Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

"Alright, men! We have made it out of the bloody Great Sandy Desert" the Sgt croaked for his throat was very dry and cracked. In front of him were the remnants of the once proud 4th Australian Division, now comprised of bedraggled survivors with scraps of clothing and barely an Enfield for every other man. Most were cooks, clerks and even band members...

"We must continue..." the Sgt croaked out and then fell silent as he felt it. The vibration in the ground, the low dull roar growing, growing.

Men scrambled in a panic, helter skelter, looking for any cover. A few brave men went prone with their Enfields but several stood dazed, staring to the west where a dust cloud approached with frightening rapidity.

Maybe a relief column thought the Sgt...but that would depend upon your definition of relief.

[Lowpe]

Revenge for losing a tanker yesterday. Pretty sure these three went down as the Allies like to send their subs out in groups of 2 and there are three groups in the area that are down to one.

[Lowpe]

China

Stragglers cut some road lines, and I destroy several hundred squads at Chikiang but the defenders refuse to retreat or surrender. They are isolated and fighting to the last man despite the 60-1 odds.

[Lowpe]

Akyab will see two bombardment runs this turn, Tojo IIa will provide CAP for each group as they withdraw. They are flying out of Ramree...I really would have like to have a surface group of destroyers riding escort with them but don't have the assets...

Centralized most fighters at Moulmein, so the Allies can bomb to their hearts content. Magwe is repaired back to only 25 percent damage and if the Allies keep breaking up their attacks an opportunity will present itself for some nice traps.

Moving KB and a strong surface group to Kavieng...I gotta get away from the Allied naval search. Another strong surface group is heading east from the Marshalls and try to do an end run and get behind the Allied line. Hopefully, the will be spotted moving east because they are going to turn north and head back to Japan for repairs and some upgrades.

Another group of ENG and AA will arrive in Indochina for Burma, and even more AA arrives at Shanghai for shipment west.

No sighting of the Prince of Wales, must still be in Madras. Subs will stay on duty...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Odd, having a day where less than 10 planes are lost on both sides!

Contrasts, in my game 16 days since the last time total air loss on a day was 10 or more.[:D]

Our games are pretty different...

There definitely have been moments where I felt I had been only hanging on by my fingernails. Especially during the opening of my takeover, and then the Kurile Invasion...if the Americans would have take 3-4 islands, we would probably still be fighting over Java, and he would be winning handily in Burma.

So far, you have avoided that feeling and have played a masterful game although I fear the Allied hammer is much bigger in your game and will be focused better when it arrives against you.

[Lowpe]

March 29, 1943

No night bombing. No day bombing.

Two CA forces bombard Akyab, damage 4 planes, but most are gone from yesterday. Good runway, port and supply damage done. Indian Coastal defense unit there with 20 guns firing back -- all miss.

Ground attack in Chikiang seems to have destroyed all four isolated Chinese corp -- 3 wiped out last turn and one this turn but none destroyed during the combat -- after combat. Around 400 combat squads eliminated today during the deliberate attack.

Another Chinese corp isolated in the central plains, attacked at 32-1 but no place for it to retreat to so it will fight to the last man too. 80 units and 800 guns in the capitol.

One sub attack on a PB, miss. Lots of aerial attacks on subs, and the KB and two surface groups finally go dark....I have plans for one of them.

[Lowpe]

I am going to try and bombard Mili with an approach from the east. One more day to get into position, and then bombard. Allies have 30 fighters and 12 of those long legged recon planes there. I have LRCAP up over the group from Wotje which has no detection level on it this day.

Other than that a boring day most likely...sometimes it is the anticipated quiet days when the Allies strike!

Why doesn't the Allies keep the pressure on in Burma...he could keep bombing the airfields, or even worse for me, the industry or even ground troops. Is he simply victory point farming my fighters?

[Lowpe]

March 30, 1943

No night bombing. Instead the Allied air force sweeps and bombs Moulmein's air field. Japanese planes do well, except for those on the ground doing night CAP (lost 10) and 6 Emilies on naval strike (lost 4). I thought Moulmein was safe this day, since there was no detection level on it...oh well. Moulmein has 83 percent runway damage, but Magwe is repaired.

Since the Corsair has been active, Allies are losing at least one a day and now the Lightnings don't seem so bad.[:D]

I guess as long as a stalemate on the ground exists, and we are trading airplanes and airfield damage I am quite happy with the situation as the oil keeps flowing.

No Tojo IIc in this fight yet...

[Lowpe]

Burma

One month to the Monsoon, which as I understand it hits Akyab fairly hard, however since it is built all the way perhaps the effect will be minimal or even harder on my troops than the Allies.

I am amazed that he can get supply to all those units...

[Lowpe]

Moved the airforce to Lashio and other airbases in Burma, bombarding Rangoon again, and also hopefully surprising him at Mili with the Nagato class bombardment.

KB dark for two turns now, awaiting developments at Kavieng.

[Lowpe]

Next month I get a new carrier torpedo plane. Jill. Better normal range and a solid addition to the CVs - torpedo attacks out to 8 full hexes.

However, the Kate still seems to me to be a solid ASW aerial platform, especially with the radar upgrades in 6/44.

What is the purpose of the Lorna? It's radar comes very late...but it is a cool looking plane.

[DanSez]

looks like a JU-86 knockoff except with crappy engines.

JU-86 was a schnell-bomber meant to run in and out fast but this one looks like it got some 1st generation bi-plane engines...

/* **
Really great AAR - I am learning a lot just by looking over your shoulder.
Thanks
/* *** found this link
http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/q1w.htm

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: DanSez

looks like a JU-86 knockoff except with crappy engines.

JU-86 was a schnell-bomber meant to run in and out fast but this one looks like it got some 1st generation bi-plane engines...

/* **
Really great AAR - I am learning a lot just by looking over your shoulder.
Thanks
/* *** found this link
http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/q1w.htm

Thanks for the link.[&o] ASW and crew trainer. Only 156 made. Perhaps I will make some, I have the engines still.

I did not think to use it as a trainer, but it does scream out anti-submarine platform. To bad the endurance is so short. It would be neat if the game engine modeled it carrying depth charges...

Glad you are enjoying the AAR, but what are you learning -- how to lose the air war as Japan in a realistic r&d off game with pdu on![:D]

[DanSez]

What am I learning:

Big Fat Numero Uno -- the Witchery at Fusan. Getting oil/fuel/resources/supplies to flow the direction you want - that it can be influenced and steered, even if it is still somewhat a Voodoo Magic realm: is just inspiring. I know you didn't invent the process. PaxMondo and others have a history on this witchery but this is the first "cauldron" I have watched brew in live action time.

Big Slap Happy Numero Two -- stack your night fighters lower than the bomber to disrupt them rather than get them shot up. You don't (edit: want) your dog to catch the car, just cause the driver to swerve a little.

Big Wild and Wooly Three -- Don't give up. The situation was beyond pitiful when you took over and now you have stabilized -- even expanded the empire,

And there were also a few dozen little tidbits on economy/production/research that warranted being written down for later analysis.

[&o]
[&o][&o]
[&o]

[DanSez]

Speaking of trainers --
Concerning the need to have 1 and 2 engine training units (so you don't lose the experience switching between the two)

What do you use for your trainers at this point of the war?

The Lilly/Topsy for IJA twins?
IJN 2 engine trainers -- what?

Nates (are they still around?) for IJA singles
What for IJN singles?

I have read that Mary (single engine bomber) are useful for training.

[Lokasenna]

The purpose of the Lorna is to use 2 engines instead of 1. I can't think of another "use" for it. Drop it.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The purpose of the Lorna is to use 2 engines instead of 1. I can't think of another "use" for it. Drop it.

You remind me of oldest son, no disrespect intended since he is an outstanding Lt in the Army and a ringknocker to boot, but he always was what is called a min/maxer always choosing the best.

There is such a thing as flavor! [:D]

[Lowpe]

March 31, 1943

Another month shot. Our great designs in Burma come to naught.

No night bombing.

Allies bomb Raheng, Moulmein, and some other assorted locations across Burma. Corsairs sweep Raheng first, are outnumbered, and have a tough day (for them).

This marks the combat debut of the Tojo IIc in small numbers over Raheng.

Allied bombers get chewed up over Raheng, and Rangoon is bombarded, but not Mili, where the BBs jockey for position and are spotted with a 7/7 dl. They will retreat and not bombard.

It looks like I got very close to shooting down one Corsair a day for the month -- FOW inflates it a little I suspect.

[Lowpe]

Solomon's Defense

The Solomons are tough to defend, with all the small bases, the Allies can grab dot bases, build them up and threaten the Japanese bases. A solid strategy....

So, my idea is not to hold to the last man, but to slow and attrit the Allies.

Key to my longer term defenses here in the Solomons are going to be festungs at Rabaul and Umboi.

Umboi is getting the Wake CD gun unit, plus a base force, troops, etc, to prevent ships from flanking Rabaul or moving up the NG coast. Mines, etc, the works.

Rabaul, and bases nearbye will form another festung area.

Flanking this position both Ponape and Kusaie have been built up...Kusaie is anchored with a full division. It may be evacuated back to Ponape when the Marshalls start to fall, depending upon Allied movements.

My goal really is to buy time and inflict losses, preferably without risking the IJN. Having said all this, the Allies can simply bypass the entire area and go straight for the Marianas and Bonins thru the Central Pacific and Marshalls.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: DanSez

What am I learning:

Big Fat Numero Uno -- the Witchery at Fusan. Getting oil/fuel/resources/supplies to flow the direction you want - that it can be influenced and steered, even if it is still somewhat a Voodoo Magic realm: is just inspiring. I know you didn't invent the process. PaxMondo and others have a history on this witchery but this is the first "cauldron" I have watched brew in live action time.

Big Slap Happy Numero Two -- stack your night fighters lower than the bomber to disrupt them rather than get them shot up. You don't (edit: want) your dog to catch the car, just cause the driver to swerve a little.

Big Wild and Wooly Three -- Don't give up. The situation was beyond pitiful when you took over and now you have stabilized -- even expanded the empire,

And there were also a few dozen little tidbits on economy/production/research that warranted being written down for later analysis.

[&o]
[&o][&o]
[&o]

Many thanks. Pax starts out on day one of the campaign game, I think I have showed that it can be taught over time to the AI even half way thru the game.

The KAI Dinah's horrendous climb rate is quite the good attribute for a pre night fighter night fighter. And to think Lokasenna didn't want me to build them...they have been quite useful.

The game was quite a mess, and I am still living with it. Rebuilding some divisions will take a long time given how scattered some were (especially the 2nd Tank). I groan every time I look at my air force...r&d, and production.