A storm to stop! PetrOs (A) vs Pentakomo (J) (No Pentakomo please)

[PetrOs]

So, here is my first PBEM game for since a long time. We agreed for a russian language one vs Pentakomo.

We selected scenario 2 for the go. Exact set of HRs is now being decided upon.

I have found a few mentions that he is an extremely aggressive player, and that would be fun to play. I also want to avoid the Sir Robin, and make sure I can hurt him as much as I can until the Essex class carriers arrive.

I am not sure if he is going to go for PH, Philippines or DEI with KB on the first turn.

Does anyone have experience playing against him?

[adarbrauner]

Nice title

[PetrOs]

So, the house rules are set:

1. No invasion without dot/base.
2. No sub invasion.
3. No bombing of China industry.
4. No atomic bombing of Tokio.
5. No night strafes (alt=100).
6. Air combat ceiling max is 30k (except recon and search planes) .
7. 4E LB dont attack below 10k.
8. Full PP cost paid for restricted units when crossing national borders (except Royal Thai Army in Malaya and Burma).
9. No night bombing of industry before 1943.
10. Carrier air groups on carriers can be resized up to 45 planes (as whole group which fly from carrier as one unit), all groups can be resized up to 54 planes (except predefined size).
11. E8N can be used on submarine.
12. One target per paratroop unit each turn, no new target if unit dont gathered together.
13. 4E LB dont attack ground troops in struggling hexes (where both side have troops).


Settings are:
Advanced Weather on
Allied Damage Control on
PDU on
Historical first turn on
Dec.7 surprise on
Reliable torps off
Realistic rnd on
No withdrawals off
Reinforcements variable +-15

The game will be latest official patch.

As everything is agreed, Pentakomo started processing his turn. As it is historical, I think not much he can do, I expect his second turn to be much longer.

[Yaab]

3. No bombing of China industry".

I know eveyrbody adds this rule, but HI ( representing Chinese arsenals producing for the war effort) and Manpower (representing civilian population) should be subject to bombing campaign. You can always feed the Chinese army by the means of LI and the Ledo airbridge. This will also add some urgency for reopening Burma Road and the whole Ledo air campaign.

[PetrOs]

Well, that was his proposal, not mine
I can live with this.

Just got his first turn.

I am also going to try a small trick which I saw in other AAR - I am going to run many individual freighters and also many fleet subs to different chinese ports with supply, from Philippines, HK and maybe even DEI. The guy who made this managed to get around 50k extra supply to China this way.

My general plan is to try the following:
Fight delaying action in DEI and Solomons as long as possible, try to stick to Indian border. If I can, I would try to evac as much as possible from there, if not, then well, its gone then. I am going to try a patrol "field" with catalinas, AVP/AVD/AV at dot bases. As long as I know the KB is far, I am going to make some agressive moves against his shipping.

If he is really as agressive as I heard, I would also try to use it, as it could expose his flanks

[adarbrauner]

1st point is intriguing...but it requires a greater numbe of dot bases on coastlines.

I limit 4 Eng groud attack to no higher than 7 or 6 k feet..

Point 13 interesting too;

[PetrOs]

Dot bases are ok, landing on the bare coast is not.

13 I accepted, as I barely use the 4E Bombers for ground support. I mainly go for ports and airfields with them, or if I can for industry. Blasting the troops in open hexes with them is done, but rare.

The rule about the min altitude for 4E is the main hurting my style of play... I often used B17 and B24 on 1000ft naval, and if trained, it can be devastating. But in reality not many cases where they were used as such. McCullar and his B-17F Black Jack duel with IJN Hayashio is the best example how it could be done, a duel of one destroyer vs one lone B17... Both left the battlefield in wrecked condition, but while the B17 made it home to Port Moresby, Hayashio burned and was scuttled next day by Shiratsuyu.

http://b17blackjack.com/crew/mccullar/

[PetrOs]

So, I just got replay, and it went as bad as it only can go for allies. 5 Battleships at least go down - Repulse, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Oklahoma and Maryland, as well as several destroyers. The only big plus is that nothing attacks Manila, so all subs there are intact. POW ate 3 torps, and I dont yet know if she would be able to limp home... One plus is that one of the attack waves on the POW/Repulse was completely chewed by Buffalos.

Midget Sub attack inside harbor of Pearl Harbor!!!

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-22, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 1

Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 68
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 126

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 12 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 10 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 3 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
D3A1 Val: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 66 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 9 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 42 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 8 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 104 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 9 destroyed on ground
C-33: 1 damaged
C-33: 1 destroyed on ground
P-36A Mohawk: 41 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 3 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 47 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 2 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 31 damaged
SBD-1 Dauntless: 9 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 15 damaged
A-20A Havoc: 3 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 15 damaged
O-47A: 3 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 12 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
R3D-2: 4 damaged
SNJ-3 Texan: 2 damaged
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AV Tangier
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB California, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Oglala, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AV Wright, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Hirondelle
AV Curtiss
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Tautog, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
AE Pyro, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DM Sicard, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CL Phoenix, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AG Argonne, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Bagley, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DM Gamble, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS Trevor, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AR Medusa, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Narwhal, Bomb hits 1
DM Breese, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AS Pelias, Bomb hits 1
DD Downes, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Tucker, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mugford, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 1

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

Repair Shipyard hits 4
Airbase hits 62
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 101

Morning Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 52,82

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 27

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Torpedo hits 1
BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
26 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Morning Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 52,82

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 41 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 9

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 6 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, heavy damage
BC Repulse

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 52,82

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 22 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 21

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk

[PetrOs]

While my jap opponent plans his turn, he asked for 2-3 days there, I am thinking about my immediate actions. I did not play PBEMs for ages, so would be happy to hear your opinions.


DEI - Extract as much as I can on as little PP as I can. Last time I played I got out all 6 KNIL Regiments and most base forces, plus some batallions. I used them as Garrison forces, to replace more valuable units. Most went to Christmas Island IO, placing around 500 AV there with CD guns and AA under heavy forts, plus 4 squadrons of fighters, and a group of Wellingtons trained on low level naval attack+squadron of A24. Some smaller fast freighters were running supplies in from Capetown directly. Takeable of course, but can be a pain in the flank of DEI. The rest went to build similar "Flank fort" at the Port Blair, together with an Indian brigade from Singapore. My opponent tried his best to reduce it to shambles by bombers and surface bombardments, pushing out my fighter planes out of there some day, but his first invasion failed, and the supply was brought in by Catalinas from Calcutta in an amount to keep them firing. CD guns also shot up a few his ships, while minelayers kept placing mines which blasted a CL to sink and damaged a few other bombardment ships. AA guns downed a few dozens of Sallies and Lilys. I might try to do it once more. Most evacs were done by individual small ships loaded with whatever unit is available. Enemy bombers are often reluctant to select a lone tiny xAKL as a target, and even if they fly, they kill one out of 50 working as a stream to bring the boys out. More problems were done when he set the Zeros to strafe at 100 ft, but they were then easy prey for P40 cap traps in this mode... As many engineers as manageable are to go to Palembang - no HRs on this part.

Singapore - evac to Ceylon and Port Blair, either by Malacca straights, or over DEI.

Philippine - evac as much as I can over 3 ways - one south, one going through islands to the east to Hawaii or Aleutians, one going around north end of PI to Aleutians. I also had some success to run individual ships towards Palembang along the north coast of Borneo. Also, a number of slow ships are to load supplies on north borneo coast, Philippines, and Hong Kong and run individual ship streams to the available chinese ports before he takes them.

Pacific: Garrison Noumea/Koumac, Suva/Nadi as reasonable. Set up convoy system - I usually go for 2 routes - one going East coast->PH->Suva->Sydney and one East coast->PH->Tahiti->Aukland. Build up Tahiti. Place forward garrisons at Luganville and Ndeni, Canton and Baker islands, Pago Pago. Set up CatPatrols with AV/AVD/AVP at dot bases with screen. Get as many 4E bombers together. Just a question where to get them in first way. Go for Australia? Bring them to India? Fight to Death Perimeter would be New Caledonia-Fiji-PagoPago-Canton-Palmyra->Hawaii. I would also ship as many troops as I can spare to India.

Burma/India - let small useless units to delay instant catches, and move the usable units to India. I am going to make a stand at Akyab-Imphal line. That line is going to be fortified, as many units would go there as I can get. Ceylon is to be fortified, too. I would probably keep some units like indian armored divisions back, training and acting as a reserve in case of south or west coast invasion.

China - make the guys roll for a defensive position in a good terrain, try holding Changsha. Try moving in some Corps to the bases with good terrain. Let them build up and gather switchable units on the Burma border, maybe to attack his flank in Burma if I can later switch them.

I am also going to use the CapTraps as much as I can.

Carriers would be pulled together to one battle group, both brits and americans. I am going to make them actively raid his backyards when the KB is not there. To beef up air groups I would drop in a squadron of Marines on board.


Its my first game with withdrawals - is there a way to see all of them in some way? I am trying to get the Tracker running, but I always had it crashing earlier, latest after a few turns.

[Bif1961]

Good luck looking forward to seeing how this develops.

[durnedwolf]

For Tracker - try the WiTPTrackerNoMap batch file. Sometimes people have low memory issues on their home computers...

[PetrOs]

Yeah, I read in the first turn with no map batch. A bit a pity that no x64 version exists, as it would avoid memory issues. 32bit version cant address all the memory I have - 64GB RAM installed on my PC as I am doing model kit development in 3D ....

[Anachro]

There is a way to get tracker to work on an x64 version while retaining use of the map version if you follow the instructions on the tracker website.

TRACKER SUPPORT

[bradfordkay]

I consider Suva/Nadi to be the linchpin of the South Pacific defense - you have a pair of level 9 airfields side by side for mutual support. Vava'u is my favorite central supply hub, with Samoa (Pago Pago and Savaii) as the main defense bases to the northeast of Vava'u. While Noumea and Koumac make for another strong base, trying to defend them against an early IJN invasion force supported by the Kido Butai may be beyond the USN's capabilities. I would not recommend losing your carriers in an attempt to hold New Caledonia - it can be recaptured at a later date.

YMMV

[PetrOs]

There is a way to get tracker to work on an x64 version while retaining use of the map version if you follow the instructions on the tracker website.

Thanks, it starts with map too, but then dumps exceptions all around. As a professional software architect, I understand well why it happens, but cant change much there.
I actually developed similar (but by far not that extensive) tool many, many years ago in the Uncommon Valor times, but never really finished it....

[PetrOs]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

I consider Suva/Nadi to be the linchpin of the South Pacific defense - you have a pair of level 9 airfields side by side for mutual support. Vava'u is my favorite central supply hub, with Samoa (Pago Pago and Savaii) as the main defense bases to the northeast of Vava'u. While Noumea and Koumac make for another strong base, trying to defend them against an early IJN invasion force supported by the Kido Butai may be beyond the USN's capabilities. I would not recommend losing your carriers in an attempt to hold New Caledonia - it can be recaptured at a later date.

YMMV

Suva/Nadi is of course a very decent place to hold. I would be defending it at first line. Noumea/LaFoa/Koumac is not bad, but can be retaken later, thats true.

I never used Vavau before, will take a deeper look on the base when back home.

Especially taking the extreme agressive reputation of my opponent in consideration, Noumea might be a fast go by him, and thus problematic.

A few years ago I had a carrier battle in another PBEM near Suva, in February 42. I had nearly 200 P40/F4F/P36/P39 (most of PH and West Coast boys transiting to Australia/India) there flying 100% cap range 2 for training, and my 3 carriers (Lex/Sara/Yorktown) were 1 hex away. He wanted to raid my shipping there and came in with 6 CV KB. We did not see each other before the battle, as the weather was grave bad on the day before. He was just 3 hex away, so even devastators flew. 4 of the KB carriers went down with all planes and 2 were badly shot up and barely made it out, while I lost Yorktown to my error - i tried moving it out of Suva too early and it sunk on its way to PH. Lex and Sara were serviceable, had around 15 system and 1-2 flood/engine damage afterwards...
It would be very nice if I could repeat such a performance

[PetrOs]

Just received the Japanese 1st real turn back. Alex Pentakomo took a few days, but it is usual. Now my day in the office is spoiled, I cant wait to start

Just a question in my head... should I reinforce the Aleutians, or stick to what's there... If to rush as much to India, to Oz, to Fiji/Noumea, how to set priorities...

I used to enjoy writing character storyline for my old PBEM many years ago, so it is time to get some character story writing

Lieutenant Peter Joseph from USS Nevada was on leave. Graduating from Annapolis a few years ago, and having served as ensign and junior lieutenant on destroyers, he was recently assigned as a navigation officer on USS Nevada. His fiancée Kate was living in the Pearl city, and he spent the Saturday night with her and a few friends in a dance bar. As he woke up at her place, he realized he was getting terribly late to the flag rising, so after a short good bye kiss, he rushed out. Kate gave him the car key, so he could get faster to the harbor. As he started, he suddenly saw a squadron of airplanes passing over him. At first, he thought it was another training exercise at nearby Hickam field, but then he shuddered from shock - the planes had meatballs on their wings, and torpedoes under their bottoms. He pressed accelerator to follow them, and then had to duck under the dashboard, as one of the tail gunners riddled the car with his machine gun. When firing ceased, he rushed on towards the port, but it was too late. He saw explosions in the battleship row, and those were tremendous. Pennsylvania was just leaving the dry dock when she was hit by a torpedo which appeared out of nowhere. A few minutes later she was hit by a stick of bombs and a pair of further torpedoes, and exploded in a huge fireball. His own Nevada was struck by at least 6 torpedoes and several bombs, and turned turtle. All other battleships were also hit, burning or settling down. Cruisers on the other side, destroyer stacks, and auxiliaries - everything was on fire. Even the water was burning; the oil covered men were trying to swim away, as the fires consumed them... Thick black smoke with bright orange flames risen where the Hickam field and Ford island naval air stations were.
On the pier side, he met his younger brother Andy, who was an Ensign on the destroyer Bagley, and a few other officers and men. Some were crying, some cursing, but all of them struck with shock. Another flight of Japanese planes approached, and one of the officers suddenly started firing his pistol at the Kates. To everyone's surprise, the section leader aircraft exploded in a fireball, and burning debris rained on the crowd, but despite the pain, all men shouted a loud Hurray. Wounded were promptly attended by a civilian medic who was walking to visit his patient.

A small old pearl diving boat was parked nearby, so Peter shouted to the sailors to board it and go to help the survivors in the water. To their surprise, the boat even had a motor, and that was in working condition. Luckily, one of the sailors was an engineer of a motor whaleboat from DMS Breese, and was able to start. One by one, oil covered survivors were pulled aboard, and then landed on the coas. As they approached the pen-knifed USS Bagley, Peter noticed the tears in his brother's eyes - he lost many friends on board, and he realized that berserker anger was rising in him, and he would not stop fighting until those tears are avenged.

While unloading yet another batch of survivors, some dock workers approached them with acetylene torch equipment. They asked to be brought to Nevada - the capsized ship could probably contain some survivors inside. The boat took them on board, and rushed there. Peter went over to the red bottom of the ship which was his home just a few hours ago, and left Andy to continue with survivor pick up. Peter was not a big expert in the "guts" of his ship, but he had a very good sense of hearing. As he pressed an ear against the rough barnacles, he heard some voices and knocking, just a few yards away. Localizing them, he let the workers cut the steel plate, and in a few minutes he extracted the 3rd engineer and several seamen from their watery grave.. For the rest of the day and the night he went on trying to extract other people from the wreck, and in one occasion he even had to go down himself to extract a wounded man who was stuck between the piping....

[PetrOs]

I just found another AAR with the same opponent on an italian forum... At least there, he went on pounding the PH until he sunk everything there! At least 5-6 attacks...

[821Bobo]

he went on pounding the PH until he sunk everything there! At least 5-6 attacks...

You can counter this with putting damaged ships to shipyard and all undamaged vessels can escape. Also after 6(actually more like 8) attacks his CVs will be out of sorties and vulnerable to your CV strike.

[PetrOs]

Would the ones in the shipyard not get hits? The rest would then exfiltrate in 1-2 ship TFs running away towards all directions except KB