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RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)

 
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RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/21/2018 11:51:46 AM   
MichaelU

 

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Joined: 9/8/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

Offensive Missions as Principle Role (except Level Bombers)
Missions include Airfield Attack, Port Attack, Naval Attack, Ground Attack, Sweep, and Recon. Air Groups include includes Fighters, Fighter-Bombers, Night-Fighters, Float-Fighters, Dive Bombers, Torpedo Bombers, Float Planes, Patrol, and Recon. Assign leader using these priorities:
· Inspiration – Influences the number of strike and patrol aircraft that will fly. Influences air group morale recovery.
· Leadership – Influences the air group’s experience gain.
· Air Skill – Influences results in air-to-air combat.
· No other skills or qualities have any influence.



Yikes, totally missed how awful that leader is. I certainly wouldn't want to fly under his command.

From the above, aggression has no impact? Thought with aggression of 20 the guy would have got 'lost' on the way to the target.

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 271
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/21/2018 12:05:55 PM   
Daydream

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

Here's the standoff at Luganville. What is the mystery TF? Why was there no strike?



Maybe he's run out of AvGas. Or perhaps like you he's failing his morale checks since he's lost so many veteran pilots.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 272
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/21/2018 12:10:44 PM   
ny59giants


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Aggression: Above 60 means the air group will go off and attack. The higher this is the more likely the air group, especially bombers, will ride off into the sunset (we don't need no damn fighters for escort!). I've had bombers with mid-60 aggression fly into CAP and have nobody return. For your TB/DB pilots, you want their aggression to be in mid-50s. Your fighters should ALL be over 60, if you can find them. Sort by "Air" when looking for leaders.

< Message edited by ny59giants_MatrixForum -- 4/21/2018 12:24:55 PM >

(in reply to Daydream)
Post #: 273
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/21/2018 2:19:20 PM   
BBfanboy


Posts: 18046
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

And here is one I can't work out. My torpedo bombers never seem to want to attack. Here they are, 6 hexes away from some tankers, with naval attack orders, and nothing.

Same thing happened in the DEI, and there the targets were carriers. Would really like to work this out, before it becomes really important.




On top of the leader issue, you have them carrying torpedoes to max normal range (6) which seems to be hard for TBs to do. As I mentioned above, Devastators have a supposed Normal Range of 4, but I have never seen them carry torpedoes beyond 3, and they only do range three if the weather at CV launch is perfect - clear or light cloud. And yes, the US TB squadrons had very good leaders. Similarly, I have not seen Vildebeests nor Swordfish carry torps to full normal range. This is just observation of maybe 100 occasions where torpedo armed planes did not sortie - I kept no detailed stats. YMMV.

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 274
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/23/2018 3:42:43 PM   
MichaelU

 

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Hmm, that is good to know. Makes me even happier that I took the Devastators off the carriers and replaced them with Marine fighters and dive bombers.

Next time we have a scrap at Palembang or elsewhere I'll put the Vildebees as close to the target as I can get them. Or just switch them to bombs.

(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 275
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/23/2018 3:58:18 PM   
MichaelU

 

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March 14-15, 1942

March 14 is very quiet. The only notable action is an empty tanker getting torpedoed off San Francisco. She is in the shipyard for 12 days, so little damage done.

March 15 though is anything but quiet. We've been unloading like mad at Noumea and Suva, pushing in supply and troops. Clearly the Japanese have had enough.

First off SS I-24 sails right into Noumea port, dodging our 85 mines to put a torpedo into an xAP unloading the 182nd Regiment. The ship is still afloat and still unloading.

Over at Suva, KB strikes. First off the entire dive bomber complement does a ground strike, doing only minimal damage.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 276th Coastal Artillery Battalion, at 132,160 (Suva)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 53
D3A1 Val x 96

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 26 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


What the attack has done is thin out our not particularly extensive CAP, which is a lucky thing because the followup Kate strike is unescorted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,160

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 107 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 52

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAP Kota Tjandi, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Kota Inten, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Dewey
DD Mameluck


THe only good thing about this is that the transports had finished unloading their troops and were only dropping off some remaining supplies.

Then a small group of Kates picks up our fast transport group, fleeing some hexes southwest of Suva, and puts two torpedoes into the APD Fox. Once again, these ships had just finished unloading, so at least no troops lost.

Last off is another big attack by Kates that amazingly hits nothing. Not sure how that happened.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,160

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 48 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
B5N2 Kate x 51

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAK Susan Luckenbach
DD Mameluck
xAK Chatanooga City
DD Le Triomphant
DD Dewey
DD Le Casque
DD Le Hardi


In the DEI, at last a concerted effort is made to shut down our oil bombing campaign, with a major Betty strike against the base hosting all our B17s. The plan was probably to sweep with Zeros, but unfortunately for the Japanese the Zeros arrive after the Bettys. The results are predictable, with 26 Bettys shot down and only one B17 destroyed on the ground.

Overall we lost 15 P40s, killed 7 Kates, 6 Zeros and a Val, plus all the Bettys. So not a bad day's work.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 276
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/23/2018 4:05:12 PM   
MakeeLearn


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quote:

Last off is another big attack by Kates that amazingly hits nothing. Not sure how that happened.


Weather in hex: Severe storms ?

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 277
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/23/2018 5:03:35 PM   
John 3rd


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Go get 'em! In this case it might be run like hell...

I am advertising for an Allied Opponent for a BTS or BTSL match. If anyone is interested PLEASE check out my Opponents Wanted thread.


_____________________________



Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.

Reluctant Admiral Mod:
https://sites.google.com/site/reluctantadmiral/

(in reply to MakeeLearn)
Post #: 278
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/24/2018 10:05:39 AM   
MichaelU

 

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March 16, 1942

The Japanese have been really unlucky with their attempts to shut down Kalidjati airfield, because once again the Zero sweep from Sumatra arrives after the Bettys from Singakawang run into the CAP. Another 23 Bettys go down in flames.

But despite losing just short of 50 Bettys in two days, the vast number of attackers means enough got through to shut down the airfield. The B17s move inland to recuperate, and our oilfield campaign will once again have to fall on the shoulders of the brave Dutch bombers.

Speaking of oilfields, a couple of turns ago Magwe, which was left unoccupied by the Japanese, reverted to Allied control. This is so annoying, because we had been about to bomb it to nothing. Now it is sitting there costing us VPs for not being garrisoned, and we can't bomb it.

Otherwise all quiet. In China the Japanese troops that took Hong Kong are pushing into Kukong, south of Changsha. Having seen this coming we have railed in another army group, giving us 1,600 AV worth of defenders. Just got there in time, the last troops are unpacking as the Japanese arrive. In SoPac our carriers are retreating to Sydney and our transports have finished unloading. Noumea has 400 AV and 35,000 supply, Suva has 500 AV and 35,000 supply.

(in reply to John 3rd)
Post #: 279
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/27/2018 4:59:50 PM   
MichaelU

 

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March 17-18, 1942

Just a quick update. In two days, no action.

There are two bits of planning happening on our side. Given how little pressure there is on Java, we're ramping up the Allied presence there by shipping in the two things we really lack - engineers and air support. Two US base groups are coming from Australia, and a British base group is coming from India. In the longer term we are moving three Marine air groups from Pearl Harbor -- we seem to have loads of these and don't urgently need them anywhere else.

The other is that we are setting some troops up to move to Koumac, on the northern end of New Caledonia. We won't send a whole lot, but it will stop the Japanese landing there with a small force and then turning it into a base to challenge us at Noumea. We'll make him commit to take it, and then hopefully be able to pound the landing with Noumea based air. If he goes straight for Noumea we can always pull back from Koumac to reinforce.

Also contemplating a move of the carriers to the DEI. Our close shave makes us think maybe we should be operating where KB isn't.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 280
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/27/2018 7:10:34 PM   
ny59giants


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USA Industry - What are your feelings about the amount of damage/disabled industry you had to repair and probably are still repairing? It should have teken at least 6 weeks if you set conditions at most bases to stockpile supplies before you got a significant surplus at some base like San Fran. In the latest version that John 3rd will be using has it disabled even more. Just looking if it did slow you down a bit.

Michael

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 281
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 1:57:12 PM   
MikeS4269


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For this game, I think the main pinch came in the first three to four weeks. I (handling all logistics) would go reaching for supplies that just weren't there when I needed them. It forced a few interesting choices about who got first priority of what was going out.

By now, mid-March 1942, the crunch has passed. I think in part because I roughly knew what I was doing this time around and in part because the Japanese have not been kicking us around as hard as we had first expected.

I haven't checked in on industry repairs recently and will take a peek soon.

For me, and it might just be my memories is fuzzy from the last game we played, the shortage of ASW capable ships has been my biggest constraint / pressure for moving things at present. I have so many troop convoys, tanker groups, and supply convoys at sea at the same time that I can't scrape together adequate coverage. The IJN sub force is out-scoring my own sub fleet nearly 2:1 since the war began, and it's been eating me up something fierce.

_____________________________

MikeS

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 282
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 2:25:58 PM   
MichaelU

 

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It has helped that we haven't faced too many sub or raider issues. We haven't faced a single deep raid on our supply lines, and the Japanese submarines have been strangely quiet. So the vast bulk of the supplies and fuel we have loaded have made it to their destination.

(in reply to MikeS4269)
Post #: 283
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 2:58:08 PM   
MichaelU

 

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March 19-20, 1942

It looks like the crisis is coming in the DEI. The Japanese are making a concerted effort to shut down our airbases, and sigint is increasingly picking up chatter about troops planning for an attack on Batavia. We've had signals from construction and other rear area units for a while, but now we get an indication that the Kure Assault Division is planning for Batavia.

For two days Zero sweeps of Batavia manage to precede the Bettys, meaning our CAP is shot to pieces and unable to do too much to the bombers. Also, he is using drop tank Zeros to escort the Bettys from Singakwang with Zeros, so it's no longer the turkey shoots we had been enjoying.

The Japanese must really produce a lot of Bettys, they lose them in droves.

Japanese losses over the two days is 34 Zeros and 20 Bettys, so costly. We lost slightly less fighters, but the goal is achieved and Batavia is shut down. If we could have held one more turn he'd probably have run out of Zeros, but it was not to be. With only six engineers it is going to take a long time before the airfield is back in action. With our two biggest airfields in western Java knocked out, opposing any landing is going to be problematic.

Given our main limit to air operations is air support, we're going to shift any ground unit with air support out of Batavia to one of our operational bases. We do have more engineers shipping in, but they're at least a week out.

The carriers are heading north from Sydney as they come out of the shipyards. First out are Enterprise and Indomitable, accompanied by two CVLs each. Others are still repairing from damage taken during high speed runs or from upgrades, and will become available over the next week.

The good news comes from China, where a northern thrust against Lanchow is very definitively blunted by 22nd Group Army. Our canny commander had dug in east of Lanchow, taking advantage of a river to force a shock attack. It looks like the Japanese were expecting much lighter defenses because they cross in numbers and get smashed.

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

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13512 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 452

Defending force 35183 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1092

Japanese adjusted assault: 127

Allied adjusted defense: 1187

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9

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

Japanese ground losses:
1612 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 136 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (10 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
384 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Ching An Tui Brigade
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
3rd Ching An Tui Brigade
2nd Ching An Tui Brigade
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
90th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army


We'll be counterattacking to take advantage of the Japanese disruption and hopefully force them back across the river. At least we don't need to worry about our northern flank now.

The troops in Manila are now eating their boots, rats etc as supply has fallen to zero. The Japanese are bombarding merrily but it can't be long before he throws in a proper attack and clears the place, freeing up all those divisions for use elsewhere.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 284
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 3:31:10 PM   
ny59giants


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I convert the Clemson Class DDs to APDs and then the Wilkes Class in 5/42 to DEs to help with the ASW shortage. By '43, you will have plenty.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 285
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 3:58:48 PM   
MichaelU

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

I convert the Clemson Class DDs to APDs and then the Wilkes Class in 5/42 to DEs to help with the ASW shortage. By '43, you will have plenty.


We've done a lot of conversions, but I've been hogging the APDs to get troops into Noumea and Suva.

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 286
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 4:02:14 PM   
BBfanboy


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From: Winnipeg, MB
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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

It has helped that we haven't faced too many sub or raider issues. We haven't faced a single deep raid on our supply lines, and the Japanese submarines have been strangely quiet. So the vast bulk of the supplies and fuel we have loaded have made it to their destination.

Most players handle the lack of escorts issue by using escorts only at origination port and destination port, and sending the ships unescorted on various routes in between. Of course using as many aircraft on naval search and ASW around the ports also helps. Bomber pilots may be poor in this skill but with a combination of training/patrol they get a lot better. By the time they hit 50 in skill they are reasonably good.

Japanese subs do not carry as many torps as US subs, so they have to leave the area to replenish after their initial attacks - I think that is why they have "gone quiet".

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 287
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 4:07:52 PM   
BBfanboy


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MichaelU: Interesting line: First out are Enterprise and Indomitable, accompanied by two CVLs each.

I was surprised at first and then remembered you are in the BTS mod. Those CVLs give you a lot more flexibility. Looking forward to see how you use them to poke back at the crimson tide!

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 288
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 4:12:23 PM   
MichaelU

 

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Mike is doing a lot of that, only escorting out of the ports. But the quietness has been eery. Our major hubs of Auckland, Sydney and Perth have not seen a single Japanese sub. The west coast has seen two attacks at San Fran, nothing at LA. Pearl Harbour has seen a few, but really not as many as we'd expect. Seen almost nothing around India, a few attacks off Trincomalee that have achieved nothing.

(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 289
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 4/30/2018 4:15:46 PM   
BBfanboy


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quote:

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

Mike is doing a lot of that, only escorting out of the ports. But the quietness has been eery. Our major hubs of Auckland, Sydney and Perth have not seen a single Japanese sub. The west coast has seen two attacks at San Fran, nothing at LA. Pearl Harbour has seen a few, but really not as many as we'd expect. Seen almost nothing around India, a few attacks off Trincomalee that have achieved nothing.

He may be using them for carrier hunting. Be careful of bottlenecks like straits.

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 290
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/1/2018 9:51:24 AM   
MichaelU

 

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March 21, 1942

Well, we've found one of the Japanese subs, because DM Preble, fresh from dropping off some mines at Noumea, gets torpedoed 2 hexes south of the port. She's still going, but with 90 percent float damage I don't give much for her chances.

A lot of the Japanese sub hits have come on our reinforcement runs into Noumea and Suva, so he is clearly making the most of knowing where our ships will be turning up.

And a timely note about choke points from BBfanboy, given we're about to push a bunch of carriers through the Torres Straits. We're stepping up our search cover and sending some ASW assets there in advance of the carriers' arrival.

Batavia takes more of a hammering, and we can't really stop it because we can no longer CAP the base.

The Japanese try to CAP their airfield to stop us bombing the Zeros into dust, but the Hurricanes of the now world famous No 242 squadron make short work of them, downing 6 Zeros for only 1 loss.
But what a loss it is. Pinckney is WIA.
Not sure what this means in game terms. Will he recover at some point and rejoin his squadron? Or is he out of the game for good?

The 22nd Group Army launches an assault to push the Japanese across the river near Lanchow. It turns into a rout. Japanese troops abandon their equipment and dive into the river, but those that don't get shot find the cold waters too much for them.

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

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 33536 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1059

Defending force 11290 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 273

Allied adjusted assault: 732

Japanese adjusted defense: 151

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
4296 casualties reported
Squads: 130 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 91 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (11 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5

Allied ground losses:
834 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 291
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/1/2018 2:05:53 PM   
MichaelU

 

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March 22, 1942

Suddenly there are Bettys everywhere. They strike at our ASW off Noumea and our MTBs at Suva. While we have plenty of CAP around, the lack of radar means there is not enough warning to intercept. Luckily the Bettys are struggling to hit such small targets, so little damage is done on either side.

Bettys also continue to hammer the airfield at Batavia, lightly opposed by CAP flying the 2 hexes from Bandoeng. The airfield remains comprehensively shut down, but it is costing him in terms of lost planes.

The most interesting development is a major strike against the port at Soerebaja. His recon must have picked up that we have three BBs parked there, Ramillies, Revenge and Resolution. The bombs rain down, not penetrating any armour but knocking out some AA guns. Ramillies takes some serious damage, losing its surface radar and ending the turn with 25 systems damage.

I knew there was a risk of this happening, but it's one I took because those old BBs are not particularly useful and can suck up a lot of damage. If he is bombing them, he is not hitting targets I consider more valuable, like the Soerebaja airfield, or the two battlecruisers tucked away at Semarang.

The end is nigh at Manila. The Japanese launch their final assault, reduce forts to zero and get a 1-2. It's also the end of our supply, so it can only be days now.

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

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 46093 troops, 459 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 1137

Defending force 45857 troops, 418 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 676

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 516

Allied adjusted defense: 1017

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1869 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 233 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 63 (14 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1456 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 82 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 34 (1 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 292
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/1/2018 2:08:53 PM   
MichaelU

 

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Here's what today's air war results look like. We're getting pushed back as he knocks out our airfields, but the disparity in losses is stark. We know at this stage of the war there is no chance of stopping the Japanese if they really want something, but we are quite happy to make them pay for their advances.




Attachment (1)

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 293
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/1/2018 3:45:33 PM   
Kitakami


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The disparity of air losses is something I have seen too. I am only about a month farther into the game as you are, but the lower Japanese pilot experience is felt, and with such losses it degrades faster and faster. You are doing a great job of making the Empire pay for every hex they take :)

_____________________________

Tenno Heika Banzai!

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 294
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/2/2018 12:00:03 PM   
ny59giants


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How have you managed to lose just "7" P-40Es?!?

(in reply to Kitakami)
Post #: 295
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/2/2018 12:52:11 PM   
MichaelU

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

How have you managed to lose just "7" P-40Es?!?


Ah, that is because it is a reference to Dutch P40s. Below is total losses for the war, showing the U.S. P40 taking its rightful place as one of the most lost planes of the war.






Attachment (1)

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 296
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/4/2018 9:51:43 AM   
MichaelU

 

Posts: 285
Joined: 9/8/2009
Status: offline
March 23-25, 1942

It looks like it's on in the DEI. Allied intelligence has been feverishly trying to divine what is behind the intense bombing campaign in Java, and at last we have our answer. Some loose radio discipline reveals this.

21st Infantry Regiment is loaded on xAK Yamaura Maru moving to Kalidjati.
5th Mortar Battalion is loaded on a Yusen N Cargo class xAK moving to Kalidjati.


Adding to the picture, A Dutch sub operating in the Makassar Straits gives us some valuable intel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tawi Tawi at 71,90

Japanese Ships
DD Fubuki
BB Tosa
BB Hitachi
CA Mogami
CL Niyodo
CL Natori
CL Jintsu
DD Hatsuharu
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Usugumo

Allied Ships
SS KXIV, hits 2


And search planes pick up several CVLs at Singapore. Looks like mini-KB is back.

Let's catch up on what has happened in the last three days, then talk about how we will attempt to extract maximum damage from the defense of Java.

The air war over Java has been vicious. The Palembang Zero sweeps stopped after No 242 squadron sorted them out, destroying large numbers of enemy fighters in sweeps of the airbase. The Japanese are instead hitting the ports to damage the ships lying in wait for the invasion.

We had hoped our ships at Semarang would escape notice while he focused on Soerebaja, but apparently not. Several waves of Bettys, escorted by Zeros, hammer the port and do enough damage on BC Repulse and CA Chester to knock them out of the upcoming fight. While the damage is superficial and could be easily fixed at Soerebaja, it is a bit hot there at the moment. Poor old Repulse, she was damaged early in the war by crashing into a destroyer, and she is also likely to end her latest sojourn in the DEI without firing a shot.

Outside the DEI, one member of our sub patrol off Noumea catches a bomb and is heavily damaged. What is particularly annoying is that at the same time a Japanese sub sails straight into Noumea harbour, straight past the 113 mines, and has a go at a transport group. We lost a DM laying that minefield.

Our troops in Manila for the first time are showing a supply negative in their combat results. Also a first, they take more losses than they hand out in an attack, 1,464 to 1,021. But they are not done yet, a second Japanese assault is given something of a bloody nose.

Here's the second result. Notice how the Japanese AV plummets. They must be discouraged by the tenacity of the defenders.

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

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41805 troops, 445 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 852

Defending force 42950 troops, 412 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 507

Japanese adjusted assault: 70

Allied adjusted defense: 657

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2053 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 109 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 38 disabled
Guns lost 12 (3 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (4 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
637 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)


A small ASW grouo patrolling the Torres Straits ahead of our carriers gives SS RO-34 a good smack. Thank goodness for that. The carriers run the strait next turn and I'd much rather this sub wasn't waiting for them. We're hoping the shift in our carrier force will go unnoticed.

In China, the victorious Lanchow forces cross the river in pursuit of the Japanese units they had driven and bloodily driven back, and catch them still milling around in confusion on the far bank.

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

Ground combat at 83,34 (near Lanchow)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 32879 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 973

Defending force 8627 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 221

Allied adjusted assault: 857

Japanese adjusted defense: 103

Allied assault odds: 8 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3034 casualties reported
Squads: 143 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (9 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units retreated 5

Allied ground losses:
850 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 89 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled


It's going to be a long time before those regiments are ready to threaten us again.

One of the biggest changes I've noticed with the BTS mod is that China isn't quite the black hole it normally is for the Allies. There is the matter of the 350 replacement squads a month. We have so far used 1,281 of them. That is a lot of replacement AV.
But there also just seems to be a lot more supply. We can actually afford to take replacements, fly some planes and do the occasional attack, all without immediately running out of supply. China started the game with 95,000 total supply and is now sitting at around 175,000, which has been stable since early February.
Admittedly we haven't been fighting all that hard, which is why I'm taking the fight to the Japanese when I can, to force them to commit more resources to China.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 297
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/4/2018 10:04:21 AM   
MichaelU

 

Posts: 285
Joined: 9/8/2009
Status: offline
Now for the DEI plan.

The British battlecruisers are pulling back to Soerebaja. That is where we have the best air cover, and it is also furthest from the Japanese air bases. If he really wants to close Soerebaja down and force our ships to retire we can't stop him, but the plan is to make him pay. I reckon a damaged BB or BC that is forced to pull back for repairs is as useful as a ship that pulls back to avoid damage in the first place.

For air defense, we have the Dutch fighters, mostly B339s with a smattering of Hurricanes and P40s. The bulk of our fighter power though is 4 squadrons of American P40s and 3 of British Hurricanes, around 150 all told. There is plenty of supply, and decent airfields. Our main shortage is air support. We have a couple of US bases forces arriving in 3-7 days that will add 140 air support and some much needed engineers, but not sure they will make it in time.

In terms of naval threat, we have 2 (slow) BBs, 2 BCs, 2 CAs, and a gaggle of CLs and DDs. It looks though like our naval forces will be shut down by Bettys before the invasion starts, and certainly the threat of Bettys and mini-KB will make us very cautious.

The main threat to his naval forces is likely to come from submarines. We have plenty in the area, and a lot of them have working torpedoes. Let's see if we can do another Ryujo.
Against the transports we will deploy 3 squadrons of Banshees and 2 of Vildebeest, plus the Dutch bombers for distraction value.
He could in theory bomb out every airfield that could threaten the landing, but doing that would give us enough time to get some carriers into position.

Whatever happens, it's going to be interesting.

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 298
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/4/2018 10:34:44 AM   
ny59giants


Posts: 9869
Joined: 1/10/2005
Status: offline
China - The non-infantry devices have been increased by 50 to 100%. Chungking's daily supply and different bases have less disabled industry. Most base start with forts at 3. Hopefully, that means what you say. It easier to defend.

In my game, Nathan by-passed Malaya and went directly for Java, so that island fell before mid-Jan.

Sounds like your game is fun for Allies but not so much for Japan as places to invade before end of March are not going to happen.

< Message edited by ny59giants_MatrixForum -- 5/4/2018 10:35:10 AM >

(in reply to MichaelU)
Post #: 299
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs ... - 5/4/2018 12:04:48 PM   
MichaelU

 

Posts: 285
Joined: 9/8/2009
Status: offline
It's looking like Australia and India are certainly going to escape invasion during the sweet spot of speedy Japanese unloading.
Speaking of which, does that end at the end of March, or April 8? The manual says "Note that there is also an “initial operations” bonus for the Japanese during the first 4 months of the war." Does that mean four months from Dec 7 to April 7?

(in reply to ny59giants)
Post #: 300
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