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So 2 day turns mean time goes quick. We are now in Feb 42 and Rob has a lot of bases captured - although I haven't seen any heavies for at least 5 turns - either they are back in the barn to save fuel or he's planning something big and is consolidating them.

I do have a question for you Allied fan boys... I have a ton of Air Groups in Norfolk - most of which I can buy out. Should I do so? Or leave them there for training purposes ? Thinking of buying out the Warhawks and shipping some to Oz and other places in the Pacific. Or are they not worth it yet due to the IJN superior position in both ships and CVs ?

Xargun

Norfolk? The island near Australia? Never heard of restricted units appearing there before. Did you mean something else or is there another Norfolk on the map that I haven't noticed before?

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Norfolk? The island near Australia? Never heard of restricted units appearing there before. Did you mean something else or is there another Norfolk on the map that I haven't noticed before?

On the map its listed as Eastern US, but the base is called Norfolk - at least somewhere in the database as it shows up with that name as units arrive there.

Xargun

Those air units are additional replacement aircraft. The idea is to use PP to buy them out and disband them with no return. That way, you get the additional airframes in your pools.

They are excellent for training pilots to a high skill level but they don't get experience fast. Fill them full of replacements with maybe one more experienced pilot so you can raise the average a little and train away unless you need the airframes.

This just happened during the last turn playback and I thought you guys would enjoy a good laugh... So here I am watching the turn replay like a good little allied player when I notice a bunch of green little ships near the coast of Oz and I think to myself. What the hell is Rob up to - lots of ships there. I should send in the KB and see whats up.... then I remember.... I'm the Allies .... [:D]

Xargun

ORIGINAL: Xargun

This just happened during the last turn playback and I thought you guys would enjoy a good laugh... So here I am watching the turn replay like a good little allied player when I notice a bunch of green little ships near the coast of Oz and I think to myself. What the hell is Rob up to - lots of ships there. I should send in the KB and see whats up.... then I remember.... I'm the Allies .... [:D]

Xargun

Mid February 1942 and the IJN CVs are cruising the Indian Ocean !!! I believe he was hoping to catch ships moving from off map to Indian or such, but nothing is there for him. I evacuated Columbo just in case he decides to hit the port (thinking he has at least 6 CVs in the TF) and everything is moving to Karachi incase they need to make a quick offmap move to Aden or Abadan to keep safe.

Rob finally moved into Singapore and got hammered on the river crossing...

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 47127 troops, 419 guns, 203 vehicles, Assault Value = 1454

Defending force 64504 troops, 711 guns, 620 vehicles, Assault Value = 1336

Japanese adjusted assault: 356

Allied adjusted defense: 2321

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
12864 casualties reported
Squads: 108 destroyed, 874 disabled
Non Combat: 62 destroyed, 91 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 117 disabled
Guns lost 46 (10 destroyed, 36 disabled)
Vehicles lost 90 (71 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
1696 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 148 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 64 (2 destroyed, 62 disabled)
Vehicles lost 20 (1 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Tank Regiment
II./143rd Infantry Battalion
33rd Division
21st Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
41st Guard Battalion
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
91st Naval Guard Unit
41st Infantry Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
6th RTA Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Army
23rd AA Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
32nd Field AA Battalion

Over 12,000 IJA lost and 2 units destroyed [:D] I am contemplating a counterattack but not sure if I should. I have 40k supplies and siting behind level 4 (nearly level 5) forts.

The IJA 4th Division has taken Noumea and is sitting there still. Not sure if thats going to be their new home but thats a large unit to put so far south. He has now air assets in the area, as my TFs are sitting 2 hexes away and are showing no signs of detection.

I am still on the lookout for the IJA troops that have taken Luzon, trying to see where he sends them. Burma hasn't been touched other than a single Tank Unit sitting at Pegu doing nothing. I am shipping in supplies to Rangoon - or I was until the KB showed up in the Indian Ocean and have moved in a good 40k supplies to the theater. Not going to move any ground units there unless another month or so has gone by and no movement by him, then I will bring everything south from Calcutta and push into Thailand.

Xargun

I don't know if it is the mod you are playing but he attacked Singapore with only one complete Japanese Division and the rest were mainly Regts, except for the Thai 6th Division, a rather weak formation, with little supporting arms. That might help explain the lopsided results and very good ones for you holding Singapore until supplies are exhausted and forts reduced.

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I don't know if it is the mod you are playing but he attacked Singapore with only one complete Japanese Division and the rest were mainly Regts, except for the Thai 6th Division, a rather weak formation, with little supporting arms. That might help explain the lopsided results and very good ones for you holding Singapore until supplies are exhausted and forts reduced.

yeah I saw that he only attacked with 1 complete IJA Division, 5 Regiments and that Thai unit - roughly 3 Divisions maybe ? Just wondering if I should chance a counter attack on the off chance he retreats out of the hex or just sit tight and let him pound his head against my forts...

Xargun

It depends on the status of your units and if u see movement icons towards Singapore. If you see movement icon that means he might cross during the night with additional units and your attack might run into fresh reinforcements. If you see no movement icon towards Singapore and your units are in good shape, low disablement, then risk away. Pushing him out of Singapore might destroy most of his artillery and or isolate units in Singapore to be destroyed in following turns and of course set his plans back by weeks or months rebuilding his weakened formations. In my game I pushed a BDE, 2 Rgts and a Tank Rgt out of Clark after he moved in and I am sure it was not what he wanted or expected.

It is now March 42 and at least new IJA Divs from Luzon just arrived in Singapore. They knocked the forts down to 3 but took a lot of losses - should be a week or more before the next attack. Recon spots another 20k troops moving to Singapore, so I expect another Div and possible a Bde -- if he brought everything from Luzon. He needs Singers before he can really take Palembang or the DEI - and I think he is way behind schedule myself.

The KB + Friends looks like they are finally completing their cruise of the Indian Ocean and are now cruising along the NW coast of Oz. I have evacced Perth on the off chance he is coming that far.

I am starting to think about my first counter attack - lots of targets... Am looking at Lunga as a good target. In fact, I have a division prepping for there while I continue to do upgrades on my ships - CVs just went down for another AA refit. Thinking of starting my counterattacks end of April - early May. That should give me 6-10 weeks to get assets and supplies in place. Also looking at recapturing Noumea.

Xargun

So he still holds Noumea. What about the New Hebrides? Going for Lunga with substantial forces behind you could be costly.

Rob loves his Indian Ocean forays...

It is now the 1st of April 42 and the war continues. The unstoppable Japanese just took Singapore and now the troops used there are spreading out and he just took Palembang - like 99% intact too [:@] He is now moving into Burma and I wonder how far north he will go. I expect all of Burma to fall, but wonder if he will proceed north into places like Akyab or Comilla. I am moving troops to these places, but right now he has the strength to go where he wants and not much I can do to stop him yet - if all the Divs used at Singapore come north he will have 4 full IJA Divs to through at me there - I cannot match that yet.

I was going through my US Divs I was planning on sending into the South Pacific when I notice one of them was restricted and I cannot change the HQ [:@] I also noticed the Tank unit I was going to use from Auckland is also restricted and I cannot change it... grrrr.... I need to pay closer attention when I start selecting these units.

Xargun

Another turn and the Japanese are landing heavily in both Sumatra and Java now that Singapore and Palembang have fallen. My attempts at night bombing of oil at Palembang has not met with any success - even with good moonlight - my bombers just can't hit anything.

The Japanese at Attu island as well. This I cannot allow unchallenged. Two INF RGT and a Tank unit are loading on transports now for transport to the North Pacific along with surface assets including CVs for escort duty. I don't care if he takes a couple islands up there, but he cant have the Dutch harbor area - thinking of reinforcing Umrak and building it up. Figure 2 Rgts and some tanks is a nice stop gap force which should stop him from taking the island unless he is really determined and brings a full Div or two.

Xargun

For night bombing you need a good DL on the base and good (50+) GrdB skill among the pilots.

We are into May 42 and the KB is deep in the south pacific as he lands and takes Norfolk Island and has troops trying to take Suva. He doesn't have enough men to take it, but reinforcements are arriving soon and Suva will fall. I have reinforced Christmas Island, Palmyra and Johnston Island with a US regiment and they all have level 4+ forts. That should prevent him from taking those islands without a Div plus landing force and I doubt he will bring that much that close to Pearl. He has also mined Christmas island costing me a DD... I have sweepers on the way.

I have landed my troops in the Aluetians and my CVs are heading to PH to meet with the the others and then we will head to the South Pacific, escorting a couple divisions of US troops and a bunch of support units and a large naval presence. Its time I start slowly (and cautiously) hitting back.

In Burma he has a Div a Rangoon, but the Brits are holding firm behind the forts and I was able to sneak in a couple AKs fulls of supplies after he arrive giving the troops there over 7k supplies. They should last a while. I am building Airfields and Forts along the Indian border and have troops at Akyab and Cox's Bazaar digging in as well. I think in about 5-10 turns the game will start becoming more interesting - especially for me - just wish I had more patrol planes to go around.

Xargun

An interesting event in early June 42. If I can figure out how to post my pics I will share.

Xargun

Morning of June 11th.. The captains are just waking up at dawn to prepare for a day of possible sea and air action against the damn Japanese carriers that are terrorizing the South Pacific... Little did the captain know that the newly installed radar wasn't hooked up....

The captain sat in his chair and looked out the front windows and had an accident...






Not sure who was more surprised... Rob or me.. I thought we might have some action, but didn't expect the CVs to duke it out with guns...

After the gun fight was over the TFs ran away from each other and the aerial battle began...





After exchanging air strikes in the AM phase, the TFs moved away and we've had no more contact... Which is good once you see the results...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 118,179

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 81
B5N1 Kate x 19
B5N2 Kate x 146
D3A1 Val x 159

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 27
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 31 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVL Ranger, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 1
BC Constellation, Bomb hits 1
BC Concord, Bomb hits 2
CLAA Detroit
CLAA Raleigh
CA Chicago
CA New London
CA Cambridge, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Jarvis

Then of course it jumps to China for a bunch of IJA air attacks just to drive me crazy...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 118,177

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 95

Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 30
SBD-3 Dauntless x 30
TBD-1 Devastator x 27

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 12 destroyed, 5 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 17 destroyed, 3 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 8 destroyed
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku
BB Kaga
CV Akagi

My abortive attack.... No escorts flew and only some of the bombers.. I think I caught nailed by the Allied strike coordination roll... Not too bad, I planned ahead and had a second CV TF supposed to be in the safe hex, but ended up one behind... oh so I thought.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 119,179

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 68
B5N1 Kate x 11
B5N2 Kate x 123
D3A1 Val x 148

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 27
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 18 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BC Constitution, Bomb hits 1
CA Louisville
CVB Langley, Bomb hits 10, on fire
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 4
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 4, on fire
DD Mustin
DD Hughes
CA Northampton


My counterattack - only 1 torpedo hit and it was a dud

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Waipapakauri at 118,177

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 83

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 27
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 15
SBD-2 Dauntless x 24
TBD-1 Devastator x 30

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 3 destroyed, 6 damaged
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 destroyed by flak
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBD-1 Devastator: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi
BB Tosa
CV Amagi
BB Kirishima
CA Maya
CV Shokaku
CV Soryu
BB Hiei


Luckily there were no followup strikes and I escaped to the south. CV Yorktown sank enroute but everyone else has survived. The heavily damaged Ranger and Saratoga sit in Auckland harbor as repairs are running rampant. Everything else is away from port incase the KB comes calling again.