RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[ctangus]

Jim's right - it's much easier to defend a network of mutually-reinforcing airbases than a single uber-strong outpost. One uber-bombardment can wreck your plans (and your planes). Though if you do keep Wake I suspect you'll be in the Marshalls far before the historical time.

You're probably planning this already, but I'd suggest getting some PT boats to Wake & Canton & mining the heck out of them. And a bunch of construction engineers to rapidly repair airfield damage if it does occur.

Good luck! [:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Thx Guys!
I'm aware of the risk. In fact, when i play Japan, i always try to do this tactic: pack up my forces and go finding some isles full of americans, grab 'em all and then go back. (I've done twice this against MC) and i was able to eliminate by mid 42 the whole americal div and the 25th.
But...there always is a but....
But this time i'm a bit more of a gambler also because i make 2 kinds of considerations. Let me expose them to you.
1- we're playing Exp. Mod, so to say the effects of the mighty KB CAP are limited in a certain way. My 4 CVs,right now, have the power to face the KB( and, even if i'm sure i'm losing the whole 4 of them, the KB won't be able no more to lurk around). So under this point of view a very juicy stronghold in the pacific can become the right bait to call him out and face it in a decisive victory.
2- It seems somehow that with the last patches the Atolls became even more tough to crack with an invasion. a situation like the one Jim is experiencing at Darwin would be something that i'd never experienced and i'd really would like to. Consider also that he has 4 BBs docked at Palembang ((level 3 port) in bad shape conditions after the job done by my mines and my CD guns at Singa[8D]
 
Anyway, for the moment i won't exagerate with these gamblings.At Wake there are now the two 1st Marine CD det., a base force, 2 AA units and a FA, plus a Eng US Army unit. This is quite enough for the moment. As soon as forts will grow up, i'll consider moving in something more. Probably a RCT from the US. 2 fighter units, 2 SDB units are arriving and there are already present 2 PBY squadrons.
Same goes for Canton. a base force, 1 CD units, 2 FA units and 2 AAs arriving.
 
I'd like to place there only a RCT for each island, talking about pure infantry, while keeping the 24th, the 25th and the 2nd Marine at PH as a mobile defence.
But things could change fast, being so ahead with the regular scheldue.
Jim's right: if he commits in Oz or India or everywhere else not in the PAc i'll be considering doing something more aggressive.
 
From Canton Isl. an interesting plan would be to move a base force at Baker, placing there some Catalinas. At the same time Tarawa isn't fortified yet and could be a huicy target for my advance in the Marshalls.....if KB keeps staying away....[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

.

[Gen.Hoepner]

So it seems that from today we'll start back on a decent pace of at least 1 turn per day.
Comparing to some others AAR referred at the same CHS scenario, it seems that i'm doing terribly bad here, or my opponent is doing terribly good!
At 28th Dec 41 the whole SRA-DEI is in his hands, excepted for Singa and Luzon.
It's to be said that Singapore won't last for long. I mean there are now nearly 2800 AVs at Johre Baru...while at Singa barely 1000 AVs...no way to stop them or to delay them. I think Singa will crumble within a week or so.
So, by the first week of Jan 42 he's gonna have something like 4500/5000 free AVs ready to rumble whereever he wants. I bet he's not going back to Luzon, not now anyway. Would be foolish. He's gonna lose the Momentum if he concentrates on Manila right now.
If i was him now, whith all those intact assets, i'd go for Oz or India.
And there's no doubt that if he comes to Oz or India he's gonna have them, no matter what i do.
India, especially,is defended really lightly at the moment.
While in Ozi have some strong divisions and some good brigades, in India the stronger infantry unit at the moment is an Indian division at 36% of its TOE strenght....[:(] ...a total of approx. 1000-1300 AVs spread around India and Burma....[:o]The 18th UK Div is arriving in 10 days, but i doubt it would be enough... My only real defences are the RN and the RAF. But again...the RN is far from being a decent asset at this stage of war. I have the one CV, one BB, one Battlecruiser, some 8 british-ducth CA-CLs and only 5 DDs ready to operate. The others are all in R&R at Aden...within the next 6 days the second british CV is going to arrive but that's all.
For what concerns the Air forces, i can master in the south east asia some 150/200 fighters, spread between China, Luzon and India.The Brits are stuck with the buffalos and with some Hurricanes that are arriving(within 2 weeks i'll have 3 hurri squadrons), while the americans can put on the front the P-40s and some P-36s and that's all. A part from the AVG the rest of my fighters are in their 55-60 avg exp. That's pretty bad.
Not to talk about bombers...some blenheims (I and IVs), some ducth martins, a couple of B-17 groups (each of 12 planes) and some 3 outclassed,short ranged torpedo bombers...it's quite depressing[:o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/28/41
 
Sosarbaja fell today. The dutch army no longer exists. Java is in Japs' hands and now it's Singapore's turns...things are going too fast!!![:@]
 
His subs are still operating in mass around Cylon. I'm trying to send my ASW TFs to intercept them but the deep waters advantage the jap subs and my transports keep on sinking...[:@]
However, today a ducth sub (O20) managed to sink an empty AP near Johre Baru...3 fishes (not less!) and she's gone. Well done! a bit of retribution it's what i need for my morale!
 
Nothing much more to report. Lost contact with the KB (which, however, should still be in Java area cause i haven't spotted it yet passing through the cinese sea.
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 8,32 (SW of CYLON)
 
Japanese Ships
SS I-24
 
Allied Ships
AK Pangkor, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage[:@][:@][:@][:@]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 22,46
 
Japanese Ships
AP Ayaha Maru, Torpedo hits 3,  on fire,  heavy damage[:D]
AK Soyo Maru
PG Chohakusan Maru
 
Allied Ships
SS O20
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 10,23 (NEAR CYLON)
 
Japanese Ships
SS I-18
 
Allied Ships
PC Pathan
PC Pansy
SC Thyme
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Soerabaja
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 113906 troops, 501 guns, 215 vehicles, Assault Value = 2796
 
Defending force 11098 troops, 47 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 69
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
 
Japanese max assault: 4612 - adjusted assault: 3320
 
Allied max defense: 65 - adjusted defense: 16
 
Japanese assault odds: 207 to 1 (fort level 2)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Soerabaja base !!!
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
549 casualties reported
Guns lost 12
Vehicles lost 1
 
Allied ground losses:
14568 casualties reported[:(][:(]
Guns lost 32
 
 

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
His subs are still operating in mass around Cylon. I'm trying to send my ASW TFs to intercept them but the deep waters advantage the jap subs and my transports keep on sinking...[:@]

Hi G.H.,

I find allied ASW is woefully inadequate in this mod early in the war. The best thing to do is to create many small ASW task forces of 2-3 ships and have them set to patrol/do not retire. Then have them follow your transport task forces. That way when a sub moves with your task force, the ASW stays with it and has a chance to force it under before an attack.

Escorts shoot after an attack, ASW before, but if you're patrolling hexes instead of following fleets, you'll not get many chances to attack his subs. Put 2 or 3 ASW task forces with each convoy and his sub attacks should drop dramatically. They don’t even have to be good ASW platforms, the point is you just want them to force the sub under.

Also if I were you, I’d consider pulling the armor forces out of India now while you can. They are mere shells and won’t rebuild for months, so are useless in combat right now. If he goes for India I’d get them out to Aden so they are available for the counter-attack later.

Leave them in Karachi until he invades, but get them out ASAP once his attack starts before KB can sail up and sink the transporting fleet.

Do you guys have a rule about not invading Aden? If not you may want to send the 18th Division there as well. Otherwise he can knock the Brits out of the war. With him being so far ahead of schedule, the total conquest of India is a real possibility.

You may even want to consider pulling everything attached to the Southeast Asia HQ out to Aden if he comes for India right away. You can’t possibly hold it this early against 6+ divisions, so getting stuff out to Aden will help you counter-attack later. India Command is a fixed HQ, but Southeast Asia command can be evacuated if you prepare for it ahead of time by pre-positioning ships. It would also guarantee he Can’t take Aden if you send everything there intact.

Jim

P.S. I'd prepare an attack into Indo-China as well, (don't do it yet) and try to keep it out of sight. Once he commits to either Australia or India, then send 6-8 Corps into Indo-China. This might be enough to throw off some momentum from any attacks he's making as he'll need to scramble to reinforce Indo-China before he loses it.

But the timing here is key, too early and he can easily bottle you up. The attack needs to threaten Saigon to create the right amount of consternation in your opponent, so let him commit somewhere first then blitz as fast as possible towards Saigon.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
His subs are still operating in mass around Cylon. I'm trying to send my ASW TFs to intercept them but the deep waters advantage the jap subs and my transports keep on sinking...[:@]

Hi G.H.,

I find allied ASW is woefully inadequate in this mod early in the war. The best thing to do is to create many small ASW task forces of 2-3 ships and have them set to patrol/do not retire. Then have them follow your transport task forces. That way when a sub moves with your task force, the ASW stays with it and has a chance to force it under before an attack.

Escorts shoot after an attack, ASW before, but if you're patrolling hexes instead of following fleets, you'll not get many chances to attack his subs. Put 2 or 3 ASW task forces with each convoy and his sub attacks should drop dramatically. They don’t even have to be good ASW platforms, the point is you just want them to force the sub under.

Also if I were you, I’d consider pulling the armor forces out of India now while you can. They are mere shells and won’t rebuild for months, so are useless in combat right now. If he goes for India I’d get them out to Aden so they are available for the counter-attack later.

Leave them in Karachi until he invades, but get them out ASAP once his attack starts before KB can sail up and sink the transporting fleet.

Do you guys have a rule about not invading Aden? If not you may want to send the 18th Division there as well. Otherwise he can knock the Brits out of the war. With him being so far ahead of schedule, the total conquest of India is a real possibility.

You may even want to consider pulling everything attached to the Southeast Asia HQ out to Aden if he comes for India right away. You can’t possibly hold it this early against 6+ divisions, so getting stuff out to Aden will help you counter-attack later. India Command is a fixed HQ, but Southeast Asia command can be evacuated if you prepare for it ahead of time by pre-positioning ships. It would also guarantee he Can’t take Aden if you send everything there intact.

Jim

Wow Jim, your suggestion is....well...i didn't even thought about abbandoning everything...and well...i gotta say that, after a quick check you're right. I cannot think to hold 5000 AVs in India, not know.
But the jewel of the Crown?? What would King George think about it?? No, seriously, it's not historically correct to abbandon everything. The Brits would never have done such a thing, and, above all, if i don't fight he'll get everything intact, without even losing a single man. While if i fight, who knows...some good dice and rolls and i can slow it down at least...
I remember once i did exactly the same, but fighting as japan. In late 43 i abbandon my outer perimeter without fighting and the allies just jumped in, gaining 6 months on the regular scheldue.
No Jim, i'll stay and fight. I understand your point, and i truly think it's correct, but i want to try (also for having some fun).

If he comes to India i'll try to stop him on the shore. That's the only way. I'll sacrifice everything and pray for some luck[:)]



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/29/41

Today started the great bombing of Singapore. More than 300 bombers came in and smashed the place...no way i can hold him...3000 AVs are ready to jump into the city as soon as these bombers will dry up my supplies...

We managed to hit and hopefully sink a jap sub who entered at Tricomalae...let's see if we can do the ASW job here.
I'm following your suggestion here Jim, my ASW TFs are following my convoys...let's hope!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 22,51

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 117
G4M1 Betty x 48
Ki-21-II Sally x 187
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1
Ki-15 Babs x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 2 destroyed, 28 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 11 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 4 destroyed, 38 damaged


Allied ground losses:
644 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 3

Airbase hits 54
Airbase supply hits 18
Runway hits 234


However 11 bombers were shot down by my Flak
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

[
P.S. I'd prepare an attack into Indo-China as well, (don't do it yet) and try to keep it out of sight. Once he commits to either Australia or India, then send 6-8 Corps into Indo-China. This might be enough to throw off some momentum from any attacks he's making as he'll need to scramble to reinforce Indo-China before he loses it.

But the timing here is key, too early and he can easily bottle you up. The attack needs to threaten Saigon to create the right amount of consternation in your opponent, so let him commit somewhere first then blitz as fast as possible towards Saigon.

Well...with what? He has tons of planes at Bankok and i cannot even think of landing at Rangoon with a TF...and the Chinese divisions attached to the southeast asia HQ are marching through china...they are needed to give some headhaches to the japs in China....however if he goes for Oz would be a good option!

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/30/41
 
Today hundreds of bombers flew over singapore and dropped their loads of death into the sieged city.
My troops are hit hard and the shooting down of 30 japanese bombers do not raise my morale...i simply must wait the inevitable...
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 100 encounters mine field at Soerabaja (23,66)
 
Japanese Ships
MSW W.19
AK Tenyo Maru, Mine hits 1,  heavy damage[:D]
 
Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on SSVF Brigade, at 22,51 (SINGAPORE)
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 23
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-21-II Sally x 28
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 12 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 12 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 19 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
148 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 8th Indian Brigade, at 22,51 (SINGAPORE)
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 21
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-21-II Sally x 41
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 17 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 5 destroyed, 30 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 22nd Brigade AIF , at 22,51 SINGAPORE
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 29
G4M1 Betty x 11
Ki-21-II Sally x 23
Ki-49 Helen x 3
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed, 23 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 9 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 16 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 27th Brigade AIF , at 22,51 SINGAPORE
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 32
Ki-21-II Sally x 16
Ki-49 Helen x 3
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed, 25 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 16 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 22,51
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 76
G4M1 Betty x 35
Ki-21-II Sally x 100
Ki-46-II Dinah x 1
Ki-15 Babs x 2
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 30 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 2 destroyed, 25 damaged
 
 
Allied ground losses:
227 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 1
 
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 168
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 13,16
 
Japanese Ships
SS I-18
 
Allied Ships
ML Kung Wo, Torpedo hits 3,  on fire,  heavy damage
 
It's impossible to stop these bastards....[:@][:@][:@][:@]
 

[hawker]

He bombard land targets with Nells,that is a mistake IMO.

Good AAR General.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Thx Goran! You're always welcome!
Looking forward to see how you'll play in your next game...[;)]

[eloso]

Another idea to help in India if it comes to that is to move some West Coast command units to San Francisco and change their command to Southeast Asia. They should appear in Aden in 60 days. You should have some Canadian Brigades and maybe a US division or two. I'm not sure about your HR or how many PP you have at your disposal.

At the very least you should consider evacuating fragments to Aden if it does come to that.

P.S. If you are planning on playing past auto victory on 1 Jan 43 then by all means sacrifice the British and Indian armies.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: OSO

Another idea to help in India if it comes to that is to move some West Coast command units to San Francisco and change their command to Southeast Asia. They should appear in Aden in 60 days. You should have some Canadian Brigades and maybe a US division or two. I'm not sure about your HR or how many PP you have at your disposal.

At the very least you should consider evacuating fragments to Aden if it does come to that.

P.S. If you are planning on playing past auto victory on 1 Jan 43 then by all means sacrifice the British and Indian armies.

Thx OSO.

Well, our HRs doesn't say anything about changing HQs and so moving troops from SF to Aden. So actually i could do it. However i do not have the PPs right now cause i spent most of them to save fragments and units during the evacuation of DEI-SRA and PI.
Probably the best thing to do is this one: if he comes to India, start saving PPs.As soon as i can master a RCT or a Div in SF, switch it to SouthEast Asia...it will take him more than 60 days to conquer India anyway, so at Least there will be somebody in defending Aden...

My question is: if Karachi is taken, do the units supposed to spring there appear at Aden or are they gone for good anyway?

I'm planning to do the long run, but i want to fight for the 1.1.43 too...won't let him roam everywhere![;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/31/41
 
Nothing special to report for the last day of the year...usual bombings at Singapore....a ducth sub is hit near Java...by a Val, so the KB is still there...well at least i know where it is...
 
 

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
But the jewel of the Crown?? What would King George think about it?? No, seriously, it's not historically correct to abbandon everything.

I never said abandon everything, India Command will remain and fight and eventually die. But Southeast Asia command is the command that will have to come back and take it all back someday. And it won't be able to do that if you don't hold Aden. By conducting a strategic withdraw to Aden, you assure it will be there in 44 to come back again. Losing everything on the ground in India simply assures Aden too will fall.

Let India command fight for India and use SEAC (and a few of the Indian armor units that can't fight now anyway) to hold Aden. Unless of course you have a house rule preventing the invasion of Aden.

Jim

[Nemo121]

Or fight but just use a small PBY squadron ( 4 or 5 planes ) to fly cadres of EVERY unit in India to Aden. Sure India might fall but by 1944 ALL of those units will have rebuilt and you can come back at India with a massive force ( 10,000 AV at least ).

[eloso]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner


My question is: if Karachi is taken, do the units supposed to spring there appear at Aden or are they gone for good anyway?

I'm planning to do the long run, but i want to fight for the 1.1.43 too...won't let him roam everywhere![;)]

AFAIK the main base for SE Asia in CHS is Aden. That means the reinforcements should appear there instead. That's where my HQ units that died in Singapore appeared. A trick with the Dutch is to switch their HQ from ABDA to something else before they die. Otherwise they'll be stuck in limbo in the queue before Soerabaja is liberated. I would assume that the China command units will appear in Chungking unless that is in Axis hands. If the reinforcements don't switch to Aden, then they should appear the moment Karachi is back in allied hands.

If he does go for India I would recommend requesting a HR about Aden. It just doesn't seem right that the UK can be eliminated because of the flag changing over the base.

[Local Yokel]

Hi, General

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

P.S. I'd prepare an attack into Indo-China as well, (don't do it yet) and try to keep it out of sight. Once he commits to either Australia or India, then send 6-8 Corps into Indo-China. This might be enough to throw off some momentum from any attacks he's making as he'll need to scramble to reinforce Indo-China before he loses it.

But the timing here is key, too early and he can easily bottle you up. The attack needs to threaten Saigon to create the right amount of consternation in your opponent, so let him commit somewhere first then blitz as fast as possible towards Saigon.

Don't forget that an attack into Indo-China is going to activate 4 additional militia divisions for him! They're not high quality, but they could make a nasty mess of the attack across the Red River into Hanoi. Might be better to go for Haiphong with a view to crossing the river downstream from Hanoi. But in CHS at any rate Haiphong starts with more forts than Hanoi, so going that way may have its downside too. Also bear in mind that in any drive on Saigon he will have the advantage of defending in wooded country most of the way.

It won't help India or most other places, but I'm wondering whether you have a chance to sneak a relief convoy into Luzon. As at 21 Dec he had NO air units in the Philippines, so his maritime surveillance of the area is pretty much non-existent. Is it worth trying to slip some supplies through the Philippine Sea via the north side of Pagan Island? I'm guessing he may have search planes in Saipan and maybe Chichi Jima, but that leaves a big gap where you might take a chance. Obviously the presence of Betties/Nells on Formosa will also be relevant.

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121
Or fight but just use a small PBY squadron ( 4 or 5 planes ) to fly cadres of EVERY unit in India to Aden. Sure India might fall but by 1944 ALL of those units will have rebuilt and you can come back at India with a massive force ( 10,000 AV at least ).

Unlike Japan, the allies have a very limited replacement pool system and cannot rebuild units at will. India's 4 under-strength divisions need over one years worth of the replacement pool squads just to flesh out their starting strength. And CW and British replacements are extremely low.

At best he could rebuild a brigade a year with those two replacement pools. India’s pools will be busy for about 2 years before he can really think about rebuilding anything. So he really needs to move entire formations now if he hopes to defend Aden over the next six months. This is all assuming Japan attacks of course, he may go to Australia instead, so get the ships pre-positioned but don't pay PP until he commits.

Jim

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
Well...with what?

With the Chinese, I've read several AAR's where China did quite well against the militia units Indo-China gets. The key is to make sure no elite Japanese are left in the country when you attack, so wait until he's committed elsewhere. 6-8 Chinese Corps can do very well and possibly cause him to panic a bit.

In the long run you'll probably lose in indo-China, but the goal is to distract/slow any attack on India or Australia long enough to get those two countries stabilized.

China can afford some losses, especially since you're doing so well in China. Use that to your advantage.

Jim