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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> Subs on a Rampage!

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Subs on a Rampage! - 9/10/2012 10:44:49 PM

ADB123

Posts: 1559
Joined: 8/18/2009
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September 20, 1943 � Interim Report

My opponent only had time to run the Combat Reply this evening, and he wasn�t too happy with what he saw.

The Night Phase started out fairly quietly, and then the Skipper of the USS Harder went down into Match History as at Ontong Java he first put a torpedo into IJN Kaga,

and then came back to put a torpedo into IJN Soryu!

Harder got away clean after hitting Kaga, but was hit a few times after hitting Soryu. Never-the-less, I suspect that Harder will be able to get back to Port for Repairs and some Big Celebrations!

Daylight brought the usual Sky-Darkening Air Recon and Search Missions all over the South Pacific and Burma, but the only Air Attacks were in Burma again. First off Allied 2Es hit Japanese Troops to the east of Mandalay, and also at Lashio. Then the 4Es really Hammered the Japanese 14th Infantry Division at Bassein. I wonder how long my opponent will let the 14th stay there and have the Living Daylights bombed out of it:

Morning Air attack on 14th Division, at 54,52 (Bassein)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 11
B-24D1 Liberator x 55
B-24J Liberator x 9

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
1273 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 102 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 45 (3 destroyed, 42 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Also attacking 5th Field Artillery Regiment ...
Also attacking 14th Division ...
Also attacking 5th Field Artillery Regiment ...
Also attacking 14th Division ...
Also attacking 5th Field Artillery Regiment ...

Then at the end of the turn the USN Subs returned to action. First USS Grayback was chased off by PBs at Tulagi. Then USS Haddock put a torpedo into an AMc at Madang.

After all this time it was very satisfying to see the USN Subs finally show some skill and muscle.

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Post #: 931

RE: Subs on a Rampage! - 9/11/2012 3:02:19 AM

DanielAnsell

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Give that captain a medal! Er...if he survives.

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Post #: 932

RE: Subs on a Rampage! - 9/11/2012 3:18:24 AM

ADB123

Posts: 1559
Joined: 8/18/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Carny

Give that captain a medal! Er...if he survives.

Over the past few months I've become quite obsessive about choosing sub captains. Ask the Computer to select a captain for you and you will always get someone with near zero aggression. And when you look at the captain selection chart after doing so most of the captains available have lousy aggression too.

If you don't check the "auto select" box you have a much greater chance of getting a good, aggressive captain, and if you then look at the captain selection chart you will usually find many more aggressive captains than you ever will when you check the "select for me" box.

As with all of the auto-commander selections - the AI always goes for one particular characteristic. In the case of sub captains it is "Naval" skill. So the AI will give you someone with an 83 Naval skill and a 31 aggression level. That skipper will never attack anything.

So I spend political points every turn nowadays fine-tuning my captains since they are not linked to their subs.

BTW - the AI loves to propose Arleigh Burke for a sub captain. I thought that he was a surface captain, so I have no idea why the AI wants me to choose him.

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Post #: 933

Sept 20 1943 - Final Report - 9/12/2012 12:43:22 AM

ADB123

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It turns out that USS Harder wasn't damaged badly at all, so the skipper and crew ought to make it back to Port easily and have their celebrations.

As you can see from the map below, the KB is splitting up with part heading north, perhaps to Truk. What's still at Ongong Java will have to deal with more subs, and is a couple of days away from Luganville. So everything is in place.

BTW - I've set the Troops into Motion in Burma too, so the next little while ought to be fairly busy for both sides.

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Post #: 934

Landing at Luganville - 9/13/2012 9:42:49 PM

ADB123

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September 21, 1943 �

The night phase started out with a USN DD TF bombarding Luganville. The DDs hit the Base and Facilities hard but missed the SNLF that is there.

Daylight brought reports of Bad Weather all over the South Pacific, and the USN PB4Y-1s that were supposed to bomb the SNLF at Luganville didn't fly. However, the 4Es in NE Oz flew and hammered the Air Base at Rossel Island.

The Air War in Burma changed somewhat this turn as Japanese CAP showed up over Bassein to attempt to contest the 4E attack on the Japanese troops there:

Morning Air attack on 14th Division, at 54,52 (Bassein)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 10
N1K1-J George x 8
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 4

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 11
B-24D1 Liberator x 56
B-24J Liberator x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
920 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 73 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 32 (10 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (7 destroyed, 19 disabled)

The End-of-Day Report upped the losses:

A6M3a � 3 A-to-A, 2 Ops
Ki-44-IIa Tojo � 2 A-to-A
N1K1-J George � 2 Ops

B-24D1 � 3 A-to-A, 2 Ops
B-24J � 1 A-to-A, 1 Ops

All that this means is that now I've ordered P-47s and P-38s to fly High Alt Sweeps over Bassein next turn, and the 4Es will go in again. I don't know where the Japanese CAP flew in from, but I'm betting that it was from some of the Inland Bases, so I am flying Recon over them next turn too.

Allied 2Es also flew and hit Japanese Troops to the east of Mandalay.

And there was a surprising amount of End-of-Turn action. First off USS Scorpion ran into a Big IJN TF southwest of Ponape and was chased off by DD Escorts, but not before identifying the TF as a CV TF. So it appears that at least some of the KB is sailing towards Truk. Allied Search and Recon couldn't find any other signs of the Japanese CVs in the South Pacific, so maybe it is all of the KB.

Which would be good, because the second End-of-Turn Action was the Invasion of Luganville. The Cruisers and Escorts of the Invasion TF started out by bombarding the Base and the SNLF, and then the US Troops started to go ashore. I had APAs and AKAs as the main transport ships, so all of the Combat Troops and most of the Support Troops got ashore in the first wave. There were also no Air Attacks, likely thanks to the heavy LR CAP that the Fighter Units on Efate and Tanna provided to the Invasion TF and over Luganville itself.

The Map below shows the Troops that landed. They arrived in good shape and will attempt a Deliberate Attack next turn. I ordered away all of the Transport Ships that had emptied their Troop Loads and only left behind the few that still had to drop off troops. I also upped the LR CAP over Luganville.

With any Luck Luganville will be mine next turn and the Eastern Solomons will be under Direct Threat in the Near Future.

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Post #: 935

RE: Landing at Luganville - 9/14/2012 12:24:06 AM

ADB123

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September 22, 1943 �

My opponent only had time to send the Combat Replay this evening, but it was well worth watching despite having to wait another day or so to get at the Turn itself.

The IJN suffered yet another Bad Day this turn as USS Sturgeon put a torpedo into IJN Akagi just south of Truk. But Sturgeon Paid the Price as it was caught by Japanese DD Escorts, driven to the Surface, and sunk, although Sturgeon�s crew did get off one hit on a DD with the Deck Gun. So now the IJN is short 3 Fleet CVs for the next while.

In the meanwhile the US Landing at Luganville continued uninterrupted. Fewer ships fired during the Troop unloading, and the other DD Bombardment TFs didn�t make it, but otherwise things continued to go like clockwork.

Daylight brought Bad Weather to much of the South Pacific for a second day, once more grounding the USN PB4Y-1s from their Bombing Runs. But for a second day the USAAF 4Es in NE Oz did fly and hammered the Air Base at Milne Bay.

Meanwhile, off in Burma the Weather was even Worse. The 2Es flew and hit the Japanese Troops on the road between Mandalay and Lashio, but the 4Es didn�t fly, and neither did most of the USAAF Fighter Sweeps. Those Sweeps that did fly didn�t find any Japanese CAP.

Then the Main Event occurred as the US Army Troops at Luganville attacked the Dug In SNLF unit. But first for some reason the SNLF first attempted an Artillery Attack � it was not a good idea for them:

Ground combat at Luganville (120,150)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1337 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 16169 troops, 210 guns, 495 vehicles, Assault Value = 523

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

Assaulting units:
Kure 3rd SNLF

Defending units:
32nd Infantry Division
104th Combat Engineer Regiment
4th USMC Tank Battalion
XI US Corps
228th USN Base Force

Then the US Troops attacked:

Ground combat at Luganville (120,150)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14609 troops, 210 guns, 495 vehicles, Assault Value = 523

Defending force 1305 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 480

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 160 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Luganville !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
724 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (15 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

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

Assaulting units:
104th Combat Engineer Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
XI US Corps
228th USN Base Force

Defending units:
Kure 3rd SNLF

Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Luganville

So Luganville is mine. The first job is to repair the damage, then move in Planes. Ndeni will be next, but I�ll also build up the bases near Luganville too. I�ve already got Long Range Recon Planes flying over the Eastern Solomons.

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Post #: 936

Sept 22 Final Report - 9/15/2012 7:42:42 PM

ADB123

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Things worked out fairly well with this turn. The Base at Luganville is fairly badly messed up but my Troops will fix it up soon enough. I'm leaving a couple of AKs behind to drop off supplies while the rest of the Transport ships sail off to ready themselves for more action.

As you can see from the map below the remaining 2 Japanese CV TFs are sailing towards the region between Tarawa and Tabiteuea. Tabiteuea seems to continually capture my opponent's attention. That's fine - I've got plenty of Fighter Pilots there who would love to get some Live Targets.

Off in Burma both of my Assault Columns have moved into position so I've ordered them to attack next turn. I've also ordered the 4Es and 2Es to support them, along with the Allied LR Fighters in the region. It will be interesting to see how things go. With any luck I will be knocking on the doors of Rangoon and Pegu within a couple of weeks.

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Post #: 937

Double Kick Myself Time - 9/17/2012 12:50:09 AM

ADB123

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September 23, 1943 �

It was a busy night in the DEI as US subs tried their luck on the Tanker TFs that were sailing near Donggala. First off USS Steelhead was chased off by a PB. Then Steelhead came back and put a torpedo into a Tanker. Next USS Spearfish shot at and missed an E-class Escort in another Tanker TF. This time the escorts hit Spearfish a couple of times so that sub is heading back to port.

Daylight started out with the 2Es in Burma hitting the Japanese Troops that were southeast of Prome. That surprised me because I thought that I set them to hit the Japanese troops that were southwest of Toungoo. Then the 4Es came in and also hit the Japanese troops near Prome and I realized then that I had goofed up something with the Air Mission orders the previous turn. So the attack near Prome got double Air Support while the attack near Toungoo got none.

Off in the South Pacific my plans also went wrong as the 4E raid on Port Moresby ran into Barrage Balloons, causing lots of damage and Ops losses to my 4Es because I had them coming in at 6K feet instead of 8K feet. So that was the second Kick Myself move of the turn, albeit a much more costly one.

Then it was time for the Land Attacks in Burma. The attack near Prome went well:

Ground combat at 55,51 (near Prome)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12951 troops, 158 guns, 807 vehicles, Assault Value = 1858

Defending force 5069 troops, 81 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 189

Allied adjusted assault: 557

Japanese adjusted defense: 79

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1541 casualties reported
Squads: 76 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 44 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 39 (16 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Allied ground losses:
278 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
50th Tank Brigade
11th (East African) Division
254th Armoured Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
20th Indian Division
77th Chindit Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
17th Indian Division
29th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
1st INA Subhas Regiment
20th/C Division
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

The attack near Toungoo didn�t go so well, thanks to a lack of Air Support and the presence of a Big Japanese Infantry Division:

Ground combat at 56,51 (near Toungoo)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27973 troops, 597 guns, 905 vehicles, Assault Value = 1413

Defending force 18633 troops, 153 guns, 194 vehicles, Assault Value = 674

Allied adjusted assault: 496

Japanese adjusted defense: 1081

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1653 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 114 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
505 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 102 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 38 (3 destroyed, 35 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
2nd British Division
255th Armoured Brigade
26th Indian Division
5th Indian Division
85th British AT Gun Regiment
IV Indian Corps
8th Medium Regiment
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
19th Division
42nd Infantry Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
37th Const Co
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
53rd Const Co
55th Const Co

Oh well, you can figure out where the Burma Bombers are headed next turn�

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Post #: 938

BTW Time - 9/17/2012 12:52:05 AM

ADB123

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BTW - if you are wondering what the KB is doing - it is continuing to move closer to Tabiteuea. One has to wonder why...

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Post #: 939

Run by Night, Stay by Day? - 9/18/2012 3:17:30 PM

ADB123

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September 24, 1943 �

This was another of those "No Luck" turns where nothing worked out well. The first indication of this was right at the beginning of the Night Phase as USS Corvina fired off 6 torpedoes at 3K yards at an RO-class sub near Aoba Island but missed.

Next, the reason for the KB hanging around the Gilberts was revealed as a Huge Japanese Naval Bombardment TF showed up at Tabiteuea. I had three 4-ship PT TFs at Tabiteuea, all with hand-picked Captains and TF Commanders, so I was expecting some sort of skirmish at night. But even with a 14% moon one after another the PT TFs picked up the Japanese TF on Radar and then ran off without engaging.

So the Japanese Bombardment TF got a clear shot at Tabiteuea, despite the Mines and the CD guns, and despite the fact that even CLs took part in the Naval Bombardment but the CD guns couldn't hit anything.

Then, to add Insult to Injury (or in this case Injury to Insult), the Japanese Bombardment TF caught two of the PT TFs on the way out during the Daylight. At 30K yards the PTs had no chance and 2 PTs were sunk in each TF.

Just to finish off the Turn in the Same Spirit, the main Allied 2E and 4E Bombing Attacks in Burma didn't fly. Only a few secondary 2Es flew against the Japanese Troops that are to the east of Mandalay.

As you can well imagine, my opponent didn't grumble this turn�

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Post #: 940

Long Limp Home - 9/19/2012 2:40:58 AM

ADB123

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September 25, 1943 �

The Night Phase started out with USS Balao shooting a half dozen torpedoes at a Japanese DD in another Big (3 BBs and 3CAs) Surface Combat TF at Ocean Island and missing. Balao paid the price for the miss and is now limping home.

Daylight brought out the 4Es and 2Es over the Japanese troops that are southwest of Toungoo. The weather scattered out the Air Attacks but they still did some decent damage. I ordered the Allied troops to try another attack next turn.

And the Liberator IIs switched from Recon to Bombs over Port Blair and hit the Air Base rather nicely now that the Japanese CAP has moved off.

Finally at the end of the day USS Dragonet tried its luck at Ocean Island, missed another Japanese DD, and is now joining USS Balao in the Long Limp Home.

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Post #: 941

More Pressure in Burma - 9/20/2012 1:23:20 AM

ADB123

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September 26, 1943 �

There was no Night Action this turn.

Daylight started out with the Liberator IIs hitting the Air Base at Port Blair again. If my opponent doesn�t send in Fighters I�ll close the Air Base and then start on the Port.

Also in Burma the 4Es flew and hammered the Japanese Troops that are northeast of Rangoon. The 2Es didn�t fly against the Japanese Troops that are southwest of Toungoo. Of course, that is where I ordered a Deliberate Attack:

Ground combat at 56,51 (near Toungoo)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37531 troops, 889 guns, 1180 vehicles, Assault Value = 1357

Defending force 17769 troops, 153 guns, 193 vehicles, Assault Value = 585

Allied adjusted assault: 677

Japanese adjusted defense: 385

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2672 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 150 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 60 disabled
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
544 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 47 (4 destroyed, 43 disabled)

Assaulting units:
255th Armoured Brigade
2nd British Division
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
26th Indian Division
5th Indian Division
IV Indian Corps
85th British AT Gun Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
8th Medium Regiment
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
19th Division
42nd Infantry Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
37th Const Co
53rd Const Co
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
55th Const Co

Even without the Air Attack the Allied Forces did quite well. They will rest next turn while their Supply goes back into the Black. So I ordered my other Troops that are northeast of Rangoon to Attack next turn.

Things were relatively quiet in the South Pacific. Allied Units continue to move forward to build up more bases. LB4Y-1s dropped Mines at Ndeni. And the KB disappeared.

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Post #: 942

Onwards to Rangoon - 9/21/2012 1:09:27 AM

ADB123

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September 27, 1943 �

There was no Night Action.

Daylight brought with it Lots of Bad Weather Everywhere, and thus lots of Mission Cancellations.

The only Air Attack that flew in the Far East was the Liberator IIs going after the Air Base at Port Blair again. This time some Franks were waiting for them and two Bombers were shot down. So I�m putting them back on Recon again while the unit gets back up to strength.

Off in the South Pacific the only Air Missions that flew consisted of 1 B-25G squadron attack on the Japanese Troops at Ndeni, followed by an attack by 1 B-24D1 squadron on the Air Base at Ndeni.

So when the Allied Troops on the Road to Rangoon launched their Deliberate Attack in the Rain without any Air Support I wasn�t expecting much, but the Japanese Troops were surprisingly weak and the attack went very well:

Ground combat at 55,52 (near Rangoon)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 45000 troops, 663 guns, 1237 vehicles, Assault Value = 1859

Defending force 5517 troops, 75 guns, 143 vehicles, Assault Value = 149

Allied adjusted assault: 860

Japanese adjusted defense: 73

Allied assault odds: 11 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1812 casualties reported
Squads: 61 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 101 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 30 (26 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 132 (127 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 4
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
268th Motorised Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
254th Armoured Brigade
77th Chindit Brigade
11th (East African) Division
20th Indian Division
17th Indian Division
29th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
3rd Tank Regiment
1st INA Subhas Regiment
20th/C Division
17th Army
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

So it�s On to Rangoon for that Column while the other Allied Troops attempt to dislodge the Japanese Blocking Formation southwest of Toungoo on the Road to Pegu.

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Post #: 943

First Time in a Long Time - 9/23/2012 3:07:15 AM

ADB123

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September 28, 1943 �

There was no Night Action. Then Daylight came and made up for it. Since all of the action took place in two theatres, I will report it by theatre rather than chronologically.

Off in Burma the Allied Air Missions all flew for a change. The 4Es hammered the Air Base at Rangoon. There was little Flak, which strongly suggests that there is little Supply there. That is always a good thing when there are troops marching towards an Enemy Base.

The 2Es then hit the Japanese Troops southwest of Toungoo in three waves causing Casualties in each attack. And as planned/hoped, when it was time for the Allied Troops to do their Deliberate Attack the result was successful:

Ground combat at 56,51 (near Toungoo)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37087 troops, 888 guns, 1177 vehicles, Assault Value = 1294

Defending force 16409 troops, 153 guns, 194 vehicles, Assault Value = 432

Allied adjusted assault: 933

Japanese adjusted defense: 437

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2320 casualties reported
Squads: 151 destroyed, 81 disabled
Non Combat: 140 destroyed, 60 disabled
Engineers: 28 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 30 (11 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 48 (30 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units retreated 7

Allied ground losses:
431 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Vehicles lost 32 (1 destroyed, 31 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
26th Indian Division
2nd British Division
255th Armoured Brigade
5th Indian Division
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
85th British AT Gun Regiment
8th Medium Regiment
IV Indian Corps
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
21st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
42nd Infantry Regiment
19th Division
11th Tank Regiment
53rd Const Co
37th Const Co
15th Ind. Engineer Regiment
55th Const Co

And to add to the generally positive mood in the Region, the British 14th Infantry Battalion is back at Bassein and will re-occupy the Base next turn. This time I don�t expect the Japanese to attempt to re-take the Base again.

Things started out less positively in the South Pacific as Bad Weather took hold and many Air Missions were Rained Out or Scattered. But the Scattered Air Missions flying out of the northeast of Oz did find their Target, a Japanese TF at Saidor on the north coast of PNG. The Bombers went in multiple waves, and there was some CAP, including a Japanese Float Plane that I haven�t seen in action before � the Norm, but the Allied Bombers still made good use of the opportunity:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Saidor at 99,124

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 6
E15K1 Norm x 2

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 14
B-24D1 Liberator x 35
B-24J Liberator x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Mutsuki, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AMc Kyo Maru #13, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AV Kamoi, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Takunan Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PB Toyokuni Maru
PB Rokko Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Minekaze
PB Kiko Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Takunan Maru #5
AMc Kyo Maru #7
AMc Shonon Maru #15, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
E W-11

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
6 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
CAP engaged:

202 Ku S-1 with A6M3a Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000
Raid is overhead
952 Ku T-1 with E15K1 Norm (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Raid is overhead
253 Ku S-2 with A6M3a Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead

And the next one:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Saidor at 99,124

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 10
B-25G Mitchell x 10

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-25G Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
PB Taijin Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 1
SC Ch 7, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Mutsuki, heavy fires
E W-11, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AV Kamoi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Toyokuni Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMc Shonon Maru #11
PB Kure Maru #5, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
PB Rokko Maru #2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-25G Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

And another one:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Saidor at 99,124

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PB Ryuto Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Minekaze

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

And in the afternoon:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Saidor at 99,124

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 13
B-24D1 Liberator x 45
B-24J Liberator x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
PB Ryuto Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AMc Kyo Maru #7, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Gamitsu Maru #1, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PB Rokko Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Tatsumi Maru, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
PB Kiko Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Takunan Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Shonon Maru #11, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AV Kamoi, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
PB Shosei Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Mutsuki, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
PB Taijin Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
AMc Fumi Maru #3, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
7 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
9 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
8 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
10 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 5 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
202 Ku S-1 with A6M3a Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000
Raid is overhead
253 Ku S-2 with A6M3a Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead

Massive explosion on PB Rokko Maru #2

The Ship Sunk Report is below. Sure, these weren�t the most important ships in the IJN, but it was still nice to see my LBA finally take off and attack something at sea. This is the first successful Allied LBA attack against Enemy Ships at Sea that I can remember in a long time.

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Post #: 944

Burma September 29, 1943 - 9/23/2012 3:09:22 AM

ADB123

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And here is the Situation in Burma as of September 29, 1943. There appear to be Japanese LCUs pulling out of Rangoon and Pegu. Is my opponent just pulling out badly damaged Units, or is he really Pulling Out?

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(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 945

RE: Burma September 29, 1943 - 9/23/2012 3:29:29 AM

DanielAnsell

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Heck of a nice turn. That naval bombing result bodes ill for Japanese sea power.

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Post #: 946

RE: Burma September 29, 1943 - 9/23/2012 3:54:07 AM

ADB123

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Carny

Heck of a nice turn. That naval bombing result bodes ill for Japanese sea power.

Thanks. I'm hoping that this makes my opponent a little more cautious about bringing TFs within LBA range.

(in reply to DanielAnsell)

Post #: 947

Bassein re-occupied - 9/23/2012 9:53:27 PM

ADB123

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September 29, 1943 �

There was no Night Action.

Daytime was fairly quiet too, as Bad Weather washed out most Air Missions in Burma during the morning. In the South Pacific a B-25G squadron and a B-24D1 squadron did fly against Ndeni. The Mitchells hit the Naval Guard Unit that is there and the Liberators hit the Air Base. Ndeni should be fairly easy to capture, but I�m not in a hurry and I want to build up Luganville and the surrounding bases first.

In the afternoon the 4Es in Burma flew and hammered the Air Base at Moulmein. There was some Flak here, so Moulmein must still have Supplies.

More importantly, the Lead Units of the Allied Column that is advancing on Rangoon reached the City and stopped to wait for the rest of the units. I set the 4Es to go after the Japanese Troops at Rangoon just in case my opponent has some idea of trying to drive back my troops. There is still a strong symbol for Japanese Troops moving out towards Pegu, so I�m hoping that is correct too.

And the British 14th Infantry Brigade re-occupied Bassein this turn.

(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 948

Quiet Time - 9/25/2012 2:00:25 AM

ADB123

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September 30, 1943 �

The Night Phase saw USS Jack miss an SC in a Big Japanese Tanker TF, and get punished hard by the other Escorts in the TF. Jack is limping home.

Bad Weather impacted most Air Missions. In the South Pacific the Mitchells tried to attack the Japanese Troops at Ndeni, but missed. The Liberators then hit the Air Base at Ndeni.

Off in Burma the Allied 4Es hammered the retreating Japanese Troops in the open to the northeast of Pegu. But the 4Es didn�t fly.

There was no Land Action this turn.

It appears that my opponent removed weak or beat-up LCUs out of Rangoon and is now ready to make a stand there. I�m going to try an Artillery Attack next turn in order to measure the strength of his Defences.

Otherwise, now I�ll post the Intel Screen for October 1, 1943, and then the Maps of the key Theatres.

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< Message edited by ADB123 -- 9/25/2012 2:05:30 AM >

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Post #: 949

Burma Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:06:31 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in Burma:

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Post #: 950

China Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:07:25 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in China. Nothing has changed for months:

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Post #: 951

Far North Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:08:20 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in the Far North. Nothing has changed here for months:

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Post #: 952

Northern Oz Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:09:11 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in Northern Oz - "Sitzkrieg":

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Post #: 953

NE Oz PNG Solomons Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:10:35 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in northeastern Oz, PNG and the Solomons. I can bomb where I like:

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Post #: 954

South Pac Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:11:26 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in the South Pacific:

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Post #: 955

South Central Pac Oct 1 1943 - 9/25/2012 2:12:23 AM

ADB123

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Here's the situation in the Gilberts. It look as if Tarawa is unoccupied:

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Post #: 956

Bad Weather News - 9/26/2012 12:39:22 AM

ADB123

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October 1, 1943 �

The Night Phase started out with the dot base north of Luganville, Santa Maria, being auto-occupied by the Allies. Then bad news came from the ocean to the north of Geraldton in northwestern Australia that USS Puffer finally sank from the damages it received in an Air Attack near Java.

Bad News continued for the Allies as Bad Weather washed out Air Missions everywhere, and scattered the Air Attacks where they weren�t grounded. And of course the Bad News compounded in Burma as the 4Es sat out the day again while the 2Es went off in scattered attacks against the Japanese Troops that are retreating towards Pegu.

And of course, with the 4Es and the Long Range Escorts washed out, what should the Japanese do but send a huge number of fighters on LR CAP over those troops to the northeast of Pegu. The first Allied Air Attack had one fighter squadron on escort, and those P-36 Mustang Pilots did their best to keep the Japanese Fighters off of the 2Es. But subsequent 2 Es attacks were so lucky. Never-the-less, all of the Attacks hit the Japanese Troops with the first Attack being the strongest.

Meanwhile, out in the South Pacific the B-25 and the B-24 squadrons hit Ndeni again but it was small consolation for the day in Burma.

And to finish off the day in Burma in a consistent manner, the Allied Artillery Attack at Rangoon ended up receiving a heavier Counter-Battery Attack than what the Allied fired off, despite the Allies having general Ground Superiority.

Ground combat at Rangoon (54,53)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 44548 troops, 663 guns, 1153 vehicles, Assault Value = 1872

Defending force 30889 troops, 412 guns, 211 vehicles, Assault Value = 1052

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

Allied ground losses:
370 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
77th Chindit Brigade
11th (East African) Division
20th Indian Division
268th Motorised Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
43rd Cavalry Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
17th Indian Division
29th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
3rd INA Azad Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
14th Division
1st INA Subhas Regiment
4th INA Nehru Regiment
32nd Division
20th/C Division
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
17th Army
5th Field AF Construction Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
7th Field AF Construction Battalion
8th RF Gun Battalion

One has to wonder what the situation might have been if the 4Es hadn�t been rained out two days in a row.

Oh yes, and in one more trivial success, the Liberator IIs returned to Port Blair and hit the Air Base again in the absence of any CAP. I�ll have to remember to send them elsewhere next turn so that they don�t get ambushed again.

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Post #: 957

The Weather Gods Frown Again - 9/28/2012 1:53:45 AM

ADB123

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October 2, 1943 �

There was no Night Action this turn.

Daylight brought Really Bad Weather all over the map and most Allied Air Missions were scrubbed.

Of course, Murphy�s Law tells us that the Wrong Mission will always fly, so 23 PB4Y-1s flew over to bomb the Air Base at Lunga and found 32 A6M3as on CAP. The USN Liberators are far from the Death-to-Fighters planes that their Army Cousins are, so they had a tough time going in. Never-the-less, the Navy Libs still managed to shoot down some of their attackers while hitting their target too. The End-of-Day losses were as follows:

PB4Y-1s � 10 A-to-A, 2 Ops

A6M3as � 5 A-to-A, 5 Ops

There had been no sign of planes at Lunga before the mission, and there was no sign afterwards. So together with those Ops losses this suggests strongly that the A6M3as were flying LR CAP from somewhere further away. Never-the-less, the PB4Y-1s were set back to Naval Search. The next time I send Bombers to Lunga they will be the Real Big Boys.

And about half of the usual B-25s and B-24D1s flew to hit Ndeni. My opponent isn�t bothering to try to LR CAP that base.

Off in Burma the Weather Gods frowned upon the Allied Air Forces for the third day in a row. The 4Es didn�t fly, the Fighter Sweeps didn�t fly, the LR CAP didn�t fly and most of the 2Es didn�t fly. A couple of backwater 2E squadrons did fly and hit the Japanese troops in the jungle to the east of Mandalay.

So at the end of the day I waited for my Troops on the road to Pegu to Attack the Japanese Troops on the Road, but they didn�t. The Japanese were able to sneak away to Pegu because there were no Bomber Attacks to slow them down. My troops are now marching to Pegu. I�ve re-set the 4Es to hit the Air Base at Pegu next turn. It will be interesting to see if they fly after 3 days of rest, drinking, and playing cards.

BTW � Allied LR Recon found the Japanese Fighters � there are 175 Fighters at Ayuthia and 130 at Bangkok. Guess where my Bombers aren�t going�

(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 958

The Weather Gods Frown on Both Sides - 9/29/2012 1:44:37 AM

ADB123

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October 3, 1943 �

There was no Night Action again this turn.

Daylight brought plenty of Bad Weather Everywhere. Even my opponent commented upon it.

Some Missions did fly in Burma in the morning, including the odd 2E squadron bombing the Japanese troops to the east of Mandalay. Then in the afternoon the 4Es finally flew with one Escort squadron (why only one out of three from the same base? Ask the dice�). There was no Japanese CAP over Pegu and the Air Base was hammered deep into the ground.

My guess as to my opponent's sudden dislike of Advanced Weather On is that he was expecting some of the 214 Japanese Fighters at Ayuthia and some of the 141 Japanese Fighters at Bangkok to fly, but none of them did.

In any event, it was a good thing that the 4Es hit Pegu because one of those Land Movement Mysteries occurred as a couple of smaller Allied Armoured Units raced ahead of the rest of the advancing Allied LCUs into the base. Up until now those Armoured Units tended to only move 1 day ahead of their compatriots, not 2 to 3 days ahead. In any event, I�m left with hoping that my opponent doesn�t try a massed Banzai Attack next turn.

Otherwise it was just another day of moving most of the Allied Forces steadily forwards.

(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 959

Facing the Enemy - 9/29/2012 9:12:59 PM

ADB123

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October 4, 1943 �

There was no Night Action again this turn.

Daylight brought Morning Flights for a change. The Allied 2Es in Burma attacked the Japanese Troops that are to the east of Taung Gyi and caused a surprisingly large number of casualties. Then the 4Es hammered the Air Base at Moulmein. There was still a fair amount of Flak at Moulmein which indicates that there still is a fair amount of Supply there.

In the South Pacific the only action was an attack by the same B-25 squadron on the Japanese Troops at Ndeni.

I had two surprises at the end of the day. First off, the Japanese Troops at Pegu didn�t attempt to drive off my two early-bird Armoured Units. The next surprise was that all of my other Advancing Units made it to Pegu this turn. There must be some sort of Speed Enhancement along that stretch of Road.

In any event, with the entire Force in place I ordered a Deliberate Attack for next turn. I also ordered my 4Es to do a Ground Attack on the Japanese Troops at Pegu. It will be interesting to see what happens.