Mushrooms over Maizuru: Chickenboy (J) vs. AcePylut (A)

[rustysi]

I don't think ChickenBoy was kidding around about Noumea

Yeah, he really jumped big.

Eh, at least he's burning a lot of fuel.[:D]

[AcePylut]

Got another turn in last night.

The KB and associated parts moved about 4 hexes NE of Noumea. The Mini-KB disappeared. She overran 2 subs guarding the various straights off of GiliGili, but nothing happened.

Canton underwent another attack, the end is close for my troops. Maybe 1 or 2 more attacks should finish them off.

In “fun” stuff… the PG Isabel, fleeing Manila, is about 2 hexes out from the French Frigate Shoals. This islet/atoll, btw, is in airfield building mode and currently stands at 26% completion. This is needed, imho, to shuttle short range planes to Midway and back.

The Japanese transport fleet is still chilling at Nauru, my (4) DD’s are 1.25 days out from an intercept.

If you recall, I pulled the HQn Eastern Fleet unit out of Columbo. It’s 1 day away from Perth. Also, the Brit 18th Division is in Oz right now. About 10 Brit air groups are about 5 days out from Oz. Another 10 US air groups are about 2 weeks away from Oz. This should complete all the necessary “units” I feel are needed in Oz, for the time being. I should be able to hold against any thrust into Perth or NE Oz with what I now have in oz. Darwin, of course, is another story.

[AcePylut]

Speaking of repeat patterns..

Since my cap trap over Wenchow, every 2nd day, the BB Haruna, CL Jintsu, and DD Yanaji have been bombarding Wenchow. It may be a repeat patter, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

Also speaking of repeat patters, the 13th Burma Rifles Btn is on the rail SE of Chaing Mau (sp) – the base in Thailand a couple hexes or so east of Pegu. The last couple of turns it’s been bombed by air. I setup a LRCAP of Buffs in Rangoon, and this turn CB swept it with Oscars at 25k feet. Only 2 of my Buffs were on Cap, one of them died. CB is on to it – and I’ll have to adjust tactics in China.

In China, CB also changed tactics this turn by changing all of his bomber targets, instead of staying with the same 3-4 targets every turn. He also swept Kweilin with 30+ Oscars (he must have figured out where my LRCAP of Canton was based from)… so tomorrow, I’m expecting a heavy assault on Kweilin’s airfield. I’ll move my AVG group stationed there to somewhere else.

I’ll also change my AVG from what has been primarily LRCAP missions, into sweep missions, and try and target some of his likely cities to be capped.

In today’s “oh crap” version of the news – last turn, the KB was 4 hexes NE of Noumea. This turn, CB changed course and sped south. She ended up a few hexes S-SE of Norfolk Island, just in range to launch a strike against my Ozzie Cav Regiment transport fleet. Dangit everything in my gut said take this unit to Norfolk Island despite all the reasons for Suva – and I changed course to head to Suva, which put my fleet right in the KB’s firing line. Fortunately, however, a strike of around 70 Vals/Kates only managed to sink 3 transports. 2 more will sink in the next turn. 2 transports are partially damaged. 4 transports weren’t even touched. I will full speed what I can to Norfolk Island in hopes of unloading some of the troops before CB’s follow up strikes tomorrow sinks the rest of the fleet. A mouseover of the fleet shows approximately 300 aircraft, so yeah this is the KB. I do not have any other fleets threatened by the present location of the KB. I do have some tankers that will be in danger in two turns, if CB moves East with Extreme Prejudice… so I will turn them around and move away. Better safe than sorry, and if the fuel takes an extra week to get to Oz, that’s no big deal.

[rustysi]

Better safe than sorry

just in range to launch a strike against my Ozzie Cav Regiment transport fleet. Dangit everything in my gut said take this unit to Norfolk Island despite all the reasons for Suva

Always give a wide berth in any area where the KB could even remotely be found. IOW loop around in every instance, the extra day's transport may save much.

[AcePylut]

Another turn in the books:

As expected, the KB finishes off the transport fleet. Luckily, before my remaining 5 transports were sunk, they were able to make a full speed run to Norfolk and drop off the remaining soldiers of the Ozzie Cav Regiment. I think something like 40AV got ashore. KB ends up 1 hex West of Norfolk Island.

In Malaysia, Johore Bahru falls to an assault, because I had nothing there. As of now, I await the river crossing. Unless CB waits to exhaust all of Singapore's supply and then disrupt all my soldiers, as soon as I see movement dots indicating a river crossing, I'll change out Percival to a decent commander. The following units were noted:

143rd Infantry Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
112th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Division
55th Engineer Regiment
18th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
44th Field AA Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
25th Army
Southern Army
18th JAAF Base Force


In China, Canton holds against another assault. Odds were 11-1 in Japans favor. If CB hadn't cut off my units, they'd have retreated a long time ago.


In the nexus between San Deigo and the off-map hex to Panama Canal, a Japanese submarine took up position (not spotted by my search, asw, or patrol craft patrolling these hexes) and put a torp into the AP US Grant. She's afloat and will make it to San Deigo for repairs.


In good news that alleviates the loss of my xport fleet at Norfolk, my 4 DD's ordered to Nauru Island intercepted a Japanese fleet at said island... and sank all of them

[Anachro]

Nice to save the AV. At least you won't have to spend PP to rebuild the troops if you so wished. As in my game, I find early on aggressive Japanese players leave a lot of transports hanging at the various dot bases in the south and central Pacific. Keep up the good fight and sink the KB before June '42!

[AcePylut]

I'm trying - been hitting a few here and there.

Another turn came in - the KB moved 6 hexes NE of Norfolk Island. She launched an attack that sunk my AVD. Also, some BB's were detached from the KB and bombarded the island.

Large number of enemy fleets were spotted heading to the Balikpapan area. Dutchie bombers were dispatched to intercept and destroy the evil Japanese.


Not much else happened this turn.... except for this minor victory:

These two subs got tagged pretty hard at Manila. On this turn, they finally arrived at Darwin for repairs. The SS Pike, during it's transit, added about 20 flotation damage, and I wasn't sure it would make it. Happy to say, it did. Now I just hope it gets patched up enough to get to away once the enemy puts planes in range of it.

[AcePylut]

Next turn... Ternate was invaded, she'll fall tomorrow.

Other than that - the usual bombings of Manila, Singapore, and various Chinese units.

KB is out of sight, I have a unit almost at Tebiteuea, so I'm reworking my search arcs, and might have to pull the transport fleet back, depending on what my search discovers.

[Mark VII]

That is a very large IJA force. Is it worth the PP's changing the leader to save Singers another day or two or three? And who ever you put in command will be lost for the rest of the war. Something to consider.

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

In Malaysia, Johore Bahru falls to an assault, because I had nothing there. As of now, I await the river crossing. Unless CB waits to exhaust all of Singapore's supply and then disrupt all my soldiers, as soon as I see movement dots indicating a river crossing, I'll change out Percival to a decent commander. The following units were noted:

143rd Infantry Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
112th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
56th Division
55th Engineer Regiment
18th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
4th Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd Division
55th Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
44th Field AA Battalion
36th Field AA Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
25th Army
Southern Army
18th JAAF Base Force

[AcePylut]

And a little fun pixie dust for the masses.

Today, a fully fueled and fully armed sctf of 4 CA, 4 CL, and 7 DD left Perth and is headed towards the DEI.

It is being followed by a smaller sctf of 2 CL and 6 DD.

Which, in turn, is being followed by a pair of Air Combat tf’s... one of which is centered around the Lexington and Enterprise, the other is built around the CVL Hermes.

They will drive into the DEI and disband at some garbage island. All my Dutchie bombers will change missions from ‘random naval attack’ to dedicated search. All my floatplanes will be on search.

As soon as I spot a semi-large invasion fleet headed to a locale that is sufficiently far enough from IJ LvL 3 airfields, I will order an attack. If a favorable opportunity does not present itself, these ships will depart the DEI and I will concede trying to contest anything there.

[rustysi]

That is a very large IJA force. Is it worth the PP's changing the leader to save Singers another day or two or three? And who ever you put in command will be lost for the rest of the war. Something to consider.

Same feelings, but...

[Bullwinkle58]

I think Percival replacement is 150 PP? Memory.

I did it in one PBEM and think it's a bad move on balance. If you have Forts 5 or 6 and a high Admin CO can buy you some replacements because you have 80k supplies, then yeah. Time gained is time gained. But the 150 would go better toward buying out a US Army ID.

[AcePylut]

A lot depends on what CB does. If he bombs Singapore until the supplies are gone, I won't spend the PP because I doubt I'd survive the river crossing against all that. If he assaults while I still have a decent fighting force, I'll change him out to do as much damage/disruption to the IJ during the river crossing, then change back for the rest of the siege. That's my best hope for delaying the fall of Singapore.

Against a usual sized Singapore assault - changing out the leader can make a huge difference. At least two weeks if not more. It's not just in repelling the first assault, but it's the amount of disruption the IJ suffers during that assault. The more disruption, the longer it takes to recover which means the longer the British flag still flies... but this isn't any "usual" sized force... so we'll see. It's a fluid situation for a singular approach.

[AcePylut]

Honestly I think CB is going to bomb until he sees I'm out of supply. In that situation, no need to change Percival.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut


A lot depends on what CB does. If he bombs Singapore until the supplies are gone, I won't spend the PP because I doubt I'd survive the river crossing against all that. If he assaults while I still have a decent fighting force, I'll change him out to do as much damage/disruption to the IJ during the river crossing, then change back for the rest of the siege. That's my best hope for delaying the fall of Singapore.

Against a usual sized Singapore assault - changing out the leader can make a huge difference. At least two weeks if not more. It's not just in repelling the first assault, but it's the amount of disruption the IJ suffers during that assault. The more disruption, the longer it takes to recover which means the longer the British flag still flies... but this isn't any "usual" sized force... so we'll see. It's a fluid situation for a singular approach.

I always focus on fort building at Singers and PBEM players always try to stop it. He'll bomb for that reason, not to take you out of supply. I've never had the base fall where I didn't still have five-figures of supply. I usually get some in from Pbang.

I think you overestimate what a leader can do for you. Two weeks is wildly optimistic. The IJA assaulting have sky-high EXP and morale, and are impeccably led themselves. They don't need weeks to recover from the initial Shock attack. A replacement leader with high Admin can pull come devices in faster, but really the main variable for AV is how much you successfully retreated.

It's important to remember that the war won't be won or lost in Malaysia. It will be won or lost by the US. Getting those restricted IDs released is critical to a 1942 effort of any kind.

[Encircled]

Regarding the disbanding at a dot base plan, no arguments that its a good idea but a sneaky Japanese player can sometimes spot those things before they disband and then bomb or recon the port.

I'd be surprised if you don't give up some SIGNIT info as well.

[AcePylut]

FowlMan has some company in town and he's playing tour guide... no turn until tomorrow at the earliest.

I'll post what I have at Singapore and see what you think about it's ability to withstand. Off hand, I think I have upwards of 800-900 raw AV. I'll have to check their guns and arty. The more I think about it - CB's got the rough equivalent of 5.5-6 divisions crossing the river. That's a heck of a lot more than I've experienced in the past, so there is a lot of merit in saving the PP in not changing out Percival.

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Regarding the disbanding at a dot base plan, no arguments that its a good idea but a sneaky Japanese player can sometimes spot those things before they disband and then bomb or recon the port.

I'd be surprised if you don't give up some SIGNIT info as well.

To account for this, I keep a good eye on the replay to see if any of my ships are spotted. I also check their DL every turn.

IIRC - if the enemy catches wind of "radio transmissions" I believe, I think, but I'm probably wrong, that the TF will show a DL.

Also, to prevent a disaster - I'll spread the ships out among 3-4-5 bases when disbanded...

Further, I've got a number of B-17 squadrons and Cat squads in Oz. They will move up into the Southern DEI to augment search. The key is to avoid any surprise appearances.

[Encircled]

Sounds like a plan!

[rustysi]

It's important to remember that the war won't be won or lost in Malaysia. It will be won or lost by the US. Getting those restricted IDs released is critical to a 1942 effort of any kind.

I couldn't agree more. Again I say, don't squander PP's.

I'd be surprised if you don't give up some SIGNIT info as well.

Japanese SIGNIT is next to useless. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Also, to prevent a disaster - I'll spread the ships out among 3-4-5 bases when disbanded...

I have some issues with 'hiding' at DOT Bases. As I've said you can't hide the Yamato behind a palm tree.

That said though, a relatively small vessel or two is fine.

[Encircled]

Japanese SIGNIT is next to useless. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

If you get two good hits that show a route being taken by a convoy or a USN task force over two days it can be very useful, especially 1941-42

But yes, the SIGNIT is nowhere near as good as the allied one