Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/06/42


China is a mess...[:D] Yenen fell yesterday and now i'm moving back my northern perimeter to Sian. I'm not that scared however. As long as his forces are divided ( Ichang and Canton Front) he cannot go any further than Sian i think. I can always go back and fight on mountains like partisans[:D]

Singapore keeps on falling quickly. In a week will be japanese. forts downed at 2

I have problems with fuel in Oz... Tomorrow, however my CVs will move from Perth. Tons of supplies and fuel are coming from the US....but they won't arrive in time for Java...so...i'll have to find the fuel somewhere else[:)]




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Ground combat at Singapore

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 116405 troops, 831 guns, 16 vehicles

Defending force 60994 troops, 230 guns, 17 vehicles

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2


Japanese ground losses:
1273 casualties reported
Guns lost 37

Allied ground losses:
1402 casualties reported
Guns lost 39
Vehicles lost 1

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/06/42

Singapore fell today. The resistance of the Tommies have been a great example. Those guys were tough and now are just dust and bones.
Now he has 5 divisions free for Java if he wants...a lot of people, considering that he also has those in Manila which will fall in the next days. I desperately need to distrupt his landings. I'm moving my CVs and the RN and USN will soon meet somewehre in the I.O. ..but i still haven't a plan for it...how can i get to Sosarbaja without being murdered by his Betties?
Good question...

[Gen.Hoepner]

As I promised, i'll try to make the point.

Let's start from Numbers.

In the screenshot you can see the actual VPs situation. Doing fairly well for what concerns Air losses. He has lost quite a great number of planes due to Singapore and Sosarbaja Flak. These are very good news cause, on the other hand, in A2A it's been a disaster. Only the AVG does something good against the mighty A6Ms, while the ducth fighters fall down like flies.
Base and ground points are in the average i think. Nor good nor particularly bad.
He has lost, in the other hand quite a lot of ships( at least for my japanese standards), while my losses are 3 CLs and some 12 DDs, plus obvioulsy all those poor AK/TKs, but they do not count much imho. He's lost 7 DDs and 4 TKs,6 subs, 12 AP/AKs and a number of aux ships ( especially MSWs). What's good is that he has a CV out of action for some months and a BB at least damaged.

Not that bad for the moment

[Gen.Hoepner]

And now the Northern Oz.

Darwin should be pretty safe and with it the whole Northern Australia.
As you can see i've managed to mass a good force there, and with the Oz HQ i should be able to get at least 25k supplies at Darwin in the next weeks. Now that the AF is built up to level 5 some 2 Aviation Rgt and 2 big base forces are coming from the US along with Bombers and fighters.
I feel pretty confortable here now.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Now Burma:

Mouleim has 3 forts and a strenght of almost 600 APs. He should not be able to force the place with a river-crossing shock attack with only 1 Division ( the 33rd)...so i hope to have some more time to build up forts and to delay his advance here. The chinese divisions will be of some help...i hope.
However the more i delay him here, the more he will have to commit in Burma and committing in this theatre means that the attack on Java will be at least a bit less strong....
If he goes for India now....i'm simply toasted[:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

BTW, do you like my new avatar? It rapresents my face when i watched the turn in the Italian Job 2 match when my CVs got clobbered[:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

And now Sosarbaja and Java situation.

As you can see in the screenshot, the overall picture isn't that bad.
However everything will depend on how fast he will get rid of Manila and how fast he will be able to put down a massive invasion plan.
If he wants, however, he can get Java. He has something between 8 and 12 divisions, plus tanks, Engeneers and artillery. If he manages to put all these bastards on the Island i'll stand no chance. So the plan is to attack him when he will be more vulnerable...so to say when he will be landing. I now need fuel and more supplies. Every available ship in India is being commissioned for this Job. At the same time more units will try to sneak through the net and bring the Sosarbaja forces up to 2000APs, with lots of good british Guns in it!
In 2 weeks i should be able to have 16*5 Hurricanes at Sosarbaja, 100/120 P-40s, 70 Wildcats, 160/180 Bombers and some 20 torpedo bombers, plus all those ducth planes. Quite a considerable force i'd say.
But to smash his landings i'll need something more. I'll need some surface ships. That's why i'm willing to risk the RN and some of the USN. 8 BBs, 15 CAs, 50 DDs and some CLs will be used in this operation.

But again...it all depends on how fast he will manage to get to Java...it's a rush vs time!

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

BTW, do you like my new avatar? It rapresents my face when i watched the turn in the Italian Job 2 match when my CVs got clobbered[:D]

You should have seen MY face [;)] [:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: mc3744




You should have seen MY face [;)] [:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/08/42

Manila is falling. A fort got downed today. Soon the PI will be in Jap hands....gotta runn with my defensive plans for Java...as soon as Manila will fall he will have a HUGE force to send against me and in his mails he already let me know that Java will be next.
Kendari is invaded.
Tomorrow we'll try to send 100 b-17 to strike Macassar. Do not know how many fighters he has there but i hope he has more assets to protect Palembang and Balikapan rather than Macassar....I need to close down this AF cause it can close the gate for Sosarbaja easily....

The biggest problem now is fuel. OZ is almost empty and my big cargos are inthe middle of the pacific...too far away.
i have 10 BBs ready to be used at Java and several more CAs,CLs and DDs....but i need fuel at Sosarbaja!

From India some TKs are coming, along with more AKs loaded up with supplies and troops...hope they'll get there in time....

We'reon the egde...is a damned risky gamble....

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/09/42

Today the first air raid from Sosarbaja was a succes.
Not a single fighter was waiting for me and we were able to inflict heavy losses to the yellow bastards without losing a single plane[;)]

Manila is ready to fall, while in China we're slowly being pushed back all over the fronts..


Day Air attack on Makassar , at 30,70

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 7
B-17C Fortress x 21
B-17E Fortress x 102

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 2 destroyed


Japanese ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 90

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/10/42

Nothing much to report. Manila held another frontal assault..so few more days gained for the Eagle Operation Phase II...if i manage to get all my carrier based fighters and bombers in Java and so be able to protect a strong BB fleet...well...Java will be a super tough nut to crack for him! And finally we're going to see some real action that isn't a massacre.i hope[;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/11/42

One more Jap sub sunk in the middle of the Pacific ocean[8D]
SS I-2

My B-17s from Sosarbaja started to hit his shipping lines at Balikapan and Palembang. One TK sunk in exchange of a B-17 shot down[:D]. Now i have almost 160 4Es at Sosarbaja along with 500 more planes...quite a huge force i'd say and soon some more SDBs and F4Fs will be aboard[;)]

He's almost ready in Burma to cross the Moumein River...he's bombing my positions daily with his bombers. My line isn't that bad, having almost 700 APs at Moulmein( with 3 forts and 7%left for the 4th level )...he will need at least 2 crack divisions to break my assets there...

Tomorrow more 40k supplies will reach Sosarbaja[:D] and more 180k are coming from India in the next 2 weeks along with some more 30,000 men

Manila won't last more than a week probably

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/12/42

Seems that we're having a problem.
Hawker told me we 're using different maps...[&:][:(]...i've sent a PM to AB, hoping that he will give us a solution.

Anyway, today 81 F4F Wildcats arrived at Java, followed by 108 Dive bombers. Tomorrow 45 devastators will arrive also.
Now Java has enough nails to hurt even the KB...again i'd say[8D]. It's not going to be a trip in the park the conquest of Java for the Japs[;)]

Hope the map issue won't break the game[:-]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/13/42

Andrew was very kind and offered his time to explain me what has happened with the map issue....i simply took the wrong version[:'(].
Now i've upgraded and everything should be fine...just my defensive plan in Burma is screwd[:D]...i based it of the supposition that Moulmein was defended by a river...well...that river has changed its course and now it's gonna be hard to get back[:@]
However...no problem...i'm the allies anyway...so i can take a lot of beatings[;)]

Hawker told me that he has 5 divisions ready for India[:D][:D]...well...if he doesn't want to come for Java...THE BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....[:)][:)][:)]
He also asked me for an house rule about the map issue, but as long as the problem is related only with what I see and not what i play ( meaning that he's the one who sees and plays with the correct map, while i've played till now with the illusion of a correct map) i do not see any reason for new house rules.

Tomorrow the B-17s from Java will make another visit to Makassar AF [8D], while the reinforcements from India are getting closer..( today 5 AKs full of supplies arrived at Java unseen[:)])

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/14-15/42

I've upgraded the map...somehow i did not realize that i needed the latest version when the game started...and now...my defences are screwed[:(]
Especially at Moulmein, where i thought a river was defending my positions, now there's nothing that can stop the dreaded japs!....only my 990 Assault points[;)]..hope that will be enough.

In Java now i have nearly 1000 planes[:D]...not bad...not bad at all!.....If he goes for India...well...DEI and SRA will be very hot in early 42[;)]...if he comes for Java...well...i can hurt him...i guess...if i manage to get those 2 indian divisions ashore with those 2 Arty rgts...it's gonna be real fun!!!


In China is a big mess...I've won the battle for Ichang[:D]...he's now retreating...he needs to fortify both the northern front for the asault at Sian and the southern to try to get changsha or to free Canton....i'll keep on moving, threating his supply lines.
Now we're bitching him near Hanoi, where he left a base undefended[:)]

Palmyra and Christamas are save..i guess...Palmyra has 800 APs and plenty of CD guns, AA and AV support

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/16/42


Manila attacked frontally again...0-1 in my favour but losses are high and forts are down to 1....in one week the city will surrender!

However in this week some consistent reinforcements will arrive at Java. Some 100k supplies, 50k Fuel and some more 30,000 men[:D]...with the 1000 planes i got there...it's going to be a hell for the Japs[8D].

India is really weak now. Only Diamond and Chadupur are defended...but i do not care. As long as i hold Java he cannot go for India, cause his supply lines will be easily attacked. I'm massing my naval assets in Western Oz ( Perth), where fuel, supplies and men are coming from the American West coast. With Darwin already safely in my hands the SRA won't be a happy place to station for his naval and air forces.

Tomorrow 50 B-17s will attack Balikapan's port from 36k fts...i don't wanna hit anything...just let him feel less confortable there[;)]

Man...i love this game[:D]

[jwilkerson]

i based it of the supposition that Moulmein was defended by a river...well...that river has changed its course and now it's gonna be hard to get back

Sorry GH - I think I am partly to blame for your river changing its course - [:D] - When as Japanese I was playing earlier version of AB map - and I came upon Allies dug in "behind" the Salween ... I asked AB "Hey what side of the Salween IS Moulmein on - and I guess he moved it !!! Oops ! But at least you should have a head start getting back across it !

[jwilkerson]

it's going to be a hell for the Japs

No kidding [:D]

I one game I faced similar Allied defense ... I think Allies lost 1500 and Japanese lost 1000 planes all in one week - never seen anything like it - it was murder. Then took forever to take Soerabaja. Meant I never did take Burma ! If Japanese do not land in Java very quickly - then against allied rapid build up in Java - the Japanese are in trouble.

[Gen.Hoepner]

I one game I faced similar Allied defense ... I think Allies lost 1500 and Japanese lost 1000 planes all in one week - never seen anything like it - it was murder. Then took forever to take Soerabaja. Meant I never did take Burma ! If Japanese do not land in Java very quickly - then against allied rapid build up in Java - the Japanese are in trouble.

As a japfanboy i can foresee his pain....losing tons of crack pilots in early 42 means a lot for the Japs[:D]

And then...if i ever will be able to knock out of the theatre his CVs...my BBs will come in and smash his landing operations[8D]