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

[Bullwinkle58]

Through October 6, 1942

1) Burma

The Allied stacks sit and rest. Supply flows in from the Chittagong dumps. Pegu is all white; the other two continue in high red, although Moulmein is lower than I'd like. Replacements are off in all but a handful of units. Disabled repair is enough for now. The Aussie 7th Div. is on replacements as they seem to have heroic powers of re-constitution. They're my on-map heroes right now.

Some B-17s were placed in Prome and repaired enough to compliment the handful of B-24s living up in Mandalay. Port attacks on the two dozen ships in Rangoon, including multiple cruisers, yield some results, but not enough to drive the fleet away. If Mike knew how bad is my ability to operate in-shore in that part of the ocean he'd leave and move the precious cruiser inventory south. Unless the subs get more productive the naval war off Burma waits on hardware.

Occasional strat bombing to keep things interesting:

Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 3

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Manpower hits 28
Fires 6615

Port attacks:

Afternoon Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

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

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 12
B-17F Fortress x 4

Allied aircraft losses
B-17F Fortress: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1
DD Matsukaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Uranami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Abukuma, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Asanagi, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Port hits 2

Morning Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 18

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3
B-17F Fortress x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 2 destroyed
B-17F Fortress: 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Yura, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Natori, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 3, on fire

Port hits 3

Elsewhere in Burma conditions up-country are stable enough, and the plug at Paoshan and Lashio strong enough, that I've begun moving many LCUs to Imphal to mass for an overland move on Chiang Mai. Additional heavy armor and Indian infantry, and the British 70th Division, are also strat moving by road to Imphal to join. Chiang Mai shows 24 LCUs, but I'm pretty sure most are non-combat. Only one has tried to move west to help at Moulmein. Chinag Mai plugs the railroad from Bangkok as well as completing another link in the basket around Rangoon-Pegu-Moulmein. I now also have two para-capable Chindit units; they are being moved to airheads where they can support the Chiang Mai operation. Given the jungle jump needed to exit Imphal south this whole thing will take until Christmas more than likely to get positioned.

Port Blair has been excellent support for the Rangoon area ops. All AFBs should make holding it or re-taking it a priority. A very experienced P-38 unit there has used drop tanks to continually sweep Rangoon, running up a good tally. 2E anti-naval bombers also force the re-supply right onto the coast; my sub patrol zones are all in shallow water to cover the last hex the 2Es can't reach.

2) PBang and Java

There was a long break in airfield bombing which allowed Fort building to go from the mid-30s to the high 70s on the way to Level 6 at Pbang. It has now resumed, re-stalling building. But the daily cost is stiff for Japan. PBang is one huge AA nest. Still only one enemy ID at Lahat. A small cruiser-led bombardment group from Cocos I. has gone up the western coast doing probe bombardments and found nothing. It has also visited western Java as far south as Djakarta and found nothing there either.

Light IJA forces are near Batavia, but it continues to be a strong AF. Merak is highly-fortified as well.

Soerbaja is out of supply except for organic, which flows directly into the garrison. It is well-fed. Daily bombing and sweeps which don't do much as there is no supply to hurt. The two 99 System damaged cruisers continued to sit in the yard, neither sinking or getting any better. Two tiny single-ship resupply missions have gotten in, but both ships were sunk after. One AG is now moving between Batavia and Soerbaja; it will get at best one trip in before being found I suspect.

The SSTs are running between Rabaul and Cebu, where four PI units survive and eat OK. Three Cats there continue to pull in squads from straggler PI units never dealt with. The Allies also hold the Z-base on the extreme west side of Mindanao. With enough time there will be instant problems for Japan.

3) NG

Extensive reinforcement of northern NG continues, mostly from Suva and mostly Kiwis. Hollandia will be a key "hinge" base here for the turn into the oil regions of the DEI.

4) Timor

A little comical. Dili and Lautem sit there. No activity all year. Thirty men from one of the Oz Coy's take Dili almost by accident; they were headed for what I thought was an empty Lautem. Oops. Left turn, take Dili. Two days later IJA paras take it back. But I know what's there now. An Aussie ID is heading to Townsville to load for Timor duty. Perth doesn't need four divisions anymore.

5) Marshalls/Gilberts

Baker being stiffened with USMC forces plus recon air. APDs and subs are sneaking in a small base onto Makin, which is still a dot. But it has good air potential. An AVP is headed there. So far detection looks low. Makin can cut off the Japanese air bases to the immediate south from the coming battles at Kwaj and Roi Namur. One SST is in this op. There are Raiders as well as paras available. Holding Wake has been invaluable. Eniwetok continues strong despite daily bombing. Almost to Level 6 Forts and the port is nearing 4. Ponape bombs it, but is in turn in range of 4Es from Rabaul. It has been bombed twice for light damage.

6) China

Chungking continues to get resurrected corps plus daily supply bombing. Levels rest at 420 every day. About half the garrison is at zero supply; all of the arty and most of the base forces. Supply feeds the infantry first. I'm gong to get a lot more transports very soon and they will go to Ledo to help. Forts sit at 4 after the last brutal attack. I expect another before my next update here.

A strong 4 LCU force moved south from Lanchow and took the base to the south, imposing heavy casualties. One was left to garrison while the other three are in pursuit. This is only to remind Japan that the whole war isn't at Chungking, as well as move Allied hexsides a few closer to Chungking. I don't think any will flow, but who knows? If I could take the dot at the railhead from Sian that would be nice too.

Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 29585 troops, 200 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1259

Defending force 5856 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 211

Allied adjusted assault: 659

Japanese adjusted defense: 142

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

Allied forces CAPTURE Kungchang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1544 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 57 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (9 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Allied ground losses:
408 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
8th Route Army
1st Chinese Corps
11th Chinese Corps
3rd Prov Chinese Corps

Defending units:
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade

I'll post some screenshots.

[Bullwinkle58]

China/Burma

[Bullwinkle58]

NG

[Bullwinkle58]

CentPac

[Bullwinkle58]

NoPac

[Bullwinkle58]

PI

[Bullwinkle58]

VPs and Ratio

[JocMeister]

Do you still hold Palembang?

[catwhoorg]

Yes he does.

[JocMeister]

Tihi! [:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Tihi! [:D]

PBang and Soerbaja and all the oil/fuel in Burma. A fair bit he has has been bombed at least some. It's Scen 2, so he started with a lot, but it won't last forever.

[obvert]

This one has been over for a while. It must be fun to play knowing you can risk basically anything and still win in 44. Speaking of risk, how about No Pac?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: obvert

This one has been over for a while. It must be fun to play knowing you can risk basically anything and still win in 44. Speaking of risk, how about No Pac?

Hey, it's still 1942! [:)]

I'm VP farming up there, building out dot AFs. Going for Sakhalin is one route I'm hoping to do when I get some decent amphib hulls. A few working torpedoes would be nice as well.

[catwhoorg]

No point grabbing Hokkaido just yet, he doesn't have the 4E bombers to reduce the rest of the Home Islands to ashes...

That can come after the Winter, but yes the Kuriles look tempting to me as an observer.

[Bullwinkle58]

Through November 1, 1942

An update of general trends and a few specifics. I don't want to go through a month of CRs for specific battles. A few interesting developments though.

1) Burma/MUTTLEY

Sitzkrieg continues. Allied air power still has not gotten to the point it can do much against the Japanese bastions of Rangoon/Pegu/Moulmein. Air operations against secondary targets like Chiang Mai AF have continued as possible. Japan has largely ceased pounding on fortified siege stacks at the three bases and has recently shifted to AF attacks on Ramree and the Mandalay group up-river locations. Results to my way of thinking are not worth the effort as each Allied AF is simply abandoned until the storm passes. The Allies have many 5-6 AFs in the region now.

4Es have operated from Prome, Mandalay, Imphal, and Ledo to attack industry in China, especially Chengtu. About half that base's industrial base is gone. As I believe it is a significant supplier of the huge stack at Chungking this can only help over the coming weeks. One attack was mounted as far as Hong Kong as a demonstration, but little damage was achieved due to the low number of bombers.

Rangoon continues to host 30+ ships on a daily basis. Port attacks have wounded a few which left for repair to the south. No further Allied naval forays into Rangoon itself have occurred; a small cruiser/DD force is at Calcutta, but nothing that could take on the air power at Rangoon. Port Blair has sniped as well, and has been pretty well CAPped, but its aircraft have not made it up the river into Rangoon much. Two days ago Japan sortied ten Mavises without escort to attack a large cruiser-defended supply TF at Port Blair. The flying boats were butchered.

The Allies are mounting a flanking operation, hereby named Operation BANDIT. Of "Jonny Quest" fame, Bandit was a . . . dog. See this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIhEpjnaNlo

for the best opening credit sequence and best theme song of any cartoon ever. Recall a time when America did not know the difference between a Muslim and a Hindu (or maybe a Sikh.) When I was 9-YO I wanted to be "Race" Bannon when I grew up. Every kid did.

Operation BANDIT will be a combined-arms operation launching from Imphal, targeting Chiang Mai. The majority of the force is now transiting the jungle zone south of Imphal on a shortest-route path to the road network in mid-Burma. Chiang Mai shows 24 LCUs, but most are believed to be support units. A Chindit unit is available to drop on Raheng (sp?) in support of this operation when the time comes. This effort is intended to make R/P/Moulmein supply even more critical, to take away a major enemy AF, and to cut the rail link from Bangkok.

2) Sumatra

PBang continues as before. Daily bombing keeps forts at 5 +72%, but at a high cost in bombers. The base is well-supplied and troops are relaxed and groovy. One Japanese ID remains at Lahat and Benkoelen has been bombarded twice, showing only one base force. Oosthaven is still Allied and has an open AF. A small garrison was landed at Enganno (sp?) the dot to the SW of Oosthaven. An AF is planned. Further out the western islands off Sumatra will also be developed if allowed. I don't see this as a major investment route unless it's very cheap to do so.

In the Allies' continuing effort to choke off the oil from Japan, a 3-carrier TF (Wasp and two RN hulls, one Hermes of doubtful utility), sortied from Colombo to do a cross-island strike on Medan from the IO. This was as much a learning opportunity for me as anything. I have little experience with City attacks from carriers. I was surprised to find that a target cannot be assigned to the air wings unless already in range of the City. IOW, you can't order a Medan strike and rush in to do it after locking in the plan. You have to go into range, enter the orders, and then stay another day to fly.

So, harder. I fiddled a lot with the orders, going in close one night, remaining on the edge of the air wing's range, doing the orders, then ordering the TF to sail west to eat up the night phase, then waypoint back east to hit Medan in the PM flight package, the TF to retire the next night phase. The first try I missed the hex count by one and the TF was too far west to make the launch. Still with 0 DL on the TF I re-jiggered and ordered another try. Imagine my surprise when this gaggle came shooting around the northern tip of Sumatra. And me with not one plane set for Naval strike!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Sinabang at 43,74, Range 28,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CM Tokiwa
DD Harukaze
DD Hasu
APD Hishu
AK Sasako Maru
AK Kinka Maru
xAK Canberra Maru

Allied Ships
CV Wasp
CV Illustrious
CVL Hermes
BB North Carolina
CL Perth
CL Birmingham
CLAA San Juan
DD Anderson
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD Lang
DD Stack

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 27,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 27,000 yards
Range increases to 28,000 yards...
BB North Carolina engages CM Tokiwa at 28,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...

The air strike went off that same turn.

Morning Air attack on Medan , at 46,76

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 11

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 33
TBF-1 Avenger x 33

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged

Manpower hits 13
Fires 9920



The non-reconned BDA shows only about 50 Oil remaining in Medan. Only two hits to Refineries, but the Oil is the key. The strike also overflew a whole bunch of cruisers, ASW ships, and merchants in Medan for a drink. So I now have confirmation of where the Rangoon-bound TFs are tanking up. If Medan can be taken down the supply situation n Rangoon ratchets up a notch or three. The next nearest fuel is northern Borneo. Burma has none for Japan at all.

All air wings were ordered to attack the TF last seen heading SE. Mike has that turn in hand. I expect this was more force for PBang, but it's a small transport count and not nearly enough to bother PBang right now. To help, I also ordered a newly-repaired HMS Repulse to join with Cocos Island's surface TF, and head north up the western Sumatran coast in a pincer move. We shall see.

3) Java

Soerbaja remains in Allied hands, bombed daily, making enough internal supply for the garrison, two severely damaged cruisers sitting in the yards.

Batavia was taken by Japan in the biggest VP swing of this period. The garrison, much of which had been moved to PBang, retreated to Merak where Forts are nearly at Level 4 and supply is good for now. Cocos I. has transports and supply that can be snuck in I believe.

The rest of Java is in Japanese hands.

4) DEI

An operation to re-take eastern Timor is mounting from Townsville and Darwin, but will be slow. A new base at Babar is slowly building. The 4Es from Rabaul that lack range to hit Truk were moved to Darwin and have been sporadically hitting Kendari, Ambon, and several other minor bases. I don't expect a big investment here either. Neutralizing some of Japan's options is enough for now. Balikpapan continues as the major fuel source for the Empire. Subs in the northern strait have seen a few TK TFs, but more seem to be going west around Borneo and into Singers. Subs out of Colombo and Perth are in that area, but it's all shallow water and no fun to drive in. Overall the number of TFs spotted is very low. I have to believe that even the Scen 2 initial oil stocks are running low.

5) China

Chungking continues under siege. Supplies very low and forts remain at Level 4. A Japanese ID was lost this week due to a pathing error that made the LCU, moving east to west, route across a river through Chungking. Mike was pretty steamed. The Shock attack left it with 8 AV. I couldn't understand why my CR showed 60+ LCUs Shock attacking, but only 7700 men. He explained in email.

As above, anti-economy air strikes occur opportunistically in western China.

Japan re-took the base north of Lanchow (S-something) for a nice VP haul of 300+. The Allies took and are fortifying the dot base at the northern head of the Sian RR. I don't think supply will flow to the capital from Lanchow, but cutting Sian back is nice. Lanchow has some B-17s which are pounding the garrison at the new base to the north. I don't believe Urumchi's oil is helping Japan down south so long as Lanchow is Allied.

6) Solomons/NG

Quiet. Base-building continuing at Hollandia, Luganvile, Shortlands, Guad., and Rabaul and nearby bases. Rabaul is a major sub base now, lacking only an ARD, which have not appeared yet.

7) CentPac

Intended to be one of two major routes to victory, things continue in a wary manner. Forces to take Kwaj and Roi Namur are gathering at Pearl. Only two CVs and four CVEs are available, however. LCUs are prepped and staged. Wake has seen some circling IJN activity between Ponape and Eniwetok, including some CVs and BBs, but no battles have come off. I don't know where the KB is, except they're not at Truk or Ponape. I suspect the Marianas. But fuel has to be a factor.

The Allied base at Makin, which bisects Japan's effort near Kwaj with the AFs in the southern half of the chain, continues to grow. Heavily mined now, it has a minimal AF. A squadron of 22 P-38s was positioned there just in time to protect a major reinforcement TF full of base forces, infantry, and Port Services. Japan has largely been forced to use 1st Gen Zeros on Naval attack to try to hit Makin, and the P-38s have done great work this week. Their service levels are too stiff for them to last long at a Level 1 AF, but they're buying precious time.

Two SSTs out of Canton and Baker continue to re-take dot bases in the Gilberts and Marshalls. They probably won't be developed, but I want to keep up a sense of momentum. The third SST is running supplies into Cebu, where a nice little garrison continues to wait for help to arrive.

8) NorPac

The other path to the HI. The Allies continue to build furiously on every island in the Aleutians worth holding. Only some Japanese subs are seen lurking. S-boats lay a lot of mines in the Kuriles and on Sakhalin I. and Hokkaido. Two are struck themselves. They survive, but one was a withdrawal boat and the limping combined with needing to be under 50% damage have already cost me 140 PPs in late fees.

On withdrawals, HMS Warspite, hit by several torpedoes at Pearl in the early days, is limping toward SF with 75 flooding. She just won't repair at Pearl. Withdrawal is coming in early 1943 and I need flooding under 50% to do that. So I'm risking the transit. System was 0 when she left Pearl and flooding 66, now System is at 5 about half-way across. Flooding went from 66 to 80 when System went to 5, but is gradually coming back to just the Major flooding of 66. I think she'll make it. Fingers crossed.

Will do another update in a game month, or when something big goes down.

[JocMeister]

Cool to see an update! [&o]

[catwhoorg]

Indeed.

I miss the more regular ones.

[Bullwinkle58]

Thanks guys. I find that I get the turns done a lot faster without the dailies. And with two games I get enough AE as well. [:)]

When this game gets more intense I'll go more often again.

Edit: I also blame Civ 5 DLC, Kerbal Space Program (awesome game!), and the Xcom expansion pack, possibly the best DLC I've ever played. Also, still working through Skyrim.

Edit edit: just so it doesn't seem as if all I do is play games I also re-started volunteering in adult education, doing ESL for immigrants. I hope to expand that back into citizenship prep class later on this year.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL:

Edit: I also blame Civ 5 DLC, Kerbal Space Program (awesome game!), and the Xcom expansion pack, possibly the best DLC I've ever played. Also, still working through Skyrim.

This I have to check out! Which xcom game are you playing btw?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL:

Edit: I also blame Civ 5 DLC, Kerbal Space Program (awesome game!), and the Xcom expansion pack, possibly the best DLC I've ever played. Also, still working through Skyrim.

This I have to check out! Which xcom game are you playing btw?

Enemy Within expansion to Enemy Unknown. I'd for sure play the base game first to see how much the expansion improved it. Seamless integration, whole new sub-stories, about 40 new maps, but still inside the framework of the original. A genius design effort IMO. Goes on sale on Steam sometimes.