Russia First, Hirohito.

[2ndACR]

We are going to lay this plan to rest. I am going to play this H2H. As the Japanese, I have ordered 5 divisions from the SRA front to Manchuria. All armor units also. 6 divisions in China are also on the move to Manchuria. More may be released depending on what the evil Allied player does.[:D]

I will launch limited attacks in the SRA to keep the pressure on the Allies. 3 divisions are moving to Burma and 2 Divisions are landing in Malaya. I have stripped the units slated for the PI and sent them to Manchuria. The 56th brigade is landing at Davao and I have landed at Ambonia. The object is to block reinforcements to the SRA. KB hit PH. Wake has fallen.

As the Allied player, I will try and play the way I would not knowing what will happen. The only orders given were to the Chinese. I will allow the Russians to dig in, but will not move them. It will be hard to do since I know what will happen, but what the heck.

You guys let me know if you want cut down versions of the Combat reports.

[Honda]

Sure. Let's get it on.[8D]
Are you gona be landing on the eastern Siberian coast on that trail? Looks like the best place to put strong force to me and cuts of the whole Vladivostok area. It can be starved by bombing by Home Islands air force which is the only place it can be use in early game. Whatever, I'm sure you don't lack ideas. I'll be watching...

[Oznoyng]

I'm tempted to suggest playing this out with you as the Allies. My only problem is I am out of town alot in the next couple weeks.

[Bradley7735]

I think part of Hirohito's plan was the initial suprise. If the allied player knows or acts on the knowledge that the main Japan attack is coming somewhere else, the plan could fail. (the allied player would be able to send supplies and troops to the philipines when normally they wouldn't attempt. They would also go on the major offensive in China and possibly dig in as much as possible in Russia.

2ndACR or Oznoyng could act like they don't know the attack is coming to Russia. But if not, then Hirohito's plan isn't really being tried. (sounds like 2ndACR will act like the allies have initial surprise on them, though)

This will be interesting.

[sveint]

Allied win in 1944.

PS: Playing H2H just ignore all but the China/Russia fronts. Assume the Allies pull back/entrench for 6 months. Hirohito said 2 months to take Russia - I'll give you 6. Also don't forget to go on the offensive as China.

[2ndACR]

I would try and play this out with a human, but I do not know when I will get my orders for deployment. If I get them before I finish, I will ask for someone to take it over and see if they can complete it.

Here is an edited combat report.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/07/41

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
G3M Nell x 99

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 5 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 17 destroyed, 7 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 7 destroyed, 5 damaged
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 19

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
6 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
15 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
15 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
10 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
11 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
6 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Clark Field , at 43,51

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 77
G3M Nell x 32
G4M1 Betty x 49
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 3
P-35A x 3
P-40B Tomahawk x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 11 destroyed
G3M Nell: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 13 destroyed, 7 damaged
P-35A: 15 destroyed, 9 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 20 destroyed, 15 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 12 destroyed, 9 damaged
B-17C Fortress: 6 destroyed, 14 damaged


Allied ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 25
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 117

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
5 x G3M Nell bombing at 15000 feet
11 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
18 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 76
D3A Val x 126
B5N Kate x 143

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
P-26A x 8
P-36A Mohawk x 4
P-40B Tomahawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed, 9 damaged
D3A Val: 19 destroyed, 55 damaged
B5N Kate: 31 destroyed, 37 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 9 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-26A: 13 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 35 destroyed, 15 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 71 destroyed, 35 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 14 destroyed, 11 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 14 destroyed, 29 damaged
PBY Catalina: 47 destroyed, 49 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 7 destroyed, 6 damaged
A-20B Boston: 9 destroyed, 10 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Ward, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
AV Wright, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 3
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 2
SS Cachalot, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Laida, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB California, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Helena, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DM Ramsay, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Sacramento, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Shaw, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 47
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 219

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
15 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
24 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
15 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
24 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
23 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
14 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
16 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
15 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
15 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
24 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
26 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
25 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
27 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet

Naval bombardment of Khota Bharu, at 24,45


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Hibiki
DD Akatsuki
DD Arashio
DD Michishio
DD Oshio
DD Asashio
CL Jintsu
CA Atago
CA Takao
BB Haruna
BB Kongo


Allied ground losses:
687 casualties reported
Guns lost 15

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 41
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 16

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Wake Island, at 82,63 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

63 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Uzuki, Shell hits 8, on fire
DD Oboro
CA Kako, Shell hits 4
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba, Shell hits 3


Allied ground losses:
247 casualties reported
Guns lost 11

Runway hits 6
Port supply hits 1


Naval bombardment of Khota Bharu, at 24,45


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Hagikaze
DD Arashi
DD Nowaki
DD Maikaze
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami


Allied ground losses:
384 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 39
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 10

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Amboina, at 39,73 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

28 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 3
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 7
DD Yamakaze
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Yukikaze
CL Nagara


Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 9
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Aparri, at 46,49

Japanese Ships
DD Hatakaze
DD Harukaze
DD Nagatsuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
CL Natori


Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 21
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 13

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

Ground combat at Tarawa

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2141 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 17 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tarawa base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Nanchang

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25007 troops, 251 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 7457 troops, 51 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
129 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Guns lost 6


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Nauru Island

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 752 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Nauru Island base !!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Khota Bharu

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4756 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 9002 troops, 72 guns, 3 vehicles



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Davao

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2953 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 7123 troops, 74 guns, 17 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Wake Island

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1203 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1471 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Guns lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Batan Island

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1672 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 601 troops, 4 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 130 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Batan Island base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
68 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
1249 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Wake Island

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1414 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 1573 troops, 24 guns, 2 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wake Island base !!!



Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 17 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
83 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
1590 casualties reported
Guns lost 29
Vehicles lost 1


As you can see, I did not do anything out of the ordinary. It takes awhile to do the Allies seeing as how I have never looked at the allied side.

[2ndACR]

I am now 4 days into it. These are the unit counts of re-deployed units.

From China I have taken 7 divisions, 1 brigade, 1 tank regiment plus some Art.

From the SRA I have taken 4 divisions, 2 Eng, 1 bde, 4 tank regiments, plus Art.

The units from China are marching in, and the SRA units are unloading in Pusan now.
All units in Manchuria are deploying forward to their attack positions. All units in China are digging in. I have landed 2 Divisions in Malaya and am deploying 3 divisions to Burma. 2 divisions will embark for the PI. Davao has been taken and so has Ambonia. These should allow me to cut the allied supply to the PI. KB is making way for Wake.

All allied units are digging in hard. AP's are being collected to be snuck into Java and selected bases. Lexington pounded some DD's near Wake and Enterprise is sneaking around nearby. POW and her battle group has safely made Sjob (sp) in Java.

[Honda]

Are you redeploying you airgroups? If so, are you trying to keep it a secret? It seems resonable for the Jap to withdraw recons to Pusan and reinforce their airfields with bombers for the 1st strike while at the same time keeping the relatively same #of aircraft in the bases. That way the Allied player would not see the plane icon on the bases go REALY red. It would help with the surprise bit we all agreed was very important. And have you thaught about the amphibious landing in the east just across Okha? Seems great for cutting of the Vladivostok area when combined with the push from the mainland. The only question is wether the landed troops can march quick enough to close the road to Vladivostok. I know this is just a test but it may be a good practice for you to make a perfect combined air-sea-land effort on the 1st day of the operation. It's imperative for the Jap to do as much damage in the 1st turn and have all the forces on the go right away. To keep such an operation a secret would be a great feat. Also, what's your role for KB?

[2ndACR]

I am going to be re-deploying some of the Claude units from Japan as soon as they are up graded to Zeros to Manchuria. Some bomber units will be deployed also. Not alot.

KB is going to play stalking horse. This is to prevent the Allied player from getting to frisky or aggresive.[:D] Kind of hard though. Right now they are nearing Wake to try and engage the American CV that has been ravaging my surface forces there. Enterprise is still unseen by the Japanese.

My massed armor forces when fully deployed in Manchuria will slice North to finish off all the lightly held Russian bases up there. The infantry forces from the SRA are moving towards Harbin and I will decide where to deploy them in mass when they Arrive. Once the offensive is started in Russia, then the jig is up. That is when the allies will really begin raising cain.

[2ndACR]

Lady Lex messed up and reacted towards KB. She is now on the bottom. I had deliberatly turned off KB's react to give the allies a chance. It is hard playing both sides when you knwo exactly what is going to happen and where.

The army from China is now entering Manchuria. All SRA forces have unloaded completely in Manchuria and are moving towards their positions. I may dispatch a couple more divisions from China once my forts are built up to 9. I think I can safely move 2-3 out of China if my forts are size 9. I am going to attack the Russians on a broad front with 3 primary armies. 1 to the north to pin down those forces, 1 towards Vladistock, and the other right up the middle.

The first upgraded Claude group is almost ready to move to Manchuria. The second is about halfway repaired. I am going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Russians. If this goes bad, there will be no un-engaged combat units to stop a counter attack into Manchuria.

landings have begun along the northern coast of Borneo.

[WhoCares]

Do you already have a name for your operation? Maybe something like 'Op. Barbarossini' [:)]

[2ndACR]

How about Operation "I hope this works" or how about Operation "I awoke the Russian Bear and he is eating me".

I had not thought of a name seriously. I figure if Hirohito will not try out his plans, then I might as well give it a whirl. But then I am a far superior tactician than most.[:D] So this might just work. I will have roughly 35 divisions in this operation. So we will see how this plays out.

I still think the evil "Allied" player will spank my behind in the long run though.

[Hirohito]

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

We are going to lay this plan to rest. I am going to play this H2H. As the Japanese, I have ordered 5 divisions from the SRA front to Manchuria. All armor units also. 6 divisions in China are also on the move to Manchuria. More may be released depending on what the evil Allied player does.[:D]

I will launch limited attacks in the SRA to keep the pressure on the Allies. 3 divisions are moving to Burma and 2 Divisions are landing in Malaya. I have stripped the units slated for the PI and sent them to Manchuria. The 56th brigade is landing at Davao and I have landed at Ambonia. The object is to block reinforcements to the SRA. KB hit PH. Wake has fallen.

As the Allied player, I will try and play the way I would not knowing what will happen. The only orders given were to the Chinese. I will allow the Russians to dig in, but will not move them. It will be hard to do since I know what will happen, but what the heck.

You guys let me know if you want cut down versions of the Combat reports.

Why are you landing at Pusan? You need to land more north, the north east corner where korea meets russia. Put some fighters on long range cap to keep the russian recon units honest.

You have to cut Vladisvostok and the troops along the manchuko/russian border around vladisvostok off from resupply/reinforcement. There are two ways to do this. One, land a force across from sakhelin island. Two, move the kwantang army from korea to a point 5 or 6 hexes beyond vladisvostok and then strike toward the coast.

The kwantang army north of the korean border with manchuko must be moved to a spot that cuts the russian forces around mongolia and more western siberia off from the rest of more eastern siberia. This will cut the russian forces into three groups, make sure you cut each group off from supplies. Then bring up superior forces and fight a battle of encirclement.

Make sure you take the lone base near the bering straight, and make sure you take the base on the northern tip of sakhelin island.

You MUST send independent regiments and battalions to garrison the chinese coastal cities and free up the divisions there to move into china proper or into manchuko depending on which coastal cities we are talking about. If you don't do this you will be too light against the chinese armies. Move the entire force from Canton to Hong Kong so that hong kong falls quickly and move some units by sea to canton to keep the chinese player from getting an easy capture of canton. As soon as hong kong falls move that entire force into china proper and start taking out the cities near canton. At some point the divisions and mixed brigades that were in the coastal cities will arrive at canton and can be added to the fight. But get them marching NOW, they have a long way to go.

Do NOT invade russia until you are poised to cut the russian forces into three groups all cut off from resupply and reinforcement and from each other.

Use the IJN as a raiding force to keep PI,, DEI, Malaya and Singapore cut off from resupply, reinforcement.

Change the headquarters of the armored units in the home islands to kwantang and send them to north east korea you will need them to encircle the russians.

Use the air units in the home islands against Vladisvostok.

Send all your submarines to the straights on the other side of malaya, the straights between port moresby and australia at the narrowest points, and the interior waters of the phillipine islands.

Get the minelayers working overtime and put mines at every choke point you can find. Send large TF containing mine layers and mine the ports like Manilla, Bataan, Singapore, etc. Put air units on long range CAP and use carriers to give these TF air cover. Pound the airbases in range just before the mine layers arrive.

Use patrol planes and recon planes to find allied ships and send special task forces to kill them. Create several "killer" task forces containing your fastest battleships, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers. PUt the reaction range of these on 6 and send them to where you think allied ships are likely to be based on patrolling and recon. Use the CS, AV and the IJN subs that have seaplanes to patrol for finding allied ships. Anytime you find a combat fleet jump on it. Make sure that all of your carriers have 115% of their stated capacity in aircraft and create three air taskforces, one with 4 carriers and two with 3 carriers. use these for ship hunters/killers.

Abandon kwajalein and truk, these forces are badly needed elsewhere.

Hirohito

[Hirohito]

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

How about Operation "I hope this works" or how about Operation "I awoke the Russian Bear and he is eating me".

I had not thought of a name seriously. I figure if Hirohito will not try out his plans, then I might as well give it a whirl. But then I am a far superior tactician than most.[:D] So this might just work. I will have roughly 35 divisions in this operation. So we will see how this plays out.

I still think the evil "Allied" player will spank my behind in the long run though.

Make sure you outnumber the russian player overwhelmingly everytime you engage him in battle. The way to beat him is to cut a group of units off from supply, bring up superior forces, then fight a battle of encirclement. The Russian is not as strong as you seem to believe.

Hirohito

[2ndACR]

I am landing in Pusan, because I want to. I would prefer to march them to their positions and go overland, than do a forced entry invasion. I have things under control. Sit back and watch.

Of course the wily Allied player will still hurt me bad in about 4 months time.[:-]

[Raverdave]

ORIGINAL: Hirohito

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

How about Operation "I hope this works" or how about Operation "I awoke the Russian Bear and he is eating me".

I had not thought of a name seriously. I figure if Hirohito will not try out his plans, then I might as well give it a whirl. But then I am a far superior tactician than most.[:D] So this might just work. I will have roughly 35 divisions in this operation. So we will see how this plays out.

I still think the evil "Allied" player will spank my behind in the long run though.

Make sure you outnumber the russian player overwhelmingly everytime you engage him in battle. The way to beat him is to cut a group of units off from supply, bring up superior forces, then fight a battle of encirclement. The Russian is not as strong as you seem to believe.

Hirohito

Rubbish.............anyone who has actually played the game against the Russians will know that they ARE strong.

[2ndACR]

Hirohito is looking for a suragate to play this startegy with him. Another words, he tells the player what to do and how to do it. He has a thread started in the war room looking for a player.

[ctid98]

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

Hirohito is looking for a suragate to play this startegy with him. Another words, he tells the player what to do and how to do it. He has a thread started in the war room looking for a player.

But of course, that way when, or should I say if, it fails its not his fault........

[Oznoyng]

ORIGINAL: ctid98

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

Hirohito is looking for a suragate to play this startegy with him. Another words, he tells the player what to do and how to do it. He has a thread started in the war room looking for a player.

But of course, that way when, or should I say if, it fails its not his fault........

Hirohito has already said he does not have his WitP machine with him, as he is out of town on a work assignment. He plans to get his computer at the end of the month and bring it with him. At that point, he plans to run his strategies against 4 human players in PBEM. In other words, get off the "beat him up cuz it's popular to do it" bandwagon. You can malign him all you want in his AAR's. If he fails.

[mlees]

It's been a week since the last word here.
Are you (2ndACR) still playing this test game?