RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A)

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/11/2011 10:37:10 AM

Erkki

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March 11th

Its silent... Only things worth mentioning are SS USS Finback sinking a picket-xAKL between Marianas and Wake. There were no hits recorded on the submarine but it emergency dived because of damage. Hmm.... On Leyte, PI Army is retreated from Tacloban. The whole island will be ours in 5 days. On Java, a recon regiment arrives at Tilitjap, orders are to shock attack tomorrow. Theres still a lot of damaged Dutch aircraft in the base, though they could be just railed away... Lets see if Allies again leave some planes behind them.

16th Infantry Regiment and some other units begin boarding ships at Singapore for this plan:

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/12/2011 11:15:42 AM

Erkki

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March 11th, 12th

Pacific: Japanese picket-xAKL gets suck between Marianas and Wake. Tulagi and Lunga hit airfield size 1, lots of air units transferring in...

Java: We have 1700 AV at Bandoeng, deliberate attack ordered for tomorrow. 420+40+250AV joining in 2 to 4 days. Makassar invasion force boarding ships... I will use 4 carriers, 2 cruiser squadrons, a DD squadron led by a CL and BB Ise as bombardment force. Most of the DEI area submarines will be moved between Makassar and Timor to protect the right flank.

Quiet elsewhere. In other news, the Allies admit to have lost CL Mauritius and DD John D. Edwards - good news! I was 99% sure about Mauritius but didnt know the John D. Edwards went down too. A Zero pilot MIA over Bandoeng is found, so our Java campaign fighter pilot casualties are back to 0.

Solomons area is starting to look like something:

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/12/2011 11:17:46 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/13/2011 11:24:08 AM

Erkki

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March 13th

East Indies:

Good news! The enemy force at Bandoeng is just 950 AV behind forts 3. They are cut off and seemingly cant fix even 15 airfield hits a day. Our 2000 AV today got 1:2 odds (deliberate attack) so once we have 420 more and actually use all the units (3 regiments didnt take part to the attack as they just entered the hex) we should be able to get the place in less than 2 weeks. Or quicker, as the Dutchmen's supply is cut off.

Makassar invasion is a go! The fleet composition has changed a little. We are using a 20-ship CVTF with 3 CVs and a CVL, 4 cruiser TFs (one joins from Java), Battleship Ise and her escorts, a separate 4-destroyer escort squadron for the transports and CL Kashii and 8 DDs close cover with the transports. 16h infantry regiment, 21st JAAF AF Bn and an air HQ are aboard the ships. To support this invasion, Kalidjati's fighters are ordered to sweep Soerebaja tomorrow - Japanese bombers visited the place 2 days ago and there were(typically and as expected) no fighters protecting the city. Lets see if there are now...

Still silent everywhere else. I'm moving more troops and a construction battalion to Marcus island. KB Replenishment force heads to Rabaul where it'll unload all the fuel and then head to load more at Tarakan, Borneo.

Tomorrow: 2nd Raiding Regiment jumps to Akyab in Burma, 2 aviation support battalion follow the day after as fighters are flown in. I'm not going to defend Akyab seriously, taking it to see how much land the Allies are ready to lose before they start fighting back...

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/13/2011 12:03:39 PM

Erkki

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PaxMondo, SqzMyLemon: I have decided to take the Santa Cruz Islands as well as the Gilberts. One SNLF unit will leave Tokyo to invade Tabiteuea in a couple of days and as you know I have one SNLF at Ndeni already. As soon as I'll get a free AF Coy I'll move it to Ndeni and base some H6Ks there. I considered using an AV but thats just asking for trouble as it'd get sunk in the first attack. Better use something more expendable. I'll also move some support units from Bedeloab to Tabiteuea to support E13As - I just moved the other group from Marianas and upgraded it from E7K to E13A. Gilberts and Santa Cruz Islands are not going to get anything I'm not ready to lose in the first attack, but I'll try to build some forts and perhaps an airfield at Tarawa(just moved a base force and a JAAF AF Coy there together with a second Naval Guards unit).

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/13/2011 3:54:39 PM

PaxMondo

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I have to admit, with the new beta, AF Coy's are now quite expendable as they can be bought back pretty cheap. I think it is going to change my strategy with regards to using AV's.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/13/2011 4:04:38 PM

Erkki

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quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

I have to admit, with the new beta, AF Coy's are now quite expendable as they can be bought back pretty cheap.� I think it is going to change my strategy with regards to using AV's.

Definitely. Whats the respawn time... 15 to 35 days? Once the unit is re-formed at Tokyo it cant take more than 2 weeks for an AF Coy to be full strength again. I'll get a couple more during the following weeks, they will find themselves at Marcus, Tabiteuea and possibly Taongi, Eniwetok or Ocean. Ontong Java invasion force is on its way, but as its rear area enough it'll probably get an AV instead of a land unit.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/14/2011 10:44:45 AM

Erkki

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March 14th

Burma: Akyab captured by 2nd Raiding Regiment paratroopers. No enemy garrison was present so not a single shot was fired. Tomorrow we'll fly in an aviation support company and fighters will sweep to see if the enemy flies CAP against our transports.

Java: A very odd move by Smeulders - Allies moved some fighters to the cut-off Bandoeng. 4 Hurricanes and 5 B-339s were engaged by today's bomber escorts - we shot down 2 B-339s but lost a bomber, plus a bomber and 2 Ki-43s were written off due damage. If damaged, those Allied fighters cannot be railed away because the place is surrounded, and the base is so damaged that they might not be able to fly tomorrow even if the planes are fixed. Makassar invasion fleet advances on schedule. CVEs Taiyo and Hosho broke through to the Indian Ocean and are most probably undetected. They will sweep South to Java and Waingapoe to catch any Allied TFs that flee the Japanese carriers in the Java Sea. Submarine screen starts to move to its new position...

Pacific: All quiet. 42nd Naval Garrison Unit arrived today at Tokyo - it'll be moved to Paramushiro Jima in the Kuriles.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/16/2011 12:11:43 AM

Erkki

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March 15th

Java Sea:

The Flying Dutchmen retreat to Soerebaja but forget to set a CAP - Japanese carriers launch some D3A strikes to Soerebaja and finally destroy the last 6 of the Dutch PT boats. Bandjermasin invaded, but it looks like the defenders are 2/3 as strong as the attacking SNLF Marine unit so we'll send some reinforcements from Palembang. I had intended to use those units to take some of the unoccupied bases but we'll have time to come back later.

Makassar invasion minus 2 days. Samarinda invasion force arrives at Tarakan in 2 days - Samarinda invasion will be delayed from schedule by about 3 days, but it shouldn't matter as the flanks are well protected.

Indian Ocean: CVE raiders advance. They havent seen anything for 2 days now, and I hope they are still undetected. If the Allies didnt see our carriers yesterday they sure did today, and some ships might flee South. This TF has fuel to sail all the way to Timor and back to Sumatra.

SOPAC: Dozens of task forces sailing back and forth, moving supplies and units. 25th Air Flotilla HQ boards ships at Yokohama today. Destination for them is Lunga or Shortlands. I have Southeast Area Fleet HQ at Tulagi but I'm not sure if it can provide the HQ bonus and torpedoes to nearby bases. I forgot to move a H6K unit to Lunga to test it, but I'll know about that in 2 days. I'm intending to make every and each base in the Solomons Chain a able nest torpedo-armed single or two engined strike aircraft or flying boats. If it works as I hope it to I can move the Fleet HQ to Thousand Ships Bay and placing other HQs at Shortlands and Rabaul cover all but 3 bases with the HQ command radiuses: Green Island, Feni Islands, and northern end of Luganville, Buka.

US West Coast: An E14Y float search plane from submarine I-27 sights a 7-ship tanker-only task force near San Francisco. Lets see if we catch any of them tomorrow or the day after.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/16/2011 12:29:24 AM

Erkki

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I have currently 853 political points. I have a division ready and now fully prepped for Koepang with soon the troop transports ready. I hope to be able to land at Koepang by April 20th or so and in doing so be done with all the required major amphibious landings. Ambon and Kendari will be left last.

Most likely I'm not going to go to Australia but I'd like to make my opponent think I will... Maybe I'll make some Manchurian units prep for Darwin. Lol. Or even just some of the ones in the DEI plus a HQ or 2, followed by a CV raid to Perth and a BB bombardment of Darwin or something.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/16/2011 6:27:11 PM

Erkki

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March 16th

Java Sea: Japanese ASW attacks USN and Dutch submarines 6 times in shallow water hexes without scoring a hit. 3 Dutch PT boats, dunno where they appeared, try their luck at Kalidjati against Japanese cruisers in daylight, losing one of their number. Makassar invasion 100% in schedule. Next night phase, BB Ise and her escorts will bombard Makassar before the amphibious TF starts to unload the troops on shore. 50% of KB on station in a shallow water hex ready to kill anything that dares to interrupt. CVE raiders advance still(hopefully) undetected, almost reaching their planned station hex by tomorrow evening.

SOPAC:

Looks like the Allies have finally moved some submarines to the Solomons. One of them hits and sinks a Japanese PB escort but thats what those ships are for. Lunga and Tulagi are both over 50% on their way to airfield size 2, while first aviation support unit arrives at Tassafaronga starts to immediately building the airfield. A good 4% progress was made in just half a day and using only 4 engineering squads

EDIT: also Lae fell. We'll invade Finschafen tomorrow by an SNLF unit from Gasmata. After that, there'll be just 2 Australian infantry units in the whole New Guinea and they are both inland and cannot be saved by ships, aircraft or submarines.

NOPAC: There has recently been lots of enemy radio activity at following bases: Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Attu and Anchorage. Like 3 weeks now. The Allies are definitely up to something, so I earmarked another JNAF AF battalion for Paramushiro Jima and sent some Zeros and a training bomber group to Hokkaido. Battleship Yamashiro, CL Kitakami and 2 destroyers are stationed at Paramushiro. I dont expect them to be able to stop a CV-supported invasion but they should be able to inflict enough losses to stall any invasion that isnt supported by CVs or (multiple)battleships. USN CVs are probably now at Sydney, but I think at least one of them was sent to East a couple of days ago, perhaps towards Panama. I'm pretty sure there arent any enemy CVs near Fiji or New Caledonia right now.

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/16/2011 6:34:08 PM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/17/2011 10:00:32 AM

Erkki

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March 17th

East Indies:

Ise and her escorts bombard Makassar: results could have been considerably better, but at least we got some hits in...

Makassar amphibious force unloads troops without a loss. We should have at least 2-1 superiority and shock attack is ordered for tomorrow.

An Allied TF of unknown composition is sighted by Japanese submarines but escapes by daybreak. Carriers move south tomorrow, and together with the CVE raiders they cover a pretty large area.

Samarinda invasion is a go! Also Japanese troops ordered to attack at Bandoeng tomorrow.

Attachment (1)

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/17/2011 11:08:54 AM

Erkki

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I dont want the Allies to get the Paramushiro on the cheap so BB Hyuga sets sail from Singapore to Tokyo to eventually join Yamashiro at Paramushiro. A Naval Guards unit of 62 AV is on its way to Paramushiro which is now port 1, AF 1 and forts 2, and a JNAF AF Bn will also go there as soon as I have ships to do that in 3-4 days. Today was another day of 2 radio activity reports in the Aleutians...

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/17/2011 11:10:22 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/18/2011 10:38:59 AM

Erkki

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March 18th

This was a good day for the Japanese. All of today's action was in the East Indies.

During the night, an Allied TF of 4 USN Clemson DD-class DDs escorting CLs Danae and Enterprise sailed from SE(Timor?) past Japanese submarines to the hex E of where the Kido Butai's movement arrow is on the above screenshot(lowest arrow). KB had 2 surface combat escort TFs - one set to react, the other set to not. The with CAs Tone, Chikuma, Abukuma, Nachi and 5 DDs was allowed to react and intercepted the Allied TF, but somehow managed to get itself surprised by the Allies and get "crossed T". It was a night battle at 0% moonlight. The Allies started their torpedo attacks, hitting and sinking DD Murasame almost immediately. The battle lasted very long at point blank range 3000 to 5000 yards with no hits, and eventually the Japanese started to get the upper hand. Tone and Chikuma received one hit each by the British cruisers but one didnt penetrate armor and the other was a relatively small caliber superstructure hit that didnt even start fires.

Then the Japanese ships started to hit things: hit after hit the 20cm main guns hit Danae and Enterprise, starting fires, causing explosions below waterline and in the fuselage. Japanese DDs also hit 2 of the 4 American DDs. As the Allies tried to retreat from battle, Chikuma and Nachi kept pursuing, shooting Danae and Enterprise. Enterprise finally suffered an ammo storage explosion and 5 further penetrating hits but refused to go down before first Chikuma and then Nachi shot their last Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes on her. Both torpedoes hit home. Danae suffered multiple massive explosions and heavy fires before point-blank 20cm fire from 3000 yards finally put her down. One of the 4 American DDs, Pope, was sunk by Chikuma before the rest of them disengaged.

After daybreak the Allied TF was separated: DDs John D. Ford and Peary were heading towards Timor, but their journey was stopped by carrier borne strike aircraft from Akagi and Shokaku. Both DDs were sunk. The last DD, Parrot, for some reason head to SW and broke to the Indian Ocean. She was too unlucky to now meet the Japanese CVE raiders, and was sunk after a 250kg SAP bomb hit by one of CVE Hosho's D3A1s.

Dutch 139W bombers flew some 20 sorties to Makassar trying to hit Japanese destroyers and unloading transports -no hits were scored. Makassar fell to Japanese forces, and for tomorrow we will have 40 G4M1 bombers, a 20-plane Zero squadron and 10 E13A search floatplanes ready at Makassar.

Japanese carriers will retire towards Singapore from the deep water hexes that have about 15 Allied submarines. Carrier aircraft are ordered to strike Batavia's airfield in tango with Kalidjati's fighters.

On Java, Buitenzorg was captured and the attack at Bandoeng went pretty well, achieving 1:2 odds, lowering forts to 2 and we only lost twice as many troops as the Dutchmen.

Finschhafen captured in New Guinea, Marcus Island received reinforcements and is now building forts.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/18/2011 1:05:52 PM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/18/2011 11:08:27 AM

obvert

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quote:

I dont want the Allies to get the Paramushiro on the cheap so BB Hyuga sets sail from Singapore to Tokyo to eventually join Yamashiro at Paramushiro. A Naval Guards unit of 62 AV is on its way to Paramushiro which is now port 1, AF 1 and forts 2, and a JNAF AF Bn will also go there as soon as I have ships to do that in 3-4 days. Today was another day of 2 radio activity reports in the Aleutians...

If you have any spare CVEs to go with the surface ships it might be a good chance to pay a visit to the Aleutians. Or even AVs with Jakes. He probably doesn't have strike aircraft up there.

< Message edited by obvert -- 10/18/2011 11:09:58 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/18/2011 11:16:34 AM

Erkki

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quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

quote:

I dont want the Allies to get the Paramushiro on the cheap so BB Hyuga sets sail from Singapore to Tokyo to eventually join Yamashiro at Paramushiro. A Naval Guards unit of 62 AV is on its way to Paramushiro which is now port 1, AF 1 and forts 2, and a JNAF AF Bn will also go there as soon as I have ships to do that in 3-4 days. Today was another day of 2 radio activity reports in the Aleutians...

If you have any spare CVEs to go with the surface ships it might be a good chance to pay a visit to the Aleutians. Or even AVs with Jakes. He probably doesn't have strike aircraft up there.

At the moment I have just CVL Shoho, covering the tankers and troop transports going in and out Solomons, NG, NB, Truk... I'd like to raid Aleutians but xAK kills for the sake of xAK kills probably dont justify moving carriers that far from where they are most needed, for now. As soon as the aviation support unit makes it to Paramushiro I'll send some H6Ks and later A6M2-Ns and AV Akitsushima. At least...

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/20/2011 9:36:34 AM

Erkki

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March 19th

East Indies:

Next attack at Bandoeng planned in 4 days, when we should have built the AV back + received another 62 of reinforcements in the form of an SNLF infantry unit.

Samarinda invaded! One of the transports takes some 75mm CD gun hits but probably wont sink. We have landed 60 AV worth of infantry that has very low fatigue and disruption. Enemy raw AV is reported 28 so the place should fall tomorrow. Transports will return to pick up more troops from Tandjoengselor.

Bandjermasin falls! 2 reconnaissance air units are flown in, the Marine infantry pursues the fleeing enemy towards Balikpapan.

No enemy surface units sighted by search aircraft, just around 20 submarines mostly near Makassar... The Allies either pulled them back or they werent there in the first place. Sweeps fly to Soerebaja(no Allied fighters in the air) but the airfield strikes themselves fail to fly. Bah. Tomorrow we'll fly lots of recon to bases including Ambon, Christmas Island and Kendari in the Celebes in order to find where the Allied ships and air units are lurking...

Australia: SE14Y from submarine I-29 sights a 4-ship TF with at least a destroyer and a transport ship leaving Perth to Northwest. Japanese submarines move to intercept(not holding my breath...).

New Guinea: Manokwari invaded by a force of 4 ships and a 15-AV SNLF company., the base has no garrison and will be secured tomorrow.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/21/2011 10:37:11 AM

Erkki

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March 20th

East Indies: Samarinda falls easily to the Japanese. Some Dutch bombers were apparently moved to Balikpapan(adjacent hex) but as the invasion fleet was moved away overnight there were no attacks. Near Makassar, 3 Dutch 139Ws attacked Japanese cruiser TF but Zero-CAP shot them all down.

Home Islands: Preparations for the Timor invasion are begun. Multiple troop transports and escort ships are being moved to Kobe, while the troops being used are railed there. Troops will start boarding ships by March 28th or 29th, D-Day at Koepang, Timor, is planned for March 15th-ish. Naval and air support will be provided by the units already in the East Indies.

SOPAC: A convoy with a construction regiment, an air HQ and an aviation support regiment arrives tomorrow at Buna, New Guinea. They will immediately begin construction of the airbase. Also more engineers in form of a construction regiment arrive at Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal in the Solomons, to help with the airfield and port construction. Tulagi and Lunga are soon level 2 fields, Lunga will be size 2 probably not tomorrow but the day after.

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/22/2011 2:19:55 PM

Erkki

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March 21th

Ontong Java in the Solomons, Manus in New Britain, some island in the Philippines and Salamaua in New Guinea fall to the Japanese forces.

East Indies: Submarines and 139WH bombers keep attacking the CA Mogami TF near Makassar. Zeros shoot down 3 bombers, and Zero pilot PO1 Kawabata F achieves his 5th kill!

CA Tone: requires 23 days of repairs in the dry dock at Singapore. At least half of the damage occurred in the collision with DD Yukikaze during the battle. Pretty good trade for those 2 RN light cruisers and 4 USN destroyers...

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 12:18:38 AM

Erkki

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March 22nd

Not much happened today. 6th Ku S-1 Zero squadron formed at Chiba but I don't have enough trained pilots(Navy fighter reserves have 20 pilots, and I have suffered very little losses so far...) so that unit gets the leader with the best inspiration and 55 fresh flight school graduates and is now a training unit.

Java: we should have 2750+ AV at Bandoeng in 4 days. That should be enough to break the defenses in 3 or 4 attacks.

Pearl Harbor: This doesnt happen often but Japanese intelligence managed to raise the detection level of Pearl to 2 today, letting us do some peeking. The harbor seems to have 4 light cruisers and 6+ destroyers. Theres exactly 100 ships in the harbor(plus minus FOW). USN CVs are possibly still camping at Sydney, and it looks like the BBs have all been moved away. 3 attacks on Pearl thus failed to damage any of them enough to keep them in the port for 3� months, lol.

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/23/2011 12:20:39 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 12:37:08 AM

PaxMondo

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Erkki

March 22nd

Not much happened today. 6th Ku S-1 Zero squadron formed at Chiba but I don't have enough trained pilots(Navy fighter reserves have 20 pilots, and I have suffered very little losses so far...) so that unit gets the leader with the best inspiration and 55 fresh flight school graduates and is now a training unit.

Ok, question: 3 1/2 months into the game ... you should have a fair number of figher pilots moving into your pool unless you have used a lot which you say you haven't ...

You start with what 1200 IJN pilots in your pool. How many did you put to fighter training? If you put half .... 600 pilots starting at 30/30 after 100 days should all be "graduated" by now with > 50/60 ... (exp/skill). Are you targetting higher levels or did you put fewer into fighter training?

< Message edited by PaxMondo -- 10/23/2011 12:40:18 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 10:44:07 AM

Erkki

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quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erkki

March 22nd

Not much happened today. 6th Ku S-1 Zero squadron formed at Chiba but I don't have enough trained pilots(Navy fighter reserves have 20 pilots, and I have suffered very little losses so far...) so that unit gets the leader with the best inspiration and 55 fresh flight school graduates and is now a training unit.

Ok, question: 3 1/2 months into the game ... you should have a fair number of figher pilots moving into your pool unless you have used a lot which you say you haven't ...

You start with what 1200 IJN pilots in your pool. How many did you put to fighter training? If you put half .... 600 pilots starting at 30/30 after 100 days should all be "graduated" by now with > 50/60 ... (exp/skill). Are you targetting higher levels or did you put fewer into fighter training?

Problem is lack of IJN fighter units. I have now 2 x size 45 + a size 12 (130 pilots)units doing training and 27+12 that are due to be withdrawn in 8 days. Those 2 units have 52 trained pilots(I think) but I'll let them train the last days to get all out of those units while I still have them. I would have 0 in pools but I have drawn complete rookies to carrier units, logic being that they have the time to train... Which they've done and have skilled up nearly as quick as the pilots in the actual training units. Flying CAP and training at port increases AIR and EXP almost as quick, but the DEF seems to improve slower. I have also had to put some replacement pilots to frontline land-based squads which I havent liked at all... Perhaps luckily to them the Allies have been very passive and those units have been able to train. Outside KB's losses and after the PI campaign I have lost just 2 or 3 Zeros to enemy action, over Singapore and 1 over Java, with 1 MIA pilot but he was found a week ago.

The training method in training units is 100% training, escort at 0 range, ~ 1 week of strafing a month to improve def skill. The day a pilot's exp hits 50 they are considered ready regardless of skills as they're now taking pilot slow from someone who'd learn much quicker. Graduates are 67-74 in AIR(averaging 70 or 71) and about 62 or 63 def on average. I'm monitoring all my training units very closely, checking Navy units daily if I have the time and Army units every 3-4 days at least.

EDIT: how can I even put half of 1200 pilots in the pools to training? I dont have IJN units to do that on the map, let alone available to training. Just fighter units... other than Chitose and Tainan Groups I have just 27 frontline Zeros (Yamada dets, due to be withdrawn soon) and 3 restricted units in the HIs. Plus now that 6th Ku S-1 that arrived last turn.

< Message edited by Erkki -- 10/23/2011 10:46:24 AM >

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RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 11:07:19 AM

koniu

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Hi,

As Erkki noticed, number of pilots is no problem. biggest problem is place to train them.
I have 500+ pilot ready to train but they sit in pool waiting to place them in units

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Post #: 202

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 2:56:42 PM

PaxMondo

Posts: 9750
Joined: 6/6/2008
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Sorry, I had this great, lengthy response and then a local power outage.

Abbreviated response: I put all IJN fighter units to train until they can be upgraded to Zekes. Claudes are useless in battle except against the Dutch, and will only waste pilots if your opponent ambushes you with P-40's. I think that gives me another 5 or squadrons that allows me to get +250 pilots trained up before I have the Zekes available to upgrade them all.

You have a lot of hard choices at war's start as to what you commit to battle and what you commit to training ... putting everything to battle immediately helps with your first month or two, but then you can't sustain your momentum. Takes a lot of hard thought to choose .... good luck!

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Post #: 203

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 3:06:19 PM

Erkki

Posts: 1461
Joined: 2/17/2010
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quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Sorry, I had this great, lengthy response and then a local power outage.�

Abbreviated response: I put all IJN fighter units to train until they can be upgraded to Zekes.� Claudes are useless in battle except against the Dutch, and will only waste pilots if your opponent ambushes you with P-40's.� I think that gives me another 5 or squadrons that allows me to get +250 pilots trained up before I have the Zekes available to upgrade them all.

You have a lot of hard choices at war's start as to what you commit to battle and what you commit to training ... putting everything to battle immediately helps with your first month or two, but then you can't sustain your momentum.� Takes a lot of hard thought to choose .... good luck!

I have not used A5M or Ki-27 in combat, thats nothing but throwing away good pilots imho. In Scen 1/DBB the IJNAF simply has serious lack of fighter units that doesn't leave more than a couple of Zero groups available for frontline use... During the next month Yamada Dets and 2 other groups are withdrawn, 18+9+27+12 planes = 66. Arriving units during 1942 are 45+27+27+12=111 of at least 1 is perma restricted and of I've already received that 45 strength one, so the situation wont be improving much. Lots of Zeros in the pool but no units or trained pilots available and because they're only fighters with cannon armament I cant just retire them all back to pilot training for carriers and later N1K and J2M units while relying on IJAAF units doing the fighting.

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Post #: 204

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 5:52:50 PM

Erkki

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Joined: 2/17/2010
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March 23rd

Not much happened today. Japanese troops retreated the Dutch on Java and near Makassar. Reinforcements arrive to Samarinda today so we will probably see the Dutch air force attacking the transports. They'll have to try to survive without air cover.

In the Kuriles, the reinforcement SNLF Bn finally arrives at Paramushiro Jima! 8-9 days and the 45th IJNAF AF Bn is also there. I have a second SNLF Bn earmarked but no ships to move it yet. After those units are in place, Paramushiro will have hopefully believable defense of the CD unit and 160AV worth infantry now behind forts 1 but they're building up. I'm not going to garrison Onnekotan Jima yet.

Near Sydney, submarine I-24 IDs 2 destroyers: Evertsen and Van Ghent! But those ships were escorting CL Mauritius now month ago, what are they doing there, and alone in a 2-ship force? Probably means that the main body of the Allies' Pacific Fleet is (still) sitting at Sydney, if they didnt have better things to do for 2 DDs other than sailing from Java around Australia...

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Post #: 205

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/23/2011 6:56:49 PM

Erkki

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BTW heres my R&D plans for some of the most important planes

Zero: now M2 130/month. M2-N will be built 10 a month(will probably be more than enough in the long run) until N1K arrives when, or before that, the M2-N factory gets converted to M5 or some plane I happen to need. M3 R&D is now 5x30. Depending on needs, all R&D will continue to M3a or one will start producing M3. Anyway, one of the M2 factories will convert to M3. Once M3a arrives I will leave 3 factories do the R&D until M5 arrives. I dont think the later marks are worth R&Ding for...

B6N1: R&D is 2x30, so I'm trying to accelerate it from 3/43 to 1/43. I wont R&D the B6N2 because N1 already gives CVs the ability to deliver torpedoes over 8 hex and I dont think the slightly higher speed will help them survive enemy fighters better. Service rate would drop to 1 but I can survive with 2.

D4Y1: R&Ding 3x30, it most likely makes an awesome kamikaze with the 500kg bomb so slight overproduction cant hurt. I'll try to advance from 1/43 to 11/42.

J2M2: R&D also 3x30, one factory will start producing asap while others R&D to the service rate 2 J2M3. I hope to advance from 5/43 ro 3/43 or even 2/43 and the M3 from 1/44 to 10/43.

N1K1: massive investment! 9x30 R&D, trying to accelerate from 7/43 to 5 or 4/43. Once it arrives, 5 factories will start production while 4 will continue R&D of the superb-on-paper-at-least N1K2-J which has service rating of 2 and is even faster and more maneuverable. I hope to accelerate that from 11/44 to 2 or 1/44!!

Ki-44-IIa: another one I invest alot. 9x30 R&D, once it arrives 6/42 or 5/42 at least 6 factories will carry on R&D of IIb and then IIc. I did some calculations and it should be possible to get the armored 4-HMG IIc by 6/43, early enough to be of use and make mass-producing Ki-44 series until mid-44 at least worthwhile I hope.

Ki-61:Ia and Ic: these both have 3x30 R&D. Trying to accelerate first from 11/42 to 9/42 and latter from 9/43 to 5/43. 1 or 2 factories will start producing Ia and same with Ic while 2 R&D carry on with the very well armed Id and eventually Ki-100. Ki-61 will used only defensively against bombers and to keep best pilots alive. I like the looks of it too, and its got a DB engine!!

As soon as Ki-61-Ic arrives I will be able to (finally!!) terminate the Ki-45 production.

Ki-84: 9x30 and 1x1 R&Ding. Trying to advance it from 1/44 to 6 or 7/43... Depending on frontline needs I might let some R&D labs carry on advancing the Ki-84r.

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Post #: 206

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/25/2011 3:29:02 PM

Erkki

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March 24th

Another silent day.

Burma: First time for 2 months an Allied aircraft get sighted - reconnaissance planes photograph multiple Japanese airbases including Magwe. Japanese reconnaissance keeps monitoring all the in-range Allied airfields that are big enough for bombers, but they are all either empty or have fighters or aux/transport/recce planes. Calcutta has over 300 aircraft, 150 of them fighters.

East Indies: A Japanese SNLF battalion lands at Christmas Island. The TF was supposed not supposed to land there today, but should have been 1 hex short(cruise speed set so it shouldnt have made the full speed run to target). Hmmm.. 3 139WHs strike Makassar from Kendari and get shot down by Zeros - easy kills! 30 Japanese Ki-21s bomb Soerebaja's airfield but fail to destroy any of the aircraft there. Allied fighters for some reason havent felt like flying CAP here for weeks... Reinforcements arrived at Samarinda, and once they have been unloaded its time to march to Balikpapan and get the place.

SOPAC: A Dutch submarine near Rabaul torpedoes an xAK inbound to Rabaul. The damage is so heavy that I chose to scuttle it, luckily it had transported some troops to Buna and so had only 300 tons of supplies aboard, and it was a pretty small xAK any way. Japanese Marines will land at Tabiteuea tomorrow.

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Post #: 207

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/26/2011 9:59:48 AM

Erkki

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March 25th

Burma: A squadron strong unit of bombers appears to have been moved to Dacca. Japanese troops will secure Katha in northern Burma tomorrow. Troops to invade Great Nicobar island start boarding ships at Singapore - the island is unoccupied but I'm going to build it into a small airbase so just 1 aviation support company and a construction battalion.

East Indies: Christmas Island captured, Dutch 139WHs fly 14 sorties against Japanese transports unloading at Samarinda and manage to score a hit on a transport. I give it 50-50% chance to sink tomorrow.

Philippine Islands: Guiuan captured, Cebu invaded tomorrow.

SOPAC: 2 transports collide off the northern coast of New Guinea. Both of them were carrying aviation support units to Horn Island and are pretty heavily damaged now... They'll try to make it to Hollandia and unload the troops. Those troops will then be picked up by another convoy that will set sail at Rabaul tonight.

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Post #: 208

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/26/2011 11:49:23 AM

koniu

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Joined: 2/28/2011
From: Konin, Poland, European Union
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Hi,

Erkki, You are 2 months ahead of me so i will use your AAR as test field for my game.

PS. Great AAR for now it is my obligatory point of day.

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Post #: 209

RE: Aboard the Red Castle - Erkki(J) vs. Smeulders(A) -... - 10/26/2011 11:55:19 AM

Erkki

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quote:

ORIGINAL: koniu

Hi,

Erkki, You are 2 months ahead of me so i will use your AAR as test field for my game.

PS. Great AAR for now it is my obligatory point of day.

Thanks. Writing an AAR is a good way to write down notes too to keep tracking what all is happening or requires attention and new orders. These daily reports can be pretty boring to read but I'm doing it any way for myself at least. Next turn will be 110th played and I think I'll do some sort of a strategic overview of what has happened so far, how my plans have worked, what could have been improved and what to do next. With screenshots of course!

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