Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/19/42

While Kragen and Medan fall with no surprise, Hawker just announced me the "Operation Barbarossa". He didn't say that much, but was enough to scare me[X(].
Means he's going for Russia!?!?!? If so....i'm toasted[:(]. I've never played russian front...i'm totaly unaware of it[:o][:-].
House rules say he must activate me so to give me the time to redeploy my forces. I told him that i'd need at least one month...but i'm sure even a year won't be enough. I've no plans for Russia...just a couple of question marks[:(].....
I really hope he won't be able to do that...if i hold in Java for some time...maybe maybe....

Today my wildcats gave some more hits, exchanging a good A2A ratio ( almost 1-1)...but more 22 planes were cought on the ground. Now Sosarbaja is depleted and i finally can move freely my units up and down from Darwin. As soon as he stops bombing Sosarbaja i'll place more CAP there....and as soon as he moves his KB southwards...i'll be ready to react!

At least you won't be able to call me coward[:D]



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Ground combat at Medan

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 10888 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 4250 troops, 12 guns, 4 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 22 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Medan base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
181 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
840 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Kragen

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 8906 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 602 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kragen base !!!





Picture shows well my plans for Russia...

[mc3744]

It'll be interesting to see how things develop in Russia.

I've never played Russia.

[Gen.Hoepner]

I've done a fast check. Very few Ari Units in Russia. Most of them badly outclassed! I looked at the stats....the Yaks have a gun power of 8!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That's just crap! BS i'd say. The Yak-1s' weapons weren't that bad, com'on!
However...a pair of Zero Daitais and he'll destroy all my Airforces. No LCUs arriving. No strong Tank/Arty assets.....How bad is modelled the USSR? Was really so outgunned in 1942 in this theatre???

The only thing i'm pretty happy about are those BIG CD guns...at least he won't be able to make amphibious landings...

For the rest...i feel really bad about Russia.....

[String]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

I've done a fast check. Very few Ari Units in Russia. Most of them badly outclassed! I looked at the stats....the Yaks have a gun power of 8!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That's just crap! BS i'd say. The Yak-1s' weapons weren't that bad, com'on!
However...a pair of Zero Daitais and he'll destroy all my Airforces. No LCUs arriving. No strong Tank/Arty assets.....How bad is modelled the USSR? Was really so outgunned in 1942 in this theatre???

The only thing i'm pretty happy about are those BIG CD guns...at least he won't be able to make amphibious landings...

For the rest...i feel really bad about Russia.....

they pulled a lot of stuff to europe i think, the germans threatening moscow and all y'know [;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Yes String...i immagine that. Just never looked at the Russian units before...i guess Russia is a far easier nut to crack than China for Japan....I'm particularly scared about the Russian Fighters stats...they are terrible!

[anarchyintheuk]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Yes String...i immagine that. Just never looked at the Russian units before...i guess Russia is a far easier nut to crack than China for Japan....I'm particularly scared about the Russian Fighters stats...they are terrible!

Which is a shame, because you actually get a pretty decent sized air force. Upgrade as much as you can, while keeping a balance of fighters. You're replacement rates aren't that good either.

[mc3744]

In my games I always build up forts and upgrade Russian planes ... just in case [;)]

I mean, it takes some time to repair (72) upgraded fighters, you don't want to find yourself with the fighters and bombers grounded. [:-]

[Gen.Hoepner]

MC, can i go for Russia in our game??...[:D][:D] Just joking[;)]

Guys...i've taken a deep look at the Russian situation ( bases,troops, planes, deployment etc).....
How can i be supposed to handle the japanese steamroller???
He should have already something between 8000 and 9500 Assault points between Korea and Mongolia. He can easily bring some more 4000/5000 points from China and if he wants, after the DEI-SRA-PI campaign he can push in some more infantry units from the southern area HQ. Easily he can arrive at 15,000 APs....the total force of the USSR Army is something around 3,000/3,500.... So i'll be outnumbered badly, and even staying behind forts won't help much if he concentrates his forces on a single spot.

Now the question is: where to defend?
Vladivostok worths 1200 points in Japanese hands....he will probably go for this target....but if i move everything south he could be advancing northwards so cutting my retreat towards Siberia-Manchuria....but who wants to defend everything defends nothing....ohhhhhhh...my mind is puzzled[:(]

[kkoovvoo]

IIRC the all russian fighters, have decent speed, around 340-370 mph (except I-16c, which is not far behind).
True that gun value 8 doenst sound very good, but two 20mm cannons mounted on russian fighters are much better (have better range and penetration) than 4 x 0.303 MGs (which have also gun value 8) on allied planes. Japanese planes are fragile, its enough to hit them, no matter with what - they will go down.

[String]

Hm, with that amount of AP difference I guess you'd better do a fighting retreat to a final strongpoint. My bet would be Vladivostok actually, as you should be able to fly in 4E bombers from Alaska to there, and from there you can bomb home islands [:D]

Perhaps Valdivostok is also an Urban hex? I know it has very nice CD which means no bombardment from sea. IIRC there are a few adjacent big bases there as well, which means that you could hold air superiority there for some time. Try to see if you can transfer 4e there without petropavlovsk, if you can do it. If you can't then dont, otherwise they'll be cut off. You might try forming up a bunch of 1 ship transpor TF's and try to sneak them through the Kuriles and into the Ohotsk sea. They can stay there laden with supplies until the japs invade the russians and then make to Vladivostok 1 by 1, bringing in much needed supplies.

The other option ofcourse is to retreat to the soviet supply hex. Hell, it might even be out of range of most of the japanese airpower if you are lucky, but iirc it's a clear hex.

Also check the VP's. [;)]

[Andy Mac]

Hmmm doesnt russia get any reinforcements ?

Where do all those massive Tank Corps come from in the Russia scenario.

I really wish they would just multiply all Russian units x 3 i.e. set divisions to corps bde to divisions etc start them at 1/3 strength and let them fill up form replacements over time increase supply accordingly.

p.s. isnt Vladivostok in range of Tokyo.... some strategic points to be had perhaps...

Good luck I think you are going to need it !!!

p.s. if you are saving any fragments from Java by Sub dont be afraid to send them to Vladivostock to rebuild may as well maximise the time you have to make it painfull for him.

Andy

[mc3744]

I have no experience with Russia.
I looked at it once, so far.

Based on my little knowledge I'd say to hold Vladivostok. VP-wise it's by far the most important base. And he is coming to Russia to close the game by the end of '42, so your goal needs to be VPs.
In a few months, with US air power help, you can maintain/achieve air superiority and ground attack daily the besieging units. That may buy you enough time.

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

MC, can i go for Russia in our game??...[:D][:D] Just joking[;)]

With all the VPs you have already scored I don't think I stand a chance at winning. I'm playing for the fun of it (eventually [:)]) and to try and achieve a draw.
Hence if you want to come to Russia, we can give it a try. As you like.

[Andy Mac]

If it is March already and it is going to take a month at least of prep time say he hits you 1st May just as the upgrade restriction on the RAF ends is there any way of getting a few Hurricane Sqns into Russia. i.e. do you have bases in range ? The reason I ask is that Spitfires will cause even Zeroes grief and in Russia would be able to be used effectively.

(Actually might be easier to fly some Canadian Sqns off of a carrier to Ohka if you can get close enough and then once they are on site upgrade them to Spits)

Also a Dakota Gp or Sqn from the West Coast probably has the legs to get there so you can move some Chinese Corps into help out. (actually if he is activates Russia cant Chinese Corps transfer to Russian territory allowing you to concentrate in the South ?

Andy

[String]

If you manage to hold air superiority and get supplies to vladivostok then you might just hold the place. I sure do hope that the airfields and forts there have been expanding from the start [8D]. And the suggestion of spits seems good. You might be able to transfer some Hurri squadrons via china to USSR. Or if you can downgrade them to buffaloes then it would be quite certain. And spits whoop zero ass [:D]

The soviet should have decent fighters.
here's a small chart

Top sp. Cruise sp. Climb. Maneuver. Durability. Armour.
• Zero 332 207 2642 35 22 0
• Mig 3 398 275 2877 31 29 1
• I-16 326 185 4100 29 26 1
• Lagg 3 348 250 2803 30 29 1
• Yak 1 360 149 3644 31 28 1

As you can see, all soviet fighters except I-16 (and even that barely) have better speed than the zero, better duarbiltiy, climb rates and all ar armoured. Gunpower should also be decent. Add in a squadron or two spits and you should be ok with soviet numbers and allied 4E bombing nearby jap airfields. Overall the soivet fighters seem to be similar to P-40's but with better climb rates.

Just ask him for a house rule that when the japs invade russia they give one turn without action after activation, so you can set your fighters on escort and stuff.

[Andrew Brown]

I've always wanted to see someone attack the Soviet Union on my map. Maybe I will finally get the chance?

Andrew

[Gen.Hoepner]

Hi, i'll try to answer generally.

He will activate the russian theatre when he likes, but then he will stop doing anything ( Recon missions included) till 30 days after the activation. That's the house rule we've agreed on at the beginning of the game.
Hurricanes to Russia?...gotta check. For sure i can send there 4 Buffalos squadrons....
I've gone through Moses AAR abou Russian Invasions. They all seem to end with a disaster for the allies. Even the one where AmiralLaurent played with the russians...
Don't know really....Vladivostok worths 1200 VPs...so he'l probably go for this place...but at the same time Ban..whatever ( in the middle of Trans-Siberian railline) is important, cause from there you can cut the supply-route of the Russians.
I'm so puzzled[:(]
I've made few tests....if he employs the air force he's using in Java in one spot,Russian air force will last 2 days...maximum 3[:(]. Experience is everywhere below 55....and the zeros kick Migs' and Yaks' asses.

Gotta check about forts....i really did not expect it[:(][:(][:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

With all the VPs you have already scored I don't think I stand a chance at winning. I'm playing for the fun of it (eventually ) and to try and achieve a draw.
Hence if you want to come to Russia, we can give it a try. As you like.

Every time i read these replies i think we're playing a different match[:)]

We're already 2,5-1...probably by the end of 43 we'll be 1,5-1...A Draw??[X(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

If you manage to hold air superiority and get supplies to vladivostok then you might just hold the place

If he concentrates his air force in Manchuko i don't stand a chance of holding air supremacy over my land. I've run a test: all the Soviet fighter groups at 100%CAP over Vladivostok,( something around 340 fighters...actualy flying say 200/250). 4 Zero Daitais are able to achieve easily 3-1 kill ratio ALONE! If supported by some 100 oscars and 100 more nates, followed by 300 bombers, Vladivostok AF gets closed at the first attempt, my air force remains grounded and stops existing in the next 3 days of costant bombings.

Gotta try with few spits, but i guess they cannot change the course of this particular war theatre

[Andy Mac]

Silly question but was the test ran post the zero bonus going ?