See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28

[apbarog]

This is the start of my AE battle with Walker. We are playing with the latest Beta and using DBB-B Scenario 28. We are using the extended map with stacking limits.

I am playing as the Allies. I am a long-time AE player, having played many AE games as the Japanese player. All of my games have been stock games, so I have no experience with the Beta patches or the DBB mods, or stacking limits. It will be a very new game for me, and I welcome that.

Before AE, I played WitP. I bought my copy of WitP at the Origins convention in Columbus, OH way back when, so I've played from day one. Before that UV, then I can list the old SSI games, all the way back to chasing the letter "B" around the map with Computer Bismark. Before that, board wargames.

I've been an infrequent poster on the forum, but I read the forum almost every day. I've learned much from many AAR's, enjoyed the discussions, and appreciated the efforts of the forum veterans. Now it's time for this forum lurker to contribute.


SETTINGS

Fog of War - ON
Advanced Weather - ON
Allied Damage Control - ON
PDU - OFF
Historical First Turn - OFF
Dec 7 Surprise - ON
Realistic USN Torps - OFF <EDIT should read Reliable USN Torps>
Realistic R&D - On
No Unit Withdrawals - OFF
Reinforcements - +/- 60 days

Combat reports - ON
Auto Sub Ops - OFF
TF Move Radius - ON
Plane Move Radius - ON
Set all facilities to expand - OFF
Auto Upgrade ships and air - OFF
Accept Air and Ground replacements - OFF
Turn cycle – 1

HRs

- Air sweeps limited by altitude by year
- 15k in 41
- 20k in 42
- 25k in 43
- 32k in 44-46.
- PPs paid to change theatres (Thai units allowed to cross into Burma, up to level with Toungoo).
- Restriction on early war strat bombing (date to be negotiable as war progresses) .
- No turn 1 multiple CV port strikes or gamey warp invasion, like Mersing, Singkawang, or Ambon.
- no 4e nav atk under 10k except USN PBY or Mavis types.
- no tiny paratroop drops to take empty bases.
- amphibious landings only at bases.
- Allied player won't set off-map task forces at full speed knowing that they don't use any fuel

off-map. The number of days to move off-map from A to B was set up assuming a normal speed.
- night bombing is banned at start. Will be revisited later.
- no single ship task forces to make the strike targeting difficult. No using small AK's as

pickets. Small task forces out ahead of something important should have a military purpose, be it

scouting or ASW.
- PT task forces limited to having 8 PT boats.
- On turn 1, the Japs won't hunt down the US carriers.

[Cribtop]

Looking forward to it. Glad you're de-lurking!

One of my favorite 1st Turn e-mails in a PBEM was when my Allied opponent said: "Good luck! See you in Tokyo Bay in about 3 years. Remember to bring a pen." [:D]

[BBfanboy]

I'm surprised that you got Richard84 to agree to the Realistic USN Torps Off and Realistic R&D On settings. Those two take away advantages that most IJ players assume they must have to make a contest of it.

Does the Historical First Turn Off setting include letting you form and move TFs during first turn setup?

[apbarog]

Wow, I was worried there for a bit! It's actually Reliable USN Torpedoes, so the OFF setting is what we wanted. And my opponent Walker requested that Realistic R&D be set to ON, as well as playing PDU OFF. I'm flexible on these.

[Walker84]

I'm just stopping by to wish Apbarog and his readers well as we embark on what should hopefully be a thoroughly enjoyable and action-packed game - played out according to the finest Queensberry rules, of course!

Now I'd better make my apologies and head back to Tokyo Bay. What was that nonsense about being a good idea to bring a pen? Harrumph!

[apbarog]

It is a non-historical first turn. I could move TF's on the first turn. I can't discuss the details yet, as I invited Walker to check in here before we start.

[apbarog]

7 Dec 41 --- Damaged Ships at Pearl Harbor (My first attempt at embedding a picture, my apologies if it isn't optimal. I will fix it if needed.

[apbarog]

7 DEC 41

The above pic was the full game screen, so I'll screen capture that way for now.

Now to start the discussion.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was interesting. I believe KB consisted of 5 carriers. One group of Kates flew AM and PM strikes on DD Ward, with no torpedo hits. That could have been a lot more battleship damage. Also, he had a PM port strike that did some significant damage with Kates. What looked like a fairly weak attack turned into a slightly less than average one, in my experience anyhow. His PM strike had 10 torpedo hits from 27 Kates.

BB Maryland is in desparate trouble with 94 FLT and 25 FIRES. Could go either way. BB's Oklahoma, California, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee take moderate to severe FLT damage. BB Nevada has light damage, and ironically BB Arizona is unscathed.

In other news, there were the usual Malaysian landings. Nothing at Kuantan yet. The only landing in the Phillipines was at Batan Island.

I decided to leave Force Z at Singapore. I'd hoped that if he did strike them there, I'd have decent CAP, but my Buffaloes didn't do a good job, and both Prince of Wales and Repulse took a torpedo hit each. They will head south this turn. Damage is not great, but speed has been reduced with some engine damage. It didn't feel right to run away on Turn 1. Plus showing them there will have him thinking a bit more on the next few turns.

Bettys hit Manila hard, but seemed to concentrate much more heavily on the airfield than the port. Only ship damage in port was an AS and 2 subs, all of which are not in danger of sinking right now. Clark airfield was hit hard also.

Japanese CVL task force is east of Mindanao, and some other unknown task force is close to Davao. Map shows a bunch of APD's, but I don't know what that really is yet. I suspect Kaga is lurking in the area, but that's just a hunch.

[obvert]

Just wanted to give a welcome and good luck on the game!

Is this your first Allied campaign?

Using SL will make certain things easier, some things harder. It's an adjustment but a worthwhile one. China and Burma especially change. Good terrain is even more necessary, and you must be ready to use reserves to hold a hex for any length of time.

Look forward to the AAR!

[apbarog]

Thanks obvert. I started an AE Allied game long ago, but it only lasted a few game months. This is my first AE game using the Beta patch, my first DBB-B game, and my first with the extended map and stacking limits. By the way, I've been reading your AAR all along.



My Initial Plans

Pearl Harbor - Hope that KB leaves! As the Japanese, I've tried multiple day strikes on PH. Although it is always satisfying to sink more BB's, it comes at a high cost of trained pilots. But I hope to save all my BB's, and that may only happen if he leaves.

Christmas Island - Besides reinforcing Hawaii, I will build up here first. I also hope to build nearly islands as support bases, just in case. A conservative move, but my opponent's style is unknown, and I can go slow for now.

Suva and Pago will not be reinforced initially. When possible, US troops will go to New Zealand. This will be a slow buildup.

Trying to sneak shipping into Rabaul to evacuate what I can. Also will try to fly out small units scattered in New Guinea. And mostly evacuating Port Moresby. I'm betting on a heavy early Jap landing at PM, so I'd like to save what I can.

I make a major effort to pull all of the oil and fuel I can from Borneo, Java, and Sumatra. I'll do all I can until the threat to shipping is too high. All of this oil and fuel goes to Australia.

Evacuating a base force from Cebu by air.

Phillipines - Moving 2 Phillipine units that start south of Manila to Legaspi area. If I can get there first, it may be an unpleasant surprise to a weak landing. Elsewhere, I have to be concerned with stacking limits. I will defend Manila lightly and Clark heavily. Bataan will be prepared as the last stand. Will buy out what I can of the US resticted air units. B-17s already bought out and in Australia.

Balikpapan - US surface forces gathering here

Singapore and Malaysia - I am attempting to pull out every unrestricted ground unit in Malaysia (I count 21 of them). Of course, this depends on how aggressive my opponent is. I'd like to save what I can, and will trade an earlier loss of Singapore for saving significant forces. Having units to place in the Indian theater is my plan.

Burma - for now, concentrating at Pegu, but I know that isn't a good long-term plan. Not running until I have to here. Not sure what to do with AVG yet.

India - starting to dig. This game was started before the DBB fix of the 5 Indian units that can't take replacements or upgrade. I'm ok with that. I'll just use them with this in mind.

China- pulling back exposed units, moving to better terrain here and there, and waiting to see what my opponent has in mind.

Aleutians - no big plans for awhile. Will use North Pacific units as they become available.

West Coast - shipping of all types concentrating to begin the logistics war.

Waiting on the 8 Dec 41 replay.

[Q-Ball]

Are Allies allowed to form TFs on turn 1? If so, that would explain the weak PH result, because no doubt attacking DD WARD resulted in alot less damage. But if KB changes the settings to remove "Nav Attack", and you sortie with all your ships from PH, the result can be very bad for KB

That's why I think a HR is in order to NOT allow new TFs at PH. The IJN player can then set PH strike to "Port/AF Attack" only. Even on those settings, most strikes with 5 CVs don't result in alot of sunk BBs, one or two typically.

[apbarog]

I was not allowed to form TFs on the first turn. DD Ward starts at PH in a task force. There were no other US TF's anywhere near PH. I guess that my opponent thought that maybe the US carriers could charge into the area near PH. I don't know. I certainly wasn't going to do that. (I was allowed to move already formed task forces)

[apbarog]

8 Dec 41

BB Maryland, the most damaged battleship at PH, goes from 94 FLT and 25 FIRE to 94 FLT and 30 FIRE. I'm still hoping that it makes it, but it's not looking good. It is the only ship on fire, but there's nothing (that I know of) that I can do. If it doesn't survive at PH, it wouldn't have survived anywhere. Triage repairs start at PH on the other ships. Ones that can be fixed in under a month are in repairs. Battleships are in Pier mode to stabilize things and start bringing down the SYS damage.

KB, which struck PH from 3 hexes to the NNW, moves to a point 8 hexes NW of PH, and he does not strike PH again. This seems odd to me. He didn't stay close enough to do a full strike, and he didn't move 8 hexes to start to leave the area. I'm not sure what to make of that. Maybe he thought I might send out some surface ships trying to get lucky, so he moved out of the way but not too far to hit my task forces. Also, his tankers are between KB and Midway now.

I did form a bunch of task forces at PH, but everything ran due south, and at full speed. Undamaged DD's and CA's, minelayers, and minesweepers. All are tentatively headed to Christmas Island, where I will sort them out.

I flew off the fighters from Wake, and both of my carriers are headed south, then east, to eventually head back to the West Coast. I also moved a Catalina unit to Midway, and it is evacuating the Wake base force. It will help dig in at Midway.

Kaga is confirmed to be near Mindanao. Various AK's are sunk. There is still a thundering herd of ships fleeing the Phillipines, going 4 directions: east, hoping to thread the needle and go all the way to the Aleutians; east, hoping to evacuate Guam should he skip attacking it early; west, heading to the north side of Borneo; and southwest, moving south of Borneo. There was a surface group that intercepted an AKL leaving Davao. That group is not seen this turn.

I got intel that units are loaded and headed to Naga. I am sending a couple of Phillipine units there to greet them, hoping for a weak landing. PT boats from Manila will be waiting here and at Legaspi, as well as several S-boat subs.

Prince of Wales and Repulse successfully leave Singapore headed south, unseen. Lots of my shipping headed TO Singapore, hoping to pick up units. The first batch of 4 unrestricted units is leaving Singapore now. It appears that he did not see hardly any of the shipping at Singapore this turn. Buffaloes are flying CAP, for all the good that will do.

Japanese subs have some success, bagging several AK's and a whopping 3 minelaying ships.

Finally, he takes Kota Bharu.

[Speedysteve]

Good luck Apbarog!

I'll be checking in from time to time and will post when I can. You can reduce your screenshot size by prt-scn, go into paint, paste, click on select and just drag the box over the area you'd like to show them cut it, save and when you attach the jpg here it will b a smaller screen

[apbarog]

Thanks Speedy!

I should receive the next turn tomorrow. Looking forward to surviving the rest of the first week of the war.

[apbarog]

9 Dec 41 --- The Allies fight back and have some success.

In sub action, near Palmyra, I-20 launches 8 torpedoes at CV Enterprise...and miss. Dodge a bullet there. Near Nadi, I-10 sinks a small AKL with gunfire. Lots of ships unescorted to begin the game. That will be fixed as soon as possible, but lots of ships have to get to a safe port first. I-121 gets a shot at an AP near Singapore, and misses. Finally, well off the coast southwest of San Francisco, I-26 gets repeated attacks on unescorted huge AP Lurline, and sinks her.

For the Allies, SS Trout gets a shot at a destroyer near Laysan Island, south of Midway. It misses, but spots an AO in the task force. KB and oilers are retiring south of Midway, heading west or southwest.

The Japanese make landings at Nauru Island(captured), Manokwari on New Guinea, Laong and Vigan in the Phillipines, and on Guam. In the Phillipines, Zeros sweep Iba, knowing that there are fighters there, but find none. They are off flying 100 ft naval strike missions to Laong in the AM, and Vigan in the PM. The strikes are spectacularly successful, with no CAP found over the task forces.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Laoag at 81,72

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 24

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kurama Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Minazuki
xAK Matsukawa Maru, Shell hits 3, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Yuzan Maru, Bomb hits 1
DMS W-19
xAK Arizona Maru, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x P-40E Warhawk bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Massive explosion on xAKL Kurama Maru

***

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Vigan at 80,73

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 20

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Samidare
xAK Shinko Maru, Shell hits 2, Bomb hits 1
xAK Oigawa Maru
xAK Sanko Maru, Shell hits 3, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS W-12, Shell hits 6

Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x P-40E Warhawk bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

[apbarog]

Near Mindanao, CV Kaga and possibly a CVL find shipping fleeing the Phillipines. Several AP's and AK's are sunk. At Hong Kong, the first Japanese attack fails.

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20212 troops, 289 guns, 181 vehicles, Assault Value = 541

Defending force 7575 troops, 128 guns, 72 vehicles, Assault Value = 225

Japanese adjusted assault: 165

Allied adjusted defense: 493

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
927 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 127 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled

Allied ground losses:
371 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

[apbarog]

Well east of the Phillipines, a suspected CVE is hunting ships fleeing to the east. Kaga and probably a CVL are approaching Davao, along with a probable invasion force. Ships fleeing southwest past Jolo have, so far, been escaping successfully. North of Borneo, enemy task forces are approaching Miri/Brunei. A bunch of Allied shipping was fleeing this direction too. I will have to redirect some of these task forces. Miri should be mined before the enemy arrives.

[apbarog]

On Malaysia, lots of unrestricted ground units heading for Singapore. I will evacuate as much as my opponent allows. Lots of shipping heading to Singapore from the south.

[apbarog]

BB Maryland situation continues to get worse. SYS damage has been 43 to 47 to 49, with FIRE increasing 25 to 30 to 35. It has been disbanded in port all along, and has been the only ship burning for 2 turns. Is there anything I can do to help put the fires out? My only idea is to put it in a task force with a few DD's, hoping that they help in fire fighting. The question is, does this help more than what the port is already doing?