Matrix Games Forums

20th march 1942

BURMA - finally, lots of air activity here. I say finally, because it's always good to know the enemy engages in an area that has limited strategical priority. Such is Burma to me. Anyway, AVG and Brit Hurricane units swept Akyab, finding many Zeroes on CAP. 23 zero fighters downed to 19 allied H81-A3's and Hurris. Not bad, my pools are full with A6M2 model, and only few pilots are dead today, since this was my turf. 8 B-17 got trough, bombing the airstrip fairly well, though. I hope that more pre-bombardment sweeps are difficult for Bill to organize now, and my CAP will stop the heavies. Not many of them, but they will appear soon in Burma. Where's the Tojo when you need one? I'm moving my Nicks to the area, ETA 2 days.

CHINA - my regiment took empty Tuyun. All forces are moving, and destruction of the Chinese is set in motion. My guys pushed the fleeing Chinese back into Yenan, and soon this base will be mine, No more Mao!

JAVA - Bandoeng, an only serious enemy fortress is bombed everyday and I imagine the are getting short in supply. Surabaya is left with only 3 units, my corps - sized force will attack tomorrow.

CARRIERS - Kido Buitai's dive bomber force is rebuilt, and my Val reserves and DB pilots reserves are somewhat empty due to this. But Kido is now again a sword in the hand of the Emperor. Baby Kido rests at Rabaul, waiting for Kaga to achieve readiness.

Very impressive!  Banzai!!

26th march 1942

Thanks. PaxMondo. I have this funny feeling, that my initial developments bring me closer to my ultimate doom. But enough of foul talk! Time for a grand - strategy update! With screenies! Arrows depict my thrusts, lines are my recent achievements or defensive positions. Red circles are.. encirclements - or at least heavy fighting.

BURMA - air situation over recently taken Akyab has stabilized already. Allies tried to overwhelm me with their hurricane gunships, but they achieved net 1:1 loss ratio, which favors me. Additionally, 6 Hudsons (long range ones) were shot down in an attempt to bomb my AMC delivering goods to the base. Well done! My ground forces still approach Katha - main infantry body is only 6 miles from the dot base.




NOTHERN CHINA - now the area is a mix-up of troops going to random directions, killing any Chinese they can find, lacking supplies and overall strategic plan! But I've managed to take Yenan this turn (gooooodbye comrade Mao!), killing a HQ in the process, and leaving two inf units in the open terrain, where they will be bombed to death. Or left to starve, no matter. My army noth of Sian tries to stabilize some kind of front line, but whole area is full of fleeing Chinese.




SOUTHERN CHINA - after chasing approx 80000 Chinese out of the forest, my brave troops approach Kweiyang now, that campaign should end enemy resistance in this area, and complete the HUGE encirclement done by my north and south armies, meeting up in Chungking I hope.




JAVA - Soerabaja is taken, and now my two regiments will cahse down the remnants. Enemy force stays strong in their mountain forts, but they will be starved out to death. Very soon!




AUSTRALIA - Holy sh....! 22 units in alice springs, not good. Well, maybe Bill is mustering an offensive already... But I think otherwise. It's a massive roadblock, intended to stop me if I want to move inland. Good, because I'll come by the sea!

2nd april 1942

A QUICK ONE - nothing much happening. Remember that AMC which was bravely defended from air bombardment? Well, dutch sub got it with pants down, sinking the ship. It was Awata Maru, not the first class Q-ship in my arsenal, but still 25 VP's. After that, only APD's and fast DD's resupplied the city. Another medium sized convoy is going to deliver engineers, av support and much needed supplies to Akyab. CAP over the base stiffens every turn, as oscars, nicks and zero pilots are in their high 80's now. Even some of the B-17 bombers were shot by nicks, wee!

In other news - I'm recombining divisions, readying them to strike Australia. I should be ready in a month. Meanwhile, significant force is going to land at Koumac in a few days. Escorts are 1 BB, 2 CA's, 2 CL's and several destroyers. Baby Kido will see to the operation, after CV Hiyo joins the group, which should take place in 2 turns.

My economy runs smoothly, net HI rises despite the painful beginning of every month. But I think I've overcharged my naval shipyards, accelerating too many DD's and 2 CL's. Hope everything will get back on track in accumulating points after YAMATO rolls out. 2 months to that!

Oh, and one more thing: my subs sunk one DD (Blue) and one xAK in the Pago-Pago - Fiji region, while heavily damaging AP Wharton (a huge beast!) - I hope it hit the bottom also. Bill reinforces those 2 bases heavily since the beginning of the game. I'll bypass them, and ready myself to withstand counterattacks operating from there

14 th april 1942

BURMA - my forces overrun Katha at last, the Allied retreated toward Mytkina, being chased by my infantry. NW of Katha my tank regiment, a Panzerspitze of sort, run into 2 Brit armour units and reached a stalemate after an unsuccessful attack on those. Enemy pressure on Akyab is over, after losing few B-17 to Nicks, Bill decided to rest his low-morale bomber pilots (last few turns they were running on sight if any CAP was present).

CHINA - this turns to be more difficult than I thought. Bill accumulated 5000 assault at Kweiyang [!!!] and 3000 assault in the mountain hex north of Sian. The latter is not that much of a problem, but a fortified base with 5000 assault is more problematic. Bombings take place every turn, but it may take a while before my forces will gain momentum again and start to chase Chinese across the map, like in the old days.

NEW CALEDONIA - it's my main area of interest now. Landings at Koumac were completely unopposed (barring the KXV sub torpedoing one of supply-laden xAK's), so one of Guards' regiments meant to augment the landing if the opposition would appear to heavy - turned south and landed in empty La Foa, on the outskirts of Noumea. My recon flights didn't see ANYTHING in Noumea, but that would be too beautiful. We'll see some enemy units next turn probably. Or is it Sir Robin fleeing to his farthest castle?

SOUTH PACIFIC - meanwhile my wolfpack (2 oceanic subs + 1 RO) made my day last turn Sinking 1 large xAK and heavily damaging 3 xAK's at Pago - Pago. Cool! My heavy cruisers (Kumano, Haguro and Maya) visited Kandavu island (where Bill built up some ports and airfields recently) and Nadi. One enemy CD unit armed with WWI 155mm guns reported on Kandavu, and CA Kumano is lightly damaged in this mission. Nadi seems to be empty in terms of planes and docked ships, or at least my planes and ship spotters didn't see anything.

INDIAN OCEAN - no unusual movement - Bill builds up the base at Cocos Island. Don't know what his plans are, but to counter them I took Christmas Island [IO] last turn, and my SCTF slammed one little xAK, trying to reach Java.


<edit. Got those 2 islands in the Indian Ocean mixed up, DOH! </edit>

24th april 1942

Much is happening in certain areas, while other theatres remain dull and calm.

BURMA - meine Pixeltruppen FINALLY have reached Mytkina and we see the Allies fleeing again. Good, because I need my 4 regiment sized force elsewhere. The enemy flies his B-17 bombers sporadically only, leaving the skies to me. My sallys and bettys are night - bombing various bases in eastern India, but to no immediate success. Akyab is supply-secure now, and I'm concerning some kind of raid in the area to lure the Eye_Of_The_Roosevelt very, very far away from land of OZ.




CHINA - My grand pincer offensive stalls. The nemy holds Kweiyang with 5K assault. I have 3,5K and reinforcements coming. I'm night bombing the strip every night with nells (AVG showed in China for a day!) and bombard with artillery. Soon I'll be able to attack the base. Heavy fighting in the northern mountains, with Chinese fleeing north of Sian and massing west of it (mapwise)




JAVA - Bandoeng holds, although not for long now. Forts are down to 1 and I'm achieving a net 1:2 to 1:1 odds every attack. Fleet carriers and SCTF screens the Cocos Islands' invasion TF - intelligence (tracker) shows the enemy is building up in that base.

The western OZ landing force is nearing completion. 1 week maximum!




ALEUTIANS - I've recently taken Adak Island. CS Nisshin struck a mine there, but it's in Tokio already, repairing vigorously. next target: Umnak! Bill is building up Kodiak, so he's probably defensive only in the theater.





So Pac update will follow later, as things are already in motion there.

Hi Durbik,

It looks like you are in good shape in China. Once you get Northern China figured out you'll have the Chinese supply situation in dire straits. You'd have to think the Chinese combat effectiveness can only weaken over time as all those units get compressed and fight for what little supply remains. Do you plan any offensive into Western China from Burma? I see you still have a lot of LCU's moving, what kind of reserves do you have yet to deploy?

SqzMyLemon - indeed, a limited offensive from Burma came to my mind some time ago, and I'm now holding Myitkina (left empty) with one regiment planning for first chinese base across the border. I'll add some infantry, artillery and tanks to the mixup - and after few turns to rest my brave troops, I'll go all the way across the hump. About reserves in China - while Quisling Chinese begin to appear in force, some of my combat units are relieved to more war rather than peacekeeping duties. Additionally, I'm buying out Regiments in Kwantung area. It takes a lot, because I find gamey to buy the command and get the low price for it's divisions right after. So men keep pouring in China constantly, but not in great numbers. And yes, my bombardment results tell me, that Bill's Chinese troops are more and more undersupplied.

STORIES OF THE SUB-INFESTED WATERS - Bill is massing his subs in SoPac area. That caused rather unpleasant events recently. First, one of my subs got hammered by DD's near Sydney. Much to my surprise and dismay, my AMC TF (Hokoku and Aikoku Marus) patrolling nearby, looking for Lord Howe Island supply runners, "moved to cover" the crippled sub. DOH! They stranded into Bill's devastator range (Lady Lex's orphans?) and got hammered. One of them could even run from the scene, but it was torpedoed by US sub! Ouch! A day later, 2 torps from S-35 damaged another AMC unloading at Noumea (which is mine... mine!). I ordered it to unload and then disband, but after unloading it was struck again, and that was too much for the AMC. Ouch x2!! Finally, BB Mutsu trying to peacefully bombard that island S of Noumea was struck by 2 21 inch crappy mk 14 torps from crappy S boat. O U C H!!!!!! Thank God Mutsu will be fine, it has only floating damage in significant numbers, no explosions, no nothing.

Baby kido takes revenge - it's Grand Australian Loop has begun near Lord Howe Island, sinkin a troop laden APD, with more to come next day!

2nd may 1942

Much has happened few last turns, and all of it is brought to you by target - hungry Kido Buitai! I was undertaking 3 major carrier operations simultaneously:

1. covering Cocos Island invasion (3 fleet CV's);

2. a raid along OZ coastline near Geraldton and Perth, investigating heavy traffic reported there by glen subs (2 fleet CV's - Shokaku and Zuikaku);

3. Chasing a troop convoy fleeing Lord Howe Island - aka The Great Australian Loop (3 fleet CV's: Kaga, Hiyo and Junyo + CVL's and faster CVE's).

To depict what actually happened, we must use some combat reports! It all begun with JFB's wet dream near Cocos:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 33,101, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
CA Furutaka
CL Natori
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio

Allied Ships
xAK Delawarean, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Floridian, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Indianan, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Montanan, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Oregonian, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Santa Elisa, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Montgomery City, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Edgar Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK F.J.Luckenbach, Shell hits 11, and is sunk


An unescorted convoy felt the wrath of IJN, suckingmmany lances (haw haw)! It made my day for few minutes. After that Kongo used all it's remaining ammunition to nuke-bomb Cocos Island, uncovering suspiciously high number of coastal guns firing... Unfortunately...

Ground combat at Cocos Islands (33,101)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1790 troops, 16 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 92

Defending force 12075 troops, 222 guns, 41 vehicles, Assault Value = 349

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 174

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), op mode(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
2122 casualties reported
Squads: 103 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (4 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 35 (35 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
2nd Recon Rgt /2
41st Infantry Rgt /1
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /1

Defending units:
RM Viper Force
Lijfwacht Cav Sqn
WS KNIL Territory Regiment
Prajoda Garrison Battalion
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Van Altena Battalion
Marinier Battalion
Samarinda KNIL Bn /1
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
Bintan Det. Base Force
RAF 221 Group Base Force
Mataram Base Force
Bandjermasin Base Force
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
Pontianak Base Force
Palembang Base Force
Makassar Base Force
1st KNIL AA Battalion
Singkawang Base Force
Merak Base Force
Langsa Base Force
Teloekbetoeng Base Force
Djojakarta Base Force
Den Passer Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
Semarang Base Force
Medan Naval Construction Battalion
KNIL Army Command /1



[X(][X(][X(][X(][X(][&:][&:][&:][X(][X(][X(][X(][X(] - it is obvious that I was proper fu.ked by Bill. Saw SOME build up of that base, but never thought my esteemed opponent would invest so much effort in defending it. All Dutch BF's were transported there, some Brit commando units, even some Aussie Engineers! 2nd recon regiment is my first unit to be destroyed by the enemy. I bought it out of course. Kido sunk TK Buccinum fleeing the area, but no more targets arose. My carriers bombed the port afterwards, sinking many auxiliaries, but losing several vals. Flak is heavy over that base. I hope the starve to death! I'm going to watch it happening with satisfaction. Day after that more of my troops unloaded on this dreaded island (2 day turns, no chance to stop them). They died. I've evacuated their fragment to rebuild them in Surabaja.

Meanwhile, at the Birdcave... I mean, OZ coast!

Baby Kido catches up with Lord Howe losers, wrecking havoc:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Sydney at 90,167

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 159 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 59 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
B5N1 Kate x 6
B5N2 Kate x 32
D3A1 Val x 26



Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 4
Kittyhawk I x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40E Warhawk x 9
F4F-3A Wildcat x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Van Nes
xAK Ulooloo, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APD Fox, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Downes, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Brooks, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Stuart
APD Hatfield, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Lycaon, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APD Kane, Bomb hits 10, and is sunk
DD Flusser


Allied ground losses:
331 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 34 disabled


... all troop carrying vessels are down. Clearly it was an engineer unit, which is even better to destroy than regular grunts. Baby Kido countinued the loop, but no more targets found - they're now returning to Noumea for refueling. The enemy retaliated only with 6 B-17 and 5 hudsons naval bombing, but they were easily scattered by 42 zero CAP.

Next day my raiding force approached Perth. They have stumbled on ASW TF first:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Perth at 46,147

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
B5N2 Kate x 25



Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1


No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
AM Colac, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AM Latrobe
AM Jan van Amstel, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk


I thought then: "sheesh, what a crappy raid. But where the hell did that Wildcat came from? Maybe land based orphan..." - but later that night my sub attacked a surface group:

ASW attack near Perth at 49,147

Japanese Ships
SS I-32, hits 6, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
CA Minneapolis
CA New Orleans
CA Louisville
CL Nashville
DD Grayson
DD Dale
DD Hammann
DD Hughes


Sub made it, but I thought: "wohooo! A worthy prey at last!" - and there it appeared to be more than I thought! Eagles of the Empire found this to their delight!

Morning Air attack on TF, near Perth at 49,146

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 148 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 55 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
B5N2 Kate x 51
D3A1 Val x 36



Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 22 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 19 damaged
D3A1 Val: 4 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
BB Warspite, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
DD Hammann, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CA Vincennes


[&o][&o][&o] BANZAI! BANZAI! BONSAI!!!! [&o][&o][&o] The Hornet won't sting anyone again! Other enemy carrier escaped, but another strike is ordered tommorow!

Enemy retaliation was pathetic and failed:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Perth at 45,146

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 93 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20



Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 29
TBD-1 Devastator x 11


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 5 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 3 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Shokaku
BB Kirishima
DD Yugiri



[&o][&o][&o]

Got to add that an AKV was sunk by Vals afterwards

Bill did the same thing to me on Cocos island. Our game ended before I could pursue finishing the place off but I was shocked at what I found there. He wound up destroying the regiment I had landed there.

It became a focal point for a couple of months where he was trying to supply it and I was blockading it.

Well DONE!

8th may 1942

IT'S A HOT SEASON IN AUSTRALIA - now for the quick recapitulation of last 3 turns in Australian front (which is the most active one lately). Not all things went according to Japanese plan ...

1. I was the one to report to the Emperor, that we've lost Zuikaku. After Hornet sinking, I planned carefully, that my CV's would sail in a patrol zone 6 hexes minimum outside Perth, to prevent facing LBA and planes from Yorktown combined. I set react range to 0 and so on. But I forgot, that Jap commanders are eager to engage carriers even when they are strictly commanded otherwise. And I knew that. Result - few bombs hit, and fragile bamboo carrier had to be scuttled by DD Ushio after suffering magazine explosion. BB Kirishima was moderatley damaged in he same fight, not mentioning light damage on Shokaku

2. Well, it didn't went THAT bad - Eagles of the Empire sunk BB Warspite, and heavily damaged CV Yorktown (!) - the carrier was struck by 2 250 kg and 2 500 kg bombs, and left in ON FIRE, HEAVY DAMAGE state. It probably limped back to Perth, but it's marooned there for few days. And that brings us a chance to kill it there, because...

3. OPERATION ENCHANTED KATANA IS ON THE RUN! Amphibious TF's are 3-4 days from both Australian coasts:

- western part - covered by 3 CV's: 3 infantry divisions, 2 infantry regiments, 2 ind. eng. regiments, 6 arty units, 1 army and some av support. No tanks. Western invasion is going to land at Geraldton, and rush to Perth. After taking (hopefully) the base, bulk of the forces will be taken elsewhere.

- eastern part, covered by baby Kido: in the spearhead - 2 inf divisions, 1 armor division, 2 regiments and 1 army. In the follow up: 3 inf divisions, 1 regiment, 2 eng regiments, 3 tank regiments, 2 recon regiments, numerous arty units and engineer units. Plan is to land at Cairns, and deploy a Panzerspitze down the continent, eventually taking all that VP rich environment. There's a TF dispatched for Cooktown, too. Banzai!