Forlorn Hopes: The Japanese Respond

[bobogoboom]

teenagers are the spawn of satan[:@].

[John 3rd]

You have that right Bobo! How are you doing?

We had action on Dec 27th! The screenshot provides the particulars but I was gratified to see my little STF of Agano, Yura and 2 DD beat-up those two LST TF at Sapporo. Every little bit helps here... I have another STF sweeping that hex tomorrow as well.

I have elected to send Shokaku, Zuikaku, Ryujo, and Shoho to Palembang. This is about 1/3 of my KB and perhaps they can provide a rude surprise to the British before they make their next move. Between those CV they have 230 planes (about 81 M5, 81 Judy, 59 Jill).

If Dan moves anything unescorted out from Midway I will have at least 400 planes to attack with if needed.

My ASW stays nasty! SS Drum sank this turn, SS Templar was severely damaged in a DC attack, and S-39 was heavily damaged in another DC attack.

[bobogoboom]

doing good minus losing 80 experianced zeros to p400 p39 p36 f2a and kittyhawks plus a cvl took a bomb hit.
 
glad to hear that everything work out in a way that let you get on with your life.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
December 28, 1943
 
Northern Japan
Another set of small naval fights at Sapporo.  I have no idea what Dan is doing here but my little STF are eating it up.  Five DDs attack two TF of LCT and manage to sink four of seven and heavily damage the others.  Unfortunately I lose a DD to 2 TT from an American SS when returning to Aomori!  That SS, however, is heavily damaged for its effort by the remaining DDs.

Troops will move into Sapporo next round and there is only an Artillery Regiment there. 

Dan has all that is left of the American forces outside of Wakkanai doing nothing but bombardment.  My troops should be there to raise the seige in about 4-5 days.  I hope for a good-sized surrender when that happens.

SS Action
I already mentioned the American SS.  I see another US SS sink (S-43) and damage four more by LBA near Tokyo and Aomori.  I am scoring hits on his SS every turn right now and they keep sinking at about 1/Day.

The Japanese lost I-22 who in the course of the day hit a mine at Midway, put a TT into a DD there, and then took a severe DC!

Burma/Malaya
Dan has pulled away from Rahaeng.  There are only two units present where 12 had been there before.  He is also pulling away from Tavoy too...

This means a seaborne assault is coming.  I continue moving planes into Southern Malaya (Georgetown, Alor Star, Singora, and Kuantan).  Given a few more days, I will have over 200 Fighters, 150 IJA/IJN Bombers, and 100 Carrier TB/DB.  Add my CV TF coming down from Marcus and it might be REAL interesting.

Seeing that Sumatra is the logical target I begin loading a Brigade at Georgetown to move into Kuala.  There are 2 Brigades at Sabang, 1 Brigade at Kuala, and 1 Brigade at the town just south of there.  I have an Army HQ and Inf Div about 4 days from Georgetown that will transit over there ASAP. 

We'll see if I am fast enough...

Nothing else happened over the rest of the map.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
December 29-30, 1943

I am beginning to be cautiously optimistic with the situation in Northern Japan. Sapporo fell on December 30th and I am rapidly moving on the city to the east and then on to Wakkanai to relieve that garrision. All of Dan's troops are now in that hex.

With Sapporo mine I am able to bring in 200 planes I couldn't use earlier. I move 81 Fighters, 50 DB, and 72 2EB to the base which is lightly damaged.

I targeted Toyohara both days and nailed it with an average of 75 Fighters and 320 Bombers! Both days my Fighters blew through the CAP (23 Fighters/17 Fighters) for few losses and the bombers destroyed a confirmed 81 planes! Most of the destroyed planes are 4EB and Fighters but there is a decent number of recon, transports, and TB too. The AF went from 0 damage to nearly 60% during the raids. For Japanese 2EB that is pretty good!

I shift ALL my bombers to ASW for the 31st. This will mean 600 bombers hunting SS! I do this because I want to clear out his SS but also because I expect him to shift CAP to Toyohara from his CVs in the north. The ASW should surprise him and give me a chance to recon the CAP over Toyohara and Wakkanai.

Wakkanai holds but is out of supplies. My transports have been getting mangled flying through LR CAP but I don't have much choice. If Wakkanai can give me a 4-5 days I will be able to relieve it. We'll see...

China
I have training going on again in China. There are nearly 400 fighters flying in this region.

Here is the current map:

[castor troy]

600 bombers in one small region on ASW?? [&:][8|]

[John 3rd]

Yes Mister Castor---600 Bombers all flying ASW from Aomori, Hakodate, Sapporo, and that other base I can't think of.  Let anyone whine who wants to.  The one-day sweep works fantastically as I get 11 LBA hits on seven different SS!  I get no immediate sinkings but Dan has been warned after this day.  His SS live at my sufferance in that area.

Northern Japan
My troops arrive at that city directly east of Sapporo and will take it January 1, 1944. 

Dan finally launched an attack at Wakkanai and got a 1-1 lowering Forts to 3.  He has 3 Inf Div, the 3rd Marine Division, 1 Eng Reg, 1 Tk Btn, 1 FA Reg, and V Amphib HQ.  I order ALL Fighters and Bombers in Northern Japan to hit his troops there.  I totalled it up and that will mean 300 Fighters and 750 Bombers.  Dan is flying CAP with a few planes there so I should blow them out of the sky.  IF I can hold the base for 3 days--1 to take the city I'm in on the 1st and 2 to move to Wakkanai then I should be able to wipe his troops out!  It is an if but one that might still work...

Sumatra
In Sumatra, Dan moves his 3 CVs SW from Port Blair towards Sabang.  I will not fight this time as I want him to think that I don't have much airpower present.  My CVs are about 50% of the way to Palembang where they will refuel.  If given the time I will sweep the CVs along the west coast of Sumatra, have them hold to the west, and then move in for a little surprise when Dan commits.  They have 240 planes with double that in LBA for support.  I REALLY want a victory here to buy me some time and slow his momentum.  If I could actually sink or seriously damage his CVs then it will transform the war in this theatre.

KB
Most of my remaining CVs (4 CV and 4 CVL) are at Marcus disbanded and fully fueled. There are several ARs there so maybe some maintenance can be done to the Fleet-in-Being. An additional 3 CVE are north of Marcus (5 hexes) interdicting the Iwo to Midway supply line.

[John 3rd]

If given the time during nap for my boys this afternoon will see the posting of Dec's Economic Report followed by January's Report.  The vastness of the battle will be revealed in the HUGE changes of numbers inside of one month!
 

[John 3rd]

Just when I feel like there is hope, the game strikes!  The movement bug just hit my army moving north from Asahigawa towards Wakkanai.  My troops who had been moivng at 30-45 miles a day on the road moved FIVE miles...
 
Well...I take whatever I can get once Wakkanai falls in a day or two.
 
On the BRIGHT side, I converted two terrible fighter units to Kamikazes who will be released tomorrow on American shipping at Wakkanai.
 

[Yakface]

John - check what direction they are moving.  Normally when something like this happens you find they have started to head off into nowhere.

[cantona2]

As a fellow educator John i can only hope and wish for the best for you mate. Hope you can rebuild your life in tranquility.

[John 3rd]

Thank you Sir.  I greatly appreciate the sentiment.
 

[John 3rd]

Thanks. I reset their movement to simply the hex ahead of them for the next turn. Maybe they can move quickly then.

ORIGINAL: Yakface

John - check what direction they are moving.  Normally when something like this happens you find they have started to head off into nowhere.

[John 3rd]

The day of January 3, 1943 is a rather ugly turn in northern Japan.  I could also make the case that it is a bi-polar turn with both good and bad news for the Japanese.  These were the salient developments for the round:

1.  Naval Battle at Wakkanai  I send a small STF of CL Agano and 6 DD to this area looking for AP/LCT/AK.  They find FAR bigger game in the form of BB Pennsylvania, a CA, 2 CL, and 4 DD!  There are two separate clashes and the Japanese get surprise both times.  Torpedos slam into Pennsylvania and CL Helena as well as heavy damage to 3 American DDs.  At this point I lose 2 DD to the fight.  The important note is that this attack keeps the American TF from attacking the 20 AP that are unloading the 39th Infantry Division.  This is important later int he day.

2.  Allied CVs  The American CVs are hovering 1 hex east of Toyohara and they fly strikes at shipping approaching or leaving Sapporo.  A damaged DD from the surface fight sinks as well as 3 ML, 2 MSW, and 2 AP.  These strikes are met by about 25-30 Japanese Fighters who manage to shoot down a dozen enemy planes.  Considering their skill that isn't too bad.  What must be mentioned again is that the American CVs hit these targets but NOT the APs unloading at Wakkanai.  I cannot believe that!

3.  Toyohara Strike   I get every plane in Aomori, Hakodate, and Sapporo to launch a combined strike at Toyohara's AF.  The incoming strike is THUNDEROUS!  In the largest strike I've ever seen by the Japanese LBA, 95 Fighters escort 440 Sally and Helen to the target.  They easily dispatch the 8 Fighters (only 8!) for a cost of 5 Japanese Fighters and 3 Bombers.  After the CAP is gone the bombers drop load after load of bombs onto the AF.  A massive number of American aircraft are destroyed on the ground!  The turn recap showed 119 planes destroyed on the ground!  The strike itself reported 34 Fighters, 24 4EB, 5 TB, and 4 Recon destroyed.  The airfield took 29 Airbase Hits, 15 Supply Hits, and 421 Runway Hits---100% Damage plus 230 Casualties.

How about that??!!

4.  4EB Strikes on Japan   Two attacks are launched from Iwo Jima against Sendai and Tokyo.  For the loss of 4 Fighters, the Americans lose 12 4EB with another 30 damaged out of 48 launched.  Numerous planes turned back before dropping bombs.  They scored a couple of hits on BB Ise at Tokyo.

5.  Wakkanai Holds!!!   Due to the APs unloading a Shock Attack by the Americans fails to get even a 1-1 attack and the base stays Japanese. 

Thanks to the advice given me earlier, I re-ordered the Japanese Army to advance and am rewarded to see about 8 units out of 16 move 45 miles in the single day.  There is still the slight chance with these developments that I might get there in time.  I still doubt but we'll see...

CRAZY Day!  [:D][:o][:D]

Planning
I order all Japanese Bombers, Dive Bombers, and Torpedo Bombers to attack the shipping gathering at Wakkanai.  Dan clearly expected the Port to fall today.  Mixed in with the attacking planes is one Sentai of Kamikazes set at maximum altitude.  I hope to smother the American ships offshore with an attack of at least 500 planes.

Dan must rest his troops at Wakkanai a round due to launching 4 straight days worth of attacks.  If I can clear the sea of ships, hold for another day at Wakkanai, then I have a chance for a significant victory.


Anyone got any thoughts???

[FeurerKrieg]

So did Agano survive?

[John 3rd]

Yes she did!  That new cruiser has been in several battles and is disbanded at Sapporo right now.

[n01487477]

Hey John,
Any chance of an economic update if you get the chance? ... I know the real action is much more interesting, but just the basic figures to see how this invasion has effected your War machine, would be interesting to me at least, and maybe some others... those Kamikaze's have to come from somewhere.

Cheers
Damian

PS. it's Jan '44, isn't it?

[John 3rd]

I just sent back the January 4, 1944 turn.
 
Started working on the December Economic Report and will then do the January one.  My economy conitues to hum along and I only lost Sapporo for less then a month.  Economic impact seems pretty slight.  Would you like me to send you a copy of the game to look at?  Wouldn't be any issue for me at all.
 
My Kamikazes struck!  I used two Fighter Sentai who's experience were around 45.  They managed to sink 4 LCT and damage 2 LST.  Not bad for terrible pilots.  I had conventional forces hit 2 LST, 5 AK, 2 AP, 2 CL, 1 DD, 1 DE, and plant a total of 16 250 Kg bombs on BB Massachusetts.  Though not endangering her at all, I would like to see that ships Sys Dam!
 
Will post those Econ Reports when finished.
 

[John 3rd]

I just noticed that we passed 30,000 hits on the AAR and are almost at 1,000 Postings.  That is rather impressive and I am humbled by everyone's support of the AAR!
 
Thanks...
 

[thegreatwent]

No problem. It is you and your contributors that make it a joy to read. Thanks for the effort.