RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/24/41
 
Christmas Eve
The Ducth Army is completely destroyed. The defeat at Medioen brought the AVs from 440 to 110...[:(]..no way to stand a single day against 3000 AVs... oh, well...Java's fall was inevitable anyway. The DEI-SRA was invaded too early to be able to do anything imho.
Singapore is close to the end too. Probably to crack the brits he'll need something more than 2 divisions, but the end is near too. I do not have a single base anymore from where paradrop any help to the sieged garrison. He's sistematically occuping any dutch base in Sumatra and Borneo...wonder why he doesn't use these places as training camps for his crews...
Still no signs of the dreaded LBzeros...where the hell is he hiding them???
In China we're reassembling. I'm considering the idea of leaving the blockade to the pocket in the north of Syniang and getting back to Honan in order not to be flanked...let's see. He still needs some days to prepare the rivercrossing.Tomorrow 1500 AVs will enter at Ichang. We'll try to destroy the 2 japanese units present there  I simply love the chinese theatre[:D] 
What else? In the Pacific Wake is becoming a great base. Engs, AAs, CDs are flowing in. Soon i'll move an AS in order to create an advanced sub-base to be able to operate closer to the supply routes from/to Truk. The first tactical recon group (F4-lightings) is arriving here. Will be interesting to see what he really has at Kwalajein....[;)] My 4 CVs are waiting, along with the entire pacific fleet, at PH, while the 25th,24th and the 2nd Marines are packing their stuff.
 
In India we're waiting for the first english CV to arrive in few days, while fuel and supplies are arriving from Aden. Few days more and the first Hurricanes squadron will be available.
 
In Russia everything seems quiet...[&:]
 
In Oz i reinforced Alice Spring and Perth.Now the first Aus Brigade is marching from Alice to Daily waters, along with some armoured units. Fuel, supplies and oil is arriving from the United States.
 
 
 

[Gen.Hoepner]

Chinese troops partying after the conquest of Nanchang

[Gen.Hoepner]

Some more thoughts on China...

[Fishbed]

It's ok, I understand your past experience with "fortress Java" was not speaking for a re-do of this kind right? [:D]

Good job in Singapour, he's gonna feel the pain of loosing the service of his 4 small BBs.
General, were you gone already when Speedy started to show the results of his allied sub tactics in his game against Fabertong? I'd like to see some other allied player try out his sub tactics and management. You lost many subs at the beginning, so you may get something at using the remainder wisely like experten Speedy did. [:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

It's ok, I understand your past experience with "fortress Java" was not speaking for a re-do of this kind right? [:D]

Good job in Singapour, he's gonna feel the pain of loosing the service of his 4 small BBs.
General, were you gone already when Speedy started to show the results of his allied sub tactics in his game against Fabertong? I'd like to see some other allied player try out his sub tactics and management. You lost many subs at the beginning, so you may get something at using the remainder wisely like experten Speedy did. [:)]

Not at all! Last time i tried to reinforce Java it ended up in a crushing defeat!! Sure i gained time but i left India completely without cover!

To say the truth i'm not a master with subs and i do not know what speedy has done...Is there any particular approach to follow?

I see you're from Nanchang...well, you should be happy now that your city is again in chinese hands and not in those "devils"[;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/25/41

Well, for christmas we had the gift of the destruction of our Ducth Army. 35,000 men surrendered. Now Sosarbaja has only some 3 base forces in her defence...in 2 days it's going to fall...to early[:o][:@][:(]

Singapore is badly hit by bombers from Palembang, as usual.

I tried to ambush some light jap bombers near Canton. They bombed for few days our troops. I moved in the AVG on LRCAP...the result was pretty displeasing... not a single plane shot down and 3 P-40s damaged...[:o]


SS Triton managed to avoid a triple ASW attack near Rabaul...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 4th Chinese Corps, at 44,40

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-I Lily x 19

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-I Lily: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 3 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Malang

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 83568 troops, 355 guns, 251 vehicles, Assault Value = 1930

Defending force 18481 troops, 39 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 235

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese max assault: 3558 - adjusted assault: 2055

Allied max defense: 160 - adjusted defense: 94

Japanese assault odds: 21 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Malang base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
1335 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 3

Allied ground losses:
33796 casualties reported[:@][:(][:@][:(]
Guns lost 78
Vehicles lost 7

[String]

Dear god.. you really should have limited the 1st turn japanese movements. Totally and utterly historically impossible..

Oh and you gimped yourself in the house rule department also, hopefully PDU is off, otherwise, enjoy the challenge [:'(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: String

Dear god.. you really should have limited the 1st turn japanese movements. Totally and utterly historically impossible..

Oh and you gimped yourself in the house rule department also, hopefully PDU is off, otherwise, enjoy the challenge [:'(]

No, PDU is ON!
String, first of all, nice to see you here[;)]
Secondly, i firmly think these houserules are a bit japanese oriented, but at the same time i think the Allies do need a bit more challenge in order to give some fun also to the jap player....so, yes, these HRs are a bit against me, but i think(hope) i can handle them[:)]...
Altough the disaster of Java and of DEI.SRA in general, i'm already having some good results in China and i'm quite proud about that[:)]

[String]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

ORIGINAL: String

Dear god.. you really should have limited the 1st turn japanese movements. Totally and utterly historically impossible..

Oh and you gimped yourself in the house rule department also, hopefully PDU is off, otherwise, enjoy the challenge [:'(]

No, PDU is ON!
String, first of all, nice to see you here[;)]
Secondly, i firmly think these houserules are a bit japanese oriented, but at the same time i think the Allies do need a bit more challenge in order to give some fun also to the jap player....so, yes, these HRs are a bit against me, but i think(hope) i can handle them[:)]...
Altough the disaster of Java and of DEI.SRA in general, i'm already having some good results in China and i'm quite proud about that[:)]

At first i thought you were doomed, but now I see you are playing CHS experimental, in which 4e bombers can be pretty much guaranteed of surviving even the heaviest of CAP's. And I see you have no houserule vs. converting 2e groups to 4e so you can advance under LBA umbrella past 43 pretty easily.

Only carrier based invasions will most likely be out of the question though.

So start building up those northern australian airbases..

[Gen.Hoepner]

I'd like to play as historical as possible. I won't mass convert 2E into 4Es. I hate the mono-type playing. And for what it seems to appear from these first days of war, it seems that CAP can work anyway, even if leaks will always be present (as it should be imho!) I think that in RL if japan had managed to mantain a decent level of pilot training (thing that can be done by a human player here in witp) the Mariannas Turkey shot would have never been. For sure heavy losses, but some of them would have passed the CAP.
Anyway, Darwin is already becoming important. Movin there a lot of troops. But i won't restrain myself to this. The american CVs will play a foundamental role in the pacific.
And also consider that the changing in this mod apply also to the japs, so they won't have the so called DeathStar. Till now he used his KB against the dutch, whose aviation is too underpowered to do any damage...let's see what happens when he will have to face the yanks!

[Fishbed]

Not at all! Last time i tried to reinforce Java it ended up in a crushing defeat!! Sure i gained time but i left India completely without cover!

To say the truth i'm not a master with subs and i do not know what speedy has done...Is there any particular approach to follow?

Well not anymore since July - Im in Paris, I do not fear IJA that much now

About the subs, his topic is here. From a certain date, he kept a daily diary of his sub activity. By 1943 Speedy is simply sinking as much shipping than historially, or even more.
tm.asp?m=1037286

Right now, despite Faber's ASW efforts, he torches a couple merchies or escort everyday - not bad at all!

We can ask him to provide some advice, Im sure he's got a message where he described all his sub technics already

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/26/41

Today we realized that japanese subs are operating really far from their bases. Our air recon found 3 subs lurking around Colombo, while another one torpedoed an AP between Bombay and Colombo...those bastards are effective as wolfs and my ASW groups aren't well coordinated (gotta learn how to improve their use).
I decided to move some more base forces in the corner facing Colombo, where all the ships must turn in order to go to Karachi or Aden. I'll place patrol air groups and 2 ASW TFs will move up and down patrolling those dangerous waves.
More subs are spotted near Perth. Our ASW TF engaged but wasn't able to score a single hit[:@]
At the same time, near Rabaul, an american sub scored the first hit of the war for the yanks: a little Msw...nothing special but a bit of morale for us...[:)]

The japs took a break today in the singapore bombing. Too many damaged planes i guess. Something strange happened in the afternoon...100 unescorted jap bombers from Balikapan (i guess) arrived over Darwin at 6,000. some 25 fighters (mostly dutch) took off and intercepted them....some good scores and those who passed through the CAP got mauled by my flak...just to obtain few hits on the port facilities...

About the sub warfare...as soon as i have time i'll go and check speedy's thread to see what we can learn.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 12,18

Japanese Ships
SS I-157

Allied Ships
AP Devonshire, Torpedo hits 2, on fire[:@]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 51
G4M1 Betty x 52

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 6
CW-21B Demon x 1
Brewster 339D x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed, 27 damaged[:D]
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 19 damaged[;)]

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 1 damaged
CW-21B Demon: 1 damaged
Brewster 339D: 16 damaged


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 8,87 Near Perth

Japanese Ships
SS I-173

Allied Ships
PC Valk
PC Wega
DD Piet Hein
DD Kortenaer
DD Witte de With
DD Banckert

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 63,83 Near Rabaul

Japanese Ships
MSW Noshiro Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage *sinks*

Allied Ships
SS Triton

[Gen.Hoepner]

With the new year arriving fast, it's time to analyze the overall situation.
By 26th of Dec '41 Japan has conquered Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, Timor, Rabaul, the east coast of Guinea (Hollandia, Wewak etc.) and has few footholds in Tarawa, Lunga, Lungaville and Port Blair in the Bengal Bay (where he has based his Mavis/Emilies) and in Malaya he's now approaching to siege Singapore.
As you know my opponent left Luzon behind and moved only few stepts in Burma (Tavoy and Victoria point).
In the Pacific was unable to conquer Wake which is now becoming an american stronghold base, having been reinforced with troops, planes, guns and soon with subs.
In China the allies are advancing (and this is the only theatre that gives few satisfactions), having conquered Nanchang and sorrounded Ichang (see maps above).
In Russia he keeps massing troops at Mutakiang, even if the "air ball" indicator says that he's not massing planes here, so an invasion is not so close as we thought.
However, these statements mean that by the end of the year he can has now to choose which will be the next step.
His options:

1-Consolidate the actual perimeter in DEI-SRA and concentrate in the PI and moving his KB in the pacific.
2-Pack everything and go for Oz (Darwin or Perth).
3-Pack everything and go for India
4-move his crack divisions to HK and move in inland china.
5-pack everything and go for Russia.

Let's analyze each of them.

1)- It will be the best choice for me. Moving his troops to Luzon will take time. if he's in Luzon means that i can consolidate my positions in the Pac (Wake, Canton, Palmyra, Pago Pago, Suva and Noumea), being ready to face him when he will finally try to expand this area of his perimeter.
I do not consider this option as the more likely. If i was him i'd let Luzon back again and move everything elsewhere. if the pacific is the choice to go, then i'll move to Suva-Noumea, forcing me to defend these far away places with my CVs that are not yet able to face the dreaded KB.

2)-Oz has some big supply problems. As you know fuel and supplies lack in the continent. The convoys from the U.S. are stillfar away and the americans are using their main assets to defend their positions rather than to reinforce the australian allied. Darwin is defended by 220 AVs, but being a plain hex, even a reinforced japanese division, with some eng, artillery and some BBs supporting could take it. I'm moving to the Darwin area - Via ALice Spirng- 2 Aus. Divisions and some more minor units but it takes forever to get there and if he moves now i won't be able to defend my positions here.
The other option is Perth. Here it's probably a more interesting target for the japs. Some HI, some Res and a good port with facilities. Plus, conquering Perth and the bases around it, he would close the door from US to India. The only point is that taking perth without taking Darwin will mean for him to have a non-acceptable instable position because his flank will be threatened by this allied base. So if he goes for Oz he must take both the north and the west coast of Austr.

3)-India. It's still my best bet. I'd go for it. Always. Capturing India you both ensure the Empire a whole new world of oil and resources (Plus HI) and you kick out of the war the brits, while securing at the same time the whole left flank of the empire. At this very early stage of the war the brits are far from being ready to face such a threat. Not a single british division is present in the area and the 18th, which is the first to come, will arrive in 15 days. The RN lacks of everything (1 BB,1 BC, 2 CAs and a bunch of old CLs but very few DDs and only 1 CV). The RAF cannot upgrade its old-fashioned planes and should face an invasion with the blenheims and the buffalos. However my defensive plan (which is far more complex to elaborate than the one for Oz) remains the same since first day of war: 2 indian equilibrated armies, deployed one in Dacca (which is my major base in the Bangladesh area) and one in Hyldebarand (which is the other major operative base for western India, both of them ready to pop in as soon as he lands.
However i don't think i'll be able to hold the ground if he decides to come here. Too few units for such a great sub-continent, too few planes, too few ships.

4)-Please do this!!!![:D] Only a fool would waste this "momentum" to go for China....

5)- It's still a tasty option for him i guess. Russia can give a great number of VPs if conquered. You can win the war if you defeat the ruskies...but if he choses Vladivostok instead of Bozrya, well, my chances of surviving an direct attack are greater and i firmly believe i can hold. A whole different thing if he goes for Bozrya...this can be nasty for me. However it will all depends how Russian air force will react...if it can hold the ground and inflict some losses to the invaders in the first days of war things can change fast....

[Gen.Hoepner]

As for Sub-warfare... i plan to deploy the american subs in the pacific area for the moment. Those who survived from Manila's first day debacle, will operate in the area between Mariannas and Truk-Kwalajein; they'll use PH and Wake as major bases.
The Indian Ocean and the SRA-DEI-PI will be under british and dutch subs influence. They will all be based at Tricomalae (Cylon) and from there they will avoid the Malacca straight, passing south of Java and be placed in in the Chinese southern sea and in the straight south of Balikapan...let's see if in the next months i'll be able to sink something...[8|]

[Gen.Hoepner]

My opponent, Trollelite, just tells me via e-mail that he won't be able to send any turn for the next days....[:(] so this aar will be stopped for a little, due to the lack of things to report...Hope my opponent will get back soon[&o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

My opponent has come back in action. Hopefully we'll be able to get back to an acceptable pace.

Anyway, the first british CV has arrived at Aden. Heavily escorted by 2 ASW TFs it's now moving to Bombay, in order to rejoin the RN fleet placed there.
However the sub-threat remains a problem. I'm worried to move my capital ships from their ports in India and Oz due to the lack of ASW escorts and to the dreaded ability of these little japanese beasts.
However, finally i managed to upgrade those useless old american planes to some more modern ones (P-36s and P-40s). Now, after some disbanding and up/downgrading i have 35 P-40Bs and 40 P-40Es, which is not bad.

Hopefully later i'll be able to post the new combat replay for the 27th of Dec 41....

[Gen.Hoepner]

.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Intel screen at 27.12.1941

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/27/41
 
Nothing much to report today.
The japanese managed to conquer Jahore Baru with nearly 3000 AV points...incredible[:(]..Singapore won't lastlong
The advance keeps on going. All the single bases in Sumatra are sistematically conquered...no way to stop this wave.
 
The only good news of the day is the second hit scored by my dear SS TAmbor, which is operating with Triton in the area between Rabaul and Truk.
Last day he sunk a MSW...today a fish in a crowed AP...good!
Triton managed to contact 2 times with the enemy ships but in both times the subs got duded[:(]...
however we're upgrading our sub experience[;)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 62,83
 
Japanese Ships
PG Heijo Maru
 
Allied Ships
SS Tambor
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 64,81
 
Japanese Ships
AK Africa Maru
PG Kyo Maru #8
 
Allied Ships
SS Triton
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Mussau Island  at 61,85
 
Japanese Ships
AP Katsuragisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire
PG Heijo Maru
 
Allied Ships
SS Tambor
 
Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 65,79
 
Japanese Ships
AP Daihachikyo Maru
 
Allied Ships
SS Triton
 
 

[Jim D Burns]

Hi G.H.,

I'd be careful not to put too much stuff out on those isolated islands like Wake, Canton, etc too quickly. Japan will simply view anything on those islands as great big victory point candy bars, as he can take anything he wants until about June/July. Even if you put 2 divisions on Wake, Japan can take it if he really wants it. Especially since he is so far ahead of schedule and he has months of invasion bonus ahead.

I'd put a base force and marine defense battalion max on those islands for now. Beef them up to super bases once you've got all 6 CV's and can keep them nearby to oppose a victory point grab operation by Japan.

Most allied players get spanked hard trying to be aggressive too soon. If he commits large forces to Australia or India, then building up a base now would make sense, but wait until he’s committed himself first before you risk large land units to risky isolated bases.

Also by not putting anything on the islands yet, you make them less attractive to Japan as targets. If he gains nothing but the base, he may decide to go elsewhere to find some units to try and kill. If the base is stuffed with your units, it becomes a very enticing target to him and may actually attract him to the base.

Jim