divided KB or is using "baby" KB. One CV group is south of Mindanao and the other one is east of Wake. Invasion seems iminent as there is a surface combat TF too.

Enemy seems intent to only advance under air cover. It slows him down somewhat but my air froces get less free shots at them. I prefer time over more casaulties to enemy as at this time those casualties would be too small anyway.

[lagen]

15/12/41

A lot of little things went my way:
Lexington found the Tarwa invasion fleet and sunk CL Katori. She will loiter at the vicinity to see if more ships can be sunk.

The Heroic SS KXVII continues to score, this time AP Yubari Maru got a torpedo and 6 shell hits. Yubari was carrying ground troops.[:D]

And Hong Kong didn't fall this turn either.

Japanese continue their advance and capture empty Alor Star.



I am puzzled by this combat report:

TF 18 encounters mine field at Wenchow (50,41)

Japanese Ships
MSW Shanan Maru #16
MSW Kaiyo Maru #1
MSW Hinode Maru #18
MSW Hinode Maru #17

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported

[lagen]

16/12/41

Wake is bombarded again from sea and air. Cagyan only from sea but is hit two times.

My 8 B-17 bombers from Singapore try to harm Alor Stars airfield but CAP of 23 Oscars stop them. Two oscars are shot down but bombers didn't damage the field.

Manila is hit from air and suffers some moderate casaulties

Brunei is probable place for next turn invasion. It looks like there is a bombardment coming in and some troop ships. I hope my dutch subs will get some shots at them, I have high hopes for them. Whem Brunei has been caputerd, should I try to hit its airfield or oilfields?

Number of subs near Pearl has declined over time. My ASW forces haven't been able to try to attack each turn.

In my opinion Japanese player should try to shutdown traffic DEI as fast as possible. Otherwise much of the fuel/oil/supply/resources can be transported away. At the start of the game there is huge amounts of fuel just laying around. I haven't estimated how much, but I could guess about 100k fuel is just around.

[lagen]

17/12/41

Wake was invaded, enemy didn't capture it on the first assault. I don't know if it will hold next turn.

Hong Kong fell, which wasn't a suprise.

Battle for Nanchang has begun. This offensives only point is to make Japanese answer with more power and thus deny this power from elsewhere.

At Tarwa there was no one to be sunk. [:(]

Cebu was bombarded with BBs and DDS. Those DD got some fire back from coastal defences, no one was heavily damaged.

[lagen]

18/12/41

I regret to have to inform that AMC Kanimbla sunk just as she reached safety of port.

This turn SS KXV managed to put a fish on AK Yamagata Maru with heavy damage and ground losses. SS Triton too put a torpedo on AK Hirokawa Maru, but it was a dud.

Wake didn't fall yet as I suspect that those troops are too fatiqued/disrupted and haven't prepped enough.

Miri, Clark Field, Georgo Town and Kuantan fell to enemy onslaught.

[lagen]

19/12/41

SS I-124 torpedoes TK Gertrude Kellog with two hits, but she survives.

Wake is bombarded from sea but it holds the assualt.

My ASW force consisting of 4 MSWs near Balikpapan was slaughtered by carrier air.

Battle of Nangchang isn't going well. Japanese have more troops than we have. Well, it's just a diversion.

Japanese capture Mersing.

[lagen]

20/12/41

SS KXIV hits Taketoyo maru with one torpedo at Brunei first. She is carrying troops at the time. KXIV later hits with two more and sinks her taking in process one hit.[:)]

My attack against Mersing and Miri yield 5 resource hits and 2 oil hits respectively. I will continue my campaing against oil/resources as long as possible as every hit is worth atleast 1k supply. My strategy (if one exisist) is based around not giving the enemy Resources(oil/supplies/fuel/resources) without a fight

Enemy captures Brunei and the base force retreats to jungle. They will rot there to the bitter end, atleast they don't give points to enemy. Tavoy, Moulmein and Jolo are lost too, but Wake holds!!!

Ground combat at Wake Island

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1432 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 49

Defending force 1174 troops, 31 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Japanese max assault: 68 - adjusted assault: 0

Allied max defense: 1 - adjusted defense: 2

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)


Japanese ground losses:
383 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
[:D]

Manila has been bombed daily. Casaulties are quite high.

I am starting to get worried about KB. I don't have clue where it migth be, so I won't be using my carriers too much.[&:]

MLE that starts the game in Tricomalee has arrived at Batavia and mining of DEI has started.

Here is a screenshot of situation at Borneo and Philippines. Enemy TF is probaly a bombardment run. There is 4 PTs meeting them at Tarakan. Next time I will give a shot from Malaysia.

[lagen]

21/12/41

Quiet day this time.

Enemy sub had left some mines at Darwin. 4 'sweepers on the cleaning duty.

8 Resources hits total recoded this turn on Miri, Moulmein and Mersing. Could be more due FOW. This seems a good strategy to follow. Ofcourse after a game year I will be shown otherwise.

Taiping falls and Indian divsion that wasn't fast enough retreatd towars Singapore.

[lagen]

I have a couple of turns that haven't been reported yet. But my opponent has gone AWOL and I won't continue until I hear a peep from him.

[lagen]

vonSchintter has recoverd from virus in his computer. I will resume this AAR shortly. I think I have about 5 turns worth of writing to do.

[lagen]

22/12/41

Memory is quite foggy about the details and excat timings.

My Asw forces score some serious hits against SS I-17 and it sinks later on.

Imperial forces strike on Manado and starts an invasion.

Campaing against Resources is going well. I have achieved many hits and caused some disturbance.


23/12/41

Wake is being bombarded and it finally falls. Those who died there will be remembered.

My attack on Mersing faces a Long range cap of 16 Zeroes. My brave bombers still score some hits on resources.

24/12/41

Christmas eve gives me early present with Mikuma hitting mine near Tarakan. And SS I-24 is sunk by depth chrages.

Johere Bahru, my second biggest airbase next to Singapore, is attacked and bombed to stoneage.

Japanese capture Lamon bay.

25/12/41

Nothing major happens on Christmas day than Johore Bharu is bombed twice.

26/12/41

On boxing day mines on Wake hit again, this time on AK that is carrying troops.

ASW forces score only near hits, but are getting there. Enemy subs have almost disappeard near Pearl.

SS I-7 scores a torpedo on DD Aylwin. She might get home. Atleast I am hoping that she will.

Kuala Lumpur is lost with only a minor damage on the resources there. Admiralty Islands is lost too.

[lagen]

28/12/41

Naval Bombardment of Kuching, Sorong and Amboina.

Tarakan AK carrying troops hits mine, heavy damage ensues and some troop loses.[:)]

Kuala Lumpur resource hits. Mersing Buffalos(2) and Vlidebeests(6) take casualites from Ki-43 Oscars, but manage one hit on resources. Air campaing over Malaysia starts to be too leathal and I plan to start evacuate rest of air forces in Singapore.

Johre Bahru bombed from air by sallies with zeroes and oscars escorting. Kuching with Nells. Only minimal damage is scored in both places.

Japanese capture Tarakan. Allied attack east of Ichang repulsed with moderate casualites. Chinese troops certainly need an overwhelming odds to win a battle.

29/12/41

Enemy has decided to keep Johre Bahru closed and continues to bombard it.

Japanese capture Malacca.

30/12/41

S-36 shines again and puts a fish on AK Koei Maru which has troops on board.[:)]

And then I have this weird combat result??

TF 248 encounters mine field at Bataan (42,51)

Japanese Ships
MSW Toshi Maru #2
MSW Rokko Maru
MSW Choun Maru #18
MSW Choun Maru #7

Allied Ships
DD Aylwin, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported

I have no idea whatsoever...[&:]


Rangoon air force (16xBuffalo&12xBlenheim I) bomb Moulmein resources for 2 hits.

Johre Bahru is bombed, again. And Kuching too.[>:] Surprise bombing is Manila where there is serius hits on runway, airbase and supply, not mentioning 300 disabling hits on troops.[:(] Atleast 1 Betty is destroyed in process.

Singapore airfield is emptied save one twelve plane Buffalo unit which will sweep Mersing in hopes of getting some easy kills.

31/12/41

ASW forces near Pearl Harbour have found numerous subs and are rattling them. There is hope that they will accumulate some sys damage and need to withdraw to repair.

My sweep of Mersing is a success and 4 Ki-42-Ib Oscars have been shot down.[:D] This small victory shall be remembered for a long time. I shall try to sweep Johre Bahru as Japanese have captured it this turn as repeating same kind of success is allmost impossible against human player.

Dadjangas has been captured by paratroops.

I will try to sum last month in one post and state my strategy for next two months.

[lagen]

Summary from last month:

Enemy has advanced slowly but steadly and always under air cover. We have lost most of

the Philippines save Manilla, Davao and some minor islands. Malaya has almost fallen

too. Only Singapore offers some resistance.

There has only been slight losses in both air and sea. On land there is some causulties

but that is to excepted. Enemy has suffered only minor losses as there hs not been many

decisive battles. Enemy air losses have been slilghly greater than ours, I try to keep

it that way. I think this will change when vonSchintter goes after Palembang and

Soerabaja.

Overall: Coming next month

Basic principle shall be defense in depth. Where it is not attainable delay is the

order. I shall stay and try to fight it out as the japanese have all the advantages

(numbers, quality and logistics) in all three arms.

Mines have proved to be effective, so I will continue to lay them allmost everywhere.

India:

18th British division has been transported to Colombo as have some evacs from

Singapore.

Bangalore looks like a good place for some mobile reserves. Karachi should also be

garrisoned properly as we have no house rule that prevents its capture. There is enough

troops near Calcutta that I won't send any reinforcements there.


China:

Currently there is battles at Nanchang, on its road to Shanghai, Ichang and on the hex

east of it. The battle at Nanchangs is only a distraction and is meant to prevent

opponents divisions to move anywhere where they could be useful. Ichang is more serius

attempt and I hope that it will fall shortly.

The battle on road to Nanchang will be lost and I hope that those corps retreating will

do so direclty to the west. As then they will be again in the way of japanese troops.

I know that they are only a speed bump but it is only thing that I have there.

Chinese air force is a joke and I mean by experinece. The best avarage experince is 37

and I won't allow training flights under 30 exp and would prefer 40 exp. For a couple

months nothing is going to fly in China under my colours, except AVG.

Supply situation looks good for now. I won't be doing more than to offensive operations

at time. Two should be sufficient number to be nuisance.

Burma:

Points of defenses are Rangoon, where envelopement move must be watched out, Mandalay

and Akyab. All three will build fort level exclusively. There is no extra troops moving

in to this area.

Dutch East Indies:

Extensive mine laying operation is being conducted here. Batavia, Palembang and

Soerabaja all have well over 1000 mines each.

Batavia and Soerabaja are my main points of defense. All troops, save some battallions,

have relocated themselves either to Batavia or to Soerabaja.

Balikpapan has 4 PTs guarding it but I fear that they will be strafed as has happened

before. I might pull them back under air cover.

Force Z is still loittering near Batavia.


Australia:

BFs at Broom, Derby and Wyndham are moved to Darwin and Daly Waters. One Cavalry

division is moved to Alice Springs.

Maybe I should move some troops to Perth as currently it is a merchant hub where ships

from DEI will unload their cargo.


North Pacific:

Dutch Harbour is our western most base that will be built for the time being. Other

bases are Kodiak Island and Anchorage.

Central Pacific:

Assault of Pearl is not going to happen in near future, but defenses are being

constructed. Goal is to have as many mutually supporting level 4 airfields as possible.

Those subamarines not of S-series are being used as mine laying subs. Strategy is one

sub, one target, one week (atleast).

Washington Island is to be built as an airfield.

South Pacific:

Suva has been desingnated as major hub for the area. Supplies and fuel will be shipped

there. Nothing major is happening here yet.

SouthWest Pacific:

I don't have the troops to do anything here yet. I am planning to make Noumea the base

of opertions there.

Philippines:

Manila and Davao shall hold to the last

Malaya:

I currently control only Singapore and all troops managed to withdraw there. Only one

Buffalo squadron with 12 planes has been left there.

West Coast:

Troops gathering....

Soviet Union:

Digging trenches everywhere and augumenting airfields. I doubt that vonSchintter will

attack here but I am making sure that he is not going to suceed if he attacks.

Plane production&upgrade:

I am short of P-40s both tomahawks and warhawks. I have couple of both in my

inventories but on field there is still shortage of them.

B-17 or Liberator pools don't look good either, there is only a trickle both to them. I

wouldn't get a massive fleets of 4 engine bombers if I wanted, yet.

American 2e bombers I have plenty of, there is not enough units that use them.

Hurricane IIbs start to appear in about a week. They shall be the point defense in India.

And here is the top pool as most planes available:

[VSWG]

Don't forget that Soviet squadrons can draw planes and pilots even if not activated. You can also upgrade to newer planes (Pe-2, for example), and increase training levels if you don't mind the ops losses (I would leave them at 0 during winter, though).

[lagen]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

Don't forget that Soviet squadrons can draw planes and pilots even if not activated. You can also upgrade to newer planes (Pe-2, for example), and increase training levels if you don't mind the ops losses (I would leave them at 0 during winter, though).

I left them out because they are not relevant currently as I think that vonSchnitter won't try to invade Russia. I have upgraded some of those Soviet planes and allocated pilots. I just haven't mentioned it here. There were many other planes that I didn't mention as they are not high on my priority list either front is too far back[>:] or the planes/pilots are allmost completely useless.[:(]

As a sidenote, I got myself a brand new laptop![:D] This means that I can do turns and the AAR little more often. That is if my esteemed opponent does his turns, haven't heard of him for awhile. I have about two turns worth of writing to do. I might even do them today.

[lagen]

I have good and bad news. Bad news are that either hd or IDE controlled crashed on my desktop[:(] and I haven't heard of my opponent for quite long time. Good news are that my new laptop works and I can continue playing WITP with it and writing this AAR.[:)]


01/01/41

Enemy MSW tries to sweep Bataan, but Coastal guns of Manila sinks it.[:)] A small victory but I take it.

Amboina is being bombarded with 2 BBs and 2 CLs. It causes some casualties but not anything major.

My sweep against Johore Bahru fails but only one Buffalo is lost. I try to sweep some otger base this time. The enemey retaliates and tries to bomb Singapore causing insignificant causalties and runway hits. Antoher target is Kuching, but again no real damage is done.

Interesting attack is against 2/1 Independent Coy at Kavieng by KBs Vals. They cause quite much damage, but they have reaveled their location. Now the question is: Are they going to assault Rabaul? I think that attack is iminent. I don't have any real ground, air or naval forces currently at the area.

As long as KB is there I consider the possibility of raiding with one CV in central pacific. But anycase I won't send it yet.

Japanese capture Jesselton and Cotabato, both with paratroops.