1000 mile war - liberating the Aleutians

[Energisteron]

Day 54 - Jun 07

Planning for today's operations it transpires that all Japanese forces on Kiska have been eliminated. (The red enemy Infantry symbol has gone!)

So it seems we have achieved our objectives. Now to consolidate and prevent any counter or pointless losses.

[Energisteron]

Thanks again, BBF.

Yes, I agree I need to eke out a few more game points that way. I think it is already underway but will check.

However a sudden Japanese coup by sinking a single ship would probably still swing it one victory level their way!

[Energisteron]

Day 54 - Jun 07

The Action. What action?

Naval operations progress as planned. The Engineers and 1st SSF are en route as reinforcements to Kiska whose recent conquerors find themselves severely short of supplies after several days of hard combat. Consequently, the supply ships originally destined for Attu and 'sheltering' at Adak are sent to Kiska with emergency supplies.

We suspend all air operations except Recon which delivers a few minor scares. Reports of enemy ships near Dutch Harbor are commonplace and unlikely to be true. It's those whales again! We dismiss (hopefully not at our peril!) reports of enemy ships near Kiska, but there seems some possibility the report of 4 enemy vessels further north approaching our CVE and Battlegroups may be correct. We will be prepared.

I'll let the illustration tell the whole story.

[Energisteron]

Day 55 - Jun 08

Plans as displayed.

Result: nothing!

The enemy continue for the most part to maintain radio silence. No sign of the Bettys for the second day in succession.

[Energisteron]

Day 56 - Jun 09

Alert status is suspended and the CVE and CAs retire eastwards 400 NM. The BBs return to Dutch Harbor and the CLs rebase at Adak which has been vastly improved over the last few weeks.

[Energisteron]

Day 56 - Jun 09

There's no interference at sea.

The Bettys make another unsuccessful attack against Attu.

[Energisteron]

Day 57 - Jun 10

Nothing to report.

Day 58 - Jun 11

Situation calm and unhindered.

[Energisteron]

Day 58 - Jun 11

Twelve Bettys attack Attu without success. Our CAP shoots down four for no loss.

Otherwise, it's a quiet day, quite routine; 30x Catalinas operating Naval Search in light cloud over a 90 degree arc westwards; CAP of Warhawks at Attu and now Kiska also, plus, of course minor CAP back at Adak and Dutch Harbor, and sub patrols west of Attu.

Attu airfield is improved (level 2), and construction efforts continue elsewhere.

It looks like we have the Aleutians to ourselves except for the repeated flea bites from Paramushiro-jima!

[Energisteron]

Day 59 - Jun 12

All units begin to rebase at their intended 'resting' post-operation positions as shown.

No response from any enemy unit except for Recon over Attu Island.

[Energisteron]

Day 60 - Jun 13

Ten Bettys attack Attu and are repulsed losing 3 of their number without loss to ourselves.

Otherwise the operation winds down without further incident.

Here's the final position:-

[Energisteron]

The Result - Game 2

Once again I'd like to thank the scenario designer and all those correspondents who offered suggestions and encouragement. I've certainly learnt a lot! It won't be the Grand Campaign next but certainly something bigger than this one.

So, the end result was a DECISIVE ALLIED VICTORY.

We lost the war in the air and aborted our bombing campaign early on but on balance aircraft losses were equal because of enemy losses due to naval bombardment and capture of their bases.

On land enemy units were so severely degraded by naval, and later by aerial bombardment, and so short of supply due to naval interception of enemy freighters, so that they had little fight left by the time our invasion forces attacked.

At sea, an aggressive campaign to isolate the target bases and intercept supply convoys, well supported by air cover, was decisive. The routing of supplies and invasion forces through areas we could cover with land-based or carrier-based aircraft, as well as the provision of adequate escorts limited our losses to nil. Undoubtedly we were lucky not to lose a transport or freighter to shellfire or sub attack. APA Harris could so easily have been lost but made it back to base and even continued to operate thereafter with significant damage.

It must be said that the AI did not seem to be aggressive enough or make the best use of its resources. To beat a human opponent playing the Japanese would be extremely difficult in my opinion.

Here's the full statistics for those of you who were interested.

Thanks for reading.

[BBfanboy]

Well done! You learn fast and you create good operational plans.

You could try the Guadalcanal Scenario next. It is similar in nature but with more invasion points for both sides, more aircraft and more naval action.

I hope you can continue your very well illustrated AARs. Easy for the reader to follow and instructive for others learning the game!

[Schlussel]

Hey Energisteron,

I also have been following your well-illustrated AAR, and I must echo BBFs sentiments. The Aleutians campaign is not an easy one...due to limited units and timetable, but you pushed through with a sound plan and some very good play. Well done!

Also, I would like to pile onto one of BBF's many pieces of sage advice:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

You already know that you get VPs for increasing base development. Because there are so few days left, now is the time to assess what you can finish in the remaining time and what will never make the next level. You don't need any more forts. Turn off any port or AF building that is never going to increase to next level. Concentrate every engineer on finishing what you can with preference for AFs which score twice as many points as a port increase.

That should increase your VP margin a bit.

In addition to base developments, another factor in Base VP's is supply. In my game, I had a few unexplained drops in VP's and was somewhat perplexed. That was until a forumite showed me page 264 of the manual:



Turns out one of my large VP bases was under-supplied (it only had about 50% of its requirement due to an increased demand due to an influx of ground and air units the previous turn), so I was only receiving 50% of its VPs. As if supply wasn't important enough. haha.

Once again, well done! I look forward to your future AAR's.

[Deathifier]

Congratulations Energisteron that is an impressive achievement and much improved over your first game.

ORIGINAL: Energisteron
It must be said that the AI did not seem to be aggressive enough or make the best use of its resources. To beat a human opponent playing the Japanese would be extremely difficult in my opinion.

I agree, the Japanese AI seems to employ most of its assets defensively which fits the historical course of events.

I suggest you now consider playing as the Japanese.
See what they had available, see if you can use their resources to better effect (e.g. sink the allies limited transport capacity and some of the major fleet units), and see if you can keep control of the bases.

You could even contemplate a counter-attack and try to push the allies out of Adak.

- Deathifier

[Energisteron]

Hi BBFanboy

Thank you.

I think my plans were sound throughout this game although again I lost heavily air-to-air. However, this time I did glance at the Japanese final position screen and was shocked at what I saw! I believe a coordinated plan using the assets they had available by the end would cause havoc with a 'routine' reoccupation of the Aleutians by the Allies. So, I may well play the other side next time, possibly giving the Allies a slight advantage.

In all other Pacific theatre games I've played I've always enjoyed the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal campaigns and so certainly I'll try those soon. Aleutians as Japanese though next.

And, yes, not wishing to bore the community to death, I will continue an AAR here but suspect since I'll be on the defensive, certainly at first, that I'll probably illustrate only every 3 turns or so.

[Energisteron]

Hi Schlussel

Thank you. I am pleased you found my AAR entertaining.

That's good advice about bases and their scoring values. Just the sort of detail that can be so easily overlooked.

It seems I am likely to carry on with the same campaign from the Japanese point of view.

[Energisteron]

Hi Deathifier

Yes, it would definitely agree that the Japanese units could have been better utilised. I haven't looked yet at when they arrive though. It's possible they arrive too late to do more than a swift naval counterattack to surprise Allied shipping.

As you can see from above I will be doing the Japanese side next and reporting it here.

[Deathifier]

ORIGINAL: Energisteron
Yes, it would definitely agree that the Japanese units could have been better utilised. I haven't looked yet at when they arrive though. It's possible they arrive too late to do more than a swift naval counterattack to surprise Allied shipping.

As you can see from above I will be doing the Japanese side next and reporting it here.

They do arrive in time to attempt something outside the normal course of history and the challenge is more in surviving without depleting your resources whilst preparing for the probably small opportunity that presents itself towards the end of the scenario if you do want to try a counter-attack and not just sink ships.

I look forward to seeing how it unfolds.

- Deathifier

[Bif1961]

Very entertaining and well documented AAR, I look forward to your next scenario, possibly PBEM?

[Energisteron]

Thank you, Bif1961.

I'm not so sure about graduating to a PBEM just yet. Although from my perspective it's all about the challenge and playing the game, it is still not much fun taking a beating just because one doesn't understand the game mechanics or user interface. I'm fine about being beaten because my tactics were useless, but not because there's 'nuances' of a game which I've not come across.

I remember a couple of examples: in its day, I really enjoyed 'Cossacks' as a simulation of 12-18th century warfare, economy building and technological development. It was a fun game with an isometric view of individual troops/ peasants which even permitted getting trained troops into squares and lines and skirmish mode etc.. I played on-line (not PBEM because it was a RTS game) and surprise surprise I discovered there were cheats (honestly children!) and game warps beyond all imagination. So, there I am with a well organised, well trained army, pikemen solid at the front and musketmen in line behind. Looked solid enough, until my opponent arrived on the battlefield with nothing but officers in phalanxes except for about 10% priests (that doubled as medics!). They were invincible, of course. Played the AI after that!

But more pertinently, the last PBEM I played was with Strategic Command:WW1. A good meaning opponent challenged me, and I accepted. We had a good game but it was so one-sided, primarily because I had not realised the advantages of the 'swap position' key. I knew it existed and did use it. Essentially it allowed a reserve unit from the rear to replace the initial assault troops and continue the attack. My opponent knew how to swap frontline units up to 3 times per hex, so faced with a 3 stack assault I could be taking 9 hits per battle. In response I was unable to make more than 4 hits per battle.

Needless to say the Germans captured Paris just in time for Christmas. We agreed at that point I needed to have a bit more training! I enjoyed it but both of us would have gained greater enjoyment if I'd been more knowledgeable and could have given a better account of myself.

As an aside, I am capable of doing some fairly stupid things. In game 1, I tried strafiing at 2000 ft and got rather too many fighters shot down. That was a mistake not a lack of knowledge of game mechanics.

Mind you, nothing beats the seeming stupidity of my opponent in a team table-top miniatures game when his pistol armed light cavalry tried a caracole 50 metres in front of my 3 gun 18-pounder artillery battery! I believe the unit was wiped out with one shot of cannister!

I suppose the equivalent in WITP(AE) would be turn a BB towards an escorted CV TF with dive-bombers and torpedo planes aboard in broad daylight!