Command Decisions: Samurai vs. Yeomen RA 6.4

[John 3rd]

"Climb Mount Niitaka."

Turn One is finally sent!

[John 3rd]

Am waiting for the boys to send back their portion of Turn One.

Spent the night with my brain chewing on strategy here and I have to admit that taking the Line Islands makes a whole bunch of sense to me. The bottom line is that I want bases from which to launch a Commerce War on his SLC. If we can convince the American player that Japan is making a serious effort at going after Hawaii then he will divert men and material there. Makes sense. What I really want to do is hit those early convoys carrying troops and supplies. Since these guys have been avid readers of my AARs I am going to try and 'look' like I am following my standard play book for the Central Pacific and then radically depart from it.

Normal:
1. The KB will strike PH and then retire NE towards the West Coast. Will make sure this is seen and then move back to north of Midway.
2. There are two SNLF Assault Brigades at Saipan. One will be sent to take Wake and other will grab Midway. These are 'normal' moves for me.
3. From the Marshalls we shall grab Baker, Tarawa, Tabitueau, and other adjacent islands.

New:
1. The Sendai Division and the Imperial Guards Brigade form the strength of the movement into the heart our objectives.
2. The Imperial Guards, the Wake SNLF Assault Brigade, and several Naval Guard units will be tasked with the Line Islands.
3. The 2nd ID (Sendai) will thrust south. First major objective will be Pago Pago. This is the dominant American Base is the SE.
4. ALL the CVs will be used for these operations.
---Carrier Division One (Akagi, Kaga, and Ryujo) will Cover the Wake--Midway Operations.
---I will pull Carrier Division Two (Hiryu, Soryu, and Shoho) will Cover the initial moves into the DEI, slaughter the Thundering Herd, and then make sure Palembang is taken. As soon as these operation are complete the CVs will head east and move into the Coral Sea looking for trouble...
---Carrier Division Three (Shokaku, Zuikaku, and Zuiho) will Cover the initial thrust towards the Line Islands.
---The two CVEs will lurk near Rabaul and try to pick-off warships in the area.
5. Japanese SS are fully deployed with 5 on the West Coast, 5 along the islands leading to Midway, 7 near Christmas Ilse, and 6 around Pago Pago--Suva. A group of Glen SS will set-up a picket line to to try and watch for enemy convoys headed to Christmas so we can move out and SINK THEM prior to arrival.

Political Points
For these Operations I do not need Infantry Divisions. I need Regiments and Brigades. EASY! We'll purchase these units ASAP and then feed them into Offensive Operations as they arrive. Does anyone have 'favorite' Brigades/Regiments to buyout from China or Manchuria? The 90th already begins at Babeldoap so that one is already in play.

Those are the initial plans...

[ny59giants]

Hit the "G" button to pull up all your troops. Next, right click on the "Infantry" to keep just infantry LCUs. Then, click on the "Hard/Soft" in the upper right hand corner. Finally, sort by "Experience" so you can see what LCUs are available with high experience.

[John 3rd]

Yeomen vs. Samurai
Turn One: December 7, 1941

The Japanese got just about the best opening turn I've seen for a campaign to start on. There was not a facet of December 7th that did not meet or exceed expectations. Have not been able to say that often in an AE Game.

Pearl Harbor
Strike Force: 92 Zero, 107 Val, and 120 Kate

Battleship Row
Arizona 3 Bombs--3 TT Heavy Damage
Nevada 1 800 Kg--4 Bombs--1 TT On Fire
Oklahoma 5 Bombs--3 TT Heavy Damage
Pennsylvania 1 800 KG--2 Bombs--2 TT Heavy Damage
Tennessee 2 800 Kg--2 Bombs--2 TT Heavy Fires
California 1 800Kg--3 Bombs--1 TT On Fire
New Mexico 1 800 Kg--2 Bombs--3 TT Heavy Damage
Idaho 1 800 Kg--5 Bombs--4 TT Heavy Fires--Heavy Damage
Mississippi 7 Bombs--2 TT On Fire

All BBs hit and hit hard. Doubt if any shall sink but this is an excellent start with all 9 nicely hit. Remember that in RA Colorado, Maryland, and West Virginia are getting their upgrade that was planned but never done in 1941. The three old New Mexico Class BBs stay to cover the withdrawal of the two mentioned above.

Cruisers
New Orleans 1 TT On Fire
Minneapolis 2 Bombs
San Francisco 1 Bomb--1 TT Heavy Damage
Honolulu 1 TT
St. Louis 1 800 KG On Fire

Raise a toast of Sake for this. Saratoga ain't ganno be gettin any screening ships from Pearl!

Other Ships
SS Dolphin 1 Bomb
DD Bagley 1TT Heavy Damage
DD Ralph Talbot 1 Bomb
DD Ward hit by 6 60 KG Bombs from Jakes Heavy Damage
AR Vestal 1 800 KG Heavy Damage
AVD Hurlburt SUNK
AO Ramapo 1 TT
AM SUNK

The AFs get creamed by strafing Zeros and one Daitai of Vals.

Total aerial losses are 6 Zero, 5 Val, and 9 Kate. Not bad either.


Manila
Prior to the Carrier Strike, the AF is creamed by two strikes from Formosa totalling 64 Zero and 54 Betty-Nell. These planes BLAST the AF and shoot down or destroy nearly a dozen P-40s and several PBYs.

STRIKE: 41 Zero 45 Val and 57 Kate

SS
SUNK: Sealion, Snapper, Skipjack, and Tarpon
DAM: Swordfish, Searaven, Sturgeon, Permit, Porpoise, Pickeral, Saury, Spearfish, Sailfish, Sea Dragon: All hit with 1 or 2 bombs.

14 Fleet Boats hit or Sunk. We'll add to that total tomorrow.

S-Boat
SUNK: S-38, S-40
DAM: S-41, S-37

All but one of the S-Boats gets hit. GREAT! No useful American TTs from these guys.

Other:
ARD Dewey, AS Holland, Canpus, Otus, AV Langley, 3 AK, 2 PG, 2 AM, 1 AM SUNK, 1 AO, 1 AP, TK La Estella Caltex BLOWS UP!, and a Yo-.

For a commitment of 102 Strike Planes this is OUTSTANDING work.

Will cover all other info in a few minutes.

[John 3rd]

The big strikes are covered let's go around and hit everything else plus the BIG BONUS we got during the turn:

Malaya
Heavy Air Strikes flown at Alor Star, Georgetown, Kota Bharu, and Kuantan. Good results all strikes with a nice number of Brit Fighters and Bombers destroyed.

Kuantan
In a lesson learned from my Sherwood match, I decide to land midway down the peninsula at Kuantan. ALL Landing TF drop their troops off here. This will amount to two full ID plus extras. We'll take it tomorrow. Allied afternoon strikes hit a single AK seriously at a cost of nearly 20 Brit Fighters, Bombers, and TB. 3rd Air Division is loaded and will unload here in two days.

Mersing
A 3rd ID will land at Mersing in 3-4 days.

Port Dickson
In another different move for me, I fly the 1st Raiding Group (Paras) to Singora where they will then land and take Port Dickson. It is undefended. The Transports will then fly in a full Naval Guard to hold the base. The two units should have about 100 AV between them. This move will cut the RR on the west side and I hope TRAP a large portion of the Allied Army north of the intersection. I want to make Singers as easy as possible.


Philippines
Clark gets the attention of 18 Zero and 81 Bombers. The runway is blasted and nearly a dozen planes are shot down or destroyed.

Iba sees a single group of 27 Betty hit it but they get a wonderful dice roll destroying 6 P-40s on the ground and damaging 121 (I think that was the absurd number shown!). The runway was hit nearly 80 times from just these bombers.

Cagayan is struck by 9 Nells who do nice damage and damage 6 B-17s.

Paras land a take Cotabato. Immediately begin flying in a Base Force as well as 24 Kate and 6 Jakes for Air Search.

Land at Laoag in Luzon. Will have it tomorrow.

China
Changsha is struck by 18 Fighters and 36 Bombers hitting several planes and destroying a few.

Hong Kong gets 51 Bombers who plaster the AF.

A group of nine Val hit 2 AKL during the morning and smack DD Scout with a pair of bombs in the afternoon.


A NICE Bonus:
SS Operations
I-3 sinks AK Cagou with a TT at Isle of Pines
I-2 sinks AP Cap Padaran with two attack yielding 3 TT hits near Isle of Pines
Ro-34 sinks AKL Fortuna with 2 TT near San Jose
I-165 sinks TK Augustina 2 Sh and 1 TT at Oosthaven
I-1 hits AO Var with a TT at Noumea AND sinks AKL Loyaute at the same location
I-166 sinks AP Kepang at Lingga
I-122 hits AS Janssens near Oosthaven
I-155 sinks AP Kedah near Muntok
I-123 hits AP Kota Radja at Banjoewangi

TOTAL:
SUNK: 1 AK, 2 AKL, 3 AP, and a TK
DAM: 1 AO, 1 AS, and 1 AP

Excellent start for the Japanese Sub Arm!

[John 3rd]

Planning

The Marianas
A TF carrying one SNLF Assault Brigade will hit Guam tomorrow. The same unit will then immediately load and head for Midway.

A second TF carrying the other SNLF Brigade is loading and will head for Wake.

ESCORTS: The two CVEs and a pair of BB provide the Sunday punch for these operations.

KB-1/KB-3 will withdraw with KB-1 moving towards Midway and KB-3 going towards Johnston. This is highly visible. I want my American opponent to KNOW I've cleared the area so he begins moving TF from the WC ASAP.

Babeldoap
TF depart there heading for northern Mindanao, Dadjangas, and Cotabato.

Other TF move SW heading out to set-up seaplane bases.

KB-2 will make a FULL SPEED sprint 18 hexes to begin interdicting fleeing Allied Shipping.

Philippines
Five STF fan out to EAT the Thundering Herd as it flees.

More northern landings in Luzon coming.

Switch the 3 Daitai of Betty/Nell to Port Attack at Manila in hopes of adding to the sinkings done this day.

Malaya
Already detailed the operations coming there.

Burma
Initial moves will consist of 3 TK Regiments

China
Central Plains and begin the push into northern China.

Work to clean out the area east and south of Changsha.

[John 3rd]

Here is the VP Screen for Day One:

[John 3rd]

We've been beset by email issues on the Allied side. Been patiently waiting for the new turn but no luck at this point...

[John 3rd]

December 8, 1941
KB-3

After a magnificent attack upon Pearl Harbor, Vc-Adm Yamaguchi follows pre-war plans and divides his TF into CARDIV1 (Akagi-Kaga-Ryujo) and sends it towards Midway while he turns SW towards Johnston Isle with CARDIV3 (Shokaku-Zuikaku-Zuiho). Fully anticipating a busy day for the 8th, he turns in early and tries to get some badly needed sleep.

At 0345, the Alarm Claxon going off awakens him from a deep slumber. Rushing to the bridge he is shocked to hear main gun batteries firing from CA's Tone and Chikuma. Several DDs and CL Isuzu are open up as he enters the Bridge. Shokaku's Captain is watching the fight off to the Port side of the CV. It quickly is ascertained that the Japanese have run into an American STF sortied from Pearl Harbor: CL Helena and 8 DDs are desperately attempting to penetrate the Japanese Screen. The battle lasts just ten minutes (5 gunnery rounds) and sees the Helena and 3 DDs hit solidly by the Japanese gunnery. The Americans flee the scene as the startled Japanese thank their lucky stars for not seeing a single shell hit the Flattops.

A slightly shaken Japanese Vc-Adm orders tea and decides sleep is useless. He begins to plan the day's operations.

Just after the Task Force begin Flight Operations, Yamaguchi is startled to hear a non-coded warning echo through the bridge as a second American TF is spotted by a Jake just launched from Tone. The enemy is only 29,000 yards distant. The carriers are in a dangerous position as they are getting aircraft warmed up for CAP and have armed strike planes stored in the hangars in anticipation of action later in the day. Taking a big risk, Yamaguchi orders the CAP launched and the screening vessels intercept rapidly closing enemy ships.

Gunnery erupts at 23,000 yards as Tone, Chikuma, and Isuku attempt to interpose themselves with the American force. The enemy consists of CA Indianapolis and 5 DMS. The slowly rising sun disrupts Japanese gunnery silhouetting them and hiding the Americans in shadow. While the earlier fight was tense, this battle is terribly nasty. The American CA is hell bent on getting to the Japanese CVs.

A twenty minute battle roars across the roiling ocean. For the first minutes Indianapolis concentrates on the nearest escorts. She rapidly puts one or two 8" shells into the new Moon-Class DD Sususuki and DD Kasumi. They stagger out of formation and the Indianapolis attempts to shoot through the gap created by their withdrawal. Frighteningly, shells begin to hit the Japanese CVs. How often does a Japanese CV fire its main AA Guns at en enemy ship? NOT OFTEN! Must give credit to Shokaku and Zuikaku's gunnery officers they each hit the American several times. When the range reaches 11,000 and 8,000 yards American 8" shells begin to hit the carrier. Zuikaku takes a pair of shells while Shokaku gets a single hit. Little Zuiho is struck by a 4" shell from one of the DMS. In return, the Americans see over a dozen shells hit Indianapolis with each of the DMS taking 1-3 hits each. It is 3 8" shells hitting the American CA that finally forces her to disengage.

With minor fires burning on Zuikaku, a set of strikes are rapidly moved to the flightdecks and launched with angry orders to sink ANY American ship to the west of the Task Force! The weather is rapidly closing in and the Japanese Strike gets divided and, perhaps, some of it gets lost. The leader of Shokaku's Vals suddenly finds himself over PEARL HARBOR where his escort 16 Zero is rapidly pounced on by 76 American Fighters. The strike is thoroughly shot-up but--amazingly--the vast majority of the pilots survive. The Kates from Zuikaku don't get lost. They find the amaged Indianapolis and rapidly hit her with 3 torpedoes and leave her to sink. The afternoon strikes see a similar thing happen when Shokaku's Kates get separated and find themselves ALSO approaching Pearl Harbor. This group of 24 Zero and 21 Kate do far better in that they are not wiped from the sky but they take heavy losses as well.

A CRAZY DAY!

Taking stock through blinker light, it is found that both CVs have taken real damage. Zuikaku is holed below the waterline but fires are brought under control (15 SYS, 11 Flot, 3 ENG). Shokaku is in better shape but the single 8" shell does cause issues that need to be dealt with (19 SYS and 8 FLOT). Additionally, Shokaku's Air Group is trashed with only 24 Zero, 9 Val, and 4 Kate available for duty. Luckily her pilots are OK with many picked up by plane guard DDs and a few I-Boats (Pilots Fighter 32, Val 23, Kate 22).

Vc-Adm Yamaguchi orders CARDIV1 to come back down and prepares to attach Zuiho, Tone, Chikuma, Isuzu and 2 DDs to Akagi's Group while he takes CARDIV3 home for quick repairs.

NOT exactly a good day! The bravery of the Americans is duly noted....

[John 3rd]

ON the bright side, the Americans lose a CA and have a modern CL hit pretty hard.

Wow. I could not believe that second brawl. I kept count and CA Indianapolis hit the Japanese TF with 15 8" hits. That is damned good shooting! She led a charmed life until the range closed to 8,000 Yds when Tone put 3 8" shell into her forcing the ship to leave. Scared the tar out of this Japanese player!

The ships each have about 7-9 SYS Damage that is serious and cannot be repaired at Kwajalein so I am sending them home ASAP and so they can come back to Cover the Operations to the East. We'll operate with 2 CV and 2 CVL in CARDIV1 for the time being.

This shouldn't be too big of impact on plans since one CV TF can do the job. It just makes it a bit more...shall I say...interesting...

The fights slowed the Japanese down and that is why those two strikes impaled themselves on Pearl Harbor. I had set the ranges but the CVs ended up at max range from PH. Lost 6 Zero, 12 Val, and 20 Kates there but only lost a total of 8 pilots. THAT is crazy but I shall not complain. Just have to replace airframes. Thank Goodness.

[John 3rd]

Beyond the wildness of the CV intercepts by the Americans Turn Two of the war is fairly standard.

Central Pacific
Take Makin and will land at Tarawa tomorrow.

Move 36 Zero and 27 Betty to Maleolap in case the enemies attempt something funny with Enterprise or Lexington.

Philippines
Take Laoag.

Landing at Vigan tomorrow.

The STF crush fleeing shipping as expected. No less then 7 small STF roam about sinking ships to the west, south, and east of the Philippines.

The follow-on Manila Port Strike does FANTASTICALLY! A massed strike of 83 Zero and 67 Betty--Nell blow past 33 American P-40s and sink SIX American SS (S-41, Sturgeon, Seadragon, Swordfish, Sealion, and Saury). The planes cripple two more SS and hit 2 AS, an AO, AV Langley, and an AM. Very solid and great results.

DEI
CARDIV2 shoots south to a point just east of Manado and carries out flight ops sinking shipping in the region. The TF will move down to Kendari tomorrow and the screen will be enhanced by a CA and 4 DD.

Invasion TF fanning out throughout the Eastern and Western DEI.

Malaya
Kuantan falls and Fighters move in to the beat-up airstrip. British air is beaten up pretty solidly this turn as nearly two panes are shot down and more are damaged on the ground.

Port Dickson falls to the Paratroopers. The Western RR is now taken and we have a solid chance to cut-off Allied troops before reaching Singers. Will fly in the rest of the Paras and supplies and begin to dig in.

The Mersing Invasion Force is three days away. The hope is to hold Port Dickson long enough to grab Mersing and move to Johore Bharu.

SS Operations continue to ROCK!
I-4 hits AP Poelau Laut near San Obispo and SINKS APD Waters near Channel Isle
Ro-34 sinks AKL Regulus at Zamboanga
I-1 SINKS the damaged AO Var with 4 TTs as well as AKL Loyaute near Noumea
I-7 SINKS AO Sabine near San Francisco: NICE!
I-121 hits AP Dominion Monarch near Tobaoli
I-154 SINKS AP Van Cloon near Soerabaja

TOTAL:
SUNK: 2 AO, 1 AP, 1 APD, 2 AKL
DAM: 2 AP

[John 3rd]

Here is a screenshot of the CVs:

[John 3rd]

Operations in the Eastern DEI:

[Cribtop]

Wowzers!

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Wowzers!

I was having kittens watching the second fight with that pesky, BRASSY Indianapolis...

[Lecivius]

I bet the pucker factor was a bit elevated on that replay [:D]

[John 3rd]

Pucker Factor? Hell...I am still trying to unclench various parts of my anatomy...

[John 3rd]

I just wanted to thank the readership out there.

Larry, Jim, and I have been exchanging LOTS of emails as they work to figure out how to run a 2x and we, hopefully, begin to settle into a pattern for our game play. Anyone who has ever attempted a 2x2, 2x3, 3x3, etc... know that it can be rather daunting with potential issues and/or problems. We just got the 12-10 turn in the book and both of them stated just how excited and gratified they are in the help and suggestions given to them in their AAR. There was real concern with me taking on--essentially--a pair of rookies in what would certainly be a high profile match. I am gratified at how you guys have jumped in and are helping them.

A simple THANKS is in order!

[John 3rd]

Man....my opponents are TRYING to be aggressive but they are getting blocked at every juncture presently.

December 10th:
1. CA Houston, CL Boise, and 4 DD are intercepted by a pair of BC, 2 CL, and 2 DDs east of Mindanao. Inconclusive fight but both cruiser took hits.
2. CL Marblehead and 4 DDs are plastered by CARDIV2 near Kendari: CL Marblehead and two DDs are sunk.
3. The French Squadron of CA Algerie, CL Jean de Vienne, and 5 DD tangle with the 4 old CAs (Aoba, Furutaka) and 4 DDs at Rabaul. The French cruisers and a DD take serious damage for nothing too bad on the Japanese side.

Would love to do a full report but must head to the sotre for my shift!

[John 3rd]

A very solid day for Japan. Big developments through some attacks and ship action. Don't have time for details but will do a two day entry tomorrow morning. Here is an example of a fight, for the second day, at Rabaul where the French Squadron duked it out with the old CAs of Japan. The screenshot shows an 8" round hitting Jean de Vienne but it doesn't show the MAGAZINE EXPLOSION that came next. SCRATCH one CL!

Don't want to hurt anyones feelings (Michael) but it would appear that CL Boise may be in the same state taking 3 14" shells and then 3 250 Kg bombs...