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

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

Can the HQ and support units attack? I don't think they have an AV and the HQ units are probably the most valuable

HQ units are usually the last to be destroyed and they hold the last of the supply the enemy has, even when all the fighting units are at 0. So if I catch your drift, once the Japanese AV at Pendleton is 0, Jocke could cease attacking and thus prevent those remaining units from being available for rebuilding.

Until they starve to death, which they will do, and are eliminated by attrition.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]June 11th -43[/font]
_____________________________________________________________________________

We continue to flip turns at a quite high rate which is really nice.

------------------------
SOPAC
------------------------
Horn Island is secured after the 3rd attack. Not sure I really needed the troops from the 2nd landing as bombardments and 4Es crumble the defenders.

Ground combat at Horn Island (91,128)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7321 troops, 121 guns, 53 vehicles, Assault Value = 192

Defending force 4428 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 71

Allied adjusted assault: 88

Japanese adjusted defense: 8

Allied assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Horn Island !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
724 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (27 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
200 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
29th Australian Brigade
11th NZ Brigade
3rd Pioneer Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion

Defending units:
II./90th Infantry Battalion
19th Naval Guard Unit
82nd Nav Gd /2
37th JNAF AF Unit
III./90th Infantry Battalion
4th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
10th Special Base Force
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Bn /1

We also bypass shortlands and land on Buin. Jeff has already started reinforcing it. I have a full division prepped although only parts of is landed. The rest of the Division is at Kirikara. I will ferry them in if needed.

Things are moving forward here although slowly. As intended.

[JocMeister]

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

We havn´t made much gain here lately. Actually according to plan. More on that in a turn or two... [;)]

What havn´t gone according to plan though is Jeff cutting off 2 Australian divisions at Katha. I needed those to clear the flank. Dang. Good play by Jeff. There is no danger yet though. Supply is plentiful and forts are already at 3. Need to figure something out eventually though.

I think Jeff believes he is winning the air war here. He is playing aggressively and sweeping bases and last turn he even bombed Ledo. He is not achieving anything so I let him for now. Fun time is soon over for him here though!

Big things happening shortly. Stay tuned... [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Plane pools[/font]
_____________________________________________________________________________

I have never ever had such overflowing pools! [X(] I think this will come back and haunt Jeff in the coming months. This will give me a lot of room to maneuver and play aggressively. The P40K is very competitive in a PDU OFF environment and to have 260 of them in the pools. Also worth to not is the 60 Corsairs and 70 Lightnings! [X(]

[obvert]

Very mysterious in So Pac. i'm guessing this is not the main direction you'll be heading in the future? [;)]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Very mysterious in So Pac. i'm guessing this is not the main direction you'll be heading in the future? [;)]

That is a good guess. I´ll absolutely continue to push down here. I want to retake Darwin to force Jeff to defend the lower DEI.

But its not the main push. I will push in 5 directions but this won´t be the strongest one. [:)]

[obvert]

It's definitely a huge thorn in the Japanese position to be able to have Darwin and threaten along the entire southern DEI. Lots of bombing options from there too.

Wish my GJ game had played out longer. I had similar thoughts but didn't get to make them happen.

[JocMeister]

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

I have been working quite hard on making Jeff focus on anything but Ramree for the last few months. From my earlier games I know this base is absolutely critical to get supply into Burma. So I need it.

Sending 4 divisions through the jungle in the north was a bit of a gamble. But Jeff took the bait and there are now 2-3 division worth of Japanese troops up there. I have only reconned Ramree twice for the last months. Latest intel was 3 units 3200 men. Havn´t installed Intel Monkey yet so I´m going in somewhat blind. To compensate for that we are going in heavy. Very heavy.

Initially only the 1st Marines will land. They will unload from proper assault shipping and should land in good order. The 18th UK will follow. 17th and 19th Indian are reserves. I have a Corp/Command HQ combo fully prepped although I need to land the Corp for the bonus to take effect.

-------------------------------
Airforce
-------------------------------
This operation is the reason I have let Jeff play unhindered in the air in Burma for the last few weeks. I have been resting and building up the air force. Providing LRCAP over the amphibs are almost 200 planes. P40Ks, P38s and Corsairs. RAF is acting backup providing CAP for the rear bases for now.

Also have 180 4Es ready to start reducing Ramree to rubble together with the navy as soon as the LRCAP withdraws.

-------------------------------
Navy
-------------------------------
7 BBs and 9 CAs will provide cover from the sea. BBs initial task will be to suppress the defenders as fast as possible.

[JocMeister]

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

And if all things fail 100 P47s are currently unloading in India. Should be on the frontline in 5-7 days. I´m not going to show them unless I have to though. [8D]

[BillBrown]

I am curious, do you have BFs and construction engineers moving to Ramree Island. Building the port and airfield up is important also.

[JocMeister]

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

Lae is also invaded this turn. A much smaller landing consisting of the 298th Regiment and a Marine defense battalion. An even stronger CAP is over this TF though with 300 planes providing LRCAP from PM and Buna. 4 CAs will provide cover for the landing.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

I am curious, do you have BFs and construction engineers moving to Ramree Island. Building the port and airfield up is important also.

Nothing that is prepped so I need the base to be captured before landing them. But yes, I have lots and lots of US engineers in India including some construction regiments.

[JocMeister]

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

Success! The landing in made without any opposition. And the defenders? A third of a RTA division. I won´t even need the 18th UK. [:)]

Ground combat at Ramree Island (54,48)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2020 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 99

Defending force 14070 troops, 198 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 432

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

Assaulting units:
4th RTA/A Division
22nd Special Base Force

Defending units:
1st Marine Division

[JocMeister]

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

There are some troops on the road. But hopefully nothing big. I have 6 divisions ready to exploit this so I really don´t want to get held up somewhere.

[Lokasenna]

The movement out of Ramree is so slow I would be very wary. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the place. If the defender is paying attention it isn't that useful.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The movement out of Ramree is so slow I would be very wary. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the place. If the defender is paying attention it isn't that useful.

Always the optimist... [;)]

Unless he has 2 full divisions I don´t know about it should be alright. If all things fail I have 4 divisions prepped for Moulmein. [:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The movement out of Ramree is so slow I would be very wary. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the place. If the defender is paying attention it isn't that useful.

Always the optimist... [;)]

Unless he has 2 full divisions I don´t know about it should be alright. If all things fail I have 4 divisions prepped for Moulmein. [:D]

FWIW, in our game, Lokasenna let me take it. I moved mass quantities in by sea and down from the north, using it for supply. Supply does flow out to the eastern hex just fine.

Then I tried to strong-arm him with a 500,000-plus stack in that hex one east of Ramree. Supply flowed, I had mucho tanks, mucho arty, etc. He stood in the jungle for months taking everything I could throw. I only began to move by going around, which took more months. It's August 1944 and I still don't have Rangoon.

It's a useful place, but it's not magical. And it can make you overconfident to have 400,000 supply at your back in a base that can't be reached by land except through one hexside.

[jwolf]

When you move from Ramree against the neighboring Japanese stack, will that trigger a shock attack?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

When you move from Ramree against the neighboring Japanese stack, will that trigger a shock attack?

Yes, which is why I advised caution and not to have rosy expectations.

Edit - I believe it is a river hexside, anyway. F6 would tell - if it's white or purple, it's a river.

[jwolf]

Edit - I believe it is a river hexside, anyway. F6 would tell - if it's white or purple, it's a river.

Yeah I keep trying that key on the forum picture but it doesn't work. [:'(]