Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

Does the count include the one that sunk him? ;]

I have never had such bad luck as this game with Allied Minefields. I hit them routinely, at every opportunity. In addition, I am so low on sweepers that even a 1vp Tosu sweeper hurts far, far beyond the victory point tally.

[Lowpe]

Oct 22, 1942

Kuriles: At Etorofu and other ports the ships load the troops for the counter invasion. One brigade will reach 100% prep by invasion day.

Troops will probably finish loading and assemble at sea by the 25th for invasion on the 26th or 27th...

A small CL task force closes with some of his picket ships and fires off a few rounds sending them to the bottom.

DEI: A followup attack fails to secure the 2-1 need to win Soerabaja. The IJA was simply too fatigued, but heavy destruction of Allied units ensue. I will send either bombard mission in or bomb the base to help delay another level of fort building. Now,however, all HQs are in Soerabaja so hopefully a shorter delay to recover (they won't have to march out and back in again).

China: the 24th Group Army is forced to surrender and tomorrow will bring an attack on the depleted 5th Chinese Cavalry Corp -- they are in a blocking position preventing IJA forces for isolating the Changsha pocket. Probably six to ten days for my armored units to enter the central plains of China.

Air war: quiet. Submarine War: IJN misses on another cargo ship east of Perth, Allied subs all miss with several taking hits from upgraded ASW ships.

[Lowpe]

October 23, 1942

Kuriles: Lose the DD Oboro to mines at the American base during a bombardment. The Oboro wasn't bombarding, but she did her part to help clear the minefield.

Invasion fleet sets sail.

China: Heavily defeat two more corps.

Air & Submarines quiet.

South Central Pacific: Allies continue to build up forces at Tabiteuea. There is no detection on either Nauru or Xmas currently. Tomorrow 9 DD, CA and CL are meeting at Nauru to top off tanks and get ready for a high speed run into the hornets nest that is Tabiteuea.

They can then probably advance to Xmas and sortie from there in a high speed hit and hopefully run attack.

I am debating task force composition and believe I will send in two groups: The Chokai with 4 destroyers and the Yara with 5 destroyers. The downside of doing this the the long range cap will get divided. There will probably be escort groups splintered off and they would be in trouble...

Call this a spoiling attack at night...what do you guys think? Moving up in reserve are the Nagato and Mutsu, the mini kb, and destroyers. Carrier Division 2 (Soryu and Hiryu) are heading down from the Kuriles, while the KB is trying to go dark but probably needs to loiter in the Kuriles.

Not sure what the intent is here: Mili has 7/10 detection, Kusaie 5/10 and Ponape 1/10. No American bombing runs...just the recon. Mili is the weakest...

I moved in an additional 70 Vals and 30 Kates out of the Solomon Isles, but pretty weak in fighters.

[Lowpe]

I actually trashed three Chinese Corps -- the two listed below and the 5th Chinese Cavalry Corp where the IJA actually got the the + for Leaders!

AVG gone from Changsha.

Steady progress aimed at isolating the enemy and moving onto the central plains from the east. I have 31 units totally isolated, 13 more very close to being isolated, and another 33 in the Changsha triangle that is close to being isolated.

[Lowpe]

Oct 23, 1942

Burma: Magwe bombed at night by Allied bombers. One group of B17Es shoot down 3 Nicks and 3 A6M2s for no loss. Sigh.[:(] No damage done to Magwe.[:)]

Total losses 15 Zeroes, 6 Nicks for 11 Blenheim IVs, 1 B25C, 1 Wellington Ic.

Kuriles: Invasion underway, now recon shows only 4 Allied units left...Tojo's will start flying LR CAP to catch any flying boats. Still a fair number of guns and vehicles so perhaps the intel is faulty due to weather but then again those are tough to transport by air, but I would expect several splinter units and not just 4.

Will assemble the invasion fleet two hexes away and go in on the next day.

Everywhere else: Tabiteuea still has plenty of targets, IJN ships mobilizing at Xmas Island after refueling. Cruiser & Destroyer strike group undetected at Nauru. Reinforcements moving up.

[Lowpe]

Can you draw any conclusions from the recent Intelligence Report?

I have tasked a Glen sub to near Adak to try and scope things out.

[Lokasenna]

Looks like a big sortie from Pearl. Big sortie. Could be heading anywhere, though.

Adak...could be as simple as a resupply convoy or more LCUs arriving.

[Lowpe]

October 25, 1942

Kuriles: Invasion force is two hexes out. Spotted. Escorts beat off a submarine attack, but Allies see a bunch of the ships. So no surprise, not counting on it anyhow but the fleet has been undetected in prior days.

Better recon shows 13 units. First wave will be a division, a brigade, and a tank regiment. Yamoto will bombard, along with two other cruiser groups. AMcs moving in to sweep and probably get shot to pieces, and there is dms & BB with the invasion force.

Going in on the morrow.

Java: IJN naval search discovers a relief convoy headed towards Tjilatjap. Bettys fly thru a 1 plane Lightning CAP and get several good hits. Over 100 Allied Fighters at Tjilatjap today and 20 bombers, Batavia has 40 Allied fighters and 60 bombers who hit Oosthaven and Kali's air fields. PT boats spawned at Batavia.

CA bombardment at Soerabaja damages airfield, gets a hit on the Helena (damaged in port), and I am debating a deliberate attack at the base even though disruption is at 20 percent for the infantry divisions. Allied raw AV is 107 (tripled to 300 effective) while mine is at 1500 raw and would probably be halved unless I get lucky.

[Lowpe]

The Kuriles:

Everything is set for the invasion.

[Lowpe]

At Ocean Island the surface raiders have snuck into port undetected.

They will attempt to execute a night naval engagement at Tabiteuea on the morrow. Should be exciting.

[Lowpe]

New intel report. What left Pearl?

[Lowpe]

K Day is here! Invasion in the Kuriles!

After a seeming lull in Allied thrusts, other than his bomber force which jumps hither and thither to strike at the Empire, several actions are foreseen for the the 26th of October.

1. Invasion in the Kuriles.

2. Surface raid on Tabiteuea. After mulling it around I send in one large task force.

3. Surface raid on Tjilatjap.

4. Another attack on Soerabaja.

Lots of action! Hopefully some hard blows are struck on the Allied forces.

Banzai!

[Lowpe]

Look what showed up today in Port! The 1st of the Agano class light cruisers.

I have been very hard on my light cruisers so far, they have been doing triple duty since for the most part the air force is is weak. From raiders, to pickets, to screens, to bombardments, to fast transport, to convoy flags they have done it all. They have sunk enemy heavy cruisers and down, and played an instrumental screening role in the demise of the Lexington.

I lost one CL to an unlucky magazine explosion which was a pity since it was a perfect night engagement for her, one in port to a B17 raid, one in a slug fest with two Allied light cruisers and a fourth in another slug fest in the Kuriles. Several others are damaged from either mines or airplanes.

Overall, I am very pleased with their service to the Empire, and look forward to using the Agano class just as hard.

Too soon the light cruisers will not be a match for Allied destroyers... [:(]

[Lowpe]

K Day!

Starts with a predawn submarine attack of Perth!

[Lowpe]

Operation One: The Raid on Tabiteuea! Caught in loading or offloading!

Banzai!

[Lowpe]

Steaming past the smoking, burning wrecks of the the first enemy task force, dazed American infantry drowning port, starboard and stern the TF Watanabe discovers another group not underway and promptly engages!

A night as long as years for the American Navy at Tabiteuea!

The range is close and Japanese 25mm AA guns riddle the ships...but will that ammunition be needed when the sun rises?

[Lowpe]

Choosing force preservation over aggressiveness, Watanabe elects not to engage the remnants of the American fleet again and instead heads for home at full speed.

[Lowpe]

Meanwhile, in the Kuriles the amphibious invasion is launched.

And, although the troops lack the alacrity of earlier days superior planning pays off with a relatively smooth invasion day!

[Lowpe]

Reeling from the hammer blows that the Empire was delivering, the Allied defenders of Soerabaja decided to finally surrender...leaving only one small factory of heavy industry damaged and giving over 350,000 supplies to the conquering IJA.

31 formations are identified, and 40,000 prisoners are interned. Several ships are scuttled in port prior to the surrender...

[Lowpe]

As dawn breaks, several Zeroes circle the returning warships. The Yura drifted a fair amount of smoke, and the ships don't quite make Ocean Island, however it is not needed.

There is no retaliatory air strike. Watanabe has pulled off a signal victory, however he has his detractors...most notably Tanaka who would have liked to see a more vigorous pursuit of the American transports although since his last command saw his flagship obliterated by a magazine explosion Tanaka's viewpoint lacked authority.