Wait, I can't read Cuttlefish's new AAR? - Cribtop (J) vs CF (A)

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Cuttlefish and I both agreed that today was the most futile and shameful day for both sides' sub fleets that we have seen. On the whole the failures favor Japan, but it wasn't pretty.

I know of what you speak. Yep, it's time for some submarine Captain's to get back to their roots. Perhaps oyster shucking in a fishing boat while their daughters harvest the bounty.

[Cribtop]

Agreed, Sqz. There are a lot of new postings opening up for shore duty in the Aleutians, too. [:D]

[Cribtop]

PS - On a totally OT note, it is #@$#%@$ hot down here in Austin. Having lived here forever, I'm very used to heat. Friends often remark "you aren't even sweating." I always say I can't get hot until we hit 100 F. Well, sports fans, it's been 105 F for the past three days, and even I am officially hot.

The drought is so bad most of us Texans are crossing our fingers that the tropical depression forming near Cuba turns into a tropical storm, hits an uninhabited area, and dumps a bunch of rain on us. You know it sucks when you are reduced to hoping for a hurricane.

[ny59giants]

Thankfully, over the last few days we have had a series of thunderstorms roll through NE Tenn. Since I'm still a Yankee at heart (even after almost 20 years living in the South), once it gets above 85 its too damn hot. [8D] Water issues in this country are going to get worse in the next few years.

OT - Now that the football labor issue is over, my time is split looking at all the drama this week in the NFL.

GO NY GIANTS!!!!

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

OT - Now that the football labor issue is over, my time is split looking at all the drama this week in the NFL.

GO NY GIANTS!!!!

[:-] I'm still not over the Patriot's loss to the Giants in the Superbowl. Go Pat's! [:'(]

On a weather note, we are having a very wet summer here. So humid and mosquito ridden that Chickenboy would love it. [:D] We need some nice weather for a change!

[Cribtop]

March 19, 1942

Thank goodness the NFL (and thus our fantasy football league) will go ahead. I will grudgingly say "Go Cowboys" but as long as Mr. Jones is in charge I doubt we'll lead the world in any stat other than big screen monitor size.

Also, I know I owe y'all a strategic analysis, but with the impending invasion of Java signaling the last big Op of Phase I, I'm going to wait and provide a Phase I retrospective.

Subs

Both side's sub fleets hid in shame today. Understandable after the debacle of the past 24 hours.

4th Fleet

Nonouti invaded and taken. Not sure I mentioned it, but we have positioned an AV and a Mavis group to TB to extend the search umbrella.

A convoy is reported by a Glen boat in the Line Islands. The Raiders will move into intercept range tomorrow unless the enemy finishes unloading and departs in the night phase.

SE Fleet

Tagula Island falls. Another big reinforcement convoy departs Tokyo for Truk. We are building the perimeter while planning for a limited Phase II in this AO.

14th Army

Manila makes level 4 airfield.

16th Army

All the action is here today. While storms continue to sock in the enemy's small air force at Darwin, the Operation WD fleet executes a landing at Wyndham. Resistance is almost nil from a single small base force. Landing casualties are a little rough (600 men), but considering we unloaded 40K troops in severe storms, that's life. We should easily take the base tomorrow. The bulk of our forces will move on Darwin while an armored regiment will drive on the Broome region. A Naval Guard LCU will protect the beachhead and await a second wave of support troops.

In his e-mail correspondence CF indicated he was surprised by this move. We shall see how it plays out but it looks good so far. Part of our intention was to confuse him a bit as to our intentions.

25th Army

The Java invasion begins to load at Singers. Combat troops today, support troops and supply ships tomorrow. Estimate D-Day as the 24th or 25th.

Nells from Denpasar hit the airport at Madoien. CF continues to stay on the fields, so we destroy and damage several fighters and bombers without CAP opposition.

15th Army

Desultory bombings by both sides continue at Akyab while the two competing armies in northern Burma slog through monsoon conditions. Cribtop HQ is concerned that if the enemy makes a stand near Katha or Myitkyina that monsoon induced supply problems could prevent us from dislodging them. Still, the Brits will presumably suffer from the same supply issues we do.

China

Another DA at Sian is imminent, probably tomorrow. We're pleased that supply levels are staying in the white (previously they alternated each day between red and white even without attacks).

Further recon of the enemy's Changsha moves opens up the distinct possibility that this is defensive re-positioning rather than an offensive. We'll keep our eye on it, but concern levels have dropped off significantly.

Other

Haruna is only a few days away from being repaired at Kure. She will sortie soon for the front.

[FeurerKrieg]

Stopping in to say hi, Criptop - keep up the good Japanese efforts here. *Subscribed*

[Cribtop]

Thanks, Feurer Krieg. A baby with an upset tummy put the war on hold tonight, but we should be back in action tomorrow!

[ny59giants]

Looking good for you.....

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlsto ... large.html

[Cribtop]

March 20, 1942

ny59giants: Yep, come on tropical storm Don. We needs ya!

Subs

First a Mavis and then a Nell out of Koepang attack and claim hits on a Dutch sub near that base. Hopefully at least one hit wasn't FoW.

4th Fleet

The enemy TF apparently headed toward PH today, so no intercept. However, we learn something very interesting. CF doesn't have search aircraft in the Line Islands yet. The CVEs steamed up the line all day, so to speak, and remain unspotted. Hmm.

TB makes level 2 airfield. Time to move in some Nells and an Air HQ.

SE Fleet

We invade and take Ontong Java. Long Island is also invaded (not the Long Island near Manhattan, unfortunately). Tulagi is rapidly increasing fort levels now that 3 construction LCUs unloaded there a few days back. The base has gone from lvl 0 to lvl 2.69 in about four days. Our plan is to make Tulagi a fortified tar baby. CF will invade, find it heavily defended but unimproved, then take a pounding from LBA at our (soon to be) big bases at Munda Point and Shortlands. That's the plan anyway.

14th Army

No change.

16th Army

DA Wyndham takes the base with 872:1 odds. Needless to say, the Wyndham RAAF base force surrenders. [:D] Time to march on Darwin, which remained impotent today due to these heaven sent thunderstorms. Banzai!

25th Army

We unload support troops at Palembang while loading invasion forces at Singers. Sinkawang, which has guarded against Fortress Palembang from almost the first day of the war, is finally relieved of its Air HQ, which will shift to Port Blair via Chumphon (we will fly it in from there).

15th Army

No air raids at Akyab today. We manage to fly in enough supplies to have the LCUs topped off and the base at "yellow arrow" status, which is an improvement. The kamikaze re-supply mission is about level with Georgetown and on the way.

China

We have recovered DIS and FAT nicely and will DA Sian tomorrow. Aerial recon appears to confirm that CF's moves around Changsha were defensive, but we won't let up vigilance.

[Cribtop]

March 22, 1942

The Kaigun fleets sail from Singapore. Target Java!

Subs

No contacts.

4th Fleet

Onotoa invaded and taken by SA. We will grab the Tutti Fruttis next. This will appear to be sheer imperialism but has a specific operational purpose. We will shift the AV and Mavis group (Mavii?) to the dot base in the Ellice Islands (Tutti Fruttis is more fun to say but Cribtop HQ made us act serious). This will further extend search capacity to cover approaches to Pago Pago and Fiji.

The Raiders have sadly come up empty. They will pass by Canton Island in a final attempt at locating prey before retiring to refuel and refit in preparation for another raid.

SE Fleet

Long Island falls, Deboyne Islands invaded. A naval guard unloads at Kusaie, soon to be an important base. We have almost "seasoned" the former PM garrison to the point we can try a para drop on Terapo. Various bases are building nicely and 3 more construction engineers will soon move to Lae to improve that base and Nadzab.

14th Army

Clark finally shows 100% airfield damage.

16th Army

Nells from Koepang report a hit on an AMc fleeing Derby. They also report two APDs in port there. We will bomb the port tomorrow, even though Criptop Intel doesn't believe our pilots. Probably AMcs, crippled Dutch DDs in the best case.

The NW Oz invasion forces are on the march, although an attack on the Darwin airfield is ineffective thanks to unrelenting ugly weather.

25th Army

An ASW TF leads MKB's two Car Divs out to a point from which the Kates can re-visit Batavia. They will be joined by over 100 IJAAF bombers from Palembang. That should bounce the rubble halfway to Oz.

The Java invasion TF follows Indes Fleet and a second ASW TF to a point ESE of Billiton. From that point, we will run in to Kalidjati.

Djambi is reached by 6th Armored Regt and will fall tomorrow.

IJAAF bombers, growing bold due to CF's no CAP policy, raid Medan and kill a few Swordfish. Nells from Denpasar kill a few Lodestars at Madoien as well. Finally, an Oscar in our newly minted Palembang CAP shoots down a snooping Catalina.

15th Army

Another day when the monsoon stops the British bombers from visiting Akyab. We keep the IJAAF in the barn to maximize delivery of supplies (the Rangoon airfield is overstacked if both the bombers and transports are working). Supplies are over 200 in the base, both units are fully supplied.

We are waiting to see if the Burma army falls back or fights. They are in the first hex of jungle north of the Mandalay basin and odds are they stand there or keep running all the way home.

China

DA Sian goes about as planned, with 1:2 odds (just missed another 1:1). Most importantly, forts are dropped to 2 right on schedule. Casualties are lower for both sides, 9530(289) vs 8221(158) - note the improving kill ratio for us. One IJA brigade is wrecked and will retire to refit. A brigade and a division are inbound and should be in position for the next attack. Bottom line, unless CF takes drastic action, this base will fall. On the flank, CF had posted a KMT corps that has now retreated NW under pressure from a flanking IJA armored regiment. Another armored regiment is in the rough terrain 3 hexes east of Sian as previously suggested by everybody's favorite ny giants fan. These moves, while intended to eventually cut Sian's LoC, have the immediate effect of cutting what's left of the LoC of Yenan and the entire ChiCom army.

Above Sian, the AVG still rules. For now. We decided to shift 2 Oscar Sentai and the Tojo Chutai to China to wrest air superiority from them.

[jmalter]

hi Cribtop, i gotta say this game has really captured my attention - it's a treat to read about it 'from both sides' - between CF's literary narrative & your op-report style, i'm learning a lot about AE as i follow the action, high-value tips & tactics that'll inform my own game-play in the future. especially, i like hearing about strat-level IJ production decisions in the early phases of the game, as you lay out your reasoning in the reports.
best regards!

[Cribtop]

March 22, 1942

Thanks, jmalter! I owe a lot on the production side to advice from nygiants59, Mike Solli and others. The key is to know why you're expanding or accelerating something as the game will let you overexpand and crash your economy if you overdo it.

Most of the tactical innovations were learned by reading other AARs and good 'ole experience. I do, however, claim invention of the Cribtop Lifeboat Doctrine. [:D]

On another note, I saw today that the veterans of the Enterprise are holding their last reunion in my hometown of Austin. I salute the sailors and airmen of the Big E!

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/uss ... 71915.html

Subs

Two PBs moving to Babel to escort reinforcements to Kendari harass K XVI near Djailolo. A Glen locates the Convoy spotted yesterday at Canton Island. More on this later.

4th Fleet

The CVE Raiders finally justify their existence today. Vals and Kates come in to Canton from the ENE and put a bomb into one big xAK and a torpedo into another. There are sinking sounds and the PM raid finds only the 2 escorting DDs. Cribtop Intel estimates one merchie sank outright and the other is in an escort TF. Banzai! That should give CF something to think about. [;)] The raiders will move west tomorrow and stay in range of Canton, while an I-boat prowls for the crippled xAK. Then fuel and lack of torpedoes will force us to retire to Truk.

SE Fleet

Rekata Bay invaded. Deboyne Islands falls.

14th Army

Not much to report except that our daily raid on Bataan nets 10 supply hits. Surely the defenders are starving.

16th Army

Our armor units are on the move toward Katherine and Derby with the infantry following on. Supply unloading is almost complete and the invasion TFs will depart tomorrow.

Nells hit Derby's port but the small craft spotted there yesterday had flown the coop.

Larantoeka occupied by rowboat.

25th Army

D minus 2 for the Java invasion goes well. All fleet assets reach their waypoints without Dutch sub contacts. The invasion fleet is unspotted, a nice bonus. Next, the IJAAF out of Palembang and MKB's Kates hammer Batavia's again un-CAPped field. Numerous runway hits leave the base with 74% damage and destroy 19 aircraft (339s, 139s and Vildebeests). Total losses are 4 Kates and 2 pilots. So far, so good. Tomorrow we will hit another airfield with MKB while the Army bombers make their visits to Batavia a daily occurrence.

Praboemoelih and Djambi fall to forces advancing from the Palembang beachhead. The first act of Imperial Japan's administration of the DEI will be to dispense with all those extra letter "E"s in base names. [;)] Djambi, like Palembang, falls with all oil facilities intact (250 in this case), meaning that southern Sumatra should be able to fulfill its role as gas station for the Co-Prosperity Sphere.

15th Army

Recon shows the enemy stack at the jungle's edge has continued to retreat. Cribtop Intel believes they will go all the way to India now, but we will follow up to usher them out.

Rangoon makes level 6 port.

China

CF continues to shuffle troops around near Changsha. Hard to tell if he's angling for an offensive or not, but the numbers are still small.

[ny59giants]

I owe a lot on the production side to advice from nygiants59, Mike Solli and others

And I owe my knowledge to Tracker and one of its co-founders, Damian. [&o] He was a great teacher when I had to bring John 3rd's economy back from a 'near death' experience in his classic game vs Canoerebel in the original WITP. Since then, it has been mostly trial and error. Airframe and engine production was my weakest area in the economy, but multiple PM (to Damian) and posting here got me through it. Now, I try to lessen the learning curve for others, when able.

[princep01]

The Enterprise crewmen were honored at the Round Rock Express v Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball game last night. I was sitting near them and went over to shake a few hands. There are currently 39 survivors and those at the game informed me that this is their last reunion. About half the total were at the game on a day the temperature was only about 100. Probably only about 90 at 9:00 P. Pretty hardy stock for 80+ yr old guys. One was quoted in the paper today saying he cannot remember what he had for breakfast today, but he remembers many details about his time on the Big E. Very interesting to talk with those guys.

[Cribtop]

Which you have done admirably for me, despite the fact I'm a Cowboys fan. [&o]

[ny59giants]

I grew up watching the NY Giants in upstate NY. So it was logical for me to become a Giants fan. The AFC had yet to join the NFC to become the NFL. (Yes, I'm dating myself). If you grew up in Texas, then it is logical for you to become a Cowgirls fan. [;)] I have trouble with fans across the country who got on the bandwagon just because they were winning games and SB. [:@]

[Canoerebel]

Then I can claim purity in my fanhood.  I became an Atlanta Braves fan in 1974.  You want to talk about some awful teams!  Check out the Braves records from 1974 to 1980, and then again from 1983 to 1990!  Arg!

I was also a Miami Hurricanes football fan in the 1960s and 1970s (my dad played there).  Talk about awful teams!

What I can't figure out is how one man can be a New York Giants fan, a Clemson Tigers fan, and live in Tennessee.  Talk about wacked out!

(Sorry for hijacking, Cribtop.  I'll return now to my regularly scheduled watching of your AAR - I'm most interested in seeing what will happen at Sian.  You are creating a great opportunity there; how exactly will you take advantage of it?  Will you feed more troops into the breach and try to defeat China?  Or will you be content with drawing a fair tight noose around a Chinese MLR, holding it with the minimum force necessary, and diverting your strength elsewhere?)

[ny59giants]

I've been a Montreal Expos fan since the team was formed (tickets were sometimes cheaper than parking and the Canadian dollar was still only 3/4 of the US in value). So, I don't want to hear about your Braves. [:-] Since I'm still a 'Yankee' at heart, I don't treat college football like a religion like others in the 'South' do. [;)] I lived in NE Georgia for 6 years and its too damn hot for me. Plus, you talk funny (Southernese). [:D]

OK, enough of the hijacking, back to the war.

[Cribtop]

Football is never hijacking, Dan! All praise football!

PS from my last post - BB Pennsylvania is off the sunk list.