Days of Infamy--RA Scen 70

[FatR]

In my experience, it's not worth the effort to expand Rangoon. Oil/fuel flow to Indochina, and, ultimately Singapore (and supplies flows back) overland.

Care about a report on economic situation, so we can learn what not to do[:)]?

[John 3rd]

How about we start with not having the right ships doing the right jobs?

1. My use of--say TKs for example--was not good. Had them scattered around with them in different sizes and no coherent manner of running them. I'd darned near forgotten the smaller oil production centers and three of them were at max capacity for oil. Needed to get those little 1250T TK going there. Palembang had TKs moving but I hadn't used the 7950s to really MOVE the stuff out fast to Singers. The big boys I had spread around and not running LARGE convoys.

You can use the same description for my usage of AKs. Had them going but not in an efficient manner!

2. Supply--I THOUGHT that when you requested 10,000 Supply you were actually requesting 10,000 Supply. Didn't know the rule that this number is tripled. You want 12,000 put down 4,000. Simply didn't have the rule right in my head. Caused all sorts of supply problems when I didn't have problems.

Economics Minister Benoit could jump in here at any point...

[John 3rd]

I did manage to keep things barely supplied and my shipyards/aircraft hadn't fallen apart quite yet. The major problem was inefficiency in using my shipping.

[John 3rd]

To compare with Stanislav's AAR these are my Air Stats to this point in the war: July 28, 1942

[John 3rd]

These are my overall economics Stats...

[John 3rd]

Here is my current Aircraft Production Screen. I've got Tojo ready to roll on August 1st and one can see I am heavily researching Tojo IIb, Tony, Frank, and George. Want to bring these valuable planes in early if possible.

My pools are pretty solid. I've shut off A6M2 and Oscar production for the time being. Betty, Nells, Vals, and Kates are fine. My IJA Bombers have taken serious losses with the India Campaign so I might do some tinkering there.

[John 3rd]

Here is another Screenshot from Tracker regarding my Oil and Resource situation. Note that Honshu has FIVE days worth of resources! While that sounds bad it is better then the TWO days that were there just 10 days ago in game time.

Manchuria is a concern. We did a lot of changing with HI, LI, Refineries, etc...here for the Mod and I think it has made this region a different beast in RA.

[John 3rd]

August 2, 1942
SE of Port Blair

Here is a crazy example of an uneven fight.

AO Hayamoto is on its way back to Medan after dropping off a full cargo of fuel at Port Blair. It is unescorted when the USS Greenling attacks the large Oiler on the surface at night.

The Sub fire EIGHT pairs of Torpedoes, gets six DUDS, and two misses. It also opens up with its deckgun scoring several hits on the vulnerable Japanese ship. To the immense surprise of the Americans, the Japanese gunners manage to quickly bracket and HIT the sub not once but TWICE.

The Greenling submerges, heavily damaged, while the AO then continues on to Medan with no Sys Dam, 3 Pts Flot Dam, and no engine issues.

How about that??!!

[ny59giants]

The Greenling submerges, heavily damaged, while the AO then continues on to Medan with no Sys Dam, 3 Pts Flot Dam, and no engine issues.

How about that??!!

Sometimes its better to be lucky, rather than good. [;)]

OT: The semi-retired Economics Minister sits at his computer desk licking his lips with his morning cup of green tea with local honey. He has seen how this Admiral Cochran runs his railroad and knows his sub as the Allies will have a field day in a future game of RA 3.0

[John 3rd]

Ooooppps...meant to Post this in the RA Thread

[John 3rd]

I have been carefully planning the evacuation of my Army at Diamond Harbor and Calcutta. For a month the APs were gathered, DDs prepped, and I furiously brought in my new Tojos. CarDiv5 was prepped and ready for action.

On September 5th my TF arrive and begin to lift out the Japanese units. The Allies wait a day to respond. Lew was, hopefully, thinking I was LANDING troops. The 7th sees a vigorous Allied aerial counter that is parried by 135 Fighters flying CAP.

More importantly, the Allied Fleet sorties from Madras for the first time in nearly two months. I pick an aggressive Captain and station a STF of 10 DD at Diamond Harbor and pull out the shipping for the day.

The Japanese hide along the shore and dart in catching the mainly British TF by surprise. One Division of DDs (Shinonome, Shikinami, and Harusame) launch a massed torpedo strike at 1,000 yards! Into the tender sides of CL Helena (3TT), CL Mauritius (1TT), CL Hobart (1TT), and BC Repulse (1TT) strike the deadly Long Lances---BANZAI!

By the end of the fight the Japanese lose DD Shirakumo (two more damaged) in exchange for BC Repulse (5TT), CL Helena, CL HObart, CLAA VanHeemskerch, and DDs O'Brien/Shaw. It is the Battle of Tassaforonga all over again.

How about that?!! [:D]

[John 3rd]

After the clash at sea near the harbor, the battle widens into massive brawl. A second Allied TF of BB Valiant, 2 CA, 2 CL, and 2 DD appear and manage to sink two more Japanese DDs.

As the Allies try to withdraw, CarDiv5 (Shokaku/Zuikaku/Zuiho/Nisshin) interposes itself between Diamond Harbor and Madras. The results are spectacular! With several Betty/Nell strikes flying from Diamond Harbor and Chittagong, the Allied Fleet is further pummeled.

Results for the day's strikes: SUNK--BB Valiant, CL Birmingham, DD Morris and further damage inflicted upon CL Caradoc, CA Louisville, and 2 American DDs.


While the battle rages at sea, the Allies throw everything they have at Diamond Harbor, its fighters, and shipping. A total of 106 Japanese Fighters (A6M2, A6M3b, and Tojo) smash wave after wave of planes. There is little that can be done to the 45 B-17/B-24 that go after the AF but the fighters flying escort, SBDs, Avengers, and 2EB are savaged. Losses for the day end at 35 Japanese (7 A-t-A, 5 on Field, 8 Flak, and 15 Ops) in exchange for 99 Allied Planes (77 A-t-A, 4 on Field, and 18 Ops). The AF takes significant damage (46) but Dacca and Chittagong Fighters will help with long-range CAP tomorrow. The question is how many Allied planes will fly tomorrow?

The final two Japanese Inf Divisions pulling out of Calcutta are hit that day by nearly 35 Allied units and, thanks to the Urban Bonus, they manage to hold the Allied assault off at a 1-2 result. Tomorrow they will retreat into Diamond Harbor's defenses (Sz-5) and wait for the APs to arrive and pull them out in one massed evacuation.

Pretty crazy day...

Here are the ship sinkings for September 8, 1942.

[BigBadWolf]

I approve of these results [:D]

[John 3rd]

I forgot to mention that TWO of my midget Subs scored TT hits before and after the surface fights at Diamond Harbor. Ha-17 hit CL Ceres and Ha-23 SANK DD Lamson. How about that?!

Had an all-day training in Denver today and haven't had a chance to do a turn before going to bed. Can certainly imagine that the next one will be wild as well. Unfortunately this will have to wait until the morning...

[John 3rd]

September 9, 1942

With the Allied fleet smashed on the 8th, the evacuation of Diamond Harbor enters its next-to-last phase. The two Infantry Divisions that have held the Allies off holding a portion of Calcutta retreat into the DH defense perimeter. No Allied forces enter the hex this turn.

Returning to the harbor are 24 APs that split into two groups of 10 for the Inf Div with a smaller group of 4 set to load smaller fragments. Loading commences immediately. By the end of the night only the Air HQ and 3 BF will be left holding the hex.

Overhead the ships and troops watch as nearly 100 Japanese Transport Planes continue to lift troops off the AF. This lift is uncontested by the Allied Fighters.

The true battle of this day is the Allied attempt to pierce Japanese CAP to get at the vulnerable shipping. Luckily for the Japanese the B-17s and B-24s fail to go after and CLOSE the AF. Instead of this, all Allied planes go after the shipping. The day begins with 103 Japanese fighters flying CAP. They are set upon by wave-after-wave of Allied aircraft.

It is a second day of heavy aerial fighting that continues to sap the morale of the Japanese pilots, however, they know WHY they are doing what they are and so the battle over the harbor is quite spirited. By the end of the day, the losses are tabulated as a 2-1 victory for the Japanese (68 Allied Lost--47 A-t-A, 1 on the Field, and 20 Ops to the Japanese 34--20 A-t-A, and 14 to Ops). Most importantly here is the report that only 7 pilots die during the day's action.

Many 4EB penetrate the fighter screen, however, only two APs are hit by single bombs from B-25s/B-26s. EXCELLENT!

The APs will depart tomorrow and the remaining 3 CLs and 20 DDs will pull the Base Forces out by Fast Transport and the Operation will conclude with the, probably, successful withdrawal of over 100,000 men and nearly all of their equipment. There will be planes lost on the AF but that will be fairly minor in the grander scheme of things.

The Japanese are now on the defense...

[John 3rd]

Here are the stark numbers of the campaign to date:

[John 3rd]

Roughly 15 I-Boats are deployed in the Indian Ocean. Simple put, they have done quite well hitting Tankers and Merchants between Aden--Karachi--Ceylon. Anticipating an Allied reaction to the Withdrawal from Diamond Harbor, 6 I-Boats patrol the route from Madras to Diamond--Calcutta.

The evening of September 13, 1942 sees the I-158 raise its periscope and spot the damaged British Light Cruiser Birmingham making for Madras at about 10 Knots. This experienced sub already has several kills to its name and it quickly adds Birmingham to the list. Six Torps are launched and two strike the target sinking her on the spot.

After a brief celebration, the crew and its Captain return to boring cycle of patrol...

[John 3rd]

Half a world away from India, in a game of power projection and misdirection, the Japanese deploy 3 CV, 2 CVL, and 2 CVE in a surprise raid on the Hawaii supply lines. The 3 CTF move quietly into the sealanes on the 15th and begin air search that day.

Nothing is spotted on the first two days but action occurs on the 17th when two TF are spotted. Bad weather and extreme Kate range fix it so only 18 Kates attack in both the AM and then PM phases. These small raids do well. An AKV, 2 AG, 2 AK, and a DD is sunk with another 5 ships damaged.

To Lew this probably 'appears' to be the work of a couple of small CVEs or CVLs. He sorties a group of (I assume) CVE from PH on the 18th. These ships are spotted by an AMC purposely placed SW of the Japanese CVs top provide warning of any carrier sortie. The AMC is sunk by a raid 9 F4F and 13 SBD.

While this is happening, the strength of the Japanese Raiding Force is fully revealed as several TF are pummeled by nearly 115 Val and Kate. The Allies lose 2 YMS, 1 SC, 2 AKE, and 7 AKs with another 10-12 ships damaged.

The CVs are ordered NNW to clear the area. Meanwhile I vector 11 I-Boats from their holding position into patrol lines hoping to catch damaged ships and take shots at the American sortie.

With nearly 300 total aircraft I await Lew's move. If he comes NW there will be a fight. If he changes his mind, on seeing the number of Japanese planes, then he will retire to his base.

I bet he comes on...

[BigBadWolf]

That's a nice position for a JFB to be. Did you get any troops on those convoys? And don't forget to save some torpedoes for his flattops [;)]

[John 3rd]

Lew did not want to play with my CVs! DRAT!

My count is roughly 20 ships sunk and 15 damaged in my short two day rampage. There were some troops lost on one of the convoys so you have to like that. I ran the CVs north once I saw that Lew's had returned to PH and am now heading west towards Midway.

We haven't gotten much in due to my living at the hotel that I manage. Should get in a couple tomorrow though.

To make Lew's stress rise even more, CarDiv 1 (Akagi-Kaga-CVL) and CarDiv5 (Sho-Zui-CVL) are about to nail the seas around Ceylon. There is a TON of Allied air at Calcutta, Ansanol, etc... with little to nothing at Ceylon so...

WHY NOT?!!

How about another bag of ships from a raid? We'll see what happens.