Historiker(A) vs. El Cid (J) RHS-EBO NO SID!

[Historiker]

Diplomatic message from the Japanese Foreign Minister arrived in Moskow:

We have a problem.

There are multiple sightings of ANT-3 patrol planes in the Bohei Gulf/Yellow Sea area.

This must mean these aircraft are overflying Korea, or possibly Manchukuo - a violation
of sovereignty.

Given the nature of patrol missions (in code anyway) it also means that there WILL be hits
on ships and submarines - acts of war.

While recon flights are tolerated - if limited in number - patrol flights (which are much less limited
in number) - are not tolerated. Doubly so when they must overfly territory.

Japanese patrol planes do not overfly Soviet territory. Further - they do not attempt to search
the Sea of Othosk north of the Japanese/Soviet border on Sakhalin Island.

In addition to this, Japanese patrols are carefully range limited so that a submarine may pass undetected and unmolested between Vladivostok and Suchan, or between ports in the Northern part of the Sea of Othosk. OTHER voyages - between Suchan and Sakhalin - or any point in the main Soviet Far East and Petropavlovsk - would be facilitated upon notice - that is NO submarine patrols would fly on the dates requested - provided this did not become abusive in frequency or as a door for US operations.

We expect the USSR to honor its non-aggression pact with Japan. [IRL it did - and it gave formal notice the agreement would not be renewed on schedule in 1945 a few months before it expired - as required by the treaty]

Direct the Soviet Naval Air Forces to cease such operations immediately. Further violations - even one more violation on one more day - will be interpreted as a technical state of war requiring some sort of response. [Presumably the ANT-3 unit will have to be killed at a minimum] We do not wish to see hostilities in this area - but violation of territorial integrity are in fact hostilities.

Your call.

The Japanese Foreign Minister (Togo)

The Soviet answer:

To Minister Togo,

After your unprovoced acts of war against the United States, the Soviet Union is concerend a lot about your aims.
Japan has not only signed the Anitkominternpakt in 1935, your country also formed an official alliance with Germany and Italy, the Tripacte. Both nations started their unprovoced aggression against our country and German troops are only a few kilometers from our capital.
Now, Japan also started an unprovoked war against the United States without even declaring war - as well as Germany did in June against our country.
Japan has showed its ambitions to take Soviet and Mongolian territory at Changkufeng in 1938 and in 1939 at Chalchin Gol. We have informations that your generals speak open about their ambitions to create a northern empire in Siberia.
Concerning this as well as your attacks on the members of the komintern, the Soviet Republic of China puts our forces in high altert.
Our recon flights are simply for selfprotections as you've showed your aggressive ambition against the peacful workers- and peasents state.
Be advised:
Any aggression against us or our allies will result in an immediate response in full retaliation with our armed forces. Japan must never expect the Soviet Union to be weakend, just because the Fashist Germany has taken a little of our territory. We are ready to respond on every single act of aggression!

Wjatscheslaw Michailowitsch Molotow,
People's Commisar for Foreign Affairs

[Elladan]

Well, in my opinion you should limit your patrols, unless provoking a Russo-Japanese war is your intention.

[Historiker]

It will be limited, but I can't deny that I would like to provoce a war!
However, this would be against Sid's intentions of the mod. I should keep it realistic and have already done some things he doesn't like. To provoce a war with Japan when Germany is 30km away from Moscow isn't what can be called realistic!
Maybe in late 43 or mid 44, but defentily not now - this is far beyond everything what's possible...

[Monter_Trismegistos]

What is the size of Vladivostok? When it reaches size 10 don't forget to start lying defensive minefields using your L-class submarines. Also you should have few Shch-class submarines patroling hexes adjanced to your bases. And run regular cruises between Soviet and US ports for supply, using Soviet AK and TK - as it was done historically.

[Historiker]

I'm not sure how big the size is, but It was about 8, I guess.
I mined the base south of Vladivostok last turn with the DMs and sent all fighters on LR-CAP over them. I already planned to supply SIberia from the US and if he should attack such a convoy or one of the mining operations, I will retaliate against the airfield - which should be realistic if it was a serious attack (so not 5 bombers scoring no hits).
In this case, it's up to him how he reacts [;)]

About the sub-patrols... I'm not sure. I can't order "just selfdefense" (which I hope to see in AE or at least witp 2 somewhen), so it might happen that my subs attack one of his ships first - and then? They may have been at sea, but would they be allowed to attack Japanese shipping? Never! So maybe I declare a zone of souvereignty 1 hex from my coast, but I can't do more.

I would like to have Russia at war to be able to fight with the russian fighters too - which I haven't done yet.

Anyway, I really intend to honor Sid's rules to keep it realistic. So it will not be the Soviet union that provoces war in the next two years...

[Monter_Trismegistos]

Thats what I was talking about - claim territorial waters and eradicate all intruders. Even if this is still peacetime you must be prepared to suprising landings on your coast. Also you can send supply from US - using Soviet vessels - this was done historically. Soviets had guaranteed by Japan "channels" to move their ships unattacked.

[Historiker]

I'm at home again...
Vladivostok is at 8/8/3 and I expand all three atm (1/1/11% after two days, so expanding quite fast). Sid wants a realistic game, so it's quite unlikely that he'll attack me unless most of continental Asia is already in his hands - and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to permit this. Nevertheless, I'm going to prepare myself, that can't be wrong!

[Historiker]

Ok, I finally have the turn...

I now ask myself, whether or how much it can be agreed with Sids rules to evacuate the Malaya Peninsula? I know the Japs are stronger - so my Generals know that, too. But giving up or weakening the defense of the "Gibraltar of the East"? If I play "like they would have done", I would have had to let the Force Z attack, too - and I would have to reinforce Singapore instead of preparations to evacuate it!

[Historiker]

To Minister Shigenori Tōgō,

as the situation in Asia is heating up, our peacful nation has to prepare itself against any unprovoced aggression. We have to protect our peaceloving citizens against any surprise attack and so have to permit every foreign espionage or unopposed apprioaching to our coasts. To secure our shores, the Soviet Union declares a zone of permitted access. Within this zone of 120 miles [=2 hex] off our coast, any foreign ship is forbidden to enter. This does even count for Fishing Boats and Aircraft. This zone will be established with the 15th of Dezember 1941.
Both Red Fleet and Red Air Force will control this zone and attack any suspects found in it.

Yours respectfully,

Wjatscheslaw Michailowitsch Molotow,
People's Commisar for Foreign Affairs

With the 15th, I will start mining the shores, assign the PT-boats, form Sub patrols... Shikuka on Sakhalin is entered from the east, so this should be no problem.

I'm really curious how the Empire of Japan reacts on this. [:)]



Other news:
I reinforced Singapore with every Dutch fighter available and hope that they perform better, if he attacks again.
A group of B-17 was ordered to Palembang and will attack the aircraft engine production at Saigon.
Most Bombers in the DEI are on ASW duty, but still no hit [:(]
Two PGs in the PI were ordered to attack unprotected (at least if the intel is correct) landing fleets. Let's see what their two 6in guns can do.

More interesting:
TF 1001, a SAG is ordered from Belikpapan to Tarakn. It consists of:
BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse
BC de Zeven Provencien
CA Houston
CA Exeter
CL Eendracht
CL Kjkduin
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
CL Danae
CL Dragon
CL Durban
CL Marblehead
CL Boise
and 11 Destroyers
This force has a Gun Value of 9.153, an AAA of 3851, 206 Torps and 48 ASW. It will stand read to attack the enemy SAG/Bombardement fleet which seems to head for Davao on Mindanao to bombard the 101st Phillipine Division. This force is reported to be formed of 3BB 5CA and 2 CL. If it turns to Jolo or Borneo again, we'll try to intercept them!

[Historiker]

Solomons:
The CL Adelaide was ordered for Kavieng and met 2 CA, 2CL and 6DD. As it was even surprised, it sank after 4 Torpedo hits and 12 shell hits. Doesn't mind, this ship was quite useless anyway: slow, weak armement, neglible AAA and no furture upgrades...
But even as it's lost, It did a good job: It showed that the force there is just at the right size for the Cruisers I'm sending there. If he leaves them there longer, I may be able to engage him.

Pearl Harbour
My PTs attacked an enemy SAG with 4 BBs, 2CL and some DDs. In the first attempt, one (group of 3 PTs) was sunk, in the second, DD Akbono was hit by a Torpedo and is heavy damaged. In a third attack, one more PT was sunk while one was heavy damaged.
Two air attacks on the airfield of Laihana met 36 A6M and 23 Me109. He lost none while I lost 2B-17, 11 Bolos, 3 Dauntless and 3 P-40B. BAD! I guess I'll order them for Naval attack from now on, as I can't break his CAP withour open the skies over PH, my vital Airbase.
How important the CAP over PH is showed an attack by him, wehn 46 Zeros and 6 Vals attacked (I guess the airfield). They were intercepted by 1F4F, 1P-36 and 10 P-40B.
I lost 3 P-40B, he 4 Vals with no hits scored.
To free P-40B I upgraded a P-40B unit at Pearl to P-400. Despite its loudicrous max alt, it seems to be a fine fighter. If he attacks unter 14500 ft, the P-400s will be able to engage him.

DEI/PI
His subs put a huge number of torpedoes into several ships - but all only AKs, so I don't care too much.
Two attacks on two enemy APs at Omoc by PG Asheville which prooved to be ineffective despite one "Japanese naval force is surprised". Only one on fire, non heavy damaged. But anyway, the sysdamage will make them slower, so the PG did it's job.
His heavy SAG seems to head for Palau to refuel and to load new ammo but he still has a serious SAG at Cagayan with several CAs and perhaps one BB (but this might also be the CVE-group as the recon says 1 CV)
I'm afraid he already has Bettys at Cagayan, so I can't go there directly with my big SAG.

Indochina/Malaya
6 of my B-17 hit Saigon facing no opposition. The Ha-101 engine factory is hit once. This isn't anything to mention about, as the damage is not more than 1000 supplies, but I guess he'll keep some of his fighters for CAP now. So the Goals taking initiative and divert his attention was fully achieved.
Over Singapore, 16 British Brewsters, 16 Dutch Buffalos, 3 CV-21B and 3 DEI Hawk 75 engaged 30 attacking A6M2 and 21 Ki-21 II. The battle was a disaster:
for 3 A6M2 and 3 Ki-21, 17 fighters and 2 TBs were destroyed in air and on ground. This forces me to retreat my planes.
At Singapore, my tactics are inspired by this: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=FbiJEy3JH74 [:D]

Midway
He managed to land several more troops on the Island - and again, my SAG did NOTHING! I don't understand why, but I will consequently retreat it, now. It's a wonder that no enemy CV as already appeared, so he wont get the chance if he decides to send one, now.
The new troops made a shock attack and showed that he has 146AV against my 40 - so the island is lost. The attack failed, but that won't change anything.

China
My force in Canton was attacked by him. with 492 he attacked my 520 AV and he got 154 assault against 1501. The city hex works for mee, too [;)] He lost 1800 men and 28 guns, while I lost only 70/3.
An attack on some of his forces near Shanghai failed, he lost 288/3, I lost 2900/97!
At Nanchang, this happened:
Ground combat at Nanchang [C China]

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39385 troops, 415 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1505

Defending force 43209 troops, 343 guns, 64 vehicles, Assault Value = 739

Allied max assault: 1296 - adjusted assault: 431

Japanese max defense: 453 - adjusted defense: 452

Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)


Japanese ground losses:
337 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Allied ground losses:
1016 casualties reported
Guns lost 50
Additional forces are on their way, I hope I'll be able to conquer the city.

Alaska/Aleutians
I begin shipping engineers to the Aleutians to fortify this important area

The situation in china:

[JeffroK]

Well done Historiker,
 
Makes the opening months more fun for the Allies and more worrysome for the japanese if you put in some attacks.
 
I like your approach to the USSR, gives him something else to think about.
 
Keep playing with his mind, one day he'll overreact and fall into an ambush!!

[Historiker]

Thank you!

If nothing is changeing in the PI area, I'll attack him there with my strong SAG with 1BB, 2BCs + many cruisers.
As I already told, I will use my ships, but I'll always care about their value. So I retreated the CV near Midway, as even the sinking of 10 more APs and AKs can never be worth the lost of a CV. As allied player, I can always be assure "I'll get them anyway, sooner or later!" If I were on the Japanese side, this would be totally different as the Japanese player has no choice but to sink everything possible to let the allied superiority begin a little later.
Concerning this, the Adelaide was used very offensively, as my only tactical concept for a slowly ship without heavy guns or at least heavy AAA is: use them as much and as long as they swim. They are to slowly for later intruder missions like bombardement or night attacks on enemy fleets, their guns are neglible for shore bombardement and their AAA isn't enough to provide considerable protection against ships.
Following this, my AMCs (=CLs in RHS) are also on runs into his territory. On the other hand, I evacuated all but two (which were sunk while fleeing) BBs from Pearl. They are slowly as well, but they'll get a mighty AAA and their guns will have much more worth in prepareing an amphibious mission than one of my "expandable CLs" can ever have even being in a transport group to protect the APs from coastal guns.

Instead, the other CAs have a great value for me. Especially as there's no respawning of cruisers and CVs in RHS, I always must consider that in RHS lost defently is lost. (In CHS I used both CVs and Cruisers very offensive [4 Carrier battles until July 42 in a PBEM], as I'll get them all back later). This ment, I did "hit and run" with them at Tarawa, Wake and Midway. One might think I should have been more greedy sinking his ships there, but if I started chasing his ships there, I might have lost them to Bettys.
I am prepared to loose my ships - but not on a mission with the only goal to sink one or two AK/APs...

Singapore
I already told, that I'll do "Sir Robin" at Singapore. I debated with Sid while trying to carmourflage the case we were talking about. I really intend to honor his "Do not do what they wouldn't have done" rule, but does that mean I'll have to do all their mistakes, too? I don't think so! So I will no longer evacuate militas off their territory until their surrender is imminent - but I will do with my regular troops whatever is usefull.

So the question is: What is defending Singapore good for?
Will I be able to hold it? No! He's human, no AI. If my defense is too strong, he'll simply ship in more or he can conquer everything around it and starve the city...
The only benefit I'll have then is buying some time - in most cases nor more than two to three weeks. While two or three weeks of delay may be very usefull, are they worth loosing around or over 1000 AV in several (good) brigades?
I think: Defenitly NO!
It's much more usefull evacuating the troops to another place where they may delay him, too - but without haveing to surrender when beaten! So I'll try to ship them to Burma to halt him there. If these troops get beaten there, they'll retreat to India, but I'll keep them.
I already told him that I'm going to do with my regular troops what makes a military sense despite political or prestige arguments, but I hope he will not be too disappointed finding Singapore nearly empty...

On the other hand, I think about reinforceing the Dutch Oilfields with other Dutch troops from Java. Even as Dutch forces (except their tanks) don't upgrade AFAIK, they will still keep some use even in later stages of war. They'll be week, of course, but week troops are always better than none.
But if I send them to the oilfields, I might have the chance that they destroy huge parts of the oilwells when they are beaten/surrender. Just imagine that I manage to reduce the oilfields just about 20% - shouldn't this be worth it?

[Elladan]

Would it be worthwile? Not at all. There is much more oil produced on map then there is Japanese tankers to move them, destroying even a significant part of it will do nothing to help you win. If you can seriously damage his resource centres, that's a different story though.

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: Elladan

Would it be worthwile? Not at all. There is much more oil produced on map then there is Japanese tankers to move them, destroying even a significant part of it will do nothing to help you win. If you can seriously damage his resource centres, that's a different story though.

I thought that Japan is already producing most of its needed ressources on the home islands?

[Elladan]

Depends on the definition of "most". If it wants to expand though resource import is a must. The limiting factors in this are number of available AKs and the length of the route. So the best thing to do for allied strategic warfare is to destroy resources, preferably the closest ones to the Home Islands as this will force Japanese convoys to travel farther, increasing the risk for them and decreasing the import efficiency.

[Mistmatz]

There is a significant benefit in delaying the fall of Singapore... it buys time to prepare against a potential seaborne invasion of Ceylon/India/Burma.

Although Japan can technically bypass Singapore and enter the strait of Malacca with surface vessels, I'd say it falls under the "Don't do what a real commander wouldn't have done" rule. Actually I believe the same is true for an allied commander, once the time arrives.

Nevertheless surface vessels have other options than Malacca strait. But this will take longer and should be significantly more dangerous as there are three big airfields (Palembang/Batavia and the Soerabaja cluster) to threaten them. Hard to shut them down all at the same time.

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: Mistmatz

There is a significant benefit in delaying the fall of Singapore... it buys time to prepare against a potential seaborne invasion of Ceylon/India/Burma.

Although Japan can technically bypass Singapore and enter the strait of Malacca with surface vessels, I'd say it falls under the "Don't do what a real commander wouldn't have done" rule. Actually I believe the same is true for an allied commander, once the time arrives.

Nevertheless surface vessels have other options than Malacca strait. But this will take longer and should be significantly more dangerous as there are three big airfields (Palembang/Batavia and the Soerabaja cluster) to threaten them. Hard to shut them down all at the same time.

That's true!
But imagine, what all the Malaya units may do in India. The ENG units allone will be VERY usefull whereever they are shipped as in this early stage, both engineer and aviation support units are very rare.
The most important point for me is, that whereever I ship them, they aren't lost in case of defeat - and I hate loosing a lot of men...


@Ellandan
I play against Sid. As Japan didn't expand its industry "because they were cut off from machine part supply" as Sid said once, he will not expand it.

[Historiker]

In the last two days not too much new things weren't happening.

China
He reinforced Nanchang heavily and seems to ship in even more troops. It may also be an amphibious invasion von ie CHangsa, so I'll prepare for that, too.

Malaya/DEI/PI
One Dutch sub was sunk, one Japanese was beaten but will survive. He is attacking my troopships from Singapore, but most of them will get through.
The P-40 seems to be even weaker in this scenario (as well as the P-38 [:@]). Whereever they meet even just Oscars, I have a very high loss rate.

Midway
He sent the Mini-KB to Midway. I have two CVs 2-3 days away and one more in about 7 days. ATM, I'll watch this and will maybe engage his troops there!

South Pacific
We'll see some surface action again tomorrow, I guess [;)]

Alaska
Cold Bay, Dutch Harbour and Umnak Island will recieve reinforcements in the next days. I'll build fortress first up to 3, I guess and after that, the infrastructure will be improved.

[Historiker]

12/14/41

I'm a little concerend whether Sid may quit the game, soon. He expects something totally different than what he gets.
He moans around that I don't do what he expects me to do...

I should leave my troops where they are, that he can knock them out one by one.
He complains that I don't defend northern Malaya - but what does he expect me to do? Should I leave one or two brigades there against some divisions? Surely not. So I should reinforce - if I don't do at least one of this, I ignore the RHS rules and corrupt the test...
So I may do what he wants. I may send additional troops north. I may concentrate my defenses at Khota Baru and Alor Star - and perhaps I'll even manage to hold the front. Great!
That's what he wants, so the test works fine...
But then he makes an amphibious assault at mersing, cuts off my troops in north, takes the only light defended Singapore and Malaya is lost.
Or I "deny [him] bases", as he wants me to do.
Well, he has made this mod. He knows exactly which troops are in which base. So he knows with how much to come to defeat me...

I refuse to do this. I really don't intend to ignore his rules, but if he wants the enemy to do what he wants, he should play against himself or the AI.
If you don't have an immense superiority that any tactic than simply "attack on broad front" can be ignored, the road to victory is to do exactly what I do: To do, what the enemy doesn't expect! Some of my actions may be wrong, of course, but the principle defenitly isn't!
In another game, I'm destrying a whole japanese front, so several enemy divisions - around 40 or more units - and that already in december 42. When it's done, my opponent will have to get every single man he can mobilize to stabilize the front. How did I acchieve it? I did what he expected last...

Let's see how Sid reacts when he realizes that Singapore is evacuated...

ok, but to war reports:
Malaya
He conquers the first bases north of Malaya. My forces from the Malayan peninsula are under way to get evacuated atm.

DEI
I think about to evacuate most of the DEI to concentrate my troops on two to three bases where I'll try to make a stand.

Solomones
He bombarded Rabaul and captured it the same day. I tried to attack his forces but didn't find them. I ordered my ships to Kavieng now as I hope I'll find his troops, there.

China
I don't know how, but suddenly, he has a unit north of Canton cutting off my supplies. I ordered a chinese division to attack this troops.

[Historiker]

Good news!

I exchanged several messages with Sid where we argued about the game. I told him that I really intend to honor his rules, so he'll see no NZ-Militias invading Formosa, but I really don't have fun being forced to play in a way that isn't mine.
I know how incompetent I am in ground combat, so I have no choice but to do Brave Sir Robin - and he seems to have accepted. He won't get the game he intended, but he'll get a game and hopefully will enjoy it...

New Guinea
At Kavieng, my Cruiser-TF engaged two enemy TFs and sank both. Unfortunately, there were only 2 APs and one LCM and not the enemy Warships I was targeting at [:(]
THe AMC Westralia was attacked by enemy G3N from Rabaul which were only able to carry bombs because of the airfield size. Nevertheless, they put 5 bombs into the ship and it's most unlikely she'll survive. Doesn't mind, one more useless ship lost, then.

DEI
He contunies to sink AKs

Midway
He continues to land forces, and again, some carrierplanes attacked the Island. Calculating the number of planes, I expect the CVLs to be there. So it seems to be the time for our first Carrier battle! I ordered the two available CVs from Dutch Harbour to engage the enemy. THe'll be at Midway in 2-3 days.