Its Pearl Harbor day, so its time for.....
Ox's WITP:AE AAR!

Jan 1, 1942

As expected the IJN/A has swept through the Pacific like a tsunami, rolling through Luzon, Southern PI, DEI, Guam, Malaysia, and Wake. The losses at Pearl were lighter than expected, with only one BB a total write-off along with a few support ships. Thats the good news. The bad news is that the remainder of my Pacific battlewagons will be in dry dock until March, with the worst hit likely not available till the end of the year, leaving me with precisely two BBs and 4 CVs (the Yorktown arrived in San Diego just yesterday) to face the IJN onslaught. Add to this the loss of the RN's TF Z (1 BC and 1 BB) near Singapore. I have little to toss in their path.

Standing orders:

1) All civilian ships in theater will report to the nearest safe port for convoy duty.
2) All PI air units are to engage the IJA/N until they reach 33% combat effectiveness, then withdraw to AUS.
3) USN ships will evade IJN forces and reassemble at AUS or Pearl.

Battle Report:

1) IJN forces have scored a major coup taking Canton Island (see lower right on map) potentially cutting off our direct route to AUS. This cost us a a squadron of Buffalos and PBYs as well as the small garrison that was in place. The Marine Defense unit assigned to Canton was only 3 days out from reinforcing the island. They were diverted to Palmyra just north of Canton. The 8th Marine Regiment at Pearl as begun preparations for retaking the island, but they will not be ready until February at the earliest. The presence of IJN air forces at Canton represents a serious threat to the US-AUS supply line.

2) The first major naval engagement has taken place near Canton with TF 43.1 catching an unescorted IJN hunter-killer surface group supporting the Canton invasion force. Aircraft from CVs Enterprise, Saratoga, and Lexington have sunk the BB Nagato along with a reported two heavy cruisers. Unfortunately, this engagement allowed the Canton invasion fleet to sneak by and land their forces. The transports were sunk, but Canton is now in enemy hands.

3) USN submarines have exacted a heavy toll on IJN shipping in the South China Sea despite having poor torpedo success rates.




Theatre Outlook:

1) Intel reports an invasion fleet enroute to Midway. CVs Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga in TF 55.1 are enroute for interdiction and the Marines are digging in.

2) Convoys have begun operation, but a lack of cargo type vessels as well as escorts have prevented full implementation of a viable logistics train. This should improve greatly in January.

Major Losses to Date: ***Note the IJN loss of BB Haruna, which I believe to be spurious.***

Addendum A:

1) Manila, Clark Field, and Bataan reamin in Allied hands. However, the advancing IJA have met little in the way of opposition. Intel predicts a siege of moderate length with final capitulation of the PI by the end of January '42.

2) Singapore also remains in Allied hands, but the situation is just as bleak. Intel predict the fall of Singapore in the same timeframe as the PI.

3) The next IJA/N target will be the DEI. Reinforcements are not likely to be available and IJA air supremacy in the region will prohibit seaborne resupply in any case. Intel predicts a the IJA/N will consolidate the DEI by March '42.

Theatre Priorities:

1) Consolidate defensive positions at critical points Port Moresby, Noumea, Brisbane, Darwin, Midway, Pearl Harbor, Dutch Harbor.

2) Begin preparations for regaining Canton Island.

3) Stem flow of Japanese assault in the South and Central Pacific.

Figure 1: Recommended HQ Divisions

good start, I hide my carriers till the Japanese KB force moves away.

Nice, I'll keep an eye on this one.

This is going to be fun. I've had the game for about a year now myself but have not played it. Decided to give it a try and learn with a small scenario if anything can be labeled small in this game. Started Guadacanal yesterday...figured it was an appropriate day to learn this fantastic game.

Nice start. I am looking forward to the updates.


Wheels

My mate and I just started a PBEM of the Guadalcanal scenario. we have matching AARs going on over at Subsim.com if your looking for how not to do things...:D

Best way to learn this game is just to jump in. It's so huge that you could spend the rest of your life getting ready to play. Every time I start a new campaign I look at the screen and think 'What the hell have I let myself in for this time?' There are no other games out there quite like this.

theox: Wow, your Pearl losses really were amazingly light - well done! I once had a start in which I lost only a destroyer and couple of smaller ships and all the battlewagons were back in action within 8 months. I've also had starts where I lost pretty much everything. Those BBs might well become outclassed within a year or two but they will are always useful to have at the sharp end of a contested landing. I wouldn't worry about not having a large amount of capital ships available just now; chances are you'd end up losing them to the Japanese as they run riot.

Yes, quite a bit lighter than expected and possibly the lightest I've ever experienced through several playings of this game. Looks like I'm going to need that luck though, the AI in the Ironman scenario is much more aggressive and has oodles of additional ships!

Update will be this week, just completed Jan '42.

I believe it also includes a couple of the big German U-cruisers, just to add to your woes!

Good stuff! Looking forward to the next one!