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ORIGINAL: obvert

[I don't think he'll go Russia before taking out India. He knows the price there already, and in his previous game it took all of 42 and some of 43 to consolidate the gains there. It also releases so many units he would not be able to have the kind of free reign in India he will have now until he hits the tripwire.

That said, all of the preparation for an attack should still be happening, especially field building and pilot training.

You're getting a lot of advice here. I won't add much more to the pile except to say that you might read Canoerebel's AAR about defending India, (which I'm sure Rader has had a look at), and see what worked for him in his game against Q-Ball. A lot of talk by everyone there about what will work, where the line is, what Japan should have done as well.

In Russia i'm preparing myself for an attack since 7th Dec. Training, building and stockpiling supplies up north.

I've read most of the CR-QBall AARs (from both sides.
Have to say that most of the considerations put there are creating more confusion into my mind than if i had not read it!
Nemo and others said Q had to land directly at Karachi, others that he had to concentrate on Bombay...others that he had to bypass Colombo that took him 3 weeks...

However, despite of that, my considerations are the following:

1. Q-Ball never really wanted to conquer the WHOLE India. Since the first day of the operation his goal was an action that delayed the future allied advance. Only on a second stage, pushed by all the supporters and readers, he tried to advance further than Bombay but discovered it was too late.
2. Q-Ball begun his adventure exactly 1 month later than Rader. One month means a lot in terms of supplies,troops,planes brought to India.
3. I'm pretty sure Rader is going for the entire and final price...exactly like in China or in Russia in his other game.
4. Bombay is the key. CR managed to defeat Q because he was able to hold Bombay.
5. The trigger-line hasn't been exactly identified. I've studied a lot in the forums and haven't found a precise indication of where this line is.
6. CR was able to fight so long (and finally to win) because he sacrificed the 18th UK div at Colombo, creating a deep delay in japanese scheldue. heavy price to pay for an awesome result.
7.Q-ball didn't put all his land assets in India like Rader seems to be doing...

In the end i find that there are really a lot of differences between these two matches and i don't know if it's a good thing to base my strategy on that match...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 15,16 42
 
Two more bad days for the western powers...
 
 Near Aukland a strong SCTF intercepted my small CL TF that was trying to hunt for a AMC raider...my ships were surprised during a dark night and sunk without being able to fire a single shot... [:(] another cruiser gone and a good DD also...
Then at Cock's Bazar my dutch subs again missed twice their targets... and the KB showed up near Colombo...he's sending his raiders, covered by the KB to hunt down my supply convoys in the Bengal bay-Arabian sea...
In China the last bastion in the north fell today. Kungchang is in Japan's hands. With Luchow already taken japan has completed the conquest of the north of China.
 
Port Moresby also fell today after 6 days of furious fightings. The japanese, supported by 30 Nells coming every day from Rabaul, finally put in the bag the brave australian defenders...
 
Oh Lord...it's getting real tough

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Waipapakauri at 112,182, Range 2,000 Yards
 
Allied aircraft
      no flights
 
Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses
 
Japanese Ships
      CS Mizuho
      BB Mutsu
      CL Isuzu
      DD Yugumo
      DD Akigumo
      DD Kagero
      DD Minegumo
      DD Harusame
 
Allied Ships
      CL Marblehead, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
      DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Cox's Bazar  at 54,43
 
Japanese Ships
      DD Natsushio
      BB Fuso
      CA Kako
      CA Kinugasa
      CA Mogami
      CA Atago
      CL Nagara
      CL Katori
      DD Maikaze
      DD Yukikaze
 
Allied Ships
      SS KXVII
 
 
 
SS KXVII launches 4 torpedoes at DD Natsushio
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 35286 troops, 275 guns, 269 vehicles, Assault Value = 1301
 
Defending force 17608 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 419
 
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 1092
 
Allied adjusted defense: 532
 
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kungchang !!!
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      770 casualties reported
         Squads: 2 destroyed, 57 disabled
         Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 49 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
      Vehicles lost 18 (12 destroyed, 6 disabled)
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      7559 casualties reported
         Squads: 306 destroyed, 11 disabled
         Non Combat: 371 destroyed, 8 disabled
         Engineers: 37 destroyed, 0 disabled
      Guns lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)
      Units retreated 6
 
 
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
 
Assaulting units:
    6th Division
    15th Tank Regiment
    41st Division
    26th Engineer Regiment
    9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
    12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
    23rd Tank Regiment
    9th Armored Car Co
    26th Recon Regiment
    12th Army
 
Defending units:
    61st Chinese Corps
    1st Chinese Corps
    77th Chinese Corps
    2nd Construction Regiment
    34th Group Army
    6th Chinese Base Force
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 5992 troops, 52 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 241
 
Defending force 1816 troops, 35 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 12
 
Japanese adjusted assault: 81
 
Allied adjusted defense: 23
 
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Port Moresby !!!
 
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
 
Japanese ground losses:
      96 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
 
 
Allied ground losses:
      1217 casualties reported
         Squads: 38 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Non Combat: 133 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Engineers: 22 destroyed, 0 disabled
      Guns lost 50 (50 destroyed, 0 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
      Units destroyed 2
 
 
Assaulting units:
    61st Naval Guard Unit
    65th Naval Guard Unit
    II/66th Naval Guard Unit
    Maizuru 2nd SNLF
    67th Naval Guard Unit
 
Defending units:
    Port Moresby Brigade
    15th RAAF Base Force
 
 

CL Marblehead, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
     DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 12, and is sunk

Did you have good Captains in both ships?

I presume that Marblehead didn't have its radar upgrade yet. US combat ships without radar are pitiful...

BTW - was your TF spotted by the floatplanes on the CS the turn before? Generally, at the stage you are at, if you have a TF spotted by an unseen enemy floatplane, run-like-hell - otherwise you will likely get similar results to what you saw here.

BTW II - What sort of Naval Search do you have in Auckland. Did you know that the Japanese TF was nearby?

BTW III - That's interesting - he went in only with Naval Guards and an SNLF. Usually Japanese players use the 4th Division. I can see why it took him 6 days.

ORIGINAL: ADB123

CL Marblehead, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
     DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 12, and is sunk

Did you have good Captains in both ships?

I presume that Marblehead didn't have its radar upgrade yet. US combat ships without radar are pitiful...

BTW - was your TF spotted by the floatplanes on the CS the turn before? Generally, at the stage you are at, if you have a TF spotted by an unseen enemy floatplane, run-like-hell - otherwise you will likely get similar results to what you saw here.

BTW II - What sort of Naval Search do you have in Auckland. Did you know that the Japanese TF was nearby?

BTW III - That's interesting - he went in only with Naval Guards and an SNLF. Usually Japanese players use the 4th Division. I can see why it took him 6 days.

It was been a month now that i was chasing down his AMC raiding between Sydney and Aukland (he was operating the AMC in coordination with an AV), so when my TF was spotted the day before i bet my money it was that weak surface force and i sent in my TF...He was clever cause he probably knew i was hunting him and re-used his raider as a bait... In Aukland i have 1 Vincent squadron of 12 planes with droptanks and one Vitesb squadron with torps...unfortunately none of them was able to identify the enemy TF...only 2 ships were spotted and classified as a DD and an AK...

I think he's sent all his major divisions to India. I got more reports saying there are still many units enrouted towards Cok's Bazar...while some LCUs are reported preparing for Brisbane...however i did a quick check and all those units prepping for Brisbane are attached to the Manchukoku HQ...so i think that was a fine dis-information made by the japs

In Aukland i have 1 Vincent squadron of 12 planes with droptanks and one Vitesb squadron with torps...unfortunately none of them was able to identify the enemy TF...only 2 ships were spotted and classified as a DD and an AK...

You should change that Vincent squadron to Hudsons as soon as you can. Hudsons are much better on Naval search, particularly because of the longer range. (Neither plane is worth anything as an anti-ship plane.)

The real key to your defence in India is keeping your opponent marching between bases. don't let him grab railway junctions with paratroops. Make him march to each and every base, even if you don't have enough force in any one base to stop anything larger than a paratroop regiment.

BTW - keep in mind - you can "railroad in" units to a base that is contested, but you can't "railroad out" any units from a base once your opponent has any troops in the base. So he may do Paradrops just to stop you from using the railroads, even if his paras aren't strong enough to capture a base. That's where your weak Fighter units are useful - keep them in your backwater railway junction bases on CAP to stop Transport planes.

Thanks ADB, didn't know that thing about the railroad rule...!
 
March 17-18 1942
 
While 5 tanks units arrive at Chittahong (right before my units left the town), the KB as predicted is going hunting in the Arabian Sea, clearly looking for the RN.
There's a HUGE CV TF and another huge SCTF...seems like the whole combined fleet is up to this task. The KB paid a visit to Colombo, sinking a sub and a couple of motor boat, while a lot of minor SCTFs are moving towards Addu and Diego G....seems like my naval movements are over in the arabian sea by now. My subs have been ordered to follow the KB and look for any shot opportunity...let's see if i can get a bit lucky!
I'd like to evacuate fragments of the Indian Bdes in Colombo...which is the correct mode to be for an airlift? The LCU must be in combat or in strategic mode??...thx in advance...
 
...more news to follow... 

I'd like to evacuate fragments of the Indian Bdes in Colombo...which is the correct mode to be for an airlift? The LCU must be in combat or in strategic mode??...thx in advance...

The LCUs need to be in Combat mode.

My 2 cents - Try to airlift out base forces and HQs too, if you get the time. You will need them to support your troops. The Indian Infantry is almost an afterthought, because they aren't good fighters unless you rest them for six months.

ORIGINAL: ADB123

I'd like to evacuate fragments of the Indian Bdes in Colombo...which is the correct mode to be for an airlift? The LCU must be in combat or in strategic mode??...thx in advance...

The LCUs need to be in Combat mode.

My 2 cents - Try to airlift out base forces and HQs too, if you get the time. You will need them to support your troops. The Indian Infantry is almost an afterthought, because they aren't good fighters unless you rest them for six months.

Yes, i'll try to evacuate at least fragments of everything before airlifting out the whole desired bde unit.

However i have the Burma HQ waiting to recover the indian bdes that have too low morale and exp. Hopefully they can get some experience before called into the battle

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Thanks ADB, didn't know that thing about the railroad rule...!

March 17-18 1942

While 5 tanks units arrive at Chittahong (right before my units left the town), the KB as predicted is going hunting in the Arabian Sea, clearly looking for the RN.

This may be the opening move to land at Karachi and isolate India from reenforcement. Plan accordingly.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Thanks ADB, didn't know that thing about the railroad rule...!

March 17-18 1942

While 5 tanks units arrive at Chittahong (right before my units left the town), the KB as predicted is going hunting in the Arabian Sea, clearly looking for the RN.

This may be the opening move to land at Karachi and isolate India from reenforcement. Plan accordingly.

If he landed at Cox's Bazar (and not "Cock's Bazar" like i typed before[:D][:D][:D][:D]...which could be read as "Cocks Market" ) with more than 90 units do you really think he could dare to land at Karachi?? with what?? i mean...it's a urban hex, defended at isolated from any japanese LBA support...KB cannot stay up there forever and i don't see where he can find enough units to accomplish this task! I think a landing at Surat could be more likely but he seems to have brought only the KB and a strong SCTF...didn't spot any invasion fleet up there...

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


If he landed at Cox's Bazar (and not "Cock's Bazar" like i typed before[:D][:D][:D][:D]...which could be read as "Cocks Market" ) with more than 90 units do you really think he could dare to land at Karachi?? with what?? i mean...it's a urban hex, defended at isolated from any japanese LBA support...KB cannot stay up there forever and i don't see where he can find enough units to accomplish this task! I think a landing at Surat could be more likely but he seems to have brought only the KB and a strong SCTF...didn't spot any invasion fleet up there...

I absolutely think he could, and should. Re-read CR's and Q-Ball's AARs. If he skips Ceylon, which I think he will, Karachi is doable at this stage of the war. It's a x2 urban hex, not a x4 as Bombay is. The KB has nothing to fear up there either unless you've properly staged your carriers. Have you?

As I said, opening move on Karachi, not the whole furball. I wouldn't send an amphib TF roaming up north until I knew what you had there. As for "with what", has he taken Luzon, or bypassed it? He can buy out a division a month with PPs; do you have an accurate count of where everything is? Of course not; you don't even know what those units at Cox's Baz. consist of. There could be a lot of dissassembled divisions done to jack up the LCU count and make you think exactly what you're thinking. Or, once he knows you're no naval threat, he could re-load a bunch and sealift them into Karachi in two weeks.

Surat? Maybe, but Karachi, while harder, seals the Mideast tight and makes CT essentially irrelevant for reenforcement unless you're willing to do a suicide run into Bombay with the KB NORTH of you.

You're still thinking too traditionally and are five or six steps behind your opponent. PICK A DEFENSE and build it. You're thinking far too micro.

Ok, if you wanted to scary me like a little girl...well, you did it!

Seriously now... well, this changes really everything. If what you're foreboding is true that means i have to fall back NOW and entrench in Karachi...if i did so i'll leave the whole India in his hands without fighting and the result would be the same. With everything but Karachi in his hands he could simply siege Karachi for ages and i won't be able to run there any reinforcements...skies and seas will be under his complete controll...
However as soon as i get home i'll study the situation and see, map à-la-main, what i can do.... I was really thinking of defending Bombay in order to slow him down...like CR has done...

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, if you wanted to scary me like a little girl...well, you did it!

Seriously now... well, this changes really everything. If what you're foreboding is true that means i have to fall back NOW and entrench in Karachi...if i did so i'll leave the whole India in his hands without fighting and the result would be the same. With everything but Karachi in his hands he could simply siege Karachi for ages and i won't be able to run there any reinforcements...skies and seas will be under his complete controll...
However as soon as i get home i'll study the situation and see, map à-la-main, what i can do.... I was really thinking of defending Bombay in order to slow him down...like CR has done...

CR could only do that because Q-Ball refused Karachi, his biggest strategic mistake IMO. At the time I thought taking Ceylon was, on balance, wise, but after seeing how Bombay went later I don't think so now. Having that shipyard and refueling/rearming point if you're Japanese is wonderful, and killing a bunch of high-value British Army units is very nice, but the three weeks it took Q-Ball was irretrievable, and it gave CR a lot of notice to pay great attention to India at a time when Q-Ball was staging a heavy feint in Australia. A bolt-from-the-blue strike on Karachi would have taken it as a first stroke in the Indian campaign.

To defend India you need to get some US troops moving now, through CT to Mombassa, and then the short, exposed jump into Aden, then the trip down the wormhole to Karachi for deployment. The exposure from the chute to Karachi is only one day, which is why holding Karachi is so vital. If you lose it India is on organic supplies and reenforcements, the Line of Death package will rot in Aden, and the Japanese can commence to dismantle India's supply generaiton capacity and make it their own. You will lose that battle if you can't get LCUs and aircraft in from CONUS. The Indian Army at this point is not upgraded and is untrained. It will fold without time to train, upgrade, and that takes supplies.

If he takes Socotra you can be assured that Karachi is next, as Socota is the guardian of the Mombassa--Aden route. Q-Ball didn't take it because at that time nobody knew if Socotra would activate the emergency reenforcement package. It does not. If Q-Ball had held Socotra, and had moved patrol and bomber assets there, CR would have had a great deal of difficulty getting his flow of reenforcements into India from CONUS without using his carriers.

Of course, he could as easily take Socotra as a follow-up to Karachi falling. He has some time since CONUS to Karachi is a LONG trip.

As was discussed in Q-Ball's AAR, you WANT to fight the IJN now if you're worried about auto-vicotry. He has to have a 1:4 VP exchange ratio to stay on track. Said another way, if you sink one IJN CV, and he sinks three Allies, you still win in auto-vic terms. Instead of running you should be trying to get fair fights with your navy, or unfair in taking out his merchants. Every point you get is worth four against the auto-vic.

As to whether he'll try for Karachi, I think yes. You haven't shown an organized defense anywhere yet, and he is very confident he can wield his naval forces to sweep the path north. I don't know of any Japanese player yet to take all of India, so there are still strategic aspects to be worked out. Your opponent might be looking at this game as a warm up or test bed for that campaign. Which is why he might also take all of China, attack Russia, or try to do Oz as well. Experimentation.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 19,20 42
 
Ok, here's the situation.
The KB is moving between Scoorda and Bombay, while some SCTFs, escorted by AVs and CSs are patrolling the area around Diego and Atto.
My ships movements are interdicted by now. The RN has been safely retreated to Cape Town...couldn't think of facing the whole KB at open seas...
 
At the same time he conquered Chittaong and he paradropped north of Dacca, cutting my RR line. I thought - because i'm idiot - that the RR was united between Dacca and Calcutta...well, it is not! So i have trapped 300 AVs there He's advancing with a corps of 6 tanks units from Cox's Bazar (the main body - 80 units - is still marching south of Chittaong)....i'll have to try to march all the way towards Calcutta, hoping to be able to run faster than tanks (obviously i cannot).
I'm trying to cover my retreat...i'd like to retreat in good order but at this point i donpt know what i can do...jap bombers started to arrive in waves from Akyab, clobbering everything i have in sight...it's gonna be hard...so hard.
Anyway i don't wanna lose my mind and rush...i'll try to be as calm as i can and move in order to a new position every time i see the opportunity to make him deliver a punch in the empty space...
 
Japan today conquered Neikiang west of Chungking...now free China is rapresented by Chungking and Chengtu...what a disaster
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me also add that losing Karachi does one more thing. It essentially prevents Abadan fuel from reaching the subcontinent. Without fuel, very quickly your HI-sourced supply generation at places like Bombay and Calcutta will stop, leaving you with only LI-generated organic supply. An allied player usually doesn't have to study the production system much, but if you lose Karachi it's vital for you to understand what supply-making bases (LI) you have left, and where. Without supply the Indian Army is just speedbumps.

If you can, safely, drop as much fuel as possible into Karachi NOW. It will flow to the HI cities. That said, if he's already scouting Socotra with the KB it might be too late unless you want to toast your tanker fleet.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Ok, if you wanted to scary me like a little girl...well, you did it!

Seriously now... well, this changes really everything. If what you're foreboding is true that means i have to fall back NOW and entrench in Karachi...if i did so i'll leave the whole India in his hands without fighting and the result would be the same. With everything but Karachi in his hands he could simply siege Karachi for ages and i won't be able to run there any reinforcements...skies and seas will be under his complete controll...
However as soon as i get home i'll study the situation and see, map à-la-main, what i can do.... I was really thinking of defending Bombay in order to slow him down...like CR has done...

CR could only do that because Q-Ball refused Karachi, his biggest strategic mistake IMO. At the time I thought taking Ceylon was, on balance, wise, but after seeing how Bombay went later I don't think so now. Having that shipyard and refueling/rearming point if you're Japanese is wonderful, and killing a bunch of high-value British Army units is very nice, but the three weeks it took Q-Ball was irretrievable, and it gave CR a lot of notice to pay great attention to India at a time when Q-Ball was staging a heavy feint in Australia. A bolt-from-the-blue strike on Karachi would have taken it as a first stroke in the Indian campaign.

To defend India you need to get some US troops moving now, through CT to Mombassa, and then the short, exposed jump into Aden, then the trip down the wormhole to Karachi for deployment. The exposure from the chute to Karachi is only one day, which is why holding Karachi is so vital. If you lose it India is on organic supplies and reenforcements, the Line of Death package will rot in Aden, and the Japanese can commence to dismantle India's supply generaiton capacity and make it their own. You will lose that battle if you can't get LCUs and aircraft in from CONUS. The Indian Army at this point is not upgraded and is untrained. It will fold without time to train, upgrade, and that takes supplies.

If he takes Socotra you can be assured that Karachi is next, as Socota is the guardian of the Mombassa--Aden route. Q-Ball didn't take it because at that time nobody knew if Socotra would activate the emergency reenforcement package. It does not. If Q-Ball had held Socotra, and had moved patrol and bomber assets there, CR would have had a great deal of difficulty getting his flow of reenforcements into India from CONUS without using his carriers.

Of course, he could as easily take Socotra as a follow-up to Karachi falling. He has some time since CONUS to Karachi is a LONG trip.

As was discussed in Q-Ball's AAR, you WANT to fight the IJN now if you're worried about auto-vicotry. He has to have a 1:4 VP exchange ratio to stay on track. Said another way, if you sink one IJN CV, and he sinks three Allies, you still win in auto-vic terms. Instead of running you should be trying to get fair fights with your navy, or unfair in taking out his merchants. Every point you get is worth four against the auto-vic.

As to whether he'll try for Karachi, I think yes. You haven't shown an organized defense anywhere yet, and he is very confident he can wield his naval forces to sweep the path north. I don't know of any Japanese player yet to take all of India, so there are still strategic aspects to be worked out. Your opponent might be looking at this game as a warm up or test bed for that campaign. Which is why he might also take all of China, attack Russia, or try to do Oz as well. Experimentation.

Hi Bullwinkle,

everything you say makes sense to me. At the moment i have nothing to be sent to CT from US...nothing not unrestricted i mean. I understand the importance of Karachi and i'll try to do my best in order to defend it. However i cannot simply run there. My point is that every day i gain in India is a day i gain to get reinforcements there. It will be costly, i know. Rader will surely be looking for some easy preys with all those naval assets lurking around in the arabian sea. I'll be trying however to keep karachi supplied.
I also got the point of fighting the japs and not just running away. That's what i've been tryin to but i wanna be able to pick a chance which is not just a suicide mission. My carriers are still needed to be upgraded with radars and i don't have F4Fs yet...how am i supposed to face the KB under these circumstances?? Anyway don't think i'm playing for the joy of losing badly. I understand my performances have been horrible till now but i'm learning something new every day. i'm learning to fear and respect my opponent and i hope i'm also learning from my own mistakes.

I will fight in India. I understand it's the decisive battle of this war. If...IF i'd manage to resist here i think i'll have some chances of fighting back sometime in the future, while if i lose it the war will be lost.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Let me also add that losing Karachi does one more thing. It essentially prevents Abadan fuel from reaching the subcontinent. Without fuel, very quickly your HI-sourced supply generation at places like Bombay and Calcutta will stop, leaving you with only LI-generated organic supply. An allied player usually doesn't have to study the production system much, but if you lose Karachi it's vital for you to understand what supply-making bases (LI) you have left, and where. Without supply the Indian Army is just speedbumps.

If you can, safely, drop as much fuel as possible into Karachi NOW. It will flow to the HI cities. That said, if he's already scouting Socotra with the KB it might be too late unless you want to toast your tanker fleet.

I've already delivered TONS of fuel to Karachi in these months. He's scouting, yes, and i expect he's gonna park there...but KB cannot stand forever there risking a lucky sub hit or to impale his precious pilots on the well defended Karachi port (i have a strong CAP there)....yes, he's gonna win the aerial battles...but at what cost? KB is nothing without his precious crack pilots. I've managed to downgrade few squadrons in WC and now i have a good reserve of P40s with good pilots (all around 70s)...i think i can muster a pretty decent defence against the KB...at least untill the land based jap air units get close to Karachi (and that's why i don't wanna abbandon everything in the south too soon)

Mar 21-22 1942
 
The Kb arrived at Karachi! 
Rader, who is not a fool, restricted the range of his bombers so that only the search float planes flown over my capital base. They got smashed by my heavy CAP who destroyed a dozen of them over the port of Karachi. However the ASW patrols that were out defending the approaches from the nasty I-class subs got mouled. I lost 4 KVs, 4 AMs and 2 PGs.... there was also a small tanker TF (2 TKs) that entered on the map at the wrong day...useless to say they were murdered.
BTW i'm pretty happy because i managed to unload another US fighter group of 25 aircobras...this won't change the course of the war but for sure they'll be able to give some help.
Unless i'm mistaken he didn't bring an invasion force with him. It's just the mighty KB looking for preys...
In Bangladesh his bombers are stopping my Dacca garrison from moving out...his tanks will soon be over me...damn i lost more 250 AVs for nothing [:o]
The retreat, in other points, proceeds smoothly. I've garrisoned the path from Calcutta to Bombay so he should not be able to cut me no more with his paradrops. I'll move out of Calcutta as soon as i understand what's going on at Karachi.
The evacuation of Colombo is going on. The absence of the Kb (which is far north) allows me to move some units back to the continent.
 
All in all a turn that could have gone really worse [:)]

At the same time he conquered Chittaong and he paradropped north of Dacca, cutting my RR line. I thought - because i'm idiot - that the RR was united between Dacca and Calcutta...well, it is not

Are you aware of the "Y" hot-key that allows you to see the railroad lines? You absolutely MUST use it in order to see where the RR lines really go.

A few words about India from somebody who nearly lost it and who knows exactly how you feel at the moment.
 
Bombay and Karachi are, as you know, the keys.  Karachi is key for reinforcing - getting to India all the troops that will arrive at Aden in coming weeks and months.  If the enemy crosses the line of death, you do get the Waristan Division directly at Karachi, which adds 300 AV to your defenses.
 
Bombay is a great defensive position due to the major urban terrain.  You'll need to configure supply as best you can, but I'd definately try to hold Bombay with as much AV as I can muster.  If you can get 2,000 AV there, your opponent is going to have a really hard time taking it.
 
Calcutta is also major urban terrain.  In my game with Q-Ball, just the static fortress unit managed to hold against a division for several weeks.  If you can get more than that there it's probably worth it as a speed bump.  Your garrison will ultimately die, but it should be worth it to you.  Use air transport to extract troops from the Imphal/Ledo regions.
 
Do not impale yourself in southern India including Madras.  Your opponent can cut off your troops down there using armor, aircraft (to slow movement) and paratroops.  It aint worth losing troops.  Get those guys up to Bombay, Karachi, Surat, and Ahmadebad.
 
The line of death is well known. It's marked with a thick blue line on a map I posted in my AAR with Q-Ball - soemtime during the turns for March 1942.
 
Rader isn't a month ahead of Q-Ball.  Q-Ball landed at Ceylon on March 7, 1942.  He spent a month there, but by destroying a UK division it might have been worth it.  Your going to have a tough time until around September.  After that, if you manage to hold out, your opponent will begin to go on the defensive, will make mistakes, and you will score alot of points.  So you've got to hold for about six months.  It will be hard.
 
You might need to be prepared to sacrifice the RN if in doing so you can savage a big landing force or exact a heavy toll in enemy combat ships. 
 
I can't remember if your opponent took New Caledonia or Fiji, but plan to use your Aussie troops to reclaim them if so.  They are high value and you'll need to be doing something offensive in the Pacific while your opponent is tied up in India.
 
Good luck.