Empire strikes back- NJP vs Wargmr Game over :-)

[njp72]

Allied fighter losses

As you will note, I have been heavily targeting his P40es. FOW aside, P40es are now the highest total loss of any airframe.

I m also now going after any Hurricanes I can realistically reach. I still think the lack of Allied fighter aircraft is their Achilles heel in 42 and 43.

[njp72]

Central Pacific

As per Wargmr's favourite strategy, once a position has been seized he strongly fortifies it. However it is difficult to fortify the immediate area after the initial position has been captured.

Below I have circled in black a number of the local bases which not strongly garrisoned and potentially vulnerable to a counter attack. If they can be seized his LOC can be threatened and hopefully a gruelling war of attrition can then commence. Of course I have to be particularly careful to ensure I do not risk valuable assets which in essence is a delaying action.

[njp72]

Dec 42

Game continues at a good pace despite interference from work for both of us.

Dec 42 and the game is evenly poised. Int screen and comments attached below.

[njp72]

China is still the land of milk and honey. Moving closer to the end game as we begin the liquidation of the Changsha pocket- 130K troops.

It is a tough nut but they are out of supply and being whittled down by guns and armour.

This is the training run for the eventual big show- Chungking.

[njp72]

There are a number of tempting targets with Allied troops in exposed positions. Wisely or unwisely I have decided I would reinforce a number of key defensive positions before I go after them.

At the moment air and naval assets have commenced a blockade on some of these positions in the central pacific.

[njp72]

State of War Jan 43

The game continues at a rapid rate despite the lack of updates on both mine and Wargmr's AAR due to work, family etc.

Reasonably happy with the current state of affairs as inner defences continue to be built up and new airframes come online.

Both sides are being cautious with their naval assets but there is plenty of aerial skirmishing going on. China remains the main theatre of opportunity for Japan

[njp72]

Central Pacific

The Allies have slowly been building up the pacific and establishing reasonably strong positions despite my best efforts with land based air.

Finally after some inner debate, I committed KB to wrest the initiative from Wargmr and inflict some pain. I feel reasonably safe at this point as I don't see him committing to a carrier clash without Hellcats.

After two days of naval strikes we destroyed 2 modern CLs, 1 or 2 DDs and about 5/6 AKs, AGs. Not a great catch but his remaining naval forces appear to be fleeing which will make stage 2 a little easier

[njp72]

China

The Changsha pocket has been destroyed after some fierce fighting (130K of troops).

Now redeploying to tackle the next set of objectives before we eventually turn back to Chungking.

I am still planning for the Chinese campaign to be largely over in the next 8 months as there are not many combat effective Chinese formations left in the field.

[Lowpe]

You guys play so fast!

Can you get a 3-1 by the end of 43? It looks doable with China.

[njp72]

Hi Lowpe, both wargmr and I believe a fast game is a good game

On face value it does look possible (3:1) particularly given the Chinese situation.

But alas no, he is too capable as a player and knows that I am weak at Fiji and Noumea.

Once he works out the pattern and strength of the defences and the arrival of Hellcats, I fear he will move very aggressively.

Ceylon and Perth will also be targeted in the next 6 months.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Hi Lowpe, both wargmr and I believe a fast game is a good game

On face value it does look possible (3:1) particularly given the Chinese situation.

But alas no, he is too capable as a player and knows that I am weak at Fiji and Noumea.

Once he works out the pattern and strength of the defences and the arrival of Hellcats, I fear he will move very aggressively.

Ceylon and Perth will also be targeted in the next 6 months.

Wargamer move aggressively. Where did you get that idea?[:D][:D]

[njp72]

Yes he is

Well the limited operation in the Central Pacific continues with relative success. Initially I was hoping for a carrier clash but I believe he didn't want to risk his key assets in early 43- makes sense.

I have been targeting some of the weaker atolls as I am keen to wedge and isolate some of his key strong points.

The goals of the operation have largely been met and I will commence withdrawing in the next day. His subs have now appeared and are aggressively hunting my CVs.

Either way, as long as I don't suffer a disaster the next turn, this will slow him down and give him something to think about- or not

[njp72]

Quick update

In brilliance only matched by Yamamoto's performance at Midway, the IJN have managed to sustain heavier casualties in the last 5 days of Jan 43 than 42 combined.

Of course it was the extraction out of the central pacific operation which has caused significant problems due to his land based air, aggressive Fletcher destroyers and the biggest problem- subs.

Thus far 2 x CAs, 6 x DDs and about 6 AKs have been lost. My favourite was the CA Maya in a surface engagement where my entire fleet only sustained one shell hit which was a 6 inch penetrating hit which detonated the magazine.

Also 2 x Fleet CVs have taken torpedos from subs and now the once mighty KB is steaming around on right angles dodging swarms of subs once more.

On a brighter note the Chinese continue to be obliterated.

Wargmr is certainly back in the fight after a period of being dormant!

[njp72]

Update Feb 43

I note my cunning opponent has updated his AAR, so as not to lose the psychological battle, I have decided to get off page 2.

Well after a disappointing finish to the central pacific operation all fronts have stabilised and I have been able to get some good strikes on his merchant shipping.

Fiji has fallen and Noumea looks like it is living on borrowed time. The attritional warfare around the central pacific and Horn Island is once again favouring the Empire due to our ability to mass superior air frames over the battlefield.

China is slowly being crushed but still has some life in it. Reasonably happy at this stage, particularly now that I have been able to inflict some minor damage to his AK/AP shipping.

I will post some maps shortly.

[njp72]

China

Stubborn but largely futile resistance as the backbone of the Chinese forces have pretty much been broken.

Still a large amount of stragglers left behind the lines causing nuisance raids on my LOCs.

Hoping to commence the final assault on Chungking in the next two months.

[njp72]

Central Pacific

Adopted some new tactics to take advantage of the superior naval search coverage I have in the area.

When Wargmr moves in force to a new locality with his screening SAGs, we will avoid initial contact except for a few ineffective air strikes to create a false sense of security.

Once the amphib taskforces enter the kill zone we hit him with everything (air, subs, SAGs not sighted) deliberately targeting soft AKs/APs.

After some carnage we immediately retreat our naval assets but finish off cripples with air and subs.

Thus far it has worked well but as always he will quickly adapt and I will be back to the drawing board.

[njp72]

N/E Australia

Same approach here but I have had additional fun by adding sub laid mines and the occasional BB bombardment.

Logistically this area is easier for me to sustain and dish out punishment. Again I am not interested in taking on his warships in naval combat. Only after the soft targets that can't fight back.

I have been trying to lure his DDs and CLs by using naval forces as bait into LBA range but only with limited success.

Once he establishes better air search coverage around this area and the Central Pacific the jig is likely to be up.

[njp72]

DEI

Final map. I have been worried that I have only sighted his CVs on the fringes of the battle space and never engaged.

Also heavy sig int continues to build up around key points. In anticipation of that dreaded deep strike, I have been buying out battered/disrupted IJA divisions from China and sending them to the DEI and the Kuriles.

I also have significant naval elements in the vicinity of both locations.

I will be ready if he comes but I'm not sure if I will have enough!

[njp72]

Update Late Feb

Once again I can't believe I have been relegated to page 2

After the fall of Fiji, the game has fallen into a war of attrition as small naval and air battles continue across many theatres.

This kind of warfare is definitively favouring the Japanese due to the superior air/naval search coverage, closer proximity to key Japanese logistical hubs and importantly the superior numbers of capable IJN/IJA fighter aircraft.

I sense Wargmr's frustration but unless he commits his carriers, I don't think he is going anywhere fast.

It also proves (in my mind at least) to some degree the advantages of going deep and seizing key positions on the cheap. It is not an easy undertaking nor risk free for the Allies to even reclaim positions such as Noumea or Fiji if they don't know the whereabouts of KB.

[njp72]

China

Important development as finally the link up between the IJA in China and Burma has now been achieved!

Majority of Chinese now locked up in Chungking awaiting the final offensive. I am feeling confident that China will effectively cease as an active theatre by July 43 which should free up some options.

There will be no mercy here as I want this game to go well into 45