Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

February 26th 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 3 Allied, 2 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Horn Island, Memboro(air drop), Belep Islands
Japanese land at: Luganville

Australia

A unit of G4M1 is due to withdraw 10th March so I swapped out the pilots for new trainees and attacked Katherine airfield from Koepang. Mini-KB was also supposed to attack but couldn't because of weather. Destroyed a Hudson and a Banshee on the ground and damaged others - no allied fighters present.

Horn Island attack is good and destroys two Australian Brigades[:)].

Japanese ground losses:
225 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
8028 casualties reported
Squads: 304 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 323 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 31 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 116 (116 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 84 (84 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Assaulting units:
18th Division
28th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
1st Australian Brigade
9th Australian Brigade
Horn Isl Base Force

China

Chinese have pulled back from the woods outside of Sian allowing Japanese forces to move into the base. It looks like he is abandoning the base completely.

Two retreating Chinese corps fail to move fast enough and are mauled:

Japanese ground losses:
271 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
6154 casualties reported
Squads: 180 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 161 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 20 (5 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
37th Division
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Army
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion

Defending units:
61st Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps

Philippines

BB bombard Manila instead of the troops and little damage is inflicted.

Running out of supply at Batangas to rearm the BB.

Engineering

Kweilin airfield expands to 4.

Miri has run out of supply with the oil wells still needing 83000 to finish fixing. Found 20000 supply on Formosa to send but having difficulty finding any more to spare.

[Spidery]

February 27th 1942

Air Losses: 26 Japanese, 1 Allied, 17 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Luganville, Russell Islands(auto)
Japanese land at:

Australia

Sweeps fail to fly against Katherine and some warhawks have been sent there that massacre the betties bombing it.

China

Movements and minor bombing.

Philippines

BB bombardments have stopped but the land bombardment does well concentrating on one of the tank units.

NORPAC

I-19 finds a support task force at Dutch Harbour, seemingly with no escorts. It puts 2 torpedoes into AV Tangier, 1 into AS Otus and misses AR Medusa. However, no sinking sounds are heard.

Two task forces are spotted South of the Kuriles and just outside of torpedo range from Honshu. Looks like he is poking around for gaps in my search coverage. With luck there are none!

I'm nervous that he could try an extreme action. He has all those old BB from Pearl - could he try a bombardment attack against the home isles?

Engineering

Batavia airfield expanded to 5.

Allies expand Hyderabad to 5.

[obvert]

Two task forces are spotted South of the Kuriles and just outside of torpedo range from Honshu. Looks like he is poking around for gaps in my search coverage. With luck there are none!

I'm nervous that he could try an extreme action. He has all those old BB from Pearl - could he try a bombardment attack against the home isles?

Now that you know he's there, move everything critical out, turn off the search for a day or two, turn ON the Netties at a closer strike range and see what happens. Sometimes if you're not paying attention the search might be missed in the replay and the DL might now show a rise on the detected ships. Lure him in and hit him hard!!! The BBs would be fantastic!

He'll likely have a few DD or a maybe a CL there.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Two task forces are spotted South of the Kuriles and just outside of torpedo range from Honshu. Looks like he is poking around for gaps in my search coverage. With luck there are none!

I'm nervous that he could try an extreme action. He has all those old BB from Pearl - could he try a bombardment attack against the home isles?

Now that you know he's there, move everything critical out, turn off the search for a day or two, turn ON the Netties at a closer strike range and see what happens. Sometimes if you're not paying attention the search might be missed in the replay and the DL might now show a rise on the detected ships. Lure him in and hit him hard!!! The BBs would be fantastic!

He'll likely have a few DD or a maybe a CL there.

Excellent advice, but now just a little too late. He came in fast and struck at the cargo forces at Hakodate with carrier planes! Nothing disastrous - 9 xAK lost and the damaged ones have all disbanded in port with only a few fires to put out.

The Netties didn't launch - which is probably good as they wouldn't get through CAP. Some Jakes attacked an AO but missed but it gives me a location on his refuelling task force. I have a surface combat task force of 2 CL and 2 DD that might be able to engage it but would probably then be sunk by carrier planes.

He has 2/2 detection on the SCTF task force.

If I run it East at full speed and switch the Jakes to night search it should be close enough to react into the oilers. I could also put the netties on night attack and hope to get a night strike before the CV are out of range - moonlight is 100%.

[Spidery]

February 28th 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Thousand Ships Bay(auto)
Japanese land at:

NORPAC

I do like the way surprises, good and bad, unfold as the replay runs.

In the night air phase there are reports of task forces at Ominato and Hakodate being spotted by float planes and torpedo bombers. During the Day phase Nells spot task forces near Hakodate and then there are a flood of spottings by Allied forces and SBD-3 all around the area. Then the air strikes:

In the morning: 18 F2A-3, 7 F4F-3, 42 SBD-3, 30 TBD-1 strike and sink one xAK.
In the afternoon: 2 more attacks totalling 18 F2A-3, 7 F4F-3, 42 SBD-3, 29 TBD-1 sink another xAK

This doesn't sound too bad but then then in the damage control phase the ship sinkings keep coming.

End result: 1 Yusen-N, 7 Aden, 1 Gozan lost with another Aden needing scuttling as it has 98 fires.

Another dozen ships are damaged but all should control their fires and repair without difficulty as most are disbanded in Hakodate and can use the shipyard there.

Jakes from Shimushiri-Jima spot supporting task forces and 3 have a go at an AO (and 2 at a DD). Unfortunately, they miss. Even a 60kg bomb could have been nasty on an oiler laden with fuel.

Elements of VT-2, VB-2, VB-5, VT-6, VS-2, VS-6 are seen in the attack but there may have been others allocated to night search. This suggests the Lexington, Enterprise and Yorktown may all have been present but as he has taken the groups off the carriers once there is no reason they will have gone back onto the same carriers. (Saratoga is showing as sunk on the 12th December but that is unconfirmed.)

Australia

Bad weather grounds planes.

China

Forces enter Sian but not in enough strength to attack it yet. Forces are one day from attacking Lanchow.

Philippines

BB bombardment restarts.

Engineering

Kukong airfield expanded to 2.

Planning

With most, if not all, USN carriers in the North Pacific this gives me a green light to run ops in the Indian Ocean. Indomitable was seen a week back near Karachi.

KB is at Truk so it can head North to threaten an intercept which probably won't come off but would then cover the Aleutian invasions which is where I want it anyway.

If the tankers can be attacked, before they refuel the carriers, that would cause serious problems for MrKane.

[Spidery]

March Round-up.

Overall intel, note that Allied sorties now exceeds Japanese. I have been grounding planes in China when the forecast is poor and also on a few times when plane fatigue is growing.

[Spidery]

Japanese losses for the month. Was doing very well until the 28th.

Kitakami was lost by a silly error that had it been slightly different error would have slaughtered Allied aircraft. Syohei Maru was lost to the RNG.

[Spidery]

Allied losses, also a bunch of PT boats sunk at Darwin.

Some good work by subs near Australia and a lucky break that had the KB sink an xAP convoy. I think everything on the list is confirmed. Additionally, may have sunk the Queen Elizabeth.

[Spidery]

Overall economy.

Everything is rosy here apart from supply. However, supply has started to increase (at least as shown on the global summary tab which differs from this). Initial engine factory expansions are complete. The early R&D factories have expanded and now there is just fluctuating expansion for later. Supply in the home isles is increasing regularly now. The big supply drain is the bombardment of Manila.

[Spidery]

Situation in China.

In the South got stopped after Tuyun on the road to Kweiyang. In the North, the Chinese are falling back and trying to withdraw to the central plains. In the West, Lanchow and Urumchi are both under threat and should fall soon.

A. Two armoured units have crossed the mountains and I hope to get them into the rough terrain where they can use movement to create some trouble. Originally, the plan was to cross the river at Tuyun and then use them to open a hexside from Kweiyang towards Kunming.

B. Plan in about a week to cross the river on both roads simultaneously to try and force this back.

C. There is a race to reach the mountain hex above this. The Chinese have a head start but bombing is trying to keep them in combat mode. The aims is to try and block the Chinese forces from Sian.

D. Chinese are pulling back from Sian and I have two more divisions heading to take it.

E. Forces will attack across the river into Lanchow tomorrow and I think they will have a good chance as it looks like the defense is mostly base forces and headquarters.

F. Two divisions heading to help at Lanchow but will probably arrive too late to do any good.

[Spidery]

Base control.

Still a lot of, mostly undefended, bases to take behind the lines. Also need to secure bases in the Indian Ocean and the Aleutians.

Major bases, outside China, include Darwin (abandoned except for the fort unit), Manila, and the Aleutians.

[Spidery]

Approximate economy changes over month:

Code: Select all

-104,000   oil
 +185,000   fuel
 -110,000   supply
 +79,000    HI
 +3980      vehicles
 +11360     armament

[Spidery]

March 1st 1942

Air Losses: 25 Japanese, 6 Allied, 13 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Auki(auto), Lanchow, Namlea (air drop)
Japanese land at:

NORPAC

Well that was another fine mess.

Rather than pulling back, the USN carriers swing North to near Toyohara. The first part of the plan goes well as they are spotted at night and 11 Nell attack them. One is destroyed by flak and 10 of them launch at the CV Enterprise - and all of them miss! These are crack pre-war pilots, average experience of 75 and with NavT skill in the 70 or 80. Moonlight is 100%.

The carriers find good hunting but meet some CAP from a group of Nates at Wakkanai. The Nates do poorly with 10 of them shot down for 2 Buffalo. However, only 4 pilots are lost. Only one Allied raid comes in without escort and the Nates fail to reach it in time.

10 valuable Yusen-N xAK are lost [:(] along with 1 E, a PB and a couple of worthless Ku'Dai xAKL.

Australia

[>:]

China

The attack into Lanchow works as expected and Lanchow falls with 6 points of damage to the oil wells[8D].

I sweep Chungking where they encounter no opposition because the Allied fighters have relocated to Kienko where they slaughter some Lilys [:@].

Philippines

Nothing to report

Engineering

Nanyang airfield expanded to 4.

Reinforcement

SS I-30

R&D

A6M5 accelerated to 3/43.

[Spidery]

March 2nd 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Kai-Eilanden(auto), Lomblen
Japanese land at:

NORPAC

The USN Carriers move further North and strike at the oil at Shikuka. Only 7 hits are shown but that is enough to destroy the oilfields (30,000 supply needed to repair them is worse than the loss of some production).

An E succumbs to its damage.

Australia

Quiet

China

Air raid on Chungking airfield. Sweeps encounter no CAP. Only one Sally group flies and it does some damage and destroys a single aircraft on the ground.

Philippines

Bombarding Manila.

Engineering

Lots of air field expansions: Milne Bay to 1, Siangtan to 3, Wakkanai to 4, Broome to 4, Tuyun to 4, Changteh to 5.

Allies expand Katherine to 3 and Kalemyo to 2.

Reinforcements

SS I-29

R&D

The Ki-57-II is available but I will leave the factory producing the Ki-57-I until all Ha-5 engines have been used.

[Simonsez]

Just an observation. It seems that you have an awful lot of mechant shipping points in the bank - curious as to why?. Might be a good idea to turn off most of your merchant ship production (unless you have already) and simply bank the HI points. Having merchant points in the bank isn't going to be that useful to you, but more HI will as it can be used to build many things - including merchant shipping in the future if you find you need it.

My game is about a month behind yours (Feb 1/1942) and I have 177,000+ HI in the bank after paying the Feb 1 pilot tax. I have most merchant ship production stopped - only bulding the std cargo hulls (C's?) that can (and will)convert to tankers, tnakers and AO's and any xAKs that will arrive before Jun 43. I have stopped all AKL's and all xAK's due to arrive after June 43 while accelerating all CVE's that carry more than 12 planes (Taiyo, Shinyo and Kaiyo classes) and stopping the others as they seem prety pitiful. My current Merchant point pool is hovering around 800 points in the bank.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Simonsez

Just an observation. It seems that you have an awful lot of mechant shipping points in the bank - curious as to why?. Might be a good idea to turn off most of your merchant ship production (unless you have already) and simply bank the HI points. Having merchant points in the bank isn't going to be that useful to you, but more HI will as it can be used to build many things - including merchant shipping in the future if you find you need it.

My game is about a month behind yours (Feb 1/1942) and I have 177,000+ HI in the bank after paying the Feb 1 pilot tax. I have most merchant ship production stopped - only bulding the std cargo hulls (C's?) that can (and will)convert to tankers, tnakers and AO's and any xAKs that will arrive before Jun 43. I have stopped all AKL's and all xAK's due to arrive after June 43 while accelerating all CVE's that carry more than 12 planes (Taiyo, Shinyo and Kaiyo classes) and stopping the others as they seem prety pitiful. My current Merchant point pool is hovering around 800 points in the bank.

I have turned off 200 points so the pool isn't growing much. I have built up a pool to cover things when CVEs go to x3 cost. The pool will be exhausted when I complete the builds, it doesn't seem to make much difference if I turn it off now or later - it is less than a months worth of production.

I have turned off xAP and xAK apart from completing those at bases which I expect to lose (since the Allies get those VP anyway). TK, AO, CVE are the main things produced.

[offenseman]

DBB-C is a completely different game and there are definitely different ways to effectively use the economy to manage it. I look forward to seeing how several different viewpoints work.

[Spidery]

March 3rd 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Kiriwina Island(auto), Waingapoe
Japanese land at:

NORPAC

The USN Carriers are retreating. Night naval attacks fail to launch so they will get away undamaged.

Australia

Quiet

China

Forgot to give orders so another air raid on Chungking airfield. No opposition and score some hits.

Philippines

Bombarding Manila.

Engineering

Allies expand Bangalore to 4.

Economy

Big drop in Armaments and in supply as sound detectors are upgraded to early radar.

Reinforcements

CS Nisshin

R&D

Ha-43 accelerates to 7/45.

[Spidery]

March 4th 1942

Air Losses: 4 Japanese, 17 Allied, 2 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Kumodo(auto), Urumchi
Japanese land at:

NORPAC

The USN Carriers are continue to pull back.

Now need to restore the resource convoys and put air groups back on training.

Australia

Hudsons out of Katherine strike at the division heading for Katherine. An AA unit is accompanying this and 2 are shot down by flak and others damaged. Katherine appears to have been heavily reinforced.

China

Urumchi is taken with 20% damage to factories. Probably not worth repairing oil or refineries here given the difficulty shipping supply in and fuel/oil out.

Sian has been abandoned by the Allies and will fall next turn.

Air attacks are finding Allied forces in the open and getting some good disabling hits.

Philippines

Manila defense has fallen to 1400 AV. The absence of any counter battery fire for days suggest no supply is left.

Engineering

Allies expand VaVa'u port to 3 and Aden port to 8.

Edited : Note that the Allied loss of planes was caused by Chinese fighters lost on the ground at Urumchi.

[Spidery]

March 5th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 4 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Lunga(auto), Sian
Japanese land at: San Jose

NORPAC

1 USN task force runs over a sub but is not attacked and is seen heading East. Other task forces have vanished. Will take precautions in case he tries doubling back.

Australia

Hudsons out of Katherine strike at the division heading for Katherine and Warhawks straff it. Damage is minor but it puts the division out of full supply. The Allies lose 4 warhawks shot down.

Small task force seen near Melbourne and an unconfirmed report near Perth.

China

Sian is taken with no damage, except that only 1 point of HI is left because I had bombed that.

Chinese driven back a hex towards Kienko. If can get armour into the next hex before Chinese forces can move forward that will be good.

An attack out of Burma inflicts many disablements on my troops and fewer on the enemy but does destroy squads. Blocking the road to Paoshan are two Burmese Battalions and two Chinese corps. This is the first attack there and the Chinese suffer a supply(-).

Philippines

Bombardments continue. An extra ID arrives in a few days and will then try another attack.

Engineering

Paramushiro-jima airfield to 1. Port Blair airfield to 2. Ominato airfield to 4. Lashio airfield to 4. Ankang airfield to 4.

Generally, my aim is to expand captured Chinese bases to size 4 as that seems a good spot between the supply cost and the VP bonus plus it is useful for attacks.

Port Moresby port to 2.