Matrix Games Forums

Posted: **Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:10 pm**

Don't delay for one airframe. Transfer the marines and then move out. Once transferred, disband the fragment and you can recover the airframe into the pool after a delay.

Posted: **Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:15 pm**

You mentioned Sun Zu. You remember "If you know yourself and you know the enemy..."?

John is:
1. always splitting his CVs
2. VERY aggressive
3. always trying to encircle forces
4. Always goes for a "big throw"

ad1:
Look at the other AAR. I haven't seen a single time he had his CVs together. He even moved Hiryu alone around Western Australia! So all you need to do is keep your CVs together. He will have the majority of his CVs where his main operation happens (see 4), but he'll use the rest in singles and pairs around the map...

ad2:
Whenever he sees something, he goes for it. He sends SCTFs deep into enemy territory just to "bag" some xAK! Use this and lay traps!
That would actually be a good use for those old BBs from Pearl. When you sail one of them with a few DDs at the outer side of his perimeter, while you know that the KB operates somewhere else, you can use his greed to your advantage! When the BB is spotted at max range by a PA, you sail it along his perimeter, so he knows where it is going and has time to react. He will come for you with what he is - and that is likely one or two CVs, propably one smaller CV and a CVL, maybe a handfull of BBs and a few cruisers. So your CVs wait outside detection range and wait for it to come, to either intercept before the BB is sunk, but in doing so you risk detection before he strikes, or after the BB is down. This way, you can "bag" yourself - and bag something really juicy!

ad3:
Look at how he invaded Australia. He lured Australian forces north and West to land at Port Augusta and far in the south cutting the railway lines. Wherever his "big throw" (see 4) will happen, he will do the same. Also: If you defend in strength, you can be absolutly sure he'll go around the flanks. So by sending heavy reinforcements to Burma, you make sure his moves will be an invasion of Akyab, Chittagong and Ceylon. This way, he doesn't have to bother with your troops as they'll be starved soon, while you have opened a gate to your hinterland! So whatever you do: only do a forward defense with absolutly expendable units. Northern Australia, Western Australia and North_Western Australia should only be defended by those units that are withdrawing within a few monts, maybe until end 1943. If he cuts them off - so what? Your good forces defend your important road junctions and the main bases meanwhile. If he invades somewhere, let him come and trade land for time. Don't rush your reinforcements to counter him where he lands, as he will go behind you!

ad4:
Look at his games. He always trys something big! So you must nver expect that he'll stop at the historic perimenter. So be prepared for that.
I think he wants to a) achieve something memorable and b) likes the cheers from others for "wow, you did this?". So expect something big and don't waste your assets where they don't defend those things that are important!

Posted: **Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:18 pm**

IF I am going to send CDs to help defend Timor, the best candidates that I can find are in Australia:
-7th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 96PP (currently serving as a second CD for Perth)
-5th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 203PP (currently en route to Busselton, S of Perth)
-6th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 219PP (currently in Portland packing for Perth)

PPs are tight, so I'm unsure what to do here. I'd love to have a nasty little surprise waiting for him when he tries to land, though!

I've sent the turn back to him. The only thing I can think to report is that Hermes is headed south to pick up what remains of the Singers Swordfish.

Posted: **Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:22 pm**

In addition to CDs, you need fortification level 2+ and some Inf units to get enough AV better than 200. Otherwise, a Japanese Div with the amphib bonus will take it in a turn.

ORIGINAL: marbakka

IF I am going to send CDs to help defend Timor, the best candidates that I can find are in Australia:
-7th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 96PP (currently serving as a second CD for Perth)
-5th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 203PP (currently en route to Busselton, S of Perth)
-6th RAA Cst Art Rgt - 219PP (currently in Portland packing for Perth)

PPs are tight, so I'm unsure what to do here. I'd love to have a nasty little surprise waiting for him when he tries to land, though!

I've sent the turn back to him. The only thing I can think to report is that Hermes is headed south to pick up what remains of the Singers Swordfish.

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:28 am**

Port Blair is a place most Allied players use to ferry shorter range aircraft out of the SRA when they need to do so. It's also a VERY good lookout post of the japanese if they can get it. It's not a clear sign of anything and it's a very normal move.

For the CVs. Where do you want to basse them eventually? Now you should move to very safe locations. If you want WC then go far South first, below Christmas Island. North is a bit risky.

If you want them in OZ, DEI, India or even at Cape Town, then go far South toward Sydney. You should be getting Cats to all bases with support in Cent and South Pac.

+1 on what historiker said. Use his aggressiveness against him. Let him come deep into your territory, but make sure you either have nothing too important there or you can hit him harder than he can hit you. Also, don't base a lot of ships in forward spots like Darwin, Sydney, Suva, Perth or Colombo for a while, unless of course you're trying to lure him in.

After the safety of your CVs the two most important things in the early going are;

1. Naval Search

Your search capability is enormous and of a high quality. Use it.

2. recon

He has more much recon than you do now, but yours is better. Be careful with them.

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:44 pm**

December 10, 1941

Another painful day of submarine attacks. I don't know if he is getting very lucky or if he is just that good at his submarine placement. I'm going to have to escort almost everything - which is probably exactly what he wants me thinking right now. Today's featured loss to a submarine attack: AO Tippecanoe.

China
I ordered my Ichang Army to make a deliberate attack. They did not. However, his own forces did and I got decent results. I'm going to have to replace some leadership here, I think. Hong Kong fell today.

Malaya
The usual run south. He roughed up the 8th Indian Brigade fleeing from the north, but only with his recon element and now that appears to have turned back northward. I'm curious if that means that he is planning to skip the southward march and just land at Mersing first. In anticipation of this and out of the kindness of my heart, I have around 300 mines at Mersing.

DEI
The mKB has planted itself in the narrowest part of the Makassar Strait. Normally, I'd be real happy with that as I always have a sub stationed there, but the assigned sub has not yet reached its place, so I can't take advantage. I'm curious as to whether he'll bring it around for a run through the Java Sea. Force Z is moving eastward out of 'Baja. KB2, which was at the south end of the Sulu Sea yesterday, has once again vanished. I won't speculate as to which direction she went.

Rabaul
As expected, his invasion force showed up near Rabaul. I had ordered CA Canberra, CL Leander, CL Achilles, and CL Perth to patrol the port and intercept any arrivals. I felt like they did a very good job overall, sinking 4 PBs, mauling his invasion fleet pretty badly (including a CA and CL), and then mostly surviving the counter attack by his own SCTF consisting of 3CAs, 1CL, and 5DDs. Unfortunately, Achilles took 3 torpedoes from the SCTF in addition to numerous shell hits throughout the day and went down. The remaining ships are moderately damaged, but they are low on ammo (at least the ammo that counts), so they will flee west around the island (they're stuck on the north side of it at the moment), and head to Brisbane. It looks like he has landed a force at a base near Lae, so they may even get some bonus sinkings along the way. The tally (for combat ships) at the end of the day:

CA Canberra - 14 shell
CL Leander - 1 shell
CL Achilles - 13 shell, 3 torps (sunk)
CL Perth - 2 shell

CA Aoba - 7 shell
CA Kinugasa - 4 shell, 1 torp (fire)
CA Furutaka
CA Kako - 1 shell
CL Isuzu - 4 shell
CL Abukuma - 1 shell (fire)

Also, I sunk the escort that the game assigned to Aoba and Isuzu, so hopefully that will hurt his damage control. 26 squads were destroyed.

CENPAC
KB1 moved just off of Midway Island and an invasion fleet (which had evidently moved a bit to the east) is racing in from the NE. There's nothing I can do about it but hope that my forces on Midway make them pay for every yard of sand. Intel says that he has another invasion force headed for Wake. The only thing I could do about that is leave Enterprise in the area a little longer and hope to sink it, but it wouldn't do a lot of good and it risks him sending his CVs racing down to sink her. Instead, I will transfer the aircraft and get out of there to the SE. She will head to the WC with a stop in PH, and then start her journey to the Cape.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that his LBA did a port attack on Manila today sinking a handful of Subs that were already barely afloat. Too bad.

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:09 pm**

M, you are probably already doing this but on the off chance you aren't I will suggest that you not escort your convoys everywhere. Keep a small number of escorts at the major ports blockaded by subs and have them meet convoys at sea to escort them in and out of port. Vary your convoy routings on the high seas so he has to be very lucky to intercept with a patrolling sub, and no escort is required.
This early in the game there will never be enough escorts to go on the offensive against the subs but you can make them duck!

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:48 pm**

Well done at Rabaul. If you took out some of the transports, that could mean he is stalled here for a short while. Any delays help you of course. Looks like you also won the surface battle, but I was confused at the final tally. Could you post it with the merchies as well?

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:51 pm**

Here's the details:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 2, on fire
PB Tama Maru #8, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
PB Shonon Maru #15, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Takunan Maru #2, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PB Takunan Maru #5, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Ryunan Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kazan Maru, Shell hits 4
xAK Eizan Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Yae Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAK Daijukyo Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Hokuzyu Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Shell hits 3
CL Leander
CL Achilles, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
CL Perth, Shell hits 2

Japanese ground losses:
715 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 73 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 57% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Getting, F.E. crosses the 'T'
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 11,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Aoba at 11,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Aoba at 11,000 yards
CL Perth engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 11,000 yards
CL Achilles engages CA Aoba at 11,000 yards
CL Leander engages PB Takunan Maru #2 at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 7,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Leander at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages CA Aoba at 7,000 yards
PB Takunan Maru #2 sunk by CL Achilles at 7,000 yards
CL Perth engages xAK Yae Maru at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 5,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CL Isuzu at 5,000 yards
PB Takunan Maru #5 sunk by CL Achilles at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages PB Shonon Maru #15 at 5,000 yards
CL Perth engages PB Tama Maru #8 at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 5,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Ryunan Maru at 5,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Aoba at 5,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 5,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Achilles at 5,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Leander at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Daijukyo Maru at 5,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Yae Maru at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Ryunan Maru at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Achilles at 6,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 6,000 yards
PB Tama Maru #8 sunk by CL Leander at 6,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Kazan Maru at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 7,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CA Canberra at 7,000 yards
PB Shonon Maru #15 sunk by CA Canberra at 7,000 yards
CL Perth engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Daijukyo Maru at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Eizan Maru at 7,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Kazan Maru at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 8,000 yards
CL Achilles engages CL Isuzu at 8,000 yards
CL Perth engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Yae Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Ryunan Maru at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 9,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 9,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Achilles at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Yae Maru at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Eizan Maru at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 8,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 8,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Aoba at 8,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Yae Maru at 8,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Eizan Maru at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Aoba at 9,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Aoba at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Hokuzyu Maru at 9,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Leander at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Yae Maru at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages xAK Eizan Maru at 9,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Kazan Maru at 9,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Ryunan Maru at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 11,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Achilles at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Achilles at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Leander at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages xAK Yae Maru at 11,000 yards
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

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

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 11,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Abukuma
DD Yamakaze
DD Oboro
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
CL Achilles, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 57% moonlight: 12,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
CA Kako engages CL Achilles at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages CL Achilles at 12,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Kikuzuki at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CA Kako engages CL Achilles at 9,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Yuzuki at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages CA Kako at 7,000 yards
CA Kako engages CL Achilles at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages CL Abukuma at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles engages DD Kikuzuki at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles sunk by DD Uzuki at 7,000 yards
CL Achilles sunk by DD Uzuki at 7,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...

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

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Furutaka
CA Kako, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yamakaze
DD Oboro, Shell hits 1
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Shell hits 11
CL Leander, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Perth

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 57% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Canberra at 9,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Furutaka at 9,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CL Leander at 9,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Kikuzuki at 9,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Uzuki at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Kako at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Furutaka at 4,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Canberra at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CL Abukuma at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Oboro at 4,000 yards
DD Yamakaze engages CA Canberra at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Kako engages CA Canberra at 2,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Furutaka at 2,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Canberra at 2,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CL Abukuma at 2,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Oboro at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CA Canberra at 4,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CL Perth at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Kinugasa at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Kikuzuki at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Uzuki at 4,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Yamakaze at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
CA Kako engages CA Canberra at 7,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CL Perth at 7,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CL Leander at 7,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CA Canberra at 7,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Kikuzuki at 7,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Oboro at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CA Kako engages CA Canberra at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages CL Perth at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Kinugasa at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Yuzuki at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Uzuki at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Oboro at 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages DD Yamakaze at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Day Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,124, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Shell hits 1
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 2
xAK Yae Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CL Leander
CL Perth

Japanese ground losses:
649 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 21,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 22,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 22,000 yards
Range increases to 25,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Yae Maru at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Aoba at 21,000 yards
CL Perth engages CL Isuzu at 21,000 yards
CL Leander engages CL Isuzu at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Aoba at 17,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Leander at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 12,000 yards
CL Perth engages CL Isuzu at 12,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Aoba at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Aoba at 11,000 yards
CL Leander engages CL Isuzu at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Leander at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Aoba at 8,000 yards
CL Perth engages xAK Yae Maru at 8,000 yards
Getting, F.E. orders Allied TF to disengage
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 7,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Leander at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CA Aoba at 11,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 11,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Yae Maru at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CA Canberra at 17,000 yards
CA Aoba engages CL Perth at 17,000 yards
CL Leander engages xAK Yae Maru at 17,000 yards
Range increases to 21,000 yards
CA Canberra engages CL Isuzu at 21,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Perth at 21,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages CL Leander at 21,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Posted: **Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:27 pm**

Yeah. He didn't like that at all I'm sure!

Posted: **Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:11 pm**

December 11, 1941

China
I took Ichang as expected. I will now position the bulk of my forces in the forested hex across the river to both discourage any counter attack and threaten my own offensive in the future. I suspect that the 250AV I sent to cut off his retreat won't be enough (on flat ground), but we'll see.

Malaya
There is a fleet off of Kuantan that looks to be getting ready to land. I still think it is odd that his troops out of Kota Bharu did not pursue south by land. They are still retreating northward. I assume this is an indication that he will bring them down by sea.

Burma
I'm not inflexible, and all the advice I have been given is that I should not deploy troops here. That being the case, I am redirecting the fleets that were headed here. Diego Garcia, Chittagong, and Cocos area all potential destinations. The 18th UK Div will continue to head for Colombo.

DEI
He landed at Singkawang, but his assault force is very weak (28AV). My defensive force is at 145 AV. I can only assume that for some reason not all of his troops got ashore.

A carrier group which appears to be a combination of the mKB and the KB2 has moved down in the Makassar Strait and conducted a port attack on 'Baja. I did not expect him to be so bold, but it serves to confirm what everyone has been telling me about his aggression. However, it is not recklessness. He is precisely where he needs to be to stay out of range of Force Z or any other SCTF at 'Baja. Any closer and I would be charging him. Instead, I have to run them to the IO during the night. I suppose I'm lucky he didn't have them on Naval Attack.

SOPAC (I'm going to include Australia & the Solomons in SOPAC until further notice)
Canberra and her 2 remaining CL escorts traveled an impressive distance at full speed yesterday. They made it will south of Milne Bay. Sadly, they did not stop to engage the landing force at New Guinea. Meanwhile, CA Pensacola and her 2 escorts - a CL and a slow moving AMC - are at Milne Bay and will shoot northward in an attempt to catch these suckers reloading after taking Finschhafen. I'm surprised that he did not attempt to land at Rabaul. Did Canberra actually halt his Rabaul landing? Is he just holding off to make sure she didn't stick around? He certainly had the surface combat presence to drive her away, but I suppose it is possible that those AKs sunk and that he didn't have a second wave planned. One can only hope.

CENPAC
As expected, the Japanese bombarded, landed, and took Midway with about 500 AV worth of troops (Guards Mixed Brigade). I hate losing it, but he can only put 6000 troops there, so it shouldn't be that difficult to retake - especially after I starve them out for a bit. Unfortunately, that means that I am blind to his movements north of the French Frigate Shoal. I have no idea where KB1 is, and Enterprise is pretty vulnerable. I'm going to run her full speed for a day just in case his Marshall patrols spotted her.

NOPAC
My Adak troops left Kodiak. Let's hope they can arrive and unload before any invasion force shows up.

Posted: **Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:05 pm**

December 12, 1941

China
He has suddenly thrust his forces down the road toward Changsha. I wish that he had waited 1 turn and I would have had almost 400 more AV there to slow him down, but whatever. My objective is to keep a hold not only on Changsha but the two vital hexes just south of the city as well. Nothing to report up north. The AVG has moved to Chungking, but I don't feel comfortable bringing them into Changsha until I have more aviation support there (not that they have enough at Chungking)

Malaya
Still a mysterious peace other than bombing up at Georgetown. Perhaps his idea is to cross to the west coast and come down that side.

India/Burma
I don't think I saw a single submarine in the IO until late January in my game with TexasD. Perhaps they were there and I just didn't see them. That is certainly NOT the case in this game. Ceylon is crawling with the little maggots, and I don't have enough ASW ships in theater yet to deal with them. Thankfully, in a week or two when my empty cargo ships get to their assigned ports, the seas will be virtually empty for a while. Thusfar, none of the troop transports has been affected.

DEI
The mKB/KB2(?) has moved into and up the Java Sea. I'm a little surprised by this. I thought it was pretty aggressive to poke the thing down the Makassar Strait, but running it through the Java Sea seems a bit reckless. If I were 100% confident that both CV groups were there, I would send Force Z up to Ternate to slaughter his landing fleet there, but as it is, I might find 2 fleet carriers waiting for me. Thusfar, his little cruise has not seen a lot of success. An AR here and a TK there, but nothing major has been damaged. It has the feel of a troop parade in front of the Glorious Leader more than an effective maneuver. Of course, that could change in a heartbeat.

SOPAC
As soon as they get packed, I will purchase at LEAST one CD from Perth and send it to Koepang. The first purchase "only" costs 95ish PP. After that, they are around 200. No, I won't be holding Timor forever, but I really want it to hurt when he takes it. If I have a 'style' it is to lull my opponent with painless captures and then make one hurt every now and then. If you try to trip the other person with every step, you trip them not at all.

CENPAC
Still no sighting on the KB1. I'm both concerned about this (did he go north where I'm trying to land troops at Adak?) and comforted (surely I would have spotted an attempt to intercept Enterprise). Enterprise will resume normal speed and proceed east toward Pearl, passing south of Johnston Island. Troops bound for Pearl will soon begin arriving in Seattle and I will have to start deciding which islands are getting reinforcements.

I'll have a very busy day tomorrow, so it seems likely that we will be taking a day off. I forgot how exhausting it is to put out a turn a day during the first month or so of the war.

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:35 pm**

December 13, 1941

China
His lead troops have arrived in Changsha but not attack has commenced. My force should be ample to hold the city, but just in case it starts to look hairy, I have switched some of the rear troops to strat mode for fast reinforcement along the rail line. In the forested hex east of Ichang, my Ichang Army caught up to the retreating units and massacred roughly 150 squads. Still, it doesn't make up for the beating my own troops took yesterday near Changsha.

Malaya
Nothing. There are an awful lot of fleets approaching from the east, but the penninsula is eerily quiet except up near George Town where he bombs regularly. Most of his bombing seems to be focused on the Tavoy area in southern Burma. I'm not sure that bodes well for my future in that land of mystery.

DEI
Well, we are at that inevitable point where I start to think "If I'd known he'd wait this long to take Palembang...". I'm not sure what I would have Palembang up to by now, but I've managed to get Koepang up to 166 AV. Unfortunately, most of that is a couple of unrestricted Australian units I moved in from Darwin. My airlifting campaign has run into some problems for lack of a middle base between Koepang and 'Baja. We are working feverishly on an airfield at Mataram, but the work is slow and I'm not sure how much time he will give me down here.

SOPAC
Well, apparently Pensacola's SCTF did not find anything up near Lae because they are almost halfway back to Brisbane by now. Canberra is nearly there and emergency repairs are holding up quite well with only 31 SYS damage.

CENPAC
Johnny has been a naughty, naughty boy. KB1 has made a stab southward toward Johnston Island. I'm not sure if he knows where Enterprise is and is making a run at her or if he is just guessing and trying to intercept. I -think- she is close enough that I can put her at full speed and reasonably expect her to arrive under Pearl's CAP tomorrow. Yes, I know that PH's CAP is not sufficient and that I need to get out of there quick, but he has refueled and I have not, so a stop at the gas station is an absolute must before proceeding to the WC. Besides, the rest of my marine unit is stationed there.

NOPAC
My garrison for Adak Island is about a day and a half out. I just realized that the port is only Level 1, so I'm not sure I can completely unload, but that will be remedied as soon as I get troops ashore.

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:44 pm**

really nice AAR style

:top;

Posted: **Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:18 am**

How is the DL on Enterprise? Has she been seen at all by Glen subs?

If you're looking to hold Timor for a while I would buy troops, not more CD guns. They will help, but it's good defensive territory and you could slow him with a division's worth of troops here for a while. Of course you will lose them, so it's up to you whether that's important enough or not. Many players feel it's more important to get any free troops to OZ, India, and other vulnerable spots early just to be prepared for whatever may come as a second level move.

While you know the KB is out of the way, really keep using the cruisers aggressively around the Solomons. I'm sure you DID get the Rabaul troops. Although this mod gives him more to play with, crushing a good sized landing force will hurt any Japanese player in this area of the map. Those troops would most likely have been used for Rabaul AND Port Moresby, so you could have crimped his style for a while with that engagement.

Posted: **Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:21 pm**

ORIGINAL: obvert

How is the DL on Enterprise? Has she been seen at all by Glen subs?

I confess that I'm pretty fuzzy on how to understand the DL information, but after looking more closely at the turn, I don't think Enterprise was spotted. The mouseover said that the KB1 was headed southwest. That doesn't mean Enterprise wasn't spotted this turn, but it does indicate to me that he did not know where she was the previous turn (ie., he was guessing). The only sub I've spotted in this area was off to the west and should have already spotted her if it was going to do so.

In the end, I put her at full speed to close the remaining 19 hexes to Pearl. She will refuel and then make a beeline to the San Diego area or perhaps just straight to Balboa.

Posted: **Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:01 pm**

Ahh. Another way to spot a CV is to be spotted! If your SBDs saw a sub and this was reported, it could have included the plane information, thereby giving up the location of the CV.

Posted: **Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:07 pm**

December 14, 1941

He is not at all afraid to tell his subs to patrol IN my ports. Seems to be working for him.

DEI
KB2 is moving very slowly out of the Java Sea. I sent a rabble of near worthless ships to try and disturb them, but they didn't get close enough to do anything. He also bombed Palembang, which probably means that he now knows that I'm not building up there.

On the other side of Borneo, my SCTF led by CLs Java and DeRuyter have pursued his invasion fleet which landed troops at Samarinda yesterday. They are out of the strait and into the Celebes Sea now. If I can catch them, I will hurt them pretty bad, I think, but the last I checked, he had DBs in Mindinao, so I can't pursue them beyond tomorrow.

Force Z and Houston's SCTF were following up the Makassar Strait, but I don't think there is enough up here to justify them pressing on, so I will turn them to 'Baja to refuel.

SOPAC
Canberra's SCTF arrived in Brisbane. CL Perth will take about a week to repair, but CL Leander is more like a month, and to my surprise, the 31 SYS damage on Canberra will take right at a month. I'm moving her to Sydney and leaving Leander in Brisbane.

CENPAC
KB1 is just west of Johnston Island. In addition to bombing the island, he was able to reach out and do some hefty damage to an ASW fleet that had pursued a submarine too far west. Of course, this is good news because it means that he did not pursue (and probably did not see) the USS Enterprise. She made it to within 2 hexes of Pearl. I'm sending her to Balboa with a waypoint to refuel in Pearl. Just in case, I will be loading a Replen fleet in San Diego. If I don't use it to get Enterprise off-map, I will send it around to the Cape for use over there.

He has taken Midway, but has not attacked Wake. Now, he is bombing Johnston Island. Convenience bombing? Or something bigger?

I'm wondering how I should handle an invasion of Hawaii.

Posted: **Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:15 pm**

December 15, 1941

DEI
The SCTF headed up by Java and DeRuyter engaged both his fleeing (empty) invasion TF and its escort - including the CA Chokai. The results were mixed. I'm pretty sure I did most of his merchants in, but we were pretty ineffective against his cruisers. It felt like a lot of BOOM BOOM and gunsmoke but not a lot to show for it when the sun set. Both cruisers and several of the DDs were roughed up, so they are headed back to 'Baja to spend a few weeks in the yard.

However, now that I know Chokai is up there, I'm thinking about sending Force Z up to the Ternate area where he hasn't had time to get the lvl 4 airfield he needs to extend his LBA range.

KB2 continued its slow crawl out of the Java Sea. He is obviously trying to cover his invasion fleets, and SigInt today reported 2 units of his 4th Div bound for Palembang. No real surprise there, but I sure wish his carriers weren't around so I could unleash the Vildebeesties from Singers.

SOPAC
When Pensacola finally gets to Brisbane for her refueling, she will be joined by Indianapolis and possibly another CA which is currently overseeing the unloading of troops at Luganville. Hopefully, these three CAs can fend off his second attempt at Rabaul which certainly will be coming sooner rather than later.

CENPAC
KB1 vanished. The only possible hint that I have is that there was radio traffic between Midway and Wake. However, in order to get to that location, he would have had to run them at full speed. I have no clue why he would have done that, so I am working on the assumption that he is still in the Johnston Island area. In any case, Enterprise decided to stop and spend the day in sunny Pearl Harbor instead of filling up the tanks and hitting the road like I instructed it to. They will leave during the night...and with a new commander, if I get my way.

This means that within a week or so, all my carriers will be off map. Lexington sailed over the horizon yesterday afternoon. I'm already considering the possibility of using them in the IO to retake Port Blair. His aircraft stationed there are going to cause all sorts of problems for supplying Rangoon.

NOPAC
The TF has arrived, and the troops should begin unloading at Adak first thing in the morning. As it happens, I received intel that he has troops bound for Attu Island in the western Aleutians. I'm also trying to airlift an ENG unit to Adak from Dutch Harbor since the port in Adak is only level 1.

PSYOPS
John is pretty talkative in his emails. Sometimes his attempts to lead me on are obvious. Other times he is clearly trying to be more subtle. Thus far, I've played the "talkative new guy" role that he evidently is expecting, and I hope to be able to use that to my advantage in the future. Currently, he is fishing for a comment on my "fighting style." If he has done his homework (ie., talked to TexasD), then he should know that my fighting style is something like if you crossbred Sir Robin with an especially terrified gazelle. However, I've simply not responded to those comments. I must keep him looking over his shoulder for now.

Posted: **Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:29 am**

December 16, 1941

China
He bombards Changsha only to find that I've out stacked him. He'll hit a similar brick wall if he tries to swing south around the city. However, the bricks for this wall mostly came from the SW area near Canton, and he's smart enough to know this and adjust. I expect to see even more movement down there soon.

DEI
The CVs north of Billiton remained in place (noted) and bombed both Palembang and Batavia. The number of aircraft, however, is more consistent with a CVL or two, so I'm going to begin referring to this TF as the mini-KB (mKB) to remind me that he probably has 2 CVs "whereabouts unknown" (in addition to the KB1, which is also missing).

He landed at Palembang. I think he was surprised to find so few defenses there. I'm a "conundrum" if his email is to be believed. What concerns me more than the impending fall of Palembang is his activity at Batavia. He should have a clear picture now that my Java troops have almost all headed SE to 'Baja. I need Java to remain mine for long enough to get my stepping-stone airfield built between 'Baja and Koepang.

Another problem with that is that he already has 50 bombers stacked up at Samarinda, the base NE of Balikipan. This makes using the port at 'Baja very risk and gives him great eyes in the area. I'm tempted to steam Force Z right into the harbor and bombard that base to kingdom come. It is only a level 3 airfield, so he shouldn't have the big stuff there, yet, but it will be soon. All cargo/fuel transports out of Java are rerouted to Tjilatjap.

Meanwhile, Koepang is up to 186 AV. Dili has none, but has 3 ENG working to get the fortifications ready. CDs in Perth are waiting on transports to arrive and start loading.

SOPAC
He is still poking around near Rabaul with an invasion force of some sort. I'm anxious to get my CAs back up that way, but I can't send them without proper escorts and it is taking a bit to get it together at Brisbane.

CENPAC
KB1 is gone. I have no idea where it went to. Enterprise is a day's sailing to the east of Pearl and headed to the Canal and eventually to the Cape. It will be all about BBs and CAs for the next month or so at least!

I stuck a half-full patrol group out on Wake again just to give me a quick glance at what is going on out there. I'll probably pull it back out after 1 day so as not to lose it in the impending invasion. I need to get some transports moving to Canton, Christmas Island, etc. soon.

(Note: Today's little collage isn't up to par because my computer had a Little Moment while I was working on it and I had to save all the layers as they were and restart. Mea culpa)

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Slaughter of the Innocents - RA - Marbakka (A) vs. John the 3rd (J)

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