Brad runs all facets of the economy. For some reason, I have willingly cut myself out of THAT facet of the game! Considering how I mucked up my economy in Forlorn Hopes. Man--think about where I might have been had my economy actually FUNCTIONED for most of 1943 in that game...oh, well...spilt milk...
TCM--The CV will operate together. They will be in 2 TF but otherwise work together. Michael's idea on moving the Vals off of Hiryu/Soryu and replacing them with Kates is marvelous and we'll do it. Those extra 54 Bombers armed with either TT or 800 KG bombs will really make a difference in striking power.
We're debating dropping off the slow CVE so the TF can still move at least 4/4. Need to be able to sneak-up and launch the strike. Isn't much sneaking if you only moving 3/3.
Yamato is moving towards completion. Should be done around May 1st.
As to the BB Strike on Singapore--here are the results within the screenshot. Damn...I really wish I hadn't done that...
Attachments
BB223.jpg (200.8 KiB) Viewed 202 times
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
I don't have the combat report, but I don't think it did squat. We are making progress finally (forts down to 2 after 2 days of 1-1 attacks), but I think that's more due to the 5 divisions, 4 tank rgts, HQ, heavy artillery, 3 Eng Rgts, and all the other junk in that hex.
PS: I noticed that our opponent's AAR has a recent post; is it live again? It would be great if it was!
Our great bombardment caused a grand total...of...267 Cas and 5 Guns lost. This in exchange for 3 BB damaged...
Brad and I are looking at the changing aspects of the game and trying to clarify our responsibilities. This what he wrote earlier today:
Also, no idea how to divide responsibility. There are several areas:
1. SWPAC/SoPac: Basically facing the USN; finishing off advances, and building a defensive perimeter. Pretty important. Probably controls bulk of IJN.
2. SRA: Basically mop-up, with a little action in the Banda Sea; facing Darwin and building a perimeter.
3. CHINA: Probably slow-going, but necessary to keep pressure up to support India
4. BURMA/INDIA: About to be very important and critical. This and China is bulk of IJA.
5. PRODUCTION
That's really it. #1 is going to be hot soon, I have no doubt they will attempt an invasion once India is underway.
2nd ACR don't feel bad that you convinced us to attack a Fortress with 15" guns that we knew could punch holes in our BBs...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
The kicker is I have done the same thing probably 100X and only 3 times have I gotten spanked. Most times I nuke the place.......at least with my 1st raid. I do not mind doing it to myself, but to have my advice smack someone else, well that sort of sucks.
Rather sad and tearful are the japanese at this point; however, it just forces us to get more creative in dealing with the Royal Navy.
Speaking of that. We had an interesting development in Gisbome, NZ. My first China Brigade pulled is now unloading at Gisbome. The 9th Ind Brigade was rudely interrupted from its offloading by a STF consisting of HMS Repulse and 3 DD! [:@] The Training Cruiser Kashima was sunk in saving the 5 large AP.
As normal, what could be seen as a set back is now an opportunity. As soon as I have a CarDiv refuel at Suva they will move to NZ and go BC hunting! I know there are a couple of old CLs down there too...
5 Ro- and I-Boats move into the lane streching from Wellington to Gisbome.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Losing a Katori-class isn't a huge deal, but it's interesting that so much of the RN is down there in NZ.
We have seen 3 D-class CL's, and Repulse. You would think the D-Class would stay in India to take care of the Admiralty requests and save PPs, but I guess not. The fact that Repulse is out there tells me maybe PoW is as well.....we havent' seen her at all, so I think the RN in IO is mostly CV's, R-Class BBs, and other units.
These were my morning notes from Brad. As you can see big things have happened and we are preparing for the next phase of the war. I will quote his notes, run my current turn with Dan in Forlorn Hopes, and then come back to this:
Singapore Fell, and I made a ton of changes; mostly, moving stuff to Singapore.
I forgot to move Baby KB; go ahead and sail her to Port Blair per last note. Fuel is on the way to Port Blair.
Other Singapore Moves:
1. Many ships are on the way there. I didn't move the warships yet, I want to clear the harbor first; you will see some MSWs on the way.
2. DO NOT unload any ships with supply at Singapore! I count 35K loaded on ships, 20K at Johore, and another 15K from Saigon; not ideal, but it will have to do. If they unload, I am afraid the supply will suck up somewhere and be gone. We need that for India.
3. All the ground troops at Johore are marching to Singapore.
4. The Bomber units in Malaya are very low morale; they are resting at Singapore, in preparation for India. I moved the best unit to Clark, to join the party there.
Other stuff:
*Am moving new IJA DB units to Clark; they will be set to ASW. That is a target rich environment there to say the least; another 2 hits and a sinking this turn. Nice idea.
*Why not prep 56th Div for Pago Pago? That is the next logical target there, may as well grab it and destroy the garrison. What do you think?
*I noticed you have alot of units set to 100% search or ASW; that increases Ops losses though. 80 or 90% is a better idea, the ops losses will greatly reduce, as the most fatigued pilots will rest. Ops losses are a killer for Japan as it is.
*Increased Sally production. This should be the main IJA bomber. Why? It uses Mitsu engines, which we have plenty of. The Lilly and Helen use Naka; we will need to turn off Lilly soon to conserve Naka engines, at least for awhile. Need Naka for fighters.
I see us loading for India in about 4-5 days, with an initial force of approx. 4 divisions plus support, and follow-on troops after. The first should be the troops at Johore, they are fresh and prepped for Viz. It looks like we have the IG,2,5,16,18,38,48 divisions there, plus the two large brigades at Palembang.
We got CV Junyo but her TT Squardon is terrible and we think it loaded out automatically at Tokyo when it became available:
That's what happened on Junyo. Did you round out the unit of Kates? It's OK if you did, though please don't do that when we get Hiyo; we are going to transfer in vet pilots from one of the LBA Kate units.
In my other game, I end up using the LBA Kates mostly to train and replenish the CV's. It keeps fewer planes at the front, but it keeps the CV units up; you can keep them in the 80s forever. I have lost my CV airgroups 5 or 6 times over, yet they are still veterans.
Still Sea Glads at Madras; Hermes is there, probably not alone. Alot of RN Navy near Colombo.
We should probably get everyone together for a raid. The CVE? It all depends on whether she can make 20 knots; if not, that slows everyone down. At the moment she can. CVE's need to be continually repaired to keep the speed up above 19.
Let's move all the CV's to Port Blair. Fuel is on the way there.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Yeah! (So, that bombardment worked after all...just kidding, but congrats on taking Singapore).
Now we need USS America to post one of those devil-munching-popcorn emoticons as your game is about to get really, really interesting. You'll tear into India and give the Allies fits, but nobody knows what the end-game will be. That's what makes it so interesting. Best of luck.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I noticed you have alot of units set to 100% search or ASW; that increases Ops losses though. 80 or 90% is a better idea, the ops losses will greatly reduce, as the most fatigued pilots will rest. Ops losses are a killer for Japan as it is.
Once morale gets to 99, set them at 80% and they should be good to go. You will need to replace a plane here and there due to op losses, but they become automatic planes. No maintenance needed.
We have figured out that the Allies are trying to pull fragments of EVERY unit in the Philippines. There are bunches of SS running to and from right now.
Starting about 6 days ago I began to shift the Japanese bombers at Clark to ASW Attack. The results have been fantastic. An S-Boat has been sunk and 13 other attacks have scored damage. There are several SS in Manila Bay right now who have been damaged and we have shifted about 50 Betty/Nell to Port attack for the coming turn for--hopefully--a few more sinkings.
There is a short operational pause going on as we get ready for the main effort of the war. Dozens of ships are moving and troops will start loading in a few days. Should note that 8 of the Infantry Divisions I listed early have experience of 98+ right now! Holy Cow. These boys are elite and we shall see what they can do to the Indians...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
The Allies are crying over Manila Bay and the SS Evac going on:
From Steve:
Subject: Re: 2/26 Files
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:35:06 +0000
.ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P {padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;} .ExternalClass BODY.EC_hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;} [font="arial"]Using IJA bombers for ASW is soooooooo ahistorical :-{[/font][/align] [font="arial"]but you guys do what you have to do to get ahead ;-)
My Response:
[/font]I actually do agree with your view Mr. Steve. But then again running about 30+ SS into and out of the Harbor strictly to pull off cadres is the same thing. Looking forward to having AE fix some of these issues.
Also appreciate your understanding in the fact that we are losing the war terribly and must do whatever we can to help secure our eventual defeat!
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Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Score
Japan 14,300 (Up 4,988)
Allies 4,488 (Down 1,542)
Wild month with the capture of Malaya and Singapore, invasions of NW Australia, capture of Gisbome, NZ, and thrusts into the SE PAC! We’re not active at all!
We’ll be looking at finishing off the DEI and beginning the main effort of the war with attacking India.
Ships Sunk
Japan 55—409 VP (Up 112)—13 Losses for February: CL Kashima, 4 PG, 2 AP, 4 AK, 1 TK, and I-17.
Total Losses: 2 CL, 4 DD, and 4 SS (3 I-Boats and 1 Ro-)
Losses continue to be quite pleasantly low.
Allies 212---2,065 VP (Up 533)---Allies lost 66 Ships in February. Exact sinkings were: 28 AK, 5 TK, 8 PG, 8 DD, 6 PT, 1 ML, and 4 SS (KX, S-38, S-39, and Tuna).
Total Warship Losses are: 2BB West Virginia and Oklahoma, 3 CA, 5 CL, 19 DD, 24 PT, and 15 SS (10 Fleet and 5 S-Boat)
Vast majority of the Allied sinkings came from the Society Island Tour by the KB.
Manchukuo Garrison---8,770---(8,000 Needed)---Up 56
Political Points---172
Units Transferred:
3rd Cavalry Regiment to 4th Fleet
6th and 14th Independent Regiment to 4th Fleet
An Engineering Regiment to 4th Fleet
Industrial Report
Supply 2,029,039 UP 5,000
Fuel 3,250,448 Down 175,000
Manpower 819 (111,651) Down 19,000
Heavy Industry 13,545 (24,853) HI Up 251 but Reserve dropped 15,000
Resources 17,891 (1,568,197) Up 1,360
Oil 2,203 (1,267,491) Up 702
Good numbers. Everything is in pretty good shape with nothing too serious happening. Thank the Gods (and sacrificing small children) we got Palembang fully intact.
Shipyards
Naval 1,331 (22) Expanded 7 Points of Yards
Merchant 946 (2)
Repair 707 Expanded Repair Yards by 70.
Will continue to expand Repair Yards at Shanghai, Manila, Hong Kong, Cebu, Singapore, and Soerabaja as soon as we have them (and supply allows).
Carriers
Junyo Completed
Hiyo 69 Days (Accel)
Taiho 736 Days
CVL Ryuho 208 Days (Accel)
Both areas expanding nicely but we are very short on Vehicles.
Aircraft
Engines 1,619
Assembly 872 + (288-Rd)
Engines expand 65 and production climbs only 4 but research takes a solid jump by over 100.
Engine Production
Type Producing---Need---Stockpile
Mitsubishi 865—650—884
Nakajima 634(126)---587---26
Kawasaki 100---0---306
Aichi 20---0---55
We cut it very close with Nakajimas with the pool dropping to 6 before we began producing more then needed. We should begin to stockpile the Nakajimas starting this month.
Plane Production
Fighters Planes/Month (in Pool)
Nate 0 (215)
Claude 0 (243)
A6M2 183 (110)
A6M3 65-Rd 04/42
A6M3a 0-Rd 11/42
Oscar 132 (14)
Oscar IIa 12-Rd 11/42
Tojo 128-Rd 08/42
Tony 24-Rd 08/42
Jack 10-Rd 10/43
N1K1 George 37-Rd 05/44
Frank 1a 0-Rd 08/44
We get Franks in 2 YEARS and 5 MONTHS! Banzai!!!
Naval Production: A6M2 is locked and we’ll have A3 pretty quick. Haven’t had any serious losses so the A2 stockpile is building nicely.
Army Production: Oscars are solid and research jumped by 60 for Tojo. We missed our first shot at advancing the intro date; however, I hope we catch it on the second pass.
Bombers
Nell 0 (219)
Betty 57 (7)
Betty 2 3-Rd 07/43
Sally 57 (5)
Helen 46 (4)
Lily 40 (9)
Val 57 (173)
Kate 64 (135)
Good numbers but bombers aren’t stockpiling yet. Probably could use some expansion in Helen and Sally. We’ll let the Vals and Kates increase some more and then back off production in a month or two.
Transports
Mavis 0 (5)
Emily 16 (7)
Dave 0 (50)
Alf 5 (28)
Pete 0 (16)
Pete A 38 (4)
Rufe 22 (58)
Glen 4 (25)
Dinah 31 (33)
Jake 34 (70)
Ida 0 (81)
Babs (Ki-15) 0 (43)
Babs (C5M) 8 (21)
We can do a lot of work in this area by focusing on just a couple of seaplanes. Want to see Emily expansion occur. Cannot overestimate the value and vulnerability that these planes have for our side!
We’ve made good our losses from the Burma operations and the transports are training up their morale right now for the next big drop. We’re converting several units to Tina for that long-range power projection ability and I think Brad likes Tabby as our mainstay.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Notes from Brad this morning.
We depart tomorrow for India. I have loaded up 3 Divisions, 1 Army HQ, 2 Eng Rgts, 2 Tank Rgts, 2 Artillery, and 1 Base Force. That's all the ships we have! Some more are about to dock, probably will load Imperial Guards as a follow-on force.
What is the plan in China? I wouldn't send troops to walk to Paotow from Yenan directly; they might march through the desert. I would get them back on the railroad first.
I was pulling most units out ot Yenan, because they are pretty immobile there. On the Railroad, they can cause some problems, or threaten other points. I think the objectives in China have to center on cleaning up the isolated troops at Paotow and that city near Shanghai, and then screwing with their supply. That means a bombing campaign, supported by aggressive troops moves that look like offensives. We have to take out the Oil and Resources in China.
Thinking ahead, we will never take Burma head-on, but if we cut them off from India, they will have to draw supplies from China. If China is having supply problems, then Burma will too.
OK, the Kates are ready. I divided them; I would fly the Parent of unit /C somewhere, and then disband that Fragment into Hiryu's Kates. AFTER you do that, move everything else to the same base you moved /C to, including the broken planes, and rebuild the unit. It should now have 23 pilots. I picked /C because the fragment there is the right size; 5 pilots, 6 planes.
I think that my partner makes a good argument regarding China. Thoughts:
1. We should take Paotow first with part of the army from Yenen. The town should be deliberately surrounded and then taken so we get the surrenders.
2. Order 3 Inf Div to head south and help destroy the the Chinese around Pucheng and Kanshien.
3. Move several more units to Yanku to make the Allies wonder where all those troops have gone.
4. IDEA: We could advance up the road behind Homan and make it LOOK like we want to cutoff the city. This SHOULD provoke a Chinese response.
India Invasion:
1. I would load all the Armor instead of the Imperial Guards for the initial landing.
2. To 'fix' the attention of the Allies, I will move more units into the hex between Mandalay and Lashio. Once both Inf Div are there then they will move into the Lashio hex. We've pulled the 4th Brigade from Singapore to add to Burma. Coupled with the 35th Brigade we should be OK to deal with any countermove by the Allies.
3. Have been resting the Bombers and Zeros in Burma and now they will get moving. A force of 64 unescorted bombers hit the Japanese Inf Div south of Mandlay. I CAP it with 2 Zero Daitai for tomorrow. IF the bombers fly again then they should put the hurt on the Allies. Once this has occurred then I will launch a Sweep at Calcutta using 100 Zeros followed by a bombing run of 50Z and 100+ Betty.
Columbo/Trincomalee
1. We have a problem. The RN has moved out of Columbo. Some ships still there at both sites.
2. Our CVs should strike at the Ports and then provide Flank Protection for the landing.
New Zealand
1. Operation Shoestring scores as the 2nd NZ Cav Brigade is driven from 64,138 in an 8-1 attack.
2. I flew a Recon over Wellington and there are only 2 units present. One would be the fortress and another a Base Force.
This operation is crazy. I've got two reinforced Brigades and may have a chance to take the North Island. We'll have to see. In moving out I should certainly provoke a response by the Allies. KB, now fully refueled and concentrated, will depart Suva tomorrow for the area between Australia and New Zealand.
SE Pac
1. Took Wallis on March 2nd.
2. Landings coming on Savaii with 56th Inf Div prepping for Pago-Pago.
3. A bombardment TF of 2 BC departed to hit this island.
This is news from my side of the war...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
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