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

[pontiouspilot]

How can the forces of evil suck the good guys into a disastrous carrier battle??? I am encouraging our friend to try and make fresh squeezed outa Tang crystals!! Anybody old enough to remember Tang?

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

How can the forces of evil suck the good guys into a disastrous carrier battle??? I am encouraging our friend to try and make fresh squeezed outa Tang crystals!! Anybody old enough to remember Tang?

If you wanted to be an astronaut it was what you drank. I remember it tasted like orange crap....

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

How can the forces of evil suck the good guys into a disastrous carrier battle??? I am encouraging our friend to try and make fresh squeezed outa Tang crystals!! Anybody old enough to remember Tang?

If you wanted to be an astronaut it was what you drank. I remember it tasted like orange crap....

However, 1/4 Tang and 3/4 Vodka in a plastic backpack bottle makes for good fun around a campfire deep into the wilderness under a full bed of stars.

*chuckling*

Best Regards,

-Terry

[SqzMyLemon]

Having another night to sleep on things, I believe withdrawing from Australia is the right call considering my overall situation. The idea was overambitious and wasn't a smart decision to undertake with my compete lack of experience with how the game play is completely different under DBB. There's no point trying to pinpoint any particular reason, but factor them all together and it's clear I was overwhelmed, yet still trying to play the game based on my own previous experiences. Big mistake.

So, back to the drawing board. I have to live with providing Francois with the emergency reinforcement package. Meh, whatever. I have to address the holes in my tactics and restore the situation if I'm going to last for any meaningful length of time. I'll start providing details on how I plan to better my overall position. I believe I had the right idea and with better execution and understanding of how I needed to change my game play within DBB, I think I could have done it. Oh well. Live and learn.

I'll still never play a DBB scenario again though. I don't like it.

[SqzMyLemon]

A question. How long do you think a Japanese player can leave Burma alone? I'm talking Rangoon and leaving the Burma Road open. It's my concern over Burma that has me wanting to pull the plug on Australia. I'd like to continue the Australian operation, but not at the expense of losing the war because I couldn't address Burma.

The way I see it, if I'm going to make life rough for the Allies in Australia, I need to close off Perth. The only way I can do that is use the divisions currently at Singapore. Palembang and Java still need to be captured, as does Port Blair. I just can't wrap my head around how to accomplish Perth, Java and Burma with five divisions. Would two divisions be enough at this stage to put some form of pressure on Moulmein and Rangoon, while the other three secure Palembang, Soerabaja and then on to Perth?

I'm really wrestling with deciding the right move. The easy way out is to bail on Australia and use the remaining two months to secure the DEI and Burma. The hard way is to throw everything I have at Palembang, Java then Perth, but at the expense of Burma. I know that if I can hang on in Australia until I get the Nick and Tojo I could win local air superiority. Is it worth still trying to bottle the Allies up at Melbourne, destroy what I can and then bug out? The cost would be high in fuel. The Allies have to import fuel just like I do. With Palembang secure, can I win the battle of logistics?

These are the kinds of questions I'm asking myself right now. The decision determines the future course of the war.

Note: I know I'm throwing out mixed signals, when have I ever not playing as Japan. I just don't want to bail quite yet. I haven't decided which hurts me more, or which has the greater potential. Bailing on Australia will be a triple whammy, fuel use, time lost securing the perimeter and no strategic payoff. If I stay the course, do the potential benefits outweigh the fuel use and Burma being a perpetual thorn in my side.

[SqzMyLemon]

Feb. 3/42:

Borneo:

Action today starts at Tarakan. The last of my amphibious forces land today and the first deliberate assault will occur tomorrow. I decided to capture Tarakan before dealing with Ambon for the obvious reason, I need fuel and oil. Once the base is captured, I can focus on securing Ambon, Kendari and Makassar.

New Guinea:

A Japanese sweep of Port Moresby doesn't go well. Five Zeroes are lost against one P-40E.

Australia:

IJA 16th Recon Rgt. had advanced close to Wagga Wagga before recalling the unit since I'd decided to suspend any further movement towards Melbourne. Allied bombers have been targeting the hapless unit for a few days so I decided to provide LRCAP today. In numerous air actions the Japanese fighters did well. On the day, 18 Hudson's, 8 Kittyhawk's and 4 Banshee's were shot down. Only two Zeroes were lost. I'm finding the B-17's all but invincible and even the Zero 20mm cannons are having no impact. I don't know whether the B-17's defensive capabilities have been enhanced, but they are proving to be indestructible since my fighters can't get within killing range. Regardless, a good day against enemy bombers, at least against the Hudson's.

I test the waters at Brisbane with an artillery bombardment to see what I'm up against. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Brisbane (96,160)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1317 troops, 104 guns, 51 vehicles, Assault Value = 1201

Defending force 16755 troops, 207 guns, 214 vehicles, Assault Value = 521

Allied ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
5th Tank Regiment
21st Division
1st Infantry Regiment
1st Engineer Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
4th Division
2nd Engineer Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
16th Army
56th Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /3

Defending units:
7th Australian Brigade
12th LH Cav Regiment
29th Australian Brigade
11th Australian Brigade
5th LH Motor Regiment
18th LH MG Regiment
9th LH Motor Regiment
Brisbane Fortress
Brisbane RAN Base Force
1st RAAF Base Sqdn

I've ordered a deliberate assault for tomorrow. Two divisions may not be enough, but IJA 33rd Division will reinforce once it redeploys from Rockhampton. I don't expect an easy capture, but it's going to be a damn sight less daunting to capture Brisbane than Sydney was. Providing I don't get trashed in the first assault, the next deliberate assault against the base will be supported by KB and battleship naval bombardment.

[FeurerKrieg]

Burma:

My 2 cents for what it is worth.

I think you can wait on Burma IF you don't plan to fully conquer China.

As to next steps after Singapore, I think it would be much faster to take those divisions and use them to finish up the DEI quickly and neatly. Five divisions can make short work of the Dutch, provided you have surface combat ships and CAP. You don't need any LBA. Netties can't hurt, they don't hit often anyway, and more important they suck up double AV support that could be better spent on Zero and Oscars. The ABDA TBs are easy for Zeros and Oscars to shoot down. So go heavy with the CAs and BBs and just keep some fighters over them. And who cares if you lose some xAKs. They are fodder anyway.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Feurer Krieg

Burma:

My 2 cents for what it is worth.

I think you can wait on Burma IF you don't plan to fully conquer China.

As to next steps after Singapore, I think it would be much faster to take those divisions and use them to finish up the DEI quickly and neatly. Five divisions can make short work of the Dutch, provided you have surface combat ships and CAP. You don't need any LBA. Netties can't hurt, they don't hit often anyway, and more important they suck up double AV support that could be better spent on Zero and Oscars. The ABDA TBs are easy for Zeros and Oscars to shoot down. So go heavy with the CAs and BBs and just keep some fighters over them. And who cares if you lose some xAKs. They are fodder anyway.

Your 2 cents are valuable. I mentioned earlier I thought the best thing to do was use all five divisions, get Palembang and Java wrapped up then look at the options. I think I've panicked somewhat, looking at the big picture and feeling overwhelmed. I'm even looking at Australia again in a more positive light. I worry about the fuel I'm using, but then, most of the heavy lifting is complete. Once Port Moresby and Northeastern Australia are secure I don't need to be sailing my surface ships around burning fuel, they can sit at Brisbane using no fuel. I can rearm and refuel any ship class at Sydney and once some naval support and AKE's reach Brisbane then it's a valuable naval base as well. I just have to hold the course for another two months and my situation should look much better. I mustn't forget, having Sydney in my possession right now is huge. Having Allied units focused on recapturing Australia and not moving against me elsewhere is in my best interests.

I'm letting a lot of little things get to me right now which makes everything seem impossible. I just have to remember why I did this in the first place. I won't see the positive results from this operation for months yet. If I can get refocused and playing much better, I think I'll see what I envisioned when first setting out on this idea.

Or, I flip flop again and decide to withdraw tomorrow. [:D]

[SqzMyLemon]

I think I've scared some people off. [:D]

Feb. 4/42:

Japanese submarines sink a xAKL off the coast of Noumea and a xAK off the coast of Perth.

Complete overkill at Tarakan. I traditionally have a hard time with this base, so I don't mind looking stupid committing so many troops. I just don't want any further delays taking any bases in the DEI. All facilities are intact. The two infantry regiments will now load up and deploy to help out at Ambon. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tarakan (67,91)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15512 troops, 136 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 480

Defending force 934 troops, 18 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Japanese adjusted assault: 317

Allied adjusted defense: 4

Japanese assault odds: 79 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tarakan !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 7 (6 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
400 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF
146th Infantry Regiment
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
33rd Infantry Regiment
Kure 1st SNLF
Yokosuka 4th SNLF

Defending units:
VII KNIL Bn /1
Tarakan Defenses
HQ TC Borneo
Tarakan MLD Base Force

China:

Pingsiang is a real bear right now. It's a tough base to capture because I can just fit three division in under the SL, but I can't prevent forts being constructed because it's a dot base, which is completely dumb in my opinion. So between stacking limits, being unable to prevent forts and the Chinese forces maintaining their AV, it is what it is. I'm losing disablements, but eventually the defence will crack and I'll destroy a lot of enemy squads. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Pingsiang (82,54)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37267 troops, 464 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 917

Defending force 23394 troops, 190 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 462

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 629

Allied adjusted defense: 513

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1528 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 12 disabled

Allied ground losses:
885 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
40th Division
6th Division
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
22nd Division
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
21st Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps
23rd Group Army

To make up for Pingsiang. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 87,48 (near Sinyang)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 18716 troops, 136 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 588

Defending force 9011 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 131

Japanese adjusted assault: 735

Allied adjusted defense: 133

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
686 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3394 casualties reported
Squads: 290 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 96 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 13 (11 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
36th Division

Defending units:
7th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
21st Group Army

I also ambush some Hurricane IIa's on LRCAP near Hengyang. Five Hurricanes out of seven are recorded as losses. No Japanese fighters were lost.

Francois finally targets Hankow's airbase. Damage is slight and one B-17D is recorded lost to Ops.

Australia:

Brisbane looks like it is going to fall easily, so I won't need to be reinforced with IJA 33rd Division. I'm waiting to close the final hex side before I launch another assault. I want these 10 Australian units completely destroyed, unlike how I let the defenders of Sydney get away. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Brisbane (96,160)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 38631 troops, 362 guns, 184 vehicles, Assault Value = 1206

Defending force 16518 troops, 207 guns, 214 vehicles, Assault Value = 516

Japanese adjusted assault: 540

Allied adjusted defense: 234

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
804 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2001 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 22 (3 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 25 (11 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Engineer Regiment
21st Division
56th Recon Regiment
5th Tank Regiment
1st Infantry Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
4th Division
2nd Engineer Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
16th Army
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /3

Defending units:
12th LH Cav Regiment
18th LH MG Regiment
7th Australian Brigade
11th Australian Brigade
5th LH Motor Regiment
9th LH Motor Regiment
29th Australian Brigade
Brisbane Fortress
Brisbane RAN Base Force
1st RAAF Base Sqdn

Thoughts:

Oil is flowing from Balikpapan and the first tanker TF has reached Babeldoab.

I'm waiting on more surface ships arriving at Singapore then I move on Palembang finally.

I have redeployed the CVL's to Babeldoab and will reinforce with CV Kaga for the upcoming move against Java. I want to hit Soerabaja with four divisions and take it quickly. I will make sure I have adequate aviation support available to fully support my further moves in the DEI.

[FeurerKrieg]

Overkill is far better than being just a little bit short.

[Lowpe]

You will probably have to fight for Burma...but, if you keep all five divisions together, take the Dutch out with them asap, you may put yourself into position to invade above and force him to abandon Burma.

You will have to hustle though.[;)]

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

You will probably have to fight for Burma...but, if you keep all five divisions together, take the Dutch out with them asap, you may put yourself into position to invade above and force him to abandon Burma.

You will have to hustle though.[;)]

I've decided what to do about Burma. Can anyone confirm to me that a white hex side means that both land and naval forces may cross it. If so, I'm going to amphibious land at Pegu, split the Allied forces in two at Rangoon and Moulmein and defeat them in detail. I'll also drive right up the main road to threaten isolation. I'm going to withdraw 48th Division from Luzon which will give me six in total. I secure Java, and move all six against Burma, stabilize the situation then get down to Perth somehow, someway.

[FeurerKrieg]

Yes, white is both.

[Andav]

If so, I'm going to amphibious land at Pegu

I can confirm you can land a Pegu. witpqs landed there as the Allies and completely screwed what I thought was a decent defense in Burma.

Wa

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Andav

If so, I'm going to amphibious land at Pegu

I can confirm you can land a Pegu. witpqs landed there as the Allies and completely screwed what I thought was a decent defense in Burma.

Wa

+1 Many players are not aware that it is a port albeit a port 0 to begin with.

[ny59giants]

Since I've lost western Australia twice in row as Allies, the key out west is Kalgoorlie. Since you have triggered emergency reinforcements, the key is the BIG roadblock called, Port Augusta. IMO, I would take this base and hope he sends some of those troops to western Australia to eventually be destroyed in mid-42. Use one of the divisions you already have in Australia. I think you can capture almost all of Australia, but it may take up most of 42 to do so. I'm in Dec 42 vs John 3rd and I've been without fuel for most of the war (I turned off the big 500 HI at Sydney). I have just enough fuel to keep some subs in operation, but most ports are dry outside of Sydney. Meanwhile, I have plenty of supply so I've done lots of base expansion. My point is that you should deny him the ability to bring in more supply, troops, and airgroups by sea. Melbourne and Sydney generate most of his supplies for Australia.

Burma - There are two things here. The oil at Magwe for you and the Burma Road supplies for him. Unless you are playing without needing PP to cross borders, then he will be able to get few troops into Burma. How aggressive is your opponent?? Will he push too much into Burma and risk you landing at Cox's Bazar and/or Chittagong and drive for Ledo to isolate them?? Right now the Allies have lots of decisions to make. Especially when it come to deployment of troops and the use of PP to get them released.

Java - I favor landing at Denpasar (only to capture base and have Air HQ there for Ms Betty and Ms Nell to help isolate island) and/or SE tip and taking out Soerabaja. That port allows most Allied warships to reload large shells and torpedoes. Drive NE from here and get the oil. Two divisions and maybe a third, but I doubt it as two should be enough for this part.

EDIT: I would use what is needed to take Denpasar, Koepang, Horn Island, and Oosthaven. Place an Air HQ with Ms Betty and/or Ms Nell some Zeros. Steadily backfill (capture) the rest of the DEI at your leisure. [:)]

[SqzMyLemon]

Seizing Soerabaja has always been key for me in Java. That port allows me to strike at Australia. My plan for Java is to land in the middle and stop any chance of Francois sending everything to Soerabaja. There are 18 units showing at Batavia and 14 at Soerabaja. There are over a hundred ships combined in both ports. Java is going to be kind of a damn the torpedoes kind of invasion for me. I can't afford to waste anymore time by being cute, it is going to be blunt force massed at the point of attack. The Dutch have caused me problems this game, I don't intend to get bogged down this time around. I also won't be having any more rearming or refueling issues like I did back in December.

I will post screenshots later to show the current situation in most theatres.

[SqzMyLemon]

Australia Feb. 4/42.

[SqzMyLemon]

The Celebes Feb. 4/42.

[SqzMyLemon]

Sumatra Feb. 4/42.