Up and at 'em. Mundy vs hjones6464@yahoo.co.uk

[dave sindel]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

That is a monster SAG![X(] 25 ships....did really, really well.

I can't imagine watching that turn as Japan in the early days. That may be the best use of Force Z + I have ever seen. Unfortunately they weren't loaded with troops.

+1 - that had to be fun for you to watch on the replay !

[Mundy]

Unfortunately, my opponent plays with the replay turned off. I couldn't savor every hit.

I actually had another 5 destroyers at Madjene which wouldn't fit. I shoulda sent them there by themselves.

[dave sindel]

That's a shame. I like watching the replay - it enhances the experience for me. What is his reasoning ?

[Mundy]

26 Dec 1941

Landings continue.

Now he's taking Deboyne Islands, Ndeni, Normanby Island, Port Hedland, Tarakan and Tarawa. I figure he can't be strong everywhere at this point.

KB's backing off now, heading north, rounding Milne Bay. Everyone who's trying is escaping now.

I'm not sure how I'm going to approach things when I'm ready.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: dave sindel

That's a shame. I like watching the replay - it enhances the experience for me. What is his reasoning ?

It is fun playing with no replay and say combat reporter. Makes the game go faster and the cost of some detail. It is how I play the AI when I do...which has been years now.

[Mundy]

That's true. Even hitting <ESC>, I would have waited forever for that fight to end.

[Mundy]

27 December 1941

One day at a time.

Landings at Derby and Buna. He's feeding troops into the Tarakan meat grinder taking hits to his ships each turn.

Invasion Support action off Tarakan (67,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

18 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Rokko Maru
PB Busho Maru
APD Hagi
xAK Asosan Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Nokaze

75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Rokko Maru at 9,000 yards
APD Hagi firing to suppress enemy battery at 9,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Asosan Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Nokaze firing to suppress enemy battery at 9,000 yards
120mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Asosan Maru at 9,000 yards
DD Nokaze firing to suppress enemy battery at 9,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Asosan Maru at 9,000 yards
APD Hagi firing to suppress enemy battery at 9,000 yards
PB Busho Maru fired at enemy troops


---------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Tarakan (67,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

20 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Mikasa Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
APD Hagi
xAK Aso Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Busho Maru
DD Nokaze

120mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Mikasa Maru at 8,000 yards
APD Hagi firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Aso Maru at 8,000 yards
APD Hagi firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
120mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Aso Maru at 8,000 yards
APD Hagi firing to suppress enemy battery at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Aso Maru at 8,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Aso Maru at 8,000 yards
PB Busho Maru fired at enemy troops
120mm CD Gun battery firing at APD Hagi


---------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Tarakan (67,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
PB Busho Maru
APD Hagi

PB Busho Maru fired at enemy troops


---------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Tarakan (67,91)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

18 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
xAK Mikasa Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
xAK Hakubasan Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
APD Hagi

120mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Mikasa Maru at 14,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Hakubasan Maru at 14,000 yards
120mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Mikasa Maru at 14,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Mikasa Maru at 14,000 yards
75mm CD Gun Battery engaging xAK Mikasa Maru at 14,000 yards
APD Hagi fired at enemy troops

US Army A-24s arrived in Brisbane, so I'm trying to get them to Port Moresby to hit the ships at Buna. I'm sending more base units there too.

A carrier has parked off the NW coast of Australia. Probably Ryujo. They're hitting ships fleeing the Dutch lands.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 51,125

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 10
B5N1 Kate x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Ping Wo, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AVP Orion, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Siaoe
AG Deneb
AG Canopus, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Ping Wo
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AG Canopus


---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 51,125

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 10
B5N1 Kate x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AG Deneb, Bomb hits 7, and is sunk
xAP Boschfontein, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
xAKL De Haan
AVP Bellatrix, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Whangpu, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AG Deneb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Boschfontein
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AVP Bellatrix
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Whangpu

I noticed Moulmein is now in his hands. I need to speed up getting troops over. Lots of bits of Dutch troops from Soerabaja are making their way there. The UK 18th Division has assembled at Colombo and is also loading up. That should give a bunch of firepower to the group. I have about 1,000 AV at Pegu right now, so he just can't casually walk in.

[Mundy]

28 December 1941

Not much this turn, apart from landings at Duff and Horn Islands.

[Mundy]

29 December 1941

More Landings. Kofiau (80,106), Torres Islands (120,147), Vanikoro (121,145) and Wewak. I wish I had the troops to throw around to every backass end of the world.

Wagga Wagga seems to be on the short list.

1941-12-28 3rd Cavalry Brigade - - is planning for an attack on Wagga Wagga -
1941-12-28 4th RF Gun Battalion - - is planning for an attack on Wagga Wagga -

In addition, Cloncurry has an enemy unit next door, doubtless marching there from Normanton.

I was losing track and Force Z is near Exmouth where his carrier is. I'm reversing them past Darwin towards Brisbane. His planes have preferred hitting all the transports in the area.

Yorktown arrives next turn. Sara made it to Pearl this turn. The 1942 group won't be rounded out until June when Wasp finally arrives.

I'm so looking forward towards the late war. In my game with KS, a group of five carriers is pretty much impervious to any KB sized strike.

[GetAssista]

Strategically it looks like Japan does a serious push to Australia. Meaning that KB might hang out there in Coral/Tasman sea for an extended period of time and Torres strait is not safe. Detour through Indian Ocean for Force Z might be better?
With respect to troops availability, he might be doing landings with fragments. Vacant bases can be taken by a non-prepped fragment of NavGuard
I would never buy out 3rd cav brigade to get it to Wagga though. Lots of better LCUs to spend PPs on

[Mundy]

KB seems content right now to sit back around Rabaul, I think.

As for Task for Z...

30 December 1941

Ryujo's group gets a little to close:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 54,123, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryujo, Shell hits 6, on fire
CS Mizuho
CA Myoko
DD Hatsukaze
DD Natsushio
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Yudachi
DD Kamikaze

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 2
BC Repulse
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
CL Danae
CL Dragon
CL Durban
CL Mauritius
CL Boise
DD Bulmer
DD John D. Edwards
DD John D. Ford
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott
DD Peary
DD Stewart
DD Evertsen
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein
DD Tenedos
DD Thanet
DD Electra

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 19,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Leach, J.C. crosses the 'T'
BB Prince of Wales engages CVL Ryujo at 19,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Kamikaze at 19,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Natsugumo at 19,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Tokitsukaze at 19,000 yards
CL Tromp engages CVL Ryujo at 19,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages CVL Ryujo at 19,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Yudachi at 19,000 yards
Leach, J.C. orders Allied TF to disengage
Range closes to 16,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages CA Myoko at 16,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages DD Kamikaze at 16,000 yards
CL Durban engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages CL Dragon at 16,000 yards
CA Myoko engages CL Danae at 16,000 yards
CL Tromp engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages DD Bulmer at 16,000 yards
Range increases to 23,000 yards
BC Repulse engages CVL Ryujo at 23,000 yards
CL Mauritius engages CVL Ryujo at 23,000 yards
CA Myoko engages DD Bulmer at 23,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
BB Prince of Wales engages CA Myoko at 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...

I'm wondering if fighters can fly from a burning ship, as Claudes took a run at my ships. Dave seems to like using fighters to bomb things. Ditto for float planes.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 57,122

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 12
B5N1 Kate x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A5M4 Claude: 1 damaged
A5M4 Claude: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
CL Danae
CL De Ruyter

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x A5M4 Claude bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 30 kg GP Bomb
2 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb



---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 57,122

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 48 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
F1M2 Pete x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 damaged
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
CL Java

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x F1M2 Pete bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 30 kg GP Bomb



---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 57,122

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Boise

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x E13A1 Jake bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

His TF is east of mine, apparently heading east. I'm reversing my ships back west to Perth. Hopefully I can continue on without incident. I have no clue how badly his carrier is hurt. I'm guessing not much.

I've noticed he's never bothered to try and take Wake Island yet. A couple days back, I dispatched a convoy to go pick up my forces there. We'll see... Four DMs are also heading there to leave a present behind.

My UK division is about 2 days from Pegu. Ships are too big to land at Rangoon. I think this route will be pretty secure, barring a serious major attempt on his part to advance this way. I still plan to feed in what I can. Hermes is enroute to cover the gap north of Malaya in case he tries to ship troops up there on the cheap. I don't think any IJN carriers are in this area.

[Mundy]

31 December 1941

Gets better every day...

Landings at Vanua Lava (121,148), and now Cooktown. He appears to be serious about Australia. I'm moving 1-1/3 divisions plus armor to Cooktown plus some more to Townsville, making sure to leave something at Brisbane.

KB's sitting in the Northern Coral Sea yet, chasing transports.

One of his DMSs hit a mine at Balikpapan.

[Mundy]

01 January 1942

A new year, with new problems.

Better and better...

Amphibious Assault at Cairns (92,140)

TF 8 troops unloading over beach at Cairns, 92,140

Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

17 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 144th Infantry Rgt
8 Engineers lost in surf during unload of 144th Infantry Rgt /4
10 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 144th Infantry Rgt /5

---------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Cairns (92,140)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CA Kinugasa
DD Yugao
DD Kuretake
DD Sawakaze
APD Nadakaze

BB Kirishima firing at 1st Motor Brigade
CA Kinugasa firing at 13th RAAF Base Force
DD Sawakaze firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Yugao fired at enemy troops
DD Kuretake fired at enemy troops
DD Sawakaze fired at enemy troops

---------------------------------------------

Pre-Invasion action off Cairns (92,140)

34 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CA Kinugasa
DD Yugao
DD Kuretake
APD Nadakaze
DD Sawakaze

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

BB Kirishima firing at 1st Motor Brigade
CA Kinugasa firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Yugao firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Kuretake firing at 13th RAAF Base Force
DD Yugao fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards
---------------------------------------------

All I have there is a weak armor unit and a base force. Probably won't be there long.

Intel Monkey is giving me some hints. Normanton and Darwin are getting reinforcements. This also showed.

1941-12-31 CVL Ryujo is - - moving to Darwin 76,124

I'm guessing this is what was harassing Force Z. Z appears to be well and clear now, making for Perth.

I'm unsure what to do at this point. Is it worth trying to pile in more reinforcements to Australia or should I worry more about Suva and Pago Pago? In the next 9 - 16 days, about 5 USAAF fighter squadrons will show up in Oz. They are extremely needed there at this point, even though they'll probably be a bunch of losers right out of flight school. My biggest problem right now is a lack of people transports. I'm probably going to offload all the ones in Australia to the US and Pearl to help out. Any of you guys dealt with an Australia offensive before?

Other than that, another IJN DMS hits a mine at Balikpapan. Searaven bags an xAK off Cam Ranh Bay.

The UK 18th Division will offload at Pegu next turn. I'm getting the logistics system set up around India. Diamond Harbor will be my main exit point for shipping troops to Burma.

Two USMC Defense Battalions are departing Pearl for Suva. One at each base there.

[Mundy]

02 January 1942

Landings continue off Cairns. I fought off one attack so far.

I'm moving some coast artillery and troops to more out of the way spots like Rockhampton, in case he tries to cut me off. My bombers tried hitting his ships. No hits, but some were covered by a squadron of Zeroes. Petes as CAP don't really stop my guys.

Quiet overall this turn. Transports are about two days away from Wake. Force Z is also about two days from Perth.

Queen Elizabeth is unloading a Corps HQ at Pearl. The UK 18th Division is unloading at Pegu. Should be off within a couple days. My gut's telling me there may be no real push towards Burma and India. We'll see. If it winds up being quiet that ways, I can look at eventual landings at Malaya. Any such plans are well into the future, though. Digging the cancer out of Australia will be painful enough.

[Lowpe]

I think the focus on Oz, you should be attempting to pump in as much supply to China as is possible and to keep the Burma road open for as long as possible for the extra 500 supply a day.

A decisive hard push on Oz is tough to handle...make sure you get fighters and AA up over the resources south of the line.

[Mundy]

I'll get what I can into China. I moved their big C-47 squadron to India right now. Supply isn't plentiful as it is in India.

02 January 1942

Intel Monkey warns of a unit prepping for Roto, a base I never heard of about 7 hexes NW of Sydney. I'll have to take that seriously. Forces are pretty thin there as it is.

Portland Roads falls. Landings at Santa Maria, Treasury, Utupua and Vanimo. Dave appears to be completely thorough in taking everything in a given area.

Force Z refueled at Perth and is enroute for Sydney. Maybe I can use them to pounce on any force trying to amphib south of Townsville. Maryland succumbed to wounds enroute to San Francisco from Pearl. Some of those battleships could only make about 6 knots. First battleship loss of the game, so I guess I'm still light there.

I'll have to look up where the Australian "Line of Death" is that triggers reinforcements. Can't remember offhand. I hope they all don't show up in Cape Town or something.

Warspite's enroute to Pearl. Colorado started an upgrade right after her initial damage was repaired, so is a couple weeks out yet.

I need people haulers badly. all the xAKs I have in San Fran aren't the type to convert, so I'm screwed for the time being. A regular AP showed up in Seattle, but I'm sending combat transports directly to Pearl.

[witpqs]

Why prepare for Roto? Any defenders even start there? Is it on the coast?

Deception?

[Mundy]

Does seem weird.

He does have Cloncurry, but I don't know if he'd go south overland from there. I would think supply would be an issue if he tried that.

I'll probably start re-aligning my subs to put a carpet around Darwin. The Japanese home islands are heavily covered in subs right now. The Dutch subs are mostly covering choke points in the DEI. Dave has made no move towards Sumatra or Java yet. He's also not in a serious hurry with Luzon, though he's near Manila. The fight for Bataan will get ugly.

Every game's different, I guess. I'm wondering if it's worth taking an early shot at Tarawa, before he gets too established in the Gilberts. With as many bases as he's grabbing, he's got to be pretty thin as far as troops go in any one spot.

My bombers in Cooktown are going to hit his troops in Cairns next turn. Hopefully no LRCAP is present. If it gets rough, I'll wait the week or so until the P-40s arrive. It's probably time to start ferrying B-17s over from Pearl.

[Mundy]

05 January 1942

For some reason, Combat Reporter is not showing the last turn just played. I won't see it there until the next turn probably, which is frustrating. We'll have a little time lag on my updates. No clue why this is happening as the last day's files are all there.

The Japanese grabbed Hughenden, which is about 4 hexes west of Townsville. Most likely by paras. He's probably going to use them to grab every empty base in sight.

I got ejected from Cairns. Getting a buildup going at Townsville while also populating most coastal bases south of there.

Transports reached Wake and are bringing everyone home. Base forces are very valuable right now, plus a defense battalion will be useful. About a million mines got dumped there too. I'm also grabbing strays at and west of Tahiti.

Yorktown's about a day or two from Pearl. No plans to use them until they're upgraded and the air groups get their boost. When the time comes, I'll probably start picking at the edges of his expansion to help cut areas off. Luganville or Ndeni, might be a good start.

He's made no more attacks at Noumea. I've about 25,000 in supply there now. The Australian units combined into a division there, so they won't go easily.

A bunch of US air and ground units are rounding the corner near Pago Pago, bound for Sydney. They should help with the defense of Australia.

Between Johnston Is and Palmyra, I have good coverage on the east end of the map. I shouldn't have any surprises that way.

[Aurorus]

This is one strange plan by Japan. Has he taken Palembang yet? Balikpapan? Malaysia? Miri? If not, I would get all the oil and fuel out of the DEI that you can, while he is focused on Australia. Fill all the oil bases with engineers, especially Palembang, to try to sabotage the oil. I am not sure that your opponent quite understands the nature of the Japanese position. Without that oil, they will run out of fuel for their industry by August or September 42. I would try to attack his economy from the start and deny him fuel if he is not going to make a concerted effort to get it.

Has he bothered with Luzon at all? With much of his navy around Australia, you might be able to get a small supply convoy into Luzon from Palembang or Singapore. You may also be able to get some supply convoys into Singapore. The Japanese are short search planes in the west to start the war, and he may not have covered this blind spot. You could even move some British units down to Sumatra and really try to make life difficult for him at Palembang.