Matrix Games Forums

January 11-13, 1942

A quick recap of the last few turns, and then a more general status update.

Operations have markedly slowed down in the SRA as the Japanese sort out their logistics. In the South Pacific, the KB appears to have ceased its industry bombing missions and is moving to cover Japanese landings on New Caledonia. I had massed a significant fighter force in Sydney where radars, anti-aircraft units, and ample support was available but Wirraway did not send any strikes against targets in the city. He may return to bomb some more industry after the New Caledonia op but I suspect he is more likely to head back to refuel/rearm his ships. Interestingly, in all the KB raids over the last several turns Wirraway got approximately the same number of strategic victory points as I did in a single carrier strike on Japanese industry in Hokkaido. Overall score remains fairly good and so far I am not feeling particularly pressured or threatened by the possibility of a Japanese autovictory.

In terms of overall losses, I have been slowly but methodically closing the gap between Japanese and Allied air losses now that I am no longer conducting dangerous bombing missions against well defended targets (i.e. Palembang oil fields). Naval warship losses have been notable but not devastating as illustrated in the image below. The Japanese in turn have lost one light cruiser, one Glen submarine, and approximately ten destroyers of various sizes and capabilities sunk.

The situation in China remains tense with the Japanese continuing to bring in more airpower and unrestricted units into the theater. Wirraway's effort remains overwhelming focused on breaking through to Sian. I am surprised to find the Chinese forces still holding the Japanese back in the sector east of Sian but I think that won't last long. Still, I am fairly comfortable with the situation here but events could still quickly go sideways once the supply crunch really hits.

Phase II

Finally in terms of Phase II - I am increasingly convinced though not certain that the Japanese will not go for an Indian or even deep Australian adventure. There is very little SIGINT to suggest Wirraway is planning to go to either locations, and his decision to heavily reinforce China suggests he will not pursue a continental adventure that would require large numbers of land units.

Instead, my supposition at this stage is that he will look to mostly consolidate his perimeter, advance in the South and Central Pacific, and combine this with a move against Northern Australia. Interestingly, I have picked up SIGINGT that elements of the 20th Division in Korea are prepping for Midway. He has also brought paratroopers to Truk. To me these are further indications that the Pacific is his main focus for Phase II.

In response, I have decided to strongly hold the Midway-Canton-Pago Pago line bisecting the Pacific. I will not contest his effort to take New Caledonia, New Hebrides, and Santa Cruz Islands. Fiji also remains a question mark as I am not sure I will reinforce it just yet. What I will do however is strongly reinforce Midway, Canton, and Pago Pago and backfill from there. Oahu will be heavily reinforced as well and will have three divisions allocated to its defense for the next few months. Once the amphibious bonus is over, I will begin my own advance. Until then, I will carry out raids and spoiling operations across the map.

January 14-15, 1942

SRA

The enemy has landed on Java. Bad weather prevented me from sighting the invasion fleet beforehand but that's ok, the enemy convoys are well covered and I had no plans to try to intercept them with anything significant. I am confident I can maintain a significant presence in the island for some time to come, but I don't think the key bases of Batavia and Soerabaja will hold for too long however.

China

The Chinese army in the mountains east of Sian is coming under tremendous pressure from Wirraway's tank stack and looks about to cave in. Frankly I am surprised it lasted this long. Good thing it did though, as it bought me enough time to set up my defenses to the west of Sian.

South Pacific

The KB covered the landings on New Caledonia with LRCAP on the 14th and looked to have lost two Zeros as ops losses for its trouble. Given this and also given the complete lack of opposition from myself to the landings thus far, I suspected that Wirraway would elect to continue on with the KB rather than stick around. I therefore took the risk and moved in Banshees to Noumea with naval attack orders for the 15th. Sure enough, the KB moved north and the Banshees wrecked some havoc, sinking three fat xAKs (a Kyushu, a Yusen N, and an Aden), two Minekaze class destroyers, and damaging an APD.

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

Phase II

Finally in terms of Phase II - I am increasingly convinced though not certain that the Japanese will not go for an Indian or even deep Australian adventure. There is very little SIGINT to suggest Wirraway is planning to go to either locations, and his decision to heavily reinforce China suggests he will not pursue a continental adventure that would require large numbers of land units.

Instead, my supposition at this stage is that he will look to mostly consolidate his perimeter, advance in the South and Central Pacific, and combine this with a move against Northern Australia. Interestingly, I have picked up SIGINGT that elements of the 20th Division in Korea are prepping for Midway. He has also brought paratroopers to Truk. To me these are further indications that the Pacific is his main focus for Phase II.

In response, I have decided to strongly hold the Midway-Canton-Pago Pago line bisecting the Pacific. I will not contest his effort to take New Caledonia, New Hebrides, and Santa Cruz Islands. Fiji also remains a question mark as I am not sure I will reinforce it just yet. What I will do however is strongly reinforce Midway, Canton, and Pago Pago and backfill from there. Oahu will be heavily reinforced as well and will have three divisions allocated to its defense for the next few months. Once the amphibious bonus is over, I will begin my own advance. Until then, I will carry out raids and spoiling operations across the map.

Strong steer from me to commit to digging in on Fiji. It's an excellent spot for an early war redoubt and a fantastic jumping off point for your own advances.

It's *just* over the cusp of where the IJ can effectively operate - even if Luganville is developed as an IJN fleet base, it's a nightmare to haul fuel that far south, never mind the time to move supply and damaged ships around.

It acts as a great anchor point for that corner of the map too. Once it's capable of hosting 4Es, it can lock the Japanese out of any further advances, and there's not really the airbases close enough for Japan to suppress it (and even if there were said bases, still the fuel and supply issue).

Giving it to Japan on the cheap is a big gift, it's far more likely that you turn it into a real meatgrinder.

In short, it's a great place to fight!

Fiji also has a significant VP multiplier for the Japanese ...

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

Phase II

Finally in terms of Phase II - I am increasingly convinced though not certain that the Japanese will not go for an Indian or even deep Australian adventure. There is very little SIGINT to suggest Wirraway is planning to go to either locations, and his decision to heavily reinforce China suggests he will not pursue a continental adventure that would require large numbers of land units.

Instead, my supposition at this stage is that he will look to mostly consolidate his perimeter, advance in the South and Central Pacific, and combine this with a move against Northern Australia. Interestingly, I have picked up SIGINGT that elements of the 20th Division in Korea are prepping for Midway. He has also brought paratroopers to Truk. To me these are further indications that the Pacific is his main focus for Phase II.

In response, I have decided to strongly hold the Midway-Canton-Pago Pago line bisecting the Pacific. I will not contest his effort to take New Caledonia, New Hebrides, and Santa Cruz Islands. Fiji also remains a question mark as I am not sure I will reinforce it just yet. What I will do however is strongly reinforce Midway, Canton, and Pago Pago and backfill from there. Oahu will be heavily reinforced as well and will have three divisions allocated to its defense for the next few months. Once the amphibious bonus is over, I will begin my own advance. Until then, I will carry out raids and spoiling operations across the map.

Strong steer from me to commit to digging in on Fiji. It's an excellent spot for an early war redoubt and a fantastic jumping off point for your own advances.

It's *just* over the cusp of where the IJ can effectively operate - even if Luganville is developed as an IJN fleet base, it's a nightmare to haul fuel that far south, never mind the time to move supply and damaged ships around.

It acts as a great anchor point for that corner of the map too. Once it's capable of hosting 4Es, it can lock the Japanese out of any further advances, and there's not really the airbases close enough for Japan to suppress it (and even if there were said bases, still the fuel and supply issue).

Giving it to Japan on the cheap is a big gift, it's far more likely that you turn it into a real meatgrinder.

In short, it's a great place to fight!

Thanks for the suggestion. I am indeed seriously considering committing to Fiji's defense but I only want to do so if I am able to get enough forces there in time to stand my ground. I definitely don't want to send inadequate forces only to have them bagged up and captured with the island.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Fiji also has a significant VP multiplier for the Japanese ...

True. Maybe I am being a bit too complacent but I am not worried about a Japanese autovictory at this time. If Wirraway takes Fiji I think I can either cut him off there or outright take the island back. It's a long way from the home islands.

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: DesertWolf101

Phase II

Finally in terms of Phase II - I am increasingly convinced though not certain that the Japanese will not go for an Indian or even deep Australian adventure. There is very little SIGINT to suggest Wirraway is planning to go to either locations, and his decision to heavily reinforce China suggests he will not pursue a continental adventure that would require large numbers of land units.

Instead, my supposition at this stage is that he will look to mostly consolidate his perimeter, advance in the South and Central Pacific, and combine this with a move against Northern Australia. Interestingly, I have picked up SIGINGT that elements of the 20th Division in Korea are prepping for Midway. He has also brought paratroopers to Truk. To me these are further indications that the Pacific is his main focus for Phase II.

In response, I have decided to strongly hold the Midway-Canton-Pago Pago line bisecting the Pacific. I will not contest his effort to take New Caledonia, New Hebrides, and Santa Cruz Islands. Fiji also remains a question mark as I am not sure I will reinforce it just yet. What I will do however is strongly reinforce Midway, Canton, and Pago Pago and backfill from there. Oahu will be heavily reinforced as well and will have three divisions allocated to its defense for the next few months. Once the amphibious bonus is over, I will begin my own advance. Until then, I will carry out raids and spoiling operations across the map.

Strong steer from me to commit to digging in on Fiji. It's an excellent spot for an early war redoubt and a fantastic jumping off point for your own advances.

It's *just* over the cusp of where the IJ can effectively operate - even if Luganville is developed as an IJN fleet base, it's a nightmare to haul fuel that far south, never mind the time to move supply and damaged ships around.

It acts as a great anchor point for that corner of the map too. Once it's capable of hosting 4Es, it can lock the Japanese out of any further advances, and there's not really the airbases close enough for Japan to suppress it (and even if there were said bases, still the fuel and supply issue).

Giving it to Japan on the cheap is a big gift, it's far more likely that you turn it into a real meatgrinder.

In short, it's a great place to fight!

Thanks for the suggestion. I am indeed seriously considering committing to Fiji's defense but I only want to do so if I am able to get enough forces there in time to stand my ground. I definitely don't want to send inadequate forces only to have them bagged up and captured with the island.

Fiji is, in my experience, quite hard to isolate. As said, it's over the line into "impractical" for IJ operations, and the Allies have a much better backstop with Pago Pago close to hand (and bigger bases in NZ and Oz to fall back on). The IJ have nothing of the sort unless they bring it with them.

In Jan '42, in this corner of the woods, the garrison requirement is pretty much at regimental level in case the IJ send a naval guard or three to try and take it by coup de main.

If you can build this up to divisional level, and get some arty and forts in, then the IJ are hard pressed to dislodge you at all short of an all out effort from the IJN (and it's by no means a given that they'll be able to, given the geography!).

January 16-17, 1942

The KB circles back and heads towards the Australian coast. Interesting, more industry bombing?

Wirraway's submarines were also quite active on the 17th, sinking three cargo ships around the map. Interestingly, they also picked up on my effort to reinforce Midway. I need to be careful to guard against a sudden lunge by his cruisers against one of these reinforcement packages.

China continues to be a very interesting theater. My defensive position in the mountains to the east of Sian hung by a thread over the past several turns against repeated Japanese shock attacks and heavy air bombing. My exhausted troops barely managed to avoid being overrun but amazingly survived long enough to be reinforced on the next turn by two additional fresh corps coming across the mountain from Tsiatso. This changes everything, at least for the short term. I will rush additional forces to the position and hopefully I can keep grinding the Japanese assaults down while I still have supply, even with their heavy tank presence.

I also am going to see if a ruse will work the following turn. I moved in all the Chinese bombers into Chunking and kept them visible there and sitting ducks for three full turns. The plan was to convince Wirraway that they are there to stay while his bombers were busy supporting his ground push near Sian. If I guessed correctly and the weather holds, I think he will now hit Chunking. I therefore pulled out the bombers and replaced them with every fighter airframe I can muster in the theater. Let's hope the Japanese fall for the trap and come knocking.

January 18, 1942

Unfortunately, no Japanese strike on Chungking and the ruse is uncovered. None of the Japanese Sallies, Oscars, or Zeros in China flew missions this turn so I suspect the pretty dismal weather may have been the culprit.

The KB once again pulls back to the north. Will soon have to rely more on SIGINT to figure out where it is going.

I am almost finished with unloading on Midway and am working on beefing up other islands across the Pacific. Itching to go on the a raid against the Japanese again but trying to be patient and not do something too rash.

January 19, 1942

The Japanese shock attack and take Manila. I intentionally left a sizable bulk of second-line Filipino troops in the city in the hopes that the street fighting will damage the city's installations, and frankly to get rid of some of the extra mouths that will only eat away at my supply during the upcoming Clark siege where I intend to last as long as possible. All the armor, artillery, and best American and Filipino troops have pulled back into Clark/Bataan. If Wirraway does decide to take the pocket by storm, I have a strong enough force to fight it out within the stacking limits of the hex.

Before the ground battle, a dozen Japanese Sonia and Lily bombers were ambushed and shot down by the remaining fighters in Luzon.

January 20-22, 1942

China

Despite our best efforts, Wirraway and I continue to fail to find each other in the air over China. This past turn is a great example of this - I moved my fighter force to Sian to CAP my troops in the area only to have Wirraway sweep and bomb Sian itself instead, with the end result that none of us did any damage to each other. The comedy over China continues!

Wirraway's 12 tank regiments assigned to the Japanese Sian offensive are continuing their relentless attacks in search of a breakthrough. I continue to hold the line through timely rotation of forces but I have no illusions that the Japanese will eventually push their way through. It's all a question of buying time though to further prepare the rest of my defenses. Once the Burma road closes though I will really start to hurt for supply.

South Pacific

The KB is still hanging around New Caledonia burning fuel. I think it is there to cover the arrival of further Japanese reinforcements to seize the island.

Indian Ocean

One of my anti-raider task forces encounters two fat Japanese AMCs astride my lines of communication to Australia near the edge of the map and quickly sinks both of them.

January 23-25, 1942

When playing as the Japanese the month of January always seems to zip by so fast - not so much as the Allies!

China

The stalemate continues in China but as usual my defense in front of Sian continues to hang by a thread. It's all a fine balancing act between pulling out exhausted formations and sending new ones into the meatgrinder to face the massed Japanese tanks.

South Pacific

New Caledonia finally falls to the Japanese. The KB has been hanging around in these waters for a long time now. Unfortunately my carriers are busy undergoing repairs after their daring and successful raid against the Home Islands so I couldn't take advantage. Now what will the KB do?

SRA

After the costly lesson the Japanese received with the Palembang op, Wirraway is being very cautious about invading or taking any bases with oil. He is instead moving to clean up the DEI and leaving most of the resource rich areas like Balikpapan, Miri, and Tarakan to the end. Pretty smart move considering the circumstances of our game. Batavia fell on the 25th to the Japanese, and Soerabaja will soon be besieged and taken as well. Nevertheless, I still intend to maintain a presence on Java for a long time to come.

A nice force of Japanese warships stumbled on a gift basket of eggs off the coast of Java!

Nice minefield results at Merak! An experienced IJ player would always expect mines there and bring DMS and AMcs. I think the Japanese PBs can also sweep, and he has lots of small one-pointers.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice minefield results at Merak! An experienced IJ player would always expect mines there and bring DMS and AMcs. I think the Japanese PBs can also sweep, and he has lots of small one-pointers.

The PBs would only sweep once, usually one mine, sometimes two.

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice minefield results at Merak! An experienced IJ player would always expect mines there and bring DMS and AMcs. I think the Japanese PBs can also sweep, and he has lots of small one-pointers.

The PBs would only sweep once, usually one mine, sometimes two.

If there is minesweeper with the PB, the PBs can be put into a minesweeping taskforce. No minesweeper needs to be in it. The Ansyu PB can take a mine hit and not sink, if you own the port that PB will disband into the port for repairs. It is a slow but safer way.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice minefield results at Merak! An experienced IJ player would always expect mines there and bring DMS and AMcs. I think the Japanese PBs can also sweep, and he has lots of small one-pointers.

The PBs would only sweep once, usually one mine, sometimes two.

If there is minesweeper with the PB, the PBs can be put into a minesweeping taskforce. No minesweeper needs to be in it. The Ansyu PB can take a mine hit and not sink, if you own the port that PB will disband into the port for repairs. It is a slow but safer way.

I'd never use anything else than a minesweeper to sweep mines. Escorts are so valuable for the Japanese why should I risk even one in a minesweeping operation it's not meant to execute?[:(] PB do sweep mines, the same way a BB would do, they hit them.

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: castor troy




The PBs would only sweep once, usually one mine, sometimes two.

If there is minesweeper with the PB, the PBs can be put into a minesweeping taskforce. No minesweeper needs to be in it. The Ansyu PB can take a mine hit and not sink, if you own the port that PB will disband into the port for repairs. It is a slow but safer way.

I'd never use anything else than a minesweeper to sweep mines. Escorts are so valuable for the Japanese why should I risk even one in a minesweeping operation it's not meant to execute?[:(] PB do sweep mines, the same way a BB would do, they hit them.

They will sweep them and not necessarily hit them. You can use them alone or with existing minesweepers. They will do it slower but are less vulnerable. The AMc might even work when disbanded in port but it might also get sunk.

Early on, there may be excess to your immediate needs PBs and this is one way to use them until they escort convoys back to the Home Islands. Also, don't the IJN DMS ships convert to Escorts in many cases?