I certainly did not intend to engage the KB directly with my carriers. This was a situation however where I had extensive long range recon and he had none. I was attempting to place Lady Lex and the Saratoga in a position where I could take advantage of any openings to go after his invasion convoy and logistics if they were to temporarily fall out of the immediate cover of the KB.
I-2 finds some of our AKLs off Port Moresby but elects not to launch torpedoes. It surfaces instead twice later in the turn and puts two of them under with its deck gun.
SS Narwhal intercepts a convoy on the way to Rabaul but duds on a PB.
S/SW Pacific
The Japanese landing force arrives at Nadi. CV Hiryu hits one of the recently laid mines but does not appear to be heavily damaged. My opponent landed the 4th Division and the 144th Infantry Regiment here so there is not much I can do to prevent the fall of Fiji.
Philippines
The Japanese capture Manila.
Malaya
Oscars on CAP catch a Blenheim strike escorted by Buffalo fighters in Malaya. The Buffalos keep the IJA fighters off the bombers but suffer several losses for their valiant efforts.
Sumatra
A Japanese fast transport composed of several light cruisers and half a dozen destroyers lands SNLF units at Palembang.
China
Chinese fighter aircraft continue to harass enemy bombers over Chengchow while dodging Zeros. A experimental Tojo squadron sweeps and catches them this turn however, shooting down a two Polikarpov biplanes and a Hawk. Chinese bombers on the other hand continue to do a good job disrupting the Japanese armies converging on Chengchow.
-------
The bulk of the Japanese troops arrive in Chengchow and and carrier action seems imminent around Fiji - these were tense but exciting turns.
I-26 puts a torpedo into AK Procyon next to San Diego, sinking her.
I-2 takes some minor damage from a depth charge attack in retaliation for her strikes over the last turn.
S/SW Pacific
Japanese battleships BB Hiei and BB Kirishima pound the beleaguered 8th New Zealand Brigade at Nadi. A Japanese attack then drives the Brigade back to Suva.
Central Pacific
Nell bombers hit Wake Island but meet no opposition. I had already pulled out the Wildcats.
Philippines
Bataan is pounded by almost a hundred bombers in total. This will largely be the daily routine from now on as my opponent seeks to degrade my final bastion in Luzon.
Malaya
The Japanese take Kuala Lumpur, but the 11th Division has long pulled out.
Borneo
I noticed that my opponent had placed some ships into port at Balikpapan, so I struck it with my B-17 bombers from Java. 6 PBs and 2 DMSs were crippled or sunk.
Java Sea
12 Catalinas loaded with torpedoes strike out of Soerabaja and sink three loaded Japanese AKs near Bandjermasin. 791 Japanese troops go down with the ships. Dutch 139WH-3 bombers join in on the fun and put two 300kg bombs into another AK.
Sumatra
Some Buffalo fighters I had put up on LRCAP over Palembang to defend the garrison from air attack shoot down 7 out of 31 Nells. I follow this up with my own bombing strikes on the SNLF units from Java and Singapore.
The bombing strikes severally weaken the SNLF units, greatly reducing their effectiveness when they attack at the end of the turn for a 1 to 2 ratio in my favor. Unfortunately, my garrison at Palembang remains very small and will not hold if he reinforces.
--------
I notice that the carriers had pulled away a few hexes to the north from the transports still unloading at Fiji. Time to strike!
The Enterprise squadrons that survived the sinking of their ship have since been stewing in Port Moresby, waiting for a chance to get back at the Empire of the Sun. Today they strike back with their first round of vengeance. A light cruiser force aiming to knock out my convoys heading to Port Moresby is sighted and engaged, with the Enterprise SBDs crippling light cruiser Kiso with several 1,000lb hits. They went in for another go in the afternoon and put another 1,000lb bomb into destroyer Akebono, triggering a massive explosion and leaving it with heavy damage.
At Fiji, the first attack to go in was by the A-24 Banshee squadrons that I had snuck into Suva and set for a max 1 hex range naval attack. The inexperienced pilots don’t do too well, scoring only a few hits on some AKs. Next up however were the much better trained naval aviators of the USS Saratoga, who hit seven Japanese ships, sinking two outright and leaving three in definite sinking condition, including a fat AP.
Malaya
I sweep the Japanese CAP over Kuala Lumpur that gave me a bloody nose two turns ago. We trade about even kills with a few fighters lost on both sides.
Betty bombers hit Singapore.
Borneo
Japanese forces come ashore at Bandjermasin. My Catalinas go for another run at his landing force but he put up a CAP of Oscars, which knocked out a few Cats and threw off their aim, causing them to hit only a single vessel.
Sumatra
My opponent threw a LRCAP of Zeros over Palembang, greatly reducing the effectiveness of my airstrikes on his troops there.
China
The Flying Tigers swing into action with a CAP over Kukong –several Zeros and a dozen Sallys are knocked out for minimal Tiger losses.
Maximum effort in the air over the Chengchow sector by both sides, as the Japanese assemble 2,120 AV in the hex against 1,673 Chinese. The Japanese bombard this turn to test the waters.
S-27 finds the Japanese AK Sensan Maru off Nadi, a cripple from last turn’s SBD strikes, and sends it to the bottom.
I-26 attacks the ASW task force sent to hunt it, sinking DD Gilmer with a single torpedo hit.
Java Sea/Borneo
I had been waiting for just this moment – As I previously mentioned, I had extensive naval search over the Java Sea and this extended to recon flights over bases in Borneo like Balikpapan and Sinkawang. My plan was to attempt a repeat of the Ryujo sinking by keeping a large number of cruisers in proximity for lightening strikes into these waters when opportune targets present themselves.
Last turn I noticed potential tanker activity at Balikpapan as well as a convoy approaching Bandjermasin. There also didn’t appear to be any major Japanese surface task forces in the immediate vicinity (likely due to the action around Palembang). I assembled two cruiser task forces and sent one at each of the two targets.
The first to connect was the attack on the convoy. Six British cruisers (two heavy and four light) found six AKs escorted by four Japanese destroyers. In two rounds of night fighting, the entire Japanese convoy was sunk for minimal damage to the cruisers.
Next were the three British light cruisers on the more risky Balikpapan raid. Unfortunately, due to the more dangerous nature of this mission, I only sent three ships. This was not ideal since the target they encountered was a large gaggle of fat tankers with mostly PB escorts. Nevertheless, I caught the tankers loading and vulnerable, and 4 large tankers and an AO were left sinking or about to sink. During the day, the three daring cruisers were still in the area and attacked once more, sinking 6 more large and small tankers, two more replenishment vessels, and an assortment of subchasers and small escorts. They only ceased their fire when they exhausted practically all their ammunition and torpedoes.
Malaya
The Japanese take Kuantan
Sumatra
The Japanese land additional reinforcements at Palembang with fast transport groups. Heavy cruisers pound my defending forces with a night bombardment.
China
The Japanese finally attack Chengchow. They get 2 to 1 odds in their favor, but the heavy fortifications I built up seem to have gone a long way towards insulating the defenders. The Japanese sustain 7,374 casualties for 2,285 Chinese! Unfortunately fortifications are reduced to level 1.
Just to the south of Chengchow, Chinese forces reinforcements finally arrived from Nanyang to push a Japanese mixed brigade and an infantry back across the river in a shock attack. 2,317 Japanese casualties were inflicted but for 4,212 Chinese.
------
The KB races at flank speed south of Fiji to get the Saratoga but the American carrier force had no intention of sticking around to meet the fate of the Enterprise.
I-2, still camping off Port Moresby, is depth charged for minor damage by DD Voyager.
S/SW Pacific
The Japanese take Suva, thus completing their conquest of Fiji.
I paid a price for my continuous efforts at building up Port Moresby today. My opponent brought in Betty bombers to Rabaul and today they sunk AP President Coolidge with four torpedo hits – ouch. Luckily, she had already dropped off her passengers.
Malaya
I lost the mind games with my opponent over Singapore this turn. I gambled that it may be a turn when he sends in the bombers but my Buffalo CAP was instead heavily reduced by an Oscar sweep. Luckily, many of my pilots survived.
Sumatra
The Japanese finally take Palembang from the exhausted defenders.
China
With my opponent sending vast Japanese forces at Chengchow, Changsha, Wenchow, and Kukong, I concluded that he likely left a number of areas weakly defended. Over the last week, I moved forces out of Sinyang and sent them towards Nanking. I didn’t think these troops could take Nanking, but I hoped they would be able to shatter some Japanese garrisons, create some panic at Imperial headquarters, and cut off the rail line between Nanking and Suchow. This move was risky, but was very much in keeping with my style of war in China. This turn my troops storm and seize Hwainan.
Another Flying Tiger CAP goes up over Kukong. This time however my opponent sent in an ungodly number of Zeros. We trade about even losses.
------
With practically no transports left to guard and likely short of fuel from its sprint after the Saratoga, the KB retreats back to the north towards Truk.
The Aces list thus far - not sure where this fits in with the average game by this time in the war, but overall I think the air war is where I am giving my best effort.
Japanese forces attack at Manado but fail to take the base. Only a matter of time though.
China
The air battles over Kukong rage on. Despite a fair amount of losses, the Flying Tigers put on a good show today, knocking out a large number of Zeros and bombers. With Zero numbers likely low due to heavy attrition, my opponent even sweeps with Nates this turn to no effect.
The Japanese bombard at Chengchow. I in turn bombard at Changsha where I bought the Chinese independent artillery regiments into play.
A failed Japanese effort at Wenchow – 1639 Japanese lost for 740 Chinese. The siege goes on.
The Chinese central thrust takes Luchow, throwing the weak garrison forces back.
-----
The sustained air strikes, the heavy losses during the main attack on my fortifications, and the smaller scale battles around the main Chengchow zone have weakened my opponents forces - for the first time I feel like I may be able to hold in the northern sector.
The Japanese send in their light carrier task forces in to the Java Sea to cover the Makassar Strait. A number of Catalinas and Swordfish aircraft go out to strike the Imperial Ships but are skewered by Zero fighters.
China
Realizing that my reinforcements were on the verge of entering Chengchow. My opponent launches a last ditch shock attack to take the base before I could reinforce it. The exhausted Japanese fail to make much headway however, losing 3,487 troops for 2,081 Chinese.
The Central Chinese thrust crushes traitorous Chinese collaborator units, inflicting 1,000 casualties and seizing Pengpu. The primary objective of closing the rail connection between Nanking and Suchow has been achieved, but I press on.
-----
I note with interest that not only are my opponents Japanese forces in Chengchow exhausted and disrupted, they also seem to be retreating from the city. Could victory be around the corner?
32 Zeros sweep Port Moresby from Rabaul. I lose 12 P-40E Warhawks for about 10 Zeros.
Malaya
48 Oscars in two waves sweep Singapore but find no opposition.
The Japanese take Malacca
Java Sea
The Japanese send in their light carrier task forces in to the Java Sea to cover the Makassar Strait. A number of Catalinas and Swordfish aircraft go out to strike the Imperial Ships but are skewered by Zero fighters.
China
After a long time successfully evading his CAP, my opponent finally guessed correctly where my Chinese bombers will strike this turn. 7 Tojos from the experimental squadron shoot down 6 SB-III bombers.
-----
A massive number of Japanese air raids pound my troops at Chengchow, looks like he is definitely pulling his forces back over the river.
I-5 sinks AKL Georgian with its deck gun south of Hawaii
S/SW Pacific
Having surprised me with his sweep last turn, I place my best P-40 squadrons (with the aces from the Philippines) on CAP over Port Moresby. 16 Betty bombers escorted by 25 Zeros come in. My fighters take down a few, but I set the CAP too high and most of the bombers make it through intact. A second wave of 15 Betty bombers is not so lucky, losing more than half its number.
Malaya
More sweeps of Singapore meet empty air.
Java Sea
8 Zeros and 5 Kates go after some shipping at Tjilatjap in Java. Heavy Dutch CAP meets them however, knocking out all but two Japanese planes. They try again in the afternoon and lose all 7 Kates that go in.
China
Japanese heavy cruisers shell the Chinese defenses at Wenchow.
Noting the opening at Chengchow, I launch a deliberate attack as my reinforcements finally arrive in the hex. My Chinese troops charge in with a 3 to 1 ratio in my favor, throwing the Japanese back across the river in disarray. Victory at Chengchow!
-----
With the northern front largely secure for now - I deliberated on what to do here. I decided to rest my battered troops and shift reinforcements to other sectors instead of pursuing.
SS Plunger spots I-16 near Mili and launches four torpedoes at 2,000 yards. One hits but is a dud. [:(]
North of Roi Namur, SS Gudgeon empties out its entire inventory of torpedoes in a surface attack against AK Hokuzyu Maru without scoring a single good hit. The Mk14 is something else. [>:]
Near San Diego, I-26 blows YP-251 into matchsticks with a direct hit.
Malaya
I sent in my bombers on a night attack against Kuala Lumpur and they destroyed a Nell on the ground.
Oscars sweep twice over Singapore, finding my Buffalos on CAP. Surprisingly, we trade about even losses on the first sweep. The second sweep however wrecks the remaining CAP for heavy losses to my fighters.
China
Japanese battleships and cruisers shell Wenchow once more – this will be a nightly event for the foreseeable future.
My opponent sends wave after wave of IJN and IJA bombers to plaster my central thrust. Frustrating, as my fighter bases are not within range to intervene. Nevertheless, my troops press on, storming and capturing Anking this turn.
The Lusu War Area (Chinese HQ unit) is trapped behind enemy lines and destroyed.
-------
I know that destroyed Chinese infantry and HQ units come back as reinforcements in Chungking about a month after they are eliminated. I have a couple of questions on this subject however that I hope someone will help me answer:
1) Does this also apply to Chinese artillery regiments and base forces - do they also come back?
2) What happens if Chungking is captured by the Japanese - is there an alternative area where these forces come back or do they stop regenerating?
SS Shark finds its teeth when it launches two torpedoes at AKL Amakasu Maru near Sorong. One duds but the other works, sending the small vessel down.
S/SW Pacific
Another one of my convoys comes into Port Moresby and my opponent launches an airstrike from Rabaul to thwart it. 11 Betty bombers come in with 30 Zero escorts, but are met with 11 Warhawks and 2 wildcats. My fighters do very well, knocking out some Zeros and a majority of the Betty bombers. Still some of them survive to put a torpedo into AK Coast Farmer, sinking her.
Malaya
More of my night raids on Kuala Lumpur, this time with two Nells destroyed on the ground.
China
The Japanese end their efforts to take Kukong, with their army retreating to the southeast – where is it going next? In the meantime, my opponent still has two divisions, a brigade, and an artillery regiment advancing towards Sian north of the river. I am confident I can hold them off and am pounding them with the Chinese Air Force.
-----
I start planning to increase my fighter strength further in Port Moresby to deal with the growing air threat from Rabaul.
This is where things stand on a macro level following an intense start to 1942:
North Pacific
No sign of any movement by the Japanese since the start of the game – I took the opportunity to place a base force at Adak Island where I have good Catalina search of the Aleutians. I am also using Dutch Harbor as one of two (the other being Pearl Harbor) main bases for fleet sub operations against the Japanese Home Islands.
North America
Fuel, air squadrons, and ground units are streaming towards Australia in endless convoys as I attempt to avoid the concentrated enemy submarine activity off the West Coast. With Fiji in enemy hands, I also began to push my convoys further to the south. Better longer sailing time than sunken convoys.
South Pacific
Fiji is a problem, but not a major one as of yet. I haven’t seen him place air support troops there and my recon over the area is extensive. I start planning for an eventual counter invasion to take it back, but it’s going to need a lot of forces. In the meantime, I reinforce Pago Pago and New Caledonia.
South West Pacific
Port Moresby is the linchpin of my defense in this sector. I have 240 AV there at the moment and am trying to send more as fast as possible. I intend to use it as a springboard for my push back in the New Guinea/New Britain area. Rabaul remains a major enemy base.
Philippines
Not much I can do here anymore except hold on. Bataan is under siege and pounded from the air on a daily basis. The defense of Cagayan has been of epic proportions, but supply there is running very low with no possibility of securing more.
Dutch East Indies
Java is the center of my resistance here, and I have turned it into a bastion of long-range airpower with the deployment of several B-17 squadrons. I use these to pound his airfields and assembly points and frustrate his plans for rapid conquest. Java alongside Singapore also serves as a crucial base for submarine replenishment. Finally, my cruiser squadrons occasionally pop in to Java as I continue to search for opportunities to strike.
Malaya
Now that my actions at Kuala Lumpur have driven my opponent to abandon his attempts at a lightening advance down the peninsula in favor of a concentrated one, I am considering abandoning my second main position at Johore Bahru in favor of a fallback on the final position at Singapore.
India/Burma
The defense of Burma remains indispensable to my plans in China. I now have about 1,500 AV in southern Burma with the arrival of several Indian and British units, with more Australian units on their way. This won’t be an easy nut to crack. Luckily, my opponent’s heavy concentration of forces on the Philippines and my elevated activity in China has prevented him from marching in force against Burma and even weakened his thrust down Malaya. For instance, my opponent has kept both the 21st and the 38th Divisions in China (I believe those two could be taken out without paying PP).
China
The situation is somewhat stabilizing in China in a direction that I believe to be in my favor. Chengchow and Loyang appear to be safe for now, I am currently cutting his rail between Nanking and the north with the central thrust, and Changsha seems to be holding just fine. My two concerns are with regards to Wenchow which is coming under intense air and naval bombardment attack on a daily basis and the large Japanese Army that has moved away from its attempt to take Kukong towards an as yet unclear target.
Any thoughts on what may be my biggest mistakes up to this point? Are there areas where I should be doing better than I am doing now? If so, what should have I done differently? I would love to learn lessons to take into future campaigns.
The base NW of Chungking is the alternate arrival location.
Don't know about the artillery and AA units - the availability of devices in the pools might have an influence on their return.
Your play looks good to me - better than I would have done.
You should probably move all your forces back to Singapore and use every US sub with Mk. 14 torps to hauls supply to Singers.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
