WitP mod v903 Ngineer(Japan) vs. Feinder(Allies)

[Feinder]

July 2nd 1942

Admin Stuff

Research, Production, Losses, and Economy

Research - USA Fighters(2) concluded this turn. So CVs and Fighter Squadrons took upgrades this turn. Put 3-chits into Land Warfare for the morale boost, and one more into Production Tech for the cost savings.

Production screen as shown. I superimposed the UK (fighters) and Oz (Mari-bmbrs). Have built all CVs and fighters currently available.

Losses. This turn to him. Chinese Inf-Corps, Tank-Div, and 3x Subs; for the loss of one DD for him. Well, can't win them all.

Economy. He continues to close the gap. There are mines in China and Burma that will come back online (about 30 pts I think). And he's going to get Hengchow in the next few turns. I think he can get his production up to about 400 in the next 5 turns. I'd consider moving my Strat Bmbrs to India to pound his mines or any other strategic targets. But I'm going to need them to pound Port Moresby and Buna. So they stay in Oz for now.

[Feinder]

And somebody asked about the Japanese spends. This is what I have. I'm guessing at the breakdown of the Research Spends.

[Feinder]

Oh. Ellissar...

You have two 2nd USMC Divisions on the map. One starts on the map, in Hawaii, just north of Kona. There's also a 2nd USMC Div in Sacramento.

I noticed the duplicate names, when I landed them in Oz.

I don't know if one should be deleted, or if one should be renamed?

Either way, I'm keeping both.

[Elessar2]

Feel free to rename.

So, unless I am missing something, he indeed has been taking a LOT of losses, and also bought 3 tech chits in that time (after the T1 freebies). This means that (a) he'll have a lot of damaged units sitting around (in China, including air, but also some of his navy for sure), and (b) nothing really to spend to beef up his fleet. We cannot know if the large amounts that I see on those 3 dates (530, 400, and 400) were spent on new builds, or reinforcements/repairs, but I seriously doubt that he could afford to buy any capital ships while still continuing to pound you in China, since he'll also need a crapload of garrisons. If you can find some good defensive terrain to fall back on China will have a chance to hold out before the cavalry shows up.

[Feinder]

Yeah, my simple version is, I figure I gotta keep the red line near or over the green line.

[Feinder]

July 20th 1942

Burma

Indian Divisions continue to dig into the mountain range separating India and Burma. He launched what looked like a recon-strike, which was intercepted. No casualties for me, but the damage indicator for him was off-map, so I don't know if anything was shot down.

He's also paying attention to Andaman Island. Bombing and Bombardments.

He sent a sub poking around the southern tip of India, and bumped into my Royal Navy destroyer standing watch while my RN-SS repairs. His sub took several damage, and ended it's turn next to my DD. My DD then capitalized on that that proceeded to expend all depth charges on the intruder. I think it's down to 3x SP. But I did pull back my destroyer, since he has several Cruisers and BC in the area. Perhaps they'll go snooping for my DD, and bump into my sub. Hey, it could happen...

[Feinder]

July 20th 1942

China

A blessed reprieve in the north with the Communists. You can see them digging into the hills behind the river. I want to keep that one Inf-Corps south of the capital, as it only gives him 2 hexes to attack the capital, instead of 3. Also purchased and Comm-Chi Inf-Div from the dead-pool.

There were some partisans that activated somewhere in China, but he immediately destroyed them. I'd have to re-watch the replay to see where.

He sent bombers past Chungking, and hit the mines there. All of my fighters were stood down, China to not attract attention, and USAAC squadron taking Level-2 refits, so they didn't intercept. However, now that he knows they're there, I expect him to come back in force. The US squadron stays, and the Chinese squadrons have been moved.

He attacked again in far SW of China, and this time also in center-South. I'm going to go ahead and give up that territory in the south, since it doesn't cost me any MPPs, and spread him out some more.

[Feinder]

July 20th 1942

Off Australia

I had taken replacements for my Strat-Bombers behind Cairnes. I should have moved them, THEN taken replacements. He went after them with LBA and 2x CVs, and pasted them. So that's another 250 MPPs to replace them. I won't make that mistake again.

He does like to bomb the Strat Resources, and there are some mines within range of his carriers. So I added the AAA to the mines, and shifted two USAAC fighter squadrons behind the mines (only one at Fighter-2 tho). My squadrons will be out of range of strikes from KB tho, so they can intercept strikes vs. the Mines, but shouldn't be targeted themselves. I also moved up a Mari-Patrol and Med-Bmbr south of his flight-path to mines. I don't want him to make a strike vs. the Mines, then find my Mari-Patrols and Med-Bmbrs.

The US troops are fully ashore in Oz. There's (4x USMC Div + HQ). And (3x Inf-Corps + 1x Tank-Corps + HQ). If he's thinking of landing in Oz, please do. But I don't think he is. We'll still plan on pushing up the USMC to T'ville, and prep for attack on Port Morseby. Also bringing in LBA as well.

The combined Royal Navy + Oz Navy + much of US Navy, all near New Caledonia. I moved the RN east, to match up with the RAN and USN. Didn't want him to come after RN separately. We're a little spread out, but that's a close together as I could get the two TFs. If he continues south towards Brisbane, I should be in a good place to meet him. I know he's thinking about it. We'll see where he lands vs. CV strike range, and that bit where surface has to spend 10-move to move up to him. I do think he's spread out enough at this point that, if I can move up on him, I will.

[Feinder]

July 20th 1942

Around the rest of the Pacific...

My partisans in Philippines continue to annoy him. He moved up a BB to bombard them along with his Mech-Div. It's worth 7-MPPs per turn to keep my partisans alive (replacements) to keep his assets tied down.

USN subs retreat into the the deep waters of the North Pacific. It doesn't look like he's willing to risk his naval assets out of LBA search range. That's fine, my subs are in need of repairs anyway. For that endeavor, we lost 2 subs, and sank 3x Destroyers and Light Cruiser, so I'll take it.

All CVs have now completed refits (Fighters-2, NavAtk-1). Hornet left Pearl at flank speed with DD escort and heading to join the rest of the fleet off New Caledonia in a turn or three. Wasp has taken refits, and will be leaving the West Coast with BB North Carolina next turn.

I've included known spotting reports due to bombardments, missions, and intel.

[Feinder]

July 20th 1942

The Admin Stuff

Research, Production, Losses, and Economy

No new chits into Research.

Production screen with all countries super-imposed.

Losses this turn were the Chinese partisans, and my USAAC Strat-Bmbers (ouch). Replacement Strat-Bmbs have been purchased (as seen on Production).

Economy. The gap continues to diminish. Industrial-Tech has been dbl-chitted since first turn, and at 67%. I'm looking forward to the MPP bump, but waiting sucks.

[Elessar2]

I should check to see if you get any more S China militia spawns if he follows you north.

My remedies for China, assuming they need any help at all:

* River defense bonuses bumped from 20/35 to 30/50.

* All land units (for everybody) given +1 air defense to better attrit enemy air (else I'd have to drop the number of strikes back down to 1, but that would give carriers too big an edge vs. land-based air on islands). +0.5 might be a good compromise.

* Max fort levels bumped up +1 across the board for all terrain types. Upthread someone suggested that certain island hexes get fortified towns. I'd much prefer that the game engine would allow engineers to fortify towns and cities in-game (with a LONG completion time), but since we don't have that it is problematic to unilaterally give some towns forts in the editor when I as the designer don't know which towns a player would prefer to prioritize. Note max entrenchments are NOT tech-enableable. Note capital ships have quite a bit more shore bombardment punch here than in vanilla.

* More mountain hexes in the south and east. If so their inherent greater fort levels would obviate the previous suggestion, tho I may still do so for all towns and cities.

Always possible to overdo it of course. OCB, can you please give your perspective based on our old run-throughs? Note I would also appreciate the perspective of your opponent here as well since as I intimated upthread things may not look as rosy for him as it appears to us at first glance...

[Feinder]

August 7th, 1942

Burma

He's focusing his efforts on blowing the crap out of Andaman Island. That's ok. It's giving me to dig into the mountains between India and Burma. I'm shifting around my Gen Slim (HQ), to see where to push best/most supply to my guys in the mountains.

Token Royal Navy Destroyer and Submarine complete repairs.

[Feinder]

August 7th, 1942

China

He's shifting his focus to South and Center. Makes sense, there are 2 cities and Mines there, with valuable MPPs.

He deleted a Chinese Inf-Div in the center (noted on map), as it 1) gives him a hex next to city, and 2) pushes me away from the Mine (so that it will rebuild).

He's also moving up units near Hangchow. I honestly don't know what to do about it. All of my counter-attack odds are 3:0 or 4:1 etc. Basically, he moves up big stuff, blows the sh_t out of somebody. Moves on.

But we'll see if falling back in the south (and thus hopefully spreading him out some), yields some results. He is taking the territory, so in theory it'll spread him out some.

He also launched a bombing/recon mission vs Chungking. USAAC fighters intercepted (they were NOT in Chungking when he attacked, Chungking was open). He did some damage to the city (MPPs), and I think I shot something down, but again losses were off-map. But... What that got me to thinking/measuring range for, his Paratroops. Remember the Paras that we saw in the south? I don't know if he's got Range-2 (start) or Range-3 (if his tech has completed). But, his paras would have a range of 11, and he could drop right into Chunking. So, I moves USAAC fighters to Chungking proper, and also moved up the RAF squadron to help them out. So we'll see if we can mitigate that threat.

I did have enough for a Chinese Inf-Corp rebuild, so I didn't go with local replacements, and bought the Inf-Corps since that opportunity is rare.

Ellissar - I'll send a note to Ngineer, to have him send you a PM on his status. Obviously, he's not invited on this thread, and I wouldn't want him to share intel for me to see either.

[Feinder]

August 7th, 1942

Coral Sea

Well, he did NOT attack the mines in Queensland. That's ok.

As expected, he DID capture Lunga. The usual bombardments, LBA, and blocked port. Since, it just fell this past turn, I also expect him to move LBA into that southern island (remember, I landed a garrison at Reef Island, so it pinched back his eyes by -5 hexes).

So far, he's been keeping a Med-Bmbr on the island between Milne Bay and Solomons (I think it's Woodlark?). So I've drawn out where his expected search ranges if he has Range-3 aircraft. As shown, or if he puts a Mari-Bmbr in Port Moresby or Woodlark, it basically means I can keep to the Oz Coast as far as Townsville with being spotted by LBA.

I've also a Mari-Bmbr and Med-Bmbr that I have west coast Oz, to keep some eyes out as well (see map of center).

All that being said, I've combined the fleet(s), and will push up the coast of Oz, and hopefully pick up Marines for a re-invasion of Port Moresby in a few turns. Ref StratMap to follow with positions of my CVs. Basically, (almost) everything I have his converging on the Coral Sea, and we'll push north from there.

It's funny. I can sympathize the much maligned Gen George MacClellan of The Union in the US Civil War. The short version is, he had a big army west of Richmond. He was always waiting for "oh, and one more thing, and one more thing..." He never attacked. Lincoln sacked him. It was the right call. But I can still see the appeal of "oh, and one more thing...". In one more turn, I'll have Radar-2. In two more turns, I'll have another CV. In three more turns, I'll have 6 more BBs. In four more turns, I'll have another CV... And so it goes.

But, let's not be MacClellan.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
- Claude McKay

[Feinder]

August 7th, 1942

The rest of the Pacific, and Admin Stuff

Partisans still annoying him in Philippines. USN subs are withdrawing to West Coast for much needed repairs.

1 USN-CV:Hornet in Fijis, 6x (slow) BBs in SoPac, and USN-CV:Wasp escorted by BB:NoCal passing Pearl. All en route to Oz.

Research, Production, Losses, and Economy

No new research.
Built 3(!) USN-CVLs. Sept 43 is going to be a big month!
I forgot screen cap of Losses Screen. Lost a Chinese Inf-Div.
And economy cap.

[Feinder]

August 25th, 1942.

Burma

Indian troops occupy mountains on the India/Burma border.
More bombardments and blockade of Andaman Islands. I thought he would invade this turn, but he didn't. I expect immanent.

He's snooping around Ceylon. I should moved my sub in single-hexes, but alas did not. I missed my shot at his CA, and ended up bumping his DD. So "mutual damage" to SS vs DD. I expect he'll go after it with a vengeance (he did last time).

My Royal Navy DD, went to west-side of map, since I know he's got plenty of ships that are bigger than he is off of India.

[Feinder]

August 25th, 1942.

China

Communist Chinese counter-attacked in the north. We forced an IJA Inf-Div to retreat. I decided to pursue it with my Comm-Chi Inf-Corps (from the capital), to finish it off. There is obviously a risk, as pursued him from my prepared positions. But I had a Comm-Chi Inf-Div as reinforcement, and deployed it to the capital. We'll see what he does in return.

In the south, he smashed a Chinese Inf-Corps. Most damage by ground attack, then finished it off with LBA. I'm not happy about losing an Inf-Corps, but I get consolation that I killed one of his Inf-Div further north.

I decided "maximum effort" in Oz. So I pulled the USAAC fighters from Chungking, and moved them for air-cover over my fleet (more on that later). Since he was quiet in Burma, and I still need to protect Chungking, I relocated the RAF fighters to Chungking; so RIAF will have to protect the Burma front for now.

For what it's worth, I am seeing units that are NOT repaired. He's got Div/Corps at 7 and 8 SPs. So it could be that his army in China being de-prioritized.

[Feinder]

August 25th, 1942.

Coral Sea

The turn opened with an IJN sub, bumping into my Destroyer picket-line on the north perimeter of my Task Force. He proceeded to launch an LBA strike against my Destroyer, which was then intercepted by fighters from Royal Navy's Hermes (CVL).

I used two Royal Navy destroyers to attack his sub. I did about 4 damage, and drove him off, I presume to the north. So, he has positive contact reports of only Royal Navy DDs and CVL. Which is what he already knows is operating in the area. He could know "other stuff", based on intel reports, but I have at least limited what I revealed to him, as being only the Royal Navy DDs and CVL.

From there, hugging the Australian coast, I shifted my now combined fleet, to what I ** BELIEVE ** to be a slight bow in his search coverage. Note that he's got a CL that popped on the extreme range of my Mari-Bmbr, and CV that hit on Intel.

That big blob of ships is
6x CV
1x CVL
3x BB
12x CA
10x CL
10x DD

I've also got a Mari-Bmbr on the north side, and Med-Bmbr to the south.
And 3x additional USAAC Fighter Squadrons providing top cover (so that +6 intercepts).
That is almost everything I have...

There are still 6x BBs, and a (1xCV + 1xBC) TFs still in-bound, but they're still a few turns out.
We have what we have at this point.

I don't know if he'll push south (where I'm not).
Or poke towards the coast (where I am).
Or he could be entirely uncooperative, and just pull back.
But I don't think he'll pull back. He's got certain contact report on a CVL here, I would think he'll go looking to kill it.

And what may have been a smile from King Neptune, I got the notification that I hit Radar-2 at end-of-turn.
So that should help some.

It took some time to cut-n-paste the map together, but this way, you can see what's going on off Australia.

[Feinder]

August 25th, 1942

Admin Stuff

Research, Production, Losses, and Economy

No new funding into Research. But I did get notified that Radar-2 was completed (yay!). And was refunded 75 MPP for its completion.

I bought a USN BC and CVL.

He killed a Chinese Inf-Corps, I reposted with killing IJA Inf-Div.

Economy shot. Note the +75 MPPs for the refund pushes the "Gap" in the right direction. But it's temporary.

[Feinder]

Sept 12th, 1942

Burma

Ugh. He invaded Ceylon, IJN Marine Division comes ashore.

I do have a British Inf-Corps there, and several Indian Militia units spawned in, including an Inf-Div on Ceylon.
I also had a Indian Inf-Corps arrive as reinforcement. I've spawned it in Southern India. I'd like to transport it to Ceylon, and if I can manage it, the Tank-Div as well.

There's a Tank-Div that spawned into Deli, and I pulled replacements for it.
Also shifted up the two LBA units (Fighter and Tac-Bmbr) so that they may be able to provide additional support in subsequent turns.

I was trying to scout the channel between India and Ceylon (to hold it for my transports), but bumped his DD, and can't move off now. So he's likely pound away at my sub there. I think the LBA will be in range though, that I can at least scout the approach to Ceylon for transports. Fingers crossed.

Royal Navy DD has retreated to Mogadishu. He's just going to be a target if stays there.