Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Mike Solli]

Ok guys. I made some notes that I haven't posted yet. The game is somewhere in early May. Gotta check to see where. Anyway, here goes:


25 Apr 42

Sub War

The I-157, patrolling off Horne Island, ate a depth charge from a DD ASW TF. Her damage amounted to 22-46(33)-10-(5)-0. She’ll survive but she’ll be out of commission awhile.

5 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

4 Fleet

Nothing new to report.

SE Fleet

Ted refuses to come up and play over Pt. Moresby, but his B-17s continue to attack my airfields. Today they hit Milne Bay destroying a Zero on the ground.

China

Another attack on the 3 remaining surrounded Chinese units east of Sinyang wore them down some more.

Burma

There was a big battle in the air over Cox’s Bazaar. Overall, I had 2 Oscars shot down with an additional 2 op losses for the following Allied losses:

1x Hurricane IIa Trop shot down
5x Hurricane I Trop shot down with an additional op loss
4x P-40E shot down with an additional op loss

SRA

Nothing new to report.

Australia

The DA against Darwin was successful. The 5:1 attack beat up and pushed out the defenders. Losses were 178(1) Japanese to 2245(407) Aussies. The Darwin resources were 19(1).

Other Stuff

Reinforcements:

I-32 – Will be stationed at Singapore for use in the Bay of Bengal AO.
xAKL Etashima Maru (Std-E Class) – That’s a game winner!
A/50 JNAF AF Co – This is the first of 3 companies in this battalion sized unit. I used to combine such units but saw the light this time around. I’ll keep them as they are to station on 3 separate bases. They each have 8 AS and a few engineers. They’ll be able to maintain a chutai (for ASW or Naval Search as needed) and to slowly increase the fort level of the base.

Tongoo’s airfield reached level 4 on its way to level 7. It’s be where the 3 Air Division HQ is stationed and will be a major base for bombers and recon, along with some fighter support.

[Mike Solli]

26 Apr 42

Not much happened today other than in the air.

Over Cox’s Bazaar, more air superiority sweeps caused the loss of 3 Oscars (and 3 op losses) compared with 4 British fighters shot down and an additional 4 op losses.

B-17s hit Buna and Lae, shooting down an Oscar and destroying an Oscar and Zero on the ground for no US loss. There was no damage to the airfields.

[SuluSea]

Good to see you back in the saddle Mike!

[Empire101]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

Good to see you back in the saddle Mike!

+1

[zuluhour]

+1

[Mike Solli]

Happy Thanksgiving guys! I've actually been doing turns (a couple at least) and need to catch up here. I'm a couple weeks or so behind. I'll work on catching up as I can this weekend. [:)]

Question for you guys. I have started my first training unit to train Kamikaze pilots in LowNav. What do you guys train them up to for experience and LowNav?

[PaxMondo]

For kami ... I get good success at anything over 40/40.  50/50 is almost too good for them.  It really doesn't take much, and remember they will only fly once and half of them are just ablative armor to allow the other half to get through anyway.  For that first half it won't matter what training they have.

[Mike Solli]

27 Apr 42 - I'm going to hit the high points until I get caught up. I can't remember the details of 2 game weeks from 4 months ago to babble about everything unfortunately. [:D]

Sub War

The I-30 caught and sank an xAK off Kodiak Island up in Alaska. That seems to be the hub for Ted's ops there so I'll allocate a sub division (2x fleet subs and a Glen sub) to keeping an eye on the place.

SE Fleet

Fighting over Buna, Lae, Finchaven and Milne Bay cost the following:

2x Oscars shot down
1x Zero shot down
An xAK sunk by Do-24s flying out of Merauke! Damn Do-24s!

5x B-17s shot down!

Burma

Big air battle over Cox's Bazaar cost the IJAAF 8x Oscars (and an op loss) vs. 5 Hurricanes and 2 P-40s (+5 more op losses). I can afford the pilots but not the planes. I really need the Tojos to accelerate and come on board.

A bombardment force of 1 BB and 5 CAs hit Chittagong and destroyed a P-40 on the ground.

Australia

Pt. Hedland easily fell to an IJA tank regiment.

Merauke is quickly becoming a bastion for Ted. I had MKB, a surface group and a couple of invasion forces headed there. You'll see what happened in the next few turns. Ted sent the CL Adelaide out and caught a supply convoy a few hexes west of Merauke sinking 2 xAKs and damaging a PB for no damage.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: C/50 JNAF Co - Tokyo - This unit (and the other two that make up the battalion) will garrison an island along the SLOC from the SRA to maintain a FP chutai performing ASW/Naval Search along the SLOC.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

For kami ... I get good success at anything over 40/40.  50/50 is almost too good for them.  It really doesn't take much, and remember they will only fly once and half of them are just ablative armor to allow the other half to get through anyway.  For that first half it won't matter what training they have.

Thanks Pax. 40/40 sounds good. I'll be able to train them that much quicker doing that.

Is the family well?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Happy Thanksgiving guys! I've actually been doing turns (a couple at least) and need to catch up here. I'm a couple weeks or so behind. I'll work on catching up as I can this weekend. [:)]

Question for you guys. I have started my first training unit to train Kamikaze pilots in LowNav. What do you guys train them up to for experience and LowNav?

I try to get my pilot LowNav skills north of 50 for Kamikaze duties-60 is better. I've not trained to experience per se, and have no idea if that's worthwhile or important.

[Mike Solli]

28 Apr 42

China

The all important attack on Lanchow happened today. There wasn't much defending the place so I took it easily in a 38:1 DA, catching 3x I-15s and 3x I-16s on the ground as well. Most importantly, I captured the infrastructure intact:

Manpower: 1(1)
Resources: 60(0)
Oil: 90(0)!
Refinery: 90(0)
LI: 60(0)

I shut off the refinery so the oil will move without spoilage. Now, China/Manchuria/Korea has excess oil! Once I get the Std- conversions (beginning in Jun 42) I'll allocate a few to make the Pt. Arthur-Nagasaki run to haul the excess to Japan.

My next goal is Sian, with it's oil. The army is headed there.

Burma

More fighting over Cox's Bazaar cost me 4x Oscars for a Hurricane and 2x P-40s.

SE Fleet

One Zero was lost vs. the B-17s that came to visit Lae.

Australia

Derby was liberated.

Some Allied bombers (didn't record the type) put a bomb into Kinugasa and an xAK just 1 hex NW of Merauke.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: AV Akitsushima

[Mike Solli]

Are you able to get a significant quantity of trained pilots up to that level?

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Happy Thanksgiving guys! I've actually been doing turns (a couple at least) and need to catch up here. I'm a couple weeks or so behind. I'll work on catching up as I can this weekend. [:)]

Question for you guys. I have started my first training unit to train Kamikaze pilots in LowNav. What do you guys train them up to for experience and LowNav?

I try to get my pilot LowNav skills north of 50 for Kamikaze duties-60 is better. I've not trained to experience per se, and have no idea if that's worthwhile or important.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

For kami ... I get good success at anything over 40/40.  50/50 is almost too good for them.  It really doesn't take much, and remember they will only fly once and half of them are just ablative armor to allow the other half to get through anyway.  For that first half it won't matter what training they have.

Thanks Pax. 40/40 sounds good. I'll be able to train them that much quicker doing that.

Is the family well?

Family is very well. Everyone is hale and healthy. Thanks. Trust you and yours are all well too.

[Mike Solli]

29 Apr 42

Sub War

The I-168, patrolling off Aukland, put a torpedo into the TK Gulfcoast. Then she attacked again and put another 4 torpedoes into her. I suspect she sank. [:D]

SE Fleet

B-17s visited Lae again destroying a Zero, Oscar and Sally on the ground at a cost of 1x B-17 shot down.

Burma

More fighting over Cox's Bazaar cost Ted 7x Hurricanes and 2 more op losses for just 2x Oscar op losses. Banzai!

Merauke

The battle for Merauke has begun! I sent a surface group consisting of Aoba and Kinugasa, escorted by DDs Shirakumo and Usugumo into Merauke to clear out the shipping there. They first found the CL Adelaide, which they sank easily. Then they located a merchant convoy and sank an xAP while damaging 3x xAKLs. Then, they ran across 4 enemy DDs, sinking the Gridley and Maury. Now the tough part... They came across the CA Australia escorted by the DD Alwyn. The Australia is one tough ship. She sank the Kinugasa and heavily damaged the Usugumo. In return, the Allied ships took light to moderate damage. Finally, MKB got into the fray. Four Kates showed up putting 2 torps into the Australia, leaving her burning and heavily damaged. One Kate was shot down. Then, 9 Vals showed up sinking one of the damaged xAKLs. Finally, 6 more Kates showed up putting a 250 kg bomb into DD Monssen leaving her on fire and heavily damaged.

The loss of the Kinugasa was the first CA I have ever lost since I got WitP way back in 2004. [8|] At least It was the most obsolete of the CAs. Guess I'll have to get used to it because I'm sure I'll lose most of them in the course of this game. [:(]

That was day one....

Other Stuff

Lots of reinforcements:

SC Ch-29 - ASW
Maizuru 3 SNLF - 5 Fleet - Heading to the Aleutians.
301, 302 & 303 Independent Infantry Battalions - 5 Fleet - Garrison duty north of Hokkaido.
Kure 5 SNLF - SE Fleet - To Truk then south.
Yokosuka 5 SLNL - SE Fleet - To Truk then south.
Ichiki Det - 4 Fleet - To Saipan. Not sure if it'll stay there or not.
79 & 80 Grsn Bns - They appeared in Singapore and will stay there as part of the garrison.

The A6M5 R&D advanced to Jul 43. I have 3x 30 factories doing the R&D.

[Mike Solli]

Yes, my family is doing great. My son graduates from college next month. He's coming back home (he's here now for the holiday) and will stay until next fall when he heads off for grad school. My daughter has 4 semesters to go. She's heading to Florida (University of Central Florida) in January. Exciting times in the Solli household. You're aware of my new career. I absolutely love it. My wife was working part time while she got her business (organizing and cleaning homes) going. She quit her part time job earlier this month because she ran out of time for the business. We've put exactly $180 into advertising (over a year ago) and now word of mouth is rapidly filling up her time. I had no idea it would work out so well for her.

[Mike Solli]

30 Apr 42

SE Fleet

Today, Ted's B-17s hit Gasmata, destroying 2 Betties and a Sally on the ground for the loss of 1x B-17 shot down.

Merauke

The only thing that happened today was the Usugumo and Monssen sank from yesterday's damage.

China

Another attack on the surrounded Chinese units a hex SE of Sinyang. There are 3 or 4 units left there, the remains of about 50 Chinese units that I surrounded early in the war. These attacks will continue to wear them down until they are gone.

Other Stuff

Reinforcements:

xAKL Tenpei Maru - Std-E - I didn't really intend to get this ship. I'll use it to haul resources from that island on the north side of Japan, just 1 hex off the coast.
SC CHa-33 - ASW
17 Army HQ - Headed to SE Fleet.

[Mike Solli]

1 May 42

Sub War

The I-170 put a torpedo into an xAK just north of Noumea.

SE Fleet

B-17s visited Gasmata again destroying a Betty and Sally on the ground. While the B-17s are definitely a nuisance, they can not yet keep any of my airfields closed. I also have too many in that area: Gasmata, Rabaul, Lae, Finschaven, Buna and Milne Bay, with more building.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: B/50 JNAF Co.

My G3M2 factory upgraded to G3M3. Also, my Ki-45-KAIc factory came online, at a size of 13. I don't get any FB units for awhile so I'll let it build away until then.

[Mike Solli]

2 May 42

Burma

Rough day in the air over Cox's Bazaar today. I lost 11x Oscars [X(] [:(] to 2x Hurricanes and 2x P-40s, along with 2 op losses on each side.

Australia

I have 2x divisions and an artillery regiment chasing the rabble that I pushed out of Darwin. They caught them at Fenton and beat them up again, pushing them south.

Merauke

I had spotted what I thought was the badly damaged Australia heading toward Horn Island and sent MKB in pursuit to try and take her out. They launched and caught and sank an xAK at Horn Island. *Sigh*

Some Nells, escorted by Zeros launched against a TF at Merauke. Ted has P-40s there and a P-40 and Zero were both lost. The Nells missed.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: Junyo! - She's headed to pick up Taiyo at Formosa and they will head to reinforce MKB. Once there, MKB will be composed of those ships along with Zuiho, Shoho and Hosho. The plane complement will be around 150 planes. Taiyo, by the way is carrying a 9 Zero chutai and the 18 plane Val daitai from Hiryu.

The A6M3a factories advanced to Nov 42.

[Mike Solli]

3 May 42

Sub War

The Ro-67 sank an xAKL off Pt. Moresby that was allegedly carrying vehicles.

Merauke

A couple of Nell attacks went after shipping here. overall, losses were 3 Zeros and 4 P-40s with no ships hit. Not sure if this is worth the effort. My Zero pilots are at a premium right now. I have ~20 experience 70+ pilots as a reserve for KB. I put only experience 50+ pilots into the land based Zero units and have none available right now. I need more IJNAF fighter training units.

Other Stuff

Rangoon's airfield reached level 7 finally. The magic number...

[Mike Solli]

4 May 42

SE Fleet

A Sally raid hit Pt. Moresby and destroyed a P-40 on the ground. I don't have the bomber strength in the area yet to make it stick though. I'm still trying to increase my airfields in the area to help with that problem.

Merauke

Three Japanese air attacks flew against Merauke today. For the cost of 4 Zeros, I took out 4x P-40s and sank the DD Meredith and put a 250 kg bomb into the DD Grayson.