Rise of the Sheep! JocMeister(A) vs. Obvert(J)

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

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SqzMyLemon
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

Ugh, now I feel guilty about not getting you a turn today. [:(]

Happy house hunting, it's both exciting and overwhelming. If you thought just having a baby was hectic, wait till you add all the responsibilites that come with owning your own home. I might be 50 before we end this one. [:D]
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton

Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
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BBfanboy
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by BBfanboy »

Landing at the adjacent non-base hex sounds reasonable and a good way to overcome the HQ disruption bug. The unit still has to march 46 miles through malaria-infested jungle so it will not arrive in perfect shape, which should be a reasonable estimate of the disruption they would have from landing at an enemy-held base and being shot at.

Sorry to hear that some of the communications you get on the forum come across as overly critical or mocking to you! I try to look at the author's overall style and if they always seem that way, I put it down to their never being sensitive to the tone of theiir message and how it might be received. It doesn't mean they intend to cause grief, they just might not know they are doing it. If you ever feel I have done this to you, I welcome a PM telling me and I will learn my own "insensitivities" that way. Anyone who responds negatively to such a PM is not going to change and their posts can be safely ignored!

Remember, you cannot change other people, you can only change your own reaction to them - don't let them push your hot buttons and ruin your AAR experience! [:)]
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

Joseph,
No worries! The little one have started sleeping in the evenings so me and the missus are going to watch a movie! And I´m going to have a beer! Or two. Or three... [:D]

BB,
I assure you that you have never in even the slightest way offended me somehow. [:)] None of the people that have contributed in this AAR have ever done so! Besides I´m pretty thick skinned and tend to take things with a laugh. But some people just get to me!

The title "This is my AAR and I will speak freely here" was rather meant to point out that I´m not free to do so in other parts of the forum. But here they can´t get to me![:D]
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

Game is on again.

We decided AGAIN not to use the BETA. This "bug" that has been removed is just a too big of a unknown factor for us to continue with. I don´t want to see this game ruined in six months because this "bugfix" have messed up the balance.


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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

Actually just managed two turns. Slowdown because Erik has been travelling and I uploaded the wrong file last night! Not much to report and tbh I can´t really remember what happened. I´m in the process of buying a house so that kind of has stolen my focus right now. Concentration for the game is lacking so to speak. So the slow pace is probably good for me! [:)]
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

After a few hectic days were we bought a house I finally managed to get a turn to Erik. Unfortunately this game will slow down considerable for 2-3 months while I move houses again. I will try and maintain at least a turn per day but it will be a struggle. I also have to make sure my game with Joseph doesn´t grind to a halt!

5th of October -43

Erik seemed to think he did much worse when we went back 2 turns but I don´t think he realized the first turn was exactly the same as before (September 30th losses). Baltimore didn´t suffer a Torp this time around though. So now Erik and I are even. (I put a torp in one of his BBs a while back that got nullified in a reset).

Actually not much have happened. I´m moving everything into place for my final push at PM. I´m starting to be more aggressive with my surface assets. I have a ton of Bristol class DDs that are expendable. I´m getting about 10 Fletchers per months right now to replace them. A ton of DEs has started to arrive freeing up even more DDs for offensive actions.

First offensive sweeps are flying out of Terapo today. I hope to wrestle air superiority from Erik in the coming weeks. He still has some 200 Fighters in the area but so far his second generation fighters (Georges and Jacks and the new Tojo) have been unable to break the defenders of Terapo. So far his Tojos are still proving to be the most dangerous adversary. Even the old ones.

In Burma things are getting closer to the start date. Still struggling with supply at Akyab though. Can´t wait for the monsoon to end.

I will try and keep this AAR up to date as much as possible!
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BBfanboy
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by BBfanboy »

Glad you got a house - I hope it was an upgrade for you!
Don't worry about the AAR and game right now - moving to a new house is one of the most stressful events in a person's life, just behind loss of a loved one. You don''t need to add WITP-AE to your concerns right now!
We'll wait.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

BB, Thank you! It will certainly be a massive upgrade. Moving from an apartment on the first floor just above a restaurant with a treffic dense road just outside the window. Moving to a 2 Story 3 Bedroom chainhouse in the suburb. I´m going to have a porch and everything! [:)]
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

P47 "problem"

I just can´t get this airplane to deliver for me. Its a huge letdown as I had high expectation from it. It hasn´t performed well at all. Neither doing sweeps nor on CAP. Pilots are good with 70EXP, 70 Air and 60 DEF. I just got 1:1 against some Tojos IIc. And I was sweeping and getting the dive.

I have been placing them pretty high at 33k to get above Eriks max altitude per our HR. But even with that the just don´t perform as well as the Corsairs. Is it the altitude? Should I try lowering it and loosing the dive?
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BBfanboy
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by BBfanboy »

Don't know if the altitude adjustment would help, but some posters in other AARs have suggested that having superior numbers against the Tojo makes more difference than any other factor. Perhaps someone with more experience in the air combat model could offer better advice on how to use them.

PS - range is also an issue. If your T-Bolts are at extreme range or even -1 hex, they will have very little fuel to engage in combat and will get chewed up on egress.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

6-9th of October -43

Port Moresby area

A big naval battle developed just outside PM. This was unintentional from my part as I was trying to slip in under darkness and nail one of his ASW TFs again. I think Erik anticipated this and set an ambush. It kind of backfired for him I´m happy to say. See screenshot for details on the battle. I heard two sinking sounds after the battle hopefully meaning Kako and Abukuma sunk. I lost the Denver unfortunately. But I guess trading a Cleveland for 1 CA, 1 CL and 1 DD is something I should be quite happy with?

I´m guessing this was his TF that has been lurking outside Woodlark Island for the last month or so. I will need to send most of my ships to the yard but I have a CA TF moving in to take its place. I think I have naval supremacy in the area right now.

In the coming weeks I will slowly reinforce PM with tons of artillery, some tanks including 50 Shermans and two divisions. This is quickly going to turn into a side show as my Burma campaign have launched! I am thinking about doing a secondary landing somewhere in the area. This requires CV support though. Not sure its worth the risk at this time?

BURMA
Forces have started moving. I hope to time it so that I move into the next hex the same turns as the monsoon ends. Erik told me in a email he spotted the troops so he knows I´m coming. He has some 400.000 men in Burma. That probably means he emptied out China pretty much. I don´t think he anticipates me moving for China though...we will see. Fingers crossed. I really need to succeed here to break the stalemate all over the map. He has probably dug in deep. I have ALOT of tanks and combat engineers though. Hope it helps!

SOPAC
If I bring the CVs down I will probably take a stab at Ndeni. Erik has moved out some troops and I have some 2 divisions still prepped. Mainly shifting forces for PM/Darwin operations.

CENTPAC
Baker will be the next target. Still some time away as some key shipping is refitting.

All in all I´m still frustrated by the situation. But hope I can start making some progress soon.


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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

9th - 13th October -43

Not a very good few days for the allies.

Close to PM I loose almost all APDs when they decide to stay around after dumping of a HQ. Tried the exact same move in a sandbox and it worked perfectly but now it fizzles. His Bettys of course has no problem hitting highly maneuverable ships moving at 27 knots. My 125 plane CAP 4 hexes away turns out to be 3 planes... [8|]

At Gove I loose 4 LSTs when his bombers slithers right through CAP for the millionth time without any combat. I had 18 Hellcats set up at 4-10K. Only 3 where airborne despite 80% CAP setting and since they were 2K higher they ofcourse can´t dive down. [8|]

Then I loose almost 30 B25 with excellent pilots as his LRCAP certainly works.

Oh, And I loose 2 AMs at Terapo to a SUB(!) despite having 6 SC in the same hex...

My biggest problem ATM is the fact that even when following Lo Barons advice on setting up CAP I cannot get to his bombers. Even with over 100 planes on CAP I only get a few passes at the escort before I get "air combat done". This over my own bases with radar. This is of course is quite problematic for me and not much fun.

Pretty fed up with the game right now.
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witpqs
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by witpqs »

When a raid is detected, the planes in the air might intercept. Planes on the ground that are ready might intercept.

As I understand it, 80% CAP means that the program will attempt to keep 80% of the available fighters in the air. Might be great for the first hour or so of the morning. After some point, you have actually reduced your CAP because those planes that had to recycle (land, refuel, maintain as needed) are on the ground and not available for some length of time.

With something like 30% or 40% CAP, when planes recycle there are other planes available to take their place until they are ready again. Plus there are still some more planes ready on the ground.

For some reason many people seem to think that 80% or 100% CAP means that 80% or 100% will be in the air all day long. It does not mean that.

As far as CAP 4 hexes away, I don't get it? You're lucky that any at all showed up. 4 hexes is 160nm or 184 statute miles. Or did you mean that you had 125 planes on LRCAP from 4 hexes away? If so, were they set to a high % also?

And regardless of CAP settings there are plenty of times that bombers do get through. This game is chancy and 'bloody'.
JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

Hi witqs.

I don´t presume to understand how the engine works I hope the game doesn´t calculate stuff like that per hour since it only a have a AM/PM phase? The groups was flown in the turn before just to cover the LSTs set to arrive hence the high percentage of CAP.

Ah, I meant to write LRCAP. The 125 planes where all P38s and Hellcats with droptanks set to LRCAP the TF with the APDs. Only 3 showed up for some reason. Weather was clear over the deperting base. I certainly didn´t expect 125 planes to show up but certainly more then 3. [:(]

I understand that bombers should get through on many occasions. But I just can´t get to his bombers at all. At best I get a few shots off at the escort before the combat ends. That is over my own bases with radar and "layered CAP". Can´t figure out why it isn´t working.
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

14th - 18th October -43

Erik and I have managed just a few turns lately. Weather turned really nasty here and we got about 50cm of snow in just a day making my life really miserable. On top of that Erik got sick and I have started packing for the move. I foresee a big slowdown in turns for a while. I struggle to maintain our current 2 turns per day. [:(]


Port Moresby

Some good and some bad. I took a chance and sent in 3 slow BBs to bombard PM. Unfortunately a sub nailed Arizona with two TTs slowing the whole lot down. When dawn broke they were all within range of Eriks naval bombers. But for the first time in forever I actually got to his strike. But some bomber make it through and put 3 TTs into Colorado. When I opened the turn I kind of expected them both to be in sinking condition. Colorado is doing a lot better then I would ever have hoped 41/45/38 and Arizona is just at 23/36/1. Both of them will probably be gone for quite a while though. Still able to do 3 hexes per turn which is amazing!

The good news is that over the course of four days Erik has lost some 300 planes for about 10-20 Allied. I also managed to land some tanks and artillery at PM. The price was high though and I lost some 6 LSTs. I had the TF LRCAPed but the TF auto divided and formed a escort TF with another number. [8|] So all those LST were promptly sunk.

I will slowly continue to reinforce using barges for now. I will also start setting up CAP traps all around the area and see if I can force Erik to stand down his naval bombers for a while. His strike are constantly flying into the CAP at Terapo that has claimed a heavy price on his strikes. 300 Fighters and now covering Terapo and its level 6 AF.

Western OZ
Slowly walking back to Carnarvon. The forces here (3 OZ divs, 1 US) will be redeployed for the liberation of Darwin.

OZ

Four TFs bringing 1.2 million supply and 700.000 Fuel started unloading at Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. That should be enough for a while. 600k more supply is already on its way.

Burma
Taking a lot longer then anticipated to walk through the jungle. Should arrive in 3-4 turns. No sign of Erik trying to stop me. He has reshuffled some forces by the looks of it leaving the North even more empty! Good news! [:)]

A Supply TF will try and top of Akyab. Wonder if Erik will let me? I have some 150 P40s stationed there. He doesn´t know they are just P40s though! [:D]

CENTPAC
Starting to assemble the second try. Very short of bombardment ships though. Will CAs be enough?
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

19th October -43

Port Moresby

A quiet turn for the most part. My "go to guys" sweep PM in the Corsairs downing 10 Jacks and Oscars for no losses. 4Es will close the AF tomorrow if weather permits. I´m using a barge TF for bait outside Terapo. Its LCRAPed with about 100 Hellcats. Lets see if he strikes. I also ordered an bombardment attack at PM. I´m mostly just curious to see how much supply it gobbles up and to see if I really need to bring in the additional artillery waiting for transports. I have some 20k supply at PM and 20k at Terapo. Not sure if any will flow from Terapo down to PM.

Plan is to start applying pressure in the region again. I will land an additional 2 divisions within the next month. That should seal the deal. Been wrong before though! But I hope the added divisions with the HQ effect and perhaps a paradrop will tip the balance. I also have the 50 Shermans that landed. How well does the Jap deal with the M4?

Burma
Its talking forever to walk through the jungle. Erik has not done anything about the TF delivering supplies to Akyab. I´m guessing he will sweep first if he decides to do anything so I sent in 100 P47 for top cover just in case. The troops have actually not left the Akyab hex yet. Does the AA fire even while in move mode? If so I think the experience might be unpleasant. I think 90% of the AA units in India is in that hex! [:)]
No movement detected by the enemy yet.

Not much happening elsewhere. I´m moving some support ships from PH to OZ. They are not needed there. With them I sent some 20 Fletchers that will shift positions with the numerous Bristols and other DDs in OZ. Also sent a bunch of AMs and SCs to OZ from the WC. Been over a year since I sighted a sub by the WC.
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

20th-21st October -43

Port Moresby area
Two more quiet turns. The bombardment at PM didn´t cause much damage but also didn´t cost much in terms of supply. I will land the additional artillery in due time. Erik responded to the barge TF with a small group of five Jills that got shot down. Probably unintentional on his part. I´ll put some DDs at Terapo and see if I can entice him to attack!

He also bombed Cairns. I had only a small group of 16 Kittyhawks there that was set to LRCAP a TF that passed by some days ago. I forgot to change the settings! 41 Netties attacked the airfield but in the end it cost him more then me I think! He lost 11 Netties to flak and ops (hopefully with their pilots) and I lost 6 transports and 5 B25 on the ground.

Burma
Still no response to my cargo TF at Akyab. Looks like he doesn´t want to bring the fight to me. Have I mention walking through the jungle takes forever? No supply problems yet though! The usual routing issues are in place though. Two units decided to go their own way instead of following the rest.

CENTPAC
I´m assembling the forces for a second go at Canton Island. I have 2 Engineer RGT, 2 Marine RGT and 2 tank battalions slated for the task. This time I will work over the island a lot better beforehand. I´m not really sure how I should land them best? Land everything in the first go or keep something is reserve? Land both Marines RGT first? Keep one in reserve? Advice is very welcome! [:)]

I will have 3 slow BBs and 4 CAs together with all available CVs ready to pound the island before the actual landing.

Reinforcements
Maryland is back in service after the PH strike almost 2 years ago! [&o] She will help out in the Canton landings. I also received some 75 P47 that are going to SOPAC together with 32 recon planes! They will leave San Diego in 2 days together with 108 DBs. I also have some 48 naval 4Es on its way under own power.

108 Hellcats just arrived at Townsville. The pilots are green though (50/70/50) and will be stuck on CAP/LRCAP at Terapo to build experience. The added numbers will allow me to rotate units at Terapo.

Alabama will arrive at OZ in about a week bringing the number of fast BBs up to 4. She is escorted by 12 Fletchers. Idaho is leaving for CENTPAC together with 8 Bristols. Last few turns showed me that the slow BBs won´t be much use in SOPAC right now.
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ny59giants
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by ny59giants »

Port Moresby area
Two more quiet turns. The bombardment at PM didn´t cause much damage but also didn´t cost much in terms of supply. I will land the additional artillery in due time. Erik responded to the barge TF with a small group of five Jills that got shot down. Probably unintentional on his part. I´ll put some DDs at Terapo and see if I can entice him to attack!

I've been on the receiving end of Allied BB TFs hitting Port Hedland for about a week straight before the base fell. The base itself took some damage and few casualties were inflicted. The big thing was ALL my troops having high (70 or greater) disruption levels that eventually led to the base falling suddenly. The two US Marine Divisions had great staying power while his two American Infantry divisions steadily lost theirs from watching the replay. Keep hitting his troops from the air and sea. The base will fall. [;)]
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JocMeister
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by JocMeister »

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
I've been on the receiving end of Allied BB TFs hitting Port Hedland for about a week straight before the base fell. The base itself took some damage and few casualties were inflicted. The big thing was ALL my troops having high (70 or greater) disruption levels that eventually led to the base falling suddenly. The two US Marine Divisions had great staying power while his two American Infantry divisions steadily lost theirs from watching the replay. Keep hitting his troops from the air and sea. The base will fall. [;)]

That sounds encouraging! Importunately I only have the 1st Marines in the area. The reinforcements are 2 US divisions. But I hope it will be enough. In your experience will CAs add to the disruption or is it just a waste of time? A bit short on BBs I´m afraid... [:(]
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ny59giants
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RE: Port Moresby invaded!

Post by ny59giants »

CAs and CLs should be good enough. They are fast enough to get across after their bombardment attacks to be under LRCAP for any daylight attacks.
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