Japanese AAR, post game

[ernieschwitz]

Anyone interested in me posting a pretty picture rich thread of my recent playthough in a game where I played the Japanese. I shared a lot of pictures with my German/Italian Ally. I am pretty sure I could upload those in some kind of AAR. (The mod is Global Domination 1938, version 3).

[Ormand]

I could dig it.

[ernieschwitz]

Thanks Ormand and Thanks Lion of Judah who reached out to me elsewhere.

I'll se the the scene:

1938, sometime in March, this is how the Japanese front with China looked like.



The weather was muddy, and thus all operations hampered a bit, except on roads. The Chinese had just counter attacked trying to hold the line against a two pronged operation designed to cut the forces along the coast off from the rest of the mainland.

What you see here is the success of that operation. Note that there are some units with red squares on them. Those had been cut off from the Japanese lines, during the Chinese turn. Luckily troops can survive being cut off, without any ill effects, if it is just one turn.

You will also note some combat has occured in the mountains south of Taiyuan. Here I am attempting to cross the river, so that I might get a wedge into the forces there as well, cutting off the city of Chengchow.

[ernieschwitz]

A closer look at the operation to cut off the Chinese Army, from the rest of its fellows.



Notice how I've gone straight for the hex with a HQ in it. I love killing staff. So expensive to build, so good to have in the right number to make your troops better. Fewer enemy staff, fewer troubles.

The other part of the picture shows my invasion of the southern most Island in China. The city of Kiungchow fell because of a lucky happenstance. I had gone about my usual buisiness, trying to invade a hex that was unchallenged, only to discover, to my dismay, and the shock of the Marines landing, that the opponent had split his troops up, and placed them on every hex on the Island. My marines took care of it though. I had also taken a unit with me that I had intended to use as a garrison, for the city, once it was taken. I would have dropped it off north of the Marines, but now that the city was less well defended, I took a chance. Bombarded it with my Battleships, and then invaded the unit and HQ there... who, luckily fled!

[ernieschwitz]

April 1938.

The trap was a success. Despite the Chinese attempts at counterattacking, and attempting to consolidate to where they think they might flee, from my position you can see it is hopeless.



Better weather coming too.

[ernieschwitz]

The next turn:

Mopping up operations. The Chinese forces are being pushed towards the sea. There is no mercy in hunting these down, and they are not getting any supply. First of all, they are cut off from their HQs, so the supply path needs to run through the nearest friendly port, from that, which is all the way down at Canton (or Foochow). Secondly there are ships set to interdict the supplies, running from there and at the port they should be coming into.



Also note the beginning of appearance of units with NATO symbols. These units are units with a set amount of troops in them and structure.

The artillery ones that can be seen consist of 3 Artillery formations, and 3 horse formations to tow them. Ordinarily I like my artillery units bigger than that, but as Japan you are making formations on the fly, and not during peacetime...

The Infantry with the Red NATO symbol for Infantry, drawn in black, consists of 40 rifle, 4 HMGs, 4 Mortar IIs 2 horse and 2 infantry gun II. The similar looking unit, drawn in white, is a unit where the HMGs are replaced with General Purpose Machineguns (GPMGs)

[ernieschwitz]

Looking at the Losses for the campaign so far, and this turn, the following numbers can be seen:



What I am looking at here is the ratio of kills done by the Chinese to my Rifle and SMG units, comparing them with the Conscript, Rifle and SMG units of the losses the Chinese incurred.

(Oh and Cavalry)

The bigger my advantage here is, the better. I like to have a 3:1 or 4:1 advantage. Conscripts are dirt cheap for China to build, and basically serve as fodder, protecting the other elements in the formations they are in. The observant among you will notice that I have lost some rifle IIs. This is because I upgraded them as early as I could. I need quality, since I don't have quantity.

[ernieschwitz]

Turn 6:

I am greeted by the following screen after logging in:



First picture is my production. As you can probably see, I am going for an investment in Political Points. I need my Japanese Economy to be a lot better if I am going to win this war. I have also invested in the Ki-30, an excellent CAS aircraft, especially it's range is of great use, since the Pre-1938 CAS and divebombers have a short range, compated to what will be needed. Also note artillery and tank production, but no Naval Production. I am going for a China First doctrine. End the war in China, by force, before focussing on navy.

The second picture is of the combat results from this turn. I notice that I have lost 40 rifle/etc. taking 154 Chinese similar formations with me. Good numbers! The artillery might be worrysome, if it was in fact Artillery Is begin lost, and not Infantry Guns, that are also classed as artillery. The tank could be a tankette, I honestly don't remember what it was.

[ernieschwitz]

As all good commanders will tell you: To win you need a plan. My plan for this turn, is detailed in the next two screenshots. (Arrows in black. And yes I know they are not the easiest to see).



Basically these plans are just what I ideally can do... They may or may not come to pass. I tend to use bombers, and artillery first, before finding out if it is worth it to attack a hex. But the hexes shown are the ones I want to focus on.

[ernieschwitz]

More plans:



Again, these are just ideas. But the one I am most eager to do, is the one where I surround some Chinese units (top portion of this map).

[ernieschwitz]

Here are the results of this turns battles.



Again I am very satisfied. Losses to kills ratio is looking good. My Chinese opponent has also chosen to focus on making AT Gun IIs. This might have been a good idea, if he had waited and seen what kind of army I would be fighting with. In my case I chose an Infantry heavy one, as I was not sure how my fuel situation would be, when I used the amount of planes I had planned.

[ernieschwitz]

Turn 7:

My offensive in the Area near Hohhot, and Yenan, are not good. I need to pull back, and force the Chinese to break entrenchement. I do that.



The conditions fighting in a place like this (A desert) are horrible. You lose 20% of your readiness. If I stay in the mountains and cities I will have an advantage. Notice his troops to the west of the river near Hohhot. I no intention of crossing that... The real prize is Yenan and Lanchow.

[ernieschwitz]

"The central front", shown in this picture, is where I focus my energy.



I strike towards Chengchow, in the hope that I can take it very soon. My lines are thin in this thrust. Also note that the bridge north of Chengchow has been blown up by the Chinese artillery.

[ernieschwitz]

In the south, this is how the offensive is moving along:



I have reduced the pocket I made, the last turn near Nanking, and I am preparing for the next push.

[ernieschwitz]

At the end of the turn this is how the "buthcers bill" looked.

[ernieschwitz]

Opening up turn 8, my Chinese opponent has decided to play a little roleplay. I was very much amused, I like these touches. Thought I'd share.



The rest of the game, I claimed the Japanese were hunting down Canton Katy, desperately trying to get to her, and she always disappearing from the scene moments before the Japanese forces arrived.

[ernieschwitz]

There was also a reason for the Chinese to celebrate this turn. They had beat back my attempts at getting to Chengchow, as can be seen in this screenshot:



In the image I have withdrawn my battered tanks, and what was left of the Infantry to behind the lines. 18th Infantry Division is badly mauled. Luckily he didn't surround my tanks and then attack them. Perhaps he had too few combatants to do it. It also learned me to make sure that my Infantry Divisions didn't run out of Machine Guns, when manning places that were in danger of counterattacks. Smart move by my Chinese opponent.

[ernieschwitz]

I have been told by some players, that their officers seldom level up. That the latter levels are too hard to achieve.



This is a screenshot of my General, commanding the forces that tried to take Chengchow. He is nearly level 3. He has an available Attack Card, which I when I remember it, play on the best unit I have in an attack, to make it better, before attacking that is. He also has a Free Action card, which allows units to move faster, or fight longer (it gives them extra Action Points). Notice also how his staff has 99 EXP. This contributes greatly to the combat ability of the formations under his command.

[ernieschwitz]

Turn 9:

Weather is great, and I have been planning a little something, and here it is: Paratroopers!



During the last couple of turns I had used my recon planes to scout out if there were any enemies in my opponents locations (cities, mines etc.) ... I had begun doing this when I by accident found out he hadn't in one turn, then I tried looking at another city, and the pattern was the same. I was really hoping to catch more stuff than just these two locations (A mine and A large City)...

[ernieschwitz]

The battle in the desert is still looking ok for me. I am really tempted to try and take out any HQs I see...