The Italian Job 2- Gen.Hoepner(J)-vs.-Mc3744

[Gen.Hoepner]

^_^ thanks Tom[:D]

Hi all,

i'll be away for the next 4 days.
We'll be back with fightings and AAR from Saturday night.

Have a good week!

ciao

[pauk]

Just because i'm silent, doesn't mean that i'm not reading![;)]

Anyway, i remember when you start first AAR with your compatriot. I believe i was one of the first persons who start reading that AAR and giving some thoughts.

You don't have to be worried about silence, you and your esteemed opponent achived good image here, and im sure that lots of guys reading this AAR. I'm silent because i feel unworthy to advise you. [:)] - you are now determine and good player, and you should advise me[:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Finally back from 2 weeks of continuous travelling....was tough to keep the game going. I missed some AAR, but nothing really important happened and i hope to summerize everything today.

First of all would like to thank all those silent readers that came up from the darkness to express their appreciacion for this aar: Thanks, realy!



I will try to make a comprehensive report this time, divided for the different areas of operations.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/13/42



BURMA

After we took akyab back everything is quite again here. He has moved back every single air group to deepest India, where my bombers cannot reach them. I do not think he's going to try an invasion of Burma for the moment, so i'll leave one mix regiment with a base force at Akyab( a costal Gun unit is already comming from Takao), the 33rd division will stay between Mandalay and Rangoon, while the 55th will be set ready to be used in Java and PI in the next month.
The only real objective for the Burma Theatre is Chengu....I know, it's not Burma but China, but the action will be coordinated by the Burma HQ along with officers of the 15th Army. As soon as Mytykina reaches Level 3 AF all my transport plane groups will be placed there( now they are between Rangoon and Bankok). At the first good forecasting 4 different para units will be dropped there...hoping to surprise the chinese base force present there!
As for IJN: one DD division will remain at Rangoon as a fast reaction force.

[Gen.Hoepner]

CHINA:

This is the most active theatre at the moment. As you all know, the first plan for Ichang has prooved to be a failure, due to his fast reaction. 2900 Assault points are still based at Ichang, but i'm slowing moving back few units to be redeployed in the North. 2 SNLF units , that tried to encircle Ichang have been reached and stopped by superior forces. Now my goal is to controll the situation and gain a statlemate in the area. One brigade is moving to stop the road from Changsha to Ichang 'cause he's moving few units there...probably only to threaten my flanks and make me over react.
In the North my army is slowing arriving at Langchow, where 130,000 chinese troopsare trenched. No way to try a flanking manoever, cause the terrain is too rough to move fast. Gotta force him to dislodge with brutal force. I will use 150 bombers from Sian to burn his supplies. If i manage to get this city, then i can move my troopsback to Chungking( using the road from Sian), and so force him to abbandon the whole southern front.
What's bothering me are those partisans pockets next to Sian. Even with 20/30-1 ratio those bastards aren't giving up...and they're sucking jap units from the first line!

From Hanoi 80 bombers are flying each day to destroy his resources at Kumming.
From Hankow 160 sallies are taking off each day to reduce Chunking's capabilities of producing supplies.
With smaller air groups i'm also attacking Changsha and Wochow resources centers.

[Gen.Hoepner]

JAVA-SUMATRA


At Sumatra things are pretty easy. Palembang is incredibly empty. Not a single unit there. I hope i can get it without too many damages.2 Naval Guard units are unloading there.

At Java there seem to be only a light defence at Sosarbaja. 6 units spotted. Batavia is empty. 1 Division,1 Mix Bde and 4 smaller units along with 2 Tanks rgt, 2 arty units and 2 Eng rgt should be enough to get over Java within 2/3 weeks.

[Gen.Hoepner]

NORTHERN OZ

Here's the situation is more critical.
At daily waters i have 1200 assault points: the 14th Army with 2 divisions,1 Eng regiment, 2 Arty units and 2 tank regiments covering the flanks. He has already massed there 4 Australian Divisions. I'm quite sure more are commin'. The gamble will be to let him believe that i still have there the 2 Armies that took Darwin, so to say 4 divisions. That's why i'm planning not to unload my 2 divisions that are now loaded on transport next to PM and make only the S.S.D. to attack there. As long as i make him believe i'm still strong enough at Daily he won't move his divisions forward.
This time gained will let me build up the forts at Daily and Darwin. Daily is already at Level 6 fortifications.
Alice springs got at level 4 AF...in few weeks he'll be able to use his heaviests at Daily. I moved there 1 zero Daitai and 1 Oscar Sentai, along with 1 Sallies Daitai.
I'm also reinforcing Broome, cause i saw a dot base in the north-west corner of oz becoming a base that can threaten my western flank. I'm thinking about doing something there, but i do not have any available unit at the moment...

[Gen.Hoepner]

It's been a very busy week. Very short time for playing and doing the AAR.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/14/42

S. Valentine day was a good day fo Japan.

Our brave soldiers landed at PM with little opposition. The recon said 6 units were there, while there's only a base force, an Oz bde and a small local defence unit. The landings of the south Sea det. and of the 7th Sasebo SNLF were anticipated by a naval bombardment made by 4 BBs and 1 CA. The allies evacuated all their planes from PM...they clearly decided not to defend it. This is good because this gives me the chance not to push in combat my 2 divisions that are loaded up as reserves. Tomorrow we'll attack and we should get the place easily( i hope).

Thursday Island fell today.3000 pows taken

Palembang was taken without any opposition. All the oilplants and resources centers are undamaged!!!!!![:D]
Same for Batavia.
He will make his last stand at Sosarbaja with 6 units...there should not be any problem.

In China he's moving his bomber groups around without using them: i cought a good number of Hudsons at Chunking today...wonder where is he going....
4 more divisions are moving towards Langchow in order to open the way there.
His partisans do not give up....that's a pain!

In the PI i'm suffering a lot from Flak fire at Manila...seems that it's going to be a tough nut to crack there!

At Akyab he's using his subs to place mines....7 MSWs already on their way from Rangoon.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Now that operation RAG-1 (raid and go at PM) is going to be finished happily soon, i'd like to explain what are my next moves scheldued.

After the fall of PM, the S.S.d. will be loaded up again; it will rejoin the main invasion TF ( composed by the 16th Army with 2 divisions, 1 eng regiment and 2 Heavy Arty units) one hex far from PM.
This force, escorted by the whole KB and 4 surface combat TFs ( 8 BBs with 10 CAs and plenty of DDs ), will move back towards Truk, where 2 more divisions,1 Mix brigade, 1 eng regiment and 2 more arty units are arriving from Singapore.
At Truk the fleet will be resupplied. Fuel and supplies will be loaded, along with 2 base forces and 6 Naval guard units.
By the first 10 days of March we should be able to sail from Truk towards the Marshalls.

The objective for this HUGE invasion force will be Canton Island ( operation RAG-2 )
4 divisions, 2 Brigades, 2 Eng regiments, 4 Arty units. A total of almost 2000 Assoult points.
I espect to find a stiff oppositions in the area. Baker has been reinforced, along with Nanoumea. I do not know how many units he has there, bt i guess at least a division at Canton, with 1 Costal gun unit, engeneers and probably some artys.
I'm a little concerned about his air forces. At Canton i will for sure find at least 60 fighters, with a lot of bombers. He's going to have 4 divisional CVs ready for that date....i gotta be extracarefull! If i was him i would engage with my CVs in coordination with land based air groups at Canton. The plan is to come close to Canton ( say 2 Hexes), than push my 2 DD division forward in order to clean the place from his PTs...then the MSWs will open a way...and then it will be time for my BBs to smash his AFs. The problem is that to get a good bombardment you need a lot of recon and Canton is too far away from Tarawa to recon the place. I will try to use my subs for this important job. at the moment all my subs, carrying glens, are refuelling at Kwalajein. In 1 week they will move towards Canton. they should start to recon Canton 1 week before my invasion TFs will arrive. Probably i will be forced to use my CSs in order to guarantee a better scouting report.
The CVEs will stay with the invasion TF, providing some CAP, while the KB will be ready to react if his CVs will come into action.

It's very very risky, i know. I can lose the war in this operation.
But if i succeed, the whole allied central pacific front will be scrumbled and i will gain a lot of time and VPs. If Canton falls, then Baker and Nanoumea will be isolated...and with 4 divisions in the area won't be difficult to get them along with some Pows[:)]

This battle will change the course of the war, no matter who's gonna win it.

[kaiser73]

Having conquered Canton in 2 of my PBEM, i can tell you by my experience it brings no advantages except the enemy units you kill in the invasion.

By the way, even taking all pacific islands (noumea included) doesn't bring any strategic advantage. Australia will still be supplied through NZ as my opponent did when i took Noumea as well in my PBEM.

IMO the only advantage for a pacific advance by Japan is to isolate Australia. and to achieve that you need to take Noumea and NZ very early.

[Gen.Hoepner]

I completely agree. My main goal isn't to get any strategical advantage. At the moment i'm happy with what i've gotten till now. My obj is to kill as many american units as possible and force him to come out and play with his CVs. The secondaru obj is to delay his advance in central Pac. If i let him build Baker and Nanoumea atoll, Tarawa will be under pression by the end of the summer, while if i get those isles now everything will be postponed in late 42 or maybe 43.
Another thing i took in consideration is that this will force him to defend Palmyra, the Fijis , New caledonia and so on....so he won't have enough units to get on Darwin too soon.
It's just a matter of time and he will retake northern Oz. My goal is to dalay his advance here as long as i can.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/15/42

the only interesting theatre is now New Guinea.
At PM i encountering some problems...only reached 1-1 ratio at the first deliberate attack.
I hope i do not need any more unit to conquer it....
More bombardments scheldued for tomorrow...hope they'll give up!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7756 troops, 91 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 3909 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
163 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Allied ground losses:
110 casualties reported



In Java we're advancing without any hurry towards Java.
more 6 sallies shot down over manila....this is getting frustrating! only left 66 sallies in the pool[:(]
I'm producing almost 50 sallies monthly and 48 Helens...but i fear these numbers won't be enough.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/16/42


Ok, i have a new objective: Exmouth! he's clearly building up the place ( level 1 AF already with planes present ). My bombardment TF found and sunk an AP full of troops....this is not a good sign!
I'm thinking of using 2 BBs and 2 CAs, along with 10 DDs that are now anchored at Singapore, supporting the 5th Mixed bde....but it will take some time, cause allmy units for that theatre are now busy in Java.

At PM things are going too slowly. Have to use 3 more naval SNLF units that i took in reserve and let the other BB division going for the big target. Hopefully, in 2/3 days PM will be ours.

finally i managed to upgrade some 9 Mavis to Hemilies at Tarawa. Now Canton Island will be in range for recon and naval search

China is boring and slowly...seems a WWI theatre


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Exmouth at 11,86

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Shiokaze

Allied Ships
AP Westralia, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
1525 casualties reported[:D]
Guns lost 11
Vehicles lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Port Moresby

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13624 troops, 110 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 3659 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1


Japanese ground losses:
209 casualties reported[:(][:(][:@]
Guns lost 8

Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/17/42

Finally today PM fell. The new Kongo BB division gave a decisive blow to the defenders, pushing me forward to a 4-1 ratio.
Now the S.S. Det has been already loaded on APs. At PM will remain 1 base force and 3 SNLF units. Zeros,Mavis and betties soon will be transfered here.
Tomorrow the Invasion force for RAG-2 will move forward. Next step Truk.
In 3 days i will recieve a brand new CV! will be asap dispatched at Kwalajein.

Tomorrow my subs will move from Kwalajein base.

The decisive days are comming...the Emperor holds his breath!

In China one of my naval units that tried to flank Ichang has been pushed back in the ricefields by 3 Chinese Corps....now my right flank is uncovered...gotta move the 22nd division i was holding as a strategical reserve[:@]

Lack of supplies at Langchow and in all the northern front....this theatre is a pain[:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

2/18/42

Ok, everything is getting ready for RAD-2.
The invasion fleet is leaving NG waters and going for Truk.
One SNLF unit will be sent to Gili Gili in order to establish a base there.
Now in western theatre we reached the perimeter i wanted. It's time to build up my defences here. Tulagi will act as a recon-advanced base, while the real perimeter will be formed around Buin,Shortland,Rabaul,Gasmata,Lae and PM.

In Java he's trying to evacuate few units with APs. Moved 40 Nells at Balikapan in order to intercept them.

At Chandupur 30 bombers are spotted again. 50 nells will bomb the AF tomorrow, escorted by 30 oscars.

In China nothing changed. I'm concerned about Langchow now. This base is in a mountain terrain and this will give a huge advantage to the defenders. 130,000 chinese troops are present, while i already have almost 250,000 for a total of 3300 APs. 3 more divisions are comming. The real question is wether i'll be able to burn his supplies enough, considering that there's no way to flank his positions there...

In the aleutinas it seems that he did not go for Kiska but chose Attu as central base. At the moment i do not have neither men or ships to attack his positions here. I will build Paramushiro Jima and i'll keep a DD division in the area, but nothing more for the moment.

[Gen.Hoepner]

2/19-20/42


Well things are becoming problematic everywhere.
In China he managed to sneak through my intelligence web and moved a division to flank my right side between Canton and Wochow. I had to pull back one Mix Bde and one arty unit at Canton in order to push them back if they come to my Southern Capital.
At Ichang his flanking manouvres are threatening my supply lines and i have to keep a constant garrison on the railway ...
At Langchow the lack of supplies is almost cronic while it seems that the constant air bombing of the past months did not change his supplies reserves...

In the Cent pac, the invasion force for Rad-2 has now passed by the Milne bay ( where we unloaded a SNLF unit) and is now moving towards Rabaul and Truk.
Our Sub fleet is moving from Kwalajein towards Canton Island area. Allied naval movements are massive in the triangle between Canton,Nanoumea and Baker.

In Northern Oz everything is quite, but a threat is growing on my eastern Flank. Exmouth reached level 2 AF...this base is growing too fast and this means he pulled there a lot of troops! Gotta destroy this base before it's too late! The 55th division is loading at Rangoon and 130 ships are moving towards Batavia port. In 1 week Sosarbaja should be mine, then i'll use the 25th Army, supported by the 55th Division with 2 BBs,10DDs and 2 CAs , for a landing operation against this Australian Hot spot!

2 more weeks and the planned para operation against Chengtu( sp?) in China should be launched.

stay tuned

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/23/42



An allied TF has been spotted moving from Cooktown to Port Moresby. The recon says there are at least 3 CAs...probably DDs i guess.
The question is: where is he going? I doubt it's a fast transport TF...so it must be a bombardment TF. I allerted my 60 betties at Rabaul, but i know they won't be able to get over those fast ships.
I'll move some Vals to PM in a couple of turns along with some zeros...just to keep him honest[;)]

What is now concerning me a lot is the air losses. 3 months of constant use have emptied my sally pool. Now i only have 30 sallies left and 18 helens... and the rate of losses passes the 10 each day! Way too much to handle!
The problems have been at Manile, where the american Flak fire is so strong and at Chungking, due to the distance travelled by my fatigued crews( 8 hexes each day[:(]). I must change something in my air strategy if i want to keep my air superiority in the area.

Tomorrow my Hemilies at Tarawa will start reconing Canton Island. This will for sure alarm him, but the time for RAG-2 operation is coming and i cannot wait any longer.

At Burma he started to recon with catalinas Rangoon...that's not a good sign! More zeros set to CAP over my main bases in the area.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/24/42

A bad day for Japan. But could be a DRAMA if only the weather in China would not had helped us.
A heavy thunderstorm forced my 150 sallies at Hangkow not to take off....what a luck! My dinahs reported 31 operative fighters at Chungking with more 27 aux planes ( i guess more fighters to be repaired). I could have been a massacre!
This means that there won't be anymore walks in the park of the Chinese skies[:(]

More problems to face in China.
Fron Changsha he pulled out 4 big units that now are positioned in the same hex of my garrison troops there. He's opening many fronts at the same time, knowing that i cannot mass my divisions in one point if he keeps me busy everywhere....
Gotta get Langchow asap!
2 more divisions are 30 miles away with one eng unit. In one week i'll have 4000 APs there...i have to try this gamble. If i do not succeed...well..i do not know[:(]

The TF spotted was indeed a Bomb TF. PM has been hit hard. 6 planes destroyed on the ground and many damages at the base installations. 1 Costal gun rgt is moving to Rabaul from Truk. It will be air transported to PM in the next weeks.
One vals chutai and one zero daitai are ready to be moved at PM as soon as the runaway gets repaired.

Many more allied recon in Burma....he's getting ready to counterattack everywhere, i know



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 54,93 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 2 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

65 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 2
DD Voyager, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Stuart
CL Adelaide
CL Hobart, Shell hits 4
CL Perth
CL Achilles
CL Leander
CA Canberra
CA Australia, Shell hits 4
CA Pensacola
CA Louisville

Japanese ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 46
Port hits 1

[Gen.Hoepner]

2/25/42

Another Lucky turn.
Today bad weather over PI....as usual my bombers do not fly with storms, while my recon planes do.....the returned saying the 50 fighters that yestarday were at Chungking are now based at Manila....another sloughter avoided[:D]

Bad news from Oz.... while his 4 divisions are pulling back from Daily , apparently for no reason, my mavis recon spotted 10 units for 10,000 men at Exmouth!!!!.....i must be very carefull with the planned invasion....

some vals transfered at PM as a deterrent

Strangely recon says at Canton only 2,000 men are present[&:]....will let those emilis crews recon for few more days in order to get deeper details on that island

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/26/42

His p-40s are ambushing my bombers everywhere, from China to PI....really cannot avoid this last attempt.
6 lilies are shot down. Not that bad considering the capabilitis of the AVG.

Day Air attack on Kunming , at 38,32

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 3
Ki-48 Lily x 20
Ki-46-II Dinah x 4

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 6 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 damaged

Resources hits 8


He has tons of search planes at Canton. Conrados, Catalinas etc...they are attacking my subs with no mercy. I will be spotted quite early with my huge armada[:(]( which is now west of Rabaul heading north to refuel at Truk.

12,000 men at Exmouth.

Tomorrow the first units of the 25th Army will be reaching Sosarbaja to end the Java campaign.

In China...well...in China is a disaster! He managed to reach Canton with a chinese Corp. Now my front line units are isolated( see map). Tomorrow will try a shock attack at Canton. If i do not repulse them my whole southern flank will be destroyed[:(][:(][:(][:(]
At Changsha he pulled out 7 more units...facing 800 japanese assoult points...at the same time one more unit is moving through the ricefields in order to cut my retreat.... Same tactic at Ichang....
All this while i'm still struggling to move my units to the damned Langchow!
The only good news of today is the surrender of the first chinese unit in the pocket eastwards of Sian...two more units and i'll have 30,000 more men to send to the front line!

However he's playing fantasticly while i'm losing too much time with RAG operations....[:o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/27/42

Feb is passing by very fast.

As you all know the main theatre is nowdays China. My brave soldiers managed to push back his corp at Canton, so now my front line army is supplied again...but the threat hasn't gone away: i simply do not have enough men to handle in the south...
In the northern theatre, the last 2 divisions got to Langchow today. More than 300 between medium bombers and dive bombers are based between Sian and Yenen. I have 13 Divisions and 2 brigades there. A total of 4200 Assault points. I Lack in Engeneers but i hope this would be enough. Tomorrow we'll start to attack....on this battle lies the fate of the Chinese theatre....
One more partisan unit surrendered today next to Sian. Tomorrow the battle for the Sian pocket should be finally over..

No signs of the AVG today...wonder what he's planning

Exmouth now has 14,000 men....spotted 3 ships there today...i'd need few CVs to conquer that place...but at the moment i siply do not have them.

At Canton Island my subs keep being spotted by his float planes.....he knows i'm comming there[:@]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lanchow , at 46,25

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
G4M1 Betty x 24
Ki-21 Sally x 176
Ki-48 Lily x 18
Ki-49 Helen x 24
Ki-36 Ida x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 19
Runway hits 226

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 27509 troops, 260 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 5811 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1046 casualties reported
Guns lost 24

Allied ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Guns lost 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!