Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: House Stark
Considering what when down in the transports, what you'll destroy at Benkolen, what was destroyed in Australia, and what you will destroy at Cocos, I don't think the emergency reinforcements should worry you terribly. So I say go for New Zealand, since that's done seen less often.

No offense intended to your opponent John, but this looks like what the AI would do if it knew how to concentrate its forces.

Naaah, I think AI would have screwed up much much worse, and would keep sending tiny TFs with entirely insufficient reinforcements now piecemeal into this fray.

It would be very interesting to read Lew's thoughts on this. I would bet he had a general plan in this region, a bold one, starting with the staging on Cocos. Already that has raised many eyebrows here, and was not understandable easily. I bet this Bengkoelen plan existed for a while, and it got screwed at the moment when he realized that focusing all three OZ IDs between Darwin and Kathrine was a bad idea. But then it was too late.

Seems Lew is very aggressive in his style, and this time tried to wrestle the strategic initiative from the IJ side too early. I would describe 1942 more as being about sticking needles into the IJ side, where it is not showing up in force, and delaying everywhere else. Essentially just counterattacking once it is clear the IJ assets are busy far far away. But not planning such a major offensive while it is not even clear where the KB and all the LCU freed after the collapse of OZ are going next. He probably should have just evacuated Cocos, and consolidated even with a grudge about his losses there.

It really will be interesting to hear from him after this AAR what he really was after. I hope he'll comment some time!

Else, I would say Pago Pago and so on sound more like a follow up campaign to either NZ or LI, or both. I probably would try both. As said, even from his emergency reinforcements there won't be much to fear for the next year plus, as long as there is no Allied Navy and lifting capacity. I have no lists, but from the losses so far you've taken away the majority of his amphibious capacity for the better of 43. I guess you'd even have time to take LI and Ceylon at leisure, and then shifting forces from both to an assault of NZ?

One thing I wondered about Ceylon, maybe some experience Allied players can answer: if you'd lost Ceylon, but the air battle there was finally turned in your favor and you could retake it with an invasion, would you do so at the expense of forces feeding the Burma offensive? Or would you invest Ceylon and use it as a bombing practice, rack up VPs and experience, and take it later? It would sound like taking it must delay the progress into Rangoon, but is that truly so?

If you guys want to ask him you should do so. His Forum name is Adm. Nelson and there was a companion AAR to this one. You'd probably find it about page 3 or so.

Bottom Page 3: Racing the Sunrise Adm Nelson

Continue thinking about options and the situation. Some considerations once this fight is over:

1. All KB Members must do their June--July upgrade so they get their radar and 3.9" heavy AA guns.
2. Gonna have a batch of ships damaged to repair (1 CV, 2 CVL, several BBs, etc...) and that will take some time.

LCUs are in great shape.

LBA in GREAT shape.

In next year you can conquer all these three objectives, I vote starting with NZ cause, after conquering NZ can stand by herself olny with minimum garrison required, without naval or air assets.
Then you can turn agains Ceylon; there, as you said, you'll probably be involved in an attrition air war from India.
You will have to look after Ceylon all time. I imagine that it will become target of his 4E bombers and I wonder if an attrition war is useful to japan.
Your opponent looks over aggressive, I bet that he will not wait for collecting a big CV fleet before returing to action, I believe that after receiving 2or 3 CVE he will try something again[;)]

What are the VPs looking like now? Are you thinking to push for a VP victory and call it there, or continue on and start researching jets?

ORIGINAL: obvert

What are the VPs looking like now? Are you thinking to push for a VP victory and call it there, or continue on and start researching jets?

just check the pages before... he posted a screen - was like 9000 to 41000 or something...

The war does go on in OTHER theatres! Here is the current screen shot of NE Australia. The lighter color represents TK Reg moving towards their objectives and the red shows Inf Divisions closing in on the remaining towns in this sector.

Current units deployed:
--5 TK Reg
--3rd, 14th, 18th, and 48th ID
--The 33rd ID is at Rockhampton and its 3 components will land Cooktown, Portland Roads, and Cairns

Here is today's VP Screen:

This is the current screen of sunk capital ships:

I would bet the last actions off Sumatra were a fanatical attempt to stave off AV.

June 3, 1942

More of the same this day. Over 30 enemy ships slip beneath the waves and more then a hundred still remain to be shot at, dropped on, and blasted. The sheer numbers of ships is staggering. I saw the QUEEN MARY on one of my screens!

Confirmed SINKING this day:
CLs Ceres and Raleigh
CLAA Van Heemskerck
DD---5 (Hammann, Mustin, Isaac Sweers, Fanning, and Litchfield)
AP--9
AK--12
AMC--1
AM--3

Nearly 30 more are damaged:
CLs Hobart and Emerald
DD--4
AP--9
AK--14

Several Aircraft Squadrons are sunk: 10 Beauforts, 12 C-47, 12 F4F, 12 PBY

Over 4,000 men and numerous Vehicles and Guns slip beneath the waves.

The Battleships opened the fight at Benkoelen getting into 4 separate Invasion TF and shooting the HELL out of them. a small STF of 3 old DDs plowed in and sank Ceres, Mustin, and an AK. Not to outdone BB Fuso and 3 DD bombard Cocos and sink DD Fanning there.

My damaged CVL disbands and hooks up with an AR immediately. No problem there at all.

I-15 is the only Japanese ship hit this turn. After she sank Raleigh with 2 TT she took 15 DC, is crippled, and heading for Oosthaven.

How is that??!!

The KB is augmented with the arrival of CV Soryu. This powerful TF now numbers 4 Fleet Carriers and Ryuho. Over 300 planes are embarked and they have their sights set on a target 17 hexes away. The screenshot shows it well:

ORIGINAL: janh

One thing I wondered about Ceylon, maybe some experience Allied players can answer: if you'd lost Ceylon, but the air battle there was finally turned in your favor and you could retake it with an invasion, would you do so at the expense of forces feeding the Burma offensive? Or would you invest Ceylon and use it as a bombing practice, rack up VPs and experience, and take it later? It would sound like taking it must delay the progress into Rangoon, but is that truly so?

I'd take it back. It's too useful a base to leave in Jap hands.

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

If you guys want to ask him you should do so. His Forum name is Adm. Nelson and there was a companion AAR to this one. You'd probably find it about page 3 or so.

Thank you John for the link. I read it, it's less than two pages, only few posts that describe the beginning of the war Allied side but IT'S EXTREMELY INTERESTING!

I'm a little shaken about this slaughter, and it hasn't finished yet

June 4, 1942

A minimum of FORTY-SIX ships sink this day as two separate STF finally get into the Allied Invasion Forces and CRUSH them. Losses include CL Hobart, 4 DD, an AM, 4 PG, 24 AP, and 12 AK. At least 40 more ships are hit and some sink.

He is finally pulling away from Benkoelen with his shipping. There are still at least 100 ships out there for the sinking and I will continue to attack until I am throwing stones!

Bed Time. Larger report in the morning.

No Japanese ships are lost this day.

he'll have to organize the next invasion with xAKLs and LCIs....

ORIGINAL: MAurelius

he'll have to organize the next invasion with xAKLs and LCIs....

I do not think we will see another invasion in next 18 months

ORIGINAL: MAurelius
he'll have to organize the next invasion with xAKLs and LCIs....

If this continues, John will be rendering KB "obsolete" since there won't be any amphibious operations to oppose before mid 1944. With all these losses, I think he can try some very bold things now, like going after Ceylon and NZ simultaneously, or hitting Mumbai and Calcutta after Ceylon with a amphib raid. Even failure would hurt much.

your pilots are accumulating incredible exp #'s