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

[GreyJoy]

moreover...we got the confirmation that during the last naval battle of Milne Bay we sunk 2 CAs and 3 DDs, losing 2 CLs...i'd call it a victory, even if minor[8D]

[SoliInvictus202]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

moreover...we got the confirmation that during the last naval battle of Milne Bay we sunk 2 CAs and 3 DDs, losing 2 CLs...i'd call it a victory, even if minor[8D]

minor??? - do you know how many new CLs you get - and how many he gets?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: SoliInvictus202

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

moreover...we got the confirmation that during the last naval battle of Milne Bay we sunk 2 CAs and 3 DDs, losing 2 CLs...i'd call it a victory, even if minor[8D]

minor??? - do you know how many new CLs you get - and how many he gets?

Yup...i got no more Cleveland class for the next 6 months...and, in the end, i find that the allies do not get that many Cruisers to allow the kind of loss rate i've been having in this game...
I lost a HUGE number of cruisers...at PH i lost all my cruisers and after that, during the long "battle for Tulagi" we lost something like 13 cruisers of different classes...For sure Japan paid an high price too, especially in terms of CLs...but we do not swim in cruisers nowdays so every loss is a painfull one...

Anyway, i'm pretty happy about that result, despite, as you remember, it could have been a total victory if my BBs did care to fire a single shot[:)]

[Erkki]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: SoliInvictus202

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

moreover...we got the confirmation that during the last naval battle of Milne Bay we sunk 2 CAs and 3 DDs, losing 2 CLs...i'd call it a victory, even if minor[8D]

minor??? - do you know how many new CLs you get - and how many he gets?

Yup...i got no more Cleveland class for the next 6 months...and, in the end, i find that the allies do not get that many Cruisers to allow the kind of loss rate i've been having in this game...
I lost a HUGE number of cruisers...at PH i lost all my cruisers and after that, during the long "battle for Tulagi" we lost something like 13 cruisers of different classes...For sure Japan paid an high price too, especially in terms of CLs...but we do not swim in cruisers nowdays so every loss is a painfull one...

Anyway, i'm pretty happy about that result, despite, as you remember, it could have been a total victory if my BBs did care to fire a single shot[:)]

Japan has or gets 18 CAs(of are 14 very good) and 24+5 CLs. Of the 29 CLs only Kitakamis, Oydo and Aganos(2+1+4) are any good and some of them are worse than large DDs... Each one you kill removes a comparably large % of his cruiser fleet and replacements are zero. BTW, how many CAs are confirmed sunk, any Tones, Mogamis, Takaos or CA Maya on that list? [;)]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: SoliInvictus202




minor??? - do you know how many new CLs you get - and how many he gets?

Yup...i got no more Cleveland class for the next 6 months...and, in the end, i find that the allies do not get that many Cruisers to allow the kind of loss rate i've been having in this game...
I lost a HUGE number of cruisers...at PH i lost all my cruisers and after that, during the long "battle for Tulagi" we lost something like 13 cruisers of different classes...For sure Japan paid an high price too, especially in terms of CLs...but we do not swim in cruisers nowdays so every loss is a painfull one...

Anyway, i'm pretty happy about that result, despite, as you remember, it could have been a total victory if my BBs did care to fire a single shot[:)]

Japan has or gets 18 CAs(of are 14 very good) and 24+5 CLs. Of the 29 CLs only Kitakamis, Oydo and Aganos(2+1+4) are any good and some of them are worse than large DDs... Each one you kill removes a comparably large % of his cruiser fleet and replacements are zero. BTW, how many CAs are confirmed sunk, any Tones, Mogamis, Takaos or CA Maya on that list? [;)]

here's the list...nearly half of the CLs...but very few CAs...

[GreyJoy]

last turn air results

[Erkki]

Nice! 4 of his best CAs and Furutaka are down plus 19 CLs, including Kitakami and Oi that carry 40 torpedoes each. He has only 5 prewar CLs left(+4 or 5 new ones), and 2 of them are Tenryu & Tatsuta that are most likely with his CVs as they can be upgraded to CLAAs early in the war. [;)]

[GreyJoy]

yes, but none of his BBs are down, while i lost 8 US BBs and several British BBs...but, however, his navy is not what concerns me much. I think i have reached, more or less, a good parity in terms of numbers and quality for what matters the Navy.... it's his air force his real hammer...and, despite we have reached a good overall quality, he can still outnumber me and put at risk my whole navy...

Anyway, war carries on...and we're getting better!

[GreyJoy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 10, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Trivandrum at 26,43

Japanese Ships
AV Sanuki Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Greenling



AV Sanuki Maru is sighted by SS Greenling
SS Greenling launches 4 torpedoes

a quiet turn...unless for this sinking.... i've sunk so many AVs with my subs that i wonder how many are left in his ships list....

[GreyJoy]

Jan 12, 13, 14, 15 1944
 
Sleepy turns...
 
The allies have bombed the hell out of Panggoe (between Munda and Rekata), using both Naval and Air assets. No opposition by Rader's air or naval assets. The base is garrisoned by the 1st Raiding regiment, along with some base forces.... everything south of Shortland has been evacuated... We'll try to hit Panggoe with another couple of raids and then we'll paradrop on it, hoping to get the base just before Chiuseul...
 
About Chiuseul...i gotta say i'm a bit reluctant...the target base is right in front of the main japanese bastion in the area. Shortland has 45,000 men, 280 fighters and 180 bombers. Torokina has 37k men, along with 150 fighters and 200 bombers, Buka 33k men, along with 130 fighters and 80 bombers....my invasion force will be really exposed...both to naval raids and to air attacks...i'd like to find a way to minimize the risks...the conquest of Panggoe could be a good solution...
 
In NG our New Zelanders are advancing on the flank of his main army, but the path to Salamua has been occupied by another japanese unit, sitting on the mountain hex...3 NZ Bdes will be able to dislodge the bastards only with a HUGE and sustained effort by USAAF bombers from PM...yet the threat of a CAP (from the many airfields japan has in the area of Lae) ambush is something scary and very possible...
 
I think you are all right guys...the offensive in NG has been stopped by Rader...no way i can advance anywhere here... i'm retiring from the front of Salamua the 25th US Division (the poor souls that have suffered the annihilation during japanese first offensive at PM in dec 1942) and the 3rd AUS division, moving them back to Buna. They will be moved back to PM and then from here to the Northern OZ front...
 
About the northern OZ front... we're slowly getting ready...troops are advancing from Katherin towards Darwin, while transport planes are moving supplies from Alice Spring up to the road to Darwin.
 
Broome is being built, but i keep my main logistic base at Port Hedland.
 
Perth is the core of this new front...ships, men, supplies and fuel are being massed here.
 
3 Yorktown Class CVs are upgrading in these days, while all our CLAA are upgrading too...the BB Massachusset is being repaired (she should be back in line within 23 days) after the eaten torpedo during the last night air attack at Tulagi.... The newly arrived CVEs are moving from PH to Ndeni in these days...
 
As you can see, lot of logistic and movements, very little action...
 
Rader is being moving lots of troops to the north eastern coast of NG...at least 60k men have been moved there from Rabaul in the last 30 days... we really need to open the Northern Oz front ASAP...
 
In India our men just started their advance towards Lahore. A strong force is left behind at Multan, along with 3 divisions on strat mode...ready to get back to Hyderabad or Karachi if any emergency arises...but Karachi has 9 forts and light urban hex...with 400 fighters and 670 bombers should be pretty safe[:)]... Rader keeps on keeping the bulk of his forces at Lahore...let's see how it plays out
 
 

[princep01]

In India our men just started their advance towards Lahore. A strong force is left behind at Multan, along with 3 divisions on strat mode...ready to get back to Hyderabad or Karachi if any emergency arises...but Karachi has 9 forts and light urban hex...with 400 fighters and 670 bombers should be pretty safe... Rader keeps on keeping the bulk of his forces at Lahore...let's see how it plays out.

That's the spirit, Reek. Go Forth and see what the LYBs do. You're wise to watch for skuldrugery by those sneaky devils, but a push might do what CR suggested. At worse, it will be a good lesson for future games. At best, you might push the blighter into a wild, scambling retreat. Likely result is something inbeteen, but recoverying India is a pretty nice prize.

One more suggestion if I might before taking my leave : I agree that butting your head against the NG defenses might be folly, and bloody folly at that. Despite my well deserved reputation for enjoying bloodfests, I'd think it wiser to do what you are doing and plan for an alternative area of ops. Reek, one thing I think you need to be more conscious of is that planning is a huge part of controlling the Allied forces. If you use tracker, bravo. I wish I had the computer skills and time to master it. However, even a paper guy like me can get multiple actions in the planning phase well in advance of implementation. Then, once the first op starts, the next one is ready to go in immediately if the LYBs react to the first, then the third and soforth. These ops are ready....they may or may not go depending on the LYB reaction, but they usually do. Put the LYBs on the horns of a dilema on how to react (sometimes they do naught and my plans really work best than.

Again, just a suggestion. Enjoy this part of the game where you do offensive things to him rather than being the butt of the offensive joke. It is much more fun and I am sure you're enjoying giving the lash rather than constantly trying to heal the whelps on your back.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: princep01

In India our men just started their advance towards Lahore. A strong force is left behind at Multan, along with 3 divisions on strat mode...ready to get back to Hyderabad or Karachi if any emergency arises...but Karachi has 9 forts and light urban hex...with 400 fighters and 670 bombers should be pretty safe... Rader keeps on keeping the bulk of his forces at Lahore...let's see how it plays out.

That's the spirit, Reek. Go Forth and see what the LYBs do. You're wise to watch for skuldrugery by those sneaky devils, but a push might do what CR suggested. At worse, it will be a good lesson for future games. At best, you might push the blighter into a wild, scambling retreat. Likely result is something inbeteen, but recoverying India is a pretty nice prize.

One more suggestion if I might before taking my leave : I agree that butting your head against the NG defenses might be folly, and bloody folly at that. Despite my well deserved reputation for enjoying bloodfests, I'd think it wiser to do what you are doing and plan for an alternative area of ops. Reek, one thing I think you need to be more conscious of is that planning is a huge part of controlling the Allied forces. If you use tracker, bravo. I wish I had the computer skills and time to master it. However, even a paper guy like me can get multiple actions in the planning phase well in advance of implementation. Then, once the first op starts, the next one is ready to go in immediately if the LYBs react to the first, then the third and soforth. These ops are ready....they may or may not go depending on the LYB reaction, but they usually do. Put the LYBs on the horns of a dilema on how to react (sometimes they do naught and my plans really work best than.

Again, just a suggestion. Enjoy this part of the game where you do offensive things to him rather than being the butt of the offensive joke. It is much more fun and I am sure you're enjoying giving the lash rather than constantly trying to heal the whelps on your back.

My master,

i agree with your suggestions. In fact i tried to plan the advance in the Solomons in the fashion you suggested. While my troops were getting ready for Thousands (then become Auki), others were prepping for Rekata and for Munda, and now i have units fully prepped for Chiuseul and Treasury Island...while the bulk of my forces is planning for a series of different little operation part of the bigger scope operation concerning northern Oz and our future advance towards SouthernDEI/ Western NG.

The real problem is to mass enough ships in order to accomplish more than one operation at time...the shortage in terms of APA/AKAs is really hurting me (my blame i used all those APs for that tragical operation at PM in Dec 1942...)...and Oz seems to be always short of fuel and supplies, no matter how much i ship there..

Anyway...we're on the move...in the last 6 months we have changed the tide and now our advance is becoming more consistent....and i feel confident!!

[&o]

[jeffk3510]

Is this what you will be leading the advance across the desert in?

It's natural baby.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

Is this what you will be leading the advance across the desert in?

It's natural baby.

AHAHAHAHAH [:D][:D][:D]

Yes, Rommell had his own Mammuth...i have my bushy car [8D]

[jeffk3510]

Thought you would appresh.

[GreyJoy]

Jan 18, 19 1944

His night torpedo attacks continue over Tulagi.
During the last days the super fast Frances kept arriving to attack my ships...i dispatched a day corsairs squadron to night duties and they made the difference. My night fighters (Havocs and Venturas) are simply too slow to catch his bombers, while the corsairs, even without radars, at least score some hits. We managed to repulse a couple of attacks, while the ships AA did the rest...

While a great convoy is loading at Ndeni (with the whole II US Corp composed of 2 divisions, 2 tank BNs, 2 Artillery regiments and 2 Eng Regiments), we decided to get Panggoe with a paratroopers assault.
The paras were preceded by a huge air bombings of the enemy positions on the jungle island. 130 4Es and 90 2Es pounded the base and the troops, while the skies were granted empty by not less than 110 between Hellcats, Thunderbolts and Lightings. The japs decided (wisely) not to engage.
We really hit hard the enemies and when the C-47s arrived not a single AA gun shot at them....
Unfortunately there were enough forts there to give the defenders some breath and we obtained a 1-1 on the first day, with forts down to 1...
The second day, while bombers kept on pounding hard the enemies, our C-47s didn't fly...so our para units delivery was not completed and no supplies arrived to our men.... despite being outnumbered and without supplies (ammos) our brave paras managed to obtain another 1-1, bringing down the forts to 0....
Unfortuntaley the base wasn't taken on the first attempt and now we fear the japanese countermove.
Tomorrow our C-47s will try to bring in more supplies and to complete the troops delivery, while LRCAP and Sweep missions are ordered to 200 allied fighters.
Subs are moving there also in order to provide some cover for his naval bombings...

we hope to get the base tomorrow...it will be important...very important... in order to get a footstep into new Georgia so that to give a close cover to the invasion of Choiseul.

We also decided that it's time to eliminate the enemy presence at Tulagi.
In 4 days the equivalent of 3 divisions will attack the enemy pocket (those poor bastards are there starving and rotting since Jan 1943!!![:D][:D]...i bet the cannibalized themself!

In NG the statlemate continues...

Tomorrow our eastern army will exit multan, moving east towards Lahore...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Tulagi at 114,137

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
P1Y1 Frances x 11



Allied aircraft
P-70 Havoc x 8
F4U-1A Corsair x 11
PV-1N Ventura x 2


Japanese aircraft losses
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Spence
CL Mobile


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Raiding Regiment, at 111,133 (Panggoe)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 68
B-24J Liberator x 70


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Panggoe (111,133)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1654 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 117

Defending force 2514 troops, 3 guns, 40 vehicles, Assault Value = 36

Allied adjusted assault: 68

Japanese adjusted defense: 46

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
379 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Allied ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1
503rd Parachute Rgt /2
2nd Fiji Commando Bn /1
1st USMC Parachute Bn /1
1st Fiji Commando Bn /1

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
207th JAAF AF Bn /1
76th JAAF AF Bn /1
10th JNAF AF Unit /1
32nd Port Unit /1
46th Const Co /1
46th JAAF AF Bn /1
53rd JNAF AF Unit
69th JAAF AF Coy
3rd Mobile Engr Rgt /1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Panggoe (111,133)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 2132 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 127

Defending force 1929 troops, 3 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 14

Allied adjusted assault: 33

Japanese adjusted defense: 28

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
237 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Assaulting units:
2nd Fiji Commando Bn /1
503rd Parachute Rgt /2
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1
1st USMC Parachute Bn /1
1st Fiji Commando Bn /1

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
207th JAAF AF Bn /1
76th JAAF AF Bn /1
46th JAAF AF Bn /1
10th JNAF AF Unit /1
69th JAAF AF Coy
3rd Mobile Engr Rgt /1
53rd JNAF AF Unit /1

[GreyJoy]

Jan 20, 21 1944

Good news...

Panggoe is in our hands.

Rader sent a DD division to deal with our PTs at Rekata, sinking a lot of them (10) for no damage on his side...
Then his BBs, at night, came to Panggoe to bomb the trenches where our paras were spending their night.... the subs we placed on the coast did their job and SS Pampanito placed a fish in Hiei's Stomache...not a devastating hit but the ship will probably have to R&R for some time...our subs have dramatically encreased their efficiency lately...even in shallow waters!

However...the BBs pressed forwards and bombed the island...luckly our guys were well dispersed in the jungle and the damage was irrilevant...

Then, when the day came, Rader didn't dare to send his bombers, fearing of a CAP trap (smart boy!)...we dominated the skies and our C-47s delivered supplies and the rest of out para battallions... we then shock attacked and we conqeured the whole place, killing at least 2000 japanese!

Now we have Panggoe...we're really getting close...supplies and goods are flowing to Munda and soon i'll have 3 advanced bases from where to start reducing Bouganville strongpoint(Munda, Rekata and Panggoe).

In the meanwhile the II US Corp will tomorrow unload at Tulagi, in order to deal with what remains of the enemy invasion forces...then, the next step, is Rekata Bay!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Panggoe at 111,133

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Torpedo hits 1
BB Kirishima
CA Aoba
CA Ashigara
CA Atago
DD Hamanami
DD Fujinami
DD Suzunami
DD Aogumo
DD Yugure
DD Kuroshio

Allied Ships
SS Pampanito, hits 20, heavy damage * the poor ship is damaged...but she should make it[8D]*


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Panggoe at 111,133

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
CA Aoba
CA Ashigara
CA Atago
DD Aogumo
DD Yugure
DD Kuroshio
DD Hamanami
DD Fujinami
DD Suzunami


Allied ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Panggoe (111,133)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 2619 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 133

Defending force 1738 troops, 3 guns, 35 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 69

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 17 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Panggoe !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
666 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 102 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 35 (35 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 8


Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Fiji Commando Battalion
2nd Fiji Commando Bn /2
503rd Parachute Regiment
2nd Fiji Commando Battalion
1st USMC Parachute Battalion
2nd USMC Parachute Battalion
503rd Parachute Rgt /1

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
69th JAAF AF Coy
3rd Mobile Engr Rgt /1
207th JAAF AF Bn /1
46th JAAF AF Bn /1
76th JAAF AF Bn /1
10th JNAF AF Unit /1
53rd JNAF AF Unit /1


In India, our troops moved towards Lahore...and Rader seems to be moving towards Multan...a clash of Titans?[&:]

[Cribtop]

Well done in the Solomons. Watch him in India. His latest moves seem odd, even random, but I smell he's up to something. He isn't countermarching there for no reason.

[Erkki]

Umm... What kind of terrain is Panggoe? 5 bombarding battleships(including Yamato) against only infantry(6 battalions or so?) managed to score 60 casualties... lol

[Canoerebel]

What's unusual about it? Dug in troops unseen in the jungle would be hard to hit, especially without good naval fire spotters in place. If the infantry unit were small, so much the harder. If the enemy ships were worried about getting in and getting out during nighttime hours, due to threat of air, and then one of the BBs took a torp from a sub, then the missions might well be cut short or cancelled.

I would think it much odder if Japanese ships on a "smash and dash" missions managed to tear apart an infantry unit in the jungle. It certainly didn't happen at Guadalcanal.