RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[mlees]

He seems to have a few TF's concentrated in the hex 2 hexes NE of Bombay, which, coincidently, is at the end of a rail line, according to the map art. I wonder if he is landing or taking off troops...

[witpqs]

General,

While I think para drops on non-bases should be allowed, they aren't so finding a way to do it is taking advantage of a bug. [:(]

Get all the supplies you can into the Marshalls before he moves assets back and gains control of the sea. You have set up the major attrition theater (think Guadalcanal!) months early! [:)]

[cantona2]

GH, sorry for the hijacking of the thread but how does this para drop bug work, does it mean that if you drop on a non base hex thats occupied you automatically get a successful shock attack against the occupying unit? If so this is very gamey and something akin to the ant attack in TOAW where you can have a platoon sized unit whittiling away at a divisional sized unit causing a massive loss in supply and strength.

[eloso]

Hi General,

I had something similar happen in a game of mine. Ironic that it took place in India as well.

tm.asp?m=1564997

What my opponent discovered was that he could target a hex that I occupied even if it wasn't a base/dot hex without having to flop between the supply/unit transport method. The problem here is that he targeted a LCU of mine that was moving. My unit actually moved out of the hex before the land combat phase. Somehow his transport planes were reset to hex 0,0 and on subsequent turns it appeared that he was dropping fragments all over the map cutting off my retreat routes.  In fact, what was happening was that the transport planes were constantly targeting the initial LCU of mine as it was retreating to Bombay. We had a HR prohibiting fragment dropping and we resolved it by replaying the turns. He had to reset all of his transport planes to drop the para units into the initial hex that he targeted.

As you can see things can get really buggy when allowing airborne actions against non-dot/base hexes. I think you should probably mention it to your opponent even if you are going to allow it in the event that something like what happened to me occurs again in your game. We ended up modifying our house rule so that the victim of this drop would have to notify the other player that there was a LCU unit moving in the hex.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/01/42

Back from the holydays i'm now at work and cannot play turns untill the lunch-break, so i can only comment the combat report Txt.

March begins with what can be confirmed as a strong massive japanese counter-offensive in China. Now he has pushed me back from Anking and Kiukiang and, despite having lost Henkow (sp?? near Shangai) he's now threating directly my retreat lines having massed 32 units at Kiukiang, ready to cross the river and assault Nanchang or the swampy road N-W of Kiukiang. He has brough everything that he hasn't in India in China and he's now bombing the hell out of my chinese units and my chinese bases, clearly in order to burn my supplies.
It seems that the goal of Trollelite is to conquer the whole China as well, so estabilishing a continental empire rather than a pacific one...

In India he sent his CVs back to Pengim to refule and refit, while only 3 CVs raided my shipping lines in the Aden Channell, sinking a couple of APs that were carring the III Ind. HQ...[:o]... unitll he keeps his CVs there there's simply no way i can send anymore convoys to Karachi...i managed to sneak 3 APs with fragments of the HQ, but now he has got the trick and he will be no more caught off guard.
Delhi and Poona have fallen. Ademabad will be next. Now my dominions are reduced only to Karachi and Malir and the latter will be abbandoned as soon as he advances towards it. I'm waiting for the air storm of japanese bombers over Malir in the next week....

In the Marshalls things have now slowed down a bit. We're consolidating and organizing. I managed to put some F-5 recon planes at Eniwetok and saw that at Truk he has based some 40 fighters plus 40 bombers and some more 67 aux planes. I'd say just a defensive force. He hasn't tried to attack Eniwetok base yet... At the moment are present at Eniwetok the 111st RCT and a base force, 35 Wildcats, 12 Catalinas and 10 F-5. In 4 days will arrive a EAB unit to build the base and in the next week 2 AA units will be moved there with a close support provided by my CVs.
Maloleap and Wotje are repairing very slowly despite there are tons of engeneers...however as soon as these 2 bases will be open 300 bombers will start to bomb the hell out of Kwalajein, while some 150 fighters will start a training camp.
We're also organizing to move further, re-grouping our transports and calculating the logistical needs.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Delhi

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 39786 troops, 140 guns, 110 vehicles, Assault Value = 1119

Defending force 6524 troops, 52 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 128

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese max assault: 1652 - adjusted assault: 418

Allied max defense: 128 - adjusted defense: 141

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1


Japanese ground losses:
688 casualties reported
Guns lost 13

Allied ground losses:
286 casualties reported
Guns lost 7





AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/02/42


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 6,5 *in the Aden Channell...*

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 55
B5N2 Kate x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AP Neptuna, Torpedo hits 1
AP Montoro


Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 6,5

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied Ships
AP Neptuna
AP Montoro, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
62 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 7,5

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 21
B5N2 Kate x 21

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Cameron, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
88 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Delhi

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 54484 troops, 149 guns, 175 vehicles, Assault Value = 1045

Defending force 6050 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 116

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese max assault: 1692 - adjusted assault: 1005

Allied max defense: 110 - adjusted defense: 165

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Delhi base !!![:(][:(][:(] Already 50 enemy bombers are based there now....[:(]


Japanese ground losses:
291 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
369 casualties reported
Guns lost 7


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,36

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2880 troops, 0 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 81

Defending force 34399 troops, 162 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 965

Japanese max assault: 88 - adjusted assault: 4

Allied max defense: 783 - adjusted defense: 1642

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
449 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 23

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported

The usual kamikaze-recon attack...in China he sent a lonely tank unit to face 4 chinese corps just N-W of Kiukiang...[:o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: mlees

He seems to have a few TF's concentrated in the hex 2 hexes NE of Bombay, which, coincidently, is at the end of a rail line, according to the map art. I wonder if he is landing or taking off troops...

no, he was just bombing for no reason my troops at Ahdamebadad (sp?!?!?)

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

General,

While I think para drops on non-bases should be allowed, they aren't so finding a way to do it is taking advantage of a bug. [:(]

Get all the supplies you can into the Marshalls before he moves assets back and gains control of the sea. You have set up the major attrition theater (think Guadalcanal!) months early! [:)]

A word on the para-drops. I'm a bit unhappy about that cause it really screws up everything, but i do not want to ask for a new HR. Maybe when the indian campaign will be over, i'll ask him not to do this in China... but i'm tempted not to ask for anything and accept what he does.

For what concerns the "like-Guadalcanal" i really do not know. I think Trollelite is too smart to accept an attrition battle in the Marshalls. I really think he will look for a China conquest and fortify there so having, as said before, a continental empire virtually untouchable. That's why i have to run in order to be in a position so close to his vital jugular to force him to accept a pacific attrition fighting in mid-late 42...possibly in the Mariannas..

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

ORIGINAL: witpqs

General,

While I think para drops on non-bases should be allowed, they aren't so finding a way to do it is taking advantage of a bug. [:(]

Get all the supplies you can into the Marshalls before he moves assets back and gains control of the sea. You have set up the major attrition theater (think Guadalcanal!) months early! [:)]

A word on the para-drops. I'm a bit unhappy about that cause it really screws up everything, but i do not want to ask for a new HR. Maybe when the indian campaign will be over, i'll ask him not to do this in China... but i'm tempted not to ask for anything and accept what he does.

For what concerns the "like-Guadalcanal" i really do not know. I think Trollelite is too smart to accept an attrition battle in the Marshalls. I really think he will look for a China conquest and fortify there so having, as said before, a continental empire virtually untouchable. That's why i have to run in order to be in a position so close to his vital jugular to force him to accept a pacific attrition fighting in mid-late 42...possibly in the Mariannas..

Every reasonable player should know that it is not done unless both opponents agree. I do not like your opponent's play style or his aggressive personal style. The patience you show with him is remarkable. At some point in the future, you will have to do the same trick on him and see if he cries about it. I rather suspect he will...

[Gen.Hoepner]

One more word about Karachi and its final stand.
I made some calculations.
If any new game-flaw or strange trick doesn't strike me avoiding me to retreat to Karachi, i'll be able to mass the scheldued 2000 AVs in Karachi. Forts are level 5 and 50% to level 6.
360,000 supplies present at the moment.
The back bone of my defences will be formed by the 7th AIF division (90 exp-90 morale) and by the 18th UK Division (56 exp and 58 morale).
the Air force defending Karachi is now formed by 170 fighters and 200 bombers and torp bombers. These will be surely obliterated by the IJAF, but i hope to at least cause him some problems...
Do not know how long i can last...my fear ias that with the support of his BBs the siege will be over very quickly....[:o]

[witpqs]

Those torpedo bombers might just rain on his BBs' parade!

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Those torpedo bombers might just rain on his BBs' parade!

Don't be that optimistic. I have only 12 Swordfish and some 9 Vitebsks...the rest are LBA, mostly Blenheims I and IVs with some 18 B-25s, 12 B-17Es and some mixed stuff like Martins... Consider that we are in early March 42, so RAF and Ducth planes cannot still be upgraded.
The fighter force i better shaped, even if my pools are empty.
P-40 B/Es and Hurricanes compose the main force, with some 10 buffalos and 12 lancers...[:-]

[Elladan]

Do you have any recon of Japanese forces in Marianas?

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Elladan

Do you have any recon of Japanese forces in Marianas?

Not directly. I cannot reach the Mariannas at the moment, not even with Conrados (16 hexes). But i know that at Tinian there's only 1 unit and this unit is a base force. 1 unit only also at Guam (i'd say a NFL) and 3 units at Saipan (probably thestarting units so a NLF, a base force and a CD unit).

What? are you thinking of a fast transport "coup-de main" invasion?? remember that we're in range of Betties from Truk and Saipan has level 4 AF....

[Elladan]

Just asking to have a better view of situation. But with so small garrison there I would consider such action. Betties can't stop a determined effort, you would just have to pay your price. What forces do you have available in the theatre at the moment?

[Gen.Hoepner]

I can load from Maloleap and Wotje let's say 2 divisions (the 24th and 25th), plus maybe 2 U.S. RCTs on normal transports. Got only 4 CVs loaded with wildcats and SDBs (left at PH my useless torpedo bombers). What i fear isn't really Truk...i can easily bypass it chosing the way south of Marcus Island...what i really fear is Saipan...he can easily move from China and Formosa some 200 Betties/Nells and some 100 zeros (at least)...would be quite risky... however i have to think about it...

[Gen.Hoepner]

Maybe the CVs could try a rush using bad weather trying to close Saipan AF...mmmm...like what we did with Maloleap and Wotje 2 weeks ago....mmmmm....

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

I can load from Maloleap and Wotje let's say 2 divisions (the 24th and 25th), plus maybe 2 U.S. RCTs on normal transports. Got only 4 CVs loaded with wildcats and SDBs (left at PH my useless torpedo bombers). What i fear isn't really Truk...i can easily bypass it chosing the way south of Marcus Island...what i really fear is Saipan...he can easily move from China and Formosa some 200 Betties/Nells and some 100 zeros (at least)...would be quite risky... however i have to think about it...

Putting it the way you did maybe the Marshalls are as far as you should go for now. You do need to retain enough strength to supply whatever you take, and avoid losing several divisions to counter-attack covered by KB.

[Gen.Hoepner]

That's what i fear witpqs...at the same time it's also true that sooner or later India will be lost and all those assets will be used against me in the pacific...so the temptation to run and grab whatever i can before he cames back is strong!
It's also true that with the Marshalls in my hands so early i can be satisfied for what concerns the pacific theatre...do not know guys...it's hard to tell what to do...

[Gen.Hoepner]

Another thing to be considered is how many units will he be forced to keep in India in order to defend it from a British coming back from Aden? Surely a lot of Betties/Nells in order to interdict the Aden Channells exit and some more at Cylon in order to stop any allied attempt coming from Oz...
 
Will it be valuable not to send the british CVs back to Europe and so pay the PP points? ....very hard decisions to take

[Elladan]

I would keep British CVs if you only have PPs to spare. They will prove invaluable to your continued ability to project your presence in India theatre.
As for Marianas, it's a risky operation, you have forces to get it but you may not be able to hold it very long. On the other way if you can keep it it would be a big strategic asset in your hand. Effectively closing all southern Pacific for Japanese and shortening a war very significantly. It could be even more valuable to you then India and parts of China. But the decision is yours