ENLIST TODAY (Docup (A) vs Koniu (J) No Koniu

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Rangoon Screenie

Rangoon
800 AV This consists of the units that start in Burma.  Nothing has be brought in here with exception of 2 AA units.  4 Forts.

My plan.  I will bring in a CL and 2 DD TF to use as bombardment TFs at Pegu then Rangoon itself.  I don't know how well it will work.  Bombardments never worked for me in my AI games.  Even with night recon planes.  When the units reach Pegu.  I will try and hit them with strafe attacks from Fulmars and bomb them with my 4Es and 2Es.  I can bring in TT planes if I want.

Koniu has 145 fighters in the area. I will attempt sweeps in time. I will start reconning other bases to find his bombers. If I find these bases are undefened I will bomb them to pull his fighters away.

In that case, the quality of the troops in Rangoon will be quite poor. Expect your adjusted AV to take a serious nosedive when combat occurs. With a bit of luck you might hold Rangoon for a week (whilst the forts are whittled down). Then the real problem will be that when forced to retreat from Rangoon your troops will take the slow route back whereas the enemy takes the quick route to upper Burma, reaching Mandalay etc well before you do.

Time to start considering an orderly withdrawal from Rangoon.

Also I don't hold any hope for the survivability of your 1 x CL + 2 x DD Bombardment TF. Certainly not with the adjacent enemy airfield at Moulmein. Plus the weight of shell which that particular TF can deliver is quite light. If you still want to have a bombardment TF, I would consider limiting it to just DDs as that will improve its survivability odds.

With the already identified number of enemy fighters present in the area, I query the wisdom of your planned air operations. I doubt you can bring sufficient fighters to match the enemy numbers, and you would be largely reliant on inferior Allied airframes, unless you have the AVG available.

Bottom line is that your opponent has brought along sufficient forces to indicate a serious intent to conquer Burma. Unless additional quality Allied units are brought in, the initial at start Allied Burmese forces will not hold lower Burma against a determined Japanese advance.

Consider withdrawing. The Rangoon garrison has already done a good job forcing the enemy to bring along serious assets; assets which otherwise could have been employed against Timor and Ambon.

Alfred

[Alfred]

The position occuppied by the Chinese unit 1 hex NE of Changsha is of no value. Retreat that unit back into Changsha. With 19 Japanese units just east of Changsha, you should assume that the enemy is focussing on Changsha. Together with other enemy troop dispositions, the way I read the tea leaves is that the enemy is focussing on capturing the railway line. A succesful operation provides substantial logistical and economic benefits to Japan.

The Chinese 1500 AV in the forests around Ichang are unemployed. You should redeploy them. It is probably too late to use them to capture Ichang but that is your call. Their alternative employment is to stiffen the railway line defenses.

Alfred

[DOCUP]

I am planning a fighting withdraw.  I want to keep him honest here.  I also want to keep and possibly force him to bring forces to this area instead of the Ambon or Timor area.  I do have better forces moving into the area.  I don't think they will get to Rangoon in time.  So I will prob fight for upper Burma and withdraw if I have to.  Again I want to keep troops here instead of them going to Timor.  I think I need 2 or 3 weeks to get my forces in place and working.
 
I have 80 fighters at Rangoon now.  Consisting of Hurri IIb, P40E, and Fulmars. 

[Alfred]

A fighting withdrawal is fine when you can eventually withdraw to a prepared line and along a good withdrawal route. Problem is that you don't have a prepared fall back position and you won't have time to execute an orderly withdrawal once contact is made. Instead what will happen is that you will be forced to retreat with very heavy casualties along the inferior route back to Prome whereas the enemy will be able to move along the much faster transportation network to upper Burma.

You should have a static unit at Rangoon. Thus even if you do commence a withdrawal now, you will still in effect be conducting a fighting withdrawal as the rearguard left is a strong one and will need the full commitment of Japanese forces to secure a speedy capture of Rangoon.

My assessment would change if your additional "better" forces were in place but a 2-3 week delay before arrival is too much. Your opponent would be very negligent if he doesn't arrive at Rangoon in force within the week. Another week to secure Rangoon and it will be all over well before the cavalry arrives. Then you will find that your defeated forces will be quite inadequate to hold the line against the existing Japanese theatre commitment and the cavalry (presumably arriving on ships) will be out of position to reinforce upper Burma in a timely manner.

The idea of forcing enemy troops to be sent to Burma rather than Ambon/Timor, as I already noted, is good. The problem is that Japan will not need to send any additional forces beyond those already committed to Burma if you are routed out of Rangoon. Whereas if you can extricate to upper Burma your Rangoon garrison unscathed, combined with the coming cavalry, then Japan will have to bring in additional forces to campaign in upper Burma.

Granted if you conduct an orderly withdrawal before contact is made you will not know for certain if Japan is currently in the process of sending additional reinforcements which otherwise could be used against Timor/Ambon. But that is not a bad outcome for you. Retaining a firm hold on either upper Burma (with the valuable Magwe oilfields) or Timor/Ambon is a great outcome for you this early in the war. You should not be greedy, although if your opponent is negligent you could start to indulge in one of the deadly sins.[;)]

Anyway by this time of the war, most Japanese players would already be in firm possession of both Timor and Ambon. They would have their eye firmly focussed on acquiring the oil fields of upper Burma and cutting the Burma. If they did not already hold Timor/Ambon they would temporarily set that area aside and return to it after securing upper Burma. Therefore the cheapest way for the Allied player to nudge the Japanese side into assembling an adequate force for operations in upper Burma is to maintain a credible force in being reinforced with "the cavalry".

Alfred

[DOCUP]

Question.  I have Horn Is. Koniu just para dropped some troops on Terapo base 6 hexs from Horn.  I want to LRCAP Terapo.  I have P40Es, and P39Ds with drop tanks (I can use them) they can reach 6 hexs.  When I LRCAP Terapo, a message pops up saying its to far.  Whats up with this?  
 
Will update later.
 
thanks

[DOCUP]

23rd Apr
 
KB unknown
MKB unknown
 
Rangoon
Our 3 DD TF runs into a CA SAG.  One DD takes 2 hits it will take a week to repair.  His LCUs are still at Moulmeim.  Koniu bombs at nite.  Fulmars disrupt this they get no hits.  So I will withdraw units from Rangoon.
 
Treapo
He drops Jap paratroopers on it.  I would like to put some fighters over Terapo.  I figured he will bring in more troops and supplies by air.  I just get my fighters to fly over it.
 
 

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Question.  I have Horn Is. Koniu just para dropped some troops on Terapo base 6 hexs from Horn.  I want to LRCAP Terapo.  I have P40Es, and P39Ds with drop tanks (I can use them) they can reach 6 hexs.  When I LRCAP Terapo, a message pops up saying its to far.  Whats up with this?  

Will update later.

thanks

Screenshots of the units in question please?

Alfred

[DOCUP]

24th Apr
 
KB unknown
MKB unknown
 
Soerabaja
Captured by the Japs.  Troops retreated.
 
Troop and supply movements this turn.
 
Alfred will post screenshots later.  Getting ready for work.

[DOCUP]

LRCAP Horn Is

[Alfred]

DOCUP,

The size of the airfield triggered some distant memory When I went searching to confirm my distant memory, I didn't retrieve it, but I did retrieve some other old threads (some including posts from moi) on LRCAP which basically said you can't LRCAP at extended range, only at normal range.

Alfred

[DOCUP]

Thanks Alfred that makes since.
 
25th Apr
 
KB maybe near Rabaul
MKB unknown
 
Rangoon
40 Zeros sweep we shoot down 12.
 
Pingsiang
Bombing raids.  We end up shooting down 14 Oscars.
 
Near PM
Betty's bomb retreating forces.  Beau fighter shots down 3 damages another that crashes.  Not bad for one pilot
 
Adak
Intel says the Japs are coming.  1 CV and a small SAG are on there way here.
 
Our Air Loses
11 Hurries IIb, 5 P40Es, 2 P39s, 1 P40B.  Not to bad.

[DOCUP]

Moulmeim and Chang Mai
250 Jap fighters
 
Maloelap
1 unit 18 AV
 
Tulagi
3 units 87 AV
 
Intel screen says we sank and Jap sub points changed this turn also.[:D]
 

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Rangoon
40 Zeros sweep we shoot down 12.

Nice shooting. Am surprised no one has jumped up and posted this in the tech sub forum complaining about the wrong result. Of course with no Combat Report to provide some actual data, I would find it difficult to reply.[:)]

Seriously, this is not the first time you have posted a result which shows that you are easily coping with enemy sweeps.

Alfred

[DOCUP]

Thanks Alfred.  Well this is a game a great game.  I just need to remember that it is a game.  But I do reserve the right to cry [:D].  Rangoon air battle I had the numbers, and some of my best pilots are here.
 
25th Apr
 
KB pretty sure its around Rabaul.  3 different heavy radio volume messages today from the Rabaul area.
MKB unknown
 
Akyab
40 Oscars sweep my 16 Hurris IIb.  7 Oscars are shot down for 7 Hurris.  I messed up.  I forgot to put another sqd on low CAP.
 
Pingsiang
Captured by the Japs. Japs lose 2,100 to our 5,200.
 
Canal
3 units with 80 AV.
 
Bangkok
xAK sunk by sub this turn[X(].  200 bombers present with 40 fighters.  I am seeing 34,000 troops here, some are moving north.  Is he moving more troops in to go to Burma.  I hope.
 
Timor
Quiet.  The last Dutch PT boats moved down here.  There last known locations was visited by a single ship TF.  This is the most action, this area has seen in a while.  More on this area later.
 
 

[DOCUP]

Rangoon fighters. They have a total of 118 kills

[DOCUP]

Timor Operation
 
I will at first build up 3 bases.  Ambon, Saumlaki, and Lautem.
 
Ambon
forts are 3 with 360 AV (Dutch) 50 mines and 28 CD guns.  I am planning on bring in 2 Indian Bdes and maybe an Oz armor unit.
 
Saumlaki
Empty.  I will land Bataan USN BF, CD unit, US ID, art unit, AA and engs.
 
Lautem
Fort 1 1 AV[8|], AA unit.  I will bring in Manila USN BF, CD unit, Oz ID, art unit, engs.
 
The area has a CV (Brit), CA, CL, 6 DDs.  I have a DB sqd, Hudson LR (Low Nav trained), TT bombers.

[DOCUP]

S 39 makes it to port.
 
i have AE block right now

[DOCUP]

26th Apr
 
KB unknown
MKB unknown
 
China
We shoot down 5 Oscars with anther 5 ops losses for 5 P40B, 2 P40E, 3 P39, 1 Lancer.
 
Bangkok
Bombers present with no fighters seen.  AF bombing ordered.
 
Adak
IG Bde prepping now.
 
SS Drum
Sinks an xAK at N Japan.
 
SS Truant
Takes a few hits but no real damage.

[DOCUP]

27th Apr

KB unknown
MKB unknown

Bangkok
B17Ds hit the AF for light damage and damage and destroy 12 bombers.  The replay says its more in the 20s. 

Timor
5 ship TF sighted.  I think either a bombardment group  or raiding TF.  Intel shows 2 CLs, and APD.  Reports screen says that one of our search planes hit a DD in this group.  DBs and a Brit CV will move into the area.

Laguna
Our DD TF misses an 8 ship TF.  Intel says its all DDs.  This TF is heading towards Ndeni.  DBs, 2E bombers are on alert looking to attack.  2 US CV TF is headed to the area but will stay out of range until this TF is identified.

Gilberts
We sink a PB with our small SAG.

Carines
Jap sub attacked my SAG here.  Gets 13 small hits in return.  Lots of messages of taking on water.  No sinking sounds.

We have 2 different reports of ASW planes hitting subs.

China
Nothing.

Moving more stuff towards Adak. Cats report sub in the area.

edited

Rabaul
Liberators hit the port BB Nagato and Fuso hit.

Chirstmas island IO
Japs land will take the island tom.

[zuluhour]

Hey man, how many APDs do you have? I'm looking for a couple more. I have maybe 6.