Sardaukar's Allied AAR

[Sardaukar]

Some MCs and DEs set to Calcutta for routine convoy system. Convoy is sent to fetch NZ P-40 group from Auckland. Looks like *all* IJN CVs are at sea east of Rabaul, doesn't look very good...4 TFs.

10/25/1942

2 very fine Australian divisions (6th and 7th) are kept in Sydney for future counterattacks. BB Indiana has arrived to SF. SIGINT confirms that IJN heavies tend to regroup at Jolo, strange. Another attack is started at Mandalay, but it's actually not hoped that IJA would retreat to Rangoon. Surface Combat TF securing Midway gets new commander, RAdm Scott. 11 IJN TFs near Manokwari, wonder what they are up to...

11/1/1942

Massive air attacks against Adaman I., but air kills are still quite even, 150-155. Couple more crappy Indian units, tanks this time, have arrived to Calcutta. They sure look like a sad bunch. 2nd Inf Div. is reserved for possible Rangoon invasion from sea in future. On other theathres of war, SACPAC is inclined to capture Adak I. back someday, it's annoying to see Japanese on Alaskan soil. First FM2 Wildcats have arrived.

11/8/1942

Allies do well in air, except on Adaman I. High exp Zeros rip our fighters to pieces. AVG seems toi have starting to lose exp and planes too. Indian Tank Brigades start to march towards Mandalay, donno if they do any good, but... SACPAC rotates some of those high exp (80+) Wildcats from Mandalay to help on Adaman I. First F4U-1 Corsairs arrive to pool too, and soon SACPAC will start to change those B-17s to B-24s...not bad range with them.

11/15/1942

*save available*

SACPAC is again annoyed, airwar is 91-121 for Japanese. Allied LBA still sucks and even those high-exp Wildcats on Adaman I. are not producing much more than burning Allied aircraft hulks. First C-47 Dakotas arrive.

Cheers,

M.S.

[Capt. Harlock]

SACPAC is again annoyed, airwar is 91-121 for Japanese. Allied LBA still sucks and even those high-exp Wildcats on Adaman I. are not producing much more than burning Allied aircraft hulks. First C-47 Dakotas arrive.

Check what's attacking. At this point, the Japanese have one squadron of Ki-84's, which are even tougher in air-to-air fighting than the A6M2's. You might be able to convert an experienced squadron in the SEAC area to Corsairs, which are the only fighter besides the P-38's to handle the Ki-84 at this point in the game.

Note on other airplane arrivals: the C-47 Dakotas are late. If my research is correct, they were flying over "The Hump" shortly after the Japanese closed the Burma Road in late April 1942. On the other hand, that squadron of FM-2 Wildcats is depressingly early. You won't be able to get replacements out of the factories for another five months or so.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Check what's attacking. At this point, the Japanese have one squadron of Ki-84's, which are even tougher in air-to-air fighting than the A6M2's. You might be able to convert an experienced squadron in the SEAC area to Corsairs, which are the only fighter besides the P-38's to handle the Ki-84 at this point in the game.

Note on other airplane arrivals: the C-47 Dakotas are late. If my research is correct, they were flying over "The Hump" shortly after the Japanese closed the Burma Road in late April 1942. On the other hand, that squadron of FM-2 Wildcats is depressingly early. You won't be able to get replacements out of the factories for another five months or so.

I'm handling the situation ..so-so..by rotating the F4Fs with others in Mandalay, where they also get air-to-ground exp and that helps them stay reasonably experienced. Even with 82 and 84 exp Wildcats seemed to have lot of trouble with those Japanese, I guess they are in 90s exp. Now, in Dec. 42 I think the attrition has gotten them bit more down into earthly exp levels [:'(]

Well, I don't have much use for those FM2s anyway, they can sit in SF until I start to need them. F4U-1 and P-38G are my main choise now, at least when they start to arrive to pool with numbers...that is for Land-Based Air. I guess I'll have to stick into F4F for some time still with carriers.

And I think those C-47s would be most useful to get supply to troops in Burma, but have to get them there first...and Pacific is big ocean they are aboard a ship, somewhere, on their way to Australia [8D]

Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

Due to annoying sub bug, SACPAC takes the control of subwar himself. Subs are moved towards more profitable hunting grounds.
Some engiveers are moved towards Madang via Kokoda Trail. Allied LBA sinks IJN CL and several minor ships near Wewak and Gasmata. Air war is 149-106 for Allies.

11/22/1942

Couple of B-17 groups changed to B-24s. B-17s are in too short supply to sustain any sort of casualties. Madang gets some LBA to boost the presence in that area. Lot of IJN submarines are sunk near PH, with another IJN CL and minors sunk near Hollandia. US subs achieve success between Formosa and Philippines.

11/29/1942

First USMC F4U-1 groups arrive to SF. Air war this time was even, 38-38, with both sides choosing to lick their wounds. Andaman I. and AVG in Changsha are still hated by Japanese.

12/6/1942

Air war quite even, 95-106 for Japan. It's year from PH attack, and tide in air war should start to turn, with all those new shiny fighters arriving for Allied. Brit CV TF is reformed, and sent to action against Rangoon.

12/13/42

*save available*

IJN carriers strike Ellice I. Despite determined attempths by resident B-24 and torp bomber groups, US forces are unable to damage IJN CVs. Small consolation is that another IJN CL is sunk near Gasmata. Wewak-Gasmata-Rabaul triangle is proving to be deadly for IJN light forces...many enter, few return... Heavy air war all around.

I'm waiting to get third CV to form second CV TF in SF. After that, Operation "Frozen Balls" will be launched to get those Japanese off the Adak I. in north. Enemy Combined Fleet HQ is in Eniwetok I, with lot of ships, but it'd be too risky to raid the port with Halsey. Too many bad experiences in hands of torpedo-carrying G4Ms.


Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

War still grinds on....

Happily IJN CVs didn't spot AV Tangier with 12 MCs near Ellice I. So, real losses were mostly prestige and planes.
AVG is re-equipped with P-38Gs, as is another fighter group on Guadalcanal. Flak upgrade has happened, so Halsey is sent to hunt enemy TFs around Rabaul.

12/20/1943

Halsey didn't find anything afloat around Rabaul, so he's sent to hit Tarawa port. SIGINT tells there may be some ships at port. "Gasmata Triangle" claims even more IJN DDs.

12/27/1942

Halsey makes surprise attack against Tarawa port. 2 CDs and 4 APs are sent to bottom with loss of 2 fighters. Not quite a mini-Pearl Harbour as hoped, but a good start. It's also first serious USN carrier operation dince start of the war.
Adaman I. doesn't do that well against 3 different A6M2 formations, heavy air combat with heavy losses.
Score is now 66692-70555 for Allied.

1/3/1943

Happy New Year, Kolombangara garrison !! Halsey makes a training cruise and shows IJA troops some level and dive bombing.
First British air wing is re-equipped with F4U-1 Corsairs.
Operation "Frozen Balls" starts to gather forces into SF. Adak I. is bombed from sea by Surface Combat TF, based on Midway.

1/10/1943

*save available*

Heavily armed CV TF sent towards Adak I., consisting of Hornet, Wasp and 4 fast BBs with assorted escorts.

Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

Screenshot of the situation 1/10/1943, South

[Sardaukar]

And North...

[Sardaukar]

SoPac HQ moved to Guadalcanal. I'm still impressed by BB Prince of Wales, 80 x 2pnd Mk-VIII flak and 65 x 20 mm. When I get WiTp, I'll try to keet that one alive, since it seems very formidable flak platform. 10 x 14 " is not too bad either.

Everything that has wings have been sent to So/SWPac from SF.

IJN CVs hit Wewak !! Massive air combat rages around Wewak area. Ryoho-class IJN CVL is sunk !! 2 CVs in second CV TF both get 2 hits, but no critical hits are reported. SoPac throws all LBA within range against Japanese carriers, but with little success, even 48-plane B-24 strike fails to score hits. Allied bombers suffer massive casualties, 282-404 to Japan this turn. But it's small proce for CVL sunk and 2 CVs hit.

1/17/1943

Seems there are few things to shoot at in North, so Mitcher and his CV TF returns from their shakedown cruise to Adak I.
14th Army takes command over Mandalay. Some Beaufighter X arrive to both Calcutta and Sydney. CVEs Chenango and Suwannee arrive to SF...both equipped with Hellcats... Must be prototypes, SACPAC thinks.

1/24/1943

Rangoon is successfully bombarded from sea, 24 planes destroyed on ground by British BBs. Air war is 99-127 for Japan.
2nd Marine Div. has arrived, and will hit Adak I. as soon as suitable amphibious TF is available. One such is on it's way to SF.
Labor Engineer unit arrive in China, now it's time to build those bases for B-29s.

Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

1/31/1943

Air war 116-117 for Japan. CV Indomidable is hit by a bomb during operations against Rangoon, 10 damage. BB ramillies is withdrawn to Mediterranian.
Adaman I. gets hammered again, despite the rotating fighter cover.

2/7/1943

Major effort to occupy New Guinea as full starts. Several Australian divisions ready themselves in Sydney for trip to Port Moresby.
Corsairs rotated to Adaman I. maul Japanese air attacks, now that's more like it. Air war 50-29 for Allied.

2/14/1943

*save available*

Brit TFs stand down again. One aircraft transport TFs seem to have lost course and is near Rabaul, happily Japanese seem to be occupied elsewhere...
Operation "Frozen Balls" starts.
In New Guinea, 112 Cav Rgt advances to Aitape.
Japanese hit Calcutta with air raid, sinking one ship. Adaman I. is hit also again.

Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

2/21/1943

Calcutta needs fighter cover, fixed now...
3rd, 5th and 11th Australian Inf Divisions with 3rd and 4th Tank Brigades are sent to Port Moresby.
112 Cav Rgt advances to Hollandia, which is renforced with fighters.
Lots of air units available in SF, all sent towards SW/SoPac.

2/28/1943

Japan seems to have massed all it's air power to CBI theatre of operations. Good for USA, bad for Brits.
2nd Marine Div. captures Adak I. back, but fails to eliminate determined Japanese defenders. This is the first real US counteroffensive in war.

3/7/1943

Marines try to wipe out last Japanese in Adak I.
Halsey is sent to raid Truk, that should disturb that beehive a bit.

3/14/1943

*save available*

Neither side gains advantage. Halsey is met with several air attacks, but manages to shrug off all, no Japanese planes can penetrate CAP. Overall, air war is 154-150 for Allied.


Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

Score in March 43

[Sardaukar]

Pools for Allied:

[Sardaukar]

And more pools:

[Sardaukar]

sunk ships:

[Sardaukar]

Funny detail is that Allies are not going to run out of C-47s !!! I wonder where the heck there came thousands of them [X(] [:D]
Could be some memory thing, since I get sometimes weird memory problems if running PW under Win98 (like when screenshots were taken). I play PW booted to "more DOS-llike" enviroment with bootdisk, though.

Cheers,

M.S.

[Capt. Harlock]

Funny detail is that Allies are not going to run out of C-47s !!! I wonder where the heck there came thousands of them

From factories -- but since the very beginning of the war. For some reason, in Ver. 3.2 the C-47 Dakota is available on Dec. 7th, but as you've noticed, the first Dakota squadrons don't show up until more than a year later. In the meantime, the pool just keeps growing, since there are no operational losses.

[Sardaukar]

More subs added to picket line between PI and Formosa. Japanese are finally eliminated from Adak I., good training for 2nd Mar. Div.

3/21/43

2nd Marines will be sent to CentPac duty as fast as other units can be transported to garrison Adak I.
2nd Inf. Div. and 21st (EA) Brigade train in Calcutta for Rangoon invasion. C-47 unit arrives to Calcutta, from SF via Perth. Those guys sure see the world.
CV Victorious arrives, now Brits have more punch, so attacks against Rangoon will be renewed.
PNG coast up to Sarmi is now occupied by Allied forces.
Halsey is sent to raid Eniwetok I. port, reported to contain 20 ships.
Success !! Halsey claims 5 CL, 6 CD and 1 AP.

3/28/1943

Plans to build up D'Entrecateaux are made.
US and Allies have now total air superiority over Salomons and New Guinea.
Halsey is sent to raid Kwajalein port, but hits the empty place..some fighter action only.
F4U-1 Corsairs on Andaman I. have finally learned to keep up with Japanese planes.

4/4/1943

Another Halsey raid. This time against Eniwetok I. area task forces. Halsey bags 1 AV, 1 CL, 2 DD and 4 AP.

4/11/1943

I wonder why PW-14 has exp of 90...since most others have exp 80. But I'm not complaining, they seem to be quite effective ASW unit. 40 IJN subs have sunk since start of war, for 4 USN ones.
Good British raids against Rangoon airfied by CVs and BBs.
Halsey is sent to hit Kwajalein area TFs, but hits thin air this time...again some air action only.

Cheers,

M.S.

[returnfire]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

...

3/21/43

...

C-47 unit arrives to Calcutta, from SF via Perth. Those guys sure see the world.

By the way, here's a quick tip on transporting C-47's that may work since you're playing against the AI:

------------------------------------------------------------

First, capture Tinian ASAP. Then, your C-47's can fly to India in one turn by using the "Air Tran" command. Let the planes follow this route:

SF->Seattle->Anchorage->Midway->Johnston Island->Canton Island
->Fiji->New Caledonia->Townsville->Port Moresby
->Tinian->Suichuan (in China-- make sure that KMT still has preparation points left!)
->Kunming->Calcutta.

You should lose about 20 planes in the process (they're damaged and will be put into the replacement pool), but that won't matter. You'll get replacements soon enough (experience doesn't seem to matter for transport units [:)]).

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: returnfire


First, capture Tinian ASAP. Then, your C-47's can fly to India in one turn by using the "Air Tran" command. Let the planes follow this route:

SF->Seattle->Anchorage->Midway->Johnston Island->Canton Island
->Fiji->New Caledonia->Townsville->Port Moresby
->Tinian->Suichuan (in China-- make sure that KMT still has preparation points left!)
->Kunming->Calcutta.

You should lose about 20 planes in the process (they're damaged and will be put into the replacement pool), but that won't matter. You'll get replacements soon enough (experience doesn't seem to matter for transport units [:)]).

I think capturing Tinian is not as easy in this stage of war, having only 2 major CV TFs (and Brits too) [:)] I'll try Truk first [:D]

Cheers,

M.S.

[Sardaukar]

4/18/1943

Number of F6Fs in pool is growing. I'll restric their use to US carriers only...Brits will have to fly Martlets for some time still. Any idea when Brits should get F6Fs, or did they ever use them ? ...I know they used Corsairs, though.
P-47D and P-38J group arrive to SF, that's weird, since they don't get replacements anytime soon. I think there is room for some editing in this matter...but maybe in next game.
Lots of units, planes and resurces available for Operation "Stranglehold", SW/So/CentPac combined attack against Japanese in South Pacific...just needing that 1 CV more.
2nd Mar Div is sent to Midway for CentPac...that's now one crowded little place.

Kido Butai hits Wewak again !!! [&o][X(]
Air battles rage all over, but this time Allied have numbers to put up a real fight. Furious battles end with 448-454 for Japanese in planes lost all around. One IJN CV is critically hit with one *, one CVL is lightly damaged. Despite efforts, Allied LBA was unable to really punch through IJNAF CAP.

Cheers,

M.S.