Nomonhan Redux: Seydlitz (Japan) vs. MBatch729 (Allies)

[seydlitz_slith]

At Changsha I attacked but did not have enough force to kick him out. I did reduce his fort level though and after waiting a few turns to clear my disruption levels I will attack again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 101582 troops, 907 guns, 178 vehicles, Assault Value = 2874

Defending force 78925 troops, 415 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1713

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1605

Allied adjusted defense: 2815

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4428 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 274 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 186 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 28 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (0 destroyed, 22 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
5164 casualties reported
Squads: 73 destroyed, 283 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 309 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Assaulting units:...
6th Division...
13th Tank Regiment...
3rd Division...
39th Division...
13th Division...
116th Division...
40th Division...
34th Division...
58th Infantry Regiment...
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment...
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
11th Army...
8th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
1st Mortar Battalion...
2nd Ind. Engineer Regiment...
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion...
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
72nd Chinese Corps...
73rd Chinese Corps...
10th Chinese Corps...
74th Chinese Corps...
37th Chinese Corps...
20th Chinese Corps...
26th Chinese Corps...
99th Chinese Corps...
58th Chinese Corps...
53rd Chinese Corps...
5th Construction Regiment...
9th War Area ...
27th Group Army...
19th Group Army...
29th Group Army...

[seydlitz_slith]

I am getting close to attacking at Loyang. I have several units moving in to reinforce my forces already there. Here is what central China looks like:

[seydlitz_slith]

In other actions, I lost at Iba on Luzon and at Malabalay on Mindanao. Both temporary setbacks. I captured Kudat on the northeast coast of Borneo clearing that corner of the island. In the solomans I failed to capture Rabaul but I weakened him to the point that it should fall next turn.

[seydlitz_slith]

Turn 47 22 Jan 1942

Very quick update.

My second wave began landing at Okha. We will be attacking next turn after I get enough supplies ashore for the units.

[seydlitz_slith]

In Rybilov my huge LCU stack defeated his two divisions decisively, nearly destroying both of them. We are now restarting our advance to Voroshilov then Vladivostok.

WE also tangled all turn over Kotou and again it rained soveit aircraft from the sky.

[seydlitz_slith]

Turn 48 23 Jan 1942

Only two things interesting happened this turn.

First, one of his subs made an attack on an escorted tanker near Batan Island.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Hengchun at 84,68

Japanese Ships
TK Syoyo Maru
TK Huzisan Maru
PB Fuji Maru #4

Allied Ships
SS Sargo



SS Sargo launches 4 torpedoes at TK Syoyo Maru...
Sargo diving deep .......
PB Fuji Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search......
PB Fuji Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search......
PB Fuji Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search......
PB Fuji Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search......
PB Fuji Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search......
Escort abandons search for sub...

[seydlitz_slith]

Not to be outdone, one of my subs attacked and sank a dutch AVP off Borneo.

Submarine attack near Bandjermasin at 62,101

Japanese Ships
SS I-157

Allied Ships
AVP Valk, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage



AVP Valk is sighted by SS I-157...
SS I-157 launches 8 torpedoes...

[seydlitz_slith]

Turn 49 24 Jan 1942

Several things happened during this turn.

First off, my Okha TF, which included three battleships, encountered a Russian sub. The screen pounced the sub, and I got at least one penetrating DC hit.

ASW attack near Okha at 131,38

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Nagato
CA Haguro
CL Kitakami
CL Yura
PB Seki Maru #3
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Asama Maru
xAK Yasuteru Maru
xAK Soyo Maru
xAK Takao Maru
DD Sanae
DD Kuretake
DD Wakatake
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
SS ShCh-119, hits 3



DD Sanae attacking submerged sub .......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Wakatake fails to find sub and abandons search...
DD Ushio fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Sanae attacking submerged sub .......
DD Sanae loses contact with SS ShCh-119...
DD Kuretake attacking submerged sub .......
SS ShCh-119 eludes ASW attack from DD Kuretake ...
DD Ushio fails to find sub and abandons search...
DD Sanae fails to find sub and abandons search...
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
DD Kuretake fails to find sub, continues to search......
Escort abandons search for sub...

[seydlitz_slith]

I finally launched my attack at Okha, and I am now the proud owner of the oil facilities there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Okha (128,37)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 31803 troops, 325 guns, 179 vehicles, Assault Value = 838

Defending force 13699 troops, 206 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 438

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 760

Allied adjusted defense: 105

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Okha !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
537 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4390 casualties reported
Squads: 145 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 225 destroyed, 73 disabled
Engineers: 53 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 58 (54 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Assaulting units:...
56th Engineer Regiment...
113th Infantry Regiment...
148th Infantry Regiment...
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
33rd Division...
56th Recon Regiment...
16th Infantry Regiment...
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment...
2nd Mortar Battalion...
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion...
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment...
28th Shipping Engineer Regiment...
56th Field Artillery Regiment...
...
Defending units:...
101st Rifle Division...
Sakhalinskaya Rifle Brigade...
VVS Outpost Base Force...

[seydlitz_slith]

On the mainland, my advance on Voroshilov was once again interrupted as a large stack of Soviet units entered the hex at Rybilov. Somehow Mark got his timing off and he had two infantry units enter alone a couple of turns ago which I sent packing with heavy losses. This turn, the arrivals were all of the artillery. I quickly attacked them with my full force and reaped a grim harvest of enemy guns and vehicles. I will now resume my advance.

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Ground combat at Rybolov (113,44)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 138052 troops, 1385 guns, 1409 vehicles, Assault Value = 3780

Defending force 5870 troops, 202 guns, 201 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Japanese adjusted assault: 2431

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 486 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
365 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 41 (4 destroyed, 37 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1649 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 245 destroyed, 69 disabled
Engineers: 99 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 95 (43 destroyed, 52 disabled)
Vehicles lost 222 (156 destroyed, 66 disabled)
Units retreated 9
Units destroyed 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:...
12th Division...
24th Division...
9th Tank Regiment...
25th Division...
8th Recon Regiment...
4th Garrison Unit ...
27th Electric Engineer Regiment...
9th Division...
2nd Manchukuo Distr Division...
9th Garrison Unit ...
11th Tank Regiment...
5th Infantry Regiment...
10th Tank Regiment...
3rd Tank Regiment...
74th Infantry Regiment...
5th Tank Regiment...
11th Division...
57th Division...
1st Manchukuo Division...
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment...
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
28th Field AA Machinecannon Company...
4th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment...
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment...
3rd Army...
45th Ind.AA Gun Co ...
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment...
22nd Ind. Engineer Regiment...
4th RF Gun Battalion...
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company...
20th Fld AA Machinecannon Company...
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
24th Fld AA Machinecannon Company...
12th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment...
2nd Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
7th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
22nd Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
45th Road Const Co ...
27th Fld AA Machinecannon Company...
7th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
53rd Field AA Battalion...
9th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion...
5th Army...
23rd Field AA Machinecannon Company...
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
Kwantung Army...
54th Field AA Battalion...
6th RF Gun Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
45th Engr-Sapper Brigade...
1139th Cannon Regiment...
1125th Cannon Regiment...
1133rd Howitzer Regiment...
273rd Cannon Regiment...
45th Howitzer Regiment...
199th BM Howitzer Regiment...
1192nd BM Howitzer Regiment...
1132rd Howitzer Regiment...
115th/129th AA Battalion...

[seydlitz_slith]

Here is what the overall picture looks like on the Russian front. With Okha in my hands, I plan to land on the coast and start forcing him to fight on multiple fronts.

[seydlitz_slith]

In Malaya, my forces finally reached Temuloh and cleared it of enemy forces. Maybe it's just me, but it is taking forever to advance down the Malayan peninsula to Singapore.


Ground combat at Temuloh (50,78)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10939 troops, 191 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 307

Defending force 3412 troops, 48 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 89

Japanese adjusted assault: 201

Allied adjusted defense: 31

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Temuloh !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
96 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1183 casualties reported
Squads: 58 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 68 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 32 (30 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (16 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:...
21st Infantry Regiment...
56th Infantry Regiment...
6th Tank Regiment...
3rd Mortar Battalion...
1st RF Gun Battalion...
18th Mountain Gun Regiment...
5th Mortar Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
8th Indian Brigade...
22nd Indian Brigade...
2nd Argylls Battalion...
5th Field Regiment...

[seydlitz_slith]

Over in the Solomons Rabaul finally fell to my forces.

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Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 5897 troops, 60 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 177

Defending force 1813 troops, 31 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Japanese adjusted assault: 106

Allied adjusted defense: 13

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
113 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
893 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (7 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Assaulting units:...
144th Infantry Regiment...
Maizuru 1st SNLF...
...
Defending units:...
Lark Battalion...
Rabaul Det. Base Force...

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: seydlitz

In Malaya, my forces finally reached Temuloh and cleared it of enemy forces. Maybe it's just me, but it is taking forever to advance down the Malayan peninsula to Singapore.

I wouldnt worry about this. You decided against an invasion of Mersing (and Kuantan) so MBatch does not have to worry about being
outflanked and can retreat in an orderly manner.

Only an idea but do you have some AV´s left over to invade Mersing now?

With the danger of some troops cutting off the Kuala Lumpur area he would be forced to fast retreat towards Singapore
if he wants to avoid a new front in the rear of his defensive positions.
Even invading as late as now might still accellerate your conquest of the Malayan Peninsula.

on the other hand from the screenshot and combat report it looks like he pulled back a larger ammount of his forces anyway already.
but i dont see if they are digging in in Kuala Lumpur or already retreating to Sing.

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL

ORIGINAL: seydlitz

AWESOME PLANE TOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These look like they belong to Cathartes - very, very nice!!!!

OK - WHERE CAN i GET THEM????[&o][&o][&o]

Yes ,the plane tops look fantastic. On a side note this AAR is interesting as heck. I can't remember if I commented on this before. Thanks

[comte]

Congrats on taking Okha [:)] Great AAR

[seydlitz_slith]

Taking Okha marks significant progress. We did a turn last night but it was one of those turns where absolutely nothing important happened. Even aerial losses were about 10 planes per side, so I didn't bother posting.

I haven't mentioned it yet, but I have been standing most of my bombers down lately due to the weather. The next turn shows blizzard conditions, so I won't even try to fly bombers.

My Nells and Betties are on 80% training...at least the units that are currently based in Japan. I do have about half of the units in Japan. I am trying to conserve on losses so that I can build a pool of replacement aircraft. I do not want to lock horns with my opponent when I go after Java and not have full Nell and Betty units to include replacement aircraft because I squandered them over Russia on bombing missions in bad weather against determined fighter opposition. Pilots who have skill in launching torpedoes from low flying twin engine bombers are very hard to replace.

I am upgrading several Ida, Mary, and Ann units to Lily bombers. The Lily has enough speed to give it survivability and has a much better bombload than the single engine bombers. Some of the single engine bomber units have VERY high bombing accuracy ratings and I can take advantage of this by placing them in better bombers than Ida, Mary, or Ann.

There still seems to be no end to the stream of Soviet aircraft, but I have noticed that he is doing his heavier attacks farther north than before where it is harder for me to throw worthwhile CAP out to defend my ground units. This tells me that the losses are hurting him and possibly his pools are finally starting to get low.

[CaptBeefheart]

Although it's early days, it looks like you might just pull off this Russian gambit. And I like your concise and cogent AAR style--Sgt. Joe Friday: "Just the facts, ma'am." Keep up the good work!

Cheers,
CC

[rattovolante]

ORIGINAL: seydlitz

My Nells and Betties are on 80% training...

Interesting, how is this working out in terms of fatigue and op losses?
(I usually keep mine on 40% training - too low? Note that default is 20%)

[seydlitz_slith]

ORIGINAL: rattovolante

ORIGINAL: seydlitz

My Nells and Betties are on 80% training...

Interesting, how is this working out in terms of fatigue and op losses?
(I usually keep mine on 40% training - too low? Note that default is 20%)

It's working pretty good. Fatigue seems to stay in the 14-22 area with very low op losses. I was also running 40-50% and decided to bump it to 70, then 80%. Most of my units are on general training so that I can get their defense ratings up. However, most of my Lily units have been on ASW training for over a month now and are in the high thirties-low forties on ASW exp already. Some of my Nells and Betties are also working on this area.

I figured that if there is one skill that I would need for the whole game it would be ASW, and it is one that must be kick started by training since otherwise aircrew only get a point by actually spotting a sub. If your rating is too low, you will never spot that sub in the first place and therefore will never gain any experience.