Spilling Blood

[AcePylut]

The map of Malaya, Dec 14th...

[AcePylut]

[font="times new roman"]Pilot Training Notes, please feel free to comment.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Everyone talks about training up to exp, but very few talk about “maintaining” that exp.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Here’s how I plan on “training and maintaining” a high quality airforce.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]This was a fair bit of micromanagement to “set it all up”, but once I finished it, it should be fairly click-free.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]A number of people have commented on the apparent “waste of time” it is to have squadrons in the game that need to withdraw in Jan ’42… but I say, it’s not a waste of time, because “here there be pilots!!” (…and yes, I am guilty of pulling a couple of airgroups out, I have plenty still there)[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I took nearly all the pilots in those WC “restricted” units due to withdraw in early ’42 and put them into “group reserve” – leaving only the lowest exp pilot in the squad as active.  I took all the “low quality” pilots in my front-line groups, and put them on reserve also.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]As those pilots went into group reserve over the next day or so, I would fill out my front-line with the “high quality” pilots using the “request veteran” key.  I would fill out the squadrons that were A) most likely to see combat; B) most likely to see combat in an aircraft that “had a chance” against likely opposition (I.e. I didn’t fill out my P26 squads with these pilots); and C) weren’t going to be withdrawn before Oct 42.   I would fill out the rear squadrons with all the low-exp pilots.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Once all my pilots were reassigned, I then proceeded to “downgrade” some of the aircraft scheduled to withdraw.  For example: On the WC, there was a P-38 Squad with a 5plane-maximum, that I downgraded to P36’s.  There was one squadron of P38s that had ~5 planes in it, but had a maximum of 25planes in it… I didn’t downgrade that, as I figure the loss of 25 P39’s was worse than gaining 5 P38’s at this moment).  I downgraded some of the B17s in the PI with Bolo’s, then disbanded after a couple of days.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]After reassigning all the pilots available, I went back through my airgroups and filled them out with whatever pilot was available.   I made sure that each group had the maximum number of  pilots available.  [/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The end-result of all this, was that my units most likely to see combat in the early months have been stocked with my best available pilots.  [/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Next, I went through all my rear-guard squadrons, and set them to the following mission:  Training 60%, Rest 40%.  I am going to watch the fatigue and morale of the squadrons at this setting, and adjust as necessary to keep overall squad fatigue and morale up.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I declared some squadrons as “training specific airskills”… in that I set the “training mission type” to a specific skill.  This will hopefully allow me to build up some exp in specific skills faster than if I used general training.  After all, I don’t see a need to train fighter pilots in “naval search”, for example.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Once the war gets going and I start losing front line pilots, I will keep the front line pilots “highly experience” by either… A) disbanding “like-exp” fragments of other squadrons into the front line squadron; or… B) putting REMF squadron pilots into reserve and activating them in the front-line groups in a day or so.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I am *hoping* that this “plan” will, uh, work… as I hope it does.  [/font]

[AcePylut]

Dec 15th Summary with details on battles - focusing on air strikes

DEI: Force Z (minus the sunken Repulse, but has added the Boise and other Dutch CL/DD's) is 240nm NNW inbound to Soerabaja for a pit stop, then heading to Kalao (240NM SW of Kendari). This location will allow me to react to Balikpapan, Kendari, Ambon within a day or two.

The Mini-KB has parked itself 40nm E of Manado. Kates torped the AKL Paz.

SS Tarpon gets asw'ed at Manado, no hits.
SS KXVIII @ Tarakan lands a torp on AK Yuzan Maru (ships sighted 1 CA, 2 CL, 1 AP, 2 DD)
SS Saury @ Davao lands a torp that fails to detonate on DMS W7 (other ships sighted 1 PB, 2AMc, 3AK, 4PB)
Salmon, Skipjack, Searaen, all attack (no hits) and get dc'ed (no hits) off of Tarakan.
SS Triton @ Wake gets asw'ed (ships sighted 1 CL Tenryu, 2 DD, 3 PB, 1 AK, 1 AKl)

CL Marblehead and 6 DD meet a Jap BB fleet (2 BB, 1 CL, 2 DD, 6 AK, 3 AKL, 2 AP) between Manado and Ternate. Marblehead takes 7 hits, John D Edwards takes 2 - fleet disengages.

Numerous fleets are coming past Sorong. Ambon, Kendari are likely targets I'd suggest. I'm moving bombers and buffalos from Java closer to these locations. Not that they'll hit anything, but you never know...

In the air phases, there were numerous sweeps on empty, uncapped bases on mine.

Future Plans: Looking at the attached map, you can see how I have the approach zones to Kendari/Ambon well covered by patrol craft. I plan on using 8 subs to cover Sub Patrol Zone 1, 6 for Patrol Zone 2, 6 for Patrol Zone 3. I'll shift assets around depending on what zone is getting the most attacks.

[AcePylut]

In Malaya,

The valiant 8th Indian Brigade, under relentless assault from the air since discovery 4 days ago, comes into the open at Patani and under heavy air attack.

The 8th completed it's mission, however, allowing 7 AK/AKLs to load 7 LCU's over 2 days at Taiping and escape to Colombo.

The air phase, for any interested, when down in the following order:

36 Oscar sweep an empty Singapore
11 Zeros sweep the 8th Indian
13 Zeros sweep Taiping
15 Zeros sweep Patani
58 Nates bomb Georgetown (which is why I'm loading what I can at Taiping)
60 Oscar escort 122 Sally, 30 Lily attack on the 8th.
9 Zero escort 23 Lily in attack on the 8th.
4 B17 port attack Miri (3 ships in port, most likely Ak's damaged by subs)
9 Oscar Sweep Singapore
4 Zero sweep Taiping
19 Oscar sweep Singapore.

in the PI, the air phase went down as such (in order)

26 Zero escort 33 Nell in attack on Clark, 9 P35, 18 P40B
Destroyed(Damaged): 2(0) Zero, 0(4) Nell, 1(0) P40B

28 Zero sweep Clark v. 2 P35, 7P40B
Dest(Dam): 1(0) Zero, 1(0) P40B

7 Nell bomb Clark vs. 2 P40B
Dest(Dam): 2(2) Nell

16 Sally attack Clark, 1 P40B, the P40B turns tail and runs away, when it sees right above the sally's....

... 8 Tojo sweeping Clark vs the lone P40B, and the lone P40B get shot down.


-----------

In China, PzrHort has bombed Changsa the last couple of days, increasing the bomber count while reducing the fighter count... ripe time for the AVG to appear...

32 Nates escort 15 Sallys vs. 17 AVG.
Dest(Dam): 6(0) Nates

15 Ann unescorted vs 12 AVG
Dest(Dam): 5(0) Ann

A couple other groups turn tail and run at the sight of the gaudily painted P40's!

[AcePylut]

Guam defenders face a shock attack from the I/66th and II/66 Naval Guards and hold! (134/30 Jap/US Casualty ratio)

Hong Kong is bombarded
8th Indian Brigade has taken 30 AV worth of disablements, but only a couple squads destroyed.
LIngayen, Lucena, Tuguegarao, Cotabato, Manado, Ocean Isle... all attacked and fall.

[AcePylut]

Alright, in real game time, it's mid April already, and I can restart the AAR.

Busy, but for now... a picture of what has happened between Dec 15th and Jan 1st.

The remnants of Force Z surprised a Jap SCTF in 3% moonlight and minimal range... and blasted the Mutsu to the bottom of the ocean, and got away with just a couple of scratches. It has been given orders to retire, as the speed of this assault across the DEI has shown that PH knows what he's doing... and Force Z doesn't have the aircover to survive what can be brought. PH will wipe the DUtch AF off the map in a couple of days when he decides.

My first game purchase was to buy the 6th RAA (iirc) CD unit at Sydney and ship it to Darwin. It made it unscathed, but as the xport fleet left (10ish ships of xAK xAk and weenie escorts) it got tagged by the mini-KB. Also the KB marched up and down the East coast of Oz, smashing a whole bunch of low low vp ships that have fled. Does this sign, coupled with the heavy push in the Souther DEI, signal an intention to go for OZ?

I think so, so I have routed every xport fleet east of PH that had troops to Perth via Cape Town. I also loaded up most available ground forces in the states and shipped them to Perth via CT also.

Cadres of everything available (especially Cebu, Bataan, and Cavite BF's) have been safely pulled back to India or Oz.

Future Plans: During the Jap Expansion Phase, I'm not going to concern myself with where I attack in 43. I'll build a ballon' perimeter that expands as the Japs advance. I'll fight, but try not to die stupidly.

I plan on using my CV's as much as I can.... and I plan on doing it by positioning them around this balloon. Yes, I will split my CV's. They will seek to avoid contact with any Jap fleet or major base. Whenever I have confirmed sighting of both the KB and Mini-KB I will attack with whatever CV's are far away, at whatever bases are capable.

I'm sending a pair of CA's to Dutch that will sail to Pashminjuro (sp) over and over, reconning the base, to give indication that I'm working on a mid-42 attack in the Kuriles. I figure since I discussed Canos AAR with Miller via email with PH, and the discussion over Darwin - I'll play into Cano's attack with the recon flights. What they hey, eh? They'll be pretty safe and it'll be fun to play with PH's mind. Reconning that base is about all I can do.

In india, I'm giving up everything in front of the Irrawaddy, and going to try and save Ceylon. That is the Key to India. Ceylon.

In China, I'm moving all my isolated troops around his rear, just to force him to send units to hunt them down, because I'll be hopping on and off rail and road lines to disrupt supply, as much as possible.

But despite everything, if he comes for Oz as it appears, it's a race to see if my troops can get to Perth before he can cut it off. Race #2 of the Jap Expansion Phase is ON.

[AcePylut]

Continuing onward... in the last two weeks, Panzer has decided to invade Oz, and invade he has!

Regional Report:

China: Move towards Sian is occurring. Troops moving to counter. Looks as if many units were pulled from Manchuko. South China appears to be weak. I will be sending a couple of units to Kukong and forward to investigate possibilities.

Burma/India: Many Japanese troops have appeared across the river from Pegu.

Malaysia: Only a few pockets of troops remain around Georgetown. Cadres have been extracted from all.

DEI: Palemburg fell to heavy assault, Java was invaded and is quickly being subdued.

OZ: Broome, Derby, Port Hedland all invaded. Cairns, Cooktown, Rockhampton invaded. Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Lunga, Tulagi invaded.

Darwin invaded. The first 150 pp I spent was to send the 6th RAA and it's 16 6" guns to Darwin. On Jan 23, it was invaded, and the result over 4 sets of combat for teh day tallied as such:

BB Nagato, Shell hits 3

CA Chokai, Shell hits 5
CA Takao, Shell hits 3

CL Jintsu, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL Kitakami, Shell hits 7, heavy fires
CL Kuma, Shell hits 3
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 17, on fire
DD Shikinami, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD NagatsukiDD Yukikaze
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAK Manila Maru, Shell hits 19
xAK Anyo Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
xAK Arizona Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Katuragi Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Arima Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
xAK Kenyo Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Ural Maru, Shell hits 2
PB Kanko Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Teibo Maru #2, Shell hits 1
PB Edo Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Comments on the effectiveness?

Darwin then fell to massive invasion and the 6th RAA was lost.

South Pac: Pago Pago is being fortified.

Central Pac: Christmas Island and Midway fortified.

North Pac: I send a pair of CA's and DD's to recon Pashminjuro (sp) - to give the illusion that I'll be invading shortly. This is deception from reading Canoe's aar - in which I've referenced a few times in emails. I hope to use this to make him burn fuel.

[AcePylut]

As a result, many troops and supplies are being diverted to Oz. Fearing a push towards Nomuea and closure of the supply route from NZ, I've decided to ship everything to Oz via CapeTown - since that's where he probably won't expect it. Note all the troop convoys heading to Perth...

[AcePylut]

Sub Wars:

As you can see his axis of attack is through the restricted waters of the DEI, I've placed most of my subs in choke points.  They have been as effective as I can imagine.  I get approximately 3-4 attacks and hits per day, 1-2 detonations.  If I lose the war, it won't be for my submarine effort. The twofold positive to all these attacks, is that I'm forcing him to send many patrol boats to the front line - and they expend fuel that could be better used for capital ships. 

[Nemo121]

What do you think his overall strategic goal is?

He definitely has one, he'll have thought this all out...

[AcePylut]

@Nemo:

6 weeks into the game, this is a well thought out and planned invasion of Oz.  Mersing on Dec 7th, Darwin and NE Oz in Late January.  Holding force in the PI.  No advances of import in the pacific.  No quick strike on India.  

All signs point to the knockout blow in Australia.  The key to halting this advance is Perth.  There's not much I can do at this point to stop him anywhere.  There's no point in fighting for the Darwin Region, I don't have enough AV to stop what he brought. Best to make my stand at Alice Springs.  On the NE coast - enough troops and tanks landed just above Brizzy that my troops to the north are in jeopardy.  I will sacrifice enough AV there to allow the rest of my units to escape (couple of rgt's or maybe a weak div as my rear guard troops).  They will have to escape through the interior, as heading via the coast opens them up to another amphib invasion interdiction.

I've re-routed most of my available (and unrestricted) US troops to Perth via CapeTown.  This means my bases in the Pacific will be empty.  To give the impression of strength in these areas when my major bases (Pago Pago, Suva, Nomue, Christmas Island) will be relatively weak, I'm dividing the remaining free units and basing them at my most forward bases (Midway, Johnston, Baker, Canton, Fufnati, Taibateiu (if I can get there in time) Efate).  They will be in danger of being bypassed, should PZ change axis in midstream and go for the Central/SouthEast/South Pacific... but then Oz would be safe. 

I believe he's going for Oz, and the fate of Oz rests at Perth.  If he can invade and eliminate Perth in the next 6 weeks, he will cut off my reinforcements headed to OZ and be able to wrap up Oz.  If this happens, I will divert my troops in CT to India and try for a major counterattack with US, Brit, Indian, and Burma troops through Burma to Rangoon.  If I can retake Rangoon in 42 (and I'll know if I'm heading that way by March 1st) then I will try to drive through SE Asia and link up with China.  I'll base many US units forward, us transports to keep them supplied, and drive for the coast in strength.  Tentatively of course

If my reinforcements make it to OZ in time - then I will basically have a free bombing range for all my units.  I will be able to cat-and-mouse my bombers with his cap, and rack up exp quick.  This would be the best case. 

If he can take Oz, Auto-victory is on the table....and the key to Oz is Perth.

[AcePylut]

The reason that the key to Oz is Perth is because of the strategic decision I made to shuttle my units to Oz via CT/Perth Axis.  Had I chosen to go through the Pacific, then I would have to defend my bases (Pago Pago, Suva, Christmas Isle, etc) to keep the sea lanes open - and quite frankly I'm gambling that PZ won't change from his plan.

I say that because you can't do what he's done at the speed he's done it without a well planned and exact timetable.  A lot of study has been put into the timetable.  Knowledge of exactly what I have & where I have it helps him to land with just enough AV to take the target base in very short order.... but rarely has overwhelming AV landed. This timetable has developed and laid out very well.  I don't think he'll change on the fly by diverting his axis of advance towards the South/SE Pacific. Oh I expect him to use fast transports to make quick strikes to try and grab freebies, so I'll have small DD/CL forces at all of my patrol bases (noted on the maps) to prevent this.  I'll also have a few transports disbanded in unassuming nearby atolls, with small AV 'counterattack' forces to retake those cheap landings.

All in all though, I think it's a fair bet to assume that my islands are safe from any planned invasion, and I feel confident in leaving my bases in the pacific very open. 

Also - The KB just popped along the SE Oz coast.  The Mini-Kb is covering the DEI invasion.  He doesn't know where my carriers are - and as soon as I can, I will attack one of his bases with a pair of carriers to start making him always be thinking about them.

[AcePylut]

In Oz, recapping current status of the four regions (Perth, Darwin, Townsville, Brizzy/Sydney):

Perth:  Am rapidly improving forts at Perth, Geraldton, Busselton. I only have 300AV or so in the region.  It's vulnerable.

Should it hold, I will build up Cue and Mythkina (sp) to lvl 7 Af to base 4E bombers.  These will be able to shut down anything West of Darwin with ease, for possible late-42 invasions.


Darwin:  I started pulling all units back to Darwin and Katherine on turn 1, based the aforementioned 6th RAA CD unit at Darwin.  Darwin fell to 1000+ AV.  He is in North Oz to stay.  I will fall back to Alice Springs and make a second stand there.  I chose Alice Springs for 2 reasons:  I'll force him to support his army across a dirt road - instead of me doing it.  #2) It's on my interior rail lines not his, so I can easily and quickly reinforce. And since he has to cross a dirt road of many hexes, I'll have plenty of advance notice.

Townsville:  As these will all be cutoff due to Panzers landing in Rockhampton (another 1k AV) I will pull all units back to Charters Towers and then retreat en masse through my interior.  It's Jan 23rd, 42.  I can not hold Oz's NE coast. 

Brizzy/Sydney:  Am moving all 4E units to Sydney and will begin bombing at will.  Am reinforcing Brizzy with about 500 AV at this point - I can lose this town, but really don't want to.  Sydney, I would like to base only a couple hundred av there, but can not.  If I lose Sydney, OZ is a lost cause imho, and I can't risk losing it to a weak invasion because I left it relatively empty. 

Eventually, I would like to base as many aircraft groups as possible in OZ - and use it for a couple of years as MY "china training ground".  If I can hold OZ, then I just found a continent's worth of airfields and milk runs for exp. 


As far as where I will counterattack - that's just not on the books at the moment.  I will see how the Jap expansion plays out, and counter based on where were at then.  i'll start thinking about this in mid 42ish.  We'll see.

[stuman]

Interesting if he is going for an all out invasion of Oz. It has been tried before in another AE AAR. I don't remember which one, I will try to find it.

[AcePylut]

Jan 23rd - Feb 7th:

Mini-KB: Sighted southeast of Sydney approx 10 hexes. 2 of my dd's were sunk to bring me this info.

KB: SS Seadragon put a torp into the Hiryu 1 hex south of Truk and scored a Crit hit. [:)]

DEI: Java and Sumatra fall. Only a few troops remain at Georgetown. There will be no more reports from this front.

PI: Clark is in Japanese hands. Bataan has 1000AV, 4 forts, 27k supplies. Time for some Japanese bomber training.


North Pac: 2 CA's reconned Pashminjuro, which prompted a "what are they doing" response.

Central/SouthEast/South Pac: No activity. I like it like that, because it's wide open.

OZ, Northwest: Exmouth and Carnarvon fall. Only 200 AV protect Perth @ 4 forts, not good. The 17th Aus Bde arrives in Perth in 6 days.

Oz, Darwin: The retreat is on to Alice Springs.

Oz, East Coast: Jap Para's take Charleville. As soon as Maryborough falls (which is will, 300Av to 1000+ AV, hoping to retreat before they are attacked), I'll have 600AV in Brisbane. Currently have only 120AV in Sydney.

Oz, North East Coast: The fall of Charleville cuts off a retreat route. ALl units are on full retreat.

Burma: Pegu falls

China: The push is on to Sian.

Sub Wars: Other than the aforementioned crit on the Hiryu [:)], I put 3 torps into the CA Kako and sank it. [:)] I also put a torp into the Ise for a crit hit. [:)] Other than those results I've averaged approximate 2 hits per day on assorted xAK, patrol craft, etc.[:)]

Air Wars: Over the last 6 days, my B17s based in Sydney obliterated a Jap armored unit. Panzer wasn't all to happy and discussed an HR against this. I replied as follows: "I tend to think it's ok... after all, a light tank unit, in the open, having travelled 400 miles behind lines in Oz territory and out of supplies shouldn't really have much of a chance of survival. I wonder what you were doing with that unit anyways... it's not really strong enough to hold whatever it takes." I also said that it might be different with large inf units - and he was ok with it. I now expect to have all my units bombed to bits on that open territory in Oz. But that's appropriate, imho.

[AcePylut]

Feb 7th Strategic Map.

Yellow= Jan 23 frontlines
Red= Feb 7th frontlines
Green= Patrol bases and front line concentrations

[AcePylut]

A close up view of OZ and Burma:

[AcePylut]

As I stated, I was going to split my CV's....

[AcePylut]

And the push to Sian in China...

[AcePylut]

granted Panzer the ok to read the thread up to here and comment if wished.