T2 Ironman (J) v. scondon87 (A)

[CaptBeefheart]

What I would call EASTPAC is a pretty unhealthy place early in this game and I wouldn't contest it for a while (just try to sneak some supply into Hawaii, and set up a resource convoy from Hilo to Pearl)). I've done both Panama and Port Stanley to Christchurch convoys against Ironman Nasty Squared or Cubed. Panama works better on the return leg once you clear out Tahiti and Nuka Hiva. Note that you'll have to set up East Coast supply and fuel convoys to Cristobal or Port Stanley (not to mention Cape Town). Sending some naval support to load/unload and engineers to build ports to both places will help. I don't know what script you've activated, but you may want to focus more on defending Kiwiland than points north.

Cheers,
CB

[scondon87]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

What I would call EASTPAC is a pretty unhealthy place early in this game and I wouldn't contest it for a while (just try to sneak some supply into Hawaii, and set up a resource convoy from Hilo to Pearl)). I've done both Panama and Port Stanley to Christchurch convoys against Ironman Nasty Squared or Cubed. Panama works better on the return leg once you clear out Tahiti and Nuka Hiva. Note that you'll have to set up East Coast supply and fuel convoys to Cristobal or Port Stanley (not to mention Cape Town). Sending some naval support to load/unload and engineers to build ports to both places will help. I don't know what script you've activated, but you may want to focus more on defending Kiwiland than points north.

Cheers,
CB

Thanks for the advice. I'm getting the sense that you're right on all those points (given the SIGINT I'm looking at as well as the AI's strikes so far).

[Lowpe]

Japan is ready for war in this scenario, so expect the unexpected.[:)]

[PaxMondo]

what difficulty setting are you using?

[Bif1961]

Was his landing in Alaska a Seward's Folly?

[Andy Mac]

[:D][:D][:D]

[scondon87]

@PaxMondo: Hard difficulty.

[scondon87]

CENPAC: We get a PBY report of a couple AKs SW of Palmyra, and we move a DD group into position to intercept.



Oof.

SOPAC: The Japanese SNLF seems content to just bombard the massively outnumbered French garrison.

SWPAC: The Port Moresby Garrison withstands the 1:2 attack by the SNLF that landed there. Not a chance of holding it, but maybe they make it to the new year. Seems unlikely.

SEAC: The Japanese infiltrators throw back the BFF Bde SE of Mandalay, and another group of them get a 1:1 against the RAF BF & AVG Ground Echelon in Toungoo. I may get a Burmese Bn there in a day or two if they hold on. The infiltrators are a fun touch, making it impossible to evacuate anything from Burma overland.



I've lost sighting on #3, but he's somewhere between Mandalay and Myitkyina on the rail line.

[scondon87]

Patterson is fine-ish for heavy fires.

[scondon87]

Only notable events:

Johore Bahru falls, cutting off Singapore


I got two Burmese Bns into Toungoo just in time to be thrown out.

[scondon87]

CENPAC: Lexington continues its pursuit of the Japanese amphibs that took Christmas - looks like a good chance we got the AMC, this far from major Japanese bases. Probably going to withdraw the CV at this point, have it join up with Saratoga at PH and replenish the now-depleted SBD groups (that flak has been pretty rough). I think 2 CVs will probably also have the striking power to really hurt these amphib groups.



I still hold Palmyra, and have been dropping mines to try to help out. An amphib with supply is on its way, and hopefully in a week or so, we can get additional defenders landed.

SOPAC: The vastly superior SNLF continues to just bombard the French on Tahiti (amazing, given my forces are half a dozen secretaries and a pastry chef). If the AI holds off doing a real attack, I might try to sneak some real troops in there (from somewhere, not sure yet).

SWPAC: Port Moresby garrison holds against a 1:1, but the forts are now zero - I doubt they'll hold another week.

Philippines: So close! A PT engagement at 2000 yds at 3% moonlight - don't they know there's a war!?

[scondon87]

CENPAC: An AVP transiting from SF to Pearl runs across the raider group that hit SF northeast of PH on a line from SF. Assuming they're going to skulk around Pearl now, though I can't imagine they have any ammo left. Sending a SAG up to see if we can dispatch a radar-equipped IJN CL.

SOPAC: One of my ad-hoc SAGs clobbers some surface raiders near Tahiti. Note the float Zeroes - I'm glad this was a surface action rather than a dive bombing attack. Between the AMCs, they probably could savage a single US CV strike. Definitely need to start operating CVs in pairs as soon as possible.



SWPAC: I-21 fires off 12 torpedoes in multiple surface attacks on the French xAK and xAKL transiting from Noumea to Sydney, so while I have two fewer cargo ships, that sub certainly will have to go home to rearm.

DEI: An aggressive move results in surface combat with CVs off Mindanao - unfortunately we don't get enough hits, and get hammered in daylight. So much for that. It was a risk without air cover, but I was expecting transports, not carriers. Lesson learned.

[Andy Mac]

nice interception

[scondon87]

NORPAC: Huzzah!



CENPAC: Got a bunch of contacts with the CL, a whole bunch of nothing with 0% moonlight. Definitely does not help that he has radar and I don't.

Got the DL up with my AVP



And then the long-awaited engagement off Pearl





There were several other engagements where they evaded without us spotting them. Just demoralizing. [:(]

SOPAC: Japanese invasion group comes for Fiji and gets ambushed by Enterprise



And the Devastators lose cohesion, but it results in the highest hit rate I've ever seen from TBDs!




After the first week and a half, here's the score:



Definitely a personal high in lost shipping this early. Definitely feels a lot scarier than T1, though most of the action is deep strikes - the normal expansion hasn't really happened yet, so maybe filling in will mostly follow the normal timetable (protected by picking up the usual Allied buildup bases early).

Right now, trying to get some prep points built up so we can secure the supply line to Australia via all the French bases I've literally never even looked at before in the far southeast part of the map. I also have the suspicion that I'll need to keep a SAG in any port I want to ship in/out of - not something I'm used to against the AI.

[scondon87]

CENPAC: Had at least 7 engagements with the Japanese raider CL 3-5 hexes West of PH, finally got him. Coincidentally that TF has every ship with 60+ night exp.











What a pain. I guess this is the way to give the peacetime navy a trial by fire. Also, every convoy needs heavy escort and no port is safely behind the lines. That will definitely change how I normally dispose my forces.

DEI: Almost got really excited here.



Naval search has a Japanese cruiser group coming down the Makassar Strait, going to see if the Brits can do something nasty to them.

SOPAC: The Japanese get 1 landing phase before the Australians break it up. This was a SIGINT intercept, though I wish the Australians had found them at night to prevent the landing entirely. New Caledonia won't be able to be held, I don't think.



The Japanese on Tahiti finally get tired of shelling my militia in the town. I'll have to take Tahiti the hard way.

[RangerJoe]

Check the crew experience before, then after the battle. Those battles will raise the crew experience.

[BBfanboy]

Those IJ troops at Koumac probably did not get much supply landed. They might take the top half of the island by if you can land a single battalion at Noumea it might hold. If they do take the whole island, they still will not be able to do much with it - no building up AF and port, no supply for air operations. Let's hope you can keep it that way. You know the AI will try to send more supply there and might not be able to provide much escort for it ...

[RangerJoe]

A good place for a minefield and for PT boats to patrol.

[scondon87]

Definitely a good point about New Caledonia. The Japanese landed in divisional strength (~450 AV) at Koumac, so I'm not sure Bn strength will be sufficient. They lost their transports after a single phase, so, as you said, they are probably very light on supply, and based on reported ground losses from the naval battle, they are probably missing most of the heavy equipment. That said, 450 AV is a lot of AV to stymie this early (even getting 200 unrestricted AV anywhere in December is tough). There are just too many places in this scenario where solid AV units are needed!

I think if I can bleed them there, it would be agreat outcome, if I can't, it's fine. Convoys to Australia will be going south of NZ anyways with the loss of Tahiti and Nuku Hiva, and New Caledonia strikes me as somewhat isolated for Japan without at least all the other island chains in the area and maybe even NW Australia. Brisbane-Noumea is B-24 normal range, and Maryborough-Koumac is extended B-17 range, which means these are not safe ports without a significant force commitment.

[scondon87]

Port Moresby falls after a BB bombardment.

Japanese CVs come down Makassar Strait and pull off an 8 hex strike on British CLs running back to the marginal safety of Soerabaja. Maybe the Dutch AF can keep the Japanese off the cruisers.