Sand in the Vaseline - Wobbly vs PzB

[sveint]

Tough spot now, should have pulled back from Burma before.

All I can say good luck.

[Strv103C]

Shouldn't you get the AVG back soon? In my PBEM one of my air units got sunk and it is listed to come back after 90 days. The manual states 120 days for overruns and planes sunk but this seems to be wrong.

[Arstavidios]

Great AAR.
Well, looks you have to start winning the war in the South Pacific before you lose it India.
With the bulk of his forces in India the Japanese should not have a lot in the Pacific.
His aircraft can be redeployed there in a couple of days though and his airforce is still in a rather good shape.

[mlees]

Do others agree that when multiple sqds defend that there should be a possibility that a sqd attacks from an undefended location? Have a combat replay pop-up saying something like 'interceptors bypass escorts - attacking bombers".

A qualified yes: pilot experience should be a factor as well. Newbie fighter jocks should have a harder time getting that lucky break past the escort.

[mlees]

The weather isn't helping one bit.I get a cloud icon over DIamond Harbour and Calcutta. His bombers diregard this phantom restrction but mine don't want to get wet - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

This might be another example of the affect low pilot experience might have. Pilots with experience in the 30's or 40's might not fly in rain, while the Jap Betty pilots (who are in their 80's) WILL fly in rain. Not sure tho. Forgive me if this is not news to you...[:'(]

[asdicus]

How are you doing moving your troops back from burma to india ? I remember a while ago you said units were moving - perhaps you can fly some troops and then hope the heavy equipment catches up ? It seems from your observations that you are going to need every man in india soon !

Also you did split up those reinforcement convoys into single ship units ? Those are dangerous waters out there !

[wobbly]

Oh those fickle mirth-filled gods of war. They are sitting up in their temple of chaos and laughing at the fool they are making in me.

Andy: as always I try not to - today's results went a fair way towards helping the labouring pump.

Sveint: yeah good point I should have pulled back from Burma earlier and now it is too late - emissary sent to Tokyo with surrender orders....

strv103c: The AVG were actually destroyed - they were set to return after 360 days!! yep that is after I get my first Corsairs.

MLees - yeah I liked that idea personally, it always struck me as odd that the fighters always intercepted. However, PzB did point out that sometimes the fighters do get amongst the bombers anyway so it may just be false perceptions on my part. Also, his fixation with a large escort meant there were only 4 zeros and 7 oscars on duty above Chandpur today. The experience of my heavy bomber units is at mid 60s.

Asdicus: So far this is what has occured: the whole of the 16th Indian brigade has been airlifted to Dimapur. From there the size 12 Dakota sqd has been onlifting it to Diamond harbour. Parts of that unit are in Calcutta now - more on the way. The first part of the 2nd Malayan Brigade has been lifted to Dimapur (a 16 plane load). The 27th Oz Brigade, 3rd (I think) tank Regiment and the 1st malayan Brigade are about 7 miles from the rail link into India. The BFF and two Indian Brigades are about 1 more days march to the last hex (taking on average 8 days to cross). So the cavalry are coming, it is just a quesiton of whether my front can hold?

Today the same little clouds that were over Diamond Harbour yesterday - stopping me from flying my bombers against Chandpur - are over Chnadpur today stopping him form flying against Calcutta. Only this time they are not over Diamond Harbour and my Bombers sortie against Chandpur - 100 of them including 46 B-17s. 73 Jap planes - including many transport ACs - are caught on the ground and many more damaged.

The run off from this is the forts in Calcutta are back up to 7 and the bombers that stop them from being built are not likely to hit me again for a wee while. The whole shooting match moves to Asansol - rapidly moving towards size 5 airifeld status.

The tank company that left Asansol has made it to the intersection between Calcutta and Dacca - it will bombard to try and figure out what is holding the retreat hex.

At Bangalore it appears 4 of his units make it and I expect an attack next turn. He may force me to retreat, I have no forts and only a regiment of the 18th UK division has any fighting prowess.

Reciprocty has left port and steams due West out of Karachi before turning south.

I get a sqd of Hudsons and they will augment my dwindling cache of Catalinas - I have lost 1 on consecutive days in the last 3 - since I only get 3 replacements per month that is heavy losses indeed.

Hermes is one day away from Derby and it's fuel on aircraft.

I move some Mitchells, Hudsons and Martins to Derby to hit the western airfield in Timor - his scout planes located there manage to find ships in Derby. I also increase scouting aircraft in case this is where KB is headed.

At PM the APs sighted yesterday do not continue on their way, only the AGs in Lae harbour were hit and again the FBs were not escorted, I loose 2 P-39s to marauding zeroes.

Nighthawk is postponed another day as the second Carrier division made it to Pago Pago but had retire orders so don't refuel - they head back to do the job this time - why do I feel like these constant hiccups are allowing some serious forces to build against my aspirations in the South?

In San Francisco the BB California - a veteren of Pearl Harbour - is repaired enough to undergo AAA upgrade.

[Andy Mac]

Nice one 73 Aircraft on the ground has got to hurt him.

Are you planning on escorting 2nd Aus in with CV's or are they staying in the SOPAC area.

It just seems obvious that you will be trying to reinforce therefore he may be waiting for you (if nothing else with LBA from Ceylon)

May be worth using Hermes with a USMC Wildcat Sqn on board for point defence over the Convoy.

(As you need to preserve your UK pilots a la Battle of Britain I am assuming all UK pilots are diverting to LBA so the forum can please not give me a hard time for proposing using US CV capable air on a UK CV !!!)

Andy

[wobbly]

Andy

No the 2nd Oz are sneaking their way up the very edge of the map. They are at present slightly above Ceylon but right at the edge. The Hermes is nearly at Brrom and will be ferrying planes. Unfortunately it will be carrying too many to conduct flight operations - een though it will be carrying Wildcats.

I am very worried about the KB lurking about the ocean between Oz and India and yes he will likely be there somewhere.

[asdicus]

Glad to see your burmese troops are well on the way back to india. I am concerned that you are still focused on reinforcing calcutta without sending men to Asansol. This is a vital junction because it controls supply movement between karachi and your troops still down on indian-burmese border. Neglect this town to your peril ! I mentioned before that you would be unwise to focus heavily on calcutta - other towns nearer karachi are more vital in my opinion.

In my game vs the ai I am having better luck vs the zeroes by flying my fighters at 20000 only. Yes sometimes they do nothing or miss the action but at least they can bounce the enemy and escape - after all this was the standard tactic used by the AVG etc in the war. Don't fly wirraway or buffalo vs zeroes at all - it just gives them easy kills and you loose pilots. Your p-39 in new guinea need p-40 top over to protect them.

Thanks again for the riveting story. Don't let the realworld life over xmas stop you from updating this story please !

[wobbly]

Hi asdicus - agreed asansol is vital and is being reinforced as much as possible. I think I am a little fortunate that he is fixated with Calcutta at the moment. I think he made a choice to take Calcutta and Asansol will fall like the rest of the rotten house. Thankfully for me Calcutta has shown a bit of backbone and I think it is becoming a personal task. All of the troops retreating from Burma have preparaion points aiming at either Asansol or Lucknow - further up the rail line.

Earlier in the AAR I wrote that I have had no luck escorting the P-39s. I have 70 fighters at PM on escort - they just will not go with the fighter bombers.

[Speedysteve]

Hi Wobbly,

Just wondered if you had a map of your current sit in India showing forces and where they are etc?

Are you due much in soon at Karachi?

I still believe you can do this. It will be tough but if you can hold on in India and get into 43 alive and kicking you will have a chance to take back stuff in the South Pacific. I know you are really tempted to fight back in the South Pacific to at least divert PZB's attention but all i'd say is be cautious. I believe you have a lot to lose as well as potentially gain from an attack there. If you lose your carriers there then PZB will prob get the required 4-1 point lead no matter what you do.

Regards,

Steven

[sveint]

We all love this AAR - but I'm more pessimistic than most. His Pacific offensive will do nothing for India (sending US carriers to India would have). I'm still crossing fingers for you Wobbly. Prove me wrong.

[IKerensky]

About your unescorted FB...

Have you tried putting the escort ALSO on naval bombing but higher ? I remember seeing hit on some PG and thus on some of your mission, thus with a bit of luck you will have the 2 force flying coordonated to the hex. This can even be escorted by a third force...

Lower I have seen escort for FB is 1000 feet, with AVG escorting Buffaloes from Singapour.... but it always target fat AP/AK...

[Hornblower]

Agreed this is a very entertaining, and informative post. who whold have ever thought that the IJN/IJA could have pulled this off. now the real question is does this open up PZB to a USn/USMC attack in the east??

[wobbly]

Receprocity finds a trap laid for any reinforcements coming from Oz. ANd another unit trying to find the Ozzies finds one of my tripwire units.
At last a sweep into LAe with my Warhawks start to net some of the zeros there. The Japanese at Lunga at last realise the futility of their continued defense after suffering a seaborne bombardment.

Sveint: I believe you to be correct. I cannot amass enough defensive firepower to stop the Japs while I don't use troops from other locations - I cannot make them appear via land - so his attack to India is taking advantage of that. It doesn't belittle anything he has done though. Truly a marvellous effort and it is still fun trying to at least slow him down.

Kerensky - damn good idea - I'll try that when he moves some more AGs towards Lae.

Hornblower: Well certainly not me, I thought he might try India or Oz in an offhand sort of way. The possiblity created itself when he could still attack while the zero was potent. I am getting stronger, it just isn't happening fast enough. I need 2 more Divisions not what's left of the Oz 2nd!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42

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Day Air attack on Calcutta , at 29,23

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-21 Sally x 21
Ki-48 Lily x 12

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 31

Well I took the opportunity, after hammering his bombers on the ground, to take replacements for the Kittyhawks, he manages to destroy one of them but now at least I have been able to move some out.
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Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 16
B-25C Mitchell x 14


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7

Another strike on his recon base in the West of Timor - these guys stand down this turn as I know they will meet zeros if I don't change them.
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Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Catalina I: 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed

Both sides suffer equal losses over Lae - but that is a miracle in and of its own.
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Day Air attack on 55th Division, at 17,19


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 14
Wellington III x 24


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

I am trying to suppress the 55th Division currently at Bangalore. There is no stopping the units here as he has Divisions to my regiments again, but I really have to try and slow him down until the 5th Indian can join the defense.
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Day Air attack on 55th Chinese Division, at 30,34

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
G3M Nell x 17
G4M1 Betty x 25

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet
20 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
6 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet
5 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF at 7,15


Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 10
Swordfish x 15


Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 8 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Hyuga, Torpedo hits 1

Hullo - what the hell is this? It appears PzB has moved units up to cover the gap between the side of the map and Ceylon. My swordfish, that i ummed and ard about leaving on the Illustrious reach out and slap a few torps into PzB's BB force! I imagine he was waiting for a defensive action much like the one i was mounting. Well the BBs take torps but don't seem too damaged.
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Day Air attack on TF at 7,15


Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 10
Swordfish x 5


Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima

It would have been so sweet to manage to plug another couple into the Kirishma as well but I am still happy for this little surprise
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Day Air attack on TF at 4,15

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
D3A Val x 8
B5N Kate x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Foch, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Then - further to the West some Jap carriers appear - launching masses of zeros and a few dead-eye-dick bombers onto a tripwire AK that had already suffered damage while in port at Columbo. The bombers are bitsas from locations around Japan. I am picking that these are the CVLs. This does not fill me with any more confidence - look at the number of zeros!!! He knows I have swordfish here now so he will have zeros on defense - can't loose a carrier to those antiquated aircraft. Knowing this I actually put them on the beach - they've had their fun. I also put the Fulmars at 26000 feet. They can't stop the zeros and will just be hammered - better to have air cover than nothing though. Instead I am relying on the AAA of the ships and even better - weather stopping the attacks at all.
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Day Air attack on TF at 4,15

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
D3A Val x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Foch, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Foch suffers more pain and seccumbs to her injuries.
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Naval bombardment of Lunga, at 67,97

Allied Ships
DD Evertsen
DD John D. Edwards
DD Cassin
CL Detroit
CL Adelaide
CL Perth
CA Canberra

Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported

My surface ships roll into Lunga harbour and laywaste the Japanese camp. Wildcats and Tomahawks fly cover over them.
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Ground combat at 45,24

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 75093 troops, 776 guns, 153 vehicles

Defending force 1836 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 469 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
372 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

The Japs continue to roll up the North of China - nothing I can do about this - I have tried to go around the long way.
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Ground combat at Bangalore

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 771 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 12576 troops, 123 guns, 8 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

If he doesn't take the place in the next turn it can only be another one. I ready the troops to pull out of yet another Indian city.
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Ground combat at Lunga

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6604 troops, 51 guns, 5 vehicles

Defending force 866 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 172 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
553 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

At last the Japs on Lunga give in. The NLF their tries a Banzai charge which is cut to pieces on the Allied lines. The ships are staying here under the fighters to try and tempt Bettie and Nell out from their holes.
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As you can see from my picture I have managed to slip the aussies past the carriers but not far enough to escape the attention of scout planes on his carriers. The weather saves a few Aussies (until tomorrow maybe?) The TF, that was singleton ships following the slowest, now splits its directions as well. I thought on this long and hard and have decided that PzB will move his carriers North and slightly East. I am probably wrong but then I have little choice. The faster APs go to full speed. They can move 6 hexes total in the next turn and they do so in the direction of the North Western side of the map. The slower APs head South East - his LR range bombers from Trim and Madras could cause major problems here. Each TF has a single DD in attendance.

I really must have other targets of opportunity for the Jap bombers and I have decided to chance my arm with the carriers. They are heading further North of where I expect him to move - hopefully still within range of his carrier planes but within long range. There are planety of AAA welding ships for them to aim at. I also split off a couple of very low value DDs as targets. Panaji gives up another couple of ships and there is still a tripwire ships floating around between the carriers and his BBs. Speaking of his BBs I don't know what he intends to do with them - or more - what they are here for in the first place. I have a search report of a single AP - is this a more northerly invasion?

So there will be fun and games in the next turn - maybe next few turns.

In Madras a large contingent of units is reconned. He is changing the tack of his attack. I relaly have to somehow get the Aussies through this cordon - even if it isn't all of them (Aussies are good swimmers apparently).

The first unit has made it through the trail to India - a Malay Brigade. It sets out towards Asansol. The Aussies should be there in the next turn - and the turn after that another large Tanks unit.

All of my bombers retire to out of the way bases to replenish morale and numbers. I am doing the same with a few of the troops at Calcutta - they pull back to Diamond Harbour.

The two Chinese units I have by Rangoon refuse to move back to their lines. Each turn the movement orders allow me to move to their mates, but each turn they are back as if they were never set to go. Now the Japs are on top of them and another idiosyncrasy of the game looks to unhorse me.

In Broome the Hermes takes on two sqds of fighters and puts to sea. Last turn Betties tried to make it to Broome but their navigation falled and they couldn't find the port.

In PM I again put the Warhawks against Lae.

Operation Nighthawk is just waiting on the Carriers to come into range - 1 maybe two days.

[wobbly]

PzB's Carriers move North East and my carriers react towards them (react is not on??). The weather though hides all shipping bar two of my target DDs.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/18/42

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TF 81 troops unloading over beach at Trivandrum, 13,21


Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported

Another base lines up for occupation.
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Day Air attack on Calcutta , at 29,23

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-21 Sally x 20
Ki-48 Lily x 27

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Blenheim IF: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 35

The Jap bombers continue to hit Calcutta - this time catching more of my Kittyhawks on the ground.
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Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10

Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 37

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged

The P-40s take damage but manage to shoot down 3 to 2 against the zeros at Lae.
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Day Air attack on TF at 6,13

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Vendetta, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Vendetta weathers an earlier attack from torp bombers but takes abomb from the Vals.
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Day Air attack on TF at 6,13

Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 11
B5N Kate x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Edsall, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Edsall is less lucky taking two torps - she sinks.
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Ground combat at Lunga

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6614 troops, 51 guns, 5 vehicles

Defending force 580 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 178 to 1



Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported

Another shock attack at Lunga against the NLF. The Banzai charge loosing no troops! However, I have cut out two naval bombardments that are listed as killing 60 troops.
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The Aussies managed to escape destruction this turn - the units North of his carriers will continue north at full speed. The Southern group will move back to the West searching for the side of the map. The carriers are heading North by North West at full speed this time. He did move to the North East and this move may at least mean he is attacking at long range. THe problem with the way I am doing this is that I cannot attract his carriers towards the troops if I can help it. If he figures this out he will have a very good idea where I am hiding.

The troops at Bangalore are retreating. I may have a level 1 for there now but PzB has said there are 7 Divisions recently landed at Madras! That is just too many for me to handle. I do not have the forces to continue this defense. Even if all the Aussies make it ashore this will not be enough. More than anything it is the engineers that have kept me alive - I don't have enough to stop two assaults.

Well last turn he landed at Trimvandrum - so I move swordfish and beauforts to Columbo. Along with them are the Wellingtons - they are after the airfield at Trim. I expect he has many bombers set to strike Naval - hopefully the Trim ones are just too out of range and stay on the tarmac ready to be hit by bombers.

This will be my main aim from now on - to hit his planes on the deck. I can't kill them in the air and the points I get from killing Jap troops - who don't die during Banzai charges - is nothing next to the cost of my own losses. So the plan is to hit aircraft that do give me points on the same level as my own. For every point I get he must get 4. He needs another 2000 points as he currently sits. Calcutta, Bombay and Columbo are the locations of greatest points. The base in the North of China that I have relinquished is worth 300. If he comes East with the 7 Divisions currently at Madras I will also loose the 3 BBs at Diamond Harbour - another 500 points - sigh. The numbers are pretty ugly.

My Carriers in the South Pacific begin the advance on Tarawa - which by the way is worth a whopping 9 points or so to him. There are no points to be had in the Pacific until you get to Saipan and Guam - a long way off.

I am sorry Allied fans - this is really looking like the Jap Prosperity sphere will include India and bring hte war to a halt in early 43.

[Hornblower]

"Don't Give up the Ship."

[ElvisDaKing]

Boy, the King (George [;)]) is counting on you to defend the jewel of his crown : India.
Failure is not an option.
You'll win because you have something he has not : Hope.
He is commiting all his ressources, trying to defeat only a small bunch of heroes fighting for democracy.
Every day he s weaker. Soon wind will blow in the otherside.
Use the Force young Padawan, use the Force...

[Strv103C]

The good news here are as numerous as there are pigs on the moon. It's game over if you lose India unless you sink the whole Jap fleet.