Nomonhan Redux: Seydlitz (Japan) vs. MBatch729 (Allies)

[seydlitz_slith]

Here is Mongolia along with comments regarding supply. In short, we are ok as long as we stay on the road.

[seydlitz_slith]

In north china, I drove the Chinese from the mountains at 92,38:


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Ground combat at 92,38

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19685 troops, 146 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 708

Defending force 16067 troops, 115 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 266

Japanese adjusted assault: 451

Allied adjusted defense: 163

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
447 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 54 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
5270 casualties reported
Squads: 210 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 221 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:...
2nd NCPC Infantry Brigade...
36th Division...
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment...
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment...
4th NCPC Infantry Brigade...
...
Defending units:...
35th Chinese Corps...
3rd Prov Chinese Corps...
13th Group Army...

[seydlitz_slith]

At Changsha I just bombarded while I removed disruption.

At Loyang I launched a deliberate attack against his large forces but only reduced the fort level instead of kicking him out. I am certain that patience will pay off here as it is difficult for him to defend this clear hex. I have a couple more units enroute to help, but if he sticks it out here too long then my units moving north of the river will reach Sian before he can get his Loyang troops back to defend. Then they will be trapped in the woods without supply (as if the Chinese had supplies anyways).

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Ground combat at Loyang (87,43)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 43955 troops, 310 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 1219

Defending force 60469 troops, 318 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1283

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 525

Allied adjusted defense: 486

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
3531 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 369 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 154 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
3703 casualties reported
Squads: 59 destroyed, 112 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 207 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:...
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade...
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade...
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade...
35th Division...
32nd Division...
...
Defending units:...
98th Chinese Corps...
9th Chinese Corps...
80th Chinese Corps...
34th Chinese Corps...
93rd Chinese Corps...
33rd Chinese Corps...
40th Chinese Corps...
15th Chinese Corps...
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps...
27th Chinese Corps...
5th New Chinese Corps...
15th Group Army...
4th Chinese Base Force...
10th Chinese Base Force...
39th Group Army...
24th Group Army...
14th Group Army...
1st War Area ...
7th Group Army...
36th Group Army...
3rd Construction Regiment...
Jingcha War Area ...
7th Construction Regiment...

[seydlitz_slith]

Here is a summary of aircraft losses during the turn.

[seydlitz_slith]

And here is my aces leaderboard. Note that there are several Oscar pilots with 3 kills but I am showing only the first screen with the true aces. Most of them are Buffalo Hunters like Wild Bill Hicock....

[seydlitz_slith]

The damaged Haruna is finally sailing for Kure for repairs. Hopefully she will make it. We did all we could for her at Cam Ranh Bay. She will be escorted by several destroyers and minesweepers that are heading there for their first upgrade.

[seydlitz_slith]

Meanwile, at Yokohama the BB Fuso is still in the yard having her engines repaired. Tokyo couldn't handle the job in their dock so she had to come here. Her old powerplant just can't stand up to anything more strenuous than swinging around the anchor chain.

[seydlitz_slith]

Meanwhile, the rest of the battle line is tied up at Tokyo getting their repairs done. Steaming up north is very hard on the ships and several of the battleships had engineering casualties during the cruise.

[seydlitz_slith]

Speaking of the weather, it doesn't look good for next turn either...

[seydlitz_slith]

Thunderstorms during winter in the cold zone equal snow and blizzard conditions.

Now, for my last section, here is a trick that I am using to hunt subs.

First, I select the smallest, least valuable xAK that I can find. I leave it empty (probably filled with cellulose or other floatable materials) and give it a heavy ASW escort as follows:

[seydlitz_slith]

As you can see, this old gal has a pretty hefty escort. I even put a DD with a good TF commander in charge. The TF will sail out a bit and loiter. The others will also go to expected hotspots and run patrol routes. We will see if this tactic draws in any subs. There should be enough ships that the xAKL will draw the fire and enough ASW assets to persecute the contact. I do not antcipate any surface attacks due to the number of escorts.

Here is BAIT TF 2. You can see her patrol zone on the map next to the TF box.

[seydlitz_slith]

BAIT TF 3

[seydlitz_slith]

BAIT TF 5. I actually have about 12 of these sailing this turn to cover different areas.

[seydlitz_slith]

Lots of pics and posts for the turn, but hopefully you found it worth it. The pictures help tell the story and in some cases demonstrate the concept better than words alone. Hopefully everyone is enjoying the AAR.

[Xxzard]

Clever tactic--- if it works. I don't recall this having been done much before in games I've seen.

[bklooste]

ORIGINAL: seydlitz

Yes they do. However I anticipate using all of my airborne units down south for the next three months. One unit is currently enroute to Miri so that I can drop then in at Tarakan, and the other two are on Luzon.

I also wonder what type of garrisons are stationed at those railway outposts. So far there have been experienced Russians behind every tree.

Transports can fly them in rest occupy , fly in a base force then you can fly them back south. Prob worth a 2 week break wont have much preparation though. Even 1 unit could cause havock if all the bases are undefended. Mainly thinking of it from the angle that he will rush troops to stop your northern attack the more bases you take the more time you have to reinforce.

Recon will probably show you what is there , If its a static your in trouble if its mobile he would have sent some south or to the SE.

[bklooste]

1st Amurskaya Tank Brigade...
102nd Region Fortress...
3rd Amurskaya Tank Brigade...
46th/302nd AA Battalion...
129th Engineer Battalion...
145th Howitzer Regiment...
1121st Cannon Regiment...
424th Hvy Howitzer Regiment...
52nd Cannon Regiment...
147th/155th PVO AA Battalion...

Ouch some nice stuff their... 4 arty Rgt a fortress and a tank Brigade!

[CaptBeefheart]

This is a great AAR! I am quite interested in your Russian strategy. Good luck with that. I'll need to check this about once a week or so.

Cheers,
CC

[Smeulders]

Interested in the bait tactics, if it can destroy/damage enough subs it seems worth it, but doens't it draw a lot of escorts away from your real convoys?

[seydlitz_slith]

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

Interested in the bait tactics, if it can destroy/damage enough subs it seems worth it, but doens't it draw a lot of escorts away from your real convoys?

It does, but right now it is a trade off. I won't go into full swing with my convoys until I finish capturing the SRA and that is when I will feel the pressure. I also increased excorts by converting several xAKLs to PB. Also, I have several escorts tied up with invasion convoys now that will be freed up later when I need them.