Who Needs a Title? Mike (J) vs. Dixie (A)

[Mike Solli]

Hi Guys. About a year ago, Dixie and I decided to start an AE campaign after it came out. When the delay lasted and lasted, we decided to start a CHS campaign until it does come out. I took about a month to prepare for the Japanese invasion from hell, and off we went!

A bit of discussion about house rules. Basically, it went something like this:

Dixie: How are you about house rules?
Mike: I play rather historical. I won't do anything crazy.
Dixie: Same here. That sounds good.

One self-imposed rule is that I'll pay PPs to move offensive units from one HQ to another.

I play rather a conservative game. The reason I take so long to do the first turn is mainly to move units to where I want them for 8 Dec 41. I had some 230 TFs wandering around out there on 7 Dec.

7 Dec 41

The most wonderful thing happened (heh)! KB was all set to pound Pearl Harbor. Guess what? They couldn't find PH! [8|] Yup, no attack on Pearl on 7 Dec. I am willing to go with it to see what happens with an intact US Fleet.

In the 4th Fleet area, I took Wake and Tarawa. The Oite took heavy damage from shore guns. I doubt that she makes it back to Kwajalein. We'll see.

In the SRA, I moved troops to Singora in preparation for the movement south into Malaya. I also landed at Kuantan. I took Batan Island and will station some IJA fighters there so they will be in range of the Philippines if needed.

In the Philippines, I did the obligatory bombing of Clark Field, destroying a handful of planes and trashing the airfield. I landed troops at Naga, Tugegaro and Vigan. This had the effect of pinching off the Northern part of the Philippines and creating a two pronged attack (from the North and South) to hopefully give Dixie a headache and split his forces. I should take all 3 bases tomorrow.

I landed a force on Jolo (level 3 airfield in CHS). I'll take it tomorrow and begin construction on a level 4 airfield.

Dixie was surprised that I landed a substantial force at Kuching. That's a nice level 4 airfield that will cause him major headaches once I take it. I'm planning on putting 2 Daitai of Zeros and 2 Daitai of Nells there, along with some recon.

In the SE Fleet area I'm sending forces down to the Admiralty Island and Rabaul. Five BBs, 2 CLs and DD escort are heading that way from Japan and should be in the area in a couple of days.

Also, I've just formed an invasion fleet headed down to the Amboina area in the next week or less.

The Zuiho and Hosho are within a couple of hexes of Kuantan. They found the Repulse at 5 hexes and scratched her paint with a couple of 250 kg bombs. Figures. One hex less and that may have been 2 torpedoes. [8|]

A few hexes south of Jolo is the Ryujo. Her Kate Daitai found the Boise and launched all 18 Kates at her. They all missed. Damn IJNAF really is sucking wind so far.

My one clever idea was to put several CL/DD TFs south of Hong Kong. They caught a bunch of single ship TFs and dispatched them. Yesterday saw the Allies lose 2 PGs, 1 TK and 8 AKs.

We'll see if our fortune changes tomorrow....

[Monter_Trismegistos]

Are you going to attack PH on second turn?

[scott64]

[Mike Solli]

Nope, I'm not going to attack PH.  I'd send the pilots into the teeth of the US Air Force.  I don't think the damaged done would be worth the pilot loss.  KB is heading SW toward Kwajalein.  I set up a sub screen to the east and west of Hawaii.  If I can see some carriers (or other ships heading west to try and attack me, KB will pay a visit.  Not sure what to do with KB now that the US Fleet is intact.  I'll move them out of sight so maybe I can surprise him somewhere.

[thegreatwent]

Nope, I'm not going to attack PH. I'd send the pilots into the teeth of the US Air Force. I don't think the damaged done would be worth the pilot loss. KB is heading SW toward Kwajalein. I set up a sub screen to the east and west of Hawaii. If I can see some carriers (or other ships heading west to try and attack me, KB will pay a visit. Not sure what to do with KB now that the US Fleet is intact. I'll move them out of sight so maybe I can surprise him somewhere.

Interesting gambit. I am curious as to how it will work out.

[Xxzard]

What happened with the KB? Bad weather that day that hex?

I hope this doesn't mean he will use the whole BB fleet available to bombard island bases, that is quite devastating.

Best of Luck!

[Mike Solli]

We saw a comment saying 19 D3A fail to find target.  That usually means that everything flying with them don't find the target either.  I did lose 5 planes from KB to operational losses, so they all flew.  Time to replace Fuchida. [:D]
 
I'd welcome the US Fleet trying to bombard a Japanese held island.  KB will clobber them. [:D]

[RUPD3658]

Might be worth sticking around PH even if you don't attack the port. I have a feeling that the CVs at sea will be headed here.

[Mike Solli]

Now there's a thought.  Might be worth hanging around a bit.  Lots of fuel and sorties left. [:D]

[RUPD3658]

I would have your subs fan out and try to spot TFs at sea. I don't think the KB will be allowed home if they don't sink something first. [8D]

There are a lot of Allied TFs that start at sea and they have to go somewhere.

[ny59giants]

The American CVs can go north past Midway to the Aleutians and then over to the west coast OR go south towards Canton/Palmyra area. Very few players send them west towards Wake. However, a really "ballsy" Allied player would send them towards Wake and then curve over to Truk. They could be there in 6 days at full speed and hit your transports and/or your CAs heading that way from Guam. 

[Mike Solli]

8 Dec 41
 
A lot happened today.  I'll go over it by region.
 
Lets start with the Keystone Cops, known to some as KB. [8|] The intent was for them to head SW on naval attack to see if there was anything out there to sink.  It started out well, with KC, uh, I mean KB finding the AV Wright in the morning.  One deckload of bombers escorted by 50(!) Zeros put her under with 4 torpedo hits and no less than 13 250 kg bombs.  In the afternoon, no ships were found so a total of 270 bombers flew to Lihue to make a port attack.  they were escorted by 6 Zeros who were on a sightseeing mission and took no part in the battle.  11 Allied fighters whittled down KB by another 8 or 9 pilots.  They didn't even do much damage to the port. [8|] Wonder what they'll do tomorrow.  It turns out that the Vals and Kates were all on naval attack with a secondary attack of port attack. [:@]  They hit Lihue at 5 hexes.
 
Ah well, on to better things.....
 
Philippines
 
I captured Naga, Tuguegarao and Vigan, all unopposed.  Here is the status of resources I captured:
 
Naga - 123 (2)
Tuguegarao - 79 (21)
 
A bombardment force of 2 CA, 1 CL and 2 DD hit Lingayan for the second day.  It looks like all of the ships and subs in the Philippines have scattered (reminds me of rats leaving a sinking ship) so I sent this force home.  The DDs don't have any ASW weapons.
 
I had a nice bonus when I took Naga.  The Allies scuttled 6 ships! 1 TK and 5 AKs.  I'll take 'em any way I can!
 
Malaya
 
Kuantan:  I have the 18th Division and supporting units on ground with more reinforcements landing.  I'm attacking tomorrow and should take it against 1 weak Indian Brigade and a BF.  Then I will locate a nice chunk of air power there to isolate Malaya.  There was bombardment force of 2 BB, 2 CA, 1 CL & 4 DD there.  They ran into a force of 3 PG and 2 PC early in the morning.  They sank the PGs and heavily damaged the PCs, all for 1 4" hit on the Kongo which scratched some paint. [:D]
 
Singora:  On the 7th, I put a Nate Sentai there and flew part of an air regiment there for support.  By sea, the 5th division and supporting units arrived, with the Gds Division marching there.  Dixie sent 23 Blenheims at the airbase.  One of my Nates actually shot one down! [:D] The British attack was ineffective.  Today, I sent an Oscar Sentai and Zero Daitai to reinforce the fighters, along with 39 Army DBs.  I'm Sweeping Alor Star and also hitting that airfield.  Hopefully, the better planes will surprise Dixie. [;)]
 
Kuching - I landed the 35th Bde and a NG unit there, along with some supporting units and a Special Base Force (SBF).  I'm attacking tomorrow.  I had 4 CAs and 4 DDs there for bombardment support.  During their bombardment, they hit 2 AKs in port.  I had the satisfaction of seeing one of them go down.  Once I take this base, I plan on putting 2 Daitai of Zeros and 2 Daitai of Nells here to go hunting. [:)]
 
Jolo - The Ryujo is south of Jolo supporting that invasion.  Jolo fell easily (it was undefended) but the Boise is still floating around out there trying to disrupt the landings.  The Boise actually sailed through Jolo and sent the invasion TFs packing.  The Boise kept heading south.  The Ryujo sent 9 Kates after her this time.  (Note that a dozen Kates were sent yesterday and it was a bust.).  Well, I'll describe the attack by quoting a portion of an email from Dixie:  0:18  [8|]  Anyway, I now own Jolo.  It's only a level 3 airfield in CHS so there's some construction support there to build it up as fast as possible.  I suspect the war will have bypassed the area by the time the airfield is to level 4.  At any rate, there are now some Zeros, naval Babs and bomb toting Nells there to cause havoc. [:D]
 
Air Combat - My air SAA air power was very busy today.  Overall, they sank 2 PG and 2 AK while damaging 2 AK, a CL and DD.  The CL was Mauritius, which was sailing up the Malacca Straights.  She took 5 torps from Nells.  I doubt that she makes it. [:D]  The DD was the Jupiter, which had hit a sub laid mine at Singkep that I laid on 7 Dec.  The Jupiter took 3x 250 kg bombs.  I doubt that she makes it either.
 
Naval Combat - One of my CL/DD TFs south of Hong Kong found and sank the ML Redstart.  Then, they ran into 8 MTBs, sank 1 and damaged 2 others.  The bombardment force at Lingayan ran into 9 US PTs and sank 2 of them.
 
Subs
 
On 7 Dec, I placed the I-20 in Pearl Harbor in the hope of rescuing a pilot or two that got shot down.  You know how that turned out. [8|] Anyway, I left her there one more turn and she scored 2 hits on an AK.  She's heading south this turn to extend the western screen around Pearl. 
 
I formed a screen of subs to the east of Batavia to try to catch some fleeing ships.  It paid off.  The I-155 put 3 torps into the Repulse. [:D] I didn't see her go down though.  Even if she doesn't sink, she's out of the war for awhile.  Now if I can only find the POW......
 
I have a screen west of Manila too.  The I-165 put a torp into an AK fleeing the Philippines (one of the rats).
 
The Bad Guys
 
It wasn't all one sided. [8|]  A Dutch sub put down an AK and Vildebeasts sank a PG and damaged an AK - all at Kuantan.  A Hudson also damaged an AP off Kuantan.  Can't wait to take that base and put some fighters there.
 
Verdict for today: 
 
Allies
Sunk - 5 PG, 1 PC, 1 ML, 3 PT, 8 AK, 1 AV, 1 TK
Damaged - 1 PC, 2 PT, 5 AK, 1 BC, 1 CL, 1 DD
 
Japanese
Sunk - 1 PG, 1 AK
Damaged - 1 AP

[Mike Solli]

9 Dec 41

The noose is tightening in the SRA.  Kuching and Kuantan both fell, giving me well placed level 4 airfields so I can forward base IJNAF and IJAAF elements, respectively.  I'm not happy with Jolo, because it's only level 3, so I'm going to move to Tarakan within the next week, hopefully.  The forces will come from Palau, which has units prepping for that base.

Dixie has air units flying out of Singkawang hitting the TF at Kuching.  A Hudson put a couple of 250 lb bombs into an AP there.  What a surprise when he finds a Daitai of Zeros there next turn.  A couple of Daitai of Nells are flying there too.  I'll set at least one of the Nell Daitai to bomb his airfield.  I might get lucky.  This will not be the norm.  I do not typically use IJN bombers for anything other than naval attack.  I hate to waste good pilots to AA fire.  Bombing airfields is the job of the IJAAF.

The Ryujo's Kate Daitai finally hit something, although it wasn't the Boise. [8|]  They put 3 torps into a PG and sank her.  Why can't they do that to the Boise?  On the bright side, the Boise hasn't fired a shot in anger against a surface target, and is just as bad as the Ryujo's Kates at hitting anything in the air. [:D]

Up at Naga, the Houston appeared out of the mist and found the Invasion TF that landed troops there.  The 20 APs/AKs were escorted by 2 PGs.  The PGs fought gallantly, but were seriously undergunned.  When it was over, a PG and AP were sunk with the other PG and 2 APs damaged.  I doubt that any of them survive, but we'll see.  The Houston had a bit of scratched paint.  Her problem is that she has to run the gauntlet of Nells & Kates no matter which way she goes.

Off the coast of Malaya, some Kates from the Hosho-Zuiho TF found an AK running and sank her.  Normally, it's just another day at the beginning of the war, but the AK had troops aboard.  She was in a single ship TF, so some fragment that Dixie was trying to evacuate didn't. [:D]

There was more fun off Formosa too.  An Ann Sentai caught one of those monster APs (the President Harrison) and pummelled her with 13x 100 kg bombs. That should slow her enough to get hit by some torps from the IJNAF stationed on Formosa.  Her days are numbered.  Also, a Susie Chutai put a 250 kg bomb into an AK off the coast of Formosa.  [:D]

One more thing I must mention.  We took Aparri with the Rowboat Corps.  What's the Rowboat Corps, you ask?  Why, it's 1 rowboat, 2 soldiers and a Japanese flag.  They row to an undefended base adjacent to a liberated base, raise the flag, and row home. [:D]  Look for more antics of the Rowboat Corps (RC) in the future!

An Allied AP and AK succumbed to damage from earlier too.

Well, we lost our first real combat ship, the DD Oite.  She was badly damaged in the fight for Wake and was trying to sail for Kwajalein.  The Triton found her and put two torps into her.  I hate losing ships.  They're all important.  So it begins. [:(]

We finally landed at Guam.

Also, the Hong Kong invasion force all arrived and I made my first Deliberate Attack.  1:1 odds, Fort level 3, Japanese losses of 853 to 554 Allied losses.  Some ground and air bombardment is in Hong Kong's near future.

Todays Verdict:

Liberated bases:  Aparri, Kuantan, Kuching

Allied losses:  1 PG, 1 AP, 2 AK sunk, 1 AP, 1 AK damaged

Japanes losses:  1 DD, 1 PG, 2 AP sunk, 1 PG, 4 AP damaged

[USSAmerica]

"Liberated bases" [:D]
 
One more for my subscription list. 

[Mike Solli]

Of course they're liberated, in my eyes at least. [:D]

[Monter_Trismegistos]

How many Japanese you need to capture an undefended base?
Two - one is putting flag, second is guarding rowboat.

BTW, nice job so far.

And where is KB, world wonders

[Mike Solli]

I'll post some maps this weekend, although it's still pretty early.  It is funny to see all the ships fleeing the Philippines.  If only my TBs and IJN LBs could hit something..... [8|]

[Mike Solli]

I've been thinking about Kuching.  I'm going to station a Daitai of Zeros, 1 Sentai of Sallys and 1-2 Daitai of Nells, depending on how much air support is there.  The Sallys will bomb Singkawang's airfield and the Nells will be on naval attack.
 
I will also place a Daitai of Nells at Kuching on naval attack, to hit any ships in the Malacca Straights.

[Mike Solli]

10 Dec 41

We plod on with our goal of liberating the SRA of it's oil and resources.  We have yet to take any of those important bases.  Dixie has been pretty aggressive with his air force so I suspect that the moment I take one, he'll start to bomb it.  Many of my front line IJA fighter Sentai are still using the Nate and the Ryujo, Zuiho and Hosho all have Claudes.  I'm ramping up production of Zeros and Oscars to rectify that problem.

The Rowboat Corps took Baguio, in the Central Philippines today.  A tank regiment arrived shortly after to consolidate the gain.  I also took Guam with a NLF.  Construction troops will be dispatched soon the build up the airfield to level 4 and then work on the forts.

I attacked Hong Kong again.  The results were better this time.  My main goal of reducing the forts was accomplished, reducing them from 3 to 2.  I lost 554 troops to 617 British troops.  I'll bombard for a couple of days to give the assault troops a rest.

The KXI caught an empty fast AK TF a couple hexes SW of Saigon and put 2 torps into one of them.  I made the mistake of relying on their speed and not escorting them.  The ship is badly damaged.  I hope she makes port.  A Wirriway (!) put a bomb into an AP at Kuantan.  Damn obsolete aircraft! [:D]

My TBs and LBs did better today, but their aim is still horrible.  Some Nells, Marys and Sonias caught the CL Mauritius (hit by 3 torps a couple of days ago) and put 2 more torps and 9 100kg bombs into her.  They had the satisfaction of seeing her go down.  That is the first capital ship the Allies have lost to date. [:D] Two DDs that were escorting her (Isis and Vendetta) were each hit with 2 100kg bombs.  Hopefully that'll slow them enough so I can hit them tomorrow.

Marys put down the AP President Harrison off the coast of Formosa.  I love to see Allied APs sunk early in the war, especially the large President class.  There are a shortage of them for a long time.

The Ryujo is still tooling around south of Jolo.  Her Kates put a torp into a TK at Tarakan.

Off Tuguegarao, some PCs hit the S-40 with a DC.  I doubt that will sink her, but she'll be out of the war for awhile.

KB is still cruising south.  She caught the ML Oglala 3 hexes north of Palmyra and sank her.  I suspect Dixie was attempting to mine Palmyra. [:-] Not today! [:D]

Oh yeah, the DD Jupiter finally succumbed to the 3 250kg bombs that pummelled her a couple of days ago.

What's coming up:

I have an invasion TF headed to Rabaul.  There's a bombardment force of 5 BB, 2 CL and 4DD that will hit in 2 days.  There's some shipping in the hex.  It would be great to catch them as well.  The 2 CLs are Oi and Kitikami.  In all my games, I've never seen them fire their torps in anger.  There is an Allied ship floating off the northern coast of New Guinea.  I have no idea what it's doing there.  I detached a DD to try and catch her.

I'm consolidating my position at Kuching, Jolo and Kuantan.  Air forces are in all three locations hopefully driving Dixie nuts. [:D] I will have forces in Alor Star tomorrow and attack the day after.

China starts out with forces out of position all over the place.  I am moving forces to start an offensive by the end of the month (at least that's the goal).  Right now, only air bombing is happening.

In the Central Pacific, I have construction forces moving to the Marshalls.  They will be dispatched to Tarawa (no construction forces there yet) and Wake (to supplement the base force currently there).  My position in that area is weak, due to the state of the starting forces there.  KB will remain in the area (based at Kwajalein) until I'm comfortable that Dixie won't try something.  He does have the entire Pacific Fleet at his disposal (minus an AV and ML).  Actually, I'd welcome an attack in the Pacific.  I could cause quite a bit of damage to his surface fleet in the middle of nowhere. [:D]  We'll see.

Edit: I forgot to add that Nells flying out of Jolo put 3 250kg bombs into the Langley. [:D]

[Ken Estes]

Very interesting game given the fizzled PH strike. Makes me wonder if the AE Masters could craft an alt. campaign scenario where the JA wins over the IJN in the Oct41 strategic debates, choosing not to attack the US [even in the PI], taking the risk that FDR cannot get a declaration of war. The US can enter the war later as Japanese victory points mount up and time passes, passing a die roll against a few tests, odds, etc.

This would allow the Japanese to run rampant, even take Far East USSR early, leaving maybe W. India and SE Australia in Allied hands when the US finally gets going against a Japan in full production, few losses, reinforced fleet, new model aircraft.

FWIW, I am doing another training campaign against AI-Japan in which the PH strike semi-fizzled with almost all AI's Kates dropping bombs vice torps, allowing the BB line to survive, albeit heavily damaged, most in west coast yards for ensuing 4-6 months, then had to receive the 4/42 or 10/42 upgrades.