I know you are playing scn one so you get no production bonuses, but even so your a/c production seems to be on the low side, especially in terms of fighters.....you really need to start ramping up production of these now.
How many HI points do you have in reserve?
Against the Wind: Cuttlefish (Japan) vs. Q-Ball (Allies)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: All Your Base
[font="Arial"]We soldiers dig. We dig all day. This is the hole that we will fight and die in. Am I digging my own grave?[/font]
- Saigo: Letters From Iwo Jima
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3/27/1943 – 4/3/1943
Not much to report on the front lines this time around. It has been a quiet week. Even Noumea has been quiet, though Allied troops are massing at La Foa. Everywhere Japanese soldiers dig, dig, dig, trying to get those fort levels up before the Allies arrive.
The Japanese fleet is now at Batavia, as planned. And the move was spotted, as anticipated. I don’t think he knows exactly where my ships are but he knows their approximate location. Allied recon has been busy over the Java Sea and my own recon observes lots of Allied ships moving around Kendari and Makassar, though I haven’t seen anything yet that would tell me what move Q-Ball is planning next.
The air attacks against Soerabaja have stopped, though, and my defending fighter units have taken replacements are all at full strength again, with much recovered morale.
Under the Sea: Allied submarines cost me an xAK and a TK this week, actually a bad week for his subs. A Japanese submarine hit CLAA San Juan with a torpedo near Port Hedland.
Punch and Judy: Japan’s new airplane this month is the Judy. I have always had a high opinion of this dive bomber and the game’s stats seem to bear that out. The only thing that concerns me is the plane’s service rating of 3. I’m not sure that will be a big problem for carrier-based units, though, since they fly so infrequently (and rarely come back when they do). All carrier units will upgrade as soon as possible.
Tojo production has been increased to 64 a month. A6M2 production has been shut off, as has Lily and Nell production.
Here is the victory point screen for the end of March ’43. Yes, I still have a mammoth amount of political points available; these will be spent soon pulling units out of Manchukuo and China, buying air groups out of the Home Islands, and realigning my command structure to match my defensive deployments.
- Saigo: Letters From Iwo Jima
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3/27/1943 – 4/3/1943
Not much to report on the front lines this time around. It has been a quiet week. Even Noumea has been quiet, though Allied troops are massing at La Foa. Everywhere Japanese soldiers dig, dig, dig, trying to get those fort levels up before the Allies arrive.
The Japanese fleet is now at Batavia, as planned. And the move was spotted, as anticipated. I don’t think he knows exactly where my ships are but he knows their approximate location. Allied recon has been busy over the Java Sea and my own recon observes lots of Allied ships moving around Kendari and Makassar, though I haven’t seen anything yet that would tell me what move Q-Ball is planning next.
The air attacks against Soerabaja have stopped, though, and my defending fighter units have taken replacements are all at full strength again, with much recovered morale.
Under the Sea: Allied submarines cost me an xAK and a TK this week, actually a bad week for his subs. A Japanese submarine hit CLAA San Juan with a torpedo near Port Hedland.
Punch and Judy: Japan’s new airplane this month is the Judy. I have always had a high opinion of this dive bomber and the game’s stats seem to bear that out. The only thing that concerns me is the plane’s service rating of 3. I’m not sure that will be a big problem for carrier-based units, though, since they fly so infrequently (and rarely come back when they do). All carrier units will upgrade as soon as possible.
Tojo production has been increased to 64 a month. A6M2 production has been shut off, as has Lily and Nell production.
Here is the victory point screen for the end of March ’43. Yes, I still have a mammoth amount of political points available; these will be spent soon pulling units out of Manchukuo and China, buying air groups out of the Home Islands, and realigning my command structure to match my defensive deployments.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
The War Resumes
[font="Arial"]Never give up! Never surrender![/font]
- Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), Galaxy Quest
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4/4/1943 – 4/14/1943
Q-Ball has returned from a long vacation and a quiet first half of April comes to an end as Allied forces invade undefended Ternate. It seems that both my opponent and his forces are rested and ready for fresh conquests.
CL Detroit and a pair of destroyers attempted to intercept a Japanese convoy bringing fresh troops to Davao. They missed the intercept and torpedo bombers sank Detroit. The two escorting DDs escaped, however, and gained revenge by attacking the fortunately now-unloaded transports, sinking a PB and an AP. A second AP, heavily damaged, was sunk by submarine the next day. The DDs also swiped a second small convoy that was just leaving the area, damaging all five ships.
Allied air attacks have been very heavy recently. These have been mostly aimed at Lae, Manado, and Noumea. He has not attacked at Noumea yet but his forces are gathering and it won’t be long. Japanese aircraft tried to interfere with the Ternate landing but no hits were scored and around 30 planes, mostly Zeros, were lost. I have brought a couple units of Tojos down and stationed them at Davao, so there are around 100 Japanese fighters there now.
It will be interesting to see what he tries after Ternate. It seems he is going north rather than west, which is what I wanted. Well, sort of. What I really want is for his forces to go away and leave me alone, but as this does not seem likely I must consider what his next targets will be. Manado presents a strong defense, and Davao is even stronger. Palambang and Jolo have decent garrisons but cannot resist a determined attack. He could also move northeast and attack Pelelieu and Babeldoab. That would be really bad but he knows that both bases have coast defense guns and he may not want to tangle with those. Not when there is easier prey available.
While Davao is strong there are a lot of other places on Mindanao he can land. Most good bases have at least some troops and level 3 forts but it would take a force half the size of the Kwangtung Army to garrison the island to a decent level.
Under the Sea: Allied subs have sunk a oiler and a couple of tankers in the past week. Japanese ASW forces avenged one of the tankers by sinking Lapon, the first Gato-class submarine lost. By and large, however, I am losing the ASW battle. My sub chasers are slowly gaining experience but most crews still have experience levels below 50 (they start at 35/35 or 45/45) and it is very hard for them to survive long enough to get better.
Rumor has it that starting sometime in ’44 Japan gets some good ASW vessels with well-trained crews. I fear that in this game that may come too late to help me much.
Suspicious Sighting: in the most recent turn an Allied task force was spotted west of Tabiteuea, heading northwest. An odd mix of ships was reported; CVEs, TKs, and APs. What is this force and where on earth is it going? There might be more task forces out there that I have not spotted, and this might be an attempt at Ocean Island or Nauru Island. I am sending the four CVLs and the Musashi battle group southeast from Truk to check it out and we will see what transpires. I have reason to think that Q-Ball’s main carrier force is defending the Ternate landing; if all he has are CVEs covering this force I might be able to do some damage.
- Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), Galaxy Quest
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4/4/1943 – 4/14/1943
Q-Ball has returned from a long vacation and a quiet first half of April comes to an end as Allied forces invade undefended Ternate. It seems that both my opponent and his forces are rested and ready for fresh conquests.
CL Detroit and a pair of destroyers attempted to intercept a Japanese convoy bringing fresh troops to Davao. They missed the intercept and torpedo bombers sank Detroit. The two escorting DDs escaped, however, and gained revenge by attacking the fortunately now-unloaded transports, sinking a PB and an AP. A second AP, heavily damaged, was sunk by submarine the next day. The DDs also swiped a second small convoy that was just leaving the area, damaging all five ships.
Allied air attacks have been very heavy recently. These have been mostly aimed at Lae, Manado, and Noumea. He has not attacked at Noumea yet but his forces are gathering and it won’t be long. Japanese aircraft tried to interfere with the Ternate landing but no hits were scored and around 30 planes, mostly Zeros, were lost. I have brought a couple units of Tojos down and stationed them at Davao, so there are around 100 Japanese fighters there now.
It will be interesting to see what he tries after Ternate. It seems he is going north rather than west, which is what I wanted. Well, sort of. What I really want is for his forces to go away and leave me alone, but as this does not seem likely I must consider what his next targets will be. Manado presents a strong defense, and Davao is even stronger. Palambang and Jolo have decent garrisons but cannot resist a determined attack. He could also move northeast and attack Pelelieu and Babeldoab. That would be really bad but he knows that both bases have coast defense guns and he may not want to tangle with those. Not when there is easier prey available.
While Davao is strong there are a lot of other places on Mindanao he can land. Most good bases have at least some troops and level 3 forts but it would take a force half the size of the Kwangtung Army to garrison the island to a decent level.
Under the Sea: Allied subs have sunk a oiler and a couple of tankers in the past week. Japanese ASW forces avenged one of the tankers by sinking Lapon, the first Gato-class submarine lost. By and large, however, I am losing the ASW battle. My sub chasers are slowly gaining experience but most crews still have experience levels below 50 (they start at 35/35 or 45/45) and it is very hard for them to survive long enough to get better.
Rumor has it that starting sometime in ’44 Japan gets some good ASW vessels with well-trained crews. I fear that in this game that may come too late to help me much.
Suspicious Sighting: in the most recent turn an Allied task force was spotted west of Tabiteuea, heading northwest. An odd mix of ships was reported; CVEs, TKs, and APs. What is this force and where on earth is it going? There might be more task forces out there that I have not spotted, and this might be an attempt at Ocean Island or Nauru Island. I am sending the four CVLs and the Musashi battle group southeast from Truk to check it out and we will see what transpires. I have reason to think that Q-Ball’s main carrier force is defending the Ternate landing; if all he has are CVEs covering this force I might be able to do some damage.
RE: The Empire Strikes Back
ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish
[font="Arial"]If blood be the price of admiralty, Lord God, we ha’ paid in full![/font]
- Rudyard Kipling: The Song of the English, 1893
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3/6/1943 – 3/11/1943
The Imperial Japanese Navy saw action again for the second time in a week, this time against Allied forces invading ungarrisoned Den Pasar, just off the tip of Java. I did not see this one en route but a scratch force built around BB Nagato was assembled and ordered to attack on the second night of the enemy invasion.
The Japanese force met a covering force of three enemy heavy cruisers. The Japanese had slightly the better of the resulting action, sinking DD Stuart and doing significant damage to CA Frobisher.
[font="Courier New"]Night Time Surface Combat, near Den Passar at 58,108, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 5
CL Kinu
DD Yamagumo
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 2, on fire
Allied Ships
CA Cornwall
CA Exeter, Shell hits 1
CA Frobisher, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Perth
CL Hobart
CL St. Louis
DD Mahan, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Hull
DD MacDonough
DD Stuart, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Arunta[/font]
The important result was that the Allied force withdrew and the Japanese force proceeded on to attack and completely destroy the Allied invasion fleet:
[font="Courier New"]Night Time Surface Combat, near Den Passar at 58,108, Range 10,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 2
CA Ashigara
CL Kinu
DD Yamagumo
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki, heavy fires
DD Yuzuki, on fire
Allied Ships
DMS Zane, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
SC-708, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
SC-738, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Thomas Barry, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Esperance Bay, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
xAP Largs Bay, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAK Glenaffric, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
xAK Mahsud, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAP Felix Roussel, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Rangitata, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Allied ground losses:
718 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 69 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Japanese Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Allied TF begins to get underway
Reduced sighting due to 17% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 17% moonlight: 11,000 yards[/font]
The two damaged Japanese destroyers, Kikuzuki and Yuzuki, came under attack by 25 Vindicators when the sun rose. CAP from Soerabaja shot down 9 of the attackers but the survivors sank the two destroyers. Den Pasar fell but the Australian brigade involved in the attack seems to have been mostly destroyed aboard ship.
Allied bombers, B-24s and B-25s, have been attacking Soerabaja for the last three days. They have destroyed about 20 planes on the ground at a cost of only about a dozen bombers shot down or crashed but the attacks are growing more feeble and the airfield is not heavily damaged. I expect Q-Ball will give up the attempt soon unless he can commit fighters to the operation. Early-war Japanese fighters are terrible at shooting down bombers but they do put a number of holes in them and the accumulated airframe damage seems to make sustained bombing rather difficult.
Koumac Falls: actually, I don’t know if there are any falls at Koumac. There might be. If there are, they are Allied falls now. Koumac fell on 11 March to the second Allied attack. The survivors are retreating to Noumea. It will probably take another week or two for Noumea to fall but New Caledonia is pretty well cut off by now and its fate is sealed. Allied ships are also off Babo, near the western end of New Guinea. The thing about Babo is that it can be easily hit by carrier planes from the Pacific ocean side. My carriers are currently at Truk and I am sending them over to see if they can attack the invasion force before it withdraws. It will probably take three days for them to reach attack position.
Under the Sea: Allied subs sank two of my TKs during the period, which I always hate to see. One of the attacks, SS Truant, was sunk by the convoy’s escorts off Singapore. Revenge is sweet and all that. Two xAKs were also damaged by sub attack, one off Kyushu and the other off northern Borneo. Both may or may not survive. Japanese subs had several contacts but did not make any successful attacks. Both the DEI and the Coral Sea/New Caledonia area are swarming with I-boats, though. My sub losses have been very light and so I have a lot of submarines in the water right now. Most of them are being employed defensively but I do have a few out looking for enemy shipping from the Aleutians to down around New Zealand.
Yes, I am not too happy with this aspect of surface warfare. It seems that esorting ships are too easily brushed aside and invasion forces just get creamed too often. Considering it is a night action and the Allied ships have radar, the Nagato force really was inferior force and the invasion force should have at least been protected or at least had time to build up steam and scatter. Even if the screening force lost, they should have provided some sort of protection. As it is now, sometimes the attacking forces gets nailed hard yet still makes it to the transports and wipes them out. Really, how often did this happen?
I am the Holy Roman Emperor and am above grammar.
Sigismund of Luxemburg
Sigismund of Luxemburg
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: The Empire Strikes Back
ORIGINAL: crsutton
Yes, I am not too happy with this aspect of surface warfare. It seems that esorting ships are too easily brushed aside and invasion forces just get creamed too often. Considering it is a night action and the Allied ships have radar, the Nagato force really was inferior force and the invasion force should have at least been protected or at least had time to build up steam and scatter. Even if the screening force lost, they should have provided some sort of protection. As it is now, sometimes the attacking forces gets nailed hard yet still makes it to the transports and wipes them out. Really, how often did this happen?
I will say this about surface warfare in AE; it is unpredictable. Especially night combat. Sometimes a force that seems inferior, on paper at least, will win, or at least won't lose. Strange things can happen.
My own opinion is that this actually simulates reality pretty well. There are so many variables involved in surface combat that results don't tend to follow an easily predicted path; rather than a smooth curve of results what you end up with looks more like an application of chaos theory. But it is enough to make you tear your hair out in clumps when it works against you.
RE: The Empire Strikes Back
CF,
I've tried having multiple SCTFs. Not sure how it works yet, but I figure it ups the odds that the enemy will have to go through more than one hard TF to reach the chewy center of an invasion force. I go with a heavy SCTF with BB/CA/DD and and light cover force (originally designed to deal with PTs, but now beefed up as an emergency surface action deterrent) with CL/DD. Finally, an ASW TF with 4DD.
I've tried having multiple SCTFs. Not sure how it works yet, but I figure it ups the odds that the enemy will have to go through more than one hard TF to reach the chewy center of an invasion force. I go with a heavy SCTF with BB/CA/DD and and light cover force (originally designed to deal with PTs, but now beefed up as an emergency surface action deterrent) with CL/DD. Finally, an ASW TF with 4DD.
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Wirraway_Ace
- Posts: 1509
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
- Location: Austin / Brisbane
RE: The Empire Strikes Back
I have yet to have a covering SCTF stop an IJN SCTF--they go straight on through. I have had at least one instance where a strong IJN CA & DD TF went through an Allied CA DD covering force, a DD covering force, 2 PT boat TFs and then into the transport TF and its escorts. Of course, one event does not prove a rule, but I have gone back to strong escorts with the transports and limited reliance on covering forces.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: The War Resumes
[font="Arial"]To the end that prohibition of the use of submarines as commerce destroyers shall be accepted universally as part of the law of nations, the signatory powers herewith accept that prohibition as binding between themselves, and invite all other nations to adhere thereto.[/font]
- Washington Naval Treaty, 6 February 1922
4/15/1943 – 4/19/1943
There is no sign yet what Q-Ball’s next target will be. All the action the last few turns has consisted of Allied air raids and submarine activity on both sides, though Allied shells have begun to fall on Japanese positions at Noumea. I sent some Zeros on LRCAP over Lae from Rabaul last turn just to keep Q-Ball honest. I lost six Zeros against two or three Beaufighters and a Wildcat, though, so I probably will not do that very often.
Whatever that mystery task force was west of Tabiteuea turned around as soon as it was spotted and left Japanese waters quickly. My carriers and surface ships never came close to an interception and have returned to Truk.
Under the Sea: Allied subs sank an xAK during the period. Japanese subs in the DEI have spent the last two turns on a rampage, sinking an AD, an xAK, an AKE, and an AGP. The last two, Liberty Glo and Sirius, were both sunk by that scourge of the seas, I-155. That submarine has racked up an impressive score so far. The xAK was wandering around by itself in sub-infested waters and looked to be carrying armored vehicles.
Q-Ball’s subs also took a shot at an oiler but missed. He has his submarines staking out all the deep-water chokepoints between the DEI and the Home Islands and lurking two or three hexes off of all the busiest Japanese harbors. The Luzon Strait and the Formosa Strait are both infested, as are the waters both north and south of Mindanao and every point on the east side of the Philippines where Japanese ships can emerge after transiting the archipelago. Every Japanese convoy is at risk at some point and the ones that don’t lose a ship are lucky.
On the plus side he no longer seems to be staking out the waters around Sakhalin Island or Hokkaido. Japanese ships coming down from Port Arthur can make the entire passage in shallow water hexes so he doesn’t much bother with that either.
Reinforcements: a fresh Japanese division just disembarked at Batavia, having made the trip from Fusan without loss. That puts three divisions and three regiments on Java. A naval guard unit has just disembarked at Peleliu, while Babeldaob has been reinforced with two SNL units and a JAAF regiment.
I’ve been looking past Babeldoab at Yap and Ulithi. Both have had construction units for over a year but there are no real troops there yet. I need to find some. The forts there are good but that doesn’t mean squat unless there are soldiers to fill them.
Off-Topic But Kind of Cool: I live in Corvallis, Oregon. Corvallis is on the AE map because of nearby Camp Adair. Several infantry divisions trained there during the war and after the last one departed it was used as a POW camp. Today Camp Adair is Adair Village, population around 900, but during WWII it was the second-largest city in Oregon behind Portland.
All of this is background to the fact that while Adair Village is small, it is growing. The school there needs the land where the last two remaining barracks stand. Rather than tear them down the community is going to spend a considerable amount of money (and the economy in Oregon is not good right now) to move them and preserve them. One is going to be converted into a WWII history museum while exactly what the other will be used for is undecided – perhaps a community center.
I just thought that this effort deserved a bit of recognition. So much of our heritage from that era has been thrown away and lost that it almost breaks my heart. I’m glad they are making the effort to preserve even this small slice of it.
One of the barracks today:
- Washington Naval Treaty, 6 February 1922
4/15/1943 – 4/19/1943
There is no sign yet what Q-Ball’s next target will be. All the action the last few turns has consisted of Allied air raids and submarine activity on both sides, though Allied shells have begun to fall on Japanese positions at Noumea. I sent some Zeros on LRCAP over Lae from Rabaul last turn just to keep Q-Ball honest. I lost six Zeros against two or three Beaufighters and a Wildcat, though, so I probably will not do that very often.
Whatever that mystery task force was west of Tabiteuea turned around as soon as it was spotted and left Japanese waters quickly. My carriers and surface ships never came close to an interception and have returned to Truk.
Under the Sea: Allied subs sank an xAK during the period. Japanese subs in the DEI have spent the last two turns on a rampage, sinking an AD, an xAK, an AKE, and an AGP. The last two, Liberty Glo and Sirius, were both sunk by that scourge of the seas, I-155. That submarine has racked up an impressive score so far. The xAK was wandering around by itself in sub-infested waters and looked to be carrying armored vehicles.
Q-Ball’s subs also took a shot at an oiler but missed. He has his submarines staking out all the deep-water chokepoints between the DEI and the Home Islands and lurking two or three hexes off of all the busiest Japanese harbors. The Luzon Strait and the Formosa Strait are both infested, as are the waters both north and south of Mindanao and every point on the east side of the Philippines where Japanese ships can emerge after transiting the archipelago. Every Japanese convoy is at risk at some point and the ones that don’t lose a ship are lucky.
On the plus side he no longer seems to be staking out the waters around Sakhalin Island or Hokkaido. Japanese ships coming down from Port Arthur can make the entire passage in shallow water hexes so he doesn’t much bother with that either.
Reinforcements: a fresh Japanese division just disembarked at Batavia, having made the trip from Fusan without loss. That puts three divisions and three regiments on Java. A naval guard unit has just disembarked at Peleliu, while Babeldaob has been reinforced with two SNL units and a JAAF regiment.
I’ve been looking past Babeldoab at Yap and Ulithi. Both have had construction units for over a year but there are no real troops there yet. I need to find some. The forts there are good but that doesn’t mean squat unless there are soldiers to fill them.
Off-Topic But Kind of Cool: I live in Corvallis, Oregon. Corvallis is on the AE map because of nearby Camp Adair. Several infantry divisions trained there during the war and after the last one departed it was used as a POW camp. Today Camp Adair is Adair Village, population around 900, but during WWII it was the second-largest city in Oregon behind Portland.
All of this is background to the fact that while Adair Village is small, it is growing. The school there needs the land where the last two remaining barracks stand. Rather than tear them down the community is going to spend a considerable amount of money (and the economy in Oregon is not good right now) to move them and preserve them. One is going to be converted into a WWII history museum while exactly what the other will be used for is undecided – perhaps a community center.
I just thought that this effort deserved a bit of recognition. So much of our heritage from that era has been thrown away and lost that it almost breaks my heart. I’m glad they are making the effort to preserve even this small slice of it.
One of the barracks today:
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RE: The War Resumes
Hello from a former Corvallis resident, Oregon State Univ 1975-1979. It's a great place to live.
Reading both AAR's so no comments other than to say I'm enjoying this AAR. Keep up the fight!
Reading both AAR's so no comments other than to say I'm enjoying this AAR. Keep up the fight!
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Chickenboy
- Posts: 24648
- Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2002 11:30 pm
- Location: San Antonio, TX
RE: The War Resumes
Corvallis is like the Med compared to Astoria.[:D]
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: The War Resumes
ORIGINAL: Grunt
Hello from a former Corvallis resident, Oregon State Univ 1975-1979. It's a great place to live.
Reading both AAR's so no comments other than to say I'm enjoying this AAR. Keep up the fight!
Good to hear from an Oregon State grad! Yes, I like it here a lot. And it's spring and there are even signs the rain may stop by the weekend. Speaking of rain...
ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
In the photo-is it raining? How odd for Corvalis, Oregon...
ORIGINAL: wyrmm
Corvallis is like the Med compared to Astoria.
Heh. Yeah, we see a lot of rain here. But the statement about Astoria is true. Compared to that stretch of the coast the Willamette Valley is balmy. Astoria is not only very rainy but also foggy and windy. I like visiting there, though.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
Target: Tarakan
[font="Arial"]Pershing won without even looking into an airplane, let alone gong up in one. If they had been of such importance he'd have tried at least a ride…We'll stick to the army on the ground and the battleships at sea.[/font]
- John Wingate Weeks, U.S. Secretary of War, 1921
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4/20/1943 – 4/28/1943
The next Allied target has been revealed – Tarakan. It makes sense. I don’t think I can win this fight but I can at least try to make it painful. And try I have.
On 27 April Netties out of Davao put one torpedo each into BBs Idaho and Revenge. Neither battleship was seriously damaged, though, as both remained in the battle area.
On 28 April Kagi, Akagi, Junyo, and Hiyo moved into attack position across Borneo in the South China Sea. A few turns earlier I had sent a couple of SCTFs down the Indian Ocean side of Java in an effort to shell enemy airfields off the east end of the island. They were spotted and I think misidentified as carriers. I pulled the ships back but Q-Ball may have thought my carrier force was out of position.
At any rate my carrier planes wreaked some havoc. The escorting Zeros got beat up but kept the enemy CAP away from my bombers and in two attacks they sank BB Pennsylvania, CL Richmond, and a couple of APs. A number of battleships and transports took heavy damage as well:
[font="Courier New"]Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
B5N2 Kate x 50
D3A1 Val x 29
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 3
P-38G Lightning x 5
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 15 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed, 21 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CL Richmond, Bomb hits 2, on fire
LST-454, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Jacalope, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Mississippi, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
BB Revenge, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
LST-452, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-449
BB Idaho
LSI(L) Manoora, Bomb hits 2, on fire
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 2
xAP Jalarashmi, Bomb hits 1
xAP Jalavihar
BB New Mexico
LST-447, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-450[/font]
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[font="Courier New"]Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
B5N2 Kate x 45
D3A1 Val x 33
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 3
P-38G Lightning x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 18 damaged
D3A1 Val: 4 destroyed, 29 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 1
LST-446, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 8, and is sunk
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 3, heavy damage
xAP Varsova, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
LSI(L) Manoora, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB New Mexico, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
APD Stringham
DD Phelps
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
CL Richmond, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Jalavihar, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk[/font]
Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Revenge all look to be in trouble. I am moving numerous SCTFs towards Tarakan and if an opportunity presents itself I will attack. His carriers are hovering nearby, however, and I need to keep an eye on them.
This game is obviously not going very well for Japan, with the Allies looking to occupy all of eastern Borneo by May ’43. Maybe I was doomed when Q-Ball sank Hibiki back in December ’41! But at least I can make my worthy opponent work for his victory.
Scuffles Over Soerabaja: earlier in the week Q-Ball sent 57 P-40Ks against my CAP at Soerabaja. The defending Oscars and Tojos did well, shooting down around 8 against a loss of 3 planes. But the next turn almost 160 fighters – Corsairs, Lightnings, Hurricanes, Spits, and P-40s – came against my planes. I lost about 36 planes while shooting down maybe 14 or so. I have since pulled back my fighters to Palembang to rest and take on new planes and pilots (my pilot losses were 14 killed and missing, with 10 WIA).
In their absence Allied bombers have hit the airfield there a couple of times but there are a lot of engineers there and it will take quite an effort to close the airfield there and keep it closed.
Misery at Miri: I have been trying to pull all the fuel out of Miri while I can. I had almost succeeded in draining the base dry but Allied 2E bombers attacked the last convoy there and sank two small TKs.
Under the Sea: Japanese subs took shots at a CVE and CV Lexington as they proceeded through the Makassar Strait towards the Tarakan invasion but scored no hits. The carriers need to come back that way, though, as do the damaged battleships, and the strait currently swarms with Japanese subs. An I-boat was caught and sunk in the area a few turns back, however.
Allied subs have sunk an SC, an xAKL, and an xAK during the period, keeping up the relentless pressure on my shipping. In the past week, though, I have received confirmation that a pair of damaged Allied subs have sunk this year while trying to get back to base.
Home Front: HI reserves are no longer increasing and have even dropped a bit due to shortages of oil in the Home Islands. Armament levels are at about 280k so armament production has been turned off for the moment. I have also reviewed my aircraft and engine production and shut down excess production for futher thriftiness. Production levels of the Oscar and Tojo have been increased, however.
- John Wingate Weeks, U.S. Secretary of War, 1921
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4/20/1943 – 4/28/1943
The next Allied target has been revealed – Tarakan. It makes sense. I don’t think I can win this fight but I can at least try to make it painful. And try I have.
On 27 April Netties out of Davao put one torpedo each into BBs Idaho and Revenge. Neither battleship was seriously damaged, though, as both remained in the battle area.
On 28 April Kagi, Akagi, Junyo, and Hiyo moved into attack position across Borneo in the South China Sea. A few turns earlier I had sent a couple of SCTFs down the Indian Ocean side of Java in an effort to shell enemy airfields off the east end of the island. They were spotted and I think misidentified as carriers. I pulled the ships back but Q-Ball may have thought my carrier force was out of position.
At any rate my carrier planes wreaked some havoc. The escorting Zeros got beat up but kept the enemy CAP away from my bombers and in two attacks they sank BB Pennsylvania, CL Richmond, and a couple of APs. A number of battleships and transports took heavy damage as well:
[font="Courier New"]Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
B5N2 Kate x 50
D3A1 Val x 29
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 3
P-38G Lightning x 5
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 15 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed, 21 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CL Richmond, Bomb hits 2, on fire
LST-454, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Jacalope, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Mississippi, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
BB Revenge, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
LST-452, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-449
BB Idaho
LSI(L) Manoora, Bomb hits 2, on fire
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 2
xAP Jalarashmi, Bomb hits 1
xAP Jalavihar
BB New Mexico
LST-447, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-450[/font]
---
[font="Courier New"]Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
B5N2 Kate x 45
D3A1 Val x 33
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 3
P-38G Lightning x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 18 damaged
D3A1 Val: 4 destroyed, 29 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 1
LST-446, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 8, and is sunk
BB Revenge, Bomb hits 3, heavy damage
xAP Varsova, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
LSI(L) Manoora, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB New Mexico, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
APD Stringham
DD Phelps
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
CL Richmond, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Jalavihar, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk[/font]
Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Revenge all look to be in trouble. I am moving numerous SCTFs towards Tarakan and if an opportunity presents itself I will attack. His carriers are hovering nearby, however, and I need to keep an eye on them.
This game is obviously not going very well for Japan, with the Allies looking to occupy all of eastern Borneo by May ’43. Maybe I was doomed when Q-Ball sank Hibiki back in December ’41! But at least I can make my worthy opponent work for his victory.
Scuffles Over Soerabaja: earlier in the week Q-Ball sent 57 P-40Ks against my CAP at Soerabaja. The defending Oscars and Tojos did well, shooting down around 8 against a loss of 3 planes. But the next turn almost 160 fighters – Corsairs, Lightnings, Hurricanes, Spits, and P-40s – came against my planes. I lost about 36 planes while shooting down maybe 14 or so. I have since pulled back my fighters to Palembang to rest and take on new planes and pilots (my pilot losses were 14 killed and missing, with 10 WIA).
In their absence Allied bombers have hit the airfield there a couple of times but there are a lot of engineers there and it will take quite an effort to close the airfield there and keep it closed.
Misery at Miri: I have been trying to pull all the fuel out of Miri while I can. I had almost succeeded in draining the base dry but Allied 2E bombers attacked the last convoy there and sank two small TKs.
Under the Sea: Japanese subs took shots at a CVE and CV Lexington as they proceeded through the Makassar Strait towards the Tarakan invasion but scored no hits. The carriers need to come back that way, though, as do the damaged battleships, and the strait currently swarms with Japanese subs. An I-boat was caught and sunk in the area a few turns back, however.
Allied subs have sunk an SC, an xAKL, and an xAK during the period, keeping up the relentless pressure on my shipping. In the past week, though, I have received confirmation that a pair of damaged Allied subs have sunk this year while trying to get back to base.
Home Front: HI reserves are no longer increasing and have even dropped a bit due to shortages of oil in the Home Islands. Armament levels are at about 280k so armament production has been turned off for the moment. I have also reviewed my aircraft and engine production and shut down excess production for futher thriftiness. Production levels of the Oscar and Tojo have been increased, however.
RE: Target: Tarakan
Congratulations, a well earned payback, the empire strikes back 
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Capt. Harlock
- Posts: 5379
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
RE: Target: Tarakan
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2
P-38E Lightning x 3
P-38G Lightning x 5
P-40K Warhawk x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13
Wow -- that's quite a mix of Allied fighters. And a bit disturbing that Hellcats are not only in action already, but in greater numbers than the Corsairs.
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
--Victor Hugo
--Victor Hugo
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Chickenboy
- Posts: 24648
- Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2002 11:30 pm
- Location: San Antonio, TX
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
Band(jermasin) on the Run
[font="Arial"]Wow, I hate that sub.[/font]
- Q-Ball, referring to I-155
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4/29/1943 – 5/2/1943
Allied ships pulled back immediately from Tarakan, leaving my surface ships no targets. During the retreat, however, Japanese subs sank two unescorted, troop-laden xAPs. Better still, I-155, the scourge of the DEI and the terror of the seas, torpedoed and sank a CVE (either Sangamon or Chenango, Japanese intelligence isn’t sure which). Allied forces already landed at Tarakan have attacked twice, at 1 to 2 and then 1 to 3 odds, without dropping the forts there.
So much for the good news.
Right on the heels of the Tarakan operation Q-Ball’s forces landed and captured Bandjermasin. He swiftly and efficiently landed two regiments using APAs and took the base immediately against the under-supplied and shell-shocked defenders. This was a gutsy double attack by Q-Ball and, while it probably cost him a lot more ships than he would have liked, was nicely executed. There was no way I could stop almost simultaneous thrusts at either end of Borneo.
Those APAs are nice. I wish I had some.
Under the Sea: along with my submarine successes I-160 was lost to Allied ASW in the Makassar Strait. In the last couple of turns Allied subs badly damaged an xAK near Osaka and sank another one just north of Truk.
Strategic Evaluation: the loss of Bandjermasin means that Palembang and Singapore will inevitably come under Allied air pressure. Java and Palembang are strongly defended. Were I Q-Ball, I would continue west along the thinly-defended south coast of Borneo, eventually to Kendari. This would for all practical purposes halt the flow of fuel and oil to Japan from the DEI.
If he pursues such a course aggressively enough I might have to abandon Burma in order to defend Indonesia. I have five divisions up there and would rather lose Burma than, for example, Saigon.
Then again, were I Q-Ball I might not be losing. He’s good.
An alternative Allied strategy might be to land on the south coast of Sumatra. That would also isolate Singapore and might lead to the loss of Palembang, but it also might leave me more options to counterattack and provide Q-Ball with fewer options to advance. Then again, he could always try both. It's getting later into 1943 and Allied production is probably really starting to show results.
It’s been seven long, hard-fought months since the Allies first invaded the DEI. Q-Ball is now in position to really start reaping the rewards for his campaign there. But it is still a long way to Japan. Even with the DEI lost there will be a lot of fighting ahead before Q-Ball can declare victory.
Here is the victory points screen for the end of April, 1943:
- Q-Ball, referring to I-155
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4/29/1943 – 5/2/1943
Allied ships pulled back immediately from Tarakan, leaving my surface ships no targets. During the retreat, however, Japanese subs sank two unescorted, troop-laden xAPs. Better still, I-155, the scourge of the DEI and the terror of the seas, torpedoed and sank a CVE (either Sangamon or Chenango, Japanese intelligence isn’t sure which). Allied forces already landed at Tarakan have attacked twice, at 1 to 2 and then 1 to 3 odds, without dropping the forts there.
So much for the good news.
Right on the heels of the Tarakan operation Q-Ball’s forces landed and captured Bandjermasin. He swiftly and efficiently landed two regiments using APAs and took the base immediately against the under-supplied and shell-shocked defenders. This was a gutsy double attack by Q-Ball and, while it probably cost him a lot more ships than he would have liked, was nicely executed. There was no way I could stop almost simultaneous thrusts at either end of Borneo.
Those APAs are nice. I wish I had some.
Under the Sea: along with my submarine successes I-160 was lost to Allied ASW in the Makassar Strait. In the last couple of turns Allied subs badly damaged an xAK near Osaka and sank another one just north of Truk.
Strategic Evaluation: the loss of Bandjermasin means that Palembang and Singapore will inevitably come under Allied air pressure. Java and Palembang are strongly defended. Were I Q-Ball, I would continue west along the thinly-defended south coast of Borneo, eventually to Kendari. This would for all practical purposes halt the flow of fuel and oil to Japan from the DEI.
If he pursues such a course aggressively enough I might have to abandon Burma in order to defend Indonesia. I have five divisions up there and would rather lose Burma than, for example, Saigon.
Then again, were I Q-Ball I might not be losing. He’s good.
An alternative Allied strategy might be to land on the south coast of Sumatra. That would also isolate Singapore and might lead to the loss of Palembang, but it also might leave me more options to counterattack and provide Q-Ball with fewer options to advance. Then again, he could always try both. It's getting later into 1943 and Allied production is probably really starting to show results.
It’s been seven long, hard-fought months since the Allies first invaded the DEI. Q-Ball is now in position to really start reaping the rewards for his campaign there. But it is still a long way to Japan. Even with the DEI lost there will be a lot of fighting ahead before Q-Ball can declare victory.
Here is the victory points screen for the end of April, 1943:
- Attachments
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- victory_043043.jpg (86.14 KiB) Viewed 191 times
RE: Band(jermasin) on the Run
Banzai on the air raid and battles around Tarakan. A real shot in the arm! Tough news on Bandjermasen.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
I'm Building Balloon Bombs Too
[font="Arial"]I do not know what effect these men will have on the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me.[/font]
- Wellington: on a draft of troops sent to him in Spain, 1809
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5/3/1943 – 5/10/1943
It has been a quiet week in the war. Very little has been seen of Q-Ball’s ships since the capture of Bandjermasin. While part of me welcomes the respite my inner pessimist is whispering that the lull is due to Q-Ball hatching even more ambitious plans for my downfall.
Tarakan and Noumea both remain in Japanese hands. Allied forces did seize the unoccupied base next door to Tarakan.
Meanwhile enemy long-range reconnaissance has been spotted over the Carolines and even over Guam. While Babeldoab, Tinian, and Saipan are all well-defended Yap, Ulithi, and Guam until recently had only engineers. I have sent an independent brigade of troops each, drawn from China, to Guam and Ulithi and a pair of South Seas detachments to Yap. All will need more troops, especially Yap; the two detachments total only about 72 AV, enough to fend off marauding sea birds but that’s about all.
The possibility of a sudden thrust by Q-Ball into the Carolines or Marianas is the reason that most of my Zeros and Netties remain in the Pacific. There are significant numbers of both at Rabaul, Lunga, Tabiteuea, and Kwajalein. Though Q-Ball seems committed to slugging it out in the DEI (and I really need the planes there) the risk of allowing such a thrust is just too great. I would be very surprised if Q-Ball has not at least thought about it. The IJN has been almost completely pulled into the DEI and my opponent may think I have taken my eye off the Pacific side. It would be a risky operation for him but very rewarding if it succeeded.
More reinforcements have been dispatched to Palembang, an infantry regiment and a tank regiment from Manchuria. The Japanese 104th division in China is making its way to Shanghai where it will probably be sent to Luzon.
Under the Sea: after two turns in which I lost an AO, an xAK, and two sub chasers to Allied subs the last four turns have passed without a sub attack. It’s been like a vacation. Meanwhile an ASW plane sank SS Tullibee in the East China Sea off Sasebo. This is the first kill by an ASW plane of the war. For those who are interested the plane was a Sally, set to ASW attack, altitude 2000 feet. The pilot had an ASW rating in the low 70s.
Japanese submarine I-177 sank two LCTs with shell fire at the southern end of the Makassar Strait.
Nifty: a feature in AE that I have really come to like is the ability to sort the Aircraft Replacement Pool screen by aircraft built during the turn. This provides an at-a-glance look at exactly what planes are being built. I use it to spot all kinds of things, such as planes that are being over-built, planes that are being under-built, and planes that should be built but aren’t for some reason.
Right now aircraft production is focusing on Tojo, Oscar, Judy, and Jill. I’m also building a few Tonys, enough to equip one unit. I know the Tony has gotten a thumbs-down review so far but I like to try these things for myself. If nothing else it will provide a little variety and as I am playing an Axis power I feel almost honor-bound to spread my production resources around to cover inefficient projects.
- Wellington: on a draft of troops sent to him in Spain, 1809
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5/3/1943 – 5/10/1943
It has been a quiet week in the war. Very little has been seen of Q-Ball’s ships since the capture of Bandjermasin. While part of me welcomes the respite my inner pessimist is whispering that the lull is due to Q-Ball hatching even more ambitious plans for my downfall.
Tarakan and Noumea both remain in Japanese hands. Allied forces did seize the unoccupied base next door to Tarakan.
Meanwhile enemy long-range reconnaissance has been spotted over the Carolines and even over Guam. While Babeldoab, Tinian, and Saipan are all well-defended Yap, Ulithi, and Guam until recently had only engineers. I have sent an independent brigade of troops each, drawn from China, to Guam and Ulithi and a pair of South Seas detachments to Yap. All will need more troops, especially Yap; the two detachments total only about 72 AV, enough to fend off marauding sea birds but that’s about all.
The possibility of a sudden thrust by Q-Ball into the Carolines or Marianas is the reason that most of my Zeros and Netties remain in the Pacific. There are significant numbers of both at Rabaul, Lunga, Tabiteuea, and Kwajalein. Though Q-Ball seems committed to slugging it out in the DEI (and I really need the planes there) the risk of allowing such a thrust is just too great. I would be very surprised if Q-Ball has not at least thought about it. The IJN has been almost completely pulled into the DEI and my opponent may think I have taken my eye off the Pacific side. It would be a risky operation for him but very rewarding if it succeeded.
More reinforcements have been dispatched to Palembang, an infantry regiment and a tank regiment from Manchuria. The Japanese 104th division in China is making its way to Shanghai where it will probably be sent to Luzon.
Under the Sea: after two turns in which I lost an AO, an xAK, and two sub chasers to Allied subs the last four turns have passed without a sub attack. It’s been like a vacation. Meanwhile an ASW plane sank SS Tullibee in the East China Sea off Sasebo. This is the first kill by an ASW plane of the war. For those who are interested the plane was a Sally, set to ASW attack, altitude 2000 feet. The pilot had an ASW rating in the low 70s.
Japanese submarine I-177 sank two LCTs with shell fire at the southern end of the Makassar Strait.
Nifty: a feature in AE that I have really come to like is the ability to sort the Aircraft Replacement Pool screen by aircraft built during the turn. This provides an at-a-glance look at exactly what planes are being built. I use it to spot all kinds of things, such as planes that are being over-built, planes that are being under-built, and planes that should be built but aren’t for some reason.
Right now aircraft production is focusing on Tojo, Oscar, Judy, and Jill. I’m also building a few Tonys, enough to equip one unit. I know the Tony has gotten a thumbs-down review so far but I like to try these things for myself. If nothing else it will provide a little variety and as I am playing an Axis power I feel almost honor-bound to spread my production resources around to cover inefficient projects.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: I'm Building Balloon Bombs Too
[font="Arial"]In war there is no second prize for the runner-up.[/font]
- General Omar N. Bradley: in Military Review, February 1950
5/11/1943 – 5/14/1943
Q-Ball has been busy and so there have not been many turns the last few days. Tarakan and Noumea still hold out. The Allies have extended their reach along the south Borneo coast by invading Sampit; the defenders there held out for a day and then were forced back into the jungle.
I considered opposing this invasion – the Combined Fleet is at Singapore right now – but decided against it, as there simply weren’t enough Allied ships and troops present (a single regiment invaded) to make the risk worth the possible reward.
Burma, China, and the Pacific all continue to be quiet.
Here at Cuttlefish HQ we are considering an important decision. Japan gets precisely one unit of good mobile coastal artillery in the game. Mine is sitting at Yokohama right now while I decide where it should go. Given the devastating effectiveness of CD guns in the game I consider this an important decision. Ideally it should be placed somewhere that Q-Ball’s forces are almost forced to invade, someplace that does not already possess CD guns.
The two places I have been thinking about the most seriously are Guam and Bataan. Guam is much less strongly defended than either Tinian or Saipan and if Q-Ball eventually invades the Marianas it is bound to be his first target. On the other hand, if Q-Ball continues to expand via the DEI then eventually he is going to invade Luzon. There are already forts at Bataan, as I have had a construction unit there for some time, and it would prevent the Allies from using the excellent port at Manila until Bataan has been reduced – exactly the situation Japan faces there early in the war. And one thing about the DEI, good ports are few and far between.
There are other good places for the guns. The trouble is that there are so many bases in AE that any given base is easily bypassed, and I really don’t want this asset to go to waste.
Under the Sea: after several straight turns in which Japan suffered no losses to submarines Kingfish sank DD Karii near the Home Islands and Seadragon sank two tankers in the Philippine archipelago. Aargh! A Japanese submarine put a torpedo into AMC Worcestershire near Exmouth.
- General Omar N. Bradley: in Military Review, February 1950
5/11/1943 – 5/14/1943
Q-Ball has been busy and so there have not been many turns the last few days. Tarakan and Noumea still hold out. The Allies have extended their reach along the south Borneo coast by invading Sampit; the defenders there held out for a day and then were forced back into the jungle.
I considered opposing this invasion – the Combined Fleet is at Singapore right now – but decided against it, as there simply weren’t enough Allied ships and troops present (a single regiment invaded) to make the risk worth the possible reward.
Burma, China, and the Pacific all continue to be quiet.
Here at Cuttlefish HQ we are considering an important decision. Japan gets precisely one unit of good mobile coastal artillery in the game. Mine is sitting at Yokohama right now while I decide where it should go. Given the devastating effectiveness of CD guns in the game I consider this an important decision. Ideally it should be placed somewhere that Q-Ball’s forces are almost forced to invade, someplace that does not already possess CD guns.
The two places I have been thinking about the most seriously are Guam and Bataan. Guam is much less strongly defended than either Tinian or Saipan and if Q-Ball eventually invades the Marianas it is bound to be his first target. On the other hand, if Q-Ball continues to expand via the DEI then eventually he is going to invade Luzon. There are already forts at Bataan, as I have had a construction unit there for some time, and it would prevent the Allies from using the excellent port at Manila until Bataan has been reduced – exactly the situation Japan faces there early in the war. And one thing about the DEI, good ports are few and far between.
There are other good places for the guns. The trouble is that there are so many bases in AE that any given base is easily bypassed, and I really don’t want this asset to go to waste.
Under the Sea: after several straight turns in which Japan suffered no losses to submarines Kingfish sank DD Karii near the Home Islands and Seadragon sank two tankers in the Philippine archipelago. Aargh! A Japanese submarine put a torpedo into AMC Worcestershire near Exmouth.