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

[Spidery]

June 6th 1942

Air Losses: 19 Japanese, 0 Allied, 4 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Bad weather grounds air.

A bombardment attack reveals that the 42nd Chinese Corps is a lot stronger than expected.

Ground combat at 80,38 (near Tienshui)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4956 troops, 40 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 305

Defending force 18965 troops, 70 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 480

Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th/B Division
9th/C Division

Defending units:
42nd Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
1st War Area

Pacific

Quiet

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe and slaughter the defenders.

Morning Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 42,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 38
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 14

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 39000 feet

CAP engaged:
11th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36000 , scrambling fighters to 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 16 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36000 , scrambling fighters between 36000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
77th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 38500 , scrambling fighters between 38000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes

I don't understand why planes are not airborne.

Australia

xAK Salland is sunk by a CL raider force near Perth. I had hoped for more as it had been reported as a task force of 2 tankers.

3 Babs recce planes are lost because I forgot to reset their altitude from 6000 feet after they had been used for

Naval search, they report 166 fighters at Daly Waters!

Engineering

Taung Gyi expands airfield to 2. Marcus Island expands forts to 4.

Meanwhile:

Boise expands airfield to size 5
Taung Gyi expands airfield to size 2
Diamond Harbour expands airfield to size 4
Adelaide expands airfield to size 7
Alice Springs expands airfield to size 7
Blenheim expands airfield to size 2
Gisborne expands airfield to size 2
Greymouth expands airfield to size 2
Wellington expands airfield to size 7
Vladivostok expands airfield to size 9
Rybolov expands airfield to size 6

[Spidery]

June 7th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 7 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Bad weather grounds air.

Burma

Multiple bombardments of Chittagong. Claim 36 devices destroyed.

Australia

I-164 is badly damaged (27/68/6) near Perth it is a long way to safety.

Two surface actions each between a force of 3 CL and 2 DD against 1 Allied DD. The first at night scores a single hit, the 2nd scores 4 hits and heavy fires but it is unlikely the DD Express will fail to reach Perth and quickly be repaired. Rather poor shooting.

A strike against Tenant Creek airfield is unopposed and destroys some B-26 and some transports on the ground.

Engineering

Allies expand Tahiti airfield and port, this has a x20 Allied VP multiplier so pushes the VP ratio down to 3.080::1.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Lightnings sweep Magwe and slaughter the defenders.

Morning Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 42,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 38
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 14

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 39000 feet

CAP engaged:
11th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36000 , scrambling fighters to 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 16 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 36000 , scrambling fighters between 36000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
77th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 38500 , scrambling fighters between 38000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes

I don't understand why planes are not airborne.

I think You keep them to high. With so high CAP planes need lot of time to climb to patrol altitude and lot of time to go down to refuel/rearm. So instead flying CAP they wasting time somewhere between. Even with so high CAP You still are below sweeps so better set hem at 20-30k ft to have more in position when sweep arrive.

In this case i will also look at AS numbers. If You are in red that mean ground crews making bottleneck because planes have to wait in line to refuel. Also lack of radar not helping. 9 minutes warning is not enough to get so high, Tojo can climb at 36k in 9 minutes but he need also few minutes to scramble.



Also High CAP have week sides. You building lot fatigue when CAP so high. Also if he decide to go low with bombers they can sneak below You CAP. Most dangerous when You protecting ships.

[Spidery]

I think You keep them to high. With so high CAP planes need lot of time to climb to patrol altitude and lot of time to go down to refuel/rearm. So instead flying CAP they wasting time somewhere between. Even with so high CAP You still are below sweeps so better set hem at 20-30k ft to have more in position when sweep arrive.

I'll try that.

As I read the in game stats, the Tojo takes 10 minutes to climb to ceiling and has an endurance of about 3 hours. So if they spend 50% of time on the ground they should still be at CAP altitude about 40% of the time.

In this case i will also look at AS numbers. If You are in red that mean ground crews making bottleneck because planes have to wait in line to refuel. Also lack of radar not helping. 9 minutes warning is not enough to get so high, Tojo can climb at 36k in 9 minutes but he need also few minutes to scramble.

I have 126 AS supporting 121 planes so that should be okay, it will get a lot better when Magwe is size 8. I have 11 radar sets at the base but, at this time, Japanese radar is pretty bad - fair enough as the early radar sets were for flak ranging not raid warning.

Also High CAP have week sides. You building lot fatigue when CAP so high. Also if he decide to go low with bombers they can sneak below You CAP. Most dangerous when You protecting ships.

I keep average pilot and plane fatigue down in the single figures. I'm not too worried about his bombers in that if he comes in low he will meet a wall of flak.

I'm interested in finding out how to get better results from CAP. The losses are annoying but each day I keep Magwe from being bombed gives me enough fuel to build over 150 fighters with enough supply for them so I can afford a lot of losses.[:-]

[Spidery]

June 8th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at: Buka

[>:]
China

Minor air attacks only.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

Pacific

USN subs score hits with dud torpedoes. Engage a convoy heading for Pearl Harbour but fail to penetrate screen.

Engineering

Ominato expands airfield to 6. Manila expands airfield to 6.

[Spidery]

June 9th 1942

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

China

Allies launch a bombardment attack on the road to Kienko. I think my forces will hold well enough as they are only out numbered 2:1 but behind forts 4 in the woods and with some artillery support.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

A 4000 ton xAK is sunk near Carnarvon by I-20.

Pacific

I-15 misses an AMC near Pearl Harbour and takes (31/17/1) damage before the enemy DD runs out of ammo. Another damaged sub returning to Truk for repairs.

Engineering

Allies only.

[Spidery]

June 10th 1942

Air Losses: 20 Japanese, 1 Allied, 4 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Nias(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

More minor engagements.

Burma

Magwe is swept by Lightnings again. The results are just as terrible [:(] and again no aircraft are airborne. Watching the replay, I hoped that the results would be better since a lot more aircraft reached the combat but the Oscars die in droves and the lightnings can only be damaged. Maybe Nicks would do better? I'll set their patrol altitudes even lower.

Morning Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 41,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 55
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 9

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 8 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 39000 feet

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters to 32810.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-44-IIa Tojo (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 36740.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes
24th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 15 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 28500 , scrambling fighters between 28000 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
47th I.F.Chutai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
64th Sentai Det with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 32500 , scrambling fighters to 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
77th Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (0 airborne, 14 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 23500 , scrambling fighters between 23500 and 38500.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes

Australia

I-10 sinks an AM near Tasmania but is damaged in return for 1/30/3.

400 miles off Exmouth an Allied convoy is attacked by aircraft from a group of 3 CVE, Hosho, Taiyo and Unyo. One xAK is sunk and 3 more heavily damaged. However, after the attack the mouse over on the task force says it is 10 ships and all TK.

The CL forces from Perth area are nearby and will try for a surface engagement.

India

Off Oman, I-24 is damaged 5/36/6 and starts the long journey back to a yard.

Engineering

Shimushiri-jima expands airfield to 4.

Economy

The oil wells at Miri are finally repaired/expanded. There is 34000 fuel and 80000 oil needing to be moved from Brunei/Miri now that the ports are needed to land supply.

Shokaku and Zuikaku enter upgrade to be fitted with radar and more AA guns.

[Spidery]

June 11th 1942

Air Losses: 57 Japanese, 28 Allied, 37 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Commit all the airpower to attack Chungking factories. The sweeps go in first and clear away the CAP and the bombers arrive en mass[:)]. However, bombing is inaccurate and only 1 hit is scored[:(]. The air-air combat is about evens with heavy losses amongst the Oscars but the Tojos, Nicks and Zeroes performing well and shooting down lots of P-39D and P-400 but not doing so well against the Hurricanes.

I note that the Allies also have no planes airborne when the sweeps arrive.

Burma

Bombardments hit Chittagong well destroying more devices.

Australia

The surface combatants fail to find any of the enemy task forces off Carnarvon but the carrier air sinks more xAK. Kates bombing at 2000 feet do very well, one group of 4 gets 7 hits from 8 bombs. The main body of the Allied force is heading South and will be under protection from Geraldton this day.

Lightnings appear over Katherine and slaughter Zeroes and Oscars there.

India

Quiet

Engineering

Ruteng airfield to 2.

R&D

Ki-44-IIc accelerates to 10/43
Mitsubishi Ha-43 accelerates to 3/45

[offenseman]

Oscar has too many disadvantages against the P38. Speed, firepower and durability. Oscar vs P38 is one of the worst matches you can have. Almost anything will fair better. If you are forced to use Oscars against them, I'd consider using nothing against them or flying below 15k.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: offenseman

Oscar has too many disadvantages against the P38. Speed, firepower and durability. Oscar vs P38 is one of the worst matches you can have. Almost anything will fair better. If you are forced to use Oscars against them, I'd consider using nothing against them or flying below 15k.

If it was just Oscars I would probably remove them. However, I assume that adding the extra aircraft helps keep the Tojos and Zeroes aloft.

As it is I plan to fly sometimes and ground the aircraft other times with the hope that I can catch his bombers. The aim is to keep him from bombing Magwe.

I'll add more Zeroes and some Nicks in to the equation soon.

[Spidery]

June 12th 1942

Air Losses: 101 Japanese[:(], 29 Allied, 41 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Cox's Bazaar (auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Hit Chungking factories again. No CAP but lose planes to flak and score only the 1 hit[&:].

Burma

BB Bombard Chittagong with little effect[:(].

A small attack by the Imperial Guards drive two Burmese battalions back towards Chittagong.

Cox's Bazaar flips sides again. Presumably caused because the Allies no longer have aircraft at Chittagong and I moved the division forward.

Australia

Disaster!!!

I-20 takes two shots at freighters and scores 1 hit.

The Surface task forces fail to engage.

The escort carriers encounter the Yorktwon and Enterprise. In the morning both attacks are launched without escort and both Allied and Japanese CAP massacres the attackers. Then my escorts, foolishly, react one hex towards the Allies. The afternoon attacks are escorted and both penetrate CAP without much difficultly. My bombers do not show the skill of yesterday and only manage to put one bomb onto the Yorktown, the dive bombers foolishly targeting a DD. The Allies have better luck and the CVE Hosho is sunk outright along with DD Yomogi. The other two CVE have to be scuttled along with all their aircraft.

I have a feeling that the task force I encountered may have been the bait in a trap. And the small ASW forces were to clear a way for the Allied carriers so I wouldn't see them. Interesting question is whether this is a prelude to a more general attack.

India

Quiet

Engineering

Palembang airfield to 5 (means no spoilage). Tienshui airfield to 2.

R&D

A6M5c accelerates to 9/44.

[Spidery]

June 13th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 0 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Batjan (auto)
Allies occupy: Cox's Bazaar (auto)
Japanese land at:

China

Quiet

Burma

Pulled some fighters out of Akyab and Cox's Bazaar flips back to the Allies.

Australia

Quiet

India

Quiet

Engineering

Rabaul airfield to 6, will stop here as not worth the supply to push to 8.
Dobadura airfield to 1, this is just to give an inland base for protecting Port Moresby.

Allies do many expansions including Queenstown to 1 and Kalemyo to 6.

R&D

Quiet

Game

The loss of the CVE drops the VP ration below 3:1.

[Spidery]

June 14th 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Counter bombardment to Allies destroys a few squads and a bombardment of the forces retreating through Tienshui is effective.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

India

Quiet

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

A6M5b to 4/44

Reinforcements

SS I-31

[Spidery]

June 15th 1942

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

China

In the retreat from Teinshui area the 57th AT Gun Regiment is left behind and destroyed - nice that is one of only two such regiments.

Bombardment of retreating forces at Tienshui continues to destroy many devices, because so many of the Chinese are disabled:

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3847 troops, 261 guns, 262 vehicles, Assault Value = 939

Defending force 88180 troops, 325 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2149

Allied ground losses:
251 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied bombers strike at the defenders in the mountains and follow with a deliberate attack:

Ground combat at 79,39 (near Tienshui)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11736 troops, 58 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 13378 troops, 104 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 423

Allied adjusted assault: 173

Japanese adjusted defense: 2761

Allied assault odds: 1 to 15

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

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

Allied ground losses:
330 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Chinese are bombarding on the Kienko road and take losses each day:

Ground combat at 80,40 (near Tienshui)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36702 troops, 192 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1122

Defending force 24363 troops, 280 guns, 144 vehicles, Assault Value = 689

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

Assaulting units:
2nd Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps

Defending units:
40th Inf Group Brigade
57th Infantry Brigade
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
7th Ind Engineer Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
9th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
22nd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment

I don't understand why the Chinese are launching these attacks.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

India

Quiet

Engineering

Wuchow to 2, Kavieng to 3, Allies expand Tennant Creek to 5.
Akyab port to 1 (allows to keep defensive minefield).

R&D

H8K2 to 1/43, Ki-43-IIb to 1/43, Ki-43-IV to 3/45

[Spidery]

June 16th 1942

Air Losses: 43 Japanese, 9 Allied, 30 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Morotai(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Another series of misjudgements in the air result in a heavy loss. The combat replay didn't look too bad but the actual losses were much worse. I don't seem to manage the air war too well (although some of that may be observer bias as I ignore the cases I get it right).

Otherwise just the usual bombardment results.

Pacific

Ineffective ASW action on both sides.

Elsewhere

Quiet

Engineering

Gasmata to 2.

Economy

Mostly looking good. There has been a small shortfall in deliveries to the home isles recently that I need to understand. Part of it is because I had to divert fuel deliveries to Rabaul and Truk.

Total supply is increasing regularly at about 4000 a day. Mainly, this is because the next R&D aircraft is the judy and that is 6 months way so only a few factories repair each day.

[Spidery]

June 17th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Sarmi(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

No air action and continuing bombardment success.

Pacific

Ineffective ASW action on both sides.

Elsewhere

Quiet

Engineering

Rangoon airfield to 8, Shanghai airfield to 7.
Allies expand Geraldton to 4.

[Spidery]

June 18th 1942

Air Losses: 6 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Cox's bazaar(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Bombing raids do some damage but lose a few planes to ops losses.

Bombardments continue to work.

Try a last ditch attempt to cut off the forces at Tienshui by attacking in the mountains. Chinese have supply and no difficultly holding out.

DEI

An unusual series of action with a sub. First it sinks a sub-chaser.

Sub attack near Langsa at 46,72

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SC Ch 24

Allied Ships
SS KVII

SS KVII launches 2 torpedoes at SC Ch 9
KVII diving deep ....
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Then the sub-chaser's sister gets a severe damage hit on it, after the Captain decides not to attack.

Sub attack near Langsa at 46,72

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 24

Allied Ships
SS KVII, hits 1, on fire

Captain of SS KVII elects not to launch torpedoes at this target
KVII diving deep ....
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 attacking submerged sub ....
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 24 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

Then, in the surface combat check phase, she manages to get a hit on the surfaced sub with the 8cm gun. Presumably, it was forced to surface to fight fires.

ASW attack near Langsa at 46,72

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 24

Allied Ships
SS KVII, hits 1, heavy damage

SS KVII is sighted by escort
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
SC Ch 24 firing on surfaced sub ....
Contact with submarine is lost

The sub task force remains visible on the map so will try and send more ASW assets to get a kill.

Experience for the SC Ch 24 leaps from 45/45 to 57/45.

Burma

Cox's Bazaar swaps sides yet again!

Elsewhere

Confirmation in the ops report that the Queen Elizabeth was sunk back in February:

xAP Queen Elizabeth is reported to have been sunk near Norfolk Island on Feb 10, 1942

Engineering

Quiet

Economy

Mukden is short of fuel to run the HI. Don't think this is particularly of concern and maybe it will act as a sufficient demand to drag fuel from Urumchi.

Supply is getting short in China so a convoy of 32000 is being sent there from the home isles. This will be the first supply sent from there to China.

R&D

The first D4Y1 factory is nearly repaired. When it is repaired I'll need to decide what model to research. I'm not geared up for the engines for the D4Y1 or D4Y2 (no engine bonus) and they are service rating 3. So the choice is between the D4Y3 and D4Y4.

The D4Y4 has the bigger bomb.
The D4Y3 would be available January 1943 instead of March 1943 and has a normal range 1 hex further.

It looks like the D4Y4 will take the 500kg bomb at extended range which gives it just the same punch as the D4Y3 at range 7 and better at 1-6 and 8 so I think I will go with that.

[Spidery]

June 19th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 1 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Sansapor(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

More good bombing of troops near Kweiyang. A movement arrow suggests he may be moving back into Kweiyang. Looks like I may be making some progress here.

More bombardments by Allies on the Kienko road and by me at Tienshui:

Ground combat at 80,40 (near Tienshui)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 36800 troops, 193 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1127

Defending force 24362 troops, 280 guns, 144 vehicles, Assault Value = 689

Allied ground losses:
127 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)

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

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4203 troops, 273 guns, 306 vehicles, Assault Value = 1250

Defending force 86310 troops, 316 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2025

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
385 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

In the mountains the Chinese counter-attack my failed attack of yesterday. It does not go well for them:

Ground combat at 80,38 (near Tienshui)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 17959 troops, 70 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 485

Defending force 23196 troops, 222 guns, 47 vehicles, Assault Value = 523

Allied adjusted assault: 31

Japanese adjusted defense: 1171

Allied assault odds: 1 to 37

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

Japanese ground losses:
508 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1343 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 130 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
42nd Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
1st War Area

Defending units:
9th Division
8th/B Division
8th/C Division

I can't afford to attack again here because he has 3 strong Corps moving from Tienshui that will arrive any day now.

Burma

Quiet

Pacific

SS Haddock is attacked near Rabaul but Type 95 Mod-2 DC can't reach its depth[:@]. I need those Type 2 upgrades!

Engineering

Allies expand lots of critical bases[:D]: Great Falls, Camp Pendleton, Cristobal, Balboa...

Economy

Mukden has enough fuel but Harbin is short.

Total supply drops because I decide to expand some engine and aircraft factories.

Other

Apart from needing to expend some PP to get the 1st and 2nd Tank Division combined, the demand for PP for changing ground unit headquarters has gone. Everything else is needed to keep the garrison level or to protect the home isles.

I have spent some PP to derestrict fighter units in China. One consequence of having used armies from Manchuko without spending PP is that I have some bases owned by Kwangtung Army. This has made it difficult to move planes around on occasions. Making the bigger fighter units flexible where they go should make this easier.

[obvert]

Engineering

Allies expand lots of critical bases: Great Falls, Camp Pendleton, Cristobal, Balboa...

All good for increasing VPs as the infrastructure of those bases goes up.

How about some maps?[:)]

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Engineering

Allies expand lots of critical bases: Great Falls, Camp Pendleton, Cristobal, Balboa...

All good for increasing VPs as the infrastructure of those bases goes up.

I know, I keep expanding airfields in China and I get 20 VP per level which trumps his 2! My aim is to expand all the captured airfields to level 4. And a few more that have immediate operational benefit to larger sizes.