Operation Awake: Drakken (Allies) vs Robot-san (Japan)

[WingedIncubus]

Operation Awake: A Guadalcanal Campaign Story

By Drakken

(A cookie for anyone who gets the subtle wordplay...)

As a first fray into the world of WitP after-action reports, I intend to play the Guadalcanal Campaign as Allies against the AI, hereby known as Robot-San, and let you follow my newbish trials (and, I'm sure, mistakes) at trying to beat the AI and get to grips with the WitP gameplay. I will not post each turn, as of course it would be nightmarish, but I intend post each two or three turns.

The settings are:

- Stock game, no mod installed (because I play the AI this time)
- Human Player: Drakken (Allied)
- AI player : Robot-San (Japan)
- Historical difficulty
- No historical first turn
- Allied and Japanese Sub Doctrines On
- Allied Damage Control On
- Fixed replacements
- Automatic Upgrade Off
- Player-Defined Upgrades Off
- 1 turn/day
- Advanced Weather On

My next post will discuss the Allied plan for the opening of Operation Awake. Feel free to comment or ask questions, I'll answer diligently. Also, because I am a beginner I am not yet well acquainted with the level of detail of each unit, so bear with me if my posts are too... general and overeaching for your taste. I will attempt to be as detailed as possible, however.

Any input will be appreciated, to enlighten me in the subtilities of WitP. In exchange, I will endeavour to make this AAR as entertaining as possible, both for the grognards and the other newbies present.

And yes, there will be pictures! And maps! And operation arrows! [:)]

[WingedIncubus]

Chapter One : Planning

"Teeeeeeeeeeeen-huuuuuuuuuuuut!!"

Officers of the USMC's First Division, mumbling to each other a few seconds ago, immediately stand up as Brigadier General Alexander Vandergrift makes his appearance in front of his men. With his hands folding palms down, he immediately orders them at ease.

"Allright, gentlemen. We have received our orders for our next operation. An operation that we'd thought was kept for 1943 if it weren't for our Navy and Army "planners" from Washington. But as we are the First Marine Division, we'll do our damn best to accomplish our goals and kill the last of the Jap bastards in the Solomon Islands. So here is Operation Awake... don't ask me why they didn't take my suggestion, for Operation Watchtower."

A few easy laugh is heard from the audience, as the Intelligence Officer places the operational map of the Solomon Islands.



"Here is the plan for Operation Awake, gentlemen. Our own 1st Marine Division will depart ASAP from Luganville base for the Guadalcanal and Tulagi islands. Our intelligence reports that the Japs are building an airfield on Guadalcanal which, in due time, will threaten our resupply of Port Moresby and, in time, make the penetration of our TFs in the area much more difficult.

This first part will be divided in two. The main force of the 1st Marine Division will land on Guadalcanal and push the Japs to the sea and out of that island, as floating corpses if necessary. A second force comprising the USMC 1st Raiders and Paras will land on Tulagi and annihilate any Japanese presence on that island. After this being done, a secondary objective would be to secure the Munda and Russell Islands to hinder any Japanese reinforcement from either Rabaul or the Shortlands.

In this task, we will have the support of several Surface Combat Task Forces to bomb the hell out of these hellholes, and the TF 1151, 1152, and 1153 with the carriers Saratoga, Enterprise, and Wasp to provide air supremacy over the islands. We have all the tools in our hands, so let us make it as fast and hard as we Marines can.

The second part concerns the Army, but they have been kind enough to let us know of that part of the deal. A second invasion force comprising the 1st Army Division, the 112nd Cavalry Regiment, the 24th Army RCT, and the 754th Battalion with massive loads of supplies will depart from Noumea for Port Moresby to head a major offensive to displace the Japs out of Buna. A second, smaller force, the 102nd Army RCT, will be transfered from Luganville to head to Gili Gili base and ensure a steady supply base to fuel the offensive When Buna has fallen.

Gili Gili will be the main supply point for our American troops in the peninsula, while the Australian supply to Port Moresby will keep those Australian and British airplanes up in the sky provide air cover - with our planes if needed. The Port Moresby Air Force will thus pounce the Jap Airfield at Lae as soon as Buna is fallen, with the help of a Air Combat Task Force that will be created around the Escort Carrier Long Island currently docked at Noumea.

Any question?"

[WingedIncubus]

So, no comment? [:(]

I reckon that playing the AI is not really a challenge compared to PBEM, but I do this AAR simply to allow observers to observe, comment, and teach about any opportunity I might miss, or mistakes I might do as far as operational thinking and application is concerned.

I plan to post the first turn tonight, in as much detail as possible. [;)]