Matrix Games Forums

January 24th, 1942.

DEI:

Two full Japanese Divisions took Malang today! My defense of Java is already in ruins. [:(] I'll post some more comments on this dreadful matter tomorrow (it's already late here):



At least I'm taking a lot of shipping with me:

Day Air attack on TF, near Malang at 22,66

Allied aircraft
Hawk 75A x 4
Vildebeest IV x 3
Hudson I x 29
P-26A x 2
A-24 Dauntless x 20
B-17D Fortress x 19
B-17E Fortress x 22

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Kyosei Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Teiryu Maru
AP Ginyo Maru
AK Taigen Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kiyoshima Maru
AK Kinzyosan Maru
AP Daitei Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Teibo Maru
DD Usugumo
AK Kenyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Kyo Maru #12
AP Ryotaku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
DD Minekaze
DD Shirakumo
AK Takamisan Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Takatiho Maru
AP Takunan Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Shinrei Maru
CS Chiyoda, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Karimo Maru
AP Astuga Maru
AP Kashiwa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Nichibi Maru
AP Kanayamasan Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Takuei Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Malang at 22,66

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 7
Hawk 75A x 2
Hudson I x 35
P-26A x 2
A-24 Dauntless x 13
B-17D Fortress x 9
B-17E Fortress x 18

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships

DD Shirakumo
AK Toyama Maru
AP Astuga Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Toko Maru #2
CS Chiyoda, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tsuruga Maru
AP Kobe Maru
AP Teiryu Maru
AP Daigen Maru
AP Baikal Maru
PG Aso Maru
AK Koto Maru
AP Ryotaku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nankai Maru
PG Kamitsu Maru
DD Shinonome
AK Shingetsu Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Takunan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Daitei Maru, Bomb hits 2
MSW Kongo Maru #2
AK Teibo Maru
AK Kikukawa Maru
AK Lisbon Maru

SoPac / CentPac

Now the good news: this screenshot should speak for itself... [:)]



My carriers went to work like a pride of wolves among sheep... In the AM phase every plane sortied against the troop transports:



In the PM phase Huyuga and Nagato were fininshed off:



The Mutsu TF was only attacked by a couple of Dauntless for no damage. No confirmed report about Ise, but she's probably that BB reported to the west.

I lost contact to Mini KB, but KB didn't sprint south this turn!?



I decided to break off the hunt with my carriers near Baker - Mini KB could be anywhere, several DDs are already low on fuel, and my carriers have already used two thirds of their air ops points and are accumulating damaged planes.



So I'm not going to hunt Mutsu and Ise with my carriers...


[dramatic pause]


... I'm going to do it with surface combat TFs. CA Astoria (New Orleans class), CA Portland, 2 Benham class DDs (Radar!) and 8 Bagleys (2x8 torpedo tubes, exactly what I need) were split off from my carriers and formed two SC TFs that are trying to intercept the two remaining Jap. BBs at night northwest of Baker. Ise and Mutsu are moving 3 hexes per phase, and I think their movement path will be fairly predictable - towards Kwajalein, and taking cover behind Baker (so that my carriers would have to move around the island should I decide to follow). It's worth a try... The carriers are retreating south, towards the fuel at Pago Pago, and might have a shot at the Wallis Island convoy (the island fell today and the APs are still around).

More details (and hopefully another exciting turn) tomorrow...

I just finished re-reading "Miracle at Midway" and Spruance would be proud of you deciding you achieved your objective and to withdraw to fight another day. [&o][&o]

I would make your attacks on Ise and Mutsu a one shot deal. Try to get them the next turn and if unsuccessful, retreat to safety. The war is long and you don't get too many CA's for quite some time.

KUDOS!!!  but don't catch the "Victory Disease" in your celebrations. [:D][:D]

I think that suprise landing in java will halt victory disease pretty fast [:D]. I'm amazed he pulled that off unseen frankly, however some search plane pilots are registered blind but according to disability quotas your forced to use them [;)]

ORIGINAL: aztez

That was an nasty and bold move at Malang! [:(] Hopefully you can reorganize your defensive perimeter at DEI. Also if he did not bring in enough troops there maybe you can recapture the base too! [;)]

Nope, nada, njet, nein, no way...

I have no idea how an invasion convoy carrying two full divisions plus supporting units remained undetected for several days just a couple of hexes away from Soerabaja. So far I didn't post on this matter because every comment would have been auto-censored... Maybe I should try German swear words...

The situation is really desperate: basically I evac'ed quite a number of units (combat engineers, base forces) from the Philippines to Soerabaja, some British units from Singapore (HQs, base forces) to Batavia, plus several Dutch base forces to other places in Java. I deliberately left all combat units in the DEI where they were, so that Gary would have no "freebie" invasions. Meanwhile, all those engineers would build forts on Java before being evacuated to Perth / India. All Inf LCUs would stay and fight, hopefully holding out quite a while behind high fort levels.

That was the plan... no "Sir Robin", but no reinforcements either... something in between. Now Gary called the bluff, and it looks like all my precious engineers/HQs/BFs are going to be stuck on Java. BTW, the first evacuation convoy for the (former) USAFFE EAB was scheduled to arrive in 1 day at Tijlitjap.[8|]

Even worse, I have to evac Soerabaja immediately - I already issued order to all LCUs to move to Kragen. Most Inf LCUs are to the north of Malang, so Soerabaja is a death trap for all non-combat units. 2 BFs are staying behind to keep the airfield open for a couple of days. My air force is already planning to scatter, too. RAF and the Far East B-17s will go to India, AVG to China, RAAF and SWPac (former USAFFE) to Australia. All LBs are going to stick around for a while, but in a week, maybe 10 days the battle for Java will be over.

Oh, tomorrow several CAs and CLs will smash into the landing convoy... hopefully the transports won't move from Malang after being wrecked by my planes today. Just a small ray of hope...

Rob,
I cropped most of SoPac and the eastern Pacific out of that screenshot, his Pacific holdings aren't really that huge. [;)] Oh, and the sabbatical is over... but no turn today.

I already found another PBEM opponent - Ron Saueracker PM'ed me only minutes after I wrote that I might be looking for another opponent! [8D] I even talked him into playing Japan!! [X(] [:D] He's still working on his mod, but we're going to start soon. No AAR for this game, though, I don't have the time.

This advice might be too late, but here it is anyway: Order your CV TF with the most-aggressive commander to your destination hex. Order the 3 other CV TFs to follow it (with patrol/do-not-retire set). If your lead TF reacts the following-ones should as well.

ctangus,
thanks for the tip! Is this bullet-proof, or an observation based on experience?

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I just finished re-reading "Miracle at Midway" and Spruance would be proud of you deciding you achieved your objective and to withdraw to fight another day. [&o][&o]

I would make your attacks on Ise and Mutsu a one shot deal. Try to get them the next turn and if unsuccessful, retreat to safety. The war is long and you don't get too many CA's for quite some time.

KUDOS!!! but don't catch the "Victory Disease" in your celebrations. [:D][:D]

Believe me, this wasn't an easy decision! I had given my carriers order to continue the chase to the northwest, and the cursor was already hovering over the "End turn"-button... all those damaged ships are soooo tempting targets!! But then I thought about it: not much fuel, air ops points down, lots of damaged planes, Mini KB missing...

Oh, and some DDs in the surface combat TFs don't have much fuel either... so even if I wanted to, I couldn't stick around for another day. No, this battle will be over tomorrow evening. Lets hope that Mini KB doesn't show up near Baker, looking for my carriers. But I really doubt that Gary would risk such an engagement.

ORIGINAL: VSWG

This advice might be too late, but here it is anyway: Order your CV TF with the most-aggressive commander to your destination hex. Order the 3 other CV TFs to follow it (with patrol/do-not-retire set). If your lead TF reacts the following-ones should as well.

ctangus,
thanks for the tip! Is this bullet-proof, or an observation based on experience?

I'm pretty sure about it, but not completely. I thought I'd read about it in the manual, but I couldn't find it just now. But it's also been borne out by experience. (A handful of CV battles & some limited testing. There has yet to be an exception.) I've also read a thread or two in the forum which would confirm it.

ORIGINAL: VSWG

I already found another PBEM opponent - Ron Saueracker PM'ed me only minutes after I wrote that I might be looking for another opponent! [8D] I even talked him into playing Japan!! [X(] [:D] He's still working on his mod, but we're going to start soon. No AAR for this game, though, I don't have the time.

Wow! [X(] Ron has been a fanatic Allied-only player. You must be able to sell ice-cubes in Antarctica. Hopefully Ron will do an AAR.

Have fun playing Ron, him as japan would be interesting to see (and hear). he's not shy on vocalisation [:D], good luck and an enjoyable game to both of you.

January 25th, 1942

Malaya, Philippines, China:

Just the usual Japanese bombardment attacks at Singapore, Manila and Nanchang.

DEI:

Japanese troops land at Singkawang. Only parts of a base force and a fragment of the MAV Aviation (to keep the level 4 airfield operational) are present. All planes have been evacuated, but mines and a submarine take their toll on the invasion convoy:

TF 75 encounters mine field at Singkawang (25,56)
 
Japanese Ships
PC Ch 7
PG Tatsumiya Maru
AP Iwaki Maru, Mine hits 1,  on fire
 
Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Singkawang  at 25,56
 
Japanese Ships
AP Katori Maru, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire
PC Ch 7
PG Tatsumiya Maru
PC Shumushu
AK Seitai Maru
 
Allied Ships
SS S-36, hits 2,  on fire
 
Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 96 encounters mine field at Singkawang (25,56)
 
TF 96 troops unloading over beach at Singkawang, 25,56
  
Japanese Ships
AP Nissen Maru, Mine hits 1,  on fire
 
Japanese ground losses:
16 casualties reported
 
Japanese ground losses:
268 casualties reported

Java:

A lone PT boat atttacks the huge Japanese convoy and is sunk - but it drives the convoy out of the hex, and Gary mad (see main forum!). [:D]

No flight from Soerabaja (bad weather), but the Martins from Madioen fly and put two more bombs into CS Chiyoda (should sink now) and 1 bomb into 2 APs and 1 AK each. Tomorrow a cruiser squadron will smash into the convoy should it return to Malang. The TF is low on fuel though, so it is ordered to return to Tjilitjap ASAP. Lots of subs are in the area.



SWPac:

Nothing to report.

SoPac:

The 2 surface combat TFs missed the battleships by one hex because the BBs moved only 5 hexes instead of six today. Oh well, nice try, I guess. The TFs found a damaged DD though. Now they will retreat to the Line Islands and then Pearl Harbor - Mini KB could be in the area and they are without air cover. SS Bass had its chance, too...



CentPac:

KB is moved only 4 hexes towards Kwajalein today, still two days away! Several subs are sprinting to Kwajalein, maybe they'll get a shot at the two BBs or at KB itself!



Gary has moved subs to almost all base hexes in CentPac (2 at Midway, 1 at Johnston, 2 at Palmyra,...), waiting for fuel/troop convoys and minelayers. I'm in dire need of good ASW vessels at the moment, and fuel in SoPac, so the idea isn't that bad. Today we traded a DMS against an I-boat at Palmyra (both sink).

Sub attack near Palmyra  at 110,90
 
Japanese Ships
SS I-18, hits 9,  on fire,  heavy damage
 
Allied Ships
DMS Hovey, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
DMS Southard
DMS Chandler
DMS Trevor
DMS Long
DMS Lamberton

On Midway only a tiny fragment of a NFL was left behind by the retreating Japanese. Half a dozen subs chase the convoy, but failed to score a hit so far.

January 26th, 1942

DEI:

Today the Grim Reaper struck the convoy at Malang!

First, my cruisers engaged the convoy at night - which is so huge that the Allied ships didn't fit on the surface combat screen!



Second, finally my subs got their act together.



Third, every single Allied plane flew in several waves from Soerabaja and Madioen today, with excellent result:



The cruisers are already at Tjilitjap and have refueled, so they'll strike again tonight, this time in two task forces (Gary will probably split his ships now). Again, LRCAP will be flown from Soerabaja and Madioen to keep the Bettys from Kendari and Balikpapan from attacking the ships.

I had a closer look at this huge invasion fleet today. I merged all combat reports and summed up the damage caused by sub attacks, air raids and surface combat so far:

28 AK [X(] (2 sunk, 2 heavy damaged, 2 damaged)
34 AP [X(] [X(] (4 sunk, 5 heavy damaged, 3 damaged)

11 DD (3 sunk, 1 damaged)
2 MSW (1 heavy damaged)
2 PC
2 PG (1 sunk)
1 CS (sunk)

An unbelievable amount of shipping that made it to Java without being sighted for several days! But even more unbelievable is the weakness of the escorts - a bunch of DDs and some auxilliaries?! That's it?! A CS as air cover for 2 divisions?!? I cannot believe Gary pulled this off. Invasions are his big weakness in this game: he doesn't prepare the invasion site at all (naval bombardments, air raids, not even recon) and he sends only a minimal amount of ASW, MSW and SC escorts - and without air cover! Kendari, Mersing, Palembang, Balikpapan, Tarakan, Canton Island... it's been like this since turn 1. I have to blame myself for not exploiting this weakness more thoroughly. This just as a comment on the threads he makes in the main forum... Back to the AAR...

Singkawang fell, but another AK was sunk by a submarine:



Malaya:

My Kingfisher flying out of Singapore chose the wrong TF to attack today:

Day Air attack on TF at 25,55
 
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
 
Allied aircraft
OS2U-3 Kingfisher x 11
 
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 9 destroyed

Oh well, those are about the only planes which I can replace easily. [:'(]

SWPac:

More supplies are unloading at Port Moresby (20.000+ now).

SoPac:

Mini KB is back near Pago Pago! Is he looking for a CV battle? Pesky float planes from Wallis Island spotted Lexington today, maybe he didn't know that my carriers were heading back to Pago Pago... Anyway, I'm ready, even eager to fight here: I can LRCAP my carriers, he has to sprint to me (burning ops points), I can rely on my search planes at Pago Pago, and I would be fighting on top of my fuel depot. Sadly, not all my carriers made it to Pago Pago, but fuel and air ops points on Enterprise and Yorktown are still high enough for another series of battles.



CentPac:

Lost contact to KB, but it should be near Kwajalein. Several submarines are in the vicinity, maybe... just one lucky shot...

ORIGINAL: VSWG

I would be fighting on top of my fuel depot

Also a port you could disband any damaged ships into.

Good job with the surface action off Java. Any Brit CVs nearby? (It's been a while since I've started a CHS game, and never a 2.x one - I forget their arrival dates.)

Be advised you probably will be subject to the 1/2 CAP rule if you fight in the Pago Pago hex.

Great AAR, BTW. Very enjoyable.

A quick question:

Should I try a counter-attack?



Supply level: 31.000
Forecast: Rain, so the daily air strike might be cancelled.
All Inf. LCUs are in perfect condition (0 disruption, 5 fatigue).

Counter-attack: yes/no? Shock attack: yes/no?

I'd suggest no to a counter-attack, and I'm usually willing to take risks on the ground. He gets the urban defensive bonus, too, and you'd lose it. Depending on die rolls, you might get 2:1 but with bad die rolls you might also get 0:1 which would be disastrous.

My 2 cents, take it or leave it. [;)]

No attack!! Let him keep banging his head against the wall.  [:D]
The longer you can keep his forces tied up with a prolonged seige at Manila, the better off you are.
You don't want those forces down in either Timor/Java or even landing in northern Oz. [:-] 

Japanese Adjusted Assault x 4 = 1000
Allied Adjusted Assault without urban bonus = 1441, with shock attack 2882 (in theory, not that I expect it to be that high).

True, I need 2:1 to drive him out of the hex immediately, but with a good 1:1 and losses in my favor the situation could deteriorate quickly for the Japanese.

No time to play the turn right now - good, I need more time to think about it. Thanks for the input! [:)]

Edit: Oh, and I have tanks! He doesn't.
Edit 2: I have to substract the modifier for 2 fort levels from my modified assault value. No idea how much that is... 20% ?

Eh, can't stop thinking about this. Stupid game... [;)]

Have a look at the last Japanese delib. attack before today, on January 10th. The odds were even worse, so todays result is not an outlier:

Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 64997 troops, 358 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1338
Defending force 84608 troops, 747 guns, 341 vehicles, Assault Value = 1649

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese max assault: 1344 - adjusted assault: 149
Allied max defense: 1804 - adjusted defense: 7641

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese ground losses:
8441 casualties reported
Guns lost 68

Allied ground losses:
660 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 5

I'd advise no to the attack as the following turn you won't have any fort bonus and if it goes wrong he could take manilla quickly. just my 2p ..31000 will make him suffer to try and take the place. be patient and try to hold out till june [:D]

What is the game date by the way ? cant see it (unless im going blind/mad).

good kill on the CS those things are annoying and dangerous when
coupled with the CV's i cant believe he wasted it on that invasion[&:]

I think your right about the assesment of his invasion policy. not a good trait for a japanese commander though[:D].

and as every .. what an eye watering treat this AAR is .. keep up the good work .

Game date is January 27th.

Even with a completely failed shock attack he won't be able to take Manila. 2 Divisions and Bde are simply not enough. Basically he will never take Manila with that force, he's going to send the Singapore Divs (or other forces) to Luzon after Malaya has fallen. This was his plan all along: simply blockade the Philippines with minimal forces, and come back later.

Okay, lets take fort levels into account:

Lets reduce my adjusted assault value by 20 % (no forts to hide behind) before applying the shock assault: 1129, with shock attack 2258.
Now we increase the Japanese adjusted assault value by 30 % (lets assume 3 forts for the Japanese): 325, with urban bonus 1330.

Mmmh, doesn't look good now...

BUT, what about the disruption and fatigue that the Japanese have gained today...