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

[Grfin Zeppelin]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: obvert
Uh, wow! Clarification needed! [:D]

Haha, some of us got a bit unruly the first night...I speak a little German though so I avoided jail but three of the guys had to spend the night in Jail to "cool down". One guy had to get some stitches to his nose and another broke his hand.

It was a good laugh though! [:)]

Remind me not to go out with Swedes on holiday! [:D]

Glad it was fun though. German beer is very good!!

In Bonn they won't even serve Altbier as it's an import from Dusseldorf. It's all Kolch.

Never say "Kolch" in Düsseldorf or you will be in trouble. Kolch is served in Köln (Cologne) and people from these two cities hate each other like the plague.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Gräfin Zeppelin

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: JocMeister



Haha, some of us got a bit unruly the first night...I speak a little German though so I avoided jail but three of the guys had to spend the night in Jail to "cool down". One guy had to get some stitches to his nose and another broke his hand.

It was a good laugh though! [:)]

Remind me not to go out with Swedes on holiday! [:D]

Glad it was fun though. German beer is very good!!

In Bonn they won't even serve Altbier as it's an import from Dusseldorf. It's all Kolch.

Never say "Kolch" in Düsseldorf or you will be in trouble. Kolch is served in Köln (Cologne) and people from these two cities hate each other like the plague.

Yes, this is exactly what I gathered. And they're what, 40-50km apart? [:D]

Bonn seems like an extension of Koln in temperament at least, and they have some good Kolch-style unfiltered varieties that are really good.

[Canoerebel]

Oops, edited to move this comment to my AAR, since that's where I was supposed to post it in the first place.

Move on. Nothing to see in my post. Resume reading Jocke's AAR as he thrashes dastardly Japanese players to their wits end.

[witpqs]

I am studiously ignoring that post...

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]7th October 1942[/font]
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Some Japanese moves!

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NORPAC
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Nothing here. But more troops moving for PH identified via SIGINT. This time an AA unit!

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SOPAC
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A Japanese CA fleet bombards Luganville. CD guns are ineffective as usual but a DD runs into a mine!

TF 34 encounters mine field at Luganville (120,150)

Japanese Ships
DD Matsukaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

And then comes the bombardments. A bit annoyed this didn´t happen 2 weeks ago when I had everything ready to hit back.

Night Naval bombardment of Luganville at 120,150 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 33 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed on ground
P-39D Airacobra: 51 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed on ground
P-400 Airacobra: 25 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 4 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 1 destroyed on ground

15 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Kako
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Mogami
CA Atago
CA Chikuma

Allied ground losses:
454 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 59 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (2 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 45

Looks a lot worse then it is. Runway is still open and actual losses are 5 P40s, 3 P39s and a Vilderbeest. I´ll fly everything out though. With most of the fleet refitting I´m not willing to contest these bombardments right now. I´ll drop more mines and send some subs in. That is pretty much all I can do at the moment. Only Australia and Canberra are operational and I´m not going to risk them against 7 Japanese CAs.

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OZ
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Japanese CVs and LBA strike the empty Clonecurry for some STRAT VPs. Nothing I can do about. Not sure why he bothered with the CVs though? No ID on any of the CVs nor planes.

Morning Air attack on Cloncurry , at 84,142

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
B5N1 Kate x 14
B5N2 Kate x 59
D3A2 Val x 58

No Japanese losses

Resources hits 68

This is followed by the oddest thing of it all.

Ground combat at Hughenden (88,145)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 104 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

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

Japanese adjusted assault: 8

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hughenden !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
2nd Raiding Rgt /1

Only thing I can think of is that he wants to prevent me to rail in AA to Clonecurry. I wouldn´t have bothered but he doesn´t know that. [:)]

I´ll see if he flies in some more before I take it back.

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India
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The expected sweeps on Comilla doesn´t happen. My ASW TFs fail to find a Japanese sub that showed up yesterday.

[poodlebrain]

When you boil it all down he has committed 104 paratroopers to the Australian theater to cut a rail line, and he has conducted a carrier raid. The paratroopers are sacrificial lambs unless the Japanese can figure out a method of withdrawing them before you can send a small force to eliminate them. Given the clear terrain you might be able to eliminate the paratroopers with air strikes alone.

Shouldn't require any resources you do not already have in Australia to deal with this, nor should it materially interfere with any plans you may have.

[ny59giants]

Luganville - It might be worth it in the future to have a few CV TFs far enough away (and not sighted) to do Full Speed run to get in range in the AM Phase after he has bombarded the base. Maybe he doesn't LRCAP them. [;)]

[zuluhour]

PTs not present?
PTs and mines can work to cause some consternation on occasion. I like a lone fast four stacker CL hidden close by as well.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: poodlebrain
When you boil it all down he has committed 104 paratroopers to the Australian theater to cut a rail line, and he has conducted a carrier raid. The paratroopers are sacrificial lambs unless the Japanese can figure out a method of withdrawing them before you can send a small force to eliminate them. Given the clear terrain you might be able to eliminate the paratroopers with air strikes alone.

Shouldn't require any resources you do not already have in Australia to deal with this, nor should it materially interfere with any plans you may have.

I´m mostly hoping he will try and reinforce. Don´t think I´ll be that lucky though. [:D]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
Luganville - It might be worth it in the future to have a few CV TFs far enough away (and not sighted) to do Full Speed run to get in range in the AM Phase after he has bombarded the base. Maybe he doesn't LRCAP them. [;)]

Pretty much what I have been doing up until now. Had them within striking range for 2 months before I decided to pull them back for refits. [:(]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

PTs not present?
PTs and mines can work to cause some consternation on occasion. I like a lone fast four stacker CL hidden close by as well.

I have no idea how I didn´t think of PT boats! [X(]

Created 2 TFs at Luganville now! [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]More SIGINT[/font]
_____________________________________________________________________________

This is from just the last 3 turns...

1st Art.Mortar Regiment is located at Lahaina
22nd Ind.AA Gun Co is loaded on xAK Uzan Maru moving to Pearl Harbor.
10th Division is planning for an attack on Vancouver.
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment is located at Pearl Harbor
9/2nd Division is loaded on xAK Meiten Maru moving to Pearl Harbor.
9th Division is located at Kodiak(181,42).
5/48th/B Division is located at Annette Island(198,42).
6th Air Defense AA Regiment is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Pearl Harbor.
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment is located at Pearl Harbor
9/2nd Division is loaded on xAK Meiten Maru moving to Pearl Harbor.
9/1st Division is loaded on a Japanese TK moving to Adak Island.
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment is located at Pearl Harbor
3rd Air Defense AA Regiment is loaded on xAK Biwa Maru moving to Pearl Harbor
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion is located at Adak Island
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment is located at Lahaina
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment is planning for an attack on Victoria

Heavy radio traffic all over NORPAC and PH. Sometimes several each turn.

[BBfanboy]

Seems odd. Vancouver and Victoria are nice bases with some industry but are by no means vital to the overall war effort. If he is going for them big time it is to get his bombers in range of your aircraft industries, IMO.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Seems odd. Vancouver and Victoria are nice bases with some industry but are by no means vital to the overall war effort. If he is going for them big time it is to get his bombers in range of your aircraft industries, IMO.

Yeah. I think its basically fake. To my knowledge (I will have to double check that) the 10th ID at least have NOT moved outside Manchuria.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]12th October 1942[/font]
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Interesting days...

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NORPAC
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A Japanese DD sneaks into SF harbor and sinks 3 AMcs. [X(] Its moving back north along the US coast. I decided not to try and hit it. Not worth showing my cards for a lone DD.

Jeff is becoming more and more confident!

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SOPAC
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Something is brewing here. I got two TFs moving North of Ndeni. That usually means something will come visit during the night. I have a xAKL TF in danger. Luckily its unloaded and only have 7 supply left. I disbanded 3 of the ships that are low on fuel and set the rest to do a full speed run south.

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India
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More interesting stuff here...We closed Chittagong again with 2 days of air strikes. Over 200 runway hits. Time to switch to the troops...

Most interesting here...second day the AA didn´t fire back. Not even the smallest puff of smoke. Supply is already gone. Time to turn the heat up. Bombardment ordered tomorrow together with the airstrikes.

An allied sub ran into a xAK around Prome. Any Japanese effort to resupply Chittagong will be opposed vigorously. I decided to hold back on the naval bombardment to see how things develop.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SOPAC[/font]
_____________________________________________________________________________

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]13th October 1942[/font]
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A small prelude to a bigger naval battle...

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NORPAC
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A TF is spotted 12 hexes from Tillamook. Might be another supply run to CH. Sadly I don´t have anything to intercept with.

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SOPAC
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As predicted Jeff sends something in. Probably trying to hit my xAKL TF. But instead one of the DD hits a mine. The DD together with a 2 DD escort is sunk by Banshees from Efafe. Nice. [:)]

Morning Air attack on TF, near Vanua Lava at 121,148

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 16

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Akebono, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Morning Air attack on TF, near Vanua Lava at 121,148

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 16

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Inazuma, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Akebono, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

This is but a warm up for bigger things in India tomorrow...

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]India[/font]
_____________________________________________________________________________

My sweeps from Comilla of course fail to show up and Jeff puts up a LRCAP. 24 Blenheims lost...4E losses are just a B24. Still no flak.

The more interesting thing is that Jeff is either trying to resupply Chittagong or start evacuation. While not the best timing for my part I still have a small ace up my sleeve here. I´ve been very careful to only show Jeff a small CL TF. What he doesn´t know is that a big cruiser TF is hiding under the Calcutta CAP.

First attack on Silchar goes excellent. I have the 32nd US ID and a Indian division in reserve 1 hex away if needed. I´ll rest for a couple of days before attacking again.

Ground combat at Silchar (59,39)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 57802 troops, 491 guns, 938 vehicles, Assault Value = 2214

Defending force 40604 troops, 403 guns, 97 vehicles, Assault Value = 1140

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 1227

Japanese adjusted defense: 1467

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
2035 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled

Allied ground losses:
907 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 215 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Guns lost 37 (2 destroyed, 35 disabled)
Vehicles lost 67 (1 destroyed, 66 disabled)

[JocMeister]

Got the replay and CR back. Hard to tell for sure without the turn but it looks like a decisive Japanese victory. [:(]

By the looks of it Exeter and Devonshire are sunk after TT hits together with 2 DDs. In exchange only 3 or possible 4 Japanese DDs are sunk. CA Hawkins also hit a mine at Chittagong to add insult to the injury. Not a good evening.

I´ll have more info once I get the turn. Allied high command is not happy.

[JeffroK]

Both of your TF have an older ship, Hawkins in the CA and Dauntless with the CL.

Both slower and "older" guns, not saying it caused problems but sometimes they can affect results.