VSWG vs. Gary - The Allied perspective

[Rob Brennan UK]

"
Makassar: no attack, and the invasion convoy retreated because of the single PT again! Bug?
"

Not as such, transport groups will withdraw from surface combat TF's BUT one PT does not really constitute a threat imo. should only apply to DD's and bigger imo. maybe move the PT away as it is a bit of an exploit ( albeit unknown to you )

And that TF closing on midway [&:]

Subs/minesweepers and merchants sailing together [&:].. very very bizarre. good way to lose subs on transport missions i would think, the mines then any CD guns will tear them up for good.

[VSWG]

I think the sub was in a different TF, but all ships in a hex are lumped together into a single TF during night air attacks. Someone in the war room reported that even a friendly submarine in the same hex was attacked during a night air attack, which could be a crude way of simulating friendly fire.

[VSWG]

January 18th + 19th, 1942

Malaya:

Still no air raids on Singapore, the heavy flak must have been too much for his army bombers.

So I decided to go for Walking Mountain II: Hurricanes sweep Kuching so that Dauntless from Singkawang and LB's from Singapore can bomb all those juicy transports. The daily recon flights report a CAP of approx. 10 Zeros and 20 Oscars.



DEI:

The attacks on Palembang and Makassar continue. Forts are down in both bases and they should fall soon. Makassar was bombarded by several CA's during the last turns, but neither air nor naval bombardments at Palembang.

My submarines made several contacts during the last turns, but several torpedoes failed to detonate or missed. The LB are resting for Operation Walking Mountain II. They had bombed the Japanese units at Palembang and destroyed 8 oil points at Balikpapan on the 18th for minor losses.

Another convoy appeared to the west of Makassar.




SWPac:

Still unloading supplies at Port Moresby.

SoPac:

False alarm at Canton Island:



The carriers will continue with their original mission, delivering planes to Pago Pago. The next turns will tell what I'll do with them after that.

CentPac:

KB was sighted on the 18th only slighty to the west of its previous position, but disappeared on the 19th, probably heading west to support the invasion (?) of Midway. Here, one of my 2 SC TF's made contact with the invasion convoy, but the escorts screened the transports.



Night Time Surface Combat, near Midway Island at 97,63
 
Japanese Ships
DD Oite, Shell hits 8,  on fire,  heavy damage
MSW Asahi Maru No. 2, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
MSW Banshu Maru #8
MSW Fumi Maru #2, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
MSW Seki Maru #3
MSW Takashima Maru, Shell hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage
PG Kantori Maru
PG Kongosan Maru
PG Myoken Maru
PG Shoei Maru
PG Shotoku Maru
PG Tamo Maru #7
PC Sonan Maru #5
PC Sonan Maru #6
PC Takunan Maru #10
PC Ch 24
PC Ch 29
PC Ch 30
AP Asaka Maru
AP Kinryu Maru
AP Kiyosumi Maru
AP Kongo Maru
AP Harada Maru
AP Juko Maru
AP Kuraido Maru
AP Marsue Maru
AP Monji Maru
AP Nichiai Maru
AP Tafuku Maru
AP Kotobuki Maru #3
AP Mitsu Maru #3
AP Otori Maru
AP Shintoku Maru
AP Sumiyoshi Maru
AK Kotohira Maru
AK Meisan Maru
AK Venice Maru
AK Yokohama Maru
AK China Maru
 
Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis
CL Trenton, Shell hits 1
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 1
DD MacDonough
DD Worden
DD Monaghan, Shell hits 1

BTW, the convoy that got slaughtered by KB was a rather unimportant one: 8 small AK's carrying supplies to Pearl Harbor. Only the loss of AE Lassen really hurts.

[Rob Brennan UK]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

I think the sub was in a different TF, but all ships in a hex are lumped together into a single TF during night air attacks. Someone in the war room reported that even a friendly submarine in the same hex was attacked during a night air attack, which could be a crude way of simulating friendly fire.

learn something every day [;)]

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: Rob Brennan UK

learn something every day [;)]

Yup - read my AAR, learn something every day! [:)] Today's lesson: Gary's probably a half-betazoid... [:(]

Walking Mountain II was another major disaster! Gary wrote in his email that he expected another raid on Kuching and massively reinforced his CAP the day I decided to attack:



At least the LB's from Singapore did some damage, while their escorts sacrificied themselves:



Most of the fighter squadrons will go to India now, it will take a while to rebuild them. The rest goes to Java, but I doubt I'll be able to put up much of a fight in the air now.

Malaya:

The first deliberate attack at Singapore, good results (I think):



Japanese losses could be higher, though. Supply level: 18.000.

Kingfisher on naval attack put several bombs into Japanese AK's in the area, a pleasant surprise. Only 6 barges remain at Singapore harbor; the last two heavily damaged AK's tried to make the run to India, but Betty's and Nells put dozens of torpedoes into them. [8|]

DEI:

Some PT boat action at Palembang: AP Kamo Maru is torpedoed for no loss (3 PT boats left). Another AK was torpedoed by a Dutch sub.

Delib. attacks on Makassar and Palembang on the 20th reduce both fort levels to 0. Both bases will probably fall next turn...

Biak conquered (21st NFL).

Darwin: Japanese subs had mined Darwin: AK Balus and - Oh the irony! - MLE Prome hit mines. I had to withdraw the MLE and all minelayers from Soerabaja because they would have been subject to Japanese air attacks. I decided to send Prome and 2 ML to Darwin; the 3 other (damaged) ML ware heading for India. Fortunately, Prome isn't heavily damaged (18/27/17), as soon as the floating damage is repaired she will be able to service the ML again. I have to be careful though: Gary might want to hunt my only MLE down....

Philippines:

More port attacks by Japanese Army bombers. I had to scuttle the last of the remaining AK's that were trapped in port.

China:

Everything quiet in the west. My troops at Nanchang suffer heavy losses by the daily Japanese bombardment attaack, and I decided that the gain in experience isn't worth it. I'm going to retreat earlier than planned to Changsha.

SoPac:

Baker Island invaded and conquered by the 20th NFL on the 20th! Apparently Gary didn't notice that my carriers must be in the area. [:)] The CV's must refuel at Pago Pago first, but one of my SoPac cruiser squadrons will try to catch some transports at Baker. AK Sakito Maru hits a mine during the invason (Baker Island was the first destination of SS Argonaut in December).

Another invasion convoy is spotted near Wallis island! So my second cruiser squadron will see some action, too! I've split the TF into two to increase the odds for some real surface action, but it'll also increase odds for an I-boat attack...



CentPac:

Kido Butai was sighted heading west, towards Midway. The invasion fleet still hasn't entered the Midway hex! I expected it to retreat, but it moved to the northeast instead. [&:] For the last time, I'll send a small SC TF to Midway, hopefully it can get away before KB arrives.

[ny59giants]

As a side note..Is the Prince of Wales out of immediate danger??

[VSWG]

Yes! 12 hexes away from Java, with a strong ASW escort (ASW value: 30). Only a lucky sub can sink her somewhere on her way to Perth / Melbourne / SF.

[VSWG]

Another black day for the Allies... [:(]

January 21st, 1941

Malaya:

16 Liz plus Oscar escorts raid Singapore and destroy a couple of planes on the ground, but 7 of them are shot down by AA and several more are damaged. The Japanese heavies aren't a success so far...

DEI:

More PT boat action at Palembang: AP Fukko Maru and PG Busho Maru catch one torpedo each and several escorting MSW's are damaged by gunfire, but the Patrol Craft sink one of three PT boats. The remaining two will retreat to Java. In the day phase, SS-41 puts another torpedo into PG Busho Maru (or what's left of it), and an air attack from Singapore (Dauntless and some LB) heavily damage AK Okitu Maru, PG Chohakusan Maru and PG Kure Maru. Finally some attritional warfare!

Makassar falls.  [:(]

Samarinda falls, 6 Catalinas and 4 Do-24K are destroyed on the ground (the first shock attack across the river from Balikpapan took the city). [:(] [:(]

Palembang falls.  [:(][:(][:(]  No damage at all to the oil wells and the resource centers... Can someone tell me why I moved 5 Dutch base forces to Palembang? [8|]

Philippines, China:

Nothing to report.

SoPac:

My small surface combat TF's intercept the Japanese invasion convoy at Wallis Island, but - of course - the Japanase I-boat at Wallis puts a fish into CL Phoenix (25/14/13). [:@] I left 3 DD's in an ASW TF at Wallis to deal with the I-boat and to prevent the transports from returning while the cruisers return to Suva.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Wallis Island at 91,112
 
Japanese Ships
PG Daido Maru, Shell hits 2,  on fire
PG Fukui Maru, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
AK Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 7,  on fire
AK Kaisho Maru
AK Utide Maru
AK Holland Maru, Shell hits 1,  on fire
AK Tatuharu Maru
 
Allied Ships
CA Northampton, Shell hits 3
CL Honolulu, Shell hits 1
DD Gridley
DD McCall
 
Japanese ground losses:
240 casualties reported 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wallis Island at 91,112
 
Japanese Ships
AK Amagisan Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Nozima Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
AK Yamagiri Maru, Shell hits 2
AK Konei Maru
AK Yamamiya Maru, Shell hits 13,  on fire,  heavy damage
 
Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CL Honolulu
DD Gridley
DD McCall
 
Japanese ground losses:
662 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

The second cruiser squadron near Canton Island is ambushed by Mini KB! [X(] Zeros and and Kates from CVL Ryujo, CVL Shoho and CVE Hosho CA and another carrier (A1/China daitai? Taiyo is without air groups, right?) sink CA Chicago and DD Case and damage DD Mahan.



But that's not the worst part...

CentPac:
 
Catastrophe near Pearl Harbor: Instead of covering the Midway landing, Kido Butai sprints to a position between Pearl Harbor and Midway. No big surprise so far, but my psychic opponent sent his carriers to the ONLY area from which all TF's in the area could be attacked by Vals and Kates. The AK's transporting the AA Regiment, the small cruiser TF and the retreating ASW ships were all attacked, and most of them won't survive.



The sad state of my SC TF:



DD Rathburne and Kilty, PC Tiger, PC Sonoma and Ontario and 1 AK have already sunk, and none of the transports will make it. The AA Regiment is gone...

All six fleet carrier participated in the attacks, which happened in the PM phase after rain clouds covered all TF's in the AM phase, tough luck. At least I know the position of all Japanese flattops now (except CVL Zuiho). My carriers at Pago Pago will go for Mini KB near Canton, but they have refueled this turn, so no engagement tomorrow.

On the plus side: the DEI might hold longer without any carrier support, and I managed to maul a Japanese invasion convoy at Wallis. Other than that, a very depressing turn. I'm curious about the situation at Midway: was it another trick to lure some ships out of PH? I cannot confirm that the convoy is carrying troops, but would Gary really send so many AP's to Midway just as a ruse?

[ny59giants]

Looks like he is trying a East Pacific Wall strategy. Trying to take Midway, Johnson Island, Palmyra, Canton Island, and then Pago Pago with the strong possibility of Hawaii being invaded.  I would say that you need to reinforce Hawaii ASAP as he may try to cut it off shortly (within the next few months). [X(]
I don't see anything else that would have his whole carrier fleet in the East Pacific this early in the war. [&:]

Good luck getting mini-KB. [:D]

[ctangus]

Ouch! Those cruiser losses (and soon-to-be-losses) do hurt. [:(]

He'll probably try to attack cripples, but just in case, is your LBA at Pearl on alert?

Good luck against the Baby KB. Out of curiosity, how do you have your CV TF(s) organized?

[VSWG]

January 22nd, 1942

Burma:

Rangoon falls to the first attack of 55th Division. Only a part of the Rangoon base force was left in the city and surrendered, the Burma Army is at Meitktila building forts while prepping for Mandalay. I'm now confident that I can hold Mandalay until the first Chinese units arrive.

Malaya:

Another Japanese bombardment attack. No air attack today.

DEI:

SS Seals fires several torpedoes at CA Suzuya near Balikpapan! Duds... [:(]

S-40 is more succesful at Palembang: AP Fukko Maru is heavily damaged by 2 torpedoes and several shell hits. [8D]

Japanese troops land at Amboina and Sorong. CL Adelaide and DD Le Triomphant are only a couple of hexes away and are sent to Amboina.

Philippines:

The usual air raid and bombardment attack at Manila

China:

Two more Japanese divisons had arrived at Nanchang and Gary tried a deliberate attack:



This should increase experience niecely. [:)]

At Kanshien, a single static Japanese Corps managed to defeat the first attack by the 1st Mixed Regiment. I don't want to hold the city, it is beyond the line I want to hold in China. Right now we have a stable front here (yellow line), which I will shorten by retreating to the dotted line in a couple of days. I have no offensive plans for the next 12 months here.



The Chinese Air Force is completely passive ATM: the fighters are flying CAP over Chungking, while the LB fly supply missions from Ledo to Chengtu. This may change as soon as more advanced planes are sent to China.

SWPac:

Port Moresby: I have now more than 20.000 supplies and the 23 AIF Brigade (from Darwin) here so I'm quite confident that I can defeat a landing by anything less than a division.

SoPac:

Surprisingly, Mini KB moved to the southwest, away from the Canton Island invasion convoy that my Catalinas detected today. Hard to predict where Mini KB is heading, and the forecast for this area is thunderstorms, so I decided to intercept the Canton convoy with my carriers instead of Mini KB. I ordered that no naval search missions are flown from my carriers, so that they remain undetected in case no air strikes are launched (because of weather or because the convoy might turn around). More transports and some TK's are reported from Baker, so this is a target rich environment for my carriers.



CentPac:

Finally Gary landed at Midway! No naval bombardment, no air attacks, no nothing to prepare the island for an invasion! Logically, the CD guns tore into the invasion convoy, and the shock attack failed. Looks good here, Gary will have to bomb the defenders into the stone age with KB if he wants to save this invasion.



The defenders are in a perfect condition, only the Marines have increased disruption. [8D]



5 Liberators flew all the way from Johnston Island and put a 500lb bomb into PG Tamo Maru at Midway. All my Bostons and Liberators are in CentPac and SoPac flying a combination of naval search/attack.

KB itself met with some TK's to refuel - how the h*ll did they get there?!



I'm using the opportunity (KB occupied) to sneak out three damaged BB's to SF. Arizona and Maryland will go to the West Coast as soon as they are able to make 10 knots, too. Nevada is already in SF (at 17 sys).

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Looks like he is trying a East Pacific Wall strategy. Trying to take Midway, Johnson Island, Palmyra, Canton Island, and then Pago Pago with the strong possibility of Hawaii being invaded. I would say that you need to reinforce Hawaii ASAP as he may try to cut it off shortly (within the next few months). [X(]
I don't see anything else that would have his whole carrier fleet in the East Pacific this early in the war. [&:]

Good luck getting mini-KB. [:D]

I don't think that the full East Pacific Wall stategy is possible on AB's extended map - there's still Panama and the Society Islands. But it looks like Gary's going for some advanced bases in the Pacific. Midway looks like a desaster ATM, Canton is covered by my carriers, and Pago Pago will be a veritable fortress in a couple of weeks, so I'm quite confident here. DEI is another story, quite depressing...

ORIGINAL: ctangus

Ouch! Those cruiser losses (and soon-to-be-losses) do hurt.

He'll probably try to attack cripples, but just in case, is your LBA at Pearl on alert?

Good luck against the Baby KB. Out of curiosity, how do you have your CV TF(s) organized?

Well, the cruisers respawn... [;)] I think something like this was bound to happen sooner or later (KB catching some "stuff"), and it could have been worse - I lost nothing irreplaceable. But it hurts nevertheless.

LBA at Pearl is ready, 100+ fighters and lots of Marauders/Mitchells, and a few B17's. Most longe range bombers are covering the LOC to Australia.

CV TF's: 1 CV, 1 CA, 5 DD's (Benham, Sims, ...). In rear areas I combine two TF's into one for better ASW protection, but only if I know that no coordinated strike might be needed during the next turns. Not enough AA escorts, I know, but it's all I have.

[Ron Saueracker]

Ouch![X(]

[ny59giants]

IMO, the East Pacific Wall strategy is to push the USA back far enough that the only air support will have to be carrier based for invasions (pushes a Central Pacific counteroffensive back to sometime late in '43). Plus, it is very difficult to get supplies/fuel to NZ/Oz.

I'm looking forward to the new RHS map that will have different entry points so you could go around South America and Africa from Panama, I think, to Oz.

[Rob Brennan UK]

Looking at the big picture its going well for you imo. minor setback in the pacific. More importantly you sent out the div from PH early. i'm guessing that johnson and palmyra have the other /b /c regiments?
on an atoll he will need a very big stick indeed to shift them out.

[VSWG]

Day Air attack on TF, near Canton Island at 100,100

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 25
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10
SBD-3 Dauntless x 126
TBD Devastator x 51

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged
TBD Devastator: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kinu
BB Ise, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

I bet Gary needed new pants after he saw this:



Alas, only the escorting DD was sunk for the loss of 2 PT boats.

Full update as soon as I have the save, Gary sent me the replay only.



Edit: Link was down.

[stldiver]

Nice, You would gladly trade that for a couple of CA's and transports. Don't think those BB's can make it home, to far from a good base.

[ctangus]

Very nice! Ise & Mutsu are pretty much certainly goners, & like stldiver said, the other 2 are a long way from port. That's 1/3 of the Jap BBs for the entire war either sunk or at least out of action for a loooong time.

In your last screenshot I see only 3 BBs afloat. Has one been confirmed as sunk already?

[VSWG]

Quick login before going to work...

ORIGINAL: ctangus

In your last screenshot I see only 3 BBs afloat. Has one been confirmed as sunk already?

No, the PT boats attacked the escort TF with the crippled BB's. Can I conclude some minimum sys/flt damage from this?

[ny59giants]

Great News!![&o][&o][&o]
A few questions??
Will Gary send KB on a high speed run South to try to salvage his BB's??  If so, how long would it take??
Will Gary not send in KB, but rather send mini-KB to try to provide air cover??

Did any of your DB's and their 1000lb bombs actually penetrate his deck armor on those BB's??

It is nice to know where KB is so you can plan accordingly. [;)]

Looking forward to an update this weekend. [:D]