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

[koniu]

200 Sentai
Than huge (97 planes) unit just arrive. I decided that it will stay in Japan for next month until i will be able to upgrade it to K-83 in December. From January it will sweep sweep and sweep.

Ki-83
One of few planes that is better or allmost equal with top Allied planes that will arrive in next 10 months[:D]

[obvert]

That 97 plane unit is awesome. I agree it deserves your best, and Ki-83 is certainly your best. I think I was able to use Frank 'r' in my late game, and that was pretty good too. The range is so amazing on the Ki-83!

[koniu]

23 October 1944

Burma
I running for my live. Burma is calapsing. Not by battle but by geography.Over 3000AV stuck between rivers south of Chiang Mai. 1800AV will cross middle river and still will have to cross another one to arrive to base where I will be able to use trains. 1200 still need 10 days to cross middle river and another 10+ days to cross last one. So i need month. Another danger is Bangkok. Docup start transporting troops to Tavoy.
Some already moving toward Bangkok. I building defensive line in Jungle hex East of Tavoy. 1000AV in jungle hex. I need to hold Bangkok as long as passable(I need Bangkok to be able to use trains)

I dont know what is better fight to last soldier in Thailand or retreat to Philippines.
For sure i will want to delay capturing of Singer. Any day three is giving me over 10k tones of fuel from Palembang
With fall of Thailand allies will also be able to transfer huge numbers of troops and supplies to China.

Probable plan is to evacuate half of troops (~2-3000AV) to Philippines and China), ~1000 AV will delay offensive toward Singaour, and 2000AV will fight in Thailand/China border to hold there allies as long as passable.

Map later today

[koniu]

Map of Burma

[koniu]

27 October 1944

Quiet.

I dont tell that earlier but few days ago Marines capture Kusaie Island and US Army capture Eniwetok. Army ID and tank batalion that capture Eniwetok pay high price. Over 80 squads destroyed, over 100 disabled and 5000 KIA. I destroy also over 50 enemy tanks.


End of war for Yamato.
After arriving to Yokohama i find out that full repairs will take 420 days[X(].
I will fix as much as i can and with some luck Yamato will be able to hist last figh in nex summer.

[JocMeister]

Just keep trying to have him out of B29 range for as long as possible. So look at the map and see where you need to hold him.

TBH I don´t think DOCUP will make it to the Philippines in time. He is moving too slow. But once he gets into Thailand the armor will move extremely quickly.

[koniu]

28 October 1944

Ambon
I make fun/big mistake and i pay for it.
I send CL SAG (3xCL and 4xDD) to Ambon to protect Fast Transport TF with supplies.
APDs have order to unload and retreat while CLs to stay in Ambon hex.

The same turn i decided to rotate fighters in Ambon because units there accumulate fatigue and had low morale. I retreat 180 fighters to Kendari and i go eat dinner. When i back i forgot to send fresh fighters to Ambon.

Unlucky Docup move some CVE TF near Timor to protect his Cargo TF there. Unlucky they decide to attack my SAG in Ambon hex.[:(]

If i have there CAP it could be nice day for Japan

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 29
SBD-5 Dauntless x 15
TBM-1C Avenger x 4

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu
CL Yura
CL Kitakami, Bomb hits 1
----------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IV x 28
SBD-5 Dauntless x 52

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu, Bomb hits 1
CL Yura, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Mutsuki, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Kitakami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Satsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire

CL Yura sunk, DD Mutsuki will join him tomorrow

[obvert]

You're getting soft koniu. Dinner? In the middle of a turn? hmmmm. Wouldn't have happened in 42! [:D]

[koniu]

29 October 1944

Bill for my mistake in Ambon is bigger.
I lost another CL damaged in Ambon few turn ago. First he eat two TT from sub and later was finished by fletcher's
In total i lost two CLs and DD

Worst Docup at night unload Australian ID in Ambon. Now he have 2x more AV from me.
Only what saving me is 3x terrain and forts 6.

300 transport planes is moving supplies to Ambon. Tomorrow i will start airlifting ID there. I plan to occupy those two elite Oz IDs as long as passable

Over 25 allied subs is operating in Ambon area. 250 bombers hunting them.

J7W1 advance to 09/45. I plan to have it late spring

[koniu]

31 October 1944

War. War never changes. It was true until today.
First P-51D start arriving to allied pools. I expecting in less that 2-3 weeks they will perform first combat action.
Docup is now having East Borneo and North Sumatra oil fields in range of fighters.
I am reinforcing CAP there.

Only weakness P-51D have is ability to sweep at 31k only. Ki-84r and J2M5 should be ok.


Ambon
Allied DA. My boys hold but i lost 1 fort and disabled squads are not in Japanese favor
In 48h i am planning to resupply base. Maybe they hold few days.

Ground combat at Ambon (76,109)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26524 troops, 445 guns, 651 vehicles, Assault Value = 1442

Defending force 22581 troops, 276 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 636

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 391

Japanese adjusted defense: 2419

Allied assault odds: 1 to 6 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
985 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
925 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 110 disabled

Assaulting units:
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
8th Australian Division
754th Tank Battalion
1st Army Tank Regiment
Americal Infantry Division
1st Australian Division
181st Field Artillery Regiment
225th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
46th Division
148th Infantry Regiment
47th Const Co
66th JNAF AF Unit
20th RF Gun Battalion
156th JAAF AF Bn
24th JAAF AF Bn
31st Special Base Force
6th JNAF Coy
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
48th Road Const Co
157th JAAF AF Bn

[JocMeister]

Don´t worry about the P51s. With your HR your Franks will eat them alive. Only thing you have to worry about is the P47s.

[koniu]

You are right.
But P-51D is forcing me to sprred my forces. Ealier i neded only 50-80 planes in base and B-29 have no chance. But now if he concentrate 200 P-51D on single base i will no be able to hold bombers from crashing oil wells

Docup will pay for that with loses but he will replace them and i will not rebuild those wells.

[JocMeister]

Yeah, but you are so late in the game now that loosing the oil is to be expected. Don´t break your back trying to protect the oil. Your only objective at this time should be to keep him out of B29 range of the HI.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Yeah, but you are so late in the game now that loosing the oil is to be expected. Don´t break your back trying to protect the oil. Your only objective at this time should be to keep him out of B29 range of the HI.

HI is rather safe. B-29(but not P-51) can reach some big cities from China but long campaign is rather impassible from there (supplies). Just in case i keeping some squadrons on CAP in those places

I still have Palembang out of range of his fighters so i gaining 11k of fuel every day. And i plan to keep that way for another month or more.

[koniu]

1 November 1944

Ambon
No attack today. Not from air, sea or ground
That is good news. I manage to transfer some supplies there and tomorrow i will return with CAP.
APD TF with 6000 supplies is in range of Ambon and Numlea. Tomorrow i will unload supplies. BB and CA TFs will cower unloading of supplies. 300 fighters will CAP on morning.

Burma
First two ID retreat from Chiang Mai area and by rail will move SE. They need some rest. Morale below 90.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Yeah, but you are so late in the game now that loosing the oil is to be expected. Don´t break your back trying to protect the oil. Your only objective at this time should be to keep him out of B29 range of the HI.

HI is rather safe. B-29(but not P-51) can reach some big cities from China but long campaign is rather impassible from there (supplies). Just in case i keeping some squadrons on CAP in those places

I still have Palembang out of range of his fighters so i gaining 11k of fuel every day. And i plan to keep that way for another month or more.

In your particular game koniu I think it's wise to fight to keep oil flowing, but not to lose the Kuriles!! You can even afford a Marianas invasion now, as it'll take a while to get each and build them up, get set up to send the B-29s. Plus it's a sporadic slow bombing process from there.

Him getting anything closer would be a big problem. The PI, the Kuriles, close-in China or Korea.

When he gets anything on Western Borneo then you have to get ready to close it down, but now send all tankers you can to pull that stuff back to the HI. You might even dump it in Hong Kong or Takao to make the trips shorter if you're not already.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Yeah, but you are so late in the game now that loosing the oil is to be expected. Don´t break your back trying to protect the oil. Your only objective at this time should be to keep him out of B29 range of the HI.

HI is rather safe. B-29(but not P-51) can reach some big cities from China but long campaign is rather impassible from there (supplies). Just in case i keeping some squadrons on CAP in those places

I still have Palembang out of range of his fighters so i gaining 11k of fuel every day. And i plan to keep that way for another month or more.

In your particular game koniu I think it's wise to fight to keep oil flowing, but not to lose the Kuriles!! You can even afford a Marianas invasion now, as it'll take a while to get each and build them up, get set up to send the B-29s. Plus it's a sporadic slow bombing process from there.

Him getting anything closer would be a big problem. The PI, the Kuriles, close-in China or Korea.

When he gets anything on Western Borneo then you have to get ready to close it down, but now send all tankers you can to pull that stuff back to the HI. You might even dump it in Hong Kong or Takao to make the trips shorter if you're not already.

I agree with the Kuriles and other stuff.

Pomping fuel is not a problem i am able to keep Palambang and other places almost empty all the time. I never have there more that week fuel production. Usual thing for mew is waiting with tankers because there is no fuel to load

As for Docup capturing refineries and oil fields. I am planing to try to destroy them as soon i he capture them. Somehow it can slow his advance because he will not get those extra supplies and fuel from them

[JocMeister]

Yeah, Erik makes a very good point. Docup is running out of time so he have to pull a "hail Mary" soon. Kuriles or the Philippines...If I were him I would go for the Philippines. If he got his prepping done right he could be there quite quickly...

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Yeah, Erik makes a very good point. Docup is running out of time so he have to pull a "hail Mary" soon. Kuriles or the Philippines...If I were him I would go for the Philippines. If he got his prepping done right he could be there quite quickly...

I think it will depend how current offensives in Ambon and north coast of New Guinea will go.
I believe that if i mange to slow down him there he will lose patience and he can change axis of advance and land in Kuriles.

But at this point i believe Docup want to advance in Ambon/Hollandia/Biak and from there north toward Mindanao and from there Luzon

[JocMeister]

Perhaps its a good idea to encourage him to go that route...although slowly.