Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am guessing some may escape over the road before I attack, and I am not sure what the forts are at Ankang, minimum 3 I am thinking.[&:]

I'd be surprised if you were facing forts at all in Ankang. Ankang will not draw supply for the Chinese in any way from my experience, same occurs at Tuyun. Those are two definite weak points to exploit.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am guessing some may escape over the road before I attack, and I am not sure what the forts are at Ankang, minimum 3 I am thinking.[&:]

I'd be surprised if you were facing forts at all in Ankang. Ankang will not draw supply for the Chinese in any way from my experience, same occurs at Tuyun. Those are two definite weak points to exploit.

It depends on what's there, vs. what is elsewhere.

[Lowpe]

We are attacking at Ankang...after heavy aerial bombardments. Chinese outnumber the IJA by 120k to 30K....we will see what happens. I have engineers ready to be flown in to grow Ankang. Will be an important forward air base. Good thing Sonias/Ann can be flown out immediately.

Continuing our mad dash around Calcutta...let us see how Jocke defends here. One of the British subs put a fish into a CL on the bombardment force for Diamond Harbor, so we will take a break today, bring in some more ASW.

BBs are bombarding Kodiak. I should be able to really pound the Americans here.

KB steaming into dangerous waters. A Jake spotted a sub nearbye...so Jocke knows something is up.

Five bomber Sentai's preparing for stepped up bombing of North America.

[Lowpe]

Currently, I have 25 Nicks in the Pool. One full squadron in North America, Another in India, and a Chutai in India.

I have let the Nicks in India do a little bombing, with minimal ground bombing training they do remarkable well. The Chutai will start bombing Ledo (no enemy air) in another day.

Tojo IIb just advanced another month; Tojo IIa starts in June as will the Oscar IIa. I have already pre-positioned a ftr squadrons at Anchorage and on the western front where it will upgrade to Tojo IIa. Production will start at 60 planes per month, which I think will be sufficient given the Allies avoidance of the air war.

The A6M3A is at 11/42 and moving forward nicely; while the A6M5 is already at 12/42 (or will be in a day).

Some recent bombing results:
Afternoon Air attack on Tenasserim BAF Battalion, at 53,34 (Asansol)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
189 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x Ki-45 KAIa Nick bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 1st Chinese Corps, at 82,42 (Ankang)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 16
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 35
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
593 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 1st Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 1st Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 1st Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 1st Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...

[Lowpe]

Not unexpected. The battle results after massive aerial bombing. The Allies were overstacked by a factor of 3.

[Lowpe]

Due to sub spottings with Jakes, Jocke must know the KB is within striking distance of LA. It seems all the fighters are gone from the Pacific Northwest.

I have 5 sentai of bombers up there now...lets see what kind of damage I can do.

[Lowpe]

Advance recon for the KB...

[Lowpe]

As I expected, the Chinese defenders of Ankang, those poor, dispirited, routed mass of humanity, for they stopped being troops long ago, routed towards the safety of Sian. You have to understand your route paths...

The IJA will continue their march north, along the road, into the mountains with the goal of cutting the Chinese in half. We will see how far I can get before the Chinese mount serious resistance. The mountains I am guessing...

[Lowpe]

Admiral Halsey, at CINCPAC in San Fran receives the telegram:

FLASH: Catalina Patrol Boats have sighted massive enemy carrier fleet 360 miles west of San Diego. This is not a drill. Estimated enemy air strength over 700 planes. Enemy purpose unknown.

[Lowpe]

Hit in the north and the south. Oh, my.

[witpqs]

What's the point of hitting Bakersfield?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

What's the point of hitting Bakersfield?

300 victory points for the loss of one plane from ops.

We are trying to persuade the American Population to make an honorable peace.[8D]

Victory Point ratio is very close to 3.3 to 1. Luzon is almost all starved, Clark AF Base is being hammered by heavy artillery -- the Stuart tank units are down to 0 AV. In four more days I will buy out a crack infantry division from Manchuko and then begin attacks in Luzon.

[witpqs]

Ah! Good idea! [:D]

[Lowpe]

Well, it is now June 1942: time keeps flying by.

Today, I started the month long conversion of 3 xAK to AKV. I have not given up on my dream of a West Coast invasion in Nov/Dec of 1942. I will probably make 3 more.

Jocke has a lot of land units up around Canada so that part of the diversion is working.

Jocke sees my troops running in India...so I suspect that is where he will send a large number of US troops to counter.

VP ratio is 3.3 and growing nicely, so it is a clear threat for AV. As time goes by this will force Jocke to do something.

However, instead of reinforcing India...I will be taking forces from Luzon; free forces in China; and funneling them into an invasion that is targeted at taking San Diego and whatever else I can around Dec of 1942.

I have started earmarking divisions for the invasion; I am still building xAPs to help and in fact get many within this next month.

I will need many divisions, paratroops, artillery, engineers and AT guns. AKVs to unload air force fighters quickly, it will be an out and out blood bath especially in the Air. Air losses I suspect will be exceptionally high.

My biggest worry is figuring out how to counter SigInt that Allies get. Both on ship destinations, and infantry prep for the landing sites.

Whatever goofy or serious plans Jocke devises in the latter half of 42 will be met with little forces and land based planes. I expect some kind of attack either in India or SRA or Oz or NG.

I am especially leery of Jocke using his carriers to attack SRA...an attempted thrust at Palembang for example.

Will be interesting.[;)]

[sfatula]

Well, newbie here, but, been reading this from the start. It will be very interesting to see a WC invasion. I have been looking for any AARs where someone may have done it before, at least San Diego, have yet to find one. I know end of 42 is a long way away, still will be following. SigInt will be a challenge I am sure. Good Luck!

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: sfatula

Well, newbie here, but, been reading this from the start. It will be very interesting to see a WC invasion. I have been looking for any AARs where someone may have done it before, at least San Diego, have yet to find one. I know end of 42 is a long way away, still will be following. SigInt will be a challenge I am sure. Good Luck!

The only one that I recall was someone more or less just trying it out. It didn't work, but it wasn't part of a last minute surge for auto-victory. It will be very interesting to watch this one!

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

... My biggest worry is figuring out how to counter SigInt that Allies get. Both on ship destinations, and infantry prep for the landing sites...

1. You can use waypoints to disguise your task force destinations.

For example a task force could start from Pearl Harbor with destination of Pago Pago but waypoint #1 is set to be a few hexes short of the actual landing site on the West Coast. To avoid the TF resuming it's course towards Pago after reaching the waypoint, set a loitering delay for waypoint #1. Also take into account the range and location of Allied air search assets as it would be rather inconvenient for the TF to be discovered en route to it's waypoint. Notwithstanding the increased risk, travelling silent ie no active search planes or defensive CAP from the accompanying CVs and BBs/cruisers would also have to be employed.

2. You should also employ decoy invasion TFs.

The destination of the decoys should be well away from the real landing site. Include some heavy LCUs with the decoy destination as their objective even though they are intended to be second wave follow up forces for the real invasion. You can subsequently reset their objective whilst at sea. Make certain the decoys are spotted. Ideally the enemy takes the bait and moves reserves to cover a landing in Canada/Oregon which will give you a few days breathing space at the real landing site in California. You can race the decoys to the real landing site probably quicker than the enemy can recall the troops sent up north.

3. As part of the invasion maskirovka for a few days before "landing", switch your aircraft to port attack missions to hit coastal guns first and defending LCUs second at the decoy invasion site. Surrounding airfields would be targeted with airfield attack.

4. There is nothing you can do about hiding the LCU objective except for one very dangerous gamble. Very highly experienced LCUs can now retain a part of their previous objective level when switched to a new objective. Not recommended as far too risky for the sort of operation you have in mind but an option. Obviously best employed with any decoy LCUs.

5. In deciding what will be the decoy invasion site, pay close attention to the transportation network.

Remember USMC and USN LCUs cannot employ strategic road movement but can employ strategic railway movement. Also take into account the static coastal gun locations. Choosing a poorly defended static coastal gun position for the decoy site lends greater credibility to the maskirovka. Especially if some LCUs have an adjacent non base hex as their objective; the "intention" being to cut off enemy reinforcing LCUs from employing strategic movement into the decoy site.

Alfred

[Lowpe]

Thanks Alfred, very helpful indeed.[&o]

I mentioned earlier that I am building xaps, in fact I get 10 in June, 1 in Aug, 1 in Oct (probably will accelerate her). This upcoming operation will strain Japan to her very limits of shipping.

Here is a look at my CV builds. I am foregoing the super heavy battleships, and will look to maximize my carrier fleet for planned Nov 1942 usage.

Also, you will notice I will have a lot of carriers before 44. This, and the focus on the Frank A will hope to really put a damper on aggressive Allied operations for a potential AV on Jan 44 where the threshold is 3-1. This is the fail safe, in case I have to abort the West Coast Invasion for whatever reason.

In a lot of ways, given this games great start, the 44 auto victory seems easier to accomplish than the 43. Does that make sense? Does to me; but we will still plan on the 43 AV.

[Lowpe]

Nice little naval battle off India...

[Lowpe]

I had the perfect strike against these guys...well escorted, fighters swept ahead, all but two bombers got thru and not a single torpedo strike. Such is the fickle fates of war.

The Allied TF managed to sink 3 one point PB and a 2 point SC.

We will see if I can do something about them today.

Over in North America: The Allies bomb unescorted Coal Harbor against 60+ Zeroes. We down 10 4E beasties and 10 B25s (first appearance) but they do 70 runway damage. Over 100 bombers hit me, many destroyed on the ground.

We strike Calgary oil fields and also a repair yard near San Francisco.

Not a great air day, but a solid plus 160 victory points climbing that victory point higher and higher.