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Nice hit on the AP. I can't remember getting one of those all loaded up.

His subs are dong extraordinarily well. How is your ASW/search working in those areas? Looks like 3 of these are more open ocean situations. Tough to do anything out there.

I still lose some when I search heavily, but not as many. If I can get night search, day search and ASW there are virtually no hits, but that only happens near very important bases.

Forgot to say: american CVs spotted at PH by my Glens.... my subs have been spotted too so i'll have to move back to safety waters...

Heavy activity at Perth...will send some more subs to discover what's happening there...

ORIGINAL: obvert

Nice hit on the AP. I can't remember getting one of those all loaded up.

His subs are dong extraordinarily well. How is your ASW/search working in those areas? Looks like 3 of these are more open ocean situations. Tough to do anything out there.

I still lose some when I search heavily, but not as many. If I can get night search, day search and ASW there are virtually no hits, but that only happens near very important bases.

Well, i cannot have heavy air search everywhere. Around Singapore and Truk we're doing fine (but i have more than 200 naval s./ASW planes there)...but, as you know, you cannot cover every single water hex..

But at Wake, Tarawa and Makin i have heavy naval search...so those hits aren't that justified! Also i had a dedicated ASW both at Tarawa and Makin so i am pretty astonished by the results he got here

Yes, a fully loaded xAP always feels good when it goes down... but i've sunk so few ships so far that it really doesn't hurt him much

Sending back 2 CVs to HI for AA upgrades (Soryu and Hiryu), while the rest of the KB will remain at Truk for some days in order to repair some sys damage...and untill i know where his CVs are going from PH

How many US CVs have you spotted at Pearl? I'm asking becuase I guess you are left w/ 4CVs only in Truk, right? Not the best ratio to go against USN CVs at this stage of the war, IMHO. I mean... NON FAR CA**ATE! (don't get crazy) [:D]

Responded to your PM about ASW from my limited experience. Re-size your FPs and upgrade them to Jakes (later some go up to Norms due to their increased range). Their bomb load is to small to sink a sub, but I want to known where they are so I can try to sink them with my hunter-killer groups. Japan's escorts get better as time goes on, so hopefully your shipping will not be sunk as much. [;)]

I forgot to ask if your using the Beta patches. If so, then MichaelM has added a 'Coastal' routing to keep your TFs in shallow ocean hexes and make your Type 95 DC have a better chance of hitting. You and Olorin (Nick) are both playing Allied players that are familiar with Japan as players. It makes it harder to route your transports as we know most of them. [:D] I cannot wait to 43 for my subs!!

Well..no, I won't risk anything stupid with my CVs against the 6 USN Carriers (well, if he suddenly invades the Mariannas i guess i'll have to do something [:D]) Won't stay passive, but won't go crazy neither.
I still have a force of nearly 600 Carrier planes...not that bad anyway.

Micheal: yes, i'm using that new feature (coastal movement) but his subs do like even shallow waters...go figure! [8|]

I'm now, once again, changing my convoy/ASW assets. Will try to concentrate more and avoid any auto-run convoy (the CS ones i mean)...doing all manually...let's see if it works.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 15, 42

In China, another attack at Chikkiang dropped the forts down to zero. Now i need to rotate one of my divisions (the 61st ID is ready to rotate in) and we'll then begin to attack again. Now that the forts are gone, should be only a matter of time (and supplies!)



Another damned sub attack in a shallow water hex[:@]

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Sub attack near Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese Ships
xAK Hamburg Maru, Torpedo hits 1
PB Myoken Maru

Allied Ships
SS S-32



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Ground combat at Chihkiang (78,50)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41864 troops, 415 guns, 237 vehicles, Assault Value = 1223

Defending force 44817 troops, 207 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1446

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1123

Allied adjusted defense: 1576

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1352 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 100 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 60 (27 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 49 (2 destroyed, 47 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
560 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 119 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Tank Regiment
68th Division
51st Division
15th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
11th Army
21st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
53rd Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese/C Corps
7th Artillery Regiment





Usual enemy bombings at Amichtika Island (NOPAC) and at my 15th Army near Paoshan (Burma-Western China).

My guess? QBall will go for another amphib operation against Amichtika Island very soon. My mavis are spotting too many ships up there to be just a routine work...plus he has being bombing the hell out of it for weeks now (he moved up here not less than 50 B17Es and some 150 fighters on escort role)

very tempted to bring my Combined fleet into play...I'm still in time to recall those CVs sent home for upgrades... What to do? Risk a fight so far from home? He will have a lotta of LBA support there...while i'll have none...

What would a wise man do? Wait for a better opportunity (but we know that the more i wait, the stronger the USCVs become) or cast the dice and play with the wheel of fortune?

even with the nerfed Mk14 torpedoes, i'm losing more than 1 ship per day

I notice a fair number of the American successes are from S-boats. Does this scenario have them use the less powerful but more reliable Mark 10's?

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

even with the nerfed Mk14 torpedoes, i'm losing more than 1 ship per day

I notice a fair number of the American successes are from S-boats. Does this scenario have them use the less powerful but more reliable Mark 10's?

Sincerly i don't know. Afaik the Mk10s aren't changed in this Mod, but i may be wrong.

The fact is that those damned S-boats simply sit in a base hex and wait for preys...and there seems to be no way for me to chase them down or force them to abbandon their position...

Agust 16th 1942

Luckly no sub attacks today. I'm calling back all the CS convoys and reorganizing them. Will do it manually...takes so much time but the prize is high.

Today we tried something new, just to keep him honest. Didn't pay off as i wished, but it gave me the evidence that my defensive system in the Solomons works as intended.

Briefly....

Yesterday we spotted a 7 ships TF at Portland Roads. Recon showed no fighters there, only bombers. At the same time, at Cairns, some ships were spotted in the harbour, with no fighter cover.

As you may remember, my defensive plan for the Solomons/NG area relied on a series of AFs, connected to an Air Division/Army HQ, so that the HQ could coordinate the attacks from several multiple AFs at the very same time, providing coordination and torpedoes for all of them.
This time we tried how it worked with the Gasmata Air HQ.
We moved 27 Zeros + 54 Netties to Buna, 27 Oscars to PM and 18 Betties to Lae, with the support of the Mavis based at Woodwork Island.
27 Betties didn't find the target and got back :-/
The rest did what they were supposed to, and attacked the enemy shippings at Portland Roads... QBall had moved some P-40s there and we lost 11 Zeros for 2 P-40s (no crack pilots thank God), but all the Netties got through and sunk 3 xAKLs...ok, not worth the loss of 11 zeros probably, but i can efford that loss...and now he knows that if he wants to bring shippings up there he will have to cover them with some decent CAP.
The system, btw, works as intended. The coordination was more than decent and all my bombers did use their torpedoes.
In the Afternoon 18 Betties from Lae arrived at Cairns, bombing the port and placing a couple of bombs on a pair of xAKLs... no losses on my part... once again just to let him know that he cannot base ships wherever he wants...i'm not sleeping even if i'm not attacking.

Lost contact of enemy CVs...my subs around PH are chased down by several ASW TFs... moved some 3 Glen-equipped subs between PH and Addak...let's see if i'm right

More ships are gathering near Addak...counted at least 4 TFs with not less than 10 ships each...

Usual bombings of Amichtika by the B-17s...

The 33rd Division just arrived at Rangoon.

In Northern China my Tank corp is reaching Humruchi, chasing down what was left of the chinese northern Army.

We're sending some more troops to Northern Oz and western Sumatra. An Infantry Regiment is being loaded with destination Port Blair.
A mixed Bde and a Infantry Regiment are now guarding Ramree Island (Burma).

Collecting some engineers units all around the map: they will be moved to Biak and Hollandia, in order to start building the second defensive line in Northern NG.

Strategic considerations:
 
With september 42 being at the gates, i can draw some conclusions:
 
Japan has managed to reach and conquer a more-or-less historical perimeter, but failed to advance any further.
Moreover Japan failed to attrit the allied air and naval forces.
 
This will result into the creation of a stronger allied force much earlier than usual.
In Burma, for example, i'm already heavily outnumbered in terms of planes.
I have 100 bombers and 300 fighters, while my recon says he has in Assam more than 600 fighters and some 450 bombers.
 
Same goes for other areas, for sure.
 
My initial plan, anyway, remains the same: use the extra perimeter conquered (say northern Oz and Aleutinas) in order to gain time to build up a strong defensive line.
 
My defensive line, obviously, won't be a continuos Maginot-style defence. I'm building "defensive areas", to be used like strongpoints. These "Areas" are groups of interconnected bases (mainly air bases) built around an Air HQ. These bases will have a "core", a central base with lots of AA, Eng and the air HQ.  In the back of these "areas" there will be a naval base, with a decent port and a reserve of Infantry (like to have at least 2 divisions per every reserve).
All the other bases which are not included into these "areas" won't be built nor garrisoned. The idea is to force him to approach and land where i do want him to do...
 
I'll try later to better explain this concept (possibly with maps).
 
BTW the Solomons/NG defences are already up. He's gonna have a lot of problems if he choses this path of advance.
We're also in good shape in the Marshalls/Gilberts area.
Wake and Marcus should be safe.
The Kuriles are well garrisoned for 1942
 
Now it's time to build Timor, Biak/Hollandia, Siberoet/Padang/Benkoleng. Also the Adamans are getting stronger and built up decently

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
I notice a fair number of the American successes are from S-boats. Does this scenario have them use the less powerful but more reliable Mark 10's?

I've got an RA3 PBEM and a DBB-C with the trimmings both running. The S boats and the Mk 10s run about the same in each. I tend to throw them in areas where I want actual results.

Ed-

Ser Greyjoy, where is the stalwart knight of the realm that successfully attacked Hokkidate (sp?) and landed so boldly in Honshu itself?  Where, I ask?  Who is this imposter posing as one of the greatest AAR writers in WitP history?  This must be the Greyjoy that cowered in the dungeons of Dreadfort and survived on an irregular diet of rats and roaches!  Indeed, that characterless creature had long since passed on in my thoughts;  but, now he reemerges.
 
I have never read such a whiny, pessimistic "strategic summary" in all my days?  The fact is that China (which you barely mention) is all but gone and will be gone by the end of 1942.  You, meantime, cry an ocean over the Allied landings on Baker Is.  Baker Island!!  WHO DEY?!!  Good grief, man.  In real life the Allies were landing at Tulagi/Lunga Point in August 1942.  You fret and wring your hands over the Aleutan Is. like they were Toyko Bay.  Here's a news flash...the Aleutans were never anything more than a speed bump.  Baker IS. is too insignificant to speak of.
 
Hummmm, Loses.  Let me think....where is the fleet of Allied cruisers that started out in the Phillipines and DEI.  Oh yeah...they are sunk, along with some of the British cruisers that start in Capetown and Ceylon.  No CVs, but did you really think a player of his caliber would do many risky things with CVs before late 1942?  It would have been a coup to get a couple of them, but that's not to be expected.
 
The Burma Buffer.  It's Aug. 1942 and the Allies usually have air equality or superiority in Burma/Assam at this point.  So what.  Attrite his pools as best you can.  Do it over your bases as much as you can.  Seems to me you have been doing that okay.  You know the result of that, having been on the receiving end against Rader.
 
Oh oh, my, oh my, you only have the historical perimeter (never mind China).  Sob, weep, wring hands.  So what?  If you have been fortifying as you have noted now and again, that perimeter will serve nicely to slow the tide until those Japanese wonder weapons emerge and win the war for the Empire.  When he has to come to you ratehr than you to him, the combination of LBA, CV AC and fortifications may end the war in your favor.
 
Oh, and on the sub war thing, you have had some unusually bad luck with more hits than is usually the case, but stop whimpering about the lack of ASW.  The real Little Yellow Bastards had little to no surface ASW at this stage of the war.  They had a tough time stopping the subs even when the Allies had terrible torp detonators and torps.  Their BEST ASW weapon in 42-43 was the airplane.  Saturate your convoy lanes with bombers trained on ASW and the US sub losses will mount.  But just accept the fact that the American sub is going to be a major menace throughout the war and do the best you can to minimize it.  Whining incessantly about it will not solve anything!
 
Get on with the job at hand, Ser Greyjoy, or find a job more suitable to your talents ....like dungeon dweller and court jester at Dreadfort!  But, you really don't want to go there do you?
 
Your Ever Watcful Master

ORIGINAL: princep01

Ser Greyjoy, where is the stalwart knight of the realm that successfully attacked Hokkidate (sp?) and landed so boldly in Honshu itself?  Where, I ask?  Who is this imposter posing as one of the greatest AAR writers in WitP history?  This must be the Greyjoy that cowered in the dungeons of Dreadfort and survived on an irregular diet of rats and roaches!  Indeed, that characterless creature had long since passed on in my thoughts;  but, now he reemerges.

I have never read such a whiny, pessimistic "strategic summary" in all my days?  The fact is that China (which you barely mention) is all but gone and will be gone by the end of 1942.  You, meantime, cry an ocean over the Allied landings on Baker Is.  Baker Island!!  WHO DEY?!!  Good grief, man.  In real life the Allies were landing at Tulagi/Lunga Point in August 1942.  You fret and wring your hands over the Aleutan Is. like they were Toyko Bay.  Here's a news flash...the Aleutans were never anything more than a speed bump.  Baker IS. is too insignificant to speak of.

Hummmm, Loses.  Let me think....where is the fleet of Allied cruisers that started out in the Phillipines and DEI.  Oh yeah...they are sunk, along with some of the British cruisers that start in Capetown and Ceylon.  No CVs, but did you really think a player of his caliber would do many risky things with CVs before late 1942?  It would have been a coup to get a couple of them, but that's not to be expected.

The Burma Buffer.  It's Aug. 1942 and the Allies usually have air equality or superiority in Burma/Assam at this point.  So what.  Attrite his pools as best you can.  Do it over your bases as much as you can.  Seems to me you have been doing that okay.  You know the result of that, having been on the receiving end against Rader.

Oh oh, my, oh my, you only have the historical perimeter (never mind China).  Sob, weep, wring hands.  So what?  If you have been fortifying as you have noted now and again, that perimeter will serve nicely to slow the tide until those Japanese wonder weapons emerge and win the war for the Empire.  When he has to come to you ratehr than you to him, the combination of LBA, CV AC and fortifications may end the war in your favor.

Oh, and on the sub war thing, you have had some unusually bad luck with more hits than is usually the case, but stop whimpering about the lack of ASW.  The real Little Yellow Bastards had little to no surface ASW at this stage of the war.  They had a tough time stopping the subs even when the Allies had terrible torp detonators and torps.  Their BEST ASW weapon in 42-43 was the airplane.  Saturate your convoy lanes with bombers trained on ASW and the US sub losses will mount.  But just accept the fact that the American sub is going to be a major menace throughout the war and do the best you can to minimize it.  Whining incessantly about it will not solve anything!

Get on with the job at hand, Ser Greyjoy, or find a job more suitable to your talents ....like dungeon dweller and court jester at Dreadfort!  But, you really don't want to go there do you?

Your Ever Watcful Master

My Master,

i'm really sorry if i had given you the idea that i'm wheeping and crying like Lady Tanda (was her?) when you, in your loving hug, have locked her into her confortable turret (she felt so well that she was always hungry and she ended up eating her own fingers).
I am, in fact, pretty happy about my achievements. It's been a real challenge to start playing japan against QBall. And i really fell in love with the "reds". I had great ideas and plans when i started...thinking it would have been easy to conduct a "second phase" of expansion like Rader or others did. They make it seem easy! Soon enough i discovered how tough is to play as Japan and i re-directed my expectations.
Now i'm building my defences and i'm confident that, if QBall gives me the time i need, they can rapresent a very good challenge, even for a player of the caliber of QBall.

I don't complain for the loss of Baker and the Aleutinas. Those pieces of real estate really mean nothing strategically. What i complain is that i was, both of the times, caught with my pants down. My plan was to be able to react fast enough everywhere, in order to smash his amphib efforts when his means were still weak (no APA/AKA and few AP/AKs)... but Brad was everywhere fast and he came both of the times, using a very good camuflage that prevented any real intervention of mine... At Baker i was close...but one or two days too late. In the Aleutinas i was completely off balance... only the disposions of my subs gave me the chance to counterattack a bit (damaging a british CV, a british CVL and sinking an AK and one BB).

In Burma i should have been more aggressive... but i never had enough supplies to conduct an offensive air war. Now he's too strong and, as you say, i wanna attrit him OVER my territory.
My plan for Burma is pretty clear in my mind. I'll try to use the lessons learnt in china about stacking limits. Will defend mostly on jungle hexes and will try to force him to use unconfortable roads of advance. In the meanwhile i'm digging in wherever i can. The Monsoon will be over soon...and i hope to be ready by that time.

China is doing well, i know.

But It could go better, I should have exploited my initial successes and push a lot more harder, not worrying too much for the protection of my flanks. I should have been a Rommell with the Ghost Division, while i've been a Montgomery after El Alamein...

But, yes, i cannot complain strategically.

Yes, the allies lost quite a bunch of cruisers, but i lost 2 CAs and 2 CLs and 18 DDs (way too much) against only 14 allied DDs. And i wasn't able to attritt his merchant fleet like i should, while he sunk way more merchants than me.

You are right (as always) about the real japanese ASW capabilities... but it's always hard to adapt yourself yo a new status (this mod) when you tought you could have done at least as good as Rader (who managed to defeat my sub fleet pretty easily).
I'm investing a HUGE amount of efforts in air ASW...and things have improved so far from the early 42... i think i just have to live and accept the fact that us subs will be a PITA for the whole war.

Thank you Master. Your words have surely given me more will to fight, more strenght on my capabilities and to my spirit.

May the skinned man live forever

We reached Aug 22, 42.

Nothing much is happening. Brad is surely getting ready for his next push, while we are busy organizing our defences.

In NOPAC the daily milky runs of his B17s keep on bombing Amichtika, while we started to evacuate Attu Island garrison by an airbridge.
My Mavis keep on reporting several TFs approaching Addak Is from the east... but i lost contact with the enemy CVs. they were at Pearl 9 days ago, but now they disappeared...his ASWTFs forced my glen-equipped subs to move away from PH. I decided to move 2 subs up north, to keep an eye on the sealanes between PH and the Aleutinas, while 2 more are south, between Canton, Palmyra and PH, to see if he's transfering his forces back again into Centpac.

I have a sub flottilla ready in the Gilberts, another one in the Kuriles, and one more, in reserve, at Truk. In total i have nearly 30 subs ready in this part of the map. Few more are repairing at Tokyo.

In China the northern fronts doesn't move as fast as i wish. The terrain and the stacking limits incredibly help the defenders and our divisions, despite being in supply and always well supported by tanks and arty, really struggle to get rid of the enemy positions, even if they are out of supplies and have already forced to retreat... but we will get there!
The 1st Army is coming back from Lanchow and, with its 3 undefeated divisions (this army was the one who won the battle for Sian!), they should be able to break the enemy front

The 41st Division has been bought out and will be sent, in a month or so, to Sebang, along with 2 Artillery units and some engineers.

In Burma we're sending reinforces and supplies...badly needed! (see map for the defensive plan).

In southern DEI, we've decided how to settle up our defences (see map). Engineers and base forces are enroute.

A6M5 advanced to 1/43 (good) and should be available for 10/42 (hopefully).

The pilot situation is very good (Brad's one too, i bet):
IJN reserve pool:
330 fighter pilots
500 bomber pilots
400 patrol pilots (naval and ASW)

IJA reserve pool:
800 fighter pilots
800 bomber pilots
350 patrol pilots (naval and ASW)


Ground combat at Hami (81,17) (UMRUCHI, with its oil fields, is next... then we will have finished the whole northern China!)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1536 troops, 0 guns, 284 vehicles, Assault Value = 176

Defending force 4060 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 101

Japanese adjusted assault: 193

Allied adjusted defense: 22

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hami !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
I-16-III: 10 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
Units pursuing 1

Allied ground losses:
1802 casualties reported
Squads: 74 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 8

Assaulting units:
9th Tank Regiment
5th Armored Car Co
12th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
9th Separate Brigade
6th Chinese Base Force
15th Chinese Base Force
10th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
19th Chinese Base Force
5th Chinese Base Force
21st Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 80,39 (near Tienshui)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27640 troops, 306 guns, 316 vehicles, Assault Value = 882

Defending force 25065 troops, 189 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 462

Japanese adjusted assault: 395 [:@][:@][:@][:@]

Allied adjusted defense: 241

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
913 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1240 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 140 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 24 (2 destroyed, 22 disabled)

Assaulting units:
41st Division
13th Tank Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
37th Division
8th Recon Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
12th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
38th Chinese Corps
4th Group Army
1st Construction Regiment
85th Chinese Corps
57th AT Gun Regiment

Southern DEI defensive plan

I havn´t really played the japanese side, but Akyab always looked like a deathtrap for the japanese to me. Its easy to escort the bombers bombing it into rubble, you can sweep and escort from serveral bases even with the short legged fighters. The supply flow is a nightmare even for the allies till they build up Cox and Chittagong, should be even worse for the japanese. But, i know its bad for the japanese if its build up from the allies.[;)]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Southern DEI defensive plan

Looks good to me. I am doing exactly this for my game, but a year on from where you are now. I'l be posting soon in my AAR. Interesting to see the similarities and differences.

I thought about Saumlaki. Not sure if it's better to have the HQ so close to OZ or farther back. It's in sweep range so could be obliterated by 4Es with escorts there.

ORIGINAL: Banzan

I havn´t really played the japanese side, but Akyab always looked like a deathtrap for the japanese to me. Its easy to escort the bombers bombing it into rubble, you can sweep and escort from serveral bases even with the short legged fighters. The supply flow is a nightmare even for the allies till they build up Cox and Chittagong, should be even worse for the japanese. But, i know its bad for the japanese if its build up from the allies.[;)]

Akyab is impossible to keep supplied for Japan if the allies are bombing it. But, at the very same time, i wanna fight for it untill i can. Once Akyab is in allied hands, things will look even grimmer for me in Burma. I can sacrifice a couple of divisions for it. With some forts, in jungle terrain and with the stacking limit, the allies may find not so easy to dislodge me.
I'll be in the same position as the chinese in China. I've seen what inferior troops can do in good terrain, even if unsupplied.... they can hold! wanna test it.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 24, 42

Today the allies started to bomb Mytikina. They arrived en masse...and cause lots of trouble. With the monsoon, that whole area is out of supplies so i cannot keep an air force there. Only land troops. The 15th Army is there, guarding...while 4 enemy units suddenly appeared on the flank of the RTA Cav division...[X(]. Sending more forces up there...thank God the RailRoad is in my hands!

A big supply convoy (80k tons) is getting close to Singa...in a couple of weeks i'll have again decent supplies in Burma.

In China we got another 1-1 in the hex southwest of Tienshui...but the enemy is shooting his last bullets here...a shock attack is ordered for tomorrow...then we'll get rid of the stack that is trapped east of this position (some 29,000 men).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-43A-1 Lancer x 10
Blenheim I x 12
Blenheim IV x 3
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
B-26B Marauder x 14
P-38E Lightning x 25

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim I: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 26



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-43A-1 Lancer x 12
Blenheim IV x 11
B-26B Marauder x 3

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 12



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 15
B-26B Marauder x 11

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 24



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 80,39 (near Tienshui)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27332 troops, 305 guns, 316 vehicles, Assault Value = 848

Defending force 20356 troops, 152 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 253

Japanese adjusted assault: 369

Allied adjusted defense: 247

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
216 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2584 casualties reported
Squads: 105 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 46 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (5 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
41st Division
15th Tank Regiment
37th Division
13th Tank Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
76th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
4th Group Army
1st Construction Regiment
38th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
57th AT Gun Regiment





I'm close to buy the 8th division. A crack division with 80 experience! The question is: where to send it? At first i wanted to send it to the Mariannas, just to start to have there something consistent... but, at this point, it's probably a waste of resources...

Sumatra? Burma? Timor? Or SOPAC?

At the moment my IJA big units disposition is the following:

I have 2 Divisions and 1 Regiment in SOPAC
3 Divisions in Java
2 Divisions at Sinagapore (ready to be moved to Sumatra)
1 Division at Timor
1 Division at Manila (this will have to get rid of Cebu first, where a PA division still lives!)
2 bought out divisions are still fighting in china
7 Divisions + 4 regiments in Burma (not counting the RTA units)
1 Regiments in the Adamans
1 Divisions + 3 BNs and 1 regiment in the Kuriles

What would you suggest?

Moving to the Kuriles 36 Nells, 27 Kates, 18 Vals, 36 Zeros and 48 Jakes. This will rapresent, for the upcoming fall/winter 1942, the resident air force for the 5th fleet HQ in the Kuriles.
 
I'm also shifting some air forces from SOPAC to DEI. 54 Netties, some 60 Zeros, 30 Oscar IIa (yes, it arrived!) and several bomber groups with ASW duties.

Regarding the S-boats... Where do they operate? As you remember from your Allied game, the S-"electric boats" all have a very short range. Just 4000 or 5000nm compared to 8000+ of most other subs... That should limit their usefulness. How many are there any way - 4 in Manila and X number more elsewhere, in the beginning of the war?

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Regarding the S-boats... Where do they operate? As you remember from your Allied game, the S-"electric boats" all have a very short range. Just 4000 or 5000nm compared to 8000+ of most other subs... That should limit their usefulness. How many are there any way - 4 in Manila and X number more elsewhere, in the beginning of the war?

Most of them operate in CENTPAC, so i think their bases are somewhere at PH, or Christmas Island or Pago Pago, while those who operate in the DEI i'm pretty sure come from Cocos Island.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 25, 42

Mitikina and Amichtika are bombed again...very heavily!

But today we celebrate...the breakthrough we were waiting for in Northern China has arrived.... The front is again on the move...and waiting for the 1st Army to arrive

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Ground combat at 80,39 (near Tienshui)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 27104 troops, 306 guns, 316 vehicles, Assault Value = 821

Defending force 18447 troops, 144 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 180

Japanese adjusted assault: 713

Allied adjusted defense: 139

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
294 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5096 casualties reported
Squads: 249 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 202 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (18 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 9
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
41st Division
13th Tank Regiment
37th Division
15th Tank Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
12th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
1st Construction Regiment
85th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
4th Group Army
80th Chinese Corps
57th AT Gun Regiment