Speedy vs Fabertong: Death to the Penguin!

[Alfred]

Speedy,
 
I would not be too concerned about Burma, although I think you are concentrating too much on a frontal assault at Mandalay.  To me, the key in Burma is the turning manoeuvre which commenced from Akyab.  Success north of Rangoon cuts supply lines to Mandalay and threatens a link up with Moulmein, thereby investing Rangoon.  Consequently I would contemplate the following actions.
 
1.  With the arrival of the Chinese at Mandalay and your AV superiority there, which protects you from a local penguin counterattack there, you may be able to redeploy some of your non Chinese units to reinforce the Akyab turning maneouvre.
 
2.  Limit yourself to bombardment and air strikes at Mandalay.  The objective is to pin the Mandalay penguins in situ, force them to consume supplies, and hopefully bag them as POWs.
 
3.  Concentrate on capturing the hex north of Rangoon (see point 1).  Then together with a pincer move from Moulmein cut off the last railway supply line into Burma and invest Rangoon.
 
4.  Hopefully steps 1-3 will result in Rangoon having only a weak and starving penguin garrison.  If so this should result in a short siege before it is captured.  Once you have Rangoon, you can flood Burma with supply and roll up the starving penguin line from the west.  Mandalay penguins would then face the difficult choice of remaining in their level 9 bunkers starving, or retreating into the jungle to be blasted by Allied airpower and follow on Chinese LCUs.
 
5.  Once Moulmein ceases to be the PTO Anzio, your Moulemin armour can blitz down the railway.
 
This scenario means that Burma might require a couple of more patient months.  But this would be good timing as it means the crisis in Burma would be time adjacent to that in Borneo and CentPac.  As you have commented that NG/South Pacific is vacant then it must be that there is a shortage of penguin reserves.  Keeping penguins in Burma is therefore good.  Keep Burma active but at minimal cost to you and at a heavier drain on penguin resources.  Verdun was a good plan until the Germans thought they actually had to launch frontal assaults to capture and occupy fortified land.
 
On a different note, IIRC, the beach south of Babo can eventually be built up to a level 4 port/level 5 airfield.  If you still have surplus engineers in the area, it might be worthwhile to land there and build it up.
 
Overall don't feel dispirited over Burma.  You are performing there at least on a par with Slim, who was arguably the best British general of the war.  It is very difficult to inflict a stiletto heart thrust in Burma, whereas each advance in CentPac, backed up by massive naval power, is a stiletto thrust into the penguin heart.
 
Alfred

[pauk]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

Speedy, why was your assualt value cut by a factor of 6 or 7, while his was doubled?

Not sure why, but i think that is how the game works. Engine determines (based on many factors - AV, disruption, fatigue, experience, moral, fort level, supply level and dont forget - a dice roll) do you wining or losing. If you are losing, your AV will be cut by certain factor.

At least this is my understanding, based on experience of big ground battles in the China (where more than 400 K men were involved in the siege of chinese cities)

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Ground combat can sure be a mystery at times............

Hi Alfred - I am thinking of focussing on the Rangoon sector now as you say. In due course I will march 1/2 of my force north of Moulmein to cut the rail link to Burma. I am not expecting to push him off the rail but to stop supply getting through. I will await 11th E. African Division to recover in Chandpur before moving to Moulmein.

CentPac will wake up soon.............

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Few air raids across Burma today. As mentioned all air power will focus north of Rangoon fow now. It will tip Faber off but he can't really do much since he can't afford to transfer men from either Mandalay or Pagan.

British BB's continue their movements SW past Sumatra.

----------------------

Air raids on Bali and Malang on Java by heavies from Koepang.

Faber launched Betties from Amboina against my functional CVE's passing Kai Island on their way back to Darwin. No damage was sustained and 23 enemy planes were shot down to my 2 fighters.

My 2 x damaged CVE's are limping into Bulla tomorrow. Neither will probably survive.

-----------------------

SS Cod damaged AK Nisshu Maru with a torpedo 240 miles SW of Iwo Jima.

SS Permit heavily damaged AK Sagami Maru with 2 torpedoes east of Batavia. She later on damaged AK Tyoko Maru with a torpedo. In return the escorts landed 2 x DC near miss - 9/0/0.

SS Cuttlefish damaged AP Seattle Maru with a torpedo 300 miles SW of Iwo Jima. In return the escorts landed 1 x DC near miss - 14/0/0.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 1

------------------------

An LSM and an AK arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Heavy bombing on IJA positions north of Rangoon today. 1000+ enemy men were hit. Die you b*stards die[:@]

----------------------

Bombing of Macassar, Kendari, Bali and Malang.

My 4 x surviving CVE's have docked at Darwin and are taking on replacements planes and pilots. Once my British BB's have arrived it will be time for the next invasions. ETA 2 weeks.

-----------------------

SS Rock evaded 3 x DD 240 miles SW of Iwo Jima.

SS Ray heavily damaged AP Heito Maru with 2 torpedoes deep in the Phillipine Sea.

SS Porpoise was attacked by 2 x MSW 60 miles NW of Marcus Island. 1 x DC near miss - 12/0/0.

SS Billfish damaged AK Penang Maru with a torpedo 60 miles east of Soerabaja.

------------------------

An AK, DE and a DD arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Nikademus]

HA HA........

bomb em some more.....they like it.

[:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Nik - I will do. Death to Penguin's!

------------------

Lot's of bombing in Burma again.

------------------

Quiet in the rest of the theatres whilst we wait for the British BB's at Koepang and the ships from San Francisco to PH.

------------------

No submarine contacts today

[DuckofTindalos]

Too many apostrophes... Learn to spell's...[:'(]

[Speedysteve]

Tosser's[:'(]

[DuckofTindalos]

W*nker's...[:'(]

[Speedysteve]

Stop the spam ****'s
 
My average was upto 17.46............STOP IT[:-][:'(]

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: pauk

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

Speedy, why was your assualt value cut by a factor of 6 or 7, while his was doubled?

Not sure why, but i think that is how the game works. Engine determines (based on many factors - AV, disruption, fatigue, experience, moral, fort level, supply level and dont forget - a dice roll) do you wining or losing. If you are losing, your AV will be cut by certain factor.

At least this is my understanding, based on experience of big ground battles in the China (where more than 400 K men were involved in the siege of chinese cities)

I'm not very experienced with large scale ground battles...yet. If Faber's troops are behind level 9 forts, that would account for his AV being doubled, plus I'm sure they are prepped.

I'm just surprised that right off the bat Speedy's AV was cut so drastically. Large scale disruption or low supply would account for it, but I'm assuming that if Speedy felt he was ready to attack those factors were taken into consideration.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Stop the spam ****'s

My average was upto 17.46............STOP IT[:-][:'(]

Pffft's...

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Speedy


My 4 x surviving CVE's have docked at Darwin and are taking on replacements planes and pilots. Once my British BB's have arrived it will be time for the next invasions.

Well and good -- but in the meantime the Penguin appears to have slipped in another Surface Combat TF. How are the damaged CVE's doing?

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi Capt. - Faber sure did. They came in unnoticed and sank 2 x DD, 1 x DE, 1 x MSW and an AK. A nice little strike by him. ML Terror's mine's didn't do their job so 12 x PT have also been assembled on station to try and provide cover for my AK's unloading supplies.

The 2 x damaged CVE's are not good. Docked at Bulla they are at 55/70 and 68/72..........

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Massive attacks on IJA positions north of Rangoon today. Faber's AV there has dropped by 60 over 2 days:

Ground combat at 30,32

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 53825 troops, 364 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1258

Defending force 55356 troops, 132 guns, 112 vehicles, Assault Value = 1170

British BB's passing well west of Padang tomorrow.

---------------------

The bombing of Bali's airfield has forced the Japanese to evacuate it. Malang was hit hard again today by Koepang's Heavies.

A further 2 x USA Divisions + ARM + ART arrived at Darwin today.

---------------------

No submarine attacks today.

Interesting FOW here:

Air sightings = 14
Air attacks = 4
Air hits = 2 - both on SS Stoic apparently by Sallies 180 miles WSW of Saigon. In reality she has a SYS damage of 1.

---------------------

2 x AK and an LST arrive in theatre tomorrow.

[Alfred]

Speedy,
 
Ah...I see young grasshopper has sought enlightenment in the main forum regarding Mandalay combat results.  Frontal attacks are always expensive, but are sometimes the only option.
 
In my last post I recalled incorrectly the potential max levels for the beach south of Babo.  The correct max is port level 5 and airfield level 4.  I had confused it with the beach between Wasile and Morotai which can be potentially be built up to port level 4 and airfield level 5 and is therefore a good site to project Allied air power over Mindanao.
 
Good to see the results of air bombing penguins north of Rangoon.
 
Alfred

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Well this is my last post before I head off on business to San Francisco until Friday.........

More massive bombing in Burma reducing Faber's AV north of Rangoon by 39 points today............

My British BB's are passing due west of Batavia now.

--------------------

Fairly quiet in the SRA now. No Japanese attacks and just a follow up raid by my Heavies against Malang plus the usal Mitchell attacks on Macassar and Kendari.

--------------------

SS Pickerel damaged AK Canberra Maru with a torpedo 120 miles east of Balikpapan.

Air sightings = 16
Air attacks = 1

--------------------

2 x AK, an LSM and an APD arrive in theatre tomororw.

To show the strength of my CentPac forces i've attached a screenshot of PH. Just awaiting 2 more merchant TF's to arrive then we head off to the Mariana's.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Mainly disablements but what the hell do I have to do to break through in Burma. *@#%&#%@&#%@*%@#*%@%*


Bit late in replying to you here, connection nightmares. Anyhoo one word MANOUVRE. Takes time and can be blocked but if you manouvre with enough strength its possible to break over the river next to the rail line at which point he has to off load some men to counterattack OR abandon the place for a non base defensive line or run back to moulmein.

OR load everything and the kitchen sink thats available and invade north of rangoon( if you allow non base landings).

OR invade using andaman as a base to threaten the malayan coast and thailand, he will have to garrison quite a lot of bases that might act to force him to pull some men back from mandalay.

There is an expression that involves grannies and eggs there but it's well intentioned [;)]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Back from my trip to San Francisco and feeling Jet Lagged. Was actually a lot more useful and productive than I thought it would be.

Hi Rob - If you look at the picture bud you'll see I have tried manouvering around flanks. There is little other way I can manouvre now and the junlgfe route takes TOO LONG and would easily be seen before getting in place. All my forces are deployed in situ and to withrdraw too be relocated would take 1-2 months along trails = Faber would know i'm moving and would retreat some forces further back accordingly. I will build up a new force of reinforcements in due course and just hope in the meantime the bludgeoning will break through somewhere.

-------------------------

The last day of May was fairly routine.

Massive bombing on IJA positions north of Rangoon. About 920 planes bombed enemy positions today.

--------------------------

Fairly quiet in SRA whilst we await the British BB's (about 5 days out from Darwin). Currently passing SW of Java out of range of LBA.

In a couple of days we'll start embarking troops for the next invasions(s).

An enemy freighter was spotted at Biak and recently arrived Helldivers but a bomb into it flying from Babo.

---------------------------

The last necessary transport TF will reach PH tomorrow. Once it does we begin embarking for Operation Albatross - the invasion of Saipan.

---------------------------

SS Telemachus heavily damaged the oil laden TK Kyuei Maru with a torpedo 240 miles WNW of Kuching. Hopefully she'll sink. In return the escorts landed 1 x DC near miss - 6/0/0.

Air sightings = 8
Air attacks = 1

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3 x AK, an LSM and an AO arrive in theatre tomorrow as does a Catalina Squadron at Darwin.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Well the time has come to embark for Operation Albatross: The invasion of Saipan.

The major shipping to be invovled was posted a few days ago. Now here the OOB for the invasion:

Infantry
--------------

1st Marine Division
2nd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division
33rd USA Division
6th USA Division
43rd USA Division
27th USA Division
32nd USA Division
Americal Division
41st USA Division
40th USA Division
7th USA Division
24th USA Division
9th Australian Division
298th USA RCT
158th USA RCT
112th USA Cav. Rgt
14th NZ Bde.

Armour
-------------

640th USA TD Bn
632nd USA TD Bn
754th USA TK Bn
193rd USA TK Bn
1st Aus Arm TK Bn
9th Aus TK Rgt
4th Aus TK Rgt
8th Aus TK Rgt
5th Aus Tk Rgt

Combat Engineers
-----------------------

18th USA Eng Rgt
19th USA Eng Rgt
34th USA Eng Rgt

Artillery
------------

1 USA Corps Art
V USMC Corps Art
1st Aus Art Rgt.

HQ's
------------

Land forces to be commanded by MGen Patch's XIV Corps
RAdm Barbey's VII Amphib Force will co-ordinate the landings.

Support
------------

128th USAAF BF
133rd USN BF
72nd BF
52nd Naval BF
72nd AV Rgt
134th AV Rgt
133rd AV Rgt

14th USMC CD Rgt
56th USA Cst Art Rgt

2 x AA Bn's

9 x SeeBee's

250,000 tonnes of supply
340,000 tonnes of fuel

10 x Air Group.

= 14 x Division, 4 x RCT/Rgt/Bde, 9 x Arm, 3 x Art, 3 x Eng +..............

I will not fail.............[;)]

It's important note these forces will take Saipan and will also potentially be used (support forces in particular) for the occupation of other nearby bases in due course.

Jump off from PH will probably be in 3-5 days after all troops are onboard and my CV/CVL/CVE have had their 6/44 refit.............

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Bad weather in Burma limited air raids to launching from Imphal and Akyab.

-------------------

The British BB's will be clear from SW Java tomorrow and then Koepang awaits.

Tomorrow we embark troops at Darwin for our next offensive's.

-------------------

SS Rock blew up the FUEL carrying AK Kinshu Maru with 2 torpedoes over 2 attacks 240 miles west of Iwo Jima.

Air sightings = 12
Air attacks = 0

-------------------

CV Bennington, 2 x AK, an LCI and an LSM arrive in theatre tomorrow. CV Bennington has arrive a little late for Albatross and will await a further Essex class CV due to arrive over the next c.month.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Points:

Japanese: + 1023
Allied: +1319

Bases:

Japanese: - 3 bases (+269 points)
Allied: + 3 bases (+54 points)

Planes:

Allies lost: 491
Japanese lost: 722

Troops:

Allies lost: 115 points
Japanese lost: 283 points

Ships:

Allies lost: 12 ships - 147 points - CL Houston accounting for 40% of these. The rest are convoy escorts at Bulla. Only 1 x SS sunk this month though.

Japanese lost: 33 ships - 238 points - all sunk by submarines.

Strategic points: 0

-------------------

My thoughts:

Overall a fairly quiet month with no advances by CentPac, limited invasions at Bulla/Babo in SRA (with sea losses + 2 x heavily damagaed/may sink CVE) and a failed attack at Mandalay, Burma.

My submarines have performed well again.

Not happy with the slow progress though. This month should change that with invasions at Saipan and in the SRA.