Elouda (Japan) versus Dennishe (Allies)

[2ndACR]

UH........KB had just hit Noumea.........which is in the S. Pac area...........That is close enough for me to be shifting things far away from the area.
 
Granted, I have been where you are.........hence my new found caution when I know enemy CV's are in the even remote area. I lost the entire 2nd Marine and 2 CV's to a strike just like the above. Vowed never again on my watch.

[dennishe]

The Noumea strike has been a while (in the game // it does not seem like this on this AAR) and is still pretty far away from Pago Pago. Further I hoped that my scouts would pick up KB if they would be going for Pago Pago, which is in the far corner of the Pacific. If I would have to keep my transports as far away as you describe I can never build up any defense anywhere on the map. I'd rather take some risks here then to just be save and let him take the entire Pacific.
 
Further I'm not transporting divisions as a whole, but in A, B and C units (he can never sink a whole division). He just happened to hit two of these transports (one empty and the other unloading supplies)......

[2ndACR]

Well, the AP's hurt the most IMO. Nothing better than the 16-18 knot AP's to place on full speed and have them make a rapid run. AK's you should have no real fear about those.......You get a slew of those.
 
For some reason, I am loathe to split divisions for transport. I think the disappearing unit bug spooked me long ago. I have only just begun to trust the air transport routines enough to shift forces around by air.

[dennishe]

KB is now heading for Canton island. I'm moving my ships out of his way. Some ships however seem to be doomed and I let them quickly unload at Canton to save at least the troops on board.

For the ships sunk at Pago Pago I got my revenge already. Rear Admiral Pallister completely suprised the Japanese at Attu island. I like the British BBs in the beginning of the war. They have night fighting experience. I lost the Hatfield and the Fox is probably also not going to make it, but I think/hope that I got the Nagato. Otherwise she will be in dock for a long time. Further I remainded the Japanese that they should cover every operation, which will certainly slow him down.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Attu Island at 91,35

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
BB Mutsu
CL Tama, Shell hits 2
CL Kiso
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 1
DD Shigure, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Kuri
DD Tsuga

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 8, on fire
DD Fox, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Brooks, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Gilmer, Shell hits 1
DD Hatfield, Shell hits 2
DD Kane

Night Time Surface Combat, near Attu Island at 91,35

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 3
CL Tama, Shell hits 2
CL Kiso
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Shigure, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kuri
DD Tsuga, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Fox, on fire, heavy damage
DD Brooks, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Gilmer
DD Hatfield, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kane

EDIT: DD Fox, DD Hatfield and BB Nagato have been confirmed sunk

[dennishe]

AK's you should have no real fear about those.......You get a slew of those.

 
In this mod (CHS) I got only a few AKs and need every single ship that I can save from the DEI and the Philippines. Did not realize that in time. I'm now really low on ships. New ones will arrive soon, but there are so many troops and so much supplies to transport everywhere. With KB roaming in the Pacific and a lack of AKs/APs I guess that OZ and NZ are on their own for a while. Fortunately, Japanese advances have stalled and they haven't advanced much in the last month. I'm still holding on at Clark Field and Singapore. Borneo, Kendari, Amboina, Rabaul and Tarawa are his, but I still hold pretty much everything else. I will post maps soon....

[dennishe]

The Japanese are looking for a direct revenge for the sinking of the Nagato. The Warspite, escorted by Kane and Brooks, is being followed by the Mutsu and some other ships. I do not want to pull my ships into Dutch Harbor and am following a more southern route that leads them to Anchorange. There I have air support. He won't bring the Mutsu into those waters. The Warspite has 50 system damage and 37 floatation damage. One of the DDs has 50 system and 50 floatation damage. It is not increasing rapidly. I think my ships won't sink.

In the meantime I sent the Yorktown and Enterprise north directly to Kiska island. Their objective is to cut off the Mutsu from a save retreat towards Japan and then to sink it.

[dennishe]

Japanese troops landed at Kragen today (2/17/42). I did not bring in additional troops this time (is more difficult in CHS then in stock) so the Dutch are on there own. I have two squadrons of A24s, a squadron of Swordfish torpedo bombers and quite some P40s, B17s and LB30s at Java. So far they did quite some damage and Elouda is especially complaining about the accuracy of the A24. They did an awesome job. However, the invasion is covered by KB-2(?) and all attacks are smothered by Zero fighters.

Hopefully I can stall the Japanese here for a while. I quickly moved a Dutch marine battalion/regiment to Kragen in order to hold of the Japanese for a few more days. If this works, it will cost him a lot more disruption and casualties by units landing at an enemy base instead of a Japanese base

[Feinder]

Good job on the Nagato kill.
 
Frankly, he's ignoring Burma so he can concentrate elsewere (SoPac?).
 
This isn't a bad thing for you (depending on how successful his other attacks become).  You need to leave enough to defend India (you don't to put everything in Burma, then have him land at DH and then cut off everyone of Burma).  But, take what you can afford, and either use the port at Rangoon (if not harassed by Bettys) or airlift air-support and troops into Burma.  With AF(4s), your BlenIV and Hudsons (early on), can start pecking away at strat targets.  Once you get Wellingtons, those will start to hurt him even more (target his resources).  If you get the chance to smash Hanoi or Bangkok, do so now, because they will only become more strongl defended later.  Either way, you're annoying strat raids will eventually get his attention, and he'll be forced to divert attention to Burma (relieving pressure on other fronts).  If he just ignores Burma, you can build/fortify it to the point where it will be very costly for him to retake, -and- with larger AFs will put B-24s in range of Hanoi-Bankok-Saigon-Malaya.
 
But on to defending Burma...
 
In CHS, you really just need to defend Rangoon and Moulmein (with more emphasis on Rangoon).
 
If he goes over the trails, you'll have over a month warning that he's coming.  That leaves Rangoon (better landing site) or Moulmein. 
 
Rangoon is the preferable invasion for the attacker.  It's a major port, is non-malaria, and can cut off anybody you have defending Moulmein.
 
Moulmein - You need to defend it, but if he lands there, he'll still need to make the river attack into the woods in order to break out.  Also, if he does land at Moulmein, you might be able to push reinforcements from Ranoon along the rail to Moul, before he captures the port.
 
But the rest of Burma can be lightly garrisoned (maybe a regiment at each to deter para-drops).  And don't bother defending that town east of Meikilta - even if he drops in there, it'll take him a month to move OUT of the hex.
 
If/Once he does capture Rangoon/Moul, initially defend at the woods west of Meilkilta.  If you put troops there now, the longer they squat there, the more forts they build (yes, you do build forts in non-base hexes).  Once you move tho, they're gone.  Also, start building forts at Mandaly with your BF(s).  Holding that junction west of Mekilta keeps supplies going to Magwe (can be a useful AF).  But don't keep too many guys at Magwe - it'll be cut off from Burma once you lose the cross-roads.  Next, fall back to Meikilta.  Then fall back to your prepared forts at Mandalay.  Leave something at Lashio, but whatever you leave, will eventually get pushed back to those mountains to China (and will be out of play for months while the head to China and if you chose to airlift them back into India.  When it looks like Mandalay is going to fall, pull back before the retreat (leave somebody with ENG to destroy facilities), fall back to Mytkima for your last stand in Burma.

[dennishe]

Thanks Feinder. I think the attack will be over land (or will not take place soon). The Japanese hold all hexes south of Moulmein and there are large units there (probably divisions). I think I have enough troops in Burma for now. I can always fly in some units to Myitkyina later on. The remainder of the troops assigned to southeast asia and india will go to central india and form a response force in case Elouda tries to take india.
 
I do not know what Elouda is up to. Things have been quitely all over the map. I can't find anything in the intelligence reports. He is not pressing hard in the Philippines and Singapore. I think these battles will last for a bit (which means that also an invasion over sea into Rangoon/Moulmein will not take place soon). He now just invaded Java, but it will take at least a few weeks for him to take it. In the southwest pacific he only took Rabaul and I blocked off an invasion of Lae. It gave me the time to bring in the 1st OZ division into Port Moresby. It will cost him if he decides to take it. Perhaps I can finally hold it for once...
 
 
 

[dennishe]

The Pearl Harbor strike by KB was not a very successful one. Look at the number of battle-ready BBs at Pearl Harbor! I have the Colorado underway to PH and will arrive within a few days, which makes this a magnificent battleforce of 8 BBs. [&o][&o][&o]Exactly, where the Japanese were afraid of before the start of the war.

OK, they are slow and won't be a match for KB when it shows up, but for defensive purposes and for intercepting invasion fleets they are awesome. The Japanese can only counter such a defense by bringing in KB and they will have to do this for every invasion. That will slow him down greatly. I just have to find the right location to fight, where there is a save retreat. I cannot let KB hunt it down, catch up with it and destroy it. In addition losing some ships is not a big deal. In fact these ships are pretty much useless anyway when I'm going to the offensive (OK except for covering invasion fleets). For now, I think Port Moresby and Lunga are awesome locations, where I have LBA available, although it is still very weak. Any thoughts........