The end of the world as we know it?

[Roger Neilson II]

Both myself and my honorable opponent are away from Tuesday to Friday so no updates until the weekend folks.

[Yava]

Good God! This is a slaughter!

[USSAmerica]

It sure does feel a lot like a WWI battle in France! [X(]
 
I hope I can convince my opponent to march his troops and fleet into a meat grinder like you have been able to do, Roger!  Congratulations! [8D]

[Roger Neilson II]

Well from previous games I know when my opponent commits he commits big time.... I put this current battle down to a lot of luck on my part. I cannot claim I knew it was coming, because I didn't. I was expecting something elsewhere actually. I did think that initially it was an attempt to dislodge my forces from Toboali and it was only as it developed that the full scale of the attempt was becoming clear.

The turning point was the presence of some PTs at Batavia, these delayed the arrival of the transports and indeed annoyed the BBs so they didn't get their bombardments in. I have benefited enormously from interior lines, and have had large air support at both Batavia and Soerabaja.

Having said that I have not had it all my own way, he did catch a convoy delivering a very large RAF air support unit at Soerabaja and they all were lost! I also was a bit short of transports but all of this has now been remedied.

Beauforts have been the key element here. I have over 60 regularly flying out of Batavia and all are in the 70's now in experience terms.

[kaleun]

Still an excellent AAR.
Brilliant defense I must say.

[kaleun]

It is the weekend![;)]

[Roger Neilson II]

Yes, I have had one move, but nothing radical happened. As soon as there are developments I will post the latest.

I don't believe in the posting the combat text school of AArs myself......

Roger

[Roger Neilson II]

Gentlemen, we are becoming more and more convinced that the momentous struggle for Batavia has cost the Japs dearly. Several days have passed with no attempt to send any resupply to their troops marooned at Batavia.Following some artillery bombardments while his assault troops rested the Japanese commander threw a furious assault against our defences last night. This cost him heavily in losses to his troops, in use of supplies and did not gain an inch of penetration of our defence lines. If Smithers is right in his calculations we should see a daily diminishment of strength and the 90K troops will become, to all intents and purposes, a bunch of prisoners of war in waiting.

Light naval forces operating out of Toboali are now making runs against the damaged shipping 'sheltering' in Teloetbetoeng harbour. Our bombers make daily attacks on the Japs at Batavia whilst our gallant Beauforts remain ever watchful of the seas around - they have now been joined by some squadrons rested after their initial efforts....

Meanwhile Batavia has seen the arrival of some forces from both Australia and the USA, with more on the way. Please note on the situation map displayed that advance forces from Balikpapan have now arrived on the outskirts of Samarinda and we expect to take possession of this tomorrow.

Of note is the development in China. After an arduous march a force has managed to insert itself between Sian and Homan, ensuring a large Japanese force that has been besieging Sian has now had the tables reversed. In Northern China the Japanese are entangled in a series of locations, and given the need to hold their lines facing the Russians do not seem to have the reserves to extricate themselves from the mire in this area. Two of these pockets are now being systematically eliminated, and following this these troops will become available for redeployment elsewhere.

You may note no mention of several other areas of the overall conflict at present.... those words are chosen carefully!

I look forward to a further briefing over the next few days, at our time of choosing - no longer will the enemy dictate when I have to brief you.

[kaleun]

That was some great defense.
Without the oil from Soerabaja, Balikpapan and tarakan, I do not see how Japan can pursue the war.
Pretty impressive.

[Mike Dixon]

Wow, I havent checked your AAR for a while - it gets better and better!

[Roger Neilson II]

I must say constructing the AAR comes in as second place to doing the moves, but I still enjoy the creative task immensely! Having spent last week learning what a Mac can do I may even be tempted to mix platforms for some future reports!

I look forward to another game sometime where my arch hero Flashman can reappear! I spent most of last week at a neo-gothic pile that would have been very much his home territory!

Roger

[bradfordkay]

I don't recall Harry Paget Flashman spending too much time in any church, chapel or other christian edifice... At least after his public school days (and aside from an enforced visit to a Presbyterian church up in Scotland)... [;)]

[Roger Neilson II]

I would totally agree, but that photograph is of a major Public School (not Rugby so its not quite accurate) and that, if my spatial awareness is correct, was their dining hall!

Note for non Brits..... a Public School is in fact a private school.. but we call them Public Schools because we.... call them Public Schools - that one sets the parents back in the region of $50,000 per year to have their sons and daughters grow up to know how to behave properly and be well educated....

I, on the other hand, have worked over 30 years in proper public schools, that is schools for the general public,, which costs people nothing and attempts, not always successfully, to get the sons and daughters to behave properly and be well educated.

Cheers

Roger

[bradfordkay]

The cross at the apex made me think it was the chapel... trust the Brits to confuse matters by making it a dining hall! [:'(]

[Roger Neilson II]

Well Gentlemen, Smithers assures me with the arrival of those forces kindly loaned from the yanks and the Aussies there is now no danger to Batavia. He has been applying the hard sums to five separate assaults now and has drawn me another graph because he knows I find it easier to follow. Here it is:

[Roger Neilson II]

Gentlemen, very much business as usual in our theatre of operations. We now have a sizeable Chinese force at Lashio and daily raids by over 100 heavy bombers must be taking a toll of the defenders there. In the past the Chinese fighting spirit has been questioned, but lately there has been a marked improvement. To illustrate this I can reveal that over the last fortnight a force of four Manchurian Cavalry Divisions has been trapped between Sining and Lanchow. Over the last few days the Chinese opened an offensive with their local forces and on the night of the 19th the command area of the enemy forces was overrun. The four divisions have been removed from the map, and with a short respite these fine fighting troops will be free to move and repeat their triumph against other Japanese forces. Please recall this is only one of three ‘pockets’ of trapped Japs… the same fate awaits the others.

In the Marshalls the Americans have been busy. On the night of the 17th/18th November a task force landed a large combat unit on Eniwetok expecting some resistance – the place was deserted. It is now under new management and about to extend the reach of our reconnaissance planes. On the night of the 18th/19th another large group of combat forces landed on Ponape. Not that many days ago a paratroop force landed to test out the defences but were assumed captured by the defenders. Although some damage was caused by shore batteries the landing went ahead with acceptable losses, the base was soon captured and by the evening of the 19th it is reported that there are no Japs alive on the island – sadly there is no sign of our paratroopers either.

We can expect new developments on both the China and Central Pacific fronts as soon as elements are in place for the next drives forwards. With the capture of all but Kwajalein in the Marshalls we have taken a first island group from the enemy – up to now we have been reclaiming our own territory. As for Kwajalein, there are around 40,000 enemy very well dug in, but going nowhere, with our ships blockading any attempt by small vessels to either evacuate or resupply the island. We have decided it will serve us well as a free fire target zone until such time as the occupants ask for us to come and rescue them!

And in our area? Well, resupply or evacuation from Sabang (we cannot tell which it is) is being attempted with single ships sneaking though the straits, to be spotted by our air from Kuala and sunk. A couple of badly damaged transports are at anchor at Teloetbetoeng and we are using them as target practice. Landing of more troops at Batavia continues uninterrupted by the Japanese air or naval forces. Interestingly, we have detected a significant withdrawal of troops from the trenches round Batavia…. The 90K is now more like 30K with a corresponding 60K now at Merak. Quite what they are up to is anybody’s guess. An attempted seaborne evacuation in the face of almost 100 Beauforts? An admission of defeat and withdrawal to a base to defend and attempt resupply from Teloetbetoeng? Time will tell……

[Roger Neilson II]

Gentlemen, some significances perhaps, reading the tea leaves you might say if you were old Aunt Hermione that is.......

In China the enemy has cleared our small blocking force between Sian and Homan and we detect a retreat from Sian to join up with his forces at Homan (identified as 49 separate units). We also have sent recce forces out into the Jap positions around Batavia and found them deserted - while the area at Merak now seems very crowded.....

A small surface force of the enemy has been spotted some 120 NM NW of Kwajalein, direction unclear. We will deal with that assuming the weather is clear today in that area.

For some reason the Jap air commander at Davao decided to get aggressive and sent a large bomber force to attack shipping at Menado. The base personnel would have had to revise the number of place settings for the evening meal!

[Roger Neilson II]

Gentlemen, a brief briefing (pauses to laugh at own hilarious joke).

The task force approaching Kwajalein was identified as five supply ships - whether laden with materiel for the garrison or an evacuation attempt we will never know. Over 100 planes from Wotje and Maloelap, Dauntlesses and Marauders, were tasked with stopping them. Two transports managed to get close enough to the island to encounter our blockade TF with the flag on the CA Salt lake City......

In a mirror action task forces at Teloetbetoeng and Benkolen were attacked by Japanese air from Singapore, many Japanese planes did not make it back there, and nbo hits were scored on our ships.

[Roger Neilson II]

On the General's desk, for his eyes only....

[kaleun]

Good show!