The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: Good'Guyz (aka "The Allies")

[kfmiller41]

problem fixed

[kfmiller41]

Just testing that I can still do pics to this forum



Screen is 1920 x 1080 and does look great. That Jap TF has not launched planes and may be those 2 long range raiders that start well southeast, but it could be KB, which vanished right after pearl and I cannot locate. Better safe than sorry though until i am sure

[kfmiller41]

Here is a picture of the pearl harbor area, notes are on map. Will let AJ update on the SRA are, it is ugly there[:D]

[Fishbed]

Is it THAT ugly? [&:] Im at work, didn't have the time to run the CR and the turn yet [:(]

Now it's your turn, you gave away good news in SRA, already now you have to take responsibility, you lazy butt! [;)]

[kfmiller41]

Sorry, My intel stops in Northern Australia, really long lines of communication don't you know

[Fishbed]

December 14, 1941

"Booyah!"
S-36 patrol log entry for December 14, 1941

The Silent Service strikes at last:

Sub attack near Laoag  at 81,72

Japanese Ships
     xAK Hukuzyu Maru, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
     xAK Tohuku Maru
     xAK Lima Maru
     PB Seki Maru #3

Allied Ships
     SS S-36


SS S-36 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Hukuzyu Maru
S-36 bottoming out ....
PB Seki Maru #3 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #3 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #3 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #3 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Seki Maru #3 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Submarine attack near Laoag  at 81,72

Japanese Ships
     xAK Hukuzyu Maru, Torpedo hits 2,  heavy fires,  heavy damage

Allied Ships
     SS S-36

xAK Hukuzyu Maru is sighted by SS S-36
SS S-36 launches 2 torpedoes

Sub attack near Laoag  at 81,72

Japanese Ships
     xAP Kokuryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage

Allied Ships
     SS S-36

SS S-36 launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Kokuryu Maru
S-36 bottoming out ....
Sub escapes detection

'Nuff said, the guys did a great job. You see Ken we had to keep those S-boats around! tsssk!

Other news from the front: today, for the first time in ages, the enemy lost more birds and pilots than we did. AVG shows it worth above Ichang:

Morning Air attack on 77th Chinese Corps, at 84,47

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
     Ki-27b Nate x 17
     Ki-30 Ann x 9

Allied aircraft
     H81-A3 x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
     Ki-27b Nate: 3 destroyed
     Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged



Aircraft Attacking:
      6 x Ki-30 Ann bombing from 8000 feet
              Ground Attack:  1 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
AVG/3rd Sqn with H81-A3 (19 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
     (19 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
     19 plane(s) intercepting now.
     Group patrol altitude is 15000
     Raid is overhead

Also attacking 55th Chinese Corps ...

All in all, more than 15 enemy planes were downed today in the Pacific, for a 1:2 ratio in our favor. Sometimes you have to enjoy pitiful little victories, when they're all you've got.

the DEI sucks:  Ambon finally falls, but sent at least another AK to the bottom. The coastal defence there behaved well.
Bad news is the enemy is already coming for Kendari before I could reinforce the place, probably under the umbrella of little KB

3/Miura Det  is loaded on a Lima Cargo class xAK moving to Kendari.

So let's try to make it as costly as it can get

BB Jellicoe: Phew!

Someone aboard HMS Jellicoe must have found some random Borneo Python during the stay at Balikpapan, for that was our most lucky hour in a while. After escaping a first salvo of 6 torpedoes (with a dud!!!), HMS Jellicoe stumbles upon the very same sub which fires a new salvo - this time, with one torpedo hitting the beast. Noooooo!



Fortunately, the damages are minimum, with only 2 flt damages. BB Jellicoe started the war as a lucky ship, let's hope she stays that way. John and Michael are sure they did some damage, so let's surprise them. I hope Soerebaja can feed the beast with some shells!

[Fishbed]

Sorry, no time nor strength for a detailed report tonight again - it's 2AM, and I barely finished my turn. Loads of activity at work left me with little time to take care of the game those last days, I hope it will get better. Not to mention there's lot of tension here, with every move that could become another deathtrap or disaster for our little brave guys.

The last news, broadly, before I put some better reports in the next days together with some screens

- The subwar: beautiful show from our subs several turns ago, with no less than 4 or 5 different enemy transports torpedoed in the Philippines and along the Indochina Coast. For a short time, japanese ships sank to the bottom nearly as quickly as this AAR. [;)]

- The airwar: the Singapore team put a good concerted effort together. Taking advantage of the fact that the KB group was heading southward (obviously to cover the Kuching area invasion) we mounted a big strike. Vilderbeests and Hudsons put several torps and bombs into enemy transports, sinking some of them. Apparently, there was some fuel carried, and "fuel cargo burning" message showed several times. Everyone rests for the next turn, I don't believe in Santa a second time at the same place. We're soon gonna start our big Sir Robin plan. Don't know why he didn't try to bomb Singapore even once yet...!

- The enemy: the KB sub-element supporting the invasion along the Malayan and Borneo coasts is very clearly heading south, as it gets closer from Java. Anticipating the move, Palembang, Batavia and Soerebaja were evacuated 3 days ago already (actually I would have been a little more reckless earlier so to catch the Allies with their pants down more quickly). Most of the bigger ships are already half-way to Australia as they left the second or third day of the war, carrying tons and tons of fuel and oil. The ships that left a few days ago are all part of the rear-echelon (military and civilian Aux). If he's sweeping the Java northern coast in the days to come, he'll come across beautiful useless small ships which will more than happily eat his precious torpedoes. In the meantime, Palembang and Batavia are brrrracing for impaaact!

- The counter-strike: we're bringing together a powerful SC TF to sweep Kendari and try to allow for Gull Force to land there, in order to counter the enemy first wave. With a little luck, we may even catch the transports or the CV. This may very well end up into some bloody nose for the KNIL and the RN, but we have to make a stand here and now, even though we will most probably retreat immediately after.
Bad news is that Betties are already operational with torps at Ambon (!). With a "KB bis" getting closer in the West, and a baby KB covering the Kendari operation in the East, we'd better be careful with our vulnerable battlewagons.

Stay tuned (most probably for additionnal Allied heroic deaths, but well you're gonna get used to it anytime soon).

[Fishbed]

A little update, just to explain why this AAR isn't nearly as active as before (knowing it wasn't frankly active even before). The job is killing me and leaves me with only little time to play (not to mention little time to make an AAR). Knowing how grim events were in the last week, gamewise (I think you were told about it by now) well it didn't really made me fancy the idea of writing a hundred lines about it.

Anyway the blows we dealt were pitiful when compared to what happened to us. I won't talk again about this a certain time, for this kind of stupid goof is completely my mistake. Among our own actions, I mean about our actions in the DEI (I don't want to associate Ken to my failures, that would be even worse), we only managed to bleed our Malaysian air force even further, while only inflicting limited casualties to enemy shipping. Our subs miss every opportunity to strike (I mean, they shoot, they just miss). We attacked an empty enemy cargo TF at Naga, but that was only thanks to the fact Ny59giants got a little careless because of the pitiful threat we represent. Well we're hopefully striking again in Hong-Kong in 2 turns (our flights from the French concession sighted ships there, and I want to disrupt their minecleaning process) while everyone else is pulling back from the DEI... For now.

Some more news to come in the next days, but I just don't have the time to give a substantial AAR service to the very few fans, sorry [:(]
But we'll keep on fighting [;)]

The Free forces

[Fishbed]

Juan, may I ask if you beefed up IJN CVs AAA with a forest of bofors or something? Had just a naval strike of SBD getting chewed up by AAA, as the latter inflicted more damage than the CAP of Zeroes above... Or am I just having hallucinations? [&:]

By the way, he had some good news, for a change, but I guess the guys on the other thread told you already [;)] Farewell Hyuga, you pay for all the fallen Vilderbeest and British sailors that sacrificed themselves against your bloody pikes [:@]

[Galahad78]

Hey, just because we do not write don't think this AAR doesn't have fans!!! 

Just nothing to add as I'm yet struggling across my first turn in my very first full blown campaign. Your mistakes (and achievements [;)]) are being well noted [:D]

[Fishbed]

Aye, thanks my dear single fan! I may be the guy who sold Malaya to the enemy in little less than one month, but I can tell you it's not happening next time [:D] [;)]

Seriously, I made a lot of mistakes. If you think you can learn from it, go for it. I'd say: discourage the Mersing adventure, that is something already. Georgetown is also a good place to evacuate your cadre units (or more than that - Michael and John may be surprised by what they're gonna find in India or on Ceylon [;)] )

When it comes to submarine, merely positive situation so far. I'd say I just got lucky on this one: actually, it all started with a Dutch CL coming from China (where it was hiding, prowling for a convoy in Hong Kong that failed to materialize) in order to liberate my subs guarding Cam Ranh from the heavy (well, in 1941 terms) japanese ASW pression. The CL came and killed some ASW vessels. Unfortunately, despite its orders, it got caught the very evening by a powerful surface TF coming out from Cam Ranh, which contained the BB damaged by Vilderbeests at the very beginning of the Malaysian campaign. My sub captain, despite the breakdown of tubes into twin mounts, managed to put three torpedoes in 2 attempts.

So we're just witnessing a lucky event which started nearly thirty days ago thanks to another lucky event. We didn't get that lucky on many more occasions, so I guess it was just our turn this time...

[Nemo121]

You're being followed by more than 1 I assure you.

One piece of advice though... It really does seem as though you are allowing your forces to be committed in penny packets in return for minor losses to the Japanese. At this stage of the war it will yield much better results for you to concentrate your forces and throw everything against a single Japanese landing or TF and actually hammer that landing/TF into annihilation rather than hitting multiple TFs with small numbers of forces.

Personally from what I'm seeing I think you're fighting too much whilst not concentrating enough. I'd be much more in favour of concentrating forces and only fighting one day a fortnight or so. I'd think you'd get more kills for less cost than by penny-packeting out forces day in day out.

[JuanG]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

Juan, may I ask if you beefed up IJN CVs AAA with a forest of bofors or something? Had just a naval strike of SBD getting chewed up by AAA, as the latter inflicted more damage than the CAP of Zeroes above... Or am I just having hallucinations? [&:]

The IJN begins with a variant of the Bofors in production as the Type 99 40mm, along with a slightly (compared to OTL) superior 25mm weapon in the Type 99 25mm. Most of the 40mms are on the CV/BBs initially, but theyll start showing up more often as the war goes on.

In short, IJN AA is much more dangerous than in stock, but still not as good as the late war allied one.


Also, as Nemo said, I'm sure there are people reading, there just may not be much to comment on at the moment - regardless, good to hear that you've gotten a few blows in!

[terje439]

As Nemo said, more than one person following [;)]

And I must also agree with Nemo on that in AE you will get burned if you try to fight alot of minor battles trying to wage a war of attrition this early. You need to defend your main bases imho, and allow the Japanese to spend time and effort on taking out more or less empty areas. The ONE thing the Japanese does not have, is time.
If you try to hold too much, you will not manage to hold anything in AE (I know from experience [:D]).

Anyway keep it up and also keep in mind who you are fighting (and I am not talkign about "the Japanese" [;)])

Terje

[kfmiller41]

Have not chimed in because I have been busy but also because there isn't much to say as the US right now. The Japanese are so strong and my forces (air mostly) are so weak I cannot do much. He has attacked at Palmyra, and all islands south, sinking any small forces that I send to supply bases. Have not been able to get accurate searches and that makes for bad problems. Once I get my forces finally repaired, and grouped together I will start getting supplies/troops/fuel to points west of pearl. Just having to bide my time. I stripped the SBD's from 2 carriers for fishbed to use. Time will tell how bad a mistake that might be[:D]

Trust me once I have more time and get a plan together, I will post more, including screens as I am sure the evil Japanese are touting all there great victories[>:]

[Fishbed]

I know we are in some dire straits. Never before in the AAR world was Singapore on the verge of being taken that fast. I am truly a disgrace to the Allied fanboys out there. Still, we are planning, and there are a lot of obstacles on the road of those guys.

First, losing Malaya doesn't mean all the units were lost. Most part of the IIIrd Indian corps, HQ and BF were safely evacuated to Madras. It includes two nearly full Indian brigades. Our new reinforcements were evenly splitted between Australia and Ceylon. They're in for a ride if they're looking for an early invasion of Ceylon or SW Australia I think, and so they are in Madras and Calcutta. At the same time, some nice good AFs are being built up at a safe distance of his possible objectives so we can safely let them take Ceylon at a high cost and turn it into a dying pit. Honestly, I am just dying waiting for them to strike us where we'll be ready for them. The further they strike, the most vulnerable they'll be when we'll come back cutting their balls. If we ever achieve CV superiority, all those bases here and there will be little more than elaborated POW facilities. We'll have them strike us where they believe us to be weak, elude them wherever the fight is not worth the cost, strike them where they will be defenseless (I am getting good at raiding...fewer assets for max results), and I think you'll see pretty soon we haven't given up yet on being nasty.

Justice shall prevail, and kick some asses.

[Chickenboy]

Hi Fishbed,

Patience. Considering the nature of this fantasy OOB, you're doing fine. Just make them bleed a little bit at a time for everything that they take for granted. Obfuscation, delay and tenacity. Make 'em pay!

I like your idea about working double time on your second echelon defenses. They'll be there before long and it will be good to have defense in depth about that time.

Good luck! Banz....oh...hip hip hooray!

[Fishbed]

January 1-3rd

The enemy came near Sidney but got sighted just in time. For now they only managed to deplete the courageous CAP fighters, but naval losses are minimal. But we have to develop the Lord Howe island & Co in order to protect ourselves better. Althought some of our Carriers are going to strike in the Fiji group this turn, I think we'll stick to the idea that keeping them away from harm's way is the best solution for now. We'll strike outnumbering, not outnumbered.

In the meantime Ive just evacuated cadres from the Bataan EAB by sub. That's a very powerful unit when it comes to engineering, and I expect it to get replacements quickly once Bataan will fall. If I use it in India, I think we can quickly build up the most strategic bases we need in the nick of time.

Whatever they plan to do in the Indian Ocean, they're in for a ride, no more Sir Robin there. The Commonwealth forces will stand or die.

[Fishbed]

@Nemo:

One piece of advice though... It really does seem as though you are allowing your forces to be committed in penny packets in return for minor losses to the Japanese. At this stage of the war it will yield much better results for you to concentrate your forces and throw everything against a single Japanese landing or TF and actually hammer that landing/TF into annihilation rather than hitting multiple TFs with small numbers of forces.

actually last time I tried something big, it ended up losing a BB and a BC. That was bad execution on my side, but my bigger units need some R&R for now. On the opposite, small TFs managed to infiltrate his deployment and sank a dozen transports and escorts so far for minor losses (namely the lonely dutch CL - but this ended up having Hyuga crippled and probably sunk, so it was a fair trade). Actually I just checked Juan G's version of the Hyuga, and those ships are beasts (this modernized version is making 30 knots with 8x14", they're supersized Kongos!!!!!) which makes their destruction a very tasty event for the Allied player. My guerilla war is much more fruitful for now, and very frustrating for the IJN player, so we'll stick to it - expect me to throw the kitchen sink at them if they attempt anything too much West of Port Blair thought. If they ever attempt anything in Ceylon for instance, I know that they'll be too far from their bases to be on my back without interruption, and the RN will have a role to play there (Repulse is on her way from London, we'll soon have 2xBB (Warspite and buffed up KGV) and 2xBC (Repulse and Dutch cruiser killer) in the area [&o]).

I'll post some losses screens soon, but for a change, I believe we actually sank more ships than those which are shown (his transport fleet is often left vulnerable, and I intend to have this continue now that I know where his CVs are, knowing my DDs are rather immune to his LBA).

[Fishbed]

@Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Hi Fishbed,

Patience. Considering the nature of this fantasy OOB, you're doing fine. Just make them bleed a little bit at a time for everything that they take for granted. Obfuscation, delay and tenacity. Make 'em pay!

Aye! that's my motto now! ^^

But it's true that the bigger thorn so far (apart from my incompetence) was the OOB. We can't expect the things to go better (or even as "well") as the in history: they are seasoned players, I am a rookie, but they're also just plenty more CV and BB support out there for the Japanese players. No wonder everything is going faster and in a smoothier way for them. I could have slowed him down at Mersing, but I had no means to stop him cold with a 3 CV TF guarding the landing area. That's also why I do find a little strange the two guys feel the need to tell us in nearly every mail that they totally rock. No offense, but "A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire". [:-]

Actually the teasing is getting a little bit on the fringe of what I expect from a bunch of cool opponent. Why the heck do they need to ask us a couple times in the emails "how we managed to let Manilla, Sing and Bataan fall so easily, how it did happen..." etc... Like if they were enjoying the idea that we'd tell them "we let it happen because we're dumb"... It's also very funny to see that teasing stopped completely when Hyuga bit the dust (because, well, so far, in their mails every Japanese sub captain was a Marko Ramius clone but every Allied had to be a lucky b*stard), but I have no illusion: the moment we will lose Sing and Manila, they will start with the teasing again until the next random bloody nose. But to be honest I don't like their attitude, doesn't feel like playing with chaps, feels more like playing with victory hungry sociopaths sometimes - I'd rather have compassion for the poor Allied players instead. [8|]

Good luck! Banz....oh...hip hip hooray!

You're lucky we ran out of guns for the firing parties here in India, you seed of traitor!!! [:D] [;)]