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

[n01487477]

The game becomes more bizarre, there are almost no rules in this game now ... it is just dirty, in the gutter slugfest ... but I tell you readers, this is not good for the Japanese. There are NO airfield restrictions, and hence, Nemo placed all his fighters into Ye, and cleaned up my bombers, escorted or not.

Secondly, my SCTF was sent to Moulmein and then to retire ... I thought I set it ... is this senile dementia at an early age ? Now it is sitting at Moulmein, easy picking for tomorrows battle. My CV force has to head back to Singapore now, it's carrier wing decimated in the afternoon raids..

If I was a sane individual I'd say this game is about to end. But I'm playing on, hell or high water just to show how insane NO rules can be ...

[1EyedJacks]

ORIGINAL: n01487477

... Nemo likes to use concentrated force, and create a tornado of destruction, I need to nullify his free reign, spread the pain a bit & make him spread his forces... I'm unsure how I will fully achieve this, but, this is the first step in many that I'm taking.

I guess if I can get a grip on what he is doing in the Central Pacific and launch on OZ, with a small feign on New Zealand beforehand, then maybe I can get him off balance and give some pay back for the losses I'm taking now...

I'm not sure trying to get Nemo to spread out his forces is your best move as Nemo knows this mod backwards and forwards. When you look at the map what is the next obvious target that you should go for? Oil, resources, what do you need/want? I'd try to meet your needs now while the war is still early and you have the strength to do so. Later in the war you will have to go defensive - you will need that oil <wry grin>.

At Wake - is there any way to run subs into his back yard between Wake and PH and to the east and northeast of Wake? That should provide more intel for your forces and maybe you'll get lucky and plant a torpedo or two.

You mentioned that the rules have been thrown out... Do you think Nemo has enough LR LBs to go after your CVs from Hawaii? I'm just wondering if he can hit your CVs from 33k with 100+ big-boyz.

Do you have any Bettys that you can get near Wake quickly?

[n01487477]

1EyedJacks,
welcome to the madhouse ...

I have about 60 kates and Vals with Zeke support now stationed at Wake. 100 Betty's, 30 Sally's & 80 Zekes at Kwajalein, they are loaded and prepped for tomorrow ... I'm hoping for a good dice roll and Nemo underestimating my forces. I could have had the Betty's at Wake if I wanted, but I preferred Kwajalein.

Nemo definitely has enough LB at Pearl or Midway if he wishes ... I'm just hoping to thread the needle in this.

SS are in short supply, especially with search capability, but they are getting stationed slowly.

I feel a bit kneecapped at present, no rules will have to cut both ways ultimately. But I don't want to go out on my knees or from 33,000 feet. Obviously, IF I can keep my forces mostly intact then I have a fighting chance at pushing the Allies advance back into '43/44. But Nemo is a deadly player, and I'm still a bit of a green sapling ...

Thanks for the advice, I keep trying to look at it from different perspectives, but find myself impotent in so many respects... My mind is always to conserve my forces, but Nemo is forcing me to go full tilt or not at all ... there will be massive losses in due course and I guess is very interesting to see how brinkmanship can push the Japanese back quickly ... (of course if NO rules are used)

PS .. I have plenty of over a years supply of OIL & 150 days of RES in Japan...

[pat.casey]

If you're looking to deal with his carriers in the near future, and it is a no rules game, you could always stip off the val squadrons and replace them with more zeros. It'll let you put up a massive CAP umbrella (and probably shred his strikes when they come in), while still retaining a decent ship-killing core of kates.

Seems like two can play at the "lets concentrate all our fighters in one hex" game.

Likewise, can you run a bombardment into Ye? If he's got that many airframes stacked up on the ground, a nice BB bombardment would cause him a world of hurt.

[ny59giants]

Since I'm somewhat in the loop on what Nemo is doing, I cannot get into specifics. However, you know that both of us are in the mental health profession. I'm just a lowly counselor with a Master's degree while Nemo has the MD after his name. Psych Warfare 101. [;)]
&nbsp;
He has always tried to follow the Soviet style of warfare. Look at what he has caused you to both do and not do with his two major attacks. You live in the land of martial arts. How can you use his aggressiveness to your advantage??
&nbsp;
You are faced with two types of warfare. Your have a naval/air battle around Wake and a land/air in Burma. Both require a different type of response. Do not overlook the logistics in either one. Going back to the Soviet style of warfare, the NATO response was not to meet the Soviets head on, but cut off the supply lines first.

I hope my $.02 made some sense. [:D]

[n01487477]

Thanks Michael & pat,
glad to have others on-board, or at least looking in.

The tip of the sword is frightening, as Nemo attrit's my LB and fighter forces over Ye. But to give up the fight as he is urging, is something I can't swallow as yet. Nemo also moved toward Hanoi, I doubt any PP's have been paid, but with no rules, hey lets go for it ... I'm hoping to run into Pakhoi sometime and then Nanking, to cut this force ... but I think Hanoi is toast, and I didn;t get any emergency troops, maybe he hasn't hit the right hex yet, but I hope it isn't as they steam across the river. I'm air evacuating the 5th out of Burma to Hanoi, but it might be too little too late.

23 May '42

Sent a SCTF into YE, destroyed 3 AK's but Nemo outplayed me again by moving his forces out to sea. It is almost like I am telegraphing my moves. If Ye ever becomes a Lvl 2 airfield I'm in real trouble. Troops earmarked for Australia are heading now toward Ye. Moulmein is now blostered by a Div and a tank Reg. I doubt he can take it. More troops are returning from around Mandalay, but I'm trying to make sure he can't follow me easily.

AirLosses around Ye were not as bad as previous turns, but overall 183 IJ planes were downed to 120 Allied. 10 Ships were hit with torps and bombs, not as many as in previous turns, but I'll go one more day and then turn to bombing Ye.

Out in the Pacific, my forces on Wake didn't get through to the CV's or SCTF, but I've moved in my heavies today, with 100 Zero's to have a go... I hope they don;t move too far out of range as I'd like to add to the 18 F4F's I destroyed today.

The Allies are moving back to Midway ... my CV's are floundering hundreds of miles away, but getting ready for the big confrontation. I've decided after the huge air losses to my small KB off Burma, and the fact that there has been no Allied CV's in the area ... they must be all heading for the Pacific... I'm going to move Musashi and maybe one or two more over there at full speed...

Zuikaku and her sister have just finished wear and tear repairs and are ready for action. I'm bolstering my Zero's on board all my CV's, removing the dive bombers and making sure that I'm as close to the maximum a/c / pilots and readiness as possible. I believe the F4F has a range of only 5, if I'm lucky I can take to the fight from beyond the escort horizon & BOOM!!

Anyway ... all for now, off to work after an enjoyable morning of making my next moves.

[n01487477]

23 May '42

Burma pictorial report ... the battle for Burma teetering on the edge... My Betty's decided not to fly today and the rest of my air forces are losing at between 2:1 - 3:1

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 56
G4M1 Betty x 47
Ki-48-II Lily x 3

Allied aircraft
P-35A Hawk x 3
P-40B Tomahawk x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 3
P-43A Lancer x 1
Kittyhawk I x 5
Lancer x 9
I-16 Type 24 x 38
MiG-3 x 13
Yak-1 x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 23 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-48-II Lily: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed
Lancer: 5 destroyed
I-16 Type 24: 10 destroyed, 3 damaged
MiG-3: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Yak-1: 1 destroyed

OR

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 29
Ki-21-II Sally x 11

Allied aircraft
Mosquito NF x 4
Hurricane I x 18
Spitfire VB x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 16 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Mosquito NF: 1 destroyed
Hurricane I: 2 destroyed
Spitfire VB: 3 destroyed

I cannot reduce the pressure now, I can only keep it coming until the endgame. If Ye becomes Lvl2 I'm in danger of losing the whole shooting match...

[n01487477]

24 May '42

I'm being whipped and beaten and bloodied and masochistically going back for more ...
[*] 1300 planes destroyed in 14 Days compared to 600 for the Allies. And I haven't dented his landings on Sth Burma much... only 4BB's,3CL's,3DD's,5TK's,5PG/PC's,2AP's & 21AK's sunk
[*] I've send SCTF's which invariable find the Allies out to sea and don;t react or LB from numberous bases with a variety of alt levels and escort combinations, but in the end, well overstacking a base, even if not all of the fighters fly, just cripples my ability to destroy the enemy quickly or sufficiently enough.
[*] Hanoi looks in trouble, my forces inland Burma are coming back toward Rangoon, but some are going to have to be airlifted out. I cannot flank him, and I can not cut his supply lines...
[*] In the CPac, I have 10 CV/CVL's and more on the way from Burma, but given my experience in Burma, as soon as the Allies get to land, place a cap shield I'm done for... I just cannot destroy enough transports in time, even if I move all my LB, which I can't, to Islands in the Pac ... I need to win, and win big against the CV forces the Allies are assembling (or I think they must be assembling as I saw a big CVTF a few days ago).
[*] My Soviet incursion, has killed me, I can withdraw, but ...actually I want to blame this for a whole heap of my problems, from PolPoints to Manila, to burma, to china all being still volatile. Never, try a 4 front war ...
[*] more ramblings later ...

[ny59giants]

I think your adventure into Russia has continued to cascade into the other theaters of war from the first day. The use of all those Political Points given to you at game start determines the coarse of the war for at least the first year ('42). Its been a costly lesson for you.

Putting that many fighters on a size 1 AF at Ye is a little gamey, IMO. I know he likes the anything goes gaming style. I can watch it from the sidelines, but I would never play a game like that. I haven't seen any updates on his other AAR with him as Japan when he launched his "warp drive" 1st turn. Is that one still going on??

If he starts up the strategic bombing of your HI, your toast.

[n01487477]

Michael,
yeah the all in approach is a little disheartening, but I'm sticking to it until the war looks unmaintainable. Anyway I'm more interested in how the whole CPacific plays out as an exercise in what if...

25 May '42
On the 25th I decided to change tactics and set all my LB to search, to see if I could get some hits ... it wasn't all that successful, with only 3 hits to AK's around Ye.

Otherwise the other notable event was the failed attack at Suva ... the Lvl 4 Fort is going to require some Engineers...

Ground combat at Suva [FIJI]

Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15375 troops, 226 guns, 131 vehicles, Assault Value = 423
Defending force 4863 troops, 51 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 176

Japanese max assault: 357 - adjusted assault: 152
Allied max defense: 181 - adjusted defense: 697

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)

[*] I also forgot to mention that I am now on the outskirts of Soerabaja having successfully taken Madicen the day before.

26 May '42 - A little success ...

Night surface combat at Ye -
CA Atago, Haguro, Nachi, Mogami, CL Naka, CL Nagara, CL Natori, DD Shirakumo & DD Uranami encountered 2 TF's. In the first engagement I sank 4 AK's and a DD. In the second I sank 4 DD's & a PG, but most of the transports were untouched.
A second SCTF with my BB's were supposed to come in as well, but never appeared, this is the second time the commander has disobeyed my orders ...

Anyway this successfully drove the enemy TT's out to sea allowing my LB force for once in a few days to get at them unopposed ... the results were satisfying, and makes me realise what I should have been doing from earlier ...
[*] As Nemo told me in his email earlier, I didn't combine my forces, today I think I showed a successful operation ... but maybe tomorrow I will be hung out to dry, because it's "too little ... too late ". I just didn't kill these landing quickly enough, and thinking that aircraft could do the entire job was naive ...

Day Air attack on TF at 28,35

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 90
G4M1 Betty x 70
Ki-32 Mary x 10
Ki-21-II Sally x 28
Ki-264 Angel x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Launcelot, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
TK Erling Brovig, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bonketoe, Bomb hits 1
AK Empire Lionel, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hector
DD Griffin, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Sutlej
AK Empire Homer, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Hope, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Cameron
SC Genista
AK Pasir
PG Jumna
DD Isaac Sweers
AP Eastern Prince, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Pangkor, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Impala, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Empire Jet, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Morn, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Wildebeeste
AK City of Canterbury
PC Pathan, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Varsova, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Lough, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Katong
AP Montoro, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Poole, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Cromer, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Lipis, Bomb hits 1
AK Empire Brook, Torpedo hits 2, on fire

With the Allies out to sea, I started landing 2 Mixed Inf Brigades just to make life a little more interesting ... this maybe my last chance to do this as Ye becomes a Lvl 2 airfield shortly (according to Nemo) ... and then the Pe-2's will bomb me into oblivion ...

Other news
[*] Skovorodino has its forts reduced to 7.

[n01487477]

Planning phase ...

[n01487477]

27 May '42

Summary:
[*] 72 000, yes you are reading right, take Hanoi ... no automatic reinforcements arrive! Is there something wrong with the hex data for this map?
[*]2 Surface Combat operations are successful.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ye [Burma] at 29,35

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Shell hits 1
CL Naka
CL Nagara
CL Natori
DD Natsushio
DD Shirakumo
DD Hayate
APD Patrol Boat No. 32
APD Patrol Boat No. 38
DD Yamakaze
DD Hitachi

Allied Ships
DD Isaac Sweers, Shell hits 37, and is sunk
PG Jumna, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
PG Sutlej, Shell hits 4, on fire
SC Hollyhock, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
SC Fritillary, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
SC Genista
SC Thyme, Shell hits 3, on fire
SC Jasmine, Shell hits 2
MSW Bombay, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
MSW Rampur, Shell hits 2
MSW Banka, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PC Pansy
PC Sonavati
PC Parvati, Shell hits 4, on fire
PG Grasshopper

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ye [Burma] at 29,35

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi
CL Naka, Shell hits 1
CL Nagara
CL Natori
DD Natsushio
DD Shirakumo
DD Hayate
APD Patrol Boat No. 32
APD Patrol Boat No. 38
DD Yamakaze
DD Hitachi

Allied Ships
SC Nigella, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Cromer, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
MSW Punjab, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
TK Erling Brovig, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
TK Ondina, and is sunk
AP Montoro, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
AK Empire Homer, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
AK Darvel, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Lough, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
AK Lipis, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

[*] One near Wake is not so lucky ... this is the second time the Allies have crept up and hit me ...

Japanese Ships
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
DD Hamakaze
DD Arashi
DD Arare, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ikazuchi
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Hatakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Asanagi, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Portland
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Northampton, Shell hits 3
CA Chester, Shell hits 2
CA Louisville, Shell hits 2
CA Chicago, Shell hits 2
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Sampson, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

[*] lost another 112 aircraft today in a somewhat futile attempt to destroy the remaining TF's at Ye. the Allies lost 83.
[*] Transporting as many troops out of Burma as possible, but it is incredibly slow.
[*] Air base attack on Ye, did not take off, so the airfield goes to Lvl2 ... crap! And with the Pe2's on their way I expect to have many of my Transports destroyed tomorrow.
[*] Just saw a SC heading toward Marcus, but I am still a little out of position, I just hope that I have timed it right...there is another TF behind the one which just hit Wake, is this the real thing now ? In which case I've read it wrong and Wake is doomed.

[n01487477]

28 May '42
Another feign by Nemo at Marcus, places my CV's once again out of position and luckily I haven't walked into the pattern of subs now encircling Marcus Is. Instead the Allies move toward Wake Is again, unfortunately my fighters and bombers were a mismatch for his CV's covering the SCTF's ... but whatever, I like the fact that he will have to withdraw to Pearl to replenish his fighters (we need to go to Lvl 3 ports to do this) -- yes most of the rules are out the window, except this one.

Day Air attack on TF at 90,69

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 17 (could have used the other Zekes in this attack!)
B5N2 Kate x 23
G4M1 Betty x 40
Ki-21-II Sally x 11

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 201

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 16 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 22 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 32 destroyed
Ki-21-II Sally: 10 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 40 destroyed, 30 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CA Louisville
CA Chicago
CA Chester

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 90,69
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 45
Ki-21-II Sally x 4

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 161

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 9 destroyed
Ki-21-II Sally: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 94 destroyed -- WOW how the hell did this happen ?
Allied Ships
CV Lexington

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-21-II Sally bombing at 5000 feet

and these guys should have gone for the CV's ...

Day Air attack on TF at 91,72
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 53 -- this might have broke the CV CAP
G4M1 Betty x 28
Ki-21-II Sally x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 13 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Indianapolis

[*]Furthermore Nemo attacked Papette, with a Bombardment and then some CV's obviously I was right, the British (albacore attacks) are coming into the Pacific ... And I say so what ? He threatens to hit me in the Sth Pacific, I'm ignoring this, and keeping these CV's together. Musashi and co are now near Palau, and I have no real care for the Sth Pacific at this stage anyway.
[*]My production surplus is low for all front line fighters and bombers. I have plenty of Naval aviators (+300), but only 20+ Army aviators.
[*]I have no PP's to move any more of my planes out of Kwantang or China, so they are just wasting resources/supply.
[*]My airfield attack on Ye, never got off the ground, I think due to weather problems over the target area, but it would have been nice to close that airfield for a day.
[*]Nemo writes what I did wrong with my defensive in Burma, he is correct, but seeing as this is my first PBEM where I have ever had to defend, I'm sponging the lessons.
[*]Took down 1 DD, 2 PG's 3 SC's and a TK off Ye again today to my SCTF. I got lucky today, the weather stopped any flights in this region. They are withdrawing now. It is too late for anything else, unless I close Ye.
[*]Day air losses 165 V 180 (the first day I have done better than the Allies)- 134 F4F-4 Wildcats in flames!!!

[String]

The loss of his CV fighters is a hard blow to him, can't you run him down with your carriers now?

Edit: Also, this early in the war, such attritional battles actually favor the japanese as the allied replacement rates are quite low. Considering the losses he's taking over Ye the british pilot pool will soon be empty. Just keep on pounding at him, having him gaining a foothold in burma so early on would be a disaster.

[n01487477]

Thanks String, but he is too close to Midway where there are fighters and LB aplenty ... I'm not going close to that base. I suspect his losses were to non-CV trained fighters, his mainstay is intact.

29 May '42
[*]Large air attack on Ye finally closes the base, this is something I have wanted to do for some time, but every time I assembled the force, they would not fly, so now too late I destroy about 80 Allied aircraft.

[*]Pe-2's stationed at Hanoi, obliterate my large TT's offloading a Div at Hue(Vietnam), no cap was available, but I should have seen this coming! Hibiki sustains some damage, and all are sent to Saigon for repairs.

30 May '42
[*]180 + Allied LB hits Bangkok at 33000 feet and destroy 23 valuable fighters on the ground.
[*]Another attack on Ye, keeps the airfield closed, but Nemo has now moved out most of his valuable fighters.
[*]Counter-Attack on Hanoi fails to launch properly and a few planes fly in.
[*]Air Attack on Bangkok, destroys 26 fighters on the ground, damn these 33K attacks.
[*]Haiphong is captured but my troops remain, I don;t understand this ??
[*]Sight a AK/AP tf heading toward Port Blair.

31 May '42
[*]Said AP/AK TF turns out to be a heavily armed SC, which cuts into my AK's and DD's like a knife, through butter... What the hell, I have tens of planes on recon, and I thought I obliterated all his SC forces. Still what a terrible waste, and something I will have to live with as I lose 2 DD's and a PG. I saw them and I could have moved away, but didn't!
[*]Day air attack on Hanoi finds the base empty (it is so good that the Allies get to see air movement, but not the Japanese, a feature that will be fixed in AE) - Allies have moved base to Haiphong
[*]90 Pe-2's hit Canton from Sth China, destroying 37 aircraft.All valuable and irreplaceable at this stage.
[*]Last attack on Ye, for a few days as I move out some LB to counter the attacks in China

Humbling like this is a good experience once in a while, now I need to fight back, it is a pity though that I have nothing left, and the Cpac will seal whether this war continues into '43, or if the Japanese are humbled and subdued in the next few months.

[n01487477]

I am saving this spot so that I might review what has happened, what tactics Nemo employed, and how I should have reacted, which in hindsight might be useless, but might jog my mind in future encounters ...

[ny59giants]

Damian,
I would suggest you dig up his old AAR as the Allied player using this mod in that he made a surprise invasion of Java. Read it with an eye on understanding his strategy (he does a good job of explaining it). Before you can beat him, you need to understand him. You seem to be focused on what you can see and not on what you cannot see. I would be using all your Recon planes to explore everything you can and take notes.

Your forces in Vietnam did not retreat unless there was at least 2:1 odds or there is not a viable retreat path.

[n01487477]

Michael, will do ... thanks.

May '42

Despite the loss of Hanoi and Haiphong, I still have:-
[*]14309 HI (914) -- very low surplus, but I'm running fully, it is make or break right now.
[*]5162 Arm points- limited production due to HI capacity.
[*]13844 Veh points- there are some large VEH heavy Lcu's coming in the next month.
[*]down 200K supplies since last month, fuel minus 100K, Oil and Resources are steady.

Resource Movement:
[*]With the loss of Hanoi, and the inevitable, but NOT immediate loss of Thailand, I will be removing 90K of Res and 170K of Oil from Indo-China in the near future. I almost don't have enough Transport capacity to pull this figure higher than 136 Days surplus.
[*]Much of my movement Resource movement has been from Darien(Manchuria) and Tientsin(Nth China) into Sasebo and other large ports in Japan.
[*]Supplies have been shipped into Japan for some time, while I tried to build up my HI/Naval/DryDocks/Aircraft factories, but now I'm sending out large quantities to combat area's in the CPac, Philippines and Thailand.
[*]As you can see from the table, Japan has a large surplus of Oil. I'm still shipping this in as fast as I can, for the dark days ahead.



Pilot Numbers:
Army - 5 was(320), so I've use 315 Pilots, but am down a lot more to replace.
Naval - 273 was(578), loss of 308 Pilots.

[n01487477]

Airwar -
I lost 2000 planes since the resumption of play, with 1000 planes needed to refill my airgroups and I am producing about 900 a month...you do the maths. In the same period the Allies have lost 1200 planes. A trifle for them.

Ships -
IJN losses this month 2 Tk's, 3 DD's, 2 Pc's, 3 AK's and 1 AP were sunk.
Allied - 4 BB's, 2 SS (incl SS 016 - which sunk a few ships earlier in the war), CA, 4 CL's, 12 DD's, 10 MSW's, 2 PC's, 6 PG's, 4 SC's & 44 AK's.

Burma - Allies landings at Moulmein and Ye coupled by the quick movement of Allied troops Sth from Madalay and Magwe has broken my lines, encircled me and left the RTA 4th cut off, with the 2nd Guards, Imperial Guards & the 55th Div cut off from good road exits at Taung Gyi. Troops are being airlifted back out as fast as possible, but 500 AV is still being hung out to dry.
I landed 2 Inf Brigades at Ye just so that the Allies could not cut off my route South through Moulmein. This is a risky move, but one which I needed to make as I can ill afford to lose Moulmein before the retreat is complete.
The Allies are using multiple Div to push me South, and if I was a gambling man, I'd say many of the Chinese units have not paid PP's to enter the fray. But then this is not a game bound by rules.
At Port Blair, I lost 2 DD's and a PG, landing a fragment of the 3rd Div and a large CSNLF. The Allies are airlifting troops in, but I am regrouping the parents of these two forces to land in 3 days, then we'll see if I can take back Port Blair. It is a valuable forward recon base for me, and something I want to keep the Allies pinned for as long as possible.


Indo-China - Hanoi and Haiphong are taken by the Allies, with numerous Chinese Divisions(the Chinese are just too prolific in this mod). I would not be in this predicament if PP's were being used but alas ... The allies have moved sth from Hanoi taken a right and are currently being harrassed by my small 2 small Inf Bgdes. The 48th,53rd & 58th Garrison force are landing at Camranh Bay to try to push back the forces of cheap inferior products and tainted milk, one hopes their guns are made from these same industries ...

China - despite moving 12 Div out of China, the chinese line still looks strong. Sure they are inferior, but their numbers are en-mass and deadly to the wary. As Nemo and I have reiterated, if only GGrigsby thought about making small regions of China (and hence creating pockets of resistence rather than a cohesive force). I am lumbered by the garrison forces I must maintain to keep my Ind functioning and base repair under control. I had 65 less in Shanghai and got a bad dice roll and had 60 HI damages ...

Philippines - the pain in my neck continues like a girlfriend that just doesn't seem to see the light. Wont these troops in Manila just surrender. I'm sure the Allies are flying in supplies, I've bombed and bombed and attacked and caused supply hits and still they survive and look intact. I have LRCap over the base as well. The fort is 0. I will have to start withdrawing some of these troops, just to bolster Saigon. But I am hoping that Bangkok and Saigon are still viable in 20 days when I should be able to ship in two armoured div(see production).

Russia - Nothing doing, Skovorodino was deliberately attacked once in the last 10 days and sustained Fort Damage (now 8)
and Borzya remains intact, but deadly. My troops hover on the outskirts of town, like a mosquito ready for you to doze off ...
In Mongolia, the Allies are trying to cut into my soft underbelly, I have sent troops to bolster the Northern approaches.

CPac - Midway is now an unviable target, the amount of aircraft stacking and the CV's loitering in the vicinity just makes it a suicide proposition. I'm sure that the Allies are planning to either sweep down on Wake, or go East to Marcus, the Bonins or Saipan. I have 8 CV's in the area now, with Musashi and 3 CVL's steaming from the Indian Ocean in the last 5 days.Plus another light 6 CVL's thrown into the mix. A total of 300 LB + 300 Kates and Vals + 250 land based fighters are scattered but ready to be focused in a day to 2's notice. With the total ship bound a/c at 800+

Slowly I am moving more Betty's/ Sally's across from Burma ...

DEI - Weakly defended, but I have my last CVE/CVL/small CV force defending the approaches, and the Allies without air support, well I hope that I can use the lessons of Burma when the Allies finally attack. I have recon out searching and SS's looking at the ports. I need to blunt this before it will get anywhere near Port, but I believe that Nemo will scout Western Australia toward Darwin and use LRCap to transport him to Timor and then North.
Soerabaja is now under siege and when I finally take this, then I will be ready to focus my forces and maybe counter any threat. I have about 150 LB and 100 Fighters in the region...more will be available as they repair at Singapore.


Questions ? Yes - I will talk about what I have done wrong so far, when I am ready to stomach the truth of my folly.

[ny59giants]

I could change a division in about 8 days with the PP rate of 250/day. Some of the Chinese Field or Group Armies may take a few days more or less. So he should have been able to send in 4 of these in the month of your game. There were enough Chinese in India/Burma to cause you problems before as I was getting ready for any repeated attempts from our prior game.

I sense this game changing from a "what if" to a fantasy type game where HR have been eliminated or reduced to an insignificant amount. Use it like a chess game. You don't get better unless you play better players.