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Chumpon and the other base 3 hexes N-NE on the Singapore-Bangkok rail line. It slices Malaysia in half, holds the line long enough for your armor to storm down the west coast of Thailand to secure the cut, permanently. NO roads for him to reinforce/attack these bases easily. Building them up shuts down Bangkok (3 hexes from fighters!) and provides an avenue to head towards Singapore, which isn't Nemo's plan because Tokyo is to the East, not South. It also gets search aircraft into the IJ interior, which lets the sub arm wreak havoc on those tankers running the gauntlet from Singapore to Japan.

I'd say it was pretty successful...

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Morning Air attack on 112th Infantry Regiment, at 55,55 (Moulmein)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 7
Martlet II x 15
Blenheim IV x 20
Blenheim VD x 6
Hudson IIIa x 9
Hurricane I Trop x 17
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Hurricane IIc Trop x 31
Lysander II x 12
Wellington Ic x 7
DB-7B x 3
A-20A1 Havoc x 3
B-24D Liberator x 6
B-25C Mitchell x 21
B-26 Marauder x 6
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed by flak
DB-7B: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

The key is the number of different squadrons, plane types, nationalities etc. I want to test some more variations but so far so good.

I'd say it was pretty successful...

I'm afraid I disagree. Granted the weather was heavy rain, by you didn't destroy anything, just disabled a grand total of three squads. Given the number of fighter-bombers, bombers, and even some 4E's, this looks to me like not much steel on target. Maybe you'd have more lethality sending in more homogenous groups?

True, but the raid was an effort to determine if a method could be devised to launch co-ordinated raids under the new Beta. Any damage done was secondary. Now that Nemo's co-ordination hypothesis has been proven using every bit of junk he could put in the air, co-ordinated strikes using similar methods with better planes against more valuable targets can be incorporated into operational planning.

The question I have is: How did he pull it off?

Yeah, you wouldn't expect a relativley light raid like this to have any major impact on infantry in a jungle hex, especially if they also have the benefit of forts.

I'm not sure I want any opponent of mine to know the secret. Imagine coordinated strikes like this by Japan early in the game! Of course, the Allies would get revenge, but the beginning would be that much uglier.

CR, while both sides will benefit, I actually think this helps late game Japan the most. The only way to get at the Green Death Star is to overwhelm the fast carrier CAP. This re-opens some of the successful multi-altitude co-ordinated strikes combining traditional and kamikaze attacks that Nemo used in some of his Downfall/Armaggedon games.

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

True, but the raid was an effort to determine if a method could be devised to launch co-ordinated raids under the new Beta. Any damage done was secondary. Now that Nemo's co-ordination hypothesis has been proven using every bit of junk he could put in the air, co-ordinated strikes using similar methods with better planes against more valuable targets can be incorporated into operational planning.

The question I have is: How did he pull it off?

Um, a 500+ plane total strike package, and 182 happen to arrive over target at the same time? Sounds more like application of numbers than wizardry. Nemo, was this the only raid that actually hit Pegu, and assuming it's not care to post the rest?

I should clarify... When I said it was a success I was referring to the co-ordination, not the result. I couldn't care less about the result to be honest.

As to the 500 planes. They were flying from an overstacked airfield since I'm also testing level bomber vs divebomber co-ordination at a later date and thus am using Bassein for all my various bomber types. So the take-home message is that with about 200 planes flying for the target about 90% of them flew as one big strike package. Another 16 arrived as a second package and then 3 arrived by themselves. I'm pretty happy with that as a result from a worst-case scenario situation in terms of co-ordination.

So, anything new over the next 2 days?
Nothing much, I put a 1000lb bomb and a 500 lb bomb in two of his CAs, penetrating the top decks and achieving internal explosions both times. I continue to pound Mili and more and more of his light and medium naval forces are entering the area.

Here's a question for you: Are there any thoughts about the speed of OMG Wallace and the speed of the exploitations in Operation Divepac? I've actually taken islands in Operation Divepac and then evacuated them letting them fall back into Japanese hands. The OMG is sitting at Pegu along with my infantry units as I recombine Regts into Divisions and rest, resupply etc. I currently have 2500 AV at Pegu and another 700 AV due to arrive in a weeks time after they crush the Japanese units still stuck in the jungles behind my lines.

So, why are things stopping when this is the time for breakthrough? Is it forced or is it something else?

I would surmise that something else equals letting the Allies gather their forces in the good terrain with poor roads to the rear so that you can then envelop the position with amphib and airmobile assaults along the Kra Peninsul and in the Indochina interior, respectively.

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

I would surmise that something else equals letting the Allies gather their forces in the good terrain with poor roads to the rear so that you can then envelop the position with amphib and airmobile assaults along the Kra Peninsul and in the Indochina interior, respectively.

Right - like organizing the para drops you referred to earlier to cut off retreat as well as incoming supply.

Well, there's a certain logic to abandoning captured islands in the centpac. Either Damian reinforces them or he does not. If he does, you've lured more of his reserves (probably local) into strategically irrelevant locations. If he does not reinforce them, you create a little narrative that at least parts of the centpac offensive are a distraction, which makes him ponder whether or not that narrative is itself a distraction from what might end up being a critical thrust with the kurile foothold gone. Further, you can recapture abandoned islands with the thought on his part that it is more of the same. It creates doubt as to your objectives and priorities, as well as creating potential hesitation in response. That said, based on your description of his play, I would suspect that Damian has learned to focus on what he thinks is important more than whatever narrative you are feeding him (more so than most players, anyway), so in that case the value, as I see it, is "noise" in his intelligence that can get him to ignore signs at first glance, which buys you perhaps an day or two to get a foothold when you use some of the freed divisions for reinforcing a front line hold. That would be especially true if you use some minor xAK or xAP shipping during the abandonment phase which can make him numb to the presence of such shipping.

For Burma, I'm guessing you are perhaps hoping that the common wisdom of the defense at Moulmein pre 44 squads and a relatively static OMG will lure an overcommitment at that line, allowing for a greater pocket with a deeper littoral invasion (how is Tavoy defended?). That said, you've said he's been ruthless in abandoning things that are lost, so perhaps it is more likely that he will thin the line to free some kind of reserve for response there, in which case I see another opportunity.

If you deployed the OMG to the hex just below Moulmein, it would cut the rail and the road up from Tavoy, as well as an intersection of yellow trails from Bangkok. You've already indicated a willingness to use landings on non base hexes, and there's unlikely to be a massive supply pool at Moulmein at this point, in my guess. A simultaneous paradrop at Rahaeng, if it is takeable, or possibly the clear hex to the se (less ideal in terms of supply cutoff, but probably more takable) or Ayuthia (probably more risky due to 1 hex lrcap to slow/kill transports, though he'd have to shock attack anywhere but diverting some of the Bangkok garrison if you got the lodging). With one of those bases lost, Rahaeng especially, he'd have no active supply to the river defense hexes and he would almost certainly have to abandon his line and move toward Rahaeng due to hex control and the roads there. That would give you the inside track to reach Bangkok before his troops could (effectively interior lines due to road length/quality). My guess is that would pull the line all the way back into Indochina without having to fight anything substantial. Not deploying the OMG now lets you see where your littoral campaign would be most effective next while playing at luring more troops back towards those coastal bases in China, which could end up creating a Dunkirk style pocket for the Japanese if he leaves them until later.

Schlemiel gets the gold star for the local aspect of the CENPAC withdrawals - creating noise, confusion and luring him to garrison bases I've no intention of using. Additionally being slow draws IJN elements into action --- which weakens the IJN off Burma and in the DEI ( and in NORPAC ).

E.g. I'm bombing Mili daily and Damian is using transports, FT TFs etc to move the 10th Garrison Unit into position in Mili. Since I'm bombing it but haven't actually even attempted to interdict these reinforcements ( I made a show of doing so with the CL TF raid but hit the convoy going elsewhere, not the one going to Mili ) perhaps I'm quite happy to let these reinforcements gather in an irrelevant place?

As to Burma: Well I can't conduct a littoral campaign until I weaken his naval force in the region and, right now, his navy is much stronger than mine in the Burma region.... Some I'll sink, more I'll damage and even more I plan to lure away with unignorable distractions elsewhere.

Everyone forgets about Darwin though and the 1500 AV of troops from there. How could any delays impact on the re-allocation of these troops? ---- specifically in terms of causing them to be re-allocated where I WANT them to go and where they'll do least good. Remember, EVERYTHING is always phased with respect to operations in other theatres.


The nice thing about Damian is that he sees through a lot of this stuff and so I have to be really rather sneaky. Even then sometimes it doesn't work as he has learnt to correctly identify the critical centres of things and act appropriately irrespective of any obfuscatory narrative.

Ahh, so you want them manning the Moulmein position so you can push into the eastern DEI?

Troops take time to move from Darwin to Burma. If the position there were to collapse before they could arrive but long after they had been irretrievably committed you might have the best of both worlds with those reserves not being available to counter significant developments in the DEI and CENPAC.

Over the last couple of days I've finally almost cleared the road net from Taung Gyi to Pegu, forcing an IJA Infantry Regiment and 3 Tank Regiments into the jungle near Chiang Mai, have begun moving out of Pegu with 3,200 AV of troops and tanks. They will have to shock attack across a river but are opposed by only 7 units. I'm going to blast them with bombers tomorrow as I cross the river. It'll be interesting to see how my forces do.

I've been experimenting and now can reliably co-ordinate sweeps with escorts, LRCAP, level bombers and dive-bombers ( at different altitudes and from 2 to 3 different bases ) through the different air forces on the Allied side. So, I can pretty much handle the absolute worst case scenario imaginable. It really wasn't that difficult either. I'm a bit confused why others seem to find it so difficult. Line up the HQs, ranges etc and it works out just fine.


The IJN looks like it is serious about intervening with 4 CVs and at least 4 BBs (+ escorts ) just 8 to 9 hexes from Rangoon and Pegu. If they hit me they'll win the battle but they'll take serious losses - an outcome I'm happy to accept.

In Oz I'm in the process of taking the northern bases west of Darwin and gathering an armoured force for the invasion of Java... I've changed plans a little as I really am going to need shorter SLOCs between the US and British and I want the ports and repair shipyards. The British have very few repair yards.


In CENPAC he has committed CVLs AND CVs ( At the very least Kaga and 1 other CV are present ) to commerce raiding in CENPAC. I have a couple of ambushes there and my own CVs will be in range in 4 days so if he chases the targets I've teased him with I might be able to sink some CVLs. Otherwise he'll run away before I can engage. He's flooding this region with more and more shipping and troops and reacting much more strongly than I would have expected. This is great news as every ship here is one fewer ship elsewhere.

China: I've gotten intel that tank units are moving to the Shanghai/Changsha axis. I expect a major armoured thrust through this region. I think I'll just fall back before it and draw his forces into the Chinese hinterland... making a virtue of necessity. I'm also going to send some AT Regiments from Burma to China to prevent his armoured forces from running as riot as they have.

It seems likely that he has matched his CVs/CVLs by speed, and that would mean a slower CV with Kaga, likely Hiyo or Junyo. Given their slower speed and smaller capacity, they should not be able to run away from your CVs. Fingers crossed - love to see CV battles - rare and unpredictable.[:)]

Actually I saw some planes from Junyo there also so that would make sense. I think he has 2 CVL and 2 to 3 CVs in the region.

I won't be chasing them down though, as that evens the odds. No, I'll wait in ambush IF he pursues morsels I've displayed in front of him but I'm not interested, at all, in a fair fight. The USN only has 2 CVs left and if I lose them then I'm fairly stumped in the Pacific for the next 18 months.

So what is the secret to air mission co-ordination. Just having HQa's in range doesn't seem enough. Are you actually aligning the command structures of the units i.e air units subordinated to the actual HQ's in range?
Regards
Andrew

Guys, OPSEC has come up a lot recently in CRs AAR and there was an OPSEC breach of this game when someone mentioned my creation of an OMG in Burma in a general forum thread. It was unintentional but, still, it shouldn't have happened.

If I was playing anyone but Damian and two others here I'd quit this AAR now due to the, frankly, nonsensically accepting attitudes to this OPSEC breach which has happened in CRs AAR. As it is I think I'm going to put it on hold until such time as an attitude whereby those who breach OPSEC are actually censured is brought into effect. It seems like the guy who broke OPSEC is going to get away Scott free, which is crazy since even if unintentional he can't breach OPSEC while acting as secret, self-appointed moral guardians

I will say that I tested co-ordinating dive and level bombers and that works well also with a slight drop in coordination but still well over 80% co-ordination. I also got perfect coordination of sweeps and escorts so the sweeps went in at the same time as the bomber group and acted as free-ranging escort. Honestly I'm having difficulty NOT getting coordination unless I do things designed to break it.

Also the OMG proved itself in the river crossing north of Moulmein, maintaining combat power and with minimal disruption vis a vis the accompanying infantry divisions.

Anyways I'll talk with Damian about OPSEC and we'll see what he thinks.

I would be sad to see this AAR go into hibernation due to the carelessness of others. I am really enjoying it. I understand your feelings but its kind of like letting the terrorists win. I for one sincerely request you to reconsider and keep at it.

Meantime how did you get such high levels of co-ordination? I haven't seen anything near that. I regularly fly multi unit B-24J missions all from the one base with an air HQ and they frequently break up into small sub units in the raid. I don't know what else I need to do to improve the situation.

Cheers
Andrew

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

Guys, OPSEC has come up a lot recently in CRs AAR and there was an OPSEC breach of this game when someone mentioned my creation of an OMG in Burma in a general forum thread. It was unintentional but, still, it shouldn't have happened.

If I was playing anyone but Damian and two others here I'd quit this AAR now due to the, frankly, nonsensically accepting attitudes to this OPSEC breach which has happened in CRs AAR. As it is I think I'm going to put it on hold until such time as an attitude whereby those who breach OPSEC are actually censured is brought into effect. It seems like the guy who broke OPSEC is going to get away Scott free, which is crazy since even if unintentional he can't breach OPSEC while acting as secret, self-appointed moral guardians

I will say that I tested co-ordinating dive and level bombers and that works well also with a slight drop in coordination but still well over 80% co-ordination. I also got perfect coordination of sweeps and escorts so the sweeps went in at the same time as the bomber group and acted as free-ranging escort. Honestly I'm having difficulty NOT getting coordination unless I do things designed to break it.

Also the OMG proved itself in the river crossing north of Moulmein, maintaining combat power and with minimal disruption vis a vis the accompanying infantry divisions.

Anyways I'll talk with Damian about OPSEC and we'll see what he thinks.

Yo Bud,

I don't like OPSEC either. There's something about it that just pisses me off. And there's not much defense against a PM - and by that I mean that unless they put something in the subject line that might clue you in, you are not gunna know it's OPSEC until you read the PM.

Also, if you think you might glean something from a post I or someone else makes in your AAR then it's your job to call me out. Do it nicely if you believe it was unintentional but do it openly as an educational/training opportunity for our community.

Suggestion: You & Damian might both post regularly in your AARs a concern about OPSEC and request that anyone that feels a need to post a "concern" do so to a 3rd party "umpire" and let that person do an investigation. Using an umpire could take away that unintentional OPSEC violation by any of your concerned readers.

Intentionally sending PMs or intentionally posting of OPSEC in an AAR is really an act of malice. I don't know how you can stop someone that intentionally is bent towards ruining games that post AARs. The only 100% effective way of combating that scenario is to cease your AAR.

It looks like you and Damian both enjoy posting AARs. From the number of hits your AARs have it looks like a lot of people enjoy watching and learning from your AARs. It would be sad to see you both lose out on additional enjoyment from playing this game.

Just my 2 cents.