AAR: zeke99 (A) vs zamli (J)

[zeke99]

Update April 43

Rabaul was taken by the Marines unopposed but they were unable to hold it against the 18th Jap ID laning there.

Air war intensifies, 450/180

Japs at Crains are still holding the base [:(]

[Capt. Harlock]

Looking at the score, the Jap oil reserve must be very low

If you watch during the execution of the Convoy Phase, whenever a TK convoy makes it back to Japan, the display will flash the level of the National Oil Reserve.

[zamli]

Been away from the forum for quite a while...

Carrying 3 games at the same time was not a wise idea although I am learning a lot at a pretty fast rate
Zeke is a good teacher and I see through my mistakes what I should have done different.
Allied air force is simply horrible and I must yet learn what to do about it in future games. My air is decimated, my oil reserve close to null, many bases cut off.....but Cirns holds surprisingly although Zeke thrown 18 land units against my 4........ his last landings looked like russian wave-attacks

[Capt. Harlock]

Allied air force is simply horrible and I must yet learn what to do about it in future games.

In the latest version (3.2) the F4U Corsair is available before it was historically used. (It's not unrealistic, because the Navy dithered for a surprising time before it released the aircraft to the Marines.) When the Corsair shows up, you're in trouble -- the Japanese don't get a match for it until very late. Best approach is fast bombardment missions where you can find them in bases accessible by sea.

[zeke99]

his last landings looked like russian wave-attacks

Actually I really thought of Sukov and his saturation attacks, landing 5 units in Crains, each fought like hell, but still failing to take the bloody base [:@]
The only help is that zamli has the same problem in India [8D]

The AF situation is improving, 400/150, as I try to get as much air action as possible.

[zeke99]

May 43 update

After horrendous losses Crains has been taken [:(]

An attempt to take Darwin and Ambion failed due to distance. The TF surprised the Japs but where unable to get to these bases before the Jap reinforcements arrived.

The time was used to attack and take 4 of the small (2) bases around Rabaul and Bouganville. Both bases are now isolated [:)]
Now there are more than 10 Jap LCU, 5 of them ID's, cut of supplies and stuck there [:D]

[zamli]

And these were the actions that finally broke the paper facade of Japanese forces

I have asked zeke to accept my unconditional surrender.

As it was my first game I have seen for some time already as weak my defence is. I have made several mistakes that made the current situation catastrohic. As I remember them:

1. My drive into India was way too slow. I must yet learn how to conquer India swiftly even accepting reasonable loses. The point is as I have noticed, that India must be cleared with just 2-4 divisions left there at bottlenecks with 1-2 wings for occasional training of new types of planes.
My prolonged stay there resulted in about 10 divisions, 12 air wings and lot of supplies/fuel burned.
2. My drive into Australia was too deep. Although quite swift I had no divisions and made a mistake of leaving one base in a chain w/o any defence. Zeke exploited this and cut me in one swift move.
3. My drive for Espiritu Santo - I should either go decesively against all 3 islands (Efata, New Caledonia) or skip them altogether, because at some point I realised I have no troops to continue my attack. I should have pulled back and consolidated especially that.........
4. .... i have ignored Port Moresby and not taken it. Then along with Milne Bay which I finally conquered they were pain in the a**.
5. Having my forces soo stretched I was unable to counter zeke's moves to bypass my main bases and isolate them. Now I have no resources or fuel to conduct any operation of re-capturing bases which I was able to do when zeke was assaulting Maoletjap and those bases.
6. Conservation of fuel in this scenario is crucial as I see. I have played game against Rybka and it seems the scenario (Rising Sun?) from the front page where you choose them is a little bit different, so I got a cold showe from the very beginning with my production constantly with asterix '*'.

As I see and zeke pointed, I should have more concentrated on a defence "line" or groups of islands that I would be able to supply or base my defence on. Now I have no reserves in LU or AIR so zeke having isolated my major bases can continue and get all Indochina and Philiphines within 3 months at max and make invasion on Japan at 06.44.
So, I would like to congratulate my opponent and thank him for the lesson I got. I initially intended to see what it would be in '44 with new units, kamikaze, okhas etc, but as I see it now with the current state I woun't be able to use this in any way.
Therefore having respect for zeke's time in doing moves I proposed to save his next few months of making and sending moves and consequently proposed my surrender now.

I shall make screenshots of loses so far and map status.

[Capt. Harlock]

1. My drive into India was way too slow. I must yet learn how to conquer India swiftly even accepting reasonable loses. The point is as I have noticed, that India must be cleared with just 2-4 divisions left there at bottlenecks with 1-2 wings for occasional training of new types of planes.
My prolonged stay there resulted in about 10 divisions, 12 air wings and lot of supplies/fuel burned.

A keen insight. On December 7, SEAC has no LCU's capable of putting up a decent fight, but that changes with time. The IJA needs to overrun the area before the Allies get a chance to get really organized.

Congratulations to both for an interesting game!

[zeke99]

Congratulations to both for an interesting game!

Thanks [:)]

Zamli's attack could only be stopped by using everything and under heavy Allied losses.

Looking forward for a rematch [8D]

[zamli]

Rematch is underway and we have just begun '44.
An interesting campaing with lots of new information for me. Zeke is still in US (juneau) and Australia (perth) although I am present (as US player) at Truk and Saipan
The progress is slow, but I hope for the best.....

[zeke99]

Update May44

Zamli is in possession of the Guam islands grp, the fighting in Alaska is still on. He landed in Anchorage but failed to take the base.

Japan get heaps of oil and resources due to the heavy losses the US subs have suffered (109 subs down [8D]).

The other losses over the last 1/2 year were low on both sides, no mayor battle there.

[zamli]

The problem with subs is. Although I have withdrawne them completly from the surroundings of Japan, the system still claims they are there and sinks 1-2 of my subs per turn - its a BUG......
Allied forces are closing on Philiphines. Still few bases away though.
Battle for Alaska is finally with some progress. Fighting is in 2 bases - one contested by me and one by zeke.
Guam, Tinian, Saipan taken and heavy bombing raids against japanese cities/industry started.

[Capt. Harlock]

Guam, Tinian, Saipan taken and heavy bombing raids against japanese cities/industry started.

Are the Japanese fighter squadrons doing anything about it? It sounds like you're into the heavy air losses part of the game . . .[X(]

[Skipjack_]

ORIGINAL: zamli

The problem with subs is. Although I have withdrawne them completly from the surroundings of Japan, the system still claims they are there and sinks 1-2 of my subs per turn - its a BUG......

Here is a tip from one of my previous games ...

"The IJN has been sinking U.S. subs where I have no patrols stationed - a neat trick "

It may be these are killed units you forget to move away. Please check by clicking on one sub and the use the next function to check all other units. You may find sub sqn with -2 sub's [;)]

Just an other bug [:(]

[zeke99]

July update

Fighting in Alaska goes on, Jap force get decimated slowly.
Some islands taken in the Corall Sea and most of the Marians incl Palau have been taken.

The US made an assault on Daveo, Philippines, but some TTF came short, the base was not taken.

At the beginning of the next turn the Div was destroyed by a Jap counter attack.

A heavy and long CV TF battle developed between 2 Jap CVTF and the US CVTF covering the landing. The JAp ac were not able to penetrate the Fighter cover. The counter strike sunk 1 Jap CVE, 1 CV and damaged most of the other CV's.

Land based Jap sqn attack from all bases of the Philippines, taking heavy losses but also scoring bb and torp hits.
Unfortunatelly at that stage of the game hits on US CV's cause only minor damage while one bb hit sinks a Jap CV [:@]
However, at the end of the turn the US CVTF's had no fighters left to protect them [8D]

[zamli]

The battle was immense......

Aircraft loses for Japan were 1660 planes and 986 for US (all of them aircraft based )
I shall check again but 1-2 US CV/CVL were lost in the process as well. It looked so historical with huge air battles

[zeke99]

Looks like the Battle for Davao develops to the major battle of this game [X(]

The Japs have to correct their losses of the first CVTF clash, 2CV and 2CVL/CVE lost. The 2 CVTF were merged and stroked again. This time hitting depleted US CVTF and getting some success [:)]
The land based ac finished the slaughter, several US CV/CVL sunk [8D]

3 US Div have landed at Davao but were unable to take the reinforced bases. Further Jap units arrived . The land battle becoming intense too. It will be costly for the US to supply them [:'(]

Alaska, only Anchorage left and under attack.

[zeke99]

August 1944

The battle for Davao is over. The 3 US Divs surrendered. The losses have been horrendous [X(]

Estimated losses Jap/US
CV 2/3
CVE+CVL 3/7 most of the remainig CV/CVL damaged on both sides
Div 0/4
ac 3000/1200 more than 50% of Jap ac losses by AA

It should take the US some time to recover.

[zamli]

Horrendous losses on the US side were due to the fact that I simply forgot to (being in a hurry) issue orders to my TF CV fleets standing outside Davao. Therefore they got slaughtered with no AC on decks due to losses from previous turns.
Well, nevertheless I decided to continue offensive while waiting for shipyards to make up for losses. I have probably lost some 4 months due to my mistake.

President Roosevelt still demands unconditional surrender so his admirals prepare new plans invading Guinea in the meantime and clearing those bases

[Capt. Harlock]

August 1944

The battle for Davao is over. The 3 US Divs surrendered. The losses have been horrendous

Estimated losses Jap/US
CV 2/3
CVE+CVL 3/7 most of the remainig CV/CVL damaged on both sides
Div 0/4
ac 3000/1200 more than 50% of Jap ac losses by AA

Ouch!![X(] Still, impressive to see the Japanese doing that much damage in mid-'44.