Replay Campaign Scenario 3, Southern Conquests 10.11.98-3.2.99. This replay is based on the notes made during a solo game that I did to test our house rules. Indeed, as a result of our experience in this game and the campaign games we had started, we did somewhat loosen the original "one move per week" rule that we introduced, namely as far as amphibious operations are affected: - A unit can embark and disembark in the same week (or vice versa) as long as there is no ground combat in between. - An ungarrisoned installation is considered overrun when a naval unit loaded with a ground unit end its move in the hex (i.e., no unloading is necessary). However, since these rules were introduced during the scenario, they're not in use at the beginning. The replay is therefore to be taken with a grain of salt. I played with all our house and "chrome" (but not experimental) rules (the newest version of these is available on Web-Grognards). In particular, note that Manila is clear and Bataan is considered a separate landmass in the Corregidor hex. Units on Bataan and Corregidor count as two different hexes for the victory conditions. In setting up I noted some interesting differences to the Strategic Scenario: - There is no US seaplane tender in Davao - The Japanese have around 105 points on average (not that much) - the Allies have around 60 points, which, given that Burma, India, and Australia are out of the scenario, is incredibly rich (I've played campaign games where the CP table gave me less than this for the whole map for months on end, and I had to finance India and Australia from that as well) - There are of course no rules that deal with the survival of individual units. In the campaign, most Japanese players are painfully aware of how few 6- or 7-TQ divisions the Japanese possess and are careful not to lose one early on. Here, of course, the desire to keep them is not as urgent. - very important: in the Strategic Scenario, the Japanese player always has enough points (and the Allied player enough to do) that it is pretty certain the Japanese will have both operations per month during this period. In this scenario, where the Allies have more points than they can put to good use, this is not guaranteed and the Japanese have to be careful. (Perhaps that's the reason it is like that.) All ground combats are described in the manner "hex attacker TQ/attacker strength:def TQ/def str DRx att loss:def loss". "MR" expresses a mandatory retreat for the particular side, "B" after the TQ (troop quality) means the unit is broken, "A" after the TQ means the TQ is only half the printed value because it's an amphibious assault without a prior friendly unit in the hex. Troop Quality checks are described as TQquality/dieroll, i.e., TQ3/5 would be a failed check. I give all plane raids and losses in terms of real world units (15 planes per step), as well as losses for DD and AA units in 1 ship per step. This is just for historicizing flavor and personal satisfaction. Ground unit losses are sometimes given in 1000men units, divide by 1000 to get the steps (crude but reasonably close). Free setup units: The Japanese set up one sub at Formosa, two at Saigon, the airborne unit at Saigon, one Marine Bn at Cam Ranh, 3 on Formosa, 2 at Peleliu. The Dutch fighters start at Batavia except for 1 step at Kuching, the bombers at Soerabaja. The British fighters start in Singapore, the bombers distributed over Kuantan, Miri, and Singapore. Allied CP assignments: Manila 20, Singapore 15, ABDA 13 Note 1: The British cannot be allowed to setup any air units at Hong Kong, otherwise the historical Japanese initial moves become impossible as no units can move south from Formosa without being detected. This is a rule we have also started to use for the campaign game. The Japanese activate for a 2-week operation. Task Groups are formed to`transport land units as follows: TG Luzon: 48,16 Div, 65 Brig, 3Mar Bn TG Davao: 146 Inf Reg, 1 Mar Bn TG Malaya: G Div, 55 Div, 5 Div, 18 Div G Kuching: Mar Bn (to move to Sinkawang later) G Brunei: Mar Bn (to move to Miri??) Note 2: There are no troops available in the scenario to leave as garrison in Malaya or on Sumatra. These would be needed in the Strategic scenario. Here of course there is no threat from India. Since the Japanese have Strategic Initiative, that will give them a +3 bonus bidding for the second operation of the month, which means 15 points. The Japanese let the Contact Phase last until the 6th, giving the US the least possible time to react before the second week starts. Due to Surprise Attack Intelligence condition, the Allies can activate 10 points worth of units. They activate the submarines and two fighters in Manila and the Res Corps. Dec 6Day PM (DR7) Japanese Initiative (Automatic). The Japanese land in 4 empty hexes in Northern Luzon as well as at Lingayen Gulf (16 Div). Khota Baru (48 Div) and south of it (5 Div). 1 Bn lands in Sinkawang, to take the airfield for the returning parachute transports. A Reg and a Bn land at Davao. Adv Air Mission Phase. Palembang: 180 bombers, undetected, land the paratroopers and bomb the garrison (no effect). Khota Baru: 120 fighters and 150 bombers. Jitra: 180 fighters. Both attacks undetected, both cause TQC, in both cases the TQC fails. (DR9,6) Manila: 180 fighters (1EL2), 60 bombers. Attack is detected, which makes an attack on the airfield useless as the air units are alerted. AA fire destroys 15 fighters. The Res Corps breaks under the bombardment! (TQC5/9) Lingayen: 180 fighters, 45 bombers. The NL Corps breaks! (TQC4/7). (I'd like to have that much luck when I play the Japanese in the campaign game.) A heavy naval bombardment at Khota Baru, involving several battleships, causes a step loss to the broken defenders. The same happens with a much weaker bombardment at Lingayen Gulf. In the ground combat phase, the Dutch are driven out of Palembang [4P/2:3/2. DR 0, 0:1MR, TQC3/9, fail], and the 9I Div defending Khota Baru is pushed into the mountains of central Malaya [4A/12:2B/6. DR4, 0:3MR, TQC2B/5, fail+1step]. At Lingayen, the Japanese establish a foothold but no more [3A/12:2B/11. DR6, 3:3]. Interestingly enough, the Res Corps, just broken by bombardment, and the and 11I Div rally. The Res Corps moves to San Miguel Bay to block the route to Manila, the Asiatic Fleet submarines swarm out to sea. The Japanese ships at Lingayen Gulf are attacked, 2 transports and a DD are lost and one sub is sunk. 90 fighters from Manila each attack the 16 Div at Lingayen Gulf and 48 Div at San Miguel Bay. The 16 Div breaks! (TQC5/8) In the Act/Deact Phase, Manila activates USS Boise, 2 DD, the Mindanao Div and the SL Corps. Dec 8 (new week), Dusk, Jap. Init (6->8:6). The Japanese Ships mostly move towards Saigon and the Pescadores for Deactivation. In Malaya, the 18 Div overruns the airfield at Kuantan, the Guard Div overruns Singora. On Borneo, the Mar Bn moves from Sinkawang to Kuching, overrunning the airfield. At Davao, the 146 Reg pins the M Div in Clear terrain. On Luzon, the 65 Brig hedges its bets, since if the 16 Div is still sufficient to win at Lingayen Gulf, then the 65 Brig can breeze on to Manila. (However, if the 16 Div should have to retreat, the NL Corps could conceivably march somewhere else *if* it is Activated, but this is not really likely since it's already broken.) Ground Combat: On Luzon, a stalemate develops at Lingayen [3B/9:2B/8. DR 5, 3:3] and San Miguel Bay [7/11:5/6. DR 3, 2:3], nor does the Guard division gain ground at Jitra against supposedly inferior troops [7/15:2/7. DR8, 1:2]. However, the 146 Inf Reg secures Mindanao in a quick victory [6/3:3/6. DR0, 0:6MR, TQC3/5, M Div eliminated]. The Dutch 1 Reg fails to rally, but the 9I Div manages. The SL Corps moves to Manila. The Malaya HQ activates Houston, the Singapore and 28I Brigades, and the 11I Div. 10 Dec Night. J.Init (7->9:0). The 65 Brig moves to Lingayen Gulf to compensate for the failure of the 16Div and pushes the NL Corps back to Manila [5/6:2B/5. DR6, 1:2MR, TQC 7,fail+1 step], pursuing successfully [TQC5/0]. The 14 Mar Bn moves to San Miguel Bay, the 7 Bn southwards to replace it. The 18 Div follows the 9I Div into the mountains in Malaya, and cannot dislodge it despite drastic superiority on paper [7/12:3/2. DR 6->4, 1:1]. In Malaya, the CW sends blocking forces north from Singapore. The Sng Brig moves to Kuantan (where it deactivates), 28I Brig moves to Gemas. In the Act/Deact phase, the 9I Div retreats to Alor Star (1 hit), Jitra AF falls to Japanese. The 12th sees massive airstrikes by the Japanese, but little gain except for Manila where 105 fighters are destroyed on the ground. The operation winds down. On 16 Dec, as the US ships sail into Manila harbor, they are intercepted by the Japanese subs. Boise suffers a hit, and 4 DD's are sunk. The Operation ends. Japanese build an OSB at Khota Baru. For the second Operation, the Japanese bid 14CP (11+3 for Strategic Initiative), the Allies bid 10. Japanese activate 38 Div, bombers in Truk and fighters at Hanoi for two weeks. 2 points are lost. Intelligence Condition is Intercept. The Japanese only move air units, stop naval movement at once. The Allies activate the Dutch navy and air units on Panay. On 18 Dec [Day PM], the Japanese get going. The 38 Div moves to Hong Kong, but a massive assault yet fails to break the defenders [6/15:5/6, DR6, 3:3]. The rest of the turn sees massive air attacks with limited effects. The Dutch near Palembang rally, as does the J 16 Div. On 20 Dec [Day AM(Operation player's option)], only the ships move. Air bombardments continue, with 45 planes destroyed on the ground in Manila for 15 Japanese fighters lost. An Allied strike at 16 Div sees 30 fighters lost to CAP and AA fire. On 22 and 24 Dec, bombardments continue with air losses on both sides. The Dutch fleet bombards Sinkawang, destroying 60 bombers on the ground. A new weeks sees new ground activity. The 38Div mounts another assault on Hong Kong, but despite a successful attack, the defenders manage to put up another line of defense and Hong Kong will not fall this month [6/12:5/3, DR 2->0, 1:2MR, TQC5/0]. At Manila, the B-17s bombard the 65 Brigade again, and it breaks! (TQC5/6.) Not a pleasant surprise for the Japanese. 15 B-17s are lost in another attack on the 26th. The Dutch fleet moves to Singapore,running into a submarine ambush before reaching port. Tromp suffers two hits, and De Ruyter suffers one(crippled). The month ends with no further important activity. Summary of losses 12/41: Air: Japanese 135 fighters (all but 2 L2, all but 1 by AA fire), 60 bombers at Singkawang to Dutch naval bombardment. Allies 15 2E (overrun), 15 4E (AA fire), 150 fighters on the ground, 15 each by CAP and AA Air combat average DRs: J 4(3 attacks), A 3.33(3) AA average DRs: J 5.57(7), A 5.21(14) (Note: Allied AA strength was typically much higher since the Japanese usually had to attack port and airfield hexes) Sub DRs: J3.57(7), A 2.5(4) Ground combat: J 4.4(10) Rally DR: J3.5(2), A 3(8) TQC: J 3(2), A 5.4(15) A ground losses: 6000(6 steps) in Malaya, 36000(18) in Phil, 4000(4) elsewhere, 5000(5) HK. J ground losses: 2000 in Malaya, 9000 on Luzon, 4000 in Hong Kong. Ships: J 3 steps to subs, A 8 steps to subs, A 1 sub.