How Not to Play as Japan (A mid 43 AAR) NO Freeboy

[Zeta16]

Ok, guys starting my AAR late, but the first few months of the war are in everyone's AAR. I am Japan playing Freeboy in scen #2. We are about to enter 8/43. A little back ground, we play close to 10 turns a day it seems, which at times leds to mistakes by both of us. On to game issues. I never got to PM, I was a little slow at the start as this was my first game in AE, so naturally I did not understand a few thing and how things work. Oh well that makes this game so fun. So Malaya took forever b/c I did not use Stat movement very well. I guess I was real slow in moving south b/c I feared allied airpower there for some reason. In playing an Allied PBEM now I know I was dead wrong. So Burma got conqured a little late but that did not hurt me much. I was buliding for PM but recon showed a ton of troops there by 8/42 and a sizable airforce. So I tired to slow him down in the SI but his night bombing combined with day raid closed about any field down he wanted as Japanes fighter seem to lose more planes in air to air than they ever shot down. I used planes on night defense but was losing one or two a night in air to air and a few on the ground a night. So I decided to defend the SI but not move any thing more in there than what I had by summer 42. Well he moved fast as my air search was pitaful and saw a thing until it was to late, he also took Ocean and Narau from me as they are hard to defend. The Allies can move fast and when they want to take something they will.

I slowed him down a bit in the Carolines and Marshalls as he ran into atolls and CD's. He took Tawara and Makin then one of the baes close to Roi. That is all he took there as he lost quite a few ships on several of the bases he has not taken yet. He took Wake in May of 43 after trying twice and losing quite a few ships to CD's there as well. Also I can not base anything at Turk becasue night bombing made it impossible to keep any planes repaired. He tried to bomard one turn with escorts bombarding as well and a BB and a few ships went under as my CD's ripped into him.

After he took Rabaul he move up NG base by base as the mosr troops I had a base there was 100AV as there are to many to defend, b/c if there are a lot more bases now than in WiTP. It makes it hard to slow the allies down b/c they can heavy bombers at a base that had no airfield in a few weeks after all the seasbee's get there. So at the movement he is to Sorong, but losing more and more ships all the time. He also took Wolaei but he paid there as he I beef up Yap and Uthli. He lost a few carriers and a sorted ships in that operation. In the last few turns I have jumped several transport forces but it is always a day or two late.

The next installment will talk about what I have lost ship wise and hopefully my plans with screen shots as well.

My AAR will not be every turn but when something major happens I will tell all, I will also talk about my economy and try to point out what I have down with it up to this point, if I can remember every thing.

ALSO NO FREEBOY AS I WILL TALK ABOUT PLANS AS WELL.

[Zeta16]

More game info before I figure how to do screen shots on my new laptop.

China I pushed him back little but did not try to advance into the heart of China.

Burma has been static most of the game. I took Akyab by sea and then Cox Bazar, but it was to hard to supply and he took those back. Basically a lot night bombing by Freeboy and fighter bombing attacks close to the boader. I keep Akyab shut down with daily air strikes and supply does not move good there so he has not tried to repair it well.

Indusrty will be easier to show with screen shots, but I think thiongs are going well.

To use scen #2 I agreed to give Allies the good trops, so his subs have been good all game. At one point I had 15 or 20 bombing groups on ASW. However Fog of War means I have no clue if I ever sink a sub or what but he has sunk several of my CV's up to this point. I am not sure how many of his CV's I have sunk. I guess around 3 or 4 to this point and several BB's, but I am not sure.

hopefully next few updates can get people up to date with industry/lose for both sides/ and screen shots to give a better over all picture. Then I can get into what is happening to me at the moment to hopefully give the Japanese player a little insite into mid game and late game hardships and sucesses.

[topeverest]

Thats a pretty fast alllied advance in the CP and in NG. Why do you think he was able to do that?

[Zeta16]

ORIGINAL: topeverest

Thats a pretty fast alllied advance in the CP and in NG. Why do you think he was able to do that?

Mostly came from the SI but there are so many bases that you can not defend all of them well, so if he wants one the Allied player can take it. Then they bulid airfields real quick and repeat. They can move fast once they do. The key was PM, with it in Allied hands it helps them out a lot. Also places like Ocean and Narau Island are used as they are hard to defend. Also with spotting a lot harder in AE I think it is harder to get a fell what is going on and some times when you do it is to late.

I hope to slow him around Sorong and make it hard for him to advance without loses, as he has already taken a lot. I have learned a lot this game that I can use in other Japan PBEM's.

[Zeta16]

Here is the score as of 8/43








I need to work on my picture size, as the bigger I make it the worse it looks.

[Zeta16]

Here is some what of an industry screen. It gives the basic like HI and so on.

[Zeta16]

This is my aircraft and engine production. This is from the first day 8/43

[Zeta16]

Here is where the action is in the game at the moment.

[Zeta16]

Here is the Burma area. Not much going on as most of his ships are in the Pacific. I like that it is quiet, means I am starting to move troops out of there to Java and PI to up there defenses.

[Zeta16]

Here is China. I have formed a line that I will defend, not many if any troops in my rear at this point. Earlier I tried to move a little further but gave up quick. I am not into huge death stars of troops. So stacks of 1000 to 1500 AV do not do much verses 2000av Chinese troops. Hope to keep this area quiet as well as I am starting to buy out troops to move other places, but not a lot of them yet.

[Zeta16]

Here is the Central Pacific. I still hold Turk and the Mariana's as well as Ponape. He hold a few Islands as well as Wake, which was a bloody battle for him ship wise. Basically he is focusing on NG and moving through there towards the Resource area and PI.

[Zeta16]

To get even up to speed on Japanese Air loses up to 8/43. To let you know I try to use my planes only when I need them, and do not fly a lot extended range missions. Is this good or bad, I like my torp bombers to use trops not bombs and do not like to have fighters use drop tanks in battle. I may limit myself a bit but my pilot rating are still pretty good at this point in the game.

When a new group shows up I fill with replacement pilots then train up, once they get into 70's in say air to air I set them to CAP for a while so they start to bulid up there over-all experience. The groups I can not move out of the HI I train them then move guys to group reserves to fill out front line groups and the KB.

[Zeta16]

Here are major Allied plane loses up to this point. Not very impressive buy me, but really we have not had many huge air to air battles.

[Zeta16]

Here are Japanese major ship loses up to this point in the war. Not to bad, but I have many ships under repair at this point and have a BB sitting in a port trying to get to a repair yard, but not sure it will make it. I have also lost a CVE as well. I have lost quit a few AK's and TK's to his subs b/c of good allied trops being on all game. But I feel I have enough ships to get stuff moved before I can not, so I have shop buliding the smaller AK's. I just make the bigger ones and the TK's. I should have the second wave of Japanese CV's come on line in 4/44 to 5/44 as I have made sure with aceleration to get them coming out close to together to give me a punch at that point.

[Zeta16]

Allied CV loses, remember Fog of War is on

[Zeta16]

Allied BB loses up to 8/43

[Zeta16]

Allied Cruiser loses. There are more than this, but did not want to post all of them.

[Zeta16]

Ok, things are getting interesting around Morotai. He keeps on coming. About 4 or 5 days ago I destroyed a landing taskforce but in the process used all of my trops up in the KB. So I had to go home to Manila to get torps. I sent in a BB group with the fast BB's I have left and all ships where gone that night but my ships stayed I guess as the used there op points up and took many bombs the next day, non went down but they need repair in Hong Kong for about a month.

So he comes back with more ships and barrages and land more troops.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 03, 43
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Pre-Invasion action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

71 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCVP 592P
LCVP 592R
PT-162


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


14th Guards Regiment firing at LCVP 592P
LCVP 592P firing at enemy troops
LCVP 592R firing at enemy troops
PT-162 firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


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Amphibious Assault at Morotai

TF 57 troops unloading over beach at Morotai, 80,101





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Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

35 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Sussex
DD Rathburne
LSI(L) Glenartney


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


CA Sussex firing at 14th Guards Regiment
DD Rathburne firing at 14th Guards Regiment
DD Rathburne firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


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Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

31 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
xAK Delawarean
xAK Floridian
xAK Admiral Halstead
DD Vampire


Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


14th Guards Regiment firing at xAK Delawarean
xAK Delawarean firing at enemy troops
xAK Floridian firing at enemy troops
xAK Admiral Halstead firing at enemy troops
xAK Delawarean firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


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Pre-Invasion action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

59 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-175
LCT-176
LCT-325
PT-155
PT-161


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


14th Guards Regiment firing at LCT-175
LCT-175 firing at enemy troops
LCT-176 firing at enemy troops
LCT-325 firing at enemy troops
LCT-175 firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Morotai

TF 353 troops unloading over beach at Morotai, 80,101





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Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

57 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LSI(L) Glenartney
CA Sussex
DD Rathburne


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

26 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
xAK Delawarean
xAK Floridian
xAK Admiral Halstead
DD Vampire


Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)


xAK Delawarean firing at enemy troops
xAK Floridian firing at enemy troops
xAK Admiral Halstead firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

34 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCVP 592P
LCVP 592R
PT-162


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


14th Guards Regiment firing at LCVP 592P
LCVP 592P firing at enemy troops
LCVP 592R firing at enemy troops
PT-162 firing at enemy troops
LCVP 592P firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

28 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LSI(L) Glenartney
DD Rathburne



Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

59 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-460
LCT-461
LCT-462
PT-152
PT-153



14th Guards Regiment firing at LCT-460
LCT-460 firing at enemy troops
LCT-461 firing at enemy troops
LCT-462 firing at enemy troops
LCT-460 firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Morotai

TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Morotai, 80,101


Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

54 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
xAK Delawarean
xAK Floridian
xAK Admiral Halstead
DD Vampire


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)


xAK Delawarean firing at enemy troops
xAK Floridian firing at enemy troops
xAK Admiral Halstead firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Morotai
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

70 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-175
LCT-176
LCT-325
PT-155
PT-161


Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)


14th Guards Regiment firing at LCT-175
LCT-175 firing at enemy troops
LCT-176 firing at enemy troops
LCT-325 firing at enemy troops
LCT-175 firing at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My planes do not hit anything so he lands more and more troops.

He shock attacks and get a 1 to 2 but only I lose troops behind forts

Ground combat at Morotai (80,101)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1524 troops, 65 guns, 161 vehicles, Assault Value = 233

Defending force 4163 troops, 43 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Allied adjusted assault: 143

Japanese adjusted defense: 154

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
786 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 47 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Assaulting units:
640th TD Bn /5
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
9th Marine Rgt /10
1st USMC Tank Bn /3
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
Sparrow Bn /3
2/151st Combat Engineer Battalion
767th Tank Bn /13
766th Tank Bn /2
14th NZ Bde /2
209th FA Bn /1
Sixth US Army /2
97th FA Bn /7
I US Amphib Corps
134th FA Bn /1
226th FA Bn /1

Defending units:
14th Guards Regiment
42nd Road Const Co

So the KB will be there in 2 days along with some more surface ships that are not shot up, which is less and less each turn for me. I hope I can hold for a few days and cause him more pain. But this is what happens at every base he invades, I hit him good but have to retire to get more trops or my Surface TF are shot up and he lands again and again days later with more and more troops. Over and over this happens and I can npt slow him down. It does not matter if he loss 20 transports or AK's he keeps coming and coming. I think I have sunk 20 or 30 LST's so far.

[Zeta16]

Well Mororai fell the next day. I am still going to casue havoc there as it does not hae an airfield as at the moment it is 0(3). I hope he has to rest about bit, but I don't know or think he will.

Ground combat at Morotai (80,101)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3807 troops, 150 guns, 278 vehicles, Assault Value = 273

Defending force 3490 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 106

Allied adjusted assault: 196

Japanese adjusted defense: 28

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Morotai !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1004 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (0 destroyed, 5 disabled)


Assaulting units:
9th Marine Rgt /10
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
640th TD Bn /5
2/151st Combat Engineer Battalion
766th Tank Bn /2
767th Tank Bn /13
1st USMC Tank Bn /3
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
Sparrow Bn /3
14th NZ Bde /12
209th FA Bn /1
97th Field Artillery Battalion
134th FA Bn /1
I US Amphib Corps
Sixth US Army /2
226th FA Bn /1

Defending units:
14th Guards Regiment
42nd Road Const Co

[Miller]

Just a couple of points regarding you industry, turn off the production of all your armament factories, you have enough points to last you just about the rest of the war, also review your a/c engine factories, you seem to have large stocks of several engines and wont need any more of those types for a long time.

You need to start building up a HI point stockpile, this should start to rise just by doing the above.