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

[offenseman]

That has worked for me but as Obvert said, just use the same units, saves some time.

[Spidery]

Thanks guys for the comments.

I have been doing training by changing the regime of each air group. However, the two problems I have been having with this are:

1) As I run through all the groups at Mukden (for example) I have to keep looking to work out what that group is working on. So one idea was to have all the groups at each place doing the same thing.

2) Pilots train at different rates so after a bit there is may be a quarter of the group trained in Air skill to an adequate level. At that point I change it to work on strafing and after a bit some of the pilots have adequate defense skill. However, it won't be all those with adequate air skill and there is no way to sort those that have good defense and good air skill so I need to pick individually which get sent to reserve.

It is even more of a problem with level bombers where there is a need to distinguish the ASW/low nav pilots from the Ground/low nav pilots.

The idea of the assembly line was to remove the need to think as I checked groups at a place.

[Spidery]

June 28th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 1 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Tockangbesi-eilanden (air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

No Allied aircraft seen anywhere this day. The one loss was an ops loss for a Skytrain, he has been using a few of these each day - may be flying supplies into China.

China

Strikes at Kweiyang keep it 100% closed and disable another 50 squads.

At point A below Chinese have appeared, I assume these are the remnants from Sining, if he moves East he can free the forces trapped there, but they will still have a long walk to reach supply and even more to be useful. Can't do anything to stop this, unless I divert some bombers.

At point B below the strongest division has left Tienshui. Should I risk an attack to destroy the remainder? Last bombardment:

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4203 troops, 273 guns, 306 vehicles, Assault Value = 1040

Defending force 72440 troops, 204 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1483

Allied ground losses:
643 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
37th Division
19th Division
22nd Ind Engineer Regiment
29th Ind Engineer Regiment
36th Const Co
207th JAAF AF Bn
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
10th Mortar Battalion
2nd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Army
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
30th Field AA Machinecannon Company
27th Fld AA Machinecannon Company
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
22nd Field AA Machinecannon Company
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Mongol Garrison Army
49th Const Co
26th Field Artillery Regiment
86th JAAF AF Coy

Defending units:
16th Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
8th Route Army
41st Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
15th Chinese Corps
2nd War Area
34th Group Army

He will have no forts. The troops have been bombarded daily for a couple of weeks so must be tired. There is a supply path to Chungking of about 90 points and the weekly supply run will have been made yesterday so the forces may be in supply.

His retreating forces reached Tienshui on the 14th. If he moves in combat mode it takes 23 days to reach the mountains, in move mode he can make it in 16 days.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

Pacific

Ineffective ASW.

Engineering

Quiet

Economy

Mukden and Harbin are again short of fuel.

[Spidery]

June 29th 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Damar (air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Strikes at Kweiyang are toned down to allow aircraft to repair but still keep the airfield closed.

Night strike by Mitchells at Lanchow has no effect. Worrying as I have little defense there.

Usual Allied and Japanese bombardments continue.

Burma

Wellingtons launch a night strike at Magwe. Nicks engage and shoot one down for no loss. No damage.

Many Blenheims target the Imperial Guards Division in the jungle for no effect.

Australia

B-17E strike at Wyndham airfield. There is little there so this is of little concern. One B-17E is lost to ops.

Lightnings sweep Katherine but find noone there.

Pacific

Ineffective ASW.

Two claimed hits by aircraft on the SS Finback near Truk. Unfortunately, they are only 100 Kg bombs from Lillies.

Near New Zealand, in the map below, the circled sub is attacked twice by SBD-3 dive bombers. A clear indication of Allied carriers nearby. The other subs are not attacked so best guess is that they are further South. I have no idea where they are heading.

Engineering

Sian airfield expands to 6.

R&D

A6M5c now 8/44.

[Spidery]

June 30th 1942

Air Losses: 32 Japanese, 11 Allied, 21 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Malu (air drop)
Allies occupy: Cox's Bazar (auto)
Japanese land at:

China

Strikes at Kweiyang keep the airfield closed and continue to damage troops.

Night strike by Mitchells at Lanchow has no effect.

Usual Allied and Japanese bombardments continue.

Burma

Magwe is swept by Lightnings. 4 are shot down.

Australia

Lightnings sweep Katherine but find noone there.

Pacific

Ineffective ASW.

Between Noumea and Fiji an Allied task force is spotted. It reports as below.

Some Nells and Zeroes attack but are unable to penetrate CAP and the Nells do not return[:(]. The Zeroes however take down more defenders than they lose. That is 6 different squadrons on CAP.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nadi at 126,162

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 72 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
G3M2 Nell x 11

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 15
F4F-3 Wildcat x 14
F4F-4 Wildcat x 59

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
10 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-3 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
12 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-71 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 13 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
19 planes vectored on to bombers
No.881 Sqn FAA with Martlet II (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-213 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-214 with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers

Two subs off New Zealand are spotted by carrier aircraft, showing that there are more carriers in the area.

Engineering

Roi-Namur forts expand to 4.

Production

The air groups on the Shokaku and Zuikaku resize so I am now free to set their size as preferred. I am thinking 15 Kate, 21 Val and 36 A6M5 might be a good split. Any thoughts on this? When the other carriers return to base I will follow the same plan 50% fighters, torpedo bombers to use 1/3 of sorties at a time, dive bombers for the rest.

The H8K1 Emily is available. I should have the H8K2 available 23rd September and plan to swap all the patrol groups as soon as possible so I will not build this.

Harbin is short fuel.

[Spidery]

June In Review

June has not been a good month.

Low point was the loss of 3 CVE.

In China some of the trapped forces near Tienshui managed to escape. The gap between Kweiyang and Kunming has widened but no break through is possible until Kweiyang and the road from Tuyun can be cleared. The Allied air force remains undamaged and he is starting city attacks from within China.

In Burma the defense is solidifying and there has been no move. Magwe has suffered minor damage and is producing beyond when I expected.

A raid on the convoy lines to Pearl managed to get through a gap in the Allied search but netted only a returning convoy not an outbound one. Showing the CVs seems to have triggered Allied action in the South Pacific.

The defense of Northern Australia looks weak. The Aleutians have been strengthened and should hold through the winter of 42/43 at least.

The economy is looking good and better aircraft are beginning to show their value on the front lines. Although the Lightning still remains a menace.

Objectives for July are to defend, except in China where the aim will be to take Kweiyang and open the South. Also, reduce some of the cut off Chinese forces to free up some divisions.

[Spidery]

End June Info

Total VP: Japanese +1109, Allied +1457
Bases: Japanese +561, Allied +762
Air: Allied loss +169, Japanese loss +421
Army: Allied loss +186, Japanese loss +13
Ships: Allied loss 22/+338, Japanese loss 6/+299

The ship and air losses reflect the loss of 3 CVE. Even without that though air losses seem to be running at 2:1 in the Allied favour.

Overall VP ratio is 2.89::1.

[Spidery]

July Economy

Code: Select all

Oil:      -81,155
 Fuel:     +85,509
 Supply:   +31,291
 HI:       +56,416
 Vehicles:  -6,456
 Armament: +12,425

The gain in fuel probably reflects that much of the fleet has been doing nothing.
The drop in vehicles is because of outfitting the remainder of the 1st and 2nd Tank Division. Due to a lack of adequate planning, I won't be able to create these until mid July for the 2nd and late July for the 1st.

Supply increase is nice to have but much less than I would like.

The 37 damaged oil centers are: 12 at Magwe, 6 at Lanchow and 19 at Urumchi.

The ones at Urumchi will not be fixed due to the difficulty getting oil or fuel from there. At Lanchow I have not been able to get the supply there to fix them. At Magwe I am not fixing them as I expect Allies would just destroy them again.

[Spidery]

June ships sunk

3 CVE and a DD lost in a bad move.
1 SC lost to a sub.
1 xAKL flooded while moving to a shipyard.

Allied losses probably have another 6 to 8 xAK. The SS claim is questionable, it took one DC and an 8cm gun hit.

[Spidery]

Engine Production

I still would like to expand Ha-35 production to 520 and Ha-33 to 340. The rest are fine as they are (R&D ones will expand once researched).

[Spidery]

Aircraft Pools

A6M2, G4M1, Ki-15-II, KI-51-II, H6K2-L, H6K4 factories are currently turned off.

Fighter pools are keeping pace with demand and slowly shifting to the A6M5, Ki-45 KAIa, and Ki-44-IIa.

IJA bomber pools are barely managing and to switch to the Ki-49-IIa is slow. Many groups still need upgrade from the Ki-48-1b.

IJN bomber pools are fine with many G3M2 and B5N1 that will probably be kept until they can be used as Kamikazes.

Other pools are doing well. Nearly all the ship board float planes have been switched to the E13A1 and the land-based training groups rounded out.

[Spidery]

July 1st 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Bara (air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Night strike by Mitchells at Lanchow has no effect is intercepted by a couple of Nicks but no planes shot down.

Slightly confused here as he has B-25C Mitchell attacking at 3000 feet with a full bomb load. I thought it was supposed to be reduced below 6000 feet. So the only reasons not to fly below 6000 feet are flak and possible barrage balloons if the base has AF + Port > 6 and may have forts? May change some of my attack altitudes in China.

Bombardments continue.

Burma

Blenheims target the jungle again.

Australia

Lightnings sweep harmlessly. Much recon of bases by the Allies.

Pacific

Now can see two task forces off Noumea. One of 2 ships the other 10 containing a PG, DE, DE. Guessed he would move forward closer and my subs were misplaced. They get attacked by Dive bombers but take no damage.

Also lots more subs spotted around Rabaul and Truk.

My carriers are well spotted as they head for home. The despairing cries of two Catalina crews shot down by CAP are a clue[:)].

Engineering

Tienshui airfield expands to 4.

R&D

Ki-43-IIb accelerates to 12/42.

Reinforcements

SS I-33.

[Spidery]

July 2nd 1942

Air Losses: 28 Japanese, 15 Allied, 8 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Boeton (air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Continuing attacks and bombardments. Some of the badly damaged Chinese forces from Tienshui have made it to the mountains.

Burma

Blenheims target the jungle again, and are met by Oscars, 8 Blenheims shot down for no loss[:)].

Australia

B-17s hit Katherine, a Ki-15-II is lost on the ground and a B-17E is shot down by flak[:)].

Pacific

Near Noumea, misjudged his movement and all my subs are bypassed. Some Nells and Zeroes decide to die without effect[:(]. Now report there as 7 task forces in the Mare' hex. (Does this count as a base hex that halves the effectiveness of CV? It is a dot-base of mine.) Looks like 2 CV, 1 Amph, 1 SCTF and 2ASW task forces. However, spotting is patchy so there could be more. A number of SBD attack mini-subs in the Noumea hex and are lost to CAP.

If he attacks Noumea it could be interesting. The base is stacked to 80% of the stacking limit and includes some of the better support artillery. Forts are at level 3. I will be interested in seeing how quickly he can take it.

It makes more sense for him to head for Koumac first. That is poorly defended.

Engineering

Dili airfield expands to 2.

R&D

Ki-43-IV accelerates to 2/45.

Economy

Dropped some fuel at Hong Kong. It seems to have flowed to the Manchuko factories and to Fusan alright so may try dropping more there.

Oil seems to be flowing from Urumchi okay.

[Spidery]

July 3rd 1942

Air Losses: 5 Japanese, 5 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Selaroe(air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at: La Foe

China

Continuing attacks and bombardments.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

B-17s hit Katherine.

New Caledonia

Not too sure what is going on.

An MTB group engages a task force containing the Lexington and Saratoga but they break off before any attack can be launched.

The MTB then engage a bombardment task force of the Maryland, West Virginia and Arizona and 5 DE. Two MTB are sunk by direct hits from the main batteries of the BB. Only one of the MTB launches at a BB and three don't attack at all[:@]. No hits are scored[:(].

The remaining MTB retreat West into what appears to be a very large amphibious convoy. They fail to close to attack but do cause:

xAP Thomas Barry collides with xAP Talma at 114 , 160
xAK Barbara Olson collides with xAP Talma at 114 , 160

Then they head North ignoring the chance to refuel at Koumac and preferring to run out of fuel at sea.

A single mini-sub in the Noumea hex engages another task force and is lost:

ASW attack near Noumea at 115,160

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-8, hits 2, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Le Triomphant
xAP Mataroa
xAP Dunera
xAP Santa Maria

This task force appears to have moved through the Noumea has (missing all mines) and headed for La Foa.

A night naval bombardment of Noumea doesn't do much damage - maybe the guns had expended too much ammo shooting at gnats.

Both task forces then land at La Foa. Reported forces landing are:

754th Tank Bn /1
110th Cmbt Engr Bn /1
Americal Infantry Div /8
193rd Tank Bn /1
24th MAG /1
188th FA Bn /4
181st FA Bn /1
1st Marine Defense Battalion
183rd FA Bn /1
1st Marine Air Wing /1
1st US Naval Const Bn /1
ComAirCenPac /1

Engineering

Manila airfield expands to 7. Allies expand Chungking airfield to 6.

Reinforcements

DD Makinami and DD Takanami adds two Yugomu class destroyers to the fleet.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

June In Review

June has not been a good month.

Buck up! It could be a lot worse. I think you are doing very well. Certainly, far far better than me. [:)]

Can I see a shot of your pilot pools? How many in Tracom?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Spidery

June In Review

June has not been a good month.

Buck up! It could be a lot worse. I think you are doing very well. Certainly, far far better than me. [:)]

Can I see a shot of your pilot pools? How many in Tracom?

Cheers, I am not down - it was just an observation.

The attached shows the raw numbers in the various pools but doesn't give much of a clue about quality.

The large number of army transport pilots is because I am not using the transports much. I have pulled all the trained transport pilots out of them and am, mostly, using them for general training to get pilots with some defense skill before they specialise.

Mostly the pilots in reserve have 70+ in the relevant skills but experience is lacking.

EDIT: The IJN bomber pilot training is generally not so good and there are few with adequate NavT.

[Spidery]

July 4th 1942

Air Losses: 13 Japanese, 11 Allied, 4 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Moa(air drop), Green Island (auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

China

Continuing attacks and bombardments.

Try an air attack a bit close to the plains and encounter some Hurricanes. The air-air combat goes quite well with 7 Hurricanes shot down[:)] but a few manage to engage the Lilies after the bombing run. Looks a bit more promising.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

B-17s hit Katherine. Katherine is feeling hard done by[:D].

New Caledonia

Lots of sub attacks and attacks by air on subs. The I-171 looks like a goner[:(]:

ASW attack near Noumea at 115,160

Japanese Ships
SS I-171, hits 15

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
CL Trenton
CL Concord
DE Gilmer
DE Rathburne
DE Hatfield
DE King

But damage is only 47/37/3[8D]. However, it has disbanded into Noumea - not the safest place to be[8|].

A mini-sub is lost.

RO-61 damages the xAP Talma, it was damaged in two collisions yesterday[:-], and it appears to have still had some guns on board[8D].

Warspite and Pennyslvania bombard Noumea. Again damage is not much. The infantry units here are hardly phased but the ART, AA, ENG, etc. are all having 60-70 disruption; is this normal?

The Allied attack at La Foa fails!

Ground combat at La Foa (114,159)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3508 troops, 135 guns, 229 vehicles, Assault Value = 147

Defending force 1793 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Allied adjusted assault: 53

Japanese adjusted defense: 49

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

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
191 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
754th Tank Battalion
193rd Tank Battalion
110th Cmbt Engr Bn /1
Americal Infantry Div /8
24th MAG /1
1st Marine Defense Battalion
188th Field Artillery Battalion
183rd Field Artillery Battalion
1st US Naval Const Bn /1
181st Field Artillery Battalion
1st Marine Air Wing /1
ComAirCenPac /1

Defending units:
41st Naval Guard Unit

Pacific

KB keeps shooting down Catalinas as it is tracked moving South, 2 more today.

Lots of attacks by air on subs in the Rabaul area. 3 Hits are claimed[:)]. At Rabaul, there are 15 Jakes on night naval search, 18 Sallies and 10 Lilies on day ASW.

[Lowpe]

Shore bombardments seem pretty random to me. I am sure detection level plays a big part, Leader as well. AA and ART seem pretty high priorities for a shore bombardment to target.

[Lowpe]

Have you assigned Instructors to your training groups?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Have you assigned Instructors to your training groups?

The larger groups have had high Leadership leaders assigned to them, particularly the IJN ones. The smaller groups have not been touched. Now that I have a good supply of PP I need to look around the map and move leaders around so that good leaders aren't in dead end jobs.

Is that what you meant or is there something else meant by instructors?