From Here It SEEMS Like an Eternity...Imperial Japan's Thoughts

[Nemo121]

Well I think that if very little happened just give a quick precis and then carry on from here.
 
There's no worries being abbreviated for a while until the love comes back but I think an AAR can help with the enjoyment of the game so long as people aren't bitchy about stuff. BUT above all else take it at your own pace etc.

[T Rav]

I actively read your AAR, even when I was deployed! I couldn't play WITP where I was, but could access the forum website. Between yours and Cap Mandrake's AAR, I could still get my WITP fix. I understand the work required to write your sumaries, but even just short notes are appreciated.

Best Regards,
T Rav

[Canoerebel]

I read it John and hope you'll continue it. 

[ctangus]

I haven't posted in a while but have been reading it. I also vote to see this AAR continued! [:)]

I'm sure those dastardly allies will soon retreat to Washington! BANZAI!!!

[BrucePowers]

I read your AAR for the serious side and throughly enjoy it.

I must admit I am one of Cap's posters of silly stuff in his AAR. I appreciate your take on things. Thank you.

[bobogoboom]

I do like this aar.

[rtrapasso]

This was one of the few AARs i regularly read... i thought the game was on hold or something. [&:]

[Grotius]

This is just about the first AAR I look for. Win or lose, you've played a great game, even if everything hasn't gone your way.

[CaptDave]

Another vote for keeping things going. I haven't read any forums for about a month and a half, because I was taking two classes myself (in addition to my full-time job and offices in three different organizations), but one class ended last Friday and I have (some) time to do things I want to do again! Reading this AAR and your opponent's actually inspire me to get back to playing.

[John 3rd]

I am back on a--now--four day hiatus without a turn from my opponents.  I've decided to continue with the AAR but need a turn so I can do an accurate update.

Once I have that then I'll post and this started again.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts!

[FeurerKrieg]

Hi John - keep at it! Us Jap players have to lose in the end no matter what... kind of like being the bad guy in a movie - but don't the bad guys always have the sexy girls around? [:D]

[John 3rd]

DAMNED fine thinking Sir! I cannot complain about your rationale whatsoever...

[Mike13z50]

Another vote for keeping it up, just finished reading both sides of the AAR and have picked up some interesting stuff .

[John 3rd]

OK.  Here goes the first update.  The current game turn in October 10, 1942. 

Perth Disaster
Very LITTLE has happened since I abandoned the Perth Operation.  Nearly 100,000 troops still sit in the Perth hex and I cannot do anything to save them.  I just had a flotilla of 15 I-Boats pick-up elements of the 65th Brigade.  They will drop them off, turn around, and pick up elements of another land combat unit.  The troops are holding out at Perth quite well since they have been on their own for nearly 5 weeks...

I have a sizeable amount of Fleet units at Soerabaja:  BB Yamato, 4 CA, 2 CL, and 25 DD.  They have 4 AO present as well.  I keep thinking of sending in a Cover Group and a Fast Transport TF to pick-up a large block of troops.  Have huge fears as to the operation being cost prohibitive.

Fleet Status
Let me break this down into sunk, repairing, and operational:

Sunk
CV:  Hiryu, Junyo, and Hiyo
CVL:  Shoho and Zuiho
CVE:  Taiyo and Chuyo
BB:  Hiei, Nagato, and Fuso
CA:  Kako
CL:  10 total--OUCH!  [:o]
DD:  63----HOLY COW! [:@]

I had not idea that I had lost so many DDs.

SS:  I-Boats--13 and Ro-Boats--7

Under Repair or Upgrade:
Since I cannot import a graph here, let me handle it this way. 

Carriers First:  I will list the Carrier, Location, System Damage, and experience of its F/DB/TB Crew:
Zuikaku (Shanghai) 15 Sys, F 73, DB 70, and TB 67
Shokaku (Okayama) 34 Sys, F 65, DB 65, TB 71
Akagi (Hiroshima) 9 Sys, F 73, DB 69, and TB 89
Kaga (Nagasaki) 8 Sys, F 73, DB 5, TB 90
Soryu (Toyko) 9 Sys, F 67, DB 77, TB 81
CVE Unyo (Singapore) 30 Sys

Operational Carriers:  (TF is operating SW of Java looking for Convoys)  2 CVL, 1 CVE, 1 CA, 6 DD
Ryujo (48 Planes) F 48 and TB 71
Ryuho (30 Planes) F 45 and TB 54
Hosho (10 Planes) F 51 and TB 63

Total CVs:  5 CV (351 Trained Crew), 2 CVL (78 Poorly Trained Crew), and 2 CVE

Construction:  CV Taiho and Unryu are accelerated and 386 Days out with Amagi at 439 Days.

Battleships:
Under Repair
Ise (Nagasaki) 23 Sys
Hyuga (Hiroshima) 16 Sys
Mutsu (Tokyo) 15 Sys
Haruna (Okayama) 18 Sys
Kirishima (Sapporo) 6 Sys
Kongo (Ominato) 17 Sys

Operational:
BB Yamato as described above

Construction:
BB Musashi due in 210 Days

9 CAs are spread throughout the Home Isles and Shanghai in far better repair shape.

6 CLs (those that remain) are also spread througout the Home Isles

24 DD are also located in the Home Isles

12 SS are spread through Sapporo, Hakodate, and Sendai repairing

Singapore has become a repair site and CVE Unyo, 2 CA, and 5 DD are there.

I still have a substantial portion of the Fleet and most of it shall be operational by November 1, 1942.  Question is what to do with it?  I will have to be subtle and try to 'create' some situations that I can exploit into a favorable battle.  Still have some time before their big CV reinforcements arrive.

I have sunk the Enterprise, Lexington and severaly damaged the Wasp.  STILL wish I could have finished her at Midway six weeks ago!

This, then, is the Imperial Fleet.  Thoughts?  Questions??
 

[castor troy]

hope you have taken the airgroups off the repairing carriers to go on training...

looks like you will be very short on DDs! [X(]

[saj42]

I'm glad you are keeping this going.

Your DD situation does look bleak. I assume you are accelerating those under production? You are going to need them to provide enough escorts when the CVs finish repair and upgrade.

[FeurerKrieg]

Next time you send 15 I-boats to perth, have each one pick up a squad from a different LCU. Once you have a squad of each, then go back to grabbing larger chunks of single units each trip.

Given the DD situation I don't think I'd send a fast transport fleet down there.

[John 3rd]

I just wanted to post for a minute since I haven't done so in a while.  We continue crawling along at a glacial pace with this game.  The best we do is one turn every other day.  As many of you know, it makes things harder to keep flowing when the game isn't being passed back-and-forth once or twice a day.

We are in late-October.  The Allies are DOING nothing other then bombing.  I cannot believe that amount of 4EB!  Port Moresby is being hit by at least 100+ Liberators, Timor is dealing with nearly 150 B-17/B-24, and BURMA...man...there at least 300-400+ bombers of all types working there.  I simply cannot keep enough Tonys/Tojos in the air to knock them down. 

The Fleet is gradually getting fixed up.  I have three heavy CV sitting in Tokyo Bay fully upgraded and ready.  Everything else is still getting worked on.

[John 3rd]

Hello Readers!
 
We are finally approaching November 1942.  I intend to do a comprehensive economy update at that point.
 
We're not even managing a turn every OTHER day att he moment so it is slow going.
 
There have been no developments to speak of. 
 
Perth--I managed to lift about 750 troops of the 65th Infantry Brigade by SS from Perth.  My troops there continue to hold but the Allies have crept up to a 1-1 attack strength.  My 24 I-Boats have turned around and I have devided them into 6 groups.  Each group will lift troops from one unit to bring home to Koepang.  Primarily, I will be looking at Infantry units but a base force or two might be good also.  Am not sure about lifting out any HQ units.
 
The Combined Fleet--After nearly a month in dock at Japan, the Combined Fleet isn't too far from being ready for active operations again.  The question is WHERE?  I have enough strength that I could bloody the Allies nose in a single spot.  Have to be much more careful with the Fleet.
 
I still keep thinking about a naval aerial attack at units near Perth and then send in several Fast Transport TF to lift out a sizeable number of stranded troops.  There is real risk in doing this so I have to think about it.  I know the British CVs are at Perth because they are attacking my troops there. 
 
Any thoughts on that? 
 
 

[saj42]

Re evacing HQs:

IIRC HQs respawn on the reinforcements list approx 60 days delay at 33% strength.
I think this is correct - can anyone else definitively confirm?

Re Perth:

It's gonna be a big gamble. If it was only a short distance to your own bases then i'd go for it, but at that distance......