Forlorn Hopes: The Japanese Respond

[John 3rd]

Appreciate the thoughts!  A number of you have been great contributors and I have enjoyed the dynamic of suggested strategies, tactics, and economic choices.  As said earlier I have learned so much I didn't know through all this enchange that I truly value the experience.
 
Dan and I are the only campaign I have running with any speed right now and since I have had a chance to recover from that crazy peirod of his initial attack, I have decided to continue on as long as possible.  For the moment this shouldn't be too hard but once I start the new career I may need to reappraise this decision.
 
I am looking for a job.  Anyone in Colorado need a former educator, Professor of History, Blackjack Dealer, Casino Pit Boss, or Restaurent Manager?  Been there and done all that!
 

[Alsadius]

(Posted to both threads)

I just wanted to say how good of a read this dual AAR has been. I've been reading it straight since someone linked me to it on Saturday, and it's been hugely entertaining. The scary thing is, I've never even played WitP - got a copy on Sunday, but have been too busy reading this to even install it yet - and yet it was still a great read. Thanks to both of you, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it now that I have free time again. Good luck to both of you.

[John 3rd]

Thanks for the thoughts!  The AARs tend to be addictive...
 

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Thanks for the thoughts!  The AARs tend to be addictive...

Addictive ? No... Never... Btw, where is that report on a turn that made me come here as soon a I had seen you posted ??? [8D]

Hartwig

[John 3rd]

Ahhhhh...sorry...my life (see earlier posts) has not been too fun over the last week.  I will post the economic stuff as well as an update.  We just finished the Jan 6th turn.
 

[John 3rd]

Thanks for joining the Thread by the way!  Forget my manners occasionally...

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Ahhhhh...sorry...my life (see earlier posts) has not been too fun over the last week.  I will post the economic stuff as well as an update.  We just finished the Jan 6th turn.

No real reason to apologize... just tried to confirm the point that (your) AARs ARE addictive and that here is another (silent) reader who appreciates your efforst with a pun. Not being a native speaker sometimes does make this difficult [8|]

I was really sorry to read about the troubles you were in, the unfair consequences you are facing now and am well aware that there are other priorities in life.

Regards

Hartwig

[John 3rd]

Thank you again.

I will post a few thoughts on the last couple of turns:

Northern Japan
Dan has evacuated over 30,000 men over beaches that I CONTROL ([:@][:@][:@]) off Wakkanai.  Though I have hit about 10-12 ships evacuating his force on Hokkaido, it is now largely gone.  I have an American Infantry Division trapped in the hex SE of Wakkanai and will destroy it.  I just cleared the Wakkanai hex.

This means that Hokkaido is essentially clear in a day or two.

The Americans are now entrenching in Sakhalin.  Toyohara has a Port-1 and AF-6 while the northern Port is Sz-4 and 4 respectively.  I plan to rest my bombers and fighters for a few days and then launch a very large attack (probably 800+ planes) at Toyohara's AF.  In many ways I want to keep his CVs pinned to the area so they cannot go elsewhere.

IF his CVs leave then I will hurl 9 Japanese Infantry Divisions against Toyohara in an all-out attempt to drive him away. I've been congregating APs at Hakodate and Pusan for this very purpose.

Central Pacific
I have spotted a couple orf convoys leaving Midway and heading west.  I sortie the remaining Japanese CVs (4 CV/4 CVL/4 CVE) to intercept these ships.  I expect some aerial resistance in the form of a CVL/CVE which I should be able to overcome pretty easily.

Do have to watch for his CVs breaking out from Sakhalin.

Burma/Malaya/Sumatra
Dan has moved out from Port Blair with an invasion force.  My planes have attacked in frustratingly piecemeal fashion.  He is currently 4 hexes NE of Sabang and appears to be hovering there.  I have the sickening feeling that--yet again--he doesn't know where he is going. 

I've strong forces dug-in at Sabang and Kuala.  Victoria Point is in even stronger shape.  Whereever he goes it will be a fight on the ground.  I've just tranferred a Brigade and Infantry Division to Sumatra to buttress its strength.

My naval forces are fairly strong.  I have Yamato and 10 DD at Palembang fully fueled.  My CV TF of 4 Carriers (235 Planes) will arrive there in two days.  Together they will pack some serious punch.  I will hold off anymore attacks (he has a CAP of 90+ Corsairs!) until I can hurl a HUGE number (500+ Planes) of aircraft at the invasion fleet.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Naskra]

I don't think the Sumatra operation is all that promising; time and again in other AARs we have seen Japan plan this sort of mega-strike, only to reap disappointment as the scattered incoming planes are shredded by CAP.  In addition, the RN carriers are not vital to his advance;  he will keep coming with or without them. 
The Sakhalin situation is of far greater urgency to you.  I would concentrate assets up there to give maximum
support to the invasion.  It is no gimme; I suspect he will have tapped into huge supply dumps at Okha.

[John 3rd]

I have a better chance of DOING something in Sumatra then at Sakhalin.  The North Pacific will be settled by LBA and a probable invasion...
 
Your points are valid but I want to actually TRY to stop this attack.  Dan might invalidate that if he moves quickly.  Just got the next turn so am going to run it...
 

[John 3rd]

Screenshot shows everything.

Should note that I got a surrender of 1,500 troops from 6th Army HQ at Wakkanai the day before.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
January 8, 1944

Several interesting developments this turn.

1. Hokkaido The isloated 7th Infantry Division is forced to surrender 10,699 men just south of Wakkanai. Add this to the previous day's surrender of the 6th Army HQ and we get a POW bag of 13,000+ troops. I had hoped for more but this is at least something.

All troops are now prepping for Toyohara. I shuffled the strongest Infantry Divisions to Sapporo and left 3 weakened Divisions at Wakkanai. This should leave the base pretty strong.

I am resting 6 Sentai (150 planes) of night bombers that had been hitting Mos Eisley Space Port near Iwo Jima for the last two months. They will move to Wakkanai and begin hitting Toyohara to raise some Hell.

2. Sumatra/Malaya
The screenshot answers this topic. Am sure that Dan doesn't know where he wants to land and it appears that he has withdrawn his AK/AP back towards Port Blair. This MAY give me the time to get my CVs into the area for an ambush...

His CVs did sink 4 AP and 1 MSW that were fleeing south from Medan. Am glad he didn't come in a day or two earlier because those AP sunk yesterday and today drooped the entire 18th Inf Div at Medan!

3. North Pacific
My 3 CVE spotted a TK TF and hit 4 of them with Torpedo Bombers. Those ships are low on fuel but 4 CV and 4 CVL will arrive in the area to finish the job tomorrow. Want to keep hitting Dan's supply lines!

4. Australia
Looks like he is finally going to take Broken Hill! There are 21 units sitting just east of the hex.

[John 3rd]

Here is the screenshot:

[String]

isn't it 1944 not 1943?

[John 3rd]

Is anyone else having issues with logging back in constantly?  I am getting kicked off about every 2-3 minutes!  It is driving me nuts...

PS  Sorry about the spelling errors on the screenshot.  I wrote it WAY too fast.

[John 3rd]

String--I have been writing 1943 for so long I forget to change it to 1944 most of the time!
 

[ny59giants]

I've gotten into the habit of hitting "Ctrl+A" and then "Ctrl+C" to copy my post for my AAR as I've lost too many before when I get kicked out before I sumbit the post. This way, I just log back in and have just pictures to upload and redo the title line. It lessens my frustrated level after a lenghty post. 

[n01487477]

I find that if I right click on the message pane (after I get the error message) it allows me to go back ... I then copy, re-log in and then paste it again. I use Firefox, but I'm sure it is the same for IE.

Also something you haven't mentioned ... Be wary of Winter in the North, I'm not sure where the cut-off is (latitude)... but without good prep, you might find it tough going. But I doubt you can wait until Spring.

Interesting to see you going the long route around Sumatra, I not one to speak, (my lack of recon and searching before rushing in) but how sure are you he doesn't have CV assets in the vicinity? You don't seem to have much on Nth Sumatra searching ... (I haven't read Dan's AAR in quite a while, so I have no idea when I say this... )

---Damian---

[John 3rd]

Hi Michael and Damian.

It doesn't happen too often but when the damned server is kicking me off every few minutes, I find that I must reach back and have several drinks!

Dan's CVs are in that formation at the northern end of the Straight of Malacca.  I am terrified of going after it due to 90 Corsairs flying CAP!  I could try to overwhelm it with LBA as well but that would be horrific.  My hope is to swing around the west coast of Sumatra and catch his soft targets by surprise.  Problem with doing that is it adds 3-4 days of time to my strike ability, however, I don't HAVE to attack so that helps.

I've got Dan somewhat contained in the north.  I don't think he dares move his CVs away since I have 1200 Fighters and Bombers ready to attack.

On a different note, in China I moticed an AF in NW China where there were (by Recon) 3 F, 49 B, and 88 TR on it.  I decided that this must be one of his staging fields to funnel planes to Sahalin.  I--therefore--moved 200 bombers and 100 Fighters to the nearby area and will POUND that base on the next turn. 

I've now got nearly 500 fighters training in China and he is doing nothing to contest that.  IF I can get to February 1st without a major battle, I will have a strong corps of Aviators again to fight with. 

[John 3rd]

January 9, 1944

Sumatra
Dan makes up his mind and lands at medan with 3 Chinese Infantry Divisions. I have 19th Inf Div, an Eng Reg, and a small NLF with Forts at 3 there. SHOULD be enough to hold the base. I order an Infantry Brigade and Engineering Regiment to advance from Kuala to augment the Medan troops.

As this is happening Dan pulls his CVs away from the Landing Force. I spread my attack planes around Bankha, Kota Bharu, and Singapore for attacks. Deatils are on the screenshot. I set all ranges to whatever the range of Medan is so they don't decide to commit suicide attacking his CVs.

IF things don't change, there is a real chance for a Japanese victory here right now.

There are additional TF gathering at Port Blair. I want to deal with this one and have my CVs ready for whatever may come next. They docked at Batavia and sucked it dry for fuel. They will sail tomorrow up the west coast of Sumatra.

North Pacific
My CVEs sink 2 TK while they head back for Marcus. My KB of 4 CV/4 CVL will hit these ships tomorrow and do well I hope.

I begin taking back the Kuriles with a landing at Onnekotan Jima this turn.

Two small invasion forces will land troops at the southern pair of Kuriles over the next day or two. Be nice to get those back for seaplane purposes.

China
I hit Honan with 3 separate air strikes totalling 52 Fighters, 216 Strafing Fighters, and 187 Bombers. The attacks destroy 5 B-24 on the ground, inflict 99 Cas and 4 Vehicles, and pound the AF with a total of 209 hits. Will follow-up and finish the job tomorrow.