An Idiots Guide To Losing Your CV's Before 1942: WiTP:AE KyzBP vs UCG

[KyzBP]

Too bad Geek's AAR sea to have stopped.

His turns are coming back slow as well.  I think Rimworld has a hold on him for now.  This game is a marathon.  There's bound to be lulls.

[Staggerwing]

Not to mention he may be a bit busy with another game he just purchased- Restaurant Manager Pro..

[JasonPratt]

I'm okay with just one side to the AARs, if UGeek is busy. Keeps some mystery in what the other guy is doing.

[KyzBP]

I talked to Geek this morning and it is indeed the Restaurant Pro game that's got him distracted.  I can certainly cut him some slack for that.

[jomni]

I'm okay with just one side to the AARs, if UGeek is busy. Keeps some mystery in what the other guy is doing.

But I want to see his reaction on that Monkey expedition.

[JasonPratt]

Me, too! Fortunately he posted a new entry himself yesterday. Though I'm not going to say here whether he shows any sign of knowing what's transpiring up north or not. ;)

[KyzBP]

Now that school is back in session for the kids the WiTP computer is in constant use.  Our file swapping has turned into a trickle on both ends.

January 9th-10th, 1942

The task force I sent from Brisbane/Sydney finally arrived to break the blockade at Ambon.

I think we gave a bit better than we got in round 1.

In Round 2 we managed to engage the invasion fleet.

Unfortunately we engaged them a day too late.  All those Aks were empty.

And finally, after all the effort that was spent on holding Ambon and saving the DDs that were in repair, this is the end result:

All the DDs(7) in port were scuttled.  This could have been avoided if I would have figured out sooner how to get ships out of repair.  The loss of those DDs will haunt me I'm sure.
Now Geek can start getting ready for a Northern Australia invasion if he so chooses.  He's almost done with Java and the Celebes.  Timor will fall fast.  The new push is to prepare Northern Australia.


But wait! There's more!  If you act now we'll throw in Invasion Philippines absolutely free!  You just pay extra shipping and handling.  See, free!

I made a big miscalculation by switching the P-35s to CAP in anticipation of another unescorted bomber group passing by.  While those P-35s were hanging around at 12,000 ft, Their bread and butter moved into Philippine waters.

Some Seagulls gave it a shot but compared to the P-35s they're the Freshmen team of Anti Ship Warfare.  I guarantee the 35's would've of taken a few of those ships out.

I've unleashed all of the subs left in Manila and the P.T. Boats are making their way North to interrupt the invasion. 

The P-35s are set back to Naval Attack.  The ground forces continue to prepare defenses.  The best we can hope for is to drain as much manpower from Geek as possible.  He seems to have an endless supply of troops though.

This is why I need to try Arctic Monkey:

His CVs roam freely through the South Pacific, blowing up my troop transports for sport.  My choices are to wait him out (I'm too impatient for that), take him on head on (suicide unless I send those fighter only CV's in first and then follow up with bomber equipped CV's once his fighters are attritted), or make him move.  I think option 3 is my best, safest choice.  Thus, The Monkey.

Now, there may be a delay with Arctic Monkey.  Half of the Infantry units set aside for this are under West Coast command.  I need to switch their command to Pacific or North Pacific.  That costs Political Points.  I don't have a ton of Political Points.  I could try to replace those units with others but most of the movable units are under commands in the South Pacific.  I'm going to reevaluate this next turn.  Also, I'm pretty sure he spotted my CVs headed for Seattle.  There's a sub that popped up near the mouth of the Sound.  I'm hoping he just thinks I'm spreading out my repairs or something.  I have to clear the area of ALL subs before I move the invasion force or the CV's.  A single lost AP could end the invasion. 

There are other things going on, and I'll touch on them when I get a chance but I just wanted to cover the big things for now.

[JasonPratt]

  Just wanted to encourage you to keep going. 

[KyzBP]

Just wanted to encourage you to keep going. 

Thanks Jason!  We're trying.

[Sir Slash]

Congrats on the first Allied naval victory of the war-- I think it was the first. Certainly the first Dutch naval victory in what, 200 years? Anyway the Geekster's gotta be going Artic Monkey Shit trying to figure out where your CV's are at. West coast... sure but why aren't they in the middle of the Pacific throwing themselves in front of my invasions and where my long range recon air and subs can find them, he's probably wondering. The same thing Sauron was asking himself, "Where the hell are they hiding that damned ring at" until it turned up right behind him. I bet you got him in Nipponese frenzy right now. Probably can't sleep at night.

[jomni]

Monkey got frozen?

So has this game suffered the fate of most WITP games?

[KyzBP]

Monkey got frozen?

So has this game suffered the fate of most WITP games?

No, the game is still going, albeit slowly.  Geek and I both have outside commitments that are sucking up gaming time.  My part of the AAR has slowed down because the kids are back in school and the computer that can run WiTP is constantly in use for homework.  I promise I'll update this soon.

[KyzBP]

Just when you thought it was safe to give up hope on this thread, I return with an update.  :)

January 10th/11th, 1942.

It was a P.T. Boat kind of day.  Some good news, and of course, some bad.  One of the bad first.

Geek managed to catch my P.T. Boats near Salajar.


It didn't end well.


But the P.T. Boats in the Philippines were facing the real test.


They managed to get some hits in on the AK's before being chased off by the escort ships.  Luckily we managed to escape before taking any hits.

Geek still managed to land a sizable force.  I really think not having those P-35's set to Naval Attack is going to cost me more than I originally thought.  If I could've taken out some of his troops while they were still aboard the transports, then I may have been able to delay his timetable a bit.  I only hope by not attacking the Philippines in December, he gave me time to better fortify.

Over near Port Moresby the Banshee squadron continues to harass Geek's shipping and troop movement.


They were at it again the next day:

I'm not sure why he doesn't have CAP over this area yet but, given the success of the Banshees, I expect it soon.
I was hoping the Banshees would've went after the troop transports to the Southwest.  Maybe next turn.

Our sub forces around Truk are starting to notch victories.

The big problem though, is the amount of ordinance that my subs spend to get hits on ANY ship.  Any given SS will fully expend it torpedo supply because the torps are usually duds or the just flat out miss.  The subs then surface to use deck guns, which work fine except the subs are then vulnerable to return fire.  After one encounter the sub usually has to return to port for refit and repair.

Sabang continues to hold out.

The brief bombardment of his troops here may have disrupted him and bought me some time.  I still can't figure out why the fighters based here won't attack his ground forces.  It's about the only support I can provide to the troops here.  Port Blair's airfield isn't big enough to handle bombers yet and the waters around Sabang aren't safe.
I had an armor battalion headed for Sabang but I've had to redirect it to land farther to the Southwest.  It will have to bust a$$ north if it wants to join the party before it's over.

I've decided to use Baker Island as a spot to use as a "Troop Sink" for him.  I will give it no rest and force him to continually have to reinforce and replenish the island.
I'll start with a little bombardment:

It's not much but it may grab his attention.  I'm tempted to bring the other CV's (the ones with all the bombers) and do a hit and run on the island and the shipping in the area.  I have enough PBY's to let me know if his carriers start heading that way.  It may also pull them out of the area a bit if he decides to give chase.  I think I just talked myself into it. ;)

More to come.

[JasonPratt]

Baker Island shall be renamed in the local tongue: The Place Where UGeek's Troops Go To Die.  O0

[KyzBP]

January 11, 1942

As a guy I used to coach football(American) with would always say "Some days you eat the bear..."

Both confidence and desperation were high today, if that's possible.

We start with a raid on the landings on the west side of Java.

A small force of Light Cruisers and Destroyers meet the Geekanese transports.


Results of Round 1:



Finishing off the stragglers:



Round 2:


The raid went much better than expected.  Allied ships returned to port with minimal damage.  Sadly, the raid did nothing to deter Geek from continuing his invasion of Java.  It will be about a week before he has conquered it and begins having his way with the local women.

Dutch subs continue trying to contribute:

I only wish I had more of these guys.  Their torps seem to actually explode (I know you can hear me American torpedo makers).

As you know Ambon now belongs to Geek but I was able to exact a bit of revenge:


Geek sends more Raiders into the waters near Hawaii:

I'm still not exactly sure of his intent here. Is he simply sending expendable ships into the convoy lanes or is he probing in order to enact something much larger and more sinister?  Either way, these guys aren't long for this world.

Some Zeroes and Betties were sent to get revenge on the task force that hit the landings on Java.

It didn't go so well.

The Allied air forces in China went a' bombing:

This is nothing more than harassment.  I don't think I'm really accomplishing anything here.

Geek managed to capture Taiping and Changsha in China and Iba in the Philippines.  Even with isolated victories, the war is not going well for the Allies.  Geek seems head for Port Moresby and then, probably, Australia.  Arctic Monkey is now a priority.  We have to give him something else to think about other than Australia. All troops that were scheduled for islands in the South Pacific are returning their sunscreen and being issued hand warmers.  These guys are already attached to HQ's that'll allow me to transport them.  The units currently slated for Arctic Monkey will be changed to the South Pacific as soon as I have enough Political Points.  Hold on tight boys, it's about to get interesting.