Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A)

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - Marshalls and Gilberts

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - South Pacific

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - Burma

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - Northern China

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - Southern China

[apbarog]

27 May 42 - Summary

I'm putting all of my eggs in one basket: China. I will defend the South Pacific with KB, still hoping to wipe out the US carriers. There are no divisions in the South Pacific. There is one division at Kendari prepping for Darwin. All division on Sumatra and Java have gone to China.

My plan is to take Nanning and move north, eventually taking the mountain region between Burma and China and forever cutting off supply to China. I'll decide later whether to try to take the capital or redistribute the divisions all over the Empire for defense.

The Japanese empire has just a shell of a defense. I know the risks of this. If OPilot is aggressive, he can move early and make big gains. I hope that KB will be able to dissuade him of this, and delay the inevitable counter-offensive. If I can get China out of supply, and total conquest of China becomes possible. The rewards of that could be great. I've not tried this strategy before, but I'm looking forward to the attempt, win or lose.

[apbarog]

28 May 42

Destroyer Panther hit I-30 with a depth charge south of Ceylon. Not sure, but I think Panther is British. British DDs are rough for the subs. They start the war trained.

Grampus fired 2 torpedoes at badly damaged destroyer Murasame south of Guadalcanal. Torpedoes missed. Murasame is escorted by DD Kiku, and the task force is limping towards Tulagi. I've ordered the ships to Rabaul instead, hoping to avoid Grampus today.

Two big Oscar units swept Liuchow. They found about 12 P-40Es. 8 Warhawks were shot down, for the loss of 4 Oscars. A victory purely based on numbers. 8 Lilys bombed enemy troops at Liuchow, in clear terrain, and caused 94 casualties. 4 Warhawks intercepted but they didn't get to the bombers.

5 SB-IIIs with 11 H81s bombed Japanese paras at Mengtze, south of Kunming. No damage.

5 B-17Es bombed the airfield at Dili, but found 5 Zeros. 2 Fortresses were shot down and no base damage done.

[IdahoNYer]

Will be interesting to see how your China effort pans out - don't think I've seen another AAR with all the Southern HQ's IJA going into China! Looking forward to it.

also, as you're about 6 months in....can you show your aircraft and engine production status? And your R&D efforts as well. Curious what you're focusing on now and in the future.

[apbarog]

Aircraft Production

[apbarog]

Research and Development

[IdahoNYer]

Thanks apbarog - PDU off is challenging, eh? Doing same, and like you, learning as I go....and probably making plenty of mistakes along the way. The biggest surprise I see from your efforts is that you're not focusing alot on the Oscar line - which you have plenty squadrons of, and many needing to go through a few Oscar upgrades before upgrading to the Frank. Getting that Oscar IIb with armor to me is a priority.

Will stay tuned in!

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

Thanks apbarog - PDU off is challenging, eh? Doing same, and like you, learning as I go....and probably making plenty of mistakes along the way. The biggest surprise I see from your efforts is that you're not focusing alot on the Oscar line - which you have plenty squadrons of, and many needing to go through a few Oscar upgrades before upgrading to the Frank. Getting that Oscar IIb with armor to me is a priority.

Will stay tuned in!

Thanks for the advice IdahoNYer. I've done a pretty good job with planning my research looking at the next upgrades for aircraft. But it's harder to plan for upgrades multiple steps down the road with PDU OFF. I hadn't noticed how many Oscar units go to the IIb. I've now drastically increased my research for it. I wouldn't have gone so big on the Frank if I had figured out that I'd have all the IIb's upgrading to Franks later. So now I'm going REALLY big on Franks, eventually. I've upped my engine research to compensate also.

[apbarog]

29 May 42

B-26s in the Aleutians bombed Adak Island, doing very minor damage.

In the far north of China, the enemy is eliminated, opening up the long trail to the west. It's generally better to not eliminate an already defeated Chinese corps. An eliminated one will respawn in the capital. A surviving one will take extra supply to grow. But no choice here. Have to use the trail.

Ground combat at 89,31 (near Paotow)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 35916 troops, 271 guns, 64 vehicles, Assault Value = 1091

Defending force 1976 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 858

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 858 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2608 casualties reported
Squads: 79 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 120 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 16 (16 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
22nd Division
68th Division
20th Recon Regiment
116th Division
12th Army
16th Field AA Machinecannon Company

Defending units:
81st Chinese Corps

The push to Nanning is on.

[IdahoNYer]

[/quote]

But it's harder to plan for upgrades multiple steps down the road with PDU OFF. I hadn't noticed how many Oscar units go to the IIb.
[/quote]

That's a heck of an understatement with PDU-off....its certainly a learning CLIFF!!!! Even with Tracker....
But what I've read in the AARs of folks foolish enough to try PDU-off (the Few), focusing on the Zero and Oscar lines are the main focus of the R&D.

My goal is just not to crash the economy before '45!

[apbarog]

30 May 42

Oscars at 30000 swept Ramree and found 4 Hurricanes at 15000, on a ranged CAP from Akyab probably. 3 Oscars shot down and 1 Hurricane. But the Oscars cleared the skies for bombers that hit the enemy base force there. 1/3 of a Thai division crossed into Ramree but surprisingly, no shock attack occurred. Thought there was a river crossing there. The Thai will attack today.

Shwebo was captured, and the move north through Burma continues.

[apbarog]

31 May 42

Big attack at Nanning, with more Chinese there than expected. The fight is bloody but I think a re-attack today will take the base. Some disruption for the Japanese infantry from the river crossing. 2 of the 3 Japanese divisions don't have quite enough supply, so transports will try to drop supply to them. Quickly taking the base would be helpful for moving on more quickly, before the Chinese can all get into better defensive positions. The plan is to go north after going east initially, but OPilot doesn't know that yet. He has to worry about a move to try and flank the urban areas around Changsha.

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 35458 troops, 329 guns, 519 vehicles, Assault Value = 1172

Defending force 31167 troops, 155 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 798

Japanese adjusted assault: 1047

Allied adjusted defense: 691

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
2071 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 160 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 31 destroyed, 33 disabled
Vehicles lost 20 (4 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2014 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 263 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 48 (1 destroyed, 47 disabled)

Assaulting units:
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
5th Ind Engineer Regiment
14th Division
9th Tank Regiment
4th Division
23rd Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
29th Field AA Machinecannon Company
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
16th Army
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
62nd Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
64th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
35th Group Army
16th Group Army
9th Chinese Base Force

[apbarog]

1 Jun 42

Portland Roads swept by Zeros from Port Moresby. No CAP. Bombers did light damage to the airfield.

Fighters sweep and LRCAP Nanning. No enemy in the air. Bombers hit the troops in wooded terrain. Should have hit the airfield.

Japanese troops shock attack at Nanning. Not sure how that happened. I thought I'd set all for a deliberate attack. The Imperial Guard Division did move into the hex, in move mode, but through the same hexside as the whole stack had already entered. I did drop supply to my troops. Had to have accidentally set a unit for it, I guess. The bad news is that the fort that was reduced to 0 yesterday was rebuilt and reduced to 0 again today.

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 33096 troops, 329 guns, 512 vehicles, Assault Value = 1447

Defending force 29254 troops, 154 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 609

Japanese adjusted assault: 539

Allied adjusted defense: 371

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
764 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Vehicles lost 42 (2 destroyed, 40 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1634 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 153 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
14th Division
9th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
4th Division
Imperial Guards Division
10th Tank Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
16th Army
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Ind Engineer Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
29th Field AA Machinecannon Company
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
64th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
62nd Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
35th Group Army
16th Group Army
9th Chinese Base Force

Disruption is mounting, but with a reinforcing division that did not participate today, I think the base may fall. Bombers will hit the airfield today just in case this drags on. Enemy movement is seen towards Nanning from the woods to the southeast. It is a shame that most of those troops are the ones that escaped being bagged in southern China in the opening advances. Could have made a difference here. I need to take Nanning and then move east, to take the next base east, in clear terrain, then wheel to the north, while leaving adequate defenses.

Another oversight spotted in my aircraft research. There will be lots of Zeros needing A6M3As in the future. Since the A6M2 factories don't upgrade to 3As, I need to get some up and running now. A big investment of 90 factories is ordered.

[apbarog]

2 Jun 42

Oscars swept Nanning and found no enemy fighters. They are at nearby bases though. Lilys and Sallys bombed Nanning and enemy troops there.

Third attack in three days at Nanning.

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42382 troops, 401 guns, 550 vehicles, Assault Value = 1380

Defending force 28050 troops, 154 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 501

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 537

Allied adjusted defense: 535

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
1638 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 168 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 31 (4 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1073 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 86 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 19 (3 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Our disruption is getting too high, and the trend is against us. Forts have been reduced from 1 to 0 in all three attacks. Some damage was done to the airbase today, so hopefully fort building won't occur. 3 fresh divisions are less than a week from Nanning. I had hoped that they would be the exploitation forces to move north after Nanning fell, but now it's looking like they will replace divisions at Nanning. And there are enemy troops on the way towards Nanning from the east.

My offensive could become a grind instead of a sprint to the north after taking Nanning. A grind favors the Japanese also, though, in the long run. I am determined to run the Chinese out of supply. Nanning has remained in supply so far.

Paras will drop on Mengtze in China, north of Kunming. It is very unlikely that 40+ transports will drop enough paras to take the base, even minimally defended. It is a mountain base that will have forts. But the possible reward justifies the risk. More paras at Mandalay are ready.

[apbarog]

3 Jun 42

Paras drop at Tsuyung (not Mengtze, as I said yesterday). Supporting bombers didn't fly. Defenders are not a base force after all. A weak division, but a division. Paras aren't hurt much but are out of supply. Not dropping supply today, but will try later. Being just 2 hexes from Kunming, I can bet there will be P-40s over Tsuyung today.

Instead, another para unit will drop on Pakhoi, west of Tsuyung. Bettys ordered to support with bombs. There's just one enemy unit there also. Could be another weak division. I'll hope that it is a base force. No matter what happens to the paras, we're raising the stress level in China.

New attack at Nanning ordered, after most units rest a day. Disruptions now max out around 20 instead of around 45. The enemy has to be hurting too. Bombers and fighters ordered in.

[apbarog]

4 Jun 42

32 Oscars swept Nanning, finding 14 P-40Es on LRCAP. The Flying Tigers did a bit better than the Oscars. 26 Sallys bombed, causing 100 casualties and a few runway hits, and 9 Tojos on LRCAP participated, fighting 5 or so Warhawks. The Tojo unit did well. This is the small experimental Tojo squadron.

Massive fighters commitment over Shwebo, where the Japanese stack was about to move north. Sweepers included 11 Hurricanes, 15 Hurricanes, 16 Hurricanes and 25 Warhawks. No Japanese CAP. 39 Blens then attacked the troops in clear terrain, causing 357 casualties. Then 15 more Hurricanes swept.

More Warhawks strafed the Japanese paras at Tsuyung. Then B-17s with H81s and B-25s bombed the troops, doing no damage in bad weather.

Total air losses were 5 Oscars while downing 7 P-40Es.

Finally, success at Nanning.

Ground combat at Nanning (72,55)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42048 troops, 401 guns, 561 vehicles, Assault Value = 1284

Defending force 27267 troops, 150 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 411

Japanese adjusted assault: 946

Allied adjusted defense: 309

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nanning !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
546 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
8953 casualties reported
Squads: 312 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 402 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 60 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 31 (30 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 6
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
9th Tank Regiment
4th Division
23rd Tank Regiment
5th Ind Engineer Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
14th Division
10th Tank Regiment
29th Field AA Machinecannon Company
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
16th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
25th Field AA Machinecannon Company
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
64th Chinese Corps
62nd Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
16th Group Army
35th Group Army
9th Chinese Base Force

The paras at Tsuyung won't last long.

Ground combat at Tsuyung (68,46)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1415 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 46

Defending force 453 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 30

Allied adjusted assault: 45

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd Reserve Division

Defending units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF /1

Paras dropped at Paoshan, and found the 22nd New Chinese Division there. About the same enemy strength as at Tsuyung, so these paras will also be lost soon. It was worth a try, hoping for base force defense only. Parts of the para units did not drop, and will now move from Mandalay to Rangoon to start rebuilding when able.

HA-45 engines got accelerated again, up to 8/43. They will be the engine for the Franks, which come online on 1/44. I hope to move that date up a few months also, getting 500+ engines later in 1943, and allocating plenty of factories for Franks.