NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs NY59Giants (A) - Between the Storms

[temagic]

Thanks for the updates Cribtop. Great to see the momentum has come back to the Japanese.

[Cribtop]

February 7, 1942

Thanks, Temagic! Read on – The full KB is bearing down on Sumatra and Java and Michael’s response so far has been to sail towards it. Things could get interesting!

14th Army

Burias occupied. Tablas and Surigao fall.

16th Army

Noemfoor invaded.

SA Kendari takes the base with 11:1 odds, 2 enemy LCUs retreat, casualties 682(52) vs 35(0).

[Cribtop]

February 7, 1942

Thanks, Temagic! Read on – The full KB is bearing down on Sumatra and Java and Michael’s response so far has been to sail towards it. Things could get interesting!

14th Army

Burias occupied. Tablas and Surigao fall.

16th Army

Noemfoor invaded.

SA Kendari takes the base with 11:1 odds, 2 enemy LCUs retreat, casualties 682(52) vs 35(0).

[Cribtop]

February 8, 1942

Subs

I-166 shoots literally 12 torpedoes at enemy DDs as the main Allied CV/Surface fleet transits the straits near Bali en route to Soerabaja. Those torps hit jack, unfortunately.

SE Fleet

Saidor occupied.

Bettys raid the Port Moresby airfield to good effect. We will recon bomb the troops tomorrow as IJA ground forces are almost finished marching over the Owen Stanleys.

16th Army

We fly and FT TF in base forces to make Kendari a functioning base. Using airborne forces to seize this in the face of temporary enemy air and sea superiority was a nice little learning experience.

25th Army

We sweep Palembang, but there is no CAP. LBA raids the airfield thereafter. Intention is to eliminate Palembang as a base for enemy LBA during the upcoming invasion of Oosthaven.

[Cribtop]

February 9, 1942

ALERT! Enemy fleet sighted at Soerabaja!

Subs

RO-33 sinks DD Lawrence with a single torp hit just off Kangsan. This is of great interest as it means the enemy fleet is continuing on towards Soerabaja despite spotting KB headed toward Sumatra yesterday. Surely Michael doesn’t mean to tackle 6 CVs and 6 CVLs with full air groups in early 1942? We certainly hope so.

4th Fleet

We have successfully unloaded a lot of troops: AA and CD guns at Ponape, AA at Roi Namur, and an SNLF company at Kwaj. AA is in the process of unloading at Tarawa and AA plus engineers will begin unloading at TB tomorrow.

SE Fleet

Recon bombing the Port Moresby troops reveals only a small base force and a unit of native troops. We may well take this base on the cheap.

14th Army

Sibuyan and Catanduanas invaded.

DA Iloilo takes the base with 4:1 odds, retreating a Philippine Army regiment with casualties 1496(121) vs 68(0).

16th Army

Noemfoor falls.

We planned to seize Makassar by FT TF invasion, but the enemy fleet’s move to Soerabaja will force us to put that op on hold. We spotted a ship in port at Makassar yesterday and try a small port raid with Kates from Kendari today, but whatever it was has fled.

25th Army

KB sails to a point NNW of Sinkawang today and is definitively spotted by Allied search planes. Will Michael run or try to accept battle under cover of LBA from Java? Who knows?

Vals from Singers sink 3 AMcs that were hanging out at Muntok. We sweep and bomb Palembang again during both the day and night phases, hitting the airfield hard and sinking a CMc, the only ship in port.

Orders for tomorrow are for KB to continue to advance into the Java Sea. Surely Michael will retreat? Right?

15th Army

Meiktila is re-occupied and the unruly population is no doubt subjected to harsh penalties for their little revolution. Imperial Guards is marching on Myitkyina while 55th Division is preparing to attack Akyab.

China

Just when we were worried about supply at Ankang, we get a whole bunch in the hex today. DA tomorrow. Troops for the northern offensive toward Sian continue to gather.

Planning

Well, this little war of ours is heating up. The next few days could be quite interesting.

[Cribtop]

ALERT!!!!

Well, Michael moved toward KB. To Batavia in fact, where he hung out under heavy land based and carrier CAP. KB was ordered to move to within 9 hexes of Batavia and sweep, but for some reason the TFs only moved a few hexes despite lots of fuel and no sign that the DDs re-fueled. 3 carrier based Zero groups and one land based Zero group from Sinkawang sweep Batavia regardless from long range. We encounter almost 100 enemy fighters ready to rumble - Wildcats, Hurricanes and Buffalos. The massive air battle leads to even losses - 32 airframes per side. Pilot losses aren't nearly as severe as we feared when watching the replay, but that is no doubt true for the Allies as well since they were over a friendly base.

What to do?

First, the invasion forces will pull back to Singers to await developments.

Second, we must decide: Attack or develop the situation? The options as we see them are as follows, from least to most aggressive.

1) Pull KB back to Singers and replenish air groups while LBA from Sinkawang sweeps Batavia (Oscars, mostly).

2) Advance to be within torp range of Batavia, sweep with LBA and KB, mass air attack on any ships at Batavia by carrier air and Netties.

3) Pursue everything in option 2, but also commit several surface TFs that previously were guarding the invasion forces and KB to a night attack on Batavia hoping for surface action. Mines are a concern here.

What say you? It is a heck of an opportunity to cripple the USN Carriers, but the risk to air groups is high and we will fight on ground of his choosing. Complicating the decision is the fact that Michael is likely to pull back tomorrow anyway. I'd hate to fly into the teeth of a CAP without a prize awaiting. OTOH, had KB moved where it was supposed to, our sweeps had exhausted the CAP and we might have hammered the enemy fleet.

What say you all?

[Cribtop]

Well, I looked it over and the SCTFs are 10 hexes from Batavia - max range if everything works perfectly. That means the SCTF attack option is probably off the table. I'm starting to lean for the conservative choice, with two big Oscar groups sweeping out of Sinkawang and KB pulling back for a short time before we return with all guns blazing. Michael will probably withdraw, but then we will be in position and the invasion of Oosthaven can proceed. Capture of southern Sumatra will then give us air bases in close proximity to Java and make the enemy's LBA plus CV CAP tactics untenable here. Still, this seems to be Michael's MO, so we will have to plan counters to the tactic.

[Cribtop]

I chose to fall back. In the end, if KB moves into attack position, I have to worry about 3 things: 1) CAP against enemy air attack, 2) Sweep at high altitude to address the land based and CV based CAP, and 3) escort at medium altitude for my strike planes. That's too many responsibilities for the number of fighters I have available. I could forgo the sweeps, but then I am going to take heavy losses in my strikes as his CAP gets the bounce. Better to develop the situation by turning Sinkawang into an Oscar sweep base while trying to seize Palembang from my airhead at Djambi. KB and the gang will be back very soon.

PS - Cowboys beat the Giants tonight for the second time this year. Banzai!

[Capt. Harlock]

Better to develop the situation by turning Sinkawang into an Oscar sweep base while trying to seize Palembang from my airhead at Djambi. KB and the gang will be back very soon.

Have to agree with that move, much as I would have liked to see surface action. Trading carrier planes and pilots for land-based ones is a losing proposition.

[temagic]

Yeah, you're probably wise in pulling back from this fight

[Cribtop]

Be patient with me, folks, I haven't forgotten this AAR, but real life has been a beast. I owe you almost 10 days worth of updates and will get to them not later than this weekend.

Quick spoiler, though. Palembang (finally) fell with only 1 point of manpower damage, which rocks. We're squeezing Java from both sides (Makassar fell and Denpasar is next). No sign of Michael's CVs in a while but I hope he comes back as I've got a little plan to try with KB and LBA.

[temagic]

Yeah, I've been mourning the loss of this AAR for quite some time now. Glad it's still alive. Hope you have a handle on real life there Cribtop.

[Lecivius]

Real life trumps games, but there are lurkers here [;)]

[Cribtop]

February 10, 1942

Wherein we start to catch up to the game.

Subs

RO-33 misses a DD near Pamakasan twice.

O-20 sinks a DMS near Kendari.

SE Fleet

Long Island invaded.

14th Army

Butuan is occupied while Siboyan, Dadjangas and Catanduanas fall.

25th Army

Lots of action as the enemy fleet moves to Batavia. As a result, they have an absolutely huge CAP composed of Carrier aircraft and LBA waiting when two Zero groups sweep. The Zeros are qualitatively superior but suffer due to the enemy's numerical advantage. Total A2A losses are about even with 32 reported for each side. Gutsy move by Michael in the face of KB. My carriers moved into position to attack anything that moved north or west of Batavia but were limited by position and range on purpose to avoid a CAP trap in the DEI capital. Had I known his plans I would have unleashed everything I had and quite possibly caught him out, but such is life. Michael himself alluded to being nervous about the move in e-mail.

China

An SA near Nanking finally destroys the always annoying Lusu War Area HQ.

DA at Ankang makes progress, knocking forts down to 2 with a 1:2 odds attack, casualties 1317(5) vs 1763(184). Flushing the Chinese out of this position will require the cracking of a few Japanese eggs, no doubt. The real purpose of all my efforts in China is to try to bleed supply. Once the supply goes, China goes.

[Cribtop]

February 11, 1942

Quiet day.

SE Fleet

Thousand Ships Bay occupied. Long Island falls.

25th Army

We made plans to attack the enemy fleet in Batavia but they withdraw through the Sunda Strait and are spotted moving toward Cocos Island, which Cribtop Intel believes is their local shelter.

[Cribtop]

February 12, 1942

SE Fleet

We have marched 1/3rd of an assault division over the Owen Stanleys and BA Port Moresby. Our intel was correct and the place is functionally abandoned, with raw AS of 65 to 9. We will take it on the cheap and look to reinforce.

16th Army

A large fast transport force invades Makassar. The side benefit of going by FT TF is the “free” bombardment you get. The enemy suffers casualties of 990(9).

14th Army

Siargo occupied. Masbate invaded.

DA San Jose takes the base with 4:1 odds. Two LCUs surrender with casualties 3423(429) vs 24(0).

25th Army

We begin a campaign to clear out the small HDMLs and PT boats infesting Palembang. Zeros on nav attack strafe MTBs while a small Val group sinks two ML or HDML, can’t remember which.

The former garrison of Victoria Point has marched onto the railroad on the Kra Peninsula to harass us. An RTA unit SAs and obtains 23:1 odds, but no casualties on either side. Weird.

Today the IJJAF starts ground bombing at Palembang as the troops from our airhead at Djambi are closing in.

Bit of a mess in the air over Batavia as we swept with two Oscar groups hoping to find Buffalos. Instead we get Hurricanes and P-40s. Hurris always eat Oscars and this is no exception, with casualties 27 to 11 in Michael’s favor. We are fortunate that pilot losses are much lighter. We are going to have to take Palembang and get a Zero horde to sweep Batavia as we cannot generate enough numbers sweeping only from Sinkawang.

[Cribtop]

February 13, 1942

Subs

I-1 misses a huge tanker near Flinders Island. Sigh. My subs really were poor in my game with Cuttlefish, hopefully this isn’t a sign of things to come.

O-19 torpedoes a DMS near Toboali and she sinks.

SE Fleet

Umboi Island invaded.

DA Port Moresby takes the base on the cheap with 5:1 odds. One enemy LCU is destroyed and two more retreat, casualties 501(40) vs 10(0). We originally earmarked 33rd Division for PM, but now will find another use for those troops.

14th Army

Masbate is occupied, while Sandakan and Dinagat are invaded.

16th Army

DA Makassar takes the base from its shell-shocked garrison with 9:1 odds. One LCU surrenders, one retreats. Casualties are 722(75) vs 20(0). This base will soon sport an Air HQ and become a big part of the effort to isolate the remains of Borneo and Java.

25th Army

We continue our campaign of Zeros and Vals on nav attack to clear out the small ships clogging the approaches to Palembang with several PT boats and Motor Launches sunk. This anti-cockroach effort is succeeding faster than expected.

DA on the rail line near Chumphon again obtains high odds but without enemy casualties. This is getting annoying.

15th Army

Schwebo falls.

[Cribtop]

February 14, 1942

Subs

I-158 misses O-19 near Billiton.

An enemy TM (some sort of small craft) harasses I-162 near Palembang.

5th Fleet

Shemya Island occupied.

SE Fleet

Umboi Island falls.

14th Army

Dinagat and Sandakan fall.

25th Army

We invade Tandgoengbalai by FT TF with one brigade of 5th Division and a base force. Target Medan and northern Sumatra.

BA Palembang shows raw AS 182 to 93, and more importantly shows that none of the 10 units there are major combatants. With terrain, forts and iffy supply from our airhead at Djambi, this won’t be easy, but it is doable.

SA on the rail line near Chumphon at last does for the former Victoria Point garrison, forcing a surrender that re-opens the railway with casualties 104(10) vs nil.

China

DA Ankang makes more progress despite some pain. Odds 1:2, forts drop to 1, casualties 645(10) vs 3448(182). Such is the nature of China in the world of stacking limits, but the omelet appears like it will get made in a few more attacks. A bit disappointed that rumors of the invulnerability of IJA tanks in the face of the Chinese seem a bit overrated. Perhaps it’s because we are refusing to do “armor only” attacks, but that just seems a bit out of bounds to me.

[Cribtop]

February 15, 1942

Subs

I-158 hits a mine trying to navigate the Sunda Strait at Merak and down she goes. A shame as I-155 and I-158 are my favorite IJN subs.

I-2 is DC’d near Cold Bay by the enemy CL/DD force that prowls around those waters but the sub is ok.

SE Fleet

Tassafaronga occupied.

16th Army

Nabire invaded. Those DBCL units are busy cleaning up dots.

25th Army

DA Palembang drops forts to 1 with a solid 1:1 attack, casualties 67(3) vs 293(1). We will have to pause between attacks while our planes fly in fresh supplies, but the outcome here seems certain.

Tandjoengbalai falls.

[Cribtop]

February 16, 1942

In which Michael’s subs make me feel better about my recent misses.

Subs

Pegase (French sub part of the BTS OOB) misses a DD in an FT TF bringing reinforcements to PM. Gudgeon duds on and then misses the same xAK near Shortland. Swordfish misses an SC near Takao.

I-26 torpedoes and sinks an xAP just off Sydney. This was obviously a big troop transport TF that is unfortunately empty.

5th Fleet

Great Sitka Island occupied.

14th Army

Tagbilaran, Guiuan and Tawi Tawi invaded.

25th Army

KB’s Kates were ordered to pound the enemy troops at Palembang but the mission is scrubbed.