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

[Mike Solli]

Hey Cribtop, what's your CVE raider TF force composed of?

[Mike Solli]

Cebu has 20 LI and 20 Resources. That's 20 supply produced a day. If I remember correctly, there's a Philippine division there. Sure, they're understrength and weak, but I suspect they have excess supply there. I don't plan on letting that island hang around very long in my next game.

[Cribtop]

So much for them being out of supply then, Mike.

The CVE TF is really just a nuisance force composed of Hosho, Taiyo, CL Kuma and 4 DDs. I've got a Chutai of Zeros and 18 Vals on Taiyo. Why these ships? Because they're too slow to keep up with the fleet CVs.

[Mike Solli]

Any luck with them so far? I don't recall.

[Cribtop]

We've sunk or damaged several merchants near Canton Island. No big fish yet. They're headed up North primarily so we don't go to the well in SOPAC too often and bump into a USN bird farm.

[Cribtop]

May 5, 1942

Today the first Western Allied counter thrust is blunted - for now.

Subs

No contacts.

4th Fleet

No change.

SE Fleet

We recon the heck out of Suva to see what shipping is present and to keep CF wondering as to our intentions. There are lots of juicy targets including a CA TF, AKs, TKs, etc. We must try to make CF pay for disbanding ships this close to the front lines.

14th Army

We finish unloading supplies at Cebu and will go pick up a second regiment.

16th Army

Cuttles was not bluffing at Daly Waters. He tries a DA with an all tank force against our 3 armored regiments despite constant Japanese air attack. The assault fails by 4 miserable adjusted AV, obtaining 1:2 odds, casualties 350(7) vs 70(2). A gratifying result, and IJA reinforcements are on the way. We may even sneak a fourth armored regiment in from behind to isolate our tormentors if CF stays put.

25th Army

DA Langsa takes the base with 127:1 odds, destroying 1 Dutch LCU and retreating 3. Casualties 526(71) vs 43(0). On to Sabang and the opening of the Malacca Strait.

Singapore is a bustle of activity, with Oil and excess supply from Palembang landing daily. Soon the first Singers to Japan tankers will depart. As shipping needs decline with the slow transition to the strategic defense, Cribtop HQ is considering a big, one time effort to haul a bunch of oil and fuel out of recently captured bases with large stockpiles using xAKs. Thoughts on whether this is worth it are requested.

15th Army

DA Warazup smashes the stragglers of the Burma Army, odds 5:1, casualties 2667(349) vs 59(0). The BFF Brigade and an RAF base force surrender while 7 LCUs retreat. Nice. Not so nice is that they follow the weird retreat algorithm to their doom, falling back on Bhamo instead of India. This is too silly for Cribtop HQ to abide, so we offer CF free passage for these forces so long as they retreat directly to India and take no offensive action along the way. I don't think we players need to make up for all the quirks of the game engine, but this case just defies any reasonable explanation.

Elsewhere, the lone wolf unit marching on Kalemyo is revealed to be 6th Australian Division. Well, well, game on Mr. Cuttlefish! We have the 33rd Division "A" brigade (150 AS) in place in jungle rough, with the balance of 33rd Division nearby. We will accept battle and use the 33rd B and C units to attempt encirclement. This situation may also present a favorable opportunity for attritional air combat over a friendly base. The IJAAF will begin bombing tomorrow.

This move, taken in conjunction with Daly Waters, indicates that the enemy is slowly transitioning to at least local offensive operations. The question is whether these are ad hoc moves or a longer term design to wait until Japan reached certain phase lines before unleashing planned offensives. So far the evidence points to a middle course, with some forethought in NW Oz at least. We will watch and attempt to exploit if CF over reaches.

China

BA Sining reveals the unfortunate news that the enemy has a big, 350 AS corps there. Raw AS in a mountain base hex is 552 to 433. We will probably need another division to take the base. Whether this is a good use of forces is an open question. Sining is isolated from both the KMT heartland and the surrounded ChiCom army, and just maintaining a presence in the hex denies resource and thus supply production, IIRC.

5th Fleet

Forces for a small probe up here, dubbed Operation Winter Lotus, gather at Ominato. Etoforu makes level 2 airfield while Shimushiri Jima makes level 1.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Singapore is a bustle of activity, with Oil and excess supply from Palembang landing daily. Soon the first Singers to Japan tankers will depart. As shipping needs decline with the slow transition to the strategic defense, Cribtop HQ is considering a big, one time effort to haul a bunch of oil and fuel out of recently captured bases with large stockpiles using xAKs. Thoughts on whether this is worth it are requested.

I'd do it if you plan on moving xAKs back to Japan for other reasons. Such reasons may include pushing supply or troops out of Japan or converting some xAKs. If that's the case, they why not move extra resources, fuel or oil back? I recommend using the Yusen N and Kyushu classes. They're the ones that can carry 300 liquid. I am pretty sure if you load resources on them they pick up oil as well. Even if they don't, hauling fuel back is a good thing too.

What TKs do you plan on using for the normal push out of Singapore? Also, what's the destination? Taiwan or the Home Islands?

[Cribtop]

Mike, I'll PM you as I think my TK routes are quite devious.

[FeurerKrieg]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Mike, I'll PM you as I think my TK routes are quite devious.

PM me too pretty please? I'm a big planning and logistics guy too (as you might know from my pre-AAR).

[Nemo121]

500 AV x 3 for mountains = 1500 AV adjusted.

1500 AV divided by 4 ( for disruption and morale losses from a good intensive bombing strike ) = 375 AV.

375 AV /2 ( to account for poor experience/leadership = 187 AV adjusted.


Whenever I see a stack which relies for most of its combat power on a single unit I always view it as extremely vulnerable to air attack.

[ny59giants]

Singapore is a bustle of activity, with Oil and excess supply from Palembang landing daily. Soon the first Singers to Japan tankers will depart. As shipping needs decline with the slow transition to the strategic defense, Cribtop HQ is considering a big, one time effort to haul a bunch of oil and fuel out of recently captured bases with large stockpiles using xAKs. Thoughts on whether this is worth it are requested.

Don't forget you can convert the "Std-A, B, C, D" xAKs to TKs on June 1st. They should help you get oil/fuel from smaller bases to major ports for transport back to Japan.

[Cribtop]

Odds, Ends and Bits of String

A few random notes tonight after sending the turn to Cuttlefish.

1) In perusing the Ops report, I saw the following "Pilot Kimura, T is found." So now we have one escaped PoW (see entry about a month ago) and one rescued MIA back in the saddle.

2) Nemo, that comment is very useful in both China and Burma right now.

3) CF and I have agreed to upgrade to the latest beta at last, in part because it's proven stable and in part because it will allow Nemo and I to start a game (which will be a learning experience, no doubt - at least I'm Allies in that one). I'd like the readers' advice on which beta to go with. I assume the latest is available in the member section for AE?

4) Michael, I am itching to convert the Stds to TKs. There's an STD joke in there somewhere.

5) Finally, a big THANK YOU to all you guys. This is a very active thread and your comments are great. Keep it up!

PS - You do NOT want to be a BoSox or Braves fan tonight. Ouch. Meanwhile, my Rangers will face the inspired Rays. Should be interesting. By the way, CF is a Tigers fan and quite happy with his Verlander.

[Panther Bait]

Cribtop,

I'm an old school Red Sox fan, so this year almost qualifies as nostalgic.

Mike

[Cribtop]

Just like old times for the Sox. I can't wait to read the Sports Guy's rant on the subject.

[crsutton]

Just load the latest beta. It works just fine. If not, just wait for the newest one that will come out and swap up. The changes so far are just short of amazing. I just wish the official would come out soon just so we are all on the same plain.

IMHO Michaelm walks on water..[&o]

[Cribtop]

And... Here it is:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/703 ... y-game-162

Love the Airplane video and the proposed book about the 2011 Red Sox entitled Daddy Needs Another Drink.

[Cribtop]

May 5, 1942

Subs

Triton duds on a DD escorting an empty troop convoy back to Japan. First confirmed sighting of a sub in home waters. Good to see Allied subs foolishly target escorts too. I-15 misses an AM in an ASW TF near Brisbane. Not a lot of activity on the east coast of Australia, which is interesting.

4th Fleet

No change.

SE Fleet

Just about done delivering the latest batch of reinforcements. They free up 3 small companies which will shift to the DEI for DBCL work.

14th Army

No change.

16th Army

Reinforcements approach Daly while bombers attack the Aussie tanks. We are also shifting some AT gun units to NW Oz.

25th Army

DA 56, 107 (near the extreme east edge of Java), retreats a battered base force with 98:1 odds, casualties 156(8) to nil.

MKB arrives at Cam Ranh Bay and will hideout and clear SYS damage while we work to establish pre-conditions for Raging Bull II.

15th Army

We bomb 6th Oz division and our plan works to draw the enemy air force. 2 lonely H81s meet 39 Oscars and are brushed aside with at least 1 sure kill. Hopefully we can draw more numbers into this air battle.

Bettys out of Rangoon spot and claim a hit on a CM at Akyab. Presumably Cuttlefish is mining the harbor, which is ok because we are not relying on sea supply here (yet).

Forgot to mention that CF took me up on my offer to withdraw the Warazup survivors unmolested.

China

As expected, CF is probing forward with some of his Ichang troops toward Nanyang. We have a reserve division in place to deal with this. Elsewhere, troops continue to quietly shift closer to the jump off points for Operation Red Dragon.

[Cribtop]

May 6, 1942

Our plan to draw the enemy into air battle in Burma begins to work today.

Subs

RO-34 torpedoes an xAK near Sydney. Starting to improve in the sub game.

4th Fleet

No change.

SE Fleet

B-17s launch ground attacks on our Naval Guard unit at Horn Island. Interesting that it's a ground attack instead of airfield. Is this a pre-cursor of an invasion? We may position ships and planes forward in respons to this.

Tulagi makes level 4 forts.

14th Army

Manila makes level 6 port.

16th Army

The enemy begins to withdraw from Daly Waters under constant air attack.

25th Army

The Allied air force at Soerabaja surprisingly sorties to bomb our troops. The impact is minimal, however. Unless he pulls them out soon, CF is going to lose a group of B-25s here.

DA at hex 53, 105 against another isolated Dutch unit achieves 9:1 odds but rather desultory casualties of 192(0) vs 89(2).

15th Army

As we hoped, yesterday's bombing attack on the 6th Oz Division draws the enemy out. Today, sweeps and bombing attacks result in constant air battles with H 81s of the reconstituted AVG. During the combat it is painfully clear the the new enemy pilots are not up to the standard of the pre war studs lost in China. Overall we achieve a kill ratio of 9:5 for the day and get two decent bombing runs in for good measure. This is a meatgrinder we'll be happy to continue for however long CF would care to engage us.

Another LCU has crossed the Indian - Burmese frontier and is marching on Akyab. They will soon face the Imperial Guards Division, however.

China

CF orders a BA at Wuchang to probe us. He has a rather impressive raw AS of 3794 to our 1102. However, we have the light urban terrain bonus, 100% prep for several of our units and forts at level 5.93. We could move in another division, but won't do so unless it's absolutely necessary.

[Cribtop]

OK, so I've upgraded. Tell me about the coolness of the beta. What is the impact of the "stockpile" buttons? I want to stockpile things in various bases such as Singapore, but will doing so drain the entire Asian continent? Do search arcs work now (I almost wish they didn't as the micromanagement is tough even for OCD me)? I've heard there are lots of click-saving moves, what are the best ones?

PS - I know you can buy back destroyed LCUs now. Fortunately I've only lost 2 small units so far so I won't need that one much. [;)]

[ny59giants]

Stockpiling means that a "Yes" for that item(s) will not have it moved out of the base. I have "Yes" on for Oil at Singapore. That way what I bring in from Sumatra will not end up in Bangkok or Saigon and will end up being loaded on large TKs for trip to Japan. Bangkok gets enough from Burma.

When you into your industry ("J" button), you can mouse over your airframes and R&D and now know how many you have and the percentage of that R&D moving forward a month. So many cool enhancements to use now. [8D]

You may need to talk with CF about allowing 4e bombers to be used in ground attacks. I play both sides and they can be too deadly for any troops in clear terrain with their payloads.

OT - How about them Clemson Tigers?? It may a barn burner the last game of the year against SC Gamecocks.