Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A)

[mind_messing]

October 7th to October 18th, 1942

Things are getting interesting.

North Pacific

Allied battleships turn up to bombard Attu Island, destroying the single sound detector set that has been stuck on the island for about 6 months. The island is now open to the Americans, and once it falls, the Kuriles will be on the frontline.

Central Pacific

The Allies bombard Funafuti, and follow it up with a landing. The base is empty, and the only Japanese units in the area remain untouched on Vaitupu. The AV and seaplanes have been withdrawn to Nanumea, where they'll report on Allied movements in the region.

In response to this incursion into the Empire, IJN 2E bombers sortie from Tabituea against the Allied ships off Funafuti. They find no CAP (due to Lokasenna not ordering his CVE's to CAP, apprently) and put a torpedo into the battleship Washington and four torpedos into the British battleship Resolution, sinking her outright.

Japanese signal inteligence gets two reports of radio transmissions around Canton Island. It could be anything, but the most logical explaination is that it's the USN carriers waiting in the wings for the IJN's response. From what I know of Lokasenna's playstyle, he's not above sacraficing a great many ships to get a good shot at the KB.

The KB itself is remaining in Truk - these worthless atolls simply isn't the real estate worth risking the carriers over. When the Allies start getting closer to the Marshalls, then I'll start to consider a sortie.

[center]
The action in the Central Pacific, with the Allies capturing a empty Japanese base and losing a battleship for their troubles.[/center]

South-West Pacific

The Allies take Ndeni. I get a warning thanks to a submarine attack on the amphibious task force, but the Japanese LBA strike on the Allied ships is poor - the IJN 2E's used bombs instead of torpedos (the base was 100 or so supplies off the "double required" rule, so no more torpedos could be bought) and they score no hits. We mount a large sweep of Ndeni the following day with every aircraft that will reach, and do a good deal of damage to the Allied fighters mounting LRCAP on the base.

The fall of Ndeni pushes the naval seach limits of the empire back in the South-West Pacific area, but I'm using my transport planes to try to set up small Jake bases to try to keep tabs on Allied movements.

[center]
The situation in the Santa Cruz Islands. The Guadalcanal region is now the frontline in this sector.[/center]

Austrailia

The evacuation of troops from Darwin is complete. The only Japanese units remaining on Austrailian soil is a brigade and an Air HQ at Broome. Both will be withdrawn, leaving a small seaplane base to monitor Allied moves in the region.

China-Burma-India

[center]Chungking falls!

[/center]
This is a major bonus for the empire, and a severe blow to the Chinese. The industry was captured with only 30% or so damaged, and now over 10k Japanese AV is free to move elsewhere.

The Chinese response is a mass evacuation of their Western strongholds. The previous stream of units trying to reach the Indian border will become a flood, and the IJA is moving fast to stop them.

To do this, the IJA rushes reinforcements to northern Burma to hunt down these stragglers while bombers fresh from China are moved in to slow down their escape. The British respond by dropping Chindits onto Shwebo (I was swapping garrisons around to try to free up as many units as possible, and the British pounced before I could find a replacement) in an attempt to complicate the Japanese logistics in northern Burma.

Despite this, the situation remains good. Japanese tanks are hot on the heels of the Chinese trying to escape, and the bulk of the veteran troops from Chungking are marching for Burma. A further division from Manchuria is marching into Burma from Thailand, and will serve as a reserve unit against any further paratrooper attacks.

With this, I think it is suitable to merge all these theaters, seeing as action in China is dying down, but the war in Burma seems to just be commencing.

With China wrapped up, I've started to really look at units to buy out. Most of the big divisions, as well as the tank divisions, will be better used in Burma, so I'm turning my focus on the smaller brigades and regiments that combine later in the war to form divisions. These units will make their way to the Pacific, along with whatever unrestricted reinforcements I recive. I already have a Mixed Brigade en-route to Ponope.

Ideally, I'll buy out as many units from China as I can. Once the RGC and the other collaborationist trash units get their TOE expansions, I'll use the IJA troops freed up from garrison in the Pacific.

[center]
The China-India-Burma theater. After being static for so long, the theater now bursts into action with the fall of Chungking.[/center]

[mind_messing]

I'd love the peanut gallery's thoughts and advice on defending against a CentPac campaign, as this PBEM is breaking into untrodden ground for me now.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'd love the peanut gallery's thoughts and advice on defending against a CentPac campaign, as this PBEM is breaking into untrodden ground for me now.

I would say you are off to a good start what with sinking a BB and damaging a second.[:D]

There is a theory that you can try to funnel the American advance to somewhere you would like it to go by making other alternatives less attractive. Not sure I buy that.

My advice is to have really good search. And then even more search.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'd love the peanut gallery's thoughts and advice on defending against a CentPac campaign, as this PBEM is breaking into untrodden ground for me now.

About all I've got is to key on the Marianas, don't over-invest in Wake or Marcus, decide now what Truk "is" and do that, and to mine, dig, and train.

On a more serious note, be aware you are now the lead-dog with Loka; you passed our game while I was out of town. To my knowledge he has never played any deeper in PBEM than your game here.

Also, thanks for the look into the gates of hell re Chungking. Can't wait for that VP-fest. [:)]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'd love the peanut gallery's thoughts and advice on defending against a CentPac campaign, as this PBEM is breaking into untrodden ground for me now.

I would say you are off to a good start what with sinking a BB and damaging a second.[:D]

There is a theory that you can try to funnel the American advance to somewhere you would like it to go by making other alternatives less attractive. Not sure I buy that.

My advice is to have really good search. And then even more search.

I commented to Lokasenna that if I traded every island invasion for a capital ship, even the Allied reinforcements wouldn't be able to keep up!

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I'd love the peanut gallery's thoughts and advice on defending against a CentPac campaign, as this PBEM is breaking into untrodden ground for me now.

About all I've got is to key on the Marianas, don't over-invest in Wake or Marcus, decide now what Truk "is" and do that, and to mine, dig, and train.

On a more serious note, be aware you are now the lead-dog with Loka; you passed our game while I was out of town. To my knowledge he has never played any deeper in PBEM than your game here.

Also, thanks for the look into the gates of hell re Chungking. Can't wait for that VP-fest. [:)]

The Marianas has been a big focus for me. Already, most islands are at level 6 forts, and I've been reinforcing them with dribs and drabs from across the empire. If there's anywhere that I want to fight the decisive battle, it's the Marianas.

Once the Allies are within range of Truk, I'm bugging out to Saipan. It's a nice airbase, but too isolated from anything else to stand on its own. I have, however, dropped of some nice 10cm guns for when the 4E menance decides to visit.

Concerning Chungkingrad, it was suprisingly painless. True, I was losing about a regiments worth of devices being destroyed every attack, but the vast majority of casualties were simply disablements, and they were fairly spread out over the huge number of units that I had.

Then again, it probably felt painless because I was looking to trash divisions so I could buy them out cheaply for the Pacific...

[Bullwinkle58]

Re Chungking, in our game he is still doing daily bombardment/bombing. I still have Level 7 forts. He kills about 150 men a day, but most are disablements. But I can't un-disable them either. I wonder if his experience from the other side will change his plan? The vast numbers standing before the city have other uses. I am in much worse shape elsewhere than he was too--western Oz, Noumea/Suva/Luganville, etc are all Japanese playgrounds. He is not withdrawing from Darwin for nothing. The only place I'm hurting him is in the Aleutians.

3500-4000 VPs on me would make AV very likely.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Re Chungking, in our game he is still doing daily bombardment/bombing. I still have Level 7 forts. He kills about 150 men a day, but most are disablements. But I can't un-disable them either. I wonder if his experience from the other side will change his plan? The vast numbers standing before the city have other uses. I am in much worse shape elsewhere than he was too--western Oz, Noumea/Suva/Luganville, etc are all Japanese playgrounds. He is not withdrawing from Darwin for nothing. The only place I'm hurting him is in the Aleutians.

3500-4000 VPs on me would make AV very likely.

My siege of Chungking started around March 1942, and ended in October. Forts, I think, were at level 6.

If you've level 7 forts, you'll probably see Chungking holding out into 1943. From what I've gathered, he's been nowhere near as aggressive as I have concerning Chungking. He's mounted what, 3 attacks? It's taken me around 20 or so attacks, so you should be fairly safe for now. You'll know you're near the end when you've no more forts and the Japanese have a 2:1 advantage in raw AV.

My advice is to get as much from China into India as you can. Once Chungking goes, there's no more respawns, and you'll want the big TOE units in India, where they'll be safe to train up and with plenty of supply to take all those replacement squads.

Don't focus on the parts of the map where he's trying to fight you: focus instead on where you want to fight him. Steal from his playbook - sub raids, fast bombardments, see if you can get raiders to take a base on the cheap. In the meantime, turn the open ground of Western Oz into a graveyard.

If our game is only just ahead, then the Fletchers should just be a couple of turns away. Seeing them should do more to make you feel better about your situation than any words of mine. Nothing says "The Allies will win the game" quite like all those ships on the reinforcement list

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Re Chungking, in our game he is still doing daily bombardment/bombing. I still have Level 7 forts. He kills about 150 men a day, but most are disablements. But I can't un-disable them either. I wonder if his experience from the other side will change his plan? The vast numbers standing before the city have other uses. I am in much worse shape elsewhere than he was too--western Oz, Noumea/Suva/Luganville, etc are all Japanese playgrounds. He is not withdrawing from Darwin for nothing. The only place I'm hurting him is in the Aleutians.

3500-4000 VPs on me would make AV very likely.

My siege of Chungking started around March 1942, and ended in October. Forts, I think, were at level 6.

If you've level 7 forts, you'll probably see Chungking holding out into 1943. From what I've gathered, he's been nowhere near as aggressive as I have concerning Chungking. He's mounted what, 3 attacks? It's taken me around 20 or so attacks, so you should be fairly safe for now. You'll know you're near the end when you've no more forts and the Japanese have a 2:1 advantage in raw AV.

My advice is to get as much from China into India as you can. Once Chungking goes, there's no more respawns, and you'll want the big TOE units in India, where they'll be safe to train up and with plenty of supply to take all those replacement squads.

Don't focus on the parts of the map where he's trying to fight you: focus instead on where you want to fight him. Steal from his playbook - sub raids, fast bombardments, see if you can get raiders to take a base on the cheap. In the meantime, turn the open ground of Western Oz into a graveyard.

If our game is only just ahead, then the Fletchers should just be a couple of turns away. Seeing them should do more to make you feel better about your situation than any words of mine. Nothing says "The Allies will win the game" quite like all those ships on the reinforcement list

He did start Chungking with level 6. He's only ground attacked once that I recall, and found the 7s. He asked me how I did that? I told him I started on December 8 and prioritized it. He's also told me he doesn't want tot take the losses you did, but it's costing him time. He has 77 LCUs in front of Chungking and thousands of bomber sorties so far. He strat bombed the city out of the supply business-don't think I've seen any Japan player give away 300 HI plus lots of LI--but it worked. All I have are the 420/day plus Ledo air.

In my other game Mike also started on Level 7, has done multiple giant attacks, also has circa 70 great LCUs invested, and in Feb. 1943 I still have Level 3 and a bit of supply. More transports coming to Ledo at last. In that game I got about half the Chinese army out to India/Burma. Loka read my AAR and acted immediately to stop that. I didn't know he would/could and I crashed China forthwith. I have one scrap pile trying to get to Ledo, but he's hexsided numerous others, extinguished them, and their brothers are in Chungking now.

Having played it both ways I don't know which is better for Japan. I do know China is unplayable against any Japan player of medium or better skill. When, not if.

Western OZ is interesting. I've never operated there. He has great strength ashore, but his supply situation is very tenuous. I have Perth and it's the only supply source he can turn to. It's as heavily defended as I can make it now, plus I have a strong naval presence around the corner on the south side he is unaware of as far as I know. It has taken great restraint to keep it in hiding. And help is on the way.

Aleutians are taking over half my ground forces. Once they're secure I can address Noumea/Suva and perhaps get a bit of VP room. But I'm 7-9 months behind where I should be and still in great danger of AV in mid-1943.

I think you guys have more random in arrival dates. I already have three Fletchers at Ceylon and two more coming in a week to EC. What I REALLY need are LSTs.

The last thing I do before I close every turn is open the ship queue, sort by arrival date, and dream. [:)] Some CVEs soon, more DDs, and a bunch of 12kt xAKs. A long haul to any real carriers or more BBs.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Re Chungking, in our game he is still doing daily bombardment/bombing. I still have Level 7 forts. He kills about 150 men a day, but most are disablements. But I can't un-disable them either. I wonder if his experience from the other side will change his plan? The vast numbers standing before the city have other uses. I am in much worse shape elsewhere than he was too--western Oz, Noumea/Suva/Luganville, etc are all Japanese playgrounds. He is not withdrawing from Darwin for nothing. The only place I'm hurting him is in the Aleutians.

3500-4000 VPs on me would make AV very likely.

My siege of Chungking started around March 1942, and ended in October. Forts, I think, were at level 6.

If you've level 7 forts, you'll probably see Chungking holding out into 1943. From what I've gathered, he's been nowhere near as aggressive as I have concerning Chungking. He's mounted what, 3 attacks? It's taken me around 20 or so attacks, so you should be fairly safe for now. You'll know you're near the end when you've no more forts and the Japanese have a 2:1 advantage in raw AV.

My advice is to get as much from China into India as you can. Once Chungking goes, there's no more respawns, and you'll want the big TOE units in India, where they'll be safe to train up and with plenty of supply to take all those replacement squads.

Don't focus on the parts of the map where he's trying to fight you: focus instead on where you want to fight him. Steal from his playbook - sub raids, fast bombardments, see if you can get raiders to take a base on the cheap. In the meantime, turn the open ground of Western Oz into a graveyard.

If our game is only just ahead, then the Fletchers should just be a couple of turns away. Seeing them should do more to make you feel better about your situation than any words of mine. Nothing says "The Allies will win the game" quite like all those ships on the reinforcement list

He did start Chungking with level 6. He's only ground attacked once that I recall, and found the 7s. He asked me how I did that? I told him I started on December 8 and prioritized it. He's also told me he doesn't want tot take the losses you did, but it's costing him time. He has 77 LCUs in front of Chungking and thousands of bomber sorties so far. He strat bombed the city out of the supply business-don't think I've seen any Japan player give away 300 HI plus lots of LI--but it worked. All I have are the 420/day plus Ledo air.

In my other game Mike also started on Level 7, has done multiple giant attacks, also has circa 70 great LCUs invested, and in Feb. 1943 I still have Level 3 and a bit of supply. More transports coming to Ledo at last. In that game I got about half the Chinese army out to India/Burma. Loka read my AAR and acted immediately to stop that. I didn't know he would/could and I crashed China forthwith. I have one scrap pile trying to get to Ledo, but he's hexsided numerous others, extinguished them, and their brothers are in Chungking now.

Having played it both ways I don't know which is better for Japan. I do know China is unplayable against any Japan player of medium or better skill. When, not if.

Western OZ is interesting. I've never operated there. He has great strength ashore, but his supply situation is very tenuous. I have Perth and it's the only supply source he can turn to. It's as heavily defended as I can make it now, plus I have a strong naval presence around the corner on the south side he is unaware of as far as I know. It has taken great restraint to keep it in hiding. And help is on the way.

Aleutians are taking over half my ground forces. Once they're secure I can address Noumea/Suva and perhaps get a bit of VP room. But I'm 7-9 months behind where I should be and still in great danger of AV in mid-1943.

I think you guys have more random in arrival dates. I already have three Fletchers at Ceylon and two more coming in a week to EC. What I REALLY need are LSTs.

The last thing I do before I close every turn is open the ship queue, sort by arrival date, and dream. [:)] Some CVEs soon, more DDs, and a bunch of 12kt xAKs. A long haul to any real carriers or more BBs.

Failing to take Chungking is a mistake, in my opinion. Yes, losses will be heavy, but they're usually disablements rather than destroyed squads, and easily recovered. Units that get badly mauled can be bought out cheaply for the Pacific. Plus, it's not like they'll have anything else to do in China other than sit idle at Chungking - much better to get them into Burma.

Another bonus is that Chungking has been a massive training ground for the China Expeditionary Army. Almost all of the 20 or so divisions are now absurdly experianced. The two tank divisions have EXP in the mid-70's. I've 10 divisions in the 90's, and about 5 in the mid 80's!!! Allied infantry might win the firepower game late war, but I doubt it will win the experiance game.

I've failed to stop most of the exodus of Chinese from China into Burma, and I think it will cost me dearly in the long run. There's still some thirty or so units wandering around the jungle trying to break through, but the Chindits are tearing up my rail lines, and the Chinese are somehow drawing supply from India.

I have a feeling that Western Oz is going to be the grave of Lokasenna's campaign. Even with the added goodies in Scenario 2, a long-term Japanese camapgin in somewhere as exposed as Western Oz would make me wary.

[mind_messing]

October 19th to October 22nd, 1942

North Pacific

As bases up here start reaching forts level 5, I'm turning off construction work. Level 5 forts are formidable enough for my purposes.

Central Pacific

The Allied invasion of Funafuti keeps going wrong for the Allies. On the 19th, a big IJN bomber strike from Tabuituea blasts through the CAP and gets through to the CVE task force covering the landings. The New Mexico and the Prince of Wales take a torpedo each, but the fragile Long Island and Copahee escape unharmed. The damage to the battleships will be minor at best.

This evidently unsettles the Allies, who promptly withdraw their carriers from the area, leaving a small task force centered around the light crusier Detroit exposed at Funafuti. The Detroit and some xAP's are sunk over the following days as IJN bombers pound the exposed task force.

On the 22nd, Jakes spot a Allied battleship force heading for Baker Island, and I decide to gamble on a night-time intercept with a crusier force. My hope was for an ideal engagement: Japanese heavy crusiers fighting at night, with the Allies having expended their ammo on their bombardment run. As it happened, the engagement happened in daylight, but we caught the Allies without any ammo in their main guns.

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami, Shell hits 2
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 2
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 2
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 1
DD Shigure, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Murasame
DD Harusame, Shell hits 3, heavy fires Bad engine damage, making for Tabiuitea. She should make it, provided the damage control doesn't blow a bigger hole in the ship.
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage - Sunk

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Shell hits 9, on fire
BB Arizona, Shell hits 32, heavy fires, heavy damage - Unlikely to be sunk, mostly superstructure or belt armour hits
DD Wilson, Shell hits 4, heavy fires - Reported sunk
DD Dunlap
DD Mahan, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage - I think the Mahan went down instead of the Wilson

All in all, a poor performance. The IJN ships prefered to waste their torpedos at 20k yards at destroyers, and ended up bouncing their 12.7cm guns off the battleships armour when the range closed to 9000 yards. The USN destroyers were suprisingly effective, considering that they'd used up most of their main gun ammo bombarding Baker Island - if they'd had ammo, things might have been worse for the Japanese.

If non-Fletcher Allied destroyers can inflict that sort of damage on IJN DD's when they're low on ammo, I'm worried about what they'll do when they're fully loaded.

The Arizona may need some yard time, and I've two submarines heading for an intercept in the hope of finishing her off. If we get some torpedos into the Arizona, I'll feel better, but I can't afford to trade the Allies 1:1 in terms of destroyers.

The IJN crusiers, escaping with nothing more than a few points of system damage, are en-route to Kawajalein to re-arm, and link up with a second squadron of 4 destroyers.

On the whole, so far, so good in CentPac. We've sunk one battleship, moderately damaged another, and dealt minor damage to three. On top of that, we've sunk a light crusier and a destroyer, and only lost a single destroyer and some aircraft in return. If I can keep Lokasenna's capital ships in the yard (or better yet, sink them outright), it will keep his offensive bogged down for lack of ships.

South-West Pacific

Allied carriers reported east of Suva, direction unknown. Nearby subs are moving for an intercept.

I've started grabbing dot bases around the frontlines to set up small Jake bases from, as my Mavis and Emily squadrons are hard pressed to provide cover.


China-Burma-India

Things are falling apart in Northern Burma for the Japanese. Chindits seize Shwebo and Katha, cutting the rail line to Northern Burma. To top it off, a Chinese stack shock attacks into Myitkyina, catching the B fragment of the 48th Division in strat mode, and throwing it out with heavy losses.

I'm working hard to stablize things, with transport aircraft flying supplies in to the isolated units, as well as reinforcements moving to recapture Shwebo and Katha. On top of that, the vanguard of troops fresh from Chungking are close on the heels of the Chinese fleeing the mountains, and a fresh IJA division is marching to Moulmein from Thailand.

The bottom line, however, is that the bulk of the Chinese will escape. I've underestimated the ability of the Chinese to get supply from British bases in India, and as a result of that, large numbers of units have escaped. There's still some twenty or so units trying to break through, but I'd say there's a good chance at least fifteen of them will make it.

No doubt those units will return to haunt me later in the war, with 800 odd AV strength and at 50 EXP.

[center]
USS Arizona. Damaged at Pearl Harbour, she's received some moderate damage again at the hands of the IJN. The IJN submarine fleet will try to make sure that the damage is mortal.[/center]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Failing to take Chungking is a mistake, in my opinion. Yes, losses will be heavy, but they're usually disablements rather than destroyed squads, and easily recovered. Units that get badly mauled can be bought out cheaply for the Pacific. Plus, it's not like they'll have anything else to do in China other than sit idle at Chungking - much better to get them into Burma.

. . .

I have a feeling that Western Oz is going to be the grave of Lokasenna's campaign. Even with the added goodies in Scenario 2, a long-term Japanese camapgin in somewhere as exposed as Western Oz would make me wary.

I also think he would be better taking the hurt at Chungking. I had not considered the training issue (which is scary for the Allies when I see your figures), but more for the massive supply consumption of the bombing effort. I said thousands of sorties; it might be tens of thousands by now. He obviously can pay for now, but that supply isn't going into the bunkers for later. Also the ops loses. I certainly won't try to change his mind though. [:)]

Western Oz has been interesting and disheartening for me. I lost a pack of great USN ships, including North Carolina, to the KB, which hung off-shore for weeks. But it's gone now. He's trying to force a campaigns-worth of supply through Geraldton and I have mined it as well as assigned about fifteen subs to the section of coast it occupies as well as the transit to Soerbaja. The details don't belong in your AAR, so I only mention the effort as an example of his aggressive nature. He has taken full advantage of Japan's 1942 resources; I expect he'll do the same to you in 1944 the other way. He has told me several times he is afraid he doesn't know how to defend very well, so he attacks.

I think your perimeter defense efforts are the proper way to go.

[Bullwinkle58]

Re the USS Arizona, I see there were no torps, but in my experience the "heavy, heavy" notation on damage is evidence of underlying damage "gates" being attained, floatation or no floatation. She is in grave danger of sinking in transit. Even without, the pre-war BBs have very high repair densities even at huge yards and take forever to fix. I doubt you'll see Arizona again before 1944.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Failing to take Chungking is a mistake, in my opinion. Yes, losses will be heavy, but they're usually disablements rather than destroyed squads, and easily recovered. Units that get badly mauled can be bought out cheaply for the Pacific. Plus, it's not like they'll have anything else to do in China other than sit idle at Chungking - much better to get them into Burma.

. . .

I have a feeling that Western Oz is going to be the grave of Lokasenna's campaign. Even with the added goodies in Scenario 2, a long-term Japanese camapgin in somewhere as exposed as Western Oz would make me wary.

I also think he would be better taking the hurt at Chungking. I had not considered the training issue (which is scary for the Allies when I see your figures), but more for the massive supply consumption of the bombing effort. I said thousands of sorties; it might be tens of thousands by now. He obviously can pay for now, but that supply isn't going into the bunkers for later. Also the ops loses. I certainly won't try to change his mind though. [:)]

Western Oz has been interesting and disheartening for me. I lost a pack of great USN ships, including North Carolina, to the KB, which hung off-shore for weeks. But it's gone now. He's trying to force a campaigns-worth of supply through Geraldton and I have mined it as well as assigned about fifteen subs to the section of coast it occupies as well as the transit to Soerbaja. The details don't belong in your AAR, so I only mention the effort as an example of his aggressive nature. He has taken full advantage of Japan's 1942 resources; I expect he'll do the same to you in 1944 the other way. He has told me several times he is afraid he doesn't know how to defend very well, so he attacks.

I think your perimeter defense efforts are the proper way to go.

The training factor is not limited to troops, though it is the most extreme result. When the siege started, I replaced all the IJA bomber pilots with rookies, and they've spent about six months doing nothing but ground attack missions. Needless to say, they're pretty good at it now.

My supply burn at Chungking was probably a little less than that - I didn't have as many planes, and my whole attitude towards logisitcs in China is that the industry in China and Manchuria can support things, and I'll top it off from the Home Islands if needs be. Thinking about it, I can't have put more than 100k's worth of supply into China, which is an excellent return on my investment.

I think your perimeter defense efforts are the proper way to go.

I'm hoping so. He's taken (or is in the process of taking) all the bases that he can get easily. He's now going to start coming up against the bases I want to make a serious fight over.

If I keep seeing moves in the Gilberts, I'll make an effort into really holding Tabiteuea. Another brigade, with AA and the CD guns from Wake should force Lokasenna to go around, or bring the Marines in. I'd love nothing more than having a Marine Division wade onto Tabiteuea after a mauling from coastal defence guns, only to have to shock attack into 500 odd AV behind level 5 forts.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Re the USS Arizona, I see there were no torps, but in my experience the "heavy, heavy" notation on damage is evidence of underlying damage "gates" being attained, floatation or no floatation. She is in grave danger of sinking in transit. Even without, the pre-war BBs have very high repair densities even at huge yards and take forever to fix. I doubt you'll see Arizona again before 1944.

Here's hoping!

I'm suprised the Arizona was even marked as heavy/heavy, seeing as the damage came from twenty or so superstructure hits from the crusiers 20cm guns, which started the fires. It's quite possible that the damage could have been more severe than appeared in the replay.

You're right in saying that BB's take forever to repair, so I'm quite happy to have her out of the war for most of 1943.

Having Lokasenna with a battleship sunk and another out of action for at least six months is an excellent rate of exchange for a single unoccupied island.

[Lowpe]

When you come up with an answer for American destroyers let me know. I think strafing them with Nicks & armored Oscars might work well, but not many opportunities for that.

[Bullwinkle58]

Many players make torpedoes/flooding the sine qua non for BB attacks. But even a minor bit of flooding sinks a BB if Fires take System damage to very high levels. Dewatering pumps are simulated in System. Belt-armor-reported hits don't do a lot (maybe any) system damage, but superstructure/tower hits do start fires and then you're into random roll territory for severity. The USN has better DC than the IJN, but it isn't magical. A "heavy, heavy" CR report tells you the fires are very bad. If they're over, say, 70, and flooding is even in the teens she's probably a goner.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

When you come up with an answer for American destroyers let me know. I think strafing them with Nicks & armored Oscars might work well, but not many opportunities for that.

I've a couple of resized Val squadrons sitting in the rear areas, though I've not had much chance to use them, mainly due to the Val's poor range. Once the Allies start getting up close to Japanese bases, I've some hope for them. I've a planned production of 30 Lily dive-bombers a month, so they'll need to try to fill the gap.

I'm also going to give the strafing Nicks a shot as well, though they're all tied up at present trying to fight P-38s.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Many players make torpedoes/flooding the sine qua non for BB attacks. But even a minor bit of flooding sinks a BB if Fires take System damage to very high levels. Dewatering pumps are simulated in System. Belt-armor-reported hits don't do a lot (maybe any) system damage, but superstructure/tower hits do start fires and then you're into random roll territory for severity. The USN has better DC than the IJN, but it isn't magical. A "heavy, heavy" CR report tells you the fires are very bad. If they're over, say, 70, and flooding is even in the teens she's probably a goner.

I can confirm that belt/deck armour hits don't do any significant damage - all my crusiers had some 5 inch shells bounced off them - system damage was below ten on all of them.

If the damage model means that I sink an American battleship (even an old one) with some crusiers, then I won't complain.

Even if the Allies do make Canton, I've a IJN night port attack planned to add to her troubles.

[mind_messing]

October 23rd to October 24th, 1942


North Pacific

There's a gaggle of Allied subs up here now, doubltess out of Adak or Amchitka. My ASW air is vectored in on them, and I've every tuna boat in the region out hunting for them.

Central Pacific

Sinking sounds heard on the 23rd...

IJN 2E bombers attack the port at Funafuti, and get a couple of hits. There's no airbase here, and little if any flak, so we can strike with impunity here.

On the 24th, the I-26 puts a torpedo into the Prince of Wales. Another Allied battleship damaged. That makes six battleships damaged (with one sunk, and one possibly sunk) in two weeks. The replay showed "Damage to engines" so I suspect she'll be down for a couple of months.

Two battleships reported in Canton, so we'll start staking the base out with submarines, while we use our IJN bombers to hit the port at night.

Jakes from Vaitupu make a sneaky attack on a eastwards (ie, empty) convoy that came to close. No hits, but it will keep Lokasenna honest.

South-West Pacific

Slaughter in the air.

P-38's strike at Lugna, and waste 40 odd Japanese aircraft, losing only 3 Lightnings. Thankfully, the A6M2 (in abundant supply, thanks to later A6M models being produced) bore the brunt of losses, and only 12 pilots were KIA.

I've a big layered CAP here now, as well as at the adjacent bases, and I'm moving the shattered units back to the rear area bases.

Night bombing continues to be a problem that I'm struggling to solve, but there's little, if anything I can do about it. I'm just glad it's night-time rather than daylight.

China-Burma-India

Still a bit of a mess, with troops mangled up in Northern Burma. Panzerarmee China is dashing through the mountain passes to reinforce, and things should be stable by mid November.

I've started to sort out assets to buy out from China. With the theater closed, I intend for much of the aviation support to be sent to the Pacific. The actual combat units will need to wait till the collaborationist units get their TOE expansions, however.

Two divisions, plus a regiment, are waiting at Hong Kong for shipment to Sumatra. This will bring our strength on Sumatra to two divisions and three regiments. The three regiments combine to form the 31st Division once their component parts arrive in March '43. This will bring our strength on Sumatra to three divisions, and allow me to transfer the crack 41st Infantry regiment (95 EXP!!!) to the Pacific, where it will combine with reinforcements to form the 30th Division in May '43.

[center]
A formidable ship, but less so, now that she has a torpedo impact ventilating her engine room.[/center]

[mind_messing]

October 25th to November 2nd, 1942

Things have slowed down seeing as I've been off climbing and camping up north, but now I'm back and play has resumed.

North Pacific

Three Allied subs up here now, and they're doing fairly well against the Sahkilin resource runs. I've made a big commitment of Home Island air assets towards ASW, and now they'll be getting some live fire experiance.

I've also got a sizable surface commitment to sink these subs, with hoards of the 10kt sub-chasers heading up to drop ineffective Type 95 depth charges on the Allies. The destroyers detailed as escorts for the Yamato have also been ordered to see if they can clear the Allies off Japanese turf.

Central Pacific

There's still some activity here, though the Allies seem to be smarting from the recent drubbing they've recived at Baker and Funafuti Islands.

An Allied battleship is reported in the harbour at Canton Island, and Nells on night attack haven't been able to hit her, so I've gathered the midget sub carriers to go have a whack at her. Wasting some 4 VP midgets is well worth the gamble to finish a battleship off.

I'm moving to support Tabiteuea in a big way. The Wake coastal guns are going to be transfered here, and as well as two AA battalions (one is currently off-loading, the other is at Fusan). The 2nd Independant Mixed Brigade has been diverted here from its original destination of Lae.

I'm also adding some depth to my defences. Engineers are being sent to Abemama to construct a size 2 airbase to provide some support to Tabiteuea. This base won't be heavily garrisoned, but any conventional attack should be impossible provided Tabiteuea is still in Japanese hands.

I'm making these moves of some solid inteligence and some flimsy guesswork. Carriers and fast battleships have been spotted hanging around eastwards of Canton Island. Combined with the capture of Funafunti and the attempt to bombard Baker Island, this looks like the start of a campaign aimed at the Gilberts. The Central Pacific is also the only theater really "open" to the US right now: to advance into Kuriles or South-West Pacific would require attacking right into the teeth of big Japanese air-bases. The Allies can do that, but they can't do it yet.

I'm not suffering from tunnel vision in regards to Tabiteuea - another AA battalion and some avaition support are waiting at Fusan for Mili, and a big AA regiment has been bought out from the Korea command to be sent to Tinian. Peleliu will also get some aviation support and engineers, in preparation for when it becomes a frontline base as well.

[center]
The situation around Canton Island.[/center]

South-West Pacific

Calm and quiet.

DEI

Quiet as well. A Naval Guard unit is being transported to Christmas Island IO to keep away any future Austrailian raiders.

China-Burma-India

The refugee Chinese have a bite to them, even more so seeing as they're likely drawing supply from India. A big 300 plus AV corps trashes the fragment of a division and captures Warazup. This leaves two IJA divisions and a tank regiment surrounded and cut off from supply. Not ideal, but they should be alright: a hexside for them to escape through should be open in about a week, and the cavalry is marching up to take Katha and start restablishing some sort of frontline in the mess that is Northern Burma.

Allied air power in India makes a rare aggressive move, trying to bomb the IJA tanks moving to Paoshan. The flak gives them a good drubbing and they do little damage. Elsewhere, 4E's preceed the Chinese attack at Warazup, but are met with a cloud of Oscars. The lightly armed Oscars damage many for little loss, but it's hoping too much to down 4E's with just machine guns. As a result, Burma is taking priority for upgrading IJA squadrons to Tojo's. The situation should improve in a month or two, when the Tony comes online to supliment the Tojo.

[center]
The mess that is Burma and China.[/center]

[mind_messing]

November 2nd to November 10th, 1942


All the actions in CentPac, with only some minor skirmishes in Burma to distract from the main show.

North Pacific

IJN anti-submarine vessals kill a great deal of fish, but fail to hurt the USN subs hunting off Hokkaido. It's a bit disapointing, considering the area is exceptionally well locked down: plenty of Jakes searching at night, and plenty of IJA bombers on ASW during the day, but so far no confirmed sinkings. It's excellent training, however, and I've ASW pilots with skills in the 70's, which will be handy as the war progresses.

The Musashi is due for the end of November, and she'll head up to Ominato to join her sister ship as a dockside attraction.

Central Pacific

After about a week of the Allies hovering around Baker Island, they finally go and take the base. No suprise here. I suspect Lokasenna wanted to draw my carriers out for battle, as he gave plenty of time for the KB to react from Truk. The actual invasion force was covered by CVE's, and my sub floatplanes suggested a second carrier force to the east, so his plan was quite simple - have the KB hit the CVE's, and have the Allied CV's hit the KB.

IJN torpedo bombers sortie from Tabiteuea, but die in droves for a single torpedo hit on an APD. They sink the APD, though. We can't expect to sink battleships for every outpost that gets attacked...

A IJN surface force flagged by the Suzuya makes a full speed dash against the ships at Baker, but the Allies are gone the turn after the base falls. They'll dash back to Tabiteuea, and thence back to Truk - I've left them on Remain on Station, but they're not spotted and should be alright - plenty of LRCAP on them just in case.

Part of the KB heads out from Truk - northwards, to Japan, for overdue upgrades. I've carefully considered this move - I want to encourage Lokasenna to be aggressive in his current campaign in the Central Pacific - he's getting his new toys, and our carrier arms are more or less comparable, so I want the home-turf advantage for the IJN. Shokaku, Zuikaku, Ryujo, Zuiho and Shoho will remain at Truk, along with all the surface ships, to give the IJN a moderate strike package (250 total aircraft) should the situation merit it, but I won't be seeking battle until the bulk of the KB is recombined in early December.

[center]
The Gilberts. Only Tarawa and Tabiteuea are developed airbases. I'm considering building up Abemama to a size 2 base, but only if I can dig up a garrison and aviation support to make it worthwhile. Token garrisons on the rest of the dot hexes.[/center]

This marks the last outpost on the Japanese perimiter. From this point on, it's into the teeth of my defences. It will be the first base where we can stop with the long-range Netty strikes and start moving over to massed attacks of Vals and Kates. I have big rezied squadrons (48 or 81 sized) of these two airframes ready to fly in once the Allies come within range, not only of Tabiteuea, but of all the CentPac bases.

There's a big reinforcement convoy preparing to head out to Truk. Engineers, aviation support and AA is sitting at Fusan, while anti-tank guns and some light AA sits at Tokyo. I'd love to get those AA and AT guns ashore at Tabiteuea for the Allies landing, and the additional aviation support will make Tarawa a much more potent supporting base. Some will even make it to Mili, just to top that base off. The Wake CD guns are also en-route to Tabiteuea.

30k fuel is en-route to Kawajalein to support IJN operations.

[center]
The troops defending Tabiteuea. The two mixed brigades are nothing to write home about (both 55 EXP, and not much arty), but I hope they'll perform well behind size 5 forts backed up by more AA and AT guns.[/center]
South-West Pacific

Quiet. Ndeni isn't even being built up, which is suprising. Still a great deal of Allied traffic in the region, however.

Austrailia

American units enter an empty Daly Waters, while two ships are reported off Exmouth. No doubt they've realized that I've abandoned this area.

China-Burma-India

The 6th Division is bought out from China. This 97 EXP unit is destined for the Pacific, probably Tinian.

IJA tanks are blasting a way through to Paoshan while the infantry plod along behind them. The lack of supply is more of a hiderance that the 2.4k Chinese army standing in their way.

Burma is still a mess, though the IJA is doing a good job in re-establishing hexside control. Some units in the north are still cut off. They might take a beating, but they won't be destroyed.

The British are making a move across the border. 8 units, 24k men, 200 guns and 750 AFV's are marching from Imphal. I should be able to concentrate my forces around Katha and hold until the troops from China arrive.

[center]
Burma is still a mess. The plan is to clear Katha, and reconstruct a frontline around that base, while the reinforcements from China clear up from Lashio northwards.[/center]

Industry

Home Island totals are: 2 million supplies, 2.4 million fuel units, 10.8 million supply units and 1 million fuel units.

I'm making an effort to move the 700k oil stockpiles from China/Manchuria to the Home Islands.

18k supplies are being dumped into China to enable repairs the Chungking HI.

I've started acclerating a great many ships, as I've plenty of points in both Nav and Merch pools.

Vehicle pools are at 13800 points, with armaments at 162000 points.

The A6M5 comes online in a few days, so R&D efforts will progress to the M5c.

Questions to the Gallery

Is there anything I'm forgetting regarding Tabiteuea? Lokasenna can go around, but I don't see how he can do that. A sidestep to the west takes him to Narau and Ocean, both of which are extremely exposed to raids from me. A sidestep north takes him to the Marshalls, where only Mili needs reinforcing.

It seems to me if he wants to play a CentPac game in '43, he has to take Tabiteuea in order to get some 4E capable bases. Am I right in thinking so?

Also, what defensive bonuses do atolls have? I'm aware of the madatory shock attack, but do they impart any terrain defense modifier like jungle or jungle rough?

[center]
The first brick in my Pacific Wall: Tabiteuea![/center]