AAR - PBEM Game "Akula"

[paullus99]

Spring 1942 - Soviet Union

We have reinforced our positions won during the Winter counteroffensives - despite the eagerness of some of our generals to continue to strike against the facist invader. We do not want to become overextended & our industries are still gearing up for total war.

Decisions, decisions......we await the coming summer campaign.

[Oleg Mastruko]

I see you switched to new version. I'm ready to play my turn but unfortunatelly I'll have to download the new alpha first [:(] Behind laptop over 56k it will take some time so don't hold your breath... I'll let you know. [8D]

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Allright, with the Japan's entry in war, things are starting to get interesting.

In the Atlantic we fought some really desperate ASW battles on the Arctic conwoy route, had 2-3 DD fleets engaged (and some of them damaged) to damage 2 U-Boot flotillas. Thing is - we have been VERY stupid, so after we cleared the Arctic route at great cost, we managed to get short on transports (using them elsewhere) so were unable to profit from clearing the route by actually sending some supplies to Rooskies.

Our sincere apologies to Uncle Joe. BTW, Uncle Joe, if your heavy bombers don't have much to do, perhaps you could try harassing U-Boots in the Arctic with them? Don't know their ASW rating, though, but my hard working destroyer-men could use any help...

We currently operate 3 CV fleets in the Atlantic, reflecting our Germany first strategy. We will most probably soon be entering the Med with some CV and heavy fleets to scare the beejezus outta Italians.

Using CVs, we managed to weaken the Moroccan Vichy defence enough to invade there, though we didn't really plan to. Torch invasion is mostly token force, as our main continental effort remains in Portugal. Still, we judged Axis position in the Med basin is weak, so we might as well try to provoke them both in Morocco and Portugal (and Egypt, if needs be). We might be able to draw some forces from the Ostfront, thus making life for our SU allies easier.

(Med situation is pictured below. Note that both Italian and British Mediterranean fleets avoided action so far, and are mostly untouched at their respective anchorages at Taranto and Alexandria. My UK subs are blocking any possible Italian effort in the West Med, and I ammased 4-5 transport fleets in Alexandria, to act as support for possible small invasions in the Med.)

In the Pacific - Maurice expressed fear (on the beta board) that US sub forces may be too strong too early, but for the time being this fear is completely unfounded. Only one of our sub fleets was in position to attack this turn (second turn into war for US!) - but it was damaged by improved Japanese DDs, doing no damage in return.

Still, more subs and more CVs are being built and routed to Pacific so we'll see. We certainly expect our subs to become very important factor by '43, and no less than conwoy killing machine by '44.

We switched our research to things naval - CV and sub fleets, DD evasion, CV air torp attack... We are producing humungous ammounts of war materiel... 4x15 n00bz pH34R! [:D][:@][:D]

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

This is situation in the rarely "pictured" theatre of war in these AARs - in and around Bay of Bengal and China.

Note that China is almost totally beaten (perhaps Japs have it too easy?) but luckily for Mr. Chang Kai Shek Japanese turned their attentions elsewhere recently, and have their hands full in DEI and rest of the Pacific.

Bay of Bengal... Note the standoff between British Indian Army and Japanese in Siam and Indochina. I'll try to build up more supplies there - for possible offensive actions and to help the poor Chinese a little. (Yes, I am disclosing some of my plans and thouhgts which is normally stupid thing to do, but this AAR has "educational" purpose as well [:D][:D]).

Note German Monssoon boats wandering so far from their bases (and doing damage - I hid some of my transports to Indian ports to escape from menacing U-Boot fanatics).

Oleg

[MButtazoni]

Summer 42 - Japan

spent the turn consolidating our positions and rebuilding supply stockpiles. Our subs are having some success in the coastal waters around Australia. Our Light Fleets also smacked a sub flotilla that got a little too close.

as mentioned above i am concerned that subs alone can (will) lay waste to my transports and navy (and subs cost 0 supply to move where a surface task force like the IJN has in this game costs 40+ supply to strike out); but if the WA subs are being built and researched at the sacrifice of the surface fleet it remains to be seen if it is a viable strategy...

[Oleg Mastruko]

Maurice you noticed I changed my avatar to better fulfill your sub nightmares? [:D]

O.

[MButtazoni]

oh! if your at the helm why was i worried? [:D]

[paullus99]

Soviet Union - Summer 1942

Operation Begration was a complete success (at the expense of opening us up for a riposte in the Fall). Intelligence identified large concentrations of Germans on both flanks (in the north & south), but a weak center.

To take advantage of this, we unleashed our carefully husbanded armored forces & smashed through Army Group Center - liberating all of Poland and capturing East Prussia. Army Group North is now cut off in the Baltics, while Army Group South is now at the end of a long and tenuous supply line in the Ukraine.

Our armored forces now stand on the very doorstep of the Third Reich....

[Becket]

No fair! Jupiter is still stalled by the conversion! We were going to hit the Reich first!

[:D]

[MButtazoni]

i suspect our game will hit the bug at the end of the turn too

[MrSloth]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

i suspect our game will hit the bug at the end of the turn too

That's a shame. Things where starting to get really interesting. [:'(]

[Oleg Mastruko]

Surprisingly, seems this particular game isn't affected by "Early victory bug" we have been experiencing with latest build, so we were able to continue at least for now.

In the Med theatre, we did an invasion of North Italy, more or less, on a direct suggestion of Uncle Joe [:D] It costed us a lot of "transport-hours" so although this diversion/invasion was marginal success, we were unable to move anything much else (lack of transports). Anyway, North Italy was Axis "supply factory" so we managed to cripple their supply situation very significantly. We did take Algeria as well though. Buildup in the Portugal is stopped for now, as we had to use the troops elsewhere.

In the Pacific, Japs, led by expert hand of experienced veteran of China Incident VADM/MGEN Mauritojo Butawaya, prove way tougher than expected. My CV attack at one of his light fleets was repelled with my CV airwing damaged and no damage in return!

My subs are avoiding direct confrontation with IJN DDs so they take longer routes of approach. No sub attacks this turn. Any fears that Japs will go down easy prove unfounded so far.

My DDs managed to damage some IJN subs that tried to cut our routes to Australian allies...

Oleg

[j campbell]

futility sinking in in the "bunker here"

[MButtazoni]

Fall 1942 - Japan

I just noticed Oleg stated something above i was going to point out. I feel i have a bit of time as JA to do some more offensives; I took the rest of the Philipines and Celebes this turn. In playing the WA before i don't think they can succesfully launch a campaign into the Pacific without at least 50 total Transports (60 is better) and as you can see below he has far fewer than that:

(the need for 50-60 transports may be less if the European front collapses)

[Oleg Mastruko]

That is correct Maurice, and if anyone takes a look at DD and Sub boxes for WA in that table he will notice I am heavy on the both sub and anti-sub paranoia.

I had indeed hoped to take the Japs (almost) by subs alone, at least until the Germans are done with. Exactly what you feared Maurice, but it does not seem to work for now - you're too strong, and there was no Midway in this game. Hopefully the Germans will be neutralised very fast and we'll turn towards the Jap menace (in fact, I could to that right from the next turn, leaving the Germany to our Russian buddies).

O.

[paullus99]

Fall 1942 - Soviet Union

Zhukov's new operations were a complete success. The lack of German supply has forced the Reich's war machine to grind to a halt. Army Group North remains trapped in the Baltic, while Army Group South is now trapped in the Ukraine by our seizure of Rumania. The 1st Belorussian Front stormed across the remains of Poland and swept through both Hungary and Czechoslovakia. We now truly stand at the gates of Berlin.

Our factories are feeling the resource crunch however, limiting the true output of our economy. Supplies are low, but not yet critical. It is hoped we can put a dagger through Hitler's heart before too long.....

[Oleg Mastruko]

Pulled my two units from North Italy to Algiers, didn't seem like a sustainable effort. Invaded Tunisia from Algiers then. Med situation is very complicated now, since he keeps his Italian Navy as fleet in being, and constant threat (clever), so I brought another UK sub flotilla there (it would take aeons to get them to Pacific anyway).

My own Med fleet is blocked in Alexandria cause I can't send them any supplies there. German Monsoon boats killed my transports in and around Africa and in Indian ocean (one German sub is visible in Red Sea - no, it's not actually but its there).

Lifting the pressure from Germans and Italians may prove a mistake, since they are still strong and may rise like Phoenix from the ashes. Uncle Joe is right this time - we need to finish them off for good and then turn to Japs.

So, I had to augmentate my Med effort and make a transport linkup Gib-Malta-Alexandria. Once we did that, we pulled Taranto night on him, twice, (port attack), but managed only to sink a transport fleet. Damn them Stringbags, Fulmars and Baracudas. Still, now our Alexandria fleet got the supplies and was movable (see picture).

With so many our ships in Med though, we attacked Libya on not so favorable odds but ships helped and Libya is ours. With supplies brought to Alexandria our DD fleet sortied to red Sea and managed to damage the GE sub flotilla operating there. Geez, writing all this it sounds all too confusing, not sure an outsider (or insider for that matter) can follow this?

Anyway we're turning Med into green lake.

Now we start to think. We're slow thinkers, so we write down our thought process. Is there any point in continuing our Portugal adventure? If we continue that way, we'll have to fight strong Spain, and do we want that? Perhaps we'll just offer our sincere apologies to Portugalian president, premier, King, Baron or whatever and leave... Yes, we'll do that and invade south France, since it seems to be another supply factory for the Axis (17 little truck units). (Lesson #25 - never keep your supply eggs in one basket, it's very inviting for the bad guys.)

Then, we *re-entered* North Italy, not because it seems defendable, but rather to make the attack on South France in the next turn harder for Axis. IF he attacks South France in the next turn he'll have to use his units from WEST France which will make him open for Overlord. Perhaps. Maybe. Who knows.

Yes it's complicated. Perhaps the most complicated turn I did in this game so far. Don't anyone tell me this is "simplistic" game [:D]

Then I discovered I have another CV in the Atlantic, and decided to make another Taranto - destroying another transport fleet. O, it's a long way to Tipperary, I mean Pacific...

All our transport-hours this turn are used up. We didn't even manage to bring all the new units and supplies from USA to UK this turn, let alone Lend Lease to Russians. WA is FUN.

All this gives the damned Japanese free reign over Pacific - I can't see some of my subs - must have been sunk or damaged by Jap DDs... Australia is on their own now - no transport link to Down Under. They'll have to kill kangaroos for food, but I hope they spare them cute koala bears.

Transferred some heavies from Atl to Pac, scrapped some on the slips (?), shipyards I mean.

Pic shows sending the supplies to Alexandria, sometimes mid-turn, prior to our complex Med moves and counter moves.

O.

[MButtazoni]

the turn file i have is corrupted for the Akula game. i have asked the GE player to resend to me. hopefuly that clears it up.

[MButtazoni]

Winter 1943 - Japan

after resolving the corrupted game file we are back in action

Japan decided it was time to go on offensive operations this turn as i believe the WA Transport situation is critical.

I took: Guam, Wake, Rabaul, Dutch New Guinea this turn and sent 3 WA transports and 1 sub to the bottom of the Ocean. 2 Transports and 2 Light Fleets were sent back to WA shipyards for repairs as well. i suffered light losses (damaged sub and a damaged CV Air)

[MButtazoni]

Here's a Strategic View of the game in Wi43