A Good Place to Start - Matthew (A) v Fokko (J) - Bottlenecks Mod

[M Peaston]

6th April 1942


INDIA/BURMA

AVG tangled with Japanese Oscars, Tojos and Sallys over Toungoo, losing two fighters without causing any loss to the Japanese.


ABDA

The Japanese show their hand, as the invasion fleet heads to Semarang. The brave Buffalo pilots sacrifice themselves to allow the bombers a clear run at the transports - it brings a tear to one’s eye - but their sacrifices were in vain as apart from the Stringbags the bomber pilots couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo. Admittedly the weather (thunderstorms) didn’t help. Stringbags scored a torpedo hit each on LSD Shinshu Maru and xAP Manzyu Maru, and although Shinshu Maru shows up on the intel screen as sunk I don’t believe either actually sank.

I expected the Japanese landings to be successful, and I expected the Allied air forces to suffer horrible losses, but I was rather hoping to cause a bit more damage to Japanese shipping in the process. Oh well. I’ll try something different tomorrow.

At least I understand now why the Japanese didn’t seek to establish air superiority over Java before their invasion. There really was no need to bother….


SWPAC/SOPAC

It’s all quiet here again today; KB is reported to be still at Rabaul. Maybe KB’s foray into the Coral Sea was meant to be a diversion for the Java invasion?

The buildup in Australia continues; a convoy with 4 AA regiments, 2 construction regiments and an Air BF arrives at Melbourne.

Plans are afoot to occupy Milne Bay in force.


SUBMARINE WARFARE

Sailfish hit xAK Toko Maru with a dud torpedo just off Japan.


Today's air losses. Allied bomber losses were quite light in the circumstances.

Air losses Semarang.png (1.8 MiB) Viewed 179 times

[dpt182]

Talking about the painting of Submarines, as an aid for my search pilots (who do not seem to be particularly skilled in ship recognition) I’m in the process of colour-coding all Allied subs. All USN subs will be painted pink in honour of the exploits of USS Sea Tiger. There’s no need for a yellow submarine to pick up MacArthur - he is already in Darwin - but at the behest of another Macca and his chums all RN subs will be Yellow Submarines, Yellow Submarines. I’m not sure about the Dutch subs, the best I could come up with is Shocking Blue. I’ll see if Fokko has any suggestions.

Dutch submarines should be Orange

[dpt182]

6th April 1942

Hi,

thank you for providing this entertaining AAR, rather conveniently you adopted the same strategy I have in my game against the computer, although the computer doesn't seem bothered about it's flanks and is doing better, I have only reached 10 March '42. Singapore and Bataan fall far to easily in my opinion, both fell earlier than you, but I didn't realise the importance of holding Manila and adopted the historic strategy. I also think Perceval, the Burma commander & Tom Phillips, the Force Z commander have rather dismal admin ratings for professional staff officers.

I can't actually find this scenario in my list and I seem to have the latest version...

David

[M Peaston]

6th April 1942

Hi,

thank you for providing this entertaining AAR, rather conveniently you adopted the same strategy I have in my game against the computer, although the computer doesn't seem bothered about it's flanks and is doing better, I have only reached 10 March '42. Singapore and Bataan fall far to easily in my opinion, both fell earlier than you, but I didn't realise the importance of holding Manila and adopted the historic strategy. I also think Perceval, the Burma commander & Tom Phillips, the Force Z commander have rather dismal admin ratings for professional staff officers.

I can't actually find this scenario in my list and I seem to have the latest version...

David

Hi David, thank you for your comments and I’m pleased you’ve enjoyed it so far - it’s certainly been good fun to write; I just wish I had a bit more time to devote to it and this game generally. This is turning out to be a very slow-paced game, so I think you’ll soon be overtaking me in your game! Defending Manila worked out okay for me, but I don’t think my opponent was too concerned with overrunning Luzon quickly (at least I haven’t seen much evidence of the forces he used being redeployed), so it may not have mattered too much which plan I adopted.

I agree with you, the Admin ratings are harsh - especially for Percival who was apparently well-respected as a Staff Officer. Personally I think Percival has been generally treated rather harshly by history; I don’t think he was any better or worse than many other senior British officers.

You won’t find this scenario in the list; this isn’t an ‘official’ scenario but a Mod created by LargeSlowTarget; you can find it in the ‘Scenario Design and Modding’ section.

[M Peaston]

Talking about the painting of Submarines, as an aid for my search pilots (who do not seem to be particularly skilled in ship recognition) I’m in the process of colour-coding all Allied subs. All USN subs will be painted pink in honour of the exploits of USS Sea Tiger. There’s no need for a yellow submarine to pick up MacArthur - he is already in Darwin - but at the behest of another Macca and his chums all RN subs will be Yellow Submarines, Yellow Submarines. I’m not sure about the Dutch subs, the best I could come up with is Shocking Blue. I’ll see if Fokko has any suggestions.

Dutch submarines should be Orange

Shocking Blue - a Dutch band from the 60s and 70s.

[M Peaston]

7th April 1942




ABDA

Four RN Light Cruisers bombed Oosthaven, followed up with raids on the airbase there by Dutch L212 bombers and a Flight of Wirraways. Damage was minimal. In return the Japanese launched a rare night-raid on the Allied airbase at Batavia followed up by some daytime fighter sweeps, and also achieved very little.

At Semarang the Imperial Guards Division landed ashore. Allied air attacks on Japanese ships at Semarang failed to score a single hit: 10 bombers (including 3 Vildebeests) were lost.

Now that the Japanese have landed at Semarang I think I can now sweep the hex - I’m not sure, but I’ll give it a try anyway.

What appears to be Mini KB has appeared just north of Ambon. Repulse and two RN Heavy Cruisers are covering Allied landings at Babar and Saumlaki; they’ve been ordered north to try and force a surface engagement on the Japanese TF. It might be a trap - luring the RN warships to where they can be hammered by land-based and carrier-based bombers, but if they are Japanese carriers there then it is just too tempting a target to ignore. I've ordered a squadron of Dutch Hurricanes to Ambon, and some Fighter Blenheims to Saumlaki, to try and provide Repulse with some air cover.

Japanese BBs and/or CAs have entered the Makassar strait; Dutch Torpedo boats at Balikpapan have been ordered out to attack - again, it’s just too tempting.



SWPAC/SOPAC

A Japanese force of unknown composition has landed at Gasmata on New Britain, Marauders hit one the APDs.

A reinforcement convoy has arrived at Melbourne with four US AA Rgts, 2 Construction Rgts and an Air BF. The AA units have been allocated to Port Hedland, Port Moresby, Tulagi, Luganville and Suva ( I realise that’s four units among five widely separated locations….I’ll figure something out….) the construction regiments will probably go to Katherine and Cairns, I haven’t decided yet about the air BF.

[M Peaston]

I think there's going to be plenty of action in the DEI tomorrow!

Java Invasion.png (2.41 MiB) Viewed 55 times

[dpt182]

Shocking Blue - a Dutch band from the 60s and 70s.

I hadn't heard of them, when I was it school it was King Crimson (Fripp the best guitarist I've seen), Led Zep & of course Purple.
David