Matrix Games Forums

2/3/43
tabpub E mails me -he is pretty annoyed he says -and has ordered the fleet to action.

Todays action
2 Dds hit mines at thursday island -bummer, this is getting expensive for DDs
he keeps bombing in Burma
A terrible day for the convoys, repeated attacks from Mitchells in china hit 2 tankers, and sink another!
Hong kong is attacked, and the poor nates there are beaten up badly
PM was bombed -but Id anticipated that
Lunga is visited again by the fortresses, some tonies do OK -one pilot there chalks up his 10th fortress shot down.
His liberators hit another DD at thursday island, but the BBs are undetected, again another big load of troops is delivered

Tomorrow the BBs will do a last run, and its all about supply runs.




3/3/43

The major fleet units leave for home from operation quicksand -it is a total success -not a soldier lost doing it.
All but 1000 support troops of the 5th division are at Thursday island
Supplies are in the orange, and the best thing is, tabpub has not yet been alerted that a full division now has to be ejected from here

The chinese convoys were again attacked, but not quite so badly today, they will be out of range tomorrow, .

AM action
I put alot of the trainee pilots onto combat training today -a big sweep of tenibar island -60 zeros surprise his CAP, and shoot down a small bag
he bombs Thursday today -I keep on supplying via bombers
Mandalaby has grown to supporting liberators -tragedy for me.
lautern and burma is bombed

Area1
The 16th division is leaving bangkok, headed north
Also a lot of artillery and engineers from the china front are loading at hong kong -I cannot even contemplate an offensive in china anymore -so assualt engineers can go elsewher
Haranua is finally declared flood free -57 damage though -lets see how good the singapore dockyard really is

Area2
rest the fighters today

Area3
The ships ar retiring, but thursday iskland is still going to keep me very busy -its now operation trickle -sneaking in supplies
And I have a nasty plan in the works

Area4
Gawd -oil levels continue to plunge -and the convoys are so slow.

Area5
A big decision
I have stripped the CVs of fighters -they are headed south
I intend to catch one of his B17 raids with over 300 plus fighters -he's used to unescorted raids hammering me -lets see if I cannot destroy one
Iether PM or Lunga -probably PM is going to be LRCAPed to excess -and a nice fat BB is going to be parked there -honey for the flies.

Well today showed why a person needs to have several games going at once

I love playing defence as japan, especially in late 42 to mid 43- its a lot of fun.
I really like the old slugging match in the solomons thing - fast transport runs, LRCAP, ect, ect.
But today in one game -Wobbly seems has cut all this away with a quite stunning centre thrust -leaving my defending one brick wall at a time strategy in tatters.
But in this game..............................[:D]

Operation quicksand is fully completed

24 days ago tabpub began his "little bite of thursday island"
Its now a nice lunch to try to digest.
if I can delay several invasions like this things will be good
regardless -once he realises my strength here he might have to decide to finish this battle before turning to invasions of Lunga or PM

If he invades in the timor area- well I have a similar plan basically ready to go
In his E mails he reckons another month before he attacks in rangoon/burma -and actually I believe him, troops crawling south down the road from Akyab.

I sweat over an amphib operation on rangoon itself, eleswhere the thialand coast is well manned.
A month is good -in 12 days a new division arrives in Shanghia, and the 16th is now marching up the road to rahaeg, that will put 2 behind the river there.

Area1
Liberators in low numbers operating out of mandalaby -this is so frustrating how this base is so stacked with planes -no chance of stopping him
Still , all fair in love and war, he has to supply them.

Area2
lautern is bombed again, and again.
Convoys are moving about

Area3
45 liberators attack PM, 11 tojo (low experience) are brushed aside
This is the place I will do a ambush
I made a mistake -buna has no base forces -flew too many into thursday island from here -more coming via truk -but thats going to take a while
I have 2 Dds FT from Gilli, gilli to PM, and 2 more from there to thursday
A single Ak is also having a go
Thursday has 1800 supplies, needs 2200, so Im still confident I can get this into the green, if I do -I will try an attack
tabpub ran some troops/supplies in last night -Some betties at Gilli, gilli did not fly against them -probably heavily LRCAP, his P38s are not very visible today
The KB fighters are resting at siapan, so 3 more days before i try to spring a bomber trap.

Area4
Convoys
Area 5
A few more troops sail from China for burma, and some engineers head from tokyo to northern climes -I think both of us are pretty dis interested in the whole theatre.

5/3/43
A fairly quiet turn
A asw action near Gilli,gilli, a PG lost, a sub hit
Thursday island was lightly bombed -my planes all grounded by weather
I do get in more supplies, now 2052, 2232 required

Basically everywhere needs supplies in the solomons -i have 2 huge convoys in the phillipines full of supplies, they might arrive at the right time

All the CV fighters are at Truk, can move south soon, I would prefer the convoy to Buna to get in 1st with its AV regiment.

6/3/43
tabpub still seems pleased with his plans - so who knows how he feels about the war

Subs in makassar straight, liberators in the coral sea, mitchells along the china coast -my poor convoys are suffering today

today i sweep over tenibar island, 65 zeros -shoot down 6 enemy for no loss
13 liberators, 48 p38 attack a DD in PM harbour -12 tojo try to defend -no hope -the Dd wears 2 bombs

Enemy CA spotted in the coral sea -is this his carriers?
lautern bombed

Worse news -supplies thursday island plummet to 208 -but forts to 6

7/3/43

The argonaught is in action near GG, she sinks a PG

Today he lightly bombs thursday island
rangoon is hit

My betties fly from Gilli, gilli, to reach out and touch someone -but not with love
CA Quincy 1 torp, a dd a torp


The plan is very simple now
A single AK with massive naval and air support will sail from rabual to thursday island -all the zeros will LRCAP it and the BB that will accompany it -I hope to have a few air battles against the liberators!

I increased the air presence along the china coast -low trained oscars , but i am hoping the AI can't tell that, just counts the fighters there.

And the haranua has not repaired a single point , she goes home.

Just a bump - computer still several days away from repair[:@]

8/3/43
Well got the box back -but it still just shuts down now and then -but only when its doing this game or my mail[8|][:(]
Buggard if I know -Im a steam machine man

several turns to post

he pounded rangoon all day today
And a CAP trap at Gilli, Gilli went ok
45 unescorted liberators met 25 tony, 30 odd zeros and some oscars -21 liberators shot down for 5 fighters
31 B17 followed -only 4 pressed the attack -5 shot down

he attacks Hong kong as well.

9/3/43
tabpub says I put 2 groups of heavies out of action yesterday -we will see
I risk an unescorted tanker for a 1 hex move near palembang -BOOM -a ss has it for lunch
That will teach me
I lose a DD near PM to a SS
We hit a ss near singapore
Rangoon bombed
I LRCAP lautern -8 zero shoot down 3 demon

Thursday island he bombs with mediums
Another combat over lautern -not so good this time -a huge enemy training raid -
6 zeros lost, 6 enemy shot down

Lunga hit hard by heavies


basically repositioning the ships for ops about Timor, moving planes, and awaiting the convoy for Thursday island to leave rabual
The big problem is supplies in the solomons, they are getting very ,very low, the collapse of the empire is approaching -eaten out from the inside

10/3/43
This was last nights turn -still struggling with the computer, and it was a struggle to remember where I was up to

Rangoon is pounded, and Gilli, gilli is bombed -2 AKs hit
Tomorrow the thursday island convoy will reach woodlark -and be joined by Mutsu -and make a run under massive LRCAP.
Lets see if I can get her through.

11/3/43
Another tanker hit today -its getting grim!
tenibar has spits there now
B17s armed with guided missiles sink 2 Aps at Lunga

A fairly quiet day, only a few more days and I get more troops for Burma

12/3/43
tabpub is using submarines to heavily mine the corner at Gilli, Gilli -this is sure sign that an invasion of PM is soon to come.
A ss gets a MSW that is working on the fields
Operation honey pot -the supply run to thursday begins, 1 ak escorted by Mutsu battle group, and 4 APs coming down from the timor sea, all under massive LRCAP

In burma the bombing is getting very, very heavy, all dirested due south of mandalaby
Disruption levels are high, disabled units are very low.[:'(]

13/3/43
we have had some night fighter action in Burma -Im coming off second best so far

Operation honeypot begins
, no attacks today
he sweeps over Hong kong today, and bombs the ship repair, my oscars and nates there are shot out of the sky, little I can do here though!

In burma its torrents of bombs, and more bombs

And at thursday i move in some oscars -and they have a hard day, losing 15 while fighting streams of mediums.
APs and supplies arrive tomorrow
tomorrow is a max effort day

31st div arrives shanghia full strength -to burma it goes -it commences loading immediately.

I am down to 500000 oil in the empire[:(]

14/3/43
6 oscar and 8 nate at hong kong fail to hit 12 mitchells, which hit ship repair again
34 AVG sweep in, and shoot down 13 oscars and nates
I will pull out my fighters, and try with some tojos -they are only 50 experience, so things are reallly beginning the slide to destruction now

Burma -the bombing is really , really heavy, 100 heavies, 150 mediums every day, 100s of fighter bombers (well Im not counting, but the screen sure is full of every type of fighter I know)[8|]

Honeypot is off PM
25 liberators and 10 mitchells attack -58 zeros on LRCAP
3 zero lost, 8 mitchell, 3 lib shot down -only 3 mitchell press the attack, on the mutsu, and miss

32 B17 hit AKs at Gilli, gilli

And at long last a shock attack across the river south of mandalaby!!!!!
2 chinese divisions, 1 tank unit, 1 base force, bounce of my defences -2000 casos to my 47
The Burma offensive begins[8|][8|]

Area1
NO PANIC!!!!
i will simply stay in my holes.
2 sally units and 2 fighter units move to raheang for ground attack, and i move 3 nates to pagan(to give a airfield occupied symbol), hopefully to distract some planes.
More troops still arriving in Bangkok

Area2
quiet, i begin to rotate the picket ships to the west of the DEI

area3
We risk all tomorrow, the AK and APs all will be at Thursday tomorrow, BB mutsu and 4CAs escort, all under as many fighters as I can gather.
Tonies move to thursday as well
i count
21 fighter groups involved iether directly or indirectly involved in getting supplies to thursday

area4
troops dispatched from japan for siapan and truk

Area5
taiho 6 days to go
the fleet continues to repair well.

15/3/43
Another chinese unit bounces across the river at mandalaby
He bombs the crud out of it
More mines, subs off Gilli, gilli, another pg sunk

the unloading begins at thursday
bad weather forces a quiet day -6 hudson encounter 100 fighters over thursday, tomorrow is clear, I expect a huge day tomorrow!

16/3/43
he goes to bombing my troops in burma, no more troops cross the river though.
I bomb back a bit

Its all thursday island today
42 P38 sweep thursday -26 tony, 35 AM3, 51AM2, 6 oscar
28 shot down, 8 tony,6am3,18 am2,1 oscar lost

36lib/28fort attack -32am3,43am2,18 tony
7 lib shot down -and he bugs out

24 liberators,11 mitchell, 12 hudson attack
2 zero lost, 5 mitchell, 5 lib shot down -they fail moral as well

100 heavies hit lunga -i order a fast transport run to the place

I count today a success -supplies are in
The carrier airgroups are withdrawn for restocking and retraining time, the planes at soerabaya will go to solomons.
Tonies remain at Thursday, the Mutsu heads west, to lurk in strike range out of his plane range (ao on the way)

he lost 61 planes to my 52 today -very precious planes -but I feel I have bought thursday island a good breathing space.
still more supplies to unload -I am banking that his planes with so many moral failures will not come tomorrow

The computer fails again , so once again Im out of action -HOW HARD IS IT TO replace some RAM and give a test!!!
I flash up the box when I get it home -and the fan is so loud I can hardly think!!
"its all right to go mate! -yes, right mate!"

computer at home still problem plagued[:@]

70 odd P38s try to sweep thursday island -the weather beats them
22 find the place -20 tony engaged -8 shot down tonies -my pilot skill levels are really starting the slide

the rain of bombs in burma continues

he bombs Kia island in the timor sea -I hope he attacks in that direction!
I sank a ss today mallacca straight
The entire turn spent transferring carrier planes to the training area at soerabaya
CV taihio arrives -I will put her into mothballs


18/3/43
he bombs rahaeng today, destroying some planes on the ground
he sweeps thursday again -but basically Im gone

Area1
A huge effort is building on the front here against me -the trick is to avoid being trapped

Area2
Running supplies, he is reconning like mad this area

Area3
Th island is in the clear for supplies -I am so tempted to try an attack!
I am setting up multiple supply barge runs

Area4
2 base forces depart japan for the phillipines -slowly fortifying the country

Area5
Oil level is below 400000 -so Im doomed!
Stupid computer -it crashed 3 times during this turn[:(]

19/3/43
The days go by, and still I await his south attack
Burma bashing continuees, and continues, its frightening the buildup tabpub has got on the burma front -now the road from Akyab has got 4 units coming down it.
6 against me near mandalaby, 12 at mandalaby itself, 4 opposite pagan, 5 to the east of the front

Other than the immenant collapse of the empire -all is fine[:D][:)]

The war betwwen Admiral herbiean and his nemisis
Bloody Good Computers -marayong, nsw, continues.

back and forth the valiant herb travels
Its broke -he says
we can't find anything wrong -says BG
its still broke -and wheres the extra RAM you sold me?
Sorry says BG, here you go -all fixed!
No it aint, so we trek again -I tell you its the motherboard
Well heres a new one, all better now!

WHAT< WHAT< I CAN"T HEAR YOU OVER THIS JET ENGINE YOU HAVE RUNNING IN IT BETWEEN THE REBOOTS!!!!!

What noise?
THAT NOISE!!!!
Oh, that noise -ok, we promise to fix it -piority
Fixed yet?
Nope
Fixed yet?
nope
Fixed yet -nope -oh hang on, now it is

FLIGHT WITP IS NOW DEPARTING HERBIESANS LOUNGEROOM, REBOOTS ALLOWING
OK, Im back again -grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Oh, so solly, we sacked the guy fixing your box, you come back 3 days, while you defend country, we fix

5 days later -oh, so sorry, not fixed
You need new hard drive -we just try test!
(and you did not test it the 1st time!)
herbiesan dones kamikazi uniform, promises death and destruction -and smiles through gritted teeth
more money i suppose!
Oh yes, and lets try a different, more expensive motherboard too - why don't you come back tomorrow?
So tomoorow is here -and its -well, we tried this, and we tried that, and all these things we did not test the 1st time, why don't you come back this afternoon?

thats -BG computers, railway parade , marayong, NSW, just repeating that, bloody good computers.
ask for Glenn

I now know why kamikazes were so happy to crash into carriers[8|]
Everytime i drive to railway parade -i see visions of them!

Greetings herbieh/1275psi:

Wonderful AAR! I'm enjoying it immensely. Keep up the good work! I'm learning droves. I'm afraid to admit I'm too much of a newcomer to be able to offer any sage advice. Personally, I believe you're more than a match for this tadpub individual. You have to be in the first place, to even consider playing as Japan IMHO.

Good hunting!

Odox

Finally, after virtually rebuilding a computer from scratch , and then going through all the hassles of re loading and patching everything -we can resume
I lost everything with the meltdown , so after setting up mail ect, ect, was just keen to get the turn out, get this game going again.
Totally forgot what most units are doing, although the general thrust of the strategy came back.

Basically in Burma I made a severe mistake -flew bombers and fighters into rangoon, and forgot the place is a wreck.
raehang was pounded as well, so I lost more planes on the ground here as well.
No idea what I was thinking there -so its now back to trying to pull em out.
The troops at the front continue to get hammered by all sorts of bombers

I cannot see my defence holding when the assualt really begins, what i will need to do is time it all really well -and pull out ahead of him -the next major defence line is at the river at raehang.

They are right -Burma front severly needs work -how to recreate the front so that allied assualt is not really viable until 44 is quite a problem
I have over half the LCU's available to me on this front -and still not enough.

In the DEI I have begun a massive carrier group training program -350 fighters, and 120 more from singapore.
No idea how tabpub will react to this.
he bombs Kia island again, and lautern
Unfortunately Taiho gave her presence away today -her Judys conducted a ASW attack off tokyo

In the solomons, I bomb with light raids -20 to 30 bombers at a timeattacking thursday island
Supplies are good on the island -so Im trying a deliberate attack tomorrow .
I do not expect much from it -but i want to put physcological pressure on Tabpub, hopefully make him commit to something rash -to "save" Thursday
Immediately after the attack -the transports are going in, and a airlift out of the 5th div will begin

I am just so pleased to be playing again
Just hoping my opponents are recieving my mail now -and that we have no synch problems

its the 22/3/43
and the war in Burma is like watching a glacier coming down the valley -its coming, you cannot stop it, and it will crush you.

The big event was the british 18th division attacking north of the irrawady on the akyab road.
large numbers of AKs are supplying it, and 1 Cv is supporting it at least
My airforce is in dis array -all my fualt too[:@]
I am soon going to be foced back towards rangoon -this I feel for sure

At Thursday the air lift evac has begun.

losing 2 divisions to the bug is not going to help me here at all![8|]

23/4/43
he now controls the agenda.
that has to be faced by all jap players at some time, now its all about delay, delay, delay
Hanoi is bombed -ouch.osacars shot down in droves
Zeros to here tomorrow!
Area1
The threat from the left flank is just too much on the burma front
I order the troops to start pulling out from taungyi, pagan as well
the whole air thing is a disaster -will have to do something about this!!! -a sneak and grab the pilots at least from rangoon.
6 AKs are dispatched.
All air effort will concentrate on LRCAPing these ships

many british ships unloading north of the irrawady -and CVs there as well.
Eleswhere little is happening -the air evac of the 5th Div from Thursday island continues.

24/3/43
the enemy hits hanoi again -and gets a blood nose -9 p40s shot down.
I am losing A/c at about 2 to 1 ratio now, so any loss inflicted is nice.
he bombs all over the front in Burma, and i begin to move out -not eveident yet..
Im going to think about all those ships near the irrawady

All the rest of the war is very quiet -which suits me fine.
31st Div arrives bangkok.
The 16th is stalled, some bug maybe -I thought railways helped.
Its parked behind the river south of raehag -another roadblock.

25/3/43
After no action from my airforce, I flew in some betties to moulimien
They do well -theyt miss the Victorious and hermes -but put 2 torps into the BB resolution -I think tabpub had become complacent after no sign of my airforce for months.
He will have a lot more Cap next time
He says the BB is out of the war.

I lost 20 oscars on the attacks, and about 7 betties, oscars are good for escort some time -they were all killed on the attack on his carriers.
The retreat continues -still no response!

26/3/43
corsairs suffer Op losses
Soon real doom will arrive!

I lost 3 AKs to SS today, they have returned to the war it seems.
I assign the 48th div -in reserve at kendari -to the burma front
The great retreat has been sprung -I think we are going to get out with out being trapped.
we will see.
I intend to lose a division or so at rangoon -to hold here using the no where to run -takes fore ever to kill um effect -I hope!