The Accidental War Obvert vs Lowpe

[Lecivius]

That must have been one E ticket ride!! [:D]

[Lowpe]

Some much needed assault value coming in 10 days...and then a dryspell for quite a while.

So many pressing needs for these troops...

[Lowpe]

Moving a battleship task force to northern Hokkaido...to bombard size 4 Soviet runways in preparation of the Toyohara invasion...which should land in about 3 days.

Tomorrow I buy out the Imperial Guards brigade, and then save until I can afford a division or a third of a division from Honshu to send to Manchuko.

The march has started on Singapore...the shock attack will be ugly for Japan, 5 divisions backed by about 20 artillery units. 2 Divisions arriving later for a reserve...manpower is equal with 90,000 troop on both side for the shock attack. Two HQs prepped..most troops prepped.

[Lowpe]

In the last Djambi Lightning sweep, I managed to down 2 but lost 8 Zeroes. It is a hard arithmetic, and I forgot to reinforce with more today...but I doubt he flies them two days in a row.

In April there will be Rufes to add to port and oil defense, May will see Nicks and A6M3s and that will hopefully start turning the air war tide for a while. June is Tojo.

[Lowpe]

Feb 17, 1942

The battleship Ise and her supporting cruiser, light cruisers, and destroyers arrive at Wakkani...and are promptly attacked.

The first attack was scary...as many of the Soviet torpedo bombers got thru...but I guess quite a few crashed or were written off for parts later.

Three waves, and no hits...the Toyohara invasion just got that much safer as there are only about 80-100 of these planes in the Soviet inventory. Now I have to worry about subs...

[Lowpe]

I have not been able to afford any changes to the ship captains this game, past the first week of the game when I did the IJN big combat ships, and it shows with how effective Allied subs have been.

Got some good destroyer versus Soviet sub action off Hokkaido...which is aided by a pretty big aerial ASW program too.

Soviets pushing hard in Manchuko...trying to cut off troops.

Japan is sorely pressed!

[Lowpe]

In the woods near Mishan, where the Soviets are trying to pocket 4 divisions.

Thankfully, there are no Soviet tanks here yet...

You can see how Japan's is an Army trying to flee...on a division here, while the Soviets have AA to support their advance..plus more on the way.

Japan has troops headed here too, but they have seen combat and aren't in the best shape. I am debating about sending in troops from the west, but I worry about the clear terrain there.

[Lowpe]

At least Japan can rely upon their well trained and well led Manchuko Allies...here is the elite Guards Brigade. I am sure they will make a difference.

[Lowpe]

Other events from the turn:

Americans use their 4E bombers to hit the Singapore attack force.

No Lightning sweeps.

In general, since the Soviets have activated I feel like each turn I am bogged down and the invasion bonus is frittering away on me....

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

In general, since the Soviets have activated I feel like each turn I am bogged down and the invasion bonus is frittering away on me....

Yeah, well, you are fighting for survival in '42 ... not taking territory. Singers/Palem/Balik ... after that, you have to shore up your eastern flank if possible. Then the PI. Set up a blocking line in N Thailand. I don't se you getting Java unless you are able to seriously turn the air war around against the SOV. I am surprised they are still flying so effectively; deeper pools than I imagined.

[1EyedJacks]

Maybe push in the Pacific and grab what islands you can? I'm kind of in a similar boat with you but the mod i'm in is much different...

[jwolf]

I am surprised they [Soviets] are still flying so effectively; deeper pools than I imagined.

They have pretty much an unlimited supply of aircraft, as you find out if you play the Axis side in WITE. But their pilot pool should be under enormous pressure, and I don't know that it is.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I am surprised they [Soviets] are still flying so effectively; deeper pools than I imagined.

They have pretty much an unlimited supply of aircraft, as you find out if you play the Axis side in WITE. But their pilot pool should be under enormous pressure, and I don't know that it is.

Never played wite, but this is wiptae and the editor suggests that they have very limited plane production ....

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I am surprised they [Soviets] are still flying so effectively; deeper pools than I imagined.

They have pretty much an unlimited supply of aircraft, as you find out if you play the Axis side in WITE. But their pilot pool should be under enormous pressure, and I don't know that it is.

Never played wite, but this is wiptae and the editor suggests that they have very limited plane production ....

Pax is correct, but the starting Soviet planes outnumber Japan's air force, was in position with good runways, why Japan has had to really scratch to get into any kind of position to fight....and the one monthly production to really worry about is the 16 Mig3 a month, considering I cannot shoot any of them down yet.

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

In general, since the Soviets have activated I feel like each turn I am bogged down and the invasion bonus is frittering away on me....

Yeah, well, you are fighting for survival in '42 ... not taking territory. Singers/Palem/Balik ... after that, you have to shore up your eastern flank if possible. Then the PI. Set up a blocking line in N Thailand. I don't se you getting Java unless you are able to seriously turn the air war around against the SOV. I am surprised they are still flying so effectively; deeper pools than I imagined.

I don't think that Lowpe has had the chance to cause much attrition yet vs. the Soviet air force. Once he does, he'll have a much easier time. It's very easy to run out of MiG-3s as the allies if the Japanese player is aggressive with sweeps. Even if Lowpe loses 2 Zeroes for every MiG, Obvert is going to run out of MiGs before Lowpe runs out of Zeroes.

[PaxMondo]

That's what I would have thought would be happening already. I'm guessing that Erik is disbanding groups to keep as many at full strength as he can ... but a chink should show soon ... one would think ...

[Lowpe]

Feb 18, 1942

Today's Lightning sweeps came after the Zeroes intercepted the Allied bombers over Johore Baru. Shot down a few Mitchells for 1 zero lost. The good news is only 7 Lightnings swept.

Invasion force assembling off Toyohara this next turn, but my railroad blockers are almost all gone. Perhaps they can survive another day, don't know.

A deliberate attack at Lashio finds a Chinese division...

Ground combat at Lashio (62,46)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25660 troops, 202 guns, 58 vehicles, Assault Value = 813

Defending force 15504 troops, 70 guns, 60 vehicles, Assault Value = 430

Japanese adjusted assault: 247

Allied adjusted defense: 745

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
381 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 52 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Allied ground losses:
854 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
33rd Division
15th Army

Defending units:
3rd Burma Rifles Battalion
13th Burma Rifles Battalion
BFF Brigade
Mandalay BMP Battalion
5th Chinese Corps
102nd RAF Base Force
Burma Command
100th RAF Base Force

[Lowpe]

I have no counter for these guys. It is not a question of trading 2 Zeroes for 1 Mig. I have been able to shoot one down and 2 to ops losses.

Morning Air attack on Kotou , at 116,42

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
MiG-3 x 24

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x MiG-3 sweeping at 27000 feet

[Lowpe]

Sumatra...

Allies are bombing the divisions forcing the river crossing...Zeroes and Oscars are fighting in the skies to protect them.

Singers is a festung, 120 fighters, 80 bombers, 80K troops, nasty forts, hundreds of mines.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: 1EyedJacks

Maybe push in the Pacific and grab what islands you can? I'm kind of in a similar boat with you but the mod i'm in is much different...

Really nothing to be gained there...other than diluting Japan's strength.

Push a little in the Aleutians when I can, and perhaps Midway, but to be honest I at this point I am not seeing it.