Slitherine

quote:


616 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Wichita, Shell hits 8, on fire
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 29, on fire
CA Portland, Shell hits 18, on fire, heavy damage
DD Clark, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Balch, Shell hits 2
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Tucker, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Maury, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Gridley, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Bagley, Shell hits 2, on fire
LST-19, Shell hits 1
LST-21, Shell hits 4, on fire
LST-23, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
LST-20
LST-22

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

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

quote:


Allied ground losses:
226 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 36 (0 destroyed, 36 disabled)

quote:


Defending force 28456 troops, 418 guns, 538 vehicles, Assault Value = 937

1st USMC Tank Battalion
1st Arm Amphib Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion

quote:


Ground combat at Truk (112,108)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 29000 troops, 454 guns, 574 vehicles, Assault Value = 965

Defending force 21962 troops, 229 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 361

Allied adjusted assault: 341

Japanese adjusted defense: 2866

Allied assault odds: 1 to 8 (fort level 7)

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

Japanese ground losses:
650 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1445 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 120 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 35 (6 destroyed, 29 disabled)
Vehicles lost 117 (74 destroyed, 43 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st USMC Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st Marine Division
1st Arm Amphib Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spidery

I'm starting to get B7A2 available. Any suggestion as to whether I should prioritise upgrading LBA or planes on the carriers?

The main differences are much greater speed and the ability to act as dive bombers.

Cruise speed of 250 means they are faster than the D4Y4 and A6M5c so does that handicap co-ordination off the carriers? It is a lot closer to the 280 cruise speed of the Ki-43-IV so that might help co-ordination of LBA?

It is relatively unlikely the carriers will be committed soon but the LBA could easily see action.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spidery

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Your plane research continues to impress!

What are your thoughts on the air war and on the frames you are flying? You mentioned earlier that you would have liked to inflict more air casualties on the Allies even if it meant trading a higher percentage of your planes.

Is George pretty much your best fighter now...what do you think of the Franks?

Usually my losses are the exact opposite of your recent sweep encounter, where Oscar and Tojo die in large numbers and George hardly touched at all. What were the altitudes you were flying at ....perhaps you had George down low to stop bombers?

I think the Ki-84a was a waste of time. The Ki-84r has had only the one fight so far, against Spitfires, and was slaughtered. However, I'm hoping for better things later. I still like the Ki-43-IV. The N1K1-J is my best fighter but I have taken over 1000 in losses.

Do you mean this sweep?

quote:

32 N1K1-J and 7 Ki-43-IV lost for only 23 F6F-3,

There were not many Ki-43-IV there (about 20) flying LRCAP from Singapore over Djambi at 5000 feet. The N1K1-J had about 80 present flying 45 of them at 41,000 feet and the rest at 26,000 feet. The big losses occur when a sweep heavily outnumbers the defenders (such as when 125 Thunderbolts arrive in one go). So what seems to have happened is the early sweeps cleared the Ki-43-IV and the later sweeps chewed up smaller numbers of N1K1-J.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spidery

December 13th 1943

I create a mass of MTB and SSX at Truk. This doesn't work too well. The MTB are not underway so all lost before they can attack. Not many SSX attack, 3 are lost for a single torpedo into the New Mexico.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spidery

December 13th 1943

I create a mass of MTB and SSX at Truk. This doesn't work too well. The MTB are not underway so all lost before they can attack. Not many SSX attack, 3 are lost for a single torpedo into the New Mexico.

How did you use your minisubs? Size and composition of task forces? Was it a fast minisub that made the hit on the New Mexico.

I would be dancing in the streets for that kind of event. My minisubs sink, run aground, batteries blow up, founder, abandoned, or simply sink.

quote:

Very disappointing to hear that about the Frank a

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ORIGINAL: Spidery

December 15th 1943

An SSX is lost to Allied carrier planes near Truk. The ASW threat is too great so I am going to move the subs away and send the SSX back to the pools.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

You don't mention it, so I will. The B5N2 gets MAD and N-6 Radar.

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Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 233
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 92
SBD-3 Dauntless x 29
SBD-5 Dauntless x 58
TBF-1 Avenger x 112
TBM-1C Avenger x 16

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 7 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 2 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 5 damaged

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

quote:


Attacking force 30431 troops, 474 guns, 641 vehicles, Assault Value = 1147

Defending force 22010 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 375

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 451

Japanese adjusted defense: 3115

Allied assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
843 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 72 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
920 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 116 (100 destroyed, 16 disabled)

quote:


Japanese ground losses:
926 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3103 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 221 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 70 disabled
Guns lost 37 (6 destroyed, 31 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (3 destroyed, 8 disabled)

quote:


Morning Air attack on TF, near Billiton at 52,93

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 11
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 13

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 8

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PB Kamitu Maru, Shell hits 15, Bomb hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
381 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 11 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 9000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 13 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 5000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 5000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes