Bettys in the sky with diamonds- Gladiatt (A) vs John_Smid (J). No John please

[gladiatt]

CHINA

[gladiatt]

JAVA

[gladiatt]

PHILIPPINAS

[gladiatt]

GLOBAL MAP




APRIL TRAILER :

A BAD MONTH !!! [:@][:(][:@][:(][:@][:(]

[gladiatt]

1st - 3rd APRIL

SoPac
Gili Gili still trying to hinder the base developpement or to attrit a little the japanese; my aussie air forces make a few small raids ( A-20 Boston), but the results are equal to nothing and i loose a few planes to flak damages.

Luganville start to attrit ...me rather than him ! Daily raids of betty with Zero escort costed me 10 P-39 airacobra (aira-grass-snake yes !) for 2 Bettys (one downed by flak...one more kind of useless plane in my arsenal...).

China
After the losses of the chinese squadrons in Sian, i tried to surprise my opponant by sending there a newly upgraded US squadron, from P-26 to P-39; well, really this plane sucks: i loose 4 of those planes for 1 Oscar.

South of Homan, a new japanese army launch an offensive: 5 divisions, 2 brigades, 2 tank regiments attack 3 of my corps on 2nd of april. From Homan (still raising forts), i send 2 corps that arrive just in time to repel the attack of 3rd april wich costed 2000 japanese casualties (out of 120000 soldiers, 1400 guns, 320 vehicules) for 1200 chinese casualties (50000 soldiers, 340 guns).

PI
Manila is under heavy air and land bombardement (210 air sorties).
Clark also under air attack: 88 sorties of Kate knocked 4 resources, 2 planes are shot by flak.

Malaya
Singapore still holding. Supplies nearing 15000.

DEI
At Tjilitjap, for the losse of 1 Nate, the japs manage to sink 2 dutch PT Boat and destroy 4 Hawk (another obsolete planes with inexperienced pilots....[8|] ).
The 4 SNLF besieging the place bombard it.

At Soerebaja, i removed all my planes: the 24th FG was depleted to 2 planes ! (rate of production for P-40E being not enough for my loss rate). They are send...elsewhere.
The Blenheim squadron (34th Sq ? ) is send to Batavia.
The sky is now free of planes for the japanese bombers....free of planes, not of bullet of steel and fire. In 3 days, 9 japanese bombers are destroyed, 31 others damaged. But the losses on my troops are not negligible.

Burma
Pagan raided on 1st and 2nd april by Wellington (brand new squadron). 12 sorties only, 4 resources knocked, 7 planes damaged, 3 lost to flak damages (that mean no direct hit).

Rangoon
2 more raids on 2nd and 3rd april of B-17 at 36600 feet, but they only gather 12 sorties ([8|] [:@] ) and achieve no result at all (at least they don't suffer op loss).

Mandalay
A squadron of Hurricane try to sweep the jap CAP. Desapointing planes shoot nothing and loose 1 planes...and it will get worse in the following weeks...
Artillery duel seems to go even, this mean the japanese is growing stronger....

[gladiatt]

so dear readers ( i know there are a few from the count of hits),
although it seem most of the forum-brothers are now reading the AE AAR, i need some advice (if some would like to share).

For the moment, i don't have real long time strategy; just a few ideas, and i will see if it can be done, depending of the course of the war/game. Some actions (not spectacular, but somehow useful) had been made, in order to make preparations for a far futur.

I have a big concern about China. My game is currently at 25 april, so there are a few events more from my AAR; i will try to catch up, but i have sadly some others things to deal with: health of my wife, and an exam to try in january. Anyway, in order to give clue to my readers, i will try to post some info (screenshots and so on).
A point to know: there is no home rule about expanding PP for units leaving restricted zone, so my opponant can bring whatever he want from Mandchuria in China.
From what you did seen in my AAR, is there a hope to maintain (even partialy) China in the war?
Is there a hope that i could avoid the automatic japanese victory at end of 1942 ?
Of course it depend a lot of the future actions of both opponant, that are not predictable right now.
But if a old-timer, a experienced player, a grognard, has some advice about my fears, i would be glad to ear it...

[Nemo121]

IF you hold Burma securely then you should focus on :
 
a) flying supplies into China. Properly supplying Chinese troops triples their combat power. With sufficient supplies the CHinese are actually quite powerful. I have managed to use the Chinese to drive significant Japanese army forces back in my game.
 
b) keeping Java in Allied hands. If you can keep Java in Allied hands then this will hugely aid you in keeping Burma in your hands and provide you with a nice base from which to bleed the Japanese to death.
 
Japanese aerial losses are horrific. If you can keep the pressure up and deny him Singapore as a naval base you have a chance.
 
One other thing.... To succeed in WiTP you NEED a strategic plan. Bumbling along enacting an operation here or there as they occur to you won't result in any useful outcome. You have to have a plan for at least 18 months in the future and EVERY operation you put into action needs to further that plan.
 
It looks to me like you have the forces to achieve significant outcomes BUT only if you concentrate them on the objectives you really need to achieve.

[gladiatt]

Hi Nemo.
Fist of all, thanks for your advice and input.
I feel very grateful to have advice from guys like you ! [&o].

So about your advice.
1) i know i need to hold Burma in order to keep supply coming in China (by the simple game mechanics of 500 supplies in Yunan if Burma road is open).
BUT in order to keep the burma road open, i need to keep supply coming in Mandalay, where i fight, and it is very difficult right now. I have a few airtransport squadron in India flying supplies in it. another squadron lift supplies from India in China, and one more is in China lifting supplies to place remote and needing it. Of course, 1 Squadron is never enough, but that's all i can do right now.

About china, a screenshot of situation could enlight.


2) Keeping Singapore: well, i have lost maybe 80 or more AK trying to bring supplies in the place; with time, it is more and more impossible. The supplies is reducing slowly but steadily. Maybe 10 more days ? (fall should be around begin of May ; and sorry for others readers that i did gave away the suspens about this place...).
The place is isolated.

3) Keeping Java: as Singapore or Philippinas, losses is unavoidable. I try to buy time: raising forts, bringing supplies, gathering the dutch forces (this had been done in the previous months of the war). But KB is lurking around here, and even without KB, misses Nelly and Betty are killers...(well, this is obvious to any players, i know).

4) Gathering forces: seems to me very difficult right now; to gather forces mean using shipping lanes that are under threat. Taking risk, and so on.
I will think of it.

5)About planning: i have some ideas by Area of Pacific. In one area, the idea is slowly taking form, but at great cost (attrition against me for now) . In another, i am just waiting for the hammering to halt...
And yes, i must admit that by now i have no precise idea of my main strategy. I am waiting for the stalling of the japanese efforts...Could this be a mistake of my way of thinking? I admit that i don't see really how to halt him without commiting forces to a too much great risk. The exchange of place and time against troops is hard to evaluate.
I will work on this.

6) About japanese planes losses....well, this is at least a point that warm my heart !

Once again thank you for the input; and i would welcome any others advice.
And for the readers, i will try to continue the AAR in a few days.

[gladiatt]

a little update...

4th April - 7th April

CentPac
On 6th april, SS Gudgeon laying mines at Johnston Island escape 2 ASW TF with no harm.

SoPac
Gili Gili
Raids on 4th, 5th and 6th of April. 1 oscar downed...by a Wirraway !! and 1 wirraway destroyed. Many Boston are damaged , result insignificant on airfield.

Luganville
Japanese raids (around 20 zeros and 20 bettys each time) make some damages to port, but my engineers repair these quickly.

China

Nanning is bombed on 4th, 5th and 7th of april by a Sentai of Sonia.

At Sian, on 5th of april, 35 oscar face 12 P-39 and 3 I-16; 1 oscar is destroyed for 3 I-16 and 2 P-39.
On 6th april, 34 oscar face 9 P-39. 2 oscar destroyed and 3 P-39.
On 7th april, 12 oscar face 9 P-39; 1 oscar destroyed.

South of Homan, japanese aviation harass my 5 corps facing 5 japanese division, 2 tk reg, and 2 bdes. With a ratio of 2700 japanese assaut value for 1400 chinese, i feel the need to send reinforcement, and on 7th of april, a chinese div join my forces, adding 150 assaut value, but will it be enough to stop the japs ?

PI
Manila is under air bombardement. 230 airsorties cause 900 casualties. 3 japanese planes are destroyed and 8 damaged. Land bombardement add 700 casualties.
Clark Field, 126 air sorties by Kates, 1 destroyed and 19 damaged.

Malaya
Singapore still holding. 280 air sorties. 29 japanese planes damaged by flak but no direct hit.

DEI
Soerebaja, Tjilitjap and Batavia are raided by japaneses bombers with zeros or oscar escort. The dutch fighters suffer losses but to my own surprise manage to down a few japanese bombers. Air losses are 12 dutch and 9 japs.
Siege of Soerebaja keep going.
On 4th april a raider TF of 2 CL and 1DD manage to sink a damaged AK and escape any retaliation by my few dutch bombers left in Java.

Burma

After some try on the previous days with bombing at 36000 feet, a raid at 15000 feet is launched on 5th april with 24 B-17 of 19th BG and 27 LB-30; the target : the TK and 2 CV supposed to be disbanded in the harbor of Rangoon after the damaged suffered by KB around Ceylon in march. No result for this raid.
On 7th april,a new raid of 50 bombers face 6 zeros, and loose 2 planes. 4 hits on port, 2 on supply, but no hits on the targeted ships.

North of Rangoon, the stalemate is still on at Mandalay; in the air, 3 japs figthers and 2 allied are destroyed.

North of Australia
On 4th of april, MSW Finch hunting a japanese sub suffer a torpedo hit from I-30. The small boat is cut in half by the explosion, and sink in a few minutes.
On 6th of april, 3 RN DD try to sink this japanese subs in vain. These are DD Scout, Thanet and Thracian, escaped from Hong Kong on 8th december !

[gladiatt]

8th April 1942 - 11th April

SoPac

Near Rabaul, 9th of april, SS Saury, wich is ordered to evacuate 101st RN Base Force, attack twice the japanese DD on ASW duty ! The torps are all dud, and this is a pity according to the skipper agressiveness. The Saury then head for Port Moresby with a few australians support troops aboard.

The japanese raids Luganville on 8th and 9th april without opposition, making few damages to the base. On 10th april, 18 Airacobra took off to try to defend the place against 26 zero and 26 bettys. 3 bettys are downed for 1 P-39.
The same day, TK Empire Coral is trying to bring fuel for the small PT-Boat TF warding Luganville. But it is torpedoed by SS RO-60, and sink before bringing it's precious cargo.
On 11th april, 24 zero make a straffing attack against my PT Boats, but the airacobra down 3 of them. In the afternoon, another raid of 27 zero and 20 betty face 16 P-39. 1 zero and 1 betty are downed for 3 P-39.

China





On 8th of april, 34oscar sweep the sky of Sian and totaly wipped the 5 P-39 CAPing the base. Ouch ! [:(].
The same day, south of Homan, just 2 P-39 are CAPing my chinese forces when 86 japanese divebombers and 34 sally attack...without escort. 3 ann are destroyed.
On 9th of april, trying to recomplete the P-39 squadron at Sian, i leave the sky to the Oscar.
South of Homan, the japs air force come in number : 115 bombers and 9 Oscar. They face 7 P-39. 1 ann and 1 P-39 are lost. A similar raid on 10th of april lead to no loss on either side.

PI
Manila is raided every day. Japanese sorties: 237; 1 direct loss by flak. Casualties amount to 280 by air and 550 by ground bombardement. How many time can the place hold ??

MALAYA
Singapore still holding. 170 air sorties, only 1 Dinah destroyed by british flak (but dozen of sally damaged). Supplies under 12000.

[gladiatt]

8th april - 11th april , part two (revenge of the son of the come back of the return)

DEI

Soerebaja raided 8th and 11th april. 83 air sorties. 2 bombers and 1 Dinah destroyed by dutch Flak; still holding.
Kragen besieged and bombarded on 11th april. 108th RN Base force is trapped here. A fragment was evacuated by sub, but seem to have vanished since (kind of bug ? What a pity).

At Tjilitjap, my troops caused a tactical surprise :
2nd Dutch Regiment, 2nd Malaya Bde, and elements of 27th Australian Bde counter attack the 4 SNLF units. The british units had been patiently lifted by air or subs from Singapore since the beginning of the siege. And they are now trying to gain some time and to harass the japanese lands units.
On 9th of april, an attack achieve 3/1 odd; 260 japanese casualties for 84 allied. The japanese retreat, and i decide to pursue them toward Djodjakarta.

At Koepang, CL Isuzu and 3 DD attack at night AK Siantar bringing supplies in my base, and sink it. This TF then sail at full speed out of harm ways before the dawn.
But on 11th of april, it's back near Koepang, on north coast of Timor. 8 zero are on CAP.
A bunch of allied planes attack from Koepang: 5 brewster, 8 australians Hudson and 6 dutch Beaufort (this squadron was withdrawn in Java, early january, after heavy losses, and came back in Sidney with brand news airframe). 3 brewster, 3 hudson and 1 beaufort are downed by the zero. But in the afternoon, another raid manage to put a torpedo in CL Isuzu, seen on fire (but didn't appear on the sunken ship list in the 3 following weeks).

BURMA
Rangoon is once again raided by 15 of my 4 engines bombers on 8th of april, and hitting nothing (targets are 2 CV supposed to be disbanded in harbor).
As the icon diseapear on 9th, i stopped my raids: KB has probably evacuated at flank speed toward West Coast of Sumatra (remenber, HR say no japanese surface TF can cross Macassar strait while Singapore is in allied hands).

On 8th april, 200th chinese division, trying to outflank the japanese supply path just south of Mandalay, is strongly repulsed by japanese 1st Tank Reg.
On 11th april, 3 zero and 9 oscar fight 11 Hurricanes of 605sq. 1 oscar and 1 hurricanes are lost.
Stalemate at Mandalay.

CEYLON
On 8th and 9th april, 18 sorties of Nell in night raids against Colombo. Blenheim IF night fighter achieve absolutely no result (except one op loss of Blenheim), but flak down 2 nells.

On 11th of april, North of Trivandrum, DD Nizam, Napier and Nestor attack SS RO-34; Napier score 2direct hits, leaving the sub on fire, but no confirmation of sinking since.
On 11th of april also, AK Coast Farmer arrive in Panjai after a trip of 3 months around the pacific, coming from San Diego, avoiding the KB in Indian Ocean,and unload a Dakota squadron to help supplying Burma by air (will operate in one week, after uncrating the planes).
11th of april always, an AK unload at Panjai elements of 101 RN Base Force evacuated from Singapore; and another AK unload elements of 109 RAF Base force.
I will make a statement of the evacuation made from Philippinas after the fall of it; and i will make the same from Singapore/malaya, after the fall of it.

[rtrapasso]

108th RN Base force is trapped here. A fragment was evacuated by sub, but seem to have vanished since (kind of bug ? What a pity).

A couple of ways a fragment can vanish:
1) If the fragment is still being transported on a ship when the parent is destroyed, the fragment is gone as well.
2) If the fragment has disabled squads, there is a roll when the squads leave a ship, and if they fail the roll, the squad is eliminated... so moving disabled squads is highly problematic.

Note that a squad might be OK when first loaded, and become disabled sometime when it is being transported (due to lack of supplies or by enemy attack, etc.)

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

108th RN Base force is trapped here. A fragment was evacuated by sub, but seem to have vanished since (kind of bug ? What a pity).

A couple of ways a fragment can vanish:
1) If the fragment is still being transported on a ship when the parent is destroyed, the fragment is gone as well.
2) If the fragment has disabled squads, there is a roll when the squads leave a ship, and if they fail the roll, the squad is eliminated... so moving disabled squads is highly problematic.

Note that a squad might be OK when first loaded, and become disabled sometime when it is being transported (due to lack of supplies or by enemy attack, etc.)

Bob, i didn't knew you were reading me !
Thanks for the info !

UPDATE FOR 12th april UNTIL END OF WAR

It's not that something went wrong.
It's that EVERYTHING went wrong, everywhere, always, and it REALLY ***** ME !!!!!

[rtrapasso]

This sounds distressing, but entertaining for your readers!

Well, things usually go badly for the Allies at the beginning of the war... it seems like you are actually doing rather well so far! [8D]

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

This sounds distressing, but entertaining for your readers!

Well, things usually go badly for the Allies at the beginning of the war... it seems like you are actually doing rather well so far! [8D]

Dear readers, thanks to Bob, i will try to keep you untertained by my sad demises [8|][;)].

12th April - 17th April

CentPac
On 12th april, at Palmyra, 4 AK are under attack : 19 Betty from Johnston manage to sink 3 of them. But the main part of the supply had been unloaded in this base

[gladiatt]

12th april - 17th april

SoPac
New Caledonia

On 12th april, SS I-29 fire a torpedo at APD Gregory and miss it. The TF of 3 APD don't manage to sink the sub in retaliation.
On 13th april, 54 Zero and 30 Betty raid Luganville. 19 Airacobra take off. 13 of them are destroyed for 1 zero. OUCH [:(].
On the next day, the 2 depleted squadron of 8th FG are sent back in Noumea for refit. They are back on 16th april, and the same day face a new raid. 42 zeros and 3 betty face 12 airacobra. 1 zero is destroyed and 2 P-39; 1 AK unloading supplies is sink.
On 17th TK Empire Cost is sunk near Effate by SS I-7.
Keeping in supply Luganville is hard, but it is nowhere as difficult as in Port Moresby.

Port Moresby
On 14th of april, in the night, Jan send a raider TF of 3CA 5CL and 16DD and....




These raiders catch 8AK unloading. 3 AK are sunked, 3 others badly damaged. Soon after, in the same night, these raiders catch an ASW TF and sink the whole : 2PG and 3 MSW.
Then the TF retire at Flank speed.

On 16th april, the japanese attack by air. 8 zero and 15 betty attack my remaining AK; 11 wirraways and 12 kittyhawk try to intercept. 2 wirraways and 1 kittyhawk are destroyed, AK Steel Mariner is sunk. This is disapointing. [:(]
The next night, another TF Raider come in Port Moresby, and sink 5 AK.
My 2 subs in the area didn't catch any raider.

CHINA
South of Homan , artillery duel keep on, and during this time, Homan raise it's forts.

On 16th april, Japan Mega-stack start bombarding Sining where 5 of my chinese corps are trapped.

[gladiatt]

12th april - 17th april

PI

Between 12th and 15th april, Flak down in Luzon 4 japanese planes and damage twice this number :

[gladiatt]

Manila is heavily bombarded and on 15th April....



During months i used to rotate my units between Clark and Manila to help them rest.
But this time obviously i should have let a US unit in Manila, it could had hold maybe a few more days.
Now, it is quite obvious that the rest of Luzon will fall quickly, and sadly i will be right ( stay tuned).
Congratulation Jan, you were waiting for this for so long !!
Well, Jan is not allowed to read my AAR but i know he was awaiting this since at least 2 months, so this mean i delayed his plan for this long.

[gladiatt]

MALAYA

Singapore is under heavy air and land bombardement.
6 japanese planes are destroyed by my flak.
Should my reader bet on surrender time ?

[gladiatt]

12th April - 17th april

DEI

On 12th april, Kragen is captured, and 108th RN BF surrender.(and it thus explain what Rtrapasso said in a previous post: if Parent unit diseapear while fragment is on board, it can disapear).

Soerebaja
Here, as everywhere, the japanese weight of all it's might by air or land to gab the place.
On 13th april, Jan launch a deliberate attack on Soerebaja. Despite it fail, this attack drop my fort from 5 to 4. Assaut value drop from 420 to 350.
On 15th april another attack fail. 1300 japanese casualties to 420 allies. Allied assaut value drop to 330.
The japs seems in a hurry, probably because of what happen in North of Java

North Java
On 12th of april, my allied forces force the japanese to retreat :




This attack has a few purpose: after giving time to Tjilitjap, it also cause a few losses to the japs, and give a very little experience to my troops.

The japanese try to react with it's planes. I suffer a few losses by air, but i keep attacking. So i pursue the japanese units.
On 15th april, at Djodjakarta, my attack at 1/1 fail to evict the japanese.
Fearing the counter attack of a whole japanese division, i decide to withdraw my troops.
After a few time, i think it was a kind of mistake, and should have press on.

On 17th of april, my 4 last dutch PT Boats make a raid on Toboali, aiming 2 japanese AK; a sole PT fired it's torpedos and miss the freighter. This is a useless raid.
On 17th at Koepang, 27 zero sweep the place and destroy the 4 brewster i had on CAP here.
On 17th after weeks of delay, Amboine is once again under bombs...

BURMA

On 12th april, at Pagan, 27 Nate / 9 Wellington of 36sq, 21 B-17 of 19th BG and 43 Liberators of 7th BG. 6 Nate are destroyed, and 22 bombers are damaged but all get back home ! 4 resources are knocked.
At Mandalay, 3 zero+6oscar on CAP / 14 Hurricanes. 1 Hurricane lost for 0 japs.

On 14th of april, i launch another raid on Pagan.
16 Nate / 12 Wellington and 22 B-17; 1 nate destroyed, 11 bombers damaged (4 won't come back home). Runway hits 5.
Same day, at Taun Gyi, 32 Liberators manage to destroy 1 oscar on ground.
At Mandalay my 11 Hurricanes of 605sq sweep the place, but loose 3 planes for 0 japs [:@].

17th of april, new raid on Pagan. 21 Nate/ 11 wellington+26fortress. 1 Nate destroyed, 2 wellington destroyed, 15 bombers damaged, no results on base.


CEYLON

On 14th of april, CV Shokaku and Zuikaku are back south of Ceylon. 22 divebombers sink 2 AK, and then disapear...