Too much Iron in my Diet - Mundy(A) vs KenchiSulla (J)

[Mundy]

I didn't exactly say I was going to do it now. [:D]

It'll be a few months before I can do any real moves. I'd like to reform the commandos and get the Marine paras in play first. Even then, I need transports for the job, which I don't have. I do have the one Dutch transport squadron intact at Charter Towers right now. Once the stragglers from the Lae area are at a runway, I'll be pulling them back to PM.

I've pretty much gutted most of interior Oz for support -- even that little island on the south coast.

Ed-

[Mundy]

29 January 1942

More naval stuff this turn. The an IJN force centered in Ise and Hyuga caught an RN CL force fleeing Calicut to Bombay, pretty much finishing them.

Another cruiser force, including Tone is arrogantly sitting in Darwin Harbor. Two docked subs, including a Dutch one are going out.

According to intel, the IJA 1st Division is prepping for Darwin As of 1/1/42, they were still at Fuson (Puson?). I have an Australian division hoofing it from Cloncurry to Darwin, which will take awhile. I can't afford to buy it out for shipping, and I wouldn't anyway, with the naval situation the way it is.

Ed-

[Mundy]

30 January 1942.

After spanking the Intel Monkey some more, I'm not sure what to think. The IJA 1st Div is training for Darwin and the 57th Div is training for Brisbane. The 57th was last located on Jan 13th a few hexes from Vladivostok in Manchu-land. I would imagine such moves are a ways in the future yet, if at all.

There's been a big fight lately at Wenchow. He has nowhere near the strength to take it, and I've liquidated the existing generals of the infantry there. It's way out there by itself, so I don't know how long I can keep that up.

Likewise, I don't think he has enough bodies for the time being to take Clark and Manila. It will only get worse at Bataan.

Tjilatjap fell. Java's days are numbered. I've been withdrawing Dutch air for later use. I think they usually re-appear at Aden.

There's a landing at Taberfane now. If he get's a good foothold there, it will make things rough for Darwin. Fortunately the B-17 bomb group from the Philippines now lives there, and once they're up to strength, they'll have a routine daily job to perform.

Ed-

[witpqs]

One thing that many IJ players commonly do is to assign units to plan for various Allied bases as a form of disinformation. They often use restricted units, or even better temporarily restricted units that they plan to never pay the PP to buy out (but the Allied player can't know that).

What your opponent is doing here, I have no idea of course.

[Mundy]

Yeah, I've read of such things. I don't think the Japanese player ever gets enough Intel for me to return the favor.

Ed-

[Mundy]

01 February 1942,

A new month with new planes getting produced. Only 11 months until I get Corsairs.

A slow, evolving few turns. Amchitka finally gets bombarded for a whopping two port and two supply hits. They arrived during the day, while I had the floatplanes set to night. S-28 hit an xAK at Adak, and I'm sending the battlewagons there next, since there seems to be a cargo TF there. I'm sending an AKE to Anchorage, so I'll probably keep the BBs there. I'll probably add a couple cruisers from my stash at Pearl to round things off.

His cruiser force is back at Darwin, sitting there. SB2Us just deployed there from Brisbane, so it should get interesting. I can't get the A-24s there directly from Townsville, so they're staging at Cairns. The Hudsons and Wirraways there got ate up by LRCAP, so I'm pulling them. Another VP from Soerbaja is up and running, so I have complete air search coverage there with the two. The Aussie little PBY squadron deployed to Perth. I usually keep at least 2 extra pilots in my squadrons to mitigate fatigue.

I'm also deploying 11th AF assets towards Alaska. Once the squadron of LB-30s gets up to snuff, they'll go to Kodiak. P-40s are hopscotching to Prince Rupert.

Another signal that the 57th is still training for Brisbane. If he comes, I doubt he'll land right in the harbor, but at some small port and walk in. USAAF has a very heavy presence there right now, so if he comes it will probably get wild.

The base unit from Canton Is is unloading at Noumea. Canton is just a little too forward for my taste, and in the past, usually gets taken. My PBYs at Christmas Is are keeping watch that ways. I'm toying with the idea of deploying the Hawaiian command units to S/SW Pac, but I think I have all I can support right now. Three BBs at LA are almost done upgrading, and I'll deploy them to Suva. I need to ship more fuel there. I have a pretty good conveyor belt going right now.

Ed-

[JocMeister]

Don´t count too much on the USAAF at this point. Zeroes can sweep above both P40s and P39s and allied pilot quality leaves a bit to desire at this stage! [:D]

I think it took Tom a whooping two days of sweeping to send the USAAF back with the tail firmly tucked in behind their legs. Lost someting like 50 planes for 5 or so Zeroes. [:(]

[Mundy]

Yeah... I know. If you get enough there at times, sometimes you can bury them with pure numbers.

I withdrew the Philippine refugees to steal their planes. 50+ exp beats 20+ exp.

I've been reading Rising Sun Falling Skies. This book's laid everything out in a fairly easy to follow fashion. It's actually given me some ideas for the *next* time I start a game.

Ed-

[Mundy]

02 February 1942

Live on the cheap... die on the cheap.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Great Sitkin Island at 163,52, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Busho Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAK Taito Maru, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAK Nanman Maru, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Kenan Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Tomitu Maru, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
xAK Nagisan Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAK Shinfuku Maru, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Warspite, Shell hits 2
DD Anderson
DD Walke
DD Reid
DD Fox

Lots of those hits were 15" and 16" guns. I'll happily abort a bombardment for that. The torp hits generally happened after they got beat up, so I guess their maneuverability suffered. They're going to Seattle, due to Warspite's torp damage. I'm going to base them at Dutch Harbor after that, since the AKE will be there. It's nice having plenty of battleships to throw around. I think I have about 10 in-theatre right now, the one at Pearl needing the most work. I'll probably deal them out in pairs to relatively safe air-free bases, just as a prevention to surface raider action. I don't want to tax any one base too hard fuel-wise. It's amazing how much they'll drink.

Not a lot of movement other than that. I committed my Wind-Indicators too soon at Darwin and they got hit. Looks like they mostly replenished their losses. I have USMC SBDs on the way, and I'll rustle up some fighters when I can. I don't know how long he can LRCAP over there. I had gambled that they were ready for a rest.

51st PG/25th PS arrived at Cape Town. They consist of 4 P-38Es. I'll try to flip them to something when they get to Karachi. I wanted to get the perma-based stuff in the states replaced with P-26s and such, but I can't seem to do it. It would be nice if I could rustle up some Es on the cheap like that. It's about a sleazy as dealing with Tojos in March.

Some search plane messages:

CA Atago is reported HIT

DD Oyashio is reported HIT

Don't believe everything you read...

I've been working 'em over here for awhile. Occasionally they hit.

Morning Air attack on 15th Tank Regiment, at 84,34 , near Ningsia

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Allied aircraft
SB-III x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SB-III bombing from 5000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 100 kg GP Bomb

Lots of ships started upgrading -- mostly transports and destroyers. 3 cruisers are also on the blocks.

Ed-

[Mundy]

03 February 1942

Forgot to mention. Colombo fell last turn after one real attack. I guess he's slow getting air groups there, since I got away with this the next turn:

Morning Air attack on Colombo , at 29,48

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson IIIa x 17

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 33

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Hudson IIIa bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
12 x Hudson IIIa bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Colombo , at 29,48

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 16

No Allied losses

Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 1

It looks like things are taking a downward spiral at Darwin. Betties and a lot of Naval Air (Yes.. I know Betties are naval air too, but you know what I mean) hit the airfield there.

Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 10 damaged
PBY-4 Catalina: 2 damaged
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 23

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 116 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 43 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 44
B5N2 Kate x 84
D3A1 Val x 83

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 12 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 65 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-4 Catalina: 1 damaged
PBY-4 Catalina: 1 destroyed on ground
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 6 damaged
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 destroyed on ground
Wirraway: 1 damaged
Wirraway: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 30

It was led off by a couple sweeps. I'm pulling my air out as fast as possible. I see four task forces within two hexes of the base. Two appear to be KB divisions. A surface force might be another. I'm pretty sure an invasion convoy will be in the mix. I'll try to form a secondary line at Katherine. I don't know if he'd do a long cross country route out of there south. One would think that would be difficult logistics-wise.

Interesting times...

Ed-

[Bill Durrant]

I doubt he'll go south. Darwin is a good Japanese place to take as you will need it later to launch north into the DEI. It is easy to supply from DEI but to take back is difficult and difficult to supply from Oz. You can bottle him up south of Darwin but beware of rushing everything up there as another Oz invasion further south means you won't get troops back down the road network quick enough and will be cut off.

[Mundy]

A good point.

My one division on the way will camp at Katherine. I'll try to get the base forces there, too.

I guess this will save me from worrying about Torres Strait. I'll have to get all my subs out to re-assign their home base.

Ed-

[Mundy]

04 February 1942,

Atago bombards Darwin by herself. Returning the favor, KIX puts a torpedo into her.

Looking at the map, after all these years, I've only now noticed Normanton, at the bottom of the gulf. It doesn't have the raw port capacity that Darwin has, but the airfield can be built up to at least level 4. It would mostly be a sub base anyway. Best of all, it has a real road connecting it to Charter Towers. I've shipped all my damaged planes to Katherine, and all the LCUs will follow suit by rail. I've also set up Kat to draw max supplies from Darwin to hold me until I've rearranged everybody. The troops will have to hoof it there from Kat. This should make a fine sub base out of reach of escorted raids.

Wenchow falls in China. I didn't think he had the APs to do it. That was my last stronghold in the east.

Tarakan hasn't fallen yet. He doesn't have enough for the job, but I don't have enough to counterattack either.

One of my AMCs from Cape Town got torpedoed at Addu. Fortunately, the squadron of PBYs got unloaded first. This will help me keep tabs in the area. USAAF fighter squadrons are making their way to Karachi from Cape Town.

Ed-

[Mundy]

05 February 1942

They're here. Landings started at Darwin. Coastal artillery is hitting back a bit. One DD is heavily damaged. Some of the transports are hit -- 9" guns included.

nvasion Support action off Darwin (76,124) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

18 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 1
xAK Tatumiya Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
TB Hiyodori
xAK Shinryu Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Awajisan Maru
xAP Keihuku Maru
DD Shikinami
DD Ayanami

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

---------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Darwin (76,124) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

32 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
DD Asagao, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Uranami
DD Fubuki
xAK Yamasimo Maru
DD Yugiri
xAK Manila Maru
xAK Kinugasa Maru, Shell hits 3
xAK Melbourne Maru, on fire
AK Sasako Maru

Allied ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

---------------------------------------------

Pre-Invasion action off Darwin (76,124) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

68 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
DD Yugiri
DD Asagiri, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Uranami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Fubuki
xAK Melbourne Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Asagao
xAK Yamasimo Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
188 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

---------------------------------------------

Pre-Invasion action off Darwin (76,124) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

58 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 2
DD Mikazuki
DD Ayanami
xAK Tatumiya Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAP Haruna Maru, Shell hits 1
TB Hiyodori
xAP Keihuku Maru
DD Shikinami

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
270 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

I could have used a day or two extra at Darwin before this. I was getting every one loaded on the trains, but a few might get caught. Snapper gets a shot off at Nagato, but of course misses.

Concurrently, there's landings at Lautem on East Timor.

One other item of obitural interest was that Loyang fell. I figured that would be stalemated forever.

Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 85990 troops, 862 guns, 305 vehicles, Assault Value = 2491

Defending force 66111 troops, 301 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1378

Japanese adjusted assault: 2161

Allied adjusted defense: 340

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Loyang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
5716 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 562 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 48 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 51 (4 destroyed, 47 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
34129 casualties reported
Squads: 621 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 841 destroyed, 328 disabled
Engineers: 86 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 66 (40 destroyed, 26 disabled)
Units retreated 23

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
15th Division
36th Division
34th Division
32nd Division
35th Division
110th Division
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
10th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
China Expeditionary Army
12th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
4th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
80th Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
15th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
Jingcha War Area
14th Group Army
24th Group Army
4th Chinese Base Force
7th Construction Regiment
39th Group Army
4th Group Army
3rd Construction Regiment
36th Group Army
15th Group Army
10th Chinese Base Force

Madras is getting bombed daily. I don't think he's aware of the air I'm putting in Cochin.

Ed-

[Mundy]

06 February 1942

Darwin falls. As suspected, it was the IJA 1st division. Intel got that right, at least.

Clark also goes down. Survivors fall back to Bataan.

East Timor holds against the first attack.

With the daily bombing at Madras, I'm moving about 2/3 of the support troops there to Bangalore, along with all the non-seaplane aircraft.

Ed-

[Mundy]

07 February 1942

Relatively quiet.

Terapo, a few hexes NW of Port Moresby mysteriously flips to the Japanese flag. The three Aussie infantry from the Lae area are in the next hex enroute to this hex. I was intending to airlift them out from there.

There's another landing at Tarakan. What he had wasn't enough for the job, and this may push it over.

A single unit tries to take Subic Bay, but is repulsed.

Ed-

[Mundy]

08 February 1942

Two months in after about 5 weeks of playing. For me, that's a jackrabbit pace.

Not a lot this turn. Several hundred Chinese dead by bombing, as usual.

A sub got a shot at Queen Elizabeth three hexes from Suva. I'm hoping speed saved her.

He launched an assault at Tarakan with his new arrivals, but still couldn't better 1-2 odds.

Betties bombing the Darwin fugitives. Hopefully he won't follow all the way to Kat.

Warspite and Colorado make it to Seattle. 9 heavy flt damage translates to 45 days in the yard. I'm sending another BB north to help. I want to keep some muscle near Alaska.

Ed-

[Mundy]

10 February 1942

Fairly slow on the ground front.

My Darwin forces are being chased to Katherine. I have a feeling he wants to grab that base also.

Likewise, my Rangoon troops have been perused towards Mandalay. Little does he know I have a Chinese corps waiting there, so this should get interesting. An almost 300 AP unit.

Intel Chimp is warning about a future landing. 6/1st/C Division is loaded on AK Hirokawa Maru bound for Wyndham. One of the good long range Dutch subs is enroute there to wait.

Subic Bay finally falls, as does Bandjermasin.

I finally have enough support to handle the 140-ish aircraft at Townsville. I just need more to forward deploy. A bunch of APs arrived at San Fran, and once they're patched up, they can bring more across. I'll also have four battleships out of the yard to accompany them.

An enemy surface TF is prowling off Cochin. Royal Sovereign will sail down and think of an intercept, if it lingers.

Ed-

[Sangeli]

Defending Darwin is very difficult if not impossible in February 1942. In situations like that I like to array my forces in depth as to avoid getting all my LCUs trashed after one battle. The front line is always moving during the early days. Sometimes its little more than a screen of base units I need for air units there.

One thing you could do though is bring those OZ armored regiment detachments which are like 27 AV. Too useless for amphibious missions to waste PP on but they are fast and small so they are very useful in NW OZ. You can bring them up north to the interior OZ bases to aid in a more orderly retreat; their speed makes them an excellent rearguard. Also be sure to build up those bases, especially with supply. Its hard to hunker down against Japan but no Japanese smart Japanese player is going to send more than a few regiments deep in OZ. If you want to make a stand, this is a very good place early on, but only if you have decent supply.

China doesn't seem to have much left

[Mundy]

At this point, I'd be content just sealing the Torres Strait.

Cannonfodder's not above long distance pursuits. In China, he took Hami and is set to run all the way to the end of the road to the north. At worst, he'll get to Kat, but I don't think he'd have the supplies to go further. All my damaged Darwin planes got shipped to Kat, awaiting repairs when the base units arrive. It's not looking good for them right now. I may have to disband the fragments sitting there.

Looking ahead, I'm not inclined towards a DEI campaign. It's very early yet, so I can't commit to a long range strategy, but I'm favoring a Nimitz plan, starting with the Marshalls. My goal is to hit the three most important islands simultaneously. I don't know what's typically stationed there, but I'm hoping a regiment each with armor and possibly USMC raiders would do it. I've been sending all my militarized transports to Pearl. (APs and AKs - without the x). By the way, I didn't realize that Queen Elizabeth was over 40,000 tons. (Wiki sez 83,000) I probably shouldn't be using her to ship troops to Noumea.

I've got a pretty good strength at Perth right now, so that would be a tough nut to crack. Geraldton has three armored units, one of which has Matildas. While not heavy AP-wise, they probably won't go easy.

Things are quiet around Colombo right now. Very little air activity from him at the moment. KB's divisions are MIA now, too. My lame guess is that they may be reforming at Singapore, but that's pure conjecture. Nothing's at Rabaul or east of there. I would like to do a "hit him where he ain't" campaign, but I still have to respect the Netties until I get through an upgrade or two. I haven't looked at Yorktown recently, but I think everyone's rid of their F2As now. I'll have to take stock of my naval air next turn.

I've got a few strongholds in China. I have a slight AP advantage at Lang Son, with another strong-ish corps just a few hexes away. Arty and more stuff is also on the way. I'm hoping I can bust that front open. I'd be happy getting to Hanoi. In my AI game, the IJN lost some subs under construction there, so it may be a way to poke him in the eye.

In a prior PBEM, I've found that Sir Robin really is not a good idea in China. Lose too may cities and your supplies drop to roughly nil, as bad as it normally is...

As mentioned before, A strong Chinese Corp, cheaply assigned to an unrestricted command, is sitting in Mandalay. The previous general is filling a shallow grave somewhere in the jungle, with a reasonably competent one now in charge. The moment he enters, I'm pouncing.

I've been getting reinforcements at supply-less Bora Bora, which is inconvenient. Fortunately, I looked ahead had transports on the way there. Off to Noumea with 'em. I had a supply convoy at Tahiti, so it was easy to detach a single xAK to top off Bora.

Ed-