RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/05/42
 
Clark is conquered with 1000 AVs by the advancing Japs that are now sieging Manila.
Still no attacks at Changsha...he still has to clear his supply path.
At Karachi another BBs run today but one of his BBs hit a british Mk.XVII mine and had to run back to Bombay[:D] Damage isn't high, but enough (i hope) to stay in port for some time.
teh first AK full of supplies is approaching Karachi...let's see how he reacts![;)]
 
Karachi situation is the following:
304,000 supplies, forts 6, AVs 2577
 
Manila:
19,000 supplies (drying up fast!!), forts 9, AVs 2600
 
Changsha:
18,000 supplies, forts 7, AVs 4200
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 104 encounters mine field at Karachi (21,3)
 
Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Mine hits 1[:D][:D][:D][:D]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3
 
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Hyuga
BB Kongo
 
 
Allied ground losses:
6239 casualties reported[:(]..OUCH!
Guns lost 33
 
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 45
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 1
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Honan , at 49,31
 
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-21-II Sally x 27
Ki-48-I Lily x 63
Ki-49 Helen x 56
Ki-15 Babs x 4
 
Allied aircraft
I-153c x 3
I-16c x 3
 
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-I Lily: 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed
 
Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
I-16c: 3 destroyed
 
 
Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
 
Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 82
 

The question is....WHY HONAN????[&:]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 29
G4M1 Betty x 15
E13A1 Jake x 3
Ki-48-I Lily x 15
Ki-49 Helen x 5
 
Allied aircraft
no flights
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 16 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged
Ki-48-I Lily: 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed
 
 
Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 1
 
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14
 
My supplies are running out fast here....[:(]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Karachi , at 21,3
 
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-49 Helen x 111
Ki-46-II Dinah x 2
 
Allied aircraft
no flights
 
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
P-43A Lancer: 1 destroyed
 
 
Allied ground losses:
42 casualties reported
 
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 94
 
If only those damned BBs would not kill my AAs....i could grind those damned bombers with all those AA units at Karachi,...[:@][:@][:@][:@]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Clark Field
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 982 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1194
 
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
 
Japanese max assault: 5 - adjusted assault: 12
 
Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1
 
Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 5)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Clark Field base !!!
 
 
 

[Gen.Hoepner]

No sign of the KB neither today.
It's a clear fact that the KB is no longer lingering in the Indian Ocean (at least not on the western Coast of India). Actually, despite Karachi's AF is always bombed, i manage to sneak a pair of Catalinas from Aden every how and then and we've not spotted any CVs in the last 2 weeks.
No report from the sign-ins....so we just have to guess...what is he doing with the dreaded KB?? Is he going to HI for R&R? Is he going to raid my supply lines from PH to the Marshalls?.....No answers to these questions....
 
The 2nd USMC Division is approaching Eniwetok, ready to come into the Ponape operation.
Eniwetok AF is growing fast. In 7/10 days we should arrive at level 4, which is enough to plaster Ponape back to stoneage.

[Nemo121]

If you insist on doing this then why not just go for Marcus and then drive west through the Marianas and towards Palau. That way you risk less, do it quicker, bypass no important bases from which he can easily strike your support echelons AND still link up with your Australian-based drive. It seems a much less risky and quicker operation IMO

[Gen.Hoepner]

Going for Marcus now would mean give him the chance to strike me hard with the KB...which is surely lingering somewhere between HI and Singapore. I have no close friendly air base that could support my landings. I will have to rely only  on my 4 CVs that will be outclassed without any LBA covering.
No, i prefer to play safely with my advance. If i fail now, the whole allied advance could be stopped for more than 1 year...and i cannot efford that.
 

[Elladan]

Ponape is ok but I would reconsider Woleai operation again when you feel it's time to start something new. It's a risky operation and not much profit can be gained there, so maybe there will be better targets then. Say Marcus or Marianas, or maybe something in DEI.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Elladan

Ponape is ok but I would reconsider Woleai operation again when you feel it's time to start something new. It's a risky operation and not much profit can be gained there, so maybe there will be better targets then. Say Marcus or Marianas, or maybe something in DEI.

I agree that it's risky the Woleai trick. In fact it's just an idea. Ponape is a foundamental step to start reducing Truk and its ability to bite me back and stop any forther advance of mine.
Woleai would be risky exactly like Marcus.
However the Woleai operation in on hold at the moment. First let's conquer Ponape and get closer to Truk. Then we'll start moving from Darwin towards Timor and Ambonia.
Only in a third phase we'll reconsider any operation that involves something north of Truk (Woleai or Marcus...)
guys, i understand you feel i'm strong in the CENTPAC, but believe me when i say that my strenght at the moment is only on the paper....if the KB pops up i'm screwed if i do not have any friendly air base supporting with LBAs my surface fleet.

[Gen.Hoepner]

However guys, May is approaching. With may the brits will be able to upgrade their air-frames. That means seafires on the brit CVs and get rid of those useless buffalos...i have 2 british squadrons in China that can turn to be very usefull when upgraded to Hurricanes.
These 2 fighter squadrons, along with the 3 U.S. air groups i have in China, if used properly, can turn the chinese air war to an hell for the Japs.
Looking forward to this...[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/06/42

The japs finally cleared their supply lines that lead to Changsha and now an attack against my city is again very likely to take place.
In India (see screenshot below) he's moving in order to avoid the shock attack, so rivercrossing into another hex.
The lonely AK sent full of supplies from Aden has been easily intercepted and attacked by his bombers at Malir...no way to resupply Karachi!
Eniwetok's AF is at 67% towards level 4....

Burma has been completely evacuated. What was left there is moving to China.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Myoko


Allied ground losses:
1870 casualties reported
Guns lost 22

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Port hits 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 46,55


Allied aircraft
OS2U-3 Kingfisher x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kotohira Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Tokushima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x OS2U-3 Kingfisher bombing at 2000 feet
4 x OS2U-3 Kingfisher bombing at 2000 feet

WOW, these guys from Manila Af are doing a great job!!![:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 17,3 *near Karachi*

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK s Jacob, Bomb hits 2, on fire[:o]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 46,36

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3400 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 254

Defending force 547 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 18

Japanese max assault: 23 - adjusted assault: 26

Allied max defense: 14 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 26 to 1



Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!


Japan clears its supply path towards his Army at Changsha
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Manila

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3893 troops, 22 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 938

Defending force 136629 troops, 1332 guns, 436 vehicles, Assault Value = 2631


First japanese land bombing at Manila[:@]

[okami]

Day Air attack on Honan , at 49,31

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 9
Ki-21-II Sally x 27
Ki-48-I Lily x 63
Ki-49 Helen x 56
Ki-15 Babs x 4

Allied aircraft
I-153c x 3
I-16c x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-I Lily: 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
I-16c: 3 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 82


The question is....WHY HONAN????[&:]
 
It is thesupply route for an attack on Sian. without Honan you can not effectively attack Sian.

[Jim D Burns]

If you've got a US AK (not sure if Brit AK will work), load it with supply and get it within about 10-12 hexes of Karachi. Then create 3 PT boat task forces and send them into Karachi at full speed. If you get lucky you might surprise a bombardment run and slam a torp into a BB. No sense sending larger task forces as usually only one or two boats get to shoot no matter how many boats are in the force. Also the more task forces you send, the more surprise rolls you make and the better chance you have to get a boat within striking range unseen.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

If you've got a US AK (not sure if Brit AK will work), load it with supply and get it within about 10-12 hexes of Karachi. Then create 3 PT boat task forces and send them into Karachi at full speed. If you get lucky you might surprise a bombardment run and slam a torp into a BB. No sense sending larger task forces as usually only one or two boats get to shoot no matter how many boats are in the force. Also the more task forces you send, the more surprise rolls you make and the better chance you have to get a boat within striking range unseen.

Jim

Thx Jim. With the brit AKs it doesn't work. i've checked. only barges.
I've taken a deep look and wasn't able to find any single US AK at Aden[:(]...out of 97 AKs present there...they have to be all sunk during the last months[:o]...

[Jim D Burns]

Check ships available, you may not have any PT's available right now. Get some sunk if you can as I think one or two torps in his BB's may cause an over-reaction. I think they take 60-90 days to become available after sinking though, so it'll be a while.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

I'll give it a try!Thx Jim!![;)]
Gotta go and check my "paella" now...see you after dinner guys[:D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/07-08/42
 
More bombings at Karachi in these 2 days. Supplies are down to 299,00...his bombers managed to sink the poor AK sent from Aden....at least he has now to keep some more bombers on Naval attack duties...he keeps on advancing rivercrossing...one month maybe and he'll be at the very gates of Karachi
 
At Manila he brought in more 120 kates to bomb the hell out of me...i won't last for long i fear[:(]...Bataan fell and now even Manila can be bombed by sea if he brings his BBs....
 
At Changsha he attacked again with a single unit...this practice makes me burn a LOT of supplies...it's like if we're facing a general attack,while it's only a recon attack...but the supply-consumption system doesn't recognize the difference...[:o]
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Karachi, at 21,3
 
Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Takao
CA Chikuma
CA Tone
 
 
Allied ground losses:
830 casualties reported
Guns lost 32
 
Runway hits 7
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 5
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 92,88
 
Japanese Ships
SS I-25
 
Allied Ships
AK Nebraskan, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
AK Steel Exporter
MSW Warnambool
PG Warrego
 
 
Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
 
North of Baker Island....the transport was loaded with a base force....[:o][:(]
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52
 
Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 77
G3M Nell x 36
G4M1 Betty x 14
Ki-48-I Lily x 27
 
Allied aircraft
no flights
 
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
G3M Nell: 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
Ki-48-I Lily: 3 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
 
 
Allied ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 3
 
Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 48
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Manila at 43,52
 
Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 8
 
No Japanese losses
 
Allied Ships
AK Sagoland, Torpedo hits 4,  on fire,  heavy damage
 

This AK was trying to unload some supplies at Manila...no choice, nor chances![:@]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Karachi , at 21,3
 
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 73
G4M1 Betty x 84
 
Allied aircraft
no flights
 
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
 
Allied aircraft losses
 
 
Allied ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
 
Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 69
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Karachi at 21,3[:(]
 
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 10
 
No Japanese losses
 
Allied Ships
AK s Jacob, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Chittagong
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 30103 troops, 84 guns, 230 vehicles, Assault Value = 844
 
Defending force 4668 troops, 38 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 45
 
Japanese max assault: 728 - adjusted assault: 438
 
Allied max defense: 45 - adjusted defense: 3
 
Japanese assault odds: 146 to 1 (fort level 2)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Chittagong base !!!
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
 
Allied ground losses:
867 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Vehicles lost 1
 
 
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
 
The last base in India.....now the conquest is over...just Karachi is missing[:(]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Changsha
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 380785 troops, 1882 guns, 85 vehicles, Assault Value = 8995
 
Defending force 185083 troops, 888 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 4598
 
Japanese max assault: 63 - adjusted assault: 0 [:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@]
 
Allied max defense: 4860 - adjusted defense: 6830 * i hope my adjusted defences were better....not even doubled....[:(]...can't hope of holding[:(]
 
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 7)
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
1004 casualties reported
Guns lost 72
Vehicles lost 7
 
Allied ground losses:
432 casualties reported
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rangoon
 
Japanese Deliberate attack
 
Attacking force 1104 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 33
 
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0
 
Japanese max assault: 26 - adjusted assault: 14
 
Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1
 
Japanese assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 2)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Rangoon base !!!
 
 An emptied Rangoon falls....[:@]
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bataan
 
Japanese Shock attack
 
Attacking force 8181 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 234
 
Defending force 1830 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
 
Japanese max assault: 382 - adjusted assault: 218
 
Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 3
 
Japanese assault odds: 72 to 1 (fort level 4)
 
Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan base !!![:@][:@][:@]
 
 
Japanese ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
 
Allied ground losses:
1519 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
 

 
Score is 3-1 by now...all those bases in India worth a LOT of points.... If he takes Karachi or Manila he'll be far beyond 4-1

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
Allied max defense: 4860 - adjusted defense: 6830 * i hope my adjusted defences were better....not even doubled....[:(]...can't hope of holding[:(]

This is a good thing G. H. The more he attacks like this the higher your units experience grows at little cost to you except in supplies. Soon your units will all exceed 50% experience and then your adjusted AV will be more than doubled. Don't complain to him about these attacks, let him train your army for you, and then he'll get a nasty surprise when he finally attacks.

Track your units progress, my guess is every unit gets 2-4 experience per attack right now. In my game I trained my units up to about 55-59 experience with bombardments, and now they are holding their own on defense. 7 corps managed to withstand an attack by 8 Japanese divisions, 2 brigades, 1 tank regiment and 2 artillery regiments (check post 214 in my AAR), even though a few of them were still under 50 experience.

Japan’s non-adjusted AV was almost double my non-adjusted AV, so our overall situation is similar even though there are larger numbers of troops involved in your fight.

My units were entrenched to level 3 in forest terrain, and their adjusted AV was only 400 points less than their non-adjusted AV. So once you get half or more of your units above 50 experience, I bet your adjusted AV will better than double given your fort levels.

Jim

[floydg]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
Allied max defense: 4860 - adjusted defense: 6830 * i hope my adjusted defences were better....not even doubled....[:(]...can't hope of holding[:(]

This is a good thing G. H. The more he attacks like this the higher your units experience grows at little cost to you except in supplies. Soon your units will all exceed 50% experience and then your adjusted AV will be more than doubled. Don't complain to him about these attacks, let him train your army for you, and then he'll get a nasty surprise when he finally attacks.

Track your units progress, my guess is every unit gets 2-4 experience per attack right now. In my game I trained my units up to about 55-59 experience with bombardments, and now they are holding their own on defense. 7 corps managed to withstand an attack by 8 Japanese divisions, 2 brigades, 1 tank regiment and 2 artillery regiments (check post 214 in my AAR), even though a few of them were still under 50 experience.

Japan’s non-adjusted AV was almost double my non-adjusted AV, so our overall situation is similar even though there are larger numbers of troops involved in your fight.

My units were entrenched to level 3 in forest terrain, and their adjusted AV was only 400 points less than their non-adjusted AV. So once you get half or more of your units above 50 experience, I bet your adjusted AV will better than double given your fort levels.

Jim

Is this even an effective tactic? Can he really keep using just one unit of a stack to attack and really expect to make a dent? I suppose if it sucks up supply, it could be effective, but he has to be increasing his disruption way beyond what GH's disruption level is (and once he does that with enough units, a Chinese attack could push him out, no?).

In China, I have a few Corps at Ichang holding back an onslaught of 100,000 Japanese (similar experience as Jim's).

Floyd

[Yakface]

At Changsha he attacked again with a single unit...this practice makes me burn a LOT of supplies...it's like if we're facing a general attack,while it's only a recon attack...but the supply-consumption system doesn't recognize the difference...[:o]

That being the case then these attacks are the very definition of gamey. Knowingly using a weakness of the game against your opponent.

From what I have seen you will not see an increase in your AV due to terrain modifiers. What you will see is a reduction in your opponents AV.

[Feinder]

Is he attacking with just one unit?  That's an admitted by bug by the devs.  The one unit attacks and then bombardment units actually get a second bombardment round.  As the devs have acknowledged it as an issue, it's definately gamey.  It works "even better" with a lone combat engineer unit, as you still have a favorable chance to reduce forts, get the double bombardment, and don't "risk" the rest of your army.

Not to scare you, but keep an eye on your disablements.  Arty can cause massive disablement casualties (and the "attack with only one unit causes 2 bombardment rounds), also your supply loss (and burn more repair disablments) which could lead to capitulation.

Just be advised that he's exploiting every crack in the game at this point.  That to me is no holds barred - I'd follow only the letter of his house-rules, and take advantage of every exploit you can get your hands on : For starters divided every LCU you have in Karachi.  The damage is NOT proportionate to all sub-units (it's lesser compared to a non-divided unit).   The also recover fatigue faster.  And speaking of which, you can break-down for a turn, then reform, then break down again, and your fatigue will be less than if you had remained divided or whole (not sure why, but there's a bug in the routine there as well).

There are all sorts of nasty things you learn when you've experiented with the engine.  I don't use exploits against my opponents, because they don't exploit either.

If you'd like I can also tell you a trick or two about "fooling" the naval model as well.

They're nasty and gamey, but frankly I think he deserves a sound a$$ kicking.

-F- 

[Elladan]

They're nasty and gamey, but frankly I think he deserves a sound a$$ kicking.

-F-

Seconded. Trollie uses every glitch he knows about, sets most unbalanced HRs I have ever seen and then calls himself great warrior. Sound ass-kicking seems very appriopriate in this case.

[mdiehl]

They're nasty and gamey, but frankly I think he deserves a sound a$$ kicking.

I have to agree. The one-unit-attack resource-depletion scam seems quite gamey. I can see making a single one-unit attack if that gleaned good recon, but repeating it just to run down opfor supplies is absurd. I do hope that the AE version will frequently result in the complete annihilation of units that make these sorts of unsupported attacks, rather than rewarding an player for attacking piecemeal.