How can you deal with japanese raider forces? They are typical on Ironman Scenarios and wreak havoc in my supply lines...
I haven't played Ironman -- only AI on hard. But I think the same principles apply. Keys are: naval search and some decent air and naval forces behind the lines. I also use a picket line of subs which is not foolproof but has a good chance of getting triggered by passing raiders. The AI also tends to be predictable in using the same routes for its raiders. That is how I nailed the last of the KB (3 carriers) near Adak after a big raid across the North Pacific in mid-43.
Even with the occasional raider success, you can afford to trade supply ships for their surface fleet.
Class A advice and something for me to remember on my next run through.
The important part of your response I "think I note" is
IMO, if you already have Saigon and/or Hong Kong, there is no particular urgency to take Singers for the port and shipyard. The only pressing need is to free up the LCUs and ships/aircraft you have reducing Singers.
So you opine going "all in one direction" with perhaps only containment forces to sweep down to Singers ?
Again honestly I am divided in opinion - hence my ask of other followers of Players vs AI
I would have to know more about the balance of forces on the route to China. If the opposition appeared to be weak and an opportunity to steal a march getting to Canton and HK were there, I would be tempted to put the main forces in that direction and use just enough in Malaya to push the Japanese down the peninsula and then camp at Johore Bharu while reduction of Singers took place. (Wow, there's a long sentence!)
If it looked like there was not going to be any rapid advance to China, I would be more inclined to clean up Singapore and free up troops for the tough grind into China (or maybe an amphib op or two instead).
In my experience in two full games (difficulty Historical alternating Hard for period to give the AI a boost)
The AI heavily "stacks and forts" (1) Singapore and (2) Canton / Hong Kong.
In the Singapore instance part of the challenge is they seem to have heavy fortifications down the Malayan coast (Georgetown for example) and combat engineers are scarce ( at least in 43 - 44 ) though the Aussie Engineers are invaluable. "Then" you have to shock crossing the river to Singers as you note. Even after extended reduction by air / sea it takes a 'goodly stack' to sweep them out.
In Canton / HK - the same. Sweeping through French Indo-Chine gives the Allied Player "Victory disease" - the road network makes it quick and major victories roll in. However The AI will (in my experience) consistently try a Chinesse "Wuchow / Kukong" advance north from Canton in 42-44 ! A capable AI player can generally beat it back but the remainders of those IJA forces make Caton / HK a touch nut to crack. Fully surrounding to lock out supply is a challenge"
--
I guess my point / recommendation is ... Newish player verses the AI
"Unless you devote and move a large volume of US Assets to the Burma Theater... it is probably more efficient to concentrate 80% + of forces and especially Combat Engineers to advance along the Bangkok / Saigon / to Hong Kong / to Shanghai axis. More victory points .. more devoted airfield to be developed..that threaten the Japanese."
" Only keep a couple divisions / art / arm to manage down Malayan coast. Use Naval forces to reduce blockade positions and spend extended time reducing Singapore before finally tackling it. By mid 44 late 44 - early 45 more divisions and especially Combat Engineers to arrive to help you finish the job."
A People that values its privileges above it's principles will soon loose both. Dwight D Eisenhower.
Wow, I go on vacation for a week and the Canadian delegation completely hijacks my AAR.[:D] Kidding of course, I'm happy to have forumites viewing and commenting
So on vacation we saw Mount Rushmore, and I think my friends to the north would be interested in this little known factoid:
Macclan5:
So far the jury is still out on whether my decision to advance in both Malaya and Indochina was a good one. I think I will reserve final judgement until Singapore Hong Kong and Shanghai are all captured. Saying that, I will comment on my progress so far:
-The Malayan advance has went according to schedule (so far). The large Allied AV concentration has been able to overcome large forts at Singora and Georgetown fairly quickly. The one surprise was the large Japanese concentration near Alor Star. Delays were mostly mitigated by bypassing/surrounding this enemy force. A small Allied group was used to isolate this enemy force, while the rest of the Allied LCUs continued marching southward towards Singapore.
-Th progress in Malaya has allowed the safe execution of British landings in Sumatra.
-The Chinese advance has been slower than expected. While Chinese units are more effective in the attack (versus early war), they still get disrupted easily and have a hard time recovering, when compared to British (and especially American) units. Couple this with the need to garrison captured bases, and the advance in China has bogged down a bit.
-I think if I had diverted more British/American units to the advance in China, I would have been able to advance simultaneously towards Hong Kong and Shanghai. As it stands now, I nearly have Hong Kong, but I have a ways to go to get Shanghai.
-Supply has not been an issue in Malaya, or China. Supply from Colombo and India has stockpiled in Rangoon and has steadily increased over the last 6 months.
-I am anxious to see how the crossing into Singapore goes. I will heed BB Fanboy's sage advice and try to cross smartly, although shock attack results are definitely unpredictable.
I agree Macclan, its a tough decision on how to proceed...but it is a good problem to have, as the Allies were never in a position to advance this far in the actual war. Hopefully my experience along with other AARs will provide some worthwhile info to other Allied commanders who face this dilemma.
My hope is that Shanghai is available to support the Allied assault on the home islands. It seems reasonable, but only time will tell. Thank you all for your advice and questions, it has helped me immensely.[&o]
You say we're surrounded?
Excellent!
That means we can attack in any direction.
1. Do everything possible to trap the enemy Malayan army so it does not retreat into the fortress at Singapore. It's well worth taking extra time for this.
2. Chinese units are slow to recover from tough fighting, as you said. But you should have enough good Chinese corps that you can go on the offensive with one group while a second group rests and preps, then switch when the first group is finished with their targets.
3. Be careful of naval operations at or near Shanghai. That is within easy Kamikaze range of Kyushu. They don't seem to attack into a known high concentration of fighters (as with big carrier groups in a hex), but they will sure jump on any perceived easy target.
Wow, I go on vacation for a week and the Canadian delegation completely hijacks my AAR.[:D]
So far the jury is still out on whether my decision to advance in both Malaya and Indochina was a good one. I think I will reserve final judgement until Singapore Hong Kong and Shanghai are all captured. Saying that, I will comment on my progress so far:
-The Malayan advance has went according to schedule (so far). The large Allied AV concentration has been able to overcome large forts at Singora and Georgetown fairly quickly. The one surprise was the large Japanese concentration near Alor Star. Delays were mostly mitigated by bypassing/surrounding this enemy force. A small Allied group was used to isolate this enemy force, while the rest of the Allied LCUs continued marching southward towards Singapore.
-Th progress in Malaya has allowed the safe execution of British landings in Sumatra. -The Chinese advance has been slower than expected. While Chinese units are more effective in the attack (versus early war), they still get disrupted easily and have a hard time recovering, when compared to British (and especially American) units. Couple this with the need to garrison captured bases, and the advance in China has bogged down a bit.
-I think if I had diverted more British/American units to the advance in China, I would have been able to advance simultaneously towards Hong Kong and Shanghai. As it stands now, I nearly have Hong Kong, but I have a ways to go to get Shanghai.
-Supply has not been an issue in Malaya, or China. Supply from Colombo and India has stockpiled in Rangoon and has steadily increased over the last 6 months.
-I am anxious to see how the crossing into Singapore goes. I will heed BB Fanboy's sage advice and try to cross smartly, although shock attack results are definitely unpredictable.
I agree Macclan, its a tough decision on how to proceed...but it is a good problem to have, as the Allies were never in a position to advance this far in the actual war. Hopefully my experience along with other AARs will provide some worthwhile info to other Allied commanders who face this dilemma.
My hope is that Shanghai is available to support the Allied assault on the home islands. It seems reasonable, but only time will tell. Thank you all for your advice and questions, it has helped me immensely.[&o]
(1) Let me be a true Canadian ... sorry about that (Hijacking thread) [8D]
(2) Yep surprise concentrations around various points. In my experience they still took a lot of AV to beat down and given the date of you game "I think the Combat Engineers" are really only coming on line from the British / American POV. You may have some Aussie CE leading the way and others 'on route"
Still you will need them for Singapore - caution notwithstanding in my opinion.
(3) Yes I am certain you will have Shanghai to support the home island invasion.
In the end you can choose to speed up or slow down given that aim. Yo may have the American Pacific forces invade north east for example - and postpone the south west islands till you have your desired bases in China / Formosa.
However Shanghai will be another AV sapping tough nut to crack in my experience.
See note about the need for combat engineers above
And... as you say the 'bog down' speaks the essential question - which way is more efficient. [8D]
A People that values its privileges above it's principles will soon loose both. Dwight D Eisenhower.
1. Do everything possible to trap the enemy Malayan army so it does not retreat into the fortress at Singapore. It's well worth taking extra time for this.
2. Chinese units are slow to recover from tough fighting, as you said. But you should have enough good Chinese corps that you can go on the offensive with one group while a second group rests and preps, then switch when the first group is finished with their targets.
3. Be careful of naval operations at or near Shanghai. That is within easy Kamikaze range of Kyushu. They don't seem to attack into a known high concentration of fighters (as with big carrier groups in a hex), but they will sure jump on any perceived easy target.
Very good observations +1
A People that values its privileges above it's principles will soon loose both. Dwight D Eisenhower.
Wow, I go on vacation for a week and the Canadian delegation completely hijacks my AAR.[:D]
So far the jury is still out on whether my decision to advance in both Malaya and Indochina was a good one. I think I will reserve final judgement until Singapore Hong Kong and Shanghai are all captured. Saying that, I will comment on my progress so far:
-The Malayan advance has went according to schedule (so far). The large Allied AV concentration has been able to overcome large forts at Singora and Georgetown fairly quickly. The one surprise was the large Japanese concentration near Alor Star. Delays were mostly mitigated by bypassing/surrounding this enemy force. A small Allied group was used to isolate this enemy force, while the rest of the Allied LCUs continued marching southward towards Singapore.
-Th progress in Malaya has allowed the safe execution of British landings in Sumatra. -The Chinese advance has been slower than expected. While Chinese units are more effective in the attack (versus early war), they still get disrupted easily and have a hard time recovering, when compared to British (and especially American) units. Couple this with the need to garrison captured bases, and the advance in China has bogged down a bit.
-I think if I had diverted more British/American units to the advance in China, I would have been able to advance simultaneously towards Hong Kong and Shanghai. As it stands now, I nearly have Hong Kong, but I have a ways to go to get Shanghai.
-Supply has not been an issue in Malaya, or China. Supply from Colombo and India has stockpiled in Rangoon and has steadily increased over the last 6 months.
-I am anxious to see how the crossing into Singapore goes. I will heed BB Fanboy's sage advice and try to cross smartly, although shock attack results are definitely unpredictable.
I agree Macclan, its a tough decision on how to proceed...but it is a good problem to have, as the Allies were never in a position to advance this far in the actual war. Hopefully my experience along with other AARs will provide some worthwhile info to other Allied commanders who face this dilemma.
My hope is that Shanghai is available to support the Allied assault on the home islands. It seems reasonable, but only time will tell. Thank you all for your advice and questions, it has helped me immensely.[&o]
(1) Let me be a true Canadian ... sorry about that (Hijacking thread) [8D]
(2) Yep surprise concentrations around various points. In my experience they still took a lot of AV to beat down and given the date of you game "I think the Combat Engineers" are really only coming on line from the British / American POV. You may have some Aussie CE leading the way and others 'on route"
Still you will need them for Singapore - caution notwithstanding in my opinion.
(3) Yes I am certain you will have Shanghai to support the home island invasion.
In the end you can choose to speed up or slow down given that aim. Yo may have the American Pacific forces invade north east for example - and postpone the south west islands till you have your desired bases in China / Formosa.
However Shanghai will be another AV sapping tough nut to crack in my experience.
See note about the need for combat engineers above
And... as you say the 'bog down' speaks the essential question - which way is more efficient. [8D]
Even though you get some big Combat Eng. units later in the game, there are never enough Combat Engineer squads for sustained combat with them. Use them strategically where they will make a difference, and don't waste them by having them in the first river crossing wave, shock attacking into high forts. Get them across with later waves where no shock attack is triggered, and have them attack with lots of infantry and tanks beside them. I almost never have the Cmbt Engs shock attack, their demolition work requires using cover to get close to the fortifications and attacking only when there is lots of covering fire. Charging across an open area in a shock attack could be bad for the guy carrying HE and detonators ...
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
Appreciate all the comments and suggestions from the forumites, all great stuff.[&o]
(1) Let me be a true Canadian ... sorry about that (Hijacking thread) [8D]
(2) Yep surprise concentrations around various points. In my experience they still took a lot of AV to beat down and given the date of you game "I think the Combat Engineers" are really only coming on line from the British / American POV. You may have some Aussie CE leading the way and others 'on route"
Still you will need them for Singapore - caution notwithstanding in my opinion.
(3) Yes I am certain you will have Shanghai to support the home island invasion.
In the end you can choose to speed up or slow down given that aim. Yo may have the American Pacific forces invade north east for example - and postpone the south west islands till you have your desired bases in China / Formosa.
However Shanghai will be another AV sapping tough nut to crack in my experience.
See note about the need for combat engineers above
And... as you say the 'bog down' speaks the essential question - which way is more efficient. [8D]
(1) Appreciate that Maccaln5, I wouldn't expect anything less from a bona fide Canadian.
(2) Yes those surprise concentrations can be quite a hindrance, however (as jwolf stated) if they can be cut off from Singapore, it should be worth the effort. I will find out when I reach Singapore
(3) I will definitely heed your advice in Shanghai. Right now it is cut off from land supply, and the silent service is doing its best to prevent any sea-going reinforcement. Lack of supply was the key in taking down Canton, and I hope to repeat the strategy in Shanghai.
Time will determine the answer to your efficiency question. The more Hans, jwolf, BBFanboy, and you (all people whos advice I hold in high regard) talk about Singapore, the more I feel you may be right, and the risks of making the assault across the channel may outweigh the rewards. Hans and BB Fanboy have warned me multiple times of the weakness of the British pools, and I would hate to gut them taking Singapore (even with its large VP value). If the garrison there is too large, I may halt before making said assault, but for now the Allies are heading toward Singapore "full steam ahead".
You say we're surrounded?
Excellent!
That means we can attack in any direction.
North Pacific:
Movement of troops and supplies continues. Total CV strength at Adak is now 7 CVE and 3 CVL. Since the enemy CV arm is unlikely to be a threat, all CVs are fighter heavy to protect the amphibious forces from land based attacks. Preparations are on track and the Allies are moving a few final pieces in to place before greenlighting the assault into the Kuriles in late April.
Central Pacific:
Pagan’s supply-depraved defenders are now down to 208 AV. The Allied force here is composed of only two NZ brigades, but are continuing to inflict 200-250 casualties daily on the Pagan garrison.
So far, phase 1 of Operation Harbinger (Luzon invasion) is going well. The Allies march up the peninsula to Manilla has reached Batangas, encountering only light resistance. A deliberate is on tap for early next week and should liberate the base, opening the gate to Manilla.
Southern Pacific:
No IJN activity.
South-West Pacific:
In the Celebes, the Allies force at Kendari continues its overland march to Makassar to provide the AV needed to take the base.
Allied troops in SW Borneo assault and take Balikpapan early in the week, then follow up their victory by taking Samarinda to the northeast.
SE Asia/China:
The advance down the Malayan peninsula continues. Allied forces are take Kuala Lumpur fairly easily and now head towards Malacca.
On the seas around Malacca, two IJN battleships (Ise and Nagato) make their presence known, however Allied sub/air presence makes them pay, Ise gets a torpedo, and Nagato receives 8 bomb hits (mix of 150/250 lb. bombs). All bombs failed to penetrate armor, but Nagato ran away and had heavy fires.
The air campaign against Singapore begins this week, as fighter groups sweep the Japanese from the skies and bombers knock the airfield out of action. Later in the week a few squadrons of 4E bombers raid the port and sink three Japanese subs. Allied command is glad to rid the seas of a few of those pesky things.
In Sumatra the 11th Division, with the help of some Punjab battalions corner the ousted defenders (4 units/10K troops) of Sabang. Further south, the Allies run into a major roadblock at Sibloga. 450AV/20K troops are here and the Allied force (400AV) will have to wait for reinforcements before commencing their assault.
In northern China, the Japanese offensive is in full motion. The enemy has the AV advantage (1,328 to 528 at west Taiyuan and 661 to 529 at Yenan. However, supply is an issue for the Japanese, and the only deliberate attack was a underwhelming assault at Yenan. Assuming the enemy doesn’t get a sudden influx of supply, the Chinese reinforcements should arrive in time to save Yenan.
In southern China, Hong Kong is assaulted all week, and the attacks drop the forts from 8 to 3. At the end of the week, the AV ratio is 3,636:41 in favor of the good guys. Another attack or two is all it should take. In hindsight, cutting the rail line to Hong Kong prior to assaulting Canton has proven to be a big difference maker, as all that retreating AV was not able to reach the safety of Hong Kong’s fortifications, it instead retreated to the east, where it was defeated in the open.
Japanese pocket at Kuikiang (18 units/120K troops) continues to hold out. All the hex sides belong to the Allies, so units are being siphoned off to help the advances elsewhere while a minimum force remains to maintain the siege. Once the Singapore operation winds down, some airpower may be available to assist in reducing the Kiukiang pocket.
IJN Watch:
-BB Ise sighted near Medan (4/7)
-BB Nagato sighted near Kuala Lumpur (4/10)
Notable Base Captures:
- Georgetown [Malaya] captured by the Allies (4/5)
- Haichow [China] captured by the Allies (4/5)
- Naga [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/5)
- Boac [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/6)
- Balikpapan [Borneo] captured by the Allies (4/7)
- Kuala Lumpur [Malaya] captured by the Allies (4/7)
- Lucena [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/7)
- Taiping [China] captured by the Allies (4/8)
- Mauban [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/8)
- Hwainan, Wenchow [China] captured by the Allies (4/9)
- Catanduances [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/9)
- Pollio [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/10)
- Samarinda [Borneo] captured by the Allies (4/11)
Campaign Overview: Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,664 [+146]
Japanese: 29,216 [+402]
Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 719 [+1]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CV Victorious, CVE Copahee, CVE Corregidor, CVE Nassau, CVE St.Lo, 5 CA, 14 CL, 29 DD
North Pacific:
Movement of troops and supplies continues. Total CV strength at Adak is now 7 CVE and 3 CVL. Preparations are on track and the Allies are moving a few final pieces in to place before greenlighting the assault into the Kuriles in late April.
Central Pacific:
Pagan’s supply-depraved defenders are now down to 67 AV. The Allied force here is composed of only two NZ brigades, but are continuing to inflict around 200 casualties daily on the enemy garrison at Pagan.
The Allies march up the peninsula has reached Manilla, currently the Allies outnumber the Japanese AV 918:414. Once the 32nd division arrives (in about 2 weeks), a deliberate attack will be ordered. In the meantime, Allied 4EB’s will soften up the defenses.
Southern Pacific:
No IJN activity.
South-West Pacific:
In the Celebes, the Allies force at Kendari continues its overland march to Makassar to provide the AV needed to take the base.
A few Allied TKs head to Balikpapan to begin harvesting the fuel there and bringing it to the Philippines where it may be used.
SE Asia/China:
The advance down the Malayan peninsula continues. Allied advance columns reach Malacca, where a sizeable Japanese force (700 AV) is discovered. The bulk of the Allied forces in the area are about 3 days away. Once they arrive, the assault will continue.
The air campaign against Singapore continues, as bombers keep the airfield out of action. Most bomber assets are focused on the capture of Malacca, and once this is completed, the full brunt of the Allied bombing effort will switch to Singapore.
In Sumatra the 11th Division, is wearing down about 10K Japanese troops surrounded SW of Sabang. Further south, the Allies continue to hold at Sibloga, waiting for reinforcements before commencing their assault.
In northern China, the Japanese offensive is still progressing, although there are signs it is running out of steam. The enemy still has the AV advantage (944 to 297 at west Taiyuan and 1,101 to 404 at Yenan. However, recent deliberate attacks have been in favor of the Allies. E.g. the most recent enemy deliberate at Taiyuan resulted in 1300 Japanese casualties (20 destroyed/78 disabled squads) and only 200 Allied (15 disabled squads). The Allies are staying on the defensive, allowing the Japanese to impale themselves and waste precious supply.
In southern China, Hong Kong is captured and the bulk of the Allied combat squads are railed north to Canton, where they will march eastward to help subdue Shanghai. A small force will stay at Hong Kong to eliminate the remains of the Japanese garrison.
Japanese pocket at Kuikiang (18 units/120K troops) continues to hold out. All the hex sides belong to the Allies, so units are being siphoned off to help the advances elsewhere while a minimum force remains to maintain the siege. Once the Singapore operation winds down, some air power may be available to assist in reducing the Kiukiang pocket.
IJN Watch:
No IJN capital ships sighted this week.
Notable Base Captures:
- Burias [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/12)
- Calapan [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/13)
- Batangas [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/14)
- Hong Kong [China] captured by the Allies (4/14)
- Sibuyan [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/14)
- Pengpu [China] captured by the Allies (4/15)
- Tablas [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/15)
- Masbate [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/18)
Campaign Overview: Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,755 [+91]
Japanese: 29,455 [+239]
Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 720 [+1]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CV Victorious, CVE Copahee, CVE Corregidor, CVE Nassau, CVE St.Lo, 5 CA, 14 CL, 29 DD
North Pacific:
Movement of troops and supplies continues. Total CV strength at Adak is now 9 CVE and 4 CVL. Slight delay in plans as additional base forces and AA are moved in from Seattle. Invasion of Kuriles slated to begin Mid-May.
Central Pacific:
Pagan’s supply-depraved defenders are now down to 60 AV. The Allied force here attempts a deliberate attack and knocks the forts down from 4 to 3. Fatigue and disruption are minimal, so follow up attacks are on tap for next week.
At Manilla, the Allies outnumber the Japanese AV 943:379, and bombardment attacks are proving to be quite damaging to the enemy. Once the 32nd division arrives (in about 1 week), a deliberate attack will be ordered. In the meantime, Allied 4EB’s continue to soften up the defenses.
Southern Pacific:
No IJN activity.
South-West Pacific:
In the Celebes, the Allies force at Kendari continues its overland march to Makassar to provide the AV needed to take the base.
Allied TKs reach Balikpapan to begin harvesting the fuel there. At the end of the week, a Japanese raid is launched from Java, but all 22 bombers are smoked by Allied CAP.
SE Asia/China:
The advance down the Malayan peninsula continues. The Allies take Malacca, and persue the fleeing Japanese south towards Johore Bahru and Singapore.
The air campaign against Singapore continues, as bombers keep the airfield out of action. With Malacca taken, all Allied Assets in the area are focused on Singapore and the suppression of her defenses.
In Sumatra the 11th Division, is wearing down about 10K Japanese troops surrounded SW of Sabang. Further south, the Allies continue to hold at Sibloga, waiting for reinforcements before commencing their assault.
In northern China, the Japanese offensive is still progressing, although there are signs it is running out of steam. The enemy still has the AV advantage (700 to 159) at west Taiyuan. However, recent deliberate attacks have been in favor of the Allies. And the Japanese have ceased attacking and have settled into bombardment mode. The Allies are bringing up reinforcements, but will stay on the defensive in this area, allowing the Japanese to impale themselves and waste precious supply.
In southern China, Hong Kong is secured, as the trapped Japanese garrison if eliminated. The flow of men and equipment eastward towards Shanghai continues.
The stubborn Japanese pocket at Kuikiang (18 units/120K troops) continues to hold out. All the hex sides belong to the Allies, so units are being siphoned off to help the advances elsewhere while a minimum force remains to maintain the siege. Once the Singapore operation winds down, some airpower may be available to assist in reducing the Kiukiang pocket.
IJN Watch:
CVE Kaiyo sighted in Manilla, hit in harbor strike, reported sunk ((4/19)
Notable Base Captures:
- Shaohing [China] captured by the Allies (4/24)
- Malacca [Malaya] captured by the Allies (4/24)
- Aparri [Philippines] captured by the Allies (4/25)
Campaign Overview: Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,855 [+100]
North Pacific:
Movement of troops and supplies continues. Total CV strength at Adak is now 9 CVE and 4 CVL. Invasion of Kuriles slated to kick-off Mid-May.
Central Pacific:
Pagan’s supply-depraved defenders finally succumb to the constant Allied assaults and withdraw from the base. There are still about 24 enemy AV left on the island, and the New Zealand Battalion will take a short breather before resuming the assault on the enemy.
At Manilla, the Allies the 32nd division arrives early in the week, and the assault began, with AV at 1,399:384 in favor of the Allies. Initially the Japanese defenders held behind level 7 forts, however their modified AV was not as strong as it should have been, and after 3 consecutive assaults, the forts were down to 3 and the AV ratio was 1,153:88. The final assault on May 2nd broke through and liberated the Philippine capital after 3 years of Japanese occupation. A glorious day indeed.
In northern Luzon, the landing commences at Aparri. With the Japanese defense focused on defending Manilla, the Aparri beach defenses were relatively light. Aparri was captured quickly and Allied forces begin heading towards Manilla, herding the Japanese defenders as they go. The 193rd Tank Battalion, supported by a marine regiment races along the northern coast to Vigan. A larger infantry force, composed of the 41st Division, Artillery, AA, and support troops, head down the central road. The plan is to try and push the Japanese toward the east coast of Luzon, where the Allied naval presence is strong.
Southern Pacific:
No detected IJN activity.
South-West Pacific:
In the Celebes, the Allies force at Kendari continues its overland march to Makassar to provide the AV needed to take the base. At Makassar, the Allies try a deliberate assault and are able to knock the forts down to 5.
SE Asia/China:
The advance down the Malayan peninsula continues. The Allies take the crossroads southeast of Malacca and pursue the fleeing Japanese south towards Johore Bahru and Singapore. A small secondary force heads east to take Mersing.
The air campaign against Singapore continues, as bombers keep the airfield out of action. All Allied assets in the area are focused on Singapore and the suppression of her defenses.
In Sumatra the 11th Division, is wearing down about 10K Japanese troops surrounded SW of Sabang. Further south, the Allies continue to hold at Sibloga, waiting for reinforcements before commencing their assault. A small group consisting of the 111 PAVO regiment and Merril’s Marauders head south towards Padang.
In northern China, the Japanese offensive is still progressing, although the Chinese reinforcements arrived this week, bolstering the defense and effectively stopping the attacks at Taiyuan.
In southern China, the flow of men and equipment eastward towards Shanghai continues. British armored units have reached Chuhsien and are now moving towards Hangchow, which guards the western approaches to Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chinese units in the area are flowing towards Nanking to threaten Shanghai from the northwest.
The stubborn Japanese pocket at Kuikiang (18 units/120K troops) continues to hold out. Early in the week, Allied command was encouraged by bombardment results and decided to try a deliberate assault. The results were humbling, as the Chinese suffered 4,600 casualties (46 destroyed/523 disabled squads) while the Japanese only suffered 700 casualties (47 disabled squads). However, not to be outdone, the Japanese try their own deliberate attack later in the week, losing 9,100 casualties (156 destroyed/405 disabled) while the Allies lose 400 (3 destroyed/38 disabled). While painful, the overall result was in the Allies favor.
IJN Watch:
No IJN capital ships spotted this week.
Notable Base Captures:
- Cabanatuan [Philippines] occupied by the Allies (4/26)
- Wuhu [China] captured by the Allies (4/27)
- Pagan [Marianas] captured by the Allies (5/1)
- Manilla [Philippines] captured by the Allies (5/2)
Campaign Overview: Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 9,932 [+77]
Japanese: 30,374 [+453]
Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 723 [+1]
Notables: CV Enterprise, CV Victorious, CVE Copahee, CVE Corregidor, CVE Nassau, CVE St.Lo, 5 CA, 14 CL, 29 DD
The Chinese have a lot of people. They can afford an occasional bloody battle as you had.
I am curious to see how your Kurile campaign will go. In my game I didn't go there until very late (March 45) and by then, the Japanese Kamikazes had been in operation for a long time. I took the northern two islands easily, but to go any farther south would expose my naval forces to a potentially large kamikaze strike and I just didn't have really major carrier air power to be able to move around confidently under those conditions. I would like to see how it plays out for you.
Going back two 'pages' or three we debated a little. November / December 1943 IIRC.
Singapore ?
Shanghai ?
(you added Manila)
1) I agree your tactics and generalismo-ship has been a one ! [8D]
2) Do you have any revised opinion about the division of CBI forces between two strategic objectives ?
I have now played well into my 4th GC counting the first colossal missteps game.
I have not fully resolved this question in my own mind. [:D]
This game I am 'holding the line' at Surat Thani and north - I hold French Indo China - and I moving every scrap of available forces towards digging out China / Korea including Shanghai, Peping and onwards.
Air Bases in the Philippines and French Indo China essentially prevent any IJN convoys to the home islands.
Still the IJA is very difficult to dig out at Canton / Hong Kong / Shanghai as you move east.
I would be curious as you are attacking on the broad front everywhere as opposed to the narrow front philosophy? Any thoughts if newbie players read this in 2 years?
A People that values its privileges above it's principles will soon loose both. Dwight D Eisenhower.
The Chinese have a lot of people. They can afford an occasional bloody battle as you had.
I am curious to see how your Kurile campaign will go. In my game I didn't go there until very late (March 45) and by then, the Japanese Kamikazes had been in operation for a long time. I took the northern two islands easily, but to go any farther south would expose my naval forces to a potentially large kamikaze strike and I just didn't have really major carrier air power to be able to move around confidently under those conditions. I would like to see how it plays out for you.
True, the attritional war in China suites the Allies well.
Kamikazes have been activated for a little under a year now, and I have been beefing up the CVE escort for the Kurile invasion fleet (part of the delay). The armada should be embarking within a week (game time) I will keep you posted.
ORIGINAL: Macclan5
April 1944
Going back two 'pages' or three we debated a little. November / December 1943 IIRC.
Singapore ?
Shanghai ?
(you added Manila)
1) I agree your tactics and generalismo-ship has been a one ! [8D]
2) Do you have any revised opinion about the division of CBI forces between two strategic objectives ?
I have now played well into my 4th GC counting the first colossal missteps game.
I have not fully resolved this question in my own mind. [:D]
This game I am 'holding the line' at Surat Thani and north - I hold French Indo China - and I moving every scrap of available forces towards digging out China / Korea including Shanghai, Peping and onwards.
Air Bases in the Philippines and French Indo China essentially prevent any IJN convoys to the home islands.
Still the IJA is very difficult to dig out at Canton / Hong Kong / Shanghai as you move east.
I would be curious as you are attacking on the broad front everywhere as opposed to the narrow front philosophy? Any thoughts if newbie players read this in 2 years?
Ahoy my Canadian friend! Thank you as always for your compliments and commentary, it is always appreciated (especially the former [:D])
You make some very valid points, as usual. Allow me to address them:
Regarding my decision to pursue Singapore instead of 'holding the line' in Thailand...I think the jury is still out until I attack Singapore. I am optimistic because I have been able to trap a few large IJA force concentrations and prevent them from retreating behind the defenses at Singapore. Saying that, intel shows there is approx 84K troops, 440 guns and 320 vehicles in the city. My feeling is that most of those troops are of the support/second line variety, but I won't know till I storm across the channel. I'm taking the advice of BBfanboy and others, and keeping my engineers out of the initial wave, since they tend to take the brunt of the damage. I'll include them in the follow up waves and make sure I avoid the auto shock attack.
In China...well China has been a bog (as you have noted previously), but while the Chinese couldn't make large territorial gains, they seem to have worn down the Japanese. The British/American units that have come East from Indochina have simply rolled over the enemy. Canton and Hong Kong fell quickly once I decided to deliberate attack them. I fear Shanghai may be a different story, but like Singapore, I will know for sure once the boots hit the ground.
I have been satisfied with the broad front strategy so far. Having multiple axis (or is is axes?) of advance is not the most efficient...I could technically bypass some areas that I have attacked, but it has forced me to plan out complimentary attacks and stretch my supply network. The hope is when I'm ready to play a real human (you maybe[8D]) i'll have worked out most of the kinks.
One other broad front observation, while my current DEI endeavors may not have closed the distance to Japan, they have resulted in a nice side effect....fuel. The capture of Balikpapan in particular has given the Allies access to a fuel source right near the front line. I already have a group of short legged tankers ferrying fuel to the Philippines. Manila will be my main fleet base when the invasion of Japan kicks off, and it will be flush with fuel when that happens. I'll need it too, as the US navy is growing exponentially now, and all those big ships chug fuel like a frat boy.
You say we're surrounded?
Excellent!
That means we can attack in any direction.
Central/North Pacific: Capital Ships:
6-CVE, 1-CVL, 2-BB @Pearl Harbor Near-Term Plans:
Capture Okinawa and Onnekotan-Jima Long Term Plans:
Advance on Formosa, capture Kuriles. Strategic Bombing.
SW Pacific: Capital Ships:
9-CV, 14-CVE, 3-CVL, 13-BB Near-Term Plans:
Capture Luzon, keep home islands isolated from DEI Long Term Plans:
Capture Java
SE Asia/China: Capital Ships:
2-CV, 1-CVE, 1-BB Near-Term Plans:
Advance down Malaya Peninsula to threaten Singapore. Capture Sumatra, advance into Eastern/Northern China Long Term Plans:
Capture Singapore, Sumatra, and Shanghai.
Base Supply Status:
You say we're surrounded?
Excellent!
That means we can attack in any direction.
) of advance is not the most efficient...I could technically bypass some areas that I have attacked, but it has forced me to plan out complimentary attacks and stretch my supply network. The hope is when I'm ready to play a real human (you maybe[8D]) i'll have worked out most of the kinks.
; Julia Child
