Miller vrs Rob Nik 4.0 Mod - Japanese Prospective

[Speedysteve]

[:D] American nincompoop

[kfmiller41]

Well this is the first time I have ever stayed around Pearl that long and I guess i just got greedy[:-] That and forgetting that flak has been powered up really cost me. 80 planes lost to flak at pearl[>:] and KB has to go back to Japan to have airgroups restocked. Thank god I at least have some pilots to use. In the stock game I would be crippled for sure. Learned a lesson though[;)]

[Nikademus]

Yes, PH is one of the most powerfully defended bases on the map at start (probably the most powerful) In addition to the warships it has several AA units and 2-3 CD units.

Remember that you can set your TB's to high alt for level bombing and save the DB's. Shore bombardments that disrupt base LCU's can also greatly reduce flak effects for the turn hit.

Overall though.....it does discourage the 'camp off the port tactic' [:D]

[kfmiller41]

Apologies for such a long away but I have so many things going on that I can't always get caught up.[>:]

Situation Report submitted to Army Headquarters Tokyo and CNC Combined Fleet Kure dated 10 January 1942 by Lt Gen Toronaga.

China - City of Yenan has been invested by 5 Division ans 3 Brigades approx 130000 troops with a flanking force of 2 division moving north and south to cut off the city. Although reports have indicated heavy defenses it is felt that if the city can be cut off it will fall much sooner. No further operations are ongoing at this time. Air units are slowly being moved from Manchuria to China for support operations.

Burma - Allied forces have fallen back with minimal resistance and Rangoon has fallen. Taung Gyi fell yesterday and Pagan will fall shortly. Akyap is the next objective but further advances are in planning stage only due to lack of troops and supply.

Malaya - all objectives have fallen except Johure Bharu Mersing and Singapore. 5 Divisions, engineers and artillery along with 7 Bomber and 7 Fighter Squadrons are committed to Singapore. Heavy air attacks have had minimal impact due to very heavy flak and allied air attacks on convoys in the area have resulted in numerous AK and AP ships taking damage.

Bornoe - Landings at Balikpapen and Tarankan. Tarankan fell after heavy fighting but no naval opposition. The Landing at Balikpapen were oppsoed by an allied Task force of 3-4 Light Cruisers and 5 Destroyer which were sighted by recon aircraft. The landing convoy delayed its approach until the support task force of 1 BB 3 CAs and 8 DDs came up and engaged. The allies suffered loss of 3 CLs and at least 2-3 DDs. Our losses confirmed are 1 DD sunk and 1 damaged. Air raids in support of this landing were provided by a 4 small carrier task force located to the SW. Balikpapen should fall today. Ambonia, Sorong and Bulla have fallen as well.

Phillipines - Mindanao is secured. Main island of Luzon there is heavy fighting for the city of Lingayen and also Manila. There are 54000 troops commited to taking Manila and a further 75000 in the north commited to Lingayen and Clark Field. Allied air forces are only recon aircraft in this area. Cebu fell yesterday with over 6000 allied prisioners. These troops will be dispersed to take the other minor islands in the chain.

South Pacific - Rabual has fallen and damage is being repaired to the base. Further advances are in the planning stage due to no troops being avaliable. Air bases and defensed on Tarawa and Wake continue to be expanded.

Air Losses since the start of operations are as follows: Allied 522 Japanese 337

Ship losses by Type

Allied 3 BB 1 CA 5 CL 14 DD 13 AX 28 TK+AP+Ak 2 SS 7 PT

Japanese 2 DDs 9 MSW 3 PC 1 AO 18 AP 1 TK

Not listed are the dozens of vessels with damage which are headed to shipyards for repair. Here is the production so far for Aircraft[8D]

[jhdeerslayer]

Your Allie opponent is out updating you 10:1. Now get off the stick! [:D]

[kfmiller41]

I just got a place to post pics for this AAr so next turn I will make ammends[&o] I didn't think anyone was even reading it[8|]

[kfmiller41]

HA thought I had forgottent his thread didn't you[:D]

well its 4-20-42 and the general situation is confused. Will take it an area at a time.

Burma

Part of the 33rd Div is cut off. I was trying to get around madalay, didnt have enough strength and am now in deep do-do[:-] Until Singapore falls I can only get by with what I have here, which is one Division and numerous elements, base forces, engineers ect. Lashio will not fall right away either. Right now Singapore is a deadlock. I have about 100000 men but according to the combat he has about 70000 and its going very slow. My bombing campaign is getting shot to pieces by flak. Not alot of kills but many damages which are shutting down squadrons after only a days operations. Standard losses at 20000 feet for a heavy bomber squadron is 3-4 lost and 8-10 damaged. And at 20000 feet not alot of damage is going on[&:].

Phillipines

Am moving 80000 men to add to the 80000 I have already sieging the remaining allied troops in Sam Marcelino. Once done these troops can rest and then move on.

Java

Map says it all. KB and other surface units massing in Borneo with LBA for move against Java

Timor

using large subs to put infantry detachments on several islands

Rabaul

Not alot going on yet. Have mini KB in truk for security and to help any invasions in the area. Have some good LBA also in rabaul

China

it is just a nightmare in this country[8|] Am in several 2 large scale battles with no end in sight. Really could use some advice. I am funneling in units from Manchuria as I can but there isnt enough infantry to finish. I probably tried to do to much here.

Right now I have about 180 Navy and 350 army pilots in the pool. My industry is chugging along and I am making Zeros, Bettys, Helens and Oscars as my main aircraft. Will post screens of my industry in my next post. I am not a great planner as you can see[:D]

[kfmiller41]

Well San Marcelino finally fell and the Phillipines are mine. Now I have to regroup and get those troops to Singapore and to Java. Wanted to post the Air loses I have been suffering. Now these planes are flying at 20000 ft, which I guess isnt nearly high enough[:-]

These are 2 seperate raids from Kautaan and Khotu Bharu



Now according to the losses I have 113 damaged planes, which is making more than 1 days operations impossible. I can't even begin to supress Singapore and cant keep his aircraft from operating there. Any ideas?

[KDonovan]

tough situation there...there are few answer's to your problem...but if i HAD to further something....I would say bring massive (i mean massive) amounts of Artillery to bombard the place. In the meantime try a naval bombardment preceeded by a MASSIVE air raid. Your bombardment should only consist of BB's...no CA's as they are too thin in armor to deal with those 15in guns. Maybe bring some of those useless CL's to soak up the punishment. Then follow up with a deliberate attack. You basically have to throw everything but the kitchen sink at this point


PS: wheres my turn[:D]

[kfmiller41]

Thanks, I have to get my artillery there first:-) Remember I am fighting in a few other spots. I used to depend on air for supression[&:]. Sent your turn a while ago [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi,

No real solution to that i'm afraid. I have the same quandry in my game vs Nik. He's massed everything at Manila and I regularly fly at 22K and still attain losses. I know that more recent versions of the mod have a lot of SRA AA disabled to reflect the un-prepared/un-ready levels of the Allies at war's start.

All I would say is don't fly below 20K. Mass your bombers so that some hits are achieved = drain supply. In time supply will be reduced to a low enough level. One thing I did was to bomb the resources of Singapore aswell. I know there are only 10 of them but it means no supply will be made at Singapore which helps in the long run.

Regards,

Steven

[kfmiller41]

Thanks speedy, thats the plan I am using, but oh my it is a painful one[:'(] Am glad at least that I have a decent pilot pool to draw from. I am not losing alot of pilots, but the moral of some units is knocked from 90 to 30 after one turn of that flak[:(] and it takes several days to convince the pilots to fly, have to use bayonets[:D]

[Nikademus]

for what it's worth, know that your sacrifice was not in vain.....there is now a kinder, gentler SRA for Empire of the Sun to pillage.....[;)]

You might try some night bombing too. Night bombing is back in style again with the changes....except possibly for multiple BG 4E raids of course.....

[kfmiller41]

Never thought of that, considering my pilots cant hit the city of singapore in daylight[:)] I surely didnt think they could do it at night[:D]. Of course they are not getting shot at at night so maybe that might work.

[Nikademus]

Give it a try and let me know the results...been mighty curious about it. I had to pull on Speedy's hair just to get him to do one and then he did it at 22,000 feet!!!!!

dumbass.....too much milk in his tea... [;)]

[Speedysteve]

[;)]

Manila will be receiving a night attack at 12,000 in a few days time in our game numb nutts (Nik)......

Good luck Miller.

[Bombur]

I make some testing vs. the AI with Nik mod v5.0 and it seems he toned down a lot early allied flak. Now it´s possible to bomb Singapore from 15000ft

[kfmiller41]

Am posting from work so i can't post screenies this time but i wanted to outline what I had planned to do and what has happned.

I am trying to take Singapore with about 110000 men, with engineers and some artillery. It has been a slugfest but actually i am causing more losses than I am taking so progress is being made[&o] and I hope to reinforce with troops from Manila as the PI finally fell a few turns ago. Alas my air attacks at 23000 feet, while taking less loss are still not doing a whole lot of damage, but I could be just not seeing it in the reports. 23000 feet is a safer level to bomb rfom though, at least I can keep bombers coming turn to turn.

Java has been a nightmare so far. In a moment of brilliance (I thought[:D]) I would invade a Kragen, he wouldnt have any major troops there I said. WRONG[:@] he put a whole lot of troops there, my initial landings were a stalemate and now I am being forced to cover the landing zone with long range cap from borneo. I have over 100 Zero's and am geting coverage from about 25-30 and they just can't stop the allied planes. I originally sent KB to support the landings, but the new mod has made carriers alot more vunerable than they were. I knew this going in an split the carriers into 2 groups of 3 + escorts but allied LBA still got thru and torpedoed Zuikaku, she is limping home with 42 flot damage. The other carriers moved off but for some reason the follow command doesn't always work (I think what happened was one commander decided he was low on fuel and on his own headed for port) and the groups went different ways. Needless to say I have managed to survive but now that the carriers are together they are moving to refuel together. Without them there my transports are getting pummeled moving from borneo to Java. I can't supress his bases, flak is to strong for my bettys so he is able to keep coming. I hope to take Kragen soon though.

One reason I am having such trouble in borneo is that I am way behind time wise. It is already May and I have not captured any of the major oil areas in Timor or Java. I still need Batavia, Sorabeja, Palambang and Singapore. At this rate i wont be able to do that until July if at all. Allied air strength is growing stronger every day. Makes me think Japan may be slowed down to much for the average player. Allied reinforements are not delayed so time is very precious. I am not the worlds greatest planner[8|] and its not looking to good right now.

My smaller carriers, all 8 were in Truk and I split them in 3 groups that were supposed to follow an AP task force to invade Timor. For some strange reason 1 carrier group went alone, then the AP task force, while the other 2 carrier groups stayed in Truk despite the orders to follow! I have no idea why this is happening but it's frustrating. If i can get it sorted out i will try again. I expect trouble as the allies are using the small islands I have taken near northern Australia for target practice and i have identified over 150+ aircraft in the area[:@]

China is at am impass, simple as that. Nothing but a manpower drain[:(]

I definetly have made major blunders planning wise. Probably should have left the PI alone except for tie down forces and went right after Java and Palambang. No help for that now though, just have to do the best I can.


Also note to Nik, I tried night bombing for 2 turns and unless it was weather none of my bombers attacked at all either day so I changed back to day attacks.

[Nikademus]

Don't beat yourself up too much. A big reason your behind is because of the cumualtive effect of all those ENG units concentrating at Singapore. As for Java....well you made an educated guess, but as things turned out, Rob had contingency forces nearby waiting for you. Tough break there. As for the carriers....well you probably won't be the last person to learn that CAP's are no longer particle shields. LBA can be very dangerous to carriers now not to mention other enemy carriers. This fact alone will encourage players to plan their operations more conservatively vs. the extended octopus lunge. (I.E. advancing under both carrier and LBA cover in small steps is safest)


night attacks -

hmm....do you have an air HQ nearby? what's their morale looking like? I havn't had any problems getting my air units to attack at night....not that they are acomplishing anything other than annoying my opponent (just as in real life [:D] )

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: miller41

My smaller carriers, all 8 were in Truk and I split them in 3 groups that were supposed to follow an AP task force to invade Timor. For some strange reason 1 carrier group went alone, then the AP task force, while the other 2 carrier groups stayed in Truk despite the orders to follow! I have no idea why this is happening but it's frustrating.
China is at am impass, simple as that. Nothing but a manpower drain[:(]

I think I may know what caused the problem. Sometimes, a TF you set to "follow" will not leave the port if you dont hit the "undock" button as well. I ran into your description a couple times myself in the past and now as a habit, whenever i have TF's leaving together i always click "undock" to be on the safe side. Have not had a re-occurance since then

China....sounds good! [;)]