The Italian Job 2- Gen.Hoepner(J)-vs.-Mc3744

[jwilkerson]

I NEVER move any heavily damaged ship unless it's at 0 FLT

Ditto ... even sys 99 will not gain float while moving - if float = 0 ... but if float = 1 then bye bye ...

[Gen.Hoepner]

Yes, i've been an idiot. But now it's too late. Tarawa is 5 hexes away and Kwalajein 6...but Kwalajein is a level 5 port, while Tarawa only 3...i will try to go there....but now the Akagi is really risking...

[:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/31/42

The last day of a great year...been fun so far.[:)]

In Burma he's now advancing southwards...Rangoon will soon be evacuated....It's a pain...really[:o]

Again another p-38 bombing raid at PM...tomorrow we'll try to ambush those bastards from Gasmata...let's see if i get a bit of luck[>:]

Akagi sinking...1 knot...21 flt....90 sys[:-][:-][:-][:o][:(]





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 54,93


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 24


No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x P-38G Lightning bombing at 2000 feet
3 x P-38G Lightning bombing at 2000 feet

[Gen.Hoepner]

[:@]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/01/43


Well...1943 started.
Now i wanna show you something...
Theatre: Burma - 120 miles south of Mandalay.

A poor NLF ( the 12th i think), eaten by mosquitos and Malaria, is trying to get back to Rangoon.....

Look what attacks it[:o]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th NLF , at 32,31


Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
Wellington III x 55
Beaufort I x 22
Beaufort V-IX x 11
LB-30 Liberator x 30
B-24D Liberator x 9
SB-2c x 22


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
217 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th NLF , at 32,31


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 38
P-40E Warhawk x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th NLF , at 32,31


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 6
P-38G Lightning x 48
B-17E Fortress x 41
B-24D Liberator x 115


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
46 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 12th NLF , at 32,31


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 21
B-17E Fortress x 27
IL-4c x 1


No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet




And you still think i have a chance of stopping the british in Burma?!?!?!?!?![:@]

With what..!??!?![&:]


Ah, obviously i did not get lucky at Port Moresby.
Clear weather all over the coast of Oz.
After 3 days in a row of bombing raids by p-38s....today that i put there some LRCAP...what?
They do not come[:@][:o]
Unlucky eh!?[:@]


Now let's see how many corsairs will spring up in the next few weeks....

[PzB74]

Understand your frustration General, we have to delay and stop the imperialists before they
penetrate too far into the Greate Co Prosperity Sphere!

MC has to cross a river to get into Moulmein - a shock attack here will dupe his forces. You have to dupe
em to stop his advance. So how can the LBA menace be countered?

Here's my suggestion:

LBA always direct their attacks against units with low number designations, e.g. 1st NLF would be hit before the 2nd SNLF.
What you need to do is to put so many low value combat units into Moulmein that his attacks doesn't have a chance of disrupting
your main combat formations. Is this possible?

Glad to see that your carriers made it, don't worry about your carrier enroute to Kwajalein. It'll make it..flooding increase very slowly
at first and even a derelict can cover 2 hexes pr turn. After 6 months in Shanghai it should be ready again.

How long until the Taiho arrives?

This game should become very interesting when MC attempts to invade NG, the Solomons or the Gilberts. Surely this can't be
far away as it's the only way to Tokyo!!

Keep the fighting spirit up, it's when the going gets tough that the tough gets going [:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/02-03-04/43

Finally i managed to ambush his p-38s over PM...but...they were "too high" to be reached by my zeros[:(].
In Burma more havoc over my troops. Today his bombers hit one AA unit and one ART unit...they both were at 90/100 strenght...now they are 0/100[:@]...they must be retreated to Bankok[:(].
He has conquered everything north of Rangoon. Lashio,Ledo,Mandalay,Mitykyna,Magwe...everything...and now Rangoon and Moulmein are directly threatened.
PzB: yes, i'll surely try to make a stand both at Moulmein and beyond the river, but with his ability to torn each of my unit in 2 days bombardment runs...i really do not know what my guys will be able to do.
He stopped bombing Daily Waters...means he's ready to plaster PM...[:o]...The evacuation of the whole area is almost complete. Now my APs are just sitting at the different bases waiting for the last order: load everything you can and get back to Truk!
In the meanwhile the Akagi arrived to Kwalajein...with 37 flt...[:'(]she's safe again[:D]
The Tahio? She's scheldued to arrive by the end of the year...too late[:(]...probably by that date all my industry will be out of raw materials

What else? Well...the whole Carrier Air Force is being trained back at PI...after the loss of so many crews in the slaughter of Nanoumea few weeks ago, now it's time to bring back those guys to some decent ex levels. In the meanwhile the CVs and the Whole combined fleet will sit in Japan waiting for their upgrades.


The game will become interesting when MC will try to invade Truk or North Guinea. I won't defend anything that is south of the Kavieng line[:D]

One more month and the skies will be full of corsairs[:o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/05/43

Another day of distruption in Burma... He keeps advancing in force. No way i'm going to be isolated at Rangoon....the base will be evacuated[:(]
Look at these reports...all these attacks occurred in the hex east of Rangoon ( see map)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 42
Beaufort I x 14
Beaufort V-IX x 12
SB-2c x 22


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
Wellington III x 25
B-17E Fortress x 15
LB-30 Liberator x 6
B-24D Liberator x 5


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
165 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 21
B-24D Liberator x 75


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
195 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 55th Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 20
Beaufort I x 8
Beaufort V-IX x 3
SB-2c x 8


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Vehicles lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 55th Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
Wellington III x 39
P-40E Warhawk x 3
B-17E Fortress x 25
LB-30 Liberator x 36
B-24D Liberator x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
271 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/06/43

retreating, retreating and retreating. All this under skyes filled constantly with enemy fighters and bombers......

Nothing more to say


I begin to understand how hopeless were feeling the germans during the Overlord days...with 3000 enemy fighters vs 2 luftwaffe's planes...[:(]


Oh, yes...the good news of today is.............*drum*...an american Sub hit by a Sally near Formosa...[:o]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/09/43

I know this AAR is getting boring...but there's nothing interesting to report for the moment.

Tomorrow an evacuated Rangoon will be occupied by allied armies. My attempt of a last stand at Moulmein will soon be aborted...supply levels are too low and his bombers are making havoc over my divisions...the 21st has been esplecially hit in the past 4 days...look at this:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 55
Beaufort I x 26
Beaufort V-IX x 16
SB-2c x 31


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
230 casualties reported
Guns lost 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 2
Wellington III x 68
P-40E Warhawk x 24
B-17E Fortress x 43
LB-30 Liberator x 36
B-24D Liberator x 28


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
421 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Vehicles lost 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 21st Division, at 30,33


Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 24
B-24D Liberator x 88


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
262 casualties reported
Guns lost 8



.....[:(]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/10-11/43

An abbandoned Rangoon fell in british hands two days ago. A sad day for the Empire. The 25th Army tried to position itself at Moulmein, trying to defend the railline that brings to Bankok, but 18 british units are advancing towards my positions, while hundreds of bombers kill every day the morale and the body of my troops. Now the 25th army is abbandoning Moulmein too...the dark noise of the british tanks can be heard at our shoulders, while we try to cross the moulmein river....
soon the Whole IndoChina will be bombed to dust....the last ships are sailing away from Saigon,Bankok,Singapore,Sebang....everywhere morale is low and the old Bushido spirit seems not to live anymore in the hearts of our brave soldiers...

At Daily waters every day Death comes from the skies. Also here...same old melody, same old song.
As soon as the yankees will start bombing NG, i'll move my troops back to Darwin, where hundreds of transports are waiting to load the conquerors of Australia...

The Solomons, NG and Rabaul Area are already evacuated for 95%.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/12-13-14/43

The population of Moulmein arose against japanese masters and got back under Union Jack. Now Burma is totally lost.
Will try to gain some more time to get my units safely back to Hanoi...
Operation KMS is going smoothly for the moment. Von Meinstein, with his retreat from Kuban , will be proud of me[8D]

Nothing really new to report.

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/19/43

It's been a while since the last time i updated the AAR.
Alost a week.
Nothing new happened.
He's advancing towards Tavoy in IndoChina, while my units are struggling on trail towards Bankok.
Killing me softly op runs smoothly.

Sorry for the boredom here...hope in few weeks something will finally happen

[Tom Hunter]

Why not just fight him?

Mogami had 380,000 Japanese troops backed by 300 planes pounding on Manila for ages before it fell. You may be over estimating the power of his bombers to actually stop your units from fighting.

Might as well try, what have you got to lose?

[Gen.Hoepner]

Why not just fight him?

Mogami had 380,000 Japanese troops backed by 300 planes pounding on Manila for ages before it fell. You may be over estimating the power of his bombers to actually stop your units from fighting.

Might as well try, what have you got to lose?

You're right tom, but Jap's bombers aren't nearly effective as allied ones.
I've seen and tested it. A FULL japanese Regiment ( the 4th) reduced from 100/100 to 40/100 in 4 days. I have 3 divisions and 2 regiments moving towards Bankok. They're already in a very bad status, after 3 months of costant bombings. One division is at 80/100, another one 76/100. Most of my artillery is completely disabled.
There won't be a chance for us, imho. Plus, he has now the flexibility to land unopposed in Sumatra, passing by Port Blair, so cutting my back lines. Or even worse: he can send his paras to some of those undefended bases in Indochina and cut my retreat door.
I believe my situation in IndocChina isn't defendable at the moment.
More: i'd like to get a chance. My goal is to force him to get a "leyte Gulf battle" or a "Mariannas Turkey Shot" on year earlier, when my forces are still decent and he hasn't gotten already the Allied DS.
That will be bloody! and possible catastrophic for the allies. I need to stay away from his corsairs and force him to use his p-38s always at extended range, while keeping my fighter force around 80 exp and my fleet up to date.

[jwilkerson]

I've seen and tested it. A FULL japanese Regiment ( the 4th) reduced from 100/100 to 40/100 in 4 days. I have 3 divisions and 2 regiments moving towards Bankok. They're already in a very bad status, after 3 months of costant bombings. One division is at 80/100, another one 76/100. Most of my artillery is completely disabled.

Hum,

Something must be different for you. I routinely have my LCU plastered from the sky - and as long as replacements are on and there is plenty of supply - they don't much get reduced.

I had a couple of divisions sitting east of the Salween for over a year getting bombed by hundreds of planes a turn ... and they were 90-99 percent full strength after the year was up.

What is different !?

[BLurking]

In my game I pump supplies into Rangoon from the DEI, and rotate units back and front from their to keep up their combat strength. LBA is tough, but Japanese movement on the railways rules! [;)]

[Helpless]

ORIGINAL: BLurking
LBA is tough, but Japanese movement on the railways rules! [;)]

Unfortunatly, there is not that much of railroads in AB map...

[Gen.Hoepner]

True. Between Moulmein and Bankok there'sonly a trail...so very few supplies in Burma when all the resources centers are gone and very hard to rotate units in and out.
But above all my divisions had their strenght halved in few weeks of costant bombings and their fatigue/distruption leves always higher than 50...no way to stop those 27 allied units (200.000 men) that are now roaming in Burma....

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 01/21/43

What were you saying? Fight him in Burma? [:D][:D][:D]

Take a look plz

Today he attacked Bankok with 4Es ( 250 bombers), escorted by the AVG( p-38s).
Results are clear.
I lost 80 planes, the base is closed with 100 Airfield damage and 75 base damage. Lost 80 priceless pilots with exp >75.....
What can i do? Hanoi will be next.... yes, ok, i leave my fighters there...they fight one day...then the base gets closed, my pilots die and he can chose another target to clobber.

Tonies performed pretty bad today, while the Tojos did a good job against his p-38s...but can fight only for one day...which means is impossible to hold a line without throwing away my whole pilot team

Same at Daily...undefendable. Today Daily was hit again by masses of 4Es....



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,39

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 21
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 66

Allied aircraft
Liberator VI x 24
P-38G Lightning x 48
F-5A Lightning x 5
LB-30 Liberator x 47
B-24D Liberator x 141

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 7 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 32 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 2 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator VI: 5 destroyed, 9 damaged
P-38G Lightning: 28 destroyed
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed
LB-30 Liberator: 3 destroyed, 12 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 11 destroyed, 48 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pago Pago , at 96,113


Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 63
P-40B Tomahawk x 22
P-38G Lightning x 64


No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pago Pago , at 96,113


Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 63
P-40B Tomahawk x 22
P-38G Lightning x 64


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 4th Division, at 35,90 DAILY WATERS


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 1
B-17E Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 67


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 56th Division, at 35,90 ( DAILY WATERS)


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 1
B-17E Fortress x 21
B-24D Liberator x 106

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kure 6th SNLF, at 83,116


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 180
SBD Dauntless x 48
TBF Avenger x 12
Hurricane II x 13
Kittyhawk I x 40
T.IVa x 7
P-36A Mohawk x 21
P-400 Airacobra x 62
P-39D Airacobra x 63
P-40B Tomahawk x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 21


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pago Pago , at 96,113


Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 16
TBF Avenger x 16
Vengeance I x 14
A-24 Dauntless x 16

[Fishbed]

No hope of a Bombard mission against Rangoon with a good bunch of big guns?
If you can get close enough without being discovered, He'll not have the time to get the heavies to naval attack....