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

[Spidery]

Wonderful idea with the mines south of Tulagi!

During the action off Noumea I had a chance to use mines but didn't have any to hand. Now my policy is that every time I-121, 122, 123, or 124 start a patrol I set them into a mine-laying task force and load up, just in case I get an opportunity to use them.

[Spidery]

September 19th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

A couple of ineffective ASW attacks, otherwise quiet.

Burma

Quiet

China

A good result outside Chungking[:)]

Japanese ground losses:
1268 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 102 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 13 (3 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
8648 casualties reported
Squads: 317 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 499 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 14 (8 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
116th Division
13th Division
104th Division
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
11th Army
28th Mountain Gun Regiment
7th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
11th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
10th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
72nd Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
15th Group Army
30th Group Army

That is another Chinese Corps trashed, I have lost count of the number.

Also drove back some of the forces near Kunming.

He has a last line of defense along the river between Chungking and Kienko. Rather than forcing the river line I will use the opportunity of his forces being hit in the open to weaken his troops while gathering my divisions together for a push.

Engineering

Kweiyang to 6, needed the extra basing given the number of 2E planes in use.

R&D

Mitsubishi Ha-43 now 11/44
Ki-44-IIc now 2/43

[Spidery]

September 20th 1942

Air Losses: 6 Japanese, 4 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

When I saw the Allied CV in the Solomons I sent raider forces into the Southern Indian Ocean and East Pacific.

These were withdrawing as the Allied CVs could be moving anywhere. In the East Pacific I find a convoy of xAK carrying fuel to Pearl Harbour[:)]. Unfortunately, they escape[:(] after I get a few licks in.

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CA Myoko
CA Haguro
CA Ashigara
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CA Kako, Shell hits 2
DD Akigumo
DD Isokaze
DD Usugumo
DD Uranami
DD Yayoi

Allied Ships
AM Bobolink, Shell hits 1
AM Penguin, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
AM Turkey, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Rail, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AM Tern
AM Grebe, Shell hits 3
AM Vireo, Shell hits 3, on fire
AK Alchiba, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Procyon, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
AK Castor, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK British Columbia, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Montgomery City
xAK Ewa
xAK Mahimahi
xAK Makena
xAK Mana
xAK Manulani
xAK Admiral Halstead
xAK Crown City, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Unicoi, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Capillo, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Coast Trader
xAK Idaho, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Meigs
xAK Starr King, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

All the damaged freighters will probably sink since they had fuel cargo that ignited. Fuel status for the task force is critical so no chance to stay around for another day. However, there are half-a-dozen subs heading in.

Otherwise quiet, not very many Allied subs spotted now.

Burma

Quiet

China

I forgot to cancel orders to cross the river South of Kienko. However, it worked out fine as the enemy turned out to be phantom troops[;)]:

Ground combat at 78,42 (near Kienko)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 28562 troops, 246 guns, 177 vehicles, Assault Value = 905

Defending force 46163 troops, 95 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 563

Japanese adjusted assault: 545

Allied adjusted defense: 100

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
615 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
19341 casualties reported
Squads: 324 destroyed, 293 disabled
Non Combat: 327 destroyed, 218 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 19 (12 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Units retreated 15

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
32nd Division
8th Tank Regiment
1st Division
26th Fld AA Machinecannon Company
4th Army
55th Field AA Battalion
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion

Defending units:
19th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
67th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
4th Construction Regiment
22nd Group Army
15th Chinese Corps
31st Group Army
Red Chinese Army
39th Group Army
1st Artillery Regiment
8th Chinese Base Force
36th Group Army
6th Chinese Base Force
15th Chinese Base Force

Annoyingly, one Chinese unit failed to retreat so I don't control the hex[:(]. Chinese retreated North to Kienko where they can starve[:)]. My troops will need a few days to recover from disruption and he could reinforce with good troops in that time. Nice to see an artillery regiment that has not made it to Chungking.

Engineering

Allies expand Katherine to level 7. Ndeni port to 2.

Reinforcements

An 8150 capacity tanker arrives.

[Spidery]

September 21st 1942

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

Pacific

Just inconclusive sub action.

Burma

Quiet

China

He pulled out from the bridgehead hex so I now have a bridgehead across the river and have opened a long supply route to send fuel and supplies to Chengtu.

Attack at Neikiang goes well and drives the Chinese out.

Attacking force 31007 troops, 398 guns, 402 vehicles, Assault Value = 977

Defending force 41257 troops, 156 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 915

Japanese adjusted assault: 653

Allied adjusted defense: 316

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
544 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
13590 casualties reported
Squads: 380 destroyed, 120 disabled
Non Combat: 574 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 22 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 25 (8 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Units retreated 8

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
36th Division
20th Recon Regiment
5th Armored Car Co
15th Tank Regiment
8th Armored Car Co
40th Division
26th Recon Regiment
4th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
13th Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
3rd Army
24th Fld AA Machinecannon Company
10th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
14th JNAF AF Unit /1

Defending units:
44th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
62nd Chinese Corps
43rd Chinese Corps
9th Group Army

Australia

Subs attack a CA task force heading into Perth.

Engineering

Allies expand Lunga airfield to 2.

R&D

Quiet

Reinforcements

An SC arrives.

[Spidery]

Game was delayed a bit as MrKane demonstrated coffee and computers do not mix.

September 22nd 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy: Tassafaronga(auto)
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

Inconclusive action.

Tried moving the Zuiho but was a bad move as pumps immediately failed and she sank[:(]. Not unexpected, maybe I should have left her at Rabaul and at least forced him to send bombers.

Burma

Quiet

China

Just bombing

Australia

Quiet

Engineering

Allies expand Chittagong port to level 5.

R&D

A6M5b to 12/43.

[mind_messing]

Tried moving the Zuiho but was a bad move as pumps immediately failed and she sank. Not unexpected, maybe I should have left her at Rabaul and at least forced him to send bombers.

Yeah, Japanese ships are fragile, fragile things. I've made a point of never moving anything until the system damage is completely gone. It's led to some ships sitting in port with battles ranging in nearby hexes.

When you've got a ship as badly damaged as the Zuiho (or anything with 50+ flt damage) try to pair it up with an AR for the trip home. Try to do the trip in as many short hops as possible. That way, if the Japanese damage control team tries to drain the water by opening a hole below the waterline, the damaged ship can disband into a base or dot hex, and the repair ship can help patch up the damage and carry on their way.

[Spidery]

September 23rd 1942

Air Losses: 23 Japanese, 11 Allied, 7 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy: Auki(auto)
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

I-168 sinks the damaged CL De Ruyter South of Tulagi.

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe. For various reasons the only defense was A6M2 and Ki-43-Ic. However, they do okay, losing 11 Zeroes and 10 Oscars but downing 8 P-38F.

China

Bombing and some minor attacks. More move arrows suggest an Allied evacuation towards India of many units (probably the most damaged ones).

On the road to Tsuyung, attack with tank regiments and get a good result. Will be able to attack again in 2 days.

Ground combat at 68,47 (near Kunming)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18116 troops, 299 guns, 497 vehicles, Assault Value = 614

Defending force 16448 troops, 126 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 339

Japanese adjusted assault: 324

Allied adjusted defense: 607

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
163 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
461 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 70 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
24th Division
9th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
1st Chinese Corps
66th Chinese Corps

At Urumchi, enough supply arrives to fix 1 oil well. However, it will be another 10 days before another 1000 supply arrives and can fix the next point so it will be 6 months to fix all the damaged wells.

Australia

Quiet

Engineering

Allies expand Lunga airfield to 3 and Ndeni airfield to 3.

R&D

The first N1K1-J factory has been fully repaired; in advance of the engine even being ready, let alone at 500 stockpiled. Will research this: it will give an aircraft that can get above the P-38 (until the P-38J).

Ki-43-IV to 9/44.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
Yeah, Japanese ships are fragile, fragile things. I've made a point of never moving anything until the system damage is completely gone. It's led to some ships sitting in port with battles ranging in nearby hexes.

Do you mean minor flood damage possibly from counter flooding?

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
Yeah, Japanese ships are fragile, fragile things. I've made a point of never moving anything until the system damage is completely gone. It's led to some ships sitting in port with battles ranging in nearby hexes.

Do you mean minor flood damage possibly from counter flooding?

Minor flooding and accumulated system damage, yes. The dice gods area already stacked against Japanese damage control, so getting rid of those five or six points of system damage help.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
Minor flooding and accumulated system damage, yes. The dice gods area already stacked against Japanese damage control, so getting rid of those five or six points of system damage help.

+1.

I encouraged Spidery to stay in port until the minor flooding was pumped out in a pm, but he felt the risk from a port strike was too great.

It is a shame when you can both be right and lose the ship no matter what you do.[:(]

I have seen over 20 points of counter flooding from torpedo hits...multiple torpedo hits.

[Spidery]

Aircraft Losses to date

[Lowpe]

I would call those losses very light.[:)]

How many total planes do you have in service?

[Spidery]

September 24th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 3 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy: Thousand Ships Bay(auto)
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

Near Palmyra, I-156 fires 6 torpedoes at BB California: all miss[:@].

BB California and Maryland are spotted. No idea if they are heading to or from Pearl Harbour.

Burma

Quiet

China

Just pushing against an open door. Air strikes at Chungking airfields see no flak[;)].

If he is evacuating out of supply Chinese to India they have some 4 to 8 months of walking across mountains without supply, just how much attrition will they take?

Australia

Quiet

Engineering

Allies expand Lunga airfield to 4 (Oh to have all those engineers[:D], size 2 on the 21st, size 3 on the 23rd, size 4 on the 24th).

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I would call those losses very light.[:)]

How many total planes do you have in service?

I don't know. How can I find out?

[Spidery]

[/quote]

I would call those losses very light.

In comparison to what you took over they certainly are.

It is a worry that they are so light but MrKane doesn't give me many opportunities. Since the Japanese can expect to lose all ships and most territory and take a fairly fixed strategic loss the best way to fend off Allied victory is to inflict heavy aircraft losses, as long as they are at less than 2:1. This is best done early.

[Spidery]

How strong a defense is needed at a base to:

a) protect against a surprise Allied parachute attack.
b) protect against a surprise Allied sub-transport assault.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

How strong a defense is needed at a base to:

a) protect against a surprise Allied parachute attack.
b) protect against a surprise Allied sub-transport assault.

If it's in a clear terrain, i'd say at least 50 AVs with some forts (3 minimum). If it's +2 or +3 terrain even less probably, but 50 AVs is a good rule of thumb imh0

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Spidery

How strong a defense is needed at a base to:

a) protect against a surprise Allied parachute attack.
b) protect against a surprise Allied sub-transport assault.

If it's in a clear terrain, i'd say at least 50 AVs with some forts (3 minimum). If it's +2 or +3 terrain even less probably, but 50 AVs is a good rule of thumb imh0

Thank-you, so that is about the size of a Naval Guard Unit plus a small engineering unit to get the forts built.

[GreyJoy]

Yes. What base do you have in mind?

[Spidery]

September 25th 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 3 Allied, 2 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

I-156 fires puts two torpedoes into the side of CL Nashville[8D]. With MASSIVE EXPLOSIVE DAMAGE and severe damage messages it looks promising but no sinking sounds and no aircraft losses.

I-31 sinks a small xAK near Suva[:)].

Allied subs seem active around Rabaul again and MrKane has stepped up night search there. He may be planning another move.[:-]

Burma

A small Allied CL force bombards Akyab relatively ineffectively.

China

Kienko appears to have been abandoned[:)]. This will be a big help in letting me get a couple of divisions and an artillery train into action.

Another good attack on the road to Burma.

Australia

SigInt has detected troops moving on Wyndham and on Derby[:(].

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

Quiet