Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel


But who cares, for when Madras Police Battalion leads an offensive in China, all is right with the world.

I'd like to see a ground combat between this unit and the Japanese Tax Police unit at Shanghai.

I'll post it if it happens.

8/20/45 to 8/22/45

China: The Allies landed at Chefoo and took the base against minimal opposition. The force there is mainly to protect base-building until other armies (West or Russian) draw close enough to permit combined operations. Down south the Western armies are beginning to move north from the Nanking front.

Russia: The Russians have rails open all the way to the Yellow Sea, and much of the Russian army is strat moving to the dot hex on the sea, preparatory to moving into Korea on the west side. Erik's armies, which are strong, are concentrated to the NE of Korea. He hasn't opposed the Russian advance yet by ground or air forces.

Death Star: DS fighters have swept Nagasaki and a big enemy airfield in Manchuria, to modest effect. Tomorrow the sweeps are to take place at Osaka, which should be a bloody affair.

Singapore: A few Allied armored units engaged in a deliberate attack which showed an enemy supply malus and an adjusted enemy AV of only about 5k or 6k. On the other hand, the enemy units are recovering AV from daily bombing and bombardments, so no real weakness yet. Lots of big Allied combat engineer units inbound. Allied armor will engage in another limited deliberate attack tomorrow. Singers is basically isolated now, as Erik has withdraw from Palembang, his last real outpost in proximity. I think Singers will fall inside two months.

DEI: Allied paratroop detachments have taken a bunch of undefended bases in the middle of Java (cutting the railroad system, but Erik has no troops anyhow) and in western Borneo. Erik has a stout KB down near Kendari, preventing me from moving a big armada to help at Singers.

We're playing a funny game that is detrimental to both and beneficial to both. Erik is withdrawing troops from all over the DEI, PI, etc., so that the Allies seldom harvest Army Loss points, and he keeps a steady stream of reinforcements moving to Japan. So that dampens my ability to score points, temporarily. On the flip side, I've been able to conquer nearly all of Sumatra, half of Java, and part of Borneo with fragmentary detachments. Had Erik kept some regiments or even naval guard units in place, he could've held these places for months to come. So we're both basically marshalling forces in the Yellow Sea/Sea of Japan areas, where the end-game scenarios will play out. The allies lead 98k to 84k, so still roughly 70k from victory. Erik's successfully playing keep away but he also running out of places to hide.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I'll post it if it happens.

Perhaps a dastardly spy could leak the unit's future objectives to the Japanese with a recommendation that they be met by an appropriate defense force?

8/22/45

Hiroshima/Matsuyama: The air war is the key to winning the game (eventually). Erik is a tough customer and his fighter corps and flak are bears to deal with. Tomorrow the Allies are trying for combination punches against Matsuyama and Hiroshima using LBA fighters and bombers (vs. Matsuyama) and carrier fighters (vs. Hiroshima). While the strike vs. industry is important, the results of the sweep against Hiroshima will be the most telling thing about the potential for Allied ops against major Home Island bases.

I'm still 70k away from 2x victory points. Those points are likely to come from:
1. Bases: Singapore, Shanghai and Chungking have the most potential but some bases in China and Korea, Formosa, plus the DEI will help. Of these, Chungking is the most significant because it reduces the denominator significantly.

2. Ships: Erik has a massive amount of shipping. He's losing his safe havens in the DEI. The Marianas are still relatively safe for him. The Home Islands, beneath stout CAP, offer the final refuges. If and when the Allies crack the code on effective bombing, then this offers major points potential.

3. Army: Erik has carefully tended to his armies - withdrawing when threatened (and I often lend an assist as I don't yet wish to fight on terrain and terms that favor the defenders). He's running out of room here, too. His army in China is now basically cut off, though he can retreat into the mountains to insulate them from being destroyed. But he'll likely lose considerable points in China, Korea and Formosa.

4. Industry: The air war is a tough war but the Allies have to figure it out in order to harvest strategic bombing points at a somewhat efficient level. There are reasons for optimism but not yet for confidence.

5. Air War: This is basically a 1:1 affair and thus is a net hindrance from a points standpoint but a necessity as it's the only thing standing between the Allies and achieving numbers 1 to 4.

Couple of quick questions:

Are you finding yet that the P51H is reducing the strain on your fighter pools? I forget when they start arriving, but in mid December I have over 800 in the pool, after having converted many squadrons to this air frame.

Are you getting the B17Gs in sufficient numbers yet to start having an impact at the front? I have approximately 600+ of them deployed forward now with most based at Naha. I'm routinely getting coordinated sorties of 450+ against Kagoshima.

Production of both models begin in September, so I don't have them yet.

Given the current Allied positions, I should be able to make full uses of them for Strategic Bombing at efficient distances.

Well I didn't realize I have been using those two air frames for only 3.5 months.

Their monthly rates are substantial and they should make a big difference for you.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Production of both models begin in September, so I don't have them yet.

Given the current Allied positions, I should be able to make full uses of them for Strategic Bombing at efficient distances.

Production of both models begin in September, so I don't have them yet.

Given the current Allied positions, I should be able to make full uses of them for Strategic Bombing at efficient distances.

The pool numbers and low service rating of the B-17 makes it a monster. Unless you shoot it down it gets patched up in a day or two. Relentless

For a long time I didn't think the Allies had a chance to achieve 2x until 1946. There seems to be a chance for a '45 finish. It hinges on the air war.

8/23/43

Strategic Bombing: Even though weather hampered coordination between carrier and LBA air, today's strat bombing raid was effective - 1:1 score in the air and 600+ victory points. This is promising going forward.

Singapore: Limited attack by a handful of small armored units somehow succeeds in dropping forts from 6 to 5, shows the supply malus for the enemy, and indicates an enemy adjusted AV of about 6k, which is manageable if true. Lots of reinforcements inbound, including some Free French fighting forces, but big combat engineering units may be the most helpful. One will be onsite in about 10-12 days. Another three and four will reach Madras in a couple of days; there to board ship for delivery to Malacca. ETA at Singers probably 21-25 days. Next (second) general attack at Singers perhaps inside 10 days.

8/24/45

Strategic Bombing: Building on the raids of the 23rd (fighters + bombers vs. Hiroshima industry, and carrier fighters vs. Osaka CAP), the Allies targeted Shimoneski industry on the 24th - massed B-29Bs during the night, and LBA fighters and a handful of bombers plus carrier fighters during the daylight hours. The nighttime raid faced modest CAP (less than 20 fighters) and scored dozens of hits setting nearly 300k fires. The daylight raids handled the CAP and scored some hits vs. Resources. Overall, this was well-planned and coordinated and synergistic with the raids the day before....but the Allies nonetheless lost nearly 40 B-29s. Most of these were nighttime B-29Bs that faced light opposition. This supports the point that nighttime bombing against some CAP and flak just isn't going to get the job done. Typically, when coordinated, the daytime raids simply do better, even though they may face 400 fighters on CAP rather than 20. The air war is tough. The day netted about 400 points, almost entirely due to bombing, but the Allies can't sustain raids in this game.

The P-47N continues to perform poorly in sweep roles, oddly enough. The P-51D and P-38L performs pretty well in escort roles especially when supplemented by Corsair sweeps. At the moment, the -51 and -38 pools are adequate, so carefully configured daytime raids that feature decent coordination are significantly more efficient than nighttime raids (though a big nighttime raid vs. a base like Tokyo, with huge industry, might be worth the cost if 300k fires are set at a cost in this neighborhood).

Tomorrow, the bombers and LBA fighters will stand down and the carrier fighters will sweep Nagasaki, which usually has about 300+ fighters.

What are the fatigue levels of your P-47N's?

All the underlying numbers (fatigue, morale, experience, skill, defensive skill, commander) are excellent.

Erik hasn't flown an offensive air mission of any kind in months. No bombers. No sweeps. My guys fly only occasionally, so they aren't overworked and their fresh on the occasions I use them.

You appear to be sweeping at drop tank range or at least extended non-drop-tank range so that might be affecting both performance and the afternoon arrival.

Weather affects arrival time but I don't believe distances or drop tanks do.

I've never detected any affect on performance, but what do I know? The -47Ns (and other fighters) seem to do the same with or without them.

8/28/45

The Allied plan is really gathering momentum now. The Russians have reached the Yellow Sea and are about to make a strong, concerted move towards western Korea. The Western Allies are moving into northern China, making for a rendezvous with "back door" Russian units. Singers may fall inside a month. And the invasion of Formosa is a couple of days away.

Erik really hasn't fought offensively in many months. He's diligent and crafty and will strike when the time is right. But I think the time and locations for him to do so the most effectively and efficiently have passed. I think the Allies can prevail in 1945 without invading the balance of the Home Islands and coming close to his nest of big airfields. But he can certainly weigh a punch in the China, HI, Formosa triangle.

Asia: The Russian army is massive and powerful. Using the rail system, a huge chunk is down on the Yellow Sea, ready to begin the campaign for Korea. The Western Allies are moving north from the Nanking area, hoping to link up with the Russians, neutralize enemy pockets, and then turn back south and west towards Sian and Chungking. I think the Allies can close on the latter in about three months.

8/28/45

Formosa & Luzon: Two Allied divisions + armor + combat engineers will land at Karenko, Formosa, in two or three days.

Once that is done, Part of the Herd will report to Manila to retrieve an Allied army (3600 AV) for use in China.

On August 3, Japan still held Manila. A lot has happened since then, very quickly and efficiently. In another month, I don't think Erik will have anything meaningful left outside the Home Islands, and I believe the air war will be going nonstop.

8/28/45


Singapore: I think the base is ripe for reduction and fall. Massed Allied bombers have been hitting the base every day for more than a month. Supply is an issue for Erik's troops. AVs (as shown during bombardments) are beginning to drop and not recover fully. Forts dropped from 6 to 5 during the last probing attack by a handful of armor units. And hefty Allied reinforcements (ground troops and combat ships) have just arrived. The next general attack (set for two or three turns from now) will tell the tale. Forts should drop to 4 and that will signal the death spiral.

Looks like it could be good to put a unit in the empty river hex between Anshan and Mukden to establish a bridgehead. Then your big army could cross without SA and threaten both those cities. Yeah, he could send units out from Mukden and Anshan to deal with the crossing unit but if there are follow-on troops showing movement to that hex and others showing movement directly toward Anshan and Mukden, what's he gonna do? Might be worth recon by bombing (or not) to see if that hex really is empty.