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

[Spidery]

October 31st 1942

Air Losses: 9 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

DD Yuzuki is swamped and abandoned[:(].

I-6 finds a transport task force 200 miles North of Noumea, can't tell if it is heading North or South.

Nasty bombardment of Rossel Island

Night Naval bombardment of Rossel Island at 105,137

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 19 damaged
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 7 damaged
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB West Virginia
DD Hull
DD Dewey
DD MacDonough
DD Worden
DD Dale
DD Monaghan
DD Farragut

Japanese ground losses:
713 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 29 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 16 (11 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 26
Port hits 7
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

On the way out, RO-68 puts two torpedoes into the West Virginia. However, the task force can't have slowed down enough as I don't spot it or engage with air.

South of Truk, there is a row of subs just out of range of the Helens on ASW. I send three ASW task forces along this line and they manage to score hits on two subs.

Burma

I bomb some troops in the jungle, not much effect.

China

Liberators launch a night attack at Lanchow. 1 Tojo lost, 1 Liberator lost, no hits scored.

Wellingtons launch a night attack at Kunming. No night CAP and only 1 AA unit. They score 1 HI hit and knock out 4 points of HI.

Last turn I launched this attack that didn't work out:

Ground combat at 70,45 (near Kunming)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7013 troops, 113 guns, 505 vehicles, Assault Value = 384

Defending force 14791 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 548

Japanese adjusted assault: 121

Allied adjusted defense: 946

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 7

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

Japanese ground losses:
705 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 70 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled
Guns lost 18 (1 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 65 (3 destroyed, 62 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
125 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th Tank Regiment
12th Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division

Defending units:
61st Chinese Corps

He obviously thought I would be in a bad way so launched this that didn't work out for him either:

Ground combat at 70,45 (near Kunming)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14698 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 534

Defending force 6794 troops, 112 guns, 604 vehicles, Assault Value = 310

Allied adjusted assault: 337

Japanese adjusted defense: 1012

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
542 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 187 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
61st Chinese Corps

Defending units:
12th Tank Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
5th Armored Car Co
2nd Tank/B Division
2nd Tank/A Division

So do I turn around and attack him back? It would be a lovely hex to take.

Latest bombardment at Chungking reports:

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8772 troops, 609 guns, 601 vehicles, Assault Value = 3734

Defending force 176321 troops, 601 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1970

Allied ground losses:
1022 casualties reported
Squads: 85 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)

I may try another attack.

Australia

No attack today. Airfield has just 27 service damage - do I transfer some fighters in and run whatever I can in supplies forward now?

Engineering

Prome airfield to 5.

Allies expand Portland Roads port to 1.

R&D

Ki-43-IIc advances to 11/43 and immediately enters production. Two R&D factories will produce this and be increased and an obsolete A6M2 factory will be converted for a total production rate of 140.

Ki-61-1a and J1N1-C are now available but neither will be produced.

Pilots

I have this in my operations report "Accelerated training for 96 IJ Navy pilots from month-cycle 9". Something useful from the pilots in TRACOM.

Also, "Pilot Yamaguchi, M. is reported as to have escaped capture", good for him!

[Spidery]

October in Review

China is going well, Chungking is being reduced, Tsuyung may fall soon, and many Chinese have been eliminated or trapped.

Darwin is a cause for concern.

It is winter now so the Aleutians should be secure for another 4 months.

Ship losses haven't been good but the air war has been okay and the Ki-43-IIc will be a large jump in quality.

Code: Select all

 Overall VP:   Japan +1963 Allied +724
 VP for air:   Japan  +243 Allied +301
 VP for land:  Japan +1130 Allied  +81
 VP for bases: Japan  +513 Allied +230
 VP for ships: Japan   +77 Allied +218
 

(Japanese VP for ships calculated from other values.)

[Spidery]

October Economy

Some supplies saved but Ha-45 and Ki-43-IIc expansion will eat into the ability to save. Have good stock piles in Japan and have been sending out to trouble spots.

Worrying drop in total fuel and oil, some of this is because of HI captured at Chengtu but I expect the rest is from increased ship activity. The KB and many other ships sailed back to Japan for repairs and then out again which can't have helped.

HI increasing steadily but good Armament and Vehicle stock piles being created. Looking at the demand graph in Tracker, if I kept armament production at this rate I will have 200,000 in excess of reinforcement demand by early 1944. I could reduce Armament production but why do that now, it is just as good as having HI stockpiled.

Code: Select all

 Oil:      -63,488
 Fuel:     -42,066
 Supply:   +43,034
 HI:       +46,676
 Vehicles:  +4,410
 Arms:     +13,496
 

[Spidery]

Engine Production

Ha-34 stockpiles remained level over the month due to turning off some production. Will now drop as I no longer need the engine bonus. Other strategic stockpiles have grown a little to cope with future demand. Ha-45 are being built quickly but it will be early December before can have the 500 needed for research.

[Spidery]

Air Production and Pools

Lots of Nates going to waste, most everything else seems useful. Oscar 1c's will be freed up as the Ki-43-IIc becomes available but there are still enough groups running these to use up most that are freed.

[Spidery]

Ship Losses

Allied reports, I think should remove some SS, the BB Warspite, DD Nepal from this list and maybe add some more xAK and an xAP.

[Spidery]

Solomons area

Milne Bay, Rabaul, Port Moresby, Horn Island are quite strong. Most others are weak to moderate.

[Lowpe]

I would hold off attacking with the 2nd Tank Div, I bet you could at best get a 1-2 if that.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I would hold off attacking with the 2nd Tank Div, I bet you could at best get a 1-2 if that.

I didn't attack, but the 1st Tank will reinforce in a couple of days and will attack

[Spidery]

November 1st 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 10 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

I-6 confirms that the transport convoy is heading North and twice decides not to launch torpedoes at this target (presumably an AM on escort). Just noticed that I-6 has lost its Glen and the spare.

I-22 is damaged near Tulagi and will retire for repairs.

Burma

Quiet

China

I didn't attack with the tanks but may in a couple of days when the 1st Tank will also be there.

At Tsuyung, a comfortable 1::1 result:

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 18019 troops, 379 guns, 326 vehicles, Assault Value = 483

Defending force 14188 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 370

Allied adjusted defense: 259

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

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

Japanese ground losses:
530 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
619 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled

Liberators launch a daylight strike at Lanchow. Only 4 Tojo rise to meet them, two are shot down for no loss but 25 points of oil damage[:(]. I think I'll expend the supply to repair this.

Australia

380+ bombers hit Darwin. However, they are flying at 24,000 feet and score few hits.

Engineering

Allies expand Rennell Island to 4.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

Lots of damaged subs

[Spidery]

November 2nd 1942

Air Losses: 14 Japanese, 8 Allied, 5 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:
Allies land at:

Pacific

Nagato and Mutsu attack Dutch Harbour. 3 PT boats sunk (two by hits from 40 cm shells), a couple of planes destroyed on the ground and some small damage to troops. Not worth the system damage sustained. I had hoped to catch a resupply task force but it has gone.

An interesting ASW attack and sighting near Pearl Harbour shows some Carriers, see later. I wonder where they are heading?

Burma

Quiet

China

His night strike at Chengtu does no good but a sweep by Lightnings downs 12 Ki-43-IIa for just one P-38F lost to ops.

Australia

At Darwin he drops to 9000 feet and targets the port. Damage is minor (port 18, airfield completely fixed) but supply drops to 0 and all the AA is out of supply as well.

Engineering

Quiet

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

3 Divisions have recovered and will join the 9 in Chungking in 5 days for another attack.

3 more divisions should arrive about 5 days after that to launch another attack.

A couple of HQ and one Brigade have been resurrected to join the Chinese defense.

[Lowpe]

How are your plans to resupply Darwin coming along?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

How are your plans to resupply Darwin coming along?

About nine days from having everything in place:

Carriers,
Extra Zeroes to replace some of the strike craft,
An amphibious task force of the small xAKL loaded with 50,000 supply
Nicks and Tojos to fly in
A fast task force of APD carrying some shipping engineering companies to help offload
2 DMS in case he has dropped some mines

A task force with some more AA to follow a little later and will try and remove some of the recon units

I may try running a fast transport TF of DD in to get a bit of supply immediately.

[Lowpe]

Those 330 capacity PBs can do it overnight. Kiso class I believe.

[Spidery]

In the AAR by Lowpe, Lokasenna added an interesting post on his IJA LB upgrades so I thought I'ld post my current state as well.

Ki-30 Ann (pool 26)

1 x 9, 1 x 12, 1 x 27 ASW [upgrades to fighter] (out of size 2 airfields)
1 x 12 on the job training in China

Ki-32 Mary (pool 18)

1 x 18, 1 x 12 [upgrades to Recce] training
1 x 12 ASW (over Malacca straits where range isn't important)
1 x 12, 1 x 9 on the job training in China

Ki-36 Ida (pool 27)

1 x 36, 2 x 27, 2 x 12 training

Ki-51 Sonia (pool 49)

1 x 27, 1 x 36 (but only has 14) [upgrades to fighter], 1 x 12 training
1 x 27, 1 x 12 on the job training in China

Ki-48-1b Lily (pool 0)

1 x 31, 1 x 27 bombing Chungking
1 x 27 ASW (need to replace this)
1 x 27 (with only 2) training

Ki-21-1c Sally (pool 14)

1 x 27 ASW

Ki-21-IIa Sally (pool 13)

1 x 31, 1 x 27, 1 x 24 ASW
1 x 31 bombing Chungking

Ki-49-1a Helen (pool 3, produce 20)

1 x 18 ASW
2 x 27 in China

Ki-49-IIa Helen (pool 26, produce 100)

1 x 31, 2 x 27 in China
2 x 27, 1 x 31 ASW
5 x 27 combat elsewhere

[Lowpe]

What is that...one less than full strength unit?

Thanks for posting, very interesting.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What is that...one less than full strength unit?

Thanks for posting, very interesting.

Well, training units don't need a full complement.

I just can't fathom myself needing 120 Helens per month. Maybe I'm really underproducing. I hope I'm not. Maybe you guys use up more bombers than I do, for any of several possible reasons. (I admit I haven't been following this AAR)

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What is that...one less than full strength unit?

Thanks for posting, very interesting.

Well, training units don't need a full complement.

I just can't fathom myself needing 120 Helens per month. Maybe I'm really underproducing. I hope I'm not. Maybe you guys use up more bombers than I do, for any of several possible reasons. (I admit I haven't been following this AAR)

I've had a few bad days where the lightnings got in amongst the bombers[:(]

I seem to be taking more ops losses than I like.

However, I am currently over producing Helens to get the conversions made and then expect to build up a reserve pool for "accidents". The Helen IIa has a long shelf life and can be used as Kamikaze so I don't mind producing a stock that won't be used until 1944.