Return of the Sheep! - JocMeister(A) vs. MrKane(J)

[JocMeister]

KB Spotted! No doubt of the first target. Will other landings follow?

Won´t have time for a full update tonight due to the World Cup. Go Colombia! [:)]

[Lokasenna]

I wouldn't be surprised if he hit two places at once. KB can easily cover Suva and Noumea landings at the same time.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I wouldn't be surprised if he hit two places at once. KB can easily cover Suva and Noumea landings at the same time.

Yeah, he can pretty much leave the Noumea landing on their own. I think he knows my CVs arn´t in OZ.

[Cribtop]

Well, there you go. An important indication of Mr. Kane's strategic intentions in this match. Looks like he will swoop down on the expected targets in SOPAC. IMHO, the key question is where will he go next to try to get the necessary points for auto vic. That's where the battle will truly be joined and where the battle for auto vic will be decided. This is a fun one to watch.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Well, there you go. An important indication of Mr. Kane's strategic intentions in this match. Looks like he will swoop down on the expected targets in SOPAC. IMHO, the key question is where will he go next to try to get the necessary points for auto vic. That's where the battle will truly be joined and where the battle for auto vic will be decided. This is a fun one to watch.

Indeed it is! I´m not going to completely rule out a Indian incursion but it certainly feels less and less likely for each day.

Now I just need to answer two more questions. What will he grab in SOPAC? Noumea, Nadi/Suva for sure. Pago Pago too? And what will he do once those are captured? Just build them up or will he actually try for OZ or NZ?

And will he make another big push somewhere? He still havn´t moved in NOPAC and CENTPAC.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"] January 10th to 11th 1942 [/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

Some more good news from Singers!

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Singapore/Malaya
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On the 11th Tom tries another attack. To my utter amazement we manage to hold on buying another day or two.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 63182 troops, 715 guns, 271 vehicles, Assault Value = 1559

Defending force 30203 troops, 354 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 234

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 992

Allied adjusted defense: 427

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1431 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 123 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
969 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 59 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 54 (44 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

This was the last time though. Raw AV is down to 138. If he attacks tomorrow he will get it. Sadly that will free up the 5th, 18th and 56th ID. [:(]

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Borneo
------------------------
The enemy lands at Balikpapan without air cover. Sadly all we could manage was a bomb in a xAK as most strikes go after the attached BBs.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Balikpapan at 64,97

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 6

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Atago Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Ashigara

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

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 5000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

The base will fall tomorrow as the 21st Mixed BDE lands without too much trouble.

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Philippines
------------------------
Strangely enough the Japanese air force turn their complete attention at Clark field. Why has he left China? Is this the next target for the freed up IDs from Singers. A quick mop up of Luzon and then onwards with 5 IDs to ???

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China
------------------------
Not really sure what Tom is doing but the bombers have left China. The troops that previously left the roadblock to Ankang turns back after moving just one hex to the SE.

Tom also launches a deliberate attack that does way better then I had hope. This does not bode well.

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20254 troops, 352 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 1005

Defending force 52492 troops, 277 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1339

Japanese adjusted assault: 357

Allied adjusted defense: 2146

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6

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

Japanese ground losses:
1302 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 146 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
911 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

This is VERY worrisome. He can certainly afford the losses. I can´t. He recovers. I don´t. [:(]

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Burma
------------------------
His small stack finally reaches an empty Pegu where it stops for now.

55th Cavalry Regiment
112th Infantry Regiment
55th Engineer Regiment
15th Army
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

This is not enough to capture Rangoon where 450 AV sits behind level 3 forts. 1st Burma ID will hold here for now. I need to hold on to Rangoon for as long as possible. Once the Burma road is cut it loses it significance but I´ll hold it open for as long as I can.

If I can save the 1st ID its a bonus but I consider it expendable.

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SOPAC
------------------------
I can only watch as the KB enters the waters east of Noumea. I have not added anything to the garrison and it will fall easily. All ships have evacuated the area. I have decided on a "line in the sand". More on that later.

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Queen Elisabeth
------------------------
She is "stuck" in Sydney harbor with part of the 136th RGT on board. She simply refuses to unload everything. I have tried to take her out of dock mode and put her back in. 3 Motorized support are still aboard. Not a single one have unloaded during the last 3 turns. Any ideas? Its critical I can get her going very soon!

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: JockMeister

This was the last time though. Raw AV is down to 138. If he attacks tomorrow he will get it. Sadly that will free up the 5th, 18th and 56th ID.

Where are your other LCUs on Malaya? Do you have a nice little pocket building forts somewhere? He will still have to take some time to mop that up. At least you've lasted into January. [;)]

This is VERY worrisome. He can certainly afford the losses. I can´t. He recovers. I don´t.

Near nanyang I think it'll be another 5-6 days before another attack after getting a 1:6, and if he doesn't wait for those to recover, he gets a worse result next time. So you might be okay here. Do you have a unit or two in reserve to move in to replace anything that is hit harder?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: obvert
Where are your other LCUs on Malaya? Do you have a nice little pocket building forts somewhere? He will still have to take some time to mop that up. At least you've lasted into January. [;)]

They are sitting at x3 terrain hex in the middle of Malaya (can´t remember the name of the base). But he can easily isolate them using just the troops he already have up there (Imperial Guards + 2 tank RGTs)

ORIGINAL: obvert
Near nanyang I think it'll be another 5-6 days before another attack after getting a 1:6, and if he doesn't wait for those to recover, he gets a worse result next time. So you might be okay here. Do you have a unit or two in reserve to move in to replace anything that is hit harder?

I sure hope so. But he took very light losses and now with the troops return he must feel he has a good chance. Reserves? What is this reserve thing you speak of? [:D]

On a more serious note I have reserves coming in from the Changsha area but it will be several weeks before they arrive. In the Sian sector EVERYTHING is on the frontline. [:(]

[Lowpe]

Anything else docked there?

Can the QE dock at another port close by? I have had this happen once or twice but never with anything so big and important. It stinks.[:(]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Anything else docked there?

Can the QE dock at another port close by? I have had this happen once or twice but never with anything so big and important. It stinks.[:(]

Nothing at all! I´ll have to sail her to Melbourne and see if she can unload there. [:(]

[Lowpe]

Just leave them on the QE....can you withdraw a ship with troops on it? Let them offload offmap if they want to. If not send them to the west front!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Just leave them on the QE....can you withdraw a ship with troops on it? Let them offload offmap if they want to. If not send them to the west front!

Can´t withdraw them with troops on as I can disband her while the troops are on board. [:(]

[Lokasenna]

Try playing around with the "Do not unload" settings, or taking her in/out of a TF...

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[------------------------
Queen Elisabeth
------------------------
She is "stuck" in Sydney harbor with part of the 136th RGT on board. She simply refuses to unload everything. I have tried to take her out of dock mode and put her back in. 3 Motorized support are still aboard. Not a single one have unloaded during the last 3 turns. Any ideas? Its critical I can get her going very soon!

Since she already offloaded some troops and is docked, port size cannot be a factor.
However I see she has 13 pts of Sys damage. I have not seen that as a factor before but if it affects things like cranes, it could strand some of the cargo that needs them.
Don't know how they would build that into the AI for unloading but maybe anything over 10 Sys damage can hold up some of the cargo?

[offenseman]

I was wondering about sys damage as well. Recently I had a ship unload troops from an ID that had 70 sys damage, BUT that doesn't mean that something specific but not listed in the device roster is not in play here. This game has depth that is at times, stunning.

Then again maybe it is something Michael would take a look at for you. That is too important to lose.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: offenseman

I was wondering about sys damage as well. Recently I had a ship unload troops from an ID that had 70 sys damage, BUT that doesn't mean that something specific but not listed in the device roster is not in play here. This game has depth that is at times, stunning.

Then again maybe it is something Michael would take a look at for you. That is too important to lose.

That must be it then - the tea kettles are out of operation and the crew refuse to work without a proper cuppa. [:'(]

[JocMeister]

Dispatched her to Melbourne. Hopefully she can unload there!

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"] January 12th to 14th 1942 [/font]
______________________________________________________________________________

Turns are flying back and forth today!

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Singapore/Malaya
------------------------
Singers finally fall on the 13th. While that is very early its still almost 2 weeks more then my estimate. Can´t really complain about that.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62371 troops, 745 guns, 271 vehicles, Assault Value = 1477

Defending force 29168 troops, 352 guns, 174 vehicles, Assault Value = 162

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1893

Allied adjusted defense: 419

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Singapore !!! [:(]

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
S.19 Singapore III: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
621 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 19 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
33529 casualties reported
Squads: 469 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2621 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 94 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 394 (394 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 198 (198 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 24

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Borneo
------------------------
The allied "air force" take off to strike at the captured oil. Sadly weather and low moral means only 8 B17Ds take off. Four are damaged but manage to inflict 3 points of damage to the oil.

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CENTPAC
------------------------
Japanese land and capture Tarawa.

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SOPAC
------------------------
KB turns SW. Probably hoping to catch some TFs going to or from OZ. Luckily nothing is in the area. A small AVP is sunk at Norfolk island but that is it.

This is good news for me as huge convoy is unloading at Pago Pago. I was worried Tom would turn East and threaten the TF. Almost 500 AV unloaded. Pago Pago will be my line in the sand. A big chunk of the US Navy are steaming towards the area.

A Jap sub is operating in the shallows at Pago Pago. So far the sub has sunk a DD and a xAK. I miss the late was allied ASW...

------------------------
China
------------------------
Tom continues to attack the roadblock to Ankang. But for the first time in the war the Chinese bombers sortie with amazing effect.

Morning Air attack on 13th Division, at 83,45 , near Nanyang

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
A-29A Hudson x 6
SB-III x 27

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB-III: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
165 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Not sure if this is related or not but all of the sudden combat swings heavily in Chinese favor.

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 49606 troops, 663 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 1426

Defending force 36297 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 822

Japanese adjusted assault: 372

Allied adjusted defense: 2167

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
2879 casualties reported
Squads: 63 destroyed, 218 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 23 (5 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Vehicles lost 91 (79 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Units destroyed 1 [X(]

Allied ground losses:
790 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Perhaps there is still some hope. But a dangerous situation is starting to develop in the east.

[obvert]

Yes. Get back now if he's moving 6 units in and it looks like you could be cut off. That is if your SL permit it.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Yes. Get back now if he's moving 6 units in and it looks like you could be cut off. That is if your SL permit it.

I will go over SL unless I evac the other hex prior to that. Can try to time it but it will be difficult!