AmiralLaurent
Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
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Hi, Leo
The game date is 5 November, now. As for the Corsair, well the kill ratio of this beast is awful but what is worse is the fact that in WITP air units can engage tens of opposing units in the same battle. In the last turn (so 5 November) a single Corsair squadron probably scored close to 100 victories in one day...
This turn another Allied uber-weapon strikes...
14 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night there was a lot of confusion off OJ and PJ with surface TF off both sides reacting here and there… but finally there were few contacts. Two groups of 10 PT each engaged small groups of barges sent as a diversion, sank two and heavily damaged another with gunfire. The damaged AK Cape Fear damaged the day before by KB airmen sank off the island during the night and another TF of six damaged Allied ships (a DD and 5 AK) was met SE of OJ by the heavily damaged DD Namikaze trying to escape from PJ under night cover. In this case both sides were too damaged to engage really each other.
All this confusion served well the Japanese Navy as one of the two convoys bringing troops to OJ arrived there before dawn, ahead of the plan (it had a speed of 9, refuelled and had two hexes to sail…. don’t understand how it did it) and alone, without any surface TF to engage the PT. By chance they were on the other side of the island, engaging the barges coming from PJ, and so the convoy began to unload troops without being attacked. Allied defenders fired 564 shells during the night against the invasion force, set on fire 2 PG and 2 AP, and hit the CL Kashii (flagship), 6 PG, 3 AP and 1 AK. Landing casualties were 3437 men and 11 guns on the Japanese side while counter battery fire hit 83 Allied men, 1 gun and 1 vehicle.
After the dawn the other task forces of the invasion fleet reached the planned area… and found the transport fleet already there still unloading. With the perfect Japanese plan (hmmm…) now thrown out of the window the second Japanese transport TF (that should have been the first) was unable to find a place to land troops (another thing I have not seen either before) and only the other continued to land troops. Defenders fired 377 more shells and in daylight their precision increased. A PC, 5 AP and 2 AK were set on fire, and the CL Kashii, 3 PG, 3 AP and 3 AK were hit less seriously. Casualties during the landing were 2244 Japanese and 5 Allied men.
Dawn also allowed both sides to send air patrols and to find the enemy CV. If the KB was seen by a PB4Y near OJ, the Allied CV and CVE were still in Kiska port when a Betty flew over the base. That was good news (even if it cost a Dinah III shot down by Allied CAP over Kiska). During the day about 40 fighters from the KB flew LRCAP over PJ but none over OJ… That was bad news, as Allied aircraft launched several attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet.
The first Allied raid of the morning was flown by 25 B-24J and 21 B-24D from Attu escorted by 37 P-38J. The Japanese LRCAP (29 Oscar II, 12 A6M5, 7 A6M3a and 7 Ki-61 flying from PJ) intercepted it but suffered, and only shot down 5 P-38J and 1 B-24J for 28 losses (18 Oscar II, 5 A6M3a, 2 A6M5 and 2 Ki-61). But the bombers didn’t find the main convoys and attacked one of the diversion TF made of MSW and PC. They sank the PC Ch 32 and the MSW Hakata Maru 7, and damaged three other MSW that were hit by one bomb each.
The next wave was flown by 10 B-24J and 9 PB4Y from Attu, flew without loss trough the dispersed CAP (even shooting down an A6M5 with return fire) and attacked one of the main convoys. Empty CVEs were integrated to this TF to draw bombers and the Kaiyo performed perfectly this role. All bombers attacked her… and she took 3 bombs that set her on fire.
The next big wave saw 19 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska attack this same convoy. They missed the burning Kaiyo, scored a hit that bounced on the CL Kashima and set on fire an AP (doing 53 casualties and destroying a gun aboard).
Several small groups (6 PB4Y and 3 P-38J from Attu, 3 PB4Y from Kiska, 7 PB4Y from Attu) then attacked various TF. CAP was unable to seriously engage them and lost two more Oscar II shot down (by a P-38J and a PB4Y). These bombers hit the CA Takao and Nachi, but the bombs bounced, and also two empty AP (one heavily damaged, another set on fire).
The last attack of the morning was flown by 13 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska that attacked a surface TF, scored another hit on the Nachi that again bounced, and also hit the DD Numakaze, setting her on fire.
In the afternoon clouds covered the KB patrol area, Attu and PJ but Kiska and OJ were in clear weather. So air attack continued with Kiska sending five small unescorted groups (2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y, 12 PB4Y, 2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y and 3 B-24J) against the Japanese fleet. The Japanese CAP (10 Oscar II, 4 A6M5, 4 Ki-61 and 2 A6M3a) was only able to shot down a PB4Y while losing an A6M5 to return fire. Bombers missed both Japanese CVE (Kaiyo and Shinyo) but hit again the DD Numakaze (now heavily damaged) and set on fire an empty AP.
To conclude with air operations in the area four A6M5 were lost operationally while 4 PB4Y hit by Japanese fighters crashed on the way back and two B-24J were destroyed in an air-to-air collision over their base.
There had also been some submarine action in the area. During the night the Japanese submarine I-36 was chased twice by five SC 300 miles west of Kiska but escaped after only one near-miss. In the morning the SS USS Batfish attacked an ASW group of 6 MSW 180 miles ESE of Shikka but missed her target and was then depth charged and set on fire by a hit and five near-misses. In the evening another group of 6 MSW chased the SS USS Trigger 120 miles NW of Shimushiru Jima but she escaped undamaged.
Off OJ, the PT finally attacked in the afternoon. A first group of 10 PT was engaged by a Japanese surface TF made of the CA Takao, the CL Kuma and 9 DD. As planned PT were less dangerous in daylight and 5 were sunk and one set on fire by a 5in shell against only some 20mm hits on one Japanese DD. But then another group of 10 PT used cover of a fog bank and managed to surprise the same Japanese TF… and did the worst DD slaughter I had ever seen. Usually only 3-4 PT engaged per turn. In this battle all 10 fired on surprised Japanese ships and then escaped before any return fire could be delivered, leaving behind them three destroyers sinking (Kagero, Wakaba and Mochizuki), two heavily damaged (Arashimo and Asagari) and two on fire (Kikuzuki and Nagatsuki).
On the ground at OJ the only American combat unit (part of the 138th RCT, with 2805 troops and 25 guns, 198 AV) fired without success on the landed troops (27994 men, 195 guns, 6 tanks, 495 AV).
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 39 men, Japanese ones 317 men and 4 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 234 381 men (+1156), 2289 guns (+37) and 545 vehicles (+4) for 4416 AV (+71) against 97 591 men (+679), 750 guns (+14) and 5 tankettes (+1) for 1778 AV (+18).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 19/0/0 (airbase/runways/port) and fortification of level 5, 12%, 424 engineers (+0), and 22 629 supplies (-1053). At the end of the day PJ had 66 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 33 available. Three were evacuated. All other will continue to fly LRCAP tomorrow over OJ.
OJ showed no damage. Recons and landed troops reported 15 units with 32 040 men (+1680), 76 guns (+18) and 241 vehicles (+15, all bulldozers) and were probably right. Recon counted 43-44 Allied fighters. There were still PT but also 6 AP off the island (probably the damaged ships seen last night SW of PJ did sail at sea for the night because a naval bombardment was expected and returned at dawn).
Off OJ, one convoy had landed almost all troops except 2300 men, the other had not started unloading and was ordered to do so. But before that both CVE (including the damaged Kaiyo with 23/23/22) were detached and received ordered to sail at full speed to Shikka under escort by a damaged DD and 5 modern PC.
Of the first convoy 20 transports had unloaded all troops, were intact and had now less than 150 supplies aboard. They were ordered to form a TF with 4 PC, to finish unloading during the night and then to leave the area. Five damaged small AK/AP were put in their own TF to divert attacks from intact ships. Eight damaged big/medium AP, deemed more valuable, had now only supplies aboard and will sail at once towards Shikka under escort by the five damaged PC/PG of this TF. That leaves the convoy with a CL, 8 PG, 5 MWS and 41 transports having still aboard 2433 men and 35k supplies.
The other convoy had 69249 men and 19k supplies aboard.
The Takao TF was reduced to a CA, a CL and 2 intact DD. 3 damaged DD will try to reach Shikka in one-ship TF, the badly damaged Asashimo will remain off the beachhead to attract Allied attacks, as will do three MSW badly hit by Allied bombers today. The four remaining ships of the Takao TF were too weak to oppose PT at night and were ordered to sweep waters SE of OJ tonght to catch the Allied convoy that will probably retreat here. Two more DD will sweep waters 60 miles more east. Both TF will then retreat southwards.
The Nachi surface TF (a CA, a CL, 9 DD) was still intact and will defend the convoys tonight but with retire orders to be out of this area during the day phase, as this time the Allied CV will very probably come to this area.
Several barges TF will continue to play a diversion role around OJ.
The KB will sail tomorrow NW of OJ, still in full defensive mode. An attack by Allied CV is more than probable. The weather forecast for tomorrow was thunderstorms so for once bad weather could be on the Japanese side but it had been so regularly in the Allied side that it couldn’t be anticipated. Anyway taking the risk to allow more troops to be landed was agreed by all Japanese commanders.
Both damaged ships fleeing from PJ did 120 miles today. The Kongo was now at 58 FLT (+8) and had 420 miles to do. Two fast MSW and an APD were sent to escort her.
Two MSW arrived in Shikka and will escort to Toyohara 2 CA and 3 DD having repaired all FLT damage. So the four AR of the port will concentrate on the ships still having FLT damage: 5 CA, a CL, 2 DD and 2 AO.
Given the troop ratio in OJ (a RCT and rear area units against 4 Div, 2 Eng Rgt and 2 SNLF) it was thought that all serviceable fighters will leave tonight for the Aleutians. So Japanese airmen could have control of the area. Given the heavy losses of KB airmen in the last week they won’t take risks but Betties and Helen from Shikka and Toyohara were ordered to fly ground attack against the garrison of OJ tomorrow, under escort of the remaining Oscar II in these bases. And in the evening 84 Topsy will take off from Toyohara and drop the 1st Parachute Rgt on OJ, while the landed troops will launch a general shock attack.
The I-36 (damage 8) will sail south to operate its Glen and will be replaced by the I-15. All other submarines will remain in place as today. The successful I-174 reloaded torpedoes in Shikka and sailed east at full speed, as did two RO submarines coming from Japan that refuelled today in Etoforu Jima.
Japanese intelligence confirmed today that the LST-461, hit by 45 artillery shells during the last Allied landing on PJ a week ago, had been scuttled by her crew.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night the submarine USS Drum sank a barge with gunfire off Green Island. Kiriwima sent in the morning 32 Beaufighter Mk 21 on anti-barge patrols and four were sunk off Green Island, Rabaul and Kavieng. A patrolling PB4Y sank another SE of Rabaul.
In the afternoon 7 B-25C from Kiriwima escorted by 15 P-38G and 16 B-24D, 9 B-17E and 3 B-25C from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, did 13 casualties, and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 31 on the runways, while 11 B-25C from Madang escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I and 39 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, and scored 2 hits on supplies and 16 on the runways. A B-25J and a P-38G were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/79/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 724 supplies (-0) for 4669 (-12) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 54%, +5%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 29 remaining supplies (-59).
Two Allied TF were seen today by Japanese airmen 120 miles north of Talasea and sailing NE. Their obvious destination is the Admiralty Islands. These islands were not defended, except by some 45 mines. The local commander decided to react to this advance. Given the distance between the Admiralty and Allied bases, there will be no Corsair on LRCAP so sending Japanese aircraft could achieve something.
22 Ki-21 from Kwajalein (one more crashed on the way) and 35 Ki-61 from Truk flew to Kavieng. Bombers will fly naval attack and search under escort by the Tony that won’t fly CAP over the base.
In Truk arrived the 63 Betties that were kept in reserve in Palau. They will also fly naval attack under escort by the Zero and Oscar II of Truk. Truk defence will be left to the Nick Sentai based here and to 20% of the units ordered to escort bombers.
The submarine patrolling NE of Kavieng and two other starting from Truk were ordered to sail close to the Admiralty Islands and be ready to chase damaged ships.
Truk was lacking air support to be fully operational (only 230 squads, and 243 AC here in the evening). The Tina Daitai based in Ponape flew to Kwajalein and will start carrying the 24th Aviation Unit from here to Truk tomorrow.
24 Ki-21 arrived in Lunga from Tarawa.
Three barges off Green Island loaded some squads of the Eng Rgt building fort here (now level 5, 97%) and will carry them towards Ponape.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A PBM Mariner flew recon over Kendari and reported with an enthusiast voice that there was no Japanese CAP over this base, for the first time since its capture by the Imperial forces.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 14 B-25C from Derby and 32 B-17E, 16 B-24J and 7 B-24D from Darwin that did 48 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 62 on the runways, and Lautem was attacked by 7 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 14 Kittyhawk III and reported 5 hits on the runways. A B-24J was shot down by AA over Koepang, a B-17E, a B-25C and a Kittyhawk III were lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 87% (+6%)), Koepang had damage 62/99/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/15/0, Lautem 77/65/38, other bases undamaged.
An Oscar II was lost operationally while flying LRCAP over Morotai but the convoy anchored here finished to unload troops (a Garnison Unit and a small BF) and will continue to unload supplies, while troops will start building fortifications.
SRA
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Georgetown to size 3.
A small convoy loaded 14k supplies in Toboali and will carry them to Banjarmasin.
In Java the Imperial Guard Division (holding Soerabaja) and the 35th Bde (holding Batavia) both sent troops to nearby bases to accelerate fort building in secondary airfields in the area.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 350 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 27 B-25J and 40 escorts from Imphal and Jorhat on the airfield (99 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 39 on the runways), 9 LRCAP sorties (by P-40N), 116 fighter-bombers, 126 bombers and 22 escorts from Imphal and Kohima against 3 divisions and 1 regiment of the garrison (437 men and 6 guns hit). Two P-40N and a Beaufighter Mk 21 were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 128 men and 2 guns at Myitkyina (where 2133 Japanese AV (-23) faced 3075 Allied (+24)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (144 Allied men hit), where 1083 Japanese AV (+1) faced 1713 Allied (-5).
The evening report showed damage of 83/74 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 694 (-52). Lashio was damaged at 48/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
The first Japanese troops will reach the Chinese positions SE of Myitkyina in around one week. Recon aircraft were ordered to start taking pictures of this area.
China
36 Ki-48 from Changsha escorted by 12 Oscar II bombed Chungking airfield and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on the runways but met heavy AA fire that shot down five bombers. 17 Ki-49 from Kweiyang bombed Chengtu airfield, doing 13 casualties and scoring 1 hit on the airbase and 5 on the runways.
147 training and 27 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 13 men for no loss.
All airfields attacked those last days showed some damage but these raids will be stopped as all available IJAAF bombers in the area were ordered to rest and prepare to support the attack SE of Myitkyina in one week.
Japan
Six new air units were created today in Japan:
_ the 88 Sentai in Osaka with 27 Dinah II and 27 crew (exp 55). It flew to Shanghai to upgrade to the Dinah III and continue training.
_ two Daitai with 36 A6M5 each, the F2/261st (exp 63) and F1/263rd (exp 60), in Sasebo. The second flew to Wuhan to start an op training campaign.
_ the F1/254th with 27 A6M5 (exp 62) and the N1/251st with 27 J1N1-S (exp 57) in Hiroshima
_ and in Maizuru was created the first A6M5c units, the FB2/381st Daitai with 48 pilots (exp 57); This unit was also sent to China for more training.
 Attachment (1)
< Message edited by AmiralLaurent -- 11/12/2007 9:39:37 AM >
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RE: 12 October 1943: Shoho was torpedoed - 
. Things should come back to the normal in the next days... 
)... 
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