Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

verrrrry sneaky, I like it.

quote:

A suggestion for the Formosa operations: check out Pescadores during your recon and if it looks weak, take it! It has a shipyard and Formosa does not. It also puts your fighters a couple of crucial hexes closer to China - the Amoy main road corridor northward.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drakanel
Once you break into china (which may take some time as that roadblock in the jungle could take you 1-2 weeks maybe?),

I hope Lang Son can hold longer than 2 weeks.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drakanel

Nice to see Hanoi conquered immediately. And it's intact too so faste buildup. Which is always good.

Also thanks for the graph (in the previous page) with okinawa and the distance from japanese bases. It's nice to see exactly what you thought when you were planning it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Drakanel
Once you break into china (which may take some time as that roadblock in the jungle could take you 1-2 weeks maybe?),

I hope Lang Son can hold longer than 2 weeks.

Just an note, I did write that the ROADBLOCK in the jungle would fall in 1-2 weeks. That's... before LangSon which was not calculated in the 1-2 weeks :P My statement was that it would take 1-2 weeks to reach LangSon :P
I figure the time line something like this, which is mainly based on the divisions. Some will take about 4 days by rail to reach Hanoi. Others will take 3 days to reach Vinh by strat-road, then 2 days by rail to reach Hanoi. Up to 3 days to change modes. Minimum 3 days to cross the river NE. That's about 11 days so far. Then defeat the position there if the crossing didn't do it.

Some divisions then move straight E, through the jungle (no road) which takes about 6 days if air strikes do not slow them down. Once there, exact movement depends on opposition. Primary plan is 2 divisions move into Lang Son and the defenders between Hanoi and Lang Son. At least a Bde/Rgt moves E to cut off NE retreat from Lang Son.

After the river crossing NE Hanoi, some divisions move through Haiphong and cross the river E. Defeat position there. 2 Divisions move on defenders between Lang Son and Hanoi and on Lang Son. 2 divisions move E. Defeat any defenders there. 2 divisions move into Lang Son and onto road E of Lang Son. At least a Bde/Rgt either remains in place or moves E, adjacent to Pakhoi.

Position between Hanoi and Lang Son will not be assaulted until encirclement is complete or as complete as enemy actions allows. Armor, engineers, and possibly additional infantry will move into defenders from NW (hex NE of Hanoi), plus other infantry divisions will have moved on defenders from other hex sides as described above.

The complete intention, if the enemy allows it, is to cut off and destroy all forces defending Lang Son and in front of it.

Also BBFanboy has an excellent point about Pescadores An extra repair shipyard so close to the action is a really good prize...

Finally one question. Will you be able to manage, supply wise, by advancing along the coast in China? Won't your troops get starved for supply if you do that? I thought you would take Nanning in order to secure the roads and thus a better supply flow when your troops march to Canton and Hong Kong. Unless you plan to land cargo TFs at Kwangchowan?
The rail all the way to Lang Son will help a great deal. Once we have Pakhoi and Kwangchowan we can run convoys into there, even using landing craft from Haiphong. It will be a lot of troops to supply!

quote:


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

Ground combat at 62,66 (near Pakse)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3033 troops, 46 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 93

Defending force 2140 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

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

Assaulting units:
11th Airborne/C Division

Defending units:
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
33rd Division


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

Ground combat at Vinh (65,59)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20674 troops, 329 guns, 1122 vehicles, Assault Value = 1048

Defending force 2889 troops, 9 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Allied adjusted assault: 601

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 601 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1462 casualties reported
Squads: 141 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 108 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
754th Tank Battalion
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
775th Tank Battalion
2/6th Armoured Regiment
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
1st Army Tank Regiment
671th Tank Destroyer Battalion
503rd Parachute Regiment
22nd Australian Brigade
81st Infantry Division
23rd Australian Brigade
2/5th Armoured Regiment
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
124th Cavalry Regiment
27th Australian Brigade
91st Construction Regiment
45th Construction Regiment
251st Field Artillery Battalion
1st Medium Regiment
46th Construction Regiment
2/544th Boat&Shore Engineer Battalion
II Australian Corps
XXIV US Corps
2nd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
22nd/B Division


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

quote:


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

Ground combat at Singkawang (56,88)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3461 troops, 48 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 113

Defending force 1312 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 49

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

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

Assaulting units:
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
21th JNAF AF Unit


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

Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1020 troops, 126 guns, 85 vehicles, Assault Value = 108

Defending force 5107 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
205th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
12th Garrison Unit
11th Special Base Force
2nd JNAF AF Unit


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

quote:

witpqs: The rail lines to Hanoi are bulging at the seams with units that were waiting at Hue and Tourane.

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

witpqs: The rail lines to Hanoi are bulging at the seams with units that were waiting at Hue and Tourane.

This is interesting - I always thought that if a hex was "contested" by having units of both sides in it, strat moves had to end in the hex. But your post seems to say your troops south of Vinh were able to pass through in strat mode to Hanoi simply because you owned the Vinh hex. Did I understand that right?

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

witpqs: The rail lines to Hanoi are bulging at the seams with units that were waiting at Hue and Tourane.

This is interesting - I always thought that if a hex was "contested" by having units of both sides in it, strat moves had to end in the hex. But your post seems to say your troops south of Vinh were able to pass through in strat mode to Hanoi simply because you owned the Vinh hex. Did I understand that right?

No! I held many units at Hue and Tourane until just now when Vinh was cleared of enemy. I knew that units could not leave Vinh using strategic movement, so I did not bother sending them there (they would have just way over stacked the place and eaten supply penalties for nothing). So now that Vinh has been cleared, I have ordered them direct to Hanoi by RR.

But previously I sent a smaller bunch of units to Vinh in strategic road movement from Udon Thani. I figured they would arrive around the time Vinh was cleared, or maybe a day or two before that. Those are the ones that got bumped out of strategic movement mode before entering Vinh! That's an effect I was previously unaware of. I thought that troops could arrive at a base with enemy presence, but not leave it (in strat mode). Have you ever seen that before?

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Nothing has strat moved into Hanoi yet. This orders phase I just did they got ordered to. The rail lines are full now, but there were not last turn.

As far as Vinh goes, I own all hex sides save the ocean one. The hex side the strat road movers were going to enter through was indeed the last one that the enemy crossed, but my guys crossed it after that and I do not think there is any memory of prior events in that.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Could Pakhoi really be empty?

Congrats on Vinh. It fell so fast!

quote:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Lingga at 51,87

Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya

Allied Ships
SS Guavina

SS Guavina launches 4 torpedoes at CA Suzuya
Guavina bottoming out ....
Sub escapes detection


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Serasan at 56,86

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma

Allied Ships
SS Picuda

SS Picuda launches 4 torpedoes at CA Mikuma
Picuda bottoming out ....
Sub escapes detection


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

quote:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Kuching at 58,87, Range 24,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 2
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 18, on fire
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 3

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 1
CL Cleveland
CL Mobile, Shell hits 5
DD DeHaven
DD Dyson, Shell hits 1
DD Foote, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Radford, Shell hits 1, on fire

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
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 24,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Dyson at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards
CL Cleveland engages CA Suzuya at 19,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL St. Louis at 19,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Suzuya at 15,000 yards
CL Cleveland engages CA Suzuya at 15,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL St. Louis at 15,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 15,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Foote at 15,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD DeHaven at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Furutaka at 9,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Suzuya at 9,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Mikuma at 9,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 9,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Foote at 9,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Dyson at 9,000 yards
DD DeHaven engages CA Suzuya at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Mobile at 12,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL Cleveland at 12,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CL Mobile at 12,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 12,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Foote at 12,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Dyson at 12,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD DeHaven at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Furutaka at 14,000 yards
CL Mobile engages CA Suzuya at 14,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL St. Louis at 14,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 14,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Foote at 14,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Dyson at 14,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD DeHaven at 14,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Mobile at 17,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL Cleveland at 17,000 yards
CL St. Louis engages CA Suzuya at 17,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 17,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD DeHaven at 17,000 yards
Range increases to 21,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Mobile at 21,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL Mobile at 21,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CL Mobile at 21,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Foote at 21,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Dyson at 21,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD DeHaven at 21,000 yards
Range increases to 25,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL Mobile at 25,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages CL Mobile at 25,000 yards
CL St. Louis engages CA Suzuya at 25,000 yards
CA Suzuya engages DD Radford at 25,000 yards
Range increases to 29,000 yards
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Terempa at 54,85

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 54 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24B Banshee x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 8

Allied aircraft losses
A-24B Banshee: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x A-24B Banshee releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Terempa at 54,85

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 18

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 1 damaged
Beaufighter Ic: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1
CA Furutaka

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Beaufighter Ic bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Terempa at 54,85

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-24B Banshee x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 17

Allied aircraft losses
A-24B Banshee: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x A-24B Banshee releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb



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

quote:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Ternate at 78,102

Allied Ships
CA Boston
CA Northampton

Japanese ground losses:
190 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 2

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Boston
CA Boston firing at Ternate
CA Northampton firing at Ternate


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Ternate at 78,102

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma

Japanese ground losses:
268 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 5
Port hits 3

BB Oklahoma firing at Ternate


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

Ground combat at Singkawang (56,88)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 3469 troops, 48 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 113

Defending force 1262 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Allied adjusted assault: 47

Japanese adjusted defense: 15

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

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

Assaulting units:
147th(Sep) Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
21th JNAF AF Unit


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

Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4479 troops, 178 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 108

Defending force 4687 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 88

Allied adjusted assault: 42

Japanese adjusted defense: 16

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

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

Japanese ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
205th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
12th Garrison Unit
11th Special Base Force
2nd JNAF AF Unit


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

quote:

witpqs: Our own strikes finally flew against Kiungshan port and sank many LB. The SSX were nowhere to be found.

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

witpqs: Our own strikes finally flew against Kiungshan port and sank many LB. The SSX were nowhere to be found.

The SSX are likely in TFs now, rather than disbanded in port. Some of them do not have the range to make it to Kiungshan, but there are some late-war SSX that can go up to something like 500 miles. Not sure when they show up.
I see a 4x sub TF at Hong Kong, but I think they were there when the SSX recon sighting was still up at Kiungshan. They might be snorkling!

About the CAP at Hanoi - if you have the air support entraining, you can risk sending a couple of fighter squadrons to Hanoi before they get there. The fighters can operate for several turns without support, but aircraft needing repair will be grounded. You can always rail them out if there are too many cripples.
I had a 16x Thunderbird I group at Haiphong along with some short range recon. They've done well in spite of the lack of air support but are just beginning to feel it. I've had two 25x P-51B units providing LRCAP from Uttaradit, but that's leagues away. This orders phase I moved a 16x Thunderbird I group into Hanoi. Both Thunderbird I groups have range=1 so should provide mutual support in addition to the P-51B. I figure the first air support will arrive in two days and much more should arrive the following day, and more after that. SWPac HQ should also pull in at the end of two days from now and pull in a mess of supplies. I have lots of first class fighters with great pilots just waiting to pile in. Hoping to maul the IJA bombers the first day after.

EDIT: PS - your troops at Ternate got a "morale -" rating from the AI. Time to rush in a shipment of beer!
I don't see that. Our guys there got no modifiers. Our guys at Singkawang got a leaders(-) (those got a leaders(+) last time). Anyway Singkawang will probably fall next turn and Ternate within a couple or three attacks.

quote:

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

At what point do you get a (-) moral rating, or is it a comparison? Can two opposing stacks have (-) at the same time?
Man, I have to find "the manual". again

quote:

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I don't really know, but I just always assumed that the same +'s and -'s could occur on both sides and were calculated for each unit without comparing them to other units.