Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[ny59giants]

Someone is up early and doing some posting.... [;)]
Brief snow flurries here. [:)][:)]

I have a HR against 4e bombers on ground attack. They can do too much damage in clear terrain to a stack of units.

[Canoerebel]

John, good to see you starting a new game...and good to see you planning boldly!  You'll have a big audience if  you go after Oz in a major way.  I hope you do.

[Mike Solli]

John, if you didn't solve the PBEM problem, I'll wager that michaelm can fix it for you. I'd PM him.

[Dan Nichols]

I would try something like B-17/B-24 ground attack at 12,000 or higher and only against hexes where there are no allied troops. No CAS missions.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

John, if you didn't solve the PBEM problem, I'll wager that michaelm can fix it for you. I'd PM him.

I've sent him the file and am planning to sacrifice one of my four cats to help bring about a good response!

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

John, good to see you starting a new game...and good to see you planning boldly!  You'll have a big audience if  you go after Oz in a major way.  I hope you do.

Remember how close it was in our game. Soooooo close that you were down to just Brisbane and Sydney if I remember correctly.

THIS time will bring certain victory! BANZAI!

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Dan Nichols

I would try something like B-17/B-24 ground attack at 12,000 or higher and only against hexes where there are no allied troops. No CAS missions.

THAT is interesting. Perhaps bump it up to 15,000 Ft and go with the same restriction regarding no Allied Troops? This is a pretty fair idea. Like it. I will bounce it off of my noble opponents.

Michael: YES I am Posting early this morning. CALL me! We had the excitement of a HUGE (like 20lb+) stray cat get into the House around 5am. The girls (3 of our cats) were screaming and hissing from on high. Our PUNY male (we cannot seem to have large Toms) was busy hiding. We had to chase this varmit all through the house to drive him out. By the time he was out the boys were up and awake and so life started at the Cochran House about 5:15am. Will wager on early bed for the boys tonight!

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Remember how close it was in our game. Soooooo close that you were down to just Brisbane and Sydney if I remember correctly.

I was down to Melbourne and Sydney. You had me bottled up and Oz seemed lost. You tried one attack at either Sydney or Melbourne, but the forts did the job and your losses were high. So you settled in for a protracted siege. Early in the siege, you had a battleship TF wander too closely to Melbourne and some Aussie strike aircraft sank one of your battlewagons. I was so worried about Oz that I couldn't even take comfort in that little victory.

The siege of Oz continued for well over a year. While the Japanese army was in Oz, though, the Allies eventually invaded Hokkaido and Sikhalin Island. It took a long time to pull that together. It was late enough in the war that you had finally begun to retire your Oz army. As I recall, some of these troops were on their way back to the inner perimter when the Allies hit Hokkaido, so you did have a decent reserve not too far away.

How's that for memories?

[John 3rd]

This is how I expect things to develop with the Opening Phases of the War:

Philippines:
48th ID, 2nd ID, and 65th Brigade---Slow campaign that will simply work to bottle the Allied troops into Bataan and slowly wear them down.

Malaya:
18th ID, Imperial Guards, 38th ID, 21st ID, 5th ID and remaining Armor---QUICK Campaign to have Singers by mid-January. All troops to land initially at Singora with the 38th (after Hong Kong) to land at Mersing.

Sumatra:
4th ID and 2 Tank Regiments for a quick conquest of Palembang and the remainder of the Island. I will land at Palembang no later then December 15th. As soons as Palembang falls the 4th ID will then bounce Java by landing at Merak by January 1st.

Darwin:
Smaller Infantry units will blast the hole from Babeldoap through Ternate--Ambon with plans to land the 33rd ID at Koepang by December 25th. The 33rd plus 2 Brigades will land west of Darwin in early-January.

South Pacific:
The South Seas Force and Imperial Guards Brigade (bought on Turn One and sent by Warp Speed Convoy to Truk) will take Rabaul by December 15th, grab Luganville and Noumea by mid-January, and set-up the Eastern Pincer of the Aussie Invasion. I've already grabbed 14th Army plus 4 large Artillery units and sent them this direction for added weight early on.

Central Pacific:
Will take my normal Wake and Midway by using one of my new SNLF Assault Brigades.

Aleutians:
Normal moves to quickly grab a defensive line from the mid-Aleutians (perhaps as far as Unmak) west. Small units used for this.

My Infantry Division count is coming up short. Who did I miss?

All political points go to buying out Inf Div from China and Manchuria. Should be able to buy at least 3 before I land in SE Australia. ALL of them will be sent for the Eastern Assault...

Reactions/Thoughts?

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Remember how close it was in our game. Soooooo close that you were down to just Brisbane and Sydney if I remember correctly.

I was down to Melbourne and Sydney. You had me bottled up and Oz seemed lost. You tried one attack at either Sydney or Melbourne, but the forts did the job and your losses were high. So you settled in for a protracted siege. Early in the siege, you had a battleship TF wander too closely to Melbourne and some Aussie strike aircraft sank one of your battlewagons. I was so worried about Oz that I couldn't even take comfort in that little victory.

The siege of Oz continued for well over a year. While the Japanese army was in Oz, though, the Allies eventually invaded Hokkaido and Sikhalin Island. It took a long time to pull that together. It was late enough in the war that you had finally begun to retire your Oz army. As I recall, some of these troops were on their way back to the inner perimter when the Allies hit Hokkaido, so you did have a decent reserve not too far away.

How's that for memories?

A fond smile just broke across my face Dan. What a fight that was! Yes...I do remember losing that BB. Ohhhhhhhh the pain and horror!

I took one shot at Sydney and immediately saw that it was impossible. Started a phased withdrawal and those troops lived to fight another day. That damned invasion of yours will NEVER be forgotten! I sank 200+ ships and you...still...kept...on...coming. Felt like Apollo Creed fighting Rocky Balboa. GREAT times!

[&o][:D][&o]

[Canoerebel]

With an all out commitment by Japan, I believe Oz can be taken.  In fact, as an Allied player, Oz worries me considerably more than India (and India would worry me alot under the right circumstances).
 
NE (Townsville) and NW (Darwin) Oz are easy pickings for Japan.  Even the Perth quadrant should be easy.  The tough nut, of course, is the southeast quarter.  If Japan can land in strength at, say, Geelong (or Portland) and Newcastle (or Maryborough) and move expeditiously to invest Melbourne and Sydney...well, the Allied player is going to sweat.
 
You know this, but you'll need to move fast, before your opponent can move in reinforcements from the USA.  And you'll need the KB to impose a blockade. 
 
And is there any reason not to bomb Aussie industry, especially aircraft factories?
 
Yes, Oz would worry me if I was an Allied player facing an aggressive and experienced opponent....

[John 3rd]

My thinking exactly Sir.

OK. KB Planning. In this game the Japanese start with the BIG SIX, 3 CVLs (Ryujo, Zuiho, Shoho), and 2 CVEs. All carriers start with full complements of MODERN aircraft.

I will make my traditional opening attacks:

1. Pearl Harbor will be smacked with CarDiv 2 and 5 (Hiryu--Soryu, Shokaku--Zuikaku). I may split off CarDiv5 to lay in wait for early West Coast to Hawaii Convoys. CarDiv2 will race SW to cover the Rabaul through Luganville Offensive.
2. Manila (with those damned SS) will be struck by CarDiv1 (Akagi--Kaga), who will then sink anything they can find West of the Pilippines, and then move to Cover the Palembang Invasion Force. They'll replenish and then raise HELL in the Western DEI and south of Java.
3. My 3 CVL (108 planes) will sink shipping south of the Philippines and then Cover the Ambon and Koepang Operations. Will operate in open waters after that hunting for convoys and then move east to support CarDiv2.
4. The CVEs will block the eastward door of escape from the Philippines and then move towards Koepang to free up the CVLs for more work.

Battleline: 2 BC with CarDiv2 and 5, 2 BC with CarDiv1, Yamashiro--Fuso in Western DEI, Ise--Hyuga leaving Hiroshima to Support Eastern DEI and Australia Ops, Nagato--Mutsu leaving Hiroshima to support Rabaul and Noumea Ops.

The Japanese 1942 carriers come in slightly ahead of their normal dates. Junyo--Hiyo will join up with CarDiv1 and then CarDiv2 will link-up with CarDiv5. Nisshin comes in AS a CVL and it will join its sisters quickly.

I want 4 CVs and 4 CVLs interdicting the eastern side of Australia no later then February 1st (maybe by January 15th) with 4 CVs doing the same on the western side.

[John 3rd]

These operations are gonna cost a TON of Fuel and since RA starts with Japan's Reserve already much reduced (the cost of the expansion prior to war's beginning) it will be a major concern. Have enough AOs to keep things moving but it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[John 3rd]

Think my two missing Japanese ID are the 18th and 56th. The 18th is added to the Malay Campaign and the 56th works the Philippines and Eastern DEI.

In a change from the earlier RA Scenarios, 4.0 has Political Points reduced back to the 'normal' level.

[John 3rd]

Just got a note from JWE and he has been able to load all of our RA Artwork onto the Babes Site! GREAT! SuluSeas work is outstanding and once we decide on his new work for the Allied pages then even more can be added. Red Lancer's plane sides were great as well. The RA Development Team got damned lucky to have those two artists jump in, volunteer their time, and do some magnificent work.

THANKS GUYS!

[John 3rd]

Ha-Ha---My noble and just opponent has his AAR running now. GREAT!

I am still hoping that I don't have to sacrifice a cat to save my Turn One work. Can everyone think good thoughts for MichaelM's attempt to fix it?!!

[AcePylut]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

KFSGO: Thanks for the comments. Perhaps we can leave well enough alone on the CVEs, however, I do agree that their size made things quite difficult. Was just looking at my copy of the British Pacific Fleet and saw that they did use Corsairs...

The B-17/-24 Ground Attack issue does have serious weight to it. I think they be allowed to attack LCUs but they are just soooooooo damned effective. Anyone got any ideas here?

Couple of things I see..

#1 you've made changes to the Jap airframes so that traditionally land based fighters can fly off of CV decks. I think the same allowance should be made for the allies flying Corsairs off of CVE's. "The US made necessary changes to the CVE's to allow F4U's to fly off them without issue".

#2 You want to restrict the US 4E's because they're too damn effective... but in the same vein there aren't any 'restrictions' to Japanese planes that perform their missions too effectively. Maybe restrict the IJN so that only one LBA multi-engine squadron can carry torps per turn or something. all, how much "irl" did the US fear betty torp attacks from 600+ miles out? How much do WITP players fear betty torp attacks at range?

Dunno, seems to me that you're trying to restrict the Allies but not the Japanese, and fantasizing that while the Japs can make all sorts of changes to their flight decks/airframes, the US can't.

Just my 2cents. Good luck!

[Cribtop]

Watching with interest, John. Good luck. Like Dan, I think that Oz is takeable, but, to quote Band of Brothers, speed is the key.

[JeffroK]

If you are looking at landings near Melbourne and Sydney,
Consider doing Newcastle & Pt Kembla to take Sydney and Portsea & Geelong to get Melbourne.

Usually poorly defended, cuts off a lot of reinforcing rails into the main cities.
While it splits the attackers a bit, makes the defenders split their force as well.

[John 3rd]

That is the EXACT plan Jeff.

I shall land at Port Kembla (no Fortification) with most of the force (4 ID) and Newcastle with the rest (2+ ID). Newcastle has a pair of 9.2" Guns so there is some danger there. Will certainly need BB protection with that landing. The two landings will cut north and south reinforcements. I plan--at the same time--to be far enough south of Townsville for a Parachute Landing at Bathurst. If I can have both the SNLF Para Brigade and the 1st Raiding Force, I will have an assault value of nearly 300 hitting that location. REGARDLESS the Allies cannot move by rail through contested hexes so I just MIGHT be able to grab Sydney quickly without a ton of troops there.

I want to grab Lord Howe Island but I think that would be a solid giveaway of my intentions.