Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

The Japanese Carrier Fleet will be regathered at Pt Hedlund tomorrow. Am waiting on a bit more fuel and the finish of the Java Campaign. I shall then use the FULL Kaigun to Sweep around Perth and land 2.5 ID in the South to begin the work of taking western Australia. If the American CVs are present or in the area, I would welcome a major fight.

Corunna Downs will be Lvl-2 AF and fly about 100 Transports that will be used to capture Kalgoorlie with the SNLF Assault Para Brigade. A back-up Brigade waits there to fly in as ground reinforcements once the Paras have done their job. North of Geraldton sits two SNLF Assault Brigades and an IJA Brigade ready to advance down and invest the city there. These are the major forces in the Western Australia Operation.

[John 3rd]

Am home for a few minutes and noticed that I hadn't mentioned the most important development of last turn. When my Zeros swept into Perth they were greeted by 31 F4F Wildkittens! Wow! Looks like I pulled back CarDiv5 just in the nick of time. This development was quite welcome and the Zeros did rather well. I am going to act like I am 'stung' from the development and then bring the ENTIRE carrier fleet down to SWEEP those Kittens from the sky, crush the AF, and sink any ships in Port. It will be beautiful!

In a rather sad development, my AOs that were traveling behind CarDiv5 wandered a bit too close to Perth and suffered an attack by A-24s. I lost an AO (which truly SUCKS!) for the error.

These two developments lead me to WANT to bring the CVs down because I should be able to crush any bomber component at Perth as well as the Fighters. This is an excellent opportunity to kill off a bunch of US Planes, pilots, and get Dan's attention. Whether the planes (F4Fs) are from Marine or Navy squadrons makes no difference. These are his best planes and pilots. It shall be as "one touch on a an armored sleeve."

[John 3rd]

Here is the early-April VP Screen:

[John 3rd]

Japanese Naval Losses to this point total: 2 CA, 3 CL, 9 DD, and 3 SS (2 I-Boat and 1 Ro-):

[John 3rd]

At the command of Vc Adm Yamaguchi Tamon, the Kaigun weighs anchor. CarDiv1 (2 CV and a CVL), CarDiv2 (2CV and a CVL), CarDiv3 (2 CV and a CVL), and the 2 CVLs and 2 CVEs of KB along with 58 escorts depart their temporary haven at Pt Hedlund. Just enough fuel has been loaded to bring the Capital Ships to full load. On the 13 flight decks carry an impressive 656 aircraft. The sole objective of this short mission is wiping out EVERY plane at Perth, smashing the AF, and destroying every ship in its harbor. It is to be a demonstration of Japanese concentrated firepower. Shock and AWE might be an excellent description...

[janh]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Shock and AWE might be an excellent description...

An interesting development. It makes me wonder how your opponent is actually viewing the situation. Is he misreading it? Will it be "awe" like in fear, or more like in "outch"?

Poor Chokai, a mine casualty that early on -- that s*cks. You also have lost quite a number of destroyers by now, but at least you made them count. That's probably the more important thing. This game is going a lot tougher than the other one. BtW, is the latter "done"?

[John 3rd]

Hey Janh. I thought we were finished but Lew just sent me a turn. Plan on running it right after this.

As to the Shock and Awe factor, I have no idea as to how Dan will see it. Just want to destroy those planes and hit the shipping present in the harbor. Should serve as a warning I hope.

Just totalled the aircraft on the CVs: 300 Zero, 173 Val, and 186 Kate.

[John 3rd]

Here is what is hitting Changsha pretty much every day:

[ny59giants]

Changsha - With the Chinese having so few engineers, I would consider leaving just the Lily or Sally on AF attacks and switch the others over to ground attacks to increase the disruption levels of his troops if you plan another deliberate attack relatively soon.

[Capt. Harlock]

Here is the early-April VP Screen:

Very interesting, but the fact that the Japanese have already lost more aircraft points than the Allies at the beginning of April '42 is a disturbing omen. Perhaps your latest op will correct that.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Changsha - With the Chinese having so few engineers, I would consider leaving just the Lily or Sally on AF attacks and switch the others over to ground attacks to increase the disruption levels of his troops if you plan another deliberate attack relatively soon.

He has moved in 3-4 Base Forces and 3 AA units. The air over Changsha is...rather...active. I keep waiting for other airfields to open so his fighters can move in there but am constrained to think about his limits due to supply and lack of Chinese BF. Am sort of expecting some Allied BF to appear sometime...

He must be eating up his supply at a fearsome rate. In 3-4 hexes a turn he bombards and periodically launches attacks. My AF hits are chewing into supply as well. Must be thin to say the least. How does one take serious advantage of that? Will his units simply fold if out of supply?

An important observation for the last two turns comes in the form of NO FLAK over Kweilin or Liuchow.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Here is the early-April VP Screen:

Very interesting, but the fact that the Japanese have already lost more aircraft points than the Allies at the beginning of April '42 is a disturbing omen. Perhaps your latest op will correct that.

You are correct. IT is worrisome. Have lost a lot of planes to flak over Singers and then Clark. He has executed several admirable CAP Traps recently accounting for nearly 80 planes. Have strong hopes for success in doing some serious sweeping at Perth. The same could be said within China now that he is heavily committed with the P-40 Wing and Hurricane Wing present.

[John 3rd]

Well...the last turn sums up my experience with this campaign.

KB moves into strike position on the morning of April 5, 1942 and is socked in by weather. The same is said for Carnavon. I have two full Daitai of Zeros (54) set to Sweep Perth from there and all three CVLs Zeros (93) also set. Vals and Kates are set for Naval Attack THEN Port Strike/Airfield Attack. The weather disrupts these carefully crafted plans. Afternoon comes around and NONE OF THE SWEEPS FLY AT ALL. A total of 147 Zero sit on the sidelines doing nothing.

In comes a massive strike 62 Zero, 121 Val, and 133 Kates. They are met by--GET THIS--84 F4F and 20 P-40s. He has transferred EVERY Fighter from 4 CVs to Perth. The Zeros desperately try to keep the bombers protected and FAIL terribly. Down go 18 Zero, 19 Val, 14 Kate. The fun keeps developing as a second strike comes in of 12 Zero, 50 Val, and 45 Kate vs roughly 50 Fighters. Down goes MOST of the strike!

It is/was horrific to watch.

Losses for the Day: 27 Zero, 57 Val, and 45 Kate. Pilots: KIA 70, WIA 6, and Missing 44.

Don't even want to talk about.



Add to this my opponent is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hyper-sensitive about comment made in email banter between turns. He launched 4 separate attacks in China that netted nothing. I commented that "I guess trees work BOTH ways." He took offense to it. After I watched the horror described above I sent the turn with a terse "Fine. I will never talk about ANYTHING in the campaign."

CRAP!

Going to church and repent...

[Capt. Harlock]

Add to this my opponent is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hyper-sensitive about comment made in email banter between turns. He launched 4 separate attacks in China that netted nothing. I commented that "I guess trees work BOTH ways." He took offense to it."

Well, some people like to wait until Christmas morning to open their presents. It's only polite not to drop hints.

[pws1225]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

It is/was horrific to watch.

Losses for the Day: 27 Zero, 57 Val, and 45 Kate. Pilots: KIA 70, WIA 6, and Missing 44.

Don't even want to talk about.

Damned bad luck. How many bad die rolls can one guy get? But no worries, man, got a caboose!

[John 3rd]

I was just so damned angry with the last turn I wanted to spit nails. The sheer number of bad rolls it took for that aerial disaster to happen boggles the mind.

Got the next turn in the box but don't even want to open it. pws is right. Have gotten spoiled on Lew and I's game where nearly every move I made was GOLDEN whereas every move made here has been LEAD.

On the bright side I did get some serious work done in the Caboose today. Let me pull up a picture and I shall Post it.

[John 3rd]

Here is the newest shot of our family caboose. Windows have now been installed and Union Pacific has given us two old Switchers from the Rail Yard here in town. Those guys have been such a help to us with donating the ties and two pieces of track. They make a pass or two every week watching for progress.

Our next step is to finish re-installing the stove and chimney (with Pipe to go on the outside roof). I plan to run the wire next week from our new garage to the fuze box of the caboose. We'll then see what circuits still work and start the re-wiring process...

[John 3rd]

Didn't quite plan on the caboose picture being sooooo big!

[Saros]

Ouch. The probably cause of that is the weather was too bad for anything to fly but there is a fudge factor or something in the calculations that means strikes from carriers will pretty much always fly if it is even remotely possible. Obviously it is there to prevent things like carriers getting wiped out without launching back but it is a nightmare to deal with when using CV against land targets.

As you have learned it seems to not effect sweep missions. I had the same thing happen to me on a day 2 pearl harbor strike once.

[John 3rd]

The war does have to go on...

April 6, 1942

The massed Kaigun retires towards Port Hedlund. Will cut the pair of CVEs off of the Fleet and send them home. Need to re-size about 6 units up there where they will also gain a sister in about 30 Days. Junyo will travel with them and form-up with her sister--Hiyo--to form a small Striking Force that will be used in the North. Two CV and 3 CVE are not much but since--obviously--his CVs are in Australian waters they should not have too much to fear.

Akutan, Cold Bay, and Dutch Harbor each have only 1 or 2 units in them. Akutan has a Marine Regiment and Cold Bay has 34th Inf Reg present. A full Infantry Division and Brigade are on their way to the Aleutians to tackle these dangling units. NE Fleet (a Command HQ in this Game) is moving up to Umnak to provide support for the eventual landings.

At Singapore two full strength Infantry Divisions, their Army HQ (25th Army) and an Engineering Regiment begin loading for Port Blair. Southern Army HQ is now sitting fat and pretty at Sabang so the Assault units will gain the added bonus of the Command HQ.

The last base in all of Java--Batavia--is attacked by 3 Inf Div seeing a 1-1 and Forts drop to 1. A Shock Attack is ordered for the 7th to finish resistance here.

China is frustrating Dan and I am enjoying that. I feels like this is the one area where I am really annoying him! I have slipped a Division through his Main Line of Defense and am driving into the Rear of the Chinese Defenses. Will make an attempt to grab one of his rear cities on the plains where Airpower and my Paras can help. He will cutoff this ID from the rear but we'll see if the Changsha Defensive Line can hold. Changsha itself gains the 59th ID this day and a Deliberate Attack is ordered to see if there is a realistic chance to dislodge the troops there. Just want to keep pushing and see if the dam collapses. Every attack he has ordered since April 1st has met with a 1-2 or worse result. Supply MUST be critical right now for him.


Apologize for the whining over the last few entries but I am crazy frustrated and mad over that Perth disaster. Losing a bunch of CV Aircraft in a CV Battle is one thing but to lose so many for no result when weather, bad rolls, and terrible luck have to ALL occur for the disaster to occur is mighty frustrating. Will curtain the tears and move forward...