Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

3 September 1944

I don`t know how this happen but somehow instead of turn with orders i send to Docup clean turn as it end on 2 September. Lucky nothing big to report. I only waste some time doing turn last[:'(]

[koniu]

4-5 September 1944

Burma
Quiet. I dont reckon enemy for 3 days so can say everything about movements in area. My reckon planes had job south south.

Singer
From 10+ days Docup get somehow detection on my TFs in area. First i was sure he send subs to area but 150 LB flying ASW don`t find anything.

So i start reckoning Sumatra dot bases that are still in Allied hands. And i fing secret base. no ground troops only sips and flying boats. Today i close it.

Morning Air attack on Sinabang , at 42,76

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 40

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AVP Vireo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AVP Penguin, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Port hits 11
Port supply hits 3

Another 2 more waves of bombers finish with AVP

Kusaie Island
I try to resuply Kusaie Island. Sadly allied intercept my ships before they manage to unload
3 APD lost.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Kusaie Island at 125,118, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD T-1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD T-2, Shell hits 3
APD T-3, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD T-4
APD T-6, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Jarvis II
DD Monssen II, Shell hits 1
DD Cushing II
DD Benham II
DD Preston II, Shell hits 1

Kido Butai

News of day
Shokaku-1 upgraded to A7M2

[koniu]

6 September 1944

Burma
Time to slowly abandon Chiang Mai. Docup is trying to bypass base moving around from south and north. I will not wait when he cut me off. I starting slow retreat. This moves Docup is doing are good for me. If everything go well i will be able to pump fuel from Palembang for the rest of 1944. I also start planing how to evecutae those troops when my my lines fall. I have two oiptions. Foce solution: trying to join with China troops by land or by sea but that will require lot of ships and KB presence.
Look at map

KB
Kasagi-1 upgraded to A7M2

[koniu]

I have some free time so i will upgrade some economical data

Air Production and R&D - as all can see no jets

[koniu]

14 September 1944

Last week was quiet. Mostly logistic.

In Salomon Sea Japan lost Kavieng. That mean Truk is i range of P-38s and F4U-1D.
Rabaul is completely cut of by sea. I am only moving some supplies there by air

Last turn 4E visit Babeldaob. I had only 50 Ki-44c on CAP with green 45-50XP pilots flying them. But even those green pilots manage to shot down 5 Liberators and survive sweep of P-38 shooting down 16 enemy fighters for lose of 10 planes and 3 pilots.
Sadly bombers sunk 10 xAKLs and AKE in port.

I keeping upgrading KB to A7M2. Already have 70 operational Sams.

Fuel and oil transfer from DEI i going good. Actually i had to send some tankers to anchor because Palembang and other refineries in DEI are not able to produce enough fuel and oil to fill all tankers. As we speak i have 500k+ tons of fuel and oil sailing to Japan.

I think i will be able to start producing Ki-83 earlier that January. There is huge chance for December `44 or if very lucky middle of November

[koniu]

19 September 1944

After another few quiet days i have something to report

China
Docup is testing my defenses or starting land offensive in north China.
First attack dont go as he planed. But second manage to reduce some Japanese defenders.

I notice his movement week ago and i move some bombers and modern fighters to area. Time to make thing harder for him.

First attack 3 days ago
Ground combat at 82,38 (near Tienshui)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20725 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1908

Defending force 12967 troops, 112 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 481

Allied adjusted assault: 404

Japanese adjusted defense: 1720

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4

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

Japanese ground losses:
116 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1141 casualties reported
Squads: 43 destroyed, 251 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
58th Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps

Defending units:
37th Division

And another last turn


Ground combat at 82,38 (near Tienshui)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 23816 troops, 140 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2318

Defending force 12721 troops, 112 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 460

Allied adjusted assault: 416

Japanese adjusted defense: 2242

Allied assault odds: 1 to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
304 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Allied ground losses:
676 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 79 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
58th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
97th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
37th Division[/size]

ID is in good shape reedy to fight. I am moving some reinforcements, i will also start softening those Chinese IDs with bombers.


Bismarck Sea
Docup move some TFs. I think it can be invasion force heading toward Manus or Wewak.
Question: shoul i or not intercept them with KB. tOmmarow I can have 1000 planes in magical 8 hex from both places. I dont belive i will be able to intercept heavy ships. BB will prabably bombard at night and retret south. What i will find is prabably 3-5 CVEs some old destroyers and secondary transport ships. Plus i dont see cargo ships so he can just test me. I am not sure if this is worth of rewiling KB position. Plus i have some KB figter groups that are only half redy to fly as most of SAMs still repairing.

I will have to think about that. Still have few h before i will send turn back

[GreyJoy]

Nah, keep the KB hidden. The Bismark sea is already lost. Keep your aces for some more important targets

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Keep in mind though that CV strikes of a enough size will ALWAYS get through the CAP. This means most likely he will get through your CAP as well. Keep him out of B29 range for another 3-6 months and you will win.

That means only commit the KB if he goes for something that will bring him within B29 range of the HI. No need to gamble now. [:)]

Isn't Changsha in B29 range?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Keep in mind though that CV strikes of a enough size will ALWAYS get through the CAP. This means most likely he will get through your CAP as well. Keep him out of B29 range for another 3-6 months and you will win.

That means only commit the KB if he goes for something that will bring him within B29 range of the HI. No need to gamble now. [:)]

Isn't Changsha in B29 range?

Yes it is but B-29 burn so many supplies so he most probably dont have enough of them to use them from china and even if he have after few days he will be out of them. Level bombers are using (Maximum Load/1000) supplies per plane so B-29 is using 20 supplies. Sending 100 bombers in air will use 2000 supplies and for china it is huge number.

Plus another problem is to have enough AV support. Chinese troops simply cant support big B-29 operations. And he probably don`t want to stuck with damaged B-29 in china. Easy target for Japan. I have Ki-84r, this is enough to get trough enemy CAP.

But just in case i keeping groups flying CAP in South Japan

[koniu]

I did not post it but we already bomb Japanese soil.
Some time ago B-29 bombard Sapporo. No damage.

Night Air attack on Sapporo , at 120,51

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 57 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 8

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 2 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet *
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-29-1 Superfort bombing from 10000 feet *
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[koniu]

Turns are moving fast but i am to lazy to do AAR
We are now in 28 September 1944


Burma
Japanese troops enter Chiang Mai. I have enough to stop them there for while but i decide that i will retreat south and start defending in Rahaeng area. I must do that because Docup bypass my defense line in Moulmein and now at lest one ID is 40miles north of Rahaeng.
I believe i will be able to hold in there for entire 1944. But i start planing evacuation of most of IDs.I also believe that i will be able to keep Palembang and Singer open in Q1 of 1945(with some luck)

Sumatra/DEI
are is rather quiet. We had some night air engagements. Docup manage to destroy 4 oil wells in Balikpapan.


Bismark Sea
Invasion force that was detected on 19 September unload troops in Manus and Massau Island.
Massau fail instantly. Manus manage to fight for 8 days and was captured on 27 September.
Losing Massau in bad news - Truk is in range of P-47

Nort Pacific
Japanese troops detect and intercept enemy convoy sealing toward north Pacific.
3 Japanese subs in area manage to sunk 6 Liberty class xAKs. One sub will require fixing after near air ASW miss.
Those xAK move there without escorts.


KB
KB have now 200 operational SAMs. Upgrade is going fast.
Currently KB is flying 200 A7M2 and 320 A6M5c

CV Hiyo
Will end repairs in 6 days and in 10 days will join KB. After that KB will be able to send in air 1200 planes (~520 fighters and ~670 bombers)

[obvert]

Nort Pacific
Japanese troops detect and intercept enemy convoy sealing toward north Pacific.
3 Japanese subs in area manage to sunk 6 Liberty class xAKs. One sub will require fixing after near air ASW miss.
Those xAK move there without escorts.

Really odd. At this point he'd have escorts coming out of his ears! Why no escort?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Nort Pacific
Japanese troops detect and intercept enemy convoy sealing toward north Pacific.
3 Japanese subs in area manage to sunk 6 Liberty class xAKs. One sub will require fixing after near air ASW miss.
Those xAK move there without escorts.

Really odd. At this point he'd have escorts coming out of his ears! Why no escort?

Ask Docup. I can live with that.
5 xAK was loaded with supplies and fuel.
One have troops on board. At lest 5 vehicles destroyed - probably Eng unit.

I am sending new troop Kuriles.
I am planing to add another 1500AV on next month there. And at lest another 1000+AV by end of 1944. Longer Docup is waiting with major offensive in South Pacific, it will start to be more probable of Holly Marry move in Kuriles.

[koniu]

29-30 September 1944

Burma
Intensive turns. Allies pushing on ground and on air.
Allied troops moving from all directions. I slowly retreating toward Raheong

Allied fighters sweep Chiang Mai. I lost 50 for 17 allied fighters. Docup introduce F-6 variant of Mustang. They can sweep from 41k and are deadly lucky he will get only 25 monthly

Afternoon Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 44,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 18
Ki-84r Frank x 74

Allied aircraft
Thunderbolt I x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84r Frank: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Thunderbolt I: 2 destroyed

---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 31,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 17
Ki-84r Frank x 56

Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 24 NM, estimated altitude 43,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 17
Ki-84r Frank x 49

Allied aircraft
F-6C Mustang x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84r Frank: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F-6C Mustang: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x F-6C Mustang sweeping at 41000 feet

---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 13 NM, estimated altitude 43,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 13
Ki-84r Frank x 35

Allied aircraft
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 5 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P-47D25 Thunderbolt sweeping at 42000 feet

---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on Chiang Mai , at 58,53

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 43,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 1
Ki-84r Frank x 15

Allied aircraft
Thunderbolt I x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Thunderbolt I sweeping at 42000 feet



Ambon
3 Fletchers visits base. And they find CL TF that just arrive to hex. After long battle two enemy DD end on bottom and third retreat south with small damage
I end with one DD damage from enemy fire but two more DDs collide during battle and they need repair time.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Naka, Shell hits 1
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 2
DD Hamanami
DD Hayashimo, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Michishio
DD Arashio

Allied Ships
DD Stockham, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD The Sullivans, Shell hits 7
DD Twiggs, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[witpqs]

F-6 is a recon version of the Mustang.

30 per month production sounds like the P-51B model, which IIRC arrives in first half of '44.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

F-6 is a recon version of the Mustang.

30 per month production sounds like the P-51B model, which IIRC arrives in first half of '44.

There are also fighter version named F-6C and F-6D
They are similar to P-51D except range and Maneuver bands
Not sure if this is database error but in stock F-6 is fighter

[witpqs]

Notice the camera - those are recon 'fighters'. Does he really get 30 per month? I'll have to check in my game but that sounds like a lot for them.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Notice the camera - those are recon 'fighters'. Does he really get 30 per month? I'll have to check in my game but that sounds like a lot for them.

info from tracker

[witpqs]

So he's got 8 per month now, upgrading to 25 per month of the new model in November. By then he will have how many P-51D model per month? If he uses them (F-6D) as fighters and not for recon it seems like a waste.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

So he's got 8 per month now, upgrading to 25 per month of the new model in November. By then he will have how many P-51D model per month? If he uses them (F-6D) as fighters and not for recon it seems like a waste.

150 P-51D monthly.
Still F-6D is great fighter very close performance to P-47D25. Lucky replacement number will allow him to upgrade one maybe two groups to this model