Howlin' At The Moon - DBB Vettim(A) vs Greasylake (J)

[vettim89]

About half my ships are out or nearly out of ammo. Only one DD has any significant damage, and it is not at risk. I suspect at least three more IJN DDs have either sunk or will not make it home. The base AS at Exmouth is rough 600 to 300 in favor of the IJN. Larry likely has a lot of disruption as I don't think these units were well prepped. It will be a race for me to get reinforcements in place before he recovers. The port Damage fell to 20 so it will likely be repaired in a day. I am working on building Carnavon as quickly as possible. USAAF medium bombers can easily cover Exmouth from there. Geraldton is being built as a 4E base. I need to hit Broome and Derby with 4E ASAP to keep those bases from becoming operational.

On the good news front, CVL Ryujo is confirmed sunk this last turn

[vettim89]

6 November 1942

Little action off Exmouth. Some subs fired dud torpedoes. Retreating units from both sides dodge each other. Larry is still unloading.

My SCTF rearmed at Perth and is heading back up. Lets see if they can get there before the IJN withdraws.

A Bombardment attack didn't go so well for the IJA:

Ground combat at Exmouth (50,129)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 15162 troops, 127 guns, 75 vehicles, Assault Value = 773

Defending force 13019 troops, 173 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 309

Japanese ground losses:
336 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled



Assaulting units:
5th Division
8th Tank Regiment
48th Div /3
4th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
16th Engr Rgt /1
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
22nd Australian Brigade
27th Australian Brigade
2/1 AIF Pioneer Battalion
2nd Air Advn Base Force
2/2 AIF Pioneer Battalion
4th RAAF Base Force
6th RAAF Base Force

I don't know how long my armor will take to move up from Carnavon. Hopefully not too long. I released two USA Tank Destroyer BTNs to help out.

On the other side of the map, I sent the two TF up to Efate. I am hoping that Exmouth has Larry's attention and he is either diverting of holding his Navy in reserve. Erromango is Level 5 AB and has 100 P-40. Tanna is Level 6 and has 72 F4F. SoDak is on her way to Noumea from Sydney.

Also I forgot to mention Salt Lake City was hit by an I-Boat off the North Cape of NZ. She is slowly making her way to the base on the Norht end of the island (begins with a W)

Times are interesting

[vettim89]

7 Novemeber 1942

TF still unloading at Exmouth but the SCTF appear to have withdrawn. I put my SCTF at FULL SPEED and it should just make the base during the Day Movement phase. I lost two AM trying to sneak past the IJN. My two ARM BGD made a hex in two days. Three more to go. There will boost my AS by 116 but more importantly really up the firepower.

TF arrive at Efate too late to unload. They were spotted by a Mavis out of GC so they may not complete their unloading in one phase.

The RN BB are about 600 NM due west of Sabang. Will take about a week I think.

The 37th ID arrives Auckland next turn. I still have 3rd Marines and 43rd ID to move down.

54 days until dud torpedoes decrease.

[vettim89]

8 November 1942

Larry left two AMPH TF at Exmouth and pulled all his SCTF back. Bad idea. While the three small fries are all that is listed as sunk, the two CLs both took multiple 8# hits that penetrated. My DDs took a beating which is creating a crisis. I released a few from the SoPac to help out.

Looks like at least ten units are heading for Myitkiyina. Aerial bombardments intensify.

China is stabilizing with 1700 AS behind almost level 4 forts at Liuchow. More AS on the way form the North and East to firm up the line.

All but a small fragment of the 2nd Marines has unloaded at Efate. Next load will be supply and AV support. BB Yamato and friends are 320 NM NW of Luganville. The CAP was A6M3a. Not sure if that was from GC or carriers. B-17 out of La Foa attacked for no hits.

IJA Deliberate attack at Exmouth came off 1:2 with 1300 IJA casualites offset by 900 Allied. Forts were reduce to 2. This is going to be close.

53 days until TT improve.

[vettim89]

9 November 1942

Yamato and friend drift East but the IJN comes a calling with a CVTF. My pilots through everything at them in typical uncoordinated manner. Despite several dozen attacks by SBDs, again I get no hits. I lost an AM and had another damaged in attacks off Erromango. The troops and supplies got ashore in good order at Efate.

The IJA did another delberate attack at Exmouth and reduce the forts to 1

[vettim89]

10 November 1942

I sent a SCTF bulit around one RN CA and a couple of CLs. The did well. Fortunately, they only sparred with this group for a short time (save ammo for later)

[vettim89]

Then they got in amongth the transports. After this combat, they hit a supply convoy doing this:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Exmouth at 50,129, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Naruto Maru #3, Shell hits 3, on fire
SC Ch 9, Shell hits 1
SC Ch 26, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
AK Azumasan Maru, Shell hits 35, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Melbourne Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAK Lisbon Maru, Shell hits 15, heavy fires
xAK Tatuno Maru, Shell hits 25, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tokiwa Maru, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hakubasan Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
SC Ch 34, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Hawkins
CL Birmingham
CL Caradoc, Shell hits 1
DD Porter
DD John D. Ford, Shell hits 1
DD Nepal
DD Van Nes
DD Van Galen

[vettim89]

Then some fo the a/c at Exmouth flew picking off a couple of crippled xAP.

The IJA goes for a shock attack coming off at 2:1 and reducing forts to 0. The base holds. I pulled all the a/c out. My armor is still two hexes away and I doubt it will be able to help even when it gets there.

Larry made a comment about wanting to end this "meeting engagement" Hate to tell him but if Exmouth falls, it won't be the IJA's for long. I have four Division equivalents plus armor, arty and most importantly a/c on the way. No, this will be a very short stay for th IJA.

Liuchow now has 1700+ AS behind level 4 forts with another 800 inbound. Additional units will reinforce Kweilen.

One more P-38G need to upgrade first FS. I am giving them to Bong's group.

Five units (all armor) are at Myitkiyina. Five more are one hex out. Very disappointed with my air power's lack of effect on the IJA here. All the bombers have GRD Attack skills in the 70s.

[vettim89]

11 November 1942

The IJN bombards Exmouth with a CA based SCTF. The base then falls. Counter offensive already in the works

Heavy Air battle over Cox's Bazaar where I lose an xAKL but win the air battle.

[vettim89]

12-13 November 1942

Things slow down with the fall of Exmouth. Larry seems to be permanently basing a BB based TF there now. I caught a TF with an AD and an AKE coming south. Now its a race. If my engineers can get into place to get the AB built up, the port will not be a hospitable place. If he can repair the AB and get fighters in there, it will be tougher.

Efate grows to a level 2 AB. Erromango and Tanna Ports both grow to level 3.


Oh and my carriers are all due out of the shop in less than a month.

[vettim89]

14-15 November 1942

Still slow turns. IJA seems to be threatening Kweilen vs Liuchow. Help is on the way there

IJA attempts a Deliberate Attack at Myitkyina. Emphasis on attempt. Came off at 1 to 52. Guess the aerial bombardment is helping.

[vettim89]

16-21 November 1942

Units slowly trickling north towards Carnavon. Armor clashes as the IJA pursues the units retreating from Exmouth. The first attack was all IJA. Then my two Tank BTN with M3s made it into the hex leading to a disaster of attack for the IJA. Feeling heading from my results I do my own Deliberate Attack that disabled quite a few tanks. First troops moving by ship are 1/3 of the way between Perth and Carnavon. The are escorted by the RN BBs and another SCTF built around USN/RAN CAs.

Counter air against Mandaly have scared the IJAAF away. The bombers left and the fighters are now concentrated at Magwe. Still suffering disproportionate losses whenever the P-40s tangle with the Tojos. They do were against the Zeroes.

Three Marine Para BTN are being unloaded at Epi.

[vettim89]

22 November 1942

Its about to get white hot in NW Oz. You can see from the image that my reinforcements are getting close. I have the 7th Aust ID at Perth waiting for some more transports. Two sq of B-25 are at Geraldton with LowNav skills in the 70s. They will hopefully hit some of the shipping off Exmouth next turn. If Larry follows SOP, he will sortie his SCTF to interfere at Carnavon. It will be a hot reception if he does. I managed to get the AB at Geraldton built up quicker than the AB at Exmouth has been repaired. Once it hits level 5, the 4Es will shut down the AB than hit the port with 26 ships in it.

While I was not happy about losing Exmouth, Larry fell into a trap. If he hit Darwin, it would take me months to marshall this kind of force. Instead he went right for my bread basket. I finally have a theater where I feel I have all the advantages. Even if he were to opt to involve his carriers down here, I can move overland even if it will take longer.

I opted to move three Indian Mountain Gun BTN to Ledo for lift into Myitkiyina. I was unhappy with the last IJA bombardment attack. Need some counter battery fire for the good guys.

[vettim89]

23 November 1942

Let me talk about the rest of the map first.

* RAF/USAAF hevies hit Mandalay to shut the base down. Escort of 25 Hurricane IIc is completely wiped out - 25 a/c. IJAAF loses 1 Ki-44. I need to find and answer for these killers soon. No bombers lost and AB is at 60% damage

* USN roughs up a Ro-Boat at EPI doing 10 non-pentrating hits

* IJA Bombards at Kweilen and finds the odds 960 to 2200 in the KMT favor. Supplies are critical here and as much as can be spared is being moved

Now we had the big SCTF but it was not the one I expected. CA Australia and Canberra had just repaired some minor damge and I sent them up with a USN DD escort to help at Carnarvon. Unfortunately they met the IJN BBs one hex off shore during the day. I watched the battle twice. It started at 17k where the IJN BBs hurt Canberra and one DD. The RAN commander quickly closed the range though to 7000 yards. Here the Nagato took two TT plus a bunch of 8" hits which mostly bounced. Some however hit non-armored sections of the ship. Also both Tone and Mogami took penetrating 8" shells. The DDs mostly sparred with each other. Unfortunately, the AE destroyers do not lay smoke and the Allied TF was creamed as it tried to withdraw. Only Canberra was sunk at close range. They rest were sniped as ranges increased. During the air phase, B-25s put four non-penetrating 500 lb bombs into Nagato and one into Ise. They also hit a DMS at Exmouth.

Nagato is at the very least out of the war for a while. That said, "Heavy fires, Heavy damage" usually = dead ship. Here's hoping.

Oh, Exmouth AB fully repaired and fighters present. I am sending Richard Bong to deal with them. The good news is that the unloading at Carnarvon was completely uninterupted due to the brave sacrifice of the Aussies and Yanks off the coast. I only have one more unit I plan to move by seas: the 7th ID. Everyone else is walking.

[vettim89]

24 November 1942

BB Nagato is floundering 80 NM North of Carnavon. B-25s put nine 500 lb non-peentrating bombs into for good measure. Even if she doesn't sink right away, she likely be stuck at Exmouth. Hopefully she then dies when I retake the base. The B-25s also put 500 lbers into two IJN CAs up at Exmouth. Surprisingly, those bombs penetrated. Recon says 25 fighters are at Exmouth but none rise to defend the IJN.

Geraldton AB is at 4.75. Bongs FS will escort the heavies in either in one or two turns.

[witpqs]

If those were the mediums that went in low, the CAP might have lacked time to respond.

Regarding escorting heavies, a sweep is better. The escort will be disadvantaged and heavies mostly don't get much out of the protection in this game. The sweep can put some hurt on the enemy fighter population.

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

If those were the mediums that went in low, the CAP might have lacked time to respond.

Regarding escorting heavies, a sweep is better. The escort will be disadvantaged and heavies mostly don't get much out of the protection in this game. The sweep can put some hurt on the enemy fighter population.

That seems to be a point of contention. I have read others that posit the opposite for the Allies - send your fighters as escort vice sweep. Personally I have seen both positive and negative results from both tactics. One thing that seems to be consistent so far is that escorts are much more likely to mass in support of a raid vs Sweep missions just tend to go in piecemeal

Yes the B-25s went in at 1000 ft.

[vettim89]

25 November 1942

Multiple SCTFs engage at Carnarvon

The First:

[vettim89]

The Second

[vettim89]

The third: the remaining IJN ships (many of which where damged) exterminate a small convoy made up of xAKL

The fourth: the remaining IJN ships including sdamaged ones attack my AMPH TF unloading off the port. Mercifully only an xAP and two xAK are sunk.

The fifth: same IJN ships (did I mention some of them were damaged AND burning!) finish off the two small escorts from the xAKL TF.

Once again, IJN TFs seem to have an infinite number of Ops points to engage every Allied TF in a hex (I saw this when the hit Noumea). Allied TFs even with good leaders automatically retreat from combat after the first engagement. Oh, when the RN BBs engaged - two didn't fire a single Heavy Caliber round. No I wasn't surprised. Somerville was the RN commander (the best they have). No the IJN didn't cross the T.

Whatever.

I night bomb Magwe, rough up the base and destroy half a dozen Tojos.

IJNAF hits an AM off Cox Bazaar but suffers severely in its efforts.

Geraldton goes to level 5 AB but I hold off the heavies so the B-25s can pick off some stragglers.