Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[RangerJoe]

Here? Just WITP-AE.

[John B.]

Well Scott is back from vacation. Not too much happened this time. I had a Betty squadron set on Kamikaze and they got one hit on an APD (on fire, heavy damage) and a free shot at an AK and an AP but missed everything. Honestly, I'm not sure of the value of Kamikazes except that it's nice to have something to hit back with. More bombing of Manila and more advances in Taiwan.

[John B.]

There was a brief pause while the Emperor joined his granddaughter at Disney World. Now, back at it. I garnered a few VP when one of my subs put two torpedos into the Batfish. Sinking sounds followed and there was great rejoicing.

[John B.]

Scott continued his clearing of Taiwan with a shock assault at Taikahou (sp?). It's sad that he took no losses whatsoever but he had done a sea bombardment and heavy air attacks against units that were not that good to begin with. He'll clear them out next turn.

[John B.]

The biggest news of the day, however, was his deliberate assault on Manila. The good news is that he lost 340 squads/devices to my 52. The very bad news is that my fort level went from 9 to 8. He just needs to keep attacking to get that fort level down so that his bombardments start to have an actual effect. Given that I still have 112K supply, I've decided to give my bombardment a couple of shots to see if I get a positive result. No sense in having supply left when he takes the city.

I have started to fly support units out of Manila. The Naval HQ, for example, has been airlifted to china. Those 230 naval support squads were eating valuable rice and just waiting to give Scott 38 VP. I'll also fly out one of the air HQ. I can't get the motorized support squads out, but the air support squads can help support Hong Kong's air efforts and reduce the VP loss from Manila.

[John B.]

A couple more turns have past and not much to really report. A few dead allied aircraft. and Scott sank an AKE at Naha. It was in port there and I docked it to unload it's supply. It was basically unloaded by the time it sank so mission accomplished.

[John B.]

Scott continues to press in Taiwan and hammer Manila. This turn I have a major airlift in Taiwan taking out ruined units (no sense in giving Scott free VP). I did not bombard again in Manila. I was only killing 7-10 squads and paying 500 supply per turn to do so. In fact, Manila only lost about 350 supply this turn despite several BBs bombarding and lots of planes bombing. My AA has become ineffective (only shooting down about one plane per day) and I can't fly it out so that will be a permanent supply drain.

In Indochina I have a about 14 divisions tied down defending the vast coastline. I am more than happy to give it all up as there is not much there worth defending but I don't want to open up a gateway to China until I have to do so. I've also been positioning divisions in the interior along the coast of southern China to be ready for that invasion when it comes.

BTW, if I cut the transiberian railroad, does that have any effect in supply levels for soviet units near Vladivostok?

[RangerJoe]

Maybe try putting the AA into reserve mode with a very low aggression leader. If it works and he drops lower, take it out of reserve mode with a high aggression leader.

[RangerJoe]

BTW, if I cut the transiberian railroad, does that have any effect in supply levels for soviet units near Vladivostok?

It might but not necessarily in the short term. Moskva has 1400 LI dedicated to the Far East but no resources at its location.

[John B.]

Thanks! I'm just trying to think of ways to slow down the Soviet Juggernaut next year. And, I'll try the AA trick to see if I can reduce the unhelpful supply burn.

[RangerJoe]

I am in a Scen 2 game against the AI and am thinking of trying to cut off the Far East Pacific coast and marching on Moskva. It would put a crimper on the Soviets and they might fall in 1943. If a person could do that to a human, that could seriously impact the end of game since there would be little need for a Manchurian garrison.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
I am in a Scen 2 game against the AI and am thinking of trying to cut off the Far East Pacific coast and marching on Moskva. It would put a crimper on the Soviets and they might fall in 1943. If a person could do that to a human, that could seriously impact the end of game since there would be little need for a Manchurian garrison.

Surely can be done against AI, not worth it against human. Soviets are tough in defence. There are several AARs where Japanese players woke up Soviets deliberately in 42-43. None of those achieved victory on the northern front, while making lots of concessions elsewhere. But they surely are an interesting read
NJPs "Empire strikes back" page 10+ https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3790373
Rader's "Taming the bear" page 4+ https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2421884

[RangerJoe]

I looked at the second link and I saw where he cut the rail line between Kuibyshevka and Khabarovsk. I think a better way to do that is to paradrop on two cities closer to Moskva which have a KGB regiment each. With between 100 and 200 bombers on each target, the infantry should be disrupted. Think of bombs dropping into your barracks while you are sleeping. [X(] Then the air bomb those units in Mongolia.

Three cities invaded right away and another one invaded upriver which would take the aircraft factories producing the IL-2 and the torpedo bomber that they get later.

Make a bunch of CMcs and use the ones that you already have to put minefields at Vladivostok.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
I looked at the second link and I saw where he cut the rail line between Kuibyshevka and Khabarovsk...

I think you did not read sufficiently long enough. It is not about speed. Vladivostok pocket does not care much about where you cut the line, it will hold for a year+ in the terrain and forts and will require a whole lot of your supplies and blood to eliminate. Russian arty is brutal. Also, you would need to constantly guard the north against US lend-lease supply convoys.
Besides, there is no Moskva on the standard map.

[RangerJoe]

Moskva is the Soviet Union base with the 1400 LI. There are ways to increase the Soviet supply draw.

[John B.]

Oh, I"m not looking to take out the Soviet Union or even take Vladivostok. I'm looking to crimp it's style in August-December 1945 to keep Scott from wracking up VP in Manchuria. If cutting the rail line hinders his attack supply in Vladivostok then I'm all for it! I do like the CM idea at Vladivostok to try and get those sub units when they deploy. If I start the war at the end of July 45 I may be able to pick up some VP of my own by hitting his airfields with the Japanese bomber fleet that has been training for the past two years.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: John B.
Oh, I"m not looking to take out the Soviet Union or even take Vladivostok. I'm looking to crimp it's style in August-December 1945 to keep Scott from wracking up VP in Manchuria. If cutting the rail line hinders his attack supply in Vladivostok then I'm all for it! I do like the CM idea at Vladivostok to try and get those sub units when they deploy. If I start the war at the end of July 45 I may be able to pick up some VP of my own by hitting his airfields with the Japanese bomber fleet that has been training for the past two years.

Forget about forward defence. Soviet tanks and arty will eventually roll over and you will be trampled in Manchukuo plains. Instead look on the terrain and start digging with your infantry in the RR chokepoints and terrain-supported lines. The latter are mostly closer to Korea and China, so prepare tp concede Manchukuo. Your goal will be to slow down the tide while not allowing Soviets to overrun and encircle your main formations. This is also the last theatre where Jap bombers can have their day

[RangerJoe]

If the Soviets don't defend against the initial attack, maybe quick airstrikes the day before the Soviet Union activates . . .

[John B.]

RangerJoe, that's the general plan, gear up and hit them just before they join the war. My hope is to catch a number of their planes on the ground and rack up some VP on the cheap. I've got a bunch of very good bomber pilots who have done nothing for the past two years.

[John B.]

Three turns have passed and not real developments. This turn saw some nice allied ops losses and flak losses but not too much to write home about.