Back and Better Than Ever Vettim 89(A) vs Greasylake(J)

[vettim89]

Nothing much happened on the 17th.

Then the 18th dawns

I-boat puts two torpedoes into BB Warspite. She is heading back to Seattle. I-boat sinks a AMc at Titlijap. I-boat attacks AMC Kanimbla near Cochin twice putting a total of four torpedoes into her and sinking her.

Kuala Lumpur is overwhelmed by 20 plus IJA units and falls. All Allied ground units left in Malay north of Singapore are ordered to Johore.

Japanese air switches over to anti-shipping strikes at Rangoon and sinks four xAKL. Supply at Rangoon has climbed to 18k. I think I will continue my small unit supply runs for a while longer

[vettim89]

An IJN SCTF built around a couple of CLs visits Dutch Harbor and sinks two AMc. Warspite was supposed to be my response to this but she is heading back to the yard. <sigh>

IJN subs spotted at PM and Titlijap but did not hit anything.

Air power in the PI is about exhausted. No undamaged AC left there.

I have dispatched three submarines to transport supplies to Wake. I know this is a trickle but I feel like I have to do something. If KB is spotted in the DEI or SoPac I may try a Fast Transport TF

B-17s hit Miri again. Will see what the recon shows next turn. My opponent is starting to pay for his slow pace.

[vettim89]

IJN subs have another good day sinking two TK at Titlijap and an xAKL at Ambon. They also miss the small TF retreating from Canton Island.

Rebuilding my PBY squadrons is taking forever. Would love to have more patrol squadrons in the NoPac but its just not feasible now.

IJN CAs bombard Clark Field/Subic Bay.

B-17s hit Miri's oil again today and are now resting. Mouse over shows only 137 active oil production now.

Air battles over Johore and Singapore show IJAF only lightly escorted. The Buffaloes do well against the Oscars and unescorted strikes

Morning Air attack on Singapore Fortress, at 50,84 (Singapore)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 1
Buffalo I x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 13000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Morning Air attack on Singapore Fortress, at 50,84 (Singapore)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 9

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

IJNAF sink all five HTML at Rangoon

Cargo TFs are now arriving at NZ and Oz on nearly a daily basis. Good supply flow to India also but am watching the limited supplies at Cape Town and Abadon carefully

[BBfanboy]

Those AMCs from NZ and Australia are quite valuable. Some or all of them can be later converted to LSI(L)s - the British/Commonwealth version of APAs. For this reason I send them off-map to haul supply from ECUSA or UK to Cape Town.

[vettim89]

ASW efforts at PM score 7 hits on I-169. She is at least out of action for a while

Another CA based SCTF bombards Clark Field

Turn is mostly Ground attacks by IJA in China and on the Malay Peninsula.

Sadly Cagayan falls. I was hoping these guys could hold out a little longer but alas no.

Ground combat at Cagayan (79,89)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7697 troops, 72 guns, 145 vehicles, Assault Value = 338

Defending force 7725 troops, 51 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 237

Japanese adjusted assault: 214

Allied adjusted defense: 71

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Cagayan !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
467 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3374 casualties reported
Squads: 266 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 280 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (15 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 30 (30 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
4th Engineer Co
Sasebo 8th SNLF
8th Tank Regiment
146th Infantry Regiment
Yokosuka 4th SNLF

Defending units:
102nd PA Infantry Regiment
3rd PA Constabulary Regiment
102nd PA Infantry Division
Cagayan USAAF Base Force
III Philippine Corps

Larry did mention in passing he had plans for invading Alaska but canceled the operation. So did he mean the Aleutians or possibly mainland Alaska? Interesting. Perhaps this explains the lack of activity in the DEI and SoPac. Larry has done at least one bold thing in each of our previous two games. He invaded the Soviet Union in 1943 last game.

[vettim89]

The siege of Singapore begins. Buffalos can't even hold up vs Oscars

Morning Air attack on Singapore , at 50,84

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 23

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 1
Buffalo I x 33

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IF: 1 destroyed
Buffalo I: 6 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 21000 feet

That pesky sub at Titlijap bags another TK. Sea Gulls from Bataan arrived last turn and will start ASW patrols out of the port.

KB reappears west of Wake. I suspect the Marines will put up a heroic defense than surrender. No AMPH TF spotted yet. Subs in the are reposition. Not placing any level of confidence in those units

[vettim89]

In the tradition of "Go big or go home" that my opponent holds dear, BBs bombard Wake Island

Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Fuso
BB Nagato

Allied ground losses:
247 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 2
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits

KB Continues to bomb the base but is only sending Kates. Did Larry pull all the Vals off for this mission specifically or is that going to be what we see going forward? Hmmm

Afternoon Air attack on Wake Island , at 136,98

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
B5N1 Kate x 12
B5N2 Kate x 108

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 17 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 52

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
18 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Too orphan units just east of Kuala Lumpur are routed and retreat toward Mersing.

BB Warspite arrives at Seattle and begins a 90 day repair cycle.

[vettim89]

Larry seems to have shifted his emphasis back to the PI with the goal of pounding Clark Field into oblivion. Still no IJA units at that locale.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-30 Ann x 7
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 56
Ki-51 Sonia x 10

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 17

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-30 Ann bombing from 13000 feet
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing from 13000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 50 kg GP Bomb
4 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 21000 feet

That was just the first attack of the day. Four more followed

KB has drifted away from Wake and is now about 350 NE of the Island. Perhaps a strike on Midway is forthcoming? No sign of an AMPH TF near Wake but SIGINT says a RGT is on board transports heading that way

Malacca falls and the poor Indian BGD that was rear guard got chewed up

Ground combat at Malacca (49,81)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 690 troops, 0 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 113

Defending force 885 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Japanese adjusted assault: 51

Allied adjusted defense: 4

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Malacca !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
269 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
1st Tank Regiment
5th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
6th Indian Brigade

No fighter sweeps at Singapore today. Also the air assault in Burma seems to have hit a pause. Probably just resting high fatigue air groups.

[vettim89]

A midget sub sneaks into PH and torpedoes CL Trenton. She will be out of service for a month.

KB has disappeared. Concern for a raid on Midway or surface ships South of PH.

Map once again is quiet. No action at Wake, no moves into DEI or Burma. What is my opponent up to?

[vettim89]

Wake Island falls rather unceremoniously

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4331 troops, 53 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 166

Defending force 960 troops, 27 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 18

Japanese adjusted assault: 98

Allied adjusted defense: 2

Japanese assault odds: 49 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wake Island !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 6 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
209 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1276 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 89 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 33 (33 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
20th Infantry Regiment
Maizuru 1st SNLF

Defending units:
Wake USN CPNAB
1st Marine Defense Battalion

That is about it for this turn

[vettim89]

With Wake occupied KB disappears.

Kates sink two xAKL at Rangoon. I think I am done with supply runs to this base.

Not-Bora Bora has it's port facilities enlarged to level three. This is nice because the 10k TK can now dock to offload fuel. I am keeping my 11kt AOs there to refuel passing convoys (Which is what they did in RL)

Two units remain two hexes north of Mersing in Malaya. Everybody else is either at Johore or Singapore

The Infantry RGT I bought out is unloading at Christmas Island

I had the thought that with my opponents slow pace I might put some units on the Cocos Islands. If I can keep that base for even a little while it shortens the sea routes from Aden to Oz

[vettim89]

So after the fall of Wake, the map went quiet. Mersing fell but I had vacated it. IJA has arrived at Johore where I have 450 AV behind level 3 forts. Lots of bombing in the PI and on Malaya. I withdrew the last fight squadrons from the PI. The did well with almost 200 ATA kills combined.

CA Canberra has pumped out and is leap frogging south to Sydney.

Just moving stuff around now.

Sorry for the boring narrative but there just isn't a lot going on in this game

[CaptBeefheart]

Thanks for the AAR. I just started reading it today. I hope you don't mind if I give you hints now and then, which of course you are free to ignore as you know your opponent better than any of us.

So your opponent attacked the USSR last game in 1943? I'm guessing that didn't go well for him.

Is there an OPSEC reason for the "Not-Bora Bora" designation? I like Tongatapu (which was a refueling base in real life) and Tahiti myself, depending on how far IJ expands. If you lose Canton and Baker, Penhryn becomes a good air bridge base, especially for PBYs if the airfield isn't built up. That little detachment with air and naval support that gets put on Penhryn is quite useful as you can move it by PBY anywhere. If you can't unload a radar on a beach, send one of those detachments. If an air unit gets stuck with disabled planes on an empty base, send one of those detachments.

Good luck!

Cheers,
CB

[vettim89]

The IJA has arrived at Johore. Not sure if he brought enough AV

Johore 1st.jpg (207.04 KiB) Viewed 147 times

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 32216 troops, 539 guns, 85 vehicles, Assault Value = 2150

Defending force 16800 troops, 226 guns, 118 vehicles, Assault Value = 479

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

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

Assaulting units:
22nd Recon Regiment
55th Engineer Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
112th Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
55th Cavalry Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
16th Infantry Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
2nd Argylls Battalion
15th Indian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
5/14th Punjab Battalion
1st Mysore Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
27th Australian Brigade
1st Hyderabad Battalion
FMSV Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
110th RAF Base Force
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
109th RAF Base Force
29 Battery/3 HAA
2nd ISF Base Force
112th RAF Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
111th RAF Base Force
30 Battery/3 HAA
III Indian Corps
5th Field Regiment

Really think verifies Larry's strategy of go one or two places. Put everything into those locales then move on. I have 450 AV at Johore and about the same at Singapore. Suspect he will blow throw rather rapidly

[vettim89]

Thanks for the AAR. I just started reading it today. I hope you don't mind if I give you hints now and then, which of course you are free to ignore as you know your opponent better than any of us.

So your opponent attacked the USSR last game in 1943? I'm guessing that didn't go well for him.

Is there an OPSEC reason for the "Not-Bora Bora" designation? I like Tongatapu (which was a refueling base in real life) and Tahiti myself, depending on how far IJ expands. If you lose Canton and Baker, Penhryn becomes a good air bridge base, especially for PBYs if the airfield isn't built up. That little detachment with air and naval support that gets put on Penhryn is quite useful as you can move it by PBY anywhere. If you can't unload a radar on a beach, send one of those detachments. If an air unit gets stuck with disabled planes on an empty base, send one of those detachments.

Good luck!

Cheers,
CB

Weeellll.... Not-Bora Bora began because I wasn't sure of the correct name for the base in the first post that I mentioned it and was too lazy to look it up at the time. Then with the scenario wanting to teleport units to actual Bora Bora, it sort of became a quiet protest on my part. Not-Bora Bora is Rangiroa which about 300 NM due east of Actual-Bora Bora.

While not really expanding the central Pacific dot bases like Canton Island, Penhryn, etc. I am making sure that have ample supply.

[vettim89]

In the least surprising combat result of the game so far, the mass of AV at Johore pounds the defending Commonwealth troops

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 61856 troops, 731 guns, 341 vehicles, Assault Value = 2243

Defending force 16826 troops, 226 guns, 118 vehicles, Assault Value = 482

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1145

Allied adjusted defense: 599

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1458 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 65 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1079 casualties reported
Squads: 67 destroyed, 78 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 37 disabled
Guns lost 49 (4 destroyed, 45 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

The destroyed:disabled ratio for the Allies was a bit shocking

CA Canberra had to stop at Rockington to pump out some flooding before proceeding south.

[vettim89]

So the rest of the IJA units made it to Johore and threw their weight into the fray

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 61683 troops, 735 guns, 485 vehicles, Assault Value = 2063

Defending force 15233 troops, 224 guns, 118 vehicles, Assault Value = 390

Japanese adjusted assault: 898

Allied adjusted defense: 431

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), morale(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2321 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 154 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 25 (1 destroyed, 24 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2505 casualties reported
Squads: 51 destroyed, 111 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 105 disabled
Engineers: 25 destroyed, 41 disabled
Guns lost 32 (15 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (4 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
Imperial Guards Division
55th Cavalry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
22nd Recon Regiment
55th Engineer Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
112th Infantry Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
15th Indian Brigade
2nd Argylls Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
8th Indian Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
6th Indian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
5/14th Punjab Battalion
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
29 Battery/3 HAA
110th RAF Base Force
109th RAF Base Force
28th Gurkha Brigade
III Indian Corps
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
11 Battery/3 HAA
30 Battery/3 HAA
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
1st Hyderabad Battalion
112th RAF Base Force
111th RAF Base Force
5th Field Regiment

So I think this is the entire force of IJA units assigned to the SW Pacific. Units for Malaya, Burma and the DEI all seem to be here. So I guess the strategy is rapid conquest with minimal damage to Japanese units which leads to rapid follow on. As I have seen almost no extraneous merchant traffic, my guess is it all holed up somewhere waiting for Singapore to fall. I think I will reorient my submarines a bit to preemptively blockade Singapore

[vettim89]

Hey I actually had a sub shout at something other than an ASW TF. Of course the torpedo failed to explode! Target was an AO off of Truk.

I have done this myself. Larry pushed one turn too far. Commonwealth troops shrug off the attack at Johore

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40095 troops, 609 guns, 127 vehicles, Assault Value = 2011

Defending force 13412 troops, 199 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 252

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 423

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
199 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

[vettim89]

IJA performs only bombardment at Johore. Still the raw AV differential is depressing

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 40187 troops, 607 guns, 127 vehicles, Assault Value = 2103

Defending force 13405 troops, 199 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 253

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

Allied ground losses:
42 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

The second and third RGTs of the Americal DIV are loading at San Diego. The first is already approaching its target.

With the focus on Malaya taking over the game, Rangoon has nearly repaired all the damage. Only 5 facility damage remains. So the forts 2 at 92% may actually make it to 3 yet.