Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II (CHS)

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Captain Cruft
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Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II (CHS)

Post by Captain Cruft »

OK here we go with the re-start.

This is the full campaign, CHS (Combined Historical Scenario) variant. Thanks again to the CHS guys for what I personally consider to be an awesome achievement :)

The scenario is slightly modified in that fuel stocks and automatic supply/fuel at the "map edges" have been reduced for both sides. Maybe this will help to slow things down a bit at the start.

We are using a fairly small set of House Rules:-

1) No HQ changes until 1st Jan 1942.
2) No Kwantung Area Army land units in China.
3) No China Command land units in Burma.
4) No Japanese surface units to move adjacent to the "grey areas" surrounding Panama & Middle East.
5) No air units to be flown out of Panama or Middle East, they must be transported by sea.

I did a slightly different first turn, the main changes being:

1) No air attack on Singapore.
2) Air attack on Wake by Nells from Kwajalein.
3) PH attack was re-configured so that Vals did the airfield and Kates the port, whilst all Zeros flew escort.

Results

Pearl Harbor

This was slightly disappointing in that nothing was reported as being sunk. However, the airfield was well trashed and the Kates managed to deliver both 18in torps and 800kg bombs. Several BBs are looking decidedly the worse for wear.

Clark Field

Well and truly smashed up as per usual.

CVL Ryujo

To my surprise the plucky single carrier managed to survive the standard B-17 attack from Cagayan. It will now proceed to the south of Mindanao hunting for fleeing transports. This will not be a protracted stay. In conjunction with this the Legaspi bombardment force has been re-directed to do something more useful, i.e. visit Cagayan. In the CHS Cagayan is the only size 4 airfield in the PI outside Clark Field.

Hong Kong

38th Div has crossed the river and will start bombarding next turn. It will followed by 23rd Army, 1st Heavy Brigade, 19th Eng Regt and a Mortar unit. Sallies from Amoy attacked the port to no effect.

Shanghai

PG Wake is no more.

Malaya

Standard landing of 18th Div at Kota Bharu. Slight difference in that Kongo/Haruna TF is patrolling offshore rather than at the beach.

Wake Island

Still in US hands. Coastal guns completely ineffective. Initial shock attack got 1-1 odds, I am hopeful that the next turn may bring a Capture.

Gilberts

I have recalled the 52nd Naval Guard unit segment from its trip to Makin. My plans for this area are different, on which more later.

Kido Butai

Has been ordered to meet up with the tankers to the SE of French Frigate Shoals. After re-fuelling we shall go hunting!

Subs in Pacific

All subs with Glens have been ordered to locations near the West Coast of the USA. The rest have been despatched to watch the various islands in the Central and South Pacific. Where they will no doubt succumb to the first US minesweeper or fishing smack that passes by ...

Immediate future

I'm not going to do anything wacky until the PI and Malaya are looking OK. Obviously Kuching and Davao are the next major landings.

Virtually all Nells and Betties are now on Naval Attack. Further airfield suppression will be necessary but I am going to try to rely on the IJA bombers for that.

Production

I have stopped all production of the following aircraft:

IJN: Val, Kate, Alf, Nell, Claude
IJA: Nate, Sonia, Sally, Lily I

One of the beauties of the Player-Defined Upgrades is that you can also Downgrade. So, all full strength groups in China, Kwantung and the Home Islands will be re-fitting with older planes and returning their current aircraft to the pools. This allows me to save HI points on producing the more modern types, most of which will be superceded within the year. Of course I can always re-start production of a particular type at any time if needed.

G5N Liz - I have no idea how good this bomber is but have decided to produce some anyway (16 per month). It has good range and carries 500kg AP bombs but does on the other hand seem a bit slow. Perhaps it will be useful for night Port Attacks or something.

The only other changes were to expand the very smallest Armaments, Naval Shipyard & Repair Shipyard facilities. I am very conscious of not burning up all my supply stocks this time around.
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RE: Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II

Post by rogueusmc »

One of the beauties of the Player-Defined Upgrades is that you can also Downgrade. So, all full strength groups in China, Kwantung and the Home Islands will be re-fitting with older planes and returning their current aircraft to the pools. This allows me to save HI points on producing the more modern types, most of which will be superceded within the year. Of course I can always re-start production of a particular type at any time if needed.

I don't think it will allow for a air unit to change to a plane that has no production...just having them in the pool doesn't cut it.
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RE: Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II

Post by rogueusmc »

Shanghai

PG Wake is no more.

???
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RE: Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II

Post by DuckofTindalos »

ORIGINAL: rogueusmc
Shanghai

PG Wake is no more.

???

It's in the CHS; one of the old China gunboats.
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RE: Stopping the Juggernaut - Cruft vs Alikchi II

Post by Captain Cruft »

ORIGINAL: rogueusmc
One of the beauties of the Player-Defined Upgrades is that you can also Downgrade. So, all full strength groups in China, Kwantung and the Home Islands will be re-fitting with older planes and returning their current aircraft to the pools. This allows me to save HI points on producing the more modern types, most of which will be superceded within the year. Of course I can always re-start production of a particular type at any time if needed.

I don't think it will allow for a air unit to change to a plane that has no production...just having them in the pool doesn't cut it.

Yes it does. I have already downgraded Sonias to Marys, Vals to Susies and Kates to Jeans. If there is a current or reinforcement airgroup which uses a plane type then you can upgrade to it.
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Plans & Pictures

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No turn back yet so I thought I would outline some plans, with illustrations.

Adm Cruftomoto is fairly conventional in his approach. He also has an idiosyncrasy about not mixing up IJA and IJN units at the same base.
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Luzon

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Luzon

One thing about the CHS is that a lot of bases have lower SPSes and initial values. Case in point, most airfields in Luzon are at size 1 to start. Therefore I will have to build up the 3 target airfields before I can use them properly. Naval & army construction battalions will be shipped in as appropriate for that purpose.


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Malaya

Post by Captain Cruft »

Malaya & Northern Borneo

Thankfully, in this area all the airfields have already been built up by the generous Brits :) Alor Star is size 4, Kota Bharu is size 6 and Kuching is size 4. All the same as stock scenario 15.

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Burma

Post by Captain Cruft »

Burma

You can't do the rush into Burma in the CHS as you can in the stock scenario. As you can see, on Andrew Brown's map there are multiple hexes of trails to be negotiated before arriving in Tavoy and Moulmein.

Another thing that slows you down is that the 33rd Div starts the game in Shanghai. Plus, you don't actually have enough APs at that port to ship it out. I am currently in the process of moving ships from Taichu in Formosa to remedy this. The Div will embark for Bangkok as soon as possible.

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Mindanao

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Mindanao etc.

Davao will be established as a recon base initially.

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Southern China

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Southern China - Pakhoi/Nanning

One very interesting situation in the CHS is that Japan does not have Pakhoi and Nanning in its possession at the start. The units that are there in the stock scen are at Canton.

I am a bit puzzled as to how to approach this to be honest. Should I just try to march along the coast road from Canton or instead do a combined amphibious/paratroop landing using the Shanghai SNLF and paras from Kiungshan?

/me scratches his head ...


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RE: Southern China

Post by DuckofTindalos »

Well, if I can offer my 3 cents, you probably don't need the amphibious/airborne invasion. Those Chinese units probably won't dig themselves too deeply into the ground while your troops march up overland, and you can use your paras and marines elsewhere.

You could of course try both at the same time.
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RE: Southern China

Post by Captain Cruft »

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Well, if I can offer my 3 cents, you probably don't need the amphibious/airborne invasion. Those Chinese units probably won't dig themselves too deeply into the ground while your troops march up overland, and you can use your paras and marines elsewhere.

You could of course try both at the same time.

Yes, but how can I stop Chinese units moving behind me from the Wuchow area to cut off supply from Canton? My opponent is known to be reckless ;) I suppose I have exactly the same problem whatever I do though.
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Shipping Report

Post by Captain Cruft »

Now for some pictures of the extremely varied shipping available to Japan in the CHS.

First, PG Idzumo, one of a pair that despatched the Wake at Shanghai.


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Super long-range Minelayers

Post by Captain Cruft »

Bangkok Maru class long-range minelayers

I have three of these babies. Whilst it may be tempting to just send them off to Bora Bora or something I think I will actually just use them to mine the Kuriles. Subs are a concern there though so I will probably match them up the Shimushu class PCs.

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Fast APs

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Fast APs

You get some very fast APs.


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RE: Fast APs

Post by DuckofTindalos »

Damn... Talk about your FAST transports [:)]
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Fast AKs

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Fast AKs

And some fast AKs.

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Sexy Barges

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Sexy Barges

As well as the standard short-range, low-capacity barges you are also provided with quite a lot of super-duper larger versions.


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Fast Minesweepers w/o DCs

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Fast Minesweepers

Fast minesweepers are little changed except none of them have depth charges. This will make a difference to me I was prone to using them as ASW escorts.

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