Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

4th Tank Brigade*

That unit is misnamed.

Interesting. Makes sense since it's not the size of the others. Useful though, and cheap to buy out! [:)]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Aurorus

Does no one understand the concept of "defense in depth?" There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing my opponent accumulate some stupid big stack. First off, it is a walking supply disaster just waiting to be exploited and second, it is easily isolated, but one must have a defense in depth to isolate it.

Who cares if stupid, big stack takes a city? Is Rangoon worth 56 units? What reasonable person thinks that any 1 hex on the map is worth 56 units? (WiTP Manual page 251) "To order a ground unit move to a specific hex, the path of the move must generate a positive supply value to constitute a valid supply path." Whereever stupid, big stack goes, just engulf it. Once the stupid, big stack is completely isolated and engulfed, it is effectively destroyed. One doesn't even need to attack it or enter its hex. Just defend in depth... not a 1 hex line of defense... a 2 hex line of defense.

But it only makes a "supply disaster" in and of itself with optional stacking limits. Without them, the supply issues are eased until you do manage to cut off the stack.

I've faced bigger stacks in my game against Jocke. He had 500k+ troops in one hex in Burma. The dangers are there with a stack, but "engulfing: it is not an option. You can't engulf these units in any kind of diverse terrain with roads zig-zagging through everything. He could just split off a part of the stack and defend a hex you're trying to engulf him from. The terrain is just as good defensively fro him, and Japanese troops should not be attacking Allied troops at this stage of the war.

The danger of a stack is that if it goes down a slow road but can't break through. you've lost a lot of time. Jocke's stack didn't get through until he threatened the rear coastline. Then he only got through because I was stupid and didn't defend my rear retreat path aggressively enough.

I would have to go back and check, but I am pretty sure I fought some 8000 AV superstacks on the Home Island in late 1944...I seem to remember them having over 3000 vehicles. There I was defending in heavy urban.

In Burma the most I ever fought at one time was 2400 I think but come to think of it I believe he did have groups at one time or another with 3000+. At some point the Allies broke down their super stack and everything was a lot easier to fight.

I would have to go back and double check.

I never had forts six in Burma. 2-3 max I think. I really liked fighting off base. Supply flowed better, and your forts didn't degrade.

Fighting off base is great. I love all of the x3 terrain. I also have gotten a few divisions to forts 4 in x2 terrain, so those will be tough too.

The trouble for the Allies with these large stacks is that they are slow, don't take advantage of the many tanks they get by now, and they rely on the Japanese to not get enough in place to bog them down. If I can predict where he's going in time, I can get 1/3 as many troops into a hex, which will usually hold until more arrive. The first attack is usually not going to go well against dug in troops, so the delay after allows me to try and move in and around the stack. If it then gets totally stymied, he'll just have to put the whole lot in reverse and try again elsewhere.

Right now we're fighting a delaying war in Burma anyway. I don't want to stay long term. I only want the gradual withdrawal to be on my terms, not big losses and mad dashes to avoid encirclements. He does have power now to close my fields and bomb the crap out of everything. He just hasn't realised it yet! [:)]

Also, I do want to be aware that there is a long road back through Thailand and Indochina/Malaya to get to the South China Sea. I do want to limit strat bombing options though, and losing Rangoon just opens nearly the entire DEI to B-29s. That is not good.

[font="Times New Roman"]July 4-6, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Greenling sinks an xAKL near Sarmi.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Jakes from Kusai sortie again ships heading to Ponape. It turns out to be a LOT of CVEs, and the CAP decimates the Jakes. Better luck next time.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] We're walking out of Taung Gyi. I've kept this forward position under threat of having these troops cut off for too many months now. With his big stack having a potential move onto the Taung Gyi-Toungoo road, I've got to move back now. This army will pile up in a x3 hex near Toungoo. I'll have two tank divisions on call a hex away from them and Toungoo.

This is step 1 in what I hope will be an organised withdrawal from Burma. I want seem action in the x3 though to wear down this massive army. We'll see if he'll actually fight soon.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 4, 44
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kusaie Island at 119,121

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 14

Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 44
F6F-3 Hellcat x 263

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses

CAP engaged:
VC(F)-20 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 38800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]So here is the new view of Burma. I'd like to hold the line shown in white. If I can be quick, and if he goes where I think, it may be possible to bog down the Allied stack in a good defensive terrain.

If we end up missing out and having to fall back to Rangoon, I'll fight to the last man standing there in order to keep the airbase out of Allied hands as long as possible. [/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"]July 7-9, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Got a few hits on the RN sub Stoic. Hopefully ASW air can get a hit on the damaged sub as it retires.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Again some Allied DDs stray too close to Biak and Judy's fly to hit them. Again the DDs dodge all bombs. Very frustrating. These are trained pilots. This just points out how much Allied flak is improved by this stage.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Sqz now sees that Taung Gyi is abandoned. Our troops moved out on the 9th just as he set a bombardment to check on things. I stupidly left 1000 supply draw on for the base, but probably will only lose 5-8k. Still. Dumb move.

Now the new front will be formed. Since Joe seems to still be using the misinformation movement pointers I'll do the same and show mutual reinforcements to all bases and roadblocks around Toungoo and Prome. I want to see if he is indeed moving to the Tuang Gyi road (and possibly on toward Chang Mai) with the big stack, or if that is a ruse designed to take me away from Toungoo before he moves one hexe forward into it and attacks. The base will remain heavily defended. The Taung Gyi troops will dig in further down the road where he's indicating movement. Cat. Mouse.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]OZ: [/font] I tried to hide some CL/DD in the dot port Timoeka, but Joseph spotted them and sent in recon and B-25s! Yikes. Almost a catastrophe, but amazingly, after three 500 pounders on Sendai and 2 each for Naka and Jinstu, none are in bad shape and all are moving to Soerebaja for some work. Gotta be a bit more careful. I wasn't watching the replay to see if the TF was spotted and don't know if it sat for a day before being disbanded. I blame baby-brain. [;)]

Otherwise, all is normal around Southern New Guinea/North OZ. No further movement toward Darwin and the Allies keep sending in TFs and troops to Groote Eylandt and Meurauke, but nothing further. No more ambitious bombing runs on the southern DEI islands.

I've now vacated all OZ bases on the deep West coast except one naval guard at Perth to keep the garrison requirement. I'm pulling a piece of it out to make sure the entire unit isn't let eventually. I'll garrison Exmouth until taken for deep search with a small Emily unit. I've vacated Port Hedland and Broome, but have two base forces in Wyndham to use for LR CAP over Darwin if needed. I've left some xAKL to load up troops there as a last measure should an attack ruin the fields in order to get some of the tanks and the big base force out.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 7, 44
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Morning Air attack on Timoeka , at 86,116

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 17
P-38J Lightning x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Naka, Bomb hits 2
CL Jintsu, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Port hits 2
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Timoeka , at 86,116

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 11

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires

Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hollandia at 94,116

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y3 Judy x 19
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 49

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 14 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Terry
DD Robinson
DD Heermann

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
2 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 9, 44
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ASW attack near Tavoy at 53,60

Japanese Ships
PB Okiyu Maru

Allied Ships
SS Stoic, hits 5

SS Stoic is sighted by escort

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Ground combat at Taung Gyi (59,48)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3090 troops, 130 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 2459

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

Assaulting units:
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
36th Indian Division
150th RAC Regiment
2nd British Division
18th British Division
25th Indian Division
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
5th Indian Division
86th Coast AA Regiment
101st Heavy AA Regiment
2nd Indian Heavy AA Regiment
181st Field Artillery Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
XV Indian Corps
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
168th Field Artillery Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Interlopers. [/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"]July 10-12, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Sending the RO-boats back in to the Arakan. We'll see how aggressive his ASW is now.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Virtually no action anywhere on map. A few sweeps over Aitupe and some bombing runs on the troops there. It's been a while since any challenges have been attempted over Hollandia or Sarmi. His sweeping bases are closer now so any day I expect the worst.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Some brigades merge into divisions. The Thais will be leaving in about 20 days, and I'm scrambling new units in to cover. I've got two more units to create divisions on the way, and those will be the reserve while other units move to counter the large Allied stack.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]GROUND REINFORCEMENTS: [/font] The IJ leaders apparently freaked out and realised they needed some help at this point in the war. Have a look at the arrivals for the 10th and 13th! [X(]

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]
July 10, 1944

66th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Tokyo
111th Division arrives at Keijo
64th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
62nd Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Nanking
31st Ind.Mixed Regiment arrives at Canton
112th Division arrives at Mishan
59th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Kanazawa
60th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Utsonomiya
40th Ind.Garrison Battalion arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
41st Ind.Garrison Battalion arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
65th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Tokyo

July 13, 1944

36th Army arrives at Tokyo
11th Air Division arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
12th Air Division arrives at Fukuoka
249th Infantry Regiment arrives at Taihoku
82nd Field AA Battalion arrives at Takao
83rd Field AA Battalion arrives at Takao
17th RF Gun Battalion arrives at Shanghai
86th Field AA Battalion arrives at Tientsin
85th Field AA Battalion arrives at Changchun
88th Field AA Battalion arrives at Changchun
2nd Raiding Force arrives at Takao
18th RF Gun Battalion arrives at Tokyo
19th RF Gun Battalion arrives at Tokyo
20th RF Gun Battalion arrives at Tokyo
89th Field AA Battalion arrives at Tokyo
100th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion arrives at Naha
204th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
205th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
206th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
216th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
217th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
218th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
227th Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Hiroshima/Kure
42nd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
61st JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
64th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
65th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
142nd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
143rd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
146th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
162nd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
163rd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
172nd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
173rd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
174th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
189th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
190th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
193rd JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
194th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka
246th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
248th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Fukuoka[/font]

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That's a lot of troops in Burma. Are we in for a repeat of your last game? [;)]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

That's a lot of troops in Burma. Are we in for a repeat of your last game? [;)]

I hear ya! There have been a few cries for caution over the past few months.

Joe is completely aware of my last game, what happened, the failure on my part to either adequately deal with the Burmese coastline or an orderly retreat. If he'd removed the massive army he has in Burma a year ago when he took over I would have immediately constricted my position. He still has that army there, and still has some supply and logistical issues.

His current movements show he's now ready. I'm beginning to constrict. I do want to prepare for the worst but hope to further stall the big stack once it commits. In either spot he is moving to I should have inside lines to retreat to Rangoon and Moulmein if things go badly.

The troops I'm sending are going to replace the Thais, who are withdrawing (cowards) in a few weeks.

That he abandoned that base unfought probably means he isn't going to repeat history.[;)]

That's after the fall of the Tojo Government and a decision was made to send massive reinforcements from other rear areas and make them available to forward areas.

[font="Times New Roman"]July 13-16, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] A few strange turns here. First the Allies send one brigade to Aitupe overland and it runs into the 1st South Seas Det. plus a bunch of base force fragments. They have level 4 forts in jungle though, and this is plenty to ward off the Aussies in their current strength. Maybe he's in for the long haul here, but if he'd sent two brigades he'd be done by now and my positions at Hollandia and Sarmi would be gin to be much less tenable. As it is I'm still running supply in quite openly with only Allied subs to interdict, and the fields are wide open and unchallenged even by the numerous Jugs, Corsairs and Spit VIII in the area.

The Aussies get a 1:2 on the 13th and will have to grind this one out, possibly over a month or more, especially if I decide to fly anymore in to force an additional unit to be sent here.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]OZ: [/font] Down South the Allies make their first big push for Darwin again, and again it's a "surprise" strike with the 4Es leading and getting sent into a meat grinder. He had sweeps set but they all arrived after the main action had finished and didn't even get to shoot down tired CAP.

This is probably the 4th or 5th time recently the Allied 4Es have been sent in without any previous sweeps to either test strength or wear down defenders. In the interest of the game I hope Sqz changes this up as it's not good management of his forces. I think he's intimidated by the low CAP, but there should be thousands of Hellcats by now that could even start the proceedings effectively to prepare for the more precious P-47s, Corsairs and Spits to follow.

On the 16th he swept high, getting 3.5:1 against my high CAP set to get over some sweepers if he didn't max them out. Still not bad against the Jugs, but he came back with an odd response. He said it felt "dirty" to get the dive and the 30+kills to 9 lost. Huh???[X(]

A bit confused. This is what the Allies are supposed to get, and did get, in the war. I simply don't understand. What is he expecting? It seems like whatever happens there is something not quite right.

So I have no idea how this is going to develop. He says now he'll not fly over 31k for the rest of the war even though we just agreed to no altitude restriction for the rest of the game. I don't get it. [:(]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Still shifting the main stack here. No idea where it'll end up. I've now moved the Taung Gyi troops into the x3 block next to Toungoo. That allows other troops to shift toward Prome in case, for some unforeseen reason, he's going back that way. One of the pointers is moving that way, and I've decided the most vulnerable hex is the one between Prome and Toungoo, so I'll make sure there is enough in Prome to shift there in case he does go that way. If not I can block in the x3, move in two tank divisions within two turns, and stop him in the x3 on the North side.

So the wait is on. Which way will they go?
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 13, 44
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Ground combat at Aitape (95,118)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4756 troops, 60 guns, 43 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Defending force 4006 troops, 44 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 78

Allied adjusted assault: 54

Japanese adjusted defense: 119

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Australian Brigade

Defending units:
1st South Seas Det.
61st JNAF AF Unit /2
39th JNAF AF Unit /1
54th JNAF AF Unit
4th JAAF AF Bn /2
43rd JNAF AF Unit /1

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 15, 44
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Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 63 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 6
A6M5b Zero x 45
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 49
Ki-84a Frank x 37

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 22
P-38J Lightning x 69

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
P-38J Lightning: 3 destroyed

Japanese Ships
LST T-113, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
LST T-115, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 5
A6M5b Zero x 35
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 42
Ki-84a Frank x 33

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6
B-24D1 Liberator x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 destroyed
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D1 Liberator: 7 destroyed, 4 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 29 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 2
A6M5b Zero x 12
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 27
Ki-84a Frank x 17

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 10
P-38J Lightning x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 16, 44
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Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 45,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
A6M5b Zero x 13
N1K2-J George x 24
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 8
Ki-84a Frank x 8

Allied aircraft
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 2 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x P-47D25 Thunderbolt sweeping at 42000 feet *

CAP engaged:
S-305 Hikotai with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 38500 , scrambling fighters between 38000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
Ominato Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 38500 , scrambling fighters between 38000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
Ryuho-1 with N1K2-J George (0 airborne, 16 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 35300 , scrambling fighters between 35000 and 35300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
19th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 34440 , scrambling fighters to 34000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
26th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 37400 , scrambling fighters to 37000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes

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Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 45,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 16
A6M5b Zero x 7
N1K2-J George x 20
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 7
Ki-84a Frank x 3

Allied aircraft
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x P-47D25 Thunderbolt sweeping at 42000 feet
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]The toll is high, again. [/font]

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

That he abandoned that base unfought probably means he isn't going to repeat history.[;)]

Sqz could land 3k AV Allied troops in Savoy or Victoria Point next week and I feel I've got enough reserves this time, enough prep on the garrisons and forts of those bases, to stall long enough to get the burma Army into an ordered retreat. That's the plan anyway.

There will be a small reserve in Singers for Sumatra or Malaya landings. There is a force on the chang Mai rail that can move quickly or be flown. There are troops in Moulmein and Pegu that could move down the coast and some allocated now to Bangkok as well to move to thwart Allied invasions to the rear.

a lot of this is made possible by a more measured and planned use of the PPs system for buying out troops. I've really looked at cost vs benefit for purchasing, tried to max out PPs gained from air unit withdrawal, and set all arriving units I want to eventually buy out to not accept replacements to keep costs down.

[font="Times New Roman"]July 18-20, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Skipjack ventures into the Southern DEI near Timor to hit the AK Johore Maru with one fish. The AK has 65(52) float damage, but no fires, and should make it to port. The Skipjack may not be so lucky, as a non-super E, the Sagi, drops two direct and 5 other hits on the sub for heavy damage. I'll send in the ASW to try and finish her off.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Still nothing new here, but I've got some vulnerable little xAKL TFs at Hollandia and heading to Sarmi, and I noticed a TF around Wewak that reads 9 ships and 3 BB! Most likely a cruiser led SCTF, and I'll post the MTBs and a few midgets to discourage bombardments and disband the xAKLs. I turned on the Biak based DBs yet again. We'll see if they can do anything this time if he gets in range.

I've got my first Oscar IV group filled out and taking over low CAP from the IIIs previously at Sarmi.

Lots of troops being pulled back from Aitape since there is a lull there while the Allies lick their wounds. [:)]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Still manoeuvres going on. There are troops showing movement into the Chang Mai area jungles. I've got several brigades around there and some digging in at the river crossing x3 nearby. Bring it on!

My new arty and a bunch of supply lands in Rangoon. Arty goes to Prome to work that flank. The blocking hex between Prome and Toungoo now has 1850AV, Toungoo has 2350AV plus a tank and an infantry division one hex away, also covering the Taung Gyi road block, which is digging in on the x3 hex. The Thais evaporate in 13 days, and I'll lose 1200+AV of frontline experienced troops. I had earlier replaced their commanders which really paid off as they got to between 60-67 exp and always have good morale. They held off a much larger army a year ago on the Arakan, and I now wish I could keep em.

Rookie brigades are arriving in about a week to fill the gaps, just in time I hope. [:)]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]OZ: [/font] I've decided to start a controlled retreat from Darwin. Looks like Sqz spotted it right off the bat, and he moved in the Aussie army which had been ominously hanging one hex out. They will take the base, but I've got the troops reduced now and should only lose about a few thousand by the time it falls, mostly support squads and a few tanks. All of the units are partially in Timor or at Ambon and will rebuild there to fight again.

This will begin the battle of logistics. We'll see how hard he wants to push supply in and iff the USN comes in force to support. I'll contest if I can to inhibit the building of Darwin and the ability to hold 4E there.

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Now the air wars of the DEI should commence. Should be fun, and we'll have some new planes to show off in the next few weeks!! [:)][/font]

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ORIGINAL: obvert


Perhaps the most interesting deviation from most HR sets is allowing non-base landings.

Have you done any of these in this AAR? How did they turn out?

ORIGINAL: obvert

brutal losses for a bunch of gen1 fighter losses on your side ... Joseph is a really good guy, but he gets his mind set on something that he feels should work and will pursue until the end. Sometimes it works out to his favor ...

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: obvert


Perhaps the most interesting deviation from most HR sets is allowing non-base landings.

Have you done any of these in this AAR? How did they turn out?

We haven't actually. It would be fun to see, but no one I think wants to risk even a naval guard to see how it goes.

Torsten had asked for that one, but didn't use it.

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: obvert

brutal losses for a bunch of gen1 fighter losses on your side ... Joseph is a really good guy, but he gets his mind set on something that he feels should work and will pursue until the end. Sometimes it works out to his favor ...

He's happy with certain very unhistorical abstractions, like the entirety of the Commonwealth ground forces (including what seem to be numerous tank brigades) in one jungle hex, but not how the air abstractions are working.

Somehow he feels he's losing surprise by having to sweep for a while before bombing. I don't quite understand.

The thing a Japanese player fears most is unpredictability from the Allies, and if he sets a predictable sweeping routine, the air strikes become the unpredictable part.

Right now he's doing virtually nothing in the air again, which just seems odd considering the tools on that side now. He has about 800 fighters I can count pointed at Burma. Nothing has happened there for months.

[font="Times New Roman"]July 21-23, 1944[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] The ASW crews aren't able to locate the Skipjack to put her down. Maybe she's already floundered.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Still no movement here. I'm again sending in supply to North New Guinea. I try to keep the bases just above 20k supplies. This reduces quickly during combat. Once an invasion occurs very little maintenance of the bases will happen. I just want to be able to utilise the strong defences here to stall an invasion for a bit if possible. Then pull out after a first DA. At some point he'll be able to move comfortably with the DS covering to bypass these strongholds, so I have to consider when I will begin an intentional withdrawal. I'm thinking by September if there has been no more action I might transfer these troops to the PI.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] It appears that the big army and other troops are now turning around. They are all showing movement back to the central valley. No more multiple movement indicators either. Not sure what's happening but it looks positive. I've not actually done anything here except pull back.

It's possible he's moving to consolidate to an even bigger stack and will try to blow through at somewhere like Prome, which is by far the most vulnerable spot. I'll probably relinquish this base early if that looks like the next move. I'd want to get some forts started in the jungle beyond and control the Rangoon area. All together, whatever takes more time and keeps occupying this army of 500k troops, the better. Some of his better units including the big Aussie divisions and some Marines and US Army units are in this stack.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]OZ: [/font] The Allies show their hand quickly at Darwin, and they take he base on the second consecutive DA. There are two Aussie divisions and an armoured brigade. Kudos to Sqz for acting fast, which led to more IJ losses than I'd intended here. I had two more LST TFs en route to pick up more troops, but a few turns too late.

One of the NZ AA units is here which is good to know. I'll have to bombard by sea if I want to wreck the place. [:)]

There is no base force so I'll know at least for now no CAP.
[font="Trebuchet MS"]
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 21, 44
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Ground combat at Darwin (76,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20961 troops, 185 guns, 516 vehicles, Assault Value = 990

Defending force 6797 troops, 49 guns, 271 vehicles, Assault Value = 96

Allied adjusted assault: 585

Japanese adjusted defense: 195

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 74 (12 destroyed, 62 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
460 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
11th Australian Division
1st Australian Division
4th Armoured Brigade
2nd Medium Regiment
I Australian Corps
17th NZ AA Bde

Defending units:
27th Tank Regiment
26th Tank Regiment
15th Army
27th Special Base Force
78th Field AA Battalion
149th JAAF AF Bn
4th Ind. AA Battalion
102nd AA Regiment
23rd Air Flotilla /2
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR July 23, 44
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Ground combat at Darwin (76,124)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 33782 troops, 206 guns, 663 vehicles, Assault Value = 925

Defending force 4900 troops, 42 guns, 264 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Allied adjusted assault: 505

Japanese adjusted defense: 26

Allied assault odds: 19 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Darwin !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 156 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 35 (35 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 202 (194 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Allied ground losses:
440 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
11th Australian Division
1st Australian Division
4th Armoured Brigade
I Australian Corps
2nd Medium Regiment
17th NZ AA Bde

Defending units:
27th Tank Regiment
26th Tank Regiment
102nd AA Regiment
4th Ind. AA Battalion
78th Field AA Battalion
15th Army
149th JAAF AF Bn

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[/font]

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[font="Trebuchet MS"] The Allies now have to decide how they want to supply the new base at Darwin. I'll send in a bombardment soon to get some damage on the fields. I do have a nice little thorn in th edit base one hex away where I can post FF Rex and Jakes if needed to either hit shipping or CAP my bombardment TFs. I've also got the Ise converted to hold aircraft as well, so can add Rex to that for cover. They're decent CAP if not so good against Allied fighters. [/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"]Burma[/font]

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Here is a sequence showing Allied movement indicators over the past few weeks. If it's meant to confuse it's certainly working. I'm completely perplexed at the sudden reversal of forces that had just moved into a position opposite Toungoo on the Taung Gyi road, and now are moving back. [X(]

It's also very strange that the big stack one hex in front of Toungoo on the Meiktila road, which had moved from the Magwe road over several weeks, is now moving back toward Meiktila. It had been giving all kinds of subterfuge movement indicators as shown here, and this must mean that those weeks of movement are of course lost. Something else is happening, and I don't know what.

I'm thinking Prome is the new target. He could just be moving out to prep an invasion in the next few months though. Luckily I'll be able to watch the whole process as Burma is such a contained fish bowl. One of the reasons I like playing here! [:)]

Let me know if you can interpret any of this and find some idea of what might be happening.

After looking at those pictures of Burma, my head hurts. Was that the intention?