Hairy Asian Experiences - GreyJoy (J) vs. Q-Ball (A)

[GreyJoy]

June 10th 1943
 
Well Erik, he kept on bombing. Today was Babar's turn. But any cruiser sunk is a good news to me. They are the most scaring weapons the allies have imho.
 
Terapo is heavily swept by 200 enemy fighters, with more on LRCAP. I won't be able to do much i fear... more betties lost because i'm a dumb*ss, leaving them on naval attack with long range settings [:@]
 
More bombings on Tarawa, Ontong Java and Woodlark Is.
The whole SOPAC theatre is ready to crumble... damn... i'm thinking about what is wise now... abbandon the whole SOPAC and retire to a more northern line?...mmm.... I haven't enough troops to really defend all those dot bases... and i'm already heavily committed everywhere...
 
 

[GreyJoy]

June 11, 1943

Terapo falls. That's no good. Too fast. I hoped to last for a week or two...but those assies were far better than the 7th US Div at Tulagi and probably my guys performed more poorly...anyway, it fell, and now we have a torn in our side. I've seen what Obvert has suffered once Terapo fell...The whole theatre is now in great danger. We need to move fast and start relocating my forces.
The allies landed at Vella La Vella on this very same day. Now Munda, Lunga and Russell Island are bypassed... and the enemy is now at the very gates of Bouganville... damn, against Rader it took me months to move from Tulagi to Shortland...while it took only 4 weeks to Brad...[X(]

We tried to ambush his bombers over Tarawa...with rookies... and we lost 20 planes for no gain[:o]. Stupid me!

More naval bombings at Salroe this time... More recons on western sumatra....[8|]
Heavy naval activity at Colombo lately...should i start to fear a landing on my indian ocean flank? Were are his damned CVs????

Oh wait, we have a good news...we torpedoed a CVE...losing a precious big sub... only one torp so i don't think she'll go down[:(]

[GreyJoy]

June 12, 1943
 
We swept Terapo with 80 Georges and 70 Tojos... and we obtained an ashtonishing 35 to 2 [:'(]. But i confirm the fact that the whole PGN is now doomed. No matter what.
 
The news of the day is that allied CVs are spotted at Colombo!!!!!![:-][:-][:-][:-][:-]  We moved to the Adamans some 20 Patrol and recon planes (we need to be sure!), along with 42 Tojos and 45 Georges. Jills and Vals are relocating from Singapore and Java, while 2 fast transport TFs are ordered to be loaded at Singapore, with 10,000 supplies and some troops.
1 CVE and 1 CVL, along with 1 CA, 3 CLs and 12 DDs are warming their engines at Singa.
 
Man...if Brad has moved his CVs to India that only means he has kept his Marines in reserve for my Indian flank...

[GreyJoy]

Ok what are we doing?
We are reinforcing Kavieng, Manus, Aitape, hollandia, Biak and Kusiae.
 
We won't try to defend lower PGN. It's a lost war. We will fight back however. Don't wanna give him an easy advance...but won't sacrifice important troops and ships for those places.
 
Studying the map my idea is that once the allies have PM and lower PGN, the next step to be defended is everything which is north of Wewak.
Truk is getting an Air HQ and a brigade, along with some good AA units.
Kusiae and Ponape are becoming true fortresses. supplies will arrive soon and with those two heavily fortified, the allies will have to chose another route once they conquer the Marshalls

[crsutton]

Yep, it takes a long time and some effort to move his CVs to the Indian Ocean. You can expect something major there.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Yep, it takes a long time and some effort to move his CVs to the Indian Ocean. You can expect something major there.

yup. i need some confirmations first. We had some heavy volume sounds at Colombo in the last week, but the Nells on Nav search did spot only some AOs, TKs etc... but today a CV TF was spotted...but the DL was so low that i cannot be sure. Tomorrow we'll know...

I can assemble some decent air power in the area. We have air HQ at Sebang, Benkoleng, Port Blair and Rangoon. Another air HQ is coming to Bankok but won't arrive untill next month...

[1EyedJacks]

Can you get subs with aircraft up there?

So just saying his carriers are up there - where is he weakest on the map now that you can maybe counter-strike?

[ny59giants]

I would start to march and/or air transport out some of your troops from Port Moresby.

[GreyJoy]

June 15th, 1943
 
Probably a false allarm. No CV spotted and there seems to be no threat coming from Colombo in the short term. However the latest improvements of allied shippings in the area will make me more carefull there.
I'm keeping a decent amount of nav search in the Bay of Bengal...just in case. Ships and planes are moved back to singapore.
 
The allies keep on bombing Babar-Salroe-Saumlaki, while Lautem and Dabo are daily hit by his 4Es...
 
We keep on moving troops everywhere...
 
I have a plan to evacuate PM garrison...while we managed to get out a couple of SNLF units from the isolated lower Solomons.
 
The allies have consolidated at terapo and now 100 fighters are based there...scary!
 
The first Sentai of 30 Frank "a" is now operative in Burma[8D]. Our air force is getting stronger. Tojo "c" are almost operative and for July we'll start producing 200 of them monthly.
 
So far so good.
 
Reinforcing Biak and Hollandia
 
Sebang just got 2 more artillery units and some more supplies.
 
 

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


The first Sentai of 30 Frank "a" is now operative in Burma[8D]. Our air force is getting stronger. Tojo "c" are almost operative and for July we'll start producing 200 of them monthly.

That nice. 392mph of Frank should give You decent results against allied fighters. It is not enough against P-47 but still good improved from Tojo 376mph.
Also having all planes with armor should help.

Having mix of Frank/Tojo in air should work well i think and if we add to that N1K1 for firepower You look ok at lest on paper.
Those three are best You can get for next 1,5 year i think. I will watch close how they perform together

EDIT: What date is standard Frank arrival date in mod you are playing. Frank In July, nice.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


The first Sentai of 30 Frank "a" is now operative in Burma[8D]. Our air force is getting stronger. Tojo "c" are almost operative and for July we'll start producing 200 of them monthly.

That nice. 392mph of Frank should give You decent results against allied fighters. It is not enough against P-47 but still good improved from Tojo 376mph.
Also having all planes with armor should help.

Having mix of Frank/Tojo in air should work well i think and if we add to that N1K1 for firepower You look ok at lest on paper.
Those three are best You can get for next 1,5 year i think. I will watch close how they perform together

EDIT: What date is standard Frank arrival date in mod you are playing. Frank In July, nice.

Franks are nice plane but the difficulty of using level 3 service aircraft makes them and the George less than ideal. This is especially true when Allied air strength really starts to grow. The real danger is when they are stationed at airbases that are not on rail lines-which the Japanese player cannot really avoid all the time. My standard Allied practice it to hit the base with a massive HB attack with lots of sweeps and fighters on LRCAP over the target. Allies might take some loss but it generally puts the base out of action and those Japanese planes that were not shot down will be on the ground in a damaged state. Then they can be bombed at leisure and destroyed on the ground with little interference.

As the Allied player, I really do not find the Japanese 2nd generation fighters to be much of a problem. The only time they are a danger is when they catch a bombing raid without escort. But that can be avoided most of the time.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


The first Sentai of 30 Frank "a" is now operative in Burma[8D]. Our air force is getting stronger. Tojo "c" are almost operative and for July we'll start producing 200 of them monthly.

That nice. 392mph of Frank should give You decent results against allied fighters. It is not enough against P-47 but still good improved from Tojo 376mph.
Also having all planes with armor should help.

Having mix of Frank/Tojo in air should work well i think and if we add to that N1K1 for firepower You look ok at lest on paper.
Those three are best You can get for next 1,5 year i think. I will watch close how they perform together

EDIT: What date is standard Frank arrival date in mod you are playing. Frank In July, nice.

Franks are nice plane but the difficulty of using level 3 service aircraft makes them and the George less than ideal. This is especially true when Allied air strength really starts to grow. The real danger is when they are stationed at airbases that are not on rail lines-which the Japanese player cannot really avoid all the time. My standard Allied practice it to hit the base with a massive HB attack with lots of sweeps and fighters on LRCAP over the target. Allies might take some loss but it generally puts the base out of action and those Japanese planes that were not shot down will be on the ground in a damaged state. Then they can be bombed at leisure and destroyed on the ground with little interference.

As the Allied player, I really do not find the Japanese 2nd generation fighters to be much of a problem. The only time they are a danger is when they catch a bombing raid without escort. But that can be avoided most of the time.

Sure, but what else we can do?

Because of SR 3 of Frank, Tojo is more important plane in late war that many players think. And that way i hope that mix of Frank a/b/r, Tojo IIc, and N1K2 can give decent results.

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Well, i think if you were right before, saying Brad would be more honest after the the Terapo raid, now that effect has been even amplified. we showed him we can still fight and win a surface engagement. A Brookling Class CL, a Cleveland Cladd CL, 1 CA and 2 small CLs...not bad, not bad

My DDs performed particularly well, keeping honest his own DDs (superior to mines) and allowing our CAs to do most of the job

[&o]

[GreyJoy]

July 18, 1943
 
We managed to save 3 more SNLF units from lower Solomons, while the enemy managed to completely isolate Lunga, Tassafaronga, Russell island, Rennell Island and Munda. They have conquered everything up to Shortland Island. That's bad. Very bad.
But i have a plan. A strategic one.
Well, it's not really a plan...more a general view.
 
The idea is to slowly fall back, while using the time gained to create a series of strongholds in my back. The goal is to defend Bouganville, New Britain, denying him any further easy advance on that vector, forcing him to move along eastern NG...it will take him time.
At the same time Truk, Ponape, Kusiae, Eniwetok will be heavily garrisoned. He won't be able to invade there without a TOTAL carrier superiority...so for some time he will have to frong leap and the only way is in NG... i think i can apply the same strategy there. If i defend from Wewak up north i can slow him down, and in the meanwhile heavily garrison the area around Biak. To advance towards Biak he will need again a total air and naval superiority... which will take time.
 
Let's see if it works.
 
Frank, Tojos, Georges... none of them will be able to hold. I know it.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


The first Sentai of 30 Frank "a" is now operative in Burma[8D]. Our air force is getting stronger. Tojo "c" are almost operative and for July we'll start producing 200 of them monthly.

That nice. 392mph of Frank should give You decent results against allied fighters. It is not enough against P-47 but still good improved from Tojo 376mph.
Also having all planes with armor should help.

Having mix of Frank/Tojo in air should work well i think and if we add to that N1K1 for firepower You look ok at lest on paper.
Those three are best You can get for next 1,5 year i think. I will watch close how they perform together

EDIT: What date is standard Frank arrival date in mod you are playing. Frank In July, nice.

Frank"a" arrives in 1/44. But CrSutton is right. The Frank isn't decisive... the SR is simply too high. Even if you win a A2A fight, the next day they will all be grounded... which is a PITA. Same for Georges... you really have to use them carefully and always keep the plane fatigue ratio as low as possible

[GreyJoy]

Christmas Island I.O. just reached its final defensive posture. 1 "small" division, 2 Base forces, 2 AA units, 1 SNLF unit. Should be enough with 5 forts.
 
The enemy subs lately have greatly encreased their activity around HI, CENTPAC and China sea. They probably got an upgrade lately and Brad sent them back to PH for upgrades...now that they are all upgraded, they surely are hunting...but not many losses lately

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Well, i think if you were right before, saying Brad would be more honest after the the Terapo raid, now that effect has been even amplified. we showed him we can still fight and win a surface engagement. A Brookling Class CL, a Cleveland Cladd CL, 1 CA and 2 small CLs...not bad, not bad

My DDs performed particularly well, keeping honest his own DDs (superior to mines) and allowing our CAs to do most of the job

[&o]

Thx Jeff, nice to have you here[:)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

July 18, 1943

We managed to save 3 more SNLF units from lower Solomons, while the enemy managed to completely isolate Lunga, Tassafaronga, Russell island, Rennell Island and Munda. They have conquered everything up to Shortland Island. That's bad. Very bad.
But i have a plan. A strategic one.
Well, it's not really a plan...more a general view.

The idea is to slowly fall back, while using the time gained to create a series of strongholds in my back. The goal is to defend Bouganville, New Britain, denying him any further easy advance on that vector, forcing him to move along eastern NG...it will take him time.
At the same time Truk, Ponape, Kusiae, Eniwetok will be heavily garrisoned. He won't be able to invade there without a TOTAL carrier superiority...so for some time he will have to frong leap and the only way is in NG... i think i can apply the same strategy there. If i defend from Wewak up north i can slow him down, and in the meanwhile heavily garrison the area around Biak. To advance towards Biak he will need again a total air and naval superiority... which will take time.

Let's see if it works.

Frank, Tojos, Georges... none of them will be able to hold. I know it.

Definitely the right plan. Now it's all about how much you put where and what he thinks he needs to take those spots. If he's got to prep, but only preps two divisions, then ends up needing three, that's just more time gained for you.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

July 18, 1943

We managed to save 3 more SNLF units from lower Solomons, while the enemy managed to completely isolate Lunga, Tassafaronga, Russell island, Rennell Island and Munda. They have conquered everything up to Shortland Island. That's bad. Very bad.
But i have a plan. A strategic one.
Well, it's not really a plan...more a general view.

The idea is to slowly fall back, while using the time gained to create a series of strongholds in my back. The goal is to defend Bouganville, New Britain, denying him any further easy advance on that vector, forcing him to move along eastern NG...it will take him time.
At the same time Truk, Ponape, Kusiae, Eniwetok will be heavily garrisoned. He won't be able to invade there without a TOTAL carrier superiority...so for some time he will have to frong leap and the only way is in NG... i think i can apply the same strategy there. If i defend from Wewak up north i can slow him down, and in the meanwhile heavily garrison the area around Biak. To advance towards Biak he will need again a total air and naval superiority... which will take time.

Let's see if it works.

Frank, Tojos, Georges... none of them will be able to hold. I know it.

Definitely the right plan. Now it's all about how much you put where and what he thinks he needs to take those spots. If he's got to prep, but only preps two divisions, then ends up needing three, that's just more time gained for you.

Well, my plan is simple: 1 Division at Kavieng. 1 Division at Manus, 1 reinforced division for Bouganville, 1 Division for Truk, 1 Bde for Kusiae, 1 Division for Ponape and another one for Biak... clearly i'll need time to buy the needed units...but i think it's doable.

[Cribtop]

I would add to Obvert's post that if you retain a Navy and air force you can, at the right times, use a mobile reserve to reinforce a base that can hold for a week or two on its own. This will change the odds to the point where you force Q to unexpectedly need three divisions instead of two, if you catch my meaning.