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

[Cribtop]

January 23, 1942

Ok, I wouldn’t want to drive anyone AWAY from drink, so here we go…

Subs

I-157 misses a DD in the Makassar Strait. Looks like a continued effort by Michael to clear me away from his preferred forward fleet deployment zone.

Boomerang (another awesomely named Aussie sub in this mod) misses a DD near Lae and receives a penetrating DC hit for her trouble.

At Amchitka, Thresher literally fires her whole torpedo contingent at a lone xAK unloading supplies, finally getting two booms and sinking the ship. Michael and I are not sure who really won that encounter as the sub now has a long trip home.

SE Fleet

Munda Point invaded without incident. Buna is next up.

25th Army

We are marching six divisions over the causeway to Singers. Should arrive on the 25th.

Mersing occupied.

[Cribtop]

January 24, 1942

In which KB is spotted and Operation Kingfisher is probably aborted.

SE Fleet

Hollandia is invaded, Munda Point occupied, and Milne Bay falls to a para assault. Not a bad day.

The Buna invasion is one day out.

Rabaul and Lae are receiving important support forces that will allow more airplanes, more troops and bigger bases. Engineers, SE Fleet HQ, base forces etc all unload safely. We begin air search in the Solomons and feel a lot safer from enemy surface or carrier incursions.

Recon shows that Port Moresby is only lightly held. We may commit a smaller force over the mountains. Then again, the whole idea in sending 33rd Division in the first place was to create a defensive bastion here.

14th Army

DMS sweep mines at Bataan. What is the board’s opinion of the usefulness of battleship bombardments of Manila? I’m sure it would shorten the siege, but honestly we’re content to let Manila rot for some time and those BBs could be used elsewhere.

16th Army

The reconfigured KB slides to a position no closer than 15 hexes from enemy air search. Despite this, one of the carrier TFs is spotted. This placement was necessary in order to allow for a speed run to a spot from which to attack shipping in the Makassar Strait. We will probably cancel the Op and instead simply kick in the door, invading Manado on the way to Oosthaven via the far side of Borneo. This is a shame as it appears that an enemy SCTF and a CVTF were waiting in the Makassar Strait target zone. However, air search appears to indicate this is only a small force compared with the Death Star spotted a while back.

Paratroops dropped at Kolaka, together with elements of an Assault Division later flown into the base, have achieved AS and supply levels sufficient to march on and take Kendari. They move out today.

At Babel, 38th Division begins loading. Target Oosthaven and then Palembang.

25th Army

In an Op similar to Kolaka, paratroopers capture Djambi today. Oil is taken with only 5 points damage. We will now use a horde of IJAAF transports to fly in 21st Mixed Brigade. This force will march on Palembang from the north and either take the base outright or assist 38th Division in the capture.

15th Army

An RTA unit, chasing the beaten Rangoon garrison, SAs over a river near Bassein. Odds 72:1, casualties 129(16) vs 28(0).

[Cribtop]

January 25, 1942

Bloody day at Singapore.

Subs

In three separate ASW engagements, escorts of what appears to be an SCTF based on a US heavy cruiser DC I-156 without effect in the Makassar Strait. It appears that this SCTF is what was in the aborted Operation Kingfisher target zone. Would have been nice to get, but as expected they are leaving. Further, it appears less likely that carriers were present.

IJN ASW harasses Stingray near Takao. As in past games, we aren’t using the straits between Formosa and the PI for anything other than ASW efforts.

4th Fleet

Large contingents of support troops offload at Saipan for combat loading and shipment to bases like Tarawa and TB. TB will host an Air HQ, Roi Namur already has one.

SE Fleet

6th Fleet HQ lands at Truk to replace SE Fleet, which is now at Rabaul.

Buna invaded without incident. Hollandia falls. Vella LaVella occupied.

16th Army

KB moves into position to support the former “bait” TF to actually invade Manado. 38th Division still loading.

25th Army

Six IJA divisions cross the causeway into a bloody fight. Not sure why other than die rolls as we were in combat mode with high prep and an HQ with high prep in range.

Odds are a pleasant 1:1, forts drop to 2, but the casualties are rough for both sides. 4110(179) with 2 enemy LCUs destroyed vs an eye popping 10,417(242) for Japan. Basically, the lead division (the 21st) was trashed, one other division is mildly dinged, and the other four are in great shape. That’s a lot of losses for both sides, but we should be able to conclude the siege with 5 divisions plus support troops which will begin crossing tomorrow. Present are the usual Allied suspects with the major forces consisting of one of the Aussie Brigades and the recombined 9th and 11th Indian Divisions.

Key to the battle going forward will be maintaining airfield damage to prevent fort building, but with the tough flak and reduced bomb effects that won’t be as easy as in stock. These facts give us hope when the 4Es eventually get active in the war but for the present it’s a problem. Our planes are now flying out of Johore and we hope the 1 hex round trip will reduce losses.

15th Army

Another SA near Bassein, this time by choice, as we try to finish the Rangoon garrison. Odds 9:1, casualties 48(6) vs nil.

We have an armor unit marching on Ramree Island. Recon shows two enemy units at Akyab. Our main force, now including the recombined 55th Division, is marching on Meiktila.

China

We are either one or two days away from a river shock attack against previously defeated units 1 hex south of Ankang. Enemy reinforcements have reached the city but we hope to create a “stacking limits steamroller” where the defeated troops enter the city and exceed stacking limits, draining supply until Michael can move them out. If the city falls we need to consider options for further advances.

[temagic]

Thanks for the updates Cribtop. A bloody nose at Singapore, but the 21st will recover in no time:)

[Cribtop]

Yeah, I am moving the Southern Army HQ to Johore, originally because the HQ has high prep for Singers and will give a bonus. Now I will pull back the 21st to Johore, split the unit and put it in rest mode. The Command HQ will help rebuild it faster.

PS - the Allies suffered a lot at Singers too. 179 squads destroyed and many disabled. Must've gotten one heck of a die roll there!

[1EyedJacks]

Are you flying plenty of recon over Singers?

[Cribtop]

Every day. Good question. IMHO, the key is the DBB bomb load reductions.

[Cribtop]

January 26, 1942

SE Fleet

Buna falls.

16th Army

Enemy CVL and CA TFs are spotted at Mataram. They appear to be exiting the theater now that KB is around.

Lots of invasions are coming here now that the Allied navy is outmatched by KB.

25th Army

Tioman Island occupied.

15th Army

Another SA near Bassein trying to finish a straggling battalion. 9:1, casualties 50(5) vs nil.

Main army is marching on Magwe while an armored unit is making for Ramree Island.

China

We cross the river into hex 82, 43 (1 hex SE of Ankang). Only 1 enemy LCU is left and it is destroyed with odds of 1451:1, casualties 1498(82) vs 12(0). On to Ankang! Enemy units are flowing into the battlespace, but so far Michael appears content to try to stop the thrust head on. We keep expecting an effort to cut the base of the salient, however.

[Cribtop]

January 27, 1942

A VERY quiet day. We are moving a lot into position, but no headliners at the moment.

SE Fleet

Torokina occupied.

Dagua invaded.

25th Army

See, told you it was quiet. We will use the space to muse on Palembang. Recon has shown the same unit and troop count in Palembang for weeks now. It appears Michael moved in some forces but is not trying for Fortress Palembang, and with KB only a few days away it is now too late to try. Presently, we are loading 38th Division at Babel to serve as the main punch of a landing at Oosthaven. Meanwhile, 48th Division is marching to Subic Bay and is currently slotted to attack the rest of the PI.

However, an alternate plan is for those units to land at Mersing and overwhelm Singapore, thus freeing up 7 divisions to engage in mayhem (5 at Singers plus the two mentioned). We are seriously considering this.

[Cribtop]

January 28, 1942

Subs

We have ordered the sub gathering at Kwaj to split into subrons of one Glen plus 3-4 other boats. Most have departed for their new hunting grounds. Let us see how they fare!

5th Fleet

Ominato makes port 7. New engineers will begin landing at Attu tomorrow or the next day with the intention of quickly building up the airfield to level 1. They will stop here and shift to Amchitka. We only need Attu as a transfer base to allow 1E planes to reach the theater from the Kuriles.

4th Fleet

Large reinforcement convoys have disgorged at Saipan. It is interesting how stacking limits affect not just the front lines but also logistics. Can’t just land everything at Truk now due to SLs, so we stage units through various bases. Anyway, the units are now loading to provide base forces and engineers to Wake, TB, Ponape, etc. A base force already present in theater just finished unloading at Tarawa. TB will host an Air HQ as well.

SE Fleet

Kokoda occupied. Dagua falls.

Invasions head for Treasury Islands and Buin, with Air HQs, base forces and engineers sailing just behind to fill things out.

14th Army

After more than a week of sweeping 22 mines each per phase, 1 of 2 DMS at Bataan hits a mine and sinks. How many mines are there here? Sheesh.

16th Army

Under the watchful eyes of KB, Sidate is invaded without incident. The forces unloaded will seize Manado.

Our airhead at Kolaka has now switched to offensive operations. Troops are marching on Kendari overland and should arrive soon.

25th Army

Annoyingly, weather scrubs the critical airfield raids at Singers for the second day in a row. Sigh. DA tomorrow now that Southern Army HQ, with high prep, is in range to support.

An Allied air raid composed of Dutch crap planes fails to make an impact on our airhead at Djambi.

15th Army

DA Meiktila forces the surrender of the lone defending unit, odds 199:1, casualties 495(54) vs nil. And that was with just one of our divisions in the hex.

Mergui falls, completing the conquest of the Kra Peninsula.

China

In a VERY encouraging sign, IJAAF bombers hit Ankang and cause casualties of 497(9) in a single day. Banzai! We are marching on the base with our main force and have high prep.

[Cribtop]

January 29, 1942

Subs

K-IX misses an xAK as the Sidate invasion force retires.

SE Fleet

Tabar Island occupied.

14th Army

I misread my notes. The DMS I said was sunk yesterday at Bataan actually sunk today. The editorial staff apologizes for any inconvenience.

16th Army

Davao invaded by FT TF. Only a small base force is present and it is pretty much plastered by the CLs and DDs in the invasion fleet while the landing is in progress.

Sidate falls.

38th Division has finished loading and will be escorted through the Celebes Sea by KB. Destination Oosthaven (or maybe Mersing, see above).

25th Army

We put a big Oscar Sentai on LRCAP over Djambi but only 4 planes show up to contest a repeat of yesterday’s raid. We shoot down a few planes but nothing great.

[Cribtop]

January 30, 1942

Subs

Tuna duds on a PB near New Ireland, then misses on a DD near Emirau Island.

16th Army

KB Kates hit Davao, as much to fully announce our presence (since we were spotted already) as to take the base. Intention is to scare the Allies away from the convoy bearing 38th Division from Babel toward the South China Sea.

Davao falls with 14:1 odds, forcing the surrender of the defending base force and destroying two Catalinas. Casualties 71(15) vs nil.

25th Army

Oscars LRCAP Djambi again, shooting down several Allied bombers.

Another DA Singers plows in, dropping forts to 1 and destroying another LCU with 1:1 odds. Casualties are 2626(145) vs 2373(74). Two or three more attacks should do it.

China

Pakhoi falls.

[Cribtop]

January 31, 1942

A day of (grim) humor.

14th Army

Dot Base CLean up (DBCL) work begins in the PI with the invasion of Balabac. Two small TFs with IJ Companies aboard will work over undefended bases.

16th Army

In a heartburn inducing moment, the 38th Division TF encounters an enemy surface force that turns out to be the Davao AVD fleeing the captured base. Both forces evade combat.

25th Army

Hurricanes sweep Djambi but today we rested the Oscars so there is not air combat. Subsequent Dutch bombing of the base is ineffective.

China

In the far north, a recon cav unit crossed a river today into what appeared to be an empty hex. Unfortunately 3 KMT LCUs were present, triggering a rather ugly 1:99 odds attack, casualties 62(0) vs 467(1). Never seen a situation where we didn’t spot adjacent units like that.

Recon by Death, I suppose.

Other

Many reinforcements arrive, mostly engineers and base forces to add to the growing perimeter.

[Cribtop]

February 1, 1942

SE Fleet

Treasury Islands, Hansa Bay, and Buin are all invaded. Buin will be a major base defending Rabaul’s flank.

14th Army

Balabac occupied. Not sure from my notes whether this base is “Balabac” or “Bablaba,” but whatever it is called it is the small island just WSW of Palawan.

16th Army

Manokwari invaded as DBCL work begins here as well.

DA Manado drops forts to 0 with 1:1 odds, casualties 162(0) vs 90(0). Should take it tomorrow.

Almost to Kendari.

15th Army

Mandalay falls. The enemy’s Burma army continues to flee ahead of our forces by rail.

[Cribtop]

February 2, 1942

Subs

Most of our re-deployed sub flotillas have reached their new hunting grounds. Let us see what we catch.

4th Fleet

An Air HQ and large base force will begin unloading at TB tomorrow. A second large convoy is even with Eniwetok and will distribute goodies to that base and to Ponape, Kwaj, and Tarawa.

SE Fleet

Buin is occupied, Hansa Bay and Treasury Islands also fall.

Rabaul makes port 4 and switches to airfield construction. The IJN Pioneer units included in BTS are pretty great at expanding facilities much faster than is the norm for Japan in stock. They have about 16 engineer and 8 engineer vehicle devices and really get the job done.

16th Army

DA Manado takes the base with 2:1 odds, forcing the 2 LCU defenders to yield. Casualties 2944(218) vs 51(0).

Manokwari falls.

25th Army

DA Singers drops forts to 0 and obtains a 2:1. Casualties 2479(66) vs 2142(4). Next attack should do it barring a bad die roll.

38th Division and KB are into the South China Sea, destination Sumatra. Large SCTFs and a second wave sortie from Saigon and Cam Ranh Bay to meet them.

China

Our artillery train arrives at Ankang and will add its firepower to the bombers. We will try a DA in a few days.

Definitive plans have coalesced for our second major axis in China along the minor road running East out of Sian (detailed in a prior screen shot). We should be able to put about 6 divisions into the effort under command of 1st Army. This will add pressure on the Ankang front and threaten to cut off the KMT forces at the edge of the forests near Loyang and Nanyang. Odd that Michael retreated from the key mountain hex into a 2X rough hex right at the edge of the plains. This is the chosen assault point. Assembly should take a week or so yet as units rail in from all over China. Intention is to kick off this new offensive just as we are attacking Ankang in earnest.

[Cribtop]

February 3, 1942

I’ve been out of town for family and business reasons. Time to catch up.

SE Fleet

Choisuel Bay occupied.

14th Army

Culion invaded by DBCL troops.

China

SA against the Lusu War Area HQ – 32:1 odds, casualties 288(9) vs nil. Now we chase this accursed HQ again. Lusu HQ is always one of the best guerilla units in the KMT as it retreats multiple times before dying.

[Cribtop]

February 4, 1942

14th Army

Culion occupied. Taytay falls.

16th Army

Biak invaded.

15th Army

Magwe and Taung Gyi fall. Facilities at Magwe are 99% intact.

[apbarog]

An attack through that mountain hex east of Sian could be a good one. I just lost that hex in my game (I'm Allied, and it's only 24 Dec 41), and it's difficult to get any reinforcements to the immediate area. 6 divisions would be quite difficult to handle, especially if you already have that mountain hex.

[Cribtop]

February 5, 1942

Singapore falls, opening new offensive options.

5th, 4th and SE Fleets

Things are quiet here but behind the scenes lots of Japanese forces are moving to their pre-planned defensive positions and beginning to build bases. Ponape in particular will be an uber-festung, with 2 large CD units, multiple AA, base forces, etc. In time, the island will host a full division as well.

14th Army

Busuanga occupied.

16th Army

Our airmobile forces arrive at Kendari and BA, showing raw AS 104 vs 28. Supplies are a bit short but probably an attack or two should capture the base.

Biak falls.

25th Army

We DA at Singers and, as expected with forts down to zero, take the base pretty easily with 4:1 odds. 27 enemy LCUs surrender. Casualties 48733(4781) vs 3025(8). Four of our divisions only need a few days to freshen up. 56th Division will need a longer rest. 21st Division, as mentioned before, will need even longer. Facilities are about 25% damaged, which is actually pretty light considering the number of enemy defenders.

We will rest a few days and then move against Oosthaven (remember 38th Division is already loaded up for this attack) and Palembang. Java will come very shortly thereafter using the four divisions at Singapore. We will aim to quickly reduce Java to a siege, then seize NW Oz with 3-4 divisions. Cribtop Intel wonders whether Michael will try to fight for Darwin but on the whole we would welcome the attempt.

15th Army

We briefly left Meiktila empty and it flips to the Allies. Odd as it’s surrounded by IJA bases and troops and the nearest Allied forces are several hexes away. Sigh.

[Cribtop]

February 6, 1942

Subs

Tuna finds a rare working torp and hits an empty xAK near Truk.

SE Fleet

Madang occupied.

14th Army

Another element of 48th Division lands to clean up the PI, this time at Surigao along with a few tank units. Target Cagayan.

DA Roxas by the first element of the division seizes the base and forces the surrender of a small LCU, casualties 447(26) vs nil.

16th Army

DA Kendari obtains a 2:1 and drops forts to 0. Casualties 143(1) vs 43(0). We are a bit low on supplies but will attack again with good odds to take the base.

15th Army

SA near Ramree Island by a tank unit finally forces the 1st Gloucestershire Bttn to surrender, odds 36:1, casualties 197(31) vs nil.

China

Bombing and bombardments are roughing up the Ankang defenders and today the enemy has pulled a corps out. We have new troops arriving soon. Time to DA here. A plan is forming about how to co-ordinate our offensives if and when Ankang falls.