Why (the title)
Cos we're both AE newbies and one of us (namely, me) is a PBEM newbie. What better way to see what's new in AE then to play a game?
Who
HYPHARA playing as the Empire of Japan
ARNHEM playing as the Allied powers
What
SCENARIO: 002 - HAKKO ICHIU
OPTIONS, all ON except for the following
Historical first turn: OFF
Reliable USN torpedos: OFF
No unit withdrawals: OFF
Automatic sub ops: OFF
HOUSE RULES
1. Common sense above all else, no actions that would be considered gamey.
1. On turn one, Japan will limit itself to one attack per port.
2. On turn one, the Allied player may move existing TFs but must not create any new TFs.
3. Both sides must not release divisions by switching a restricted HQ to an Air HQ thereby paying only 1/4 of the PPs
We've both agreed to add more house rules as the game progresses if they're needed. Basically we're both looking to figure out what's new in AE and have fun doing it. I look forward to many ugly turns and anguished screams in the dead of night as we both blunder about in a dark room full of sharp objects.
I'll be writing this AAR from the Allied POV, there will be insights into strategy, thoughts on game mechanics as well as a little bit o storytelling just to keep awake anyone reading the thread.
As I'm a total newbie to WitP/AE PBEM, any thoughts and suggestions are much appreciated.
What does this button do? - Hyphara (J) vs Arnhem (A)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: WE'RE DOING IT WRONG! - HYPHARA (J) vs ARNHEM (A)
Common acronyms used
KB: Kido Butai, (literally Mobile Force), this was the IJN Combined Fleet's main carrier battle group, in game, this commonly refers to the 6 CV TF that starts out hammering PH.
LBA: Land based air, anything flying from an airfield basically, commonly refers to the more offensive oriented types like bombers
LCU: Land Combat Unit
PP: Political Points
Things I've learned (for the most part not mentioned in the manual?)
1. Withdrawing air units before their due date awards me PP.
2. Setting LCUs to Rest enables them to upgrade their organic devices (ie. TO&E)
KB: Kido Butai, (literally Mobile Force), this was the IJN Combined Fleet's main carrier battle group, in game, this commonly refers to the 6 CV TF that starts out hammering PH.
LBA: Land based air, anything flying from an airfield basically, commonly refers to the more offensive oriented types like bombers
LCU: Land Combat Unit
PP: Political Points
Things I've learned (for the most part not mentioned in the manual?)
1. Withdrawing air units before their due date awards me PP.
2. Setting LCUs to Rest enables them to upgrade their organic devices (ie. TO&E)
RE: WE'RE DOING IT WRONG! - HYPHARA (J) vs ARNHEM (A)
Readers of this thread will soon find out that I will from time to time take some major creative license in my writings, most of what I conjure up will be from memory alone as I like doing this sort of thing on the fly, any mistakes and glaring errors are all of my own doing. Please feel free to correct any errors. For a first taste it's pretty rough, I'll do better when I settle down.
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Dec 8, 1941
0056hrs local time
Sembawang Naval Base, Singapore
For the sixth time that night the Major cursed his rotten luck at drawing duty on a Sunday, and on a weekend when there was a do at Raffles Hotel too. Blast it. No doubt some of the boys got lucky tonight. And it wasn't even a quiet night like you'd expect, not with all the comings and goings of the previous evening, Brooke-Popham himself came storming up the stairs in the command building to the conference room on the 2nd floor and left in just as much of a huff just half an hour before. Something was up, A chance at some action then? Better than stomping around on garrison duty, we'd make short work of whatever those Nips can throw at us. Lord knows with all those daily overhead flights of those magnificent Buffalos we'd make short work of 'em.
The small office that served as the duty watch officer's room was spartan. A desk, 2 chairs, a battery of telephones that connected to the airfields and Fort Canning. If one stepped out to the corridor and looked past the base buildings and workshops towards Johore, you could just make out the tall mast of the Prince of Wales in the pale moonlight as she sat at anchor. The ceiling fan kept up it's monotonous "tock tock tock" chant as it always did when it was set too fast, the humidity, damn this energy sapping, fatigue inducing humidity. The horror, the hor......
"Sah! Urgent transmission from Kota Bahru Sah!" the crisp and all too loud voice of the Signals Corporal broke him out of his reverie. What the devil?
******************************************************************************************
Dec 8, 1941
0056hrs local time
Sembawang Naval Base, Singapore
For the sixth time that night the Major cursed his rotten luck at drawing duty on a Sunday, and on a weekend when there was a do at Raffles Hotel too. Blast it. No doubt some of the boys got lucky tonight. And it wasn't even a quiet night like you'd expect, not with all the comings and goings of the previous evening, Brooke-Popham himself came storming up the stairs in the command building to the conference room on the 2nd floor and left in just as much of a huff just half an hour before. Something was up, A chance at some action then? Better than stomping around on garrison duty, we'd make short work of whatever those Nips can throw at us. Lord knows with all those daily overhead flights of those magnificent Buffalos we'd make short work of 'em.
The small office that served as the duty watch officer's room was spartan. A desk, 2 chairs, a battery of telephones that connected to the airfields and Fort Canning. If one stepped out to the corridor and looked past the base buildings and workshops towards Johore, you could just make out the tall mast of the Prince of Wales in the pale moonlight as she sat at anchor. The ceiling fan kept up it's monotonous "tock tock tock" chant as it always did when it was set too fast, the humidity, damn this energy sapping, fatigue inducing humidity. The horror, the hor......
"Sah! Urgent transmission from Kota Bahru Sah!" the crisp and all too loud voice of the Signals Corporal broke him out of his reverie. What the devil?
Opening Moves - Hyphara (J) vs Arnhem (A)
Dec 7, 1941
Opening Moves: A day which will live in infamy...
SUMMARY
On first glance, Hyp seems to have elected to go with the traditional targets, hitting PH, the PI and Singapore/Malaya. Footholds have been established on both Malaya and the PI
CENPAC
Making a good start of the Empire of Japan, a midget sub managed to put a fish into the side of Maryland so it was fortunate that Hyp only go a DM on his only pass on PH, all the battlewagons of PACFLT took a severe beating though so we won't be seeing them on the open seas anytime soon. The airforces of the Hawaiian Department got away relatively intact although infrastructure took a huge hit.
SWPAC
Air raids on Clark Field did a whole lot of infrastructure damage although most of the planes of the Philippine Department survived the opening aerial onslaught. Reports of landings at Vigan and Laoag have created panic on the streets of Manila.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Air strikes on airfields in Singapore and Malaya seem markedly more effective than their PH/PI counterparts with a relatively larger percentage of aircraft damaged or destroyed with the northern airfields of Malaya having been particularly hard hit. Landings at Kota Bahru have been reported.
In a shocking turn of events, the PoW and Repulse were sunk by land based bombers just off the coast of Kuantan as they proceeded north in an attempt to intercept the invasion fleet off Kota Bahru. Escorting DDs are barreling south with their decks full of survivors, Admiral Philips is not among them.
CBI
Pengpu was the site of Hyp's first move in China, the 13th Mixed Bde easily pushing out the Chinese Corps defending it, I've never paid much attention to China in all my time spent with the game so this theatre is going to be very much a learn as you go thing, I'm not relishing coming up against Hyp if he decides to make a major push here.
It's too early to tell if he's going to make an early move on Rangoon/Mandalay or if he'll invest Singapore first before turning north.
ALLIED OPENING MOVES AND GENERAL INTENTIONS
Leaving history to repeat itself albeit a couple of days early, the sinking of PoW and Repulse by land based bombers has been a nasty surprise to Malaya Command and ABDA, all shipping in the PI and Singapore have been ordered to safer waters.
At this early stage it's very much a reactive game for me as I try to deduce where his schwerpunkt is. Is he gunning for DEI/Singapore/Malaya or will he push further into CBI? Obviously attempts will be made to hold Singapore, the PI, DEI and Burma for as long as possible in order to make life as difficult as possible for Hyp all the while husbanding any spare resources I can scrounge up to take the fight to him, I'm relishing the fight that's to come against a living, breathing opponent.
Opening Moves: A day which will live in infamy...
SUMMARY
On first glance, Hyp seems to have elected to go with the traditional targets, hitting PH, the PI and Singapore/Malaya. Footholds have been established on both Malaya and the PI
CENPAC
Making a good start of the Empire of Japan, a midget sub managed to put a fish into the side of Maryland so it was fortunate that Hyp only go a DM on his only pass on PH, all the battlewagons of PACFLT took a severe beating though so we won't be seeing them on the open seas anytime soon. The airforces of the Hawaiian Department got away relatively intact although infrastructure took a huge hit.
SWPAC
Air raids on Clark Field did a whole lot of infrastructure damage although most of the planes of the Philippine Department survived the opening aerial onslaught. Reports of landings at Vigan and Laoag have created panic on the streets of Manila.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Air strikes on airfields in Singapore and Malaya seem markedly more effective than their PH/PI counterparts with a relatively larger percentage of aircraft damaged or destroyed with the northern airfields of Malaya having been particularly hard hit. Landings at Kota Bahru have been reported.
In a shocking turn of events, the PoW and Repulse were sunk by land based bombers just off the coast of Kuantan as they proceeded north in an attempt to intercept the invasion fleet off Kota Bahru. Escorting DDs are barreling south with their decks full of survivors, Admiral Philips is not among them.
CBI
Pengpu was the site of Hyp's first move in China, the 13th Mixed Bde easily pushing out the Chinese Corps defending it, I've never paid much attention to China in all my time spent with the game so this theatre is going to be very much a learn as you go thing, I'm not relishing coming up against Hyp if he decides to make a major push here.
It's too early to tell if he's going to make an early move on Rangoon/Mandalay or if he'll invest Singapore first before turning north.
ALLIED OPENING MOVES AND GENERAL INTENTIONS
Leaving history to repeat itself albeit a couple of days early, the sinking of PoW and Repulse by land based bombers has been a nasty surprise to Malaya Command and ABDA, all shipping in the PI and Singapore have been ordered to safer waters.
At this early stage it's very much a reactive game for me as I try to deduce where his schwerpunkt is. Is he gunning for DEI/Singapore/Malaya or will he push further into CBI? Obviously attempts will be made to hold Singapore, the PI, DEI and Burma for as long as possible in order to make life as difficult as possible for Hyp all the while husbanding any spare resources I can scrounge up to take the fight to him, I'm relishing the fight that's to come against a living, breathing opponent.
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Canoerebel
- Posts: 21099
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:21 pm
- Location: Northwestern Georgia, USA
- Contact:
RE: Opening Moves - Hyphara (J) vs Arnhem (A)
Good luck, fellow Allied player! My favorite games are nearly always the first time when everything is new and I blunder around making mistakes, finding out new stuff on the fly, and gradually improve. I like your approach and philosophy.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
RE: Opening Moves - Hyphara (J) vs Arnhem (A)
Greetings canoe and thanks for dropping by!
I'm finding it real tough going in turn 2, as with WitP the million and one things you want/have to do on this dreaded turn are further exacerbated by additional complexitiy introduced with a more structured HQ tree, withdrawals, introduction of so many more units, the level of detail introduced in AE over AitP is a control freak's dream or a meltdown waiting to happen, I'm feeling generally overwhelmed at this moment, really hope to crank out this turn before Christmas.
I'm finding it real tough going in turn 2, as with WitP the million and one things you want/have to do on this dreaded turn are further exacerbated by additional complexitiy introduced with a more structured HQ tree, withdrawals, introduction of so many more units, the level of detail introduced in AE over AitP is a control freak's dream or a meltdown waiting to happen, I'm feeling generally overwhelmed at this moment, really hope to crank out this turn before Christmas.
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Canoerebel
- Posts: 21099
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:21 pm
- Location: Northwestern Georgia, USA
- Contact:
RE: Opening Moves - Hyphara (J) vs Arnhem (A)
You probably know or would figure out these things, but a few things I've learned in my PBEM game:
1. Get your Chinese units in cities and build forts immediately. If, for some reason, you can't get them in a city, get them into rough terrain, but prepare for big losses. Do not attack anywhere for any reason. There's a big stack of Chinese units near Ichang. Don't move them to Ichang. Cross the river and get them into the hex west of Ichang. From there you can disperse them as needed. Use some PP to upgrade some Chinese leaders in key hexes.
2. You've got some aircraft due for withdrawl in early '42 in places you won't need them - B-26s on the West Coast, Fulmars in India (not sure they are on the map at start of the game; if not they'll be there soon). Might as well withdraw them immediately since you don't need 'em and doing so gives you political points you can use.
3. Be very judicious with your PP - you need them for many important tasks and there aren't enough to go around. Probably the highest priority will be to release units on the West Coast so they are eligible for transport. Other important PP uses are to release some of the US and Brit units in the Philippines and DEI so that you can move them when the time comes to evacuate. Another wise use is upgrading sub captains.
4. If your opponent doesn't commit the KB to the DEI, you'll probably have time to load up alot of the PI, DEI tankers/transports with fuel and resources, and possibily time enough to make multiple runs. (See Q-Ball's AAR for details, but I won't mention specifics here since his opponent might read this).
5. Identify your key Pacific bases and have troops prepping for those bases immediately or as soon as possible.
There's probably a ton more, but I'll cease and desist. As I already said, you probably already know all this stuff. If so, just ignore the ramblings of one who best learns by making alot of mistakes.
1. Get your Chinese units in cities and build forts immediately. If, for some reason, you can't get them in a city, get them into rough terrain, but prepare for big losses. Do not attack anywhere for any reason. There's a big stack of Chinese units near Ichang. Don't move them to Ichang. Cross the river and get them into the hex west of Ichang. From there you can disperse them as needed. Use some PP to upgrade some Chinese leaders in key hexes.
2. You've got some aircraft due for withdrawl in early '42 in places you won't need them - B-26s on the West Coast, Fulmars in India (not sure they are on the map at start of the game; if not they'll be there soon). Might as well withdraw them immediately since you don't need 'em and doing so gives you political points you can use.
3. Be very judicious with your PP - you need them for many important tasks and there aren't enough to go around. Probably the highest priority will be to release units on the West Coast so they are eligible for transport. Other important PP uses are to release some of the US and Brit units in the Philippines and DEI so that you can move them when the time comes to evacuate. Another wise use is upgrading sub captains.
4. If your opponent doesn't commit the KB to the DEI, you'll probably have time to load up alot of the PI, DEI tankers/transports with fuel and resources, and possibily time enough to make multiple runs. (See Q-Ball's AAR for details, but I won't mention specifics here since his opponent might read this).
5. Identify your key Pacific bases and have troops prepping for those bases immediately or as soon as possible.
There's probably a ton more, but I'll cease and desist. As I already said, you probably already know all this stuff. If so, just ignore the ramblings of one who best learns by making alot of mistakes.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I hate turn 2
Dec 8, 1941
The morning after aka I hate turn 2
SUMMARY
Both players suffer RSI as they struggle not to fall asleep on their keyboards from the sheer monotony of having to move a thousand and one units to places all over the globe to do a million and one things.
CENPAC/CONUS
A returning flotilla of DMS led by the Indianapolis found out the hard way that KB was still in the neighbourhood when they were set upon by 2 separate waves of carrier based planes. The survivors are limping back towards PH, considering the number of planes that
Other than that housekeeping was the order of the day back on CONUS, deployed squadrons to the coast in prep for shipment and put on training squadrons which are going to be redeployed in the short term, am going to wait a couple more days before sending out supplies and reinforcements to PH from the mainland as I don't know how ballsy Hyp is feeling about keeping KB out this far a couple more days, as it is I'm counting my blessings he didn't get my CVs.
SWPAC
Hyp scored big here, submarine mines and the resultant sub attack deployed just outside Corregidor got caught me completely off guard and got a ship or two although the majority of Allied shipping in Manila managed to get clear. 4 S-boats left in the harbour were worked over good by a large air raid on Manila. Guess I should have been a little less lazy and sortied everything.
2 separate assaults by MTB Squadron 3 and the Filipino Q boats got a tantalising glimpse of some of the invasion transports but were unable to close to a meaningful attack distance.
Fighter sweeps over Clark and Manila managed to make a mess of the P-40 squadrons, delays in getting CF back in operation are making me incur operational losses which I can't afford.
Am slowly changing commands for my B-17s to SWPAC so I can extricate them from PI but the lack of size 6 fields within range is going to put them out of action for a little longer than I like.
For some strange reason, the initial wave of assault troops have not been reinforced although I do see AKs a hex or two out, am going to take the opportunity to launch a counterattack and see how far I can take it, if nothing else it ought to mess him up a little and slow him down
SOUTHEAST ASIA
In a jarring reminder about the hazards of not checking to make sure I had gone through all my units and a general reminder of why I hate turn 2 so much, the civilian shipping (about 10ish AKs of various sizes) in Hong Kong harbour were given a through seeing to by 2 waves of light bombers, if they had been Bettys I'd have nothing left to sortie south, as it is the more badly damaged ones will probably be caught the next day now that they're out in the open sea.
Landings continue at Kota Bahru, the units at Kota Bahru have been ordered to hold till their position becomes untenable which should be in a turn or two considering the quality of the defending troops. Am going to try delay as much as I can down the Malay peninsula, denying him the use of as many airfields as I can, the longer I hold on to them, the better chance I have of moving ships around in the DEI without getting stomped by LBA operating out of Borneo and Malaya.
Fighter sweeps over Penang and Singapore gave defending Buffalos a bloody nose although losses seem much lower when compared to WitP. Here again, LBA caught a small flotilla of AKs headed out of Penang harbour and worked them over, resulting in a sinking or two.
The majority of Allied naval assets is slowly being gathered and redeployed under what limited air protection I can provide with native assets, apart from Singapore and PI, there has been no overt movement towards any other targets that I've detected, am trying to predict where my opponent will strike next and place assets accordingly.
CBI
Nothing much to report here, am still slowly figuring out the Chinese OOB, gave the Indian continent a once over and made substantial moves to shore up anticipated targets.
INTENTIONS
The big supply convoys from CONUS should start operating within the week after I sort out what goes where and move LCUs to the ports. In the meantime, will try as much as possible to aggressively delay or even prevent the investment of PI and Singapore while preserving what assets I have in Southeast Asia. A little concerned about CBI as I seem to have a million places to defend by only 2 bns of militia to defend with.
The morning after aka I hate turn 2
SUMMARY
Both players suffer RSI as they struggle not to fall asleep on their keyboards from the sheer monotony of having to move a thousand and one units to places all over the globe to do a million and one things.
CENPAC/CONUS
A returning flotilla of DMS led by the Indianapolis found out the hard way that KB was still in the neighbourhood when they were set upon by 2 separate waves of carrier based planes. The survivors are limping back towards PH, considering the number of planes that
Other than that housekeeping was the order of the day back on CONUS, deployed squadrons to the coast in prep for shipment and put on training squadrons which are going to be redeployed in the short term, am going to wait a couple more days before sending out supplies and reinforcements to PH from the mainland as I don't know how ballsy Hyp is feeling about keeping KB out this far a couple more days, as it is I'm counting my blessings he didn't get my CVs.
SWPAC
Hyp scored big here, submarine mines and the resultant sub attack deployed just outside Corregidor got caught me completely off guard and got a ship or two although the majority of Allied shipping in Manila managed to get clear. 4 S-boats left in the harbour were worked over good by a large air raid on Manila. Guess I should have been a little less lazy and sortied everything.
2 separate assaults by MTB Squadron 3 and the Filipino Q boats got a tantalising glimpse of some of the invasion transports but were unable to close to a meaningful attack distance.
Fighter sweeps over Clark and Manila managed to make a mess of the P-40 squadrons, delays in getting CF back in operation are making me incur operational losses which I can't afford.
Am slowly changing commands for my B-17s to SWPAC so I can extricate them from PI but the lack of size 6 fields within range is going to put them out of action for a little longer than I like.
For some strange reason, the initial wave of assault troops have not been reinforced although I do see AKs a hex or two out, am going to take the opportunity to launch a counterattack and see how far I can take it, if nothing else it ought to mess him up a little and slow him down
SOUTHEAST ASIA
In a jarring reminder about the hazards of not checking to make sure I had gone through all my units and a general reminder of why I hate turn 2 so much, the civilian shipping (about 10ish AKs of various sizes) in Hong Kong harbour were given a through seeing to by 2 waves of light bombers, if they had been Bettys I'd have nothing left to sortie south, as it is the more badly damaged ones will probably be caught the next day now that they're out in the open sea.
Landings continue at Kota Bahru, the units at Kota Bahru have been ordered to hold till their position becomes untenable which should be in a turn or two considering the quality of the defending troops. Am going to try delay as much as I can down the Malay peninsula, denying him the use of as many airfields as I can, the longer I hold on to them, the better chance I have of moving ships around in the DEI without getting stomped by LBA operating out of Borneo and Malaya.
Fighter sweeps over Penang and Singapore gave defending Buffalos a bloody nose although losses seem much lower when compared to WitP. Here again, LBA caught a small flotilla of AKs headed out of Penang harbour and worked them over, resulting in a sinking or two.
The majority of Allied naval assets is slowly being gathered and redeployed under what limited air protection I can provide with native assets, apart from Singapore and PI, there has been no overt movement towards any other targets that I've detected, am trying to predict where my opponent will strike next and place assets accordingly.
CBI
Nothing much to report here, am still slowly figuring out the Chinese OOB, gave the Indian continent a once over and made substantial moves to shore up anticipated targets.
INTENTIONS
The big supply convoys from CONUS should start operating within the week after I sort out what goes where and move LCUs to the ports. In the meantime, will try as much as possible to aggressively delay or even prevent the investment of PI and Singapore while preserving what assets I have in Southeast Asia. A little concerned about CBI as I seem to have a million places to defend by only 2 bns of militia to defend with.
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thegreatwent
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:42 am
- Location: Denver, CO
RE: I hate turn 2
Interesting read. I look forward to following your progress.
RE: I hate turn 2
Dec 9, 1941
Down the road we've just begun....
SUMMARY
First surface actions of the war see Allied transports out of Hong Kong get pounced on by an IJN SAG, the Allies return the favour when MTBs get in among transports and sink 4 of them while their cargo is still onboard. IJA consolidates it's foothold on Malaya and PI.
CENPAC AND CONUS
I'm liking the docking limitations set on the ports, makes me pay attention and forces me to set priorities and do a little traffic control in order to get things moving at the ports. I just wish there was a screen somewhere that showed which bases have a daily supply coming in instead of having to hunt for them around the map, maybe the resource page can have something tacked on? Or the bases tab?
Air strikes have been made on Wake since day 1 but so far no sign of any invasion force, am sorely tempted to do a reinforcement run but without knowing for sure where KB is I'm leery of sending in the transports for free target practice.
SWPAC
Heavy fighter sweeps and bombing raids on Clark continue to be the order of the day, between them and the airfield damage, the P-40 squadrons have just about shot their bolt. Can't seem to change commands for the P-40s, are they hard coded to be just USAFFE?
The majority of PI shipping has managed to clear south towards Borneo save for a couple of smaller ships that suffered the attentions of LBA but what looks like a IJN SAG has popped up just east of their projected southward track towards Soerbaja, i'm hoping the SAG, if it is one, doesn't contact the TF where I placed most of the bigger AKs and other valuable assets like Canopus. Couple of 4 stacker DDs aren't going to do much to stop the wolves if they get in among the sheep.
The majority of SS's sortied from Manila have reached their intial covering positions, I've strung them out just north of PI to just south of Formosa, with some positioned to try and catch the follow on transport TFs supporting the PI invasion. As is par for the course this early in the war, any SS's that do manage to get a shot off hit nothing but sea water.
Continued surface actions by MTBs during the night have proven inconclusive, with organic screen assets in the transport TFs preventing the MTBs from coming too close, except for one....
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Laoag at 81,72, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Kosei Maru
xAK Yamagiku Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Toyokawa Maru
xAK Konan Maru
xAK Somedono Maru
xAK Kosin Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Kurohime Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Daisin Maru
xAK Tsuyama Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Husimi Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
PB Rokko Maru #2
Allied Ships
MTB 7
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 10
MTB 11
MTB 12
MTB 26
MTB 27
Japanese ground losses:
1797 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 112 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
SOUTHEAST ASIA
The 3 Brit DDs out of HK were ordered to make a run at the invasion beaches of PI in an attempt to catch a couple of transports before making a break for DEI, unfortunately, an IJN SAG led by CL Naka gets the drop on them and brackets the Thracian，subsequent attacks by what I assume to be the PI invasion force pickets and escorts finish off the 3 DDs before I even get a chance to see 1 transport.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka, Shell hits 2
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame, Shell hits 1
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
DD Scout
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1
DD Thracian, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,64, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
Allied Ships
DD Scout, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1
DD Thracian, heavy fires
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,65, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Hatakaze
Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Thracian, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
The Naka SAG continues it's good run by catching and sinking 2 separate groups of AKs out of HK.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAK Bennevis, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Hinsang, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Nanning, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Munlock, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Haraldsvang, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 78,64, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Chengtu, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Fatshan, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Hanyang, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Ming Sang, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Bad local weather help a third Allied group of AKs to escape the fates of their compatriots, count them, not 1, not 2, not 3 but 7 interceptions by IJN ships, with the Naka SAG attempting no less than 5 separate interceptions. Someone up there must like them.
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 78,63, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Hatakaze
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 3,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,65, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,66, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 76,67, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Thunderstorms...
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 75,67, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Thunderstorms...
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 75,68, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
Fighter sweeps on Singapore, no bombers today thank goodness. Kota Bahru continues to receive reinforcement despite my best efforts to disrupt by air, a deliberate attack dislodged the local defence forces with heavy casualties. Hong Kong also got a taste of the action, should fall within the next turn or two.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kota Bharu (51,75)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 5878 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 232
Defending force 4640 troops, 40 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 135
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 155
Allied adjusted defense: 14
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kota Bharu !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
146 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Allied ground losses:
2322 casualties reported
Squads: 98 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 114 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 30 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (26 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:...
12th Engineer Regiment...
56th Infantry Regiment...
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /1...
5th JAAF AF Coy ...
...
Defending units:...
FMSV Brigade...
8th Indian Brigade...
3rd ISF Base Force...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26057 troops, 321 guns, 218 vehicles, Assault Value = 624
Defending force 8608 troops, 132 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 225
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese adjusted assault: 255
Allied adjusted defense: 261
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
427 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (0 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
501 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Assaulting units:...
19th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
38th Division...
66th Infantry Regiment...
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment...
5th RF Gun Battalion...
2nd RF Gun Battalion...
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment...
2nd Mortar Battalion...
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
Hong Kong Fortress...
Rifles of Canada Battalion...
Winnipeg Grenadiers Battalion...
1st Middlesex Battalion...
Kowloon Brigade...
102nd RN Base Force...
CBI
Tavoy and Rangoon have gotten some attention from the air today, looks like Burma is going to get some action stat. And it looks like China is in play as well...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 88,43
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 6306 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 181
Defending force 5436 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Japanese adjusted assault: 172
Allied adjusted defense: 71
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)
Japanese ground losses:
368 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
1898 casualties reported
Squads: 103 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 50 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:...
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade...
...
Defending units:...
98th Chinese Corps...
Down the road we've just begun....
SUMMARY
First surface actions of the war see Allied transports out of Hong Kong get pounced on by an IJN SAG, the Allies return the favour when MTBs get in among transports and sink 4 of them while their cargo is still onboard. IJA consolidates it's foothold on Malaya and PI.
CENPAC AND CONUS
I'm liking the docking limitations set on the ports, makes me pay attention and forces me to set priorities and do a little traffic control in order to get things moving at the ports. I just wish there was a screen somewhere that showed which bases have a daily supply coming in instead of having to hunt for them around the map, maybe the resource page can have something tacked on? Or the bases tab?
Air strikes have been made on Wake since day 1 but so far no sign of any invasion force, am sorely tempted to do a reinforcement run but without knowing for sure where KB is I'm leery of sending in the transports for free target practice.
SWPAC
Heavy fighter sweeps and bombing raids on Clark continue to be the order of the day, between them and the airfield damage, the P-40 squadrons have just about shot their bolt. Can't seem to change commands for the P-40s, are they hard coded to be just USAFFE?
The majority of PI shipping has managed to clear south towards Borneo save for a couple of smaller ships that suffered the attentions of LBA but what looks like a IJN SAG has popped up just east of their projected southward track towards Soerbaja, i'm hoping the SAG, if it is one, doesn't contact the TF where I placed most of the bigger AKs and other valuable assets like Canopus. Couple of 4 stacker DDs aren't going to do much to stop the wolves if they get in among the sheep.
The majority of SS's sortied from Manila have reached their intial covering positions, I've strung them out just north of PI to just south of Formosa, with some positioned to try and catch the follow on transport TFs supporting the PI invasion. As is par for the course this early in the war, any SS's that do manage to get a shot off hit nothing but sea water.
Continued surface actions by MTBs during the night have proven inconclusive, with organic screen assets in the transport TFs preventing the MTBs from coming too close, except for one....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Laoag at 81,72, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
xAK Kosei Maru
xAK Yamagiku Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Toyokawa Maru
xAK Konan Maru
xAK Somedono Maru
xAK Kosin Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Kurohime Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Daisin Maru
xAK Tsuyama Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Husimi Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
PB Rokko Maru #2
Allied Ships
MTB 7
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 10
MTB 11
MTB 12
MTB 26
MTB 27
Japanese ground losses:
1797 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 112 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
SOUTHEAST ASIA
The 3 Brit DDs out of HK were ordered to make a run at the invasion beaches of PI in an attempt to catch a couple of transports before making a break for DEI, unfortunately, an IJN SAG led by CL Naka gets the drop on them and brackets the Thracian，subsequent attacks by what I assume to be the PI invasion force pickets and escorts finish off the 3 DDs before I even get a chance to see 1 transport.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka, Shell hits 2
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame, Shell hits 1
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
DD Scout
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1
DD Thracian, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,64, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
Allied Ships
DD Scout, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1
DD Thracian, heavy fires
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,65, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Hatakaze
Allied Ships
DD Thanet, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Thracian, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
The Naka SAG continues it's good run by catching and sinking 2 separate groups of AKs out of HK.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAK Bennevis, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Hinsang, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Nanning, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Munlock, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Haraldsvang, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 78,64, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Chengtu, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Fatshan, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Hanyang, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Ming Sang, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Bad local weather help a third Allied group of AKs to escape the fates of their compatriots, count them, not 1, not 2, not 3 but 7 interceptions by IJN ships, with the Naka SAG attempting no less than 5 separate interceptions. Someone up there must like them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 78,63, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Hatakaze
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 3,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,65, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,66, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 76,67, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Thunderstorms...
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 75,67, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Reduced visibility due to Thunderstorms...
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 75,68, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
Allied Ships
xAKL Joan Moller
xAKL Kanchow
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor
xAK Hai Lee
Low visibility due to Rain...
Maximum visibility in Rain: 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 28,000 yards......
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape...
Allied Transport TF evades combat...
Fighter sweeps on Singapore, no bombers today thank goodness. Kota Bahru continues to receive reinforcement despite my best efforts to disrupt by air, a deliberate attack dislodged the local defence forces with heavy casualties. Hong Kong also got a taste of the action, should fall within the next turn or two.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kota Bharu (51,75)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 5878 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 232
Defending force 4640 troops, 40 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 135
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 155
Allied adjusted defense: 14
Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kota Bharu !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
146 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Allied ground losses:
2322 casualties reported
Squads: 98 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 114 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 30 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (26 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:...
12th Engineer Regiment...
56th Infantry Regiment...
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF /1...
5th JAAF AF Coy ...
...
Defending units:...
FMSV Brigade...
8th Indian Brigade...
3rd ISF Base Force...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26057 troops, 321 guns, 218 vehicles, Assault Value = 624
Defending force 8608 troops, 132 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 225
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese adjusted assault: 255
Allied adjusted defense: 261
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
427 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (0 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
501 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Assaulting units:...
19th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
38th Division...
66th Infantry Regiment...
20th Ind. Engineer Regiment...
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment...
5th RF Gun Battalion...
2nd RF Gun Battalion...
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment...
2nd Mortar Battalion...
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion...
...
Defending units:...
Hong Kong Fortress...
Rifles of Canada Battalion...
Winnipeg Grenadiers Battalion...
1st Middlesex Battalion...
Kowloon Brigade...
102nd RN Base Force...
CBI
Tavoy and Rangoon have gotten some attention from the air today, looks like Burma is going to get some action stat. And it looks like China is in play as well...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 88,43
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 6306 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 181
Defending force 5436 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179
Japanese adjusted assault: 172
Allied adjusted defense: 71
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)
Japanese ground losses:
368 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
1898 casualties reported
Squads: 103 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 50 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:...
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade...
...
Defending units:...
98th Chinese Corps...
Gracias
Hi John,
Thanks for reading, appreciate you taking the time to stop by!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the tip, I found your tip on withdrawing the air units early for some PP useful, didn't know about that. Am trying to figure out what and how to do it with with regards to China, can't say it's on the top of my list of favourite things to do.
Thanks for reading, appreciate you taking the time to stop by!
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the tip, I found your tip on withdrawing the air units early for some PP useful, didn't know about that. Am trying to figure out what and how to do it with with regards to China, can't say it's on the top of my list of favourite things to do.
Dec 10, 1941
Dec 10, 1941
This space for rent
SUMMARY
Thomas (Hyp) tries to cut me off at the knees by landing at Mersing, the CL Naka is now officially on my "to hurt" list and I hit some random...stuff.
The extent of Naka's rampage.....some days you just gotta ask yourself why you even bothered to get out of bed.
This space for rent
SUMMARY
Thomas (Hyp) tries to cut me off at the knees by landing at Mersing, the CL Naka is now officially on my "to hurt" list and I hit some random...stuff.
The extent of Naka's rampage.....some days you just gotta ask yourself why you even bothered to get out of bed.
- Attachments
-
- image 1.jpg (64.12 KiB) Viewed 766 times
RE: Dec 10, 1941
CENPAC and CONUS
The Indianapolis was lost to the depths when she could not hold it together long enough to get into Pearl, ah well, just have to find someone else to haul the bomb over when it's done.
Have unstuck the traffic jams around CONUS ports and convoys have started to load up, DDs from Pearl have been dispatched towards the West Coast in preparation to herd the supply convoys westwards towards Oz and Noumea.
SWPAC
Will probably shore up Australia's flanks, reinforce PM, Fiji and Noumea and if possible hold on to Guadalcanal and Rabual if my opponent is slow in following up. So many restricted units, so few PP.
In the meantime, the sub screen to the north of PI is in place and has commenced operations, a DD off the coast of China being the first customer by taking a fish, interestingly the DD being the Minegumo from the Naka TF. Revenge! Sink on the way home to port why don't you?
Going by some of the AAR's I've read, it seems holding on to Clark and Bataan is the way to go so I'll be doing that, however depending on how aggressive Thomas is I'll be trying to hold Manila for as long as I can without getting my units cut off so as to allow local reinforcements to pop up there. Have tracked a TF in the vicinity of Legaspi so he's probably going to open that second front sooner rather than later.
The Indianapolis was lost to the depths when she could not hold it together long enough to get into Pearl, ah well, just have to find someone else to haul the bomb over when it's done.
Have unstuck the traffic jams around CONUS ports and convoys have started to load up, DDs from Pearl have been dispatched towards the West Coast in preparation to herd the supply convoys westwards towards Oz and Noumea.
SWPAC
Will probably shore up Australia's flanks, reinforce PM, Fiji and Noumea and if possible hold on to Guadalcanal and Rabual if my opponent is slow in following up. So many restricted units, so few PP.
In the meantime, the sub screen to the north of PI is in place and has commenced operations, a DD off the coast of China being the first customer by taking a fish, interestingly the DD being the Minegumo from the Naka TF. Revenge! Sink on the way home to port why don't you?
Going by some of the AAR's I've read, it seems holding on to Clark and Bataan is the way to go so I'll be doing that, however depending on how aggressive Thomas is I'll be trying to hold Manila for as long as I can without getting my units cut off so as to allow local reinforcements to pop up there. Have tracked a TF in the vicinity of Legaspi so he's probably going to open that second front sooner rather than later.
- Attachments
-
- image2.jpg (68.63 KiB) Viewed 766 times
RE: Dec 10, 1941
CBI
Generally quiet, have made some moves to straighten out my lines in China, also made several changes of command to one of the stronger armies in preparation to make it the local fire brigade to counter any moves by the IJA
Burma and India see no sign of enemy action apart from the daily fighter sweeps of Rangoon.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
First off the DEI, going to make a stand at Java with a fallback at Timor. Java has good internal supply lines but I'm light on air and land assets and my ships are just going to be target practice once Thomas converts the Java Sea into his personal lake. But since I'm gonna lose 'em anyway I'll just make use of what assets I have to annoy him, should be good for a couple of giggles.
The Brit 18th Division is being diverted to Java, no way I'm sending those ships in under threat of a 100 bomber raid while they unload in Singapore as originally intended. Am trying to decide which would be a better use of 3 other bdes I have afloat at the moment, Rangoon or Java?
Hong Kong still holds out for another day, how much longer?
On the Malaya/Singapore front, my opponent has slipped in a landing force at Mersing in an attempt to isolate the bulk of my forces as they retreat down the Malay Peninsula, very ballsy of him considering it's practically on my doorstep and I still have a substantial amount of air assets to throw at him. Even the biplanes got in on the act with the Kongo reportedly eating 2 torpedos. A pity then that the majority of the air attacks focused on the BBs allowing the transports to land their cargo more or less unmolested, a pair of Swordfish being the only ones to actually target and hit a transport, reportedly inflicting 300 odd casualties. A bombardment attack by the local Aussie bde shows that I'm up against a tank bn amongst other things, oh dear, where's a 2pdr when you need one?
Generally quiet, have made some moves to straighten out my lines in China, also made several changes of command to one of the stronger armies in preparation to make it the local fire brigade to counter any moves by the IJA
Burma and India see no sign of enemy action apart from the daily fighter sweeps of Rangoon.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
First off the DEI, going to make a stand at Java with a fallback at Timor. Java has good internal supply lines but I'm light on air and land assets and my ships are just going to be target practice once Thomas converts the Java Sea into his personal lake. But since I'm gonna lose 'em anyway I'll just make use of what assets I have to annoy him, should be good for a couple of giggles.
The Brit 18th Division is being diverted to Java, no way I'm sending those ships in under threat of a 100 bomber raid while they unload in Singapore as originally intended. Am trying to decide which would be a better use of 3 other bdes I have afloat at the moment, Rangoon or Java?
Hong Kong still holds out for another day, how much longer?
On the Malaya/Singapore front, my opponent has slipped in a landing force at Mersing in an attempt to isolate the bulk of my forces as they retreat down the Malay Peninsula, very ballsy of him considering it's practically on my doorstep and I still have a substantial amount of air assets to throw at him. Even the biplanes got in on the act with the Kongo reportedly eating 2 torpedos. A pity then that the majority of the air attacks focused on the BBs allowing the transports to land their cargo more or less unmolested, a pair of Swordfish being the only ones to actually target and hit a transport, reportedly inflicting 300 odd casualties. A bombardment attack by the local Aussie bde shows that I'm up against a tank bn amongst other things, oh dear, where's a 2pdr when you need one?
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RE: Dec 12, 1941
Dec 11-12, 1941
Is this thing on?
SUMMARY
MTBs continue to punch above their weight in the Philippines, Mersing is taken, cutting off the Malay Peninsula from Singapore, but I managed to scratch some paint off Kongo, go me!
CENPAC and CONUS
Sightings of Japanese subs just off the West Coast, an SS puts a torpedo into the side of an AMC, would be interesting to see if the SS pursues the AMC in an attempt to finish the job. Have moved 3 divisions of DDs back from PH to SF for use as convoy escorts, ASW patrols are sanitizing the area just outside SF in preparation for a big convoy departure.
SWPAC
Using hit and run tactics, the Q boats and MTB Squadron 3 operating out of Manila Harbour have in the past 2 days claimed 2 AKs and a PB off the invasion beaches off the north coast of the Philippines. The Brit MTBs have been roughly handled after their success 3 nights ago when they claimed 2 APs and 2 AKs and have put into port for some much needed repairs, all in all, the MTBs have between them claimed a total of 25k tons since the IJN appeared off the coast of Vigan and Laoag while losing just 2 Brit boats in total. I've probably jinxed them now by writing this and the next turn will see Haruna appear just outside Manila and pulverize the lot.
Australia has seen major LCU movement in preparation for covering the north and NE coasts against IJA/IJN incursions, am prepping for a reinforcement convoy to PM but the relativel lack of escorts for my moving target boards is making me jittery.
In their first action against the Empire of Japan, the flattops of the USN have sunk 2 AMCs prowling the waters east of Pago Pago, have had them set course for Pearl in order to wait for the huge convoy forming in SF so they can cover it as it makes it's way towards Oz. The Saratoga TF is also on her way into Pearl from San Diego.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Mersing has fallen, rather quickly I might add, tad disappointing considering the Australian Bde defending it had something like 70odd prep points, although the armor regiment landing together with the infantry regiment might have had something to do with the relative ease at which my opponent took the base, the tank unit has also managed to move westwards of Mersing in effect cutting off Singapore from the Malaya Peninsula, I have most of my units already in Singapore behind the barbed wire but a couple of units are still making their way south, am going to hold Johor Bahru for as long as I can in order for the units now behind enemy lines to make an attempt to break through towards Singapore.
The ships carrying the Mersing force have retreated as fast as they appeared but not before LBA out of Singapore managed to give the Kongo a parting present of 2 torpedos, have no illusions about sinking her with just 2 fish no matter what my ships sunk board tells me.
Am trying to clear out any extraneous vessels in Java in preparation of making it my last stand in the DEI area before Australia, am still spread too thin but the good thing is the supply situation is pretty solid so it won't be for lack of bullets or beans if Java falls, just plain old outclassed and outnumbered thanks much.
CBI
Movement in China is like watching grass grow, so damned slow. My opponent has made some local attacks but I don't see any schwerpunkt forming yet, that will probably change in a couple of turns as the frequency of his land attacks has slowly but surely picked up.
Burma and India are quiet, did not take note of garrison requirements in Bombay, partisan damage to industry there has cost me dear, am scrambling to find what odds and ends I can find to plug the deficit.
Is this thing on?
SUMMARY
MTBs continue to punch above their weight in the Philippines, Mersing is taken, cutting off the Malay Peninsula from Singapore, but I managed to scratch some paint off Kongo, go me!
CENPAC and CONUS
Sightings of Japanese subs just off the West Coast, an SS puts a torpedo into the side of an AMC, would be interesting to see if the SS pursues the AMC in an attempt to finish the job. Have moved 3 divisions of DDs back from PH to SF for use as convoy escorts, ASW patrols are sanitizing the area just outside SF in preparation for a big convoy departure.
SWPAC
Using hit and run tactics, the Q boats and MTB Squadron 3 operating out of Manila Harbour have in the past 2 days claimed 2 AKs and a PB off the invasion beaches off the north coast of the Philippines. The Brit MTBs have been roughly handled after their success 3 nights ago when they claimed 2 APs and 2 AKs and have put into port for some much needed repairs, all in all, the MTBs have between them claimed a total of 25k tons since the IJN appeared off the coast of Vigan and Laoag while losing just 2 Brit boats in total. I've probably jinxed them now by writing this and the next turn will see Haruna appear just outside Manila and pulverize the lot.
Australia has seen major LCU movement in preparation for covering the north and NE coasts against IJA/IJN incursions, am prepping for a reinforcement convoy to PM but the relativel lack of escorts for my moving target boards is making me jittery.
In their first action against the Empire of Japan, the flattops of the USN have sunk 2 AMCs prowling the waters east of Pago Pago, have had them set course for Pearl in order to wait for the huge convoy forming in SF so they can cover it as it makes it's way towards Oz. The Saratoga TF is also on her way into Pearl from San Diego.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Mersing has fallen, rather quickly I might add, tad disappointing considering the Australian Bde defending it had something like 70odd prep points, although the armor regiment landing together with the infantry regiment might have had something to do with the relative ease at which my opponent took the base, the tank unit has also managed to move westwards of Mersing in effect cutting off Singapore from the Malaya Peninsula, I have most of my units already in Singapore behind the barbed wire but a couple of units are still making their way south, am going to hold Johor Bahru for as long as I can in order for the units now behind enemy lines to make an attempt to break through towards Singapore.
The ships carrying the Mersing force have retreated as fast as they appeared but not before LBA out of Singapore managed to give the Kongo a parting present of 2 torpedos, have no illusions about sinking her with just 2 fish no matter what my ships sunk board tells me.
Am trying to clear out any extraneous vessels in Java in preparation of making it my last stand in the DEI area before Australia, am still spread too thin but the good thing is the supply situation is pretty solid so it won't be for lack of bullets or beans if Java falls, just plain old outclassed and outnumbered thanks much.
CBI
Movement in China is like watching grass grow, so damned slow. My opponent has made some local attacks but I don't see any schwerpunkt forming yet, that will probably change in a couple of turns as the frequency of his land attacks has slowly but surely picked up.
Burma and India are quiet, did not take note of garrison requirements in Bombay, partisan damage to industry there has cost me dear, am scrambling to find what odds and ends I can find to plug the deficit.
Dec 13-14, 1941 Sara takes a hit
Dec 13-14, 1941
Flu is bad mmk?
SUMMARY
Am suffering the effects of flu, turns have slowed down a bit these past few days, I come to grips with some of the new features in AE and Saratoga is hammered by a sneak Jap sub attack
CENPAC and CONUS
The first of the large supply convoys have left CONUS and are making their way to PH before some of them continue further west to Brisbane and Noumea. Japanese sub activity off the San Francisco has made me divert significant ASW assets to ensuring the waters just off SF are sub free, sightings made by LBA show at least 2 subs just a couple of hexes off SF.
In other news Saratoga got jumped by I-19 while on her way into PH, she's afloat but has suffered moderate damage and is still battling raging fires on board, I'm liking this mid travel intercept by subs, definitely a major improvement over WitP. Only thing I'm concerned about is that the sub will try and finish the job as the stalking and eventual destruction of a couple of AK groups by subs in the PI area shows, also defintely something else I'm liking over old WitP. Am diverting 2 divisions of destroyers from a nearby convoy that was on it's way to SF to try and help cover Sara while driving off it not hunting down the sub.
SWPAC
Fighter sweeps and bombing raids over Clark have decimated what little air assets I have left, the more annoying side effect is that as long as my engineers are tied up with airfield repairs I can't get started on fortifications, Clark still has 0 forts, there should be an option for players to avoid repairing base facilities in favour of building forts.
MTBs continue to try and get to transports over the invasion beaches but my opponent has closed the door resoundingly by moving surface assets to cover avenues of approach, will still try sending the boats in till it becomes untenable to operate them out of Subic.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Things seem to have quietened a fair bit in Malaya/Singapore, till date Singapore has not been hit by a fighter sweep, much less an air raid, most squadrons operating out of Singapore are at or near full strength, am not under any illusions about how long I can hold out once the fighter sweeps start, experience in PI and playing against Japan AI in another game has shown me that my air assets quickly wilt under the deadly combo of fighter sweeps and bombing raids, especially when said fighter sweeps can number up to 90 A6M2s. On land, my opponent seems to be taking his time to build up his LCUs before heading south, am still trying to hold on to Johore Bahru in a bid to extricate 2 Indian Bdes that are now effectively cut off from Singapore after that daring landing at Mersing by my opponent.
In the DEI, mini KB has been spotted just north of Timor moving SW, am not sure of his intentions, he could be trying for a port strike on Darwin or making a sweep towards Java, if it's the former I have quite a few ships docked in Darwin I need to get out of harm's way, am rather hoping he continues west rather than south. The fortification of Java continues with the redeployment of LCUs and fortifications being built across most of the landing points.
Timor has been reinforced by a couple of Australian Bns out of Darwin in preparation to be used as a last stand before Australia proper. Landings have been interrupted by aforementioned spotting of mini KB, APs are moving south towards Darwin and may make their way further afield if it looks like mini KB is going to make a sweep of Darwin.
CBI
Again, pretty quiet across the board apart from an attack or two in China, am torn between doing the smart thing and playing with some sort of nod to history when it comes to China, that salient which sticks eastwards of the Chinese MLR to the port city of Wenchow sticks out like a sore thumb and the units there could be better used to withdraw westwards to form some semblance of a line. It just somehow feels gamey to me everytime I do something that deviates from history especially when it comes to doing "Sir Robins", come on, which politician would willing give up territory? Then again, the argument that it's a game and a good opportunity to see "what if" is a major push factor.
In India, I'm learning from doing it wrong when it comes to garrisoning cities with garrison requirements, having stripped some of the bigger cities of units without checking if they required garrisons has seen quite a few cities lit up across the board with partisan activity, nothing pen and paper and some calculation and redirection of units can't solve but precious resources are going to be wasted repairing industry and the like damaged by the partisans, stupid stupid stupid.
Flu is bad mmk?
SUMMARY
Am suffering the effects of flu, turns have slowed down a bit these past few days, I come to grips with some of the new features in AE and Saratoga is hammered by a sneak Jap sub attack
CENPAC and CONUS
The first of the large supply convoys have left CONUS and are making their way to PH before some of them continue further west to Brisbane and Noumea. Japanese sub activity off the San Francisco has made me divert significant ASW assets to ensuring the waters just off SF are sub free, sightings made by LBA show at least 2 subs just a couple of hexes off SF.
In other news Saratoga got jumped by I-19 while on her way into PH, she's afloat but has suffered moderate damage and is still battling raging fires on board, I'm liking this mid travel intercept by subs, definitely a major improvement over WitP. Only thing I'm concerned about is that the sub will try and finish the job as the stalking and eventual destruction of a couple of AK groups by subs in the PI area shows, also defintely something else I'm liking over old WitP. Am diverting 2 divisions of destroyers from a nearby convoy that was on it's way to SF to try and help cover Sara while driving off it not hunting down the sub.
SWPAC
Fighter sweeps and bombing raids over Clark have decimated what little air assets I have left, the more annoying side effect is that as long as my engineers are tied up with airfield repairs I can't get started on fortifications, Clark still has 0 forts, there should be an option for players to avoid repairing base facilities in favour of building forts.
MTBs continue to try and get to transports over the invasion beaches but my opponent has closed the door resoundingly by moving surface assets to cover avenues of approach, will still try sending the boats in till it becomes untenable to operate them out of Subic.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Things seem to have quietened a fair bit in Malaya/Singapore, till date Singapore has not been hit by a fighter sweep, much less an air raid, most squadrons operating out of Singapore are at or near full strength, am not under any illusions about how long I can hold out once the fighter sweeps start, experience in PI and playing against Japan AI in another game has shown me that my air assets quickly wilt under the deadly combo of fighter sweeps and bombing raids, especially when said fighter sweeps can number up to 90 A6M2s. On land, my opponent seems to be taking his time to build up his LCUs before heading south, am still trying to hold on to Johore Bahru in a bid to extricate 2 Indian Bdes that are now effectively cut off from Singapore after that daring landing at Mersing by my opponent.
In the DEI, mini KB has been spotted just north of Timor moving SW, am not sure of his intentions, he could be trying for a port strike on Darwin or making a sweep towards Java, if it's the former I have quite a few ships docked in Darwin I need to get out of harm's way, am rather hoping he continues west rather than south. The fortification of Java continues with the redeployment of LCUs and fortifications being built across most of the landing points.
Timor has been reinforced by a couple of Australian Bns out of Darwin in preparation to be used as a last stand before Australia proper. Landings have been interrupted by aforementioned spotting of mini KB, APs are moving south towards Darwin and may make their way further afield if it looks like mini KB is going to make a sweep of Darwin.
CBI
Again, pretty quiet across the board apart from an attack or two in China, am torn between doing the smart thing and playing with some sort of nod to history when it comes to China, that salient which sticks eastwards of the Chinese MLR to the port city of Wenchow sticks out like a sore thumb and the units there could be better used to withdraw westwards to form some semblance of a line. It just somehow feels gamey to me everytime I do something that deviates from history especially when it comes to doing "Sir Robins", come on, which politician would willing give up territory? Then again, the argument that it's a game and a good opportunity to see "what if" is a major push factor.
In India, I'm learning from doing it wrong when it comes to garrisoning cities with garrison requirements, having stripped some of the bigger cities of units without checking if they required garrisons has seen quite a few cities lit up across the board with partisan activity, nothing pen and paper and some calculation and redirection of units can't solve but precious resources are going to be wasted repairing industry and the like damaged by the partisans, stupid stupid stupid.
Dec 15-16
Dec 15 and 16
It's quiet, too quiet...
SUMMARY
Things are still generally very quiet over these past 2 turns with actions by my opponent restricted to basically China, PI and Malaya, I find myself having free run around the rest of the map, except for those pesky I boats life is reasonably tolerable. I also find myself paying more attention to operations and sigint reports than I used to when playing the AI, gotta love PBEM.
CENPAC and CONUS
Saratoga looks like she may not make port, fires are raging out of control and it looks like the ship has suffered catastrophic system failure. Am still kicking myself about not putting enough cans in her escort, she left San Diego with a CL and 3 DDs, should have waited a little longer, not like I was going anywhere with her anyways. Lesson learned kids, escorts or nothing important leaves the safety of a port. Am not really pissed about losing a deck, more pissed about losing her airgroup, ah well, here's hoping against hope.
Have diverted some of the larger AKs to the East Coast in preparation for setting up runs from there to Cape Town and then on to India or Oz from there. Reckon it should be safer that way plus the bigger AKs would just clog up the relatively smaller in game ports anyways.
PBYs out of PH have detected a group of 9 ships near Laysan Island, wonder if it's KB still hanging about the area hoping for a sniff of my flattops, hope he's keeping an eye on his fuel gauges, subs protecting the PH approaches have been ordered further west to see if they can sniff out what exactly is the composition of this group of ships, if any.
SWPAC
Down to about 25 operational P-40s with an even dozen P-35s, all the B-17s have gone south to Oz and the Catalinas have gone to Java to give much needed naval search support. Clark Field is still at fort level 0 due to the incessant bombing of the airfield and it's subsequent repair by the engineers, what a way to win a war. Bataan is in slightly better shape at fort 2 but the best I can hope for is to give my opponent a bloody nose before he runs me over. The Japanese spearheads are just NE of Clark at Lingayen as of the 16th.
The MTBs have done well, losing 4 of the Brit boats and a Q boat in exchange for claims against 6 AKs, 2 APs and a PB, but their time has also come to live to fight another day, boat have been split by squadrons and are making their way south towards Java to continue the fight.
The rest of the PI has not seen any action and I was tempted to reform the division on Mindanao but figured what the hey, might as well annoy my opponent by making him clean out each and every base.
In Australia, I have 1 Division each around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with elements of 2 more around the Townsville area, in a nod to history the Aussie 30th Inf Bde has been prepped for action at PM and will be the first reinforcements there once I build up enough PPs. Followup forces will be drawn from the units around Sydney and Melbourne and will probably initiate landings at Milne Bay as well to cover PM's east flank.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Singapore is seeing more regular fighter sweeps but so far no bombers yet, I expect he's going to want to work over my fighter complement for a while more till he's sure I've shot my bolt before he sends in the bombers. Liking the air battles for AE so far, the numbers seem more realistic, no more turkey shoots type of numbers, eg, on the 16th, 22 A6Ms came up against about 30 Buffalos, 1 A6M destroyed for the loss of 3 Beer Barrels, we're doing great, I expected to be swatted out of the sky in one engagement, followup on the squadrons did show a significant number of damaged machines though, figure about 20 servicable fighters by the next day but that's still way better than what it used to be.
KL and Malacca have fallen, effectively cutting of my 2 Indian Bdes in the north, am tempted to make a strike on Mersing with my 2 Aussie Bdes but don't want to end up losing 4 Bdes instead of 2. Singapore has climbed to Fort 3 but the quality of troops is still so darned meh, slipped in a convoy of small AKs from Palembang with supplies escorted by 3 Dutch cans while the threat of bombers was still non-existent, probably going to start evacuations of a couple of base forces in the next turn or two in order to beef up Java's air capacity.
I-boats are active off Palembang, taking at least 2 small AKs in the past 2 days, the losses sting but as my opponent unwittingly pointed out, he's shooting 4 torps at every 1,000 ton freighter that passes by so while there's an earth shattering kaboom most times they're sure costing him precious ammo.
Java is continuing the buildup of it's defences, selective reinforcement of a couple of the better shape Dutch regiments has began, ports on the Borneo side of the island continue to build forts and mines will be placed shortly before Singapore falls so there will be at least 3 left by the time my opponent comes around to invading Java. I expect him to try and take Palembang first, if nothing than to secure a base of operations near enough he can base fighters from there to support bombers flying out of Singapore. Reckon he'll probably try and land at either tip first, bypassing the obvious centres of resistance in order for him to build up his strength before he makes a move on the rest of the island. Don't have enough LCUs to cover everywhere, hope the Brit 18th Division gets here on time.
Even with the Brit Div what I have to oppose him isn't impressive by any standard, Martin bombers and a hodgepodge of fighters, only at sea does it look like I might get somewhere, with a decent number of DDs supporting about 9 cruisers and subs if I pulled them back from their patrols. Would give him a bit of a headache if not for his overwhelming surperiority in airframes and pilots. Even if he just came in with mini KB and backstopped by bombers and fighters based out of Palembang and Singapore I reckon it'll be a challenge just to get past them, which if I do, leaves me to deal with the heavies who will inevitably be riding shotgun. Must put more thought into how I expect him to come at me.
CBI
Looks like my opponent is also figuring out what to do as we go along in China, local attacks confined to locations near the coast so far. As for me, am putting out the chunk of units at Chungking and redistributing them south, going to consolidate my spread out forces and try and make a stand in the cities.
The Burmese component of AVG made it's combat debut no doubt giving an unpleasant surprise to the fighter sweep of Rangoon, lots of damaged airframes though and the pilots are tired out from flying in and then going into combat immediately on the next round.
India has quietened down a fair bit after troops moved into the cities that had unrest due to garrison shortfalls, have put out several of the larger AKs and TKs to start a convoy shuttling in supplies from the off map locations.
Am spread very very thinly in terms of air and sea assets in India, the land component is just marginally better, I believe I have enough for the defence of India proper but throw in Burma and it'd be a stretch.
It's quiet, too quiet...
SUMMARY
Things are still generally very quiet over these past 2 turns with actions by my opponent restricted to basically China, PI and Malaya, I find myself having free run around the rest of the map, except for those pesky I boats life is reasonably tolerable. I also find myself paying more attention to operations and sigint reports than I used to when playing the AI, gotta love PBEM.
CENPAC and CONUS
Saratoga looks like she may not make port, fires are raging out of control and it looks like the ship has suffered catastrophic system failure. Am still kicking myself about not putting enough cans in her escort, she left San Diego with a CL and 3 DDs, should have waited a little longer, not like I was going anywhere with her anyways. Lesson learned kids, escorts or nothing important leaves the safety of a port. Am not really pissed about losing a deck, more pissed about losing her airgroup, ah well, here's hoping against hope.
Have diverted some of the larger AKs to the East Coast in preparation for setting up runs from there to Cape Town and then on to India or Oz from there. Reckon it should be safer that way plus the bigger AKs would just clog up the relatively smaller in game ports anyways.
PBYs out of PH have detected a group of 9 ships near Laysan Island, wonder if it's KB still hanging about the area hoping for a sniff of my flattops, hope he's keeping an eye on his fuel gauges, subs protecting the PH approaches have been ordered further west to see if they can sniff out what exactly is the composition of this group of ships, if any.
SWPAC
Down to about 25 operational P-40s with an even dozen P-35s, all the B-17s have gone south to Oz and the Catalinas have gone to Java to give much needed naval search support. Clark Field is still at fort level 0 due to the incessant bombing of the airfield and it's subsequent repair by the engineers, what a way to win a war. Bataan is in slightly better shape at fort 2 but the best I can hope for is to give my opponent a bloody nose before he runs me over. The Japanese spearheads are just NE of Clark at Lingayen as of the 16th.
The MTBs have done well, losing 4 of the Brit boats and a Q boat in exchange for claims against 6 AKs, 2 APs and a PB, but their time has also come to live to fight another day, boat have been split by squadrons and are making their way south towards Java to continue the fight.
The rest of the PI has not seen any action and I was tempted to reform the division on Mindanao but figured what the hey, might as well annoy my opponent by making him clean out each and every base.
In Australia, I have 1 Division each around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with elements of 2 more around the Townsville area, in a nod to history the Aussie 30th Inf Bde has been prepped for action at PM and will be the first reinforcements there once I build up enough PPs. Followup forces will be drawn from the units around Sydney and Melbourne and will probably initiate landings at Milne Bay as well to cover PM's east flank.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Singapore is seeing more regular fighter sweeps but so far no bombers yet, I expect he's going to want to work over my fighter complement for a while more till he's sure I've shot my bolt before he sends in the bombers. Liking the air battles for AE so far, the numbers seem more realistic, no more turkey shoots type of numbers, eg, on the 16th, 22 A6Ms came up against about 30 Buffalos, 1 A6M destroyed for the loss of 3 Beer Barrels, we're doing great, I expected to be swatted out of the sky in one engagement, followup on the squadrons did show a significant number of damaged machines though, figure about 20 servicable fighters by the next day but that's still way better than what it used to be.
KL and Malacca have fallen, effectively cutting of my 2 Indian Bdes in the north, am tempted to make a strike on Mersing with my 2 Aussie Bdes but don't want to end up losing 4 Bdes instead of 2. Singapore has climbed to Fort 3 but the quality of troops is still so darned meh, slipped in a convoy of small AKs from Palembang with supplies escorted by 3 Dutch cans while the threat of bombers was still non-existent, probably going to start evacuations of a couple of base forces in the next turn or two in order to beef up Java's air capacity.
I-boats are active off Palembang, taking at least 2 small AKs in the past 2 days, the losses sting but as my opponent unwittingly pointed out, he's shooting 4 torps at every 1,000 ton freighter that passes by so while there's an earth shattering kaboom most times they're sure costing him precious ammo.
Java is continuing the buildup of it's defences, selective reinforcement of a couple of the better shape Dutch regiments has began, ports on the Borneo side of the island continue to build forts and mines will be placed shortly before Singapore falls so there will be at least 3 left by the time my opponent comes around to invading Java. I expect him to try and take Palembang first, if nothing than to secure a base of operations near enough he can base fighters from there to support bombers flying out of Singapore. Reckon he'll probably try and land at either tip first, bypassing the obvious centres of resistance in order for him to build up his strength before he makes a move on the rest of the island. Don't have enough LCUs to cover everywhere, hope the Brit 18th Division gets here on time.
Even with the Brit Div what I have to oppose him isn't impressive by any standard, Martin bombers and a hodgepodge of fighters, only at sea does it look like I might get somewhere, with a decent number of DDs supporting about 9 cruisers and subs if I pulled them back from their patrols. Would give him a bit of a headache if not for his overwhelming surperiority in airframes and pilots. Even if he just came in with mini KB and backstopped by bombers and fighters based out of Palembang and Singapore I reckon it'll be a challenge just to get past them, which if I do, leaves me to deal with the heavies who will inevitably be riding shotgun. Must put more thought into how I expect him to come at me.
CBI
Looks like my opponent is also figuring out what to do as we go along in China, local attacks confined to locations near the coast so far. As for me, am putting out the chunk of units at Chungking and redistributing them south, going to consolidate my spread out forces and try and make a stand in the cities.
The Burmese component of AVG made it's combat debut no doubt giving an unpleasant surprise to the fighter sweep of Rangoon, lots of damaged airframes though and the pilots are tired out from flying in and then going into combat immediately on the next round.
India has quietened down a fair bit after troops moved into the cities that had unrest due to garrison shortfalls, have put out several of the larger AKs and TKs to start a convoy shuttling in supplies from the off map locations.
Am spread very very thinly in terms of air and sea assets in India, the land component is just marginally better, I believe I have enough for the defence of India proper but throw in Burma and it'd be a stretch.
Dec 17, 1941
Dec 17, 1941
Goodbye Sara, I hardly knew you.
SUMMARY
The lull continues, what do you expect from 1 day turns?
CENPAC and CONUS
In the end the Saratoga fought for 3 days before she slid under the waves about 500miles east of PH. Pump failure was cited as the main cause for her going down, the loss of her CAG stings me so but that's what I get for rushing, dead CV.
The strategic implication of losing a CV so early in the game means that I would only have 5 US flattops worth of carrier borne airpower by mid 1942 assuming I don't lose any other carriers, putting me at a slight disadvantage in terms of decks and maybe numbers compared to KB. In the end though it still probably won't change things very radically, RL events like Coral Sea and Midway are just not going to happen ingame and I'll have to pick my fights very carefully till late '42.
In other news, Guam is going to get invaded in the next turn or two.
SWPAC
Aus 30th Inf Bde is on the way to PM, Rabaul has been invaded. So many units to move, not enough PPs to do them all, damn this game for taking away my soul.
About 20 P-40s in various stages of disrepair are all that is left of the USAFFE. Clark will fall easily, Bataan will probably take him a little longer. If I can tie him down in the PI till the end of the month I'd consider it a good game.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
It took me a while to realize that Cape Town had 200k worth of supplies, all this while I saw it as 20k, WTB new eyeballs. That oversight has been rectified and am now diverting substantial tonnage to move the supplies to where they're needed in India, Oz and DEI.
Japanese units continue their investment of Peninsula Malaya, taking Kuala Lumpur and moving into Johore Bahru, my 2 isolated Indian Bdes will make a nuisance of themselves for as long as they can by delaying the bulk of his troops coming down from Thailand and the north of Malaya. A supply convoy has managed to reach Singapore unmolested by air or sea and will probably take off some of the base troops to beef up numbers in Java on the return trip.
CBI
India's quiet, reinforcements originally bound for Singapore and Rangoon have made landfall at Chittagong and will garrison Akyab and Cox's Bazar. Am mulling over whether I should try and make a stand at Rangoon by reinforcing it since my opponent doesn't seem to be trying to disrupt my seaborne traffic, problem is I don't know where to pull the extra troops from.
China remains quiet but I'm defintely seeing concentration of force on my opponent's end, will try and take an ss of the region next round.
Goodbye Sara, I hardly knew you.
SUMMARY
The lull continues, what do you expect from 1 day turns?
CENPAC and CONUS
In the end the Saratoga fought for 3 days before she slid under the waves about 500miles east of PH. Pump failure was cited as the main cause for her going down, the loss of her CAG stings me so but that's what I get for rushing, dead CV.
The strategic implication of losing a CV so early in the game means that I would only have 5 US flattops worth of carrier borne airpower by mid 1942 assuming I don't lose any other carriers, putting me at a slight disadvantage in terms of decks and maybe numbers compared to KB. In the end though it still probably won't change things very radically, RL events like Coral Sea and Midway are just not going to happen ingame and I'll have to pick my fights very carefully till late '42.
In other news, Guam is going to get invaded in the next turn or two.
SWPAC
Aus 30th Inf Bde is on the way to PM, Rabaul has been invaded. So many units to move, not enough PPs to do them all, damn this game for taking away my soul.
About 20 P-40s in various stages of disrepair are all that is left of the USAFFE. Clark will fall easily, Bataan will probably take him a little longer. If I can tie him down in the PI till the end of the month I'd consider it a good game.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
It took me a while to realize that Cape Town had 200k worth of supplies, all this while I saw it as 20k, WTB new eyeballs. That oversight has been rectified and am now diverting substantial tonnage to move the supplies to where they're needed in India, Oz and DEI.
Japanese units continue their investment of Peninsula Malaya, taking Kuala Lumpur and moving into Johore Bahru, my 2 isolated Indian Bdes will make a nuisance of themselves for as long as they can by delaying the bulk of his troops coming down from Thailand and the north of Malaya. A supply convoy has managed to reach Singapore unmolested by air or sea and will probably take off some of the base troops to beef up numbers in Java on the return trip.
CBI
India's quiet, reinforcements originally bound for Singapore and Rangoon have made landfall at Chittagong and will garrison Akyab and Cox's Bazar. Am mulling over whether I should try and make a stand at Rangoon by reinforcing it since my opponent doesn't seem to be trying to disrupt my seaborne traffic, problem is I don't know where to pull the extra troops from.
China remains quiet but I'm defintely seeing concentration of force on my opponent's end, will try and take an ss of the region next round.
RE: Dec 18-21, 1941
Dec 18-21, 1941
Careful, your schwerpunkt is showing...
SUMMARY
In the words of my opponent, we both now have a more personal relationship with our mailboxes now, having visited them at least a dozen times these past 2 days due to a screwup on my part where I thought I had sent the turn through and he thought I was otherwise occupied with RL but didn't drop me a mail to ask. :p
CONUS and CENPAC
The major convoys to Noumea/Pago Pago/Fiji and Luganville have been sorted out and are now on their way to their destinations, can't imagine what it must have been like to see those hundred ship convoys forming up for the runs across both oceans back during the day, the skies filled with flak balloons and the seas crawling with ships of every size and type as the merchies got into line. All the locations mentioned will have at least a regiment's worth of troops together with engineers and base troops, with Luganville having a couple more friends than the other 3 due to it being now on the very front line, more on that in the SWPAC section. I'll fill in the details when they debark.
SWPAC
Definitely the flavour of the month with the events of the past few days. The Shortlands and Rabaul invaded and taken over by the forces of the Rising Sun. SIGINT has troops loading up on transports bound for Noumea so it looks like a race is on to see who gets there first.
I had expected Hyp to go for PM but I'm betting he's already been informed of the loss of the Saratoga and figures, why the hell not, let's cut the US off from DEI/CBI and Oz all in one fell swoop or at the very least making me commit significant assets to neutralizing any move he makes in the area in an effort to keep my SLOCs open. He's got a shorter commute and more carrier decks than I have but I'll be sortieing both of my carriers and putting them on the path to Noumea. It's a good bet he's got KB around the PNG/New Caledonia area just to see if my carriers will make an appearance, at least that's what I'd do if I were him. Haven't had a whiff of KB since the opening shots of the war.
In the meantime, I'll be diverting a couple of subs and air assets to cover the approaches to Luganville/Noumea to see if they pick up a hint of KB. Don't really know what I'll do if KB is detected, going in at odds of 1:3 and with the A6M A2A bonus seems like a no-brainer. The troop convoys will probably reinforce Pago Pago and Fiji as planned with the Luganville/Noumea troops going to either depending on what happens in the next 2 weeks.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Generally quiet except for air raids on Singapore and Clark Field. Manila has fallen but that's hardly surprising considering almost everything I had was either pulled back to Clark or Bataan already when Hyp made the move. Have 1500 AV concentrated on CF but 0 fort, would be interesting to see if I have time to build CF up, Bataan is lvl 2 going on 3.
Singapore has been resupplied twice already by a band of small freighters operating out of Palembang, apart from having a couple blown out of the water by I-boats, I've been relatively unmolested in my attempts to keep Singapore resupplied. A couple of the more durable defenders have been set to replacements on as I intend to make a fight out of it at Singapore, we'll see how much of a speed bump Singapore is in a couple of game days. As it is, he's taking his time cleaning up the peninsula, I'm still holding on to Kuantan and Johore Bahru which means he's got 2 less major airfields to fly out from, some of his raids look like they're still coming from Indochina. The Buffalos are getting good experience and generally giving as good as they get but it's tough on the airframes, lots of damaged airplanes littering Tengah and Sembawang airfields.
In the DEI, sounds of fort construction reverberate across Sumatra and Java, I've got lots of supplies and I'm not afraid to use 'em. Planes are training, troops are digging, ships are deployed, everyone's waiting for Singapore to fall and then for the hammer to come at DEI.
CBI
India's quiet, so too is Burma, might as well dig in. Cox's Bazar, Akyab and Chittagong have been reinforced by a Bde each of Indian Infantry, courtesy of the troops that were supposed to reinforce Singapore. Everything else not on garrison duty has been pushed south to Calcutta and Madras, don't really know where to put them, so many places a Japanese player could land.
In China is where I've had a bit of fun this most recent turn, up till now, I've only deployed the AVG squadron under Burma Command to Rangoon, where it's getting slowly attrited by the daily air raids but that's another story. The other 2 squadrons under China Command have till this last turn been kept behind the lines as I wanted them at full strength after redeploying them from Mandalay and I wanted to see where I was getting bombed on a regular basis. So, on this turn, when he sent in his usual raids into Changsha, he got some not so usual results. I don't have the numbers but it looks like I bruised a couple of squadrons badly, in particular a Lily squadron that flew unescorted, 10 kill claims out of 20 bombers for that one. The lack of radar is strongly felt, planes are only being scrambled when the raid is overhead but I'm sure I've given him pause now on the air front that AVG has come out to play in China.
THOUGHTS
Apart from Singapore, the PI and China where I'm heavily engaged, I've been allowed to have relatively free rein in just about the rest of the map, am taking advantage of this by risking unescorted convoys of merchies I can afford to lose as well to reinforce places like Singapore as well as sending the larger merchies willy nilly across the map to the off map locations and ferrying troops to reinforce far flung outposts without fear of enemy surface or air elements. Will probably revisit this point with my opponent when we do a debrief of this game.
Careful, your schwerpunkt is showing...
SUMMARY
In the words of my opponent, we both now have a more personal relationship with our mailboxes now, having visited them at least a dozen times these past 2 days due to a screwup on my part where I thought I had sent the turn through and he thought I was otherwise occupied with RL but didn't drop me a mail to ask. :p
CONUS and CENPAC
The major convoys to Noumea/Pago Pago/Fiji and Luganville have been sorted out and are now on their way to their destinations, can't imagine what it must have been like to see those hundred ship convoys forming up for the runs across both oceans back during the day, the skies filled with flak balloons and the seas crawling with ships of every size and type as the merchies got into line. All the locations mentioned will have at least a regiment's worth of troops together with engineers and base troops, with Luganville having a couple more friends than the other 3 due to it being now on the very front line, more on that in the SWPAC section. I'll fill in the details when they debark.
SWPAC
Definitely the flavour of the month with the events of the past few days. The Shortlands and Rabaul invaded and taken over by the forces of the Rising Sun. SIGINT has troops loading up on transports bound for Noumea so it looks like a race is on to see who gets there first.
I had expected Hyp to go for PM but I'm betting he's already been informed of the loss of the Saratoga and figures, why the hell not, let's cut the US off from DEI/CBI and Oz all in one fell swoop or at the very least making me commit significant assets to neutralizing any move he makes in the area in an effort to keep my SLOCs open. He's got a shorter commute and more carrier decks than I have but I'll be sortieing both of my carriers and putting them on the path to Noumea. It's a good bet he's got KB around the PNG/New Caledonia area just to see if my carriers will make an appearance, at least that's what I'd do if I were him. Haven't had a whiff of KB since the opening shots of the war.
In the meantime, I'll be diverting a couple of subs and air assets to cover the approaches to Luganville/Noumea to see if they pick up a hint of KB. Don't really know what I'll do if KB is detected, going in at odds of 1:3 and with the A6M A2A bonus seems like a no-brainer. The troop convoys will probably reinforce Pago Pago and Fiji as planned with the Luganville/Noumea troops going to either depending on what happens in the next 2 weeks.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Generally quiet except for air raids on Singapore and Clark Field. Manila has fallen but that's hardly surprising considering almost everything I had was either pulled back to Clark or Bataan already when Hyp made the move. Have 1500 AV concentrated on CF but 0 fort, would be interesting to see if I have time to build CF up, Bataan is lvl 2 going on 3.
Singapore has been resupplied twice already by a band of small freighters operating out of Palembang, apart from having a couple blown out of the water by I-boats, I've been relatively unmolested in my attempts to keep Singapore resupplied. A couple of the more durable defenders have been set to replacements on as I intend to make a fight out of it at Singapore, we'll see how much of a speed bump Singapore is in a couple of game days. As it is, he's taking his time cleaning up the peninsula, I'm still holding on to Kuantan and Johore Bahru which means he's got 2 less major airfields to fly out from, some of his raids look like they're still coming from Indochina. The Buffalos are getting good experience and generally giving as good as they get but it's tough on the airframes, lots of damaged airplanes littering Tengah and Sembawang airfields.
In the DEI, sounds of fort construction reverberate across Sumatra and Java, I've got lots of supplies and I'm not afraid to use 'em. Planes are training, troops are digging, ships are deployed, everyone's waiting for Singapore to fall and then for the hammer to come at DEI.
CBI
India's quiet, so too is Burma, might as well dig in. Cox's Bazar, Akyab and Chittagong have been reinforced by a Bde each of Indian Infantry, courtesy of the troops that were supposed to reinforce Singapore. Everything else not on garrison duty has been pushed south to Calcutta and Madras, don't really know where to put them, so many places a Japanese player could land.
In China is where I've had a bit of fun this most recent turn, up till now, I've only deployed the AVG squadron under Burma Command to Rangoon, where it's getting slowly attrited by the daily air raids but that's another story. The other 2 squadrons under China Command have till this last turn been kept behind the lines as I wanted them at full strength after redeploying them from Mandalay and I wanted to see where I was getting bombed on a regular basis. So, on this turn, when he sent in his usual raids into Changsha, he got some not so usual results. I don't have the numbers but it looks like I bruised a couple of squadrons badly, in particular a Lily squadron that flew unescorted, 10 kill claims out of 20 bombers for that one. The lack of radar is strongly felt, planes are only being scrambled when the raid is overhead but I'm sure I've given him pause now on the air front that AVG has come out to play in China.
THOUGHTS
Apart from Singapore, the PI and China where I'm heavily engaged, I've been allowed to have relatively free rein in just about the rest of the map, am taking advantage of this by risking unescorted convoys of merchies I can afford to lose as well to reinforce places like Singapore as well as sending the larger merchies willy nilly across the map to the off map locations and ferrying troops to reinforce far flung outposts without fear of enemy surface or air elements. Will probably revisit this point with my opponent when we do a debrief of this game.
RE: Dec 22-23, 1941
Dec 22-23, 1941
Pride goeth before the fall...
SUMMARY
I eat humble pie after saying my opponent was giving me too much space as he invests Tulagi and Luganville in rapid sucession. Noumea has invasion fleets standing off the coast, I find myself using a word from my youthful side, ZOMG.
CONUS and CENPAC
The transport convoys from WC are on the way to Pago Pago, carriers have left PH in advance to screen their movements and to see if they can get a sniff of what's up ahead.
SWPAC
In a continuation of an adroit move that started with the taking of Rabaul, Luganville and Tulagi have fallen to light forces and Noumea is threatened by invasion fleets. Suspect KB is somewhere north of Noumea just a little out of air search range. Have a SAG centred around 3 CAs just south of Noumea but am debating whether I should send them in in the face of the unknown.
I have enough combat power in the transport convoys coming from WC to retake Noumea and probably Luganville but much will depend on what covering forces my opponent has, I reckon he'll be using KB as a backstop till he gets enough boots on the ground and LBA in the area to secure his gains, if so, there's probably not much I can do to prevent him taking Noumea. To add to that, I'll have to find a place to disembark the troops and then combat load them again so that's time needed that I don't have. Fallback plan for me then would be to secure Fiji and Pago Pago and even that's a little dicey because of the disparity in carrier decks should he be feeling frisky.
In other news, mini KB has appeared to the north of Darwin and bombed the crap out of a mixed bag of ships I was sending south from Java, losing 2 AS and an AD was a tad painful. The refugee BG of B17s from PI is based at Darwin while waiting for base forces elsewhere in Oz to build up airfields so I'll be sending them up on a naval attack the next turn, if nothing else the attack should give him some pause about running around my rear areas unopposed.
Couple of APs I had on a reinforcement run to Timor are making for Wyndham in an attempt to escape the bombing Darwin is sure to get. In an attempt to limit potential losses, I have a group of fast merchies heading east towards Townsville and another of TKs heading west towards Perth, the rest of the merchies will just cower in port and hope for the best.
Clark Field had it's first attack on the last round, oh lookie, 600 tubes, bombardment attack anyone?
Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 51829 troops, 410 guns, 239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1438
Defending force 53422 troops, 655 guns, 481 vehicles, Assault Value = 1590
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 568
Allied adjusted defense: 1612
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
4214 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 183 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 189 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Vehicles lost 28 (2 destroyed, 26 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3500 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 157 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 271 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 84 (7 destroyed, 77 disabled)
Assaulting units:...
Kanno Detachment...
20th Infantry Regiment...
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment...
9th Infantry Regiment...
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment...
65th Brigade...
48th Recon Regiment...
47th Infantry Regiment...
7th Tank Regiment...
48th Engineer Regiment...
Tanaka Detachment...
16th Engineer Regiment...
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment...
4th Div /6...
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
9th Field AF Construction Battalion...
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
48th Field Artillery Regiment...
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
14th Army...
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
56th Const Co ...
45th Field AA Battalion...
3rd Engineer Construction Battalion...
Defending units:...
26th PS Cavalry Regiment...
51st PA Infantry Division...
41st PA Infantry Division...
194th Tank Battalion...
Subic Bay Defenses ...
1st PA Constabulary Regiment...
14th PS Engineer Regiment...
71st PA Infantry Division...
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team...
31st Infantry Regiment...
21st PA Infantry Division...
31st PA Infantry Division...
1st PA Infantry Division...
91st PA Infantry Division...
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion...
192nd Tank Battalion...
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team...
4th Marine Regiment...
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment...
PAF Aviation ...
Clark Field USAAF Base Force...
USAFFE ...
North Luzon Force ...
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment...
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment...
1st USMC AA Battalion...
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Major troop movements along the entire length of the Malay Peninsula, the 2 Aussie Bdes playing speed bump just north of the Causeway have been ordered to move to Singapore while in combat mode, that should be just enough time for them to complete the move just as the majority of the IJA reaches Johore Bahru. I still hold Kuantan but that's just a matter of when he'll commit enough troops to take it away from me.
I only have half of the AV of what I have in the PI defending Singapore so it fort levels will be key here, reckon best I can hope for is lvl 4 before I'm decisively engaged.
Am fine tuning troop garrisons in India in an attempt to squeeze out excess combat power for the defence of it's border with Burma, think the best I can get is about a division's equivalent.
Finally getting comfortable with China, the NE is a mess, nasty red dots all over the place, they've enveloped 2 of my cities, can't remember the names for the life of me. Yenan and Sian are the only 2 other options I have left and everything unengaged is moving towards them.
Towards the south, Changsha seems like an obvious lynchpin for the defence, Changteh looks secure holding the north, Hengyang is a concern as it covers the southern approaches and is behind a river, the reserve formations in Chungking have been diverted midstream and are heading for Hengyang, the troops around IChang are also making their way towards points south in a bid to firm up the southern flank.
The CAF has been concentrated, fighters will probably undergo training till I get Lancers, the bombers will probably get to come out to play sooner depending on the situation on the ground, I still have 1 uncommitted AVG squadron as I hunt around for somewhere good to plonk it down.
FINAL WORD
I just hate it when I have to scramble to react to a move, it all boils down to one word, initiative. Taking and holding the initiative is the key to making the other guy's life miserable and I'm holding the short end of the stick at the moment, kudos to my opponent on his brilliant moves of the past few turns. Well played, good sir, well played.
Pride goeth before the fall...
SUMMARY
I eat humble pie after saying my opponent was giving me too much space as he invests Tulagi and Luganville in rapid sucession. Noumea has invasion fleets standing off the coast, I find myself using a word from my youthful side, ZOMG.
CONUS and CENPAC
The transport convoys from WC are on the way to Pago Pago, carriers have left PH in advance to screen their movements and to see if they can get a sniff of what's up ahead.
SWPAC
In a continuation of an adroit move that started with the taking of Rabaul, Luganville and Tulagi have fallen to light forces and Noumea is threatened by invasion fleets. Suspect KB is somewhere north of Noumea just a little out of air search range. Have a SAG centred around 3 CAs just south of Noumea but am debating whether I should send them in in the face of the unknown.
I have enough combat power in the transport convoys coming from WC to retake Noumea and probably Luganville but much will depend on what covering forces my opponent has, I reckon he'll be using KB as a backstop till he gets enough boots on the ground and LBA in the area to secure his gains, if so, there's probably not much I can do to prevent him taking Noumea. To add to that, I'll have to find a place to disembark the troops and then combat load them again so that's time needed that I don't have. Fallback plan for me then would be to secure Fiji and Pago Pago and even that's a little dicey because of the disparity in carrier decks should he be feeling frisky.
In other news, mini KB has appeared to the north of Darwin and bombed the crap out of a mixed bag of ships I was sending south from Java, losing 2 AS and an AD was a tad painful. The refugee BG of B17s from PI is based at Darwin while waiting for base forces elsewhere in Oz to build up airfields so I'll be sending them up on a naval attack the next turn, if nothing else the attack should give him some pause about running around my rear areas unopposed.
Couple of APs I had on a reinforcement run to Timor are making for Wyndham in an attempt to escape the bombing Darwin is sure to get. In an attempt to limit potential losses, I have a group of fast merchies heading east towards Townsville and another of TKs heading west towards Perth, the rest of the merchies will just cower in port and hope for the best.
Clark Field had it's first attack on the last round, oh lookie, 600 tubes, bombardment attack anyone?
Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 51829 troops, 410 guns, 239 vehicles, Assault Value = 1438
Defending force 53422 troops, 655 guns, 481 vehicles, Assault Value = 1590
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 568
Allied adjusted defense: 1612
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
4214 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 183 disabled
Non Combat: 38 destroyed, 189 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Vehicles lost 28 (2 destroyed, 26 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
3500 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 157 disabled
Non Combat: 32 destroyed, 271 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 84 (7 destroyed, 77 disabled)
Assaulting units:...
Kanno Detachment...
20th Infantry Regiment...
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment...
9th Infantry Regiment...
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment...
65th Brigade...
48th Recon Regiment...
47th Infantry Regiment...
7th Tank Regiment...
48th Engineer Regiment...
Tanaka Detachment...
16th Engineer Regiment...
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment...
4th Div /6...
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
9th Field AF Construction Battalion...
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment...
48th Field Artillery Regiment...
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion...
14th Army...
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion...
56th Const Co ...
45th Field AA Battalion...
3rd Engineer Construction Battalion...
Defending units:...
26th PS Cavalry Regiment...
51st PA Infantry Division...
41st PA Infantry Division...
194th Tank Battalion...
Subic Bay Defenses ...
1st PA Constabulary Regiment...
14th PS Engineer Regiment...
71st PA Infantry Division...
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team...
31st Infantry Regiment...
21st PA Infantry Division...
31st PA Infantry Division...
1st PA Infantry Division...
91st PA Infantry Division...
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion...
192nd Tank Battalion...
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team...
4th Marine Regiment...
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment...
PAF Aviation ...
Clark Field USAAF Base Force...
USAFFE ...
North Luzon Force ...
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment...
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment...
1st USMC AA Battalion...
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Major troop movements along the entire length of the Malay Peninsula, the 2 Aussie Bdes playing speed bump just north of the Causeway have been ordered to move to Singapore while in combat mode, that should be just enough time for them to complete the move just as the majority of the IJA reaches Johore Bahru. I still hold Kuantan but that's just a matter of when he'll commit enough troops to take it away from me.
I only have half of the AV of what I have in the PI defending Singapore so it fort levels will be key here, reckon best I can hope for is lvl 4 before I'm decisively engaged.
Am fine tuning troop garrisons in India in an attempt to squeeze out excess combat power for the defence of it's border with Burma, think the best I can get is about a division's equivalent.
Finally getting comfortable with China, the NE is a mess, nasty red dots all over the place, they've enveloped 2 of my cities, can't remember the names for the life of me. Yenan and Sian are the only 2 other options I have left and everything unengaged is moving towards them.
Towards the south, Changsha seems like an obvious lynchpin for the defence, Changteh looks secure holding the north, Hengyang is a concern as it covers the southern approaches and is behind a river, the reserve formations in Chungking have been diverted midstream and are heading for Hengyang, the troops around IChang are also making their way towards points south in a bid to firm up the southern flank.
The CAF has been concentrated, fighters will probably undergo training till I get Lancers, the bombers will probably get to come out to play sooner depending on the situation on the ground, I still have 1 uncommitted AVG squadron as I hunt around for somewhere good to plonk it down.
FINAL WORD
I just hate it when I have to scramble to react to a move, it all boils down to one word, initiative. Taking and holding the initiative is the key to making the other guy's life miserable and I'm holding the short end of the stick at the moment, kudos to my opponent on his brilliant moves of the past few turns. Well played, good sir, well played.