Vettim89 vs Greasylake - Reversal of Fortunes

[vettim89]

25-26 December 1943

Second attack at Kendari went better. I still lost 14 bombers to ATA and Ops losses but I got 27 fighters in return for it mostly on the ground but the bombers killed 5. I am repeating the attacking next turn then will rest as the long range builds fatigue pretty quickly. The TF sailed from Darwin to Lautem on the 27th. I figured if the continued ops against Kendari peter out, I can always turn back. The first 6 hexes can be covered with Kityhawk IV as well as P-38's. Unfortunately Lautem is 7 hexes from Darwin.

Units are slowly recovering from the fiasco at Wake. AS is still only 149 to 450 for IJA but it is building fast. The infantry and ENG seemed to take the brunt of the damage as the ARTY and ARM are near full strength. The SCTF are coming back and should hit on consecutive days. That should help at least secure the US position.

The units are all out of the Jungle in SEAC. Should take three or four more days to get them to Ban Don. The two Indian ID that were in the hex just west of Tavoy are both carrying over 17 K of supplies with them. Hopefully these will redistribute once they get to Ban Don. If they do, that was a very dirty way to get over 30 k supply to the front. I did not do this on purpose. Once I saw the supplies building up, I only hoped they would move with the units.

All the CV/CVL at PH are at 0 SYST damage except CV Intrepid which sits at 3. CV Lexington is only eight days away> BB's Iowa and New Jersey are 6 days away.

[vettim89]

27 December 1943

Image attached of the Situation in the Banda Sea. There is a SCTF at Kendari. I have over 100 P-38J on LRCAP plus about 50 Kitty Hawk IV. Larry tried a shock attack at Wake - scared me to death. He barely made 1 to 1. The SCTF arrive next turn so this was Larry's last chance. I am going to need that second ID. It is about a week out.

These next few turns will be nerve wracking as the TF approaches Lautem.

[vettim89]

28 December 1943

Some how my transports made it all the way to two hexes off Lautem without any air attack. My 4E's got chewed up badly this turn at Kendari for little gain. They are standing down at the moment. If Larry does send his bombers after my TF, then hopefully Kendari will be filled with damaged a/c next turn. There is some sort of transport convoy between Amboina and Kendari - surely Larry would not reinforce at this late date.

I sent the transports strsight in - no pausing for maximal unloading. These are dangerous waters and they need to get in and get their charges unloaded and get out.

I finally have about a 700 AS advatage at Ban Don: 4300 to 3600. I have three more US ARM BTN inbound and another UK ARM RGT. Almost tiem to let them have it

[vettim89]

29 December 1943

Operation Tazz could not have gone better. Lost one AP to a mine and had 3 other AP's and an AK hit one. To my amazement two week strikes of Sally;s were the only resistance. Most of the bombers were shot down. We are talking about a total of less than 20 a/c that came unescorted. Intel at Kendari now says 76 Fighter, 13 Bomber, 171 Aux. There is a nasty looking SCTF just north of Dile. Cursor intel says CA CA CA CL CL CA BB BB. Yikes. Just have to grin and bear it. I have two SCTF at Lautem - one with 6 USN DD's and one Cruiser based. The BB's will rip them a good one. Of course they might not be BB's at all. Oh and I think I brought enough this time- screenie included.

Operation Piglet is about ready to go. I got a good amount of supplies and the last units are only one or two hexes away. The 4E at Rangoon are finally released to do ground attack. Hopefully this will be the turning point. I noticed every base on the east side of the Gulf of Siam has pink LCU's except Bangkok. I think Larry is feeling the supply squeeze in this theatre now.

Operation Goofy is still a mess. The BB's hit Wake last turn. WIll be about four days before they come back. The Nells from Marcus tried again and were brushed aside by the CAP.

[ny59giants]

Today's word boys and girls is "overkill." [:D]

I think you have done well with Operation Tazz. I see no BF with your troops. Why??  Your 4 Tanks should get to Dili relatively quickly.

[vettim89]

30 December 1943

Hey the intel said 33 k troops. How was I to know they were mostly engineers? The IJN came calling. Massive surface battle that unbelievably saw teh USN come out on top big time. Four rounds of combat:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,77


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Myoko
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CL Naka, Shell hits 4
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Amagiri
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
CA Chicago, Shell hits 6
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix
CL Montpelier, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Denver, Shell hits 1
CL Santa Fe, Shell hits 1
CL Mobile, Shell hits 1
DD Ammen
DD Converse, Shell hits 1
DD Cony
DD Nicholas, Shell hits 3
DD O'Bannon
DD Van Nes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,77

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Naka, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Amagiri
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
CA Chicago, Shell hits 4
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix
CL Denver
CL Santa Fe
CL Mobile
DD Ammen
DD Converse, Shell hits 1
DD Cony
DD Nicholas
DD O'Bannon
DD Van Nes, Shell hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,77

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, on fire, heavy damage
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CL Naka, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
DD Amagiri, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, Shell hits 9, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CL St. Louis, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Phoenix, Torpedo hits 1
CL Denver
CL Santa Fe
CL Mobile
DD Ammen
DD Converse
DD Cony
DD Nicholas
DD O'Bannon
DD Van Nes, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,77

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Myoko, Shell hits 1
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
CL Naka, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
DD Amagiri, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
DD Ushio, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Phoenix, on fire
CL Denver
CL Santa Fe, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Mobile
DD Ammen
DD Converse
DD Cony
DD Nicholas
DD O'Bannon
DD Van Nes, on fire

I lost Montpelier and St. Louis, Santa Fe, and Phoenix are going to need some yard time. Larry lost CA Furutaka (sunk by Liberator dropped 2000 lb bombs during the AM), DD Akigumo, DD Hagikaze, DD Usugumo, and DD Amagiri. That's what I know about right now. You can see Hagikaze is hurt badly and Ise is likely heading back to Japan. What surprises me is that after the first round of combat the IJN ships hardly seemed to put up a fight. Was this an ammo problem? The LBA air was a little more determined this day but only managed to put one TT into an AP. The IJN sent some PT's but unfortunately for them they arrived during the day. They were dispatched at long range before they fired a shot. And the piece de resistance: Montpelier was sunk in 1943 (barely) ergo - RESPAWN!

No changes at Wake other than the Jap AS is low enough now I don't think I need to worry about any more attacks.

[vettim89]

31 December 1943

We come to the end of the second full year of war. My P-38's at Darwin were getting tired so I ordered a deliberate attack which came off at 20 to 1 and I have my foothold in the SRA. Larry made a big mistake not opposing me here. There are now lots of bases that can be built to level 5 or higher well within my reach now. This jump was the big one. The AB is at 5, 5 but the port is at 95. I will start lifting in AV Support next turn. I sent the transports back to Darwin as the P-38's are about spent. There are 16K supplies at Lautem now. As to why I didn't send BF with the invasion: this was so dicey as far as being exposed to LBA and SCTF that I did not want to risk these units. Once back at Darwin, My lift will load up some engineers and the troops for the next target which is likely Koepang. I would love to shoot forward before Larry can get organize but I can't have that AB on my left flank.

Operation Piglet starts this turn. The 4E from Rangoon have joined the fun in pummeling troops at Ban Don now that the supply situation is in hand. First Deliberate Attack is ordered. I have a 4700 to 3600 advantage in AS but I have lots of Armor. I think I read somewhere that the combat routine likes the Allied tanks when it comes to big battles.

The 25 ID is 4 days out of Wake. This should end Goofy fairly quickly.

I got my first Mosquie Recon Sq at Darwin two turns ago. They have a 20 hex range! I can see you Larry.

So, the year begins with the Allies basically completely on the defensive. In 1943, I took Lunga/Tulagi, Munda, Abemama, Tarawa, Majuro, Enitewok, Bikini, and Nauru Is in the Pacific. In addition USN fast CVTF raided Truk twice. In SEAC, I took Rangoon, Moulmein, Tavoy, and Victoria Point. In the SWPAC, the Japanese were evicted from OZ, Madang, Thursday Island, and Merauke were built up and finally Lautem was taken. I am planning a full recap of the year but will need some time. One other thing is the USN sub offensive that has been highly successful.

[JeffroK]

Larry made a big mistake not opposing me here

Too right, he should have been able to put enough troops on Timor to make life very difficult to land on and also to put enough airpower on Kendari, Makassar etc to badly hurt your TF's.

Well done, keep up the pressure as just maybe, the japanese are starting to crack under the pressure.(especially in airframes & pilots)

[vettim89]

1 January 1944

Just a quick update. More later. The Attck at Ban Don was a disaster. Not anywhere near 1 to 1 and I took over 6 k casualties to 2 k for IJA.

[vettim89]

Continueing from above.

So the Piglet attack was horrible. My adjusted AV was 1300 (4700 base). Larry's was 9000 [X(][X(][X(] (3600 base). Forts are level 5. SO obviously this offensive is going no where in a hurry. Still with 3600 AS "trapped" here, I have got to believe that Larry is spread thin elsewhere. He has 150 K troops at Sian alone. He has at least that much in south central China also.

I'll start probing around and see if I can find some weak points. I have to believe the SRA is not strongly garrisoned.

[vettim89]

The first of my recaps of the year gone by. My sub forces really came into their own this year. The US fleet subs did most of the dirty work but the S-Boats, RN, and Dutch subs contributed. The year began with fewer than a dozen ships attributed to the Silent Service(s). Most of those kills were Dutch claims with like four S-Boat kills. The present score by fleet

RNN (operating out of Perth and Broome)

5 AP, 12 AK, 2 TK, 1 AO, 5 small craft (MSW, PC, PG, ML, etc)

RN (operating out of Ceylon and Rangoon of late)

1 AP, 5 AK, 1 TK, 2 AO, 1 BB, 3 DD, 1 PG

US Fleet subs (operating mostly out of Midway but a few out of Ceylon, Perth, Pago Pago, and Tarawa)

10 AP, 50 AK, 22 TK, 8 DD, 1 BB, 1 CV, 1 AD, 3 AO, 14 small craft

US S-Boats (operating out of Perth/Broome, Pago Pago, PH, and Tarawa)

4 AP, 3 AK, 1 TK, 1 DD, 1 BB, 2 small craft

Totals:

20 AP, 70 AK, 26 TK, 3 BB,1 CV, 12 DD, 5 AO, 1 AD, 1 APD, 24 small craft

Note all the Capital Ships were previously damaged before they ran afoul of the subs

[vettim89]

2 January 1944

Larry's LBA did a little better today. I lost a LCT to a Betty TT attack with another heavily damaged. LBA hits Koepang and destroys most of the a/c there on the ground. They are going back next turn. AV support is lifted in. Now 48 KittyHawk IV and 144 P-47C at Lautem. Air losses were 91 to 18 today.

The 25th ID will sit 60 nm east of Wake next turn as both SCTF make their runs into the island. Then they will hit the beaches. The AV is now about equal at 200 - mine rising, Larry's falling.

CL Naka and DD Hatikaze are confirmed sunk from the combat at Lautem. So far IJN loses from that battle are CA Furutaka, CL Naka, and 5 DD's. I lost CL Montpelier. Seems about even to me.

The AV at Ban Don is not what I expected after my disasterous attack. Allies are now 4000 (down from 4700) but Japanese are now 3000 (down from 3600). Perhaps I hurt Larry more than I thought here.

[vettim89]

I decided to give a synopsis by quarters just to refresh everyone's memories. On 1 Janaury 1943, the Allies have pushed the IJA almost all the way back to Darwin. The have occupied and are building up Lunga. Heavy air battles rage over Burma.

January

Allies reinforce Lunga
10th Aussies reach Darwin
7th SEAC troops cross the Irwaddy from Mandalay
20th SEAC troops take Meiktila
24th Aussies take Darwin
30th Last IJA troops in Oz are elimintated

Month is punctuated by two huge SCTF battles in the BoB with heavy losses on both sides

February

Early in the month US troops occupy and begin building up Nanumea
8th SEAC troops take Moulmein
12th Battle of Gilbert Islands. Allies lose CV Saratoga and CV Hornet. Japanese lose CV Junyo, CV Soryu, CV Hiryu, and BB Yamato
16th and 17th. Big SCTF battles at Moulmein with RN taking the worst. Supplies keep unloading though
End of month sees US occupying Abemama via Fast Transport TF

March

12th Rangoon is liberated
14th 3 us CVE are lost trying to escort out Damaged CA's from Abemama
RAF/USAAF seizes control of skies over Burma
First really big month for USN subs
HI at Bangkok and Hanoi is hit by 4E from Rangoon

[bigbaba]

just started to read the AAR from your excellent attack on japanese shipping at marshall island up to now. it seems that you are doing very well and are a master of CV-operations.[&o] you realy know when to strike and when to pull back your deadly carriers.specialy the 2 last CV-battles were totaly one sided as only a handfull japanese bombers penetrated the CAP and did no damage.

its possible to end this game before WITP release as you wrote here already.[:)]

[vettim89]

During the second quarter things begin to heat up

April

Slow month as both sides regroup
9th SCTF battle at Nanumea. USN loses CA New Orleans. IJN loses 3 CL, 4 DD
USAAF/RAAF start air offensive in PNG
13-14th Massive air battle over Bangkok. Allies come out on top shutting down the base which leads to:
15-16th Allied attacks Bangkok's Port and nearby TF. IJN loses c24 AP, 6 AK
Japan starts a norther Chinese offensive at Honan
Allies begin slog through the jungle to Tavoy

May
4th SEAC troops arrive at Tavoy
14th BB Nagato sunk in BoB
22nd Allies move to reinforce Abemama and CVTF raid Tarawa catching a large transport convoy there
25th Tavoy falls

June

6-7th IJN CV's raid Abemama. USN loses 2 DD, 2 AK
8 June Battle of Makin Island. US loses CV Essex, CVL Princeton heavily damaged. IJN has CV AKagi and CVL Zuiho damaged
22nd Operation Happy starts - the invasion of Tarawa
24th SCTF Battle at Tavoy. RN loses 4 DD's
27th SCTF battle at Tarawa BB Maryland heavily damaged. IJN lose CA Mikuma, CA Ashigara,and 7 DD
28th Massive LBA counterattack by Japanese. USN loses CL Concorde. Air losses this day 131 to 6 in ALlies favor

[vettim89]

3-7 January

Well Larry ran a SCTF into Lautem where I had unwisely left my MSW and a small TRANSTF. Everything was mauled pretty badly with Allies losing 4 DD, 2 DE, and 4 MSW pus three or four AK. The only good new is Miss Betty came calling but she didn't go home - 20 G4M2 and 6 G4M1 shot down.

Regrouping now for the next big push. My P-38's need a little more rest.

I am thinking about a strategic shift. I realize I have played this game along historical lines so far in regards to strategy with the one exception of pushing through the Gilberts in late 1942 vice the Solomons. I am mulling some ideas. At present all newly arrived CA, CL, and DD's are being routed to SWPAC

[ny59giants]

Destroy Oil Centers!!

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Destroy Oil Centers!!

Well that is my thinking. At present the SWPAC offensive has an enormous amount of manpower and a fair amount of lift. What it lacks is combat ships and of course carriers. My original plan was to conclude the Wake operation then move on Marcus and Pagan before hitting the Marianas. I have a four month gap before I get any more CV's and I am tap for a bunch of CVE's but they are trickling in. My thinking is the fleet might now really be ready for a move on the Marianas but it will be in four months. Why not divert the amjor portion of my CV strength to the SRA? I will keep a modest force in the CentPac to discourage any KB based hijinx and then just go for the throat.

I will post a map with my thoughts in a bit

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: vettim89

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Destroy Oil Centers!!

Well that is my thinking. At present the SWPAC offensive has an enormous amount of manpower and a fair amount of lift. What it lacks is combat ships and of course carriers. My original plan was to conclude the Wake operation then move on Marcus and Pagan before hitting the Marianas. I have a four month gap before I get any more CV's and I am tap for a bunch of CVE's but they are trickling in. My thinking is the fleet might now really be ready for a move on the Marianas but it will be in four months. Why not divert the amjor portion of my CV strength to the SRA? I will keep a modest force in the CentPac to discourage any KB based hijinx and then just go for the throat.

I will post a map with my thoughts in a bit

All right. I just read the "Not May 1st but...." thread over in the AE forum. Obviously I need to do everything I can to conclude this game as quickly as possible. Time to get stupid. No sense in saving units for 1945 when there likely is not going to be a 1945. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.

I solved my CAG crisis at least temporarily by loading up a VC squadron of SB2C onto Lexington 2 and Enterprise. Odd that there was one of these 16 plane squadrons at both PH and SF where these two CV's are located.

[Canoerebel]

Sounds like you're well ahead of schedule.  One of your big objectives will be to get big airfields (level 7 or higher) within range of Japan to begin your strategic bombing campaign.  Saipan and neighbors are logical targets right up the line you're heading, but MAN atoll invasions are tough; too, Saipan is pretty far from Japan.  What about island hopping past Saipan groups and heading for Luzon, Formosa, or Okinawa (or Hokkaido if your opponent hasn't been diligent about protecting his back door)?