The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[JohnDillworth]

JohnDill...yes, i'm already doing it since the beginning (when NY59Giants enlight me about that). Huge convoys of 100k fuel are moving between EC and CT and from CT to Perth...however it takes a lot of time in order to have a decent amount of fuel in Oz...and i need fuel at Christmas, Pago and Suva at the moment...however now i'm working on it! Thanks a lot guys!!

After the losses at Savo Island there was consideration given to moving 5 old BB's to the SW Pacific to make up for the losses and provide some punch against the seemingly unstoppable Japanese. Problem was the they just would not be able to keep them gassed up. I don't have the reference handy but those 5 old BB could chew up tremendous amounts of fuel. I presume the Japanese suffered the some logistical bottlenecks, but they managed to put 4 BC's (or light BB's) into the fight.

[ny59giants]

I'm in mid-Nov 42 playing as Japan. Tojo kick butt and don't take any names!! [:D] I have four groups that are getting better and better every time the Allies fly over their base. You will find out how 'nasty' they are once he gets a large enough base 8 hexes away. I have re-started a game as Allies and we are only in mid-Jan 42 and I'm not looking forward to seeing them in less than 6 months. [X(]

Your problem is not going to be pilots as you are fighting over your base, it will be airframes.

SUBS
Midway - I know you have plans for attacks in Solomons and other areas. But this base should be maxed out, have an AS and AR there, and have a steady flow of fuel there for your subs. Subs out of Midway should be both north and south of Formosa, and covering the southern tip of Luzon.

Aleutians - Another AS should be at Dutch or Adak. They should be up around Hokkaido slowing down resource convoys

Townsville - Another base for subs. they should be around Truk from here and Rabaul.

Perth - The SRA should be hit from here since you don't have India. Use waypoints to get them to patrol points. Have them go the the straits between Java and Timor (as destinations - Remain on Station) and then assign patrol zones once they get there.

Check on your supply of mines for subs. Form 2 to 4 subs TF on Minelaying missions. I would use some of those long legged American subs (the ones with still high dud rates [:D]) to come up from Perth to the north around Sumatra and mine Malacca Straits close to Singapore. There are a few shallow sea hexes that he has to transit. Add in the hex just off of Palembang, Balikpapan, and Soerabaja. Look to lay them in shallow sea hexes, not just bases. Use your subs right now to be a PITA and start to find out if he is lazy in his transport paths. You get better torpedoes in 1/43, so work on this area now.

P.S. I was in USN for 6 years and spent time on AS-34 USS Canopus, so i have a soft spot for subs and ASW efforts.

[GreyJoy]

Sept 29-30 1942
 
Again a day of harsh fightings over Karachi...even if less bloody than yesterday. But odds are getting worse. 70 planes lost for me and only 116 for him.
The Spits are really making my day...too bad i have no replacements for them cause they won't enter into production for another year...[:o]
 
He already has a base 8 hexes from Karachi...Jodpur...i knew that's why he badly wanted it...TOJOs!!
 
Today he conquered Bikaner (east of Jodpur) with a para unit that pushed back my little base force...could not do anything more...
 
Sorry for this very short update but tonight i really cannot type anymore...too tired...tomorrow we'll talk deeply about everything!
 
Still thanks guys...i mean it

[Erkki]

Ki-44 "Shoki" = "Devil" [;)]

What size is the Jodphur AF? If you think he only has Ki-44s there(and at least no Ki-45s), nuke it one more time with your 4Es before withdrawing at least the majority of them from this front. Ki-44 has no armor and is armed with just machine guns, your 4Es will take some casualties but will do about 5:1 or so against them, thus contributing in the aerial battle of attrition. Also remember to send the bombers in at max house rule allowed altitude to minimize AAA losses - he probably wont have many planes on the ground any way. With some luck the first day will have poor weather and the Ki-44 sweep gets cancelled(or doenst fly in the morning phase) and you will catch most of them over Jodphur - at least damaging 75%+ of them. [:D]

[GreyJoy]

Oct 1,2 1942

And we reached October...

Rader today sent a smaller amount of fighters on sweep. The usual 200 Tojos from Jodpur and some 100 between Oscars and Zeros from Surat. The fightings were lighter than usual (probably due to the bad weather conditions). We lost 22 total planes (only 11 in A2A) while he lost 56 airframes. Spits continue to rule the skies even if today we lost our major ace - a spitfire pilot with 14 kills![:o].

The weight of the battle will slowly shift towards the US pilots now...within the next week my hurri IIa pool will get empty and i'll have to withdrawn some squadrons...P-40, P-39 and P-38s will be the core or our defence, with those 2 groups of Spits our sword.

However i'm noticing that the P-39s, operating at <10k are really doing very well...with good pilots and at the good altitudes these a/c can hold their own...
While i'm very upset about the Hurricanes...MkIIa,b or c doesn't really matter...at 20k they suck...[:(]

He sent 300 bombers at Multan...for sure he wants to suppress this base once for all. We're expecting a big para-drop from Tomorrow...and i'm pretty sure the base will then fall. However now i followed the Andy's suggestion and moved a unit right on the crossroad...no stra-moving for him[;)]. So we'll let him take it this time...and we'll bomb the hell out of it tomorrow!...with no AA nor base force able to train-transport we'll be able to keep it shut!

I'm not sending my 4Es against Jodpur which is already a level 9 AF...too much flak there...no matter which is the altitude...even at 25k my 4Es get mauled...and i mean annihilated! Last time we tried this against Surat it was a complete cathastrophe...even at 22k feet!

No, we'll keep using my 4Es to threaten his less defended bases or his advancing troops....this is forcing Rader to keep a good number of planes on CAP-LRCAP...and planes on CAP are not sweeping Karachi...plus he'll be forced to mass his flak to only one base at time cause if he wants his flak to be a real deterrent he knows he has to mass it!

NY59Giants...for what concerns subs, i'm still using them as a "recon" force. Every time i dare to get close to an "important" point his Helens on ASW kill my sub in a couple of passages...for sure Rader isn't getting lazy on the ASW matter...Truk, Rabaul, The Bonins, Saipan, Paramushiro....all these areas have plenty of air ASW assets...we have already tested it.

However i'll try to move more subs to Perth (at the moment only 5 of them are operating there) in order to start arrassing the DEI...if i can i want at least to force him not to concentrate too much his assets...

At the moment i have sub bases (with AS, fuel and stuff) at Perth, Canton Isl., Suva, Brisbane , Addak Island and Karachi (but in the latter my subs are operating only as a defensive shield for Karachi Harbour).

I setted up the first C3 Cargo Convoy only moving fuel from SF to Pagop Pago following Ny59 Suggestion. My goal is using the month of october to completely reorganize and rationalize my merchant fleet.

Rader during the last 2 days setted up a picket line all around SOPAC with his PBs...the line goes from PM to New Caledonia to southern Solomons.

My CVs are almost ready to get into action escorting a little invasion fleet bounded for Tarawa. At Tarawa only a small unit is reported...

At Brisbane everything is ready for the PM invasion fleet...we'll just wait for the CVs to get there.

At Rabaul 7 units for 6500/7000 men are confirmed. I think this info is reliable now after so many days of recon.

[CaptBeefheart]

I hope you didn't lose Cooper-Slipper, my favorite RAF pilot. Also, I really like the P-40K in 1942, but nothing beats a Spit VIII.

Keep up the highly entertaining AAR and good shooting!

Cheers,
CC

[GreyJoy]

Forgot to say that we sent another recon-kamikaze unit at Jodpur... he has slightly encreased the AV but he's nowhere close to the needed 30k!



Ground combat at Jodphur (45,14)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 294593 troops, 3354 guns, 3981 vehicles, Assault Value = 11170

Defending force 79 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 8085

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 8085 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
63 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
143rd Infantry Regiment
61st Infantry Brigade
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
5th Guards Cav Regiment
2nd Mobile Infantry Regiment
38th Division
6th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
15th Guards Regiment
48th Engineer Regiment
5th Division
21st Division
16th Recon Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
19th Ind. Engineer Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
44th Naval Guard Unit
52nd Division
51st Recon Regiment
Yokosuka Assault SNLF
23rd Tank Regiment
301st Ind.Infantry Battalion
11th Tank Regiment
2nd Recon Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment
2nd Mobile Engineer Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
39th Division
148th Infantry Regiment
14th Guards Regiment
4th Guards Division
15th Division
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment
17th Indpt Guards Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
33rd Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
8th Tank Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
17th Division
16th Guards Regiment
37th Division
Imperial Guards Division
16th Engineer Regiment
5th Guards Engineer Regiment
Yokosuka Assault SNLF /2
Guards Tank Division
146th Infantry Regiment
55th Engineer Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
6th Guards Division
9th Tank Regiment
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
53rd Division
5th Tank Regiment
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
43rd Naval Guard Unit
4th Division
1st Mobile Infantry Regiment
32nd Division
13th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
54th Division
15th Ind. Engr Rgt /2
1st Mobile AA Battalion
2nd Ind.AA Gun Co
23rd Port Unit
1st Ind.AA Gun Co
49th Field AA Battalion
32nd Ind.AA Gun Co
22nd Fld AA Gun Co
6th Field AF Construction Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
35th JAAF AF Bn
43rd Ind.AA Gun Co
21st Fld AA Gun Co
35th Const Co
4th RF Gun Battalion
12th Ind.AA Gun Co
25th Air Defense AA Regiment
1st Air Defense AA Battalion
2nd RF Gun Battalion
44th Ind.AA Gun Co
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
7th RF Gun Battalion
57th Field AA Battalion
21st JAAF AF Bn
31st Road Const Co
34th Field AA Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
21st Air Defense AA Regiment
2nd Air Division
36th Field AA Battalion
21st Ind.AA Gun Co
40th Const Co
15th Const Co
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
54th Field AA Battalion
15th JAAF Base Force
4th Naval Construction Battalion
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
5th Field AF Construction Battalion
34th Ind.AA Gun Co
41st Air Defense AA Battalion
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
13th JAAF AF Bn
27th JAAF AF Bn
3rd FF Const Unit
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
7th Field AF Construction Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
6th RF Gun Battalion
56th Const Co
6th JNAF AF Unit
1st Mobile Field Artillery Regiment
47th Field AA Battalion
48th Road Const Co
32nd Air Defense AA Battalion
29th Fld AA Gun Co
30th Fld AA Gun Co
11th RF Gun Battalion
42nd Ind.AA Gun Co
3rd Ind.AA Gun Co
3rd RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
12th Air Defense AA Regiment
23rd AA Regiment
36th Const Co
4th Air Defense AA Regiment
20th AA Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
39th Road Const Co
53rd Field AA Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
37th Const Co
52nd Const Co
9th RF Gun Battalion
22nd Port Unit
22nd AA Regiment
5th RF Gun Battalion
26th Fld AA Gun Co
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
35th Fld AA Gun Co
56th Field AA Battalion
54th Const Co
8th Field AF Construction Battalion
47th Road Const Co
48th Field Artillery Regiment
45th Road Const Co
25th JNAF AF Unit
31st Fld AA Gun Co
51st Const Co
1st Air Defense AA Regiment
25th Army
10th RF Gun Battalion
27th Fld AA Gun Co
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
43rd Const Co
31st Field AA Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
39th Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
22nd Ind.AA Gun Co
28th Fld AA Gun Co
31st Air Defense AA Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
55th Const Co
55th Field AA Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
35th Field AA Battalion
2nd Mobile AA Battalion
45th Ind.AA Gun Co
12th Ind. AA Battalion
41st Field AA Battalion
32nd Field AA Battalion
23rd Ind.AA Gun Co
53rd Const Co
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
144th JAAF AF Bn
49th Const Co
13th Ind.AA Gun Co
Southern Army
38th Field AA Battalion
21st Army

Defending units:
1/3 Det. West Coast

[GreyJoy]

So, following my calculation, in India, ready to advance towards Karachi he has the equivalent of 18 Divisions, 25 Regiments and 30 tank regiments......not bad

[ADB123]

Forgot to say that we sent another recon-kamikaze unit at Jodpur... he has slightly encreased the AV but he's nowhere close to the needed 30k!

You are taking advantage of the game mechanics here. I'm not impressed.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: ADB123

Forgot to say that we sent another recon-kamikaze unit at Jodpur... he has slightly encreased the AV but he's nowhere close to the needed 30k!

You are taking advantage of the game mechanics here. I'm not impressed.

You mean it's considered gamey? Those units were pushed out from Jodpur into the desert and they marched back to Jodpur. Could you please explain me why is not considered fair? I would not want Rader to think i do something "gamey"...

thanks

[ADB123]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: ADB123

Forgot to say that we sent another recon-kamikaze unit at Jodpur... he has slightly encreased the AV but he's nowhere close to the needed 30k!

You are taking advantage of the game mechanics here. I'm not impressed.

You mean it's considered gamey? Those units were pushed out from Jodpur into the desert and they marched back to Jodpur. Could you please explain me why is not considered fair? I would not want Rader to think i do something "gamey"...

thanks

Did you march them back deliberately in order to find out exactly what your opponent had at Jodhpur, because the Game gives you that information?

[GreyJoy]

Oh..yes...now i understand what you mean...yes, i did it deliberately... I never thought about the "gameyness" aspect of this behaviour...i'll talk about that with Rader and ask what he thinks about it... Sincerly now that i think about it...isn't the same of having picket lines of AKs-PBs all around the oceans? ...and it seems everybody does it...

However didn't want to make a gamey thing. Need to talk about that with Rader

Thanks !

[GreyJoy]

Indian situation map at Oct 2 1942

Multan can be considered lost...we do expect a big para-drop for the 3rd of October...units there are completely mauled by his bombing campaign...from 150 AVs now only 35 are left...

[ADB123]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Oh..yes...now i understand what you mean...yes, i did it deliberately... I never thought about the "gameyness" aspect of this behaviour...i'll talk about that with Rader and ask what he thinks about it... Sincerly now that i think about it...isn't the same of having picket lines of AKs-PBs all around the oceans? ...and it seems everybody does it...

However didn't want to make a gamey thing. Need to talk about that with Rader

Thanks !

Well, you got some "vanity information", because you will eventually find out what your opponent brings to battle anyway. He isn't going to surprise you with his final target. And you wasted a unit that could have been moved around to cut a rail line.

As far as "picket" AKs go, I'm glad that none of my three pbem opponents use them - I wouldn't be impressed with that either.

Play the game as you like, but remember, you don't have to take advantage of the weaknesses of the game to play a good and enjoyable game.

[GreyJoy]

And this is today A2A combat report...we've reached a good 3-1 odd today. Especially the oscars are, by now, completely outclassed

[Canoerebel]

GreyJoy, it is not in the least bit gamey. If Japan had actually invaded India in a big way, Indian partisans, scouts, and spies would have alerted the Allies to exactly what the force consisted of. You are accomplishing exactly the same thing in a reasonable way. Also, rader could stop the tactic by throwing a ring of units around Jodpur to prevent infiltration, but he failed to do so. When there is a counter to a valid tactic, it is in no way gamey.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: ADB123

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Oh..yes...now i understand what you mean...yes, i did it deliberately... I never thought about the "gameyness" aspect of this behaviour...i'll talk about that with Rader and ask what he thinks about it... Sincerly now that i think about it...isn't the same of having picket lines of AKs-PBs all around the oceans? ...and it seems everybody does it...

However didn't want to make a gamey thing. Need to talk about that with Rader

Thanks !

Well, you got some "vanity information", because you will eventually find out what your opponent brings to battle anyway. He isn't going to surprise you with his final target. And you wasted a unit that could have been moved around to cut a rail line.

As far as "picket" AKs go, I'm glad that none of my three pbem opponents use them - I wouldn't be impressed with that either.

Play the game as you like, but remember, you don't have to take advantage of the weaknesses of the game to play a good and enjoyable game.

Got your point ADB. Believe me when i say that i never tried to exploit the game mechanics...i'm trying to have a fair and amusing game for both of us (and i think this game has been real fun for both of us till now).

As far as i can tell it's just a matter of tastes...as long as the two players agree on the basic HRs and play accordingly there's nothing gamey.

Thanks!

GJ

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

GreyJoy, it is not in the least bit gamey. If Japan had actually invaded India in a big way, Indian partisans, scouts, and spies would have alerted the Allies to exactly what the force consisted of. You are accomplishing exactly the same thing in a reasonable way. Also, rader could stop the tactic by throwing a ring of units around Jodpur to prevent infiltration, but he failed to do so. When there is a counter to a valid tactic, it is in no way gamey.

And further, hindsight has shown that the game should provide Indian invasion reinforcements when Socotra is invaded. So it could be considered gamey (even unintentionally so) for a player to take Socotra before crossing the LOD.

[beppi]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: ADB123

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Oh..yes...now i understand what you mean...yes, i did it deliberately... I never thought about the "gameyness" aspect of this behaviour...i'll talk about that with Rader and ask what he thinks about it... Sincerly now that i think about it...isn't the same of having picket lines of AKs-PBs all around the oceans? ...and it seems everybody does it...

However didn't want to make a gamey thing. Need to talk about that with Rader

Thanks !

Well, you got some "vanity information", because you will eventually find out what your opponent brings to battle anyway. He isn't going to surprise you with his final target. And you wasted a unit that could have been moved around to cut a rail line.

As far as "picket" AKs go, I'm glad that none of my three pbem opponents use them - I wouldn't be impressed with that either.

Play the game as you like, but remember, you don't have to take advantage of the weaknesses of the game to play a good and enjoyable game.

Got your point ADB. Believe me when i say that i never tried to exploit the game mechanics...i'm trying to have a fair and amusing game for both of us (and i think this game has been real fun for both of us till now).

As far as i can tell it's just a matter of tastes...as long as the two players agree on the basic HRs and play accordingly there's nothing gamey.

Thanks!

GJ

Your method is by no way gamey. If you would have used a fragment you could consider it gamey, if you parafrag you could consider it gamey, if you frag-sub invade or frag APD invade to check the strength you could consider it gamey. Moving a complete unit where you are allowed to move is not gamey.

Reder does not even need to "surround" his stack to prevent. Just follow your units with one little armored unit which is faster than you baseforce changes the hexside to japanese and prevents you from entering. So quite easy to secure a stack of you units against scounting if you want to. And what easily can be prevented and follows the game rules is not gamey.

[GreyJoy]

Well guys, thanks, i think there's no need to discuss any further about it. As i said i think it's a matter of different "tastes".

Thanks ADB for bringing the thing to my attention...you never stop learning with this game!

Finally we're back with enough PPs to start changing air commanders...i had to replace some men in charge of some airgroups...(couple of Hurri IIa squadrons)...let's see if it changes anything.

Following String's suggestion we've conquested Koumak (i know it's wrongly spelled but have no time to check ) (northern New Caledonia) and another couple of bases around Erromango and Efate.

We're now ready to unload a base force at Nadi (north east of Lungaville)...we'll estabilish a little strip here in order to use our catalinas and our brand new P-38-F4s to scout the Solomons...

Apparently the whole area has been abbandoned by Rader...[&:]