Hunting the Hibiki: Q-Ball (Allies) v Cuttlefish (Japan)

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Dec 24-25, 1942

Ambon: On the 25th, we unloaded at Ambon. Most troops are unloaded in the first day, though we will finish tommorow before launching an attack. Weather has prevented bombers from hitting Ambon which has been costly, but we expect Action tommorow. The IJN Air HAS to make it's presence felt soon, or I'll be overrunning the Pacific shortly.

I still don't have an OOB on the garrison, other than 5 units, 5000-ish guys, and at least 1 air HQ among them.

Port Moresby: Our units at Moresby are resting up and repairing damage. I am flying in some base troops to provide some CAP, then will bring in a few more convoys to make the place a great airbase. It will take a month or so to get Port Moresby fully operational as a large airbase, but once we do, it should limit his options in the area.

Kendari: The 43rd US Division is loading at Port Hedland; for now we are a little short of shipping, so we are moving them to Darwin; once Ambon wraps up, we should have enough to invade Kendari. We have 2 divisions for the task, and judging from the garrison, this should be plenty.

Troop Movements: The steady stream of convoys to Australia continues. For now, we are going to build-up everything there; we don't have enough shipping to move it quite yet, but when the APAs start coming on-line, we should be able to move more quickly into the DEI. For now, I am prepping everyone for targets that way, and moving them to Australia.

1st Marines will soon arrive in Sydney. 2nd Marines will be sent before long, with the Tanna garrison taken over by the Army. Once we land on Luganville, that will free up the Americal and 27th Inf. for DEI duty. Overall, I am going "All-In" in the DEI. The only signficant forces not ticketed for the Australia/DEI theater are a couple divisions at Pearl Harbor, which I am prepping for Wake Is.

[ckammp]

Since you are going "all-in" in DEI, what is your future axis of advance?
 
Once you take Kendari, Makassar, and Balikpapan, will you continue going west, for Java/Sumatra/Malaya?
Or will you shift north, for PI?
 
 

[Q-Ball]

ckammp: Good question. I haven't settled on a route of advance. Alot depends on Japanese troop dispositions; with my Naval Mobility, there is no reason to take the IJA head-on if I don't have to; I would rather go around them. That being said, I do have a few ideas:

1. Kendari/Malacca/Balikpapan, and thence up the Makassar Strait, along the Borneo coast. This is probably the greatest threat to Cuttlefish, as it will directly impact oil. A side benefit to taking Balikpapan is that it would give ME a local fuel source, wouldn't have to ship it from India.

2. Ambon/Ternate/Menado: This is another axis; I will probably do both, to create a safe supply corridor. A single string of bases will be very vulnerable to attack.

Combat Report, Dec 25, 1942

Ambon: The landings at Ambon went fairly well. Zeros and Bettys from a large base at Menado attacked the invasion fleet; 2 of my R-Class BB's each took torpedos, enough major damage to look like 2-4 months of yard time. We shot down 6 torpedo bombers and 14 Zeros in exchange. They didn't attack the invasion ships.

Although taking 2 BBs out of the game for a period is bad, that was the only thing that went wrong. A couple intelligence shells confirmed that there are NO COMBAT UNITS at Ambon! All 5 units are base forces; 1 Air HQ, Base Troops, engineers, etc. Wow! of course, we are shock-attacking tommorow and should take the place easily. Once the airstrip is repaired, I will get more base troops in and open this airbase for good.

Kendari: As soon as this is complete, we will pull together this invasion, and launch it, with a simultaneous landing at Kolaka.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Dec 26, 1942

Ambon: The base falls immediately to an attack; 4 of the 5 units are wiped out by attrittion. Transports took away a couple fragments, so I didn't destroy the units completely, but that's still OK. One more attack tommorow should eliminate the last defenders, the Air HQ unit.

At this point, given our exposed position (and the presence of KB!), we are withdrawing to Darwin. I still do not want a CV battle. It is highly likely he will toast a bunch of transports at Ambon, but that's OK: I can afford losses, and the main objective is to take that base, which we did.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Dec 27-28, 1942

The last few days has seen some hits on the Allies, mostly because in my haste to move forward, and with the lack of resistance so far, I am getting a little sloppy. I just paid for that the last couple turns, and will remind me to slow down and pay attention.

Ambon: Kido Butai showed up at Ambon on the 27th; this wasn't a huge surprise, I kept ships there because I really wanted to finish unloading the base force and some supplies. That mission was accomplished, but in 2 days of action KB sank 11 transports. Ouch!

I also landed a small detachment at Boela. This operation was a cluster on two levels. First, there is a Japanese unit there! I had no idea, I thought it was unoccupied, probably because I had neglected to recon it. Second, Kido Butai also toasted the invasion ships, a DD and 3 more AP. Had I reconned this whole thing properly, this wouldn't have happened. The unit is just an infantry Company, that will probably die now.

With Kido Butai showing up, I need to think harder on next steps. I will probably still land at Kendari, but I expect a major battle to result from it now.

Efate: Sloppiness #2; I landed a NZ Bde and base forces at Efate, expecting it to be empty. Surprise! A Nav Gd unit and base force, probably too much for the Kiwis to overcome. Now, I have a bunch of construction troops stranded on a beachhead, within easy range of bettys at Luganville. Doh!

Tanna is up to size-3, I now need this base to be packed with planes to bomb Luganville into submission, get more troops to Efate, and restore the situation. Again, this was a bit of an overreach on my part.

Port Moresby: S-44 put a fish into Yamato off Milne Bay; no doubt they were headed to Port Moresby. They must have turned around though, because I did not see them the next day. Hopefully that fish did some damage, major damage on Yamato will probably take FOREVER to repair.

Zeros are sweeping Port Moresby. I stood down my fighters, I need to run more base troops there, which I am in process of organizing. Ironically, Japan can out-attrition me at this stage, I am short of many fighter types except the P-40E, which isn't that great.

Overall: I am in a good position game-wise, and it would probably behoove me to consolidate my gains a bit. I still plan landings at Kendari and Luganville, but I think I can afford to slow it down. I am loathe to go toe to toe with Kido Butai, unless I have mounds of LBA in support, or it's close to July 1943, when I get a pile of new CVs.

[Canoerebel]

You're in a great position.  The outcome of the game was decided many weeks ago when your initial invasion was successful.  That Cuttlefish hasn't thrown the works at the Allies is - frankly - inexplicable.  To allow you to take that next step forward and take Ambon is inexcusable.  It's still '42 and your WAY ahead of where you need to be.  Eventually Cuttlefish is going to realize he was fiddling while Rome burned.  He'll commit everything and the DEI will become a violet zone of attrition for quite some time. But it's too late - he waited two months or more too long to react. He still hasn't shut the barn door and the chickens, cows, horses, pigs, goats, geese, turkeys, and mules are long gone.

[ny59giants]

Win the intel battle, win the war.

I know this, but had to repeat the lesson again in my game. Second time a SC TF made their way to bombard Rabaul. Found out that most of my Nell/Betty have good to above average NavT experience, but many have below 30 Naval Search experience. [X(] Pilots training in Home Islands will now need above 50 experience in secondary area before going into Reserve (except fighter pilots).

Assign your PBYs to Recon with a specific base and still send them out on Naval Search mission. The intel will not be as good as it would from recon air assets, but it is better than nothing.

[FatR]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Win the intel battle, win the war.

I know this, but had to repeat the lesson again in my game. Second time a SC TF made their way to bombard Rabaul. Found out that most of my Nell/Betty have good to above average NavT experience, but many have below 30 Naval Search experience. [X(]

I suspect, that in that particular case Netties simply prioritized the carrier TF, which was within range on the day before bombardment. Exactly as planned. Although they made me sweat for a moment, when one element broke through to Saratoga.

[FatR]

A question to you Q-Ball: what are total Allied losses during your recent counteroffensive? Particularly in APs. Is there even a temporary reduction in Allies' amphibious capabilities due to transport losses so far?

[Canoerebel]

I'm six months ahead of Q-Ball in my game.  I have lost hundreds of more APs, AKs, and other transport and troop-lifting ships than has he.  It hasn't affected Allied operations one bit.  I imagine there can be a temporary, local shortage when losses occur in a big fight, but it's just a matter of shifting assets around.  Q-Ball has lost next to nothing in his game.  By mid-'43 there won't be any stopping him. 

[Q-Ball]

I'll look it up, but my shipping losses have been minimal. I am finding I don't have ALL the ships I need, but I think that's mostly because I have so many engaged in shipping stuff all the way to the DEI, which is a long way from Los Angeles. That's why I want to open the Torres Strait and shorten my supply line.

The other thing is that I am pretty much picking up anything not nailed down on the West Coast and moving it to Australia, even if I don't have an immediate need for it. Infantry, Artillery, Base troops, fighters, bombers, transports, chewing gum, toilet paper.......you name it, if there is a ship available and something to haul, it's moving. So, given that, I have less deployed forward.

Starting in late 1942, the Allies get about a transport a day, so I am starting to get a surplus.

Transports are a dime a dozen for the Allies. ESCORTS are more dear, never enough of those, but transports.....I don't foresee a problem.

[Q-Ball]

December 29-31, 1942

Ambon: Kido Butai and friends are hanging uncomfortably close to Ambon. I only have a single base force unit and would dearly like to get some engineers and AV support in there, but unless KB goes away it could be tough.

Kido Butai is hanging at Menado, a size-7 airbase with Bettys. That looks like a major air-hub, and is within 10 hexes of Ambon; probably if anything appears, KB will seek to pop it next day.

On the 30th, KB launched DB attacks on the port, where I had a single damaged AK. He got the AK, but lost 20 DBs (!) to flak; don't think he'll be doing that again.

I have shifted Spits to Ambon to put up some resistance, but I really need to get units there. I plan to send in a couple small convoys, then use the USN CVs (at a safe distance), to put up a nasty CAP over Ambon. He'll sink the small transports, but not before I hopefully toast 60+ planes. That would make KB go away. This is the plan, anyway.

Waingapu: Air battles at the other end. First, Zeros sweep Raba, and nail about 15 fighters for little loss. Ouch! Cuttlefish then sweeps Waingapu, where Spits and other better fighters down 14 Zeros for 2 losses. That's better! Finally, SBDs from Raba sank 3 transports unloading at Makassar.

Port Moresby: The first reinforcements are unloading; another day or two, and I will have substantial engineer and base troops. I intend to max-out Port Moresby, and terrorize the Solomon chain.

Merauke appears to be evacuated, and I will land at Terapo and Milne Bay to complete the move on Southern NG. At that point, the Torres Strait will be open, and I can focus on the DEI.

Fuel Problems: I have been so good about moving fuel forward to Koepang, Port Hedland, and Darwin (between them, I have almost 400,000 fuel), that I have completely neglected the rest of Australia. Sydney and Perth are dry, and Melbourne is running out. Yikes! Convoys are on the way. Yet more reasons I would love to grab Balikpapan.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Jan 1-3, 1942

Port Moresby: Not much action; a large Zero sweep yesterday. We lost 6 fighters in exchange of a reported 10 Zeros (probably a couple less than that). I'll exchange 1 for 1 at this point, particularly P-40s, which is what I have over Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, engineers and base forces unloaded successfully in the harbor, with one more on the way. At that point, I'll have over 200 AV, plus engineers expanding the airstrip.

Once Port Moresby is stocked with planes, I will load-up for landings at Merauke (undefended; will build an airstrip there), Terapo (1 unit), and Milne Bay (2 units). At that point we will be done in New Guinea, or at least this end of it.

Tanna/Efate: I am organizing a reinforcement convoy for Efate to save the situation, consisting of the rest of the 2nd Marine Div. Tanna is a size-5 airbase and climbing now.

Ambon: The last 3-4 days saw air attacks from Menado; Bettys/Zeros bombing the airstrip, plus Sallys. Our Spits gave a good account of themselves, shooting down 12-15 Zeros and 4-6 Bettys in exchange for 5 losses. Cuttlefish is now sweeping the base. Hopefully he doesn't realize that that's all the Spits I have; I can't afford to lose alot, but they will stay and fight. I would love some more, too bad the RAF doesn't get any yet.

KB drew off toward the Malacca Strait, where it was picked up by both sub and Catalina patrols. I can't figure out where they are going, but I am taking advantage of the break to send in a couple convoys of engineers and supplies and get the airstrip fully repaired.

I am short of ship-killing planes. I have several units of Australian Beauforts Training up in NavT, I hope to group about 50 of them together and spring a nasty surprise at some point. But generally, I don't have alot of good Naval Strike aircraft.

[Capt. Harlock]

Combat Report, Jan 1-3, 1942

I think you mean 1943.[:D]

And speaking of that, IIRC the B-25's start to improve their ship-killing abilities considerably in 1943. Something about skip-bombing . . .

[aprezto]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

And speaking of that, IIRC the B-25's start to improve their ship-killing abilities considerably in 1943. Something about skip-bombing . . .

Surely that is dependant on pilot skill at low level?

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Jan 2, 1943

Normally I haven't been posting one-day combat reports, but this one could be interesting.

See the picture below; there is a large Japanese TF bearing down on Ambon. My CVs are in a position to catch them tommorow morning as they sail home. Normally I wouldn't put them forward into a position in Betty range, AND near KB, but KB is sighted at Balikpapan, too far away to intervene tommorow morning. Thus, we strike.

CVs will take up position just off Ambon, within 6 hexes of where I think they will be tommorow.

There are a few ships in the harbor at Ambon; one TF just finished unloading engineers, another just arrived with supplies. Both will pick up anchor and leave.

Luganville: The other interesting development is the appearance of some sort of CV TF at Luganville! What could that be? It ain't KB, appears to be something small. I have 50 DBs set to attack tommorow, but alas, the only fighters I have available have a max range one hex short of Luganville. He'll have to come closer for an attack, but I think he won't.

Stay tuned on that action off Ambon

[Canoerebel]

This looks like trouble to me.

Ambon is pretty far forward and you've been pressing and pressing and pressing. The enemy has taken relatively few losses to ships and aircraft. He has lost critical bases and he's going to pounce sooner or later. Now that you're venturing out into Indian country - Ambon is still too new to provide much protection - he may well hit you with everything.

It won't really matter strategically - he's already suffered mortal wounds that he won't recover from - but he's going to go down kicking and screaming.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Jan 3-8, 1942

The last few days have been relatively quiet.

Last Report Action: I left off the last report with a promise of action; Cuttlefish must have aborted that Bombardment run on Ambon once he was sighted. That turned out to be very wise, as I would have been in position to pummel those BBs. Next time, perhaps.

DEI: There have been no Japanese air attacks lately; the last series were fairly costly for Cuttlefish, thanks primarily to the Spitfires of the RAAF. Not sure why the Aussies get them before the RAF, but there it is.

I dropped another Base Force at Ambon, and have an AIR HQ on the way to make it torp-capable. I also now have PTs at the base, with another PT base at Raba.

Kido Butai was last seen on the 4th above Menado, but hasn't been seen since. Our Air Search reaches almost to Davao, but not quite.

Speaking of Davao, I received another Intelligence report of a Division, the 19th, moving to Davao. That is very interesting on two levels; first, Mindanao is turning into a fortress. Second, the 19th is a Chinese Division; that would confirm the end of offensive ops in China.

China: Speaking of China, about 2 weeks ago the Japanese withdrew from Liuchow. The only contact now on the front is at 79,55, where the IJA lobs shells over and drops bombs every day, but that's about it. I am moving some small units forward to Reconnoiter, but there can only be two possibilities.

First, that he is shifting units to another front, like the north. I need to get the Chinese airforce active on Recon to see if this is the case. But that is a possibility.

Second, he is stopping all advances in China and going to the defensive. The 19th Div at Davao is interesting; if the IJA stops advancing in China, it can be used as a source of reinforcements. He might be doing that to reinforce the SRA, which is much more critical.

Burma: I forgot to mention the cease-fire lifted last month. We occuply Akyab and Myikintya pretty strongly, but with all restricted units out of Burma, we dont' have the strength to invade Burma (yet). I am saving my PPs though primarly for the SRA, so there is a chance this will become a sideshow for quite awhile, until 1944 anyway.

In the meantime, the RAF keeps bombing so the Japs keep their head down, but that's about it. I probably won't update here, unless something happens.

Tanna/Efate: I am landing Marines tommorow at Efate, to hopefully finish taking this base. Not sure if we run into air resistance, we probably will, and if we do we will likely lose some ships (I have some Wildcats on CAP, but not enough to stop a determined attack). That's fine, I'm not short of transports.

Shipbuilding: I have had some local shipping shortages, but those are starting to ease. Every day, new ships pour out of Alameda, so AK/Aps are really starting to pile up. This is a good thing. The thing I can't wait for now is March; that's when I get APAs, and can convert alot of APs to APAs, which I will do.

Port Moresby: Map below shows the situation. Again, I don't care about the Solomons; the only objective here is to clear the Torres Strait so I can really shorten my supply lines to Darwin. Darwin is less exposed than Port Hedland, and is becoming my main port. Southwest Pac headquarters is now Darwin, and I am using Darwin to dump troops and supplies now for further offensives.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
Second, the 19th is a Chinese Division; that would confirm the end of offensive ops in China.

Q-Ball, the 19 Division starts the war in Korea.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
Second, the 19th is a Chinese Division; that would confirm the end of offensive ops in China.

Q-Ball, the 19 Division starts the war in Korea.