Hey NOOB! This AAR is for you.

[OldCoot]

[align=center]Netherlands East Indies - 8 December 1941
[/align]

Ground and Air Operations


The Dutch, for some inane reason, seem to feel that, just because they've been in the Indies for 350 years, they are more qualified that I, the Grand Poo Bah, to conduct ground and air operations in this theatre. This, of course, is pure nonsence but, in the interests of Allied unity, I'll let them have their way.


Naval Operations


My only military experience was toting a BAR around some Korean hills way back when. So what I'm going to do is send all the allied surface warships to either Batavia or Soerabaja and then try to figure out what to do with them later. Any advice would be welcome.

Submarines will patrol Java Sea and the northern and western Borneo

ML - will lay mines and then attach to supply convoys

TKs  - Will  all proceed to either Palembang or Balikpapan,  load oil and  then go to Sydney via Perth. They will not unload at Perth.

APs  - Will load supplies or fuel and head for Port Moresby or Gilli Gilli as needed. After they unload wherever they are going to unload they will be sent to San Francisco.

AKs  - Ditto

The reasoning behind all this is that I want to supply PM and Gilli ASAP, and I want the use of these ships sooner rather than later. Until the Japanese take over Rabaul and Ms Betty makes her presence felt in the New Guinea area, passage through the straits between  NG and OZ will be possible. After that, it's the long way around.
 
Just for drill, I consulted Bodhi's Utility to see what the difference in passage times is. Here's what I found for an AK making 12 knots

Batavia - Perth - Sydney = 23 days
Batavia - PM -Sydney = 19.5 days

Better yet, that AK can save another 7 days by heading to SF from Cairns rather than Sydney.

[align=center]
[/align]
 

[HMS Resolution]

Going the Port Moresby route will expose you to the heavy IJN sub traffic which congregates off the eastern coast of Australia; you will want to probably want to form escorted convoys of ships. Also, your MLs will need a size 9 port to reload their mines at; IIRC, there is not one in the DEI proper.

[OldCoot]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

Going the Port Moresby route will expose you to the heavy IJN sub traffic which congregates off the eastern coast of Australia; you will want to probably want to form escorted convoys of ships. Also, your MLs will need a size 9 port to reload their mines at; IIRC, there is not one in the DEI proper.

Hey! Thanks for the tip. I'll attach the MLs to supply TFs and bring them out to OZ. They can provide a little AA.

Also I'll have all the MSWs on north coast of OZ go to PM and attach them to incoming TFs

[HMS Resolution]

Wow, I stuck an extra want in there. Something else to consider: your minesweepers will all have abominable experience levels and thus will take quite a while to get good at ASW. You might want to bring down some of the British Flower class corvettes from the Indian Ocean (as their ratings are much better) or borrow some of the USN DMSs or old four-piper DDs to supplement them. Also, I usually snaffle up the Canadian Bangors and Flowers and send them over to Oz first thing; gives it a nice "Imperial Defence" flavoring. Or is that flavouring?

[OldCoot]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

Wow, I stuck an extra want in there. Something else to consider: your minesweepers will all have abominable experience levels and thus will take quite a while to get good at ASW. You might want to bring down some of the British Flower class corvettes from the Indian Ocean (as their ratings are much better) or borrow some of the USN DMSs or old four-piper DDs to supplement them. Also, I usually snaffle up the Canadian Bangors and Flowers and send them over to Oz first thing; gives it a nice "Imperial Defence" flavoring. Or is that flavouring?

Thanks again!

I'm forming supply TFs in India as fast as supplies permit, so I'll bedeck them with Flowers. (Sorry - couldn't resist). I'm planning to start sending supply and fuel TFs to OZ/NZ in mid January when that big glut of shipping shows up and I could use the 4deckers, the Canadian ships, and the DMSs as escorts. That means they'll show up in OZ about mid February. Is that too late?

Will ASW escorts be enough or should I also form ASW TFs? If so what, ideally, would be the composition of one of these TFs?

I told you guys I don't know squat about naval stuff.

[OldCoot]

[align=center]Australia - New Zealand - 8 December 1941

[/align]
Ground Operations

BFs at Broome, Derby, and Wyndham will march to Darwin. As I see it, these guys are just sitting there out back of beyond  polishing their puttees or whatever. If I send them to Darwin I get more support for troops and aircraft.

Gull and Sparrow forces at Darwin are being loaded for transit to PM as is 103 RAN BF at Brisbane

Naval Operations

I'm going to move all the surface combat ships to Cairns. Maybe I'll get a chance to interfere with any future  Japanese moves at Rabaul.

[align=center]Disposition of shipping - Australia
[/align]
All APs, AKs TK, and escort type vessels will proceed to either Cairns or Sydney whichever is closer. From these ports TFs will proceed to San Francisco via Pago Pago. Fuel is in short supply so TFs will not be refueled unless absolutely necessary.

As an exception to the above, TKs at Perth and Adelaide will proceed to the DEI to load oil and return to Sydney via Perth.


[align=center]A Note about Supplies to Australia
[/align]
At first glance the supply situation in OZ looks pretty bleak. Supply and fuel levels are low everywhere and not much is on its way, but things aren't as bad as they look.  OZ isn't about to starve. They have zillions of edible critters down there and, if worse comes to worse, they can always throw a dingo on the barbie. The troops may be drilling with broomsticks, but what the hey, there's no one to shoot at anyways.

OZ has three potential sources of supplies; US, India, and whatever can be brought out of the DEI. Perth has oil, industry, and resources and is self sufficient. So, to a lessor degree, is Brisbane. In another couple of months, convoys are going to start arriving from India and the WC and OZ will be hip deep in goodies.

[align=center]Disposition of Shipping - New Zealand
[/align]
All APs, TKs, AKs, and escort type vessels to be formed into TFs and given a water DH just east of Pago-Pago. San Francisco to be designated as home port.

CLs Leander and Archilles proceed to Cairns to join my "Maybe I can disrupt Japs at Rabaul" force.

[align=center]Something I've found useful
[/align]
Lots of times I have overlooked useful ships stashed away at out of the way ports. To avoid this, I will, after forming all my TFs, go to one of the bases and click on the "Show bases with same headquarters" button. If any ships have been overlooked they will appear in the "Ships at Anchor" column.

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: OldCoot

[center]The Great Bengali Bugout - 9 December 1941
[/center]

With the Japanese Air Force now established in Indo-China, Most of the Bay of Bengal is, or shortly will become, a Japanese lake. Any ship thereupon will just serve as an opportunity for some Japanese pilot to improve his bombing skills. This he does not need and this we do not want.

Therefore, all ships East of Columbo and all troops South of Akyab will be evacuated. The following dispositions will be made:

Shipping

1. - All APs will proceed to Rangoon to load troops.
2. - AKs at Chandpur will also set sail to Rangoon to load troops and supplies.
4. - AP Kanimba now docked at Singapore will proceed to Victoria Point to embark 108 RAF BF
5. - AP Manoora now docked at Singapore will proceed to Tavoy to embark 107 RAF BF
6. - All AKs other than those at Chandpur will proceed to either Bombay or Karachi.

Troops

Units at Moulmein will march to Rangoon and prepare for embarkation.

What interest me is to know: where do you intend to bring these troops? Ceylan? Mainland India? Else ?

[HMS Resolution]

ORIGINAL: OldCoot

Will ASW escorts be enough or should I also form ASW TFs? If so what, ideally, would be the composition of one of these TFs?

I told you guys I don't know squat about naval stuff.

Bear in mind about 99% of my playing time is against the AI, so if you ever play against a living organism, my suggestions will likely be utterly useless. With that in mind...

I generally use the minesweepers (including those weak but long-legged USN MSWs) for convoy escort, leavened with perhaps a few destroyers, by basing them at Suva and attaching them to convoys that stopover there. When the convoys return to Suva to go home, I detach the escorts and attach them to another outbound convoy. The disadvantage of the Bangors is that their radius of action is so low, the convoy will likely have to slow down and refuel them from the AKs or APs; if you want to go flat out, use Flowers or big person ships, i.e. destroyers. I also like to station Hudsons or flying boats on the E and NE coast of Australia on ASW patrol; they can spot and attack the subs that cluster around there pretty easily, and if you keep a few ASW task forces there, you can use them to patrol the waters; chances are decent you will run into some subs. In my current game, which is in Feb 1942, US 4-pipers acting as H-Ks out of Townsville have sunk I-2 and damaged several others, and some RAAF Hudsons got lucky and sank I-3. In return, however, I've had one destroyer damaged and out outright sunk; I consider the losses acceptable because my convoys haven't been harassed much so far, but that may change as the war goes on. In my previous game, which I got to 1944 in, I neglected to clear out the area around Australia and it was infested with submarines.

You can also use aircraft on Naval Search to spot and attack submarines, but I find that the likelihood of them attacking is much less if the pilots aren't very experienced. ASW apparently cuts the radius the planes cover by half, but they also seem more likely to attack. Since you probably have a few restricted Hudson squadrons to spare, I think you can afford to have some on ASW patrol on the Aussie coast, and if you want to get REALLY crazy, there are some more in New Zealand just cooling their heels until Peter Jackson makes those midget movies in about sixty years.

As the war goes on the, the Australian "scrap iron flotilla" destroyers (Vampire and Vendetta) and the older British fleet destroyers (A-I classes) will convert to ASW escorts armed with hedgehog---I love hedgehogs, and who but the British could give us a hedgehog that also destroys fascists?---and since I've never played a game against the AI where subs were sent into the Indian Ocean, these make good ASW escorts down around Australia as well; they have the added advantage of being fast and relatively long-legged (and not incidentally almost useless for fleet work, with their weak post-refit torpedo and AA armament), which enables them to effectively escort fast troop convoys or those nifty USN 18-knot AKAs you get in late 1942 or 1943.

Generally, with MSWs or other low experience units, the more you have in a convoy or ASW TF, the better, since it greatly increases the chances of at least one of them spotting the sub and slinging a few charges its way. In the short term, even depth-charging without result or failing to sink the sub still serve the larger purpose of protecting the convoy, or, in the case of ASW TFs, helping the constituent ships gain the experience levels needed to routinely get hits.

There are probably a lot of people who could tell you more and better than me out there, though.

[OldCoot]

ORIGINAL: gladiatt

What interest me is to know: where do you intend to bring these troops? Ceylan? Mainland India? Else ?

I'm toying with the idea of sending them to the DEI. Maybe Java. Dunno.

[OldCoot]

Out there be monsters and things that go bump in the night.

Latest PH Damage report:



Between those subs and that TF reported coming my way, maybe I'll just hunker down for awhile.

Mission of Lexington and Enterprise to resupply Wake has been canceled and both TFs have been ordered back to Pearl. (via a leisurely southern route - give the lads a chance to view the wonders of Johnston Island)

[OldCoot]

[align=center]West Coast - 8 December 1941
[/align]



General

San Francisco and Los Angeles are  designated as Ports of Embarkation for all units, short range aircraft , fuel, and supplies being sent to SOPAC. SWPAC, and CENPAC.

All  ground units destined for duty in the Pacific will proceed by land to San Francisco. If possible long range aircraft will fly directly to PH and from there to their destinations. Otherwise all aircraft will fly to SF for further disposition.

[align=center]Disposition of Naval Forces
[/align]
San Diego

1 - Submarines  and AS Fulton will proceed to PH
2 - AP Harris, DD Kilty, and AVD Ballard will proceed to Los Angeles (TF 1119)
3 - AKs will deadhead to Los Angeles
4 - CV Saratoga, CL Concord and DDs Waters and Talbot will proceed to San Francisco
5 - Remaining DDs will sail to LA. for duty as TF escorts
6 - PT-43 will patrol harbor and ward off any attacks by the KB or other units of the IJN

Los Angeles

 1 - AP Barnett will join TF 1119 upon its arrival from San Diego. TF1119 will then embark  the 808th EAB and proceed to Gilli Gilli via Canton Island

 2 - TKs and AOs will load fuel and sail to SF
 3 - AKs will load supplies and when  joined by escorts from SD will proceed to PH

San Francisco

1. Submarines will sail to PH
2. All Large AKs (7000 Cap) will load supplies and proceed to PH.(smaller TKs will be used to transport aircraft)

3. AD Dixie and AE Lassen  will sail to PH
4  AP TF will bve formed to transport 78th AA, 65th AA and 56th Arty to PH
5 All AOs and TKs will load fuel and sail to PH

Portland

117th USAAF BF will march to SF

Seattle

1  AKs will form a TF to shuttle supplies to Anchorage
2  A TK will form a TF to shuttle fuel to Anchorage
3  BB Colorado,all DDs, AVD Williamson, and PC Charleston  will proceed to SF
4  ALL TKs and AOs will load fuel and go to SF
5  All AKs to SF

Vancover

All ships to SF

Sitka

AVD Gillis to SF

Anchorage

All AKs and APs to SF
PT-39 to protect Anchorage from all enemies foreign and domestic

---

Today's score board

[Capt. Harlock]

Latest PH Damage report:

I'm assuming West Virginia and Nevada have only minor damage?

[OldCoot]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Latest PH Damage report:

I'm assuming West Virginia and Nevada have only minor damage?

It looks like I goofed when making list - Thanks for the catch.

[OldCoot]

[align=center]After Action Report - 9 December 1941
[/align]



India

10 ship convoy bound for Perth begins loading supplies at Karachi
10 ship convoy bound for Perth begins loading fuel at Bombay
4 ship TF loaded with 36000 fuel departs Diamond Head bound for Batavia
Several APs on way to evacuate troops from Rangoon

Malaya - Singapore



Force Z undetected? Maybe. Perhaps I-166 wasn't able to get a signal off. Intel indicates that there are two BBs and 3 CAs at Khota Bahru. I do love the smell of cordite in the morning!
RAF Base at Georgetown evacuated to Singapore
Garrison at Alor Star withdraws to Taiping


Hong Kong Philippines



CVL Ryujo supporting landings at Legaspi. B-17s tried twice to nail her, but no cigar
Hong Kong captured but DDs may get away

The initial report of a Japanese landing at Legaspi came from the railroad stationmaster there. The apocryphal story is told that his call was switched from the railroad central to USAFFE headquarters in Manila and the following conversation took place:

STATION MASTER : "There are four Jap boats in the harbor, sir, and the Japs are landing. What shall I do?"

USAFFE OFFICER: "Just hang onto the phone and keep reporting."

STATION MASTER: "There are about twenty Japs ashore already, sir, and more are coming." A pause. "Now there are about three hundred Japs outside the station, sir, What am I to do?"

USAFFE OFFICER: "Just sit tight."

STATION MASTER: "Sir, a few of those Japs, with an officer in front, are coming over here."

USAFFE OFFICER: "See what they want."

STATION MASTER: "Those Japs want me to give them a train to take them to Manila, sir. What do I do now?"

USAFFE OFFICER: "Tell them the next train leaves a week from Sunday. Don't give it to them."

STATIONMASTER, hanging up: "Okay sir."50

The subsequent conversation between the Japanese officer and the stationmaster-if it ever took place-is not recorded.




Dutch East Indies

Batavian Bugout in full sway

Guam

Captured


Pearl Harbor



KB is heading NW and apparently on way back to Japan. Lots of pesky subs loitering about. CA Indianapolis and a brood of DMS are approaching them from the South and can, perhaps, shoo them along. Lexington and Enterprise are on their way back to Pearl after their sightseeing tour of Johnston. They are in no hurry.

West Coast

I have paid 157 of my 200 PPs to get the 54th Fighter Group (39x P-39D) reassigned to  SWPAC. The group will load troops only and depart today destination Cairns. As soon as I get the PPs I will reassign the 55th Fighter Group (39 x P-40B) to SWPAC and send them to Cairns.
All this means that the 54th  gets a head start over the 55th. But I've got a scheme! Moored at PH is a nifty little AK named the Alchiba. As far as I know she is the only AK in the game that can make 18 knots. I am going to send her to SF, pick up the 55th and chase the 54th.  According to Bhodi's Utility, it will take the 54th 25 days to transit from SF to Cairns. It will take Alchiba 5.5 days to get from Pearl to SF and another 17 days to transit from SF to Cairns. So, in theory, Alchiba wins the race. We'll see.

Someone asks "How cum you're sending those aircraft to Cairns when you want them at PM and Gilli Gilli huh?

Answer is that I don't know what the situation in NG will be 25 days from now. If I route the TFs to Cairns and things look good when I reach the south pacific, I can always change destinations.

The 808th EAB, stationed at LA, is already assigned to SWPAC, and is needed to improve the airstrip at Gilli Gilli. It will start loading today.

[HMS Resolution]

You get some more 18 knot AKs later in the game, but not many. They're handy little beasts.

[OldCoot]

I'd trade almost any ship (CV excepted) for another one right now. 

[OldCoot]

[align=center]After Action Report - 9 December 1941
[/align]

[align=center]Malaya - Singapore
[/align]
Admiral Tom Philips greatest wish was to close undetected and bring superior fire power against any Japanese naval forces at Khota Bharu. His plan worked perfectly, but things went south because it was a night action, and because the Japanese remembered to bring their torpedoes along with them.



To add salt to the wounds, MS Betty dropped by the next morning and proved that she was indeed capable of toting torpedoes around.

Tactically, this was a real defeat, but strategically, maybe it's not so bad. Three cruisers and a couple of tin cans are out of action for some time. Come to think of it, the Japanese cruiser force has gotten off to a bad start in this war. The marines dinged a couple of CLs at Wake, and 3 CAs get beat up today.


Survivors have been split up unto 3 TFs and are proceeding to Batavia. Here's their status:



Japanese captured Khota Bharu. 8th Ind Bde retreating towards Kuantan


[align=center]India
[/align]
TF 1174, two days out on its way to deliver supplies to OZ, had to be recalled because the cretinous idiot of a harbormaster forgot to press the "Load Supplies" button and the damm thing was deadheading!!! Where do I get these idiots? To make things worse, I'm told I can't have the SOB shot because that would violate some stupid union work rule! Geez!



Tomorrow, ships will start arriving to evacuate Rangoon garrison. Relief is a day or two out from Victoria Point, and maybe 3-4 days out from Tavoy. This doesn't look good because both Tavoy and Rangoon were bombed today. Hope this isn't going to be another Dunquerke . Pray for rain!


[align=center]Philippines
[/align]


General Wainwright still believes that main Japanese landings are yet to come at Lingayen and Lepaspi


[align=center]Pearl Harbor
[/align]
Repair of Ships damaged on 7 December


1 -  CAs New Orleans, San Francisco, St Louis, and Raliegh go to SF.
2 -  BBs West Virginia and Nevada go to LA
3 - BB Maryland and AVD Thornton to San Diego

4 - All the real basket cases; BB Oklahoma, BB Arizonia, BB Pennsylvania, BBCalifornia, BB Tennessee, and CL Detroit will go to Seattle. As time goes on and space opens up at the other yards, I'll transfer them.

Mine Warfare


I create 4 TFs each consisting of 2MLs to mine Baker, Midway, Johnston, and Palmyra. In order to keep track of what ships are doing what to whom, I make a little chart on my ever present handy dandy spreadsheet

[align=center]West Coast
[/align]
TF 1135 transporting 78th AA Regt, 65th AA Regt, and 56th Cst Arty left SF today. These guys are all assigned to CENPAC, and I'm not sure where they are going to end up at, but I'm pretty sure PH is closer to wherever that will be than is  SF. Gotta keep those ships busy.

All available AKs, TKs, are loading fuel and supplies for Pearl. Want to get stocks really high out there, then set up shuttle supply and fuel runs from there to Midway, Johnston, Baker, and Palmyra. Once that's done, I'll see what I can do for OZ/NZ

TF 1119 transporting 808th EAB left LA today bound for Cairns via Canton. Will end up at Gilli Gilli to improve airstrip there. AVD Ballard is attached to supply aviation support at GG

[OldCoot]

[align=center]After Action Report - 10 December 1941
[/align]
India

5 APs and 26 AKs arrive at Rangoon to evacuate troops there.
AP Kanimba arrives at Victoria Point to evacuate troops

Malaya Singapore



Ms Betty and friends pick over bones of force Z and finish off Prince of Wales and DD Isis. BC Repulse, DD Vampire, DD Vendetta, DD Tenedos, and DD Encounter make getaway to Batavia.


Ground action in Malaya

Philippines



Very bad day in PI. PGs Tulsa and Asheville make the mistake of sailing in the same ocean as Ryujo. Loss of ships at Naga is on me. I just overlooked them! Bah!

Elsewhere

Japanese capture Makin

[OldCoot]

[align=center]Intelligence, Plans, and Operations - 11 December 1941

[/align]
[align=center]Intelligence


[align=left]Sig Int of Interest

1. South Seas Det. is loaded on AK, Venice Maru moving to Rabaul.
[/align][align=left]2. 5th Division is located at Alor Star.
[/align][align=left]
Sightings of Major IJN Units

[/align][align=left]
[/align][/align][align=center]
[/align]
[align=center]Plans and Operations

[/align]
India

1 - 5 APs and 26 AKs have arrived at Rangoon and are loading troops only.
2 - AP Kaninba has arrived at Port Victoria and is loading troops only
3 - AP Manoora will arrive at Tavoy tomorrow

So far there has been no Japanese air activity. Hope that this continues for another day or so. I am loading troops only as I want to get these guys out of Dodge ASAP.

I had been thinking of sending these troops to Java to prolong allied resistance in the DEI. This, however, wouldn't be cricket as I have a HR that states that units must be assigned to the command in which they are serving. It would cost me about 1,000 PPs to do this and, at the moment, I have only 144.

However all is not lost: I have a scheme.

All these units are assigned to Southeast Asia command and, it just happens that, Sumatra is part of that command. Why don't I send all these people to Palembang via the west coast of Sumatra?  Lots of possibilities there!

[align=center]
[/align]
I am still loading fuel and supplies in Indian ports and sending it to OZ. I will use the Port Moresby route as long as possible

Malaya

Now that both Alor Star and Khota have fallen, the Japs can hit Taiping from the north and from the east. The Taiping units are being pulled back to Kuala Lumpar

Dutch East Indies

Naval strength is growing rapidly. There are now 2 CLs at Batavia and 4CLs, 16 DDs, and 12 PTs at Soerabaja. In addition Repulse and the other Force Z survivors are headed for Batavia and CA Houston and 4 DDs are bound for Soerabaja. Pretty soon I'm going to have a pretty large surface force and no idea of what to do with it.

Philippines

21st and 91st PA Divisions are at, and are fortifying Lingayen. 11th PA Division is enroute. General Wainwright is convinced major Japanese attacks will come there and at Legaspi

Pearl Harbor

AVD McFarland and AVD Hulbert depart for Cairns via Canton Island. At Cairns AVDs will be sent to PM or GG as needed to furnish aviation support

AR Medusa and AR Rigel depart for Cairns via Canton Island.


West Coast

TF 1119 transporting the 808th EAB departs today bound for Cairns via Canton Island. 808th  will be put  to work improving airstrip at Gilli Gilli

[Barb]

IRL you should use this map until february Java falls.


As many know, there were units from both SEAC and SWPAC that ended in ABDA area (British units from evacuated from Malaya, some Hurricane squadrons,P-40 squadron, remnants of B-17 Group from philipines, few British AA Regiments, US artillery bn).
So I would say within ABDA you dont need to pay PPs to move units in. Everywhere else (and once ABDA is dissolved) - you should have to.

Another exceptions:
- Pacific Ocean Areas (North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific) as they were under Nimitz (NORPAC+CENPAC directly and SOPAC under designated subcommander).
- in CBI theathre (as this was ONE theathre under Stilwell - so US forces usually eneter as SEA-assigned

PS: One thing you declared in the opening post is missing from your following posts - reasons. I think newbies will appreciate more if you include some reasoning into what you are doing. Tell them WHY you do what you do - not every noob is reincarnated Sun-Tzu, Clausewitz, Napoleon or Nimitz [;)]