Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

9 SEP 42

Marshals
Minesweepers enter Wotje and Maloelap. It looks like are no mines there.
Enemy PT try to intercept my ships. We sunk two.

North Pacific
CVEs patrolling those water escape from 12 enemy torpedoes. I going to change patrol area. Is not safe there now.

Formosa
Allied SS attack unescorted xAK south of Formosa.
Sub captain decide to attack on surface. He score 57 hits to xAK(only 16 sys damage[:'(]) in return we score 4 12cm gun hits to sub. Animation showing that two hits penetrated enemy hull with critical damage

R&D
Engine bonus is working good. 9 factories produce 18 points today. [:D]
I think they are using engines for those points as i am build 7 extra engines last turn but pool drop by two[&:]

[koniu]

10 SEP 42

Burma
Today Japanese air force will fight. All available fighters ordered to defend air over troops 40 miles south of Akyab.

First as always enemy sweep came. But lucky for us only 15 Hurricane IIc Trop.

Morning Air attack on 1st Division, at 55,46 , near Akyab

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 29

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed

Few moments later arrive enemy bombers.

Afternoon Air attack on 1st Division, at 55,46 , near Akyab

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 21

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 22
Wellington Ic x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed

and another wave

Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 55,46 , near Akyab

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 26

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 15
B-26B Marauder x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

and another

Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 55,46 , near Akyab

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

China
Like in Burma all fighters ordered to protect air above Japanese units south of Hengyang.

Afternoon Air attack on 104th Division, at 80,54 , near Hengyang

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 24
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 15

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 16


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed

And unescorted bombers

Afternoon Air attack on 104th Division, at 80,54 , near Hengyang

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 15

Allied aircraft
A-29A Hudson x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
A-29A Hudson: 5 destroyed

and another wave

Afternoon Air attack on 104th Division, at 80,54 , near Hengyang

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 4
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 9

Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-26 Marauder: 4 destroyed

I also attack enemy troops in Nanyang

Morning Air attack on Nanyang , at 85,45

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 19
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 88
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 12
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 59
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 10



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged


Allied ground losses:
567 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 12
Runway hits 41

And for end of day ground battle

Ground combat at 87,41 (near Tsiaotso)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 64161 troops, 564 guns, 259 vehicles, Assault Value = 2035

Defending force 32519 troops, 258 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1199

Japanese adjusted assault: 1403

Allied adjusted defense: 1615

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3158 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 326 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 27 disabled
Guns lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
954 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled


Marchall`s
Japanese BB bombard Wotje at night

Night Naval bombardment of Wotje at 135,115 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
B-25C Mitchell: 13 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 6 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
Kittyhawk I: 1 damaged

13 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
DD Yayoi
DD Ushio
DD Akizuki

Allied ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 26 (13 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (6 destroyed, 7 disabled)

I series of battles Japanese destroyers and bombardment TF sunk also 8 allied TB

Maoelap had have mines. We sweep all of them today. One of DMS lightly damage from cost guns.

On morning bombers finish job in Wotje

Morning Air attack on Wotje , at 135,115

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 34

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 24


AND NOW BAD NEWS
Amphibious TF sailing to Kwajalein was intercepted by enemy BB

Day Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri, Shell hits 1, on fire
AMC Kinryu Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
AMC Akagi Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
AMC Kongo Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
xAP Terukuni Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma
DD Henley, Shell hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
4733 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 312 destroyed, 202 disabled
Engineers: 45 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 67 (58 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Losses are not critical. 3 AF battalions lost. DD and one AMC surwwive. Now returning home.

Enemy BBs are 45nm north of Wotje. I have 5 BB in Wotje hex but they are out of ammo.


Summary of day.
We lost 20 planes today(7 pilots). Allied loses are 45 planes.
Lost AF battalions bought for 2PP each.
On sea we lost 3 ACM and xAP. Allies loses are 8 PT and xAKL.

[obvert]

You should be happy he's fighting in the air in China. That will use much needed supply.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

You should be happy he's fighting in the air in China. That will use much needed supply.

Yes i am happy.
Mostly like you say they using lots of supplies that way.
Second, china is good training ground for pilots. Most of 50XP pilots in china after month of CAP,sweep, escort missions is now ~55-60xp and ready to send to Burma or Marshals.

[koniu]

11 Sep 42

Burma
First time from weeks there are no allied bombers in air. Infantry can rest. Engineers can return to build fortifications.

Figter pilots resting flying only 30% CAP. Morale is high. Loses from last day replaced.


DEI
Cruisers bombard Cocos Islands. Enemy troops detected. Must have more inf about numbers. Probably i will tray to land on island in few weeks.
138th USA Base Force presence confirmed.

China
After last day today quiet

Marshall's
BB TF manage to retreat toward Truk. I left behind two small DD to secure rears. They do what should be done but it cost me live one of them. Better lose DD that few BB.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Wotje at 135,115, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Asagao, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
DD Tsuta

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Nevada
BB Arizona, Shell hits 1
DD Woodworth
DD Morris
DD Patterson
DD Conyngham


On afternoon fighters sweep Wotje. Docup send small reinforcement but they have no chance vs. elite pilots in A6M3a.

Afternoon Air attack on Wotje , at 135,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 28

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 14
F2A-3 Buffalo x 6
F4F-3A Wildcat x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F2A-3 Buffalo: 4 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 1 destroyed

and

Afternoon Air attack on Wotje , at 135,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 15 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 2
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Bad weter not helping bombers.

Afternoon Air attack on Wotje , at 135,115

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 56 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 21

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 1


Intel i showing that 19 enemy fighters shot down or lost by ops. Japanese loses are 5 shot down and 3 by ops fighters and 3 pilots KIA

[koniu]

Second time in this game i lost tracker database.

At lest tracker will load faster

[koniu]

13 sep 42
I lost somewhere one day. Today date is as should be

Singapore
I lost another TK from dutch sub. I have lots of ASW TFs, serch planes and ASW planes in area. But so far no confirmed hits to enemy subs

Marshals
After heavy sweep of Maloelap(they found empty air) bombers attack base
They where intercepted by enemy planes while they where training.
Two fighters lost. 4 allied planes destroyed on ground. Enemy have CAP on 31k so bombers lucky sneak and only few enemy fighters menage to intercept

Afternoon Air attack on Maloelap , at 136,117

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 72 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 21

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 2 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 5 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 5 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 22

Training flight from VMF-211 Det has been caught up in attack
Training flight from VMF-221 has been caught up in attack

Not know why but report not showing enemy planes flying in that action.(there was around 20 enemy fighters)

BB TF rearm in Ponape and will return to make another bombard run in Marshals. Placeing AKE in Ponape allowing me to rearm and return with BB to action in 4 days

Enemy BB TF 450nm from Marshals sailing toward PH

KB in Truk. Few ships need some fast repairs. I will use that time to replace planes, refuel and build morale of units as it drop below 90

R&D
A6M5 advance to 11/42. All factories upgraded to research A6M5b model
With help of engine bonus Ki-44IIc will be available in 1/43

[sj80]

Hey koniu,

nice to see the working engine bonus for research! Did I understand correctly that every extra produced research point consumes one engine?

Your opponent is attacking very early. Do you plan to recapture the lost islands in the Marshalls?

My campaign with Terje is now at mid February 1942. My defense preparations are starting slowly, so I'm very interested in your experiences. Are you using mines to protect your important bases (e.g. large air fields, ...)? What's your experience how to handle the B-17? Is the Ki-45 Nick doing a good job?

Sebastian

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: sj80

Hey koniu,

nice to see the working engine bonus for research! Did I understand correctly that every extra produced research point consumes one engine?

Yes one extra point cost one engine. It will cost me ~20k of HI but having Ki-44IIc in January 43 will compensate with smaller pilots loses. Also because better survivability(armor) of planes i will loose less planes from ops loses so it is good investment.

ORIGINAL: sj80
Your opponent is attacking very early. Do you plan to recapture the lost islands in the Marshalls?

Yes. I am preparing 4 IDs for that. Probably will land in ~month. Right now i use it as opportunity to attrit his plane pools. Keeping those bases damaged dropping his pilots morale and they are easy targets. So far i manage to have good kill ratio 3.5:1 vs his fighters.

First days where hard(i was loosing 1:1) but after few firs sweeps his resistance is smaller now. I have better planes (A6M3a and Ki-44IIa) and with pilots with xp 70+ in them, he has no chance.

ORIGINAL: sj80

My campaign with Terje is now at mid February 1942. My defense preparations are starting slowly, so I'm very interested in your experiences. Are you using mines to protect your important bases (e.g. large air fields, ...)? What's your experience how to handle the B-17? Is the Ki-45 Nick doing a good job?

I must say a have sleep over with preparations. If Docup know what i have 1 month ago in marshals he will capture them with 3 ID and without major losses.

Now i building fortification on all island where he can build AF to lvl 5. If he want use heavies he will need to fight to take them. I am building only AF to lvl 4 and only on island i am planing to have air HQ with torpedoes for 2E bombers. For smaller planes i need only AF lvl 2.

As for mines. I have mined bases in Marshals. PM or Rabul. I am mining bases where i suspecting navy bombardments or navy invasions. And places where enemy ships will sail like Hakodate(on Hokkaido) and Merak(Java). I am using also mines as offensive weapon. sending subs to mine his ports.

Remember to sweep mines in your ports and around them. All major port must have working mine sweeping TF to be sure to find mines before CV or other ships returning home find it

As for heavies you can try to fight. So far i tie 1:1 vs them in losses. I will do better when my fighters will have armor because most of loses are ops.
What i notice more fighters in air is better. And Ki-43Ic is bad for that. Most of times bombers are faster than Oscar.
Zero fight much better as he is faster and have guns.

Hard to tell anything about Ki-45 i have only 12 in service and i am using them in china.
But what i hear only A version is worth of building.

I build only limited number of them because i like tha plane. My main interceptor will be Tojo fro next 18 months. I waiting for George also. Combination of Tojo and George will be best what i can have agaist enemy bombers.
I saving my best pilots for that moment. I have 120 ellite navy pilots in tracom waiting when George ariive.

[koniu]

14 Sep 42

Boring day. No single Japanese solider die today. Biggest action today was crash landing of Ki-21 in Hankow.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: sj80

Hey koniu,

nice to see the working engine bonus for research! Did I understand correctly that every extra produced research point consumes one engine?

Yes one extra point cost one engine. It will cost me ~20k of HI but having Ki-44IIc in January 43 will compensate with smaller pilots loses. Also because better survivability(armor) of planes i will loose less planes from ops loses so it is good investment.

It's interesting that I didn't now about this engine loss when R n D uses the 500 engine pool rule. I think I originally read it and saw the positive but not the negative! [;)]

So lately I've been wondering why my Aichi-60 pool has been going down. I am producing 120 and only making 70 Judys. But the R n D is taking them and now I'm right at the 500 point. This could become costly! Might be worth it for certain planes though.

[koniu]

Yes it is costly. For me it will be 20k HI. But it will give me Tojo IIc in January/Febuary `43(14 month earlier)so cost is onlu ~50HI/day and i hope some of cost will return to me with lesser loses of pilots and planes. Armored Tojo should also be better killer as he have better fire power.

I also thinking to use engine bonus for Frank, Judy, and George for at lest limited time but we will see.

[sj80]

Hey koniu,
sorry for the late answer and many thanks for your hints. I really need to setup the mine sweeping for my own ports and should start to create more mine fields.
I plan to use around 100 KI-45 planes in 3 units. Unfortunately I upgraded the Southern Army Nates to Oscars without checking their upgrade path and now these units are lost for KI-45 upgrades. But I can buy out the 5th and 13th Nate Sentai from the homelands and upgrade them to KI-45.
120 elite navy pilots is a really huge number. I have only around 20 in the TRACOM. I'm thinking about sending all Army pilots with experience 70+ into my reserve pool and rotate the newly trained guys into the front line. The air war in Burma is pretty quiet in the moment.

With the engine bonus we can accelerate planes over upgrade paths very fast. But now we need a way to speed up initial factory repair...

Sebastian

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: sj80

120 elite navy pilots is a really huge number. I have only around 20 in the TRACOM. I'm thinking about sending all Army pilots with experience 70+ into my reserve pool and rotate the newly trained guys into the front line. The air war in Burma is pretty quiet in the moment.

With the engine bonus we can accelerate planes over upgrade paths very fast. But now we need a way to speed up initial factory repair...

Sebastian

It is not so hard to have all those elite pilots with enough time. Mostly on first months they building xp very fast.
Also i saving my navy pilots. I am not using them to suicidal escort duties in china or Burma. They are only allowed to escort navy bombers vs enemy ships.


I had also luck as all my battles vs enemy CV where not so bloody for my fighters.
When i sunk 2 Docup CVs near Soerobaja i lost only 10-15 navy fighter pilots and most of them was 50-60XP. When pilots reach XP around 75+ they are hard to kill especially when flying better planes.

In marshals i have around 90 pilots with XP 70+. When flying on A6M3a vs F4F or P40E they scoring sometimes 6-1 kill ratio. In last month that create at lest 10 new elite pilots for me and almost 30 pilots in those groups have now xp 80.

On other having 120 pilots in tracom forcing me to rotate pilots more.
All CV group are full but few ground based i am using to train right now as i do not enough pilots to full them. If nothing major will happen i should have enough pilots in 2 months to have all front units full of them.
Right now my training program giving me new combat ready pilots every day. They are moved to front units(CV groups waiting for action in safe port) that not fighting right now.
Those units are set to fly 80%CAP 20%rest. That keep them from getting fatigue and morale drop(must have all pilot slots full for that unit). That way they training XP and air skill. After 3-4 weeks of flying CAP they have XP ~60 and are good pilots with air skill 70+ and def 65+

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: sj80

120 elite navy pilots is a really huge number. I have only around 20 in the TRACOM. I'm thinking about sending all Army pilots with experience 70+ into my reserve pool and rotate the newly trained guys into the front line. The air war in Burma is pretty quiet in the moment.

With the engine bonus we can accelerate planes over upgrade paths very fast. But now we need a way to speed up initial factory repair...

Sebastian

It is not so hard to have all those elite pilots with enough time. Mostly on first months they building xp very fast.
Also i saving my navy pilots. I am not using them to suicidal escort duties in china or Burma. They are only allowed to escort navy bombers vs enemy ships.


I had also luck as all my battles vs enemy CV where not so bloody for my fighters.
When i sunk 2 Docup CVs near Soerobaja i lost only 10-15 navy fighter pilots and most of them was 50-60XP. When pilots reach XP around 75+ they are hard to kill especially when flying better planes.

In marshals i have around 90 pilots with XP 70+. When flying on A6M3a vs F4F or P40E they scoring sometimes 6-1 kill ratio. In last month that create at lest 10 new elite pilots for me and almost 30 pilots in those groups have now xp 80.

On other having 120 pilots in tracom forcing me to rotate pilots more.
All CV group are full but few ground based i am using to train right now as i do not enough pilots to full them. If nothing major will happen i should have enough pilots in 2 months to have all front units full of them.
Right now my training program giving me new combat ready pilots every day. They are moved to front units(CV groups waiting for action in safe port) that not fighting right now.
Those units are set to fly 80%CAP 20%rest. That keep them from getting fatigue and morale drop(must have all pilot slots full for that unit). That way they training XP and air skill. After 3-4 weeks of flying CAP they have XP ~60 and are good pilots with air skill 70+ and def 65+

ORIGINAL: sj80


With the engine bonus we can accelerate planes over upgrade paths very fast. But now we need a way to speed up initial factory repair...

Sebastian

I think it is only luck but to be sure i have in all bases with r&D factories at lest 10k supplies.

For A6M line i have use M3 to repair them faster and then moved to next in line.
That way i have M3a 4 month earlier and M5 will be available 10 months earlier(earlier than originally M3a was). Now i am researching 5b and 5c both available on 1/44(i hope). I will probably not research M8 and will focus more resources on A7M.

ORIGINAL: sj80
I plan to use around 100 KI-45 planes in 3 units. Unfortunately I upgraded the Southern Army Nates to Oscars without checking their upgrade path and now these units are lost for KI-45 upgrades. But I can buy out the 5th and 13th Nate Sentai from the homelands and upgrade them to KI-45.

Same mistake for me and now upgrade will cost me more PP.
Also i planing to use them only as fighters to intercept enemy bombers. I have no plans to use them as bombers.

[koniu]

14 SEP 42
Very quiet. Nothing important happen

15 SEP 42

Burma
50 Tojo's sweep Akyab. They manage to shot down 17 Hurricanes b/c.
In combat i lost 12 Tojo's and 6 pilots.

British get 36 new Hurricanes in month so few more attack and he will lose more than he get. So far no sing of P40K. Docup should have at lest one ready unit of them.

Bad side of is pilot lose above enemy AF.

Burma have now 8 ID ans few smaller units. Two more ID are sailing right now. I also have many AA units sailing to Burma

DEI
Units from Ambon loading on ships. They will sail to Soerobaja first. From there 2 ID will sail to Burma. 3 ID will sail to Marshal's to retake islands captured by allies.
Other units will garrison DEI islands.

CA TF sailing deep into Indian ocean hopping to find some enemy shipping.

Marshals
Daily dose of bombing of Wotje. Maloelap AF is empty with 50 damage to AF.
Enemy TF patrolling East of Marshals. I think it is BB Oklahoma or other enemy BB.

Japan
Japanese island(than last island in north of Japan - not remember name) Have now Air HQ. AF is lvl 4. I will rebase there 27 G3M3.
I want them to patrol and ASW that area and if enemy detected, attack.

Air production
I have stop producing A6M3a. Reserve is 80 planes. I have also 20 M2 in reserve so i will build engine poll for some time

Ki-43 Production stop. Reserve is 50 planes and soon i will upgrade another Oscar unit to Tojo so next 42 planes go to poll.

Ki-44 production active. I am building 5,33 planes in day. Reserve is 40 planes but loses from today mus be replaced.

I stop also production of Ki-49 and G3M and G4M. Polls are big enough. I am building only CV capable bombers.

I am building also few float planes and reckon planes so i can say i building maybe on 20% current industry capacity. I allow me to save 5k HI daily. And when Yamato arrive in 10 days another 1k will be saved in pool.

Ship building
Yamato will arrive in 10 days. Musashi will not be build. Taiho and two first Unryū CV are accelerated. Rest of CV also but they are in phase when acceleration move only one day in day

In ~week few gariison units will arrive in Japan. They are unrestricted and will sail to Pacific and DEI.

[koniu]

16-19 SEP 42

Burma
B-17 attacking at night Rangoon.

Japan lost 14 planes(7 shot down). Allied loses 5 B-17.
AF still operational.

DEI
CA TF deep in Indian Ocean. No enemy ships found so far.

Port Moresby
B-17 raid AF. Moderate damage.

Marshals
Japan BBs intercept enemy TF that look like BB TF.
But it was only CL TF

Night Time Surface Combat, near Wotje at 135,116, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna
BB Nagato, Shell hits 9, on fire
BB Mutsu
BB Fuso
DD Akizuki
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 3
DD Hammann
DD Porter, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

And morning action

Day Time Surface Combat, near Maloelap at 142,116, Range 14,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1
BB Haruna
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 1, on fire
BB Fuso
DD Akizuki
DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Yayoi

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DD Hammann, Shell hits 5, heavy fires

DD Kisaragi will sunk. Fires are 98 and he is only mater of time.

Next day Army bombers get order to attack enemy ships around Marshals. (all army bomber pilots have Nattack training)

Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 138,117

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 19
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 14

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CM Keokuk, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
AP Hunter Liggett, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

KB
Still in Truk

[koniu]

20 SEP 42

Burma
Quiet. Another Sentai upgraded to Tojo.
That giving me 110 Tojo's and 42 Oscar`s in air.

In next month 30 Ki-45 will join fight.

DEI
Liberators attack Kendari. 4 planes lost on ground. PB sunk in port.
Air forces in full alert. Ships moved out of enemy range.

China
Everything normal. Troops still moving to position and prearranging for theres targets.

Marshals
Both enemy bases empty. AF damage holding on 50+. I think they out of supplies.
Few navy TF spotted. They look like picket ships. Few DD send to intercept them.
Army figters and bombers send to rears. Job done for now, time to rest.

BB after last battle rearm and refuel and returning to action. They have now 5 DD as escort. Two BB must back to Truk for repairs. CL Raleigh damage them so much that they spend maybe two weeks to repair sys damage

Hawaii
Enemy BB TF spotted by sub. Direction unknown. probably south Pacific.

R&D
Tojo IIc advance to 1/44. I am researching fast enough to have them in January.

ASW
Planes around Palembang start to find and attack enemy subs.
I have also few "E" patrolling there. They damage 3 enemy subs in 2 last days.

Pilots
Two navy aces found today. Good news.[:'(]

[sj80]

Hey koniu,

I'm interested in your opinion about the Ki-45 after some bomber raids. Are you using the Sallies for ASW duty? What are your pilot skills? Currently I have several units training for ASW combat. I plan to train ASW and Low Naval up to 65+.

How are you using your AV ships? I have added some to very important convoys (e.g. large tanker) to have Nav Search/ASW support and hopefully less losses to subs.

Getting the TojoIIc in January 1943 must be something like a shock for your opponent. I really look forward to the Tojo, the firepower of the Oscar is too bad. In mid February my best two factories have repaired 15 out of 30. The Ha-43 production is increasing slowly, so that I will have mid 1942 more than 500 engines ready.

Sebastian

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: sj80
Hey koniu,

I'm interested in your opinion about the Ki-45 after some bomber raids. Are you using the Sallies for ASW duty? What are your pilot skills? Currently I have several units training for ASW combat. I plan to train ASW and Low Naval up to 65+.

How are you using your AV ships? I have added some to very important convoys (e.g. large tanker) to have Nav Search/ASW support and hopefully less losses to subs.

Getting the TojoIIc in January 1943 must be something like a shock for your opponent. I really look forward to the Tojo, the firepower of the Oscar is too bad. In mid February my best two factories have repaired 15 out of 30. The Ha-43 production is increasing slowly, so that I will have mid 1942 more than 500 engines ready.

Sebastian

My convoys don`t have any AVs. I use only Surface ASW for convoys. AVs are placed in critical bases all over convoys paths to support ASW planes there.

I chose more static ASW tactic. So far i lost only 3 TK from Subs and what i can see allies hunting mostly close to my harbors so It is working.
For parts where my ASW planes have no range i changing my convoys routes 2 time in month to force enemy to spreed patrol area.

For ASW mission only ASW skill is important. Having Low naval give you nothing durring ASW missions.

Ki-45 vs bombers. I will tell you when they will fight. So far no experience.But it will change. Monsoons going to end in month and allies will start offensive so B-17 will start fly.

Ki-44IIc in January. Good for me. I will have few months when that good plane will can change something in war. From Q4 of `43 he losing advantage because next generation of allied planes entering combat.