RHSEBO Test 11E vs PDavis: Allied Air Power Works (When Unopposed)

[el cid again]

This test will be slow for a while - the player is going on vacation - as am I - but he cannot play while traveling. It uses the same start turn as other EBO tests did.

The night turn began with Ro-41 hitting a mine at Manila. I must remember not to send a sub in there.

DMS Evertsen detected mines at Batavia.

Ro-33 missed AK Pen Nevis near the mouth of Manila Bay

Ro-31 shelled AK Kiangsu near Johnston Island. Later in the night she torpedoed the same ship (2 hits) - no doubt sinking her.

I-158 shelled, torpedoed and sank AK Ravnaas at Cagayan.

[el cid again]

The day turn began with a combat ineffective raid on HK by 10 Ki-48s. Unlike most targets - I go in above the medium AA here - because it is so powerful - but the chance of damage is less. Also - without recon the previous day (turn 1 makes that impossible) the chance of damage is less.

39 Ki-48s and 12 Zeros raided Georgetown - met 2 Buffalos on CAP - shot down both - destroyed 1 Blenheim NF on the ground and caused 11 casualties and 8 other airbase related hits.

98 Ki-21s and 25 Zeros raided Singapore - met 9 Buffalos on CAP - destroyed 37 aircraft in the air and on the ground - hit 11 ships with 19 fifty kg bombs - caused 22 casualties, 1 gun lost and 101 airbase related other hits. 5 Ki-21s destroyed.

41 Nells out of Formosa hit Cagayan - causing 5 airbase related hits.
34 more out of Cam Rahn Bay destroyed 1 B-17, caused 11 casualties and 9 more hits.

34 Ki-48s, 18 Ki-21s and 90 Zeros (with 5 recon planes) hit Manila. They met 8 P-40s on CAP. 10 aircraft destroyed in the air and on the ground. 2 Ki-48s and 5 Ki-21s lost. 30 fifty kg bomb hits on 21 ships - mostly submarines - indicating they did not sortee. 48 casualties, 2 guns lost, 13 other airbase related hits. 1 Zero, 3 Vals and 5 Kates lost. 17 Wildcats on CAP - all lost.

53 Bettys, 45 Zeros and 2 recon planes hit Clark. 17 fighters of 4 types on CAP. 1 Betty lost. 38 aircraft destroyed in the air or on the ground. 35 casualties, 1 gun lost, 1 vehicle lost, 108 other airbase related hits.

KB sent 36 unescorted Vals (and 2 carrier recon planes) into PH. 21 fighters of 3 types on CAP. 21 Vals lost along with a recon plane.
62 aircraft destroyed on the ground. 77 other airbase related hits.

A JAAF attack on the Hopei Militia regiment caused 88 casualties and 3 guns lost. Another cost 11 casualties. A third cost 90 casualties and 1 gun lost. 32 Ki-51s caused 11 casualties and 1 gun lost to the Hong Kong Fortress unit. 2 Ki-51s destroyed.

A JNAF attack on the Guam Insular Fortress caused 24 casualties and 1 vehicle lost.

19 Nells made an ineffective attack on the Brunei Fortress. 11 more put 2 bombs into AK Elcano - and missed another AK - at Tacloban.

32 Kates and 12 Bettys put 6 bombs into AK Governor Wright at San Fernando. 45 Zeros met no CAP.

13 Kates out of Singora missed CA Exeter, CL Danae and AMC Kanimbla at Jahore Bahru. 1 Kate lost to 1 Whirraway on CAP. 2 more missed AK Makassar at Georgetown. 13 Ki-41s flying escort met one Buffalo on CAP - and shot it down.

3 Kates from the CVE force put 1 bomb into gunboat Isabel at Manila. This was a former Presidential Yacht - a WWI era MSW before that - and the only one of three small vessels actually to implement a secret plan to start the war. Sailing all the way to Indochina to do so, she failed to find any Japanese ships to tangle with (IRL).

KB sent 84 Vals, 71 Kates and 98 Zeros into Enterprise TF not far from Oahu. They sank Enterprise with 19 bombs and 6 torpedoes, put 4 bombs into CA Salt Lake City, 1 torpedo into CA Northampton, 3 bombs into DD Maury, and missed DD Ellet altogether. Later in the day 54 Vals and 38 Kates followed up - but could not find the Enterprise.

12 Kates and 19 Ki-36s put 15 bombs into gunboat Peteral near Shanghai. They missed gunboat Wake. Later 17 Ki-30s and 19 Ki-36 could not find Peteral.

[el cid again]

12 Bettys put 2 bombs into AO Trinity and 1 more into AK Soochow at Manila. 16 more put 2 bombs into TK Agwiworld - but missed another TK and an AK - in the same place.

18 Kates (from the CVE force) put 5 bombs into 2 AKs, and missed 2 more AKs, at Manila. 1 Kate lost.

34 Army type Kates (Ki-47s) out of Bako destroyed 2 BT-32s on the ground and caused 27 other hits at HK.

18 Bettys caused 1 runway hit at Johnston Island.

27 Nells destroyed 1 Wildcat and caused 15 other hits at Wake. They met 10 WIldcats. 4 Nells were lost.

2 A-20s - escorted by 16 fighters of 3 types - missed AP Ukishima near Lahaina.

3 Vildebeeste missed CA Nachi at Aparri. 2 were lost. 2 Petes on CAP.

3 ROCAF IL-4 and 3 SB-3 missed 2 APs at Swatow.

18 Vals and 22 Kates - covered by 80 Zeros - attacked 4 BB, 1 CL and 1 DD near Hawaii. 5 bombs hit BB Nevada and 2 hit CL Raleigh. 2 Vals and 9 Kates lost. No CAP. 14 Vals and 25 Kates followed up - found 2 more BB were present - attacked 4 of the 6 detected BB - and put 2 fish into BB Oklahoma. 8 Kates lost.

15 Bettys put 7 bombs into 2 AKs at Taytay (Palawan).

12 Kates missed 3 CL at Jahore Bahru. 2 were lost.

The CVL Force (Ni Butai or "two force") sent 54 Kates and 37 Me-109s after CA Indianapolis force East of Johnston Island. They put 2 bombs and 3 fish into Indianapolis, but missed 3 DMS. [Some of these carriers do not have the ability to load torpedoes] Later 12 more Kates put another bomb into still floating Indianapolis.

4 Kates from San Butai missed AK Panay near Cebu

2 Jakes missed an AK near Miri. The Jakes came from ships at Brunei.

[el cid again]

BB Yamato (in 16 inch gun form), Nagato and Mutsu, 1 CL and 8 DD sank AP Luzon at Cagayan.
Then they sank AK Norse Carrier at the same location.

The six ship landing force (including only one warship, a DE) at Kona met PG Sonoma and sank her with 19 hits.

Manchukuo Navy DD Hai Wei put 6 shells into Wake at Shanghai

I-173 missed a DD at PH

4 Cruisers (2 of them 15 gun lights) shelled Rabaul - hit AK Makaita 4 times, caused 44 casualties, 1 gun lost,
19 other hits.

I-14 shelled, torpedoed and sank AK Haleakala at Christmas Island

A landing at Lahaina was opposed by 105 CD shots, scoring 7 hits on 6 ships, setting 2 on fire.

Landings at Tarawa, Johnston I, Kavient, Legaspi, Aparri, Guam, Cagayan, Buin and Hollandia were unopposed

A landing at Wake was opposed by 630 CD shots scoring 54 hits on 9 ships - 3 set on fire with heavy damage.

A landing at Rabaul was opposed by 39 CD shots scoring 3 hits on APD No 37

A landing at Brunei was opposed by 47 CD shots scoring 4 hits on DM Hatsutaka.

Ground assault achieved 52:1 at Wake and captured the island. 6 F-4F lost, 1881 casualties, 57 guns lost, 1 vehicle lost.

Ground assault at Sinyang Central China caused 3 enemy units to retreat.

Ground assault at HK reduced fortifications to 5: 265 to 37 casualties.

Allied bombardment at Rabaul caused 4 casualties and 1 gun lost

Undefended Tarawa fell to ground assault

Ground assault at Johnston Island achieved 38:1 odds and captured the island. 940 casualties, 7 guns lost, 1 vehicle lost.

Airborne assault at Tavoy Burma achieved 2:1 odds and failed to capture the city. No Japanes losses, 11 Allied casualties.
Airborne assault at Ye captured the undefended town.

[el cid again]

No experienced playtester has done as much damage to invading Japanese forces in the Central Pacific as this novice player in his first game

[el cid again]

8 December 1941 (Hawaii Time) 9 December (Tokyo/Manila Time)

CD guns at Lahaina fired 32 shots, scoring 5 hits on 3 ships

Unopposed landings occurred at Legaspi, Aparri, Cagayan, Kavieng and Stroeng Trang

CD guns at Brunei fired 33 shots at 6 ships - but missed all of them

CD guns at Rabaul fired 4 shots - but missed one DD

5 DD failed to hit I-24 in Hawiian waters

I-171 put 2 fish into AV Wright at PH

BB California and BB Pennsylvania with CLAA Utah (a former BB), 2 CA, 2 CL, 5 DD and PG Sacramento ran in to bombard Lahaina.
They first met the Main Body - composed of 4 Fujimoto class BB, CL Jintsu and 5 DD. The battle lasted a long time. US gunnery was fairly dismal - scoring 9 hits on 4 ships - setting CL Jintsu and DD Kisaragi on fire. Japanese ships scored 77 gun hits and 3 torpedo hits on all 13 Allied ships. BB Pennsylvania, 2 DD and Sacramento were sunk outright, BB California, CLAA Utah, and 1 DD were on fire with heavy damage, 2 CL were on fire. Pennsylvania was sunk by only 4 heavy hits.

Next, 12 destroyers (DM and DD) ran in and also engaged the Main Body - scored no hits whatever - and suffered 6 hits on 5 ships in return - DD Worden on fire with heavy damage - 2 other DD on fire.

Next BB Arizona and BB Nevada with 1 CL and 5 DD ran in - and attacked the transport force. This force had ML Ginyou Maru and 10 DE - and about 40 transports. 3 DE were sunk with 42 gun hits, and 2 transports shared 3 other hits (no significant effect). 4 of the attacking ships shared 8 hits - none serious.

Next 3 CA (Portland, Chicago and Astoria) with DD Porter ran in on Johnston Island - met a transport force with BC Amagi, 3 DD, 2 DE, and 15 transports. They scored 16 hits on 3 ships - DD Natsushimo on fire with heavy damage - BC Amagi on fire - one AK on fire. CA Portland was hit by 4 shells and 2 torpedoes - and sunk. DD Porter was sunk by 15 shell hits. The other two CA shared 19 more gun hits and a torpedo each. 25 troops and 4 guns were lost from damage to the transport.

BB Yamato, Mutsu and Negato - CL Kiso and 8 DD bombarded Cebu. 166 casualties, 24 other hits.

4 large, modern Japanese cruisers (2 CA, 2 fifteen gun CL) and 4 DD bombarded Rabaul. 146 casualties, 3 guns lost, 1 vehicle lost, 9 other hits.

BB Nevada and Arizona, CL Helena, and 5 DD bombarded Lahaina. Although not yet captured, CD guns already ashore fired 42 shots in defense - scoring 22 hits on 5 ships - setting 3 DD on fire. 513 Japanese casualties on land, 16 guns lost. This caused me to wonder - for the first time ever - if the assault on Lahaina might fail?

Gunboats Moth, Cecelia and 2 old DD bombarded HK - causing 2 casualties and 1 gun lost to Japanese forces besieging the city.

BB West Virgina and Maryland, CL Detroit, and 4 DD bombarded Lahaina. 139 casualties, 3 guns lost and 1 vehicle lost by Japanese forces ashore. I again wondered - "is the assault going to succeed?"

I-25 - put at Johnston Island in case a force came in like the one tonight - put 2 fish into CA Chicago - already damaged by shells and a 24 inch surface torpedo. This no doubt doomed her to sinking.

Marginal as these actions may seem to be - from an Allied point of view - the set up spectacular success during the following day - because both the transport force and the Main Body fled the Lahaina hex - the transports aborted landing operations - and both fled in different directions - so they could neither cooperate with each other nor could damaged ships go into port at Lahaina for repairs (if it was captured).
In the event this did set up daytime air strikes - and led to an all time record of Japanese ships sunk or damaged on day two.

[el cid again]

The day turn began with landings at Lanai, Aparri, Legaspi, Cagayan and Kavieng.

Landings at Brunei were opposed by 4 CD shots - which missed

Landings at Rabaul were opposed by 6 CD shots - which missed

I-173 missed DM Sicard at PH

12 Ki-48s caused 10 runway hits at HK.

42 Ki-48s escorted by 10 Zeros and 36 Ki-43s raided Rangoon. 10 Buffalos were on cap of which 5 were shot down. 9 airbase related hits.

25 Ki-21s escorted by 28 Zeros raided Singapore. 20 Buffalos on CAP of which 5 were destroyed. 9 airbase related hits. 1 bomber lost.

48 Nells raided Cagayan out of Formosa. 15 casualties and 1 gun lost. 20 other hits. Then 31 Nells out of Cam Rahn Bay followed up:
1 Nell lost - 7 airbase related hits.

32 Ki-48s, 18 Ki-21s, 94 Zeros (and 3 recon planes) hit Manila. No CAP. 20 hits by 50 kg bombs on 10 submarines in port. 95 casualties, 4 guns lost, 1 vehicle lost, 23 other hits

53 Bettys, 47 Zeros (and 2 recon planes) hit Clark. 12 fighters of 4 types on CAP. 1 Zero and 2 Bettys lost. 9 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air and on the ground. 31 casualties, 1 vehicle lost, 43 other hits.

3 JAAF raids on the Hopei Militia Regiment caused 39, 0 and 11 casualties, and 1 gun lost. Another cost 19 casualties and 1 gun lost to the HK fortress unit. 1 Ki-51 lost.

1 JNAF raid caused 10 casualties and 1 vehicle lost to the Guam Insular Force

15 Nells caused 47 casualties, 1 gun lost and 1 vehicle lost to the Brunei Fortress.

7 Ju-88s caused 47 casualties and 2 guns lost to the RAF No 2 Forward Air Station at Tavoy

[el cid again]

11 Allied horizontal bombers of 3 types, 5 SBD dive bombers, and 26 fighters of 3 types raided Lahaina. 30 Zeros and 6 Petes on CAp.
2 Zeros destroyed. 23 Allied aircraft shot down. BB Hiei took one bomb hit. CV Akagi was missed.

2 B-20s, 13 SB2U-2s, 33 SBDs, and 12 TBDs ran in on the transport force NE of Lahaina. They scored 8 hits on 6 ships of which 5 on fire and 3 with heavy damage. No troops lost.

3 Hudsons missed an AP at Cagayan.

5 Kates escorted by 14 Zeros missed BB Nevada and CL Helena at PH. They met 16 Allied fighters of 3 types on CAP. 2 Zeros and 2 Kates lost. 6 Allied fighters of 3 types lost. Next 23 Vals and 26 Zeros put 7 bombs in DM ZBreese - and missed DD Chew. 10 Allied fighters of 3 types on CAP - of which 6 shot down.

3 Kates missed AP Parcita near Tacloban

13 Kates put 2 bombs into AMC Manoora and one more into CL Mauritius at Taiping. 47 Army Bettys (Ki-50s) hit the same port - and put 4 bombs into 4 ships - and missed 2 DMS. Then 8 more Ki-21s failed to hit DMS Boggs in the same force.

6 Nells put 3 fish into AK Theodens near the philppines

36 Kates and 9 Bettys put 15 bombs into 2 CL and 1 DD near HK Johnston island.

4 Ki-21s from Johnston Island put 1 bomb into CA Indianapolis. Nearby 18 Kates from Ni Butai (the CVL force) attacked 4 DMS - putting a torpedo into two of them.

4 Ki-51s missed ML Redstart at HK

2 Bettys missed TK Mei Hsia in the South China Sea

6 Bettys put 4 torpedoes into already damaged CA Astoria near Johnston Island - causing her to sink later. 13 more attacked 3 DMS in the same area, sinking one of them with 2 torpedoes.

4 Vals missed missed CA Chester near Hawaii.

12 Bettys put 8 bombs into MSW Quail and Tanager, but missed PG Asheville, in the Visayas.

2 Kates missed BB Prince of Wales in the Malacca Strait.

3 Kates missed an AK near Panay.

2 Jakes missed an AK again at Miri.

5 B-18s, 13 SB2U-2s, 36 SBDs and 9 TBDs, escorted by 12 fighters of 2 types, atttacked the transport force NE of Lahaina. 17 bomb and 2 torpedo hits were scored on 9 ships: 6 with heavy damage, the other 3 on fire. No planes lost. This force was out of position and uncovered because it fled the night action at Lahaina.

[el cid again]

16 Nells missed an AP and an AVD at Surigao.

6 Kates put 3 bombs into AK Yochow near Catarman - these from CVEs not fitted to service torpedoes.

7 Kates missed 2 CA near Hawaii - 1 Kate shot down.

2 Kates put 2 bombs into AK Colborne in the South China Sea

22 Ki-51s put 9 bombs into DM Tracian and gunboat Moth at HK - but missed DD Scout and gunboat Cicala. 13 Kates and 17 Bettys followed up - could not find Moth any more - but put 7 bombs into Cicala - at the same location.

14 Kates from the CVL force put 2 torpedoes into already damaged CA Indianapolis East of Johnston island

12 Kates from KB put 3 torpedoes into CL Raleigh at Lahaina - 1 was lost. Apparently she was unable to move and had been left behind.

11 Kates and 39 Zeros went into PH - met 11 fighters of 3 types on CAP - shot down 5 of them - and put 2 fish into CA San Francisco.
CA New Orleans and CL Honolulu were missed. 7 Vals followed up, evaded 6 fighters of 2 types still on CAP, and put 6 bombs into ML Oglala.
12 Kates and 5 Zeros then went in - met the same 6 fighters - shot 1 down, and put 1 torpedo each into DD Hull and DD Farragut. Next 6 Vals and 2 Zeros went in - met only 5 fighters - shot down one of those - lost 2 Vals - and put 2 bombs into CL St Louis.

4 Bettys put 2 bombs into AVD Childs at Manila.

12 Army type Kates out of Singora - and 10 Ki-43s - put 3 bombs into AMC Manoora at Taiping.

13 Ki-21s (escorted by 6 Ki-44s) out of Johnston Island put a bomb into DMS Hovey - and missed DMS Zane. 3 Bettys from the same place missed DMS Southard in the same area.

4 Kates put a torpedo into AP Ariadne Moller at Manila. 6 kates put 4 bombs into TK Alfred Clegg at the same place.

I-165 torpedoed AK Fingal at PM

BB Maryland and BB West Virgina attacked KB itself at Lahaina. THey had CL Detroit and 4 famous USN DD in company (Blue, Helm, Mugford and Ralph Talbot), KB had 4 Fujimoto class BB, CA Tone, CL Kitakami, 8 DD and 6 CV. This battle lasted an hour of replay time, the longest I ever saw - and was mostly at long and medium range - but eventually closed to torpedo range. Only BB Maryland survived on the Allied side, and she took 102 hits, some from 16.1 inch shells, although she was not heavily damaged. These two BB were very tough - and only 2 torpedoes plus 94 other hits - some 16.1 inch - doomed West Virginia. The 4 DD took 70 hits. CL Detroit - ancient and poor by modern standards - took 52 more. All the Japanese ships except the carriers sharred 122 hits - 2 DD were sunk - 3 DD took heavy damage - BB Haruna and Hiei set on fire - 2 more DD set on fire. In spite of the outcome - the Allied force did make the correct effort - and only luck prevented catastrophic damage to the vulneable and invaluable carriers.

[el cid again]

DD Litchfield missed I-173 at PH

12000 Japanese troops at Lahaina achieved 109:1 odds and captured the hex

Almost 8000 Japanese captured Cagayan with 77:1 odds

4400 Japanese of the 144th Regimental Combat Team (Nanyo Detachment) achieved 3:1 odds at Rabaul - reduced fortifications from 3 to 0 - but failed to capture the hex on the first assault. 114 Japanese to 51 Allied casualties, 2 guns lost on both sides.

7500 Japanese troops achieved 14:1 odds at Brunei - and captured it on the first assault - which is somewhat unusual.

Almost 11 000 Japanese troops achieved 33:1 at Aparri - and captured the hex.

Undefended Stroeng Trang was captured by 725 troops

3900 Japanese troops achieved 90:1 odds and captured Kavieng

Undefended Hollandia was captured by 790 troops

6200 Japanese troops achieved 110:1 odds and captured undefended Viet Tri

An Allied bombardment attack at Rabaul was ineffective

5400 Japanese troops captued undefended Legaspi

340 paras took Tavoy from 391 defenders in an air support unit - achieving 8:1 odds. The position had been hit effectively by Ju-88s - weakening the defenders.

[el cid again]

Apparently undismayed by limited gains and great costs, this new player (can it really be so) has continued to act as if the US Fleet should engage the IJN in 1941 - and sometimes he gets lucky. He managed to put shells into a major carrier - something I try never to allow.

The night turn began with an inauspicious miss by I-170 at Lahaina - she was there to ambush any Allied vessels daring to run in on this critical day (when damaged and not properly formed up ships are running in for the port facilities). She missed a DD which was part of a larger force.

Then I-173 at PH missed a DD - and 2 DDs missed her in turn.

Next, Ro-26 missed AK Munlock. Later in the turn she managed to torpedo her on a second try. But this is a uniformly bad night turn for the Japanese so far - and it is about to get much worse.

DD Henley turned out to be in company with BB Arizona, BB Nevada, CL Helena and DD Selfridge. These all ran intogether on Lahaina and all were undamaged by the savage fighting of the previous day. They encountered 3 damaged IJN warships trying to make port to fight fires and flooding: CL Kitakami, DD Kagero and DD Miakaze. But the Kit had some sting left in her - and she put no less than 3 torpedoes into USS Arizona - so she did her job. IJN also scored 4 five inch shell hits on the 3 larger Allied ships. But the Kit was hit by no less than 14 shells - some of them big ones. Naturally she is badly damaged. All three IJN ships were on fire to start with. Only Arizona was badly hurt on the Allied side.

Undismayed by this action, the Allied force moved on - to hit the Kiddo Butai itself!!! An ammunition depleted one. In spite of this, thank god for 24 inch Long Lance torpedoes - the Japanese did put up a fight - and torpedoed USS Nevada. They also put 11 shells into her - unfortunately none of them big (no 16 inch are left) - 5 more into USS Arizona - and 2 into DD Selfridge. 4 IJN ships shared 10 hits - including 5 into CA Tone and 2 into CV Soryu - but none are on fire or badly damaged. Still - this is what the mission was about - and getting a surface force with one undamaged BB and four other ships in range of enemy heavy carriers - and actually scoring hits on a carrier - is most impressive.

If that is not enough - the entire battle repeated itself exactly - the same forces immediately reengaged - and the Allies scored 10 more hits - on the same 4 targets - putting 5 shells again into Tone and 2 shells again into Soryu!!! The Japanese torpedoed Nevada again as well - and put 16 small or medium shells into 3 ships (14 of them into BB which didn't care very much).

If that is not enough - two PT divisions followed up in support. They were not effective - which curiously is correct (PT boats cannot move properly in Hawiian wave conditions) - but it was a good move - and only luck prevented it from paying off.

And if that is not enough to impress - then try this: the heavy force engaged KB a third time - in spite of more than one torpedo in the belly of both BB. This time Helena took a fish, and the 3 larger ships shared 10 hits. The Allies did better - putting 9 shells into BB Haruna and Hiei and DD Kuroshio - and a fish into Hiei. She and Kuroshio came out of this action on fire with heavy damage. Haruna is also on fire. Arizona remains the only Allied ship classified as heavily damaged (Nevada ate two 24 inch torpedoes and is NOT heavily damaged????? How about CL Helena eating one and also NOT being heavily damaged???? interesting).

And STILL they were not done - the force reengaged yet again - and put 5 shells into DD Hamakaze - which of course is on fire with heavy damage.

The heavy surface force in the Visayas - en route to escort some inbound loaded tankers - BB Yamato, Nagato and Mutsu - 1 CL and 8 DD - encountered AK Ben Nevis, PG Luzon and a PT division. They sank em all with 48 shell hits.

Then 4 cruisers (2 CA and 2 "heavy" 15 gun CL) and 4 DD - deliberately - encountered and sank 2 AK near Rabaul. Spotted running from the area by planes the day before - this force (and 2 subs) were put in their path.

IJN PT boats ( Gyoraitei Division 1 ) missed an AK at Miri. [Still not a good night turn for IJN]

Finally: I-165 torpedoed and sank AK Fingal at PM - she had already been torpedoed yesterday. An ASW unit missed her.

MORE bad news - 5 USN DD at PH detected, localized, attacked, hit and set on fire I-173.

[el cid again]

The day turn begain with 46 Ki-48s, 44 Ki-43s and 12 Zeros hitting Rangoon. Meeting 8 Buffalos on CAP, they shot down 4. AR Haitan took a small bomb hit. 19 casualties, 21 other hits.

27 Ki-51s and 17 Ki-43s hit Alor Star airfield. 3 Blenheim I bombers destroyed on the ground. 33 casualties, 1 gun lost, 1 vehicle lost, 30 other hits.

Here is a rare Allied air victory in fighter combat: 47 Zeros swept Manila - met 14 P-40Es - and lost two of their number vs only one P-40.

A massive JAAF attack (139 bombers of 4 types) on the 23rd Field Army (on the rail line West from Shanghai) caused 201 casualties and 8 guns lost. Two small attacks on the 52nd Guerilla Regiment in East China caused 1 and 58 casualties, respectively.

A JNAF attack on the Guam Insular Force caused 22 casualties and 1 vehicle lost.

The Hawiian Air Force mounted a significant attack on 3 Japanese transport stragglers which had not made Lahaina - and for that reason had no fighter cover: 30 bombers of 5 types escorted by 17 fighters of 2 types put 10 bombs into the three targets - which were already badly damaged. Ths no doubt dooms most or all of them.

6 ROCAF bombers or 2 types missed 2 APs at Canton.

14 Kates from the CVE force put 7 bombs into 2 AKs near Tacloban - all large 250 kg - probably sinking them. Later 14 more pout 5 large bombs into AK Yochow at Catarman.

30 Betty's and 9 Ki-48s (out of Bako and Taan respectively) put 7 bombs and 2 torpedoes into DM Tracian and 3 more torpedoes into DD Thanet - but missed DD Scout and PG Tutuila.

6 Nells out of Cagayan sank AK Panay with 3 fish, but missed AK Antonio altogether. 6 more put 2 fish into already damaged AO Trinity at Manila. Later 6 more torpedoed AV USS Langley, but missed AS Canopus. Later still 7 more torpedoed AK Hanyang. 4 more missed AP Basilan.

6 Ki-48s out of Legaspi put 1 bomb into AK Anakan and 2 more into TK Manatawny at Puerto Princessa. 4 more missed DD Pillsbury near San Jose Buenavista. 3 more missed AP Legaspi. 4 more missed USS Langley.

10 Zeros swept Rangoon - meet 6 Buffalos - and everyone went home undamaged.

[el cid again]

3 Vals got ahead of the pack and went into PH alone - and were shot down by 18 Allied fighters of 2 types.

25 more Vals, 24 Kates, 38 Zeros and 16 Me-109s - from both KB and the CVL forces at Lahaina - and 9 Ki-21s based at Lahaina - "went downtown" to PH - met the same 18 fighters - shot down 17 of them - put 15 bombs into 4 destroyers (2 DM, 2 DD) - also 3 torpedoes into two of them. 1 Zero and 1 Kate were lost. Later 6 Kates put 2 torpedoes into already torpedoed USS Arizona at Molokai. Then 6 more went into PH unescorted, met 1 P-40 on CAP, and missed BB Nevada. 2 were lost. Later 5 Vals put 2 sixty kg bombs into CL Honolulu at PH. 1 Val lost. No enemy CAP encountered this time. 4 more Vals put 3 bombs (2 of those large 250 kg) into USS California at PH.

6 Ki-21s escorted by 35 naval fighters of 2 types went to PH - and missed BB Tennessee. 1 was lost. There was still 1 P-40 on CAP - but it was only damaged - not killed.

10 Ki-51s missed ML Redstart at HK.

A full group sized squadron of 27 Nells out of Saigon missed 4 AKs, 1 TK and 1 PG at Puerto Princessa.

CA Nachi and CA Ashigara and 6 DD met badly damaged AK Yochow at Catarman. She sank on the first hit - an 8 inch.

I-173 - already hit by an AS attack earlier - took 2 more hits from 2 AS units at Hawaii.

IJA 33rd Division troops landed at Kampong Pfet unopposed.

An SNLF tasked for Kona captured undefended Lanai at 66:1 odds.

4300 Imperial troops failed to capture Rabaul - although fortifications were reduced to 0. There is no significant supply sink at Rabaul, so that is not the problem. Die rolls are.

2 Naval Guard Forces captured Guam at 7:1 odds.

35 000 IJA troops attacked 20 000 Chinese in 3 Field Armies on the rail line West from Shanghai. The enemy retreated from the position.

Over 5000 IJA troops attaacked the 52nd Guerilla Regiment - achieved 12: 1 odds - and failed to make it surrender or even move - in East China.

Allied bombardment at Rabaul was ineffective.

[el cid again]

10 Dec (Hawaii Time) 11 Dec (Tokyo/Manila)

The turn began with Dutch KCII shelling, torpedoing and sinking AK Sado Maru in the Gulf of Thailand

I-170 - beginning a true oddessy - was attacked at PH by 5 DD - and missed by all. Next she torpedoed and sank already damaged BB California - 2 DD counterattacked without success.

USS Langley was sunk by a gigantic surface action group in the Visayas. It only took 3 shells and a torpedo to put down the damaged ex carrier.

Landing craft put ashore a small element of 33rd Division at Raeing Thailand

I-158 torpedoed AK Anshun at Zamboanga. An MSW unit counterattacked without succedss.

I-171 torpedoed DM Tracy at Lahaina

[el cid again]

The day turn began with 33 Ki-48s and 47 Ki-41s and 12 Zeros attacking Rangoon. 6 Buffalo were on CAP - 3 were shot down.
29 airbase related hits. 12 more Zeros swept immediately after - but met no opposition

3 B-17s and 17 P-40s raided Legaspi. They met 7 Ki-27s on CAP. No losses to either side.
7 more B-17s and 2 P-40s raided Aparri. 8 Claude on CAP. 1 B-17 destroyed and the rest bugged out.

A JAAF raid on the 50th Guerilla regiment caused 8 casualties. Another on the 51st was ineffective. Three more on the 52nd caused 24 and 18 and 0 casualties. Yet another on the Hopei Militia Regiment caused 40 casualties and 2 guns lost.

2 SBD-s missed CL Tama near Hawaii.
2 TBDs - which diserve medals - put a torpedo in ML Ginyo Maru at Lahaina - in spite of 17 Zeros and 5 Petes which were fresh. Both returned - but 1 was damaged.
2 B-18s didn't do so well - one was lost in a similar raid on Lahaina.
Then 71 Allied bombers of 6 types escorted by 11 fighters of 2 types came in on Lahaina. They put 5 bombs - many of them effective - on 4 BB. The same 17 Zeros and 5 Petes were on CAP. 1 Zero was shot down. 5 Allied Fighters and 19 bombers were shot down by CAP or AAA. CA Atago was also missed by this raid.
3 Ki-49s missed 3 escorts near Hawaii.
3 Ki-48s missed an AK near Hawaii.

10 Me-109s missed AK Gold Star in the Philippine Sea. These from the CVE force.
13 Kates from the same force put 2 bombs into AK Chekiang - and missed 3 more AKs - in the same hex.
4 Ki-48s midded AK Governor Smith in the same area.
Then 22 Nells put 14 bombs into 3 transports in the exact same hex - and missed 2 more.
18 Nells and 14 Bettys put a torpedo and a bomb into AK Hong Kong and 4 bombs into TK Mei Hsia - and missed two PT units.

10 Kates raided PH - met 11 fighters on CAP - missed 3 DDs. One Kate was lost.
12 Nells managed to repeat this performance - missing CA Minneapolis - also at PH. They met the same 11 fighters on CAP - and 2 bombers were also lost.
Finally KB - reinforced by the CVL force - managed a proper coordinated raid on PH: 54 Zeros, 39 Me-109s, 49 Vals, and 42 Kates. They met the same 11 fighters and shot all of them down. 1 Kates, 2 Vals, 1 Zero and 1 Me-109 were lost. They put 30 bombs and 4 torpedoes into BB Tennessee - sinking her. CL Phoenix was also missed by this raid. [Tenessee was probably damaged when the raid began]
3 Ki-49s went into PH - there was no longer any CAP - and put 2 bombs into gunnery training ship USS Utah.
6 Ki-48s put 3 bombs into 2 DMS near Hawaii.

19 Nells put 6 torpedoes into 3 river tankers at Bassein Burma. They missed a 4th tanker.

3 Ki-48s missed an AK at Zamboanga.

44 Zeros swept Manila - met 25 P-40s - shot down 14 of them - and lost one in reply.

This was the AM air turn - to be continued.

[el cid again]

The afternoon began with 3 Hudsons out of PM missing a DD at Rabaul. 4 Petes on CAP may have reduced their chances of hitting, but they failed to damage or destroy any raiders - in spite of being at the same altitude.

25 Allied bombers of 4 types - escorted by 2 P-40s - raided Lahaina. They met 32 Zeros, 4 Me-109s and 3 Petes on CAP. 2 Zeros were damaged in air combat. Both P-40s were shot down. 16 Allied bombers were lost. BB Hyuga took 1 bomb hit.

2 Ansons out of PM missed an AP at Buka. 6 more missed an AO and an AP at Kavieng.

19 unescorted Kates raided PH - putting a torpedo into CL Helena. 2 were lost to 5 fighters on CAP (2 P-36 and 3 P-40s).
5 Nells failed to damage CA Minneapolis at the same location - facing the same CAP - 1 was shot down.
The 19 Kates came back and put 3 fish into BB Maryland - which must be in a bad way. 1 was lost.

9 Ki-48s and 4 Nells put a bomb and a torpedo into DMS Boggs - and missed DD Zbagley - near Hawaii.

Finally a properly coordinated strike went in on PH. 15 Vals were escorted by 50 Zeros and 28 Me-109s. They destroyed 4 of the 5 fighters on CAP and put 2 bombs into CA New Orleans.
Next 7 Kates went in - met a single P-40 on CAP - and missed still floating BB Tennessee. No losses.

13 Nells put 1 bomb each into AK Gold Star and AK Governor Smith south of Mindinao.
13 Kates put a bomb into AK Antonio - and missed another AK and an AP - in the same area.
6 Nells missed AP Ethel Edwards in the same area.
3 Ki-48s missed AS Holland in the Visayas. 6 more put a bomb into AK Absaroka and missed an AP in the same area.
3 more missed AS Canopus in the same area.
3 Ju-88s put a bomb into AK Fortuna in the same area.

4 Ki-49s put a bomb into AK Arctic near Johnston Island.

9 Ki-51s missed ML Redstart at HK

9 Ju-88s put 8 bombs into AK Matang at Johore Bahru.

[el cid again]

DD conyngham missed I-170 at PH. This sub was involved in both AS attacks and the sinking of a battleship the night before at the same location.

Ro-30 torpedoed AK Straat Soenda in the strait of that name.

Ro-26 torpedoed ML Rigel at Batavia.

Ro-32 torpedoed and sank AK Larut at Johore Bahru

4 cruisers and 4 DD bombarded Rabaul - causing 113 casualties, 1 gun lost, 1 vehicle lost and 7 other hits.

I-7 torpedoed CL Glasgow at Columbo

Troops landed at Chang Mai, Thailand.

The 144th Regimental Combat Team (Nanyo Detachment) failed to capture Rabaul
75 Japanese casualties and 2 guns lost to 29 Allied casualties, 4 guns lost and 1 vehicle lost

An attack on a Chinese guerilla regiment caused it to retreat - 15:1 odds - 12 Japanese to 52 Allied casualties and 4 guns lost.

Ground assault at HK achieved 2:1 odds with 41 000 Japanese attacking 14 000 Allies. 607 Japanese casualties and 22 guns lost to 284 Allied casualties, 12 guns lost and 1 vehicle lost.

A shock attack on the weakened Chinese guerilla regiment achieved 138:1 odds and caused the unit to surrender: 1023 casualties and 5 guns lost for the Allies. [A full strength unit has 12 guns] A similar attack on the Hopei Militia Regiment achieved 15:1 odds and caused 16 Japanese to 10 Allied casualties - the elite unit holding its ground yet again - and inflicting more than it took.

Ground attack on a Chinese guerilla unit in South China caused it to retreat with 29 casualties and 1 gun lost. 6:1 odds.

Allied bombardment at Rabaul was ineffective.

Ground attack on the RAF 2nd Forward Air Station - retreating down the Kra Isthmus - achieved 481:1 odds - causing 2 Japanese casualties and 1 gun lost to 63 Allied casualties and 1 gun lost. The unit retreated still further down the penninsula - on the Thai rail line!

Undefended Kampong Pfet Thailand fell to ground assault. This river port can be built up to help Thai interior LOC.

[Redd]

Cool game [8D]. I thought it was a little weird when there was no PH strike, but I guess the Pacific Fleet is pretty much FUBAR'd anyway! So what's the plan? Surround Pearl with LBA and pound it to dust? I hope that your oponnent is psychologically resilient. Losing the HI is tough this way. Anything interesting going on in the east, or is this really just a test that will end in a little while?

[el cid again]

This is an educational game. Paul wanted to learn from an experienced player - and I suppose it ends when he gets tired of it. We do have an unusual problem in the save game file: some Japanese ship images are for some reason not visible during some combats - yet you can call them up just fine if you look at the same ships.

This is one of a series of EBO test games - and all more or less have the same strategy: It takes a very strong Allied player to ignore the threat to Hawaii and the Central Pacific Islands. There are whole threads dedicated to this - and it was very controversial. The historical material on which it is based can be found in translated documents by the University of Hawaii - The Pearl Harbor Papers, Hawaii Under the Rising Sun and The Pacific War Papers (all essentially collections of translated papers and analysis of them; also they are much of the working materials of Gordon Prang, a historican, as produced by an investigator for him).

There IS a Pearl Harbor strike in most of these test games - but its focus is on taking down airfields - and on getting carriers if they happen to show up in range. The divided tasking pretty much limits how much damage is done to battleship row - IF there is a battleship row - and that is up to each individual Allied player - who can sortee if he wants to (in which case the counter carrier strikes generally hit the battleships). The object of the initial strikes is to get a few days during which Lahaina (or alternatively Molokai or Hilo) can be invaded and siezed: Lahaina is preferred for logistical reasons - it has more supplies and fuel - Molokai is otherwise equally useful - having enough of an airfield complex to support limited offensive operations. Only a brigade is risked forward - and its job is to get that advance base. At the same time Johnston must be captured to provide a base link back to the Mandates.

The next phase is to capture all the lower islands - and to build up airfields and ports - to facilitate offensive air operations which both isolate Oahu from naval support and reduce it. Defensively the airfields detect enemy raiders and submarines and provide fighter cover for the bases and ships in emergency repair. Critical land based air units rotate through - and back all the way to Kwajalein and Truk to rebuild - to free up carrier air to be a mobile force.

Next the islands to the NW are captured - all the way out to Midway - completing the isolation of Oahu - and reversing the strategic situation - now Japan has the land based recon advantage the US started with. During this phase the object is to reduce Oahu by air bombardment. Ships that enter the hex will sink - all of them - every time - UNTIL the 117 CD guns are reduced by bombardment and supply attrition. The Allied fighting based on Oahu drains its supplies faster - smarter it is to evacuate all but a modest force - and to fight over the bases needed to reduce it with them and other units brought in from the US. Otherwise transfer units to the South Pacific or Alaska - where there is a critical need for everything - and where they no longer drain Oahu supplies. The longer Oahu takes to go black, the longer it isn't safe to invade it.

After that comes the long next phase: defending Hawaii. The US usually tries to take it back - and it does not matter if it succeeds or not - everything sent is NOT going to the SRA - and ALL the stuff sent to the SRA must take a longer route - rendering it delayed and also less able to be supported by US shipyards. That is the strategic point of the op: Japan gets a freer hand in the SRA. Capture of Hawaii also is a potential war ending bargaining chip. Japan had a plan like this when it fought the Russians - and it worked. It concieved this plan in 1910 - and it should have implemented it in 1941. Yamamoto decided to implement it two days after PH - and tried in 1942 - by which time Hawaii was too strong to be captured - even had the first phase (we call it the Battle of Midway not understanding that it was really the Battle of Hawaii)
succeeded - Oahu and the lower islands were far stronger by the time contemplated landings could have occurred. [Johnston was next, then the lower islands, with Oahu in November - too late for a three division assault force to succeed] EOS family all explore variations of this theme with the recommendation to invade Hawaii in 1941 adopted (it was reconsidered as late as the fall of 1941 - but Yamamoto lacked confidence in carrier air power to win the first round - PH changed his view).

[Redd]

wow' that's a lot of info, thanks for the reply. Whene I get up the guts to do my first pbem I hope it's with someone as interesting as yours. Youre games are certainly different.