Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[CrackSabbath]

This has been very helpful!!!!

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: CrackSabbath

This has been very helpful!!!!

Glad to hear it - and welcome aboard!

[witpqs]

1944 April 18

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Our subs came up empty.

In China, our stalwart, brave, intrepid forces gloriously eliminated another straggler from the Burma Road blockade. One more to go.

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Ground combat at 65,48 (near Paoshan)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7392 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 146

Defending force 288 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 70

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 70 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
385 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 33 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
37th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
21st/C Division

Same quiet status in Burma. An artillery unit for Pegu has reached Ramree Island and will commence recovering from its 31% morale.

Allied bombardments in the Pacific.

Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Chichi-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul

The bombardments in the Bonins did their job.

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Night Naval bombardment of Chichi-jima at 111,74

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 31 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 18 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 6 damaged
J2M2 Jack: 11 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis
CA Astoria

Japanese ground losses:
147 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 38

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Minneapolis
CA Minneapolis firing at Chichi-jima
CA Astoria firing at Chichi-jima


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Night Naval bombardment of Iwo-jima at 108,77

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee

Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 8
Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 1

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Tennessee
BB Tennessee firing at Iwo-jima


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Three enemy subs were pummeled by ASW forces and escorts overnight. Possibly others were hit by aerial search in daylight. The assault is ordered to go in, but there is one small glitch. The AGC with the Amphib Force HQ on board could not be added to another amphib TF. AFAIK an Amphib Force HQ only helps unload ships in the same TF, not in the whole hex, so we might be losing this bonus.

As early as tomorrow forces will be at Manado and ready to attack.

Here is Iwo Jima.

[BBfanboy]

Since I don't want the Amphib Force HQ unloading (unlike the Amphib Corps HQ which should unload), I usually set the TF with my AGC to follow my Amphib TF.
If I am concerned about mines or shore batteries, I set the follow distance to 1 but dedicate ASW and SCTFs to protect the AGCs.

[witpqs]

Oh, I agree about having the AGC in a separate TF, but I remember some sort of change and Michael explaining that the Amphib Force HQ only works for the TF it is in, and would not unload until the turn after the rest of the TF finished unloading. That means same TF or no value. I hope that's not the way it is, but I don't recall seeing anything further on it.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Oh, I agree about having the AGC in a separate TF, but I remember some sort of change and Michael explaining that the Amphib Force HQ only works for the TF it is in, and would not unload until the turn after the rest of the TF finished unloading. That means same TF or no value. I hope that's not the way it is, but I don't recall seeing anything further on it.

Interesting! That would change the dynamics a lot. Doesn't make any sense to me as a model of the RL AGC use. The Amphib Force HQ should be able to help multiple TFs for the same target invasion, like the second wave support units landing while some first wave troops are still landing.
Inability to add the AGC to a TF would kybosh that.

[witpqs]

1944 April 19

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Iwo Jima

Our subs got two xAK and a CL.

China is quiet, with both sides maneuvering.

The Empire made sweeps over the area west/northwest of Rangoon and took more of our fighters than they lost.

Allied bombardments in the Pacific.

Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Chichi-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima

The bombardments at Iwo Jima went quite well. Both during them and throughout the entire day our escorts were busy fending off large subs and a nest of SSX.

The landings at Iwo Jima went well. The first battle was an unmitigated disaster.

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Ground combat at Iwo-jima (108,77)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 14346 troops, 83 guns, 44 vehicles, Assault Value = 509

Defending force 55528 troops, 822 guns, 975 vehicles, Assault Value = 1790

Japanese ground losses:
615 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 57 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
193 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (7 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
65th Brigade
Iwo-jima Naval Guard Unit
7th Air Division
69th Field AA Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
71st Field AA Battalion
26th Special Base Force

Defending units:
1st (Spec) Cavalry Division
7th Infantry Division
1st Marine Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
3rd Marine Division
763rd Tank Battalion
2nd Pioneer Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
XI US Corps
33rd Medium Regiment


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Ground combat at Iwo-jima (108,77)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 52835 troops, 815 guns, 971 vehicles, Assault Value = 1775

Defending force 20066 troops, 256 guns, 89 vehicles, Assault Value = 456

Allied adjusted assault: 93

Japanese adjusted defense: 547

Allied assault odds: 1 to 5 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
957 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 58 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 40 (2 destroyed, 38 disabled)
Vehicles lost 30 (2 destroyed, 28 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
22815 casualties reported
Squads: 934 destroyed, 558 disabled
Non Combat: 396 destroyed, 106 disabled
Engineers: 87 destroyed, 43 disabled
Guns lost 277 (223 destroyed, 54 disabled)
Vehicles lost 506 (473 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Units destroyed 4

Assaulting units:
762nd Tank Battalion
3rd Marine Division
7th Infantry Division
1st (Spec) Cavalry Division
1st Marine Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
XI US Corps
249th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd Pioneer Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment

Defending units:
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
65th Brigade
Iwo-jima Naval Guard Unit
7th Air Division
69th Field AA Battalion
71st Field AA Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
26th Special Base Force


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As all units were 100% prepared, I don't know why the adjusted AV was so low. Defensive fire, unloading, sure - but the adjusted AV was only 5 1/4% of the unadjusted AV. Supply is plentiful and was unloaded from the start by a separate TF. Leaders are good and there were no leadership check failures noted in the combat report. In fact, there were no minuses at all!?? All units unloaded completely prior to the attack. Three of the four tank units were destroyed, along with the pioneer engineer unit (to help with unloading).

The artillery is in good shape, but all of the surviving line combat units are massively disrupted in addition to being shattered otherwise. The main amphibious groups will cease unloading supply and head for Rota to get the reserves and load them as shallow as possible. The artillery plus bombing and naval bombardments will have to suffice in the meantime.

Major IJN fleet elements are 11 hexes NW of Iwo Jima (the CL was torpedoed at that location). Here's hoping that merely having troops ashore there has not activated kamikazes!

Here are the surviving forces ashore at Iwo Jima.

[witpqs]

Here is the location of those major IJN fleet elements.

[witpqs]

Here is the complete combat report (attached) for anyone who wants it.

[BBfanboy]

I believe setting foot ashore is all that is necessary to activate kamikazes, since it works that way with triggering Allied emergency reinforcements.

When high (4<) forts are a factor I almost never use shock attack. Iwo Jima is probably rough terrain too, if not mountainous.
Interesting that he had far fewer guns in the initial bombardment but he destroyed more squads with his heavy arty. I wonder if that plays into the SA outcome?

[GreyJoy]

Imho the result is related with the huge overstacking. I know you've done this way before at Truk and in other atoll landings, but I do believe that, at least for the initial landing, a non-overstacked assault should be preferable.
Also supply level must be too high for the Japanese. You should have bombed the place a bit more and destroyed more supplies before landing.
However I do believe that now that the fight has started, those Japanese units will drink so much supplies in a very short term that you will be able to overcome them

[witpqs]

It's rough terrain. Of course the shock attack is mandatory as it is island size 2 (mandatory for island size 1 or 2 and for atoll terrain of any size). I sure won't be using shock attack voluntarily! [:D]

When the other two USA divisions come ashore they will shock attack but my experience so far is that units subsequent to the first landing take far less damage. If the current units are sufficiently recovered I will have them deliberate attack to support the landing.

The artillery bombardment only includes guns with a long enough range. The other guns must be AA, AT, mortars, and maybe other very short range guns. It was the one bright spot of land combat for the day that the Allied counter-fire to the Japanese bombardment was so effective. About 10 of those would reduce resistance to nothing!

All of the light tanks were destroyed. The Shermans fared much better but still took a beating.

After the two reserve USA IDs I have nothing prepared for Iwo Jima, so they better be enough. Wasp is almost to Truk, then she and Bay of Bengal will move up to add their support. I might just put one of the extra (and fully trained) carrier fighter groups on Bay of Bengal to beef up CAP. One group flies Corsairs, the rest Hellcats. I think I have 3 or 4 groups available.

Naval bombardment matters a lot. The problem is the turn around for rearming, so I am going to try and have at least one group bombard all the time.

Question on kamikazes: is there some delay for their use after the activation trigger? Does it take X amount of time to convert a group and get it operational?

Oh, and of course both USMC and USA now have deficits in squad pools.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Imho the result is related with the huge overstacking. I know you've done this way before at Truk and in other atoll landings, but I do believe that, at least for the initial landing, a non-overstacked assault should be preferable.
Also supply level must be too high for the Japanese. You should have bombed the place a bit more and destroyed more supplies before landing.
However I do believe that now that the fight has started, those Japanese units will drink so much supplies in a very short term that you will be able to overcome them

Interesting. I disagree on the over stack because I got no (-) for disruption or fatigue. Stacking level is below 200%. I know that it has an effect, but it couldn't have such a huge impact without it showing up in the combat report. When the other two division come ashore I might have to pull out somebody to reduce the stacking level at that point.

I could have focused more aerial bombing on the airfield previously. Naval bombardment was more difficult to do until the carriers were on station as it would be a cat and mouse game. I did get in a raid or two earlier, but nothing sustained. Hopefully now the naval bombardments and auto-bombardments will take their toll. All of the bombers, and some more assigned to the task, have been set to ground attack at 10,000 ft. The disruption of the AA units should help them. If they have an easy go I will lower them to 5,000 ft.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs


Question on kamikazes: is there some delay for their use after the activation trigger? Does it take X amount of time to convert a group and get it operational?

No, you can immediately convert a sentai to Kamikaze. You just need the time to change the pilots from the usual skills to the LOWNAV Skill, but if you have already prepared for that, there should be no delay.



About the distruption in the combat report, I've found that, when overstacking, results don't always show a (-) distruption, but from the overall result you can easily see how bad the oversatcking have influenced the final outcome.
An "easy" way to prevent it, is, for the next landing, to prepare a HUGE empty amphib fleet and load the allied trashed units the same night you start unloading the 2 reserve divisions. doing that, when the combat resolution phase will begin, you should have far less men on the beachhead and, hopefully, only those really able to fight

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: witpqs


Question on kamikazes: is there some delay for their use after the activation trigger? Does it take X amount of time to convert a group and get it operational?

No, you can immediately convert a sentai to Kamikaze. You just need the time to change the pilots from the usual skills to the LOWNAV Skill, but if you have already prepared for that, there should be no delay.

Unit need to have morale at lest 90 and average pilot XP below 50. (need confirmation)
So You should have happy but green pilots in unit to convert[8D]

[witpqs]

Thanks guys!

Follow up question: after a kamikaze unit is converted, can good pilots be brought in, or are only green pilots allowed in kami units?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Thanks guys!

Follow up question: after a kamikaze unit is converted, can good pilots be brought in, or are only green pilots allowed in kami units?

You can use any pilots You want. Green pilots are only needed to conversion

EDIT: Also when You set up Your kamikaze unit to attack remember that whatever altitude You set them they will always arrive over target at 9000ft. It is hard coded. Only skill used by kamikaze is LovNaval

[witpqs]

Good to know - he has been hording pilots for missile guidance I am sure!

I guess I can expect an attack next turn (which will likely not be until tomorrow, BTW).

Michael was kind enough to confirm how AGC/Amphib HQ currently works:

Hi
check code again.
The bonus is for any amphib TF unloading in same hex as a TF containing a Army/Corp/Amp HQ , which is prep'ed for the target. (If more than one HQ in TFs, the best value one is used. This will be the Amp HQ if present.) If the HQ is Amp or the ship the HQ is on, is an AGC, it increases the bonus much more.

I like this way. It did apply here, as I had a regular HQ along.

[BBfanboy]

Thanks for researching that. Good to know that the bonus is for being in the same hex, not within the 1-hex command distance.

[witpqs]

1944 April 20

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Our subs got a PB.

Just air attacks in China. Those at the front seem about or at most slightly more than previously, so either the air fleet that was hitting Chungking day after day is resting or those groups are redeploying elsewhere. It will be a while before we know about the commitment of ex-Chungking besieging ground troops.

Boring same in Burma. Richelieu has reached Bombay and is now departing for Colombo.

Allied bombardments in the Pacific.

Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Manado
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Iwo-jima

The IJN fleet drew first blood by sinking a DD in a group that reacted (without engaging) and was away from CAP.

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Chichi-jima at 109,73

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 21
B6N2 Jill x 10
D4Y1 Judy x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 3 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 10 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Halligan, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Capps
DD Marshall

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
8 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
3 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb



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A number of friendly and enemy search planes lost to CAP, and our boys reported hits on an AMc (4), a DD (2), a CL, and a PT. Did any of them happen? Supply continues to unload, but no counter-landing bombardment was triggered by that unloading. Is this a recent code change? Drat! We'll just have to bombard on our own. Two more days until the two large convoys make it to Rota to pick up the two reserve divisions, but before they can load they will have to unload the leftover supply on board. If the troops on Iwo Jima recover sufficiently in the meantime they might get in a deliberate attack. 27x LST are loading supply at Guam to drop at Iwo Jima. The objective is to push absolutely as much supply as possible onto the island so that the troops there are always swimming in a surplus.

The first attack at Manado was so-so. The 31st Infantry Regiment had just arrived in-hex and did not participate. The 2/6 Armoured Rgt did participate but they are preparing for Cam Ranh Bay. The NZ 2nd Rgt (armoured) at Makassar has been switched to preparing for Manado and will be brought over from Watampone (they should get there by road in 3 or 4 days).

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Ground combat at Manado (75,99)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11568 troops, 138 guns, 195 vehicles, Assault Value = 523

Defending force 11594 troops, 93 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 290

Allied adjusted assault: 345

Japanese adjusted defense: 827

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
516 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
490 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/6th Armoured Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
2nd Australian Division

Defending units:
23rd Nav Gd Unit
42nd Infantry Regiment
32nd Nav Gsn Unit
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF
11th Air Flotilla
9th JNAF Coy
53rd JNAF AF Unit


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Watampone airfield has been built to size 8, and Watampone is now host to all of the B-29 squadrons, save three just loading aboard transports at Aden. They should be well rested and ready for action as soon as Watampone hits size 9, or sooner in a smaller raid. Provided that supply is adequate. Fighter protection over the base is quite strong and flak rating is 27 with more on the way.

Rabaul invasion tomorrow. We've bought out the 5th Australian Division, which is preparing for Cam Ranh Bay.

Here are the troops on Iwo Jima. All of the infantry units and two of the artillery units took replacements today. 438 AV today versus 333 AV yesterday - quite a significant recovery. Two of the artillery units are equipped with 155mm and they will bombard tomorrow. The other two units have 105mm and 5.5in and will stand down.