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RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured!

 
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RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/27/2011 5:18:54 PM   
inqistor


Posts: 1813
Joined: 5/12/2010
Status: offline 		At what altitude are you actually bombing? IIRC 5000 ft already uses LowG.
Loses from AA fire, against this "panzerfist" seems to be none. I wonder if it would be worth a risk, to make some strafing attacks. With TOJO IIb

When Allies will come knocking, they will surely have some heavy BB bombardment force. To counter this, you optimally should use torpedoes. Launching them from planes will clash you with LRCAP, so wasting planes before engaging CVs is unwise.
The other option is fleet torpedoes, so you should give Tanaka biggest fleet possible (15 ships), and quite a lot of CAs in it. Probably even two such fleets. I am not sure torpedoes actually reload in battle, but if they do try to have ships with more ammo. I see no reason to keep CAs with Carriers. They are more vulnerable to air attacks, than BBs, and do not have that great AA anyway.

I am sure, I have bombarded attacking troops at island in WITP, but results were poor (and not much of those troops anyway).

(in reply to janh)
Post #: 1891
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/27/2011 8:38:41 PM   
ny59giants


Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline 		French Frigate Shoal to Layson Island is 9 hexes.
Layson Island to Midway is 8 hexes.

Easily within the drop tank range of P-38s and add in a few SBD on a dot base built up to sixe 2 AF and he can then sweep Midway constantly until he feel he can invade.

(in reply to inqistor)
Post #: 1892
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/27/2011 11:15:04 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Easily? P-38H and G's fly 15-16 hexes with drop tanks, so no way Frigate Shoals are of much use against Midway.
Anyway, I have 8 ac on the island and mainly use Midway as a forward sub and search base. Having 200 AV there forces Andy to prep a full division; that takes 3 months and diverts resources.
Since our division in the Marianas will remain reinforcements when Midway falls one day we should come well out of this one.
Andy is despite all expending ships and resources on this diversion.

I'm bombing from 4-5000 feet...
Don't have any bases that Tojo's can fly from to reach Darwin.
I've intentionally established the SRA main defensive bases outside of Allied fighter and medium bomber range of Darwin.

I'm getting some CL's with good AA ratings, the Kitakami will have some 440 when it completes its upgrade. I can indeed also replace some escort CA's with the Yamato and Musashi.
It would however be a sour day to loose 3-4 of our best CA's in a single day against an enemy battle line - that's why I like to include a battlewagon to draw heavy fire.
Japan's heavy cruisers are truly great assets, they are capable of delivering heavy blows with speed and agility.

Another interesting turn!
We sank a couple of ships, bombed ground troops in Darwin with 81 bombers, defeated the para's at Corunna and resisted the first assault on Darwin.

Of course I managed one FUBAR; the bombardment TF at Groote was put to "Remain on Station". I could _swear_ I turned it off but it wouldn't help.
Enemy Beaufort bombers scored no hits, low level B-25s scored 15 500lb bomb hits though, the CA shrugged it off but the Ise got torched, working up a superficial sys damage of 26.
Grumble...annoying, but fortunately not fatal.

Darwin is most likely gonners next turn, enemy armor was not low on supply as I hoped and got a 3-1 odds.
Our infantry was slaughtered in the open while our tank regiment didn't loose a single man.
As soon as Darwin falls I'm going to bombard it really hard and close it down for some time. The KB is sailing back to Marianas to await the return of the heavy hitters and the new carriers.
- Not keen on sending them into the Indian Ocean, that's like giving away the Line Islands....maybe we will get another favorable opportunity to engage him there.
"They came the same old way and we defeated them in the same old way!"


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 03, 43

Surface Combat

Lots of ducks near Exmouth...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Exmouth at 50,129, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
xAK City of Hankow, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub Attacks

We finally hit one of the elusive DMS!
The Trout is hit hard by our ASW.

ASW attack near French Frigate Shoal at 170,101

Japanese Ships
SS I-8

Allied Ships
DMS Hopkins, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-8 launches 6 torpedoes at DMS Hopkins
Sub escapes detection
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Davao at 82,93

Japanese Ships
E Tsuta
E W-20
E Kunashiri

Allied Ships
SS Trout, hits 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bombardments

Naval bombardment of Groote Eylandt at 82,130

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CA Atago
DD Nagatsuki
DD Oboro
DD Amagiri
DD Shirakumo
DD Shinonome

Allied ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 62
Port hits 24
Port supply hits 3

CA Chokai firing at Groote Eylandt
CA Atago firing at Groote Eylandt
DD Nagatsuki firing at Groote Eylandt
DD Oboro firing at Groote Eylandt
DD Amagiri firing at Groote Eylandt
DD Shirakumo firing at Groote Eylandt
DD Shinonome firing at Groote Eylandt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 2/8th Armoured Regiment, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 36

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 18 (2 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
36 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2/8th Armoured Regiment, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 34
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 45

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 32 (4 destroyed, 28 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 2/7th Armoured Regiment ...
Also attacking 2/8th Armoured Regiment ...
Also attacking 2/7th Armoured Regiment ...
Also attacking 2/8th Armoured Regiment ...
Also attacking 2/7th Armoured Regiment ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
CA Chokai

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 12000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
3 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 7

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
CA Chokai

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 9

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
BB Ise, Bomb hits 5, on fire
CA Atago, Bomb hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Maizuru 1st SNLF, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 20

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 4th Raiding Rgt /1 ...
Also attacking Maizuru 1st SNLF /1 ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 52,127
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Howell Lykes
DD Pringle

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 6

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
BB Ise

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 12000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 7

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
BB Ise

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Groote Eylandt at 82,130
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 1 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 7

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Bomb hits 8, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

This may be our last ground victory in Oz; we finally defeat the paras at Corunna!

Ground combat at Corunna Downs (57,131)
Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 491 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21
Defending force 151 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 19
Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 19 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(-), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Allied ground losses:
133 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
II/19th Naval Guard Unit
70th Div /1

Defending units:
2/6 Cavalry Cdo Battalion
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Darwin (76,124)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 9223 troops, 32 guns, 1207 vehicles, Assault Value = 1151
Defending force 4094 troops, 43 guns, 144 vehicles, Assault Value = 220

Allied adjusted assault: 387
Japanese adjusted defense: 107

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1763 casualties reported
Squads: 66 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 22 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 50 destroyed, 86 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 220 (60 destroyed, 160 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Motor Brigade
2/4th Armoured Regiment
2/8th Armoured Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
2/5th Armoured Regiment
1st Army Tank Regiment
2/7th Armoured Regiment
754th Tank Battalion
3rd Army Tank Brigade
1st Motor Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade

Defending units:
146th Infantry RCT /1
Maizuru 1st SNLF /1
11th Tank Regiment
4th Raiding Rgt /1
Yokosuka 7th SNLF /1
3rd JNAF AF Unit
-----------------------------------------------------------

Northern Australia




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 1893
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/28/2011 9:03:26 AM   
beppi

 

Posts: 382
Joined: 3/11/2004
From: Austria
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo


quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB

Also; I can't remember whether it is effective or possible to bombard enemy troops in a friendly hex like Darwin?
Do I have to wait until it's captured by the enemy before bombarding?


I'm 90% sure it works fine. I would have said 100%, but then just your mentioning it made me think, and I cannot recall exactly the last time it did it....


It is possible, 100% to bombard enemy troops which assault friendly positions. My opponent did it with my armored spearhead assaulting in northern Australia. He came with multiple DD/CA TFs and a big one with >5 BBs in it. The attack shredded my armored spearhead (lost 200 tanks to disable and destroyed). Small units consisting only DDs will not kill many units but will raise disruption quite a lot.

In fact if your enemy does not have air superiority nor his heavy units in position shelling assaulting forces with naval bombardment is very strong. (Dont forget like always the scout planes on recon)


< Message edited by beppi -- 1/28/2011 9:04:19 AM >

(in reply to PaxMondo)
Post #: 1894
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/28/2011 10:11:18 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		I will certainly hit Darwin next turn...it fell into Allied hands today!
2 battle fleets will pound the place from 2000 yards. There's only armor units in there and I expect to utterly destroy the place.

I will declare a blokade on Darwin; as long as we prevent enemy shipping to enter it should be harmless enough.
The plan is to operate outside of T-bolt and Corsair range and hit back with force if enemy air units builds are detected.
Still, by early 44 I expect Northern Oz to become a major threat to the SRA and the Combined Fleet will prioritize to protect the Sumatra - Java - Timor - Northern New Guinea region.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 04, 43

Surface Combat

Chance encounter..we slaugheterd an LCT convoy.
They were all smoking to begin with..unfortunately a Minekaze class DD collided with a CA and sank

Night Time Surface Combat, near Gove at 83,127, Range 3,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
CA Atago
DD Shinonome
DD Oboro
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
AM Rail, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
LCT-130, Shell hits 1, heavy damage
LCT-131, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
LCT-132, Shell hits 1
LCT-133
LCT-134, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-135, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCT-137, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
LCT-138, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
LCT-139, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCT-141, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
LCT-142, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
LCT-143, Shell hits 4, and is sunk

Low visibility due to Rain with 14% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 14% moonlight: 3,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 3,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 3,000 yards
BB Ise engages AM Rail at 3,000 yards
LCT-142 sunk by CA Atago at 3,000 yards
LCT-141 sunk by BB Ise at 3,000 yards
LCT-134 sunk by CA Atago at 3,000 yards
LCT-131 sunk by BB Ise at 3,000 yards
AM Rail sunk by BB Ise at 3,000 yards
DD Shinonome engages LCT-132 at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
LCT-139 sunk by BB Ise at 2,000 yards
DD Shinonome engages LCT-137 at 2,000 yards
DD Shinonome engages LCT-143 at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
LCT-135 sunk by BB Ise at 3,000 yards
LCT-138 sunk by CA Atago at 3,000 yards
LCT-137 sunk by DD Nagatsuki at 3,000 yards
LCT-143 sunk by DD Shinonome at 3,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages LCT-130 at 3,000 yards
Nishimura, Teiji orders Japanese TF to disengage
DD Nagatsuki engages LCT-130 at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
CA Atago collides with DD Nagatsuki at 83 , 127
DD Nagatsuki engages LCT-130 at 7,000 yards
Task forces break off...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub Attacks

Why don't Andy send some destroyers to the Frigate Shoals to protect his convoy?
I-170 obligingly sink the 6000 ton LSD...after 2 attempts.

Submarine attack near French Frigate Shoal at 170,101

Japanese Ships
SS I-170

Allied Ships
LSD Carter Hall

LSD Carter Hall is sighted by SS I-170
SS I-170 launches 4 torpedoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near French Frigate Shoal at 170,101

Japanese Ships
SS I-170

Allied Ships
LSD Carter Hall, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

LSD Carter Hall is sighted by SS I-170
SS I-170 launches 4 torpedoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

The convoy I thought headed into Exmouth continued east...towards Darwin with fuel
- I have learned something; low naval attack doesn't mean 1-2 or 3000 feet altitude, it means 100!
So I adjusted my Helen's altitude and voila, we nuked 3 transports

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 58,124
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Pringle
xAK City of Agra, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 3rd Motor Brigade, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 3rd Army Tank Brigade, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 27

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 3rd Army Tank Brigade, at 76,124 (Darwin)
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 43 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 36

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (3 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
36 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 58,124
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Sea Hound, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Sage Brush, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Again we bombed Darwin but couldn't prevent the armor there to capture the place.
There was a retreat route though so all remnants escaped West.
- We hardly left a single supply unit and no fuel in Darwin. All of Northern Oz has been emptied.

Wyndham also fell, we hardly defended the place.

Ground combat at Darwin (76,124)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 11335 troops, 47 guns, 1492 vehicles, Assault Value = 1088
Defending force 1788 troops, 24 guns, 144 vehicles, Assault Value = 97

Allied adjusted assault: 277
Japanese adjusted defense: 23

Allied assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 1)
Allied forces CAPTURE Darwin !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
545 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 78 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (7 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 169 (131 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 53 (1 destroyed, 52 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2/7th Armoured Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
1st Motor Brigade
3rd Army Tank Brigade
754th Tank Battalion
3rd Motor Brigade
2/6th Armoured Regiment
1st Army Tank Regiment
2/8th Armoured Regiment
2/4th Armoured Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
7th Armoured Brigade

Defending units:
4th Raiding Rgt /1
11th Tank Regiment
Maizuru 1st SNLF /1
146th Infantry RCT /1
3rd JNAF AF Unit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Wyndham (70,127)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 649 troops, 0 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 50
Defending force 215 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 12

Allied adjusted assault: 40
Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Wyndham !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 2

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2/11th Armoured Car Battalion

Defending units:
12th Garrison Unit /1
15th Garrison Unit /2
----------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Oz

I've spent much time and resources on training the IJA bomber fleet.
We now got 1150 ac and 75% of them fly the Helen II and have received advanced training in ground attack, asw and low naval attack.
- The Helen's are far more durable than Netties and Betties which will be preserved for special missions.

Andy will also feel the punishing sting of low level naval attack bombers in the campaigns to come.





Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to beppi)
Post #: 1895
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/29/2011 11:18:19 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		We bombarded Darwin and LCUs from the air and sea today.
Results were ok but not great.
- I notice that 3 ships in one a 1 in the other deployed night spotters.

We also sank the remnants of the suicide fuel convoy; an AK and a DD.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 05, 43

Bombardments

Night Naval bombardment of Darwin at 76,124

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
CA Tone
CL Oyodo
DD Makinami
DD Makigumo
DD Kazegumo
DD Akigumo
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
63 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 68
Port hits 7

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Haruna
BB Haruna firing at Darwin
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Kongo
BB Kongo firing at 1st Motor Brigade
CA Tone firing at Darwin
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CL Oyodo
CL Oyodo firing at 3rd Motor Brigade
DD Makinami firing at 3rd Motor Brigade
DD Makigumo firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Kazegumo firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Akigumo firing at 3rd Army Tank Brigade
DD Yugumo firing at Darwin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Darwin at 76,124

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
CL Ninaru
CL Naka
CL Sendai
DD Satsukaze
DD Takakaze
DD Arikaze
DD Katsutade
DD Maikaze

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 51
Port hits 5

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Kirishima
BB Kirishima firing at 3rd Army Tank Brigade
BB Hiei firing at Darwin
CL Ninaru firing at 1st Motor Brigade
CL Naka firing at 1st Motor Brigade
CL Sendai firing at 3rd Motor Brigade
DD Satsukaze firing at 3rd Motor Brigade
DD Takakaze firing at 1st Motor Brigade
DD Arikaze firing at 3rd Motor Brigade
DD Katsutade firing at Darwin
DD Maikaze firing at 1st Motor Brigade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 4th Armoured Brigade, at 76,125
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 45

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Derby at 67,123
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Pringle, Bomb hits 1
xAK Howell Lykes, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x D4Y1 Judy bombing from 9000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Howell Lykes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Derby at 67,123
Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Pringle, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x D4Y1 Judy bombing from 9000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Pringle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern Oz




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1896
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/29/2011 11:31:47 PM   
Nemo121


Posts: 5821
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline 		PzB,

I think you are wrong that Low Naval only kicks in at 100 feet. At 100 feet you are skip-bombing but at anything below 6,000 feet you are attacking using Low Naval Skill.

I've tested it and that's how it works. To be fair if you DO skip-bomb with highly skilled units then you should get far more hits than when flying at 5,000 feet but moderately skilled units tend to do better a bit higher ( 4,000 or 5,000 depending on the ceiling of any LMGs on the ships being attacked ).

_____________________________

John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1897
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 12:02:47 AM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Here's a bonus tale for you!
In my other AE game against Al (Wobbly rematch) we just had a series of clashes between LBA and carriers and now lastly a major carrier battle.

Since such battles are far between (and since it ended rather favorably) I'm going to post it in order to dwell on the results and tactics.
(Sorry Al!-)

This has happened in the game: Scen 2 similar to the AAR game.
- I went all out for New Zealand and have captured everything between there and up to Guadalcanal.
Fiji is under siege and is under blokade while Jap bases have been built to suppress the Allied presence at Suva and PagoPago and nearby bases.

In a not so glorious moment both the Hiryu and Soryu were sunk by the US carrier fleet; just like in the old days and the Battle of Phoenix Islands they went down without
inflicting damage on the enemy... This put the US in a stronger position and the Carrier Fleet was sent to hit our flanks.
- They succeeded and damaged 3 Ise and Fuso type battleships enroute to a bombardment mission as well as damaging many other ships.
Our LBA response (50 Zeros and 50 Nells) got 12 elite Netties through the enemy CAP and they placed no less than 5 torpedoes into the Saratoga (3) and Yorktown (2).
A large number of enemy carrier airplanes were reported OPS losses as their motherships had to shut down flight operations.

The following turn saw the enemy carriers withdrawing, trying to bombard one of our bases south of Suva. In these actions the KB closed in and together with LBA inflicted significant damage
on a number of enemy warships while loosing a Furutaka class cruiser in the process.

This the stage was set for a pursuit; the KB with all Jap carriers and escort carriers moved north east of Suva in order to engage the fleeing enemy fleets.
After ordering the CVE Fleet to sprint in order to catch up with the KB fuel reserves were relatively low.
- After 3 turns we were still 10-11 hexes behind the enemy and they were slipping to safety. At this time I had no idea what had become of the damaged carriers.

So last turn I separated the carriers with the most fuel and sent the Shokaku, Zuikaku, Akagi and Zuiho on a flank speed run to catch up.
The rest of the fleet trailed behind and provided long range Zero's both as strike escorts and as LRCAP.

We ended up in a favorable position 6 hexes away from the enemy's main carrier fleet (at this time consisting of the Hornet, Enterprise and Wasp - we were thus rather evenly matched
but we still had support from more fighters and our torpedo bombers had slightly longer legs than the Avengers.

One important factor: the Jap fleet was covered by moderate rain squalls while the US fleet was only covered in moderate clouds and later on clear sky.
Our strikes crippled all 3 enemy fleet carriers and also located and sank the limping Saratoga.

You can study the battle in more detail below;


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 20, 42

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 158,121
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes (only 15 minutes!!)

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
A6M2-N Rufe x 4
B5N1 Kate x 6
B5N2 Kate x 47
D3A1 Val x 53

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 44 (relatively low number and only 6-8 got onto our bombers)

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 6 destroyed, 12 damaged
D3A1 Val: 7 destroyed, 18 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Torpedo hits 1
CV Wasp, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD McCall
DD Hammann
DD McCalla
CA Vincennes

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
12 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
17 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
2 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-6 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
VF-8 with F4F-4 Wildcat (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
VF-71 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 19000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Wasp
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Hornet
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Enterprise
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Howland Island at 153,123
Weather in hex: Moderate rain <- Notice

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes (spotted by radar 47 min before arrival!!)

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 55
A6M2-N Rufe x 4

Allied aircraft - Our CAP reduced the enemy strike package to ca 44 SBDs and 8 Avengers
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65
TBF-1 Avenger x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 10 destroyed, 15 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged

Japanese Ships - only 3 bomb hits were scored and damage is light to moderate
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CV Shokaku
CA Chokai
CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Kuma
CV Zuikaku
BB Haruna
CA Kako

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Yamada Det S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 45 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
5th Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 49 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
Akagi-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
Zuikaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (4 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 11000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 46 minutes
12 planes vectored on to bombers
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Akagi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 152,118 - the crippled carrier was west of the main US fleet, Al tried to spread his eggs out but we found a good spot in the center of it all!
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Lexington dead in the water ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 159,120 -> This TF was 1 hex north of the carriers and our strike went in from 7 hexes, Val's only carrying 60kg bombs.
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied Ships
BB North Carolina, Bomb hits 7
CA Canberra

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb

Carrier support unable to supply air cover.. <- Notice this intersting message!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 159,125 - Another TF was spotted to the east
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 7 damaged

Allied Ships
CLAA San Juan

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several smaller follow up strikes followed from the now crippled Allied carriers.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Howland Island at 153,123
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 46
A6M2-N Rufe x 3

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 destroyed

CAP engaged:
Yamada Det S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
5th Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
Akagi-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
13 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 79 minutes
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 63 minutes
Zuikaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
12 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 57 minutes
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Howland Island at 153,123
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 41
A6M2-N Rufe x 3

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 destroyed

CAP engaged:
5th Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
Akagi-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 12 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
Zuikaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 4 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 45 minutes
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 6 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
Yamada Det S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
Hosho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was afraid that these ones would hit the Akagi again but we escaped further damage!

Morning Air attack on TF, near Howland Island at 153,123
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
A6M2-N Rufe x 3

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi, heavy fires (firs were out next day but caused additional sys damage)
BB Haruna

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Yamada Det S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 2 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 50 minutes
5th Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
Akagi-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 12 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
Zuikaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
Ryujo-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 6 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our PM strike: the Kate's went for other targets, slightly annoying but the Val's did well in clear weather!
Another 3 heavy cruisers were pummeled and all crippled carriers were hit by more bombs.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 158,121
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
D3A1 Val x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 16 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Minneapolis, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CV Wasp, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Vincennes, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 5, on fire
DD McCalla


Aircraft Attacking:
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
13 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Enterprise
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Minneapolis
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Hornet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 152,118
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
B5N2 Kate x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Patterson
CV Lexington, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Lexington dead in the water ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 159,120
Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
B5N2 Kate x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 15 damaged

Allied Ships
BB North Carolina
CL St. Louis

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 159,125
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
B5N1 Kate x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
CLAA San Juan
DD Dunlap, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In total we hit the Hornet with 11 bombs and 2 torpdoes, so she's sinking.
The Enterprise was hit by 6 bombs and will probably try and make a run for it.
The Wasp was hit by 6 bombs and set ablaze, I expect her to be finished.

In all 210 enemy carrier ac were reported lost, half of this as OPS losses.
Jap losses were ca 70 ac.

I took a big chance and gambled by sending a lone Car Div to battle the US Fleet but luck favors the bold and the margins were on the aggressors side (as it often is).

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1898
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 12:04:02 AM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		I know that's "correct" Nemo, but my strikes with the same ac from 2-3000 feet hit absolutely nada.
Set them to 100 feet and they caused havoc.

Bomber pilots are in the 55-76 exp range with low naval at ca 70 skill.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

PzB,

I think you are wrong that Low Naval only kicks in at 100 feet. At 100 feet you are skip-bombing but at anything below 6,000 feet you are attacking using Low Naval Skill.

I've tested it and that's how it works. To be fair if you DO skip-bomb with highly skilled units then you should get far more hits than when flying at 5,000 feet but moderately skilled units tend to do better a bit higher ( 4,000 or 5,000 depending on the ceiling of any LMGs on the ships being attacked ).



_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to Nemo121)
Post #: 1899
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 11:09:46 AM   
inqistor


Posts: 1813
Joined: 5/12/2010
Status: offline 		Well, if you do not have TOJOs in range, try strafing with NICKs. Those 20mm guns should be interesting against armour. Most Allied tanks do not have any AA capability.
Also, I would keep Yamato twins away from any danger, until attack. It would be waste to NOT use them, because some moderate damage from planes.

quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB
8 x D4Y1 Judy bombing from 9000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb


It seems you are flying too low for dive attack.
I am actually wondering, what skill skip bombing use. Maybe it is exp only? Or some average of exp, and LowN? Notice, that Allied planes also skip-bombed.

quote:

3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1900
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 1:11:14 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		We only got a few Nicks units and they're mainly deployed as bomber interceptors and are not trained in a ground attack role.
I think sending them in from 10 hexes would do little else good than loosing them to ground fire and OPS.
The main purpose in bombing Darwin now is to keep supplies low and suppress the place, enemy restricted armor is only a secondary objective.

The Judy's were set to 9000 deliberately and they scored hits - been testing different altitudes, usually setting them to 12 or 15k.
Was under the impression that skip bombing is a low naval skill; a huge differnenc in effectiveness of bombing at 100feet instead of 1-2-3000.

The Yamato's are on readiness alert and not part of the Darwin bombardment force.
Based on the experiences from the carrier battle described in the last post I'm going to make a few changes; the Escort Carrier Division will be deployed well forward at Kwajalein.
It's very difficult for them to keep up with the KB and need a headstart.

I've also been poundering on what exactly are the decisive factors in a carrier battle.
If you noticed Jap TFs detected the enemy 45min away from the fleet while US TFs only detected the strike 15min away.
- Both Shokaku and Zuikaku had received their radar upgrade.

The hit efficiency of the 45+ enemy SBDs were also poor, 3 hits. A similar number of Val's scored 13!! hits.
My conclusion draws towards weather as the decisive factor; moderate rain vs moderate clouds.
- Weather is very random but I do have a few "certains" I will test out in the next carrier battles.
As undergod we need some tricks up our sleeve.

Today we bombarded Exmouth; the Defense battalion fired back and results were again not great.
We also bombed Darwin again.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 06, 43

Bombardments

Night Naval bombardment of Exmouth at 50,129 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

47 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1, on fire
CA Aoba
CL Kinu, Shell hits 1
DD Usugumo
DD Hatsushima
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 2
DD Urakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shiranui

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CA Furutaka firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at CA Furutaka
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CA Aoba
CA Aoba firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at CA Aoba
CL Kinu firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at CL Kinu
DD Usugumo firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at DD Usugumo
DD Hatsushima firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at DD Hatsushima
DD Hagikaze firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at DD Hagikaze
DD Urakaze firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at DD Urakaze
DD Shiranui firing at 9th Marine Defense Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion firing at DD Shiranui
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 36

No Japanese losses

Port hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 9

No Japanese losses

Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 19

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 19
G4M1 Betty x 33

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 40

Aircraft Attacking:
33 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to inqistor)
Post #: 1901
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 1:45:40 PM   
Nemo121


Posts: 5821
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline 		Interesting, skip bombing is a Low Naval Skill but I understood that below 70 Low Naval Skill it was very ineffective while above 80 Low Naval Skill it was like having laser guidance....

This is important to me since I'm trying to decide which altitude to use for the upcoming strikes on USN invasion fleets in my game vs PH.

I can either send torpedo bombers in at 200 feet OR have them level bomb from 5,000 feet ( above 20mm FlAK from USN DDs/DEs etc ) OR have them skip bomb at 100 feet. My Low Naval Skill is only barely in the 50s though so I think I might be better off just having them level bomb from 8,000 feet or so where they can avoid 20mm and 40mm FlAK entirely and thus survive to strike again on the 2nd day - trading fewer hits per day for more survivability.

Hmm, I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas PzB?

_____________________________

John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1902
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 2:26:10 PM   
PaxMondo


Posts: 9750
Joined: 6/6/2008
Status: offline 		I wonder how the durability of Frances will compare to HelenII's?  As the Frances is armored, it should do as well, right?  I think I need to be training my Frances in low-level NAV ....

For your HelenII training, how long is it taking you to complete your training cycle?  You're training them: Ground, Nav, low Nav, ASW, that's 6 months?

_____________________________

Pax

(in reply to Nemo121)
Post #: 1903
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 2:34:16 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		In general it's suicide to deploy low flying Jap ac against a US invasion fleet with heavy carrier support in 44...
Personally I will use my specialized low altitude attack planes against smaller and less defended targets.

What I would recommend is preparing a set piece battle; prepare the battlefield so you are prepared for the most likely enemy invasions.
E.g the SRA.

In 42 and 43 it's possible to use naval air to attrit US Carriers as they enter a friendly LBA zone.
This is hardly an option in 44 with 300-400 Hellcats on CAP.

So there are 2 options:
1. Defensive battle with LBA alone
2. Defensive with LBA supported by KB

If you can organize nr 2 you will have much better chances to succeed.
If the KB carriers field say 800 ac (400 fighters, 400 bombers) while you also field 800 operational LBA (400 fighters, 400 bombers) plus reserves
you should be able to win the day if you can keep the enemy invasion fleet around for a few days.

As soon as enemy resistance has been reduced and numerous ships and cripples are all over the place you send in your specialized attack squadrons and subs
to finish them off.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 07, 43

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 47 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 27
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 45

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Port hits 7
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
9 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 63

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 146th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, at 75,124
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 2

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 17
G4M1 Betty x 33

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 46

Aircraft Attacking:
33 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to Nemo121)
Post #: 1904
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 2:44:40 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Yes PaxMondo, I think the Frances will perform similar to the Helen II but remember it has a service rating of 3, so it will be harder to keep them in the air.
6 months or more is probably a good estimate; but I don't train all Helen's in all of these skills.

I have numerous Helen units flying ASW missions, they are specialized in ASW and one other skill.
The frontline Helens are specialized in the  ground attack roles; these units have much higher...turnaround rates and need numerous reinforcements.
Behind the lines I have the specialized attack units - these are kept back and can be trained in low naval, asw, ground attack etc.

Whenever possible I try to rotate a dedicated asw unit with a specialized attack unit; this allows me to give the asw units more special skills because we all know they will have to fight
more than subs when the going gets tough....

I've just now replcaed all Sonia's with 2 engined medium bombers; there are still quite a few Lily's, Helen I's and Sally's around - these units fly only asw and training missions.

The naval bombers is another matter; I'm not fond of using them at all because the Netties and Betties are so fragile.
So they spend much time on search, asw and training missions too. The crack units will be replaced with France's asap; this should keep our best pilots alive a bit longer.


_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1905
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 4:12:24 PM   
PaxMondo


Posts: 9750
Joined: 6/6/2008
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB

Yes PaxMondo, I think the Frances will perform similar to the Helen II but remember it has a service rating of 3, so it will be harder to keep them in the air.
6 months or more is probably a good estimate; but I don't train all Helen's in all of these skills.

I have numerous Helen units flying ASW missions, they are specialized in ASW and one other skill.
The frontline Helens are specialized in the  ground attack roles; these units have much higher...turnaround rates and need numerous reinforcements.
Behind the lines I have the specialized attack units - these are kept back and can be trained in low naval, asw, ground attack etc.

Whenever possible I try to rotate a dedicated asw unit with a specialized attack unit; this allows me to give the asw units more special skills because we all know they will have to fight
more than subs when the going gets tough....

I've just now replcaed all Sonia's with 2 engined medium bombers; there are still quite a few Lily's, Helen I's and Sally's around - these units fly only asw and training missions.

The naval bombers is another matter; I'm not fond of using them at all because the Netties and Betties are so fragile.
So they spend much time on search, asw and training missions too. The crack units will be replaced with France's asap; this should keep our best pilots alive a bit longer.



I REALLY need to be develop my training schemes. I just can't seem to find enough units ... I always feel I am short of front line units! If I have 50, I feel like I need 75. If I had 75, I would feel the need for 100. Maybe I need to return to the darkside and play the allies.

Anyway, thanks for sharing these insights. I though I was doing "ok". Obviously I am way short yet. Back to the drawing board.


_____________________________

Pax

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1906
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 5:55:08 PM   
inqistor


Posts: 1813
Joined: 5/12/2010
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB

We only got a few Nicks units and they're mainly deployed as bomber interceptors and are not trained in a ground attack role.
I think sending them in from 10 hexes would do little else good than loosing them to ground fire and OPS.


But, think about FREE EXPERIENCE!
I agree, that it is not worth with strong AA, but is there actually lots of AA fire? You do not seem to lost anything yet. With armoured strafers it could be pretty safe.

quote:

The Yamato's are on readiness alert and not part of the Darwin bombardment force.


I was talking rather, about keeping them with Carriers. Great AA, but great risk before they actually engage.

quote:

I've also been poundering on what exactly are the decisive factors in a carrier battle.
If you noticed Jap TFs detected the enemy 45min away from the fleet while US TFs only detected the strike 15min away.
- Both Shokaku and Zuikaku had received their radar upgrade.


Probably luck during checks of radar, I am afraid.

quote:

The hit efficiency of the 45+ enemy SBDs were also poor, 3 hits. A similar number of Val's scored 13!! hits.


And here is probably CAP, and AA strength. Maybe US is still armed with 1.1 inch? Remember about the date of this engagement.

quote:

Whenever possible I try to rotate a dedicated asw unit with a specialized attack unit; this allows me to give the asw units more special skills because we all know they will have to fight
more than subs when the going gets tough....


I do not know, if wasting ASW trained pilots on ground attack is wise. But agree, that naval bombers should be either used on "safe" attacks, or in "real need".

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nemo121
I can either send torpedo bombers in at 200 feet OR have them level bomb from 5,000 feet ( above 20mm FlAK from USN DDs/DEs etc ) OR have them skip bomb at 100 feet. My Low Naval Skill is only barely in the 50s though so I think I might be better off just having them level bomb from 8,000 feet or so where they can avoid 20mm and 40mm FlAK entirely and thus survive to strike again on the 2nd day - trading fewer hits per day for more survivability.


In one of the patches there came ability for TBs to glide attack. I think you should set them at 10k-20k.

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1907
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 8:40:34 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Lol, well I think we all feel that way Pax
As soon as you have your army and naval bomber squadrons you discover that you also need long range escort fighters for them.
- Dang, the A6M5 doesn't have the long legs of the A6M3a (15 hexes) and you stopped production of the Oscar IIb in favor of the Tojo IIb (14 vs 8 hexes range).
So you need to get both short and long range fighters / interceptors in place - only to realize that you don't have enough base units to support them all

I currently have 4 fully manned defensive zones;
1. Line Islands - Gilbert - Marshall zone
2. Solomons - New Guinea zone
3. SRA zone
4. Burma zone

I'm also building the following zones:

1. Marianas
2. Philippines
3. Malaya - Sumatra

The goal is to have 3-5 fort levels in all attractive bases in these regions, provide supply and finally various type of garrisons.
A counterattack force is placed centrally so it can support several zones if required.
- Same applies to Air Fleets and air support. Much of this will have to be provided for later when reinforcements become available.
It will be too late to build the foundation for future defensive zones and kill zones "later". As much as possible need to be done now.

It's now 28 days until the enlarged KB can be gathered.
Tomorrow the Kaga completes her lengthy refit and 2 CVLs complete their conversions in 3-4 weeks, in the same time period the first
2 Katsuragi's arrive together with a new CL and 2 upgraded older CLs. This will bring us up to 9 fleet carriers, 4 CVLs and 5 CVEs.

Inq; actually, the range from our nearest operational air base to Darwin is 11 hexes Inq, Nick range is max 10...
If we had some Stuka tank busters I'd be more excited about the prospect of blowing up enemy tanks
Our Nells performed very well in todays ground attack role against Corunna Downs though, take a look!

The Yamato's are fuel guzlers with short legs and their speed is much lower than that of our fast carriers.
But yes, before a major fleet battle they will find their place amidst our carriers to attract bombs

I've never had luck with radar checks; was wondering if weather influence radar detection..
It's 08-42 and I think Al upgraded his carriers before sending them into battle. Maybe he can confirm this, not a big deal since they're
with Davy Jones now A surface combat group found the damaged Yorktown and escort and sank them with gunfire, very satisfying to watch

Jills are excellent bomb platforms at 10k feet

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 09, 43

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 57,131 (Corunna Downs)
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 damaged

Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 146th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, at 75,124
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 4th Armoured Brigade, at 76,127
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 7
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 57,131 (Corunna Downs)
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (4 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x G3M3 Nell bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ground combat at Corunna Downs (57,131)
Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2685 troops, 18 guns, 278 vehicles, Assault Value = 195
Defending force 1080 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 53

Allied adjusted assault: 44
Japanese adjusted defense: 14

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)
Allied forces CAPTURE Corunna Downs !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
503 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
255th Armoured Brigade

Defending units:
II/19th Naval Guard Unit
70th Div /1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 08, 43

Sub-ASW Attacks

ASW attack near Talaud-eilanden at 83,95

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-43
E Sagi
PB Teshio Maru

Allied Ships
SS Trout, hits 6

SS Trout is located by SC CHa-43
E Sagi fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Teshio Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
E Sagi fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Sagi fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Sagi fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Sagi fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Sagi attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Pearl Harbor at 182,103

Japanese Ships
SS I-170

Allied Ships
xAK Havildar, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Whangpu
xAK Margaret Fuller
xAK James M. Goodhue
xAK Christopher Greenup
SC-641
SC-638

SS I-170 launches 4 torpedoes at xAK Havildar
SC-641 fails to find sub and abandons search
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC-638 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 56,131
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 damaged

Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 5000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern Oz

The last turns have seen an enemy armored brigade move into Corunna Downs from the desert.
Nells attack from 18 hexes away and together with local Helens pounded the enemy troops, but our modified defensive value was too low.
- Within a few weeks all of Northern Oz will be gobbled up.

If we had stayed it would have required a large Army to garrison all the bases properly.
Will be quite some time until Northern Oz becomes a direct threat to the SRA so all of this is a sideshow - for now.
Andy will not forget about the Line Islands, believe me...

In the meanwhile I'm slowly extracting surplus troops from Burma. Going over to the defensive requires a lot less troops and I need to
garrison the coastline between Rangoon - Singapore and Sumatra.

We're now into "construction week" in Japan were we receive 8-10 new naval construction units.
These are sorely needed and I will immediately send them to fortify the remaining vulnerable spots on our flanks.
Building forts and moving in supplies first, then inserting LCUs as they become available.




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to inqistor)
Post #: 1908
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 8:50:09 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Cunning Plans Time




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1909
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 9:53:04 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		The raid wasn't a spectacular success - for several reasons;

1. In the AM phase weather was clear over Camilla but the pilots overslept and didn't fly until PM - by then weather was rainy over the target, thus severly reducing bombing accuracy
2. The raid was split into 3 parts: First a Tojo unit went in and fought Hurries on CAP. Since the Tojo's were on escort at 12k feet and not sweep they fought an even battle with the CAP, costing us more
fighters than I liked. The bombers were also split into 2; not sure if this mattered. The remaining CAP was easily dealt with and bombs rained down on the enemy fields.
3. Andy has collected a huge number of AA units and despite what Castor Troy says they work just fine when concentrated enough. We lost almost a dozen bombers to flak today.

In total the raid cost us 15 Tojo's and 13 Helens while the enemy lost 20 Hurries and 4 bombers on the ground.
I also suspect that Andy has moved his 4Es out of India and into the Pacific - Australia. Lots of enemy 4E ops losses reported and I've not seen any in Burma - India for quite some time.

If we are to repeat raids against India I will revert to the old recite; 2 fighter units on sweep missions first followed by a heavily escorted bomber force bombing from at least 15k feet.
Lower than this is too costly, I was aware of this today but had hoped the armored Helen's would fare slightly better and inflict more casualties on the ground.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 10, 43

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 57,131 (Corunna Downs)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 damaged

Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Comilla , at 56,39
Weather in hex: Moderate rain <- Annoying...

Raid detected at 10 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 42

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 35

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 4 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 12000 feet *

CAP engaged:
No.113 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 7 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 29000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 29000
Raid is overhead
No.146 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 7 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 29000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
No.242 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 7 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 29000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
No.605 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 29000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Comilla , at 56,39
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 36
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 36
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 43

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 destroyed, 23 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 2 destroyed
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed on ground
Blenheim VD: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 15

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet
12 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 12000 feet

CAP engaged:
No.113 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 119 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
No.146 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 2 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes
No.242 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 29000 , scrambling fighters to 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Comilla , at 56,39
Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 34
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 27

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed, 16 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Ventura GR.V: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
26 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Our small para contingent on Katherine has been left alone for quite some time.

Ground combat at Katherine (76,128)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3358 troops, 16 guns, 348 vehicles, Assault Value = 228
Defending force 175 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 12

Allied adjusted assault: 106
Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 106 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Katherine !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
246 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
4th Armoured Brigade
810th Engineer Aviation Battalion
96th Coast AA Regiment

Defending units:
4th Raiding Rgt /2
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Raid on Comilla




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1910
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/30/2011 11:24:21 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Nothing to report this turn...very quiet!


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 11, 43

In the first "Andy game" I struggled in the IndoChina - Malaya region so I won't be surprised if someone wants to try similar moves in this game.

So I've been plundering over defensive zones againe...by 44 we need to have the outer framework more or less complete.
Work will then switch the inner defensive zones (PI, inner SRA, Marianas).

The clue is to enable interlocking zones to easily provide reinforcements to its neigbouring zones, either via rail, air or sea.
Large Air HQs is especially important. If we have 250 air support in a size 9 base it's possible project a lot of force.

Defensive Zone Planning

Numerous engineer units have been building up fortifications and bases for more than a year already.




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1911
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 1:26:16 PM   
castor troy


Posts: 14330
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Austria
Status: offline 		I had more than 300 3.7 inch flak guns at Magwe and Rainer bombed at 10-15000 ft. Loss rate of his bombers was around 5%. I don´t know what was more unrealistic, stacking a Berlin like flak defense (Berlin had around 400 heavy flak guns at it´s peak) in a jungle base in Burma where you could expect perhaps one or two such flak units, or the loss rates of my enemy´s bombers. And he didn´t just fly one attack, so it didn´t happen by accident. Can be read in my AAR together with screenshots about all the flak units there. The 1000+ smaller flak guns wouldn´t do anything at 15000ft of course. As the stacking of so many units is just as off as the result, I could live with it in the end and I got other pet peeves anyway.

_____________________________


(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1912
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 1:56:07 PM   
castor troy


Posts: 14330
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Austria
Status: offline 		121 attacking bombers, 62 dropping bombs at 11000ft, 3 shot down by flak when 150 3.7 inch guns were available. 4.7% loss rate, not much for an unrealistic stack of flak guns in the middle of the Burmese jungle. And that was a common result as we had these fights going on for weeks which has fed me up for some time back then. Can be read around page 25 of my AAR. Neither land based flak nor sea based flak seems to be something you can count on, while Japanese flak is something I totally ignore in 99% of the time.

Morning Air attack on Toungoo , at 57,50

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 18
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 24
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 24



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 6
Hurricane IIb Trop x 22
Hurricane IIc Trop x 15
Hurricane XIIb x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 27
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 8


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 6 destroyed
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 7 destroyed, 14 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 7 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 3 damaged
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 3 destroyed, 18 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 4 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane XIIb: 4 damaged
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40K Warhawk: 27 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 5 destroyed on ground
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 2 damaged



Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 28

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-48-IIa Lily bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
6 x Ki-21-IIb Sally bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb


Morning Air attack on Toungoo , at 57,50

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 24
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 17



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 6
Hurricane IIb Trop x 14
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10
Hurricane XIIb x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 20
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 11 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 10 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 2 destroyed on ground
Hurricane XIIb: 1 damaged
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 18

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-21-IIb Sally bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by castor troy -- 1/31/2011 1:57:41 PM >

_____________________________


(in reply to castor troy)
Post #: 1913
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 2:08:30 PM   
castor troy


Posts: 14330
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Austria
Status: offline 		sorry to spam your AAR but I also couldn´t resist posting this, as it was just copy paste. I´m glad that other ppl get better results as they sure should, but my flak has done more or less nothing despite everything being just fine.

Morning Air attack on Toungoo , at 57,50

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 23
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 30
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 32
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 28
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 5



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 8 damaged
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 7 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 64

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
28 x Ki-48-IIa Lily bombing from 11000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 100 kg GP Bomb
30 x Ki-21-IIb Sally bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
5 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb


Morning Air attack on Toungoo , at 57,50

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 7
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 19



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 8 damaged



Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 16

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb





104 bombers dropping their load at 11000, 2 shot down by flak. 149 3.7 inch guns at that time. Loss rate not even 2%. Again, not a one time special. Of course I don´t know how Andy is defending his places, while I found it to be unrealistic to have such a force in a jungle base, I don´t know how much more Andy cramps into his bases to get a much more lethal flak defense at twice the altitude. Probably much more flak but that is of course a matter of taste and most of the things we, the players, do is nothing but command & conquer anyway. But go ahead and try to use realistic numbers when talking about flak for example. just my two cents



Attachment (1)

_____________________________


(in reply to castor troy)
Post #: 1914
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 8:47:18 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		I don't know Castor Troy, maybe you should ask Andy how many AA guns he got in Comilla.
Was your results achieved with the latest public patch?

Also notice the date in your game; May 43. In my game we're now in August 43.
Maybe Allied radar and gunnery got better?


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 12, 43

ASW Attacks

ASW attack near Soc Trang at 61,76

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 12
E Ishinui
E Tobui

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon, hits 5

SS Tarpon is sighted by escort
Tarpon bottoming out ....
E Ishinui fails to find sub and abandons search
E Tobui fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Tobui fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Tobui fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Tobui attacking submerged sub ....
E Tobui fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Tobui attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Bombing enemy ground units in Northern Oz to slow them down a bit.

Morning Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 57,131 (Corunna Downs)
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 damaged

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd USMC Tank Battalion, at 75,125
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 6
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 146th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, at 75,124
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 3

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
85th Sentai/A with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 10th Light Horse Battalion, at 67,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 21 (4 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x G3M3 Nell bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 10th Light Horse Battalion, at 67,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 7

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to castor troy)
Post #: 1915
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 10:15:11 PM   
Xxzard

 

Posts: 440
Joined: 9/28/2008
From: Arizona
Status: offline
quote:

Morning Air attack on 146th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, at 75,124
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 3

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
85th Sentai/A with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead


I'm a little confused by this. An RCT is a US unit, so I don't think the Mitchell's target it the infantry, but then, what is it doing? As an attack bomber it must be making some kind of attack, but then why is the target a US unit?

_____________________________


(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1916
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 1/31/2011 11:03:54 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		Good question
There are Jap remnants in the hex including parts of a regiment. The 146th RCT sounds like a US regiment but I can't find any reference to such a unit.
Will look into it when I get the next turn. As you can see the B-25s bombed this very same unti and inflicted casualties again today.

Andy is now moving towards the coast and we're bombing his isolated armored units.
Not much else happening. In 9 days the first 27 ac Frances unit arrives and production is slowly picking up.

The Escort Car Div is in place in Kwajalein, the BB Ise is patching up in Singapore while the KB is resting - waiting for substantial reinforcements.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 13, 43

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on 10th Light Horse Battalion, at 67,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd USMC Tank Battalion, at 75,125
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 6
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 18 (4 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 4000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 146th Infantry Regimental Combat Team, at 75,124
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 10th Light Horse Battalion, at 67,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 1 damaged

Aircraft attacking:
20 x G3M3 Nell bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 10th Light Horse Battalion, at 67,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mysterious attack on the 146th....




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

(in reply to Xxzard)
Post #: 1917
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 2/1/2011 7:49:28 AM   
castor troy


Posts: 14330
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Austria
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB

I don't know Castor Troy, maybe you should ask Andy how many AA guns he got in Comilla.
Was your results achieved with the latest public patch?

Also notice the date in your game; May 43. In my game we're now in August 43.
Maybe Allied radar and gunnery got better?



latest patch at that time, not the latest official patch available now though. While the latest beta patch seems to have screwed up something with flak (weren´t there some tests showing it being three or four times more lethal?) I have never noticed anything in the official patches that changed something and radar isn´t used for gunnery AFAIK. I´m going to ask Andy about the number of flak guns, I find it really odd to see his flak defense being so much more deadly than the two dozen examples of my AAR that had already a (to me) ridicoulos high number of flak guns involved and the Japanese flying at 11000ft, not 23000ft like you do. Flak in my PBEM is 100% useless, being in 4/44 I (Allied) IIRC I have lost something like 8000 aircaft (200 to flak ), the Japanese lost 14000 (700 to flak). 2.5% of total Allied losses, 5% of total Japanese losses. Weren´t real live losses to flak in total higher than losses to enemy fighters or is this just a myth? The % has been far higher, that´s for sure. I know, damage from flak/fighters can also result in an op loss so it can be hard to tell if it´s from flak, fighters, weather or whatever but that was the same in real life too. I guess I have lost three or four times more aircraft flying nav search/recon/transport than I have lost to enemy flak fire. And this with arealistic stacking of flak units. Of course beefing up flak would mean the players still stacking huge numbers of flak guns into some jungle bases or mini islands, so there would have to be de diminishing returns. Neither me nor my opponent fears any kind of flak in our PBEM, like I´ve said, perhaps it´s not enough stacking, while it is already completely unrealistic.

_____________________________


(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1918
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 2/1/2011 5:14:05 PM   
inqistor


Posts: 1813
Joined: 5/12/2010
Status: offline 		Since you already bombarding Darwin, you could actually use fast transports, and evacuate those beaten units. Why waste experienced troops?

quote:

ORIGINAL: PzB
If we had some Stuka tank busters I'd be more excited about the prospect of blowing up enemy tanks


Now, that is interesting idea. TOJO IIb have 37mm guns, but lacks armour, but I think IIc model is already armoured. And considering that IIRC NICK model c have 2 points of armour, we have Japan candidate for tankbuster. Start train strafing



quote:

It's 08-42 and I think Al upgraded his carriers before sending them into battle.


Allied CVs get AA upgrade on Sep-Oct 42, so I am afraid engagement was just error from Allied side. Better not get conclusions regarding 44 battles

quote:

I also suspect that Andy has moved his 4Es out of India and into the Pacific - Australia.


Uuu action. How can we use that? Placing more planes on frontline in Burma maybe?

(in reply to PzB74)
Post #: 1919
RE: NEWSFLASH; Efate captured! - 2/1/2011 9:29:51 PM   
PzB74


Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000
From: No(r)way
Status: offline 		No idea Castor, let me know what Andy says
- I'm more concerned about another squeel of yours; the problem with carrier fighters escorting (or failing to) escort LBA strikes.
May take this up in the dev forum... An option to order fighters not to escort LBA would be great. I still have problems with Zero's routinely escorting
strike's they're not meant to escort. This builds OPS losses and fatigue at an alarming rate. When the fighters are truly needed they then perform absolutely horrible in a close escort role.

As far as I can see no ac have more than 1 point of armor; it's either armor or no armor...
If you have evidence of anything else, please post a screen Inq
- I got some Nicks trained in low ground but it's simply not worth the hassle of trying to get them all killed for very few returns.
Allied fighters are now becoming way to numerous and dangerous.

Not so sure if AA upgrades mean that much anymore; proper radar is more important IMO!

Yes, we have to keep Andy honest in Burma
The entire place is a well fortified battle zone so not easy to find openings, and when we do flak claims so many kills that it's not worth attacking.
The loss of the Bombardment Squadron means that we don't have the big guns to deliver with either. My old battleships always suffer, Al performed a similar stunt as Andy with his carriers last sortie.
3 Ise and Fuso class ships were pummeled with bombs and torps; the Ise took numerous heavy bombs and 3-4-5? torps - the only difference is that they all lived...

In general I can't afford to come up with too many potentially expensive riposte's right now; need to prepare kill zones and gather strength for the big fights to come.
- When Andy comes to us we will strike back with full force. Need to attrit Allied builup continously without loosing to much, only way of keeping them at bay.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Aug 14, 43

Today saw the combat debut of the Rex; sent in a supply ship and provided some local CAP.
A B-24 was lost today while P-38's claimed a Rex later in the day.

Air Combat

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Merauke at 89,124
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1 Rex x 5

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Singapore Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 10 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
452 Ku S-1 with N1K1 Rex (1 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Merauke at 89,124
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1 Rex x 1

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6
P-38H Lightning x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1 Rex: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAK Tatuha Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 10 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 14000 feet

CAP engaged:
452 Ku S-1 with N1K1 Rex (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 54 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 58,130
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x G3M3 Nell bombing from 5000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operational debut; Rex




Attachment (1)

_____________________________



"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

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