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Economics Minister Benoit just reviewed GreyJoy's last turn. If I had any hair left, I would have pulled it out.


His use of his merchant fleet leaves a lot to be desired. Yikes!!

He has increased Heavy Industry by 31k in two weeks and decreased supplies by only 28k. His Air Production and Engines are doing well. Except for the long term repairs of Miri and the capture of Balikpapan, his Oil and Refinery situation is in good shape with only minor repairs left at newly captured bases. [&o]

Tracker indicates ONLY 14 days worth of Resources on Honshu. Meanwhile, Hokkaido has cornered the market on Resources. [:D] I need to have my fellow economics ministers get on GJ case about how vital the transport of this item is.

Manchuria, especially Port Arthur, is storing up fuel, resources, and supplies like they expect a famine to start any day. I didn't see any reason why this was happening. I suggested to GJ that he stop sending any further supplies to China for the time being.

Garrisons - he has 15 empty bases in China and some throughout the Empire that are either empty or below sufficient garrison requirements. Last turn, he lost 19VP and I don't known how many PP due to this.

Supply - He doesn't have enough in Japan for expansions and has less than 10k at Singapore. However, he does have over 214k at Truk and over 165k at Rabaul.

For any other newbie trying to run the Japanese economy, this 'game within the game' is just as important as the actual battles. Anybody who has ever tried to play Japan can relate to some of the learning errors that GreyJoy is going through. Logistics is hell.

Well it's good to know all of GJ's supply is horded in secluded island fortresses.

There should be Japanese contingents fighting the Allies in 1965 if all goes well... [:D]

ORIGINAL: TheLoneGunman

Well it's good to know all of GJ's supply is horded in secluded island fortresses.

There should be Japanese contingents fighting the Allies in 1965 if all goes well... [:D]

Well if it goes like the real world, the last Japanese garrison survivors should come out of the jungle in the 1970s!

What about the near-sighted Japanese SSX sailor who steams up to Gilligan's Island? That depiction would be banned as racist, xenophobid, etc., today, but dang he was funny!

P.S. Mary Ann.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 23, 42

A bad day for the Empire in China.

One of our air raid against units in central China went in unescorted...and got ambushed by not less than 40 enemy fighters (american ones!)... we lost 50 (FIFTY) bombers with all their crews... this is nearly a disaster cause i'm already short on bombers for the IJAAF... Operations in China will have to be slowed down accordingly... really a bad event.

The RN keep on pounding Akyab, while the brits are already pushing on Burma frontier... it's already a crisis in this theatre...i'm already on the defensive...

In SOPAC he's sending other TFs to Ndeni... i need at least two days to get there with my naval units...not enough to prevent him to reinforce it once again... think i've lost the race.

Micheal is right... my naval allocations (and so the flow of supplies, res and fuel) has been completely wrong since the beginning...i overstimated my forces and paid for it.
Now it's time to stop any further advance, re-order and start diggin in and clear the rest of the SRA-PI-DEI...


I'll just try a go for Ndeni and see what i can do there...but i fear it will be too late...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 44th Chinese Corps, at 79,50 , near Chihkiang

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 18
Ki-30 Ann x 12
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 26



Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 17
P-40E Warhawk x 18


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-30 Ann: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Isle of Pines at 116,161

Japanese Ships
SS I-1

Allied Ships
xAP Oakbank, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


SS I-1 launches 2 torpedoes at xAP Oakbank
I-1 diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

Usually, I upgrade one of the AVG squadrons to either P-39s or P-40s as you run out of replacement airframes. That is why you saw the P-39s and P-40s in China.

OK, some tactical suggestions.

CS - You have one at Singapore and one at Nagasaki. Re-size the two FP groups to 10 planes each and upgrade to Jakes. CS Nisshin at Nakasaki is a fast one and goes with KB to be the their eyes.

Supplies - You have 27k at Samah, 28k at Pescadore, and 52k at Takao. 60 to 75k can be picked up to go to Singapore and/or Rangoon. You need the minimum of 20k at Rangoon to take replacement airframes that some of your air units could use.

Mabel at Oita and Val at Takao can use a few PPs to allow them to be moved to Singapore. Place on CV/CVL and re-size to 36 planes. Fill up with pilots for training and steadily fill up airframes. They may be needed in Burma later.

Bihoro Ku K-1 Nells @ Rangoon. There is a fragment at Singkawang that needs to go up to Rangoon and then reattach. I would set her on Naval Attack with 20% search arc set to 340 to 010. I would move back one of your Zero from Mandalay to provide escorts in order to go after his slow BBs hitting Akyab. The overall range of your Nells and Zeros would be one less than Chittagong so they don't go after his ships there and his CAP eats them up. [;)]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Usually, I upgrade one of the AVG squadrons to either P-39s or P-40s as you run out of replacement airframes. That is why you saw the P-39s and P-40s in China.

OK, some tactical suggestions.

CS - You have one at Singapore and one at Nagasaki. Re-size the two FP groups to 10 planes each and upgrade to Jakes. CS Nisshin at Nakasaki is a fast one and goes with KB to be the their eyes.

Supplies - You have 27k at Samah, 28k at Pescadore, and 52k at Takao. 60 to 75k can be picked up to go to Singapore and/or Rangoon. You need the minimum of 20k at Rangoon to take replacement airframes that some of your air units could use.

Mabel at Oita and Val at Takao can use a few PPs to allow them to be moved to Singapore. Place on CV/CVL and re-size to 36 planes. Fill up with pilots for training and steadily fill up airframes. They may be needed in Burma later.

Bihoro Ku K-1 Nells @ Rangoon. There is a fragment at Singkawang that needs to go up to Rangoon and then reattach. I would set her on Naval Attack with 20% search arc set to 340 to 010. I would move back one of your Zero from Mandalay to provide escorts in order to go after his slow BBs hitting Akyab. The overall range of your Nells and Zeros would be one less than Chittagong so they don't go after his ships there and his CAP eats them up. [;)]

Hi Micheal! Great suggestions!

Yes, i'll suck those places around Formosa dry and send something to Rangoon and Singa. A big convoy with a decent amount of supplies is already approaching Singapore while we talk.

About resizing... ok, i never know what i can resize and what not... thanks!

Nells are arriving at Rangoon... but he has 150 fighters in Assam and i hate giving him easy kills and throw away highly trained prewar pilots... he for sure is LRCAPPING his ships...i'd need way more firepower to spend... will seek a solution!

Thanks a lot, once again!

I'm a bit of a logistics fan boy, so I admit to being more and more tempted by the Japanese.

Got to get the hang of the Allies first though

Chin up Greyjoy, you are still in a good position, and you know just how weak his pools are.

Once you start to build up in an area, he still can't match you

ORIGINAL: TheLoneGunman

Well it's good to know all of GJ's supply is horded in secluded island fortresses.

There should be Japanese contingents fighting the Allies in 1965 if all goes well... [:D]

Tracker indicates ONLY 14 days worth of Resources on Honshu. Meanwhile, Hokkaido has cornered the market on Resources

quit frankly I can hardly imagine playing Jappan for the first time vs a live person, Playing vs the AI I made the same mistakes and the home Island ran dry of resources in the spring of 42. Seeing my HI and LI shut down threw me into panic mode. of course I had massive stockpiles in Hokkaido Hong Kong, Shanghai ect.

(Someone correct me if there is a better way) I found those hoards of slow AKLx with short legs work great on automatic cargo going from say Fusan to a port two hexes away on the home Island, and from Hakodate to Ominato (upgrading those ports is a major priority)

And then through out the DEI and elsewhere are all kinds of bases that generate low levels of resources I set up auto convoy shuttles to a hub so the resources could be then moved by the bigger AKx's back to the home Island.

And a big problem is getting all the fuel and oil out of Sumatra, Palembang can never be more than a size 4 port. So I built up the two ports on the southern edge and shuttle fuel to Java, then let it move down the rail line to Soerabaja. in the north it's the Medan to George Town rout.

These task force of small tankers/ AKLx / and sub-chasers need to be small enough to dock and you need enough TF's that they are lining up waiting their turn to dock.

One other thing I figured out in the spring of 42' the massive upgrades to my factories in Gifu had done nothing because supplies would not flow there untill I moved the Central Army HQ over one hex to Gifu.

Very very tired tonight....only a brief report with the ipad while i'm layin on my bed almost sleeping....

On mar 24 a flottilla composed of 4 modern DD attacked a TF formed by 4xAPs and an APD near Ndeni. All the 4 transports were sunk, along with 5500 men, 100 vehicles, 80 eng and 70 guns...sounds like a bde there![:D][:D]

Then in China we shocked attacked at chiktiang...but we got a solid 1-9 ....with lots of disabed squads...thinki need to stop for a moment in china and reorganize my fronts...

On the 25th, while the RN keeps on attacking akyab, we tried to send some escorted betties against his BBs at Calcutta... Result? My bombers went unescorted and we lost 9 of them.... The bad weather fooled my guys that went for 4 xAKLs (obviously a trap) instead of the big ships....[:-]

Sebang is secured but Cocos has been clearly fortified with 9 enemyunits....gotta solve that prolem asap!

It's all for now.... Night guys...

Remember to adjust the range of your bombers if you suspect traps are being set for you.

If I know of a large active base that has a large CAP, I try to set my range just short of it to only hit the ships approaching and not the base itself.

Edit: Congrats on the transports by the way!

Mar 26 1942
 
His BBs have moved out of Bengal Bay, retiring west of Cylon.... one of my sub spotted the BB Ramille with a huge escort, while his light and heavy cruisers keep on pounding Akyab every night... 2 CMs of mine have been mauled while trying to place mines there at night... i'm bringing the Kaga's group with some decent surface forces in the area...let's see if i can stop him!
 
His bombers started to target my advancing columns north of Mandalay...i have too few air units in Burma to try to counter these actions....i'm really, really looking forward the Tojos!
We ambushed some P-39s on bombing mission over Akyab with 20 Oscars b and c ....results were mixed[:-]...He's growing stronger every day here...and i already lost the initiative in Burma...which really pisses me off![:@]
 
Today Keopang fell (thank god!) and we can now move to take the rest of northern Oz. Keeping a decent surface force there just in case...
 
reinforcing Port Blar and the Adamans while we talk.... i really fear this will be the first theatre where the allies will be on the offensive very very soon

If there's ever been a player who can snap back from adversity, it's GreyJoy. Maybe it's time for one of your big reassessments to figure out the best way forward.

For instance, you'll need to figure out a way to handle those Cylons.

Cheers,
CC

I am a few weeks behind you playing this mod. I have 18 fighter air groups in greater India area. Most are flying various models of the Hurricane. If the Allies are able to bring enough to one spot, they can gain local air superiority, IMO.

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

For instance, you'll need to figure out a way to handle those Cylons.

Cheers,
CC

I recco a pirate radio station playing some strange, lilting music from long ago . . .

(Or target the resurrection ship. Whatever works.) [:'(]

Argh, I have a huge crush on Katee Sackhoff!

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I am a few weeks behind you playing this mod. I have 18 fighter air groups in greater India area. Most are flying various models of the Hurricane. If the Allies are able to bring enough to one spot, they can gain local air superiority, IMO.

Yes, they can. And they're doing it, while i'm having my air forces well distributed all over the map. In this situation i cannot sustain an air war in Burma, not even in march 1942 (I have 2 Oscar Sentais and 2 Zero groups there, along with a Nick Sentai).
At the same time, if i want to keep on pushing in China, i need a strong air force there. The same can be said for Java or Luzon...if i want to hope to clear those places i need bombers and fighters to avoid ambushes... it's not an easy balance to find, believe me!

Tracker now says i have 15 days worth of resources in Japan. Which means that i have gained one day in one week! Am estabilishing more convoys as we speak...

Have you looked at your armament stockpile?

You may be able to turn off some of those factories.

ORIGINAL: TheLoneGunman

Have you looked at your armament stockpile?

You may be able to turn off some of those factories.

I have, since the beginning!

No, i think it's a normal happening. I was a bit lazy at the beginning and didn't pay too much attention to the res flow to Japan...hadn't consider that Japan is short of 80k every day!!!

Now things are normalizing. Don't see any terrible problem in that sector.

Economically speaking we're accumulating fuel at Singa at a great rate. Already 400k fuel are stockpiled at Singa. In a couple of days we'll start with the big oilers convoys...

Another turn has passed. More bombings (naval and aerial) at Burma...things are getting critical but i'm trying to solve the situation.

I'm reorganizing all my air forces. Have been really lazy and stupid at the beginning with the deployments of my Air HQs, so now i'm slowly reassign all the front line units to the correct HQ... but that costs a lot of PPs unfortunately

KB is at Rabaul, repairing some sys damage and refueling (most of my surface ships are low on ammo and the CVs need pilots and a/c replacements). In a week we'll be ready to sail again.... wanna try something....

In the meanwhile the Solomons are building up very well imho. Now it's time to reinforce the Gilberts/Marshalls.

Wake and Marcus have been fortified and troops are also flowing in the Kuriles. I think i'll also use the KB to support a reinforcement of the Aleutinas as soon as the Gilberts are secured.

The 4th Division, after the fall of Timor, is moving to Java. The 38th, which is still in China, will be waiting a month and then it will be moved out.

I'm also assembling a fighter force for China. 90 crack zeros are being transfered and reorganized in order to smash the Chinese Air force and so be free to begin again a massive air campaign in China.

Today (March 27) we achieved a 1-1 north of Sian...

round combat at 82,39 (near Sian)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 55469 troops, 460 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 1414

Defending force 43028 troops, 185 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 682

Japanese adjusted assault: 767

Allied adjusted defense: 461

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1986 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 398 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled


Allied ground losses:
3195 casualties reported
Squads: 117 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 100 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 21 (8 destroyed, 13 disabled)


Assaulting units:
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
15th Ind.Mixed Brigade
32nd Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
41st Division
53rd Infantry Brigade
1st Army
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
85th Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
4th Group Army
36th Group Army
14th Group Army
22nd Group Army
57th AT Gun Regiment
2nd War Area
Jingcha War Area
43rd Chinese Corps
15th Group Army
6th Group Army
10th Chinese Base Force

I had hoped in something more, but i don't complain much... sooner or later i'll grind them down ...

also because, finally, we eliminated the last chinese pocket in the north....

Ground combat at 87,41 (near Tsiaotso)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21970 troops, 143 guns, 353 vehicles, Assault Value = 809

Defending force 2631 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 568

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 568 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1869 casualties reported
Squads: 73 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 186 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
5th Armored Car Co
1st Recon Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
59th Infantry Brigade
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
1st NCPC Infantry Brigade
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
98th Chinese Corps

thus freeing a lot of units....