South of the Border, West of the Sun - obvert (J) vs Dan Nichols (A)

[obvert]

This will be my first PBEM playing either side.

I have no hope to provide the kind of great entertainment GreyJoy has given us in his first AAR, but I will most likely need some help along the way as well, and welcome anyone who is interested to stop in and give their two cents.

This is a Scenario 2 game

Settings and HRs

FOW ON
advanced Weather OFF
Allied damage control ON
PDU ON
historical first turn OFF
Dec 7 surprise ON
reliable USN torps OFF
realistic R&D ON
no unit withdrawels OFF

turn cycle 1 TURN

No Allied 4E naval bombing below 10,000ft (except for NAVY 4Es)
Max sweep and CAP are at second best manouver band.
PPs to be paid to change a restricted unit to an unrestricted command before marching accross a border.
no Strategic bombing in China by either side for the entire war.


This is the first PBEM for each of us.

I should have the first turn off to Dan this evening, unless I have unforseen technical problems or a wave of trepidation about my planning.


As part of this AAR I'm planning to do a little extra work.

Units to watch throughout the War

In addition to giving information about strategic planning and tactical engagements, throughout the course of this AAR I will attempt to follow certain units of different types through their various deployments and actions. Some of the units I have chosen have some kind of significance to my experience, and I will try to explain some of that below.

I may choose some others later as well, as I see how this goes.

DD Shiranui

This ship has special significance to me because it is largely the reason I am playing the game at all. At the invitation of my girlfriend, who lived in Dorking, Surrey at the time, I went into a small modeling shop, Dorking Models.

http://www.dorkingmodels.com/

I was immediately charmed by the throwback look of the shop, with piles of kits balanced on every counter, and many finished display models sitting and hanging everywhere. I had made a bunch of 1/700 series waterline kits of WW2 ships as a kid, and this brought me right back into the passion I felt then about the war. My girlfriend encouraged me to find a kit and buy it. I scanned the stack of ships and saw shoved at the top of a pile the Shiranui.

I had been reading a book about Japan, ‘1,000 Autumns of Jacob De Zoet’ by David Mitchell, (a great read) which features a Mt. Shiranui. I had been intrigued by the name, and looked up the meaning. Shiranui apparently is a Japanese name for the elusive flames that appear in swamps we call will-o-the-wisp.

From Wikipedia

[font="Trebuchet MS"]A will-o'-the-wisp /ˌwɪl ə ðə ˈwɪsp/ or ignis fatuus ( /ˌɪɡnɨs ˈfætʃuːəs/; Medieval Latin: "foolish fire"), also called a "will-o'-wisp", "jack-o'-lantern" (or "jack-o'-the-lantern"), "hinkypunk", "ghost-light", "spook-light", "fairy light", "friar's lantern", "hobby lantern", "corpse candle", "orb", or simply "wisp", is a ghostly light or lights sometimes seen at night or twilight over bogs, swamps, and marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is sometimes said to recede if approached. Much traditional, non-scientific belief surrounds the phenomenon, giving rise to the wide variety of names.[/font]

Without getting too deep, this seemed interesting to me as a metaphor of my memory of childhood, and the vague flickering of images as I recalled afternoons riding my bike down to the model shop, evenings bent over a pile of disarranged plastic sitting in front of the TV watching Hogan’s Heroes, and the moment many years later when I blew the entire fleet apart using an air riffle and a few packs of leftover firecrackers.

In ITRW Shiranui lasted until late 1944, when she was sunk by aircraft shortly after the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She went down near Iliolo.

Her captain is CDR Akazawa, Shizuo.


xAK Oregon Maru

(Possible conversion to AKV or AKE)

This ship will be followed simply because I was born in Portland, OR. I lived there until age 28, when I moved to Seattle, WA.

Hopefully the game version will not meet the same early fate as its WW2 namesake.

On November 17th, 1942, U. S. submarine Salmon (SS-182), attacks a Japanese convoy off the west coast of Luzon and sinks repair ship Oregon Maru, 65 miles northwest of Manila, 14°16´N, 119°44´E.

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?138888

The ship will be captained by CPT Nasu, U.


I-25

This ship also has something to do with OR. I will not be recreating this scenario, however. Too bad about the backstop, and ironic considering that the Japanese also play and revere baseball.

From Wikipedia

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Bombardment of Fort Stevens

In what became the only attack on a mainland American military installation during World War II, the Japanese submarine I-25, under the command of Tagami Meiji, surfaced near the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon on the night of June 21 and June 22, 1942, and fired shells toward Fort Stevens. The only damage officially recorded was to a baseball field's backstop. Probably the most significant damage was a shell that damaged some large phone cables. The Fort Stevens gunners were refused permission to return fire, since it would have helped the Japanese locate their target more accurately. American aircraft on training flights spotted the submarine, which was subsequently attacked by a US bomber, but escaped[/font].

Lookout Air Raids

Main article: Lookout Air Raids

[font="Trebuchet MS"]The Lookout Air Raids occurred on September 9, 1942. The first and only aerial bombing of mainland America by a foreign power occurred when an attempt to start a forest fire was made by a Japanese Yokosuka E14Y1 "Glen" seaplane dropping two 80 kg (180 lb) incendiary bombs over Mount Emily, near Brookings, Oregon. The seaplane, piloted by Nobuo Fujita, had been launched from the Japanese submarine aircraft carrier I-25. No significant damage was officially reported following the attack, nor after a repeat attempt on September 29.[/font]

Glens don’t seem to have the same payload capabilities in AE, unfortunately.

A really interesting development had to do with the pilot of the Glen.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Twenty years later, the floatplane's pilot, Nobuo Fujita, was invited back to Brookings, and served as Grand Marshal for the local Azalea Festival.[1] At the festival, Fujita presented his family's 400-year old samurai sword to the city as a symbol of regret. Fujita made a number of visits to Brookings until the end of the century, serving as an "informal ambassador of peace and friendship".[2] Fujita died in 1997, the same year Brookings made him an honorary citizen.[/font]

I tried to find this pilot in the replacement pool, but he wasn’t there. If I locate him on another sub I’ll put him onto I-25, assuming he doesn’t suck.

Also, I couldn’t find the listed captain, Tagami Meiji, either. Not that important at all, just thought it might be fun to have them on there.

The current captain of I-25 is CDR Sagara, K.


AMC Hokoku Maru

(The word hōkoku, when written 報国, means "devotion to the country".)

I am a photographer and teacher of photography and film. While looking at AMCs I was surprised to learn that Hokoku was also the name of a pre-war Japanese camera type, a 4.5 x 6 inch folder camera.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Hokoku

I am fascinated by the idea of these merchant raiders during WW2, and find the multiple roles they played throughout the war to be worthy of documenting.

Captain Koh, A.


Tainan Ku S-1

I will follow the Tainan fighter group. I chose this group because it produced so many of Japan’s early aces, including Saboro Sakai. Since the developers have been so studious and included Sakai and other aces in the group, I’ll try to keep them active and alive and report on their exploits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tainan_Air_Group

The group’s current leader is LT Shingo, H.


14th Tank Regiment

I want to follow at least one land unit, but I couldn’t decide how to pick one of significance. I chose the 14th Tank Regiment simply because my birthday fell on the 14th of October.

The group’s leader is LTC Aizawa, Takhuji.


Nagato Maru

One of my favorite feats of WW2 is the Doolittle Raid on Japan. Until reading more recently, I had no idea so many IJN boats were out there as patrol ‘picket’ boats protecting the approaches to the Home Islands.

The Nagato Maru was one of the unfortunate ones to be damaged by air attack and subsequently sunk by USS Nashville.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Halsey-Doolittle Raid: TF 16 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.), formed around carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8), approaches to within 650 miles of Japan. Discovery by Japanese guardboat No.23 Nitto Maru compels Vice Admiral Halsey to order Hornet to launch 16 USAAF B-25s (Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle) earlier than planned.

SBDs (VB 3, VB 6) and F4Fs (VF 6) from Enterprise, meanwhile, attack Japanese guardboats ("picket" boats) encountered near TF 16, damaging armed merchant cruiser Awata Maru and guardboats Chokyu Maru, No.1 Iwate Maru, No.2 Asami Maru, Kaijin Maru, No.3 Chinyo Maru, Eikichi Maru, Kowa Maru, and No.26 Nanshin Maru. Guardboats No.23 Nitto Maru and Nagato Maru, also damaged by SBDs and F4Fs from Enterprise, are sunk by gunfire of light cruiser Nashville (CL-43) (see 19 April).[/font]

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1942.html

I’m choosing one of the two Nagato Marus, the Ansyu-C Cargo Class that can be converted to a PB.

[princep01]

Obvert, a most interesting introduction to your AAR. Best of luck with the AAR and in your game. However, one word of warning. Do not become too attached to the AMC Hokoku Maru. The AMCs seem to attract a lot of Allied sub torpedos (most of which will dud) or otherwise seem to stubble into harm's way a lot. As I recall, this particular ship starts far out at sea in a raider roll. If it is the one I am thinking of, it has yet to survive past February 42 in either of the games I have played as the Allies.

I am really looking forward to a n interesting AAR and a good game between you two stalwarts.

[obvert]

Thanks princep.

I'm sure I'll lose a few of these before I'd like to! But I won't hide them away either. I'm curious to see the path of each as they go, and hopefully a couple will last long enough to make the journey interesting.

[Dan Nichols]

Erik invited me to stop by today. This is a scenario 2 game, so he does have a few extra goodies to help him if he makes a bobble. I may or may not start an AAR of my own. I will wish Erik good luck and bow our of this thread now.

Dan

[obvert]

Thanks Dan. I did forget to mention that part!

Scenario 2 it is.

A virtual handshake to you!

[Cribtop]

Good luck, obvert!

[obvert]

Thanks Cribtop! I've been learning a bit from your AAR and hopefully I can put some of it into practice.

[GreyJoy]

I will follow this one! Love the idea of giving attention to some particular ships/airgroups!

[:)]

Scenario 2?
If i may suggest from my particular experience...don't bother with India...go directly for Oz!
if you manage to advance in China fast, you can set free enough LCUs to get to Oz...and Oz CAN be conquered imho...much easier than India

[obvert]

Thanks GreyJoy!

If I'm lucky enough to have a chance to consider conquering a sub-or full continent, I'll consider your very informed advice. [:)]

First things first I'm going to try to take care of business where I have to, and then I'll think about if there's opportunity for something else.

I don't know if I'll manage the economy quite as well and as aggressively as Rader. We'll see!

The idea of following certain units came from seeing that in Canoerebel's AARs, and of course Cuttlefish and a few others. I hope the first chosen ones don't get ruined right off the bat!

[Jzanes]

Glad to see you've started an AAR Obvert. I will be following this one with great interest.

I am not familiar with your opponent, Dan Nichols. What is your assessment of his experience, skill, and style of play? Hopefully, the two of you will prove to be a good match and this game will be challenging and long lasting.

[Cribtop]

Thanks for the kind words. To follow up on GreyJoy's post - what are your plans for world domination? Is auto victory a consideration? Oz, India or Hawaii on your radar screen?

[obvert]

-Jzanes-

Thanks for stopping in. Dan seems very knowledgeable, but he has played only the AI as well. He has had a lot of experience in gaming, and I gather played AE with the intent to learn how to one day play a PBEM. He has read many AAR threads as well as other areas of the forum, and the comments I've seen suggest he understands well the workings of the game on a fairly deep level.

I have no idea about his deeper strategic abilities, or how aggressive he'll play. I have a feeling, just a hunch, that he'll be cagey and devious!. His messages are short and concise, and he is very attentive to details.

It's exciting, as I told him just recently, planning all of this and not knowing the kind of reaction I'll get from him.

-Cribtop-

And now about that planning ... it really has so much to do with what strategy he employs in the DEI to try and slow me down. If I see a Nemo/CR style fortress building up somewhere, especially on Sumatra, I'll put everything I have into the early break-up and conquest of that area. That includes a few ideas I've had watching things develop in the CR game. I will definitely do all I can to secure the DEI as early as possible.

I may leave Luzon and the rest of the PI contained but not conquered for a while just to keep up the pace elsewhere. I haven't seen where this can really hurt, but please let me know if you have more experience with how it could!

Assuming all of that is on schedule, I hope to have assessed my opponent's style, done some bits of recon in India and OZ, and maybe after that I could think further afield.

I also think China could be an important area to feel out early on. If it seems I can easily encircle and wipe units there, and take large chunks of the country, then as Manchurian units are bought out I might send them there at first and see if more can be accomplished. I love the feeling of a cleared out China. That frees up a lot of units, allows a much better defense of Burma and Russia later, and would allow a few divisions to head out for tropical island recreations.

So really, all I can say for sure now is, we'll see how things go. I don't want to make any grand pronouncements yet about what I will do, but I'll keep posting about the evolving plans as they develop.

My style of play will hope to unbalance an opponent, not let them know where I might go, so I plan to start prepping some units for everywhere soon. I want him to think I could hit anything on the map short of San Fran by March! But as I said above, that assumes I'm not circling 5,000 AV on Sumatra with a frustrated group of CVs in February.

[GreyJoy]

I'd say go for China early on and bring the hammer!
Rader's strategy there has been really sound imho....go for Nanning area. Once you manage to bring there lots of reinforcements you can easily march north and break the whole Changsha sector!
Remeber to use all the IJAFF bombers you can master....plaster everything!!
 
Another thing i'd suggest is to forget Nates all the same. Don't throw good pilots away. Boost the Oscar production and wait till you Sentais are filled with Oscars before committing them.
 
Then i'd by-pass Luzon all the same. Use the forces intended to be committed at Luzon to get Sumatra early on. Isolate Singapore but wait before assaulting it...You can easily starve both Manila and Singapore, simply using your Air Force.
Go for Mindanao and Borneo thus isolating Luzon. Then go for Timor and souther DEI. With Sumatra and Timor strongly in your hands you can take your time before getting invading Java.
Once In China you have managed to break the Changsha and Sian sectors, secure them and then free most of your units...isolating with outposts and strongpoints the central China.
Use those free units for the next push...Take Luzon, Singa and Java. Secure Burma with the 15th Army and then go for Oz, using Solomons and New Caledonia to secure your eastern flank.

[obvert]

-GreyJoy-

I'd say go for China early on and bring the hammer!
Rader's strategy there has been really sound imho....go for Nanning area. Once you manage to bring there lots of reinforcements you can easily march north and break the whole Changsha sector!
Remeber to use all the IJAFF bombers you can master....plaster everything!!

Another thing i'd suggest is to forget Nates all the same. Don't throw good pilots away. Boost the Oscar production and wait till you Sentais are filled with Oscars before committing them.

Then i'd by-pass Luzon all the same. Use the forces intended to be committed at Luzon to get Sumatra early on. Isolate Singapore but wait before assaulting it...You can easily starve both Manila and Singapore, simply using your Air Force.
Go for Mindanao and Borneo thus isolating Luzon. Then go for Timor and souther DEI. With Sumatra and Timor strongly in your hands you can take your time before getting invading Java.
Once In China you have managed to break the Changsha and Sian sectors, secure them and then free most of your units...isolating with outposts and strongpoints the central China.
Use those free units for the next push...Take Luzon, Singa and Java. Secure Burma with the 15th Army and then go for Oz, using Solomons and New Caledonia to secure your eastern flank.

Some inspired planning GJ!! I like pretty much everything you've said. I think I like to get Singapore out of the way early so the straits open up, but again it depends what he fortifies. If the Aussies go there, and other stuff gets squeezed in, we might have to change plans.

Also, if everything starts leaving Singapore, it needs to be wiped early to move those troops on to wherever he's been building up.

I agree with the pilots and the Nates. They're ok for CAP early, and but I'll leave the major sweeping and bombing against fighter concentrations until I have the 1cs filling most of the groups, and also until my Sally IIAs have a good head start.

I literally haven't decided even about a second day attack at Pearl. I just have to see how the first day went. I'm nervous about Wake and the two SNLF units heading there right now, and the ability for a quick CV strike as they finish the unload. We'll see.

Last night as I was dropping to sleep after sending turn 1 I had visions of a one or two day Pearl attack and then a quick disappearance of the KB north to refuel, (I sent the tankers farther north than the historic set-up, just for more safety), and then see what the subs run into. If someone sights a task force running toward the States, I might take a shot at it. If something seems to be moving to OZ I might take an angle toward the DEI, (where I plan to use the KB next), see if they come close to something, and also support the first Solomons landings on the way West. I want Shortlands and Tulagi early for recon and to build those bases as quickly as possible.

Then, depending on the look of things, I might leave 2 CVs for a month in the Truk/Rabaul area, hopefully surreptitiously, (Milne Bay is the next target in that area, and then a fairly early PM if it looks like it's fairly easy pickins), or bring it all to the DEI to pick up strays and chase roaming SCTFs into hiding. I'll try to pound any ports that look to be full of shipping before any good fighters get over there or pilots have built up skills. That said, we'll keep an eye on the AVG and other deployments and hope to strike weak points first.

Excited to see the first turn! Worried about my Pearl settings, but if it goes all wrong I'll stay an extra day, and even then I know the Cats and 4Es might be more important than the BBs.

[GreyJoy]

Defenetly go for a second day at PH! Those BBs need to be taken out!
Then i suggest you to dislocate a couple of CLs to raid the PH-WC area right after the KB departure. Those bastards can run almost unseen way beyond any Catalinas search range and get some juicy target early on... Flood the area with subs and maximise the allied early lack of ASW.
Use your AMCs aggressively and couple them with CLs and AOs...be sneaky and move beyond his first line of bases in SOPAC...it's easy to find unescorted convoys of xAPs/xAKs in the area of Thaiti and Franch Polinesia...an AV to spot, an AMC to chase and a CL to hunt...along with subs...
 
Keep in mind the "Luzon" thing...i really do think that you don't need to invest it immediately...you can obtain the same result simply bypassing it and isolating it and you gain a lot of time!
 
 

[House Stark]

A warning about the Philippines. I don't know if you've been reading AdmSpruance's AAR, but he's shown the danger for a Japanese player who ignores the Philippines and doesn't cut them off completely. If you don't bottle the Allies in Clark/Bataan, you have to establish naval patrols to prevent resupply AKs from sneaking through (I think it's been said that naval strikes won't always be launched against single ships).

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: House Stark

A warning about the Philippines. I don't know if you've been reading AdmSpruance's AAR, but he's shown the danger for a Japanese player who ignores the Philippines and doesn't cut them off completely. If you don't bottle the Allies in Clark/Bataan, you have to establish naval patrols to prevent resupply AKs from sneaking through (I think it's been said that naval strikes won't always be launched against single ships).

Yup, but if you manage to take and estabilish a strong position in the NE of Luzon and in Legaspi, along with the occupation of Jolo (sp?) and othe other islands between Luzon and Borneo, you can effectively strangle the enemy and make him starve.
Also a couple of DD Divisions (one at Legaspi and one at Jolo) are able to sink, if combined with a Daitais of Netties, everything that dares to come any closer...

And even if he manages to send a couple of AKs full of supplies...his army there burns lots of supplies just to remain alive and your IJAFF should be able to prevent, along with zeros , any fort building or supplies stockpiling

Again on China...I suggest you to read the first pages of my AAR...Rader's strategy there was absolutely a winning one...and even if your opponent will be (as he surely will) smarter than me in orchestrating a stiff defence, the "Nanning Way" is an easy path to success...

I wish Rader could come and drop a line about his considerations of his chinese campaign...maybe PM him...his experience should be really helpfull imho!

[obvert]

Defenetly go for a second day at PH! Those BBs need to be taken out!
Then i suggest you to dislocate a couple of CLs to raid the PH-WC area right after the KB departure. Those bastards can run almost unseen way beyond any Catalinas search range and get some juicy target early on... Flood the area with subs and maximise the allied early lack of ASW.
Use your AMCs aggressively and couple them with CLs and AOs...be sneaky and move beyond his first line of bases in SOPAC...it's easy to find unescorted convoys of xAPs/xAKs in the area of Thaiti and Franch Polinesia...an AV to spot, an AMC to chase and a CL to hunt...along with subs...

Keep in mind the "Luzon" thing...i really do think that you don't need to invest it immediately...you can obtain the same result simply bypassing it and isolating it and you gain a lot of time!

I just watched the turn! Nothing ultra fantastic, but nothing terrible either. I will write a post when I get home and begin to detail things more specifically.

I have to say, even just after the first turn, I'm hooked. It's exhilarating to watch things develop and know there is a mysterious mind behind the other side. Also to know you can't peek at what really happened, but have to trust reports and recon for all of the information. It's a different mindset completely.

That said, I don't plan to sit back and be careful.

A warning about the Philippines. I don't know if you've been reading AdmSpruance's AAR, but he's shown the danger for a Japanese player who ignores the Philippines and doesn't cut them off completely. If you don't bottle the Allies in Clark/Bataan, you have to establish naval patrols to prevent resupply AKs from sneaking through (I think it's been said that naval strikes won't always be launched against single ships).

Thanks for the heads up, House Stark. I'll check that AAR.

For Luzon I don't feel comfortable with a complete bypass. I know I could get more of the DEI faster and come back, but he could choose to risk a good squadron or two at Clark, build up some good pilots, and send in the Banshees. I'm not fond of a strong air presence in the middle of my supply lanes, and the recon will continue to help his subs. My plan is still to land the traditional units, minus just a couple, and then work to bottle the US and PI troops to wherever they choose as a fortress.

As other ops dictate, I will then decide when the right time is to finish them off. I will also start some Manchurian units prepping for the smaller places like Cebu and Iloilo. If he's backed up to the ocean and constantly threatened, I think it'll be less likely he'll risk good air groups in the PI.

As for PH, I am leaning toward a second strike for turn 2. I'll get more into that later.

[GreyJoy]

Even if he moves the AVG at Clark, your zeros at high alt will sweep him to oblivion in a couple of weeks! For the first months allied air power is nearly useless...and you must beat him hard and don't leave him time to recover and reorganize. At this early point you'll be facing, at best, couple of squadrons of P-40Es with pilots in their 60s...and if he moves the AVG those early P-40...nothing that can bother your crack zeros daitais!
His Banshees are crap unless he manages to train his pilots...and even doing that you can easily get them on the ground with hordes of Sallies/Helens...
 
An advanced allied defence like the one we're seeing in CR's AAR is really something that a first time player cannot think to mount...at least not to a degree that can scare you...
Play offensively...keep on pushing him hard everywhere...keep your KB united and use at best your first months landing bonus!
 
Another small hint.... use single xAP with fragments of naval forces to occupy every single dot-base you come across....every single useless dot base...so that you will always be aware of his future advance even if you don't have mavis everywhere

[obvert]

Even if he moves the AVG at Clark, your zeros at high alt will sweep him to oblivion in a couple of weeks! For the first months allied air power is nearly useless...and you must beat him hard and don't leave him time to recover and reorganize. At this early point you'll be facing, at best, couple of squadrons of P-40Es with pilots in their 60s...and if he moves the AVG those early P-40...nothing that can bother your crack zeros daitais!
His Banshees are crap unless he manages to train his pilots...and even doing that you can easily get them on the ground with hordes of Sallies/Helens...

An advanced allied defence like the one we're seeing in CR's AAR is really something that a first time player cannot think to mount...at least not to a degree that can scare you...
Play offensively...keep on pushing him hard everywhere...keep your KB united and use at best your first months landing bonus!

Another small hint.... use single xAP with fragments of naval forces to occupy every single dot-base you come across....every single useless dot base...so that you will always be aware of his future advance even if you don't have mavis everywhere

Wow. You're getting me all pumped up GJ!

Yes, the other thing is you don't want to forget one and have him fly stuff into some random dot base near Macassar at an inopportune moment later in the game!

I get the sense he's not the average first time player. Lots of gaming experience. He gets the tactical stuff based on comments he's left elsewhere, and I bet he'll have a plan from the beginning. Could be Sir Robin, or it could be CRumatra!

I'll find out soon.