RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A)

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A)

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RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/29/2022 8:28:31 PM

apbarog

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

23 Dec 42

I-166 is off the west coast of Australia, near Geraldton. It spotted a Dutch task force, with light cruisers Sumatra and Java, anti-aircraft cruiser Van Heemskerck, and 4 destroyers. The ships were headed north, tipped off by the sighting of Japanese cruisers at Normanton. I don't know how far they went, but they didn't get to Carnavon during the night, when light cruisers Yubari and Agano and 2 DDs bombarded Carnavon. Very light damage to the base done. Seeing just the Dutch task force, and just Dutch subs on the western and northwestern side of Australia, makes me think that this area is not a high priority for the Allies right now.

After the bombardment, Dutch sub KXII fired 4 torpedoes at Yubari but missed.

OPilot sent the Hurricanes and heavy bombers to Magwe. No CAP. Magwe's oil now has 73 functional out of 300.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 601

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/30/2022 3:26:08 AM

apbarog

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

24 Dec 42

One of the best artillery attacks yet in the war at Kweiyang.

Allied ground losses:
634 casualties reported
Squads: 40 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Japanese units had the supply for a deliberate attack, but I chose to just bombard as the divisions had a bit of disruption. Just a matter of time until Kweiyang is taken. Then I hope to clear the road to the west to Kunming.

Not as good up by Lanchow. Don't have the HQ structure set up here like I do by Kweiyang, and it shows in the adjusted assault value. Not sure if this big second attempt using brute force will work any better than the first. There's some big Chinese corps here. Attacks will continue as long as possible. Bombers continue to bomb.

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 46144 troops, 371 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 1261

Defending force 44704 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1165

Japanese adjusted assault: 888

Allied adjusted defense: 1075

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
1386 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 214 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Allied ground losses:
985 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 188 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

East of Chihkiang, I'd snuck a couple of divisions onto the road and found just one Chinese corps defending. Cleared the hex, cutting Chinese east-west movement, for now.

Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20968 troops, 136 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 688

Defending force 6020 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 213

Japanese adjusted assault: 656

Allied adjusted defense: 76

Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
346 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1564 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
69th Division
59th Division
13th Army

Defending units:
44th Chinese Corps

Attachment (1)

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 602

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/30/2022 3:55:25 AM

pontiouspilot

Posts: 1127
Joined: 7/27/2012
Status: offline

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but for anybody's interest, when scrambling to cover the IJA garrisons in China I find it very useful to divide up many of the pindly little Sino/Japanese units. For being small in the first place many divide perfectly for small garrisons thereby freeing up decent IJA units.

Cheers

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 603

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/30/2022 4:51:06 AM

apbarog

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

quote:

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but for anybody's interest, when scrambling to cover the IJA garrisons in China I find it very useful to divide up many of the pindly little Sino/Japanese units. For being small in the first place many divide perfectly for small garrisons thereby freeing up decent IJA units.

Cheers

Good point pontiouspilot. I had garrisons covered pretty well, as well as I could early on, but circumstances change. Sian was on the front before. The Japanese division there was disrupted in battle and stayed at Sian to recover. Now it's ready to go to battle, but the garrison must be covered. Also, as I get reinforcements, particularly small ones, I can more closely match the garrison requirements.

The key to being able to just barely cover the garrison requirements of the cities is that I plan on not having to deal with any Chinese offensive later in the game. If I can keep China from getting supply, I can minimally cover everything there.

(in reply to pontiouspilot)

Post #: 604

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/30/2022 8:01:42 PM

apbarog

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

25 Dec 42

B-17s and B-24s in the Aleutians bombed Ulak Island, doing minor damage in bad weather.

The George accelerated to 6/43. Won't have many units that can fly the George, with PDU OFF, but anything is better than what I have now. Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

Cleared the last enemy mine at Tanna. Bombed the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion on Tanna. I've been keeping the port there damaged, preventing fort and airbase building. There's a pioneer unit there too, and if I remember correctly, it doesn't have engineers. Moved air transports to Luganville and ordered a para drop on Tanna for today. A big cruiser force and a big battleship force, led by Yamato and Nagato, will bombard Tanna. Only have 45 air transports for the drop, so there might not be enough paras to prevail.

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 605

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 1/31/2022 8:57:57 PM

apbarog

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

26 Dec 42

B-24s hit Milne Bay's airbase hard. The Australian cruiser TF is now in position to bombard either Port Moresby or Milne Bay. I just had a destroyer at Milne Bay, and some xAKLs before that, so I'm guessing that Milne Bay will be hit. Little I can do with what I have in the area. Just some subs at the moment.

Japanese cruiser TF and another battleship TF bombarded Tanna, doing good work.

Allied ground losses:
296 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Port hits 32
Port supply hits 7

and

Allied ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Port hits 26
Port supply hits 9

Lots of bombers hit the 3rd Raider Battalion and the 1st Pioneer Battalion on Tanna. Paras dropped on Tanna.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 459 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Defending force 1169 troops, 0 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 34

Japanese adjusted assault: 15

Allied adjusted defense: 23

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
141 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

More defenders than paras dropped, but the defenders are in bad shape. I need to resupply the paras, so no attack today. Transports to drop supply. Then I'll drop in another para unit. Cruisers and battleships moving to Belep for rearming. There are enemy subs there and at Koumac.

Another attack at Kweiyang, and it ALMOST took the base. Just missed a 3 to 1 with the forts lowered to 1.

Ground combat at Kweiyang (74,49)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36598 troops, 585 guns, 898 vehicles, Assault Value = 1006

Defending force 39933 troops, 239 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 893

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 952

Allied adjusted defense: 325

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1548 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 126 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2159 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 169 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 25 (2 destroyed, 23 disabled)

Again we wait for resupply and then attack. It will fall soon. OPilot moved 3 units into the hex south of Kweiyang. I have a partially disabled division there, and 2 more divisions about to move there from Tuyun. If the Chinese attack today, hoping to cut off my troops at Kweiyang, they'll run into 3 divisions, although 2 will be in move mode. It is wooded terrain. I don't think I have to worry. OPilot may have thought that the hex was empty when he moved there.

The second big Japanese offensive to take Lanchow has failed, just like the first. The Chinese units here are surprisingly strong even without supply. I believe that the biggest factor here is the downward adjusted Japanese assault values. I do not have higher HQ participation up here, and it is making a difference. Lack of artillery isn't helping either. The 3 now depleted divisions will move back to Ningsia to recover. The Imperial Guard is still in very good shape and will hold the front. The Japanese units can recover with time and supply. The Chinese, mostly without supply, cannot. Lanchow will be taken eventually. It will take weeks to recover.

Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44864 troops, 371 guns, 94 vehicles, Assault Value = 1125

Defending force 43414 troops, 121 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1010

Japanese adjusted assault: 583

Allied adjusted defense: 1127

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
3181 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 381 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 25 (1 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1091 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 125 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
116th Division
22nd Division
68th Division
Imperial Guards Division
12th Army
16th Field AA Machinecannon Company

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps
16th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
4th Group Army

I've discussed Urumchi, and the hope that oil would flow south now that Urumchi has been captured. I noticed today that Urumchi has 48,268 oil. It was stuck at 50,000. I have the refinery on there. Urumchi produces 50 oil and the refinery uses 20. I must assume that at least some oil is leaving Urumchi.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 606

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/1/2022 1:56:31 PM

apbarog

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

27 Dec 42

Salmon is hit by 2 depth charges from APD Oite south of Rabaul. The task force has a few APDs and a bunch of xAKLs and is carrying a combined unit with nice coastal guns. It is headed to Milne Bay. I want to put the unit at a place that is likely to be invaded and has a decent defense.

Gove got the P-38 and B-17 treatment again.

I-166 hit PG Soerabaja with a torpedo west of Carnarvon. I think I've been calling it Carnavon for 10 years.

Attacked just east of Chihkiang, seeing just one enemy unit there, but it was a strong unit. 2 Japanese divisions and a HQ versus one large Chinese corps. got a 1 to 1 attack but was on the losing side of the casualty ratio: 947 Japanese versus 102 Chinese. We'll hold the hex. There are Chinese units scrambling to get north of this hex, as I showed movement north, and there's just a thin line between it and the capital. We're not going that way, but OPilot doesn't know that.

Lots of Japanese destroyers to upgrade on 1 Jan. A fair number are just coming out of a December upgrade in the next few days. KB remains in port at Tokyo and Yokohama, with air units training new pilots. There's been no major moves by the Allies since the ambush at Wake Island. OPilot's strategy since has been to inch forward with new base construction. He's doing so on the island northwest of Normanton, on the way to Gove. He landed at Tanna but that isn't going so well for him. Right now, anywhere that he can build a big base is a base that he can put heavy bombers and P-38s and project power from there.

The reckoning is coming, sooner or later. I still haven't seen a single USMC division in the war, and it's about to be 1943. Has to be something big in the works. I just don't know where or when. Would the US wait for the Essex carriers? I want to finish my offensive in China as soon as possible and get those unrestricted divisions out to the Pacific.

I was trying to figure out how OPilot is using his C-47s at Ledo. I've tried to catch them a number of times in China, around the Kunming area, but I never did. There are few places they can fly from Ledo, and that's where they have been. Right now, there are 3 Chinese stacks east of Kunming that are within range and that is it. But I've made an error. I thought that the extended range of the C-47 was 11. It is 12. Now it is obvious where they are flying. There's a Chinese base, Chengtu, north northwest of Chungking. It is 12 hexes from Ledo. Not much I can do about that. I've bombed it a couple of times with Bettys, as Chengtu has a lot of industry, but OPilot has kept CAP there since. Regardless, I'm still winning the supply war in China.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 607

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/1/2022 10:49:21 PM

IdahoNYer

Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

What version of Tony have you fielded in Dec '42? The Ki-61c is the first model to get the 20mm in DBB-C - you've got that already??

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 608

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/1/2022 10:57:43 PM

apbarog

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

quote:

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Converted the first unit to the Tony, a Nate unit in Korea. I moved highly trained pilots to the unit but haven't decided where to move it. Probably Burma. Nice cannon on the Tony that gives it some chance against bombers.

What version of Tony have you fielded in Dec '42? The Ki-61c is the first model to get the 20mm in DBB-C - you've got that already??

It is the Ki-61-Ia Tony, starting in 11/42 in DBB-B. It is listed with 2 12.7mm MG and 2 7.7 MG. Not great, but better than an Oscar. I'd thought that the first Tony got a cannon, but it does not.

< Message edited by apbarog -- 2/1/2022 11:01:01 PM >

(in reply to IdahoNYer)

Post #: 609

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/1/2022 10:59:51 PM

apbarog

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

28 Dec 42

Cruiser Chikuma and 3 DDs bombarded Tanna, destroying a few squads and hitting the port 17 times. I split off these ships so that they would bombard and then head towards Truk. The destroyers are due for upgrade in 3 days. Chikuma is due for an upgrade in a month, and is the only cruiser in the South Pacific due then. Sending it back early.

3 US light cruisers and 9 destroyers bombarded Adak Island in the Aleutians, doing moderate damage. My biggest concern in the Aleutians is keeping my 4 bases supplied. RO-64 fired 4 torpedoes at destroyer Duncan as they went home but missed.

35 B-17s from Norfolk Island bombed Japanese paras on Tanna. 9 Zeros intercepted on LRCAP. The result was 3 Zeros lost. The bombs missed the troops though, in thunderstorms.

Gove was hit by B-17s and P-38s again.

Just south of Kweiyang, 3 Japanese divisions attacked 3 Chinese corps, pushing them back to the east. This looked like an attempt to cut off my big stack at Kweiyang, but the Chinese found more troops than they bargained for.

Ground combat at 75,50 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 42263 troops, 377 guns, 112 vehicles, Assault Value = 1255

Defending force 25968 troops, 86 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 842

Japanese adjusted assault: 978

Allied adjusted defense: 241

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
627 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 112 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled

Allied ground losses:
9007 casualties reported
Squads: 361 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 209 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 9 (8 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
48th Division
3rd Division
5th Division

Defending units:
59th Chinese Corps
70th Chinese Corps
86th Chinese Corps

Bombers hit the US troops on Tanna. Another Japanese para unit dropped in but couldn't do the job.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 894 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 56

Defending force 978 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 15

Japanese adjusted assault: 26

Allied adjusted defense: 27

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
3rd Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 610

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/2/2022 1:32:49 AM

IdahoNYer

Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline

quote:

It is t-61-Ia Tony, starting in 11/42 in DBB-B. It is listed with 2 12.7mm MG and 2 7.7 MG. Not great, but better than an Oscar. I'd thought that the first Tony got a cannon, but it does not.

I've been decidedly underwhelmed by IJA aircraft so far - Tony is probably a step up from the Oscar, but that's not saying much, and with a service rating of 3, I may favor the Oscar IIb and later. Was hoping for better from the Tojo, but anything without armor is easy pray for P-40s or Hurris.

Gotta love PDU-off!

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 611

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/2/2022 10:20:00 PM

apbarog

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

29 Dec 42

Sub chaser Ch 33 got a few near misses on Silversides in the Kurile Islands. It was interesting that there were two reports of fires started on the bridge and a report of flooding in the control room. Silversides is a favorite of mine. Last I heard, it was a museum boat in Michigan. I got a piece of the original wood planking from it when it was refurbished at the museum. Something the museum sold as a fund raiser.

Supply was flown in to the paras on Tanna, but it wasn't enough. Will continue doing so today. xAKLs with supply are on the way from Luganville.

The big news was at Kweiyang. The last Chinese base that was part of my original plan to take the western Chinese bases has been captured.

Ground combat at Kweiyang (74,49)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 35764 troops, 585 guns, 897 vehicles, Assault Value = 922

Defending force 28980 troops, 200 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 589

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1262

Allied adjusted defense: 175

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kweiyang !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
366 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 78 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
8073 casualties reported
Squads: 342 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 169 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 42 (38 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 11

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
110th Division
41st Division
2nd Tank Division
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
16th Army
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
25th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
65th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
12th Group Army
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army
39th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army

I've used the tank divisions in China, but I've been more impressed with the results of this artillery death star. If I wasn't in a bit of a hurry to get this done and get my unrestricted divisions out of China, I could have bombarded the Chinese to death indefinitely.

Now I need to clear the road from Kweiyang west to Kunming, then it is mission accomplished. Kweiyang is just 4 hexes from the capital, Chungking. Am I making the wrong decision to not go for the capital? It could be argued. I can't stop the C-47 supply runs into the base northwest of Chungking, not without a big offensive in that direction, essentially going around Chungking. But my theory is that the Chinese will never be an offensive threat if the Allies cannot open the Burma road. Not with supply from C-47s and the remaining light industry. The Chinese have only 4 working refineries left, and they are in Lanchow. So the heavy industry is not working. My theory is the Chinese are out of the war until the Allies somehow clear the Japanese out of the western Chinese mountains, or land on the Chinese coast (which won't be for some time).

(in reply to IdahoNYer)

Post #: 612

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/3/2022 8:34:05 PM

apbarog

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

30 Dec 42

Allied bombers hit Magwe's airbase instead of the oil. I had 3 Oscar units at Mandalay trying to sweep Akyab, but they didn't fly. The Hurricanes that usually sweep for the bombers didn't fly from Akyab either. It was a missed opportunity to shoot down a lot of bombers. Blens and B-25s came in first, before the heavy bombers. Of course, it's like winning the lottery to guess the bombing location, the right day, have no Hurricanes sweep, and have the medium bombers come in first. Just not going to happen. I had Topsys at Magwe flying an airbase support unit to Kunming. 7 Topsys were destroyed on the ground. I'm no longer going to use Magwe as an airbase. The remaining oil is there to be destroyed. I'll take what it provides as long as it is there. I'm moving the airbase support units out, to locations further away from the Hurricane horde on the coast.

In the far reaches of northern China, the lone Chinese 259th Brigade is defeated again near Wasu, but it retreated into a non-road mountain hex. Now I have to either ignore it, meaning that eventually it will find one of the non-occupied Japanese bases up there, or I have to go into the mountains after it. I choose to move in. I also have a tank unit moving to the western side of the mountains, should the enemy pop out in that direction. The enemy is almost destroyed, but not quite.

The Chinese accidentally (I assume) crossed a river near Chihkiang.

Ground combat at 79,50 (near Chihkiang)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 10725 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 615

Defending force 22659 troops, 136 guns, 60 vehicles, Assault Value = 600

Allied adjusted assault: 13

Japanese adjusted defense: 2152

Allied assault odds: 1 to 165

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

Japanese ground losses:
58 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2763 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 316 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

And here is the situation in the problem hex in Burma, southeast of Akyab.

Ground combat at 56,46 (near Akyab)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 15438 troops, 318 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 672 troops, 29 guns, 97 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division

Defending units:
19th Tank Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Attachment (1)

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 613

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/5/2022 4:28:19 AM

apbarog

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

31 Dec 42

4 Japanese light cruisers and 5 destroyers bombarded Carnarvon, doing minor base damage. I had their approach come from further to the north instead of along the coast from Port Hedland. I know that there are Dutch subs there. I made the home base Christmas Island IO to have them avoid the coastal route after the bombardment.

Supply was unloaded at Tanna from 3 xAKLs. No interference. The paras now have supply. The rest of one of the para units will drop in today and all will shock attack again. A cruiser force will bombard to help out. Bombers from Noumea and Luganville continue to hit the US troops on Tanna.

Near Ponape, southeast of Truk, Scorpion fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Eli Maru. One hit, and it was not a dud. The ship was loaded with fuel for Luganville and burned. A later attack by Scorpion hit Eli Maru again, and that one was a dud. No matter, the ship burned up after combat. I'd been avoiding the route due southeast of Truk. OPilot has had subs there. Over time, they've moved further away from Truk, but always in the hexes straight to the southeast of Truk. To avoid this route, I've been sending ship one hex to the east of this route. I did so with this task force, but I didn't send it out far enough from Truk before it turned south, intersecting the due southeastern hexes.

Trigger was hit by a depth charge from sub chasers at Paramushiro-Jima. The sub will survive.

Japanese attack near Chihkiang did not succeed, despite one of two Chinese corps there being decimated in its river crossing yesterday. The other corps is still decent. 516 Japanese versus 509 Chinese casualties in the 1 to 2 attack.

East of Kunming, another 1 to 2 attack, but with better results. 290 Japanese versus 437 Chinese casualties. This is the hex where it appears that the enemy is withdrawing to the east.

British attack near Akyab. Burma is heating up quickly. Allied troops on the move.

Ground combat at 56,46 (near Akyab)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15432 troops, 318 guns, 243 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 672 troops, 29 guns, 97 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Allied adjusted assault: 435

Japanese adjusted defense: 190

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 9 (3 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (19 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Allied ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2nd British Division

Defending units:
19th Tank Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment

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Post #: 614

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/5/2022 8:06:33 PM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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1 Jan 43 - End of Year Data

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Post #: 615

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/6/2022 12:26:01 AM

apbarog

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

1 Jan 43

Hurricanes swept Magwe but found no CAP. But the bombers went elsewhere. Lashio was hit hard by heavies. Blens hit Katha. B-25s hit Myitkyina. OPilot is systematically taking out all of the potential airbases in Burma. Most I have no plans for. I had stacked CAP at Mandalay but I guessed wrong. My planes were spotted and I'm leaving them there for today.

Another crushing defeat for the Chinese, this time just west of Kweiyang. Moving in a tank division and most of the artillery death star made it an overwhelming victory. And it looks like the enemy was trying to flee north in movement mode.

Ground combat at 73,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36585 troops, 497 guns, 789 vehicles, Assault Value = 1130

Defending force 16948 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 571

Japanese adjusted assault: 1057

Allied adjusted defense: 37

Japanese assault odds: 28 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
225 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
7729 casualties reported
Squads: 182 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 151 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 16 disabled
Units retreated 7

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
39th Division
35th Division
2nd Tank Division
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
16th Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
48th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
10th Construction Regiment
Lusu War Area
12th Construction Regiment

Now just one hex on the road between Kunming and Kweiyang needs to be cleared. It is heavily defended and in the mountains. A lot of the artillery will move there. The tank division will not. It will start moving south to be pulled out of China at Hong Kong. The Japanese China Expeditionary HQ that was at Tuyun will now make the long trek up north to the Lanchow area. I hope that it will help that offensive as much as it did this one. HQ support is often overlooked, and it is a difference maker.

7 Japanese cruisers and 3 destroyers bombarded Tanna to good effect. 209 casualties in the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion. Moderate port damage. Bombers hit the enemy troops. The two para units attacked again, having been resupplied by xAKL.

Ground combat at Tanna (120,157)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1283 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 815 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 13

Japanese adjusted assault: 35

Allied adjusted defense: 5

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tanna !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
912 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 53 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF
3rd Raiding Rgt /1

Defending units:
3rd Marine Raider Battalion
1st Pioneer Battalion

I don't really want Tanna. I just don't want the Allies building a base there. I moved some transport Mavis aircraft to Luganville. They will slowly extract the paras at Tanna.

With a new year, the Oscar IIb aircraft go into production. It is an upgrade from the existing Oscars, as the IIb has armor. It might last a little longer, while it won't shoot any more down.

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Post #: 616

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/6/2022 9:03:24 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
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2 Jan 43

Today was a day of heavy bombings. Lots of Sallys and Helens bombed the Chinese stack on the last hex that we want to clear between Kunming and Kweiyang. It's a mountainous hex, but with apparently high over-stacking, there were an incredible number of Chinese casualties. 982 in one strike, 464 in the next. I remember in our last game with OPilot, where I was Allied, how hopeless I felt with the relentless bombing of the Chinese. And how I felt when I started to return the favor, using the Allied heavy bombers, and having 10 times the effect with them. Well, now I'm the Japanese player, having had great success with bombing in China, and now I'm getting the P-38s combined with heavy bombers, and feeling pretty hopeless with that situation.

At La Foa, 22 P-38G swept at 34000 feet, finding 37 Zeros, some from La Foa, some from Noumea. With a bit of a stacked CAP, we did get a few P-38s, downing 5, but we lost 14 Zeros, some to the follow-on bombers. 18 B-17Es, then 9 more, then 7 more, bombed La Foa. Maybe I should have taken Norfolk Island after all. That's the problem though. Take Norfolk, then it gets pounded from New Zealand. Whatever is in range of P-38s and B-17s/B-24s is vulnerable.

Gove got the same Allied treatment. 20 P-38Gs swept, finding no CAP. 32 B-17s and 9 B-24s bombed, then 7 more B-17s and 12 B-24s. Then 9 more B-24s. Then 9 more B-24s. And 9 more B-24s.

I let my guard down at Kunming. I've had fighters there, but OPilot never did recon or sent bombers from Ledo. I stacked my fighters at Mandalay and left Kunming open, and the heavy bombers arrived in force from Ledo. 30 B-24s and 15 Liberator IIs hit. 40 out of the 50 heavy industry were damaged. I'm having bad luck playing the shell game with the heavy bombers. It is a situation that the Japanese cannot win.

All that can be done is what I did at Tanna. Don't let this early island hopping campaign start. Of course, Tanna was just with a Marine Raider battalion, nothing substantial. But once the US gets a base that can build big, everything in the area will become a target for heavy bombers.

I feel like I've done well in the game so far, but still have that hopeless feeling that all Japanese players get.

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Post #: 617

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/7/2022 8:39:45 PM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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3 Jan 43

Dutch sub KVII fired 2 torpedoes at AKE Kokuryu Maru just outside of Broome. Both missed. The AKE just rearmed a light cruiser task force and was heading a bit north to avoid being spotted. So much for that. I'll need to move the AKE around to keep it hidden. Lots of Dutch subs on the northwestern coast of Australia.

I-159 was hit by a depth charge from Australian destroyers just east of Gove. Light cruiser Adelaide and 3 destroyers then bombarded Gove, doing light damage. I would have moved an supply task force in, but didn't, as it needed to refuel to the northeast of Gove. It will move in tonight. Gove's airbase is heavily damaged.

Today Adak got the heavy bombers, as did Daly Waters, after a P-38 sweep. No CAP at either.

Another excellent round of bombing Chinese troops on the road between Kunming and Kweiyang. 584 and 81 and 103 casualties. The Chinese stack isn't as over-stacked as it was yesterday. Artillery will attack today, and more artillery is on the way.

Trout fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Yamabiko Maru northwest of Ominato. One torpedo hit and it was not a dud. It's January, and the Mk 14 dud rate went down by 20%. The ship will try to make it 2 hexes to Ominato before it burns up, and it is burning. The hex is a deep water hex that the coastal convoys must move through.

Damaged sub I-5, gravely damaged west of Karachi, has been traveling south to get to a friendly port. It's a long way. The flotation damage has fluctuated around 70, but the SYS damage has slowly climbed from the high 40s to the low 60s. The FLOT damage took a big +9 jump today, and I think the damage has passed the tipping point. The sub was joined by another sub. I have no evidence that another sub can help with the damage repair, but I've done this in extreme circumstances. This sub, now west of Ceylon, will probably sink soon.

Nervous about Burma. Starting to think about a new line south of the open plains. I don't want to lose it quite this early.

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Post #: 618

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/8/2022 12:03:30 AM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

That is early to abandon Burma....what do you have there in terms of ground troops? Do you lack available divisions?

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Post #: 619

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/8/2022 2:23:25 AM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

That is early to abandon Burma....what do you have there in terms of ground troops? Do you lack available divisions?

I was light in Burma, as I was everywhere, having concentrated in China. I'm in the process of pulling unrestricted units out of China now. 2 infantry divisions and a tank division are on the Burma Road, going into Burma. That should help. I don't see a viable defense in the clear terrain. Allied air power is too strong, with too many heavy bombers. OPilot and I haven't fought a knock-down drag-out fight in the air in either of our games. We tend to press the advantage and decline to fight at a disadvantage. I'm considering going all out with airpower in Burma to defend it, losses or not. OPilot has been systematically taking out my airfields with the heavy bombers, but his fighter range is still limited. His offensive just east of Akyab is well covered with Hurricanes. Problem is, if the British take the Magwe-Mandalay area, there's several good airbases there.

In Burma I have a Thai division split up covering the north, at and near Myitkyina. Just west of that, I have a Japanese division split covering a jungle line southeast of Imphal. Those units are pulling back a bit and will recombine. I have a Japanese division and a Thai division on the trail south of Akyab, and a Japanese division and a Thai division moving into the hex that the British took at the edge of the jungle between Akyab and Magwe. If I controlled that hex, and had 2 divisions, I'm good there. More Allied troops are spotted to the northeast, and the defense is weak northwest of Magwe.

So, I'm sending more. And prepping for an Akyab landing that could be a flanking maneuver on the British. Worst case, I fall back to the jungle line from near Prome to the east, holding Toungoo and then northeast to Lashio, ceding the bases on the open plain.

It's 1943 now. I have to have some concern about a big amphibious landing, somewhere. I've yet to see any of the USMC divisions. They could be anywhere. I just feel that OPilot has something big in the works. It could be now. It could be 6 months from now. He could do it if he avoids KB, which is stronger than the US carrier fleet. The Japanese have lost 1 big carrier, the US has lost 3.

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Post #: 620

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/8/2022 1:14:58 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog
Allied air power is too strong, with too many heavy bombers. OPilot and I haven't fought a knock-down drag-out fight in the air in either of our games. We tend to press the advantage and decline to fight at a disadvantage. I'm considering going all out with airpower in Burma to defend it, losses or not. OPilot has been systematically taking out my airfields with the heavy bombers, but his fighter range is still limited. His offensive just east of Akyab is well covered with Hurricanes. Problem is, if the British take the Magwe-Mandalay area, there's several good airbases there.

I can't see all the details of course and I don't know where you are R&D wise, so speaking generally of course.....but I think a large attrition air battle in Burma is going to favor you and help restore the situation. You should have plenty of Ki-44 IIa at this point; this is a superior plane to the Hurricane, and the Hurricane has limited replacement pools. It will take awhile, but anything close to equal losses will favor you. This assumes you have good production in place and a pilot training program so you can sustain losses of 200-400 fighters. Start sweeping those Hurricanes and bringing in supply, engineers, base forces, air HQs to keep enough airbases operational to sustain an air campaign. More flak could help. The railroad is a huge advantage to keep airframes repaired which is always a problem as Japan.

When is the N1K1 available for you? As soon as you have this plane, start sweeping any fighter that flies. It will eat Hurricanes for breakfast. The Frank-a is also going to help a ton. N1K1 is also pretty solid vs. 4E on CAP.

Anyway, I would find the air resources to engage in a big battle of attrition. It may not seem you are making progress from your seat, but large losses quickly put strain on Allied pools as you may know from playing Allies....you guys didn't have massive air battles so maybe you didn't feel that strain, but Allies cannot fly every day for long if you are sweeping

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Post #: 621

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/8/2022 5:24:31 PM

apbarog

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

quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

quote:

ORIGINAL: apbarog
Allied air power is too strong, with too many heavy bombers. OPilot and I haven't fought a knock-down drag-out fight in the air in either of our games. We tend to press the advantage and decline to fight at a disadvantage. I'm considering going all out with airpower in Burma to defend it, losses or not. OPilot has been systematically taking out my airfields with the heavy bombers, but his fighter range is still limited. His offensive just east of Akyab is well covered with Hurricanes. Problem is, if the British take the Magwe-Mandalay area, there's several good airbases there.

I can't see all the details of course and I don't know where you are R&D wise, so speaking generally of course.....but I think a large attrition air battle in Burma is going to favor you and help restore the situation. You should have plenty of Ki-44 IIa at this point; this is a superior plane to the Hurricane, and the Hurricane has limited replacement pools. It will take awhile, but anything close to equal losses will favor you. This assumes you have good production in place and a pilot training program so you can sustain losses of 200-400 fighters. Start sweeping those Hurricanes and bringing in supply, engineers, base forces, air HQs to keep enough airbases operational to sustain an air campaign. More flak could help. The railroad is a huge advantage to keep airframes repaired which is always a problem as Japan.

When is the N1K1 available for you? As soon as you have this plane, start sweeping any fighter that flies. It will eat Hurricanes for breakfast. The Frank-a is also going to help a ton. N1K1 is also pretty solid vs. 4E on CAP.

Anyway, I would find the air resources to engage in a big battle of attrition. It may not seem you are making progress from your seat, but large losses quickly put strain on Allied pools as you may know from playing Allies....you guys didn't have massive air battles so maybe you didn't feel that strain, but Allies cannot fly every day for long if you are sweeping

This is a PDU-OFF game. I have lots of Oscar IIa, and the IIb's are in production now. The IIb has armor and will be used heavily. Just 3 Tojo units on the map. 2 have been in Burma and China. I'm invested heavily in researching the Frank, but it is in the future.

OPilot is using all of his air in Burma in an all or nothing manner. All of the Hurricanes fly together. Generally, all of his heavy bombers do also. Today, all of his light bombers attacked where the Hurricanes swept. So I need to pile up the fighters in one location, and guess the location that they are needed. Unless I go on the offensive and sweep heavily and repeatedly, which is now in my plans. Not much I can do against the heavy bombers though. Best case I get a few and damage a bunch, but lose more fighters than bombers downed. And that's only if I guess the right location on the right day.

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Post #: 622

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/8/2022 5:26:22 PM

apbarog

Posts: 3769
Joined: 5/23/2002
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4 Jan 43

I sneaked a cargo TF into Gove, just missing the Australian combat ships that arrived yesterday. But Shark was there, and it got a torpedo hit on xAK Malta Maru, and it wasn't a dud. Later, 16 A-24 Banshees with 500lb bombs sank xAK Malta Maru and xAK Liverpool Maru, both taking 4 bomb hits. Little supply was unloaded. The rest of the ships are ordered out.

Interesting fight at Funafuti. I'd seen a ship or two at Funafuti, so I sent a small task force to investigate. It didn't have the fuel to sprint to Funafuti, so I sent it towards the island, with a patrol spot 4 hexes west of the island, and an reaction of 4. It moved as planned and reacted with a move to Funafuti.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Funafuti at 138,147, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CL Tatsuta
DD Kiku, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Tsuta, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 3, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards

The range was closed to 7,000 yards and then Le Triomphant decided to disengage. Le Triomphant took a single shell hit from both Aoba and Tatsuta, but did not appear to be heavily damaged. The Japanese destroyers, however, were badly damaged from just 2 hits. Kiku sank right after combat, and Tsuta was scuttled afterwards with SYS 77/FLT 30-12/ENG 15/FIRE 88. Tsuta was still at Funafuti, alone and burning, when it was scuttled. A big and unexpected victory for Le Triomphant. I loved this ship as the Allied player. Very fast, good guns and a well-trained crew. I wish my cruisers could have gotten more hits on it. Kiku and Tsuta weren't high quality destroyers, and had the option to convert to an E boat. But the loss hurts nonetheless.

The Japanese and Thai divisions trying to move out of the clear and into the jungle to engage the British division east of Akyab were pummeled by Allied bombers. All of the Hurricanes in the area swept over them first, leaving nothing to chance. Got to get out of the clear just to survive.

I tried some action out of New Guinea. I'd seen ships at Portland Roads, so I loaded up Port Moresby and Buna with fighters and Bettys. Tojos swept Portland Roads, finding 16 Kittyhawks IAs and 25 P-39Ds. 13 Tojos were lost while downing just 5 Kittyhawks and 1 P-39D. The Tojos were meant to clear the way for the Bettys to attack ships at Portland Roads. But instead, a small task force was spotted just east of Portland Roads and attacked. 16 Bettys with 41 Oscars attacked 4 xAKLs, but found 6 P-38Fs on a ranged CAP over them. 6 Oscars and 1 Bettys were shot down, and bombs from all 16 missed. These Bettys came from Port Moresby, where there is no Air HQ, and thus no torpedoes. The Bettys and Nicks at Buna, where there is an Air HQ and torpedoes, did not fly. Poor result.

B-24Ds bombed Merauke, and Allied recon looked at Merauke for the first time. It is Japanese owned but no longer occupied. I have 4 destroyers to the northwest, waiting for a target to ambush.

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Post #: 623

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/10/2022 5:10:18 AM

apbarog

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5 Jan 43

With the bait set, the enemy showed up as expected at Noumea.

Night Naval bombardment of Noumea at 115,160

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 63 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 45 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed on ground
H8K1 Emily: 16 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CA San Francisco
CA Minneapolis
CA New Orleans
DD O'Bannon
DD Nicholas
DD DeHaven
DD Chevalier
DD Fletcher

Japanese ground losses:
511 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 13 (2 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Resources hits 2
Light Industry hits 1
Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 56
Port hits 16
Port fuel hits 1

The bait was set but the trap wasn't sprung. See the graphic for my unhappiness with this turn. Now Noumea is wrecked, 8 Zeros and 3 Nells were destroyed on the ground, many were damaged, and OPilot can now keep the base shut down with his heavy bombers. La Foa is already damaged. And worse, he sees my big combat TF that is NOW at Noumea, making it less likely to catch him there anytime soon.

In Burma, I see enemy cruisers at Akyab for the first time. I'd bombarded Akyab a couple of times recently. I decided to reform my carriers and battleship TFs at Singapore and send them north. Bombarding Akyab has limited benefits for the risk, but I would like to catch his surface group. And just today I bought out a Manchurian division that is fully prepped for Akyab.

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Post #: 624

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/10/2022 5:23:27 AM

BBfanboy

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From: Winnipeg, MB
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When an AO is in a hex with a TF, it will refuel it whether asked to or not. Your SCTF used fuel going to Noumea and back so it used ops points refueling from the AO. I say this because I have sent AOs intended to act as tankers to a distant base and along the way they gave fuel to every other friendly TF they encountered.

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Post #: 625

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/10/2022 5:26:40 AM

apbarog

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quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

When an AO is in a hex with a TF, it will refuel it whether asked to or not. Your SCTF used fuel going to Noumea and back so it used ops points refueling from the AO. I say this because I have sent AOs intended to act as tankers to a distant base and along the way they gave fuel to every other friendly TF they encountered.

I thought the same too, at first. The AOs are there for the task force, but I've been closely monitoring the fuel situation, and they didn't take on any fuel. They'll need it soon but not yet.

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Post #: 626

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/11/2022 4:27:25 AM

apbarog

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6 Jan 43

Sunfish fired 2 torpedoes at huge tanker Rikko Maru near Daito Shoto. One hit but was a dud. The sub is on my convoy route to Nagasaki, a route that had gone months without being found. Time to change it up.

After yesterday's debacle at Noumea, with Noumea fairly damaged by the enemy cruiser bombardment, it was completely predictable that today the P-38s and the heavy bombers would arrive. They did. I had 49 Zeros on CAP, although morale was low from the bombardment on some. They tangled first with 19 P-38Gs, and did ok. 5 Zeros were shot down, as were 6 P-38s. But then the B-17s arrived, and the Zeros were spent and did very little. Moderate damage was done to the already moderately damaged airbase. 3 Zeros, 2 Nells and a Sally were destroyed on the ground. The base is barely operational now. I pulled out all of the air units to rest and reorganize, with most going to Lunga. My battleship TF moved back to its hiding spot, and refueled from the AOs there. I am trying something different, with them patrolling just that spot 4 hexes NE of Noumea, and with a reaction range of 4. I don't expect the enemy ships to return soon, having just seen my battleships at Noumea, but who knows. As long as my TF isn't spotted in that hex, and they haven't been so far, it will happen again eventually.

I changed my mind about my ships moving to the Indian Ocean. I'm sending the carriers back to Singapore, with all of the battleships. A task force with 4 cruisers and about 6 destroyers will continue to Rangoon, mainly to protect it. The enemy cruiser TF at Akyab was not seen today.

I think I'll send these carriers, which I'll call Mini-KB, to the South Pacific. KB carriers remain at Tokyo and Yokohama, with all air units training newer pilots. I'm considering a dedicated plan to save a bunch of elite pilots for later in the war. If I can do well enough to drag the war out, and get the Sam researched early, it might be interesting to have original Pearl Harbor pilots still around.

Yea, they'll probably just be swamped in numbers and better aircraft, but it would be interesting. If OPilot waits for the Essex carriers to really start moving, I might as well be training navy pilots.

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Post #: 627

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/12/2022 3:42:15 AM

apbarog

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Joined: 5/23/2002
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7 Jan 43

I've had 9 or so Nells bomb the port and troops at Nanumea. Nanumea is south of Tabiteuea and is a forward US base. The Nells got ambushed by Wildcats flying from a base to the south. 6 Nells were shot down after doing minor port damage.

Blens and B-25s flew before the huge Hurricane sweeps and hit 2 artillery units very hard in the clear terrain west of Magwe. The units will continue into the jungle at all costs. It is important to close the hex sides there and limit British movement without a British victory in the hex.

Pogy was waiting at Tarawa when a few xAKLs arrived with supply. xAKL Shinnan Maru was hit by a torpedo and sunk. Pogy was hit by a depth charge.

The final big victory on the road between Kunming and Kweiyang.

Ground combat at 71,48 (near Kunming)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 16552 troops, 243 guns, 122 vehicles, Assault Value = 470

Defending force 17770 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 520

Japanese adjusted assault: 361

Allied adjusted defense: 91

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
198 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
6589 casualties reported
Squads: 300 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 192 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 5

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
58th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
14th Army
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
42nd Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
8th Route Army
13th Group Army
18th Group Army

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Post #: 628

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/12/2022 10:22:24 PM

apbarog

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

8 Jan 43

I-5 had been damaged by depth charges west of Karachi. In 25 days, it traveled south and made it to a point west of Ceylon. Over that time, damage slowly increased, from SYS 41/FLOT 73-51/ENG 1-0/FIRE 0 to SYS 63/FLOT 80-51/ENG 4-0/FIRE 0. It sank today, reporting heavy flooding.

It was reported that battleship South Dakota did sink near Midway. It had been mauled by bombs and torpedo hits by when KB ambushed US task forces east of Wake Island. I was fairly certain then that it had to sink.

More Japanese bombing on the over stacked hex east of Kunming, where the defeated stack retreated too. 755, 448 and 542 casualties in the raids. The bomber fleet will get some rest now, and then mostly be redeployed.

B-17s and B-24s hit Adak again, doing moderate damage. Others hit Gove again. Gove is out of action.

Spotted some shipping at Horn Island. OPilot has been doing recon of Merauke, which is under Japanese control but is unoccupied. Thinking a small quick invasion could be about to come in from Horn, I ordered 4 destroyers to Merauke, due to arrive during the daylight. The destroyers had been patrolling to the northwest, unspotted. There is risk from enemy bombers. B-26s have been used in the area attacking at 1000 feet, and there have been effective A-20 attacks also.

(in reply to apbarog)

Post #: 629

RE: Deja Vu All Over Again - apbarog(J) vs OPilot(A) - 2/13/2022 4:44:09 PM

apbarog

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

9 Jan 43

Hudsons bombed the 48th Naval Guard Unit at Exmouth, at the northwestern tip of Australia. Exmouth is a Japanese seaplane base, with no port or airfield built. An Australian tank unit had moved in and attacked.

Ground combat at Exmouth (50,129)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1179 troops, 0 guns, 75 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Defending force 2073 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 63

Allied adjusted assault: 19

Japanese adjusted defense: 58

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
77 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Assaulting units:
2nd Tank Battalion

Defending units:
48th Naval Guard Unit
13th JAAF AF Coy

Good odds but bad results for the Japanese, with tanks attacking. No forts built with no engineers there. The base will fall. 4 Japanese light cruisers and some destroyers will bombard tonight. The Dutch cruiser TF is to the southwest and could arrive at Exmouth at night if it moves full speed. I wouldn't be surprised if both TFs arrive at night, both with the intention to bombard. Could have a naval battle here.

I guessed right and moved fighters to Lashio. I knew that OPilot had seen troops on the move at Lashio, and thought he might be tempted to hit them with heavy bombers. I haven't had fighters at Lashio for awhile. He was tempted, and targeted troops, but mostly targeted the airfield. This was a best case scenario for me: bombers came in first, P-40s came in late. 25 Liberator IIs and 6 B24Ds attacked, finding 23 Oscar IIa's and 13 Nicks. The weather was light cloud. Some bombers were damaged and there was minor base damage. Then 31 B-24Ds arrived, finding 28 fighters still up. Some bombers were downed, some damaged. Oscars and Nicks were shot down, and more destroyed on the ground. Moderate base damage. Then 9 more B-24Ds, shooting down a couple of fighters, damaging a few bombers, and minor base damage. Finally, 25 P-40Ks swept and shot down the one remaining Oscar flying. So, about the best case for engaging heavy bombers, and still not great results. 11 Oscars lost (5 on the ground), 2 Nicks lost (1 on the ground), 7 B-24Ds and 1 Liberator shot down, and 1 P-40K was an ops loss.

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