A Japanese Debacle - Sqz (J) vs. fcharton (A)

[pontiouspilot]

Come on lemonade cheer up....it's only seasonal affective disorder...we all suffer it in this country.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Come on lemonade cheer up...

Ha! I'll cheer up when I start actually capturing some bases after I achieve 2:1 odds and higher, rather than getting bogged down and having to grind it out against crappy Dutch forces.

[SqzMyLemon]

I'm not getting much information about Sydney from Glen equipped subs. A preliminary report indicates six Allied LCU's present, but who knows how accurate the information is.

[Lowpe]

Looking forward to the invasion.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Looking forward to the invasion.

Just need the next turn. [8D]

Too bad Francois is busy with work right when things are about to get crazy.

[JocMeister]

Unless he has prepared from T1 one you should do fine. I also think speed is a better allies for you right now then firepower.

[SqzMyLemon]

I just received the next turn from Francois. Next update I'll provide the Japanese landing and naval force dispositions. [8D]

[Lowpe]

I feel pretty confident of the Oz adventure, it coming so darn fast & I agree with Jocke that early on speed is your friend as long as you have a air control.

Good luck!

[FeurerKrieg]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

I'm not getting much information about Sydney from Glen equipped subs. A preliminary report indicates six Allied LCU's present, but who knows how accurate the information is.

Most of the Glens and other float planes start with units that have really low recon scores. If you have the time, you can use the reserve pool to switch some recon pilots over to your Glens.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Looking forward to the invasion.

+1

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Feurer Krieg

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

I'm not getting much information about Sydney from Glen equipped subs. A preliminary report indicates six Allied LCU's present, but who knows how accurate the information is.

Most of the Glens and other float planes start with units that have really low recon scores. If you have the time, you can use the reserve pool to switch some recon pilots over to your Glens.

+1
Since I use my glens almost exclusively for recon, I swap them out for recon pilots as soon as they hit their first port of call.

[SqzMyLemon]

Dec. 31/41:

A disaster. Due to my incompetence so far this game, my Rockhampton invasion force is ambushed by two Australian cruisers. My main amphibious assault TF transporting IJA 144th Rgt. ends up retreating towards Rabaul and is now out of position. The amphibious support TF goes in at Rockhampton as planned covered by a small SCTF. Tomorrow is going to be a real !@#$ show. Kiss the air bridge goodbye. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rockhampton at 100,152, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Fukui Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
PB Hakkaisan Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Shoei Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Shotoku Maru, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
xAK Matsue Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Venice Maru
xAK Cheribon Maru
xAK Daifuku Maru
xAK Daihachikyo Maru
xAK Daijukyo Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Kuraido Maru
xAK Macassar Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Nittai Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Shinsei Maru

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CL Perth

Japanese ground losses:
919 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Poor visibility due to Rain with 96% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 96% moonlight: 6,000 yards

[SqzMyLemon]

The pending debacle in Australia. Here's the position of KB and the amphibious invasion forces. Disruption is high, fuel is low and I expect the initial landings to take heavy losses.



I'm playing like a donkey.

[SqzMyLemon]

I have lost all confidence. I can't stop making stupid mistakes and every turn just seems to get worse. Kudos to Francois, he's totally kicking my ass at the moment.

[Lowpe]

What does the opposition look like at Rockhampton?

The southern invasion may do better...maybe no opposition?

[SqzMyLemon]

An Allied SCTF is spotted southwest of Balikpapan heading northeast on the 31st. Japanese naval air fails to launch at a range of 13 hexes. I know it's a longshot, but it would be nice to catch a break once in awhile.

I presume this to be the same 9 cruiser TF that bombarded a few days ago coming for another milk run. This time I have a SCTF in place at Samarinda to intercept. I have 4 CA's, 1 CL and 7 DD's under RDM. Tanaka set to pounce. I'm out gunned, but what the heck. I've set the reaction range to zero though as I don't want to inadvertently drift into Balikpapan in case it's mined. I figure Tanaka will react into it anyway with his high aggression.

Maybe I'll get lucky and catch the Allied TF after it bombards. Yeah right. [:D]

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What does the opposition look like at Rockhampton?

The southern invasion may do better...maybe no opposition?

I think it's a 6 AV base force that starts the game there. The problem is my troops are heavily disrupted upon landing and I felt an attack would be suicidal. I expect Francois to make the right move and attack which may wipe my force out. Rockhampton was to be my air bridge. It's not the end of the world, but it does mean no parachute landing to isolate reinforcements from reaching Sydney. I should have provided more support, but what is available is trying to rearm at Truk. Elements of IJA 1st Division have just left Babeldoab and by the time the TF reaches Manus I'll have a strong SCTF to escort.

The rearming debacle has upset my entire operations across the map. I just have to bend over and take it right now until I can rearm, unlike the Allies who have no such worries right now.

[SqzMyLemon]

Depending on when Francois sends the next turn, if I don't post a Jan. 1 update in the next few days it's one of two things. I haven't received the next turn yet, or I'm crying in the corner somewhere in a deep state of depression. [:D]

[PaxMondo]

Joseph,

This is a huge operation that you are undertaking, far larger than anything I have ever tried. I know I would have to sandbox this for months before I could attempt to pull it off. Kudos to you for this attempt.

Having said that, pretty sure you knew this was a high risk/high reward operation. No reason to be depressed ... just play the rolls the way the come out. You've got a couple of poor ones so far ... you may catch a couple of good ones here soon. Who knows what Gary will give you! [;)]

[Lowpe]

I don't think the Allies will attack at Rockhampton...but that is my guess not having seen the replay.

I still think there is a good chance of pulling this off...but you are going to break a few eggs in doing it. Don't sweat the little setbacks.