Bottlenecks in the Pacific PBEM AAR vs Jansako (J)

[Axe1999]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]So finally a time has come for my first PBEM game, after about 1k hrs put in in various AI scenarios. Game is scenario 59 (full R&D) variant of LSTs mod 'Bottlenecks in the Pacific', Im playing as Allies, with PDU on. A few words about scenario. It is built on a premise of significantly slowing down tempo of operations in the PTO and CBI theaters. Mod is based on DBB C and features loads of new bases (mostly in CBI), reworked OOBs, devices, much lower supply in CONUS in the beginning, where only LI produces supply and most of its centers start significantly damaged at the start of the game, lower SPS of the bases and so on. A lot more on the mod can be found here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4262848

House rules, aside from those suggested by LST include:
1. Full PP must be paid for restricted units to cross national borders. Fully restricted units can never cross national borders.
2. Sweeping is allowed at 2nd highest manouver band at the highest.
3. No carrier hunting turn 1.
4. No deep penetrations turn 1 (probably not needed, I think LST removed TF movement bonus for T1).[/font]

[Axe1999]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Some short and long term rough guidelines and plans across various theaters are as followed:


Alaska
Not much for the beginning as I cant really spare any resources. Just building up Dutch Harbor, Anchorage and Kodiak as much as supply and engineers permit. Later on Im looking on buidling up Adak as forward sub base and base for possible push into Kuriles come 1943.

CONUS
For now just trying to stockpile some supply to send to Pearl and some fuel to send to SoPac, as Pearl starts pretty well stocked. Collecting various merchants and tankers has to be most tedious thing in T1. Supply lines are depended on how Jan wants to play his raiders and subs, for now Im thinking EC - Cape Town - Perth link to minimize risk.

CentPac
Pearl attacks are hardcoded in this scenario, and Oklahoma and Arizona go under the waves on T1. Hopefully no T2 attack happens as fighters on Hickam Field have been mauled as well. Long-ish term plans are to build 'Kido Butai barrier' along the Hawaii - Line Islands - Canton - Samoa - Fiji - Noumea south of which it will be risky for him to venture. That would require some time before getting resources needed in aircraft, engineers, garrison units and supply. Getting Marshalls early could be very useful, but it is to early to think about that. Midway will be developed as sub base as soon as the first storm is weathered and I can send some fuel, tenders and fighters there.

SoPac
Trying to hold Pago Pago, Suva and Noumea with pretty much everything I have as SoPac will probably be my primary axis of counterattack later on. That means my first reinforcements are going down south. Auckland will be supply and fuel hub initially until Noumea is built up and relatively safe.

SWPac & Australia
Will do what I can to defend Port Moresby, including pumping it with supply and reinforcements until Betty farm at Rabaul becomes operational, but wont risk my carriers for it. Milne Bay would be good to have as well but Im not too optimistic. Im toying with the idea of making him earn Rabaul, and maybe send a CMF Brigade and some supply there. The longer Rabaul holds longer I can dig in at Port Moresby.

Dutch East Indies & Malaya
Not too much that can be done in DEI. Reinforcing Palembang with what I can spare, as well as consolidating Java in Batavia and Soerebaja, mining Tarakan and Balikpapan. Java will probably get fairly large supply convoy if I can do it before Kido Butai arrives in region. Full retreat to Johore/Singapore is in order, with few battalions left behind as speedbumps. I plan on evacuating Aussies from Singapore since I want them in Port Moresby. 18th British Division may take its place. Still no idea what to do with Force Z, I kinda want to be pretty aggressive and see if I can surprise any IJN battlewagons in the area. ABDA SCTF is based in Java as well and will look to engage any weakly escorted troop movements. Houston, Boise, Marblehead, although worthy, Im willing to risk to mess with his already tight schedule.

Burma/India
Rangoon will get some supply and reinforcements, if I can hold it that would be great but with difficulty supply route Id prefer orderly retreat towards India once the delaying action has been fought. In India my primary line is along the Burma border, secondary is southern bases and third line would be Ceylon. I want south to be as invasion proof as I can make it. Colombo would be good to hold as well but Im afraid that if he really wants it its hard to defend. Still not sure what to do with Eastern Fleet. CVs will probably reinforce American ones and will get USMC fighters and bombers onboard. Mod makes supply and movement between Burma and India, and between bases on the border pretty hard, so main defense line can probably be held by somewhat smaller force than in stock scenarios.

China
With many more dot bases and much more garrison requirements I seriously doubt Jan would focus too hard on this theater. First priority is getting my LCUs into better defensive terrain and figuring out main line of defense. Later on, I may pursue some limited offensives near Ichang. Supply in the mod in China is a bit better than in stock, and air bridge from Ledo should be sufficient for these not very ambitious plans.

Philippines
Withdrawing to Manila and mostly Clark Field. Probably gonna suicide run some xAKL to get at least a few thousand tons of supply in as soon as possible, and after that use subs to supply Bataan. For now Manila subs are swarming Taiwan and East China Sea, but they would be rebased to Midway as soon as it is ready.

[/font]

[Axe1999]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]
Dec 7th 1941

A day that will live in infamy. Oklahoma and Arizona go below, and without Kido Butai strikes not much happens on turn 1.

• Enterprise luckily dodges torpedo near the entrance of Pear Harbor anchorage, and IJN fleet boats account for a medium sized tanker near Hawaii.
• Still Lexington to worry about and to safely return, may keep it down south till sub situation clears a bit up.
• Couple of British transports are caught by Betties in Malacca Strait and succumb to torpedoes.
• British PG encounters two lone tankers near Shanghai but for some reason it disengages.
• Vildebeests based from Singapore put a torp into CM just south of Singapore.
• What I suspect is CVL group leaves Palaus and heads west, towards Makkasar Strait, presumably to strike at fleeing tankers and SAGs.
• One IJN fleet boat is shown as sunk in intel report, but there was no DC attack replay, so Im thinking its some kind of bug.

Turn 2 is in, time to hop right in.

[/font]

[Axe1999]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]
Dec 8th 1941

Turn 2 replay is in, and it's very interesting one.

• Highlight of the turn is IJN cruiser cover group leaving its assigned Philippines invasion convoys to go and hunt auxillary tugs fleeing Hong Kong, leaving transports with a few PBs of escort
• Two Clemson DDs use the opportunity and engage 20-something large convoy, but unfortunately target mostly PB escorts, only managing a few shell hits on transports, but get one with torpedo as well, so I think that one went under.
• Clemsons encounter another lightly escorted convoy but are winchester on ammo and have to disengage
• 34 Zekes sweeping Clarck Field and following up by some bombers and P-40s cant do much. Im in trouble if airfield damage prevents me from building forts there.
• On a bright side Manila CAP catches unescorted flight of Betties and shoots down most of them, 9 according to replay
• Using subs in a bit of defensive role around Philippines seems to work, I got two torpedo hits on a fairly large xAP, and one on an SC
• Dutch sub put a torp into another IJN minelayer in Gulf of Siam.
• Couple of xAKLs are lost due to Betties, subs and mines, but mostly 1-3 VP ships
• Now comes the problem of Kido Butai. According to Catalina searches it swung south and is currently next to French Frigate Shoal moving SW towards Johnston. Could he be hunting Lexington TF that went south? Positioning for another strike at Pearl? Hunting some stray shipping that has been collecting at Pearl from west and south?
• Night bombing from Singapore and Luzon towards Kota Bharu and Formosa havent sortied despite 75% moonlight and good weather. Not sure why.

[/font]

[Axe1999]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]
Dec 9th 1941

Turn 4 is in, jumping into the setup.

• Some surface action around Northern Luzon, with 2 British DDs and couple PGs engaging invasion forces. Got a few hits on transports and some Japanese destroyers but nothing special. Lost all of the combatants, but those DDs ate what I presume was most of his CA based SAG ammo. Hopefully they bug out to replenish.
• Landings on Luzon have started. Batan Island and Tarawa fell as well.
• Malaya and DEI still quiet.
• Planning on some limited offensive around Ichang, looking to encircle some Japanese troops there.
• CAP over Singapore caught a bunch of unescorted Betties and Nells, netting 70 Japanese planes shot down this turn.
• Sweeps over Clarck Field account for 20ish P-40s and P-36s. Not followed by bombers this turn.
• Sub attack near Luzon, one Jap xAK down. Lost xAP President Madison fleeing Manila.
• B-17s fly night port attack on Takao, three xAKs got a pair of bombs each. Pretty good result considering 67% moonlight and low pilot xp. Blenheims night bombed airfield at Kota Bharu, zero hits.
• Kido Butai swinging west, possibly to cover Wake invasion or to replenish in Marshalls.
• Contemplating sprinting Force Z up the coast to Kota Bharu, recon suggests fairly big shipping concentration up there, along with some cruisers.

[/font]

[Axe1999]

Dec 10th 1941

Not too much to report this turn.

• Two Clemsons ran into CA based SAG around Vigan and were promptly sunk. The way I used them I was surprised they lasted this long.
• First tanker convoy left Los Angeles towards Auckland, consisting of 4 tankers and 2 escorting destroyers. Have to stockpile a bit of fuel south for future carrier operations in theater.
• Noumea garrison left as well, consisting of USMC regiment, para battalion, some engineers and base force.
• 1st USMC Div along with some engineers and air HQ awaiting enough PP to buy out infantry to move out to Suva. Prioritizing PP now to get Aussies out of Singapore, as 8th Div is my Port Moresby defense anchor.
• No use in putting CAP up over Clarck Field, as that just results in planes shot down. I will have to defend without forts if bombing continues.
• Supply is still short in CONUS, San Francisco has something like 130k, so Pearl will have to wait a bit more. Its not critical I have a decent surplus there, Im more worried about getting some to Auckland. xAKs are getting their upgrades while supply builds up, most of them start the game fully civilian, without any AA weapons.
• Sub attack near Leyte, large Japanese xAP got torpedoed. USS Seawolf ate a few depth charges and sits at Manila shipyard 24-12-0 damage.
• Civilians are being evacuated where possible, as they net quite a few VPs if left to die. Dugout Doug left Bataan on Dec 9th onboard PT Boat heading south.
• Kido Butai out of naval search range.
• Force Z reinforced by ABDA cruiser force on the way towards Malaya to hunt Japanese shipping.
• First fighter groups left CONUS in merchants packed up in boxes, heading south to Australia to bolster its defenses and defenses of New Guinea.
• High submarine concentration around Hawaii, not much I can do with anemic early war ASW.
• No significant losses so far, couple 1VP xAKLs fleeing south.
• Wake defenders, though outgunned and bombarded by 2 days by cruiser TF, resist initial Japanese attack. Shore batteries score a couple hits on transports.
  

  Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)
  
  Japanese Shock attack
  
  Attacking force 1352 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 60
  
  Defending force 2451 troops, 42 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 22
  
  Japanese adjusted assault: 0
  
  Allied adjusted defense: 10
  
  Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 2)
  
  Combat modifiers
  Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
  experience(-)
  Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), disruption(-)
  
  Japanese ground losses:
  716 casualties reported
  Squads: 33 destroyed, 37 disabled
  Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
  Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
  Guns lost 13 (2 destroyed, 11 disabled)
  
  Allied ground losses:
  13 casualties reported
  Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
  Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
  Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
  
  Assaulting units:
  Maizuru 2nd SNLF
  
  Defending units:
  Wake Is. NAS Base Force
  W Det. 1st Marine Defense Battalion
  CPNAB Det A

[Axe1999]

Dec 11th 1941 SITREP

• Dutch subs active off of Cam Ranh Bay, sinking three mechants.
• Lost two small Dutch tankers fleeing Palembang to IJN sub.
• CVL task force spotted entering Samar Sea through San Bernardino Strait, not much assets to counter, torpedo armed Catalinas will try to intercept.
• Port Moresby reinforcements inbound from CONUS, base force and some artillery and engineers. Hopefully they arrive in time...
• Limited, ineffective IJAAF bombing of Changsha.
• Hong Kong flak is dealing some nice damage to attacking Sonias, 1 shot down and 7 damaged, and I suspect some of them dont return home.
• Heavy bombing of Manila, most significant hits were SS Seawolf and 10k ton ARD struck while in port. Sub will make it out but ARD is to slow to hope to escape.
• Shock attack at Hong Kong gets 2:1 but Japanese lose 1500 men to 500 of mine. Most are disablements.

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 19766 troops, 353 guns, 173 vehicles, Assault Value = 698

Defending force 11136 troops, 146 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 284

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1004

Allied adjusted defense: 469

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1432 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 182 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
543 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Ind.Inf.Group
38th Division
68th Ind.Infantry Battalion
67th Ind.Infantry Battalion
19th Ind Engineer Regiment
51ID 66th Infantry Regiment
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th RF Gun Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
Kowloon Brigade
Hong Kong Brigade
102nd RN Base Force
Hong Kong Fortress

[Axe1999]

Dec 12th 1941 SITREP

Scratch one flattop! Although losing some valuable ships, I am willing to take any win I can get in December '41, as they are very hard to come by.

• Manila based Catalinas carrying torpedoes send IJN CVL Ryujo under the waves.
• Fall of Guam.
• Heavy Kido Butai strike at Wake Atoll, on its way back homw to Truk. New Guinea/Java/Northern Australia may be its next target.
• Tarakan invasion supported by heavy SAG. 3 medium sized TKs and an AO (luckily the slow one) are caught in vicinity and promptly sunk. It hurts but its not the end of the world.
• Still losing quite a bit of 1VP xAKLs fleeing to safety, not much I can do.
• Subs got one big Japanese xAK at Kota Bharu.
• CL Richmond ate two torpedoes approaching Pearl Harbor, and sits at 22 sys 60 (49) flt 32 (22) eng, and will probably make it home if it doesnt get intercepted again.
• Lexington reaches safety of Pearl Harbor anchorage, Saratoga and its 3 DD escort is a day out. Im a bit scared of subs so SBD s and TBDs are flying 80% ASW. Although not really trained, its better than nothing.
• USS Yorktown is due in 9 days, and that pretty much all of the carriers I get till spring. Still figuring out how will I use them.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Barbaza at 78,82

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 19 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude-Kansen x 6

Allied aircraft
PBY-4 Catalina x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A5M4 Claude-Kansen: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
PBY-4 Catalina: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryujo, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x PBY-4 Catalina launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1 with A5M4 Claude-Kansen (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 16000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes

[BBfanboy]

Sometimes it is better to use your carrier aircraft on search rather than ASW. Once spotted, a sub has much less chance of surprising your ships. Given that your carrier aircraft likely have reasonable search numbers compared to poor ASW numbers, it might make a difference. Or you could put the SBDs on ASW (range is halved) and the TBs on search out to 4 hexes.

[Axe1999]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Sometimes it is better to use your carrier aircraft on search rather than ASW. Once spotted, a sub has much less chance of surprising your ships. Given that your carrier aircraft likely have reasonable search numbers compared to poor ASW numbers, it might make a difference. Or you could put the SBDs on ASW (range is halved) and the TBs on search out to 4 hexes.

Did that, and took a detour to avoid sub concentration, should be safe now, one turn out.

[Axe1999]

Dec 13th 1941 SITREP

Big night surface slugfest at Kota Bharu. Intel and search completely missed entire heavy surface cover force and my ABDA SAG ran into them. My opponent gave me a little snippet of intel that says his CL Yura and DD Asashio collided during engagement, so they should both be out for a while.

• Luckily for the Allies it wasnt as bloody as I expected, with CL Durban being worst with 22 sys and 1 maj engine damage. Couple of 14" hits Prince of Wales shrugged off. Retreating towards Java, 13 Nells penetrate Buffalo LRCAP but fail to score any hits.
• CL Richmond again intercepted and sunk by two more torpedoes. Luckily it was Omaha class CL and not one of the better ones.
• First supply convoy is loading up at San Francisco now that I finally have 150k supply there. 60k going to Pearl.
• 1st USMC Division arriving in San Francisco in a day, but it will have to wait till I have 670PP to buy it out. It will go to Suva once ready.
• US and Dutch subs off of Indochina sinking 1-2 high value cargo ships per turn.
• Sub threat increases at West Coast, ships no longer go unescorted anywhere.
• Mirri fell and B-17s are set up to immediately strike its oil next turn.
• Chinese units few days out of hex SE of Ichang, which looks lightly defended, and it is probably there that I will try to make an encirclement.
• Kido Butai still on course to Truk, bombing Wake again.
• Legaspi and Tarakan fell.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Kota Bharu at 51,75, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 2
BB Haruna, Shell hits 3
CA Takao
CA Atago
CA Chokai
CL Yura, Shell hits 2
CL Kinu
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Hibiki

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 3
BC Repulse
CA Houston
CL Java, Shell hits 2
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
CL Danae~
CL Dragon~
CL Durban~, Shell hits 1
CL Mauritius~, Shell hits 1
CL Marblehead~
DD Alden
DD Barker
DD Bulmer
DD Edsall
DD John D Edwards
DD Stewart, Shell hits 1
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 1
DD Whipple
DD Parrott

[Axe1999]

Dec 14th 1941 SITREP

• Regular bombings of Changsha, damaged most of my aircraft on ground so I cant move them to safety.
• Same for Clarck Field, looks like no forts would be built there. He captured Lingayen and path to Clarck Field is open. There awaits him 1100 AV including a couple tank battalions.
• Wave of Suva reinforcements minus 1st USMC Div left San Francisco.
• 22nd Aus Bgd leaving Singapore for Port Moresby. 27nd will leave when there is enough PP.
• 2 oil hits on Mirri by 5 B-17s flying from Singapore.
• Trying to run some supply into Rangoon and Java but Im not sure if that will be possible, xAKs take too long to collect at Cape Town and there is no supply surplus anywhere closer.
• Wake falls after another full KB strike and shock attack.
• Two big wins at Sinyang and Hong Kong with two shock attack repelled with large casualties for the Japanese. Hong Kong still has forts at level 3.
• Sub hits on Allied AO and medium sized TK in Java Sea, Japanese AMCs raiding shipping 200 nm east of Canton Island. Will dispatch SAG to deal with it. Canton reinforcement convoy pulled back till it has been dealt with.
• Torpedo hit on large xAP near San Francisco, luckily only 18 maj flt.

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 18652 troops, 353 guns, 172 vehicles, Assault Value = 525

Defending force 10933 troops, 146 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 257

Japanese adjusted assault: 1248

Allied adjusted defense: 1277

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
1487 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
624 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 77 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Assaulting units:
68th Ind.Infantry Battalion
67th Ind.Infantry Battalion
1st Ind.Inf.Group
19th Ind Engineer Regiment
38th Division
51ID 66th Infantry Regiment
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd RF Gun Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
23rd Army
5th RF Gun Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
Kowloon Brigade
Hong Kong Brigade
102nd RN Base Force
Hong Kong Fortress

Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4786 troops, 53 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 201

Defending force 5709 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 210

Japanese adjusted assault: 64

Allied adjusted defense: 101

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: op mode(-), shock(+), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
1057 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
52nd Field Const Co
67th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
92nd Chinese Army


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


Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5661 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 203

Defending force 4078 troops, 51 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 70

Assaulting units:
92nd Chinese Army

Defending units:
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
52nd Field Const Co
67th JAAF AF Coy

[LargeSlowTarget]

ORIGINAL: Axe1999

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]
Dec 7th 1941

[*] British PG encounters two lone tankers near Shanghai but for some reason it disengages.
[*] Vildebeests based from Singapore put a torp into CM just south of Singapore.

[/font]

So good old China gunboat HMS Peterel has escaped immediate destruction at Shanghai? Your opponent must have withdrawn or disbanded in port the old cruiser Izumo and accompanying small fry. If the scenario setup is left alone, Peterel usually gets sunk by Izumo on Dec 7th - true to history.

And poor Tatsumiya Maru was caught trying to plant her mines. Historically she was tasked to lay mines between Tioman and the Anambas Islands on December 6th (yes, a day before war started) - right in the most likely path Force Z would have to take to intercept Japanese landings further North. Spotted by a Dutch flying boat before she reached the assigned position, she dropped her mines further north than planned. The minefield claimed at least two Dutch subs and minesweeper HMS Banka.

How's the evac of Dugout Doug and the civilians going? Don't forget the nurses and President Quezon. Far East USAAF Air HQ should leave the PI as well, as it will form the nucleus of 10th AF (by renaming).

[Axe1999]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

So good old China gunboat HMS Peterel has escaped immediate destruction at Shanghai? Your opponent must have withdrawn or disbanded in port the old cruiser Izumo and accompanying small fry. If the scenario setup is left alone, Peterel usually gets sunk by Izumo on Dec 7th - true to history.

And poor Tatsumiya Maru was caught trying to plant her mines. Historically she was tasked to lay mines between Tioman and the Anambas Islands on December 6th (yes, a day before war started) - right in the most likely path Force Z would have to take to intercept Japanese landings further North. Spotted by a Dutch flying boat before she reached the assigned position, she dropped her mines further north than planned. The minefield claimed at least two Dutch subs and minesweeper HMS Banka.

How's the evac of Dugout Doug and the civilians going? Don't forget the nurses and President Quezon. Far East USAAF Air HQ should leave the PI as well, as it will form the nucleus of 10th AF (by renaming).

Yes she did, I fully expected to suicide her turn 1 but she made it till turn 3.

I believed it was her that laid mines in a base a hex south of Singapore, that claimed one of my merchants.

Air HQ is priority for now, Doug unfortunately went down when his PT Boat was met by a destroyer SAG [:D] . Civilians are going worse than planned, most of the New Guinea and Solomons are out but in Southern DEI there is so many small islands with 20-30 civvies that Im just to lazy to pull out. Quezon and nurses will probably head out once some subs return back from their patrols, as evacuation in surface ships is close to impossible. Still waiting on arrival of those larger LCUs on Java, and some transports have been left behind dedicated to that.

[ReadyR]

I look forward to reading this AAR. I am Jan 1944 in my game using Bottlenecks. My opponent and I have really enjoyed the mod.

[Axe1999]

ORIGINAL: ReadyR

I look forward to reading this AAR. I am Jan 1944 in my game using Bottlenecks. My opponent and I have really enjoyed the mod.

Hi, welcome! What side are you playing, how is your war going?

[Axe1999]

Dec 15th 1941 SITREP

Big Allied blunder at Ichang, I forgot to sync arrivals of troops from two different hexes so they arrive piecemeal, resulting in a massacre.

• Japanese get 6:1 in Ichang and Chinese troops are thrown back with 5000 casualties.
• Non-effective bombing of Clark Field and Changsha. Effective bombing of port in Manila resulting in a couple of hits on xAKLs.
• Dutch B-10s hitting undefended oil fields in Tarakan, resulting in 3 hits.
• Lobbing shells at each other in Hong Kong, after two failed Japanese shock attacks.
• 2 oil hits on Mirri by 5 B-17s flying from Singapore.
• Two Chinese Cavalry Brigades reach Kweisui and have 177:108 AV advantage. Dont plan on actively fighting this as extra supply is needed around Ichang. Same at Sinyang at 205:74 AV advantage.
• Japanese river boats bombard Changsha, old cruiser bombards Wenchow. Supply hits hurt the most.
• Two big wins at Sinyang and Hong Kong with two shock attack repelled with large casualties for the Japanese. Hong Kong still has forts at level 3.
• Subs are infesting waters around San Francisco and Los Angeles, with lack of escorts troop movements and tankers get priority, merchant convoys will probably get some short legged escort only to lose it once they leave danger zone.

Ground combat at Ichang (83,48)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 17644 troops, 204 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 696

Defending force 9477 troops, 70 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 354

Japanese adjusted assault: 524

Allied adjusted defense: 81

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
759 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 90 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

Allied ground losses:
4980 casualties reported
Squads: 197 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 110 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 16 (9 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
13th Division
40th Division

Defending units:
8th Chinese Army
53rd Chinese Army-

[Axe1999]

Dec 16th 1941 SITREP

• Forts are building up nicely. I set entirety of India, Australia and New Zealand to dig in, while in SRA only selected few bases I want to make a stand on build up.
• Supply convoy leaving Cape Town for Rangoon, only 25k but that uses all of the available shipping I had there.
• Lost eyes on Kido Butai once again. Presumably off to Truk and from there to DEI.
• Two fuel convoys forming up at Abadan, bound for Karachi. Later on one will probably go to Colombo as well, not needed now. May even make Addu my Eastern Fleet base, with its 3(3) port and the fact he may overlook it if Kido Butai comes knocking.
• Aerial bombing of Honk Kong, AA damages 7 Sonias.
• Infantry reached Qianjiang, one hex SE of Ichang hoping to make the encircling move there. Currently 383:281 AV for the Japanese but more troops are inbound. Still probably wont be enough as I would want at least 3:1 AV.
• Medium sized TK (8300 nm endurance) gets torpedoed in Java sea and sinks.
• ABDA SAG reached Soerebaja to refuel, Dutch cruisers will stay there for maintenance while Force Z leaves for Indian Ocean. Houston and Marblehead are in Java for now but will probably flee for Australia before Kido Butai arrives.

[Axe1999]

Small insight into my planning and organizing process, with tracking LCU movements, major sightings, CS convoys, base garrisons...

[Axe1999]

Dec 17th 1941 SITREP

• Kido Butai sighted again by accident, its planes attacking two auxiliary tugs fleeing Luzon for Midway. It has gone north back to Japan after all. It is some 500 nm north of Marcus Island.
• 4 more oil hits at Tarakan, now 100(31). Dutch bombers will continue to pound at oil, and B-17s will hit refinery next turn.
• 3 CA SAG bombarding Rabaul, expecting invasion force to make landfall in the next two turns. No time to reinforce or resupply it. I may have a run at the invasion with CL Achilles and CL Leander.
• Group designated to bombard Palembang encounters 4 AMc's and promptly sinks them, it looks like it took them a lot of shells since they are moving back towards Indochina.
• IJA troops are in hexes adjacent to Clark - Manila line on Luzon, soon to make contact.
• Two Chinese armies ejected from Qianjiang by a tank regiment and infantry division. Ichang operation put on hold till I can collect more firepower.
• AO Pecos lost near Donggala to torpedoes.
• Two AMCs are avoiding Catalinas at Canton and keep raiding my unescorted merchants north of Howland Island. CL Honolulu + 4DD's have been sortied from Pearl to deal with them.