The willing Admiral - RA 4.6 - Allies Dan Nichols(A) vs Cavalry(J)

[Dan Nichols]

As stated this is an AAR from the Allied side for Reluctant Admiral 4.6. We are doing 2 day turns, which was new to me, but I am getting the hang of it now. I am starting this AAR late, we are at January 14, 1942 now. I thought I had a third game going, but it seems to have drifted away. I am only going to spend a bit of time in the next few post to try and catch everyone up on what is happening. We have only one agreed upon house rule, pay PPs to march units across national boundaries.
This was a non-historical start and I was allowed to change orders to my existing TFs. Force Z lives.

I was surprised that two days of bombing at Pearl Harbor did not sink many ships. The only ships lost at PH were CA San Fransisco and DD Downes. He also bombed Manila Port and sank AM Lark and DD Peary.

There have been a number of surface combats and a few strikes by both of our CVs. I lost most of the ships fleeing the PI, but a few made it through. Not a huge loss, but he did a very good job of intercepting.

Here is a screen shot of the strategic map.

[Dan Nichols]

Here is the current intel screen.

I have lost more than 3 times as many ships as my opponent, but the point total is only about 2 times as much.

[Dan Nichols]

I have sunk 14 IJN DDs while losing only 11 Allied( 3 USN ) and this tally of CAs.

[Dan Nichols]

on 12/9/1941 we had this set of SC near Raboul

Day Time Surface Combat, near New Hanover Island at 104,122, Range 13,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Kako, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 4
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Oboro, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
DD Uzuki, Shell hits 15, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Shell hits 8
CL Leander, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Achilles, Shell hits 4, on fire
CL Perth



Low visibility due to Rain
Maximum visibility in Rain: 15,000 yards

--------------------------------------------

Day Time Surface Combat, near New Hanover Island at 104,123, Range 9,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Shell hits 3, on fire
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Canberra, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Leander, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Achilles, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
CL Perth, Shell hits 2



Low visibility due to Rain
Maximum visibility in Rain: 15,000 yards

---------------------------------------------

And then one of my CVs found a TF Southwest of Tarawa and scored good hits.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuria at 133,135

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 14
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 18
SBD-2 Dauntless x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9
TBD-1 Devastator x 12


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Tenyo Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Kamikaze Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Tokiwa, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
CM Okinoshima, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DD Yunagi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
PB Nagata Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
1063 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 42 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)
--------------
And hit again the next day
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuria at 133,131

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 10
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 18
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CM Okinoshima, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Yunagi, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Tokiwa, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Dan Nichols]

In the early morning of 12/15/1042 my SCTF of CA Astoria and CA Minneapolis, with DDs Perkins, Smith, Preston, and Porter engaged DDs Yamakaze and Kawakaze and sank them, also DD Shiokaze was engaged three times and sunk.

In the early moring of 12/16/42 the Dutch engaged a bit unsuccessfully near Kendari

Night Time Surface Combat, near Kendari at 70,106, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1
DD Witte de With
DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1



Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight

But some PTs were able to also engage and put a torp into Ca Mikuma
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kendari at 70,106, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma, Torpedo hits 1
CA Suzuya
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze

Allied Ships
PT TM-10
PT TM-11
PT TM-12
PT TM-13, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT TM-14
PT TM-15



Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight

Some more daylight action around KendariDay Time Surface Combat, near Kendari at 70,106, Range 27,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami, Shell hits 1
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1
DD Witte de With



Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions: 30,000 yards

[Dan Nichols]

I would post more, but I keep getting errors.

On 12/27/41 I slipped a 3 DD SCTF and intercepted a TF unloading at Sorong.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Sorong at 82,107, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Gamitsu Maru #1, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Nichi Maru #1, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Koyu Maru, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAKL Hakuyo Maru, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
xAKL Hanakawa Maru, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
xAKL Kamishima Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Vendetta
DD Encounter
DD Jupiter

Japanese ground losses:
504 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 26,000 yards

---------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 135 encounters mine field at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Mine hits 1
CL Tama, Mine hits 1, heavy damage



Magazine explodes on CL Tama
------------
Force Z arrives
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Shell hits 1
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
CL Yura
CL Kuma
DD Isonami
DD Matsukaze, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Karukaya

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 4, on fire
BC Repulse, Shell hits 3
DD Vampire
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Electra, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Express, Shell hits 10, and is sunk



Low visibility due to Rain with 100% moonlight
----------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed
E8N2 Dave: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CA Kumano, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Yura, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Kuma, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
DD Isonami
DD Matsukaze, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
DD Karukaya, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 2, on fire
BC Repulse, Shell hits 5
DD Vampire, Shell hits 1
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Electra, Shell hits 26, and is sunk



Reduced visibility due to Rain with 100% moonlight

Action from 1/1/42

[Dan Nichols]

That is most of my highlights. I left off some lowlights.

I forgot to mention that CV Enterprise took 3 torpedoes from Bettys off of Wake. She is now three turns from entering Seattle.

I still hold Clark Field and Bataan. I have been able to move all of the 9th and 11th Indian Division units to Singapore and combine them. I paid for new commanders. I hope to stall him at Singapore.

I am not doing any real "Fortress Palembang", I have move 232 AV there and will move more. Probably another 200-300.

China is pretty much a stalemate now. I moved most of my units into good defensive terrain.

I moved the entire Pensocola TF to Port Moseby and I have moved a Brigade from OZ to there and I am moving another Brigade now. I hope to hold PM, or at least make it expensive. The P-40s and A-24s and on Java training. I think I scared him once when I moved one of the A-24 and the P-40s to Balikpapan and the made a strike on his Mini KB. I scored no hits, but Mini KB retreated. Their Naval bombing skills are approaching 50+ now.

I have been able to move a USA BF, a USN BF, 161st Inf Rgt, 198th FA Bn 8th Marine Rgt, and the I US Amphib Corps HQ to Noumea. I have more on the way and again, I hope to hold Noumea.

I have moved the 34th Inf Rgt to Suva. I have more on the way, but it takes time.
Here is a picture of the LCUs at PM.

[Dan Nichols]

That pretty much wraps up the wrap up. If you have any questions or requests, just ask. I am hoping that JohnIII finds this AAR useful as feedback. I like the mod so far, I hope my opponent does too. I have converted 3 of the Omaha CLs to CLAAs.

[obvert]

Hi Dan. Great to see you doing an AAR. I'll be following.

Looks like you've done well in the surface naval engagements. That's a lot of CAs you've put down already.

[John 3rd]

Love your AAR title!

[CaptBeefheart]

Dan: Looks like you're doing quite well. Any sense of how many of those IJN CAs are really in Davy Jones's locker? That almost seems to good to be true--I remember getting a few bogus sinkings of CVs last time I played the game (I think anything with flooding created a "sunk" message). If those are real, though, then well done, Sir.

Cheers,
CC

[Dan Nichols]

Good question Commander Cody, and I don't have a definitive answer. But, at least most that are not sunk should be in a repair shipyard for a while and that takes them out of the action during the critical bonus period.

I should mention that we are using the optional stacking limits which should make China a more stagnate theater.

Last turn this set of interesting air attacks took place
-------------------------------------------
1/12/42
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Glasgow
CA Exeter
CL Enterprise
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
H6K4 Mavis x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 2 damaged
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied Ships
CL Enterprise
CA Exeter
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x H6K4 Mavis launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 11



Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Glasgow
CA Exeter
CL Enterprise



Aircraft Attacking:
11 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/13/42
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
H6K4 Mavis x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 2 damaged
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise
CA Exeter

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x H6K4 Mavis launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

The aircraft lost screen shows 4 Bettys lost, 1 Flack and 3 Ops. And 2 Mavis lost to Flack. I left the TF there and put a P-40 unit on CAP over Ambon.

[Dan Nichols]

My opponent took a day off because it was his birthday. What a crock!!!

Jan 14-15, 1942

Well, sometimes you think you have a good idea and it turns into poop.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
G4M1 Betty x 10



Allied aircraft
B-339D x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise
CA Exeter, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 69 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 17



Allied aircraft
B-339D x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 7 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Exeter
CL Durban
CL Glasgow
CL Caledon, Torpedo hits 1
-----
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 1
CA Suzuya
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
DD Akatsuki
DD Shinonome
DD Asagiri, Shell hits 1
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
CL Durban, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
-----
Day Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Harukaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Hayate
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
-----
A CA, CL, and 2 DDs for nothing. I didn't even shoot down any Bettys.

Not much else of interest happened that turn.

[Dan Nichols]

Jan 16-17, 1942

A quiet turn. I had a reported sinking of I-175 off of PH. My DD hit it with one MK-6 DC, then ran out of ammo.

Here is a screenie of Burma. I have the 1st Burma Division at Pegu and enough AV at Rangoon. One of the AVG
squadrons in there also.

[Dan Nichols]

A screenie of the Southern portion of China.

I have my units in good defensive terrain for the most part. The IJA units to the East of Wenchow
were removed with malice a few turns ago.

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18115 troops, 93 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 616

Defending force 3234 troops, 20 guns, 84 vehicles, Assault Value = 127

Allied adjusted assault: 478

Japanese adjusted defense: 106

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
839 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 37 (12 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Units retreated 3


Allied ground losses:
446 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabledDefeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
100th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
16th Construction Regiment
10th Group Army
3rd War Area
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force

Defending units:
26th Recon Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
10th RGC Temp. Division

those RGC units are really only good for garrison duty, not combat.

[Dan Nichols]

And the last one for today is the Southern DEI. Considering the date, I think I have delayed him a good bit.

[obvert]

I'd say he is a fair way behind schedule. Nice work.

Do you plan any special fortresses in the DEI or are you spreading things evenly to slow him everywhere. Looks like you've had plenty of time to prepare.

[Dan Nichols]

Hi obvert, I am mostly building up Palembang to hopefully damage some of the oil and refineries when he takes it. I have the 3 A-24 squadrons training, training, training in Naval Attack. I have some Stringbags in place. I have all of the Dutch bombers training in Low Naval attack. I am hopeful of hitting some of his transports with some of the 300kg bombs they carry. I know that the DEI is toast in this mod, so the most I can reasonably hope for is to delay him and increase the cost some.

Jan 18-19, 1942

Not a lot happening. The Big E made it to Seattle and is now in the body and fender shop for 62 days. Last turn the TF was at Victoria and I off loaded all of the air units. They are moving towards the North Pacific. An AMC sank one of my ACMs and probably a couple of xAKLs. I have both BB Warspite and BB Colorado heading to locations near the action. I also moved 4 B-26 units that have been training on Low Naval to Junaeu and will move further into NorPac. One of the SBD units from Big E went North also.

He tried using FT to take Horn Island, and it didn't work - Thank you John 3rd.
Ground combat at Horn Island (91,128)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1624 troops, 4 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 56

Defending force 450 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 16

Allied adjusted assault: 13

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 13 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
A Coy/49th Aus Battalion
Torres Strait Battalion
Horn Isl Det. Base Force

Defending units:
II/84th Naval Guard Unit

II/84th Naval Guard Unit Wiped Out at Horn Island by attrition!!!

He is bombing ground troops using Bettys and Nells a lot. He has lost 24 Nells and 48 Bettys. I do hope that some of
those took elite pilots with them. On the other hand, he seems to have about 500 A6M2 units!!

[JocMeister]

Nice to see you doing an AAR! I actually installed the extended map to have a looksie a week ago. Its really cool!

I think you are doing really well so far! Will follow this. Good luck! [:)]

[Dan Nichols]

Hi Jock.

It looks like I have not updated for the last 4 days( 2 turns ). Not a lot happening at this time.
Most of the action is occurring in the Souther DEI. He has taken Ambon and landed at Kendari. He has
been trying to take Samarinda using Paratroops, but the plucky dutch will not give in. He has suffered
a number of damaged and I thin 2 or 3 sunk ships at Tarakan. His Amphibious TFs did not seem to contain
an CA/CL ships to engage the 75 and 150 CD guns. This is the type of report I am seeing:

Invasion Support action off Tarakan (67,91) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

62 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 1
xAK Tsukuba Maru, Shell hits 14, on fire
PB Hakkaisan Maru
DD Hakaze
xAK Nanko Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Palau Maru


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
-----------
I tried to slip the British CL Caladan into Ambon but she ate a sub torpedo on the way( 55/55/25/0 ). She is limping back\ to Darwin now and not sure she will make it.
I dispatched CL Glasgow and CL Enterprise from Perth to try and disrupt things. He is surely loading or unloading some
valuable troops and I might be able to get in and sink a few transports and get out again.
-------
He has yet to cross into Singapore and I am awaiting that. I am considering using 150 PPs to change out the commander of
Malaya Army HQ. Percival is so terrible of a commander. I have spent 50 PPs each to change the commanders of the 9th and
11th Indian Divisions. I to make up my mind in the next turn or so. It seems so much but is only 1.5 turns worth of PPs to
change him.
----
No sight of anything moving to Java or Sumatra. Palembang grows slowly. No real FP in progress, but I am trying to get the
forts up to 4 or 5 and maybe about 450 - 500 AV. That will take a couple of Divisions and some time to take.
----
I continue to move supplies from India to Rangoon. The Burma road is still open. I have moved about 25,000 supply so far
and more are moving in. I have lost a few xAKLs to subs, but I have loads of them.
------
China is still pretty much a stalemate. He is doing bombardment attack at two locations but it is just raising my
experience. He is trying to surround those locations and I think I will move out of one to better terrain for me.
It also will be off the rail line and the stacking limit is about 2/3 of the one I am in.