A family affair - Speedy vs El Padre

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

KB:

Nagumo has reported a great success to Combined Fleet today. CV Lexington was found NW of Palmyra after the sub spotted her yesterday. It was touch and go and it was a 7 hex range engagement.

The Allies actually attacked first and 11 x SBD got through the CAP/ Luckily 9 of them attacked Hiei with only 4 going for Kaga:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Johnston Island at 170,121

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36



Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 10
SBD-2 Dauntless x 18


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 3 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 4 destroyed, 11 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CV Kaga

The main Japanese response actually left me frustrated as the Vals were attacking at extended range (only carrying 60KG bombs) and all Torps missed Lady Lex:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Palmyra at 166,127

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 48
B5N2 Kate x 48
D3A1 Val x 53



Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 11


Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 4 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 23, heavy fires
CA Chicago, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
DD Porter, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Drayton, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Astoria, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Flusser, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Portland

Luckily further fragmented strikes, primarily by Kates and Zeros, put 5 torps into Lexington sinking her along with another DD and CA Astoria and Portland

KB will now head WNW to support the Wake Invasion.

Well done lads.

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

SRA:

Bad weather prevented air raids across Luzon.

Both Aparri and Vigan were taken easily and a Ku of Zero's is now based out of Aparri to provide fighters on Luzon locally. They'll try for sweeps tomorrow.

Troops stormed ashore at Legaspi as well.

CVL Ryujo is still having fun south of Mindanao attacking CA Houston today and hitting her with a 250KG bomb. She'll be joined by Zuiho and Hosho in the next 4 or so days to for ma mini-KB.

On Borneo the first Japs landed at Miri today and will attack tomorrow.

Either through good planning by Dad or bad luck (for me) a small SNLF Company was wiped out, aboard 2 x AK and a PB, heading to Kudat by the 3 Brit DD's from Hong Kong.

On Malaya all is proceeding as planned. Small Allied LBA raids against shipping off Singora and Patani is ineffectual. Av. Support units are now at Patani and marching to Kota Bharu to house LBA for supporting the march down Malaya.

2nd Wave forces will reach Kota Bharu, Patani and Singora over the next 3-10 days.

A couple of Allied subs were reported to hit mines at Pescadores and Takao.

[Blind Sniper]

I'm playing against my Dad for the first time which should be fun!

Wonderful! I have a son (2 years old) and I really hope to be lucky like your dad [:)]

Back to the topic: PH strikes have not been so good, maybe you sunk only 2 BBs...

Anyhow good luck and have fun!

[Blind Sniper]

KB will now head WNW to support the Wake Invasion.

Congrats, but I would try to catch Lady Lex instead if you think is still floating.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I'm confused a little to be honest. Skyros says you don't need engines for R&D planes but you're saying you do need them? OR am I thinking you're saying that you need to build your engine surplus up to 500 and when a plane advances some engines are used and you need to build them back up to 500 to continue getting the bonus?

Skyros is correct in that you don't need engines for R&D while the factories are repairing, but when a factory is 100% repaired and you begin gaining research points, you will consume engines. So you are correct in saying that to maintain 500 engines stockpiled, you may need to produce a few extra engines so your daily research will not drop you below 500 stockpiled. As you are aware, no 500 engines, no bonus. Engines consumed during research are a daily cost depending on the percentage researched that day, so you will always be consuming engines just as they are when an aircraft is actually being produced. As I always point out, nothing Japan does is for free, advancing airframes incurrs not only a supply cost, but an ongoing HI expense during development. Hope this helps.

[Skyros]

I was just reviewing my tracker and I do not seem to be consuming engines for factories that are in R&D mode. For example I have the HA-34 producing 260 engines a month, with 180 going to current production of the KI49-IIa. That leaves me 80 or approximately 2 per turn. I also have 120 Tojos and 120 Helen IIbs researching, yet my totals still increase by 2 or three each turn while research increase by 4% each turn for them.

Unless it is a token hit of a couple of engines when the frame advances a month.

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I'm confused a little to be honest. Skyros says you don't need engines for R&D planes but you're saying you do need them? OR am I thinking you're saying that you need to build your engine surplus up to 500 and when a plane advances some engines are used and you need to build them back up to 500 to continue getting the bonus?

Skyros is correct in that you don't need engines for R&D while the factories are repairing, but when a factory is 100% repaired and you begin gaining research points, you will consume engines. So you are correct in saying that to maintain 500 engines stockpiled, you may need to produce a few extra engines so your daily research will not drop you below 500 stockpiled. As you are aware, no 500 engines, no bonus. Engines consumed during research are a daily cost depending on the percentage researched that day, so you will always be consuming engines just as they are when an aircraft is actually being produced. As I always point out, nothing Japan does is for free, advancing airframes incurrs not only a supply cost, but an ongoing HI expense during development. Hope this helps.

[Speedysteve]

Thanks Lemon - think I understand. So I'm clear. If I have say 400 R&D plants planes using ha-34 engines ill need an additional 400 ha-34 engines per month once the R&D plants are repaired? If so that's a shed load of material needed[X(]

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper

KB will now head WNW to support the Wake Invasion.

Congrats, but I would try to catch Lady Lex instead if you think is still floating.

Thanks. Yes the PH strikes were poor. Very bad rolls with torp use so mainly just 800kg hits from the Kates.

Lexington is a goner. As I mention in my above post follow up raids put 5 torps into her and she was seen sinking by my pilots. Scratch one flat top!

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Thanks Lemon - think I understand. So I'm clear. If I have say 400 R&D plants planes using ha-34 engines ill need an additional 400 ha-34 engines per month once the R&D plants are repaired? If so that's a shed load of material needed[X(]

No, you'll only use a few additional engines daily during research. In your example, you may have allotted 400 engines needed, but you might only need to produce 405 to stay above the additional daily cost for research. I need to find that thread. You definitely consume engines when R&D'ing airframes.

[Bif1961]

If you sank 2 BBs at PH then you did about historical given that in this game sunk BBs can't be raised and repaired. It all depends how badly the other BBs are damaged and how long he will leave them at PH drydocks before trying to move them to westcoast yards for repair and upgrade.

[pontiouspilot]

In Canada I think it's likely child abuse to make your kids play AE with you!!!

have fun

[Cribtop]

Banzai on getting the Lex!

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Lemon - let's take a real example. In the above screenshot on tracker you'll see nakajima ha-35 need 90 production and 351 for full R&D. So you're saying I should produce about 95 per month to take into account R&D use?

Hi Bif - yes I'd say I sank a maximum of 2 x Pearl Harbour BB. It may be none if I have bad luck!

Thanks Pontius and Cribtop.

Merry Christmas All!

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

When someone can I would appreciate confirmation/views on my above post.

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

A fairly quiet day overall with troops continuing to unload on northern and southern Luzon.

A Zero sweep on Luzon found no CAP as the P40's were escorting B17's bombing my troops at Aparri!

2 x Allied subs attacked and hit a TK (east of Formosa) and a DMS SW of Saigon with dud Torps (phew).

The immense highlight of the day was the first successful attack of by a Japanese sub of the war - SS I-169 attacking and most likely sinking CV Enterprise NE of Christmas Island. WOOHOO. 2 x Ammo explosions followed torpedo hits:

Sub attack near Christmas Island at 178,135

Japanese Ships
SS I-169

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Salt Lake City
DD Gridley
DD Balch
DD Fanning
DD Dunlap
DD Ellet

[Simonsez]

Wow, if you've bagged 2 flattops inside the first week, you'll be able to move swiftly on many fronts as you can afford to split up the KB to support multiple efforts. In effect you CAN be everywhere and substantially deny SLOCs to your opponent. Time to think about possibly estabishing forward KB/SAG resulppy bases to extend your naval threat. Most can't be fitted out until more AKE's show up and you get Fleet HQ's out further, but something to think about now to set the stage. BRAVO! [&o]

[Grfin Zeppelin]

Wow, the Enterprise might be a total loss for him.Otherwise it will be in the yard for some time.

[Cribtop]

Holy Hannibal! Two CV kills this soon is great news for Japan. You can now afford to be more aggressive than normal in your strategic plans!

PS - RE Arsenal I'm somewhat more positive, I think. I agree we are unlikely to win the Premiership but would argue we are showing more willingness to spend now that the Emirates is mostly paid off. I see improvement this year in quality and effort. I think it's really a 3 horse race between Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City, with Man City the best side and likely Champion. However, I would bet on the Gunners to finish second this year, barring massive injury (knocks wood). Let's see what we do in the January window. Finally, IMHO we would do well to play Podolski and Walcott/Gnabry/OX wide from now on. IMHO they will spread defenses to allow Ozil/Cazorla/Giroud and even Wilshere and Ramsey (when he's back) to get creative in the middle. Without wide threats I feel like opposing sides have all learned to clog the midfield and get back on defense to frustrate our preferred style.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

A fairly routine and quiet day throughout as 2nd and 3rd wave forces land in Luzon (Legaspi, Vigan and Aparri) and Malaya (Kota Bahru and Patani).

KB is still heading westwards towards Wake.

We captured Nauru Island, Brunei, Victoria Point, Atiape and Wewak. The first assault went in at Hong Kong today:

Ground combat at Hong Kong (77,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21522 troops, 321 guns, 218 vehicles, Assault Value = 636

Defending force 6649 troops, 126 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 236

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 316

Allied adjusted defense: 361

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
534 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
472 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

An Allied air attack on Japanese land units at Aparri from Clark Field led to the 14 x Zeros on CAP to perform well claiming 13 x P40 and 1 x B17 for 1 friendly.

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

As it's quiet here's a focal section on the plans for Luzon:

All the standard landings here at Aparri, Vigan and Legaspi. The aim here is to purely contain and push the Allies into a final bastion. I'll then let them rot for a few months before finishing them off. To that end about 1,200 AV is tasked with this objective comprising 65th Bde, 16th Division and 48th Division.

Zeros are based at Aparri and in due course Army Air units will take over responsibility for shutting down Allied air in the region.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Another 'routine' day as material continues to unload on Luzon and Malaya.

Supply convoys are en route to Luzon and Malaya.

Mersing forces are on board ships heading to Saigon.

The only real action to note was a Netty raid on Clark Field (netting a couple of planes) and a further Allied raid on Japanese positions outside Aparri, from Clark Field, which the Zeros on CAP handled well (8 enemy lost for 1 friendly).

CVL Ryujo Kate's reported sinking TK Manatawny south of Tarakan.

Air Flotilla men landed at Jolo today. Once secured it will soon host Netties and Zeros.

I've had 'confirmation' that CV Enterprise has sunk as a bunch of TBD, F4F and SBD appeared as lost 'on the ground' today.

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

Today's focus is on the Celebes and Molucca region.

This will also be conducted in phases due to available troops and shipping.

15th and 16th Naval Gd units are already on board ships and will land in the next 4 or so days to all being well secure Manado and Ternate.

Sorong will be taken in the next few days by a small Naval Gd unit.

Follow up landings will take place at Boela and Babo to secure resource/oil generating locations.

2 x SNLF Units are preparing for Tarakan and once shipping arrives back at Samah in the next 5 days they'll begin to load up.

Phase 2 will see Ambon, Kendari and Balikpapan secured with un-allocated forces as yet.

I plan to largely ignore Mindanao except with Airpower to neutralise any PI based air assets there. I may also try to allocate a force to land and secure Zamboanga on the west coast as it's a supply generating location.

The below screenshot shows the area and initial plans along with the entrance of Zuiho and Hosho which have sailed from Japan.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

5 day update.

KB:

KB Supported the invasion of Wake by plastering the US Marines based there on the day the invasion went in (17th December). Zeros patrolled overhead reportedly shooting down 6 x F4F. The troops comfortably secured the tiny dot later on in the day:

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1496 troops, 19 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 60

Defending force 989 troops, 25 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 22

Japanese adjusted assault: 60

Allied adjusted defense: 8

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wake Island !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
998 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 42 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (27 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Assaulting units:
Maizuru 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Wake USN CPNAB
1st Marine Defense Battalion

KB is now heading back to Truk whereby she'll divide into 2 divisions. 1 to support future invasions in New Bismark and the Solomans and the other will move to Saigon to cover the Mersing invasion and to support future Sumatran and Javan invasions.

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

New Guinea:

Small forces have started to take the central bases like Weak and Sarmi.

Sorong was invaded and secured by Naval Guard forces on the 15th.

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

Luzon:

1000's of tonnes of supply and material have landed at Vigan and Aparri as Japanese troops began to march inland securing San Fernando (17th December) and Tuguegarao (16th December). Forward elements of 48th Division have just reached the outskirts of Lingayen. Zeros dominated he northern part of Luzon ad tomorrow should reach level 3 AF's allowing IJ Army bomber units to function and begin to pummel the rest of Luzon.

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

Celebes:

Mini KB has continued to patrol and sink fleeing enemy merchants around Celebes and is based NW of Timor. A reported 10 x AK, 1 x AO and 1 x TK have been sunk.

A Supporting BB TF (Nagato/Mutsu) found a small AK TF (6 x AK) and sinking them all east of Kendari on the 18th.

Under this cover Ternate was easily secured on the 16th. Manado was also invaded but the assault failed. Ternate's troops will load up shortly and head to Manado to add weight:

Ground combat at Manado (75,99)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1024 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 61

Defending force 1652 troops, 5 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 62

Japanese adjusted assault: 12

Allied adjusted defense: 15

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
174 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


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


Assaulting units:
15th Naval Guard Unit
8th JNAF Coy

Defending units:
Manado Garrison Battalion
Manado Base Force

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

Malaya:

Fairly quiet here as forces mass at Singora. Although we wait here for a couple of weeks (and it seems like a waste) this force is here to keep Allied forces focussed on northern Malaya until forces land at Mersing.

Kota Bahru is active now and IJ Army air has bombed Allied AF's across northern Malaya closing Kuantan, Georgetown and Alor Star.

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

Borneo:

Today's focus map is on northern Borneo.

The oilfields of Miri and Brunei were easily secured and engineers are en route to both to expand the ports.

Kuching will be invaded on the 19th with a follow up force taking Singkawang shortly. Singkawang will host an Air Flotilla to base Netties and Zeros from Saigon.

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

Sub attacks:

4 failed Allied attacks.

Only 1 Jap attack by SS I-122 heavily damaging AD Black Hawk with a torpedo NE of Soerabaya on the 18th.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Luzon:

Troops continue to march inland and should assault Lingayen in 2 days time.

Zero sweeps over Manila and Clark Field encounter no enemy on CAP. As such, with the arrival of IJAAF units at Aparri (Oscar/Sallys), a raid on Manila's port was launched on the 20th (recon indicates 11 ships still there). Bad weather socked in Netties on Formosa but IJAAF from Aparri attacked, disappointingly:

Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 91 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 42
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 11
Ki-30 Ann x 15



No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
SS Skipjack, Bomb hits 1
PG Asheville, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
PT-35, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk



Port hits 1

We'll try again tomorrow although I would expect Dad will evac what's left.

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

KB:

KB is at Truk now and is divided into 2 divisions. 1 is heading to Cam Ranh Bay the other will stay at Truk until Guards Mixed Bde arrives from Tokyo (ETA 14 days).

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

Malaya:

Sitzkreig here as we await the KB Division to cover the Mersing landings.

The below screenshot shows the plan as Divisions hold in place up north while 3 more divisions land at Mersing in early January.

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

Rest of SRA:

Kuching was invaded on 19th and fell easily on 20th:

Ground combat at Kuching (58,88)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4689 troops, 21 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 170

Defending force 1485 troops, 9 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 48

Japanese adjusted assault: 66

Allied adjusted defense: 7

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kuching !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
166 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1191 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 52 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (4 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Singkawang will be invaded on 21st.

Mini KB had more fun around Timor sinking more fleeing Allied Ships (DD Pillsbury, 1 x AM, 2 x CM).

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

China:

There's been lots of movement and fun in China which I'll detail in the future.