VSWG vs. Gary - The Allied perspective

[Rob Brennan UK]

I think its 5/42 T .. 7/42 for the Dutch. Aussies and NZ no restriction.

[DuckofTindalos]

You're right. 5/42 for the RAF, 7/42 for the Dutch...

[VSWG]

Thanks for clearing that up, that's nice to know. I think I was able to upgrade a RAF Lysander squadron though, I'm going to check that. Probably a hard-coded slot issue in CHS.

This is the first lesson I learned today. The second one is: don't eat vegetables you prepared two days ago and forgot to put in the fridge:

                     

Still feeling a bit shaky, I think I need a "medical" dose of alcohol as pick-me-up... Feel free to point and laugh at me...

[DuckofTindalos]

Okay.

<points>

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA...

If you upgraded a Lysander squadron, then it wasn't British. I can guarantee that 100%. The upgrade thing isn't tied to slots, but to nationality.

[timtom]

ORIGINAL: VSWG
I think I was able to upgrade a RAF Lysander squadron though, I'm going to check that.

That would probably be No.1 Squadron RIAF.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: timtom

ORIGINAL: VSWG
I think I was able to upgrade a RAF Lysander squadron though, I'm going to check that.

That would probably be No.1 Squadron RIAF.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!! Thanks again for walking me through this.

[VSWG]

Not much happend today, and the next turn is already in my inbox, so this is going to be a short update.

January 2nd, 1942

Malaya:

Finally my LB from Singapore flew a mission:

Day Air attack on Guards (2nd) Division, at Johore Bahru
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft (@ 8000 feet)
Wirraway x 8
Blenheim I x 18
Blenheim IV x 15
Hudson I x 21
B-17D Fortress x 22
B-17E Fortress x 9
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 2 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged
Hudson I: 2 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
&nbsp;
Japanese ground losses:
245 casualties reported
Guns lost 6

Not bad. For tomorrow I ordered a city attack on Mersing's resource centers. The Zeros are still flying CAP over Kuching, while the Oscars at Kota Bharu were supposed to strafe my barges at Kuantan (evacuating a cut-off brigade to Singapore), but attacked an AK in the Malacca Strait instead (no damage).

DEI, Philippines, SWPac, SoPac:

Nothing to report.

CentPac:

The Midway convoy disappeared in heavy thunderstorms. SigInt to the rescue - again! [:D] He moved the convoy to the northeast, to avoid my submarines. Weather forecast is still thunderstorms, though.



Between Midway and Pear Harbor, the Fast Transport TF stumbled over an I-boat:

ASW attack at 106,67
&nbsp;
Japanese Ships
SS I-2, hits 8 (forward torpedo tubes damaged)
&nbsp;
Allied Ships
DD Fanning
DD Reid
DD Preston
DD Smith
DD Shaw
DD Conyngham
DD Case

[Przemcio231]

What kind of Software do you use creating those Nice Screanshoot's[:D]&nbsp;As for the Vegies poor you... once being at my Grandfathers home in a village near Bialystok i eat a vegi dish i can't recal the name... it eneded worse then after Drinking Vodka , Beer and Wine during the same party[:D][:D]&nbsp;After Alchohol i was laying for only few houers[:D]

[VSWG]

January 3rd, 1942

Malaya:

Blenheims, Hudsons and B17s destroyed 20 resource centers at Mersing for no loss. For today, another ground strike on Japanese troops at Johore Bahru was ordered. Gary's Zeros are still flying CAP over Kuching, probably to lower their fatigue before trying another sweep at Singapore.

The AK in the Malacca Strait didn't make it to Singapore: despite 6 Hurricanes flying CAP, several Nells, Sallys and Helens sank AK Risalder and MSW Poole with several torpedoes.

DEI:

Today's annoyance raid: 6 T.IVa flew a port attack on Brunei from Tarakan, and put a 500kg bomb into ML Aotaka (heavy damage). [8D]

SigInt reports that the 21 Div. is on its way to Manado. Several days ago, SigInt reported tanks and heavy artillery are being transported to Manado, now a whole division? Some subs are in the area and are ordered to "investigate this matter".

China:

Gary retreated his brigade from the wooden hex west of Nanchang - maybe he, too, thought that my failed attack two turns ago was an outlier. The southern army has already marched 30 miles to Nanchang, they'll need two more days. Hopefully they arrive at Nanchang before the 2 Japanese units to the east enter their hex and cancel their movement orders. If not, I have to attack these units without being able to supply my army.

The Japanese attack on Wuchow was cancelled, the troops retreated towards Canton. Very good, another stable front.

Gary expanded his pilot training program a little. The following attacks are flown daily:



All Chinese fighters are at Chungking, flying 50 % CAP. I'm not going to challenge his training program - for now.

Great news from Hong Kong: the Chinese bombers were able to increase the supply level above the base's requirement (1900), and this triggered the redistribution of 1500 supplies to LCUs! Hong Kong Fortress was down to 400 supplies and has now more than 1700, and even the 2 AA units and the base force are now in full supply. Lets see how the AV develops...

SWPac:

Lots of enemy subs in the vicinity of Port Moresby. My ASW TF and a squadron of Dauntless are trying to hunt them down so that supply convoys can reinforce PM. Todays ASW attack against RO-61 resulted in no damage, though. I'm in desperate need of fuel in this area, several TKs are already on their way.



SoPac:

More than 100 ships are reported at Kwajalein, among them several heavy cruisers. Is he preparing a major SoPac offensive?

CentPac:
Curses! No sub attacks, no sighings (Thunderstorms; forecast: rain). Where did Mr. Sneaky send his convoy this time?! I have to form a picket line not far from Midway. SigInt gave me another radio transmission report further south, maybe a SC TF? Or KB itself?



The good news is that at night 4 more AKs with supplies arrived at Midway. Now 6 transports with 15.000 supplies are unloading here, and the supply level doubled this turn (from 2000 to 4000). The Fast Transport TF (10 DDs) and the Cruiser TF are now lurking several hexes to the northeast, waiting for opportunities. At Pearl Harbor, I started to load another brigade of the 25th Div. onto transports, just to be ready.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: Przemcio231

What kind of Software do you use creating those Nice Screanshoot's[:D] As for the Vegies poor you... once being at my Grandfathers home in a village near Bialystok i eat a vegi dish i can't recal the name... it eneded worse then after Drinking Vodka , Beer and Wine during the same party[:D][:D] After Alchohol i was laying for only few houers[:D]

Thanks Przemcio! I'm using a screenshot software called SnagIt, which has some nice editing features. Unfortunately it's not freeware...

The "vegie affair" was solved by a medical dose of high quality German "Schnaps", I'm sure you know what that is! [:D] One hour later, I was already enjoying a barbecue at my parents place again. [:)]

[VSWG]

Double post.

[VSWG]

No turn in my inbox today.&nbsp;[:(]

Time to mess around with my graphic program! [:)]



Any requests? Questions?

I have one: will Japanese troops at Manila and Singapore suffer from malaria as long as the base is in Allied hands?

[timtom]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

Will Japanese troops at Manila and Singapore suffer from malaria as long as the base is in Allied hands?

I presume not - AFAIK, it's the hex, not the base, that's non-malarial.

I wonder what the case might be with bases build to a non-malarial state (ie AF + port size 10+)? if the bonus only applies to the defender in this case, then there might well be a point in choosing Batavia over Soerabaja as your centre of gravity on Java, fx.

Excellent AAR, btw.

[Rob Brennan UK]

AFAIK Timtoms right as its the hex effect not the base itself.

I still cant get over your great Piccies ! wow !

[aztez]

It seems from pics that your opponent is pushing your hard! Intresting to read and see the diffrencies vs my againts Sardaukar.
&nbsp;
Keep up this one! [:)]

[VSWG]

January 4th, 1942

Malaya:

Another day of thunderstorms, with no LB flying for both sides. I confirmed yesterdays orders: ground attack on Johore Bahru, with all fighters on 100 % escort. This is a fun game we're playing here: Gary's trying to break my air defense, and I'm trying to avoid his fighters without retreating from Singapore. As soon as he starts to bomb the airfield I have to stand and fight, though. I'm not looking forward to it, but at least it will be fought on my turf, and fatigue and morale will be on my side (0/99 at the moment). Of course all fighter pools are empty.



DEI:

TF 81 encounters mine field at Kuching (27,56)
&nbsp;
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Mine hits 1,&nbsp; on fire

Nice! Another hit by a Dutch VH2 mine. Haruna is the second BB damaged in this area; Fuso was torpedoed by a Vildebeest and then by a submarine about a week ago.

Another annoyance raid: [:D]

Day Air attack on Brunei , at 33,56
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft
T.IVa x 7
&nbsp;
No Japanese losses
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
T.IVa: 4 damaged
&nbsp;
Japanese Ships
AP Huso Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Nissen Maru #2, Bomb hits 1
ML Tsubame, Bomb hits 1,&nbsp; on fire,&nbsp; heavy damage

Three Vildebeest didn't come back, though, they will be sadly missed.

Air raid Soerabaja!

Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 20
G4M1 Betty x 41
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 14
P-26A x 3
P-35A x 5
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 10 destroyed, 21 damaged
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 5 damaged
&nbsp;
Allied Ships
AVD Sirius, Torpedo hits 1,&nbsp; on fire,&nbsp; heavy damage
AGP Serdang, Bomb hits 1,&nbsp; on fire,&nbsp; heavy damage
BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 1,&nbsp; heavy damage
&nbsp;
Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
&nbsp;
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1

My fighters and the flak took a heavy toll on his TBs from Kendari (confirmed losses: 12 Nells and 2 Bettys), but now he knows where the PoW is. The combat report is not correct, BTW: AVD Sirius and AGP Serdang are completely undamaged, and PoW was heavily damaged (+19 system damage (now at 89), +65 floating damage, 7 fires!!!) by what was reported to be a "bouncing turret hit". To clarify: both my replay AND the Japanese combat report (forwarded by Gary) claim the above hits, but the actual save game has both tenders undamaged. How can that happen?


This probably seals the fate of the PoW. Even if she does not sink next today (port 8, 3 ARs), I doubt that I'll be able to sneak her past the TBs from Kendari and the I-boats around Java.

A counter-strike on Kendari was ordered: 83 Martins from Makassar will hit the airfield and try to destroy some damaged Nells. The base has been reconned since turn 1, but Makassar is only a size three air base. Some escorting Buffalos will try to deal with the few Oscars on CAP.

Too bad the ABDA fleet isn't around and I can't pound Kendari to dust. All combat ships are now at Colombo; they weren't safe in the DEI will Kendari and Kuching in Japanese hands. Fuel was also a problem, but now I've got some depots at Christmas Island and Darwin.



The fleet is intact; I've lost only CL Durban and the DDs Scout, Barker, Van Nes and Encouter. 2 CLs and 4 DDs, all with more than 30 sys damage, are still on their way to Colombo. I'll try to get the fleet in shape for the battle of Java, so the repairs will be split up between Bombay (port 6, 20 repair yards, Eastern Fleet HQ), Colombo (port 6, 40 repair yards) and Trincomalee (port 9, 0 repair yards).

BB Royal Souvereign arrived 3 days ago in Aden, CV Formidable will arrive in 8, Indomitable in 13 days (plus the odd destroyer or 2).

Philippines:

Several small AKs have arrived unmolested at Manila - there are no Japanese planes in the Philippines!&nbsp;[X(] 5000 supplies are being unloaded as we speak (41.000 at the moment). Tomorrow my artillery is going to fire back at the Japanese, which are causing between 100 and 200 casualties with their daily bombardment attacks.



China:

The usual air raids and skrimishes between guerillas and Japanese troops.

Another 0-1 for the Japanese troops at Hong Kong: [:)]

Japanese Deliberate attack
&nbsp;
Attacking force 21839 troops, 97 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 378&nbsp;
Defending force 22889 troops, 58 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 231
&nbsp;
Japanese max assault: 331 - adjusted assault: 220 &nbsp;
Allied max defense: 187 - adjusted defense: 889
&nbsp;
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Japanese ground losses:
208 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1
&nbsp;
Allied ground losses:
111 casualties reported

SWPac:

Plenty of targets near Port Moresby for my Australian ASW TF led by PC Doomba: RO-65 suffers 5 minor hits, but RO-61 will probably sink after 2 critical and 6 minor hits!

CentPac:

The enemy has disappeared. 5 more submarines arrived today, and now I have a tight cordon around Midway (7200 supplies). Did he turn around, or do the thunderstorms cover all TFs? But then at least my subs should have contact with the enemy...

[&:]

[VSWG]

timtom, Rob,
you are probably right, malaria seems to be coded into the hexes, and that doesn't take base ownership into account. Too bad...

ORIGINAL: aztez

It seems from pics that your opponent is pushing your hard![:)]

Not really. [;)] To be honest, Gary's advance at the moment is so slow that I can only hope for him that he's preparing some major offensive in CentPac or SoPac. He took Kuching, Ambonia and Kendari in the first days - after that, his advance in the DEI came to a complete stop. He's pretty slow in Malaya and in Luzon, too, and I'm still holding Hong Kong!! I guess something will happen soon, though. My bet is on northern Oz.

[VSWG]

Okay, I just found out that I used the Allied combat report for last turn's summary, and we were a bit out of sync (not anymore, thankfully).

At Soerabaja, the PoW was hit by 4 torpedoes and 10 bombs, not by a single bouncing turret hit!! That explains the massive flt. damage; actually it's a miracle she's still afloat! [X(]

My LB did fly from Singapore and hit the 5th Division (214 casualties) and the 2nd (Guards) Division (222 casualties), not bad. The Japanese attack at Hong Kong brought the fort levels down to 1, though. And the Vildebeests from Tarakan did not hit any Japanese ships at Brunei. Everything else remains the same.

The "Allied" combat report was better. [:(]

[ctangus]

Bummer. My synch errors tend to end up in my favor. I think I've had 3 phantom sinkings of POW now in different games. As well as 2 or 3 phantom torpedo hits against CVs.

Despite the damage to POW it seems like things are going well for the allies, all things considered.

[VSWG]

Still waiting for the big hammer to fall, ctangus, but so far I agree.

January 5th, 1942

Malaya:

Bad weather closed Singapore air base. Tomorrow (partly cloudy) I'm going to fly CAP with everything I have, at maximum altitute. I'm hoping for some escorted bombers; I'm expecting sweeps again. The odds are probably against me, but the situation (fatigue, morale, no damaged fighters) is as good as it gets. All Allied fanboys: please keep your fingers crossed, this is going to be a decisive air battle.
[&o]

DEI:

45 Sallys from Brunei visit Tarakan, but fail to inflict much damage on the air base.

The TB's from Kendari are back at Soerabaja!

Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 7
G4M1 Betty x 15
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft
Hawk 75A x 4
Brewster 339D x 21
P-26A x 3
P-35A x 4
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 2 damaged
&nbsp;
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G3M Nell bombing at 10000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

No hits on PoW, but will she make it anyway? [:(] At least the TB's from Kendari won't be back soon.



The Allied counter-attack on Kendari was no success, but not a failure either. I should have gone for the ships in port. Most Zeros were damaged by the Martins flying in formation.

Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 15
CW-22 Falcon x 9
Martin 139 x 53
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed
Martin 139: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
&nbsp;
Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
&nbsp;
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7
&nbsp;
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Martin 139 bombing at 10000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 8
Hudson I x 11
&nbsp;
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged
&nbsp;
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Hudson I: 2 damaged
&nbsp;
Runway hits 1
&nbsp;
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 10000 feet

2 transports were lost in the DEI today: SS-162 hit AK Maetsuycker, 1 of three AK's transporting resouces from Soerabja to Perth, with 2 torpedoes at the eastern tip of Java. 17 Nells found AK Princessa, a badly damaged transport limping from Balikpapan to Soerabaja, and dispatcheh her with 5 (!) torpedoes.

Philippines:

We trade artillery bombardments, with the Japanese inflicting more casualties: 171 Allied vs. 87 Japanese casualties. I'm outgunning the Japanese, so I'm probably suffering from a bad detection level. I'm flying some recon now. The supply level didn't drop at all because of the bombardment, so the attacks will continue in a few days.

China:

The usual air raids /guerilla action, and another deliberate attack at Hong Kong:
&nbsp;
Attacking force 21684 troops, 97 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 367
Defending force 22697 troops, 56 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 218
&nbsp;
Japanese max assault: 324 - adjusted assault: 149&nbsp;
Allied max defense: 171 - adjusted defense: 427
&nbsp;
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 1)&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Japanese ground losses:
541 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
&nbsp;
Allied ground losses:
98 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
&nbsp;
SoPac:

Everything's quiet.

SWPac:

Three more attacks by my ASW TF neat Port Moresby, there are at least 5 I-boats in the vicinity! The TF has completely run out of depth charges and must return to Cairns now. The following screenshot shows the experience level before and after the attacks of the last days.



CentPac:

No contact with the enemy. Thunderstorms are still raging, though, so I'm keeping my subs at Midway for a few more days, just to be sure. It was probably a feint...

Johnston Island will be reinforced my a CD unit and a brigade of the 25th Div, a Fast Transport TF is already on its way.