Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

It doesn't happen often but sub vs. sub did happen during the war. Since the return of Japanese RO- and I-Boats to the IO they have been scoring often and getting some nice sinkings. Here is an example from 7-22:






Am waiting on the final turn of the day from Dan and then I'll do another Post.

[ny59giants]

Adak - I look at this base as the key to the western Aleutians. Its shear size potential makes it an ideal base in many respects, IMO. One the Allies get it and can build it up, they can just march their way to Attu. Ask Nick (Olorin) about how I did just that.

[John 3rd]

I concur. I'm not in a big hurry in the Aleutians presently but the pieces are already moving and/or are about to. Will deal with that in a detailed Post. I have to admit to a certain level of paranoia here since Dan made his monster attack through the Aleutians to the Kuriles and into Sakhalin in our first game. He wouldn't do that again. Would HE?

Love this part of the game. He and I know each other soooo well that the mind side of it is highly complex.

[John 3rd]

July 25, 1942

Scratch a 3rd base off of the 'to do' list! The Sendai Division comes ashore under the protection of 4 BB's guns and rapidly expands its beach-head against the 30th Aussie Brigade. The next day a Deliberate Attack yields the entire garrison in a 9-1 attack. The 2nd reports only 132 Cas in exchange for--catch this--8,163 POWs.

BANZAI!

Tarawa tomorrow...

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
The 2nd reports only 132 Cas in exchange for--catch this--8,163 POWs.

Good job liquidating the gaijin, John. Make him pay for expending some otherwise fine troops so injudiciously.

Reminiscent of the scene when the "man with no name" from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly watched the fighting on the bridge: "I've never seen so many men wasted so badly."

[Capt. Harlock]

Scratch a 3rd base off of the 'to do' list! The Sendai Division comes ashore under the protection of 4 BB's guns and rapidly expands its beach-head against the 30th Aussie Brigade. The next day a Deliberate Attack yields the entire garrison in a 9-1 attack. The 2nd reports only 132 Cas in exchange for--catch this--8,163 POWs.

BANZAI!

Tarawa tomorrow...

"Islands of Destiny" appears to be the right name for this AAR. How is the Victory Point situation?

[John 3rd]

Harlock has that right. I don't care about Dan zipping in, abandoning, and trying lift out fragments through submarines but this is criminal with all the POWs I am getting. Will have a tally later when the remaining targets are gone.

Paula and I went to an Estate Sale today and STOLE a whole bunch of Union Pacific equipment. We got some rail switches, signage, 1960s time tables--maps--calendars. It ROCKED! Will Post a few pictures when I get the chance.

Running turn...

[John 3rd]

July 26, 1942

The seas around Tarawa thunder as a preparatory bombardment by 2 BC and 3 CA inflict 257 Caualties and damage 18 Guns. Near nightfall the Invasion TF drops anchor and delivers its deadly cargo. Embedded within the Landing Force are 2 BC and 2 CA that inflict another 595 Casualties on the besieged garrison. The troops of the 14th Inf Div and 14 Nvl Guard storm ashore and simply CRUSH the remaining opposition. The 7th Marine Regiment, 34th Combat Engineer Regiment, and 762nd TK Bn surrender. Including the bombardments a total of 3.028 troops (not to mention 150+ guns and other items) march into the bloated POW Camps of Dai Nippon.

I don't care that I am whacking these guys who probably have 50% of them lifted off by USELESS SS. These casualties are real and the units shall take time to rebuild. I'll take that time and say 'thank you!'

Feels like I'm beginning to get these Amphip Landings (post landing bonus) down...

BANZAI!

[John 3rd]

Next on the Target List: Apamama.

[John 3rd]

These little victories are helping my morale a bit. I'll wager Dan still thinks a portion of the KB is still in the Gilberts. NOT!

To do a little mind work, the Mini-KB steams into the center of the Bay of Bengal and launches two strikes that sink a DD, a PG, and 5 AK. After this turn I email and leave the following message for MISTER Roper:

On ONE Hand...

I am done with sending my land-based torpedo bombers into Ramree. That is a promise.

..on the OTHER hand...

That sound is a gauntlet.

Let him wonder exactly WHAT I have deployed in the IO...


The serious note to that is I just watched a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode entitled 'Peak Performance.' In that episode Mr. Data fought off an elite strategist in a game called stratagaema. He won but not trying to WIN but play for a STALEMATE. The episode really hit me on a deep level. I'm am now re-examining my entire planning side to operations right now and find things to be in pretty good shape. I've obsessed about Ramree and lost several hundred aircraft to the USELESS coordination penalty where wave after wave of UNESCORTED bombers impale themselves on a strong CAP. No more.

Decisions:
1. Let him have Ramree. I shall move troops there to bottle him up and simply take a stalemate. Yes: he will build-up the AF but there isn't much I can do there. This is simple reality. I shall continue to build-up my bases and move into the jungle to contain his planned offensive. We shall drive up the coast to simply distract him but the real emphasis will be simply HOLDING the ground for as long as possible. Will pull back my planes and retool/replace. Need more engineers and they are moving there presently.

2. Need to reconsolidate my mobile strike forces with my Betty's and Zeros:
a. North Pacific gets 3 Daitai of Bombers and 2 Daitai of Zeros based at Attu and surrounding islands.
b. Central Pacific gets the same based at Lunga.
c. DEI--Australia will have 1 Bomber and 2 Fighter
d. Burma--Malaya will have 2 Bomber and 4 Fighter based at Georgetown and Victoria Point.

3. A thorough examination of reinforcement destinations has been undertaken and they are moving to where I need them to be for the eventual true counterattacks. July 24th saw five TF depart Tokyo:
a. Agattu (Aleutians): CD Unit, SNLF Coy, and a Base Force
b. Ailinglaplap (Marshalls): Engineers and Base Force
c. Attu (Aleutians): Heavy AA unit
d. Kusaie (Marshalls--Carolines): Engineers and Base Force
e. Ponape (Carolines): Base Force

Have a bunch of AP coming to Shanghai where I will lift off a BUTTLOAD of Infantry and Engineers. Will detail that with tomorrow's turn.

4. Kaigun
Have the 4 BC and 2 Tone CAs now on their way home to join the Fleet. Sending the Fleet to the Bay of Bengal might be smart but I don't want to tangle with a bunch of Land-Based Air. He has that there in droves. I THINK his CVs are moving in the SE Pacific or back towards Pearl. Two more Radio Messages followed movement over the last four turns of SOMETHING moving at about 10-12 hexes a day. Figured this by using a ruler and scrunching my eyes closed! [:D] If he IS moving the CVs to SE Pac, Central Pac, or North Pac then I want to be ready with the WHOLE Fleet.

Am contemplating a major raid into the Gulf of Alaska towards Western USA or a thrust from the Marshalls towards the Line Islands--Pago Pago. Would not get close enough to deal with the LBA but hope to find some serious convoys. The Fleet-in-Being concept is NOT one I adhere to. The CVs WIL be used once they refit. The question is where? I am recalling my big AOs and will forward deploy them wherever I decide.

This is a detailed Posting and ideas are welcome. Options are open. Thoughts?

BANZAI!

[GreyJoy]

I'm doubtfull in mid 1942 the best use of the KB is to go hunting for hypotetical convoys. Why don't you try to lure him into an invasion and then SMASH him? Dan is a great player, but he tends not to be that patient... use his will to fight to your own sake[;)]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I'm doubtfull in mid 1942 the best use of the KB is to go hunting for hypotetical convoys. Why don't you try to lure him into an invasion and then SMASH him?

I agree. And being as you ALREADY HAVE a committed invasion (Ramree and surrounds) that must be fed, it seems to me your haul is more guaranteed in the Bay of Bengal than Pago Pago. I mean you know stuff must be around the former. The latter is a guess-probably not worthy of the expenditure of scant fuel reserves.

OR take the opportunity to upgrade your fleet CVs' radar and other fix-it-ups that you know you'll need sooner or later. I can't imagine that Dan would rest easy if KB and all of its iterant fragments just up and disappears for a month. Make him sweat a bit. Dial down the ping-pong KB effect and reassert the threat of a fleet in being. [8D]

By the way-unless you know where Dan's CVs are, you're taking a risk with these small mini-KBs flitting to the combat zones. Those guys are going to get greased when you get ambushed by 3-4 Allied fleet CVs. As the authors of Shattered Sword reiterated so many times, there were exactly two types of strategic goals in the Pacific. Those that mandated the use of ALL of the Japanese carrier assets and those that mandated the use of NONE of the Japanese carrier assets. Parsiminonious application of bits and pieces of the KB is fraught with peril. Avoid the temptation of being everywhere at once, John.

[John 3rd]

Greyjoy: THAT is truly what I have been thinking about! He is very aggressive and not willing to wait. After that damned Star Trek episode, I stared at the map. Went Region-by-Region:

1. Burma: Stalemate until he launches his offensive. We'll see what happens at that point. It is a GROUND war though and he doesn't HAVE to commit his Fleet. Don't THINK he'll use the Fleet here. Give it about a 20% chance.

2. DEI: Hold Cocos and so I would see anything coming with Emily Recon flying from Sabang, Cocos, and Exmouth. Highly Doubtful--5%

3. NW Australia: I am committed here and prepped. If he came here it would not be cheap. Rule this as possible but doubtful. IF he REALLY wanted to he would have when he showed up 4-6 weeks ago. Say 10%.

4. South Pacific: Have extensive recon flying out of Ndeni, New Caledonia, and that island east of Milne Bay. Area where I am finishing Offensive Operations. Highly doubtful: 10%.

5. Central Pacific: Where I am currently working a wrapping up OPs. He still thinks (perhaps) that KB is present. His CVs MAY be moving into the area though: 25%

6. North Pacific: He has come this way before and he LIKES it. Would he allow himself to do it again? This theatre has been very quiet. It APPEARS that I am forward-deployed with my current troops there in theatre. Would he WANT me to advance into Cold Bay and then do a attack faaaar to the rear? Hmmm...possible...maybe even likely...will rate that a 30% chance. Maybe I give it that high of mark because I keep THINKING about it as a route.



Lean towards an early Allied counterattack at the North Pacific or Central Pacific. Soooo...if this is what we think then WHICH one? Hmmm...

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I'm doubtfull in mid 1942 the best use of the KB is to go hunting for hypotetical convoys. Why don't you try to lure him into an invasion and then SMASH him?

I agree. And being as you ALREADY HAVE a committed invasion (Ramree and surrounds) that must be fed, it seems to me your haul is more guaranteed in the Bay of Bengal than Pago Pago. I mean you know stuff must be around the former. The latter is a guess-probably not worthy of the expenditure of scant fuel reserves.

OR take the opportunity to upgrade your fleet CVs' radar and other fix-it-ups that you know you'll need sooner or later. I can't imagine that Dan would rest easy if KB and all of its iterant fragments just up and disappears for a month. Make him sweat a bit. Dial down the ping-pong KB effect and reassert the threat of a fleet in being. [8D]

By the way-unless you know where Dan's CVs are, you're taking a risk with these small mini-KBs flitting to the combat zones. Those guys are going to get greased when you get ambushed by 3-4 Allied fleet CVs. As the authors of Shattered Sword reiterated so many times, there were exactly two types of strategic goals in the Pacific. Those that mandated the use of ALL of the Japanese carrier assets and those that mandated the use of NONE of the Japanese carrier assets. Parsiminonious application of bits and pieces of the KB is fraught with peril. Avoid the temptation of being everywhere at once, John.

Great thoughts CB! I did that quickie raid into the IO to make Dan pause a bit. Perhaps I can get him to show his hand as well. Calculated risk. The Mini-KB heads back to the barn in Singapore. It won't be risked again in the near future.

Based on the thinking above, I want to be forward deployed into either a threat axis of North or Central Pacific. We'll get everyone refitted and then move the whole Fleet there. Where should the anchorage be? Truk may be too far out of the way for a quick reaction. Marcus would be better but one could not put the whole fleet there (if one is REALISTIC)...

I am going to deploy some 'pickets' into the area stretching from Amchitka down to Marcus. Will follow what the Japanese actually did with their picket line during the summer of 1942. Will also move six or seven Glen I-Boats to high traffic--logical--areas for his CVs to move through or to.

We've got about 2-3 weeks of game time to make a final decision.

[John 3rd]

No big news for the 27th other then I-165 MISSED CV Illustrious along the coast of India near Viza. Know where at least ONE of his CVs are!

Have the Abemama Invasion Force on the way was well as Cold Bay in Alaska. We'll see if the Aleutian venture draws more attention. As the Invasion Force moves east I pink-up an SNLF Brigade to place at Amchitka.

Am working most of the day so no turns for a few more hours yet...

[zuluhour]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

use his will to fight to your own sake

for goodness sake or sake the beverage? Either works I think.[:D]

[Capt. Harlock]

1. Burma: Stalemate until he launches his offensive. We'll see what happens at that point. It is a GROUND war though and he doesn't HAVE to commit his Fleet. Don't THINK he'll use the Fleet here. Give it about a 20% chance.

It seems to me that as long as you hold Rangoon and have the Burma Road closed, the advantage is yours. I don't see that you can hold this situation indefinitely, but the idea here is to increase the cost of the Allied offensive to the maximum.

[zuluhour]

Wish I could throw 2c in the hat, but I am reading both accounts.

[John 3rd]

I had a really LONG day at the store and so Dan and I just got one in. I've got a turn in the inbox but am too tired to run it. Will do so early and since I have two days off will get a some serious Posting in Sun--Mon.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

use his will to fight to your own sake

for goodness sake or sake the beverage? Either works I think.[:D]