Aussie Affair, Beta's Twilight

[Raverdave]

Simply a carry over from my UV days..............6000 gives the max effect without getting into penlties low high...ie the bomb sight.

[Luskan]

Well Raver made a fairly well expected move - he dumped a couple of thousand troops and 32 armoured cars onto Wake somehow (guessing fast transport?).

Fortunately I was expecting it, and the allied shock attack killed 17 of my men and cost over 300 of theirs. I was well supplied, a nice little fort and well rested with a reasonable amount of firepower on hand, and more nearby if I need it. I doubt I will.

[Raverdave]

The attack on Wake was simply a recon-in-force. I was willing to spend the men to find out what Luskan's defence of Islands is like, and also to gauge different methods of using ships.

I am now convinced that Luskan is planning to have a crack at Mandalay. There are some very large troop movements heading north into Burma and one does not have to be a metal giant to figure out where they will be used. The question is can I hold?

[Capt. Harlock]

The attack on Wake was simply a recon-in-force. I was willing to spend the men to find out what Luskan's defence of Islands is like, and also to gauge different methods of using ships.

Wouldn't it have been better to use Deliberate Attack instead of Shock Attack? Or is an amphibious landing automatically a Shock Attack?

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

The attack on Wake was simply a recon-in-force. I was willing to spend the men to find out what Luskan's defence of Islands is like, and also to gauge different methods of using ships.

Wouldn't it have been better to use Deliberate Attack instead of Shock Attack? Or is an amphibious landing automatically a Shock Attack?

Yes, a shock attack will occur automatically. Keep this in mind before invading atolls.

[Luskan]

Also keep in mind there are some rules to keep too many troops from landing or basing on atolls in reality.

Now Raver the unloved is now being called Raver the heartless by his own troops. His recon in force ended today with the complete slaughter of all the hapless troops he sent into harms way - WITHOUT an escape route.

Suppose Raver was bound to notice things a rolling in Burma sooner or later. I had hoped for later to be honest. Onc Mandalay falls I'm hoping to have an easier time defending longer distances against Raver.

enjoy.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/25/42

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Day Air attack on North China Area Army, at 45,25


Allied aircraft
I-16c x 24
SB-2c x 21


Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
SB-2c: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x I-16c bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
4 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x I-16c bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 24,39

Japanese Ships
TK Funakawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish

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TF 22 troops unloading over beach at Sarmi, 48,78


Japanese ground losses:
84 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Wake Island

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3466 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 150 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 107 to 1



Allied ground losses:
1194 casualties reported
Guns lost 18


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Ground combat at 48,37

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16165 troops, 207 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1096 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 352 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
2 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

[Oliver Heindorf]

Luskan/Raver : I have lost the amount of ships lost etc. is there any possibility to get any results/statistics please ?

thank you in advance ! [:)]

[Luskan]

I'll get some stats out over the weekend. Not sure I will post any pics - too many security risks!

The drive along java continues with ease, my troops slaughter retreating allied troops, have a day off, spend a day marching down the road, repeat, rinse repeat etc. I'm also slowly eating up all those little allied bases on northern PNG and garrisoning them. A few search aircraft here will make allied shipping in northern australia far more visible, and of course, give me a bit of an air search umbrella over the sea lane between the southern end of the SRA and Oz.

This garrisoning was a result of a large reinforcement I received a few months back - dozens and dozens of little SNLF and naval guard units. I sent roughly a dozen down to PNG, another dozen into burma and thailand (which is now looking quite powerful - on the down side I'm eating up my own supply too fast here - can't converty oil and resources into supply fast enough!).

Another couple of bases had actually reached full build capacity for port and airfield and fort and I hadn't noticed - those eng units I sent out 2 months ago had been sitting doing nothing. I solved that and sent them off to new projects.

The lull in the major fleet actions has been beneficial - lots of sys damage repaired, lots of CV pilot training done (although there was a thunderstorm at Truk I wasn't real pleased about that cost me some rookies).

Raver is getting impatient. I can feel it. the trick is to make him give into the urge again like he did at wake. 1000+ american widows are protesting in the streets of washington to get Raver removed from power, since he sent their husbands to die for "recon" purposes when it would have been cheaper and safer to use a plane.

[Oliver Heindorf]

Luskan, thnx for the update [:)] looking forward to see some statistics [8D]

[mogami]

Hi, The cheapest way to recon a base is by air. The best way to get a list of enemy units present is to send 1 DD load of troops via fast transport. Have submarines already in the hex. when the troops land they make a shock attack and you get your recon. On the next turn before the enemy can attack the subs load whats left. THe DD will count CD and mines for you. (make sure you have an AR standing by at a size 3 port)
Or you can just unload from subs. but the enemy will attack you before you can reload.

[Raverdave]

A plane was not going to give me the info that I was looking for. I wanted to know HOW Luskan was defending his bases. How latge was the garrison? How many of those troops were inf? How many mines does he have? How many CD units does he have? And then there was also the outside chance that he simply had a eng unit there which would have been quickly ovewhelmed by the RCT that I sent in. Also using aircraft would have alerted Banananana boy that I was upto somfink.

But now that Mog has shown me a better way..................

[Luskan]

Well as for the mines, I will say that it was extremely disappointing.

Not a lot of action this turn Raver's planes in northern china keep up the fight to not good purpose (makes some noise) and I steal another base in PNG. My troops in Java will reach Jakarta in 3 turns and I unloaded 160k of resources and 130k of oil into Tokyo, making may stockpiles there close to 300k of each.

I really do think the "mega" convoy is the way to go. Pile your ships into big ass convoys, go out to brunei, palembang, batavia, balikpapan, tarakan, manila consecutively and suck every drop of oil and resource point you can aboard and send them all back to tokyo.

Much more satisfying than seeing fifty little tfs on the auto convoy system.

Today was a new milestone for planes - I reach 150 A6m3s in the pool ready for replacing aircraft.

If only I had the KI 43a up and running I'd be culling some nates.

[Raverdave]

Well even if you did have a lot of mines there.....I had a LOT of DMS's in my "invasion" TF. [:)]

[Raverdave]

Things are still quite, with Luskan doing very little apart from stealing small bases on the norther coast of Dutch NG. As far as action in Burma, well even though there are a LOT of troops massing, there has been no movement to date. Which is fine by me. This is giving me more chance to bomb the cr@p out of various bases in the area, with Rangoon being given it's fair share. I must addmit to being surprised at how good the Wellington bombers have proven to date.....with the AVG flying cover these guys are getting to be the best bombers in the whole of the PTO.

[Raverdave]

Ah...the last day of May and to go out with a bang I allowed the AVG to slip their usual role of escorts and go hunting on their own. And did they have a ball ! Over the skies of Rangoon they found 27 Jap Zeros waiting and so decided to shoot down 34 ! Now THATS what I call being aggresive! This unit is now the top performing allied fighter unit with 52 confirmed kills.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/30/42

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Day Air attack on Lanchow , at 45,25


Allied aircraft
I-16c x 21
SB-2c x 14


No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
4 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
3 x SB-2c bombing at 6000 feet
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Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 57

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 34 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 9 destroyed, 5 damaged

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Day Air attack on 14th Tank Regiment, at 32,32


Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 7
Wellington III x 57


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
115 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 5

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
6 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
9 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
6 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
9 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
5 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
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ASW attack at 63,44

Japanese Ships
PC Showa Maru #5
PC Showa Maru #3
PC Gamitsu Maru #1
PG Zuiko Maru
PG Saiko Maru
PG Magan Maru
PG Koei Maru
PG Keijo Maru
PG Edo Maru
MSW Tama Maru #2
MSW Fukeui Maru #7
MSW Fuji Maru

Allied Ships
SS Flying Fish


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Ground combat at Hollandia

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 495 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hollandia base !!!

[GBirkn]

ORIGINAL: Raverdave

Ah...the last day of May and to go out with a bang I allowed the AVG to slip their usual role of escorts and go hunting on their own. And did they have a ball ! Over the skies of Rangoon they found 27 Jap Zeros waiting and so decided to shoot down 34 ! Now THATS what I call being aggresive! This unit is now the top performing allied fighter unit with 52 confirmed kills.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/30/42
[snip]
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 57

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 34 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 9 destroyed, 5 damaged
[snip]

Any particular reason they're still flying P-40B's, Raver? I usually make the AVG the first group to get Warhawks, but perhaps you've just kept them too busy to upgrade.

[Thayne]

ORIGINAL: GBirkn

Any particular reason they're still flying P-40B's, Raver? I usually make the AVG the first group to get Warhawks, but perhaps you've just kept them too busy to upgrade.

From my own campaign (as reported in the THAYNE NEWS CAMPAIGN REPORTS),

When I looked over the game stats, I found that the P-40E gains better fighter-bomber capability over the P-40B, but sacrifices pure fighter capability.

Because I value the AVG in a fighter role, I have kept 2/3 of my AVG flying P-40B as well.

[Andy Mac]

Also replacement problems mean that upgrading all units to P40 E's can cause problems.

I also like to keep all or part of AVG in Tomahawks for the superb range if I need to LR Cap a bombardment TF against LR Betties or Nells.

I could use Buffaloes but.......

[wobbly]

yep I have found the difficulty of upgrading to P-40Es, it has been a fisasco. Although the planes themselves can't take all the blame.

[Raverdave]

Yeah I also find that it is better to leave them as B's as there is too much demand for the E models................and the B' does a good enough job.