More Variants - The End of Western Imperialism - No Nomad please (Feb 1944)

[Xargun]

I am back from vacation and Nomad and I are continuing the war. We did manage to do a few turns while I was gone the ten days but I can't think of anything exciting that happened during this time so I will probably just pick back up with the next turn.

Xargun

[Xargun]

Sub Warfare:
A Dutch sub strikes near Billiton, putting a torpedo into a troop laden xAK. The ship has 69 flt damage and will probably sink, but luckily it is only 1 hex away from some port where it can offload the troops.

Celebes:
I have finally run down and destroyed the last allied forces on Celebes with the destruction of the Makassar Base Force and Makassar Garrison Battalion east of Makassar.


Not much else happened this turn.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Java:
My attack at Batavia is repulsed, but enemy forts are lowered to 1.


China:
Bombing enemy units at Wenchow to support the ground attack there nets a few disabled squads. The attack at Wenchow lowers the fort level to 0 and achieves 1:1 odds. More Chinese troops are killed/wounded than Japanese.

Some RAF Blenheim IV bombers are operating in China now and they attacked the 34th Division at Ichang inflicting minimal casualties.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Sumatra:
I am trying to run down an enemy base force in northern Sumatra and caught back up to it. A Shock attack does some heavy damage to it, but it runs away again


Java:
My attack at Batavia reduces the forts to 0 and inflicted nearly a 1000 losses on the enemy. But I am only able to achieve a 1:2 odds.


Luzon:
I am still bombing the airfield at Bataan to prevent fort building while my troops wait for reinforcements from the Singapore Campaign.


Mindinao:
Malaybalay falls - 9898 enemy casualties as the units surrender !!! Mindanao is fully occupied now - troops are heading back to Davao to be loaded up for use elsewhere.



China:
Naval Bombers strike at enemy troops at Wenchow to support the ground attack. The attack failed to capture the base. I am destroying Chinese squads but suffering more disables than I am destroying.



Xargun

[Xargun]

Air attacks against Bataan and Wenchow as normal.

Burma:
Airborne assault captures Ramree Island.


China:
The assault at Wenchow fails again, but we achieve 1:1 odds and inflict twice the casualties on the Chinese units. They are starting to crack from the constant pressure.


Java:
My attack against Bandoeng achieves 2:1 odds and lowers the enemy forts to 2. We inflicted 25% of our losses on the enemy units and my units are low on supplies. I have more men and supplies landing all over Java now and we are pushing hard.

An IJA Regiment fragment attacks the enemy base force at Semarang forcing them to the east and capturing the base.



Xargun

[Xargun]

Overall I am having a shortage of transports to do everything I want - move troops, move supplies, haul resources, etc...

China:
My shock attack at Wenchow fails, only achieving 1:2 odds. But we inflicted 3 times the losses on the enemy units.


Reinforcements are landing in Java and Luzon on the next turn, with more troops coming to Java. Supplies are being loaded to support the current hot spots, as well as to feed into the endless void of oil repairing. I have a ton of naval guard units (about 10) sitting in Tokyo, waiting on transports.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Sub Warfare:
Another Dutch sub puts a torpedo into a lonely PB near Palembang and sinks her.

Java:
Another IJA Division is unloading at Kalidjakarta with orders to proceed to Bandoeng to help take the mountain base.
A IJA Regiment is ordered to land at Semarang to reinforce the push towards Soerabaja.

A Fast Transport TF has been dispatched to land troops at Cocos Island and then Christmas Island IO.


Luzon:
IJA Bombers in Luzon are still concentrating on preventing fort building at Bataan, while Naval Bombers from Formosa have been redirected to strike directly at troops there in preparation of an upcoming attack. Meanwhile an IJA Division is unloading at Iba with orders to march to Bataan.


Xargun

[Xargun]

SRA:
Fast Transport TFs drop off troops at Bima, Ruteng, Salajar and Cocos Islands.
Troops at Cocos Island secure the island easily.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Java:
Ground assault at Batavia wipes out the enemy's defenses and achieves 1:1 odds. Over 5 times as many casualties are inflicted upon the defenders. Batavia may fall any turn now.


SRA:
Troops secure the undefended islands of Ruteng, Salajar and Bima.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Its hard to post on these mostly inconsequential turns - not a whole lot happening as I bomb Nomad's bases or troops and spend most of my time moving troops around and starting to haul resources back to the Home Islands.

Java:
My attack at Batavia has been repulsed again but forts are at 0 and I inflicted 2.5 times my losses on the defenders. They should fall soon.

My attack at Bandoeng was also repulsed but forts were lowered to 1 and I achieved 2:1 odds. Like Batavia, this base will fall soon.


Luzon:
IJA Bombers are still concentrating on preventing fort building at Bataan, while Naval Bombers are striking at enemy troops - not getting a whole lot of troop hits, but I'm hoping its at least increasing their disruption / fatigue levels.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Java:
My assault on Batavia is repulsed again. My disruption is getting high and I am ordering a day of rest for my troops. Hoping that and a shock attack will capture the base tomorrow.

My Shock attack at Bandoeng overwhelms the defenders and takes the mountain base - all 6,000 defenders surrender. I lost a small unit in the attack but it has been bought back (I/81st Naval Guard Unit).


Luzon:
Bombing continues at Bataan as my newly arrived division marches towards Bataan to join in the fight.


SRA:
Fast Transport DDs drop troops off at Waingapoe, Endeh and Pantar today. Those bases should all fall tomorrow.


Xargun

[Xargun]

A slow turn... with only a single airstrike - all others were canceled due to weather over targets.

On the ground my troops took Pantas, Endeh and Waingapoe unopposed.


China:
My spearhead of 3100 Strength (led by 5 full divisions) is forcing its way across the river to Siangtan where only 4 enemy units defend. If I can get there before Nomad moves reinforcements there I will punch a whole in his line again this game. By pushing across the river it saves me an entire day by forcing a Shock Attack the same turn I arrive in the base instead of having to wait until I order the attack. While dangerous, this can be an advantage at times.

Nomad seems to have noticed my move and is moving troops from Changsha west to support but I cannot tell how many. It will take a total of 4 days to cross the river - so if he moves a bunch I will simply redirect the attack to Changsha instead.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Java:
My Shock Attack at Batavia overwhelms the defenses and captures the base - nearly 23,000 enemy troops are eliminated. Unfortunately the resources at the base are all trashed... only 1 of each is undamaged.

My attack at Tjepoe pushes the enemy base force out to the east and captures the base.

With both Bandoeng and Batavia in my hands now, all troops are heading south for the final push on Soerabaja and the nice level 7+ airfield Nomad built for me there.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Luzon:
All bombers have been turned to hit troops at Bataan to support the assault. The fresh division aided in the attack, but the defenders held behind their forts. We lowered the forts to level 3 but took nearly 3500 casualties. The defenders are tagged with low experience and low supply. Another attack is ordered for tomorrow. Then I will decide to simply wait and attack on and off or bring in more troops.


SRA:
Fast Transport TFs drop off troops on three more islands this turn; Maumere, Lomblen and Laurntoela. Another Amphib TF dropped troops off at Babar. I expect all four to be captured tomorrow as they are undefended.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Sub Warfare:
An IJN PB located a Dutch sub and slightly damaged her near Muntok.


Java:
My DMS removes 69 mines this turn from Batavia.

IJA troops at Madioen attack successfully and take the base, pushing the fleeing base force towards Soerabaja.

Luzon:
Bombers attempt to support the ground offensive at Bataan again today. The attack was unsuccessful and I am ordering the troops to rest.


China:
Its been a while since I attacked Wenchow so I sent in the troops - we did not take the base, but reduced the forts to level 1 and inflicted twice the casualties on the Chinese defenders.


SRA:
My troops capture Larantoeka, Maumere, Lomblen and Babar unopposed.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Java:
All mines have been cleared from Batavia opening the port for use. Engineering units are boarding ships at Singapore for relocation.

IJA troops capture Tjilatjap, removing the last allied base between my troops and Soerabaja. Nearly 6,000 allied troops or removed from the battlefield. This turn troops should clear the path to Soerabaja - a beat up base force blocks the road.

China:
My attack at Wenchow is repulsed, but we are inflicting more casualties than we are taking so we are 'winning' the fight.


SRA:
US troops counter attack and land at Ndeni. Looks like a bunch of construction units and possibly a full division in the invasion, but too early to tell. The 61st Naval Guard unit stands in their way.

Ground combat at Ndeni (120,143)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1622 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59

Defending force 10067 troops, 147 guns, 314 vehicles, Assault Value = 207

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

Assaulting units:
61st Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
3rd Infantry/A Div /1
3rd Infantry/B Div /1
3rd Infantry/C Div /2
119th USAAF Base Force
46th Construction Regiment
43rd Construction Regiment
255th USN Base Force


Xargun

[Mike Solli]

Hey Xargun,

Just a thought about Bataan. Unless you're in a hurry to free up the troops, here's an idea. Split your bombers between the airfield and the troops. Hitting the airfield serves 2 purposes. First, it keeps up the airfield damage so forts can't be built (as you know), and second, you occasionally get the dreaded airfield supply x, which will destroy supply. The AA is also a good indicator of when they run out of supply. When there is no AA fire, they're most likely out of supply. Hitting the troops may not kill or disable many troops, but it will increase their disruption and fatigue. Also, use any artillery units you have in Bataan to bombard every turn. Don't use your assault units. That will only cause them to fatigue. Doing that will make the final assault(s) that much easier.

Mike

[Mike Solli]

Something else to consider. If you can, combine your divisional components into full divisions. They are much more resilient that way. The combined division will take fewer losses in combat. Also, sometimes when you combine into the division, you can sometimes add additional squads or guns to the division to make it stronger.

[Xargun]

Hey Xargun,

Just a thought about Bataan. Unless you're in a hurry to free up the troops, here's an idea. Split your bombers between the airfield and the troops. Hitting the airfield serves 2 purposes. First, it keeps up the airfield damage so forts can't be built (as you know), and second, you occasionally get the dreaded airfield supply x, which will destroy supply. The AA is also a good indicator of when they run out of supply. When there is no AA fire, they're most likely out of supply. Hitting the troops may not kill or disable many troops, but it will increase their disruption and fatigue. Also, use any artillery units you have in Bataan to bombard every turn. Don't use your assault units. That will only cause them to fatigue. Doing that will make the final assault(s) that much easier.

Mike

Yeah - I do enjoy seeing the airbase supply hits when bombing Bataan or any isolated enemy bases. I do not see any AA animations on the replay but planes are still being damaged so I am guessing he still has enough supply for AA.

I couldn't remember if just the act of bombing increasing fatigue and disruption, or if you had to actually inflict losses. I 'remember' a lot of things but am not always sure my memory is correct.

I have very little artillery at Bataan unfortunately.


Xargun

[Xargun]

Something else to consider. If you can, combine your divisional components into full divisions. They are much more resilient that way. The combined division will take fewer losses in combat. Also, sometimes when you combine into the division, you can sometimes add additional squads or guns to the division to make it stronger.

Yeppers !! Its about time to right down all the components of the divisions and start moving them all together. Sometimes I miss the multiple smaller pieces, but by the time I do it, I don't need piecemeal units very much -- other than garrisons.


Xargun