RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Gen.Hoepner]

He's advancing towards Changsha, leaving some units to guard his supply lines. This will assure that less units will attack changsha, which has 2500 AVs under 6 forts ritght now. Enough i hope...

[Gen.Hoepner]

The perimeter

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/16/42


Another bad day.
The KB is advancing again escorting the usual number of BBs and CAs that will bomb the hell out of Karachi. Without my air force i'm unable to fight back in any single way...even my subs are getting so much pounds that most of them have been ordered to retire to their bases...

At Darwin finally we managed to place an AS. 10 subs are already on their way from PH in order to start raiding the southern DEI.

nothing much else to report...if only that 16 units are finally advancing towards Malir...we'll soon see some action!

My best AP (WestPoint) was torpedoed on its fast run to Karachi...have to face the fact that the block placed by his subs and his KB really forces me to withdraw from the idea of reinforcing Karachi with the 7th armoured Bde...[:(]

Calcutta is finally being sieged...soon the Bengal Bay will be a japanese Dominion and Burma will follow next...[:(]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Singapore at 22,51

Japanese Ships
PC Kyo Maru #2
PC Ch 31
PC Ch 26
PC Ch 23
PC Ch 19
PC Ch 16
PC Takunan Maru #7
PC Showa Maru #5
PC Nichi Maru #1
PC Kyo Maru #11

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 3[:@]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 13,1

Japanese Ships
SS RO-33

Allied Ships
AP West Point, Torpedo hits 1, on fire[:@]


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Malir , at 23,4

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
G4M1 Betty x 26
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20
Ki-21-II Sally x 113
Ki-49 Helen x 59

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 2
P-43A Lancer x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged
Ki-21-II Sally: 2 destroyed, 14 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 1 damaged
Hurricane IIb: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Runway hits 24

[BigBadWolf]

The situation in Pacific doesn't look too good for him. Perhaps exploit the fact that KB is half a planet away, and establish some bomber bases early on?

[Johan_Banér]

\\lurking mode off\\

Hi again, it's a most intriguing stratigic situation you have on your hands. The strategic map you posted was most enlightning.
I think you have an oppurtunity open here, you should at least strike at Marcus, maybe even the Marianas, the amount of troops he has commited to India, China and now the naval infantry to the Phillipines means that the Marianas can't be that well garrisoned. If you could cobble together two-three divisions worth of troops you should be able to take at least one of those islands. Regarding the Betty threat, as long as the KB stays in the Indian Ocean, it ought to be endurable since it seems his land based Zeros is in India as well. Nor should he have much in the way of fortresses there yet. Any usefull SigInt on the Marianas or Marcus?

Ignore Kwajalein, just isolate it and use it for training you bombercrews (not fighters, that's gamey and it's historical as well, every time an American carrier would pass Truk after it had been isolated, the Americans would pour bombs on the base as a greeting) and battleships. Sure he can evacuate kadres, but as long as the parent unit is isolated on Kwajalein, it won't be very useful.

Can't you transfer Commonwealth troops from Aden through the Suez to the West Coast by changing the HQ? I seem to recall something like that. If so, those Commonwealth troops that arrive ought to quite useful in the Pacific or Australia instead of bottled up in Aden if Karachi falls.


Good luck.

\\lurking mode on\\

[Andy Mac]

For me you should fight a large convoy through to the PI
 
A couple of US Divs some Marine Wildcats some army bombers and a few Seabee Regt will destroy Trolls economy.
 
Reinforce the PI war plan Orange thats my advice make him suffer for leaving it alone

[Andy Mac]

I would be tempted to try and hold onto Luzon those PI Divs behind lvl 9 forts in that terrain will be tough to take out

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Johan_Banér

\\lurking mode off\\

Hi again, it's a most intriguing stratigic situation you have on your hands. The strategic map you posted was most enlightning.
I think you have an oppurtunity open here, you should at least strike at Marcus, maybe even the Marianas, the amount of troops he has commited to India, China and now the naval infantry to the Phillipines means that the Marianas can't be that well garrisoned. If you could cobble together two-three divisions worth of troops you should be able to take at least one of those islands. Regarding the Betty threat, as long as the KB stays in the Indian Ocean, it ought to be endurable since it seems his land based Zeros is in India as well. Nor should he have much in the way of fortresses there yet. Any usefull SigInt on the Marianas or Marcus?

Ignore Kwajalein, just isolate it and use it for training you bombercrews (not fighters, that's gamey and it's historical as well, every time an American carrier would pass Truk after it had been isolated, the Americans would pour bombs on the base as a greeting) and battleships. Sure he can evacuate kadres, but as long as the parent unit is isolated on Kwajalein, it won't be very useful.

Can't you transfer Commonwealth troops from Aden through the Suez to the West Coast by changing the HQ? I seem to recall something like that. If so, those Commonwealth troops that arrive ought to quite useful in the Pacific or Australia instead of bottled up in Aden if Karachi falls.


Good luck.

\\lurking mode on\\

Hi again!

Do not know if the SEAC unit are changed to Central Pacific they appear at SF...some witp gurus should answer to this question...
However remember that i only have 3 CVs operative right now and at the moment i cannot really think to go within LBA range, when covered by zeros...would be a massacre!

I've come up with another idea....

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I would be tempted to try and hold onto Luzon those PI Divs behind lvl 9 forts in that terrain will be tough to take out

Hi Andy,

i have already more than 2000 AVs at Luzon. Manila has almost 8 forts...he will need months of siege and his entire Indian Army to get me out of there without using his BBs.... I don't really need to land there with more divisions...i prefer to play safer and get to Marcus within the next 3 months. Then from there i'll decide if a gamble against the Mariannas is possible or not...I bet Luzon won't be conquered nor sieged by that time!

[Gen.Hoepner]

News on the Saratoga...she's at 50 sys and 20 flt.....in 3 days she should be at PH but i think she's staying in port for more than 6 months...[:(]

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I would be tempted to try and hold onto Luzon those PI Divs behind lvl 9 forts in that terrain will be tough to take out

Hi Andy,

i have already more than 2000 AVs at Luzon. Manila has almost 8 forts...he will need months of siege and his entire Indian Army to get me out of there without using his BBs.... I don't really need to land there with more divisions...i prefer to play safer and get to Marcus within the next 3 months. Then from there i'll decide if a gamble against the Mariannas is possible or not...I bet Luzon won't be conquered nor sieged by that time!

what you have to do is to bring in as many supply to the Philipines as possible. If you have supplies to last a year... well, probably he will quit the game then... [;)]. Joke aside, if you have enough supplies there, high fort levels, then he´s pretty much screwed. And looking at the intel screen you posted, he´s so far away from an autovictory, he should really stop screaming around what a fantastic commander he is. At the moment he´s kicking your butt in India, but at what cost, he has left everything wide open... what a fault and what a bad strategical plan and situation. In a year we will praise you for kicking the Japanese butt out of the Philipines again! [:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

I have 39k supplies in the beloved triangle (Manila-Clark-Bataan). my units are in perfect shape, even if not very experienced. However i think i can hold even Clark against what he has brought in till now.
 i've managed to sneak in 10 AKs till now to Manila, with some 40k supplies in the last 4 months. Not bad indeed.
I've brought there even an AS that has allowed 10 subs to act in those waters in the last 2 months. Now the AS is safely back to Wake and the subs are back to the pacific or Indian Ocean, but i managed to cause him some problems, forcing him to deploy a lot of ASW TFs in the SRA.
Now the role of advanced sub base is being taken by Darwin.
I'm pretty safe with Luzon right now...

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

I have 39k supplies in the beloved triangle (Manila-Clark-Bataan). my units are in perfect shape, even if not very experienced. However i think i can hold even Clark against what he has brought in till now.
i've managed to sneak in 10 AKs till now to Manila, with some 40k supplies in the last 4 months. Not bad indeed.
I've brought there even an AS that has allowed 10 subs to act in those waters in the last 2 months. Now the AS is safely back to Wake and the subs are back to the pacific or Indian Ocean, but i managed to cause him some problems, forcing him to deploy a lot of ASW TFs in the SRA.
Now the role of advanced sub base is being taken by Darwin.
I'm pretty safe with Luzon right now...

you need more, far more supplies... bring in as many as you can, losing 20 AKs would be worth it if 30 would make it...

[pat.casey]

To offer a word of caution though, if he can take Karachi quickly, he'll free up a *mighty* big stick to come back and beat the Marshalls with.

Same thing with the Marianas. Would almost have to be to be an all or nothing effort on your part, neh? Take all four of them (or at least the three big ones), garrison them with at least a division each and you stand a good chance of holding them even with allied 1942 LBA. If you just take, say, guam though and put a couple of divisions on it, he's more than capable of swinging back with KB, landing eight or so divisions, and bagging your garrison.

Seems like the "safer" play is just to fight some supplies and high pool fighters (wildcats) into the phillipenes and bank on holding that forever.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Castor, even with 0 supplies Manila can hold against 4 divisions for 2/3 months. He will need to bring everything he has to take it right now. And if he does, the better! Will mean that all those divisions won't be used in 1942 against the Marshalls.
 
I agree with Pat. It's too risky to go diretcly to the Mariannas.
But i wanna try to scrumble his plans. With Marcus in my hands i can take a deep look at his positions and take a better decision. My idea isn't however to bring everything i have to the Mariannas, even if the SummerBirds succeds.
 
But it all depends on how long Karachi will hold...if it can hold enough i can really think of doing something "great"

[Andy Mac]

Bombard every chance you get a Bombard attack raises xp you should bombard if he is not serious about attacking because the disruption to you doesnt matter but the xp gain is long term.
 

[Andy Mac]

I would transfer air units INTO the PI every chance you get and I would be flying in more troops from the DEI if you can
 
 

[Cathartes]

I would further the suggestion of bulking up your supplies in Manila. He will bring more than 4 divisions if he wants Manila. You will be MUCH stronger if you have more supplies, and given the current situation, you have a significant opportunity to hold on a VERY long time in Luzon, with more supplies. 

This is just my take after managing to hold Manila into Aug 42 in my PBEM.  I had about 45K supplies to start, and a level 9 fort.  If I had 20-30k more, I would have held 8+ divisions, 4 brigades, and 60+ additional enemy LCUs until perhaps October/Nov 42.  I ran out of supplies the end of July, and then my AV dropped rapidly and no more AA against bombers.  I was history by Aug 13.

Happy hunting!

[Rob Brennan UK]

HI GH

With the sad demise of Pauks AAR your getting a new reader (just caught up) need my daily Witp Fix and i like your style of play very much. This looks to be an interesting game in the long run and i wish you well and will post with 'usually pointless' suggestions. [;)]

Good Luck and i look forward to the journey ahead.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I would transfer air units INTO the PI every chance you get and I would be flying in more troops from the DEI if you can

Hi,I've already transfered every single PI units that didn't start at Luzon to Luzon. Everything i could was brought there.

There's no way, friends, to bring now more supplies from outside. He has seen the trick 2 months ago, and placed a strong recon force, with betties at Saipan in order to catch every AK i was tryin to sneak there.

Anyway, i'll try to send something from Darwin...maybe using another route....

I cannot even re-supply Luzon by air using 4Es from China, after that he has started the massive air effort there...every chinese base, except for Chunking is daily bombed by hundreds of bombers...

Anyway, before he can bring his divisions to Luzon he first has to conquer Karachi...which can take quite some time!

Trollelite told me he's not in the mood to play this week end, so we'll have to wait for few days to get a replay i fear...[:(]