Hunting the Hibiki: Q-Ball (Allies) v Cuttlefish (Japan)

[Swenslim]

All units that are commited from 1 turn will be enough. Japan player has 4-5 sturm engineer squads to  crumble forts. 4 full divisions of expirienced troops have good chances to crush allied side. In my game against Sulusea I took Singapore on 15 of February. Just like in real history [8D]

[Q-Ball]

Svenslim: You're right, the Allies can do nothing if the Japanese do what they are supposed to do. More on that below.....

Combat Report, Feb 8,9 1942

Port Moresby
An invasion armada appears off Port Moresby, and starts unloading the 53 Division. That is commitment to Port Moresby, because CF had to buy that division in the Home Islands, about 1700 PPs. If the whole division is there, it's more than enough.

The PM garrison is just the At-Start forces. This is why I don't think it's wise for the Allies to reinforce PM; if I had reinforced it, unless I had a whole division (which I didn't), it just adds to the POW count.

Anyway, it should fall tommorow on the first attack.

Singapore
Another bombardment by the Japanese. Next attack will be the 2nd to last or the last

Kido Butai
With the invasion of Port Moresby, I am making the assumption that KB is in the Coral Sea. I have cleared important convoys out of Coral Sea until well south of Brisbane and Noumea; there are a couple xAKLs unloading supplies at Noumea, we'll find out soon if KB is around.

Operation Searchlight:
Our CV TF has cleared the last of our Aleutians, and will enter Indian Country shortly. I am steering around Paramishiro Jima, as that is the only base likely to have any Nav Search. I should be in position to strike in a couple days.

Repair Note on HMS Repulse
As soon as Cape Town became a size-7 port, which was yesterday, Repulse is now able to be fully repaired there. She is almost complete, and the turret is already fixed. Lesson learned there! Thanks for the comments everyone.

Comparison to my other PBEM
It is interesting to compare this to my other PBEM. In that game, I am playing a good opponent, who may be reading this; I am JAPAN in that one. I think it's fair to say that I am advancing quicker in that game, but I have lost more transport shipping than CF has. I think there is a price to pay for moving fast, and I have had some transports exposed and destroyed. CF has been more careful, and after the first week, I have had a few shots.

But here is a summary, as of January 27, 1942:
Singapore fell on the 20th. It went quickly on the first attack, because I landed a division at Mersing, catching my opponent by surprise and resulting in the capture of 23K troops at Kuala Lumpur, including all the best ones. I also had brought 5 divisions to this, hoping to close it out early, which I did. I withdrew too fast for a landing at Mersing to help, not sure how CF could have moved any faster.

I am beseiging Bataan; I have already captured 20K troops at Manila. My opponent chose to defend Manila and Clark; I attacked Clark first, pushing those troops back to Bataan, then liquidated Manila. I learned from this, and abandoned Manila early. CF is attacking Clark, and once that falls it won't be long.

In China, I launched an offensive toward Nanyang and Sian; my opponent defended a number of forward areas. At the moment it seems to be rolling, with a couple pockets of troops surrounded.

PM has falled already.

In the DEI, I really concentrated on Timor from the outset, clearing it by the end of December. At this point, I have taken Borneo, and have troops on the outskirts of Batavia and Soerbaya.

Playing as Japan has been helpful in this game, and vice versa. I highly recommend to anyone to play both sides; you really understand more when you do that.

[Swenslim]

But there is 27 Kate unit with 72 avg exp. It will be enough to finish his CV's, if he has some Zero's to cover of cource.

[ny59giants]

As soon as Cape Town became a size-7 port, which was yesterday, Repulse is now able to be fully repaired there. She is almost complete, and the turret is already fixed. Lesson learned there! Thanks for the comments everyone.

I think veterans of WITP will have to switch their mindset from one of looking at bases from an AF center focus to one where the Port is just as important, if not more important. This port will need to be expanded to max starting on day 1.

I think players who do play both sides have an advantage as to what the other players weaknesses and strengths are. It adds another level to game play, IMO.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Feb 10,11 1942

Cuttlefish and I are knocking out turns today, this is far more entertaining than the performance of my wretched Bears. If I play defense like the Bears have today, the Japanese will be in San Francisco by June![:@]

Operation Searchlight
We are approaching the Kuriles, and still undetected. We will begin our attack run tommorow, and should be raiding on the 14th or so.

Burma
I'll post a screenshot shortly; Japanese troops are approaching Mandalay. I am completely evacuating Burma. My poor generalship in the beginning of this campaign meant that I couldnt' really organize a defense. We are retreating in good order, without combat, but running nonetheless. I plan on making a stand at Lashio; there are 500 AV there, mostly Chinese, but I don't expect it to work. I just need to hold the Burma Road open if I can.

Aside from this, I have units marching to Akyab to hold that, as well as Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. I fear an invasion in this quarter.

Allied CVs off Java
SBDs have sighted a sub two days in a row, which means that there is a chance he has sighted me. Additionally, I have no idea where KB is; I suspect somewhere in the Coral Sea protecting that landing, but I don't know for sure. Until I know, I am withdrawing the Lexington/Indomitable force to Perth, and probably to Hawaii. Yes, I'll bring that RN CV to Hawaii as temporary replacement for Big E, which is going to be in the shop for awhile.

Convoys
A couple large convoys have unloaded at Australia, including some base troops, tanks, but most importantly fighter units; P-39s and P-40s.

Sub Wars
I haven't gotten much lately, and CF has had some luck; an AO off Midway, a TK off Australia this turn, and an xAKL.

Singapore
Check out the image......CF should be attacking I think! Not all units are this bad, but we have lost alot of troops.

This unit is down to a Mortar, 2 trucks, and a broken Machine gun. WOW!

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball


Operation Searchlight
We are approaching the Kuriles, and still undetected. We will begin our attack run tommorow, and should be raiding on the 14th or so.

Would like to see maps, avenue of approach ,retreat, damage assesment if this gets pulled off. Best of luck Q-Ball.

As far as ports all off map ports should be expanding by turn 2, unless they're maxed of course. [;)]

[Smeulders]

Holding Lashio to keep open the Burma road is useless, you have to hold a path from Rangoon to the Chinese city over the border for that to work. 

[modrow]

Smeulders,

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

Holding Lashio to keep open the Burma road is useless, you have to hold a path from Rangoon to the Chinese city over the border for that to work. 

Are you sure about that, specifically the second part ? From the manual:

For the Allies, if a rail/road/trail path free of Japanese units between Tsuyung and Ledo or between Tsuyung and Rangoon can be traced, than each day, 500 supply points per turn are added to Tsuyung.

If I believe what is written there, there's a second option apart from the condition mentioned by you, which may at least be met easier if Lashio is held. Are there any indications for the manual being wrong in that respect ?

Thanks

Hartwig

[Q-Ball]

Burma Road: I admit I hadn't read the manual there, so I guess I'm not clear what constitutes holding it open or not. If it has to be Rangoon, that ship has sailed. If Ledo, I am not sure there is a path from Ledo to Tsuyung, even without Japs.

Combat Report, Feb 12

Sinagpore: Singapore fell today, 90,000 Allied prisoners. From the screenshot I posted yesterday, I'm not at all surprised. It was a 5-1 attack in the end. Feb 12th isn't bad, that's about 2 weeks beyond my target, but CF's troops are pretty much unscathed and ready to go elsewhere. Where that is I have no idea, other than Java, which is obvious.

Operation Searchlight: We commence this operation tommorow. Below is the set-up and approach. (to svenslim's request)

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Feb 13th, 1942

Operation Searchlight:
This operation succeeded in it's initial objectives; we successfully entered the Sea of Okhotsk, and torched everything within range; 8 xAKs, and a couple Sub Chasers, no doubt out looking for the subs I have patrolling up there. Judging from Cuttlefishes's comments and the disposition of ships, he was completely surprised, and we were not spotted. I'm not going for a round 2, he is likely to move every convoy away, and probably disband any that can, so we are unlikely to have alot of targets tommorow.

Now we have to make a clean getaway. I am working under the assumption that KB is in the Coral Sea, but I haven't spotted it in quite awhile, so I can't be sure. There is the off-chance it could even be in Japan. Given that, I am going to withdraw straight East, both because I am sure KB is not in the Aleutians, and also my Replenishment TF is there; we will top-off, and head back to Pearl.

Other Allied CVs
It is probably time to bring everyone together, excepting Big E, which is still approaching Cape Town (BTW, I wouldnt have sent here there had I known KB was NOT hunting her, but better safe than sorry I suppose when it comes to CVs in 1942). HMS Indomitable has been impressed into the US Navy, and her and Lexington will round Australia. Hornet just appeared in the Eastern US.

What Next?
The fall of Singapore frees up a bunch of troops, so where are they headed next? Java is an obvious choice for starters, so I expect an invasion in a couple weeks. The Dutch Fighters are relatively fresh, and beginning to equip with Hurris, with P-40s around the corner, so I hope I get a little more time to make Java more expensive.

[kaleun]

Goodshow!

[Canoerebel]

Good job, Q-Ball. I think this is another example of an experienced player going playing a "hunch" - IE, Q-Ball has alot of experience (in his case playing both sides), knows his opponent, and has developed a real feel for this particular game, so that he was pretty sure the carrier raid would be effective and catch the enemy by surprise.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Good job, Q-Ball. I think this is another example of an experienced player going playing a "hunch" - IE, Q-Ball has alot of experience (in his case playing both sides), knows his opponent, and has developed a real feel for this particular game, so that he was pretty sure the carrier raid would be effective and catch the enemy by surprise.

Thanks, but this operation isn't over yet: I have to get away. RETRIBUTION was a successful strike, but turned out to be costly after that torp hit on Enterprise (who is STILL crawling toward Cape Town at 10 kts; that's one bad torp hit!)

What helped was that I know that Japan is seriously short search aircraft, specifically Mavis and Emily vs. WITP. In WITP you got maybe 8 - 10 Chutai, in AE much fewer, and what you have isn't as effective at finding stuff. This leaves huge gaps in Air Search over the Home Islands. Additionally, although the Home Islands does now have "captive" attack aircraft, there are no Air HQs up north, and it is likely that first turn that all aircraft in the Home Islands are either training or looking for subs, rather than set to Nav Attack.

I think Sakhalin is more vulnerable in AE that it was in WITP. Hokkaido maybe not because a Home Islands landing triggers reinforcements now, but I don't think an invasion of Sakhalin does, and you have to ship reinforcements there. Japanese players should take a serious look at reinforcing it, or moving into the Aleutians, or both.

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Good job, Q-Ball. I think this is another example of an experienced player going playing a "hunch" - IE, Q-Ball has alot of experience (in his case playing both sides), knows his opponent, and has developed a real feel for this particular game, so that he was pretty sure the carrier raid would be effective and catch the enemy by surprise.

Thanks, but this operation isn't over yet: I have to get away. RETRIBUTION was a successful strike, but turned out to be costly after that torp hit on Enterprise (who is STILL crawling toward Cape Town at 10 kts; that's one bad torp hit!)

What helped was that I know that Japan is seriously short search aircraft, specifically Mavis and Emily vs. WITP. In WITP you got maybe 8 - 10 Chutai, in AE much fewer, and what you have isn't as effective at finding stuff. This leaves huge gaps in Air Search over the Home Islands. Additionally, although the Home Islands does now have "captive" attack aircraft, there are no Air HQs up north, and it is likely that first turn that all aircraft in the Home Islands are either training or looking for subs, rather than set to Nav Attack.

I think Sakhalin is more vulnerable in AE that it was in WITP. Hokkaido maybe not because a Home Islands landing triggers reinforcements now, but I don't think an invasion of Sakhalin does, and you have to ship reinforcements there. Japanese players should take a serious look at reinforcing it, or moving into the Aleutians, or both.

Aint that the truth[:@]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
HMS Indomitable has been impressed into the US Navy....

Still cant forgive them for the War of 1812? Huh? [:D]

Good job on the raid and the AAR. Both you and CF have a very lively writing style that I am enjoying quite a bit. Good luck and keep your head down. [:)]

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo
Still cant forgive them for the War of 1812? Huh? [:D]

No! Limey bastards still owe us for burning down Washington. And how do they repay us? Taking our destroyers? [:D]

Combat Report, Feb 14, 15, 1942

Operation Searchlight: Our CV force is moving eastward toward Point Gratitude, a rendevous with a Replenishment TF. So far this operation was a success, I think we rattled the Empire striking so close to home. Let's gloat though when we actually GET home.

Kido Butai: No sign of it anywhere. I am starting to route convoys at least 10 hexes south of Noumea/Suva/Pago Pago for safety's sake. We have ALOT of troops and planes at sea at the moment; I don't have an objective in mind, but pretty much I am loading up anything I have ships for and moving it to the Southwest Pacific. Might as well, there will be other units I can use in Cent Pac later.

Burma: The retreat continues. Japs take an empty Mandalay, and will shortly take an empty Schwebo. Our troops are streaming accross the Indian border.

China: I will post a screenshot, I think the Japanese are trying an offensive in the South.

Luzon: Japanese Artillery pounds Clark. I don't expect to hold long, maybe another 2 weeks or so before a surrender at Bataan. I hope to hold until March 1 at this point. Not easy. I just captured Bataan in my other PBEM, on Jan 30th, but my opponent had allowed me to split his forces. I have kept everyone together, but we will lose anyway.

Fall of Port Moresby: Port Moresby falls to the 53rd Division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Below is the sad picture of Australian Units surrendering.........




Soldiers of New Guinea Volunteer Rifles Surrendering at Port Moresby, Feb 15, 1942

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Feb 16,17,18 1942

Fairly quiet few turns out in the Pacific.

Luzon: A 1-1 attack dropped the forts to Zero, and killed 4500 Allied troops. Next attack will probably shove us back from Clark into Bataan. After that, as long as it takes to walk to Bataan from Clark is about how long Luzon is going to last for me.

China: Japanese troops are bombarding Kanshien in the South. Not sure if it's a major offensive or what, mostly they chased all my original troops in the Northeast there.

Allied CVs: Having a little trouble with the MEET buttons, still figuring it out, but bringing the Searchlight TF together with AOs south of Dutch. We need to top off before heading home.

Lexington and Indomitable are about to anchor at Melbourne, and will then head to Pago Pago.

[rattovolante]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Allied CVs: Having a little trouble with the MEET buttons, still figuring it out, but bringing the Searchlight TF together with AOs south of Dutch. We need to top off before heading home.

My personal suggestion: DON'T use meet, give them the same hex destination within range for both TFs and replenish/merge manually on the next turn. I have had meet/merge orders giving unexpected/unpredictable results.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Feb 19,20,21,22

Not a ton to update recently, other than a couple interesting movements going on.

Learning AE, CV Dispositions: Rattovante, thanks for the suggestion; after 3 days of the TFs ending up ONE hex apart, I finally just did it the old fashioned way; sending them to the same hex. It worked, good thing we were getting a bit low on gas. It's a good thing I'm not in a hurry to get home, because I need to pull together all operational CVs before starting a major operation, and that will take awhile.

The Searchlight TF is headed home from south of Dutch Harbor to Pearl. I have spotted a couple subs in strange positions in the North Pacific, no doubt Cuttlefish vectored a bunch of subs up there to hopefully do what he did to Enterprise. I am sending this TF on a slightly different course home to avoid alot of subs. CV Hornet is through the Canal and headed to San Diego. Lexington/Indomitable are headed to San Diego via Pago Pago. We will bring everyone together at Pearl.

Big E is STILL a few days out of Cape Town; flooding has gotten worse. She won't founder, but the damage is quite bad, and figures to take while. I sent her planes via AK to Capetown, and they will beat her to port, as she is making 10 kts. Hindsight is 20/20, but I should have sent her to Australia.

Singapore Raid: I wanted to see if Cuttlefish was napping, and tried a raid on Singapore; didn't really work. I knew the place would be full of docked ships, so I moved 40 Dutch bombers to Palembang to Port Raid Singapore. They were intercepted by a handful of Zeros, that shot down about a dozen. Some B-17s from Batavia did get a reported bomb hit on an CM. Overall, my aim was pretty bad. Gave the Dutch bombers something to do anyway. Kudos to CF for not sleeping on the job.

The raid did give me solid intel on Singapore, which has 40+ ships docked, plus several TFs in the harbor, including BBs, CAs, DDs, transports, and pretty much a huge IJN Armada. They are no doubt loading up for SOMETHING, probably to finish the DEI.

DEI: Otherwise, I am prepping as best I can for the inevitable invasions of Java and Sumatra.

On Sumatra, I pulled all units in the South together at Palembang. It's about 200 AV at this point, and everyone is rested and almost 100% prepped. It's about as good as it's going to get; if Cuttlefish brings enough guys it will fall anyway. At Medan, I basically did the same thing, pulling all units there, to hopefully damage the oilfields when he takes it. It's about all you can do on Sumatra.

On Java, I have been training the Dutch airforce for 2 months on Nav Attack; most Dutch bomber pilots are now in the 30s, which means they have an outside chance (I mean outside) chance of hitting something, as opposed to no chance at all. Dutch Bombers already sank CL Tama and a Minekaze-class DD in port at Balikpapan, so I've probably already gotten my money's worth, but hopefully we can sink a little more before surrendering.

The KNIL airforce is beginning to get Hurricanes, and we are few days from starting to get P-40s and B-25s; not sure how long we will have, but it would be nice if we could get a few in action before the fall of Java.

Other Pilot Training: Not sure what other Allied players do, but every Allied Level bomber in the Pacific is basically on Nav Attack training, at 40%. The skills move very slowly of course. I figure we will need that at some point, so may as well get a head start for later. If we don't, B-25s won't be able to hit anything.

Burma:
Other than Lashio, we have basically evacuated Burma. I will fight for Lashio, as I have about 550 AV there, mostly Chinese. Everyone else is evacuating to Akyab and Imphal. It will be interesting to see if CF follows me, attempts a landing in my rear, or halts and commits resources elsewhere.

[Canoerebel]

Where the heck did you get Chinese to garrison Lashio? (I'm pretty sure I know, but aren't they pretty weak units?) In WitP it was easy to divert scads of Chinese units to Burma - in fact doing so offered the single greatest vector of attack against the Japs in 1942. But unless I've overlooked something I don't see any Chinese committed to SEAC and all of the Chinese units in nearby Chinese cities are weak and assigned to Chinese HQ. So, what was your secret?

Since we (apparently) tried such different strategies on Luzon and in Java it will be interesting to see how things turn out in the end. Did one or the other of us get an advantage? At first I thought I had performed miserably in the Philippines, but judging from your AAR and a few others I'm reading, everybody seems to be finding it much tougher to defend here.

Enjoying your AAR very much. Keep up the good work!