A Good Place to Start - Matthew (A) v Fokko (J) - Bottlenecks Mod

[M Peaston]

Thanks Captain Beefheart,

It had crossed my mind that someone might want to take it over. However, my opponent seems genuinely enthusiastic about carrying on, so in the hope that the turn-rate does increase - the war continues!


In the meantime:

21st April 1942.

If there’s one thing worse than waiting a long time for the turn, it’s waiting a long time for what proves to be a rather dull turn…..still, from the Allied point of view, dull in April 1942 is good.



CHINA

Japanese bombers attack the isolated Chinese pockets at Laiwu and Anyang.


ABDA

Japanese bombers attack Sibolga, Bandoeng and Bacolod. Zeros again sweep unopposed over Kendari.

Junyo’s dive-bombers pick off a couple of HDMLs at Cheribon and Tjilatjap.

The bulk of 223 Group HQ sails from Soerabaja on the SS Tilawa bound for Port Hedland. Hopefully she’ll get an opportunity to return for the rest of 223 Group HQ.

The defences at Port Hedland are boosted with the arrival 94th AA Rgt and 54th USAAF BF from Perth and a squadron of Warhawks from Darwin.


SWPAC

HMAS Adelaide, USS Chicago and USS Porter arrive at Sydney for repairs. Chicago and Porter will be available in about a week, but Adelaide, including an upcoming refit, will be out of action for a month.


SOPAC

SS I-18 is still at Suva and is now apparently claiming mooring rights.

AVD Thornton arrives at Arorae at the southern tip of the Gilberts and establishes a temporary forward seaplane base there. Let’s see if I can have a peek at what the Japanese are up to at Tarawa and the surrounding Islands


OPERATION NEPTUNE

Out in the Pacific one of Yorktown’s Dauntless ASW patrols reports seeing a shadow in water. Of more concern is whether that shadow in the water reports seeing a USN Dive-Bomber…..


SUBMARINE WARFARE

O-23 is hit hard off of Davao and is heading back to Darwin for repairs

Seal is hit near Yokohama but remains on patrol.

At Truk Grampus hits the wounded CA Izumo with a dud torpedo.


PANIC HQ

Blackadder drops in on Striker and Triggers to enquire why it is that out of all the Allied air forces across all the the theatres not one single Allied aircraft made an attack against the Japanese. Not one! No fighter intercepts, no bombing raids, no ASW bombs, nothing! It's either too foggy, too wet, too windy, too hot, too dry, too cold, or the sun gets in the pilots' eyes! "More forward action! More aggression! Damn the weather!" demands Blackadder.

[M Peaston]

22nd April 1942


CHINA

A Japanese unit has moved southeast of Ningsia. What are the Japanese up to at Ningsia? Are they looking to outflank China’s Lanchow defences? Wanting to advance on Yenan from behind? Or just looking to protect their own flank? Maybe even just easing their supply situation at Ningsia? I won’t do anything for the moment until I have a better idea of what they’re up to, if anything.

Ningsia.png (963.74 KiB) Viewed 621 times

INDIA/BURMA

Three squadrons of B17s arrived by sea at Bombay. When they’re properly fitted out they’ll deploy to Dacca where there is already a B17E squadron.


ABDA

All Dutch resistance on Sumatra has ended with the fall of Sibolga.

On Java the Japanese Capture Tjepoe in their advance on Soerabaja. Air transports at Soerabaja are busy trying to airlift out as many Dutch Air BF units from Bandoeng as possible.

Twenty-one Allied bombers (Liberators, B17Ds, and B17Es) attacked Manokwari with limited results. There was slight damage to the port, xAK Kyusyu Maru was hit and left burning, and a Claude was shot down. All the Allied bombers returned safely to Darwin.

Once again, Zeros sweep over Kendari.


SWPAC

The Japanese landed a force at Aitape (Northeast New Guinea), defended by only the Hollandia Commando.

Wirraways and Marauders from Port Moresby bombed Milne bay, losing 6 Wirraways to the Zeros on LRCAP. It’s the first time Japanese fighters have been seen over Milne Bay in over a week; of course, it is also the first time in over a week that no Allied escort fighters flew.

Since their brutal experience of Rabaul Lark Force has been stuck at Port Moresby. It was only a temporary stop-over on their way back to Australia for some badly-needed R&R, but then they were ordered to remain and help defend the place. Subsequently they have been told they’ll be joining the other ‘Birds’ at Saumlaki to reform 8th Div, then warned for Milne Bay, and more recently informed they’ll be garrisoning Merauke. As there were never any transports to take them anywhere, throughout the CO has ignored it all and told his battalion to just keep digging in. Now it seems they are finally on the move. The convoy that brought in 197th AA Rgt will take Lark Force back out with them. At last, they’re heading back to Australia!


SOPAC

Finally that pesky I-18 has left Suva, leaving behind a mini-sub which was soon dealt with by a patrolling sloop. On the downside, it appears that I-18 is heading south towards the Allied shipping lanes. Allied naval commanders are relieved. For despite the potential for I-18 to do more damage in the Allied shipping lanes than it could at Suva, commanders can shrug their shoulders and point out that submarine attrition of convoys is just an inevitable fact of life, whereas allowing the Japanese sub to brazenly sail up and down outside the Admiral's HQ smacks of incompetence...

[RangerJoe]

The unit near Ningsa may have crossed the river in order to attack the Chinese unit without making a shock attack.

Flood the vulnerable sea lanes with as much aerial naval search and aerial ASW as is possible. Night searches as well to keep the submarines spotted. Spotted submarines are much less likely to attack your shipping. Also, ASW TFs are best formed from 3 good ASW ships and one of those should have a nice gun in case the submarines decides to surface and fight. You should move your convoys so they are under aerial search and/or ASW protection. Following an ASW TF is not a bad idea either.

[M Peaston]

Good point about the unit near Ningsia.

I try and make sure that almost all convoys sail with some kind of ASW protection, even if it’s just a converted trawler.

[M Peaston]

23rd April 1942



INDIA/BURMA

Congratulations to 17th Indian Div for a successful disengagement and retreat with very little loss; previous Allied attempts at such a manoeuvre hadn’t gone well. So far there is no sign that the Japanese have advanced beyond Toungoo.


ABDA

CA Houston and DD Express arrive at Port Hedland to reinforce ABDA Command’s small fleet.

Wirraways attempt to bomb the Imperial Guards Div advancing on Madioen. One Wirraway was shot down by intercepting Oscars. This was ‘W’ Flight’s last action in Java - they’re being withdrawn back to Australia.


SWPAC

B17s bomb the port at Milne Bay, while Wirraways and Marauders attack the 65th Naval Guard Unit and 17th Naval Construction Bn there. All aircraft returned without loss.



SUBMARINE WARFARE

At Nauru Island Grayback peppered xAKL Uji Maru with 3in shells and also hit her with two dud torpedoes. Afterwards S-44 sneaked in to claim the ‘kill’, putting a torpedo into Uji Maru which did actually explode. However, the anticipated sinking sounds were not heard, and so it seems that S-44’s shabby attempt at poaching Grayback’s target went unrewarded.

[M Peaston]

24th April 1942



CHINA

The Japanese renewed their assault on the Chinese units surrounded at Anyang, with the Chinese suffering heavy losses.


ABDA

Japanese bombers hit Bandoeng, Tarakan and Iloilo.

Zeros again sweep over Kendari as a Japanese TFs appear nearby. Are the Japanese finally making a move in this area?

Kendari.png (1.25 MiB) Viewed 453 times

SWPAC

B17s, Wirraways and Marauders again bomb Milne Bay.


PANIC HQ

Blackadder is wondering if it might be better if he got into the habit of checking facts before making promises. He had assured Roosevelt that Yorktown and Hornet would have completed their mission and would be ready to rejoin the fleet by the end of April at the very latest. However, it seems the carriers won’t be even in a position to strike until the end of April, and possibly another 10 days or so before they return to the West Coast, or a few days less if they head to Pearl Harbor afterwards. Blackadder’s inclination is simply to not say anything at all and hope that no-one notices the mission overrun, but Roosevelt keeps asking for updates. Blackadder wonders how many variations of reports stating “the carriers are a day closer to their objective than they were the previous day” he can get away with before the penny drops. There’ll be a hefty political credibility price for Blackadder to pay if those carriers aren’t back by the end of April, and the fact is those carriers won’t be back by the end of April.

[SierraJuliet]

Surely some big event (perhaps in the DEI) will take place to draw attention away from the time blow out and Blackadder will be off the hook.

[M Peaston]

A very good point. Otherwise, Blackadder might just have to keep his fingers crossed and hope that Hornet runs over a torpedo or something - it makes it look like bad luck rather than poor planning.

[M Peaston]

25th April 1942


CHINA

Again the Chinese take heavy casualties at Anyang, but they also show they can dish some out as well as take it.



INDIA/BURMA

The Japanese capture Naypyidaw on the road/railway between Toungoo and Mandalay.

At Konbo (NW of Naypyidaw) the retreating 45th Indian Bde was bombed by Sallys, six of which were claimed as shot down by 2nd AVG Squadron. Now, here is something I hadn’t really paid attention to before. AVG 2nd Squadron’s Warhawks are based at Shwebo with orders to provide LRCAP to 17th Indian Division at Yamethin, 3 hexes from Shwebo, and accordingly were set to a maximum range of 3 hexes. However, the interception of the Sallys at Konbo took place 5 hexes from Shwebo, at maximum extended radius. I’m not complaining, it worked in my favour, but it is something to watch out for.

Wellingtons made their debut in theatre, hitting the airbase at Rangoon in a night raid, followed up by a daylight raid by 6 B17s. Light damage was caused to the airfield without any Allied loss. There was no CAP, day or night.



ABDA

Kendari 2.png (1.77 MiB) Viewed 302 times

SWPAC

A force for the counter-invasion of Milne Bay is gathering at Townsville:

2nd Marine Rgt
2/7 Commando Bn
1st Marine Tank Bn
2nd Marine Field Art Bn
1st Marine Amtrak

On standby is 29th Australian Bde at Port Moresby.

Covering the invasion force will be CAs Pensacola and San Francisco, CLs Perth and Honolulu, and 6 DDs. Air support will be provided from Port Moresby. LRCAP has shown to be okay for causing damage to incoming air raids but hasn’t proven capable of stopping them, so Blamey is expecting heavy shipping losses once the Japanese air attacks start coming in. Rather ominously for the plan to rely on land-based air cover, no sorties flew against Milne Bay today, not from Port Moresby or the B17s from Australia.

One lesson has already been learned for the future. Despite this being a relatively small invasion force, Townsville is overcrowded - a problem exacerbated by the arrival of Lark Bn from Port Moresby trying to disembark. It might have been better to have departed from a larger port, perhaps Brisbane, or maybe better still to have used several ports between Brisbane and Townsville and rendezvoused en route.

[M Peaston]

The fighting at Anyang:

Ground combat at Anyang (89,43)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24398 troops, 240 guns, 38 vehicles, Assault Value = 1024

Defending force 10191 troops, 58 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 351

Japanese adjusted assault: 540

Allied adjusted defense: 53

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
451 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1113 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 144 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd NCPC Infantry Brigade
32nd Division
5th Ind.Mixed Brigade
35th/B Division
35th/C Division
NCPC Army

Defending units:
2nd Red C. Guerilla Corps
18th Chinese Army-
2nd Red C. Guerilla Base Force

[RangerJoe]

If you are expecting aerial interference for the invasion, then I suggest using a lot more ship than would otherwise be needed so the units with necessary supplies will unload faster - preferably in one day. You will also need engineers there to build the port and airfield so you might want to consider adding those to your invasion. This would mean that you won't have to fly in the engineers and their heavy equipment can travel with them.

If you have any carriers available for fighter protection, I would suggest taking off the torpedo bombers at a minimum and adding more fighters.

[LargeSlowTarget]

25th April 1942

Hey, my birthday! (not birthyear, of course)

At Konbo (NW of Naypyidaw) the retreating 45th Indian Bde was bombed by Sallys, six of which were claimed as shot down by 2nd AVG Squadron. Now, here is something I hadn’t really paid attention to before. AVG 2nd Squadron’s Warhawks are based at Shwebo with orders to provide LRCAP to 17th Indian Division at Yamethin, 3 hexes from Shwebo, and accordingly were set to a maximum range of 3 hexes. However, the interception of the Sallys at Konbo took place 5 hexes from Shwebo, at maximum extended radius. I’m not complaining, it worked in my favour, but it is something to watch out for.

Interesting, never noticed that in all those years.
I assume that you have ordered the Flying Tiger to LRCAP Yamethin?
It looks like that with a range set to 3, they have tried to intercept within 3 hexes of Yamethin, therefore theoretically up to 6 hexes from Shwebo (not counting aircraft fuel limitations).

Sounds somewhat logic:
When orders are " Normal CAP over Shwebo and range 3", the unit will "patrol within three hexes of target "Shwebo".
If orders are to" LRCAP over Yamethin and range 3", the unit will "patrol within three hexes of target "Yamethin".
Same bullsh*t, different target it seems.
I am going to pay more attention to this.

[M Peaston]

If you are expecting aerial interference for the invasion, then I suggest using a lot more ship than would otherwise be needed so the units with necessary supplies will unload faster - preferably in one day. You will also need engineers there to build the port and airfield so you might want to consider adding those to your invasion. This would mean that you won't have to fly in the engineers and their heavy equipment can travel with them.

If you have any carriers available for fighter protection, I would suggest taking off the torpedo bombers at a minimum and adding more fighters.

There are no carriers available, nor any engineers spare either. I did consider waiting until I had all my ducks lined up, but then that also gives the Japanese the opportunity to reinforce Milne Bay and dig in. I’m hoping that by acting now I can achieve more with less than I could by waiting. It does mean though that the Milne Bay attack is going to be a ‘come as you are, bring what you can’ affair.

[M Peaston]

25th April 1942

Hey, my birthday! (not birthyear, of course)

At Konbo (NW of Naypyidaw) the retreating 45th Indian Bde was bombed by Sallys, six of which were claimed as shot down by 2nd AVG Squadron. Now, here is something I hadn’t really paid attention to before. AVG 2nd Squadron’s Warhawks are based at Shwebo with orders to provide LRCAP to 17th Indian Division at Yamethin, 3 hexes from Shwebo, and accordingly were set to a maximum range of 3 hexes. However, the interception of the Sallys at Konbo took place 5 hexes from Shwebo, at maximum extended radius. I’m not complaining, it worked in my favour, but it is something to watch out for.

Interesting, never noticed that in all those years.
I assume that you have ordered the Flying Tiger to LRCAP Yamethin?
It looks like that with a range set to 3, they have tried to intercept within 3 hexes of Yamethin, therefore theoretically up to 6 hexes from Shwebo (not counting aircraft fuel limitations).

Sounds somewhat logic:
When orders are " Normal CAP over Shwebo and range 3", the unit will "patrol within three hexes of target "Shwebo".
If orders are to" LRCAP over Yamethin and range 3", the unit will "patrol within three hexes of target "Yamethin".
Same bullsh*t, different target it seems.
I am going to pay more attention to this.

Yes, Flying Tigers were ordered to LRCAP Yamethin, and I assume exactly the same as you that this is how it works. The only thing is that when setting LRCAP the range of the air unit defaults to the distance of the target hex, so I always thought that this was what was needed. As an experiment, for the following turn (27th April) I’ve ordered Hurricanes at Akyab to LRCAP Konbo, but set their range to 0. Unfortunately I looked at this only after I’d sent off the 26th April turn - the Flying Tigers had the same settings, diverted to Konbo just as last time, but unlike last time it didn’t work out well....

[M Peaston]

26th April 1942



CHINA

The Chinese suffer heavy losses at Anyang, but still hold out.


INDIA/BURMA

The AVG on LRCAP diverted to intercept Japanese fighter sweeps and got bounced by 28 Oscars. It couldn’t have been worse. The Warhawks were outnumbered, operating at extended range, were set at an altitude ideal for the Oscars, and were diverted to the battle in drips and drabs. Six Warhawks were shot down for no loss to the Japanese. This is what happens when circumstances, bad luck and poor decision-making all converge.


ABDA

BB Haruna and CA Chokai bombard Kendari in advance of a Japanese landing. It seems the Allies forgot to tell the Japanese that Kendari was unoccupied and undefended. This is bad news for the terrified residents desperately seeking shelter in basements and wherever else they can find, but as the port and airfield that the Japanese are going to be needing soon were hard hit, it it quite good news for the Allies.

The Japanese capture Bacolod, ending a heroic defence by US and Filipino troops. At Bandjermasin the Dutch hold off the initial Japanese assault.

Japanese bombers hit Tarakan and Bandoeng.


PANIC HQ

There’s been a bit of a cock-up in the Solomons. After much surveying, digging, consulting and more surveying the engineers on Tulagi have finally said it would be too difficult, costly and resource intensive to construct an airfield there within any kind of realistic timeframe, but that there is a potentially very good site at Lunga on Guadalcanal just across the water.

Blackadder is not best pleased. “Are you telling me we’ve landed on the wrong island?” he asked. “No” replied Striker. “Ah, we haven’t landed on the wrong Island” asked Blackadder hopefully. Striker replied “Yes” with some care. “Is that yes we have or yes we haven’t?” asked a by now confused Blackadder.” Striker’s response of “No” didn’t really help.

“What he means” interjected Triggers, “is that he is not actually telling you that we’ve landed on the wrong island” Blackadder’s mood soured further. “Are you telling me…..” he stopped and corrected himself. “I mean, is it the case that we have landed a few thousand Marines, engineers, aircraft mechanics, armourers, AA guns, radar operators, air controllers, the works - to protect and operate an airbase that we can’t build? And there’s a perfectly good site on the next island! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?”

Striker hesitated, stuttered, hesitated again, and sloshed a glass of water into his face. Eventually he said “We can’t go around establishing airbases in forward areas on island that haven’t been occupied in force - you’ll have to ask Mainwaring why ground troops landed on Tulagi and not Guadalcanal”.

It was Mainwaring’s turn to stutter, hesitate and stutter again, although he doesn’t have a drink problem and so managed to avoid sloshing water into his face. Thinking fast, Mainwaring said “The troops can’t walk on water, and even if they could it would take them too long to get anywhere. They need ships to be able to move. If the ships take the Marines to Tulagi, then Tulagi is where they’ll end up. You need to ask Birdseye why the Navy took them there and not Guadalcanal.”

Birdseye didn’t stutter, or hesitate. He knew the blame would come around to him at some point - he knows how things work at PANIC HQ - and he was prepared. “Surely the decision on where to land in the Solomons would have been taken locally by the local commander - it’s best to ask Ghormley” he said.

It was Dirk Gently who saw the way out here. “But Ghormley’s command has only just been activated; they landed at Tulagai rather than Guadalcanal long before he took over responsibility”. (Note Gently’s skilful use of the word ‘they’ instead of ‘we’ as in ‘they landed’ rather than ‘we landed’).

“So who was in charge beforehand?” asked Blackadder.

Various phrases were muttered around the conference table in response “unclear boundaries of responsibility” “confused lines of command” “fast-changing situation” “decisions taken at junior level”.

No one could be identified to blame, and so everyone is off the hook. An excellent outcome.

As they were leaving the meeting, it was Triggers who pointed out a rather inconvenient fact to Striker. “We still aren’t any closer to establishing an airbase in the Solomons, are we?” “That’s Ghormley’s problem” replied Striker.

[SierraJuliet]

I love that rather circular discussion at PANIC HQ.

[CaptBeefheart]

Hahahahaha. Good stuff.

Years ago I worked for an aircraft manufacturer of which products happen to be prominently featured in this game. The go-to response to someone trying to blame you for a FUBAR'd situation was called the "Douglas Salute," which was crossed arms in front of your chest with index fingers pointed up.

Cheers,
CB

[M Peaston]

I love that rather circular discussion at PANIC HQ.

I’ve worked at places where I’ve been able to closely observe those who practice the arts of circular discussions and responsibility avoidance. I’m pleased to be able to put what I learned to good use

[M Peaston]

Hahahahaha. Good stuff.

Years ago I worked for an aircraft manufacturer of which products happen to be prominently featured in this game. The go-to response to someone trying to blame you for a FUBAR'd situation was called the "Douglas Salute," which was crossed arms in front of your chest with index fingers pointed up.

Cheers,
CB

I'm intrigued; why was it called the Douglas Salute?

[M Peaston]

27th April 1942



CHINA

The Chinese suffered more heavy casualties at Anyang - they’re suffering mostly destroyed rather than disabled squads now.


INDIA/BURMA

The Japanese appear to be advancing both along the Toungoo-Mandalay Road and the Prome-Magwe Road. Most Commonwealth units have managed to successfully pull back, but the 45th Indian Bde is still out on a limb at Konbo.

The experiment with the Hurricanes at Akyab on LRCAP over Konbo was successful. They still patrolled over Konbo, 4 hexes away from Akyab, despite being set to range 0. That part might have been a success, but the Hurricanes weren’t particularly successful at stopping 17 Sallys flying straight past them to bomb the poor 45th Indian Bde. At least the Hurricanes showed up though. Usefully for my experiment Oscars swept Magwe, 2 hexes from Konbo, and the Hurricanes didn’t react to the Oscars.

So it does seem that, as LST suggests, LRCAP works pretty much the same as CAP. Want LRCAP to patrol the target hex only - set range to 0. Want the LRCAP to ‘leak’ over to the surrounding hexes - set the range from the target hex accordingly. The fact that when setting LRCAP the air unit’s range defaults to the distance to the target hex is just a red herring from what I can see.

The IJN appear to have a standing patrol of CLs/DDs between Sabang and Phuket. The cruisers Exeter, Hobart, Mauritius and Newcastle are on their way from Colombo with orders to go and rough them up a bit.


ABDA

A small convoy arrived at Soerabaja to evacuate the remnants of 223 Group HQ plus any useful Dutch base units that could be brought out. Unfortunately Junyo is now hanging around Soerabaja - xAP Van Swoll was sunk and xAP Van Overstraten left burning. Soerabaja’s fighter defences are still active though - 3 Zeros and 8 Vals were claimed for the loss of 3 CW-21B Demons and 3 NZ Hurricanes.

The Japanese finally capture Kendari. Mitchells from Koepang and Liberators from Darwin have been ordered to hit the airfield there tomorrow. I’m working on the assumption that the Japanese will use Kendari as a major airbase to cover their advance south.


SWPAC

The B17s at Townsville have been socked in for the last couple of days so the work of hitting Milne Bay has been carried out by Wirraways and Havocs from Port Moresby. Clear skies are forecast for tomorrow so it is going to be a maximum effort from the B17s.


SUBMARINE WARFARE

Seal hits a PB with a dud torpedo off of Yokohama