Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks

[Bullwinkle58]

[center]Status Reports[/center]

VP trends, pre- and post-Singers' fall.

[Bullwinkle58]

Plane losses, sorted by Total. Allies ahead by about 500 planes.

[Bullwinkle58]

Pool status, Allies only, non-Soviet

[erstad]

I think entrusting an operation to Snagglepuss is risky, given the AE map. I can just see Admiral Snagglepuss issuing the order "Exit, stage west!" and having half the TFs heading in a true West direction and the other half heading West as the AE map represents it.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: erstad

I think entrusting an operation to Snagglepuss is risky, given the AE map. I can just see Admiral Snagglepuss issuing the order "Exit, stage west!" and having half the TFs heading in a true West direction and the other half heading West as the AE map represents it.

I'm putting Rocky in charge of keeping the brandy away from Snagglepuss. It's hard, he has so many hiding places, but it must be done.

If this op ever goes, exiting stage west will be a Good Thing. (hint, hint)

Snag was one of my favorite characters as a child. I never knew who Murgatroyd was, but I suspected it was something adult I wasn't supposed to get. Now, as in the Note, I see there never was any there there.

[Bullwinkle58]

May 13, 1942

Smacked

1) Bad day for the Allies at sea. Cruiser TF comes to within three hexes of Colombo, on the western side, and finds heavy, fast xAP TF leaving empty to go to CT to pick up. No escorts. I don't have enough (the RN is in the midst of withdrawing a bunch of DDs I need), and this is normally a straight-shot milk run to the map edge. That he did this indicates he might know the RN is at sea. Or, it might be an attempt to pull them away from Sabang. Or, he might not care about losing two CAs. Don't know. Don't klnow whcih direction they retired to; search assets are as rare as escorts. Could be Rangoon, could be the Strait. I will do what I can to find and engage, but the Bay is pretty big and the IJN ships are pretty fast.





Day Time Surface Combat, near Colombo at 24,49, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Chokai
DD Yudachi
DD Tadeshiwa, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
xAP Empress ' Asia, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Duchess of Bedford, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Moreton Bay, Shell hits 19, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Esperance Bay, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Largs Bay, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Lancashire, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAP Dilwara, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Boschfontein, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Rangitiki, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Rangitata, Shell hits 21, and is sunk

Everything eventually sank. One more day and USS Arizona would have run right over this hex.

2) Shallow water near Balikpapan. O16 worked over by two SCs. Then sinks SC Ch14. Then worked over second time by other one. Still not seeing tankers coming and going here.

3) Night bombing of Kunming ineffective. Day bombing Haiphong Resources nets 12 hits. Many bombers moved to PBang. Multiple strikes on Djambi oil by B-25C, Hudsons, B-26, A-24, some with esocrts. 5 Oil hits in total. The P38E sweep arrives last and finds the Zeros eating dinner. B-17s flown in from Soerbaja sit today out to rest and do not attack Medan as ordered.

4) Japanese air activity targets PBang, Sabang, Prome, Chungking, the Big Stack, Bataan, Pt. Blair with multiple raids at most. Only PBang has any real CAP, there to protect bombers on the ground, and it does well.

5) China Hudsons probe bomb the LCU west of Chungking and find the 58th ID. It is playing hexside games to cut resource flows to Chungking I believe. The Big Stack bites the bullet and gets marching orders today, to move one hex west into contact with the 3-stack on the yellow road to Paoshan. Japan will have a menu of options now. I expect a wholesale move out of Tsuyung and into the hex for a huge battle on the road. The Chinese will continue west if given time. If there is a battle the survivors will do the same, seeking supply. I am hopeful this might give Chungking a supply-rest and stop the leakage. If the Big Stack makes it to Lashio relatively intact they represent a very nice mobile striking force, one with Red Army HQ in the stack. If there is a battle the Big Stack is big enough to cut up the Tsuyung defenders pretty well if the battle takes place on the road.

6) In Burma the force moving from Bassein is three large LCUs and they catch a retreating armor unit in Move mode on the road to Prome. Tough losses, but Prome is no longer a pushover, and the retreat of this unit puts it close to enetering Prome.

Ground combat at 54,51 (near Bassein)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 28665 troops, 281 guns, 286 vehicles, Assault Value = 1014

Defending force 1108 troops, 18 guns, 59 vehicles, Assault Value = 85

Japanese adjusted assault: 134

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 134 to 1

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

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

Allied ground losses:
888 casualties reported
Squads: 46 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 65 (65 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
6th Guards Division
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
5th Guards Division

Defending units:
50th Tank Brigade

7) Five Seabee battalions arrive today and will be put to work.

[JocMeister]

Ouch, a shame on the lost TF. Very risky move on his part though. From what I can tell Jap CAs are precious as gold! Can´t defend everything against these kind of raids anyway. I usually throw in something with ASW value but thats about it.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch, a shame on the lost TF. Very risky move on his part though. From what I can tell Jap CAs are precious as gold! Can´t defend everything against these kind of raids anyway. I usually throw in something with ASW value but thats about it.

Wait until you see the next movie! [:)]

[Bullwinkle58]

May 14, 1942

What The Foo?

1) OK, I have NO idea now. Two CAs, two DDs waving at the sunbathers at Colombo yesterday after clocking a very valuable TF. (With aircraft lost and the troops/tanks in the battle near Prome it was a -455 VP day.) I researched the stats on the ships, looking for slowest member of the TF. Then I swung an arc from their last known position several hexes west of Colombo. Then I vectored the RN carriers and the two heavy RN surface action groups onto my best guesses for withdrawl courses. I reprogrammed every search asset surrounding the Bay of B., including untrained 4Es and all of the float planes in the surface TFs. Subs were brought to better blocking positions at the northern head of the Strait. If those ships could be found with my current asset base they were going to be found, darn it.

So, they were found. Two hexes west of Colombo![:o]

The screenshot for this flipped up in the movie replay and I said several bad words. But it worked out well for the Good Guys' TF.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Colombo at 24,49, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Chokai
DD Yudachi

Allied Ships
xAK E Sang
xAK Erinpura
xAK Ikauna
xAK Demodocus
xAK Jalajaran
xAK Neleus
xAK Ozarda
xAK Shillong
xAK Silverbeech
xAK Tai Sang
xAK Steaua Romania
KV Auricula
PC Kimball

Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Range increases to 12,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat

One DD either was not sighted or has detached. No combat happened, which is good as I don't want to lose ships, ever, but bad in that more ammo was not consumed. But what is this? He knows I have at least some TBs at Colombo. (They didn't fly of course.) Does he know where my RN TFs are and is willing to sacrifice two precious CAs to suck them north? Is there a sub ambush set? Did Mike forget to give the TF orders? Is he greedy for more and also knows the RN is out of position? (USS Arizona is sitting alone in a TF in Colombo harbor at React=0.)

I have no fracking idea. This is weird. So weird the Allies didn't get one shot or shell off at this TF. There it sits.

2) Another naval oddity. Dutch sub in mid-South China Sea attacks past many escorts and sinks lone xAK. A lot of escorts for one xAK. Was it carrying a high-value unit? Maybe an HQ? Or a bomber squadron? Course was generally for Singers or north Borneo.

Sub attack near Jesselton at 66,82

Japanese Ships
xAK Syohei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC CHa-12
SC Ch 23
SC Ch 8
SC CHa-30
SC CHa-25
SC CHa-24
SC CHa-23

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

3) Opposed sweeps at Pt. Blair and Prome; single Allied fighter versus swarm. No losses to either side. A great deal of recon at Prome, but the 3-stack that creamed the tank unit yesterday (only six infantry squads survive; it is Disorganized and resting at Prome) looks to be heading to join the stack sitting SW of Toungoo. That base has a solid garrison, but has not drawn supply past about 100 yet. Forts are 2+. A couple of extra Chinese corps are ordered forward from Magwe, plus more engineers.

4) Chungking is pasted again; the Chinese AA there takes a toll. The Big Stack moved one (1) mile west yesterday up in the mountians. So far no reaction dots at Tsuyung.

Up north in China, the last base before the USSR border falls. The scant defenders retreat. Don't know where they will go. If Japan ties up a garrison here it was worth the battle.

Ground combat at Wasu (79,8)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7258 troops, 58 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 253

Defending force 1317 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Japanese adjusted assault: 120

Allied adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wasu !!!

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

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

Allied ground losses:
367 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 1 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Cavalry Brigade
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
303rd Brigade

5) Sabang is hit hard; I'll thinking this might be a supply move, but also a try to keep the AF closed to reduce search on the cruisers up north.

6) The Allies day bomb Kunming Manpower. 7 hits and 2800 Fires. This is a big HI producer, as well as LI. If I can't get at oil then HI will do.

7) Prome forts go to 3. This is a significant bonus for this base. The difference between 2 and 3 is more than one level in effective terms. A 3 means the base will almost always hold for at least one round of attacks.

[Quixote]

2) Another naval oddity. Dutch sub in mid-South China Sea attacks past many escorts and sinks lone xAK. A lot of escorts for one xAK. Was it carrying a high-value unit? Maybe an HQ? Or a bomber squadron? Course was generally for Singers or north Borneo.

Sub attack near Jesselton at 66,82

Japanese Ships
xAK Syohei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC CHa-12
SC Ch 23
SC Ch 8
SC CHa-30
SC CHa-25
SC CHa-24
SC CHa-23

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

Could be a single ship, but it could also be part of a bigger TF but you're only seeing some of the ships involved. Since I like to sandbox things, I've played many turns of PBEM against myself (to get a better feel for what things look like from just one side, instead of playing on the head to head setting, which will show you different results during the replay) and there have been numerous occasions when a sub would attack an enemy TF and I wouldn't see all of the ships in that TF, despite knowing they were there. I assume (dangerously perhaps) that in PBEM you may only see the ships actually involved in any given sub action instead of automatically seeing every ship that was present.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Quixote

2) Another naval oddity. Dutch sub in mid-South China Sea attacks past many escorts and sinks lone xAK. A lot of escorts for one xAK. Was it carrying a high-value unit? Maybe an HQ? Or a bomber squadron? Course was generally for Singers or north Borneo.

Sub attack near Jesselton at 66,82

Japanese Ships
xAK Syohei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
SC CHa-12
SC Ch 23
SC Ch 8
SC CHa-30
SC CHa-25
SC CHa-24
SC CHa-23

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

Could be a single ship, but it could also be part of a bigger TF but you're only seeing some of the ships involved. Since I like to sandbox things, I've played many turns of PBEM against myself (to get a better feel for what things look like from just one side, instead of playing on the head to head setting, which will show you different results during the replay) and there have been numerous occasions when a sub would attack an enemy TF and I wouldn't see all of the ships in that TF, despite knowing they were there. I assume (dangerously perhaps) that in PBEM you may only see the ships actually involved in any given sub action instead of automatically seeing every ship that was present.

Hmm. Good point. If so it could be anything. That many escorts in what is a fairly cleansed air environment might mean it's headed for the Strait and Sumatra, or in a pinch maybe the middle of Java or southern Borneo with an aim on central Java soon.

[erstad]

He knows I have at least some TBs at Colombo. (They didn't fly of course.)

Just to check, these weren't Vildebeests at extended range, were they?

[BBfanboy]

SCs do not have good fuel range. If he is transferring a bunch of them to one of your sub hot-spots, he may have sent along the xAK just to transfer fuel during the trip.

[Quixote]

SCs do not have good fuel range. If he is transferring a bunch of them to one of your sub hot-spots, he may have sent along the xAK just to transfer fuel during the trip

The action took place 4 hexes from Miri/Brunei where those SCs could have refueled without a long-legged escort. Add in the fact that the Syohei Maru is Lima Class and this would make for a significant waste of assets if it were in fact being used for that reason in that area. You never know - everyone uses assets in odd ways from time to time - but I'd still bet that there were more ships here than showed up on the replay.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Quixote

Could be a single ship, but it could also be part of a bigger TF but you're only seeing some of the ships involved. Since I like to sandbox things, I've played many turns of PBEM against myself (to get a better feel for what things look like from just one side, instead of playing on the head to head setting, which will show you different results during the replay) and there have been numerous occasions when a sub would attack an enemy TF and I wouldn't see all of the ships in that TF, despite knowing they were there. I assume (dangerously perhaps) that in PBEM you may only see the ships actually involved in any given sub action instead of automatically seeing every ship that was present.

The combat report only shows up enemy vessels identified by the sub. Any other vessels in the task force not identified by the sub will not show up in the combat report.

It is the same principle seen in surface combat where ship names are not displayed until they have been identified.

Alfred

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: erstad

He knows I have at least some TBs at Colombo. (They didn't fly of course.)

Just to check, these weren't Vildebeests at extended range, were they?

Oh, way to stick the knife in, man! [:)]

No, never again. I check that EVERY time now.

[ny59giants]

Way past where you could have done so, but I always send the two PBY groups from the Philippines to India. One to Colombo and the other to Diamond Harbor. The small 6 plane groups that you get in India are not enough, IMO. Something to remember for your next game.

[Bullwinkle58]

May 15, 1942

Oily Half-Measures

Somewhat satisfying day for the Allies.

1) Night ASW in the deep strait near Balikpapan. APD puts one through the Dutch pigboat, but nothing more. Still a strange lack of tankers here. I have subs blocking the long way out to the SE and then north--nothing.

2) Three crazy Blenheim drivers try a night attack on Rangoon to burn down the refineries, but only succeed in losing one, damaging one to flak. There is one Zero on night CAP here, and it doesn't get up before the raid is over. I don't know whether I should be grateful or insulted. The LI here seems pretty important to me, but maybe not.

3) USS Triton, with radar, plays with an ASW barrier patrol two hexes north of Batan Island. Her CO declines to use fish on this one, but a DD and two SCs are merrily buring fuel out there. Another sub up by the deep/shallow line on the way to Korea sees two nice TFs, but can't get in position to shoot. About 70% of the fleet boats are through the April radar upgrade now and are reaching new patrol zones deep in Empire waters.

4) In the Bay of Bengal the at-sea TFs are re-jiggered assuming the Colombo-hugging position of the cruisers yesterday. USS Arizona is sent out alone five hexes due west on the slight chance the IJN hung around a third day. One of the gun TFs to the south is going to be in fuel extremis after tomorrow, so something needs to happen today. And it does.

The Air TF runs across the one DD missing from the TF yesterday. It is making light black smoke when detected; one of the xAPs got off a shot before being sunk I believe. It's a gun battle.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koggala at 30,61, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Tadeshiwa, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships
CV Indomitable
CV Illustrious
CVL Hermes
CA Devonshire
CA Exeter
CL Enterprise
CL Newcastle
CL Caledon
CLAA Van Heemskerck
DD Stewart
DD Fortune
DD Griffin
DD Inconstant
DD Nestor
DD Panther
-------------------
DD Tadeshiwa is hurt badly, but not in danger of sinking most likely.

After this phase the other piece of the TF is detected by carrier search out in mid-Bay. The FAA gives battle.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Great Nicobar at 32,63

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 12
Sea Hurricane Ib x 4
Martlet II x 3
Swordfish I x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 4 damaged
Swordfish I: 1 damaged
Swordfish I: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
DD Yudachi
CA Chokai
CA Atago, Torpedo hits 1

The hit reads as penetrating, with severe damage. I figure probably about 30 float, 10 engine, maybe 20 system. But it should slow the CA enough for there to be a re-attack tomorrow if the RN pursues. Not sure they will. I'm leery of what's in the Strait. There are four subs blocking the way to Singers as well.





The second air attack, instead of hitting the cruisers again, goes for the crippled DD traveling alone. It is finished off.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 31,62

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 2
Swordfish I x 7

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Tadeshiwa, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

2) The full range of bombers gathered at PBang fly today. Their mission: crunch the Oil at Djambi. The P-38s are again ordered to sweep, and some actual escorts are scraped up for the bombers. They stay fairly tight, and very low. In multiple strikes 4E, 2E, and Banshees do 17 Oil hits. Very light losses and damage. Japan ordered a CAS strike with Sallys on the withdrawing Indians, and a lot of the CAP went with this one. Just bad timing for Japan. The P-38s come in last--again--and down two Zeroes without muss or fuss. Nice to see that once in awhile after watching the Cobras swing like a 4-YO playing Tee Ball. If Sumatra is supposed to be the near-term fuel solution for Japan the Allies will do their best to interfere.

3) Day Manpower attacks on Kunming do 54 hits and start 25,289 Fires for no losses. Recon shows yesterday's Fires did one point of HI damage and nothing else. This one should yield more. The 11 Wellingtons are flying from Chengtu, but he may think still Chungking since it is pasted again and Chengtu is left alone. The supply situation at the capital gets worse again, slipping toward 18,000. The Big Stack moves another mile, meaning it wil be over a month before they are inside the hex with the enemy on the road.

4) Prome is swept with mutual losses, about equal. The AVG has been pulled to Magwe to rest and regenerate. The P-40 pools are still flat, but three large Tenth AF squadrons have just come into Aden and are loading for Karachi at Full speed transit. About 60 planes. They will be welcome.

5) The Chiang Mai corps are moving on Rahaeng now, in the jungle. That base is behind the forward Japanese defense out on the RR. The 2-stack is bombed every day by Nells, which is fine. The third corps is moving to engage the defenders on the RR line. These guys are still a spoiling effort meant to attract sorties and cause ops losses. They have about 500 supply each.

6) A light recon bombardment at Bataan shows Japan still has about 3 division equivalents in siege (2 IDs and assorted.) Internal supply at Bataan is hanging on by its toenails.

7) Miscellaneous stuff: Marines are being pulled from various islands no longer in danger and consolidated at Pearl. It's almost time to form the first divisions. Marine Raiders are sent from Palmyra to Baker to garrison. They might stop a Naval Guard or SNLF; nothing more. Canton is building a pretty decent defense with multiple small TFs calling. Intel shows a Naval Guard unit on an xAK heading for Unmiak I. which has a regiment-plus, Forts 3, and air cover. Even so, subs are sent north and a small cruiser-led surface TF. They probably won't get there in time, but I'd like to take the ships. Unless there's more in the landing it has no chance of taking the island.

[Bullwinkle58]

Start of May 16th Turn Planning

Hmm, how can I screw this up? [:)]

The IJN is a CA and DD. The two RN TFs have two BBs each, plus much trim.

[Encircled]

Not the same, but I pounced on a lone IJN DD with pretty much the whole Dutch Navy and managed to lose the Tromp and I didn't fire one shot.

You should have enough!