aztez (a) vs Katsuragi (j) ...lessons learned.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: String

I personally chose Batavia side, as Soerabaja is a clear hex and the repair yard will be unusuable in the case of a proper assault anyway. I cannot stress it enough though that if you do choose this strategy, then send everything you can over there, all the units at sea on turn 1 should go there imho.

edit: Oh and while my japanese opponents have run away my allied opponent is Andy Mac so I'm quite solid on that front

Is it still true in AE that the presence of more engineers at a base when it is captured yields greater chances for more of the oil, etc. production being damaged? On that basis I decided to leave a chunk of guys in Soerabaja. Shortly we'll see if that works out.

[jrlans]

Az, dont just imdieatly pull back to Battan make him at least mass at Clark first. The idea is once the forts at clark are knocked down by his engeeners is to then pull back your strongest LCUs for the final defence at batan. Dont just give your opponent a free large airbase with forts already started. If done right you can prety much evac 50% to 75% of your combat power if you catch him between attacks. It takes timming and some luck but with 2 day turns I immagine it will be a bit easier.

I would begin the evac of most of your combat power once the forts at Clark are at 2 or 1 (assuming you can get them to 3 between air raids) depending on the results of incoming attack and your estimation of forces commited to the PI area.  Hopefully this buys you enough time to get the forts of battan to at least 4 which will be a pain for him to crack.

My only other sugestion would be a large scale sub-transport effort if your opponet under commits (obviously if thiers enought force on luzon to crush you extra supplies wont do much). In 2 months or so using your fleet boats (whos torps as you know are garbage) you might be able to get 1k or 2k worth of supplys into batan while this doesnt sound like that much it can make a real difference in combat results.

[erstad]

ORIGINAL: aztez

Kaletsch2007: Welcome. I have had good experience with CD guns on Bataan.

I have had bad experience with CD guns on Bataan [:D]

[aztez]

witpqs: The sabotage part of the game is something that I have been very "unlucky" with in AE. I don't what the dice rolls are but many bases have fallen fully intact despite the engineers being on the base.
 
Hopefully you have better luck with this part of the game.
 
I really don't intend to leave Soerabaja alone but that base will only be defended by dutch infantry units. The reinforcements from other "nations" will head out to Batavia area.
 
jrlans: No, I'am definately planning on fighting at Clark Field. The terrain there is good and with some forts we should be able to slow down enemy any enemy advance. Now, that the "supply bug" there is fixed too.
 
He is already bombing Clark Field heavily and thus I put the stronger units on "reserve mode". That way they should be spared from any bombing runs and also get well earned rest.
 
Hmmm, never thought about using those subs as an transports. I will think on this before decieding on it. There are few AKL's that can be sacrificed too and can haul some extra supplies into Luzon.
 
Dave: True! [:D] ...too bad that it wasn't even worse! [;)]

[aztez]

Luzon (december 10th - 13th 1942)


The minefields were layed at Vigan and Aparri. It seems that Katsuragi opted to abandon the landings at Vigan though due PT boat resistance. Instead he moved those transports into Laong.

US P40E's encountered some unescorted Betty bombers at Iba. The result was 15-20 of them shot down and few more damaged. That was an nice combat to see here.

US submarines have active here. We have had some near misses on few IJN destroyers. Last turn we hit a couple of enemy merchant ships though.

Main focus of enemy airforce is at Clark Field. Daily heavy raids reported here. I'am keeping the best ground unit formations on "reserve" mode in order to shield them from these bombardments.

As suggested we have decieded to abandon Manila defense and instead start preparing for Bataan peninsula.

There were also minor surface fleet engagement near Aparri. The older US destroyers managed to do severe damage DD Fumizuki. A couple of other ships were hit too before stronger japanese navy "wiped out" these brave destroyers.

[aztez]

Pacific (december 10th - 13th 1941)


The map below shows other action around the Pacific.

I looked and following units are immediately routed towards Java.

Units

Indian 46th brigade, 48th Gurka Brigade, 251st Recce batallion, 53-55th British brigades, 6th heavy AA unit and 85th Anti tank batallion.

The mobile Australian CD units are also ordered to move out to Perth where they will onboard transports and head out. The idea is to send 1 CD into Palempang, 1 CD unit into Osthaaven and 1 CD unit still to be decieded.

I think I will send the Gurkha brigade into Palempang and it has been ordered to prep accordingly.

Those are the troops initially available for the defense of Java. Currently have 200 PP available for releases.

[String]

There's a brigade (gurkha i think) in Rangoon that you can recombine with some of the units on the ships and there are a few available units at Karachi and Bombay.

I strongly suggest combining. Mini units, such as battalions get slaughtered in combat for some reason. Full divisions fare the best.

[Smeulders]

On the other hand, keeping the Brigade in India means you've still got a (rather large) cadre of forces to rebuild the brigade once Java falls, the Indian units seem to have enough replacements to make this feasible. You should write off the British units you send into the DEI though, hardly any infantry replacements for them, it's probably not even worth it to save cadres.

[khyberbill]

I will divert the 18th UK division, brigade and some other units into Java. Also, I will browse through to see what else is available from the start. I think there was an AA unit available at Cape Town.

I did a fortress Java in my last WITP game and it was quite successful. I defended Soerabaja instead of Batavia and probably picked Soerabaja due to size of airfield or port, I cant remember. Soerabaja was fairly easy to support from Broome. Batavia might be a better bet in AE and also, near Batavia is a mountain town that I am having some success holding with just the native troops. I think if you go forward with this plan, then you have to also develop Coco Island and Christmas Island (IO) for support. In AE I have been pulling forces from Java et al to Cocos Island to protect the sealane from Ceylon to Perth.

[aztez]

String: I think that I will keep that Ghurka regiment near Rangoon put. I need to have something at Burma. I have now released 3 Chinese divisions which are heading to Myithkina.

It has the terrain bonus which makes it very much defendable.

The troops dispatched into Java front are currently:

Indian 46th brigade, 48th Gurka Brigade, 251st Recce batallion, 53-55th British brigades, 6th heavy AA unit, 85th Anti tank batallion, 63rd Indian brigade, 77th AA unit and 35th light AA unit.
 
In addition to this the Australian CD unit is moving towards Palempang.

khyberbill: Welcome. Those bases would not hurt but there really are not that battle ready troops for allied side at beginning. The strategy you are referring is very much true though.

I had similar experiences in the witp. If I remember I defended both Batavia and Soerabaja and was able to inflict massive destruction to his ships and resources in the area.

We shall see how it goes with AE. I don't have high hopes of holding into Java for too long though but it will be fun to watch for sure.

Smeulders: I'am not a big fan of "cadres". Never was in witp not am I in AE. There really should be better way to repsesent ground losses.

I might save a couple (like the Ghurka unit near Rangoon) but mostly what is sent stays out. The Indian replacements are solid though as you stated.

[String]

Btw, check your reinforcements, after some artillery and AA units arrive at capetown the rest of the british reinforcements tend to arrive at Aden for quite a while. I suggest sendin the AP's that way if you haven't done that already.

[aztez]

Borneo (december 14th - 15th 1941)


ABDA HQ ordered allied cruisers to intervene againts enemy landings at Miri.

The surface combat TF was composed of following ships:

CL Java, Shell
CL Dragon
CL Durban
DD Vendetta
DD Van Nes
DD Evertsen

In the morning of december 15th the ships engaged againts strong enemy CA TF which it seems was protecting the landings at Miri.

The dutch ships were no match againts the stronger japanese TF but managed to score few hits and fires were reported.

After the salvos were changed both sides withdrew and the dutch cruisers "pumped" into enemy invasion fleet. This resulted to very lopsided results for the IJN.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,86, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Aoi, Shell hits 4, on fire
TB Kasasagi, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Wa 19, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Hokko Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Zinzan Maru, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
xAK Kinkasan Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Giyu Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
xAKL Kembu Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAKL Kiko Maru, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Anbo Maru, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Dragon
CL Durban
DD Vendetta
DD Van Nes
DD Evertsen


Too bad that these ships had already off loaded at Miri. Not an bad effort though and as my opponent stated. "His escorts were at sleep and that hurt..."

IJN got their revenge though in the afternoon phase and managed to sunk all expect DD Vendetta which is now limping towards Batavia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 62,86, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze

Allied Ships
CL Dragon, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Vendetta, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Van Nes, Shell hits 11, and is sunk


Another nice surface combat encounter to add into this journey.

[aztez]

String: There are ships enroute towards Aden. It will take sometime to reach it though.
 
I checked and there are couple of nice Armoured units (Burma command) coming within a week or so. Both of these units are more than suited into Java.
 
Also those ABDA Banshees and P40E's are coming up shortly too. They wohn't hurt either.
 
We are playing with +-60 days reinforcements so things are a bit diffrent.
 
The good news is that the first reinforcements are just few days off from Batavia. Plenty of time for them to prepare and rest.

[jrlans]

Still not a bad result on the freightors. I would make that trade any day, what are you doing with the US DDs at manila, the RN DDs at HK and Boise and Houston?

[String]

aztez, are you also planning to ship in any reinforcements from the pacific? IIRC there's an engineer unit or two that can be useful. If you decide to bring the carriers over then each one can carry a fighter squadron as well, although you can't use the carriers for combat until you fly them off. A few P-39 squadrons can provide much needed cannon fodder to your cap.


PS: You might consider moving the NZ engineer unit out of singapore while you still can, will be most useful in building up. Same goes for Cebu base force in PI.

[aztez]

jrlans: Definately not. I will take that result any day and be very happy with it.

The Force Z encounter did not go too bad either. No sign of those IJN battleships but none of them are shown on sunken ship list either.

US DD's at Manila are mostly gone. There is just one of them limping back towards Soerabaja. They were heavily involved around Aparri.

The RN destroyers at Hong Kong sortied towards Takao. This was not an success and they fell victim to the torpedo bombers.

As for CA Houston and CL Boise. These ships should be in action next turn. See below...

String: I'am thinking about the Pacific option but we are very thin there. I want to secure Christmas Island, Pago Pago area and Fiji's fast. I will look to see what is available there.

Already sent some fighters and bombers off map to Cape Town. They can be moved into Java too once they arrive.

The carriers are training at Hawaji under heavy CAP. There are 3 US ones there while 2 additional should arrive within a months time. In addition to these I'am combining RN with US ones. Thus should give me 7 CV's and CVL Hermes soon. The idea of flying those groups out is very tempting indeed.

Only way to get troops out of Cebu is via airlift. Might be worth the effort though. He is pushing hard at Luzon as you can see from the detailed report.

The Singapore idea is easier for sure. I have few AKL's loading an infantry unit and moving it into Palempang. Those engineers would not hurt so and idea worth of implementing. I will send some transports to pick these guys up too.

[aztez]

Borneo (december 16th - 19th 1941)

My opponent have kept busy landing at Brunei and Miri. These landings are covered by CA TF we encountered earlier.

The allied signit has shown and invasion of Kuching or Sinkawang.

In order to deal with this threat I ordered CA Houston and CL Boise along with heavy escorts to move into Kuching.

An smaller surface combat TF is set Singkawang. The main ship being CL Marblehead.

There are submarines and minefields in place too.

An important CAP is provided by RAF Buffalos stationed at Singkawang. There are 30 fighters and this should be enough to keep any Betty's and Nell's at bay. The arfields at Brunei nor Miri are not operational as of yet.

Two Vildebeest torpedo bomber squadrons are at Kuching.

B17's are ordered to hit ground units Brunei too next turn.

I think we will see some surface combat action next turn and IF we have some luck there might be few CA's less for him to worry.

The seized oilfields showed around 50% damage which was nice intel/recon.

[aztez]

Luzon (december 16th - 19th 1941)


Japanese are making steady progress towards Clark Field.

The base has been severely bombed and he has kept me from building up forts.

The "leaking CAP" has pretty much destroyed my airforce at Luzon. Maybe someday we will have an fix for this game engine model.

US Submarines are doing ok here. We have sunk 4-6 xAKL ships around Aparri.

Other than that I'am preparing for the defenses at Clark Field and Manila. In order to put up an resistance I changed few of the woeful leaders for my infantry units.

[aztez]

Malaya (december 16th - 19th 1941)


Japanese continue their push towards southern areas. At the moment they are busy bombing our bases at Georgetown.

I'am loading up an small british infantry unit at Singapore and moving it into Palempang. Every little bit helps there. As String suggested will be getting that engineering unit out too.

My main defensive line is set at Johore Baru. The terrain is good and additional fortifications should help out too.

[String]

Ah I see, didn't think about the baby KB. Well regardless he'll have to retire soon to replenish. I've usually sent a few AKL's there to get the heavier equipment out and then air transported the support and engineers via catalinas.

When I planned my own fortress Java (before my opponent quit ) I basically ignored the pacific, reasoning that even if he took every atoll there he'd still be screwed if I managed to hold on to Java in a meaningful way, so I planned to send as much as I could as fast as I could through the Torres straits before my opponent moved on PM. If and when those opportunities were closed, then I'd send the additional reinforcements to pacific islands.

I hope you don't mind my continual blabbering about this subject, I just really really wanted to try this strategy out and seeing you do it with a capable opponent is the best option at the moment it seems