Back for the First Time – Allied AAR vs. AI - War in the Pacific: Admirals Edition

[BBfanboy]

Staying one more day for less than six damaged xAKs (some likely sank after the battle) is only a good idea if you have a good picture of the surrounding oceans. The AI normally sends some powerful ships to be based at Truk, including possibly the KB. It is only 14 hexes to Rabaul and Kb without Kaga can sprint 20. You should have at least a picket DD out that direction , and be sure to move your carriers a few hexes or the AI will zero in with some of those missing subs.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Staying one more day for less than six damaged xAKs (some likely sank after the battle) is only a good idea if you have a good picture of the surrounding oceans. The AI normally sends some powerful ships to be based at Truk, including possibly the KB. It is only 14 hexes to Rabaul and Kb without Kaga can sprint 20. You should have at least a picket DD out that direction , and be sure to move your carriers a few hexes or the AI will zero in with some of those missing subs.

Good point, and seeing as I am out of PBY coverage, I'll heed your advice and head back to port for now. In these early months of the war, I need to think like a boxer fighting a superior opponent, jab and move jab and move...

[Schlussel]

Week 7: Jan. 20th – Jan. 26th 1942

North Pacific: Quiet [Insert cricket chirping here]

Central Pacific: Two more (100+ bomber) Carrier raids on Midway. Number of enemy CV’s reported by my PBY’s are all over the place (#’s ranged from 1-6). No transports are reported, so the immediate danger is low. Plus I’ve got a good sized garrison (right at the 6K threshold) that’s been fortifying its position since the war’s outbreak, and I recently added an AA unit as well. The bad news is my fighter CAP on Midway is down to 4 working planes. Since a direct confrontation is out of the question right now, I’m hoping my actions in the Coral Sea will draw the IJN CV’s attention.

Southern Pacific: Base building on Baker and Canton islands continue.
A small IJN amphibious TF raids Baker Island. This must have been a raid, or the invaders underestimated the garrison, as they were thrown back into the sea rather easily. Later in the week, one of my Surface Combat TF's arrives in the vicinity and scares off a second IJN amphib. TF.

New Guinea/Solomons: Heeding some good advice, I decide to withdraw my CV task force near Rabaul without launching another attack, and it pays off handsomely…but not how I expected. As I was heading south, a Japanese CVE task force showed up from the North-East, and launched a small attack against my CV’s. The attack was weak sauce and was easily chewed up by Wildcats flying CAP. My CV’s responded with attacks of their own, and heavily damaged both IJN CVE’s (Taiyo-4 Bomb Hits and Hosho-5 Bomb Hits). No confirmed sinkings but afterwards my search planes couldn’t find the carriers… and I noticed Rabaul had an influx of fighter aircraft. Although I would love to confirm the sinkings, I didn’t want to wait around in case IJN Fleet carriers were also in the area. I bravely ran away, so that I may fight another day.

DEI/Phillippines: Clark Field is under constant ground attack, but the troops there are fighting valiantly against the determined IJA assaults. The main issue right now is the dwindling of my supply reserves @ Clark/Bataan. With daily bombings and ground combat, those reserves will only shrink faster.
The rest of the Phillippines are being mopped up Japanese forces. With no air cover, there is little I can do but watch.
In DEI, IJN lands in North Borneo and Celebes. Dutch units fight bravely, but their fate was sealed the first week of the war, when I decided to evacuate all ships from the area.

SE Asia/China: IJA is working its way south towards Singapore. Mid-week, lead Japanese elements reached the city and immediately launched a shock attack. Casualties were high for the Japanese, and they switched to bombardment attacks for the remainder of the week.
Burma is mostly quiet, exept for daily air raids on Rangoon.
Sporadic fighting in China.

Notable Base Captures:
-Johore Bahru [Malya] captured by Japan (1/23)
-Makassar [DEI] captured by Japan (1/24)
-Miri [Borneo] captured by Japan (1/25)
-Dadjangas [Phillippines] captured by Japan (1/26)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date (change]:
Japanese: 576 [+99]
Allies: 420 [+77]

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Japanese: 75 [+30] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.
Allies: 108 [+3] Notables: CL Durban

VP Totals [change]:
Japanese: 6,274 [+479]
Allies: 12,259 [+1,507]

Other Notes:
-The Rabaul raid was fruitful, but that CVE TF appeared too suddenly, if those were fleet carriers, I could have been toast. Me thinks I should stay away from areas without friendly land based PBY coverage for now…I got lucky this time.

[Schlussel]

Week 8: Jan. 27th – Feb. 1st 1942

North Pacific: Quiet [Insert cricket chirping here]

Central Pacific: Two IJN Cruisers appear south of Midway and are attacked by my Dauntless DB’s based at the island. They are both hit with a few bombs, but retreat before they can be finished off.

Southern Pacific: Base building on Baker and Canton islands continue.
A few light IJN surface forces are spotted near Baker and Canton Islands. One enemy TF bombards Baker, but vanishes as quickly as it appears. Possibly a pre-invasion scouting force?

New Guinea/Solomons: Kavieng is invaded and captured by the IJN. Early in the week, an enemy surface force (CA’s and DD’s) appear SE of Port Moresby but disappears the following day.
Japan begins bombing Port Moresby, mostly focusing on the Tankers/AK’s offloading supplies & fuel. I transfer a squadron of P-40s from Australia to counter the new threat, but not before a tanker is sunk. Looks like Rabaul’s airfield is now operational.

DEI/Phillippines:
Clark Field still under constant ground attack, but is holding its own for the time being. Daily bombing of Clark Field and Bataan.
The rest of the Phillippines are being mopped up Japanese forces. With no air cover, there is little I can do but watch.
The situation in the DEI is similar, Japan is knocking off bases, one-by-one.

SE Asia/China: IJN is hammering Singapore from both the ground and air. Fort Levels are down from 2 to 1. The one bright spot was when a few IJN cruisers tried a night bombardment, and recieved a few costal artillery shells in their superstructures for their efforts.
In Burma, the IJA advance looks to be in full swing, approximately 50k troops quickly overrun Moulmein and Pegu and now the Japanese force is marching on Rangoon. I have a sizeable force waiting in the city, but being outflanked is a definate worry. I send a few units to Prome to upgrade fortifications and guard my escape route.
Sporadic fighting in China.

Notable Base Captures:
-Kavieng [New Britain] captured by Japan (1/29)
-Moulmein [Burma] captured by Japan (1/31)
-Kendari [Celebes] captured by Japan (2/1)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date (change]:
Japanese: 687 [+111]
Allies: 449 [+29]

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Japanese: 77 [+2] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.
Allies: 108 [+0] Notables: CL Durban

VP Totals [change]:
Japanese: 6,274 [+211]
Allies: 12,785 [+526]

Other Notes:
- In Burma, I relocated the three AVG air squadrons from Toungoo. One to Rangoon, one to China (Changsha), and one to Mandalay. The Rangoon and Chinese squadrons are having a field day on unescorted bomber raids. As in the past, I’m sure the Japanese will soon start escorting these bombers, but at least they will be reacting to me for a change.

[Schlussel]

Allied Situation Report

[BBfanboy]

About your escape route in Burma: - with command of the seas the IJN normally will land troops directly at Akyab and Cox's Bazar, cutting off the coastal route. I am not sure if the AI will do this or not. At any rate, movement on the coastal dirt road is slow and the IJA tanks will catch up with your troops and massacre them since they have few A/T weapons in 1942.

Most Allied players wanting to save those units in Burma will withdraw via strat move through the interior to one of the bases close to the Kohima-Imphal line and march through the jungle. This puts them closer to a source of supply and gives a more even footing for battle as the IJA cannot move fast through jungle either. Be aware, though, that the bases along the rail and road lines from Calcutta to Imphal/Kohima must be built up for supply to begin flowing there in any amount. And this sector can be cut off by an aggressive Japanese attack on Calcutta, but I don't think the AI scripts will do that.

Anyway, you can certainly try what you want but with the hindsight of reading AARs for several years that seems to me to be the way the Burma situation plays out in 1942.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

About your escape route in Burma: - with command of the seas the IJN normally will land troops directly at Akyab and Cox's Bazar, cutting off the coastal route. I am not sure if the AI will do this or not. At any rate, movement on the coastal dirt road is slow and the IJA tanks will catch up with your troops and massacre them since they have few A/T weapons in 1942.

Most Allied players wanting to save those units in Burma will withdraw via strat move through the interior to one of the bases close to the Kohima-Imphal line and march through the jungle. This puts them closer to a source of supply and gives a more even footing for battle as the IJA cannot move fast through jungle either. Be aware, though, that the bases along the rail and road lines from Calcutta to Imphal/Kohima must be built up for supply to begin flowing there in any amount. And this sector can be cut off by an aggressive Japanese attack on Calcutta, but I don't think the AI scripts will do that.

Anyway, you can certainly try what you want but with the hindsight of reading AARs for several years that seems to me to be the way the Burma situation plays out in 1942.

Good stuff as usual, thanks BBFanboy. The Burma/India border seems to be a natural defense line, no roads (except on the coast) and lots of mountainous jungle, an attacker's worst nightmare. I have had Indian engineer units building up Akyab and Cox's Bazaar as well as the Kohima/Imphal area, so that I can make a stand there. It sounds like this buildup will also help with the supply situation in Burma, that's what I call a win-win.[:D]
So now my dilemma is, how long do I stay in Rangoon? I want to delay the Japanese, but it could all be for naught if my LCU's can't make it back to India safely. I'm thinking I'll stay until I see that my escape route is threatened, then I'll beat a hasty retreat.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

About your escape route in Burma: - with command of the seas the IJN normally will land troops directly at Akyab and Cox's Bazar, cutting off the coastal route. I am not sure if the AI will do this or not. At any rate, movement on the coastal dirt road is slow and the IJA tanks will catch up with your troops and massacre them since they have few A/T weapons in 1942.

Most Allied players wanting to save those units in Burma will withdraw via strat move through the interior to one of the bases close to the Kohima-Imphal line and march through the jungle. This puts them closer to a source of supply and gives a more even footing for battle as the IJA cannot move fast through jungle either. Be aware, though, that the bases along the rail and road lines from Calcutta to Imphal/Kohima must be built up for supply to begin flowing there in any amount. And this sector can be cut off by an aggressive Japanese attack on Calcutta, but I don't think the AI scripts will do that.

Anyway, you can certainly try what you want but with the hindsight of reading AARs for several years that seems to me to be the way the Burma situation plays out in 1942.

Good stuff as usual, thanks BBFanboy. The Burma/India border seems to be a natural defense line, no roads (except on the coast) and lots of mountainous jungle, an attacker's worst nightmare. I have had Indian engineer units building up Akyab and Cox's Bazaar as well as the Kohima/Imphal area, so that I can make a stand there. It sounds like this buildup will also help with the supply situation in Burma, that's what I call a win-win.[:D]
So now my dilemma is, how long do I stay in Rangoon? I want to delay the Japanese, but it could all be for naught if my LCU's can't make it back to India safely. I'm thinking I'll stay until I see that my escape route is threatened, then I'll beat a hasty retreat.

One of the things a noob must learn is that the British and Commonwealth forces do not get replacements at a very good rate. The pools are "shallow" and it takes forever to bring a unit back up to strength if it gets mauled. You can "buy back" (with pp) a destroyed unit but it arrives with partial TOE, and low experience. It might take over a year to replace a division, depending on other drains on the pools.

This means that you need to fight where you can limit your losses (i.e. in good terrain or forts), OR, decide there are some units you can sacrifice and never worry about buying back. Look at some of the Ghurkha units which have practically no replacements coming into the pools. They could make a speed bump if they have forts and good leadership, and you won't miss them much when they are wiped out. Any of the other permanently (white) [Restricted] units are candidates for sacrifice. Keep your [Unrestricted] and units you can change to an unrestricted HQ well back and filling out until they are ready to stand against the IJA. They need good Leaders, some experience, good morale and new TOEs that include A/T weapons.

[Schlussel]

One of the things a noob must learn is

Is me being a noob THAT obvious? [:D]

[HansBolter]

In games against the AI it boils down to where you want to make a stand and what you want to allow the AI to take or prevent it from taking.

It is very easy to prevent the AI from taking Burma altogether. You have to decide if you want to deny it to the AI or allow it to be taken.

If you deny the AI too much it breaks pretty quickly and the game becomes boring.

The AI will try amphibious assaults on the north Burma coast, however, it almost never brings sufficient air cover to protect it's invasion forces.

It's pretty easy to defeats it's invasion efforts one after another.

Aggressive placement of anti-shipping airpower and surface assets can deny the AI access to the upper Bay of Bengal.

Concentrating the 1st Burma division in the river crossing hex north of Moulmein and getting at least a brigade in each of the 4 adjoin river line hexes will stymie the AI.

It will avoid the river crossing and try to extend upward along the river looking for an unopposed crossing. Since it will be moving through heavy terrain with only a secondary road it is easy to keep extending the line until you have the river line completely manned all the way to China.

Concentrating the AVG and all available British air in Rangoon while shipping massive quantities of supply in will also precipitate many attempts by the AI to bomb your shipping giving the AVG a field day shooting down Oscar and Zeros that are handicapped by being tied to the bombers they are escorting.

Everything in an AI game comes down to how hard you want to press and where.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

In games against the AI it boils down to where you want to make a stand and what you want to allow the AI to take or prevent it from taking.

It is very easy to prevent the AI from taking Burma altogether. You have to decide if you want to deny it to the AI or allow it to be taken.

If you deny the AI too much it breaks pretty quickly and the game becomes boring.

The AI will try amphibious assaults on the north Burma coast, however, it almost never brings sufficient air cover to protect it's invasion forces.

It's pretty easy to defeats it's invasion efforts one after another.

Aggressive placement of anti-shipping airpower and surface assets can deny the AI access to the upper Bay of Bengal.

Concentrating the 1st Burma division in the river crossing hex north of Moulmein and getting at least a brigade in each of the 4 adjoin river line hexes will stymie the AI.

It will avoid the river crossing and try to extend upward along the river looking for an unopposed crossing. Since it will be moving through heavy terrain with only a secondary road it is easy to keep extending the line until you have the river line completely manned all the way to China.

Concentrating the AVG and all available British air in Rangoon while shipping massive quantities of supply in will also precipitate many attempts by the AI to bomb your shipping giving the AVG a field day shooting down Oscar and Zeros that are handicapped by being tied to the bombers they are escorting.

Everything in an AI game comes down to how hard you want to press and where.

Spot on Hans. Even though this AI is pretty darn good, looks like it does have its limitations.

I have been somewhat cautious as the Allies so far. I guess I am doing a bit of role-playing and pretending not to know what I actually know, since I have the advantage of hindsight, and being aware of what the Japanese did (and just as important, what they didn't do) in the actual war. I'll continue to be cautious and not go all Ivan Drago and break the AI while it attempts to conquer what Japan did historically. However, once I am on the offensive, I will be much more aggressive, since I assume the AI is much more adept at defense.

[Schlussel]

Week 9: Feb. 2nd – Feb. 8th 1942

North Pacific: Quiet [Insert cricket chirping here]

Central Pacific: Another Japanese CV raid on Midway. This time it surprises a TF unloading supply in port, sinking all 4 xAK’s and an escorting destroyer. The attack was launched from maximum range, so I had no warning...so far my diversion in the Solomons hasn't had its intended effect.

Southern Pacific: Base building on Baker and Canton islands continue.
The IJN lands @ Baker Island again, but my beefed up island garrison holds them off. The attackers retreat back to their ships, but it looks like they are serious about taking that island. I order up a surface TF from Pearl Harbor to help discourage further attacks.

New Guinea/Solomons: Lots of IJN transport sightings off the north coast of New Guinea. Finschafen and Gasmata assaulted and captured by Japanese forces. My Banshee DB’s in Port Moresby attempted to hit the Finschafen landing, but were surprised when the ships were protected by Zeroes flying CAP. Either there is an IJN Carrier in the area, or they flew CAP all the way from Rabaul…didn’t realize they had that kind of range. In the air battle that ensued, half of my attacking bombers are destroyed or damaged, the next day I order them to stand down to prevent any further massacre.

DEI/Phillippines: Clark Field still under constant ground attack, but is holding its own for the time being. Daily bombing of Clark Field and Bataan.
The rest of the Phillippines are being mopped up Japanese forces. With no air cover, there is little I can do but watch.
In the DEI, the Japanese assault North Borneo, and without control of the air, the assaulted garrisons are doomed.

SE Asia/China: IJN is hammering Singapore from both the ground and air. Fort Levels are down to 0…is this the end of the ‘Gibraltar of the East’? I withdraw all remaining air assets just in case.
In Burma, the IJA captures Pegu, the last roadblock (speedbump) before Rangoon.
Sporadic fighting in China.

Notable Base Captures:
-ParePare[Celebes] captured by Japan (2/2)
-Pegu [Burma] captured by Japan (2/5)
-Ambon [DEI] captured by Japan (2/6)
-Finschafen [New Guinea] captured by Japan (2/7)
-Gasmata [New Britain] captured by Japan (2/8)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date (change]:
Japanese: 791 [+104]
Allies: 505 [+56]

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Japanese: 82 [+5] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.
Allies: 118 [+10] Notables: CL Durban

VP Totals [change]:
Japanese: 6,893 [+619]
Allies: 13,048 [+263]

Other Notes:
- Just when I thought the sub threat had subsided, the CV Enterprise is hit by an IJN sub off Sydney. She’ll be in the dry dock for a few weeks…but it definitely could have been worse. Lesson learned. From now on I am using waypoints when ships travel between Sydney and the Coral Sea. Ships now head due East to Lord Howe Island before turning North. It’s longer route, but it minimizes the exposure to the IJN sub gauntlet along the East coast of Australia.

[BBfanboy]

Zero fighters with drop tanks have an operational range of 14 hexes. At that range, LRCAP missions would be momentary as the plane has no fuel to loiter, so about 12 hexes is as far as I would estimate LRCAP from Zeros. I am not sure if the game imposes a max range on LRCAP.

[Yaab]

Schlussel, do you have any plans for the Samoan Islands?

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Zero fighters with drop tanks have an operational range of 14 hexes. At that range, LRCAP missions would be momentary as the plane has no fuel to loiter, so about 12 hexes is as far as I would estimate LRCAP from Zeros. I am not sure if the game imposes a max range on LRCAP.

The Zeroes hung around awhile (long enough to rip my bombers to shreds), maybe they were coming off a carrier then. Haven't had any CV sightings yet, but my PBY coverage is spotty in that area NW of New Britain.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Schlussel, do you have any plans for the Samoan Islands?

I plan on keeping them in supply so they can keep pumping out those delicious cookies. [:D]

Seriously though, I have some extra supplies and a bit of fuel stored @ Pago-Pago...the idea was to use the base as an emergency stop over on the supply route between Pearl and Noumea. But that's about it right now.

As a forum veteran, do you have any suggestions for using these islands?

[jmalter]

Pago Pago is my staging-point for the planned assault on the Gilberts, scheduled for June '43. While Luganville is closer to Tarawa, that base is far too busy supporting the Solomons campaign.

P-P is the destination for AKV convoys bringing 1- & 2-engine airgroups to both SWPAC & SOPAC from Pearl & San Diego, and is the fleet base (AR, ARD, 228 NavSupport) for both theaters.

[Yaab]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Schlussel, do you have any plans for the Samoan Islands?

I plan on keeping them in supply so they can keep pumping out those delicious cookies. [:D]

Seriously though, I have some extra supplies and a bit of fuel stored @ Pago-Pago...the idea was to use the base as an emergency stop over on the supply route between Pearl and Noumea. But that's about it right now.

As a forum veteran, do you have any suggestions for using these islands?

I was thinking of building up Savaii to airfield level 5 in case Suva falls. Thus you get a B-17E base which is 15 hexes away from Suva and the bombers will fly with full set of bombs.

[Sardaukar]

BTW, you might get some ideas from my old Tutorial AAR, it's quite outdated, being from 2010, but might give some insight:

tm.asp?m=2564541

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Zero fighters with drop tanks have an operational range of 14 hexes. At that range, LRCAP missions would be momentary as the plane has no fuel to loiter, so about 12 hexes is as far as I would estimate LRCAP from Zeros. I am not sure if the game imposes a max range on LRCAP.

The Zeroes hung around awhile (long enough to rip my bombers to shreds), maybe they were coming off a carrier then. Haven't had any CV sightings yet, but my PBY coverage is spotty in that area NW of New Britain.

Finschafen is pretty close to Rabaul - I doubt the Zeros came from a carrier. Check your subs in the area for high D/L - that is often the first sign of a carrier in the area.