Matrix Games Forums

January 10th, 1942

January looks real bad.

INDO-CHINA
Mandalay fell at the first attack. What a disappointment. What’s worse is that the units there (see picture) withdrew towards Lashio. I’ll now have to drive them all the way to China.

Dogfigthing over Akyab ended 6:8 for his Oscar’s. Could have been worse but I’m not exactly thrilled.
I’m going to fly some recon missions over his possible air bases. I’ll think about bombing the airfields.
I’ve retreated one Liberator group (16) from Chungking. He may decide to strike back there and I want to start bombing oil and resources in Birmania too. Mandaly will be the first target.

Ceylon can be now considered quite secure. The 18th UK Division is unloading in Colombo as we speak.

DEI
This is the real pain. The final days of Timor.
Tons of ships are incoming. Nothing I can do to stop such a Juggernaut, nevertheless I’m prepared to make a stand. My fleet will hold the ground to the last men, to the last ship. I hope it’ll be a battle and not a slaughter.

PACIFIC
He hasn’t the resources to bother me here, at least not for now. Everything seems quite.
Supplies, fuel and troops are flooding through the Pacific for the future come back.


Any suggestion for the defense of Timor will be really welcome.

January 11th, 1942

He is not going for Koepang!!! He is going for Dili! [X(]
I wonder why. Anyway this leaves me with some little, tiny, residual hope.
The air battle has been - as expected - an abysmal defeat. 50:15 the air to air losses. I’ve grounded the TBs, they don’t stand a chance to get through the CAP. [:-]
All fighters are on LR CAP, I have to defend the airfield and the port. Maybe playing defense I’ll get slightly better results.
Alea iacta est. - I’m going to engage on the surface.
I’ve created two TFs, one ‘PT boat’ TF made up of 15 Pts. It’ll go at full speed to Dili, ‘retirement allowed’, in case some survive they stand a chance to get back.
The other TF is the tough one. I know I’ll loose it [:(], but I still feel I have to engage. It’s composed of 1 CA + 7 CL + 7 DD. Full speed, retirement allowed.
Both TF will hit Dili, if one gets through the escort I may inflict some serious losses on the transports.

If there’s any Allies Fanboy out there ... wish me luck, I need it!!! [:(]

Sorry,

I posted the wrong picture. This is the right one.

Question for whoever is reading this AAR.

GH posts daily and with all the combat reports. Hence you know what's going on.
The only part you don't know is the Allies strategy behind.

The question is, does it make sense for me to post daily? Wouldn't it be enough, for instance, once a week?

Please let me know.

ORIGINAL: mc3744

Question for whoever is reading this AAR.

GH posts daily and with all the combat reports. Hence you know what's going on.
The only part you don't know is the Allies strategy behind.

The question is, does it make sense for me to post daily? Wouldn't it be enough, for instance, once a week?

Please let me know.

No sorry but once a week absolutely won't be enough... [:D]
I am reading both AAR and I really appreciate them, they're both great IMHO.
I love to see what "the other side" (you) thinks and react to GH's actions.
I do not make many comments because:
1) Language barrier
2) I am really a newbie

I go back lurking in the shadows.

Uhm ... uhm.
Let's see if anybody else is interested ... I can always e-mail you [;)]

Anyway, it's been a very, very, very hot turn.

The results have been absolutely, totally awful.

I engaged his forces with 15 PT, 7 CL, 8 DD, 2 squadron of T.IVa, one squadron of Beaufort, one of Vildebeest and one of Swordfish, plus some 30 subs alll around.
The result: 2 torpedoes. One in a BB one in a DD. [X(] [X(]

It's not like I'm complaining, it's been good so far and I could afford to loose some ships.
This battle however teaches me that there's no way to face the Japs at this stage.
It isn't worth it. I'll have to just retreat from wherever he comes to.

mc3744 I am awarding you my very first matrix post to encourage you to keep up a fairly frequent posting pace [&o]


you and GH have a very exciting aar going and I like the format you have each settled on

i'm sure the posting can be alittle draining but know that more than a few are watching and learning from the shadows [8D]

Another newbie player here [:D]


I'd like to see you keep on posting on a regular basis the way you are doing now, I'm really enjoying reading it.

Although I'm not experienced at all, I think you are far from beaten, ofcourse things could be better...
I think you should mainly concentrating on delaying him as much as possible without losing too much, especially deny him Noumea, and be patient.

Anyway, just a quick post to let you know that I'm really enjoying this AAR [;)]

I only read mc's thread and he is doing a great job. Mainly because the other report has combat reports and I see enough of them.

ORIGINAL: mc3744

Uhm ... uhm.
Let's see if anybody else is interested ... I can always e-mail you [;)]

Anyway, it's been a very, very, very hot turn.

The results have been absolutely, totally awful.

I engaged his forces with 15 PT, 7 CL, 8 DD, 2 squadron of T.IVa, one squadron of Beaufort, one of Vildebeest and one of Swordfish, plus some 30 subs alll around.
The result: 2 torpedoes. One in a BB one in a DD. [X(] [X(]

It's not like I'm complaining, it's been good so far and I could afford to loose some ships.
This battle however teaches me that there's no way to face the Japs at this stage.
It isn't worth it. I'll have to just retreat from wherever he comes to.

You have to look at the experience ratings of your surface naval forces.

They start at 35-40 for night combat and 60-70 in day combat.
Japanese ships are usually 65-75 on both day and night.

Until you catch him, he is going to crush you at night combat.

One easy way of gaining night combat exp. is using bombardemnt TFs to attack weak targets. You can gain as much as 7 points in one night (the gain decreases exponentially).

You only have to find one of those targets, which is away of Nells and Bettys, of course [:-]

It’s a strange pleasure knowing that someone likes to read what you write. I never wrote an AAR, but knowing that some people - even if few - somehow enjoy it feels real good. [:)]

Hence back to work

January 15th, 1942

I’m going to state the obvious: I made a mistake. At least with hindsight. [:(]
I ‘saved’ so many Dutch units (see picture) only to have them trapped on Timor. I evacuated tons of oil, resources and fuel ... to Koepang! How stupid am I? [:-]
The thing is, I’ve done the same in three more PBEM and it works (is working), but I’ve never been attacked so early.
I think I had to take the chance. If I had time enough to bring the supplies over 20k and to bring up more TB maybe things would have gone differently,
In another PBEM, it’s March and I have 500 AV, 270 planes, 40k supplies and the airfield size 6. It’d be a tough nut to crack.
Well, it wasn’t this time.
Actually GH did what I previously wrote he had to, I said ‘he has to take Darwin AND Timor’ and he did!
The good thing is ... I’ll have the satisfaction of beating an excellent player. I just need some more time. [:D]

I’m now directing every available sub to the rescue of those heroic Dutch units. They won’t end up POW. I’ll do all I can to save them (and the PP I invested on them [;)]).

Their new destination will be Exmouth, a dot on the North West corner of Australia, potential size (1) - (3). I’ll try to build it up.

To make things worse, the first supply convoy from Karachi showed up just this turn in front of his carriers, I had completely forgotten about it. One ship down and three badly damaged. [:o]

INDO-CHINA
I have some bombers on supply training in Diamond Harbor, he has tons of fighters everywhere! I just don’t have enough AVG. I’m using them to escort the training pilots over Akyab and in Chungking.
I’m trying an airfield night strike with (16) Liberators, mainly to train them. With the new patch night bombing is useless, which is probably right.

I’ll have a resource strike over Soochow with (3)x(16) B-17 and LB-30.
I’ve decided to forget to try and bomb the airfields. He has more planes than I can kill. He can decide which planes to build. The things he is really short of are supplies and pilots.

China, so far, is holding well enough. With the new patch the advance is no longer so swift and easy. I believe that Sian will eventually fall because I have no way to reinforce that side of the map. But the rest of China looks stable enough. Ichang has now 100k men and the 1st Tank Brigade. I feel more confident.

AUSTRALIA
With Daly Waters gone, Alice Springs will be my gathering point.
All the base forces en route to Daly Waters have been redirected to Alice. It’s (11) hexes from Daly, hence I’ll be able to bomb it with the heavies. (3) brigades and (2) divisions are now (2) hexes south of Daly and there they’ll stay till further notice.
I’m moving, from Townsville, the Australian HQ to Alice Springs, together with (2) Australian Tank regiments. This way supplies should be driven to Alice much quicker and in bigger amounts.
All the Dutch planes saved from Timor are now in Alice, with 5 exceptions stuck in Broom (Hawks, recon, Vildebeest, ...). They are too short legged to go anywhere. I hope I’ll be able to evac them with AKs, but right now it’s just too dangerous.

PACIFIC
Things start to look good here.
Canton is now being supplied and with it all the Central Pacific bases are fueled, supplies and garrisoned.
The 2nd Marine Division, initially directed toward Noumea, will soon start unloading in Luganville, followed by the South Pacific HQ.
All the action in DEI and Northern Australia is keeping him away from the Pacific.
If I had to choose Central Pacific or Northern Australia I would have definitely chosen the latter.
However he still has time to do both. At least now it’ll be much more expensive.

January 16th, 1942

INDO-CHINA
221 RAF Base Force has arrived in Karachi and has been directed to Calcutta via rail.
I send all the units by ground to avoid the risk of loosing them to a carrier raid. It doesn’t take long anyway.

The pilot training continues ‘happily’. In the picture the squadrons being trained.

I moved (16) Liberators to Chungking to help the resources strikes. He has so many fighters in Birmania that there’s basically nothing I can do right now. Next target Hangchow, (4) squadrons.

He bombed Kunming, where I had (3) groups of SB-2c, (7) planes lost on the ground. I relocated the squadrons to Chengtu, no reason to fight over Kunming. Chengtu is (8) hexes away, if he wants to bomb he needs Zero’s. Right now he is using Oscar’s and Nate’s. I’ve placed one squadron of Chinese fighters as CAP against bombers.

I expect Singapore to fall in a couple of days.

DEI
Bataan has fallen. Although expected, it brings to the memory all the stories read on the real Bataan fortress and the desperate resistance of its defenders.

One more supply convoy from Karachi is approaching. It has arrived in Christmas Island, it’s now directed to Exmouth. I hope I’m not stockpiling for him once again. I’m betting he won’t extend that much, but only time will tell.

The first Dutch unit has boarded the transport subs. The ‘whole’ Kendari garrison is now en route to Exmouth.
Timor will be my Dunkerque.

The cargo TF surprised by his carriers has been split in one ship TF to reduce the losses. They are still within Kate’s range and I lost (3) more.

The last Hawk squadron in Soerebaja has been converted to SW PAC and loaded onto the last AK in harbor. Destination Colombo.

Ops, wrong picture again [:o]

January 17th, 1942

It appears GH didn’t appreciate my ‘happy’ training program. [:'(]
I’ve been ambushed again over Akyab by over 60 fighters, mainly Zero’s. The AVG this time didn’t perform, not even close to it. 42:14, mainly the AVG Tomahawk’s. The pool is now dry and I upgraded one squadron to Warhawk.

I’ve decided to switch to a night training program, this way I won’t need to worry about his ambushes and I’ll be able to free two AVG's for other duties. It’ll be a bit slower but I’m confident it will still work.

INDO-CHINA
One more (16) Liberators squadron has been transferred to Chungking. Today rest for the bombers.
I’m moving one (16) Hurricane group to Chungking via Ledo-Chengtu. The capital is now defended only by (24) P-40. Definitely not enough.

According to my recon, in Birmania he has (>120) fighters and (>170) various other planes. Too much for my current air force.

DEI
Davao has fallen, with it (4) LCUs are gone for good.

PACIFIC
The sub hunt isn’t going very well. He keeps moving his subs and when I find them it seems he is actually finding me!
This turn I had (2) DD torpedoed. They’ll make it, but I really don’t like the (6) ASW TF house rule. It should be (8) at least.

In PH the 4th CD Defense battalion is loading. Destination South Pacific, probably Luganville.

January 19th, 1942

INDO-CHINA
Singapore has fallen. Thousands of British soldiers are no POW and a sad future awaits them. I wish I could have done more.

He is massing planes in Birmania, between Magwe and Mandaly he now has over (280) bombers and auxiliary + tons of fighters. I think he wants to bomb Chandpur.
One AVG is repairing the newly upgraded Warhawk’s the other one is at (19) ready. On top of that there are (26) ready Hurricane’s. They are all on LR CAP. Every turn will help to get more Hurricane’s and P-40’s ready.
I could evac all the planes from Chandpur, but I feel that Chandpur is ‘my’ territory. I’m going to fight for it.
It could turn very bad. Maybe I should just evac. I’m in doubt.

I have (5) squadrons of (16) B-17 and Liberators set on night city attack on Hankow.
I want to verify if I can hit some resources. If it works I’ll slowly destroy them with night bombings, if not I’ll have to risk his fighter escort. The IL-4c will do the daily recon flights, to improve the chances.

Ichang is holding up pretty well. He is not going to break through there any time soon. See picture.

PACIFIC
The 193rd Tank Battalion is loading in San Francisco, first stop PH.
Yorktown with BB New Mexico and Mississippi is leaving San Francisco for PH with an escort of (4) destroyers.
I now have plenty of AK and TK, what I’m still terribly short of are the AP.

I think that by half February the whole Pacific, from PH to Noumea will be reasonably secure. By that I mean that he’ll still be able to grab whatever he wants, but only with a major effort. And he can’t put up several major efforts at once, which is good enough.

January 20th, 1942

He did bomb Chungking.
I was one turn late with the Hurricane‘s. Luckily the results haven’t been too bad (see picture). At least now I have some more aces.

I’m sure he intends to do the same with Chandpur. I’ve dispersed some squadrons through Madras (LB’s on supply training), Diamond Harbor, Imphal and Ledo.
The are still 150 planes in Chandpur, but the CAP is getting strong enough.

The 111th US RCT is loading in San Francisco.

Nothing else for today.

January 21st, 1942

Another - expected - bad day for the Allies.
(44) planes lost on the ground. [:(]

INDO-CHINA
The CV Indomitable has arrived in Karachi and with an escort of one CLAA and four destroyers is headed towards Colombo, where the main fleet is currently at harbor.
Is it a wise choice? Isn’t it a bit too close to a potential strike?
I may decide to move them up to Bombay. I still have time, but ...
The 221 RAF Aviation has also arrived, a very nice unit: 270 Aviation Support.

I really need fighters, especially after the loss of a whole Hurricane squadron in Birmania when I wasn’t expecting to fall at the first attack.[:-]
I’ve hence decided to upgrade one Australian group of Buffalo to Hurricane, I’m hereby renouncing to the chance to get them to Kittyhawk I, but I’ve opened the upgrade to Spitfire. The other problem is that with such a short range I cannot train them if not in combat.
I do need however to free one fighter group from Chandpur and move it to Chungking where he keeps bombing my airfield.

Chungking has been heavily bombed again, the Hurricane and Warhawk fought well, but the I-16c have been a liability, not one kill and over 10 of them shot down. [:(][:(] I moved the remains of the squadron back to Chengtu. Unless I can train them it’s duck shooting for the Japs.
Lots of bombers have been destroyed or damaged on the ground. I moved all the ready bombers to Vladivostok, where they’ll recover. It’s a good place to park them, plenty of air support and they’ll be safe.
I do however still have (128) planes in Chungking, mainly the damaged ones and the (16) Hurricane and (24) P-40E.
The fighters will stay and fight, all the rest will move out until I can get a third fighter group on station.

DEI
Lots of damaged planes lost on the ground in Lautern and Kendari. More will be lost in Broome, where he is landing and/or Deby/Wyndham where he’ll soon land.
There is nothing I can do about it. I feel real bad. I had all the time I needed to evacuate everything and instead I kept massing troops, planes and supplies for him to take. This has been my first major mistake, I hope I won’t make too many more or I’m facing a defeat. [:(]

AUSTRALIA
In Townsville I’ve upgraded a squadron of Wirraway to Hurricane. Right now I don’t need them, but you never know.

PACIFIC
The 153rd US Rgt. is loading in Seward for Attu, where the North Pacific HQ is located.
Attu will be my command post for the North Pacific.

(72) P-39D are loading in San Francisco, destination PH.

I’m not sure what to do in Central Pacific. Should I keep garrisoning it or should I move most of my combat troops to Australia and South Pacific?
I don’t think he is interested in Central Pacific, but if I leave it free I’m inviting him to come.
South Pacific on the contrary could very well be still one of his targets, free or not.

So far, as soon as I get some AP, I’ve decided to bring one base force and one regiment in Nanoumea and the same in Baker. The rest will go to South Pacific. However I may very well change my mind soon again.

I am catching up on your very enjoyable AAR, this comment is on your post of June 10th

"I’m going to state the obvious: I made a mistake. At least with hindsight.
I ‘saved’ so many Dutch units (see picture) only to have them trapped on Timor. I evacuated tons of oil, resources and fuel ... to Koepang! How stupid am I?
The thing is, I’ve done the same in three more PBEM and it works (is working), but I’ve never been attacked so early."

One of the things I have noticed about this game is the huge effort needed to plan causes many people, myself included, to re-use our plan from the last game, even when there is plenty of evidence that THIS game is different. Then we get our asses kicked.

One of the things I like about the 3x3 game I am in is the additional time I have to think, so that I can adjust to the huge difference between the Japanese attack in that game and Blackwatch's opening moves.

Don't be too upset, you have not lost anything you need to win the game. Keep up the AAR its very interesting. When the pace of the Japanese advance slows down you can slow down your updates, but while things are moving fast its a real pleasure to read fequent posts.

In Townsville I’ve upgraded a squadron of Wirraway to Hurricane. Right now I don’t need them, but you never know.

That's actually an extremely smart idea that I think I will be copying - the sooner I can get rid of those damn Wirraways the better.

I thought it only allowed you to upgrade Wirraways to Kittyhawks, Boomerangs, etc? Or all commonwealth fighters?

I’m not sure what to do in Central Pacific. Should I keep garrisoning it or should I move most of my combat troops to Australia and South Pacific?
I don’t think he is interested in Central Pacific, but if I leave it free I’m inviting him to come.
South Pacific on the contrary could very well be still one of his targets, free or not.

So far, as soon as I get some AP, I’ve decided to bring one base force and one regiment in Nanoumea and the same in Baker. The rest will go to South Pacific. However I may very well change my mind soon again.

If I was you I'd keep at least 80-90 assault points of troops on every significant island (Christmas Island, Canton, Palmyra, Pago Pago, etc.) I'm trying to go for divisional equivalents in my game (but I didn't move fast enough). Trust me - you'll have plenty of combat troops available to the South by the time you're ready to attack, and you have enough Aussies around for defence. Better safe than sorry.

Hey Tom, or should I call you 'pilot' [;)]

Yes, you are quite right, one tends to replicate.
I did however replicate a sucessful strategy. Still you are right, this time I should have tought again before doing it.

Since GH and I usually manage 2-3 turns per day (unless either of us is away like now) I'll soon (a month or two) pass all other games, hence I'll have to work out a brand new strategy for this one.

Thanks for following [:)]