Command Decisions: Yeomen vs. Samurai RA 6.4

[Encircled]

I don't know what the Indian units are like in this version, but in Scenario 1 they suck until they are trained and properly equipped. I think that takes about six-nine months with very careful micro managing of the replacements.

Oz might be alright without reinforcement (much more and better morale/experience units) but India certainly won't be!

[witpqs]

I doubt the fire goes out faster in a TF. I think it's the opposite, especially if it is by itself. It auto-disbanded into port because then it gets to use the port to help with damage control (AFAIK).

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Encircled
I don't know what the Indian units are like in this version, but in Scenario 1 they suck until they are trained and properly equipped. I think that takes about six-nine months with very careful micro managing of the replacements.

Oz might be alright without reinforcement (much more and better morale/experience units) but India certainly won't be!

It might behove me to look around for some reinforcements for India. Thanks for the heads up.

ORIGINAL: witpqs
I doubt the fire goes out faster in a TF. I think it's the opposite, especially if it is by itself. It auto-disbanded into port because then it gets to use the port to help with damage control (AFAIK).

Well, let's disband it in port and see how fast the fire goes out. Experiment, scientifically.

[ny59giants]

Random comments:
RA keeps the IJA the same as stock scenario 1. Only the IJN is changed.

If you set your FP at 1000' for Naval Attack, they will use their LowN skill vs NavB skills.

Cape Town - I would send two American divisions here via Eastern USA by Strat Mode. You don't have to spend PP point until you need to move them out of CT. Thus, they can go to either India or Australia.

Device/Squads - Like others have stated, you will need to use the "Stockpile" option to "Y" for certain things. See screenshot for what i have now. I messed up and had had the Lewis MG as "N" and a divided Indian division had the "B" upgrade from Vicker MG to Lewis. Other players can give you other devices/squads that you may want to do.

[Capt. Harlock]

Here's the list and you will see that 4 of them are mildly damaged.

Yes, but half of them are Nevada and Oklahoma, which are inferior even for the WWI-type battlewagons.

[larryfulkerson]

OK. I've received some new moves from John and I watched the combat replay and was amazed that today there was a good thing that
happened to the Allies. They just happened to have some ships at the right place to defend Oosthaven and defend they did.

[witpqs]

Oooo - good one! I'll bet many of those damaged squads go under on the four 'heavy fires, heavy damage' ships when they sink before being able to unload.

[Encircled]

Virtual high five!

Thats the kind of result that keeps the Allies going at the start

[moore4807]

Excellent Job! just watched the #01 file John sent and it shows you also had a battle with a Jap SCTF (1-CA 4-DD) and put a good hurtin on the CA before your slaughtering the transports...

One bit of advice - RUN Forrest RUN!!! [:'(] - John has a CVE TF coming southward and a SCTF with 2BB's just outside of Oosthaven - its time to skedaddle back to Colombo and save those ships! The Brits don't get many replacements and those are few and far between... Also you should probably consider Singapore lost and save the DD's sitting there - they are just going to be bomber fodder and lost soon too.

I'll start working on the AAR soon and have it updated by tonight...

Again Larry, [&o] great Job!

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

He's probably (and very sensibly!) pulled all his supply into Manila or Bataan (depending on where he's making his stand).

Exactly what I did! The gumby part is John hit so fast that several outposts still had small amounts of supply left. Manila is the bastion I created - but it never lasts too long, John has brought sufficient forces to grind me to dust quickly,

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Here's the list and you will see that 4 of them are mildly damaged.

Yes, but half of them are Nevada and Oklahoma, which are inferior even for the WWI-type battlewagons.

So noted Capt. - whats the recommendation then? Are they worth sending back to Alameda or Mare Is for refit? Both you listed are around 120 days for complete repair, All the others are anywhere from 250 to 556 days...

I want to clear out P.H. so I can make it a forward base for the next six months, (and I fear John is brazen enough to come back to P.H. for a rematch there) so any advice is most welcome.

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Here's what happened at Pago Pago last night. I obviously need to move my transit station location to Tahiti or somewhere else.
Pago Pago is just too close to Canton Island and John can sortie DD's to hit my port etc.

I have a SCTF headed down there to eliminate his SCTF of DD's... also ASW is on my calling card there, so don't abandon hope for Pago Pago - most of the other islands are not stackable to the extent Pago Pago is and its very friendly to shipping lanes... Give me a month to get it under control and Gas Station/Grocery Store will be rid of those pesky hoodlums and open for business!!!! [:D][:D][:D]

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Something that just occured to me was that I should be building forts in all the important Java cities.

Larry,

It's your area of Operations, but from what I know from playing the Allies is you lose ALL of Java in early 1942, so pick ONE base and send everybody who will fit under the stacking limits to it (sorbebaja comes to mind). You are going to lose it too - but it gives you the longest time to hold it while he is pounding it to rubble, which means he has to fix it afterwards costing him supply and engineers!

There may be others with better ideas (hiding out in jungle hexes is another one) I never had much luck vs my other Japanese opponent when I tried that. He usually sends a Div to roll up the stragglers, none of the Dutch units can stand up to them!

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Random comments:
RA keeps the IJA the same as stock scenario 1. Only the IJN is changed.

Any hidden secrets here? [:D] Bueller?

If you set your FP at 1000' for Naval Attack, they will use their LowN skill vs NavB skills.

OK from reading the complaints in the general forums, which is better? - I know John3rd is using Jakes like crazy to bomb too. I have NO complaints if we both can do this...

Cape Town - I would send two American divisions here via Eastern USA by Strat Mode. You don't have to spend PP point until you need to move them out of CT. Thus, they can go to either India or Australia.

Any suggestions? I am looking at some of the split Div's (P.H./S.F) to put together, but hesitant to use up 900-1200 PP for something I can't use. Well dont I sound like a petulant child??? [:D] I don't mean it to sound this way but the PP's are all we have to reinforce OZ/INDIA/CONUS too.

Device/Squads - Like others have stated, you will need to use the "Stockpile" option to "Y" for certain things. See screenshot for what i have now. I messed up and had had the Lewis MG as "N" and a divided Indian division had the "B" upgrade from Vicker MG to Lewis. Other players can give you other devices/squads that you may want to do.

This is a little advanced for me just yet, I still get overwhelmed sometimes by just keeping an eye on the withdrawls and movements! Experts- Please withold your sigh of despair [:D][:'(][:D], I'm learning every day and just when I think I understand "it" I learn I really have no idea of the depth I'm into with this game![&o]

BTW - a BIG thank you to Michael for his e-mails with advice, spreadsheets, past game experiences and observations... It is greatly appreciated!

AND plenty of love for everybody here who has freely shared their experiences here and made our game and AAR such an enjoyable read - take a bow yourselves - we salute you!

[Capt. Harlock]

So noted Capt. - whats the recommendation then? Are they worth sending back to Alameda or Mare Is for refit? Both you listed are around 120 days for complete repair, All the others are anywhere from 250 to 556 days...

For whatever my advice is worth, I would send them to Dutch Harbor. They would be less vulnerable to Japanese airpower during the winter months, and you might be able to fend off an invasion TF. After the winter, sending them to Bremerton for a refit might be a good idea.

[moore4807]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 21, 41
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pago Pago (Gas Station/Grocery Store) is harrassed by John's DD's

Night Time Surface Combat, near Pago Pago at 148,161, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shigure
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
AMC Esterel, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
AMC Victor Schoelcher, Shell hits 5, on fire


Night Time Surface Combat, near Pago Pago at 148,161, Range 4,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, on fire
DD Shigure
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
KV Chevreuil
PG D'Iberville, Shell hits 2, on fire
KV La Batailleuse, Shell hits 16, and is sunk


Night Time Surface Combat, near Pago Pago at 148,161, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, on fire
DD Shigure
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
xAK Irenee Du Pont, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk


Night Time Surface Combat, near Pago Pago at 148,161, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, on fire
DD Shigure, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CVL Charlotte, Shell hits 1
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1
DD Sands
DD King
DD Lawrence

Examples of how heavily John has saturated the SE Pacific...

Submarine attack near Palmyra at 170,133
Japanese Ships
SS I-173

Allied Ships
xAP Raranga, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage


Sub attack near Pearl Harbor at 179,107
Japanese Ships
SS I-171

Allied Ships
PC Reliance
PC Tiger


Manila VERY quiet this turn, where's the bomb's?

Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 27,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 26000 feet


Starting to think really hard about these float bombings <grin>

Morning Air attack on TF, near Lucena at 79,79
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
SOC-1 Seagull x 5

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Taketoyo Maru
xAK Eiko Maru #2, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SOC-1 Seagull bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

[ny59giants]

Jim,

Where the 'bleep' are all your PBYs?? [:(] [&:]
If you are getting hit by DDs at Pago Pago, then I would have a PBY group at Pago Pago, Suva, Palmrya, and Johnson. Assign specific patrol arcs to each. Then use the Hot Key "Z" to show those arcs and adjust so they cover the most and don't leave open areas.

Pull up my Jan 1st or 15th file to see what I have down there.

[Encircled]

One thing I would say is that all those bases might be in danger as there isn't a right lot behind them as bases. Lose Johnston/Palmyra and your route to Sydney is going to be a bit fraught!

Marine Defence battalions are ideal for those locations!

If you don't have warning of Japanese naval movement, then he's going to take a fearful toll of your shipping.

And, once you identified the KB, you can use your stuff were he ain't!

I'd have your AVD's in advanced locations as well, as they can provide air support for float planes.

[Encircled]

And regarding India and Oz, you need to be planning now, fortifying Bombay/Karachi, maybe considering a withdrawal from Ceylon to give you more troops in India proper.

If you have the troops, fortify likely invasion ports, BUT START FROM THE REAR AND WORK FORWARD.

Naff all point in piling your troops into Chittagong if he can just land behind you!

You should have all five Oz divisions combined and training in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane, and building up these places. Anything else is risky as he can just land anywhere on the coast.

Might be worth pulling the 17th Indian out of Burma (if thats were it is) and into India proper as well.

[Lecivius]

+1 to above.

You need recon more than bombers now. And you need to consider you can't defend him much atm, you need to build up places that are a REAL stretch for him. Not the historical sites, but the game sites. That was (one of) my biggest mistakes in my first PBEM, defending historical. This is a game, not a simulator.