Wild Sheep Chase - obvert (J) vs JocMeister (A)

[catwhoorg]

Glad to see the game moving again

I'll resume my quiet lurking of both AARs.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]AIR LOSSES[/font]
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Since 4E losses are worth twice the VPs of other planes, and rightly so, I rejoice whenever this many go down. Even though we agreed at start not to worry about VPs I am starting to realize it's very fun to be able to measure the parts of game that have meaning for both sides by looking at these calculations. It is feeling like a very close indication and correlation to the 'feeling' of where we are right now. I'm not that interested in necessarily winning on VPs, although I'd certainly like to try, but really just to see where we are according to standards set up when the game was created. It helps too to put in perspective the kind of complexity of the endgame, where losses are massive and regular and where the Allies seemingly can shrug off any set-back and keep coming strong.

We're both losing a good amount of search planes but I think my recon is taking more of a hit from his CAP than mine. Even with the faster Myrt and Dinah III the pools are always at zero. I've spent a lot on recon but I'm starting to emphasize both search and recon less as the war moves on, only choosing certain turns to really turn it all on. I'll miss some things, but I'm pretty powerless to stop most of it anyway right now as LBA simply can't get the numbers up to get through his CAP except in the backwaters of Central and South Pacific.

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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]10 October 1944[/font]
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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] The I-43 continues the undersea barrage by hitting another transport near Wake and getting out clean. Very rare and welcome in these days of nearly automatic ASW from both sides.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]STRAT BOMBING:[/font] Jocke hits Miri with B-29s again, and there isn't much left here. I've stopped sending tankers here. Only one or two losses for the behemoths.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S DEI: [/font] Some ships seem to be moving out from Darwin, but I'm still not moving my ships out from the Lomblen CAP unless there is a clear target. Firstly the mines are still here from the B-29 aerial mining. I've had to send in barges from Koepang to get more supply to the CAP planes and let them keep drop tanks. Luckily only a few hit the mines. The unlucky ones probably also helps the DL rise on the minefield, and maybe my AMc on the way down from Soerabaja might have better luck than the two AM that just hit mines and sank here.

I did bring in 70 Frances just ranged for Dili and Lautem so if he does advance, something will meet him hopefully. Not too concerned as there are enough troops to likely slow him in both places, but not stop the advance for long. He'll likely just pile more divisions on considering the Aussies seem to have not appeared anywhere else yet.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Some MTBs around Tavoy. I've allocated two CA and two DD to this area to see if they can linger and hit at an opportune moment from around Phuket. Might be a sacrificial run at this point. No movements near Moulmein. What will he do here?

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENTRAL PACFIC:[/font] More troops land at Saipan and our ships hit the BBs pretty well but can't get past to the amphib ships other than one LSV. This is when those slow big gunned BBs really shine. They did take some good hits though. Hopefully some time in the yard after this. Looks like though that he's got enough to crush all resistance at Saipan now. Five divisions? Wow. I really need to play with stacking limits!

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 10, 44
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Rota at 109,98, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Hasu
E Susuki

Allied Ships
PF Pasco
PF Everett
PF Brownsville
PF Casper, Shell hits 2, heavy fires


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 39% moonlight: 7,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 6,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
PF Casper engages E Hasu at 6,000 yards

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Night Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-S Irving x 5

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 15

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses


Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
302 Ku S-3 with J1N1-S Irving (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 1 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters to 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 49 minutes

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Sub attack near Wake Island at 133,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-43

Allied Ships
xAK Snug Hitch, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AM Saunter
xAK Laurentide Park
xAK William Keith
xAK William A. Coulter
xAK Sidney Edgerton
xAK R. C. Brennan
xAK Percy E. Foxworth
xAK Morgan Robertson
xAK Josiah Snelling
xAK Benjamin Warner
DD Rathburne
DD Kane

SS I-43 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Snug Hitch
DD Rathburne fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Kane fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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ASW attack near Tinian at 108,94

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-47, hits 3, heavy damage

Allied Ships
YMS-387
YMS-220
YMS-242

SSX Ha-47 is sighted by escort
Ha-47 bottoming out ....
YMS-242 attacking submerged sub ....
Large oil slick appears over area of attack!
Escort abandons search for sub

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Pre-Invasion action off Saipan (108,93) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

732 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Valiant, Shell hits 20, on fire
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 28
LSV Catskill
SC PC-1078
SC PC-797
SC PC-796
LCI(G)-82
LCI(G)-81
LCI(G)-80
LCI(G)-79
LCI(G)-78
LCI(G)-77
LCI(G)-76
LCI-69
LCI-68
LCI-67
LCI-66
LCI-65
LCI-64
LCI-61
LSI(L) Empire Pride
PF Sausalito

Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
218 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Saipan Naval Fortress firing at BB Valiant
BB Valiant firing at Saipan Naval Fortress
Saipan Naval Fortress firing at BB Mississippi
BB Mississippi firing at Saipan Naval Fortress
BB Valiant firing to suppress enemy battery at 20,000 yards
SC PC-1078 fired at enemy troops

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Amphibious Assault at Saipan (108,93)

TF 246 troops unloading over beach at Saipan, 108,93

Allied ground losses:
948 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 197 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 81 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 73 (0 destroyed, 73 disabled)
Vehicles lost 43 (0 destroyed, 43 disabled)

13 troops of a USMC Rifle Squad 44 lost in surf during unload of 5th Marine Div /10


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Invasion Support action off Saipan (108,93) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

594 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 16
LSV Catskill, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
BB Valiant, on fire
LSV Ozark, Shell hits 2, on fire
SC PC-1078
SC PC-797
SC PC-796
LCI(G)-82
LCI(G)-81
LCI(G)-80
LCI(G)-79
LCI(G)-78
LCI(G)-77
LCI(G)-76
LCI-69
LCI-68
LCI-67
LCI-66
LCI-65
LCI-64
LCI-61
LSI(L) Empire Pride
PF Sausalito

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

Allied ground losses:
280 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

BB Mississippi firing at Saipan Naval Fortress
Saipan Naval Fortress firing at BB Mississippi
15cm 41YT CD Gun Battery engaging LSV Catskill at 13,000 yards
BB Mississippi firing to suppress enemy battery at 13,000 yards
12cm 3YT CD Gun Battery engaging LSV Catskill at 13,000 yards
BB Mississippi firing to suppress enemy battery at 13,000 yards
15cm 41YT CD Gun Battery engaging LSV Ozark at 13,000 yards
BB Mississippi firing to suppress enemy battery at 13,000 yards
SC PC-1078 fired at enemy troops
SC PC-797 fired at enemy troops

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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-140, Mine hits 2, heavy damage

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Saipan at 112,93

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 55 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Allied aircraft
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 15

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Oite, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Matsukaze

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Oite
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Ground combat at Saipan (108,93)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 18164 troops, 296 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 561

Defending force 65907 troops, 1125 guns, 1522 vehicles, Assault Value = 1657

Japanese ground losses:
267 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
53rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
10th Ind.Mixed Regiment
50th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Ind.Mixed Regiment
17th Ind.Mixed Regiment
22nd Ind. Engineer Regiment
55th Field AA Battalion
33rd JNAF AF Unit
11th JAAF Base Force
19th RF Gun Battalion
31st Army
Saipan Naval Fortress
32nd Air Defense AA Battalion
4th JNAF AF Unit
4th JAAF Base Force
45th Field AA Battalion
5th Air Division
13th RF Gun (Pack) Battalion
42nd Recon Regiment
18th Army
47th JNAF AF Unit /1

Defending units:
33rd Infantry Division
194th Tank Battalion
81st Infantry Division
766th Tank Battalion
5th Marine Division
98th Infantry Division
3rd Marine Division
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
4th USMC Tank Battalion
8th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Eng Amph Bde
V US Amphib Corps
97th Coast AA Regiment
4th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Eighth US Army
12th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
11th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Pacific Ocean Areas
198th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
4th Eng Amph Bde
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Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]E No.35 arrives at Tokyo[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of SSX Ha-47 on Oct 10, 1944 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]YMS-221 is reported to have been sunk near Eniwetok on Oct 08, 1944
SS Sturdy is reported to have been sunk near Victoria Point on Jun 02, 1944
YMS-277 is reported to have been sunk near Eniwetok on Oct 08, 1944
YMS-278 is reported to have been sunk near Eniwetok on Oct 08, 1944
YMS-99 is reported to have been sunk near Eniwetok on Oct 08, 1944[/font]
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Can't seem to catch these with my subs in spite of their slower pace. I'll see if the return journey offers any opportunities.[/font]
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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]11 October 1944[/font]
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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] In the South DEI about five subs are positioned to hit anything moving toward Timor, which is apparently way is happening.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]KB: [/font] The KB is beginning refits. I've made the choice to remove these ships until they have their damaged flagship Akagi and the Kaga and Hiyo ready to go, and until the fighter groups can be upgraded to the coming A7M Sam. Most and several BBs and DDs will have upgrades lasting between 20 and 45 days, and the damaged CVs might still take another few months to be ready.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] A big daylight raid goes for Miri knocking out the rest of the oil. Fortunately the strike arrived again at 6k and Jocke lost another 30+ 4E on the day it seems by the reports. A few go down to CAP and flak, but the balloons are the heroes again. Even if his pools are healthy, he can't like losing 60+ 4Es in two days. [;)]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S/SW PAC:[/font] Searching Bettys find ships moving South of Wake and Graces are sent in to Wotje and Roi Namur, just about in range of this TF now if it continues West or SW.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S DEI: [/font] A TF is looking much like an invasion moving toward Timor. That's fine. I've got all surface forces on 6 hex react 4 hexes from Lautem, and the Frances are ready to go. Hopefully I can get a bite out of something here.

After unloading supply the barges hit a bunch of mines at Lomblen. Oh, well. One way to clear a few. The AMc arrives tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Tavoy grows in strength. I'm afraid to LR CAP anything here as weakening the CAP at Bangkok is a sure-fire way to have 400 bombers hitting the base the next day after 200+ fighters sweeping. As it is, this base has 450+ fighters of high quality with good pilots, and I'll try to not repeat these mistakes I made previously that allowed an easy breakdown of Rangoon, Rabaul and other big fields in the past.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENTRAL PACFIC:[/font] Just waiting for more blows to fall here.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 11, 44
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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-139, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
LB-509, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
LB-138, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-136, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
LB-515, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-141, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-513, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

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Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

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

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 14

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 12
B-17E Fortress x 3
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 27
B-24J Liberator x 86
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 6 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 7 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 14 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 5 damaged The Tonys did virtually nothing, damaging a few planes, but the BALLOONS took a huge toll again. [8D]

Oil hits 90

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 11

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 10
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 36

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged The Tonys took out to bombers and damaged a few more here before getting shot up by defensive fire.

Oil hits 26

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Miri , at 64,87

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 6

Allied aircraft
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Id Tony: 2 destroyed Interesting that these Navy 4Es really put the hurt on the CAP

Allied aircraft losses
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 3 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak Many more rounds with more planes damaged by BALLOONS and one more downed by flak.

Oil hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 6000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Afternoon Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 15
N1K2-J George x 32
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 17
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 9
Ki-84a Frank x 52

Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 3 destroyed

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Afternoon Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 15
N1K2-J George x 30
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 10
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 8
Ki-84a Frank x 51

Allied aircraft
P-38J Lightning x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38J Lightning: 2 destroyed


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Afternoon Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 31,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 15
N1K2-J George x 30
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 5
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6
Ki-84a Frank x 43

Allied aircraft
P-38J Lightning x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38J Lightning: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x P-38J Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet

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Afternoon Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 13
N1K2-J George x 23
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 5
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 5
Ki-84a Frank x 37

Allied aircraft
P-38J Lightning x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38J Lightning: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x P-38J Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet

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Afternoon Air attack on Lomblen , at 68,113

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 45 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 7
N1K2-J George x 16
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 5
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 23

Allied aircraft
P-38L Lightning x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38L Lightning: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P-38L Lightning sweeping at 31000 feet

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Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]200th Sentai arrives at Takamatsu
ML G-410 arrives at Shimonoseki[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]LB-509 sinks at sea
LB-513 sinks at sea
LB-515 sinks at sea
LB-136 sinks at sea
LB-138 sinks at sea
LB-139 sinks at sea
LB-141 sinks at sea[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]CVE St. Lo is reported to have been sunk near Cotabato on Aug 19, 1944
PG Warrego is reported to have been sunk near Morotai on Jul 18, 1944[/font]
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[font="Trebuchet MS"] The Lightning is not what it once was, and about 85 are lost on the day for only 27 of ours!!! The Frank was the main force today, but for the numbers in the fight the J2M5 again showed it is a formidable weapon. Many of the Lightnings were damaged and lost to ops rather than outright kills, but still about half were credited to our pilots. A new ace and a few with growing numbers. [:)]

WO Oba F. of 25th Sentai is credited with kill number 5
WO Oba F. of 25th Sentai attains ace status!!
2LT Ohashi V. of 25th Sentai is credited with kill number 7
2LT Harada J. of 24th Sentai is credited with kill number 7
PO1 Nishido, M. of S-306 Hikotai is credited with kill number 8
[/font]
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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]12 October 1944[/font]
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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] The transports do move forward in the S DEI and go for Dili. On the way they run over RO-38 and it sends one fish into an APA, the Wharton. The sub is found and forced to surface where it's tuned down afterward. The I-36 is also lost coming back damaged from the IO as the Trident finds the limping subs and hits with one TT. The I-43 also hits near Wake, taking out another xAK. It'll try to get back to port now with extensive damage.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Basilan is about to capitulate which is the last of the small islands off of Cotabato left in Japanese hands. I'm sure parts of Borneo are next on the menu. More troops are heading around to help solidify the Indochinese coast from the South DEI area.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S/SW PAC:[/font] Our Graces don't fly at 12-13 hex range to hit an unprotected convoy.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]NORTH PACIFIC: [/font] Some ships look to be moving toward Dutch. We'll monitor and see if there are possibilities. It's too late for anything meaningful for him up here, but he might want to grab a base or two.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S DEI: [/font] Jocke lands a division and three tank rgt in one night and although our ships are all set to react 6 hexes and are only 4 hexes away, none of the three separate SAGs with high aggression commanders move in. The invasion had high DL in the night and day phases and is still sitting there after the turn. VERY FRUSTRATING! The Frances also do not fly. Again, frustrating. The invasion forces don't hit any of the 150 mines at the base, which has not been traversed by Allied ships previously and so should be unknown. Also quite frustrating. Such is late 44 as Japan, but it would be at least a little more fun if forces actually engaged. [8|]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Lots of bombing at Moulmein and Mergui. A big supply drop moves in at Bangkok.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 12, 44
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Sub attack near Damar at 74,115

Japanese Ships
SS RO-38, hits 10, and is sunk

Allied Ships
APA Wharton, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Phoenix
DD Gillespie
DE Coolbaugh
DE J. Douglas Blackwood
AM Colac
APA Cambria
APA President Adams
APA John Penn
APA William P. Biddle
AKA Oberon
AKA Algol
DD MacDonough
DD Hammann
DD Sims
DD Satterlee

SS RO-38 launches 4 torpedoes at APA Wharton
DD MacDonough fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hammann attacking submerged sub ....
SS RO-38 forced to surface!
DD Satterlee firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

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TF 131 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
LB-514, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Rota at 107,95, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kensin Maru

Allied Ships
PF Pasco
PF Everett
PF Brownsville
PF Casper, Shell hits 1

Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 10% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...

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Pre-Invasion action off Lautem (72,115)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

81 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CL Phoenix
CL Ceylon
DD Hammann
DD Sims
DD Meade
APA Cambria

Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CL Phoenix firing at 124th Infantry Regiment
CL Ceylon firing at 124th Infantry Regiment
DD Hammann firing at 65th JNAF AF Unit
DD Sims firing at 124th Infantry Regiment
DD Meade firing at 124th Infantry Regiment
DD Sims fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


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Amphibious Assault at Lautem (72,115)

TF 79 troops unloading over beach at Lautem, 72,115

Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)

12 troops of a Vickers Section 43 accidentally lost during unload of 7th Australian Div
11 troops of a AIF Inf Section 43 lost from landing craft during unload of 7th Australian Div /5

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Sub vs Sub: SS Trident attacking SS I-36 at 46,65 - near Trinkat

Japanese Ships
SS I-36, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Trident

SS Trident launches 4 torpedoes at 4,000 yards


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TF 7 encounters mine field at Lomblen (68,113)

Japanese Ships
AMc Tamaura Maru

26 mines cleared

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Sub attack near Wake Island at 129,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-43, hits 14

Allied Ships
xAK David Hewes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK John Owen
xAK Ina Coolbrith
xAK Henry C. Payne
xAK George Sterling
xAK Edward D. Baker
xAK David F. Barry
xAK Charlotte P. Gilman
xAK Carlos Carrillo
xAK Benjamin Holt
xAK Ambrose Bierce
DE Weaver

SS I-43 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK David Hewes
I-43 diving deep ....
DE Weaver attacking submerged sub ....
DE Weaver fails to find sub, continues to search...

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Ground combat at Lautem (72,115)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3379 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Defending force 13859 troops, 140 guns, 456 vehicles, Assault Value = 621

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

Assaulting units:
4th Tank Regiment
124th Infantry Regiment
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
65th JNAF AF Unit

Defending units:
1st Army Tank Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
7th Australian Division
I Australian Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]E No.50 arrives at Tokyo
ML G-422 arrives at Yokohama/Yokosuka
94th Field Artillery Regiment arrives at Osaka/Kyoto
94th Engineer Regiment arrives at Osaka/Kyoto[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of SS I-36 on Oct 12, 1944 is admitted
Loss of SS RO-38 on Oct 12, 1944 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Previous report of sinking of CVL Belleau Wood incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
xAK David Hewes is reported to have been sunk near Wake Island on Oct 12, 1944
[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"]There are still some zeros up in the Aleutians, and a few search groups of Jakes. I can move strike groups in if it seems there are no CVEs here. I'll take my time and be wary of losing planes for nothing though if indeed there is a move in the works.[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[PaxMondo]

But you don't want to give up the ALeutians for free either ... tough balance ... good luck!

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

But you don't want to give up the ALeutians for free either ... tough balance ... good luck!

Well, in late 44 I kind of want to get back because he can easily by-pass them and land at the Kuriles, anytime except winter, which luckily is only a few weeks off. Not that he should know this. Looks like he is not venturing past Dutch at all by the current status, and anything over there is fine. I've occasionally made a show of resisting up here and hopefully that show is giving him some reason to tread carefully.

With those CVs though I'm most scared he just goes all in for the Kuriles, Bonins, Formosa or wherever he wants. LBA can't touch them right now. Maybe kamis will change that but late war with the beta and fragmented strikes gives a massive advantage to the defender in virtually any kind of air strike.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]13 October 1944[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Another Allied sub hit hard near Appari.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S/SW PAC:[/font] Truk is pretty blocked off now. I might be able to fly some things with Emilys to the upper Marianas. Thinking though there's not much of great value anyway except some HQs. I would need ships for the support sections of those anyway, so it's probably not worth it.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]S DEI: [/font] He attacks at Lautem almost immediately, but I do have 200 AV moving there. If I can hold for four days it'll be reinforced. Forts dropped to 3 however.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font] Interested that his main stack has not done anything here. So my 5k AV is blocking the 12k AV near Moulmein and instead of opening the hex from Pegu and either retreating or adding more he's simply siting. I'm pretty sure he won't have more than 4-5 divisions that can get to Tavoy and Mergui, and that should be enough to break through anything there. I've got three divisions and a big brigade, plus support and arty. Maybe he thinks he can trap this army. We'll see. In the meantime channels through the South China Sea are open. I have to get more to Indochina, but it's coming.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENTRAL PACFIC:[/font] Guam is also invaded now. Jocke is using TFs of around 50 ships!! [X(] Do most Allied players actually think this is effective? I've had so many notices of collisions lately in Allied TFs. Not this day as I have no surface ships around to contest, unfortunately. I can't wait until I can cause some havoc again. It's not going to happen here in the Marianas. He lands with another three divisions and a bunch of tanks plus one of those monster combat engineer units for about 1800 AV. This might last longer than Tinian and Saipan, but there is really no point in even trying to defend these bases well without stacking limits. He'll just add more, as at Saipan with the five divisions there now. Even if I'd had the PPs to buy out the other half of the brigades and have an additional 250 AV on each of these, (which was the plan) and one big division, it wouldn't matter at all. Just add more.

I sent a PB out to find the CVs and it did, which was kind of funny. One lone Ansyu-C class PB steaming at flank toward 5 CVs and their escorts. It took two hits and they ran away. [:D]

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 13, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Guam at 105,95, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kensin Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
CV Essex
CV Intrepid
CV Valhalla
CVL Langley
CV Victorious
CV Indomitable
CLAA Atlanta
CLAA San Diego
CLAA Oakland
DD Swanson
DD Lardner
DD Thompson
DD Baldwin
DD Sampson
DD Warrington
DD Henley

Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 10% moonlight: 9,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 9,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
PB Kensin Maru engages CV Indomitable at 12,000 yards
DD Sampson engages PB Kensin Maru at 12,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Guam at 106,95, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kensin Maru, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Maryland
BB Nevada
BB Arizona
BB California
DE Arrow
DE Electra
DE Encounter
DE James E. Craig
DE Whitehurst
DE Eversole
DE Richard M. Rowell
AM Starling
AM Rail
APA W.A. Holbrook
APA Hunter Liggett
APA American Legion
APA Fuller
APA Barnett
APA President Monroe
APA President Polk
APA Arthur Middleton
APA George Clymer
APA Monrovia
APA Calvert
APA Frederick Funston
APA James O'Hara
APA Feland
APA Ormsby
APA Pierce
APA Sheridan
APA Wayne
APA Baxter
APA La Salle
APA Comet
APA John Land
APA Golden City
APA Winged Arrow
APA Starlight
APA Alpine
APA Clay
APA Lamar
APA Windsor
APA Dauphin
APA Gilliam
APA Appling
APA Banner
APA Cleburne
APA Dawson
APA Fallon
APA Haskell
APA Bowie
AGC Blue Ridge
AKA Fomalhaut
AKA Alhena
AKA Alcyon
AKA Almaack
AKA Jupiter
AKA Aurelia
AKA Artemis

Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 10% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 4,000 yards
Allied TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 5,000 yards...
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Allied Amphibious TF evades combat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Batan Island at 87,73

Japanese Ships
E No.30
E No.52
E No.38

Allied Ships
SS Pompon, hits 21, heavy damage

SS Pompon is located by E No.30
E No.52 fails to find sub and abandons search
E No.38 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E No.38 attacking submerged sub ....
E No.38 attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Brunei , at 65,87

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 7

No Allied losses

Oil hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Guam (106,95) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

482 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB California, Shell hits 11
BB Arizona, Shell hits 4
BB Nevada, Shell hits 4
BB Maryland
LSD Casa Grande, Shell hits 1
LSD Belle Grove
LCI(G)-464
LCI(G)-463
LCI(G)-462
LCI(G)-408
LCI(G)-407
LCI(G)-406
LCI(G)-405
LCI(G)-404
LCI(G)-403
LCI(G)-401
LCI(G)-398
LCI(G)-397
LCI(G)-396
LCI(G)-373
LCI(G)-372
LCI(G)-366
LCI(G)-365
LCI(G)-220
LCI-67
LCI-66
LCI-65
LCI-64
LCI-61
APA Bowie
DE Encounter
DE Whitehurst

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

Allied ground losses:
213 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Davao , at 79,91

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 7
B-17E Fortress x 6
B-24D1 Liberator x 11
B-24J Liberator x 53
B-25C Mitchell x 3
B-25D1 Mitchell x 39
B-25G Mitchell x 15
B-25H Mitchell x 6
B-25J1 Mitchell x 3
FM-2 Wildcat x 28
F4U-1A Corsair x 12
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 26
PBJ-1D Mitchell x 13

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 52

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x PBJ-1D Mitchell bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Mergui , at 53,62

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.III x 13
Liberator B.VI x 35
B-17F Fortress x 7
B-24D1 Liberator x 7
B-24J Liberator x 53
P-38L Lightning x 5
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 11

No Allied losses

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

Airbase hits 45
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 60

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x PB4Y-1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Guam (106,95)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

431 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
LSD Belle Grove, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
BB California
BB Arizona
LSD Epping Forest, Shell hits 1
BB Nevada
LSD Casa Grande
BB Maryland
LCI(G)-464
LCI(G)-463

...

Allied ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Ground combat at Guam (106,95)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19024 troops, 288 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 873

Defending force 46968 troops, 846 guns, 1663 vehicles, Assault Value = 1895

Japanese ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Ind.Mixed Regiment
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
87th Infantry Brigade
3rd South Seas Gsn
18th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
Yokosuka 7th SNLF
49th Ind.Mixed Brigade
47th Naval Guard Unit
63rd Field AA Battalion
47th JNAF AF Unit /2
25th Special Base Force
38th Road Const Co /1
62nd Air Flotilla
8th Area Army
34th Ind. Engr Rgt /1
58th Field AA Battalion
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
8th Base Force /1
8th Ind. Engineer Regiment
2nd JNAF AF Unit
134th AA Regiment
3rd IJN Special Coastal Gun Battalion
18th RF Gun Battalion
61st Field AA Battalion
16th Field AF Construction Battalion
4th Fleet
36th Field AA Battalion
3rd Ind.AA Gun Co
59th Field AA Battalion
28th Air Flotilla /2
30th Field Artillery Regiment
17th Naval Const Bn /1
106th JAAF AF Bn /2

Defending units:
762nd Tank Battalion
4th Marine Div /8
710th Tank Battalion
31st Infantry Div /9
716th Tank Battalion
670th Tank Destroyer Battalion
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
XIV Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
193rd Tank Battalion
77th Infantry Div /8
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
9th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Sixth US Army
I Corps Artillery
XIV Corps Artillery
205th Field Artillery Battalion

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

Ground combat at Lautem (72,115)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12280 troops, 140 guns, 426 vehicles, Assault Value = 622

Defending force 5434 troops, 45 guns, 102 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 400

Japanese adjusted defense: 543

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 44 (20 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 25 (1 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Army Tank Regiment
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
7th Australian Division
I Australian Corps

Defending units:
4th Tank Regiment
124th Infantry Regiment
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
65th JNAF AF Unit

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

Ground combat at Mergui (53,62)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1860 troops, 0 guns, 198 vehicles, Assault Value = 139

Defending force 7891 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Allied adjusted assault: 128

Japanese adjusted defense: 489

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
315 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
18th Cavalry Regiment
Gardner's Horse Regiment

Defending units:
62nd Infantry Brigade
36th Ind.Mixed Brigade
72nd JAAF AF Bn
53rd Const Co
23rd JNAF AF Unit
1st JAAF AF Coy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Shoho-1 arrives at Tokyo
109th Division arrives at Tokyo
Miyako-jima Naval Guard Unit arrives at Miyako-jima
Oshima Naval Guard Unit arrives at Amami Oshima
LST T-148 arrives at Niigata

Device NE turbojet advances R&D (9/45)[/font]

Losses: none.

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]xAK William J. Gray is reported to have been sunk near Cotabato on Sep 09, 1944[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"]The jets haven't started researching yet, but the rocket planes have been slowly moving forward for a long while. They'll probably be ready in late summer 45 if we're still playing then. The jets could be around the same time if they ever get fully repaired. That is one goal, simply for fun. Get jets before the Allies! [;)][/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[PaxMondo]

They are expensive and hard to handle due to their SR5 rating, BUT, they are really effective if you can get 6 or so groups setup with them (~300 planes). Anything less and you really won't see much effect. But 6 groups can really slice up an allied escorted bomber raid. You'll just wish instead of the 2x20mm+2x30mm that they are armed with that they had gone with 6*20mm; same weight but would have been much better punching power. The 30mm ROF is just too slow to be of any real use.

[sanch]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

These recent comments about supply have me wondering why it's so frowned upon to increase LI? I get the fact it takes 2.75 years to pay the 1000 supply points back necessary for expanding LI one point/factory. Considering the supply may be needed in the late game doesn't it make sense to have increased supply generating capacity that doesn't require fuel?

Pardon me for barging in here on an old post, but I'm just starting my 1st PBEM as Japan - DBB-C. Reading Greyjoy's AAR I got the message he was seriously sweating supply levels. So I got to thinking about increasing some LI, even though conventional wisdom says not to do so. And now, this supposed heresy resurfaces. Interesting.

I'll definitely have to read through this and see what happens!

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Guam is also invaded now. Jocke is using TFs of around 50 ships!! [X(] Do most Allied players actually think this is effective? I've had so many notices of collisions lately in Allied TFs.

Do you really think he cares at this point? It looks like he'll simply bludgeon you now with the sheer weight of war material in the Allied arsenal and take whatever damage or losses in stride.

I do feel your pain about the lack of stacking limits. It definitely changes land combat and slows the pace of taking heavily fortified positions. Even with stacking limits, troops without supply can last for a very long time regardless of being overstacked or not. I think I caught in GreyJoy's AAR a comment that units out of supply are forced to retreat after combat now, or something to that effect in a recent beta. That adds a new wrinkle if true, but easily exploited in my opinion by simply using bombing or artillery bombardments to use up the defenders supply.

Keep up the good fight, you handle playing Japan much better than I do emotionally. [&o]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

Keep up the good fight, you handle playing Japan much better than I do emotionally. [&o]

From time to time every Japanese player that is playing late war is crying little, when alone i dark room is watching slaughter of 1000 pilots and planes.

Personally it felt extremely difficult to me when game balance start to change on allied favor. they where days when i don`t even want to think about game. And I was so close to resign. Right now i have whiskey to kill that pain.

[fcharton]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
I think I caught in GreyJoy's AAR a comment that units out of supply are forced to retreat after combat now, or something to that effect in a recent beta. That adds a new wrinkle if true, but easily exploited in my opinion by simply using bombing or artillery bombardments to use up the defenders supply.

Yes, this seems to be the case in the recent betas. Units out of supply have a much larger chance of surrendering when defeated in battle. I believe it will cut both ways: it will make early Japanese advance faster, since you don't need to chase all those fragments around, and China even harder to defend for the KMT, since you can't use those retreated units against the IJA supply lines anymore (guerilla warfare is overrated, anyway). But it will make the Allied advance much easier in 44 and later. Let us just hope the early game problems it creates get corrected soon...

(at this point, a comment about this change not necessarily being beneficial for the game enjoyment and balance might be in order, but I'll refrain as I realize from other discussions this is not the gutsy, ballsy, been there done that, attitude expected from true grognards)

Francois

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: sanch

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

These recent comments about supply have me wondering why it's so frowned upon to increase LI? I get the fact it takes 2.75 years to pay the 1000 supply points back necessary for expanding LI one point/factory. Considering the supply may be needed in the late game doesn't it make sense to have increased supply generating capacity that doesn't require fuel?

Pardon me for barging in here on an old post, but I'm just starting my 1st PBEM as Japan - DBB-C. Reading Greyjoy's AAR I got the message he was seriously sweating supply levels. So I got to thinking about increasing some LI, even though conventional wisdom says not to do so. And now, this supposed heresy resurfaces. Interesting.

I'll definitely have to read through this and see what happens!

I did increase some LI in the Home Islands and China early in this one. I had taken most of China by that time, finished most airframe and factory expansions, and so I had reduced my immediate need for supply. I also increased some HI factories. Not sure I'd do that again, but it did turn out to be a supply positive in this game as well as providing more HI savings. Of course the down side is a lot of fuel was used.

Things looked pretty rosy after 42 though when the Allied CVs were sunk and the Empire was doing well on every front. In 43 things turned and now the Allied machine is a steam-roller easily catching up to historical time-frames.

I think the refineries not producing supply at all is a negative for me considering supply is used to approximate aviation fuel, which those refineries in th eDEI were most important in producing. I like most of the other DBB choices, but not this one.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: obvert

Guam is also invaded now. Jocke is using TFs of around 50 ships!! [X(] Do most Allied players actually think this is effective? I've had so many notices of collisions lately in Allied TFs.

Do you really think he cares at this point? It looks like he'll simply bludgeon you now with the sheer weight of war material in the Allied arsenal and take whatever damage or losses in stride.

I do feel your pain about the lack of stacking limits. It definitely changes land combat and slows the pace of taking heavily fortified positions. Even with stacking limits, troops without supply can last for a very long time regardless of being overstacked or not. I think I caught in GreyJoy's AAR a comment that units out of supply are forced to retreat after combat now, or something to that effect in a recent beta. That adds a new wrinkle if true, but easily exploited in my opinion by simply using bombing or artillery bombardments to use up the defenders supply.

Keep up the good fight, you handle playing Japan much better than I do emotionally. [&o]

I suppose you're right. By all indications he doesn't really care about stuff at all. I wish there were some way of adding ramifications for massive Allied losses into the game, some kind of global morale lowering or some deduction of political points. Something that would make players have the same concern for the men that ran the machines. I guess that would be hard to do, but on the Allied side I would certainly play that way, just for my own interest. To see if I could get close to what Nimitz and all accomplished in terms of incredible feats with remarkably few losses.

It's also interesting how most Japanese troops (outside of Burma) have basically been sitting around digging in for years, where Allied troops have been shuttling from island to island multiple times during the war. Of course this did happen in the war but they often also had a lot of down-time and recuperation in-between campaigns. This isn't really well modeled unless a unit is gutted and has to rebuild experience.

On islands the stacking limits really make sense. Really I should have left 400 AV on each big Marianas island (instead of 800-900 AV) to make him send a good amount to take each, but then the rest should have been on rear bases like the Bonins, Okinawa and Formosa to make those absolute fortresses. Everyone else should note this; in 44 you will not be able to hold the Marianas for more than a week or two once invaded regardless of your preparations. Even if I had full divisions here they'd get chewed to pieces by the tanks and Marines here. Maybe if forts go to level 9, but that is a huge supply commitment and even then each attack lowers them a level, and he could just shuttle more divisions and tanks in if some get wrecked.

At this point I have to regroup naval forces to defend close to home. They will be refitting for a month, and then they will be in home waters. The Bonins will get ALL new troops arriving , including wiped-out bought-back brigades. Formosa and Okinawa will get all I get bought out of China and Manchuria.
Better though to make the fortresses close to home.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

Keep up the good fight, you handle playing Japan much better than I do emotionally. [&o]

From time to time every Japanese player that is playing late war is crying little, when alone i dark room is watching slaughter of 1000 pilots and planes.

Personally it felt extremely difficult to me when game balance start to change on allied favor. they where days when i don`t even want to think about game. And I was so close to resign. Right now i have whiskey to kill that pain.

Yes. I have a very healthy whiskey shelf for late night turns. Hibiki is a favorite!

The change in naval success that happens in 43 is especially hard, but is fair to the better equipment, radar and fire-directing of the Allies at that time. Still sucks when your formerly tough CAs are beaten down by a flotilla of Fletchers.

Now though I'm starting to see the light of late war fighters. The J2M5 is a monster in combo with some good pilots and numerical superiority. It gets up so fast that even with our 2nd best maneuver band HR it is diving on all sweepers that come in at 31k. P-47s still rule, and Corsairs are just plain tough, but anything else is now suspect in the right circumstances. The Frank Ir will turn this further since it can fly over all but the Hellcat and P-47 with our rules, and then comes the SAM!!! An even better plane than the recent Jacks!

Still something fun to do here. I want him to still leave to reach for the whiskey shelf once in a while! [;)]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Now though I'm starting to see the light of late war fighters. The J2M5 is a monster in combo with some good pilots and numerical superiority.

I hope N1K5-J will also be such monster. He is not climbing as good as J2M5 (2710 vs 3110) but it shoul be also good. I hope.

[obvert]

I may be learning something about settings for CAP as well. I've struggled all game to get a working layered Cap to be effective. Suddenly at Lomblen it's achieving results. Part of it is the distance the sweepers are traveling, but that hasn't mattered previously so if I can get this to work elsewhere, I'll be really happy.

More on the specific details later. It appears though that in this case the Jacks have helped but the Franks are doing the real work, and mainly because they have good radar to give time to climb.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

Now though I'm starting to see the light of late war fighters. The J2M5 is a monster in combo with some good pilots and numerical superiority.

I hope N1K5-J will also be such monster. He is not climbing as good as J2M5 (2710 vs 3110) but it shoul be also good. I hope.

I decided not to make this version. I feel climb is more important than the massive firepower of the late George, but it should be good against bombers. I will have the Sam doing most of what the George and Jack can do, only just a bit better, very soon, and at service rating 2 as well.

On top of that the Shinden would come for me (sometime in early summer 45) before the N1K5-J so I think I know which of those I'd choose to build! If i"m still around in the late 10/45 period when it arrives I might try one sentai of the George to see how it goes, but by then probably not. If this is still going I could be on my last legs and might even have jets, as I mentioned.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: obvert

I suppose you're right. By all indications he doesn't really care about stuff at all. I wish there were some way of adding ramifications for massive Allied losses into the game, some kind of global morale lowering or some deduction of political points. Something that would make players have the same concern for the men that ran the machines.

<<cough, cough>> VPs? If you don't "play for them" the game design is skewed from the first day. If you mark Japanese winning as winning battles until the very last day you go around the game design too.