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

[GreyJoy]

and this is the only good news of the day. If we were in 1942 i'd be happy with the sinking of these 4 battlewagons... but in late 1943 they simply don't rapresent a valid target for Japan... if they were modern BBs...a whole different stories...
However my targets were the CVs...the risk took was calculated towards the sinking/damaging of the bulk of his Death Star... not these old battlewagons... they do not worth 500 crack pre-war pilots unfortunately

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

and this is the only good news of the day. If we were in 1942 i'd be happy with the sinking of these 4 battlewagons... but in late 1943 they simply don't rapresent a valid target for Japan... if they were modern BBs...a whole different stories...
However my targets were the CVs...the risk took was calculated towards the sinking/damaging of the bulk of his Death Star... not these old battlewagons... they do not worth 500 crack pre-war pilots unfortunately

While I completely agree with your assessment, I have one item to add. He still needs BBs here to bombard your forward bases. In my view these ships are MORE valuable late as the Allies need more bombardments as they move forward.

Sinking these may not be a game changer, but it may make him use another set of more valuable ships closer to danger. He might have to detach some from CV TFs making those more vulnerable without all of their flak. He might have to bombard with more CA/CL reducing their effectiveness for surface operations. Sinking big powerful ships that are specifically used for one purpose makes him change the plan in some way. It's up to you now to take advantage of the change he must make![;)]

[GreyJoy]

Ok, QBall showed me the turn affected by the sync bug... was a lot worse than that. My naval strike went in Darwin despite the thunderstorms...with predictable results... MASSIVE CAP and not a single hit on anything[X(]
So basically I can't complain. Sure could have gone better...but also a lot worse.
Anyway, don't you find pretty strange the fact that when CVs are involved weather seems to be even less decent than usual?

Also I have to apologize here as I did with Brad.

QBall made reflect on the fact that my constant complaining about weather may result insulting, cause it may imply that his results are just a matter of luck, while my defeats just bad luck.

Yes, I do apologize. It's childish to keep on complaining and also not very sporty. As I said to Brad, i'm sorry. I'll try not to exaggerate anymore in the future.

[Canoerebel]

GJ, you have a wonderful sense of sportsmanship - always have, always will. It's just who you are. We've all seen that since the day you showed up.

But this does point out one of the underlying currents in AE gaming. While all of us AAR keepers should have free reign within our AARs, communications with opponents are delicate things (I'm not referring to your match in particular, just all matches in general). Especially when things are going well for a player, it's easy to accidentally give offense to an opponent when we send an email because innocent comments can be taken the wrong way if a receiver's morale is suffering.

[Chickenboy]

Alright, because I'm partial to the JFBs, I'll offer a BANZAI on the outcome! [&o]

Brad obviously feels bad about losing 4 BBs. For someone that was taking picayune steps through P/NG rather than leaps and bounds amphibious assaults, those upgraded BBs will be missed. Doom on those that forward base CVs and BBs within striking distance of the enemy.

[JohnDillworth]

I think those 4 BB's are at least a medium size prize. Looks like your opponent is going to hop from one base to the next. He was going to use these to bombard every base in advance. You have saved your troops thousands of 14" shells. He can still bombard, but he has to use more valuable ships. Bombs pretty much bounce off BB's but CA's....not so much. He is not going to send his "good" BB's on bombardment missions. You might consider cutting a few CA's loose to challenge his surface forces

[Captain Cruft]

I personally regard BBs as a bigger prize than CVs. They're far more difficult to get rid of.

That aside, IMO the KB should never be used against strength. Ever.

The weather forecasts are indeed worthless.

[Capt. Harlock]

I think those 4 BB's are at least a medium size prize. Looks like your opponent is going to hop from one base to the next. He was going to use these to bombard every base in advance. You have saved your troops thousands of 14" shells.

And even some 16-inchers; note BB Colorado.

[crsutton]

No, I agree with GJ. Nice to kill the old BBs. I really don't think the Allied player should use them or expose them like Brad has done. These ships are useless in a surface combat because they are too slow and their rate of fire sucks. Many night battles see them never fire a shot. They are valuable later on supporting landings and soaking up kamikaze hits. For this reasons, I think they should be sitting in Pearl until the Allied offensive really get rolling.

However, the loss of 400 crack pilots is big, and I see Greyjoy's concern here. Sooner or later the KB and Allied CVs are going to tangle. The missing pilots mean that in a big carrier fight with even numbers the odds will swing in favor of the Allies. Japan needs the top pilots to give more hits. This compensates for the tougher Allied ships and better flak. Those crack pilots could mean another 5-10 torpedo hits on his carriers. It is big to miss them and the Japanese can never train up pilots good enough to replace them.

Still, GJs attempt was the right thing to do. Never park carriers in a base hex. Never...

[GreyJoy]

Thanks all guys for your comments, especially Thanks to Dan...you're always too kind towards me!

Nov 29, 43

After yesterday battle, I had to decide what to do.
The allies, as I thought, charged in with their death star, trying to catch my CVs.
I knew the risk was high. Many subs around hunting and the enemy fast CL/DDs could run at full speed and catch my slow CVTFs... So I had to take some risks...
I reinforced Tanaka's SAG, giving him the Yamato, the Hei, 5 CAs and 7 modern DDs and ordered to remain back, covering my retreat. The line in the sand was at Lautem. I positioned there also the Kikitami TF (basically the Kikitami and 6 old DDs) and some MBTs, along with subs all around.
A strong CAP of 300 crack fighters was ordered (100%CAP) over Lautem.
The goal was double: First, blocking the advance of the enemy's SAGs and, secondly, act as a juicy bait for the allied CVs, hoping to give him some pain with my CAP, while my CVs would have run back to safe waters.

As predicted the enemy advanced at full speed, with 2 sweeping Fletchers TFs that arrived at Lautem at night...only to find their road blocked by Tanaka and flee[:D]. Brad also sent some CLTFs (basically a commonwealth Cruiser TF and a Cleveland Class Cruisers TF) one hex south of Lautem, acting as a screening force for his CVs which positioned themselves 3 hexes south east of Lautem.

When the day arrived storms covered Tanaka, while my LBA from Dili, Pantar and Koepang attacked the enemy's cruisers, damaging the Perth but basically impaling themselves on a strong LRCAP provided both by allied CVs and CVEs.
My CVs were positioned right at 8 hexes from the enemy's CVs...but this time they didn't launch...too tired probably...
However, in the afternoon, several more LBA strikes, badly fragmented, tried to penetrate the allied CAP wall and attack his CVs...but without any result... however the allied attacked the Yamato-Bait and basically got chewed up by my crack CAP, losing 120 planes for not a single hit.
By the end of the day my LBA at Timor was shattered, having lost 330 planes more... but my CVs are safe and Tanaka now has a chance of charging down towards the enemy CVs just 3 hexes distant....[8|]

But... the allied are immediately exploiting the new strategic situation and, during the night, have loaded 25,000 men at Darwin on APAs... where will they go? Saumlaki?... clearly I left an open window now... he has a week of free rides in the DEI....

In Burma the enemy is trying to flank me at Lashio. 1 reinforced Indian division arrived at Lashio and is testing my defences there with some bombardments, while I managed to push back a Chinese divisions south of Lashio who was trying to flank on my right. At the same time, Chinese units are penetrating very deep near the Thailand Border...but we're dealing with them. See the map for the present situation in Burma with the new perimeter estabilished.

In China we are clearing the southern cities still in Chinese hands. Fochow and Tsinkiang are finally conquered and now only Wochow is left (near Shangai).

Strategically it was a mistake the Darwin raid... I left an open window for him and now he has a free shot in the DEI... probably Saumlaki will fall and that will give him a level 8 AF right in the middle of the DEI... i'm already moving to Balikapan and Tarakan some base forces and some AAs, while fighters are ready to be moved there... the battle to defend my Oilfields is beginning... But he won't be able to bomb them at will... he will need escort or he will suffer HUGE losses... so he will have to do it with some care...



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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 72,115, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Yamato
CA Atago
CA Myoko
CA Nachi
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
DD Sagiri
DD Oboro
DD Ushio
DD Arikaze
DD Takakaze
DD Susukaze
DD Benigumo

Allied Ships
DD Renshaw
DD John Rodgers
DD Schroeder
DD Anderson

Reduced sighting due to 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 7% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 16,000 yards
Allied TF attempts to evade combat
Allied Surface Combat TF evades combat


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ASW attack near Lautem at 73,116

Japanese Ships
SS RO-60

Allied Ships
DD Cotten
CL Mobile
CL Birmingham
DD Gansevoort
DD Nicholson
DD Kimberly

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 72,115, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Yamato
CA Atago
CA Myoko
CA Nachi
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
DD Sagiri
DD Oboro
DD Ushio
DD Arikaze
DD Takakaze
DD Susukaze
DD Benigumo

Allied Ships
DD Daly
DD Satterlee
DD Carmick

Allied Surface Combat TF evades combat


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Sub attack near Lautem at 73,116

Japanese Ships
SS RO-60, hits 13

Allied Ships
CL Mobile
DD Gansevoort
DD Nicholson
DD Kimberly
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Submarine attack near Lautem at 73,116

Japanese Ships
SS RO-60, hits 24, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Mobile
DD Gansevoort
DD Nicholson
DD Kimberly


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ASW attack near Moa at 74,118

Japanese Ships
SS I-171, hits 4

Allied Ships
CA Sussex
CA Australia
CA Minneapolis
CL Perth
CL Leander
DD Frazier
DD Duncan
DD Redoubt
DD Jupiter
DD Maury



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ASW attack near Lautem at 73,116

Japanese Ships
SS RO-65, hits 8

Allied Ships
CA Sussex
CA Australia
CA Minneapolis
CL Perth
CL Leander
DD Redoubt
DD Duncan
DD Jupiter
DD Maury


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 73,116

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 25
A6M5 Zero x 63
D4Y1 Judy x 45
N1K1-J George x 20

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 201

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 8 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 36 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 13 destroyed, 9 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed by flak
N1K1-J George: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Bomb hits 1
CA Minneapolis
CA Sussex
CL Perth, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CA Australia


Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Perth


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 73,116

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
A6M3a Zero x 49
B6N1 Jill x 54
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 34

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 175

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 10 destroyed
B6N1 Jill: 26 destroyed, 5 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 8 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Leander, on fire
CA Minneapolis



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Morning Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 73,116

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
D4Y3 Judy x 23

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 145

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
D4Y3 Judy: 16 destroyed

No Allied losses



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Moa at 74,117

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 116 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 16
A6M5 Zero x 1
D4Y1 Judy x 15

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 160

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 6 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 4 destroyed
D4Y1 Judy: 4 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Congress
CV Hornet
CV Constellation

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Ouch...we strangely penetrated the CAP and 14 judys got a chance...
His CAP was reduced because most of his fighters were LRCAPping the cruisers... very risky....
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Moa at 74,117

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M3a Zero x 5
A6M5 Zero x 2
B6N2 Jill x 9
P1Y1 Frances x 22

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 100

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 3 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
P1Y1 Frances: 13 destroyed
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CVL Cowpens
CV Congress

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 72,115

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 27
N1K1-J George x 127
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 30
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 38
Ki-84a Frank x 84
Ki-84r Frank x 27

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 85
SBD-5 Dauntless x 36
TBF-1 Avenger x 35
TBM-1C Avenger x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 11 destroyed
SBD-5 Dauntless: 19 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 18 destroyed, 2 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Yubari, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage *The Yubari was already damaged from yesterday battle...so couldn't move fast enough..*
CL Kitakami
BB Yamato
BB Hiei

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
4 x TBM-1C Avenger bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
2 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb






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Ground combat at Tsinkiang (84,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7608 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 257

Defending force 5441 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Japanese adjusted assault: 119

Allied adjusted defense: 2

Japanese assault odds: 59 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tsinkiang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Allied ground losses:
6148 casualties reported
Squads: 386 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 350 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
North China Gsn Brigade

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps


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Ground combat at 62,47 (near Lashio)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 6984 troops, 79 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 238

Defending force 4853 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 91

Japanese adjusted assault: 257

Allied adjusted defense: 73

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
237 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1288 casualties reported
Squads: 37 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 44 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Tank/A Division
13th/A Division

Defending units:
2nd Chinese/A Corps

[GreyJoy]

Burma

[GreyJoy]

In Burma the pressure is rising... but I think I can stabilize the perimeter once again. The Chinese units on my right flank aren't a great threat. Those monster corps (800 AVs each) won't have much chances against a well dug in Japanese Division and the more he extends his attacking vectors far away from the roads, the more will be difficult for him to keep them supplied.

The Northern Center front will be threatened again soon. But now my positions are stronger than few months ago and, as long as I am able to keep my air space clean from the enemy bombers, I think I can hold.
If I can last until next monsoon season, things may become interesting...

However i'm not forgetting Thailand. Slowly i'm garrisoning and fortifying the bases there. Now, with some newly arrived Bdes i'll be able to create a solid perimeter in northern Thailand. The goal is to be able to retreat in good order from Burma when the THAI divisions will start to be withdrawn. By that time the allies will be pushing hard in the DEI and Burma will become strategically useless, just like in RL

[GreyJoy]

The KB status:

actually, analysing it, it's not that bad as it seemed at first sight. Most of the killed pilots were from LBA attacks. Probably I've lost 30% of my KB planes and some 250 KB pilots. The rest should be from LBA.

Also note that, for what concerns fighter pilots, those set for escort duties are all newly on-map trained pilots (50,70,50), while the pre-war fighter pilots were all assembled in those sentais exclusively devoted for CAP duties.

Obviously, as CRsutton said, the loss of some crack pre-war bomber pilots hurts... but have to live with that.

[GreyJoy]

The status of my R&D program

[GreyJoy]

A/C production figures and pools

[ny59giants]

I would be headed towards Taberfane if I was Brad. My goal would be to take enough of New Guinea so I could move ships around the NW tip as I headed for Mindanao. Timor and towards Java would be too well defended for me. He needs to cut off the flow of oil and resources from the SRA, not take them.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

In Burma the pressure is rising... but I think I can stabilize the perimeter once again. The Chinese units on my right flank aren't a great threat. Those monster corps (800 AVs each) won't have much chances against a well dug in Japanese Division and the more he extends his attacking vectors far away from the roads, the more will be difficult for him to keep them supplied.

The Northern Center front will be threatened again soon. But now my positions are stronger than few months ago and, as long as I am able to keep my air space clean from the enemy bombers, I think I can hold.
If I can last until next monsoon season, things may become interesting...

However i'm not forgetting Thailand. Slowly i'm garrisoning and fortifying the bases there. Now, with some newly arrived Bdes i'll be able to create a solid perimeter in northern Thailand. The goal is to be able to retreat in good order from Burma when the THAI divisions will start to be withdrawn. By that time the allies will be pushing hard in the DEI and Burma will become strategically useless, just like in RL

Yes at this stage he should be readying a massive invasion of Pegu or Moumein. But obviously he it busy in the DEI and I can't see it happening.

Mind you, Master Greyjoy, that if you and I ever play a campaign game that this is exactly what I would do to you in Burma...[;)]

[inqistor]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I truly think we could have made a perfect PH this turn. We had 250 zeros on escort, with 300 Jills and 250 Judys, plus some 80 Frances and more 90 Jills from LBA.

Was those CVs in TFs in base hex, or disbanded in port? If disbanded it is better to set planes on port attack only, as they tend to waste their attacks on unimportant pickets instead of coordinate.

Anyway, against such CAP, you should have send Surface TF first there. It would probably engage CVs, which will retreat on nearby hexes. That would cause chaotic bloodbath!
Or... you could try night attacks (OK, you still can, just use submarines for detecting). I think they have some max range (like 6 hexes), but should be pretty safe (and not very accurate), but against such number of ships, they would hit something.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
However i'm not forgetting Thailand. Slowly i'm garrisoning and fortifying the bases there. Now, with some newly arrived Bdes i'll be able to create a solid perimeter in northern Thailand. The goal is to be able to retreat in good order from Burma when the THAI divisions will start to be withdrawn. By that time the allies will be pushing hard in the DEI and Burma will become strategically useless, just like in RL

By the same token GreyJoy, I love the "Garrison" units that I can buy out of Manchuko for much the same reason. They can serve to Garrison locations on the periphery of my sphere of control. When they disappear (poof!) they cannot be cut off. In this case, the withdrawal date can be used to the IJ benefit in terms of strategic deployment.

With the Thai, I'd have them fight forward as much as possible. Let them get "cut off" in Burma or N. Thailand. Unless they're liquidated, they can't be their own prisoners. [8D]

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

By the same token GreyJoy, I love the "Garrison" units that I can buy out of Manchuko for much the same reason. They can serve to Garrison locations on the periphery of my sphere of control. When they disappear (poof!) they cannot be cut off. In this case, the withdrawal date can be used to the IJ benefit in terms of strategic deployment.

With the Thai, I'd have them fight forward as much as possible. Let them get "cut off" in Burma or N. Thailand. Unless they're liquidated, they can't be their own prisoners. [8D]

I like the idea here!! Good stuff!!