Air Raid Pearl Harbor! This is not a drill! 1941 Allied Campaign.

[incbob]

January 4th, 1942 Japanese Moves

Northern China
To the West of Sinyang (50,74) the Japanese 9th Bde attacked the 27th Army in a complete stalemate.
Northeast of Ankang (48,75) the Japanese 12th Army attacked the Chinese 20th Army which was forced to retreat torward Ankang.

100 miles south of Sinyang the Japanese 20th Bde, 39th Div, 13th, Div, and 1st Air Div exchanged fire with the Chinese 1st Army. Which easily holds.


Southern China
Just south of Changsha the Japanese 11th Army assaulted the 9th Army under General Fa-Kuei Chang which retreated

Further south of Changsha (51,66) the Japanese 18th Ind Bde and the 1st Air Bde attacked the Chinese 11th Army with little losses by either side.

Rangoon
The "Battle for Rangoon" begins with the Japanese Imperial Guards Division assualting the entrenched India 14th Division. Despite repeated attacks the 14th division holds (Attacker lose 3, Defender lose 4).

Phillipines
The Japanese 12th Army attacked the Phillipine North Luzon Force that was holding Lingayen. The Phillipine force quickly shatters.

Malaya
The Japanese 25th Army assaulted the cutoff Indian 3rd Corp in Singapore which shattered leaving the Malayian penninsula in the full hands of the Japanese.

[incbob]

January 4th, 1942 Allied Moves

Rangoon
General George Giffard arrives to take command of the forces around Rangoon. He contemplates sending the India 13th Bde, 14th Div, and 20th division against the Japanese Imperial Guards Div. The fact the the 20th division would have to make a river crossing means the attack is questionable so General Giffard decides to wait.

All is not quiet though as the UK Indian Task Force which includes the CVL Hermes, BB Revenge, CA Exeter, and the Dutch CL De Ruter launch an airstrike against the Japanese Imperial Guards division. The Hermes air group takes slight losses (1pt) and gains some experience.

I have decided to take the UK naval force to Australia. If the Japanese make a move on India the Hermes force is little better than a speed bump. At least in Australia it can be with other forces to form something that might be worth a fight.

Australia
UK BC Repulse and 11th DD join the Allied naval forces in Townsville. The Townsville Task Force currently contains the UK BC Repulse, UK 11th DD, USA 17th DD, USA 14th, CL/DD. Furhter south the AUS CA Canberra stands ready to join them.

The NZ 4th/5th Tac Air, still repairing, rebases to Rock Hampton.

Allied Submarines
SS Skipjack and SS Pike move a little north torward Formosa and the SS Swordfish begins patroling the South China Seas convoy route north of Borneo.

USN
Arriving in San Diego the CV Yorktown, CV Saratoga, BB Colorado, 14th DD, and 19th CL/DD all join the Pacific Fleet. They are quickly moved to Pearl where repairs of the Pacific Battle Fleet continue.

[eskuche]

ORIGINAL: incbob

I am wondering what to do with the CVL Hermes.
First, its air crews only have 10% experience. I would like to find a place it can go raiding (land airstrikes) and get some experience, but fear the Japanese land based air. I would also like to move it to Australia and help protect Australia and Port Moresby (I see Japanese naval units on the north coast of New Guinea). However, if I do that then the Indian Ocean becomes a Japanese lake, not that the Hermes could really do anything anyway. I will probably move it since it is only a speed bump for the Japanese anyway.

In my game vs. Sveint, DEI collapsed on turn 1. I suspect that most games will not have the British seeing any fuel. Also avoid any land-based air if at all possible..

[incbob]

January 4th, 1942 Production/Convoy

UK
65-17 (102/36)
No change in convoys. The Japanese have a CA group sitting on the South China Sea convoy route. I have no resources going that way, but have supplies going through for the DEI and NEI. It has already killed a couple of Merchant Marines. I wish I could end the routes, but the game does not let me.
Build Nothing.

USA
373-20 (298/27)
Ship repair is taking most of the repair/upgrade.
The President intents to order 20 Merchant Marine, but instead orders 20 tranports. Make sure you check those boxes before you sign your signature. Stockpile at 98.

China
16-4 (18/10)
Reinforce taking most production.

Australia
63-8 (50/16)
Reinforce taking most production.

India
30-4 (1/7)
Reinforcing.

[incbob]

eskuche
Also avoid any land-based air if at all possible..

You are absolutely correct. This is something a lot of people do not understand about the Pacific War. Until 44 or 45, and the USN had huge CV fleets, land based air power ruled and CVs feared it. I did attack with the CVL Hermes, but made sure it was out of range of land based air. (At least I hope).

[incbob]

North China




Notice the most far north Japanese unit. I am scarred that it is going to make a flanking run through the plains so I pull the Communist forces back.

[incbob]

South China

[incbob]

Rangoon

[incbob]

The Phillippines

[incbob]

January 18th, 1942. Japan Moves

News Flash....
Dutch East Indies Surrenders to the Japanese onslaught.
Allied shipping prey to Japanese Submarines.

Rangoon
The India 14th division again comes under attack from the Japanese Imperial Guards Division and the 12th Base Force. The India 14th division finally has to retreat, but does inflict more damage than it takes.

150 miles northeast of Rangoon the India 13th Bde comes under heavy attack from the Japanese 121st Base Force and the 5th Air division. The India 1st IAF reacts. In the air the IAF takes heavy losses (3pts) while the land combat is a stalemate.

North China
Japanese units march into Sinyang and 100 miles to the west of Ankang the Japanese 12th army attacked the Chinese 27th Army. Even though the casualties are equal the 27th Army retreats.

North of Changsha (49,71) the Japanese 17th Bde engages the Chinese 1st Army which retreats after inflicting losses on the Japanese Bde.

South China

South Pacific
Japanese invade, and take, New Georgia.

Dutch East Indies
Japanese 21st army attacks the Dutch Batavia garrison with quickly shatters giving Japan complete control of the Dutch East Indies.

Phillipines
The Japanese 12th Army attacked the USA Phillipine Division holding in Manila. The USA division holds and inflicts more damage than it recieves.

Convoys
What a disaster. Japanese submarines have a field day. Indian Ocean 3 MM lost, South Pacific 5 MM lost, New Zealand route looses 4 MM, even the Australia route looses 3MM and 1 escort. One turn and 15 MM and 1 escort lost.

Meanwhile the SS Skipjack is lost to CV aircraft.

[incbob]

January 18th, 1942. Allied Moves

Rangoon
The CVL Hermes conducts a single airstrike against the Japanese 56th Division before moving off to provide escorts for the Indian Ocean convoys to Australia. While this is going on General Giffard has the India 20th Div and India 1st Corp move to cutoff and surround the Japanese Imperial Guards Div and the 56th Division.

Australia
UK 11th DD and AUS CA Canberra move to protect the Australian/USA convoy route.

USN
The USN finally forms Task Force 2. With the CVs Yorktown and Saratoga, the BB Pennsylvania and Nevada, the CA New Orleaans, and the 3rd and 4th DD units move out. The weather is not the best (single rain drop) and they move towards the Marshall Islands. (I only use op point. I hope to use 1 op point next turn to raid either Wake or the Marshal Islands, but I know I have to beware land based air.)

The BB California, BB Arizona with the 10th and 11th CL/DD units move to go to Australia.

The USN also attempts to break the Japanese Naval codes (spent 60pts), but they are unsuccessful.

North China.
No moves for the Communist, but I notice that the Japanese move units away from their front.
I also notice that it appears that the Japanese 1st Army is getting ready to assault the Chinese 34th Army in Yenan. The 34th Army is ordered to hold and not retreat.

Near Ankang the Chinese continue to retreat to better supply areas giving way to the Japanese.

South China.
Near Changsha the Japanese have retreated. It appears the Japanese might be moving units to attack the area north of Changsha. In reaction the Chinese move their forces forward hoping to threaten the southern flank of any force moving north of Changsha.

[incbob]

January 18th, 1942. Production

UK
54-4 (109/26)

USA
375-20 (167/35)
With most of the BB finally repaired I lower the Reinforcements.
I note that the USA is lacking 2 MM to complete its convoys.
10 MM are ordered.

China
63-4 (39/11)
I actually lower my reinforcement from 96 to 86.

Australia
61-7 (57/23)

India
30-4 (3/8)

[incbob]

Northern China

[incbob]

Southern China

[incbob]

Rangoon

[incbob]

East Indies

[incbob]

US Navy finally moves

[Starstruck]

Another big thank you for doing this excellent AAR! Very helpful to see your thought process and production decisions.

[incbob]

ORIGINAL: Starstruck
Another big thank you for doing this excellent AAR! Very helpful to see your thought process and production decisions.

This is my kind of game. I love the Pacific Theatre and there are just so few games that even try it and then most, when they do, get the naval combat, which is the main thing, all wrong.

Production, in WarPlan whether Pacific or Europe, is very difficult.
#1 -- It is far cheaper and easier to keep a unit alive with reinforcement/upgrades then to just purchase a new unit. It even directly says this in the manual.

#2 -- Anything worthwhile is EXPENSIVE. A simple Infantry Army China or the UK 3 turns of production.

#3 -- You need to think 6+ months ahead. Everything cost so much and takes so long to build that if you do not have it when you need it you are in trouble.

#4 -- Do not overlook the support stuff. Supply Trucks, Supply Oilers, Transports, Merchant Marine. All these add up. They are kind of force multipliers. A single Supply Truck gives a unit +4% effectiveness and can raise a unit from the normal 3 supply to 4.


Right now with the Allies, I am not really producing anything because I am building their existing units up. I am figuring that since most of the damage from Pearl is over the US will have most of its production. Eventually I want China to produce some more Supply Trucks. I want to cut off New Zealand production, keep them with some oil so they can fly their planes, but move their lend lease to Australia.

[gwgardner]

I don't think you've mentioned COMINT. It can be very useful once the Allies attempt to go on the offensive.

If the Japanese blockade Manila, the country should fall quickly thereafter as there is no main supply there.

Really enjoy your AAR style, commentary on all fronts followed by the images.