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

[GreyJoy]

China. Reducing pockets

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: koniu

Wow. Comparing to PDU ON it is totally different game.

While in ON game since 43 army is usualy flying only Ki-44 and and later Ki-84 and navy is flying N1K and J2M planes, with PDU OFF those planes are playing marginal role comparing to numbers of Oscars and Zeros in service.

Yes, totally different game. But I can assure you that it's much more interesting. The air war is less bloody but also much more balanced, especially with the new Air data by Symon. Every plane has its utility and you need to get the best out of each model, even the crappy KI-61a!

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
Yes, very true. Actually i am sending just few morebase forces and AA to Kalgo, while the IDs are waiting at Perth. I have plenty of time to rail them there if needed. As far as i can tell from the recon, he is advancing with 3 US tank BNs, some AUS and NZ tank units and a full AUS division, with some AA units. We've bombed them here and there with the Betties, then he LRCAPped with Beaufighters and we start sending in sweeps of Oscars. They are now at 12 hexes from Kalgo. I want them to be closer before sending in the real bombing force. I have 200 bombers waiting at Perth just for that (Armoured Helens and the brand new Sally IIb).

Unless the Allies have an ungodly number of AA guns I don't think this approach can be much of a threat due to the open terrain and lack of air cover. In future games I will be curious if a player will try advancing along this RR with as much AA as it can possibly get to the point that even in open terrain the LCUs are more of a threat to the Japanese bombers than the other way around. With the major RR bringing in supply and increasing the stacking limit this is completely possible I think.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
At Madras the allies try a bombardment attack, getting a bloody nose. 5 US (Sep) regiments, the 3rd USMC Division and several motorized Brigades and Tank units are there, so this is not a feint. He wants to attack Madras. He has 2200 AVs, with superior firepower, while i have 990 AVs but good forts (6), good terrain (+2) and i still controll the sea. Won't be easy for him to kick me out.

Its worth noting that the USA (Sep) regiments are rather poorly equipped. They look more like Japanese regiments when it comes to artillery but even the Japanese regiments have engineering assets. Those Indian mountain artillery units aren't much either. I think Madras is probably one of those bases you pull out what base units that you can but you let the LCUs defend until the bitter end (unless you can pull off a last minute evacuation before they are defeated). But letting divisions be destroyed in bitter defensive struggles is never a bad solution for Japan in 1943.

[GreyJoy]

Jan 2-4, 1943

Finally the "1943 Heavy Infantry Squads" upgrades are available. Many units are upgrading as we speak. This is a real boost (the last one for the rest of the war) for the IJA and IJN ability to defend against the overwhelming allied LCUs.
The first JILL sentais are being upgraded from the Kates. Very good. this gives me the ability to use torps even at 8 hexes!
The Dinah III comes online. 22 hexes of max range, just like the Irvin recce plane. That's very very usefull.

CHINA: the 11th Army, in a two-days battle, manage to clear the RR from Tuyun to Kweilling, pushing the last enemy stack (30,000 men) into the woods, while the first bombings are starting to reduce the first enemy stack NW of the Changsha pocket (here it will be a long slog...1000 AVs well entrenched!
The good news comes from Chungking. After the last raid, the Chino-American fighter force has left Chungking and moved back to Kumming and Chengtu. The IJA bombers arrive the next day and pound the AF. Now the air space in central China is again in my control and I won't give it up easily. That would be decisive for the next offensives in central China.

OZ: the enemy keeps on advancing. Now at 12 hexes from Kalgoorile. We got two divisions at Perth...waiting...while the bombers are massing.

INDIA: upgrading to 1943 Heavy Inf Squads my divisions near Patna and Ranchi. At Madras everything is quiet. No more bombings. We've pulled out 40,000 fuel from Madras, while 30,000 supplies are being delivered and 60,000 are getting to Calcutta. Heavy allied recon of Ansalon, Diamond Harbour and Chittagong... another para-drop operation?

SOPAC/CENTPAC...quiet...just subs everywhere

[GreyJoy]

The Kuriles defensive plan is getting into its last stage.
6 brand new base forces are getting delivered to Onnekotan jiima, Shimushiri and Paramushiro, while components of three different infantry divisions are being buyin out in the next 3 months for being sent there. Forts are already pretty high (4 or 5) and am planning a strong reinforcement in terms of air and naval components in Hokkaido for the next 2 months

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

CVs:

My building program will, in 1943, enter in its zenith.

I should get the following
- accelerated Taiho by 27th Jan 1943. (14 Apr 1943)
- accelerated CVEs Kaino and Shinyo by 27 Mar 1943 (3 Apr 1943 and 28 Nov 1943)
- accelerated Amagi by 23 April 1943 (11 Apr 1943)
- accelerated Unryu by 19 May 1943 (8 Apr 1943)
- accelerated Katsuragi by 29th july 1943 (3 May 1943)
- accelerated Shinano by 10 dec 1943 (11 Nov 1944....)

- Then, by 1944, I will get the CV Ikoma and Aso, and that will be all.

The key reinforcements will be those that will arrive by May 1943 anyway. So 3 CVs... by may he will have the Hellcats aboard, so he will be able to face my KB face to face... I need to be as ready as possible by that time (meaning that I will need to have the whole KB equipped with A6M5c and A6M8 (possibly), Jills (first model) and D4Y1s (won't get the D4Y3 until late 1943, early 1944 unfortunately)

Wow! Jealous of the Taiho so early. My expected arrival dates inserted. I'm Scen 2 though, so spare NavSY points are a little harder to come by.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Jan 2-4, 1943

Finally the "1943 Heavy Infantry Squads" upgrades are available.

What squads are these? I know you're in DBB, and I'm in stock... my 1943 IJA squads actually decrease in anti-soft firepower with no change in anti-hard. What do yours look like?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

CVs:

My building program will, in 1943, enter in its zenith.

I should get the following
- accelerated Taiho by 27th Jan 1943. (14 Apr 1943)
- accelerated CVEs Kaino and Shinyo by 27 Mar 1943 (3 Apr 1943 and 28 Nov 1943)
- accelerated Amagi by 23 April 1943 (11 Apr 1943)
- accelerated Unryu by 19 May 1943 (8 Apr 1943)
- accelerated Katsuragi by 29th july 1943 (3 May 1943)
- accelerated Shinano by 10 dec 1943 (11 Nov 1944....)

- Then, by 1944, I will get the CV Ikoma and Aso, and that will be all.

The key reinforcements will be those that will arrive by May 1943 anyway. So 3 CVs... by may he will have the Hellcats aboard, so he will be able to face my KB face to face... I need to be as ready as possible by that time (meaning that I will need to have the whole KB equipped with A6M5c and A6M8 (possibly), Jills (first model) and D4Y1s (won't get the D4Y3 until late 1943, early 1944 unfortunately)

Wow! Jealous of the Taiho so early. My expected arrival dates inserted. I'm Scen 2 though, so spare NavSY points are a little harder to come by.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Jan 2-4, 1943

Finally the "1943 Heavy Infantry Squads" upgrades are available.

What squads are these? I know you're in DBB, and I'm in stock... my 1943 IJA squads actually decrease in anti-soft firepower with no change in anti-hard. What do yours look like?

I've invested more than you in the Tahio and less in the other Unryu...


Here's the screenshot... as u can see the differences are HUGE... they get small Bazookas [:D]

Unfortunately only a small fraction of the IJA Divisions can be equipped with these heavy infantry squads...

[GreyJoy]

Interesting developments...

Jan 7-9, 1943

After months of preparation, on the 8th the allies appear near Nauru Island once again. This time they bring the whole Circus: CVs, CVEs, BBs, CLs, CAs and plenty of DDs. They bomb (both with CAs and with 2Es) the poor lads defending the island, while the japanese tries desperately to re-supply the island by an air bridge using everything they have.
The KB-2 remains in the shadows...

On the 9th the finally land. 2 BBs, 4 CAs, 4 CLs and several more support ships plaster the base.
Then two regiments (one USMC, one US Army) land, supported by some tanks.
I have 2 SNLF units, 3 base forces and 3 AA units defending the island.
My guys do wonders... 1-2 and forts remainat 3! [&o] losses are quite even tough, with only 173 disabled squads on the allied side...and i hope their navy is low on ammo...

And now the IJN is arriving...


In India an indian Bn tries to DL in order, i guess, to see the forts level of Madras... the attack collapses even before the allies can see th forts and the whole unit is destroyed[:D]

[GreyJoy]

Nauru Is. is not critical in my strategy.
To be honest, i've been considering it lost for months now(since the allies have estabilished in force in the Gilberts), even if i've done what i could to reinforce and re-supply it. But it surely helps to slow down their advance. These kind of little drawbacks is what i need to gain time.
Kusiae, in the meanwhile, is being reinforced and Ponape is already a true fortress, with plenty of supplies, heavy guns, and a more than respectable garrison.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


[q

Yes, anything helps but they upgrade the anti armor just about the same time the Allies have finished upgrading all of their tank units to heavier tanks. Anti armor of 25 is not going to do much vs grants, matildas and even valentines. Not to mention that American US Army squads go from around 22 soft firepower to 30 in mid 42. It is a game of catch up that Japan never wins. I am sometimes amazed at the deeper understanding of the war that I have gained from learning and studying this game. Probably more that I ever could have learned from all the history books that I have read in the past. It has made me put all those silly "what if" notions out of my head. This was a war of material and there was no way in hell that Japan could have pulled it off.

[crsutton]

I don't think the Allies should expend so much effort in the Gilberts. One or two bases there are enough to cut the Japanese off. Then move on....

[Cribtop]

crsutton, I remember watching a show about Iwo Jima and it mentioned the tonnage per soldier of supplies shipped to the front. I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was 2-4 tons per Japanese soldier and somewhere between 2,000-10,000 tons per GI. Guess who won?

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

crsutton, I remember watching a show about Iwo Jima and it mentioned the tonnage per soldier of supplies shipped to the front. I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was 2-4 tons per Japanese soldier and somewhere between 2,000-10,000 tons per GI. Guess who won?

Yeah, but do you realize what a case of beer weighs? Then there is the ice making machine.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

crsutton, I remember watching a show about Iwo Jima and it mentioned the tonnage per soldier of supplies shipped to the front. I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was 2-4 tons per Japanese soldier and somewhere between 2,000-10,000 tons per GI. Guess who won?

Yeah, but do you realize what a case of beer weighs? Then there is the ice making machine.

I thought maybe they just continued to use the one the Marines captured on Guadalcanal. For the whole war.

[Yaab]

2-4 tons per Jap is Lean Defening for sure.

[Cribtop]

And the pinups of Betty Grabel, etc.

[GreyJoy]

Jan 10-14, 1943

The allied fleet runs away from Nauru Is. as soon as the IJN appears near Kusiae, leaving behind what seems to be the whole sub fleet![X(]
Now the Marine and the US Army Rgts are left on the beaches of Nauru, while the Japanese garrison is able to breath a bit.
I tried a re-supplying mission with several CL/DDs on fast transport and some xAKLs with PBs...
First the Tama CL is sunk by 2 torps of a sub [:-]
Then Erik sends in 20/30 PTs stationing at Nauru [:@]... they, along with the subs, sunk 2 PBs and 2 xAKLs... we just managed to deliver 300 supplies to the base...while the allied bombers keep on hitting the fields

In China, things are looking good. We are destroying what is left of the Tsuyun pocket and the first tank attack happens on the way from Kweyiang to Chungking....only a 1-2 but the chinese got really high casualities, while my tanks are more or less ok. Supplies are flowing fine now that the RR line connects Tsuyun to the Changsha area.

In India, nothing happens. Usual bombardments near Ranch/Patna. Heavy allied recon in the Assam...mmmm...

Western OZ:... the allies keep on sending units toward Kalgoorile... we are ready to meet them.

SOPAC: we're tranfering some air units to Rabaul. I need more cover there now the the Allies have built the whole lower Solomons...i know the 4Es are warming their engines there...

[GreyJoy]

I have forgotten to talk to Erik about the use of PTs... playing with QBall i had already expressed my feelings about these fleets of PTs moving through several hexes of deep ocean and stationing at forward enemy bases, or fighting the IJN fleet in deep ocean.

What do you think guys? I'm ok in using them in coastal hexes or for defend your own bases, but to use them offensively very far away from their bases seems a bit...don't know...not exactly WAD...

Any thoughts on this before i talk to Erik?

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I have forgotten to talk to Erik about the use of PTs... playing with QBall i had already expressed my feelings about these fleets of PTs moving through several hexes of deep ocean and stationing at forward enemy bases, or fighting the IJN fleet in deep ocean.

What do you think guys? I'm ok in using them in coastal hexes or for defend your own bases, but to use them offensively very far away from their bases seems a bit...don't know...not exactly WAD...

Any thoughts on this before i talk to Erik?

We have no restrictions as to how they are used offensively. But restrict it to one PT TF of six boats based at any one base defensively. And any sort of offensive raid is limited to one TF max striking a target. Mass used of PTs create problems and distort the game.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I have forgotten to talk to Erik about the use of PTs... playing with QBall i had already expressed my feelings about these fleets of PTs moving through several hexes of deep ocean and stationing at forward enemy bases, or fighting the IJN fleet in deep ocean.

What do you think guys? I'm ok in using them in coastal hexes or for defend your own bases, but to use them offensively very far away from their bases seems a bit...don't know...not exactly WAD...

Any thoughts on this before i talk to Erik?

We have no restrictions as to how they are used offensively. But restrict it to one PT TF of six boats based at any one base defensively. And any sort of offensive raid is limited to one TF max striking a target. Mass used of PTs create problems and distort the game.

Thx! Discussing with Erik about it!