See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28

[apbarog]

Thanks BBfanboy. When my opponent's email with the turn arrived, he said that he thought this was the first instance of the stacking rules kicking in our game. I thought for sure that I got trashed again, as I was overstacked. I was surprised to see it was lopsided the other way.

I am trying to move out a couple of units. They just couldn't get out of the hex in time. It was a combination of defense and fleeing for me.

[apbarog]

5 Jan 42

I-21 is sighted near Hilo but evades ASW. He spots a big xAK task force inbound to Pearl Harbor.

Rangoon undergoes the first sweep of Zeros. A combination of Blen IF's and Buffalos defend, but take about 10 losses. No Zeros are lost.

At Batavia, a strike of 18 Nells escorted by 9 Zeros flys from the northwest corner of Borneo, attacking and sinking 3 HDML's that had fled Singapore. CAP does well, though, downing approximately 3 Nells.

Ground forces at Manila are bombed for the first time. Japanese forces build in strength just to the south.

Having trouble taking Tarakan, Japanese reinforcements are landed.

East of Sian in China, on a rough hex, Japanese forces bombard the Chinese again, doing about 50 casualties. There are not enough attackers to take this hex, and two more Chinese units are about to reinforce.

In Malaysia, Malacca is taken, as the advance south continues.

With Port Moresby lost, KB (or some part of it) disappears somewhere between Milne Bay, Rabaul, and Buin.

[jmalter]

Wow apb, losing Port Moresby so early is a bit of a blow - it may point to aggressive designs on NE Oz. Duck & cover!

However, he must bring engrs & supply to PM to develop its potential, using transports direct to PM rather than over the Kokoda trail. Those transports must round the SE tip of New Guinea, so PBY NavSearch from Townsend should alert to his intentions.

[apbarog]

It certainly is an early push at Port Moresby, and with an entire infantry division. I did not want to put up a fight there, and now I'm glad I didn't reinforce it. I would have lost everything I could have placed there this early. I have many subs in the Coral Sea. My mining near Rabaul was spotted, and those mines are being swept. I'd hoped to catch something big, like KB, going into or out of Rabaul. I have sufficient search capability in NE Australia, so I will see if something is coming for Australia, but there's not much that can be done this early. I will contest any move to Australia, though.

[apbarog]

6 Jan 42

More unloading at Tarakan, and again, the Dutch CD guns get a few hits. Not enough damage to change the final result, but some annoying xAK hits for the Japanese.

At Rangoon, yesterday's Zero sweep was followed by today's Oscar sweep. Today, I rested the Brit fighters, so no battle here.

Troops in Manila are bombed again. Nothing has moved in yet.

Temuloh, in Malaysia, falls.

A shock attack at Tarakan fails, with a 1 to 1 attack and forts reduced to 1. Japanese losses are twice the Dutch losses. A brave defense going on here, however futile it will end up being.

[apbarog]

7 Jan 42

A Dutch sub near Tarakan takes a pounding from a PB dropping charges. It will survive, but it was an impressive attack from a weak ASW platform.

Bettys join in the bombing of the resolute defenders of Tarakan, and the base is taken.

Manila ground forces are bombed. 10 enemy units are massed just to the south of town.

Singapore airfield is bombed. There are no Allied planes there any more.

In China, near Sinyang, a guerrilla Chinese unit cutting a rail line is destroyed. Also, an empty Loyang is captured. Near Peiping, another guerrilla Chinese unit is kicked off of a rail line, but it survives and will head to a nearby mountain hex.

In Malaysia, Port Dickson is taken.

The most interesting thing this turn is that Japanese battleships approach Wenchow, China to bombard again. He has done this twice before, and I noted his identical approach path. They stopped in the hex that I had dropped mines. No sign of hitting anything. And I have 4 Dutch subs on their path. They've already gone over 2 of them, no sightings. Hopefully they go back the same way they come in. Did report 4 ships this time, so maybe some escorts with them now.

I'd really like to see them hit some mines and/or take a Dutch torpedo or two.

[apbarog]

8 Jan 42

Another sub versus sub encounter, and another set of Japanese torpedoes missing. This was I-9 versus Swordfish near Espirtu Santo.

Battleships Ise and Nagato bombard Wenchow again, right on schedule. No signs of hitting mines inbound or outbound, and none of the four Dutch subs intercept. One sub is spotted. He'll be back, so we stay.

In Burma, the 1st Burma Division is bombed at Pegu. Multiple enemy units are across the river. No sign of movement yet.

2 Allied small xAKL's try to sneak into Balikpapan to pick up some fuel, but Bettys from Menando take them out.

Manus Island, west of Rabaul, is invaded.

A couple of hexes east of Canton, China, a Japanese artillery bombardment occurs. Most of the smaller units that attacked Hong Kong are here. Interesting that it seems that he didn't extract all the unrestricted units, but is using them in China. The probing bombardment shows fairly even odds in the forest.

[BBfanboy]

Subs have a much better chance to intercept if they are patrolling in the hex where his movement ends after the night or day phase. The AI seems to finish moving the Japanese forces before dealing with the Allied ones so the Allied ships/subs have time to make an attack.
I presume intercepts that take place while both TFs are moving are pre-calculated for paths crossing and a chance that they may not see each other despite being in the same hex. But ending up in the same hex practically guarantees an attack will take place.

[apbarog]

9 Jan 42

Pegu swept by Zeros but I have no CAP. Singapore troops bombed. Another bombardment attack east of Canton. And Manus falls. Multiple task forces appear northeast of Kendari. Carriers, probably CVL's, spotted. Subs defending Kendari area, nothing more. The Dutch CL that was damaged in Kendari's port left a few turns ago, and has past Timor southbound. It should be safe. Absolute movement setting seemed to be the trick to prevent it from autodisbanding back into Kendari when I wanted it to leave.

More troops spotted near Pegu in Burma.

That makes sense BBfanboy. I can't put subs into the known approach spot, since I've mined that coastal hex, but I can go right into Wenchow. I will try that next.

[apbarog]

10 Jan 42

US Sub torpedoes Japanese ship! Yes, it can happen. With an S sub. S-39 hits xAK Lima Maru, outbound from Port Moresby. It had troops aboard. Recon makes me believe that the Japanese 4th Infantry Division, which took Port Moresby, was loaded back up and is headed back toward Rabaul. Too early to draw any conclusions from this.

The 1st Burma Division is bombed at Pegu again. The 15th Army is said to be planning a Rangoon attack. It was last seen northeast of Moulmein. I expect a cross-river attack at Pegu soon. The 33rd division was spotted on the trail from Raheng, so he may wait for that unit.

Kendari is invaded. 2 carrier groups protect the landing. One group is just southeast of Kendari, the other is well northeast. Small carriers suspected.

Manila is bombarded by artillery. Assault values shown to be 3 to 1 in favor of the Japanese.

US carriers are east of Christmas Island, and will refuel from tankers at a dot base to the south. They will then proceed west to New Zealand.

Small ARD's, evacuated from Java, are nearing Perth. It's a long slow trip moving just a hex or two a day.

When Kendari falls, Soerbaja will be within Betty range, so the last ships are preparing to leave. One last Brit base force evacuee from Kuantan, north of Singapore, is being airlifted into Batavia. I've evacuated between 25 and 30 units from Malaysia, mostly Indian, some base forces. Most are now scattering in India, covering unoccupied inland bases, some potential coastal invasion sites, boosting air support at Ledo, etc. The Japanese move toward Singapore has not been as fast as it could have been, considering how much I pulled out.

[apbarog]

11 Jan 42

S-23 sights CA Furutaka adjacent to Port Moresby, but 4 torpedoes miss. Near Cape Gloucester, on the other side of New Guinea, SS Seadragon launches 4 torpedoes at CV Shokaku, and gets 2 hits, one of which is a dud. But one is (apparently) not a dud! Some of the best news so far in the war. Carrier task force spotted at Manus later in the day.

Lae and Buna are invaded. There are no defenders.

South of Kendari, Hudsons bomb BB Fuso, but get no hits. This task force, with at least one carrier, is protecting the landings at Kendari, but may stike Java.

6 B-17's make the first strike at Port Moresby's airfield. Zeros are on cap, and 2 bombers are lost.

Manila is attacked with a deliberate attack. The attacks goes at 1 to 1, reducing the forts to 1. Casualties are about 1000 for each side.

At Kendari, a deliberate attack goes at 2 to 1, reducing forts to 0. It will fall tomorrow.

[apbarog]

12 Jan 42

At Kendari, S-37 makes a daring run into the port, but takes hits from some dedicated ASW there. The sub's damage is in the 20's, so it will make it to Soerbaja for repair.

Continuing the good run of sub attacks, or at least attempted attacks, Plunger takes a shot at CV Akagi, headed back towards Truk. All torpedoes miss. Later in the day, Plungers fires at CV Shokaku, getting one hit but it's a dud.

Manila falls. Clark should be a bit tougher for the Japanese.

Kendari falls, as does Lae and Buna.

[apbarog]

13 Jan 42

I-168 takes a shot at SS Seawolf near Milne Bay, but misses.

Singapore is bombed every day now. The Japanese are 2 hexes to the north, up against an Australian unit now. They'll need more than the one unit there now.

Pontianak, on Borneo, falls.

Japanese carriers disappear near Truk, probably there now.

US carriers refuel south of Christmas Island, and head to New Zealand.

[apbarog]

14 Jan 42

Pegu's ground troops are bombed again. 10 enemy units now shown just across the river. The bombing was Bettys escorted by Zeros. I move some of AVG to the area, along with some Buffalos, and long range cap Pegu for this turn.

At Kluong, a couple of hexes north of Singapore, the Imperial Guard Division attacks the 22nd Australian Brigade. The attack goes at 2 to 1, reducing the forts to 1. Japanese casualties are 142, Australian 19. A big stack of units is one hex further north, so the delay will be a few days at most.

East of Canton, a bit of a Japanese offensive becomes apparent, with a few units appearing, coming from the coastal towns.

S-38 tries to get greedy and moves directly into Lingayen. It attacks a destroyer escorting transports, misses, and is then sunk by depth charges and guns. This is the first Allied sub loss of the war.

[apbarog]

China 15 Jan 42

[apbarog]

Burma 15 Jan 42

[apbarog]

Borneo and Philippines 15 Jan 42

[apbarog]

Malaya 15 Jan 42

[apbarog]

15 Jan 42

US DD's find a sub poking around Pearl Harbor. They had disappeared for a couple of weeks, but one is back. Engaged but little damage on it.

Horn Island is invaded and taken. I didn't see the ships coming, and didn't note that there would be a shock attack when they did. I lost the base, and a squadron of Australian Catalinas, 6 planes lost. Coastal guns do get a few good hits on a couple of xAP's, setting one on fire, the other with heavy fires, and causing some minor troop casualties. I haven't used the Torres Straights for weeks, so it's a minor concern to me. I will target the base from time to time, until he puts fighters there. It's a clear hex and is an easy target, right now for B-17's, later for others when nearer Australian bases are built up. Assuming I own them and he doesn't, of course.

At Kluong, 2 hexes north of Singapore, the Imperial Guard bombard instead of attacking, and do very minor damage, but the AV's have swung more favorably for the Japanese, and he'll attack either next turn with the Guard, or in a few turns when reinforcements arrive.

The last of the air units evacuated from Singapore to Java make it to Perth on ships.

I've heavily reinforced Christmas Island in the Line Islands, but have not reinforced elsewhere yet, other than New Zealand and Australia proper. I have, however, expanded my search coverage, using AVP's/AVD's. I do not put them in size 0 ports. There used to be a bug where ships in size 0 ports could not be spotted by recon. I don't know if this is still true, but I choose to only use size 1 or larger ports. I have coverage in the Noumea area, and small islands north of Suva. I will soon have coverage on the islands in the triangle Brisbane, Noumea, and Auckland. Other places like Suva and Pago Pago are, of course, covered also.

The first US air units that deployed from the East Coast to Cape Town are arriving. 5 units will arrive in the next 5 days, then all will be loaded up and go to India.

Another self imposed limit of my game has to do with off-map movement. I do not use Full speed on off-map task forces. I feel that this is an exploit since no damage or fuel is used when doing this. Doesn't feel right to me, so I don't do it. I also do not move restricted units off-map without paying the political points first. The rule is having to pay crossing borders, and to me, off-map borders are still borders.

Not saying this is the "right" thing to do, or the best thing, just my interpretation of things and the way I'm playing it.

[Bullwinkle58]

Horn Island is a key for isolating Darwin. Supplies DO NOT flow up the track from Alice Springs. If you don't care about losing Darwin then losing Horn is no big deal. If you want to keep Darwin (hard ) you'd better get supplies moving from the Perth side now.