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

[n01487477]

16 Nov '42

The next phase of the Allied campaign begins - the destruction of my airforce (well Nemo has been trying that for some time now) and the annihilation of my factories. I know I said last post there was a moratorium on Japan, but I have some factories in Manchuria...

Nemo has been pushing me back slowly up until now, but today there was a more concerted attack and I see this as a new phase.

[*]97 B-17E's attacked Dairen's 2 Ki-43III Tojo plants leaving them almost in rubble. Have I said before I hate the Allied intel through the City bombing interface ? I'm sure I have!!!
[*]Sovetskaya Gavan is hit by my LB again gaining another 122 hits.
[*]9 B-17D's hit Tokyo port, 8 were destroyed and yet 1 got through and bombed DD Suzukaze...talk about unlucky!
[*]Shikuka [Sakhalin]3 F-4 Lightning, 28 P-51B Mustang XP, 33 P-38G Lightning, 13 P-39D Airacobra escorted 31 Pe-2's destroying 10 Mikes, 20 airfield hits for a paltry 5 Allied losses.
[*]Hong Kong 17 Hurricane IIc & 46 Spitfire VB swept destroying 17 front line fighters for the loss of only 5 planes... A second strike with escorted LB destroyed another 11 and hit the runway 65 times.
[*]Jesselton [BrNBno] 88 Angels took off from Saipan, but the number should have been 200, hit and destroyed 20 planes for the loss of 4. More were ops losses. 51 Runway hits.
[*]Kuching [Sarawak] is hit by 57 Betty's and 11 LilyII's, there is no cap but even still only 13 transports are destroyed.

[ny59giants]

OUCH!!!

Looking at your air losses, are you sure that kamikaze availability has been in effect for a few months?? [:D]

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

OUCH!!!

Looking at your air losses, are you sure that kamikaze availability has been in effect for a few months?? [:D]

Yeah very funny Micheal ... these numbers equate to 39 air losses/day. I'm not sure I have ever seen as bloody an air campaign as this. Has anyone else ? We will be both 15K by the turn of the year ... this is about half of what John III has and his game is end of 44. What is more surprising is that a huge majority of my losses have occurred in the last 5 months...

17 Nov '42

Nemo discovered that I have Ki-43III's in production now... how did he do this ? Easily ... Through the City bomb interface he discovered that a Ki43II factory upgraded to the III and hence free Intel...

This level of intelligence gathering is beyond what should be allowed in this game.It really is annoying that the Allied get this...the FOW should just indicate it is an air factory, and maybe after a large number of recon flights, bombings etc then maybe some idea of what they are...

[*]104 B-17E got 18 Mansyu (Ha-45) hits, which took the two factories from 32(0) to 1(31), YES both of them ...
[*]Shikuka [Sakhalin] & Tokyo are hit again
[*]18th Division situated at Teloekbetoeng is decimated by 300 aircraft [X(] and the resulting ground shock attack sent all my troops reeling back to Merak, piggy backed by Nemo's armour. I can't cap them cause I just get hit by B-17's and Pe-2's which have closed both airfields nearby!

Ground combat at Teloekbetoeng [SM]

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 24379 troops, 407 guns, 1106 vehicles, Assault Value = 1234
Defending force 14291 troops, 152 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 512

Allied max assault: 1588 - adjusted assault: 883
Japanese max defense: 291 - adjusted defense: 140

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Teloekbetoeng [SM] base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
704 casualties reported
Guns lost 22
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
359 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 8

[ny59giants]

Even though I'm still an AFB at heart, my try on the "dark side" for two PBEM games already has me "whining and complaining." I'm starting to look forward to AE coming out and the decrease in "free" intel.

I've seen very small numbers of 4e bombers and I wish I could do more than just damage the damn things. I want some of my fighters to become kamikaze in Jan 42. [:D]

[n01487477]

18 Nov '42

I hope that I don't come across as always complaining --- maybe it is the psyche of the JFB, maybe I just like complaining about something!

Something to complain about this turn ...
CVE Chuyo is hit by a Do-24k-2 on search operations ... [:D] with 120+ Cap planes!

[*]Harbin is hit by 141 B-17e's, 9 Tojo's intercepted damaging 5 B-17's but my Mansyu plants are hit 15 times which equated to going from 80() to (61)9 ... [:@][:@][:@]
It's going to be a long few months.
[*]Usual attacks on my ground forces etc
[*]BB Oklahoma, Torpedo hits 1, on fire at Ambonia ... this was actually my stupid mistake with ranging. Medium sized cap destroyed 7 Zekes and 3 Betty's.

[n01487477]

19 Nov '42

Nemo has been busy for a week, which puts me infront of Canoerebel interms of addiction withdrawal, but I guess I knew a fix was coming some time [;)]

Email from Nemo:
Lots of action now beginning on all fronts of the Phillipinnes assault( northern, central and southern ). Your damned CVs are preventing me from bounding forward though. I haveFT TFs and AP and AK TFs loaded and waiting for an opening but i'mjust not seeing one. Frustrating as hell... but kudos to you in building a good, cheapscreen. It is so overwhelming that I can't even threaten it and,therefore, it doesn't lend itself to me attritting it. This sort ofthing is your best defence right now.... marshall your forces so thatyou have an insurmountable defence. Doing so costs a lot of resources in the short term but in the long term since I can't attrit it itworks out cheaper.

Anyway, so I must be doing something right. Right ?

One CV TF is down near Menado covering with SCTF's and plenty of ASW. They have a dual purpose of covering this front and also keeping the return shipping lanes free to remove my troops from Java. The Javanese defence could have been better and I could possibly have reinforced this area more, but in the end IF Menado / Celebes fell it would have been cut off anyway.

My second major CV force accompanied by 5 BB's and 5CLAA's are patrolling the Northern approaches to the Philippines and Taiwan. I have throught of sending them into Camrahyn Bay to wipe out some transports, but even during the typhoon season, the Allies have just got sight of them again.

In the North, Nemo continues to bomb City plants, and I'm getting stretched for fighter planes and exp pilots, but as the Tojo III comes online (I'm producing 10/day now) and I fill out some groups we'll give him a touch up.

I'm in two minds whether to send my 250 Angels into the fray and hit Nikolaevsk nu, with 100 escorting Zeros and clean up the B-17 force there, or use them in the Philippines to hit Camrahyn Bay's Port combined with a CV/BB attack or Jesselton's airforce and sprint in likewise. Decisions ... Decisions. Too much to do with too little again.

One thing is that these Angels are very durable and can pack a punch, I just wish that I had better DL over these targets. But any unaccompanied attack will probably cost me a 1/3 of them, so I want them escorted.

more later after work and as this is my last day before a week holiday ... I'm damn happy, I can finally give Floyd some code and try to outwit Nemo...(I haven't yet, but I'd like to at least once)[;)]

---Damian---

[ny59giants]

I'm in two minds whether to send my 250 Angels into the fray and hit Nikolaevsk nu, with 100 escorting Zeros and clean up the B-17 force there, or use them in the Philippines to hit Camrahyn Bay's Port combined with a CV/BB attack or Jesselton's airforce and sprint in likewise. Decisions ... Decisions. Too much to do with too little again.

I would lean towards doing what is best for you to help salvage what you can of economic assets. Nemo seems to be after hitting them and for you to continue to survive, this area has to be addressed.

[n01487477]

Yep Micheal,
I'll be doing that as soon as I can get 100+ fighters equipped, rested and ready to go & a little recon to help in the process ... maybe 2-3 days away. I'll be sending in a huge force and I'll outline it in coming days as this could be the air battle of the war so far. The stakes are high, but destroying a portion of the B-17's, will help. I have 230 Angels, so they will all be going, I wish I had 300 ...

Picture for those unfamiliar with this Titan.

[modrow]

Damian,

as you know, I am reading both sides of this war, thus no operational advice. Still, let me try to guess how Nemo would comment on your plan:

ORIGINAL: n01487477

more later after work and as this is my last day before a week holiday ... I'm damn happy, I can finally give Floyd some code and try to outwit Nemo...(I haven't yet, but I'd like to at least once)[;)]

You don't have to outwit your opponent. You best leave that job to himself and create the conditions that he does. Let him expect clever plans even when there are none. Don't try to think one step ahead of him if it is sufficient to make him think two steps ahead of you, thus "improving" his previously correct one-step ahead solution in the row of "he knows that I know that he knows that I know..." to a supersmart but wrong two-step-ahead solution.

How to do that against Nemo ? Not sure yet, but trying hard to find out [8D].

Enjoy your holiday !

Hartwig

[pat.casey]

ORIGINAL: n01487477

19 Nov '42

Nemo has been busy for a week, which puts me infront of Canoerebel interms of addiction withdrawal, but I guess I knew a fix was coming some time [;)]

Email from Nemo:
Lots of action now beginning on all fronts of the Phillipinnes assault( northern, central and southern ). Your damned CVs are preventing me from bounding forward though. I haveFT TFs and AP and AK TFs loaded and waiting for an opening but i'mjust not seeing one. Frustrating as hell... but kudos to you in building a good, cheapscreen. It is so overwhelming that I can't even threaten it and,therefore, it doesn't lend itself to me attritting it. This sort ofthing is your best defence right now.... marshall your forces so thatyou have an insurmountable defence. Doing so costs a lot of resources in the short term but in the long term since I can't attrit it itworks out cheaper.

Anyway, so I must be doing something right. Right ?
<snip>

Either that or he's happy to have KB deployed in a fixed location far from the theatres he considers decisive. Maybe he's planning an invasion elsewhere an having KB tied down in the SRA is a great benefit to him .

[n01487477]

21 Nov '42

Oh Yeah, I'm sure Nemo is planning an assault somewhere and the only real last place to go is the Central Pacific or maybe Kwajalein. My money would be that he bi-passes Kwajalein and steams for either Wake or Marcus, possibly taking both in short order or knowing Nemo's audacity a direct assault on the Mariana Islands. I've been preparing for this for some time, well since Winter was approaching I've removed a load of troops from the Sth Pacific and Canton and Palmyra Is. I was hoping to have a mid-size CV force too, but it is all about timing. I have a CV, 2 CVE's and a CVL that are about to arrive (10 days) and the 4CV's and and 1 CVE, I'm repairing, 'might' be available if push comes to shove. I am hoping to have a few more SS's back in action shortly as they are all pretty banged up at present and I'm making sure that I have plenty of recon guarding the approaches. As for SCTF's I'm in bad shape, but I just upgraded a load of DD's and I'm hoping they will be the core of my mobile hit and run.

As for today's action:-

• 4 hits on SS KX at Manado and 1 hit on SS-18 at Kwajalein. DD Sagi sinks from the encounter with SS KX, eating 2 Torpedo's. I have 48 confirmed Allied SS sinkings but there is a throng of them and Nemo uses them effectively to just recon and get the occasional hit on unprotected transports
• Tokyo gets another visit from 5 B-17D's, which is a constant high alt pass for recon and to make sure I'm protecting the Emperor. It is surprising though how many times this small force has hit ships disbanded here... not today though.
• The large force of B-17D's went to Osaka port today, I've been worried about this for some time as it is my main repair facility for CV's and well read the results...

  Allied aircraft
  B-17E Fortress x 133
  No Japanese losses
  No Allied losses
  
  Japanese Ships
  CV Soryu, Bomb hits 1
  CVL Kanto, Bomb hits 1, on fire
  CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 1
  CV Yamato, Bomb hits 1
  
  Japanese ground losses:
  18 casualties reported
  Guns lost 1
  
  Port hits 5

  
  It was a bit of a oh-shit moment, and was the first thing I checked after the turn, lucky for me the bombs all bounced off the CV's except CVL Kanto, which sustained some additional float and Sys damage...
  
  This attack was conducted at max alt, and is a nasty reminder of the accuracy of the Allied bomb-sights.
• Batavia gets hit by Pe-2's again and I'll be pushed back before I can get enough Oscar II's here.
• Usual ground attacks by Allied aircraft and by my LB hitting airfields
• Moratai went from 2 units to 4 units overnight, so either Nemo moved in 2 units with Fast Transports or airdrops, I think it is the former and I really should have had a SCTF here, but they would be subject to LB from Amboina.

--damian---

[ny59giants]

I didn't know there was "smart bombs" until I saw PT boats getting hit on the first day of the war from 14,000' with 800kg AP bombs at Manila.&nbsp;[:D]&nbsp; If they don't hit the engines, I think they hit the sea bed and then explode and the concussion blast sinks them.&nbsp;

[Capt. Harlock]

How to do that against Nemo ? Not sure yet, but trying hard to find out

First, get a PhD in Psychology![:D]

[n01487477]

22 Nov '42

Mixed bag today ...

• SS KX & SS18 get another 2 hits, unless I've been unlucky they must surely be ready to head back to port for repairs. One at a time, one at a time I keep telling myself
• My Angels flying for a Port attack on Petro, fail to launch probably due to bad weather over the target. I was going to do this just to see if I could get Nemo to move some cap from Nikolaevsk nu before I attack his B-17's here. I've stood down again now due to Blizzards over the North.
• Nagoya - 145 B-17's come in for a Port attack

  Japanese aircraft
  A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 7
  Ki-109E Mike x 30 <-- luckily coming from Osaka to save the day !
  
  Allied aircraft
  B-17E Fortress x 145
  
  Japanese aircraft losses
  A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
  Ki-109E Mike: 2 destroyed, 10 damaged
  
  Allied aircraft losses
  B-17E Fortress: 16 destroyed, 10 damaged <-- 23 confirmed according to Tracker
  
  Japanese Ships
  AS Jingei, Bomb hits 4, on fire
  TK Nanei Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
  AV Kinagawa Maru, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
  ML Iwate, Bomb hits 6, on fire
  AS Rio de Janiero Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
  TK Enoshima Maru, Bomb hits 1
  AS Taigei, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
  TK Sacramento Maru, Bomb hits 1
  
  Port hits 4
  Port fuel hits 2
  Port supply hits 1

• Batavia airfield is closed
• Merak/Serang [Java] is captured by the Allies and my forces retreat to Batavia. My LB keeps failing to ground attack
• HI losses and big build needs have finally started to eat into my HI surplus(only 13K) at an alarming rate, and I'll need to adjust after the next CVL/E's come through.

--damian--

[n01487477]

23~24 Nov '42
[*]SS KX finally sinks
[*]I lose DD Hatakaze to a SS attack at kwajalein & AV Kinagawa at Nagoya from the previous Port attack.
[*]Failed attempts to disperse Nemo's fighters have resulted in my assault on Nikolaevsk nu Amur. He knows I'm coming, I know I'm going, subtlety is out the window & the stage is set.

25 Nov '42
Objective: Close the airfield, allow my LB to target the Port and DB/TB's to have a go at his shipping here and finally try to destroy some B-17's.

Total losses for the day: 278 Japanese V 207 Allied

Objectives met: None, so far (airfield damage 63 - but probably higher)
The B-17's were possibly pulled out or I got unlucky
Tomorrow I see if I can bag some ships in port or on the high seas.

So was I out thought ? Well not really because I allowed Nemo to see me coming from Okha which is a bright warning beacon, but given that I knew this and did it anyway is probably more foolish or done in frustration than being out thought.

You see I've tried and failed to disperse his fighters, his high alt attacks on my ports and resources/ind. have weighed on me and the accurate Allied intelligence is driving me wild, so like a caged beast wanting to unleash some destruction I sallied forth into the steel bars. This, after months of even-tempered play, where my CV's have failed, my surface fleet rendered impotent, my airforce unable to engage and pushed to breaking, and my brave men completely annihilated, by air and land, without any recourse or ability to protect ...

I've had the ability to hit back at the Allies Pe-2's and LB for some time, he can't protect it all, but I faltered in sending 'em, cause a force in being is better than a shattered sword. Masses of bombers, no intelligence over targets and my LB being destroyed unescorted, for little gain, is not something I fancy. I'm not delusional that I could have done much, but maybe I could have done some more...anyway that is all water under the bridge now, as the penultimate chapter begins.

So now my friends, my back is almost broke, but I'll keep up the good fight and toil until the inevitable climax. In a few days, Nik nu will be back inaction, my LB will be stationed to hit hopefully unprotected bases on other shores, and the North will collapse under more bombing.

--Damian--



[edit] And anyone that thinks that IF I hadn't swept from Okha would have provided a good result, have a look at that CAP!

[Capt. Harlock]

And anyone that thinks that IF I hadn't swept from Okha would have provided a good result, have a look at that CAP!

I suppose you've thought about surface bombardment . . .[:(]

[n01487477]

Captain, Oh I have a bunch of CL/DD's on the way, and I forgot to mention them before, but with my limited Surface Combat forces, a lot of them are still in for repair after the Aleutians, and my other large forces patrolling off Hong Kong, plus the huge amount of ships I see around Nik nu (27 ships in port & a few SCTF's of CA's and DD's), I think I'll be in for a hiding anyway.

IF I had gone for a bombardment, then the PE-2's would have annihilated me, blizzards or not ... the Allies seem immune to the weather whilst the Japs are not (or is this delusional ??)

I had wished I had a half month more to prepare this action as I would have had 3 BB's available too, but time is ticking against me.

Thanks for the thoughts, one last thing Nemo told me that Bombardments have been toned down in this mod, and I have seen it too.
Damian

[n01487477]

New screenies from Tracker - Summary Tab (I'll post in the Tracker forum too, but with my old game data - can't have Nemo getting to the serious nature of my Fighter pilot experience)

Talking of Nemo, it is hard to get a turn off him these days, maybe the worm has turned and decided I'm too strong... [:D][:D]

Actually he told me that he's out buying a new monitor and he has a pretty hefty schedule.

--Damian--

[n01487477]

26 & 27 Nov '42

Bit of a slow down still happening in this PBEM, cause of monitor issues for Nemo, but he assures me this is solved now so maybe we can steam on into Dec '42 pretty soon.

A follow up on Niko nu has not transpired as the weather has been in blizzard mode up North. I moved in my DB/TB to Okha and Komsomolsk to try to hit some surface ships, Betty's to Shikuka and the Angels ready on Hokkaido, but very few sorties have flown and the base seems to be repairing fairly quickly.

Today my SCTF finally got to Nik nu, but only found PT's and I lost a DD to only 3 PT's sunk.
From Fionn:

As to the PTs vs CAs etc. I think your error was including the CAs.Because they were there your forces stood off to give the 8 inchers achance to use their range and that's why it didn't work... Personally my small anti-PT flotillas comprise 1 CL and 5 DDs and Ifind that works at least as well as the force you sent in at much less cost. The game can be subtle in how it handles things.

Live and learn ...

Enough for now, back to an evening of Tracker coding and shocking re-runs on the box.

[n01487477]

28 Nov '42

[*]Nikolaevsk na Amur is finally hit again by two different strikes of Betty's from Shikuka and Angels from Hokkaido. The Angels got 291 runway hits and that definitely must close the field for at least another turn. This action keeps Nemo bottled in the North and the B-17 attacks have stopped at present so that is limited success until he finds a way around it.
[*]The continued Allied attacks continue on my LCU's on Hainan and more Chinese troops are spotted entering Canton. I'm getting ready to withdraw them, but I'm not ready to rip them out of a Urban hex until the last moment. Despite Nemo telling me that if I defend everything I defend nothing... I realise he is right mind you, but I'm not giving the Allies the keys to the city without a bit of trouble.

More later after work [;)]