LOL looks interesting, some things similar, some different, I look forward to seeing the outcome
You have chosen the opposite Philipines option to what we did. We don't think you can be as sucessful as history with the historical forces comitted to the PI... I suggest you plan to comit the reserve here early, and begin positioning shipping ASAP.
Malaya on the other hand can usually be taken easier than historical until you are at the gates of Singapore.
Mersing works if you have neutered the Singapore airbase (or the Allies pull out), if you have the risk is minimal, if you haven't you will die lots
Remember Sun Tsu and the use of the "ordinary" and the "special forces"... oh and the use of oxen
Thanks, Rob. Fear not, as I could easily commit 21st and 38th Divs to Luzon if need be. Just hoping I don't have to - a siege is quite acceptable to me as the alternative has two full divisions raging through the eastern DEI towards Timor and an early Java invasion (or Sumatra).
On the whole a good turn. Force Z is nowhere to be seen - interesting given CF's statement via e-mail that it was heading my way.
Dec 7, 1941
Every group, even the elite of a society, has its outcasts. Tail gunners are the bottom feeders of Imperial Japanese Naval Aviation. Hanabusa Amane was justifiably proud of his acceptance into the Naval Air arm, but in the end he was assigned to serve as the rear gunner on a D3A1 dive bomber flying from Carrier Hiryu. His role on the fateful day of December 7, 1941 was to serve as spectator to the audacious attack on the USN's Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor.
There are few experiences more discomfiting than hurtling to takeoff from a carrier's plunging deck. Facing backwards while performing this dubious manuever is doubly problematic. However, repetition can inure one to any hardship, so Warrant Officer Hanabusa thought little of the stomach churning plunge into nothingness. His emotions at the prospect of combat, however, did weigh on his gastrointestinal system as the aircraft gained altitude and joined up with the large group of planes preparing to unleash war in a manner never attempted, or even contemplated, by Amane's ancestors.
The feeling of disjunction continued as the flight to the target commenced. The beauty of Oahu was revealed below as the sun rose over the port wing of the Type 99 Kanbaku Amane shared with pilot LtJG Endo Giichi. Amane reflected that the sun was of course rising over his starboard shoulder, a testament to the ironic existence of the rear gunner.
These thoughts were banished as Pearl Harbor came into view. Expecting enemy fighters, Amane's fingers tightened on the grip of his 7.7mm Type 92 machine gun. Amazingly, the only aircraft in the sky was the vast armada from Kido Butai. Intelligence reports were correct for once, the Americans were caught completely by surprise. Despite his pilot's insistence that Amane remain alert, the tail gunner's practiced scans of their surroundings revealed nothing to arouse concern.
The Type 99s had been ordered to prioritize enemy carriers, but none were spotted in the harbor. Priority two targets were the American airfields, and it was here that Hiryu's planes drew blood. The enemy planes were drawn up wingtip to wingtip! Amane felt his aircraft tilt downward as Giichi sought a victim. Their aircraft happened to bomb Hickam Field, hitting a B-17D bomber and rendering it useless to the enemy. American AA fire whizzed and popped around them, but the gods smiled on the D3A1 the enemy code-named "Val."
It was only after they pulled out of the dive that Amane experienced a sight only a rear gunner could observe. "Battleship Row" was a pall of smoke, with numerous ships ablaze and at least one sinking before his eyes. Flames shot high into the early morning air, while antlike Americans ran pell mell over the once proud facilities of the Pacific Fleet. Amane was amazed and appalled by the horrors of war displayed below him.
Seconds later, the Type 99 bomber leveled off and headed back for the Hiryu. The flight home gave Amane time to think. He first contemplated with elation of the great victory that Japan had clearly won today. Eventually, however, he was troubled by the sights and sounds of death unleashed on an unsuspecting foe. It occurred to him to consider the attack from the American perspective. He wondered how he would feel had he survived such a devastating attack, and could not shake the conclusion that he would be consumed with a desire for vengeance at any cost.
Upon returning to his carrier, Amane shared his feelings with LtJG Endo. Giichi responded: "What would a rear gunner know of such matters? Just keep looking for P-40s and leave the strategy to Combined Fleet." Amane wondered whether such arrogance was warranted. Even tail gunners are right on occasion.
Pearl Harbor
CF did not set any planes on CAP in a gracious acknowledgement of the complete surprise achieved historically. The results are painful for him. For a cost of 10 Vals and Kates, KB's strike smashes somewhere between 24 and 48 planes on the ground, including many Catalinas, P-40s and B-17s. Maryland is sunk outright, California and Oklahoma are likely to join her in the mud, and seven BBs in total are listed as having suffered "heavy damage." In addition, we hit 4 CLs, a submarine, several DDs and numerous valuable support ships, including AE Mauna Loa, an AV, a DM, and an AG. Cribtop HQ is disappointed there is no PM strike, but will take what we can get. We are seriously considering a second day of attacks given that the enemy's aircraft suffered so heavily.
_________________________________________________________________
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 88
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 135
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 7 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 7 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 2 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 2 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground
C-33: 1 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 5, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AE Mauna Loa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SS Dolphin, Bomb hits 1
CM Oglala, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Henley, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL St. Louis, Torpedo hits 1
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PT-22, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AG Aries, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AM Tern, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DM Preble, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AV Wright, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AM Grebe, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Schley, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Raleigh, Torpedo hits 1
Poor PT-22. Obliterated by an errant torpedo.
__________________________________________________________________
14th Army
We sweep and bomb Clark Field to good effect with minimal losses. Bettys from Takao try their hand at torpedoing British DDs fleeing Hong Kong without success.
Laoag and Aparri fall to paratroop assaults.
16th Army
Jolo invaded. Manado and Ternate will be invaded tomorrow. KBL is near Ternate, a cruiser force lurks near Palawan. Search planes sight an enemy CL near Mindanao. Probably That Damn Boise. We assume she will try for an intercept at Jolo and will have a surprise awaiting her.
25th Army
Most of the fun occurs in this AO. We pound Alor Star and Kuantan with IJAAF bombers, achieving a 4:1 kill rate and numerous a/c destroyed on the ground. Enemy planes attack our ships at Kota Bharu four times. A strong but generally ineffective Nate CAP inflicts about 1:1 losses on enemy Buffalos and shoots down or turns back several raids, but eventually some British bombers get through. They achieve no hits. Large numbers of IJA troops pour over uncontested beaches at Singora.
Despite a sighting report of 10 Allied ships one hex off Kota Bharu, Force Z is MIA. Did Cuttles screw up their orders, do something creative, or engage in some playful maskirovka with his e-mail message? We don't know, but every Netty in Indochina will be hunting them tomorrow just in case.
The Sinkawang invasion suffers a setback when Swordfish out of Singers get two lucky hits on two transports. Despite this, our troops all get ashore. We must assume enemy surface forces will be here tomorrow, so only kamikaze xAKs will be left to unload supplies until sunk by enemy action.
I can advise using only Kates at 9k for second round of attacks. Flak losses will be crippling otherwise, particularly as most of the battleship row still keep contributing to flak barrange. Set Vals to naval attack, in case Cuttlefish tries to move any ships around.
If you are using the beta patch (can't recall if you are or not), then you can leave the Kates at 10K. They no longer glide bomb, so no issues with having to change altitudes.
Despite a sighting report of 10 Allied ships one hex off Kota Bharu, Force Z is MIA. Did Cuttles screw up their orders, do something creative, or engage in some playful maskirovka with his e-mail message? We don't know, but every Netty in Indochina will be hunting them tomorrow just in case.
He can try anything he likes, but he will never get those ships into action on December 7. For whatever reason they will only travel a couple of hexes towards the north no matter what you do with them. In multiple tests I've tried multiple combinations of settings, commanders, LR CAP and everything else that can be done and Force Z will not reach the northern bases on the first turn. However, they will get well out of range if you send them southwards.
I've got to suspect that this is something hardcoded deep within the design of the program.
Interesting, ABD. Probably worked out for the best. I wonder if it simulates the delay of the real life Force Z? Didn't they dither a bit and then wander around before coming under air attack?
This also means two shiny Royal Navy capital ships are stuck near Kuantan. If they have the guts, they could charge Kota at night but will almost surely cop it tomorrow unless they withdraw. I'm prepping orders for turn 2 right now and this info helps a lot to locate the bad guys.
Well, the Dec 8th turn is away to CF. I expect it to take at least three days as the Allied turn 2 is like the Japanese turn 1.
A preview:
We will invade Manado and Ternate while backing off at Sinkawang, Kota Bharu and Jolo.
A powerful SCTF will move to Jolo in case that damn Boise and/or Houston decide to show up.
The Kota Bharu invasion and covering force will withdraw to Pattani. Netties and I-boats are all Force Z will find if they choose to show up (although Cribtop Intel is betting they visit Sinkawang).
KB will move NE and will strike Pearl again (Kates only with Vals on nav attack). In AE, the slow USN BBs are great to bombard and cover invasions. If we truly believe this is the enemy center of gravity, they are worth a few good pilots to finish off. Plus, Tracker seems to confirm 15 P-40s killed at PH, meaning the enemy CAP should not be too strong. Still, a day two strike is not a risk I've previously taken. We shall see how it plays out.
I see that Cuttlefish has updated his AAR with no doubt a gripping tale of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This is the time when my thread's title hits home. I REALLY wish I could read CF's post! Oh, well, I'll get to in two years or so.
PS - Somebody tell him not to kill off the Texan! I'm worried because our planes really hammered the West Virginia.
I-166 misses DD Electra 1 hex NE of Kuantan, proving that Force Z is still on her way to the Malaya invasion beaches. Later, I-156 misses another Force Z DD and is depth charged heavily, she appears to sink but actually barely survives and will try to make Kota tomorrow.
I-20, one of the mini-sub carriers returning to Kwaj, stumbles across CA Indianapolis and puts two TTs into her. There are sinking sounds and Cribtop Intel believes Indy went down at the hands of our I-boat (about 3.5 years earlier than IRL). What an odd way for the mini-sub mission to pay off. BANZAI!
4th Fleet
Sweep by Hiryu and Soryu's Zeros pound Pearl's CAP, followed by a well escorted raid that drops more CAP at a very favorable exchange rate (greater than 5:1 even factoring in Kates lost to flak). We then hit numerous BBs with penetrating bomb hits and torps. Several CLs are hit, including one with massive explosion damage. We think many of these ships are in sinking condition, but are disturbed that only BB Maryland shows as sunk on the lists. As a bonus, we hit the repair shipyard eight times, which could have implications for patching up damaged shipping. Mouseover shows damage to the shipyard at 12. Material but not crippling. On the whole, the decision to stay for day two was very beneficial.
Here's an excerpt from the Combat Report:
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 45 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 17
P-40B Warhawk x 42
SNJ-3 Texan x 1
Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CA Minneapolis, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Boggs, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AR Vestal, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Honolulu, Bomb hits 1
BB California, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
Repair Shipyard hits 8
Port hits 3
KB is a bit low on torps, but selected CVs have almost a full load. We will head East and then swing SSW and finally West to return to Kwajelein. The hope is that CF gets a bit careless with shipping south of Pearl and we bag a few more victims.
In expectation of the common visit to Tarawa and/or Wake by USN CVs moving to SWPAC, we have landed our Makin/Tarawa and Wake invasion forces. We will saddle up again once KB is in the neighborhood to keep the boogie man at bay. The Fleet Oilers are at Truk and will re-fuel KB at sea in the Marshalls.
SE Fleet
We invade Manus, Wewak, Aitape and Hollandia without incident. 4th Div, Combined Fleet and various base forces are moving to Tokyo for fast transport to Truk, after which we will move on Rabaul.
14th Army
Sweeps of Manila and Clark meet big CAPs and just hammer them. P-40E and B models, along with P-35s, take losses in excess of 5:1. Unfortunately, the Netties fail to launch PM phase airfield attacks on these bases due to weather.
Between Pearl and Luzon, the total butcher's bill for us was a few Zeros and Kates. Two day losses from all causes in Luzon and PH are 16 Zeros and 22 Kates, but pilot losses are far lower. This in comparison to about 64! P-40s, scads of outdated stuff (P-26, P-35 and even a few Texan trainers) and damage to ships, airfields and the repair yards at PH.
We are moving to invade Batan Island to allow Nates to LRCAP Aparri. 65th Bde and an armored regiment will hit the beaches tomorrow, followed by a substantial second wave to be covered by two BBs.
Something hits a mine in the night naval move phase, we assume this is the sub laid offensive minefield at Bataan.
16th Army
We invade Manado and Ternate without incident, except for xAK Iwaki Maru, which "hits rocks trying to unload at Manado" and is probably doomed. All troops and good supplies are ashore. DD Fubuki takes a few shell hits from Manado's CD guns, but no material damage, while B-17s from Cagayan kill fish near the invasion fleet. We have brought more to the party than the initial invasion force here, and hope to take the base quickly. Lightly defended Ternate should fall tomorrow.
KBL sinks an AVD and two xAKLs fleeing Mindanao while providing distant cover for these invasions. We have three CA waiting at Jolo, but neither Houston nor Boise shows up. Jolo falls in the ground attack phase.
25th Army
We had pulled back to Pattani, leaving only one merchie and one PB as kamikaze supply ships. Force Z arrives and makes short work of them. Unfortunately, the enemy's capital ships get far enough away, and under a convenient storm, that fifty-ish Netties that launch to sink them return to base empty-handed. Other Netties sink two HDMLs at Georgetown (bah!). As per the discussion below, this is a lost opportunity on our part to sink a potential threat to future invasions. However, the invasion of Malaya is at least undisturbed.
Likewise, RN CLs visit Sinkawang, sinking one PB and one kamikaze xAK unloading supply, along with the two crippled merchants hit by Swordfish yesterday. Fortunately, their sacrifice gets plenty of supply ashore to order a DA at Sinkawang tomorrow. The main body of the Sinkawang invasion force gets away clean and is spotted by UK search planes about seven hexes NNE of Mersing. CF may misinterpret this as a Mersing invasion TF.
UK air raids on Pattani find 54 Nates on CAP. Sheer numbers of these crappy planes overwhelm the enemy raid and kill or damage all but two planes out of 20ish.
DA Kota Bharu takes the base with 5:1 odds, casualties 2172(162) vs 229(1). We unloaded both an IJAAF air company and battalion (more than is usually in the invasion), allowing an Oscar Sentai to deploy for action tomorrow.
15th Army
Troops are slogging into position to attack lower Burma. Offensive action at Pegu or points north will await arrival of 33rd Division, which will soon be en route to the theater.
We've settled on Chumphon as 3rd Air Division's interdiction base. It is well positioned to interfere with ships near Rangoon or in the Malacca Straits, can be built to level four quickly and is immune to naval bombardment from the Indian Ocean side.
China
We are assembling forces and attending to the tedious garrison rationalization necessary here to free up offensive forces for China and to allow 21st Div to leave Shanghai. 38th Div and cronies arrive at Hong Kong and will bombard tomorrow while awaiting a few more reinforcements.
Outlook
Tomorrow should be quieter as we have no invasions scheduled except for Batan Island. Top priority is to get Air HQs in position at Sinkawang, Jolo and Manado to cover invasions of Ambon and Kendari while interdicting Palembang and Singers.
I think a third day of strikes would be pushing my luck as torps are running low and we have to get KB to other AOs to cover landings. Still, Cribtop HQ is generally happy with the course of events.
Every group, even the elite of a society, has its outcasts. Tail gunners are the bottom feeders of Imperial Japanese Naval Aviation. Hanabusa Amane was justifiably proud of his acceptance into the Naval Air arm, but in the end he was assigned to serve as the rear gunner on a D3A1 dive bomber flying from Carrier Hiryu.
...Ensign Hanabusa...
You have it right at the beginning; Tail gunners are the bottom of the pecking order. Hanabusa would be a junior petty officer. A commissioned officer might fly as a tail gunner, but only if he were a close friend of the pilot going along in order not to miss the action.
"Leveling large cities has a tendency to alienate the affections of the inhabitants and does not create an atmosphere of international good will after the war." -Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery
Why you didn't accept a surface battle with Force Z? The situation was nearly ideal, with superior numbers and Japanese aviation ready to kill the cripples.
In retrospect I should have. I was unloading at Kota and Singora and feared that CF would somehow get to the transports by going to a different base than my SCTF had it remained at Kota. In addition, I overestimated the ability of the Netties to intercept Force Z at about a 12 hex range. In practice, intercepts over ten hexes are iffy, but I had so many planes of different types on search I thought the odds were better than they were. That plus a convenient rain shower and we missed them.
PS - In looking over my notes to post the full Dec 8 summary, I confess another factor was the strategic assessment to seek attritional combat in the air but not as much at sea. I believed we could beat Force Z, but feared the loss of one of the Kongo class BBs, which I need to escort KB. However, given the likelihood of bagging two Capital ships that can cause short term pain in the DEI vs the lower likelihood that a Kongo would be sunk outright, this may have been a case where rolling the dice was warranted. To prove I really over thought this, I also am assuming that total enemy BB numbers will be substantially culled for the next 18 months given the carnage at Pearl.
