Combat Report - 2/24/1942
Shot down 20+ of his bombers over Changsha. However, I'm going to have to pull the AVG units back as I'm taking too many casualties from Oscars. That should give the city a bit of a break for a while.
PM took another attack. Forts are down to 0 now, so it should fall any day now.
Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 2/25/1942
Held out another day in Port Moresby. If he had just rested for a day a couple days ago he would have it already. Tsk Tsk.
I have upgraded my Indian squadrons to B17Es to give my Aussie folks some replacements. I'll be looking to upgrade the V Bomber Command as well (Cape Town) if that is feasible.
Held out another day in Port Moresby. If he had just rested for a day a couple days ago he would have it already. Tsk Tsk.
I have upgraded my Indian squadrons to B17Es to give my Aussie folks some replacements. I'll be looking to upgrade the V Bomber Command as well (Cape Town) if that is feasible.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 2/26/1942
Big day for Japan.
Port Moresby finally fell. No surprise there.
Clark Field was captured after the first attack in weeks there. I guess my guys were just too hungry to fight.
Big day for Japan.
Port Moresby finally fell. No surprise there.
Clark Field was captured after the first attack in weeks there. I guess my guys were just too hungry to fight.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 2/27/1942
Nothing to report, except a confession that I'm truly tempted to start going on the offensive in the Burma area while his forces are still week there. I've contemplated landing the 18th UK at Moulmein behind the line and trying to take that back amphibiously. Even just the front line across the river I could attack with my 800 AV verses his 300, but I'm unsure of myself since my only real land combat experiences have been with Chinese/Philippine troops. How do the Brits stack up against the Japanese?
Nothing to report, except a confession that I'm truly tempted to start going on the offensive in the Burma area while his forces are still week there. I've contemplated landing the 18th UK at Moulmein behind the line and trying to take that back amphibiously. Even just the front line across the river I could attack with my 800 AV verses his 300, but I'm unsure of myself since my only real land combat experiences have been with Chinese/Philippine troops. How do the Brits stack up against the Japanese?
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
AND THEN THAR WUZ PICHURES!
Ok, so the situation in China has taken a turn for the worst. After that last major Changsha battle, I moved reinforcements from the hex SE. The intention was to rotate them in with some tired/hungry troops. Instead, he used the opportunity to snatch that hex and open up a route to my flank. I anticipated that he would move into the hex SW of Changsha, so I moved about 500 AV there myself. Both arrived today. Hovering over it shows 18 units there, which if true means that some of his Changsha force moved there. I do have 150ish AV coming from the west on the rail line, but it will be tough to stop a concerted effort on his part back here. Those bases have been abandoned to support Changsha for some time now. I -could- bring some help up from Kukong, but that would mean abandoning that southern outpost to his Canton forces.
Ok, so the situation in China has taken a turn for the worst. After that last major Changsha battle, I moved reinforcements from the hex SE. The intention was to rotate them in with some tired/hungry troops. Instead, he used the opportunity to snatch that hex and open up a route to my flank. I anticipated that he would move into the hex SW of Changsha, so I moved about 500 AV there myself. Both arrived today. Hovering over it shows 18 units there, which if true means that some of his Changsha force moved there. I do have 150ish AV coming from the west on the rail line, but it will be tough to stop a concerted effort on his part back here. Those bases have been abandoned to support Changsha for some time now. I -could- bring some help up from Kukong, but that would mean abandoning that southern outpost to his Canton forces.
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RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 2/28/1942
A terrible day for the Allies.
SW of Changsha, his forces shock attacked my blocking force. To my surprise, he moved 104,000 troops down there. That should leave him enough that I can't really attack him in the city, and pretty much forces me to move some of my forces out myself. He massacred the two units I had down there. I think this may mean that the three bases west of Changsha are done for.
In Burma, I decided to make a deliberate attack to test the waters. The odds were 1 to 2 in his favor and the results were pretty ugly. My air attack earlier in the day were also very disappointing with almost all my brand new B17Es getting damaged by super-accurate flak and Oscars showing up out of nowhere (I've been sweeping for days) to savage my AVG-Aircobra squadron on its ground attack run.
Both are the result of my own mistakes which is what makes it all the more frustrating.
Also, Prince of Wales is officially a lost cause. I'm putting her in readiness status to get her out of the way. Who knows, maybe I'll send her on a suicide cruise toward Colombo.
A terrible day for the Allies.
SW of Changsha, his forces shock attacked my blocking force. To my surprise, he moved 104,000 troops down there. That should leave him enough that I can't really attack him in the city, and pretty much forces me to move some of my forces out myself. He massacred the two units I had down there. I think this may mean that the three bases west of Changsha are done for.
In Burma, I decided to make a deliberate attack to test the waters. The odds were 1 to 2 in his favor and the results were pretty ugly. My air attack earlier in the day were also very disappointing with almost all my brand new B17Es getting damaged by super-accurate flak and Oscars showing up out of nowhere (I've been sweeping for days) to savage my AVG-Aircobra squadron on its ground attack run.
Both are the result of my own mistakes which is what makes it all the more frustrating.
Also, Prince of Wales is officially a lost cause. I'm putting her in readiness status to get her out of the way. Who knows, maybe I'll send her on a suicide cruise toward Colombo.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
February 1942 Snapshot
Notice that the front lines of his advance and my area of more solid control (as opposed to just speedbumps) are closing with each other. I anticipate that March will see Soerabaja, Singapore, Bataan, and possibly Burma fall into enemy hands.
Notice that the front lines of his advance and my area of more solid control (as opposed to just speedbumps) are closing with each other. I anticipate that March will see Soerabaja, Singapore, Bataan, and possibly Burma fall into enemy hands.
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RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/1/1942
Nothing much to report except that there was a lot of submarine activity and that I'm temporarily winning the air war over Burma (that will change when he brings in the zeros).
Nothing much to report except that there was a lot of submarine activity and that I'm temporarily winning the air war over Burma (that will change when he brings in the zeros).
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/2/1942
Nada.
The railroad crossroads west of Changsha is almost certainly lost. I've rushing troops there, but when he crosses that river with 104000 troops that is going to be a shock attack to remember.
Nada.
The railroad crossroads west of Changsha is almost certainly lost. I've rushing troops there, but when he crosses that river with 104000 troops that is going to be a shock attack to remember.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/3/1942
The AVG squadron currently over Changsha is doing quite well against his Oscars.
USS Hornet arrived in the Eastern USA today. It will be a few weeks before I can get her to San Diego and even when she gets there, I doubt I'll have her escorts ready, but I'm glad to have her on board. HMS Formidable should arrive in a few days bringing my total number in the Indian Ocean to 2 CVs and 1 CVE and in the Pacific 5 CVs.
I bought the 27USA division that I had long ago transferred to Cape Town. I've decided to send it to Melbourne. I figure that even if he doesn't attack Australia, they are present to participate in the island hopping campaign that will eventually be necessary. 6AUS and 7AUS are both fully formed in Karachi. I'm just dragging my feet about moving them until I know where I'll need them. 18UK is still in Colombo.
I need eyes on the KB. It would be disastrous if he showed up in the Fiji area just as my convoys arrived from the WC. That gives me about 4 days to figure out where they are going. Enterprise and Lexington still need about 4 days in PH before they can come southward to join their sisters and cover the unloading of my convoys. I feel like I've stuck my head in a guillotine - this could go terribly wrong.
The AVG squadron currently over Changsha is doing quite well against his Oscars.
USS Hornet arrived in the Eastern USA today. It will be a few weeks before I can get her to San Diego and even when she gets there, I doubt I'll have her escorts ready, but I'm glad to have her on board. HMS Formidable should arrive in a few days bringing my total number in the Indian Ocean to 2 CVs and 1 CVE and in the Pacific 5 CVs.
I bought the 27USA division that I had long ago transferred to Cape Town. I've decided to send it to Melbourne. I figure that even if he doesn't attack Australia, they are present to participate in the island hopping campaign that will eventually be necessary. 6AUS and 7AUS are both fully formed in Karachi. I'm just dragging my feet about moving them until I know where I'll need them. 18UK is still in Colombo.
I need eyes on the KB. It would be disastrous if he showed up in the Fiji area just as my convoys arrived from the WC. That gives me about 4 days to figure out where they are going. Enterprise and Lexington still need about 4 days in PH before they can come southward to join their sisters and cover the unloading of my convoys. I feel like I've stuck my head in a guillotine - this could go terribly wrong.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
You asked earlier about sending the 18th UK into Moulemein. I was hoping someone with more experience would answer but since they are not, I will offer my take on it. The British can hold their own when they are fully equipped, well supplied and have good leaders. Experience is very important. Japanese units are typically in the 60-70 range from years of fighting in China [since 1934]. Their allies [Thai, Chinese, and Indian division] are not nearly so well equipped, experienced or led. AV of 800-300 when landing against a base with forts + terrain advantage for defence is very iffy. Bombardments will help reduce the defenders AV and morale, moreso if it is IJA allies versus the IJA units. I would want at least 1200 AV to take on 300 this early. It takes a while for xAPs and xAKs to unload whereas in 1943 you will have real landing craft and ships available.
The other thing to consider is extraction should he muster a counterattack by land, sea or air. Can you hold off the attackers long enough to get them out? If not, can you supply them to tie down his forces for a while? I guess the bottom line is: Don't land anything you are not prepared to lose.
BTW, historically it was around March 1942 that KB made its Indian Ocean foray to attack Columbo. Have you considered whether he might send it that direction in the game?
About the convoys you are so concerned about, just decide which is worse: loss of time if you wait for CV coverage or loss of the ships and troops/cargo if things go wrong. Go with your decision knowing you considered the consequences and made the best choice at the time. It's the second-guessing [&:] yourself that eats you up!
The other thing to consider is extraction should he muster a counterattack by land, sea or air. Can you hold off the attackers long enough to get them out? If not, can you supply them to tie down his forces for a while? I guess the bottom line is: Don't land anything you are not prepared to lose.
BTW, historically it was around March 1942 that KB made its Indian Ocean foray to attack Columbo. Have you considered whether he might send it that direction in the game?
About the convoys you are so concerned about, just decide which is worse: loss of time if you wait for CV coverage or loss of the ships and troops/cargo if things go wrong. Go with your decision knowing you considered the consequences and made the best choice at the time. It's the second-guessing [&:] yourself that eats you up!
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/5/1942
First, I forget a day's update, and then I accidentally deleted this one instead of submitting it.
- Prince of Wales sunk today when I attempted to move her to Melbourne. No real surprise.
- Repulse should arrive in Cape Town in a few days for her repairs. I don't foresee any problem with her getting there
- CV Formidable arrived in CT today and Indomitable is waiting to welcome her at Diego Garcia with an escort.
- SigInt: He is moving a construction unit to Shikaku, which is the border base on the island that he shares with Russia. The only thing I can think of is that he wants to build the base up there to cover the Kuriles. Perhaps I should plan to give him reason to believe that I will take that route. It is far easier to get your enemy to believe that something IS happening when they are expecting it.
- I'm disappointed in the aircobra's performance. My Burmese AVG unit is equipped with them and they did not perform well against a handful of Oscars. Perhaps it was a fluke.
- Lexington and Enterprise were able to leave Pearl a bit earlier than I expected. The hold up was a large number of DDs that were still in the yard finishing up some upgrades. I forgot that I had an ample supply of DDs already ready to go. They are racing south in the hope of linking up with Yorktown and Saratoga before they get to the Fiji area.
First, I forget a day's update, and then I accidentally deleted this one instead of submitting it.
- Prince of Wales sunk today when I attempted to move her to Melbourne. No real surprise.
- Repulse should arrive in Cape Town in a few days for her repairs. I don't foresee any problem with her getting there
- CV Formidable arrived in CT today and Indomitable is waiting to welcome her at Diego Garcia with an escort.
- SigInt: He is moving a construction unit to Shikaku, which is the border base on the island that he shares with Russia. The only thing I can think of is that he wants to build the base up there to cover the Kuriles. Perhaps I should plan to give him reason to believe that I will take that route. It is far easier to get your enemy to believe that something IS happening when they are expecting it.
- I'm disappointed in the aircobra's performance. My Burmese AVG unit is equipped with them and they did not perform well against a handful of Oscars. Perhaps it was a fluke.
- Lexington and Enterprise were able to leave Pearl a bit earlier than I expected. The hold up was a large number of DDs that were still in the yard finishing up some upgrades. I forgot that I had an ample supply of DDs already ready to go. They are racing south in the hope of linking up with Yorktown and Saratoga before they get to the Fiji area.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
The Airacobra was a poor dogfighter - heavily armed with a 37 mm cannon it is not very agile but it is good for busting bombers, tanks and barges or small vessels. Try to use it in a ground support role more than air superiority or escort for your own bombers.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/7/1942
(nothing much happened on the 6th)
I had some idiotic troops traveling from Changsha to Hengyang who stupidly decided to march straight through the hex SW of Changsha which contains over 100000 enemy troops. He shock attacked. 239 squads were destroyed. [:@]
He has bombers flying to attack Hengyang. They fly directly over Changsha. Will my AVG unit which I'm about to move to Changsha be able to intercept them? I think I know the answer, but I want to make sure.
(nothing much happened on the 6th)
I had some idiotic troops traveling from Changsha to Hengyang who stupidly decided to march straight through the hex SW of Changsha which contains over 100000 enemy troops. He shock attacked. 239 squads were destroyed. [:@]
He has bombers flying to attack Hengyang. They fly directly over Changsha. Will my AVG unit which I'm about to move to Changsha be able to intercept them? I think I know the answer, but I want to make sure.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
ORIGINAL: marbakka
He has bombers flying to attack Hengyang. They fly directly over Changsha. Will my AVG unit which I'm about to move to Changsha be able to intercept them? I think I know the answer, but I want to make sure.
Nein. The game doesn't model mid-flight intercepts.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/8/1942
My British bombardment fleet savaged Moulmein in the afternoon. 2519 fires and some solid hits on the airfield. They will expend a bit more ammo and then withdraw back to Trincomalee. Does this affect anything other than my moral? Probably not.
In Yorktown's TF, two DD captains evidently decided to have a demolition derby. They MIGHT make it to port. Yorktown was not damaged.
Still no hint as to the KB's location and it's getting down to the wire where I'll have to decide whether I should risk all 4 of my active carriers to protect the landings at Luganville. It would be a great relief if the KB showed up in NOPAC or somewhere far far away.
II Fighter Command has been unloading in Perth for the last couple days. I'm sending lots of these groups to Brisbane where they are taking on planes from withdrawing groups. They will then be stationed along the Aussie coast. I'll ship a couple over to Noumea and perhaps to Luganville if I can land some aviation support over there.
My British bombardment fleet savaged Moulmein in the afternoon. 2519 fires and some solid hits on the airfield. They will expend a bit more ammo and then withdraw back to Trincomalee. Does this affect anything other than my moral? Probably not.
In Yorktown's TF, two DD captains evidently decided to have a demolition derby. They MIGHT make it to port. Yorktown was not damaged.
Still no hint as to the KB's location and it's getting down to the wire where I'll have to decide whether I should risk all 4 of my active carriers to protect the landings at Luganville. It would be a great relief if the KB showed up in NOPAC or somewhere far far away.
II Fighter Command has been unloading in Perth for the last couple days. I'm sending lots of these groups to Brisbane where they are taking on planes from withdrawing groups. They will then be stationed along the Aussie coast. I'll ship a couple over to Noumea and perhaps to Luganville if I can land some aviation support over there.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/9/1942
Another great day of bombardment at Moulmein. Soon the IO won't be so open for my movement like this, but I'll enjoy it while I can.
AVG performed badly over China today.
He finished off the two large corps that marched right into his lines. In the last 3 days I have lost somewhere on the order of 800 squads in central China - all because these guys went to the wrong hex.
I am within a day or so of my carriers being within his possible visual range, and I still don't have a fix on his KB. Time to stress.
Another great day of bombardment at Moulmein. Soon the IO won't be so open for my movement like this, but I'll enjoy it while I can.
AVG performed badly over China today.
He finished off the two large corps that marched right into his lines. In the last 3 days I have lost somewhere on the order of 800 squads in central China - all because these guys went to the wrong hex.
I am within a day or so of my carriers being within his possible visual range, and I still don't have a fix on his KB. Time to stress.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/10/1942
I stuck around for 1 more day of bombardment at Moulmein. My TF expended their shells (damaging 71 Oscars and setting 6000+ fires in the city) and then began the trip home. He finally attempted an air attack on them and succeeded in putting a torpedo into the side of HMS Revenge. The damage? 3 FLT. OH THE HUMANITY!! [:'(]
I'm starting to wonder if I've borked the AVG. They are performing very poorly against his Oscars. I've been pulling pilots to TRACOM once they reach 81, but they still have lots of great pilots. I just don't get it.
LOTS of ASW activity outside of Truk all of a sudden. Something big is going on there. My initial thought is that perhaps he has spotted my carriers NE of Fiji and is launching the KB. He clearly wants those waters emptied of submarines.
I stuck around for 1 more day of bombardment at Moulmein. My TF expended their shells (damaging 71 Oscars and setting 6000+ fires in the city) and then began the trip home. He finally attempted an air attack on them and succeeded in putting a torpedo into the side of HMS Revenge. The damage? 3 FLT. OH THE HUMANITY!! [:'(]
I'm starting to wonder if I've borked the AVG. They are performing very poorly against his Oscars. I've been pulling pilots to TRACOM once they reach 81, but they still have lots of great pilots. I just don't get it.
LOTS of ASW activity outside of Truk all of a sudden. Something big is going on there. My initial thought is that perhaps he has spotted my carriers NE of Fiji and is launching the KB. He clearly wants those waters emptied of submarines.
RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Here you can see that he is flanking in a big way. He has cut off the rail line to Kukong and I suspect he wants to move even further around the other side of Hengyang. I think it may be time to abandon Kukong and Wuchow - neither of which I can spare forces to defend right now.
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RE: Buried in the Sunset (Marbakka [A] vs. Texas_D [J]) - Reluctant Admiral 4.1
Combat Report - 3/11/1942
Not lot happened today.
My picket sub NE of Kendari spotted a convoy that included 2 AOs. A hint as to the location of the KB? Possibly, I guess, but it obviously isn't enough to go on.
Sian's airfield is now high enough that I might could send the AVG over there to surprise his Manchurian bombers. I'm fairly certain he's using those squadrons to train pilots. In the past 2-3 days I've lost about 5 aces over Changsha.
He attacked Bataan and did very well against my starving troops. The Philippines will soon be his.
EDIT: Possible KB sighting in the worst possible place - trying to slide through the gap to the east of the New Hebrides toward Suva. It is only reported as BBs but he hasn't moved that large a force of BBs without the KB being around. I'm linking my CVs and sending the transports to alternate ports. Emergency replenishment fleets are set to fill and deploy.
Not lot happened today.
My picket sub NE of Kendari spotted a convoy that included 2 AOs. A hint as to the location of the KB? Possibly, I guess, but it obviously isn't enough to go on.
Sian's airfield is now high enough that I might could send the AVG over there to surprise his Manchurian bombers. I'm fairly certain he's using those squadrons to train pilots. In the past 2-3 days I've lost about 5 aces over Changsha.
He attacked Bataan and did very well against my starving troops. The Philippines will soon be his.
EDIT: Possible KB sighting in the worst possible place - trying to slide through the gap to the east of the New Hebrides toward Suva. It is only reported as BBs but he hasn't moved that large a force of BBs without the KB being around. I'm linking my CVs and sending the transports to alternate ports. Emergency replenishment fleets are set to fill and deploy.