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RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 1:30:06 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		251 Ku S-1: 1 January, 1944

After beginning the game as a 45 plane elite unit, this group has down-sized and stands at 18 planes now. They fly the N1K1-J George, and although it still includes some very experienced pilots, there is no longer the depth of quality (with say had the group being over 80 exp) the group began the war with. I can tell from the low stats of lesser skills that few of these pilots were pre-war veterans.

These guys are in Rangoon and are mainly used in an interceptor role over that base. They will not be doing any sweeping due to the small size of the group, but still have been successful in a defensive role. Although they're only gotten 4 kills since down-sizing, they aren't losing many pilots either.
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< Message edited by obvert -- 1/22/2013 1:32:34 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1351
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 1:45:05 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		I-25: 1 January, 1944

Having started out near PH in 41, this sub has moved all over the map as a hunting and recon specialist. I've not intentionally kept it out of harm's way, but I have used many of these Glen equipped subs just off the edges of the zones where I'd like to attack shipping.

Currently this sub is moving to the heart of the conflict in the Central Pacific. There are an enormous amount of ASW ships in the area as the Allies move CVs each turn to try to stay away from my patrols. I've only got a few healthy subs out here now, so the I-25 will move in to add to the party. I'm slightly worried about sending it in here, but I need what it can do.
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Attachment (1)

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1352
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 3:22:41 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		Tonan Maru: 1 January, 1944

Here is an example of a Tonan class tanker movement during the past several hundred days. It's pretty clear that I've changed my routes several times during this period of the game. I was taking deep ocean routes from Manila to Tokyo and Nagato earlier in 43 and gradually these moved to Singapore/Manila to Nagasaki based on the security of the shallows, better concentration of ASW air and sea, and length of route.

This ship has just been loaded with oil and will move from Singapore to the HI over the next week or two. There is an AV and some of the best new E escorts with these valuable ships.
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Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 1/22/2013 3:23:56 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1353
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 5:08:27 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		3 - 4 January 1944
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SUBS: Some good hits on the Pikuda near Miyako-jima. No other sub action. I did some re-working of the sub-picket off of Sumatra. it's mainly aimed at moves coming from off-map and from the India area. Another group is operating off of SW OZ, but I have good search with an Emily group at Exmouth and one at Cocos as well. It would take a lot of luck and weather to get past all of these warning systems and sneak up to Sumatra or Java.

SOUTH PACIFIC: More bombing of Buna. The supply here is gone and now the units are starting to get low. For the first time I'll give barges a try and see if I can't get something into the base. I have supply at Umboi which is only 4 hexes away. The barges are such short range options, but at least they are cheap. I'm sure his B-25D-1 will make short work of them, but it's worth a try. It's feeling like a shambles everywhere down here as there are partial unit stuck on many islands and only a few with any combat strength anymore.

NORTH PACIFIC: The HQa and a big engineer unit are removed from Yunaska and brought to Paramushiro. Two more base forces and a few Naval Guard units to extract now.

BURMA: The Allies are now in a closed hex from 3 sides and our troops are there in force. I have 4500 AV and a bunch of the better artillery available, plus two Corps HQs and as much AA as I could scrounge up. The divisions and brigades have built level 1 forts and after a fw more turns I'm sure all units will be at that level, and those with embedded engineers will be near 2. This is a plus 2 jungle hex, so not bad for defense. Two tanks divisions provide reserve and flank protection to the SW and another one tank and one regular infantry division plus a brigade provide the same to the NE. Toungoo has a brigade and arty, plus Burma Amy HQ.

If this turns into a slug-fest the defense might have the edge here. But I still don't know what he has, and I won't risk bombardments until the arty has forts built. I've been putting some fighters on LR CAP occasionally but it's risky because if the sweeps fly, it'll be 150 P-47s on the other end.

CENTRAL PACFIC: Baker keeps getting slammed. The units here can't hold out and keep their fighting ability. Level 6 forts or not, this will just end up being a walkover once he lands. My only interest here is having some of the units extracted to rebuild quickly on the next line, which I do, and getting some shots at the CVs and BBs through sub attacks and a possible night air strike. The moon is near full!

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 3, 44
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Night Naval bombardment of Baker Island at 149,136

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
CA Boston
CA Vincennes
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
DD Heermann
DD Hazelwood
DD Guest
DD Erben
DD Caperton
DD Bullard
DD Clarence Bronson
DD Boyd
DD Black

Japanese ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 25
Port hits 21
Port supply hits 2

BB Mississippi firing at Baker Island
CA Boston firing at 82nd Naval Guard Unit

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Morning Air attack on Prome , at 55,50

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 12
Liberator GR.III x 10
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 16
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 50
B-24J Liberator x 63

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 40

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Wellington B.X bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Prome , at 55,50

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

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

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.III x 14
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 7
B-24J Liberator x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 34

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 18

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Liberator B.III bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on Yokosuka 6th SNLF, at 149,136 (Baker Island)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 139
SBD-5 Dauntless x 108
TBF-1 Avenger x 70

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
229 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-25C Mitchell x 58
B-25D1 Mitchell x 94
F6F-3 Hellcat x 6

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 4, 44
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Sub attack near Miyako-jima at 92,67

Japanese Ships
E W-24
E Chidori
DD Shikinami
E W-25

Allied Ships
SS Picuda, hits 4

SS Picuda launches 2 torpedoes at E W-24
DD Shikinami attacking submerged sub ....

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Morning Air attack on 82nd Naval Guard Unit, at 149,136 (Baker Island)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 139
SBD-5 Dauntless x 132
TBF-1 Avenger x 139


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
139 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

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Reinforcements: Some of these smaller units will be used on islands off of Sumatra to just make sure Jocke can't land there cheaply.

xAK Horaizan Maru arrives at Nagasaki/Sasebo
MTB G-539 arrives at Shimizu
ML G-203 arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
28th Army arrives at Rangoon
49th Mountain Gun Regiment arrives at Keijo
49th Cavalry Regiment arrives at Keijo
49th Engineer Regiment arrives at Keijo

Aircraft D4Y4 Judy advances R&D

Losses: None.

Ships Sunk: None.

Previous report of sinking of SS Grunion incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
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I know these were used a lot in reality, but I am not sure their short range or fragility will offer much usefulness in game. What they need is camouflage and the orders to move only at night.
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Attachment (1)

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1354
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 5:27:19 PM   
GreyJoy


Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline 		loved your economic analisys Erik. I'm really surprised on how much supplies you managed to accumulate...i envy you as i have exactly half of yours in april 1943

Are you sure you want to produce all those planes Jcar is producing? They seem a little bit too much to me...also considering how this game is developing...


(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1355
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 5:28:34 PM   
GreyJoy


Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline 		Berges really don't work for me either... too short legged to have any real impact in the game...maybe just in the Solomons...but anywhere else they don't seem to be able to do a 3-4 hexes trip

(in reply to GreyJoy)
Post #: 1356
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 5:45:08 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

loved your economic analisys Erik. I'm really surprised on how much supplies you managed to accumulate...i envy you as i have exactly half of yours in april 1943

Are you sure you want to produce all those planes Jcar is producing? They seem a little bit too much to me...also considering how this game is developing...




You're on target for what I was already thinking as well. I don't think I'll have 500 Frank factories no matter if I need them or not. When I looked at his numbers though I realized I was so far below them that I might need a bump, plus it was right at the time I was getting Franks online. I am going to stick right about where I am right now and play through it even if pools get low for a while. It seems there are ups and downs in terms of activity, so often I can build pools while I wait for the next phase. Or just suffer. Either way I won't really be able to compete head on so I have to try to be sneaky about when CAP comes out.

Right now I have about 590 IJAAF fighter/FB factories producing and about 310 IJNAF fighters producing.

For supply I'm trying to keep 300k in Tokyo. That's my cutoff. lately I've been dipping just under, but i think it's on the rise again after all of the factory building and shipments to Burma. I've got 60k supply in Rangoon now so it's well topped up there. Your mod is probably more realistic, but I am happy I'm playing this for my first run through the whole campaign.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to GreyJoy)
Post #: 1357
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/22/2013 9:03:44 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		5 - 6 January 1944
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SUBS: My fears were justified. I sent the I-25 to its doom, getting it too close to the action. These Glen subs are best as scouts, not combatants right in on enemy com at TFs. It did go down fighting, launching 2 TT at DD Ammen (odd name) and was DCed until forced to surface.

It's odd how I'm happy to lose 4-5 subs to get one hit a on a CV, but losing this one actually hurts a bit. That's what makes this game fun, I guess. I do get attached to certain units and vessels, and i really want to do well by them. I was a bit too aggressive in my orders this time.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Woodlark Island is invaded! That was fast! Not what I was hoping for right now. Even though I've been taking everything out I had hoped it would take the Allied forces a while to prep for new targets. Unfortunately this puts a big fighter base right in the middle of my evacuation plans. Most of everything is out, but Tulagi still has a good number of units. I'm lucky he has left that field untouched for a few weeks. I'll now concentrate on the base forces, infantry and engineers. I have some xAKLs heading to Tulagi now to hopefully sneak out a few things.

Rabaul is now piled with units. Once the final pick-ups are done I'll try to instal infantry at Gasmata and Cape Gloucester. Then a few more units at Lae and Finschafen. Buka will be under fire soon so I might just pull the HQ there and move it back to the Marianas or to Hollandia and exchange it for an infantry force.

Jocke also landed a tank unit at Buna. I now know it's only the 1st Marine Division here, so 650-450 AV just about. Except I'm sure they have some supply!

Buna is getting pounded relentlessly by the 4Es and 2Es as well. All units are in the red for supplies now. I've formed a barge force and I'll drop supplies at Cape Gloucester and Buna if I can. I've got 3 BB 6 DD patrolling at Rabaul again, and two cruiser-led forces are on the way as well. I don't want any surprise incursions. I've dropped more mines at Rabaul as well. Subs will begin to spread som elsewhere around the next likely targets.

BURMA: A bit quiet. Lots of sweeping. No bombing. Forces from Kunming are moving to line up on the border SW of Paoshan to get that area solidified with entrenched units.

CENTRAL PACFIC: I finally got a shot at night from the Bettys. They went in on BB Mississippi and 8 made an attacking run. One was taken out by flak but the others put TT in the water, which is all I can ask. These will remain on for the duration of his interest in Baker. I'll be hoping for another shot. The moon is big for a least another week.

CHINA: I haven't written about China in quite a while. I've had blocking forces on the roads coming out of the Chunking area for nearly a year now. Surprisingly the divisions only built to a level 2 fort in that time while some of the brigades got up to level 5, and even the HQs and arty were in the 3-4 range. Is that normal? Should divisions be able to built more than level 2 forts? I had assumed so and this seems odd that they didn't when other units did in the same hex.

I've just decided to move these units down into the center again and just keep an eye on Chinese forces. I've had recon on them continuously and there have been no attempts to break out. Chunking is listed as having 800k troops!

Some of my forces will be sent into the mountains toward the Burmese border. Others will form an army to hold central China in case of a breakout, protecting the area around Kweiyang and Chikhiang. All bases in Central China are nearing level 6 forts, and once they get there will stop building.

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 5, 44
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Sub attack near Canton Island at 154,138

Japanese Ships
SS I-25, hits 21, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Ammen
DD Barton
DD Lardner
DD Anthony

SS I-25 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Ammen
DD Barton fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Lardner attacking submerged sub ....
DD Lardner cannot establish contact with SS I-25
SS I-25 forced to surface!
DD Anthony firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

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Morning Air attack on 82nd Naval Guard Unit, at 149,136 (Baker Island)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 141
SBD-5 Dauntless x 129
TBF-1 Avenger x 138

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 10 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-17E Fortress x 22
B-24D Liberator x 19
B-24D1 Liberator x 108
B-24J Liberator x 47
B-25C Mitchell x 31
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 33

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on 3rd Garrison Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 65 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-25C Mitchell x 16
B-25D1 Mitchell x 95
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 2 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 6, 44
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Night Air attack on TF, near Baker Island at 149,136

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

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Night Naval bombardment of Baker Island at 149,136

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
CA Boston
CA Vincennes
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
DD Heermann
DD Hazelwood
DD Guest
DD Erben
DD Caperton
DD Bullard
DD Clarence Bronson
DD Boyd
DD Black

Japanese ground losses:
205 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 33
Port hits 8
Port supply hits 3

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Mississippi
BB Mississippi firing at 82nd Naval Guard Unit

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Night Naval bombardment of Woodlark Island at 104,133

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BB Alabama
BB Massachusetts
BB Indiana
DD Doyle
DD Carmick
DD Meade
DD Hobby
DD Gillespie
DD Farenholt
DD Monssen
DD Gwin

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 33
Port hits 12
Port supply hits 4

BB Prince of Wales firing at Woodlark Island
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Alabama

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Pre-Invasion action off Woodlark Island (104,133)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

29 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Honolulu
CL Helena
DD Caldwell
DD McCalla
DD Radford
DD LaVallette
APA Barnett
DD Frazier

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

CL Honolulu firing at 26th Recon Regiment
CL Helena firing at 5th Air Division

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Amphibious Assault at Woodlark Island (104,133)

TF 312 troops unloading over beach at Woodlark Island, 104,133

Allied ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (0 destroyed, 6 disabled)

10 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 40th Infantry Div

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Morning Air attack on Yokosuka 6th SNLF, at 149,136 (Baker Island)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 130
SBD-5 Dauntless x 127
TBF-1 Avenger x 90

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 8 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
321 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-17E Fortress x 20
B-24D Liberator x 21
B-24D1 Liberator x 86
B-24J Liberator x 31
B-25C Mitchell x 46
P-38H Lightning x 16
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 35

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on 91st Infantry Regiment, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
Spitfire Vc Trop x 12
B-25C Mitchell x 12
B-25D1 Mitchell x 95
P-38G Lightning x 3
P-38H Lightning x 30


Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 3 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 18
B-24J Liberator x 9
P-38G Lightning x 32
P-38H Lightning x 14

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Buna (99,129)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

301 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-60, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC-707
SC-706
LCI-24
LCI-22
LCI-62

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)

8cm T88 DP Gun Battery engaging LCT-60 at 5,000 yards
SC-706 firing to suppress enemy battery at 5,000 yards
SC-707 fired at enemy troops
SC-706 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Buna (99,129)

TF 124 troops unloading over beach at Buna, 99,129

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 27 (0 destroyed, 27 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 165 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

Defending force 17171 troops, 235 guns, 262 vehicles, Assault Value = 607

Assaulting units:
14th Garrison Unit
3rd Garrison Unit
22nd Division
91st Infantry Regiment
47th Engineer Regiment
Kure 7th SNLF
6th Garrison Unit /1
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
16th AA Regiment
39th Road Const Co
57th Field AA Battalion
22nd JNAF AF Unit
55th Field AA Battalion
86th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st Marine Division
1st USMC Corps Tank Bn /38
I US Amphib Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: The 29th Army will go to Southern Sumatra. The brigades in China will be bought out and garrison in the DEI. I've just made the first MTB TF to protect Rabaul, also.

The last Jill B6N2a will be ready in May, and that will give plenty of time to build pools and be ready for it to use it's radar when it arrives. The R n D factories are now being switched to more Frank Ki-84b.

TK Choran Maru arrives at Maizuru
LST T-101 arrives at Shimonoseki
MTB G-11 arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
29th Army arrives at Singapore
8th Ind.Infantry Brigade arrives at Canton
10th Ind.Infantry Brigade arrives at Peiping

Aircraft B6N2a Jill advances R&D (5/44)
Aircraft Ki-84r Frank advances R&D (6/45)

Losses: A sad day.

Loss of SS I-25 on Jan 05, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: None.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The I-26, sister of the I-25 and the best pic I could find.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 1/23/2013 12:15:33 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1358
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/24/2013 9:13:05 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		7 - 8 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: The Skate takes out a slow 12 knot 8k load TK. My surprise along the West Coast has been located. I-17 is damaged and must return home now after a hunt by 3 AMs near Coos Bay.

SOUTH PACIFIC: My barges don't make it into Buna. A DD flotilla goes for them, but for some reason doesn't catch them. They just move back and try to unload at Umboi. Pretty useless. Bombing of troops at Buna continues. I lowered supply levels at several other bases hoping some would flow to these troops.

Woodlark unsurprisingly goes down to the 40th division. The damage to the fields it high, so it'll be a few days before it can be used to smash my still operating bases in the Solomons. Only one unit is not fully destroyed. The transport continues to go well, and I'm so very close to having all of the fully transportable units and pieces of the partially transportable ones out. Rabaul is packed right now. I've just sent supply in, and troops will be shuffled out. If this escape can continue to be positively managed I will consider it one of the more satisfying and successful missions of the campaign so far, equal to the managed retreat of the Burmese Army.

BURMA: Well, flak is actually having an affect over the troops near Toungoo. He's sending the kitchen sink and having little affect, and only the big units have even built forts. This is a good sign that we can do well here. Each day 3-5 bombers are destroyed and quite a few more damaged by flak. The disruption and fatigue on the AA units is rising, but the rest of the troops are very low and seem virtually unaffected by these attacks.

I've got my fighters at Rangoon all set to LR CAP 4 hexes, but no drop tanks. This puts them in position to interdict raids over my troops, but none have done this so far. I will try a directed LR CAP again soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-17E Fortress x 21
B-24D Liberator x 15
B-24D1 Liberator x 112
B-24J Liberator x 44
B-25C Mitchell x 15
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 33

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
CENTRAL PACFIC:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 7, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Invasion Support action off Buna (99,129)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

248 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-59
LCT-61
LCT-60, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC-706
SC-707
LCI-22
LCI-62
LCI-24

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 7 (3 destroyed, 4 disabled)

8cm T88 DP Gun Battery engaging LCT-59 at 8,000 yards
SC-706 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Namlea at 76,107

Japanese Ships
TK Tennan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PB Aoi Maru
SC Ch 25
PB Taiko Maru
PB Santos Maru

Allied Ships
SS Skate

SS Skate launches 4 torpedoes at TK Tennan Maru
Skate diving deep ....
PB Taiko Maru attacking submerged sub ....
PB Taiko Maru loses contact with SS Skate

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Coos Bay at 211,59

Japanese Ships
SS I-17, hits 15

Allied Ships
AM Chief
AM Oracle
AM Competent

SS I-17 launches 2 torpedoes at AM Chief
I-17 diving deep ....
AM Competent fails to find sub, continues to search...
AM Competent attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-17 eludes ASW attack from AM Chief
AM Competent fails to find sub and abandons search
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd Guards Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator GR.III x 9
Wellington Ic x 16
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 11
B-24D Liberator x 23
B-24D1 Liberator x 41
B-24J Liberator x 45
B-25C Mitchell x 32
P-40K Warhawk x 47

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 damaged
Wellington B.X: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24J Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 9

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 8, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Baker Island at 149,138

Japanese Ships
SS RO-105, hits 9

Allied Ships
DD Hoel
DD McCord
DD Luce

SS RO-105 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Hoel
DD McCord fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Luce fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Luce fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Luce fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Luce fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Luce attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Finschhafen at 100,127, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
LB-131
LB-132
LB-133
LB-134
LB-135
LB-501
LB-502
LB-503
LB-504
LB-505
LB-506
LB-507

Allied Ships
DD Fletcher
DD Bache
DD Bradford
DD Conway

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 24,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 28,000 yards
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Japanese Barge TF evades combat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-17E Fortress x 21
B-24D Liberator x 15
B-24D1 Liberator x 112
B-24J Liberator x 44
B-25C Mitchell x 15
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 33

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd Guards Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator B.III x 13
Liberator GR.III x 9
Wellington B.X x 16
B-17F Fortress x 11
B-24D Liberator x 10
B-24D1 Liberator x 45
B-24J Liberator x 75
B-25C Mitchell x 45

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 2 damaged
Liberator GR.III: 1 damaged
Wellington B.X: 3 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 5 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D1 Liberator: 3 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 4 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 55th Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes


Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 15
B-24D Liberator x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 16


Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 1 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

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

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x Wellington Ic bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Woodlark Island (104,133)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10864 troops, 229 guns, 288 vehicles, Assault Value = 388

Defending force 1056 troops, 17 guns, 77 vehicles, Assault Value = 15

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 89

Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Woodlark Island !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 54 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 59 (53 destroyed, 6 disabled)

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

Assaulting units:
40th Infantry Division

Defending units:
26th Recon Regiment
15th Naval Const Bn /1
60th Fld AA Bn /1
5th Air Div /1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: A few new gun units, one bought back.

TK Eiwa Maru #4 arrives at Kagoshima
TK Akikawa Maru arrives at Kagoshima
3rd Ind.AA Gun Co arrives at Tokyo
30th Field Artillery Regiment arrives at Tokyo
TK Oei Maru arrives at Nagoya
ML G-204 arrives at Hakodate

Losses: Another TK. I just got three new ones, and at least this one was empty when sunk.

Loss of TK Tennan Maru on Jan 07, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: I thought after three TT this ship could have actually sunk, but it looks like not. It may be now moving somewhere though, based on this report. Back to the West Coast, maybe?


Previous report of sinking of BB Colorado incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Most of the Indian Army is in Burma. I still don't know how much. Interestingly he also doesn't know what I've moved in as he hasn't bombarded. If he's adding up the units listed in bombing though he might be getting a good idea. Glad anyway that it's all taking so much time.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1359
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/25/2013 12:13:08 AM   
bigred


Posts: 3599
Joined: 12/27/2007
Status: offline 		Hi Overt. Is it possible you got a hit w/ the betty attack but because of night you do not receive a hit report?
quote:

CENTRAL PACIFIC: I finally got a shot at night from the Bettys. They went in on BB Mississippi and 8 made an attacking run. One was taken out by flak but the others put TT in the water, which is all I can ask. These will remain on for the duration of his interest in Baker. I'll be hoping for another shot. The moon is big for a least another week.


< Message edited by bigred -- 1/25/2013 12:16:23 AM >

_____________________________

---bigred---

IJ Production mistakes--
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2597400

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1360
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/25/2013 7:22:32 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: bigred

Hi Overt. Is it possible you got a hit w/ the betty attack but because of night you do not receive a hit report?
quote:

CENTRAL PACIFIC: I finally got a shot at night from the Bettys. They went in on BB Mississippi and 8 made an attacking run. One was taken out by flak but the others put TT in the water, which is all I can ask. These will remain on for the duration of his interest in Baker. I'll be hoping for another shot. The moon is big for a least another week.



I never considered that possibility. I guess it could have happened. Is this common with night attacks, not to see the results?

There is so much in game I feel we shouldn't be able to see, like the after strike lists of individual ground force units, that I never really know what I am or am not seeing.

I've tried for months to get them to just fly at night, so I was happy with just that step in the right direction. If there was a hit or two that my guys couldn't see because of night and FOW, that would be a thick layer of icing over the top for sure.

I was fortunate that I had enough aircraft to put a LR search group in that direction, the moon was nearly full, and the ships were just inside their max TT range, to which they don't usually fly even in the day.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to bigred)
Post #: 1361
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/25/2013 9:53:27 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		9 - 10 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Allied forces CAPTURE Baker Island !!!

SUBS: A damaged RO-40 was taken out by the Puffer on the way back from the Baker area.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Buna is crushed again from the air and then the Marines launched a DA on the base. It held with a 1:2 result, which is great, but one fort was taken off down to level 4. Undoubtedly he knows there is little supply here now from the AA no longer firing even though there was no (-) in the report.

I made a risky attempt that at least so far has not panned out. I have 3 25 knot BB with 7 DD at Rabaul, and I set them to flank into the Milne Bay area and bombard the fields there, where 250+ fighters are now based. On the 10th they did not move in, but moved to two hexes E of Gasmata to get within 7 hex range of Milne. I'll keep them on as they have 0/9 DL and I think he may not know what these ships are. I haven't lost any BBs yet, but this could be the moment if he has more than I think in that base. The big moon should reduce the effectiveness of PTs and increase Japanese non-radar directed fire effectiveness.

BURMA: I had a every fighter on 90% LR CAP over the troops and a major bombing raid came in. It was perfect conditions, as only two sweeps came before the attack, but somehow we didn't get any opportunity to hit the bombers even though they were within 2k feet of ALL of the fighters and there were still 60-80 still available to hit them. Sucks. A lot were damaged by flak and very little dame was done, but we lost fighters at a 4:1 rate against the sweeps. I did learn some things though. I will do it a bit differently next time. I'm not sure now that a layered CAP is the answer for Japan against better Allied fighters. More thoughts soon on that.

CENTRAL PACFIC: Baker island is landed and captured easily by two Marine Rgts and a tank battalion. Troops were in a sorry shape after weeks of bombardments. Luckily all were destroyed and can begin rebuilding now elsewhere from the fragments. A few more attacks by planes yield no apparent hits in the night, but as Big Red pointed out, maybe we're also not seeing something all of the time in those conditions.

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 9, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Finschhafen at 100,126, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
LB-131
LB-132
LB-133
LB-134
LB-135
LB-501
LB-502
LB-503
LB-504
LB-505
LB-506
LB-507

Allied Ships
DD Fletcher
DD Bache
DD Bradford
DD Conway
DD Cony
DD DeHaven
DD Eaton
DD McKee

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
Range increases to 26,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 26,000 yards
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape 38 knots vs 10 knots, and we got away? Is there an IJN rocket propelled barge experiment I don't know about?

Japanese Barge TF evades combat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Baker Island at 149,136

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
P1Y1 Frances x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
P1Y1 Frances: 2 damaged
P1Y1 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Bailey

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P1Y1 Frances bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

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Night Air attack on TF, near Baker Island at 149,136

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Bailey

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

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Night Air attack on TF, near Baker Island at 149,136

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Bailey
DD Harding

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub vs Sub: SS Puffer attacking SS RO-40 at 141,129 - near Nikunau

Japanese Ships
SS RO-40, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Puffer

SS Puffer launches 2 torpedoes at 1,000 yards

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Submarine attack near Umboi Island at 100,125

Japanese Ships
LB-134, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-47

LB-134 is sighted by SS S-47
SS S-47 attacking LB-134 on the surface


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 3rd Garrison Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-25C Mitchell x 61
B-25D1 Mitchell x 79
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13

No Allied losses

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

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 38th Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator B.III x 13
Liberator GR.III x 10
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 3
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 45
B-24J Liberator x 67
B-25C Mitchell x 44

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 3 damaged
Liberator II: 1 destroyed by flak
Liberator GR.III: 4 damaged
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
Wellington B.X: 2 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 5 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 9 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 13 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 10, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Naval bombardment of Baker Island at 149,136

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
CA Boston
CA Vincennes
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
DD Heermann
DD Hazelwood
DD Guest
DD Erben
DD Caperton
DD Bullard
DD Clarence Bronson
DD Boyd
DD Black

Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 40
Port hits 20
Port supply hits 5

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Mississippi
BB Mississippi firing at Baker Island

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Baker Island (149,136)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

28 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CA Chester
DD Crane
DD Fox
SC-984
APA Fayette

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

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Baker Island (149,136)

TF 65 troops unloading over beach at Baker Island, 149,136

Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

13 troops of a USMC Rifle Squad accidentally lost during unload of 23rd Marine Rgt /2
Motorized Support dropped into water during unload of 3rd Marine Rgt /2
10 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 3rd Marine Rgt /4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Baker Island (149,136)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

19 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
AVD Williamson
APD Noa

AVD Williamson fired at enemy troops
APD Noa fired at enemy troops

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Baker Island (149,136)

TF 247 troops unloading over beach at Baker Island, 149,136

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Baker Island (149,136)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

14 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CA Chester
DD Crane
SC-984
APA Fayette

Japanese ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CA Chicago firing at 82nd Naval Guard Unit
CA Chester firing at 82nd Naval Guard Unit
SC-984 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Baker Island (149,136)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

7 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
AVD Williamson
APD Noa

AVD Williamson fired at enemy troops
APD Noa fired at enemy troops

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 15th Army, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 43
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 31
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 56
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 66
Ki-84a Frank x 78

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 4 destroyed

CAP engaged:
Ominato Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 17 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
251 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 11 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
Zuikaku-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 15 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
9th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 18 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
20th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 18 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 21 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
25th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 21 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
47th Sentai with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 31 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
48th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (20 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
20 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
50th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (15 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
15 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
54th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 18 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
59th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 15 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
64th Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (18 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
18 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
78th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 18 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
87th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 18 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 15th Army, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 27
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 23
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 49
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 52
Ki-84a Frank x 66

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Yokosuka 6th SNLF, at 149,136 (Baker Island)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 201
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 36
SBD-5 Dauntless x 103
TBF-1 Avenger x 105

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 5 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
345 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kure 7th SNLF, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 17
B-17E Fortress x 23
B-24D Liberator x 21
B-24D1 Liberator x 108
B-24J Liberator x 47
B-25C Mitchell x 30
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 34

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
98 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 17
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 11
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 43
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 36
Ki-84a Frank x 53

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator B.III x 15
Liberator GR.III x 10
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 16
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 22
B-24D1 Liberator x 34
B-24J Liberator x 71
B-25C Mitchell x 58

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 5 damaged
Liberator GR.III: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
Wellington B.X: 3 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 6 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 14 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 17 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 15th Army, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 55 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 17
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 38
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 36
Ki-84a Frank x 42

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 2 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 15th Army, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 14
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 38
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 24
Ki-84a Frank x 36

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 3 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Woleai at 101,109

Japanese Ships
xAK Achou Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Igasa Maru
PB Chiyo Maru #4

Allied Ships
SS Trout

Massive explosion on xAK Achou Maru
SS Trout launches 4 torpedoes at xAK Achou Maru
PB Chiyo Maru #4 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15438 troops, 235 guns, 264 vehicles, Assault Value = 615

Defending force 17391 troops, 251 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 461

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 277

Japanese adjusted defense: 551

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
670 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 17 (6 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
514 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 22 disabled

Assaulting units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st Marine Division
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
I US Amphib Corps

Defending units:
Kure 7th SNLF
91st Infantry Regiment
22nd Division
47th Engineer Regiment
14th Garrison Unit
3rd Garrison Unit
39th Road Const Co
55th Field AA Battalion
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
22nd JNAF AF Unit
16th AA Regiment
57th Field AA Battalion
86th JAAF AF Coy
6th Garrison Unit /1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Baker Island (149,136)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 9542 troops, 191 guns, 202 vehicles, Assault Value = 344

Defending force 2009 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Allied adjusted assault: 128

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 128 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied forces CAPTURE Baker Island !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
2531 casualties reported
Squads: 139 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 105 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (26 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Allied ground losses:
525 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 24 (11 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Assaulting units:
763rd Tank Battalion
23rd Marine Regiment
3rd Marine Regiment

Defending units:
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 6th SNLF
61st Naval Guard Unit
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Woodlark Island (104,133)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10869 troops, 229 guns, 288 vehicles, Assault Value = 389

Defending force 194 troops, 0 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 388

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 388 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Assaulting units:
40th Infantry Division

Defending units:
5th Air Div /1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: More bought back units arriving. I'm starting to see the affect in my Armaments pool, moving in the negative direction under 90k.

MTB G-540 arrives at Nagoya
I.32-1 arrives at Tokyo
5th Armored Car Co arrives at Tokyo
67th JNAF AF Unit arrives at Tokyo

Losses: Nothing major.

Loss of SS RO-40 on Jan 09, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-134 on Jan 09, 1944 is admitted
Loss of xAK Achou Maru on Jan 10, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: None.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Invasions are getting smoother for the Allies lately. The next might be tougher as air power could actually be involved in the defense. We'll see.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1362
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/27/2013 2:34:36 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		11 - 12 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: A few minor attacks on Allied subs, including the Tang near Miri and the Pogy near Woodlark Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The risk did not pay off as planned. The BBs went in with a head of steam and the first encounter went well. They met 8 Fletchers in the night, sinking two for no losses. Then they met another 8 Fletchers, and this time the Japanese destroyers were crushed and the battleships were not effective in the close range battle. These battles were fought eye to eye, down to 2-3k yards, and all of those secondary guns, the 14cm (18 x 3 = 54) and 12.7cm (8 x 3 = 24) on the BBs themselves, well outnumbered the amount of main batteries for the DDs of 5 inch guns. I know radar is powerful, but three battleships at close range should blast most of the Fletchers to bits. It certainly doesn't take radar to hit from that range in any condition, (100% moonlight and partly cloudy, 11k visual sight range, first battle began at 8k and went to 3k! and the second began at 8k and went to 2k!!).

I feel a bit out of my depth discussing how destroyers can beat up on a TF with greater firepower and all during ideal conditions for the IJN when their experience at night would be strong with the full moon.

After this fiasco the Hyuga was split off for damage () with two DDs and thus not protected by most of the LR CAP. It took a number of 1000 ponders from Helldivers and now needs time in the yard if indeed it makes it back to Rabaul okay. It's close now at least, with 35 system and 19 engine damage.

The cruiser-led force with 2 CL and 6 DD also ran into some trouble, again a bit of a mystery. They hit some older DDs that were running ASW (from Jocke) and couldn't get the better of them, again in a close range battle. This one was very inconclusive, but then the TFs met during the day and the US forces dominated the greater numbers of the IJN again. I'm also finding this one hard to stomach. I know radar is a decisive factor, but the IJN commander crossed the T, had twice as many ships of slightly better quality, and got only 19 hits on the US ships for 47 from them!! I seriously doubt many surface battles in the war with these kind of odds turned out quite like this.

Please let me know if I'm missing something critical here. Both of these TFs had good commanders, were rested up, had great experience and all but the final daytime battle should have favored the IJN in terms of the conditions of weather and moon, as far as I can tell. Let me now if I'm off base. I really want to understand this better, but I'm struggling right now to make sense of it. I'm also out 8 DDs for virtually nothing.

BURMA: Near Toungoo he sent the bombers again and again they had little affect and our AA did well. This will gradually wear down the AA units, but I'm thinking of sending in fresh ones since he's obviously only going to target this for a while. My best big guns are still winding down mountain roads from Lashio.

CENTRAL PACFIC: All quiet now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 11, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Milne Bay at 101,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 2
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 5
DD Naganami, Shell hits 1
DD Kiyonami, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Murasame, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
DD Jenkins, Shell hits 1
DD Nicholas, Shell hits 1
DD O'Bannon
DD Stanly, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Strong, Shell hits 1
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 2
DD Balch, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Clark, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Coward, Jesse G. crosses the 'T'
BB Hyuga engages DD Clark at 8,000 yards
DD Clark sunk by DD Yudachi at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Balch at 3,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Stanly at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Milne Bay at 101,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Shell hits 5
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 7
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 16, on fire
DD Naganami, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
DD Kiyonami, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
DD Michishio, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Murasame, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1
DD Samidare, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Uranami, Shell hits 25, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Fletcher, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Bache, Shell hits 2
DD Bradford, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Conway, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Cony, Shell hits 3
DD DeHaven, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Eaton, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
DD McKee, Shell hits 5, on fire

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 8,000 yards
DD McKee launches Torpedoes at BB Mutsu at 8,000 yards
DD DeHaven launches Torpedoes at BB Mutsu at 8,000 yards
DD Cony launches Torpedoes at BB Mutsu at 8,000 yards
DD Cony fires at DD Samidare at 8,000 yards
DD Bradford launches Torpedoes at DD Samidare at 8,000 yards
DD Bradford fires at DD Murasame at 8,000 yards
DD Fletcher launches Torpedoes at DD Michishio at 8,000 yards
DD DeHaven fires at DD Kiyonami at 8,000 yards
DD Cony fires at DD Naganami at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD DeHaven at 3,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD Cony at 3,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Cony at 3,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Samidare at 3,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bradford at 3,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Bache at 3,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Fletcher at 3,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD McKee at 3,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Fletcher at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD McKee at 4,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Cony at 4,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD Bache at 4,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Uranami at 4,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Bache at 4,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Yudachi at 4,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Samidare at 4,000 yards
DD DeHaven engages DD Michishio at 4,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Kiyonami at 4,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Naganami at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD McKee at 3,000 yards
DD Eaton engages DD Samidare at 3,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD Fletcher at 3,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD Cony at 3,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Samidare at 3,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bache at 3,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Murasame at 3,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Kiyonami at 3,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Naganami at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Cony at 5,000 yards
DD Eaton engages DD Murasame at 5,000 yards
DD DeHaven engages DD Murasame at 5,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Cony at 5,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Conway at 5,000 yards
DD Bradford engages DD Yudachi at 5,000 yards
DD Bradford engages DD Murasame at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Fletcher at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Eaton at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD McKee at 8,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Fletcher at 8,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD DeHaven at 8,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Murasame at 8,000 yards
DD Conway engages DD Uranami at 8,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Fletcher at 8,000 yards
DD McKee engages DD Murasame at 8,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Cony at 8,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Bache at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD McKee at 7,000 yards
DD Eaton engages DD Kiyonami at 7,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD Fletcher at 7,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD Bache at 7,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD Bache at 7,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD McKee at 7,000 yards
DD Bradford engages DD Murasame at 7,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Fletcher at 7,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD DeHaven at 7,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Cony at 7,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Fletcher at 7,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD DeHaven at 7,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Conway at 7,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Bradford at 7,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Bache at 7,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Fletcher at 7,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bache at 7,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Naganami at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD McKee at 5,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Eaton at 5,000 yards
DD Samidare engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Cony at 5,000 yards
DD Conway engages DD Murasame at 5,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bradford at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Bache at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Fletcher at 5,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Kiyonami at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD McKee at 5,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Eaton at 5,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD Eaton at 5,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Yudachi at 5,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bradford at 5,000 yards
DD Bradford engages DD Michishio at 5,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Fletcher at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD McKee at 4,000 yards
DD Eaton engages DD Murasame at 4,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD DeHaven at 4,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Cony at 4,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Eaton at 4,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Bradford at 4,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Bache at 4,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Fletcher at 4,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Conway at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
DD McKee engages DD Murasame at 6,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Eaton at 6,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD DeHaven at 6,000 yards
DD Kiyonami engages DD Conway at 6,000 yards
DD Kiyonami sunk by DD Bache at 6,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Naganami at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD McKee at 5,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Bache at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Cony at 5,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Yudachi at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Eaton at 5,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD McKee at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Fletcher at 2,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD DeHaven at 2,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Uranami at 2,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Murasame at 2,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Naganami at 2,000 yards
Yoshitomi, Setsuzo orders Japanese TF to disengage
BB Hyuga engages DD Cony at 2,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD DeHaven at 2,000 yards
DD DeHaven engages DD Uranami at 2,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Bache at 2,000 yards
DD Murasame engages DD Fletcher at 2,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
DD Murasame sunk by DD DeHaven at 2,000 yards
DD Uranami engages DD Cony at 2,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Conway at 2,000 yards
DD McKee engages DD Michishio at 2,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD McKee at 2,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
Magazine explodes on DD Eaton
DD Eaton sunk by BB Nagato at 2,000 yards
DD Cony engages DD Naganami at 2,000 yards
DD Bradford engages DD Michishio at 2,000 yards
DD Naganami engages DD Bache at 2,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Fletcher at 2,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD McKee at 2,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
BB Nagato engages DD Conway at 2,000 yards
DD Naganami sunk by DD Conway at 2,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
DD Conway engages DD Michishio at 2,000 yards
Moosbrugger, Fred orders Allied TF to disengage
BB Hyuga engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
DD DeHaven engages DD Yudachi at 2,000 yards
DD Uranami sunk by DD Cony at 2,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Bradford at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD McKee at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD DeHaven at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Cony at 5,000 yards
DD Conway engages DD Yudachi at 5,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Bradford at 5,000 yards
DD Yudachi engages DD Bache at 5,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Michishio at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD McKee at 10,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD McKee at 10,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Conway at 10,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Michishio at 10,000 yards
DD Bache engages DD Yudachi at 10,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Michishio at 10,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Deboyne Islands at 103,134, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
CL Yura
DD Natsushio
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 1
DD Sazanami, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Fumizuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
DD Russell
DD Perkins, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Smith, Shell hits 1
DD Preston, Shell hits 1, on fire

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages DD Preston at 8,000 yards
DD Perkins engages DD Natsushio at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Preston engages DD Natsushio at 3,000 yards
DD Smith engages CL Natori at 3,000 yards
DD Perkins engages DD Natsushio at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Baker Island at 149,136

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
P1Y1 Frances x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
P1Y1 Frances: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Biloxi

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x P1Y1 Frances bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Deboyne Islands at 103,134

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Sazanami
DD Yukikaze
DD Natsushio
DD Nagatsuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Fumizuki

Allied Ships
SS Pogy, hits 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Deboyne Islands at 103,134, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
CL Yura
DD Natsushio
DD Yukikaze
DD Sazanami, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Russell, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Perkins, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Smith, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Preston, Shell hits 6, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 18,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Shimamoto, Mantaro crosses the 'T'
DD Sazanami engages DD Preston at 18,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Russell at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CL Yura engages DD Perkins at 5,000 yards
DD Natsushio engages DD Russell at 19,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
Range increases to 27,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Miri at 64,84

Japanese Ships
E Chidori
DD Shikinami
E W-25

Allied Ships
SS Tang, hits 3

SS Tang launches 2 torpedoes at E Chidori
DD Shikinami attacking submerged sub ....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Umboi Island at 100,125

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 18 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 34


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
LB-503, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-135, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
LB-507, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-133, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-502, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-131, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-504, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
LB-501, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-505, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LB-132, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 17
B-25C Mitchell x 58
B-25D1 Mitchell x 78
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13


Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 16th Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 13
Liberator B.III x 14
Liberator GR.III x 12
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 16
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 20
B-24D1 Liberator x 37
B-24J Liberator x 72
B-25C Mitchell x 17

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 5 damaged
Liberator GR.III: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
Wellington B.X: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 7 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D1 Liberator: 12 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 6 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kiriwina Island at 104,130

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 6

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 60
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 34

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 11, on fire
DD Yudachi
DD Michishio, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
14 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
203rd Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Hyuga

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 71 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 13
B-24D Liberator x 13
B-24D1 Liberator x 73
B-24J Liberator x 36
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 23


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
115 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 12, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Woodlark Island at 105,134, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Columbia
CL Santa Fe
DD Abbot
DD Aulick
DD Chauncey
DD Chevalier
DD Claxton
DD Foote
DD Waller

Improved night sighting under 96% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 96% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Gasmata at 104,129, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
MTB G-151, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-152, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
MTB G-153, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
MTB G-154, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-155, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
MTB G-156, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-157, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-158, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-159, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-10, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Bush
DD Harrison
DD Hutchins
DD Kidd
DD Kimberly
DD Murray
DD Pringle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Buna (99,129)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

259 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LCT-62, Shell hits 1, on fire
LCT-61
LCT-59, Shell hits 1
SC-707
SC-706
LCI-22
LCI-62
LCI-24

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 19 (5 destroyed, 14 disabled)

12cm 10YT DP Gun Battery engaging LCT-62 at 8,000 yards
Massive explosion on LCT-62
12cm 10YT DP Gun Battery engaging LCT-59 at 8,000 yards
SC-707 fired at enemy troops
SC-706 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Buna (99,129)

TF 124 troops unloading over beach at Buna, 99,129

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 31 (0 destroyed, 31 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1662 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 425

Defending force 17464 troops, 235 guns, 378 vehicles, Assault Value = 621

Assaulting units:
14th Garrison Unit
22nd Division
47th Engineer Regiment
91st Infantry Regiment
Kure 7th SNLF
3rd Garrison Unit
55th Field AA Battalion
86th JAAF AF Coy
22nd JNAF AF Unit
57th Field AA Battalion
16th AA Regiment
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
39th Road Const Co
6th Garrison Unit /1

Defending units:
1st Marine Division
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Bn /37
I US Amphib Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: A new CV!!! Two more are due within the month. That should keep the KB viable as a protective force for the next few months.

23rd Air Flotilla arrives at Tokyo
36th Field AA Battalion arrives at Tokyo
SST Yu-9 arrives at Kobe
SST Yu-10 arrives at Kobe
CV Kasagi arrives at Nagasaki/Sasebo

Losses: Not a good few days. Destroyers are becoming precious commodities for the IJN.

Loss of DD Naganami on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Kiyonami on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Murasame on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Samidare on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Uranami on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Sazanami on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-131 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-132 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-133 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-135 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-501 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-502 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-503 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-504 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-505 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-506 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-507 on Jan 11, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-10 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of DD Nagatsuki on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-151 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-152 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-153 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-154 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-155 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-156 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-157 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-158 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of MTB G-159 on Jan 12, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: About 4-5 more DDs probably sunk, but really, it's not about how many the Allies have lost in this case, it's a matter of how many of ours they took dow with them, and it was a lot.

DD Eaton is reported to have been sunk near Milne Bay on Jan 11, 1944
DD Balch is reported to have been sunk near Milne Bay on Jan 11, 1944
DD Clark is reported to have been sunk near Milne Bay on Jan 11, 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have a serious case of destroyer envy.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 1/27/2013 9:26:18 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1363
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 1/30/2013 11:06:56 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		13 - 14 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: The Flasher, another new US sub, takes out an xAK.

SOUTH PACIFIC: More bombing of Buna. Our troops are still hanging in there, hovering around 400AV. Against his 6ooAV and Marine division this won't hold once supply runs out, but for now it is. If I can keep a hold for another months until the refugee army from Milne Bay arrive, this could be a problem for him and require more amphib ops. Not that hard for his LSTs but it could take time if he's not prepped more.

Nearly all troops below Shortlands and a line across to Ontong Java have been flown out. A lost of motorized support is left behind, but in a way this is good as I wan him to still have to take these bases with solid units. He'll realize after one or two that there is no opposition, and may know already that most things have been taken to Rabaul. I'm adding a regimental size force to Finschafen, Gasmata, Umboi, and the bases around Rabaul including Green Island and Buka.I'll keep units in Shortlands and that area until the bitter end to possibly buy more time. Large amphib TFs are converging on Rabaul to pull troops out. This could be dicey though as I have only one big SCTF there to protect them. The naval support is massive though, so maybe we can get in and out quickly. MTBs, barges and mini-subs also fill the port and surrounding areas.

NORTH PACIFIC: Adak is the last base with multiple units here and I'll begin removing all but a base force and a naval guard soon. Jocke is doing some recon so might be aware now of what's been happening. Spring is coming.

WEST OZ: The troops are moving forward. He may have an armor contingent out ahead of the main force, which could push the schedule for retreat forward. I'll be reconning during the next few days.

BURMA: Nicks had their first successful strike against an armor target, two brigades moving from Magwe to the stack in the woods. I didn't send them low for fear of an AA unit, but maybe i could have here.

Some troops look to also be moving in two other spots. One, and the most interesting, is the US division across from Magwe moving with a few other smaller units toward Bassein. I'll reinforce that base with a garrison unit, a brigade and an engineer unit, totaling about 400 AV. It has level 5 forts, in the clear, but next to Rangoon so CAP is possible. I've started moving a tank division to cover the river crossing onto the road to Prome and I'll move back another division from Taung Gyi to cover the other river crossing hex and provide reserve in case he's got more than I think he does. There is a final division moving back out of Lashio that should make Taung Gyi in time to make up the difference if this base is threatened. If he does move into Bassein he'd have to river-cross. Not a good option with only one division. If he does go in I will also try to move behind and cut a retreat path, then fill units and destroy what he brought.

Troops are also moving toward Meiktila, so could be heading to the stack in front of Toungoo (1k AV) or to Taung Gyi. Either is well defended and would take beating for a while before I'd have to bring in reserve. The next units moving to the area will be reinforcements arriving in about 25 days in the HI, so what's here will have to hold for a bit. Once he commits, I can shift force to fill in and close off hex-sides.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 13, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on 255th Armoured Brigade, at 57,48 , near Magwe

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 66

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
42 x Ki-45 KAIa Nick bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
24 x Ki-45 KAIa Nick bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 254th Armoured Brigade ...
Also attacking 255th Armoured Brigade ...
Also attacking 254th Armoured Brigade ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-17E Fortress x 24
B-24D Liberator x 14
B-24D1 Liberator x 107
B-24J Liberator x 56
B-25C Mitchell x 48
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 34


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
125 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 91st Infantry Regiment, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 17
B-25C Mitchell x 16
B-25D1 Mitchell x 111
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13


Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 damaged

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


Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 33rd Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator B.III x 15
Wellington B.X x 16
B-17F Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 10
B-24D1 Liberator x 57
B-24J Liberator x 47
B-25C Mitchell x 45


Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 3 damaged
Wellington B.X: 2 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 5 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24D1 Liberator: 7 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 3 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 55th Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator GR.III x 12
Wellington Ic x 16
B-24D Liberator x 11
B-25C Mitchell x 16

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator GR.III: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged


Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Liberator GR.III bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 250 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 14, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Siquijor at 77,87

Japanese Ships
DD Shikinami
E Chidori
E W-25

Allied Ships
SS Parche, hits 3

SS Parche launches 2 torpedoes at DD Shikinami
Parche diving deep ....
E W-25 attacking submerged sub ....
E W-25 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Satawal at 107,110

Japanese Ships
xAK Syoto Maru, Torpedo hits 1
xAK Kusuyama Maru
xAK Himalaya Maru
E Awaji

Allied Ships
SS Flasher

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

SS Flasher launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Syoto Maru
E Awaji fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd Guards Division, at 56,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 14
Liberator B.III x 14
Liberator GR.III x 12
Wellington Ic x 3
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 10
B-24D1 Liberator x 49
B-24J Liberator x 60
B-25C Mitchell x 51


Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 2 damaged
Liberator II: 1 destroyed by flak
Liberator GR.III: 5 damaged
Liberator GR.III: 1 destroyed by flak
B-17F Fortress: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 5 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 8 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24J Liberator: 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 35
B-25C Mitchell x 56
B-25D1 Mitchell x 111
F6F-3 Hellcat x 25

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: Some great things to add to the defenses. One Air HQ will go to Malaya, two to the Marianas. The small troop units will go to the dot bases in the SE DEI. I have about 7 to fill in to stop para-ops or snap invasions. The AA are destroyed and bought units. As I get these most will go to the Marianas and Kuriles.

I've gotten a bunch of new IJN fighter units in the past month (including this new one at Kanoya), and all are congregating to Hiroshma/Kure as training units first to bump numbers for IJN Fighter pilots. It's a good time to do this as there is a lull in fighting (and losing) these pilots. They will then convert to N1K2 (ready next month) and J2M3 and move to the DEI. I should have around 400 IJN and 150 IJAAF fighters in the SE DEI alone within two months. That should coincide with the timing for losing Darwin.

LST T-102 arrives at Maizuru
61st Air Flotilla arrives at Tokyo
62nd Air Flotilla arrives at Tokyo
72nd Air Flotilla arrives at Nagasaki/Sasebo
1st Raiding Force arrives at Tokyo
71st Field AA Battalion arrives at Tokyo
54th Naval Guard Unit arrives at Tokyo
55th Naval Guard Unit arrives at Tokyo
30th Special Base Force arrives at Babeldaob
E W-30 arrives at Tokyo
AO Sunosaki arrives at Maizuru
MTB G-541 arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
221 Ku S-1 arrives at Kanoya
71st I.F.Chutai arrives at Medan
1st Ind.AA Gun Co arrives at Tokyo

Aircraft Ki-102b Randy advances R&D
Aircraft A6M5b Zero advances R&D (3/44)

Losses: None.

Ships Sunk: The Arizona has come off and on and now back off the sunk ships list. For a time it was listed sunk off of San Fran, so I wondered if it might have made it almost back and then went down due to pump failure or something.

Previous report of sinking of BB Arizona incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
Previous report of sinking of SS Tuna incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The three versions of the Randy are all moving ahead now, but I have no idea if any of them will be useful. I see the FB as an upgrade for the Nick, but of course I'll probably invest little and only build a few to try them out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 1/30/2013 11:07:11 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1364
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/1/2013 10:44:56 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		15 - 16 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: Another E lost to a sub. At least the transports are getting through. The I-173 goes for a TF with a CLAA in it near Baker. Not sure if this has CVs or not.

SOUTH PACIFIC: I'm trying to get the last off of Tulagi and Solomons bases, and at the same time I'm adding a garrison unit to Finschafen and a Naval Guard to Gasmata. These seem the most likely new vectors for Allied advance. He's not hurting any of the ships that are pulling vehicles and AA guns off of Kirakira, which is fantastic. They're about to push off now.

Buna is hit again. I have a LR CAP plan for the 17th. I think I can get a decent shot at the bombers as he hasn't been sweeping lately. Not sure why. I'll place several units at Gasmata, some at Umboi, and send some all of the way from Rabaul. This is the first time I've thought I might have a chance at them in weeks.

WEST OZ: Armor is almost at Daly Waters! It'll be in the hex by the 17th most likely I'm bringing an assortment of boomers in. I wish I'd gotten to them sooner. I can though make a dent and slow them down, but he'll likely install fighters immediately in Daly once it falls.

BURMA: Jocke hits troops moving near Lashio. I'm quite happy for him to bomb away into the jungles. It also helps though when he changes targets every few days, as the AA guns have a chance to relax in the big stack near Toungoo. They're now getting back below 10 disruption and 20 fatigue. The biggest AA gun units are still marching toward Taung Gyi. They will make a difference somewhere soon.

The Allied troops near Prome have now moved one hex and are sitting across from the road access clear hex between Prome and Bassein. All of these bases will soon have 400+ AV. Bassein will probably not make level 6 forts, but is at 5.5 now, and Prome is at 6. The tank division waiting across the river from the clear hex has one fort built.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 15, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-17E Fortress x 20
B-24D Liberator x 24
B-24D1 Liberator x 104
B-24J Liberator x 36
B-25C Mitchell x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 36

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd JNAF AF Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 17
B-25C Mitchell x 44
B-25D1 Mitchell x 111
F6F-3 Hellcat x 25

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 5 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 16, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ASW attack near Baker Island at 153,137

Japanese Ships
SS I-173, hits 5

Allied Ships
DD Sampson
CLAA Reno
DD Stack
DD Worden
DD Dewey
DD Farragut
DD Downes

SS I-173 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Sampson
DD Downes attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 3rd Garrison Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 17
B-17E Fortress x 23
B-24D Liberator x 23
B-24D1 Liberator x 104
B-24J Liberator x 52
B-25C Mitchell x 32
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 35

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
78 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 91st Infantry Regiment, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-25C Mitchell x 16
B-25D1 Mitchell x 109
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 3 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd Area Army, at 61,46 , near Lashio

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 11
Liberator B.III x 14
Liberator GR.III x 10
Wellington Ic x 15
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 13
B-24D1 Liberator x 57
B-24J Liberator x 73
B-25C Mitchell x 50

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
74 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: Little bits.

E Aguni arrives at Tokyo
3rd Air Defense AA Regiment arrives at Tokyo
29th Fld AA Gun Co arrives at Tokyo
ML G-206 arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
SC CHa-74 arrives at Ominato

Aircraft Ki-43-IV Oscar advances R&D (5/45)

Losses: Many more Es, including the fabled super-Es will be coming on line in the next month. I need them badly now.

Loss of E Ishigaki on Jan 15, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: None.

Previous report of sinking of SS Scamp incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This show the Allied troops trying to run an end around in Burma. I think the IJA middle linebackers have it covered though, unless this is more than it looks to be.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/1/2013 10:45:06 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1365
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/3/2013 3:58:52 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		17 - 18 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: A small hit on a Dutch sub. Hard to pin these and the Brits down in spite of good air patrols along the Thai coast.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The LR CAP doesn't go as we'd hoped in spite of good numbers and no sweeps. The first group does poorly with the main body of 4Es, harassing them but only being able to make a few passes before the bombing runs, and no passes after. Very frustrating. Then they get a hold of several smaller groups and do fairy well. At the end of the day they hit the last group, 32 B-25D1s that tear apart the fighters who most likely decided it would be smart to make an attack run from the front. Not fun replacing over 20 70 exp pilots after this.

Troops at Buna are not doing well. This should be near the end there. It's been a good stand though.

The last few major troops are being pulled from the Solomons and now it's time to redistribute infantry to Finschafen, Umboi Island, Gasmata and Manus Island.

WEST OZ: Helens go after Aussie armor, hitting nothing on the 17th and getting a decent number on the 18th. Jills and Judys are now moving in to help.

BURMA: Troops hit in start mode in Prome, moving to Bassein. I should get about 450 AV there before any danger arrives, and one of two tanks units in reserve can move in at the last minute if he is going there.

More forces moved into the hex up the road from Toungoo. There are about 65k troops and 1k AFVs here. I have two divisions and a brigade with another division on the way. Some good arty and anti-tank units are also in the hex.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 17, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Tavoy at 51,57

Japanese Ships
E Natsushima
E Kamome

Allied Ships
SS KXVIII, hits 1

SS KXVIII launches 2 torpedoes at E Natsushima
E Natsushima fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Kamome fails to find sub and abandons search
E Natsushima attacking submerged sub ....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2/8th Armoured Regiment, at 76,132 , near Daly Waters

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 24

No Japanese losses


Aircraft Attacking:
24 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 22
J2M3 Jack x 13
N1K1-J George x 15
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 26
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 26
Ki-84a Frank x 17



Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 21
B-24D Liberator x 20
B-24D1 Liberator x 97
B-24J Liberator x 38
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 30

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 3rd Garrison Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 16
J2M3 Jack x 9
N1K1-J George x 8
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 18
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 19
Ki-84a Frank x 8

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 3rd Garrison Unit , at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 22
J2M3 Jack x 10
N1K1-J George x 14
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 23
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 26
Ki-84a Frank x 17



Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 35
B-25C Mitchell x 64
B-25D1 Mitchell x 76
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
F6F-3 Hellcat: 4 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Mitchell II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 55th Field AA Battalion, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 58 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 9
J2M3 Jack x 8
N1K1-J George x 13
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 15
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 21
Ki-84a Frank x 17



Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 32


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 9 destroyed, 8 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 18, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on 2/6th Armoured Regiment, at 76,132 , near Daly Waters

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 22 (2 destroyed, 20 disabled)


Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 2/8th Armoured Regiment ...
Also attacking 2/6th Armoured Regiment ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 12th Tank Regiment, at 55,50 (Prome)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 71 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 11
Liberator B.III x 12
Liberator GR.III x 9
Wellington Ic x 12
Wellington B.X x 12
B-17F Fortress x 9
B-24D Liberator x 17
B-24D1 Liberator x 27
B-24J Liberator x 57


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: Another tool about ready to come into production. Not sure why the Japanese would make another bomber with even less of a payload!

Aircraft Ki-67-Ia Peggy advances R&D (2/44)

Losses: None.

Ships Sunk: None.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Not to be taken lightly! I did some reading up on these guys. Apparently the first modifications of the B-25Cs to strafers happened in OZ and these were planes originally intended for use by the Dutch. The modifications and new tactics of skip-bombing/para-frag became so successful the next production variants used similar configurations.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/3/2013 3:59:11 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1366
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/3/2013 4:42:21 PM   
koniu


Posts: 2763
Joined: 2/28/2011
From: Konin, Poland, European Union
Status: offline
quote:


Reinforcements: Another tool about ready to come into production. Not sure why the Japanese would make another bomber with even less of a payload!

Aircraft Ki-67-Ia Peggy advances R&D (2/44)


I think K-49 should be primary army bomber until end of war but Ki-67 can still be useful with his range. Nothing big but 14/17 hex range can be useful.
It is identical range like B-17 and close to range of B-24 so you will have his AF in range, if only that payload stay at lest at 4x250kg


< Message edited by koniu -- 2/3/2013 4:45:24 PM >

_____________________________

"Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War"

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1367
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/3/2013 11:20:12 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: koniu

quote:


Reinforcements: Another tool about ready to come into production. Not sure why the Japanese would make another bomber with even less of a payload!

Aircraft Ki-67-Ia Peggy advances R&D (2/44)


I think K-49 should be primary army bomber until end of war but Ki-67 can still be useful with his range. Nothing big but 14/17 hex range can be useful.
It is identical range like B-17 and close to range of B-24 so you will have his AF in range, if only that payload stay at lest at 4x250kg



I hope it does offer some flexibility to the IJAAF with that range. Hitting his airfields will be another matter though! Maybe once I get out of the area in So Pac where he can concentrate everything into big level 9 bases with 500-600 fighters!

I know some players have resorted to massed night attacks in the late game from a distance. I'm not sure that is a good door to open though.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to koniu)
Post #: 1368
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/4/2013 12:32:19 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		19 - 21 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well, sitting here watching the Super Bowl, so I thought I might be able to catch up on this.

SUBS: The Archerfish is sunk after being forced to the surface in the DEI. He's extending subs into dangerous waters here again. My air search is finding them and there are plenty of ships close by to vector in.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Finschafen is invaded! This caught me offguard. He still doesn't have Buna, and this is a big leap into enemy territory. It's still under the massive CAP umbrella though, so really I should have foreseen something like this. I most likely couldn't have stopped it though. Looks like a Marine division is the lynchpin for this move.

I had to try one idea to try to stall here, so I set all air transports to throw a brigade into the base with massive LR CAP and escorts of my own. It didn't work as the naval bombardment shut the base and only the Emilys flew. That didn't cut it, and I lost a lot of fighters in the two days trying to get more troops in here. He DAs after only a day on the ground so if I had gotten another unit here that might have held for a long time. Now the game has changed.

Buna holds again getting a 1:2, but this will likely be the last. Damage is severe and these troops will be fighting through the jungle soon. I'll try to get a piece of the main units out in case they are trashed and wither trying to get to a friendly base.

WEST OZ: Daly Waters falls to the Aussie tanks. Helens take a bite out, but nothing serious enough to stop this advance. I'm sending a TF to try to remove the HQa from Darwin but I'm wary of getting it so close to danger here.

BURMA: More bombing of troops near Toungoo. I need to find out what he has here, and if I need to reinforce. It certainly seems this is the new focus. Soon I'll bombard the big stack to the West of Toungoo, and then once the reserve division moves in I'll bombed the stack to the North. A big Chinese unit, probably one of those 800 AV monsters all fed-up on Chicken Tikka is moving up the road to Lashio. I have a division and a Thai division there, so that should be enough. The tank divisions are in place to support troops at Bassein now and possibly move in if needed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 19, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amphibious Assault at Buna (99,129)

TF 76 troops unloading over beach at Buna, 99,129

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Umboi Island at 100,125

Japanese Ships
LB-508, Shell hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Trout

LB-508 is sighted by SS Trout
SS Trout attacking LB-508 on the surface

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Finschhafen at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 41 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Nicholson
CL Honolulu

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x E13A1 Jake bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Finschhafen (100,126)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

22 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
SC-707
SC-706
LCI-22
LCI-62
LCI-24

SC-707 fired at enemy troops
SC-706 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Finschhafen (100,126)

TF 124 troops unloading over beach at Finschhafen, 100,126

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Finschhafen (100,126)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

24 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LST-471
LST-472
LSD Carter Hall
LST-342
LST-468
DD MacDonough
DD Talbot
LST-343

LST-471 fired at enemy troops
LST-472 fired at enemy troops
LSD Carter Hall fired at enemy troops
LST-471 fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Finschhafen (100,126)

TF 303 troops unloading over beach at Finschhafen, 100,126


Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 45 (0 destroyed, 45 disabled)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Army Tank Regiment, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 23 (2 destroyed, 21 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 9th Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 11
Liberator GR.III x 7
Wellington Ic x 12
Wellington B.X x 12
B-24D Liberator x 16
B-24D1 Liberator x 15
B-24J Liberator x 28
B-25C Mitchell x 24

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Wellington B.X bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 9th Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.III x 11
B-24D1 Liberator x 18
B-24J Liberator x 18
B-25C Mitchell x 8

No Allied losses

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

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Liberator B.III bombing from 12000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Daly Waters (76,131)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3418 troops, 0 guns, 527 vehicles, Assault Value = 347

Defending force 151 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 105

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 105 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Daly Waters !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
203 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
2/8th Armoured Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
2/9th Armoured Regiment
2/7th Armoured Regiment
1st Army Tank Regiment

Defending units:
3rd Raiding Rgt /4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2577 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 162

Defending force 13177 troops, 230 guns, 276 vehicles, Assault Value = 518

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

Assaulting units:
1st Raiding Regiment
7th Garrison Unit /1
36th Const Co
12th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 20, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Submarine attack near Waigeo at 82,105

Japanese Ships
DD Nokaze
E Yugao
AMC Kongo Maru
AK Azuma Maru
AK Anyo Maru
AK Arizona Maru
AK Melbourne Maru
AK Brisbane Maru
AK Sakito Maru
AK Sagami Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Hie Maru
xAK Myoko Maru
E Kiji
E Tomozuru

Allied Ships
SS Archerfish, hits 12, and is sunk

SS Archerfish launches 4 torpedoes at DD Nokaze
Archerfish diving deep ....
DD Nokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Kiji fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Kiji fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Kiji attacking submerged sub ....
SS Archerfish forced to surface!
DD Nokaze firing on surfaced sub ....
E Tomozuru firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Finschhafen at 100,126

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 21 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed on ground
J2M3 Jack: 25 damaged
J2M3 Jack: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CL Santa Fe
CL Columbia
DD Waller
DD Foote
DD Claxton
DD Chevalier
DD Chauncey
DD Aulick
DD Abbot

Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Airbase hits 29
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 78
Port hits 20
Port supply hits 6

CL Santa Fe firing at Finschhafen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Daly Waters , at 76,131

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
B6N2 Jill x 48
J2M2 Jack x 17

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 48

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 8000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
30 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 8000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Morning Air attack on 3rd Base Force, at 100,131 , near Goodenough Island

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-25G Mitchell x 11


Allied aircraft losses
B-25G Mitchell: 8 damaged
B-25G Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B-25G Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 8th Garrison Unit , at 100,131 , near Goodenough Island

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 3
B-25G Mitchell x 6


Allied aircraft losses
B-25G Mitchell: 4 damaged
B-25G Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-25G Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
2 x B-25G Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 20th Fld AA Machinecannon Company ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 39,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 5
N1K1-J George x 30
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 44
Ki-84a Frank x 59

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 4
N1K1-J George x 28
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 41
Ki-84a Frank x 59

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 7 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 40,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 23
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 39
Ki-84a Frank x 52

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 6 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 4 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 1
N1K1-J George x 13
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 34
Ki-84a Frank x 37

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 9th Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 11
Liberator B.III x 10
Wellington B.X x 12
B-17F Fortress x 8
B-24D Liberator x 17
B-24D1 Liberator x 27
B-24J Liberator x 53
B-25C Mitchell x 35

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13286 troops, 230 guns, 276 vehicles, Assault Value = 530

Defending force 3944 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 166

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 259

Japanese adjusted defense: 169

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
901 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled

Allied ground losses:
184 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled


Assaulting units:
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
6th Guards Inf. Rgt /1
7th Garrison Unit /1
36th Const Co
12th JAAF AF Coy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 21, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Finschhafen at 100,126

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 4 damaged
N1K1-J George: 9 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Santa Fe
CL Columbia
DD Waller
DD Foote
DD Claxton
DD Chevalier
DD Chauncey
DD Aulick
DD Abbot

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 40
Port hits 17
Port supply hits 7

CL Santa Fe firing at Finschhafen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 27
N1K1-J George x 12
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 13
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 45
Ki-84a Frank x 40

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 6 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 21
N1K1-J George x 9
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 13
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 43
Ki-84a Frank x 23

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 5 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 5 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 21
N1K1-J George x 4
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 10
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 30
Ki-84a Frank x 20

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 18
N1K1-J George x 4
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 4
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 18
Ki-84a Frank x 20

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 18
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 4
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 15
Ki-84a Frank x 12

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 13
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 12
Ki-84a Frank x 11

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 5 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

No Allied losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 13
Ki-84a Frank x 2

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 9 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x F4U-1A Corsair sweeping at 35000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Raiding Regiment, at 100,126 (Finschhafen)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 23
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 98
B-24J Liberator x 54
B-25C Mitchell x 48
B-25D1 Mitchell x 95
P-40K Warhawk x 21
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 35

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
156 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 31st Ind.Mixed Brigade, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 13
Liberator B.III x 13
Liberator GR.III x 17
Wellington Ic x 13
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 9
B-24D Liberator x 24
B-24D1 Liberator x 25
B-24J Liberator x 64
B-25C Mitchell x 50

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 2/9th Armoured Regiment, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 20

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 26 (7 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2/7th Armoured Regiment, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 26

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16221 troops, 236 guns, 403 vehicles, Assault Value = 701

Defending force 16436 troops, 252 guns, 53 vehicles, Assault Value = 413

Allied adjusted assault: 227

Japanese adjusted defense: 499

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1781 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 39 (1 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
276 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 61 disabled


Assaulting units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
1st Marine Division
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
I US Amphib Corps
2nd USMC Tank Bn /11

Defending units:
22nd Division
91st Infantry Regiment
47th Engineer Regiment
14th Garrison Unit
3rd Garrison Unit
55th Field AA Battalion
57th Field AA Battalion
39th Road Const Co
86th JAAF AF Coy
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
Kure 7th SNLF
22nd JNAF AF Unit
16th AA Regiment
6th Garrison Unit /1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Finschhafen (100,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13113 troops, 230 guns, 276 vehicles, Assault Value = 504

Defending force 3530 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 119

Allied adjusted assault: 459

Japanese adjusted defense: 43

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Finschhafen !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 10 destroyed
J2M3 Jack: 10 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1403 casualties reported
Squads: 49 destroyed, 31 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 27 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (8 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units retreated 5

Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
110th Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion

Defending units:
7th Garrison Unit
1st Raiding Regiment
6th Guards Inf. Rgt /1
36th Const Co
12th JAAF AF Coy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements:

MTB G-542 arrives at Kobe
ML G-207 arrives at Shimizu
MTB G-12 arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
LST T-103 arrives at Niigata

Aircraft Ki-102a Randy advances R&D
Aircraft Ki-61-II KAI Tony advances R&D (5/44)

Losses:

Loss of LB-508 on Jan 19, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-137 on Jan 19, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-139 on Jan 19, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: One more that I'm sure about.

SS Archerfish is reported to have been sunk near Waigeo on Jan 20, 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The LSTs and LSIs give a lot of flexibility, and with the amount of stuff supporting, the IJN was best left out of this one. Now it's a scramble to continue to fortify the next line. Many troops are moving toward Truk and then they'll distribute from there.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/4/2013 8:19:30 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1369
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/4/2013 8:58:46 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		22 - 23 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: The O19 was caught just outside Palembang by an escort of a CS fuel convoy. He could lose a lot of subs if he brings them into these waters again. The DL is high and there are a lot of ships with DCs moving around. It's interesting that just after the recent thread about CHa sub-chasers, the small 10 knot 99 ton ships for use near bases and coastal areas, this attack happened.. This showed their usefulness and may have even sunk a sub with two direct hits causing fires. I usually try to have a decent commander with good naval and aggressiveness in a CS convoy, even if there are not enough good captains to go around for the ships.

SOUTH PACIFIC: More pain at Buna. More transporting of troops back to Rabaul, and now back out again. I decided to begin to fortify possible next destinations before trying to get the troops now stranded at Lae and Salamua. It should take about three turns to get another unit each to Medang, Manus and Gasmata. The Allies are solidifying their new acquisition, and PTs have moved in. I sent subs in to mine Umboi where everything is transiting the straits, so hopefully I'll pick off a sub or two and not just a PT.

WEST OZ: Jocke apparently noticed my annoying bombing of his armor enough to send in 100+ 4Es to plaster Darwin. I had some planes doing double duty, sweeping and CAPing, which is not very efficient. Still, he came in at 6k so lost a bunch of planes to balloons, a few to fighters. Probably a dozen in all. I lost a few of everything on the ground and then more to 120+ Lightnings sweeping after the bombers came through. I'll rail up to Katherine to see if he notices and try to get some of the damaged planes working to fly out. Interestingly though, most were able to fly out immediately. I think I only had about 15 damaged on the ground unable to fly.

BURMA: More bombings of the stack near Toungoo. I had an AA regiment with radar moving in and forgot to put it in combat mode to enter, so that took a hit. Doh! Anyway, the disruption overall is still moderate, and another division is a few days away. More AA about 10 days off. His big Chinese unit bombarded and indeed it is an 800+ AV monster. It's 861 right now to be exact! Should be fine in this rough jungle spot as long as he isn't sending another one too!

I did an experiment moving a tank division from Rabaul to Bassein. I thought that would take a few days, but it moved 40 miles in a day. I cancelled so I can send them in just before the Allies if he does try to get in there, and I still could send it on the road toward Prome if he's coming that way. I certainly wouldn't think a river crossing against two tank divisions in the jungle would be a good idea with only 45k troops. I'll bombard the big stack up the road from Prome in the next few days to see what he brought there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 22, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Daly Waters , at 76,131

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
B6N2 Jill x 48
J2M2 Jack x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 18 (3 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
30 x B6N2 Jill bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2/6th Armoured Regiment, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 60 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M2 Jack x 9
N1K1-J George x 8

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 64
B-24J Liberator x 23
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M2 Jack: 1 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed on ground
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 30 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 7 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed

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

Airbase hits 29
Airbase supply hits 29
Runway hits 168

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 9th Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 13
Liberator B.III x 13
Liberator GR.III x 16
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 13
B-17F Fortress x 11
B-24D Liberator x 21
B-24D1 Liberator x 46
B-24J Liberator x 73
B-25C Mitchell x 58

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator B.III: 3 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
152 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 53 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 32,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M2 Jack x 3
N1K1-J George x 6

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 23
P-38H Lightning x 122

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M2 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet
23 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet
23 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet
24 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet
24 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet
25 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 2/5th Armoured Regiment, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 23

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 9 (3 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 23, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Muntok at 49,89

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-28
SC CHa-7
TK Gosyu Maru
xAKL Miyakawa Maru #3
xAKL Roko Maru
xAKL Nichiwa Maru
SC CHa-33
SC CHa-29

Allied Ships
SS O19, hits 3, heavy damage

SS O19 launches 2 torpedoes at SC CHa-28
O19 bottoming out ....
SC CHa-33 fails to find sub and abandons search
SC CHa-29 attacking submerged sub ....
SC CHa-29 is out of ASW ammo
SC CHa-29 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 9
B-24D1 Liberator x 28
B-24J Liberator x 16
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 10


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 7 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 4 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 2 damaged

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

Airbase hits 28
Airbase supply hits 19
Runway hits 122

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-17E Fortress x 9
B-24D1 Liberator x 44
B-24J Liberator x 37
B-25C Mitchell x 59
B-25D1 Mitchell x 109
P-40K Warhawk x 20
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 21

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
221 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 31st Ind.Mixed Brigade, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 3
Liberator B.III x 9
Liberator GR.III x 9
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 13
B-17F Fortress x 3
B-24D Liberator x 18
B-24D1 Liberator x 41
B-24J Liberator x 74
B-25C Mitchell x 57

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 61,46 (near Lashio)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19613 troops, 166 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 861

Defending force 21084 troops, 244 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 743

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

Assaulting units:
3rd New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
18th Division
2nd RTA Division
50th Field AA Battalion
43rd Ind.AA Gun Co
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
49th Field AA Battalion
13th JAAF Base Force
70th JAAF AF Bn

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: There is a large back-up now of TKs sitting at Nagasaki. I'm trying to only use what I really ned now, but I'm pretty sure I'll have need of them all before the end.

TK Munakata Maru arrives at Nagasaki/Sasebo

Losses: None.

Ships Sunk: None.

Previous report of sinking of SS KXV incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IJA arty will likely play a big role in the next period in Burma. I've got some of the biggest available, the 30cm Howitzer, in the big stack. Interested to see the effect they will have, especially now that they've dug in with at least one fort. There is still a bunch of arty I could buy out in Manchuria, China and the HI, but I simply don't have the PPs and won't anytime soon.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/5/2013 12:56:11 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1370
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/4/2013 1:56:24 PM   
Dora09

 

Posts: 217
Joined: 1/11/2008
Status: offline 		Hello obvert,
I was struck by what you said about a back log of TKs.  In my game it is June 43 and I have lost very few TKs but I still feel like I don't have enough to move as much fuel/oil to Japan as I would like.  I have not increased any HI in Japan but it still seems like I am riding a very thin line in fuel/oil transport.  I have converted as many AKs to TKs as i can as well.  I must be doing something very wrong! 

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1371
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/4/2013 3:07:54 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Dora09

Hello obvert,
I was struck by what you said about a back log of TKs.  In my game it is June 43 and I have lost very few TKs but I still feel like I don't have enough to move as much fuel/oil to Japan as I would like.  I have not increased any HI in Japan but it still seems like I am riding a very thin line in fuel/oil transport.  I have converted as many AKs to TKs as i can as well.  I must be doing something very wrong! 


This is really only after a major push to get all of the surplus from Singapore, which at one point was over a million in fuel and 250k in oil, back to the Home Islands. Now Singers has about 100k and Babeldaob and Manila with another 80k and 60k oil each, but only Soerabaja now is building a surplus and that is because I changed my routes from Borneo to use it as a hub.

It takes constant management to get right and there are many ways to do it. I simply try to keep as much loading as the ports can handle, and there are lots of smaller CS TFs going between Palembang and Miri/Brunei to Singapore, and now Balikpapan/Tarakan to Soerabaja. From those spots I then ship it back to the HI. I put Fleet HQs into all of these spots or those big base forces or port units that have good naval support. Loading speed is the real key, and lining up the size of ship to the size of port.

It also helps that Jocke hasn't hit many of the big valuable TK/AO in this game. His subs tend to suffer if he gets close to my major transit routes close to air search and since I don't move these in open ocean if at all possible, it's tough to get to them without losing subs.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to Dora09)
Post #: 1372
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/4/2013 3:18:27 PM   
Dora09

 

Posts: 217
Joined: 1/11/2008
Status: offline 		Thanks obvert,
I think loading speed may be my problem here. I haven't lost many TKs and the few I have lost were the little ones. I just feel like I need two or three more large TFs but probably because my method of transport is still too inefficient.

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1373
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/5/2013 9:30:33 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		24 - 25 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: A convoy bringing a baseforce and garrison to Padang was hit by the Tarpon near Toboali. The escorts proved their worth and forced the sub to surface, then gunned her under. The second US fleet sub in a week sent down!

The section of a base force is landed at Billiton but the irreplaceable AK doesn't make it.

Near Baker the I-24 is lost to the Gunard in a sub on sub hit.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Buna falls at last. This is the kind of stand I needed at Finschafen and I need to prepare elsewhere. If I can get 250-300 AV in good territory under good forts (at least 4, preferably 5-6), I can slow him down. The combo of 4E and naval bombardments has been devastating here, but it won't always be so easy to perform as often.

Evac is still going well. More troops are now on Medang, Manus, Gasmata and Wewak. I'll now concentrate on getting big infantry units out from under his nose if possible. There are two untouched brigades at Salamua. A shattered garrison unit at Lae I could place in a rear area to rebuild. A few good engineer units and some experienced naval guards that I'll pull last, after base forces and everything else. Some big transport TFs are leaving Rabaul for Truk where all units will then be redistributed and sent on.

WEST OZ: The 4Es hit Katherine and closed that too. I turned the train around and got planes back to Darwin in the hope that they could try to get out of there, but no go. Because I'll need the fighter groups to be at full strength as soon as possible I disbanded the remains and can now rebuild the main groups and add pilots. I need to CAP as the evac ships move in to pick up the HQa and base force from Darwin.

BURMA: A ground bombardment revealed that our large stacks are nearly equivalent but we actually have a bit more in the hex! It's 4650 to 4150. That is surprising. I'll remove some brigades to send around to the Toungoo area defense where I have only 1100AV. Obviously the Allied quality is better, but in a jungle hex I should be able to hold indefinitely with nearly even numbers and the amount of arty I brought. The bombardment itself was good, the Allies losing a bit of everything and our big guns and their support taking a hit. I'll have to move out a unit with 15cm and 10cm guns as it's down to 40% TOE now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 24, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Toboali at 51,93

Japanese Ships
AK Kotoku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Tsingtao Maru
DD Matsukaze
PC Nire, Shell hits 1
SC Ch 38

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon, hits 11, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

SS Tarpon launches 4 torpedoes at AK Kotoku Maru
Tarpon bottoming out ....
DD Matsukaze attacking submerged sub ....
SS Tarpon forced to surface!
DD Matsukaze firing on surfaced sub ....
PC Nire firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Buna at 99,129

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BB Alabama
BB Massachusetts
BB Indiana
DD Doyle
DD Carmick
DD Meade
DD Hobby
DD Gillespie
DD Farenholt
DD Monssen
DD Gwin

Japanese ground losses:
316 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 21 (12 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 22
Port hits 21
Port supply hits 2

BB Prince of Wales firing at Buna
OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Alabama

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Katherine , at 76,128

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 21
B-24J Liberator x 17
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 9


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 4 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 damaged

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

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 40

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8
B-24D1 Liberator x 41
B-24J Liberator x 47
B-25C Mitchell x 59
B-25D1 Mitchell x 109
P-40K Warhawk x 19
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 24

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
177 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 31st Ind.Mixed Brigade, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 12
Liberator B.III x 12
Liberator GR.III x 15
Wellington Ic x 14
Wellington B.X x 13
B-17F Fortress x 8
B-24D Liberator x 18
B-24D1 Liberator x 41
B-24J Liberator x 67
B-25C Mitchell x 47


Allied aircraft losses
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16108 troops, 236 guns, 403 vehicles, Assault Value = 682

Defending force 14237 troops, 232 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 272

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 206

Japanese adjusted defense: 125

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
878 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 17 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 50 (37 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Allied ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled

Assaulting units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
1st Marine Division
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
I US Amphib Corps
2nd USMC Tank Bn /11

Defending units:
22nd Division
91st Infantry Regiment
14th Garrison Unit
3rd Garrison Unit
47th Engineer Regiment
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
57th Field AA Battalion
39th Road Const Co
22nd JNAF AF Unit
86th JAAF AF Coy
16th AA Regiment
Kure 7th SNLF
55th Field AA Battalion
6th Garrison Unit /1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 61,46 (near Lashio)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19638 troops, 166 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 862

Defending force 21744 troops, 284 guns, 185 vehicles, Assault Value = 745

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

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

Assaulting units:
3rd New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
18th Division
2nd RTA Division
43rd Ind.AA Gun Co
41st Ind.AA Gun Co
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
13th JAAF Base Force
50th Field AA Battalion
49th Field AA Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
70th JAAF AF Bn

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 25, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub vs Sub: SS Gurnard attacking SS I-24 at 149,133 - near Howland Island

Japanese Ships
SS I-24, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Gurnard

SS Gurnard launches 2 torpedoes at 1,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Truk at 109,114

Japanese Ships
xAK Matumoto Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ashi
PB Kosin Maru #3
DMS W-23
AV Sanyo Maru
AK Asaka Maru
xAK Asuka Maru
xAK Toba Maru
DD Akikaze
E Asagao

Allied Ships
SS Cisco

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


SS Cisco launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Matumoto Maru
Cisco diving deep ....
DD Akikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Asagao fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Akikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Buna at 99,129

Allied Ships
CA Baltimore
CA Wichita
DD Trathen
DD Taylor
DD Spence
DD Schroeder
DD Ringgold
DD Renshaw
DD Philip
DD Brownson

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

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 9
Port hits 6

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for CA Baltimore

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Tank Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 3
Liberator B.III x 14
Liberator GR.III x 14
Wellington Ic x 15
Wellington B.X x 15
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 21
B-24D1 Liberator x 42
B-24J Liberator x 70
B-25C Mitchell x 65

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 1 damaged
Wellington B.X: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Wellington B.X bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 91st Infantry Regiment, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 63 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 96
SBD-5 Dauntless x 90
TBF-1 Avenger x 84

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Ground Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Katherine , at 76,128

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 4
B-24D Liberator x 5
B-24D1 Liberator x 28
B-24J Liberator x 9
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 4

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

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

Airbase hits 28
Airbase supply hits 9
Runway hits 82

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 22nd Division, at 99,129 (Buna)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 18
B-17E Fortress x 8
B-24D1 Liberator x 30
B-24J Liberator x 35
B-25C Mitchell x 47
B-25D1 Mitchell x 75
P-40K Warhawk x 18
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 56,49 (near Toungoo)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5195 troops, 390 guns, 341 vehicles, Assault Value = 4649

Defending force 131354 troops, 2331 guns, 2414 vehicles, Assault Value = 4151

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 18 (9 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (10 destroyed, 7 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
260 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
65th Brigade
23rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Guards Division
21st Division
30th Ind.Mixed Brigade
4th Division
55th Division
32nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
33rd Division
38th Division
16th Division
2nd Division
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
68th Field AA Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
10th RF Gun Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
28th Fld AA Gun Co
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
14th RF Gun (Pack) Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
39th Field AA Battalion
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
70th Field AA Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
21st AA Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
32nd Field AA Battalion
38th Field AA Battalion
15th Army
34th Field AA Battalion
11th RF Gun Battalion

Defending units:
18th British Division
XV Corps Engineer Battalion
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
6th Australian Division
27th Infantry Division
5th Indian Division
41st Infantry Division
17th Indian Division
7th Infantry Division
XXXIII Corps Engineer Battalion
2nd British Division
9th Australian Division
15th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
16th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2nd Indian Heavy AA Regiment
6th Mixed A/T Mtr Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
23rd AA Bde
XV Indian Corps
X' Force
14th Army
IV Corps RIASC Base Force
IV Indian Corps
XXXIII Indian Corps
20th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
12th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
XV Corps RIASC Base Force

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Buna (99,129)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15981 troops, 236 guns, 403 vehicles, Assault Value = 664

Defending force 12722 troops, 203 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 180

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 251

Japanese adjusted defense: 35

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Buna !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
5200 casualties reported
Squads: 195 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 277 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 28 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 74 (71 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 37 (37 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 10
Units destroyed 2 Yeeeouch! Not much left to walk to Salamua.

Allied ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
1st Marine Division
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
I US Amphib Corps
2nd USMC Tank Bn /11

Defending units:
14th Garrison Unit
22nd Division
91st Infantry Regiment
3rd Garrison Unit
39th Road Const Co
Kure 7th SNLF
57th Field AA Battalion
22nd JNAF AF Unit
16th AA Regiment
47th Engineer Regiment
55th Field AA Battalion
86th JAAF AF Coy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: The second Frances version, at service level 2, is moving up. It should be ready by April.

MTB G-543 arrives at Hiroshima/Kure

Aircraft P1Y2 Frances advances R&D (6/44)

Losses: Another sub down.

Loss of SS I-24 on Jan 25, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-509 on Jan 25, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-138 on Jan 25, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: Keep em coming into the shallows!

SS Tarpon is reported to have been sunk near Toboali on Jan 24, 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I did some research on the Type 7 30cm howitzer. As the stats above show this is a monster, the short version weighing nearly as much as a sub-chaser at about 76 tons!! The long version would be more, at 120 tons! The shells weigh in at 881 pounds of HE!!! Unfortunately 3 out of 4 of these in one group were knocked out by the accurate and quick firing Allied artillery. Still, a nice punch when it works.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/5/2013 10:44:49 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to Dora09)
Post #: 1374
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/5/2013 12:45:27 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		26 - 27 January 1944
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBS: A few contacts with Allied subs around Kaveing and on the way to Truk, but no hits either way.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The 4E brigade pounds already crushed troops just ejected from Buna. They're in the jungle but take over 1000 casualties due to the bombing. Keep it coming. If this means I can pull units unmolested, these troops will take one more for the Emperor.

DEI: The KB is spotted!!! I had it sitting quietly in Kendari, but of course this is in recon range of Gove and other spots. I just noticed the DL on the base is at 5/10! I looked back and found this from the 20th-23rd (Allied Aircraft sighted over Kendari), so likely he has known for a few days. Obviously I need to read these reports more thoroughly and more often! I will have to be more careful as the range of his bombers gets longer and his bases get closer.

That means the KB had to move and I threw it together quickly and sent everything up to Ternate. No recon has hit the base since. Makes me wonder if he noticed, but I'll assume he did and keep eyes out for any further spotters. I may push things to babeldaob at least until I feel he has a chance at coming up through to the SE DEI. The only issue is this leaves me a day farther from the IO and supporting Burma/Sumatra. I do have more Glen subs moving out there to scout, though.

WEST OZ: The amphib TF arrived and has a 10/10 DL but didn't get hit yet. Gove and Groot Eylandt are empty for now, so maybe I can get this stuff out in a day or two and get away. If this works I'll send xAKLs for the brigade and engineer unit. No sense trying to hold here now if he is bringing the kitchen sink. February 44 is plenty good for this operation and has bought a lot of time and space to prepare for Allied moves into the DEI. Of course I'm still not finished, and before he gets 4Es to Darwin I still have some hard work to do moving air units in, getting updated to Georges and Jacks, and getting small para-deterrent forces onto the dot bases. Then it's all about getting the next level back started. The deeper Celebes, Mindanao and Borneo, as well as loading in the necessary troops to Java to fill the already prepared bases. No moves have been made toward Exmouth, but that could happen quickly from the sea, so I'll work to sneak the AA regiment and base forces out soon as well.

BURMA: Big happenings in Burma. A bombardment by the Allies this time on the big stack, and a DA near Toungoo! That worked for us today, but gave an indication that more is needed in that area. The Allies had a big advantage in troops, and especially in armor, but only got a 1:2 result. The good news is that I know that even with less than half of the force we can hold in good terrain here. It helped that the big units had built forts. The tank division suffered heavy losses, and is at about 60% strength now, but with great moral still, and it should come back as most were disablements. The other division and brigade are fine. Another division is moving in tomorrow, and it looks like he has another in reserve one hex away as well. Good thing that wasn't in for this attack. A preparatory bombardment might have been more prudent to get a feel for things here. There were a lot of Allied infantry destroyed and a number also disabled, likely dropping his AV to around 2100.

So there are two brigades moving from the big stack which will arrive in about a week plus a brigade and a regiment from Taung Gyi that will get there a bit sooner. I could have up to 1800 AV for the next round, which will be a good holding force unless the air strikes work the disruption too high. I have a big brigade arriving in 12 days to Tokyo that will also move in here once shipped over. Two more arriving on the same date will form a reserve so I might be able to rotate units. Already I've met the hope of holding this line until the end of January and getting the next ready. Troops aren't holding it, but I have two tank divisions in reserve and the brigades coming to fill any gaps that develop, plus Pegu is nearing level 6 forts and other bases in the Thai and Malaya areas are now being built. I really have to thank the players, Greyjoy and SqzMyLemon especially, as well as jrcar, who gave great counsel about the next stage and how to set it up, telling me (rightly) to get the hell off of the plains and into the trees!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 26, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on 91st Infantry Regiment, at 99,128 , near Buna

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 36
B-17E Fortress x 10
B-24D1 Liberator x 45
B-24J Liberator x 46
B-25C Mitchell x 59
B-25D1 Mitchell x 108
P-40K Warhawk x 20
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 23

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
1096 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 87 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 56,49 (near Toungoo)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 105540 troops, 2103 guns, 1731 vehicles, Assault Value = 4137

Defending force 139789 troops, 1673 guns, 772 vehicles, Assault Value = 4645

Japanese ground losses:
103 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Assaulting units:
XXXIII Corps Engineer Battalion
17th Indian Division
6th Australian Division
XV Corps Engineer Battalion
27th Infantry Division
2nd British Division
7th Infantry Division
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
41st Infantry Division
18th British Division
5th Indian Division
9th Australian Division
16th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2/13th Field Regiment
14th Army
12th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
XV Indian Corps
20th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
23rd AA Bde
15th Indian Heavy AA Regiment
6th Medium Regiment
6th Mixed A/T Mtr Regiment
XXXIII Indian Corps
X' Force
IV Corps RIASC Base Force
IV Indian Corps
2nd Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
XV Corps RIASC Base Force

Defending units:
2nd Guards Division
65th Brigade
30th Ind.Mixed Brigade
23rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
55th Division
16th Division
38th Division
21st Division
33rd Division
4th Division
32nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Division
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
25th Army
15th Army
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
32nd Field AA Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
39th Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st AA Regiment
70th Field AA Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
28th Fld AA Gun Co
68th Field AA Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
34th Field AA Battalion
10th RF Gun Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
38th Field AA Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion
51st Field AA Battalion
14th RF Gun (Pack) Battalion
11th RF Gun Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 57,49 (near Toungoo)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 51414 troops, 766 guns, 1660 vehicles, Assault Value = 2412

Defending force 29381 troops, 464 guns, 803 vehicles, Assault Value = 1060

Allied adjusted assault: 1241

Japanese adjusted defense: 1537

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-) Every unit here is very experienced and has been through multiple campaigns. This is definitely not true of the Allied forces, so this confuses me (not unusual).

Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1943 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 118 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 27 disabled
Vehicles lost 189 (42 destroyed, 147 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2611 casualties reported
Squads: 135 destroyed, 180 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 82 (12 destroyed, 70 disabled)
Vehicles lost 56 (7 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Assaulting units:
72nd British Brigade
Provisionl Tank Brigade
29th British Brigade
26th Indian Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
150th RAC Regiment
16th Chindit Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
14th Chindit Brigade
22nd (East African) Brigade
255th Armoured Brigade
11th (East African) Division
254th Armoured Brigade
23rd Chindit Brigade
III Indian Corps

Defending units:
1st Tank Division
9th Division
31st Ind.Mixed Brigade
69th Field AA Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
14th Mortar Battalion
40th Field AA Battalion
2nd RF Gun Battalion
20th AA Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
9th RF Gun Battalion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 27, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Emirau Island at 104,121

Japanese Ships
E Mutsure
E W-25
E Chidori

Allied Ships
SS Drum, hits 1

SS Drum launches 2 torpedoes at E Mutsure
Drum diving deep ....
E W-25 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E Chidori attacking submerged sub ....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Tank Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 31,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 12

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Id Tony: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
36 x F4U-1A Corsair sweeping at 31000 feet

CAP engaged:
54th Sentai Det A with Ki-61-Id Tony (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(12 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 1st Tank Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Corsair II sweeping at 25000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ramree Island , at 54,48

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 157 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 180

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 50

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
38 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 31000 feet
36 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 31000 feet
36 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 31000 feet
32 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 31000 feet
33 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 31000 feet

CAP engaged:
49th FG/8th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 12 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
80th FG/89th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 12 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 24000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 9th Division, at 57,49 , near Toungoo

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 15
Liberator B.III x 15
Liberator GR.III x 22
Wellington Ic x 12
Wellington B.X x 12
B-17F Fortress x 10
B-24D Liberator x 19
B-24D1 Liberator x 52
B-24J Liberator x 87
B-25C Mitchell x 47

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 1 damaged
Liberator B.III: 2 damaged
Wellington B.X: 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 3 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Liberator II bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reinforcements: Light on reinforcements. Looking forward to more Es starting a month.

SC Ch 58 arrives at Niigata

Losses: His subs are nailing a few of these per day. I am throwing mines into Umboi where they are sitting, but no luck so far.

Loss of LB-510 on Jan 26, 1944 is admitted
Loss of LB-515 on Jan 26, 1944 is admitted

Ships Sunk: The usual. Some interesting things lately that I'll post separately soon.

Previous report of sinking of SS S-39 incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Allied units between Prome and Bassein now will get some attention from Helens tomorrow> I prepped by hitting Ramree Island with Franks sweeping yesterday, getting about 5:1 against the P-40Ks there. I'l sweep over these troops tomorrow.

I sacrificed a 12 plane Tony unit to see if he would go for Toungoo. No luck.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/5/2013 1:12:45 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1375
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/5/2013 1:26:00 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		SHIP LOSSES
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a shot of ship losses during the last month. The Arizona had come off and is back on again, this time showing near the West Coast. That is very interesting. I wonder of there was a failure? Probably too good to be true. Same for the South Dakota which took only 2 torps. I can't imagine she's really gone.

The Cowpens should have made it to Pearl as well.

A few of the subs are definites, but most are not. This is probably a good method of assessing how many we're actually hitting with air patrols over a months time though.

He did lose a few DDs but our losses are so grotesque in comparison it just makes me cringe to think about it.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/5/2013 3:18:53 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1376
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/5/2013 10:00:36 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		SO PAC
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Today I need some help. Here is the situation. As you can see below, the Allied thrust to Finschafen has inserted a thorne in the center of the Japanese position that is not likely to leave. This also, however, creates opportunities. As the Allies move forward more ships transit the waters in the range of the IJN huddled at Rabaul. Now comes the difficulty. When to act?

My priority since the invasion at Finschafen has been to evacuate as many units as possible from the now cut-off areas of New Guinea and begin to redistribute them further back to create stronger stumbling blocks along the Allied path. Rabaul is still useful with it's big port and level 9 fields. Is is a hub and a protection, sheltering transports behind layers of PTs, midget subs and SAGs with mines as a last resort and the air force as a deterrent. While I have only 100 strike planes here at any one moment, there could be 300+ in a day.

I've just noticed a procession of transports moving up through the area near Kirawina Island to the NW. This looks like either reinforcements to Finschafen or another quick invasion. It would most likely be heading to Umboi or Arawe. I could do several things.

1. Send a strong SCTF consisting of two 25 knot BB, 2 CA and 10 DD led by Tanaka. The upside; it could break through most opposition and keep fighting to the transports. The downside; it's expensive and the strategic value of the BBs might be better served continuing to protect Rabaul's fields and the transports moving in there.

2. Send just the two CA with two modern CL and 10 DD. The upside; this TF could get there in the night and disrupt any early unloading. Of course I also still leave some good protection at Rabaul. The downside; even the seven Fletchers now sitting at Finschafen could give me serious trouble. If he brings the Baltimores and Clevelands it might be a long night.

3. Bring in the air force. Set all DB/TB to strike and sweep a lot. Bring in a few extra MB (T) and see what happens. The upside; planes are replaceable, so that even if he has everything well covered, I lose nothing I can't replace. The downside; I could lose another 100-150 planes and still achieve nothing.

4. Do nothing. Keep moving units and preparing the next line. The upside; nothing lost. The downside; little gained, and no attempt to stall the Allied advances.

Any thoughts would be very welcome.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Attachment (1)

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/5/2013 10:01:49 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1377
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/6/2013 3:29:45 AM   
PaxMondo


Posts: 9750
Joined: 6/6/2008
Status: offline 		Your challenge is CAP.  You need to know what fighter ac he has in range. Those TF's could be traps to lure you, or not.  Do you have high DL's on all of the allied bases within allied fighter range?  Do you know what he has in the way of fighters?

I'd only send your TF's if I know I can CAP them heavy enough not to take losses from his bombers. If you send TF's, I never send larger than 5 - 7 ships in a TF, especially in waters as crowded as the area you are looking at.  If you have 2xBB, 2xCA, 2xCL, and 10xDD available, If I were to send them I would send:
TF 1:BB,CA,CL,3xDD
TF 2:BB,CA,CL,3xDD
TF 3:4xDD

TF3 will hopefully arrive before the others and take care of SS/PT's if there are any.  The next two will have shots at the allied TF's.  If you haven't reviewed all of the ship commanders, do so.  For me, I make sure that all capital ships have commanders with NAV>70.  CL/DD NAV>60.  Most do, but there are some exceptions and they will bite you if you don't replace them.  Then of course good TF commanders with NAV>70 for all 3 TF's if I can.

Yeah, I spend a lot of PP's on commanders.  But that's me.

_____________________________

Pax

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 1378
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/6/2013 4:35:29 AM   
Cpt Sherwood

 

Posts: 837
Joined: 12/1/2005
From: A Very Nice Place in the USA
Status: offline 		I somewhat agree with PaxMondo, but I would use different TF compostions:

TF 1: 2xBB 4xDD
TF 2: 2xCA 3xDD
TF 3: 2xCL 3xDD

I like to keep TFs small and the same type of capital ship.

(in reply to PaxMondo)
Post #: 1379
RE: Wild Sheep Chase - 2/6/2013 6:59:51 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		Thanks guys. Pax, I only need to know one thing about his ability in the air. Port Moresby has 600+ and 500+ bombers!!

Actually, he's been starting to spread some around. Milne Bay has 200+ fighters but only a few bombers. Finschafen had some fighters recently but I'm not sure now as my recon didn't fly there the past two turns. Buna doesn't have anything yet. Really though, with Lightnings, Corsairs and Hellcats he can cover most areas with LR CAP and still have the escorts to get a strike through. The last time I went in I sent 3 BB 7 DD to Milne Bay and on the way back the damaged TF got nailed by about 60 Helldivers scorted by 50 Hellcats. I know he has 100+ B-25D1 there, which most recently attacked Buna and this turn Umboi Island, but not sure if they are on Nav strike or not. I know there are about 100 Avengers as well.

My CAP is strong, made up of 500+ fighters from Rabaul. Of those 90 zeros and 120 Oscars would give me the best range, while 120 Georges, 60 Jacks and 100 Franks could provide the real muscle. Umboi is closed but Gasmata is not, so some could be posted closer there.

The true worry is moving and getting nailed, then having Rabaul wide open for bombardment and other nasty things.

Just out of curiosity, why small TFs? Is that so there can be more and get one through possibly without even hitting combat ships? Or is it for some advantage in combat? Or simply to make sure they don't bang into each other on the way?

I've been thinking I need to get bigger TFs lately as my recent experience showed that my DDs can't match Fletchers, and if there are modern CA/CL with them, then I will need to have more firepower because I can't stand on equal terms anymore. I'd love to hear thoughts though on why small might be a better choice.

< Message edited by obvert -- 2/6/2013 7:14:51 AM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to Cpt Sherwood)
Post #: 1380
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