Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Captain Cruft]

Oscars are great bombers, and they can also act as fighters at a push [;)]

[perkinh]

May i throw a quick question out to you economic Gods?

1) For factory to repair 1 point, supply must be > 10k?

2) If 3 factories are repairing in the same city must supply be > 30k?

3) Do research factories follow the same rules?

[perkinh]

Thanks for the heads up captain Cruft, i never checked the Oscar for its payload. It carries 2x250, which is better than some of the bombers, and can be used in a scrap early and a heller Kami. I think i will not just scrap this plane from now on.

[Captain Cruft]

I actually think the Oscar II/III/IV is a decisive aircraft. You can create a swarm of hundreds of planes flying from multiple size 2 airbases which can deposit enough ordnance (delivered from 100ft) to wipe out any Allied airbase or LCU stack. The service rating of 1 is very important here, and being fighters they can provide their own CAP/Escort.

The theory is yet to be proven thoroughly, but it seems to work quite well against the Chinese at least.

Now ...

ORIGINAL: Gabede

May i throw a quick question out to you economic Gods?

1) For factory to repair 1 point, supply must be > 10k?

Yes

2) If 3 factories are repairing in the same city must supply be > 30k?

No, it must be >= 13k

3) Do research factories follow the same rules?

Yes, but they are also subject to a die roll which has less chance of succeeding the further away the plane's arrival date is.

[Mike Solli]

25 Jan 42

Sub War

The I-154 found the Dutch AVP Poolster one hex NE of Batavia, put 2 torpedoes into her and had the satisfaction of seeing her go down.

5 Fleet

Still working on Adak's airfield....

4 Fleet

All quiet on the Eastern Front.

SE Fleet

Both Lae and Gasmata are working toward level 2 airfields and each has 27 Zeros waiting to sweep Pt. Moresby as soon as they reach level 2.

Allied subs still are around Rabaul. I'm afraid to move Soryu out of Rabaul. I'll wait.

Rabaul's airfield reached level 5. It'll continue to level 7.

Philippines

Iloilo fell to a DA. The 61 PA Division fell to the 16 Division. Losses were 133(1) to 4174(449) Allies. The 16th will now move on to the next occupied island.

China

I surrounded a Chinese Corps and HQ in the mountains one hex east of Paotow and attacked it with a division equivalent getting 3:1 odds. Since it's not a base hex, the enemy took their losses and just sat there. I'll continue to attack until they die. Losses were 97(1) to 358(3) Chinese. The attack is being supported by 3 sentai of Manchurian bombers.

Malaya

I'm trying a DA against Singapore with 6x Divisions tomorrow. Let's test the waters.....

Burma

Still spreading north with my armor while investing Rangoon.

Other Stuff

I got the Shoho today. She resized to 21 Zeros and 9 Kates. The 9x Fubuki Is that just completed their refit will escort her to Davao, where MKB is currently residing. Then the Fubukis will escort the Ryujo to Truk so she can team up with KB to bring them up to 5 carriers. I think Ted may try something, thinking I'm down to 4 carriers in KB. The extra 30 Zeros on Ryujo will give KB an extra added punch in the air.

[perkinh]

Those 30 extra Zero's could make a huge difference. I have had some horrible luck in battles before July 42', you just dont have enough CAP to stop an allied attack. The Allied carriers are tough and the 1000lb bombs are killers. I have game in June 0f 44' in which i lost 4 carriers in May of 42' and have been on the defensive ever since, its been a long war. Once they resize you can have more confidence in not having the CAP blown through so easily. Remember you cant afford even trades.

[ny59giants]

When I play the Allies, I like to add those 18 plane Marine fighter units to each CV until mid-'42. As Japan, you can add CVL Ryujo to KB and then I take the Vals off a CV like Hiryu and add an additional Zero group. May through June '42 can be a dangerous time for Japan if you do something that splits up KB into smaller parts. The damage control for Japan is so bad that as an Allied player I will risk combat away from mutual LBA at this time.

[Mike Solli]

Michael, I don't plan on splitting KB. Right now it will have 102 Zeros when Ryujo arrives in a week or so. It's going to sit at Truk for awhile hiding. I hope Ted tries something so I can ambush them, preferably within my LBA. I can ship some Zeros from SE Fleet out to 4 Fleet area if need be. I suspect he's try something in the SE Fleet area if he can. I have quite a few subs looking for ships down there. So far, I've only seen some four stackers from the Asiatic Fleet.

[Mike Solli]

26 Jan 42

Sub War

Nada

5 Fleet

Nada

4 Fleet

Nada

SE Fleet

Both Lae and Gasmata are about 7-8 days from a level 2 airfield. In the mean time, the Zero daitai from Rabaul is still sweeping using drop tanks. Today, they shot down two more P-40Es for no loss but lost lost one aircraft (no pilot) to op losses. I can easily afford plane losses, especially if no pilots are lost. My intel shows only 3 Allied fighters remaining at Pt. Moresby. Ted continues to send in one squadron at a time and I chew them up in detail.

The Allied subs are still sitting off Rabaul, which prevents me from moving Soryu out. One sub is to the SE of Rabaul in a shallow hex. I'm sending a 4 DD ASW TF to try and root it out so I can sneak out the Soryu that way.

SRA

I'm loading the Java and Summatra invasion forces. I expect them to go in within a week. Tobali's airfield will reach level 2 in a day or two. That airfield has 18 Zeros, 41 Oscars and 8 Tojos waiting to sweep Batavia and clear out the Dutch fighters. Then bombers will hit the Dutch bombers at Batavia. After that, the invasion forces go in.

My Netties (about 50) hit Soerabaja's port again. This time they sank 4x AMcs, badly damaged the CM Krakatau and damaged an AG that was previously damaged. Ted still doesn't have any fighters stationed there. Odd.

China

I attacked the surrounded Chinese Corps and HQ again. LOsses were 44(0) to 442(3) Chinese. Another attack tomorrow.

Malaya

The DA against Singapore was a mixed result. I got 1:2 odds (not surprising) and there are level 2 forts there. My losses were 4721(53) to 1690(105) Allies. I don't think my lost squads were actually that high. My divisions are all at 99% or higher. Only one engineer regiment was damaged badly and is at 45/94. It'll take some time to recover. The bombardment contiues with another DA in a few days.

Burma

Nothing new.

[Mike Solli]

27 Jan 42

Sub War

Nothing.

5 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

4 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

SE Fleet

Good and bad news today. The Zero Daitai from Rabaul flew another sweep against Pt. Moresby. Ted responded with 27 P-40Es. Losses were 4 P-40s (and an additional 4 op losses) to my 5 Zeros along with 5 pilots killed or missing. I have spare pilots but that hurt. On the plus side, there are now some 71 P-40Es destroyed. He gets 35 a month, so his P-40Es are dwindling. If I can keep up the pressure, I can put a hurting on his prime fighter, which can only help me for the next few months.

SRA

Tobali's airfield is at 1.96 and will reach level 2 tomorrow. Finally. Then I can start to sweep followed by some airfield bombing. The invasion forces for Sumatra and Java are congregating at various nearby ports. I'm going to send them in simultaneously, hoping to overload him so he is ineffective in any response he has planned. The Java invasion will land at Semarang with a quick armored thrust to Djokjakarta for it's airfield. Intelligence estimates 1000 troops at Semarang and 320 at Djokjakarta. The Java invasion will land at Oosthaven. Then armor will quickly head north to isolate Palmebang. I have a Raiding regiment and an SNLF for paratroop attacks. I still haven't decided where or when to place them. I'm considering landing one at Oosthaven prior to the invasion to reduce disruption for the landing forces.

China

I attacked the isolated Chinese again. This time they lost 360(18). We're getting there.

I also attacked a stack of 2 units in the pocket which turned out to be a corps and HQ. Losses were 278(2) Japanese to 2639(220) Chinese. The pocket is slowly closing.

Malaya

Nothing new to report.

Burma

Small attack on a Burma Bn that is being pushed in front of my advance. They took 270(13) to my 9(0) losses.

Other Stuff

I received a couple of SCs, which will augment my ASW forces.

[Mike Solli]

28 Jan 42

Sub War

My ASW off Rabaul attacked one of Ted's subs finally. They didn't do any damage but at least they attacked.

5 Fleet

Adak's airfield will reach level 2 tomorrow. Still no planes there, but that should change soon.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

Nothing to report.

China

I attacked and successfully took Chengchow in a DA that trashed the 10 units there and pushed them into Loyang. Losses were 916(2) for me and 7572(604) Chinese. The remnants are most likely just eating food that Loyang can't afford. Chengchow's infrastructure was totally destroyed. I wouldn't have minded saving some of the resources but at least Ted isn't getting the 60 supply from the LI any more. I'm not repairing any of it.

The surrounded corps and HQ got hit again and are still surviving. They lost 273(23) to my 25(0). Another attack tomorrow.

Burma

No Allied air force here at all. Ted's hiding. The remnants of the Burma army are fleeing. The Rangoon garrison is composed of:

1st Gloucestershire Battalion
Rangoon BAF Battalion
1st Burma Division
103rd RN Base Force

Soon Rangoon will be surrounded and they will march into captivity.

Malaya

Another DA tomorrow.

SRA

My Nells attacked Soerabaja again. The CL Sumatra was hit and left on fire. In addition, the AG Albatros was struck for the third time and is reported to be heavily damaged with heavy fires.

Tobali's airfield finally reached level 2. The Zeros and Tojos along with half the Oscars will sweep Batavia tomorrow. The remaining Oscars will provide CAP.

I see 4 occupied airfields in Java. Batavia has 6 fighters, 21 bombers and 7 auxialiaries. Bandoeng and Djokjakarta have unknown numbers of planes and Soerabaja has about a dozen auxiliaries.

[Mike Solli]

29 Jan 42

Sub War

I landed an IJAAF Base Force on the dot hex a couple hexes north of Lae to try to avoid the subs in the area. It'll march to Lae. I was unsuccessful. A Dutch sub put two torpedoes into an xAK and down she went. Fortunately, she was already unloaded.

5 Fleet

Adak's airfield finally made level 2. I don't have any planes available to send there unfortunately. I'll scrounge something soon though. I want some eyes up there in addition to the subs. Ted's been strangely quiet there. Another change for him this game.

Paramushiro Jima's airfield hit level 1.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

Still building airfields and not shooting at subs.

Some Catalinas attacked another xAK in the TF mentioned above and sank her too.

SRA

I'm scouting the bases in Java, switching them every day so Ted doesn't know where I want to go. I'm going to land at Semarang and do a paradrop at a base with an airfield using a raiding regiment and an SNLF. Then I'll fly in some AS and have a fully functional battle star, uh, I mean airfield. I swept Batavia with the Oscars, Tojos and Zeros and they went in in that order. First, 20 Oscars came across 8 B339Ds and shot down 2 for the loss of 1 Oscar. Then 7 Tojos came across 2 B339Ds and shot them both down for no loss. Finally, the Zeros flew and found no opposition. I figure Ted has only a few B339Ds left along with just about all his Hawks and Demons. There are no fighters showing up at Batavia this turn. I'm sending in the Zeros and some Bettys to hit the airfield. There are 24 bombers and 2 auxiliaries showing up there.

Three Catalinas flew against a TF at Tobali, but some Oscars on CAP shot one down and the survivors did no damage.

My Bettys and Nells flew another port attack putting a dozen 60 kg bombs and 3x 250 kg bombs into the CL Sumatra leaving her burning and heavily damaged. No report of her sinking but I doubt she's in any shape to leave.

There are 4 TFs in port still, 2 with 6x PTs each, one with a CL and one showing a BB. PoW (which is still showing up as sunk after 2 torpedo hits) or Repulse? I'd love for the planes to fly against the TFs but they won't regardless of what I try. [8|]

Balikpapan's airfield reached level 5. That's significant because the total levels of port and airfield is now 9, which means there is no upper limit to the fuel or supply. That's very nice for a port that produces a lot of fuel.

Malaya

I took Tandjoenginang (the island just SE of Singapore). The SNLF easily destroyed the small base force there. The resources were partly damaged at 60(20).

Another DA against Singapore wore them down some more. I got 1:2 odds against a fort level of 2. My losses were 5211(16) to 2521(94) Allied casualties. My divisions still are at 99-100% strength but are moderately fatigued and disrupted. A couple days rest and they go again. Wish I could reduce the fort level....

China

More maneuvering. Tomorrow I'll make a couple more attacks.

I hit the surround troops again. Losses were 405(62) Chinese to 10(0) Japanese. They shouldn't last much longer.

Burma

The 56 Div (-) reached Pegu. The main part of the division will move to Rangoon and join the 33 Div and 55 Div (-) for the siege. The recon regiment will join the other mobile units that are surrounding Rangoon. I want to kill off the 20k troops there and not let them wander around the countryside as I did last game.

[Mike Solli]

I've been doing some research on how much fuel, oil and resources need to go to the Home Islands each month. I'll spare you all the calculations unless you want them. [;)] Basically, I plan on maxing Java's industry in order to use all the resources around that island. I will also increase the refineries there to match the oil production so I don't have to worry about shipping oil out of there. To make it short, there will be 40k excess fuel in Java each month. I'm not sure whether to use it for fleet ops or send it to Japan. I suspect the former but hope for the latter.

In Malaya, I plan on increasing Singapore to 100 HI and Georgetown to 20 HI (for now). That may increase later but I doubt it.

Hong Kong is being increased to 100 HI.

Now we're to the Home Islands. I am not going to expand any HI here. After calculating how much oil and resources are produced domestically, here are the shortages:

Fuel: 327,480 - I'm rounding to 330, 000 fuel needed a month.
Oil: 90% of oil converts to fuel. That's all that matters.
Resources: 1,041,000 needed a month.

Note that I'm ignoring the excess resources, oil and fuel that begin in the Home Islands. The fuel and oil will be used up in the first couple of months of the war and with fleet ops.

Now, here's what the SRA, Indochina and China/Manchuoko/Korea (C/M/K) produce monthly at full capacity. (I am not including Balikpapan and Tarakan. I am using that production for fleet ops.) Also note that Burma is optional. If the Allied player is worth his salt (and Ted most certainly is), he'll bomb the Magwe oil field to the stone age as soon as possible. I won't rebuild that oil field. It's a lost cause. I figure that every point of oil I get from there is free oil that isn't included in the calculations. I also will shut off the refineries at Magwe and Rangoon. The oil will migrate back to Indochina where it can be transported to the Home Islands without loss. That is not the case for fuel.

Oil: 150,900
Fuel: 360,000 (I subtracted 10%. That's probably too low an estimate.)
Resources: 1,206,000

Burma would give another 90,000 oil per month. Yeah, right. [8|]

In order to keep the industry in the Home Islands functioning, 2/3 of the fuel and oil must be shipped home monthly. Basically, 100k oil and 240k fuel will just do it. The goal is to ship all of it back to Japan. Right now there aren't enough TK hulls to do that. I need a lot of Std- series hulls converted to TKs to be able to do that. I may use some of the big xAKs to ship fuel if I have to. I don't want to but we'll see how things work out.

Resources. 1 million resources will just about do it. The extra 200k is a small buffer. A shortage of resources will kill the economy in no time. I'm going to ship every resource I can lay my hands on. I am also going to repair damaged resource facilities, which is something I have never done in the past.

[ny59giants]

I form up those large AKs with the 300 liquid capacity with Resources and Oil from Singapore. All those small AKLs and PB are great to form up just under 12k TFs to pick up Resources from all those size 2 ports.

If he is going to bomb Magwe Oil/Refineries, will you do the same to Chungking??

[Mike Solli]

Michael, that's the plan with those 300 liquid xAKs.

I have a similar plan for picking up from those tiny ports.

No, I won't bomb Chungking. One house rule is no bombing of industry in China. It works to both of our advantages. I could always increase HI there with no fear of bombing.

[Dante Fierro]

Kudos on this thread. Thx Mike for the AARs. They are invaluable for AE noobs --> (like me). [&o]

The additional analysis by other posters also much appreciated. [:D]

OK - ** NOOB QUESTION ALERT **

What exactly is to stop Ted or any other kind of allied intelligence operation taking place on this thread? Is it simply honor system?

[Mike Solli]

Hi Dante. Welcome to this thread and to WitP AE in general. I'm honored that your first post is here. [&o]

To be honest, there is nothing to prevent Ted (or anyone else for that matter) from reading his opponent's AAR. Just honor. Ted and I have been playing each other since 2005. He is an honorable and worthy opponent. I hope in all your future PBEMs that you find such an enjoyable opponent. It makes the game that much more enjoyable.

Edit: If you have any questions, fire away. You can do it here or elsewhere. Someone will be happy to answer. I continually learn from "simple questions" that people ask.

[pws1225]

Greetings Dante - You are not the first person to ask about "peeking" into AARs to gain intellegence (a.k.a. cheating). When I first became addicted to this game a couple of years ago, another NOOB at the time asked the same question. The best answer he recieved was a simple one word reply - "integrity". You'll find plenty of that here.

And if you're looking to play the Japanese side, Mike's AARs are a great source of information. Good stuff!

Mike - sorry for the hijack.

Regards, Paul

[Dante Fierro]

Thanks Mike & pws! I've heard of the myth that Grognards are both polite and honest and of the highest integrity. (And perhaps among the last people to ever want to start a RL war, knowing well the consequences.)

Thx for the welcome. [&o]

[denisonh]

Great for Allied players to pick up key insights as well.
[:)]

ORIGINAL: pws1225

Greetings Dante - You are not the first person to ask about "peeking" into AARs to gain intellegence (a.k.a. cheating). When I first became addicted to this game a couple of years ago, another NOOB at the time asked the same question. The best answer he recieved was a simple one word reply - "integrity". You'll find plenty of that here.

And if you're looking to play the Japanese side, Mike's AARs are a great source of information. Good stuff!

Mike - sorry for the hijack.

Regards, Paul