Well, well, well, Damian's launching a counter-offensive of sorts. He has retaken Cagayan ( costing me about 3 divisions worth of troops, mostly Chinese and due to return in 30 days, so no big loss )
Good point, but what does that do to the victory point status?
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
Don't know, don't care [:D]
I think it might be important to re-iterate here that I don't play with an eye to points and if Damian were the sort of guy who did then I wouldn't enjoy the game and I'd concede. There's no point playing something I won't enjoy and since winning doesn't matter its easy to concede a game one won't enjoy.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
And now for a word on CV TFs and the work done on prepping them so far....
I have 5 USN CVs available ( Lexington, Saratoga, Enterprise, Hornet and Wasp ), 3 RN CVs ( Indomitable, Formidable, Illustrious ), 1 CVL ( Hermes ) and 7 CVEs.
The plan is to load the USN CVs with USMC Corsairs and F6F5s, the RN CVs with Seafires and USN Corsairs. There might be a little interpolination there but that's the plan. The remaining decks space will be taken up with SBDs.
The Hermes and 7 CVEs will be loaded up with SBDs and Avengers. They will be my air base suppressor units once the invasion fleets go in.
So, what do my CV wing compositions look like?
Saratoga: 10 Corsairs-USMC, 26 F6F5, 48 SBD
Enterprise: 35 Corsair-USMC, 18 F6F5, 43 SBD
Hornet: 16 Corsair-USN, 54 F6F5, 24 SBD
Wasp: 35 Corsair-USMC, 36 SBD
Indomitable: 20 Seafire ( 25 empty spaces )
Formidable: 26 Seafire ( 10 empty spaces )
Illustrious: 36 empty spaces
Lexington: 91 empty spaces.
I have 175 F4F4s in Kwajalein and neighbouring atolls awaiting conversion. I might keep 50 or so for t/f to CVEs as replenishable escorts for the CVE TF. The other 125 or so will go to filling the Illustrious, Lexington and Indomitable.
Basically that means that at a rate of 340 planes per month I can have 125 replacements available in about 10 days. So, right on track for the end of January.
At that point in time I should be able to mount a CAP of 50 F4F4s over my CVEs and 150 Corsairs, 154 F6F5s and 46 Seafires over my main CV TFs. In addition I will carry some 330 SBDs and Avengers which is quite a punch. Overall I'll be mounting a 50/50 split between fighters and strike planes. I'd like that to be in the ratio of 2:1 but I don't have sufficient fighter groups.
What does all of that mean? Well, I doubt the Japanese in the region of Truk can mount more than 450 to 500 planes in total ( based on 4 x 72 plane CVs + 1 x Shinano class CV + 3 CVLs = 475 or so ) and so my CAP should - accounting for his CAP staying over his CVs - prove sufficient to obliterate his attack waves. I doubt I have enough to break his CAP at the same time though but that's ok, the goal is to take islands, not sink CVs right now.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
I'm in the same boat as you are, Nemo. I don't care about the point total as I have my own ego/id that grades me much more stringently than the game does. I'm doing well in my first two games as Japan, except in one area. I have not managed the transports well in the beginning. At times, the needed APs are a week to even further away from were my troops are at. Thus, invasions are postponed and my opponent gets more of what i don't have...time.
Aye, it's all about the logistics in the opening few months as Japan. Time and time again I see players stalling offensives because their transports are out of position.
One work-around I've tried - with some success in a few situations - is to launch an invasion on a nearby island, return to the main IJA staging area, pick up new troops there, transport them to phase 2 objectives, return to the first island ( phase 1 ), pick up the troops there and transports them past the phase 2 objective to phase 3 ( etc, etc etc)
You keep your carriers forward with the most-forward phase ( which has the effect of protecting the APs and AKs even if the CVs aren't co-located ) and while you are transporting troops to phase 2 the phase 1 battle is won. Similarly as the troops are transported to Phase 3 the Phase 2 battle is going on, being won and the troops are resting for Phase 4.
It DOES put a premium on being able to win your land battles with, perhaps, half to 1/3rd of the force you might otherwise use but with appropriate air support that's entirely possible and once you are past the first two phases you are usually through the enemy defensive line and are only attacking very weakly defended targets - thus cancelling out the increasing disruption and disablements of your own troops due to continued combat.
It isn't always the right choice but in the early phases of the war I would often find that this helps optimise the efficiency of my transport fleet at this crucial time.
It is ALL about phasing. I know I'm like a broken record on this but its true. Phase your air, naval and ground forces so they synchronise and most other things tend to take care of themselves.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Today is the 21st January 1943....
Today my first small CV foray leaves Kwajalein. This is a little test run designed to test my Corsairs and Hellcats against moderate opposition and to also provide some cover for a small invasion force. In addition I may allow a small CV on CV battle to develop.
In addition while I will allow Canton to remain in enemy hands ( I can't mass the number of bombers necessary to utterly disrupt the ground defenders ) for now I am ready to begin extending the chain of Chinese bases along the Chinese coast towards Formosa.
In addition over the last two days 350 Allied fighters have been lost in the air or on the ground at Jesselton in return for about 280 Japanese planes ( and their pilots ). It also represented a good cull of the IJN's Ki-44 III squadrons.
In about 3 days time the loading of my army forces will commence and then I will be committed. It's all pretty much going according to plan. Damian has taken the bait and wasted far too many Tojo IIIs and Kates/Vals in the air over Jesselton. Now I just have to capitalise on this.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
With Swatow taken the Japanese now begin to focus on bombarding the airfield. That's fine, when the time comes I'll repair it fully, in the meantime it gives me an opportunity to divert bombers from more important tasks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Honan [Cent China] , at 49,31
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zeke: 2 destroyed
Runway hits 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 13
Ki-44III Tojo x 18
No Japanese losses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-II Sally x 21
I've abandoned Jesselton. In just 1 week I'll be back to full strength, albeit with poorer airplanes and will attrit him again here.
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 3 damaged
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bandjermasin [BNO] , at 27,64
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 14
Ki-48-II Lily x 42
Ki-49 -I Helen x 15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on IJA 104th Division, at 43,41
Unfortunately all my air attacks on Canton only hit a single IJA Division. Once they start spreading the disruption around several divisions ( there are 9 units present at Canton ) then I will attack. Right now though the remaining units would be sufficient to hold my forces off.
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 11
IL-2 Shturmovik x 18
IL-2M Shturmovik x 24
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 62,87
I sent my CVs out toward Rabaul with a view to killing any convoys on the way there +/- bombing the airfield there --- I have an invasion TF loitering out of range ready to dash in once the airfield is out of service.
I got lucky and it looks like they ran into a BIG troop convoy. Glug, glug, glug.
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 4
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65
TBM-1 Avenger x 31
Japanese Ships
AK Yanagigawa AP Kaishi Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Takegawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sumanoura Maru AP Nachisan Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Genmei Maru AK Hitora Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kaito Maru PC Ch 6, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Maebasi Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Taga Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
284 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 62,87
Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 36
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships AK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nachisan Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Maebasi Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Takegawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Yanagigawa, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
274 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 62,87
Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 40
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships AK Takegawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Yanagigawa, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kaito Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Taga Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
184 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 41,64
Allied Ships
SS SHCH123
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 24852 troops, 543 guns, 487 vehicles, Assault Value = 2841
Defending force 116754 troops, 1749 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 3206
Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kwajalein [Nanyo]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4072 troops, 34 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 88
Defending force 122354 troops, 3482 guns, 1478 vehicles, Assault Value = 1931
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 88811 troops, 1607 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3206
Defending force 135076 troops, 1799 guns, 811 vehicles, Assault Value = 2841
Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 25,44
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4957 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 178
Defending force 5464 troops, 15 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 110
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3632 troops, 173 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95
Defending force 2308 troops, 0 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 6
Tomorrow his CVs will strike south from their position west of Ponape. I will run too except I'll run toward Ponape and hope to hit some stragglers from the main IJN fleet ( possible CVEs etc ) before coming under cover from my Wildcats etc at Ponape.
So, all in all, a very good result at the cost of just a single Dauntless.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well, they didn't perform brilliantly but the Dauntlesses are the real strike force in this attack force.
So, what happens next?
Well, the IJN CV TFs ( I have spotted two TFs there ) are about 150 miles south-west of Ponape and I have three significant reinforcement convoys on the way to Ponape with 6 x Seabee units and about 60,000 tons of supplies. I have thought of running north and hitting Truk ( which he won't expect ) or running toward Ponape to LRCAP it tomorrow with a view to slaughtering his bomber strikes but on balance I believe that I'll do better by sedately moving to an area south of Rabaul, finishing off the ships in this convoy, and then running back to Kwajalein to take on a few more fighter groups.
Why is this my course of action? Simple, I want to draw his CVs away from Ponape as I don't want them to reinforce his land-based bomber strikes and I want to learn how aggressive he will be with his carriers before I commit my own invasion fleets to irrevocable action.
If he doesn't make much of a move for me I may consider a sprint north toward Jesselton with a view to killing the hordes of APs and AKs which I KNOW he must be sending into Cagayan. I think there might be some rich pickings there.
It'll all depend on what he does next... If he sits back and is very cautious then I may very well launch a spoiling raid into the area between Saipan and the Philippines with a view to interdicting SLOCs. WIth the fall of Cagayan his best course of action will be to use the troops thus freed up to make his Marianas/Palau/Saipan line impregnable. I would like to prevent this if possible.
Another aspect which I'll bring into play tomorrow is 4-engined bomber strikes on the Home Islands. I have held off doing them for the last month as I wanted to wait for the appropriate time to get maximum effect. Now that my CVs have been unmasked and he's in the middle of redeploying its time to complicate his strategic situation so as to invite an error.
A word on OODA cycles.... For the past 3 weeks I have very consciously given Damian a very unchanging strategic situation. He has adapted to it, gotten used to it ( the Observe and Orient portions of the cycle ) and has made decisions on the basis of his orientation. Furthermore it is clear ( from my sub recon of his shipping routes etc ) that he is putting his decisions into action. So, he has completed an OODA cycle, is happy with it and how things are proceeding and now is the perfect time to disturb this psychological equilibrium which I've allowed to develop by changing the strategic situation in every theatre of war. My intention is that this sudden change of gears will disequilibriate him, force him into too rapid OODA cycles, foster the target/tactical fixation he can be prone to and lead him into inappropriate actions in response to the rapidly changing situation.
That's the plan anyway... The on-map strategic stuff of what I attack and where is far less significant than the effect of those attacks on the OODA cycle but just to be clear:
1. Home Islands - Attack on them by bombers based in China and Coastal Soviet Union/Petropavlovsk.
2. China - Continue the land advance along the Chinese coast and ratchet up the pressure on Canton. Threaten Formosa as Phase 2.
3. Philippines. Significant effort to cut its SLOCs.
4. CV on CV battle.
5. Battlefleet action at the invasion beaches.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
That's the plan anyway... The on-map strategic stuff of what I attack and where is far less significant than the effect of those attacks on the OODA cycle but just to be clear:
1. Home Islands - Attack on them by bombers based in China and Coastal Soviet Union/Petropavlovsk.
2. China - Continue the land advance along the Chinese coast and ratchet up the pressure on Canton. Threaten Formosa as Phase 2.
3. Philippines. Significant effort to cut its SLOCs.
4. CV on CV battle.
5. Battlefleet action at the invasion beaches.
I have to salute you -- you can play a "head game" like no one else. As an example, those five points are in almost exact reverse order of their interest to the average gamer. I confess I'm really looking forward to no. 5.
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
That's the plan anyway... The on-map strategic stuff of what I attack and where is far less significant than the effect of those attacks on the OODA cycle but just to be clear:
1. Home Islands - Attack on them by bombers based in China and Coastal Soviet Union/Petropavlovsk.
2. China - Continue the land advance along the Chinese coast and ratchet up the pressure on Canton. Threaten Formosa as Phase 2.
3. Philippines. Significant effort to cut its SLOCs.
4. CV on CV battle.
5. Battlefleet action at the invasion beaches.
I fear for his opponents when AE comes out and there is a lot less "free" intel. I'm a lot less prone to react to enemy attacks now and think instead of how I can use it against him when the moment is right for me, not him. Since I'm playing Japan in early 42, I cannot have my Zeros be everywhere in sufficient numbers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wake Island [USA] at 85,72
Allied Ships
SS Hake
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Jolo [Jolo] at 39,59
Japanese Ships
DD Uranami
DD Yamakaze
Allied Ships
SS S-41, hits 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mutsu [Honshu] , at 70,38
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 82
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
Heavy Industry hits 20
Hitting the HI in Japan for the second day in a row... About 120 HI have been destroyed so far which translates into 3,600 HI lost per month which equals 100 fighters ( or other type of single-engined plane ) which won't be produced next month --- or similar amount of ships or ground weaponry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amoy [South China] , at 47,42
Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 60
Allied aircraft losses
Pe-2: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
The runway damage shouldn't be a problem as I'm using my CV TF distraction to sneak 6 SeaBee units in. That should allow for ultra-speedy repair of any damage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wake Island [USA] , at 85,72
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8
No Allied losses
Runway hits 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wake Island [USA] , at 85,72
Japanese ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 3rd Tank Brigade, at 32,36
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
Buffalo/F2A x 80
Lancer x 10
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Wake Island [USA] at 85,72
Japanese Ships
LCM AG-1705A, Shell hits 2
Allied Ships
SS Hake
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 25767 troops, 551 guns, 490 vehicles, Assault Value = 2843
Defending force 116899 troops, 1765 guns, 47 vehicles, Assault Value = 3201
Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kwajalein [Nanyo]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4015 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 84
Defending force 122782 troops, 3504 guns, 1486 vehicles, Assault Value = 1942
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 88995 troops, 1623 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3201
Defending force 136115 troops, 1814 guns, 818 vehicles, Assault Value = 2843
Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton [S China]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 96034 troops, 1324 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 5301
Defending force 41137 troops, 451 guns, 595 vehicles, Assault Value = 892
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 25,44
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4965 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Defending force 5457 troops, 14 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 113
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3645 troops, 175 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95
Defending force 2326 troops, 0 guns, 30 vehicles, Assault Value = 7
Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
He is keeping his CVs between my CVs and Kwajalein. Tomorrow as his CVs move eastward to "cut the corner" of my path of retreat toward Kwajalein my own CVs are going to race north toward Truk, stopping just outside KI-44 III range with a view to killing the AOs and AVs ( and possibly an SC TF ) which he has trailing a little behind his fleet. I've been noticing that pattern for some time now and would like to take advantage of the opportunity to rob him of this easy resupply.
Once that's done I'll bend my course toward Eniwetok and begin the final loading of the 2 USN CVs I've left behind at Kwajalein plus the amphibious TFs.
It would appear that Damian has a lot of troops being redeployed from Cagayan right now which means that the defences on the Marianas have suddenly improved exponentially. Fortunately if I hit quickly there should be sufficient weakness in the first line to allow a foothold and the second line should still be sufficiently weak to allow total investment.
Harlock,
Well, I think its a perspective thing. Most AARs on here are avowedly attritionist with very little attempt to "play the man" instead of the situation. It's a pity, IMO, but that's how it is.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
I fear for his opponents when AE comes out and there is a lot less "free" intel.
Mind me asking why?
As to AE - I'm undecided about it actually. It seems pretty good but if you look at the forums certain members of that design team have a highly vituperative "not invented here syndrome" at work...
It seems to me that the B-25J controversy was well-handled by wdolson who explained that due to code issues B-25s with torpedoes didn't make the cut ( although why they didn't make the cut when I can mod them into this mod in 3 minutes flat baffles me ) but that certain others got into very questionable "arguments" which had more to do with "being right" than "being correct".
When such people are involved in any design process you end up with a lot of things being swayed in the direction of those for whom being right is the most important thing instead of being internally consistent. The more I play wargames the more I realise that they rise and fall on the basis of their internal consistency.
Since I have concerns re: AEs internal consistency I don't think I'll buy it straight-off and since I don't expect to invest the time to mod it up I doubt I'll buy it to mod it up to an Empires Ablaze standard. So, overall, it is questionable whether I'll play it. I might but it isn't a certain no-brainer.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Well today was interesting. It looks as though I guessed correctly and it seems to have effected Damian a bit as, in his email, he said "you read me like a book - not much more to say. Gutted."
Suffice it to say that I found his replenishment convoy and his CVs didn't find me. There was quite a bit of luck involved also which I must own up to.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Shimushiri Jima [JP] at 79,36
Japanese Ships
SS I-125
Allied Ships AP Crescent City, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amoy [South China] , at 47,42
Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 58
Allied aircraft losses
Pe-2: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 58
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Swatow [South China] , at 45,42
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44III Tojo x 27
Ki-32 Mary x 20
Ki-21-II Sally x 49
Ki-15II Babs x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15II Babs: 1 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 13
Ki-44III Tojo x 28
No Japanese losses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 7
No Japanese losses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-II Sally x 48
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Allied Ships AK Acadia, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK George Davidson, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Bengal, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Ortolan, Bomb hits 3, heavy damage
MSW Toowoomba, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Carnatic, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Niger, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Burnie, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bisayas, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1
These are just heavily damaged ships already in port. Hitting them will make Damian feel a little better but it won't really do much to alter the strategic calculus.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Jesselton [BrNBno] , at 35,56
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zeke x 18
G4M1 Betty x 12
Ki-49 -I Helen x 75
He's expanding his Ki-264 raids beyond Jesselton... Time to spread my CAP out over 3 or 4 of my most important bases. The rest will be left uncapped --- One defends nothing if one defends everything.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bandjermasin [BNO] , at 27,64
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 30
Ki-48-II Lily x 56
Ki-49 -I Helen x 30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 104th Division, at 43,41
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 3
TBM-1 Avenger x 14
Allied aircraft losses
TBM-1 Avenger: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 104th Division, at 43,41
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 20
B-24D Liberator x 17
B-25D Mitchell x 5
Wellington IC x 50
Allied aircraft losses
Wellington IC: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Shuzan NGF Naval Guard Unit, at 46,42
Allied aircraft
B-26A Marauder x 14
Beaufort VII x 21
Blenheim IV x 36
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Shuzan NGF Naval Guard Unit, at 46,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 3
B-25D Mitchell x 7
B-19A x 12
Beaufort VII x 3
Blenheim IV x 5
Wellington IC x 3
IL-4C x 7
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Shuzan NGF Naval Guard Unit, at 46,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 9
A-20G Havoc x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN Shuzan NGF Naval Guard Unit, at 46,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 3
A-20G Havoc x 7
B-17E Fortress x 23
B-25D Mitchell x 23
Hudson IV x 6
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJA 38th Road Construction Battalion, at 46,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 20
A-20G Havoc x 4
SB-2M x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on IJN 1st Coastal Gun Regiment, at 81,84
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15
F6F-5 Hellcat x 7
A-24 Dauntless x 10
P-35A Hawk x 30
P-39D Airacobra x 21
SBD-3 Dauntless x 38
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 66,83
And now for the meat of the day's actions. Just south of Truk I run into a replenishment convoy.
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 7
Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 2
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 2
F6F-5 Hellcat x 2
SBD-3 Dauntless x 49
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AO Iro
DD RTN Surasdra
AV Tairyo Maru
TK Ken'yo Maru
AO Tsurumi
DD Toyota
AO Irako, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Mamiya
Well this shows the relative inexperience of a lot of my Dauntlesses and, I think, justifies this quasi-training run. With the last few days of strikes I expect that their experience will improve quite a bit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 66,83
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 7
Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 5
SBD-3 Dauntless x 48
TBM-1 Avenger x 12
Japanese aircraft losses A6M2-N Rufe-FF: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships AV Tairyo Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Hachijo
AO Tsurumi
AO Sensai Maru I
TK Akebono Maru
DD Toyota
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 66,83
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe-FF x 4
Allied aircraft SBD-3 Dauntless x 39
Finally a couple of good squadrons made strikes.
No Japanese losses
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD RTN Surasdra, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Hachijo, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Toyota TK Ken'yo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AV Tairyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AO Iro, Bomb hits 2, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 67,83
Allied aircraft
TBM-1 Avenger x 18
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru AK Hirokawa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sakura Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
AK Tosan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
This was a nice bonus as I hit an enemy convoy beside the replenishment force. Bonus time [8D]
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Day Air attack on TF at 66,83
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 100
TBM-1 Avenger x 18
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
TK Ken'yo Maru, on fire
DD Toyota DD Murasame, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
TK Akebono Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Irako, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AO Iro, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AO Tsurumi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Mamiya
AO Soya DMS Hachijo, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AO Nankai, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AO Sensai Maru I
A few more hits but, overall, the inexperience of the Dauntlesses showed. Still, these hits will hurt and they will help train up my dive-bombers so it isn't all bad.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 66,83
Allied aircraft
Seafire II x 2
F4U-1 CV Corsair x 2
F6F-5 Hellcat x 7
TBM-1 Avenger x 10
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships AV Tairyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 67,83
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hirokawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
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Sub attack near Wake Island [USA] at 85,72
Allied Ships
SS Hake
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 25835 troops, 555 guns, 490 vehicles, Assault Value = 2846
Defending force 116775 troops, 1763 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 3205
Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kwajalein [Nanyo]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3969 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 83
Defending force 123004 troops, 3509 guns, 1486 vehicles, Assault Value = 1943
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Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 88889 troops, 1620 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3205
Defending force 136308 troops, 1816 guns, 818 vehicles, Assault Value = 2846
Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,42
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 52404 troops, 573 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2838
Defending force 1459 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 15
Allied max assault: 5204 - adjusted assault: 517
Japanese max defense: 9 - adjusted defense: 2
Allied assault odds: 258 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
306 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Moving on from Swatow and prepping to take the remaining two coastal bases between Canton and Formosa.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton [S China]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 95883 troops, 1324 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 5294
Defending force 41157 troops, 451 guns, 596 vehicles, Assault Value = 892
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Ground combat at 25,44
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4981 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Defending force 5483 troops, 14 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 115
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3639 troops, 174 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95
Defending force 2310 troops, 0 guns, 30 vehicles, Assault Value = 7
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
I was make an observation about AE taking away things like the Allies ability to easily notice the moving of aircraft done by the Japanese player in their orders phase, no more air bal, the other free things that "Mr Cursor" would reveal. It should be more historical and allow players to surprise their opponent more often.
Ah, I thought you were hinting at some more major changes in the intel framework for AE... I think this will lead to a lot more surprise as I think the amount of intel available through non-gamey means in game is highly limited. It should certainly lead to more surprises ---- and howls of imbalance [8|]
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
Harlock,
Well, I think its a perspective thing. Most AARs on here are avowedly attritionist with very little attempt to "play the man" instead of the situation. It's a pity, IMO, but that's how it is.[/b]
Nemo,
Well...I'm not certain I fully agree with these comments.
Firstly, a distinction should be made between those AARs where attrition is employed as a deliberate strategy by the player and those where attrition is the inadvertent result of their play. I would ascribe most of those AARs where attrition appears to be the dominant feature to fall within the latter characterisation rather than the former. This is because not too many players gravitate towards either a Jominian or Duke of Alba approach, instead being much more enamoured of Ney. If one keeps hitting a brick wall with unsubtle frontal attacks, then the inevitable tactical result is attrition.
Secondly, as phrased above, there is a connotation to the phrase " 'play the man' instead of the situation" which is misleading to what I think you meant. What I think you mean is that the objective should be to outplay one's opponent, achieving this by closely analysing the specific characteristics of each unique position and then formulating and implementing a more appropriate plan than the opponent's plan. There is very little skill required to "play the man" if the situation allows an opponent no realistic means of devising a plan/response which can generate genuine opposition/contest of wills. In that case, what is the point of the cat playing with the trapped mouse other than to mete out some torture. Nor would it be appropriate to "play the man" rather than playing the game.
Alfred,
I take your point regarding there being a difference between being intentionally attritional and unintentionally so. On the other hand aspiring to brilliant swoops of manoeuvre, quoting Sun Bin, Clausewitz and Balck ad nauseum and then conducting a suicidal, well-telegraphed frontal attack is as avowedly attritional as someone who quotes Haig. I pay less attention to the utterings and more to the actual conduct. Sure there are some AARs in which people speak of their manoeuvres etc but then they go "hey diddle, diddle, straight up the middle". What matter the speech when the action so unfits it?
What I meant is what you said PLUS the fact that one should add an extra layer to that in which one ALSO plays the man. Sure, come up with a good plan given the current situation BUT also phase your operations etc such that they effect the enemy commander and render his decisions less and less appropriate.
As to the view that there might not be a situation in which one can play the man.... No, overall I think you can always play the man at the strategic level. Perhaps not every day at the tactical or operational level but strategically one can really always play the man.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
The carrier foray is coming to a close as the CVs make for Eniwetok for replenishment and to swap out a lot of their dive-bombers for more Corsairs and Hellcats. I'll keep the Avengers on my CVs but will try to host most of the divebombers on my CVEs as dive-bombers are really poor weapons platforms for taking on enemy CVs and BBs. Torpedo bombers can cause the sort of flooding I want to see in order to kill enemy CVs. Why the huge number of dive-bombers then? Simple, I want to tackle the enemy ground troops around the Marianas and dive-bombers are far superior to torpedo-bombers in that role.
The dive-bombers are also pretty handy against lighter and more manoeuvrable warships and I fancy killing a few CLAAs and DDs with them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 102 encounters mine field at Truk [Nanyo] (66,78)
Japanese Ships
MSW W.19
MSW W.21
MSW W.24
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Niigata [Honshu] , at 67,40
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 104
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
Heavy Industry hits 54
That's about 180 HI destroyed in 3 days. I'll continue traipsing around the Japanese coast with these B24s taking more of the low-hanging fruit. In the meantime I'm going to add B-17s to the mix and also, once I get Canton and another coastal Chinese airbase, bring everything else to bear on his HI. My goal is to try to knock 1000 HI out per month. After about 3 or 4 months of this it should stop all shipbuilding entirely and I will begin working on airframes.
Why not bring the B-17s etc in from Day 1 of this strategic bombing campaign? Simple, I want to ramp it up and, IMO, Damian is more susceptible to a gradual ramping up of pressure in which one reveal is followed by another and another and another than he is to a massive hammerblow right now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amoy [South China] , at 47,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 3
B-25D Mitchell x 6
B-19A x 12
Beaufort VII x 4
Blenheim IV x 6
Wellington IC x 4
IL-4C x 9
No Allied losses
Runway hits 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amoy [South China] , at 47,42
Allied aircraft
A-20B Boston x 40
A-20G Havoc x 12
B-17E Fortress x 9
SB-2M x 6
Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 67,81
Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Killing cripples from yesterday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 67,80
Allied aircraft
Pe-2 x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships TK Akebono Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
And again.
In other news the massive influx of engineers is on the cusp of making Ponape a
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Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 25846 troops, 554 guns, 493 vehicles, Assault Value = 2848
Defending force 116753 troops, 1760 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 3205
Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
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Ground combat at Kwajalein [Nanyo]
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3875 troops, 27 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 82
Defending force 123318 troops, 3519 guns, 1489 vehicles, Assault Value = 1952
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Ground combat at Skovorodino [SIB]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 88893 troops, 1617 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3205
Defending force 136372 troops, 1810 guns, 822 vehicles, Assault Value = 2848
Japanese ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Canton [S China]
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 95721 troops, 1315 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 5292
Defending force 41226 troops, 452 guns, 598 vehicles, Assault Value = 894
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Ground combat at 25,44
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 4981 troops, 72 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Defending force 5543 troops, 14 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 119
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 32,36
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 3637 troops, 175 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 95
Defending force 2272 troops, 0 guns, 30 vehicles, Assault Value = 6
Today I loaded the 1600 AV of my assault forces onto ships. Tomorrow I load the support waves and will also send my damaged APs and AKs back to PH for repair.
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
27th January.... Such a quiet day that it isn't worth reporting on....
Mostly ship loading, organising convoys and making sure that my CVs are moving out with the necessary fighter support.
I've also been hoarding P-38s and P-51s for some time now. Come mid-February Damian is going to get the shock of his life as an unfeasibly large number of P-51s suddenly appear in his air.... Obviously my invasion is timed to capture the necessary airfield just as these P-51s become available.
In other news... Just another day of wiping out another 60 HI. The first B-19 raid meets a dozen A6M2s and loses a few of its number. No matter, the B-17s will soon be added to the mix [:)]
John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.
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