Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

This is not to say I am hung over, however, just needed to clarify! The day good wine does that to me is the definite beginning of the end...

[ny59giants]

Face it, your getting old and you are catching up with me.

Got to bed at 3am after a LONG, LONG night at a local ER. Just got the child a hospital to accept him. Time for this old man to take a nap with the 'children.'[;)]

[khyberbill]

three bottles between the two of us last night has meant an awful lot of WATER this morning and a couple of aspirin!

wuss

[John 3rd]

REPEAT: NOT hungover. I am being taken out out of context and my honor is being brought into question me thinks.

PISTOLS or SWORDS?!! [:D]

[John 3rd]

Sounds like a crappy night Michael. A man of your age will probably require at least two days to recover!

[X(]

[John 3rd]

Have gotten home and issued a challenge to my two opponents to get their respective turns to me so we can get going. Will see what I get from Lew and then let everyone know here.

Thanks for the all the commentary and thoughts over the last couple of days guys. Much appreciated!

[John 3rd]

March 26, 1942

A turn comes in late yesterday afternoon and I ran it last night. Bunches of Australia news so we'll move area-by-area:

NW Australia
My bombers hit 2nd and 3rd ID as well as 3rd Brigade. One TK Reg smashes the darwin survivors for the 5th and final time driving a Base Force further out into the desert. Order the Tanks back to join the war. Move two more Sentai of Sally into the area so they can fly down and stock the AF at Geraldton.


Western Australia
The Geraldton Invasion Force begins landing with the massive booms of BB Fuso's guns supporting the landing. The two Inf Div and 4 Supporting units come ashore under CD fire but things look GREAT as the defenders only comprise an Inf Bn, Base Force, a Fort, and 2 small CD units. The base shall FALL tomorrow. During the landing, a squadron of SBDs from the sunk Lexington attack the shipping. The Raids are met by just 3 Zeros flying LR CAP from Hiryu. The pilots do well shooting down 3 SBDs with the morning and afternoon attacks. The remaining planes hit an AK with a pair of bombs both attacks. Neither AK sinks as of yet. Before it is finished unloading I order the TF to move away from Geraldton so the base can be grabbed and then CAP can be flown in for solid protection. Looking good here...

Hiryu moves out and away from Australia and sets course for a position SW of Perth. Three AOs are up near Exmouth. I will order them south once things heat up enough to occupy Lew's aircraft so I can keep Hiryu active. Sure would like an extra CV/CVL here...

The Port Augusta TF moves to a position directly west of Perth, is not spotted, and shall begin a direct line advance towards its objective. Fuso moves away from the Rockhampton IF to join-up here. She doesn't have too much ammo but will be useful for absorbing CD fire.

The Paras at Kalgoorlie continue to hang-on by their fingernails. They are now fighting 3 Inf Bn who had a terrible attack scoring just 2 AV against my Para's 6 so the 1-3 attack goes nowhere. Once my Tinas are done supporting the Sydney Operation I will move one Daitai back to Corunna Downs to help these poor souls out.

Eastern Australia
The Rockhampton area is highly active. Lew orders planes to hit my advancing troops. I've got a Daitai of Zeros flying 30% CAP over both units and the attacking bombers are smashed pretty handily. About 12-14 Hudson, B-25, and Wirraways fall to the Sea Eagles.

There are SIXTEEN units in Emerald to the west of Rockhampton! My bombers hit a CD unit and the 3rd Inf Div is about 1 day from the hex. I must suppose that these are units from the north trying to get back south to help. No rail hex here so these guys are out of the fight. Will hit them with the 3rd and demoralize them with a retreat or two. Sallys also hit 29th Aussie Brigade near Bundaberg.

Most importantly the Invasion Forces for Port Kembla and Newcastle are NOT SPOTTED this turn. Kembla will land in 2 days and Newcastle in 3. Would prefer to time this together but I am truly paranoid regarding the Invasion Bonus so we shall see a staggered landing on March 28th/29th. The Paras at Rockhampton will land west of Sydney on the 29th to close the door and seal the net.

KB trails the Invasion Forces and refuels this turn from 5 AOs. Have got enough fuel for one more solid replenishment so these AOs move back east of Lord Howe.

The Sale Invasion Force moves across the seas just west of Lord Howe and shall continue south and then cut due west towards its target.

SS Operations
Lew discovers the minefield laid a few days ago outside of Melbourne on a BIG WAY! THREE mine explosions are heard along with a sinking sound. How about that??!! Bet that shocked him...

I-25 sinks AKL Kailua near Mauke with a single TT


Next turn is it team. I cannot imagine NOT being spotted so the Invasion Forces should come under attack and the true scope of Lew's Australia crisis should become evident. The dice are now spinning on the table and we're waiting to see what they turn up!

Any comments/thoughts are appreciated.

[John 3rd]

This screenshot shows where everyone is at.

1. KB (Red) advances Covering both Invasion Forces with a Daitai+ of Zeros. Will add elements of another Daitai to BOTH TF tomorrow.

2. The two Invasion Forces move west towards their objectives. Will form a STF of 1 BB and escorts one day from their targets.

3. The Sale Invasion Force (two convoys) moves to rendezvous and then move West.

NOTES:
a. See the Minefield that did so well near Melbourne?
b. A lot of I-Boats prowling around.
c. The Replenishment TF is will KB--having filled them up--and now moves east out of Harm's Way.

[John 3rd]

Here is the Rockhampton area:

[John 3rd]

Hiryu TF moves SW past Perth.

The Port Augusta Invasion Force slips southwards and will take a direct course for its target...

[John 3rd]

March 27, 1942

Months of war planning bring it down to this set of days. Operation Cherry Blossom has been revealed. The Allies now know that Sydney is directly threatened with invasion. If we get lucky he will think we're landing AT Sydney!

ORDERS:
Port Kembla Invasion Force: "Land the Landing Force"

Newcastle Invasion Force: "Land the Landing Force"

Surface Assets for Bombardment TF of 1 BB and escort ships to hit each target. Additional warships to form small Surface Task Forces to screen and cover the landings.

Kido Butai: Move in and augment Zero cover over the Invasion TF as well as directly over the Task Force. Two Daitai of Zeros go from 50% to 100% LRCAP over the Invasion Forces. Remaining 4 Daitai of Zeros raise CAP to 70% and LRCAP to 20%.

1st SNLF Parachute Assault Brigade (Northampton) load into 70 Tina Transports for a twilight assault at Bathurst.

INTELLIGENCE:
Due to the attacks upon the Port Kembla Invasion Force the enemy air resistance tomorrow shall consist of the following MINIMUM aerial units:

a. Fighters: 2 Squadrons of P-40s and 1 Squadron of Buffalo
b. Naval Aircraft: 1 Squadron of SBDs (Lex), 1 Marine Squadron of SBDs, and 1 TBD Squadron (Lex)
c. Australian Aircraft: 2 Squadrons of Hudsons, 1 B-25 Squadron, and 4 Squadrons of Wirraway
d. Heavy Bombers: roughly 24 B-17 and a small number of B-24


BY IMPERIAL DECREE: Tomorrow is to be a day of prayer throughout the Empire.

Banzai! BANzai!! BANZAI!!!

[obvert]

Looks like it's all coming together. Nice work.

Do you know the composition of the Allied ships near Sydney? I'm sure if he has some available PTs would be a menace and at least slow things down.

[janh]

Does "awesome" capture it? I think I have found a new favorite AAR. I must say you are very bold, this is a daring strategy, but exactly fits the risky positions Japan starts out the war in. With hindsight, they only can "win" with this kind of boldness. Keep it going! I hope your opponent will keep enjoying the game despite the tension he must feel right now!

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
March 27, 1942

Thanks guys for the thoughts. I'm so darned nervous about this that my brain chewed on it while sleeping last night. Been a while since I tried something in this dratted game that made me so fixated.

OK. Short update on the whole picture. Lets go around the entire Pacific:

North Pacific
I have a Base Force and Con Bn unloading at Umnak. It joins the Kawafuto Brigade.

Central Pacific
Naval Reinforcements are on their way to link-up with my small Jaliut Strike Force. Right now 2 CA, 2 CL, and 5 DD are moving to join the CL and 5 DD present within that group.

The CV TF with Junyo and Nisshin passed Marcus heading for Truk. Yamato is about to disband at Yokohoma to do some minor repairs and then move to join the other ships at Truk.

LOTS of convoys carrying troops are moving across the Central Pacific right now. Need about 10-12 days for these troops to get to their location and be unloaded.

South Pacific
Spot lots of shipping everyday at Suva. There are also lots of US Fighters there. Am losing a Mavis or Emily everyday there. Would like to do something about that but it has to be on the back-burner for a while.

Australia
(Saving for the Next Posting)

Burma
The 5th ID begins to entrain for Schwebo. Once it gets there then I will drive on Katha.

The Imperial Guards are going start loading at Singapore for Pt. Blair.

China
Am throughly stalled near Sian.

Am gathering troops to kick-out all the Chinese units behind my lines so I can establish some form of true line in China.

SS Ops
I-157 hits AK Gorgon with a Torp near Busselton, Aust

I-158 sinks AKL Proteus near Albany, Aust

[John 3rd]

Operation Cherry Blossom
Western Australia

Pulling the Amphibs back from Geraldton works perfectly as no attacks occur on any Japanese shipping.

The Geraldton Invasion Force takes the base in a 9-1 attack and destroys three units while forcing the other two to retreat. There is--thankfully--no damage done to the base so I fly in 36 Zeros, 27 Betty, 12 Tojo, and a couple of recon units to provide CAP as well as striking power.

Order one ID to head for the town east of Perth while the other ID will head down the coastal road towards Perth itself.

The Kalgoorlie Blocking Force continues to hold out although an Aussie Brigade arrived today to add weight to the 3 Inf Bn currently trying to grab the hex back. The Paras are not gonna last long but maybe it will be long enough.

The Hiryu TF moves SW of Perth and is not spotted. Have real concerns about Hiryu living off of only 21 Zeros. Order a Chutai of 18 to move to Corunna Downs and then they will hop over to Hiryu for extra support.

The Port Augusta IF moves south and will start its turn SE tomorrow.

As detailed earlier, I have 2 I-Boats attack a convoy near Albany. Hiryu is HUNGRY BABY! Set a course to--hopefully--sink some Allied shipping.

[John 3rd]

Operation Cherry Blossom
Objective: Sydney

At just 80 miles from Sydney, the Port Kembla Invasion Force is spotted. HOLY CRAP--The Allies throw a CRAPLOAD of aircraft at the Landing Force! Knew this would happen but it was frightening to watch. I shall detail the exact strikes and there composition as well as interesting notes:

Raid 1 (R1): 11 Zero vs. 3 B-24---No Damage
R2: 10 Zero vs. 3 Hudson---2 Hudson downed with No Damage
R3: 10 Z vs 7 P-40 and 3 Hudson---Lose 1 Zero shot down 3 P-40 (others breakoff) and 2 Hudson
R4: 4 Zero vs. 12 TBD (Lex)---Shot down 5 planes have 1 AK hit by a Torp and see TWO DUDS hit Hyuga
R5: 4 F 18 SBD (Lex)---My CAP is down so these experienced pilot deliver the only effective attack of the day: 5 AK are hit (2 take 2 Bombs and 3 take 1 Bomb). Lose one AK and 1116 men from the 3rd ID are rescued. YIKES!
R6: 7 Buffalo 18 SBD (Marines)---The Marines have experience, thankfully, and attack from 23,000 Ft. No HITS!
R7: 6 F 9 Wirraway---Attack at 18,000 Ft: No Damage
R8: 9 Wir---Also attack at 18,000 Ft: No Damage
R9: 12 F 2 B-17, 17 Wir---Attack at 13,000 Ft: No Damage

HOLY CRAPPIES! Once my LR CAP was forced down life became way too interesting...

I've detailed Orders above for the TFs so I'll just add the following notes:
1. KB detaches a CA and DD to thicken each IF's STF protecting it.
2. Sale IF moves along with no interference.
3. AOs move a safe distance away to the east of Lord Howe Island

With nearly a dozen TF in range tomorrow I hope to confuse his pilots enough to keep them from overwhelming my LR CAP like today. Drawing them onto KB's CAP would be best but--to say the LEAST--this is dangerous. The BBs will bombard each objective and then both Landing Forces shall hit the beaches. LORDY: I hope to grab one EASILY. If either falls quickly then we're good and I can fly in help.

[John 3rd]

Got a surprise turn from Lew at lunch. Unfortunately I am headed to work so I can only tease it a bit. VERY STRESSFUL to watch! Posting two screenshots with details after I get home:

[John 3rd]

Here is the present VP Screen to show how the air battle went this day:

[ny59giants]

Hold Sale invasion TF in place until you can provide some CV cover. Those SBDs will have a field day on those transports without it.[:-]

[Cribtop]

Hope you're using the, ahem, Cribtop Lifeboat Doctrine for those invasion TFs!

Still, on the whole you seem to be in good shape.