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December 7, 1941:

Hello good reader. This is the AAR of a game between Rader (Japanese) and myself. We are beginning
the game under 1079. We are playing scenario 1 with an ahistorical first turn. The allies are only allowed
to move TFs at sea and give orders to the Chinese on turn 1. We are playing with 2 day turns and PDU on.


We have only one houserule which is that you have to pay PPs to allow units to cross national boundaries.

A little about me. I am a 39 year old American living in Boston, MA. I have been playing WITP since way
back and have probably played 10 or more PBEM matches of various lengths. This will be my first Allied
PBEM in AE. I have one ongoing PBEM as the Japanese that is currently in January 1942. I consider
myself a decent but fairly conservative player but feel more like a rookie while adjusting to all the
changes introduced in AE.

I intend to update this AAR on at least a weekly basis and probably more when there is something exciting
going on.

Strategy:

As this is my first allied AE PBEM, my overall strategy is going to be conservative. I will try to delay my
opponent with air and sea forces but will not risk major ground units in forward deployments. Hawaii,
India, and Australia will get built up while Burma and the DEI will be defended only by the starting forces.
Once Hawaii seems secure, I’ll start to buildup bases on the way to Australia.

Air strategy:

Given low replacement rates, I will only be using hit and run tactics. If the Japanese start to hit an
airfield, we’ll move on to somewhere else. I’ll be using a lot of LR Cap over my naval forces with the
intention of picking off the odd Japanese bomber. I will be massing my B17s and use strategic bombing to
force the Japanese to deploy some of their fighters behind the front lines.

Naval:

I will be aggressive with the “expendable” surface units that start in the Phillipines and DEI. I will try to raid the shipping lanes and hit the smaller landings with groups of CAs, CLs, and DDs. I’ll be more careful with Force Z but will use them if a good opportunity pops up. I haven’t been impressed with the Netties ability to hit fast ships (even with torpedoes) and will be willing to operate within their range especially if I’m able to LR Cap my ships.

The American carriers will head to ANZAC early on. They will probably just sit there and wait for better planes to come online. If my opponent gives me an opportunity, I will use them to hit where the KB aint but only if I’m very certain it’s safe.

Area by Area:

China – pull back to a defendable perimeter. In the North that means hold the Loyang, Sinyang, Nanyang
triangle as long as possible and hold on to Sian at all costs. Send lots of forces over the mountains to
Chungking. The north doesn’t create enough supply for all the units that start there.
In the South, hold onto the cities on the rail line at all costs. Once I buldup some PPs, send
those units that can be unrestricted, to India and let the British supply build them into useful units.

Phillipines - Pull back everything I can to Bataan. Use the fighters to LR Cap ships and generally harass
the enemy. Use the PBYs on torpedo runs until my opponent starts capping his TFs.

Malaya – Run for Singapore but use 1 or 2 brigade blocking forces to slow down the Japanese tank/recon
forces as long as possible. Use the Flying Tigers here or Java to protect key TFs, protect the B17 airfields,
and harass the enemy bombers.

Burma – Hold at Pegu till he comes in force. Then try to fall back towards Mandalay and save what I can
when things fall apart.

DEI – If he comes early for Singkawang/Kuching, use every torpedo bomber and naval unit I have to
sting him. I probably won’t be able to stop him but this is my best chance to hurt him while he doesn’t
have any aircover. Strategic bomb any oil center / refinery captured by the Japanese. Load up
Palembang with as much stuff as I can from Singapore and the rest of the DEI. Make it hard to capture
and hopefully damage the facilities when it falls.

Pacific – it all depends on how fast he advances here. I’m not gonna build up anything until I’m sure I can
build up into a divisional sized citadel. Any decent air or naval forces will be heading towards the DEI or
be held back for a decisive battle. The left over wirraways and whatnot will harass if they can but
probably just die if he comes for their bases.


First turns have been entered and waiting on my opponent to see what happens on day 1 of the war.

December 7-8, 1941



The war has begun with a brazen attack on the US fleet at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese also hit Manila harbor and most of the northern Malaya airfields and ports. The Japanese have commenced amphibious invasions of Kota Bharu, Kendari, Ambon, Cagayan, Aparri, and Rabaul. Vigan and Legaspi were captured by paratroops.

SS Thresher fired off a salvo targeted on what was believed to be CV Kaga on December 8. Unfortunately all fish missed. Mostly unescorted british bombers in Malaya were very roughly handled.

Operations –

All the BBs are badly damaged but none are sunk and I don’t think any will sink unless he comes again next turn.

KB didn’t touch the airfields and I now have all my fighters on 90% CAP. Another raid should prove costly for the IJN.

Manila harbor is wasted and 8 subs are sunk. That hurts but again no damage to my planes. I have them spread about the Phillipines, mostly on LR cap over evacuating forces or small surface groups looking for unescorted transports. I spent a load of PPs and evacced most of the B17s to Singapore.

The British lost most of their bombers but their fighters are mostly intact and capping Singapore. The Dutch airforce is either back in Java or LR capping Force Z which is cruising off Pontianak and ready to pounce on any Japanese move on Singkawang or Kuching. The American cruisers (Houston, Boise, Marblehead) are at Brunei with a similar intention to jump on any Japanese ships coming their way.

The Japanese struck deep and are about to grab Kendari and Ambon. Bad news but nothing I can do. I have nothing in the area. The Dutch surface assets are heading towards Soerabaja and will try to look for an opportunity to counterattack in the South but that won’t be easy. Similarly, the Japanese are about to take Rabaul. Again nothing to fight with in the area.

hi JZanez,
best of lucks!, i like the conservative way of play..
regards!

December 9-10, 1941

The KB moved west a hundred miles and attacked pearl again with it’s kates escorted by zeroes. This time the USAAF was waiting for them, fought thru the escort, and shot down 79 kates. Even with FOW inflation, the KB torpedo squadrons have got to be hurting.

The bad news is that 4 damaged BBs were finished off.

Meanwhile, several waves of Netties attacked the American cruiser squadron at Brunei. The Buffalo squadron, guarding the ships, shot down 15 unescorted bombers without loss. CA Houston was hit by 2 torpedoes and is repairing in Brunei harbor. She should survive if the Japanese give me a week or so. That’s a big if…

The rest of the squadron set sail for Kuching and is capped by 2 squadrons of Buffalos.

December 11-12, 1941

Japanese forces capture Rabaul, Kendari, and Ambon and begin further landings in the northern phillipines and Cebu in the central islands. American fighters engage japanese bombers and zeroes attacking shipping in the phillipines area. The allies lose several fighters but shoot down an estimated 18 betty bombers. Air to air losses for the day stand at 19 to 9 in the allies favor.

KB disappears to the west. Several ASW and local transport TFs begin operations around Pearl. Sigint picked up a report of a baseforce loaded on an AP heading to Luganville. My small cruiser force based out of Suva will head that way in case he tries an early attack without CV support. Then again, I have yet to sight the mini KB. Could it be heading that way? The Enterprise and Lexington TFs have joined up and refueled their DDs at Canton Island. They are heading to Auckland but will be in the area if needed.

The dutch surface squadron has arrived at Makassar and will make a run at Kendari next turn. I am assuming that an air HQ hasn't arrived yet, and any air raids will be armed with bombs and not torpedoes. Around 8 dutch fighters will fly cap over Doorman's squadron of 3 CLs and 7 DDs.

The american cruiser squadron engaged a large japanese surface group on the way from Brunei to Kuching. Several BBs and CAs were sighted. Both sides disengaged before anyone suffered any real damage. Later that day, japanese forces landed at Miri. I anticipate Miri will fall next turn. I have decided to send Force Z and the american cruisers into action. Hopefully, I'll fight my way through any escorting japanese warships and shoot up some transports. Upwards of 50 fighters are flying LR cap over the TFs. Both squadrons are ordered to retire back to their port of origin after their run.

December 13-16, 1941

Enemy forces continue to pound Manila harbor. The Japanese have done a good job killing all the ships fleeing the Phillipines. In all, 16 subs have been sunk. That’s not good for me. Mini-KB shows itself when it sinks several ships North of Ulithi.

My raid on Miri turned out to be much ado about nothing. No ships were found in the area and both TFs returned to base. After refueling, both forces are going back again. This time Force Z is set to bombard. On the 15th and 16th approximately 30 B17s hit the Miri airfield. They were intercepted by a handful of Oscar’s and suffered no losses. They will be returning over the next several day and hopefully they and Force Z can close down Miri field.
Similarly, the Dutch squadron found no ships at Kendari, bombarded the field and retired back to Makassar. Air battles overhead have cost me about 10 Dutch fighters but the Japanese lost upwards of 20 netties and a couple zeroes. Some bombers got thru to the ships but dropped only bombs (which all missed). The Dutch ships are heading up to Tarakan and then on to the phillipines to see if I can find any unguarded TFs.

Sigint again reports a unit loaded up and heading to Luganville. I have a surface TF of 3 CAs and 3 DDs in the area and my CVs are passing by on the way to Auckland. I also have loaded up and am shipping to Noumea; a NZ construction bn, an Australian base force, and an Australian commando company. Not much but it’s all I got for now.

Every couple weeks I record the current score and losses to my Excel spreadsheet. So far, my naval losses have been pretty heavy but the Japanese air losses have been equally heavy.

December 17-18, 1941

Major clashes at Miri over these two days. On the night of the first day, the Boise TF arrives and dukes it out with a Japanese TF consisting of CAs Maya, Ashigara, and Chokai with 2 CLs and 11 DDs. The Japanese force is lying in wait (crosses the T) and battle commences. Boise leaves the Maya burning and suffers minor damage in return. Just about all the Japanese ships concentrated fire on the Boise but her armor saved her from any real hurt.

Force Z arrived on the night of day 2. Again the Japanese were waiting (crossed the T) minus the Maya. I suspect she was badly hurt and is heading back to her home port. Torpedoes ruled this battle with the Repulse sinking the Ashigara with 3 fish and the Prince of Wales sunk by 4 long lance torpedoes. Two American destroyers were also sunk.

Morning of the 19th finds Boise at Kuching with 28 system 9 float and 13 engine damage. She will head to Singapore for repairs. Repulse is near Singkawang with 23/15/1 damage. She will also head to Singapore. The remainder of the ships will regroup at Palembang with a british cruiser force heading their now.

December 19-20, 1941

The Japanese commence an invasion of Koepang. I still have nothing in the area and am willing to concede anything in the South DEI up to Perth in the West and Java in the North. My B17s raid Miri on the 20th and run into 30ish fighters of mixed type. One B17 is shot down and the airfield takes only light damage. I’m resting most of them this turn with a minor raid set to hit the Bangkok refinery.

The Japanese appeared to be moving major units to Miri. Doorman’s squadron and a MTB boat patrol ran into several TFs around Sandakan. First, the MTBs torpedoed a couple transports then Doorman engaged the BB squadron and heavily damaged a destroyer at the price of the flagship (Java) being crippled. Java will limp towards Balikpapan but I’m not counting on her surviving. The rest of the squadron is at Batangas (SW of Bataan) and will patrol the central phillipnes next turn looking for a juicy target. American P40s based out of Bataan are flying LR cap.

In Luzon, several unescorted bomber raids are intercepted by my Bataan based fighters. Reports estimate 18 bombers are shot down for no loss. Lt. John Brownewell shoots down 5 bombers to give him 7 kills for the war. He is the top allied pilot at this point.

I found a blurb about Brownewell on the web;

At Del Monte, the two P-35As were among the last four American fighters to fly combat in the Philippines. The last mission was undertaken by 1st Lt. John Brownewell, who flew to Negros Island to pick up two Americans surrounded by the Japanese. He squeezed them in and returned to Del Monte. "John Brownewell was one of the last pilots to get a ride out of the Philippines," Gillett related. "After the war, when we came back from Japan, he made sure we were fed and well-treated. We were friends the rest of our Air Force careers, and afterwards till he died in 1996."

December 21-22, 1941

Many more Japanese landings. He is moving quickly in the south DEI and now in the Solomons. I have sighted what looks like an invasion TF heading towards Port Moresby. I’ve airlifted in some survivors from Rabaul and Kavieng but I doubt it’ll hold if he’s brought more than an SNLF.

Two waves of Japanese bombers fight their way thru my Singapore air defenses and sink 3 or 4 small ships. Around 70 flying tigers and british buffalos intercepted the raid and did very well, shooting down around 15 enemy planes for the loss of 1 buffalo and 1 H81. I am gambling that he won’t come back with bombers until he clears my fighters away. I’ll leave BC Repulse, CA Houston, and CL Boise to their repairs for now.

The Dutch squadron and some PT boats continue to harass the enemy south of Luzon. I sunk one AK and lost a couple PT boats. I anticipate he’ll have to send back some cruisers to take care of the Dutch. All available fighters are flying cap over the dutch as they head towards San Fernando to look for targets.

Palembang now has about 300 AV and most of the DEI surface force. I shipped in a couple battalions from Singapore and used air transport to pick up all the scattered dutch units around Sumatra. I will use the large british cruiser squadron to contest any landings at kuching or singkawang, the small US contingent is heading to Batavia and will do some ASW work for a while. The Australian cruiser, Adelaide, will act as a reserve for now. The rest of the ANZAC surface vessels have met up at Perth and are now steaming towards Palembang.

Here’s a rough map showing the Japanese conquests so far.

December 23-27

The Dutch squadron doesn’t find any Japanese ships. Doorman is making a run at Tarakan to see if any ships are about. The British surface ships are set to make a similar run at Miri. They are organized into 2 squadrons. One consists of CA Exeter and the “good” British CLs. The other has the smaller/older CLs and some DDs.

The Japanese have been whittling down the Phillipine airforce and slowly advancing South towards Clark field. An armored unit tried to grab Manila but the lone PA regiment has held out so far. I intend to hold Clark a couple turns and then retire to Bataan to wait out the inevitable. I’ve drawn all the supply into Bataan.

In the south, Port Moresby falls and the Japanese carriers are raiding New Caledonia. On the 24th they were sighted south of the solomons and sank an AKL. Hopeing to get around them and hit some follow-up transports, my cruiser squadron moved SE of Luganville. On the 26th they arrived but were spotted by and attacked by several waves of planes by what appears to be the mini-KB (plus 1 or 2 large carriers?) east of Luganville. CA Indianapolis and CL Concord were sunk. The remaining ships will flee east and try to meet up with my carriers in the Pago Pago area. The other Japanese carrier TF west of Noumea, sank several fleeing AKLs. Many small transport fleets scatter away from the area at best speed. My best guess is that he has split his carriers into 2 more or less equal sized forces. I bet this is all of the Japanese carriers. Any one of these TFs will trash my 2 carriers so I’ll continue to lurk and hope for a chance at some transports.