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I think this the eighth campaign I have started with AE. Here we go.

Sorry about very few Posts Sat-Sun-Mon but anytime I the boys at home there is very little chance of getting much done other then a turn or two. My wife, Paula, took Monday off so that wiped out yesterday.

Time to get started!

Combat Report
December 7, 1941

Carrier Action: Pearl Harbor

The carriers of CarDiv2 and CarDiv5 arrive at the traditional location and launch a strike of 76 Z, 93 V, 93 K. About 8-10 American fighters are up and they get mostly shot down as the attack begins. The attack is marginal at best. Results:

Arizona--3 800Kg Bombs--Heavy Damage
Nevada--1 800Kg, 2 250Kg, 1 TT--On Fire
Pennsylvania--3 800Kg, 5 250Kg, 1 TT--Heavy Fires
Oklahoma--3 800Kg, 1 250Kg--on Fire
California--3 800Kg, 6 250Kg--on Fire
West Virginia--2 800Kg, 1 TT--Heavy Fires, Heavy Damage
Maryland--3 800Kg, 7 250Kg, 1 TT--Heavy Fires, Heavy Damage
Tennessee--3 800Kg, 2 250Kg--on Fire

Summary: 3 BB HD, 5 BB on Fire---VERY POOR ATTACK! At least everyone got hit by enough heavy ordinance to keep them out of the war for the start. That was always Yamamoto's plan so I guess it is achieved.

On the other hand the cruisers docked PH do get knocked about some:
CA San Francisco is hit by 2 250Kg bombs
CLs: Phoenix takes 1 800Kg and a TT--Heavy Damage, Detroit gets 1 TT, and Raleigh is hit by a 250Kg

Hitting 4 of the cruisers at PH is a pretty decent addition to the bag since they are most useful to immediately use.

Other: 1 DD, 1 DM, AV Curtiss takes 2 250Kg, and SS Dolphin is SUNK by a Torp.

I only dedicated 1 Val Daitai and 2 Zero Daitai to the AF but they seemingly did pretty well destroying about 18-24 planes on the ground.

Losses for the Japanese are delightfully small with 2 Vals and 1 Kate destroyed.

The CVs split after the attack. CarDiv2 makes a highly visible beeline towards the Marshalls while CarDiv5 manages to disappear to the NE of PH to rendezvous with the AOs. They are not spotted.


Manila Attack
Manila is a bit more complex to describe so I will also cover the LBA Strikes here. Remember that, due to the time differential, CAP is allowed to be flown over Singapore and Manila by our House Rules. It certainly occurs here! Lew puts up A BUNCH of P-40s for the anticipated Port Attack on Manila. Same can be said over Singers but that isn't important to this story. From Formosa comes Zeros and Bettys to hit the AF while 4 hexes to the west sits CarDiv 1 ready to throw the Kitchen sink at the Port.

1st Attack: 21 Zero and 27 Bombers vs. 34 P-40s---I lose 5 Zero and 1 Bomber while shooting down 5 P-40, hitting the AF, and destroying 8-10 more planes (some A-24). The AF has 61 holes put into it so that is a start.

2nd Attack: 31 Zero, 54 Val, and 54 Kate vs. 16 P-40--The P-40s are CRUSHED! The Carriers only lose 1 Zero and shot down over a dozen American fighters. The Attack Planes go in and---ALSO--get disappointing results:

SS Searaven and Skipjack are sunk with another 4 Fleet Boats and 1 S-Boat getting damaged--SEVEN SS not much for the 30 present!
Damaged: 2 AK, DD Peary, AS Otis, 2 AP, 2 AKL, 1 TK, 1 PG, and a PT is blasted out of the water.

Considering that 108 planes attacked with no interference these results are pretty poor. Good work shooting down the P-40s though!

CarDiv 1 moves SW 4 hexes and positions itself for the attempted escape by the Thundering Herd.



Soooooo Japan flings her bolt and it fizzles somewhat. Ahhhhhhhh well...just more to sink later I guess!

Alright with the Carriers dealt with lets look around the map for the rest of the 7th's results:

Philippines
Landing at Naga with 65th Brigade--NO OTHER TURN ONE landing in the Philippines. Convoys carrying the 48th ID and 2 TK Regiments will land at Aparri and Vigan on the 8th.

Clark (36 Zero and 36 Bombers) and Iba (18 Zero and 36 Bombers) are both attacked for good results. Several B-17s are crushed at Clark and this is nice to see. Each AF takes 65-85 hits and about another 18-20 planes are destroyed. Taken with the losses over the skies and on the field of Manila the Philippine AF took a solid thumping for the first day or the war.

Hong Kong gets the attention of over 100 planes where the AF is smacked HARD and the DDs/DMs are attacked by a small detachment of Kates and Vals for no result.


Malaya
NO LANDINGS--everything is unloading at Singora and Patani. I want to form-up the ID and THEN move south. Follow-On Invasions will land at Mersing.

Kuantan, Alor Star, Kota Bharu, and Singapore are solidly hit with Kuantan and Kota Bharu getting naval bombardments added to the assaults. A little over a dozen planes are destroyed on the ground with another 10-12 shot down over their bases. Singapore is swept by 27 Zero and they shot down 8 of 13 Buffalo protecting it.

The British counterattack in the afternoon and hit BBs Fuso and Yamashiro with 5 bombs EACH! Not much damage is done but it is sad to see...

1st Raiding Force take Victoria Point

Western DEI
The Miri Invasion Forces are well on their way.

Same with Singkawang IF

4th ID is all formed up and moving rapidly towards Palembang

I move 4 small STF of 1 CA and 2 DD into the escape alleys trying to bag fleeing shipping.

Eastern DEI
The 1st SNLF Assault Para unit makes it presence known by taking Ternate. A BF will be flown in by my Tinas tomorrow. A large recon group of Mavis arrives immediately to begin search.

Babeldoap has 30,000 Fuel and 50,000 supply unloading at it.

The Sorong, Ambon, Menado, and Boeli Invasion Forces are moving.

Split off two more STF for fleeing ships down in this region. The 3 CVLs, 2 CA, and 6 DD move SW headed for the Kensari area.

Central Pacific
An SNLF Assault brigade lands at Guam.

Another Assault Brigade Covered by 2 CA, 1 CL, and 4 DD departs Truk for Wake.

The Imperial Guards Brigade is unloading at Truk along with 50,000 fuel and 75,000 supply.

Small IF leave for the Shortlands, Lunga, and Manus. From the Marshalls IF leave for Ocean, Nauru, and Tarawa.


SS Action
No attacks are made by the massively redeployed SS Arm of the Fleet but high hopes remain for I- and Ro-Boats. No luck with the midgets getting into Pearl


This is our beginning. From a landing perspective it isn't too exciting. I was taught by my first opponent in WitP (Moses) that Turn One SHOULD be about positioning, getting ready, and doing limited, reasonable attacks. We'll see how well this works in the coming 7-10 days of fighting. I already find myself looking south to the land of Kangaroos...

Combat Report
Dec 8, 1941

The Japanese make-up for a fairly anemic Dec 7th by sinking DOZENS of ships trying to flee the DEI to anywhere that doesn't have a Rising Sun emblem on it. Some will but a crapload of them WON'T!

As hoped the Sub Arm does amazingly well for the 1st real day of action:
I-162 sinks AKL Hermelin off Rangoon
I-159 sinks CM Kung Wo off Singapore
I-121 hits the large AP Dominion Monarch with a TT at Batu Pahat AND puts a single TT into AK Demodocus at the same location
Ro-34 hits AP Chaumont near Manila
Ro-33 hits AS Otis near Manila
I-155 sinks TK Manvantara off Palembang
I-160 sinks AKL Shinai near Singkawang
I-154 plants a lovely TT into CA Houston near Balikpapan

Allied SS are out, of course, and they do achieve some early victories. KXII hits DD Oshio with THREE TTs and it explodes!

Ground:
Naga falls and Guam is taken in a 16-1 attack
landings begin at Aparri and Vigan

Naval Surface Action:
My roving STF engage many targets and sink BUNCHES of them: a TK, 1 AK, 2 AKL, APs President Madison and Rochambeau, DD John Ford, an AM, and an AVD all go down. The rbight spot is when CA Chokai and 2 DD find CA Pensacola near Palawan. The American CA is smothered by a surprise Long Lance TT attack, takes 3 of them, and sinks. NICE!

Naval Air Action:
CarDiv1 makes its presence felt sinking AV Langley, 1 PG, 2 AM, 1 AK, 2 AKL, DD Peary, 2 AO, and 1 TK.

Bombers sink 2 AK and 1 AKL

CarDiv2 gets a BUNCH of attention as it moves SW towards Kwajelein. The carriers are attacked by B-17 and B-18 during both phases of the turn. The souped -up CAP (flying at 70% to make it LOOK like there are 4 CVs there). The CAP does well shooting down 3 B-18 while AA actually shots down a pair of B-17.

Hopefully this action covers CarDiv5's move to the sealanes between PH and the West Coast. Except for CAP nothing flies on this TF so nothing is noticed. I have a CS with plenty of FP for search work when I decide to light things up. Will quietly let the ships sit with their AOs for 3 days before revealing my presence. Would love to bag a big convoy or--BETTER YET--USS Saratoga!

Air-to-Ground Action:
The big tale of today is over Manila. As expected, Lew puts everything that can fly CAP into the air over the Port as I do what any Japanese player does on Turn Two: HIT Manila! Initially I am stunned as there are 65 P-40s flying over Manila, The Pensacola Convoy's reinforcements are immediately felt (2 Squadrons of P-40s--One new and another upgraded from the P-35s that were there). Once I accept this number of P-40s I realize that there is golden opportunity here to shot down a BUNCH of American fighters. This is what happens. It isn't one way but it is a good day. Strikes:

SWEEP: 24 Zero vs. 65 Fighters result in 3 Zero for 8 P-40

Port Attack: 27 Zero and 97 Betty/Nell vs. 33 Fighters end up with the Japanese losing 1 Zero and 5 Bombers for 5 P-40 with another 10 (various types) destroyed on the AF. The Port attack goes quite well with SS Swordfish and S-40 sunk along with an AM, 8 PTs, 2 AKL and damage done to 2 AKL, 2 AK, 1 AP, 1 AS, and an AM.

SWEEP: 45 Zero vs. 18 P-40s resulting on no loss in exchange for 8 American Fighters.

Solid, solid work by my Zeros. Their lowered starting experience shows but numbers make up for that. I lose 4 Zero for 21 P-40s in the air.

The Action over Singapore is less but still good with 27 Zero taking on 37 older Fighters (where are the Hurricanes he gets to start with?). The Japanese lose 2 Zeros for 12 Buffalo.

TOTALS:
AIR: Tracker Results conclude that the Allies lose 96 planes (34 P-40 and 21 Buf) for 34 Japanese aircraft. Pretty fair day hurting the Allied Fighter Arm.
SHIPPING: My count is nearly 40 ships sunk with another 20 damaged.

Have to note that 11 A-24 attack Chokai for no result but I am fearful of those planes!

Combat Report
December 9, 1941

With two days of action now done the question begins to be what will Lew do? He played soooo aggressively in our first game that I have to plan on that, however, one never knows when their opponent will change their play styles. Witness Dan (Canoerebel) in his game vs. Chez. I get a few indications this turn but am not sure as of yet what my opponent will elect to do.

SS Action
I-153 sinks CM Prins van Oranje near Donggala
I-154 sinks PC Formalhault also near Donggala

S-36 sinks a DMS off of Formosa

Ground:
Capture Ocean and Nauru Isles
Vigan falls
Aparri will fall next turn

Surface TF:
My roving STF sink AS Otis, 4 AKL, 1 PG and damage BUNCHES of ships (3 DD,1 AGP, 3 AP, 3 AK, 2 TK). Three STF are BINGO for ammo and are returning to Babeldoap or Cam Rahn Bay.

The crazy action of the day belong to a personal duel between CA Nachi and 2 DD vs. CL Boise. In three night encounters and a daylight encounter the two sides manage to hurt each other but not FINISH each other off. Poise ends the fight having taken 3 8" and 6 5" shells while Nachi ends up with 3 6" shells that penetrate her armor.

Naval Air:
CarDiv1 continues action with sinking an AO, TK, and AM. I have the Kates only carrying bombs. Am saving those Torps for something special...

A Chutai of 10 Kates flying from Formosa sink a pair of AKL.

In a possible sign of risk, my recon spots BC Repulse at Singkawang and 27 Nells attack at extreme range for no result. Hmmm...will he send her out to fight? Looks like it.

Manila Port and AF is hit again by 24 Zero and 95 Betty/Nell. Several more ships are hit and the AF is plastered. No CAP. Shift some of my bombers around to Iba, Clark as well as Manila.

CarDiv2 spotted moving SW of Johnston.

The A-24s lose their virginity when a group of 11 attack CA Chokai and hit her with 2 1,000lb bombs. It appears one Squadron is at Cagayan and the other two are in Luzon. I have a pair of BBs warming up their heavy guns for a bombardment at Cagayan soon.

Movement:
33rd Inf Div loads in Nagasaki and heads for Darwin. The 9th of December and I have an Inf Div heading for Australia. How is that for planning and movement??!!

2nd Inf Div is moving away from Sendai and heading for Vigan for the moment.

The Miri IF will land tomorrow. Will Repulse intervene? Hope not as I have little stuff protecting that landing...

The Singakwang IF is formed up and under the current protection of 4 CA. They will be joined by Fuso and Yamashiro just to be safe.

4th ID is past Cam Rahn Bay and heading for Palembang.

The Rabaul IF left Truk and moving that direction Covered by 2 DA, 1 CL, and 4 DD. Massive Nagato and Mutsu are on their way to add some heavy weight to this thrust.

My 2 CVE are due east of the Philippines looking for prey to fall upon.

The CVLs will be south of Kendari tomorrow and make their presence known at that point. Perhaps they can bag Boise???

CarDiv1 moves SW as well and should be SE of Tarakan tomorrow.

Ambon and other Eastern DEI IF are well on their way.

PLANNING: To Cover the Palembang Landing I shall need my carriers. I've decided to link-up CarDiv1 and the 3 CVLs south of Balikpapan. Between them they have nearly 120 Zeros which should easily deal with any threats to themselves or the Invasion Force. While moving across southern Borneo I will launch a surprise Port Strike at Soerabaja hoping to catch a few juicy targets. There will be shipping in the area and I hope to bag a bunch of it.

After getting the troops ashore at Palembang the CVs will replenish and then move past the Malay Barrier hunting.

We're now caught up on the action so far.

This screenshot demonstrates the opening moves of the Offensive.

In RED are the 3 CVL moving to a position south of Kendari. TO stretch TT Ordinance I am rotating one CVL each day to use Torps while the others carry bombs. Total firepower here is 64 Zero and 42 Kates. The Allied ship seen nearby is the Boise fresh from here exchange with a Japanese CA.

The YELLOW layout the opening invasions seeking to clear a hole for the 33rd Inf Div to shot through for an early NW Aussie landing.

The GREEN represents 3 8,000T AOs to help keep everyone moving without issue.

Where will your Air HQs be based at on the way to Darwin?? Ambon looks like a good place for one, but a second over here would be nice just for the Aviation Support they provide. Before landing at Darwin, taking either Lautem or Saumlaki will be a good place to briefly build up and base some LBA rather than rely solely on your carriers, IMO.

Looking at the OOB at start, you should have moved at least one Naval HQ (you have the Southern Naval at Camrahn Bay, 2nd Fleet at Samah, and 3rd at Takao) to Babeldoab. An Air HQ should have been at Babeldoab at start. The 23rd Air HQ and the 5th Air Division are at Takao. 

Hey Sir. 5th Air is at Aparri to provide support there.

23rd Air Flotilla is just east of Legaspi right now heading for Ambon. I've got one of the Fleet HQ moving as well but don't remember which one.

I concur about Saumlaki for a fighter base to help with CAP.

I'd love to do a deployment in the Scenario based on what MY plans are (the dream of every JFB starting a scenario) but that wouldn't be right. Thus, I have things moving to where I want them...

This is a good note. ANYONE who has an idea to help or to ponder ALWAYS throw it out! I am not too proud to say no...

Combat Report
December 10, 1941

The Japanese steamroller is beginning to pick-up as TF begin their final runs into their targets and the slaughter continues around the Philippines.

Ground Action:
Vigan Falls and 80 Fighters move in ASAP to fight off those damned A-24s.

Landings at: Miri, Tarawa. Boeli, and Sorong

Surface TF:
Seven separate raiding TF bag Allied Ships somewhere near the Philippines.

CV Action:
CarDiv1 smacks part of the old Pensacola TF at Tarakan sinking 3 AK and 1 AGP while damaging another AK and 3 AP. A small STF of 3 DD is detached to clean-up anything in that area tomorrow. CarDiv1 moves south to be between Tarakan and Balikpapan tomorrow. They will launch at anything floating then send a Kate Daitai against each of the Ports in the afternoon.

CarDiv2 is approaching the Marshalls. In a couple of days they will refuel and move to help around in the Coral Sea.

CarDiv5 sits squarely between PH and San Francisco. One more day of the planes resting and then we'll light everything up and see if anything might be caught.

CVLs are south of Kendari but will move east to provide CAP for the Ambon Landing and then rush west to link-up with CarDiv1 to Cover the Palembang Operation. This move will cost me a day at Palembang but I have got to provide CAP over my landings due to the effectiveness of those A-24. Lew has moved one Squadron to Manado and it plastered 3 AK approaching Ternate. RUDE! Allied player be aware you have a powerful new tool in the DEI with those DB.

My two CVE are east of the Philippines and will move towards Legaspi this next turn. After that they will move to provide Support in the Eastern DEI Operations. While 27 Zero, 12 Val, and 6 Kate don't help a lot, they will be better then nothing!

SS Operations:
I-158 sinks AP Australia Star near Columbo with a pair of TT.
KXII sinks ANOTHER AK near Saigon. Am forming an ASW TF to operate in this area.

Movement:
Will land at Singkawang tomorrow and am nervous. Have got 2 BB and 4 CA Covering the Landing but I have no CAP. This is worrisome so I hope I can one good, quick day of landing and then pull back to grab the base.

The Ambon IF will land tomorrow.

Action begins in the Coral Sea as I approach Manus, Shortlands, and Lunga. A STF of 2 CA, 1 CL, 3 DD is headed for Port Moresby due to a sighting by an Ro-SS of shipping approaching that location.

The Rabaul IF is just a couple of days from its target and has 3 CL and 2 DD protecting it. This is pretty thin so I might delay until I can pick that STF moving on PM back to thicken the Escort. Course Nagato and Mutsu are just two days from Truk and they will be able to help pretty quickly also.

The Wake IF is close to its goal. It will land tomorrow or the day after. Much more historical for the timing and I like that. That SNLF Assault Brigade should easily take the Atoll, rest a bit, and then move on to Midway.

Many players know that I like to grab parts of the Aleutians quickly so I have time to build-up my bases before the weather improves. OK. The Attu, Adak, and Umnak IF departed Etorofu this turn.

Confirmed Sinkings this turn: 1 AP, 9 AK, 9 AKL, 1 AM, 1 AGP, 4 HDML
Lost: 3 AK and an AKL all due to A-24s

In the West we see the building action as three Amphib TF move in on Singkawang. They are protected by 2 BB, 4 CA, and 6 DD.

The GREEN shows the location of the 4th Inf Div TF which is slowing moving towards its target waiting for Aircover. Another TF will link-up with this one adding 2 Tank Regiment and a pair of Base Forces.

On the east coast of Borneo we have CarDiv1 Sweeping everything before it.

Miri will fall tomorrow so I can roll some planes in there.

Placing Repulse to protect the tip of Borneo may indicate he's trying to prevent the now mandatory "early Palembang" gambit. Should be interesting. Not sure he's going for fortress Palembang as he has to know you'll counter it, but he might be assuming you'll counter and looking to take a big bite out of your early Palembang Op. Tread with care.

Good Advice.

I will take the calculated risk to grab Singkawang's AF so I can bring aircraft in and then WAIT until the CVs are organized and ready. I KNOW there are Vildebreest and Swordfish waiting. It is my HOPE they are at Palembang and NOT Singkawang...


As to Repulse I am hoping I can catch her with my CVs as they sweep past Soerabaja.

Thanks for the commentary!

Have to offer this while you can still change your plans.  If you land on Darwin late December/Early January you will be telegraphing your intentions.  You will see every US reinforcement moving towards OZ and every northern OZ unit moving south, while gaining very little in the form Darwin itself.  If you can hide your intentions, perhaps take SoPac close to OZ and secure Java, a late January/Early February invasion could achieve surprise on both sides of OZ, while securing your fuel supplies in Java/Sumatra and watching US Troops will be distributed amongst India/SoPac/OZ.

Hmmmm...

That is not bad thinking at all. I've been preoccupied with the end game and haven't really thought through the beginning. What do people think about vicberg's comment? We've got four Landings to look at:

1. NORMAL (whatever that means) NW Aussie Landings
2. NE Cairns Landing: Draw troops on the East Coast North
3. Geraldton and Perth Landing: Same as above but to draw troops West.
4. THE Sydney Landing hoping for an easy capture of this vital location.

Fire Away! I am off to work so I'll respond once I get home.

Landing from Darwin to Broome area is not something that would alarm me if I was playing the Allied. It would be something I would do and have done as Japan before to divide the map into two areas relatively quickly. It stops warships from coming into the SRA from eastern Australia and forces any ships to come around Australia. Some players use Timor and specifically, Koepang, to use as a way to base Ms Nell and/or Ms Betty with an Air HQ to accomplish this.

I would look at doing 1,2,3 as simultaneously as possible. Then 4 about 6-10 days after, just enough time to allow him to start moving to counteract 1,2,3.

Yes landing in Darwin isn't a big deal.  But, if I'm playing allies and I only see one division moving into Burma, minimal divisions moving on Singers and PI, and no immediate movement against PH, where could all those divisions be going?  Darwin would be the giveaway. 

Wonder if I could arrange for everything to land within days of each other? Interesting thought. I should clarify that I don't usually land AT Darwin. Usually I land west of there and drive across the road going to Katherine. Landing at Geraldton--Perth, NW Australia, and Cairns within days of each other would be sort of scary. I like doing some of that to force an immediate movement from the real target and then BOOM: Land near Sydney.

Should I think of taking Lord Howe's Island? Probably would send alarms up and down his system.

Will buy my first Infantry Division out of China--Manchuria. Does anyone have a favorite for buying out first?

ORIGINAL: vicberg

Have to offer this while you can still change your plans.  If you land on Darwin late December/Early January you will be telegraphing your intentions.  You will see every US reinforcement moving towards OZ and every northern OZ unit moving south, while gaining very little in the form Darwin itself.  If you can hide your intentions, perhaps take SoPac close to OZ and secure Java, a late January/Early February invasion could achieve surprise on both sides of OZ, while securing your fuel supplies in Java/Sumatra and watching US Troops will be distributed amongst India/SoPac/OZ.

Or you could suck the US troops and Australian army into the Northern Territory and out of position for an East or West Coast landing. Feb could see the CMF units at a higher level of strength, 6 & 7 Divs due and depending on other threats, a couple of US Divs anyway.

A comment on your plans, you started out with confidence but are now "pulling in some CV for support at Palembang" or "getting some BB for Sinkawang landings" Dont get too cautious, your very long range search assets should find anyone within threat range and Netty sink anything they can reach.