Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[JocMeister]

Ouch on the SD time in the yards. How many days are added on the refit you think?

Are you going to jump up through the Solomons?

[witpqs]

1942 December 13

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious operations at:


There were Allied amphibious operations at:


The Chinese forces are still tenuously holding their ground.

Ground combat at 72,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15858 troops, 112 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 490

Defending force 12124 troops, 37 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 298

Japanese adjusted assault: 358

Allied adjusted defense: 559

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
460 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 50 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
452 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 39 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 9 disabled

Assaulting units:
55th Infantry Brigade
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
104th/B Division

Defending units:
16th Construction Regiment
1st Construction Regiment
39th New Chinese Division
25th Chinese Corps
4th Construction Regiment
6th Construction Regiment
5th Construction Regiment


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

Ground combat at 73,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4245 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 121

Defending force 20940 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 643

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

Assaulting units:
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment

Defending units:
50th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
79th Chinese/B Corps

One more xAKL was destroyed near Karachi. A 4 x DD ASW team is prosecuting contacts but scored no hits.

Cox's Bazar was again the target, and this time the bombardment was effective. Only a few planes were destroyed but the base is heavily damaged.

Night Naval bombardment of Cox's Bazar at 54,43

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 33 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
P-39D Airacobra: 25 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 17 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato
CA Ashigara
CL Tama
CL Kuma
CL Jintsu
DD Shiranui
DD Isokaze
DD Maikaze
DD Hatsukaze
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 9 (3 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (4 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 28
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Yamato
BB Yamato firing at Cox's Bazar
CA Ashigara firing at Cox's Bazar
CL Tama firing at Cox's Bazar
CL Kuma firing at Cox's Bazar
CL Jintsu firing at Cox's Bazar
DD Shiranui firing at 70th British Division
DD Isokaze firing at 27th Infantry Division
DD Maikaze firing at Cox's Bazar
DD Hatsukaze firing at Cox's Bazar
DD Yugumo firing at Cox's Bazar

The Empire's aggressive use of subs is costing them. These are the most recent claimed sinkings.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch on the SD time in the yards. How many days are added on the refit you think?

Are you going to jump up through the Solomons?

Now it's down to 84 days or something like that. I've noticed that often the first turn in gives a higher reading than what really happens. Maybe sometimes a refit will help as broken stuff is just pulled out and replaced anyway. Dunno. Of course if I put other ships in that yard the time will increase.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch on the SD time in the yards. How many days are added on the refit you think?

Are you going to jump up through the Solomons?

Now it's down to 84 days or something like that. I've noticed that often the first turn in gives a higher reading than what really happens. Maybe sometimes a refit will help as broken stuff is just pulled out and replaced anyway. Dunno. Of course if I put other ships in that yard the time will increase.

Conversely, if you can send everything else to other yards, you can put SD on high priority or critical repair and minimize the time. At Alameda, using extra supply for the repair shouldn't be an issue.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch on the SD time in the yards. How many days are added on the refit you think?

Are you going to jump up through the Solomons?

Now it's down to 84 days or something like that. I've noticed that often the first turn in gives a higher reading than what really happens. Maybe sometimes a refit will help as broken stuff is just pulled out and replaced anyway. Dunno. Of course if I put other ships in that yard the time will increase.

Conversely, if you can send everything else to other yards, you can put SD on high priority or critical repair and minimize the time. At Alameda, using extra supply for the repair shouldn't be an issue.

Well, if no other ship is in that yard then priority doesn't matter. I do plan of leaving that yard to her alone. The two other fast BBs coming Stateside for refit are going to Bremerton even though there is an old BB there reparing. I just want to get them done quickly and the old BB being a bit longer won't matter to me. Saratoga is in SF and there will be the odd refits and repairs there but I think it will still be quicker than using Mare Island. I might be wrong - there is a ton of naval support there. Maybe I should send the two fast BBs there.

Do you know if Naval Support helps with ship yard repairs?

[BBfanboy]

My impression is that Naval Support helps with alongside repairs but nothing can help shipyard repairs. There is a finite limit on the number of SY repair points used per turn and your only option is to change priorities to direct them to specific ships.
ARs, ARDs, AFDs are a different repair type and do not use nor assist SY repair points either.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch on the SD time in the yards. How many days are added on the refit you think?

Are you going to jump up through the Solomons?

Just realized that I missed the second part of your question.

Yes, I think so. I have a lot prepped for the lower part of the Solomons and if I get a good foothold there are a good chain of bases all the way into the DEI and/or bomber range of Japan. Soon the second run of B-24 models will come along with much higher production and that should help. I might not push into that island chain until the carriers all have their late '42 refits and are back on station. I don't know how long Enterprise will take to repair and refit, but I presume that will be less time than Saratoga, so Sara might miss the initial invasion.

The Gilberts might come first or maybe start with only a little cover as a decoy. Plenty of time to mull over the plan.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

My impression is that Naval Support helps with alongside repairs but nothing can help shipyard repairs. There is a finite limit on the number of SY repair points used per turn and your only option is to change priorities to direct them to specific ships.
ARs, ARDs, AFDs are a different repair type and do not use nor assist SY repair points either.

Then I guess they'll continue on to Bremerton. At least that naval support at Mare Island overlaps to SF to help maintain all the supply and troop convoy ships.

[witpqs]

1942 December 14

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious operations at:


There were Allied amphibious operations at:


Three more xAKL near Karachi (two have sunk). The Empire is bragging that it's most aggressive sub captains are assigned there!

There appears to be a raiding force or something else heading in southwest of Johnston Island and northeast of Baker Island. It could be a picket force, but those might only have been the escorts seen.

Sub attack near Howland Island at 152,123

Japanese Ships
PB Sento Maru
PB Mikitade Maru

Allied Ships
SS Kingfish

SS Kingfish launches 2 torpedoes at PB Sento Maru
Kingfish diving deep ....
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Mikitade Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

IJN warships are stirring near Tulagi. Whether an ASW TF or a surface raid on or near Ndeni is unknown.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs
Three more xAKL near Karachi (two have sunk). The Empire is bragging that it's most aggressive sub captains are assigned there!

Maybe you can reprise what happened to Döenitz's U-boat aces between January and April 1943 - sink the top three!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

My impression is that Naval Support helps with alongside repairs but nothing can help shipyard repairs.

I think you are correct in this. I think Alfred made a post about this very recently but I can´t remember where I read it!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

My impression is that Naval Support helps with alongside repairs but nothing can help shipyard repairs.

I think you are correct in this. I think Alfred made a post about this very recently but I can´t remember where I read it!

Alfred made an extensive How-to post on Ship Repair in the War Room a few months back - excellent work. I think it came up because of a question about System Damage going up after a ship put into port and started repair of damaged weapons.

[witpqs]

Oh yeah - and Michael made a change so that wouldn't happen. IIRC it was something about not all the damage actually showing until repairs started, or something like that. Alfred's stuff is great in any event.

Well, there is one more xAKL or xAK convoy in the holding box from Abadan heading Karachi. There was another (about) 3-ship convoy at Abadan but I disbanded them. Except for those and one or two heavily damaged ships that disbanded at Karachi, the Empire has sunk all the merchants on the Abadan to Karachi route. A few more are en route from Aden to Abadan (indirectly of course) and I'll bring some back from Bombay to make up the deficit. Fewer are needed on that route because Abadan produces only a small amount of supply. The tankers are all at Abadan loaded up and awaiting escort.

I think that overall his subs have taken a beating because of the aggressive way he's used them. First, near Karachi where they are a very long way from home. Second, rushing various Allied bases in turn in the South Pacific where we (like Karachi) concentrate air and sea ASW assets against lots of targets in a small area.

Our use of subs has seen much less of that, and that we have done has been shorter duration. Plenty of damaged subs have come home and several have been sunk, so they're not exactly avoiding danger.

I didn't mention in the last post that another I-boat has shown up off the West Coast in the area our tankers traverse outbound. It's patrolled by an ASW TF and is the most heavily air-patrolled area for thousands of miles. That sub had been reported sunk but is again operating. Try again, boys! Maybe the blimps will get them this time.

[witpqs]

1942 December 15

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious operations at:


There were Allied amphibious operations at:


Still hanging on, just.

Ground combat at 72,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15573 troops, 112 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 463

Defending force 15570 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 423

Japanese adjusted assault: 275

Allied adjusted defense: 363

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
826 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 86 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1218 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 103 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
55th Infantry Brigade
104th/B Division

Defending units:
39th New Chinese Division
25th Chinese Corps
4th Construction Regiment
100th Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
16th Construction Regiment
1st Construction Regiment
6th Construction Regiment

One xAK was hit and lost near Bombay. As prey near Karachi dries up this will be their next hunting ground.

Near Ndeni the Dutch sortied to intercept the incoming IJN small raiders, and did so, but paid a price as they usually do.

Sub attack near Utupua at 120,145

Japanese Ships
SS I-7

Allied Ships
CL Tromp, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Java
DD Evertsen
DD Van Ghent
DD Banckert
DD Van Nes

SS I-7 launches 6 torpedoes at CL Tromp
I-7 diving deep ....
DD Van Ghent fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Banckert fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Van Nes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Van Nes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Van Nes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Van Nes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Van Nes attacking submerged sub ....
SS I-7 eludes ASW attack from DD Van Nes
SS I-7 eludes DD Van Nes by diving deep
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Ndeni at 120,142

Japanese Ships
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hayate

Allied Ships
SS Guardfish

SS Guardfish launches 2 torpedoes at DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hayate fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hayate fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hayate fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hayate fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hayate fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 97 encounters mine field at Ndeni (120,143)

Japanese Ships
DD Hayate, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage



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Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
AM Turkey
AM Rail
AM Lark


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 64% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Allied Mine Sweeping TF evades combat


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
AM Token
AM Swallow


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 64% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages AM Token at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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ASW attack near Ndeni at 120,142

Japanese Ships
SS I-17

Allied Ships
DD Kortenaer
CL De Ruyter
CL Java
DD Banckert
DD Van Nes
DD Witte de With

SS I-17 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Kortenaer
DD Banckert fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Van Nes fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Witte de With fails to find sub and abandons search
Escort abandons search for sub


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Day Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,142, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Sumatra
CL De Ruyter
DD Piet Hein
DD Kortenaer
DD Evertsen
DD Witte de With
DD Van Nes
DD Banckert

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 21,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
De Walt S. crosses the 'T'
CL Sumatra engages DD Urakaze at 15,000 yards
DD Banckert engages DD Urakaze at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages DD Banckert at 8,000 yards
CL Sumatra engages DD Urakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Urakaze at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages DD Evertsen at 5,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages DD Kortenaer at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CL Sumatra engages DD Urakaze at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Urakaze at 13,000 yards
Range increases to 16,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Urakaze at 16,000 yards
DD Witte de With engages DD Urakaze at 16,000 yards
DD Evertsen engages DD Urakaze at 16,000 yards
Range increases to 21,000 yards
DD Evertsen engages DD Urakaze at 21,000 yards
CL Java engages DD Urakaze at 21,000 yards
DD Van Nes engages DD Urakaze at 21,000 yards
DD Witte de With engages DD Urakaze at 21,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages DD Piet Hein at 21,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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Sub attack near Ndeni at 120,142

Japanese Ships
DD Tokitsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Guardfish

SS Guardfish launches 4 torpedoes
Guardfish diving deep ....
DD Tokitsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tokitsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tokitsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tokitsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tokitsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Tromp is in tough shape at 28-78(48)-2-0 and is making for Luganville under escort. No word on Hayate, but it looks like we got her.

Wasp will make Sydney by tomorrow night, possibly by sundown. Twelve days from now the shipyard will be empty except for her, so reasonable speed on repairs is expected. Barring distraction, Enterprise and the heavy cruisers are about eight days out of Pearl Harbor. The shipyard there will be within a few days of empty when they arrive and they will fill it right up. High priority will probably be given to Enterprise, but not critical priority as that would slow down things overall.

Ndeni is commencing search operations after two AVD made port today. 50 x P-40E fighters also are commencing CAP operations tomorrow. An air HQ with 48 support will arrive tomorrow, so the first day will be "if it breaks it stays broke". A convoy with substantial AA and coastal defense assets is moving up from Noumea and will be there in two or three days. A convoy with base and engineer assets will arrive at Luganville tomorrow, then pick up similar units for Ndeni back at Suva.

Based on sightings of our submarines, there are probably IJN assets a couple of hundred miles east of Ontong Java.

[princep01]

The good news is that Allied ASW just gets better and better, but in the meantime those IJN (over-rated in the game) are a deadly menace.  However, from the above chart, it appears that you have made a significant dent in their numbers.  Great that! 
 
I do wonder how the Japanese subs would have done had they run the doctrine most players choose in the game (doctrine off).  It did not take the Allies long to discern that the IJN sub target priority was warships, warships, warships, and if NOTHING else was around, then, okay we'll shoot at a large merchant or tanker.  As a result, the Allies did not even escort their Oz bound convoys after the first few months of the war.  That freed up a number of yes, warships:). 
 
The weakness regarding IJN subs (in my opinion) in the game is that they are too hardy.  They were big, slow and fairly easy targets if located.  I really think they are too hard a target as the game now stands.
 
All this said, I play with doctrine off too.....and I absolutely detest the buggers. 

[witpqs]

Well, one of those subs has already come off the list. But the real point is that they are indeed getting pounded as DAW HQ keeps sending them in harm's way. They've done OK for themselves, taking a number of big warships out of action and two others that should have been on that list (except for my decision to be aggressive with them and keep them at sea for a while). I wonder how long they will pester the area around Ndeni? Will they take a breather to be in better shape once the USN carriers are ready for the next go in about two months?

In the Pacific there is not much out there without escort, and only when well out of what I believe to be the IJN sub hunting zones. Thankfully now most tanker and merchant escort duties are now handled by patrol type ships. Still some DMS on duty there but they are gradually being replaced.

Then of course there is the Indian Ocean... [:(]

Alas, we shall being taking an even greater toll of them there, too.

Our USN subs are all rotating through for their late '42 refits, with a number already done and at sea heading to patrol areas. In about two weeks time the Mk14 armed subs will get a boost of 20% reduction in dud percentage! When Akagi is finally repaired she might get hit with 4 working torpedoes instead of 3. [:)]

[princep01]

Yes, getting the increase on torpedo hits that explode will be very nice and the IJN may feel it quickly.
 
If those three torps actually did hit Akagi, she might not make it home.  That would be REALLY! nice.  But, even if just two hit, then she will be out of action for 3+ months.
 
Those subs on the west side of India have a long haul  home, so any penetrating hits by the Brit Navy could cascade to a kill.  However. as noted above, I think the IJN subs are given too strong a hull.  They do seem to survive multiple DC hit at times and survive to fight another day.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: princep01

Yes, getting the increase on torpedo hits that explode will be very nice and the IJN may feel it quickly.

If those three torps actually did hit Akagi, she might not make it home.  That would be REALLY! nice.  But, even if just two hit, then she will be out of action for 3+ months.

Those subs on the west side of India have a long haul  home, so any penetrating hits by the Brit Navy could cascade to a kill.  However. as noted above, I think the IJN subs are given too strong a hull.  They do seem to survive multiple DC hit at times and survive to fight another day.

Message from Walter: "You should spend less time on the forums and more time on ASL!" [:D]

[witpqs]

1942 December 16

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious operations at:


There were Allied amphibious operations at:


At least two more days for Cox's Bazar to be repaired. The engineers are in good shape already and no doubt working at high efficiency.

We lost 6 x P-38s (including ops) in sweeps coordinating with the bombing of Milne Bay port facilities. In exchange about 15 IJ fighters were taken, so the Empire's ambush was a bust.

DD Van Ghent got CL Tromp safely into harbor at Luganville and has rejoined the rest of the Dutch fleet.

The plan when Ndeni and Luganville airfields are both ready is to have paratroopers seize both Rennell Island and Kirakira. The following day 4EBs will hit Tulagi hoping to catch many fighters off LRCAPing those two bases and cause many ops losses. It will be quite a while before Ndeni and Luganville airfields are ready for that.

This part of China is getting quite interesting. Not necessarily in a good way!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

This part of China is getting quite interesting. Not necessarily in a good way!

Well, 'tis the season for "The Nutcracker".