Here we go again! tc464 (A) vs. Mike (J) - No Mike

[tc464]

I had so much fun getting slapped around by Mike for about 18 months in WITP that I decided to do it again, but this time in AE. He is a devious and very capable opponent and I look forward to a rematch.

House rules so far...

No bombing Chinese industry
Only dots and base hexes can be invaded
On day 1, Allies can only move existing fleets.
PDU off

I've always been a proponent of leading from the front, so next week, while Mike is planning his own demise from deep within Mama San's Oriental Sushi Bar and Massage Parlor, along with his staff...



I'll be visiting facilities in Salt Lake and Pendleton (really, but for work)

Meanwhile, I'll do some light reading until Mike sends me the outraged email telling me he's seen this. Then I'll post some more on plans.

[Mike Solli]

OMG that's hilarious!  Where'd you find that picture?!  I was promised it was secure. [:D]
 
I'm outta here.

[BrucePowers]

[:D]

[tc464]

OK, some more on plans...

We're going to wait for patch 2 to come out before we get started. Also, there are one or two more house rules that we're going to use. I'll post those again at the start.

Initially, I'm going to "show belly" and pull a disappearing act with my carriers. I'll probably get them together and then very quietly move them to Auckland so they are handy if anything presents itself. Establish the supply routes, beef up a couple islands along that route, and use Auckland as the main supply base initially. I think Mike will either raid or attempt to take Suva or Pago Pago (I think he'll just raid a lot) so I'm thinking of dropping some units on Vava'u and building it up; it has decent port and airfield potential.

SEA - Diego Garcia is high on my list of concerns. I think he'll try to take it. Pull out all but a minimal force in Rangoon so the partisans can start their mayhem. No garrison requirements in our game, scorched earth is ON. Can't pull everyone out though because it will tempt him to strike early.

South/SW Pacific - I think Mike will strike fast on major bases like PM and mybe as far as Espiritu Santo, then stop and consolidate. In our last game he neglected to check every dot/base, and I snuck in an entire division plus 3 squadrons of aircraft into NW New Guinea and started bombing him in Hollandia. He then spent the next couple months making landings on everything just to make sure. I think he'll do the same again [:D]

North Pacific - Try to keep all of the islands. Enough activity to keep at least some of his interest. I want him to think I'm going to concentrate on North and Central Pacific for the biggest part of the war.

General strategy - I want to keep it simple, maybe even a little predictable. Stick fairly close to the same schedule that happened in real life with a little flexibility to counter anything weird he does. Then, after he figures out I'm repeating the original campaign and gets comfortable with it... invade Java from Perth and head right for the oil. I'll skip the Phillipines and use those forces to do it.

I yield the floor...

[tc464]

Well, the first turn is in, and this time I got beat up alot worse than last game (summary follows)...

Midget Sub attack inside harbor of Pearl Harbor!!!

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-19, hits 6, heavy damage

Allied Ships
PC Taney
BB California, Torpedo hits 1 [:@]

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Case, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Jarvis, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DM Preble
DD Reid, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AV Wright, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
DD Bagley, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
SS Tautog, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AE Mauna Loa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA San Francisco, Torpedo hits 1
DD Schley, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Allen, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AV Curtiss, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

My actions today were limited but I did start a few things...

PM - Using existing seaplanes, I've started evacuating Lark Bn. from Rabaul to PM. I also expended PP to convert 53rd Bn. in Townsville to Aus I Corps, and I'll move them to PM very quickly. I have convinced myself that Mike will make a serious effort to take PM this game. Last time he couldn't do it, and I used PM to turn Rabaul into a relief map of the moon. [:D] I also plan on moving VP-101 and VP-102 from the PI to Oz to help transport troops to PM. This is a stopgap measure until I can get some shipping up there.

SEAC - General evacuation of troops from Burma via Rangoon and up the road/rail towards Chittagong. I'll use some of them to attempt a delaying action so I can beef up Chittagong, Imphal, etc. Troops in India are already headed for that area.

Carriers - All are headed back to PH via Johnston Island to stay away from Mike. I'll reorganize them and get them moving towards Auckland in the next few days. I plan on moving the Brit carriers from India down to Auckland as well, probably via Cape Town/Falklands, etc. Sure would like to spring that little surprise on him eventually. [:D]

Thats it for the moment.

[tc464]

Forgot to mention, POW took 1 torpedo and Repulse was untouched. I had them run to Bintan and disband. Next turn I'll try to use some other ships to lure his bombers and have Repulse make a run for Oosthaven and points west. I don't know what the damage to POW is yet but I may do the same for it.

[tc464]

We've been at it for a week now, and here are the highlights....

8 Dec - Those of you who have been reading his AAR are aware that on 8 Dec one of his subs blundered across Enterprise's path and promptly put three torpedoes into her. She survived the day but the next day another sub put one lasy torp into her, and Big E is history. I responded the only way I could.... I sent him a harshly worded PM.

9 Dec - I had left CA Houston and CL Boise out on their own to do some harrassment/interdiction in the PI area and wouldn't you know it, Houston runs across the Ryujo. Lots of shooting in anger but Houston didn't really do much damage. She withdrew on fire and headed back to Australia. Ryujo gave chase, and sent her to the bottom the next day. The Boise was too far away to respond to the initial engagement, so I left her where she was to wait for another opportunity....

11 Dec - While chasing and sinking the Houston, Ryujo blunders into Boise's reaction range. [X(] This time the gods were on my side. Boise, on her own, proceeded to trash Mike's task force, especially the Ryujo.

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryujo, Shell hits 6
CS Chitose, Shell hits 1
CA Myoko
CA Haguro
CA Nachi, Shell hits 5
DD Kuroshio
DD Oyashio
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Natsushio
DD Hayashio
DD Amatsukaze

Allied Ships
CL Boise, Shell hits 8, on fire



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 18,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
CL Boise engages CA Nachi at 18,000 yards
DD Amatsukaze engages CL Boise at 18,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages CL Boise at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Ryujo at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Ryujo at 13,000 yards
CL Boise engages DD Natsushio at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CL Boise engages CVL Ryujo at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards

... and on and on. Mike and I both agreed that it was the longest surface action that we had ever witnessed. Best news of all... Boise only sustained 30 sys and 1 eng. She is on her way back to Sydney for repair and re-arm. I'm hoping to get her back into action around the Lae area quickly.

Since then, its been relatively quiet. The exodus from PI and DEI is mostly complete. I have managed to use PP to transfer some Australian units to 1 Aus Army, and have moved 49 and 50 Battalion to PM. Also moving to Townsville are the 7th, 11th and 29th Brigades. All 3 have been transferred to 1 Aus Army and will be moved to PM and combined into 5th Aus Infantry Division. Mike has already landed troops in Kavieng so I think Rabaul is next, and quickly. I'm betting carriers will show up soon too. Nothing of note happening in China, and Burma is calm as well.

Both POW and Repulse survived. POW sustained damage and is on its way back to Colombo. Repulse got away clean and is sitting in Batavia.... waiting