"insert funny title here" DBB-C Jorge(A) vs Runnersan(J)

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Here we are, July 1942
Overall, excellent results, but some key indicators:

- Far, far away from a possible Japanese auto-victory
- Air losses at a 2:3 positive ratio
- Slightly higher, but equivalent naval losses
- Obviously higher army losses, but mostly unavoidable losses
- Historical Japanese expansion; except for China, but still one stronghold, Palembang, in Allied hands
- Magwe oil destroyed
- Strong position on the Salomons and Bangladesh area; not so strong position on the Andamans
- In good position to start major offensives in the end of the 3rd quarter

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Ship losses by category

Obviously Japan under FOW; I have corrected some unrealistic sinkings,



Carriers: all confirmed except Taiyo
Japan: Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu, Taiyo
Allies: Enterprise, Saratoga, Hornet, Yorktown

Battleships: all confirmed
Japan: Hiei, Kirishima, Nagato, Ise
Allies: West Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Royal Sovereign, Repulse

Hvy Cruisers: overstated, I will need to dig into each
Japan: cofirmed Tone, Chikuma, Takao, Atago, Aoba. Very likely Kinugasa. Still afloat: Kako
Allies: Portland, Houston, Louisville, Dovonshire, Cornwall

Light Cruisers: lots of guesses (to confirm)
Japan:Kashii, Sendai, Kinu, Abukuma, Tatsuta, Yubari
Allies: Sumatra, Adelaide, Emerald, Danae, Glasgow, Concord, Marblehead, Boise

[BBfanboy]

You are doing very well - especially if he has lost that many CAs. Historically the IJN had only lost one CA at Midway by July 1942. In the game, the CAs are Japan's most dangerous surface combat ships. They have speed and range and can take some punishment, and deal out long lances.

BTW, a small correction on an English expression - it is 'has a silver lining', referring to dark clouds that have the sun behind them lighting up the edges in a 'silver lining' that makes them seem less threatening.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

thanks for the correction! I hope I will remember next time I use the phrase

And once I go page after page to assess the cruiser loses, I will most likely review the # down; I would say from top of mind, he lost ~5

EDIT: he lost 6 CAs: Atago, Tone, Aoba, Chikuma confirmed

Kinugasa was last see at heavy fires, heavy damage. Takao hit by 4 torpedoes. Very likely

Kako is still afloat

[Jorge_Stanbury]

This is what is left of the DEI area:

- 2 confirmed IJA divisions (plus supporting regiments including tanks and ART), but I lost awareness of the landing sites for at least 4 days, which means that he could be unloading more troops

- He just captured Praboemoelin this last turn (July 1st); he will rail his LCUs immediately has has then 2 options:
a) direct approach, which means a river crossing --> siege will then start early 2nd week of July
b) indirect approach, road NW, then NE, then SE, avoiding river crossing --> siege should start in the 3rd week of July

Then this what he will face:


fort level is at 6.72; I hope but I doubt it will reach L7

[Jorge_Stanbury]

India is now under a clear frontier between the Allies in Bangladesh and Japan in Burma

I already killed Magwe oil (only 13 points left), therefore not a lot left to care about.

You can see in the map one Japanese LCU (a regiment), that was moving on direction to Akyab; once he got close, I started bombing it merciless; so he decided to withdraw

Unless he tries to invade, this will be a quiet front for the rest of 42

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Andaman sea, just after losing Great Nicobar

[Jorge_Stanbury]

China: you might want to go into the Polish strategy games site and look for Runnersan's AAR for some info on China.

I don't like China and I don't paid too much attention. Suffice to say I plan to set a ring of defense bases near Chingking and Kunming

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Salomons; this is probably the one I have posted the most;

Fighting in Rossel island and bombarding all Japanese bases near Pt Moresby, except Rabaul; which is probably too well guarded

[Jorge_Stanbury]

July10.42

game is going on, but slowly, not a lot of time to work on it,

what is new?
- Trinkat fell, under overwhelming Japanese pressure, I decided my eastern fleet was too valuable to waste on a lost cause. Plus the British carriers are getting too close to withdrawal, the last thing I need is to get one torpedoed and trapped in, consuming PPs

- I was not paying attention, and he sent a bombardment TF to Rennel island, there was a small TF unloading supplies... it was not pretty to watch

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Invasion Support action off Trinkat (44,64)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Chosa Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru

PB Chosa Maru fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

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Invasion Support action off Trinkat (44,64)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Yamagiri Maru
AK Ayatosan Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
PB Chosa Maru

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

xAK Yamagiri Maru fired at enemy troops
AK Ayatosan Maru fired at enemy troops
LSD Shinshu Maru fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Trinkat (44,64)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Yamagiri Maru
AK Ayatosan Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
PB Chosa Maru

xAK Yamagiri Maru fired at enemy troops
AK Ayatosan Maru fired at enemy troops
LSD Shinshu Maru fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards



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Ground combat at Trinkat (44,64)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7470 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 173

Defending force 1150 troops, 0 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 26

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 144

Allied adjusted defense: 17

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Trinkat !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
255 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1151 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
56th Infantry Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
1st Middlesex Battalion
24th Indian Engineer Battalion


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Rennell Island at 113,140, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
CA Haguro, Shell hits 1
CL Tenryu
DD Michishio
DD Arashio
DD Usugumo
DD Ayanami
DD Uzuki
DD Karii
DD Yanagi

Allied Ships
AVD Childs, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AVD Thornton, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
AM Benalla, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAKL Kini, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
xAKL Sjobris
xAKL Capitaine Illiaquer, Shell hits 1
xAKL Caledon, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAKL James Cook, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAKL Koonda, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Matthew Flinders, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Minnipa, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAKL Mulubinda, Shell hits 1

Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Reduced sighting due to 14% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 14% moonlight: 4,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 4,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AM Benalla at 4,000 yards
CA Haguro engages AM Benalla at 4,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AM Benalla at 4,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages xAKL Minnipa at 4,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages AM Benalla at 4,000 yards
xAKL Minnipa sunk by DD Ayanami at 4,000 yards
CA Haguro engages xAKL Caledon at 4,000 yards
xAKL Caledon sunk by DD Michishio at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AM Benalla at 3,000 yards
CA Haguro engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
DD Karii engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
DD Ayanami engages AM Benalla at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
AM Benalla sunk by CL Tenryu at 4,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages xAKL Koonda at 4,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Capitaine Illiaquer at 4,000 yards
DD Arashio engages AVD Thornton at 4,000 yards
DD Michishio engages xAKL Kini at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CA Haguro engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages AVD Thornton at 3,000 yards
AVD Thornton sunk by DD Ayanami at 3,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages xAKL Kini at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AVD Childs at 4,000 yards
CA Haguro engages AVD Childs at 4,000 yards
CL Tenryu engages AVD Childs at 4,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages AVD Childs at 4,000 yards
DD Arashio engages xAKL Kini at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
xAKL Kini sunk by BB Fuso at 3,000 yards
DD Karii engages xAKL Mulubinda at 3,000 yards
DD Yanagi engages xAKL Matthew Flinders at 3,000 yards
DD Arashio engages xAKL Koonda at 3,000 yards
DD Michishio engages xAKL James Cook at 3,000 yards
AVD Childs sunk by DD Ayanami at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
xAKL Matthew Flinders sunk by BB Fuso at 2,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...


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ASW attack near Tagula Island at 104,137

Japanese Ships
SS I-20

Allied Ships
xAK Eldorado
xAK Tambua
AVD Hulbert

SS I-20 is sighted by escort
I-20 bottoming out ....
AVD Hulbert fails to find sub, continues to search...
AVD Hulbert fails to find sub, continues to search...
AVD Hulbert fails to find sub, continues to search...
AVD Hulbert fails to find sub, continues to search...
AVD Hulbert fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Submarine attack near Sampit at 56,99

Japanese Ships
xAK Sekiho Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships
SS Sturgeon, hits 1

xAK Sekiho Maru is sighted by SS Sturgeon
SS Sturgeon attacking xAK Sekiho Maru on the surface
SS Sturgeon low on gun ammo, Wright, W.L. breaks off surface engagement and submerges


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Rennell Island at 113,140

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Vincent I: 4 damaged
Vincent I: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 4 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
Kittyhawk IA: 1 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 4 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
CA Haguro
CL Tenryu
DD Yanagi
DD Karii
DD Uzuki
DD Ayanami
DD Usugumo
DD Arashio
DD Michishio

Allied ground losses:
228 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 28
Port hits 15
Port supply hits 1

BB Fuso firing at Rennell Island
CA Haguro firing at 2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
CL Tenryu firing at Rennell Island
DD Yanagi firing at Rennell Island
DD Karii firing at Rennell Island
DD Uzuki firing at Rennell Island
DD Ayanami firing at Rennell Island
DD Usugumo firing at Rennell Island
DD Arashio firing at Rennell Island
DD Michishio firing at Rennell Island


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kirakira at 116,143

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
D3A1 Val x 11
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Barbara Olson
xAP President Tyler, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
PG Sacramento, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP President Tyler
Massive explosion on PG Sacramento
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PG Sacramento

[Jorge_Stanbury]

[:-][:-]
don't try this at home
[:-][:-]
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Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 27188 troops, 316 guns, 301 vehicles, Assault Value = 790

Defending force 32327 troops, 457 guns, 327 vehicles, Assault Value = 1092

Japanese adjusted assault: 156

Allied adjusted defense: 12787

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 81 (fort level 6)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
5840 casualties reported
Squads: 122 destroyed, 348 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 58 disabled
Engineers: 39 destroyed, 50 disabled
Guns lost 23 (2 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 64 (5 destroyed, 59 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
564 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
5th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
48th Division
16th Engineer Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
Djambi Cdo
46th Indian Brigade
Lahat Cdo
18th British Division
44th Indian Brigade
2/15 Punjab Battalion
Palembang Cdo
5/14th Punjab Battalion
9th Indian Division
Palembang ML Base Force
PBg-Ld AA Afd
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

[Jorge_Stanbury]

now the question... should I attack?, maybe shock attack?

[RangerJoe]

Let me see, he has tanks and lots of artillery while some of your units are poorly trained . . . [:(]

[Uncivil Engineer]

Sure, shock attack. Then you won't have to withdraw, the units will miraculously reappear at Tokyo in 30 to 90 days!?

July 12 and you haven't taken Palembang? Get every cruiser you have, send them to Sumatra and bombard every day. You're not going to get any oil out of this adventure, no matter what you do. As long as his refineries are making supply (Scenario 1) in addition to fuel, you have a problem. Have you got 3 or 4 more full strength divisions sitting around somewhere?

I hate to be snarky, but you've got yourself a problem (trust me, I've been there).

Edit to add: I assume you're playing Japan. If you are the Allies, then congrats on a successful Palembang Fortress!

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Uncivil Engineer

Sure, shock attack. Then you won't have to withdraw, the units will miraculously reappear at Tokyo in 30 to 90 days!?

July 12 and you haven't taken Palembang? Get every cruiser you have, send them to Sumatra and bombard every day. You're not going to get any oil out of this adventure, no matter what you do. As long as his refineries are making supply (Scenario 1) in addition to fuel, you have a problem. Have you got 3 or 4 more full strength divisions sitting around somewhere?

I hate to be snarky, but you've got yourself a problem (trust me, I've been there).

Edit to add: I assume you're playing Japan. If you are the Allies, then congrats on a successful Palembang Fortress!

He has lots of oil and presumably fuel as well. You see, he is the ALLIED player. [8|]

He needs to delay as long as is possible. Then have every bomber withing range set to bomb the Oil as soon as the base is lost. Do it at night if you have to. Then do night naval attacks to kill any tankers that show up.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Let me see, he has tanks and lots of artillery while some of your units are poorly trained . . . [:(]

they are slow learners!!! they have had enough time to improve,

but you are right, no need to expose them to losses,
and there are no bombers in range, nothing is in range; with the recent loss of Trinkat and Great Nicobar I have nothing else in the DEI

To Unicivil Engineer: yes I am the Allies, and this is Dabes-C; refineries won't create supply

But from an Allied point of view, this is kind of irrelevant because supply was, and still is, very cheap; I mean I had no trouble transporting around 250K supply to Sumatra, this was around January or early February, and I haven't have any need to resupply; base is still at comfortable levels at 135K

If he had interdicted my lines of communication (Singapore, Batavia, Palembang) early on; it would had been a real challenge to move so much supply; but he didn't until much later; that was a big mistake

[RangerJoe]

Unless the oil is maxed out, leave the refinery on. That way, fuel over the storage limit will be wasted and not kept as oil. [;)]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

It is refining, and it is already double the fuel storage max

I think what will hurt the most is not the lost fuel but the lost opportunity to move that fuel to the home islands

the torpedo holiday ends in 43, and from then on, it becomes more and more complicated to move oil or fuel to Japan
those lost round-trips are not coming back,




I was also thinking maybe this assault was the 1st echelon to deal with the shock attack?, and a stronger 2nd wave would arrive next turn? we ll see

[Uncivil Engineer]

As I said earlier when I thought you might be playing Japan, he'll need to bombard with cruisers and bring in several more divisions to have a chance at taking Palembang. What's going on elsewhere? Does he have troops available to reinforce? What's HIS supply situation? IMO it's too early for you to shock attack, but I would be bombarding everyday, and if you have cruisers that can get in there to bombard, I would do that, too, to keep his supply down.

He's definitely got a problem!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Yes, he started a turn ago, but good forts help in reducing damage, so I am not losing sleep about his bombardments; besides I already know he will eventually subdue the base, just a matter of how long can I hold and how much damage, strategically, is done to Japan. I expect other cruisers to join soon

As per troops to reinforce; he has plenty, he should have no problem sending maybe 4 or 5 additional divisions; which is what I am hoping for.
Supply and oil wise; he is eating reserves, most likely still plentiful as this is only Jul42, but I can see dark clouds in his long term prospects,


last turn:
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Night Naval bombardment of Palembang at 48,91

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CL Kitakami
CL Kiso
DD Fuyo
DD Asagao
DD Sanae
DD Mikazuki
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Minegumo

Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Oil hits 1
Airbase hits 7
Runway hits 21
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 2

CA Kumano firing at 9th Indian Division
CL Kitakami firing at 18th British Division
CL Kiso firing at 18th British Division
DD Fuyo firing at 9th Indian Division
DD Asagao firing at 18th British Division
DD Sanae firing at 18th British Division
DD Mikazuki firing at Palembang
DD Hatsuyuki firing at Palembang
DD Minegumo firing at 18th British Division


this turn:
notice he is cleaning mines...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jul 13, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 146 encounters mine field at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11
DMS W-10

5 mines cleared

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Night Naval bombardment of Palembang at 48,91

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CL Kitakami
CL Kiso
DD Fuyo
DD Asagao
DD Sanae
DD Mikazuki
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Minegumo

Allied ground losses:
55 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 22
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 4

CA Kumano firing at 18th British Division
CL Kitakami firing at 9th Indian Division
CL Kiso firing at Palembang
DD Fuyo firing at Palembang
DD Asagao firing at Palembang
DD Sanae firing at 9th Indian Division
DD Mikazuki firing at 18th British Division
DD Hatsuyuki firing at 18th British Division
DD Minegumo firing at Palembang