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Port Moresby invasion goes off without a hitch, the two divisions there will wait a day for disruption in the teens to go down, and then attack. PM will fall very quickly with only a skeleton force there from the Allies.

The two divisions will then re-board their ships and head back for future operations.

The KB, sans four fleet carrier (2 at the invasion and 2 finishing off radar upgrades) is not even spotted.

Happy New Year Page 2 Resurrection Bump!

How is the war progressing?
Hope all is well to Lowpe and the readers of these threads.


I will be watching New Horizon's Ultima Thule approach just after midnight East Coast Time. See you waaaay out there.

A much need break for the Holidays and the war is back on...several developments on the family front will likely cause more shortages of reporting as my eldest son's marriage is fast approaching and a joyous time sink.

Congrats!

Nearing the end of September, 1942

This is the result of overstacking and only 4 heavy artillery units at Chungking. When bombardments started the AV of the defenders was over 9,000.

A strong army group is headed up from the south, and the rest of China will fall prior 1943.

Hey Lowpe, can you post a world map? I'm curious to see how things look. Thanks!

Here you go Mike,





Not too concerned about cleaning up the small Allied bases, but rather trying to focus now on achieving av, which means taking Chungking and the rest of China quickly (I have been somewhat lazy here to date), capturing a few more islands in the Aleutians, stalling in Burma and somehow holding onto Ceylon...i think that will put me awfully close.

End of September, 1942

I am beginning to think the fastest route to Chungking from the south is thru LangSon to Nanning and then up north, and not thru Canton, like I went this game. The LangSon route is main roads all the way, although the Haiphong port is a bit smallish.

I have built up LangSon to size 9 runways, as it is not a malaria swamp, on railroads to Saigon, and can provide air support to Hainan. In the early game, Helens & Sallys can fly to strike China very easily, and be home for sake in comfort.

End of September, 1942


Main action in the Aleutians...

The last day goes out with a bang...Sitkin again....however, the 4E beasties take a toll night bombing, shooting down the fighters and not so much damage on the ground.

And the follow up bombardment finds B17s on the Aleutian Island...woohoo!

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

End of September, 1942


Main action in the Aleutians...

The last day goes out with a bang...Sitkin again....however, the 4E beasties take a toll night bombing, shooting down the fighters and not so much damage on the ground.

Love catching Allied transport ships [:D] well played [&o]

No troops onboard though and where are his DDs? Unlike Mike to leave convoys so uncovered?

I am beginning to think the fastest route to Chungking from the south is thru LangSon to Nanning and then up north, and not thru Canton, like I went this game. The LangSon route is main roads all the way, although the Haiphong port is a bit smallish. I have built up LangSon to size 9 runways, as it is not a malaria swamp, on railroads to Saigon, and can provide air support to Hainan. In the early game, Helens & Sallys can fly to strike China very easily, and be home for sake in comfort.

That's an interesting vector - there's not a great many Chinese units deployed in the area and the roads are pretty good. The only issue I see is that it's hard to get a large number of units deployed along this vector early in the war, given that most of the CEA is bogged down further east. Kweiyang seems to be the key hex for defending Chungking from the south, as after that the road network opens up so much that it's difficult for the Chinese to defend forward.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, however, you've investing Chungking and the rest of China is going to collapse in short order.

Onwards to Burma!

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I am beginning to think the fastest route to Chungking from the south is thru LangSon to Nanning and then up north, and not thru Canton, like I went this game. The LangSon route is main roads all the way, although the Haiphong port is a bit smallish. I have built up LangSon to size 9 runways, as it is not a malaria swamp, on railroads to Saigon, and can provide air support to Hainan. In the early game, Helens & Sallys can fly to strike China very easily, and be home for sake in comfort.

That's an interesting vector - there's not a great many Chinese units deployed in the area and the roads are pretty good. The only issue I see is that it's hard to get a large number of units deployed along this vector early in the war, given that most of the CEA is bogged down further east. Kweiyang seems to be the key hex for defending Chungking from the south, as after that the road network opens up so much that it's difficult for the Chinese to defend forward.

It all depends on how Allies reshuffle their infantry. They are perfectly capable of railing several corps to cover LangSon/Nanning direction early if they somehow guess your intentions correctly. Compared to e.g. the east route being the best for Sian geographically thanks to the initial disposition, Chungking is far away and hence does not have the best route with Allies having ample time to cover any particular direction. But not every direction at once

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I am beginning to think the fastest route to Chungking from the south is thru LangSon to Nanning and then up north, and not thru Canton, like I went this game. The LangSon route is main roads all the way, although the Haiphong port is a bit smallish. I have built up LangSon to size 9 runways, as it is not a malaria swamp, on railroads to Saigon, and can provide air support to Hainan. In the early game, Helens & Sallys can fly to strike China very easily, and be home for sake in comfort.

That's an interesting vector - there's not a great many Chinese units deployed in the area and the roads are pretty good. The only issue I see is that it's hard to get a large number of units deployed along this vector early in the war, given that most of the CEA is bogged down further east. Kweiyang seems to be the key hex for defending Chungking from the south, as after that the road network opens up so much that it's difficult for the Chinese to defend forward.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, however, you've investing Chungking and the rest of China is going to collapse in short order.

Onwards to Burma!

It really depends on if/where your opponent defends. I've "defended" four times now, and attacked towards it twice.

The fastest route has been from the south, even though it takes slightly longer to get your units into place. I'm pretty sure I've told people for years that Sian is a sideshow that should only be used to tie up some Chinese while your main thrust occurs elsewhere (and of course, a Chinese defender can take advantage of this area as well in a rope-a-dope). The yellow roads just take too damn long and don't let you use your best advantage over the Chinese (even in alternate scenarios where they get more AT): tanks.

Stick to the grey roads. There are 2, or really 2-plus, options here: Kweiyang or Changteh-Chihkiang, both of which converge afterwards and allow you 2 options for approaching Chungking.

Anything else is just wasting time.



Certain areas of coastal China are also more defensible than it may otherwise appear, due to the relative force dispositions at game start and also somewhat dependent on where the main concentration(s) of IJA forces is/are. Lang Son/Nanning can fall into this bucket.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

I am beginning to think the fastest route to Chungking from the south is thru LangSon to Nanning and then up north, and not thru Canton, like I went this game. The LangSon route is main roads all the way, although the Haiphong port is a bit smallish. I have built up LangSon to size 9 runways, as it is not a malaria swamp, on railroads to Saigon, and can provide air support to Hainan. In the early game, Helens & Sallys can fly to strike China very easily, and be home for sake in comfort.

That's an interesting vector - there's not a great many Chinese units deployed in the area and the roads are pretty good. The only issue I see is that it's hard to get a large number of units deployed along this vector early in the war, given that most of the CEA is bogged down further east. Kweiyang seems to be the key hex for defending Chungking from the south, as after that the road network opens up so much that it's difficult for the Chinese to defend forward.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, however, you've investing Chungking and the rest of China is going to collapse in short order.

Onwards to Burma!

It really depends on if/where your opponent defends. I've "defended" four times now, and attacked towards it twice.

The fastest route has been from the south, even though it takes slightly longer to get your units into place. I'm pretty sure I've told people for years that Sian is a sideshow that should only be used to tie up some Chinese while your main thrust occurs elsewhere (and of course, a Chinese defender can take advantage of this area as well in a rope-a-dope). The yellow roads just take too damn long and don't let you use your best advantage over the Chinese (even in alternate scenarios where they get more AT): tanks.

Stick to the grey roads. There are 2, or really 2-plus, options here: Kweiyang or Changteh-Chihkiang, both of which converge afterwards and allow you 2 options for approaching Chungking.

Anything else is just wasting time.



Certain areas of coastal China are also more defensible than it may otherwise appear, due to the relative force dispositions at game start and also somewhat dependent on where the main concentration(s) of IJA forces is/are. Lang Son/Nanning can fall into this bucket.

That's more or less the conclusions I've came to. Sian leads to Chungking, but over a horrible, meandering yellow road. Luichow/Chihkiang leads to Chungking over a nice paved road ideal for the IJA. It also helps with supply, which can be a problem with Sian.

1st week of September, 1942

Fun and games continue in the Aleutians, especially at Sitkin, but the Raleigh leads a 2 CL, 6 or so DD SAG aggressively against IJN shipping, skirmishing with two BB, clashing with a CL 4 DD TF, before and encountering a trio of 4 vp DD and the final daytime skirmish, they sink all three...

Two cruiser forces nail Sitkin, sinking convoys, a destroyer, and four or five PT boats.

Some sample skirmishes, nice Allied TF much like the one the Brooklyn led before being sunk. First night

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 01, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Buldir Island at 156,50, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 3
DD Satsuki
DD Sawakaze
DD Hakaze
DD Shiokaze
DD Yukaze
DD Hokaze
DD Tachikaze
DD Namikaze

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
CL Trenton, Shell hits 3
DD Sims, Shell hits 1
DD Hughes
DD Hammann
DD Walke, Shell hits 2
DD Mugford
DMS Fox
DMS Perry

2nd Night

Night Time Surface Combat, near Buldir Island at 156,50, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
DD Kuroshio
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 2
CL Trenton
DD Woodworth
DD Sims
DD Hughes
DD Hammann
DD Helm, Shell hits 1
DD Mugford
DD Sterett, Shell hits 6

A nice bombardment at Chungking,

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2133 troops, 140 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 1923

Defending force 279889 troops, 679 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7537

Allied ground losses:
1083 casualties reported
Squads: 46 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

What a meat grinder at Chunking.

Lots of bloody noses for the Allies elsewhere.

Very good work.

An interesting case study here, in Luzon.

The Allies like to park a sub right in Manila harbor...so I transferred an excellent (skill 70 ASW) Lilly squadron and set them to ASW at 80% 0 range. They can spot the sub, but don't attack, and I noticed the altitude was set at 5k. Now, several years back I ran some very unscientific tests to check if altitude had any bearing on the number of attacks generated, and then I concluded that it didn't seem to.

But, I lowered them down this turn to 2k.

Also in the hex is a squadron of three 15knot SC, pretty good for Japan at this point in the game, and today I swapped two commanders out.

Will be curious to see if they can nail this sub.

Morning detection:

Ki-48-Ib Lily reports submarine at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports oil slick at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports object under water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports object near surface at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports periscope wake at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports shape below surface at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports shadow in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports suspected submarine at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports conning tower at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports possible submarine at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports periscope at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports possible submarine at 79, 77 near Manila

Ki-48-Ib Lily from 208th Sentai attacking a O19 Class class SS at 125,48 (I put this here, to show that I do get attacks)

Afternoon reports

Ki-48-Ib Lily reports shadow in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports turbulence in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports shadow in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports turbulence in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports possible submarine at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports possible submarine at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports shadow in water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports object near surface at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports object under water at 79, 77 near Manila
Ki-48-Ib Lily reports submarine wake at 79, 77 near Manila