Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[wege80]

ORIGINAL: janh

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
It IS an invasion of Benkolen! Infantry consists of 27th Rhodesian Bde, 7th Marine Reg, 25th Aussie Bge, and a bunch of support/base forces. HOT DAMN! Bring it on. What an opportunity for the Japanese...

[X(][X(][X(][X(]

I don't get it, this is crazy... Can he do that without have anything ready for a back-hand blow??? A trap? Or is he falling into a desperate panic mode after the loss of Australia? This is going to end badly, very badly...

Would not even try this against the AI ... A landing near Java/Saigon area in May 42 with nearly all carriers lost is ... huuuh ... very brave

[John 3rd]

I do not understand it either. He will take the base but I shall have a Prisoner-of-War gift with all those troops. The placement of the attack allows me to bleed him some while I wait to send in the CVs. HECK. I don't even need to risk their decks to attack him right now! Planes flew from Batavia to Benkoelen without issue last turn. Moved BUNCHES more planes to the general area and have another 100 bombers about to enter the conflict with another day.

CRAZY!

[koniu]

Dose having CV TF in sea/land (Batavia) hex not reducing planes flying by 50% so not only you flaying with 50% of strike force but also your CAP is reduced by 50%?

EDIT: Ok found you battle plan. They only refueling there:)

Watching closely how it will end. Probably biggest chance to sunk his carries you will ever have

[Cribtop]

First off, I concur that this enemy venture will end in disaster. That said, it's still useful to think about what he's up to. Only thing I can think of is a smash and grab move for Palembang in hopes two captures wreck the facilities. Just keep the gas station covered and set phasers on annihilate. [:D]

[ny59giants]

When playing the Allies, I want Prince of Wales afloat just for her AA package. Having an AA value over 2000 early in the war and being a torpedo magnet is a great bonus.

This has to be a suicide mission, IMO. He has no chance of any follow up forces getting there.

[zuluhour]

AFB [X(]

[ny59giants]

Zulu - I play both sides. The PoW is one BB I would not want to throw away in '42.

OT - I've been on John's Naval Staff for over four years, so I'm able to give him more grief than other players on this thread. If I can teach him how to run the Japanese economy, I can teach anyone. [:D]

[zuluhour]

The reaction was actually just how far John has taken this game, all I can say id GEEEEEEEZZ. I guess a complement to the staff is in order. How come there is no salute smiley?

[ny59giants]

The whole Australian adventure was a joint effort between John and I. I had voiced it to him months ago on a weekly phone call. I made some suggestions as it was unfolding that worked out really well for him. [&o]

One of these years, we will actually have to pay a game against each other that goes the whole war. [:D]

[Cribtop]

Hey, where's my weekly phone call? Just kidding. [:D]

[John 3rd]

Sorry. Been working all day and couldn't jump in.

Michael is a good friend and fantastic advisor. We sound each other off on all sorts of ideas with AE. His games, my games, other's games does not matter. Makes for great conversation.

The key to this game was a clear plan that was in place DAY ONE for going after Australia. I really didn't think it would work until we found the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Aussie ID up north near Katherine. Once that was ascertained then it was FULL SPEED AHEAD!

This counter-landing is crazy. Sure...it will cause some issues but right now I have the Allied Fleet in my crosshairs and I am trying to PATIENTLY set-up for a massed assault that utterly destroys his capability of making a seaborne assault in the IO for the next year. I want more BBs and Hornet--Illustrious--Enterprise??. IF we can bag all three then life is set to be pretty good...

[John 3rd]

May 29, 1942

More troops come ashore at Benkoelen and I took a screenshot of the units right now. WOW. There are NO SUPPORT TROOPS here! Infantry and Artillery but not much more then that. Other TF are moving in, however, this is it for the moment. Looks like I don't have to worry about a Pt Blair Landing or immediate Burma Campaign. Think we can destroy troops at Cocos and then wipe these boys out of existence...

Comments here?

[John 3rd]

May 29, 1942

Vc-Adm Yamaguchi Tamon has been kept on a short leash under strict orders to not engage the massive enemy fleet assailing Benkoelen, Sumatra. He slowing moves his CVs (CarDiv2, Ryujo, Shoho, and Zuiho) SE towards the coast. In the afternoon a small enemy TF is spotted and 20 Zeros covering 10 Kates launch from the small carriers. This small attack sinks an AK and AP carrying troops. For the first time the Allies now know there are Japanese CVs in the area. He radios his attack and gets permission to close on the beachhead near Benkoelen. His CVs--with many more fighters then the 3 heavies coming out of Batavia--are the bait to draw the Allied CVs attacks tomorrow. He looks at the escorting 3 CA and 8 DD and orders the 105 Zeros on his CVs to 60% CAP. Additionally AOs are spotted to the SW and so he detaches CL Nagara and 3 DD to hunt for those valuable ships. All his strike aircraft are ordered ready for attack and so the crews prepare 45 Val and 85 Kate for naval strikes.

Vc-Adm Nagumo Chuichi has finally gotten his 3 CVs, 4 BC, 6 BB, 3 CA, 6 CL, and 18 DD refuelled and rearmed at Batavia for combat. Mighty Kaga, Shokaku, and Zuikaku (72 Z, 70 V, 67 K) form the core with the 4 BC. Adm Komatsu leads Nagato, Mutsu, 2 CL, and 5 DD. Ever aggressive Rr-Adm Tanaka commands mighty Yamato, Ise, Hyuga, 2 CL, and 5 DD. The battlewagons are ordered to stay with the CVs and absorb whatever the Allies can throw at them before racing into the beachhead to slaughter the vessels present there. The 3 TF are planned to arrive near Enggano by dawn for strikes to be launched.

More aircraft then the Base Forces can handle at presently operating at Singapore, Palembang, Oosthaven, Christmas Isle, and Batavia. There are over 500 planes operating from these five bases.

Tomorrow shall see the Imperial Army and Navy wield 1,000 aircraft in an attempt to overwhelm the Allied forces invading Sumatra...

[koniu]

Time to buy popcorn, it is going to be fun.

I almost envy adrenaline rush you will have watching replay

[janh]

Damn, this is going to be a battle that will long be remembered...

[FatR]

I think your opponent is in a full panic mode and tries to frantically do anything to compensate for the disaster in Australia. This can only result in complete decimation of the Allied fleet and likely point loss in 1943, unless you're willing to continue the game after it declares you the winner. A big mistake. The proper reaction to a big defeat in 1942 is to either withdraw your fleet, conserve your naval strength, and try a massive knockout attack some time in 1944 (possible in 1943, but far more risky) or/and to launch a creeping offensive whereever you have a contact with the enemy (likely CBI, the Pacific island hopping, will be, IMO, too costly without the ability to take on IJN, even if you'll eventually grind through), concentrating on achieving LBA superiority, instead of naval domination.

[Q-Ball]

Just another in a long series of tactical and strategic errors by your opponent. You did a great job John down in Australia, but against an alert Allied opponent, I don't see how Australia can be taken.

[ny59giants]

While you focus on destroying his ships, what ground units do you have at Palembang and Djambi?? What additional troops are being shipped into Palembang?? This may be a suicide mission, but I think Lew hopes that he can send out multiple columns of troops out of Benkoelen to these two bases and capture them. I think he hopes to destroy the Oil and Refineries there. If and its a big 'if' he gets to Palembang, he can use the supply there for his own troops.

[John 3rd]

Not gonna happen. I shall blast the living hell out of those troops by LBA when they move out away from Benkoelen. All I've done is move in Naval Aircraft. Once the battle is over then I'll pull in about 400 IJA Bombers to take care of that. Key is to prevent Base Forces from getting ashore. The carrier battle tomorrow should take care of that. Once I've driven away the CVs and hit the BBs with LBA again then my 6 Battlewagons (and perhaps 4 BC) go in and we'll break out the brooms.

Major Warships spotted at Benkoelen last turn: Prince of Wales and Repulse (heavily damaged), Ramilles, New Mexico and Idaho.

As for ground troops right now. I have a Regiment being airlifted from Batavia to Palembang. Am embarking 2/3 of the Imperial Guards at Port Blair and bringing them home. The freshly arrived 33rd ID at Rangoon will be lifted tomorrow for Palembang. Remaining portion of Imperial Guards is at Singapore ready to move ASAP as well.

[Cribtop]