aztez vs katsuragi (DaBabes mod december 7th start)

[aztez]

November 25th - 26th 1943


It seems that both of us had equally bad intel when carrier battle happened. I thought his carriers were north of Luzon and he only spotted my CVE TF.

If he had recon the fleet carriers than the battle would have been called off.

I don't know whether we sunk 1 CV, 1 BB and 2 CVL's but according to my opponent most of the fleet carriers will be ok.

Thus the battle continued and this time around we got some unwanted surface combat action. Both sides were just 3 hexes from each other and we ran into japanese BB TF...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Babeldaob at 89,93, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 4
CA Chokai, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 2
CA Aoba, Shell hits 2
CL Nagara
DD Niizuki
DD Takanami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Hayanami
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
BB Washington, Shell hits 1
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 2
CA Portland, Shell hits 1, on fire
CA Indianapolis, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 1
DD Bache
DD Beale
DD Bennett
DD Chevalier
DD Claxton
DD Converse, Shell hits 1
DD Conway, Shell hits 1
DD Cony
DD Eaton



Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese radar detects Allied task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Gatch, Thomas Lee crosses the 'T'

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Babeldaob at 89,94, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 5, on fire
CA Chikuma
CA Chokai, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Mikuma
CA Aoba
CL Nagara
DD Niizuki
DD Takanami, on fire
DD Hayanami
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
CV Lexington, Shell hits 1
CV Saratoga, Shell hits 4
CV Yorktown
CV Enterprise
CV Hornet, Shell hits 1
CV Wasp
CV Essex
CVL Independence, Shell hits 1
BB North Carolina, Shell hits 1
BB Indiana
CA Pensacola
CA Wichita
CLAA Atlanta
CLAA Juneau
CLAA San Diego
CLAA San Juan
CL Detroit
CL Trenton
CL St. Louis
DD O'Bannon
DD Philip, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Pringle
DD Radford
DD Renshaw



Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese radar detects Allied task force at 10,000 yards

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Babeldaob at 89,94

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 62 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 68
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 10
SBD-5 Dauntless x 25
TBF-1 Avenger x 2


Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Chokai, Bomb hits 1
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 7, on fire


...that could have gone much worse than actually happened! Time to withdraw a bit and replenish these ships.

The good news is that all of the carriers are ok but couple need little shipyard time soon.

Sub kills: None

[aztez]

November 27th - December 4th 1943


The stand off continues at Babeldaob. The latest allied ground offensive failed and he still has level 6 forts in place.

I'am in no hurry here so let the bombers soften these stubborn japanese a bit. They are nicely trapped there and going nowhere.

In Burma japanese fighters put up an CAP at Toungoo. This resulted to some bomber losses however this is telling to me that hitting the base is easting up his supply levels in this region.

Thus to deal with this new development I have moved more fighters into frontlines. Overall he seems to be moving more ground units into battles and that suits me just fine.

The invasion of Iwo Jima begins on december 5th with mostly New Zealand troops fully prepped for the target. The intel shows low number of defenders there but we shall see how this goes.

Sub kills: xAK Nichiryo Maru

[BBfanboy]

My impression is that if the DL of an enemy base is less than 5, Allied intel usually greatly underestimates the troop count.
I think forts may also reduce the effectiveness of recon spotting.

[aztez]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

My impression is that if the DL of an enemy base is less than 5, Allied intel usually greatly underestimates the troop count.
I think forts may also reduce the effectiveness of recon spotting.

Agreed! The recon I have for Iwo Jima is 9 thus it should be quite correct. If so he has only 2000-3000 troops stationed there and my infantry and armour should breakthrough swiftly.

One thing for sure though you never have enough long ranged recon aircraft available.

[aztez]

December 5th - 6th 1943


The allied recon planes photographs were solid intel. Thus the Iwo Jima is firmly in allied hands now and also means that I can secure Bonin's on my terms now.

There was just 4th South Seas Gsn defending the island. Good news indeed for the allied HQ.

Elsewhere we are moving troops and supplies around and some units are prepping.

Other good thing is that I now have my submarine bases nearer to the home islands which cuts down the travel times.

Sub kills: PB Choun Maru #8 and xAK Nagato Maru.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: aztez

December 5th - 6th 1943


The allied recon planes photographs were solid intel. Thus the Iwo Jima is firmly in allied hands now and also means that I can secure Bonin's on my terms now.

There was just 4th South Seas Gsn defending the island. Good news indeed for the allied HQ.

Elsewhere we are moving troops and supplies around and some units are prepping.

Other good thing is that I now have my submarine bases nearer to the home islands which cuts down the travel times.

Sub kills: PB Choun Maru #8 and xAK Nagato Maru.

Iwo Jima captured 14 months earlier than RL - remarkable! Well done!

[aztez]

BBfanboy: Thanks for the compliment! [:)]

December 7th - 12th 1943


As previously stated my opponent is reinforcing Burma front. The japanese now have 1500av near Prome and 1700av at Toungoo.

Allied bombers took casualties previous turn but this has to be accepted. The burning of his supplies is important.

The US carriers made an raid into japanese sealanes and found some transport TF loaded with troops...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 109
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 25
SBD-5 Dauntless x 33
TBF-1 Avenger x 18


Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sasako Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD Aoi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CL Naka, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CL Yubari, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Hirokawa Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AK Kaga Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ayatosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DMS W-16
xAP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
250 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 21 (3 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes


Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 18


Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sasako Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Sado Maru, on fire
AK Tosan Maru, heavy fires
APD Aoi, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Mizuho Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ayatosan Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
317 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 28
SBD-5 Dauntless x 33


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Hirokawa Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sasako Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Ayatosan Maru, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS W-16, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
818 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 63 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (13 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 57 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 42
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 17
TBF-1 Avenger x 2


Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Naka, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Yubari, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 13 (13 destroyed, 0 disabled)

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 24 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes


Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 18


Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
AK Hirokawa Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
AK Tosan Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Mizuho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Ayatosan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Japanese ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 22 (12 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuroshima at 98,61

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 53
SBD-5 Dauntless x 32


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Yubari, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
CL Naka, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage


That definately was worth the trip north! No idea what kind of units those transports were carrying though.

Sub kills: PB Shonan Maru #6, PB Naruto Maru #3, xAK Sugiyama Maru, TK San Diego Maru and xAK Denmark Maru.

[BBfanboy]

Very few combat squads on those ships, but lots of support, engineers and vehicles with some guns makes me think a base force or two.

[Lowpe]

This AAR is quite simply a depressing read.[;)]

Hat's off to your opponent for putting up the good fight.

[aztez]

BBfanboy: That would be my estimate as well if those losses are correct. I think those units were heading towards Burma frontlines.

... or towards Luzon region where I doubt he is "ready" yet. Than again I'am neither...

Lowpe: Definately hats off to Chris. Both of us have are "experienced" players and have had our good and bad runs.

The first PBEM game for me that teached hard lessons of the game was vs erstad (Dave) in Witp. At times it felt bad but we grinded on and thankfully so.

This will be my 5th PBEM game in late years so it is absolutely vital to have good opponents. We are not playing for points but taking things as as learning experience.

Truth is that only way to learn the game is to play it with diffrent situations at hand. Sometimes it might be "depressing" as you stated but experience is still valuable.

As for this PBEM. There are a lot of bloodbaths coming and one sloppy turn for me can cost as dearly. I have not even put an smallest dent into his aircraft assets.

He still has thousands and thousands of them around the map. To be honest very diffrent than my previous games.

One thing for sure that I cannot simply sail into Tokyo... things will get harder and harder once we continue our advance.

... but yes I have had the luck to play mostly againts very good players who are reliable as they can be! [:)]

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: aztez

BBfanboy: That would be my estimate as well if those losses are correct. I think those units were heading towards Burma frontlines.

... or towards Luzon region where I doubt he is "ready" yet. Than again I'am neither...

Lowpe: Definately hats off to Chris. Both of us have are "experienced" players and have had our good and bad runs.

The first PBEM game for me that teached hard lessons of the game was vs erstad (Dave) in Witp. At times it felt bad but we grinded on and thankfully so.

This will be my 5th PBEM game in late years so it is absolutely vital to have good opponents. We are not playing for points but taking things as as learning experience.

Truth is that only way to learn the game is to play it with diffrent situations at hand. Sometimes it might be "depressing" as you stated but experience is still valuable.

As for this PBEM. There are a lot of bloodbaths coming and one sloppy turn for me can cost as dearly. I have not even put an smallest dent into his aircraft assets.

He still has thousands and thousands of them around the map. To be honest very diffrent than my previous games.

One thing for sure that I cannot simply sail into Tokyo... things will get harder and harder once we continue our advance.

... but yes I have had the luck to play mostly againts very good players who are reliable as they can be! [:)]

I am only on my 2nd ish PBEM as the first ended in May of 1943 due to lack of interest by a losing Japanese player.

This one is almost into 1944 and I face the same situation with planes. My opponent has done almost no strategic bombing with the exception of sieges and has really kept airplane losses low and I worry about the end game due to certain moves like this.

[aztez]

Wargmr: That was not an bad run for the first PBEM! I think my first PBEM "ended" in 1944 but than I got an replacement player to continue.

The games with Dave and Chris has gone all the way to the end.

Yeah. Definately odd not to see air to air slaughters all around and that makes you think. Both sides in this one has just lost around 4000 aircraft which is low number considering the date.

[aztez]

December 13th - 18th 1943


Things have calmed down around the map.

Allied forces launched an ground offensive at Babeldaob but yet again failed. Allthough we did manage to drop forts down level 5.

In Burma the air battles at Toungoo continues. This is battle of attrition in every sense of the word.

Japanese are moving more troops out of Rangoon towards the battlefields here....

Next turn allied will launch ground offensives at Toungoo and near Prome. Also Fiji commando brigade will conduct airborne invasion of Ulithi atoll.

Sub kills: xAK Nanman Maru, xAK Shiranesan Maru, xAK Taigen Maru and xAK Muroran Maru.

[BBfanboy]

Fiji commando brigade - is that a NZ unit? Don't recall seeing it yet, but haven't really searched for it either!

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Fiji commando brigade - is that a NZ unit? Don't recall seeing it yet, but haven't really searched for it either!

Yes, it is.

[aztez]

The Fiji unit is flying New Zealand flag. There is also brigade of Fiji's available.


December 19th - 24th 1943


The allied ground offensives were yet again bloodily repulsed at Burma.

It also seems he has moved two additional IJA divisions into Prome sector.

One can definately say that Burma will always be an mess for both sides.

The Fiji commandos managed to grap Ulithi atoll which will be build up. It has nice harbour to it so quite useful.

Elsewhere things remain quiet and preparations continue for next targets...

Sub kills: xAK Yamayuri Maru and xAK Nitii Maru.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: aztez

The Fiji unit is flying New Zealand flag. There is also brigade of Fiji's available.

The shooter is using a Bren LMG. I always wondered how they could aim with the magazine on top of the weapon, but it
appears to be offset to the left. This would give it a tendency to want to rotate to the left because of the weight of
the ammo and mag on that side, but it also appears they put the pistol grip handle a bit to the right? [&:] Strange design.
I note that it was quickly replaced post-war with automatic weapons that had the mag underneath the chamber.[:)]

They also seem to be traveling light - no helmets, grenades, mess kits, etc. Must be trying to beat the heat!

[aztez]

BBfanboy: Definately weird design on model. It would be nice to try some of these ww2 weapons sometimes.

It is actually about 20 years since I last shot and automatic rifle. Time flies for sure...!

The pic should be from Burma thus heat would definately be an issue! [:)]

[aztez]

The end of 1943 is glooming in the horizon so few pics from the game itself. Lets start with intel screen....

[aztez]

...and aircraft losses thus far. As said it has not been that bloody!