Empire of the Sun - DesertWolf101 (J) vs Andy Mac (A)

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I was thinking of escorts with no units on board picking up the survivors.

Ships are not equal when it comes to being able to rescue troops from the water. A TF can contain ships which can't rescue swimmers.

Alfred

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I was thinking of escorts with no units on board picking up the survivors.

Ships are not equal when it comes to being able to rescue troops from the water. A TF can contain ships which can't rescue swimmers.

Alfred

I know that. However, I also saw in an AAR where a unit was on two ships and both of them were sunk, escorts picked up survivors and they showed up at the base that the TF then went to which also happened to be its destination. The unit reformed from the survivors.

[DesertWolf101]

March 10, 1942

India

Waves of Hurricane fighters swept over Diamond Harbor today, meeting stiff Oscar and Zero resistance. By the end of the day, almost 40 Hurricanes were shot down for the loss of 10 Oscars and 16 Zeros. Given the fight was over Japanese territory however, I only lost 8 pilots KIA or MIA.

The Japanese army is almost ready to start marching into Calcutta. I have had daily recon flights over the city and the latest flight reports an enemy presence of 29 units, 53,640 troops, 325 guns, and 536 AFVs. I am not sure what to make of this. The AFV number in particular is concerning, but I am surprised at the low number of guns relative to the size of the force and the likely presence of many AA units.

China

The third Japanese attack against Chunking goes in today, reducing forts to level 3. Another day of rest before the next attack, but I don’t know how long I can keep this pace of attacks up as the disablements are starting to pile up and the Chinese keep getting reformed units in the city.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

March 10, 1942

India

Waves of Hurricane fighters swept over Diamond Harbor today, meeting stiff Oscar and Zero resistance. By the end of the day, almost 40 Hurricanes were shot down for the loss of 10 Oscars and 16 Zeros. Given the fight was over Japanese territory however, I only lost 8 pilots KIA or MIA.

The Japanese army is almost ready to start marching into Calcutta. I have had daily recon flights over the city and the latest flight reports an enemy presence of 29 units, 53,640 troops, 325 guns, and 536 AFVs. I am not sure what to make of this. The AFV number in particular is concerning, but I am surprised at the low number of guns relative to the size of the force and the likely presence of many AA units.

China

The third Japanese attack against Chunking goes in today, reducing forts to level 3. Another day of rest before the next attack, but I don’t know how long I can keep this pace of attacks up as the disablements are starting to pile up and the Chinese keep getting reformed units in the city.

British squadrons make for poor sweepers since their squadron size is smallish.

What are you units prep like for Calcutta? If he has had high command HQ on Calcutta, and an HQ you might be in for a tough river crossing.

Looks to be about 1700 AV defending. Course they are poor troops.

[RangerJoe]

Those AFVs also include trucks.

I wonder if the have CD guns there for defence.

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

March 10, 1942

India

Waves of Hurricane fighters swept over Diamond Harbor today, meeting stiff Oscar and Zero resistance. By the end of the day, almost 40 Hurricanes were shot down for the loss of 10 Oscars and 16 Zeros. Given the fight was over Japanese territory however, I only lost 8 pilots KIA or MIA.

The Japanese army is almost ready to start marching into Calcutta. I have had daily recon flights over the city and the latest flight reports an enemy presence of 29 units, 53,640 troops, 325 guns, and 536 AFVs. I am not sure what to make of this. The AFV number in particular is concerning, but I am surprised at the low number of guns relative to the size of the force and the likely presence of many AA units.

China

The third Japanese attack against Chunking goes in today, reducing forts to level 3. Another day of rest before the next attack, but I don’t know how long I can keep this pace of attacks up as the disablements are starting to pile up and the Chinese keep getting reformed units in the city.

British squadrons make for poor sweepers since their squadron size is smallish.

What are you units prep like for Calcutta? If he has had high command HQ on Calcutta, and an HQ you might be in for a tough river crossing.

Looks to be about 1700 AV defending. Course they are poor troops.

The prep is practically nonexistent as I was attempting to avoid giving away any hint of my intention to land in India. Well, this could be a disaster - we shall see.

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Those AFVs also include trucks.

I wonder if the have CD guns there for defence.

He has at least one mauled CD unit that was pushed back into Calcutta from Diamond Harbor. Wouldn't be surprised if he bought more though.

[Lowpe]

A forced river crossing into Calcutta (nasty terrain) with little to none aerial bombing & with little to none prep.

What could go wrong?

Good luck.[:)]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

A forced river crossing into Calcutta (nasty terrain) with little to none aerial bombing & with little to none prep.

What could go wrong?

Good luck.[:)]

Do you really want to start a list?

[DesertWolf101]

March 11, 1942

North Pacific

I finally managed to build a level one airfield on Adak and this turn the fruits of that labor paid off with Oscars arriving and knocking out 5 Bolo bombers on their hereto daily milk run.

India

A concerted Allied effort to bomb Diamond Harbor with Hurricane escorted B-17D and E bombers was defeated by still strong Japanese fighter CAP over the area. Several of the heavy bombers were shot down.

Philippines

Suddenly this turn there is no more flak greeting my daily bombing runs over Clark. Either my opponent has run out of supply or is trying to conserve it.

Northern Australia

A Zero sweep over Darwin knocks out half a dozen Buffalo fighters.

New Guinea

Zero fighters and flak shoot down several B-17E bombers over Port Moresby.

[DesertWolf101]

March 12, 1942

India

6 Japanese heavy cruisers and their DD and DMS escorts sail up the Hooghly River towards Calcutta. A few small transports and other minor vessels are dealt with on the way and a night bombardment carried out upon arrival. A DMS vessels was damaged as it identified the minefield and was fired upon by coastal artillery, and DD Fubuki was heavily damaged by a mine, but the bombardment itself did significant damage, knocking out about ten fighters on the ground and heavily damaging the airfields.

My opponent is moving very quickly to reinforce Calcutta so I am changing my plans a bit for this theater. Instead of an immediate assault I will first work to encircle the forces in the city first to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements and to trap the sizable forces already in the city. This should also give me more time to work on softening up the defenses with naval and air power.

Bay of Bengal

Speaking of air and naval power, it looks like my opponent is gearing up for another strike against my retreating convoys from Diamond Harbor. Cruisers and what looks like a CV are picked up by Japanese long-range recon near Ceylon, heading east. I have moved assets into position – let’s hope weather cooperates this time around.

China

The fourth Japanese attack on Chungking reduces fort levels to 2, but at a very heavy cost in disablements. The Japanese Army here is much reduced in strength and is now starting to lose squads destroyed as well. Nevertheless, I will rest it for a day and try another attack the turn after that. I have a couple of reinforcements coming in which I hope will help keep the pressure up.

[RangerJoe]

I guess that the North Pacific seal milk is now sour with the Oscars there. Just think, the B-18 beat the B-17 in a competition. [:D]

If you want to trash Calcutta, leave the units alone until you smash it. If you want it intact, cause as much disruption and fatigue to the defenders as is possible so the engineers will not be effective in their destruction.

[DesertWolf101]

I think I am now leaning more and more towards having the place thrashed. This is Scenario 1 after all and I doubt I can hold on to Calcutta for very long in the grand scheme of things. Thing is, leaving those units alone will make the river crossing all the more difficult so I would rather continue softening up the place.

[RangerJoe]

Waiting and preparing for Calcutta, while cutting Calcutta off from supplies and reinforcements, while bombing and bombarding the place is not "doing nothing!" It is preparing for the battle that is to come. Go in un or under prepared and you might get the beating. Now, if you have a horde of fast units (think armour) and can defeat an enemy not using those, and send the surviving enemy into Calcutta, put those fast on Reserve (pursuit) mode and they will follow the enemy into Calcutta and not have a shock attack. Follow up units may then also be able to cross with no shock attack as long as the initial force is strong enough in relation to the enemy. But expect the enemy to try and push you out of the hex so your fast units don't attack until they are reinforced.

So you don't forget, if you have mobile forces elsewhere, the small units can also attack other bases in India and see what develops. Don't forget paratroopers. If you capture Ledo it is harder for the Chinese to get supplies.

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Waiting and preparing for Calcutta, while cutting Calcutta off from supplies and reinforcements, while bombing and bombarding the place is not "doing nothing!" It is preparing for the battle that is to come. Go in un or under prepared and you might get the beating. Now, if you have a horde of fast units (think armour) and can defeat an enemy not using those, and send the surviving enemy into Calcutta, put those fast on Reserve (pursuit) mode and they will follow the enemy into Calcutta and not have a shock attack. Follow up units may then also be able to cross with no shock attack as long as the initial force is strong enough in relation to the enemy. But expect the enemy to try and push you out of the hex so your fast units don't attack until they are reinforced.

So you don't forget, if you have mobile forces elsewhere, the small units can also attack other bases in India and see what develops. Don't forget paratroopers. If you capture Ledo it is harder for the Chinese to get supplies.

Good tips - thanks. [:)]

[DesertWolf101]

March 13, 1942

India

Another cruiser night bombardment hits Calcutta and this time all but one of the cruisers concentrate their guns on the 6th Australian Division. Well, there goes the hope of Alpine Dingo diverting these troops to Australia. Still I have yet to see the 18th British Division and a significant chunk of the British and Dutch naval assets seem to have gone to OZ so perhaps not a complete failure of an intelligence misdirection operation. I also just got an email from my opponent in which he alluded to SIGINT having given him very strange reports and that he thinks I am trying to trick him.

Several air battles raged over Calcutta and adjacent hexes in which my fighters for the first time got the worst of it at about 2:1 in my opponent’s favor.

A new minefield was detected and swept at Diamond Harbor, likely the work of Allied submarines.

Bay of Bengal

Lady weather finally smiled upon me today, as escorted Nell bombers from Port Blair sortied out with torpedoes in both the morning and afternoon in clear skies on their deadly mission. CL Durban was hit with a torpedo, CA Cornwall was heavily damaged by two, CL Hobart was also hit by two and sunk, and best of all CV Indomitable, the culprit behind the loss of my two CVLs recently, received three torpedo hits which also resulted in two fuel storage explosions. The Indomitable has yet to sink though, but it is listed as heavily damaged with heavy fires so I am hopeful.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101
CV Indomitable, the culprit behind the loss of my two CVLs recently, received three torpedo hits which also resulted in two fuel storage explosions.

Sweet![:)]

[mind_messing]

best of all CV Indomitable, the culprit behind the loss of my two CVLs recently, received three torpedo hits which also resulted in two fuel storage explosions. The Indomitable has yet to sink though, but it is listed as heavily damaged with heavy fires so I am hopeful

I think even Allied damage control will be hard pressed to keep the Indomitable afloat. I tend to consider a fuel storage explosion as about the same as a torpedo hit.

Barring FOW, by my rule of thumb that's roughly the same as 5 torpedo hits. You'd be hard pressed to get a BB to sustain that kind of damage...

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101
CV Indomitable, the culprit behind the loss of my two CVLs recently, received three torpedo hits which also resulted in two fuel storage explosions.

Sweet![:)]

Sweet Revenge! [:)]

[DesertWolf101]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

best of all CV Indomitable, the culprit behind the loss of my two CVLs recently, received three torpedo hits which also resulted in two fuel storage explosions. The Indomitable has yet to sink though, but it is listed as heavily damaged with heavy fires so I am hopeful

I think even Allied damage control will be hard pressed to keep the Indomitable afloat. I tend to consider a fuel storage explosion as about the same as a torpedo hit.

Barring FOW, by my rule of thumb that's roughly the same as 5 torpedo hits. You'd be hard pressed to get a BB to sustain that kind of damage...

I think, and I hope, you are right. If the weather and die rolls continue to remain favorable, I should also have another round of Nettie strikes going in the next turn, which given the damaged state of the survivors could deliver the final blows.