Focus Pacific Redux: OneEyedJacks(J) vs paradigmblue(A)

[paradigmblue]

December 7th, 1941

CentPac

With deadly coordination, Jacks darkens the skies above Pearl Harbor with a staggering Pearl strike. Any token air resistance is easily swept away by Zeroes, with no CAP aircraft making contact with the strike group.


The results are devastating.



Focus Pacific adds more striking power to the KB, and Jacks uses it to good effect. Nothing is left of Battleship row but burning wrecks. Any battleships that haven't succumbed to fires in the next few days will take over a year to repair.

Philippines

Large airstrikes hit key bases in the Philippines. What few defenders that take to the skies are obliterated by superior Japanese planes and pilots.

Clark Field is hit by a well-coordinated strike. It will take a week to fully repair.



At Davao, Kates from a carrier group loitering Southwest of the Philippines sinks my valuable AVDs.


I have a lot of valuable shipping in the Philippines, and I need to get it out, preferably without sinking. To do that, my slow ships are broken up into small TFs that will try to run the gauntlet south of the PI, where two carrier groups lurk to intercept my shipping. My high-value ships, however, will take a different route - running East and north where they'll try to squeak just South of Iwo Jima and then into the relative safety of open ocean.



Dutch East Indies

China

The French enclave of Kwanghowan is hit by over 100 bombers, trashing the airfield and leaving scores of destroyed aircraft on the ground.



Kweilin is also hit, but suffers little damage.


Soviet Union

The port of Nakhodka is hit badly by successive raids, and by the end of the day, every Soviet sub in port there has been sunk.



Vladivostok is also plastered, with most of the ships in port heavily damaged and on fire.




Sub Warfare


A Dutch boat does their duty.

Air Losses



221 aircraft lost on the first day.

Naval Losses


It could be worse, but I expect to lose most of my Battleships at Pearl to high fires in the next couple of days.

Summary

Jacks lands at the normal invasion points - Kota Bharu, Miri, Aparri and Batan Island, and conducts a standard Pearl strike.

Of all the opening scenarios for me, this is probably the best one. It means that the KB is far away from the DEI, which is where most of the action will be over the next two weeks, and I don't lose my US subs at Manilla.

[Bif1961]

Looking forward to a great adventure.

[paradigmblue]

December 8th, 1941

CentPac

The KB sticks around for a second day Pearl Strike.

This time, however, the defenders are ready.

In the morning, 140 Vals hit the airfield.



And in the afternoon, 164 Kates come to finish the job they started in the harbor.



This time my CAP manages to fight its way through to the bombers on both strikes, causing attrition of Japan's valuable carrier strike pilots. Critically though, my CAP isn't able to stop the strikes completely, and the Kates manage to put additional fish into BB Nevada and California, both if which I had hoped to save. The chances of either ship surviving now is slim.

Philippines

Jacks launches a large air assault for the second day, but makes a fatal error - he fails to sweep or LRCAP my airbases on the PI, and as a result my CAP is able to meet the less coordinated strikes, which no longer benefit from the December 7th surprise. While I lose some aircraft above Iba and Clark Field, the toll I take on his bombers is worse.





Later in the day, some of the raids go in without escorts, and my P-40s, flying from Clark, Iba, Manilla and Bataan chew up several waves of Betties.

Jacks makes another important error here in the Philippines: his invasion forces are without fighter coverage. I took a chance last turn, setting all of my Naval Search here in the Philippines to naval attack at wave-top height, and it pays off. I manage to savage the invasion TF at Aparri.




It's a one trick pony - I'm sure that there will be fighter cover Jack's invasion TFs next turn, but it's a small, satisfying blow, which I find the allies need all too much in 1941-1942.

4E bombers lanched from Philippine bases bomb Babeldaob port, leaving a CVE on fire.



It's this turn that my TFs will begin to leave the Philippines (HR dictate that I can't sortie new TFs until Dec. 8th). Here's the route that they will take. If I can avoid the carrier group south of the Philippines and the considerable naval air power at Tinian, and then dodge the KB if it heads back to port I might have a chance of saving some ships.


Dutch East Indies

The Miri invasion TF is uncovered, and while it's already landed its troops, Dornier Do-24's take advantage of its vulnerability.


Tangent: check out the last surviving Do-24, with new inline engines and wing.

Soviet Union

Repeated strikes hit Nakhodka and Vladivostok, but heavy rains and determined defenders in bi-planes prevent additional damage to the already ruined ports.



China

Under the cover of night, two Le Hardi class and two Morgador class destroyers slip out of Kwangchowan on their way to try to disrupt the invasion TFs being loaded at Samah. These destroyers are blisteringly fast and well-armed, with the Morgador class being destroyer leaders with armament rivaling most light cruisers.

Before they can reach their destination, however, they are ambushed by two Japanese DDs, the Usho and the Sazanami. In a brief but fierce battle, two French destroyers are hit, and Le Hardi catches fire.



Despite the engagement, the TF continues to their destination and finds their target.

Foxes in the Hen House



At Hong Kong, the defenders load into transports to try and evacuate them to Kwangchowan. If they make the journey, they will then make the long journey to Kweiyang where they will reinforce the Chinese defenders.

Across the Chinese mainland, I begin to draw my LCUs back into a defensive line. It will take about 2 months to form, but if I can delay Jacks until that time, I'll have most my fighting force behind 3x terrain and/or rivers, where they can begin to build forts.





Burma

Little action here as of yet. The AVG has been moved to Rangoon, where they will provide CAP for the hex while I try to stuff it with supplies while I can. Meanwhile, I'll be moving other Indian units to the Akyab-Imphal line. Once Rangoon is threatened with collapse, every unit in Burma will pick up and move to the Imphal line rather than try to fight in clear terrain vs Japanese tanks.



Summary

Jacks lost a lot of planes today - I'm not sure how many, as I've only received the Dec. 8th movie, not the turn. Unless he commits to sweepin and LRCAP over my airbases, he's going to have rough going in the Philippines.

[BillBrown]

This will be interesting. Joglinks1 and I are up to August 23, 1942 using version 1.02. I feel I have fought him to a standstill so far. I will be interested in how you do and what you do.

[Lecivius]

Subscribed [;)]

[Andav]

With deadly coordination, Jacks darkens the skies above Pearl Harbor with a staggering Pearl strike.

My first thought was, "What kind of mod would give CV capable Jacks to the Japanese on Dec 7th!?!?!"

Guess I needed coffee ...

Wa

[paradigmblue]

Finally got the full turn back, I think Jacks had to give a speech somewhere.

Below are the naval and air results. I thought that I sunk more than I did, but the good news is that I didn't lose more of my BBs to fires and I put some real hurt on his air power.




Jack's carrier group that was SE of the Philippines is now north of Manado, right smack dab in the middle of the shipping that I was trying to evacuate from the PI. Next turn could be a little painful to watch, but I always tell myself that any hull that I manage to extract from the Philippines is a bonus.

[BillBrown]

I would like to know what settings you are using and what house rules you have in place.

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

I would like to know what settings you are using and what house rules you have in place.

Fog of War: ON
Allied Damage Control: ON
Player Defined Upgrades: ON
Historical First Turn: OFF
Dec. 7th Surprise: ON
Reliable USN Torpedoes: OFF
Realistic R&D: OFF
No Unit Withdrawals: ON
Reinforcements: FIXED

House Rules:

No 1st turn CV hunting
Allied player may not create new TFs on December 7th
Allied player may not issue new orders to ground or air units on December 7th, except in China

[BillBrown]

Thank you, other than we have Realistic R&D ON, we have about the same game.

[paradigmblue]

December 9th, 1941

CentPac

My DMS group returning from Johnston Island accidentally crosses paths with Jack's KB. Luckily all five are able to escape with just a shell hit, and should be able to limp back to Pearl. I count 6 CVs and a CVL in the KB.



My carriers will make a long dogleg north of Midway to be fully clear of the KB before returning to Pearl.

SouthPac

From Tahiti, unfinished French battleships Gascoigne and Clemcau, and carriers Joffre and Painleve, begin the long journey to the West Coast where they'll spend the next four to six months in dry-dock finishing their construction.

Dutch East Indies

The Miri invasion TF still lacks air-cover, and my Do-24 flying boats do good work, damaging an xAK and sinking an APD with help from some Dutch bombers earlier in the day.




Burma

Kota Bharu falls.



Phillipines

Knowing that Jacks will probably start covering his invasion TFs in the Philippines after my Catalina strikes yesterday, I use my high-performance P-50s to sweep Laog, downing five Oscars for only one loss.




Jacks tries to hit Clark field again, but a combination of a lack of sweeps and his Zero escorts being at very long range means that he has little success.




Jacks has competely cut off my Eastern evacuation route from the Philippines with one of his carrier TFs, with two additional carrier TFs prowling to the South of the PI. My hopes of getting my valuable ships out from the PI unscathed are dashed, as I instruct my captains to make a mad dash across northern Borneo to the relative safety of Singapore instead. This will be costly, Betties flying from French Indochina and Thailand can made quick work of my ships in these waters.

My less valuable ships, which I dispensed in penny packets to try to avoid detection, begin to be picked off by carrier strikes, and I lose a lot of small shipping this turn.





However, because I moved my more valuable TFs closer to my protective CAP flying from Mindano and Leyte, I'm able to shield them from carrier strikes until they hit open water.




China

Outside of Kwangchowan, my French destroyers are set upon by two groups of Jack's destroyers. One eight strong, and a second, four strong squadron. My fast French ships are able to escape both engagements with only minor damage.




Hong Kong is assaulted, but somehow holds at 3-1, even with most of the defenders now loaded on a TF headed for Kwangchowan.

My attempts to bomb the port at Haiphong are rebuffed, and I lose a few bombers.

Soviet Union

Jacks tries to bomb Vladivostok again, but without Zeroes sweeping the hex, my defenders are able to hold up well against the Oscar escorts.




Sub Warfare

In some hot sub-on-sub action, one of my Dutch boats puts a fish into a Japanese I-boat. I'll take it.



Air Losses



Another great day in the air for me.

Naval Losses



A costly day at sea, with most of my Philippine xAKLs now resting on the seabed. Also pictured is the Tanker Mantawny, which tried to use the Eastern evac route from the Philippines but was caught by Zeroes on Naval Attack, flying from what seemed to be either a CVE or CVL.

[paradigmblue]

I'm a bit worried about the air war so far. In Focus Pacific, Japan has enough Zeroes to really punish the Soviet Union and the Philippines in the early game with sweeps, but so far Jacks has not used them to do so, instead using them as escorts. What's more, Jacks has at least 8 CVLS/CVEs around the Philippines and DEI, but isn't using them to cover his invasion TFs at all.

This is good for me, but if Jacks doesn't learn to use his superior air-frames to his advantage, it may be a shorter game than both of us hope it will be.

[paradigmblue]

Finally got the December 10th movie back but no turn - Jacks is spending time with his family, which is understandable this time of year!

I'm still really concerned about his air game. I'm just tearing his air strikes apart with my CAP because he's not sweeping. If this goes on, I may suggest that we play with a quiet Soviet Union (which is active in Focus Pacific) for the rest of the game, freeing up Jack's airgroups for operations elsewhere. Otherwise I'm afraid that I'm going to bleed him too badly in the air for it to be a good fight.

[ny59giants]

Even in BTS Lite, I stood down my bombers until my Zeros gained control of the skies after day one. Oscars vs P-40s and Hurricanes is not a good thing. [:-] The large (over 40) Zero air groups are great for sweeping. I'm playing Mike in his other game (Nov '42) and his air operations are extra low. He is only responding to my actions. My other opponent, Gen Patton, has a role in this mod, I might need to see what it is all about. [;)]

[Bif1961]

It would appear he sees the same results as you do and he knows what it will take to lessen his loses and increase yours. He is no novice so you just have to let him fight his own war.

[paradigmblue]

December 11th, 1941

CentPac

Jacks lands on Guam with what looks to be a division. Lacking any combat ships in his invasion TF, some of his transports take hits from my guns.

Philippines

Jacks continues to consolidate his position here. I continue to sweep with P-50s and harrass his shipping with Catalinas.

Dutch East Indies

With Jacks cutting off my exits from the Philippines, I'm forced to evacuate my ships on a risky course along Borneo's north coast. Several of my large xAPs run into surface combatants along the way, and several of these valuable ships are sunk.

Indian Ocean

Ceylon is a hive of activity as I begin to consolidate my shipping at Colombo. There they will be organized and formed into the task forces that will begin to keep Burma, the DEI and Australia supplied. The bulk of the cargo shipping will head to Cape Town to begin continuous supply runs, while the slower shipping will stay in the Indian Ocean.

West Coast

A sub makes an appearance off the West Coast, prompting me to redouble ASW efforts here. Unfortunately, this early in the war I don't have the right tools yet to conduct effective ASW.

China

Hong Kong falls. Fortunately, I had already managed to evacuate the entire garrison here (minus Hong Kong Fort) to Kwangchowan. Kwangchowan itself is struck several times by large, well-escorted air strikes, and more bombers than I'd like penetrate my CAP to damage the airfield.

Sub Warfare

Jack's subs pop up all over the DEI this turn, sinking a valuable xAP as well as several xAKLs that are fleeing the Philippines.

Air Losses

77 Japanese to 36 Allied this turn - I'm still inflicting disproportionate losses, as he's not sweeping to weaken my CAP at all, so all of his strikes hit fresh, un-weakened fighter squadrons.

Naval Losses

The most painful day since December 7th, with 3 34 point xAPs being sunk - two by surface combat and one by destroyer.

Despite this, I manged to evacuate the most valuable ship from the Philippines - the Langley, which I can convert into a CVE in early 42.

[paradigmblue]

December 12th, 1941

CentPac

Airstrikes pound Guam daily, which have prevented my forces there from building forts. Jack's forces here haven't attacked yet, but its only a matter of time.

Philippines

Most of the action on the map continues to be in the Philippines. I continue to sweep over Jack's landings on Vigan and Aparri, which allows my Catalinas to fight through the weakened CAP to hit Jack's shipping here.





The results aren't always perfect, but on the whole my Skyrockets are coming out on top. Jacks has the air groups in this area to absolutely trash my fighters by using high altitude Zero sweeps, but he has not attempted them. As a result, my air force in the Philippines is almost fully recovered from December 7th, and in addition to the Skyrockets I have 100 P-40Bs that are now ready for action. Several squadrons will begin to provide LRCAP over Vigan as well. If I can control the air here, my two squadrons of Vindicators that I've been quietly keeping in reserve at Cebu will transfer up to Clark Field and make Jack's naval invasions more difficult here.

My 4EB forces have been recovering since their Dec. 8th port strike, and are now ready to bomb the clear terrain at Aparri.

My Catalinas continue to do good work, especially the Bataan Patrol Wing. These daring Catalina pilots have been attacking at wave-top height, wreaking havoc on the invasion fleets.




Dutch East Indies

Tarakan is invaded. Jacks runs into stiff resistance here from my naval guns.



Several of my bombers try to hit this invasion TF through the day, but the CAP from CVL Chitose prevents any from making contact with the ships.

Soviet Union

This theater is scarily quiet- which is fine with me. The longer that Jacks waits, the stronger the Soviet Union will get.

Sub Warfare

Jacks has deployed significant ASW assets to my hunting grounds north of the Philippines, and I'll need to redeploy my S-boats.

Air Losses



Relatively quiet day in the air. Despite my successes with my Catalinas, the total losses of my PBY-4s is adding up, and the Pearl strike wiped out my PBY-5 pools. I may have to retire my PBY-4s from offensive operations once my dive bombers take up station at Clark Field to preserve my naval search assets.

Naval Losses



Another one of my valuable xAPs sinks from damage sustained in the previous turn, and AM Penguin strayed to close to Truk on its escape from Guam and is sunk by what looks like bomb from a naval search craft.

[paradigmblue]

December 13th, 1941

CentPac

Jacks' forces on Guam attack, knocking down my forts but taking moderate losses. My defenders here are disrupted from the constant bombing that Jacks has been doing here, so they won't hold out much longer.



Philippines

Jacks has pulled out all of his shipping from Aparri and Vigan, so my attack-Catalinas don't fly today.

I continue to sweep with my Skyrockets, but my pilots and aircraft could use a rest.



You can see on this image the shipping pulling out of Vigan.

When sweeping last turn, I noticed that Aparri had no air cover. It's a clear hex, so I put my 4E bombers to work.




Dutch East Indies

Jacks amphibious TF at Tarakan is getting absolutely torn up by my coastal guns. In Focus Pacific, the increased Naval batteries in the DEI means that the Japanese player should embed some heavier ships in their amphibious TFs. Jacks only has a CA to support his invasion here, and did not bombard prior to the landing, so his ships are paying the price.



I'm moving a surface TF up along the south-eastern coast of Borneo. If it can get close enough without being spotted, it will try and pounce on the invasion TF.

Along the west coast of Borneo, I have a second surface TF moving into position to intercept invasion forces headed for Kuching or Singkawang.

Jacks has a destroyer patrol loitering in this area, but my Dutch light bombers can't land a bomb on them.



China

Last turn, I noticed that Jacks was moving what looked like a DMS group to Hong Kong, probably to clear the minefield there. I vectored all of the destroyers I had in the area to intercept. The DMS TF was larger than I estimated and was escorted, which my naval search didn't catch, but my destroyers still accounted well for themselves.




While retiring from that battle, my destroyers run into two opposing destroyers. One of my shells must have hit a magazine, as DD Tsuta sinks with only two hits.



During the day, no less than five large, well coordinated strikes attempt to shut down the Kwangchowan airfield. It was a massacre.

For some reason, throughout the day my CAP seemed to bypass most of the escorts and eviscerate the bombers. I've never seen anything like it - Jacks would have 70 escorts, but the escort vs CAP phase would result in just one or two fighters engaging each other, than my CAP would be among the bombers.




I'm not posting all of the combats, but the one above was a representative result. My runway is moderately damaged here, which still prevents me from building forts, but the cost in airframes for Jacks to accomplish that goal is significant. My fighter squadrons here are racking up experience in the fighting as well, with three different pilots achieving ace status today.

Here's the thing - Kwangchowan is a tough nut to crack from the air - I have a stacked CAP here at 0 range, with good French aircraft augmented by two squadrons of Hurricanes from Hong Kong. The thing is, there are a lot of other ways to skin this particular cat - in previous games naval bombardments have proved devastating, as have high-altitude Zero sweeps.

Soviet Union

The first glimmers of action here, as Jacks crosses a river in the north into Soviet territory - it looks to be seven units, but I don't have a good read on how many troops yet. I have a quick-response armored force on the ready, so it begins to roll toward the threat. Bombers and recon on the next turn will help me figure out what I'm dealing with and how serious the threat is.

Air Losses



Wow.

Naval Losses



My plucky destroyers did good work today.

[paradigmblue]

Still waiting for the next turn from Jacks...

[CaptBeefheart]

You're putting up a good fight. The one time I played this Lowpe shredded my CAP with sweeps.

Cheers,
CC