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

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Feb 27-28, 1943

Sub Wars: A Japanese sub sank a small Dutch AO off Koepang. One of ours though got a larger AO off Cam Ranh Bay. I just need to sink as many tankers as possible.

Milne Bay: We are loading up to invade Milne Bay. The airstrip there is bombed every day from Port Moresby, and is not operational. Tommorow we will start 4E bombing Rabaul, and I have 100 fighters at Port Moresby to provide LRCAP over the invasion fleet. I plan to cover it also with 2 BBs and alot of cruisers. Unless the IJN is there in strength (I last sighted 4 BBs two days ago moving toward Palau), we should be OK.

This landing at Milne Bay is important to secure my supply line through the Torres Strait. Once Milne is gone, only Lae is a base that can interdict shipping through the strait, and I should be able to keep it suppressed from PM. I am hoping Cuttlefish also thinks I will push closer to Rabaul here, which I will not.

OOB is 32nd Inf Div, 1 Inf Rgt, some tanks, and an Aus Eng Bn.

Koumac: This invasion is also loading up for Koumac. The OOB is 3 NZ Bdes, 2/3 of a Marine Division, and some tanks. Once Koumac is clear, we will build an airbase there, move in some bombers, and bomb Noumea every day until 1945. The US forces will move on to the DEI.

The end of March should see the conclusion of our operations in the SW Pacific. Within 15 days, we will also be moving on Balikpapan and Banjermisan, to establish footholds on Borneo. Canoerebel did this recently, so I am putting a strategic map and show the general thrust.

The SW Pacific campaign should secure our supply lines against all but raiders, from the US West coast to as far as Ambon, Kendari, and Makassar.

Our main move will be along both coasts of Borneo. If we make progress on Borneo, I can't see the Empire surviving that.

[jackyo123]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Combat Report, Feb 19,20, 1943

Not much action, other than this......

NUTS! Damn IJN subs got another of my Carriers. Hornet is going to need some yard time, IF she makes port.

We need to step-up the ASW, because this is not acceptable.

Are you running local ASW air patrols from your carrier and escorts? I've found pretty good results in setting all my escorts that have float planes to ASW instead of search (their short legs, esp when inside of an LBA zone, make them superfluous) and setting a good # of my dive bombers to ASW missions as well. The DB's will still attack surface ships if they see them, even when on ASW missions. You can leave them on Naval Attack but set your ASW patrols to 30% or so.

I also have found that my carriers literally need like 8 destroyers to in their TF's to be 'mostly' immune from japanese sub attacks. A 5 or 6 destroyer TF with a carrier and a couple of CA's doesn't seem to do it.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Mar 1-5, 1943

Victory Disease has set in at Allied HQ. Obviously things have been going well for me, with an unending series of Allied victories, which is why I was pretty much due to get crushed. I just did.

Milne Bay: I had 2 Invasion Convoys headed to Milne Bay, covered by 2 Surface Combat TFs. Unfortunately, my Surface Combat TF's ended up one hex short of Mline Bay during the night phase; Yamato, Musashi, and friends however did NOT. The Convoy carrying 32nd Inf Div and Tanks ran (thankfully), but the one carrying the 34th Inf Regt and an Australian Eng Bn did NOT. Cuttflefish sank 15 transports, the 3 escorts, and the Aussie Bn is gone. A fragment of the 34th clings to life on one of the two transports that made it. Ach!

To add insult to injury, a Nell put a single torp into Indiana during the day phase; 25 points of major float damage means a trip to the yard, which is now the 6th BB that will be in the yard repairing a torpedo hit, on top of the 2 CVs.

Obviously I was sloppy in setting up my invasion; I should have set the convoys to follow the Surface TFs, and paid the price. Oh well, tip of the hat to Cuttlefish, he made me pay with that sloppiness.

So, Milne Bay is OFF for now. We'll rebuild the 34th and try again in a month.

Koumac: We should hit the beach at Koumac in a couple days, and I don't expect any interference on this one.

Silver Lining: If there is a good thing to getting a bunch of your guys slaughtered, it's that the IJN has committed significant strength to the Solomons. That is a good thing, because IMO the real action is in the DEI. I hope they stay there, because I plan to land at Balikpapan within 15 days, and THAT is alot worse than losing Milne Bay for the Empire.

[wpurdom]

Can you comment on your assessment of how US fleet subs do in 2-3/1943?

[SuluSea]

It's been a good while since I've checked your AAR despite Milne Bay fantastic work Q-Ball!

[Q-Ball]

wpurdom: Good question. Overall, the Jan '43 torp changes have made a difference. Some torps still are duds; for example, yesterday, I put 3 torpedos into a large TK off Legaspi, but 2 were HIT, NO EXPLOSION. The third did explode though, and resulted in a FUEL CARGO BURNING message, which from what everyone says, is history for the tanker.

Overall, here are the sub losses for Japan:
SC/PB: 20 ships sunk
AP/AK: 35 sunk
AKL: 9 sunk
TK/AO: 7 sunk
Plus 2 DD, 2 CL, and an SS.

Not sure how good or bad that is frankly. No idea. Any ideas anyone? I do think the TK/AO is understated.

SULUSEA: Thanks, new avator for you BTW.

Combat Report, Mar 6-9, 1943

Although Milne Bay was bad for us, the Koumac landings went fine. Plus, we are landing on Den Passar, very close to Soerbaya. Attached is an update map:

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, March 6, 1943

For the second time in a week, the IJN toasts an Allied invasion convoy. Cuttlefish is getting more clever with his ships, and I am paying the price. Neither blow is fatal, but I will really have to cover that invasion of Balikpapan. Several BBs are headed to the DEI for that; pretty much all the ones I have left!

If you recall readers, I have several BBs in the shop due mostly to lone torp hits. Even so, I have 2 more (Repulse and West Virginia), that are carrying 12 pts. of Major Float damage around, because I don't want to send them to the yard. The biggest problem with a campaign in the DEI, and one you can't really solve, is the lack of a large shipyard any closer than Colombo.

Anyway, we did actually take Den Passar, because it was undefended. If Cuttlefish ever attempted a counterlanding, this would be the place to do it, as the troops that got ashore are exhausted, and there are plenty of nearby Japanese airbasese on Java.

[Astarix]

Q-Ball,

Those sub results don't seem to bad, they will get much bigger as you start zeroing on his SLoC. Only so many routes he can take from the Oil Fields to Japan. How many subs have you lost so far?

[Smeulders]

Are those sub losses from the start of the game ? You should note that they probably are a lot higher if you're only counting those sunk directly, as nearly every hit on a merchant will lead to a sinking, even that is only confirmed some time later. As a point of reference, in my PBEM, which has just entered March 42' allied subs have probably sunk the following.

25 xAK/xAKL
2 TK
1 AO
5 PB
4 DMS/E/APD
2 DD
1 CL

[Capt. Harlock]

It's odd that a SCTF would run after a single round of combat. Who was the commander? Perhaps it's time to include more warships in the invasion TF itself?

[Q-Ball]

Smeulders: Yes, those are losses since beginning of the game, though I think those are understated. In fact, I specifically hit 3 tankers with FUEL CARGO BURNING not on that list. To your point, I have never seen a full tanker survive a torp hit. Ever.
Capt Harlock: I didn't select a TF commander, which was lazy on my part. For the Balikpapan operation, the main TFs are commanded by Callaghan and Ching Lee. No chance THEY will run!

Combat Report, Mar 7-12, 1943

Koumac Taken: Koumac fell on the 10th, with the 1/3 divison garrison retreating to Noumea. At this point, all the NZ units will prep for Noumea, and the Marines are all prepping for Tarakan; they will be leaving for Australia, and beyond. I plan to let the Kiwis beseige Noumea; I am not in any hurry, and their replacements are so low, I need to use them somewhere they won't suffer alot of casualties. Thus, New Caledonia will be an all-Kiwi affair, with 4 total Bdes, the 3rd NZ Div HQ, the Tank Unit, and Fiji Commandos.

Other than that, I will move a Bn and some troops to occupy and build Ndeni, but that's it. I am winding down this campaign.

Emptying Bases: As the front moves forward, I am reducing or even closing bases that were once important, and using those units closer to the front. In the rear, I will keep a few for ASW and ports, but for the most part, I am pulling out of alot of bases.

In the South Pacific, Savaii and Tongatapu are completely empty now. Pago Pago is down to a single Base Force. Vava'u is reduced, with troops there ticketed for new destination. Wallis Is. has only an AV and some supplies, to support a Catalina unit.

Even in the DEI, I have evacuated Maumere, Ruteng, and Lomblen, formerly important bases. Koepang will remain a major hub though. Port Hedland is down to a few straggler units, and is mostly a transit stop now on the way to the DEI.

I am sending most convoys now through the Torres Strait.

Babo!: You can see the picture below; I took an unoccupied Babo, and KB showed up as I was finishing unload of construction and base troops. The troops were 100% unloaded, but the transports were still there unloading the last of the supplies. Another day and they probably would have been gone. C'est la guerre! I can afford to lose transports at this point, I am building 2-4 a day it seems. Still, I probably need to be a little more careful than I have been.

Balikpapan: Now, the invasion I have been planning for months: Balikpapan. Gaining a foothold on Borneo will be very bad for the Empire. I am assembling ships and troops.

Most units are 60-100% Prepped. This time, I am bringing surface support, as I know Nagato and some other ships are lurking about.

The NAVAL OOB will consist of 3 USN CVs, 6 CVEs for Air Support. Surface ships include a Fast TF led by Ching Lee in North Carolina, with 6 cruisers and DDs. A Slow TF led by Adm. Callaghan has all 3 New Mexico-class BBs, plus more DDs and a couple cruisers. LBA will be provided from a large airbase at Makassar, and a small one at Pare Pare. I am counting on the Yamatos still being in the Solomons, so I have enough to handle 4-ish BBs. I have an R-Class BB in support as a backup as well (currently covering unloads at Den Passar)

The LAND OOB consists of 1 Australian Corps, 1st Marines,9th Australian Div., and 40th US Inf Division. I have 3 Tank Bns also landing. At Samarinda, we are also landing an Australian Bde. Recon shows Samarinda to be undefended, but Balikpapan to have about 12,000 troops. 3 Divisions should be enough.

I might be going a little quick, but I am taking advantage of the action recently, and the fact that all of the last IJN sightings are away from the Makassar Strait.

This is risky, but I don't want to wait for Balikpapan to be reinforced. If I get ashore, this will be a heavy blow to the Empire. Balikpapan and Samarinda are mutually supporting airbases, and between them would put Tarakan in SBD range (effectively closing it), and Miri/Brunei within B-25 range (making loading there tricky). Not to mention, we will be sitting on Oil. All in all, that would stop about 1/3 of the Empires Oil Shipments, and get me closer to the South China Sea, where ALL of the rest are moving.

[Capt. Harlock]

I took an unoccupied Babo, and KB showed up as I was finishing unload of construction and base troops.

That's uncomfortably close to your operations in the DEI. Do you know if the KB was parked north or south of New Guinea?

[wpurdom]

Your instincts are probably sound, but assume that it's barely within your capacity and see if you can cause some misdirection. Then you can be pleasantly surprised when it's easier than you planned for. Maybe it's time to employ a little subtlety like with the start of your offensive.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

I took an unoccupied Babo, and KB showed up as I was finishing unload of construction and base troops.

That's uncomfortably close to your operations in the DEI. Do you know if the KB was parked north or south of New Guinea?

They appeared to come from Truk, see the screenshot above. Yeah, that would be bad if they were south of New Guinea, but to do that they would have to transit past Ambon, which is not exactly safe.

wpurdom: perhaps, we'll see if I am pushing it. I could wait until I have more forces, and thought about that....but I would also be waiting for the Japanese to get more ground troops in the area. I think Cuttlefish is still scrambling to get troops to the DEI.

Combat Report, March 13-15, 1943

Our evil plans advance, with the invasion fleet for Balikpapan beginning to gather east of Makassar. The 9th Australian Div. is a huge unit to load, once that's done we will be ready to go. In the meantime, a few developments that should help.....

Den Passar: Over two days, the Japanese sent sweeps of Zeros over Den Passar. The first day, he lost 33 Zeros to 7 P-40Ks; the 2nd day, Cuttlefish meant to change the orders but forgot, so another 21 Zeros impaled themselves over some Spits and P-40s.

This is good, because it weakens the airpower at Soerbaya at a critical time. I am sending an attack of 2Es against the base to further weaken it ahead of my move on Balikpapan.

P-40Ks are better than I thought they would be. That's a good thing, because they are still the bulk of my fighter force.

Koumac: Base is building up now, and NZ troops moving to Noumea

Sub Wars: Got a fat tanker off Okinawa.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Mar 17-18, 1943

We are about 3-4 days away from landing at Balikpapan (with a landing also at Samarinda). Troops are loaded up, and I am ready to go. I have 4Es massed at Kendari waiting to plaster the airstrip at Balikpapan, but I am holding off until tommorow, as I have not yet been sighted (I think), and a massive raid will get Cuttlefish's attention.

An IJN Cruiser TF was sighted twice off the Southern coast of Mindanao; a fleet boat put a torp into Takao, that did not much damage, and an S-Boat sighted them again further West. They appear headed for Tarakan; a couple cruiser TFs have been spotted there, maybe fueling, since it's dangerous now for him to fuel tankers there.

I expect a strong reaction to this move, so we'll see what develops. Stay tuned!

[Chickenboy]

I've found the 'load only troops' button useful if I'm ferrying troops around without need for assault supply load out.  I don't have near the problem with large amphibious or transport TFs sucking bases dry of supplies when I use this to load TFs.  You probably don't have much choice since they need surplus supplies for the assault on this occasion.

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Mar 20-22, 1943

Invasion of Balikpapan: So far so good on Balikpapan; no Japanese naval or air resistance seen yet, with the exception of sub that put a toredo into Revenge, the last R-Class BB that hasn't been hit with a torpedo. I guess Cuttlefish didn't want her to feel left out! The other 3 are repairing those Torp hits, along with 2 USN BBs, and 3 USN CVs. Yikes!

But other than the torp hit, things are going swimmingly. Troops are streaming ashore. Samarinda will fall tommorow, and we are unloading base troops there to provide air cover. I have to take Samarinda first, so the Balikpapan garrison doesn't retreat there.

This is the combat report from the Japanese Bombardment, which shows the full OOB:

Assaulting units:
17th Infantry Regiment
138th Infantry Regiment
24th Port Unit
4th JAAF Base Force
12th JAAF Base Force

Defending units:
40th Infantry Div /81
9th Australian Div /76
627th TD Bn /81
2/4th Armoured Rgt /81
763rd Tank Battalion
1st Marine Div /98
I Australian Corps /81

I am unloading the rest of these units, but a good chunk of them are already ashore. But I should have plenty for the Japanese garrison of 2 Inf Regts, plus base troops.

The IJN could show up tommorow and cause havoc, but even if that happens, I think I have enough onshore already to stay permanently. We'll see of course, been wrong before.

Just in case, my bombers will continue to hit Soerbaya.

[Capt. Harlock]

no Japanese naval or air resistance seen yet, with the exception of sub that put a toredo into Revenge, the last R-Class BB that hasn't been hit with a torpedo. I guess Cuttlefish didn't want her to feel left out! The other 3 are repairing those Torp hits, along with 2 USN BBs, and 3 USN CVs.

Is Cuttlefish doing exceptionally well, or does AE give a big advantage to the IJN subs? I don't recall any WitP AAR featuring such a hit parade by late March '42.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

no Japanese naval or air resistance seen yet, with the exception of sub that put a toredo into Revenge, the last R-Class BB that hasn't been hit with a torpedo. I guess Cuttlefish didn't want her to feel left out! The other 3 are repairing those Torp hits, along with 2 USN BBs, and 3 USN CVs.

Is Cuttlefish doing exceptionally well, or does AE give a big advantage to the IJN subs? I don't recall any WitP AAR featuring such a hit parade by late March '42.

I should clarify: Not all are subs.

IIRC, here is the damage:

CV Wasp: Subs (TWICE!)
CV Hornet: Subs (TWICE!)
CV Yorktown: Netties
BB Colorado: Netties
3 R-Class BBs: Netties
Revenge: Sub
BB Indiana: Nettie
Repulse: Nettie
West Virginia: Sub

The last two are at 11 Major Float, and staying in theater, because I am running short of capital ships. The rest are safe in port, but repairing.

So, about 1/2 subs, 1/2 netties, but the IJN has done a good job.

PS, this doesn't even mention the hit on USS Enterprise in Jan 1942 by I-155. Or that I-155 is the SAME sub that torpedoed USS Wasp!

[Q-Ball]

Combat Report, Mar 22-23, 1943

Borneo Landings: An empty Samarinda falls immediately, and I already have planes based there. Time is ticking for the IJN, if they don't show up shortly it will all be over anyway. I have included a map to show the current situation

I don't konw if I caught Cuttlefish flat-footed or what. Certainly, I think he has some BBs in the SW Pac, and KB was last seen a week ago north of New Guinea. I guess it was the right move to go more quickly while I had a window of opportunity.

I am not out of the woods yet, but I think this will be permanent. As bad as landing on Timor or Celebes is for the Empire, this is much worse. Once I clear it, my bombers can reach the Northern coast of Borneo.

Even worse, Borneo itself effectively splits Combined Fleet. From Makassar, I can sail up the East or West coasts of Borneo, while Cuttlefish has to either split the fleet between Singapore and Davao, or concentrate in just one of those. That will allow me to advance up either the East or West coast of Borneo, either of which would be real real bad in terms of being able to get Oil back to Japan.

Tentatively, I think I will go quickly to Banjermisan and Sampit, them Ketapang, finally Billiton. Billiton is basically game over: SBDs there would close Palembang harbor.