In Burma 12 IJA units are moving on Moulmein. I'm concerned that the Burmese units in/near Tuang Gyi are moving so slow they won't get back to Mandalay in time (in 14 days they still haven't moved 1 hex) [:@]
I'm gambling in China by moving units into Canton whilst IJA units are in HK. Hopefully I can sit there for months and stop Hvy Industry and resource production from the base.
Sooo.... it looks like you guys are now trapped in Bombay and Karachi as well as having lost NZ.
I'm curious as to hwo you see the situation... Are john and qball being utterly successful or are they over-extending.
Reading between the lines it seems that your forces in India retreated in good order and no panic seems to have set in. So, are you up to anything offensive-minded at all?
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Yeah, the Allied players in this game have done well - they've lost most of Burma and India due primarily to overwhelming numbers and Allied weaknesses at the start of the war, but to me it doesn't seem like they've lost very much in the way of assets. They've been pushed back, but not really hurt. Keep Bombay and/or Karachi and they should be a-okay (heck, they probably would be even if they lost India).
You guys need to keep this update going - in fact, we needed you posting all along!
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Well, it was their choice to post or not but I think that, at present, their position offers great opportunities for action. It is fluid and I amn't so sure their opponents will handle fluidity well. They've made many sub-optimal choices so far and the more fluid the situation themore likely it is they will make more sub-optimal choices.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, it seems to me that the Allies have preserved their force and, if they can hold Bombay, I see no reason why they can't recapture all of India well before the end of 1942--- or hit somewhere else entirely and really discombobulate the Japanese.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
sorry for not posting earlier......
Just to remind you Wolfpack controls the US and Canadian forces (incl PI) and myself everything from NZ clockwise to Russia.
Anyway this is how things are from my perspective :
I've been on the receiving end of 90%+ of Japans offensive combat power whilst the US builds its island chain of defenses across the eastern Pacific. The USN will not risk any offensive action until after the 4/42 upgrade and arrival of TBFs.
Malaya and DEI went much as expected. However after the fall of Singapore I thought there would be a lull until the next offensive. We both failed to notice the withdrawal of IJA units from PI and their replacement by IJN LCUs. So then came the early assualt on India.
For the Commonwealth player an early March 42 invasion is the worst thing that can happen. No appreciable LCU reinforcements and most combat units of 50s exp and morale. Worst of all the RAF is restricted to obsolete a/c types until 5/1/42 - even though newer a/c are arriving in the pools. My garrisons covered the eastern India seaboard from Trivandrum to Cox's Bazaar and Ceylon. Inland bases from Asanol to Ledo had to have an Infantry component to defend against John's liking for Para attacks.
So my forces were spread out, albeit only where necessary; northern and western India had nothing but the static units. My mistake was not having a division in Vizgapatam. This was the ideal place to invade as most RAF bombers did not have the range to cover the base (only Madras could provide cover). In my estimation John in India about the same level of raw AV as me BUT had it concentrated at one point. I was able to contain the initial landing by moving troops from Madras and Calcutta area to block the IJA in. With the majority of LCUs in the NE I struggled to get blocking forces to cover the centre but just managed it.
Once the line broke near Madras I knew it was over. I've had about 1 Div, 1 Bde and 4 District Bdes smashed by defeats/retreats but the rest is largely intact. I estimate 2300 AV in bombay and 2500+ AV in Karachi once the stragglers make it back.
NZ was a lost cause from day 1 as I knew the Japs would not go for Oz, but blockade and contain it. With no USN support there was no point in reinforcing.
Since the Japanese seem fully focussed on India and wasteful operations against NZ have you given any thought to an attempt to retake Kendari and Amboina from Oz or better yet Java OR to push along the Aleutians in the Pacific?
At least then you could get them reacting to you.
Bombay and Karachi - what are your supply situations like? If you have enough supplies and enough fighters to prevent his bombers closing the airfields you just might be able to hold out.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
The problem in Oz is lack of aviation support. I'm going to move the US 10th air HQ, 101st BF and 101st Av Regt from Aden down Oz with 200k supply and 150k oil - hopefully.
I'll have to neutralise the Betty's operating out of Exmouth first and this will unfortunately signal my intentions on any move into southern DEI. Also with 2 KB CarDivs operating out of Fiji, Paul hasn't sent any of the SWPAC units from mainland USA. This leaves Oz short on offensive firepower, I can't afford to denude Oz east coast (don't want to be remembered as the guy who lost Oz and India).
We're able to follow this game from John and Q-Ball's perspective, but we sure would love to hear your side of things. We're aware of the recent CV battle (and wonder if you had intended to pull your CVs out of harm's way after sinking Yamato) and we're following the land war in India (where it seems that the Japs have run up against two stiff final redoubts). But now that you're getting into the second half of '42, the momentum is going to be changing (slowly, perhaps agonizlingly slowly from your perspective, but nevertheless it will change). Let us know what you guys are thinking and planning.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Paul had 2 large ACTFs heading down to Papaete, about 6 hexes ESE of Christmas Is, when Johns armada was spotted heading out of Canton Is.
The first days attack against Yamato was made from a position 3 hexes east of Palmyra, having run overnight at max speed from 1 hex east of Christmans Is, and as you know that went very well. Orders for next day had both ACTFs (Lex/York and BigE/Hornet) max speeding north to Hawaii. The Lex TF travelled 10 hexes north, BigEs TF moved exactly 1 hex west.
What the muck up was only Paul can comment on. Was it botched orders or agressive commander over-riding orders and reacting 1 hex towards KB ? - I don't know. Fuel was low but not critical, more than enough for high speed run to PH.
So from our perspective the USN lost 2 CV, 4 CA, 3 modern CL, and 2or3 DDs - for Yamato sunk, and 'Fuel Storage Explosion' hits on Kaga and Akagi by SBD 1000lbers.
I'll let Paul explain the defensive dispositions for the eastern Pacific. This loss has postponed the proposed SOPAC offensive. Wasp is at Panama City awaiting the arrival of ASW escorts.
Regarding India the air war here is so unbalanced it's depressing. Most battles see a month or two production of Brit fighters destroyed in one day, whilst I'm sure the Jap losses are replaced by 2-3 days production. The RAF CANNOT go toe-to-toe with the IJAAF/IJNAF when facing what seems like half the entire Jap airforce.
The latest of the irregular bombardment runs by the RN BBs met a problem on 7/12/42 when they didn't get out of LBA range (moved 6 of 8 hexes) and got plastered by Betties. They rule supreme with their inexhaustable torpedo supply and reach right up to the mouth of the Aden shipping channel.
I've been monitoring the location of the 12 IJA Inf Divs (non restricted) from game start:
8 are in India
3 were in Burma (one now on Ceylon)
1 was in NZ
Thats a lot of experienced AV for the inexperienced Indian/Burmese troops to hold back. There are just not enough UK combat units to make a difference.
At least HMAS Adelaide (yes the 24 knot CA) is having fun in the Coral Sea - has any mention been made of her exploits over in the other AAR?
Well if the game continues as before John and Brad will have 100+ torp toting Betties in Rabaul by tomorrow (7/13/42)to end my bit of fun.
FOW, I don't think the Jap players have mentioned anything about any action near Rabaul, so tell us what's happening.
You and Wolfpack are in a similar position to what I faced in my game against John III (Forlorn Hopes). I was down to two cities in Australia, my airforce was getting pounded every turn, and I was very worried about supplies (you're probably much better off than was I). You guys are fine right now, believe me. While concentrating on surviving, be sure to begin thinking about and planning for your comeback.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I'm sure all of the IJA combat power is concentrated at the 'front' with no garrisons at any of the inland bases (at least AE has garrison requirements).
The pausity of British a/c replacements is critical. I'd be surprised if Brad wasn't producing 300+Zeros and 200 Oscars a month (with Tojos/Tonies not far off). I think I get about 80 a/c per month total (Hurris/Mohawks/Buffs) - no match for 80+ experience Zero pilots. Yes Buffs and Mohawks are my frontline fighters [X(]
Oh and my last two fighter squadron reinforcements arrived with average experience of 42 and 44, despite 200 pilots in the pool. The RAF is having to evacuate Karachi because the pools are near empty - however the Mohawks don't have the transfer range. THe Libs are going to Canada to support Pauls' eventual NOPAC advance.
If you have supplies they'll never take Bombay or Karachi, and they can't stay there forever. The only way the Japs can win the game is to score an auto-victory, which is tough to do. If you survive the auto-victory risk, you'll win the game.
When I was just down to Melbourne and Sydney (both urban hexes) in late '42, both had about 2500 AV and about 30-50K supplies. Of course, all Jap units were down there and the rest of the continent was essentially empty (which sounds like your game).
There's actually plenty of time for you guys to mount a methodical comeback in your game once the initiative changes hands (probably sometime in '43). I know you're probably already looking at all options, but keep an eye open for a massive strike somewhere the Japs don't expect you and aren't prepared for you. It's alot more fun comeing back that way than choosing the slow, grind-it-out, bloody, methodical approach. You may not have such an opportunity, but who knows...
Best of luck and hang in there. You guys are doing absolutely fine as long as they don't take both Bombay and Karachi.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Pick one of those bases and put all your airframes into it...
Come June 1942 you'll get Sp[itfires and Hurricanes and this will turn the tables in a rather significant manner. If need be let the squadrons at Karachi get bombed down to zero airplanes and then come June just upgrade them all to Spits. With a bit of luck if you do this in a lull between aerial attacks you could have a good number of spits and hurris in action by the time of his next attack.
With the Allies it is ALL about attrition. Every Zero you kill in India is one less Zero pilot for his carriers in the Pacific. If his CVs don't have good pilots then they are a lot less threatening. So, keep on pushing, eventually you'll turn the corner.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
all air units have been operating out of Karachi alone for the last month. Sweeps of 150 Zeros are hard to attrite.
It's July 13th, Spits start in September, 50 per month, so end Sept before I can put 3 experienced (65exp) squadrons out together.
Thats a/c parity not pilot parity.
I've no problem downing the Oscars, it's the Zeros.
China ground attack training has been in full swing for months. Every day 200+ fighters ground attack out of Hanoi.
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