Day of Infamy AAR - Feinder vs. Ngineer (no Ngineers allowed)

[Feinder]

12-2-1942

Dutch East Indies

The two Royal Navy destroyer squadrons are unable to escape the noose of Japan's DEI Fleet. Both are sunk, and the IJN fleet returns to safe ports in Java. The HMS Truant is found to have taken shelter at Soerabaja's port. It's attacked a heavily damaged by the Shoho. Of somewhat surprise, four strikes by my Carriers did nothing to it (I presume because their sub-attack sucks, shrug). Meanwhile, the Australian lines west of Soerabaja begin to collapse. I don't think any of the Australians will escape.

[Feinder]

12-2-1942

China

A relatively quiet turn in China. I'm upgrading my units, and pulling what replacements I can afford. I'll also point out that, he's now taken Inf-Weapons(1), so he'll be upgrading his own.

My observation is that China is drain on resources, but when you look at the gains, there pretty much aren't any.

That seems fairly accurate to history (in that, marginal gain). I don't know what Japan spent in resources vs. China in WW2, other than knowing the lines didn't do much in 4 years. In this game, punching each other really just draws off MPPs that Japan needs to spend elsewhere. That being said, I also feel like I have to fight in China, because NOT fighting in China means letting China build up and overrun.

With that in consideration, I really have no idea how many MPPs China is contributing my total each turn. Not that I'm going to, but it would certainly be amusing if one just walked out of China leaving enough to defend Manchuko, and then able to use all those IJN Inf-Armies elsewhere. Probably a stupid idea, but it would be amusing.

[Feinder]

12-2-1942

SoPac and Strategic Map

South Pacific

Dear Emperor Hirohito,
You're supposed to be a god. Please make the pain stop.
Signed, your faithful servants of the South Pacific Fleet.

An IJN Battleship limps away from The Solomons, but is spotted by active searches by PBYs out of Lorengau (nasty bastards). Two American Battleships are dispatched, and overtake the wounded IJN Battleship, which is sunk. Crud.

Weakened US Army units continued to attack Rabaul, and the defending SNLF-Div is reduced to 1x SP. There's really nothing to left to defend at this point, as the supply is depleted, and the US forces will continue to draw from the Airfield. In some mild stroke of luck, I did manage to pull a Dunkirk with my SNLF-Div by evacuating it from the port and running past the PBYs at Lorengau. Even though only at 1-SP, it's still cheaper to evacuate it and pull replacements, rather than to let it be destroyed at <5 supply, which is the cost of a full rebuild from scratch and it's associated production delay. So at least that was something.

I've decided to leave the two SNLF-Divs at Guadalcanal. Even with the port blocked, the city or in the very least the air-field, will still generate supply. By holding both of those positions, it means that his landings will have to hold in open terrain with no supply source (save HQ). Also, Guad is a National Morale hit over time, so I'm going to make him fight for it. And as a post script, I've still got an SNLF-Div at Tarawa as well. It's too risky to try to evac those guys, and I don't want to just throw away at -2000 hit to National Morale anyway. So I'm going to make him invade Tarawa as well (if he wants the island, he'll have to fight for it).


Strategic Map

General dispositions. I'll obviously be shifting the DEI Fleet eastwards, as the Royal Navy pretty much has ceased to exist. My SoPac fleet (what's left of it) heads back to the Home Islands for repairs and refits.

[Feinder]

12-2-1942

Losses, Builds, Research, Economy

Losses - Two Royal Navy Destroyers, and Australian Inf-Corps; vs. an IJN Battleship.

Builds - No new production. Those CVs arriving in Summer of '43 are looking pretty tasty.

Research - Infantry Weapons(2) and ASW(1) have completed. Again, probably nothing else to research at this point, as I don't think anything would complete to be timely (much have the MPPs to to apply upgrades).

Economy - Production is still solid. I'll be looking to get those NavWeap(2) upgrades and InfWeap(2) as well. And then strengthen the island defenses.

[Tanaka]

12-2-1942

China

A relatively quiet turn in China. I'm upgrading my units, and pulling what replacements I can afford. I'll also point out that, he's now taken Inf-Weapons(1), so he'll be upgrading his own.

My observation is that China is drain on resources, but when you look at the gains, there pretty much aren't any.

That seems fairly accurate to history (in that, marginal gain). I don't know what Japan spent in resources vs. China in WW2, other than knowing the lines didn't do much in 4 years. In this game, punching each other really just draws off MPPs that Japan needs to spend elsewhere. That being said, I also feel like I have to fight in China, because NOT fighting in China means letting China build up and overrun.

With that in consideration, I really have no idea how many MPPs China is contributing my total each turn. Not that I'm going to, but it would certainly be amusing if one just walked out of China leaving enough to defend Manchuko, and then able to use all those IJN Inf-Armies elsewhere. Probably a stupid idea, but it would be amusing.

Yep another vote for China being tough for Japan...

[Feinder]

12-22-1942

Burma

Burma is fairly static at this point. I've started withdrawing forces to shore up defenses around The Empire.

Allied attacks on our Northern flank are repulsed, but are indeed a drain as units must be pulled back to receive replacements. I don't have the MPPs to replace my bomber squadrons. I'll pull back that SNLF-Div out of Andy Is., for use in defense of CentPac.

[Feinder]

12-22-1942

Dutch East Indies

The Allies attempt to evacuate their Australian HQ, but the Transport is caught leaving Soerabaja and is sunk. The remaining Oz Inf-Corps will surrender next turn.

[Feinder]

12-22-1942

China

Nationalist Chinese forces continue their attacks north of Nanning. The assault is inconclusive, but you'll being to see a constant refrain, "drain on Japanese MPPs" to maintain positions.

In the center, he's moving up a Comm-Chi Garrison to recapture the small town of Shiyan. It's really of no consequence and not worth contesting.

The observant may notice that I've pulled back my Heavy Artillery unit. My plan is to park it on Okinawa to have a (SNLF-AAA-Ary) triad. At some point, we'll see if/how effective that is.

[Feinder]

12-22-1942

CentPac and StratMap

CentPac is fairly quiet. He did some recons over Tarawa and Guadalcanal (blockaded). But my units at both locations will have the supply of both the Town and AirField. If he wants them, he'll at least have to slog for them.

I'm reinforcing my NM islands in CentPac. I feel like his next attack will be at the Palau Islands and/or Truk.


Strat Map

Relative positions of Air and Naval forces.

[Feinder]

12-2-1942

Losses, Builds, Research, Economy

Losses - Australian HQ on Transport in Dutch East Indies.

Builds - None. Spent MPPs on replacements. I do get a new fighter next turn tho.

Research - No new research. I'm going to drop this slide from here on out, as I'm not really going to do any more research.

Economy - Not too bad. It'll take a little while for DEI to rebuild. I think if I can keep things over 400mpp/turn (and not staging offensive operations), I'll be ok. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

[Feinder]

1-11-1943

Burma

Nothing new to report in Burma. I think he needed the turn to replace his own forces, and I used the turn to rebuild the same. Interesting, I noticed that the Lt Tanks actually get a decent defense bonus in Cities (which seems odd, because Tanks don't usually do well in close quarters of urban combat, but ok). I'll consider how I want to use my Lt Tanks then.

[Feinder]

1-11-1943

Dutch East Indies

Last of the Australian Incursion force surrenders.

[Feinder]

1-11-1943

China

Allied and Imperial forces trades shots at Changsha and Zhenzau. To no real effect. You can see that he pulling up stuff in the south near Nanning, I expect he'll launch another round of attacks at Nanning next turn.

[Feinder]

1-11-1943

South Pacific

Allied forces landed un-opposed at Hollandia (along northern coast of New Guinea). I can't defend everything; again, I think he's preparing to push thru Palau and/or at Sorong.

[Feinder]

1-11-1943

Strat Map, Losses, Builds, Economy

Strat Map - Line showing allied control and current Infantry units. Game is shifting to the "Japan on the defensive" mode, as I can't sustain the MPPs for offensive operations (given the resistance encountered). So I'm going to start fortifying my positions.

Losses - Australian Inf-Corps in Java.

Builds - Nothing built. Repairs and Replacements and Upgrades.

Economy - Ironically, hanging at 490 mpp/turn isn't too bad.

[Feinder]

1-31-1943

Burma

More grinding in North/Central Burma. The strategic resources there have long been worn down. I've pulled out my land-based-air, and move in colonial troops to anchor my flank at Chaig Mai (he did push there once). I feel like it's easier to defend at Pyinmana, than at Rangoon (surrounding hexes are clear).

On the plus side, the Royal Navy doesn't really exist at this point.

[Feinder]

1-31-1943

China

Chinese forces attack again at Nanning (as predicted). Nothing much gained, but grinding down Japanese MPPs. In center, what appeared to favorable odds for Japanese Empire Forces, ended up getting thrown back (ugh, waste). And you can see in the very north, he's might be trying to flank around Kalgan. Seems like a supply issue for him, but we'll see what it looks like.

[Feinder]

1-31-1943

I thought I post a shot of my repair yards... A navy is expensive for upkeep also.

[Feinder]

1-31-1943

Strat Map, Losses, Builds, Economy

Strat Map - Air and Naval units. The naval units at the top near Home Islands, are in the Repairs Yards. I'll repair the least damaged first, to get them back into action.

Losses - No losses, either side. Quiet turn.

Builds - I squeeze out two SNLF-Divs. Going to need them to hold the Cent-Pac National Morale locations.

Economy - At 495, ironically, my highest MPP total in a turn thus far.

[Feinder]

2-20-1943

Burma

More attacks on my Lt Tanks at the oil in Burma. They hold, with losses. Fortunately, they're not that expensive to replace. I've pulled back my SNLF-Div to re-deploy to CentPac. I plan to try holding with the Army and the Colonial troops.