SoP solo Campaign Scenario AAR

[gwgardner]

The 21st makes a desperate stand, and continues to stand between the two Japanese landing groups. It remains to be seen if it can be reinforced before the combined assault of both groups.

[gwgardner]

Success for the Rising Sun hinges on taking and exploiting resources. That's been the story in China since '37, and it will be the whole story in the Pacific and India.

There are a variety of important resources cities and locations. Some are sources of production points (PPs). Those are critical to just about every aspect of the war, from developing new technology to purchasing war material and organizing new fighting forces, to reinforcing.

There are also three resource types: rare (eg rubber), oil, and steel. If a nation can control all three then it gets a production bonus.

Here are a couple of such resource locations in Indonesia.

[gwgardner]

The carrier strike force that is scheduled to hit Pearl Harbor is still running silent. If it does its job, by destroying the US Pacific fleet, Japan will be able to redouble its efforts in China and to the south into resource-rich regions, perhaps even into India.

While waiting for that strike force to return to port with the glorious after-action report, its time to do some more planning.

See the attached map for three focus points in China. The Republic of China still holds many important industrial and resource regions. Some are deep in the interior, out of foreseeable reach. In Henan and Hunan provinces, and along the coast at Ningbo, there is potential for immediate gain. The army has determined to pursue these targets in sequence, starting with Ningbo. Prior to landings along the coast, a buildup of forces to the north will have to be undertaken.

[gwgardner]

Even more critical resources are concentrated in the Malaya-Dutch East Indies-Borneo region, with 8 oil and rare resource centers.

[gwgardner]

Before I can commit to taking those resources, however, I'll need the naval assets that are currently occupied in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. They are approaching Hawaii from the Northeast Pacific sea zone.

[gwgardner]

With a few clicks I combine all the task forces that have rendevoused in the Northeast Pacific into Task Force Z, and click on 'Move' to order it directly into harm's way, in the Hawaii Sea Zone. The force continues to approach the target in evade mode. The last think I want now is to be spotted.

[gwgardner]

Any sea zone I can move my fleet to has a green target circle. I click on the target circle of the Hawiaan Sea Zone.

I'm faced with a major quandary. I had wanted to catch the US carrier force in Pearl, but recon subs have spotted at least one CV at sea. So what do I do? Split my torpedo and dive bombers between Pearl and that CV? Thus weakening both attacks?

I decide instead to hit Pearl with everything I have, and hope that I catch one or more CVs there, along with the rest of the Pearl fleet.

[gwgardner]

I can only hope that the US does not in turn detect the location of my fleet. I don't dare send in recon flights to determine if those enemy CVs are in port.

I order the first wave from the Akagi to make an air-strike. The red circle shows the allowable target with the current level of recon.

[gwgardner]

Pilots from the Akagi returned jubilant, notwithstanding the loss of several aircraft.

[gwgardner]

With all waves returned to the flight decks, final estimates are that the expected US CVs were nowhere to be seen, but the bulk of the US BB firepower was either sent to the bottom of the harbor, or heavily damaged. Along with numerous CAs, CLs, and support ships. Task Force Z did not come away unscathed, however, taking perhaps 15% losses to its air strength. It remains to be seen if this attack upon the US fleet was successful overall, but the failure to hit any CVs is considered to be a failure in and of itself.

Task Force Z intends to beat a hasty retreat back to Home waters for repair, refit, and replacement. Hopefully that one CV, and possibly more lurking out there, won't detect our location.

[Razz1]

Go ahead and attack two more times if not three.

One point of damage on BB's is no good.

[gwgardner]

No, perhaps I wasn't clear. All my CVs attacked in sequential waves, and essentially did 5 times the damage you saw there in the screenshot above. Only one of the 6 carriers failed to do much damage to the US ships.

If I stay in Hawaiian waters to do another round of strikes next turn, I take a big risk of detection and counterattack, thus losing my CVs.

[gwgardner]

Having made some initial landings, attacked the US Fleet at Pearl, and started positioning forces for a renewed offensive in China, it is time to give some attention to logistics. This is where the game shines. I have to consider 1) beachhead supply, 2) convoys and escorts, 3) port capacities.

My fleet in the South China Sea is fairly strong, and can provide maximum supply to the Northern Luzon beachhead, giving 2 supply points per patrol group, 1 per CV or Battle group. Max supply is a level 20 supply for beachheads.

My support fleet in the Gulf of Thailand is much smaller, however, and can only provide a level 8 supply to the Malaya beachheads. I'll strip some groups from the South China Sea to the Gulf of Thailand.

[gwgardner]

For locations with a port, I can setup convoys. Such as to Guam, where I just landed troops. I'll make it a 'supply' convoy, as opposed to a 'PP transfer' convoy.

I'll use Yokohama as the supply source for Guam. Yokohama is a level 8 port, and can provide 8x30=240 supply points. So Guam will draw down on that total.

Of course the convoy will also require some transports, from the 'sea transport pool.' The number of transports used each turn to maintain the convoy will depend on the garrison at Guam.

I need to place escort naval forces in the sea zones from Yokohama to Guam to defend those transports.

[jjdenver]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner
decisions, decisions
Do I choose Sprites, Nato style, or platform figures?

NATO style pls - the others are too hard to see.

[gwgardner]

I prefer NATO style also, and am waiting for some of you other guys to do some mods on that (I being totally clueless on how to do that). As I said earlier in the AAR though, a boatload of stuff in this game is moddable, including graphics.

[gwgardner]

Japan's research effort is concentrated in naval and air advances. I'm unwilling at this point, before I get a better handle on things, to make any changes.

[gwgardner]

I did not make any substantive moves for my allies, Inner Mongolia and Manchukuo. Both are in dire need of some resource assistance before being able to contribute meaningfully to the war effort. With some help from Japan, Inner Mongolia could possibly be effective against the Communist Chinese.

At the beginning of the 2nd turn I get a convoy report. Here's the one for Guam (note for future reference that the path of the convoys is shown):

[gwgardner]

Just what I was dreading happened. The US detected Task Force Z.

As can be seen from the action log, however, all the action was desultory, with the Japanese fleet being in evade mode, and only the sub I-9 and the Chikuma actually went into action. The I-9 was caught on the surface by planes from the Lexington.

[player's note: ask dev team to reformat the battle screen a bit - perhaps a bigger log area, as I had to capture it in parts.]

[gwgardner]

Another minor engagement in the Marquesas.