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

[Capt. Harlock]

The combatevents.txt substituted in another BB, one of the K-names I think. (Not Kongo; the other one.)

I believe that would be Kirishima, which IRL was blown away by the Washington off Guadalcanal.

So how is Mike taking the loss in OT?

[CaptBeefheart]

I gave up on own-hex bombardments years ago. I thought it was a WAD that they don't do anything, or at least not much. To me, bombardments only really work on enemy bases.

Cheers,
CC

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

I gave up on own-hex bombardments years ago. I thought it was a WAD that they don't do anything, or at least not much. To me, bombardments only really work on enemy bases.

Cheers,
CC

I have on many occasions even been unable to bombard enemy troops in non base hexes. I think CR ran into the same problem in his game vs John?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

The combatevents.txt substituted in another BB, one of the K-names I think. (Not Kongo; the other one.)

I believe that would be Kirishima, which IRL was blown away by the Washington off Guadalcanal.

So how is Mike taking the loss in OT?

That's the one, yes. I always have trouble with the spelling.

Mike has not mentioned the OT loss. [:)] To be fair, it was a terrible game skill- and error-wise. The last team to make a mistake lost, but I don't think it can be said the Vikes really won. They survived it.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

I gave up on own-hex bombardments years ago. I thought it was a WAD that they don't do anything, or at least not much. To me, bombardments only really work on enemy bases.

Cheers,
CC

I have on many occasions even been unable to bombard enemy troops in non base hexes. I think CR ran into the same problem in his game vs John?

CR's case was that the missions wouldn't even go. I agree that I think it's the own-base factor that's primary here. Think about it from an algorithm POV. In an enemy base you figure the targets are together somewhat in the Forts system. In these cases the Allies are all over a 40-mile hex out in local forts in the bush. It's abstracted but there should be a difference between own-base and enemy base. Similarly, an AF is unmoving, has a known location, and planes are fragile. Losses there ought to be higher than to soldiers in prepared positions.

[Flicker]

Bullwinkle58 - are you playing versus Lokasenna using the same house rules as this game, as in no rules? Are you using the same Turn 1 agreements (China in play, existing TF flexibility, CAPs)?

I'm enjoying the AAR, however I still can't wrap my head around defending China in Burma (no PPs for Chinese forces and leaving the homeland). I want to, because it's a good strategy - I prioritize the Burma Road in my game, but I only use the buyable Chinese LCUs (against AI). However, I can see that in a PBEM game, evacuating as many Chinese units as possible before the Japanese take Burma (thereby closing the back door) is better than leaving the Chinese to get annihilated in China. I should look at more AARs, but do players lose their entire Chinese Army while defending China in PBEMs? Do their armies just melt away and go home until Chungking is retaken? How often do Allied players lose Chungking?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Flicker

Bullwinkle58 - are you playing versus Lokasenna using the same house rules as this game, as in no rules? Are you using the same Turn 1 agreements (China in play, existing TF flexibility, CAPs)?

I'm enjoying the AAR, however I still can't wrap my head around defending China in Burma (no PPs for Chinese forces and leaving the homeland). I want to, because it's a good strategy - I prioritize the Burma Road in my game, but I only use the buyable Chinese LCUs (against AI). However, I can see that in a PBEM game, evacuating as many Chinese units as possible before the Japanese take Burma (thereby closing the back door) is better than leaving the Chinese to get annihilated in China. I should look at more AARs, but do players lose their entire Chinese Army while defending China in PBEMs? Do their armies just melt away and go home until Chungking is retaken? How often do Allied players lose Chungking?

Yep, the game with Lokasenna has the same no-rules. I don't even think we talked about first-turn CAP and stuff like that. Just got going. I think people sweat the first turn too much. He got both POW and Repulse. I'll live.

I tried to lay out my logic for China in the early pages of this AAR. With no HRs he can bring a huge hammer in from Manchuria and make China even less competitive than normal. I figured why not get some work out of those troops? They can garrison India very well and release a lot of better LCUs for Burma. The Big Stack coming through the mountains just evolved. In Burma the Chinese are useful, but they die in droves same as in China if not supplied. If they are they are decent for 1942.

If you lose Chungking you lose a boat of VPs and no more spawning until it's re-taken. But the Chinese elsewhere don't disappear. In this game he may take it, he may not, but it will take a lot of 1942 to determine this. And about half of the Chinese army is outside the country.

I don't know a ratio of AARs where Chungking falls. It's not rare, but it doesn't happen all the time. Many Japanese players choose to put their efforts elsewhere. Taking down the forts, and with organic supply and the reincarnation rule, is expensive.

[Flicker]

Thanks. I've read the whole AAR, so I'm familiar with your reasoning re: China. I generally agree since the game mechanics allow it and don't have a better method of simulating the political fallout. Losing VPs through low garrison levels does simulate the fallout to a certain extant, but did the devs really envision your 'Long March'?

You've mentioned that you would do things differently in China if you had a do-over. You've got it - and I would love to see an AAR with the lessons learned (so far) from this game - even a brief summary would be nice (maybe a no Cliff / no Mike thread).

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Flicker

Thanks. I've read the whole AAR, so I'm familiar with your reasoning re: China. I generally agree since the game mechanics allow it and don't have a better method of simulating the political fallout. Losing VPs through low garrison levels does simulate the fallout to a certain extant, but did the devs really envision your 'Long March'?

You've mentioned that you would do things differently in China if you had a do-over. You've got it - and I would love to see an AAR with the lessons learned (so far) from this game - even a brief summary would be nice (maybe a no Cliff / no Mike thread).

Cliff isn't reading this one now. He did at first, but then I saw how much he'd learned and I asked him to stop.

I did a modified China strategy, or tried to. He jumped on the RRs right away and cut off lots of units in the south. I've kept the supply producers in the west down to just south of the mountains (Kunming?), plus the square around Chungking, and Lanchow. Tried to hold Sian awhile, but he got behind me and pummeled me with arty. The scraps of that stack are running cross-country toward Chungking as best they can. Urumchi held out for two months against tanks by using biplanes to strafe. It fell this week.

I haven't sent anything to Burma and may not have it available to do. He's going to come at the Burma oil a lot harder than Mike did, and I'm going to fall back. OTOH, Chungking has a lot more supply than it did in this game as I held some important supply generators and also the Road longer. But I've lost dozens of big Chinese LCUs too.

Overall, I think Cliff is going for AV. We're in March and he hasn't taken any oil at all, not even Miri. He's already in northern Oz, he's come at Canton I. twice, is trying to take Suva, has Luganville and Noumea, and we've been fighting like cats in NorPac. It's Scen 2, so he has some time, but he needs to get going on some oil pretty soon.

[Bullwinkle58]

September 5, 1942

Chipping Away

1) Another round at Moulmein. It's possible I simply don't have enough engineers to get the forts down in the face of him getting supply in by sea. Regardless, it's focusing attention on Burma, which is good for the Allies. The war won't be lost here. Almost nothing is happening anywhere else and in the autumn of 1942 nothing works for the Allies more.

Ground combat at Moulmein (55,55)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 79835 troops, 702 guns, 406 vehicles, Assault Value = 2296

Defending force 40889 troops, 392 guns, 206 vehicles, Assault Value = 977

Allied adjusted assault: 745

Japanese adjusted defense: 1917

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1028 casualties reported
Squads: 51 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
5606 casualties reported
Squads: 121 destroyed, 325 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 56 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 34 disabled
Guns lost 81 (14 destroyed, 67 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)

2) Bombarded at Pegu to get an LCU roster and burn supply. Japan still has no HQ here; reliance on big ones at Rangoon I assume. It's a pretty pure force of shooters. Possible it's short of Support.

Ground combat at Pegu (55,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 34104 troops, 264 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2309

Defending force 79908 troops, 749 guns, 254 vehicles, Assault Value = 2679

Allied ground losses:
172 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
42nd Cavalry Regiment
98th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
42nd Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
83rd Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
8th New Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
46th Indian Brigade
17th Indian Division
15th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
7th New Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
Red Chinese Army
34th Group Army
4th War Area
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps

Defending units:
6th Guards Division
15th Division
9th Division
4th Guards Division
12th Division
5th Guards Division
48th Road Const Co
55th Const Co

3) The troop bombing effort in Burma is a fraction of what it was a week ago. A fair number of strikes seem to be coming from Bangkok, which increases fatigue to man and machine. Possible the force is tired, or it could be supply-related. Or maybe just the evidence that despite the daily pounding the attack force was large enough o get to Moulmein and do its job. Small CAP makes a difference time and time again. Not shooting m any down, but disrupting and damaging. P-38 sweep from Port Blair gets a Zero and three Nicks for one P-38. A few reports:

Morning Air attack on 85th Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 6
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 21
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 3

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

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

Morning Air attack on 71st Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Morning Air attack on 39th Indian Division, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 7
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 35
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 21
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

4) Two I-boat attacks on the Bombay supply train in from CT; both miss.

Other than that the day was very slow. Bombing o Chungking, PBang, Soerbaja plus lots of sweeps, but nothing worth reporting. 4Es bombed Moulmein and got one Helen on the ground. There is a lot of stuff going on as daily business--fixing, building, supply dumping. But Japan is focused on Burma alone as the clock ticks along.

Note: The Yamato mystery changed again. Now reported as sunk again, but BB Haruna is taken off the list. I never thought Haruna was sunk, so this may be the truth at last. CV Zuikaku still on the list as sunk in the Marshalls, but I have never believed that.

[catwhoorg]

Moulmein is going to be a nailbiter it looks like.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: catwhoorg

Moulmein is going to be a nailbiter it looks like.

Tell me about it.

I just sent the turn back. Stood down the attack. Two corps are 1-2 days away from the hex from the east. A good tank unit from the north is about 3-4. I ordered four huge Chinese corps from Lashio, which have been resting for six months, to strat mode to go to Toungoo. They will have to walk to Pegu. I can't afford the time it would take to walk them two hexes to Moulmein, but I may be able to crack Pegu, now that I know how under-engineered it is, and make it rout into Rangoon and really put some pressure on that supply base. If I could get Pegu while holding Moulmein stable Rangoon has to be supplied or evacced by sea. If I can just get 4-5 good fighter units to Prome I might risk the carriers inshore and whack some supply TFs.

[Amoral]

Do you chat about the state of the game with your opponent? Does he know how bad things are for his economy?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Amoral

Do you chat about the state of the game with your opponent? Does he know how bad things are for his economy?

No, we don't chat. I was pretty tight on that to start and it's the habit now. I chat and josh with Cliff a lot more in that game. This one is all business. We talk about other stuff though.

As time goes on and there's no real moves on PBang or Soerbaja I think more and more that Mike is now playing just to see what happens with this set of variables and less to win or lose. If you asked him I think he'd say he can still win--and he can--but as weeks pass and a lot of pre-phase three for the Allies begins to take shape (NorPac, Rabaul, northern NG, Eniwetok staying safe in Allied hands, etc.) the odds begin to shift more.

[Bullwinkle58]

September 6, 1942

If Chungking . . .

1) . . . fell today it would still have done its job. After medium AF bombing which destroyed a fighter and bounced a lot of already damaged ones the Japanese attack once more. Forts are further deteriorated, but, oh my, the losses! Engineers in particular take it on the chin.

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 207311 troops, 2209 guns, 1457 vehicles, Assault Value = 6827

Defending force 160275 troops, 1093 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4575

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 5367

Allied adjusted defense: 11129

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
41541 casualties reported
Squads: 518 destroyed, 2112 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 204 disabled
Engineers: 150 destroyed, 326 disabled
Guns lost 288 (8 destroyed, 280 disabled)
Vehicles lost 225 (16 destroyed, 209 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2656 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 327 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 225 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 46 disabled
Guns lost 65 (4 destroyed, 61 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

2) Continued clean-up in the PI where the Allies still have a few holdings.

Ground combat at Cagayan (79,89)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13472 troops, 127 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 439

Defending force 7788 troops, 0 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 203

Japanese adjusted assault: 358

Allied adjusted defense: 75

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
202 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
300 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
16th Division

Defending units:
3rd PA Constabulary Regiment
101st PA Infantry Division
102nd PA Infantry Division
Cagayan USAAF Base Force
III Philippine Corps

3) Skipjack, already a cripple, alters course and gives up Pearl, trying instead to make it from the Sea of Japan exit to Dutch. Found and mauled by a lone PB for four hits. Outcome in doubt.

4) A lot of ASW activity off the coast of Malaysia and Burma, RN subs fight off fleet DDs, but can't get at TFs.

5) In Burma the air war stays hot, but the Allies are fighting back in increasing strength. Japan backwards-bombs Magwe, the first time I can recall. This is an Oil base and has been quiet except for use as a reconstitution base. Does bombing it mean Japan has given up on getting the oil? Not sure. No damage, and two Sallys damaged.

Moulmein bombing is both lighter than before and hurt more by Allied efforts. Another sweep from Port Blair downs two more Nicks and a Zero for no P-38 losses. Light Prome LRCAP gets the following results. Troop losses are very sustainable:

Morning Air attack on 85th Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

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

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 5
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 50
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 6
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 3

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 destroyed, 16 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Morning Air attack on 90th Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 38
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 21
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 6

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Morning Air attack on 20th Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 10
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 damaged

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

Morning Air attack on 37th Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 6
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 30

No Japanese losses

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

Altitudes seem to be higher on average, possibly due to flak losses.

Morning Air attack on 3rd New Chinese Corps, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 damaged

No troop losses at all.

6) The Allies retaliate by hitting Moulmein AF. Animation showed about 100% more planes damaged than destroyed.

Afternoon Air attack on Moulmein , at 55,55

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 1 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 3
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 2

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 3 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 18

7) The AF one hex south of PBang is open for business and 21 fighters LRCAP PBang. Not exactly a CAP trap as the raids are escorted, but Japan suffers and AF damage is lighter than normal. Also, bombers left on Commander's Choice see an ID which has moved to Lahat; I did not notice it. Right now one ID and that will not take PBang.

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 12
G4M1 Betty x 38

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 4 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 7

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 30
G4M1 Betty x 19

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 8

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 59

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 13 damaged

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8

Morning Air attack on 53rd Division, at 47,92 (Lahat)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 7

No Allied losses

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

Morning Air attack on 53rd Division, at 47,92 (Lahat)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 9

No Allied losses

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

Morning Air attack on 53rd Division, at 47,92 (Lahat)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 6

No Allied losses

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

8) The plot thickens. SS Growler, on patrol north of Borneo, spots a landing TF vectoring toward either the Oosthaven or Merak zone. Slight chance it could be for Batavia or right up the river at PBang. More will be learned tomorrow. Growler draws first blood. There should be more escorts, possibly unseen. If this is all there is it might be the logical conclusion the Allies have no naval forces north of Java except subs and PTs (true), or it could be fuel economy steps.

Sub attack near Groot Natoena at 57,84

Japanese Ships
xAK Ryoyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1
LSD Akitsu Maru
xAP Palau Maru
xAP Ural Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAK Teihoku Maru
xAK Toba Maru
xAK Keisyo Maru
DMS Uruko
DMS Teiko

Allied Ships
SS Growler

9) Northern NG is hit again by B-17s and B-24s from Rabaul. Four more B-24 units leave Pearl for the flight across the Pacific.

[Bullwinkle58]

September 7, 1942

Slouching Towards Effective

1) Little by little the Allied air effort is becoming not quite so laughable. Still a long way from being able to offer credible opposition everywhere, but here and there some jabs that hurt.

Opening Prab#%&! just south of PBang as a small LRCAP field continues to pay off. It's also possible Japanese pilot quality is dropping after months of daily mass raids on several targets usually firmly in Japanese hands by now. With just P-40Es and some P-39s the LRCAP cuts through 2nd gen Zeroes like butter and gets at the 30+ Bettys behind. This raid wore out the defense, so the subsequent raids of many more bombers got through to face the AA, but it's a start.

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 8
G4M1 Betty x 31

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2

The next raid:

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 18

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 4

The third:

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 12
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 59
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 10

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 12 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5

Defense out of ops points, but terrible results. Is this fatigue?

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged

Runway hits 2

2) Burma ground is quiet as the Allies wait for more force to reach Moulmein. Japan is winning the supply race though. A supply TF is found in port Moulmein by a strong 2E raid from Port Blair. The bombers are ineffective as they see at least three xAKs in port. I don't have any more planes to put at Blair with the range to do the job, although Blair is a great base for the job. If he can supply Moulmein, MUTTLEY may become a sitzkrieg until I can get enough air into the theater to make a difference. IT is tying down the better part of half-a-million Japanese troops though, so that's not nothing.

3) Yet another bombardment at Moulmein with no Allied casualties at all. The consensus here seems to be this is primarily due to it still being a Japanese base?

Night Naval bombardment of Moulmein at 55,55

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CL Tama
CL Abukuma
CL Yura
CL Natori
CL Isuzu
DD Uranami
DD Shirayuki
DD Shirakumo
DD Asagumo
DD Kagero
DD Akigumo

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for CA Myoko
CA Myoko firing at 7th Australian Division
CL Tama firing at 7th Australian Division
E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for CL Abukuma
CL Abukuma firing at 39th Indian Division
CL Yura firing at 7th Australian Division
CL Natori firing at 7th Australian Division
CL Isuzu firing at 39th Indian Division
DD Uranami firing at 7th Australian Division
DD Shirayuki firing at 39th Indian Division
DD Shirakumo firing at 39th Indian Division
DD Asagumo firing at 85th Chinese Corps
DD Kagero firing at 7th Australian Division
DD Akigumo firing at 7th Australian Division

4) Trying to interdict the supply runs into Moulmein I get this due to shallow water. Nothing sinks, but there has been a steady stream of good fleet boats going back to Colombo for yard time.

ASW attack near Moulmein at 54,55

Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
SS Spearfish, hits 6

5) No sight of the amphib TF last seen heading for Merak/Oosthaven. Possible it is running the Strait to go to Benk. The one IJA ID sighted moving in Sumatra attacks Lahat and the retreating East Africans. Takes the base, opening the RR to Benk. One more day and the EAs would have been at Pra$&!$ helping defend the new AF. Still, it will take a big stack at this point to capture PBang. One ID is just bothersome.

Ground combat at Lahat (47,92)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10034 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 413

Defending force 3166 troops, 80 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 71

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 388

Allied adjusted defense: 89

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lahat !!!

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

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

Allied ground losses:
1156 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 62 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 28 (21 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (36 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
53rd Division

Defending units:
22nd (East African) Brigade

6) Continued clean up in the PI, but these PI troops are putting up a whale of a fight.

Ground combat at Cagayan (79,89)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13358 troops, 127 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 429

Defending force 7523 troops, 0 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 170

Japanese adjusted assault: 171

Allied adjusted defense: 53

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
240 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
16th Division

Defending units:
101st PA Infantry Division
3rd PA Constabulary Regiment
102nd PA Infantry Division
Cagayan USAAF Base Force
III Philippine Corps

7) Regular harassment bombing at Eniwetok, but one very small anti-naval finds the incoming raiders aimed at the squatting DD/PBs at Eniwetok. They should reach the island tomorrow if not turned back by the air threat. (It's bigger than just these two ships.) Just keeping the IJN on its toes in the mid-Pac theater. The war isn't all Burma, all the time. Have not seen or sniffed KB in about two months, otherwise I'm ready to take Kwaj right now.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Eniwetok at 128,109

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 55 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
DD McCall

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo


8) Chungking hit for two destroyed planes and 120 casualties. Very sustainable in a stack of this size. I turned on Forts again just to see if the 400/day will build at all now that they're back down to Level 4. I don't think so, but it's worth trying. The Forts have done most of the work at Chungking so far.

[Bullwinkle58]

September 8, 1942

What Worked, What Didn't

1) The surface raid on the squatting red TF at Eniwetok worked. I'm still not sure what these guys' function was. 3% moonlight.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Eniwetok at 127,108, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Fukui Maru, Shell hits 33, and is sunk
PB Kaikei Maru, Shell hits 31, and is sunk
PB Kyo Maru #10, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 1
DD Gwin
DD Laffey, Shell hits 1
DD Duncan
DD Lansdowne
DD McCalla
DD Caldwell, Shell hits 1
DD Gridley
DD McCall, Shell hits 2

2) Landing TFs unloading at Oosthaven. A naval response is inbound, but today mass quantities of LBA flew against, and mass quantities made holes in the water. Not going to doc every strike, but there were models from Albacores (18 torp-loaded in one strike for zero hits), to Dutch Hefalumps, to Dutch seaplanes, to Cats, to Wirraways, to Fulmars, to Falcons, to Hudsons. Many units flew AM and PM. Total damage was:

CL Oi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Oi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

3) Port Blair P-38s sweep Moulmein again, 2:2 losses, which is a win for Japan. Troop bombing even lighter than before at about 35 casualties for many damaged bombers. The Allies are pausing to rebuild and get fresh units into both Pegu and Moulmein. Supply state at Moulmein shows 80% in the green and the rest at about 50%. Pegu is all in the green. The Chittagong resupply effort has made all the difference. Ramree is really a non-factor.

Chinag Mai is hit by three B-24s from long range and is met by Tojos. Three Sallys destroyed on the grounds. Chinag Mai goes to Level 5 AF today.

2Es from Blair attack ASW DDs on the Burma coast twice off Victoria Point, but score no hits. I want them to go to Moulmein where a TF is unloading and LCU count just increased by one, but they stay out at sea.

4) PBang bombing is medium. One large Betty strike comes in unescorted and finds 19 on CAP. Carnage. The ID at Lahat pauses, so Prab$%^# south of PBang remains a good LRCAP base. But the defenses there will not hold and PBang AF remains closed. Oosthaven will fall once it is attacked as well, so the air defenses of PBang may be short-lived.

5) Soerbaja is supply bombed; down to about 2000. A small re-supply effort is coming from Perth, but may not make it in, or in time. The two wounded cruisers are still there. Interesting repair dynamics I've never seen. Both are at 99 System damage and in the yards. I have been experimenting with Low/Normal/High, as well as moving one to Pierside to see what happens. In general some of one damage type will repair, but on the same turn some other type will increase, even in drydock. I don't know if it's a function of air attack, low naval support, lack of HQs, the small size of the yard, the massive degree of System damage, or something else. But I have already mentally written these two ships off.

6) There is a substantial ship presence in Rangoon, and its AF shows over 420 planes in residence, about 140 of them Auxiliary. Mostly transports I suspect. The Allies are organizing a strong surface raid of CAs and smaller, from Calcutta, which will come down the coast under LRCAP and try to hit the AF. Moulmein has been hurt a lot, Pegu has no planes at all, and the strikes are coming from Bangkok and other distant bases, with Rangoon doing local air defense. If I can hurt Rangoon, especially the transports, the supply situation will become a lot harder in the capital. Some ships are at Calcutta already, but others are in transit from Colombo. It will take over a week to position everything.

7) Key building:

Chiang Mai expands airfield to size 5

Lashio expands airfield to size 7
Mandalay expands airfield to size 7

[Bullwinkle58]

A note on the AAR

After some reflection on a number of variables I have 90% decided to stop daily diary postings here and go to either a summary format, or a "when something happens" format. I have continued to post daily because that's what I said I would do at the start, but lately the load, especially on weekends when Mike has time for the week's turns and I also do multiples with Cliff, has become less than fun. The game has also been dragging for awhile in terms of campaign action, and it's getting harder for me to find much to say other than "a lot of bombing happened."

When things get moving I may go back to dailies.

[catwhoorg]

I'll happily read whatever you put out.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: catwhoorg

I'll happily read whatever you put out.

Thank you, sir!