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Moresby Melee - 10/29/2014 2:25:08 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		May 4th to May 10th, 1943

North Pacific

Two big supply convoys offload at Onnekotan-jima and Paramushiro-jima, and the minefield at Paramushiro-jima is topped off as well.

Other than that, this theater persists in being quiet.

Central Pacific

Following the destroyer bombardment of Tabiteuea on April 20th, the Allies know where the Wake CD unit is. I'm debating moving the CD unit elsewhere, possibly to somewhere in SWPAC, though it is easy for the unit to be cut off there.

The Pacific has been very quiet these few turns, the main show has been further south.

South-West Pacific

Major Allied shipping movements along the Austrailian coast culminate in a landing at Port Moresby. The American carriers disapeared on May 9th, which had me worried that they'd slipped through the Torres Straits, but on the 10th, they appeared offshore of Port Moresby, along with much of the USN. My defences, however, were well prepared.

The Allies have stuck their hand right into the lion's jaw - there are several large airbases within easy range of Port Moresby, and the Allies pay the price for landing so close to major Japanese bases without any preparatory moves (night bombing raids on Buna or Hansa Bay, for example, would have found those bases pretty close to capacity) when daylight comes.

The Allies open the engagement with several sweeps over Port Moresby itself, which catches several leakers from the CAP over Buna and gives them a good drubbing. At this point of the war, Zero's, Oscars and Tojo's can't really cut it against Corsairs and Hellcats. Thankfully the next generation of aircraft are well on their way.

After the slaughter of the leaky CAP, the Japanese mount several successful strikes on the Allied CVE task force:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 31
B5N2 Kate x 27
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 31

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 116

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 8 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 4 destroyed by flak
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Prince William
CVE Altamaha, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Idaho
CVE Long Island, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Nassau
CVE Suwannee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 108 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 23
G4M1 Betty x 20
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 22

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 91

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 11 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Prince William
BB Idaho
CVE Suwannee, Torpedo hits 2
CVE Chenango
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 88 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 30
G3M3 Nell x 29

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 62

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed, 17 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Suwannee
CVE Chenango, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Blue
CVE Nassau
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 12
B5N2 Kate x 28
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 21

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 42

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 9 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Prince William, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Suwannee, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CVE Nassau
BB Idaho

There are a whole plethora of smaller strikes that fail to score any real damage. A 48-sized squadron of Val's suffers something like a 90% casualty rate after failing to break through the CAP over the American fleet carriers, though a small strike of 8 Val's manages to get the Wasp and Yorktown in their bombsights - no hits, sadly.


Air losses. The low number of American carrier aircraft destroyed on the ground must have meant they've diverted to bases in OZ. Three CVE's are reported as being destroyed on the Sunk Ships screen - the VP losses from which will balance out our air losses today.


Following this, the Americans come ashore. The three units landed are identified as the 73rd RAAF Wing, and the US Army's 37th and 43rd Infantry Divisions. Opposing them is the Guards Mixed Brigade, defending behind level 4 forts. The 9th Ind. Mixed Brigade and the 70th Inf. Brigade are one hex to the east and will march for Port Moresby in an effort to keep the hex contested. The 52nd Division is at Buna, giving me about 1100 AV within 3 hexes of Port Moresby. Obviously, that number doesn't communicate the fact that the Japanese are pretty deficent in artillery and heavy weapons.

I've plenty of divisions in reserve in the Pacific, the reinforcement units for the Guards Mixed Brigade and another division from China are all free to be deployed to New Guinea. For the present, the Guards Mixed Brigade (26 fatigue, 63 disruption) will hold as best it can while the 9th Ind. Mixed and the 70th Inf. Brigades march to help them hold Port Moresby. The 52nd Division will march over the Owen Stanley's as soon as I can get a care-taker garrison to replace them at Buna.

Depending on how much of the Allied force got ashore will determine what happens. Two full US Army divisions should easily overcome the disrupted Guards Mixed Brigade and take the base. If the Allies do take the base, it is a priority that I retake it as quickly as possible. The good news is that I have Buna set up to enable quick unloads of amphib task forces and five divisions sitting idle on the Marianas.

The KB is still down for upgrades in Yokohama. The bulk of the upgrades will be finished in 3 days, but the Akagi and Kaga still have 12 days to go. I'm quite content to let my land-based aircraft in the SWPAC area carry on the brunt of the fighting - they've done a great job so far. The only help the IJN is lending at sea is the host of submarines that are moving in to pick of cripples or have a go at the carriers.

Despite the heavy losses in the air, I'm cycling in my second wave of strike aircraft. Fresh groups have been moved in, and shattered groups have been sent to the rear to start reconstructing. My aircraft pools are nearly all excellent, the only shortage being in A6M5's, which should solve itself shortly with the N1K1-J entering production.

I remarked to Lokasenna that he's gave me the battle I really wanted to fight: a grinding campaign where the terrain favours the defenders and geography that limits the usefulness of the USN's superiority. We'll see how things turn out.


The situation around Port Moresby. More Japanese aircraft and submarines are moving in to the area. I'm really starting to like the possibility of forcing the Allies into a grinding campaign to control Port Moresby.


DEI

Following the near-disaster of Operation Montcalm, things here have been quiet. There's a single Allied task force running into Merauke, and I've a trio of older destroyers set to intercept.

Seeing as the Arafura Sea is another possible Allied axis of advance, I've started building up Kai-eilanden to give me a strong blocking position for any moves northwards from Merauke.

China-Burma-India

A few reinforcement units arrive in China, including the a brigade that forms the other half of the division destined to be the stay-behind garrison on Truk and an artillery unit. The artillery is sent to make the long walk to Burma will the brigade is bought out for shipment to Truk.

I review Burma on May 8th. As Burma has been a zone completely devoid of action for several months, I decide to strip nearly all the IJA fighter groups of their trained pilots and replace them with rookies. A veteran core of fighter groups will fly day and night CAP over Magwe and Rangoon, but the vast bulk are transfered over to training duty.

My timing is perfect. The IJA pilots are returned to the reserve pool just in time for them to be drawn back out to replace pilot losses in New Guinea.

The reshuffle of ground units also continues. The Imperial Guards Division is being sent to Java rather than Victoria Point, while the 27th Division is moving from Burma to garrison Victoria Point - I may as well use the restricted troops for garrison duty and let the unrestricted troops go where they're needed.

Some of the unrestricted artillery units are to be withdrawn as well. The China Expeditionary Army artillery park is large enough that the loss of a half-dozen or so artillery units won't make a severe difference, and the need may get pressing on other fronts soon.

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 331
Wasp Stung - 10/31/2014 4:42:03 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		May 11th to May 15th, 1943

The bloodshed continues.

North Pacific

ZZZzzzZZZ

Central Pacific

The Wake CD unit is removed from Tabietuea, and I'll be replacing it shortly with a 30 AV SNLF unit with some 12 and 8cm DP guns. A poor replacement for 20cm guns, but far more suitable for an outpost that the Allies seem to no longer be interested in.

South-West Pacific

On the ground.

The Allies capture Port Moresby with ease on May 12th.

quote:

round combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 24638 troops, 422 guns, 493 vehicles, Assault Value = 768

Defending force 7557 troops, 51 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 179

Allied adjusted assault: 1868 - That's an impressive adjusted AV!

Japanese adjusted defense: 103

Allied assault odds: 18 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Port Moresby !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
2742 casualties reported
Squads: 97 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 78 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 25 (21 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
656 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
43rd Infantry Division
2/2nd Heavy AA Regiment
I US Corps
2/3rd Light AA Regiment
73rd RAAF Wing

Defending units:
Guards Mixed Brigade
2nd JNAF AF Unit


The defeated units are marching back to Buna to regroup, and the Guards Mixed Brigade (now the 1st Guards Division) will take over garrison duties at Buna while it reinforces up to it's divisional strength. The 9th Ind. Mixed and the 70th Inf. Brigades will entrench in the hex directly east of Port Moresby, while the 52nd Division will occupy the hex North-east of Port Moresby. I need to hold these two hexes till additional reinforcements arrive.

They're not far off. One division has already left Shanghai for Truk and there's a Infantry Group waiting ten days to be reinforced to divisional strength at Nagoya. I'm pulling two more brigades from the Lower Solomons - one from the Russell Islands and another from Tassarafaronga. When in position and combined, this should give me four divisions and two brigades, as well as the trashed 1st Guards Division holding the line at Buna. I'm flying two IJA Raiding Regiments in as well, with the intention of using them on "hex-side control flipping" duty.

There's also going to be an effort to start reinforcing the area behind Buna as well. Naval Guards or SNLF units are destined for the bases around Lae to protect against paratrooper attacks, and I'll see if I can scrounge some aviation support to turn them into small fighter bases.

Umboi Island is also going to be occupied and built into an offensive airbase to deny the Allies the use of the Vitiaz and Dampier Straits. The Wake CD unit is being sent here to that effect, as are engineers from the DEI and I'll scrounge some aviation support from Okinawa or the Home Islands to turn this base into a nice thorn for any Allied advance up the New Guinea coast.

In the air.

After the sharp combat on May 10th that led to the destruction of several American CVE's, the air war over Port Moresby became quite calm - I hadn't anticipated that the Allied carriers would stick around. And stick around they did.

May 11th to May 14th saw only minor air combat, with Japanese night bombing raids on Port Moresby to keep the airbase damaged, and Allied night-time raids on Buna, Hansa Bay and Rabual and day-time raids on Milne Bay. A few Japanese fighters swept Port Moresby on the 13th and 14th and met with some Allied carrier fighters in a small-scale engagement.

That changed drastically on May 15th, when the Japanese land-based aircraft, after spending four days regrouping and resting, struck back. The CAP over the American carriers was very strong: several smaller strikes were completely wiped out before reaching the ships. Even worse, 48 dive bombers based from Buna failed to sortie, meaning that the Japanese were limited to conducting torpedo attacks only.

After a morning filled with heavy losses in the air and bitter disapointment, the Japanese struck gold when a large raid departed Buna in the afternoon to strike at the American carriers:

quote:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Portland Roads at 95,132

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 57
B5N2 Kate x 74
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 29

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 50
F4U-1 Corsair x 5
F6F-3 Hellcat x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 4 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 27 destroyed, 9 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 7 destroyed by flak
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise
CV Wasp, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Hornet, Torpedo hits 2, on fire Might be in the yards for a bit
BB Washington
CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 1
BB Indiana

Fuel storage explosion on CV Wasp - Two torpedos and the fuel alight? Bye bye Wasp I think...


126 B5N2 kates were lost, along with 23 Lily dive-bombers and around 55 Army and Navy fighters. Total Japanese losses on May 15th ammounted to 216 planes. Over the past 10 days, over 600 Japanese aircraft have been destroyed.

However, almost all the losses, both in terms of airframes and pilots, can be replaced. In exchange, the Wasp is very likely sunk, and damage has been dealt to two other American fleet carriers.

This news is even better when considering that the majority of the KB has finished upgrading and is now free to oppose any other deployment of the American fleet carriers - something I feel much more confident about doing now that the Allies are down one CV and a couple CVE's.

Most of my squadrons are very beat up following the past week or so of action, so as a result most are pulling back to Rabual and Hansa Bay to rest and take replacement planes and aircraft. A couple of completely wrecked squadrons are being sent all the way back to the Marianas to rebuild. 48 Vals are sitting at Buna to cover any Allied attempts to reinforce Port Moresby, and about 70 IJN 2E bombers are on the runways at Hansa Bay in case the Allies want to come back out to play.

I hope they do.

At sea.

The only significant naval action of the American landing at Port Moresby was the attempt to get a squadron of 4 IJN destroyers amongst the amphibious ships on May 12th. It went poorly:

quote:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Shimakaze, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage - Sunk later in the day
DD Harusame
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Umikaze, Shell hits 1, heavy fires

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis
CA Northampton
CA Chester, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage - Took two torpedos later from a IJN sub: likey sunk
CA Louisville
CA Wichita, Shell hits 1
CL Cleveland, Shell hits 1
CL Columbia, Shell hits 1
CL Montpelier, Shell hits 2
DD Aulick, Shell hits 2
DD Stanly
DD Kalk, Shell hits 1
DD Carmick

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 1 - Was very nearly safe, until carrier SBD's put a bomb in her. Sunk.
DD Umikaze, Shell hits 22, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 1
CA Northampton
CA Louisville
CA Wichita
CL Cleveland
CL Columbia
CL Montpelier
DD Aulick, Shell hits 1
DD Stanly
DD Kalk
DD Carmick


The end result was the IJN trading four destroyers for an American heavy crusier. Not an ideal rate of exchange, but not poor enough for me to complain about it too much.

The IJN submarine fleet has performed quite poorly, I suspect as a result of high ASW skills on the American carrier pilots.

4 IJN submarines were lost between May 13th and May 15th, with only two torpedos in the Chester to show for it. The Ro-66 nearly made up for it all, however, when it found pretty target on May 13th:

quote:

Sub attack near Port Moresby at 96,131

Japanese Ships
SS RO-66, hits 8, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga
BB South Dakota
BB North Carolina
CLAA San Juan
CLAA San Diego
DD Duncan
DD Monssen
DD Selfridge
DD Meade
DD Frazier


Alas, it was not to be.

In light of the events of May 15th, I'm still keeping a few submarines on station. A large number of them are suffering from Allied ASW: a half-dozen submarines are transiting back to Manila to repair damage dealt by depth charges or 500lb bombs, but there's five or six subs still on station or in the area that stand a chance of winning the jackpot - their odds just went up seeing as there's now two American fleet carriers with extra ventilation holes in their hulls.

DEI

Since the closure of Operation Montcalm, things have turned quiet here again. I'm debating disbanding the Mini-KB: send the CV's and CVL's (and the Hosho) to join the KB and form the slow CVE's into a big ASW carrier group that goes hunting after Allied subs. Thoughts on this?

The Allies have built Tennant Creed in Austrailia up to a size 7 airbase. While I still have a few squads acting as a caretaker garrison in Austraila, it's a sign that the Allies might be ready to have a go to recapture it.

China-Burma-India

I'm shifting the Manchurian pilot training program to China. They can train just as well in Chungking and Chengtu than in Manchuria, but in China they can act as a deterent against strategic bombing from Ledo.

Allied bombers come after Mandalay, bombing the airbase and manpower. There's plenty of flak there, and the Allies lose more than they destroy, and they only destroy a few Dinah's on the ground. At present, my air defence in Burma is focused around Rangoon and Magwe - the Allies can bomb anything else to their hearts content.

Otherwise, things are quiet here.


Two torpedo impacts and a fuel storage explosion. What are the chances of the Wasp making it safely to port?

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 332
RE: Wasp Stung - 10/31/2014 6:28:40 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		Well done. Don't get victory disease!

If you have lost 600 planes, what do you estimate Allied losses at?

Wasp is pretty close to toast...watch the plane losses screen!

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 333
RE: Wasp Stung - 10/31/2014 6:35:03 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Well done. Don't get victory disease!

If you have lost 600 planes, what do you estimate Allied losses at?

Wasp is pretty close to toast...watch the plane losses screen!


100-150? Give or take.

(in reply to Lowpe)
Post #: 334
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/5/2014 11:45:47 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		May 16th to May 25th, 1943

The only motivation I have to update this AAR at times is to prevent Lokasenna's from being above mine.

There's a long post because there's been a great deal of map staring.

North Pacific

Off Hokkadio, there's a wolfpack of three or so USN subs that have been feasting from the local resource convoys. Subchasers and ASW air aren't doing much good in hunting them down, but there's not much else to be done - it's the toll that must be paid at this point in the war.

I also dropped some fresh mines at Paramushiro-jima. The minelayer Tsugaru takes a torpedo from one of the USN subs when she's one hex from Ominato, and everything looks hopeless with FLT damage in the 90's. Despite this, she still manages to make port, and repairs are progressing well.

Central Pacific

I've started on a gradual redeployment of troops here as more reinforcements start to arrive. A 100 AV Garrison unit is to be removed from Mili and transfered to SWPAC, leaving some 300 AV on the island behind level 6 forts.

I'm at last getting around to getting that 210 AV brigade off Tabiteuea and sent to Ponape. Moving a in 70 AV SNLF to replace it and keep the total AV on Tabiteuea around the 300 mark. In turn, I can send a Naval Guard currently on garrison duty at Ponape to SWPAC to guard against paradrops.

The first half of the 65th Division arrives at Babeldoab, and the second half is en-route. The 65th is a crappy unit, but it's there to make sure the Allies need to land on Babeldoab for real and don't kill the CD guns on the cheap. Peleliu is still in need of a garrison, however.

The bulk of the KB (minus Kaga and Akagi, who should be back within a week) are at Truk, ready to respond to the next Allied strike.

South-West Pacific

In the air

May 16th and 17th are pretty poor days for Japan. Even more so as they came right on the heels of the success of May 15th.

A massive daylight raid on Buna on the 16th, escorted by P-38's, blasted through the CAP and trashes the airbase on both days, putting it out of action for nearly two weeks and destroying numerous Japanese planes on the ground. Despite the airbase being completely blasted, the Allies come back on the 17th and trash the airbase all over again.

The net result is that there's several good airgroups without their full compliment of planes to fly, and what planes that survived are trapped until they can be repaired.

This more or less destroys the keystone of my airbase network in the SWPAC area, leaving only Lae and Kiriwina Island up and running to defend the skies, and leaving me down several good fighter groups.

Despite this massive victory, the Allies don't capitalize: from May 17th to May 25th there are no follow up raids on Buna, nor on the abundant Japanese shiping in the region. The sole exception is a B-25 raid on Milne Bay. This was a pretty big oppertunity wasted, in my book, as the Allies had the chance to systematically shut down every airbase I have close to Port Moresby.

It takes me till May 22nd to muster any sort of offensive power, with a mix of IJN and IJA fighters sweeping Port Moresby after the Allies move some fighters in. There's a mixed bag of American Airacobra's and Austrailian Kittyhawk's and Spitefires. We break even, losing about 12 aircraft each, and the following turn the Allies withdraw their fighters.

It takes till May 25th to repair the runway damage at Buna (the service damage is still at 100), so I fly in some 60 fighters in the hope of giving the engineers enough time to try to get the airbase back in operation. There's some 70 airframes damaged on the ground that I don't want to lose unless I need to.

We'll see. I'm not holding my breath.

On the ground

There's a big troop reshuffle happening, unsuprisingly.

Our reinforcement convoys have been allowed to unload without any interuption, for which I'm glad: so many loaded troop transports so close to Allied air makes me nervous.

I've about three divisions worth of units within 1 hex of Buna, but my original plan of keeping the Port Moresby hex contested isn't going to work: the IJA units are already suffering from supply shortages when they're sitting idle one hex away from Buna, so I'd hate to see how much supply they had under combat conditions.

So, suprise, suprise: my knee jerk reaction was completely unworkable and I've went back to the drawing board.

Instead, I'm going to form the crappy 64th Division and leave it defending Buna and start consolidating the bases northward with the rest of my reinforcements. The trashed 1st Guards Division will go to Hansa Bay to rebuild, the 9th Ind. Mixed Brigade will be sent to Hollandia to start shoring up the rear and I've not decided what I'm going to do with the 52nd Division.

As well as consolidation, there's also been the start of a phased withdrawal. The Solomons have more or less became irrelevent now that the Allies have Port Moresby, so I've started stripping the Guadalcanal complex of AA, artillery and most of it's aviation support. The garrison units, the 60th Divison on Guadalcanal and an SNLF on Tulagi, will remain to deny the Allies the airbases unless they come and take them.

Where is everything going to go?

Manus, Hansa Bay and the Hollandia/Aitape region. When the Allies break past New Britain, I want them to be met with tManus and Hansa Bay sitting right in their path. Once they've pushed past that, I want the Hollandia/Aitape area to be a thorny problem for them to deal with before the Allies can start considering an assault on the Marianas.

I've been ramming Buna full of engineers in an effort to get the base operational, or at the very least make it difficult to suppress. Once the damage is mostly repaired, I'll start pulling engineer units off to go building forts and airbases further up New Guinea

At sea

As part of this withdrawal, I had sent some ships loading AA and artillery from Guadalcanal . Sure enough, the USN got wind of it and sent some Fletcher's to interfere on May 21st. They had a pretty bad day, however:

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 114,138, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Isonami
DD Murakumo
DD Uranami, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
DD Abbot
DD Bache
DD Conway
DD Eaton
DD Jenkins
DD LaVallette, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Philip
DD Strong, Shell hits 1
DD Taylor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 265 encounters mine field at Lunga (114,138)

Allied Ships
DD Taylor, Mine hits 1
DD Abbot, Mine hits 1, heavy damage



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 114,138, Range 29,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
DD Akatsuki
DD Isonami
DD Murakumo
DD Uranami

Allied Ships
DD Abbot, heavy damage
DD Bache
DD Conway
DD Eaton
DD Jenkins
DD LaVallette
DD Philip
DD Strong
DD Taylor

Allies use radar to avoid combat.


As the withdrawal from Guadalcanal is not yet complete, I've a second convoy en-route to pick up most of the aviation support, and I've send the four Kongo's as company to see if I can't pull the same trick twice.

DEI

I've been focusing too much on the SWPAC aspect of the war, and I have to remember that the DEI is actually on the frontline as well.

A single ship TF is reported west of Sumatra on May 22nd, but it's gone on the 23rd. I've a big fear of carrier strikes from this flank, so I've sent some picket PB's from Singapore to keep a closer watch.

The Allies run a convoy into Gove. IJN Nells interfere with bombs and torpedos, but only sink a single LST.

Efforts to build up Kai-aladeen (or whatever) are being hampered by B-24 raids. We stage a CAP trap for them, but don't have much to show for it. I'd rather have them bombing an empty base under construction that bombing Buna or Hansa Bay.

I'm keeping a close eye on this area, as the Allies are starting to move close to Darwin.

China-Burma-India

China is re-opened as an active theater as Chindits take Kashgar by paratrooper! Kashgar is at the very edge of the map, so there's no real threat here, but I'll send some reinforcements to Urumchi just in case.

A bunch of engineer units arrive as reinforcements. They've promptly been bought out and sent to the Philippines to start work on the Manila line.

Quiet elsewhere.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 11/6/2014 12:47:14 AM >

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 335
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/6/2014 12:23:21 AM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		Question: Is it worth sending the Wake CD, along with some ground troops, to Umboi Island?

Does trying to pass Umboi Island lead to CD gunfire?

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 11/6/2014 1:45:47 AM >

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(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 336
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/6/2014 9:08:06 AM   
Encircled


Posts: 2024
Joined: 12/30/2010
From: Northern England
Status: offline 		Anyone know? It appears to be a key defensive Plan for number of AARs

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(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 337
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/6/2014 12:24:17 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		I am pretty sure it does. Not 100% sure mind you. Just pretty sure.

6.8 COAST GUN FIRE AT PASSING TASK FORCES
Every time a TF enters an enemy base hex, enemy coastal guns in the hex may fire at the
ships in the TF. This can occur whether the TF has the enemy base hex as its destination, or is passing through the hex on its way to another location. TFs will generally try to avoid moving through enemy base hexes when selecting their movement paths so as to avoid this kind of attack, if possible. A TF ordered to move to Manila (43,52) would find that it must move through the Bataan (42,51) hex to get to Manila. This will allow the coastal guns of Bataan to shoot at these ships as they sail by.

< Message edited by Lowpe -- 11/6/2014 1:26:46 PM >

(in reply to Encircled)
Post #: 338
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/10/2014 1:36:35 AM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		May 26th to June 1st, 1943

Well, another milestone: we're half-way through 1943. On the whole, I think things aren't looking too bad. The Allies have only taken a couple of bases, and they're not that much closer to Tokyo than they were at the start of 1943. What's worrying is that the tempo is bound to increase as the Allies get stronger.

North Pacific

Allied subs are still a pain up here. There's the usual couple of ASW contacts per turn, but the tuna-boat fleet up here doesn't have the means or the ability to actually kill a USN fleet sub.

The only damage done to any Allied submarine these past few turns has been to the S-34, which got brave and decided to venture into the Paramushiro-jima hex to take a shot at a dinky 1VP CMc and sailed right into a mine.

Central Pacific

Our troop reshuffle goes off without a hitch: there's now some 12cm and 8cm DP guns on Tabiteuea, and there's 210 AV en-route to Ponape to act as a garrison. There are still more moves to be made, a 110 AV garrison unit is to be shifted to Manus Island, and a Naval Guard unit needs transfered from Tarawa to Makin.

With all the action being in SWPAC recently, this theater has been pretty thin on air assets. That's ending now, as some rather beat up squadrons are being rotated to bases in the Marshalls to get some R&R and do a little training.

South-West Pacific

New Guinea

The Allies continue to hammer Buna, but I'm able to evacuate every air-group from the trashed base thanks to a brave few xAK's loading damaged planes aboard and some even braver pilots on LRCAP over the base and ships. The Allies have another few runs at keeping the base suppressed, but they seem to be losing interest now that there's not upwards of fifty aircraft trapped there.

There's been sweeps of Milne Bay, as well as a big cruiser bombardment on May 29th:

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Milne Bay at 101,133

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 4 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 13 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Exeter
CA Cornwall
CA Salt Lake City
CL Honolulu
CL Nashville

Japanese ground losses:
196 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Airbase hits 25
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 88
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 3

CA Exeter firing at Milne Bay
CA Cornwall firing at Milne Bay
CA Salt Lake City firing at Milne Bay
CL Honolulu firing at Milne Bay
CL Nashville firing at Milne Bay


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Milne Bay at 101,133

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Wichita
CA Louisville
CA Indianapolis
CL Montpelier
CL Cleveland

Japanese ground losses:
119 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 16
Port hits 14

CA Wichita firing at 2nd Garrison Unit
CA Louisville firing at Milne Bay
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Indianapolis
CA Indianapolis firing at Milne Bay
CL Montpelier firing at Milne Bay
CL Cleveland firing at Milne Bay


I had spotted this force on the 28th, and tried to get some Betties to sortie from Shortlands at the crusiers, but they couldn't find the target. I've a 14 plane fragment of Nicks at the base, as well as some Jakes doing naval search, so I'm quite happy to let the Allies blast away. Hopefully the Allies will wander back into range again.

On the ground, repositioning is still on-going. The air evacuation from Kiriwina Island is about half-way complete, and the 1st Guards Division is lounging around on the shores of Hansa Bay. The 15th Division and the 9th Ind. Mixed Bd have started to march to Lae overland, joined by some aviation support and the 8th Area Army HQ. These units will start filling the gap between Lae and Hollandia. It's not the quickest method of moving, but there's not much choice when the Allies can hit transport shipping loading at Buna with ease.

Umboi Island has became a level 1 airbase, and work will continue. There's no aviation support on it yet, but that should be solved shortly.

Solomons

A nice little knife-fight ends up developing around Guadalcanal, as Lokasenna evidently clues in to my evacuation.

My little trick of sending the Kongo's to throw their weight around works wonders on May 27th.

quote:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 114,138, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
DD Hamakaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
CL Denver
DD Fletcher
DD Chevalier
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Sterett
DD Wilson


Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 39% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 27,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 27,000 yards -
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 13,000 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
...
Task forces break off... Damned radar, the Denver sunk would have been nice.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 114,138, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1 A couple points of minor damage.
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
BB Kirishima
DD Hamakaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Tanikaze, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Bache
DD Conway, Shell hits 2
DD Eaton, Shell hits 1
DD Jenkins
DD Philip
DD Strong, Shell hits 10, on fire


Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 39% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 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
...
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Lunga at 115,138, Range 29,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 2
BB Haruna, Shell hits 2
BB Hiei, Shell hits 1
BB Kirishima
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 4
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Bache
DD Conway, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Eaton, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
DD Jenkins
DD Philip, Shell hits 1
DD Strong, Shell hits 7

Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 29,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 29,000 yards
BB Kirishima engages DD Eaton at 29,000 yards
BB Hiei engages DD Eaton at 29,000 yards
BB Kirishima engages DD Eaton at 29,000 yards
Taylor, E.B. orders Allied TF to disengage Taylor, E.B is a clever man!
...
Task forces break off...


It's good to take out a couple of Fletcher's. The Allies may get more than they'll ever need, but I'll sink them when I can.

Somehow, on the 28th, the Denver and company manage to dodge the Kongo's with their radar and plaster the airbase at Lunga:

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Lunga at 114,138

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 25 damaged
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-46-III Dinah: 15 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 46 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground
D3A2 Val: 12 damaged
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed on ground
D4Y1-C Judy: 20 damaged
D4Y1-C Judy: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CL Denver
DD Wilson
DD Sterett
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Chevalier
DD Fletcher

Japanese ground losses:
305 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 17 (3 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 69
Port fuel hits 1

CL Denver firing at Lunga
DD Wilson firing at Lunga
DD Sterett firing at Lunga
DD Ralph Talbot firing at Lunga
DD Chevalier firing at Lunga
DD Fletcher firing at Lunga


The losses are the usual inflated results from FOW, but the airbase is closed, and kept closed by 4E raids from the New Hebrides. Tassafaronga and Tulagi were left alone and operational.

It's for the best that the Kongo's didn't engage on the 28th, as they'd used up all their main gun ammo the previous day, and trying to fight Fletcher's and a Cleveland with the 15cm secondary armament seems a pretty poor idea to me.

With the Kongo's headed to Truk to re-arm, I move in two crusier task forces to the Guadalcanal area: the two Tone class crusiers and a lighter force of the Natori, Kuma and Kiso. There job is to protect a convoy trying to load troops from Tulagi. Both are in position by the 30th.

May 31st finds both these forces off-shore of Guadalcanal, with an American carrier force to their east! Thanks to the weather, or sheer luck, there's no American strike on the 31st, so the IJN has a chance to react, rather than being sunk outright.

While the option to run away exists, I decide to take a gamble, and send the Natori, Kuma and Kiso to try and get a night-time intercept on the American ships and then disband at the Stewart Island dot hex to dodge the daylight strike from the carriers. The two Tone's are ordered to make their escape towards Rabaul at full speed.

June 1st is a disapointment: the plucky IJN light crusiers don't get an intercept during the night, and they don't disband into the dot hex (my fault). The American carriers get another chance to do what they missed on the 31st:

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Stewart Island at 116,139

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 54
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 14
SBD-3 Dauntless x 36
SBD-5 Dauntless x 31

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Asanagi, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Kuma, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kiso, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Natori
DD Hatakaze
DD Matsukaze
DD Yunagi

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
19 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Kiso


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Stewart Island at 116,139

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 31

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Kuma, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kiso, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Natori
DD Hatakaze
DD Matsukaze

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

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Kuma
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Kiso


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Stewart Island at 116,139

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 16

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Kuma, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Kiso, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Yunagi
DD Hatakaze

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Stewart Island at 116,139

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 72
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 14
SBD-3 Dauntless x 63

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Hatakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Yunagi
CL Kiso, and is sunk
DD Asanagi, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DD Matsukaze

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
18 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
17 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hatakaze
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Kiso
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Asanagi


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


Somehow, the Natori emerges unharmed, along with two destroyers. The destroyer Hatakaze, nursing a bomb hit, is slowed but still capable of escape. As the American fleet has moved south-west, the remaining ships have a clear run at escape northwards.

Based on the number of planes and my naval search, I'd guess there's likely five American carriers working together.

Operation Ke

Lokasenna has commited carriers in an effort to disrupt the evacuation of Guadalcanal. I've dispatched the KB from Truk, and should meet up west of Narau Island around June 6th. Once regrouped, the KB will act as a deterent to Allied efforts to interfere with the evacuation of units from Guadalcanal.

While Lunga airbase is useless (and will be for some time), Tassafaronga, Tulagi and the Russell Islands are all in working condition.

My goal is to present Lokasenna a choice: interfere with the evacuation of Guadalcanal at the risk of exposing his fleet carriers to both land-based and carrier-based air strikes or to let me withdraw my carriers in peace. Either one is fine to me.

DEI

Gove now has a level 1 port. I'll try to get some IJA bombers escorted by Oscars to interfere in the next few turns.

In a very amusing coup-de-main, the Allies take Tarakan by sub. I'd removed the AF unit from Tarakan and Miri to shore up the Lower DEI area and hadn't got around to replacing it. Thankfully the oil isn't damaged, and there's a Naval Guard en-route to re-take the base. I'm running a garrison Bn in to Miri at full speed to stop the same thing from happening twice.

China-Burma-India

The Allied paratrooper offensive in the Far-West of China continues. The Allies take Wasu, but fail to take Urumchi from the Cavarly Bde garrisoning the base. The Allies will need to fly more in to take the base, which I think they're likely to do. Lokasenna doesn't have a China to transport supply into, so he can use his transport aircraft to support this absurdly amusing operation in Western China from bases in India.

I'm sending a single tank regiment to Urumchi, but it will be a while before it arrives. Losing Urumchi is no great loss: nothing was flowing out of it anyways, and if the Allies are serious about re-opening China from the West, I'll concentrate some units around Lanchow and let the Allies run a campaign 21 hexes from their supply source.

Burma starts to heat up! Chindits drop at Prome, and despite catching a Thai regiment resting, they fail to take the base. Some tanks and a IJA paratrooper unit are quick to respond, and things don't look too good for the 111th Chindit Brigade.

In the north, the Chinese have another go at cracking the IJA 10th Division:

quote:

Ground combat at 61,41 (near Imphal)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42697 troops, 162 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1513

Defending force 13383 troops, 124 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 422

Allied adjusted assault: 299

Japanese adjusted defense: 772

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
524 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1572 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 246 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled

Assaulting units:
53rd Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
10th Division

Results like this are making me feel a good deal better about the Chinese mega-army forming inside India. Despite the 3-1 advantage in raw AV, the sole Japanese division can hold it's own.

However, it seems that there's 25 Chinese units marching on Myitkyina, but only 4 IJA divisions to oppose them. As a result, I'm pulling back units to concentrate on defending the railroad link to Myitkyina and trying to keep the Allied supply lines as long as possible. That's going to be difficult, seeing as there's a bunch of Allied transport aircraft with nothing to do, but I have to try...




Well, that was a long post.


The crusier Kuma. The crusiers of the IJN have been bearing the brunt of losses since the start of the war: 3 heavy crusiers and 11 light crusiers have been lost since the start of the war.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 11/10/2014 2:56:19 AM >

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(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 339
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/10/2014 11:28:47 AM   
Bullwinkle58


Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
I'm sending a single tank regiment to Urumchi, but it will be a while before it arrives. Losing Urumchi is no great loss: nothing was flowing out of it anyways, and if the Allies are serious about re-opening China from the West, I'll concentrate some units around Lanchow and let the Allies run a campaign 21 hexes from their supply source.



Urumchi is its own supply source.

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The Moose

(in reply to mind_messing)
Post #: 340
RE: Moresby Melee - 11/27/2014 7:46:06 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		June 2nd to June 15th, 1943

It's been quite a while since the last update, but the pace of the game has slowed somewhat. Still, we're half-way through 1943.

North Pacific

The Allies mount a few night raids on Paramushiro-jima with Navy B-26's. They don't do any damage, but the IJA AA Regiment stationed on the island damages a few. Flak, combined with the distance to target means the Allies abandon their attacks after a few nights.

It's effectively the first raid on the Home Islands from land-based aircraft, which is something to worry about.

Central Pacific

Quiet.

The draw-down from the Marshalls and Gilberts is almost complete. Ponape and Kusaie Islands both have decent garrisons, and I've even managed to send a unit all the way back to Yap to start building up troops there as well.

Guam airbase is built up to level 7, and work will continue till it's maxed out at a size 8 airbase. Construction of forts has stopped at level 7, but will resume once the work on the airbase is complete.

Work on Tinian has stopped: it's currently hosts a 1(1) port and a 5(4) airbase, with level 7 forts securing the island and a crack 97 EXP division with 460 AV serving as a garrison. The only thing Tinian needs now is some extra CD guns (only 20 8cm and 8 12cm guns defending the island) and aviation support. Another 200 or so AV wouldn't hurt either, and I've started running shuttles of minelaying TF's to build up the minefields around the base.

The engineers on Tinian are moving to Sapian, which is being built up to a 5(5) airbase with level 7 forts. The defences of Rota are complete, with the base sitting at 1(0) port and a 4(3) airfield with level 6 forts.

Work continues on Pagan, though the rest of the northern islands are being left undeveloped - there's no sense wasting supply developing small airbases when there are four larger ones within an 8 hex radius. They'll be garrisoned by token units, however. If I get the time, I may develop Anatahan into a 3(2) airbase, just to provide a solid fighter base between the northern and southern islands.

South-West Pacific

The evacuation of the Guadalcanal complex goes off without a hitch. The 26th Air Flotilla is flown out by aircraft, and the KB covers the withdrawal of the bulk of aviation support from the island.

Once the KB withdraws, the Allies send a monster surface combat force containing three heavy crusiers and two light crusiers to see what they can snap up, but they somehow avoid both the IJN cover force and the transports and no combat occurs.

Over New Guinea, the only action is a big sweep of Port Moresby by two big IJN fighter groups. They find a bunch of Hurricanes flying CAP over the base and proceed to slaughter them. This was a good feeling, as both of these groups had been badly mauled over Buna, and it was good to show Lokasenna that my air strength in the region has fully recovered.

DEI

The Allies re-occupy Darwin, destroying the fragment SNLF garrison. Gove has also became a size 2 airbase, so no doubt the Allies will be creeping closer to the DEI from this direction shortly.

Thankfully, I'm well positioned to block any advances through the Arafura Sea.

An interesting point of information was the I-38, patrolling off Portland, Austrailia, which spotted a CV and destroyers heading west. I've more subs en-route to see what is developing here.

China-Burma-India

Urumchi is still in Japanese hands, and there's rescue coming in the form of a tank regiment! It's only 750 miles away now!

Burma has remained quiet. The Chinese stack that made a tentative move into Burma has mirrored the movements of my troops and started to withdraw - no doubt we're both finding it impossible to keep troops supplied under combat conditions.

There's 100 ships and 37 units sitting idle in Colombo, which has me worried. I've been preparing for an Allied move from Sri Lanka to Sumatra or Burma, but I'm just not ready yet - the Andamans urgently need garrison troops to act as a speedbump.

Engineers are also ear-marked for Thailand to build up airbases linked by railroad for later in the war.


Question to the Gallery

On the topic of "later in the war", I'm clueless as to what to do once Burma falls. My first thought is to split my forces - half go to defend Malaya along the Georgetown-Patani axis, while the other half run for Northern Indochina, leaving token garrisons in Bangkok and Saigon.

From looking at the map, I don't really see how Thailand and Southern Indochina can be defended - any attempt to hold a frontline will just get cut off by Allied armoured stacks racing down the excellent road network.

I think the best bet to hold even some of Indochina would be to try to defend the jungle between Vinh and Hanoi. Thoughts?


Japanese service troops being withdrawn from Guadalcanal. Conducted in full view of the Allies but without any successful interference, it enabled a large number of Japanese units to be redeployed further north.


< Message edited by mind_messing -- 11/27/2014 8:50:55 PM >

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)
Post #: 341
RE: Moresby Melee - 12/5/2014 7:02:48 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		June 16th to 19th, 1943

Pretty much nothing has happened, so here's some maps and plans.

The DEI

I don't have the slightest idea as to what I'm doing here, but I've based my plan on the assumption that big airbases are a pain to take out, and geared by plans towards establishing some size 9 airbases right in the path of the Allied advance.

Since the Allies pushed my rear-guard out of Darwin and started working on securing the sea-lanes through the Arafura Sea, the DEI has slowly been coming under more and more danger.



The red hexes indicate the two cornerstones of my defence to the DEI - Manado and Makassar. Celebes seems to me a pretty strategic island, so having two size 9 airbases on it should be quite handy.

The green hexes are all my smaller bases, and the white bases represent my smaller outposts.

Makassar, despite being a clear hex, is close to my size 9 airbases on Soerabaja, and if I can free up the engineers, I may develop some of the bases north of it to support it. I'm also going to shift the Combined Fleet HQ from Kendrai to Makassar (Makassar is a 4(2) port, but Kendrai is a 3(2) port) and let Makassar serve as a forward base for the IJN.

Manado is also going to be built up for the purpose of thwarting any move northwards from Darwin through the Banda Sea. The dot hex directly to the north-east of Manado will be built up and garrisoned as well.

You can't see it on the map, but I'm also going to dig Balikipapan's airbase up to level 9 as well. This means if the Allies want to push north-west from Darwin towards Java, they'll be faced with four level 9 airbases (Makassar, Soerabaja, Balikipapan and a level 9 AF on the far eastern tip of Java, the name of which eludes me).


Kendrai is a level 5(5) airbase, and I don't think I'll build it any further. If the Allies smash through the Timor-Banda Sea defences, Kendrai will serve as a frontline base to take the punishment. Wuth a level 9 airbase at Makassar only 5 hexes away, I don't see the need to expend further supplies.

To the east, Bolea and Wagieo are both level 6 airbases, and Sorong is a level 5 base. The cluster of bases here are important, as they'll be a critical link between my defences in New Guinea and in the DEI. There's no garrison for Wagieo and Sorong has a token garrison force, so I'll need to get stuff moved here double-quick if the Allies start making moves against the Timor-Banda Sea line.

Ambon is a 4(3) airbase that just needs a garrison and some aviation support to be of great use in closing the gap between Kendrai and Bolea.

Babo is just a small 1(1) port and 2(2) airbase that exists to defend the 20 oil wells there, but it will make a decent base for fighters and some search planes to keep tabs on the Allies.

In the longer term, I hope to be able to occupy and dig up Ternate to a 4(3) airbase, just to fill in the gaps between by bases.

In an ideal world, I want the Eastern DEI to be secured from any northward thrust by two lines of defence. The first: Boela-Ambon-Kendrai-Makassar. The second: Manado-Ternate-Wagieo-Sorrong.

New Guinea/South-West Pacific

Something slightly different here.




As can be seen from the red bounded hexes, the New Britian Barrier will hopefully deter the Allies from pushing forward from their toehold at Port Moresby. If they do, they'll be forced to either hit the Lae-Finschafen-Umboi Island line that I'm developing, or try to worm their way around it. Either way, they'll be operating within range of several big Japanese airbases, which is fine with me.

The green hexes mark my second line here. Hansa Bay (AF at level 9) and Manus (a 5(5) airbase) should both be good roadblocks in the event that the Allies bulldoze their way through the Barrier. Kavieng should be marked green as well, as I've been slowly building that base up to AF size 6, in prepration for the day that Rabual is exposed.

The blue hexes are the third line. Hollandia is a 5(5) airbase. Atipae is undeveloped, but destined to be a 5(5) airbase as well. These two bases will be luckly to halt the Allied advance, but I think it will be worth it just to keep some depth to the defence.

After Hollandia and Atipae, there's no bases on New Guinea that I plan to develop. The area between Hollandia and Sorrong-Waigeo will be condeeded to the Allies.

My reasoning is that by the time Hollandia is in the hands of the Allies, the Japanese flank in the Central Pacific is well and truely exposed - the Allies can start bombing Truk and landings on the Carolines or around Babeldoab. Japanese bases at Biak or the surrounding region won't be of any use in preventing that, and the linear positioning of bases around Biak is just an invitation to get troops cut off.

Questions

So, am I crazy?

Defending the DEI and Northern New Guinea is pretty new to me, so I'd love to hear from folks that have been there and got the t-shirt...

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 12/5/2014 8:12:53 PM >

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Post #: 342
Preparing for Downfall - 12/13/2014 9:02:45 PM   
mind_messing

 

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Status: offline 		So I've two Downfall games on the go, and I've picked up quite a few things that I think will impact this game as well.

- China may be a back-water, but once the Allies start to push closer to the Home Islands, mainland China takes on more and more importance. I'll need to develop airbases around Hong Kong and Shanghai (to deny the Allies the use of the repairs yards) as well as around the Amoy/Foochow region (to provide bases to help defend Formosa).

- Aircraft and pilot pools are going to need to be deep. Very deep. Thankfully I've got a good stockpile of pilots at present, though production is lagging behind - I'm waiting for the first late-war airframes before I start jacking production up.

- Size 8 and 9 airbases are important to enable you to throw fighters en-masse against Allied bombers. The double aviation support also helps. I've had engineers in the Home Islands working on digging airfields in important hexes, as well as in those hexes that get a free static base force. The work isn't complete yet, but there are some restricted engineers in the reinforcement queue that should speed this along.

- If it's not a late-war fighter, it won't fare well in combat with the Thunderbolt and Mustang. Hence why I'm putting a lot into getting the Sam, Tony and Frank online as soon as possible. I'm also trying to pull the Ki-83, Ki-94, Shinden and Ki-201 forward in the hope that I'll be able to get enough of them up to beat off the inevitable mass Mustang/Thunderbolt sweeps.

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Post #: 343
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/13/2014 9:48:38 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		June 20th to July 1st, 1943

The war plods along slowly.

North Pacific

Situation is as usual up here.

The Allies are running regular recon runs over the three northern-most islands, so they've some idea of just how heavily entrenched I am here.

That said, the southern islands are somewhat more lightly held. Enough to defend against anything but an all-out attack, but I'll need to see about reinforcing Etorofu and Shimushiri-jima to about divisional strength by early '44.


The North Pacific Theater.


Central Pacific

Things have been quiet here as well. Besides the usual movement of supply to the more isolated islands, long-range submarines heading out from the Marshalls and the occasional reshuffling of air units, this theater is another back-water.

I've a pretty solid line of defence from Tabiteuea all the way back to Truk now. Most of the important islands with 6k stacking limits are well defended, and those islands with 30k stacking limits or unlimited stacking limits have at least a brigade behind some forts. The bases right on the frontline also have some CD guns, though in a few cases they're pretty lightweight 8cm or 12cm guns.

Further back at the Marianas, however, things are looking much, much different. Guam has been maxed out to a level 8 airbase, and engineers are now working on getting the forts maxed out at level 9. Work on the rest of the chain is winding down, so some of the engineers will be sent elsewhere.

In terms of troops, only Guam is as defended as I'd like it to be, but all the islands have at least one division defending them, though they're a bit short on artillery. With most of the Southern Army artillery train is sitting idle in Rangoon, I'm considering moving some of the better artillery units over to the Marianas.


The defenders of Guam. Sadly, none of these divisions are the crack formations freed from China, but even with just 55 EXP I'm confident they'll do well behind level 9 forts in x2 terrain!.


South-West Pacific

I move some aircraft back in to Hansa Bay, and the Allies start up their fustrating night-time raids that kill off a couple of IJA aircraft per night. I'll persist here, if only for a few more turns.

Having moved most of the aviation support off of Guadalcanal, I'm going to try to get two HQ units off as well. I'd like to get the 2nd Army and the 2nd Area Army HQ's off of Guadalcanal and redeployed further to the rear. The 2nd Area Army will serve as the Army HQ for the Marianas, and I think I'll send the 2nd Army HQ to the northern tip of New Guinea.

So far, I'm pretty amazed that Lokasenna has been content to sit and let me withdraw in peace. Besides the occasional sub attack, my withdrawal from Guadalcanal as been conducted without interference.


The situation in the South-West Pacific.


DEI

Work on the defences here continues. A big stack of engineers are hard at work developing Manado, and once that base is a size 9 AF they'll move south and start working on Makassar and Kendrai.

The cruiser Santa Fe sinks a picket PB boat west of Cocos Island - a very strange occurance that leads me to shift some more search assets to watch the Indian Ocean. Combined with the fact that I had a sub sighting on a CV heading west from Oz earlier in the month has me worried about this theater.

As a result, most of my air strength is concentrated around Java and Sumatra. I'll have good warning of any Allied move from Austrailia, so I just need to be vigiliant against a strike from the open ocean.

The KB has arrived safely in Soerabaja harbour to guard against any Allied moves in the region.

China-Burma-India

China remains a back-water.

Two Army HQ's are being transfered from Burma to the Marianas. I've an abundance of HQ's in this theater, most of which are restricted and belong to the China Expeditionary Army, so I can free up two unrestricted ones without much trouble.

I'm debating moving the Burma Area Army out of Burma as well, but I can't think where I'd move it too.

A few engineer units have been sent back to Thailand from Burma to start preparing those bases for the day that they end up on the frontline. My focus is on the Chiang-Mai/Bangkok axis, with another smaller base at Victoria Point/Chumphon.

The sooner these bases are developed, the happier I'll be, as the Allied strength in India appears to be growing, and the number of Allied units and ships sitting in harbour at Colombo is becoming worrysome.


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Post #: 344
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/13/2014 10:22:22 PM   
Lowpe


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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

So I've two Downfall games on the go, and I've picked up quite a few things that I think will impact this game as well.



I can barely keep up with 1 Downfall game.

Tony won't do well...



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Post #: 345
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/13/2014 10:54:48 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

So I've two Downfall games on the go, and I've picked up quite a few things that I think will impact this game as well.



I can barely keep up with 1 Downfall game.



I used the same first turn orders, so all I had to do was not make the same mistakes twice.

quote:

Tony won't do well...


The Ki-100's aren't there to do well, they're there to be an extra airframe with an SR of 1.

I've my CAP settings just about figured out for the late war. The Tojo's are the high CAP, seeing as they've got a rate of climb that's only beaten by the jet fighters. The Ki-100 Tony's will take the mid-altitude CAP - they'll be going for any bombers with their two centerline 20mm cannons. The Oscars will take the medium to low CAP to hopefully draw down any sweepers.

The IJN Jack's perform the same role as the Tojo on the high CAP, and the George with those 20mm cannons lends itself to being the bomber interceptor.

It's just a shame that all the good late-war airframes for Japan have those SR's of 3 and above, as I'd rather not waste HI on building planes that won't be competitive.

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Post #: 346
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 3:38:50 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
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Status: offline 		What do you think of this matchup? Of course, Randy would be joined by other fighters, too.




Attachment (1)

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Post #: 347
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 3:47:11 PM   
JocMeister

 

Posts: 8262
Joined: 7/29/2009
From: Sweden
Status: offline 		Dive and Speed are pretty much the only things that matter in the air model. Not sure which one is most important though as I´ve never sandboxed it. Unless you find out by yourself I can probably give you an answer next week.

My instinct says the P47s will rip the Randys to pieces though. I think the "evade" mechanic is closely tied to the speed and with almost a 100 MPH speed advantage...

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RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 4:11:01 PM   
Bullwinkle58


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quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Dive and Speed are pretty much the only things that matter in the air model. Not sure which one is most important though as I´ve never sandboxed it. Unless you find out by yourself I can probably give you an answer next week.

My instinct says the P47s will rip the Randys to pieces though. I think the "evade" mechanic is closely tied to the speed and with almost a 100 MPH speed advantage...


Look at the gun value differential. The Randy is a bomber-killer. Fighting P-47s with cannons is a bad deal.

_____________________________

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Post #: 349
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 4:40:04 PM   
JocMeister

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
Look at the gun value differential. The Randy is a bomber-killer. Fighting P-47s with cannons is a bad deal.


Good point.

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Post #: 350
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 4:49:30 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		I'm with Joc and Bullwinkle on this. The Randy belongs at a loweer level, where it can do good work with it's center-line cannons against bombers, not up at maximum altitude where the P-47/51's can out-run it and out turn it.

General thoughts on the Ki-102 line in general:

- Producing the Randy "a" fighter model is a bit of a waste. The 37mm cannon is a waste (adjusted accuracy of 6), and there are plenty of single-seat aircraft with center-line 20mm guns by the time that you could get the Randy "a" rolling off the production lines.

- If you're going to use the Randy for day-time work, it really should be the "b" fighter-bomber model. It comes 4 months before the "a" fighter model, has a much better main gun (57mm CL with adjusted accuracy of 8) as well as a pair of 250kg bombs. The "b" model is inferior in performance to the "a" model, but that shouldn't matter much when you're going up against bombers.

- In terms of IJA fighter-bombers, the Randy "b" is a pretty solid choice that should see you through to the end of the war and is far superior to any of the other late-war fighter-bomber models. The Ki-119 is too late of be of any real worth, though it does have a nice bomb-load. The Ki-93-Ib looks nice with its 75mm gun, but good luck getting hits with an adjusted accuracy of 6!

- However, there isn't (in my eyes, anyways) enough difference seperating it from the Ki-45 Nick line to merit R&D'ing the Randy "b". If you use fighter-bombers as anti-Fletcher attack aircraft and as bomber-killers as I do, there's not much to separate the Nick "c" model and the Randy "b" model other than a performance boost and a slightly upgraded main gun.

- The Randy "c" night-fighter seems very much worth the effort to get it as early as possible. Only IJA night fighter with radar.

For what it's worth, I intend to endure the Nick "c" till 11/44 rolls around then shift all my fighter-bombers to use the Randy "b". I'll be using them as I'm currently using my fighter bombers - anti-bomber CAP over major airbases.

Both the Randy "a" and "b" look pretty decent (abiet expensive) kamikazies,:

From the only time the Randy as seen action in my Downfall games, they did pretty well in a low naval attacks on soft-skinned destroyers - they've the guns, bombs and armour to do pretty well at that role (provided the training is there). If a few pilots decide to try and ram a ship, they're in a pretty solid airframe to do some damage.

The Randy "b"s that I build will end up being on anti-bomber CAP or trying to sneak a naval attack on to exposed Allied convoys. Once Japan is down to the wire, I'll use them as as a conventional supliment to a larger kami attack on a big Allied task force.

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 12/15/2014 6:01:11 PM >

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Post #: 351
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 5:08:47 PM   
mind_messing

 

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Status: offline 		Also, Joc, you've ground through the late-war Japanese. Feel free to share your findings!

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Post #: 352
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 5:22:43 PM   
Lowpe


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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

- The Randy "c" night-fighter seems very much worth the effort to get it as early as possible. Only IJA night fighter with radar.



I seem to recall that you can accelerate getting Randy c; but that the radar activation date is very, very late 10/45.

I looked at the Ki93Ib, but it has a SR of 4!





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Post #: 353
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 5:41:08 PM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

- The Randy "c" night-fighter seems very much worth the effort to get it as early as possible. Only IJA night fighter with radar.



I seem to recall that you can accelerate getting Randy c; but that the radar activation date is very, very late 10/45.

I looked at the Ki93Ib, but it has a SR of 4!



Even without the radar, the Randy "c" is still worth it. The only other reasonable IJA night fighter is the KAI Dinah, which suffers from a lack of armour and a pretty poor climb rate.

If the Ki-93-Ib came a year earlier and has an SR of 2, I might have used it over the Randy just for the extra range on it. As it is, it arrives too late to do any good.

At the end of the day, the Randy might be the inferior airframe when compared to the Ki-93-Ib, but the Randy "b" has a pair of very accurate 20mm cannons as back-up, while I feel like the Ki-93-Ib could shoot at a bomber or a ship all day and still not get a hit with it's 75mm cannon.

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Post #: 354
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/15/2014 5:52:11 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		Agree! Doesn't really manage how big the gun is if it can't hit!

Of course they can always collide. But you can do that cheaper in a single engine.

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Post #: 355
On Kamikazes - 12/15/2014 11:26:50 PM   
mind_messing

 

Posts: 3393
Joined: 10/28/2013
Status: offline 		For future reference more than anything else, here's what I intend to use once kamikazes are unlocked, and how I'll use them.

IJA Single Engine:

- IJA Single engine bombers: Will be used up as soon as possible, preferably at the Marianas so as to maximize airbase capacity.

- Ki-43 Oscar: All models. The early war models that only have dinky bombs (15kg? seriously) will be expended as ablative escort armour and the later versions with the 2x250kg bombs will fly as kamikazes.
- Ki-44 Tojo: Not the most impressive plane, with 2x100kg bombs, but I should have a fair number once all my groups upgrade to next-gen aircraft.
- Ki-84 Frank: I don't expect to have many of these spare, but once the Frank "r" comes online, I'll try to keep a few to one side to serve as top-quality kamikazes against high-value targets.
- Ki-100 Tony: This is to be my main IJA fighter for the late game, but I hope to be able to set enough aside for a couple of kamikaze groups. I'll use them for high-value targets.
- Ki-115 Tsurugi: I've 2 R&D factories trying to get this plane online. Fastest IJA bomber, one engine, 800kg bomb. Simple enough.

IJA Twin Engine

Ki-21 Sally: I'll have about 100 of these sitting in the pools, so they need used.
Ki-48 Lily: 100 in the pools.
Ki-49 Helen:100 of all models in the pools, but I'll have more once the Peggy goes online.

IJN Single Engine

A6M line: Will fly as ablative armour for kamikaze strikes. None of the fighter versions carry anything bigger than a pair of 60kg bombs, and I'm not wasting HI on the fighter-bombers.
N1K2-J George: Once this model is superceded by the 5-J model, I'll set a few aside for kamikaze strikes against high-value targets.
D3A1 Val: I've 260 in pool, and they'll be saved up for the Marianas.
Floatplanes: 400 of various models, and I'll use them as commando kamikazes flying in to operate from dox hexes and bases behind Allied lines.
Toka: One engine. Fast. 800kg bomb.

I don't think I'll use any IJN single engine torpedo bombers as kami's. I'd rather keep them for large-scale conventional attacks - so long as my pool of NavT trained pilots holds up.

IJN Twin Engine

My IJN 2E torpedo bombers will be saved for conventional strikes if possible. I may convert a unit or two for long-range strikes behind enemy lines.

Kamikaze Use

I plan to heavily escort my kamikazes. I want to try to keep a ratio of 3 escorts for every kamikaze aircraft. This may make it more difficult to plan kami strikes, but it's essential to hit anything against late-war Allied super-CAP. Plus, I'd rather lose 500 aircraft and get 5 hits on an Allied carrier than lose 100 aircraft and only get 1 hit.

Attacks will be organized along two lines: the low strike (aircraft flying at 100ft) and the high strike (aircraft flying at their maximum altitude). While this will mean co-ordination falls apart, it will split up the Allied CAP quite nicely. The organization of the high/low strike will be pretty equal at the start, but I'll "stack" one strike over the other on a regular basis so that the Allies won't get comfortable.

Where possible, kami attacks will be combined with conventional attacks flying at regular altitude, just to keep things interesting.

Thoughts? Anyone got enough experiance with kami's to provide advice?

< Message edited by mind_messing -- 12/16/2014 1:11:09 AM >

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Post #: 356
RE: On Kamikazes - 12/15/2014 11:50:45 PM   
Bullwinkle58


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Status: offline 		The AI likes to use Willows . . .

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RE: On Kamikazes - 12/16/2014 12:09:45 AM   
mind_messing

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

The AI likes to use Willows . . .



Interestingly enough, I get a couple hundred Willows free with reinforcement groups...

It's probably better than some of the early war IJA single engine trash...

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Post #: 358
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/16/2014 10:51:23 AM   
obvert


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quote:

ORIGINAL: mind_messing


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

The AI likes to use Willows . . .



Interestingly enough, I get a couple hundred Willows free with reinforcement groups...

It's probably better than some of the early war IJA single engine trash...


You get a lot of other crap 1E kamis too, like the Shiragaku and the other bi-plane. They can work in numbers I'm sure, but by mid-45 I had enough of the better frames still available and hadn't yet resorted to these. The 2E with higher durability will get through better, especially the fast Peggys.

quote:

- Ki-115 Tsurugi: I've 2 R&D factories trying to get this plane online. Fastest IJA bomber, one engine, 800kg bomb. Simple enough.

I had high hopes for the Ki-115 but couldn't get enough online to really make a difference. It also suffers from short range and low durability, if I recall around 22, so less than an Oscar. Not many will make it through Allied flak even if you can get them in range.

quote:

Floatplanes: 400 of various models, and I'll use them as commando kamikazes flying in to operate from dox hexes and bases behind Allied lines.


These can definitely be useful, especially with their LR. They don't have to be kamis to work well though. The 4 x 60kg bombs did some nice work in my late game situation if trained in Low Nav and if he's not covering the entire rear LOC.

quote:

I don't think I'll use any IJN single engine torpedo bombers as kami's. I'd rather keep them for large-scale conventional attacks - so long as my pool of NavT trained pilots holds up.


The Grace is your best strike plane in any format. It rocks. It'll be a fantastic kami, but also will do wonders delivering TT and as a DB. I used them primarily as a DB/TB but where I wanted range and speed for surprise kami strikes, this was the choice and had some spectacular successes. I find them more useful as a DB with the two bombs to hit, even though they're smaller 250kg. Once you get hits the TB can get at the slower ships more easily.

quote:

My IJN 2E torpedo bombers will be saved for conventional strikes if possible. I may convert a unit or two for long-range strikes behind enemy lines.


The Frances was probably my most useful 2E kami. They are fast with good durability and I had a lot of naval low nav trained pilots.

You don't mention the D4Y line at all. The earlier versions are definitely kamis by the late game if you have some left, but the D4Y3-4 are fantastic with their speed, 500-800kg load and medium range.

quote:

I plan to heavily escort my kamikazes. I want to try to keep a ratio of 3 escorts for every kamikaze aircraft. This may make it more difficult to plan kami strikes, but it's essential to hit anything against late-war Allied super-CAP. Plus, I'd rather lose 500 aircraft and get 5 hits on an Allied carrier than lose 100 aircraft and only get 1 hit.

Attacks will be organized along two lines: the low strike (aircraft flying at 100ft) and the high strike (aircraft flying at their maximum altitude). While this will mean co-ordination falls apart, it will split up the Allied CAP quite nicely. The organization of the high/low strike will be pretty equal at the start, but I'll "stack" one strike over the other on a regular basis so that the Allies won't get comfortable.

Where possible, kami attacks will be combined with conventional attacks flying at regular altitude, just to keep things interesting.


In the beta your escort will get broken down even when using a lot of extra escorts. It just happens.

The low high thing is useful, but really it's all about numbers and good weather. I like the conventional/kami mix too. Whatever you do, change it up frequently as he adjusts. Maybe one time go low/high, then the next time you load up one band and overwhelm the CAP with some coordination after he splits CAP into layered bands. I can be useful to try small FP strikes frequently to test the CAP. By this point you're not worried about losing 20-30 planes for good information.

< Message edited by obvert -- 12/16/2014 12:13:29 PM >

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Post #: 359
RE: Preparing for Downfall - 12/16/2014 10:51:23 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
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From: PDX (and now) London, UK
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quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Dive and Speed are pretty much the only things that matter in the air model. Not sure which one is most important though as I´ve never sandboxed it. Unless you find out by yourself I can probably give you an answer next week.

My instinct says the P47s will rip the Randys to pieces though. I think the "evade" mechanic is closely tied to the speed and with almost a 100 MPH speed advantage...


+1
Defense is also using the maneuver rating, but you need a closer speed differential to get anything out of that.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
Look at the gun value differential. The Randy is a bomber-killer. Fighting P-47s with cannons is a bad deal.


All late war Japanese planes use primarily cannons, and some do quite well even when they're forward mounts on the wings at half the accuracy. The guns are great here, as the CL mounts will definitely kill anything they can catch. But they won't catch the P-47N.

You're absolutely right that these are bomber killers. With the dive they'd maybe get a kill or two before getting crushed by the P-47N later in the battle. For a comparison just look at the Ki-45 Ia Nick (331mph) vs an earlier P-47D (325mph). We all know what happens there.

The Frank Ki-84r and the Jack J2M5 are the only airframes I had that stood a chance against the P-47N, and they mostly just got flamed. Numbers are the key, but in a day two battle with their service 3 that's not going to happen much.

< Message edited by obvert -- 12/16/2014 11:53:36 AM >

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