LargeSlowTarget
Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline
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While waiting for a PBEM turn (and AE), I'm playing the stock Marianas scenario as Allies against AI - for the first time.
Everything went well, my CVs pounded the airfields and ports and brushed off Japanese air attacks, the bombardment TFs did their work, submarines scouted in the direction of the Palaus for the Japanese fleet, the invasions forces landed ok and three divisions got unloaded to about 80% in two days.
Then I found out that AE replenishment does not work in enemy base hexes, so I sent the bombardment forces back to Eniwetok to replenish ammo- all BBs and CAs plus three dozen DDs. I should have known better...
Left behind at Saipan to finish unloading was the entire force of APs and AKS that can be found on the map in this scenario. All carriers parked one hex offshore to provide LRCAP, ASW, naval search and ground support. But too bad - both AM and PM air phase saw the entire carrier air force grounded by weather except LRCAP over Saipan. Ok, no problem, the force ashore can manage without air support
Then suddenly - in broad daylight out of nowhere enemy surface TFs descended on the accumulated amphib shipping! My heart stopped for 10 seconds or so... 
First victim was the TF with the Amphib HQ embarked:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Saipan at 63,64
Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 4
BB Haruna, Shell hits 2
BB Nagato, Shell hits 1
CA Takao
CA Maya
CL Oyodo, Shell hits 1
DD Shimakaze
DD Akitsuki, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Naganami
DD Kishinami
DD Okinami
DD Akishimo
DD Nowaki
DD Hatsushimo
Allied Ships
DD Dale, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Monaghan, Shell hits 16, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Aylwin, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DE Lyman, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DE Manlove, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
MSW Salute, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
AGC Rockey Mount, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Allied ground losses:
2465 casualties reported
Bye-bye HQ support....
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Then it was the turn of the TF which had just unloaded the 2nd Marine Division:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Saipan at 63,64
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull: 2 destroyed
Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 44, and is sunk
BB Haruna, Shell hits 37, and is sunk
BB Nagato, Shell hits 33, on fire, heavy damage
CA Takao, Shell hits 9, on fire
CA Maya, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
CL Oyodo, Shell hits 37, and is sunk
DD Shimakaze, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DD Akitsuki, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
DD Hatsuzuki, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Naganami, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DD Kishinami, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
DD Okinami, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DD Akishimo, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 9
DD Hatsushimo, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 71, and is sunk
DD Albert Grant, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Haggard, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hailey, Shell hits 27, and is sunk
DD Hall, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
DD Halligan, Shell hits 31, and is sunk
DD Paul Hamilton, Shell hits 5
DD Haraden, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
DD McDermut, Shell hits 8, on fire
DD Sigsbee, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sproston, Shell hits 6
DD Stevens
DD David Taylor, Shell hits 6, on fire
DE Steele, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
DE Tisdale, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DE Whitman, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
DE Wileman
MSW Oracle, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SC SC-1063, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
AP W.A. Holbrook
AP Frederick Funston, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
AP Sheridan
AP Sumter
AP James O'Hara
LSD Ashland, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LSD Belle Grove, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LSD Lindenwald
LCI(G) LCI-61, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-64, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-65, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-66, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-67, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-68, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-69, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
LCI(G) LCI-70, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
OUCH!!!!
LCI(G)s enganging BBs with automatic weapons - what a brawl! 
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After that fight, the second Japanese TF apparently got timid:
Day Time Surface Combat at 62,64
Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Chokai
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Haguro, Shell hits 2
CA Mogami
CL Noshiro
DD Wakazuki
DD Shimotsuki
DD Tamanami
DD Fujinami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Asashimo
DD Hayashimo
DD Isokaze
DD Shigure
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
Allied Ships
DD Haggard, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Paul Hamilton, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD McDermut, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Sigsbee, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
DD Sproston, Shell hits 1
DD Stevens, Shell hits 1
DD David Taylor, Shell hits 4, on fire
DE Wileman
MSW Oracle, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP W.A. Holbrook
AP Sheridan
AP Sumter
AP James O'Hara
LSD Lindenwald
Luckily, the sacrifice of the tin cans and Elsie Items gunboats triggered the retreat of the Japanese force and saved the other five TFs carrying the remaining elements of the 4th Marine Div, 27th US Inf Div, the Corps Troops (tanks, Eng units) and supplies.
The AI really surpised me on this occasion!
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Printable Version
Surprise at Saipan - 
They can´t even penetrate the armor, let alone sink them. What mod is this?
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