Fighting the Italian Samurai Cantona2(a) vs Gen.Hoepner(j)

[cantona2]

Thanks Alfred.
 
Which attacks are better for burning up supplies? Ground, port or airfield?

[Alfred]

Anecdotally, I have always found airfield attacks the most efficacious way of burning up enemy supplies.  Airfield attacks seem to inflict more runway and service damage hits, compared to port hits from port attacks.  Repairing these hits consume supplies (1 supply point each 12 hour pulse per engineer squad or its equivalent).  Both airfield and port attacks seem to destroy similar quantities of base supplies directly.  In my experience ground attack is definitely the least efficient way of burning up supplies.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Thanks Alfred

End of April 1942 SitRep

[cantona2]

95 B-17's hit Johnston Island and only lost 5 to the Jap fighters that bizzed around them.
 
My subs keep layng mines in Kwajelin, the Line Islands and Truk. Most od the sub fleet is still recovering from update sys damage but those subs now equipped with radar are staking out his outlying bases.
 
China is still the fulcrum of this game. I am stronger on my left but he rules on the right. My fighter force has been shredded and is in India recovering.
 
Recon of Bangkok suggests the invasion of Burma will begin soon as there are 8 units there and i have picked up prepping reports via intell of attacks on Mandalay, Rangoon and Magwe. The latter has been the target of his paras. one question, i have the base garrisoned if he drops his troops in will he automatically win a shock attack? The garrison is brigade strength and an AA rgt is on its way to give his Topsy's a warm welcome.
 
New Caledonia is now reinforced, well all three possible landing sites are. Suva is belatedly being built up as well.

[cantona2]

Message received by Southeast Asia HQ Calcutta from GVT-3 flying out of Rangoon

[font="Times New Roman"]***Jap convoy spotted off Victoria Point***Heading North East***Speed 10 Knots***10 transports spotted***Second convoy***Enemy Carriers confirmed sighting***Repeat Enemy Carriers confirmed sighting***[/font]

[cantona2]

Land Base Air

[cantona2]

Current dispositions in Burma, Bangladesh and India. The inland airfields are all being built up and i have reserves further up India to prevent, or at least stall a Troll style invasion. This isnt on the cards yet if the intell that 28 units are in Sorebaja is to be believed, their likely destination is probably Australia.

My strategy is to fight stalling actions and retreat upto the line Chittagong-Imphal-Ledo. Chittagong airfield will be evacced if a bombardment force is spotted. I have loads of search planes constantly flying search missions over the Indian Ocean. Once Burma falls, Dacca, Imphal and Calcutta will be the air bases. Elsewhere Madurai, Asanol, Raipur, Hyderabad and Jamshedpur are being built up as back bases.

[cantona2]

I also have a strong reserve further inland with a couple of Brigades, the 18th Infantry, an armoured unit and artillery to act as a fire brigade should the General attempt a flank landing. Ceylon will also act as a floating aircraft carrier in this case as well.

[Alfred]

Nice visual summary.
 
Assuming that this presages the opening moves on an Indian offenseive, remember:
 
(1)  to have all bases within enemy paradrop range garrisoned (garrison doesn't have to be strong, just present to avoid enemy capture by coup de main),
 
(2)  other AAR show it is very difficult to defend/evacuate Ceylon,
 
(3)  Japan can usually force a successful landing in India, thus it seems to be best to hold Indian ports with some force to prevent their immediate turn 1 capture but more critical is to hold mobile forces placed where they can quickly reach the beach heads.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Situation 05/05/1942.

Not a single strike has been launched by any aircraft as the whole region is socked in with rain, shades of my game with Local Yokel. Forecast for tomorrow rain!!! Only plus side is that the weather has also kept his flat tops quiet. I'm pulling out the Blenheim's and DO24K's today and leaving the Martins and Buffaloes in Rangoon. Do not want to risk a bombardment run as the base has no mines, bad mistake on my part. SS O16 and SS Sturgeon are two days out of striking range.

[cantona2]

Thanks for the tips Alfred.

All the major ports have at least a Brigade and one support unit and the other possible landing sites are port 1 which will mean it will take time for him to disembark and allow me time to shift my reserves in.

We have a HR about para drops. They can be used on bases that are within reasonable range of his frontlines or to complete encirclements. Whats not allowed is a para drop 1,000 miles away with no hope of relief as tis wouldnt have happened in real life. Copu de main's are all well and good and an effective tactic but when they were carried out when relief was a real option. Even in Market Garden XXX Corps was within a stones throw of relieving Arnhem despite its ultimate failure.The Falschirmjaeger at Eben Emael were also dropped with a view of being relieved as were those at Pegasus Bridge. Actions like those i consider legit and tactically and sometimes strategically sound. Dropping paras on a suicide mission i dont consider legit and i am no way suggesting GH would do any such thing at all, for the record!

[Alfred]

cantona2,
 
You have a very honourable opponent, so I appologise if my comments were mistaken as suggesting otherwise.  I should also appologise in advance if I am stating obvious things which you have already taken into account.  Sometimes the obvious gets overlooked and a friendly reminder from a third party is useful - particularly as now I rather suspect your opponent will have a lot more time to concentrate on this game.[:D]
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Alfred
 
You keep posting as much and as often as you want [:)]. As to having GH having more time, i suspect that is correct [:(] but your comments are more than welcome.

[cantona2]

Situation 6th May 1942. Japanese Task Forces are massing 60 NM South West of Rangoon. I lost 10 Blenheim VI's to a a CAP of 58 Zeroes. I was wondering how many carriers would have this amount of fighters? SS Sturgeon launched, and missed [:@], two attacks on an APD escort and an AK no doubt full of troops or supplies. What a pity that the other sub in the screenie, SS 019, didnt get a chance to attack but she'll be ready to launch her fish on the morrow.

In other news from the theatre, SS Salmon made a nuisance of herself in Kwajalein. Though she got bashed a bit by ASW she managed to successfully torpedo and shell an AK in the atoll.

I have a question. The Americal Division is currently floating on the Pacific Ocean and i have no idea what to do with it. My original plan was to send it to Australia for future attacks but his lack of penetration into the Solomons has made me think of using it to reinforce New Caledonia and the RCT that was bound for New Cal can be used to reinforce Pago-Pago or Suva. Any suggestions?

[1275psi]

Hi,

herbiesan here - also opponent of the general.
careful putting the americal in noumea -all those units at soerabaya might be headed there too?!

Quick question - weather map - which cursed direction does the weather move! -eastwards or westwards!

he's a good opponent aint he! (but we will teach him a lesson[:'(])

[cantona2]

HI Herbie

Thanks for posting. GH is indeed a good opponent, as to teaching him a lesson, well the only area i would say i am better than him is in sub deployment. Im still to carry out a successful amphibious landing (see my AAR vs Local Yokel for the Tarawa cock up), or learn how to use carriers effectively.


As to the Americal, you make perfect sense. My hunch was that the Sorebaja stack might be an Australia Invasion Force as such Northern Oz has 3 divisions, two forwards and one in reserve. Katherine is up to siza 4 AF which means 4E's can effectively base from there. Perth has one division and two Brigades plus a British Carrier TF. Sydney has the Yorktown Battle Group and Force Z, half of which has moved to Auckland to cover NZ and NC. So im still at a loss as to what to do with the Americal. Two RCT's are enroute from the West Coast one is definitely going to Suva/Nandi the other....well i dont know yet.

[Alfred]

American 4E require an AF size 5 to effectively operate from otherwise they operate as if on extended range.
 
If a serious Jap invasion of north Australia is launched it is almost impossible to hold Darwin - Broome, Derby and Wyndham will be lost.  It is very difficult to move sufficient supply up north to sustain defensive operations.  At Katherine (and Daly Waters), you should be concentrating on building your fort levels, not AF.
 
As to the Americal, I think your plan to deploy it in New Caledonia is correct.  Whilst you now have all 3 bases on New Caledonia now garrisoned, the garrisons for the 2 northern bases are probably not too strong.  The Americal will allow you to maintain a rapid reaction force on New Caledonia to reinforce whereever an invasion might land.  You can then proceed to move that RCT as you intend.
 
Alfred

[cantona2]

Thanks for the input Alfred. Im eagerly awaiting GH's next turn as the Battle for Burma should begin in earnest when he lands his troops at Rangoon. Swapped the CD leader for one with higher aggression ratings some im hopeful of scoring hits on his incoming ships.

[cantona2]

Battle of Rangoon starts. Change of CD commander seems to have done the trick.

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Coastal Guns at Rangoon, 29,33, firing at TF 42
TF 42 troops unloading over beach at Rangoon, 29,33


8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
250 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Rangoon, 29,33, firing at TF 42
TF 42 troops unloading over beach at Rangoon, 29,33


4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese ground losses:
145 casualties reported

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Coastal Guns at Rangoon, 29,33, firing at TF 55
TF 55 troops unloading over beach at Rangoon, 29,33


940 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Kuri, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
PG Nishho Maru, Shell hits 15, on fire
AK Macassar Maru
AK Holland Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PG Hayakafuku Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire
AK Soyo Maru, Shell hits 4
AK Nittai Maru, Shell hits 4
AK Choko Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire
AP Kureha Maru #3
AP Hokumyo Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Tsutsukami Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
Japanese ground losses:
3985 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Allied ground losses:
69 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

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[cantona2]

Elsewhere in the theatre the SS KX gets done in by Helens at Palembang but not before she mortally wounds an AV in the port.

The Americal Divison heads to Noumea while the 102nd RCT heads to Suva. The 24th RCT heads to the middle base in NC, the northern most base already having being reinforced.

Even better Manchester United sticks 3 past Liverpool [:D]