March of the Penguins: Onime vs. Fabertong

[DuckofTindalos]

All those dead penguinistas must really be stinking up the place...

[Onime No Kyo]

Yeah. The place is sturning into another Stalingrad...or according to this timeline, the first Stalingrad.

[Onime No Kyo]

I think the Penguin is strarting to cut off my air supply around PM...and its disturbing.

2/14/42

The BTF is back. [:@] Its making its way back towards PM, now again around Gili. Because I stood most of my Husdon units down to muster a bit of strength for next time and allow the damaged planes to repair, my strike was rather light, only 15 Huds and 10 Mitchells. The only result was a 500 lbs bomb hit on the Hyuga...which merrily bounced off and damaged two Hudsons and killed a bystander pellican.

Even more disturbing is that CV Tf that is still standing around in the middle of the whole bloody scene. I am now almost certain that it is the entire stinking KB. [:@] Rather unsurprisingly, its presense in the area is cutting down on the navigation just a bit. Those two TFs (30 OZ Bde and the 808th EAB) I had moving towards PM will take a bit of a detour. They will move as far as that narrow passage between OZ and PNG and then halt there, along with the Darwin cruisers, until I work up the khutzpah to move in and deliver my cargo. If Faber's BTF retreats again after bombardment this time, I'll try to make a dash for it, but we shall have to see.

Anyone know how big a dent a 500 lbs bomb makes in BB deck armor? [&:]

No sub news, the target rich enviornment around Java has suddenly dried up. The only contact today was a transport TF blundering into one of my subs around the PI, but unfortunately the O19 was driven back by an escorting APD and destroyer.

Raids on Yenen have stopped. <hurrraaay>. Now I should have a chance to build up my defenses unbothered.

Faber has landed at Talasea (in the Rabaul area) and Medan (cleaning up the other loose ends in the DEI). Incidentally, there is also a unit...looks to be a mixed brigade marching along southern Borneo.

Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that Clark still flys the US flag. Another 2100 penguin corpses have been added to the piles already rotting in front of my positions. I lost 1700. Supplies at 5k. The end is near.

In private correspondence Faber said that I am throwing off his timetables, that he was planning to habe the PI all wrapped up by the 15th at the latest. Good to know if true and he's not just flattering me.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

Anyone know how big a dent a 500 lbs bomb makes in BB deck armor? [&:]

None.

<Sounds like I'm being facetious, but I'm not>

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

Anyone know how big a dent a 500 lbs bomb makes in BB deck armor? [&:]

None.

<Sounds like I'm being facetious, but I'm not>

I know. One of the problems I have with the model. AFAIK a 500 bounder has the potential to wreck anything topside even if it doesnt penetrate.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo


Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that Clark still flys the US flag. Another 2100 penguin corpses have been added to the piles already rotting in front of my positions. I lost 1700. Supplies at 5k. The end is near.

In private correspondence Faber said that I am throwing off his timetables, that he was planning to habe the PI all wrapped up by the 15th at the latest. Good to know if true and he's not just flattering me.

Amazing performance at Clark, especially since the forts have been reduced. Faber's timetable is believable: historically, Bataan held out until April, but that was because the IJA put in its second-string units. In most games that I've seen, an experienced Japanese player is capable of cleaning up all of Luzon by late January.

You are buying time, and time is a major factor at this point in the game. There is no reason to doubt that Faber would rather be moving his penguins to new opportunities by now.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo


Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that Clark still flys the US flag. Another 2100 penguin corpses have been added to the piles already rotting in front of my positions. I lost 1700. Supplies at 5k. The end is near.

In private correspondence Faber said that I am throwing off his timetables, that he was planning to habe the PI all wrapped up by the 15th at the latest. Good to know if true and he's not just flattering me.

Amazing performance at Clark, especially since the forts have been reduced. Faber's timetable is believable: historically, Bataan held out until April, but that was because the IJA put in its second-string units. In most games that I've seen, an experienced Japanese player is capable of cleaning up all of Luzon by late January.

You are buying time, and time is a major factor at this point in the game. There is no reason to doubt that Faber would rather be moving his penguins to new opportunities by now.

As far as experienced, and outstanding, Japan players go, Faber is top notch. He also handicaps himself by being fair and realistic. I shudder at the thought of what a player of his caliber could have done to me by now if he were willing to use game loopholes and my inexperience against me to the best of his ability. I'm not saying that he is giving me a free ride. Just that he is being absolutely fair. [&o]

As for Clark....I'm afraid I cant take any of the credit. All I did was herd everything that could move there in a timely manner. I am even more afraid of this being some sort of bug [X(]....honestly, I dont know what is keeping it up.

[Onime No Kyo]

RL sucks. Its been keeping me from concentrating on the really imposrtant things, like WitP.

Got a 4 for the price of 1 sale for youy folks.

2/15/42

An overall quiet day. The BTF did not proceed further and the carriers seem to have disapeared as well. Good riddance to bad rubish.

To celebrate the fact, I have ordered the TF carrying the 808th EAB to attempt landing at PM.

Air action confined to the usual bombing of the usual places. No sub action either.

Faber launched an attack on Soerabaja. He lost a tad over 1100 penguibns, I lost almost 2000 and a level of forts. Does not look good.

Faber took Buka.

[Onime No Kyo]

2/16/42

Another quiet day. No sub action. Air action confined to the usual places. Faber is bombing the heck out of Soerabaja. At this rate, the airfield will soon become untenable, and coupled with the fact tghat there is no longer any shipping around, the losses I'm taking on the ground are seeming a bit empty.

Ground combat consisted of lobbing arty shells back and forth.

[Onime No Kyo]

2/17/42

Bad, bad, bad, bad day for the Allied airforces. It seems that Faber has been saving up a few cases of whoop@ss to break open all in the same turn. [:@]

My raid on Mandalay was met by 33 Zeros (2 squadrons on LRCAP, by my calculation). These buggers beat the escorting AVG like the proverbial rented mule. [:@]

Besides losing over 20 P-40Bs, I also took a lot of losses among the bombers. 10 Blen Is, 4 Blen IVs, 2 Well IIIs and 3 Forts. The worst lossses were taken by the Blen IF squadron of night bombers which I'm using in daylight. The poor sods were almost wiped out. Out of 11 planes, only one returned.

As it stands, the AVG is a shambles again. AVG A and C are down to a dozen planes apeice. AVG B, which I had moved to Yenen is being moved back to be replaced in China by "the shambles". What really sucks is that 40B production rates do not allow me to make good such high losses, despite the fact that the AVG is the only unit flying the type.

And as if that were all. Faber's Nells are trying to get at the ships in PM harbor. He's gotten no hits so far, but in the process he has beaten the snot out of the Tomahawk unit providing CAP. As much as I hate to do it, I'm going to have to move in the 40E and Aircobras I was saving up for the big surprise.

Faber's raid on Soerabaja has wiped every operational plane of one of my Beaufort units. Since I no longer have the supply to reinforce it and no way to move it, I'm forced to fold it into the other unit.

Bad, bad, bad day. [:(]

Sub action is pretty bad as well.

The Sailfish is being harassed by an ASW TF off the PI. So far, thankfully, without sucess.
The S-18 took a swing at an AP north of Java and got 3 tons of depthcharges for her trouble.

Faber had an "aw, sh*t" moment also. His I-2 missed TK E. Shea (part of a ridiculously large TF) east of Pago. I had to kick myself for that one because not only do I not have the necessary ASW patrols there, but I did not have any ASW aircraft either. At least the latter portion will be rectified. Two squadrons of Cats have been moved to Pago. If they dont sink anything, at least they'll spot it or keep their heads down.

Faber took Taytay (one of the island bases west of Luzon). No other ground action save arty fights.

[Onime No Kyo]

2/18/42

Another very sorry day for the good guys.

I moved what ammounts to half a group of P-40E and half group of Aircobras into PM. The result was just what I was afraid of. My guys had two very sharp encounters with Zero-escorted Nells which are trying to get at the ships in the harbor. The Nells are, thread be praied, so far scoreless. But the CAP took some sad losses. All told I lost 10 P-40s and 6 Aircobras (why do I have these crates on CAP? lack of options). Faber lost 5 Zeros and a Nell.

In the grand scheme of the universe this is probably a good thing, or at least not as bad as it seems. Even at these loss rates, I'd like to see the Penguinista keep this up for any length of time. But in the short term, these losses are atrocious.

In addition to the incoming strikes, I also spotted a TF off Lae, which was attacked my Beaus, SBDs and a few Huds. The results were very disapointing. Only one 500lbs hit on the Kinu, but then I laso lost a Tomahawk and an Aircobra for one Zero.

There is a bigger problem, however. And that is the fact that I have only one very overworked Aussie BF to maintain almost 200 aircraft. And, well...its not working. Most of the Huds are still up on blocks and I have all these shot up P-40s to fix. The heavy AC support units are still quite a ways off too. Its going to be quite a week at Port Moresby.

Clark stands off another attack. 3500 dead penguins, but also 3700 of my boys in the cold ground. This is one amazing epic.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

2/18/42

Another very sorry day for the good guys.

I moved what ammounts to half a group of P-40E and half group of Aircobras into PM. The result was just what I was afraid of. My guys had two very sharp encounters with Zero-escorted Nells which are trying to get at the ships in the harbor. The Nells are, thread be praied, so far scoreless. But the CAP took some sad losses. All told I lost 10 P-40s and 6 Aircobras (why do I have these crates on CAP? lack of options). Faber lost 5 Zeros and a Nell.



Clark stands off another attack. 3500 dead penguins, but also 3700 of my boys in the cold ground. This is one amazing epic.

Too bad . . . if the P-40's could just clear the way for the P-39's to get at the incoming bombers. Any chance of getting some Marine Wildcat squadrons into the area?

And what a fight at Clark! True, you lost more than he did this time -- but all your untits at Clark are goners anyway, whereas penguins that might have lived to fight another day, won't.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
Too bad . . . if the P-40's could just clear the way for the P-39's to get at the incoming bombers. Any chance of getting some Marine Wildcat squadrons into the area?

And what a fight at Clark! True, you lost more than he did this time -- but all your untits at Clark are goners anyway, whereas penguins that might have lived to fight another day, won't.

Re: USMC Wildcats, IIRC I only have two on the board. One is in Noumea and the other is cooling its heels in PH. I might consider it later on, when I land the AV support I need. As it is, there is too much junk there already. Personally, I doubt that it will make much difference, other than add some variability to the air losses screen.

Yes, sir. The only good pengin is a dead pengin.

[Onime No Kyo]

Now upgraded to 1.802. Goodbye "disband to pool". I loved thee although I only used thee twice.

2/19/42

An overall quiet day punctuated only by the sound of Aircobras and Tomahawks falling into the jungles of New Guinea.

The S-35 got very badly beat up by the infamous APDs off Java. A lot of FLT.

The last of the bombers, two Beauforts, have left Soerabaja after a third is destroyed on the field. Only about 10 patrol aircraft left in the base.

The big (bad) news:

40 Betties and Nells, led by 53 Zeros bombed PM airfield. Of the 23 Aircobras and 16 Warhawks that went up to meet them, 12 P-39s and 4 P-40s were destroyed. A Cat, a Hudson and a Beau were destroyed on the ground. In return for that, I claimed 4 Zeroes and 2 Betties. A rather crummy exchange rate.

In the second half of the day, 14 Betties escorted by 56 Zeros raided the harbor. Although the transports did not suffer damage, MSWs Lismore and Lithgow were hit by torpedoes and sank. 3 Aircobras and a Warhawk were destroyed by the Zeros in exchange for one of their own.

Faber has captured Medan and is landing at Singkawang.

[Onime No Kyo]

To paraphrase some guy names Clemens, the news of the demise of the sync bug have been somewhat exhagerated. The CR showed Clark fall, but execution showed me still there. Thus, I will omit that particularly sad bit of news from the AAR.

2/20/42

The S-35 was ordered abandoned in the early hours of the morning after the diesel, located in the half flooded engine room, finally quit. The last transmission received from the boat stated that the Captain had died of wounds and that the surviving crew, under the command of the XO, was to make its way to the Japanese occupied shore of Java in rubber boats.

The S-41 was dephcharged only 60 miles away from the site of the scutting of the S-35.

Its time to get the heck out of Dodge. With the campaign for Java all done but fot the shooting, the sub forces will relocate to Nothern Borneo to hunt tankers.

An ASW TF found the I-17 east of Pago and scared it. Of the several dozen dephcharges only one landed anywhere in the vicinity.

What I can no longer refer to as anything other than the Illustrious 49th (Fighter Group) continues its life and death struggle over Moresby. The Aircobras, as well as every other flyable aircraft was ordered out yesterday because the situation with damaged and unflyable aircraft has become critical. It has gotten so bad that not one of the 16 Hurricane fighters unloded two days ago has yet been reassembled. Although I am forced to temporarily suspend bomber operations out of PM, I am hoping that the reduction in the number of aircraft will allow the overworked Australian aircraft maintanence personel to put together enough fighters to continue causing Faber significant losses. The TF carrying the 51st AV Regt, 51st BF and another Aircobra group is now in the vicinity of Brisbane, ordered to proceed towards PM with all haste.

(OT: I remember that some time ago there was quite a row in the forum on the subject of being allowed to operate ridiculous numbers of aircraft out of a base with only minimal AV support. It was said that it is gamey and stupid. Well, given the present situation in PM, I'd say that as far as I'm concerned, at least this part of the game is operating flawlessly).

Today, the Illustrious 49th lost 8 planes and shot down 3 Zeros. Regrettably, the best efforts of the unit were insufficient to save the AP Empire Pride, which was sunk by 3 torpedoes along with the MSW Launceton. The AP was carrying the 30th Australian Brigade. Although most of the combat troops had, by this time, already disembarked, a significant portion of the support troops and equipment were destroyed with the ship. Although the 30th is still viable as a combat unit, the loss of a major part of the support is both a tragedy and a significant setback. The Pm detachment of the 49th has now been reduced to less that 20 planes, only a dozen of them operational. There are 7 now located in Cairns, to be transferred in tomorow, and another half-dozen still in Sydney, not yet assembled. Although I have sufficient planes and pilots to reinforce, the AV support situation prohibits it.

The bombing campaign continues in Burma. I now have a significant part of a group of Warhawks from Impal flying sweeps over Mandalay. The Zeroes which had devastated the AVG have not put in a repeat appearance, probably grounded to lick their wounds. One of the things I had neglected to mention previously was that the 18th Bomb Group, late of Davao, Philipines, has finally been upgraded to the B-17E model. So far, the shuttle bombing continues unabated, the bomber losses having been made good from the pool.

Sync bug or not, Clark will fall tomorow. I have 3 subs standing by to evacuate select cadres. The units selected for evacuation and rebuilding are the 21st PA Division, 43rd PS Regt. and the 4th Marines. By the time these units complete rebuilding I will be ready to "I shall return".

PS....Doh! Another thing I forgot to mention. The Horndawg (USS Hornet, not to be confused with the Hon. William Clinton) arrived yesterday and was immediately sent towards OZ in company witn 4 DDs which I had been holding back for just this purpose. No more meaningful CVs until the Wasp. I have also decided to move the llustrious to join the USN CVs. It will do no good in the Indian ocean anyway.

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

To paraphrase some guy names Clemens, the news of the demise of the sync bug have been somewhat exhagerated.

Don't you mean Twain? I think Clemens is famous for "Give me $20 million a year and I'll pitch for you." [;)]

(OT: I remember that some time ago there was quite a row in the forum on the subject of being allowed to operate ridiculous numbers of aircraft out of a base with only minimal AV support. It was said that it is gamey and stupid. Well, given the present situation in PM, I'd say that as far as I'm concerned, at least this part of the game is operating flawlessly).

I agree. Perhaps there's some truth to the argument before planes get damaged, but afterwards, yikes! It takes forever to repair those planes. I consider it a risky tactic, but not a gamey one.

I have 3 subs standing by to evacuate select cadres. The units selected for evacuation and rebuilding are the 21st PA Division, 43rd PS Regt. and the 4th Marines.

Have you pulled any of the PS Engineer Regt? Engineering units (the combat type) are few & far between in stock.

Fun AAR, BTW. [:)]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: ctangus
Don't you mean Twain? I think Clemens is famous for "Give me $20 million a year and I'll pitch for you." [;)]

Yeah, Samuel Clemens. Big bushy mustache, mosy synical man to ever live. Terrible pitcher if accounts are true. Threw like a girl.

I agree. Perhaps there's some truth to the argument before planes get damaged, but afterwards, yikes! It takes forever to repair those planes. I consider it a risky tactic, but not a gamey one.

Largely true about pre-damage. But then, the only way they dont get damaged is if they dont fly. And if theyre not flying, then no harm, no foul. But just as soon as you fly for more than one consecutive day, broken stuff starts piling up along the flight line like its a chop shop in Queens.

Have you pulled any of the PS Engineer Regt? Engineering units (the combat type) are few & far between in stock.

Nah. I think I mentioned before, I think the cadre pulling is gamey, so I try to keep the gameyness to a bare minimum. My only reason for pulling is to have a place to put the PA and PS squads I'll be reinforced with for the rest of the war. I figure that as long I'll have stuff in the pool, I might as well use it. You can think of it as a Free Philippine Legion. By the end of the war most of the Philippine Scouts wont be Philippinos, but at least I'll have one unit to hold the flag when I march back into Manila. [;)]

As for combat engineers, you are right, of course, but I find that US units unually have enough inherent engineers to take on forts. If not, thats what all those BFs and SeaBees are for.

Fun AAR, BTW. [:)]

Thank you, sir. Faber tries his best to kick my arse and I try my best to describe it in an entertaining manner. [;)][:D]

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

Yeah, Samuel Clemens. Big bushy mustache, mosy synical man to ever live. Terrible pitcher if accounts are true. Threw like a girl.

Doh! That'll teach me to post after a couple glasses of wine. [;)]

Well, anyway, good luck.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

As for combat engineers, you are right, of course, but I find that US units unually have enough inherent engineers to take on forts. If not, thats what all those BFs and SeaBees are for.

Regular engineers are useless when attacking forts. Only combat engineer squads can reduce forts.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

As for combat engineers, you are right, of course, but I find that US units unually have enough inherent engineers to take on forts. If not, thats what all those BFs and SeaBees are for.

Regular engineers are useless when attacking forts. Only combat engineer squads can reduce forts.

Ein minuten bitte....I though that any engeneer that is in a unit with combat squads is a
"combat engineer"?!