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

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

As Japan I always feared an offensive toward Amoy or the Wenchow area. In the long run it's suicide for the Chinese LCUs involved, but the IJA is so thin here at start I feared they could make a lot of mischief.

That's exactly what the AI does/did in my game. I was not ready and haven't had troops to spare to open the coast as yet (4/42).

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

As Japan I always feared an offensive toward Amoy or the Wenchow area. In the long run it's suicide for the Chinese LCUs involved, but the IJA is so thin here at start I feared they could make a lot of mischief.

That's exactly what the AI does/did in my game. I was not ready and haven't had troops to spare to open the coast as yet (4/42).

+1

I have to get all of my troops into one base, I generally choose Amoy. Otherwise Andy's AI will crucify me.

[Hortlund]

You might be right. Perhaps I should bring the 38th to Clark. He has 1300 AV there, and right now I have roughly 1300 there aswell. Any thoughts about that assault? Bring the 38th to get it up to 1700? Do I need to bring more?

Usually I stall for weeks at Clark, bleeding the involved units heavily, and I would really like to avoid that now.

[Hortlund]

1 full division should be enough to defeat anything but the 18th UK on Timor. I dont think he has brought the 18th over here. For some reason, Canoe strikes me as a more cautious player. 18th is probably in Australia or India right now.

4 BBs, lots and lots of airunits and some small CVs...this should usually be enough to get ashore.

However...

I believe the USN CVs are in this area together with Force Z.

Thoughts? Opinions? I can hold operations here for one more week, but after that I need to move forward again. I will not get bogged down yet.

Tentative plan is to send supply and another air HQ to Kendari, then under cover from these two bases force a landing at Lauterm or Dili.

[Captain Cruft]

I think the way to play as Japan is always to trade planes for ships. If his CVs and/or BBs are in such a remote place it might be an opportunity. Let the Netties deal with them and keep the mini-CVs out of the way unless and until it looks safe.

Or, just wait until he has to withdraw any capital units due to lack of fuel and then take Timor with less stress.

Personally I wouldn't take any risks for what is basically a worthless and remote jungle-covered rock.

[ny59giants]

Luzon - I like to buy out the components of a division that starts out mainly in Korea and have it start to prep for Bataan on the first day. It takes some time, but I can steadily bring it over to Luzon and combine it there. Bottle up the Allies in Clark and then Bataan and just bomb the AFs to destroy his supplies. You shouldn't need more than the 65 Bde and 48 Division to hold.

I hope you have the 90th Inf Rgt bought out from Korea/Manchuria as it has very high experience levels.

If you don't go for a direct attack/landing at Lautem/Dili, could you para drop and Fast Transport in troops, especially BF and construction engineers to Saumlaki. Its AF is 0(5) and could be built up relatively quickly and also give you a few options. It would close off him from moving towards Horn Island and give you a jumping off point for Darwin later. Having Ambon and Namlea already gives you two large enough AFs to cover this operation. You could keep Mini-KB over by Boela and still influence any attempt to get too close.

[CRations]

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund

1 full division should be enough to defeat anything but the 18th UK on Timor. I dont think he has brought the 18th over here. For some reason, Canoe strikes me as a more cautious player. 18th is probably in Australia or India right now.

4 BBs, lots and lots of airunits and some small CVs...this should usually be enough to get ashore.

However...

I believe the USN CVs are in this area together with Force Z.

Thoughts? Opinions? I can hold operations here for one more week, but after that I need to move forward again. I will not get bogged down yet.

Tentative plan is to send supply and another air HQ to Kendari, then under cover from these two bases force a landing at Lauterm or Dili.

How are you for Naval Search aircraft? The higher your detection factor the better your chance of your Bettys striking targets - yes?

I see you have subs in the area. Can you deploy mines at a base or channel where you think CanoeRebel will use his warships? Also, if you have any subs with search aircraft you might run those west of where you suspect Force Z plus carriers are and see if they can confirm the nature of those ships.

CR

[Hortlund]

Just a quick update.

Ive decided to press on with the invasion of Timor.

Three reasons.
1) I want to send the message to Canoe that I do not fear his naval forces, and I will not yield the initiative.

2) I feel pretty secure being deep inside Zero- and Betty-range. I dont think he will throw his CVs into Betty-range, so if they appear, they will stand off from the other side of Timor.

3) He is probably growing stronger by each day. If I wait, I will just face more landunits and stronger surface forces.

I think Canoe is expecting me to pause here, knowing that there are strong surface forces in the area. If I press on despite that knowledge and without KB-cover, that should cause Canoe to hesitate in the future. At this point in the war, I want him to think that I can defeat him anywhere I want, regardless of relative size of local forces.

[witpqs]

Where was the QE when she was torpedoed?

[Hortlund]

Off Los Angeles.

[Hortlund]

Not much action this turn. My fleet is moving into position for the attack on Timor. No sign of the allied fleet.

[geofflambert]

Forgive me

[AcePylut]

I bet his CV's are hanging off Alaska becuase, in another time, and another place, not enough CV's were brought to the Aleuts and as a result, there were some permanent reefs 10,000 feet below sea level and the Aleuts stayed in Allied hands.

[geofflambert]

Sorry

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

At this time of year, things are getting very brisk up there. Very shortly you will not be able to operate aircraft carriers because everything (and I do mean everything) will be covered in sheets of ice.

IRL, yes. In game, the winter effects are pretty mild if you keep your speed down. And the early IJ landing bonus ignores the winter effect.

PErsonally, not sure of this campaign; but I am watching with interest. I do see some posiblities I hadn't thought of before, but still not sure they work out. Great to watch though.

[geofflambert]

Excuse me

[geofflambert]

Pardon me

[Hortlund]

Probably lots of action tomorrow. I am landing simultaneously at Lauterm and Balikpapan to force him to split forces or leave one landing uncontested. Another transport TF is heading to Makassar. I am trying to overwhelm him here.


Lauterm
Lauterm is by far the most dangerous operation since this is the area where Force Z and the suspected CVs were last spotted.

4 BBs under Tanaka will clear the way, together with several small TFs consiting of 2-4 CLs or DDs. The CVL/CVEs will take position just east of Lauterm, and two CS will head south in an attempt to draw fire or at least give the impression that I have more carriers here than I actually do.

Aircover from Ambon, consisting of 50 Bettys and 50 Zeros. Bettys have mixed orders of naval attack at 2k or 8k, Zeros are a mix of escort and sweep over the target hexes. Tomorrow could get bloody if Canoe decides to park his CVs just off Lauterm.

Balikpapan
4 CAs are positioned to intercept any attempt to interfere with the landings. 1 CA+several DDs will patrol the target hex itself. The CVL will take up position just off Samarinda together with a separate SCTF for close cover. I need to be careful here, because Force Z and the CVs might just aswell show up here.

I rather doubt it though, since I think Canoe has his eyes fixed on Timor right now.

China
Right now it is a war of manuever on the plains off Nanyang. Notice the nice trap Canoe is setting up north? One blocking force to hold my forces in place, and one flanking force to sneak in behind them. It is clear I will have to be careful around here. There are lots of Chinese units all over the place, and the hunter may very quick become the hunted.

[Hortlund]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Panzerjaeger, I just viewed your AAR for the first time. I've only played Allies but I won't tell anybody anything including CR. Alaska. Going gold mining are you? Normally I'd make it easier for you because I evacuate all the good stuff as soon as I can, but you're too quick on the trigger. If you think his CVs are where you think, what the heck are your CVs doing off Alaska??? If I were him I'd give you a good punch in the nose and take Truk, not mess around in NEI. The Coral Sea area, if he holds the important places is a dagger pointed at the heart of your empire. A couple of BBs could protect your northern operations under the circumstances. I say it's time to get your PanzerGrenadier pants on and get down there and fight him! Time's wasting, he gets more carriers with trained crews and pretty soon you're f***ed. Forgive me my bluntness.

Actually I think an opportunity has presented itself in the north pacific. It is clear that Canoe is not defending up here, and that could prove to be a costly mistake.. I am actually reinforcing heavily up here with several more units heading north.

The battle for the SRA is already over, all that remains there is mopping up. With the fall of Palembang all my first-tier objectives are achieved. What remains now is to clear the lines of communication between Palembang and Japan. All operations in this area can be executed under land based aircover. I see no need whatsoever for my CVs in that area right now.

In the NoPac-area, there are no built-up airbases yet, so I must have my CVs up there. Right now I have split the KB in three. Two CVs are heading back to Japan to refuel/rearm, two are covering the Juneau-invasion, and two others are further south, around Seattle to prevent Canoe from sending reinforcements north.

To be honest, I think Canoe has made a very big mistake here. I'll get back to why later.

[Hortlund]

Oh, and one more thing about the Coral Sea.

What exactly is there that is worth taking? The entire operation in the SwPac is all about one thing - trying to deny the US the ability to stage offensive operations from that area. And while that is all fine and well, there might be better ways to achieve that goal than to follow an AI-like script to attack and take Port Moresby, Rabaul, Guadalcanal, Noumea, Suva, or wherever you want to call it quits.

I am certain of two things.
1) Canoerebel is expecting me to invade Port Moresby.
2) Canoerebel is expecting me to invade Darwin.

Why? Because everyone is doing it when they play as Japan. Why is everyone doing it when they play as Japan? They think it is of vital importance to hold those pieces of land so that the US player cannot use those bases to stage offensive operations towards the NEI/Philippines. So usually the game follows the same script. Early Japanese conquest of NEI and Phillipines, after that, and as soon as possible - onwards towards Australia or India. There, somewhere the Jap offensive stalls, the initiative slips over to the allies, and the rest of the game is spent trying to delay the inevitable defeat of the Japanese forces.

NEI right now is a sideshow, because I have taken Palembang and Manila and Singapore cannot hold. The strategic objectives are already achieved. The oil is mine. Whats left here is the secondary objectives of clearing the SLOCs back to Japan. That is also practically over. What is left after that?

If I am right, and the US CVs are around Timor right now.. what exactly are they hoping to achieve? They are in the middle of Betty/Zero-range, they are a huge threat to any shipping of mine of cource, but even if he slides his CVs right into one of my invasion convoys right now, I lose a handful of ships that cannot be replaced, some land units that can be replaced, and worst-case-scenario, some capital ships that would be nice to have in the future. But these are acceptable losses if that means I can completely conquer the entire NoPac-area.

.
.
.

Because what if there is another way to delay the US counteroffensive? What if there is a way to force the US player to leave the script and fight in another area, completely on Japanese terms, where half of the year is invasion-proof? Instead of fighting very close to major bases or even supply sources, perhaps it is possible to force the US player to fight in dreadful conditions with few built-up bases, and without any cover for his own SLOCs other than his CVs can provide? Isnt that better than fighting the entire Australian or Indian army over terrain that ultimately never can be held for more than a short period of time?