War across the Atlantic - Smeulders (Allies) vs. SqzMyLemon (Japan)

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

Malaya
The buffaloes keep taking a toll on sweeping Nates, 2 downed for no loss today according to the combat reports. Unescorted airraids are keeping georgetown field closed, today a squadron will LRCAP it from Taiping.

A TF is sighted East of Kuantan, I'm guessing it's a landing forced aimed at Kuantan as sigint reveals extra troops embarking for the base. Everything carrying a torpedo in Singapore will fly against this fleet. There are still a CL and 2 DD in Singapore, meant as escorts for the POW, but they will sortie if the force is lightly escorted.

PI
More strikes by zeroes, slightly more losses at my side. Surprisingly, the squadron flying P-35A has accounted for 6 kill up to now, while losing 5 or 6 planes from A2A combat. Good show. Clark is getting pounded, runway damage is up to 66.

A lot of merchants are still stuck in the area, some of the longer ranged ones are going to try and break out straight to the Pacific. Others must hope Ryuyo leaves so the can flee through the Eastern DEI. A question to other allied players, how many of the ships here do you usually manage to extract and how do you do it ? Japaneses players are free to tell me how they try to stop this excodus, so I can circumvent the usual blockades.

DEI
Nells attacked the DD from Manilla North of Borneo and sank one, they also took out one xAK around the same position. As the Celebes is now closed as well all ships will go into harbours and pray, only the DD will try a full speed run further along the coast and then South to Batavia. They may bump into a Japanese TF that's now North of Kuching.

The Celebes is being flooded by Dutch subs and S-boats, I'm hoping to get a hit on the Ryuyo and maybe find out what the other TF(s?) there are, navsearch planes reveal nothing, but an invasion against Tarakan isn't unlikely. The american cruisers and destroyers will leave Balikpapan for fear of a potential port strike.

China
Not much movement by my opponent, the units North of Ichang entered the hex, tomorrow they'll bomb to see what is there.
The enemy has entered Hong Kong, the Kowloon brigade is put in reserve as I'm expecting a bombardement tomorrow.

Pacific
Lost track of KB again, I'm guessing this means it has retired as navsearch from Midway was looking East. This was done to make sure I found KB if it was still chasing Lexington. If it's still gone tomorrow I'll declare the battles after Pearl finished and put up a nice map of the manuevers.

8th Marine regiment will leave tomorrow, together with some FA Bat to reinforce Pago Pago, 2 infantry regiments are earmarked for Suva. More on my strategy for the Southern Islands later.

The counting of torpedoes for Allied and Japanese CVs in AE makes a whopping difference. No longer can the IJN (or Allied) CVLs or CVEs be torpedo-spewing machines of death until they run out of carrier sorties. Now, some of the CVEs only have 6 torpedo loads, IIRC, the CVLs have less than 20. That's it. After that, he'll either have to rearm, switch to bombs or have Ryujo rendered ineffective at stopping shipping after shooting its bolt.

As IJ player in PBEMs, the way I stopped the allied Asiatic fleet exodus was to bring KB into the initial strike on Manila, bypassing PH. Controversial, but effective. Sank damn near everything in the harbor though-SS, xAK, DDs, AVPs, PTs, everything. The range of KB strike aircraft was such that other ships in and around the PI were also destroyed (Naga harbor, CA Houston, etc.). When combined with early mining efforts around the PI, SCTF intercepts and submarine interdiction of straits around the Celebes, I think my efforts have been effective in limiting escapees. But this approach required a commitment to 'get 'em all'. If the IJN doesn't commit to a thorough destruction of the PI Asiatic fleet, you should be able to get some out.

Split 'em into penny packets-1 or 2 ships per TF. Multiple locations, multiple waypoints, multiple destinations. He doesn't have enough offensive firepower with just 1 CVL to get anywhere near all of these ships it they sortie simultaneously.

Lastly-a dirty little trick for you. If his CVL aircraft are set to naval attack, they're not set to ASW efforts. Time your breakout with a CVL TF hunt with your GOOD submarines (e.g., Dutch or British) leading the efforts to take a potshot at the CVL TF. Keep your temporarily worthless USN fleet boats with their crappy Mk. 14s out of the way for now.

[Smeulders]

Problem is that he hasn't used any torpedoes yet. The xAKL TF he found were either at extreme range, or he is purposefully using bombs, but that's still enough to kill off merchants, otherwise solid tactics, some of which I'm trying already.

A question on the carrier sorties, what kind of flights are used ? Looking at Enterprise, which hasn't been in combat yet, standard search and CAP flights don't count against the limit, but what about CAP that actually has to fight off attacks ?

[Smeulders]

Whenever something major happened (wheter or not an event is major is also a function of the free time I have), but I haven't got the turn yet, I'll post these 'breaking news' posts with the info I got from viewing the combat replays. You'll also find these a bit more 'propagandesque' then regular posts

Today, the forces of Imperial Japan undertook concurrent landings on the Malayan peninsula and Norhwest Borneo. These landings were heroically opposed by the British air force and Dutch submarines, several transports were sunk and escorting combat ships severely damaged. Our ground forces have pinned the enemy on the beaches and will drive them back into the sea during the following days.

[Smeulders]

Burma is yet another front were the allies don't have much choice at the start of the game. They must give way to the Japanese, preferably in good order and maybe with a local counter-attack thrown in. What makes this front a bit more fun is that you'll actually be able to save your LCUs deployed here. Right now, I'm pulling out units from the short stretch of land from Mergui to Moulmein. After this is finished, I'll linger a bit in Pegu, forcing the Japanese to bring in forces. After this is done, I'll retreat fairly quickly. Doing this too slow and you risk being overtaken by the Japanese using one of the three roads running South-West.

As you can see, delaying actions will be fought in the jungle by the small battallions. They won't hold up long, but will at least force the enemy to deploy for combat. The BFF brigade will be posted in a flanking position, it probably won't see combat there, it's just there to discourage a run around by armour.
Once again I'm planning a location for counterattacks, once again, these probably won't materialize, but I think it's important to keep thinking were you could hurt the enemy. Forces marched in from India will strenghthen some positions. These aren't here to hold, but to provide a screen for the Burmese units to retreat behind if they have taken serious losses. The independent batallions will hold the centre, the most dangerous position, but these are more expendable then the Australians or Indian brigades, so it's a logical choice.

The RAF will contribute by bombing enemy columns and providing fighter cover against enemy air raids. The fighter squadrons deployed are one AVG and a buffalo squadron, these can be strenghtened by the incoming Hurricane squadrons once they arrive. Bombers will be the Blenheims that will start coming in soon.

Naval support will be limited to a cruiser force in Calcutta, they will sortie if the enemy tries to cut off the troops in Akyab by amphibious assault, although this is highly unlikely.

[Smeulders]

Japanese forces made amphibious assaults at 3 separate bases, Kuantan, Singkawang and Guam, but I'd still rate it as a good day for the allies.

Kuantan
The largest landing, escorted by 2 BB, 2 CA and more smaller warships. Losses to the invasion forces aren't too bad, 2 xAK damaged, one will likely sink, light damage to a CA.
Parts of 2 infantry regiments are ashore, with supporting elements, the troops at Kuantan will retreat, though I don't like giving such a good airbase away. For some reason, the Vildebeest didn't fly with torpedoes, could this have something to do with overstacking ?

Singkawang
This invasion is doomed. Even before they could land, one transport was roughly handled by the O19. In the morning a squadron of swordfish showed up, damaging a further two, one of which was later sunk by 019. The only troops ashore are a part of an AF Bn, they'll be shock attacked tomorrow.



Guam
My opponent remarked that he underestimated the defences here. I'm not sure what he landed here. Intel says 600 men, he managed to transport it here in 2xAKL and an xAK so it isn't much.

PI
Ryuyo keeps on killing xAKL, but no valuable ships have been sunk by the Kates.
Some attacks on shipping by Nells and Betties, but the little CAP that is diverted from Manilla and Clark shoots down a couple of them. Seven zeros are reported shot down, for the loss of four P-26 and only one P-40.

China
The corps starting North of Ichang have entered the city, I outnumber him nearly 3-1 in AV, so let's see if I can rout him here.

KB
I had seen KB move north after my attack on the oiler and now asked whether that had been to chase the Lexington. He said he'd could tell me the reason in a couple of days, but not yet. Is the KB supporting some action further up North ? An early attack on Midway?, it's not like KB support would be needed for an Aleutian landing. Or still chasing Lexington ?

[Smeulders]

Today Tokyo Rose made her grand entrée, announcing the capture of Wake Island. That isn't the only new landing today, Tarakan's welcome committee was also called upon today, the Japanese navy is certainly having some busy days.

Malaya
Two major points of interest here,
1) Kuantan fell, the brigade defending was already retreating and left the hex during the night.
2) Zeroes have been called in to handle the RAF. Nates just weren't getting the job done, zeroes apparently can, they shoot down 3 buffaloes.

Borneo
The counter of the KNIL at Singkawang comes to nothing. 2 Japanese squads get disabled, though I had expected this unit to be routed.

The landing at Tarakan brings in enough troops to take the base tomorrow. 3 PB each get 3 hits from the CD guns, maybe one will sink as a consolation price. Ryuyo is covering these landings and today launched strikes at shipping at Balikpapan, they sunk a dutch CM and PG, but the dutch pilots flying CAP claim 4 kates downed in return.

PI
Air combat is getting worse. Clark has been closed down and the squadrons there are down to only a couple of operational planes. I don't want to move the squadrosn to Manilla because that would overstack the field there. If I add planes written off, I lost 3 P-40B and 5 P-40E for only 1 zero claimed today. On land no extra units seem to have been landed yet, and no advance outside of the beacheads has been made.

Pacific
Wake is attacked and taken by a single SNLF.
A counterattack at Guam comes to nothing, the enemy has only 5 AV to my 10, but the jungle benefits the invaders. At least he'll have to bring in extra forces to take the island.

China
Saving the best for last, a shock attack in Ichang cost the Japanese 3000 casualties to my 2000, a result the Chinese would sign for anytime. The attack will be continued tommorrow, if the Japanese haven't retreated by then that is.
A deliberate attack at Hong Kong failed, but light casulaties at both sides.

Sub warfare
A busy day for subs, so they get their own section today.
- Porpoise is the only sub to claim a kill, the xAK Tamishama Maru, North of Luzon.
- Saury probably took her first scalp today, the PB Kamitsu Maru, it doesn't show up on the sunk list, but a torpedo for a PB this small ?
- The dissapointement of the day was the attack of KXVIII, she got a hit on CS Chitose, but with a malfunctioning torpedo. The law of inverse target worth is at work here, take an insignificant target and the worst of weapons will work, take a high value target and the best of weapons will malfunction.

The Japanese did get a couple of hits in return, Porpoise is slightly damaged and Sculpin is up to 18/31/0 from 5 hits. Both are returning to port.

[Smeulders]

Not a terribly interesting day, mainly the expected continuation of the previous day, though the victory at Ichang is uplifting

Malaya
A strike on the Japanese airfield at Kuantan ended in a little disaster. The squadron buffalos that sweeped the base first shot and were shot up by zeroes and oscars, though it was a small win for the Japanese. The raid that followed was a big defeat though, the buffalos escorting the Blenheims were shot up, losing about 5 of their number for 2 destroyed zeroes, one of which was on the ground.

Borneo
Tarakan fell, but not before the guns could do a bit more damage to some Japanese PB

The counterattack at Singkawang was once again unsuccesful, despite overwelming odds. Even if it's just a bf, I'd like to destroy it.

PI
Zero sweeps claim a P-40B and P-35, Clark is now definitely closed by even more bombing raids.
Two xAK are lost due to my carelessness.

China
Too early to say anything about the situation here, we're both just assembling forces and getting a feel for the theatre. My stack at Ichang now soundly kicked the Japanese and RGC division out. Losses 6000 to 2000 so a great victory for the Chinese.

[Smeulders]

15/12/41
Another slow news day.

Malaya
Large scale air raids (+50 bombers) are attacking retreating allied troops. Casualties are about 150 a day. The attacks are at Taiping where I still own an airfield, so a buffalo squadron will give CAP today.

PI
No change in the situation, my air force is being further depleted for preciously few damage to my opponents. I'm thinking of retreating the P-40E units to give extra airframes for the units that'll move to Australia soon. It would take away the last remaining strength, but on the other hand, single P-40s rising to meet zero sweeps isn't much use either. Anyone any thoughts on this? Some AM were sunk by nells when clearing the straight at Bataan.

China
An artillery unit ventured North of Canton on it's own. I'm guessing a lack of coordination with infantry is the cause, the unit was sent back with moderate casualties.
A corps West of Wuchang was decimated and routed by an enemy divsion.

[Smeulders]

16/12/41 : Victory for the KNIL

Borneo
The KNIL kicked the invaders of Singkawang back into the sea, it's only a token victory though, a best case scenario is that these landings cost the enemy 3 xAK (but they might have made it back to Indonesia) and one AF coy is destroyed, if there weren't any surviving fragments on the xAK. Still however small the victory, it's a victory none the less.

I'm expecting new landings on the East coast of Borneo, multpile TFs are sighted in the Celebes and a carrier is reported by my patrol planes. I'm thinking about pulling the torpedo bombers out of Singapore to provide some measure of defence for attacks on the southern part of Borneo

PI
Not much happening here, the Japanese still aren't advancing on Luzon. I'm guessing he's waiting for larger infantry formations to arrive. The AV Langly and AO trinity were sunk by Kates trying to escape the Phillipines. The kates from Ryuyo are giving some good illustrations on the strength of 1E Level bombing, today they achieved 7/9 bomb hits on Langly and 13/9 bombs on Trinity.

Sub wars
PB Kamitsu Maru was claimed sunk East of Formosa today by Sturgeon, the crew is having some bad luck, because she was already hit by a torpedo 2 days ago, when she was covering the invasion fleets near Aparri.

[Smeulders]

17/12/41

Malaya
Not much changing on this front, bombing raids continue, but the British and Indian forces are retreating in good order. Wirraways accidentally attacked Kuantan, the escorting buffaloes lose 3 planes.

PI
Sweeps and bombing raids continue. The zeroes are coming in at around 30,000 feet, so I'll try to bump up the height of my CAP to that altitude. P-40 will be next to useless there, but zeroes are a lot less effective there too, maybe it'll cut down on my losses a bit.

Pacific
Japanese reinforcements are landing on Guam, it won't be long before the base falls now.

China
Bad recon indicated small enemy forces advancing on Kweiteh (small dot base in the plains), a shock attack from the two small corps there ended in a slaughter when the opposition turned out to be a Japanese division. One of the corps was wiped out during the attack and the other was routed in the Japanese assault.

Near Ichang an RGC. Division is chased out of the forest to the Southeast of the city.

Up North there is some fighting in the mountains near Paetow, the situation is balanced at the moment.

Subs
Some victories and some defeats in the sub wars today.

- KIX and S-38 have been hunting for DD at Tarakan for the past few days, but haven't been able to land a hit. S-38 took quite a bit of flood damage, but little systems. KIX got tired of missing and took out a small PB. The target was obliterated.
- Sturgeon claims a second kill in two days, a medium size xAK in a surface attack. Her aft torpedo tubes are damaged in the encounter and she's returning to base.

- A sub launched patrol plane is sighted near LA. Naval search missions will try to locate these subs while ASW TF will attack. I haven't enough confidence in my ASW planes at the moment to count on them to keep the subs in check.

Expected enemy moves


As you can see the enemy is likely attacking Manado, though I'm a bit surprise the unit isn't unloading yet. Defences for the invasion seem light, I'm sure Ryuyo retired North past the Phillipines and that some CS are in the area, so these may be misidentifications, if it are the CS, it also would explain why my minesweepers are still afloat.

The question now is, do I bring in the American cruisers ? They are at least 2 days out, meaning the troops would already have landed by then, but waiting for the next invasion to counterstrike just means I'm giving him more time to bring in KB and make any surface forces in the DEI as good as useless.

[Smeulders]

18/12/41

DEI
The Manado invasion has started, but under the watchful eyes of a BB and 2 CA, Ameriforce (American naval forces in the DEI) will stand down and move to the other side of Celebes, next to Makassar, in case some of the TF sighted in the Celebes move through the Makassar straights. My opponent is escorting each and every one of invasions (except for Singkawang) with strong forces. The lightest I've seen where the Philippine landings, I only spotted DD, but these can't be opposed by allied naval forces.

China
Chinese forces capture Kweisu, inflicting 500 casualties on the retreating Ching An Tui brigades, the Chinese have certainly taken a better start in the war than the Japanese, except for the two unfortunate corps at Kweiteh. A question for those who know, are the respawning Chinese units supposed to be visible in the ground reinforcement screen ? The corps I lost in that battle isn't showing up there.

Subs
Today the sub campaign around the West Coast begins in earnest. A Canadian corvette force patrolling the waters around LA was attacked, but suffered no hits and depth charged the sub in return, again for no hits. The Operations Report warns of glen sightings near San Fran and LA.

SigInt
I've been noticing something rather peculiar in the SigInt reports. Around 75% of the messages about LCU transportation list Samah as the destination. That might of course just be a rallying place for his forces, but all the subs around the place are coming up empty. Could he be 'sending' all the transports to Samah and then changing targets next turn to fool the SigInt ? Or should I be getting reports about this sort of reroutings as well ?

[khyberbill]

A question for those who know, are the respawning Chinese units supposed to be visible in the ground reinforcement screen

Yes, it should show up on the screen. Unless it died by attrition.

[loricas]

go in reinforcement screen same days later

[Smeulders]

Thanks I'll look again in a couple of days.

[Smeulders]

No picture this time, the DEI seemed a bit too big to fit in a single screen and the overview map is a bit too cluttered, there will be a Java special with screenshot soon though.

The DEI is an interesting theatre. The force that the Japanese can bring to bear is much larger then the allied, so the goal should be to delay and hit the soft spot at every chance you get. Unlike the land theatres, there is plenty of room to manuever, many bases to hide your ships, and also enough forces that can dish out a fair amount of damage when put up against the right opponent.

Delaying here isn't that much of a challenge, my opponent is doing that himself. He's bringing plenty of forces to bear each time, and certainly after the Tarakan landings, he isn't taking any chances with CD guns. On top of that, he's covered the Tarakan invasion with Ryuyo and the Manado action with Hosho and Zuiho.
This brings us to the problem, how will we hurt him ? I actually haven't found a way yet. With BB covering his landings, my surface forces probably aren't going to do any good and that's if they don't get mauled before that by covering carriers. I'll continue to bring cruiser forces in striking positions each time I see a landing force approaching, but I don't plan on striking too soon though. Opportunities may also present themselves once the landings are over. Hes been bringing in minimal support elements, which mean he'll have to send those later in new convoys if he want to use the airbases, these might have worse protection.

The forces that will try these naval attacks are 3 groups. Ameriforce, consisiting of Boise, Houston, Marblehead and 5 Clemson Class DD, they are operating around Celebes. The Koninklijke Marine, the 3 Dutch Cl and 7 Dutch DD, operating from Soerabaja. Last in the row is Force B, with 3 of the British CL forming the core (one CL is an escort for POW).

Another way to hurt him are the British torpedo bombers in Singapore. Even though they didn't use torpedoes (I'm still wondering why), they did hurt sink and damage several xAK during the Kuantan and Singkawang landings. Once the situation in Singapore becomes too bad, the planes will move to Java and from there be withdrawn. I expect them to turn up again at Cape Town or Abadan, so that they can be later used in India. More on the defence of Java itself will come in a further post.

[khyberbill]

good luck in the dei bart. the s boats and dutch boats can inflict some pain as well, especially near balikpapan, palembang and soerabaja when his transports come.

[Smeulders]

Khyberbill: The subs are patrolling as much as they can, but unfortunately not hitting a lot. It seems like not a day goes by that I don't get one of those Dutch and s-boats boats attacking and then missing.

19/12/41

Some good and bad luck today, but mainly it's a bit depressing, he's bringing in a lot of force in the DEI so I can't do much but sit and hope that an opening presents itself.

DEI
Remember when I said that the sighted CVL had to be misidentified CS, because my AM were still alive ? Well it's the baby KB, Zuiho and Hosho. The ship who found out is the luckiest tanker in the whole Allied army, Gertrude Kellog. At night, she and her escort ran into the Carrier task force, but both sides declined combat. In the morning fase, no aircraft were launched and in the afternoon, the strike missed the TK, though brave PG Asheville took a torpedo protecting her. I hope her luck holds, because she's still close to enemy forces.

Manado also fell, not really a surprise.

Subs continue to dissapoint and miss. The s-boats are going to get better captains once they enter ports.

China
The Hong Kong forts were reduced to 0, the base won't be holding long now.

Interesting were massive bombing raids on targets all over South China. There are a lot of bombers assambled here, but there doesn't seem to be a specific target. If this goes on for a couple of turns, the AVG may come in and give stern talking to the betties.

PI+Malaya
Continued light air raids. The USAFFE finally scored a winning day, 1 to 0.

[Smeulders]

20/12/41

I've seen some threads on 'react' not working for TF, today Salmon proved that wrong. She launched 4 seperate spreads against a single convoy, resulting in 5 or 6 hits, but only 1 torpedo detonating. It was pretty interesting seeing this play out actually, all the sub attacks in quick succesion, really too bad the torpedoes are so bad or Salmon would have a nigh-unbeatable record of sinkings in one night.

The only other piece of news is that Hong Kong survived another attack today, but will fall pretty soon.

[Smeulders]

21/12/41

PI
Japanese forces started landings at Dadjangas today. Elements of the 144th Infantry regiment are already ashore. The regiment should be ill prepared for this landings, SigInt reveals it was planning for Guam just a couple of days ago. The landings are weakly escorted in terms of surface forces, but with mini KB still roaming Southeast of the Phillipines I don't think I can risk sending in a cruiser force.

Some minor actions near Luzon, a PT boat group ran into 2 DMS, but declined combat, too bad.

Air raids have been very light here over the past few days, giving the USAFFE a breather.

Japanese ground forces are advancing, but at the moment don't dare enter the plain hexes were my outposts are stationed.

China
Huge bombing effort again, lots of unescorted raids,but I have nothing to strike back yet. AVG is being brought into position.

Malaya
The retreat is going as planned, though air raids continue to pound my forces.

Pacific
The KB has been found, but only because she found merchants escaping the PI. An AO, TK and xAK were lost in the air attacks.
The position of KB is pretty interesting, somewhere halfway between Japan and Truk, is she heading for the Phillipines or is she coming from Japan and heading to the DEI ? Unlikely as a) I'm not sure she could have covered that distance already (PH -> HI -> Current position), b) That would have put her within striking distance of the merchants at least 2 days before.



I'm expecting that the KB will interfere in the DEI within one and a half week, which'll probably up the tempo of attacks.

Subs
Perch made a night attack, but without functioning torpedoes she didn't claim a kill, 10 shell hits though.

Wales-watch
POW is now 2 days out of Singapore and going slow but steady. If she doesn't bump into a sub in the straights near Batavia she has a very good chance of making it.


News of the improbable
Kirishima is repoted as sunk due to a collision, close to the current KB position. Unlikely, but maybe she'll have to head to the yard, let's hope she bumped into a CV.

[khyberbill]

Hello Bart. I have noticed in AE that if you dont have an aggressive PT flotilla commander that they tend to break off combat. Also, I try to have aggressive sub captains on the fleet boats (named subs). This way, after the torpedo bounces off the hull of the ship, the sub will surface and at least fire a few shots for the benefit of freedom loving peoples everywhere! The cargo ships dont sink but at least they have to go into the yards for a few days.