Vettim89 vs Greasylake - Reversal of Fortunes

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: vettim89

A few months ago I fully expected it, but why now. Larry has stopped expanding south and I thought he was giving up on Oz. I guess I was wrong.


LBA launches out of Chittagong and chews up some japanese ships. Several 1000 lb bombs were dropped and hit the CL.

Possibly Larry had to take a breather to allow his economy to turn out more aircraft and supplies.

Surprisingly good work for Liberators!

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: vettim89

A few months ago I fully expected it, but why now. Larry has stopped expanding south and I thought he was giving up on Oz. I guess I was wrong.


LBA launches out of Chittagong and chews up some japanese ships. Several 1000 lb bombs were dropped and hit the CL.

Possibly Larry had to take a breather to allow his economy to turn out more aircraft and supplies.

Surprisingly good work for Liberators!

Agreed and I had them set at 15 k per our house rule. The ships were in port. I don't know if the engine takes that into account. Larry did tell me the air losses associated with Grommet took up two months of air frame production

[vettim89]

24 October 1942

Now Lunchow is invaded. I think this may have been a paradrop as they attacked on the turn of arrival. The IJA attack went off at 0 to 1 and cost the Japanese 1961 casualties to none! I am moving units in from Kuming to deal with this threat. Cursor intel reveals one units at Lunchow, one directly east, 2 at Hanoi, and 2 at Haiphong. This is just an attack to distract me. Another deliberate attack at Kanhsien goes off at 0 to 1 but reduces forts to 3. Japanese losses exceed Allied losses 2486 to 653. I decided to do a deliberate attack here. These units are withering on the vine and if the IJA units disruption is high enough, this attack may do some damage. Better to go down fighting I always say.

My brave fliers from Chittagong descend on Rangoon again and you can see the results. Losses much higher this turn. Cursor intel revelas 96 fighters at Rangoon now but only 2 and Meiktila. My bombers switch over to AB attack and will hit the latter target. My guess is Larry transfered every available fighter in the theatre to Rangoon and their likely are some damaged airframes at Meiktila. Hopefully we will catch them on the ground. All the US P-40 squadrons are pulled back for refit. I want these guys at near full strength once Ramree Island is operational. I will put Hurricanes at Ramree and Warhawks at Akyab. This will put all my fighters at extended range but will also allow me to put over 200 fighters in the air over Rangoon. Troops are loading for Wallace now. My thinking is the massive damage by my LBA may have spooked Larry out of the BOB as far as carriers go.

[vettim89]

25-31 October 1942

Sorry about not posting but RL has been a bit hectic. Just getting the turns run has consumed most of my free time. The last week has been very slow with a few brief operations - one of which may be important

China

My deliberate attack at Kanhsien was a failure going off at 0 to 1. After a few days, the IJA took the base. I knew it was going to fall soon as Larry was reducing the Fort level by 2 to 3 points a week. I guess I just rushed it along by a week or so. I expelled the first units from Lunchow but Larry came right back with three units including the Imperial Guards. I have seven additional units in bound. I have made no progress at all at the Crossroads. Larry's AS has not fallen at all in spite of what has to be a serious supply problem.

Burma

Larry tried to a port attack on Akyab from Rangoon that just cost him about a dozen air frames. This last turn the Japanese went after the TF unloading supplies there but scored no hits. I reinforced the CAP here. Ramree Island is now 51% to Level 2 AB. Operation Wallace is on with troops unloading and supplies cmoing ashore at a trickle. I won't linger here long as KB or a portion could show up at any moment. Maybe one or two more turns

Australia

Units moving towrds Tenant Creek. Most of the combat strength of the Australian Army will gather here and head north. More engineers and AvSupport are a few weeks away from Adelaide.

SoPac

Upgrade Damage is repaired for the most part and my ACTF are formed and will head south to Noumea first. All the units are in place for Huey, Duey, and Louey. My plan is to set this off in rapid succession to get Larry off balance. I figure he will head to Lunga first when I get there. Then I will pull the CV's rapidly east to fire off Duey and Louey in rapid succession. Actually I just changed my mind. I will Do Louey first (Baker Island). Then Huey (Lunga) and Duey (Nanumea). My thinking here is to pull Larry East first then West and Finally back east. Kinda like a basketball player doing a head fake.

[vettim89]

1-3 November 1942

Quiet turns on 1st and 2nd. All action on the 3rd.

In the Bay of Bengal a Japanes ACTF appeared and ripped the UK CV's badly. Two of three CV's plus CVL Hermes are incapable of flight ops and are limping towards Trico. The IJN flyers ignored the huge SCTF and Transports and concentrated on the CV's. My counterstrike was effective according to FoW with CVL Ryuho, CVL Zuiho and CV AKagi all reported as hit by one torpedo

The IJA tried a deliberate attack at Lunchow that came off at 0 to 1 with a 10 to 1 casualty ratio in the Chinese favor. I am moving 7 additional units here but it is a matter of time. The forts did drop to 2 in this attack. My attack at the Crossroads came off at 1 to 1 but I lost 3200 to Larry's 900. With my right flank threatend,perhaps it is time to withdraw from this losing proposition. I don't understand why the Japanese units that are complete surrounded are not seeing a fall in their AS at all. I assume Larry is transporting supplies in.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: vettim89

1-3 November 1942

My counterstrike was effective according to FoW with CVL Ryuho, CVL Zuiho and CV AKagi all reported as hit by one torpedo

Sterling work for Swordfish! Any chance of some long-range LBA (Wellingtons or Liberators) harrying the Japanese?

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: vettim89

1-3 November 1942

My counterstrike was effective according to FoW with CVL Ryuho, CVL Zuiho and CV AKagi all reported as hit by one torpedo

Sterling work for Swordfish! Any chance of some long-range LBA (Wellingtons or Liberators) harrying the Japanese?

Gotta love that little smoke column rising from the Ryuyo. No Larry was smart enough to position his carriers just out of range of my Liberators in Chittagong. If Wallace is successful, he will no longer be able to move into Rangoon unharassed. I have some Beufort pilots who have been screaming for targets.

[vettim89]

5 November 1942

I lost a day in here somewhere. As promised the screenie for my retreating UK ACTF. Fortunately the Japanese retired too. Maybe the damage on those two CVL's was worse than reported. Wallace was a tactical defeat but a strategic victory as Andaman Island is garrisoned and the engineers are building forts and expanding the AB. Beufort pilots are salivating. Action over Akyab as the Japanese try in vain to go after my transports unloading supply there. Ramree Is. is 82% to Level 2. Av Support is already in place so once it goes to level 2, fighters move in and we hit Rangoon hard.

In China, IJA shock attacks one hex east of the crossroads and evicts the one Chinese Corp acting as a blocking force. The 16 units in this hex can now march into the crossroads. I am contemplating a shock attack of my own once disruption falls to see if I can push the four IJA units at the Crossroads out. Have a few days. Maybe it is just better to hold my ground. Cursor intel reveals 37 IJA units stretched from Kahnsien to the Crossroads! That's a lot of fire power.

My old friend S-38 sufferd badly from an ASw attack at Darwin and will likely sink. Nearest safe port is Perth.

My CV's are approaching Palmyra. From ther they will meet up with the Trans TF and head directly for Canton Island. Just as they get there, they will swing west and move on Baker Is.

[vettim89]

6 November 1942

My TF's steam toward Trico. Update on the Brit CV's include. Fires are almost out but I am worried about the flooding. I think they will make it as they are only three days out. I-153 was met by the DD's in the TRANS TF and suffer 12 hits per FOW. If this ship is really this dinged up it would be nice as it is a Glen carrying sub. Doubt if she will sink though. Ramree Is is at 86% complete to Level 2 AB. It seems to be going about 4% a day so that means I am about four days out. Deeper in India two US P-40 squadrons are almost completely repped up. These units will move to Akyab and I will move the Hurricanes to Ramree. Then I will launch Operation Pooh Bear: the reduction of Rangoon. My first turn I will send in a Sweep of about 250 fighters. Then the Liberators will do their stuff.

I have a MLE at Perth now so I can start running Sub Minelaying missions from there. At Trico, SS Trusty has been sitting at 1 syst damage with forward tubes out for a month now. She won't seem to make that last move. I am moving her to Colombo just in case the game engine needs a nudge.

Tenant creek has reached Level 2 AB so I can now start reconning Darwin and Katherine. I will move units forward to Daly waters now and take that base. Supply seems to be moving agonizingly slow up here.

Hitch in my SoPac plans as I realized I failed to account for an ample amount of supply in my Louey plans. Ergo I am switching to Duey (Nanumea) as these units are at Suvali where there is plenty of supply and ample AP's for a quick in/quick out drop off. US CV's are at Palmyra and are heading south towards Pago Pago where they will replenish.

I fugure in about 14 days Larry will be facing siumulataneous offensive operations on three fronts: Burma, Oz, and SOPac. That ought to make his head spin.

[vettim89]

7 November 1942

My UK CV's should amke Trico in two days. Flooding crept up by one or two points but they should all make port ok. Larry broke threw the CAP over Akyab and hit both an AK and a DD with 250 k AP bombs. They are now destined for Chittagong to pump out before heading to Diamond Harbor to repair. Ramree Is is 90% to Level 2 AB. Three more turns.

Units on the move elsewhere. Shoudlbe ready in a fortnight for Duey

Image of what I'm up against at Lunchow. Unless I am wrong, all these divisions were in the "unrestricted" category at game's start. Larry seems intent on taking as much of China as possible. All I can do is move more units into his path and hope the offensive grind to a halt.

[vettim89]

8 November 1942

Just a quick update. UK CV's make Trico next turn. Flooding has crept upward about 2 points a day so they are not in danger. UK DD's hit an I-Boat off Trico harbor for 5 hits and on fire result. Larry has repositioned some units and is hitting Port Blair from Tavoy, Victoria, and Sabang. They have not damaged the AB as of yet. With Pooh Bear just a few days off, this is a good thing as fighters at Rangoon have dropped from a high of 121 to 85.

IJA failed at another Deliberate Attack at Lungchow and did not touch the forts.

[vettim89]

9-11 November 1942

A few pedestrian turns passed by with the only big action being a bombardment of Port Blair by 2 BB's. The facilities there are pretty chewed up so no airfield expansion for a while. Operation Pooh Bear is a go today. There are currently 77 fighters and 121 bombers at Rangoon. I decided to skip the sweep and go for the all out assault as I fear Larry will pull the bombers if I give him a turn. So 140 P-40E's and over 130 Hurricanes and Spits will escort in 120 B-25 and about 100 Liberators/LB-30's. Hopefully we will catch a lot of a/c on the ground. That is about it for now. Lots of stuff happeneing in the next two weeks. Lets see what it brings.

[vettim89]

11 November 1942.

Well after what seems like weeks of nothing happening, this game is suddenly interesting. Pooh Bear goes off and I lost a lost of fighters but so did Larry. What surprises me is that I lost a grand total of two (count em boys, two!) bombers. The two raids indicated a total of 26 Air Base hits, 10 Air Base Supply hits, and 237 Runway hits. Rangoon is listed as 25% damaged this turn. My goal of this approach succeded as Larry lost a lost of bombers

The IJA shows up at Port Blair and unloads part of 20th ID and 10th AD. The prep had to be about 0 as they took it hard while landing and mounted a very feeble attack that came off at 0 to 1. I ordered my units to attack this turn as the IJA disruption has to be through the roof and there is no way these guys can survive if the entirety of these two units is landed. A SCTF sorties from Tric to intercept the IJN at Port Blair. Also my last operation UK CV will lurk to the west of Port Blair in hopes of being able to help. All bombers are switched to Nav Attack. This next turn should be very interesting.

[vettim89]

BoB SItRep

[vettim89]

12 November 1942

Just a quick update as I need to head off to work.

Intense action in BoB. SS Truant puts 3 torpedoes into an AK and it sinks. There are six more subs in bound to Port Blair. ALbacores from Illustrius put two TT's into BB Hyuga at Port Blair. My SCTF is still two days out. Unfortunately bad weather in the area prevented most of my LBA from finding their targets. Liberators did not fly at all. A strike did fly on the AB at Rangoon and killed a bunch more A/C on the ground and added to the AB damage. Rangoon is listed as 35 on the cursor intel. My Attack failed miserably so Larry will take Port Blair. He has more than enough troops ashore but they are going to be in a bad way as far as resupply goes. I misidentified the units involved: it is 20th ID and 4th Armored RGT.

Will post more later with screenies.

[vettim89]

11 November 1942 (addendum)

Forgot to mention a few things. First, one of the TT that hit Hyuga got not one but two bonus messages: major flooding AND critical damage. [:D] Rangoon is down to 35 fighters and 35 bombers. I am sure Larry is pulling things out as fast as he can but the damged airframes are ripe targets. He has lost over 60 Tojo's in just two days. The other thing I noticed is the sudden appearance of Carrier air (Kaets, Vals, and three models of A6M) in the training runs out of SIngapore over the past few days. This tells me two things. First the mini-KB I that roughed up the UK CV's is likely now there and there is likely enough damage that Larry is not planning on putting the to sea soon.

Port Blair is an inigma to me. I deliberately did not put a lot of high value units there due to its exposed position. That said, Larry's knee jerk response to load up some poorly prepped units and counterinvade immediately seems risky to me. Would a few weeks of prep time really made a difference? WHo knows. One hope I have is Larry may be sending more CV's to this area to bolster the defense. AS I am about to move in the SoPac that would be a nice surpsie for me. I am sure Larry realizes that if I hold and develope Port Blair, Rangoon will be cut off

[vettim89]

12 November 1942

Port Blair fell. Larry just used the brute force approach. Still this position is just as exposed for him as it was for me. Betty's from Tavoy managed to torpedo Illustrious so now I have no operational UK CV's. Bombers are hitting Rangoon unopposed now and chewed up both the airfield and the ships in port. We may have a surface combat tomorrow as Lary sent a SCTF to try to intercept my CVTF. My SCTF is moving towards his now.

AIr loss report. Larry has probably lost 500 airframes in the last three weeks of game play. I am ok on all models except P-40E. With P-38G production ramping up, this may resolve itself very soon. While I am not happy about losing Port Blair and the two units based there, overall I am happy with the results of Wallace and Grommet and especially Pooh Bear

[vettim89]

13-17 November 1942

Not a lot of action until this turn. Will do a quick roundup by area

Burma/BoB

My bombers are now hitting Rangoon and Port Blair on a daily basis. Today Larry tried to sneak some transports into Rangoon and lost two AP's. I am thinking it may be time to position some units for an early 1943 ground offensive in Burma. I know that will be a slogfest but I feel like putting a little more pressure on larry here would not be a bad thing.

China

As you can see, Larry has moved quite the force into China. Lungchow fell today and my units retreated toward Pakhoi instead of Nanning to my disappointment. I have decided to abandon Nanning except for the static units if larry moves in this direction. Likewise Pakhoi will be abandoned. I will defend behind the river instead.

Oz

My lead unit has reached Daly Waters and I ordered a shock attack at this vacant base. My units will hold here will supplies move up and the AB is built up. There are six units at Darwin and one at katherine.

SoPac

My CV's are two days out of Pago Pago. There will replinish and I will start loading the units for Duey. Larry has his attention focused on the west half of the map. Time to make him look east again

[vettim89]

17 November 1942 (The real 17th)

Just a quick update. Daly Waters is back in allied hands. This is the first base the Allies have recaptured. While it was an unopposed attack, it is certainly an important landmark in the war. October and November have been high action months and will lead to bigger and better things to come. Huey, Duey and Louey will jump off within the week. CV Essex is less than two months away. Also, all that lift I am so desperate for will soon arrive including LST/LCI.

Immediate plans are development of AB's at Daly Waters, Lunga, Nanumea, and Baker Island for future operations.

[vettim89]

18=19 November 1942

The IJA is pushing towards Nanning. A major portion of Japans LBA is based in southern China. The daily bombardment of Chinese units is incredible. In northern China I am doing some new recon work. I think there may be an opportunity here. With all these units in south and south-central China, I am wondering if Larry stripped the northern sector.

Reorganizing units in Samoa. After seeing Larry's ease at retaking Port Blair, I need to beef up my occupattion force of Nanumea. I am considering taking a chance here. We have a HR for stacking no more than 30 K troops on an atoll. This precludes putting a full Inf DIv there. SO I am thinking of pulling the RCT from Pago Pago and repositioning a protion of 1st Marine Div there (at Suvali now) This would give me two RCT's plus engineers to take to Nanumea. Sending 40th ID and a large BF to Lunga so I am ok there.

I am sending a boatload of troops to Dimapur. These will slowly move toward Mandalay for a January offensive