Where the eastern wind is blowing... AAR against Canoerebel

[Historiker]

I am deeply offended that you didn't follow my suggestion and invade the West Coast! [:-]

[:D]

[Cribtop]

This is a phenomenal matchup, and the settings tradeoffs will no doubt provide some surprises.

I think I can learn a lot by reading both AARs, so I plan to do that and limit my comments to the occasional "atta boy" to avoid OpSec breaches.

Two comments before the game starts, however. First, I concur with the focus on China. Dan is a very competent China player, so as you say it won't be a cakewalk, but China is probably the most valuable theater for Japan. Second, good luck and BANZAI!

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

For what it is worth, I think China followed by India is the strongest path.  Pushing the line back in India means you can keep Burma oil going for sometime, not to mention the great HI in India.  If you can knock China out of the game you have +8000 AV freed up.  A lot of these are indpnt Bde's, which are great for all the near HI islands that need a good garrison.

I'm playing a Scenario 2 game as the Allies against a very aggressive Japanese player. My first time as the Allies and I'm getting routed in China. I'm pretty confident on my land warfare skills, but I can't do anything because of the effects of the bombing and now supply shortage. Airpower is key, if the Japanese commit the JAAF bomber forces of 3rd and 5th Air HQ's, together with the China restricted units, China is doomed. The disruption alone caused by bombing means 3x terrain is next to no benefit and once the supply crunch takes hold it's over. If you go for China, airpower and armour units will be the decisive factor.

Good luck, and I'm really looking forward to CR being tested in this one.

[Hortlund]

Yeah, Im going to start a runway-cratering campaign from day 1. It will make building fortifications harder and it will eat supply. I will do my utmost to make chinese supply a nightmare.

[John 3rd]

Think allowing those SS to have useful Torps is bad idea. The impact will be BAD.

That said, do not underestimate your opponent. Dan has proven to be gifted in changing his style with nearly every game he has played. I would not take previous games as markers and/or forecasts of future play. Ask Chez about that.

Good LUCK!

[Hortlund]

COURIER DELIVERY - NOT TO BE TRANSMITTED BY RADIO

FROM: Imperial Navy Headquarters

TO: CPT Watanabe, Commanding officer, IJN HEAVY CRUISER CHOKAI

--- --- ---

BACKGROUND: EAST WIND, RAIN

ORDERS: Debark SAMAH together with DESTROYER SAGIRI. Transit STRAITS OF MALACCA and take up position at RANGOON.

Prevent all shipping from entering RANGOON. Departing vessels are to be handled at own discretion. GERMAN and ITALIAN vessels are not to be attacked.

Do not cross 104 E before 00:00 DEC 7


END
-----

___________________________________





Chokai underway on December 5th 1941 as seen from Sagiri.

[Capt. Harlock]

Prevent all shipping from entering RANGOON. Departing vessels are to be handled at own disgression.

Interesting move -- but it's "discretion".

[Hortlund]

Thanks, fixed

[JohnDillworth]

First I want to say that I dont think he will try that one

Yes,He will. I think all AFB's would try it. I know it's well know, but it is great if it works

[princep01]

JohnDill....Nope, I have to agree with PH re Palembang. I don't think Canoerebel will try it this time. A speed bump? Well, yes, that is likely, but a full blown fortress? Nope, I'd bet you a Mogami class CA he will not do it this time.

Why? Because at heart, CR is really a fairly conservative player. The Palembang gambit is a big risk against a competent IJ player and he knows PH is that. He won't fortress it, But, he'll try to get units out of Singers and some will go to Palembang to delay.

PH, those reliable torps or goin gto be a game changer. I am really interested in how that turns out as I have NEVER read an AAR wherein reliable torps were allowed. You sir, are a gutsy individual.

[marbakka]

I'm new around here, but I've heard good things about both players. Looking forward to this! I'll read both starting out and probably pick one after a few weeks.

Good luck!

[Galahad78]

I will be following both sides (first time, I think both players will do for a fun match), but since I do not post very much, no OpSec breaches expected [:D]

Good luck!

[Hortlund]

Since I have mailed out the first turn I might aswell give you some heads-up about the coming action as Iwait for Canoe to finish his first turn.

Pearl Harbor
There will be only one port-strike,at Pearl Harbor. Pretty standard setup with 2 Zero wings on strafing attack(the rest on sweep/escort), all Kates on port strike, and 2 Vals on portattack (the rest on airfield attack).

I want to damage/destroy as muchof his airunits as possible while not taking too heavy losses to my airwings.I also want to hit more than just the BBs at Pearl, and the Vals are greatfor sinking other types of ships there.

Malaya
Im sending in all my Nells andBetties at Saigon on a low airfield attack on Singapore. One Zero wingis set to sweep at the same altitude. I hope/pray that the Zeros will showup over the target first, but that is far from certain. Im also doing abig airfield attack at Kota Bharu. In other words, yes, I am trying totarget the RAF torpedo bombers on the ground. An early neutralization ofSingapore is also high on my list of priorities because of my interestto get to Fortress Palembang as soon as possible.

Several warp TFs will convene offKuching, and several normal TFs will be heading that way. Also coming willbe some heavy cruisers from the Kota Bharu cover and the CVL that startsat Babelodeoap (or whatever that place is called). I will use these warpTFs to get aircover and surface cover to this location. This group of shipswill land at Singkawang on D+1 and Fortress Palembang on D+4. That meansthey might have to fight their way through Force Z if they have to. Italso means they might be subjected to heavy air attacks from Singapore.Any losses to this fleet is acceptable losses provided they achieve theirmain objective: The capture of Palembang with minimal damage to the oiland refineries there.

Philippines
Paras will take Vigan on D-day.All convoys will land at Vigan and then move south towards Clark and Manilaas soon as possible. All bombers will hit Clark with the objective of takingout as much of the PI-airforce as possible, while preventing buildup offortifications there.

China
Lots of airstrikes on differentground units in the open and various airfields. If you are a Chinese groundunit in open ground, I want it to hurt. I want to prevent buildup of largefortifications and I want to limit the number of airfields where Canoecan operate fighters from. First priority is to clear the railline betweennorthern and central China, and to clear the coastline from Chinese basesand units.

Japan
Lots of shuffeling around of navalunits. Build up of the HI at Sapporo. I will start the industry-program on turn 2. Turn 1 is long as it is so Im saving the industry for tomorrow.

SLOCs
Im starting to build up Okinawaand a few other islands between Formosa and the home islands. The goalis to have SCs based at each island and ASW patrol aircraft stationed allalong this route. Im going to put a lot of effort into the ASW-campaign.

[John 3rd]

With working Allied TTs you HAVE to!

[Hortlund]

Wow, this war started very very good for the empire.


Pearl Harbor

Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 102 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 80
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 132



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 97 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 7 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 59 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 29 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
P-36A Mohawk: 17 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 33 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 2 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 23 damaged
A-20A Havoc: 3 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 13 damaged
R3D-2: 1 damaged
R3D-2: 1 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 35 damaged
SBD-1 Dauntless: 2 destroyed on ground
C-33: 5 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 5 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
AV Wright
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DM Preble
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
CM Oglala, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 1
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DM Gamble, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PT-30, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Honolulu, Torpedo hits 1
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AV Curtiss, Torpedo hits 1
AV Tangier, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Shaw, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Oklahoma, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Dolphin, Bomb hits 1
DD Chew, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Monaghan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PG Sacramento, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DM Montgomery, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Raleigh, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AM Rail, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Repair Shipyard hits 7
Airbase hits 33
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 85
Port hits 13
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
15 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
16 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
4 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
City Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Magazine explodes on BB Pennsylvania


Singapore
Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 72
G4M1 Betty x 27



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 55 damaged
Buffalo I: 3 destroyed on ground
Vildebeest III: 17 damaged
Vildebeest III: 5 destroyed on ground
Blenheim IV: 31 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed on ground
S.19 Singapore III: 7 damaged
Hudson I: 3 damaged
Hudson I: 1 destroyed on ground
Catalina I: 8 damaged
Catalina I: 1 destroyed on ground
Buffalo PR.I: 1 damaged
Buffalo PR.I: 1 destroyed on ground
Swordfish I: 3 damaged
Swordfish I: 1 destroyed on ground


Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 42

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 8000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
27 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

[Hortlund]

All the bomb hits on battleship row are 800kgs, except two hits on Arizona and one on West Virginia.

Im expecting most of those battleships to be in sinking condition right now. I might even forego a second strike and go hunting for Lexington instead (more on that soon)

[Hortlund]

The game is only one turn old, and I must say I like Canoe as an opponent already.

Force Z rode to the sound of the guns. Expecting a landing at Mersing no doubt, he sent Force Z into harms way to intercept my ships. A bold move, and had I been careless and sent my warp TFs to Mersing, it could have been a slaughter.

Is that Lexington nort of Johnston Island? Perhaps he wants to see what Im doing on turn 2, perhaps he wants to try to catch my AOs, perhaps he is trying to prevent me from doing a second strike at Pearl (because who would dare do that if the US CVs are within striking distance?

Two very bold moves, two very agressive moves. I like that alot. None of this pansy assed Sir Robin-crap. It is clear that I will have to fight for every inch of ground in this game. Makes the game harder and it makes the game more interesting.

Oh...one more thing. No sign of Boise or Houston. Are they in the Celebes Sea? Are they in the Philippine Sea? Are they heading towards Babeldaob to intercept my transports? Are they heading to Manila to break the blockade? They can be anywhere right now, and that forces me to be extremely careful all around Mindanao and Luzon. That will slow me down everywhere.

Did I mention Canoe is good at this game?

[obvert]

Good PH attack. I'd go another day just to make sure. I don't think he'll let you get that CV. Isn't it Enterprise that starts closer to Hawaii?

You also look to be very aggressive. Palembang on the 4th day is a bit early if you ask me. There's virtually no way he's going to try the same thing as his last game in this one anyway. And if he did, it's to your advantage. Without a good air presence at Singkawang getting any farther toward Sumatra is putting a lot of ships and troops out on a limb. It might work, but I would think Dan would be pretty happy to give up a few ships and a lot of planes to slow you down there.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund

All the bomb hits on battleship row are 800kgs, except two hits on Arizona and one on West Virginia.

Im expecting most of those battleships to be in sinking condition right now. I might even forego a second strike and go hunting for Lexington instead (more on that soon)

Aircraft destruction at Pearl Harbor was quite modest IMO.

[ny59giants]

You will probably need 5 torpedo hits and/or explosions to sink those BBs. You might get up to another 3 BBs with a second strike.