Codename Sydney, Mogami(J) vs sveint(A)

[sveint]

I suppose the retreat from Changsha was part of the master plan too? [:)]

[mogami]

Hi, No all that is going to happen in the next few weeks in China is an accident.

Now it is just a race.

[WiTP_Dude]

I figured if the Chinese had the upper hand across the map there was some movements going on.

[sveint]

Hi Mogami,

Your picture was incomplete so I volounteered to add some information.

Yours,
China High Command

[mogami]

I had to wait for the Chinese to advance deep enough that I had time to close the back door. It takes too long to surround a force after you approach it. (Svient should know that every time he almost cuts off all my retreat paths I move up a reserve unit and clear a path) Here the Chinese are not going to be able to avoid being encircled unless they can reach Changsha ahead of me. They have to hold Nanchang to keep supply source.
And they have to open a corridor to retreat through. Hopefully I can have a blocking force in place. Compell them to retreat and then complete the encirclement while they are fatigued and disrupted (and out of supply)
It was very hard to wait. . I was always afraid Svient would stop bombing me with his tiny groups so I had to ground my CAP and let him bomb. (I didn't want the bombers being used to fly recon) A few recon missions over Hong Kong would have revealed 200k Japanese. I stopped the Naval Bombardment but too late he had already decided to withdraw.

[sveint]

If China is going so well, why is Mogami so worried? [&:]

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Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 16
Blenheim I x 10
Blenheim IV x 12
Beaufort V-IX x 8
P-40E Warhawk x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Blenheim IV bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 10000 feet
5 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
2 x Blenheim I bombing at 10000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 10000 feet
2 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 10000 feet

Daily raid on Rangoon. Free kills.

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Ground combat at Wuchow

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 256141 troops, 2316 guns, 457 vehicles

Defending force 98799 troops, 225 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wuchow base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
6350 casualties reported
Guns lost 160
Vehicles lost 17

Allied ground losses:
4403 casualties reported
Guns lost 69


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Japanese "victory". Notice the loss ratio.

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Ground combat at Hsinyang

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 96967 troops, 1239 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 77663 troops, 342 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
3344 casualties reported
Guns lost 116

Allied ground losses:
884 casualties reported
Guns lost 17

All I can say is ouch.

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Ground combat at Yenen

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 716 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 132201 troops, 946 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Pitiful but daily bombardment

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Ground combat at Kweilin

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 22250 troops, 237 guns, 10 vehicles

Defending force 2671 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 49 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kweilin base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

This is against a lone base unit after we abandoned the worthless city

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Ground combat at Nanchang

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 142785 troops, 693 guns, 77 vehicles

Defending force 30322 troops, 334 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nanchang base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
732 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Allied ground losses:
1248 casualties reported
Guns lost 40


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Not the best loss ratio but we take the city and it's HI/Resources

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Ground combat at Yenen

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 120587 troops, 934 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 167334 troops, 1587 guns, 154 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
111 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

Daily return bombardment, bet he loves these

[sveint]

Here the Chinese are not going to be able to avoid being encircled unless they can reach Changsha ahead of me.

You still don't get it? I'm not going back through Changsa. Never meant to. If you want a fight it will be on my terms and you will have to run all over China to catch me. I'm already loving the attention and resources that are being drawn away from other fronts.

Let me guess - some of those units near Canton are from the Phillipines?

[mogami]

Hi, If you can get away and avoid losing entire units then your plan has worked to perfection.
If I secure my railroad and push the Chinese into the boonies and kill off a few of the units then my plan has worked. I'd like to bag 100k or so.
Your units can't fly. They are tied to supply like mine. (I'm amazed you've managed to fight as much as you have) (my Chinese in PBEM games where I am Allies are hungry and I am not fighting. )

If you draw in forces from outside and lose then it was a mistake drawing them in. If you get away then Well done.

You've fought in China my way from the beginning why stop now? If I was only after cities I would have simply taken them one at a time along time ago. Now I have to prove I made the correct choice by actually catching some CHinese units before they escape in what ever direction they go.

Seems a big waste of your time to mount a major offensive and lose all the front line cities and supply as a result of your "victory"

Next few days are going to be exciting. I've not been happy sitting still watching your units surround mine but I had to spread you out a little. Now we will have the strange sight of two opposing forces trying to encircle one another.

[sveint]

March 11

It seems Mogami is set on invading Noumea. It will be an interesting battle.

Current situation in China:

[sveint]

(my Chinese in PBEM games where I am Allies are hungry and I am not fighting. )

I think this is the central point to learn. Far too many (all?) players of China are too passive. If you, as China, dig in and try to defend all your cities, Japan will simply concentrate and take them one by one - this is what is happening in most AARs and PBEM games at the moment.

But what if you refuse to play dead as China? What if you actually dare weaken one front and strengthen another?

You have to admit Mogami that China is already a minor victory for the Allies. No matter when or if you conquer the railroads and the cities on them you will have been forced to spend alot of supplies and manpower, and your heavy industry and resources have been ravaged. In conclusion, the war has been shortened.

[sveint]

A question for all the readers of this AAR:

In the above picture of China, who is surrounding who?

[WiTP_Dude]

It looks bad for the Japanese. I do not understand. They get a lot of reinforcements during this period plus Mog has moved some more divisions over from the Philippines. He should have the upper hand. Either you're some sort of strategic genuis or Mog has really messed up somewhere.

He needs to spread out rather than stay massed in the cities. If he is going to mass like that, he needs to drive toward Homan or Ichang which are lightly defended by the Chinese. Staying static and allowing the Chinese to overrun the center of the country is not a good idea. Mog must counterattack.

[Oznoyng]

ORIGINAL: sveint

A question for all the readers of this AAR:

In the above picture of China, who is surrounding who?

I'll tell you in a couple of weeks!

[sveint]

03/11/42

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Luganville at 72,107

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 2
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CA Kako, Shell hits 2
CL Kuma
DD Hamakaze
DD Oshio
DD Asagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
PT PT-60, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
PT PT-61, Shell hits 100, on fire, heavy damage

He is going ahead with his invasion - great, hope to engage him in a slugfest.

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Naval bombardment of Luganville, at 72,107 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Kuma
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Oshio
DD Asagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
BB Kirishima


Allied ground losses:
212 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Vehicles lost 2

Runway hits 5
Port hits 5
Port supply hits 2

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Sub attack at 72,106

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Torpedo hits 1
CL Kuma
DD Hamakaze
DD Oshio
DD Asagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
SS Grenadier

Here we go, I get lucky already. Seemed to be a nice hit too.

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Ground combat at 47,35

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 24659 troops, 207 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 8462 troops, 64 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
789 casualties reported
Guns lost 23

Allied ground losses:
284 casualties reported
Guns lost 13


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Trying to break out.


Lastly I've released 10 infantry divisions from Burma defense for the Chinese offense. Seems Japan has no intention on closing the Burma road.

[Andy Mac]

Risky sveint you could get caught moving those troops ovber lengthy jungle tracks.

Had they arrived in Burma or had you kept them at Yunan ?

If Yunan then I guess you are ok if not you are in danger of getting caught with the troops on the track and unusable by either Burma defence or China offensive.


In our game as I am sure you figured out I am using them in Burma ....
Andy
[:D][:D]

[sveint]

03/14/42

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Naval bombardment of Luganville, at 72,107


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 5 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Sagiri
DD Asagiri
DD Ayanami
DD Arashio
DD Michishio
DD Tanikaze
DD Kuroshio
CL Yubari
CL Tenryu
CA Tone
BB Ise
BB Hyuga


Allied ground losses:
382 casualties reported

Airbase hits 31
Airbase supply hits 13
Runway hits 184
Port hits 1

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Day Air attack on Noumea , at 68,113

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 37
D3A Val x 43
B5N Kate x 56

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
D3A Val: 11 destroyed, 12 damaged
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 12 destroyed, 4 damaged
PBY Catalina: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 7 destroyed, 12 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 7 destroyed, 5 damaged
C-47 Dakota: 7 destroyed, 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
74 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 42

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
21 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
19 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
22 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
11 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet

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Ground combat at Wuhan

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 149237 troops, 1395 guns, 78 vehicles

Defending force 37779 troops, 153 guns, 76 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
3255 casualties reported
Guns lost 111

Allied ground losses:
816 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 5


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Ground combat at Hsinyang

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 91572 troops, 1028 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 53263 troops, 158 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
2093 casualties reported
Guns lost 101

Allied ground losses:
397 casualties reported
Guns lost 13


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Ground combat at 49,34

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 31165 troops, 368 guns, 8 vehicles

Defending force 13075 troops, 60 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 51 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
169 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Allied ground losses:
230 casualties reported
Guns lost 13


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at 50,32

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 7969 troops, 158 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 7474 troops, 71 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 13 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
112 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

[mogami]

Hi, The current situation in China. Japanese advance continues in the South. 3 hexes remain to close the door to Chinese units east of RR line. Forces coming down from the North will clear the RR to Wuhan while the Southern advance continues. After that operations will be under taken to dispose of all enemy forces east of the RR while stabilizing the front. Assuming the Japanese units in China can refit/replace faster then the Chinese owing to the Japanese supply advantage a further offensive will be conducted to exploit the situation when preparations completed. (Japanese intentions in China remain to secure RR from Canton to Yenen and from Canton to Hanoi) Estimates of Chinese units expected to be destroyed are from 10 to 20 formations. (More if certain conditions can be met)
Of course the entire outcome rests with the Japanese Central force being able to contain the Chinese breakout attempts.

Operations in the SRA are to resume in concert with operations in South Pacific.

I will point out that after 1.30 Svients strategy will be even more risky. All hexes will have a ZOC that will remain untill one of your units moves through the hex. Where both sides occupy a hex they will both extert ZOC. However moving single small units behind enemy forces will only require that player to send a single large unit in pursuit. Once they occupy the same hex the isolated unit will have no retreat. I'm not really concerned with pursuing Chinese units in the present setup because they will have a retreat hex. But I'm also not worried about out of supply Chinese units in my rear as long as they are not on a rail hex.
I will have to completly surround units in the near future to destroy them but once they are forced into the country side and are out of supply it will not require a large Japanese force to complete their destruction. (6 units to surround plus the force required to gain 2-1 odds on Chinese forces defending at 25 percent of normal)

[sveint]

Poor Mogami.

This is going to hurt bad. Very very bad.

[sveint]

03/17/42

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Ground combat at Hsinyang

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 92120 troops, 1045 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 59946 troops, 208 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
4198 casualties reported
Guns lost 113

Allied ground losses:
492 casualties reported
Guns lost 9


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 198453 troops, 1954 guns, 465 vehicles

Defending force 81992 troops, 469 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hengchow base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
2067 casualties reported
Guns lost 65
Vehicles lost 10

Allied ground losses:
4971 casualties reported
Guns lost 94


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

[Admiral DadMan]

ORIGINAL: sveint

Poor Mogami.

This is going to hurt bad. Very very bad.

To make omlettes, first you must crack some eggs. I'm not looking forward to when he starts moving more in China in our game... [&:]