Careful if you're moving heavily damaged ships at flank speed. The damage can get out of hand quickly.
I willing to risk those ships at flank. I must do it as allied CV are only 90 miles from me[:@]. If i stay on mission speed i do no manage to run out of range of those bombers.
I hooping that allies will not risking fallowing me so far north of Ndeni when they enter range of Japanese LBAs
I need chose move direction for those shisps. I can sail direcly north toward Rabul or sail NE to deep Ocean
Fuso was hit 16 times by 1000lb bombs....No fire, float and engine below 15, sys damage 28
And was engaged by 8 inch shells ... this really is good evidence that DB's and 1K pound Anti-ships bombs are not worth attacking BB's .. one has to have Torps .. even at 50% dud rate and poor delivery platforms ...[8D]
Lucky for me allies where not prepared to engage heavy armored targets so they all fly with bombs only.
I hope tomorrow be at lest out of range to TB i think if i do i will be ok.
Bigger threat for now is CA in Ndeni hex. He can intercept my ships and slow them. If i manage to run from it i think i will be ok.
PS:
Actual damage is even smaller to Fuso.
I had 38C fever when i watch replay. Truly it was Friday 13 yesterday.
Burma
Allied bombers attacking Japanese troops in entire Burma. As I holding position in jungle terrain. they do not do many damage.
ID rebuild in Lashio
Ambon Battle
KB refuted from replenish TF.
Jappanise bombers attack Ambon TF. This time without supply hits.
Inf. Reg is unloading in Dili(Timor). They will march from there to Lautem to capture base.
When Lautem will fall i will have full air dominance over Banda Sea.
China
Around 100 allied fighters from Changsha disappear. I do not know where they are now[&:].
Allied bombers attack ground troops in Wuchow killing 159 soldiers.
Another attack on sieged troops north of Kukong.
Ground combat at 79,55 (near Hengyang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 66672 troops, 604 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 2091
Defending force 19249 troops, 115 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 535
From 3 chines ID only one have undisabled combat squads. I will attack tomorrow again
Ndeni
I had lots of serch planes in this area and when invaion begin there was no sign of allied CVs. So i have decide to use that window to attack invasion fleet.
BB Fuso, 2xCL, 4xDD have order to engage and destroy enemy ships in Ndeni hex.
They arrive to target on morning but where spoted by allied CA TF. After long battle allied side can claim victory.
Day Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 26,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 9
CL Yura, Shell hits 4
CL Kiso, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Karukaya, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Yugao, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hasu, Shell hits 2
DD Kuri, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
CA New Orleans, Shell hits 3
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 11, heavy fires (reported as sunk)
DD Patterson
DD Maury
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 2, on fire
After Naval battle One of Transport TF (at lest i think it was transport) turn out to be CV TF.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 14
F4F-3 Wildcat x 15
SBD-2 Dauntless x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 32
TBD-1 Devastator x 14
Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 10, on fire
DD Kuri, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage, and is sunk
CL Kiso, on fire
DD Yugao, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
DD Hasu, Bomb hits 1, on fire
And
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 2
F4F-3A Wildcat x 7
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
SBD-2 Dauntless x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 30
Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires
CL Kiso, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Hasu, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage, and is sunk
CL Yura, Bomb hits 1, on fire
4 DD lost (old class) Damage to Cruuisers and BB you can see in post earlier
LCAP was given from Tulagi AF
Ndeni fall. Base was defendet by Japanis mairines but they have no chance vs allied forces .
Ground combat at Ndeni (120,143)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 5094 troops, 177 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 363
Defending force 1564 troops, 22 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59
Assaulting units: 40th Infantry Division
193rd Tank Bn /2
C Det USN Port Svc
198th Field Artillery Battalion
95th Cst AA Rgt /3
Defending units:
65th Naval Guard Unit
I still think that Ambon Battle is more important for me, as capturing Ambon will secure fuel shipment from DEI.
Allies still have no potential for offensive and i thing after Ndeni fall they will not move north for Guadalcanal.
KB will stay on DEI to secure operations there, in Coral sea i will use MKB reinforced by Zuikaku and Shokaku but i nedd 2 weeks before they arrive there
It's tough to lose Ndeni. With so much going on in the DEI still it allows the Allies to divert your forces away from these areas, and he could get a strong foothold there. Still, much better than him hitting Lunga this early.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
It's tough to lose Ndeni. With so much going on in the DEI still it allows the Allies to divert your forces away from these areas, and he could get a strong foothold there. Still, much better than him hitting Lunga this early.
Thanks. I feel better. I have two small girls in home and they from time to time catching something in kindergarten and I must catch it from them.
As you I still think that main motive of Ndeni landing is attempt to divide my forces.
Main battle for me still will be Ambon. Ambon area is 10 times more important from Salomon Islands as losing them will direly impact on Japanese economy.
Also Allied side have no resources for two simultaneous battles. So they also have to chose Ambon or Salomons
As i wright earlier KB will stay in Ambon and Nadeni will be job for MKB + Zuikaku and Shokaku. But i will be passive-aggressive there.
At lest i know where US CV are. But i not sure how many. Reckon show only 200 planes in enemy TF so maybe only 3 from 6 in service
PS. After checking combat rapport there was 14 Devastators attacking with torps but no hits[:D].
Burma
Both sides exchange hits from air. Allies attack troops trying to cut off Burma Div. I have attack troops marching to reinforce Burma ID
Ambon
Only area with bad news.
CL Glasgow attack TF unloading Lomblem. One thing worth of notice is that ships was smoking before battle after three days earlier being hit by 3x250kg bombs north of Darwin.
Transport ships are in mess. But i most worried about DD Kuretake. Damage are minor but he is still in fire(59)
Day Time Surface Combat, near Lomblen at 68,113, Range 18,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Shiokaze
DD Wakatake, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Kuretake, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Hokuriku Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Igasa Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
xAK Kiyozumi Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Nihonka Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 4
I have decided to send CA TF with bombardment mission to Lautem
One unit cross river from Hengyang i will watch i closesly. Maybe i will manage to attack them later.
Ndeni battle
Very very good news. All three ships manage to get safely from enemy range.
I chose more risky escape rout. I split BB and cruiser on three TFs to give more chances to faster ships and I give orders to sail toward Nauru Island.
One of cruiser manage to get to Nauru Isl. BB Fusu is 4 hexes from it and second CL 6 hexes from island.
One of cruisers and BB Fuso where engaged by DD TF in night but manage to escape as i forbidden them to attack anything bigger than fishing boat.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Reef Islands at 120,141, Range 8,000 Yards
Night Time Surface Combat, near Reef Islands at 120,141, Range 7,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 5
Allied Ships
DD Cassin
DD Downes
DM Gamble
Another good news. Information about sinking CL Phoenix was false but my subs finish job.
First Submarine attack near Torres Islands at 120,146
Japanese Ships
SS I-123
Allied Ships
CL Phoenix, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
And second attack
Submarine attack near Santa Maria at 120,148
Japanese Ships
SS RO-65
Allied Ships
CL Phoenix, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
East coast of OZ
One of Jap SS in region sunk in surface attack xAKL
Question
Does number of planes in terning squadron have impact on training speed. I have two sentai filled with planes only in half and i dont know if it will be worth to upgrade them to different plane to fill all plane slots in unit.
Burma
Allies sweeps air over my troops. No opposition.
Akyab is now AF level 6. not good.
And that is all
China
Japanese bombers attack troops in Kukong killing 200 man and disabling 50 squads.
Last day was rest day for troops north of Kukong tomorrow i will attack again.
Chinese artillery is bombarding my troops fourth day in row north of Loyang. No visible effect on Japanese units there. Do chines have enough supplies to bombard my troops knowing that it will have no effect on me as i am in woods in rough terrain behind fort 5.
Ambon Battle
KB anchored in safe position. Close but out of allied heavy bombers range. KB fighter squadrons in Makassar. They giving air support to troops marching to Lautem (Timor).
Today those troops where attacked by 32 B-17. Only 35 fighters manage to be on position.
Whether help and almost no damage to ground troops.
Japanese bombers attack Lautem today. Result is disappointment. Thunderstorms everywhere. Waste of supplies.
DD Kuretake in critical condition. He manage to run from allied CL but fire is bigger now. Also flotation jump up. He will probably not see tomorrow.
Ndeni Battle.
Many many allied ships around Ndeni. Allied CVs holding position from last day. Three subs will try luck tomorrow.
BB Fuso is now 100% save and sailing to Truk. 5 DDs sailing toward him to give ASW support. Both CL are low on fuel and will be out of it tomorrow somewhere in middle distance between Nuaru Islad and Marshal Islands. I have no AO in area so they will have to sail without fuel rest of distance.
I have ,made mistake. After first day when they run from threat i should merge them with Fuso so they could refuel from him. Now they crippled are forced to sail without fuel.
Allies have send small TF to pursuit BB Fuso(composition unknown - 3 ships - probably DDs). But the miss each other.
R&D
Three factories are now researching Ki-44IIa. It is official now. Tojo will enter production in 8/1/42.
Factories start producing A6M3a. Right now 90/month but in end of month it will be 120+.
A6M5 advenced to 7/43
Japanese Carriers
Zuikaku and Shokaku will leave Yokohama port today and under escort of 6 DDs the will sail to Truk to meet MKB there.
MKB south of Philippines sailing to Truk.
Akagi will start his refit today.
5 big carriers anchored near Ambon (out of allied HB range).
KB groups resized today. I twill take some time before i will have enough new fighter to fill all those squadrons.
Question.
I have right now bombers squadrons of size 18 with 27 planes. Do those planes will move to squadron reserve?
I just send turn. After resizing KB squadrons i can tell only one thing. I have deficit of fighter pilots.
I was able to fill all bomber squadrons with planes and pilots but i am low with at lest 25 navy fighter pilots. One thing is saving me. For next two months at lest one CV will be in HI taking refit. So his squadron will be training one and pilots will return to poll.
Ambon Battle
I need two more days and all KB squadrons will have new composition.
Right now KB is sailing to replenish ammo and torpedoes from two AKEs in Makassar.
Today i have luck with Dutch SS.
SS KXV fire 4 torpedoes at CV Akagi. All 4 missed.
DD Kuretake scuttled today. Very sad day.
Ceylon
After two months in area i have found firs big victim Sub attack near Colombo at 28,46
Japanese Ships
SS I-158
Allied Ships
CL Dragon, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
Ship reported as sunk but i am sure that he is still on surface.
Ndeni battle
G3M3 attack at night enemy fleet near Ndeni but they miss targets.
It was worth of trying. I hope now allies will CAP at night so less fighters at day
BB Fuso save in Truk port. He will require 37 day of rapairs[:D] in pierside mode.
I must say it is nothing after he was hit by 16 bombs and 8 medium and heavy caliber shells.
China
Another attack on troops norh of Kukong
Ground combat at 79,55 (near Hengyang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 66565 troops, 604 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 2077
Defending force 15152 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 210
I was complaining about fighter navy pilot situation but it is not as bad as i was thinking.
After filling all front line squadrons (280 planes total) with pilots + 3-5 in squadron reserve i still have 59 elite pilots (80+) in TRACOM.
Reserve is empty but around 80 pilots is close to end training. They have air skill 70, def skill 60+ and XP 45-49
Of course it is not so wonderful. Kaga air group is in Japan waiting to mother ship end refit so he is on training duty. And also one of 45 size ground based sentai is also working as training group because i do not have pilots and a was needed those planes he has.
Navy bomber pool looks good i have 270 trained pilots and all front line group full of pilots.
As for Army pilot pools.
I have 290 fighter pilots and 283 bomber pilots.
So far total pilots loses are.
387 MIA, 262 WIA, 812 KIA
Burma
B-17 visit Rangoon AF. Moderate damage to AF.
Attack was predicted by 22 P-38 sweep. Haw can i defend against that. Last time i lost 30 Oscars for 4 P-38.
Ambon Battle
Allied bombers attack Saumlmaki nad Ambon. Very small damage.
Ambon is low on supplies. I preparing fast transport TFs.
KB pilots resting. I need few more days to end resize operation. Pilots are in place but i need to wait few days before squadron can take planes.
Ndeni Battle
24 G3M3 attack enemy TF in Ndeni hex.
Allied CA and 3 DDs confirmed. This time weather work for allies. Thunderstorms make all torpedoes miss.
Allied CV are gone. BB Fuso on critical list to repair in Truk. It will take only 17 days.
China
Japanese air force in china have vacation for few days.
Chinese ID is marching to rescue sieged chines army north of Kukong.
Plan is to close them in pocked like I have close those three ID on first time.
Another attack on those three chines units north of Kukong. This time one surrender.
Japanese loses are almost zero.
Ground combat at 79,55 (near Hengyang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 66350 troops, 604 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 2057
Defending force 13698 troops, 81 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 156
Finally i start killing Chinese units.
They will back to game after 30 days with 33% of TOE.
But i have question.
What rule is to have those free squads and devices. Do they are taken first from "normal" poll and when that pool is empty thy are given as free to fill 33% TOE. Or they are free form beginning.
And do they are trained with good morale or they will need time to train to nation specific XP.
I asking as i never play enough long as allies to know that.
Finally i start killing Chinese units.
They will back to game after 30 days with 33% of TOE.
But i have question.
What rule is to have those free squads and devices. Do they are taken first from "normal" poll and when that pool is empty thy are given as free to fill 33% TOE. Or they are free form beginning.
And do they are trained with good morale or they will need time to train to nation specific XP.
I asking as i never play enough long as allies to know that.
koniu
Chinese units come back inexperienced and with poor moral. But they do not take from the regular Chinese pools for replacements. They get magic troops, brought up from the villages and given a uniform and an old gun.
This is why it can be good to injure Chinese units to the point that they are not effective and then leave them contained. Opinions differ on this though, as it is then more likely they can mess with your LOC and it does cost the Chinese a lot of supply to support all of those crappy re-spawned corps. They can also suicide themselves in river crossings or hold up your armies in rear guard actions.
If you get to Chungking eventually and have to deal with the re-spawned troops, you probably won't care that there are 25 low moral and low experience 1/3 strength Corps in there eating all of the supply.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
Finally i start killing Chinese units.
They will back to game after 30 days with 33% of TOE.
But i have question.
What rule is to have those free squads and devices. Do they are taken first from "normal" poll and when that pool is empty thy are given as free to fill 33% TOE. Or they are free form beginning.
And do they are trained with good morale or they will need time to train to nation specific XP.
I asking as i never play enough long as allies to know that.
koniu
Chinese units come back inexperienced and with poor moral. But they do not take from the regular Chinese pools for replacements. They get magic troops, brought up from the villages and given a uniform and an old gun.
This is why it can be good to injure Chinese units to the point that they are not effective and then leave them contained. Opinions differ on this though, as it is then more likely they can mess with your LOC and it does cost the Chinese a lot of supply to support all of those crappy re-spawned corps. They can also suicide themselves in river crossings or hold up your armies in rear guard actions.
If you get to Chungking eventually and have to deal with the re-spawned troops, you probably won't care that there are 25 low moral and low experience 1/3 strength Corps in there eating all of the supply.
Thanks.
I have decided to kill as many chines troops as i can. Every chines unit i kill will need at lest ~400 new squads from real pool to replace (as they have 700 in TOE). And i think chines squad production is 350 month. An also they will be out front line for long time eating supplies. So its better to have them there than on front wasting supplies to try them kill them second time.
Burma
After another P-38 sweep (today only 17) 40 B-17 attack Rangoon AF. We lost 7 G4M1s on ground. Rangon AF closed.
Japanese fighters set air trap in north Burma. They shot down 9 Blenheim IV. Afternoon Air attack on 20th Division, at 63,43 , near Myitkyina
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 65
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 5 destroyed (all nine destroyed)
Ambon Battle
B-17 attack Ambon ground troops in return G4M1 also attack but Ambon Port
Minimal damage.
Australian bombers attack Saumlaki achieving nothing.
B-17 attack Japanese troops in Dili. We shot down 5 for 5 A6M (3 pilots KIA)
Two TF north of Darwin. One of them look like CV TF.
Coral Sea
I-172 score torpedo hit to enemy CA. Cruiser`s escort make few new holes in SS but probably he will survive Sub attack near Utupua at 122,144
Japanese Ships
SS I-172, hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CA New Orleans, Torpedo hits 1
DD Maury
I-123 sunk xAK President Quezon.
SS I-1 sunk PG Isabel and PG Swan
China
Another attack on Chinese troops north of Kukong. Very good result but enemy troops manage to retreat north as Chinese unit manage to open them hex side.
Ground combat at 79,55 (near Hengyang)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 66354 troops, 604 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 2059
Defending force 19652 troops, 135 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 438
Burma
70 Oscars was waiting in Lashio for enemy planes.
They came on morning.
42 enemy fighters (17 P-38). Result tactical Japanese victory. Both sides lost 15 planes each. But allies lost 4 P-38, more pilots (Japan lost only two).
I must say multi altitude CAP is good solution to enemy Sweeps.
Ambon Battle
KB sailing toward Timor to routine patrol.
LBs arrive to Ambon base. In night they unload some supplies. It was test. I wast trying to check how LBs will survive CD fire. Three of them sunk.
Coral Sea
Two Big TF full of xAP sailing toward Espiritu Santo. They are now south of Tabiteuea. G3Ms launch to attack but they not find targets.
AL map have bad whether. Only Burma has no thunderstorms.
Burma
More allied fighters sweep Lashio. This time they found empty air.
Ambon Battle
FT TF is sailing with supplies to Ambon.
KB north of Timor, his job is to protect transport ships with Base Force units. I want to transport them to Koepang, Dili and Saumlaki. I will allow me to use there army fighters. Right now they have to short range. Plan is to have there Ki-44 sentai assoon as they enter production.
US Navy fighters sweep Saumlaki air.
China
Bombers attack Chinese units marching toward Loyang (4 or 5 ID). I moving there 3 ID in case of Chinese offensive.
R&D
Another Ki-44IIa 30 size factory repaired. Right now six repaired.
Burma
Another day another sweeps over Lashio. Japanese fighters on vacation. they will return in days.
Ambon Battle.
Betty's from Kendari attack Allied transport TF north of Darwin. Again weather was on enemy side.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Bathurst Island at 78,122
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 22
Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
xAP Mount Vernon, Torpedo hits 1
xAP West Point
xAK Edward Luckenbach
Ships where empty.
Ground troops enter Lautem (2 regiments) I will attack tomorrow. Bombers are ready to give support. Battleships will bombard base at night. 150 fighters will protect air above Lautem against allied bombers
