RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Mistmatz]

I wouldn't go for Marianas, too much to chew right now IMHO.

Furthermore if you have a bold presence in the Marshalls you might lure him into a CV battle favourable for you, whereas in the Marianas he will likely have the advantage.
In addition he will have lots of forces at hand for a strike and you will be spread between Marianas and Marshalls without mutual support.
Just my 2cents

[Gen.Hoepner]

Thanks guys for your inputs. Really appreciated.
I'll think about it some more time. Meanwhile i'll be re-organizing my forces in the Marshalls and build up Eniwetok.
It's march already and i should send 2 CVs to drydock in order to upgrade...mmm.....
 
Time now to think about defending india again...it's so depressing to see the whole continent in japanese hands so early ....[:(]

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
Will it be valuable not to send the british CVs back to Europe and so pay the PP points? ....very hard decisions to take

Hi G.H.,

Speaking from experience, you're going to need those PP for releasing west coast units. Especially now that you're committed in the Marshals. I was very short of PP in my game because I spent so much releasing units early in the SRA.

I doubt a British CV or two is going to be able to do much in the next six months to a year, but 3-4 US brigades and some air assets added to Centpac right now can make his counter-attacks in the Marshals very costly.

If India falls and you lose all those land forces there, you won’t be able to do much until late 43 or early 44 anyway. I’d send everything back to the UK that the game asks for and focus 100% of your PP on the Pacific until things stabilize there.

If you can manage to hold onto even a small part of the Marshal’s, your timeline in the Pacific will be vaulted forward by 6 months or more. Taking advantage of that you can eventually isolate India from the home islands and that will help a lot when the Brits finally do come back.

I’d say victory is in the Pacific for you in this game, not in India. India should be a sideshow relegated to long periods of inactivity but forcing Japan to keep massive assets tied down in its defense. Centpac should get 100% of everything until you can stop his counter-thrust there for good. Only then should you consider spending or sending any assets anywhere else.

I’d even shortchange Australia for now. I think it’s a lot more important to hold your gains in the Marshals than it is to launch an early attack out of Australia. So send everything you have into the Marshal’s and let’s hope he loses a lot of assets when he shows up to try and take it all back.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
Will it be valuable not to send the british CVs back to Europe and so pay the PP points? ....very hard decisions to take

Hi G.H.,

Speaking from experience, you're going to need those PP for releasing west coast units. Especially now that you're committed in the Marshals. I was very short of PP in my game because I spent so much releasing units early in the SRA.

I doubt a British CV or two is going to be able to do much in the next six months to a year, but 3-4 US brigades and some air assets added to Centpac right now can make his counter-attacks in the Marshals very costly.

If India falls and you lose all those land forces there, you won’t be able to do much until late 43 or early 44 anyway. I’d send everything back to the UK that the game asks for and focus 100% of your PP on the Pacific until things stabilize there.

If you can manage to hold onto even a small part of the Marshal’s, your timeline in the Pacific will be vaulted forward by 6 months or more. Taking advantage of that you can eventually isolate India from the home islands and that will help a lot when the Brits finally do come back.

I’d say victory is in the Pacific for you in this game, not in India. India should be a sideshow relegated to long periods of inactivity but forcing Japan to keep massive assets tied down in its defense. Centpac should get 100% of everything until you can stop his counter-thrust there for good. Only then should you consider spending or sending any assets anywhere else.

I’d even shortchange Australia for now. I think it’s a lot more important to hold your gains in the Marshals than it is to launch an early attack out of Australia. So send everything you have into the Marshal’s and let’s hope he loses a lot of assets when he shows up to try and take it all back.

Jim

Hi Jim.

I agree with you on the PPs. I'm already short of PPs right now cause i've used them to switch those Bdes attached to Indian HQ to SEAC in order to airlift them after they where sorrounded during the Madras siege one month ago.
However i do agree that the Pacific is at the moment the strategical threatre where i can lose this war.
But d'u really think he's going to counterattack?Wouldn't be better for him simply to mass 1 division for each important Island in the Mariannas and in the Bonins and simply wait for me to attack, while from India and Sra the resources keep on flowing to the HI?
He's already focusing on China right now so i suspect he's trying to build a continental empire, using the central pacific only as a pillow to keep the americans far from his shipping lanes...
And wouldn't it be too dangerous for him to counterattack in the Marshalls? in the next 60 days i can have there 4 full divisions, 6 RCTs, 2 NZ Bdes, 5 Marine CD units, 5 AA units, 5 Arty units plus some 300 bombers and possibly some more 300 fighters, along with 12 BBs, 5 CVs and the whole intact pacific fleet. Seems too much even for the mighty KB....

[ny59giants]

I have a CHS game in late 10/42 as the Allies. Due to CHS having only 50 Politcal Points per day, I would say no to any attempts to take the Marianas. It takes almost 1/2 a month to get enough for a RCT to be released. [:(]
 
Build up the Marshalls to have your most important bases to level 9 forts and some AF to level 4 so you can support your Beauforts (did you change the 2 Canadian Blenheim to Beaufort I's??).
 
He will probaly use KB to hit softer targets after India falls to build up his experience before he tries to take on the American CVs.

[Elladan]

That's a lot of forces you have gathered for Marshalls. Even a single division on an atoll is very difficult to root out. So I would feel quite safe there with such garrisons, at least until he can bring multiple division force from India/China and that would take him months if at all possible. And there are Philippines to conquer as well. I see a lot of problems for Japanese on the Pacific front, which is more important as Jim Burns said.
As for possibility of counterattack, you have to assume he will and prepare accordingly. If he doesn't so much better for you.
How many PPs do you have in this scenario? And stupid question, do British ships sent home return after some time?

[FeurerKrieg]

I say go go go. Send anything, everything to Guam or Saipan.

I see it as three scenarios -

Scen 1) Stop at Marshalls
Pacific gets reinforced by IJA units from India China, allies must wait until late 43 to have the strength to overcome dug in multiple divisions on atolls/mountain islands.

Scen 2) Go for Mariannas and fail
heavy cost in assets, but still lots of LCU's available to hold Marshalls. Allies wait until late 43 to resume offensive.

Scen 3) Go for mariannas and succeed
Airbases in Guam or Saipan very difficult to retake (mountains) and air power makes any attack on marshalls difficult.
Allied air within range of Bonin, and if PI hasn't yet fallen, then maybe it can be reinforced.

[FeurerKrieg]

So, my point, is, that a loss at the mariannas or just waiting at the marshalls is about the same outcome, so why not take the chance and try for the coup de main.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/03/42
 
Good points guys...i gotta say that i'm tempted...really...
But now, you'll all excuse me but the war drives my attention back to the battles...
In China we have a HUGE problem right now...he made a great move, crossing the river between Kuikiang and Hankow with 6500 AVs...pushed me back and now he can really drive to Changsha almost unopposed...OMG!!!!![X(][X(][X(][X(][X(][X(] Gotta find a way to strike back or at least to save my right flank or the whole souther China will be lost very very soon...[&:] Screenshots as soon as i come home tonight...
SHit!!![:@]
 
Today was a really bad day. Bombay fell and now a major port and AF on the west coast of India is in Jap hands...[:o]
 
The only good news of the day is the torpedoing of the Kongo Maru, a japanese armoured raiding-merchant at truk by SS Barracuda[;)]...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Truk  at 66,78
 
Japanese Ships
AP Kongo Maru, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage
 
Allied Ships
SS Barracuda
 
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Ground combat at Bombay
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 52961 troops, 341 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2036
 
Defending force 8380 troops, 37 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 107
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3
 
Japanese max assault: 2172 - adjusted assault: 2717
 
Allied max defense: 88 - adjusted defense: 233
 
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 3)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Bombay base !!![:(]
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
293 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
 
Allied ground losses:
10844 casualties reported
Guns lost 25
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 48,36
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 283405 troops, 1330 guns, 253 vehicles, Assault Value = 6512[X(][X(][X(]
 
Defending force 33883 troops, 156 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 955
 
Japanese max assault: 6152 - adjusted assault: 6210
 
Allied max defense: 722 - adjusted defense: 211
 
Japanese assault odds: 29 to 1
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
3767 casualties reported
Guns lost 21
Vehicles lost 5
 
Allied ground losses:
1829 casualties reported
Guns lost 34
 
 
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
 
I'm doomed...[:o]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
But d'u really think he's going to counterattack?

The more I think about it the more I think you are right. It will be very tough for him to take the Marshalls back. That being said, I say don’t go further unless your end goal is to reopen supply lines to the PI’s.

As strong as you are right now, you simply won’t have sufficient forces to hold more gains west of the Marshalls. He’ll probably bring at least 6 divisions back from India, so assume you’ll face 2-3 division landings. It’s going to take you months to dig in as engineers are short right now, so assume you are going to lose some of what you’ve taken.

Mutually supporting airfields can really make it tough for him, but as you saw at Noumea in my game, uber CAP still rules the skies in CHS. KB cleared the skies of my 200 planes and easily permitted him to sail right in and pull out the S.S.D. even though my airfield was never put out of commission. He didn’t lose a single ship in the op.

If your goal is to open a supply line to the PI’s and get half a million supplies into Manila, then I say go for it. That accomplishment alone would be worth the loss of 2 or 3 US divisions in the end. But if you’re going to try and simply grab a few more islands to the west and then stop, I say don’t go unless you’re just going to leave some Marine CD battalions behind and pull your main combat power back to the Marshalls.

You are very short of land forces right now, so don’t stretch yourself too thin unless a major strategic goal like getting half a million supplies into the Philippines can be accomplished.

What do you have defending the Hawaiian Islands right now? What happens if he does an end around from the northwest, can he take Pearl with a division or two? Don’t stick your neck out too far without protecting your rear.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

Thanks Jim.
I'm keeping the 2nd USMC division at Pearl right now. It will be substituted within the next 2 weeks by the Americal Div. The latter will be sitting at Pearl waiting for recovering from disablement.
The Mariannas are a juicy target right now, but you're probably right: i simply cannot defend what i gained if i take too much right now.

Now China guys needs some attention...
Trollelite made a very smart move and caught me off guard. I could believe he could master so many divisions so fast...look at the screenshot!!18 major units attacking, while he has strongpoints almost everywhere in the chinese map...
I have to abbandon Nanchang and run for Changsha now. I have barely 400 AVs at Changsha and more 800 at Hanchow (sp!?!?!?). I'll try to intedict his approach disturbing his com lines which are however very thin...i'll also divert some units from Canton Area...hope to get 2000 AVs at Changsha before he can arrive with his 6000!! But it will be tough... the problem is that he's supporting his advance with something like 500 bombers...my units don't simply have the strenght to oppose to these odds!
I'll keep on marching towards Shangai with a small army (800 AVs)...at least i can dig there and stop his production there, forcing him to keep some good units there...
It's however a mess...

[FeurerKrieg]

I don't think Uber cap is invulnerable, especially against 4e bombers. I've seen some 4e's get through an drop bombs on those KB carriers often enough.

Resupply PI would be excellent.

But if you decide to stop at Marshall's, is it possible to launch attack on Northern HI?

Seems to me with so much force in China and India, there has to be the opportunity here to inflict damage on home island industry. Maybe coming from the north is another possibility.

I know as a Japan player I never feel like I have enough in the Pacific, even without india offensives.

[Gen.Hoepner]

I do not have the turn right now. just the reply, so i cannot add any new screenshot.
However i made a precise calculation. Right now i have 2380 AVs for the defence of Karachi with 350,000 supplies and i think i'll reach forts at level 6 within the next week. Not bad indeed, but with the BB hammering the place and hundreds of bombers over my head things can become pretty bad easily...
 
It's confirmed that he has some betties at Truk. They spotted my CVs NW of Kwalajein so i guess he has at least 2 full daitais there. recon says 40 bombers, but i bet at least 52 Betties are present at Truk.
 
I think the more interesting strategy for the comming future will be to start a bombing campaign at Truk to reduce the base before Tojos and Tonies arrive. When/If, truk will be closed...if he reinforce the Mariannas i could chose to go for Palau/Ambonia  instead, bypassing Rabaul and Truk...could be interesting...

[Jim D Burns]

Hmm, I think I see an opportunity. Do you have enough force to cross over the river into the Kiukiang base and stay there? If so you can cut his supplies and expose his entire force to destruction.



If you lack the forces to cross right now, pull the forces heading to Shanghai back and use those, this is a great opportunity I think. If anything, it’ll force him to cross the river and drive you out, thus buying enough time to reinforce Changsha.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Feurer Krieg

I don't think Uber cap is invulnerable, especially against 4e bombers. I've seen some 4e's get through an drop bombs on those KB carriers often enough.

Resupply PI would be excellent.

But if you decide to stop at Marshall's, is it possible to launch attack on Northern HI?

Seems to me with so much force in China and India, there has to be the opportunity here to inflict damage on home island industry. Maybe coming from the north is another possibility.

I know as a Japan player I never feel like I have enough in the Pacific, even without india offensives.

Trollelite asked for an HR that forbids any operation in Northern Pacific before Russia is activated...i agreed on that[:(]..now i blame myself[:-]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

Hmm, I think I see an opportunity. Do you have enough force to cross over the river into the Kiukiang base and stay there? If so you can cut his supplies and expose his entire force to destruction.



If you lack the forces to cross right now, pull the forces heading to Shanghai back and use those, this is a great opportunity I think. If anything, it’ll force him to cross the river and drive you out, thus buying enough time to reinforce Changsha.

Jim

I saw that opportunity too...but he had last turn 30 units at kiukiang. He crossed the river with 18 major units and maybe 3 HQs, so there are still 10 units there...for sure a division which is enough to stop my 1300 AVs at Nanchang... I'll try to cut his supply lines using guerrilla force unit present east of Hankow and at the same time another small army (330 AVs) present in the woods (not displayed in the screenshots) just NW of Nanchang...it will buy me some time to get some units back to Changsha...i hope...

[Jim D Burns]

You don't need to take the base, just get units into the hex and their zoc stops the supplies from flowing. I'd say 1300 AV is enough to prevent him from throwing you out without his main army returning to do the job.

Jim

[FeurerKrieg]

But with Swamp in Kiukang, you don't think you're units will be able to at least sit there? They don't have to take the base to stop the supplies.

HR for no action in No Pac? No wonder he is able to move so much force west. In my games I always have to keep some forces around to make sure the US doesn't try a sucker punch up there.

What was the logic on that HR?

EDIT: Jim was faster than me.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Ok, but doing that i'll leave Changsha completely undefended!...even without supplies he can take whatever he wants with 6000 AVs...

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Ok, but doing that i'll leave Changsha completely undefended!...even without supplies he can take whatever he wants with 6000 AVs...

He burns the same amount of supply every time he attacks whether he attacks one tiny unit or 50. So leave a unit to force him to attack every hex he has to advance through to get to Changsha. By the time he reaches Changsha he’ll be out of supply and that 6000 AV will only be 1500AV. His stuff will begin to disable very rapidly as well, so he won’t be able to take the base unless he does it very quickly.

Also if you have 3 or 4 units cycling into the combat hex, he won’t be able to move at all until he reduces their AV’s to zero (they retreat automatically when they are in an enemy hex and have 0 AV). So each turn set one unit to move towards his army. After 3 or so turns, your units will start arriving one at a time and he’ll have to stop and attack as each one enters the hex.

As soon as they get booted out, order them to move in again, rinse and repeat. I wouldn’t do this in most games unless he had armor that could shock-pursue, but given the para moves he just made I think it’s more than justified in this game.

Jim