Aussie Affair, Beta's Twilight

[dwesolick]

I wouldn't quote me on this, but I think it's short for "Patrol Gunboat". Anyway, that's what it is...or was, she was sunk around Java in 1942. I believe they were designed as coastal patrol ships.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: dwesolick

I wouldn't quote me on this, but I think it's short for "Patrol Gunboat". Anyway, that's what it is...or was, she was sunk around Java in 1942. I believe they were designed as coastal patrol ships.

One of those silly things they pulled out of the Asiatic Fleet?

[dwesolick]

I suppose they would have been good for patrolling the waters in and around the Philippines...with all those narrow channels and shallow water.

[Raverdave]

Ah yes the PG Asheville ! Now with fighting spirt like that I'll have that jap pushed back to tojo land in no time !

[Fallschirmjager]

How well is that PG armed?

[Luskan]

Bah - PG boat was a waste of a torpedo that should have been used on an AS ship . . . oh wait, it seems I already sunk all three of those [:D] That is right - this is a major victory for the IJN invasino of the phillipines. As soon as those ships are destroyed, Raver's sub ability is majorly negated - as soon as he looses all the really really big ports that is. Not operating subs from flyspeck bases now!

In even better news, my troops took Zambongo (sp) on mindanao, as well as San jose, which means my mopping up is MONTHS ahead of where it was in our last long game.

This turn my troops disembarked at rabaul (more troops) Mersing (next to singapore - going for the end run as it were) and Vigan and Laong. Vigan fell immediately, while my troops prepare for the asasult on Laong tomorrow. Things are going much better in the PI so far - and in Malaya the wheels are starting to turn. Soon my troops will have moved out of the crowded bottleneck at Khota Bharu and will be surging towards Alor Star, south from Songhia and south from khot Bharu to Kuantan - where if I'm fast enough, I'll be able to cut across the peninsula and split Raver's troops at KL and Taiping and georgetown off from Singapore and Johore Bharu.

One of my mopping up forces got hit by one of Raver's subs this turn - and that is a problem, that whole SNLF unit was on the one transport, and with two fish in it, I don't think they're going to make land (although they might just make it). my cvs retaliated by hammering a MSW and a couple more rtansports under as they run for Darwin (maybe some of them have evacuted toops to deposit there?). With kendari in my possession it doesn't concern me.

In china my troops fail their attack at Homan and vow to do better enxt turn, while west of changsa, Raver's surrounded troops are trapped, and will hopefully surrender next turn (only 12000 troops or so, nothing to get a hard on about).

To date i have lost 1 CL, a MSW, 1 transport (and another one on the way down) and the DD Usugumo. The dd and the CL were lost to aircraft out of singapore, the other two to CD units and the transport that is about to sink is the first hit from Raver's sub force.

I have done much better against Ravers ships (although my pearl harbour was disappointing). Fortunately I've got lots of aircraft rolling off the production lnie to replace those lost at Pearl. Kido Butai has been split up into three carrier divisions and has already left port headed on their various assignments, confident that if they do encounter the 3 allied CVs (Raver is likely to keep them all in the one place) a: the other two groups will have nothing to worry about, and b: my cvs should win anyway! Next turn I will be replacing all the CV borne claudes with zeros, just to be sure (for my CVLS and CVEs around the palce).

My Uber battleship group bombarded Mersing to soften things up for the landing today and did a great number there - also did some great AA work there too. However having that many BBs in the one place is a silly idea - and so my BB group has been divided into several smaller units which will now terrorise the SRA in a much more even spread.

My banana is itching to get some firepower into the bay of Bengal - but I probably won't do that until I've got Rangoon this time.

[Raverdave]

Here we go with some more screenies[8D]

[Raverdave]

This shows clearly how dire things are for me in the north. Luskan's quick grab for Yenen has placed the whole northen flank in peril.

[Raverdave]

And the situation in the PI. Things are still running smoothly for me here, though no doubt bananananana boy has some plans to fix that soon !

[Luskan]

Stop posting screenies and send me the turn! Getting withdrawal here!

[Raverdave]

Things are grave on the Malaya peninsula. Luskan (d@mn his black heart!) has landed some 20,000 troops in Mersing which is due east of Johore Bharu and is threatening to trap 4 brigades in the north. There is only one brigade of Aussies holding Mersing and I doubt that these unseasoned troops will be able to hold for long. It is a brillant move on Luskan's part and could see the collapse of Singapore much sooner than expected ! I can only hope that I can win the race to Johore Bharu fore if I do not then all of my units on the peninsula face being over taken and destroyed piece-meal.

It is a major worry that I am still not able to locate Luskan's carrier force that hit PH. One would expect that a sane person would have had them retire back to Japan to flesh-out the losses that they sustained in the attck on PH, but Luskan does not operate on the same level as other people, he is a lower than a Collingwood fan at Grand final (Pommie readers can replace Collingwood with Manchester United, while Yank readers might like to substitute Dallas Cowboys[;)]) In our last game the bay of bengal became a happy hunting ground for bananana boys CVEs, but as they are all somewhat busy south of the PI I suspect that the big boys might be planning a move through the straits of Mallaca. I can do nothing but watch and be prepared to scatter all of the transport TFs that are currently feeding Burma.

[Luskan]

There will be no escape for the units in Malaya - but my slaughter south of the PI won't last too much longer - big plans.

As for resupplying KB - you only need to dock them in a port with a nice big HQ and you get the replacements KB is back up to full strength (and split in three parts as you'll soon find out).

[Luskan]

Another turn (FINALLY - this game gets so damned addictive). I smacked a few MSWs on their way to brissy - nothing exciting really. I did take Laong, smack Raver's trops out of Honan, take Mersing and land yet more troops at Kuantan this turn! I also stole another little PI base - landed at Jolo, and blew Raver's entire PT boat core out of the water at Lingayen. I'll be landing troops there very shortly (depending on how long it takes my troops to march there).

I am on the verge of taking Cotaban and controlling the entirety of Mindanao - Rav'ers troops are all surrounded and cut off. Once I've crushed them to dust, the troops I've got on mindanao will re-embark and make for other, more important targets (the garrisons are already in place for the entire island). Although Mindanao isn't a majorly important strategic zone, taking all of it and making all those ugly green bases white and red is satisfying. And protects my supply line to and frmo Balikpapan/Ambiona/Kendari area. Of course, I haven't got around to taking Balikpapan, Tarakan, Samarinda, Ambiona or Cebu yet. But I will.

Another of my subs bit the dust near midway this turn. I'll be looking into that very shortly.

[Ron Saueracker]

Are we coming closer to universal agreement that Allied ASW is possibly still WAY TOO HIGH?

[Luskan]

In my previous game - definitely, however I've only lost three subs in 1 week - one of which was in real shallow water so deserved to get spanked. I'll let you nkow after a month.

I actually think that the iboats need to do better - lets all recall what happened to the saratoga et al! At the moment I boats and their torps just aren't cutting it damage wise, and attack wise (they miss just as often as the us boats do, and more often than the dutch boats to).

[Raverdave]

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Are we coming closer to universal agreement that Allied ASW is possibly still WAY TOO HIGH?

Nope.................idiot Bananana boy is loosing subs because he has them parked in SHALLOW hexs. he is yet to loose a sub in deep water. Park a sub on an island hex (Shallow water) and then have 8 ASW Dog Dogs run over the top of you, when bugger me, even blind freddie can see whats going to happen !

[Raverdave]

Flt Harrington of 2nd flight 13th Squadron RAAF today was put up for a DFC for landing a bomb on the deck of the IJN CVE Hosho. His expert piloting skills whilst flying his Hudson under heavy flack and fighter attack is a tribute to all of the allied pilots!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/16/41

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Coastal Guns at Rabaul, 61,88, firing at TF 20
TF 20 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 61,88


2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Mersing, 23,49, firing at TF 43
TF 43 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 23,49


29 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Hayabusa
CA Chokai

Japanese ground losses:
336 casualties reported

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Naval bombardment of Mersing, at 23,49

Japanese Ships
DD Arashi
DD Nowaki
DD Maikaze
CL Isuzu
CL Jintsu
CL Kashii
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Takao
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
DD Sanae
DD Wakatake
DD Kuretake
DD Yukaze
DD Yakaze
CL Yura
CL Kinu
CL Kitakami
BB Nagato
BB Fuso
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro


Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 22
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

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ASW attack near Midway at 95,61

Japanese Ships
SS I-17, hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Monaghan
DD Alwin
DD Allen
DD Litchfield
DD Chew
DD Schley
DD Ward

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Coastal Guns at Rabaul, 61,88, firing at TF 20
TF 20 troops unloading over beach at Rabaul, 61,88


Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Mersing, 23,49, firing at TF 43
TF 43 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 23,49


12 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
252 casualties reported

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TF 92 troops unloading over beach at Laoag, 45,49


Japanese ground losses:
215 casualties reported

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Day Air attack on TF, near Kendari at 33,71

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 3

no losses

no losses

Japanese Ships
AP Dainiunyo Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 15000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Namlea at 38,73

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 5
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 3
Hudson I x 5

no losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVE Hosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Hudson I bombing at 6000 feet
1 x Hudson I bombing at 6000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 23,49


Allied aircraft
Swordfish x 3
Buffalo I x 17
Vildebeest IV x 7
Blenheim IV x 6
Hudson I x 3


Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
Blenheim IV: 3 damaged
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Haruna
CA Mikuma
BB Hyuga

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Hudson I bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Air attack on TF at 39,75

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
F1M2 Pete x 3
E13A1 Jake x 7

no losses

Allied Ships
MSW Tanager, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
3 x F1M2 Pete bombing at 2000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF at 39,75

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 13

no losses

Allied Ships
MSW Tanager, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 23,49


Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 14
Vildebeest IV x 12
Blenheim IV x 3
Hudson I x 2


Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest IV: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Hudson I: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
CA Mikuma
CL Kashii
BB Fuso
BB Ise

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Hudson I bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Vildebeest IV launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Kai Island at 39,78

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 6

no losses

Allied Ships
MSW Finch

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Kai Island at 39,78

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 12

no losses

Allied Ships
MSW Bittern, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 15000 feet
9 x B5N Kate bombing at 15000 feet
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Day Air attack on TF, near Kai Island at 39,78

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 6

no losses

Allied Ships
MSW Whippoorwill

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B5N Kate bombing at 15000 feet
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Sub attack near Port Moresby at 53,91

Japanese Ships
SS I-172

Allied Ships
MSW Penguin, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

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Day Time Surface Combat, near Lingayen at 44,50

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki
DD Harukaze
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
PT PT-31
PT PT-32
PT PT-33
PT PT-34
PT PT-35
PT PT-41, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

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Day Time Surface Combat, near Lingayen at 44,50

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki
DD Harukaze
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
PT PT-44, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PT PT-45
PT PT-46, Shell hits 2, on fire
PT PT-47, Shell hits 4, and is sunk

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TF 4 troops unloading over beach at Kuantan, 24,47


Japanese ground losses:
181 casualties reported

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TF 57 troops unloading over beach at Jolo, 38,59


Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Zamboanga

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1716 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 96 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Zamboanga base !!!



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Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 72785 troops, 898 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 14434 troops, 65 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 376 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Allied ground losses:
629 casualties reported
Guns lost 11


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Homan

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 112329 troops, 1311 guns, 34 vehicles

Defending force 28103 troops, 186 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Homan base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
680 casualties reported
Guns lost 40
Vehicles lost 5

Allied ground losses:
882 casualties reported
Guns lost 6


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at 48,37

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 15227 troops, 203 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 5174 troops, 31 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 243 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Allied ground losses:
292 casualties reported
Guns lost 8


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Wuchow

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 61741 troops, 758 guns, 23 vehicles

Defending force 94299 troops, 595 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Laoag

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4667 troops, 13 guns, 107 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Laoag base !!!



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Ground combat at Mersing

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 36359 troops, 435 guns, 15 vehicles

Defending force 3991 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 25 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Mersing base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

Allied ground losses:
219 casualties reported
Guns lost 9


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at 28,38

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1574 troops, 0 guns, 104 vehicles

Defending force 928 troops, 12 guns, 2 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 25 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 14

Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

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Ground combat at Rabaul

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1722 troops, 55 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2289 troops, 10 guns, 2 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Wuchow

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 76029 troops, 571 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 82573 troops, 758 guns, 23 vehicles


Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported


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Ground combat at Tuguegarao

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8531 troops, 97 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 19328 troops, 253 guns, 17 vehicles

[Ron Saueracker]

ORIGINAL: Raverdave

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Are we coming closer to universal agreement that Allied ASW is possibly still WAY TOO HIGH?

Nope.................idiot Bananana boy is loosing subs because he has them parked in SHALLOW hexs. he is yet to loose a sub in deep water. Park a sub on an island hex (Shallow water) and then have 8 ASW Dog Dogs run over the top of you, when bugger me, even blind freddie can see whats going to happen !

Shallow hexes should be hexes which, for game purposes only, prevent subs from utilizing their max test depth. Say 200 ft for simplicity is the depth in a shallow hex. As such, shallow hexes are too abundant. Java Sea, Yellow Sea, places like that were very shallow. The depth in the East China Sea was deeper, yet get's painted with the same broad brush.

Perhaps tone down the shallow hex penalty but make base hexes a bit more deadly for the sub. Base camping is after all the main problem we tried to address as this tactic was the wrench in the gears. Oh, and don't forget, it is a sixty mile hex.[8D] Even Allied ASW ships did not find subs that frequently and kill them.

[Luskan]

Mixed results this turn. First off, the Zuiho was hit - but not damaged at all really. A little fire, some paintwork etc. This turn Raver's boys finally punched some holes in the BB AA platforms I've been saliing around singapore with impugnity, and torpedoed a couple of them. Nothing to worry about as they're barely damaged, but bad enough to mean I need to send them back for a patch up. They bombarded Johore Bharu and were on their way home anyway.

My first unit has reached Johore Bharu - the Imperial Guards Division no less, with the 55th division and the 15th Area army hot on their heels. These are the excessive forces that I used to waste ploughing up the empty burma road. Now i've got three armoured units on the burma road, a base force, a HQ and a pair of smaller divisions en route for the ocean road, and a pair of mixed brigades heading inland through the jungle, so if the aussies aren't defending Burma I'm ni a good position to win.

Also - my troop at Kuantan smacked them out, and better yet, has them surrounded by units moving south from Khota Bharu. That is 4 units that Raver won't see again. My troops at Khota Bharu and songhia are taking forever to sweep down to Alor Star, so I'm glad my amphib ops are brilliantly executed.

In Mindanao, as predicted, I slaughtered 6 thousand of Raver's troops (ok, well most of them surrendered, but they're off the OOB now!) and the entire southern island of the phillipines is now mine and mine alone. The troops there will have a few days to rest as the transports to lift them to their next objectives haven't arrived yet (they beat my timetable by about 4 days).

At Rabaul I've finally got the muscle there to push the fort down to two, and so next turn I'll push that back further.

In China my troops spread out down the roads reaching for Kungching (sp?) and Sian, and fortunately at Yenen i've got extra troops that I can devote to hunt Raver's troops in the northern wastes, trapped without a base (they're starving so far, and I've got some cav units to come in to harry them as well).

I'm cutting the manchuko garrison limit thing fairly close, but I'm ok so far.

My troops have started to arrive at Tugeragao, and this time, i'm going to take it inside of 3 to four days (allowing for all my arty and eng to arrive). None of this month long siege stuff - I'll be at clark a week later. Lingayen should fall in two days (my troops are almost there) and Naga is going to get a bit of pressure from Lamon bay before too long too.

So far, things are looking up. Pity about the lack of targets in the SRA.

[Becket]

Have any of the testers triggered Soviet activation by reducing the garrison? If so, what is the impact to Japan?