Just Another AAR... Wargmr (A) Gunnulf (J)

[Mike McCreery]

Attempting my first AAR against a human opponent. I am playing Gunnulf who has posted on these forums.
Scenario 1
Fog of war ON
Advanced weather effects ON
Allied Damage Control ON
Player Defined Upgrades ON
Historical 1st Turn OFF
Dec 7th Surprise ON
Reliable USN torpedoes OFF
Realistic R&D ON
No unit withdrawals OFF

The twist is that the game has already been going on for 2 months IRL and 6 months in game. Therefore, the AAR will be back dated. I do not mind helpful hints but understand if I do not act upon them ;]

We did a non-historic first turn but I took no actions as I would not have known anything was going on.
Since it is my first PEBM against a human and I did not know what to expect I started the game very conservatively, attempting to prevent a Japanese auto-victory.

Production wise, I shut down all of the Heavy Industry I could find in Australia and shut down much of the fort and airfield production in central India and in Australia.

I do not believe it is advantageous to fight for ground in the first few months of the war. In my opinion it is better to remove as many assets from danger as possible and give up ground for time.
The first turn is pretty typical.

The battleships get hit hard but none sink on the initial turn.
Force Z is decimated.
Bases Invaded By Japan: Kota Bharu, Aparri, Batan Island


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 07, 41
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Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 103 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 60
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 130



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Perry, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Aylwin, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AV Wright, Torpedo hits 1
xAK Florence D., Torpedo hits 1
DD Allen, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Honolulu, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 1
DD Selfridge, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Gamble, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AM Turkey, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Repair Shipyard hits 10
Port hits 25
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 3






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Morning Air attack on Kota Bharu , at 51,75

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 29



Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 2


No Japanese losses

No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
29 x Ki-27b Nate sweeping at 15000 feet

CAP engaged:
No.243 Sqn RAF Det with Buffalo I (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Mersing at 52,82

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 72
G4M1 Betty x 13



Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 3 destroyed, 18 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 7, and is sunk
BC Repulse, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
DD Vampire
DD Electra
DD Tenedos
DD Express



Aircraft Attacking:
10 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
33 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
34 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

[Mike McCreery]

December 8, 1941

Bases Captured by the Japanese
Aparri, Makin, Batan Island
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
DD Thracian, DD Thanet

I attempted to withdraw some troops from Hong Kong but Japanese warships destroyed all of the fleeing ships. At Pearl Harbor I put up as much cap as possible to defend against a 2nd day strike that never came. His subs are ringed around PH but I am not interested in moving from there anyway. One of the ships that was evacuating troops from Manila took a torpedo and was sunk. I do not plan on evacuating much from Manila as I do not know my opponents aggressiveness yet.

BB Tennessee has a fire of 40 and flotation damage of 95 so I am going to lose her.
The Saratoga is headed for PH.

I have the 8th marine regiment, the C det UNS port Svc and the 110th USA base force headed for Pago Pago.
In this game I am going to use San Francisco as my primary shipping hub so all LCU's that are not permanently restricted will be heading for here along with all free shipping.
I am amphibiously loading anything else I can carry for shipping somewhere west. At this point I do not know where we are going to clash but the likely spots are Noumea, Suva or places farther east. Based on my reading of other AAR's I am going to try to get there first.

Enterprise & Lexington are headed for Baker Island. I want to protect these assets right now.
Evacuated 3rd Cavalry Rgt, SSVF Bde, & 224th Group RAF from Manila.
Grabbed part of the 2/15 punjab bn from Kuching for evacuation to Colombo.
Moving all troops in SE Papua toward Port Moresby or Terapo.
Moving troops out of Tavoy and Moulmeing toward Rangoon. I do not plan on contesting Burma at all.
All Chinese troops are backing up and finding better terrain.

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Hong Kong at 77,63, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
DD Asagiri
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
DD Scout, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Thanet, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Thracian, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

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*the scout was not sunk in this encounter but will sink on the 10th due to flooding

[Mike McCreery]

December 9 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Tarawa, Vigan
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
None

The part of the 2/15 Punjab Bn that was evacuated from Kuching was sunk by a sub.
Sending 111th USN, 34th infantry Regiment, 112th USA base force, 56th Costal Artillery Regiment, 47th Construction regiment and 198th FA Bn to Suva.
Re-routed the 147th FA RGt, 115th USAAF Base Force, 114th USAAF Base Force and the 131st FA Bn to Suva.
At this point in the game I was salivating over reinforcing Noumea and making it a lvl 7 port. However, I was unsure how fast and how strong my opponent would be in the area so I compromised and planned to set up on Suva first and then move to Noumea when it seemed prudent to do so.

[Mike McCreery]

December 10 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
None
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
DD Scout


The AVP Poolster sinks due to a sub. I have never managed to save this ship. As a pool man I take it personally...

I decide to show the Japanese I am not completely toothless and launch an attack on the forces unloading at Miri with 4 DD's. I manage to sink an AK along with killing almost 800 troops.
The Japanese are making a mess of my evacuations from Hong Kong and Manila.
SS Saury got a shot at the CA Maya but missed... *sigh*

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Aoi
TB Kasasagi
AMc Wa 19
xAK Hokko Maru
xAK Zinzan Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Kinkasan Maru
xAK Giyu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Kembu Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAKL Kiko Maru
xAKL Anbo Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Vampire
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1
DD Electra
DD Express

Japanese ground losses:
793 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Mike McCreery]

December 11 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Miri
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
DD Pillsbury, DD Peary, DD Pope, DD John Ford

Sending lots of fighters and bombers to Suva.
Sending 113th USAAF base force to Pearl Harbor.
Sending 161st Infantry Reg & 47th Construction Reg to Suva.
Sending 44th & 45th Indian Brigades to Diego Garcia.

[Mike McCreery]

December 12 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Lingayen, San Fernando, Guam, Tuguegarao
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
DD Express

The 4 destroyers I used to raid his convoy on the 10th get jumped by a couple CA's and DD's.
2nd MDB, 808th EAB, 161st Inf Reg heading toward Christmas Island.
Evacuated Padang Garrison BN & SSVF Bde to Cocos Island
Evacuated Kavieng and Rabaul
Moving 1/53rd Infantry Bn to Dutch Harbor.

[Mike McCreery]

December 13,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Burias, Davao, Wake
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
None

Heavy air attack at Wake indicates at least part of the KB is in the area.
114th USAAF Base Force, 115th USAAF Base Force, 131st, 147th & 148th FA Bn's arrive at Suva.
CV's Lexington and Enterprise are heading toward Townsville. CV Saratoga is headed toward Christmas Island.
I am starting to fill in the border betwen Burma & India with troops. This will be one of my lines of defense.

[Mike McCreery]

December 14,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Hong Kong, Cabanatuan, Jesselton
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

I go for another raid on the Japanese invasion fleet at Sorong. 1 AK is sunk but no casualties so it must have been empty.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Sorong at 82,107, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 2
xAK Taifuku Maru, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nanrei Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott
DD Stewart

[Mike McCreery]

December 15 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Sorong, Antimonan
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

[Mike McCreery]

December 16 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Butuan, Tabiteuea, Brunei, Victoria Point
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
DD Kortenaer

I had hidden a STF in waiting to screw with more of his invasions but I wasnt hidden well enough.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Manado at 73,95, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Shell hits 2
DD Asagiri
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 7, heavy fires
DD Banckert
DD Witte de With
DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1

[Mike McCreery]

December 17 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese

Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

The Atago and Takao find a few allied DD's.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Tandjoengselor at 68,92, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Atago
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Banckert
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 3, on fire

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CV Enterprise & CV Lexington heading toward Darwin. CV Saratoga heading to PH.

[Mike McCreery]

December 18 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Georgetown, Tarakan, Ternate, Bayombong
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
DD Hakaze
Allied Warships Sunk

I completely forgot about the Houston and it was really useful this turn!
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Surigao at 81,88, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAK Sinsei Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Saigon Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK India Maru, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
xAK Victoria Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Argentina Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAP Baikal Maru

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 2

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Japanese forces are advancing on Moulmein & Pegu in Burma.
46th Indian brigade mistakenly offloaded in Rangoon.
KB Sighted 160m East of Kavieng.
At this point I realize that Port Moresby is almost out of supply & I never supplied Darwin.

[Mike McCreery]

December 19 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Alor Star, Iba, Kudat, Kavieng, Nauru Island,
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk


BB Ise & Fuso go against CA Houston
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Gebe at 82,104, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Ise
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 5

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Another STF is found by the mini-KB
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pontianak at 56,90

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 56 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 6
A6M2 Zero x 12
B5N1 Kate x 19
B5N2 Kate x 5



No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Torpedo hits 1
CL Mauritius, Bomb hits 1

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KB 120M SSE of Kavieng

[Mike McCreery]

December 20 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Dadjangas, Singkawang,
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
CL Mauritius, CA Houston

I sent a raiding task force to attempt to pick off another convoy and was caught by a BB STF of the Japanese... Oops
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 55,89, Range 5,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1
BB Haruna, Shell hits 7
CL Jintsu
DD Asashio, Shell hits 1
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 3
CL Mauritius, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
DD Encounter
DD Isis, Shell hits 4, heavy fires

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Houston didnt get out of town quick enough either.
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Gorong at 81,111, Range 15,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 9, and is sunk

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At this point, surface raiding is getting too costly for the allies.
KB 160M N of Tulagi.
The Japanese are moving much faster than in any AI game I have played. I am still 10 days out of Pago Pago with troops.

[Mike McCreery]

December 21 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Rabaul, Shortlands, Hollandia, Tulagi, Mandano, Madang
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk
CL Danae

Japanese Carrier Fleet attacks Allied STF
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tandjoengpinang at 50,86

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 45 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 6
B5N1 Kate x 8



No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Isis, heavy damage

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KB 160M N Tulagi
CV Enterprise & CV Lexington 400M SW Tulagi waiting on fuel
When I saw how fast the Japanese were advancing I changed course from Darwin because I did not want to be trapped in the Arafura Sea.
8th Marine Regiment and other troops still 8 days out from Pago Pago.
The Japanese still have subs around Pearl Harbor but the intense ASW searching has allowed me to completely avoid them except for ASW patrols. Unfortunately my DD's are still to unskilled to do much damage to them.
18th British ID heading for Columbo. I really want to keep Columbo more than I want to keep Calcutta so I will be putting plenty of troops on it.

[Mike McCreery]

December 22 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Lucena, Taiping,
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

[Mike McCreery]

December 23 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Pucheng, Chengchow, PALEMBANG,
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

A Japanese Brigade wandered into trouble
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Ground combat at Tsiaotso (88,42)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 32161 troops, 192 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1042

Defending force 5443 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 173

Allied adjusted assault: 1222

Japanese adjusted defense: 268

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1664 casualties reported
Squads: 64 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 39 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 10 (3 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
1451 casualties reported
Squads: 38 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
34th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
33rd Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
7th Group Army

Defending units:
16th Ind.Mixed Brigade
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Japanese begin to bombard Clark Field

KB 240M SE of Port Moresby

I am going to focus on building up Townsville as it can reach a lvl 7 port. 3/3 currently

[Mike McCreery]

December 24 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Samarinda
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

BB Haruna takes 2 bomb hits from vildabeests... That will show them!!!


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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Toboali at 51,93

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Vildebeest III x 3
B-339D x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Vildebeest III bombing from 5000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

[Mike McCreery]

December 25 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Chuhsien, Sambas, Lae, Praboem....,
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk

[Mike McCreery]

December 26 ,1941
Bases Captured by the Japanese
Batangas
Bases Captured by the Allies
None
Japanese Warships Sunk
None
Allied Warships Sunk


8th Marine Rgt & 110th USA Base Force have been re-directed to Suva - 6 days from port

KB is 7 hexes SE of Port Moresby

CV Lexington and CV Enterprise are at Noumea waiting for opportunities.

CV Saratoga chilling out at Pearl Harbor.

Most British & Indian ground troops have orders to move directly out of Burma to India to form a skirmish line at the border.

China is collapsing as fast as possible to protect the troops and VP's.

Every availible LCU is being moved from the East Coast to the SW pacific as fast as possible. I am still keeping a good amount of LCU at Pearl Harbor because I am concerned about an attack in that direction.