Tale of the Sheep! - JocMeister (A) vs. Lowpe (J)

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]June 9th-10th 1942[/font]
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Home with sick kids...again!

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NORPAC/WC
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KB shifts around a little and just misses all my subs. Jeff then strikes Santa Barbara destroying the resources there. It "only" 60 points though. Dividing my CAP a little more evenly between SF and LA as it looks like Jeff is heading towards the North now.

Nells/Betties hits Nelson destroying 120 Resources.

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China
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I can no longer supply troops even as close to Chungking as 6 hexes. I had two good Corps (800 AV) dug in with level 2 forts in 3x terrain on the Ankang road. Despite a river crossing Jeff just brushed them aside with no Japanese losses.

Not really sure what to do here. Without supply I´m just giving him VPs by putting troops in his way. I might be better off bottling up in Chungking where I still have some supply? Let the rest of the troops make a run for the mountains?

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SOPAC
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Jeff has been putting some troops into the Solomons. He lacked air cover and Nav search so a USN/AUS CA force intercepted the Japanese APDs. Not sure why I even bothered to bring anything more then CA Canberra who single-handedly sank two of the APDs before the 3rd one escaped.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rennell Island at 113,140, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Shimakaze, Shell hits 1
APD Nadakaze, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Tade, Shell hits 14, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis
CA San Francisco
CA Australia
CA Canberra, Shell hits 1
DD Bagley
DD Blue
DD Helm
DD Henley
DD Patterson
DD Jarvis
DD Craven
DD Gridley

At the same time a US Fast transport TF landed some commandos on Kirikara. I´ll soon start moving forward here. Wasp and my favorite ship the North Carolina just arrived at Balboa. They will move with a big US convoy to NZ where they will join up with the main US fleet.

Jeff is still trying to clean up all the small dot bases down here. He just landed at Buka.

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India
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Coming in a separate post.


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Score
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The allies have gained 300 VPs during the last week. A healthy sign but the ratio is still growing in Japanese favor. I still have 5 months to reach my target of 10k VPs though.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]India July 10th 1942[/font]
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Had hoped to entice Jeff to hunt for my CVs here. Sadly he did the smart thing and pulled back to Akyab with his fleet. We use the opportunity to nuke Chittagong.

Night Naval bombardment of Chittagong at 55,41

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
BB Resolution
BB Ramillies
BB Royal Sovereign
BB Revenge

Japanese ground losses:
744 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 12 (7 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (6 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Light Industry hits 1
Manpower hits 1
Fires 149
Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 35
Port hits 5

My CAP has already taken a bit of a beating from LBA attacks. Time to pull back for a bit.

On the ground I´ve painted myself a bit in to a corner. Bad play by me as I didn´t expect Jeff to turn North with his main stack. Unless I can dislodge the 18th/B ID next turn my troops will be isolated and destroyed in the coming week.

My main stack is still pushing after Jeffs main stack. I´ll send two IDs out from Calcutta to start threatening his rear.

[HansBolter]

Are the apparently empty bases in the path of your green arrow actually empty?

Have any been reconned? I'd be reconning all of them with as many planes as I could, even Blennie 1s to keep him guessing.

Looks more to me like he is the one moving into a trap.

Keep a stiff upper lip and don't waver in your commitment.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Are the apparently empty bases in the path of your green arrow actually empty?

Have any been reconned? I'd be reconning all of them with as many planes as I could, even Blennie 1s to keep him guessing.

Looks more to me like he is the one moving into a trap.

Keep a stiff upper lip and don't waver in your commitment.

No, he has small force in each of them. Probably BFs.

Yeah, he is getting deeper and deeper into India without properly covering his flanks. If my smaller force can keep moving I´m in a good position to deny him a retreat path back to his lines.

[Bullwinkle58]

I'm not sure what that north vector gets him? No industry, he runs into the LOD eventually, and he has a long, long exposed flank. If Japan does India at all (unwise IMO), sticking to the coast and heading for Madras makes more sense to me. If he's trying for a really large (REALLY) pocketing of Calcutta he hasn't got the men. And in India even a really large pocket has an outside, and that faces Madras and Bombay and Karachi and their LCUs.

But heck, I'm just a sailor.

[Canoerebel]

To threaten all of India this late date, I think Japan would need to bring 15 to 20 divisions. That'll put the scare in an Allied player, especially if its April '42 and early.

Ten divisions would be enough to be a headache for the Allied player in the summer of '42, especially if Japan were moving aggressively and the Allied player thought (or had to plan for the possibility) that more IJA divisions were inbound. But ten isn't enough to threaten the sub continent.

Less than ten divisions is a localized operation. Japan can make noise. Japan can bottle up Allied troops. But India isn't at stake.

June '42 is still Japan-Runs-Amock on the calendar, but the situation will change considerably by September (especially in India or Oz or USA on the ground and in the air) if the Allied player (hey, Joc, that's you) keeps his head and parcels out his assets properly.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I'm not sure what that north vector gets him? No industry, he runs into the LOD eventually, and he has a long, long exposed flank. If Japan does India at all (unwise IMO), sticking to the coast and heading for Madras makes more sense to me. If he's trying for a really large (REALLY) pocketing of Calcutta he hasn't got the men. And in India even a really large pocket has an outside, and that faces Madras and Bombay and Karachi and their LCUs.

But heck, I'm just a sailor.

I don´t know either. I don´t even understand why he invaded India in the first place. Would have made more sense to land on Ceylon with the amount of troops he had available.

Not complaining though. Gives me the opportunity to fight him under the best possible allied conditions. Lots of restricted troops with a healthy pool of squads. Should have a well trained Indian army when 43-44 comes around. [:)]

EDIT: CR beat me to it! [:)]

[JocMeister]

Got a turn back to Jeff but no time for an update.

Not much to report anyway. My smaller stack is "safe". They will probably be a bit beat up by Jeffs main stack but retreat path is open. [:)] Spent most of the night cleaning vomit so I´m off to bed now.

Here is some music that everyone can appreciate (really!) [:)]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jifOSQAI0G8

[Hermit]

Started reading this AAR a few days ago, and finally got caught up. I'm learning a lot strategically from everyone's comments, and some good tactical advice as well. Thanks for dedicating your time to keep us informed Joc, it's been a great read.

On another note, I've also started playing WoWs, up to tier V & VI now. I play with a buddy or two every Saturday and Sunday morning. My handle is Hermit5000. Hope to see you there!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Hermit

Started reading this AAR a few days ago, and finally got caught up. I'm learning a lot strategically from everyone's comments, and some good tactical advice as well. Thanks for dedicating your time to keep us informed Joc, it's been a great read.

On another note, I've also started playing WoWs, up to tier V & VI now. I play with a buddy or two every Saturday and Sunday morning. My handle is Hermit5000. Hope to see you there!

Thank you Hermit and welcome to the AAR. [:)]

I´ll keep my eye out for you and your friend on the server. I play a lot with the Murmansk right now (T5) so we might meet. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]June 11-13th 1942[/font]
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Black day for the RAF in India!

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NORPAC/WC
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KB pulls back after 2 strikes and sweeping San Diego for about even losses. I think the 30+ subs hunting him might have contributed. The usual strikes continue in the North.

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SOPAC
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A "CV TF" is spotted north of Noumea. I´m pretty certain there are no CVs in there but the OP report states "A Japanese BB spotted". I´ll divert some more NavS to the area and vector in the subs. Is he raiding or coming for Noumea? If the latter he will find its not so easy to take. 2 fully prepped divisions backed up by level 5 forts, tanks and some artillery.

My Fast Transport and CA TF are already back to Sydney. Sara is still in the yard for refits and will be gone another 30 days. I still have York (with Avengers), 9 CAs, 12 CLs and around 40 DDs down here. I´ll fight for Noumea if he is coming.

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India
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As I noted in my earlier post my smaller stack are "safe". The 18th/B withdrew from the hex giving me full hexside control. Parts of Jeffs main stack arrived and he will probably route my stack but with a retreat path open the troops will live to fight another day. In fact my small stack already held against an attack.

Ground combat at 52,30 (near Ranchi)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 28507 troops, 434 guns, 187 vehicles, Assault Value = 817

Defending force 21138 troops, 250 guns, 299 vehicles, Assault Value = 810

Japanese adjusted assault: 479

Allied adjusted defense: 309

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1403 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1082 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 33 (1 destroyed, 32 disabled)

Assaulting units:
38th Division
4th Guards Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /5
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st RF Gun Bn /1

Defending units:
9th Indian Division
19th Indian Division
26th Indian Brigade
2/1 AIF Pioneer Battalion
85th British AT Gun Regiment

Sadly the RAF takes a tremendous beating over the stack. Jeff finally managed to get some LRCAP up and my Blenheims had to go in unescorted since I don´t have any fighters with range enough. 35 are shot down (70% of the total force). I´ll see if I can revenge them tomorrow.

An African BDE and some heavy AA arrived at the outskirts of Calcutta. A fast transport TF is standing by at CT waiting for the 32nd US ID arriving in 2 days. My main stack is pushing East towards Rajshashi.

Jeff continues to play aggressively.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]India[/font]
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Feeling stronger and stronger here.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SOPAC[/font]
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Raiding? Or invasion?

[njp72]

Yep, he is definitely over extended here. A feeling I know all too well

If you can get armour into his rear LOC + some decent air support you will create nightmares for him.

Many Empire players fail to grasp how quickly allied units can move thanks to their motorised orbat. You could really hurt him here.

Have fun

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]India[/font]
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Feeling stronger and stronger here.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Yep, he is definitely over extended here. A feeling I know all too well

If you can get armour into his rear LOC + some decent air support you will create nightmares for him.

Many Empire players fail to grasp how quickly allied units can move thanks to their motorised orbat. You could really hurt him here.

Have fun

I have two British Armored BDEs with my big stack. Sadly I don´t have enough Valentines to upgrade then so they are still using Stuarts, Vickers and Improv AFVs. So they are quite weak. Also can´t really leave the AA behind as I can´t provide LRCAP. So for now I think I´ll have to plod along slowly but surely! [:D]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Allied Navy SOPAC[/font]
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Carriers
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Saratoga (under refit ETA 30 days)
Yorktown
Wasp (en route ETA 25-35 days)

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Battleships
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North Carolina (en route ETA 25-35 days)

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Heavy Cruisers
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Louisville, Pensacola, Chicago, Chester, Indianapolis, Minneapolis Australia, Canberra

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Light Cruisers
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Leander, Achilles, Sumatra, Perth, Trenton, Marblehead, Boise Nashville, Raleigh, Detroit, Nashville, Helena.

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Destroyers
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A mixed bag of about 60 US DDs and 10 allied DDs of various nationality.

[Capt. Harlock]

Feeling stronger and stronger here.

For the sake of tea lovers everywhere, Darjeeling must be liberated![;)]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
For the sake of tea lovers everywhere, Darjeeling must be liberated![;)]

I´ll do my best! [:D]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Mines[/font]
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Only the replay from Jeff but look at this:

TF 111 encounters mine field at Akyab (54,45)

Japanese Ships
xAK Enzyu Maru, Mine hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

TF 116 encounters mine field at Akyab (54,45)

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma, Mine hits 3, heavy damage

TF 116 encounters mine field at Akyab (54,45)

Japanese Ships
DD Matsukaze, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagiri

3 mines cleared

3 hits on the Mikuma! [&o] Never seen multiple mine hits from the same minefield before. Would be very surprised if she didn´t sink right away. [:)]

[zuluhour]

Composition of the minefield sir?
lots of small ones? etc.
That is a very satisfying result.
**JFB please ignore.[;)]