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RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:12:14 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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Northern Oz

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

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Post #: 91

RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:13:22 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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PNG

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Post #: 92

RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:14:30 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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Solomons

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Post #: 93

RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:15:18 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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Ship losses

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Post #: 94

RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:16:14 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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AC losses

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Post #: 95

RE: Burma battles - 3/26/2016 6:19:34 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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Industry screens

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Post #: 96

RE: Burma battles - 6/10/2016 7:46:02 AM

LargeSlowTarget

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Slow going at work, time for an update. The game has advanced to mid-January 1943. With Port Moresby, Guadalcanal and Northern Oz still in my possession and KB still intact, I am doing better than history for the moment. But alas, the Empire is facing Allied pressure on five fronts - and has economic difficulties with low fuel and supply levels.

1. North Pacific
In the Aleutians, small-scale bombing of Attu continues from Kiska, doing little damage to the garrison of one Naval Guard unit and an Eng company (busy digging trenches � fort level 4 reached). The Allies are building another base on a small island close to Attu whose name eludes me for the moment. For what I don�t know, Attu is already within fighter range from Kiska and my base has no airfield anyway that would require close observation, LRCAPing or sweeping. The Float-Zeroes and the base force supporting them have been evacuated long ago th the Kuriles, since the Float-Zeroes were no match for the P-38s sweeping and escorting from Kiska and thus they have joined the training command (PDU off leaves little choice here). They will eventually end up as Kamikazes.

2. Central Pacific
Allied amphib operations have captured undefended Baker Is. and for the second time Vaitupu and surrounding bases� after 4E bombers managed to annihilate the weak garrison (one of the splinters of the 81st Naval Guards which start the game divided).
In the Gilberts and Marshalls, I have Naval Guard garrisons on all islands with airbase potential above 0 and Eng units digging trenches and building bunkers � most bases are at fort level 4. Ed will need more than a Fast Transport TF with a Bn of troops if he wants a foothold in the CentPac. No airbase building, I�m not going to waste time, resources and airframes in the defence of atolls, except maybe from the bases in the Marshalls already build-up pre-war. But I doubt that I will have any air groups available for that theatre should Ed move into it.

3. South Pacific
With the capture of Kirakira the Allies are established on the lowest rung of the Solomons ladder. Surely they want to climb further up. Ed is running convoys to Kirakira, I assume with ENG assets, AA and CD units. Readers - if any - may remember from my last report that I have ordered Combined Fleet to assemble at Rabaul. The plan was to nip Allied ambitions in the bud by counter-attacking and liberating Kirakira. However, with only one division and limited LBA assets available (plus huge tanker requirements to ship precious fuel to Rabaul), I have re-evaluated the prospects for success as ��slim and probably costly��. Furthermore, a bigger threat is developing in the SoWestPac area. In short, operations against Kirakira have been curtailed and the Southern Solomons won�t be the �line in the sand� for a showdown. I will delay and deny as long as possible but without engaging major assets in a decisive battle here.

Since a sizeable part of Combined Fleet was already at Rabaul, I have run some interference missions against Kirakira in December 1942 with light forces in the van to deal with the pesky PTs Ed tends to base at each frontline location, followed by bombardment by BBs, cruisers and even a foray by KB in order to slow-down airbase building. I have sunk some small fry (PTs, AM, an AKL or two) and in one clash against Allied cruisers, the CL St. Louis was reported sunk.

The fleet sortie also covered the deployment of a brigade of the Imperial Guard division to Lunga, joining the Navy garrison and constructions units who are digging trenches. The only airbase built-up is Munda, which allows to bring Lunga in range of light bombers. The other two brigades of the Imperial Guards are digging-in at the other size 5 bases in the Solomons � Torokina and Buka to deny them as long as possible.

Now, in January 1943, the fleet is needed elsewhere, and a sizeable part of the light forces is due to for upgrades. The Solomons are left to the mercy of the enemy - who with the option becoming available in 1943 has not hesitated to start an aerial mining campaign against Tulagi, Munda and Rabaul. In the latest turn Ed has unleashed his carriers to hit Munda port in coordination with heavy bombers, sinking an AV, an AGP and a dozen barges (1000-pounders against Daihatsus - a slight case of overkill). Two Oscar groups offered some resistance but were vastly outnumbered, leaving few escorts for Kates counterattacking in vain and getting slaughtered.

4. SoWest Pacific
It looks like my worthy opponent�s strategy is aiming at the liberation of Northern Oz � surely to base heavy bombers closer to the SRA (or worse, advancing into the SRA).
Since the last report, Ed has invaded Merauke by sea - and he must have brought a lot of Eng forces, since an airbase was operational quickly. Counter-attacks by Zero-Betty teams from Darwin on naval attack and night-bombing of the airbase have been ineffectual, subs sent to intercept convoys do not survive long in the shallow waters, and attempts by light surface forces to raid the invasion and reinforcement convoys got turned back by SBDs and medium bombers operating from Horn Island.

With air cover from Horn Island, Merauke and Normanton, Ed recently captured Groote Eylandt by airborne attack against token resistance of some squads from an SNLF dropped off by Mavis-L transport flying boats. Together with Gove and Wessel Islands nearby, Ed can build good bases to threaten Darwin � nothing I can do about it, given the paucity of LCUs and priorities elsewhere.

On the opposite edge of Australia, Ed has maxed-out Exmouth and an overland attack (!) is advancing from Exmouth towards Port Hedland along the coast. Like everywhere else except Burma, my ground strength is weak in the area. Apart from a division at Darwin and a garrison brigade at Port Hedland, there are only some lightly armed paras and SNLF units scattered in the DEI to cover garrison requirements on Sumatra and Java and to provide minimum security on the Lesser Sunda Islands between Timor and New Guinea � most of them are good airfield sites. Hardly a force to impress Ed who must have a bunch of US Army, US Marine and Aussie divisions available by now. Since I cannot allow Ed to obtain bases in the DEI, I must commit Combined Fleet in the Arafura Sea and off Port Hedland in order to discourage further advances.

While KB and consorts cruised from Rabaul to Koepang, a small SAG was sent hunting for the costal convoys Ed is apparently using to supply his overland attack against Port Hedland. CL Sendai in company with two DDs promptly managed to run into a vastly superior Allied cruiser SAG off Broome � and not only lived to tell the tale but sank and with a well-placed torpedo. Next, the retiring Allied force encountered one of our submarines off Exmouth and CA Frobisher took a torpedo as well.

Soon afterwards help did arrive for gallant Sendai and during the last three turns, Combined Fleet has bombed (all available carriers � results are so-so since ground attack skills have not been trained for carrier pilots) and bombarded (BBs rule!) the lead elements of the overland attack two hexes to the west of Port Hedland. LBA from Broome is adding bombs and bullets, despite pesky B-17s attacking at night from Meekwhatever. Apparently the attacks are hurting, since the movement arrow of the enemy stack has switched from straight East in direction of Port Hedland to South-West, away from the coast.

5. CBI
The Allies main effort clearly is in the Burma theatre. From Calcutta to Ledo, enemy airbases are brimming with fighters and bombers, or so it seems. After the destruction of Prome, I have concentrated my IJA fighters at Magwe (build to level 8 airbase for 2xAS � in DBB, Japan does not have enough AS). Even with just Hurricanes, P-40s, Wildcats and a few Spits, the Allies have the edge, and only with numbers I have a chance to inflict some damage (and never more than I take in return). This is scary, since I have most of and the best the IJA has to offer in this theatre. With PDU off, that amounts to 2.5 groups of Tojo Ia and 2 groups of Tony Ia, backed by five groups of Oscars IIb. That means about 50% of all IJA fighter groups currently on the map are in Burma, just trying to hold against the Allied onslaught.

Ed is pounding my LCUs in Northern Burma with mediums and heavies and bases like Katha and Myitkyina for supply hits and interdiction, and also LCUs in the jungles between Akyab and Kalmyo. Luckily the jungle terrain keeps ground losses limited. I am hesitant to fly LRCAP in the North � pilots with fatigue fight badly, and knowing my luck, the turn I�m flying LRCAP up there, Ed will decide to bomb Magwe all-out� So, I keep my fighters on CAP at Magwe. From time to time there are air battles when Ed is bombing within 4 hexes of Magwe and �leaky CAP� intervenes. Usually that means that I need to reign-in CAP range to 1 for a turn or two to repair damaged planes and pull replacements before offering resistance again. Highly annoying are the night attacks by Wellingtons against Magwe � each time they destroy between 3 and up to 10 planes per night, even with 0% moon and bad weather. My own night-bombers � I have a Helen group in Burma � cannot hit the side of a hill, although the pilots are all exp50+/ground70+. I must be cursed�

On the ground, I count at least a dozen Allied divisions between Akyab and Mytkyina, plus lesser units. Also a lot of tanks. I can put 8 IJA infantry divisions and two IJA tank divisions plus four Thai divisions against them. That means two/thirds of the unrestricted infantry divisions available plus bought-out tanks and the Thai auxiliaries are needed just to hold Burma! For the moment we have a stalemate, but I am afraid Ed can achieve local superiority in a hex of his choice to punch a hole in the line. I have been able to re-open the rail line to Myitkyina, but the LRP Bde who had dropped onto that base has been rescued by Allied units opening a retreat path to Warazup. Ed has Engineers at Warazup and it has reached airbase level 1 � that is a dangerous situation as he will surely fly-in reinforcements. The Thai units in Northern Burma are probably not strong enough to recapture Warazup, and I have no reserves left and no reinforcements in sight�

Last but not least, China. I have the Chungking plain and Chungking itself is 5/6 surrounded (not sure if leaving a retreat path would make it easier to capture the town) but I will wait for the fall of Lanchow � the last Chinese base in Northern China � to free more troops before attacking the capital. I have all Ki-51 units and four groups of Lilies in the theater, plus one Oscar Iib and one Tojo IIb group. Still, Ed manages from time to time to spring CAP traps which hurt - and indicate that supplies are still ample enough to permit flying ops. Not good.

6. Production / Economics
It�s my first AE game as Japan going past Spring 42, and I�m not using Tracker or any other tool. Considering that, I�m proud of not having crashed the economy within a year. Of course things are far worse than they could be if I actually would know what I am doing�.

I have wasted a lot of supplies and time and airframes not produced with the botching of the Zero upgrades / production line. A6M5 production (250 planes / month) has started in Dec 42 and priority is upgrading the carrier air groups, but I hope I can get the IJN LBA back into the fight within three months. For the moment, my land-based Zero groups flying M3 and M3a are seriously understrength (down to 5 to 8 planes each), the groups still flying M2 are now a little stronger due to hand-downs from the carriers). You can imagine that this is a serious handicap for my war efforts.

For other models, aircraft pools are ok, I try to keep a reserve of 50-100 planes in the pools and stop production when the limit is reached. Some pools remain empty however, for example Jakes and Petes (due to systematic resizing) and the Sonia (due to repeated CAP traps).

In the R&D side, nothing spectacular � Jills are due next month, George finally starts research after first factories reached 30. With PDU off, concentration on a few types to get them much earlier is not an option.

Ressources are plenty or so it seems, 18M stockpiled. HI is at 600k and rising slowly. I have read a lot about stockpiling HI for the "end-game" and such. Well, I'm not a numbers cruncher and long-range planning is not my forte anyway. I will see what I can afford to build but I see no point in hording HI points for late-war planes when the war might not last that long enough to get them because I did not spend the HI for mid-war planes to get me into the late war.

Oil-wise I think I am good, with AKs converted to TKs I manage to keep the oil ports pretty dry, and TK losses have been low � thanks to massive ASW and running few but huge convoys with lots of escorts and CVE / CS cover imbedded.

However, fuel production seems to lag - or consumption is too high. With Combined Fleet running around, probably the latter. Every few turns I have some HI factories not producing for want of fuel. It's hand-to-mouth, but the situation will probably get better - because Ed will eventually sink the fuel-guzzlers.

Same for supplies, barely ample. But factories expansions, apart from repairing R&D has ended, so it is starting to look a bit better - Tokyo has 100k and Nagoya, my outgoing shipping center, has 80k.

Boss is coming, gotta work...

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 6/10/2016 8:05:10 AM >

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 97

RE: Burma battles - 6/13/2016 4:25:53 PM

jwolf

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LST, thanks for the great summary you posted a few days ago. It's very interesting to read your analysis of "is this hill worth fighting for" especially as related to Kirakira and your reactions in the area between Australia and Timor. Good luck as you continue this great campaign.

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Post #: 98

RE: Burma battles - 9/20/2016 4:57:41 PM

LargeSlowTarget

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Update - game has reached March 9th, 1943.

North Pacific:

Just ineffective small-scale bombing attacks against Attu. Apart from that, the North is cool and calm - and a so we a gwaan.

Central Pacific:

The IJN has a new hero - but no hero's welcome. I-6 patrolling between PH and SF came across a TF containing a BB, a CL and a CVE plus DDs. In a first attack, I-6 managed to put two fish into the CVE, identified as the Sangamon. The baby flatop was left smoking and listing. The sub escaped the ASW counterattack with only slight damage. Persistent, I-6 then returned to finish off the victim in a second attack with two more torpedo hits, resulting in a secondary ammo explosion. Alas, this time the ASW counterattack damaged the sub and forced it to the surface, where it had the dubious distinction of being at the receiving end of 15 inch and 6 inch shells. You don't see a BB shooting at a surfaced sub every day!

DD Bagley attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-6 forced to surface!
BB Pennsylvania firing on surfaced sub ....
CL Montpelier firing on surfaced sub ....
BB Pennsylvania firing on surfaced sub ....
CL Montpelier firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

At least I-6 took a large CVE down with her. Intercepted communications indicate that the Allied High Command is mourning the loss of the embarked fighter planes much more than the loss of the CVE itself.

The loss of the CVE has not dampened the ambitions of my opponent. Ed has invaded the Southern Gilberts and the 3rd Marine Division (reinforced) has had no difficulties to capture Tabiteuea, defended by a lone NavGuard unit and some left-behind engineers behind level-4 forts.

The plan was to defend every dot in the Gilberts and Marschalls that has more than 0/0 base potential in order to force the time-consuming assembly of invasion forces, preparation and softeing-up. I have also hoped to cause disruption and losses by maxing fort levels, forcing a lengthy rebuilding period for the assault units. Well, the forts did not help much, the Marines went through Tabiteuea like a knife through butter.

However, after having captured that island, Ed did split the 3rd Marine Division and invaded three of the surrounding dot bases (Nikunau, Onotoa, Beru) held by NavGuard splinters (the 84th NavGuard starts splitted-up) behind level 2/3 forts. The three sub-units of the 3rd marine Div suffered considerable losses in the unloading phases - lack of preparation for the target hex I believe. Of course they overran the NavGuard splinters and took the dot bases nonetheless.

The only naval resistance offered by the IJN in the Gilberts has been a gathering of submarines - resulting in four subs lost and four damaged and limping away for nothing to show for.

With the recent carrier raids in the area, I have been expecting something fishy and have tried to evacuate precious engineering forces to bases to the rear by air transport and small FT task forces. Let's hope I can stay ahead of the Allies offensive and gather the engineering assets at soon-to -be-front bases.

South Pacific:

Allied bombers and cruiser SAGs are hitting everything between Kirakira and Torokina. Munda airbase is closed most of the time and in the last days of January the Allies have invaded Lunga with a reinforced Marine division. Lunga "base" - left largely undeveloped on purpose to avoid handing the Allies a good base (Solomons strategy is to delay, not fight an attrition war to the death) - was defended by a brigade of the IJA Guards Division, an SNFL and two Naval Guard units plus two Eng units behind level-4 forts and in good supply. Still, it fell unexpected quickly after only two deliberate attacks. The garrison did retreat to Tassafaronga, with the Allies in hot pursuit. I have tried to evacuate my forces by air and barges, but the barges got sunk and the Allies have taken Tassafaronga as well before I could pull-out more than a few squads. Remnants of the Japanese forces are still resisting in the jungle.

Tulagi was next on the target list, two SNLF units got pounded to dust by LBA and bombardment TFs and their resistance was short an pathetic. Some dot bases around Tulagi have switched sides as well.

To "do something" against the Allied encroachments, I have launched a raid from bases in the upper Solomons against the shipping off Guadalcanal. A first attempts was thwarted by an Allied bombardment of Munda, just after I had transferred my air striking force from Rabaul. Plane losses have been heavy and the base was put out of action for a few days. Next attempt was more successful. First Oscars from Buin swept Lunga - quickly build up by the Allied engineering wizards - to weaken CAP, then from Munda two IJN dive bomber groups with Zero escorts attacked APs and DDs at Lunga. Corsairs have been encountered for the first time, doing well of course but could not prevent the Vals from scoring hits on at least two DDs and two APs. Alas, my own losses and fear of reprisals (another bombardment against Munda for example, or 4Es) force me to adopt hit-and-run tactics, a sustained air offensive against Lunga is out of the question (and I don't want to be dragged into a war of attrition in the Solomons anyway). MY air force has thus retired back to the relative safety of Rabaul, preparing to counter further movements up the Solomons latter.

South-West Pacific:

The entire IJN surface fleet (or what remains) was and still is engaged in delaying Allied base building in the Gove / Groote Eylandt area as well as harassing the overland attack against Port Hedland. Operating from Koepang and Darwin, task forces are shuttling back and forth through sub-infested waters and under air attacks to bombard Gove and Port Hedland regularly. Merauke and Groote Eylandt also got their share of shells. It is dangerous, but I want to delay the recapture of Northern Oz as long as possible.

For most of January - February I have been lucky with my bombardment runs, only losing a DD sunk and two damaged to subs and mines, and some capital ships and DDs had lucky escapes with sub torps missing. I have encountered and sunk a number of PTs and some small fry (AM, AKLs, LCTs) in return.

But since end of February I have suffered one setback after another:

First, I got too cocky and sent a cruiser SAG to Merauke without air cover from KB. Result was a miniature repetition of the "Carnavon carnage" with CA Kako, CL Sendai and DD Tokitsukaze sunk by air (helped by mines) - but only after their TF gave a good account in surface battles off Merauke :

quote:

Feb 25, 43:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 89,124, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Sendai
CL Jintsu
DD Isokaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Nowaki
DD Kawakaze

Allied Ships
PT-127, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-187, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
PT-228, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
PT-260, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-262, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-298, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 89,124, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Sendai
CL Jintsu
DD Isokaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Nowaki
DD Kawakaze

Allied Ships
PT-171, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-175
PT-176
PT-177
PT-178
PT-299

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 68 encounters mine field at Merauke (89,124)

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai, Mine hits 1, on fire
DD Tokitsukaze, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 89,124, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Jintsu
DD Isokaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
PT-68, Shell hits 1
PT-84
PT-179
PT-183
PT-185
PT-186

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 89,124, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kako, Shell hits 1
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 1
DD Isokaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
DD Sims
DD McCall
DD Sterett
DD Phelps, Shell hits 4, heavy fires

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 89,124, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Kako
CL Jintsu
DD Isokaze
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
CL Leander
CL Perth, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Hobart, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hughes, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Blue, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Helm, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Smith

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 67% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Smoot, Roland crosses the 'T'
CA Furutaka engages CL Hobart at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Leander at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages DD Smith at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages DD Helm at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages DD Blue at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages DD Hughes at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Hobart at 6,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages DD Smith at 6,000 yards
DD Blue engages DD Isokaze at 6,000 yards
DD Blue engages DD Isokaze at 6,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages DD Hughes at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Hobart at 3,000 yards
CL Perth engages CA Furutaka at 3,000 yards
CL Leander engages CA Furutaka at 3,000 yards
DD Smith engages DD Hamakaze at 3,000 yards
DD Isokaze engages DD Helm at 3,000 yards
DD Blue engages DD Hamakaze at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CL Hobart engages CA Furutaka at 5,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Perth at 5,000 yards
CL Leander engages CL Jintsu at 5,000 yards
DD Helm engages DD Hamakaze at 5,000 yards
DD Isokaze engages DD Helm at 5,000 yards
DD Hamakaze engages DD Blue at 5,000 yards
DD Isokaze engages DD Hughes at 5,000 yards
Smoot, Roland orders Allied TF to disengage
Kawakami B. orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 6,000 yards
CL Hobart engages CA Furutaka at 6,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Perth at 6,000 yards
CL Perth engages CL Jintsu at 6,000 yards
DD Helm engages DD Hamakaze at 6,000 yards
DD Isokaze engages DD Helm at 6,000 yards
DD Blue engages DD Isokaze at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Hobart at 11,000 yards
CA Furutaka engages CL Hobart at 11,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Leander at 11,000 yards
DD Smith engages DD Isokaze at 11,000 yards
DD Helm engages DD Isokaze at 11,000 yards
DD Blue engages DD Hamakaze at 11,000 yards
DD Hughes engages DD Hamakaze at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Merauke at 88,124, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai
DD Tokitsukaze, heavy damage
DD Nowaki
DD Kawakaze

Allied Ships
PT-175
PT-176
PT-177, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-178, Shell hits 1
PT-299

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12
TBF-1 Avenger x 12

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CL Jintsu
CA Kako

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kako, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 5
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
TBF-1 Avenger x 13

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CL Jintsu
CA Kako

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
2 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 11000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Merauke at 87,124

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 16

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Tokitsukaze, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
DD Nowaki, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Sendai
Massive explosion on CL Sendai

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1
CA Kako, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Furutaka class CA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 1 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Allied aircraft
PBY-5A Catalina x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Kako, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x PBY-5A Catalina launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 84,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 5

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Torpedo hits 1
CL Jintsu

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Beaufort VIII launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

Second and third setbacks were "accidents waiting to happen". The waters off Northern Oz are infested with Allied sub. I try to keep my forces in shallow waters, LBA and FPs are flying ASW day and night ASW from LBA and FPs. I have had some close calls, avoided several torpedo attacks and gave some Allied subs a good pounding - but they had to get lucky one day or two.

quote:

Mar 05, 43:

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

Sub attack near Bathurst Island at 77,123

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Torpedo hits 2
CA Kinugasa
DD Natsushio
DD Nenohi
DD Arashi
DD Hamakaze

Allied Ships
SS Herring, hits 3

SS Herring launches 6 torpedoes at BB Kongo
DD Nenohi fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Arashi fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamakaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Kongo will be ok, it happened on the return trip to Darwin and she reached port with just 2 points of minor and 39 points of major float damage. She will head for Singapore under heavy escort, including a CVE pulled from covering AOs on station at Darwin. There goes my last fast BB, the other three are in the yards in the Home Islands for the time being.

Sadly, two days later, CV Hiyo was not so lucky. KB-1 (slow CVs) followed KB-2 (fast CVs) plus a separate ASW-TF of three DDs had just arrived on patrol station four hexes off the contested base, after having replaced plane losses and replenished fuel and ammo at Koepang following a costly and unsuccessful raid against shipping around Exmouth and Carnavon. Until now Allied subs off Port Hedland have been lurking only in coastal waters, but this time USS Shark was waiting in a deep ocean hex and scored heavily:

quote:

Mar 07, 43:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Port Hedland at 59,125

Japanese Ships
CV Hiyo, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CLAA Tenryu
DD Akigumo
DD Ariake
DD Wakaba
DD Urakaze
DD Hatsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Shark

Ammo storage explosion on CV Hiyo
Fuel storage explosion on CV Hiyo
SS Shark launches 6 torpedoes at CV Hiyo
DD Ariake fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Wakaba fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hatsukaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Surprisingly, Hiyo did not sink outright, she is still afloat with 78 points of major damage four hexes from Broome. I will try to get her into port, but air ASW has spotted subs lots of subs between her and Broome. The bombardment runs have been cancelled, the escorting DDs will form pure ASW-TFs and will go sub hunting - I hope with a vengeance!

For the records - Ed keeps mining Broome and Darwin by air, and although I have DMS patrols on station, DD Kawakaze somehow did not get the word and went down after striking a Mk13 mine.

Situation on the ground and in the air :

I was preparing to counter-invade Gove with the 2nD ID at Darwin and a tank Rgt - but a third prong of the Allied counteroffensive in Norther Oz has developed from Tennant Creek in direction of Daly Waters. Sallies based at Darwin have pounded an Australian Armored Car unit east of Daly Waters, apparently the unit has been destroyed by air alone, as well as an Aussie Inf Bde with tank, Eng and AA support south of Daly Waters. A garrison Bde and AT units have been rushed to Daly Waters where they will benefit from level 5 forts.

A part of the Allied Port Hedland overland attack force has reached the destination, forces include the 41st US Division plus AA. Sallies based at Brome have bombed the overland advance for some time with mediocre effect. I have sent the BBs and managed a daylight "nuclear bombardment", but cannot find the combat report at the moment. Allied squads and devices got destroyed by the dozens and disabledd by the hundreds. I will try to keep it up.

In reaction to my air strikes, P-38s are now active over Port Hedland and Daly Waters, fortunately in small enough numbers so my Zeros and Oscars can still handle them. However, last turn for some reason no escorts launched and my Sallies on ground support got severely decimated by enemy CAP.

With the deteriorating situation in the air, the threat to Darwin from the south and recent naval losses, plans to counter-invade Gove have been shelved. 2nd ID will remain at Darwin, helping a couple of Eng Rgt to dig trenches which will eventually become their graves - they are there to stay to deny Darwin as long as possible.

Burma:

An armoured thrust by the Allied dogs from Kalmyo against Shwebo has been parried by quick redeployment of three Tank Rgts and one infantry Rgt to Shwebo. The enemy has retreated to the open hex to the north-west of Shwebo. At the same time, the Allies have evacuated the jungle hex to the North of the battle zone. This has freed a division and arty for offensive ops and I have ordered them into the open area to block further attempts to cut the rail line to Northern Burma at Shwebo. Problem of course that keeping a force in open terrain within Allied fighter range (Kalmyo is only two hexes away) is an invitation to getting pounded by LBA. I have about 350 fighters at Magwe and Mandalay, so the embattled hex is within "leaky CAP" range. I hope this will suffice, I am hesitant to order LRCAP missions which will only weaken CAP over my own bases - my worst nightmare is a repeat of the concentrated attack that has flattened the big base of Prome in a single turn.

In the Arakan, another Allied offensive has started against Akyab. That base is being garrisoned by two IDs plus AA. Numerous enemy units are at Akyab or on the way to that base. I have sent the two IJA tank divisions as reinforcements - and just as they moved into Akyab, the 70th British Div has moved behind them into the hex east of Akyab and has cut the LOC. Now four divisions plus supporting elements are sitting at Akyab cut-off from overland supply by those Brits. The IJA 5th Division plus arty which are guarding that hex are too weak to deal with the roadblock. Heavy air attacks and repeated bombardments by a CL-SAG are destroying what little supplies have trickled into Akyab overland before it got cut-off. I try to feed-in supplies by submarines and barges, but of course this effort is a drop on a hot stone. Enemy Beaufort torpedo-bombers and Vengeance dive-bombers prevent anything larger than barges from reaching Akyab (although I managed to CAP-trap a raid of those aptly-named dive-bombers - my Zero pilots on LRCAP were shouting "Vengeance for Sonia, Sally and Betty!" as they shot a dozen Allied planes out of the sky).

Trying to save Akyab would require involvement of a sizeable part of Combined Fleet and air assets to cover resupply convoys. Furthermore, any supplies delivered would be at the mercy of Allied bombers and bombardment runs. Therefore it would be necessary to keep a part of Combined Fleet and an Air Fleet on station indefinitely plus LRCAP from Magwe trying to protect Akyab. A meat-grinder!

Is it worth it? I only have enough forces for one major delaying effort. Now, what is more important - Akyab or Port Hedland?

Akyab in Allied hands is just another airbase in an area well-provided with Allied airbases (like Chittagong, Cox's Bazaar, Kalmyo etc.). There is only one oil centre and Magwe is defended by 350 fighters and even if it gets destroyed, I hope I can extract a price. I have good defensive positions in the jungles east of Akyab and the further the Allies advance, the closer they come to my mutually supporting airbase cluster and the farther they get from their supply centres. I do not want to split Combined Fleet to cover Akyab and risk a defeat-in-detail and I do not have the planes and AV support to throw into a battle of attrition from a less-than-optimal position (furthermore, several Netty groups are due to withdrawal this month, leaving only five total).

Port Hedland in Allied hands however is a door to the DEI � which with it plethora of bases and dots is impossible to defend on the ground - and it has a large airbase potential for heavy bomber raids into the DEI. It is relatively isolated, the closest Allied airbase is Exmouth which means Ed must use precious P-38s to cover his attack and ships to supply his ground forces. His attack force and supply lines are thus vulnerable to carrier air and naval interdiction without much danger of LBA retribution. OTOH, it is dangerous to operate Combined Fleet in this area in the face of submarine concentrations � and Ed may decide to throw in his growing Navy.
So, I have almost convinced myself that it makes sense to evacuate Akyab and to keep the focus on Port Hedland. Opinions?

China:

Slow grind around Lanchow continues, the road from Sian should be opened soon and the assault phase will begin when supplies have reached the besieging forces. Chungking attack must wait until forces from Lanchow are available, all combat eng units are prepped for Lanchow s I expect high fort levels. A secondary 3-division attack is advancing from Nanking and Wenchow to Changsha, but that is a �holding attack� to prevent further concentration of Chinese forces around Chungking.

Ed is very successful with CAP traps over Lanchow and Chungking, he seems to sense which base I will target next. The numerous small Ki-51 units often attack uncoordinated and then only one or two strikes have escort protection � if escorts elect to fly � with predictable results for the unescorted strikes. This happens time and again, as if I never ever wanted to learn� Guess I will send some training groups to China whose pilots have reached 50/70/70 skills but need exp.

Economy:

Still not crashed yet, but fuel for the HI in the HI and Manschukuo remains a hand-to-mouth affair and sometimes the biggest HI factories do stop production until the next shipment arrives. PDU off and no tracker > chaos reigns. For example, the first version of the Jack has been R&Ded to production status, but I cannot find any group that is actually using that airframe� The b-version of the Tony is in production as well, but the two a-version groups on-map can upgrade only to the c-version � and reinforcements groups flying the b-version are not due before 1944?!? It�s a mess, but could be worse I guess.

edit for spelling

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 9/20/2016 5:08:20 PM >

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to jwolf)

Post #: 99

RE: Burma battles - 9/21/2016 4:59:23 AM

Capt. Harlock

Posts: 5358
Joined: 9/15/2001
From: Los Angeles
Status: offline

quote:

Alas, this time the ASW counterattack damaged the sub and forced it to the surface, where it had the dubious distinction of being at the receiving end of 15 inch and 6 inch shells. You don't see a BB shooting at a surfaced sub every day!

DD Bagley attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-6 forced to surface!
BB Pennsylvania firing on surfaced sub ....
CL Montpelier firing on surfaced sub ....
BB Pennsylvania firing on surfaced sub ....
CL Montpelier firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

Trivial point: the USS Pennsylvania carried 14-inchers.

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(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 100

RE: Burma battles - 9/21/2016 7:42:53 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

True, but combat replay said 15-inchers IIRC. I have attributed this to FOW - either the identification of Pennsy or of the incoming fire was FOWed. Can't blame the submariners, in this situation they probably don't have the time to measure the diameter of shell holes with an inch rule...

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 9/21/2016 7:44:28 AM >

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

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Post #: 101

Truk bombed! - 10/13/2016 7:42:28 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

URGENT - Message to CinC:

AIR RAID TRUK NAVAL BASE - THIS IS NO DRILL!

March 22nd, 1943 - US carriers have launched a daring air raid against Truk, our Gibraltar in the Pacific. We got caught with pants down, as we did not expect such an aggressive move that far behind the front. A IJN fighter unit defending the base took a toll from the attacker, but a number of fleet auxiliaries like minecraft and tenders as well as the only drydock available in the South Pacific got sunk. With them, six submarines under repair and unable to move went down. Finally, on the run in and out, a small convoy bringing reinforcements to Ponape has been wiped out. A black day for the Empire...

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 10/13/2016 8:04:17 AM >

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Post #: 102

RE: Truk bombed! - 10/13/2016 1:30:20 PM

jwolf

Posts: 2493
Joined: 12/3/2013
Status: offline

Wow!!

A gutsy move by the Allies and I guess they pulled it off perfectly. From which direction did they come, or can you tell?

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 103

RE: Truk bombed! - 10/14/2016 6:55:34 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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Coming in from the east between Ponape and Eniwetok. Actually my naval search saw them coming north from the Gilberts up to near Ponape but I thought it was another anti-shipping sweep in the Marshalls and that he wouldn't dare to get any closer to Truk. Moved a 45-plane Zero M5 unit from Rabaul to Truk just in case, but did not think about clearing the port - doing turns late in the evening / night when already half-asleep is a bad idea..

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 10/14/2016 6:57:00 PM >

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Post #: 104

RE: Truk bombed! - 10/14/2016 7:25:55 PM

Anachro

Posts: 2506
Joined: 11/23/2015
From: The Coastal Elite
Status: offline

I did a similar thing in my PBEM. I don't think many IJN players expect an early raid on Truk and thus leave gaps in their air search to detect it.

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 105

RE: Truk bombed! - 11/25/2016 10:03:15 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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Game has advanced to April 10th, 1943 (posting this report in a hurry, will come back later for typos and formatting)

North Pac:
Springtime has arrived in the Aleutians and with it the US Army. Ed has invaded Attu and captured it easily - just one Nav Guard and two Eng Coys serving as speed-bumps. In the meantime, I have deployed troops to the Kuriles whre they are digging-in. Still worried, since a determined attack can easily overwhelm the weak garrison units.

Central Pac:
The Allied offensive in the Gilberts continues - Makin and Ocean Island are gone. Level-4 forts meant nothing, a few bombing attacks and bombardments by a few cruisers killed half the defenders, disabled the rest and the landing forces took hardly any losses at all. I still hope that the Marshalls and especially Kusaie and Ponape will be tougher nuts to crack, with higher forts and more defenders.I will not waste air assets or Combined Fleet in the defense of the Marschalls or remaining Gilberts - after a single unescorted (due to range) Betty raid suffered heavy losses against the Ocean island invasion protected by carrier-based LRCAP.

South Pac:
Ed is using "infiltration tactics" to grab weakly defended bases with fast transports and small, cheap landing craft. The Russell Islands north of Guadalcanal, Rekata Bay (near Munda) and Panggoe (near the Shortlands) have been lost. I try to counter him with air raids from the foward base at Torokina (Vals) and Rabaul (Betties) - Munda is being kept closed by air and bombardment attacks - but I have to play cat-and-mouse with the forward deployment of my air groups because Torokina is getting plastered now and then as well. I have managed to sink a small convoy at Rekata Bay consisting of one APD and several LCI sunk, apparently loaded with combat troops - drop in a bucket but better than nothing.

Southwest Pac:
Relatively quiet. Around Darwin, Ed is busy building-up Gove. Little I can do about at the moment. My light naval forces trying to supress construction efforts took too many losses and damage running the gauntlet of mines, PTs submarines and LBA (including "Black Cats" trying night torpedo attacks). I have feinted some sorties, parking a TF just at the "corner" between Darwin and Gove, with ample LRCAP overhead, and bagged some unescorted torpedo bombers. But of course this works only once. Also tried fighter sweeps with four Zero groups against Groote Eylandt, but they only got slaughtered by Allied CAP. It sucks to have 2nd-generation planes in production (Jack, George), but no airgroups yet who are allowed to fly them (PDU off)...

KB has moved to Singers for the April upgrades, gaining some AA and radar. It will be unavailable for 3 weeks. Heavily damaged CV Hiyo has made a "dash" - at 4 knots cruise speed - from Broome to Koepang under heavy escort - CVE, BBs, cruisers and lots of DDs embedded to give lurking subs something else to shoot at, plus dedicated ASW-TFs. Broome was too unhealthy with 4Es raining bombs night and day, adding one bomb hit which fortunately caused minor additional damage. She was lucky again and has arrived at Koepang, where a Naval HQ and several ARs are waiting to get her in shape for the long voyage back to a shipyard.
This escort mission has interupted the bombardment runs in support of the Port Hedland battle for some time. In the past turns I have tried to resume them, but the bombardment TF refuses to to its job (see Tech Support forum for details).

I am still pondering what to do with Port Hedland - shall I assume a purely defensive posture and just try to delay the inevitable? Or shall I reinforce to counter-attack and try to destroy the Allied forces ? The location is an invitation for the latter, the nearest Allied bases are Exmouth and Meekwhatever, so Ed will have trouble providing fighter support over the battle area and overland supply should be limited. With Combined Fleet in the area, enemy LCUs entering Port Hedland will face BB bombardments.
OTOH, I would need to reinforce Port Hedland with supplies, Eng + AV support (pulled them out long ago to limit supply consumption) and of course combat troops - which are in short supply. I can shift two garrion brigades from Sumatra to Darwin in order to free 2nd Div at Darwin from garrison duty. But just this one division might be too weak to deal with what amounts to an US division which must be heavily disabled by naval and air bombardments and several tank units. Especially since it is open terrain and in range of 4Es, those invulnerable beasts. My own fighter strength is not too impressive as well, since the mass of IJA air is engaged in Burma. The occasion to destroy a US division is tempting, but it requires more investment and there is a risk of failure. Oh the choices...

Burma:
Ed keeps up the pressure in the air and on the ground. Bombers are pounding my LCUs in Northern Burma - I have no airfields and AV support up there, counting on the jungle terrain to limit the effects. I'm trying to assemble a force to recapture Warazup, but Ed has launched another attack from Kalemyo in the direction of Katha with a reinforced Aussie Division - I may need to abort the Warazup operation in order to deal with this intrusion.

The main action centers around Akyab and Magwe. Ed is supplying Akyab with small convoys, I try to counter with LBA but it is costly:

quote:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 54,45
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 61 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 45
G3M3 Nell x 18

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 14 destroyed
G3M3 Nell: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAKL Bust, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PC Alert
xAKL Selma City, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

One such attack and the participating air groups are out of the fight for a week. With just six unrestricted Netty groups available at the moment to cover naval search and strike requirements for several active fronts on the map, it is impossible to rotate "used" Netty groups in a particular area in order to maintain pressure - simply no reserve air groups available. So, in order to keep up the fight against the Akyab convoys, I have made an experiment with a group of Oscar-IIb from Magwe set to low naval attack, with the rest of the Magwe fighter gaggle (2x Tojo-IIa, 1x Tony-Ia, 1x Tony-Ib, 4x Oscar-IIb) set to sweep and escort. Surprisingly, the Oscars successfully bombed some small fry, xAKLs escorted by PCs and AM types - but losses among the sweepers, escorts and strike aircraft were heavy.

The following turn, Ed promptly took advantage of the weakened and tired state of the Magwe gaggle and launched heavy sweeps and bombing attacks against Magwe. MY groups got mauled badly, some down to 25% strength. I have only two fresh fighter groups to rotate in. I hope the Allies have to lick their wounds as well, if they keep up the pressure, then Magwe and the cream of the IJA fighter units will be toast!

China
Slow grinding, with ground bombardments at Changsha, Kunming and Lanchow killing and disabling a few more Chinese every turn. Enemy LCUs at Lanchow are also being bombed by the entire IJA complement of Ki-51 groups plus three Lily groups - the lone Helen group keeping the airfield cratered to prevent fort building. When the flak ceased to respond, indicating low supplies on the enemy side, I felt ready to launch a first ground attack (forgot the date must have been end of March). I overstacked the hex with tanks and Combat Engineers in addition to the infantry and arty who have already been in place. Supplies were ok, everything 100% prepped, checked the leaders and was quite confident. I did not expect Lanchow to fall, but at least a fort reduction and favourable loss ratios.

Well, the attack found level-4 forts and sufferd heavily - and achieved no fort reduction. This wasn't for a lack of trying - the Combat Eng units got reduced to 10-15% strength. Ok, bad dice probably. So, I pulled back the spent units to rebuild, and did more bombarding and bombing in the meantime. Last turn I tried again - with similar results. WTF, how many Combat Eng units does it need to reduced fort levels?

quote:

Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 55349 troops, 523 guns, 435 vehicles, Assault Value = 1629
Defending force 42245 troops, 156 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 995
Japanese adjusted assault: 929
Allied adjusted defense: 1087
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
5606 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 253 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 87 disabled
Engineers: 43 destroyed, 90 disabled
Vehicles lost 38 (8 destroyed, 30 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1281 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 102 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Assaulting units:
59th Division
22nd Ind Engineer Regiment
24th Ind Engineer Regiment
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
116th Division
20th Recon Regiment
35th Division
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
7th Ind Engineer Regiment
78th Infantry Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
29th Ind Engineer Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Mongol Garrison Army
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
48th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
15th Group Army
6th Chinese Base Force
8th War Area
57th AT Gun Regiment
8th Chinese Base Force

This Lanchow affair takes too much time and ties down too many units. I really need them for attacking Kunming - but since I cannot even reduce Lanchow, I doubt I will be able to take the capital - more units there, surely more forts as well. So, no joy in China - but at least doing better than history.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 11/25/2016 10:31:27 AM >

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to Anachro)

Post #: 106

RE: Truk bombed! - 11/25/2016 4:40:01 PM

PaxMondo

Posts: 9750
Joined: 6/6/2008
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quote:

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget
In the meantime, I have deployed troops to the Kuriles whre they are digging-in.

I've never been able to devise a competent defense of the Kuriles ... So I just put a small GAR on each to prevent a free take. Hokkaido though can, and must, be strongly defended...

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Post #: 107

RE: Truk bombed! - 11/28/2016 8:56:38 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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More screenshots :

Attachment (1)

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(in reply to PaxMondo)

Post #: 108

RE: Truk bombed! - 11/28/2016 8:57:33 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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Situation in the Solomons

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(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 109

RE: Truk bombed! - 11/28/2016 8:58:50 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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Darwin area

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 110

RE: SitRep April 1943 with screenshots - 11/28/2016 8:59:11 AM

LargeSlowTarget

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From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
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Port Hedland area

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< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 11/28/2016 9:00:45 AM >

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AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 111

RE: SitRep April 1943 with screenshots - 12/29/2016 11:00:40 AM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

A little action in the last turn to relate.

Zuikaku and Shokaku have finished their April 43 upgrades, and while 1st and 2nd carrier divisions are still in the yards at Singers, I decided to send the two cranes and a CVL on a hit-and-run raid into the Indian Ocean, hoping to catch a convoy between CT and India.

To my surprise I stumbled upon this :

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Apr 22, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Addu at 22,53

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 25
D4Y1 Judy x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 3 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Shropshire, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CLAA Van Heemskerck

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
9 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CVL Hermes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Shropshire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Addu at 22,53

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 38
D4Y1 Judy x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Thracian, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CVL Hermes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Thracian

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Apr 23, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Addu at 15,57

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 25
D4Y1 Judy x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 1 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Shropshire, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Napier, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
11 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

The torpedo planes on the CVL were set to search and ASW and did fly, but the torpedo planes of Sho and Zui set to naval strike did not fly "due to weather or range" as the reports indicated.

WTH? The Judy's did fly despite the weather and they have shorter range than the Kates still in use aboard Sho and Zui (Jill production is still catching up).

Guess I need to shoot some Kate jockeys...

Still, better than nothing and I hope I have scared Ed and slowed the supply flow a bit.

What happened elsewhere in the past two weeks of game time:

- Ed has landed on Rossel Is. and Deboyne Is., starting the the approach to PNG. I'm not going to waste assets in counter-attacks, but I'm digging in at Milne, PM, Buna, Lae, Umboi etc. to slow him down.

- Torokiona has been flattened by air and surface bombardment, just after I moved-in two Oscar units to try some disruption sweeps. The remnants have evacuated the cratered runway back to Rabaul for rebuilding...

- Nightly sorties by DDs and PTs are sinking all my AKLs and barges trying to resupply the central and upper Solomons. My Zeroes and Betties at Rabaul are ineffective - in daylight they get shredded by CAP, at night the Betties hit nothing. I may send a cruiser force of my own to Rabaul (need to get fuel there first). With luck I may surprise one of Ed's forays and force him to be more cautious.

- Zeroes of the M5 variant on LRCAP over Port Hedland are being bested by P-40K sweeping from Exmouth despite 2:1 numbers advantage in each engagement - a dozen Zeroes lost for 2 P40s downed. Ed has captured Coruna Downs, I expect that he will fly-in supplies and tries to build-up the base to base at least some local CAP. Will try LRCAP to see if I can catch some transport planes.

- US subs showing up in greater numbers inside the SRA and are getting more hits as well. Lost three xAKs last turn alone. I'm reducing the numbers of convoys collecting resources from the SRA - need to economize fuel - and will create some ASW hunting groups from the escorts.

- The Australian 9th Divsion launched a stab from Kalymo in the direction of Katha, but has been stopped by the 48th IJA division. I have recaptured Warazup a few turns ago - while the infantry will remain to hold that base, the supporting arty and tank units will move out to help 48th Division to punish the Aussies.

- Economy : Grave fuel shortages shutting down the heavy industries in China, Manchukuo and Korea and a few larger HI centers in the Home islands as well - although I ship as much oil and fuel to Japan as I can. I manage to keep the oil centres pretty dry (I have converted many xAKs and xAKLs to TKs). Apparently I have made the typical noob JFB mistake of running Combined Fleet too hard and over-expanding the industry - although I have tried to restrain myself. Warships riding at anchor are of little use, BB bombardments are the best offensive weapon I have. And I am producing less than a thousand planes per month. Is this really too much?!? I mean, production barely keeps ahead of the losses, and I shut down factories when the pool for a type reaches 20 to 80 planes, depending on type. This part of the game will get even more "interesting" in the future with the scheduled reinforcements that need to be fleshed out...

Ok, back to work...

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 12/29/2016 11:01:24 AM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 112

Lanchow falls - 1/4/2017 1:58:52 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

Finally! Lanchow fell after a siege of several months with daily bombardments by a huge arty concentration and heavy bombing by two dozen groups of Ki-51s, Ki-48s, Ki-21s and the lone Ki-49 unit available at the moment (PDU off) plus three three costly rounds of ground assaults.

quote:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Apr 28, 43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)

Japanese Shock attack

[Actually only a Cav Bde shock-attacked across the river to close the last remaining open hex-side, all other Inf and tank units made a deliberate attack. Eng units did not participate, they have been thrashed the turn before taking down the forts from 4 to 2.]

Attacking force 56921 troops, 668 guns, 940 vehicles, Assault Value = 1731

Defending force 32433 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 316

Japanese adjusted assault: 1292

Allied adjusted defense: 147

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lanchow !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1693 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 9 (2 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 25 (3 destroyed, 22 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
40865 casualties reported
Squads: 1461 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2072 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 143 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 129 (129 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 11

Assaulting units:
35th Division
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
59th Division
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
12th Tank Regiment
116th Division
3rd Tank Division
4th Cavalry Brigade
19th Tank Regiment
29th Ind Engineer Regiment
7th Ind Engineer Regiment
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Cavalry Brigade
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
22nd Ind Engineer Regiment
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
Mongol Garrison Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
24th Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
36th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
8th War Area
5th New Chinese Corps
15th Group Army
57th AT Gun Regiment
6th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force

This ends the campaign in Northern China. All units - except a garrison force for Lanchow and some elements assigned to move to the SRA to reform complete divisions - are ordered to the main supply base at Sian to recuperate before moving to reinforce the siege of Chungking (see results from April 28, 1943 below). The capital will be a tough nut, with more enemy forces, higher forts and better supply situation. I have some doubts about my chances to take it.

quote:

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3324 troops, 235 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 2476

Defending force 148618 troops, 645 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4386

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
69th Division
3rd Division
110th Division
41st Division
37th Division
26th Division
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
12th Army
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Army
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment

Defending units:
11th Construction Regiment
97th Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
81st Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
10th Construction Regiment
14th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
12th Construction Regiment
1st Artillery Regiment
CAF HQ
39th Group Army
32nd Group Army
23rd Group Army
18th Artillery Regiment
41st AA Regiment
China Command
22nd Artillery Regiment
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
20th Artillery Regiment
Central Reserve
31st Group Army
49th AA Regiment
1st Chinese Base Force

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 113

RE: Lanchow falls - 1/8/2017 3:58:53 PM

adarbrauner

Posts: 1496
Joined: 11/3/2016
From: Zichron Yaaqov, Israel; Before, Treviso, Italy
Status: offline

I've started reading your AAR...

* pilot training
- all float planes NOT upgrading to Jake will be maxed to 24 planes by Chitose/Chiyoda and train sweeps at 10.000 feet

Could you explain this Chitose/chiyoda feature?

Does it mean that if you assign a float plane to one of these, so than you are allowed to resize it??

< Message edited by adarbrauner -- 1/8/2017 4:07:29 PM >

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 114

RE: Lanchow falls - 1/8/2017 9:54:53 PM

FeurerKrieg

Posts: 3397
Joined: 6/15/2005
From: Denver, CO
Status: offline

That's it exactly. Put any floatplane unit on the CS's and you can size them up to 24.

_____________________________

Upper portion used with permission of www.subart.net, copyright John Meeks

(in reply to adarbrauner)

Post #: 115

RE: Lanchow falls - 1/9/2017 1:14:28 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

Yes, Chitose/Chiyoda can resize float planes to max 24. Mizuho only to 20. Beware, a few float plan units have hard-coded resize dates and size limits and cannot be upsized.

If playing PBEM, you should discuss airgroup resizing with your opponent, as some people consider it gamey since only Japan can resize FP groups.

Your post prompted me to check back on my plans on page 1. Well, they say no battle plan survives contact with the enemy...

Two points stand out:

"21st, 48th and 56th Divs will become theater reserves" for counter-attacking Allied offensives - LOL! They are needed to hold the Burma front. Never had a chance to seriously counter-attack the Allied advances in the CentPac, SoPac and SoWePac areas due to lack of large LCUs in reserve for such an eventuality. Gosh, I don't have enough units to maintain a semblance of defense all around the perimeter. Worst part, there aren't any sizeable unrestricted Inf units in the reinforcement pipeline before 1944. If Ed had a complete intel picture of my force dispositions, he could invade straight into the heart of the DEI with little risk. That's why I'm clinging to Port Hedland and Darwin, which were initially considered as "speed-bumps" to slow the Allies - once they are captured, they can serve as springboards into the wide-open SRA - there are just too many bases and dots with good airbase potentials out there...

"all groups not able to upgrade to Tojo / Tony reserved for training duty after conclusion of initial operations" - ROFL! I had no idea how severely PDU off would restrict aircraft upgrades. At the moment I have a whooping total of 4.5 groups that can fly Tojos or Tonies - so the Oscars have to soldier on. Training is done with the groups not able to upgrade to current models of the Oscar line and with groups stuck with Nates. The game just entered May 1943 and I have brought the Tojo IIc into production, which allows me to double the number of Tojo groups - but that means less training.

Btw, any Tracker users here? I would like to know which IJN unit can use the Jack - I have pushed it into production but I cannot find any group eligible to use it...

About the only thing that seems to have worked like planned is the ASW - the convoy routes are for the most part covered by well-trained resized Jake groups and although they don't seem to kill many subs with their puny bombs, a spotted sub is less effective and ship losses to subs have been supportable up to now.

While I'm at it, some AAR News:

Game has reached May 1943, apart from Tojo IIc the Oscar IIIa has reached production. Build rate Tojo = 80 and Oscar = 240. The three Tojo research factories have been allocated to Ki-84 and Ki-100 (2x).

The latest turn saw a botched fast transport supply mission to Port Hedland. For some reason the TF elected to stay around until daylight and got clobbered by SBDs and skip-bombing B-25 from Exmouth - one CL, one DD and one DMS sunk, one DD badly damaged and probably a goner as well.

In the Solomons, I try to resupply the Shortlands. Ed has a DD division paying nightly visits up the Slot to the Shortlands and Torokina and endulging in target practice against my barge convoys. I have split my last four barges into single-ship TFs - normally considered a cheesy tactic by myself but desperate times demand desperate measures - one got through, hooray! Bettys at Rabaul on night naval attack hit nothing, if put on daylight naval strikes with Zero escort they insist on attacking PTs with torpedoes (after losing a number of planes to CAP), although other targets have been spotted within range beyond the PTs (no chance to tinker with search arch bearings in order NOT to spot the PTs - the DDs and cruisers spend the daylight hours farther away on the same search segment...). Looks like I have to engage surface TFs myself to counter those DD sweeps and cruiser bombardments. Not good, I have no idea where the Allied carriers are.

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 1/9/2017 1:18:47 PM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to FeurerKrieg)

Post #: 116

Betty massacre at Rossel Is. - 1/16/2017 3:48:56 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 04/05, 1943

NoPac:
Calm. I have sub patrols and a picket line covering the approaches to the Kuriles and Northern Japan. The Kuriles Islands with higher airbase potential are garrisoned but only against quick grabs, they will not resist a serious invasion. No ground forces available for a robust defense. In case of emergency, I can throw the planes of the Home Island Training Command into the breach.

CentPac:
Enemy bombing raids against Kusaie, Majuro and Maloelap and lots of shipping observed in the Gilberts by Nells, expect more aggressive moves in the near-future. Nothing I could do even if I wanted to. Am busy shifting Engineers and air support from doomed bases back to Kusaie, Ponape andf Truk to bolster their defenses.
KB just finished refits at Singers and the CentPac is too far from the fuel sources and not important enough to risk the fleet. Yes, I know that Essex and Hellcats are coming soon and tipping the scale. I failed to seek and engage US carriers while having a quality and quantity advantage and Ed did a good job at not risking his pre-war carriers. But I don't think Ed will jump to the Marianas without adequate amphib shipping, which should still be in short supply. I hope I will have enough time to find some big LCU to defend the Marianas.

SoPac / PNG:
I have concentrated considerable assets at Rabaul to make a show of force, hoping to scare Ed into being more prudent and maybe, just maybe to inflict some damage as well.

A SAG (1xBB, 4xCA, 6xDD) has made two bombardment runs to Rossel Is. the past turns, sinking a couple of PTs and two xAKL and dealing moderate damage to the level-1 airfield. I did not wanted to push my luck and risk interception by carriers, so this turn the SAG was tasked to patrol north of Buka trying to catch those pesky barge-hunting DDs. My TF must have reacted to something in vain, as dawn found it near the Shortlands and thus only weak LRCAP from Rabaulcovered it - luckily the SBDs had no escorts.

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shortlands at 110,132

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CA Atago

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Rossel Island remained well-covered by naval search and I have readied three 45-plane Zero groups and three 36-plane Betty groups at Rabaul for naval strikes.

On May 04+05 I got off a lot of strikes, but results were not good. I am p*ssed off in particular by the air combat results. Although my escorts (all with minimum 70exp/70air/70def pilots) heavily outnumbered enemy CAP - which consisted of 1st-generation air frames flying from a damaged level-1 airbase - it got handled very roughly and one-sided. Shipborne flak caused a lot of losses as well, and many damaged planes did not reach home - but that was to be expected.

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rossel Island at 105,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 89
G4M1 Betty x 45

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 14
P-40K Warhawk x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 8 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 27 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Louisville
CA Vincennes
CA Salt Lake City
DD O'Bannon
DD Helm
CL Denver
DD Morris
DD Grayson

Aircraft Attacking:
28 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
15 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
14 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
13 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes
347th FG/67th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rossel Island at 105,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 18
G4M1 Betty x 13

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CL Denver
CA Louisville

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-40K Warhawk (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
347th FG/67th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
9 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 50 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rossel Island at 105,137

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 61 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 81
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 13 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Lang
CA Vincennes, Torpedo hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
5 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
19 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
19 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
347th FG/67th FS with P-39D Airacobra (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rossel Island at 105,137

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 81
G4M1 Betty x 18

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City
DD Grayson
DD DeHaven
DD Helm

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
9 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
18 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
16 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
347th FG/67th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rossel Island at 105,137

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 65 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 64
G4M1 Betty x 3

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 7
P-40K Warhawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Louisville

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
10 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
15 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
14 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
347th FG/67th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes

In the meantime, one group of Betties launched repeated attacks against two DDs near Rekata Bay, mostly unescorted and straight into Corsairs flying CAP. I don't understand why, I have taken the precaution of micro-managing the naval search arcs to make sure that only the area around Rossel Island is being searched. Coastwatchers maybe?

Anyway, to cut a long sad story short - with ops losses included, I have lost in two days 78 Betties - the equivalent of six weeks production - and about 60 Zeroes (one week of production) - in return for four stinkin' enemy fighters shot down and one lousy torpedo hit! I cannot believe how outclassed Zeroes are already.

That's it, no more offensive naval air strikes by Betties in daylight anymore - I will relegate them to ASW and the occasional night attack.

I'm supplying bases and shifting forces by air, since not even barges manage to get through. I'm pulling out air support, port units etc. no longer needed in the Solomons for lack of air and naval activities. Also, the 16th Div has air-evacuated (except the mot support which will fats-transport out) to Nadzab. Mile Bay is too exposed and I think the units has done it's duty to discourage early attempts by Ed to recapture it. Two smaller, expendable units will move in to prevent a quick grab. The MLR will be the Lae-Umboi-Rabaul-Kavieng area.

Northern Oz:

Ed has started an air offensive in the Darwin area.

Sweeps by P-38s over Darwin followed by 4E pounding the airfield and port are unopposed - I don't have enough fighters to cover everything and the IJNAF is currently concentrated at Rabaul, the better part of the IJAAF covers Burma, a few units are busy in the Port Hedland area, and one Oscar group each are providing minimum security at Palembang and Nadzab.

Enemy bombers from Groote Eylandt are pounding units regrouping near Katherine, causing numerous casualties.

It seems there will be no Allied ground attack from Tennant Creek towards Darwin and a seaborne attack against Darwin and/or overland attack from Gove appear to be the greater dangers.

So I'm withdrawing the garrison from Daly Waters (1x Garrison Bde, 2xAT, 1xAA) and it is time to think about the evacuation of base forces and other units not slated to die defending Darwin.

In the Port Hedland area, I have had the bright idea to try a counter-attack without sufficient forces. Two Bde ventured into the open to flank Coruna Downs and to close the hex sides in order to cut-off the supplies that may flow overland from Exmouth. Out came enemy LBA with a vengeance, 4Es and 2Es from Exmouth and Meekwhatever. Despite LRCAP from Broome - not much due to distance - the 12th and 18th Garrison Brigades are taking a pounding, both are 50% disabled while trying to get back to the doubtful security of Port Hedland.

Three BBs and a couple of cruisers have finished repairs, I will concentrate them in the SRA again, ready to bombard as soon as enemy LCUs reach Port Hedland and/or Darwin.

Burma / China :
Lots of LCUs on the march, regrouping after the capture of Warazup and Lanchow. Dead calm in the air - too calm, surely something bad is brewing. I use the time to reshuffle air groups, couple of units cannot upgrade to the Oscar IIIa which has entered production, these groups will move to cover the hinterland (Rangoon) for training / reserve.

< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 1/16/2017 4:15:46 PM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 117

RE: Betty massacre at Rossel Is. - 1/24/2017 9:38:41 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

Just sent the May 11/12 turn back to Ed. Nothing spectacular happened, Ed continues to advance by taking weakly held bases and ignoring the more strongly held.

quote:

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Ground combat at Wessel Islands (83,126)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4255 troops, 35 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 175

Defending force 663 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Allied adjusted assault: 150

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 150 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Wessel Islands !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
888 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/7 Commando Battalion
2/6 Commando Battalion
40th Infantry/B Division
I Aus Corps Engr Bn /11
808th Aviation Engr Bn /21

Defending units:
Kure 2nd SNLF /1

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Ground combat at Choiseul Bay (111,132)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5056 troops, 42 guns, 27 vehicles, Assault Value = 157

Defending force 313 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

Allied adjusted assault: 67

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Choiseul Bay !!!

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

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

Assaulting units:
8th NZ Brigade

Defending units:
I/66th Naval Guard Unit

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Ground combat at Vella Lavella (110,133)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 994 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Defending force 6885 troops, 43 guns, 163 vehicles, Assault Value = 242

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

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 5th SNLF

Defending units:
110th Cmbt Engineer Battalion
2nd Marine Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
2nd AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
19th USN Special Construction Battalion

Last screenshots are from Dec 1942, so here are a few fresh ones:

EDIT:

I don't know my own AAR! Last screenies were only from April 43. Anyway, this an occasion to show the Pacifica Bellum map v2 in action [slightly modified for use with my unfinished mod].

Burma

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< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 1/25/2017 7:43:59 PM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 118

Screenshots May 1943 - 1/24/2017 9:40:54 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

China

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< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 1/25/2017 7:42:16 PM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 119

RE: Screenshots May 1943 - 1/24/2017 9:41:54 PM

LargeSlowTarget

Posts: 4443
Joined: 9/23/2000
From: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
Status: offline

Northern Oz

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< Message edited by LargeSlowTarget -- 1/25/2017 7:42:03 PM >

_____________________________

AE Mod "Bottlenecks" UPDATED 01/2022

(in reply to LargeSlowTarget)

Post #: 120

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Slitherine

RE: Burma battles