6 August arrives and it’s again time to take a look at air to air fighter losses for the game. To date 632 allied fighters have been lost in air to air battles. Japan has lost 155 fighters in air to air battles so far. That’s a net gain of 54 for the allies and 22 for Japan for the past months fighting.
This gives Japan a kill ratio of 2.45 – 1 for the month and 4.07 – 1 for the game. Here’s a screenshot of air losses sorted by air to air, I’ve snip'd out the airframes that had no losses due to air to air.
Sub ops today consist of 3 Japanese ASW attacks, all of which miss their targets. One sub attack is made by the SS Sailfish at Palembang and an AK gets hit by a single torpedo.
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Sub attack near Palembang at 20,55
Japanese Ships
AK Yamagiri Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Satsuki
Allied Ships
SS Sailfish
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Hudsons and Beaufighters hit Tennant creek today and cause heavy damage to the base. Chinese bombers conduct a port attack at Takao on the island of Formosa, but no ships in port are hit and only a single port hit is scored.
It looks like the AVG ambush earlier has prompted my opponent to consolidate his airforce in China. A large Japanese raid hits the 3rd New Chinese Corps at Ichang.
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Day Air attack on 3rd New Chinese Corps, at 47,36
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 18
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 29
Ki-30 Ann x 39
Ki-51 Sonia x 46
Ki-21-II Sally x 28
Ki-49 Helen x 15
Ki-48-II Lily x 24
No Japanese losses
Allied ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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17 Bettys hit Adak Island, but cause no damage to the base. A small raid of 9 Bettys then makes an attack on allied shipping at Umnak Island and gets intercepted by allied CAP. The inexperienced allied fighters manage to shoot down a single bomber, but lose a fighter to the Japanese escorts in return. No hits are scored against the allied ships.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Umnak Island at 101,37
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
G4M1 Betty x 7
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 11
P-39D Airacobra x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Northern Sword
AK Nabesna
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
<snip>
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Japan conducts three land bombardments in China at Ichang and the two defensive positions east of Changsha. My opponent had goaded me about bringing in reinforcements to the forest hex last turn in an attempt to reveal some Intel to him about the movements he was observing east of Changsha, but I remained mum about the moves. Today’s bombardments are obviously recons to try and figure out what I’m doing.
7 August is the busiest day we’ve seen for sub ops this game. A total of 5 Japanese ASW attacks are made resulting in the sinking of Dutch sub KXV in the Malacca Strait. A total of 6 allied sub attacks are made resulting in 3 APs being hit by torpedoes and 1 sub is damaged by escorts in return.
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ASW attack at 49,99
Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze
Allied Ships
SS S-36
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ASW attack at 21,47
Japanese Ships
PC Shonon Maru #3
PC Kyo Maru #7
PC Kyo Maru #6
PC Fumi Maru #3
MSW Togo Maru
DD Hayabusa
DD Asagao
DD Hatakaze
Allied Ships
SS KXV, hits 6, on fire, heavy damage sinks
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Sub attack at 48,97
Japanese Ships
AP Nichiryo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PC Shumshu
DD Arashi
DD Isokaze
Allied Ships
SS S-35, hits 1
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Sub attack at 49,99
Japanese Ships
AP Teikyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PG Ikunta Maru
PG Hong Kong Maru
PG Uji
DE Patrol Boat No. 46
Allied Ships
SS S-36
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ASW attack near Cooktown at 48,100
Japanese Ships
AP Sanura Maru
DD Karukaya
DD Fuyo
DD Tsuga
DD Minekaze
Allied Ships
SS Bass
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Sub attack near Cooktown at 48,100
Japanese Ships
AP Toko Maru
AP Ryujo Maru
DD Karukaya
DD Hasu
DD Minekaze
Allied Ships
SS Bass
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Sub attack near Palembang at 20,55
Japanese Ships
AK Kansai Maru
DD Satsuki
Allied Ships
SS Sailfish
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Sub attack at 49,100
Japanese Ships
AP Awajisan Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PC Shumshu
DD Arashi
Allied Ships
SS S-18
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Sub attack at 57,91
Japanese Ships
AK Taki Maru
AK Yae Maru
PG Tamo Maru #6
Allied Ships
SS Pompano
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ASW attack at 49,100
Japanese Ships
AP Tsutsukami Maru
PC Ch 31
PC Ch 28
PC Ch 6
PC Shonan Maru #17
PC Shonan Maru #1
PC Kyo Maru #13
Allied Ships
SS S-18
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ASW attack near Cooktown at 48,100
Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze
Allied Ships
SS Bass
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Japan started moving south towards Cooktown with his transport fleets and my wolfpack of subs really shinned today. Too bad the APs were all empty. Hopefully my subs will do just as well as the fleets leave the area laden with Japanese combat units.
Allied troops land at Luganville today and 553 casualties are reported. I though a unit with 100% preparation for a base wasn’t supposed to lose so many men during landings. I’ve set the regiment for deliberate attack, the empty base will be in allied hands tomorrow.
Japan launches a deliberate attack at Ichang today and gets a 1-1 odds ratio. While Japan’s casualties are high, the fact he got a 1-1 odds for his first attack confirms he’ll eventually be able to take the base.
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Ground combat at Ichang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 192004 troops, 918 guns, 171 vehicles, Assault Value = 4302
Defending force 76131 troops, 309 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2172
Japanese max assault: 4467 - adjusted assault: 1323
Allied max defense: 2257 - adjusted defense: 1265
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
8889 casualties reported
Guns lost 142
Vehicles lost 9
Allied ground losses:
1316 casualties reported
Guns lost 55
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The only other thing of note to occur today is Japan evacuates Townsville! That’s right, every single unit is fleeing north at full speed to meet up with his evacuation fleets that are now starting to arrive at Cooktown.
I’ve ordered a general advance. Hopefully I can catch a good chunk of his last remaining units as they are loading and force them to retreat so I can destroy them in detail after Japan’s main army has left.
It may still be a little premature to announce it, but I’d say I’ve won the contest in Australia, Japan will never conquer it now. It was just too hard for him to keep his troops fed once I gained total air superiority in the NE.
Central and northern Australia are yet to be reduced and it should prove to be a long attrition fight, but eventually I’ll win there as well. But my biggest concern over losing the entire country can now be put to rest I think.
Jim
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