Too much Iron in my Diet - Mundy(A) vs KenchiSulla (J)

[Mundy]

He has Calcutta and a weak hold on some of the bases immediately to its north. There are also troops moving towards Chittagong. I've retaken Mangalore and Vizagapatnam, but he had already withdrawn the invaders at these points. So, it's a fairly localized presence so far. My gut feeling that this is pretty much to contain the Brits, although, to me, the Malay peninsula and Andaman Islands pretty much do that anyway. Maybe it's to make up VPs for not pounding Pearl Harbor.

If I play a serious game as the Japanese, I think I'll rule out the Manila raids with KB. I don't think I lost more than half a dozen subs in that deal. Most of my battlefleet is at or sailing to Pearl, and they're all going to dish out the pain together when I go on the offensive. I'm looking at four simultaneous landings in the Marshalls when the time comes. Militarized APs and AKs are trickling in to PH over time. I've got the USA 25th Division split and prepping for separate bases. A USMC regiment, part of the 1st USMC Division, is on the train to San Fran, bound for Pearl. All the bases there seem to have a people cap of 6,000 troops. I'd like to pull this off sometime in 1942, if possible. The only stray battle ships are one at Townsville and two at Dutch Harbor. The RN has two at Karachi, with a carrier.

I'll try to remember a screenshot next turn. I've been sloppy displaying overall views.

Ed

[Sangeli]

Always thinking of the long term offensives aren't we? Be careful not to lose sight of the big picture. The Marshalls are nice but you won't be able to take it in 1942 if the KB is nearby. You should identify other axes of advance as well and weigh your options when the time comes around based off the situation. I know in my last game I prepared for a big move in the Marshalls in early 1943 like you did and despite committing every single ship of note to the campaign, it was nothing short of a disaster. The Marshalls can be a deathtrap for the USN if you're not careful (and sometimes even if you are careful as well).

[Mundy]

31 March 1942

Well, another fight at Jamshedpur, between my 43 Cav Rgt and his 2nd Tank Rgt. Mine got wiped out. Other than that the usual cat and mouse in the air, with me taking slightly more losses. B-25s from Karachi have moved to Ranchi and are set to hit stray ground units in the open. A-20As are going over by rail.

All his ships surrounding Noumea have appeared to vanish. Searches from Noumea and Suva are coming up empty. I'm sending some expendable xAKL convoy to get supplies in. Likewise, I'm getting one sent to Moresby, too.

Below's the India situation. I'm probably starting to get more planes in than the base size can comfortably deal with. I'm running out of Ranchi and Patna. Everyone's pretty much got the range to reach stuff.

Ed-

[EDIT] Forgot... I lost Chittagong rather handily. The troops will go cross-jungle to the NE.

[Mundy]

01 April 1942

Aussies, Engineers and Artillery make it to Asansol. There are two IJA units there of unknown strength and composition. The enemy is somewhere over there...CHARGE!!! The UK division will be at Ranchi within a few days as backup.

Two armored units form Cuttack are almost to Howrah. Two units are waiting there. As before, no idea what they are. Hopefully base forces. Like I would be that lucky.

The air at Unmak finally decide to fly to Adak. No real damage.

17 Kates and 20 Zekes caught an AKV halfway between Bombay and the west map edge. Mini-KB doing some anti-commerce work. That hurts, as I treasure them greatly.

An IJN surface group with at least one cruiser looks like it's setting up for a run through the passage past Deboyne. New Mexico and friends are set up about 7 hexes west of there. I set them on a patrol pattern through the likely route. Two legs toward the passage and the third leg far to the south. With luck, he'll get a punch in the face good over this. I have a reasonably aggressive commander in that TF. I figure my odds are pretty good of catching them.

My grand strategy usually leaves much to be desired, but tactically, I have a knack of pulling things off on occasion. I can't wait to see.

Ed-

[Mundy]

02 April 1942

Ugh -- stupid stupid stupid...

New Mexico met her end to LBA SW of Milne Bay. I knew I was taking a risk trying to catch his cruisers. They're just sitting in the sea between Milne and Rabaul -- apparently not moving. I should of just had them dart in and out, instead of taking an easterly route. I should actually RESEARCH the ranges on Japanese planes. My old assumption (going all the way back to UV) of Milne Bay is bunk. It's more like Cairns. Even worse if Nells were there, which I don't think there are.

Moving along to better things...

My 400 pound gorilla took Asansol easily. One base force was there -- that's it. I guess I'm not the only one making assumptions about security.

The 3rd Carabiniers Tank Regiment and the 7th Armored Tank Brigade move into Howrah. There are 4 enemy units there, and I've set them to attack. Artillery and antitank are following up, but will take some time to get there. If it's mostly base forces there, it shouldn't be a problem.

To the northwest Tezpur falls to the Japanese. This bodes ill for everybody in Diampur and south of there. When the American division arrives at Patna, I'll have them take care of it.

India seems to be mostly stomping on ants at this point. Once I clean up the fringe, I'll put a siege on Calcutta.

A US infantry Battalion is leaving Cape town. One is in Suva, and another is on a transport to the south of Australia. Together, they'll add another regiment to Suva's defense.

I've withdrawn Queen Elizabeth. She had 16 days left. With 3 sys, she probably would have eaten a third of that in the dock. Once her mission is done, I'm pulling Queen Mary also. She is probably the most worthless transport I have, since I only get her for such a short period of time -- out of Cape Town, no less.

In India, I've been accumulating lots of Hurricane squadrons. I've been getting them moved eastward. I should be able to at least match him fighter-wise pretty soon -- probably top him with the Yank squadrons.

Mass refittings are also underway for the USN. Lots of CVs, CAs, CLs and DDs are getting upgrades. Subs, too. If they get radar, I'm hoping my intercept chances will rise. At least have the subs are getting K-guns, which will help. I can't wait until ships start getting Hedgehogs and Mousetraps.

I had a tanker force run into a sub just south of Suva. One solid hit with severe engine damage, it looks like. I'm packing as much as I can into Suva right now. I have three supply groups also enroute to Noumea, since KB appears to be gone.

I need to learn to measure three times before cutting once.

Ed-

[Mundy]

03 April 1942

Soerabaja finally falls. One less thing to look at.

That's mostly it. Escorts refused to fly with the bombers in India, with predictable results.

The last of the Burma troops are almost into India. The UK 70th Division is almost to Patna. I'll move them East to get the supply line back open to Imphal et al.

A squadron of USMC SBCs arrived in Eastern US. I'm guessing this was the group that historically went to Samoa.

Ed-

[Mundy]

09 April 1942

Needed a break. Not sure how well read this AAR is anyway.

Bataan finally fell on April 4. They had been at zero supply for at least a few weeks, so it was inevitable. I finally don't have to care what happens in DEI or Philippines.

Lots of Chinese are in Canton, with more on the way. We're roughly equal in strength right now. I am dealing with airstrikes, which is as usual in China.

India has had a lot of back and forth. I manage to ambush his strikes at times. Howrah, Asansol and Ranchi are where the armies have met. Strengths at all are roughly equal. I'm taking some Indian Divisions, anti-tank and artillery from Madras and Bombay and railing them to the front. 300+ APs somewhere could tip it somewhere. The USA 27th is unloading the first group off the Queen Mary. Nearly all the infantry are on this ship, with the slower convoy containing mostly artillery and support. The fragment by itself should top 300 APs. I'm going to run this group to Rangpur to open the supply line to Diampur. Considering the unit which took it, this should be enough. The rest of the division will reunite. Their convoy is still a good 10 days or so away form Karachi.

The previous day, the sub Plunger got a shot at Taiyo. The torp hit, but didn't explode. I have about half a dozen subs in the Noumea-Koumac area, with another four on the way. At this point, I'm moving four carriers from Pearl to Suva. I'm heavily considering throwing them in. I may time such an event with one or more xALs on a supply run to Noumea. In my game with Treespider, this exact situation caused him to lose all of KB, with two CVs gone on my side. Supplies are under 10k at Noumea. CF did mention in an email that supplies seem to be at a premium at his end, too. I've stopped the bombardments for now. I am constantly running convoys to Suva. They're close to 200k in supply, but only about 70k in fuel. I hate using Oz fuel to top them up, but I may have to. Just too long a supply line from USA or Pearl.

I've got about 6 filled up B-17 squadrons (Ds and Es) enroute to Suva. I'm overnighting them at Christmas Is or Suva on the way. One squadron is LB-30s. On this last turn over Luganville, four Nicks fell to the 17s. They did mess up the bomb runs, though. When the extras arrive, I'll have nearly tripled their numbers. I'm also sending a MAG HQ from Pearl. I have enough airplane support at Suva, but I think an HQ would help things out with the numbers there. Suva can probably equal KB in fighter strength right now.

We got 11 turns in since Friday, so the game moved along nicely. We got in 5 yesterday, but slowed down a bit today. I wanted to see the Bears and Lions lose today.

Ed-

[Mundy]

Addendum... 

I forgot to mention, if interested.  I have sub ops at Pearl pretty much transferred to Midway now.  I have a sub tender and other ships there to care for them.  I'm just trying to get plenty of fuel and supplies built up there.  I'm probably up to about 20k in fuel now. 

That should take a bunch of days off the patrol time.

Ed-

[BBfanboy]

The really annoying thing about subs is that they cannot refuel from a ship, even in port. So I ran Wake Island port dry on fuel when I sent a bunch of ships there before I could get tankers there, and now my subs have no way of refuelling at all.
The port is still level one (Gods it takes a long time to build out an SPS 0 port!)and I am also trying to get supply offloaded there. So if a tanker shows up (and so far they are all too big to dock) I have to undock the cargo ship, dock the subs and hope the tanker off-loads enough fuel to get some of the subs back in the action.
Need some of those YO (yard oiler) ships that have appeared in the newer scenarios! Don't know if they can directly fuel subs, but at least they can dock!

[Mundy]

I think YOs work if you refuel from port. I know what you mean about at-sea refueling. I've already beaten up a few subs badly when they had to limp along.

10 April 1942

KVII gets a shot at Maya, and of course misses.

I sent a little reminder that the AVG isn't dead.

Morning Air attack on 4th Assam Rifles Battalion, at 61,39 (Kohima)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 26

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 23
Hurricane IIa Trop x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 18 destroyed

No Allied losses

He started bombing my guys moving through Imphal, so it was easy enough to throw up a CAP there, being next door. My air was at Diampur. That encounter gave me my first three aces of the game. Two in the AVG and one for the Hurricanes there.

Things are looking grim at Noumea. I'm down to 800 supply. My carriers are about a week out yet, at least. I'm thinking of an expendable transport convoy to Noumea and maybe the cruisers at Townsville pitching in to hit the nightly bombardments which have been going on. If I can get them in at the same time as my CV, I'm sure it will be complete chaos. I'm not sure if the B-26s at Suva have the legs to hit their parking spot, but if they can also contribute, it will help with the chaos factor. If Noumea falls by then I will abort this plan.

So far, the Monkey sez there are two divisions prepping for Bombay.

1942-03-27 19th Division is planning for an attack on Bombay
1942-04-09 23rd Division is planning for an attack on Bombay

I'm still torn about this. All his forces are so aligned in the east. I'll have to see what I can squirrel up to pack Bombay with some more bodies. The RN is currently living there, too. I should start getting some real searches up and running from there for warning. Search planes have been hard to come by in that area.

Ed-

[witpqs]

I think YOs work if you refuel from port.

I think so - and I think any tanker type.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I think YOs work if you refuel from port.

I think so - and I think any tanker type.

I don't recall a "Refuel at Sea" option available to subs. Does the presence of the YO make it available?
In stock you have to refuel from the port itself, so I was thinking of the YO as a small enough tanker to dock and off-load at the smallest port, whereupon the sub could dock and drink.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I think YOs work if you refuel from port.

I think so - and I think any tanker type.

I don't recall a "Refuel at Sea" option available to subs. Does the presence of the YO make it available?
In stock you have to refuel from the port itself, so I was thinking of the YO as a small enough tanker to dock and off-load at the smallest port, whereupon the sub could dock and drink.

Tankers in the port provide fuel to ships/subs conducting 'Refuel from Port' operations.

[Mundy]

Yeah, they basically help the port fuel ships.  It's handy if you're at some small dinky port. 

[EDIT] The forum software has been completely hosing up my text format this week, running everything together.

Ed-

[Mundy]

11 April 1942

A USMC and a USA regiment are shipping out of San Fran to Pearl. Part of my future invasion force.

Another assault on Noumea. I've got a feeling time is running short. I'm down to 80 supply.

round combat at Noumea (115,160)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36162 troops, 290 guns, 56 vehicles, Assault Value = 950

Defending force 19500 troops, 338 guns, 208 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1103

Allied adjusted defense: 604

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2895 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 168 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled

Allied ground losses:
924 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 13 (2 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
8th Division
65th Brigade
33rd Division
64th Naval Guard Unit
16th Army

Defending units:
34th Cmbt Engineer Regiment
Fanning Island Det.
2nd Marine Regiment
8th Marine Regiment
New Caledonia Det
35th Base Group
64th Coast AA Regiment
97th Coast AA Regiment
3rd Port Maint Engineer Battalion
168th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Coast AA Regiment
19th Base Group
4th Marine Defense Battalion
142nd USN Stn Base Force
43rd Base Group

My carriers are enroute, but they may be too late. I had to suffer three different bombardments this turn, one by BBs.

Ed-

[Sangeli]

No sense commiting carriers for a battle that is already lost. Even if you managed to deal some damage to the KB Noumea will fall anyway. Keep it hidden and get ready for the next Japanese offensive in the SoPac. Patience with USN CVs is critical in 1942.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

No sense commiting carriers for a battle that is already lost. Even if you managed to deal some damage to the KB Noumea will fall anyway. Keep it hidden and get ready for the next Japanese offensive in the SoPac. Patience with USN CVs is critical in 1942.

+1.

With the KB in the area Noumea is lost.

[Mundy]

If/when Noumea falls, I'm probably more worried about New Zealand after this than Suva.  I do have those old intel reports of units prepping for Auckland. 

Once I finally assemble my Fortresses and Liberators on Suva, I should have well over 50 of them there  I'll probably pound Luganville to keep it from being too air-worthy.  I've been able to shrug off the Nicks he's got there so far.  I cold use them for ground support at Noumea.  If anything they will whittle down KB's zeros a little. Suva has at least 8 fighter squadrons.  From memory:  2 F2A; 2 F4F; 1 P-40; and the rest Airacobras.  I think there was an HQ squadron of cobras, too.  I can't wait until the HQ squadrons go away.  I've had CAP up there, just in case layered between 10,000' and 20,000'.  I have lots of ground support for planes, but I'm worried about raw numbers of units.  I can't remember what moves that threshold up and down at a base.  I also have two B-26 squadrons and some SBDs.  The rest is the New Zealand chaff.  Two VP squadrons are there, but one is from Noumea and rebuilding.  There's probably a division and a half worth of troops, plus two USMC armored battalions.  Two USA infantry battalions are enroute to rejoin with the one there for another regiment.  They're at least a few weeks out yet. 

Pago Pago is pretty much held by a USMC defense battalion with a VP there.  I'm unsure whether to set up a major presence there or not. 

Ed-

[Mundy]

14 April 1942

Noumea gives out on the 12th. I hate losing Marines like that, but more are being bred back in the states.

Lt Cdr Rhesus at Station Hypo is sending me another warning that the IJA 9th Division is still planning to hit Auckland. This is the third consecutive monthly report on such.

I've pulled the RNZAF chaff squadrons out of Suva to cut down on the raw squadron count. It was in the red, and this gets it under. I'm going to route the US carriers towards Wellington. Out of the way, but able to get somewhere if needed. If he goes for Suva, you can bet KB will get whittled down by the air there. I figure in that case, springing the USN CVs would probably be worth it.

In China, my wandering units in the south entered Kanhsein. Very careless to leave that unopposed as it's worth 20 VPs to him. This will be switched back without fuss.

Most of my Burma infantry reached Diampur. They're headed west along the road to clear it. All 360 APs of the Chinese 5th Corps are amongst them, so I should have sufficient muscle to do it. They will come in handy besieging Calcutta later on. The US 27th Division is working East form Patna to meet them. This should deal with the NE of India.

The pesky sub near Karachi got his bell rung good with a bunch of hits, at least two of them being direct. It has heavy damage. That should clear the way for the rest of the USA 27th when it finally gets on-map.

The ground war at Asansol went well. I got 1-1 odds and got massive casualties on him. The next day or two should see him out.

Ground combat at Asansol (53,34)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26776 troops, 414 guns, 279 vehicles, Assault Value = 770

Defending force 10963 troops, 142 guns, 59 vehicles, Assault Value = 358

Allied adjusted assault: 353

Japanese adjusted defense: 260

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), leaders(+), preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1855 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
589 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Assaulting units:
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
7th Australian Division
70th British Division
2/2 AIF Pioneer Battalion
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
2nd Raiding Regiment
5th/C Division
18th/A Division
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment


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


Ground combat at Asansol (53,34)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5012 troops, 94 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 285

Defending force 26301 troops, 413 guns, 279 vehicles, Assault Value = 712

Allied ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
5th/C Division
18th/A Division
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment

Defending units:
7th Australian Division
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
70th British Division
2/2 AIF Pioneer Battalion
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Ed-

[Richard III]

Thanks for the AAR, still lurking here with much interest.

What is the points score please ?