RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)

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RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/5/2018 6:31:14 AM

CaptBeefheart

Posts: 2301
Joined: 7/4/2003
From: Seoul, Korea
Status: offline

Thanks for posting your CAP settings. Very helpful. Having those Martlets low may have helped against the Kates.

Those F4F escorts weren't accidentally set to Range 1 along with their shipmates, were they? That's the kind of thing I'd miss in this game.

Tough break on the Yorktown.

Cheers,
CB

_____________________________

Beer, because barley makes lousy bread.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 541

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/5/2018 6:39:43 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

I like to have a wide range of altitudes for my CAP settings.

The escorts were definitely set correctly. They just didn't fly this time.

Yorktown will be ok if she isn't found by another sub. In '43 it will be time for the US subs to do their work.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 542

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/5/2018 11:45:54 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

28 Jul 42

Enemy subs spotted near Brisbane. Seal fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Yomogi near Phuket but missed. Also seen there was xAP Hoten Maru. Seal then reattacked, did the same thing, with the same result.

Enemy mines appear at Nauru Island. AM Matai, escorting some cargo ships into Nauru, spotted the mines are started the cleanup. This is some indication that enemy bombardments aren't scheduled for Nauru.

B-17s bombed Portland Roads again. No CAP. Damage is increasing on both the airfield and port. P-38s then swept. More shipping at Horn Island, coming and going to the northwest. Allied subs haven't run into any of it yet.

Luzon is finally crumbling.

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 23551 troops, 220 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 670

Defending force 10005 troops, 196 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 230

Japanese adjusted assault: 451

Allied adjusted defense: 109

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Clark Field !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
410 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2963 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 250 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 37 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 143 (142 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 127 (127 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 18
Units destroyed 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
2nd Engineer Regiment
21st Division
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
301st Construction Battalion
4th Marine Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
35th Avn Sup
1st Constabulary Regiment
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
Clark Field AAF Base Force
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
I Corps
24th PS FA Regiment
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
Far East USAAF
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp

No supply and no hope. The troops are cursing MacArthur for escaping on ARD Dewey long ago. Rumors are that he left on Dewey instead of a PT boat because the ARD could haul all of his gold.

Damaged Yorktown disbanded in the size 1 port Funafuti. An AR is on the way and is about a week out. When the repairable FLOT damage is repaired, Yorktown will go to Vava'u. Saratoga and Lexington are now headed to Pearl Harbor with 6 destroyers. Besides the repairs to the carriers, upgrades will be done on all of the ships. Enterprise and Hornet are headed to Sydney for a minor upgrade and minor repairs, along with ships most needing some minor repairs also. Formidable is going to, but it will withdraw at Sydney. Wasp and Illustrious will go to Noumea.

There's a enemy cruiser group just north of Tulagi. It could hit Ndeni from there, or it could be 2 days out from hitting Nauru. A small invasion force, without carriers, is headed to Ocean Island and will invade in 2 days. I believe Ocean is unoccupied.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 543

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/6/2018 10:16:45 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

29 Jul 42

At Kusaie Island, a bunch of US APDs make a fast transport drop of supply. I-19 spotted the ships and fired 2 torpedoes at APD Barker and missed. One depth charge hits the sub.

Interesting turn of events at Ndeni. The enemy cruiser force spotted north of Tulagi does come to bombard Ndeni, but is engaged by Dutch sub KXV one hex to the northwest. 4 torpedoes are fired at cruiser Kinugasa and one hits. The ships finish the night phase there and don't move to Ndeni until daytime. But no Allied naval bombers are in the area. This was a big break for OPilot. This task force could have been destroyed.

It actually crossed my mind yesterday to send my carriers that are retiring to Noumea west a bit to cover Ndeni. I'd seen his cruisers by Tulagi. But I knew they'd bombard at night and be nowhere near the island during the day.

The ships do bombard Ndeni after sinking a PT boat.

Naval bombardment of Ndeni at 120,143 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 20 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed on ground

2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
CA Ashigara
CL Kuma
DD Asagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Natsugumo

Allied ground losses:
466 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 20
Port hits 14
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

4 P-39s are lost on the ground.

Bettys bombed Kusaie Island troops. Over 40 bombers.

29 Bettys with 25 A6M2 Zeros escorting hit Nauru Island. Nauru just became a size 1 airfield, and I moved P-40s there. 23 Warhawks engage and go right past the escorts and tear into the bombers. About half of the bombers do bomb, destroying 2 Catalinas on the ground. The Zeros do better after the bomb drop, downing some Warhawks. Total losses were 27 Bettys and 3 Zeros for the loss of 3 P-40Es.

B-17s hit Portland Roads again, and find 32 A6M2 Zeros on CAP. I'd rested the P-38s today. Fortunately, not a single Fortress was downed. Almost no damage tot he airfield in the rain.

Cooktown is bombed by Bettys from Port Moresby. Moderate airfield damage and one search plane destroyed on the ground. I move 3 fighter squadrons to Cooktown today and hope to catch the next raid.

KB was spotted southwest of Oniwetok Island, west of Kwajalein. KB is either headed back to Japan or, more likely, to Truk. 2 Dutch subs are redirected to guard the eastern approaches to Truk.

Sub Seal fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Bingo Maru, and bingo, one hits. But it is a dud.

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(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 544

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/7/2018 11:31:02 AM

zuluhour

Posts: 5244
Joined: 1/20/2011
From: Maryland
Status: offline

Not often a bombardment TF is intercepted by a sub. I'm not sure
why Japan considers Ndeni a threat large enough to warrant "the
treatment" in the first place, unless it is intended to break up
a landing or get at a busy anchorage.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 545

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/7/2018 2:23:02 PM

PetrOs

Posts: 260
Joined: 11/11/2006
Status: offline

Spent a lot of time to catch up with the thread - lots of interesting stuff! Nice win of the carrier engagement.

(in reply to zuluhour)

Post #: 546

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/7/2018 5:47:12 PM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

Zuluhour - I have small task forces at Ndeni from time to time, sometimes with troops, mostly with supply. There was one there and OPilot spotted it. I moved it away when I saw his cruisers by Tulagi and in range. I have a convoy with troops heading into Ndeni tonight, taking the chance that the enemy will leave. I figure they'll leave having expended ammo in the bombardment. He sees my ships southeast of Ndeni, and probably figures they'll run. One or both of us could be wrong.

PetrOs welcome. I try to keep a day by day account of the war and discuss what I'm doing and why.

OPilot will be traveling again this week. I will get a turn later tonight but won't have to return it until Sunday. So again this week I'll be taking my time with the turn. Right now the Allies are in a phase of reorganization after the Kusaie and Nauru landings. Carriers are going for refit and repair. Troops continue to prepare for many possible invasions. It still looks like Lunga and Tulagi will be next. After Ocean Island, which will occur in the next turn, and will hopefully be unopposed.

(in reply to PetrOs)

Post #: 547

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/8/2018 3:55:07 AM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

30 Jul 42

The enemy cruiser force and US PT boats fight again at Ndeni. 2 of the 3 PT boats take a small caliber shell hit. All 3 PT's fired torpedoes, but they did so targeting destroyers and all missed. On the way out of Ndeni, Dutch sub KXV spotted the ships and fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Yamagumo and missed. KXV hit Kinugasa yesterday. Kinugasa had been damaged earlier in the war near Guadalcanal, and was hit by multiple torpedoes when it withdrew towards Rabaul. But all of the hits were duds. At least this time the Dutch sub got a hit.

So the enemy ships left Ndeni. As they did, a small Allied task force moved in to drop off an engineer unit. I did have 2 fighter squadrons here, but moved out the P-40s when I saw the risk from the enemy cruisers. I could have used them there today. Just P-39s defended.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
G4M1 Betty x 16

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Napier
xAP Van Imhoff, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 31 (13 destroyed, 18 disabled)

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

xAP Van Imhoff is one of those small Dutch xAPs that I've talked about before. Good for moving small to medium sized units in a high threat environment. There's a bunch that start on Java and they are more expendable than the bigger xAPs. 2 others weren't targeted today. Luckily, most Bettys went after DD Napier and missed.

Northwest of Suva, I-168 fired 2 torpedoes at cruiser Indianapolis but missed.

P-38s swept Portland Roads but no LRCAP today. 20 B-17s and 7 LB-30s hit the airfield and the port, doing moderate damage in thunderstorms.

The enemy struck Cooktown from Port Moresby again. I was ready this time.

Afternoon Air attack on Cooktown , at 92,137

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
G4M1 Betty x 27

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2

Total air losses for the day, including the Cooktown and Ndeni air battles, were 14 Bettys and 10 A6M2 Zeros for the loss of 1 P-40E.

Allied troops invade Ocean Island. I thought it was unoccupied, but it wasn't. Fortunately, all it had was the 8th Indpt SNLF Coy, a tiny unit. The New Zealand brigade that invaded was only half prepared, and the 2 support units were not prepared much at all. Disabled troops were high. But the island was taken.

Ground combat at Ocean Island (130,130)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 4134 troops, 30 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 91

Defending force 312 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 47

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 47 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Ocean Island !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
210 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
14th NZ Brigade
2nd Pioneer Battalion
15th Air Advn Base Force

Defending units:
8th Indpt SNLF Coy

There was a big battle in northern China. The enemy is trying to cut off 2 Chinese corps that are in the process of pulling back into this hex. It was a bloody fight today. The Chinese will lose this hex with repeated enemy attacks. But if the 2 Chinese corps can make it into the hex, the Chinese hold.

Ground combat at 85,36 (near Ningsia)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 28476 troops, 192 guns, 174 vehicles, Assault Value = 941

Defending force 19872 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 577

Japanese adjusted assault: 476

Allied adjusted defense: 527

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1917 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 177 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2313 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 205 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 24 (1 destroyed, 23 disabled)

Assaulting units:
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
17th Infantry Regiment
8th Engineer Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
26th Engineer Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
16th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
2nd War Area

OPilot won't be available for a turn until Sunday, so I'll be taking my time with it. Same as last week.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 548

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/10/2018 9:24:18 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

My plan is to go after Lunga and Tulagi next. It will be with reduced carrier coverage, with 2 US carriers headed to Pearl Harbor for repairs and a refit over 40 days long. Other US carriers are headed to Sydney for a short 10 day refit. I hope to execute the invasions after that. Some Japanese carriers should be out of the fight due to damage from the recent battle.

Troops are ready. They are now starting to move to points of embarkation: Brisbane, Noumea and Koumac. In a few days, I will figure out what shipping needs to go to which base for the troops.

Lots of troops involved. Two divisions plus support for Lunga. One division for Tulagi. The usual followup base support and engineers too. My Kusaie invasion worked as planned because I used lots of APs, almost double the number required for loading a division. They unloaded in one day and were gone, headed for safety. I won't have that luxury trying to land 3 divisions. I'll still use all of the APs, but probably not use excess per division.

In the past, I've put my APs aside, the ones that upgrade to APAs later. They are just too valuable to lose. But in this campaign, I'm using them. I'm hoping to minimize losses by using them effectively. I don't load supply on the APs with the troops. I rely on xAK and xAKLs for that. That way the APs can leave quickly. The cargo ships unload with the invaders, giving them supply, and stay longer to unload more supply. I risk the less valuable shipping.

I plan the same for the Guadalcanal campaign. I want to do this soon because OPilot has a weakness in the Solomons right now. Lunga has a big airfield, but Tulagi has none. And the nearest bases are Shortlands and Buna, and neither has an airfield yet. I want to land before that changes. I think it can be done with minimal losses with the nearest enemy airbase being Rabaul.

My turn has been sent to OPilot. He'll return from his travels tomorrow.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 549

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/10/2018 9:52:14 PM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline

Are you planning a diversionary/secondary invasion to find out where his major units are or to draw them away from the Solomons before you commit to your invasion of Lunga?

_____________________________

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 apbarog)

Post #: 550

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/10/2018 10:05:36 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

I considered invading Wake Island. The troops have been ready for it, and if KB is at Truk, I think I can do it without the good APs. But I'd need carrier support, and the 2 carriers headed to Pearl Harbor have damage and will then go into refit for over a month.

I can't come up with another diversion target that would be far enough away from the Solomons to do any good as a diversion. So the answer is probably no, no diversion.

One thing I didn't mention is that I still have Rennell Island, south of Lunga, and still have Catalinas there. I will fly in troops just before the Guadalcanal invasion. I'll also move troops to Kirikira, still an Allied unoccupied dot base. Troops are also prepping for Tassafronga, which I want to take to keep the enemy troops at Lunga from retreating.

< Message edited by apbarog -- 11/11/2018 3:11:19 AM >

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 551

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/11/2018 2:33:17 PM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline

Thanks. That gives a better overall picture of what's planned. But we all know what is said about plans ...

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

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Post #: 552

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/12/2018 7:08:52 AM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

31 Jul 42

I positioned 2 Dutch subs at the eastern entrances to Truk. O24 spotted 2 destroyers just northeast of Truk and fired 2 torpedoes at destroyer Mikazuki, but missed. From this report, and the 10/10 DLs that my subs have near Truk, I believe that KB passed by O24 and is at Truk now.

Heavy enemy bombing in China. More than a few Chinese cities are now low on supply.

Bettys bombed US troops on Kusaie Island. A daily visit now. The airfield and port are still building towards a level 1.

Enemy troops invaded Ramree Island, on the Burma coast south of Akyab. A US para unit just started prepping for Ramree, for a possible offensive way in the future.

Damaged carrier Hermes arrived at Sydney and went into a 20,000 Dutch drydock. Hermes will be repaired but it is lower priority than the US carriers and support ships on the way to Sydney. Some ships, including 2 US carriers, will get short upgrades.

A small Allied cruiser force that escorted the Horn Island invaders will move to Tarawa today. 2 destroyers were spotted north of there at Mili.

Many US bomber groups resized. B-17 units went from 8 to 12 planes, which is helpful. I have plenty of B-17Es in the pool and lots of bomber pilots trained in ground bombing.

One damaged British battleship is leaving Bombay for Capetown. Another is making the dangerous trek around Ceylon, as is a damaged light cruiser. 2 other damaged battleships continue repairs at Bombay and will eventually go to Capetown.

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 553

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/13/2018 12:09:09 AM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

1 Aug 42

The replay started out with the enemy hitting a mine somewhere, and no sinking sounds heard. Turned out it was xAP Ussuri Maru, which hit a recently laid sub mine at Lubang, southwest of Manila. I had a sub drop mines there because I had SigInt of enemy troops headed for a landing south of Manila. I didn't intercept the troops, but I may have gotten a transport on the way out. The ship is reporting heavy damage.

A dedicated group of SC's went after sub Seal near Phuket. Lots of depth charges dropped, in bunches of 4, but luckily none hit in the deep water.

North of Luganville, I-29 fired 6 torpedoes at destroyer Napier, which is escorting some xAPs from Ndeni. The torpedoes missed. 2 depth charges hit the sub.

The usual enemy bombing at Bandoeng, Manila, Bataan and in China. And Kusaie Island.

40 Zeros from Lunga swept Ndeni and it wasn't pretty for the defenders.

Afternoon Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 17
F4F-4 Wildcat x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
28 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet *

Total losses were 12 F4F-4s and 6 P-39Ds for the downing of just 3 Zeros.

The US pilots were only adequately trained. Not comparable to my carrier pilots. And not comparable to these Zero pilots either. I'll bring in other fighters when I have something to protect at Ndeni. I have better pilots at Luganville and New Caledonia.

AR Vestal arrived at Funafuti from Pearl Harbor and began repairs on Yorktown.

CL Newcastle made it to Colombo from Trincomlee. SYS 50/FLOT 45-41/ENG 26/FIRE 0. 36 days in the shipyard required, but hey, the ship is saved. BB Ramilles is making the same trip and is rounding southern Ceylon now. SYS 6/FLOT 45-41/ENG 26/FIRE 0. Ramilles was the most damaged battleship.

6 British Brigade arrived at Aden. It is the last part of the 2nd British Division to arrive. The rest is waiting at Karachi. All are prepping for Rangoon but will fight in northern Burma first.

W.E. Dyess, squadron commander of 51/25, was promoted to Captain, rewarding him for his good work. He is still the highest scoring ace for the Allies, and is currently flying P-38Es at Normanton.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 554

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/13/2018 11:07:21 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

2 Aug 42

2 Australian AMs spot I-18 in the shallows near Maryborough but can't hit the sub.

The Mili raid didn't turn out well.

Night Naval bombardment of Mili at 136,121 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

310 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Astoria, Shell hits 7 (SYS 17/FLOT 0/ENG 2-1/FIRE 0)
CL Nashville, Shell hits 10 (SYS 1/FLOT 5-0/ENG 0/FIRE 0)
DD Balch, Shell hits 5, on fire (SYS 52/FLOT 7-3/ENG 1-0/FIRE 1)
DD Phelps, Shell hits 2, on fire (SYS 16/FLOT 14-4/ENG 1-0/FIRE 0)
DD Selfridge
DD Porter

Japanese ground losses:
258 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 26 (1 destroyed, 25 disabled)

The enemy ships at Mili had left. The airfield was not hit by the bombardment, and by daylight, there weren't any planes there any longer anyhow. I did not limit the range of the bombardment and I allowed the destroyers to participate. The Mili Naval Fortress has some big guns. They were accurate and there's plenty of them. Note to self: the enemy coastal guns can be effective.

All of the ships should survive. The task force is still making good speed and will stay intact and head to Funafuti for triage. Yorktown is preparing to leave Funafuti to head to Vava'u so the AR will be available for Phelps.

I had 2 squadrons of P-40s with decent pilots at Cooktown. It got OPilot's attention today. 40 A6M2 Zeros swept, and the fight was fairly even, with about 6 losses on each side. Then 27 more A6M2 Zeros appeared, and the Warhawks started dropping. Finally in the afternoon, 43 A6M3 Zeros swept and found that there were no Warhawks still in the sky. Just massively outnumbered today. Total air losses were 20 P-40Es and 8 A6M2 Zeros.

Sometimes it happens to us; sometimes it happens to the enemy. Nothing fair in war. Not if you're doing it right, that is.

< Message edited by apbarog -- 11/13/2018 11:08:49 PM >

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 555

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/14/2018 9:57:58 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

3 Aug 42

Sub Gudgeon fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Isokaze near Truk, but missed. Battleship Haruna is spotted in this task force. Detection levels say that enemy carriers are still at Truk.

B-17s hit Portland Roads and find no CAP. Moderate damage is done to the airfield and light damage to the port.

Manila is heavily bombed, as are troops in northern China, particularly the contested hex where OPilot attacks today. Kusaie Island is hit by Bettys, as usual. I'm debating whether or not to let Kusaie's port and airfield become a level 1. As soon as they are built, they will be bombed, and that's stops fortification building. But I could move fighters there. But that will be expected, and I can expect ships to bombard the base immediately.

Broome is bombed by Nells. Not sure why. Nothing there but a shell of a base force, and no supply.

Here's where OPilot attacked in northern China. If the Japanese had prevailed, 2 Chinese units would have been cut off to the east. As it is, they have now joined this depleted stack.

Ground combat at 85,36 (near Ningsia)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27776 troops, 192 guns, 174 vehicles, Assault Value = 870

Defending force 30574 troops, 147 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 723

Japanese adjusted assault: 435

Allied adjusted defense: 783

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1976 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 53 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1666 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 211 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
26th Engineer Regiment
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
8th Engineer Regiment
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
8th Recon Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
17th Infantry Regiment
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
42nd Chinese Corps
8th Route Army
16th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
2nd War Area

The enemy cruiser force that has been guarding Horn Island has moved south to a point east of Portland Roads, in range of bombarding Cooktown. I'm still extracting planes from Cooktown to Townsville as they become repaired. Cooktown is not on the rail line. Guessing that OPilot will have some fighters on LRCAP for these ships, I'm going after Horn Island today. P-38s will sweep and lots of B-17s will hit the base. I'm showing about 30 fighters there.

Shipping continues to move into position for the Lunga/Tulagi invasions, which will follow 10 day carrier upgrades for 2 US carriers at Sydney. The carriers are about 3 days out of Sydney right now.

The first B-24 squadron has appeared on the East Coast. A sign of good times to come.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 556

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/15/2018 6:41:12 AM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
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4 Aug 42

KV Quesnel hit I-26 with 2 depth charges between Canton Island and Christmas Island. The sub is reporting heavy damage. Quesnel is escorting 2 tankers back to Christmas, where they'll fill up and head to Tabiteuea most likely.

I-25 fired 2 torpedoes at PC Onondaga but missed. Onondaga was escorting 2 AO in the same general vicinity as Quesnel.

OPilot has seen that I have fighters at Chungking. He's expecting them to jump somewhere to try and ambush one of his attacks. Therefore his attacks remain large and well escorted. Today Sian got swept by about 40 Oscars and 40 Tojos.

Bettys hit Kusaie Island and Broome today, again.

Around 20 P-38Es swept Horn Island from Normanton, and found 29 A6M2 Zeros on CAP. The Zeros do well, considering, downing 6 Lightnings for the loss of 9 A6M2s. The US unit now only has 14 aircraft left, and they aren't being produced any longer. This squadron will "upgrade" to P-40Es and await the P-40Ks arriving next month. Remember this is a PDU-OFF game, so the upgrade path is historically fixed.

I don't have any better USAAF fighter aircraft type now, so I'll probably keep these elite pilots together. Newly promoted Capt. W.E Dyess got 2 kills today, and now leads the league with 10. He wasn't the squadron commander like I thought, so I made him so, promoting him over a lieutenant. Then I noticed Dyess's poor aggressiveness rating, so I replaced him with an elite major. Dyess went out and got the 2 kills, then was reassigned out of the unit, presumably since I replaced him as commander. I went back into the reserve list and he'll be back with the unit in 5 days.

Enterprise, Hornet and Formidable will arrive at Sydney tomorrow. Formidable has to withdraw in 30 days, but there should be enough time for it to participate in the Guadalcanal invasions. Enterprise and Hornet have minor SYS repairs to do, and a 10 day refit.

Part of my plan for Lunga and Tulagi is to try to have airfields about to be built at Rennell Island and Kirakira. Rennell already has Catalinas there, supported by a seaplane tender that has never been spotted. To make those airfields happen, tomorrow I will start ferrying troops. 2 USMC Para Bn will go to Rennell, and 134 Combat Engineer Bn will go to Kirakira. Catalinas will start flying the paras to Rennell today from Koumac. The combat engineers will start being moved by transport aircraft from Koumac to Luganville, where Catalinas will fly them on to Kirakira. Supply will be moved also. Hopefully the airfield building will be ahead of schedule and I'll pause the construction until the day of the invasion. Troops will also be unloaded at Rennell and Kirakira on the day of the Lunga and Tulagi landings. It will be very helpful that I can have fighters there to cover those small landings while the carriers cover Guadalcanal. We'll see if I can fly in enough engineers and supply to get the job done.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 557

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/15/2018 12:57:11 PM

Macclan5

Posts: 1065
Joined: 3/24/2016
From: Toronto Canada
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog
Around 20 P-38Es swept Horn Island from Normanton, and found 29 A6M2 Zeros on CAP. The Zeros do well, considering, downing 6 Lightnings for the loss of 9 A6M2s. The US unit now only has 14 aircraft left, and they aren't being produced any longer. This squadron will "upgrade" to P-40Es and await the P-40Ks arriving next month. Remember this is a PDU-OFF game, so the upgrade path is historically fixed.

I don't have any better USAAF fighter aircraft type now,

Still lurking around here - really enjoying the content and style - if more silent than usual.

If I recall correctly by August 42 - the worrisome scarcity of Fighters in Australia should be mostly over by now.

Of course it depends on what or how much of II Fighter Command you moved to Australia instead of Pago Pago, Suva, etc. Based on ealier posts I would suggest you must have a lot of II Fighter deployed in the islands.

However have the Australian Kittyhawks, and even the first squadrons of Spits not yet arrived ? Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney?

The P40 K will certainly be competitive - finally - but the Kittyhawks and those Oz Spits should assist you drive IJN / IJA air cover out of the theater .... sort of already in process ??

You only mention the P38 - perhaps I just missed that the other Commonwealth air frames are already engaged ?

_____________________________

A People that values its privileges above it's principles will soon loose both. Dwight D Eisenhower.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 558

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/15/2018 8:50:05 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

Thanks Macclan5.

The fight in Australia has been limited to the very northeastern corner. Range is the issue here for Allied fighters. Cairns gets occasional enemy bombing and isn't on a rail line. When I base fighters there, it gets lots of attention from Horn Island and Port Moresby. The Australian Kittyhawks have faired poorly for me, up against elite Zero pilots. I've relied mostly on USAAF fighters.

2 squadrons have arrived with a couple of planes each. Too soon for production though. So very limited Commonwealth air frames engaged so far.

5 Aug 42

My big strike on Cox's Bazar went unopposed. The port was hit by many bombers, and moderate damage was done. Akyab is too tough a nut to crack with all of the enemy fighters there, and considering the range, but Cox's Bazar is in range and has been unprotected so far. It's a minor target, with a size 1 port and no airfield, but it is on the trail to the front line. A bit of a milk run (so far). I hit it occasionally.

The enemy, likewise, hit Imphal, which is not defended. Minor damage to the airfield. Sonias hit the armored brigade at Kaleymyo but flak took down a couple of the bombers.

Bettys hit Kusaie. Same old bombing in China and Bandoeng and Luzon.

I've decided not to immediately refit the 2 US carriers at Sydney. They will repair some SYS damage. I need a couple more days to get shipping to Noumea and Koumac. Then I'll see exactly what needs to be where. A good deal of shipping needs to go to Brisbane, so there will be some travel time involved with that also. I want to do Guadalcanal as soon as possible, with some of KB hopefully damaged and not available. The Allies will go with 3 carriers out of action: 2 with minor damage and refits due at Pearl Harbor, and Yorktown which is moving to Vava'u with serious FLOT damage.

It was a big day for infantry upgrades. There was finally 91 US 42 Infantry squads in the pool, allowing for all of the US divisions to divide and prepare to upgrade squads. I don't know the statistical advantage of 1942 squads versus 1941 squads, but there has to be some improvement. Upgrade when you can.

< Message edited by apbarog -- 11/15/2018 10:04:24 PM >

(in reply to Macclan5)

Post #: 559

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/16/2018 9:28:45 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
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6 Aug 42

A couple of enemy E-boats are now patrolling near Truk. High detection levels remain here. My subs will move a bit further away, patrolling west and north of Truk.

Cooktown is visited by an enemy cruiser force.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Cooktown at 92,137, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Atago
CA Maya, Torpedo hits 1
CA Chokai
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio

Allied Ships
PT Q-111
PT Q-112

The 2 PT boats are originally from the Philippines. Nice work. No damage reported. May not have really happened.

Cooktown is then bombarded. Most of the planes had left already. A good number of troops hit, but that's irrelevant if there isn't an invasion. No planes were lost, and that was what OPilot was after.

Night Naval bombardment of Cooktown at 92,137

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
CA Maya
CA Atago
CA Takao
DD Arashio
DD Michishio
DD Oshio
DD Asashio

Allied ground losses:
406 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (2 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 33
Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 2

Sian gets the treatment with a big bombing and 42 Tojos escorting. My withdrawal around Sian is leading up to a monumental battle for the city. I'll withdraw to the west of the town, but try to hold the town, which is clear terrain. It's a tough choice between abandoning the town for good terrain but gifting a supply hub, or holding in clear terrain and getting a maximum effort bombing there every day. Losing Sian doesn't cut off northern China, but it does allow easy supply for the enemy troops that will try to do just that.

B-17s bombed Tagula and Woodlark Islands, near Port Moresby. Little damage is done in poor weather.

Manila is deliberately attacked for the first time.

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20484 troops, 235 guns, 134 vehicles, Assault Value = 985

Defending force 24347 troops, 192 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 766

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 832

Allied adjusted defense: 631

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
852 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 31 disabled

Allied ground losses:
614 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd Engineer Regiment
21st Division
24th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
38th Division
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
16th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
91st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
2nd Constabulary Regiment
4th PAAC Avn Sup
I/43rd PS Inf Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
Nichols Field AAF Base Force
II Corps
27th Avn Sup
Cavite USN Base Force

The base holds for now, even without supply. Forts dropped though. All I can ask for is extracting a price on the enemy.

Serious planning was done today concerning what ship will carry what unit for the upcoming Guadalcanal invasion. There aren't enough good APs to carry 3 infantry divisions. I'm using them all for the 2 divisions for Lunga. The Tulagi division will land on xAPs. Tulagi's defense should be weak enough for this to work. I want the good APs to get in, unload quickly, and get out. Then I'll worry about defending the followup shipping.

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Post #: 560

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/17/2018 7:06:20 AM

apbarog

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7 Aug 42

Small enemy cruiser force returned to Ndeni and bombarded, but it was a very poor effort this time. I'd seen them south of Guadalcanal and moved out the 2 fighter squadrons.

Night Naval bombardment of Ndeni at 120,143 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

5 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
CL Kuma
DD Asagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Yamagumo
DD Natsugumo

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

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

Sian got the same heavy fighter sweeps and bombing as yesterday. Short of moving 100 plus fighters there, there isn't much that can be done. Supply continues to dwindle in China. C-47s are flying the Hump. Ledo can support 7 air units and I need some of them to be fighters. OPilot hasn't gone after Ledo yet but someday he will. I'm building up Tezpur in India. It's behind the lines but close enough for B-17s to fly to China.

Kukong got a big enemy strike but was light on fighters. I moved Hurricanes and P-40s to Kukong for today. They'd been sitting at Chungking and been seen there every day. OPilot sweeps heavily and escorts almost all strikes.

Final ship assignments for the Guadalcanal invasions have been made. Some shipping heading from New Caledonia to Brisbane. I had turned on upgrades for all of the US infantry divisions and regiments. I had split the divisions. Since just one unit in the Pacific upgrades per day, I turned off all of the units except the 2 US Army divisions preparing for Lunga and Tulagi.

Lexington and Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor. Lexington has 11 SYS damage and will take 13 days at the pier. Saratoga is SYS 16/FLOT 6/ENG 2/FIRE 0 and will take 34 days in the shipyard. Then both carriers will have 45 day refits. I flew off the planes and pulled out all of their pilots. I'll use the squadrons as training while the carriers repair and refit.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 561

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/17/2018 5:35:28 PM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
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quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog

7 Aug 42

Kukong got a big enemy strike but was light on fighters. I moved Hurricanes and P-40s to Kukong for today. They'd been sitting at Chungking and been seen there every day. OPilot sweeps heavily and escorts almost all strikes.

This is the kind of intel available to the player every turn that most do not gather. Taking the time to learn your opponent's habits pays off nicely. Kudos to you!

I turned off all of the units except the 2 US Army divisions preparing for Lunga and Tulagi.

What!? No marines?! History is not gonna like that! BTW, there is no harm in letting other units that do not use the same devices as the USA Divisions upgrade their devices. Tanks and AA come to mind.

Lexington and Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor. Lexington has 11 SYS damage and will take 13 days at the pier. Saratoga is SYS 16/FLOT 6/ENG 2/FIRE 0 and will take 34 days in the shipyard. Then both carriers will have 45 day refits. I flew off the planes and pulled out all of their pilots. I'll use the squadrons as training while the carriers repair and refit.

Chances are good that all of that damage to Saratoga will repair during the refit and not impose any extra time.
Can PH provide air support for all those carrier aircraft?

_____________________________

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 apbarog)

Post #: 562

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/17/2018 7:16:03 PM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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The US 2nd Marine Division is also going to Lunga. Only the US Army divisions and regiments get the squad upgrade that I mentioned.

US 41st Infantry Division is going to Lunga with the Marines. The Americal Division is going to Tulagi.

Yes, Pearl can support all those planes, and many more.

OPilot has an interest in the history of the Flying Tigers. He knows how they historically jumped around in China, ambushing Japanese bomber strikes. OPilot is very good at changing up his targets, and rarely goes after the same target two days in a row. It's difficult to catch him, and is mostly luck. I've tried to discern a pattern in his operations, but cannot. He could have made a table of targets and is rolling dice to pick them, I don't know. Seems so random. I catch him once in a while but most of the time, my fighters are just a visible threat unused. It may encourage the enemy to keep using overwhelming numbers, when, on most days, they aren't needed.

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 563

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/18/2018 12:59:29 AM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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9 Aug 42

It was a bombardment force spotted near Ponape yesterday, and included 2 battleships. Kusaie had just built a size 1 airfield and port. The bombardment was weak, causing 109 troop casualties but no infrastructure damage. Bettys arrived later and did minor damage. 2 fighter squadrons were moved into Kusaie today, ready to move out when I sense another bombardment incoming.

British sub spotted the task force leaving Kusaie, but didn't get a shot, and didn't get hit.

I-7 is spotted by a 4 destroyer ASW task force. 2 torpedoes missed DD Anderson and no hits were achieved on the sub.

Sub Searaven spotted xAP Hoten Maru and a destroyer several hexes west of the Burma coast, after the ship left Akyab. Two torpedoes were fired and one hit, but it was a dud. OPilot is using some indirect routing to and from Akyab. He's seen my subs within a couple hexes of the coast. So I adjust my sub patrols.

25 Sallys with 42 Oscars hit Chittagong and do minor damage in bad weather.

Many B-17s hit Portland Roads, doing moderate damage to the port and airfield in rainy weather. No enemy fighters. There are 5 enemy units there now, and enough men that there may be 2/3 of the 4th Infantry Division instead of 1/3 as before.

The last ship transport movements will occur today for the Guadalcanal campaign. I need 4 more days for the rest of the US Army divisions to upgrade. Then we load.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 564

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/18/2018 7:07:17 PM

apbarog

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10 Aug 42

Battleships return to Kusaie after bombarding yesterday also. OPilot guesses that the spotted xAKL task force near Kusaie would go to port seeing the battleships leave. He was right.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Kusaie Island at 125,118, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
CL Tama
CL Kiso
DD Oite
DD Hayate
DD Asanagi
DD Yunagi

Allied Ships
AM Launceton, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
xAKL Bangalow, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Georgian, Shell hits 4, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 37 (37 destroyed, 0 disabled)

The vehicles lost were engineering vehicles and motorized support for a CB unit already at Kusaie. I figured that OPilot wouldn't return having expended ammo, but he did. The lower ammo may have resulted in the poor bombardment that followed though. It damaged just one plane of the two fighter squadrons I just moved in. This was important in the air battle during the day.

Morning Air attack on Kusaie Island , at 125,118

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
G4M1 Betty x 26

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Runway hits 7

8 Bettys and 6 A6M2 Zeros were downed for the loss of 3 P-39Ds. With low supply at Kusaie, the air units transfer back out to Nauru Island. 3 SSTs unloaded most of their supply before the bombardment, and will finish unloading today. They are shuttling from Nauru.

Yorktown is being repaired with ARD Dewey at Vava'u. It is repairing a FLOT point every 3 or 4 days. When the damaged gets to a lower level, I'll move it to a shipyard to finish repairs.

41st Infantry Division is now fully upgraded to 1942 squads. Now Americal should take 3 days to upgrades it's divided parts. Then everything is ready for the Guadalcanal campaign. Slow battleships are leaving Auckland today to participate.

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Post #: 565

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/19/2018 6:51:11 AM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

11 Aug 42

About a week ago, a US sub dropped some mines outside of Tokyo. Nothing found them until a minewsweeper did today. No luck.

I-3 fired 4 torpedoes at APD Stringham, which was escorting an xAK south of Tabiteuea. No hits.

Sian was bombed by 25 Helens and 25 Lilys escorted by 41 Tojos and 27 Oscars. 32 Oscars then swept. Too much to try to go against.

Many transports continue to fly supply from Ledo to China. 2 B-17 squadrons and a B-25 squadron have joined in. Ledo is at maximum capacity, so the bombers are at the newly built base at Tezpur, which is building quickly with several engineer units there. It's a maximum effort to supply China, but I don't think it's enough. Earlier in the war, I was resting the transports in bad weather, trying to keep the ops losses to a minimum. That worked. But now, everything is flying every day, till they can't fly any longer.

I'm glad that I snuck 25,000 supply from Luzon to China early in the war. Luzon is slowly being lost now, 8 months after the war. The extra supply at Luzon would have prolonged that somewhat longer, but not changed the outcome. China is more important to keep supplied. I don't know if China is going to collapse like a house of cards when supply runs out, if supply runs out, but I'm doing what I can to save China. Or at least prolong the fight as long as possible.

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Post #: 566

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/19/2018 7:27:03 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

12 Aug 42

Cuttlefish fired two torpedoes at patrol boat Yahada Maru near Jaluit. One hit but was a dud.

Dutch sub KXVI was headed on a long voyage, from Ceylon to the South China Sea, hoping to cause some mischief way behind the lines. Going south through the Malacca Straits, destroyer Karukaya spotted it and hit KXVI with a depth charge. Damage is moderate and the sub is now headed back to Ceylon.

A fast transport APD task force will run into Kusaie Island tonight and drop supply. There's enough supply at nearby Nauru Island that the APDs can now pick up supply there. This will shorten the trip to Kusaie to 2 days. Eventually the APDs are going to run into battleships at Kusaie at night, but I need to risk them and get supply into Kusaie. This plan works if I see the battleships coming near Ponape, and the enemy doesn't see the APDs headed north.

Two important things for today. First, Manila fell.

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 32949 troops, 333 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 995

Defending force 22889 troops, 188 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 645

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 1280

Allied adjusted defense: 165

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Manila !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
439 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

Allied ground losses:
32891 casualties reported
Squads: 984 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1470 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 34 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 235 (235 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 13

Assaulting units:
21st Division
38th Division
24th Infantry Regiment
2nd Engineer Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
16th Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
1st PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
2nd Constabulary Regiment
1st USMC AA Battalion
II Corps
Nichols Field AAF Base Force
I/43rd PS Inf Battalion
27th Avn Sup
4th PAAC Avn Sup
Cavite USN Base Force

That was a boost to OPilot's victory points. Something that was coming all along but finally took place.

The second thing for today is that tomorrow the many ships for the Guadalcanal campaign start loading up.

(in reply to CaptBeefheart)

Post #: 567

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/20/2018 6:11:28 PM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
Status: offline

I played a bit of psychological warfare with OPilot concerning Kusaie Island. He had mentioned that my Gilberts campaign was effective and I moved in base support quickly. I said that Kusaie was in his backyard and that we'd have an interesting battle there. Implied in this is that I expect a big battle, and that I'd be doing my part in it. In reality, Kusaie is out on a limb, a limb that OPilot can chop off if he spends the time to prep ground units. I want his attention here, and I think it is. I'd like to keep Kusaie, and I intend to keep Kusaie, but if OPilot puts forth the effort with carrier cover and battleship bombardments and a counter-invasion, then I could lose it. If I keep it, it's a stepping stone to Ponape and then Truk.

The loading for the Lunga and Tulagi invasions starts with the next turn. I'll be working on the turn this evening, and it will take longer than usual. I'll sort out all of the shipping I have, including combat ships, and form up all of the needed task forces.

Assuming that Lunga and Tulagi go well, it would have been nice to have troops ready for Shortlands and Buin, since the enemy hasn't built airfields on either yet. I've only recently started prepping Australian troops for those bases.

I expect that a division will take Tulagi quickly. I don't expect 2 divisions to take Lunga quickly. Enemy strength there is estimated to be a division and support units. But I should have the upper hand. B-17s are basing at Luganville. Ship support will move from Noumea to Luganville to expedite rearming for bombardments. An AS is moving to Luganville too. Up until now, Luganville was on the front line. After these landings, Luganville will be safe.

Paras at Ndeni will drop on Tassafronga, which I think is unprotected. Other troops will land at Tassafronga simultaneously with the other landings. Same for nearby Rennell and Kirakira Islands.

Where's KB? Don't know. How many enemy carriers are out of the fight from the previous battle? Don't know.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 568

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/20/2018 9:11:20 PM

anarchyintheuk

Posts: 3921
Joined: 5/5/2004
From: Dallas
Status: offline

Re: the hump. I set them from Ledo to Tsuyung at 20% rest and flew them everyday. Didn't think the ops losses were that bad.

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Post #: 569

RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apba... - 11/21/2018 4:30:42 AM

apbarog

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Trying your settings anarchyintheuk. Thanks. I've been running them 100% and then manually resting occasionally in bad weather.

13 Aug 42

I-169 fired 2 torpedoes at AMc Goonambee but missed.

Grouper fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Harukaze near Ponape but missed. CL spotted also.

Little bombing in China today.

Enemy cruiser force spotted at Lunga. Could bombard Ndeni. No planes or ships there.

Loading has begun. It will be a bit slower at Koumac, with its size 3 port, compare to Brisbane and Noumea. But it's a bit further north so the delay may not be too long. Slower cargo ships with supply start to move to the rendezvous location, northwest of Koumac.

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