Tocaff vs bigred

[bigred]

Dateline: 30aug 42, Wau has fallen to two regiments w/HQ. IJN carrier task force is sitting outside PM P39 Strike range guarding Buna. Intell shows 6 IJA regiments,2 AABats, 3Eng, 1Armor and one HQ on the kododo trail. One Full strenght Aussie Brigade sits NE of PM in a delay action to attrite the IJA as it progesses toward PM. Basic IJA infanry corps.
The Makeup of the PM defense is confidental. IJN bombardment fleet into start hex for high speed run on PM 31aug42. Almost had a day action as an Allied bombardment fleet was making its was to Buna going the other direction. The allied bombardment fleet was caught by IJN naval air and 2 criusers have taken heavy damage. Allied planners noted the destroyers were undamaged. Probably will lose two Cruisers next turn.

[tocaff]

Ah poor BR getting such faulty intel!  He really "sees" forces that might be very exaggerated.  In the meantime the IJA crawls through the jungle trails of NG keeping the pressure on the Aussies who try to delay their advance towards PM.  It's a good game that I'm enjoying while I try to secure my defensive perimeter.  The Solomon area has been stangely dormant and that can't last.  My revised plans are progessing more or less as I saw them.

[bigred]

9-3-42. 30 brigade on the crest of the Owen-Stanleys. Outnumbered 4-1. Third day of battle. This event (PM) seems the focus of both sides' future. Allied air is attempting to distrupt and fatigue the IJA. After the battle I would like to hear the Jap view on my airstrikes.

[tocaff]

The Japanese view of your airstrikes are obscured by clouds, rain and sun.  The bombs rain down every day but Bushido will win the day.

[bigred]

LOL

[tocaff]

Well it's a bloodbath for sure at PM as my Japanese TFs land troops as others provide air cover and bombardments also surface battles are taking place while the Bettys and Nells along with air from the CVs rain bombs on the airfield.  I opted for a multi front assault on PM and as in any complicated plan the timing isn't perfect, but that's acceptable.  The Allied forces have their hands full and they're cut off from help as Oz probably never seemed so far away to them as now.  BANZAI!

[bigred]

Warning to all new players. If you do not want your carriers to run off into the sunset of IJN carriers then "patrol" and "do not react".

The only good news on 9-9-42 was that Fletcher was killed. It may have been a mistake to put him in charge, which I did. I took him to be a conservative commander. The first time I turned on his "react to enemy" he runs up to GG to shoot the CVL, knowing undamaged CV's are within range.


Todd has been lucky with the thunderstorms the past few days.

[Ike99]

If you do not want your carriers to run off into the sunset of IJN carriers then "patrol" and "do not react".

[:D][:D][:D][:D]

Everybody gets burned on this when first start playing this game! We only get burned once though! [&o]

[tocaff]

Actually there have been many posts about this so when you get burned because you didn't pick the commander whose traits suit your wishes and then don't set the TF the way you want...you learn to deal with the pain. If it happens more than once because of the player's fault, shame on him!  It does happen regardless of the commander and the settings sometimes so we grin and bear it.  A theatre commander must pull his hair out and gnash his teeth as the subordinate commanders disobey or misinterpret their orders.

The USN is rapidly running out of DDs and CVs.  The troops stationed at PM must be getting hungry as their supplies are being burned up by base repairs and combat.  Shortly the Japanese force at PM will more than double in size and then the assault begins in earnest.  This battle has been one of the bloodiest over a sustained period that I've been involved in.  I'm wondering if the loses are woth the gain (for each side).

A little intel for BR that I normally wouldn't give an experienced player-The Japanese LCU reserves are much stronger than you might suspect, they're at full strength and fresh. 

[tocaff]

September 19, 1942

The IJN has done a tremondous job of sweeping the Allied fleets from the battle area and protecting the transports that carried troops to PM.  The Allied troops there look to be doomed.  BR will now have to adjust his strategy while he regains his strength.  The Japanese look to be in control of things at the moment and are in good shape to deal with the expected counter attacks that are sure to come in '43.  As Ike likes to say, my Bettys and Nells are highly trained, rested, with large #s of them and they're chomping at the bit looking for targets.

[tocaff]

September 24, 1942

The IJA continues to hammer at the gates of PM and yet the Allied defense stubbornly holds on.  The fortification level in PM is 0 and the Kanga Force is trapped 60 miles away as the Allied forces have no retreat options other than the jungle where they'll die of disease and starvation.  Maybe just a little bit more is needed for the final push to end this bloody campaign to liberate NG from the imperialistic Allies.  All other areas remain quiet except for an IJN bombardment of Nevea.  The game has been a fast paced and bloody affair from the get go which is unusual for a scenario # 19 PBEM.

[bigred]

To quote Todd:
"The pressure is on. What do you do? I want PM and nothing will stop me from taking it! Where're those remaining CVs of yours? I want 2 more littering the ocean floor! "

Spoken like Hitler before stalingrad.[:D]

[borner]

yes, but unlike the grand German 6th army, I think Japan will take PM.

[tocaff]

Borner is right as I will not be denied this conquest!  The difference between the 2 sides in this battle is that I, the Japanese, have the ability to cut off PM from outside help while I may reinforce and resupply.  BR has made this a costly test of strength and I have to wonder if his forward deployment in strength was a valid strategy for the long term as it's certainly taken it's toll on the IJN and IJA, but only he can judge that at this moment as I'm not certain of what it's cost him.  BR has made this a very interesting and enjoyable game and he's stuck with it while I've hammered away at him.  He's got my endorsement as a PBEM opponent.  I look forward to when he's able to go on the offensive as I have some interesting ideas about countering it.

[bigred]

"DAMN! How much more can your troops take? They have to be on the verge of collapse by now."

Qoute from Yamashita.[:D]

[bigred]

I appriciate the complement and I must state for the record that I am confused by the IJA OOB as to the point where I would have a difficult time keeping a working strategy while maintaining HQ support. I complement Tocaff and any Jap that can make his OOB work for him. I am aware of the JAP OOB chart but still I feel dislexified when having to deal with it as the master architect of game. So any player that can make it work deserves alot of gaming respect. My hat is off to Tocaff.


He may take PM, he may not, to me this is an experiment. In Later games I may have to change my strategy.

[tocaff]

We all make changes to our strategies with each new game, otherwise UV would get stale fast.  Besides different players bring different twists to each new game.

[tocaff]

October 4, 1942

The Battle PM continues to rage.  The USN ran in for a quick visit and ate some fish made by Betty.  Our little dot hex next to PM, the name of which escapes me at the moment (Lae Lae?), is a heated side battle as the IJA has no intentions of losing the fight or having to chase down retreating survivors.  At this rate both sides will be beaten, battered and exhausted which favors the Allies.  Tokyo has issued orders that nothing less than victory will be accepted.

[bigred]

Quote from Yamashita: "If you surrender PM now your men will be treated with honor as we respect the valiant fight they have put up."

General McArther contemplates the offer: "A deal offered from men that surprise attack Pearl Harbor, force my men to walk 50 miles to a prison camp on Luzon(and shoot redheads because they are geneticlly inferior), and bayonette phillipino babies first tossed in the air for practice." [:-] HELL NUTS

[tocaff]

All of that from a man who ran from the PIs?  Dugout Doug will be recalled once his ineptitude is revealed yet again by the honorable Empire of Japan's valiant troops.