WitP mod v903 Ngineer(Japan) vs. Feinder(Allies)

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

China North

He continues to press in Communist China. Several attacks both ground and air, on the that north flank against the Inf-Div. He's trying to cut off that town with the Inf-Corps. Flying Tigers and Chinese AF are unable to assist, because they've been pulled back to rebuild.

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

China South

Bugger. I over-wrote my China South screen-cap. Here's last turn's screen cap, with comments.
Fighting along the line near that the newly captured mine. I'm unable to recapture it. Moved some guys up to basically strengthen that area. IJN CVLs providing close air support.

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

Dutch East Indies

Not really worth a map.
Borneo falls, no surprise there.
Partisans still active in south Philippines. Again, it's tying up a MechInf-Div, so good.
USN sub exits the DEI and docks in in Northern Oz for repairs and refit.

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

Coral Sea and Santa Cruz

Port Moresby falls. Grrr. New Guinea Inf-Div never arrives (wasted MPPs). Phhhtt.

KB appears to be pulling back to Truk (slowly).
B-17s make bombing runs against the CVL and and CV, and suffer heavy losses. I do think/hope it'll give him some pause tho.
I pulled back my sub towards Lunga, to protect the northern beaches for now.

IJN sub spotted poking around Esprito Santo. By best calculations, I'm out of strike range from KB with is/should be either just north of Rabaul and/or east of Rabaul. Also I think I'm south of his patrols based near Tarawa.

So I hit the sub with all five Destroyers. Did about 5pts of damage to the sub and then pulled back. You can see my 4x CVs and TF east of his sub. I did NOT attack with my CVs, so as to not bring attention to them if he doesn't know exactly where they are.

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

Everywhere Else...

Royal Navy now stopping to refuel in near Sydney.
Conversation as previous about Coral Sea and Santa Cruz.
Another IJN sub was spotted off Pearl Harbor. Dispatched several destroyers to deal with it. I think I did about 5 damage to it, but lost contact. That should chase him off though.
Fifth USN-CV is just north of Pearl. Will join a large Troop Convoy (Inf-Corps, Mar-Div, Arm-Div) along with additional escorts and head to Oz.
Also, eight USN-SS heading west to make mischief in Japanese waters.

[Feinder]

April 21st, 1942

Admin Stuff

Built the 5th USN Fleet CV. Might look at CVLs or land-based-air next.
For research, I'm getting close on USA-NavWeaps and Chi-LandWarfare.
Still haven't killed anything yet. But I'm damaging stuff, so that'll eventually be costly for him, right? (I gotta tell myself that for now).

Losses, Production Queue, Research, and MPPs screen.

[Feinder]

May 9th, 1942

Burma

Rangoon falls. Burma capitulates. It was useful to have occupied the border towns, and it was a matter of connecting the dots for supply. I did pull back the Indian Tank-Div back to Akyab, as it seemed that he could bring some of the Thai troops around behind him.

Royal Indian AF moves up to thwart what land-based-air attacks they can.
RAF pulled replacements further back.
My RN sub docked for repairs.

If he's pushing up the Thai divisions, he might be looking to "hold" Burma, and shift his heavy IJA units elsewhere. Or, he could just be moving them up to make contact, and then bring up the IJA. I guess we'll see.

[Feinder]

May 9th, 1942

China

Ugh. China and Comm-Chi are both being utterly pummeled. Somebody said something about it's supposed to get easier, because it's expensive and spreads him out...? But this is painful, I'm kinda waiting for that to happen!

For what it's worth, he destroyed 16(!) strength points of Chinese units, including a Inf-Div and Inv-Corps with airpower alone. Ref the losses capture to follow.

He obliterated the Comm-Chi Corps(!) in the north (mostly with LBA), and occupied the down of Tatung.
Additional attacks against my Chinese Tank-Div with bombers, had to pull it back. Again, he's focusing on high-value (IMO).

Insta-wiped a Chinese Inf-Div in center with combined LBA and ground attacks.

And in the southwest, destroyed another Inf-Div with combined LBA and CV-based aircraft.

I've moved up my USA squadron of fighters, to try to interdict some of his attack, but his bombers are not without escorts (ref condition of Chinese AF and Flying Tigers). But I've got to push back, and so thus here we are.

And, we spotted some IJA paras in that southern town. He's going to be pinging around looking for empty city/town for them to land in. I think I've got them covered.

Spent the Chinese MPPs on researching anti-air defense. How many Chinese will die over the next year(?), before it kicks in.

[Feinder]

May 9th, 1942

Coral Sea / Tasman Sea / Santa Cruz

I ~think~ most of the CVs are north of Rabaul, possibly retiring to Truk.

But I'm not sure...

You can see that he pushed some surface elements south (the DD and CL in the pic). He could have anything behind them. I think they're just what is on the edge of spotting, and that there are major fleet units behind them. He could also have "stuff" NE of Solomons, I don't know.

He's also scouting towards Brisbane with that sub. The Royal Navy has pulled into Brisbane. I threw out a skirmish line of DDs, as I prefer him to run into me, than vice-versa. If he trips on the DDs, I can take some shots at this sub, then retreat with the Royal Navy if he brings heavy units behind the sub.

I'd say he knows most of my USN fleet is around Santa Cruz. We've identified 3x enemy subs in the area. There's one in-bound from the Marshalls. We continued to prosecute the sub originally discovered east of Santa Cruz. We damaged it, and drove it north, then lost contact. He did run a search mission with with Mari-Bombers in Marshalls, they were intercepted by aircraft from Enterprise.
The range was too great to see how much damage I did. My DDs pursued as far north as I believe to be just out of his full search range (14?). If he want to run manual search missions (like he did last turn), he's welcome to. My DD screen is (hopefully) on the edge of his spotting, and covered by CAP from my 4x CVs. While drifting east, prosecuting the sub (that retreated into enemy LBA cover), I "bumped" an IJN sub. No damage for me. My Destroyer damaged it, but I had to use a strike by my Enterprise to drive it under (and away from my DD). But I intentionally used Enterprise (same CV) to chase the sub, as intercepted his Mari-Bmber. So that it way it only fully confirms one CV.

[Feinder]

And we finally got some points on the board!

Subs off Japan managed to sink an IJN Destroyer, and heavily damaged a CL.
I expect that's he's going to move a Mari-Bomber unit in to look for me, but we finally got a KILL, so I'm thrilled!

I also bumped one of his ports in Japan (didn't have enough movement for Tokyo Bay, and get away).

Getting his attention is not a bad thing here. I ~need~ him to pull back some of his LBA assets, to look for my subs. the point here is to get him to spread out his LBA, instead of allowing him to concentrate it in China and Burma/India.

Now that I've poked the bear, I should probably scatter my subs. Maybe south. Haven't decided yet. Primary objective is obviously to sink stuff. But a close-behind secondary objective is just to draw off some of his d_mned LBA.

[Feinder]

May 9th, 1942

Central Pacific

Caught a IJN sub prowling too close to Pearl Harbor.
Combined effort by land-based air, destroyers (including Canadian), and two strikes by Hornet who just happened to be nearby...
Sank same.

Sweet! Another kill.

Large troop convoy passing south of Hawaii, will pick up addtional escorts from Pearl next turn (including Hornet), will meet with large USN TF off Santa Cruz, and then unload at Oz. "If KB stays out of the way..."

[Feinder]

May 9th, 1942

Admin Stuff

Big news is that Nav-Weaps went to Level-1 for USN. Three cheers and upgrades all around as soon as possible. Also started the UK researching spying since every chit in that helps everybody (with Intel at least).

Research, Production, Losses (2 kills! woot!), and Economic screen (China is struggling).

[Elessar2]

Ellessar... I have noted that the Japanese capital ships have a naval spotting range of 3, vs. Allied ships have naval spotting range of 2. (I'm glad I noticed that!). Is there anything (tech? radar?) that can be researched as Allies to extend that spotting range to 3?

I'm not crying foul. I get that IJN doctrine with the float-planes as scouts was superior. I'm just asking if there's anything I can do to extend the spotting range of my own ships.

Oh, and another question... What is the national moral hit against for each Atomic bomb? It looks like each bomb is 50/turn. Three bombs = 150/turn. Is that correct? For 150mpp per turn, what conditions must be met (given the diff in maps and the original Waw)? And what is the morale hit for each bomb vs. Japan?

I believe I left it at that, where only carriers will get a spotting boost (via Long Range Air natch).

It's -10000 NM for each bomb. You have to take any 1 of these 5 locations tho:

US units in Taihoku OR
US units in Naha OR
US units in Iwo Jima OR
US units in Saipan OR
US units in Keijo

Yes I likely need to put more of that into the text events.

If you are discussing the MPP hit/turn, it is only -50 for the ongoing Manhattan Project as a whole, not -50 for each one.

Speaking of which, is anyone else as psyched for Oppenheimer as I am?

[Elessar2]

May 9th, 1942

China

Ugh. China and Comm-Chi are both being utterly pummeled. Somebody said something about it's supposed to get easier, because it's expensive and spreads him out...? But this is painful, I'm kinda waiting for that to happen!

Hmm. I was able to keep OCB's IJA at bay pretty well, but that was an earlier build and he (rightly) decried my use of mech and armor units, which now aren't available unless China gets at least 2 levels in Army Mobilization. One issue which again is difficult to model in this game system is the poor logistical network in China. I can make the distances between towns greater, but that will just have most combat focused on said towns, with combat "deserts" where there are no towns, as happens in vanilla Russia. I'll have the same dilemma in Euro 20K. The one thing I can try is to have regular negative supply events, perhaps unavoidable partisan hits on certain key towns and cities if not regions. Or beef up infantry defense...

For the nonce you'll just have to be comforted by all of the garrisons he'll need to keep the partisans at bay, which means fewer for his islands and fewer MPPs for his fleet. Note some players will utilize a laissez-faire attitude towards partisans, letting them spawn in certain locations and/or enduring the supply ones in areas where he isn't attacking.

[Feinder]

Thanks for the feedback Ellissar.

Just for giggles, I'm almost considering NOT going for the nukes. That's a LOT of MMPs, that I could use to buy all kinds of other explody-type-things.

Hm. That's 3000 mpps, for -30k Nat Morale, if I capture hold one of those locations. Hm. Gotta think about it.

Well, China is what is it is. It's still early on. We'll see how it goes. I feel like it could be a "national morale farm" for Japan, by killing Chinese units. But we'll see.

/rant-on
I'm still not really a fan of the national morale thing. I don't see how by any measure that the fighting capabilities of USA, USSR, UK, or even Germany or Japan were "reduced" by anything that would approximate national morale, esp by the degree by which it affects by end-of-war. Units with lack of experience, no fuel for their planes or tanks, no spare parts, no food in their bellies, and no infrastructure to deliver any of the above. That's what reduces the fighting capabilities of the belligerents in WW2. Was there pressure to end the war in Europe and Japan? Sure. But it didn't reduce the combat effectiveness of esp the Allies.
/end-rant.

Anyway, National Morale certainly isn't on you Ellissar. We're all constrained by the baked-in mechanics of the game. However this game goes, we'll trade sides, and he'll probably just clobber me again as Allies... :^)

*** And yes, totally want to see Oppenheimer!

[OldCrowBalthazor]

Still following this outstanding AAR with much pleasure. Can't wait to see how this all unfolds.

[Elessar2]

Preaching to the already-converted on NM. The issue is that it is an integral part of the game, and if I completely delete all NM scripts say, that could have unforeseen effects on game balance. I don't have access to the underlying algorithms; the historical record does show that NM did have effects, but only at the very bitter end when it was clear it was all over but the shouting, where whole units of German infantry were surrendering without a fight, and even the Japanese started to surrender in relatively large numbers. But for ex. I don't think it makes sense for Pearl Harbor to have a negative effect on American NM-if anything it was low before the attack but went UP afterwards.

[Feinder]

May 27th, 1942

Burma

I need to pull back my Indian units. Their morale is down in the 40s. I'll reform the line behind that river near the border, along the line of the border at the coast. Need to pull out of Akyab, because I feel like he could get around behind me. Besides, if he moves up to the border, I think he triggers militia units, and I can use every division possible.

The Chinese will defend the mountains behind the rivers. I'll put a garrison in the town to deter paras. Hopefully I "only" need 1x Inf-Div and the garrison, because I'm going to need one of those divisions elsewhere in China.

Royal Navy sub moved up to harass the convoy out of Rangoon. Bumped a CL, but torps missed. It'll probably make him shift CVL(s) and/or DDs. Or better, he can go after it with his LBA instead of my Indian Troops.

He's got an IJN sub poking around Diego Garcia (not too far south off-map). He's probably looking at the convoy line and/or any ships in transit. No convoy, and no ships. So let him prowl. Meanwhile, the whole of the Royal Navy's defense of Britain's largest colony is a lone Destroyer. No pressure guys. You'll do fine.

[Feinder]

May 27th, 1942

China

He's still pushing hard in the North, but no blasting from LBA this turn. Still, he caused a retreat from that contested town, and also got a got a shot into my Comm-Chi HQ.

I'm retreating to behind that river, and (as much as I didn't want to), pulled back from the town of Shazam (or whatever it's called). Can't let that Inf-Corps get cut off.

No LBA attacks, means that the US Far East AF had nothing to shoot at. I expect the'll get some action in the coming turn(s) none-the-less. Chinese AF and Flying Tigers have stood down at 4sp each, back near Chungking, because I simply don't have the MPPs to rebuild them.

He's got a general offensive in the south, supported by LBA and strikes from CVLs. He's attacking Center and erased another Chinese Division. He's looking to isolate/take that Chinese city (circled). I've got artillery and AAA behind it. We'll see how long/if it can hold.

I think he must have gotten an intel-hit on my Chinese HQ. Because he went after it directly with LBA. Again, targeting high-value targets that I can't replace.

For China, it was all I could do was draw infantry replacements this turn (and couldn't get to everyone). So the list of "re-buildable" Chinese Inf-Divs grows, but no points to buy them.

Still, we'll see if/how he is slowed when he occupies his ill-gotten territory.

[Feinder]

May 27th, 1942

Coral Sea / South Pacific

There was a small garrison from Lunga at Milne Bay. He blasted it with a few strikes for a CV (north of Lae) and Med-Bmbrs. I didn't expect them to last. On the plus side, that little divot of control in New Guinea is going to annoy him; and the only way for him to actually capture it, is to spend the MPPs to amphib-land somebody there (or paras could work for free, but they're in China at the moment).

B-17s out of Cooktown bombed Port Moresby. Intercepted by land-based fighters from Gasmata. Also searched NW of Lunga, and spotted a DD poking about. No more attacks available, or would have bombed him. On the plus side, I decided to swap out the Corps that was defending Lunga. It's morale was in the 30s (still don't know why), and I figured it wouldn't last long. So I pulled it out, and pushed a garrison past his DD, just to make him fight for Lunga.

Meanwhile, Royal Navy CVL bombed his sub off Brisbane. No hits, and drove it under. I thought about pursuing it with my 3x DDs, but I think he's got "some" fleet units there, and I decided that I'd rather just drive him off rather than attract too much attention that far south because I've got the big troop convoy arriving in Brisbane in turn or two.

You see the large USN 4x CV TF is around the Fiji islands. The troop convoy is just to the west, moving through Samoa. The CVs are docked and will take Nav-Weaps upgrades next turn. Then escort the convoy on last leg to Brisbane.

There's actually a lone transport (much) further to the NW. Something went funky when trying to move him; he only went about 5-6 hexes and stopped. Probably the issue between the Chair and the Keyboard. So I paired up a few transfers from Pearl with him. I might actually drop him on American Samoa, since it's a national objective. We'll see what strikes my fancy.