But it's the Axis who were mostly on drugs, not the Allies!

:har:

My knee really, really hurts. Please don't make me laugh because If I Roll On The Floor Laughing I won't be able to get back up again. :rotfl2: I have what is called Bursitis which is what you get for overusing the leg press machine when you haven't really used it for a couple of months. It's Latin for 'Idiot showing off to himself'.

I'll be fine in a few days I hope. It won't last though; since last October I've twisted my ankle during the snow at Christmas time and hurt my other knee by tripping over a blanket whilst clearing some junk out of our bedroom. My knees and ankles are pretty much knackered as a result of a youth spent skateboarding so I'm basically reaping what I sowed.

During my last course of Tramadol about 4 years ago I spent an entire afternoon just staring at the same web page because I was too wurzled to move the mouse. This may lengthen my turns somewhat.

This sure made me laugh, sorry :haha:

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/i...000/k02924.jpg

"Dude...that plane...is like a little dot...but through these it's so big..."
"Sir...isn't that a Zero?"
"So far...and yet so close I could touch it...and it's like hovering there..."
"Sir...should we go to action stations?"
"Wait...waaaait...wait...it's like...so far away, but is it close?"

31st Dec 41

PI

Japanese troops bombard Clark Field. This is more likely an attempt to determine my AV strength than any precursor to an attack. I have 521 AV here behind 3.16 forts against 344 AV. He's going to need more troops and probably some engineers.

To the south, on Mindanao he attacks Cagayan. My 125 AV against 43 so I'm confident the base will hold a little longer. I don't think he has too many troops on the island and those he does have are the other side of the central mountains so it will take them a while to arrive.

A Battalion of Philippines infantry retake Cotobato which he had left vacant after landing here. That'll learn him!

Borneo

Quiet for the first time in a week. Juha continues his attempts to take Tarakan but the small force here are no pushovers. The coastal defence artillery put shells into another steamer. Several escort ships fire back but the port is still mine.

Aircraft out of Miri fly across central Borneo and bomb the airfield at Balikpapen. The currently useless Vildebeast squadron have two aircraft destroyed on the ground. They transfer back to Soerabaja later that day.

Celebes Sea

Manado is still holding out but Ternate falls. There was nothing but a small base force here anyway.

Malaya

Kuala Lumpar falls. I only had a single battalion here so the city's demise is hardly a surprise. The battalion will move down to the next base and set up defenses there. The more bases he takes, the faster he can move his troops south by using the railroads. Troops on trains are far more vulnerable to air attack that at any other time so I'll be concentrating by bombing on units I see moving along those thick black lines.

Burma

A small supply convoy is unloading at Rangoon. If I have time - and I think I do - I'll get a larger one prepared. I have to be careful with my choice of ships as the larger steamers cannot navigate the river into the city. I'm planning to use xAKL for this operation anyway as I'm not overly bothered about the prospect of losing them.

A flight of KI-30 Anns is ambushed by fighters south of Rangoon. My boys shoot down 8 and damage another for no losses. A good days work.

CenPac

I-126 is still haunting the waters north of Pearl. She's stuck herself right on the convoy route to the west coast. So far she has shown herself to be as useless as my boats but it's only a matter of time until she gets lucky. Several ASW task forces are taking it in turns to steam around in little circles without doing anything useful.

The codebreaker boys at Pearl actually got their hands on some useful information today:

This is the first indication I've had that he is planning an attack here. The island is at three forts and I've bought out an infantry battalion on the west coast for use here. It's not much but I want to add a further base unit to increase the amount of aircraft I can fly from here so space is at a premium.

I assume there are more units than just this one prepping. On it's own it wouldn't stand a chance. Of course, It could also be that this is just a leftover from a scrubbed operation and this unit will be somewhere else. I'll keep an eye out.

Christmas island is building up nicely now. I've paid the PP cost for the 2nd Marine regiment in SF and they, along with a Marine raider battalion and some flak units will be the next ones sent out here.

Coming attractions

HMAS Nizzam arrives at Aden tomorrow with several other Australian destroyers. She was a legend in my last game; over a period of a year or so she single handedly sank 9 Japanese submarines. I'm hoping she can do the same again given the opportunity.

And the last minutes of 1941 tick away. I wonder what the New Year will bring?

:D

I've refrained from sending the Enterprise to get me some munchies. You know, some of those little pacific atolls would make a fine place for watching the sunset. Just imagine all those beautiful colours, maan.....

WOOFWOOFWOOF...That's my other dog impression. :|\\

I think I'll have to watch Kelly's Heroes tonight and take notes.

Happy New Year! :woot:

1st Jan 1942

CenPac.

A task force containing several cruisers appears out of nowhere and sinks the supply ship and her escort at Wake. Just after dawn a raid of Nells from a base on one of the atolls to the south bombs the airfield.

Here's the thing: the first thing i look at after watching the combat replay and loading up the turn is Wake - no sign of any IJN ships in the area at all...:hmmm:

Could simply be a raid but I don't think so. The attempt to bomb the airstrip points to a probable assault and he's trying to neutralize the Marine wildcats stationed here. Patrol Aircraft at Midway, Pearl, Canton and Johnston are alerted and vectored to the area his ships will have to pass through if they are planning to get up to more mischief. Lexington and Enterprise are ordered to head towards Johnston where they will hold until I know better what's going on.

I've several convoys in the area (two outbound to Sydney and one inbound from same,) and raiders are not welcome. The two southbound convoys are ordered to move towards Christmas island which will add a day or two onto their journey but hopefully keep them safe. The northbound one should come under the protection on land based air and the carriers by tomorrow.

Borneo

Tarakan falls but not before the guns of the CD unit put big holes in some more of Juha's transports. I doubt any will sink but I bet it's been far more costly than he expected.

DEI

Ladies and gentleman, May I present to you the one and only BABY KB!

She appeared about 120 miles north west of Sorong and is on a southerly course. Every patrol aircraft I have in the vicinity is ordered to shadow her to make sure there's really a light carrier there and not simply a float plane carrier. Naval wise, she is 40 miles north of two subs returning to Brisbane with damage. Several other boats will move in to new positions too. All shipping at Soerabaja is making way for Perth. Force Z will head that way too, for the time being. All three Vildebeasts squadrons are readying themselves. They haven't sortied once against the numerous targets with range of them and I'm pretty annoyed about that. They have a chance to redeem themselves....I expect great things.

PI

Another 200AV of troops arrived at Clark and joined in the attack. The base held OK and every day I hold on and every casualty I inflict here is a bonus.

Sub War

I cannot believe how lousy they've been. The only good thing is Juha's boats have been pretty toothless too. Even my normally reliable Dutch boats have been missing. Hopefully, when the bulk of the boats have new skippers things will improve - but that's costs political points and they're as rare as hens teeth. I need to find enough to replace Kimmel with Nimitz as commander of the Pacific fleet but that will have to wait just now.

Thoughts

He's left it late to send the baby KB out. There's virtually no shipping in the DEI. He could be coming to Darwin. I'll start evacuating ships next turn. Should have done it this turn but my brain is mush. My big worry here is the troop convoy carrying the Australian brigades should arrive tomorrow.....

The Wake raid was unexpected. Is it possible it's a decoy and the Japanese deathstar is prowling around hoping to catch my carriers by surprise? The 140 PP I spent on releasing that infantry battalion now looks a bit of a waste. Shame, I could have used those points.

http://www.danavenell.com/ODDBALLSAYSsilkscreen.jpg

;)

I'm kinda surprised Juha didn't land at Tandjonengselor and march overland on Tarakan. A bit time consuming, but a lot less costly in ships than landing directly at Tarakan and getting your transports chewed up by coastal defence guns. Historically, the Japanese avoided directly amphibious assaults in favor of landing on some deserted beach or port near their objective and marching overland. The whole Malaysian campaign being a grand example.

http://pyxis.homestead.com/Tarakan.jpg

Well, so far he's avoided the death traps created by the big guns at Manila and Singapore which often catch less experienced Japan players. At Tarakan I reckon he's lost three transports with perhaps another three or four damaged to greater or lesser degrees, which is a great showing from the small garrison I had there. Batavia and Soerabaja both have decent CD battalions, as well as bombers and much stronger garrisons So I'll be interested to see whether he does something similar when he gets to Java. Almost all the troops on Java are concentrated in the two ports.

I had wanted to pick up some of the Dutch units and move them to Merauke but it's unlikely now because, A: I can't afford them, and B: The baby KB is likely to interdict any shipping moving east towards PNG.

I think I have a CD unit on the west coast that can be bought out. It is set to withdraw is about 2-3 months but I'm wondering whether it would be any use at Wake. Of course, If he comes for the atoll now it's all going to be academic.

I might move one of the carriers over there to pick up the wildcat unit and replace it with some PBYs. Eyes over the ocean are more important just now than guns.

Something I remembered about Political Points: I can 'earn' more of them by withdrawing units before their scheduled departure date. It won't help a great deal but I'll probably get enough to change some sub skippers. I think I'm going to change the commanders of the three Vildebeast squadrons too.

The Infantry battalion would agree with you, it seems. They think the best place for them is to be held in reserve in case the Japanese threaten Seattle or even New York. :DL

I meant to post this link a few days ago but it slipped my mind:

Race for the decisive weapon: British, American, and Japanese carrier fleets, 1942-1943

It makes some interesting points and comparisons. As is often the case with academic papers the writing could do with a bit of sharpening but that's just me being picky.

2nd Jan 42

CenPac

Juha begins amphibious landings at Wake. Being an atoll, his troops are forced to shock attack as soon as they land, taking 580 casualties. He doesn't touch my forts which remain at 3. CD guns hit a light cruiser, setting it on fire, and a steamer. Good work fellas!

Only part of his SNLF unit is ashore but hopefully Wake will last for a couple more days at least. He might feel the need to rest his troops tomorrow, but having looked at a photo of Wake I'm not sure where - maybe they'll hide behind a seagull or something?

Lex and the Big E are steaming towards the island at flank speed. rescuing the Marine squadron is my priority. Sinking ships would be nice too, though. I've also transferred 3 PBYs to the island because the landing ships keep disapearing and I want to know whether there are any flat tops loitering with intent. I don't think so though. At least, I hope not. otherwise my carriers are going to have a rather unpleasant day or two.

Singers

A strange one. A bunch of Oscars come over and get taken apart. He loses 7 with another 7 damaged. Juha sent me an email about it because he's certain those Oscars were set to Sweep but in the replay they clearly undertook a bombing mission. A bombing mission at 100 feet, in fact. We've looked at several possibilities for why this might have happened but can't come up with anything concrete. I don't think it's a bug, though; it's more likely it is simply the game mechanics kicking up something strange.

Personally, I think he may have had them set to ground attack as a secondary mission and if the sweep got scrubbed due to weather they would possibly fly a bombing mission instead. Juha doesn't think they had a secondary mission, though, and it doesn't explain why they were flying so low.

Still, that's a bunch less Oscars for me to worry about!

PI

Up and down the island attacks take place with little result. The Filipino units are proving well impressive so far. If only I could transfer some out but unfortunately they all have permanently restricted commands.

Burma

Japanese troops are nearing Moulman (SP?) at last. Far to the north on the Indian border, various units are beginning to arrive and get into place.

DEI

The baby KB turns east and passes the tip of PNG. She could be moving into position to cover landings at Rabaul. either that or she'll turn north east and head to Boogillydoo for refueling.

Sub War

It's a big game, you know. Sometimes things get forgotten. Like the two S boats currently bobbing up and down in the sea 200 odd miles east of Brisbane having run out of fuel. :oops: Not too big a problem but embarrassing nevertheless. Hey, at least it wasn't an aircraft carrier, right?

Japanese Forces

Aside from a brief session as the IJN on the Guadalcanal scenario I've never played the Empire, so much of the game from that side of things remains a mystery to me. A few months ago, though, I started a scenario 1 campaign so I could have a peek at what is available at the start. It's pretty daunting..:DL

6 fleet carriers, 2 CVL and 2 CVE provide the IJN air power on 7.12.41. They are aided by 10 BB, 18 CA, 20 CL and quite a few destroyers. They also have about 60 submarines at the start, bolstered further by mini subs of which I don't think I've seen a single one so far.

This is a fairly strong force and, at the moment, it's more powerful than mine. The difference is that I will get much, much stronger. For Juha, I think he will gain about two more CV and several more CVL and CVE by mind 42, but then that's it for a long time.

If Japan has a weakness in her navy it is with escort vessels. At the moment we are probably about equal for destroyers but by 43 I will be receiving dozens of them on a regular basis where as he will increasingly have to rely on other small ships to carry out those duties. In some ways this shouldn't be too much of a problem for him. Should we get that far, the E class patrol ships he gets later on become incredible sub killers.

In my previous campaign I had lost 10 US subs in total up until March 44, then it was like somebody had thrown a switch. every few days I was losing a boat or having one crippled. At it's worst I lost 7 boats on a single day. when the allies start losing subs faster than they can be replaced something is out of whack. I know several people over at Matrix have been looking at this problem but whether any of their research will make it to an official patch I don't know.

E class patrol ships? I don't recall such a class, what are those?

Or do you mean the dedicated Escort (E) type ships that show up after (IIRC) 1943?

Yep. Sorry for not being clearer. There are several classes of E which tend to all get lumped in together, hence the 'E class' tag. There's a good thread about the ASW issue here.

For me, the issue of late war Japanese ASW is one of major imbalance, and it's something I would like to see rectified in a patch. I am still not 100% exactly what the issue is, or how it would be fixed - there are several suggestions - all I know is that come spring 44, the US sub campaign pretty much ends.

3rd Jan 42

CenPac

Thank the lord for those 3 patrol planes I moved onto Wake yesterday.

About 200 miles northeast sits what appears to be the KB itself. Although it's on a westerly course I'm assuming it's actually on a patrol pattern whilst the landings continue on the atoll. Lexington and Enterprise would have reached the KB's exact position tomorrow. They're heading back to wait at Johnston instead of running into almost certain death. Wake isn't worth losing two carriers over.

He doesn't attack today. I'm hoping his supplies are lower than he would like, and I'm hoping the KB slinks away long enough to allow me to et in there and pick up the wildcats.

Two of the ships Wake's CD guns fired on yesterday, including the light cruiser, are listed as sunk. Fog of war might be playing it's part but i'm reasonably certain they both went down.

South China Sea

A squadron of British torpedo boats which escaped from Hong Kong made it to safety along the coast. They were ordered to take a run into Hanoi to see if they could cause any bother. They did: one xAK confirmed sunk and another as good as dead. One of the torpedo boats was sunk. They're heading back tonight as intelligence suggests there are a couple of tankers there.

PI

Lucena to the south of Manila falls but elsewhere the Allies hold out just fine. I bought out and transferred the last B-17 squadron in the Philippines. It's on it's way to Townsville. I would like to move some of the fighters but I don't have enough PP just now and I'm not certain they could reach any safe bases anyway. I'll have another look tomorrow.

Burma and Malaya

An infantry battalion has moved into vacant Moulmein. This should slow the Japanese advance by, oh, 15 minutes or so. at least it'll stop me losing victory points due to me not meeting the garrison requirements.

Georgetown the last Allied base north of Kuala Lumpar is attacked but they hold out. I don't have many troops here after the attempted evacuation of the garrison a couple of weeks ago.

Three Swordfish sortie against ships east of Singapore but a token CAP by Zeros shoot down two of them.

DEI

Force Z heads back to Soerabaja. I may move some more ships back up again and try and get some fuel out from Java.

Thoughts

Surprised but not really by the appearance of the KB. I almost stumbled into a nasty ambush there. He had it right on the main route down from Pearl so he was expecting me to contest the landings with either combat ships or carriers. It wold have worked to if it wasn't for those pesky Catalinas. Yay me!

Very close, very close indeed. Thank god for Catafarks...I mean Catalinas.

He's being very reserved with the KBs, then again the Pacific is a big place and I guess the only way he can be assured of running his KB into a CVBG of yours (I don't know what the pre-Cold war term is :haha:) is to put it on likely transit routes and hope he gets lucky. Of course in about a year or two the tables will turn and you'll be hunting him, but right now he dictates the battlefield. :hmmm:

Yup. Close call. Halsey wouldn't have been happy. Neither would I, for that matter; I'm an Enterprise fanboi.

The air groups on both carriers have mostly upgraded but Lex
is still carrying those Brewsters. Not enough Wildcats to go around. Even so, they wouldn't have been a match.

4.1.41

CenPac

The KB hammers Wake but does little damage. Still no ground attack. I assume he's waiting for disruption to reduce. Only the one unit here. I don't know if it will be enough.

Malaya.

Georgetown falls. The Japanese now control everything up to the Burmese border and down to about Mesring. Once all combat units pull back into Singers I should have about 500 -600 AV there, hopefully behind 4 forts. Should hold him for a while. I've been pulling supplies out of the rest of the country and have about 70,000 tonnes so far.

Borneo

Landings at Singkawang but the base holds. Those Dutch troops are pretty darned thrawn. I've been impressed with them so far. Bombers from Singers have been tasked with annoying his shipping.

PI

IJA attack Cagayen on Minandao. It's well defended, though, and well fortified so he loses 700 troops.

West Coast

Warspite and Colorado left Seattle yesterday and will head to SF where they will join up with the carriers and a cargo convoy before heading out towards Pearl. I've got some units that need moved too, including a beefy looking CD regiment. They will go to Christmas island.

Sub Wars

Busy one today.

Dolphin engages an xAKL on the surface near Wotje in the Marshals. She expends all her ammo, though, so the ship probably doesn't sink. She's burning nicely though.

Salmon attacks a pair of PB off Mussau island on the edge of the Bismarck sea. These two ships have been here a few times recently but merely seem to be keeping an eye on the area.

Sealion attacks an xAK on the surface SE of Truk. She fires six torpedoes without a single detonation, but pumps a lot of rounds into her with the deck gun. She takes a couple of shells in return but should be ok.

I-26 gets depth charged north of Pearl and actually takes some hits!

It's heartening to see my subs finally showing a bit of spirit but I would prefer to get a couple of torpedoes working. I don't think I've ever had such bad torpedo luck as this, even taking the dud rate into account. The process of swapping skippers continues.

Thoughts

I hope the KB will stay near Wake for a couple more days. knowing where she is is invaluable information. It might sound funny but it's not 'harming' anyone where it is. Patrol aircraft have also spotted a CVE at pier side at Badlebeebloop so I'm assuming the rest of the Baby KB are in that area too. I might well use the freedom to run some raids with Force Z around the DEI or get some Hq units out of Singers.

It's been a good day. I know where the bad guys are that's a great thing.

I am really enjoying reading this. Never knew there was a grand strategy game like this.