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

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]1 - 2 January 1945[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Lots of minis attack DD/DMS trying to sweep mines from Bataan, and get crushed. I made more at Manila for the next round.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Kudat is still being bombarded from the air, land and sea. The brigade is slowly wearing down. If it gets a good result from a first attack here I might fly in a naval guard or something small just to frustrate and take longer. The base is not that important really.

Allied CVs hang out a few hexes West of Kudat and it looks like only one TF remains here where there were three earlier. Interesting. There is also a SAG and an ASW TF of four DDs. If this remains the case I could load and make a dash. My LBA can protect ships with only 300-400 planes coming at them, but not with 700-800 out there.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]STRAT BOMBING:[/font] Manila is hit, and several B-29s go down to flak. The strike is at 15k so not as damaging as previous ones.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]RECON: [/font] One specific target got me scrambling late last night. I was up until 1AM, way past my school night bedtime, clearing shipping out of Nagasaki/Sasebo. This was suddenly lit up with a 9/10 DL and there were literally 200+ ships in port. There are still naval ships refitting in the shipyard, but nothing I can do there. I moved some night fighters in and the 12.7 cm DP guns should take a toll if he does decide to go for it here. Even at night these bigger guns seem to get some hits lately.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA/INDOCHINA: [/font] Transports continue to pull support units and a brigade and a regiment from Bangkok. I'd pull all by air but it's too slow and as the force there dwindled a well timed DA would be a disaster. Fighters continue to accumulate in Saigon. There are around 500 now, and a few ships are still unloading in port. Night fighters will move here in a day or two.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]LUZON: [/font] A bunch of DD/DMS TFs came in to sweep mines and got most out of Bataan. Not without some cost though as numerous ships were struck. Our surface forces were mostly taken out, including losing the minelaying Es and two good DDs, but one, the Maikaze survived and should make Takao tomorrow if lucky.

Manila is vulnerable now, as is Clark, to surface bombardment. It's going to be a shuttle game for a while here. I'll pop fighters around and take shots when I can, but all have moved out of Manila in anticipation of a bombardment and air strike. If it comes the surrounding CAP should cover from Clark, Lingayen and another few smaller bases nearby. Manila does have CD guns should the bombardment come in close, and mines are still there.

In a stroke of good fortune our subs with another 80 mines meant to top off Bataan arrive tomorrow, so if something comes through they will have mines down and be in port to contest things moving past along with some MTBs and midget subs.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]THAILAND: [/font] Over 200 B-24J drop mines at Bangkok. Jocke doesn't usually do things small these days. So I dutifully set some of the small escorts to sweep the mines, and also had a DMS here thankfully that has done the best work so far. The little expendable ships did do some good work before three succumbed to multiple hits and went down. A total of 190 mines have been cleared so far but the indicator still shows some in the harbor. How many do they drop per bomber? About 9 were lost during this attack, either from flak (which did shoot once) or balloons (6k attack altitude).

I have one SC and the DMS still clearing tomorrow. No major shipping has been hit and it seems like this field should be well mapped even if not completely cleared in the next few days. A few more ships are still heading to Bangkok, but I won't pick up troops until I see what the Allied CVs are up to.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 1, 45
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Night Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 33

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
12 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
5 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
4 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet


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Night Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 43

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
11 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
6 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
9 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
9 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet

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Night Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 43

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 5 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
8 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
9 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
6 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet
9 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet


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Night Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 11

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-24J Liberator laying Mk 13 Mine from 6000 feet

. . .

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 2, 45
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TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-41, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
SC CHa-26

37 mines cleared

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TF 207 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
PB Koei Maru
SC CHa-52, Mine hits 3, heavy damage

33 mines cleared

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TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared [:)]

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ASW attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-D-104, hits 4, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Beale
DMS Hambleton
DMS Hobson
DD Colahan

SSX Ha-D-104 is sighted by escort
Ha-D-104 bottoming out ....
DD Colahan attacking submerged sub ....
Underwater explosion, debris and oil appear on surface!
Escort abandons search for sub

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ASW attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-D-103, hits 4, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Beale
DMS Hambleton
DMS Hobson
DD Colahan
DD Caperton
DD Bullard

SSX Ha-D-103 is sighted by escort
DD Colahan fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Caperton fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Bullard attacking submerged sub ....
Underwater explosion, debris and oil appear on surface!
Escort abandons search for sub

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TF 34 encounters mine field at Bataan (78,77)

Allied Ships
DMS Hambleton
DMS Hobson
DD Colahan, Mine hits 1
DD Bullard, Mine hits 1

4 mines cleared

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TF 100 encounters mine field at Bataan (78,77)

Allied Ships
DMS Hamilton, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
DMS Hopkins, Mine hits 1
DD Franks, Mine hits 1
DD Dortch, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage [:D]

27 mines cleared

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Manila at 79,77, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Kagero, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Albert Grant
DD Hale
DD Halford
DD Hall
DMS Boggs
DMS Palmer

Improved night sighting under 85% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 85% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DD Hall at 8,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DMS Palmer at 14,000 yards
Task forces break off...

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Manila at 79,77, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PC Sumire, Shell hits 19, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Albert Grant
DD Hale
DD Halford
DD Hall
DMS Boggs
DMS Palmer

Improved night sighting under 85% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 85% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Ichimura V. crosses the 'T'
DD Hall engages PC Sumire at 8,000 yards
PC Sumire sunk by DD Hale at 2,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Manila at 79,77, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E W-26, Shell hits 21, heavy fires, heavy damage
E Nasami, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
E Sarushima, Shell hits 10, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Albert Grant
DD Hale
DD Halford
DD Hall
DMS Boggs, Shell hits 2, on fire
DMS Palmer, Shell hits 1

Improved night sighting under 85% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 85% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Tokai, I. crosses the 'T'
DD Hall engages E W-26 at 8,000 yards
E W-26 engages DMS Palmer at 13,000 yards
Task forces break off...

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Manila at 79,77, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E W-26, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
E Nasami, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Albert Grant
DD Hale
DD Halford
DD Hall
DMS Boggs, on fire
DMS Palmer

Improved night sighting under 85% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 85% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 22,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Keenan, B.O. crosses the 'T'
E Nasami engages DMS Palmer at 11,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...

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Sub attack near Manila at 79,77

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-D-113, hits 5, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DMS Palmer
DD Albert Grant
DMS Boggs, on fire
DD Hall

SSX Ha-D-113 launches 2 torpedoes at DMS Palmer
Ha-D-113 bottoming out ....
DD Hall attacking submerged sub ....
Underwater explosion, debris and oil appear on surface!
Escort abandons search for sub


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Night Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 25

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 2 damaged

Manpower hits 4
Fires 2760

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 15000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Bataan at 78,77, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Converse
DD Evans, Shell hits 1
DD Franks
DMS Hopkins, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS Hamilton, heavy damage

Improved night sighting under 75% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 75% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Hatsukaze engages DD Franks at 2,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DD Evans at 2,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

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TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

20 mines cleared

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TF 207 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
PB Koei Maru, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

19 mines cleared

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TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared

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Day Time Surface Combat, near Bataan at 78,77, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Converse
DD Evans, Shell hits 1
DD Franks, Shell hits 1
DMS Hamilton, heavy damage

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
Range closes to 26,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 26,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 26,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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TF 105 encounters mine field at Bataan (78,77)

Allied Ships
DMS Palmer
DMS Boggs
DD Halford
DD Hall, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

4 mines cleared

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Submarine attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
DD Maikaze

Allied Ships
SS Mingo

DD Maikaze is sighted by SS Mingo
SS Mingo launches 2 torpedoes

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Ground combat at Akutan Island (171,49)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1252 troops, 13 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 79

Defending force 718 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Allied adjusted assault: 32

Japanese adjusted defense: 37

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Rocky Mountain Rger Battalion

Defending units:
53rd Nav Gd /2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]MGB G-1020 arrives at Kobe
75th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Takao
76th Ind.Mixed Brigade arrives at Takao[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of DD Kagero on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of DD Hatsukaze on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of PC Sumire on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E W-26 on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E Nasami on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E Sarushima on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of PB Mikitade Maru on Nov 13, 1944 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-103 on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-104 on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-113 on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-114 on Jan 02, 1945 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]
xAK Robert L. Hague is reported to have been sunk near Cotabato on Sep 09, 1944
Previous report of sinking of SS Greenling incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service[/font]
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]The Kagero class is nearly gone, but they continue to put up a fight. [/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: obvert
The Kagero class is nearly gone, but they continue to put up a fight.

Yes, but they are so outclassed by the Fletchers. Sheesh, Fletchers are about on par with IJ CA's.

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: obvert

Yep. I'm thinking the same. I'm just getting the Ki-83 though, so stay tuned.

Other players say that the Allies need to get within fighter range and get the other 4Es involved to be successful. I just can't see why. Just bomb out the supply production and it's game over. I can't fly late war fighters if there is no aviation fuel/supply. Very realistic in some senses, but at the same time, what's the motivation in a game sense to keep going and just watch it all get blown to bits with no contest, no tactics or strategy involved?

If this even lasts until VJ day it'll still be another 3-4 months real time. I've been pretty resilient, and these thoughts are not about getting blown away. It's more about a boredom just watching with no ability to change the outcome, escaping the replay during literally 40-50 Allied bombing 'packets' a turn.

This game is so polarizing for players. Even in the beginning there is a sense of preparation for the Allies, a hope and a feisty spirit knowing what will come. In the end for Japan it's just tedious.

I think that's why I'm second guessing my strategy. If it's this easy to destroy Japanese industry and supply generating capacity from night bombing alone and there's no defence, it really means Japan should go to any means necessary to deny the bases within range of the Home Islands. If it's a case of once they are lost it's months/years of tedious bombings with no way to fight back you might as well go for broke in the first two years of the game. Japan's meant to lose, I get that, but it seems a shame that as much as we all think how we play Japan makes a difference, does it really? It just seems the Allies have to play along for Japan to be successful and if they don't...well.

Just my 2p and views from a predominantly Allied player:

It's swings and roundabouts guys IMO. Yes the Allies can gain quite a few P's (1000's) form night bombing of Manpower centres which in turn causes fires that damage the other industry to net the VP's. However, focussing just on that, IMO, is not a fair and balanced view for 2 main reasons:

1.) Fires only really get going and damage other industries in locations with high number of Manpower! All those centres with low Manpower values will rarely sustain industry damage due to fires! This in turn means the only way to damage those industries is for the Allies to fly day missions to those sites which is a no go due to:

2.) Day raids are virtual suicide with B29's against Japanese fighters. Imagine how us Allied layers feel having the only option for the main 4E heavy bomber is to be relegated to night bombing a few high manpower centres to be able to achieve anything of significance in the Strategic Bombing war [;)]

As I say swings and roundabouts.......

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: obvert

Yep. I'm thinking the same. I'm just getting the Ki-83 though, so stay tuned.

Other players say that the Allies need to get within fighter range and get the other 4Es involved to be successful. I just can't see why. Just bomb out the supply production and it's game over. I can't fly late war fighters if there is no aviation fuel/supply. Very realistic in some senses, but at the same time, what's the motivation in a game sense to keep going and just watch it all get blown to bits with no contest, no tactics or strategy involved?

If this even lasts until VJ day it'll still be another 3-4 months real time. I've been pretty resilient, and these thoughts are not about getting blown away. It's more about a boredom just watching with no ability to change the outcome, escaping the replay during literally 40-50 Allied bombing 'packets' a turn.

This game is so polarizing for players. Even in the beginning there is a sense of preparation for the Allies, a hope and a feisty spirit knowing what will come. In the end for Japan it's just tedious.

I think that's why I'm second guessing my strategy. If it's this easy to destroy Japanese industry and supply generating capacity from night bombing alone and there's no defence, it really means Japan should go to any means necessary to deny the bases within range of the Home Islands. If it's a case of once they are lost it's months/years of tedious bombings with no way to fight back you might as well go for broke in the first two years of the game. Japan's meant to lose, I get that, but it seems a shame that as much as we all think how we play Japan makes a difference, does it really? It just seems the Allies have to play along for Japan to be successful and if they don't...well.

Just my 2p and views from a predominantly Allied player:

It's swings and roundabouts guys IMO. Yes the Allies can gain quite a few P's (1000's) form night bombing of Manpower centres which in turn causes fires that damage the other industry to net the VP's. However, focussing just on that, IMO, is not a fair and balanced view for 2 main reasons:

1.) Fires only really get going and damage other industries in locations with high number of Manpower! All those centres with low Manpower values will rarely sustain industry damage due to fires! This in turn means the only way to damage those industries is for the Allies to fly day missions to those sites which is a no go due to:

2.) Day raids are virtual suicide with B29's against Japanese fighters. Imagine how us Allied layers feel having the only option for the main 4E heavy bomber is to be relegated to night bombing a few high manpower centres to be able to achieve anything of significance in the Strategic Bombing war [;)]

As I say swings and roundabouts.......

1.) The big centers of industrial output for supply and HI are also big manpower centers. It's a massive proportion of the total. Just what's been hit so far in the HI has knocked supply production down by about 2k supply points a day! That's with a total now of 16k per day on Honshu and 24k globally. What a lot of Allied players may not realize is the shoestring campaigns the Japanese will be running by 45 if they can supply their troops at all. PzB couldn't even supply his when there had been no strategic bombing and it was only late 44 if I recall correctly.

2.) Do you think fighters are in every base in the Home Islands? Good. [:D]

I also imagine you're in the same boat as LeMay when he decided on low level night bombing due to not being able to hit anything precisely.

Just reading about the raids, they were devastating and still Tokyo retained around 50% of it's industrial output even at the end of the war. In this game that's not likely to happen.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: obvert
The Kagero class is nearly gone, but they continue to put up a fight.

Yes, but they are so outclassed by the Fletchers. Sheesh, Fletchers are about on par with IJ CA's.

Yep. Been seeing that for two years now. Still, they are experienced crews and will put a few hits in even though outnumbered and outclassed. I'm sure inflicting some damage in the night battles helped slow some ships and make them more vulnerable to the mine fields and subs.

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: obvert

1.) The big centers of industrial output for supply and HI are also big manpower centers. It's a massive proportion of the total. Just what's been hit so far in the HI has knocked supply production down by about 2k supply points a day! That's with a total now of 16k per day on Honshu and 24k globally. What a lot of Allied players may not realize is the shoestring campaigns the Japanese will be running by 45 if they can supply their troops at all. PzB couldn't even supply his when there had been no strategic bombing and it was only late 44 if I recall correctly.

2.) Do you think fighters are in every base in the Home Islands? Good. [:D]

I also imagine you're in the same boat as LeMay when he decided on low level night bombing due to not being able to hit anything precisely.

Just reading about the raids, they were devastating and still Tokyo retained around 50% of it's industrial output even at the end of the war. In this game that's not likely to happen.

1.) I'll have it take your word for and experience in that regard for supply loss etc. If that's the case then I agree with you.

2.) Doesn't matter. If they're in the main areas with leakage they'll be able to stop the daylight raids with heavy losses. You can comfortably shoot down over a months worth of B29 production.

[obvert]

Maybe this is true about the leaky CAP, but my experience on the Japanese side is that with the marginal radars and poor detection times, if I'm using even a directed LR CAP at a bombing run a few hexes away it doesn't get much before the bombers are already through to target. Leaky CAP at 2-4 hexes shouldn't be better than directed LR CAP, but lets hope you're right for my sake. [;)]

The B-29 does have some pretty nasty armament also, but of course it's going pretty far. I can see how an Allied player wouldn't want to risk it, but Jocke has flown directly into a known CAP twice already to hit ports in daylight, and so I can't rule out that he'd just let 'em fly.

It's a good move on his part really, as because he has made some daring strikes with this all important asset, he forces me to put up more daylight CAP than I'd like to have, reducing the training groups available for fighter pilots.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"] 3 - 4 January, 1945[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font]A whole gaggle of about 25 subs is moving toward the South China Sea through the straits of Malacca. Our ASW is bumped up with three air groups searching and hopefully hitting these guys. Lots of HIT messages today, and the surface ASW gets sightings but not much in the way of hits. This looks like a lot of Brit subs we haven't seen yet. Interesting they're coming now.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]THAILAND: [/font] And we're away! After many days of preparations the entire remaining Burma Army sails out of Bangkok to it's fate. [;)]

All but one division were loaded in one day, another 189 mines were swept without more ship losses and actually most transports made some distance toward their targets. The 9th still had support troops in Bangkok, and since I can't rely on the fields being open tomorrow, I've loaded up the last slow moving xAKL convoy with these 120 squads of support. One naval Engineer unit will be left partially in Bangkok and will likely be annihilated, but it got everyone out fast and will live on in the songs.

The others are moving toward Kompong Trach and Rachgia. These two bases one hex apart have a combined 200 fighters on CAP and are supported by a range of dedicated LR CAP from Saigon. This is an intermediate step, but necessary. Some may unload when they land and save the majority of the units for a while at least until the Allied CVs decide whether they want to intervene. If they come this will be a shootout, and with the targeting as it is, there might be some planes lost. We'll see. The KB is waiting near Samah and will move up only if the Allies lose a number of CV planes.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Pulling troops by plane from Batavia to Singers and from Koeang via Soeorabaja. I wouldn't bother but a few of these units are important to combine divisions. If I can get them to Saigon within a week or so they might still make it through the gauntlet dropping around the DEI and Indochina.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]RECON:[/font] He's still hanging around Nagasaki.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Allied Torpedo Bomber sighted over Nagasaki/Sasebo [/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]STRAT BOMBING:[/font] The Allies hit Manila again. Fires, some supply gone, but mostly not much damage compared to the HI.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA/INDOCHINA: [/font] Troops look to be crossing the river near Vinh. I have about 450 AV here hoping to get a decent result to slow the closure of the rail. If I don't we might only have about a week to get everything out.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]LUZON: [/font] A DA at Manila gets a 1:8 and strangely Jocke seems slightly pleased with that. It did lower forts, but his email was almost chipper after having lost over 700 infantry disabled. I guess it is better tha it could have been, but for me, in 45 now, this is a good result as well. It just means it'll take some time.

I moved out a bunch of fighters on the 3rd, then moved them back to Manila on the 4th and sweeps hit. The Allies only get about 1.5-1 in our first big clash since the HR change to 32k max. Our best Frank 'r' are hardly touched. A fresh group will stand in there tomorrow, while most others will support from Clark, Lingayen and elsewhere.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 3, 45
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TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

20 mines cleared

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TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared

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Night Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 23

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 6 damaged

Manpower hits 19
Fires 10773

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 10 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 3

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 1 damaged

Manpower hits 2
Fires 25708

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

17 mines cleared

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TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared

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

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 139512 troops, 2682 guns, 5413 vehicles, Assault Value = 5885

Defending force 117133 troops, 1356 guns, 1640 vehicles, Assault Value = 3399

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 6

Allied adjusted assault: 2436

Japanese adjusted defense: 20691

Allied assault odds: 1 to 8 (fort level 6)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2798 casualties reported
Squads: 45 destroyed, 483 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 108 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 53 disabled
Guns lost 180 (9 destroyed, 171 disabled)
Vehicles lost 80 (15 destroyed, 65 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3105 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 743 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 238 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 155 disabled
Guns lost 175 (33 destroyed, 142 disabled)
Vehicles lost 362 (23 destroyed, 339 disabled)

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

Ground combat at Prachuap Khiri Khan (54,64)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18238 troops, 296 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 728

Defending force 7386 troops, 40 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 90

Allied adjusted assault: 693

Japanese adjusted defense: 95

Allied assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Prachuap Khiri Khan !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Japanese ground losses:
2133 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 192 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 94 (87 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 3

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

Assaulting units:
50th Indian Para Brigade
20th Indian Division
7th New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
62nd Infantry Brigade
Southern Army
68th JAAF AF Bn

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 4, 45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

12 mines cleared


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

20 mines cleared

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Singapore at 49,84

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-27
SC CHa-34

Allied Ships
SS Stygian

SS Stygian is sighted by escort
Stygian bottoming out ....
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Singapore at 49,84

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-22
SC CHa-34

Allied Ships
SS Subtle

SS Subtle is located by SC CHa-22
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Singapore at 49,84

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-22
SC CHa-27
SC CHa-34

Allied Ships
SS Sirdar

SS Sirdar launches 2 torpedoes at SC CHa-22
Sirdar bottoming out ....
SC CHa-34 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 5
J2M3 Jack x 10
J2M5 Jack x 5
N1K1-J George x 35
N1K2-J George x 49
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 6
Ki-61-Id Tony x 6
Ki-84a Frank x 49
Ki-84r Frank x 66

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 41

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 7 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x F4U-1D Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
J2M3 Jack x 9
J2M5 Jack x 4
N1K1-J George x 32
N1K2-J George x 43
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 3
Ki-61-Id Tony x 5
Ki-84a Frank x 42
Ki-84r Frank x 58

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 42

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 4 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x F6F-5 Hellcat sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 32,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 1
J2M3 Jack x 6
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 30
N1K2-J George x 36
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 3
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 40
Ki-84r Frank x 48

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
A7M2 Sam: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
26 x F6F-5 Hellcat sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 5
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 25
N1K2-J George x 33
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 33
Ki-84r Frank x 40

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 42

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
29 x F6F-5 Hellcat sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 2
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 20
N1K2-J George x 28
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 28
Ki-84r Frank x 33

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 42

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
32 x F4U-1D Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 1
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 18
N1K2-J George x 23
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-84a Frank x 20
Ki-84r Frank x 24

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x F4U-1D Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 12th Tank Regiment, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 38,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 18

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x F4U-1A Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 17
N1K2-J George x 22
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-84a Frank x 15
Ki-84r Frank x 20

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x F4U-1D Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 29 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 1
N1K1-J George x 13
N1K2-J George x 21
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-84a Frank x 15
Ki-84r Frank x 17

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x F4U-1D Corsair sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 284 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
DMS W-11

40 mines cleared

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tandjoengpinang at 50,85

Japanese Ships
xAKL Tenpei Maru
SC CHa-35

Allied Ships
SS O20

SS O20 is sighted by escort
O20 bottoming out ....
SC CHa-35 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 27th Electric Engineer Regiment, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.VI x 46
Liberator GR.VI x 16
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 6
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
214 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

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

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

Ground combat at 55,59 (near Tavoy)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 143268 troops, 1539 guns, 2132 vehicles, Assault Value = 3673

Defending force 80809 troops, 1240 guns, 718 vehicles, Assault Value = 2624

Japanese adjusted assault: 481

Allied adjusted defense: 8266

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 17

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
28723 casualties reported
Squads: 1003 destroyed, 944 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 360 disabled
Engineers: 82 destroyed, 133 disabled
Guns lost 125 (37 destroyed, 88 disabled)
Vehicles lost 111 (31 destroyed, 80 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2231 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 213 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

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

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"][/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]LST T-172 arrives at Hirosaki/Aomori[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Previous report of sinking of SS Sawfish incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
Previous report of sinking of SS Sea Poacher incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"] Here's the view. Dicey now, and we'll see how the Allies react.

Moving 25 subs at once through a small strait necessarily sends out a big signal. These were picked up on the 2nd, lit up on the 3rd as more ASW flights went out, and nailed on the 4th most likely, with a lot of hit ship messages.
[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Lokasenna]

I was unaware that SCs could clear mines without doing it the old-fashioned way. That's a good bit of info to know. Are you able to put them into minesweeping TFs, or was it just an ASW TF of a sole SC that swept the mines?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I was unaware that SCs could clear mines without doing it the old-fashioned way. That's a good bit of info to know. Are you able to put them into minesweeping TFs, or was it just an ASW TF of a sole SC that swept the mines?

The SC won't actually, it's the CHa small guys that are doing some of that work. Ten knots and 8 DC rating. They won't hit much, but as minesweepers they did better than some of the AMc I was using at Palembang.

I was lucky to have that one DMS there though.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I was unaware that SCs could clear mines without doing it the old-fashioned way. That's a good bit of info to know. Are you able to put them into minesweeping TFs, or was it just an ASW TF of a sole SC that swept the mines?

The SC won't actually, it's the CHa small guys that are doing some of that work. Ten knots and 8 DC rating. They won't hit much, but as minesweepers they did better than some of the AMc I was using at Palembang.

I was lucky to have that one DMS there though.

Depth charges clear mines? Using any kind of SC (CH or CHa or otherwise) in an anti-mine role is completely new to me.

[obvert]

No, I was just pointing out which ships these were, really. Sorry for the confusion. I have just found them incapable for the most part in using their unusual array of weapons. Even with better commanders hey haven't produced many results, but they do get sightings which I guess is important as well in ASW. I'm sure the DC racks have no impact on mine clearance.

Many ships did in fact carry paravenes though. Even when I visited BB Massachsets there were paravenes on board. All escort ships, DD, E, SC, AM and even CM would have paravenes. Not sure why all of these ships wouldn't be able to go into a minesweeping TF.

For minesweeping I'm not sure what makes one ships better than another, but the DMS do really well and seem not to hit as many mines. The SC CHa did well, but the To'su class AMc I have used are abysmal and hit a mine on average after one turn of clearing a big field.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]6 January 1945[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No time to give a full update right now, but a short note will give an idea of what's happening. Allied CV planes followed sweeps almost perfectly and in the boring the CAP wasn't able to do much, so quite a few ships were lost. In the afternoon the CAP was back in strength and with no sweeps it was able to decimate the incoming strikes. That is about what I expected and hoped for. Almost all troops make land with 3k of the 9th division still on ships. Most ships left disband and if he comes in again it'll be another bloodbath. We'll see!

Now we have to walk these troops to Saigon. That will be interesting. At least 1000 fighters are in the area to help! [:)]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"]The Allies lost not only a lot of CV planes, but at least 40-50 top line P-47 and P-51 fighters. That's good, especially over our bases. Although we lost a good number of planes. only 47 pilots were KIA, with a lot more wounded. [/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]5 - 6 January 1945[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] A horde of Allied subs now move into the Suth China Sea heading directly at the position of the KB. It's time to bug out. Losing another CV to repair time or worse is not what I need now, and not if it's for nothing in return. We're in the shallows, so that's good, but there are literally 25 subs moving en masse now about 8-10 hexes out from current position. All bombers in the area will go on search or ASW missions, including the KB planes since I'm not going to be moving out of a one day strike range of the Allied CVs.

An Allied sub finally hits amine and goes down in Bataan. We lose one as well to a DD TF there.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]THAILAND: [/font] As shown above, it was a tough day in the air for both sides, but I think the Japanese came out ahead in this one. Fighters held their own for once against the P-47, and that should put a bit of a dent in their sweeping ability for next turn. I'll still be covering from Saigon, but I have to keep a good CAP up in the base too lest he pull a quick 4E strike in. That would be very welcome considering the 1,000 fighters between Saigon and Cam Ran Bay, and most likely won't happen.

Saigon is a decent base. The fort is very strong, it's in a good defensive hex, and it's hard to isolate. I'm moving a few brigades out of Saigon and Cam Ran to cover back roads that could let tanks get to the rail. I don't want to lose the option to rail out the troops now that I've spent all of this energy (and ships) getting them to relative safety. It will even be hard to bomb in the clear as I do have AA with them and, most importantly, radar. Any LR CAP will have some eyes now. That should help, as will the 2-3 hex distance of any CAP.

We did lose about 7 xAP and another 5 AK, so this is not without cost, but those ships will be less and less useful soon, and of course will likely be sunk late anyway. I will still try to save what I have. Only one TF needs still to unload, but the small guys with support troops and some supply are still moving in and might meet a bunch of CL/Fletcher TFs, which will surely sink them all. I just hope to land troops first. There are 5 30 knot E at Kampong doing their best to cover the base, but if anything does come they will not be enough I fear.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Got a much needed Rgt. and Eng unit out of Koepang, and I'll try to get them into Saigon to rail back now.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]STRAT BOMBING:[/font] A decent result at Tokyo this go around. Due to a higher altitude setting of 15k and Thunderstorms in the hex in addition to our NF and flak, the B-29s hit nothing on the 5th! [8D]

It looks like 12-15 are lost on the night. We lose 16 NF, but I'll take that.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA/INDOCHINA: [/font] The Allies shocked across the river from the plains with three tank brigades, but didn't take the hex, thankfully. It was bold, but our troops had a chance to dig in, there were some solid guns here, and the engineers really took a bunch of punishment. Somehow it looks like a lot of tanks are hit, which is great. Our own tank rgt. suffers only a few losses, amazingly, and is fresh and ready to go again. Looks like an army gathering in Udon Thani though, so we may have less than a week to either solidify this spot or get everything out of Saigon. I could maybe get 1k here, but that's a big maybe, and I'm not sure I can risk it not really knowing what the Allies will bring. I'll try to recon better tomorrow.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]LUZON: [/font] No action. Fighters are back in Manila, and a bombardment could come in any second, but it will have to pass through the mines and the newly installed CD guns in Bataan. I do hope they will fire when ships pass through, right?

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]RECON:[/font] Still a lot of recon of Nagasaki. There are two BBs and a bunch of DDs refitting here.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 5, 45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

21 mines cleared

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Singapore at 49,85

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-14
SC CHa-15

Allied Ships
SS Trident, hits 5

SS Trident is sighted by escort
Trident bottoming out ....
SC CHa-15 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-15 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tandjoengpinang at 50,85

Japanese Ships
DD Akikaze
DD Sawakaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
SS Capelin, hits 3

SS Capelin is located by DD Akikaze
Capelin bottoming out ....
DD Hokaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Akikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 210 encounters mine field at Bataan (78,77)

Allied Ships
SS Sea Robin, Mine hits 1 Finally got one at Bataan!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-D-121, hits 9, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DMS Elliot
DMS Hovey
DD Leutze
DD Richard P. Leary

SSX Ha-D-121 is sighted by escort
DD Leutze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Richard P. Leary attacking submerged sub ....
Sounds of submarine breaking up detected!
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-D-122, hits 6, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DMS Elliot
DMS Hovey
DD Leutze

SSX Ha-D-122 is sighted by escort
DD Leutze attacking submerged sub ....
Sounds of submarine breaking up detected!
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Tokyo , at 114,60

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-S Irving x 23
J1N1-Sa Irving x 5
Ki-46-III KAI Dinah x 23

Allied aircraft
B-29-25 Superfort x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
J1N1-S Irving: 1 destroyed
J1N1-Sa Irving: 1 destroyed
Ki-46-III KAI Dinah: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-25 Superfort: 3 damaged
B-29-25 Superfort: 3 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-29-25 Superfort bombing from 12000 feet *
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 175 encounters mine field at Bangkok (56,62)

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-26

18 mines cleared

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Bataan at 78,77

Japanese Ships
SS I-158, hits 16, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Heermann
DD Hoel

SS I-158 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Heermann
DD Hoel attacking submerged sub ....
Underwater explosion, debris and oil appear on surface!
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 27th Electric Engineer Regiment, at 64,60 , near Vinh

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.VI x 15
B-24D Liberator x 3
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
36 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Djemadja at 53,84

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze
DD Hokaze
DD Akikaze

Allied Ships
SS Storm, hits 8

SS Storm is sighted by escort
DD Hokaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Akikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6452 troops, 622 guns, 424 vehicles, Assault Value = 5089

Defending force 111963 troops, 1356 guns, 1593 vehicles, Assault Value = 2955

Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 49 (8 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (5 destroyed, 5 disabled) I like this! [:)]

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

Ground combat at 64,60 (near Vinh)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 9350 troops, 54 guns, 950 vehicles, Assault Value = 690

Defending force 11822 troops, 31 guns, 204 vehicles, Assault Value = 463

Allied adjusted assault: 396

Japanese adjusted defense: 381

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
516 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 27 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (7 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
819 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 20 (10 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 79 (22 destroyed, 57 disabled)

Assaulting units:
255th Indian Tank Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
50th Tank Brigade
18th Cavalry Regiment

Defending units:
27th Electric Engineer Regiment
13th Ind.Infantry Brigade
12th Tank Regiment
65th Brigade
176th JAAF AF Bn /3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 6, 45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub attack near Quinhon at 66,69

Japanese Ships
xAK Somedono Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Yubari Maru
xAKL Miyakawa Maru #3
xAKL Mitsuki Maru
xAKL Nichiwa Maru
PB Hinode Maru #17
SC CHa-28

Allied Ships
SS Jallao

SS Jallao launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Somedono Maru
Jallao diving deep ....
PB Hinode Maru #17 fails to find sub and abandons search
SC CHa-28 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-28 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-28 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-28 attacking submerged sub ....
SC CHa-28 is out of ASW ammo
SC CHa-28 is out of ASW ammo
SC CHa-28 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kompong Trach , at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 37,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 3
J2M3 Jack x 3
J2M5 Jack x 28
N1K1-J George x 30
N1K2-J George x 12
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 81
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 17
Ki-84a Frank x 47
Ki-84r Frank x 43
Ki-100-I Tony x 26

Allied aircraft
Thunderbolt I x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M5 Jack: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Thunderbolt I: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
54th Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(32 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 32 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
70th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
203rd Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(32 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 32 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
S-302 Kokutai with J2M5 Jack (4 airborne, 10 on standby, 14 scrambling)
14 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 35000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
S-316 Hikotai with A6M5c Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes
S-309 Hikotai with J2M3 Jack (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
S-402 Hikotai with N1K1-J George (1 airborne, 8 on standby, 18 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 37000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
S-306 Hikotai with N1K2-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
9th Sentai with Ki-100-I Tony (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 14 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
30th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
33rd Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (3 airborne, 13 on standby, 16 scrambling)
16 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 34440.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
48th Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (0 airborne, 13 on standby, 16 scrambling)
13 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 6 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000 , scrambling fighters between 29000 and 35000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
53rd Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 17 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
64th Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 17 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
66th Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes
200th Sentai with Ki-100-I Tony (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 12 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kompong Trach , at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 19 NM, estimated altitude 32,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 1
J2M3 Jack x 3
J2M5 Jack x 18
N1K1-J George x 28
N1K2-J George x 10
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 65
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 12
Ki-84a Frank x 39
Ki-84r Frank x 43
Ki-100-I Tony x 23

Allied aircraft
Thunderbolt I x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5c Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Thunderbolt I: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x Thunderbolt I sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kompong Trach , at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 1
J2M5 Jack x 11
N1K1-J George x 24
N1K2-J George x 7
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 38
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 25
Ki-84r Frank x 37
Ki-100-I Tony x 13

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x P-47D2 Thunderbolt sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Kompong Trach , at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 4
N1K1-J George x 5
N1K2-J George x 7
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 34
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 1
Ki-84a Frank x 12
Ki-84r Frank x 21
Ki-100-I Tony x 12

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 38

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x F6F-5 Hellcat sweeping at 32000 feet

I won't show all of the sweeps, as there were many more, but these few give an idea that it turned out almost even. Maybe 1:1.5 in the Allies favor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kompong Trach at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 69 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 1
N1K2-J George x 9

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 21
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 28
TBM-1C Avenger x 15
TBM-3 Avenger x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
TBM-3 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Seattle Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Kowa Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Konron Maru
xAP Teikyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD T-5, Bomb hits 1
xAP Kamo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Taizan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Awazisan Maru
xAP Koan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
E Ioshima, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Kamakura Maru, Torpedo hits 1
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Ussuri Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Asama Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AMC Aikoku Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kompong Trach at 57,70

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 1
N1K2-J George x 4

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 42
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Tokyo Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Asakasan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Kirishima Maru
AK Sydney Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Asosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Huzi Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rachgia at 57,71

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 2
J2M5 Jack x 10
N1K1-J George x 3
N1K2-J George x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 3
Ki-84r Frank x 8
Ki-100-I Tony x 14

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 21
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 55
TBM-3 Avenger x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 3 destroyed
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBM-3 Avenger: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAP Teiritsu Maru
xAP Hakone Maru
xAP Shanghai Maru
xAP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Gokoku Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Ukishima Maru
xAP Brazil Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Arimasan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Hakozaki Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Argentina Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Amagisan Maru
AK Aratama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
285 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x TBM-3 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rachgia at 57,71

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 55 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 2
J2M5 Jack x 7
N1K1-J George x 2
N1K2-J George x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 2
Ki-84r Frank x 5
Ki-100-I Tony x 8

Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 32

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 4 destroyed, 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAP Gokoku Maru, heavy fires
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Hakozaki Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
316 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 35 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Rachgia at 57,71

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M5 Jack x 3
N1K2-J George x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 2
Ki-100-I Tony x 7

Allied aircraft
TBM-3 Avenger x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBM-3 Avenger: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Aratama Maru, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
176 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x TBM-3 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rachgia at 57,71

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 6
J2M3 Jack x 8
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 2
N1K2-J George x 23
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 34
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 29
Ki-84a Frank x 10
Ki-100-I Tony x 25

Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 16
F6F-5 Hellcat x 41
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 27
TBM-1C Avenger x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 5 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 7 destroyed, 3 damaged
F6F-5 Hellcat: 13 destroyed
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 14 destroyed, 2 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AK Aratama Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Ukishima Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Hakozaki Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Teiritsu Maru
xAP Shanghai Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAP Gokoku Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Arimasan Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
670 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 32 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rachgia at 57,71

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 1
J2M3 Jack x 3
J2M5 Jack x 2
N1K1-J George x 1
N1K2-J George x 10
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 15
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 8
Ki-84a Frank x 5
Ki-100-I Tony x 11

Allied aircraft
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 27

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 8 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAP Hakozaki Maru, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
1702 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 77 destroyed, 65 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

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

Ground combat at 55,59 (near Tavoy)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 119992 troops, 1432 guns, 2005 vehicles, Assault Value = 2310

Defending force 79495 troops, 1240 guns, 717 vehicles, Assault Value = 2472

Japanese adjusted assault: 222

Allied adjusted defense: 7960

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 35

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

Japanese ground losses:
17041 casualties reported
Squads: 896 destroyed, 772 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 271 disabled
Engineers: 78 destroyed, 73 disabled
Guns lost 125 (68 destroyed, 57 disabled)
Vehicles lost 119 (36 destroyed, 83 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
511 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 108 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 49 (5 destroyed, 44 disabled)
Vehicles lost 25 (2 destroyed, 23 disabled)

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

Ground combat at Bangkok (56,62)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62380 troops, 528 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2760

Defending force 744 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 2411

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 803 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied forces CAPTURE Bangkok !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 4 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
803 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 95 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

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

Assaulting units:
5th Chinese Corps
16th Chindit Brigade
1st New Chinese Corps
6th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
11th Shipping Engineer Regiment

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

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]LST T-174 arrives at Nagoya
40th Army arrives at Kagoshima
4th Tank Regiment arrives at Tokyo
108th JAAF AF Bn arrives at Tokyo[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of SSX Ha-D-121 on Jan 05, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-122 on Jan 05, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SSX Ha-D-123 on Jan 05, 1945 is admitted
Loss of SS I-158 on Jan 05, 1945 is admitted
Loss of xAK Somedono Maru on Jan 06, 1945 is admitted
Loss of xAP Hakozaki Maru on Jan 06, 1945 is admitted
Loss of xAP Kamo Maru on Jan 06, 1945 is admitted
Loss of xAP Taizan Maru on Jan 06, 1945 is admitted
Loss of xAP Ukishima Maru on Jan 06, 1945 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Previous report of sinking of DD Sproston incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
AM Oriole is reported to have been sunk near Ternate on Aug 04, 1944
SS Pompon is reported to have been sunk near Batan Island on Oct 13, 1944
AKA Thuban is reported to have been sunk near Cotabato on Aug 18, 1944
Previous report of sinking of SS Tunny incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"]As seen here the LR CAP from Manila was supporting the much smaller CAP in hex at the landing sites. The huge sub flotilla can also be seen, and at the bottom the ships disbanded, some in dire straits, others not damaged, in Kampong Trach. [/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]7 January 1945[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] That big fleet of subs moving directly in between crossfire of several different ASW air bases has been lit up like Chinese New Year and with fireworks to match. Two subs were sunk outright, several more hit by surface forces, and the number of HIT messages from air patrols makes me surmise a good few more are currently floundering. These were moved in as a screen for the US CVs apparently, and sit in the same relative position as yesterday, seemingly not on linear but in stationary patrols. That is not good for their well-being. The perfect grid looks nice on the map though. The KB is now well out of danger and there was never the intention to use it here. Just something put into view to think about.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]DEI:[/font] Now the last few units in Koepang, a few base forces and a construction unit will be evacuated. Then the focus shift to streamlining Java to the least amount of essential troops to make it viable as a threat. All of the others will be flown (or shipped) out. I thin I may have just found a use for the otherwise useless transport subs. Stay tuned for that.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]STRAT BOMBING:[/font] The Allies go for Saigon with B-29s. We did have some NF here which take out a small chunk of 6-8 planes. They start almost 12k fires, but that's all good. If I can destroy at least 40/month of the newer version, then all of these B-29-1 versions that are destroyed mean fewer and fewer groups using the B-29.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]RECON: [/font] Almost no recon today, even over the HI.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA/INDOCHINA: [/font] Moving more troop to block possible armor incursions.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]LUZON: [/font] I've noticed that right after a big day in one theatre with big Allied losses Jocke sometimes like to go for it in another area, perhaps to catch our forces off guard or out of position. Not today.

Massive waves of sweeps and 4Es hit Manila, but we're ready. Almost 400 planes are on CAP over Manila, but some arrive late from four other bases, so the battles are various and go both ways during the sweeps. Against the bombers though finally our forces get a good hit. [&o]

Almost 90 4Es lost on the day!!!!![:)][8D]

Only two of the sweeps get to Manila before the bombing runs and the CAP is strong. Even with our planes flying from everywhere we do very well against the first small sweeps and get almost 1:1. The first 4E run is crushed with Flak doesn't do badly either, downing around 15 planes with many more damaged and possibly lost to ops.

After the action the base has only 30 damage and 45 service damage. There are around 500+ engineers in base along with 1500 air support, so recovering will be quick here. Fields are open but I doubt any more air strikes will come tomorrow. Maybe a bombardment by sea though. That would be interesting.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR January 7, 45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ASW attack near Samah at 70,67

Japanese Ships
E No.15
E No.112

Allied Ships
SS Guavina, hits 18, heavy damage

SS Guavina is sighted by escort
Guavina diving deep ....
E No.112 attacking submerged sub ....
Sounds of submarine breaking up detected!
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Samah at 71,67

Japanese Ships
E No.112
E No.15
E No.66
E No.33

Allied Ships
SS Greenling, hits 36, and is sunk

SS Greenling is located by E No.112
E No.112 attacking submerged sub ....
E No.66 attacking submerged sub ....
SS Greenling forced to surface!
E No.66 firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kompong Trach at 57,70, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Sanae, Shell hits 1
E Kiku
E Tsuta, Shell hits 1
E Yomogi, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
E Kari

Allied Ships
DD Ammen
DD Anthony
DD Charles Badger
DD Bush
DD Daly
DD Heywood Edwards
DD Paul Hamilton, Shell hits 1
DD McKee
DD McNair

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 35% moonlight: 3,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
Yanagimura, M. crosses the 'T'
E Kiku engages DD McNair at 2,000 yards
DD Ammen engages E Tsuta at 12,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rachgia at 57,71, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Sanae, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
E Kiku, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
E Tsuta, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
E Kari, Shell hits 18, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Newcomb
DD Philip
DD Porterfield
DD Halsey Powell
DD Abner Read
DD Norman Scott, Shell hits 1
DD Sigsbee
DD Tingey, Shell hits 1


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 35% moonlight: 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Yanagimura, M. crosses the 'T'
DD Tingey engages E Kari at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
DD Tingey engages E Kiku at 4,000 yards
DD Halsey Powell engages E Kiku at 15,000 yards
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Saigon , at 60,71

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-Sa Irving x 14

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
J1N1-Sa Irving: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 7 damaged

Manpower hits 12
Fires 7205

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Saigon , at 60,71

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 14 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-Sa Irving x 11

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 3 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Some CAP have air radar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on Saigon , at 60,71

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-Sa Irving x 3

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
J1N1-Sa Irving: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
S-902 Hikotai with J1N1-Sa Irving (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead

Some CAP have air radar
Banzai! - Shiga K. in a J1N1-Sa Irving rams a B-29-1 Superfort for the Emperor Who needs radar! [:)]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Kompong Trach at 57,70, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Yamadori Maru
xAK Boston Maru
xAKL Katsura Maru
xAKL Keizan Maru
xAKL Yagi Maru
xAKL Sakae Maru
LST T-103

Allied Ships
DD Newcomb
DD Philip
DD Porterfield
DD Halsey Powell
DD Abner Read
DD Norman Scott
DD Sigsbee
DD Tingey

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 27,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 27,000 yards
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Japanese Landing Craft TF evades combat I thought they were simply goners! Apparently all troops had been unloaded by this time already, as only 2k supply remains on the ships. That though is still valuable and I'll try to unload tomorrow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 65,71

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
SS Sabalo, hits 4

SS Sabalo is located by DD Sawakaze
Sabalo diving deep ....
DD Hokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hokaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hokaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 16 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 10
J2M3 Jack x 86
J2M5 Jack x 44
N1K1-J George x 35
N1K2-J George x 43
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 14
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 49
Ki-61-Id Tony x 15
Ki-84a Frank x 15
Ki-84r Frank x 112

Allied aircraft
P-51D Mustang x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 5 destroyed

CAP engaged:
903 Ku S-1 with N1K2-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(14 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 13 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
901 Ku S-1 with J2M5 Jack (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
S-401 Hikotai with N1K2-J George (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(15 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
S-313 Hikotai with N1K1-J George (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(15 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
S-407 Hikotai with N1K2-J George (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(14 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
Akagi-1 with J2M3 Jack (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(14 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 6 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
Kaga-1 with A7M2 Sam (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
Zuikaku-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(11 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 6 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
Ryuho-1 with N1K1-J George (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(9 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
1st Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(18 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 15 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
17th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(14 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 6 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes
19th Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(23 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 10 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
26th Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(22 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
50th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(15 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 13 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
72nd Sentai with Ki-61-Id Tony (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(15 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 6 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
S-304 Hikotai with J2M5 Jack (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 21 scrambling)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000 , scrambling fighters between 30000 and 36910.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
S-312 Hikotai with J2M3 Jack (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 21 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 38380.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
S-602 Hikotai with J2M3 Jack (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 19 scrambling)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 38380.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
13th Sentai with Ki-84r Frank (0 airborne, 16 on standby, 26 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32000 , scrambling fighters between 23000 and 38270.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
31st Sentai with Ki-44-IIc Tojo (0 airborne, 14 on standby, 29 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 9
J2M3 Jack x 82
J2M5 Jack x 43
N1K1-J George x 26
N1K2-J George x 38
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 12
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 49
Ki-61-Id Tony x 12
Ki-84a Frank x 11
Ki-84r Frank x 98

Allied aircraft
P-51D Mustang x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 3 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 7
J2M3 Jack x 77
J2M5 Jack x 42
N1K1-J George x 22
N1K2-J George x 30
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 8
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 48
Ki-61-Id Tony x 10
Ki-84a Frank x 11
Ki-84r Frank x 89

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 9
B-17E Fortress x 6
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24J Liberator x 157

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed on ground
J2M5 Jack: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 3 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 5 destroyed, 30 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Airbase hits 27
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 71

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 4
J2M3 Jack x 64
J2M5 Jack x 38
N1K1-J George x 19
N1K2-J George x 22
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 7
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 41
Ki-61-Id Tony x 5
Ki-84a Frank x 9
Ki-84r Frank x 68

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 15
B-17E Fortress x 3
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24J Liberator x 118

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 6 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 3 destroyed, 44 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

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

Airbase hits 18
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 10 So few hits!!! [X(][&o]

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Banzai! - Kawasaki N. in a J2M3 Jack rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor
Banzai! - Muto J. in a J2M3 Jack rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor
Banzai! - Kawai J. in a Ki-44-IIc Tojo rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 3
J2M3 Jack x 40
J2M5 Jack x 33
N1K1-J George x 15
N1K2-J George x 17
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 5
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 22
Ki-61-Id Tony x 5
Ki-84a Frank x 8
Ki-84r Frank x 51

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 4 destroyed, 13 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Runway hits 3[8D]

Banzai! - Kamei T. in a Ki-84r Frank rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
J2M3 Jack x 34
J2M5 Jack x 28
N1K1-J George x 14
N1K2-J George x 12
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 3
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 15
Ki-61-Id Tony x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 38

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 4 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Banzai! - Kado S. in a Ki-84r Frank rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
J2M3 Jack x 28
J2M5 Jack x 25
N1K1-J George x 13
N1K2-J George x 11
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 10
Ki-61-Id Tony x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 30

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 2 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Banzai! - Inano U. in a N1K1-J George rams a B-24J Liberator for the Emperor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 63 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
J2M3 Jack x 25
J2M5 Jack x 18
N1K1-J George x 10
N1K2-J George x 10
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 9
Ki-61-Id Tony x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 26

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
J2M3 Jack x 24
J2M5 Jack x 14
N1K1-J George x 9
N1K2-J George x 9
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 9
Ki-61-Id Tony x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 24

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 1
J2M3 Jack x 22
J2M5 Jack x 13
N1K1-J George x 9
N1K2-J George x 8
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 9
Ki-61-Id Tony x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4
Ki-84r Frank x 20

Allied aircraft
P-51D Mustang x 116

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 3 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 3 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Id Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 2 destroyed [X(]

Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
22 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
21 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
20 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
21 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
5 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 14
J2M5 Jack x 8
N1K1-J George x 7
N1K2-J George x 4
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 8
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 1
Ki-84r Frank x 15

Allied aircraft
P-51D Mustang x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 2 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 3 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 4 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet
5 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 32000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 9
J2M5 Jack x 4
N1K1-J George x 6
N1K2-J George x 3
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 1
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 3
Ki-61-Id Tony x 2
Ki-84a Frank x 1
Ki-84r Frank x 11

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 12000 feet
Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Samah at 73,69

Japanese Ships
E No.15
E No.112
E No.66

Allied Ships
SS Growler, hits 3

SS Growler launches 2 torpedoes at E No.15
Growler diving deep ....
E No.112 fails to find sub and abandons search
E No.66 attacking submerged sub ....
E No.66 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E No.66 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E No.66 fails to find sub, continues to search...
E No.66 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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

Ground combat at 55,59 (near Tavoy)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 99459 troops, 1322 guns, 1952 vehicles, Assault Value = 1348

Defending force 78995 troops, 1238 guns, 716 vehicles, Assault Value = 2397

Japanese adjusted assault: 24

Allied adjusted defense: 5152

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 214

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

Japanese ground losses:
11881 casualties reported
Squads: 293 destroyed, 559 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 209 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 76 disabled
Guns lost 69 (7 destroyed, 62 disabled)
Vehicles lost 52 (9 destroyed, 43 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
391 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 30 (1 destroyed, 29 disabled)

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

Reinforcements:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]SS I-401 arrives at Kobe
MGB G-1021 arrives at Hiroshima/Kure[/font]

Losses:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Loss of E Sanae on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E Tsuta on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E Yomogi on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of E Kari on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of AMc Seki Maru #3 on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of AMc Takunan Maru #2 on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted
Loss of ACM Muroran Maru on Jan 07, 1945 is admitted[/font]

Ships Sunk:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]SS Greenling is reported to have been sunk near Samah on Jan 07, 1945
SS Guavina is reported to have been sunk near Samah on Jan 07, 1945
AO TAN 5 is reported to have been sunk near Milne Bay on Sep 11, 1944[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Here is the list of HIT messages from today.

Ki-67-Ib Peggy from 14th Sentai attacking an Allied SS at 72,69
an Allied SS is reported HIT
Ki-49-IIb Helen from 208th Sentai attacking a Narwhal class SS at 67,67
a Thames class SS is reported HIT
Ki-49-IIb Helen from 52nd I.F.Chutai attacking an Allied SS at 70,71
an Allied SS is reported HIT
Ki-21-Ic Sally from 74th I.F.Chutai attacking an Allied SS at 67,67
an Allied SS is reported HIT
Ki-21-Ic Sally from 74th I.F.Chutai attacking SS Pipefish at 66,70
SS Pipefish is reported HIT[/font]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[koniu]

That sub horde south of Luzon looks scary[X(]

Congrats about 4E, 6 weeks production of Liberators in one day. Nice

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

That sub horde south of Luzon looks scary[X(]

Congrats about 4E, 6 weeks production of Liberators in one day. Nice

Yeah, this is the first time (other than a mistaken setting on Jocke's part) that we've really nailed 4Es with the CAP. EVER! Usually they scoot by our depleted groups, worn out from fighting sweeps, and obliterate the base. I think his pace is finally starting to take it's toll. He can't sweep daily and bomb daily anymore with 300 4E in two different theatres after 2+ years of doing just that. I thought, (and hoped and prayed) that the pacing would be too much, and it looks like that is starting to be true. We'll see. Maybe there is something even more scary to come.

This base at Manila is overloaded with every kind of defensive unit I could get to it reasonably; massive amounts of big gun flak, tons and tons of support, great air HQ leaders, lots of radars (10+) and the best of the best of defensive fighter pilots.

Mainly I'm happy the base was still open even after. This bodes well for this defensive arrangement here and elsewhere. It's still vulnerable by sea, but some CD guns just arrived in Bataan to add to the mines and PTs and subs, so hopefully if he choses that route it'll be just as painful.

Using subs that way can be really successful, but not if you leave them in one spot too long. These are not moving around much, and for three days their DL has been high, ASW TFs have been pounding, and air units getting HIT messages.

[PaxMondo]

For me the key to defending Luzon is a good network of lvl9 AF's and a strong reaction force. That the allies can force a landing in Luzon is a given. That I can hit the invasion fleet hard and throw the invasion force back into the sea within 7 turns is the goal. ~3000AV is what I plan for my reaction force to do that, along with at least 500 bombers. The most dangerous LZ's are Appari or Laoag as I can't get my reaction force there fast enough. Of course both of those are high risk to the allied player as they have to run between Luzon and Formosa. Legaspi is the trap that I want to dangle ... I can be there in 3 days ... I only need to hold 2 days.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

For me the key to defending Luzon is a good network of lvl9 AF's and a strong reaction force. That the allies can force a landing in Luzon is a given. That I can hit the invasion fleet hard and throw the invasion force back into the sea within 7 turns is the goal. ~3000AV is what I plan for my reaction force to do that, along with at least 500 bombers. The most dangerous LZ's are Appari or Laoag as I can't get my reaction force there fast enough. Of course both of those are high risk to the allied player as they have to run between Luzon and Formosa. Legaspi is the trap that I want to dangle ... I can be there in 3 days ... I only need to hold 2 days.

I simply had to give up the South. Too much 4E bombing in the clear there and too much danger of a landing behind. The block at Manila is strong but there is a small reaction force behind, and with what Jocke has here any attempt to throw the Allies into the Sea would be pretty soundly defeated. The react force is maybe 1k AV and wil simply try to move in and stall any behind the lines invasion. For me Luzon is simply about time. Take as long as possible, see what I can salvage from the wreckage once it's conquered and then defend the next spot. If the Allies spread to thin, maybe this will hold for a good while. If he brings all he has, it will not last long.

We'll see.

[PaxMondo]

Good job on hitting the 4E's. Yes, killing 6 weeks production in one day feels really nice and you need to savour it. I'm sure Jocke is really stinging.

But two good days in 3 years means he may or may not have ac pool issues as you never really know what his op losses are, FOW on that being so bad. You've only got until late March before the B29 starts coming. He doesn't get that much production initially, but he gets quite a few groups (something like 16!).

Still, good JOB!!!

[&o][&o][&o]