Greyjoy(J) vs. Obvert(A) - The air war in China- DBB, SLs, PDU OFF

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Night fighters not much, cause we are in PDU OFF, so I will have to build every single NF model[8|]

That bad?[:(]

Yes, more or less. The upgrade-path tree is very complicated. Also, there is no point in RnD anything, cause all the groups that can be equipped with NFs arrive very late in the war, so until I get them, it's pointless to produce the NFs.

An example:

3 groups that can be equipped with A6M5d-S

1 active (A6M3a):-> J1N1S-a->A6M5d-S-> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 486 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S -> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 680 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S

Should I RnD the A6M5d-S? Or the J1N1s? Or maybe the J1N1S-a?


Now try to replicate this for every single NF model and you can imagine the implications...

Better to simply wait when the model arrives and then start producing it

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Night fighters not much, cause we are in PDU OFF, so I will have to build every single NF model[8|]

That bad?[:(]

Yes, more or less. The upgrade-path tree is very complicated. Also, there is no point in RnD anything, cause all the groups that can be equipped with NFs arrive very late in the war, so until I get them, it's pointless to produce the NFs.

An example:

3 groups that can be equipped with A6M5d-S

1 active (A6M3a):-> J1N1S-a->A6M5d-S-> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 486 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S -> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 680 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S

Should I RnD the A6M5d-S? Or the J1N1s? Or maybe the J1N1S-a?


Now try to replicate this for every single NF model and you can imagine the implications...

Better to simply wait when the model arrives and then start producing it

[X(]Sweet Baby Jesus that is complicated!

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I don't think Judy is worth too much in accelerated R&D. For the simple reason they most likely won't get used much. Vals are adequate...save the supply.

R&D fighters, nightfighters, Grace. But be choosy.

I've found that the Judy is a MUST-HAVE plane, both for the KB and for the few LBA units that can be equipped with it.
At 7 hexes, it makes all the difference in the world to attack with bombs of 125kg or 250.
When the Judy 3 will arrive, 500kg at 7 hexes is a big enhancement for the KB's DB groups.

My RnD program has been explained in detail when the match begun. I haven't RnDed any bomber/recon except for the D4Y line and the Jill one. Devoted 3 RnD factories each...oh, and obviously the Grace...3x30. Not more.
The rest is just fighters. Night fighters not much, cause we are in PDU OFF, so I will have to build every single NF model[8|]

I agree completely on the Judy, but it's not possible to get the airframe in operation sooner than late summer 1942 or maybe even not until September sometime... so I don't put THAT much effort into it. Enough to get the engine bonus early on, as extra Judys can always be built for 500kg-bomb kamis, and to get through the D4Y2 to begin work on the D4Y3 with range to match the Kate/Jill at 8 hex CV strikes, and then the D4Y4 with the Monster Bomb.

The Val is just crap from the beginning. When doing Pearl Harbor strikes I don't even bother setting more than 1 unit of them to Port, as they just don't do much damage to anything bigger than a CL. And if you get them at extended range, they only thing they have over a lowly Jake (FFS!) is that they have divebombing accuracy with their 60kg hand grenades.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Night fighters not much, cause we are in PDU OFF, so I will have to build every single NF model[8|]

That bad?[:(]

Yes, more or less. The upgrade-path tree is very complicated. Also, there is no point in RnD anything, cause all the groups that can be equipped with NFs arrive very late in the war, so until I get them, it's pointless to produce the NFs.

An example:

3 groups that can be equipped with A6M5d-S

1 active (A6M3a):-> J1N1S-a->A6M5d-S-> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 486 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S -> Denko
1 reinforcement (arrives in 680 days): arrives as J1N1s -> A6M5d-S -> D4Y2-S

Should I RnD the A6M5d-S? Or the J1N1s? Or maybe the J1N1S-a?


Now try to replicate this for every single NF model and you can imagine the implications...

Better to simply wait when the model arrives and then start producing it

Ugh.

Can't you skip an airframe in their upgrades though, as long as you have enough planes in the pool? Like, say you R&D'd the A6M5d-S. Once those groups are around, if you have enough of the Zero NF in the pool, can't you upgrade to it? You would need a full group's worth of planes, not just 1+ like for regular upgrades.

In my first AI game, I had to do this as the Enterprise VF group had 6 F4F-3A's left and I had no F4F-3's left in the game, which was their next upgrade. The F4F-4 was in the upgrade tree, but after their completely unavailable F4F-3. I had to wait until I had a group size of 36 F4F-4s in the pool to upgrade.

Can't you do that? Or will the interface not allow you to select an airframe to upgrade to at all?

If I ever play PDU Off, it will be with a modified scenario that gets rid of some of the headache at least. Ugh.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna


Ugh.

Can't you skip an airframe in their upgrades though, as long as you have enough planes in the pool? Like, say you R&D'd the A6M5d-S. Once those groups are around, if you have enough of the Zero NF in the pool, can't you upgrade to it? You would need a full group's worth of planes, not just 1+ like for regular upgrades.

In my first AI game, I had to do this as the Enterprise VF group had 6 F4F-3A's left and I had no F4F-3's left in the game, which was their next upgrade. The F4F-4 was in the upgrade tree, but after their completely unavailable F4F-3. I had to wait until I had a group size of 36 F4F-4s in the pool to upgrade.

Can't you do that? Or will the interface not allow you to select an airframe to upgrade to at all?

If I ever play PDU Off, it will be with a modified scenario that gets rid of some of the headache at least. Ugh.

The problem isn't that simple.

For example:

There are 2 sentais at the beginning of the war. They are equipped with the A6M2.
Their upgrade path is: A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku->A6M5->A6M5b etc
While, usually, for the majority of the IJN fighter sentais the upgrade path is: Claude->A6M2->A6M3->A6M3a->A6M5->A6M5b etc...

So if you RnD ONLY the "major" Zeke line (A6M3-A6M3a-A6M5-A6M5b etc), you are left with 2 sentais (that become 4 if you convert the CS Chitose and Chiyoda to CVL cause their embedded F groups have that strange upgrade path A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku) that are stuck with the crappy A6M2 until the A6M2Sen Baku becomes available (late 1944!!!!)

So you are forced to RnD both the "major" Zeke line and the Sen Baku if you don't wanna fly obsolete planes until 1944.

And, if you, for example, RnD the A6M5 and start producing it in sept 1942, you won't be able to "bypass" the Sen Baku upgrade, cause you won't have any Sen Baku in the pool.

And that goes, more or less, for every single upgrade path.

[GreyJoy]

Dec 1-4, 1942

CHINA: Kweyiang is abandoned! What was left south of Kweyiang of the Chinese army (more or less 100,000 men) is marching towards Tuyun. Now my priority will be to open the main road from Chikkiang to Kweyiang and to reduce the Tuyun pocket. I have enough divisions to do that easily, considering that there is no supply-source south of Kweyang.
This is a very good news indeed. The conquest of the "Chikking-Kweyiang" front opens a lot of possibilities. Now I have to push towards the plains and start reducing the Changsha pocket.

India: the eastern india is slowly being abandoned by Erik. Less than 40,000 troops are left in the Patna area... where are they going?

SOPAC: Umboi Island is being targeted by his recon and bombers and so is Port Moresby.

CENTPAC: constant bombing of Nauru Island. No sign of the allied CVs...

[veji1]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The problem isn't that simple.

For example:

There are 2 sentais at the beginning of the war. They are equipped with the A6M2.
Their upgrade path is: A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku->A6M5->A6M5b etc
While, usually, for the majority of the IJN fighter sentais the upgrade path is: Claude->A6M2->A6M3->A6M3a->A6M5->A6M5b etc...

So if you RnD ONLY the "major" Zeke line (A6M3-A6M3a-A6M5-A6M5b etc), you are left with 2 sentais (that become 4 if you convert the CS Chitose and Chiyoda to CVL cause their embedded F groups have that strange upgrade path A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku) that are stuck with the crappy A6M2 until the A6M2Sen Baku becomes available (late 1944!!!!)

So you are forced to RnD both the "major" Zeke line and the Sen Baku if you don't wanna fly obsolete planes until 1944.

And, if you, for example, RnD the A6M5 and start producing it in sept 1942, you won't be able to "bypass" the Sen Baku upgrade, cause you won't have any Sen Baku in the pool.

And that goes, more or less, for every single upgrade path.

Isn't that the main problem in you reasoning though ? Nothing forces you to research that path for just 2 (or 4) squadrons. If you do the maths, wouldn't it be better to just use those squadrons as in theater training squadrons until you can use them very very late in the war (if at all). The point of PDU is that you will have to use bad airframes anyway and have to adapt your use of your airforce to the airforce you'll have...

I don't know if you invested more than one factory in this R&D line, but compare that cost to the cost of keeping the planes as training squadrons / Backwater planes (china or ablative escorts) and maybe there are choices you would make differently no ?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: veji1

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The problem isn't that simple.

For example:

There are 2 sentais at the beginning of the war. They are equipped with the A6M2.
Their upgrade path is: A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku->A6M5->A6M5b etc
While, usually, for the majority of the IJN fighter sentais the upgrade path is: Claude->A6M2->A6M3->A6M3a->A6M5->A6M5b etc...

So if you RnD ONLY the "major" Zeke line (A6M3-A6M3a-A6M5-A6M5b etc), you are left with 2 sentais (that become 4 if you convert the CS Chitose and Chiyoda to CVL cause their embedded F groups have that strange upgrade path A6M2->A6M2Sen Baku) that are stuck with the crappy A6M2 until the A6M2Sen Baku becomes available (late 1944!!!!)

So you are forced to RnD both the "major" Zeke line and the Sen Baku if you don't wanna fly obsolete planes until 1944.

And, if you, for example, RnD the A6M5 and start producing it in sept 1942, you won't be able to "bypass" the Sen Baku upgrade, cause you won't have any Sen Baku in the pool.

And that goes, more or less, for every single upgrade path.

Isn't that the main problem in you reasoning though ? Nothing forces you to research that path for just 2 (or 4) squadrons. If you do the maths, wouldn't it be better to just use those squadrons as in theater training squadrons until you can use them very very late in the war (if at all). The point of PDU is that you will have to use bad airframes anyway and have to adapt your use of your airforce to the airforce you'll have...

I don't know if you invested more than one factory in this R&D line, but compare that cost to the cost of keeping the planes as training squadrons / Backwater planes (china or ablative escorts) and maybe there are choices you would make differently no ?

Yes, for sure. I may have put too much effort to get the A6M2Sen Baku in Dec 42, considering that only 4 squadrons (2x45 and 2x30 planes) would have been stuck with the A6M2. Now i see the flaw in my strategy. However, to my discharge, i must say that playing in PDU OFF gives you a general sense of weakness, especially if you were used to PDU ON... Knowing that you will only get 1 group of 36 N1K1 untill late 1943 and a couple of crappy J2M2 in octber and december 43.... that you will be stuck with the Zeke...and for the Army with the KI-43... forces you a bit to get the truly best of the lines you can have... and having in first line 150 A6M8 instead of 150 A6M2 makes a lot of difference tactically.

But there are consequences...and i now know them

[GreyJoy]

Dec 5-7, 1942

One year of war![&o][&o][&o]

China: the chinese corps left south of Kweyang are proving to be stiffer than expected. Got immediately a bloody nose (1-2 with 350 disabled squads) attacking with an oversatcked (my blame) army... Now i brought the artillery in place and two fresh divisions... will work on them... they are cut from any source of supply tough, so they will be mine, sooner or later.
In the meanwhile the now re-united tank army (3 reinforced tank divisions) is crossing the river 2 hexes NW of Kweyang, where Erik isn't defending the rivercrossings. Rough terrain, so the tanks are deadly...and fast!
5 more divisions are ready to follow up. The plan is to advance NW and get to the plains before he can reinforce.
We'll also start working on Chungking from now on. The plan is to sweep him to oblivion, no matter the cost. I have 3 sentais of KI-43 IIb and 42 KI-44IIb for this scope. I can efford to lose planes, but i can't efford to let him contest the skies of China.

Sometime, sooner than later, i'll have to call it off the offensive operations in China. I'll be then free to move out something like 6 divisions and several artillery units. But before i do that, i need to estabilish a decent defensive perimeter...and to get on Sian (at least).
Will i be able to do that before the americans will break my back in the Pacific? The world wonders

INDIA: Troops are moving towards Madras! Lots of reconning of Ceylon. I am as ready as i could be here. let's see how it works out.

SOPAC/CENTPAC: Erik conquers Ontong Java and keeps on pouding Nauru Island. Enemy's CV/CVEs south of Tabiutea. KB2 is lingering near Ponape...waiting
The Musashi BB is now at Rabaul[:D]. Shinano is now being accelerated, along with 4 other CVs. Will get the Tahio in Jan 1943 and 2 more Unryu's class by june 1943. Good.

RnD:

KI-43 IIIa should arrive in Jan 1943
KI44 IIc should arrive in May 1943
Jill should arrive in Jan 1943[:D]
A6M5b in Jan 1943
A6M5c in may 1943
A6M8 in june/july 1943


KB-1 is now fully equipped with A6M5, Kates and D4Y1. Soon we'll get the Jills

[Lowpe]

You posted your r&d plans early on, and no one complained about the supply cost.

I still feel it is more India + plus China (in a tough, tough fight) that bears the brunt of the supply leakage. You can recover!

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

You posted your r&d plans early on, and no one complained about the supply cost.

I still feel it is more India + plus China (in a tough, tough fight) that bears the brunt of the supply leakage. You can recover!

China the most! Damned damned China

[GreyJoy]

Dec 8, 1942

Enemy's SAGs and CVs south of Nauru Island, moving west...mmmm... towards the Solomons?

China: interesting developments. Our tanks have crossed the river and are now approaching the rivercrossing from the western side, while the pocket south of Kweyiang is being reduced by artillery and our divisions are massing and waiting for supporting the advancing tank army.

India:now his naval recon reaches Rangoon!...while his armies are approaching Madras...

[jmalter]

Congratulations on completing the 1st year of war! I've enjoyed reading the AARs from both sides.

If you can cut the Kunming/Chunking road, you'll go a long way to protecting your strategic position. The supply expense of fighting in China may prove to be worthwhile, but only if you can spend the next year shipping supply & commodities back to the Home Islands.

Grip the dagger in your teeth more tightly, you've got a lot of work to do.

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

Yeh nice work getting Kweiyang and really threatening the Burma road connection. You may be able to afford to take mainland divisions out for the Marianas etc with such a cushion of territory in China

[GreyJoy]

Dec 9-12, 1942

We're both dancing and feinting around Nauru Island. A fake invasion operation has been put up by Obvert, with several SAGs and what seems to be a CVE TF. I showed him my CVs and SAGs coming down from Ponape and Roi Namur. He bombed NAuru with 2 old BBs, but moved back everything else, laying down a carpet of subs on my supposed way to Nauru. I didn't eat the bait and moved back on my own, laying my own carpet of subs (a RO one got sunked at Nauru tough).
I'm buying as much time as possible. This is the idea. I don't wanna fight for these little pieces of real estate in the middle of nowhere, but can't let him have them for free. So the compromise is a constant threat, but made in a certain "safety" (for how much you can be safe at 10 hexes from several enemy's TFs!)).

In the meanwhile we're using the time bought here to fortify the doors to my perimeter. I've decided for Umboi-Fineshtafen-Saidor area in order to slow down his advance towards Hollandia-Wewak area. I really hope to force him to take the CENTPAC way of advance (which should slow him down).

He's reconning heavily Ponape, while i'm reinforcing Kusiae (Ponape is already safe for the moment).


China: our advanced tanks reached the hex beyond the rivercrossing, moving fast accordingly with the above explained plan. The 3rd Tank division (the fourth one if you count the Guards one) is assembling at Chikkiang. Soon we'll begin to work on our way towards the plans, while our artillery is reducing (slowly) the enemy pocket of Tuyun.
We've also tried to sweep Chungking with 2 KI-43 Oscar sentais and 1 KI-44 group. I've set the worng altitude (stupid me!)...15,000 feet...and my planes got butchered: 47 to 6[:o][:o][:o][:o][:o]. 2 Groups of P-38s, one of P-40K and one of P-66 present of Chungking. Good to know anyway.

India: things are getting hot again. Erik fooled me in western India. My recon sucked and i didn't realize a new army was assembling at the gates of Patna. When i saw it moving towards the wooded hex between Ranchi and Patna it was already too late. I ordered to reinforce the hex and, thanks God, the 36th ID got there in time... his first DA was a 1-1, but we destroyed a good bunch of allied squads. The following day the 48th ID arrived too, but he was already moving back... the day was saved...for the moment. But it's clear that Erik hasn't given up with his idea of breaking my indian perimeter...
The enemy's western armies are approaching Madras... how many? don't know. I should be able to have 1000 AVs there behind 6 forts... hope it would be enough.

But here's the most important news: BBs South Dakota and North Carolina are spotted near Karachi. This may mean some allied CVs are present in the area...which may only mean that he's planning an amphib op somewhere in the I.O.


Ground combat at 52,31 (near Ranchi)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 97282 troops, 1378 guns, 1917 vehicles, Assault Value = 3266

Defending force 31941 troops, 372 guns, 203 vehicles, Assault Value = 794

Allied adjusted assault: 1324

Japanese adjusted defense: 1131

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2288 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 109 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 50 (2 destroyed, 48 disabled)
Vehicles lost 29 (2 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2510 casualties reported
Squads: 115 destroyed, 259 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 21 destroyed, 35 disabled
Guns lost 80 (18 destroyed, 62 disabled)
Vehicles lost 84 (32 destroyed, 52 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division
Kowloon Brigade
84th Indian Brigade
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
255th Armoured Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
23rd Indian Division
762nd Tank Battalion
6th Australian Division
150th RAC Regiment
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
70th British Division
7th Australian Division
26th Indian Division
1st USMC AA Battalion
2/9th Field Regiment
134th Field Artillery Battalion
93rd Coast AA Regiment
77th Coast AA Regiment
69th Coast AA Regiment
260th Coast AA Regiment
251st Coast AA Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
85th British AT Gun Regiment

Defending units:
36th Division
8th Division
2nd Air Defense AA Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
22nd Ind.AA Gun Co
23rd Fld AA Gun Co
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Army
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment



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

Ground combat at 52,31 (near Ranchi)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1602 troops, 146 guns, 134 vehicles, Assault Value = 2889

Defending force 44624 troops, 506 guns, 245 vehicles, Assault Value = 1075

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

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 14 (11 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (6 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
6th Australian Division
70th British Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
84th Indian Brigade
2nd British Division
50th Tank Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
255th Armoured Brigade
Kowloon Brigade
7th Australian Division
26th Indian Brigade
23rd Indian Division
150th RAC Regiment
762nd Tank Battalion
26th Indian Division
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
93rd Coast AA Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
1st USMC AA Battalion
251st Coast AA Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
77th Coast AA Regiment
134th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Coast AA Regiment
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
69th Coast AA Regiment
85th British AT Gun Regiment

Defending units:
8th Division
36th Division
48th Division
2nd Mortar Battalion
23rd Fld AA Gun Co
22nd Ind.AA Gun Co
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Air Defense AA Regiment
2nd Army
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment


the 36th ID is the only one in bad shape. I'm moving her out back to Patna area, switching it with the 55th and the 1st

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

Congratulations on completing the 1st year of war! I've enjoyed reading the AARs from both sides.

If you can cut the Kunming/Chunking road, you'll go a long way to protecting your strategic position. The supply expense of fighting in China may prove to be worthwhile, but only if you can spend the next year shipping supply & commodities back to the Home Islands.

Grip the dagger in your teeth more tightly, you've got a lot of work to do.

Thanks! Yes, the only problem in China is that, to really estabilish a strong perimeter, i have to succesfully reduce those pockets behind my back. Otherise i won't beable to move out consistent numbers of troops from China. So i am not so sure i will be really able to reach my strategic goals here. Surely every defeat the allies suffer in India, makes me gain time to accomplish something in China...tic, toc, tic, toc

[GreyJoy]

Dec 13, 1942

Enemy's CVEs moved back to the Ellice Islands. Are they shifting theatre? I doubt he want to advance without any CV/CVE air cover in the Marshalls..., so what?
However, Kusiae got reinforced as planned and several new units are arriving at Truk/Rabaul.

Sending some troops to Exmouth to cover any advance towards Port Hedland (which is now becoming a very good fortress, backed up from Broome).

I can see an Erik's plan to advance in the Gulf of Carpenteria, using Normanton as a starting point. Will try to stop this process, sending more units to that area.

Erik moved back 1000 AVs that were in the contested hex near Ranchi. Good. That threat is stopped...for the moment.

The enemy's Army advancing towards Madras is reported having more than 50,000 men in it. At least a Motorized Bde is spotted by the recon. A brand new unit is unloading at Madras... just to be sure. Untill the sea is mine, i don't see how he can really conquer Madras

[GreyJoy]

CVL Ryuho arrived. Along with 2 Akitsuki DDs and 27 Vals is moving to reach KB2.

Can't wait to have the Tahio in a month... that would be really nice to have!

A6M5b is now in production! Heavy researching now the A6M5c.

A6M5s are brought to China. Will try again against Chungking very soon[8D]

[GreyJoy]

Dec 14, 1942

India: quiet. Waiting for the next storm (Madras or, again, Patna-Ranchi, or both).

China: the tank divisions are almost arrived in the wanted position beyond the rivercrossing. An artillery unit opens the river-crossing path and now we have a direct supply line from Kweyang on a major road. Good.
I've decided to speed up the process of liberating the road-hex south of Kweyang. 3 Divisions are being moved in. 3 more in reserve, while the 3rd Tank Division is still waiting for its last component to be formed.

SOPAC/CENTPAC: usual aerial bombings at Nauru Is. B25s and B17s are now arriving every day. Supplies won't last for long now. Mines are almost gone too.
Musashi formed a strong SAG at Rabaul, around 3 CAs and 8 DDs.
Waiting for the KI-43 IIIa to become operative. This will give a boost to a lot of Army Sentais. This beauty can go faster than a A6M5 and it's armoured. Nice to have!

[GreyJoy]

Dec 15-20, 1942

India: the enemy's new army entered Madras with 55,000 men, 900 guns and 1500 vehicles. Let's see what he does now.
Near Ranchi, where we've fought that 1-1 few days ago, the allied army started to bombard, obtaining worrisome results... don't understand what he's using, but he's causing me lots of pain.

China: good news here, finally. In the last 4 days we've successfully defeated the enemy's corps NW of Kweyiang, destroying more than 800 squads and pushing back the rest. Now the tanks will move North and NE in order to cut the road from Kunming to chungking.
Near chikkiang an enemy corp moved out of the pocket and was immediately pushed back with heavy losses. Supplies must be really low by now in the pockets.
Tried a sweep with a group of 30 A6M5 and another one of 42 KI-44IIb. Fair results: 1-1 in terms of losses. Good. I can stand this ratio.

SOPAC/CENTPAC: the enemy sends more bombing TFs to Nauru Island. I think he's ready to invade anytime soon, even if I don't see anymore the enemy's CVEs... I remain in the shadows with my reaction force.

I still think the enemy's main CVs are in the Indian Ocean

Spotted a BIG group of modern CLs (Brooklin class) near Sydney...moving North or West? Don't know... but will keep a close eye on that part of the map

Supplies keep on lowering. I really need to stop my RnD expansion program[:(]

[GreyJoy]

Dec 21-22, 1942

INDIA: MARINES are in India! The first USMC Division we've seen so far is now sieging Madras. They arrived with 2000 AVs and found 1000 AVs waiting for them. My Navy is already bombarding their positions, while Erik tries the first startegic strike of the war, sending 48 Liberators at night over Madras with no result (storms and AA fire prevented any hit).

CHINA: We're doing well. I think we found the right moment to attack on a general scale. The operation to advance towards the plains continue, while two new operations are launched to start reducing the Tyun and Changsha pockets. A new sweep of KI-44 towards Chungking with mixed results (1,5-1 in his favour).

SOPAC: A new division is now bought out from Manchuria (the 19th) and sent towards Ponape. I now have 3 divisions ready to be deployed in SOPAC/CENTPAC, along with 3 brigades. Nauru Island is constantly bombed by his cruisers. Supplies are close to be finished and the end is near.

Ground combat at 74,48 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27737 troops, 502 guns, 2188 vehicles, Assault Value = 1400

Defending force 42204 troops, 283 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1057

Japanese adjusted assault: 1008

Allied adjusted defense: 479

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
373 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 65 (2 destroyed, 63 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7350 casualties reported
Squads: 270 destroyed, 131 disabled
Non Combat: 125 destroyed, 60 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 37 (5 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
15th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division
3rd Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
Guards Tank Division
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
13th Army
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
24th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps



Ground combat at 74,48 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27343 troops, 502 guns, 2186 vehicles, Assault Value = 1348

Defending force 17599 troops, 87 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 220

Japanese adjusted assault: 571

Allied adjusted defense: 105

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5574 casualties reported
Squads: 233 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 232 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 36 (13 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!



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

Assaulting units:
15th Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
2nd Tank Division
3rd Tank Regiment
18th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Army
21st Mortar Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
24th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps


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

Ground combat at 78,51 (near Chihkiang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 28099 troops, 215 guns, 203 vehicles, Assault Value = 994

Defending force 6049 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 174

Japanese adjusted assault: 913

Allied adjusted defense: 16

Japanese assault odds: 57 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units pursuing 2

Allied ground losses:
2115 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 49 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 17 (7 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
17th Tank Regiment
3rd Recon Battalion
40th Division
3rd Mobile Engineer Regiment
116th Division
3rd Mobile AA Battalion

Defending units:
3rd New Chinese Corps




And this is what he's sent to Madras...but more is coming



Attacking force 28906 troops, 485 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 2084

Defending force 43816 troops, 490 guns, 337 vehicles, Assault Value = 996



Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Division
254th Armoured Brigade
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
267th Armoured Brigade
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
73rd Motorised Brigade
102nd(Sep) Infantry Regiment
7th Armoured Brigade
1st USMC Tank Battalion
Waziristan Division
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
64th Coast AA Regiment
2/1st Med Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
IV Indian Corps
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
65th Coast AA Regiment
501st Coast AA Regiment
369th Coast AA Regiment
2nd Indian Heavy AA Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
10th Garrison Unit
41st Division
6th Guards Division
52nd Field AA Battalion
50th Field AA Battalion
54th Const Co
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Air Defense AA Regiment
2nd JAAF Base Force
3rd Air Defense AA Regiment
16th AA Regiment
23rd Ind.AA Gun Co
15th Army
6th Field Construction Battalion
12th JAAF Base Force
3rd Mortar Battalion
5th Field Construction Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
4th Air Defense AA Regiment
62nd JAAF AF Bn