ALLIED ONLY: aztez (A) vs erstad (J) ...2nd ROUND

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: aztez

Things have somewhat quiet in past two months. As I have said numerous times this does not mean we are planning ahead.

The current operation plan gathered is at follows... (Operational names are still on "sketch" stage)

I think I will launch 3 "simultaneous offensives". The simultaneous word not to be taken literally.


Operation "Snow"

- The recapture of Cold Bay, Dutch Harbour and Umnak Island.
- This operational is mainly supported by lba assets gathered at Aleutians.
- The operation "Snow" will give us an good jumping point towards Kuriles for an possible offensive there in late 1943.


Operation "Junglebook"

- This is an offensive scheduled at Burma.
- The initial objectives of are seizing of Akyab, Mytihkina and Schwebo. Possibly even Mandaly and surrounding bases.
- This operation will bring us much closer to SRA and our LBA threat becomes much more dangerous.


Operation "Lion"

- The recapture of Pago Pago, Upolu and Savaii among with few other bases in the region.
- This will involve bulk of the naval assets available for the allied side. Including Carrires and Battleships.
- It will involve 20-30 submarines screening and hunting the area.
- Numerous large TF's loaded with troops and supplies.
- The benefits to this is that It will unite our troops gathered at Oz and NZ with US CenPac armies.
- After this is concluded the New Caledonia and Fiji's are doomed. There are units in the NZ /OZ prepping for these targets.

That is how things are shaping up to be. It will bring in a lot of fireworks when the steamroller starts.

Very interesting operations you are planning aztez.

One question: Did you consider the Chinese theatre of operations into your planning for Junglebook?
The main benefit, if timed when theres still a chance, could be to reopen the Burma Road. I see every city you hold cries for
supplies. This could be a major boost for your defensive battle there.

[aztez]

crsutton: You make good points as regarding the usage of PP for the allied side.
 
I don't have my hopes up though since I think it might be too coded too deeply to be released with normal patches.
 
As said couldn't agree more with your post.
 
LoBaron: These seems most logical and gives most benefits for the future offensives.
 
Most definately had China in mind. The supply situation is not great but we are holding firm at the moment. It really would not hurt to get some extra supplies in though.
 
The planning for these is an logistical nightmare. A lot of ship movement and troop deployments to be made.
 
Having said that things are going forward as fast as possible. We are not yet geared up for these though.

[aztez]

China (january 17th - 24th 1943)


The japanese tried another ground offensive near Kweiyang on january 19th 1943.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 75,50

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 181442 troops, 1943 guns, 1198 vehicles, Assault Value = 6456

Defending force 159225 troops, 973 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5113

Japanese adjusted assault: 945

Allied adjusted defense: 5935

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
16643 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 665 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 728 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 95 disabled
Vehicles lost 201 (22 destroyed, 179 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
5698 casualties reported
Squads: 26 destroyed, 511 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 296 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

...not bad result here this time around either. I wonder how supplies is he burning up here since we seem to disable quite a few of his combat units.

There has been no additional ground assaults here and it seems he might be regrouping for time being.

Japanese have kept up their air supremacy and have kept conducting those large raids all over the country.

Chinese fighter numbers are now up to 40-50's. There are some P40E's available too. Too bad that the experience levels are low since training chinese squadrons take quite a lot of time.

The map below shows the current situation in china...

[aztez]

Submarines (january 17th - 24th 1943)


The upgraded submarines have arrived to their target zones near japan.

I thought it might be good to let you see the latest subwarfare action detailed on the map.

I have some +30 submarines currently repaired or being repaired at Pearl Harbour.

Some of these will be sent towards the Home Islands and some towards southern pacific.

Also new wave of S-boats have arrived at Aleutians.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Nice results in china and for the subs too !

I love S-boats as the US in 42 , i consider the 'named' boats to be forward recon as in my experience they hit quite a lot but almost always duds ! .. its too depressing watching dud afetr dud [;)]. concentrating the S-boat in one theatre is imo a v good idea. force massing and projection of viable assets as nemo might say [;)]

[aztez]

Rob: Yeah, china is still holding firm even with those massive airstrikes and ground assaults. I wonder whether it would be diffrent if we hadn't decieded to abandon those shock assaults though.
 
The submarines have been doing job in past months. I still think it is worth of rotating them manually. You just need to check the detection levels and that is pretty much it.
 
Those "short legged" haven't hit much lately but I think it mainly due to the fact that there has not been targets around them. Early in the war they very the best submarines but now those "long legged" US submarines are doing the most damge.
 
I will send +20 submarines into Samoa Island area soon. These will arrive before the amphbious vessels hit beaches. If he tries to intercept with his naval fleet than I'am in nodoubt that the subs will score some nice hits for us.
 
Btw, we only have 1 operational Royal Navy submarine at the moment! [:D] ...it will actually try to intercept Mini KB next turn near Akyab. I really wish there would be more available!
 
Otherwise things are going along. It takes time to build up the assault waves and get those transport ships in position. I wonder whether or not wait CV Wasp to get back online. She is still 60 days off going through repairs.
 
Additional Royal Navy carrier will arrive at Balboa within 20 days. (I forgot the name of ship though)
 
Another thing I have done is buy back all of the Wildcats and Dauntless squadrons lost earlier. A few units have +80 experienced pilots in them as average. These pilots will do good job but at the moment are on their way towards the frontlines.
 
In Burma I did try to put an ambush at Chittagong. There are +180 bombers and +120 fighters ready to bounce on Mini KB or any other surface combat TF sailing towards Cox Bazar's. Whether or not he comes into range is an diffrent story though. We shall see what happens.
 
The british ground units are gathering prep points for their offensives. Recon still shows pretty much the same picture posted earlier regarding his troop strenghts.
 
Personally I think something doesn't add up here since he does not seem to have large ground units here. I wonder whether or not he is actually thinking about launching an offensive againts India via sea once we start moving forward. There has been reports of some units preparing for Diamond Harbour in allied signit.
 

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: aztez

[Another thing I have done is buy back all of the Wildcats and Dauntless squadrons lost earlier. A few units have +80 experienced pilots in them as average. These pilots will do good job but at the moment are on their way towards the frontlines.

What do you mean by buy back. How is this done?

[aztez]

crsutton: Oh, I didn't explain it clear enough. Just go and aircraft losses "button" on the intelligence screen.

You get an overview of losses and in bottom of the page there should be an button "list destroyed" air units.

Click open and an view opens where you can see all the squadrons destroyed on the game. (see below)

Here simply right click on the squadron you want re-activate. Keep in mind that these squadron do come back but without the aircraft in them.

I need those Wildcat squadrons once the Hellcat production starts so I bought quite a few of them back. There is also an delay before they pop up so do not expect them back immediately.

Hope that helps you out.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Buying back doesn't give you magic pilots afaik, just re-assembles the sqd back in home territory. I hope it doesnt as that smacks of re-incarnating dead pilots !

I wonder whether or not wait CV Wasp to get back online. She is still 60 days off going through repairs.

Have you changed the priority of the repairs ? you might get to make it critical if the shipyards big enough and you dont fill it with smaller ships repairing/upgrading. Does getting a naval Hq in range help in AE ? it certainly did in WitP. and you can rail restricted commands about happily in continental USA.

I wonder whether it would be diffrent if we hadn't decieded to abandon those shock assaults though.

I'm beginning to think that with the latest updates shock attacks may well be more balanced in china now, and as the chinese they may well be critical for taking cities back as normal attacks are pretty aenemic otherwise.

just my 2p.

[aztez]

Rob: No, there are no magical pilots but those squadrons are very useful once the production of Hellcats begin.
 
Yeah. CV Wasp is put on "critical" setting at Seattle. The repairyards are 1/4 full there. I haven't moved additional HQ's or such into the city.
 
As I understand they don't affect much in AE. Not in this case since Seattles shipyards are working 100%.
 
Hmmm, maybe the shock assaults are balanced now but I'am not eager to test this out since I cut the short end of things here with early on. However if this would be an new game than most definately shock assaults should not be "banned".
 
This HR will affect me too since I cannot use "shock assaults" when the Russians become active. You win some, you lose some! [:D]

[Rob Brennan UK]

This HR will affect me too since I cannot use "shock assaults" when the Russians become active. You win some, you lose some!

True

[aztez]

China (january 25th - 28th 1943)


Dave is moving some ground units around in southern china. (see map)

Japanese also launched yet another ground offensive near Kweiyang and the results ended up with 1:9 odds.

The below happened on 27th of january.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 75,50

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 119363 troops, 1301 guns, 316 vehicles, Assault Value = 4184

Defending force 159074 troops, 960 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5077

Japanese adjusted assault: 1415

Allied adjusted defense: 13348

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
10385 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 835 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 735 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 79 disabled
Vehicles lost 51 (1 destroyed, 50 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4021 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 232 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 339 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)

As said it seems he is withdrawing quite a few units south and at the same time trying an flanking movement towards Kweiyang.

I have already +1000av worth of fresh infantry at Kweiyang behind level 3 forts so it will be tough nut to crack. A couple of more infantry units are ordered into the city too.

Otherwise business as usual. There really nothing to contest his training bombing missions here which is somewhat frustrating.

[aztez]

Burma (january 25th - 28th 1943)


The allied recon flights still show heavy numbers of enemy fighters in Burma.

Dave is also building up airfield at Magwe so it seems he is planning to give this country up easily.

The SS Truant did find an large numbers of transports south of Akyab...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Bassein at 52,50

Japanese Ships
DD Asagumo
CL Tama
CL Kuma
CL Jintsu
E Hato
E Tsuta
DMS W-6
DMS W-5
DMS W-2
AK Kiyosumi Maru
AK Awata Maru
AK Kinryu Maru
AK Kinka Maru
xAP Buenos Aires Maru
xAP Miike Maru
xAP Brazil Maru
xAP Teiko Maru
xAK Yoshida Maru #3
xAK Bisan Maru
xAK Hokusei Maru
xAK Ume Maru
xAK Keihuku Maru
xAK Himalaya Maru
xAK Tsukuba Maru
xAK Kosei Maru
xAK Omi Maru
xAKL Tensyo Maru
DD Ayanami
DD Suzukaze
DD Shigure
DD Shiratsuyu

Allied Ships
SS Truant, hits 2

These ships are sailing with carrier aircover so I wonder what on earth he has in mind.

I looked at the allied signit and noticed few intresting lines...

"8/38th Division is planning for an attack on Cox's Bazar."
"9/38th Division is planning for an attack on Cox's Bazar."

Hmmm, is he planning on invading Cox's Bazar! Now that would be an very bold move indeed.

Dave launched an airstrike againts Chittagong on december 26th. RAF downed around 15 Sally's and 10 escorting fighters.

Another intresting piece of information was revealed when BB Musashi, BB Yamato, BB Fuso and BB Nagato bombarded our units at Cox's Bazar.

So, those two monster battleships are patrolling together.

[Smeulders]

Why Cox's Bazaar ? I've he is taking the trouble of setting up an amphibious invasion he could land somewhere that isn't easily reached with an overland march. Of course, it's not unlikely that he'll land the forces in Akyab and does the overland march to Cox's Bazaar from there.

[aztez]

Smeulders: My thoughts exactly. It doesn't make much sense to invade Cox's Bazaar. Than again this PBEM has thought me to expect anything.
 
Personally I think the most likely invasion target if there is to be one is Diamond Harbour area.
 
We shall see what happens here. No sign of those transports last turn so it might as well being an "decoy" operation.

[aztez]

China (janurary 29th - february 1st 1942)


No new enemy ground offensives south of Kweiyang. Instead Dave is trying to do some sort of an flanking movement here.

Last turn he knocked out couple small chinese infantry units there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 74,50

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9054 troops, 54 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 324

Defending force 2798 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Japanese adjusted assault: 288

Allied adjusted defense: 25

Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
Units retreated 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment

Defending units:
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
2nd Prov Chinese/B Corps


As you can see from the map below I'am moving troops around to deal with this issue. There are soon +1500av worth of infantry in Kweiyang. The game logisctics would not allow any large armies to move on the flanks. Simply because there are no roads here.

Meanwhile Dave has kept busy bombarding my armies from the ground and air. Really nothing I can do here but to let him build up his experience levels. The china is an one large combat simulator for the japanese airforce in AE.

[aztez]

Burma (january 29th - february 1st 1943)


The "invasion armada" has now vanished and I wonder whether we will see it again. Allthough intresting piece of intel gained from the RN submarine.

This doesn't mean though that the IJN had been passive. No, there were large naval bombadment launched againts Chittagong on january 31sr.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Chittagong at 55,41

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 destroyed on ground
Hudson IIIa: 2 destroyed on ground
B-25C Mitchell: 8 destroyed on ground
Wellington Ic: 3 destroyed on ground
B-24D Liberator: 5 destroyed on ground
P-40K Warhawk: 5 destroyed on ground
Blenheim VD: 1 destroyed on ground
Beaufort I: 2 destroyed on ground
Liberator II: 2 destroyed on ground
LB-30 Liberator: 1 destroyed on ground
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Beaufighter VIf: 1 destroyed on ground
Beaufighter VIc: 4 destroyed on ground
SB-III: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
BB Yamato


Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (5 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Airbase hits 28
Runway hits 86

BB Musashi firing at Chittagong
BB Yamato firing at Chittagong


...the combat report is somewhat screwd up put it was BB Yamato and BB Musashi which did this mission. Eventhough the damage levels are somewhat FOW this just goes to show that the bombardments are effective in AE.

There seems to have some debate whether or not the casualty levels should be even more devastating. In my opinion this shows that the answer is simply no. This damage was done againts level 7 forts so.....

Another frustrating thing here is that my CD batteries did not fire at all. I had spotted these ships a turn earlier so this was no news to me. Anyway, they opted to save their ammo I guess.

We have been on the recieving end here so something must be done. There will be two major airstrikes launched on february 2nd 1943. The biggest one againts Magwe and the smaller one againts Myithkina.

Every single bomber and fighter is set on 11 000 feet so basically we should be getting an coordinated strike here and we better do so since there are numbers in fighters defending these bases. Fingers crossed that we actually manage to pull this off. Both have just one single target and it will be the airfields there.

An unescorted large airstrike is scheduled on Aleutians too next turn but that is an diffrent story alltogether...

[aztez]

The intel screen february 1943...

[aztez]

Aircraft losses...

[aztez]

Fighter replacement pools...