Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Just wanted to say I love the name of the AAR. Being in 45 now I can attest to it's validity. It's tough when everything you've done is suddenly and irrevocably falling apart. Enjoy these early times. They are the most interesting part of this game, I feel, but also the most purely fun.

Good luck!

Obvert, glad you like the name.

I insisted on staying at the beach until the castle had been completely lost beneath the waves.

[Spidery]

December 13th 1941

Air Losses: 10 Japanese, 8 Allied, 3 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Palembang , Kavieng, Malacca
Japanese land at: Cotabato

Repulse is confirmed as sunk.

Pacific

Kavieng is captured but without air cover it is too dangerous to do much here.

Philippines

Quiet

Malaya & DEI

Continue to sink Allied ships. Running out of targets.
CA Tone encounters a mine at Palembang, 21 float damage.
Deliberate attack takes Palembang 1% damage [:)], 6 fighters are destroyed on the ground. The oil will be repaired but the refinery not. There are 2 AA units and 24 aviation support ashore to give some protection against bombing. More AA and aviation support are in reinforcements. Minesweepers from Mersing will be sent.

Malacca is taken with no damage.

A group of Vindicators from Tarakan attack some transports carrying supply to Miri, sink 1 and leave another in critical condition. [:(]

China

[>:]

General

There are a lot of task force spotted messages each day - I guess this is a consequence of there being many more Catalinas available. Almost every task force around Malaya, DEI, Philippines is spotted.

[Spidery]

December 14th 1941

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 6 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Siquijor(auto), Cotabato, Johore Bahru
Japanese land at: None

Another sub is confirmed sunk at Manila bringing the total to 4.

Pacific

The xAP President Johnson is sunk near San Francisco by the I-19.

Philippines

Attack on Cagayan fails but should succeed after recovery. Cotabato falls with ease.
A pair of Jakes may have sunk a tiny xAKL with 2 60kg bomb hits.

Malaya

Johore Bahru falls (28% damage), surprisingly there was still an Indian Brigade and some other infantry here. Losses are good:

Japanese ground losses:
113 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1198 casualties reported
Squads: 38 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 38 (33 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1

There are 91 Aviation support there and the airfield is intact so this will act as a good base to attack Singapore.

The convoy seen moving North around is discovered to be 13 ships. The Nells fail to launch any attack, not sure if this is weather or because the leader has an Aggression rating of 25 - he has been sacked[;)].

ASW attack near Sabang at 45,70

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
AMc Rahman
AG Ban Hong Liong
TK British Judge
TK Spirilla
MMS-51
HDML 1063
AMc Gemas
xAP Sin Kheng Seng
xAP Kinta
xAK Zannis Cambanis, heavy damage
xAK Wulin
xAK Tai Sang
xAKL Larut
xAKL Tatung
PG Herald
ML No. 311
AM Ballarat

Captain of SS I-166 elects not to launch torpedoes at this target

Captain of SS I-166 will be shot on return to base .

Vindicators have moved to Singapore and attack 2 convoys. However, Petes flying CAP from 2 AV ships disturb their aim and all miss. One Pete even manages to score a hit.

DEI

SS O19 enters Miri port to attack with no effect.
The Akagi and Kaga group blunder into a lone British DD and escape with no hits.
Attack on Manado fails and the enemy is too strong, reinforcements or bombardment are needed.

Forces are gathering to attack Samarinda/Balikpapan and Tarakan.

China

Chinese launch a Shock Attack near Sinyang that proves quiet costly to them but acts as a warning to me to be careful. The Chinese are going to have difficulty making it out of the plains so decide not to risk an attack.

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 14 (3 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1961 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 114 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Assaulting units:
48th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
21st Group Army

Defending units:
13th Tank Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Chengting airfield expands to size 4 to give me a base for 2E bombers.

Economy

Generally happy with the way this is going. Big concern is the shortage of supply in the Home Islands. Will stop expanding research engine factories once they are completely fixed even though less than optimal size.

Planning

The 48th, 5th, Imperial Guards, and 18th Division are in Malaya and should be sufficient to take Singapore. The rail line needs clearing to get them South, should be done in 4 or 5 days. The 33rd, 4th and 21st are just off Cam Ranh Bay - need to decide where to send them, options are: Burma, India, Java, reinforce Malaya.

I think I'll probably stick with the original plan and send all 3 to Java.

[Spidery]

December 15th 1941

Air Losses: 48 Japanese[:(], 4 Allied, 40 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Loyang (auto), Lingayen
Japanese land at: Bengkalis

Pacific

Two AM are sunk, otherwise quiet.

Philippines

Lingayen taken unopposed.
Nells and Betties try a night attack against Manila and score just the one 60kg hit.

Malaya

MrKane shifts many fighters back to Singapore, including one unit of the AVG, just in time to slaughter an attack. The escorts do a very bad job of protecting the bombers and 27 Sallies and 13 Anns are lost on the day.

There are reported to be 37 units at Singapore. Yesterday reported as 47000 men, 380 guns and 230 AFV. Today reported as 57000 men, 410 guns, 250 AFV. Any guesses how strong that defense is? So far, every day there has been some port or air damage so no fort building.

DEI

SS O19 sinks an xAK at Brunei and damages one at Miri but the counter-attack by PB Kure Maru gets 8 hits including two fuel leaks and a penetrating hit. This probably isn't fatal but should force a retreat.

Vindicators attack again and a single Zero on CAP shoots 2 down.

China

Loyang is auto-captured undamaged, but there are no troops available to stop Partisan damage for a few days. May fly a few troops in. Chengchow has been deserted and will be taken this turn.

[obvert]

In the beginning you can concentrate power more effectively than the Allies. If you're bombing Singers make sure you're also sending in sweeps. The AVG gets tough when it gets easy kills, but the plane pools are very low. Where it down if you can. If your sweeps are sent from close by Singers they will be more likely to get there before the bombing run.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

In the beginning you can concentrate power more effectively than the Allies. If you're bombing Singers make sure you're also sending in sweeps. The AVG gets tough when it gets easy kills, but the plane pools are very low. Where it down if you can. If your sweeps are sent from close by Singers they will be more likely to get there before the bombing run.

Thank-you. This was a case of over-confidence caused by there having been no fighters at Singapore for days on end.

For example, if he has 100 fighters at Manila I need to send more than 100 fighters in sweeps from the bases on Luzon, followed up by an attack from Formosa? I was trying just sweeps, but he grounded the fighters.

I think I need to concentrate on either Singapore or Manila at the moment and since there are still damaged subs in port at Manila I think that will be my focus.

I note that all my fighters can reach 32000 as can the Sally but the Buffalo and the P-40E can't reach that. Can I use that to divide and conquer?

[obvert]

The Sally will not likely hit anything from 32k, but just send a few sweeps ahead and then bomb. Yes, getting over him for the dive while sweeping will do it. It's very cat and mouse at this stage of the game. He'll pop things in and out of a lot of bases. You can lead the dance now though, so make sure you use your good big zero groups like the Tainan Ku-S-1 and the 3rd Ku-S-1 for sweeping, don't waste those 80 exp pilots as escorts. Some of the IJAAF groups also have great pilots but fly crap Nates and Oscar Ia, so i make sure to get the good ones out and into groups using the Oscar Ic right away.

[Spidery]

December 16th 1941

Air Losses: 9 Japanese, 57 Allied[:)], 5 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Camiguin (auto), Port Dickson, Chengchow, Bengkalis, Alor Star
Japanese land at: None

Pacific

Some sub action near Wake Island[>:]

Philippines

Manila, get the sweeps right this time and down 57 Allied fighters[:D], mostly P-40E, for the loss of 2 Zero and 2 Oscar 1a.

Malaya

Port Dickson and Alor Star taken against no opposition.

DEI

Mines are cleared at Palembang but an AMc is lost.
Bengkalis taken without damage.

China

Chengchow takes 50% damage even though there are no defenders.
Elsewhere, continue to pursue fleeing Chinese with few chances to attack.

Economy

Supply has stabilised in the Home Islands.

[Spidery]

December 17th 1941

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilot
Japanese occupy: Bayombong, Kanhsien, Georgetown, Chusien, Jolo (airdrop)
Japanese land at: None

Everywhere

Hong Kong attack reduced forts to 1 and cut a 1:1 result.

Various bases taken against no opposition or just the Port defense at Georgetown.

[Spidery]

December 18th 1941

Air Losses: 5 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Baler (auto), TayTay (air drop), Hong Kong[:)], Batu Pahat
Japanese land at: Tarakan, Samarinda

Philippines

Good port attack at Manila gets more hits on the 4 subs still in repair there and some small stuff.
Manila airfield remains damaged.

China

Hong Kong falls (4% damage), the 33rd Division is only lightly damaged and will be available for redeployment as soon as the mines are swept. It will be sent to Luzon along with the artillery.

Inflict some damage on retreating Chinese but most Chinese are under cover now.

Malaya

Shock attack over the river into Temuloh by the forces from Kuantan is okay but will need to wait for disruption to be recovered. Good to see that 3 Indian brigades and 2 battalions failed to reach Singapore.

Ground combat at Temuloh (50,78)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 10419 troops, 70 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 363

Defending force 8178 troops, 26 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 261

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 313

Allied adjusted defense: 157

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
928 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
633 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Engineer Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
1st Sasebo SNLF Coy

Defending units:
1st Hyderabad Battalion
15th Indian Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
1st Mysore Battalion
22nd Indian Brigade
1st ISF Base Force

No attack against Singapore this turn. Recon shows that the Allies have flown their fighters back into the base.

A task force of some merchants is hanging around near Sabang. It gets bombed again for small damage. Concerned that he may be planning to fly fighters into Sabang to lay a trap[:-].

DEI

Landings at Tarakan and Samarinda meet some CD fire, light damage to one ship at Tarakan. Enough forces and supply are ashore at both bases to take them next turn.

Recon shows many bombers located at Batavia. Presumably, the Dutch air force and, may be, the remaining torpedo bombers.

Pacific

[>:]

[Spidery]

December 19th 1941

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Clark Field, Cagayan, Digos (auto), Port Blair (airdrop), Samarinda, Tarakan
Japanese land at: Tandjoengbalai

Philippines

A single recon unit at "lba" finds the Philippine division there too tough to handle but takes no loss.
Clark Field is taken unopposed, will shift aviation units there to get the double support. Forces move on to take Bataan.
Cagayan is easily taken and can move on to clear Mindanao.
Bombing Manila keeps fort building suppressed.

China

Continuing small attacks

Malaya

3 Swordfish out of Singapore try a night strike against invasion forces at Tandjoengbalai - all miss.
2 Tank units attack the 28th Gurkha Brigade at Port Swettenham (another unit that failed to make it to Singapore), inflict many losses for none themselves. Allies get a supply(-).
Allied fighters stay at Singapore but do not fly against the sweeps. Airfield strikes are grounded by bad weather at Kuantan[:(].

DEI

Tarakan taken with 1 oil point damaged, Samarinda without loss.
The Dutch bombers based at Batavia have moved and are unseen.
Landing at Tandjoengbalai will move to take Medan.

Burma

Port Blair is unoccupied and taken by an air drop.

Pacific

Some fleeing DD seen between Wake and Truk. There are 2 BB in the area that will try an intercept.

Engineering

Fusan port expands to size 5.
Johore Bahru airfield expands to size 5.

Economy

I get about 19000 supply above supply usage per day in the Home Isles.
There are 8 currently producing Engine factories that I would like to expand.
On average seem to be getting about 7 R&D repairs per day.
So that leaves about 2-3 other expansions can do per day.
The only aircraft I will expand at the moment is the Ki-43-Ic and can also expand 2 of the R&D engines per day.

Engine expansion is likely to continue until about May '42. So it looks like I can't plan on sending any more supply out of the Home Isles until about June '42.

There is enough supply in Malaysia and Luzon to take those areas and there is about 200000 supply still spare in Formosa and 150000 in Indochina. Also 160000 at Truk should be enough to take Wake, Rabaul, Port Moresby etc. So about 50000 supply will be sent to Canton but otherwise China will have to survive on what it has.

[Spidery]

December 20th 1941

Air Losses: 67 Japanese, 19 Allied, 48 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Catbalogan (air drop), Taiping, Port Swettenham, Tandjoengbalai, Wuchow(auto), Kukong
Japanese land at: Singkawang

Philippines

Strikes against Manila sink 3 of the damage subs there - that makes 7 subs sunk at Manila

China

Hong Kong mines are cleared.
More successful attacks on retreating Chinese.
Engineers strategic moving to Hankow are stopped by Chinese just outside Sinyang. Include two with some AV so not too bad.
Wuchow is auto captured undamaged but there are no forces nearby, will see what can fly in.

Malaya

Another fine mess at Singapore[:(]. Sweeps from Johore Bahru go in in the afternoon, after the bombers from Kuantan hit in the morning. Allied fly CAP and heavy losses are taken. Allied B-17 from Java strike at Johore Bahru, flak downs one plane.

Good progress on clearing the rail lines, may have one line cleared tomorrow.
All elements of 48th Division have reached Johore Bahru and it has been rebuilt so that is one division ready for attack.

DEI

SS KXIV is attacked at Brunei and takes 9 DC hits including two direct hits[:)]. Reports as Heavy Damage, it may sink.
Landing at Singkawang goes well.
Will land on Java next turn.

Pacific

DD Thanet is sunk by the Mutsu, South from Marcus Island. There is another DD reported to the North.

Air Losses

Two expensive mistakes at Singapore are annoying. However, the aircraft lost are mostly older models.

[Spidery]

December 21st 1941

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Oroquieta (air drop), Tsiaotso, Cabanatuan, Langkawi(auto)
Japanese land at: Kalidjati

Philippines

Cabanatuan taken against no opposition.

China

Tsiaotso taken undamaged and with significant Chinese losses. Other minor engagements make progress.

Malaya

Quiet day in the air. Allied fighters have relocated to Sabang.
Attack at Temuloh stalls.

DEI

Landing at Kalidjati without problems.
A sub attacks and misses the Chitose off Balikpapan.
Sinkawang attack fails.
An AM is sunk by cruisers near Ambon.

Pacific

An AM is sunk near Wake. A sub gets an xAKL off Pearl.
SS I-159 puts 3 torpedoes into the CA Canberra[:)] near Rabaul but one is a dud[:(]. Even so that is heavy damage and the Allied task force has split off an escort group. There are 4 subs in the area to try for the kill.

[obvert]

Looking at your previous day's air losses, this is a lot of IJN pilots gone. You'll never get any like those again. I make a point of using as few of them as possible in the early war. I try to use only medium quality IJAAF pilots striking big bases like Singers with the potential to have an ambush and save the IJN guys for an anti-shipping role.

It's tough to push forward and hold back at the same time, but try to be a bit patient if he's offering tough resistance in a few spots. The other side of losing big numbers of bombers in this way is that you're building a very experienced pilot pool for the Allies early. That will hurt later when they get better planes.

Sweep, sweep, sweep.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Looking at your previous day's air losses, this is a lot of IJN pilots gone. You'll never get any like those again. I make a point of using as few of them as possible in the early war. I try to use only medium quality IJAAF pilots striking big bases like Singers with the potential to have an ambush and save the IJN guys for an anti-shipping role.

It's tough to push forward and hold back at the same time, but try to be a bit patient if he's offering tough resistance in a few spots. The other side of losing big numbers of bombers in this way is that you're building a very experienced pilot pool for the Allies early. That will hurt later when they get better planes.

Sweep, sweep, sweep.

Thank-you obvert. I think I am being just a little impatient. Last game was scenario 2 and the difference between scenario 1 and 2 is catching me out a bit. Anyway, it is all a good learning experience. [8|] MrKane keeps catching me out just a bit - see the next day's report[:D]

[Spidery]

December 22nd 1941

Air Losses: 22 Japanese, 62 Allied, 16 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Sibuyan (air drop), Kuala Lumpur, Pucheng, Singkawang, Kalidjati
Japanese land at: Makassar, Langsa

Philippines

Quiet

China

Quiet

Malaya

Kuala Lumpur taken and armour pursue defenders up the railway.
Temuloh attack again fails and will have to suspend.
Western rail line may be cleared today.
British fighters have vanished.

DEI

Many Dutch subs in the Java sea, inconclusive attacks.
Allies attack the task forces with Dutch air and many American air. The air that hits invasion forces covered by the mini-KB is shredded[:)]. However, some goes after a force near Bandjermasin and sinks 3 xAK, an xAP and an APD[:(].

In the morning attacks reports total 47 SBD-2, 31 SBD-3, 37 F4F-3, 23 F2A-3, 22 F4F-3A. All task forces were out of range for the TBD-1 from Soerabaja. It looks like MrKane has pulled all the aircraft off the American carriers. This suggests some extra freedom to act in the Pacific.

The pilots of the mini-KB are tired so will retire that and leave the defense of the invasion to fighters flown into Kalidjati.

Pacific

Quiet

Air Combat

This is a typical air combat report and there are points in it that I don't understand:

Raid detected at 18 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete x 4

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 9
F4F-3 Wildcat x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
APD Fuji, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CA Myoko

Japanese ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
16 x F4F-3 Wildcat sweeping at 15000 feet
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x F2A-3 Buffalo sweeping at 15000 feet
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

All the attacks have raid detected at 18000 feet or above and release altitude down low. I thought Dive Bombers only used a dive bombing attack from between 10000 and 15000 feet? Did he come in at 15000 feet and all estimated altitudes were too high?

How did he get messages that his fighters were sweeping in a naval attack? Were they left on commander decision?

Air Losses for Today

[obvert]

Well, losing that many SBD and their pilots early is very bad for the Allies, but may mean he's not planning to come at you quickly, and wants to cause as much pain as possible to sow down your moves in the DEI. The replacement rate for SBD is very low early, and it'll take a good while to have a decent pilot pool, so you just saved a lot of other Japanese ships right there by taking out 40+ of those.

Estimated attack altitudes are most often 2-3k higher than set. So yeah, he's using 15k. It also notes that in the attack message below with the escorts, most usually set at the same altitude as bombers, and in this case sweeping in ahead of them.

[Spidery]

obvert, I see what you mean about gaining experience, 24 points gained in one day[8D]

[obvert]

One more thing. If you have any other pilots still at ~35 exp get them out of the CV groups, FAST! [;)]

Generally only your very best go into the CV groups, but I'll occasionally have 50/70 pilots in there if I know they're not meeting opposition for a while. It's tight in the beginning, but Id leave the 35 exp guys training up somewhere. If you train sweep at 100ft for about 10-14 days you'll get them over 50exp.

[Spidery]

December 23rd 1941

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 28 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Legaspi (auto), Langsa, Makassar, Malaybalay
Japanese land at: None

Philippines

Just bombing Manila.

China

One of the cut off Chinese corps is eliminated, otherwise slow progress. This game I have decided to kill cut off Chinese units for the VP rather than having to keep units back.

Nanyang has been abandoned by the Chinese.

Malaya

Allies continue to block the Western railway in one hex[:(].

DEI

More sub action. In most cases the Dutch subs are attacked first or just launch at, and miss, escorts. TB Hato manages to score 7 DC hits on the SS KXV, enough to cause it to retreat but not enough to sink.

Dutch fighters try to sweep Kalidjati and are shot down in droves.

Pacific

[>:]

India & Burma

Allies seem to be abandoning Moulmein, lead units are within 30 miles of it.

SS I-164 engages a mismatched convoy of escapees just South of Ceylon, and misses a big xAP[:(].

Progress

Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Luzon are ahead of plan. Singapore and Malaya a bit behind. China is about on target but with fewer losses inflicted on the enemy than expected.