Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

Hi folks,
and welcome to this brand new AAR. This time i've chosen to play on the "good side"....the evil that is in me still thinks Japan looks cooler, but i really couldn't stand another tough match on Mikado side....too stressing![:D]

However, i'm not an allied fanboy and i'm not so used to play without a german helmet or a samurai sword.....so please, be patient and keep suggesting me![:)]

My strategy is simple:

-evacuate Manila harbour with 1 ship TFs ( yes, MC thought me something[:D]).
-Spend PP points only for the 4th Marine Rgt and for the 2 HQs at Luzon and evacuate them by subs
-Move Z force to Java and join it with the ducth fleet, trying to engage some surface combats on the first week ( before he can place some Mavis in the area
-Evacuate the two HQs and some AA from Java and transfer them to Oz.
-Defend Mouleim with everything i can and in the meanwhile move every base force to Mandalay.
-Move the Chinese forces attached to SEAC to Burma.
- fight in china behind every single river, forcing him to shock assault everywhere.
-Trying to unbalance him in the souther Cina...when he'll go for HK i'll move some 8 units to Canton...same at Hanoi if he doesn't attack there....but i want to remain flexible, so not a single city is a Must to be held, except for Chungking and Lanchow.
-In Pac....wait for the PH massacre, then move by steps. First of all Jonston,Palmyra and Christmas Island. Then Bora Bora ....but slowly...i do not want to be in hurry!
- As soon as my CVs will reach number of 4 i'll start raiding his communication lines! I hate the bunker tactic!!!
- RN will remain at Colombo for the moment.
- PM is a lost cause. Won't spend a dime to reinforce it.
- Noumea isn't foundamental.
-Fiji neither.
-New zeland will be very important.
-....mmmm....what else? oh, yes...the Oz HQ will move at first turn along with 4 divisions to Daily Waters[:D]
- In the Aleutinas....the old same tactic. attu and Siska fortified and nothing more for the 1942.

Thinking of joining the British CVs with the american ones...would be cool[8D]

Do not know my opponent, so i cannot imagine how will he play....will be a surprise^_^

Stay tuned...tomorrow night we'll start!

Fell free to add comments, bad words, announcements and everything else comes to your minds![;)]

[Terminus]

If you're going to join RN and USN carriers, wait for the British to get Seafires. The Fulmars are useless, but the Seafires can kick Zero arse like you wouldn't believe.

[patrickl]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

However, i'm not an allied fanboy and i'm not so used to play without a german helmet or a samurai sword.....so please, be patient and keep suggesting me![:)]

-....mmmm....what else? oh, yes...the Oz HQ will move at first turn along with 4 divisions to Daily Waters[:D]

Hi Professor Gen. Hoepner,

I have just started a PBEM as Allied and now I have a teacher to teach me the the war trade[&o][:D] Please don't forget to attach some map screenshots and expound your strategies and tactics please. I am sure there are a quite number of us newbies attending your class WITP101![:D]
Cheers!
Patrick

[Gen.Hoepner]

Thanks Patrickl...think i do not deserve all these kind words[:'(][;)]

Thanks Terminus. I'd like to move the Brit carriers as soon as i understand what are his ideas for a Hangover on PzB's style or anything that concerns India.
However, about India.
18th Div will fortify Colombo with the Car. Tank Rgt. and 2 Arty pieces.
the 2nd will stay at Dacca i guess. with one Indian corp ( the 3rd??) and some more 2 arty with the 7th Armoured Bde....
Will try to get the Burma troops back to India instead of China....

Now it's too early to say anything precise. However, i'll create 3 strong points: Bangladesh, SriLanka and Madras

[George Patton]

thanks general for the suggestion. I'm just at 3rd of january '42, playing on the allied side.
my opponente accepted to play with the following condition: the US realized that the japs wanted to attack PH and evacuated it.
So I have all my BB intact.
On the other hands, PoW and R are with the water coming inside from every hole. They seems like a Emmenthaler chees.
I'll read you with very interest.
Bye

[Gen.Hoepner]

Welcome!

However there's no real strategy for the moment. The main goal for the first 6 months is to delay japan everywhere is possible, fighting and running and to remain flexible. Flexibility will be my key word.
I firmly think a strategy of attrition is what the allies need since the beginning. Fight everywhere. Raid and go. if KB pops up in the south pacific, take the british carriers and raid Java with some fast BBs. if KB shows up in DEI or SRA, raid Kwalajein or Tarawa...Saipan maybe. I do not care much of my CVs since i know every single pilot, everys single APs sunk is a nail in the stomache of the japanese player!

[George Patton]

where do you think is better to build up the main defense, Palmyra sector or Noumea-Guadalcanal, or Fiji?
And, do you think that we shouuld defend Wake or let it fall?
No doubt about Midway

[Gen.Hoepner]

Noumea yes...but i won't overcommit there. Lunga out of question. It's useless untill you gain a strong air superiority in the area.
Palmyra,Christmas,Noumea and maybe lungaville, Bora Bora and Johnston Island...if he wants Midway he can have it in my opinion...is useless! It will become the perfect training camp for my BBs[:)]

[rogueusmc]

In Burma, keep the AVG in the P-40Bs...they have a two hex advantage in range and is the only long legged fighter you have there for some time.

You only have one bomber group in CHina with any legs so keep them safe. Train them and the other bomber groups to get their ecperience up for when they get their B-25Js later on.

I like to Put a base force and a brigade of troops on Adaman Island just to give him a minor headache. Set a fighter squadron or a patrol squadron there until he comes calling. If he does, you are probably going to have to write those troops off.

Keep the US-Oz route safe...try to hold Canton Island...if he takes that, your convoys will take 4 days longer to get where they are going to stay out of range of his planes.

I use my fleet subs to mine EVERYWHERE...their torps suck until '43 snd it makes him send sweepers everywhere...keep him busy. Plus the subs are cheap recon. I use the S-boats as pickets.

Early war, the longest legged plane you have is the Coronado squadron that starts in San Diego I think. It can recon Wake from Midway. It is attached to CENPAC.

When I think of more, I'll post again.

[patrickl]

Hi rogueusmc & GH,

Thanks for your pointers![&o][:D]. PBEM newbies really need these operational and tactical pointers. Playing AI is chickenfeed compered to playing humans.[;)]

Best regards,
Patrick

[aztez]

Good luck.. I'll be reading this AAR [:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Ok, we're ready. Turn sent back !

To be fair i did not move anything except for the 2 CV TFs. Surprise must be a real surprise!

Plans will be made as soon as Japan declares war[;)]

My CVs are moving southwards, towards Canton Island and Tarawa...far far away from the KB[8D]

stay tuned...

[rogueusmc]

Sometimes I raid Tarawa heading south but I did get caught doing that in my game with Rocco. I usually head to Sydney and repair for about a month and see where he goes before I send them back to SF.

Repairing ships: I get 12 ARs in the pipeline for Seattle, LA and SD. I send my transports and auxiliaries to these ports for repair to free up SF for warships. when convoys come back to SF, I send all these ships with more than 2 sys damage to one of these ports until they are zero. If you do this consistently, you will have a steady supply of transports with 0 sys. I make 5 ship TFs with an escort all the time and I form no more than two a day and set them loading. I hardly ever run out of transports. I keep a TF worth of ships repairing in Sydney, Brisbane, Aukland and Noumea all the time. When they are 0 sys, I form them and send them back and disband the next TF.

US-Oz route: Build up Christmas Island and Pago Pago for en-route refuelling stops...get plenty of fuel in there and plenty of troops to hold them. These give you a sort of waypoint system.

Lee

[Captain Cruft]

Christmas Island is especially important for giving convoys a good route south.

I also like the Society Islands, they are very quick to build up into a nice little stronghold and supply depot. Even without Panama on the map you can send stuff there from the West Coast and the ships go nowhere near anywhere else on the way.

Get some supplies to Rangoon, even if it costs a few AKs. You have lots to spare

[rogueusmc]

Yes, make him work for Rangoon and Mandalay in Burma...anywhere else, stall him if he is coming straight on...bail out if he is flanking to cut off your retreat route.

The Christmas Island-Society Islands-Pago Pago-Noumea route needs to be secure first. If he doesn't go for them early, secure Nanomea and Canton Island to give you a buffer.

[Gen.Hoepner]

first turn is done.

Incredibly he did not attack PH,nor Manila nor Singapore....[&:][&:]
The KB and the baby KB are between Mindanao and Borneo...clearly looking for my fleeing ships. That's strange....well...my BBs are already on route[8D]
He managed to get HK and landed at Kotha Baru, Northern Borneo ( west included ), Mindanao and Luzon
In the pacific Wake, Guam and Tarawa.

1 Cv will go for Wake.8 BBs are following on Bombarment mission
the other CV ( lady Lex) is moving towards PH to get some F-4F

Z force will attack western Borneo landing points.

This report is very short....too tired to write tonight[>:]

[jwilkerson]

Looks like you're off to another party !!! Waving a different rag but a party just the same !

[Gen.Hoepner]

Ok, this morning is a better moment to write down something.[:)]

Well, i gotta say that it's the first time i have an opponent who puts the KB in the PI so early. I'm not really prepared for that! However i'm glad not to have the DS in the pacific! Untill he remains there, i can raid with my CVs and BBs his dominions in the eastern pac without risking much! i won't play in defence!!!
With the KB there will be tough to play hit and run with Z force and the ducth CLs...but i'll give a try! Let's see if i can sink some transports and scrumble his plans a bit. Will send some AK from Batavia to Singapore, in order to have there some more supplies...
I've already considered as sunk all the ships that are fleeing from Manila. With the baby Kb and the DS around it's almost impossible to escape. But....who cares?I won't suffere any shortage in AKs or TKs...even if i lose the whole Manila fleet!

On turn 1 i counted 2 bde landing at Kota Baru....where are the other divisions?

Few Aks with supplies will move tomorrow from Karachi towards Rangoon[:D]

PM won't be defended

[PzB74]

Will be a most interesting AAR General [8D]

It's incredible how much punishment you can take as the Allies without even coming close to loosing...
So don't be too afraid making a stand. If the KB is in the Phillippines I would march all of my troops into Manila
and dig in. Big cities are veery difficult to subdue!

Personally I always try to defend Singapore, Manila and Java with all I got. Moving too many troops out
gives the Jap a free hand. But you know me, the kitchen sink type <G>

If Japan wants to invade and capture New Caledonia, Ceylon or Port Moresby - he can do so. But it's difficult
for him to do it all simultanously. So hold on to PM if you can. It will cost lots of blood to capture it with 9 forts and 40-50k troops.

Good luck!

[rogueusmc]

I get PM plenty of supply but I don't reinforce it real soon.