Tale of the Sheep! - JocMeister (A) vs. Lowpe (J)

[CaptBeefheart]

Do you have plenty of supply stockpiled in Calcutta?

Cheers,
CC

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

Do you have plenty of supply stockpiled in Calcutta?

Cheers,
CC

Can not get it to draw more than 110k [:(]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]China[/font]
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In a stroke of luck the stack retreats towards Sian! Praise the gaming gods! [&o]

This will hopefully buy me some time. Another month if I´m lucky! I´m desperately trying to throw up another defensive line. This one won´t be strong though as I have to rely on troops which are far from combat ready. My main problem besides supply is lack of troops. Jeff have grinded my troops down way faster then they recover and I´m now at the point when I´m out of troops. I have more then 20 Corps resting at Chungking. None which have more then 100 AV.

I started pulling some of the better Corps from the Sian area about a month ago and they will help bolster the defense around Chungking for as long as possible. But the end is here now.

I´ll defend the woods to the East for as long as I can. I´ll stay and fight at Chungking but I have to be careful to leave just enough to not inspire Jeff to use it as a VP generator but still enough to damage the industry. By our HR I can´t strat bomb China at any point in the war so I must make sure the industry is wrecked on its capture.

In the South I´m still holding up but I´ve already siphoned off too much during the war and I´m thin in most places. The Sian area is extremely lightly held. Once he breaks through the roadblocks I have nothing left to defend with.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]VP situation[/font]
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Not looking stellar right now but I´m not overly worried. Jeff can possibly harvest around 10-15k VPs which would put him in the 35k range. Not enough for AV in 43.

I have a VP ace up my sleeve too that I will play once the timing is right.

[njp72]

Yep I agree you should be fine.

I was looking at my scores against Mike (wargmr) which were quite similar and I just couldn't get 4:1 despite over running China, strat bombing Oz and even capturing Tasmania.

Just don't lose capital ships (especially CVs) and you won't have too much to worry about.

You are also doing quite well in the air which has to help as well.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]VP situation[/font]
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Not looking stellar right now but I´m not overly worried. Jeff can possibly harvest around 10-15k VPs which would put him in the 35k range. Not enough for AV in 43.

I have a VP ace up my sleeve too that I will play once the timing is right.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Yep I agree you should be fine.

I was looking at my scores against Mike (wargmr) which were quite similar and I just couldn't get 4:1 despite over running China, strat bombing Oz and even capturing Tasmania.

Just don't lose capital ships (especially CVs) and you won't have too much to worry about.

You are also doing quite well in the air which has to help as well.

Looked back at my game against Mr.Kane and on June 1st things looked very different from this game. He had a 4,3:1 ratio with 27k Japanese VPs vs allied 6500. Obviously the big difference is with the Allied VPs. I have 1500 more in this game which amounts to 6000 Japanese VPs The "extra" VPs come from ship and air losses mostly suffered at PH. I surrendered that game although many said I could still avoid AV. Not so sure I could have but either way Tom beat me so thoroughly I was mentally spent.

My VPs will probably dip a little bit lower before it start rising though but this time I´m fairly sure I can avoid AV. At least barring a huge allied disaster! Worth to note here is also that a great deal of the Japanese VPs are from base points. These can´t be held on forever. Especially those in NORPAC will have to be abandoned eventually.

Looking at my own games and most AARs an Allied VP count of around 10-12k VP seems pretty normal and that is what I´m aiming for. Even if Jeff really gets the Strat bombing going on the WC I think getting 15-20k more VPs is beyond reach.

Will be interesting to see if he keeps shooting for AV all the way to end or if he starts pulling back to better positions if it becomes apparent AV will be impossible.

[Lokasenna]

I could've told you that the stack would retreat towards Sian - it was the next nearest base to which they had a path [;)].

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I could've told you that the stack would retreat towards Sian - it was the next nearest base to which they had a path [;)].

I´ll stop sacrificing my pets and ask you instead! [:D]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]India[/font]
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Huge sigh of relief here!!! [&o]

Ground combat at Asansol (53,34)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 48158 troops, 604 guns, 256 vehicles, Assault Value = 1460

Defending force 177 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 778

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 778 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Asansol !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
38th Division
4th Guards Division
5th Division
17th Indpt Guards Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
16th AA Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /5
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
20th AA Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st RF Gun Bn /1

Only 3 IDs with his massive stack trying to flank Calcutta. I was sure it was more because he was moving so aggressively. I can easily hold it with what I already have there despite the lower quality troops. Forts and UH terrain will take care of that.

This really gives me room to maneuver with my offensive stack. Now for the big question. How do I play this? Do I go all in and try to strangle him at Chittagong by striking south toward Dacca or do I just cut in behind him to the N/NE?

I´ll probably go for the second option. If I can trap him between Calcutta and my offensive stack that would be best.

PS. The 4th Guards ID was a relatively weak one with 50/50 wasn´t it?

Map in post #1079.

[Lokasenna]

It was... but it might have more XP now . And Morale recovers quickly enough when the unit first arrives.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

It was... but it might have more XP now . And Morale recovers quickly enough when the unit first arrives.

As long as its not one of those 80 EXP ones I´m happy. [:D]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]May 31st[/font]
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Turns were flying on Wednesday and we reach the last day of May.

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NORPAC
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KB keeps on station outside LA/SD. Sadly for me Jeff finally figured out how to strat bomb. He is now hitting targets directly rather then hitting MAN. This has gained him a whooping 400 VPs in just 2 days. Not. Good.

Morning Air attack on Bakersfield , at 223,74

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 117
B5N1 Kate x 53
B5N2 Kate x 156

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged

Oil hits 57

I have to try and put an end to this. There has been no sweeps proceeding the bombings so tomorrow 274 Allied fighter will be on LRCAP from LA. Its all I have.

3rd US ID arrives at SD from Vancouver. Doesn´t look like an invasion due to the KB setup but he could have his transports just out of search range. SD has 1300 AV and level 4.6 forts. LA 900 AV and 3.91 forts.

Jeff also strikes out from Coal Harbor doing good damage in Seattle. But flak knocks down 11 Jap planes. Taking a bit of a gamble here tomorrow as recon sporadically show very few fighters. I think he moves them out to make room for bombers. 150 Allied bombers will come in low over CH tomorrow to hit the airfield there.

Fingers crossed. Tomorrow could be glorious or a big setback. I give it 50/50.

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India
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Jeff makes the decision for me. His big stack moves even further West. My offensive stack moves NE towards Asansol which he just captured. My weaker stack will start moving towards Patna to cut off his armor.

First naval action of the Indian coast is expected tomorrow as CL force will strike his ASW shipping outside Chittagong. The TF will then retire to Calcutta. It is LRCAPed by 150 Fighers. With some luck they will trigger a Nell/Betty strike which run into the CAP.

I decided to move the 1st Marines to CT despite the possible threat of invasion on the WC shortly. I think if an invasion was coming Jeff wouldn´t have gone in so bomber heavy with the KB but rather fighter heavy. Its a bit of a gamble but I really want more boots on the ground in India.

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China
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Quiet for now but I see lots of movements in the south around Kweilin and Tuyun. And given crappy recon I probably only see a tenth of everything moving... I´ve set the few reinforcements I have left down here in motion.


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SOPAC
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A huge amount of engineers just arrived at Cristobal. They will go to OZ and SOPAC and start base expansion for a possible autumn offensive down here. Targets are still to be decided. Will use the weekend to decide targets, allocate forces and set a timetable.

Looking into everything from a small expansion into the Solomons to a direct landing on Java and everything in between.

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Current situation
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Tomorrow will be very important. I need to put a dent in KBs striking power or this could cost me a huge amount of VPs. Failing that if I can close the airfield at Coal Harbor Jeff would have to move the KB back in to provide CAP until it can be reopened. 400 VPs in 3 days is not sustainable in the long run for me.

I need some good fortune tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]WC raid![/font]
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[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]June 1st -1942[/font]
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Update coming in a couple of hours. In case you were so excited you were refreshing my AAR every couple of minutes I can reveal that we did mostly good. [;)]

KB strike is untouched since it shifted target knocking out 104 (!!) repair yard points. But we shot down a lot of planes today over Calcutta. 3 Jap Destroyers humbled my CL force though but no losses. 3 PBs and SC also sunk. The B17s went almost straight through 60 Zeroes on CAP over Coal Harbor hitting a lot of planes on the ground. Not only damaged but many, many destroyed. Probably 30+ destroyed. Most have been heavily overstacked. I think my bombers should have gotten back at a reasonable state.

But I don´t think the AF is closed. Only about 40 runway hits. Might go again tomorrow depending on the bombers.

[ny59giants]

Depending on fatigue and morale, I would set your fighters on 40% CAP and maybe 30% LRCAP and hope AI makes the right choice.

Double check the leadership qualities of the Air HQs around LA. This might help. [;)]

[Lokasenna]

That's a lot of fighters. Simple numbers should cause unacceptable losses to him, if he strikes again without sweeps. They look to be decent pilots.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Depending on fatigue and morale, I would set your fighters on 40% CAP and maybe 30% LRCAP and hope AI makes the right choice.

Double check the leadership qualities of the Air HQs around LA. This might help. [;)]

I prefer not to leave anything up to the AI if I can! [:D]

Jeff is playing smart here switching targets...need luck to capture him.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

That's a lot of fighters. Simple numbers should cause unacceptable losses to him, if he strikes again without sweeps. They look to be decent pilots.

Yeah if I can catch him and he doesn´t sweep. If he hits my LRCAP with a sweep I´ll probably lose 50+ fighters.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Airlosses[/font]
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This got to sting a bit.

[BBfanboy]

Awesome! You took out a lot of Nells and Betties on the ground - when you first mentioned about 30 A/C on the ground at Coal Harbour I was thinking the more numerous/less capable Sallies and Lilys. Taking out so many long range aircraft will limit the targets he can reach. Any indication of the damage to Coal Harbour?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Awesome! You took out a lot of Nells and Betties on the ground - when you first mentioned about 30 A/C on the ground at Coal Harbour I was thinking the more numerous/less capable Sallies and Lilys. Taking out so many long range aircraft will limit the targets he can reach. Any indication of the damage to Coal Harbour?

Not sure. It might be open or closed. Taking a chance and flying again tomorrow. Hope I can hit some disabled AC stuck on the ground if its closed...if its open...ouch!