buckaroo13
Posts: 107
Joined: 6/2/2013
Status: offline
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June 30th 1945
It's late in the war and I'm still about 5000 points behind my Japanese opponent.
The Build up. I started collecting forces at the beginning of '45. It took about 6 months to get everyone marshalled to Pearl Harbor and I'm planning multiple division landing at several cities in Hokkaido and along the Kurile Islands. In Total I've earmarked 12 Infantry Divisions, many regiments and as many Combat Engineer formations as I could.I pulled my fleet carriers out of the Northern OZ after a disastrous carrier exchange but with new construction coming in my Carrier fleet is still pretty strong. Only 1 Essex class carrier will sit out the invasion.
Rough numbers of the invasion force are
12 CVs
6 CVLs
18 CVEs (I've lost a ton of these guys)
7 Battleships
20 Cruisers
100 Destroyers
100 Destroyer Escorts
200 AKs
100 APAs/AP
50 auxiliaries like AE, AO and Tankers.
The Diversion
I'd recently captured Puerto Princesa on Palawen, just a stone's throw from Manila. As my Invasion fleet crept slowly from Midway to the Northern Island I build up my presence here. Usually Gebede will respond with Carriers and a Surface fleet sweeping in, looking for Merchants. I scrapped together mostly British Carrier support, a large surface task force and a large group of AKs and a handful of transports. Hopefully his recon would see this and he will pull units out of position for my real attack.
My recon detected carriers East of the Philippines right on schedule.
I wanted to launch a Bombardment of Manila and then faint an invasion.
Right on queue my Bombardment task force ran into a Japanese task force heading to Puerto Princesa.
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Taytay at 76,82, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 3 destroyed
E8N2 Dave: 3 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed
Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
CA Tone, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
CA Haguro, Shell hits 31, and is sunk
CA Nachi, Shell hits 30, and is sunk
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
DD Natsuzuki, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kiyonami, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Okinami, Shell hits 2
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Shiranui, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shirayuki, Shell hits 2
DD Keyaki, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Odake, Shell hits 10, heavy fires
DD Hatsuzakura, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Kaba, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied Ships
BB Maryland, Shell hits 1
BB Iowa, Shell hits 3
BB New Jersey, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
BB Howe, Shell hits 2
BB King George V, Shell hits 1
BB Queen Elizabeth, Shell hits 4
BC Renown, Shell hits 3
CL Bermuda, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Columbia, Shell hits 3
CL Miami, Shell hits 4, on fire
CLAA Royalist, Shell hits 1
DD Taussig, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Heermann, Shell hits 2
DD Jenkins, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Ross
DD Sigsbee, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Wedderburn, Shell hits 3
DD Yarnall, Shell hits 1
DD Whelp, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Wrangler
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 30,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB Queen Elizabeth at 30,000 yards
BB Hiei engages BB King George V at 30,000 yards
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The Japanese were hopelessly outgunned and the Hiei and her attending cruisers are all sunk.
the New Jersey took some heavy hits but even then the DD Whelp would be the only Allied ship to sink from this battle.
I should note that this particular Japanese task force has been the bane of my existence for at least a year and in hunting it down cost be many CVEs and at least two Carrier engagements lost.
Later that day the British flat tops launch on the stragglers and provide the most successful carrier based attack of the war for me.
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Taytay at 76,82
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 67 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes
Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 21
Barracuda II x 13
TBF-1 Avenger x 4
Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 3 damaged
Barracuda II: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Shirayuki, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Oyashio, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Nowaki, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Odake, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Natsuzuki, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Kaba, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Kiyonami, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Keyaki, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Yukikaze, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
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Maybe it's fog of war but we report over 10 torp hits on 9 different destroyers, sinking all of them. In one day the entire Japanese Task force is gone. Where have these Torpedo Pilots been my whole life?!
Other than B-29 raids on most large airfields on the main Philippines islands nothing else happens. The Carriers that I spotted yesterday do not show up. I suspect they have turned around and are racing towards my landing sites in Hokkaido
The Landings
I screwed up my beautiful formations by having task forces follow other task forces and get bogged down waiting for stragglers. So instead on one big blob they are more spread out than I'd like.
Ships coming in find a couple of Japanese merchants.
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Kushiro at 124,54, Range 22,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
TK Hishi Maru #2, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
TK Juko Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
TK Kaijo Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
TK Nissho Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Atlantic Maru, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK Borneo Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Bengal Maru, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Ceylon Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Nevada
BB Arkansas
BB New York
BB Texas
CA Northampton
CA Salt Lake City
DD Anthony
DD Aulick
DD Charles Ausburne
DD Dyson
DD Gregory
DD Haggard
DD Hailey
DD Halford
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They go down without a fight but I've spent precious ammo on them. Not what I wanted.
Air attacks are so light as to be non-existent.
CVE cover of the Kushiro landing group handles then easily
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 123,53
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 111 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 35 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 10
Allied aircraft
Hellcat I x 39
Seafire L.III x 16
Wildcat V x 12
FM-2 Wildcat x 66
F4U-1D Corsair x 33
F6F-3 Hellcat x 27
F6F-5 Hellcat x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27b Nate: 4 destroyed
No Allied losses
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 123,53
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 10
Allied aircraft
Hellcat I x 39
Seafire L.III x 16
Wildcat V x 12
FM-2 Wildcat x 66
F4U-1D Corsair x 33
F6F-3 Hellcat x 27
F6F-5 Hellcat x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27b Nate: 5 destroyed
No Allied losses
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I find a small Japanese Surface fleet that appears to be trolling for my transports, My Fleet carriers launch a piddly attack.
The same problem that I've had all game with these guys seems to be happening again. 4 Carrier task forces, 1200 planes and I get 26 bombers to launch.
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 124,55
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 64
SB2C-5 Helldiver x 13
TBF-1 Avenger x 13
Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-5 Helldiver: 4 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Yaezakura
CA Kumano, Bomb hits 3
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x SB2C-5 Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
13 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
11 x SB2C-5 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
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They hit the Kumano a couple of times but not fatally.
In the matter of full disclouser the Japanese do have a successful air raid. Vals hitting one of my Supply fleets. I don't see any carriers and I suspect these are land based.
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 122,53
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 36
D3A1 Val x 24
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
xAK Joseph Lee, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Louis A. Sengteller, Bomb hits 1
xAK John Adams, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Katharine Sherwood, Bomb hits 3, on fire
xAK Lawrence Gianella, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Leslie M. Shaw
xAK John Burke
xAK John C. Calhoun, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
12 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
Carrier support unable to supply air cover..
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Not sure what the "Carrier support unable to supply air cover" message means, can anyone shed light on that?
Finally my Kushiro Task forces start to unload.
I land the better part of 2 divisions and the Japanese bombardment attack reveals what I am facing at Kushiro.
I breath a sigh of Relief.
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Amphibious Assault at Kushiro (123,53)
TF 162 troops unloading over beach at Kushiro, 123,53
Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
13 troops of a USA Rifle Squad lost in surf during unload of 98th Infantry Div /3
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 98th Infantry Div /4
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Ground combat at Kushiro (123,53)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1062 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54
Defending force 14363 troops, 418 guns, 199 vehicles, Assault Value = 767
Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Assaulting units:
303rd Ind.Infantry Battalion
73rd Field AA Battalion
63rd JAAF AF Bn
Defending units:
81st Infantry Div /8
98th Infantry Div /8
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I fully expect to get hammered over the next day or two. So this may be the Allies High Water mark!
I end up only losing 1 destroyer and give the Japanese thier biggest single day loss of the war.
I expect massive Kamakazi attacks and for KB to show up in the next day or two. I'm just hoping I can land enough stuff in time.
It's going to get ugly before it gets better!
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