Gen.Hoepner vs. Hawker, Mare Nostrum

[Gen.Hoepner]

Good morning guys.

Tonight, while i was in that particular state of mind, between sleeping and awaking, i thought about something.................................

He has told me many times he's going for Russia for VPs, right?
Vladivostock worths 1200 VPs.

But is that all?...i mean....why in the world he would risk the activation of a brand new front when he can still invade places almost undefended that worth as many points as vladivostok?

So Again....is he really going for Russia or it's just a ....how do you say it it english?....a mistification(sp?) ?..a masquerade?...a trick?

If i was him i'd still go for India...but there's also the Fiji islands that worth a lot...New Caledonia...Pago Pago and so on....
mmmmm...i must remain concentrated on the whole map and not givin' as already written the fact that he will go fo Russia forgetting about everything else...

[aztez]

It seems we have a same opponent at the moment [:)]

Well, I would put my money on both Russia and India!

...as for those two targets I would say that India is the primary one!

Good thing though that you hold DEI at the moment since It is risky to try anykind of India adventure before Java has fallen.

Good luck!

[Gen.Hoepner]

I'd love if he goes for India. He's going to need the whole Combined Fleet, including KB......and he's gonna have the whole american fleet threatning his shoulders from Northern Oz ( from Darwin i can advance easily through the DEI-SRA under the umbrella of my 4Es!).
Also Karachi is much easier to defend than Vladivostok, being a supply-producing center. More: the brits have huge reinforcements coming, while Russians have none[:(].

Only time will tell i think, but what's important now it is not to be caught with pants down[;)]

[Tom Hunter]

You get a month warning before he actually hits Russia, so you should plan for a defense in the other places that might win him the game.

But if he activates Russia then you must move into an offensive posture in the other theaters to run up the VP numbers so that he cannot auto victory.

I have the same issue in my Lunacy game, Mogami is going to hit something hard, China, Russia, Hawaii, Noumea or India. So they are all preparing defensive positions (except Russia, no warning for me) but as soon as I know where he is going the other places have to launch counter offensives to push up the VP numbers.

Sadly the best I can do is probably to push up VP number on both sides, preventing Japan from getting 4 to 1 but also making Allied victory more difficult in the later part of the war. But I still have to hit him, and so do you.

[Gen.Hoepner]

You get a month warning before he actually hits Russia, so you should plan for a defense in the other places that might win him the game.

But if he activates Russia then you must move into an offensive posture in the other theaters to run up the VP numbers so that he cannot auto victory.

I have the same issue in my Lunacy game, Mogami is going to hit something hard, China, Russia, Hawaii, Noumea or India. So they are all preparing defensive positions (except Russia, no warning for me) but as soon as I know where he is going the other places have to launch counter offensives to push up the VP numbers.

Sadly the best I can do is probably to push up VP number on both sides, preventing Japan from getting 4 to 1 but also making Allied victory more difficult in the later part of the war. But I still have to hit him, and so do you.

Yes tom, i completely agree. I plan to counterattack in China, Burma, Southern Dei and Pacific...the only problem is that i will surely face his dreaded Betties and we all know how can those lovely babies be nasty in 1942... Probably China will be the best place to counterattack...but my supply situation if can be considered good for a defensive posture, is bad for an attacking one...but i'll try, nonetheless!



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/29/42

Nothing much interesting happened in the last few days. He keeps bombing sosarbaja...but KB and zeros are not in Batavia anymore...so i'll probably try to engage those oscars...could be interesting[8D]

In Burma nothing changed. We both stay on hold at Moulmein, while forts are rising

In China we've been exchanging interesting fightings over Changsha and Ichang. My p-36 and my Kittihawks, always outnumbered, did a great job against his Nates! Last week kill ratio is something around 3-15 in my favour[;)]

nothing much more to report...

[Gen.Hoepner]

3/31/42

We keep exchanging hits in China. My british kittis shot down 5 japanese planes over Ichang today, without losing a single one!
Soon 2 Ind. Jap Bdes will be eliminated[8D].

Sosarbaja is daily hit.

Thursday island, after a siege of 15 days, finally fell.

Nothing more to report

[Gen.Hoepner]

4/1/42

April begun. Last month of the zero bonus[:D]

Nothing interesting happened today. He's moving ships and troops from PI to Java....

This is my Top Aces list....as you can see i'm using every kind of plane![:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

2nd Aprile 1942

Again a very normal day.
Hundreds of Bombers over Sosarbaja.

In China he finally decided to fight in the air and set 13 oscars to intercept my training program. 5 P-39s were shot down[:@]...but luckly none of the aces![;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/02/42

The Japs are taking heavy casualities in the whole Asian Continent[:D].
Today 130,000 Japs crossed the Sian river and shock attacked....My 80,000 well supplied and well supported men held their positions beyond the forts[8D]. Now i'll try a flanking movement to threaten his supply lines[:D].
Everybody complains about the land combat system...i gotta say that regardless which side i play i find it very easy to master and very funny to play[;)].

You can see the overall chinese situation....he made some big mistakes IMHO. He did not concentrate his forces and now he hasn't enough men both in the north nor in the south of China

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Ground combat at Sian

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 128749 troops, 1491 guns, 167 vehicles

Defending force 89539 troops, 533 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 7) [8D]


Japanese ground losses:
6436 casualties reported[:D]
Guns lost 107
Vehicles lost 20

Allied ground losses:
1597 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

[jwilkerson]

Everybody complains about the land combat system...i gotta say that regardless which side i play i find it very easy to master and very funny to play

Maybe its the "VERY FUNNY" part we struggle with !!!

[Tom Hunter]

I mostly agree with Gen Hoepner once you understand land combat (and the fact that it is not connected to WWII land combat) it can be a lot of fun to mess around with.

To see what I mean look at the opening of my Lunacy AAR with Mogami. I used the land combat system to move a Chinese army through Wuhan by rail even though Mogami owned Wuhan at the time and had 200,000 troops there.

[Gen.Hoepner]

don't get me wrong. I am not saying land combat is realistic. I just say that once you understand it, as tom said, it can be enjoyable to play.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/04/42

Nothing happened. Soon the final fight for Sosarbaja will begin.
Hawker asked me for a new house rule: no USA or GB planes in Russia before 30 days after the activation. I agreed cause it sounds fair.
I think hawker is going for Russia very soon...probably he doesn't want to allow me to use spits ( that will be available from June)...that's a smart move!
My question is: where he's gonna find the divisions for such adventure? In China he has at least 300,000 men involved in front line fightings...not to mention those who are needed for garrison duties... In Java he will need at least 5000 APs....i'm puzzled...really[&:]
However i decided to go for an elastic defence. The key will be to hold the first wave...

In Alaska 64 b-25, 32 Kittihawks and 32 Wildcats with 16 Liberators are ready to jump into Russia to help our brave Kameraden. In China some 48 B-17s and 60 Buffalos are ready with some more useless P-26s and P-39s.

Anyway...with the first of May the zero bonus will be gone and the Russian fighters will probably do their Job...at least for the first week of war...i hope[:o]

With the germans advancing towards Caucasus and Volga river, with the Japs ready to jump into Siberia...will the Red Giant be able to hold and keep on fighting aside the western allies?

...the world holds his breath....

[AmiralLaurent]

Hi, GH

I played a Russia campain vs Moses on the stock map. On this map the best defensive Soviet position is Iman (mountain) and from there I launched a counter-attack that was able to reach Harbin. Had I known better the land model, as I do now, I am quiet confident I will have taken it and saved the Soviet Army.

I think the key with the Soviet forces is to gather them and launch counter-attacks. Moses finally crushed me but he had about 1000 point of losses in the air and the ground. Especially in the north Soviet will probably have local superiority (Mongol Cavalry is worth nothing).

In the air Soviet fighters won all battles against Nates and Oscars, and losses vs Zeroes were less than 2 for 1.

Then, what do you think of a preemptive strike ? If he warms you because you agree that Soviet intelligence was good enough to see an offensive coming, Soviet generals may launch this attack...

Also this was before the last versions of WITP where there was no shock attack when crossing a river and shock attacks were less bloddy for the attacker.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/06/42

So it is true!!! He's coming for Russia indeed![:(] 27 units spotted on my border...2 hexes from Vladivostok. Well...i'll fight my way. Russian and allied bombers will keep the Japanese fleet ( if he ever dares to risk his precious ships against my 8inches CD guns...) away, while my 4Es will start smashing his Japanese Industry and the Russian fighters, with the help of some foreigner volounteers, will try to hold the japanese air power as long as possible.
I still don't understand where he's found all those divisions[&:]....

Today we inflicted another bloody nose to the Japs at Sian[8D]...more 6500 japanese won't see tomorrow's dawn, while my chinese cities are well supplied, well fortified and my troops are gaining experiece[:D]

Russia can close the game...i know...but he still has to take Java...and it won't be an easy nut to crack!...opening another front is a real gamble for the Japs...Imho.



Still the same problem with my CVs...my F4Fs won't upgrade back to 27...they keep remaining at 13 per group[:o][:-][:-][:-]

Any advice?





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Ground combat at Sian

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 162621 troops, 1799 guns, 155 vehicles

Defending force 88755 troops, 513 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 7) [:D]


Japanese ground losses:
6956 casualties reported[:D]
Guns lost 132
Vehicles lost 4

Allied ground losses:
2319 casualties reported
Guns lost 32

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Hi, GH

I played a Russia campain vs Moses on the stock map. On this map the best defensive Soviet position is Iman (mountain) and from there I launched a counter-attack that was able to reach Harbin. Had I known better the land model, as I do now, I am quiet confident I will have taken it and saved the Soviet Army.

I think the key with the Soviet forces is to gather them and launch counter-attacks. Moses finally crushed me but he had about 1000 point of losses in the air and the ground. Especially in the north Soviet will probably have local superiority (Mongol Cavalry is worth nothing).

In the air Soviet fighters won all battles against Nates and Oscars, and losses vs Zeroes were less than 2 for 1.

Then, what do you think of a preemptive strike ? If he warms you because you agree that Soviet intelligence was good enough to see an offensive coming, Soviet generals may launch this attack...

Also this was before the last versions of WITP where there was no shock attack when crossing a river and shock attacks were less bloddy for the attacker.

Hi AL

I've read all those AAR made by Moses and i was really impressed how easily he crushed your defences...seems that USSR Army is heavily overpowered...
However in this new AB's Map i don't see any chance of counterattacking from Imam. I'd need to cross a river and the risk to have my supply line cut by his blietzkrieg units is too strong imho.
The only possible way is comming down from Bozrya, in the North.
But my defensive plan is still under contruction. I need to have some better intel about his intentions. Those 27 units could be some divided brigaes, some AA,Eng units and something useless like that... No, i'll first try to stop his advance...then, keeping a tactical defence in my back i'll see if a chance for a counterattack arises. But again: first goal is to stop his blitzkrieg.

Key will be to keep my AFs open. I've already experienced at Sosarbaja what those hordes of bombers and zeros can do...but i have a good fighter force here ( more than 500 soviet fighters available) and the zero bonus will be gone forever...Beauforts,Wellingtons and b-17s will try to keep him busy in his rear guard.

And no...we have an agree: no attacks before 30 days past after the activation...so i won't do anything. When the 31st day will come i'll try to give him some headhaches...

It's gonna be very interesting

[bbbf]

Have you got any Para's you could send behind his lines in Manchuria?

Seems to me there must be some empty bases somewhere across there.

I also wonder wether you could possibly launch a flanking attack, as it appears he is concentrating for Vladivostok.

Good Luck Comrade.

[Gen.Hoepner]

No paras...sorry. My Marine Para unit is getting ready for a juicy target in the pacific...but it's still to early[:(].

Vladivostok worths alone 1200 VPs...it's clearly his first target in terms of importance

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/07/42

Nothing new to report except the fact that he keeps advancing in the Aleutinas, jumping with little units from one island to another and the fact that at Batavia every day the enemy units grow in number. I'm really curious to see how long the Brits and the Ducths will hold in Java...

Anyway...i gotta say that i'm happy about my actual situation: In Burma he has not advanced any forward than Moulmein( which is still in my hands). In China he has been beaten almost everywhere ( only Yenen actually has fallen). Southern Java is still in my hands, along with Timor and Bali. New Caledonia,Fiji,Pago pago,Canton Isl,Palmyra,Johnston's...all these islands are still in allied hands. He has taken PM,Rabaul, Lunga and Tarawa, but he hasn't advanced any forward in the pacific.
The zero bonus is almost gone. He still has a great advantage on my in terms of quality, but my numbers are growing and he will find a stiffer opposition every that that passes by...

The real big question mark is about Russia....

[Gen.Hoepner]

Some more things to be reported.

In less than 20 days an Aviation Regiment will be deploying at Darwin...so let's say that in 30 days Darwin AF will be finally operational in supporting an heavy bombing campaign of the Southern DEI-SRA already in Japanese hands. With Timor not yet in his hands, i'll probably be able to interdict seriously any naval attempt to Conquer and reinforce Timor...or to force him to bring in his KB to do so...

The pacific is being heavily reinforced. Already 1 Australian Division and 1 Marine Division ( the 2nd) are present at Noumea, along with an Aus HQ, 2 Base forces, 1 Aviation Rgt, 2 Arty Units and some Engeneers. 2 more divisions will join the party in the next 30 days. With Noumea in these conditions i'll probably be able to close the pacific Gap within the next 3 months ( still need to reinforce Pago Pago,Bora Bora, Suva and somehow more Canton Island, while Palmyra and Christmas are already at "Fortress" level[:)])

One thing is clear: if he really goes for Russia he won't be able to go for anything more in the pacific.....And with all those divisions involved in Java,China and Russia, he will only have to rely on the strenght of his KB to face my future invasions....

In Burma everything is quite. He stoped trying to conquest Moulmein. My 1,000 APs there, along with 7 forts, plenty of supplies and support have stuck the advance of the 15th Army ( 33rd and 55th Jap Divisions).


Altough i know most of you think i've made a Huge mistake fortifying Java so much, i still belive i'm doing quite well. He still has to conquer Java and now i'm quite confident he won't be able to do so before 1st May...and arriving at June with the actual perimeter is not that bad for the allies Imho.
Yes, if he crushes Russia he's gonna win, i know...but i really could not do anything more to stop or slow him down. And even if i had not fortified Java, Russia would be in danger anyway....so...for the moment...i'm happy.