Lunacy In The Pacific Mogami Vs. Tom Hunter

[Tom Hunter]

Manila supply watch
March 28: 128
March 29: 256
March 29: forgot to check
March 30: Afraid to check
March 31 see picture below:




Off screen there are 4 Phillipine Army divisions with no supply at all, and more base forces and the HQ units. The city is behind an L7 fort but I am not sure they can hold off another attack, there were many more units in supply during the last Japanese assualt. The LB30s are flying in a tricle, there are 5 subs coming from Pearl with about 130, and two more AKs trying to run the blockade but all of this is far away.

China: Still moving units into position for the bypass Peking manuever. Low XP units are launching bombardment attacks on Wuhan while higher XP units head back to base at Wuchow or Changsha.

I am flying supply forward from Chunkging and Yunan to try and increase the rate at which the Chinese draw replacements. They have used 1207 which is about 10 a day, and there are 1073 in the pool. Some of these have gone into the Chinese divisions in Burma and India, but many are in China where the army is getting pretty strong and supplies are still good.

In the South Pacific the Japanese took Luganville, repeated heavy bomb hits did not sink a single transport[8|] and could not save the weak base force and marine defense battalion after they were disrupted by heavy bombardment.

The Japanese fleet retired North and once they were out of range B17s based at the L5 strip at Noumea put 97 additional hits on the runway. I am also port strikeing the Japanese to mess up thier supplies.

The one happy effect of this is Efate is now in range of Japanese troops and shipping so my fighters can train by launching ground attacks. If I have enough time that should help me shoot down a bunch of Zeros in the next round.

Additional troops and supplies are rushing into my bases on the Islands. We are also mining and training airforces. 3 old US BBs are leaving San Franscisco today, I will eventually park them at Noumea either when my CAP can take on the fighters from KB or at some critical moment.

Two British fleet CVs are at Brisbane and the US CVs will come down as soon as they refit, right now they are in San Francisco with the 3 ARs from Pearl.

The big question is will Mogami come back to South Pac or go somewhere else? I don't think he can win the game in South Pac, there are not enough VP there. For the sake of arguement lets assume he sinks all the US and British CVs and takes all the bases, without any losses. It does not get him anywhere near 4 to 1.

He has to take something esle that is very big, either India, China or Russia. If taking the South Pacific takes 2 months then it will be June, and just getting to India, China or Russia will take until July or August before the fighting starts. That is a lot of re-inforcements, the arrival of Spitfires and plenty of time to build forts. Time is actually pretty short for him, he needs a game winning offensive in 1942, SouthPac is not it.

But SouthPac is my best position to hit him from, and he is there now. So we will have some more fighting there until one or the other of us has left.

[Tom Hunter]

Manila supply is at 320, another Japanese shock attack is expected soon, I am not sure they will make it but if they do things might actually improve a bit with some subs and a pair of blockade runners on the way.

Things are moving again in China with Japanese troops heading towards Changsha from the East. This is forcing me to pull out of Wuchow which will also free up that army to move. It may be the start of offensive operations for Japan.

China is in very good shape though, supply is plentiful, the Ledo road is open, the defense starts forward at places like Kaigun and the Chinese army is large and experienced.

Most key cities in China now have L5 forts or higher, Changsha is L9. The whole China command has 8 or 9 units with XP below 55 now. So bring it on.

In Burma we continue to stare at eachother on the ground and fence in the air. On April 3rd recon Blenhiems spotted 27 Zeros over the airfield at Taun Gi no doubt hoping to ambush the Hurricanes that hit it a day or two before. I am still bombing to gain XP but also flying a lot more recon to keep an eye on those pesky Zeros, and spending a lot more time changing air missions every day. Once the pilots get good enough I will go on a sweep and see if I can turn the tables on Mogami. Hopefully that will work now that the Zero bonus is gone.

In the South Pacific Mogami bombarded Efate doing significant damage but not shutting it down. US B17s caught the bomardment TF and but 7 hits onto his BBs all of which bounced off though some fires were started. The CL Isuzu took one that penetrated so at least some damage was done.

I have a few British and Allied TFs that are moving into position South of Noumea, if I think a Japanese bombardment force is going to hit my main base I will try to intercept with PoW. Have to keep them far enough away to be safe from KB though.

The Americal division slipped into Noumea between visits from KB and I got some more AV unloaded. The place now has 218 air support. More is on the way some will go to Koumac and some to La Foa to make it harder to shut things down.

Port Moresby is now an L4 airbase with 60 AV and the 7th Australian division digging in. Longer term this is a serious threat to Rabaul so Mogami may be forced to respond. Or he can stay on the South Pacific and have 4 engine bombers pounding Rabaul.

Far away on the US West coast a whole mess of shipping has upgraded and is now repairing. I hope to have TFs leaving San Fransicso in Mid April and arriving in the battle area in May.

On the opposite side of the map India is becomeing a network of L9 forts, large airbases and well supplied defensive positions. My only complaint is that I cannot get supplies to move inland. I have even tried removing all my coastal garrison troops to interior bases and it still will not move.

[ADavidB]

On the opposite side of the map India is becomeing a network of L9 forts, large airbases and well supplied defensive positions. My only complaint is that I cannot get supplies to move inland. I have even tried removing all my coastal garrison troops to interior bases and it still will not move.

Move some HQs inland and the supply will eventually follow.

Good luck -

Dave Baranyi

[Tom Hunter]

Manila supply watch: 486
But only 2 units have supply and one of them is the Phillipine AV unit.
On April 4th the Japanese took the forts down to level 3:
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 381811 troops, 3087 guns, 676 vehicles

Defending force 74395 troops, 479 guns, 178 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 6

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 6)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3


Japanese ground losses:
12083 casualties reported
Guns lost 276
Vehicles lost 23

Allied ground losses:
2018 casualties reported
Guns lost 47
Vehicles lost 4

Manila does not have many days left, and the nearest supply is too far away to help.

In the South Pacific KB is once again parked near Noumea. I can hit it with 110 B17s escorted by garbage, what is the consensus? should I try?

In Burma I managed to outsmart Mogami again, raising my Hurricanes one XP point by hitting Taurg Gyi while Mogami flew LRCAP over Pagan. It is a dangerous game. Over the next few days I may try to Sweep attack him and see if I can bag some Zeros. Now that the bonus is gone I may have a chance.

[ADavidB]

In the South Pacific KB is once again parked near Noumea. I can hit it with 110 B17s escorted by garbage, what is the consensus? should I try?

It depends upon their experience. If you have B-17E groups with experience in the 70s, go ahead. If you have groups with experience in the low 60s or 50s, leave them at home. Also, don't bother with your escorts if they are garbage - you are better off with B-17s alone. (BTW - don't do this with B-17Cs)

If you do send the B-17s, send them at different altitudes too. Even if you don't get any hits you ought to shot down some Zeros.

Good luck -

[Tom Hunter]

The units in Manila are officailly out of supply, every single one is at zero. There is 757 supply in the city supply dump, if it gets distributed before the next attack there is a small chance the city might hold, if it is in the supply dump then the place will likely fall. The forts are down to level 3, I could rebuild but I am not sure that is better than trying to get some supply into the ground units so that they defend effectively. Nearest supply ships are 10 days out or so and getting them through is a dicey proposition.

Sensing danger KB moved away from Noumea in the direction of Nandi. Sensing opportunity 100 B17s flew to Nandi where they join an equal number of B26s and some delusional Marine Buffalo pilots. Hopefully the Japs will come closer and we will get a luanch.

In Burma 48 B-17s hit Tavoy, the home of the Japanese Zero force that has caused my Hurricanes so much grief. Got 6 of them on the ground. The RAF continues to attack airfields for XP but is much more careful about it, the late March ambushes cost enough pilots to set the program back 2-3 weeks.

In China Wuhan has been evacuated, and a Chinese army is now shelling Peking. The days of Chinese smash and grab attacks seem to be over, we are building up forts as fast as we can now.

On the US West Coast the DDs are starting to turn green as the California shipyard workers get lots of overtime. The CVs and CAs are also getting fixed up, my best guess is the fleet will be ready near the end of the month.

[Tom Hunter]

Manila now has over 900 supply.
In a move of who's stupidity could only be contemplated by a computer program, 98 supply was delivered to a fragment of the 9th USN base force. All the combat units are at zero, and if they are attacked before they get some bullets the city is going to fall. Judging by past assualts the attack will come in a day or two.

Spotlight on the South Pacific

Here is the latest map, showing Mogami's carrier cruise and my build up. There are now near 190 Allied fighters on the Island of New Calidonia. An engineer battalion is about to unload, along with a beat up base force that will push the AV in Noumea up to 265 or 266. Replacements for the 71st BF are also boosting AV.

Another big BF is going to unload at Koumac soon. Once it does I think it will be possible to fight KB. B17s blast Luganville from time to time keep the airfield damaged.

Mogami has tried to interdict and sunk 3 AKs unloading supplies on this raid. But hitting the ships in port is risky, his planes often fly without escort which is too deadly for them. So we are in a standoff but the Allied position is getting better faster than the Japanese.

Next turn another B17 group arrives at San Francisco, another Wildcat group will unload at Canton Island soon and arrive in the area in a week to 10 days. But the real ticking clock is the US refit. The CVs are down to 1-2 sys and most DDs are in the 8-9 range. If 5 US CVs arrive in the area and there are 400 LBA with supporting AV I think the Allies can win the fight.

[Tom Hunter]

crap wrong button, here is the map

[jrlans]

Any more news about russia? If Mog was going to hit russian i would think he would have already began that opperation. The only think i can think of is that the troops in manilla are slated for either Russia or India. Just seems like Mog is taking a long time to get the ball rolling on either of those opperations

Just currious if you all have any inisghts

ps: i love the strategy disscussions in this thread makes me feel like part of the game =)

[Tom Hunter]

jrlans, Thanks, it makes the AAR worth writing.[:)]

Manila supply continues rising, it is at 1200 or so now. None of the units have supply except the damn base force, it ate another 50 today.

A historic date April 8th 1942 has come and gone, that is the date resistance ended on mainland Luzon. Mogami shock attacked me today and got 1 to 1 odds but took off two levels of fort, from 4 down to 2. In two days a sub will deliver 12 supply, blockade runners are coming with 3 or 4,000 more in a week or so.

In answer to your question about Russia, Mogami has already said that he had to change strategy for this game and Olegs. I guess a hyperactive China was not in his original plan. Lately I see more "planning for" messages in intercept for Chinese objectives, and he said the Kwangtung army group was going to reinforce China.

The key to the game (our game anyway) is the Japanese army outside Manila. Once it wins and becomes mobile Mogami can go on the offensive in a big way just about anywhere he wants. But he has to take Manila first, and so far I have prevented that. This makes up for all my mistakes in the air war, I have lost a lot of planes for little effect. Manila is buying me so much time that my sins in the air are being redeemed.

If your following the grand strategy here it is very important to be aware that Manila is holding for two reasons. 1) is that I snuck in a pair of AKs that unloaded 11,500 supply, and got another one or two to unload 500-1000 before they got bombed. 2) is that my China strategy gave me a well supplied base to fly supplies in using LB-30s. This hurts me on the Burma front, I would be able to do a lot more against Mogami if I had 96 4 engine bombers instead of the 48 I am using. But even though it is painful the value of keeping the 380,000 Japanese in Luzon pinned there is worth it.

Same thing is true in the South Pacific. Mogami is sailing KB around, last turn I had clouds over Noumea, so my 100 B17s and 64 B26s did not launch. But my goddamn CAP set on one hex intecept flew 2-3 hexes to fight battles against Mogamis force of 73 Zeros so I lost yet more planes. Today they are on training missions. So I have not been able to attack him yet. I do have 2 divisions digging in Noumea so Mogami needs the Phillipine army to take the place, but he does not have it yet. Meantime the US CV TFs are repairing from the April refit on the West Coast. Some time near the end of the month they will sortie, by mid May they will be in the South Pacific. That will give me enough force to fight KB and win. The clock is ticking and Mogami knows it, but he has not taken Manila yet so here we are.

Finally in Burma the British and Japanese continue to play guess the airstrike location. So far the Brits have avoided another massacre and are slowing gaining XP.

[tabpub]

Manila supply continues rising, it is at 1200 or so now. None of the units have supply except the damn base force, it ate another 50 today.

Kelly's Heroes in the Phillipines:

SSgt Crapgame: "Sorry sir, no supplies for your Marines today. I hear that a ship is due in a couple of days; maybe then."

MajGen Colt: "D*mn boy, we got the GAME on out there! We are kicking them little buggers all over the place! Give me some more ammo and we can hold this burg until the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST!!! God d*mn ARMY!!" <storms off>

SSgt Crapgame: [under his breath] "Ammo...all them jarheads think about is ammo...."
<unlocks door, revealing cartons of Luckies stacked to the ceiling>..."Now, off to Cavite and see if I can buy a ride outa this cockamamie place.."

[Tom Hunter]

Manila Supply Watch
April 11: 1280
April 12: 1362

Fort level 2 but will be 3 in a day or two. My units do not draw supply except for a pair of base force fragments. I am trying to pick them up and get them out, I am even considering crazy moves like putting them back in USAFFE. When Mogami attacks 60,000+ troops defend instead of the 80K when supply was better.

Down in the South Pacific Mogami bombarded Koumac again, getting a number of planes on the ground. I now have 200+ mine fields at Noumea and Efate, Koumac is next. 2 days of cloud cover over Noumea prevented my LBA from attacking KB, Mogami is a lucky man. KB is now moving North, possibly to draw more fuel, and US B17s pounded Luganville again, I don't want it useable any time soon.

In Burma the RAF is pretty much back at the XP levels it had before Mogami pulled off his ambushes. With careful management I think I can get the pilot quality even higher this time and maybe even kill some Zeros. One of the first Chinese division to arrive in India is at 145 AP, I am going to fly it back to Mandalay and fly out two of the 75 AP divisions that have been staying there. That will keep my AP at about 850 in Mandalay but boost the defense of India.

In China the Japanese are trying to surround Hsinyang. 5000 AP defend it, and 4-5 additional corps are on the rail line right behind waiting for the Japanese to arrive so they can shock attack them out. The fort is L3, it will be an interesting battle. IF the place falls quickly then I am going to abandon Kaigan and Chengting and high tail it for Homan and Yenen, but if I can hold there I will try to stop the Japanese at Kaigan or Chengting.

China has split the army about 50-50% North and South of the Japanese position in Wuhan. This is dangerous becuase the Japanese can use their interior position but I am not sure a better choice is available. I am hoping that Mogami is underestimating China's strength on the defensive. Supply is good, and there fewer than 10 units in the Chinese army with XP less than 50, the vast majority are 58-59 with a scattering of units in the 60s and one at 71. A lot of these corps are strong, with 250+ and 3 of the units in Hsinyang are over 300.

I don't like the deployment of force in China, but the army is the best I can make it and I am very pleased with the country's performance so far. China and the Phillipines have bought me a lot of time so far which is really strategic manuevering room.

That maunevering requires getting the US CVs into battle, and they need thier escort groups. In San Fransico there are 3 CVs with no Sys, 2 with 1 Sys and 1 with 2 Sys. There are a bunch of cruisers with 3-5 sys and a large number of DDs at 6-8. Other ships are refitting down in LA. Pretty soon they will all be ready, and then the Allies will have some ability to strike back. It is really a race between the Japanese army at Manila and the US shipyards in San Francisco.

[jrlans]

That maunevering requires getting the US CVs into battle, and they need thier escort groups. In San Fransico there are 3 CVs with no Sys, 2 with 1 Sys and 1 with 2 Sys. There are a bunch of cruisers with 3-5 sys and a large number of DDs at 6-8. Other ships are refitting down in LA. Pretty soon they will all be ready, and then the Allies will have some ability to strike back. It is really a race between the Japanese army at Manila and the US shipyards in San Francisco.

Do you think the US CVs will arive in time to help the defence of Noema (sp)? With manila about to fall, (from the looks of it one last attack and your done for) how long do you think it will take Mog to turn those units around and attack his next target? Also what do you think that next target will be?

It looks like he is putting alot of work into knocking out your forces in the South Pac, but could this be a diversion? What do you think your chances of holding India are if he decides to go there?

[Tom Hunter]

jrlans

As I said above it is a race, I have no idea who will win in the South Pacific, I just know it is undecided so I am fighting there. I BELEIVE I will win, but I have no proof or compelling arguement.

As far as turnaround is concerned it takes time for troops to recover from an assault, and it takes time to load transports. It also takes 10-15 days to steam from Manila to the South Pacific, or to India for that matter. So he is not going to invade anywhere strong in April, the 380,000 men become a threat in May.

I don't think South Pacific is a diversion. If I can build up there without interruption then I will start to hit him that much faster. But I do think it is an opening act for a main even that will happen somewhere else.

India is stronger by the day. The cities in the Dacca-Calcutta area are all L9 forts now, and the rest of the country is now L5 or higher almost everywhere. Every port is mined and defended with coastal guns, even the minor L0 ports. The only cities that are not building forts are Rwalpindi and Lahore, but that will chance soon as some of the places nearer the coast hit L9 themselves. There are L4 and 5 airbases all over inland India, so even if the Japanese do capture a port they will get a low level airport under attack by higher level airports. And they will have one to my many. The Chinese SEAC divisions are in place and expanding so the defense picture is better than it was a month ago. I think it is a fair statement to say that I have the strongest April 15th 1942 India in the history of the game. I'm still worried about the place, because it does not have that much AP to begin with, but it is very well prepared.

[Tom Hunter]

The two merchant ships in this picture (April 14th 1942) are now two days out from Manila. Supply is 985 because the LB30 Moral dropped to 14 and I had to stop the run.





In Burma the Allies contine to smack up empty Japanese airfields. I have a lot of planes Sweeping along with the ones bombing so if Mogami does come up I hope there will be a bloody battle, not another massacre.

On April 12th the Japanese opened thier offensive in China in ernest:
Ground combat at Hsinyang
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 332781 troops, 3827 guns, 87 vehicles
Defending force 148660 troops, 936 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
17659 casualties reported
Guns lost 285
Vehicles lost 18
Allied ground losses:
3248 casualties reported
Guns lost 95

Japanese army losses passed 700 [:)] and it does not look like the Chinese are going anywhere. In fact this leads me to believe that I could cut my garrison in Changsha some.

But the real action was down in the South Pacific where a series of bloody battles slowed the Japanese offensive for the first time.

On April 12 attack planes off the CVs hit a convoy unloading the 31st USN base force at Noumea:

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 23

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 15
Wirraway x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 15 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Admiral Nulton, Bomb hits 1, on fire

The Wirraways and Buffalos were airborne in the hopes that they would cause the 114 B17s to fly a mission against KB, but KB was 5 hexes away. Instead they shot up the Kates, and then got crushed when the main strike arrived:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 84
D3A Val x 38
B5N Kate x 48

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 15
Wirraway x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
D3A Val: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 15 destroyed
Wirraway: 14 destroyed

Allied Ships
DMS Trevor, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Hovey, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
AP President Garfield, Bomb hits 6, on fire
AP Largs Bay, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Boggs, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage

These hits caused a lot of concern for Allied command. 31st USN BF will get the AV at Noumea over 300 and allow some smaller base forces to transfer to Koumac and La Foa. Also an EAB battalion had been sunk with all hands earlier in the week. 31st had to be protected, so the carefully husbanded Wildcat groups were put on CAP, along with some other planes.

The Japanese must have thought that the obsolete junk was a sign of collapsing Allied effort. In came a large force of bombers with no escorts, and the Wildcats were waiting:

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 40
G4M1 Betty x 22

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
Wirraway x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 20 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed

Then another uncoordinated strike:
Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 24
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
Wirraway x 1
apanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 20 destroyed

Then the main force smashed the Marines:

Day Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 68,113

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 49
D3A Val x 20
B5N Kate x 24

Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
Wirraway x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A Buffalo: 5 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 6 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 16 destroyed
Wirraway: 1 destroyed

But by then the Japanese had already lost 50 planes.

In the afternoon the Japanese sent some Zeros in low to shoot up PT boats guarding Noumea harbor, the few remaining Wildcats were flown by guys who could fight 49 Zeros and live, and they did pretty well though heavily outnumbered.

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
Allied Ships
PT PT-60, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PT PT-59, Shell hits 4


Jap planes hit a number of ships at sea, and a final raid came in to Noumea unescorted:
Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 12
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AP President Garfield, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Total air losses 81 Japanese 39 Allied

Here are Mogami's comments:
"Don't want too many turns like that.
When you see unescorted strikes over target that later has escorted strike
it often means the strike broke up enroute (the unescorted planes were
escorted when they launched)
lately the program has been hard on my torpedo groups.
I had hoped the CV strike would clear the air for the landbased bombers but
they arrived before the naval strike.
Bad turn for Japan. "

But on the 15th things got even worse for Japan. KB pulled back to a position just North of Luganville, but a surface TF was North of Koumac. Allied ships had unloaded despite the best efforts of the IJN, Noumea has 308 AV, Koumac is up to 53.

A total of 280 Sorties were flown by B17s, A-24 Dauntlesses, SDB Dauntlesses, A-20s, B-26s and Hudsons. Most hits were 500lb bombs but a fair number were 1,000 pounders from the dive bombers. This is the consolidated report from all the strikes:

Japanese Ships
CA Kumano
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 3
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 1
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 2
CL Tatsuta, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CL Tama, Bomb hits 1
CL Tenryu
CL Natori, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kuma
CL Isuzu, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Sendai, Bomb hits 2
CL Yubari
DD Natsugumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Ikazuchi
DD Akigumo
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Ikazuchi, Bomb hits 1, on fire

This force represents about 1/3 of the CAs and CLs in the IJN. Whatever the plan for them was, it is now changed.

The final bit of good news came from Sumatra. Weeks ago a blockade runner snuck 4500 supply into Medan. When the Japanese landed and attacked Medan was better prepared than they expected:

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3689 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2363 troops, 8 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese ground losses:
864 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported

They must be inspired by Manila [:D]

Back on the West Coast the shipyards continue to work overtime.

[srconner]

Re: the base forces pilfering the scarce supply, this may be a devious feature built in by
the designers to simulate the behavior of rear area troops in situations of scarcity. If
you remove the base forces, it will be interesting to see if the next most nearly "rear
area" units start pilfering. I have read that in the '42 Bataan campaign after rations
got tight, the rear area forces had more and better food than the front line troops.

A question about your prolonged defense of the Philippines.

Mogami has a large land force arrayed against you, much larger than what the Japanese historically
used to conquer the Philippines. I am tempted to wonder whether the longevity of your army
is mostly due to the light Japanese attention to your rear areas.

A few days ago Mogami clobbered the Manila supply depot with a bombing raid and almost completely
wiped it out; your supply has been creeping up since then. Has he been bombing
since then, and was he bombing before that devastating raid?

To put it another way, could Mogami have defeated you sooner in the PI with a smaller land force if he had
set a substantial air force to bombard your depot consistently from the beginning of the PI campaign?
Would such an assignment of his airforces have materially impaired him elsewhere?

Thanks for the AAR. It is an absorbing read.

[Tom Hunter]

srconner,

I don't play Japan because of the learning curve on the production system. Someday I will spend the time to figure it out. When I do there will be a few things that I will do differently from my opponents when attacking the Phillipines.

1) Bomb supply a lot
2) Put a surface TF on blockade right outside Manila, or two TFs if there are two approaches
3) Put big ASW TFs in the area to hunt incoming and outgoing subs

I do think that concentrating a large army and airforce is a good idea. Look at the other Lunacy games for comparison. In Fear and Loathing the Japanese have a small force, and the Allied army is split between Manila and Battan but we still hold both on April 2nd. Mogami's army would have taken the Phillipines by now.

In this game there are large Japanese air groups in China, the Phillipines and Rabaul-Guadalcanal. There is a smaller concentration at Tavoy facing Burma. I belive Mogami's deployment is good except for his lack of attention to blocking incoming supply. Since the start of the campaign I have unloaded 13000 or more supply by sea and air. When I first retreated into Manila I had something like 22,000 in the city.

[Ron Saueracker]

2) Put a surface TF on blockade right outside Manila, or two TFs if there are two approaches

Sort of pointless without a stationary "patrolling" SC TF with the ability to intercept transiting enemy TFs like subs can isn't it?

Great AAR Tom![:)] Kick IJ butt.[:D]

[jrlans]

Wow that was a great couple of days for the allies. Did his surface TF break up because of the slower ships and is there any chance of hitting him with a follow up raid? How are your pilot xp on Noema prety stagnat because of all the losses or climbing slowly as the more advanced pilots continue to get better? Also how are your replacement pools you have had a prety active air war, just currious if your pools are hurting?

[Tom Hunter]

Ron,

I have intercepted ships at sea before, why not under these circumstances? Mogami has even intercepted my merchant ships with the escorts from his convoys, we have had a couple of PG Vs AK fights already.

It is not fool proof, but it would help.