Against the Wind: Cuttlefish (Japan) vs. Q-Ball (Allies)

[Cuttlefish]

[font="Arial"]A top World War II ace once said that fighter pilots fall into two broad categories: those who go out to kill and those who, secretly, desperately, know they are going to get killed—the hunters and the hunted.[/font]
- General Nathan F. Twinning, USAF

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3/7/1942 – 3/10/1942

My second venture into the Sunda Strait went about as well as could have been expected. Ryujo, Zuiho, and Shoho appeared first and parked themselves off Oosthaven, where they shot down 10 or so bombers (including a couple of B-17s) going after the airfield there. Then the Merak invasion force arrived. Japanese battleships knocked the Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion around a bit and then the cruisers escorting the invasion force dueled them. The Dutch gunners were game, though, and whacked a couple of ships pretty hard anyway. Despite the heavy fire the invading Japanese regiments were largely ashore before the sun came up.

By this time Q-Ball had reset the his planes for naval attack and the action got hot and heavy. The first raid lost a lot of fighters but all 32 bombers broke through to attack my carriers; no hits. A second raid of 10 fighters and 6 bombers lost 7 planes and scored no hits. The third raid of the day, in the PM phase, also lost a lot of fighters but again all the bombers (27 this time) got through. This time Ryujo took a hit.

Over 40 Allied fighters (B-339Ds, CW-21B Demons, 75A-7 Hawks, and Hurricane IIb Trops) were shot down for a loss of 3 Zeros. Ryujo is at 30 Sys damage with very little float or fire damage. All Japanese forces are ashore and my ships are withdrawing.

Sumatra: Japanese paratroops seized Djambi despite heavier resistance than expected. The oilfields there (level 250) were taken completely intact. Reinforcements (including aviation support!) are about to land at Benkoelen, having sailed around the far end of Sumatra to avoid air attack. Muntok, just off Palembang, was seized and the regiment involved is driving down to take Toboali.

China: in which we learn that the Ki-43-Ic is able to at least hold its own against the H81-A3s of the AVG. There have been some dogfights over Kukong, with losses slightly favoring the Japanese. Meanwhile my forces are bombarding the place daily. Q-Ball is striking back with air raids.

Body and Fender Department: Kido Butai is currently at Yokahama undergoing some badly needed repairs. After three months of continuous steaming system damage for the carriers was up in the 10 to 15 range and engine damage was starting to accumulate as well.

Bigger is Not Always Better Department: Miri now has a shipping engineer regiment and the only tankers that call there are the small 4000-capacity short range haulers. A convoy of five of these loads in two turns, which is entirely acceptable. This arrangement is being extended to Tarakan and Balikpapan, which is beginning to bulge with fuel. The fuel is being hauled to Singapore where long-range tankers take it back to the Home Islands or wherever else it is needed.

Sumatra and the Sunda Strait:

[d0mbo]

Hi Cuttlefish,
 
 
So do Japanese celebrate Halloween as well? This AAR is entertaining AND educational!
 
Keep it up!
 
 

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: d0mbo

Hi Cuttlefish,


So do Japanese celebrate Halloween as well? This AAR is entertaining AND educational!

Keep it up!

No, the Japanese don't celebrate Halloween and there is no real analog for it among their holidays. Most Halloween traditions started as a way to placate the spirits of the dead, after all, and Japanese attitudes towards their dead are much different than those in the West.

[Cuttlefish]

[font="Arial"]With a bullet through his head, he fell from an altitude of 9000 feet – a beautiful death.[/font]
- Manfred von Richthofen: letter telling of the death of Count von Holck on 1 May 1916, over Verdun

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3/11/42 – 3/12/42

A mostly quiet couple of turns. To liven things up Q-Ball sent a pair of heavy cruisers and some destroyers to sink a PB and a freighter delivering supplies to Nukufetau. This was not a stinging loss but it does point to a serious shortage of long-range patrol planes and bombers. There just aren’t enough of either to go around.

WITP Staff has a very handy feature showing a map overlaid with your patrol arcs. It shows excellent Japanese coverage of the Bay of Bengal, of the west coast of Australia, the Coral Sea, the waters east of the Marshalls and Gilberts, and the North Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk. There is a gap you could tow Mindanao through between the upper Solomons and the Gilberts. I’m trying to plug that with submarines until the airfield at Lunga is completed.

Sumatra/Java: a fresh wave of troops is loading for Java. Q-Ball has a lot of units at Batavia; I’m going to swing around it and threaten to cut them off and see what he does. Meanwhile Japanese troops tighten the noose around Palembang and further up the coast Bengkalis is invaded.

China: the bombardment continues at Kukong. I’m inflicting between 400 and 500 casualties there a turn and when my unit’s prep reaches 20 all around I’ll launch an attack and see what happens. Meanwhile I’m beginning to gather forces in the north to launch an attack or two, mostly to give Q-Ball something else to worry about.

The biggest headache in China right now is managing the garrison requirements. All kinds of odd little units get pressed into service in this regard. My favorite garrison unit is the RGC Tax Police Regiment. Big infantry divisions may be impressive but to strike fear into an enemy’s heart there’s nothing like some tax police!

I continue to be impressed by the performance of my Oscars, which are giving the AVG a real battle.

Wear and Tear in the Air: to date Japan lists 213 pilots as killed or missing, with another 50 or so wounded. Aircraft losses are 469. I am currently showing 614 Allied planes lost. The enemy aircraft loss figures, I have noticed, tend to adjust themselves towards reality over time. At one point, for example, I showed 113 Buffaloes lost. The figure has stabilized lately at 96 and I think this is probably about right.

Here are the current loss leaders by aircraft type. Note that both the Babs and the Do-24K-1 are among the leaders in ops losses. Alfs and Catalinas also make the top 10 list in this category. It is very easy for air groups assigned to naval search and recon to quickly acquire staggering levels of fatigue. I usually set these units to at least 30% rest; it helps save wear and tear.

[Smeulders]

It shows excellent Japanese coverage of the Bay of Biscay

Well done, you're an inspiration to all Japanese players out there [:)]

[Laxplayer]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
Here are the current loss leaders by aircraft type. Note that both the Babs and the Do-24K-1 are among the leaders in ops losses. Alfs and Catalinas also make the top 10 list in this category. It is very easy for air groups assigned to naval search and recon to quickly acquire staggering levels of fatigue. I usually set these units to at least 30% rest; it helps save wear and tear.

It also helps to limit range to the "normal" distance as opposed to extended. I set mine to somewhere between 50 and 70% naval search, limited to normal distance and as full of extra pilots as I can (by hitting the add pilot button until it greys out). I have very few ops losses for patrol sqds and the only time fatigue goes over 10 is if a few get shot down and I don't refill the sqd by hitting that add pilot button again.

Oh yeah... I am really liking this AAR and the opposing AAR from Q-ball. [;)] Very cool to see your moves and counter-moves and from each point of view. As a player that hasn't played the Japanese side of the game, I am learning a lot. thanks!

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

It shows excellent Japanese coverage of the Bay of Biscay

Well done, you're an inspiration to all Japanese players out there [:)]

It's an arrangement with the Luftwaffe. We are cooperating closely with the Germans. Q-Ball doesn't know it but Rommel is going to cross the Suez, link up with German forces coming down from the Caucasus, and invade India.

ORIGINAL: Laxplayer

It also helps to limit range to the "normal" distance as opposed to extended. I set mine to somewhere between 50 and 70% naval search, limited to normal distance and as full of extra pilots as I can (by hitting the add pilot button until it greys out). I have very few ops losses for patrol sqds and the only time fatigue goes over 10 is if a few get shot down and I don't refill the sqd by hitting that add pilot button again.

I agree, keeping the units filled out helps a lot. The only thing to watch out for is that pilots with better naval search skills give much better results, so you don't want to dilute the skill level too much.

[Cuttlefish]

[font="Arial"]The only thing harder than getting a new idea into the military mind is getting an old one out.[/font]
- B.H. Liddell Hart: Thoughts on War, 1944

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3/13/42 – 3/14/42

I went into this game knowing there would be a bit of a learning curve with AE. Since I just sent the 100th turn of the game off to Q-Ball I figured this was a good time to ask myself a question: what have I learned?

I’ve learned to guard all my staging ports and every invasion convoy that puts to sea in the first few weeks. I’ve learned that convoy escorts, especially those with good range, are worth their weight in gold and should be carefully allocated and preserved. I’ve learned that the Dutch ground forces are much weaker than in WITP but that more Dutch bases have coastal guns and that these coastal guns will cost you precious transports and escorts. I’ve learned that sending along a cruiser or two in task forces invading such bases helps a lot.

I’ve learned that the Japanese player should have a plan for every aviation HQ and every unit that has naval support. I’ve learned that small ports require small ships. I’ve learned that shipyard workers are reluctant to do hull repairs on any ship that is burning like a torch. I’ve learned that poorly trained naval search pilots will see a floating log and report it as ten enemy ships but that well trained search pilots will tell you what is really there.

I’ve learned that waypoints and patrol zones are wonderful. I’ve learned that the Zero still rules the sky in December 1941 if used correctly. I’ve learned that Nates and Oscars are actually useful.

I’ve learned that artillery is still the queen of the battlefield and that enough of it can undo the best-laid Allied plans for the defense of Luzon and Singapore. I’ve learned that moving land units by rail is easy and fun. And I’ve learned that this game is even more dangerously addictive than WITP.

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In these last two turns my plans of conquest met roadblocks in a couple of places. My three regiments attacked at Lashio and discovered that, in addition to battered British troops, there are six Chinese divisions there behind level 3 forts, too many troops for me to budge with available forces. My attack came off at 1 to 5 odds, though casualties favored me about 600 to 950. I wonder what the enemy supply situation is there. If it’s good he might be able to force me out of the base. And at Kukong my attack came off at 1 to 1 odds. More shelling is in order. Q-Ball seems to be moving reinforcements here and I am doing the same.

Q-Ball is definitely reinforcing Batavia. This confirms my decision to go around it. I might consider landing more troops at the far end of Java if I can reduce his air power there enough. That has to be my top priority at the moment; once I have freedom of the sea around the island Q-Ball’s situation there will deteriorate quickly.

It might become necessary to send Kido Butai there once they are done patching up at Yokohama. We will see. With Koepang and much of Sumatra in Japanese hands I don’t think that Q-Ball can bring in any new air groups, except for B-17s. I erred in not wiping out his air force there before beginning the invasion in earnest and now I have to try to rectify that as I go. Oh well. Another lesson learned.

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Here is a graphic showing the air search gap I talked about in my last entry. I could cover most of it by extending the arc of the Mavis group at Tarawa to almost 360 degrees but I really don’t want to dilute their search that much.

[modrow]

Cuttlefish,

great AAR and great summary. I got one specific question:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
I’ve learned that artillery is still the queen of the battlefield and that enough of it can undo the best-laid Allied plans for the defense of Luzon and Singapore. I’ve learned that moving land units by rail is easy and fun. And I’ve learned that this game is even more dangerously addictive than WITP.

Not sure whether this is something you encountered in your game, but to me it looks like the Allied side would have the possibility to accumulate/concentrate a decent number of guns for the battles at Singapore and in Luzon (specifically Bataan comes to mind) as well. Do you feel your artillery would still rule the field there unopposed ? Or did you take these guns out from the air first ? If so, how bad were AAA losses - specifically at Singapore the Allied player can concentrate quite an amout of AAA as well. Or would you say it is still quite ineffective and we need a NikMod for AE ?

Thanks

Hartwig

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow

Cuttlefish,

great AAR and great summary. I got one specific question:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
I’ve learned that artillery is still the queen of the battlefield and that enough of it can undo the best-laid Allied plans for the defense of Luzon and Singapore. I’ve learned that moving land units by rail is easy and fun. And I’ve learned that this game is even more dangerously addictive than WITP.

Not sure whether this is something you encountered in your game, but to me it looks like the Allied side would have the possibility to accumulate/concentrate a decent number of guns for the battles at Singapore and in Luzon (specifically Bataan comes to mind) as well. Do you feel your artillery would still rule the field there unopposed ? Or did you take these guns out from the air first ? If so, how bad were AAA losses - specifically at Singapore the Allied player can concentrate quite an amout of AAA as well. Or would you say it is still quite ineffective and we need a NikMod for AE ?

Thanks

Hartwig

Taking the guns out from the air was not very effective. Allied AA, at least, is pretty good as is. It kept my bombers high enough to limit their effectiveness and even so I suffered a fair number of losses to flak. Q-Ball bombarded at Clark for a few turns but then stopped. It was fairly effective, inflicting 200 - 300 casualties per turn. I don't know why he didn't bombard more. It might have been limited supplies, but that's just a guess. He bombarded steadily at Singapore though to less effect. Looking back at the numbers I had about a 2:1 edge in guns at Singapore and a 5:1 edge on Luzon. I'm guessing again, but I think the much lower experience of the available Allied troops plays a role in limiting the effectiveness of their bombardments.

[modrow]

Cuttlefish,

thanks a lot for the detailed info !

Hartwig

[witpqs]

CF - Actually artillery is known as King of the Battlefield, while the rifle is known as Queen of the Battlefield. [:)]

[Cuttlefish]

[font="Arial"]Infantry is the Queen of Battles.[/font]
- Attributed to Sir William Napier, 1785-1860

[font="Arial"]The final argument of kings.[/font]
- Louis XIV’s inscription on French artillery

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3/15/42 – 3/16/42

At Kendari members of the 32nd Garrison Battalion watched through field glasses as a few hundred ragged Dutch soldiers emerged from the nearby plantations and set up a camp just a few miles away. Though the battalion could have easily chased them away Commander Hashimoto forbade an attack. “Just wait,” he said. “When there is no place left for them to go, then we will finish them off.”

The commander of the 144th Regiment at Port Moresby was not so sanguine. After disappearing for several weeks over a thousand Australians were once again camped at his doorstep. The enemy troops were haggard and weary, riddled with malaria and dysentery and obviously starving. With them they dragged five artillery pieces for which there was no ammunition. The Japanese commander approved of the fact that the Australians refused to consider surrendering; these were obviously men of honor. He did them the courtesy of ordering an immediate attack. Perhaps this time they would do the right thing and simply die.

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Both events happened this past turn. They are not the first such events and I’m sure they aren’t the last. This game, or so it seems to me, will send Allied soldiers on hopeless retreats, more so than in WITP. In the older game I think most of the units now hanging around out in the jungles near my bases would have simply surrendered. It’s not a big deal, just an observation.

Militaire Luchtvaart KNIL: I moved some fighters into Oosthaven without waiting for aviation support to arrive. The support will be there soon and I figured my fighters could operate for a couple of turns without maintenance. I was right and they chewed up a large number of Dutch fighters when the Dutch came to bomb the base again.

The following turn my reinforcement convoy arrived. Despite their previous heavy losses the enemy air attacks were again vigorous. No hits were scored on anything, though, and a number of mostly unescorted bombers were shot down. I figure Dutch losses for the two days at close to 40 planes. I bet they come back again tomorrow, though. Q-Ball seems to be taking the attitude that these forces are doomed anyway and he might as well get something out of them now rather than have them overrun later on the ground. It’s hard to argue with his logic.

One result of all of this is an influx of new Japanese fighter aces. If you’re a Zero pilot aboard one of the Japanese light carriers and you don’t have at least three kills they won’t even let you eat in the pilot’s mess any more.

Imperial Forces on the Move: since there is little new to report on the major battle fronts let’s take a look at movements behind the scenes. Japanese troops are on their way to a number of places:

• The large army at Bataan has finally marched back out of the peninsula and reached Clark. They will be at Manila, with its large port, in a turn or two. Ships are waiting there to take them to new destinations.
• A naval guard unit and an construction company are on their way to Lunga to join the JNAF AF unit already there.
• A naval guard unit is on its way to take possession of Fergusson Island and Milne Bay. Support elements will follow
• A JNAF AF unit and a construction company are on their way to Green Island.
• A naval guard unit is en route to Onnekotan Jima. Paramushiro Jima already has aviation support and a naval guard unit recently arrived there as well.
• A JNAF AF unit has been sent to Bihoro on the east coast of Hokkaido to join the one already there. The airbase there, currently at 4(6), will be built into the major airfield defending the Sea of Ohkotsk.
• The 22nd Port Unit is on its way to put the port into Port Moresby.
• A JNAF unit has just arrived at Tabiteuea, which is by now well on its way to being a size 3 airfield.

These sorts of moves do not have the cachet of, for example, planning for the invasion of Luganville. But right now planning and executing moves like this are what take most of my time during turns. Invasions and conquests are fun but it is by no means too soon to begin the real work, which is preparing for the three or so years when Q-Ball is going to be trying to take my empire away from me.

[Smeulders]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
Both events happened this past turn. They are not the first such events and I’m sure they aren’t the last. This game, or so it seems to me, will send Allied soldiers on hopeless retreats, more so than in WITP. In the older game I think most of the units now hanging around out in the jungles near my bases would have simply surrendered. It’s not a big deal, just an observation.

This is actually quite annoying in China as the allied player. I've had a couple of corps completely depleted (only 2 guns left in one), that I wanted to let die so they can 'respawn'. They've now been chased out of at least 3 different hexes, but refuse to surrender.

[ny59giants]

Another possible lesson learned is the importance of recon and search (ASW & naval). The more you know of the enemy and the less he knows of you the better off you are. I'm looking forward to see how this area plays out a little later in the war when your expansion is done and both of you start making carriers strikes out of the blue.

[vlcz]

This is actually quite annoying in China as the allied player. I've had a couple of corps completely depleted (only 2 guns left in one), that I wanted to let die so they can 'respawn'. They've now been chased out of at least 3 different hexes, but refuse to surrender.

The sino-japanese war is called "War of Resistance" for something [;)]

[Canoerebel]

I don't have any problem with the remnants of units disappearing into the jungle and even returning to take a base if the enemy leaves it ungarrisoned.  I did this in Sumatra several times in my game with Miller.  But if depleted units retreat into the jungle I hope they will eventually die off due to disease, starvation, etc.  It wouldn't be "right" to leave "ghost units" hidden deep in the jungles of Borneo only to wait until 1944 to move them back to base hexes just to provide detailed reports about the enemy garrisons.

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow

Cuttlefish,

great AAR and great summary. I got one specific question:

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
I’ve learned that artillery is still the queen of the battlefield and that enough of it can undo the best-laid Allied plans for the defense of Luzon and Singapore. I’ve learned that moving land units by rail is easy and fun. And I’ve learned that this game is even more dangerously addictive than WITP.

Not sure whether this is something you encountered in your game, but to me it looks like the Allied side would have the possibility to accumulate/concentrate a decent number of guns for the battles at Singapore and in Luzon (specifically Bataan comes to mind) as well. Do you feel your artillery would still rule the field there unopposed ? Or did you take these guns out from the air first ? If so, how bad were AAA losses - specifically at Singapore the Allied player can concentrate quite an amout of AAA as well. Or would you say it is still quite ineffective and we need a NikMod for AE ?

Thanks

Hartwig

I guess no one was paying attention but in my 2x2 game with jrcar and Tony (and Nik on my side) the Allied Artillery forced me to withdraw from Clark, I was suffering very heavy losses and could not continue to stand under the guns. Given that the Allies only have three real artillery unit at Luzon, I have to assume part of the reason for their enhanced firepower was high preparation value, though I could not see that number. It will be interesting to see if they move the artillery out of the Clark hex - I'm betting not [;)]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

... I have to assume part of the reason for their enhanced firepower was high preparation value, though I could not see that number.

I have never seen anything posted on prep values other than for ground HQ's and combat (meaning units with AV's). Do you know for sure that prep points matter for artillery or are you presuming that it does (because it should after all)?

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

I guess no one was paying attention but in my 2x2 game with jrcar and Tony (and Nik on my side) the Allied Artillery forced me to withdraw from Clark, I was suffering very heavy losses and could not continue to stand under the guns. Given that the Allies only have three real artillery unit at Luzon, I have to assume part of the reason for their enhanced firepower was high preparation value, though I could not see that number. It will be interesting to see if they move the artillery out of the Clark hex - I'm betting not [;)]

I've been reading your AAR and it brings to mind some questions. In both games the Allies massed their army at Clark. In my game, though, I faced a less aggressive defence and brought a lot more troops to Luzon early, so my initial move to Clark was in great strength - three full infantry divisions plus a brigade and a couple of regiments, a lot of armor, and six artillery units. When the artillery duel started I had a 5:1 edge in artillery pieces.

Is it possible that the relative amount of artillery on each side is factored into bombardment results? And what effect does artillery fire have on greater numbers of troops? Are the results applied to all units in a hex regardless of number or do greater numbers "spread out" the effects of the bombardment?