NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs NY59Giants (A) - Between the Storms

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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

Great info, Mike.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

December 14, 1941

Subs

K XII is harried three times by escorts at Kuantan and takes a penetrating DC hit for her trouble. It’s nice that the Kuantan landings have put a few Dutch subs in the yards for a while. Still a bit surprised that Michael didn’t try to intervene here with surface forces. He probably still thinks a Mersing landing is in the cards.

Tambor misses an AMC in the Wake invasion TF, which has entered the Wake hex with “do not unload” orders so as to maximize the atoll landing next turn.

4th Fleet

We bomb Wake’s defenders again with LBA and KB’s Kates. Invasion tomorrow will include more bombing, a bombardment by two Kongos and BC Ishitaka (featured below). A slower BB is moved from surface cover to the invasion TF to soak up CD hits.

14th Army

Vigan occupied. More troops arrive at Aparri to unload while yet another wave loads at Takao.

16th Army

We begin loading the Ambon invasion and re-fuel/re-provision KB-3. A small JNAF Coy shifts to Peliliu, which hosts the airborne forces that will seize Boela. Intention is to fly the Coy into Boela once it falls.

Babel goes to forts 3.

25th Army

Almost all units are unloaded at Kuantan. 4th and 21st Divisions are almost on to the next hex. 5th and 18th divisions will re-form at Kuantan and follow on. 2nd and 56th Divisions are sailing from the Home Islands and have just about reached the Takao area. 6 Divisions should do for Singers.

Where is Imperial Guards, you ask? Good question!

We are trying to sweep Singers to establish air superiority and begin airfield bombing to slow forts, but bad weather keeps scrubbing the mission. Michael has a lot of fighters in the base and we suspect that all or part of the AVG has joined the party.

China

We bomb Hong Kong with everything that flies, then get a nice DA that achieves 2:1 and drops forts to 0. One or at most two more attacks here. Casualties are light with 290(7) vs 218(1).

Several Chinese corps SA over the river into Ichang, which was only held with a Chinese collaborationist force. They take the base with 19:1 odds, casualties 539(0) vs 1697(123).

Our army is finally unspooling SW of the Loyang/Chengchow complex and will get cracking soon. As mentioned, the gnarly roads mod is slowing things as intended.

Cribtop HQ pours over available troops in Manchukuo and orders all tanks and heavy arty by rail to a city on the Chinese border. From there we will buy these forces out over time to prepare the sort of arty/tank force that does so well against the KMT.

Meta

Michael is constantly pestering me about the many “missing” IJA divisions on his list. He is a bit confused by my opening and thinks something big is afoot. In fact, it’s just about a one week delay caused by re-organizing the historical opening setup the way I want it, but I’m certainly playing up the mystery factor. Plus, there really are a few interesting things going on behind the scenes.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

And here is a new Between the Storms toy, the Battlecruiser Ishitaka. This is one nasty beast, and to my mind the best non-carrier new toy in Japan's arsenal. She is fast and packs quite a punch, but also is pretty darn well-armored for a BC. Arguably a fast battleship, really. Ishitaka will go into action tomorrow bombarding Wake.



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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by JocMeister »

That looks like a seriously good CA killer!
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

Agreed. Can't wait to get the initial invasion over with so I can re-organize a bit and use this BC for a role other than escorting KB. Ishitaka will make a great flagship for Adm Tanaka, methinks.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by John 3rd »

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

And here is a new Between the Storms toy, the Battlecruiser Ishitaka. This is one nasty beast, and to my mind the best non-carrier new toy in Japan's arsenal. She is fast and packs quite a punch, but also is pretty darn well-armored for a BC. Arguably a fast battleship, really. Ishitaka will go into action tomorrow bombarding Wake.



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Could you have imagined if the Japanese were able to build Akagi--Amagi--Takao--Atago? Those would have been some FORMIDABLE BEASTS!

Remember, since this is Treaty concession to the Japanese, the Americans start with TWO Lexington-Class BCs as well...
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

Oh yes, they are why you haven't seen any moves in SE Fleet AO until KB 1 & 2 can move in support!

PS - Part of the evil plan is to appear to be jumping the gun in that area and try to draw the Lexingtons out. Then KB jumps them. Not sure Michael is the type of player to fall for this, but I've actually been trying to make my early moves such that he will think I'm timid. Then we drop the hammer if he comes out to play.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by John 3rd »

Devious....

I like it! My guess is you have a 50% chance of success. He'll concentrate his forces 1st. Bet your $$$ on that!
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

Agreed. Much of my strategy is focused on two things: 1) Take the DEI oil centers to avoid economic meltdown; and 2) somehow figure out a way to get Michael to fight the IJN on favorable terms instead of sitting back and gathering his strength.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Mike Solli »

Good luck on the second strategy. I'm really curious on how you'll do it. I'm in Dec 42 in my game and have yet to get my opponent to do something with his carriers. I've gotten one glimpse of his carriers the whole war so far. On the other hand, only subs are harassing my movement of stuff so I'm pretty free to build lots and lots of defenses.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

Yeah, it will be tough, particularly with Michael at the helm. He doesn't play Sir Robin, but he is careful with his carriers until they are f4 Wildcats or even Hellcats. I'm comfortable with a game that goes the distance, but need to winnow the juggernaut a bit or I fear he will just Death Star march to Tokyo.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

PS - Mike, I've gathered all the merchies at Tokyo for distribution to the local resource convoys. Remind me what you convert the Tosu and Kiso classes to and in what numbers? I need some ACMs to maintain pre-war minefields and of course PBs for escorts.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Mike Solli »

Figure out how many ACMs you want and convert that number of Kisos and To'sus, plus some extras. You'll lose some and some more minefields will be built.. It doesn't matter which you use. The rest I convert to PBs. They're not very good but they take torpedoes and they prevent the subs from surfacing and using their guns, which do work. All of the Ansyu-Cs go to PBs. They're actually pretty nice and fast (14 kt). When all is said and done, I ended up converting all of the 3 models and wished I had more.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

December 15, 1941

Subs

Tautog twice misses an AMC on picket duty near Umnak Island. At Wake Island, Tambor tries several attacks on DDs but misses and gets a penetrating DC hit in return.

4th Fleet

We level Wake with a multi-pronged attack. First, we inserted BB Hyuga into the invasion force to deal with the CD guns. This works well and the first landings go in with nominal Japanese losses and heavy US casualties (351 from the landing action alone). Next the Ishitaka and two Kongos bombard Wake Island and frankly level the place with damage to all facilities and another 600 ground casualties. Finally, Kates add their bomb loads to the carnage. All this results in a shock attack against two defending units with 0 AV showing in the animation and a rather silly 266:1 odds attack that captures the island and results in the full surrender of the USMC defenders.

Overkill? Probably, but the Pearl Harbor strike means Wake is between Combined Fleet and home, so we might as well handle this potentially difficult island on the way back to Truk. All elements will retire and replenish before embarking on attacks in the Gilberts. This attack showed the utility of the new Assault Divisions, as a single well-prepped unit of this type was more than enough for Wake.

SE Fleet

We are dangling a few pickets and a small Kavieng invasion in the space between Rabaul and Truk. If unspotted, we will try to slip in hoping that an enemy response will be vulnerable to KB. Probably won’t work, but worth a shot.

14th Army

The reunited 16th Division easily takes Naga with 258:1 odds, forcing a PA infantry unit to retreat, casualties 630(56) vs 19(0).
At Appari, the second wave is almost entirely ashore, third wave is loaded at Takao and moving in.

16th Army

We launch the invasion force for Ambon, covered by KB-3. They will move south for a day to dodge numerous enemy subs on scissor patrol patterns west of Babel.

25th Army

Alor Star is occupied by jungle portaging rowboats. Tomorrow we are moving to unload 3rd Air Division at Kuantan to allow us to proceed to phase 2. Most fleet elements are replenishing at Cam Ranh Bay or Saigon in anticipation of this.

China

Very disappointing attack at Hong Kong today gets a bad die roll and prolongs the base’s survival. 1:2 odds with casualties 344(31) vs 304(4). As is often the case, our ground attack bombers tend to hit the fortress LCU rather than the Kowloon Brigade, probably because the former is larger even though the latter is the center of resistance. We’ll rest a day to recover DIS and try again.

DA at 85,55 (near Nanchang) catches a KMT engineer unit and forces it into the bad terrain with odds of 345:1, casualties 434(19) vs 10(0).

Home Islands

We convert a horde of xAKLs into PBs and ACMs. Six Lima xAKs were converted to AKEs a few days ago.

Tomorrow we launch the various resource and oil convoys on the C/M/K routes.

Kushiro makes forts 1.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

December 16, 1941

In which apparent disaster turns out to be a paint scratch.

Subs

Lurking NNW of Eniwetok, Triton puts a working torpedo and a dud into BB Ise. Horrible images of months of repair fill the mind of Cribtop HQ until the ship reports damage of only 4/1/0/0. Whew! Hopefully Michael will assume the hit was more substantial and Ise is out of the action.

5th Fleet

Empty Adak island is invaded without incident and should fall next turn.

4th Fleet

KB 1 & 2 retire towards Truk. We didn’t reset Bettys on ground attack at Wake and they instead hammer the garrison of poor Nauru Island.

Eniwetok goes to forts 2.

SE Fleet

One picket nosing west of Kavieng is spotted by Allied planes, but the Kavieng invasion itself is unspotted.

14th Army

San Fernando is occupied. Otherwise we are unloading and marching.

25th Army

3rd Air Division should unload tomorrow at Kuantan.

One hex east of Temuloh, we DA and force 1 LCU to retreat. Odds 53:1, casualties 712(34) vs 36(0). One enemy LCU stays in the hex but won’t last long.

15th Army

We had been marching from Chiang Mai to try to exit the jungle adjacent to Pegu. Today an IJA recon regiment is spotted by an adjacent LCU 1 hex east of Pegu. We will continue the attack plan but it’s a shame to get spotted.

China

Marching on, it’s hard just to reach the Loyang area with the gnarly roads mod.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by SierraJuliet »

I will be watching too to see how you develop strategy number 2. Nothing wrong with overkill at Wake Island. You will have to suffer the same thing as the game develops so enjoy your muscle now while it works.
Kido Butai, although powerful, was a raiding force, and this is exactly how the Japanese understood its usage. 'Shattered Sword'
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Lowpe »

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

December 15, 1941

Subs

Tautog twice misses an AMC on picket duty near Umnak Island. At Wake Island, Tambor tries several attacks on DDs but misses and gets a penetrating DC hit in return.

I have come to the conclusion that IJN AMCs are much better used as APs. It is my understanding that they unload faster than an xap, some have planes for local ASW work, and they simply cannot fight anything except for enemy cargo ships and yard patrols.

Unless, of course, this is some souped up AMC?


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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

I agree and plan to use them as such in NOPAC. They start the game placed as raiders in the Gulf of Alaska and thus are best used at start to fall back a bit and serve as pickets. From here on out, they will help ferry troops into the other nearby islands.
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Lowpe »

I can't begin to tell you how envious of you I am. This mod is just too cool...just don't crash the economy and make it to the end war please!

Well, if you want you can win early too I guess.[:D]
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RE: NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs nygiants59 (A) - Reluctant Admiral

Post by Cribtop »

I will do my best! The economy is one fear given the reduced pre-war stockpiles. Then again, today we are launching the C/M/K convoys, so at least supplies should stay ok.

On another note, two additional AMCs start as raiders in the South Pacific. I chose to order them back to Truk on day one to serve as invasion transports.
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