The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Crackaces]

I sound like a broken record .. but the IJ have a particularly difficult supply problem in the DEI with a DBB based scenario vs. stock . changing production of 10% supply from refining goes beyond preventing a Fortress Palembang .. the IJ have to bring supplies in from somewhere ...
I am seeing the consequences in 3 AARs now

Java Certainly can be supplied but Canoerebel has cut off or will interdict soon everything east ..

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: dave sindel

CR, I would like to say once again how much I appreciate the time that you spend on this AAR. I thoroughly enjoy reading about your thought processes and your musings. I am in late Feb 1943 in my first campaign game of AE. Reading this AAR, and also the input from your readers, has helped me considerably in learning how to play this magnificent game.

One of the things I learned over the years is that laying out a plan or making a report to others really forces you to organize all those jumbled thoughts in your head.
Often I would have to modify my thoughts as I wrote the document because I found I could not justify my reasons - so writing it down both clarified things and corrected some problems.
From his comments it seems Canoerebel gets the same kinds of benefit from laying out his thoughts in the AAR - to our great benefit as well! [:)]

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Time to do some back filling and take some of these key bases in the rear.

I'm not sure what you mean by "rear" since Big Tent is a 360 degree operation. "Rear" is in every direction. So is "front."

But if you're referring to the bases like Merauke and Horn Island, let me introduce you to "Third Ring," the successor to "Big Tent." But that's been no secret for the past three months of game time.

Well, thinking more like Rabual, or the other (few) level seven ports available for fleet support. Darwin too. Some pretty good level six ports along the coast of NG. I just don't think John has the power to contest you back there, so they should not be too hard to fill in. The big issue with stacking limits is that all of the forward bases have small stacking limits until you get to the PI. Really makes planning a big operation a PITA. Some of those larger bases in the rear at least allow 40-50k in troop capacity. Darwin is a good base because of the big stacking limit there. I lack organizational skills and really love to have all my main assault force at one base.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: dave sindel

CR, I would like to say once again how much I appreciate the time that you spend on this AAR. I thoroughly enjoy reading about your thought processes and your musings. I am in late Feb 1943 in my first campaign game of AE. Reading this AAR, and also the input from your readers, has helped me considerably in learning how to play this magnificent game.

One of the things I learned over the years is that laying out a plan or making a report to others really forces you to organize all those jumbled thoughts in your head.
Often I would have to modify my thoughts as I wrote the document because I found I could not justify my reasons - so writing it down both clarified things and corrected some problems.
From his comments it seems Canoerebel gets the same kinds of benefit from laying out his thoughts in the AAR - to our great benefit as well! [:)]

Spot on, as usual, BB!

(OK, OK, don't let it go to your head! [:D])

[Canoerebel]

12/12/43

Big Tent: The amphibious ships are in position to hit Ambon tomorrow, preceded by a bombardment TF and protected by some ASW and minesweepers. Death Star is in position on the Ceram coast, and I'm likely to leave her right there, where ASW capability is enhanced.

The only question now is whether John intends to contest the landings. It's an important base and he holds it relatively strongly, so I would think so. But whether he has combat TFs or KB nearby is uncertain...and he hasn't done much if anything to come to Ambon's aid after the big bombardment a few weeks back. It's still showing heavy damage, which means forts should be the same.

I'm working on the assumption that he is going to contest the landings, and will configure my forces accordingly. But I'm not risking much in the landing itself - a tank unit, engineers, and a cadre of 33rd Div. is it. If I get them ashore in good shape, I'll attack the following day...and if that doesn't seem promising, I'll probably ramp up air attacks, including Death Star's contingent.

Nothing much happened in all the moving about today, though enemy subs picked of a DD, LST and barge. I don't think my guys did anything to even the score.

As you Allied players can well imagine, in the six weeks since Big Tent rolled out of Pearl, a might host of reinforcing ships has arrived on the West Coast. Not so much ground troops. But a couple of unrestricted divisions will arrive in a month or so, and several of the units destroyed at Sumatra are re-birthed in the next week or two. As these units arrive, and as Big Tent begins to wind down in a few weeks, I'll begin prepping units for the next big show (after making the final selections).

280 fighters at Townsville now and 85 at Cooktown, so that window of weakness that worried me for about four days has now been repaired.

[SuluSea]

Pleasantly surprised your battle is still raging Dan. Big Tent looks like an overwhelming success, looking forward to your next big move.


Enjoying the ride, your writing style and suspense during the campaign. Thanks!

[Canoerebel]

Good to have you drop by Sulu.

[Canoerebel]

After a great deal of thought an some adjustments, orders issued and turn sent. A few things of significance:

Death Star will move two hexes SW from the Ceram coast, partly to deviate from the predictable and partly to allow its strike aircraft to cover any Japanese efforts to occupy Saumlaki and Babar (Allied troops are inbound now).

Two PBY squadrons moved to Sorong and ordered to hit Kendari port, where there are a few ships including an AKE; recon shows no fighters. This will be the first offensive mission flown from the Big Tent airfields.

Lots of clicks made to increase the flow of fuel to Oz. I think the fuel levels are sufficient to handle the fleet when the Big Tent egress begins in a month or two, but there is at least a chance that the next "big thing" will start in the Big Tent AOO and move forward. In that event, Oz fuel delivery will be very challenging.

Fuel and supply levels at Pearl are building nicely, so I don't have any major concerns about being able to mount a "next big thing" from there (heading towards Japan or the Philippines or the like) if that's the choice made when the time comes.

[JohnDillworth]

Two PBY squadrons moved to Sorong and ordered to hit Kendari port, where there are a few ships including an AKE; recon shows no fighters. This will be the first offensive mission flown from the Big Tent airfields.

You should have a bunch of Marine and Navy tactical air squadrons about now. What are your land based TBF, SBD and Corsair squadrons up to? They should be perfect in this part of the world

[Canoerebel]

I have several each TBF, SBD, Beaufort and Corsair squadrons at the Big Tent airfields, along with a host of Army fighters - P47s, P38s, and even a few P40N and P39. (Defense is still paramount, especially at Boela where 350 ships are disbanded into port.) Lots of patrol and ASW squadrons too. The bases are still mostly small, so I can't cram in everything I want to cram in.

[Canoerebel]

John's level of interest in the game has been increasing over the past few days, but today has reached a fever pitch. He worked a long day (and had expected to be off), just got home, and jumped on the turn.

Something's up.

[Flicker]

IMO you already know what the "next big thing" is, given that your troops are prepping for somewhere.

BTW what unit is heading for Normanton (on the road west of Normanton). Do you have a regiment or brigade plus engineers that can take and build Daly Waters? PM Curtin wants to know

[Canoerebel]

That is a small armored unit sent towards Daly Waters to see if the road was open and if John might be withdrawing from Oz. But it stumbled into a blocking unit and then took daily Helen bombings until it was pulverized nearly out of existence. Fortunately, John seems to have forgotten about it. It's prepped for Wessel Islands, so I'd like to make use of it.

John is not withdrawing from Oz. I think he's reinforcing Darwin. I know he's reinforcing Timor. That (and the situation in other areas) indicates he's spreading his troops out, creating a new line in front of Big Tent but also strengthening around Big Tent. That will work to his advantage if he ever takes control of the sea and air. If he doesn't, though, he's positioning troops too far forward and neglecting deeper areas.

Does he realize there's no reason that another Big Tent can't be done, at least if I maintain carrier superiority? I wonder.

[Mike McCreery]

I am not sure I have ever seen John do defense...

[Flicker]

CR = "it stumbled into a blocking unit and then took daily Helen bombings until it was pulverized nearly out of existence".

Well, that sounds like fun... for John.

I agree that building a defense around (containing) Big Tent will be proven a mistake when your next big operation cuts them all off.

[Canoerebel]

12/13/43

Big Tent: A productive day, though not without cost and not without a pack of ravening wolves nipping at my heals.

The landings at Ambon go off without a hitch, preceded by an effective BB bombardment. The troops will try a deliberate attack tomorrow. If it doesn't make some kind of progress, the next effort will be to employ the air force (last resort, because I prefer to devote the fields to fighters, to the extent possible).

So, with the Ambon landings essentially complete, Death Star can proceed to Boela to spend some down time, or it can roam seeking victims. But a might host of enemy subs is on its heels. Today, those subs picked off an empty AK and a DMS.

But Death Star strike aircraft sortied and wiped out transport TF nearing Babo (2 PB, three xAK) but no indication it had troops aboard.

The snap invasions of Babar and Saumlaki go extraordinarily well, with unprepared fragments landing without disruption, fatigue or disablement. Both bases are empty and will fall tomorrow unless John cobbles together countermeasures.

The PBY Liberators hit Kendari port, damaging an ACM and taking care of supply.

No sign of enemy naval activity around the Torres Strait.

John's up to something, I'm nearly positive. But I don't have a good feel for what or where.

[jwolf]

It seems very foolish to me for the Japanese to bring in still more reinforcements to Australia. The only conclusion I draw from this is that John really thinks he can undo your "Big Tent" operation and regain both air and sea control of that whole area. But this isn't the Sumatra operation from 10 months ago, and the relative force balance is much worse for Japan now. Any operation he conducts has to proceed near perfectly or else he is on the knife edge of disaster.

[Canoerebel]

I agree, jwolf.

John probably looks at situation as an opportunity more than as a threat. He is working on his next line of defense, but he's leaving a lot of troops forward and bringing in more.

If he was able to achieve carrier superiority somehow, while at the same time controlling my LOCs to Oz or Pearl, he'd have a fighting chance to turn this into some kind of Sumatra '43. If he doesn't succeed, the troops he is positioning (or leaving in place) forward will be more isolated or more irrelevant when the next campaign takes place deeper into his heartland.

But the issue isn't decided yet, so John, with his aggressive style, is working to achieve an aggressive solution.

On that note, I think he must've deployed a heckuva lot of subs near the Torres Strait on the expectation my ships would exit via that route. That was a good plan on his part. He may have moved on to another plan, perhaps having grown impatient for the exit to take place.

I think I'm going to send Death Star to port and then use many of her destroyers in ASW roles until the Dance of the Submarine Plum Fairy episode resolves.

[jwolf]

The Torres Strait works both ways -- shallow water there so if he keeps subs active in the strait they can be pounded by ASW. And by this time I think (hope?) Allied ASW is highly effective and deadly.

[Canoerebel]

The ships loss screen lists 40 IJN subs sunk in the war - sixteen of them just since November 1.

I have good ASW defense in the Big Tent AOO (I think), but the Peanut Gallery gave me a big assist. You guys encouraged me to shift some CVE TBFs to ASW patrol. That seemed to really increase ASW effectiveness.