Where the eastern wind is blowing... AAR against Canoerebel

[Hortlund]

Mindanao
Cagayan is captured, and troops land at Zamboanga. That means the resistance is reduced to the mountains in the middle of the island. I am using a full division here. No need to mess around with smaller units and get delayed in such a key-place. This division will move on to Tarakan, Balikpapan and then Java.

Malaya
The landing at Mersing was a success. The Australian brigade managed to flee before it was routed though, so he saved a couple of squads. The troops will race west now to cut the railline north from Singapore.

Luzon
Slow but steady progress. The main objective here is to clear Clark and Manila, and then leave a cover force to keep the allied units holed up in Bataan until they run out of supply. After Clark/Manila, the units will go to Singapore or Java, depending on what the situation looks like there.

Eastern NEI
The invasion fleet is in place now, and the offensive against Ambon-Kendari-Koepang will kick off. I have 4 BBs, one CVL and two CVEs covering the 4th Division together with the start-up forces at Babeldaop. This could be a heavy battle. I am somewhat worried about intervention from Force Z and/or allied CVs. I have tried to set up sub forces to block/alert me to intervening forces.


Northern Pacific
Ive landed on the main islands in the Aleutians. I have met with no opposition, which puzzels me. I was expecting a huge fight up here. I have brought 2 BBs and the KB to cover the invasions. A couple of DDs were sent all the way to the Canadian coast to raid for reinforcement convoys. They managed to catch a tanker with escort a couple of days ago, but no troop transports or combat ships.

My idea was to let the KB swing by up here since they are in the area anyway after refueling north of Pearl Harbor. I really have no use for the KB down in the NEI right now anyway. Ok, it would be nice to have carrier cover in the eastern NEI right now, but as long as the allied CVs doesnt show up down there, the CVE/CVLs are enough.

Burma
We now have 80-something AV just south of Mandalay, and the first counterattacking forces have arrived. It seems there are very few allied fighters up here. I think he lost the bulk of his fighter force over Rangoon, and he seems to struggle right now to put up a fight in Burma. It suits me fine, more forces are flown in everyday and tomorrow Im sending in alot of bombers to disrupt the attackers.

Im not sure what to expect from the brits though. Will they send bombers on ground attack? Im not sure what they might have left up here. Worst case scenario is that we find alot of B17s the hard way. Should that happen Im pretty sure I will lose the battle. We have set 30 Oscar Ic's on LRCAP over the battle, and 30 Zeros are sweeping the hex.

[Hortlund]

This is a screenshot of the northern front right now. My DDs were spotted by aircraft yesterday. Not sure what to make of that. Probably just patrols from Kodiak, but it could also mean Canoe has sent a CV or two up north.

Judging from his earlier AARs, Canoe puts alot of value on this front, and he seems to consider it a key to an early allied counterattack. It has also worked pretty well for him. Old habits are hard to break, and I would be very surprised if he was not planning to reinforce up here.

It will be interesting to see if he is following a pattern. Last game, Fort Palembang was a winning strategy for Canoe, and he did try to create one in this game too. Last game, his Aleutians - Kuriles-campaign was a success, does that mean he will try it again now? We will see. After the landings are safe, the KB will go take a look at Anchorage to see whats there.

[witpqs]

What game date are you up to?

[Hortlund]

16th December

[Mistmatz]

I doubt you will find something worthwhile at Anchorage. If KB is still unnoticed and fuel permits I'd rather consider a raid against Seattle or even SF. On the other hand Canoe is experienced and careful enough to avoid a raid catching him pants down. Especially at this stage of the war.

[witpqs]

...or even an industry raid on Seattle!

[Capt. Harlock]

I doubt you will find something worthwhile at Anchorage.

Another point to consider is what the weather conditions are likely to be in mid-December.
(Hint: this is what you will need to clear the flight decks. )

[JohnDillworth]

On the other hand Canoe is experienced and careful enough to avoid a raid catching him pants down. Especially at this stage of the war.

There is nothing to "have" on the US coast to stop a KB raid. Probably catch a bunch of damaged ships trying to slip into dry dock.some fighters and bombers, but nothing that hurt ships. Couple of BB's might be about but the OOB just doesn't show anything scary unless he pulled his CV's back to the West Coast

[Hortlund]

KB is low on sorties and torpedos, and some ships have sys damage around 5-7 after a high speed run. So I dont think I will send them all the way to the west coast. They will cover these landings, maybe raid Anchorage and then head back to Japan.

[Hortlund]

16th December

Nort Pacific
A force of 5 old USN DDs intercept a troop convoy of mine, despite the BB cover in the same hex.
Amazingly enough, the lone escorting PB manages to keep the DDs away from the other ships.

The ships stumble into eachother again and this time one of the xAKs take a torpedo hit, and some other xAK a handful of shell hits. Nothing catastrophic though.

Visibility up here is very low with 10% moon and rain.

Then the DDs run into my BB cover force. Just one DD sunk, but Imagine the panic on those DDs when two BBs slowly appear just 3000 yards away in the rain...

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro
CL Kitakami
TB Sagi
DD Tadeshiwa

Allied Ships
DD Fox
DD Brooks
DD Gilmer, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
DD Hatfield
DD Kane

Reduced visibility due to Rain with 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 10% moonlight: 3,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 3,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Kane at 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Hatfield at 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Gilmer at 3,000 yards
DD Brooks engages BB Mutsu at 3,000 yards
DD Fox engages TB Sagi at 3,000 yards
DD Gilmer sunk by BB Yamashiro at 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Fox at 3,000 yards
DD Fox engages TB Sagi at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
DD Kane engages BB Yamashiro at 6,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Brooks at 6,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Brooks at 6,000 yards
DD Tadeshiwa engages DD Fox at 6,000 yards
DD Brooks engages TB Sagi at 6,000 yards
Task forces break off...

During the day, Vals from the KB sink a lone xAKL in the area, so now Dan knows where the KB is. That alone should be enough to stop any more interference with the landings here.


Burma
The aillied counterattack fails miserably in a rain of bombs from supporting Jap aircraft. I wonder where Dan will go from here...another attempt with more reinforcements, or will he start pulling back from southern Burma. The british response to my paradrop here has been slow and weak. I wonder why he is not using the RAF more here. Perhaps this is an indication that his bombers are in other places (think Ceylon, or Java).

Ground combat at Meiktila (58,47)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1474 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Defending force 1566 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 84

Allied adjusted assault: 2

Japanese adjusted defense: 24

Allied assault odds: 1 to 12 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-), morale(-)

Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
120 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
10th Burma Rifles Battalion
1st Burma Brigade

Defending units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /1
4th Ind.Mixed Rgt /1


Air war
This battle over Manila causes concern for me. I think it is an indication that I have been pushing my fighter units too hard, and Im getting sloppy. The pilots morale and fatigue were probably higher than they should be. I was also flying much too high for some reason. This is probably half of a staggered sweep and the other fighter unit was ordered to hit another target (Bataan). This is what happens when I try to meet him up high alone with Zeros.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 17 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20



Allied aircraft
P-26A x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 26


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed



CAP engaged:
24th PG/3rd PS with P-40E Warhawk (2 airborne, 6 on standby, 8 scrambling)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters between 16000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
24th PG/17th PS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
24th PG/20th PS with P-40B Warhawk (1 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 18000.
Raid is overhead
35th PG/21st PS with P-40E Warhawk (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Raid is overhead
6th PS PAAC with P-26A (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes

[Hortlund]

December 17th

Nothing much to report.

Wake falls. Our paratroopers in Burma defeat another attack.

Some routine sweeps over Manila.

We are moving into position for an invasion of Ambon. Its a bit scary to continue with this invasion knowing that Boise/Houston is in the area and lord knows where Force Z is right now... But I have one CVL and two CVEs together with 4 BBs and a handful of other combat ships. I really cannot wait for better aircover and I really cant say I need more surface cover with 4BBs already here.

Around Singapore/Palembang things are quiet right now. My ships have returned to Cam Rahn Bay to refuel and replenish ammo. Singapore is more or less neutralized so I think I own the SLOCs between Saigon and Palembang right now. There are several SCTFs of mine patrolling between Sumatra and Borneo so I dont think there will be any raids into my waters up here.

The march down Malaya is slow but steady. Cannot advance faster than the troops can march. The troops should arrive at Singapore in mid/late-January. Unless I can pull off a surprise, we shall see. It depends on how the battle for Burma is going.

I have a full division on Mindanao. After the two holdouts are taken, the division will attack Balikpapan/Tarakan. The surface ships at Cam Rahn Bay will provide surface protection for this operation.

[Hortlund]

China

I know many people have asked for my China strategy, but it is too early to talk about the offensive plans for China since they will depend heavily on what sort of defense Canoerebel is planning.

Most allied players focus alot on the Changsa-region with the central core of 4 bases. Together with Sian and Kweilin/Kweiyang the three areas form a sort of "main defensive line". That is all fine and well, but China is all about logistics and supply.

On its most basic level, China is about supply and manpower, the focus of any jap strategy must be the 350 squads per mont they recieve as replacements. Killing more than 350 squads per month means the chinese army is decreasing, killing less means the chinese army is growing. And a growing chinese army is never a good thing for the japs. Same with fortifications. Having to defeat 2000 AV in a single hex is bad. Having to defeat 2000 AV behind lvl 5 forts is a nightmare.

So, during the first months of the war, while Im waiting for the chinese defensive line to form, my goal is to kill more than 350 chinese squads per month and via airattacks keep the bases supressed so they cannot build too high fort levels.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund

China

I know many people have asked for my China strategy, but it is too early to talk about the offensive plans for China since they will depend heavily on what sort of defense Canoerebel is planning.

Most allied players focus alot on the Changsa-region with the central core of 4 bases. Together with Sian and Kweilin/Kweiyang the three areas form a sort of "main defensive line". That is all fine and well, but China is all about logistics and supply.

On its most basic level, China is about supply and manpower, the focus of any jap strategy must be the 350 squads per mont they recieve as replacements. Killing more than 350 squads per month means the chinese army is decreasing, killing less means the chinese army is growing. And a growing chinese army is never a good thing for the japs. Same with fortifications. Having to defeat 2000 AV in a single hex is bad. Having to defeat 2000 AV behind lvl 5 forts is a nightmare.

So, during the first months of the war, while Im waiting for the chinese defensive line to form, my goal is to kill more than 350 chinese squads per month and via airattacks keep the bases supressed so they cannot build too high fort levels.

I agree. Too many options for the defender to know where you're going yet. That said, any drive to get up the road to Sian early will help as troops in those woods building forts are also a nightmare that the IJAAF can't suppress. Anything to the south in the plains is meat if he tries to defend it and can be contained and taken later if necessary.

[Hortlund]

Here is a list I have written down to keep in the back of my head during the first 4 months of gameplay.

Yorktown - Jan 1942
Hornet - March 1942
Wasp - July 1942

Long Island - May 1942

Indomitable - Dec 1942
Formidable - Feb 1942
Illustrious - Apr 1942

New Mexico - Jan 1942
Idaho - Jan 1942
Mississippi - Feb 1942
North Carolina - Jun 1942

Royal Sovereign - Jan 1942
Reolution - Feb 1942
Revenge - Feb 1942
Ramilles - Feb 1942

Chinese build 350 Squads per month + 40 cav squads

[PaxMondo]

Killing the 350 CHI squads is setting the bar too low in '42 IMO.  Parity isn't good enough.  Granted, you need to be flexible in your axis of attack, but removing CHI from the war by mid-43 is a really good and mostly achievable goal.  It secures a flank and frees up so many units for IJ and its defense in 44/45 that this is a tough strategy to pass up.
 
I know that many here have declared this an undoable strategy IRL.  I've never been overly convinced.  I think too much emphasis has been made on the logistics and far too little on the politics of the era.  But I digress, since you have no HR against it, I would go for China as a solid strategy to carry the war into '46.

[Hortlund]

December 19th

I thought Id go over the fronts, one by one.

Here is the situation in the lower NEI. Ambon just fell to the 4th Division, I will bring in airunits to provide cover for the next step ahead. 4BBs and the mini-KB is in this area to provide surface cover.

[Hortlund]

Mindanao

16th Division has just cleared most of the remaining pockets of resistance. Just some mopping up left, and then the division will move on to Borneo.

[Hortlund]

PI

I have about 1700 AV in this theater. Probably not enough to capture Clark, but should be enough to lock the defenders in place.

[Hortlund]

Malaya
Roughly 2000 AV in this theater. Most are in strat mode at Alor Star waiting for the railline to open. About 250 AV down at Mersing cutting the railline for retreating British units.

[Hortlund]

Upper NEI

About 500 AV in this theater. Air HQ in place at Palembang, and an initial landing on Java, just to stir the pot. I will use fighters from Palembang to sweep the skies above Batavia and the Jap landings, I hope this will force the Dutch airforce to fight. I will try to reinforce the landings, and also drop another SNLF at Merak soon. I hope to use small units like this to avoid a Normandy-style landing in a couple of weeks that might be faced with both Force Z and US/RN Carriers.