The not so Reluctant Admiral 4.0 Rroberson v khyberbill ALL WELCOME TO Read

[rroberson]

Japanese War Propaganda

[rroberson]

The Glorious Imperial Japanese Navy



7 December 1941

Combined Fleet has announced that its forces have begun the war to free Asia from the grasp of and colonial servitude of the American and European imperialists and their leader khyberbill.

War Planes launched from the decks of our brave carriers struck the American navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and left sinking American warships burning as they left the anchorage on a beautiful Sunday morning.

For the loss of just 12 brave naval aviators Combined Fleet reports it destroyed at least 40 American aircraft and left dozens of others burning at scattered airfields across Oahu.

Naval Aviators also sank 3 American Battleships, 9 Destroyers and at least one Cruiser. Many many other warships were heavily damaged in the early morning raid.

The Army reports that the liberation of the Philippines has begun with air strikes against the American air base at Clark Field.



Mitsubishi G4M bombers struck at the Royal Navy catching the largest pair of British ships in the pacific and sinking them.

Down goes the Prince

Preventing those ships from interceding in landings in and around Malaysia as Army forces begin to free the Asian people from their imperialist warlords. The army has also begun to move on English Hong Kong and there are reports of air battles over Rangoon.

Pretty much the opening day was the standard destruction at pearl harbor. The next couple days had some surprises for me (who puts army dive bombers in the PI sadists do that's who. I will attempt to update this as much as my job will allow me which these days isnt very much, but so far Im enjoying the Reluctant Admiral mod

[rroberson]

16 December 1941

The Army of the Empire of Greater Japan has announced that:

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong !!!



Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!


After 8 days of war the list of former colonial areas enjoying freedom from their British and American overlords now includes
Koto Bhara
Victoria Point
Singkawang
Kuching
Miri
Balabac
Legaspi
Appari
Laog
Vigan
Batan Island
Manokwari
Vigan
Wewak
Torokina
Tulagi
Ocean Island
Nauru Island
Makin


Imperial Navy reports that GM4 Bombers scared off the American carrier Lexington with well placed bound around the ship as she passed close to Maloeop Island.

Imperial Navy forces drove off an ememy submarine who slipped through our destroyer line and attempted to attack Akagi.

56 US ships have been sunk since the start of the war...however not one warship since our great assault on the American anchorage at Pearl Harbor.

[BBfanboy]

Although I normally cheer for the Allied Imperialists, I will be following your AAR to see the pictures that really enhance the story.
Capturing HK in 9 days is a real accomplishment. Re: the dive bombers in the PI comment, would have liked to see what they did to annoy you. Is this an open AAR where you cannot reveal details for OpSec reasons?

[John 3rd]

WELCOME to RA!

Those A-24s are just enhanced photo-recon planes...

RA is a much more BALANCED Mod in the 4.0 Version. I, personally, HATE those A-24. They are a fearsome addition to the defense of the DEI for the Allies.

[rroberson]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Although I normally cheer for the Allied Imperialists, I will be following your AAR to see the pictures that really enhance the story.
Capturing HK in 9 days is a real accomplishment. Re: the dive bombers in the PI comment, would have liked to see what they did to annoy you. Is this an open AAR where you cannot reveal details for OpSec reasons?

Nah not at all. If you have questions Ill answer em openingly without issue. As long as it doesnt reveal too much to my opponent.

The Banshees where a very unwelcomed surprise. He has anywhere (I dont know what his OOB is I never look when doing mods because I like surprises)between 12 and 36 of them stationed between Clark, Iba and Manilla. In the opening days of the war he sank 10 or 12 of my transports because I hadn't capped them with friendly fighters (again not knowing he had dive bombers). Naturally I addressed that pretty quickly with fighters but it is affecting my op tempo around the PI a great deal forcing me to slow my landings down due to limitations in fighters. I have added Sallys to my squadrons of Bettys and Nells to the area and have begun pounding the 3 airbases. Between that and fighter sweeps I should take down those 3 bases to a point soon where my shipping is free to do what it will. It is a lesson in why you have to reduce the PI quickly and not let the allies build up air power there because it can dominate the region.

[John 3rd]

He has an entire WING of them brought in by the Pensacola Convoy on Dec 5-6th. Did you wipe out those additional AP and Pensacola?

[khyberbill]

Naval Aviators also sank 3 American Battleships, 9 Destroyers and at least one Cruiser. Many many other warships were heavily damaged in the early morning raid.

Lies, all propaganda. Actually, it was 6 BB's. The worst pounding I have ever had at PH. Two others will be in the yards for over 577 days each.

PS, the heading says all welcome so let me know Rob when you want me to butt out.

[khyberbill]

Did you wipe out those additional AP and Pensacola?

Pensacola made it to freedom but he got most of the additional, high value AP's! Frankly, I would rather have the ships and skip the Banshees at Manila. Right now most are crab meat.

[ny59giants]

An Allied player has to remember that the Dec 7th turn has ONLY ONE naval movement phase. Thus, those already at sea can easily be set to Full Speed to escape some areas of conflict. On Dec 8th, go back to Mission Speed. Boise and Houston always to go Full Speed for turn one (not saying where the head). [;)]

[khyberbill]

An Allied player has to remember that the Dec 7th turn has ONLY ONE naval movement phase. Thus, those already at sea can easily be set to Full Speed to escape some areas of conflict. On Dec 8th, go back to Mission Speed. Boise and Houston always to go Full Speed for turn one (not saying where the head).

Yes, except that we are playing historical start with two day turns!

[Cribtop]

Very kewl AAR.

[rroberson]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

He has an entire WING of them brought in by the Pensacola Convoy on Dec 5-6th. Did you wipe out those additional AP and Pensacola?

Ouch that it explains it then.

[AdmNelson]

(who puts army dive bombers in the PI sadists do that's who. I will attempt to update this as much as my job will allow me which these days isnt very much, but so far Im enjoying the

Who ever- they are fun to use.

[rroberson]

17 December 1941

The Imperial Navy have reported a great victory off in the DEI where submarine I-159 caught the HMS Prince of Wales attempting to flee our forces as they continue the liberation of the East Indies.



Struck by at least 5 torpedoes Her Majesty's final capital ship begins its long voyage to the bottom.



The Army sends the Americans running. Soldiers from the army (censored for operation security) have successfully wrested control of Wake Island from the American garrison there after early mornings. 3 days of bombardments by Imperial Navy Battleships was more then the American marines could handle.



No longer considered warriors these former solders will now serve the empire.

10 days in and things are going nicely as I have made multiple landings through out Papua, DEI, the PI and the Solomons. Ill try to scrounge up a map here in the next couple of posts. My one short coming is I am losing too many ships, I think Im up to 30 to 32 losses. It has always been my one shortcoming playing the Japanese, my inabilty to defens my transports.

[John 3rd]

Do you guys like your new toys within RA? Already got a response on the EVIL A-24s! How about the SNLF Assault Brigades? The redeployment of troops and ships? Always looking for feedback to the Mod...

Thanks.
John

[khyberbill]

Do you guys like your new toys within RA? Already got a response on the EVIL A-24s! How about the SNLF Assault Brigades? The redeployment of troops and ships? Always looking for feedback to the Mod...

Thanks.
John

Hi John, I am glad you asked. Now that the cat's out of the bag, not so much to like from my (Allied) point of view. After the initial WTF surprise, Rob put LRCAP on his convoys and I have hit one ship since then with one bomb. And Rob was able to LRCAP with Nates! Not a very good trade off for the the Pensacola TF which is all high value ships. I hated losing that AP so early in the war.

The next time someone plays RA4.0, that TF will get sunk the first turn and the Banshees will probably not fair to well. The airbases in PI will get targeted with lots of ground losses and all invasion TF's will be well capped. I have already pulled the Banshees out of PI (Dec 16) now that the P-40's are wiped out. A better place for the Banshees and extra P40's might be Australia which certainly needs air assets early in the war.

I also do not like the garrison requirements for those northern Chinese cities such as Kashgar with no troops within a months march. Kind of chintzy. I lose several VP's every day due to that. This may be a result of using the extended map, which is a first for me.

I really liked RA3.0. I even recommended RA4.0 to Rob without reading the thread in the mod forum-if it even mentions the Banshees etc. It is too soon to tell in this game but I probably wont play RA4.0 again with the Pensacola TF hung out there near Davao. As I said earlier, just not a good exchange for a few xAK's in Aparri. Rob sunk most of the Pensacola TF within a few turns before he even knew it existed! Japan already gets to bag a lot of high value ships the first ten turns. This was just rubbing salt into the wound(s). There is no where to run or hide. Force Z did better in this game and we played the historical opening so I could not change Force Z orders.

[John 3rd]

Thanks for the feedback on this.

With the previous RA Versions we had left the Pensacola TF right where it was historically. My thinking in allowing those A-24 to start at Manila in 4.0 would be essentially to 'warp' the TF forward about 10-14 days time from where it was histocially. The TF arrives Dec 4th-5th has time to unload and would be getting ready to bugout on the 7th-8th. Do you think it might work better to start the TF about 1 day south of Manila somewhere in the Sulu Sea. If one did that then you could have a much stronger chance of flight. Still vulnerable but a chance of survival...

Do you have any suggestions?

In my RA Games to this point Lew (Feb 42) has moved those three damned squadrons of A-24 EVERYWHERE. Always served to keep me off-balance and forced me to CAP my TF. There is one Squadron flying out of Port Moresby currently. My newer game has just gotten rolling (Dec 25th) but I've alreay found an A-24 Squadron flying out of Palembang. NASTY planes...

[John 3rd]

The Political Points bump works both ways. I've had to scramble to get some of the Japanese bases covered as I began losing PP. Think that kfsgo did good work here in making more forces be tied down in China.

As Michael has Posted there are some bugs remaining to be fixed within 4.0. It isn't anything major but they are there. If you guys find things PLEASE email me so I can start a change list for a 4.1.

[rroberson]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Thanks for the feedback on this.

With the previous RA Versions we had left the Pensacola TF right where it was historically. My thinking in allowing those A-24 to start at Manila in 4.0 would be essentially to 'warp' the TF forward about 10-14 days time from where it was histocially. The TF arrives Dec 4th-5th has time to unload and would be getting ready to bugout on the 7th-8th. Do you think it might work better to start the TF about 1 day south of Manila somewhere in the Sulu Sea. If one did that then you could have a much stronger chance of flight. Still vulnerable but a chance of survival...

Do you have any suggestions?

In my RA Games to this point Lew (Feb 42) has moved those three damned squadrons of A-24 EVERYWHERE. Always served to keep me off-balance and forced me to CAP my TF. There is one Squadron flying out of Port Moresby currently. My newer game has just gotten rolling (Dec 25th) but I've alreay found an A-24 Squadron flying out of Palembang. NASTY planes...

You know I didnt know that task force existed but putting them so close to the PI all but assures their destruction. In the many MANY games I have played as the Japanese (this entire forums seems to fear playing the empire) I always make a B line to the southern part of the PI with baby KB and feast on as much naval traffic as I can. So if you are going to place the Pensacola group there then you need to write them off.