Speedy vs Fabertong: Death to the Penguin!

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi swift/T - now now. You know the problem the game engine will present with the impossible combination of mine/CD guns. There is also no way of reducing these for months before invasion since Faber would be tipped off and I would find 15 x Divisions at the beach head[8|]

Seriously everyone if you want to see anything as in screenshots? Final sail out of my battle lines deep into enemy territory (that would be fun and crazy!)?[;)] Now is the time to speak up since in 1 months time Japan will capitulate.

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The allied raid on Hong Kong took off as planned and was a massive spectacle. 195 x assorted bombers from mediums, DB's, TB and FB's were escorted by 85 x fighters (Mustang/Corsair/Hellcat). They encountered a determined force of 77 x enemy fighters. The enemy lost 46 CAP but did manage to shoot down 18 friendlies. The port was wrecked through hundreds of bombs. CL Natori was hit a reported 35 times as she quickly settled under the water. SS I-53 also took 7 bombs and exploded.

Tomorrow my boys go for Canton's port and airfields. Japanese airpower has been severely weakened in the region with only a reported 90 planes in total left at Canton and Hong Kong.

In other news an empty Samarinda will be taken tomorrow as will Biak by USMC Para's.

Saipan's B29's have been rested and will hopefully flatten Sendai's HI, Resource and small shipyards tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

No one wants to see anything then (other than the silly notion by swift/T?)[;)]

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Well bad weather prevented the air raid on Canton. However it has been opportune since the raid has been expanded further now. Firstly, 200 x P47D/P51D are now able to sweep the skies from Taan. 160 x Rangoon based B29's will also decimate the airfields along with the orignal force planned for yesterday.

The usual air raids in China, PI and SRA netted 14 Japanese recon/transport planes on the ground.

Biak was taken by Para's. That means other than the re-taken Wewak this operation has been successful.

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Sendai was delivered it's warning for war continuation today. It was delivered by 421 x B29's netting another 700 VP's..........next stop is Maizuru and the massive shipyards there. P51D's will sweep the skies tomorrow in preparation.

[Alfred]

Speedy,
 
I'm looking forward to seeing (a) screen announcing decisive Allied victory in March 1945, and (b) penguin, flanked by joker and cat woman, handcuffed and in custody being led to trial... oops sorry wrong show[:D].
 
Seriously, if this does not impose too great a burden,
 
(1) screen shots of all fronts (CenPac, SoPac, NoPac etc) just before surrender.
(2) logistic details such as aircraft pools, aircraft type (eg P-47, Wirraway etc) losses, major depots listing their supply/fuel stockpiles
(3) LCU and LBA command OOB ie what is under CenPac, SWPac, SEAC etc command
 
The above list I think would be useful for less experienced players to learn about how a well conducted campaign should look like.
 
Alfred 

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi Alfred - some good thoughts there. More than happy to do them. Will start posting stuff from the next update.

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Weather again wrecked my plan for a co-ordinated strike on Canton. The Sweep from Taan took off and shot down 15 enemy fighters for the loss of 3 x P47D but no bombers could take off from Kiungahan.

A combined FB/A26B strike on Batavia hit the airfield and port hard destroying 7 x Frances and heavily damaging 2x AP, 1 x AK and DD Murakumo. No friendlies were lost.

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The preliminary Sweep over the skies of Maizuru netted 54 enemy Irving/Tony for the loss of 5 x P51D. Over 450 x B29 will be ordered to hit the industry hard tomorrow.

Enemy ASW vessels ventured too near to Allied Saipan. A26B's swept low sinking PC Tsushima and heavily damaging PC Amakusa with 2 bombs.

[DuckofTindalos]

The Victory Screen is quite anti-climactic...

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Thanks T....I can't wait[;)]

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Another decisive day in the war against Japan.

The weather was clear enough over Kiungahan to launch the long planned raid on Canton. Enemy forces in the air and on the ground were decimated. For the loss of 2 x F4U1D the enemy lost approximately 60 planes, ML Nuwashima and SS I-182. Radio intercepts indicate the Japanese have withdrawn any offensive/defensive air presence from Canton and Hong Kong.

Enemy forces were reduced outside Kiungahan further today with almost 1000 enemy men and 24 tanks being destroyed for 200 Allied casualties

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Maizuru was the scene of carnage today as well in the air and on the ground.

Mustangs swept ahead of the B29's to find 190 enemy fighters on CAP. 201 x P51D engaged them. After a brief 30 minute battle 168 enemy planes were destroyed for 31 x P51D.

436 x B29 then found their targets and pummeled the HI, Resource, Merchant Shipyards and George factories. Other factories (other than the massive repair yards) will be hit tomorrow. Only 2 x B29 were lost to AA.

Total plane losses for the day were 48 Allied for 262 Japanese.

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The start of the overview series begins in the Aleutians. This front has been almost totally quiet since the Allies re-claimed Attu and Kiska at the end of 1942. This was the scene of the first CV encounter that led to CV Yorktown being sunk vs CV Junyo and 2 x Japanese CVL's.

I did contemplate moving on Paramushiro but rejected it after deciding to take the central histrocial route.

Forces have always remained in the area with 450 AV LCU's, 2 x CL, 10 x DD, 12 x PT and 8 x SS and 300 planes in the region to repel any enemy re-incursion.

[DuckofTindalos]

Hey, I didn't make that screen, I just saw it once, and it doesn't quite stack up against the investment of time necessary to see it...

[Speedysteve]

I can imagine[;)]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hong Kong was pounded again today and with no Japanese interference 3 x AR's were smashed to smithereens. 1 sank outright.

Japanese positions outside Kiungahan declined rapidly today as all of their tanks were destroyed and their defenders were pushed into small pockets.

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P51D's swept the skies over Maizuru again destroying 61 enemy fighters for the loss of 5 x P51D's. Unfortunately bad weather prevented the B29's from flying from Saipan.

Faber has re-invaded at Hollandia and Lae. No real concern to me. I guess he's just trying to gather a few more points to delay defeat.

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This next summary comes from the Central Pacific. The island of Saipan was the over-arching goal for 2 years. With it B29's can fly to and bomb Japan. The road to it was quite long and arduous beginnign with the 1st Wake invasion which failed on the land. It was my first harsh lesson in this war to use OVERWHELMING force on any atoll invasion since the model means you have to! As it was due to extensive mine/CD fields my invasion divisions (6 of them) were smashed.

As such whilst these forces re-built we moved through the Marshalls isolating and bypassing enemy fortified atolls.

We then re-invaded Wake (needed to secure it to give me clear SLOC to Saipan. This timwe I made no mistake and smashed the place with CV air for almost 2 months. When my 9 divisions landed the place was a wreck and fairly easily taken.

The next step was to prepare for Saipan. It involved 11 Divisions going ashore. In the end it was not as bad as thought since IJN did not come out to play and there were only 2000AV of enemy on the island.

The next logical step was the invasion of Iwo Jima which used 9 divisions (some fresh, some from Saipan). Once more IJN did not come out to play and this place also fell within 3 weeks. Iwo houses over 200 x P51D for air operations over Japan.

My strategy within CentPac has always been to try to isolate and bypass the really fortified atolls exceot when they are crucial to your plans. It has worked very well IMO with several key enemy forces left to wither and are no threat to me (56th Bde on Eniwetok for example). As such I still have substantial presence in all of CentPac. For example in the Marshalls I have 400 planes to keep the enemy surpressed and 600AV of RCT's.

At Saipan I have 470 x B29 and 300 other planes (fighters, mediums, DB, TB, Patrol).

I still have 5 x Division, 3 x RCT at Saipan for security and for preparation for any invasion of Japan.

Through SigInt/Air Bal I can always track the Japanese movements and any plane incursions into these territories are stamped out very quickly.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

We are receiving signs that Japanese defeat is nearing (2.5K more VP's needed) and some areas of the war are beginning to wind down whilst some diplomatic feelers are engaged. In the meantime bombing of the Home Islands will continue to 'encourage' Japanese leaders to surrender.

Very few Japanese are left near Kiungahan. To be precise 5000 men of 69th Ind. Mixed Brigade. They will capitulate within days it is estimated.

Hong Kong was hit hard again sinking the last 2 x AR's there.

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Recon indicated a small Japanese AP harbouring near Ponape. I despactedh my CVE's from Lunga 3 days ago and today 2 torpedoes sent AP Taizin Maru to the bottom of the ocean.........

B29's hit Maizuru hard. Little is left of the industry now but tomorrow we try to finish off the remaing Shipyards.

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Today's summary is on the Iwo Jima area. Despite it holding over 200 x P51D (along with B25's to keep Bonin surpressed and Recon) it also houses 13 x Divisions and 3 x RCT for the, if needed, invasion of Japan. A further 5 x Division and 4 x RCT are in USA for this invasion also.

[tabpub]

Today's summary is on the Iwo Jima area. Despite it holding over 200 x P51D (along with B25's to keep Bonin surpressed and Recon) it also houses 13 x Divisions and 3 x RCT

So glad to see that you could give each man 2 square feet to live in there...oh, wait....we need the space for the planes and the support troops.....so, I guess you must have tunnelled under Suribachi, put in stairs and they are living in the center of the Earth with the Troglodytes........[8|].....(editor's note; this is coming from one that has 8 Divisions on Truk atoll, which at least has 38 sq. mi. of dry land area....though one could think that most of the troops spend most of their time on the 150+ transports in the lagoon....but 38 is better than 7.5 sq. mi.)...[:'(]
Just pulling the chain a bit here Speed......glad to see that your war is coming to a successful completion in the near future; well done.
Now back to the AAR.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi tabpub - I agree. 2 SqFt per man is very generous of me. Grateful they should be yes[;)] This is actually a weird feeling. After so many turns and e-mail exchanges it's a little sad this is coming to an end. We've already agreed to an AE re-match though[;)]

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Today was a day of minor frustration. Despite sinking DD Murakumo and an AK at Batavia my P51D's failed to fly from Iwo Jima. As such my 419 x B29's flew un-escorted and lost 25 of them to 55 x Japanese CAP. My men will rest tomorrow as my P51D's hopefully sweep the skies.

Kiungahan is clear of Japanese now after over 10000 were wiped out today!

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Today's summary is from the Southern SRA. Here you can see which areas were isolated and bypassed. I saw no point in going for Java/Sumatra since they yielded few VP's and didn't lead towards Japan.

My routeway here led from Timor (Faber fought here and CVL Ryujo was lost and CV Kaga damaged). We also had some intense surface battles around little known places like Raba and Maumere. No capital ships were lost here but several (50ish) smaller craft DD/MSW/PC/AK/AP/LST were along with heavy damage to most of the RN BB fleet.

Banjarmasin was a big operation and involved the deepest strike into enemy held SRA territory. 3 x CVE were lost to Kamikazi's but after Banjarmasin was secured I always had LBA to help my advance up the west coast of Borneo and then round to the north. BB Kirishima succumbed to damage sustained whilst fighting BB Royal Sovereign at Kuching. In return Royal Sovereign had 62 SYS damage.

Faber held strong at Balikpapan for 9 months until recently weakening and falling back.

Places like Bali, Balikpapan, Batavia and Palembang are bombed almost daily to keep the Japanese surpressed.

I have 1000 AV at Samarinda and 1300 AV at Jesselton.

In this screenshot I have nigh on 1500 planes on the various bases in this screenshot.

[DuckofTindalos]

Hey Speedy, you don't actually perform close escort for the Superforts, right? It's Mustang fighter sweeps all the way, correct?

[Speedysteve]

Correctomondo

[DuckofTindalos]

Thought as much...

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Today's summary is from the Southern SRA. Here you can see which areas were isolated and bypassed. I saw no point in going for Java/Sumatra since they yielded few VP's and didn't lead towards Japan.

That's a reasonable strategy -- IF -- you can block the sea lanes leading to the oil bases. Especially Palembang.

[Mike Solli]

Yeah, I'd say he was successful.
 
 
Poor penguin........ [:(]

[Speedysteve]

Which I have. There is NO way anything could get through. I would say I have approximately 10-12 x PBY groups covering the 2 possible ways in - south of Borneo and north of Borneo. The moment anything is spotted it would have between 50-400 planes ready to attack it next day.

[DuckofTindalos]

Hey, it IS early 1945...[:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Firstly, could everyone applaud T for his perception?[:'(][:D]

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Today's main event and probably some of the last extensive combat between Japanese and Allied forces took place over the skies of Maizuru as P51D's and their Japanese counterparts fought for control of the skies before the B29's return:

Day Air attack on Maizuru , at 62,41

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 29
J2M Jack x 3
A6M5c Zeke x 23
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 15
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 17
Ki-84-Ic Frank x 25
Ki-100 Tony x 13
Ki-102a Randy x 41

Allied aircraft
F-5C Lightning x 1
P-51D Mustang x 134

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 24 destroyed
J2M Jack: 3 destroyed
A6M5c Zeke: 20 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 15 destroyed
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 17 destroyed
Ki-84-Ic Frank: 23 destroyed
Ki-100 Tony: 13 destroyed
Ki-102a Randy: 34 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 18 destroyed, 11 damaged

PC Amakasa also sank today in Palau port after the 2 bombs it took from A26B's before[:)]

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Today's summary is of the Malaya/Indo China region. Compared to the long and drawn out campaign for Burma and Siam (which took 1.5 years) both Malaya and Indo China fell quickly to the Allies as there were no easily defensible bottlenecks for the Japanese. Indo Chinma was a walk in the park and fell within a month.

Malay took longer as the Japanese made a final stand at Singapore. After 2 months of bitter fighting Malaya was secure and 60000 Japanese were lost forever.

I have 3800 AV at Singapore (was to be used for the invasion of Formosa), 2500 AV at Saigon (was to be used for either invasion of Nanning (China) or also Formosa). Hanoi has the Allies and Japanese at stalemate with 4500 AV Allies against 4000 AV Japanese.

Hainan was a nice little conquest for the Allies over 1 month which cost me c.200 planes, 30 Auxilliary ships and 3000 soldiers. In comparison the Japanese lost c.900 planes and 40000 men.