Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

4 SEP 43

Burma
After series of naval bombardment allies shock river and enter Ramree Island.
Battle not go as planed. Somehow my 450 AV change to 315 in 2x terrain behind fort 3. I was hopin for ajusted 800AV
I think with numbers of troops Docup have it is a mater of few days.


Ground combat at Ramree Island (54,48)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 37707 troops, 714 guns, 730 vehicles, Assault Value = 1482

Defending force 12070 troops, 110 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 449

Allied adjusted assault: 1186

Japanese adjusted defense: 315

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1231 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 122 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1507 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 189 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Guns lost 42 (1 destroyed, 41 disabled)

Assaulting units:
29th British Brigade
77th Chindit Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
27th Infantry Division
111th Chindit Brigade
5th Indian Division

Defending units:
21st Division



EDIT:
Maybe 21st Division is lost. But leaving that units in Ramree Island was good idea.
It force allies to commit 1200AV to capture that island instated to march to Rangoon. Currently it is over month long operation for Docup. After he capture island prabably another weeks before those units move out from island. And i will do everything to slow him down.He will probably want to build port and use it as resupply hub. I already sending BB TF to area to slow down building of that base.

[koniu]

5 SEP 43

Burma
Another chock attack in Ramree Island. Japan hold line after 1:1 odds but ID is in mess. ID have only 70AV left.
Docup had huge supply problems in last attack. I hope he will rest for few days but i also know that he will bombard from air tomorrow. Fighters will not fight. Today he sweep with over 100 F4U, F6F and P-47.

Salomons
Georges sweep Tagula Island destroying 30 Australian fighters. I lost 6 N1K2 and 2 pilots.

R&D
Ki-84r advance to 4/45

[koniu]

6 SEP 43

Very quiet day. Most o my planes stay on fields because of weather.
Docup is unloading supplies in Rammre Island(Burma( he is using landing craft to that)
I expecting another attack. Probably Rammre will fall tomorrow. I have ~100AV against 1000AV.

Other parts of map quiet. If he move in Salomons it will be bloody as he reach line in sand. If he cross it i will fight.
I think i scare allied subs form Salomon sea. I have there 100 bombers flying ASW. When i look at tracker i see 8 subs sunk from 250kg bombs in last month. I will now spreed my ASW planes on map. Some will return to Japan a see increasing sub activity around Hokkaido.

In Japan half of mu ASW fleet is in refit for next two weeks. Most of ships will get Radar 22 Type, that should help them finding subs on surface in night and during bad weather. Strange is that Japan is giving radar to ASW ships but most of BB, CA, and DD will not get until late `44.

[koniu]

7 Sep 43

Docup just write me that he will have baby. In 9 months his HQ expecting new fresh XO. Is it that wonderful. He should already order new WITPAE copy.

Burma
Allied ships unloading more supplies in Ramrre Island. 4E bombard troops in Bhamo. Bhamo is siege by Indian ID if my intel is correct. I have 200AV behind fort 5.

DEI
2E visit Saumlaki

China
Quiet. I bombard, Chinese flak sucks. Same old same old

Marianas
Fortification and AF are building nicely. I should have everything behind fort 6/7 in 2/3 months.I only need troops to garrison those islands.

Refits
CV Shokaku and Zuikaku start 4/43 refits

CV Kasagi just arrive in Japan. Together with another refitted CV, BB, CA,two CLs and 7 DDs waiting when conversion of CVL Chiyoda will end and in 3 days all those ships will sail to Pacific to join KB

[koniu]

Skip bombing?
I have 2E army bombers with pilots train in low naval to 70+.
What altitude they should be set 100 or 1000 ft to get best results???

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

Skip bombing?
I have 2E army bombers with pilots train in low naval to 70+.
What altitude they should be set 100 or 1000 ft to get best results???

If I understand the system correctly your 2E bombers will drop only two 250kg bomb at 100-1000ft so it is not as useful a it could be and they'll mostly die due to flak from my experience. Only Allied attack bombers get a full load at those heights.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: koniu

Skip bombing?
I have 2E army bombers with pilots train in low naval to 70+.
What altitude they should be set 100 or 1000 ft to get best results???

If I understand the system correctly your 2E bombers will drop only two 250kg bomb at 100-1000ft so it is not as useful a it could be and they'll mostly die due to flak from my experience. Only Allied attack bombers get a full load at those heights.

Thanks. I know they will always use 50% of bomb load, but to properly use bombers on LowNav i must set them on 1000? or 100? ft or meybe 2000-6000 will work also. 2000ft-6000ft will use NavBomb skill or LowNav? I am confused little. When i sending my bombers in china on Ground attack at 2000ft they bomb with 4x250kg so they use GrdBomb not GrndLow skill. Damn.
I have 800 LowNav trained pilots and i want to use them to naval attack properly.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: koniu

Skip bombing?
I have 2E army bombers with pilots train in low naval to 70+.
What altitude they should be set 100 or 1000 ft to get best results???

If I understand the system correctly your 2E bombers will drop only two 250kg bomb at 100-1000ft so it is not as useful a it could be and they'll mostly die due to flak from my experience. Only Allied attack bombers get a full load at those heights.

Thanks. I know they will always use 50% of bomb load, but to properly use bombers on LowNav i must set them on 1000? or 100? ft or meybe 2000-6000 will work also. 2000ft-6000ft will use NavBomb skill or LowNav? I am confused little. When i sending my bombers in china on Ground attack at 2000ft they bomb with 4x250kg so they use GrdBomb not GrndLow skill. Damn.
I have 800 LowNav trained pilots and i want to use them to naval attack properly.

Interesting. never tried a ground attack below 6k with my 2E. Did not know this. If I remember righty when michaelm was working on a beta before the last official patch there was some tweaking of attack bomber/fighter-bomber stats for low level, and I think he changed low stuff for the 2E regular bombers to use fewer bombs.

I really need to test these things. I've used 2E on nav attack at 1000 and they did fine but I can't remember now what they dropped. When I train them at 1k they get low nav skill for sure, but I think at 5k or 6k that switches to nav bombing. Whatever the training levels are should be the altitudes for the different skills in strikes as well. But I could be wrong. (Also I wonder what they do in ASW and if they're at 1 x 250kg at 1k or 2 x 250kg, but since there is no message with this I can never tell!)

I'll get back to you later. I think I can work it out.

[koniu]

(Also I wonder what they do in ASW and if they're at 1 x 250kg at 1k or 2 x 250kg, but since there is no message with this I can never tell!)

I f i remember correctly ASW planes flying at 50% range and they using secondary bomb load.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

(Also I wonder what they do in ASW and if they're at 1 x 250kg at 1k or 2 x 250kg, but since there is no message with this I can never tell!)

I f i remember correctly ASW planes flying at 50% range and they using secondary bomb load.

I just remembered something at some point about limiting the 2E in ASW, but it's so long I can't remember. Maybe it was at extended range where it would use the 1 x 250kg?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: koniu

(Also I wonder what they do in ASW and if they're at 1 x 250kg at 1k or 2 x 250kg, but since there is no message with this I can never tell!)

I f i remember correctly ASW planes flying at 50% range and they using secondary bomb load.

Yes, think so

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: koniu

(Also I wonder what they do in ASW and if they're at 1 x 250kg at 1k or 2 x 250kg, but since there is no message with this I can never tell!)

I f i remember correctly ASW planes flying at 50% range and they using secondary bomb load.

Yes, think so

That's what made me wonder though, as they are supposed to fly with secondary bob load when running ASW missions, but does that mean at any altitude, or do they then take on the added low nav reduction on top of the ASW reduction and end up at 1 x 250kg when flying at 1k? How do we know? No messages.

PS - I fly Kates and other TB at 2k for ASW as this is still nav bombing for 1E and they are not trained for low nav.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: koniu



I f i remember correctly ASW planes flying at 50% range and they using secondary bomb load.

Yes, think so

That's what made me wonder though, as they are supposed to fly with secondary bob load when running ASW missions, but does that mean at any altitude, or do they then take on the added low nav reduction on top of the ASW reduction and end up at 1 x 250kg when flying at 1k? How do we know? No messages.

PS - I fly Kates and other TB at 2k for ASW as this is still nav bombing for 1E and they are not trained for low nav.

ASW is is separate skill and mission have separate rules. When You see massage that plane is attacking enemy Sub, only ASW skill of pilot is important and used. LowNav or NavBom skill is irrelevant.
As for altitude lower mean less time to sub to dive but it build fatigue fast.
There is no altitude impact on bomb load on ASW mission.It is always secondary bomb load.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ASW is is separate skill and mission have separate rules. When You see massage that plane is attacking enemy Sub, only ASW skill of pilot is important and used. LowNav or NavBom skill is irrelevant.
As for altitude lower mean less time to sub to dive but it build fatigue fast.
There is no altitude impact on bomb load on ASW mission.It is always secondary bomb load.

+1

Correct to the best of my knowledge and consistent with my observations in game.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy




Yes, think so

That's what made me wonder though, as they are supposed to fly with secondary bob load when running ASW missions, but does that mean at any altitude, or do they then take on the added low nav reduction on top of the ASW reduction and end up at 1 x 250kg when flying at 1k? How do we know? No messages.

PS - I fly Kates and other TB at 2k for ASW as this is still nav bombing for 1E and they are not trained for low nav.

ASW is is separate skill and mission have separate rules. When You see massage that plane is attacking enemy Sub, only ASW skill of pilot is important and used. LowNav or NavBom skill is irrelevant.
As for altitude lower mean less time to sub to dive but it build fatigue fast.
There is no altitude impact on bomb load on ASW mission.It is always secondary bomb load.

I disagree from my observations having some units trained in low nav skill and others not. It helps kill subs, period, whether it's supposed to or not! [:)]

Plus this allows me to run them as part search, so 40 ASW, 30 search and 30 rest, extending their reach and letting the search planes have a better chance to kill subs when they are found. Fatigue on units is not high wen running them with this rest allocation.

I've always wondered, so how do you know there is no altitude impact on bomb load for ASW? Where is it listed, where can you see it? It's nearly impossible to find out as there is no message.

All I know is that my results are beyond expectations.

[koniu]

Docup with family is visiting Washington DC.
He will be there for next 3 days. I will use that time to fight with cold i catch from my 5 year old nice. and work more on game.

As i have more time i decided to look closer to japanise economy.
O shutdown D4Y1-C line of navy reckon planes and i switch to Irving. First because i have huge reserve of Ha-35 engines. Second Ha-60 engine is used by D4Y1-C and D4Y1 only and in two weeks D4Y3 will enter production and i will switch Ha-60 engine to Ha-43 to use it for late war planes.

I also stop building of forts and infrastructure in all bases on map and i will restart only those that must be really build. That should save some supplies.

I also will check all air group on map and maybe make training program more efficient.


As for dayly raport.
Action only in Burma. Docup finally decide to attack in Rammre. 21 ID fight bravely but fail to hold base and was forced to retreat to jungle. As of last beta when retreat routine was "fixed" for surrounded units, during supply phase 21 ID decide to surrender.
I try to figure how that routine is working now. How this will impact defense of islands.
Dont know how many supplies 21ID have after combat but day earlier they have 5k tons reserve in Rammre. It will be bad if "surrounded" unit will surrender overtime he will lose battle in island. How this will impact game when Japanese defender decide to counterattack with decent odds. Does Marines (because they have no base and are "surrounded" on island) will also surrender?

[koniu]

10 Sep 43

Burma
Allies in offensive. As You see on map Docpu is moving everywhere. I like that.
It is much better and realistic tactic comparing to stacking everything in one army and advancing in one place. I making Burma war realistic and fun for both sides.

After Ramree fallfew days ealier Docup last turn attack in Bhamo. My boys hold line.
Soon Lashio will fall in enemy hends and troops in north Burma will be cut of. I am moving all available transports to transport supplies to those units. They will stay there to block supply transport to china as long as passable


Ground combat at Bhamo (63,44)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 15587 troops, 177 guns, 251 vehicles, Assault Value = 690

Defending force 4657 troops, 58 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 180

Allied adjusted assault: 415

Japanese adjusted defense: 220

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
338 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 29 (2 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1027 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 133 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

[koniu]

11 Sep 43

Salomon's
At 10 Sep Japanese BB Tf bombard Goodenough Island. At day 100 bombers finish job destroying in total 34 enemy planes.


Night Naval bombardment of Goodenough Island at 101,131 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 31 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 destroyed on ground
F6F-3 Hellcat: 61 damaged
F6F-3 Hellcat: 4 destroyed on ground
P-40E Warhawk: 20 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed on ground
Catalina I: 12 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 32 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed on ground
Spitfire Vc Trop: 31 damaged
Spitfire Vc Trop: 3 destroyed on ground
Kittyhawk IA: 14 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 2 destroyed on ground

5 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Shell hits 2
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 1, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
381 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 18 (7 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (3 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Airbase hits 34
Airbase supply hits 24
Runway hits 96
Port hits 1

At 11 September Allis decide to naval bombard Gasmada and at day 4E finish job. Base was empty and attack was irrelevant for region situation as i decide to abandon defense of that base long ago.

Finally CAP trap was successful. During last turn in find that number of bombers suddenly grow in region. I chose two DD equipped with Type 13 radar as bait and move them toward enemy. 550 Fighters was send to LCAP them.
Result could be better but weather probably stop most of enemy planes from flying. Japan shot down 130 enemy planes for lose of 20 fighters and only 4 pilots[:D]


Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Woodlark Island at 105,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes not so good radar detection

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 103
A6M5b Zero x 12
N1K2-J George x 95
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 30
Ki-84a Frank x 11

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 25
F6F-3 Hellcat x 26
SBD-3 Dauntless x 24
TBF-1 Avenger x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 10 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 10 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 7 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged

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

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Woodlark Island at 105,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 65 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes good radar detection

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 78
A6M5b Zero x 11
N1K2-J George x 66
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 22
Ki-84a Frank x 11

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 28
FM-1 Wildcat x 15
TBF-1 Avenger x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 13 destroyed
FM-1 Wildcat: 10 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 10 destroyed

[koniu]

14 Sep 43

Burma
Another attack in Bhamo. another Victory. Docuop to much trust in pure power and shock attack against forts in 3x terain again give him bloody nose. I know i will not hold him for long but it is nice when David win with Goliath

Ground combat at Bhamo (63,44)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 13083 troops, 135 guns, 232 vehicles, Assault Value = 591

Defending force 4291 troops, 58 guns, 113 vehicles, Assault Value = 132

Allied adjusted assault: 243

Japanese adjusted defense: 268

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (4 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1050 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 138 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 24 (1 destroyed, 23 disabled)

Assaulting units:
23rd British Brigade
7th Indian Division
3rd Cavalry Regiment
88th Indian Brigade

Defending units:
9th Infantry Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

R&D
Ki-84r Frank, advance to 3/45
D4Y4 Judy advance to 10/44

Planes
Last units flying Ki-44IIa upgrade to Ki-84a.
I end with 100 Ki-44IIa in pool but lack of firepower and armor force me to abandon that model. From now only Ki-44IIc and Ki-83a in service. I plan to have them with 1:1 in near future.

Japanese fighter air army curently is focusing in two areas, Burma and salomons.

Burma:
396 Ki-44IIc Tojo
156 Ki-84a Frank
90 N1K2 George

Salomons:
78 Ki-44IIc Tojo
42 Ki-84a Frank
180 N1K2 George
328 A6M5 Zero (all KB Sentais)

[obvert]

Without a lot of prep including air strikes and arty bombardments, shocking in this territory is a recipe for disaster. Now that he's had a defeat here you can also walk another unit over if he reinforces and it might really give him pause about trying again.

I'm LOVING the Frank 'r.' It is so great to get up high over some other planes as the P-47 has been doing to us for over a year now. It really stretches battles vertically and you can play with the settings much more.