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RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 12:53 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Miller
16th-31st July 42
Total stalemate in China at the moment. I simply cannot overcome his troops in wooded rough terrain and flanking is not an option due to having to go off road. Another recon bombardment of Sian reveals 4100AV in the hex now. I have 3800 in position ready to cross. Do I stick or twist? He launches a rare 4E raid against Hankow airfield that torches 60 a/c on the ground (most transports), my bad for being complacent and having no CAP up over it. A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
Everywhere else is a total snoozefest. Bataan down to one fort now, hopefully the next shock attack in a few days time will take it. He tries to sneak an unescorted supply convoy into Broome but I spot it and send a few old DDs to intercept:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Broome at 62,127, Range 12,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Oite
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Sawakaze
DD Tachikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Karii, Shell hits 1
DD Yanagi
Allied Ships
xAK Bellerophon, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Clan Mactavish, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Elysia, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Demodocus, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tantalus, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Autolycus, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Benledi, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Clan Macnair, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Clan Mactaggart, Shell hits 8, on fire
xAK Clan Macwhirter, Shell hits 17, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Forthbank, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Glenaffric, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Mahsud, Shell hits 12, heavy fires
xAK Boero, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tjikandi, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tjikarang, Shell hits 29, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
A nice little haul[:)]
The Tojo starts production next month but I think only three sqds can upgrade to the IIa version so I won't be mass producing it.
You have found Mr. Kane's Achilles' Heel - in concentrating his strength for his aggressive attacks he strips other areas of all protection. I think you will spank him for that for a long while!
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 1:12 pm
by witpqs
A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
No not at all, but there is much variation. Building bases, building forts, taking replacements, bombarding, assaulting, moving, in combat mode (as opposed to rest mode)...
Supply flown in will supplement whatever is being generated + daily supply. More and more will be flown in daily as more transports come on line.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 1:14 pm
by adarbrauner
Tojos: if playing with the "stock" settings you have only the experimental squadron for now, and 2 or three other groups later in 1943;
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 1:45 pm
by crsutton
ORIGINAL: witpqs
A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
No not at all, but there is much variation. Building bases, building forts, taking replacements, bombarding, assaulting, moving, in combat mode (as opposed to rest mode)...
Supply flown in will supplement whatever is being generated + daily supply. More and more will be flown in daily as more transports come on line.
You are expecting too much too early in China. Ledo can keep only a small number of Chinese units in supply-even at the most optimal. Against an experienced Allied player China is a one year to a year and a half project. You just keep grinding and he will use more supply than he can ever replace. Eventually the Chinese will break and that usually leads to a whole series of disasters. Once Chinese units are defeated and retreat a few times, they will lose the bulk of their devices. And these will never be replaced. It then grows easier and easier to beat them. My opponents always preceded an attack with a massed air bombardment. Disrupted Chinese melt.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 1:46 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: witpqs
A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
No not at all, but there is much variation. Building bases, building forts, taking replacements, bombarding, assaulting, moving, in combat mode (as opposed to rest mode)...
Supply flown in will supplement whatever is being generated + daily supply. More and more will be flown in daily as more transports come on line.
In a previous game Mr. Kane put every bomber he had in India to hauling supply from Ledo. It was enough to stymie Japanese advances in the Chungking area.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 2:19 pm
by witpqs
ORIGINAL: crsutton
ORIGINAL: witpqs
A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
No not at all, but there is much variation. Building bases, building forts, taking replacements, bombarding, assaulting, moving, in combat mode (as opposed to rest mode)...
Supply flown in will supplement whatever is being generated + daily supply. More and more will be flown in daily as more transports come on line.
You are expecting too much too early in China. Ledo can keep only a small number of Chinese units in supply-even at the most optimal. Against an experienced Allied player China is a one year to a year and a half project. You just keep grinding and he will use more supply than he can ever replace. Eventually the Chinese will break and that usually leads to a whole series of disasters. Once Chinese units are defeated and retreat a few times, they will lose the bulk of their devices. And these will never be replaced. It then grows easier and easier to beat them. My opponents always preceded an attack with a massed air bombardment. Disrupted Chinese melt.
+1
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 2:24 pm
by witpqs
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: witpqs
A quick question: He has Ledo built up to the max and is obviously flying supply in by transport. Would this be enough to keep his army in China fed? I would assume not but the performance of his ground troops would suggest otherwise...
No not at all, but there is much variation. Building bases, building forts, taking replacements, bombarding, assaulting, moving, in combat mode (as opposed to rest mode)...
Supply flown in will supplement whatever is being generated + daily supply. More and more will be flown in daily as more transports come on line.
In a previous game Mr. Kane put every bomber he had in India to hauling supply from Ledo. It was enough to stymie Japanese advances in the Chungking area.
The transports take lots of ops losses over time, so I imagine the bombers must take plenty of ops losses too. By lots I mean when you gets large numbers of them on line the very generous production of C-47's cannot keep up.
I suppose it boils down to 'what do you want to do with those bombers?'. Part of that decision might be affected by Japan's actions pressuring India, requiring the bombers for defensive duties.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 8:42 am
by Miller
1st-10th August 42
Of course you're right gents, I can't expect to steamroller an expert opponent in China in the space of a year. I now have stack of 2500AV in the rough terrain 2 hexes directly north of Chihkiang, they meet a stack trying to cut me off and I take a big chunk out of them:
Ground combat at 78,48 (near Chihkiang)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 74480 troops, 693 guns, 236 vehicles, Assault Value = 2435
Defending force 35752 troops, 454 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 1071
Japanese adjusted assault: 2150
Allied adjusted defense: 809
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
5333 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 355 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 64 disabled
Guns lost 26 (4 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
13825 casualties reported
Squads: 414 destroyed, 199 disabled
Non Combat: 531 destroyed, 171 disabled
Engineers: 40 destroyed, 68 disabled
Guns lost 209 (71 destroyed, 138 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (10 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 13
So that's another month's worth of replacements he's lost. Will just have to keep grinding away. I've cancelled the invasion of Sian. About a dozen B17s bomb my stack and cause one of my tank divs to take 92! disruption. And also a mini disaster at Changteh where 20 Wellington's destroy 80 a/c on the ground in a night raid[X(] I have Nicks doing night CAP now over all the big Chinese airfields.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 12:46 pm
by Mike McCreery
One of the toughest things about playing MrKane RE the ground war is he never seems to run out of supplies. He is very meticulous in planning his defenses and supplying them accordingly.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 7:58 am
by Miller
ORIGINAL: Wargmr
One of the toughest things about playing MrKane RE the ground war is he never seems to run out of supplies. He is very meticulous in planning his defenses and supplying them accordingly.
I really didn't want to hear that[:(]
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 8:07 am
by Miller
11th-14th August 42
For once the focus of attention moves away from China.
My recon picks up a load of TFs moving up towards the Shortlands/Rabual area from the south east. Judging by the number of search planes shot down it has to be all his CVs covering an invasion somewhere in the area. I sortie all my carriers south from Truk, then.........nothing happens. We dance around about 15-20 hexes apart, me about 10 hexes east of Rabual and him mid way between Rossel and Renell Is just out of Netty range from Rabual. I certainly won't force the issue, I will simply hang around and wait for him to make (or not) make his move. I believe this is not the optimum time for a CV battle, rather in very late 42/early 43 when I have Judy dive bombers and improved Zero's and he is still stuck with F4Fs....We shall see what happens next but I doubt he will come any further north.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 8:37 am
by pws1225
Do you know if he has spotted your CVs?
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 8:48 am
by Miller
ORIGINAL: pws1225
Do you know if he has spotted your CVs?
Yes, I think he was hoping they were elsewhere and was just trying his luck.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 11:46 am
by Lowpe
I suspect he was hoping to determine the fighter/bomber total plane makeup of your KB.
Next time he will likely be coming to trap it after tailoring his deathstar to match up against your KB.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 4:13 pm
by Miller
ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I suspect he was hoping to determine the fighter/bomber total plane makeup of your KB.
Next time he will likely be coming to trap it after tailoring his deathstar to match up against your KB.
Really? Seems like a rather big risk to take considering!
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 4:53 pm
by Lowpe
It is Aug 42, I am sure Mr. Kane is looking to have a CV fight with you.
Finding out the disposition and whereabouts of the KB doesn't sound risky to me, of course I am operating on very little information.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 5:48 pm
by Mike McCreery
ORIGINAL: Miller
ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I suspect he was hoping to determine the fighter/bomber total plane makeup of your KB.
Next time he will likely be coming to trap it after tailoring his deathstar to match up against your KB.
Really? Seems like a rather big risk to take considering!
Considering what? I bet MrKane is more than willing to trade 1 for 1 or even 2 for 1 in carriers right now. If he can tip the scales in '42 this game will go downhill quickly for the Japanese.
He gets more, you do not.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 6:42 pm
by pws1225
MrKane has a track record of being a very innovative player. But I doubt he would risk a CV battle in the Solomons when the Japanese CVs can be bolstered by fighters out of Rabaul. I suspect Miller has it right. MrKane was looking for a quick smash and grab, but the presence of KB in the area has made him think twice,
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 5:04 am
by obvert
ORIGINAL: Wargmr
ORIGINAL: Miller
ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I suspect he was hoping to determine the fighter/bomber total plane makeup of your KB.
Next time he will likely be coming to trap it after tailoring his deathstar to match up against your KB.
Really? Seems like a rather big risk to take considering!
Considering what? I bet MrKane is more than willing to trade 1 for 1 or even 2 for 1 in carriers right now. If he can tip the scales in '42 this game will go downhill quickly for the Japanese.
He gets more, you do not.
This isn't the place to do it though. Too far from repair facilities and too close to growing Japanese air bases.
RE: Miller (J) vs Mr Kane (A)
Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 11:02 am
by Miller
15th-21st Aug 42
As I expected he retreats his CVs south but they still seem to be milling around just north of Espiritu Santo. Mine are at Truk but still in TFs just in case he changes his mind again. I have about 20 subs in the area but they are not getting a sniff at the moment, he seems to run everything in huge convoys.
Elsewhere in China its pretty much trench warfare with lots of bombarding but no attacking. I have managed to bomb out half of his HI and LI at Chengtu and Kumming, hopefully that will have an effect further down the line. Bataan finally falls on the 20th Aug. Of the two divs there, one will be split up and stay in the Bataan/Clark/Manila triangle and I'm sending the other one to Java. Nothing of note anywhere else.