Here come the Rebels! (Canoe v. Q-Ball)

[PresterJohn001]

Empire of The Sun (GMT board game) is available as a Vassal and Cyberboard module.

Takes a little more effort to play pbem but once you get the rythm no more time than a computer wargame. Vassal also allows real time play if you can be online same time as your opponent. Use of a dice rolling server such as ACTS keeps everything visibly honest (most important when you get a really good streak of luck).

[Canoerebel]

10/24/42

Poona: The retreating IJA stack made it to Poona before the Allies could attack - I'm surprised that they were able to move so quickly since Allied bombers have been hitting them daily, which usually slows movement to a crawl. The Allied stack will arrive at Poona in two days. Japan may have to make a stand there, as there are two or three IJA divisions on secondary roads that are facing isolation if the Allies advance too rapidly.

East India: The Allies reclaimed a second base (Jabblepure, north of Nagpur) today. Tomorrow, Chindits will para-assault what appears to be a vacant base closer to the east coast.

The Rout is On: While Japan has a very strong army in India, Brad has to worry about isolation. He's also unsure the strength of the various advancing Allied elements. Thus, the rout is on at the moment, with Japan in full retreat. Japan can make stands at strongpoints like Madras, Bangalore, Calcutta, and other points, though only if Brad keeps a strong airforce present in India. By the end of 1942, I would expect the Allies to reclaim much of what they lost, excepting only NE India (the Calcutta region) and possibly Madras.

Noumea: The transports returned to New Zealand and unloaded. The Allied carriers will enter the eastern Pacific (from the Canal Zone) in six days, proceed to Tahiti, and thence to New Zealand.

CenPac: The Wake/Marcus TFs are on the way back to Pearl to unload. The plan is to try again after the Allied carriers draw the KB down to SoPac.

[Canoerebel]

10/25/42 and 10/26/42

We've played three turns today - the first time we've done anything like this since late November. I'm afraid to ask Brad why the welcome change for fear it will break the spell.

Poona: The Allied army of 5,100 AV has arrived at Poona. The Allies will shock attack tomorrow. No need to fool around here - the Allies have about 150k troops to about 50k for Japan. I think Japan may have three divisions present. If the Allies can bust through here, there will be a real shot at mangling three to six IJA divisions. If, on the other hand, the Japanese are able to hold at Poona for a week or more, then it's a different game altogether. Allied airforce has undisputed dominion in the skies, so each turn a variety of IJA units take hits.

East India: Chindits took an undefended Sambalpar on the 25th. This base is pretty close to the east coast, but isn't on the railroad. Tomorrow, the Chindits will try for Jambulpur, which is on the railroad. My recon squadron didn't fly due to weather, so I'm not sure if the base is defended. If so, I won't have enough to take it.

Withdrawal: Kingfish got an empty xAP approaching Diamond Harbor. Also, SigInt reports 33rd Division, most recently in Burma, is now at Singapore. The Japanese are in full retirement mode in India.

[Cribtop]

The dam is bulging under the pressure. Will be interesting to see whether it will break.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton
Give the Japanese player the option of improving his pilots for some sort of cost

Uh...yeah. The IJ player has the option of improving his pilots for massive monthly HI cost as well as a major micromanagement commitment to pilot training. Both costs are very real.

As a JFB, I would oppose any major changes to the IJ opportunities to improve their pilots. You want a streamlined interface for the Allies, knock yourselves out. Just ensure there's an option that suits IJ sensibilities too.

[FatR]

The biggest cost for maintaining high level of pilot training Japan must pay is commitment of units. Creative resizing in carriers, unless banned by HRs can alleviate the problem for IJNAF only, but does not solve it entirely. For IJAAF only, in my Scen 70 game, I managed to maintain high level of training by committing 80% of 2nd Air Division and entire 51st Air Division to training only. I.e., all temporarily restricted reinforcement units and most of those that started the game in Manchuria/Home Islands.

EDIT: If you have a HR against resizing, IJNAF is practically doomed to be short on pilots if there is any meaningful attrition going on, considering how relatively few training units it has, and how much time you need to train a Betty/Kate pilot.

[Canoerebel]

10/27/42

Battle of Poona: In a 16:1 shock attack, the Allies routed three IJA divisons at Poona. The rout is on. Most of the Allied armor reinforced by some infantry will pursue the defeated enemy, which fortunately for Brad took the optimum route of retreat down the good road toward the IJ port at Goa. Assuming Allied air can slow down the retreating units, the Allies should pulverize the badly mauled remants of the three divisions. For full combat report on this battle, see below.

Second Stack Isolated: This defeat means a second IJA stack of about three divisions, that had taken an interior, yellow trail after retreating from Jalagon weeks ago, is not almost certain to be cut off by the Allies. Most of the Allied infantry at Poona, supported by two small armored units, will advance one hex to the SE on a good road. Upon arriving in two days, the IJA stack to the north is isolated. Therefore, it appears that at least six and perhaps as many as eight IJA divisions face anhiliation. This is the big breakthrough and victory the Allies sought.

The results of the Battle of Poona:

Ground combat at Poona (36,26)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 135292 troops, 1949 guns, 3450 vehicles, Assault Value = 5162

Defending force 39317 troops, 405 guns, 201 vehicles, Assault Value = 1205

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Allied adjusted assault: 4224

Japanese adjusted defense: 251

Allied assault odds: 16 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Poona !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
9414 casualties reported
Squads: 339 destroyed, 214 disabled
Non Combat: 477 destroyed, 234 disabled
Engineers: 77 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 204 (197 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 172 (165 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Allied ground losses:
3654 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 325 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 578 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 29 disabled
Vehicles lost 251 (11 destroyed, 240 disabled)

[Cribtop]

Unleash J.E.B. Stuart! Assuming you can find him...

[Canoerebel]

Here's a map of the situation in India in late October 1942.

The Japanese are on the run after the successful Allied attack at Poona. The attack mauled three IJA divisions (5, 12, 38); a fourth (48) is stuck on a yellow road south of Bombay; at least one more (54), and more likely three, are NE of Poona and about to be cut off.

1st Div., which had been previously roughed up, is near Goa. 4th Div. is pulling garrison duty at the bases west of Calcutta.

The Allies will pursue these divisions and try to destroy or immasculate them. As the enemy units grow weaker, or are successfully extracted by Brad, the need for Allied troops in India will diminish. The American, Australian, and some British/Indian units are already prepping for bases in and around Sumatra (Americans), the islands just south of Sumatra (the Australians) and the Nicobars, Ceylon, and Diego Garcia/Addu Atoll (British and Indian troops).

[Canoerebel]

10/28/42

South of Poona: Allied armor at 1,000 AV have caught the three mauled IJA divisions and will attack tomorrow. If this attack is successful, these divisions will be total wrecks by the time they reach Goa, if they ever make it that far. If this attack doesn't succeed, I have about 750 AV in infantry on the way that can support the next attack.

East of Poona: A Brit armored unit arrived one hex east, thus cutting off the route of retreat for the IJA stack just to the north, which includes 54th Div. and 6th Guards Div. The Allies will have roughly 3,000 AV in this hex. The Japanese either have to take the hex or retreat through the jungle. I don't think either option is good. This stack is facing destruction unless Brad sends a stout army this way in relief, which I doubt he'll do.

More to Poona: With so much of the Japanese army on the ropes around Poona, I am sending all available units this way. This includes the sizeable Allied army that was advancing east from Nagpur. That route offers only bad roads. These units are at Nagpur and already in strat mode, so they should arrive at Poona in just a few days.

IJA Pain: I think Japan is facing the destruction or near destruction of six divisions (or perhaps as many as seven). This is not good for Japan, of course, and it is a big morale boost for the Allies, who suffered great ignominy in India, but it isn't the end of the world either. Brad will have successfully extracted about ten of his divisions from India when all is said and done.

[FOW]

In your last screenshot that US stack in the 'probing advance' east of Raipur appears to be moving SW over the river onto trails, rather than SE down the rail ????
You don't want your LCUs getting bogged down in the country whilst its Jap LCU hunting season [;)]

[Canoerebel]

That is just a scouting unit - a small infantry unit.
 
All the Allied "power" in that sector is at Nagpur, where the units are set to "strategic" mode.  I was waiting for my parachutes to capture a forward base on the railroad.  Then I would send my army forward.  Now that the Allies have bottled up a big part of the IJ Army near Poona, I'm sending all those "strat mode" units to Poona, where they can aid the efforts to destroy the six IJ divisions that have been caught.

[paullus99]

Knowing the overall issues regarding Q at the moment (discouragd & distracted), I think you've got a couple of options - either one could put a stake in this game and finish it, or rev it back up again.

You've played very conservatively up to this point - and been rewarded for it. You've definitely got the advantage of momentum - so why not go ahead with your other operations - Wake, Marcus & Noumea (though I know the last one would be tricky)? India is a sideshow now & obviously sucking the life out of your opponent (not to mention the fun) - give him some more targets & I think his interest will peak again.

Just some advice from an old gamer who perfers action (even if it results in some losses) to no action at all.

[Canoerebel]

Good points, paullus.

As soon as the Allied carriers arrive in SoPac, the Allies will implement their "grand plan."

The carriers are meant to draw the KB to SoPac to defend New Caledonia. That would clear CenPac for the invasions of Marcus and Wake.

If, on the other hand, Brad doesn't commit the KB to New Caledonia, the Allies will invade the island using the carriers to provide CAP.

The Allied carriers are three days from entering the map from the Canal Zone. From there they go to Tahiti and then to Auckland. So it may be about ten to twelve days before they reach theater so that I can implement the plan.

The Allies are also scrambling to get things ready for an earlier move on Sumatra in case favorable conditions arrive. I need to get two more divisions to the staging points - one at San Diego can be bought in about eight days. The ships are ready to take it to Oz. The second is 27th Div., currently heavily involved in India but already prepping for Padang. As soon as the Allies have taken care of the six or seven isolated IJA divisions in India, 27th reports to Bombay and will be transported to Cape Town - one of the Sumatra staging points. In the right circumstances, the Allies could be ready to invade Sumatra in as early as two months.

[crsutton]

I don't know how much freedom the Japanese player has but with the implemention of the ability to rebuild any destroyed unit (in the last patch) and the extra resources availble in scen #2, can Brad rebuild all lost divisions, or just some of them. He should be able to rebuild at least some of them. The question is how many and how fast. When you consider that and the fact that his air and ship losses have been light, he should be in pretty good shape once he is able to tidy up in India.

How about you Canoe? What with the pitiful replacment rate of the British units and Commonwealth devices, how hard have you been hit in losses in India and how long do you think it will take you to rebuild? What destroyed units are you going to rebuild?

[Canoerebel]

10/29/42

Very, very interesting situation in India developing, as Brad made a move that I considered very unlikely. It's going to result in an important battle. If he wins, it complicates my situation. If he loses, he's placed an army in a situation where it might not be able to get out.

Poona: Brad's northern stack moved to Poona rather than, as I had expected, down the road to the east towards safety. I had considered this possibilty, thus leaving behind a decent garrison at Poona with alot more on the way, but Brad's troops arrived at an inoportune moment. I had more than 1,000 AV traveling to Poona by rail. They made it Bombay this turn, so they would have made Poona tomorrow. As it is, my garrison at Poona has to hold for at least one day. I have 700 AV anchored by 27th US Division. I'll transport in more troops by air. They'll be facing either two or three IJA divisions (54th and 6th Guards are definately there) that have been on a yellow trail for weeks, getting bombed every day. I think they are in bad shape. I also think Brad's 48th Division, which is on a yellow road south of Bombay, may be making for Poona too. But Brad can't afford to wait for it to arrive. He has to attack tomorrow and his attack has to succeed. In two days, the Allied stack of 3,000 AV one hex east of Poona will return.

Envelopment: I'm also sending some units behind the various IJA stacks to come into Poona behind them, thus eliminating all IJ hexside control. That means the Allies may be able to totally destroy this army.

South of Poona: The Allied armor (1,000 AV) wasn't strong enough to whip the three mauled IJA divisions south of Poona, though they inflicted much greater damage than they received. The armor has been reinforced by three infantry regimental or brigade units, including 5th Marines, so they will shock attack tomorrow.

Furball: This is the closest thing to a dogfight that I've ever seen on land. There are units all over the place. I am pretty optimistic that things will turn out very nicely for the Allies. If the Allies hold Poona through tomorrow, the Japanese are in big trouble. If the Japanese take Poona, it'll take me awhile to organize things and get back on track. Either way, the Japanese shouldn't be able to win the campaign, though I'm a little worried about the first battle.

IJ Losses (per crsutton's question): Brad has taken light infantry losses, so he'll be able to rebuilt his mauled divisions, especially since they should have plenty of time to recuperate once Brad extracts them from India. I'm sure he's managed to extract cadres, or will do so before all is said and done. I doubt he'll lose any entire divisions.

Allied Losses: The Allies are in good shape. Losses to shipping has been light (except for BBs - I lost a ton of them at Pearl Harbor and Force Z). The only roughed up infantry is in India, and even those units are in good shape. The Indian units are doing well at making up losses (for instance, 20th Div., which was down to 9 AV six weeks ago, is back to 70 AV). Thre three Brit brigades extracted from Ceylon in March are recovering much more slowly, but they'll be available at some point in '43.

[Canoerebel]

Here's a map of the Battle of Poona.

[Bullwinkle58]

I like the "I hopes." If this works it may represent the first time the hex-sealing aspects of the engine have operated as expected. (Kidding! Kidding!!) [:)]

[vettim89]

Wow, furball is right! That looks like something from the eastern front not the PTO.

[Canoerebel]

10/30/42

Poona: Wow, the Japanese didn't attack. I can only guess that Brad is awaiting arrival of the 48th Div., currently on a yellow trial between Bombay and Poona, but close to completing the journey. But Brad missed the opportunity, if there was one (no fault of his - the huge number of units in the area would have made it most difficult to realize he had arrived at Poona during a very brief window when my defenses were fairly weak). The defensive AV at Poona went from 700 to 1250 today, and tomorrow will increase to about 3,500. That's more than enough to handle the Japanese while I try to get units in position to eliminate the only two IJ routes of retreat. In other words, the Japanese army just stuck it's head in a noose.

South of Poona: The Allied shock attack managed 1:1 odds and roughly equal casualties, but still didn't manage to break the backs of the defenders. I have to rest for a day or two, during which time the IJA units should make it a hex further south. In all likelihood, I'll send some of the Poona garrison south on that road to lend a hand, hoping to deliver the decisive blow before the Japanese reach Goa and embark on ships or trains. I think I will accomplish this.

Points: During all this turmoil, the Allies have retaken a number of bases in NE India, including Benares and Allahabad. The points in the game are now IJA 33,600 to Allies 10,500. The "victory point spread" has increased from 7k to 8k in just a week or so.

Allied Carriers: Just arrived on the eastern edge of the map after sailing from the Canal Zone. It's a dadgum long way from there to Tahiti, where they'll refuel. From Tahiti, they'll make for either Suva or Auckland. I'm either going to use them in a forward raid to draw Brad's attention, or to cover the invasion of Noumea (if my picket ships continue to report the seas to the north free of threat from the KB).