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And here's the chinese situation. Till now everything has been slow and sleepy.
His air force hasn't committed in the theatre yet,while his land forces are avoiding any contact with mine.
Here's the general plan for the chinese theatre. The first goal will be to block Canton's production, while at Ichang i'm planning a massive kesseslacht (sp?) movement, creating a big pocket, also considering the great supply problem that Ichang rappresents for the japanese army.
I need to keep him busy here..cannot let him move his troops to Manchukoku...

Having some spare time, i'll try to get deeper in the analysis of the situation at 13th Dece. 1941
 
Took a look at the chinese theatre and saw that my units aren't so badly supplied. The air-bridge from India has started and the Burma road is open, so the supplies are flowing smoothly enough.
My vision of the chinese theatre is that the allies cannot leave the japs sitting there, cause every little man we kill, every plane we shot down, every supply spent is an asset that cannot be used elsewhere. I'm quite confident in my comprehension of the witp ground system, so china for me will be an important theatre.
He seems not to care much about it. He has wasted almost a week, letting my units move and now we're not far from the first advances.
The idea, as you can see from the picture above, is to force disturb his supply-communication lines with my guerrilla forces and at the same time looking for a "stop-n'-block" strategy of attrition with my major units. Chinese can efford attrition. Japanese cannot.
And if i force him to face me in china, i can be quite sure he's not gonna open another front(Russia) without having his shoulders covered.
The air force for the moment will stay out of this theatre. I'm planning to use some fighters there in a hit and run strategy, but allied bombers will be confined in India which is a far more important theatre.
The only critical place is, as always, the north of China, where Yenen-Sian isn't a good line of defence.However i can efford to lose those cities if i'm able to hold the southern ones and play an aggressive role in the center (Ichang especially).
 
Any thoughts?Suggestion?

I'm not sure how this will go, but this certainly looks like it will be a fun AAR! [:)]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Any thoughts?Suggestion?

A few thoughts/observations/suggestions re China:

- Instead of evacuating from the Nanchang-Shanghai area you might consider taking Nanchang. It is vulnerable in this scenario if the Japanese don't reinforce. I've taken it in 3 out of 5 attempts. Worst case is that you don't take it, but a lot of Japanese troops are forced to defend it. And then those troops aren't in Manchukuo, the Pacific, etc.

- It's touch & go but Yenan can be defended. Reinforce a little bit & build forts. An extremely strong Jap offensive here is vulnerable to a counter-attack on the Sian-Yangku axis - at least if you can hold off the first few attacks.

- In this scenario supplies are ample in Central China so long as the Burma Road is open. They're tight in the north, however. If you haven't already I'd turn off all replacements in North China & start flying supplies into Sian. Preferably from Ledo but until the Burma Road's closed you can afford to fly them from Chungking or Chengtu as well.

Good luck!

ORIGINAL: ctangus

I'm not sure how this will go, but this certainly looks like it will be a fun AAR! [:)]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Any thoughts?Suggestion?

A few thoughts/observations/suggestions re China:

- Instead of evacuating from the Nanchang-Shanghai area you might consider taking Nanchang. It is vulnerable in this scenario if the Japanese don't reinforce. I've taken it in 3 out of 5 attempts. Worst case is that you don't take it, but a lot of Japanese troops are forced to defend it. And then those troops aren't in Manchukuo, the Pacific, etc.

- It's touch & go but Yenan can be defended. Reinforce a little bit & build forts. An extremely strong Jap offensive here is vulnerable to a counter-attack on the Sian-Yangku axis - at least if you can hold off the first few attacks.

- In this scenario supplies are ample in Central China so long as the Burma Road is open. They're tight in the north, however. If you haven't already I'd turn off all replacements in North China & start flying supplies into Sian. Preferably from Ledo but until the Burma Road's closed you can afford to fly them from Chungking or Chengtu as well.

Good luck!

Thxs for the suggestions Ctangus! Will try to see what can be done at Nanchang as soon as the turn comes up...

However, we got the reply and....we started to blow the first hits to the INJnavy!!!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/14/41

Japanese BBs tried to Bombard Singapore. One of them and a DD hit a mine[:D]....then the naval guns at Singa shot back and after a fierce battle, we manage to push back those dreaded ships with some damage! Not a single hit to the Singapore facilities was scored[8D]

Then it came the daylight and with it my subs tried to engage his transports that are unloading troops at Kragen...with no luck. A Ducth SS has been badly damaged by a Val comin' from the KB (which is still around!)
However, during the day what remains of the ducth bombers took of from Medioen...and scored some good hits!!!! 2 CLs were hit (one with severe damage), while some scraps were taken off from a CA...nothing great but it's a start![;)]


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TF 9 encounters mine field at Singapore (22,51)

Japanese Ships
DD Mikazuki, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage[:D]
BB Nagato, Mine hits 1[:D]




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Naval bombardment of Singapore, at 22,51 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

43 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 2
BB Fuso, Shell hits 6
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 4
BB Ise
BB Mutsu


Allied ground losses:
682 casualties reported
Guns lost 16

So the nagato is not here...assuming the damage of the mine was enough to bring her out of action[:D]

YES! Go Back to your masters, DOGS![:D]
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Naval bombardment of Rabaul, at 62,90

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta
CL Yubari
DD Yayoi
DD Oite
DD Hayate


Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1


Rabaul is almost to fall....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 22,63


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 11


Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Katori, Bomb hits 2, on fire[:D][:D][:D][8D]
AP Teiryu Maru

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Day Air attack on TF, near Kragen at 22,64


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Bomb hits 1[:D]

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Martin 139 bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kragen at 22,64


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Martin 139: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 1[:D]

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Martin 139 bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kragen at 22,64


Allied aircraft
Martin 139 x 2


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Tatsutake Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire[:)]

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Martin 139 bombing at 6000 feet
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Ground combat at Rabaul

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11475 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 188

Defending force 4655 troops, 35 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Japanese max assault: 368 - adjusted assault: 144

Allied max defense: 26 - adjusted defense: 29

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0


Japanese ground losses:
285 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Allied ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Guns lost 6


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Ground combat at Batavia

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 10076 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 163

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese max assault: 330 - adjusted assault: 269

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 269 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Batavia base !!!

So batavia is now in japanese hands....[:'(]





He keeps on air bombing Johre Baru, paying for that quite a lot in terms of AA casualities....however forts are not coming up and that's a problem[:(]

Anyway, today i'm quite happy...we managed to give a sign: we are here! we hold the ground. We fight for every single piece of land. It won't be easy for you!

I will evacuate immediately the heroes of the day (the martin squadrons) and fly them to Oz...they do not deserve to get the japanese revenge (that will surely arrive tomorrow...)

So,a enemy's DD is reported sunk, along with an AP torpedoed last day. One BB has been put out of action for some days, while the others have recieved some hit. A pair of CLs will probably need some repair and will stay out of the action for few weeks...isn't that bad, right?
I know...these are only minor things compared to the fact that Java is likely fall within 2 weeks and with the overall SRA-DEI situation...Japan is really marching fast and from now on i gotta be very carefull with VPs count, but...well,i badly needed some morale boosts![:)]
 
On the Russian border i saw some strange things...the troops are not massing anymore at Mutakiang...seems that they are moving somewhere inland (Harbin maybe)....what can this mean?
There are probably 2 options:
1- he's redeploying his units in order to create a massive offensive front somewhere in the middle-north of Russia.
2- He's planning to get some units out of Manchukoku in order to smash China.
 
The 2nd isn't much likely imho...so,let's analyse what he can do for the 1st option.
 
He has 2 ways of acting: going for Chita or going for Blagovyeshenks(sp???). The Blagov' plan is the most risky, cause there's a river to cross and he's gonna face, which a shock attack, 800 AVs, well dug in and in wood terrain...can be nasty!  I'd go for Chita, which is in plain terrain and there's no rivercrossing in order to enter into the city. But what puzzles me is that in both of this cases he won't be able to count on the support of his naval assets! In the ordinary way to conquer Vladivostock (i.e. marching with the full army all along the rail-line north-south) the BBs and the CVs play a foundamental role in japanese plans, closing down the AFs and smashing the russian air force, suppressing at the same time the units present at Vladiv.
If you go for Chita you have to rely only on your LBAs , leaving your southern flank open to the soviets!
But however, Chita can be conquered. at least on the plans. There are nearly 1000 AVs present there. Some more 4/500 in the nearby.Nothing more. The rest of the soviet army is deployed in southern bases. a japanese complete army can master something like 10.000 AVs, 500 bombers and some more 3/400 good fighters. So the numbers are with the japs. If the Imperial army manage to smash chita, the bulk of the soviet army will be cut of from its supply, even if there are more than 2,000,000 of supplies deployed south of chita!
It's anyway a very risky chance for Japan. If you get a bad dice and roll in the decisive ground combat, your entire operation can become a boomerang! With the soviet SS active and with the Red air army alive and active, a statlemate at chita can become a disaster in the mid-term...
 
mmhhmmm...it's gonna be interesting[8D]

ops...when i was talking about Chita, i meant Bozrya(sp??)...sorry[:'(]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Sweet, free trainning, Have every unit you can afford to bombard this unit every turn. DO NOT DESTROY IT!

Luzon will be a fortress if your units are all in the 55-59 experience range when he finally comes calling.

Jim

Edit: oops hadn't read further down yet.

Yes, i hoped they'll survive, but considering they were just a paradropped unit, it was probably just a fragment, so they simply faded away at my first assault. It's however tough to defend Luzon if he commits in mass is troops. The problem here lies in the fact that you have to defend both Manila and Clark and you simply do not have enough AVs...but, however, we'll see[:'(]

I'm experiencing many problems with the sight in report...grgrgr...in-game, when i click the icon, appear the 4 last report (9-10-11-12 of december) but not the actual one(14th)...what's the point here?!?!?!
 
However, i just learnt that My opponent set up the first turn of this game 1 year ago and i now fear that the data-base of this scenario (160 CHS-Experimental Nik's Mod) can be corrupted, and so to say that some changes that have been given in the last updates (9.2) aren't in it...
 
Anyone can give my some tips? Will be really appreciated...thx

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/15/41

Bad news. Tonight, the jap BBs came back at Singapore...and this time we weren't lucky, not at all...12k men disabled or killed and only 8 CD guns shot back[:@]...no way to hold here:-(
Plus, 1 ducth sub has been badly hit by japanese ASW trying to stop the second invasion of Java (Kragen)...
Then i lost 6 more transport ships and a damaged DD(vendetta) who was trying to reach Colombo...[:o]
Lauterm (Timor) is been invaded today, while Kragen, empty, has been conquered, cutting the retreat route of a ducth regiment that for some reasons refused to move in the last 5 days....[:@]...the end of Java is near i feel.

In China we finally managed to engage the first japanese divisions south of Hankow. We'll start the chinese meatgrinder very soon[;)], for the moment a good training camp for my units...

What else?....mmm...ah, yes, baby KB is supporting the Timor invasion...soon at Darwin things will get hot
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TF 9 encounters mine field at Singapore (22,51)

Japanese Ships
DD Amagiri, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage[:D]

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TF 89 encounters mine field at Batavia (20,60)

Japanese Ships
MSW Takasago Maru
MSW Ataka Maru
PC Showa Maru #3
PC Nichi Maru #1
PC Gamitsu Maru #1
AK Yasukawa Maru, Mine hits 2, heavy damage[:D]
PC Showa Maru #5

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

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Sub attack near Kragen at 22,64

Japanese Ships
DD Shigure
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Wakaba
DD Hatsushimo
DD Nenohi
DD Hatsuharu
DD Hagikaze
DD Arashi
DD Nowaki
DD Maikaze

Allied Ships
SS KXVIII, hits 2, on fire
Missed torpedoes and the counterattack[:(]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Singapore, at 22,51 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Catalina I: 2 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed
Buffalo I: 3 destroyed

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso, Shell hits 3
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Mutsu

Allied Ships
AK Kedah, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
12874 casualties reported[:(][:(][:(][:(] OUCH!!!!
Guns lost 140
Vehicles lost 6

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 20
Port hits 10
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 7


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kragen

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25750 troops, 60 guns, 65 vehicles, Assault Value = 864

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese max assault: 1082 - adjusted assault: 285

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 285 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kragen base !!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hollandia base !!!





Soon we'll free Wake from the invader's feet[:'(]

Ok, guys, i know...i'm doing Sir Robin...yes, i admit it.
But the more i think about it the more i realize that, given the actual strategic situation, i should have been Sir Robin even more.
If i went engaging with my ducth and brit ships...with the KB around and with his particular opening moves...well, i think my situation would be defentely worse by now... Consider that the whole IJNAF and IJAAF is deployed in the SRA-DEI area...
What d'you think?

Here's the Chinese situation. Quite happy about the overall look of the chinese theatre.
Trollelite isn't committing much here...better to force him to face my yellow fellows[:D]

Generally speaking the plan for China is pretty simple:
1- cover my southern flank entering in Canton hex, so stopping the production of the Canton facilities and halting the whole southern Japanese flank in order to have free hands in the center
2- In the center of China i plan to create a pocket at Ichang, where 3 japanese units are present, entering in the hex with some 500AVs, while 2 stronger army corps will advance flanking Ichang, interrupting the comm. lines to Hankow, thus creating a no-excaping trap for those 3 japanese units.
While all this happens, 2 strong Chinese corps (each of 800AVs) will guard the river crossing from Kaifeng and the hex north of Sinyang, on the railway line, covering each other's flank and preventing any japanese attempt to break the general flanking manouver.
On the southern flank of the Japanese salient will operate a massive blockade of the rivercrossing south of Hankow, where a 1000 chinese AVs corp is already fighting against 2 jap divisions in the swamp hex. While this position is safe, the bulk of the chinese southern army will mass and enter into Nanchang, in order to threaten his main center in the area.  At the same time my guerrilla forces will keep on operating behind the enemy lines, cutting the supply routes for the front. Main objective for this first campaign are: A)- Create the Ichang pocket and eliminate those 3 japanese units (either for famine or fighting..we'll see); B)- Conquest of Nanchang; C)- Start an attrition war in china forcing him to exchange men for men, supplies for supplies.
3- In the northern area of China my plans are essentially defensive. Will dig in and cover the northern flank of the major center theatre.
 
 

Ok, guys, i'm pretty sure he's going for Russia, or, being more specific, he's going for Bozrya (South of Chita).
He's moving out most of his major units from China (especially from the Pejiin area), while the units at Mutakiang are moving back to Harbin.
Plus: he has hidden his Land based zeros till now. That can mean that he's preserving his major air assets for the upcoming russian campaign.
Really do not know how will i handle a northern invasion of Russia, especially considering the overall situation of the Red Air Army (which is quite grimm at the moment, being the average exp in their 50s...). And with the actual situation i cannot even move my russian troops...so i just have to wait and hope the forts will grow up quickly....[:o] and keep on pushing in China

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/16/41

Another harsh day for the western allies.
Rabaul fell. Was supposed to. Lautem, at Timor, fell too.The ducth garrison abbandoned its position after a double bombardment run made by jap CAs and the assault.
At the same time a British sub got hit near Singapore...too many Vals of the KB flying over those waves...
What else?...Ah, the only good news of the day was the elimination of the SNLF unit at Wake! Our brave boys killed every single yellow bastard on that piece of sand!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rabaul

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11101 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 164

Defending force 4182 troops, 16 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Japanese max assault: 312 - adjusted assault: 110

Allied max defense: 17 - adjusted defense: 43

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Rabaul base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
260 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Lautem

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3174 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 83

Defending force 1148 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese max assault: 164 - adjusted assault: 154

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 30 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lautem base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Guns lost 4


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!


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Ground combat at Wake Island

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3272 troops, 88 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 35

Defending force 185 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Allied max assault: 30 - adjusted assault: 16

Japanese max defense: 3 - adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 16 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
293 casualties reported





[font="Times New Roman"] The overall situation is far from being good. With Timor and Ambonia ready to fall, Darwin is in real danger. The reinforcements from southern Oz are taking foreever to get there... For Perth is the same...vulnerable as a nest of little bird.... India is far from being safe and Russia...well...Russia is a damned problem if he attacks me there. The only quiet place seems to be the Pacific, where the Americans are playing alone. Now the first 3 CVs are togheder and the fourth is comin'... The 2nd Marine div is being moving to PH, but i don't think i'll be ready to do anything important here before may, when most of my major ships will be upgraded... and it's a damned long time....[/font]

What about a possible Aleoutian campaign? The more I read Admiral Laurent's AAR, the more I believe the north is an underrated theater in WitP. Looks to me there is no reason why you should restrain yourself from attacking through any road you may find.

Nope, the HRs suggested by Trollelite, that i have accepted, forbid any allied offensive in the Northern Sector untill Russia is activated...[:-]

Are you playing till autovictory or for the long haul? If you're playing for autovictory you might have a interesting time ahead of you... [;)][:D]

ORIGINAL: Mistmatz

Are you playing till autovictory or for the long haul? If you're playing for autovictory you might have a interesting time ahead of you... [;)][:D]

I always tend to play for the long run, but it's clear that the autovictory is for the japanese who really doesn't have the chance of winning in the long run...so if he gets the autovictory by 1.01.1943 he will have won and if he'll like we could go on however.


Anyway, in China he's not moving as predicted (this guys is smart[;)]),he has moved back to Hankow his 2 divisions which were beyond the river, facing my 4 corps...while he's trying to deal with my partisans in the back lines... The general situation is still much fluid that i cannot tell what will be the result of this first campaign...anyway this is the only theatre where i feel a bit safe.

In Russia,being unable to recon his inland bases, i cannot say where he's massing. I guess Harbin but i cannot be sure. However, i'm doing the only thing i can do: build forts and redeploy my plane in a more defensive way!!

In the pacific i'm planning to send to Wake some Engs and one RCT, just to be sure.... soon planes and ships will be based here, with a clear threat to Kwalajein...[8D]

In India the original defensive plan goes on. Nothing much to report.

In Oz i moved back from Darwin some planes...was overstacking there and i do not like it.150 planes is the Max number planned for Darwin (being a level 3 AF). In Perth, a convoy with supplies and fuel is arriving from Sydney. Hope this could help if an invasion occurs.

In Luzon things are very quiet. My men are resting and the supply situation isn't that bad...untill he will decide to smash my bases with his bombers...

Java is doomed. The ABDA army is in a terrible shape...no way to hold long here...[:o]

Same for Singapore...[:@]

Herr General [:D],

good to see you back in action !!! I enjoyed your AARs a lot so far and will follow this one as well....

Hartwig