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

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Night Fighters

Code: Select all

A6M5d-S          240 (start 12/43)
 S1A1              80 (start 6/45)
 P1Y2-S           490 (start 8/44)
 
 Ki-45 KAId       388 (start 1/44)
 Ki-46-III KAI    330 (start 3/44)
 Ki-102c          250 (start 2/45)

No Irving? Why not?

I may change my mind on that because there seems to be an excess of Ha-35.

The "P1Y2-S" looks better than the "J1N1-Sa" (faster, armoured, durability, climb, range are all better). The choice between A6M5d-s and J1N1-S looks unclear. The A6M5d-S has better climb, weapons, speed, service rating and is cheaper, but loses on range and durability. I may build the J1N1-S for an initial bit, just because it arrives a few months earlier.

[Spidery]

July 25th 1942

Air Losses: 5 Japanese, 6 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Mengtze(air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

China

More strikes at Chungking airfield.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet

New Caledonia

Allies continue to reduce the Noumean forces.

My fast transport pick-ups didn't work. The one at Efate has loaded but not returned. The ones to Koumac have ended up in the hex with nothing loaded. Fortunately they weren't attacked.

B-17E strike at Luganville and are met by A6M2 from the KB in leaking CAP. Two B-17 are shot down for the loss of 1 A6M2.

More claimed hits on subs, I don't believe them.

Pacific

Quiet

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

The first D4Y factory is fully repaired and starts research on the D4Y4.

[setloz]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No Irving? Why not?

I may change my mind on that because there seems to be an excess of Ha-35.

The "P1Y2-S" looks better than the "J1N1-Sa" (faster, armoured, durability, climb, range are all better). The choice between A6M5d-s and J1N1-S looks unclear. The A6M5d-S has better climb, weapons, speed, service rating and is cheaper, but loses on range and durability. I may build the J1N1-S for an initial bit, just because it arrives a few months earlier.

Obvert's AAR explains in detail how the Irvings are quite good once they get the radar. (J1N1-Sa version).
And it can be available quite early, to help protect Palembang/Balikpapan oilfields from night bombings.

Quoting from his review of NFs used in his game:

Here is the list of NF groups in the end. One or two actually withdraw in May, which sucks, as well.

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The J1S1-Sa is probably the best all around until the Randy Ic comes online. I didn't get to use the Randy though. Too late arriving.
 The Frances was surprisingly effective and durable, with very few lost.
 The A6M NF is very useful with it's low service rating and the ability to make a lot cheaply.
 The Dinah II KAI in spite of it's good speed is very fragile and it was hard to keep groups full I lost so many.
 The Nick Id is not so good, about like the early J1N1-S. 

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: setloz

ORIGINAL: Spidery

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No Irving? Why not?

I may change my mind on that because there seems to be an excess of Ha-35.

The "P1Y2-S" looks better than the "J1N1-Sa" (faster, armoured, durability, climb, range are all better). The choice between A6M5d-s and J1N1-S looks unclear. The A6M5d-S has better climb, weapons, speed, service rating and is cheaper, but loses on range and durability. I may build the J1N1-S for an initial bit, just because it arrives a few months earlier.

Obvert's AAR explains in detail how the Irvings are quite good once they get the radar. (J1N1-Sa version).
And it can be available quite early, to help protect Palembang/Balikpapan oilfields from night bombings.

Quoting from his review of NFs used in his game:

Here is the list of NF groups in the end. One or two actually withdraw in May, which sucks, as well.

Code: Select all

The J1S1-Sa is probably the best all around until the Randy Ic comes online. I didn't get to use the Randy though. Too late arriving.
 The Frances was surprisingly effective and durable, with very few lost.
 The A6M NF is very useful with it's low service rating and the ability to make a lot cheaply.
 The Dinah II KAI in spite of it's good speed is very fragile and it was hard to keep groups full I lost so many.
 The Nick Id is not so good, about like the early J1N1-S. 

The H-6 Radar isn't available until 6/44 so before that the J1N1-Sa doesn't seem significantly better than the J1N1-S or A6M5d-S. As you can see in obvert's comments, he liked the P1Y2-S. My aim is to get the P1Y2-S deployed as early as possible. In retrospect, it might have been better to have set R&D up to get the J1N1-Sa before 6/44 in order to start using the radar as soon as it is available. However, I neglected to plan for that.

[Spidery]

July 26th 1942

Air Losses: 23 Japanese, 9 Allied, 5 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy: Cox's Bazaar(auto)
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

DISASTER!

China

Unexpectedly, at 79,46, the Chinese are driven back at the first attack[8D]. This is a step closer to Chungking.

Attacking force 32944 troops, 253 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 1028

Defending force 18288 troops, 78 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 500

Japanese adjusted assault: 880

Allied adjusted defense: 376

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1051 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5093 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 178 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
39th Division
13th Division
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
18th Chinese Corps

On the road from Patung a surprisingly good bombardment[:)]:

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2655 troops, 248 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 430

Defending force 53835 troops, 221 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1524

Allied ground losses:
405 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Assaulting units:
116th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
NCPC Army
4th Mortar Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
28th Mountain Gun Regiment
7th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
20th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
30th Group Army

Not sure why I am getting so many destroyed results. There was a movement arrow so I may have caught something in move mode.

An air to ground attack near Kweiyang meets surprisingly heavy flak.

Chinese forces have pulled back into Kunming and abandoned the approaches.

Burma

I have been sending fuel do Georgetown from Rangoon. Suddenly, the fuel at Rangoon shot up - it looks like it has all flown back to Rangoon.

Australia

Allies sweep Katherine and meet some leaky LRCAP from over Fenton. Looks like an even swap.

New Caledonia

I messed up the orders for one of the failed task forces at Koumac and forgot to cancel the load order. It loaded an SNLF company and then hang around for the day trying to load some supplies that weren't there. This was a bad move and the Allied punished it. The Takao and Tone have been lost. The 2 DD are damaged but will probably make it to safety unless sunk by subs.

The other task force I did cancel the load but, despite being set to mission speed, it moved at full speed for the entire day so is now short of fuel South of Rabaul, but has enough to make it.

Oh well it could be worse, it could be Midway[:D]!

Allies lose two more B-17 attacking Luganville.

Pacific

Miscellaneous failed ASW and sub attacks by both sides. More claimed sub hits.

Engineering

Amami Oshima expands to 2. Some Anns will base there to give ASW coverage over the deep water gap where Allied subs have been active.

R&D

Quiet


CHINA

[offenseman]

ORIGINAL: Spidery
However, I neglected to plan for that.

Their is always something in my plans that fit that category! [:D]

[Spidery]

July 27th 1942

Air Losses: 4 Japanese, 8 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

China

Chinese forces are now pulling back not just in the Chihkiang area but also near Kienko. The bombardment attacks on the Kienko road have stopped, but now I have started them.

Burma

Wellingtons hit Magwe for no effect. Expecting a night attack I had Nicks and A6m2s on night CAP and 8 Wellingtons are downed.

A 1250 size tanker is lost to a sub attack near Phuket.

Australia

Lightnings sweep Darwin but find no defenders. Recce reveals that troops have moved North from Daly Waters.

New Caledonia

Quiet

Pacific

Quiet

Engineering

Milne Bay Airfield expands to 4. Allies expand Daly Waters to 8.

R&D

Quiet

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Burma

Wellingtons hit Magwe for no effect. Expecting a night attack I had Nicks and A6m2s on night CAP and 8 Wellingtons are downed.

Were they downed by flak or air to air or both? That is a great result, my night fighters this early can't knock anything down. Of course you probably have decent pilots. [:)]

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Burma

Wellingtons hit Magwe for no effect. Expecting a night attack I had Nicks and A6m2s on night CAP and 8 Wellingtons are downed.

Were they downed by flak or air to air or both? That is a great result, my night fighters this early can't knock anything down. Of course you probably have decent pilots. [:)]

About half and half. Just noticed they came in at 1000 feet so may have been lost to balloons.

Night Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 10

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wellington Ic bombing from 1000 feet
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 24 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes
84th I.F.Chutai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 35200.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes



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Night Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 1,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 10

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Wellington Ic bombing from 1000 feet
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (27 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
27 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
84th I.F.Chutai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead



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Night Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 25 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 9

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Wellington Ic bombing from 1000 feet
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (23 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
23 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
84th I.F.Chutai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead



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Night Air attack on Magwe , at 57,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 8

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 2 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Wellington Ic bombing from 1000 feet
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (22 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
22 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
84th I.F.Chutai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead

[Spidery]

July 28th 1942

Air Losses: 22 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

China

Harassing attacks on the retreating Chinese. Drove back the 6th Chinese Corps that was opening an escape route. I think there is an opportunity to trap some Chinese forces over the next couple of weeks. Just needs my bombers to slow down his retreat for a few days.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Darwin is swept again but then B-17E hit the airfield and catch defenders on the ground. I had night CAP up but no day CAP. Many aircraft lost or damaged.

New Caledonia

Quiet

Pacific

Quiet

Engineering

Some Soviet bases expand.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

July 29th 1942

Air Losses: 5 Japanese, 1 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Sub Wars

Allies score hits on a tanker and a freighter but both are duds.

I-28 puts two torpedoes into the City of Hankow, near the Aden exit zone, and sinking sounds are heard.

Huge number of claimed hits on subs by the aircraft from the carriers that are moving back to safety. No idea if any of these are real.

China

More bombing to slow down and damage escaping forces.

Burma

Allied bombers hit the port at Akyab and sink the ACM there.

Australia

Allied bombers hit Katherine, light damage.

New Caledonia

The 53rd Division succumbs.

Pacific

I have evacuated Rabaul of all ships except for a few ACM, an AS and an AD. This because it is in 4E range from Cooktown.

Engineering

Truk forts reach 5, will continue to make them 6.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

July 30th 1942

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

[>:]

[Spidery]

July 31st 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Sub Wars

All inconsequential.

First encounter with an Allied sub near Sakhalin.

China

More bombing to slow down and damage escaping forces.

Probe at Kunming shows:

Ground combat at Kunming (69,48)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1032 troops, 105 guns, 86 vehicles, Assault Value = 694

Defending force 33584 troops, 172 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 880

Allied ground losses:
201 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
27th Division
8th Tank Regiment
13th Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
52nd Field AA Battalion
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
73rd Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
66th Chinese Corps
11th Group Army
China Air TaskForce
33rd Base Group
16th Chinese Base Force

I will overstack by moving a brigade in and then launch a deliberate attack. Will try some air attack first.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Quiet. I have pulled most of the defense out of Katherine and back to Darwin.

Pacific

A present for the Allies:

TF 242 encounters mine field at Isle of Pines (115,161)

Allied Ships
DE King, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

No sinking sounds though.

Engineering

Rota airfield to 2.

R&D

Ki-44-IIc to 6/43
Mitsubishi Ha-43 to 1/45

The D3A2 Val is available, will ignore.
The Ki-43-IIa is available, will upgrade production to this even though will have the next model available next month.

[Spidery]

July in Review

A mixed month. Up until the loss of 2 CA I was content with it. New Caledonia had been lost but I made some good progress in China.

Changes over the month:

Code: Select all

 +1002   Japanese overall
 +1656   Allied overall
 +243    Japanese base points
 +973    Allied base points
 +283    Allied aircraft points loss
 +262    Japanese aircraft points loss
 +321    Allied army loss
 +277    Japanese army loss
 +152    Points for sunk allied ships
 +149    Points for sunk Japanese ships
 

VP ratio is now 2.499::1

[Spidery]

Japanese ships lost

With the exception of 1 ACM and 1 TK this is all related to the New Caledonia action.

[Spidery]

Allied ship losses

Add to this 3 AVD, 1 xAP and 1 xAK.

Apart from the City of Hankow, everything was lost around New Caledonia. Apart from that single attack my subs have failed miserably against convoys this month. I found and harassed one convoy from the East Coast but never managed to penetrate the screens. Otherwise, I am failing to find any convoys.

[Spidery]

Base Control

[Spidery]

Economy

Change on month

Code: Select all

 +153,283 Fuel
  -59,359 Oil 
  +48,577 Supply
  +65,623 HI
   +8,404 Armament
   -1,429 Vehicle
 

I think the Vehicle drop was caused by upgrading tanks.

The 19 unfixed oil wells are at Urumchi; I am trying to fix them but supply flows slowly to there. Oil seems to flow easily from Urumchi but fuel does not.

[Spidery]

August 1st 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Groot Natoena (air drop)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Sub Wars

All inconsequential.

China

Some bad weather grounds attacks but do bomb Kunming airfield and troops.

An attack at Chihkiang does poorly with many guns disabled.

Burma

Allies drop bombs in the jungle.

Australia

Quiet.

Pacific

Allies bombard Luganville, but it is completely abandoned.

Engineering

Fusan port to 8 - I wonder if this will help move resources etc.

R&D

A6M5c to 6/44.

[Lowpe]

You better watch out now that MrKane isn't distracted by Greyjoy! Or hope he gets another game going soon. [:D]