Matrix Games Forums

Consider the plight of the unknowing innocent who purchases this game, takes it home, fires it up, plugs through the tutorial, and then begins a campaign. Suddenly, without warning, he finds himself at the base of a tall and forbidding learning cliff. After much effort he manages to reach the top and then is introduced to the learning mountain, and behind that, an endless series of learning peaks stretching out to the horizon. The prudent buyer would then shut down the game, box it up nicely, send it off as a present to his worst enemy, and settle for Jackstraws.

Some of the more persistent NOOBs will find themselves at this forum where their questions will be promptly and politely answered. In addition, they will be advised to check out the "Must Read" thread, and to read some of the AARs. The must reads are very helpful and kudos to those who helped to prepare them. The AARs, on the other hand, aren't much use to the NOOB. Here are some reasons why:

1 - Most of the time AAR players and the NOOB are playing entirely different games. The AAR guys might be playing the muscovite version of the humsford mod as ammended by Tagisaki, while the NOOB is playing stock 15.

2 - The AAR will describe what has happened, but for security reasons, won't go into detail about future operations, the planning and preparation for these operations, and the reasons why they are to be carried out. The sort of stuff that would be most helpful to NOOBs

3 - Some players are (what's the word for super skilled?) They are so good that the NOOB can't comprehend it. Something like:

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Super player A - "Aha! signet has just reported finding a Prince Albert tobacco tin floating off island A. Since everyone knows that 2nd officer Smith, the assistant laundry officer of BB Repulsive, prefers this tobacco, it is elementary, my dear Kubatchi, that an enemy force consisting of CV Whatitsname, Repulsive, 7 destroyers, and the Duke of Wartshire's own 32nd Messtin Repair Battalion will arrive off island B at 0817 tomorrow. Prepare force D to intercept."

Super Player B - "Aha! They've fallen for the old "floating Prince Albert tobacco tin" trick. We can expect enemy force D to arrive at island B at or around 0817 tomorrow. Prepare force F to intercept"

Super Player A - "Aha! etc etc
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It seems to me that what is needed is an AAR aimed at the NOOB. Ideally, this AAR would be composed by someone who knows the game, and is capable of creating a clearly written and helpful walkthrough type AAR. That would be the ideal. Unfortunately, I don't see any hands raised. I've only had the game for about six months, so it'll be another few years before I can be expected to know how to play this game, and my writing skills are questionable, but I do like to bloviate, so I'm going to give it a shot. With a little luck and, hopefully, some help from the old salts I might end up with a semi-legible stumblethrough.

I've consulted with the AI and we've agreed on HR

1 - Units within a command must be assigned to that command. Exceptions are US units staging in CONUS, Hawaii, and OZ/NZ
2 - US Ground troops and fighter aircraft not to evacuate PI
3 - No evacuation of Dutch units from DEI.
4 - Whatever else comes to mind.
5 - In China I am going to adopt a policy of benign neglect and hope the Japanese do likewise


and away we go

[center]Prelude Pearl Harbor[/center]

It's the first weekend since payday and everyone who can has gone on liberty. Some servicemen choose to visit museums, art galleries, and other cultural attractions. Some hang out at the beach. Others admire the quaint architecture of some of the buildings lining downtown Hotel Street and spend their time (and money) there.

There has been some speculation about the possibility of war with Japan, but most believe, that if war does come, the Japanese will strike the Philippines first. Nevertheless, precautions have been taken to prevent sabotage by Japanese aliens. Additional sentinels have been stationed at vital points such as bridges, airfields, and other military installations. Particular care has been taken to secure aircraft by parking them close together making it easier for the sentinels to keep a watchful eye upon them.


[center]Prelude Philippines[/center]


Analysis of Japanese capabilities as of 1 July 1940

"The enemy will send an expedition of about 100,000 men to capture Manila and its harbor defenses in order to occupy the Philippines, sever the American line of communications, and deny the United States a naval base in the Far East. It is expected that this operation will be undertaken with the greatest secrecy and that it will precede or coincide with a declaration of war. The garrison therefore can expect little or no warning. The attack will probably come during the dry season, shortly after the rice crop is harvested, in December or January. The enemy is assumed to have extensive knowledge of the terrain and of American strength and dispositions, and will probably be assisted by the 30,000 Japanese in the Islands."


Gen. Marshall to Gen MacArthur 9 Sep 1941

"I have directed that United States Army Forces in the Philippines be placed in highest priority for equipment including authorized defensive reserves for fifty thousand men."

The Philippine department is acutely aware that war could break out at any moment and are working feverishly to prepare the Islands' defense. The Chief of Staff, General Marshall, has given the Department the highest priority and thousands of reinforcements, mountains of supplies, and hundreds of aircraft are on the way.

The induction of the Philippine Army reserve divisions was begun on 1 September 1941, and is expected to be completed by the middle of December. Training these units have begun, but many difficulties have been encountered due to equipment and personal shortages. Consider the 31st PA Division:

Personal

One regiment, the 31st Infantry was mobilized on September 1 and is in camp.
A second regiment, the 32nd Infantry was inducted on 1 Nov but did not join the Div until 6 December.
The third regiment, the 33rd Infantry began arriving in camp on 25 November.

The medical battalion, motor transport, service and division headquarters companies were mobilized between 18 and 30 November. Signal company was organized on 1 December.
The 31st Field Artillery Regiment has not yet been mobilized

Equipment

Every man has a rifle, a .30 caliber Enfield. The stock is often too long for the Philippine soldier and the extractors, for which there are no replacements, often break.

Each infantry company has 1 BAR.
Each machine gun company has 8 .30 caliber water-cooled guns
Each infantry regiment has two .50 caliber machine guns and six 3 inch mortars.
Artillery for the division consists of 8 75mm guns which were delivered to the division on the evening of 7 December, without sights or fire control equipment.

Total Divisional Transport

Sedan x 1
Command car x 2
Bantam car x 1
1 1/2 Ton Truck x 9

Despite all these problems, it is believed that the Philippine Army can be made fully operational by April 1942.


[center]Prelude Malaya-Singapore[/center]

Commander of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to General Brooke-Popham

"I do hope, sir, we are not getting too strong in Malaya because if so the Japanese may never attempt a landing"


On 29 November the War Office in London passed on to Air Chief-Marshal Brooke-Popham at Singapore the contents of a message they had just received from the RAF's delegation in Washington.

"Joint planning staff have been informed verbally this afternoon by War Plans Division War Department that US Army Commanders in Far East have been informed that Japanese negotiations have reached stage where their final breakdown or offensive action by Japan against Thailand, Netherlands East Indies or Philippines may be expected at any time. USA commanders have been instructed to await offensive move by Japanese and carefully avoid overt action on their own part."

British commanders have taken this message seriously and, on 1 December, mobilized the Volunteer Forces in Malaya. Daily RAF reconnaissance sorties are being flown deep into the Gulf of Siam and the South China Sea.

In general, British commanders are somewhat optimistic despite the shortfalls of air and sea power. The Japanese Army is, after all, an unknown quantity, and certainly hasn't distinguished itself in China. Its logistical support is suspect and the British feel that a stout defence in Malaya can keep the Japanese at bay until reinforcements arrive.


[center]Prelude Dutch East Indies[/center]

There are 40,000 Dutch troops stationed in the DEI. This force is backed up by about 100,000 colonial troops. They have occupied the DEI for 350 years, consider it their second homeland, and will fight to the finish to preserve it.

Wonder what's going to happen tomorrow?

Not a pure NOOB, but can't devote too much time to make myself much better until AE comes out. I'm looking forward to your AAR.

Ciao,
T Rav

I'll be reading...for the insights, and for your sense of humor, the first half of your post had me laughing my @$$ off...

No apparent questionable writing skills or semi-legible stumbling going on here.  In fact it sounds 'super' interesting and I'm looking forward to reading any sage advice you wangle out of the AI. 

Steve

Bring it on!

I already enjoy your humor and writing style, so you got one more subscription!

[center]Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941[/center]


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0755 This is no drill. Japanese carry out a coordinated air attack using aircraft from 6 carriers. No other navy in the world could have accomplished this.

Conservation between General Cassidy and Admiral Sundance

Sundance: "It looks like the Japs have mounted a coordinated multi carrier attack"

Cassidy: "They can't do that."

Sundance: "Tell them that."

Cassidy: "They're beginning to get on my nerves. Who are those guys?"

Sundance: "Like I said, it's the Japs."

Cassidy: "I couldn't do that. Could you do that? Why can they do it? Who are those guys?"


All, leaves and passes are canceled. Service personal are directed to report to their duty stations. Servicemen who had spent the night admiring the quaint architecture on Hotel Street hasten to comply.

There is one bright spot: The strategy of parking aircraft closely together worked perfectly. Not a single aircraft was lost due to Japanese sabotage.


[center]Wake Island 7 December 1941[/center]


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[center]"Wake Island Marine on Deck"[/center]

The aged man appeared to be in his early eighties, but graying and frail were not the
first words you would use to describe him. The bounce in his step was still there,
and energy shone in his eyes, carrying more than a hint of what a force he once was.
He stood amidst the large gathering of naval and Marine officers, relaxing after a long
day's schedule of reunion meetings. They sipped coffee and told tales of their service
histories.

Suddenly, someone spotted him, and in a deep voice barked out above the din, "Attention! Wake Island Marine on deck!"

"Everyone stopped talking," said a naval officer who witnessed the incident. "We stood at attention, faced the Marine, and saluted. Those guys are legendary in the Navy and Marines for what they did, and whenever one is around, you pay him the highest respect."

No wonder, sixty years ago, the old man was one of a tiny band of Marines who staged one of history's most dramatic battles..... that rank with those of the Spartans at Thermopylae, with the British who fought thousands of Zulu at Rorke's Drift in 1879, and with the Texans at the Alamo.

from the Introduction to Pacific Alamo: The Battle for Wake Island by John Wukovits, New American Library, 2003

I am intrigued and look forward to reading this noble venture.

[center]HongKong and Philippines 8 December 1941[/center]

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[center]Malaya Singapore 8 December 1941[/center]


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AI: Hey, how ya doing? I wanna talk to you about a no hindsight policy.

Me: No hindsight policy? Whazzat?

AI: It means that we forget it's 2009, we both pretend we're back in 1941, and we don't know how the war turned out. We just play it by ear. We don't take advantage of hindsight.

Me: Give me a for instance.

AI: OK. For instance you don't know that Force Z is gonna get creamed if it sorties out to attack my landing force at Khota Bharu. You gotta send it there or somewhere equally plausible. You know darn well that if Tom Phillips had decided to skedaddle back to Columbo, Churchill would have had his balls for breakfast. The Royal Navy, after all, does takes that "Sail to the sound of the guns" stuff seriously.

Me: Ya mean I gotta send out two first class ships in order to provide your guys with a little target practice?

AI: Bingo!

Me: Come on. Give me a break!

AI: Something else - You gotta pretend that you don't know that those MK 14 torpedoes are prime candidates for the "Crapolla of the year" award. Send those subs out with them and see what happens.

Me: Geez! How 'bout I saddle up the fleet, put up the white flag, sail to Tokyo Bay and hand the Emperor the keys to San Francisco. Would that be OK?

AI: Look! You wanna do this hindsight thing or not?

Me: I dunno. So far all I see is that I lose Force Z and have a bunch of subs milling around in the Pacific getting nothing done in a hurry. What's in it for me?

AI: Well, if I don't do the hindsight thing then, after trashing Pearl Harbor, I get to make a detour on the way home and zap Enterprise and Lexington. Also, when the Midway deal comes along, I get to scrap together every carrier I have, go to Midway, forget about the Aleutians, forget about the landings on Midway, and, instead, ambush your ambush. Howszat?

Me: I think I'm beginning to see your point.

AI: Deal?

Me: Deal!

LOL! Sardonic sense of humor just like me...

[center]The Big Picture 8 December 1941[/center]


"How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
Thou know'st we work by wit, and not by witchcraft;
And wit depends on dilatory time."
Othello

OK, NOOB. Here's the situation: The navy is broken, the air force is shattered, and our army is training with broomsticks. The Japanese are running wild in the Philippines, Malaya, and you know they are going to go for the DEI. There's nothing we can do about it now. The best thing we can do now is to figure out what the best thing we can do now is, and then get on with it. Scratch the Philippines, scratch Malaya, scratch the DEI, what do we have left? Australia and New Zealand. We establish a strong line of communication between the US and them thereby fencing in the Japs. Then, when we get strong enough, we move the fence.

OK where do we put the fence posts? From North to South I suggest Pearl, Johnston, Baker, Lugarville, Noumea, Gilli Gilli, Port Moresby, and Cairns. Rabaul would be perfect except for the fact that (1) it's within range of Japanese LBA stationed at Truk and (2) The Japanese are probably going to want it, and indications are that they are getting ready to take it. Intel reports the presence of transports at Truck and we have to assume that they aren't there for the purpose of providing Honda employees with a summer cruise. If the Japanese are going for Rabaul, then we'd better get established at PM and Gilli before Rabaul falls and Ms Betty visits.

If we look around for some available troops we find both the Swallow Force Bn and the Gull Force Bn at Darwin, and by happy coincidence, there happens to be a couple of empty APs in harbor. Not only that, both Battalions are assigned to Southwest Pacific command so they can be moved without having to spend any PPs. It just gets better!

While we're at it, let's check and see if there are any other SWPAC units available.

[center][/center]


and looky here:

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We've got HQ SWPAC and a BF handy at Brisbane. We can move the BF up to PM right away, and bring up HQ SWPAC later. I just know that Doug, when he comes down from the PI, will be overjoyed to find that he will be able to escape the noise and confusion of Brisbane and retire to peaceful and pastoral Port Moresby.


I like to keep track of my important troop TFs by listing them on a spreadsheet as below. Then, after each turn, I check to see their progress. It takes a few minutes, but Oh Lordy, has it saved me grief.

Real life calls - later

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[center]Overheard at OldCoot's Headquarters - 8 December 1941[/center]

OldCoot: Chief Flunky, I want you to set up a video conference this afternoon with with representatives from the military and our allies online.

Chief Flunky: Sir, we can't do that.

OldCoot: Why can't we do that?

Chief Flunky: Well sir, it seems that video conferencing hasn't been invented yet, and won't be for another 50 or 60 years.

OldCoot: Is that the only reason you can give me?

Chief Flunky: Er yes sir.

OldCoot: Yesterday, did I, or did I not, instruct you to set up a conference with the AI?

Chief Flunky: Yes sir you did.

OldCoot: And what did you tell me?

Chief Funky: I told you it couldn't be done - because the AI only understands 0s and 1s.

OldCoot: Did I end up having a conference with the AI?

Chief Flunky: Yes sir you did.

OldCoot: So, are you going to get on with setting up my video conference, or are you going to assume your new duties as my personal representative to Patagonia?



[center]Transcript of Video Conference 8 December 1941[/center]


Attending

Admiral Halsey
General MacArthur
British representative
Australian representative
Chinese representative
OldCoot


OldCoot: OK guys. How do we win this thing?

General MacArthur - It's simple sir: Send me clouds of aircraft, vast fleets, and legions of troops and I shall return!

Admiral Halsey: - It's simple sir: Sortie the fleet, sail due west, and kill every Jap you find!

British representative: It's quite simple really: As a representative of Britain, the only nation here which has actually done some real fighting - with some aid from our colonials of course - I recommend that you put together a few thousand of your P-40s, and send them with crews round to Singapore. Given that, we should make short work of the Nips.

Australian representative: Hold on mate! "Only nation that has actually done some real fighting" If it wasn't for our diggers Monty would be backed up to Baghdad by now.

Chinese representative: Defeating the Japanese is quite simple: All that needs to be done is deliver $500,000,000 in unmarked bills to the Generalissimo's personal representative and, as soon as the Generalissimo returns from a much needed vacation at an undisclosed resort, he will unleash the full fury of the Kuomintang upon the enemy.


[center]Final Video Conference recommendations 8 December 1941[/center]

Port Moresby - Gilli Gilli

1. Immediately dispatch any available reinforcements.
2. Improve base's airfield and fortifications to maximum possible levels. Send engineers ASAP
3. As they become avaiable, send fighters, then heavy bombers to base. Goal should be the eventual stationing of two fighter groups and two heavy bombardment groups at both PM and GG.

LOC between US west Coast and OZ/NZ

1. Noumea - Garrisoned. Reinforce and improve ASAP
2. Lugarville - Not Garrisoned - Establish base then improve and reinforce ASAP.
3. Baker - Not garrisoned - Establish base, then improve and reinforce ASAP.
4. Johnston - Garrisoned - Reinforce and improve ASAP.


[center]Reinforcing Port Moresby
[/center]
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Sparrow Force Bn and Gull Force Bn, both presently located at Darwin, will be dispatched to Port Moresby.

Form a new TF at Brisbane, embark No.103 RAN Base Force and transport to PM. Unit should immediately start preparations for PM. Unit is already assigned to SWPAC.


[center]Garrisoning Base at Gilli Gilli[/center]

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TF 1157 is presently tasked with transporting the 26th USA FA Bde to Suva. Order TF to abort mission, proceed to Canton Island, unload the FA Bde and then disband. A new TF consisting of the five APs and CA Pensacola should then proceed to Upolu, embark the 7th USMC Def Bn and the 116th USN Base Force and then proceed to Gilli Gilli. Both of these units will be reassigned to SWPAC upon arrival at GG and should immediately start preparations

[center]Garrisoning Base at Lugarville[/center]

[center][/center]
Form a TF consisting of the two AKs and PC Niagara presently docked at Canton Island. Have this TF proceed to Tongatapu, embark the No. 114 RAF Base Force and then proceed to Lugarville. The BF should immediately start making preparations for duty at Luganville. BF and base Lugarville are both already assigned to SOPAC.

[center]Garrisoning Base at Baker Island[/center]

[center][/center]

Form a new TF consisting of the two APs docked at PH. Add an appropriate escort. Have this TF proceed to Palmyra, embark the 115th USAAF Base Force and then proceed to Baker Island. BF should start preparing for duty at Baker immediately. No reassignment is necessary

British representative: It's quite simple really: As a representative of Britain, the only nation here which has actually done some real fighting - with some aid from our colonials of course - I recommend that you put together a few thousand of your P-40s, and send them with crews round to Singapore.

IRL, a batch of P-40's was sent to Java for use by the Free Dutch, but they didn't make it in time. Getting to Singapore would be even harder.

[center]The Great Bengali Bugout - 9 December 1941
[/center]

With the Japanese Air Force now established in Indo-China, Most of the Bay of Bengal is, or shortly will become, a Japanese lake. Any ship thereupon will just serve as an opportunity for some Japanese pilot to improve his bombing skills. This he does not need and this we do not want.

Therefore, all ships East of Columbo and all troops South of Akyab will be evacuated. The following dispositions will be made:

Shipping

1. - All APs will proceed to Rangoon to load troops.
2. - AKs at Chandpur will also set sail to Rangoon to load troops and supplies.
3. - All TKs will deadhead to Batavia via Padang
4. - AP Kanimba now docked at Singapore will proceed to Victoria Point to embark 108 RAF BF
5. - AP Manoora now docked at Singapore will proceed to Tavoy to embark 107 RAF BF
6. - All AKs other than those at Chandpur will proceed to either Bombay or Karachi.

Troops

Units at Moulmein will march to Rangoon and prepare for embarkation.

[center]Ships at Bombay and Karachi[/center]

As supplies permit Harbormasters at the ports of Bombay and Karachi will form convoys to transport fuel and supplies to Perth via a water DH well west of Japanese air space.

---

Being thoroughly untrustworthy, I have decided to fudge a little bit on my self imposed HR regarding unit assignments. If I am able to evacuate any significant units from Rangoon, I am going to send them to the DEI and stiff the PPs. I just want to see what happens. Don't tell the AI

[align=center]Malaya - Singapore -  8 December 1941
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[align=center]Landings at Kota Bharu during night of 7/8 December
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At approximately 0100 hrs,  Japanese barges started landing troops across Badang and Sabak beaches. These beaches were defended by units of the 8th Indian Brigade commanded by Brigadier B.W. Key. The beaches bristled with barbed wire and a line of concrete pillboxes at thousand yard intervals. The beaches were divided by the mouth of the creek and an inlet. The first wave of barges were met by heavy fire from the defenders and suffered heavy casualties. Some of the Japanese barges, however, were able to push up the creek and into the inlet and unload their troops there. This put them behind the defending pillboxes and these positions, now being attacked from front and rear, soon fell.

The Japanese were now able to push inland towards the airfield. The airfield itself was repeatedly attacked by Japanese aircraft. By that afternoon nerves were wearing thin and, when some stray rounds from the fighting at the beaches struck the airfield, they jumped to the conclusion that the Japanese were approaching the airfield. Reporting this to Air Headquarters Singapore they received permission to evacuate the airfield and transfer their aircraft to Singapore.

The mission of 8th Brigade, to defend the airfield,  was now over and the brigade, with attached units fell back towards Kuantan


[align=center]Force Z Sorties
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The decision to send Force to attack the Japanese landing force at Kota Bharu was was based on the following:

1 - The Japanese carrier force together with its escorts was thousands of miles away in the central Pacific. Presumably, that force included most of the more powerful surface combat ships in  the Japanese Navy. Therefore, it was likely that Force Z could out gun any warships escorting the landing force at Koto Bharu.

2 - To remain at Singapore was unwise as the base was subject to bombing.

3 - To sail south would have left the Navy open to a charge of leaving the army and Malaya in the lurch.

4 - There was no need to fear level and dive bombers: Well handled ships and AA could deal with that. After all, no capital ship, at sea, had ever been sunk by aircraft.

5 If the force achieved surprise, any Japanese aircraft they met would be armed for land operations and would not be carrying AP bombs or torpedoes.

6 Once Force Z had stuck the landing force and were retreating back to Singapore, the only danger would be from twin engined bombers flying from Indo-China 600 miles away. It was considered unlikely that these aircraft could be fitted with torpedoes,

[align=center]Disposition of ships at Singapore

[/align]
Force Z  to attack transports at Kota Bharu.

BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse
CL Danae, Mauritius
DD Vampire, Vendetta, Tenedos,Electra, Express, Stronghold, Jupiter, Encounter, Isis


MSW Squadron to Batavia - Soerabaja

MSW Ballarat, Toowoombra, Bendigo, Burnie, Goulburn, Maryborough

---

Hey AI!

Please notice that I am upholding my end of our no hindsight deal regarding Force Z. Not only that, instead of just  4 sissy DD escorts, I'm bringing the whole enchilada!!

---

Great read.  I'm really enjoying this and look forward to more.  Love the maps and your commitment to no hindsight.  Should be interesting to see what reaction you get from the Force Z sortie.

Thanks!

I'm trying to stay in the reality ballpark and still have a little fun at the same time. I have no idea where this thing is going, so we'll see what happens.

As for the Force Z sortie, I fear there won't be a lot of champagne corks popping tonight

Let me add my voice to the chorus of acclaim for this AAR.

I like you man.

[align=center]Philippines - Hong Kong -  8 December 1941
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[align=center]Philippine Army Commands  8 December 1941
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General Wainwright believes that the Japanese landings at Vigan and Aparri are secondary in nature, that these landing were made only for the purpose of securing airfields, and that the main Japanese landings will be made at Lingayen and at Legaspi. He makes the following dispositions;

To withdraw base forces from north coast of Luzon

1 - 106th USAAF BF at Vigan and 104th USAAF BF at  Laong will retire to Lingayen
2 - 103rd USAAF BF will retire to Tuguegarao

To counter any Japanese thrust south from Aparri

1 - 71st PA Division at Tuguegarao will defend against enemy movement down the Cagayan Valley

2 - 26th PS Cavalry Regt will proceed to Tuguegarao to screen any enemy movement southward

To defend against Japanese Landings at Lingayen

1 - 11th PA Division at Tuguegarao will march to Lingayen
2 - 21st PA Division at San Marcelino will march to Lingayen
3 - 91st PA Division will be released from the reserve force and proceed to Lingayen
4 - 107th USAAF BF will march to Lingayen

General Parker, the commander of the South Luzon Force orders as follows to counter any Japanese Landings at Lepaspi or Lamon Bay

1 - The 41st and 51st PA Divisions will march to the northern end of the Bicol Peninsula and dig in. Enroute, they will demolish bridges and desroy the Manila - Legaspi railroad tracks. Any railroad rolling stock will be taken north.

2 - The 105th USAAF BF at Legaspi and the 101st USAAF BF at Naga will proceed to Manila

[align=center]New positions of Northern and Southern Luzon Forces
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[align=center]Naval Dispositions 8 December 1941
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1 - All AKs and APS will proceed to the DEI, load supplies or fuel, and then continue to either Port Moresby or Gilli Gilli.

2 - All TKs and AOs will proceed to either Balikpapan or Palembang, load oil and then continue to
Sydney via Perth

3 - CA Houston and DDs at Manila will sail to  Soerabaja to join ABCA fleet.

4 -  All SS will commence unrestricted submarine warfare combat patrols. Upon completion of patrols, submarines will proceed to new home base at PH. For the time being the submarine force will our best weapon against the enemy. Most of the subs are newer types and these are all equipped with the new Mark 14 type torpedoes. The Bureau of Ordinance proclaims the MK14 to be the most lethal torpedo ever. Submarine commanders have high expections.

---

Most the subs are due for an upgrade in 4/42 and another in 10/42. For some reason the 4/42 upgrade ends up decreasing the AA ability of the Gato (and maybe some other classes) class subs by 20%.

So the deal is that you get to take your sub off patrol, send it in to refit, suffer some system damage as a result of the refit, wait until the system damage is repaired, and then put to sea with reduced AA ability. Then, in October you get to send the sub back in, and this time you get some real goodies such as radar and whatnot.

So, whenever I'm dealing with a sub, I check to see if it has a 4/42 refit coming up. If so turn it off.

---

5 - All PTBs will proceed to Lingayen to contest any landings there

6 - Smaller escort type vessels will sail to DEI

7 - AVDs and AV will go to Port Moresby

8 - AS will sail directly to PH

[align=center]Hong Kong - 8 December 1941
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Garrison continues to defend against Japanese attacks. Many question the wisdom  of stationing 6 full battalions here in the first place. Why not a small honor guard type garrison and use the rest to form another brigade for Malaya?

DDs Thracian, Thanet and Scout get going while the going is still good. If they make it, they will join ABCA in  DEI










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