GJ (Allies) - Mr.Kane (Japan) - The allies declare their defeat

[PaxMondo]

A gamble yes, but I think a good one. Just estimate that he has taken another 500,000 fuel minimum in his India campaign. That equates to another ~10,000 ac that he can build above the baseline for IJ. That is a lot of ac. Only GJ can state how much fuel is in Bombay, but likely there is ~100,000 fuel ... so again, reason to take the base besides the tactical reasons. Holding Socodra not only prevents the Aden reinforcements from arriving, but Abadan fuel doesn't get on map for the allies either. All the allied fuel now has to come from LA ....

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Fantastic! [:D]

Interesting game. Quite a gamble by the Japanese to try for the same as your first game, but great for us to see how you've improved and will take advantage of it this time. Looks like you'll be fine this time. Japan overextending. In China if you keep the mountains you're okay as you know from your game with Brad. Hit him where it hurts now.

DEI. Take what you can, then build it. Then the Marianas. There will be little there. That's my two cents.

Erik, with the latest beta China is unholdable. I've already posted in the tech support forum cause i think there's a problem there...

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: obvert

Fantastic! [:D]

Interesting game. Quite a gamble by the Japanese to try for the same as your first game, but great for us to see how you've improved and will take advantage of it this time. Looks like you'll be fine this time. Japan overextending. In China if you keep the mountains you're okay as you know from your game with Brad. Hit him where it hurts now.

DEI. Take what you can, then build it. Then the Marianas. There will be little there. That's my two cents.

Erik, with the latest beta China is unholdable. I've already posted in the tech support forum cause i think there's a problem there...

Just a reminder, a save game or two would likely help.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

A gamble yes, but I think a good one. Just estimate that he has taken another 500,000 fuel minimum in his India campaign. That equates to another ~10,000 ac that he can build above the baseline for IJ. That is a lot of ac. Only GJ can state how much fuel is in Bombay, but likely there is ~100,000 fuel ... so again, reason to take the base besides the tactical reasons. Holding Socodra not only prevents the Aden reinforcements from arriving, but Abadan fuel doesn't get on map for the allies either. All the allied fuel now has to come from LA ....

Well yes and no. With the extended map Abadan has a different (and closer) access to india, so you can basically send all the oil you can muster there....but subs and DD raiders are clearly a problem.

At Bombay i have 700k fuel... so a juicy target for sure.
The interesting thing is that he hasn't taken Calcutta yet. He is dividing his forces, with 5/6 divisions to Bombay and the rest to Calcutta... I have 1600 AVs at Calcutta, behind 6 forts.

We reached May 21th and the air battle over Bombay has begun. 180 Tojos are sweeping daily, while i have some 130 fighters there (with 32 Spits VII, 25 P-38 and the rest are P-40/39). The modern fighters are holding their own, even if pilots are still crappy, but the P40/39s are simply dying like flies.

The KB showed up at Cocos, supporting the usual bombing run made by 4 BBs and 4CAs... the KB also sunk 10 xAKs that were trying to deliver supplies at Cocos...noisy but nothing terrible.... especially because the KB has wasted time, fuel and torps there, giving time to my allied CVs to fall back.... now my CVs are supporting a TOP secret operation that may change the balance...unseen for the moment...[8D]

The artillery bombardments at Bombay are proving the stiffness of my defences. He's bombing and my counterbattery fire (2 regiments of 25 pdr and 2 more of 4.5) is causing exactly 2x of casualities among his lines.

At Pago Pago my 18 F4F-3s are doing a great job, Killing 1.5 zero for every one of them lost. Will soon promote that USMC squadron and move them to a CV.

[Chickenboy]

What's your VP ratio like in May 1942, GreyJoy? Is he within reasonable range of 4:1 on January 1, 1943?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

What's your VP ratio like in May 1942, GreyJoy? Is he within reasonable range of 4:1 on January 1, 1943?

Don't think so, unless i lose something really MAJOR... actual score is 9200 to 22000

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: obvert

Fantastic! [:D]

Interesting game. Quite a gamble by the Japanese to try for the same as your first game, but great for us to see how you've improved and will take advantage of it this time. Looks like you'll be fine this time. Japan overextending. In China if you keep the mountains you're okay as you know from your game with Brad. Hit him where it hurts now.

DEI. Take what you can, then build it. Then the Marianas. There will be little there. That's my two cents.

Erik, with the latest beta China is unholdable. I've already posted in the tech support forum cause i think there's a problem there...

Just a reminder, a save game or two would likely help.

as soon as i get one of those happenings again i'll post it. thanks

[Lokasenna]

I concur with Pax et al, go for the DEI and straight up the middle. However, if I were him I would be expecting this and at the first inkling of a move there I'd be bringing the bulk of my forces back from the frontiers as they'd just end up cut off otherwise. I'd also be setting it up so that what I had in the DEI could hold out until those forces arrived back there. Or maybe he wants you to go for it (the Celebes or eastern Java, say?) and he has a Super Secret Plan to cut in behind your invasion (at Timor?), hoping to make your first counter-thrust a disaster and delay you that much longer. I'm still a PBEM strategy noob, but those are my initial thoughts... Looking forward to seeing this play out.

I'm very impressed with how far he's managed to go in so little time, particularly in India.

[bigred]

India again??...why always me?!!?

I guess u deserve to be abused...

[GreyJoy]

Not so sure guys. DEI is pretty close to India and consider we're still in MAY 1942... I didn't even get the CV WASP yet. it0s really early and a counterattack too close to where he's investing the bulk of his forces may be too risky.

However i don't think he had bagged more than 100k fuel untill now in its Indian campaign. Madras was empty when he conquered it and Colombo only had 60,000... Bombay has the bulk of it but i don't think he can conquer it...not in the near term at least. Sure he got a lot of LI and HI, but the real targets are Calcutta and Bombay and they both will need a long and prolongued effort if he wants to conquer them...time that can be decisive for the allies.

We now reached May 21st and the allies have estabilished a strongpoint at Diego Garcia. I have the 18th UK Division there, an Indian Bde, an american CD unit, the reformed Wake detachmen, 1 US AA unit, 1 Brit AA regiment, 1 FA US regiment and the 22nd African Regiment. With 5 forts and 300,000 supplies it's enough to make it impossible to conquer.
I think not conquering Diego along with Scoodra was a real mistake made by the Japs. Diego and Cocos will remain nails in his western flank and if the Indian campaign will be prolongued as i hope, can prove to be decisive for a counterattack towards Sumatra

[GreyJoy]

Ground combat at Bombay (36,24)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 87270 troops, 1271 guns, 723 vehicles, Assault Value = 2892

Defending force 106645 troops, 1156 guns, 1831 vehicles, Assault Value = 2650

Japanese ground losses:
143 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
6th Guards Division
48th Division
2nd Division
18th Division
38th Division
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
5th Guards Engineer Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th RF Gun Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
Southern Army
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
10th RF Gun Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
6th Field Construction Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
21st Army

Defending units:
255th Armoured Brigade
Bombay Fortress
150th RAC Regiment
7th Australian Division
84th Indian Brigade
26th Indian Division
7th Indian Division
23rd Indian/A Division
42nd Cavalry Regiment
20th Indian Division
50th Tank Brigade
23rd Indian/B Division
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
Waziristan Division
23rd Indian/C Division
102nd RN Base Force
6th Medium Regiment
1st Madras Construction Battalion
21st Light AA Regiment
222 Group Base Force
3rd Hyderabad Base Force
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
1st Bombay Construction Battalion
308th Base Group
2nd Indian Coastal Artillery Regiment
2nd Hyderabad Base Force
1st South India Base Force
225 Group RAF
43rd Construction Regiment
1st Indian Coastal Artillery Regiment
1st Hyderabad Base Force
Pathan Construction Battalion
India Command
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
6th Heavy AA Regiment
221 Group Base Force
Southern Command
2/1st Med Regiment
2/2 AIF Pioneer Battalion
208th RAF Adv Base Force
IV Indian Corps
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
223 RAF Base Force
46th Construction Regiment
Sikh Construction Battalion

The bombings at Bombay continue, which is actually a good thing for me. My Indian divisions need some experience and the best way to get it is through bombardments (which are causing more distruption to him than to me).
I really think he won't be able to conquer Bombay. With Stacking limits Bombay has room only for 160,000 men and he already has 120,000 there... he can possibly get to 3,500/4,000 AVs...which, however, won't be enough.

Things look far less ugly than expected

[GreyJoy]

In China we may have stabilized the situation, even though the supply level still looks horrible.
After the sudden retreats caused by the latest beta, we're now downgrading to the "K" version...and i hope i can statle mate him.
I'm still holding the North so a bit of fuel is still flowing to Chungking and Sian.
the real dangers are around Chikkiang, but i'm creating a series of line of defence that i hope can hold him long enough to help me save the situation in India

[MrBlizzard]

Da leggere con voce enfatica e nasale: "Capomanipolo GJ-Barbagli, il fante italiano non si perde d'animo di fronte ad un nemico superiore in mezzi, ma getta il cuore oltre all'ostacolo" [:D]

it's referred to GJ avatar picture (it's one of the best italian comedians, in a tv-series joking about fascist propaganda)
traslation:
to be read with empahtic and nasal voice: "squad-leader GJ-Barbagli, italian infantryman doesn't loose his temper in front of a superior armed enemy, but he throwns his heart behind the obstacle"

[GreyJoy]

AHAHAHAHAHAH[:D][:D] Well said MrBlizzard!

No, i won't lose my temper!...in fact, actually, i'm ready to counterattack!

May 22 1942

The allies have accomplished something great today. 4 Allied Divisions managed to exit Soocodra channell in a 150 ship mega cargo, escorted by 3 American CVs and a strong SAG. Tomorrow we'll be unloading at Karachi. Many more units need to be taken out of Aden, but now i think i can do it. With the arrival of this Indian Corp (3 experienced 1943 squad divisions plus a strong armoured division) we'll try to counterattack on his flank and set Bombay free. He now may be in trouble.

The KB should be somewhere west of Sumatra, possibly trying to ambush my convoys at Diego. I've so ordered everybody at Diego to get away and move to Cape Town (Diego has already 320,000 supplies...more than enough[;)]

The RN has another great secret task to accomplish... and the IJN CVEs are supporting the invasion (late!) of Timor... i have a british TF composed of 3 CVs and 1 CVL... may think about it...[:D]

The other 2 US CVs are supporting a convoy at Noumea. bringing in 60,000 supplies and a regiment of the Americal ID (so to recombine it). Then they'll move back to PH in order to join with the upcoming WASP and to support some more operations in the pacific.

Have i ever told you how good is to play the allies???[:D][:D][:D]

[GreyJoy]

May 23, 42

While the 1st AUS Corp (1st Aus Division and the Americal Division, plus some support troops) is unloading at Noumea, fighting against 5/6 enemy's subs (we sunk the I-159 today), covered by 2 US CVs and by a strong SAG (3 Brookling Class CLs and 8 DDs), the XII Indian Corp is unloading at Karachi unmolested.
The japs are Landing at Dili (Timor) and i'm really thinking about ambushing it with the unseen RN CVs... but i have yet to decide...some fuel issues here and i have to be carefull...

The KB should be near Sebang but i cannot be 100% positive... no finally an AVD has arrived at Cocos and so 12 Catalinas have immediately transfered there...i need some eyes... hope to spot the KB

At Bombay the Tojos arrived and scored 3 kills, losing 2 for ops losses...nothing major



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Isle of Pines at 116,162

Japanese Ships
SS I-159, hits 20, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Honolulu
CL Helena
CL St. Louis
DD Henley
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Blue
DD Ellet
DD Maury
DD McCall
DD Craven

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Bombay , at 36,24

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 116

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 11
Hurricane IIb Trop x 26
Spitfire VIII x 24
Kittyhawk IA x 7
Kittyhawk I x 14
P-38E Lightning x 16
P-39D Airacobra x 31
P-40E Warhawk x 57

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
41 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 31000 feet
28 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 31000 feet



In China, in the last week, we've won not less than 6 battles, Always inflicting 3x casualities to the Japs. Today they attacked on the upper road that leads to Sian... another victory!


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

Ground combat at 86,41 (near Loyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 48445 troops, 401 guns, 203 vehicles, Assault Value = 1452

Defending force 54817 troops, 238 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1633

Japanese adjusted assault: 737

Allied adjusted defense: 1511

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
6546 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 627 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1666 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 146 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Assaulting units:
41st Division
59th Infantry Brigade
110th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
101st NCPC Route Brigade
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment

Defending units:
57th Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
18th Group Army
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment


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

Ground combat at Patung (81,46)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17061 troops, 136 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 491

Defending force 23478 troops, 157 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 669

Japanese adjusted assault: 141

Allied adjusted defense: 1303

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
763 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
162 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
32nd Division
138th Infantry Regiment
14th RGC Temp. Division

Defending units:
23rd Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Cavalry Corps
6th War Area
Lusu War Area






If i can statle mate him in China (despite the problems we have with the latest patch - see tech support forum)... well... I have great plans for China.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

AHAHAHAHAHAH[:D][:D] Well said MrBlizzard!

No, i won't lose my temper!...in fact, actually, i'm ready to counterattack!

May 22 1942

The allies have accomplished something great today. 4 Allied Divisions managed to exit Soocodra channell in a 150 ship mega cargo, escorted by 3 American CVs and a strong SAG. Tomorrow we'll be unloading at Karachi. Many more units need to be taken out of Aden, but now i think i can do it. With the arrival of this Indian Corp (3 experienced 1943 squad divisions plus a strong armoured division) we'll try to counterattack on his flank and set Bombay free. He now may be in trouble.

The KB should be somewhere west of Sumatra, possibly trying to ambush my convoys at Diego. I've so ordered everybody at Diego to get away and move to Cape Town (Diego has already 320,000 supplies...more than enough[;)]

The RN has another great secret task to accomplish... and the IJN CVEs are supporting the invasion (late!) of Timor... i have a british TF composed of 3 CVs and 1 CVL... may think about it...[:D]

The other 2 US CVs are supporting a convoy at Noumea. bringing in 60,000 supplies and a regiment of the Americal ID (so to recombine it). Then they'll move back to PH in order to join with the upcoming WASP and to support some more operations in the pacific.

Have i ever told you how good is to play the allies???[:D][:D][:D]

From the man who a while back mentioned he 'was never going back' after playing a game as Japan! [:D]

Yes, you have mentioned this and I am really itching to play the good guys soon.

Sounds like you have things in hand. With stacking limits it's really hard to make these big moves like India stick. You obviously have some experience there though and you're using it well, making sure you have options well planed in advance. I also think if your units don't do the retreats you've been seeing you have a very good defensive position there, and you haven't lost Sian. That's major. Those rough areas around Chikhiang will be tough to break through.

Looking forward to the rout of the overextended IJA soon.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

AHAHAHAHAHAH[:D][:D] Well said MrBlizzard!

No, i won't lose my temper!...in fact, actually, i'm ready to counterattack!

May 22 1942

The allies have accomplished something great today. 4 Allied Divisions managed to exit Soocodra channell in a 150 ship mega cargo, escorted by 3 American CVs and a strong SAG. Tomorrow we'll be unloading at Karachi. Many more units need to be taken out of Aden, but now i think i can do it. With the arrival of this Indian Corp (3 experienced 1943 squad divisions plus a strong armoured division) we'll try to counterattack on his flank and set Bombay free. He now may be in trouble.

The KB should be somewhere west of Sumatra, possibly trying to ambush my convoys at Diego. I've so ordered everybody at Diego to get away and move to Cape Town (Diego has already 320,000 supplies...more than enough[;)]

The RN has another great secret task to accomplish... and the IJN CVEs are supporting the invasion (late!) of Timor... i have a british TF composed of 3 CVs and 1 CVL... may think about it...[:D]

The other 2 US CVs are supporting a convoy at Noumea. bringing in 60,000 supplies and a regiment of the Americal ID (so to recombine it). Then they'll move back to PH in order to join with the upcoming WASP and to support some more operations in the pacific.

Have i ever told you how good is to play the allies???[:D][:D][:D]

From the man who a while back mentioned he 'was never going back' after playing a game as Japan! [:D]

Yes, you have mentioned this and I am really itching to play the good guys soon.

Sounds like you have things in hand. With stacking limits it's really hard to make these big moves like India stick. You obviously have some experience there though and you're using it well, making sure you have options well planed in advance. I also think if your units don't do the retreats you've been seeing you have a very good defensive position there, and you haven't lost Sian. That's major. Those rough areas around Chikhiang will be tough to break through.

Looking forward to the rout of the overextended IJA soon.

You know what? Japan is great to be played and it gives you great rewarns when you win a CV battle for example or you can give a bloody nose to the bad guys... but, as you know, playing Japan is REALLY stressfull... and sometimes playing the allies is really like a glass of fresh water in the desert... lots of supplies, unlimited fuel, lots of room to commit mistakes and to risk something bold... you're gonna love it!

Yes SL is a MUST imho... and i can tell you that the reduced cargo capabilities is cool too! Even for the allies it's impossible to move HUGE armadas and supplies in a single moves

[GreyJoy]

I probably haven't told you about Horn Island. I've managed to evacuate Rabaul, PM, Darwin and the Whole NG garrisons during the first 2 months. The Japs have been slow here so i managed to recombine the AUS division at Horn Is. Moved there a couple of AA units, 2 Eng units, base forces and some artillery. Now i have 25,000 men behind 5 forts with 30,000 supplies...PM his japanese but with Horn Island in my hands i can threaten the way to Mereuake and to the Western NG (just like Brad did against me)

Having India is great for Japan...but if you don't conquer China (so freeing up lots of Divisions to be used for garrisoning), then that HUGE Empire cannot be really defended. Simply too few units and too many bases

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I probably haven't told you about Horn Island. I've managed to evacuate Rabaul, PM, Darwin and the Whole NG garrisons during the first 2 months. The Japs have been slow here so i managed to recombine the AUS division at Horn Is. Moved there a couple of AA units, 2 Eng units, base forces and some artillery. Now i have 25,000 men behind 5 forts with 30,000 supplies...PM his japanese but with Horn Island in my hands i can threaten the way to Mereuake and to the Western NG (just like Brad did against me)

Having India is great for Japan...but if you don't conquer China (so freeing up lots of Divisions to be used for garrisoning), then that HUGE Empire cannot be really defended. Simply too few units and too many bases

Also, if you have an HR about paying for unit to move from restricted commands, even conquering China will not free all of those divisions. I still have a massive army there I would have liked to remove more of, but the PPs are just not there to do it. It's good for balance, as the Japanese should have to keep some things in China.

[Sangeli]

If the KB is staying in the Indian Ocean then I think you need to go for the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. You don't have to worry nearly as much about Betties as you would in the DEI so it makes it a low hanging fruit, especially if you can get bombers running out of Tabiteau. A campaign there angled west would really threaten his positions in Fiji and eventually make them untenable. And lastly, its quite some distance from India making his response time very slow.