Lessons Maybe Learned - Vicberg(J) v. Sniper(A) - DBBC - No Sniper Pls

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: vicberg

Lesson Learned #3 - Push, Push Push it, Push it real good

The game with Bill will be a lesson if Japan can defend a historical (roughly) perimeter and my guess is no. But we'll see.

This is perhaps the most prudent way to play Japan. Less than historical expansion, tenacious offensive defense. But almost nobody plays that way.

[vicberg]

Lesson Learned #6 - Never ever ever use ETRE with another Verb

That's from my 7th grade French class. But since it has nothing to do with WITP

Lesson Learned #6 - Never ever ever shock attack across a major river into an Urban Hex unless you absolutely have to

Crossed with 2 division into Changsha, both were decimated. Then did it AGAIN with 2 more. Stock Market lesson played out twice with Bill. No matter how many times you make the same mistake you can always make it one more time. Also, have learned about stacking limit. Bill mentioned there's a roll when over-stacked to determine if the over-stack is disrupted or not. Didn't know that. So when attacking an over-stacked hex, hit it bombers and bombardments and wait. Also, don't get upset at the game system. It's sensitive.

[vicberg]

Lesson Learned #7 - Concentrate Firepower at the point of attack or defense

I have had stuff scattered to the four winds in my game with Bill, again because of Lesson #5 or lack thereof. Don't have a plan then don't take a dump. Concentrate Planes where needed. Concentrate Surface Fleets where needed. I've taken horrendous losses in Burma against Bill before I got enough juice there. So, this time, focus focus focus. My wee little brain is getting a headache already.

Again, with a plan, easier to focus firepower and manpower.

[vicberg]

Lesson Learned #8 - Never speak about fight club

This is actually more relevant than it seems. If I told anyone about the time and effort I put into this single game, someone would have me committed.

[vicberg]

December 14th, 1942

Crappers!

He's one of THESE types of players. Crud. Now I'm going to have to micro-manage movement.

He shock attacked at Wenchow and caught me in move mode. And look at all the aggressive Chinese Movements! Oh boy...

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 11593 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 418

Defending force 14753 troops, 114 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 435

Allied adjusted assault: 1296

Japanese adjusted defense: 355

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
3505 casualties reported
Squads: 51 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 100 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 13 (8 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (4 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
329 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
100th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force

Defending units:
22nd Division
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment

[witpqs]

December 14th, 1942

Crappers!

He's one of THESE types of players.

Here's an "attaboy" for 'im! [:D]

[vicberg]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

December 14th, 1942

Crappers!

He's one of THESE types of players.

Here's an "attaboy" for 'im! [:D]

Yes, this is bringing back flashbacks. No it's not Nam and I wasn't on drugs. It's playing YOU. Clark Field keeps repeating in my mind. Ichang. Caught in move mode.

So much for a more "quiet" China.

[JocMeister]

That is a nice move by your opponent catching you off guard! In my experience though being aggressive in China as the Chinese never ends up well. So if he keeps it up be ready to exploit that.

[vicberg]

December 15th, 1942

Holy Hyper-Aggressiveness Batman!

Aren't I supposed to be the aggressor since I started this war? 2 Allied TFs within range of Truk. There's Zeroes and Netties in Truk but no Air HQ (1 day away). Still going to attack. Also, 3 SCTF in Truk (CA and CL) and I'm going to do a no guts no glory move and see if I can swamp one of these TFs.

Japanese starting airpower in this mod just sucks. Only 2 Sentai and one partial of zeroes an no airbases big enough to upgrade the Claudes. I pushed the partial Sentai of Zeroes (18) and 2 Sentai of Netties into Bangkok, but since nada is going on there, they are transferring.

Good to see my Naval Search is doing well. Showing 10 CVs between the two TFs. Didn't know US had that many at start of war [X(]

[vicberg]

A stroll in the Park

According to Nav Search, yet more CVs. Number is up to 12 CVs [:)]. Not sure if this is the Saratoga out of SD.

[vicberg]

The Mess In China

Cannot be contained in a single picture. He massing at Kweisui. Luckily, I have the 26th Div formed there with 2 more brigades 40 miles to the east. Was able to beat him out of Sinyang with 12k of Chinese losses. And look at all the interior movements. Looks to be trying to hold up the rail lines for as long as possible.

[vicberg]

Holy More Hyper-Aggression Batman

And now 2 cities along the coast. 4 Japanese BBs happened to be 80 miles away, so they diverted and caused about 500 casualties in Foochow. And I was really really hoping for a more quiet China this time.

[vicberg]

Lesson Learned #9 - Why aren't they running away?

With the KB in the west, I wasn't expecting this degree of aggression in the East. Have to move fast without the KB and be ready for this. For whatever reason (and no Air HQ) I have torpedoes in Truk, so next turn should be interesting. 45 Zeroes and 2 Sentai of Nells will hopefully launch against something tomorrow.

Also, the 24th Flotilla is on Roi-Namur. So I'm moving the other large Zero Sentai and Netties to Truk and Roi-Namur to deal with this menace. I also have about 15 subs in the area which will converge. If I can get some damage in, damaged ships might not be able to get away.

And in a no guts no glory move, I'm sending out 3 SCTF to hopefully engage with one of these TFs around Truk.

[BillBrown]

You should have a Command HQ at Truk, they will also supply torpedoes to the hex they are in.

[vicberg]

I don't think so. I saw 2 naval hq. I thought I read something about level 7 ports provide torps. I'll check

[vicberg]

December 16th, 1942

This guy is causing me fits...Foochow falls to the Chinese and Amoy may be next.

Foochow fell to the Chinese. Amoy may be next. I may have to divert some of the 14th Army to deal with this.

Ichang Holds - Barely

Ground combat at Ichang (83,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 64992 troops, 351 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1737

Defending force 15825 troops, 116 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 514

Allied adjusted assault: 1956

Japanese adjusted defense: 1132

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1553 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 162 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7274 casualties reported
Squads: 215 destroyed, 263 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 57 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 62 (7 destroyed, 55 disabled)

Chachow Holds - Barely

Ground combat at Chaochow (81,61)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 9104 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 385

Defending force 1254 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Allied adjusted assault: 41

Japanese adjusted defense: 17

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
129 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
210 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Rabaul Holds - Barely

After an Allied SCTF bombardment and Carrier Bombardment

Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1261 troops, 16 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 33

Defending force 3301 troops, 38 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 73

Allied adjusted assault: 21

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-), morale(-)

Japanese ground losses:
164 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

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

Assaulting units:
Lark Force
B Coy/NG Rifles
Rabaul Base Force

Defending units:
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
Yokosuka 4th SNLF

Didn't Need a Pearl Harbor

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Truk at 117,107

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G3M2 Nell x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 2 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee, Torpedo hits 1
BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 3
BB West Virginia

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

And yet more

Night Naval bombardment of Kwajalein Island at 132,115 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 2 damaged

68 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 16
BB Arizona
BB Oklahoma
BB Nevada, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
379 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (4 destroyed, 11 disabled)

[vicberg]

Oh What Fun

CenPac

He bombarded the wrong port. Roi-Namur already had the Air HQ transferred to it, so Netties have moved in and if I'm lucky will be able to strike at that force. One Allied BB partially damaged, the rest are fine, but I doubt any air cover. Question is, can that transfer occur before they are able to escape?

Solomons

At Truk, we'll be able to sortie again. I've moved out all shipping and another question is whether he'll risk the 288 defensive mines and CD guns there. We'll see. More zeroes and netties are moving to the region. Assuming that Rabual falls, I took Kavieng and that's going to have to become my main staging base for that region prior to anything else happening unfortunately that starts as a 0 airfield. . I have 3 SCTFs. I may have to risk pushing them down in the hopes of finding carriers and the SCTF.

This may force me to steam the KB to Truk. Unfortunately, there are NO bases other than Hong Kong big enough to replenish the KB. Crap!

[Sayarf22]

This may force me to steam the KB to Truk. Unfortunately, there are NO bases other than Hong Kong big enough to replenish the KB. Crap!

You shoud have some AKE ships from the start - send them

[vicberg]

One AKE and its in CAM now. But it's going to take days to reload everything.

[vicberg]

Lesson Learned #10 - Subs are nice, why don't you use them?

I just suck at sub combat. Most of my subs sit around in port because, 1) they are a nightmare to get setup correctly, 2) they seems to get nailed now in my game with Bill, 3) Not quite sure where to place them. So in this game, I'm not going to worry about the odd commerce AK or TK and rather focus on using them in an attack or denial role in an operational area. So 15 subs are converging on the Allied TFs in Cenpac/SoPac and more are coming.

Maryland BB shows up on Sunk List. Yay!