Stalking in the Paficic - Allied (no Yakface please)

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Greetings.

I started a new PBEM as an allied player vs. Yakface playing as Japanese. We've advanced into the first days of 1942 and as I need to get my ego stroked I decided to start an AAR. [:'(]

This has been, so far, a quite different game from any others I've seen from my Japanese opponents. Yakface is much more methodical and less agressive than most Japanese players. In fact, the slowness of his advance through the DEI is somewhat puzzling. During the past few days I've become a bit worried about Pearl and other important far flung places.

I'll give a short review of the actions so far in the next post.

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Accidentally managed to edit this post :p

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General strategy

I have decided to create a fortress at a certain undisclosed location in the Pacific [;)]. I feel that this is a location that can be supported by the Allies and made impregnable, and at the same time, is of rather great importance to the Japanese player. The slow advance of my opponent has made the creation of said fortress much easier, against a more aggressive player I might have been operating under Japanese air cover in a few weeks.

By now I've managed to get about 1000 AV worth of forces there, about 90 CD guns (5"/6"/155mm) from various CD units (Australian CD, Marine Def Bn's etc.), several base forces and also an EAB with several more arriving relatively soon. I'm also scrounging up all the AA units I can find in the pacific and sending them there if I can. I'm not too sure I can hold air superiority via fighters so I hope I can make any bombing campaign quite costly for the Japanese. By the end of February I expect to have over 200 heavy AA guns there (ceiling over 10k feet) and, if possible, an additional 1k AV behind level 4-5 forts. We'll see if the place holds.

Obviously I've left a few areas uncovered by this, but I feel that I can let him run through most of the Pacific if he so wishes, occupying tiny atolls here and there.

[obvert]

You've probably also read the reports of the GC with CR and ChezDaJez which is taking a similar slow course. Very puzzling. Does make you think there are other plans elsewhere.

What other defensive arrangements have you had time to make then for the DEI? Where are the Aussie units going, and the British/Indian?

[String]

ORIGINAL: obvert

You've probably also read the reports of the GC with CR and ChezDaJez which is taking a similar slow course. Very puzzling. Does make you think there are other plans elsewhere.

What other defensive arrangements have you had time to make then for the DEI? Where are the Aussie units going, and the British/Indian?

Most of the british/indian/aussie units that arrive as reinforcements or are loaded on ships are heading to the fortress. In DEI i've decided to concentrate local units at a few key locations, such as Balikpapan, Batavia and Palembang.

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1/6/1942

It is still very quiet. Quite puzzling to be honest.

PI

55 Ki-21's of various types attack Clark Field during the whole day at 6000ft causing light damage and losing one of their numbers to Flak

DEI

Submarine attack near Donggala at 68,97

Japanese Ships
SS I-159

Allied Ships
xAK Kiangsu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-159 is sighted by xAK Kiangsu
SS I-159 attacking on the surface

That's in the Makassar straits for those who don't know the hex numbers by heart [:'(]

China

Most of the action took place here. The IJA attacked Nanyang after air attacks by about 200 bombers but were repulsed at 1 to 1 odds. Casualty rates were 1:3 in IJA favour but combat squad casualties were 2:1 in chinese favour.
In addition one of the 50AV guerilla corps was routed by an IJA armored car company.

I have had some success in destroying my routed units in the deep japanese rear by walking them over river hexes. So far, one of the smaller corps is already in the reinforcement schedule.

Fortress

I'm starting to set up small forces, about Bn size, along with ACM's and minefields along perimiter islands so that he can't easily set up a close in supporting base. A US Army tank Bn is within days of arriving and reinforcing the Fortress.

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1/7/1942

SoPac/SwPac

KB makes an appearance near Lae and sinks an AKL bound for Port Moresby with supplies. Two other TF's are spotted with the KB and intel indicates that DD Hakaze is heading for Buna. It seems like my opponent likes landing at bases away from targets and then walking to the target overland.

DEI

Japanese forces, marching overland from Miri, take Brunei. Almost 90 bombers from Johore Bahru hit Palembang, but strangely enough, none of the allied bombers set on training there are torched on the ground. Perhaps they were all in the air doing training flights?

China

Japanese air attacks around Nanyang area.

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1/8/1942-1/10/1942

SoPac/SwPac

Yakface captures all of the dot bases west of Rabaul on New Britain via fast transport TF's and also lands at Buna. KB is in support and also several large surface combat TF's have been spotted. Intel indicates several construction units being moved to Buna, so he'll likely build the place up before moving on to PM.

DEI

I spotted a TF heading to Miri on the 7th and moved in with a cruiser task force. They got there unscathed but apparently my opponent had spotted them and they were met with two japanese heavy cruisers and supporting ships. I had, by the way, forgotten to set them on retire, otherwise the battle wouldn't have happened at all.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Shell hits 9
CA Mogami, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL Sendai, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 1
DD Shirayuki, Shell hits 2
DD Shikinami
DD Tatsuyuke, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 7, heavy fires
CA Louisville, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Tromp, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 3
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
DD Edsall, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Parrott, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Peary, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

The only more or less undamaged ship was CL Enterprise, CL Tromp and all of the destroyers except DD Parrot sunk during the afternoon. Not exactly the greatest hour for the ABDA fleet. The rest of the ships are out of immediate danger zone but IJN subs still lurk, so nothing is certain. CL Marblehead will probably sink due to fires spreading.
This has been, so far, the only major surface battle, but hopefully it will force my opponent to escort his TF's with more assets.

Malaya

It's finally clear where the Japanese troops are. Over 4000 AV of Japanese troops marched into Singapore on the 10th.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 114196 troops, 1200 guns, 511 vehicles, Assault Value = 4062

Defending force 46429 troops, 546 guns, 341 vehicles, Assault Value = 1341

Japanese adjusted assault: 2754

Allied adjusted defense: 1683

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
14210 casualties reported
Squads: 87 destroyed, 887 disabled
Non Combat: 181 destroyed, 682 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 56 disabled
Vehicles lost 105 (9 destroyed, 96 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4884 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 233 disabled
Non Combat: 105 destroyed, 319 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Vehicles lost 62 (5 destroyed, 57 disabled)

The results are not promising, but hopefully the Japanese army will rest for a few days before another attack. I lost about 300 AV due to the attack.

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I also ran a quick analysis of the IJA LCU situation. The Japanese have concentrated almost all of their major LCU's at Clark Field and Singapore. Intel says the 21st Division is at Truk, probably planning for PM, and then there are 6 regiments still unaccounted for, two of which have just arrived.

So all in all, I'm not too worried. I expect him to take Singapore within a week though, and then all of those forces will be released somewhere, and I'm somewhat afraid that somewhere might be India. Then again, if he decides to go right after India, he will be in quite some trouble, as that means the Fortress will remain uncontested and a thorn in his side.

[Canoerebel]

I'm having a hard time guessing your Fortress location.  It has to be forward enough to be a "thorn" in your opponent's side, but not so far forward that it can't be supported.  To me, those two criteria seem mutually exclusive early in the war.  My best guess is Fiji.
 
Good luck with the game.  Is this Scenario Two?  If so, with Singapore in trouble this early, like you I'd be worried about India.  If it's Scenario One, I don't think Japan can really pose a threat there.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I'm having a hard time guessing your Fortress location.  It has to be forward enough to be a "thorn" in your opponent's side, but not so far forward that it can't be supported.  To me, those two criteria seem mutually exclusive early in the war.  My best guess is Fiji.

Good luck with the game.  Is this Scenario Two?  If so, with Singapore in trouble this early, like you I'd be worried about India.  If it's Scenario One, I don't think Japan can really pose a threat there.

It is, indeed, scenario two. I'll probably disclose the fortress location by the end of the month, or whenever the Japanese get in recon range.

[Canoerebel]

Scenario Two, eh? I love Scenario Two! It can be a huge challenge for the Allies, which is where all the fun is at. So I'll follow along, pulling for you, but hoping at the same time that your opponent gives you a challenge worthy of long memory.

As for your Fortress, it can't be Pago Pago, becasue that's too far to the rear to really "pose a thorn" in your opponent's side. For that matter, Fiji is too. It can't be Noumea, because that has too many bases for the Allies to garrison adequately early and could be isolated to easily (or so I think). Luganville is too far forward.

But it could be....Milne Bay? That's my latest guess.

[String]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Scenario Two, eh? I love Scenario Two! It can be a huge challenge for the Allies, which is where all the fun is at. So I'll follow along, pulling for you, but hoping at the same time that your opponent gives you a challenge worthy of long memory.

As for your Fortress, it can't be Pago Pago, becasue that's too far to the rear to really "pose a thorn" in your opponent's side. For that matter, Fiji is too. It can't be Noumea, because that has too many bases for the Allies to garrison adequately early and could be isolated to easily (or so I think). Luganville is too far forward.

But it could be....Milne Bay? That's my latest guess.

Well, you're certainly getting closer [:'(]

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1/11/1942 - 1/16/1942



CenPac/NoPac
We sank I-26 on the 16th. The credit goes to PC Travis and and four tankers that hit the sub when she was forced to surface. In other news we had a strange sigint message on the 14th, indicating that xAK Tokyo Maru was just 12 hexes from San Francisco, I sent a DD to investigate but so far I've found nothing. Could it be a picket ship?

SoPac/SwPac
The Japanese have been capturing small and dot bases around the Bismarck sea for the past week now and on the 12th a para Bn from the 1st Raiding Regiment landed on Rabaul. The Lark Bn held out and the Japanese achieved only 1 to 4 odds. No further action has taken place there since. Yakface currently has 10 units marching from Buna to Port Moresby. The Kido Butai was seen retreating northeast on the 15th and on the 16th we recieved intel that it's probably at Truk. I expect to see it in DEI, supporting the second wave operations from Singapore within a week or two.

Australia

The first LCU's are arriving at Darwin and I'm feeling a bit more secure here.

DEI

A Japanese sub managed to sink CA Houston on the 14th with three torpedoes. Several small xAKL's, which are running the gauntet to PI, have also been sunk.

Malaya

The Japanese army made a deliberate attack at Singapore today, achieving 2to1 odds and reducing forts to 1. 5k casualties were recorded on both sides. IJA airforce continues to pound Singapore airfield and has made an occasional raid on Palembang, indicating that it's probably the next target.

PI

Air raids on Clark field, but currently our forces outnumber the Japanese, so it's going to be a long siege for them. Intel has shown that the 29th Division is unloading at Aparri, so he is bringing in reinforcements. Currently he has three divisions, the 65th brigade and supporting and tank units there.

Burma/India

I managed to unload another 40k supplies at Rangoon before about 50 Betties and Nells nailed the convoy, sinking half of the ships. It's becoming costly. I'm getting the NCAC chinese troops into Lashio right now. All in all, a potential of almost 1000 AV.

China

The IJA is still stuck at Nanyang, but north of it, they managed to rout another 1000 AV stack that was retreating from the debacle at Kaifeng, costing me another 500 AV. On the plus side, the experience is in the 50's for the LCU's involved.

Fortress

I have concentrated the fastest AP's at Aden currently. When the final part of the 6th Australian division arrives the Queen Elizabeth and West Point will rush the bulk of the division to the Fortress with full speed runs, and the rest of the 20+ knot AP's will follow with whatever gets left behind. I expect to have the division there within a few weeks at most.

[String]

1/17/1942 - 1/19/1942



SoPac/SwPac
Heavy cruisers Chicago and Indianapolis raided Milne Bay where Yakface had landed a part of a naval guard unit via fast transport. We caught the APD just as it had loaded the unit and DD Voyager sank it.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Milne Bay at 101,133, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Tade, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis
CA Chicago
DD Cushing
DD Porter
DD Voyager

Japanese ground losses:
228 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

On our way there CA Chicago was torpedoed by an i-boat, receiving moderate damage.

DEI

Our subs hit the heavily damaged I-166 (how did it get damaged, I don't know) two days in a row with dud torpedoes. Other than that, and an air raid on Palembang by approx. 80 sallies, nothing else of importance happened

Malaya

Air raids on Singapore. I expect it to fall soon.

PI

Two japanese DDs sank three xAK's and damaged the fourth at Cagayan on the 18th. They had been unloading supplies there, and sadly, hadn't unloaded a lot.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Cagayan at 79,89, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Wakaba
DD Matsukaze

Allied Ships
xAK Lena Luckenbach, Shell hits 32, and is sunk
xAK Hupeh, Shell hits 20, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kauri, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Marion Moller, Shell hits 2, on fire

On the up side, the IJA tried a deliberate attack at Clark Field and failed horribly, achieving 1 to 5 odds and suffering pretty horrible casualties

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 52540 troops, 544 guns, 652 vehicles, Assault Value = 1913

Defending force 56402 troops, 923 guns, 661 vehicles, Assault Value = 2122

Japanese adjusted assault: 861

Allied adjusted defense: 5071

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
9953 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 720 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 594 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 72 disabled
Vehicles lost 208 (15 destroyed, 193 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1051 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 116 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 42 disabled
Vehicles lost 44 (1 destroyed, 43 disabled)



China

The battle at Nanyang continues. The IJA brought in reinforcements raising their AV to 4.5k vs our 2.9k and achieved 1 to 1 odds on the following attack. Casualties were 8k to 10k in their favour. However, on the 19th 1.3k AV worth of troops arrived from Ichang, bringing the lates AV values up to 4.2k vs 3.9k.

Fortress

The concentration of AA at the fortress should give the Japanese a pause. The current AA suite is as follows

Code: Select all

Heavy AA guns:
 
 3.7" MkII AA Gun     - 92 
 3in M3 AA Gun        - 170
 80mm AA Gun          - 10
 90mm M1A1 AA Gun     - 8
 
 Total                - 280
 
 Light AA guns:
 
 37mm M1 Colt AA Gun  - 192
 40mm Bofors AA Gun   -  103
 
 Total                - 295

I didn't bother counting the various AAMG's present.

[castor troy]

amazing your cruisers did so bad against the IJN in daylight. At night, ok, even in late 45 every IJN ship is superior than the Allied ships in the game (not in real life) but during the day I would have expected your cruisers to perform far better than this. Clear IJN victory near Miri.

4000 av for Singapore sounds a bit too much to me, any clue why he sent so many units? Nearly 1000 av out of combat state though which confirms the usual happening of more units, more casualties.

[obvert]

How do you feel about the 4000 AV in Singapore? Obviously he wants it over quick, and then wants to put them somewhere new shortly after. Where is he going? Just Palembang?

Phillipenes seem on the back burner slowly simmering, so he must be cooking up something elsewhere, right?

[pionkki]

ORIGINAL: castor troy
4000 av for Singapore sounds a bit too much to me, any clue why he sent so many units?

Yakface is very careful player and uses overwhelming forces rather than takes the possibility of defeat. I know his tactic very well because I played a CHS WITP game against him until the infamous vanishing pilot bug ruined our game mid 1944.

[String]

Thankyou for your replies.

castor troy: Yes, it was a bit disappointing but i'm not overly fussed. It keeps him escorting his convoys with heavy surface assets.

obvert: Well, judging from what I've heard about my opponent I'm not too worried, he doesn't seem to be prone on wild forays into the far reaches of the pacific or indian ocean.

pinokki: Yup, sounds like him. When I get to the next update you'll see that he does like the concentration of force, almost as much as I do [:'(]

[String]

1/20/1942 - 1/24/1942

DEI The Japanese forces have sunk several xAKL's over the last days which have been attempting to resupply PI.

We spotted the Kido Butai heading towards DEI from the east and it is currently situated four hexes south of Davao in the Celebes sea. Large number of surface combat ships have been spotted accompanying it, and the mini-KB is also present. Whether this is the long-anticipated invasion of eastern DEI or is the IJN sailing to Singapore to cover the loading of transports there, remains unknown. I suspect he might do both.

Malaya

Singapore finally fell on the 21st. However, I managed to evacuate most of the 11th Indian Division via air transport, with over 300 precious indian rifle squads in it. I sent a lot of subs just east of Singapore, to intercept the transports and shipping that must surely be coming to that major port, but so far they've just been battling the japanese ASW forces there with no results on both sides.

Burma

After a long quiet a Japanese regiment captures Tavoy, which had been evacuated some weeks ago.

China

I decided to evacuate Nanyang after the AV of the Japanese army there climbed up to 6000 and the Japanese shock attack got 2 to 1 odds and reduced the forts to 0 on the 22nd. On the bright side the Japanese suffered 26k casualties with over 300 squads destroyed. Yakface reported that all of the squads came from one division which was reduced to 10% TOE, the rest of the units got 10-30% disablements. We suffered 12k casualties.
Last turn my forces arrived at the wooded/rough hex northwest of Nanyang and the IJA captured the city. The terrain there should be quite a bit more favourable for defence and also should offer more defense vs. air attacks.

Fortress

The fortress is well on its way to level 9 airfield. When it reaches that size I can concentrate over 1000 aircraft there, with most of the torpedo and dive bombers available in the pacific, alongside with the dutch level bombers which have been training for low-level naval attack since the beginning of the game.

This, along with the massive AA and CD concentration should prove to be a tough nut to crack even for the KB.