EA Damian(J) V Nemo(A) "Renaissance"

[n01487477]

15/4/42

China - not much happening, thankfully.
Java&SRA - 2 Eng Rgt unloading and a Div en route. No ground combat happening, but my LB is hitting what it can. There are no allied fighters or bombers here. Have had to withdraw the 56th Inf Bgd to Palau for refit from Amboina. I'm thinking about going deep soon and landing in Oz before taking Dili. My troops in Singapore are being prepared ...
Burma - ground troops near Mandalay are being hit everyday by LB, I have no come back at present. If I can get some more airfields up and running soon, then maybe I'll commit my LB, until then I'm doing nothing, possibly unwisely.
CPac - troops still heading for Wake and then eventually Midway in about 2 weeks.
SPac - 2 Troop Div's + air engineers heading toward Fiji, with the view to a Nandi landing sometime in the next 2 weeks. 5 CVL's to support them.

I haven't seen an Allied surface ship in weeks[>:]

Picture of Burma region ... 1 Div being offloaded more on the way, I want Mandalay and I need it soon IF I'm going to take the Air war to the Allies.

[n01487477]

Still fighting off the blues of being back from Japan, and about to start a new Semester...

16/4/42 ~ I pounded the Allied ground forces and port at Manila today with over 250 LB coming from various locations. Later in the day my troops launched a deliberate attack and reduced the fort to 1. One more to go and then the weeks of slow disintegration of the Allies at Manila. There is little I can do about this apart from throwing in a whole heap of troops that I don't have available.

I've pretty much decided that I'm too late to go after India, the Allies are already strong here, and apart from the occasional foray North, maybe to capture Ceylon. I really am going to concentrate on Australia and New Zealand. Perth is vital in this pursuit, unfortunately the map is not wide enough for me to go there unopposed and I will face LB all the way down the West Coast. Plans are being drawn up, discarded, but a decision has to be made in the next week. The Allies must be getting strong in this part of the World.

I'm more interested in moving toward Australia, throwing deep in a hail-mary pass and hoping for the best, than in completing my conquest of Java, which will occur anyway given time and manpower. I'm not lacking either Oil/Res so the real pursuit is HI for me. And to bloody the Allies. I'm really starting to dislike this map ... I'm thinking of sending KB into the rabbit-hole(not the Allied Oceanic Shipping Channel - rather the entry near Panama) to find Dorothy ...

Below is not a criticism of my opponent or even this game, it is more about a rejection of Sir Robin and the collapse of PBEM's. Nor is it even about Divebomber's game, because if you have read it, you can see that his Allied opponent did in fact defend and attack early on...

Regarding this game, which is not historical, it is the early days of April, the Allies have defended well and stopped me in the Aleutians and on Luzon, made me completely change my priorities...In Java, Russia, Burma and China I'm fighting tough resistance and I know I'm going to get mine soon enough from Michael, I'd just like it served with a chance of winning a battle, rather than waiting until July or December, in some Titanic Battle of 7CV's V 7CV's. I'm about to launch on Midway and Suva... I'd like there to be some consequences to this... a game mechanism which is more than just VP's, but impinges on Pol.Pts variability, or some other mechanism which looks at the fortitude and will of the people & means there is a consequence...I'm not sure what I want, but there must be some way to model this better.

Hence I wrote this a few days ago ... but didn't post.

I was going to post this in DiveBomber1's AAR, which has just ended but didn't want to hijack the thread and dig up old wounds, but I guess I am here... (and I've never played as the Allies & never gone beyond late-42)...

Seems to me that if the Allied player, made things more competitive in the first 6-8 months of the war, instead of completely laying back in wait, something that would never have been totally acceptable in the real conflict, hence risking and losing more assets, then more PBEM's might progress further than '43. The Japanese player understands he is on a hiding-to-nothing from the get-go, the Allied player that he will ultimately emerge victorious. I understand the doctrine of acceptable losses, but maybe game balance should not be so reliant on HR's, but more so on playing the game tooth and nail.

The Allies can afford to lose forces from the beginning, the Japanese can not. PBEM's fail IMO, because of the rampage of the Japanese player, early on ... only to realise that he has done nothing but "awaken the Giant". Who waits until everything is in place, dots the i's and t's and then uses a sledge hammer, instead of what I believe should have been a more active defence, and maybe a more balanced match up which would not allow such aggressive expansion by the Japanese and a more balance late '42 early '43.

History of the Pacific War shows the aggression by the US CF.
February 1, 1942 - First U.S. aircraft carrier offensive of the war as YORKTOWN and ENTERPRISE conduct air raids on Japanese bases in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands.
February 24, 1942 - ENTERPRISE attacks Japanese on Wake Island.
March 4, 1942 - ENTERPRISE attacks Marcus Island, just 1000 miles from Japan.
May 7-8, 1942 - Japan suffers its first defeat of the war during the Battle of the Coral Sea off New Guinea - the first time in history that two opposing carrier forces fought only using aircraft without the opposing ships ever sighting each other.
June 4-5, 1942 - Turning point in the war occurs with a decisive victory for the U.S. against Japan in the Battle of Midway as squadrons of U.S. torpedo planes and dive bombers from ENTERPRISE, HORNET, and YORKTOWN attack and destroy four Japanese carriers, a cruiser, and damage another cruiser and two destroyers. U.S. loses YORKTOWN.

Battle of the Coral Sea & Guadalcanal essentially stopped any future aspirations of the Japanese to invade Australia, and Midway- well it put the first real nail in the coffin.

Now, as a tangent along the same lines, how about using PP's in the way they should be intended, as a way to ensure that the Allies get out and about? If the Allies lose too much territory, then the will of the people becomes less... or some other mechanism that keeps PBEM's continuing further.

Maybe this will inspire some of you to tell me I'm an idiot or others to nod in agreement ... the frustration is in the exaggerated joy of expansion, the deflated feeling of a waiting game, where there is no chance to press the advantage and then all of a sudden a few death stars later the complete collapse. I love this game for all its failings, but if there is ever a WITP II, could some mechanism be employed, which makes the Allied player have to defend... and maybe create an environment where the PBEM goes longer ...

[n01487477]

17/4/42

Not sure how many mines were at Port Blair, but it seemed to take an age and ultimately I found one too many when PG RTN Ratanakosindra hit one and sank mid turn. I should take Port Blair easily as it seems the Allies have withdrawn their troops and one AK, which I didn't engage, was sitting in port.

Meanwhile, a little overkill at Davao, where LB took down a PT ... with a 800kg bomb ... imagine the fear as that one plummeted toward earth, and the crew jumping out of the little tin-can. I wonder how much of the boat would be left after such a hit??



Thoughts: I'm going to be in real trouble in Burma, the Allies have so many planes already in place ... most of my spare LB are languishing in Korea, unable to engage the Russians, and unable to be moved cause I used the PP's early on to correctly assign them to Kwantang. Very much cause for concern.

Rounding up my AP's for a push on AU ... more planning later.

[Nemo121]

Damian,
 
1. I don't think it is too late for India... I'm going to invade it at the beginning of April. But I think you may not have tamped down Java, China and the Soviet Union sufficiently to go for India.
 
2. I think it is great that in this mod overstretching ( which I think you did early on ) will result in Japan running into trouble ( just as you have ).
 
3. With that said, I think that you have enough gas in the tank for one more major invasion ( Oz, Alaska, India or somewhere in the Pacific ) if you wish it and are certainly in a really good position to begin fortifying what you have, training up your pilots and generally creating a massive defensive zone to frustrate the allied riposte in 1943/44.
 
 
So, its up to you really, do you risk overextension by attacking now or do you accept what you have and concentrate on only operational offensives from now on?
 
 
As to the Allies - You WILL see the British fighting back a lot more from 1st May 1942 since that is when they can begin upgrading their fighters and bombers etc and that's when you'll start seeing proper numbers of Wellingtons, Spitfires, Seafires etc.

[n01487477]

Thanks for dropping by Nemo ...
I agree that India is still possible, but I'm going South this game, Australia is my future debacle.

18~20/4/42
Burma ~ Not all that much happening, moving troops out of Singapore to Rangoon and to Java. Allied airforce is growing in strength each and every day ... and I fear the upgrades Nemo has alluded to in the previous posts ... they are strong enough now!

I took Port Blair and am about to land at Sabang next turn.

Allies lost a MSW and PT at Soerabaja today to a Port attack.

CPac ~ Day attacks on Midway continue, troops still slowly heading for rally point Wake.

SPac ~ I'm 3 days sail from Fiji, I'm about to send them as the tip of the sword to Nandi, they are covered with 5 CVL's.

Soviet Union ~ Air war is frustrating me still, I'm slowly reassigning my LB out of the region.

China ~ training my airforce as quickly as possible.

[n01487477]

21/4/42 ~

Rendezvous complete NW of Nandi, full steam ahead into the storm. I don't usually combine my escorts with the TT's but I thought I would this time. I was in two minds to keep my detection levels down by breaking them into smaller components, and have them follow, but this time I'm going in hot and heavy.

My landings at Sabang, were unremarkable except 16 B-17D's turned up to put one hole in PG RTN Sukhothai. She'll survive. This is something that I have yet to get right, the Allies seem to be able to target my TF easily, I'm yet to achieve the same with my LB. Is this weighted in the Allied favour?

My last Deliberate attack on Manila was a failure and cost 10K troops and 168 guns. Time to rotate and get some more troops into Luzon. I tend to lose more troops in units which are still not 100% prepared, so this may take some time to achieve.

[n01487477]

24/4/42
Pic update only today ... more of the story tomorrow if Michael gets it back to me ... the last few days have just been LB attacks in Burma from the Allies and that is about all.

[n01487477]

25/4/42 ~ Nandi & Exmouth air attacks are a no show!

[*]Nandi (Fiji) - The First Mixed Guards, an Aviation Unit & a CSNLF Brigade landed unopposed on land and will take the base next turn. The South Seas Regiment is also inbound, as are some more supplies. AK Keiyo Maru got a minor hit by a torpedo from SS S-44. I can see 5 SS's at Fiji and have now set my aviators to search. The previous turn they were meant to fly to Suva and take out the airfield. For some reason this did not occur, but I'm accepting of such small trifles. Later in the day, SS-44 came for a second bit of the cherry and got hit once by my TF ASW capabilities.

[*]Exmouth (West Australia) - nothing happened except I got spotted 4 hexes out. The area expected rain, so I can only blame myself. The funny thing is, my search flew, and I see 4 TF's in Exmouth harbor. I guess it is easier to send out search planes, rather than organise a group strike, which I hope will occur tomorrow. I really should pull back, but I'm hoping for a bit of luck ...

[*]Kragen (Java) - my troops finally enter the hex, without the Inf Div, I'll bombard for a turn and wait until the Div is there before I scale up the attacks. I'm hoping for a quick rush to Soerabaja now. With a para drop on Bali and some Inf Guard troops heading to Dili on LCVP's...

Tomorrow I start organising my troops bound for Australia ... this is where I really need to make Michael pay... I just hate the WITP map however, which means I really can't send CV's into the Perth area. Before the end of the month I hope to attack Mandalay in force. And start the new leg of my Russian campaign.

[n01487477]

26/4/42 ~ Air combat near Exmouth

The Allies massed their planes at Exmouth and tried to take a bite out of my CVTF

Was concerned when combat started ... but as it progressed I started to smile.
You Gotta like the numbers![:D]

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 5 destroyed, 9 damaged
F1M2 Pete-FF: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 8 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
Beaufort VII: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hudson IV: 6 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 5 destroyed
Martin 139: 7 destroyed
T-IVa: 1 destroyed

Para's dropped on Bali and took the base and Nandi has been secured, the Allies seem troubled trying to get their planes to fly, my CV boys are not having much luck attacking the SS's surrounding.

The Allies seem to be making single ship TF's to run away ... is there any way to combat this ? I don't think so ... must talk to my opponent about this sometime.

[n01487477]

27~28/4/42

Java - Kragen (Dutch/German word collar / choke ? ) ... 2 Deliberate attacks in a row have brought the fortifications down to 3, next turn I shall wring it by the throat with a shock attack. I care now about some quick victories here, as May approaches I must start on my Ozzie leg of my Odyssey.

Fiji - Nandi Almost all my troops are offloaded and I start the march toward Suva, I have about 270 AS, and hope that I can take this base quickly. These troops will then be rearmed for an East Coast Australian voyage.

Australia - After my quick recon of Exmouth, and the realisation that Western Australia is going to be far more difficult a proposition than I might have bargained for, I'm thinking about moving most of the fleet, West. I haven't decided on what composition of CV's to take, but I must arrive in massive force. Accept the losses this will involve and shoot down the West Coast like the Fremantle Doctor (the wind that comes from offshore). I hope to be in place by mid-May to achieve this.

Burma - Is about to heat up, with the addition of 2 Tank Bgd, and another Div. I plan to enter Mandalay early next month. And start the Air campaign as soon as Soerabaja has fallen and my Betty's are free ...

[n01487477]

To all readers,
Michael has resigned from the game ... I will let him outline his reasons if he wishes. I'm not too perturbed by it as I'm fairly busy too these days ... I may consider continuing this game against a new opponent after a week sabbatical to get Real life / Tracker stuff sorted.

---Damian---

[floydg]

ORIGINAL: n01487477

To all readers,
Michael has resigned from the game ... I will let him outline his reasons if he wishes. I'm not too perturbed by it as I'm fairly busy too these days ... I may consider continuing this game against a new opponent after a week sabbatical to get Real life / Tracker stuff sorted.

---Damian---

That's too bad - it was really getting interesting. Or maybe that's the reason...

[n01487477]

Nemo has decided to take on the game, so I expect some fireworks, and he promises me he wants to wipe me off the board by the end of '43 ... (chuckle -- the nerve of the man)(secondary thought -- maybe in all likelihood possible)...

Anyway, we both have each others passwords, so it will be a game of trust. I've allowed him 10 days to reposition some forces and I can move in some reinforcements & then we're on. I'm sending the turn tomorrow and then Nemo will run 10 turns and send back.

I should update some economic data in that time and think deeply about my options.

[n01487477]

Smaller Increases in HI this last month, but considering I've gone from 12K in Dec to 14335 now, I'm fairly happy...
Supplies are down 70K & fuel continues to fall, although some of this is due to fuel still being transported..

Overall, I'm still struggling to maintain positive HI stored, as Arm and Veh & Naval building take a large part of my continued war effort.(and I need about 18K HI for Japanese full production) - something I wonder if I will ever achieve now that Nemo will start pounding me with Strategic strikes. In Japan I have 380 Days Oil and 141 Days of Res, as I continue to stockpile & get ready for the turn of the tide.

A/c - I'm 1 month away from the large LB bomber(Angel), and Tojo's, but all current fighters & LB are in surplus. I'm moving over my Mary's to Lily II (armoured, which has as much payload as the Betty, but not the legs)
Ships - CV Musashi & CVL Hoto are 15 days away & CLAA Grigsby-san is 7 days out. This will give me 9 CV's,
9 CVL's and 4 CVE's ... an awesome amount of might, it is just a pity that I don't have enough escorts to do as the Allies will, with single CV TF's lumped together. With CV Hiyo, another 50 days away ...

Situational and planning thinking next post ... Finding Nemo and flexing some muscle.

[Nemo121]

Oops, Damian, I've been reading your AAR to get up to speed on the situation and I've just seen this last post which says you are going to go into planning now so I'll duck out now. I don't want to see what will happen from this point on. Just thought I should post so that no-one would see my nick in the thread and think I was being ueber-sneaky or something....
 
So, sayonara until such time as one of us wins or we agree an armistice.

[n01487477]

I've left Nemo with the game for 10 days acceleration ... I never expected he meant 10 days of real-time...
Anyway, I'm expecting him to spring-load some action my way.

So in my planning what am I thinking ?
Well I guess it comes down to what would I do if I were him...
Nemo's MO is uncontained aggression with tactical acumen. This is his mod and he knows the capabilities much better than I.

1. Priority no 1 would be to disrupt my ability or thinking about an invasion of India or Australia.
a. This could be achieved by taking the fight to me by attacking me somewhere I am weak and vulnerable...
b. Or by taking the naval and air campaign into the Pacific / more likely the SRA.
Sit Rep:
Burma is locked down somewhat, although a landing at Moulmein or Sth of that could cause me problems. Mandalay could be being strengthened as I sit here ruminating. Michael showed me the strength of the Russian airforce and hence maybe I will see more of these fighters over China and Burma. Especially as the airwar over Russia is defunct. I expect more Naval attacks from China into the Sth China sea and possibly some more planes on the Philippine Is.

The Aleutians have been somewhat built up, and although I have no real offensive capability, I have the ability to defend here. I believe that the Allies have a large build up of forces here, but are not ready to go forward this summer cycle.

Palmyra and the Line Is are defended, not heavily but with enough strength to make an invasion costly, and I have a lot of a/c ready to jump in here. But I think this might be a prime operation for the Allies and will keep mining and building my forces here and at Wake / Marcus.

Midway, was a target I had been thinking of launching against, I'm not so sure I will now, I might use it as a feign if things get rough in the Pacific.

Tahiti is weak, but is heavily mined and has additional troops on the way. This is a base too far to defend successfully, but having taken it, I don't want to lose it cheaply, especially as it covers the Southern Pacific exit.

China would be a good staging post for some offensive manoeuvres. Especially moving troops into Burma, and also into Indo-China ... I had hoped to go after PakHoi sometime ... and it is something that has worried me for sometime.

Russia is in 1914 trench war mode.

What about the middle ground ?

The SRA ... This is where I expect the most dramatic thrust ... maybe not by troops but by Allied planes, his enormous surplus of SS's and some sacrificial surface forces... I have to think about this more and decide how I will counter this and have a look at the turn I eventually get back ...

Any help will be appreciated in this matter and when I get the turn, I'll give some screen shots.

These are interesting times ...

[n01487477]

11 May '42

Coming back from standing down your forces is like planning Turn 1 again, but against a force that is already ready for the onslaught and with a new Supreme Commander who wants to burn each and everyone of your mouse clicks.

Initially I was not happy when I got the turn, but having asked a few questions about what had transpired I realised that it was pretty much ok... I could bleat about it, but C'est la Guerre.

Onto the turn ...

[*]Rangoon - 81 B-17D coming in at 33K, hit my airfield with some precision, while my flyboys could only look up and wonder when a high altitude fighter will make it possible for them to engage ...

All these planes on the ground were lost ... DAMN!

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-I Oscar: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-44IIa Tojo: 1 damaged
Ki-109E Mike: 2 destroyed
Ki-48-II Lily: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 23

[*]SB-2M x 83 hit Meiktila [Burma], causing 17 Resource hits ...

[*] Then the 'small' surprise waiting for me at Manila ... I cannot believe the loss of aircraft this raid has cost me, my LB pilots were in the mid-80's, my fighter groups 70's and above ... Only 7 out of 42 Zekes flew and this really makes me annoyed, they have been flying well for a few weeks and then suddenly on the day they are needed they all stand down!

Day Air attack on Manila/Cavite [PH] , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 7
G4M1 Betty x 50
Ki-109E Mike x 26
Ki-21-II Sally x 67
Ki-15II Babs x 5
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15
P-43A Lancer x 24
Kittyhawk I x 9
Spitfire VB x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 14 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-109E Mike: 25 destroyed
Ki-21-II Sally: 14 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-43A Lancer: 8 destroyed, 6 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Spitfire VB: 6 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 50

[*] At Sinyang and Kuala, where allied troops had defied the cease-fire, I shocked 6 Div out of the Chinese base and 1 small force from the Nth Sumatran base.

I had thought about coming back into the fray by withdrawing all my TT's back toward Japan, and maybe in hindsight I should have, this is a similar action that Japan took before starting the real war... In the end I kept what I had out there, but I did move a lot of ships around and particularly I'm concerned about Port raids, even at 33K, those big-boys can cause me quite a bit of grief.

I've almost committed myself to going after Midway, and reloaded my troops that were bound for Umnak before Michael resigned. They should arrive tomorrow...

In preparation for my parallel universe attack on Midway, I'm taking KB out of storage at Kwajalein, with a small detachment of CVL's which have been stationed at Truk since their voyage of discovery to Fiji. I have a Reg and 2 CSNLF strength units at Wake, and I also have some other forces (pre-prepped) that could come from the Aleutians to supplement this. I'm down on CA's in the area, but I hope to discuss the loadouts and timetable in coming posts.

I've also send more troops to Rangoon, fearing that Nemo might sweep down and cause me a headache (as discussed in my planning)

Australia is still a go, but I'm going to wait for a bit to see what I can expect in the next week of play time, before I fully make this option reality.

--Damian--

[Capt. Harlock]

I cannot believe the loss of aircraft this raid has cost me, my LB pilots were in the mid-80's, my fighter groups 70's and above ... Only 7 out of 42 Zekes flew and this really makes me annoyed, they have been flying well for a few weeks and then suddenly on the day they are needed they all stand down!

Perhaps even more odd is the poor performance of the Mikes. Surely even Spitfire VB's shouldn't be able to virtually annihilate them?

[bbbf]

If they are on escort duties, they will get hammered by the CAP.

[n01487477]

Thanks guys, for joining in ...

Capt, I meant to write about the 109's, but somehow forgot ... yes I did somewhat bury the lead as they say in the newspaper game. bbbf, "hammered" is a good choice of words, but I'm fearful of doing sweeps, or just assigning them to point defence, this is my best fighter until the Tojo arrives next month.

Onto the turn ...
12/5/42

[*]Terrible Betty losses today, at Wake where they were on 100% search, 51 were destroyed on the ground ... from 3 separate raids. They all came in at 8000 feet and bombed the hell out of my base. Involved were B-19A x 38,B-24D Liberator x 20, B-17E Fortress x 101. I had no fighter cap here and none that I can place at present... unless ...

Although this is the first hit at Wake, it does raise some questions in my mind about what Nemo is up to ... I'll watch the unfolding situation and make a judgement call. I wonder if Kwajalein is next or if he will hit Wake again ??

[*]Manila

Day Air attack on Manila/Cavite [PH] , at 43,52

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 42
G4M1 Betty x 38
Ki-109E Mike x 16
Ki-21-II Sally x 52
Ki-15II Babs x 5
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 9
P-43A Lancer x 14
Kittyhawk I x 4
Spitfire VB x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 22 destroyed -- ouch
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-109E Mike: 2 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed
P-43A Lancer: 9 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 4 destroyed
Spitfire VB: 10 destroyed, 6 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 47

[*]Rangoon was hit again, but at 33K what can I do ... smaller a/c on ground losses.
[*]Japanese troops capture Lashio (Burma)
[*]Umnak Island - invasion force offloading... this will take a few days to complete.