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

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

Looking at the number of ground destroyed planes, about 10 squadrons went down as well and will have to be rebought. Nice work! [8D]

I don't think the NZ CAP is to be afraid of. Just don't put your planes on main mission Port strike. The transports might not all make it to port and disband.

I was worried that he could fly fighters in from Suva but it looks like it is too far for most aircraft.

The PP cost to buy out units is a nice extra benefit, also getting a few of the AP and AK is a start at cramping his options for amphibious invasion in 1942.

I have sent the CL group at full speed to try and cut off and engage the fleets in the night. The CA group is placed where it may get some stragglers and the KB is moving down to try and take out anything that doesn't get disbanded in port while staying outside of range of the NZ Vildebeest. I am only going to have the one extra day before I need to head back for refuel because I have messed up and not sent enough fuel to Noumea.

I find it interesting that I found this convoy from SigInt. I wonder if it is a mistake for the Allies to run big convoys and risk SigInt.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: temagic

Banzai!!!

Yes! [:)]

[setloz]

I find it interesting that I found this convoy from SigInt. I wonder if it is a mistake for the Allies to run big convoys and risk SigInt.

I think most allied players don't care about what japanese sigint would show since their routes are usually outside the KB raids. But in your game, with Noumea japanese...it should matter to him.

[Spidery]

Had a bit more of a look at what aircraft he lost.

VP suggest 18 B-17E went down - so that is over a month's worth of production[:)].

The F-4 Lightning lost are his only long range recon gone until he gets more in September[8D].

This is very nice...

[Spidery]

May 24th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Minor air attacks.

Movement arrows show troops trying to open escape routes for the Chinese forces trapped in the Tienshui area. My movement is trying to get there first.

The mountain hexes that are the escape paths have stacking limits of 20,000 so I'm not sure how that will work out as the Chinese must be over stacked.

Everywhere else I am stalled looking for places to attack.

Pacific

Not too much happens[:(]. The cruisers fail to engage. A sub sinks an AS and other sinking sounds occur. VP totals suggest another 60 VP of ships lost that day. LCU VP of 19 for the day.

Air search finds only a task force of 2 PC and no strike is launched against this. Thunderstorms, Extreme Overcast and Heavy Rain over most hexes may account for the failure to attack anything.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Minor air attack only.

Engineering

Akyab airfield to 4. Patung airfield to 5. Allies expand Chittagong airfield to 9.

R&D

Quiet

Economy

Supply is going up nicely at about 4000 per day. Mainly this is because most of the early R&D factories are researched and R&D costs have dropped to about 4000 per day.

Miri has stopped with 17 oil left to repair but I have the necessary supply arriving the next day.

[setloz]

Not too much happens. The cruisers fail to engage. A sub sinks an AS and other sinking sounds occur. VP totals suggest another 60 VP of ships lost that day. LCU VP of 19 for the day.

Air search finds only a task force of 2 PC and no strike is launched against this. Thunderstorms, Extreme Overcast and Heavy Rain over most hexes may account for the failure to attack anything.

How about a port strike next turn?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

Not too much happens. The cruisers fail to engage. A sub sinks an AS and other sinking sounds occur. VP totals suggest another 60 VP of ships lost that day. LCU VP of 19 for the day.

Air search finds only a task force of 2 PC and no strike is launched against this. Thunderstorms, Extreme Overcast and Heavy Rain over most hexes may account for the failure to attack anything.

How about a port strike next turn?

I don't think he ran to Auckland. The ships with troops on board would not have been able to disband and I should be able to see them still. I allocated a lot of the Kates to naval search as they were out of torpedoes.

Reviewing what I have damaged, if all the ships seen to sink or with heavy damage are considered sunk that about matches the VP lost. So I think he ran away, possibly at full speed, either to the East or South-East.

My count says I spotted 34 (x)AK, 22 (x)AP, 3 PC, 1 AVD, 2 AKE, 2 AKV, 1 AS. Taking out of the count those sunk or with heavy damage leaves 1 AKE, 13 (x)AP, 15 x(AK), 1 PC still afloat.

[offenseman]

What an amazing and costly butcher's bill. Stunning. Well done

[Spidery]

May 25th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Quiet

Pacific

Quiet. Have lost track of the survivors from the attack near New Zealand. KB will retire for needed repairs and to go into hiding again.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

Home Isles

This happens:

Massive Explosion during loading of xAK Wakatu Maru at Kushiro
xAK Wakatu Maru sinks at sea

About half a Naval Construction Battalion is lost in the disaster.

First Allied sub is spotted in the home water convoy routes. It scores a hit on an xAK that duds.

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

Quiet

[setloz]

Massive Explosion during loading of xAK Wakatu Maru at Kushiro
xAK Wakatu Maru sinks at sea

Well, this kind of explosions were quite common both in the IJN as the USN. You're lucky though, in real life BB Mutsu exploded in june 1943 while at pier with total loss.

BTW, I love this kind of detail in a game. [&o][&o]

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

Massive Explosion during loading of xAK Wakatu Maru at Kushiro
xAK Wakatu Maru sinks at sea

Well, this kind of explosions were quite common both in the IJN as the USN. You're lucky though, in real life BB Mutsu exploded in june 1943 while at pier with total loss.

BTW, I love this kind of detail in a game. [&o][&o]

I like the detail as well, except when it hurts...

So far I have had,

Massive explosion while loading
Ship hit an uncharted rock
Engine room opened to sea (which I think means someone opened the wrong valve!)

They have all been on xAK so I hope are linked to lack of crew experience.

[obvert]

This detail is cool. I like he collisions that often happen in the Allied fleets when they use too many ships in a TF the most!

[Spidery]

May 27th 1942

Air Losses: 5 Japanese, 1 Allied, 3 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

More air attacks and bombardments. One air-air skirmish for equal losses.

Pacific

I try to attack the wall of subs near Noumea. I-155 does this[:)]:

Sub vs Sub: SS I-155 attacking SS O20 at 117,162 - near Isle of Pines

Japanese Ships
SS I-155

Allied Ships
SS O20, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

SS I-155 launches 2 torpedoes at 2,000 yards

Sub loss sounds confirm the sinking.

Elements of the KB are on ASW and get many sightings, e.g. PM only:

D3A1 Val reports oil slick at 113, 163 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports periscope at 114, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports submarine at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports suspected submarine at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports turbulence in water at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports radio transmissions at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports object under water at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports periscope at 116, 164 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports shadow in water at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
D3A1 Val reports oil slick at 114, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports oil slick at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports object under water at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports turbulence in water at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports suspected submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports oil slick at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports object near surface at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports periscope at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports possible submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports submarine wake at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports oil slick at 113, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports periscope wake at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports object under water at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports diving submarine at 116, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports possible submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
D3A1 Val reports possible submarine at 116, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports oil slick at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports diving submarine at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports periscope wake at 117, 164 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports periscope at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
D3A1 Val reports object under water at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
D3A1 Val reports periscope wake at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
D3A1 Val reports diving submarine at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports radio transmissions at 113, 164 near Noumea
D3A1 Val reports diving submarine at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
D3A1 Val reports suspected submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports suspected submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports suspected submarine at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports possible submarine at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate reports conning tower at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports radio transmissions at 116, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports shadow in water at 116, 164 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports shape below surface at 114, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports submarine wake at 111, 164 near Noumea
B5N2 Kate reports oil slick at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
D3A1 Val reports turbulence in water at 111, 165 near Norfolk Island
D3A1 Val reports submarine at 116, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate from Zuikaku-3 attacking an Allied SS at 111,165
a Electric Boat S-42 class SS is reported HIT
B5N2 Kate reports turbulence in water at 110, 164 near Norfolk Island
B5N2 Kate from Zuikaku-3 attacking SS S-42 at 110,164
SS S-42 is reported HIT
B5N2 Kate reports conning tower at 116, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports possible submarine at 113, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports possible submarine at 114, 165 near Isle of Pines
B5N2 Kate reports object under water at 111, 164 near Noumea

But only two claimed hits as the pilots lack ASW skill[:(].

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

Home Isles

Sub attack against a group of 3 SC - no result.

Engineering

Balikpapan airfield to 5, this means won't get spoilage there.

8 Allied airfields expand.

R&D

Quiet


The sub wall:

[Spidery]

May 28th 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 4 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

2 Chinese corps have moved from the hex SE of Tienshui into Tienshui.

My force moving West from Tienshui is 6 days from reaching the mountains, if he can enter from the mountains before then that will allow him to open an escape route for 12 units.

Continue air and land bombardments to weaken the cut off forces.

Pacific

Some ASW action to no effect. 1 claimed hit on a sub by air near Truk.

Allied carriers are spotted South of Pago Pago heading West.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Allies bombard Akyab, very light damage sustained.

The 3 subs placed to try and intercept the task force fail.

Australia

Quiet

Home Isles etc.

DD / Sub action for no result.

Fuel stocks at Mukden are running low.

Engineering

Allies expand Townsville to level 8 amongst other changes.

R&D

Quiet

[setloz]

Elements of the KB are on ASW and get many sightings, e.g. PM only:
But only two claimed hits as the pilots lack ASW skill

Well, they raise the Detection Levels for these subs. Now, you could do what Obvert has been doing in his AAR:
- set some air groups to night search
- set some air groups to day search
- set some air groups to day asw
bring 2-3 TFs of dedicated ASW to mop up.

As the detection raises during the night, it will keep rising during the day as well and the ASW groups will attack well known subs and therefore increase their chances of serious damage.
Looking at his AAR, he's killed a hundred and more subs in this way.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

Elements of the KB are on ASW and get many sightings, e.g. PM only:
But only two claimed hits as the pilots lack ASW skill

Well, they raise the Detection Levels for these subs. Now, you could do what Obvert has been doing in his AAR:
- set some air groups to night search
- set some air groups to day search
- set some air groups to day asw
bring 2-3 TFs of dedicated ASW to mop up.

As the detection raises during the night, it will keep rising during the day as well and the ASW groups will attack well known subs and therefore increase their chances of serious damage.
Looking at his AAR, he's killed a hundred and more subs in this way.

Indeed, however part of the problem at the moment is that I have very few DD with Type 2 depth charges and a lot of Allied subs can dive too deep for the current depth charges. I get some upgrades in July and August that should allow to form some good hunting groups for deep water.

Also, it takes time to get everything in place. Most of the ASW air groups are still flying Lilies and Anns and will for a few more months.

It is also a matter of scale, it is a long war, one sub per week sunk would be a couple of hundred of subs over the war!

[Spidery]

May 29th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 4 Allied, 2 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Blast it! Chinese have opened an escape route West from Tienshui. Will try to destroy as much as I can before they can escape.

Near Kweiyang a good 1:1 result opens the possibility of capturing a hex on the road between Kweiyang and Kunming.

Pacific

More ASW action and a single hit on a sub claimed by a Kate.

No carriers spotted at Vava'u this turn but lots of task forces.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Allies bombard Akyab again for little effect. I-153 takes a shot at the task force as it approaches but is damaged and will have to retire to Singapore for fixing.

Allied bombers hit one of my units across the river from Kalemyo and do no damage. This may have been a scouting raid prior to an attack across the river. I have a third of a division there dug in to level 3 forts.

12 units including about 2 divisions worth of troops have vanished from Chittagong[&:].

Reinforcements are pouring into Burma so I'll see what develops. It takes a long time to get from China to Burma because of the breaks in the railway between Wuchang and Changsha, Liuchow and Langson, Saigon and Phnom Penh. Pisanuloke and Moulmein.

Australia

Quiet

Home Isles etc.

Quiet

Engineering

Kusaie Island expands airfield to 1. Kungchang to 2. Soerabaja to 7. Bangkok to 8.

Allies expand Suva to 9.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

May 30th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 0 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Disaster at Tienshui[:@]!

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18573 troops, 158 guns, 48 vehicles, Assault Value = 770

Defending force 39161 troops, 201 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1246

Japanese adjusted assault: 1

Allied adjusted defense: 2173

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2173

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4302 casualties reported
Squads: 229 destroyed, 248 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 74 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 66 (13 destroyed, 53 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
35th Division
58th/A Division
58th/B Division
8th Armored Car Co
5th Tank Regiment
51st Recon Regiment
58th/C Division
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
Mongol Garrison Army
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
49th Const Co
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company
36th Const Co

Defending units:
19th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
95th Chinese Corps

Fortunately, reinforcements will arrive next turn so he probably can't retake the base.

The 3 Chinese Corps seem unusually strong, also he managed to get supply to them which I hadn't expected.

Better news near Kweiyang:

Ground combat at 72,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 10824 troops, 54 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 371

Defending force 6606 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 126

Japanese adjusted assault: 579

Allied adjusted defense: 53

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
276 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1589 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 72 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 10 (3 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
8th Tank Regiment
1st Ind.Inf.Group
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
23rd Field AA Machinecannon Company

Defending units:
73rd Chinese Corps

There is a movement arrow from the hex to the East towards Kweiyang but if my armour can raise East first they can maybe close the road and allow forces to start the drive towards Kunming.

Pacific

2 DD unload all their depth charges on the SS Haddock near Rabaul. Despite using Type 95 Mod-2 DC they all explode above sub-depth.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Allies bomb another unit, for a couple of disablements. Certainly looks like he is doing recce by bombardment.

Turns out there was a recce error and there are more troops at Chittagong. However, a division of so is visible on the road SE from Chittagong.

Australia

Quiet

Home Isles etc.

Quiet

Engineering

Xmas island IO airfield to 2. Lots of Allied developments.

R&D

Ki-44-IIc accelerated to 11/43 (expected to be ready by 11/42).

[Spidery]

May 31st 1942

Air Losses: 4 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Near Kweiyang close the route West for Chinese[:)]. Will now attack towards Kunming with all I can spare.

Air attacks blunted by poor weather.

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Allies bomb a force on the Chinese border. I had Capped another force I expected them to attack. Certainly looks like he is doing some recce.

In my pre-war planning I expected to lose the production from Magwe about now. So every day I keep it producing is a bonus!

Australia

I-2 puts a torpedo into the xAK Elysia approaching Perth. Later that night, I-26 adds too more torpedoes and sinks her.

Home Isles etc.

SS Skipjack hits an xAK with a dud, counter-attack is ineffective.

Engineering

Katha airfield expands to 2.

R&D

Nakajima Ha-45 accelerates to 3/43.

A6M5 accelerates to 6/42 and enters production. Will produce 60 of them.

A6M3 also enters production but will be ignored.

H6K5 enters production; not sure this is worth producing, it will just complicate matters and will replace all patrols as soon as the H8K2 is available.

Ki-44 enters production but I already have the Ki-44-IIa under production.

[Spidery]

May in Review

May has been a good month.

In China I have: taken Sining; reduced a pocket for a good haul of VP; pushed to the edge of the plains; isolated some 18 units; broken through on the Kweiyang/Kunming road. The only downsides are two self-inflicted wounds from badly considered attacks and that the Allied defense of the central plains seems to be solidifying. I also haven't knocked out much production nor broken the Allied air force.

In Burma I still have Magwe in full production and have down reasonably against the Lightnings. Reinforcements are arriving in theatre.

In Oz I took Katherine and inflicted heavy casualties on the Australians and caught a lot of planes on the ground.

At sea I had a very successful raid towards New Zealand that sunk a lot of enemy ships; a fair few troops, and even more planes. A raid in India was so-so, it sank a few ships but cost me one of the best DD I have at this time. My subs haven't had that much luck but also haven't taken losses.

Allied subs have appeared but mostly in the South Seas in support of operations. Only a very few subs seem to be engaging in commerce raiding.

Allied 4E have been mostly unseen. A few were used against ground troops in Australia and a few lost with the ships carrying them to New Zealand.

I have expanded a few key bases but the Allies have developed a number of very large bases: Chittagong and Suva are both level 9 airfields.

The economy continues well with all resource flows going well to the Home Isles and total supply increasing nicely (about 100,000 more over the month). Plane losses are manageable and newer models are, gradually, entering service.