Feinder(A) v Bilbow(J) CHS - The winds of war are constantly changing

[Feinder]

It is fine if Bilbow reads or posts in this AAR.

Our game and house rules:

Options:
1. CHS 156 w/ extended map - so no tweaks to the air-to-air or flak. We're using the Soviet Navy, because Stalin wants use it to invade Honshu in 09-45.
2. 2-day turns.
3. PDUs on.
4. Allied and Japan sub doctrines off.
5. Fixed reinforcments.
6. FoW on.
7. Weather on.

House Rules (it looks like a lot, but it's mostly common sense and "be nice"):
1. No level-bombing below 12,000' to allow for problems with code handling low altitude flak. Level bombing at 100' allowed in 1943 or later.
2. Invasions only on base or dot hexes.
3. Cadre evacuations allowed.
4. Single-ship TFs are allowed.
5. "Training" your squadrons is fine, but no "same-hex supply training" of bomber squadrons. Flying supplies into China (or wherever) with bombers is fine. But flying supply from San Francisco to Sacramento is not. Use discretion.
6. Kwangung units stay in Kwangtung bases unless PPs paid for transfer.
7. China Exped units stay in China unless PPs paid for transfer.
8. ChiCom units stay in China unless PPs paid for transfer.
9. IndiCom units stay in India unless PPS paid for transfer (those starting in Burma are exempt).
10. Only 1 port attack on turn 1.
11. No Japanese LCU naval invasions north of Tavoy until Singapore falls.
12. No Corsair's allowed on US carriers until 1/44. Except for transport missions.
13. USMC squadrons -are- allowed to operate from USN carriers, just as Japanese CV-capable sqdns are allowed on CVL/CVEs.
14. "Be realistic" with cutting off troops for surrender. A whole Btn would be sufficient to cut off a unit, but a few squads = no.
15. If you don't attack the Soviets on turn 1, please give 30 days lead time before attacking the Soviets (if you're going to do it), so I can come up with my own defensive posture. If you want to surprise the Soviets as well, you're welcome to beat the snot out of them with surprise on turn 1.
16. If you don't attack the Soviets on turn 1 (and also ambush their fleet), Stalin requires that he be allowed to relocate the Soviet fleet in a few weeks (when things have calmed down a little, you'd need to have nothing set to NavAtk around the Soviet ports so that I can move the fleet).
17. Allied TFs at sea at start may split into new TFs and issue new orders, but may not load troops.
18. Allied ships disbanded at start, may not be formed into new TFs until next turn.
19. No more than 6x PTs in a TF, and no more than 2x TFs per hex.
20. Max number of 4e groups per current base size:
AF(4) - 1 squadron
AF(5) - 2 sqadrons
AF(6) - 3 squadrons
AF(7) - 6 squadrons
AF(8) - 9 squadrons
AF(9+) - No limit
Exceptions made for in-transit (but those in transit will be stood down and not attacking anyway).
21. AF stacking limit of (50 * AF size), not counting those in transit (which should be stood down). No limit on AF(9+).
22. Sub evac = ok. Sub invasion = not ok.
23. No Allied 4Es in China until 1944.
24. No city attacks in China for either side.
25. Units in China including air units may issue new orders and/or relocate for first turn. This includes AVG in Mandalay.
26. No dividing LCUs into regiments for the sole purpose of combat in the same hex - this means the first unit gets beaten up, and the other 2 regiments get off scott free. Dividing an LCU in a rear area to accept replacements is fine, and dividing an LCU defend multiple hexes is fine.
27. No attacking with just suicide engineers. There is (or was) a bug where attacking LCUs got a 2nd bombardment attack if only ENG units attacked. We weren't sure if this was fixed or not, so we said no solo ENG unit attacks.
28. No "shock with pursuit" attacks.
29. Play a "gentleman's game". If you think it might be gamey, it probably is, so don't do it.


I do defend SRA (within reason), and love surface combat (and IMO am fairly good at instigating it). So you won't be reading about 4 months of Sir Robin. The game is already under way and has already been an "interesting" 2 turns (4 days). I had fogotten how big the enima was of setting orders and planning for everything the first couple turns. Bleh for me. And Bilbow has to get used to 2-day turns (bleh for hiim - I recommended that he start up an AI game with 2-day turns to help him get used to it).

-F-

[aztez]

Finally AAR...

[Knavey]

  Post a TURN.  Hurry up!

[Feinder]

Boring crap removed.
12-07-1941 thru 12-14-1941

A - Japanese forces quickly sieze airfields as Batan Island, Vigan, Jolo, Legaspi, Miri, and Brunei. Admiral Koniga withdraw's his covering force at Brunei after several Dutch submarines are spotted in the area. The ancient US submarines S-36 and S-39 are quick to react to the surprise attack - they slip past sceening escorts and manage to sink 4 transports.
B - Kito Butai launches a massive airstrike against the port of Manilla, sinking 15 submarines, several destroyers, and a considerable of amount of shipping. Japanese Army bombers from Formosa quickly demolish Clark Field. Remaining USAAF fighters quickly disperse throughout the Philipines, and give a good account for themselves when they are not surprised. For several days, KB continues to launch airstrikes against Manilla and fleeing shipping traffic, but the cost to Japan's elite pilots is high - 24 Vals, 16 Kates, and 9 Zeros are downed in the first week.
C - Japanese Army bombers hit neutral shipping attempting to flee the war zone.
D - The captured bases at Jolo and Legaspi are quickly operational, and their bombers quickly act as a fatal sentinals to ships fleeing south from the Philipines.
E - Admiral Hart dispatches several PT boats to disrupt the enemy transports at Viga, but they are driven off.
F - Allied task forces centered around the cruisers Houston, Dragon, Durban, and Danae converge on the unprotected convoy at Brunei. The action is costly for Japan, the light cruiser Sendaiis heavily damaged (perhaps fatally) and several transports that have not completed unloading are also sunk. The Alied task forces make a hasty retreat towards friendly aircover before sunrise.

-F-

[Feinder]

Boring crap removed.

12-07-1941 thru 12-14-1941

A - Japanse SNLF units capture the oil field at Sorong, and the seize the strategic airfield at Ambonia.
B - Several Japanese task forces, centered around a collection of light carriers, attack several transports and tankers south east of Borneo. Allied air attacks on "mini-KB" are largely ineffective, except for LCMDR Harrison of VJ-10 who manages score a hit on the light carrier Ryujo. His damaged Kingfisher does not make it back to the field at Tarakan. The Japanese task group is further surprised when the Dutch submarine KXVIII hits the battleship Nagao with 2 torpedos. While she takes on a list, it does not appear that the damage was fatal. In response, KXVIII is subjected to 6 hours of constant depth charging. Battered, but not broken, the Dutch skipper is eventually able to escape the escort's cordon.
C - A task force centered around the HMS Repulse attempts to intercept the invasion at Ambonia. However, Japanese bombers are not caught unawares. The Repulse and escorts are spotted while still 400 miles out, and launch their attack. The HMS Repulse is hit with four torpedoes, and quickly sinks. The remainder of her task force breaks off.

-F-

[Feinder]

12-07-1941 thru 12-14-1941

A - RAF torpedo bombers attack a convoy unloading at Singora. Several transports are sunk, along with the light cruiser Kashii.

-F-

[Feinder]

12-07-1941 thru 12-14-1941

A - Japanese SNLF units quickly overwhelm the garrison at Wake.
B - In what will prove a fateful decision for the invasion, the bombardment group of cruisers departs southward, as soon as the island is secured.
C - Adm. Halsey splits off several cruisers to defend Wake. In a decision that he will have to explain for years afterwards, he refuels the escorting destroyers -before- sending them on defend Wake.
D - Arriving a day -after- Wake is captured, the Allied surface group falls upon the transports and their few remaining escorts. The light cruiser Katori is sunk, and damge to the US surface units is minimal.
E - Frustrated at having arrvied a day late to stop the invasion or attack the bombardment group, Halsey must content himself with wiping out the remainder of the invasion force.

-F-

[Feinder]

12-07-1941 thru 12-14-1941

A - Japanese landing forces quickly sieze the atoll of Tarawa. The last message broadcast from our weather station there was, "We sent out a flag of truce, we are just a weather station. We see them coming now, they have fixed bayonettes..."
B - Admiral Kimmel at Pearl Harbor dispatches several cruisers to shell the Japanese airfield at Maloelap. Several enemy bombers and patrol aircraft at destroyed, and the bombardment group is able to depart without incident.

-F-

[Feinder]

Code: Select all

 
 
 
 ==================================================================================================================
 
 Target			Type	Ordinance		Hit By			Type		Date
 ==================================================================================================================
 Ryujo			CVL	1x Bomb		USN VJ-10			Kingfisher	12-13-41			
 
 
 
 
 Nagato			BB	2x Torb		KXVIII			SS		12-14-41
 
 
 
 
 Aoba			CA	4x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Chokai			CA	1x Torp		Parrott			DD		12-08-41
 Furutaka			CA	10x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Kako			CA	8x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Kumano			CA	1x Shell		Bulmer			DD		12-09-41
 
 
 
 
 Kashii			CL	4x Torp		RAF 4 AACU		Swordfish		12-12-41	Sunk
 Katori			CL	22x Shell		Northampton		CA		12-10-41	Sunk
 				25x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Sendai			CL	30x Shell		Houston			CA		12-09-41
 
 
 
 
 Hayate			DD	10x Shell		Chester			CA		12-10-41	Sunk
 Kikuzuki			DD	8x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Mochizuki			DD	28x Shell		Salt Lake City		CA		12-10-41	Sunk
 Mutsuki			DD	1x Shell		Northampton		CA		12-10-41
 Oboro			DD	2x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Shirayuki			DD	1x Bomb		USAAF 93rd Bombard		B-17D		12-12-41
 				6x Shell		Houston			CA		12-09-41
 Tokitsukaze		DD	1x Shell		PT-41			PT		12-13-41
 Uzuki			DD	3x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Yayoi			DD	4x Shell, 1x Torp	Craven			DD		12-10-41	Sunk
 Yuzuki			DD	7x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 	
 
 
 
 Akitsu Maru		PG	2x Shell		MTB 11			PT		12-11-41
 				3x Shell		Isabel			PG		12-08-41
 Chiyo Maru		PG	1x Torp		MTB 27			PT		12-11-41
 Tatsumiya Maru		PG	18x Shell		Barker			DD		12-08-41	Sunk
 Uji			PG	1x Torp		RAF No.36 Sqdn		Vildebeest IV	12-11-41
 
 
 
 
 Kyo Maru #13		PC	1x Shell		Isabel			PG		12-08-41
 Shonan Maru #2		PC	1x Shell		Isabel			PG		12-08-41
 
 
 
 
 W.13			MSW	6x Shell		Mindanao			PG		12-07-41
 
 
 
 
 I-20			SS	4x DC		Cummings			DD		12-14-41
 
 
 
 
 Chifuku Maru		AP	1x Bomb		USN VS-6 Enterprise 	SBD-3		12-10-41
 Kashima Maru		AP	41x Shell		Northampton		CA		12-11-41	Sunk
 				1x Bomb		USN VS-6 Enterprise 	SBD-3		12-10-41
 Kinryu Maru		AP	7x Bomb		USN VT-6 Enterprise	TBD		12-11-41	Sunk
 				9x Shell		Salt Lake City		CA		12-10-41
 Kisogawa Maru		AP	4x Shell, 1x Torp	Dragon			CL		12-10-41	Sunk
 				8x Shell		Danae			CL		12-09-41
 Kiyosumi Maru		AP	10x Shell, 4x Torp	Danae			CL		12-09-41	Sunk
 Kongo Maru		AP	1x Bomb		USN VT-6 Enterprise	TBD		12-10-41
 Nissen Maru		AP	3x Torp		RAF No.100 Sqdn		Vildebeest IV	12-12-41
 Sangetsu Maru		AP	1x Bomb		USAAF 93rd Bombard		B-17D		12-10-41
 Shintoku Maru		AP	8x Bomb		USN VS-6 Enterprise 	SBD-3		12-10-41	Sunk
 Uji Maru			AP	5x Bomb		USN VB-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-11-41	Sunk
 				3x Bomb		USN VB-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-10-41
 
 
 
 
 Amakusa Maru		AK	4x Shell, 2x Torp	Durban			CL		12-10-41	Sunk
 				10x Shell		Danae			CL		12-09-41
 Anyo Maru			AK	1x Torp		S-36			SS		12-08-41
 Aratama Maru		AK	3x Bomb		USN VB-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-11-41	Sunk
 				5x Bomb		USN VB-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-10-41
 Buyo Maru			AK	1x Torp		S-39			SS		12-09-41	Sunk
 Canton Maru		AK	6x Bomb		USN VS-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-11-41	Sunk
 				2x Bomb		USN VT-6 Enterprise	TBD		12-10-41
 				7x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Hirokawa Maru		AK	1x Torp		USN VT-6 Enterprise	TBD		12-11-41	Sunk
 				3x Bomb, 3x Shell	USN VB-6 Enterprise	SBD-3		12-10-41
 				5x Shell		1st USMC Def Btn (det)	CD		12-07-41
 Hokkai Maru		AK	2x Torp		KXVII			SS		12-11-41	Sunk
 Houn Maru			AK	1x Bomb		RAAF 2/6 Flight		Hudson		12-14-41
 Karachi Maru		AK	1x Torp		S-36			SS		12-08-41
 Kumagawa Maru		AK	1x Torp		S-36			SS		12-08-41	Sunk
 Okuni Maru		AK	1x Shell, 1x Torp	Dragon			CL		12-10-41	Sunk
 				12x Shell		Danae			CL		12-09-41
 Seitai Maru		AK	1x Torp		KXI			SS		12-13-41
 Tatebu Maru		AK	5x Shell, 3x Torp	Durban			CL		12-10-41	Sunk
 				10x Shell		Alden			DD		12-09-41
 				1x Shell		Bulmer			DD		12-08-41
 Tatsuharu Maru		AK	6x Bomb		USN VT-6 Enterprise	TBD		12-10-41	Sunk
 Yuzan Maru		AK	1x Torp		KXV			SS		12-09-41	Sunk
 

[jwilkerson]

Regarding your house rules. You almost seem to be encouraging single ship TFs and limited "max" size of PT TFs rather then "min".

Once I faced 50 single PT TFs in one hex and I really thought that was too much. But apparently you disagree. Would you care to comment further?

[Fletcher]

Amazing AAR ! . I´ll put an eye on it
Good Luck !
 

[Alfred]

Feinder,
 
Replacement of combat.txt by maps has considerably improved this AAR.  Hope the additional workload is not too much.
 
The table in post #9 is generated how?  I rather like the information  and presentation thereby conveyed.
 
Am also looking forward to your insightful comments regarding Allied strategy.
 
Alfred

[Feinder]

Regarding your house rules. You almost seem to be encouraging single ship TFs and limited "max" size of PT TFs rather then "min".

4. Single-ship TFs are allowed.
Well, I wouldn't exactly call it "encouraging" single-ship TFs. But given the fact that it's a really tough judgement call over whether one is legit or not (esp by the opponent, who only has partial intel and certainly doesn't know all the in-game circumstances), I figure it's just better to say to single-ship TFs -are- allowed. That way we've pardoned it up front, and nobody gets their panties in a wad when they do see single-ship TFs.

19. No more than 6x PTs in a TF, and no more than 2x TFs per hex.
I guess we're reading this differently. I read this as a max of 12 PTs per hex = 2 TFs of 6 PTs each. Not that you can't have more than 2 TFs of -other- types of TFs (so you could have multiple CV/SC TFs). But essentially I'm limiting my self to 2x6 PTs per hex.

Alfred - Thanks for the comments. I probably won't get into much "I'm gonna do this" sort of strategy talk, because this is an open AAR to Bilbow. My basic strategy for now is to duck when he takes a punch, and grab-twist-pull anything I can reach while I'm down low. [:)]

As far "what is interesting to me thus far"...

I've never had an opponent go after Manila (even tho I've never had a problem with a game opener that way). So it's sort of a different ball-game for me. Naturally, having both KB and mini-KB roaming SRA means very little of that shipping will survive. Also, while I don't consider myself a "Sir Robin" type, I do try to evac where it's simply not worth defending. But again, having so much BOOM! in SRA will severely limit my options there. I guess it's motivating to say that, "You have to fight and die, because the transport we sent for you has been sunk already. Can I have the phone number of your girlfriend, since you're gonna be dead soon?" I also love my subs, and obviosly I'm going to be short on them for while.

It -is- interesting that Kimmel's 12-07 BBQ didn't get rained out. I'm sure I'll find something for the old BBs to shoot at. I did send in a force of cruisers to annoy him at Maloelap, but that's mostly a pin-pr1ck (interesting that forum filter zapped me) to remind him I'm still here. I was kinda surprised to see that the Wake invasion went forward, without the threat of KB vs. my CVs. So I took that shot while it presented itself. I was disappointed that I didn't catch the covering force of CAs, but Bilbow was sufficiently annoyed that I got the CL and transports. It was a bit of a nail-biter tho going in with Enterprise, because she was in range of LBA Kwaj. It was a gamble that worked (where the Repulse move obviously wasn't so lucky).

Obviously Bilbow is concentrating his forces in PI/SRA (get there firstest with the mostest). I'm not even seeing anything in Malaya (yet). Best I can tell, he's got "most everything" concentrated against the Philipines, and is grabbing the eastern SRA bases to support offensive operations in the Philipines. To me, it looks like he wants to cut them off and kill them as quickly as possible, or to he might just be isolating PI and will come back for it later. Too soon to tell.

Given that that things are appearently focused on PI eastern SRA, what can I do with that bit of observation...

We'll see.

I'll be posting the maps, hopefully for about each week of game time. Unfotuntately, the maps do take quite a while produce. I take them from the current turn, and then "edit" them by removing current TFs, and then "placing" icons that give a better visual of what I'm trying to describe (as some of the events happend "last week" in game terms, I often have to recreate the image).

Oh, and the "table" is just a report I keep. I take the daily combat report, and record who-got-hit-by-what. It's not that hard, if you stay on top of it. Recording the actual "shooter" is new, and may prove a bit much in the record-keeping department, but I've always been curious as to who the heros are. It's just a text file that I paste in as "code". Unfortunatly, the formatting gets wonky (tabs no longer align, and spaces don't work either), so it takes longer to get things to line up for the forum, than it does to actually produce the report.

-F-

[aztez]

This is good read. [:)]
 
Intresting to see what kind of strategy your opponent will choose for his advance.

[kokubokan25]

Oh, and the "table" is just a report I keep. I take the daily combat report, and record who-got-hit-by-what. It's not that hard, if you stay on top of it. Recording the actual "shooter" is new, and may prove a bit much in the record-keeping department, but I've always been curious as to who the heros are. It's just a text file that I paste in as "code". Unfortunatly, the formatting gets wonky (tabs no longer align, and spaces don't work either), so it takes longer to get things to line up for the forum, than it does to actually produce the report.

It's a very hard work Feinder, many thanks to do it. Great AAR.
I hate also the "only combat report" AARs. Good luck.

[Feinder]

Just a minor update - not worth making maps for (I'll produce those for each week of game time).
 
I -had- a convoy arrive at Rangoon (past tense).  But the local air-commander only mustered 4 Buffalos so...  Boom, boom, glug, glug.  I lost something like 6 transports. 
 
And Bilbow "roughly handled" my light bombers in SRA last turn.  I lost about 16 each of Hudsons and Martins, and about 4 of my precious few B-17s.  Not an OMG!, but I certainly can't sustain that kind of loss.
 
Very annoying, but Bilbow wins the recent round.
 
"Operation Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" is under way.  And I've kept a screen shot in case I manage to pull it off.  Hopefully, it will be successful and I can post it.  Otheriwse, it'll just be relagated into the "I guess that wasn't such a good idea after all, is there some way I can blame this on the engine (no - I'm just a bone-head)" play-book.  [;)]
 
-F-

[bilbow]

Operation Nanny Nanny Boo Boo?? [X(]

I've fallen in with a strange one.

Really nice AAR though. It's Feinder's, but I will try too add a comment or two now and then when warranted.

[Feinder]

12-15-1941 thru 12-22-1941

A - Japanese submarines prowl the waters surrouding the Hawaiian Islands. Allies hunter-killer groups vigorously prosecute each sighting. Several subs are damaged, and the submarine I-20 is confirmed sunk. Immediately appearent is the low number of depth charge salvos carried by most ASW assets. The submarines can be contacted and damaged, but a sustained attack (in order to produce the kill) is difficult with such low quantities of on-board DC salvos.
B - Meanwhile, tranports carry men and material to reinforce the Line Islands.

-F-

[Feinder]

12-15-1941 thru 12-22-1941

A - Two divisions of the Japanese Regular Army move out from Tailand, attack the Commonwealth forces at Aloe Star. The two Indian Bdes hold for 6 days, but are forced to retreat to Georgetown.
B - Simultaneously, two more Japanese Army divisions are landed at Mersing, hoping to cut-off the bulk of British forces in Malaya. The Australian Bde present is briefly able to contain the Japanese beachhead, but is forced to retreat inland from the heavy guns of the many supporting IJN battlships.
C - The combined efforts of RAF and RDAF launch against the invasion, but it is heavily covered by fighters from Japan's Kido Butai. Nearly 200 Allied aircraft are lost, and scoring only a few hits on enemy transports (and woe-fully nothing to show for hit on the enemy carriers).
D - Adm Doormans tries a new tactic - and send a surface force centered around the heavy cruiser Exeter (veterane of the Battle of the Rive Plate vs. DKM Graf Spee). The force strikes on the night of Dec. 21st, and engages a screening enemy surface force. The Allied TF is out-gunned by the presense of two IJN battlecruisers, but the Allied TF give a superb account of itself. Several destroyers are sunk each side. The IJN heavy cruiser is heavily damaged by a torpedo from the USS Alden, but the RDN CL De Reuyter succombs to her woulds and is forced to beach 6 miles north of Singapore.
Admiral Nagumo commanding KB is chastized for his failure to spot the Allied fleet, as it almost wrecked havoc among the invasion fleet. He plots a course to the South, and readies his bombers for strike. As he retires to his cabin that evening he hears low crash vibrate through the hull. He quickly mounts the stairs to the bridge, to discover that his flag, the Soryu has just been impacted by a torpedo. Luckily for him, it was a dud. Peering thru his periscope, the skipper of the HMS Trusty teaches the young sailors on the bridge many new forms of articulate expression.
E - The Japanese attempt to drop paratroopers to secure the British base at Victoria Point. However, the alert commander of the RAF 16th Flight (Wirraways!), intercept and scatter the enemy transports. The Japanse drop is widely scattered, and the British garrison at Victoria Point holds. Both sides mobilize forces to relieve their forces at Victoria Point.
F - A RN convoy is attacked at Rangoon by long-range bombers from SouthEast Asia. The bombers are not picked up until too late, and the convoy sufferes heavy damage. 6 tranports are sunk, and several more are burding in Rangoon's harbour.
G - General Wavell orders the remaining bombers to attack the Tin mines at Ban Don. The facilities are heavily damaged, and estimates that the mines will be unproductive for many months to come.
-F-

[Feinder]

12-15-1941 thru 12-22-1941

A - The stalemate in the Philipines continues. Most the shipping around the Philipines has either been sunk or escaped. The remains of MacArthur's air force strike strategic targets recently captured by Japanse Army units. The facitilies at San Cristobal and Tuguegareo each suffer approximately 25% damage to their output.
B - B-17s and RAAF Hudsons bomb the oil fields at Miri and Brunei, they encounter heavy fighter resistance, but manage to cause significant damage to the refineries.
C - Allied subs continue to prowl the sea-lanes between SouthEast Asia and Bornea. Several transports are sunk, carrying vital engineers and material to repair the oil field in Borneo.
-F-