Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

the chinese map

[Gen.Hoepner]

Chinese troops preparing the defences on the hills of Changsha

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/10/42

My Catalinas never hit anything at night[:@]
My PTs are all sunk.
I tried to bomb Batavia but INJ pilots are too good for my bombers at the moment.

Nothing changed however.
CVL Hermes moving to Sosarbaja to act as a bait.

At Thursday island his first shock attack gained nothing more than a 0-1[:D]




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 20,60

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 62
Ki-27 Nate x 4
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 78
LB-30 Liberator x 32

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 40 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 20 destroyed, 38 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 8 destroyed, 16 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
7 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 9000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 9000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 9000 feet

[Sneer]

if 4e would be scored at higher VP points value then 1e fighters
this losses would be very painful for allies

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/11/42

How can he be so lucky??
SS Tautog intercepted KB at night 60 miles east of Batavia. fired and missed[:(]....

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Sub attack at 21,60

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
DD Oshio
DD Shiranuhi
DD Oyashio
DD Akigumo

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage *sinks*


Then he made a sweep with his KB zeros on Sosarbaja...[&:]..This is something i never do with Japs-...those 90 exp pilots are priceless...and he lost 21 of them today...a waste IMHO.
Air losses are 52 vs 34 in his favour...he never achieves anything more than a bare 2-1.

The point is that now at Batavia my recon says 900 planes present[X(][X(]...means that he'll start to sweep and to bomb Sosarbaja to dust. No way to send my BBs now...his BBs are covering Batavia while his CVs are 180 miles east...i'd be slaughtered.
I'll engage the fight. As long as i can, but i'm ready to lose.

In China the I-16s are giving big headhaches to the nates[8D]..3 more nates shot down today over Ichang[;)]

What else to say?...well...it will be bloody[:D]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
Wirraway x 6
Hawk 75A x 5
CW-21B Demon x 3
Hurricane II x 34
P-40B Tomahawk x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 20 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 4 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
Wirraway: 3 destroyed
Hawk 75A: 1 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 3 destroyed
Hurricane II: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Ichang , at 47,34

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 23
Ki-30 Ann x 9
Ki-15 Babs x 1

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed
Ki-30 Ann: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
I-16c: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported

Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-30 Ann bombing at 2000 feet

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

[Gen.Hoepner]

Air losses

[mc3744]

I'm posting this same evaluation on both AAR.

There's something odd with this match: you are both satisfied with the results! [&:]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/12/42


WTF!!!!!!

200 Japanese fighters with 250 bombers came over Sosarbaja. My fighter cover, despite the CAP was ordered heavy, wasn't that good....less than 50% of my planes took off[:@]....there was a fierce battle in the skies. His zeros are real GODs at this moment. Nothing passed through his escort and all his bombers were able to drop their loads on my Strips. overall losses are 260 for me and 103 for him...53 zeros, however aren't with us anymore. My problem now is aircraft pool. Two more runs like that and i'll be forced to evacuate the Sosarbaja AF.... Even my Flak didn't perform well...strange....everything in this day went in his favour. Tomorrow should be raining...let's see if i can have one day of relax...
My Hurricanes are Oscars Killers,but go down like flies against the zeros. Only the USN fighters can stand the match.
The A2A ratio woulnd't be that bad....almost good. What hurts is the ground losses....

His army is advancing southwards. Fast. Soon there will be the Clash at Medioen.

Another shock attack stopped N-E of Changsha!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 169
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 46
Ki-21 Sally x 210
Ki-49 Helen x 21
Ki-46-II Dinah x 9

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
Wirraway x 3
Hawk 75A x 4
CW-21B Demon x 10
Brewster 339D x 28
Hurricane II x 35
P-40B Tomahawk x 18
P-40E Warhawk x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 53 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 25 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 37 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 10 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 33 destroyed
Wirraway: 4 destroyed
Hawk 75A: 4 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 12 destroyed
Brewster 339D: 17 destroyed
Hurricane II: 38 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 24 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 24 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 8 destroyed
TBD Devastator: 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 7 destroyed
Beaufort V-IX: 4 destroyed
LB-30 Liberator: 6 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 4 destroyed
Hudson I: 1 destroyed
B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 19
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 129



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 88743 troops, 900 guns, 6 vehicles

Defending force 39612 troops, 223 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 [8D]


Japanese ground losses:
2599 casualties reported[:D]
Guns lost 22

Allied ground losses:
296 casualties reported
Guns lost 5


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


MC...i'm happy because i'm still below 2-1. After Manila and Sosarbaja i'll probably be 3,5-1....but then he'll need something really BIG to get the 4-1 ratio. China or India. It's still a long way to 1-1-43 and he'll defenetly need something more than a pair of divisions destroyed at Java ( you know what i'm talking about).
India....probably he'll go there. But in the next month i'll move one US div from West Coast to Karachi...just in case[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

...

[Arstavidios]

You're gonna run out of fighters soon if you maintain such a level of air action.[8|]

[Gen.Hoepner]

You're gonna run out of fighters soon if you maintain such a level of air action.

Yes, for sure. The only fighter that i'm not running out short is the F4F Wildcat.
But...believe me: i'm happy to lose hundreds of planes if i manage to kill 50> zero pilots each day[:D].
He'll need months to retrain them back.... When Java will be over his KB won't be as strong as before. Too many 90 exp pilots gone[;)]

[ADavidB]

There's something odd with this match: you are both satisfied with the results!

What appears odd to you? GH is standing and fighting, and he is losing planes. It is to be expected at this stage of the game.

Dave Baranyi

[mc3744]

I don't find the game development odd.
I find odd that both opponents are happy with the results. [&:]

In my experience when GH is happy I'm not, and the other way around [;)]

[ADavidB]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

I don't find the game development odd.
I find odd that both opponents are happy with the results. [&:]

In my experience when GH is happy I'm not, and the other way around [;)]

I assume that GH is satisfied with the results that he is achieving and thus he is happy. The key will be a little later when we find out whose early strategy pays off better.

Cheers -

Dave Baranyi

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/13/42

Well...my strategy isn't paying much. I must admit.
Rain was forecasted. So i tried to sneak with my British and American Warships.....guess what? Clear weather all over Java...[:(][:o]
I sent my 4Es at high altitudes over Batavia...just to try to destroy some planes on the ground...it's so crowded that AF that i guessed something could be hit. Lost 10 planes and destroyed 4[:@]
Then the Japanese wave came again over Sosarbaja. My CAP was slightly better than yesterday, but results were worse. 240 vs 80...3-1...[:@] Sosarbaja AF is almost closed. No fighters left. Hurricanes fall down like flies in a jar and my wildcats were caught mainly on the ground. He's too strong...no way.
Lost Arizona and CL Leander today. Many more battleships are heavily damaged.
Already evacuating some of my air units...pools are depleted and i cannot stand more days like that. If today was a rainy day probably tomorrow my results would have been better...but tomorrow will probably be the last day of Java-Air-Forces...[:o]


In China we stopped the 3rd Japanese shock attack North-East of Changsha. He's losing a more men the me in the Chinese rice-fields[:D]

Now i gotta think of tomorrow...When Java will be a dead burning island he's probably going for India...A Canadian Bde has been sent to Karachi ( using PP points). I'll try to send more units there.
In the meanwhile Darwin is growing fast. It's already too defended to be assaulted by the Japs. If he goes for India, i'll go for Ambonia[;)]

But now...sit down and look at the massacre[:'(]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Batavia , at 20,60

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 34
Ki-27 Nate x 28
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 60
LB-30 Liberator x 38

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 7 destroyed, 24 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 5


Results were insignificants.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 23,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 120
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 29
Ki-21 Sally x 173
Ki-49 Helen x 12
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 21
Wirraway x 3
Hawk 75A x 9
CW-21B Demon x 5
Brewster 339D x 12
Hurricane II x 34
P-40B Tomahawk x 21
P-40E Warhawk x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 26 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 6 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 26 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 4 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 36 destroyed
Wirraway: 4 destroyed
Hawk 75A: 10 destroyed
CW-21B Demon: 6 destroyed
Brewster 339D: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
Hurricane II: 35 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 22 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 20 destroyed
Hudson I: 2 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed
B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed
Beaufort V-IX: 7 destroyed
LB-30 Liberator: 6 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 5 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 8 destroyed
TBD Devastator: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
194 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 154



Aren't these bloody battles simply awesome!?!?!?![:D]

He paid another very high pirce in terms of Zeros

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Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 16
B5N Kate x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
B5N Kate: 12 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 1
CLAA Caledon
BB Royal Sovereign, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, on fire
CA Exeter

Aircraft Attacking:

My marvellous british ships...the pride of the Crown....[:(]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 38
B5N Kate x 54
Ki-27 Nate x 50

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 4 destroyed, 12 damaged
B5N Kate: 2 destroyed, 27 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 8, on fire, heavy damage[X(][X(] *sinks*
CA Canberra
CA Portland
DD Barker
CLAA Ceres
CA Australia
DD Balch
CA Northampton, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CA Minneapolis, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Concord, Bomb hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
D3A Val x 18
B5N Kate x 30
Ki-27 Nate x 12
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
B5N Kate: 6 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CA Exeter
CL Mauritius
CL Leander, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage *sinks*
CLAA Caledon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 46
D3A Val x 7
Ki-27 Nate x 18
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 83909 troops, 831 guns, 6 vehicles

Defending force 39382 troops, 216 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 [:D][:)]


Japanese ground losses:
1861 casualties reported
Guns lost 62

Allied ground losses:
65 casualties reported[;)][;)][;)][;)][;)]
Guns lost 5

[Gen.Hoepner]

and now the usual Air losses summary

[Taglia]

Whoa ... bloody battles [X(]

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: ADavidB

There's something odd with this match: you are both satisfied with the results!

What appears odd to you? GH is standing and fighting, and he is losing planes. It is to be expected at this stage of the game.

Dave Baranyi

IMHO if my dear enemy [;)] manages to hold Java it's a great vicotry, no matter the losses.
If he looses the island I'd say it's been a relevant Japanese victory: island+troops+planes+ships. [:-]
What could be a draw is loosing the island, but only by July/September, therefore stopping other Japanese developments.

Just my two cents

[Arstavidios]

Don't forget you can use your PBY to evacuate some units if you need to. They have a great range and you've got quite alot of them. They can save you 1000s of men that would otherwise be captured.
In my game that is currently stopped I use them a lot. The main issue is the diappearing unit bug though.

[kkoovvoo]

I think you should bring more (all) wildcats to the front.

Warhawks and Tomahawks have repl. rate of 40 resp. 10, so it will take you months to fill the squadrons again, if you dont want to switch them to airacobras (what you dont i believe [;)]). Loss of P-40 aircraft is much worse for you than loss of average pilot, so dont let him to destroy these ACs on the ground. You, in contrary to hawker, have lot of pilots, but not enough airplanes.

Brits have only 30 replacement pilots per months and hurricanes are useless against zeros. Save some of those guys for Spitfires.