The Bitter End - Topeverest (A) vs Admiral Kamikaze (E)

[topeverest]

This force will not take this base until empire supply exhausted...

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Ground combat at Shortlands / Buin (109,131)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 29023 troops, 625 guns, 535 vehicles, Assault Value = 1430

Defending force 30134 troops, 270 guns, 36 vehicles, Assault Value = 804

Allied adjusted assault: 546

Japanese adjusted defense: 1183

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 8)

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

Japanese ground losses:
398 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2056 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 290 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
24th Infantry Division
144th Infantry Regiment
19th Canadian Brigade
31st Infantry Division
125th Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
61st Ind.Mixed Brigade
73rd Division
2nd Raiding Rgt /1
33rd Special Base Force
18th Engineer Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
26th Base Force
162nd JAAF AF Bn
146th JAAF AF Bn
7th Medium Mortar Battalion
12th Air Flotilla
4th Ind. AA Battalion
172nd JAAF AF Bn
173rd JAAF AF Bn

[topeverest]

This one should fall in a week or so and serve as an airbase that can reduce Lunga area.

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Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1638 troops, 20 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 254

Defending force 6580 troops, 134 guns, 410 vehicles, Assault Value = 321

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
50th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Sasebo 7th SNLF
35th Field AA Battalion
Maraisha JNAF Base Force
24th Field AF Construction Battalion

Defending units:
II Aus Corps Engr Bn /1
2nd USMC Amphb Tank Bn /1
107th Mech Cavalry Regiment
2nd Army Tank Bde /1
35th Infantry Div /4
RCAF Fort St John Base Force
6th RAAF M/W Sqn /1
2/198th Coast AA Battalion
1st Eng Amph Bde /3
1/198th Coast AA Battalion
9th RAN Base Force /1
RCAF OTU Edmonton Base Force
Provisional GMC Grp /1

[topeverest]

This base should fall easily and isolate the superbase Lunga

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Ground combat at Tassafaronga (113,137)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3261 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 157

Defending force 10653 troops, 276 guns, 33 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Assaulting units:
96th Ind.Mixed Brigade
46th Naval Guard Unit
45th Const Co
49th Const Co

Defending units:
1st Marine Division
2nd Marine Division
3rd Marine Division

[topeverest]

More fighting here to be sure...

[topeverest]

Here are the remaining properties the empire holds in the Solomons and eastern New Guinea. Lunga, Shortlands, and PM will be long hauls

[BBfanboy]

Is that a Canadian flag on Rossel Island? Never seen it in the game before.

[topeverest]

Yep - Canadian forces in this scenario are not perm fix, so they are out there. IME base control is
at changeover is assigned to the lowest unit ID's nationality.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Is that a Canadian flag on Rossel Island? Never seen it in the game before.

[BBfanboy]

IME think it is the HQ that the first unit in the stack reports to that decides which command the base ends up belonging to. So in this scenario Canada Command would have to be unrestricted or there would be a Canadian sub-command that the unit reports to.
I know I was annoyed when I sent some Russian artillery to help the Chinese and they were the first unit in the stack every time, so every base the Chinese took reported to a Russian HQ. Not that it matters for game purposes but I don't want to help Joe Stalin grab territory!

[topeverest]

Not a whole lot of remarkable combat these last 5 game days, but there are two somewhat interesting things...

Captured one of the empire bases in solomons...

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Ground combat at Namatanai (107,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 77651 troops, 1802 guns, 1586 vehicles, Assault Value = 2948

Defending force 8630 troops, 121 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 207

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 2100

Japanese adjusted defense: 22

Allied assault odds: 95 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Namatanai !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
1282 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 90 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 58 (42 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
578 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 86 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 19 (2 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
Rifles of Canada Battalion
4th Marine Regiment
28th Cavalry (Hrse) Regiment
33rd Infantry Division
37th Infantry Division
32nd Infantry Division
25th Infantry Division
87th Mountain Regiment
Winnipeg Grenadiers Battalion
44th Infantry Division
7th Infantry Division
124th Cavalry Regiment
43rd Infantry Div /10
XI Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
159th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
4th Marine Division
93rd Infantry Div /12

Defending units:
49th Ind.Mixed Brigade
30th Ind. Engineer Regiment
4th Medium Mortar Battalion
76th JAAF AF Bn
1st JNAF AF Unit
108th JAAF AF Bn

[topeverest]

Hold on to your lug nuts, the empire CV's appeared in Singapore this turn. They had a good welcome by several US Subs...

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Sub attack near Singapore at 50,84

Japanese Ships
CVE Akawaki, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage - - - - With that fuel bunker explosion I expect she is gone
DD Michishio
DD Hayashimo
DD Koden #4
DD Koden #3
DD Tsuyoi #4
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
SS Silversides

Fuel storage explosion on CVE Akawaki
SS Silversides launches 6 torpedoes at CVE Akawaki
DD Koden #4 fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Koden #3 fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Tsuyoi #4 fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yugiri fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


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Sub attack near Singapore at 50,84

Japanese Ships
CV Toyokawa
CA Maya
CA Atago
CA Takao
CA Tone
CL Norogami
CL Tokachi
DD Keikoku #2
DD Uruwashii #4
DD Tsuyoi #3
DD Tsuyoi #2

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo, hits 28, and is sunk

SS Wahoo launches 6 torpedoes at CV Toyokawa - - - missed DRADT
Wahoo bottoming out ....
DD Tsuyoi #3 attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tsuyoi #2 attacking submerged sub ....
SS Wahoo forced to surface!
DD Tsuyoi #2 firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

[topeverest]

I expect either a raid or relief of Port Blair invasion or fleet is in order. I will flood the Malacca straight with all available subs and consolidate the fleet at Port Blair. I may withdrawal to Rangoon depending on the size of that fleet, unless I capture Port Blair in time (unlikely)

[topeverest]

Busy with the xmas cycle...

the empire has sortied their carrier fleet to the defense of Port Blair, scaring off the much smaller British fleet. A nervous stalemate has ensued where neither party is willing to send ships to reinforce their side. Eventually, the empire will lose the base if they don't reinforce, so there is some expectation that the empire needs to do something. elsewhere more of the same

Subs: TK and AK and E taken today at the cost of one sub and another sent to repair yard. By this point in the war, it seems that the subs are dual use assets. by the second attack, the boat is either sunk or back to repair yard. Such is the life in the silent service.

Sorong:more than a week of heavy air combat, including many empire sweeps at the bases being built nearby. Empire losing about as you would expect - between 4 to 1 against at best and 10 to 1 at worst (including ops losses) Not sure why the super aggressive posturing, but the losses suit me just fine. He hasn't tried to bomb the bases being built yet - or the forces getting ready to siege Sorong. That will be in June 45

New Guinea: only Port Moresby is left on the eastern end of the island, and it has been subject to incessant 4E air and surface bombardment for more than two months. Allied air losses suggest I have stripped the supply. As May winds down, I plan to plop several divisions there to eliminate that threat and sub base.

Solomons: The empire has Shortlands (which is under siege) and Lunga (as well as about 4 other beach bases) left. By the end of may, I expect all remaining bases to be under siege or taken. Lunga certainly under siege. I have taken tassafaranga and am marching divisions to Lunga. Tulagi is mine at this point. I will begin the same protocol I am using at Shortlands and Port Moresby.

Gilberts Planning: forces are gathering at Rabaul (Carriers) and Suva (ground forces). I expect the invasion of the Gilberts to occur by the end of the month. I will target lightly held bases and attrite the remainder of the forces.

Port Blair: entire enemy carrier force is at Sabang. Not too much opportunity except to bombard and use fast transport from the Rangoon area. At present, I am not deliberately going to invoke that CV fight, which is unlikely to be an even exchange. It serves the allied purpose well to tie down the empire fleet far away from my primary mission in May - getting the gliberts invasion off the ground.

[topeverest]

Here is a quick shot of the empire air campaign

[topeverest]

Bases still in empire hands around lunga

[topeverest]

Attritional air combat ends around Sorong, with no fleets present. Further reductions at Port Blair and ShortlANDS. Allies finalize plans for Lower Gilberts.

One sub kill today...

[topeverest]

The Gilberts plan - I expect landfall around June 1. enemy airbases are at Tabituea, Tarawa, Makin, Arorae.

Invasions -
Arorae - level 5 airfield and bombed incessantly these last months. little or no supply left. Will be a base for the air force.
Beru - beach with one small unit. Occupy and build airbase
Nonouti - beach with one small unit. Occupy and build airbase

Isolate Tarawa and tabituea. bomb out out supply. eventually invade, but first move on to upper Gilberts, which is planned for a quick follow-on.

[topeverest]

relatively quiet

Shortlands finally falls to combined allied ground, air, and naval power.

Empire sure made the allies pay for it.

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Ground combat at Shortlands / Buin (109,131)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41541 troops, 705 guns, 980 vehicles, Assault Value = 1673

Defending force 21260 troops, 188 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 229

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 989

Japanese adjusted defense: 97

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Shortlands / Buin !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
2013 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 202 disabled
Non Combat: 59 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 126 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 105 (83 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (6 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
416 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Vehicles lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Division
19th Canadian Brigade
194th Tank Bn /15
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
3rd USMC Tank Bn /9
I Corps Cmbt Engineer Regiment
XIV Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
18th Combat Engineer Regiment
31st Infantry Division
1st USMC Tank Bn /9
125th Infantry Regiment
35th Combat Engineer Regiment
757th Tank Bn /15
181st Field Artillery Regiment
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
73rd Division
61st Ind.Mixed Brigade
146th JAAF AF Bn
33rd Special Base Force
18th Engineer Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
4th Ind. AA Battalion
12th Air Flotilla
172nd JAAF AF Bn
162nd JAAF AF Bn
26th Base Force
7th Medium Mortar Battalion
173rd JAAF AF Bn

[topeverest]

The only other thing fairly interesting is that this day was an excellent sub attack day.

1 empire DD hit
2 Empire AK hit
3 empire TK hit]

one ASW attack does not kill sub.

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Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 103,68

Japanese Ships
TK Koryu Maru, Torpedo hits 1
E Tobui

Allied Ships
SS Chub

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Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 103,68

Japanese Ships
TK Kanetsu Maru, Torpedo hits 1
TK Tamon Maru #16
TK Matsushima Maru
E Tobui

Allied Ships
SS Atule

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Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 101,71

Japanese Ships
xAK Shimotsuki Maru, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Yurishima Maru
AK Minatogawa Maru
xAK Angthon Maru
E Kamo

Allied Ships
SS Grampus, hits 3

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ASW attack near Daito Shoto at 101,71

Japanese Ships
DD Kaya, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Chokai Maru

Allied Ships
SS Hardhead

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 101,71

Japanese Ships
AK Yurishima Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Minatogawa Maru
xAK Angthon Maru
E Kamo

Allied Ships
SS Grampus, hits 7

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Sub attack near Miri at 64,87

Japanese Ships
E Inagi
DD Kuwa

Allied Ships
SS Silversides, hits 3

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Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 101,71

Japanese Ships
TK Tenshin Maru, Torpedo hits 2
PB Chokai Maru

Allied Ships
SS Hardhead

[topeverest]

Subs - 2AK, 1TK and 3 LCI hit today. It must be 1943

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Submarine attack near Naha at 95,68

Japanese Ships
xAK Iwaishima Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Chub

xAK Iwaishima Maru is sighted by SS Chub
SS Chub launches 6 torpedoes at xAK Iwaishima Maru


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Submarine attack near Naha at 95,68

Japanese Ships
xAK Taikyu Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Atule

xAK Taikyu Maru is sighted by SS Atule
SS Atule launches 6 torpedoes at xAK Taikyu Maru

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Submarine attack near Kendari at 70,106

Japanese Ships
LCI LB-515, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Sea Scout

LCI LB-515 is sighted by SS Sea Scout
SS Sea Scout launches 6 torpedoes at LCI LB-515

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Sub attack near Miri at 64,87

Japanese Ships
TK Choran Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Kako Maru
TK Hidaka Maru
TK Yosei Maru
TK Enoshima Maru
DD Yoizuki

Allied Ships
SS Silversides

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Submarine attack near Kendari at 70,106

Japanese Ships
LCI LB-514, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Spark

LCI LB-514 is sighted by SS Spark
SS Spark attacking LCI LB-514 on the surface


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Submarine attack near Kendari at 70,106

Japanese Ships
LCI LB-513, Shell hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Spark

LCI LB-513 is sighted by SS Spark
SS Spark attacking LCI LB-513 on the surface

[topeverest]

Getting closer to taking the base. enemy has his fleet in TF's at Sabang. Fort down to level 3. Getting close to taking the base.

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Ground combat at Port Blair (46,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26246 troops, 666 guns, 1061 vehicles, Assault Value = 1051

Defending force 17507 troops, 190 guns, 129 vehicles, Assault Value = 328

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 400

Japanese adjusted defense: 553

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1811 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 20 disabled
Guns lost 30 (10 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
564 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 74 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Assaulting units:
111th Chindit Brigade
11th Indian Division
44th Parachute Division
31st Armoured Division
XXXIV Corps Engineer Battalion
32nd Army Tank Brigade
40th Aviation Base Force
224 Group RAF
2nd Indian Medium Regiment

Defending units:
20th Division
Ichiki Brigade
Baker Engineer Battalion
11th Air Flotilla
8th JAAF Base Force