Ivory Hunt: obvert(J) vs. Historiker(A)

[Historiker]

12/30/41

China:
I've made an interesting observation. Obvert is LR-CAPing Nanchang. We agreed not to exploit the game engine that allows LR-CAP to operate as escort for bombers. LR-CAP is allowed though for the real use of providing CAP outside the base. By LR-CAPing Nanchang, he legally doesn't violate our HRs. He can always say he is protecting his troops from possible bombardement by me. As the base is nowhere near in danger and as I don't have any capable bombers in range, this would be a little ridiculous.
I won't complain as it defenitly isn't cheating. It just shows me, that he is willing to play the HRs by the letter. I am not offended by this, I simply acknowledge it and will do so myself in the future.

Sinyang is attacked with the intention to lower the fortifications before his units arrive. The tank unit was already there but couldn't prevent a 1-1 and the lowering of the fortificiations to 1. the 1.2k AV should finally arrive withing two days, then another DA will follow. 4 Chinese Corps there have XP 50 or more now. [8D]
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Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 66560 troops, 423 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1906

Defending force 23381 troops, 203 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 771

Allied adjusted assault: 1133

Japanese adjusted defense: 609

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1075 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4120 casualties reported
Squads: 38 destroyed, 322 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 31 (2 destroyed, 29 disabled)


Assaulting units:
59th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
7th New Chinese Corps
2nd Group Army
3rd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
138th Infantry Regiment
12th RGC Temp. Division
56th Engineer Regiment
13th Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
12th Tank Regiment
18th RGC Temp. Division
52nd Road Const Co
67th JAAF AF Coy


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Palembang:
He conducts a bombardement attack and finds 475 AV in the base. So unfortunately no SA. He has Ki-27 on LR-CAP over the base, so I will send a few fighter units to sweep the base. As even the Ki-27 start with good pilots, it should be worth it.
One more observation von previous games is also confirmed: LR-CAP is almost useless to intercept transports. This hasn't changed with the last patches.
Several more Dutch units are coming. As I have already weakened Java to reinforce Palembang, I will send as much forces from the island to prolong the siege at Palembang. Java is doomed anyways, and the speedbump Palembang will propably be a better use for them.

DEI:
The enemy TF off Belikpapan hasn't moved to Java, so my TBs didn't go into action. Most of my cruisers fled towards Australia with full speed to avoid a airstrikes from the carriers. But with Kendari taken, I won't send them back. 4CAs from Soerabaja will move to Batavia, where 9CL are left. Repulse is in Colombo and won't return as well. So while I caused some damage and forced him to act carefully, I won't have thrown away every unit I had.
DDs John D. Edwards and Barker go down, having burned the last two days after the battle off Belikpapan. CL Leander is two hex off Soerabaja and seems to make it. Unfortunately, she'll be sitting in a port that is likely to get Zero and Netty attention within a week. While she even fits into the small repair shipyard in the base, she is likely to be dommed anyways, thanks to his airpower. [:(]

Burma:
The 18th British Division is unloaded at about 2/3rd of ther strength. Rangoon is at 1135AV, Moulmein at 363.

Wake:
The base is at fortification level 3. Another baseforce is under way, as it doesn't have enough aviation support right now.

PH:
BAs West Virginia and Pennsylvania will be ready to leave for WC repairs in 17 days. With 31 and 37 floatation damage respectively, they should make it savely once their system damage is at zero.

[princep01]

Admiral, about moving those BBs to the West Coast (WC) for repairs. I start them on their way at cruise speed when their system damage reachs 15-17. I sent 4 BB, 3 CA and 3 CL to the WC with 15-17 system damage and lost none of them. One BB and 1 CL did suffer "temporary repair failure" damage, but it was not serious. All made the WC and commenced repairs there. This freed a great deal of pier and shipyard space at Pearl Harbor for repairing other, smaller victims of the "Day of Infamy" raid. I really don't think you run much risk of losing a ship when you run them to the WC with 15-17% system damage.

It's worth a thought, as you'll get the repairs started sooner in larger and widely dispersed shipyards.

[Historiker]

While I agree with you that it will most likely work this way, there isn't any urgency to get the ships back in working condition. I will only need those slowly BBs when I expect surface battles under my own air cover. That isn#t likely to happen for months to come.
Also, when you look at the damage, there's not that much to repair anyways

[Historiker]

1/1/42

DEI:
CL Leander made it into Soerabaja. Despite the growing air threat, she'll have to be put offline for critical emergency repairs. With 49-75(49 critical)-5-0 she's unable to set sail for Colombo or Australia. We'll have to risk it, no matter what...

Subs:
In the first turns, I mined many of the straights out of the Java Sea. It is common to sail Jap subs through them to intercept fleeing ships. This turn, it turned out to be a good choice:
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TF 211 encounters mine field at Banjoewangi (57,107)

Japanese Ships
SS RO-34, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



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Two other Jap subs sink one xAK each.

Burma:
The first tank unit will arrive within two days. Moulmein is at 366AV, Rangoon at 1150AV.

Palembang:
After facing way more troops in Palembang than expected, he obviously trys to cut off the railroad via paradrop. While my units are in strat. mode, his Paras are still no match!
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Ground combat at Oosthaven (48,96)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 243 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Defending force 2316 troops, 18 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 67

Japanese adjusted assault: 11

Allied adjusted defense: 17

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), leaders(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
68 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /1

Defending units:
6th KNIL Regiment
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn /1
4th KNIL Landstorm Bn /2

Palembang is at 476AV.

[Historiker]

1/2/42

Subs:
One of my subs hits one of his - but it is a dud! [:@]
Another one hits an AMc, also just a dud.

PI:
He finally starts bombing Clarck Field and finds lots of planes there. While only 4 are destroyed, I have to work out something else. I can hardly understand why he didn't bomb it earlier, with my B-17 operating from Clarck almost every day.
This turn, they attacked Hong Kong harbor and found prey:
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Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 26


Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 9 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Satsuma Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AG Unkai Maru #6, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Choun Maru #7, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Hokuhi Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AG Mansei Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Kikuryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AG Oigawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Port hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Burma:
I used my Blenheim IF to strafe Chiang Mai last turn, so I expected him to move CAP there now. I swept the base and found Ki-43 and the Ki-44 prototypes there. 4 AVG P-40 were lost in exchange for 4 Ki-43 and 2 Ki-44 (one ops, one A2A). Sounds like a fair deal to me.
A first tank unit arrives with the 3rd Husars and their light Vickers tankettes.

DEI:
With Kendari and Kuching likely to be operational for Netties, full evacuation begins. Two cruisers forces with the expendables are heading north from Batavia into a position that will allow them to strike Singkawang at night the next turn.

China:
He starts to move his forces around Chengchow into my rear. So the battle for Sinyang has to be decided, and it has to be decided now. My 2700 AV do a DA today and will likely SA tomorrow, when another corps has arrived as reinforcement.

[princep01]

Good work on the Hong Kong raid, admiral. You are making the Japanese pay for every mistake and oversight. Excellent!

Those B-17s can do further good work from Java and from Rangoon, too. Either make nice bases for executing more surprise raids. I would think Java would be the more fruitful of the two for now.

This is a very usual situation given the early partial demise of KB. I am observing with interest. I hope Obvert does not turn tuttle and surrender on you soon. It will be interesting to see how this plays out into the summer.

China is also interesting given your aggressive efforts there. Do watch your supply. It can be a bear as the Chinese produce so little. I hope you have started the supply pull in from Rangoon, down the Trail. It will pay dividends when it really starts pipelining in.

[Historiker]

I am somewhat reluctant to send the B-17 and fighters to other areas, as they are withdrawing within months and have a restriced HQ. Right now, they do fine where they are and I want to save PP for units that don't withdraw within months. But I'll have to see how it developes.
He swept Clarck with 50 Zeros last turn, so there's no way I can defend the airspace with my fighters, even if I send the few replacements I have there. The game started with "replacements on" which came unnoticed by me, so all pools were totally empty on turn two... [:@]
Right now, I rather keep my replacements for Burma, where I have a real chance to stay with almost 2k AV there already.

[Historiker]

1/3/42

Subs:
I-166 is reported sunk by a mine at Batavia. Yay!

China:
Another bloody DA at Sinyang. To forces will SA tomorrow, but that'll be the last attack on Sinyang - one way or the other. I'm afraid his rapid reinforcement was effective enough to stop me from taking it.
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Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 102328 troops, 606 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2809

Defending force 34253 troops, 299 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 1121

Allied adjusted assault: 1424

Japanese adjusted defense: 1311

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1204 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 28 (3 destroyed, 25 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
5288 casualties reported
Squads: 211 destroyed, 408 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 35 disabled
Guns lost 33 (2 destroyed, 31 disabled)


Assaulting units:
59th Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps
7th New Chinese Corps
3rd Group Army
2nd Group Army
31st Group Army

Defending units:
12th Tank Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
35th Division
13th Division
12th RGC Temp. Division
138th Infantry Regiment
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
18th RGC Temp. Division
52nd Road Const Co
67th JAAF AF Coy



He is trying to cut off my forces at Sinyang. He'll propably be successfull. If Sinyang is captured, this is unimportant. If not, I'll think about it later. Maybe I just scatter my forces into the woods and mountains and move them out now and then to cut his LOC. We'll see...


DEI:
Two cruiser TFs will hit Singkawang tomorrow. With their torpedoes, they have some chances even against BBs, but their main purpose is to keep the impression that I am still fully committed to the DEI with my naval forces.

[Historiker]

1/4/42

DEI:
The CLs do their job. The meet a transport force, unfortunately without troops embarqued, and two SCTFs. As I considered the ships lost anyways, I welcome the results despite the fact that this was a clear defeat:
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Fuyo, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
PC Kaki, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
PC Sumire
xAK Azumasan Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAK Azuma Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Katuragi Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Arimasan Maru
xAP Kitano Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Danae
CL Dragon
CL Durban, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
CL Colombo



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Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 4
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Natsushio
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Samidare
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 2
CL Dragon, Shell hits 26, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Colombo



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Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 2
CL Kitakami, Shell hits 1
DD Hayashio
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Sawakaze
DD Yukaze

Allied Ships
CL Java, Shell hits 1
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp, Shell hits 1
CL Enterprise
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
DD Witte de With



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Day Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 55,89, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 3
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 4
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Arashi, Shell hits 1
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
CL Java, Shell hits 1
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Tromp, Shell hits 2
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 7, heavy fires
DD Witte de With, Shell hits 2, on fire



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Day Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 55,89, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
CA Suzuya
DD Natsushio, heavy fires
DD Arashi, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 9, on fire
CL Colombo, Shell hits 3



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Day Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 55,90, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 38, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Colombo, Shell hits 2



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Day Time Surface Combat, near Tambelan-eilanden at 54,91, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Suzuya, on fire
DD Hagikaze
DD Michishio
DD Shirayuki
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Colombo



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pontianak at 55,90

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 26



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
C.XI-W: 1 destroyed
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Java, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CL Enterprise, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Tromp
CL De Ruyter, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
26 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I lost 5 CL and 1 DD. Strangely, one DD is left without any fuel just off Singkawang, so he'll be gone as well. The lost ships were:
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Enterprise
CL Danae
CL Dragon
DD Banckert

With this ships already written off, I take sunken CA Kumano and DD Hatsukaze as a success.

Malaya:
Singapore is bombed for several days in a row now. While there are enough engineers to keep the damage at 0, it will eat supplies and slow down the entrenchment, which is at 3 by now. I'd love to get it up to 4 in time!
I prepare some fighters to go in for one day. If they take down a few bombers, he'll likely try to bag them and stop his bombing for a few days. It's at least worth a try.

PI:
Clarck is getting bombed now. The damage is mounting, so I propably won't reach fortification 4 any more[:@].
At least, my B-17 still fly - this time to Samah:
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Morning Air attack on Samah , at 69,63

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 18


Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Igasa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAKL Hidaka Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Hankow Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Shoho Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Amakusa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Tazan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Nittei Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Azuchisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Sanuki Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Uyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAKL Ayaha Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Meiyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Tihuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Tonegawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
TK Arima Maru #4, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Thames Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAKL Ryoyu Maru #21, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Erimo, Bomb hits 1
xAKL Fukuyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Tone Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Shanghai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire



Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Massive explosion on xAK Tazan Maru


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[:D]

China:
The siege of Sinyang will have to end now. He was fast enough to bring enough reinforcements, while I failed to contentrate my forces. Those additional units now at Sinyang could've been there a weak earlier. I could've taken the base quite easy, but I failed to concentrate my forces! It'll be quite challenging to exfiltrate all my forces - as he will concentrate his if I stay in one city - back into safety successfully...
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Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 98398 troops, 604 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2700

Defending force 33260 troops, 300 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 1024

Allied adjusted assault: 1436

Japanese adjusted defense: 2517

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
2421 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 128 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 15 (2 destroyed, 13 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
7655 casualties reported
Squads: 288 destroyed, 680 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 92 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 39 (7 destroyed, 32 disabled)


Assaulting units:
48th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
7th New Chinese Corps
31st Group Army
2nd Group Army
3rd Group Army
12th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
138th Infantry Regiment
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
35th Division
12th Tank Regiment
13th Division
56th Engineer Regiment
12th RGC Temp. Division
18th RGC Temp. Division
52nd Road Const Co
67th JAAF AF Coy


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[Historiker]

1/5/42
This game is getting quite annoying... I don't know whether it was intention, but by starting the game with "replacements on", I found empty airgraft pools whereever there was a free slot to pull airframes. So essentially not a single US plane in pool. As soon as I relized that, I turned off replacments, but apparently, new airgroups still arrive with "accept replacements. I had saved almost 40 P-40E to change one of the AVG groups to that airframe to get additional planes for the two parts of the AVG operating in China. Now this won't happen.

Intel:
DD Yukikaze is reported sunk near Groot Natoena after eating a Dutch fish by K XVII [:)]
SS I-15 is reported sunk by a mine near Wake. Was he sneaking into the hex to get a shot? Hrhr, baaad descision!
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 04, 42
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TF 30 encounters mine field at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Ships
SS I-15, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

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CV Akagi falsly reported sunk on turn 3! I can hardly believe this, as she was damaged more than sufficiantls in turn two and all my intel only reported three CVs left. This has to be wrong!


Burma:
3 enemy units with 3800 men march to moulmein. A Thai division is already at the coast, south of Moulmein. The base is at lvl 3 fortification with 366 AV, reinforcements are under way. If his forces really are that weak, it'll be a pleasure to force them back to Thailand. [:)]
To slow the likely construction of Chiang Mai airfield, I send my Blemheim fighters back in - this time on a strafing run at night. I'd expected a few to crash - just imaging flying at 30m AT NIGHT! - but they get quite a decent result in fact!
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Night Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 3


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 1 damaged



Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Blenheim IF bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 40 lb GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PI:
As his sweeps over Manila met some of my fighters on training flights last round (what a great feature that this is possible!), I decided to put all of them on CAP over Clark Field. The results are fine!
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Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16



Allied aircraft
P-26A x 10
P-35A x 4
P-39D Airacobra x 5
P-40B Warhawk x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 12


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 1 destroyed
P-35A: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
1 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet



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Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 25
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 28



Allied aircraft
P-26A x 4
P-35A x 1
P-39D Airacobra x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 3


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27b Nate: 3 destroyed
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses



Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 15000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb
9 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 15000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My B-17 strike another time - again at Hong Kong:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 10



Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 16


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 8 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
AG Mansei Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Satsuma Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
2 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
City Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
54th Sentai with Ki-27b Nate (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead



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DEI:
Batavia is hit. Well, that happens...
My fighters, not shown in the combat report, where on training and still intercepted some planes! Great!
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Afternoon Air attack on Batavia , at 49,98

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G3M2 Nell x 21



Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied Ships
xAP Mijer, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAKL Silindoeng, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Shinai, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AMc MMS A, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL De Klerk, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAKL Duijmar van Twist, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Bintoehan, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Boelongan, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Lawoe, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Siaoe, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL De Haan, Bomb hits 1
xAKL Kwangtung, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AMc Digoel, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Toendjoek, Bomb hits 1, on fire



Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
10 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 8000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.243 Sqn RAF with Buffalo I (15 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
15 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead

Training flight from No.243 Sqn RAF has been caught up in attack


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Makassar is invaded by a fast transport. He is isolating Java, but he'll be surprised how easy it'll be to take. I hope that Palembang will be a formidable speedbumb though!

Malaya:
The Japanese spearhead reach Johore Baru. At the same time, a Japanese SCTF closes in onto Singapore. That makes absolutly no sense! The airfield in Singapore isn't closed, he is already in Johore Baru, so why should he send cruisers and destroyers so close to Singapores huge airfields?
I can only think about one quite bold option: He tries to draw my TBs to strike his TF, likely finding tons of Zeros and Oscars above. So I won't take that bait! I guess that's why he "coincidently" doesn't bomb Singapore today, so that my airfields stay open and that I am confident...
Not with me, my friend

[Historiker]

1/6/42

Subs:
Two of my subs get pounded off Singkawang, Jap DDs are hit by duds.

Burma:
Several units, including the Burmese Division, start marching south, where a Thai division has reached the coast for a counterattack.

China:
While the forces from Sinyang march north, I am still waiting to evacuate those south. They will all retreat to Changsha and Ichang respectively, but hopefully coordinated to prevent him from picking single units and destroying them in the process.

Malaya:
The SCTF prooves to be without CAP, when some of my FPs attackthem without causing damage. Strange! They were heading to Mersing, which is conquered by a TK unit this round.

[Historiker]

2/4/42

A few updates:

China:
Due to my incompetent execution, the offensives have failed. I could've brought 2k additional AV to Sinyang from the beginning - but didn't. So he was able to reinforce in time and I decided to retreat. Thanks to me not knowing how it works with the "hexside control", I moved my units into a deathtrap that would've been easy to avoid. Well, shit happens...
The whole +3k AV from Sinyang are wiped out now, buying a little time. But their countless squads won't be replacable until at least early 43, so that is a significant setback.

At Nanchang, I had my army standing by and intended to retreat once I realized he was reinforcing it. Unfortunately, it was poorly executed as well. Two Chinese corps were NE of it in the woods and I didn't want to leave them behind to be wiped out. To get to the rest of the force took so much time that he was able to force the Nanchang siege forces into retreat several times as well.

Well, whatever. China is only a sideshow for me, my only mission now is to buy time and keep the three mountain cities. I don't really care about the rest as Burma is much mroe important to me.

The "shell-game" with the AVG works perfectly. The two units in China have a killrate of 10 to 1. He was only able to catch them once on the ground destroying one plane. That was all, no other airfield attack or sweep caught them in the last weeks.

[Historiker]

Burma:

Burma is heavily fortified and I am confident to be able to hold it for now. The buildup of my airgroups continues while my carriers are off Australia now. They will get to India hopefully undetected to be a nasty surprise should he decide to bypass Burma by invading Chittagong.

He did two Paradrops and evacuated the units immediately after. I can't see the reason for that, but the small burmese units prooved to be unable to defend against Japanese paras even when they landed without aerial support. Tauung Gyi will be reinforced with about 200 AV, two chinese Corps will remain in Strat mode to be redeployed fast.

He sweeps Rangoon every day with one or two seeps of 30 Zeroes each. I train my pilots unitl they are at 60 Air each and intercept that sweeps in the near future with 150 to 200 fighters to retreat the next turn. I hope I might be able to get new convoys into Rangoon this way as his Netties have blocked any reinforcement attems now. But for now, Burma has enough AV and supplies.

[Historiker]

Singapore/Palembang/Java:

Singapore was pushed down to fortification 3 with the first assault by six divisions. This was at least two, rather three weeks ago. All he has done since then is bombing the base by air and ground forces. The supplies should last one to two more months.

Palembang is still holding. It only reached lvl 2 fortification as the Dutch barely have any engineers. He has pushed the fortifications down to 0 and is bombing the airfield since then effectively denying any new fortifications. While my artillery bombardements have been very effective initially, they somewhen produced turned results so I stopped it.
He asked my to evacuate Palembang as offered...

There has never been a specific offer from my side, all I said was "I am willed to give it to you (almost) undamaged". Thanks to my self imposed HR, it was almost exclusively reinforced with Dutch units. His aerial attacks on my harbors led to a wide scale evacuation of my ships. So when he was asking me to withdraw, I was facing this situation:
- Java is almost totally stripped from ground forces. All that's left are the garrisons. He could overrun it with a single division.
- When I leave Palembang, I move my forces into undefendable territory where he'll crush them from the air.
- The only chance to buy some more time is in Palembang.

So my starting offer was four weeks cease-fire in the DEI. This was - as mentioned - a starting offer which I would've accepted to be reduced to two weeks Sumatra and Java exclusvely. The only marginal reason to evacuate Palembang would've been to get the troops to Java. Without that, both Java and the Palembang forces would've been wiped out within days - turning the "speedbump Palembang" into a "high-speed lane Palembang"!
He declined outright, which is a little said as he seems to be annoyed about it.

But what could I do? Give up Palembang for free - something No player ever has done afaik - hading over the DEI on a silver plate? I could've explained the reasons for my cease-fire offer, revealing the weakness of Java gaining nothing! Once he has conquered Palembang, I'll ask him in which state the base is. If it turned out to be devastating, I'll offer to redo the turn or some moderate agreement like "I will evacuate if I am allowed to evacuate units x, y and z to India" or so. I don't want to break the game by trashing Palembang - but I don't want to trash my defense as well. If I'd do that, I could also move a few of my carriers without CAP to Japan to "even up" the balance...


Java:
He has landed a small unit in Semarang three days ago with a fast transport TF. I guessed the base right, so there was a coastal battery in place - turning out to be totally useless! I don't know why, but maybe the unit was still in move or strat mode? Whatever, the unit will hopefully be able to hold a few more days to give me a shot at his ships.

The "shell-game" worked well here, too. He catches almost none of my planes in the air or on the ground while I decide when to strike and sunk a few more transports and DDs in the last weeks.

[Historiker]

Sub war:
I think his DDs have taken at least 10 duds the last weeks! [X(] Damn, that is annoying!

Here the scoreboard:

[princep01]

About Palembang.  I don't know the specifics of any offers you guys made or implied, but I would say this:  Don't make such offers.  In fact, when I play, I seldom commit at all on strategic or tactical issues like that.  When a rule problem or some gamey act occurs, we do discuss it and then commit the agreement to writing.  No misunderstandings then result.
 
Awhile back, my opponents commented unfavorably on my "stratospheric setting on Hurricane CAP in Burma.  I was setting them at 30K in some cases, diving down and chopping his AC rather badly.  So, we agreed that planes could be set at no higher than 5K over their optimal fighting band.  escorts had to be set no higher than 3K over the planes they escorted.  That worked well for everyone and the problem was resolved.  I still use those rules in my current game.
 
However, if you promised to leave Palembang, then just say okay and leave....no ifs ands or buts.  I've been watching and occasionally commenting in your AAR.  It is a nearly unique situation following your great victory over Obvert's KB off PH.  That made this a game I want to see thru.  I hope you guys can work out your issues (if any) over Palembang.  Hope you guys continue.  I have not been reading his AAR on this game, so I am unaware if this is a major problem fo rhim.
 
Have fun!

[Historiker]

Luckily obvert is steadfast enough to continue
I also never promised anything, but that might be a technicality if both sides understand something different. But I've learned enough not to offer the option described above to him, yet. I will ask him after the capture about Palembang's situatiion and will decide after that.

[Historiker]

Some time has passed since my last update. I take a bigger event for a little review of the last months in the game.
Right now, it is July 5th 1942 in the game.

This is the score:

[Historiker]

Propably two moths ago, he started a few invasions in northern Australia. I didn't bother too much. Darwin is decently defended, though totally without supplies. All troops there are "withdraw-units", so they'd be gone anyway. I will now start falling back to Tennant Creek, where propably 60% of the land based Dutch airforce was withdrawn to (HQ changed to ABDA).

Once my carriers are available, I'll conquer Exmouth with an Australian division and maybe continue from there.

[Historiker]

Port Moresby is well supplied, has lvl 5 fortifications and 625 AV ready for defense. Some PT-Boats guard the harbour and some allied planes are in range on the continent to be transfered if necessary.
I didn't really bother to defend anything but PM, so he took it.