SOPAC
The objective for this command would be to hold the island groups under it. This would allow resupply convoys to ANZAC a measure of relative safety from surface and airborne threats. It would also allow a set of interlocking bases from which to jump off if the road to Japan starts at the Solomons.
New Hebrides
Luganville, Efate and Tanna are the objectives here, I have the 24th ID out of Hawaii to garrison Luganville and one Marine Reg each at Efate and Tanna.
New Caledonia
The British 18th Division is on Noumea having made it's way across the face of Australia after disembarking at Perth. It will garrison the island until ANZAC and US forces arrive in sufficient strength, after which it might go back to India or hang around SWPAC depending on the situation.
Fiji and Samoa
Fiji and Pago Pago will be built up, am looking at Vavavu (relatively safe rear area base, SPS for the port is second only to Noumea) as a transhipment point for the shorter legged transports, it would be a straight shot to Sydney down a corridor protected by the Noumea-Luganville-Suva-Pago Pago chain of bases. The 164th Inf Reg is waiting for it's 2 other counterparts to arrive on map to form the Americal Division. Will hold the Americal in reserve until the island groups are a little more secure with the addition of auxiliary units before I move it out to the Santa Cruz Islands.
Santa Cruz Islands
The tricky bit is with this island group, all dot bases and well within easy bombing range if Guadalcanal is taken and built up, I reckon it would also be vulnerable to quick in and out strikes by surface ships ranging in from the Solomons. However, without this group the hop from Luganville to Guadalcanal would be a little too far for comfort so this would be on the nice to have, but no need to die for category.
Overall, the situation is tenuous but there is reason for optimism, the main garrison units are in place but I am sorely lacking base units and the other assorted support arms that make a little easier if the bad guys come knocking. I have a handful of Marine fighters and bombers on hand but will need a whole lot more. Combatant ships are few and far and I have far too many merchant ships in the area to feel comfortable with KB and friends just around the corner at Truk. Will expand more on this command as the situation develops and as the natural course of events bring it to the centre stage.
Shall we play a DBB-C game? - CT Grognard vs Arnhem (no CTG pls)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: 31 Jan 1942
SWPAC
Darwin's been done to death so I'll look at the rest of Oz and NZ as well as the situation in PNG and the rest of Asia, after the fall of Singapore and the DEI everything east of Rangoon up till Sydney will fall under SWPAC when I do turn reports.
ANZAC
The Australian 6th Division is on board ship and in transit to Oz. The 7th is due to arrive in Aden in about 2 weeks game time. The militia divisions have been formed and are scattered around Australia, the 1st has been tasked to plan for PM, the 2nd Darwin, 3rd goes to Perth, 4th is planning for Koepang (eternal optimist that I am) and I have several brigades defending the major cities of the east coast all the way up to Cairns as well as a couple of extra for Darwin. 5th Division is waiting on the last brigade and will be strategic reserve. Will flesh out the 2nd as a first priority when it comes to reinforcements.
New Zealand should not come under any serious threat in this game so I'll probably pull a brigade or two later on in '42 to replace the Marine regiments so the latter can form up their parent division. Nothing much else to report really.
For points beyond the shores of Australia, I'm leaving everything out to dry, I won't be making a fight for PM, Koepang and any of the bases in the DEI. Whether I make a move here when it's time to push back depends on how conscientious CTG is in taking every base in the DEI, what assets he uses to protect this flank and whether or not he tries for Australia in the first place as I have a HR tying me to defend Australia as a first priority if it ever is invaded.
Singapore
The Union Jack still flies over Singapore as of 31 Jan 1942. Not bad considering I robbed the defences of the services of the Brit 18th Div as well as the 44th and 45th Indian Bdes (the latter were sent to Palembang). I don't expect it to hold on for much longer though unless the shock attack I ordered for the next turn succeeds beyond my wildest expectations, hope springs eternal.
DEI
Palembang will go under within the next couple of days, Java is the only place left standing, it's been untouched and the Dutch LCUs and aircraft have been resting and training all this time. Since KB is at Truk I don't expect it to return for the invasion of Java so if I can concentrate everything that can fly at the landing point hopefully I can blow past his Zero cover and perhaps sink a ship or two when the time comes.
Darwin's been done to death so I'll look at the rest of Oz and NZ as well as the situation in PNG and the rest of Asia, after the fall of Singapore and the DEI everything east of Rangoon up till Sydney will fall under SWPAC when I do turn reports.
ANZAC
The Australian 6th Division is on board ship and in transit to Oz. The 7th is due to arrive in Aden in about 2 weeks game time. The militia divisions have been formed and are scattered around Australia, the 1st has been tasked to plan for PM, the 2nd Darwin, 3rd goes to Perth, 4th is planning for Koepang (eternal optimist that I am) and I have several brigades defending the major cities of the east coast all the way up to Cairns as well as a couple of extra for Darwin. 5th Division is waiting on the last brigade and will be strategic reserve. Will flesh out the 2nd as a first priority when it comes to reinforcements.
New Zealand should not come under any serious threat in this game so I'll probably pull a brigade or two later on in '42 to replace the Marine regiments so the latter can form up their parent division. Nothing much else to report really.
For points beyond the shores of Australia, I'm leaving everything out to dry, I won't be making a fight for PM, Koepang and any of the bases in the DEI. Whether I make a move here when it's time to push back depends on how conscientious CTG is in taking every base in the DEI, what assets he uses to protect this flank and whether or not he tries for Australia in the first place as I have a HR tying me to defend Australia as a first priority if it ever is invaded.
Singapore
The Union Jack still flies over Singapore as of 31 Jan 1942. Not bad considering I robbed the defences of the services of the Brit 18th Div as well as the 44th and 45th Indian Bdes (the latter were sent to Palembang). I don't expect it to hold on for much longer though unless the shock attack I ordered for the next turn succeeds beyond my wildest expectations, hope springs eternal.
DEI
Palembang will go under within the next couple of days, Java is the only place left standing, it's been untouched and the Dutch LCUs and aircraft have been resting and training all this time. Since KB is at Truk I don't expect it to return for the invasion of Java so if I can concentrate everything that can fly at the landing point hopefully I can blow past his Zero cover and perhaps sink a ship or two when the time comes.
RE: 31 Jan 1942
Burma
With the fall of Rangoon, the Chinese 11th Group Army (2 corps) has been released to cross the border and advance towards Lashio to aid in its defence. I can put up to an additional 2 corps before I hit the HR limit.
India
Nothing much happening on this front apart from the fortification of the bases on the Indian-Burmese border. Indian forces too weak to do anything more than defend the ground they occupy.
China
They say a picture speaks a thousand words so here you go.
With the fall of Rangoon, the Chinese 11th Group Army (2 corps) has been released to cross the border and advance towards Lashio to aid in its defence. I can put up to an additional 2 corps before I hit the HR limit.
India
Nothing much happening on this front apart from the fortification of the bases on the Indian-Burmese border. Indian forces too weak to do anything more than defend the ground they occupy.
China
They say a picture speaks a thousand words so here you go.
- Attachments
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RE: 31 Jan 1942
Ships and stuff
Some notes on significant ship related news.
Yorktown joined her 3 sisters on the map and Hornet comes on in about 40odd days, all of the CVs on map have upgraded to the Wildcat (either 3 or 3A variant) and the dive bomber squadrons are all flying SBD-3s. I'm a little concerned reading Castor Troy's AAR (he's running a DBB-B game) where he comments on the lack of sting when it comes to naval bombing. The Darwin episode does on hindsight seem to support his views as some of the ships, in particular the cruisers took a truckload of bombs to sink, as to whether this lessened effectiveness is closer to real life I do not know enough to know, it's still early days yet in this game so we'll see how things play out.
Formidable has also entered the Indian Ocean and I was going to let her twiddle her thumbs together with the rest of the Eastern Fleet but as I type this I'm beginning to think of a use for her air complement.
As for the capital ships, I have 4 US BBs on the West Coast about to depart for SWPAC, 5 more are in PH in various states of repair. The Prince of Wales and Repulse are both out of action for at least 3 months, closer to 4. The former due to as yet unknown spike in system damage while she was undergoing repairs for minor battle damage (around 15 sys damage which jumped to 60+ sys dmg overnight) in port and the latter due to Betties putting 2 torpedoes into her side on the first day of the war. Warspite is in Australian waters and the Royal Sovereign is also on map but she's so slow she's more a liability than an asset.
Some notes on significant ship related news.
Yorktown joined her 3 sisters on the map and Hornet comes on in about 40odd days, all of the CVs on map have upgraded to the Wildcat (either 3 or 3A variant) and the dive bomber squadrons are all flying SBD-3s. I'm a little concerned reading Castor Troy's AAR (he's running a DBB-B game) where he comments on the lack of sting when it comes to naval bombing. The Darwin episode does on hindsight seem to support his views as some of the ships, in particular the cruisers took a truckload of bombs to sink, as to whether this lessened effectiveness is closer to real life I do not know enough to know, it's still early days yet in this game so we'll see how things play out.
Formidable has also entered the Indian Ocean and I was going to let her twiddle her thumbs together with the rest of the Eastern Fleet but as I type this I'm beginning to think of a use for her air complement.
As for the capital ships, I have 4 US BBs on the West Coast about to depart for SWPAC, 5 more are in PH in various states of repair. The Prince of Wales and Repulse are both out of action for at least 3 months, closer to 4. The former due to as yet unknown spike in system damage while she was undergoing repairs for minor battle damage (around 15 sys damage which jumped to 60+ sys dmg overnight) in port and the latter due to Betties putting 2 torpedoes into her side on the first day of the war. Warspite is in Australian waters and the Royal Sovereign is also on map but she's so slow she's more a liability than an asset.
1 Feb 1942
Relatively quiet turn except for this...
Singapore
Seems I never learn to remember the lessons paid for in blood. Total AV has dropped by 70% to slightly over 200. I probably hastened the fall of Singapore by a week.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 27760 troops, 394 guns, 124 vehicles, Assault Value = 622
Defending force 69713 troops, 841 guns, 526 vehicles, Assault Value = 1361
Allied adjusted assault: 254
Japanese adjusted defense: 2161
Allied assault odds: 1 to 8
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
493 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3439 casualties reported
Squads: 193 destroyed, 249 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 122 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 59 disabled
Guns lost 56 (23 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (4 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Sub War
Salmon is picked up by a DD off Cam Ranh but escapes being DCed.
Singapore
Seems I never learn to remember the lessons paid for in blood. Total AV has dropped by 70% to slightly over 200. I probably hastened the fall of Singapore by a week.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 27760 troops, 394 guns, 124 vehicles, Assault Value = 622
Defending force 69713 troops, 841 guns, 526 vehicles, Assault Value = 1361
Allied adjusted assault: 254
Japanese adjusted defense: 2161
Allied assault odds: 1 to 8
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
493 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3439 casualties reported
Squads: 193 destroyed, 249 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 122 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 59 disabled
Guns lost 56 (23 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (4 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Sub War
Salmon is picked up by a DD off Cam Ranh but escapes being DCed.
RE: 31 Jan 1942
Re: the sudden change in PoW's sys damage - only two things I know of can do that in dry dock - starting an upgrade [but 60 seems too high] and an accidental fire. The book says there is a very tiny chance of damage from dockyard accidents every time you dock a vessel. Looks like this random thing hit one of your best ships. [:(]ORIGINAL: Arnhem
Ships and stuff
As for the capital ships, I have 4 US BBs on the West Coast about to depart for SWPAC, 5 more are in PH in various states of repair. The Prince of Wales and Repulse are both out of action for at least 3 months, closer to 4. The former due to as yet unknown spike in system damage while she was undergoing repairs for minor battle damage (around 15 sys damage which jumped to 60+ sys dmg overnight) in port and the latter due to Betties putting 2 torpedoes into her side on the first day of the war. Warspite is in Australian waters and the Royal Sovereign is also on map but she's so slow she's more a liability than an asset.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: 31 Jan 1942
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Re: the sudden change in PoW's sys damage - only two things I know of can do that in dry dock - starting an upgrade [but 60 seems too high] and an accidental fire. The book says there is a very tiny chance of damage from dockyard accidents every time you dock a vessel. Looks like this random thing hit one of your best ships. [:(]ORIGINAL: Arnhem
Ships and stuff
As for the capital ships, I have 4 US BBs on the West Coast about to depart for SWPAC, 5 more are in PH in various states of repair. The Prince of Wales and Repulse are both out of action for at least 3 months, closer to 4. The former due to as yet unknown spike in system damage while she was undergoing repairs for minor battle damage (around 15 sys damage which jumped to 60+ sys dmg overnight) in port and the latter due to Betties putting 2 torpedoes into her side on the first day of the war. Warspite is in Australian waters and the Royal Sovereign is also on map but she's so slow she's more a liability than an asset.
It's all good, shit happens, on the bright side, this is the longest I've ever had PoW afloat in any PBEM game!
2 Feb 1942
Fairly quiet turn
China
Wenchow has got to be giving CTG fits.
Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 20695 troops, 217 guns, 38 vehicles, Assault Value = 434
Defending force 13285 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 364
Japanese adjusted assault: 232
Allied adjusted defense: 409
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2382 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 202 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
15th Division
102nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment
China Expeditionary Army
13th Army
4th Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
100th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
Singapore
Ditto Singapore, against all odds, the garrison manages to survive another day after that botched shock attack the previous turn. That's 4 Japanese Divisions, the equivalent of another, an armies worth of Engineers and artillery up the wazoo. The 11th Indian Division is now combat ineffective with the 9th the only combat LCU still standing in the way of the Japanese and it's down to around 30% of it's TOE.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 65424 troops, 798 guns, 433 vehicles, Assault Value = 1380
Defending force 43770 troops, 514 guns, 306 vehicles, Assault Value = 314
Japanese adjusted assault: 462
Allied adjusted defense: 361
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1596 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 33 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 24 (14 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2504 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 122 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 36 (9 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (7 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Division
148th Infantry Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
1st Tank Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
124th Infantry Regiment
5th Division
113th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
25th Army
1st RF Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field AA Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
Defending units:
11th Indian Division
SSVF Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
9th Indian Division
1st Manchester Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
112th RAF Adv Base Force
113th RAF Adv Base Force
Singapore Fortress
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
223 Group RAF
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
1st Malay Battalion
Malaya Army
111th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Singapore Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
109th RAF Adv Base Force
110th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
224 Group RAF
27th Australian Brigade
AHQ Far East
109th RN Base Force
China
Wenchow has got to be giving CTG fits.
Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 20695 troops, 217 guns, 38 vehicles, Assault Value = 434
Defending force 13285 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 364
Japanese adjusted assault: 232
Allied adjusted defense: 409
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2382 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 202 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
15th Division
102nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment
China Expeditionary Army
13th Army
4th Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
100th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
Singapore
Ditto Singapore, against all odds, the garrison manages to survive another day after that botched shock attack the previous turn. That's 4 Japanese Divisions, the equivalent of another, an armies worth of Engineers and artillery up the wazoo. The 11th Indian Division is now combat ineffective with the 9th the only combat LCU still standing in the way of the Japanese and it's down to around 30% of it's TOE.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 65424 troops, 798 guns, 433 vehicles, Assault Value = 1380
Defending force 43770 troops, 514 guns, 306 vehicles, Assault Value = 314
Japanese adjusted assault: 462
Allied adjusted defense: 361
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1596 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 33 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 24 (14 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2504 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 122 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 36 (9 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (7 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
18th Division
148th Infantry Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
1st Tank Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
124th Infantry Regiment
5th Division
113th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
25th Army
1st RF Gun Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
34th Field AA Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
Defending units:
11th Indian Division
SSVF Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
9th Indian Division
1st Manchester Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
112th RAF Adv Base Force
113th RAF Adv Base Force
Singapore Fortress
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
223 Group RAF
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
1st Malay Battalion
Malaya Army
111th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd Loyal Battalion
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Singapore Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
109th RAF Adv Base Force
110th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
224 Group RAF
27th Australian Brigade
AHQ Far East
109th RN Base Force
RE: 2 Feb 1942
Bit of a hint. As you may have discovered [;)] if one is defending, one doesn't conduct assaults. Yes, yes, I know, the best defense is a good offense, but this is the game, and you are doing a 'last stand' defense. Bad time to get aggressive [;)] But there are some things you can do to prolong the agony.
Be very careful about the 'posture' of your support units (anything that doesn't AV). Keeping them in Defend mode just makes them susceptible to the combat algorithm. And then, they can't provide the support that they could. HQs, AA Rgts, RAF Base units, Fortress units, have no business in the front line, so put them at Rest. They can still provide their services without getting knocked in the head, so Sup and AirSup will survive and keep your operational troops going a skoosh better.
Then there is 'rotation'. This one is a real bitch because it requires some knowledge of the other guy's forces. Rotation involves keeping back a certain percentage of your front line troops in a Rest posture. While they are there, and so long as the Sup units haven't got knocked in the head, they will recover; step-by-step. Then sub them back in for your most depleted "Defending" units and put those at Rest. This won't prevent the final debacle, but it just might flatten out the slippery slope to oblivion.
Btw, don't take the Combat Report as Gospel, but still look at it closely. 65,000 troops attacking might not really be 65,000 troops attacking. Well, maybe in this case it is, because CT Grog is assaulting with only assault capable units, but a lot of people just assault with a stack (100,000 troops attacking, of which 471 are capable of AV with an AV value of 13, woof!). You are playing a guy who understands wtfo. So I'll be watching and adding some more hints as appropriate.
To keep from accusations of fanboism or favoritism, hints can't be a priori, but must only be the result of what is seen in a turn. But the game takes a long time, and hints are generally applicable, so if the hints don't help ya now, maybe they will do so later.
And then again, I have some hints for Japan in my other pocket [:D]
Be very careful about the 'posture' of your support units (anything that doesn't AV). Keeping them in Defend mode just makes them susceptible to the combat algorithm. And then, they can't provide the support that they could. HQs, AA Rgts, RAF Base units, Fortress units, have no business in the front line, so put them at Rest. They can still provide their services without getting knocked in the head, so Sup and AirSup will survive and keep your operational troops going a skoosh better.
Then there is 'rotation'. This one is a real bitch because it requires some knowledge of the other guy's forces. Rotation involves keeping back a certain percentage of your front line troops in a Rest posture. While they are there, and so long as the Sup units haven't got knocked in the head, they will recover; step-by-step. Then sub them back in for your most depleted "Defending" units and put those at Rest. This won't prevent the final debacle, but it just might flatten out the slippery slope to oblivion.
Btw, don't take the Combat Report as Gospel, but still look at it closely. 65,000 troops attacking might not really be 65,000 troops attacking. Well, maybe in this case it is, because CT Grog is assaulting with only assault capable units, but a lot of people just assault with a stack (100,000 troops attacking, of which 471 are capable of AV with an AV value of 13, woof!). You are playing a guy who understands wtfo. So I'll be watching and adding some more hints as appropriate.
To keep from accusations of fanboism or favoritism, hints can't be a priori, but must only be the result of what is seen in a turn. But the game takes a long time, and hints are generally applicable, so if the hints don't help ya now, maybe they will do so later.
And then again, I have some hints for Japan in my other pocket [:D]
RE: 2 Feb 1942
ORIGINAL: JWE
Be very careful about the 'posture' of your support units (anything that doesn't AV). Keeping them in Defend mode just makes them susceptible to the combat algorithm. And then, they can't provide the support that they could. HQs, AA Rgts, RAF Base units, Fortress units, have no business in the front line, so put them at Rest. They can still provide their services without getting knocked in the head, so Sup and AirSup will survive and keep your operational troops going a skoosh better.
Then there is 'rotation'. This one is a real bitch because it requires some knowledge of the other guy's forces. Rotation involves keeping back a certain percentage of your front line troops in a Rest posture. While they are there, and so long as the Sup units haven't got knocked in the head, they will recover; step-by-step. Then sub them back in for your most depleted "Defending" units and put those at Rest. This won't prevent the final debacle, but it just might flatten out the slippery slope to oblivion.
When you say 'rest' in a combat hex, JWE, do you mean 'reserve?'
I'm still confused about what 'reserve' really does in combat. Do the units with AV come into play if the combat is close enough for them to make a difference, or do they just get the extra movement in pursuit if the combat achieves a positive result?
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
RE: 2 Feb 1942
ORIGINAL: JWE
Bit of a hint. As you may have discovered [;)] if one is defending, one doesn't conduct assaults. Yes, yes, I know, the best defense is a good offense, but this is the game, and you are doing a 'last stand' defense. Bad time to get aggressive [;)] But there are some things you can do to prolong the agony.
Be very careful about the 'posture' of your support units (anything that doesn't AV). Keeping them in Defend mode just makes them susceptible to the combat algorithm. And then, they can't provide the support that they could. HQs, AA Rgts, RAF Base units, Fortress units, have no business in the front line, so put them at Rest. They can still provide their services without getting knocked in the head, so Sup and AirSup will survive and keep your operational troops going a skoosh better.
Then there is 'rotation'. This one is a real bitch because it requires some knowledge of the other guy's forces. Rotation involves keeping back a certain percentage of your front line troops in a Rest posture. While they are there, and so long as the Sup units haven't got knocked in the head, they will recover; step-by-step. Then sub them back in for your most depleted "Defending" units and put those at Rest. This won't prevent the final debacle, but it just might flatten out the slippery slope to oblivion.
Btw, don't take the Combat Report as Gospel, but still look at it closely. 65,000 troops attacking might not really be 65,000 troops attacking. Well, maybe in this case it is, because CT Grog is assaulting with only assault capable units, but a lot of people just assault with a stack (100,000 troops attacking, of which 471 are capable of AV with an AV value of 13, woof!). You are playing a guy who understands wtfo. So I'll be watching and adding some more hints as appropriate.
To keep from accusations of fanboism or favoritism, hints can't be a priori, but must only be the result of what is seen in a turn. But the game takes a long time, and hints are generally applicable, so if the hints don't help ya now, maybe they will do so later.
And then again, I have some hints for Japan in my other pocket [:D]
Hi John,
Thanks for the tips, I take it you'll mosey on by both our AARs once in a while then? Great stuff if so, the LCUs at rest/reserve thingy I've always wondered about. You mentioned putting the support units on "reserve" (Like obvert, I'm also guessing it's reserve you mean, not rest), would the units still go into action when needed? Ie. will AA units still put up flak when bombers fly over? Will engineer units in support LCUs still contribute to fort/airfield/port construction? Never tried rotating the combat units before so that's something I'll try with the troops on Java and Palembang.
Totally get you on the limits of your help so no worries there, a couple of hints and observations here and there like this one above works for me. I've been meaning to put down some observations about playing the mod so I guess there's some feedback you can look at as well.
3 Feb 1942
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Wuchow, Nanning, Pakhoi so CTG is definitely not going to leave this theatre as some backwater.
Burma
Aircraft sighted over Prome.
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
Singapore
We're still in business!
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 64400 troops, 798 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 1344
Defending force 42494 troops, 505 guns, 300 vehicles, Assault Value = 226
Japanese adjusted assault: 698
Allied adjusted defense: 329
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
799 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2593 casualties reported
Squads: 104 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 50 (22 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (4 destroyed, 6 disabled)
SWPAC
Darwin is bombed by Betties again, am in the process of moving a squadron of P-40s up here to ambush them but it's slow going. Might work in my favour though, settling into a pattern makes people lazy and lets down their guard.
Sub War
Sub launched float fighters sighted in the vicinity of Christmas Island and Horn Island
There's another I-boat just off Sydney, don't know if it's the same one from a couple of turns back or a new one, attempts to chase it off/sink it come to naught, have some DDs escorting some troopships that are coming into port, might detach them when they're done to see if they can kill the sub. Am very antsy about keeping too many ships near easy striking range of KB after the debacle at Darwin so lots of search planes in the air over SOPAC islands hoping to give some early warning of enemy movement.
Another I-boat takes a shot at an AVD travelling as part of a group of auxiliaries (stragglers from DEI/PI) off Brisbane but misses.
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Wuchow, Nanning, Pakhoi so CTG is definitely not going to leave this theatre as some backwater.
Burma
Aircraft sighted over Prome.
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
Singapore
We're still in business!
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 64400 troops, 798 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 1344
Defending force 42494 troops, 505 guns, 300 vehicles, Assault Value = 226
Japanese adjusted assault: 698
Allied adjusted defense: 329
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
799 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2593 casualties reported
Squads: 104 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 50 (22 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (4 destroyed, 6 disabled)
SWPAC
Darwin is bombed by Betties again, am in the process of moving a squadron of P-40s up here to ambush them but it's slow going. Might work in my favour though, settling into a pattern makes people lazy and lets down their guard.
Sub War
Sub launched float fighters sighted in the vicinity of Christmas Island and Horn Island
There's another I-boat just off Sydney, don't know if it's the same one from a couple of turns back or a new one, attempts to chase it off/sink it come to naught, have some DDs escorting some troopships that are coming into port, might detach them when they're done to see if they can kill the sub. Am very antsy about keeping too many ships near easy striking range of KB after the debacle at Darwin so lots of search planes in the air over SOPAC islands hoping to give some early warning of enemy movement.
Another I-boat takes a shot at an AVD travelling as part of a group of auxiliaries (stragglers from DEI/PI) off Brisbane but misses.
-
KenchiSulla
- Posts: 2963
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:19 pm
- Location: the Netherlands
RE: 3 Feb 1942
SWPAC
Darwin is bombed by Betties again, am in the process of moving a squadron of P-40s up here to ambush them but it's slow going. Might work in my favour though, settling into a pattern makes people lazy and lets down their guard.
So true....
AKA Cannonfodder
"It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say. It can happen, and it can happen everywhere.”
¯ Primo Levi, writer, holocaust survivor
"It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say. It can happen, and it can happen everywhere.”
¯ Primo Levi, writer, holocaust survivor
4 Feb 1942
SIGINT
2/144th Infantry Regiment is planning for an attack on Rabaul. No previous intel on where 2/144th is located but I'm assuming Truk.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Wuchow, Pakhoi, Nanyang and Nanning
Burma
Aircraft sighted over Taung Gyi.
SWPAC
Aircraft sighted over Darwin, Sydney
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
I might have done something stupid because the last turn because 7 B-10s lift off from Titsup (tjliatipup?) and attempt to strike shipping at Oosthaven, promptly running into more Zeroes than you can shake a stick at, none return home. Gotta love Charles Darwin.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Oosthaven at 48,96
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 5 destroyed
CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (38 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
38 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
Singapore
I've run out of things to say about the tenacity of the defence (either that or it's just bad rolls for CTG)
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63439 troops, 796 guns, 422 vehicles, Assault Value = 1284
Defending force 40882 troops, 490 guns, 297 vehicles, Assault Value = 194
Japanese adjusted assault: 501
Allied adjusted defense: 395
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
966 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 20 (2 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1909 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 112 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 24 (14 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 20 (5 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Sub War
Aircraft sighted by TFs near Christmas Island
I-26 continues to trail her coat just outside Sydney, she hasn't shot at anything important yet thank goodness but I don't like that she's snooping around there.
Lots of I-boats around Horn Island, 2 of them take shots at a resupply convoy bound for Darwin but nothing connects.
Mod Corner
Going to start a little corner that will appear every so often, it will detail observations about playing DBB-C, most of it will be based on observations, throw in some gut feels, in short, nothing that can be backed up with evidence, take with a grain of salt.
Sydney expands to port size 9 this turn, that's starting from size 8 and 60 days from the start of hostilities, I reckon expansion started on something like the 2nd/3rd day? I don't have the game opened so I don't know exactly how many engineers I have working there, just putting it out here.
Also, I have to mention that the number of US Base Groups that start on the map are just insane, the mod is supposed to have fewer Aviation Points to go around than stock but I'm just swimming with Base Groups at the moment, 3 of them (72 AV each) grouped together with an air HQ is enough to hit the 250 AV limit, some judicious arrangement of base groups on CONUS has freed up quite a few of them for deployment across the Pacific while allowing me to setup what will be a size 9 airfield at Alameda for training reinforcement/restricted groups. I haven't taken a look at the reinforcement queue so I don't know if supply is forthcoming but as it stands right now I'm not in want of aviation support.
2/144th Infantry Regiment is planning for an attack on Rabaul. No previous intel on where 2/144th is located but I'm assuming Truk.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Wuchow, Pakhoi, Nanyang and Nanning
Burma
Aircraft sighted over Taung Gyi.
SWPAC
Aircraft sighted over Darwin, Sydney
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
I might have done something stupid because the last turn because 7 B-10s lift off from Titsup (tjliatipup?) and attempt to strike shipping at Oosthaven, promptly running into more Zeroes than you can shake a stick at, none return home. Gotta love Charles Darwin.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Oosthaven at 48,96
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 5 destroyed
CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (38 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
38 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
Singapore
I've run out of things to say about the tenacity of the defence (either that or it's just bad rolls for CTG)
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 63439 troops, 796 guns, 422 vehicles, Assault Value = 1284
Defending force 40882 troops, 490 guns, 297 vehicles, Assault Value = 194
Japanese adjusted assault: 501
Allied adjusted defense: 395
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
966 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 20 (2 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1909 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 112 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 24 (14 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 20 (5 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Sub War
Aircraft sighted by TFs near Christmas Island
I-26 continues to trail her coat just outside Sydney, she hasn't shot at anything important yet thank goodness but I don't like that she's snooping around there.
Lots of I-boats around Horn Island, 2 of them take shots at a resupply convoy bound for Darwin but nothing connects.
Mod Corner
Going to start a little corner that will appear every so often, it will detail observations about playing DBB-C, most of it will be based on observations, throw in some gut feels, in short, nothing that can be backed up with evidence, take with a grain of salt.
Sydney expands to port size 9 this turn, that's starting from size 8 and 60 days from the start of hostilities, I reckon expansion started on something like the 2nd/3rd day? I don't have the game opened so I don't know exactly how many engineers I have working there, just putting it out here.
Also, I have to mention that the number of US Base Groups that start on the map are just insane, the mod is supposed to have fewer Aviation Points to go around than stock but I'm just swimming with Base Groups at the moment, 3 of them (72 AV each) grouped together with an air HQ is enough to hit the 250 AV limit, some judicious arrangement of base groups on CONUS has freed up quite a few of them for deployment across the Pacific while allowing me to setup what will be a size 9 airfield at Alameda for training reinforcement/restricted groups. I haven't taken a look at the reinforcement queue so I don't know if supply is forthcoming but as it stands right now I'm not in want of aviation support.
RE: 3 Feb 1942
ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder
SWPAC
Darwin is bombed by Betties again, am in the process of moving a squadron of P-40s up here to ambush them but it's slow going. Might work in my favour though, settling into a pattern makes people lazy and lets down their guard.
So true....
ROFL, I'm not saying anything in a bid to avoid incriminating myself.
5 Feb 1942
SIGINT
51st Infantry Brigade is planning for an attack on Changsha.
6/4th Division is planning for an attack on Port Moresby.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Pakhoi, Changteh, Nanyang, Nanning.
Stacking limits are quite annoying when you're transiting LCUs through to other points beyond, carefully built stockpiles evaporate into thin air just cos a traffic jam ensues in that particular hex for 2-3 turns before the transiting units move off. Apart from that minor annoyance the theatre is fairly quiet these past few turns although SIGINT tells a different story.
Singapore
Guess who's still singing God Save The King?
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 62700 troops, 794 guns, 420 vehicles, Assault Value = 1236
Defending force 39613 troops, 470 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 188
Japanese adjusted assault: 891
Allied adjusted defense: 321
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
902 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 29 (8 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1289 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 28 destroyed, 107 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 21 (11 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
SWPAC
KB is on the move again, CTG skirted my sub screen at Truk and search planes picked it up about a day and half's steaming north of Truk. I expect she's screening the Rabaul invasion force, if she comes south past Rabaul everything afloat from the Australian coast to Pago Pago is legging it to safer waters.
Sub War
KIX takes launches torpedoes at an xAK till she's winchester for no hits, pretty rare for a Dutch sub
That I-boat off Sydney sinks an AM.
51st Infantry Brigade is planning for an attack on Changsha.
6/4th Division is planning for an attack on Port Moresby.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Pakhoi, Changteh, Nanyang, Nanning.
Stacking limits are quite annoying when you're transiting LCUs through to other points beyond, carefully built stockpiles evaporate into thin air just cos a traffic jam ensues in that particular hex for 2-3 turns before the transiting units move off. Apart from that minor annoyance the theatre is fairly quiet these past few turns although SIGINT tells a different story.
Singapore
Guess who's still singing God Save The King?
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 62700 troops, 794 guns, 420 vehicles, Assault Value = 1236
Defending force 39613 troops, 470 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 188
Japanese adjusted assault: 891
Allied adjusted defense: 321
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
902 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 29 (8 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1289 casualties reported
Squads: 65 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 28 destroyed, 107 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 21 (11 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
SWPAC
KB is on the move again, CTG skirted my sub screen at Truk and search planes picked it up about a day and half's steaming north of Truk. I expect she's screening the Rabaul invasion force, if she comes south past Rabaul everything afloat from the Australian coast to Pago Pago is legging it to safer waters.
Sub War
KIX takes launches torpedoes at an xAK till she's winchester for no hits, pretty rare for a Dutch sub
That I-boat off Sydney sinks an AM.
6 Feb 1942
SIGINT
41st Division is planning for an attack on Sian.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Nanyang, Changteh, Wuchow, Nanning. Loyang is attacked this turn but holds.
Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6147 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 523
Defending force 4138 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 104
Japanese adjusted assault: 63
Allied adjusted defense: 56
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
36th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
Defending units:
15th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
24th Group Army
Singapore
I have to say the engineers working overnight to bring the fort level back to 1 has saved my skin here quite a few times already.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 62446 troops, 787 guns, 419 vehicles, Assault Value = 1231
Defending force 38638 troops, 454 guns, 290 vehicles, Assault Value = 183
Japanese adjusted assault: 384
Allied adjusted defense: 483
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1275 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 15 (8 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1413 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 94 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 27 (13 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
DEI
Lots of naval activity sighted at Singkawang and Kendari. No specific details of TF composition though.
SWPAC
Aircraft sighted over Sydney.
An empty resupply convoy leaving Darwin for Perth is detected by Nells, this should be the first time CTG has caught on to traffic off the shores of northern Oz, the detected convoy *should* be out of range of the level bombers by the next turn and as a precaution I've order an inbound convoys both east and west of Darwin to pull up for a turn or two while waiting for the heat to die down.
A P-40 squadron is flying CAP over Darwin but the bombers haven't reappeared since the strike a couple of days ago, I'll be ready for him when he comes back though.
Rabaul is seeing a lot of activity, it looks like everything that was at Darwin plus the invasion fleet, KB is now withing easy striking distance of Rabaul but no attacks of any kind as yet. Rabaul might not be the only stop if I were him, question is will he turn towards Port Moresby or push to the end of the Solomons or even points beyond to Noumea?
Sub War
Glugglugglug sounds make me pretty sure that S-38 breaks the no-hits streak that's been going on for a while by sinking the same xAK that KIX tried to sink the previous turn.
I had some SIGINT indicating heavy activity in Shanghai and put Searaven out there to see if she could snag anything, she detects a convoy coming out of Shanghai but is sighted by the escorts.
I've got 3 subs off Rabaul but they can't even get into position for a shot because the skies over KB are littered with Kates on ASW patrol. DLs for all 3 subs are 10/10
Allied Sub killboard
KXIV - AK Sakura Maru (6,840t)
S-38 - xAK Gyoun Maru (1,900t), xAK Kikuryu Maru (1,900t)
KXV - xAK Nojima Maru with O19(3,425t)
Sargo - xAK Gosei Maru (3,425t)
Swordfish - xAKL Yamatsuru Maru (1,650t), xAKL Muko Maru (1,650t)
Seadragon - xAKL Kanjo Maru (1,650t), xAKL Tamaki Maru (1,650t)
Perch - DD Sazanami (2,090t)
Tarpon - TB Manazuru (775t)
O20 - xAP Taizan Maru (on 27 Dec 1941)
Probable
S-38 - xAK Tamon Maru (torp hit 1, on fire, 12/12/41), xAK Kano Maru (torp hit 1, hvy fires/dmg, 06/02/42-Oosthaven 49,96)
KXI - xAK Kogyo Maru (torp hits 2, hvy fires/dmg, 07/12/41)
Seadragon - xAP Rakuyo Maru (torp hit 1, hvy dmg, 21/01/42)
41st Division is planning for an attack on Sian.
China
Aircraft sighted over Changsha, Nanyang, Changteh, Wuchow, Nanning. Loyang is attacked this turn but holds.
Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6147 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 523
Defending force 4138 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 104
Japanese adjusted assault: 63
Allied adjusted defense: 56
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
36th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
Defending units:
15th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
24th Group Army
Singapore
I have to say the engineers working overnight to bring the fort level back to 1 has saved my skin here quite a few times already.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 62446 troops, 787 guns, 419 vehicles, Assault Value = 1231
Defending force 38638 troops, 454 guns, 290 vehicles, Assault Value = 183
Japanese adjusted assault: 384
Allied adjusted defense: 483
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1275 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 15 (8 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1413 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 94 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 27 (13 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
DEI
Lots of naval activity sighted at Singkawang and Kendari. No specific details of TF composition though.
SWPAC
Aircraft sighted over Sydney.
An empty resupply convoy leaving Darwin for Perth is detected by Nells, this should be the first time CTG has caught on to traffic off the shores of northern Oz, the detected convoy *should* be out of range of the level bombers by the next turn and as a precaution I've order an inbound convoys both east and west of Darwin to pull up for a turn or two while waiting for the heat to die down.
A P-40 squadron is flying CAP over Darwin but the bombers haven't reappeared since the strike a couple of days ago, I'll be ready for him when he comes back though.
Rabaul is seeing a lot of activity, it looks like everything that was at Darwin plus the invasion fleet, KB is now withing easy striking distance of Rabaul but no attacks of any kind as yet. Rabaul might not be the only stop if I were him, question is will he turn towards Port Moresby or push to the end of the Solomons or even points beyond to Noumea?
Sub War
Glugglugglug sounds make me pretty sure that S-38 breaks the no-hits streak that's been going on for a while by sinking the same xAK that KIX tried to sink the previous turn.
I had some SIGINT indicating heavy activity in Shanghai and put Searaven out there to see if she could snag anything, she detects a convoy coming out of Shanghai but is sighted by the escorts.
I've got 3 subs off Rabaul but they can't even get into position for a shot because the skies over KB are littered with Kates on ASW patrol. DLs for all 3 subs are 10/10
Allied Sub killboard
KXIV - AK Sakura Maru (6,840t)
S-38 - xAK Gyoun Maru (1,900t), xAK Kikuryu Maru (1,900t)
KXV - xAK Nojima Maru with O19(3,425t)
Sargo - xAK Gosei Maru (3,425t)
Swordfish - xAKL Yamatsuru Maru (1,650t), xAKL Muko Maru (1,650t)
Seadragon - xAKL Kanjo Maru (1,650t), xAKL Tamaki Maru (1,650t)
Perch - DD Sazanami (2,090t)
Tarpon - TB Manazuru (775t)
O20 - xAP Taizan Maru (on 27 Dec 1941)
Probable
S-38 - xAK Tamon Maru (torp hit 1, on fire, 12/12/41), xAK Kano Maru (torp hit 1, hvy fires/dmg, 06/02/42-Oosthaven 49,96)
KXI - xAK Kogyo Maru (torp hits 2, hvy fires/dmg, 07/12/41)
Seadragon - xAP Rakuyo Maru (torp hit 1, hvy dmg, 21/01/42)
RE: 4 Feb 1942
Brilliant, Arnhem! Just what I'm looking for!ORIGINAL: Arnhem
Mod Corner
Also, I have to mention that the number of US Base Groups that start on the map are just insane, the mod is supposed to have fewer Aviation Points to go around than stock but I'm just swimming with Base Groups at the moment, 3 of them (72 AV each) grouped together with an air HQ is enough to hit the 250 AV limit, some judicious arrangement of base groups on CONUS has freed up quite a few of them for deployment across the Pacific while allowing me to setup what will be a size 9 airfield at Alameda for training reinforcement/restricted groups. I haven't taken a look at the reinforcement queue so I don't know if supply is forthcoming but as it stands right now I'm not in want of aviation support.
Yep, there's about 6 of those that show up through the end of '42 that need to be cut back and take replacements until they build to strength. The Groups at CONUS bases (the ones that have AAF Names, like Wendover, Elmendorf, etc..) are "supposed" to stay where they are, but I guess that wasn't very obvious. However, we've developed an interesting static device, for these and certain Japanese base infrastructure that will keep them from going out-about-town, as it were. Nothing that can be done for your present plethora of riches, but definitely something for the future.
Thank you. Ciao. John
7 Feb 1942
SIGINT
2/4th Division is planning for an attack on Port Moresby.
China
Aircraft sighted over Wuchow, Nanning, Changsha,
Loyang falls this turn.
Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 17985 troops, 136 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 492
Defending force 4046 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 92
Japanese adjusted assault: 324
Allied adjusted defense: 20
Japanese assault odds: 16 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Loyang !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
504 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
1892 casualties reported
Squads: 46 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
36th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
Defending units:
15th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
24th Group Army
Singapore
Singapore is bombed by no ground attacks this turn, as clued in by JWE, I rested a couple of units just for fun (they're basically shot to pieces with most combat elements destroyed) and a couple get a nudge upwards in their AV.
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
An enemy convoy docks at Oosthaven, doubtless unloading reinforcements to backup 38th Div in the attempt to take Palembang. One more Dutch battalion joins the defenders of Palembang. I've got 2 more at least a week's march away. Apart from irregular bombings the garrison is untouched, I suppose Singapore will fall first before the full attention of the IJA/IJN turns towards Palembang.
I've got what looks like an invasion fleet a day's sailing from Koepang, I'm assuming that's the target. An A-24 squadron has been flown in from Java to see if it can pick up one or two transports, assuming Zeroes aren't LRCAPing the fleet.
SWPAC
Glens sighted over Sydney, damned pests are really beginning to annoy me.
Simultaneous landings at Cape Gloucester, Talasea and Kavieng. Rabaul and Lae are bombed by KB. I expect landings at Lae, Buna and perhaps Milne Bay shortly while on the other side of the Solomon Sea perhaps Shortlands and if CTG is feeling really confident perhaps Guadalcanal and even points further south? The initial wave of landings are one thing, it's how far and fast he pushes immediately after that would give some insight to how aggressive his expansion of the perimeter in this theatre will be.
Sub War
Dolphin latches shoots and misses at an APD that looks like it's part of another invasion convoy, no idea where it's going, Dili/Lautern perhaps?
2/4th Division is planning for an attack on Port Moresby.
China
Aircraft sighted over Wuchow, Nanning, Changsha,
Loyang falls this turn.
Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 17985 troops, 136 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 492
Defending force 4046 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 92
Japanese adjusted assault: 324
Allied adjusted defense: 20
Japanese assault odds: 16 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Loyang !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
504 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
1892 casualties reported
Squads: 46 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
36th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
Defending units:
15th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
24th Group Army
Singapore
Singapore is bombed by no ground attacks this turn, as clued in by JWE, I rested a couple of units just for fun (they're basically shot to pieces with most combat elements destroyed) and a couple get a nudge upwards in their AV.
DEI
Aircraft sighted over Palembang.
An enemy convoy docks at Oosthaven, doubtless unloading reinforcements to backup 38th Div in the attempt to take Palembang. One more Dutch battalion joins the defenders of Palembang. I've got 2 more at least a week's march away. Apart from irregular bombings the garrison is untouched, I suppose Singapore will fall first before the full attention of the IJA/IJN turns towards Palembang.
I've got what looks like an invasion fleet a day's sailing from Koepang, I'm assuming that's the target. An A-24 squadron has been flown in from Java to see if it can pick up one or two transports, assuming Zeroes aren't LRCAPing the fleet.
SWPAC
Glens sighted over Sydney, damned pests are really beginning to annoy me.
Simultaneous landings at Cape Gloucester, Talasea and Kavieng. Rabaul and Lae are bombed by KB. I expect landings at Lae, Buna and perhaps Milne Bay shortly while on the other side of the Solomon Sea perhaps Shortlands and if CTG is feeling really confident perhaps Guadalcanal and even points further south? The initial wave of landings are one thing, it's how far and fast he pushes immediately after that would give some insight to how aggressive his expansion of the perimeter in this theatre will be.
Sub War
Dolphin latches shoots and misses at an APD that looks like it's part of another invasion convoy, no idea where it's going, Dili/Lautern perhaps?
RE: 4 Feb 1942
ORIGINAL: JWE
Brilliant, Arnhem! Just what I'm looking for!ORIGINAL: Arnhem
Mod Corner
Also, I have to mention that the number of US Base Groups that start on the map are just insane, the mod is supposed to have fewer Aviation Points to go around than stock but I'm just swimming with Base Groups at the moment, 3 of them (72 AV each) grouped together with an air HQ is enough to hit the 250 AV limit, some judicious arrangement of base groups on CONUS has freed up quite a few of them for deployment across the Pacific while allowing me to setup what will be a size 9 airfield at Alameda for training reinforcement/restricted groups. I haven't taken a look at the reinforcement queue so I don't know if supply is forthcoming but as it stands right now I'm not in want of aviation support.
Yep, there's about 6 of those that show up through the end of '42 that need to be cut back and take replacements until they build to strength. The Groups at CONUS bases (the ones that have AAF Names, like Wendover, Elmendorf, etc..) are "supposed" to stay where they are, but I guess that wasn't very obvious. However, we've developed an interesting static device, for these and certain Japanese base infrastructure that will keep them from going out-about-town, as it were. Nothing that can be done for your present plethora of riches, but definitely something for the future.
Thank you. Ciao. John
Well, I did try to stay honest and leave the named base units where they were, after all, most of them have reinforcement groups coming throughout the duration of the game and it'd be a pita to have stranded air groups. I did move the 2 furthest inland (ie closest to Eastern USA), can't remember their names. I like the idea of making them static, that way there's no thinking about whether you should strip them from their assigned bases.
I think there are 6 Base Groups alone at March Field and since they could be bought out with PPs I figure they're fair game for deployment overseas. Were those meant to stay at home too?