RADM Yamaguchi's Diary (Pls no affins or cheesesteak)

[Bif1961]

Track his loses pf large TKs and AOs, when he starts his counter attack and drives further away from his centers of supplies he will need these to feed his fleet. Sink many of them early will hamper his ability to move quickly and deeply because of lack of fuel supplies forward.

[inqistor]

KB starts with 80exp pilots, so no change here

You should work now on your pilots training. The most important goal is to secure Burma, so supply don't flow into China.
Generally you have to prepare counterattack, to strike Allies, when they try to make some initial landing, when you still have advantage. Aleutians are frequent first target, but you have Fiji, so that is also possible. You should try to destroy large LCUs, especially non Chinese, and non US, as that other have low replacement rate.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Track his loses pf large TKs and AOs, when he starts his counter attack and drives further away from his centers of supplies he will need these to feed his fleet. Sink many of them early will hamper his ability to move quickly and deeply because of lack of fuel supplies forward.

Thanks for the advice. I haven't done very well in that regard. I've only sunk 4 AOs and 8 TKs. I haven't figured out yet where i might have better luck finding them. I thought i would see a few going to australia because i have all those islands with search planes but not much so far.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: inqistor

KB starts with 80exp pilots, so no change here

You should work now on your pilots training. The most important goal is to secure Burma, so supply don't flow into China.
Generally you have to prepare counterattack, to strike Allies, when they try to make some initial landing, when you still have advantage. Aleutians are frequent first target, but you have Fiji, so that is also possible. You should try to destroy large LCUs, especially non Chinese, and non US, as that other have low replacement rate.

This is the current picture in Burma. Do you think the supply flow is cut?

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: inqistor

KB starts with 80exp pilots, so no change here

You should work now on your pilots training. The most important goal is to secure Burma, so supply don't flow into China.
Generally you have to prepare counterattack, to strike Allies, when they try to make some initial landing, when you still have advantage. Aleutians are frequent first target, but you have Fiji, so that is also possible. You should try to destroy large LCUs, especially non Chinese, and non US, as that other have low replacement rate.

I was trying to prepare the aluetians. a division, brigade and more at adak. snlfs elsewhere. Building up a 5th fleet around CAs,DDs. How much is enough?

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 19, 42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Derby at 64,127, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Hagi
APD Hishu, Shell hits 2
APD Kiku, Shell hits 1
APD Tade, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Tsuta, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Java
DD Banckert
DD Van Nes
DD Witte de With
DD Evertsen

Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
I was trying to take the rest of N. Australia and got surprised. I'll miss those APDs

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Ground combat at Sinyang (86,48)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 745 troops, 93 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2370

Defending force 57171 troops, 417 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1467

Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
138th Infantry Regiment
61st Infantry Brigade
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
34th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Tank Regiment
13th Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
12th RGC Ind. Brigade
116th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
7th RGC Temp. Division
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
13th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
7th Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
31st Group Army
3rd Group Army
2nd Group Army
21st Group Army
7th New Chinese Corps
i'm not very good at china. I'd like to Sinyang out of the way to have the rail line open to reorganize. Any ideas here?

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

China situation

[inqistor]

I think supply still flows from Myitkyina to Paoshan. Not much, but if he planned right, he can push some through the jungle.

When he strikes at Aleutians, he will bring all CVs, so your only possible answer is KB. You need 1-2 Divisions for quick counter landing, and possibly some mobile Brigade to airlift. But when he come, he will take some of those empty Bases. You need to get all green dots first, there could be troops already there expanding them. Don't keep your fleet at front. Alpha Strike will sink them, before you know he is coming.
Just observe which Bases he recon.

In China, don't fight in difficult terrain, just leave there enough forces to blockade. There are enough Bases in clear terrain to take.
I see lots of warnings in east China. Lack of garrison? Anyway, take whole coast, there are some serious supply production there. And city is on the coast, great spot for BB gunnery training.

[Bif1961]

The ability of TK and AO convoy hunting is helped by your float plane carrying subs along his suspected convoy routes to NZ-OZ. Once you have figured out where those routes are then you can send in a portion of the KB to raid those lines of supply and sink his tankers at sea.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

The ability of TK and AO convoy hunting is helped by your float plane carrying subs along his suspected convoy routes to NZ-OZ. Once you have figured out where those routes are then you can send in a portion of the KB to raid those lines of supply and sink his tankers at sea.

Thanks Bif. I'll try.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

the last few turns have been frustrating.

not much progress in china, lost some APDs trying to take Port Hedland in N australia and Canton Is. in the central pacific. Had some big allied troops sort of trapped near rangoon but it looks like they will escape. Still cleaning up the last troops in Java, major landings cairns and cooktown. lots of forts and defensive preparations made in Fiji, Noumea, Rabaul, Marshalls, and Aluetians.

time has been really tight but should do a full update tomorrow or next.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Well it's March 31st, 1942. The last day of the amphibious bonus. It appears that most of the areas that i wanted to take early have been taken. I have lost a CS, 7 DDs, 3 TBs, 9 APDs, 5 SSs. Could have been worse. Could have been better. Fog of war tainted numbers for the allied losses: 3 BBs, 4 CAs, 14 CLs, 23 DDs, 19 SSs. Ok. I've lost a lot of Sallys. The allies have not lost a lot of planes. I feel like i need a lot of help in China. I'm not sure how much to devote. I'd really like to take out singyang but i think i farted around way too much. I have my Rufes now. Nicks should be ready in 4 days. Tojo IIa s in 20 days. And A6M5c in early June. I'll show the maps next with China last....the way i always treat it.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

This is what the Aluetians look like as of 3/31/42. Not sure if i should push farther or just dig in.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

This is what Fiji, Tonga, Somoa looks like as of 3/31/42. I'm not sure if i should pursue Pago Pago. They've had time to build it up and fortify it.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Here are Lord Howe - Norfolk - Raoul islands as of 3/31/42. I've got float planes trying to keep an eye out for convoys but hasn't really resulted in anything significant yet. I've got rufes deployed to fight of b-17s somewhat. Should i build them up and base nells?

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Eastern Australia as of 3/31/42. I've got quite a few divisions driving south. I'd like to pick up Brisbane. Not sure.

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Northern Australia as of 3/31/42. I'd like to complete this and think about Perth?

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Here's Burma area as of 3/31/42. I've got 2 armys here. Too Much? Not Enough? How far should i push?

[Markko]

Hello Admiral,

Just thought I'd say hello and let you know you haven't been talking to yourself. I'm just getting back in to wit-pae after awhile, and since I'm trying the Japanese side against the AI, reading a Japan player AAR might be a decent thought. So, not a whole lot to offer in terms of advice, as I'm just relearning a few things I (maybe) used to know.

Interesting situation, with the US CVs going to the 'other' side of Oz. I don't know how common that is in PBEM. I've thought about it in games against the AI, but it always seemed risky. Did the LBA ever get a shot at them? Curious as making the run through the strait at Horn Is seems awfully risky? But that means that the only response to a Japan move between Australia and the Aleutians would be a run all the way back via Perth? Unless LBA doesn't bother them and they can take the shortcut?

So, I was thinking about what could be hit on the other side of Oz while they were gone. I'd just watched the (old) movie Midway, so "Point AF" was what came to my mind. But Auckland fits as well. Although, you might want to have a morale officer advise the CV crews that if they want to make a port call, Fiji might be a nicer vacation spot than Auckland. A few pictures of friendly islander girls should do the trick! Did those CV crews get back alive from their past vacation?

Thanks for writing this! It makes a nice read while I'm working my way through the Japan set-up spreadsheet.

[inqistor]

Digging in won't help you much, if there are empty Bases nearby. Allies just can grab them for free. But with control of the seas, you can bombard such landing to dust. You can also make it with Pago-Pago.

Take care in Australia, don't cross the-line-of-death.

In Burma push as far as you can, so enemy would have to reconquer more. Land somewhere behind Akyab, and trap his forces. I'm firm believer, that you can catch Allies in Burma trap: letting his large counterattacking forces into plains around Mandalay, and then surrounding them, and defeating.

Get ready to beat back Allies first counter-invasion. You won't have many chances, before parity in CVs. And get all those green dots! They are free intelligence for enemy!