Rebels (Canoerebel) vs. Redcoats (Miller) - Big B 192

[Canoerebel]

3/28/42 to 3/31/42

[Canoerebel]

4/1/42 to 4/3/42

China: See map below for details about Miller's strategy in China. I think I'm going to have trouble at Yenen. On the 1st, I-153s down 7 Nates over Wuchow and 18 P-40 plus 5 I-16 down 13 Japanese aircraft over Kanhsien (losing one Chinese plane). On the 2nd, 39 B-17 from Kunming hit the port facilities at Bangkok doing light damage; Miller tries a deliberate attack at Paotow (59th Division and the following Mixed Brigades - 2nd, 10th, and 6th) vs. 3 Chinese corps and a militia division - forts fall from 3 to 2 and Miller loses 1246/29 to 237/8.

Bay of Bengal: Japanese planes hit Madras each turn, wrecking the airfield.

Burma: The first Chinese unit arrives at Lashio and will continue one hex south to reclaim a Japanese controlled hex in order to restore the supply line from Mandalay. Miller's ground forces are moving on Mandalay. No movement toward Akyab/Diamond Harbor etc from the sea detected yet.

DEI: Miller takes Dili on the 1st and lands at, but does not take, Bali.

PI: Allies still hold Manila, Bataan, and Cagayan.

NG: South Seas Detachment is prepping for Port Moresby where my defense AV is only 64.

Australia: I have a brigade at Alice Springs and two more will arrive shortly at Darwin. When they do, Darwin's defense AV will be 360 and forts will soon be at 6. This will be the garrison for the foreseeable future. I've begun to pull out the BF from Broome and Wyndham.

Solomons: Miller attacks and overcomes the pitiful remnant of the 12th Aussie Brigade at Tulagi.

Small Craft: O-16 puts three TT into AP Hino Maru in Straits of Malacca.

CenPac and SoPac: Miller hasn't made a move toward these bases yet and I've spent much of the game working on supplies, forts, and reinforcements. Here's what I have at the main bases:

Midway: 1 CD, 1 RCT, AV 205, 6 Forts, 1800 Mines, 34,000 Supplies.
Pearl Harbor: 6 CD, 2 Army Div, 1 Marine Div, AV 1985, 9 Forts, 27,000 Mines, 500,000 supplies.
Johnston: 1 RCT, AV 165, 4 Forts, 2300 Mines, 29,000 Supplies.
Palmyra: 1 RCT, AV 171, 4 Forts, 1300 Mines, 90,000 Supplies.
Canton: Base Force, AV 0, 3 Forts, 3 Mines, 600 Supplies. I'm moving a RCT here from Panama City.
Pago Pago: 2 US Army Div, 1 Art, 670 AV, 5 Forts, 3 Mines, 65,000 Supplies, Airfield nearly 3 with 2 fighter squadrons. Reinforcements on the way: 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, a tank battalion, and a FA unit.
Suva: 1 Brigade, 1 CD, 177 AV, 5 Forts, 10,000 Supplies.
Noumea: 1+ Brigades, 113 AV, 1 Fort, 32,000 Supplies.
Luganville: 1 Brigade, 99 AV, 0 Forts, 23,000 Supplies.
Auckland: 2 Brigades, 1 CD, 289 AV, 7 Forts, 24,000 Supplies. Reinforcements: 32nd US Army Division just left San Francisco and a base force is about to arrive.

The Plan: Pearl Harbor, Pago Pago, and Auckland are my anchors. The other islands (except Canton) are strong enough that Miller has to make a concerted effort to take them. I'm working to beaf up Canton now.

[Canoerebel]

4/4/42 to 4/10/42
 
The Pacific Ocean covers, what, 25% of the earth's surface?  That may be so, but it's completely devoid of action at the moment.  I have no doubt that Miller is gathering his forces and preparing for his next big moves, but you wouldn't know it.  With Miller holding DEI and Malaya, I figured he would focus on Manila and Bataan for awhile; get them out of the way; and then choose his next vector of attack (From Ceylon toward India? From the Bay of Bengal toward Akyab?  Or in the Pacific toward Australia, New Caledonia, or CenPac?  Right now I don't detect any signs of where he intends to go, but surely having taken Ceylon he'll make a concerted effort to expand from there, right?)
 
China:  Here's where the action is taking place.  Miller took Paotow on the 4th, much to my surprise (his attacks suddenly jumped from 0:1 to 6:1).  A tank unit arrives in Yenen on the 8th and is evicted on the 9th suffering 276/18 vs. 8 Chinese losses.  Two more Japanese units arrive in Yenen on the 10th and I'll try another shock attack on the 11th.  Miller suffers lopsided losses in the air nearly every day over Kanhsien and Changsha.  For instance:  On the 4th, 53 Zeros, 75 Oscars, 64 Nates, and 5 Vals strike Kansien.  16 P-40 and 6 I-16 meet them.  Miller loses 10 Zeros, 4 Oscars, and 5 Nates to just 2 P-40.  He expresses his frustration in an email.  On the 6th, 20 P-40 face 30 Zeros over Changsha, downing 12 while losing just 4.  The next day, 11 P-40 face 93 Sally downing 5 and losing 2.  On the 10th at Kanhsien, I lose 3 P-40 while Miller loses 5 Zero, 1 Nate, and 2 Sally.  It seems like the Japanese airforce isn't performing up to snuff in China.
 
Small Craft:  On the 7th, I-22 sinks an AK at Darwin and S-36 evens the score by downing an MSW in the South China Sea.  The next day, KXV sights CVL Zuiho near Ceylon.
 
CenPac:  Miller gets a level one airfield at his outpost on Baker Island.  This theatre of operations has been quiet since Pearl Harbor, but I'm concerned about it.  Pago Pago is continuing to beef up nicely.  Lots of reinforcements are moving from the West Coast to Pearl, Pago, and Palmyra.

[Canoerebel]

4/10/42 to 4/13/42
 
China:  The situation at Yenen looks bleak indeed.  A Chinese shock attack on the 9th evicted Miller's vanguard (a tank regiment); another shock attack ordered on the 10th when two Japanese units arrived ended up a 1:1 (more Japanese troops arrived overnight before the attack took place) with Miller losing 407/21 to my 3735/76 (this attack takes place on the 11th).  Miller bombards on the 12th and has 150,000 troops in place - twice what I have.  His force consists of the following divisions - 34, 39, 36, 37, 32, 110, 27; plus 2 brigades, 3 artillery units, and an engineer.  Alarmingly, my AV in the hex has dropped from 1200 to 875.  I am in big trouble.  It looks like the logical fall-back position is Sian and I have a much stronger garrison there.  By the time Miller could conceivably reach Sian, I would have an AV of more than 3,000.  I also have reinforcements heading to Lanchow which should boost its AV to 2000+, but Kangchang needs work.  I suspect Miller must be weak in other areas of China, but I haven't figured out where I should go and even when I do it will take months to properly prepare troops to take Japanese-held cities.  On the 12th, two Independent Brigades (12th and 13th) show up at Kanshien and are evicted after a shock attack - Miller loses 231/8 and I lose 1071/26.
 
Small Craft:  I-25 shells AK Oklahoma well south of Java, so Miller knows I'm trying to sneak convoys from Aden to Perth via the route along the south edge of the map.  Oklahoma takes moderate damage.  Will he send carriers to interdict?  On the 12th, one of Miller's TKs hits a mine in the Home Islands; a large MSW TF unintentionally gets too close to Bataan and the shore defense guns sink four of them.
 
DEI:  Bali continues to hold out; Samarinda and Merdan fall.
 
Burma:  Miller takes Magwa.  Chinese troops are at Lashio in force.  An Indian divison will arrive at Akyab in a few days.
 
Elsewhere:  The Big Quiet continues for now.

[Q-Ball]

Canoerebel;

Very interesting AAR, and I love the format. I am playing this scenario as Japan at the moment, and really enjoying the comparison. It's 6/15/42 in my game, and that one is going very differently, mostly because I made different choices as Japan.

Instead of Wake, have you thought about raiding/taking Baker?

Ceylon is an interesting take. The more I think about it, the more I think it makes sense for the IJN. Holding it isn't easy so close to India, but it will occupy your attention away from Burma perhaps, because bombing Ceylon is probably higher priority than bombing Burma.

[Canoerebel]

4/14/42 to 4/17/42

QBall:  Thanks for chiming in.  I thought about Baker Island before Wake and it's always in the back of my mind.  Right now I'm waiting to see if the KB shows up again.  I don't want to be caught flat-footed by committing my forces too far forward right now.  Ceylon was wide open to Miller - I didn't offer any resistance - but I don't have a feel yet for how this will play out in the long haul.  I think Ceylon only makes sense if it's part of a bigger scheme for Miller in this region, which is probably the case. 

Cen- and SoPac: I'm concentrating on building up Pago Pago - the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion just arrived and the AV should be over 800 now.  I have a RCT on the way to Canton Island, but I'm worried about how exposed this island is.  I may drop off the infantry at Palmyra and then send them to Canton via fast transport (the APDs used to extract part of the 12th Australia Brigade from Tulagi were sent back this way to be available).  I'm thinking about adding another RCT to Palmyra and sending CD units to Palmyra and Pago Pago, and that should round out the defenses for awhile.

China:  Miller used 0:1 deliberate attacks on the 15th and 17th to drop forts at Yenen by two to 5.  I'll lose this city in a few more days.  Sian looks like a good fallback position, but I don't have a handle on how much I'll miss the supplies.  Elsewhere, Miller's fighters have performed considerably better the past few turns, though overall he's still losing more aircraft each turn than I am.  A Chinese deliberate attack on the 17th boots a Japanese division (3rd) and mortar battalion from Kahnsien.  I've ordered several Corps to advance from Changsha a hex east to see if I can cut off the 3rd.

Phillipines:  Manila is holding on by its fingers and Miller now has two divisions (4th and 18th) at Bataan.  A deliberate attack there by the Japanese on the 17th at 0:1 doesn't touch the forts (7) and Miller loses 1244/75/10 to my 674/16.  Supplies at Bataan are now less than 1,000 and at Manila are well under 5,000.  Miller should take these positions by month's end.

Burma:  I'm still waiting for an end run from the sea aimed at Akyab or further to my rear.  Right now my front is lines are anchored at Akyab, Mandalay, and Lashio.  I have fairly strong fallback positions at Imphal and Myitkina.

DEI:  Bali falls on the 17th.  Miller indeed sorties the Mini-KB (at least three CVs) to try to interdict my supply convoy south of Java.  Kates strike and sink the already damaged AK Oklahoma on the 17th.  The rest of the convoy is some 500 miles further east and may be close enough to Perth that Miller won't persue much further.  It's not a huge convoy anyway, so I'm not losing sleep over it's fate.

Australia:  I've ordered the 6th Division from Sydney to Katherine to serve as a strong reserve force in the event Miller hits NW Australia.  Darwin's defense has an AV of about 380 and I have a brigade at Alice Springs.  In the east, the 7th Division is ordered from Sydney to Brisbane.  A large TK convoy carrying oil will arrive in Sydney tomorrow. I've had minelayers (mainly Dutch) working out of Melbourne and Sydney most of the game.

Small Craft:  A Japanese ML and an APD hit mines east of Trincomalee and the ML sinks.

Overall:  With the exception of the decidely worrisome situation at Yenen, the Big Quiet continues.  I don't think it will last much longer.

[Canoerebel]

4/18/42 to 4/20/42

Burma: Since I'm relatively new to the game I know I overlook details and sometimes miss important things. While focusing on reinforcing Akyab, which I know is an important base, I realized that if Miller lands in force behind Akyab, say at Cox's Bazaar, there will be little I can do about it. Wouldn't my Akyab garrison be cut off with little hope of escape? I think so (see map below). Yet I can't pull back from Akyab can I? Perhaps I need to redirect the 20th Indian Division and 2nd Burma Brigade to garrison the two hexes between Akyab and Chittagong instead of reinforcing Akyab? I confess I'm not sure what to do.

China: Miller launches a 0:1 deliberate attack at Yenen on the 18th with an adjusted AV of 0 (that's zero) - he's probably disorganized and fatigued a bit - and still inflicts more damage to the Chinese (511/2) than he suffers (140/4). He bombards the following two days. Yenen should fall before long.

Phillipines: Miller has four divisions (4, 18, 56, Imperial Guards; plus 3 tank regiments, artillery, and a mortar battalion) at Bataan. So this is where most of the Java conquerors went. No wonder the rest of the Pacific is quiet. It may stay that way until Manila and Bataan capitulate, which should be soon.

Pago Pago: I think and hope this is becoming a bastion. I have 140,000 supplies, 6 forts, port and airfield at 3, AV of 770. The garrision is 2 divisions (40th and Americal), 2nd Marine Raiders, CD (with a second on the way), FA (with a second on the way), 3 base forces, and an engineering aviation battalion. Is this strong enough?

KB: No sign of the big boys, which are probably resting and refitting in the Home Islands. I believe the Mini-KB is based in Java and set to intercept convoys moving between India and Australia. Hmmm, I begin toying with the idea of setting up a "Trojan Convoy" protected by Aussie and US CVs. I could put the plan into effect if and when the KB shows up far, far away. Just an idea to mull over....

[Canoerebel]

4/21/42 to 4/27/42

Phillipines:  Over these seven days, Miller launches a series of deliberate attacks that greatly reduce the Bataan defenses.  Forts fall from 7 to 4, supplies are zero, most units are out of supply, and the AV is less than 200.  Bataan should fall on the 28th and Manila won't be far behind.  Many of my Manila based subs have moderate SYS damage (15 to 35), making them susceptible to ASW - in fact, Saury is sunk on the 27th.  Over the past two weeks I have issued "terminal" orders to most of these subs as they return to Manila - ordering them to lay mines at some distant point while making their way to Diamond Harbor, Melbourne, or Pearl Harbor for repairs (well, to refuel at Diamond H. and then move to Aden for repairs).  My final act in the PI will be to order the last PBY squadron to China.  I like the idea of having recon from Kahnsien, Wuchow, or vicinity.  The Phillipines are all but history now and Miller should soon resume the offensive on his periphery, which has remained the Big Quiet for a month now.

Burma:  After giving further thought to Akyab's vulnerability as noted in yesterday's post, I order the Indian division to reverse course and take station to guard the beach at Cox's Bazaar.  I'm not sure this will help much if Miller shows up in force, but it eases my mind.  A Burma Brigade is nearing Akyab and will be the final reinforcements for my right flank, at least for now.

India:  Bombers from Ceylon are hitting Madras frequently and my Hurricanes aren't putting up much of a defense.  My losses have far exceeded Miller's over this city.  I've ordered a number of HQ and airbase units stationed at Karachi to various cities closer to the front lines.

China:  I think Miller is trying a clever end run near Yenen.  He has my garrison there on the ropes, but stopped attacking and is only bombarding each turn.  On the 27th I note a Japanese unit in the roadless hex west of Yenen.  I believe it's heading for the hex behind Yenen to cut off my garrison's retreat.  To counter this move I order two units at Sian to advance into the hex.  I believe they'll arrive first.  There may also be a situation developing to the southeast, near Kahnsien, where Miller has some six units a hex east (or NE) of the city.  I advanced about ten units from Changsha two hexes, cutting off the supply line to these units.  Now what will Miller do?  I don't think his force is strong enough to take Kahnsien, and I'm not sure how strong he is at Nanchang.  My Changsha Expeditionary Force is pretty stout (I think the AV is well over 1500) so he'll have to bring a stout force to reclaim the hex.  Over Kahnsien, we have a number of tough air battles - my P-40s and an AVG squadron get the best of Miller's planes, but I can't replace my losses fast enough.

Australia:  Nothing has changed since my last post although reinforcements have left the US for Brisbane and Rockhampton.

New Zealand:  32nd Division is about a week out of Auckland.

SoPac:  Pago Pago continues to build up - a second CD unit will arrive within the week.

CenPac:  The RCT that will be deployed to Canton Island will arrive at Palmyra in about a week.  From there the troops will be taken to Canton by fast transport.

Alaska:  A RCT just left San Francisco for Dutch Harbor.

KB:  No sign of it.

US CVs:  Hornet TF just left San Fran for Pearl.  As soon as the Yorktown SYS drops from 8 to 0, she will follow suit.  I'll then have four CVs at Pearl.  I may move them from there to NZ with the idea of trying to surprise the Mini-KB south of Java as mentioned in a previous post.

[Canoerebel]

4/28/42 to 5/1/42

Phillipines: Bataan finally falls on the 28th. 32,200 soldiers become prisoners. Manila holds through the 1st, but Miller's just waiting on the victorious Bataan besiegers to arrive before attacking.

China: This theater is getting interesting - (a) Miller's trying to isolate Yenen, but I believe I've countered that move; (b) My troops at Kahnsien defeated 32,000 Japanese troops and forced them to retreat to the east; the next turn, more Japanese units arrive from the NE; meantime, I have 7 Corps and 2 Artillery Regiments behind them cutting them of from Nanchang. Now I've ordered my force to move to Kahnsien in a relief effort. I've also ordered forward reinforcements from Changsha. Recon shows Nanchang has but 20,000 defenders; and (c) All those Chinese troops that have been resting and prepping 60 miles outside Canton are ordered to enter the city to see if I can wrest it from Miller's grasp.

Burma and India: Remain quiet at the moment, although my Chinese SEAC troops have pushed part of the 55th Division back 60 miles from just outside Lashio. A Glen scout plan takes a look at Bombay on the 30th.

CenPac: A Glen scout plane takes a couple of peeks at Pearl Harbor.

Elsewhere: The Big Quiet continues for the moment but perhaps faces extinction once Manila falls and Miller can use those troops elsewhere.

Assessment of my Opponent: Miller and I are both fairly new to WitP - it's my first PBEM and I think it's his third, but his first as the Japanese. He's playing conservatively (and so am I), but from our UV days I know he is skilled at putting together mammoth invasion forces - one of his UV tricks was to use the entire Japanese OOB to land at Luganville in December '42 and then hold on for a few weeks to achieve an auto victory. I expect something of the sort - a massive effort to strike at one of my key areas - India, Pearl, CenPac, or Australia.

Lessons Learned: I discover on April 28 that I can convert AKs at San Fran to other types of ships - I am a newb! I order 3 MLE and 2 AR.

British Withdrawal: None this month.

Happy UV Day: This is May 1, 1942 - the day that Scenarios 17 and 19 in Uncommon Valor kick off. In those scenarios the Allies begin very weak and have to bide their time until they become sufficiently strong to strike (sound familiar)? But in WitP, May 1 is nearly five months into the game, a heck of a long time to be patient. I've done my best, I haven't even gone and gotten all my CVs sunk - yet bearing in mind the lessons from UV I'll refrain from sticking my neck out right now.

[Q-Ball]

Great AAR! Canoerebel, you should convert ALOT of AK's to AR's. You can stack up to 4 in a hex and the result will be faster repairs, you have plenty of AK's so why not?

I have only played IJN, but if I were Allies, I would want 4 AR's each in San Fran, Pearl, Sydney, Karachi, maybe a couple other places (Noumea when it becomes safe, etc). Right away, I would build a dozen, for SF, Pearl, Oz.

AS's are useful too, though you don't need a dozen. I haven't played Allies, maybe 2 or 3 more for the long haul? As IJN, I have about 10 on the map, 2-3 ea in Tokyo, Truk, Sing as primary bases, with 2 deployed in forward bases for torpedo reload only.

Correct number of MLE's. Don't build any AV's, but I probably didn't have to tell you that.

[Canoerebel]

5/2/42 to 5/3/42

China: Miller's flanking unit arrives behind Yenen, but will soon find I have two Chinese corps waiting there. I've ordered a deliberate attack. I suspect he'll order a shock attack at Yenen, which should be successful, so we'll see if my Yenen garrison is able to successfully retreat back toward Sian. We have similar mutual flanking movements developing at Kanhsien and possibly southeast of Lashio. Things are getting interesting in CBI.

PI: Manila should fall within days. I belive the KB has been resting and refitting in the Home Islands for a month now, so within weeks the time should be ripe for Miller to make a big push using the forces freed up when Manila succumbs.

QBall Intel: We received seemingly helpful information about AK conversions to ARs from an agent named QBall reportedly based in Chicago. We are endeavoring to verify his reliability and allegiance. Some in our high command brought up the Chicago Board of Trade Light Artillery that invaded our home town during the War of Northern Agression. We Southerners have long memories.

[Canoerebel]

5/4/42 to 5/7/42
 
Burma:  B-17s from Kunming hit Rangoon Harbor on the 4th, surprising everybody by scoring against a Japanese surface combat fleet. CAs Myoko, Haguro, and Nachi take two hits apiece; CL Kinru 1, and CL Isuzu 3.  Myoko, Haguro, and Isuzu show "heavy damage" and then Haguro sinks (from two 500 pounders?).  This is the first ship larger than a CL that either side has lost (Miller and I have both lost two CLs).  A followup strike on the 5th by B-17s from Mandalay find the harbor vacated.  On the 6th and 7th, patrol craft sight a troop transport convoy heading west just off the coast.  Destination is most likely Akyab, but it could be a point further west.  Hudsons and Blenheims from several bases sortie on the 7th, but score but one hit on an AP, killing 22 soldiers.  On the 5th, 22 Betties strike Mandalay, but 13 of them are destroyed by a reception committee of 11 Hurricanes and 12 AVG.
 
India:  Miller continues air strikes vs. Madras.  Nothing much going on.
 
China:  Remember that "sneaky Japanese unit" that circled around my garrison at Yenen only to meet with two Chinese corps I advanced from Sian?  Well, the unit turned out to be the 6th Division.  My two corps launched a deliberate attack on the 4th which failed miserably.  The 6th Division returns the favor on the 6th (at 0:1) and is repulsed, though losses are 140/3 Japanese and 319/2 Chinese.  I think I can get reinforcements into the hex faster than Miller can.  Chinese bombers from Sian are hitting the 6th Division most turns.  To the southeast at Kahnsien, 22 P-40s tear into a Japanese strike on the 4th made up of 95 Zeros, 83 Sallies, 4 Vals, 96 Oscars, and 65 Nates.  At a cost of 4 P-40s, the Japanese lose 12 Zeros, 3 Oscars, 2 Nates, and 9 Sallies.  I rest my P-40s for a few turns and have a similar "greeting" scheduled for the 8th (tomorrow).
 
Phillipines:  Manila withstands a 0:1 deliberate attack on the 6th, Miller losing 1507/48/4 to my 1107/58/12.  The city and the troops are out of supplies, so I don't know how they managed to hold on.
 
DEI and Vicinity:  Medan falls (Sumatra) as does Koepang.
 
Alaska:  A RCT will arrive at Dutch Harbor tomorrow.  Except for a single sub patrolling the Aleutians early in the game, Miller has never made an appearance in this area.
 
New Zealand:  32nd Division just arrived at Auckland.  Miller hasn't ever patrolled these waters nor the New Caledonia area (where I have a brigade plus at Noumea and a brigade at Luganville).  He's been prepping for Port Moresby (per intel), but if that's as far forward as he's thinking in this area I should be in good shape.

Cen/SoPac:  At Pago Pago, AV is now close to 900 and includes 2 Army divisions, 2 CD units, tank regiment, and 2 FA units; most of a RCT will land at Canton Island tomorrow (May 8) via FT convoy that originated at Palmyra.

[Canoerebel]

5/8/42 to 5/11/42

Akyab:  Miller's invasion force comes ashore at Akyab on the 8th and I brace for the worst, but as things unfold over the course of the day I discover it's nothing more than a third of the 55th Division (about 7500 troops).  The transports, escorted by some DDs, are hit by a variety of Aussie, Brit and US bombers (Hudsons, Blenheims, Wellingtons and B-17s) which sink at least two transports and damage perhaps half a dozen others.  The invasion TF isn't even covered by LR CAP.  I'm mystified why Miller, C in C of the mighty Japanese forces, is doing a shoe-string invasion at this point in the game.  7,500 troops would be fine for a base held by a base force, but he's  been reconning Akyab for weeks, so surely knew I had infantry and artillery there.  My troops bombard through the 11th; on the 10th, Miller launches a deliberate attack at 0:1 and loses 556/5/1 to my 37/1.  I've ordered a deliberate attack for the 12th.  I have a Burma Rifles Brigade set to arrive in a few days.  Miller may be in trouble here; what was he thinking?  I'm still concerned about a landing behind my lines, so I've left the Indian division at Cox's Bazaar (had I not recalled that division, they would have been at Akyab already and Miller would really be hurting).

Elsewhere in Burma:  Miller's 5th Division attack and push back into Mandalay a Burma Rifles Brigade.  Around May 8 I discover that I have a large base force at Rangpur, which would be a fine rear-guard post except it doesn't have an airfield.  [8|]  I send it to Dacca where, on the 11th, I reposition my B-17s (from Mandalay), and Wellingtons and Beauforts (from Imphal).

India:  I'm still concerned about a major invasion striking Karachi and Bombay, but given the situation at Akyab I want to be prepared to bring more force to bear in that vicinity, so I order the two Brit army divisions and armored division to move to bases between Karachi and Dacca.  These are all fully prepped for Karachi and can move back if Miller threatens the area.  But since it's nearly mid-May, Miller's window of opportunity to strike Karachi may be coming to a close, so I want those units in position to help elsewhere.

Airwar in China:  A massive air battle is fought over Kahnsien on the 8th.  The Japs bring 116 Oscars, 119 Nates, 21 Lilies, 8 Vals, 26 Sallies, and 55 Zeroes; the Allies have 26 P-40 and 8 AVG.  The Japs lose 28 aircraft:  10 Zeros, 7 Oscars, 4 Nates, 2 Sallies, 4 Lilies, and 1 Dinah; the Allies lose 11:  9 P-40s and 2 AVG.  A second battle between Zeros and the Allies result in the downing of 11 Zeros and 10 P-40s.  I have to pull back to recoup my losses (it will take a week or more), but my pilots did well.

Yenen:  No change in the situation here.  I have a reinforcing corps about three days from the hex behind Yenen.

Kahnsien:  Miller launches a 0:1 deliberate attack on the 11th, losing 912/51 to 769/7.  Forts remain 7.  I have reinforcements a week or so away, but Miller seems to be miring down here.

Canton:  With my troops just one or two days away, I recall them when reconn keeps upping the number of Japanese troops in the city , eventually reaching about 80,000.

Phillipines:  I don't undestand how my troops at Manila continue to hold on.  Miller has steadily bombed the city most of the game and my troops have no supplies, are worn down, but nevertheless repulse a 0:1 deliberate attack on the 10th, inflicting 3678/24/19 and losing 1820/36/15.

Elsewhere:  Other than Miller's mop up operations in Timor and Sumatra, there's no sign of forward activity.  Quiet in the Aleutians, Midway, Pearl, Johnston, Canton, Pago Pago, Suva, Noumea, Luganville, Port Moresby. 

[Canoerebel]

5/12/42 to 5/13/42
 
Akyab:  After two days of fighting, Miller's 55th Division detachment retreats 60 miles to the southeast.  The Allies launched successive deliberate attacks: 1:1 on the 12th results in 114/3 to the Japanese and 118/2 to the Allies; 3:1 on the 13th sees the 55th lose 72/2 to 108/3.  Akyab is secure for now.
 
India:  Miller has been sending bombing raids to Bangalore from Ceylon for the past three or four days, but I had emptied the base a day before he began.  I moved my planes to Madras and brought in others from the north.  On the 13th, a handful of Blenheims escorted by Buffalos raid Trincomalee, encountering 5 Zeros, which don't put up a fight, and score one bomb hit on an ML.  I hope this will entice Miller to make a large raid against Madras, where I have many more fighters than he might expect.
 
China:  Miller has ordered another unit to make the end-run around Yenen.  I have a Chinese corps set to arrive in a day or two with at least one more following a few days behind that.  I don't know what's gonig to happen here.  Near Kanhsien, part of my Changsha relief force launches an attack against an isolated Japanese mortar battalion and either destroys it or drives the survivors to Kanhsien, where Miller has 50,000+ troops besieging my garrison.  I, in turn, have large relief forces moving toward Kanhsien from both north and south.  This will become a major battle and I don't have a feel for how it is going to turn out.
 
Phillipines:  My Manila garrison is beginning to crack, but still bleeding Miller's troops (which now include seven divisions:  18, 56, 54, 4, 16, 48, and 2).  A deliberate attack at 1:1 on the 12th costs the Japanese 3299/52/21 and the Allies 1394/32/9.  A deliberate attack the next day yields just a 0:1 and Miller's troops lose 711/8/20 to my 698/7/1.  One more strong attack by rested troops should finish off Manila.
 
Elsewhere:  [>:]

[Q-Ball]

Back to a couple posts back, the Kaifeng airfight had over 100 Nates in there. If I am the Allies, that is interesting to me. Those should be Oscars by now. The only reasons they are not are either a) Miller really screwed up the production somwhere, maybe in engines or b) those are training runs, and he didn't expect opposition. A better place to train though would be Manila.

You can toggle over Japan and add up Oscar production, I would if I were you to see what he is producing. If he has alot of Oscar lines going, and at least 500 Nak engines, then he is either running out of supplies in the Home Islands, or training.

If he is training, keep sending fighters there in China, to intercept those guys! Much easier to kill today before they get up to 80 exp pilots in Tonys!

As Japan, you really shouldn't be putting Nates in harms way after 1/1/42.

Great AAR, love the format!

[Canoerebel]

5/14/42 to 5/19/42
 
QBall:  We're playing with PDU off, which I think means Miller doesn't have control over Japan's industrial output...but I'm a newbie so I may be wrong.  Miller has been exhaustively bombing every hold-out base and remnant force in the Phillipines, Sumatra, Java, Timor, etc. for months, undoubtedly to elevate his pilots' experience levels.  I don't think he's having supply problems - I haven't really molested the supply convoys moving between Java and Japan (beyond nuisance level anyway).  This is Miller's first game as the Japanese Commander-in-Chief, so inexperience surely factors into how he's doing (as my inexperience does to my play).
 
Phillipines:  The tenanacity of the Allied defense of Manila has reached epic proportions.  Out of supplies, outnumbered three or four to one, bombed and bombarded for five months or so - so how are they doing it?  My email for the May 16 turn includes this message to Miller:  "I can't understand how Manila keeps holding."  His reply:  "I must admit Manila has got me tearing my hair out. I desperately need those divisions and air units elsewhere but it will not fall!"  Deliberate attack on the 15th at 1:1 costs him 3297/45/19 to my 597/9/2; another on the 16th - 3239/32/11 to 750/6/2; another on the 17th at 0:1 - 484/2/14 to 332/1.  I'm sure his troops are fatigued and he knows they need rest, but I'm equally sure he's desperate to take the city.  He does take Iloilo on the 14th, but not before I send the PBY squadron to Burma.
 
India and Burma:  Miller is hammering the Hurricanes and Buffaloes at Madras and the Hurricanes at Mandalay.  Perhaps his "Akyab on a shoestring" invasion last week is explained by so many of his divisions being tied up at Manila and he was so frantic to make progress that he took a gamble at long odds.
 
Yenen:  Oops, Miller's second unit arrives behind Yenen before my reinforcing Chinese corps makes it to the hex.  I failed to follow Nathan B. Forrest's admonition to "get there the fustest with the mostest" (that's supposedly how Forrest said it, although I don't see how a cotton merchant of his stature would have said something that inarticulate).  I hold my breath hoping that Miller won't attack yet and he doesn't.  My relief corps makes it to the contested hex the following turn.  I have another corps and an artillery regiment just a few days away.  Miller tries a deliberate attack in Yenen on the 15th at 0:1 and loses 210 to my 415/4, but my forts don't drop.  This is weird situation:  in Yenen he outnumbers me 3 to 1 but I have seven forts.  He should be able to take the hex, but he wants to first take the hex behind in order to isolate my Yenen troops and force them to surrender.  But in that hex behind we have fairly even numbers and I can reinforce more quickly.  So how is his supply situation?
 
Kanhsien:  Miller outnumbers me here about 50,000 to about 30,000, but I'm well-entrenched and I have strong reinforcements coming from both north and south.  I'm not positive yet, but I think I have the upper hand here.  He sends massive bomber strikes every turn; my AVG and P-40s get the best of them, but can only fly about once a week (the balance of the week spent recouping losses).
 
Timor & Vicinity:  Miller begins using Betties to recon Darwin from Koepang.  I have an AV of about 380 in Darwin with an Australian division set to arrive in Katherine in about a week.  I have a brigade at Alice Springs.  The division and brigade are reserves.
 
Cen/SoPac:  More subs are nosing around Canton Island (which now has part of a RCT - AV of about 100 - providing some defense).  Another sub east of Pago Pago interdicts a troop transport TF and and sinks one of the AKs carrying III Corps HQ to PP (this will be the first HQ at PP).  The increase in sub activity is quite marked and isn't taking place anywhere else on the "frontier."  An indication that Miller is looking this way?  Maybe, maybe not. 

[Canoerebel]

5/20/42 to 5/21/42

Yenen:  Miller launches a shock attack at Yenen on the 21st at 5:1 odds, losing 2349/125/6 to my 1959/19, and takes the city.  My units retreat toward Sian, thwarting Miller's encirclement, but instead of joining my contingent in the hex immediately to the rear, wander off into the wilderness where there isn't a road.  That puts me in a predicament.  Miller can advance along the road two hexes to the hex across the river from Sian far quicker than the units that retreated from Yenen can make it to that hex cross country.  That means I've got to mount a strong defense 60 or 120 miles in front of Sian to prevent the retreating units from being cut off and destroyed.  That, in turns, means I have to send more units forward from Sian where they may get battered.  I debate not doing so, because if I keep my Sian garrison in place it will be fresh and strong against the upcoming cross-river attack; but I decide I have to try to rescue the Yenen troops.

Kanhsien:  I'm four or five days away from all the reinforcements arriving here.  If I can defeat Miller here and go on the offensive, it could put pressure on Miller in this part of China while he's putting pressure on me in the Yenen-Sian sector.  I've redeployed my American fighters to Kahnsien (either based there or long range cap) for the 22nd (tomorrow), hoping to get in a good lick at Miller's massive bombing raids.

Burma:  At Mandalay on the 20th, Hurricanes, AVG, and Mohawks intercept Zeros downing 22 while losing just 2 Mohawks, 1 AVG, and 4 Hurricanes.

Manila:  My garrison continues to hold.  Miller is just bombarding now.  I anticipate a shock attack in a day or two and I think the city will finally fall.

Pago Pago:  The troop convoy carrying III Amphibious HQ arrives without further loss.

Elsewhere:  Serene.

[Canoerebel]

5/22/42 to 5/24/42

Yenen: (See map below). An email message from Miller to me: "I had hoped to block the retreat of your troops but you were wise to it. I am more concerned about the build up of your units in the south of China......" The "lost in the wilderness" Yenen troops are making 5 miles a day and have moved 15 miles total towards the hex adjacent to Sian, from which they ought to be able to make it into the city safely.

Kanhsien: I have 4 HQ, 2 artillery regiments, 9 corps/divisions/ 2 guerilla brigades, and an engineer in the city (AV of 1300) with an HQ, 9 corps/divisions, and an artillery regiment within 40 miles. I have a guerilla brigade moving SE and it may be able to take the only surrounding hex under Japanese control. If I isolate Kanhsien and succeed in defeating Miller's troops there, I could destroy them (assuming the game mechanics don't allow a large force to retreat into an enemy controlled hex even though the hex is held my a much smaller force).

Manila: Continues to hold as Miller is just bombarding. I feel sure his next shock attack will take the city.

India: Reinforcements continue to arrive. I'm moving some to Madras and Bangalore with others held in Central India where they can move back to Karachi in the event Miller makes a bold move in that direction. But if Miller is awaiting the availability of his Manila besiegers, it will be weeks before he could get a sizeable force anywhere close to Western India. I think Akyab and possibly Madras are much more likely targets.

CenPac: An artillery regiment is loading at SF and heading to Palmyra; and another heading to Midway. I don't have enough APs available to move units from the West Coast to Cen and SoPac. I have way too many transports in Aden, where I'm having no trouble moving reinforcements to India. I've suddenly got a wealth of base forces in India, but I'm woefully short in Australia, NZ, and SoPac. Several Japanese subs continue nosing around Canton, Pago Pago, and vicinity, but no sign of action yet.

Screenshot: This one took way too long to prepare; gotta figure out a quicker way.

[Canoerebel]

5/25/42 to 5/27/42

Manila:  Miller bombards on the 25th and 26th, then launches a deliberate attack on the 27th.  His well-rested troops achieve five to one odds and 55,000 Allied troops surrender (but only after collecting a toll of 3,000 Japanese casualties).  The long seige of Manila finally ends. Miller invaded Cagayan on the 24th and it fell on the 26th.  He has a few mop up operations left in the Phillipines, but otherwise he's now free to resume offensive operations on his "periphery."

The Periphery:  There are few locations left on the map that I will voluntarily concede - IE, I drew my line in the sand and Miller is nearing that line in many places.  I am prepared to concede Port Moresby, the western Aleutians,  and, at least in the near term, Luganville and Noumea (although both of the latter have at least a brigade) .  Canton Island, Midway, and Suva are exposed and can't hold against a major attack, but they won't be pushovers.  I will fight in India, Australia, New Zealand, Pago Pago, Pearl Harbor, and what I have left of Burma.  One question is what to do with my CVs.  I have four in Pearl, one in Melbourne, and Wasp is only about a month out of San Fran.  (I also still have one squadron of Buffaloes on a CV at Pearl - do I have to move the CV to the West Coast to get the Buffaloes replaced?  I don't think so, but I'm beginning to wonder, so it's time to pull ot the trusty manual).

Yenan:  Miller has pulled his forward division and tank regiment back into Yenan.  That means my "wilderness wanderers" should be able to retreat to Sian unmolested.  Does this mean Miller will be satisfied taking Yenan and won't advance further?

Kanhsien:  I believe I have the strength now to defeat Miller in battle here, but I wanted to get my guerilla unit to the hex SE to take control of the last Japanese controlled hex around Kanhsien.  But the unit is moving too slowly!  It's only made 19 of the 60 miles.  At this rate it may take 20 days to get in position...I may go ahead and attack in three or four days when the bulk of my remaining reinforcements arrive.  My P-40s and AVG squadron tore into another Japanese raid on the 25th, a day in which Miller lost a total of 33 aircraft and I lost 1.  He's lost 900 more aircraft overall, and 200 more in air-to-air combat.  This is upside down at this stage of the war.

Small Craft:  Subs have been awfully quiet the past weeks, but on the 25th KXV puts two torpedoes into an AK near Ceylon.

[anarchyintheuk]

Sometimes the problem is if they are attached to a restricted command. Eventually they should switch to an unrestricted one. As a last resort, paying to get them transferred to an unrestricted command has always worked for me.