The Elephant Vanishes : obvert (J) vs Historiker_SqzMyLemon_Canoerebel (A)

[obvert]

Thanks guys. It's been a long road with this one, and it's such an odd duck of a game with the KB dimished immediately. I've gotten to like it though and I'm not looking forward to it ending, especially at this critical juncture.

Naval losses are still heavily in the favor of the Allies, really, except for BB! [:)]

Here are the BB losses posted earlier. The IJN has lost 4 CVs and a CVL (three on day 2, the Junyo and CVL near the Andamans when we also lost two BC, but sunk North Carolina and Lexington).

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/fb.asp?m=3859326

[obvert]

Well, Torsten got right on it after that and sent back a turn! [&o]

I have to admit I was doing a bit of bluffing about heading toward Wake to see what I could get out there. I was actually a bit terrified about where I'd put my CVs and realized if he caught me this turn that might just be it.

The night started off well at least! [:)]

[obvert]

The KB steams ... NORTH!

I sent her in the only direction I didn't mention, some kind of superstition taking over my thinking. [;)]

Still, we end up in range of the BBs, and put a bit more pain on top.

Lotsa hits here. Like 16! [X(]

About half are 500kg, but few if any penetrate the thick armor. Still, after yesterday, this ship can't be doing well.

[obvert]

Then the KB manages to hit the Marcus forces, getting some hits on the best Allied assault vessels still left here, plus a number of their escorts. Not sure yet but I think this is the 8 hex strike I was planning just in case the Allied CVs ended up nearby. [:)]

[obvert]

Looks like the Allies went toward the Marianas, but not into range of my LBA.

They hit three DDs that strayed too far North somehow. Sucks, as I could've gotten out of this turn without losing much of anything. Oh, well, such is war. It does damage a few, take a few sorties away, and get other planes more fatigued I guess in case there is more action tomorrow.

[Lowpe]

Back on line! Great.

[obvert]

A second smaller follow-up package also arrived at Marcus and severely damaged more of the APA while landing a couple on the old CL too. With the escorts crushed subs might now be able to really have a field day here! [:)]

[obvert]

Here is the situation. The KB ends up 19 hexes from the Allied CVs who are 7 hexes out of Saipan and 11 from Marcus.

I'm a bit pleased with this as it means we have a pretty good shot North to head to safety.

[obvert]

Other than the Jakes hitting the Allied CVs our losses were light on the day.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]15 October, 1943[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] The I-2 gets to another US BB, listed as the West Virginia. Hits with 3 TT! [:)]

By the rollover I'd say one BB is still afloat near Wake and the subs will converge to try to polish off that work tomorrow. Other subs will head to Marcus to pick off any survivors of today's strikes.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] So, this was about what I was hoping for this turn. I had also hoped he would leave the CVEs to protect the invasion fleet, but no joy there.

Looks like a CL, two DE and about 3 APA, one AKA, two xAP and a few LCI that are sunk or in trouble.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 15, 42
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Sub attack near Wake Island at 132,91

Japanese Ships
SS I-2

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Lang

SS I-2 launches 4 torpedoes at BB West Virginia
DD Lang attacking submerged sub ....

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Wake Island at 133,91

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 92 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 16
A6M5b Zero x 36
A6M5c Zero x 7
D4Y1 Judy x 15
D4Y3 Judy x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 2 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 16, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
11 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
3 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring an Allied BB

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Marcus Island at 123,85

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 41
A6M5c Zero x 14
B5N2 Kate x 10
B6N1 Jill x 26
B6N2 Jill x 16
D4Y3 Judy x 23



Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 2 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 1 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
xAP Santa Paula, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DE Burden R. Hastings, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Concord, Torpedo hits 1
APA Barnett, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 3, on fire
xAP Maui, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 2
AKA Bellatrix, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APA Wharton, Torpedo hits 1
DE Wileman, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Santa Elena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DE Gilmore
LCI-329, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
LCI-84, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
APA Callaway

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
8 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
7 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
7 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
1 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DE Burden R. Hastings
Massive explosion on DE Burden R. Hastings

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Marcus Island at 123,85

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 7
B6N2 Jill x 7
D4Y3 Judy x 22



Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Concord, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAP Santa Elena, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
LCI-62, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
APA President Monroe, Bomb hits 2, on fire
APA Henry T. Allen, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
2 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Detroit
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APA President Monroe

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Eniwetok at 120,98

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 54
SBD-5 Dauntless x 33

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Susuki, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Minekaze, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Eniwetok at 120,98

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 54
SBD-5 Dauntless x 33


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
DD Susuki, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

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Ground combat at Marcus Island (123,85)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3802 troops, 170 guns, 109 vehicles, Assault Value = 217

Defending force 3714 troops, 54 guns, 26 vehicles, Assault Value = 109

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 87

Allied assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
69 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
349 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (7 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)


Assaulting units:
194th Tank Battalion
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
25th Infantry Division
143rd USA Base Force
146th USA Base Force

Defending units:
78th Naval Guard Unit
Sasebo 7th SNLF
62nd Nav Gd /1
34th Ind. Engineer Regiment
8th Armored Car Co
2nd South Seas Gsn
Det. 3rd Special Base Force /1
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[font="Trebuchet MS"]The troops at Marcus are looking better today! [:)][/font]

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[JocMeister]

Nice work! [&o]

[Olorin]

BANZAI!

[Lowpe]

On one hand great work!


On the other hand, Gosh, I hope it isn't another week or longer for a turn.

[obvert]

No actually, just got another one back, so hopefully we're on track again. Maybe it was only sudden loss of BB syndrome (SLBBS). [;)]

The next was nice and quiet. Almost eerily quiet.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]16 October, 1943[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font]Strangely the subs in the area of the last B sighting found nothing. Search in this area ask found nothing. Not sure what is going on down there. Either the BBs all went under from the injuries or one actually was less beat up than it seemed. There were sinking sounds at the end of the night phase, but those could easily be from the ships around Marcus as well. I forgot to have a look at the air losses screen since there was no air combat.

I did get this in the ops report:

[font="Trebuchet MS"]BB West Virginia determined to have been sunk on or about Oct, 15, 1943[/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]BURMA: [/font]The situation here is fairly static, with a fw troops still aiming to flank the blocked position near Taung Gyi, but an IJA division is well dug in a hex beyond now and a few arty and AA units are also on the way. Tanks in Taung Gyi will race over if he does continue and add to the defenses.

Air strikes were meant to hit Ramree but were delayed by weather.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] The Allied CVs move back to within one hex of Marcus and none of our subs get a shot off against the Allied ships there. Hmmmmmm. Strange. I even had some night search going from a Jake group at Marcus, but no luck.

Our CVs are out of range of search now and show no DL, which is nice.

Not sure what the philosophy is on the continued landing of supply/troops at Marcus and forcing a shock attack each turn. If he's trying to kill of the troops in order to rebuild them elsewhere instead of attempt to rescue some of them, then it's working. Today a good number of Allied squads are destroyed and one unit is fully wide out, during the Japanese auto-bombardment no less!

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] The Aussies don't seem to be doing much on New Guinea, and our bombardment TFs pull back to Hollandia for now. He's moved one fighter group up to Lae, but I sense there isn't much of a push down here, at least not until the CVs are done with Marcus. By then I should have the reinforcements I want on North New Guinea.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]ECON: [/font]I'm putting together a look at the R n D for the Empire. I'll have it up next.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR October 16, 42
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Ground combat at Marcus Island (123,85)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4092 troops, 55 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 119

Defending force 10834 troops, 261 guns, 307 vehicles, Assault Value = 200


Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
Sasebo 7th SNLF
78th Naval Guard Unit
2nd South Seas Gsn
8th Armored Car Co
62nd Naval Guard Unit
34th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Det. 3rd Special Base Force /1

Defending units:
194th Tank Battalion
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
25th Infantry Division
143rd USA Base Force
146th USA Base Force

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Ground combat at Marcus Island (123,85)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3693 troops, 162 guns, 109 vehicles, Assault Value = 194

Defending force 4158 troops, 55 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 119

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 156

Allied assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 5)

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

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

Allied ground losses:
301 casualties reported
Squads: 71 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 33 (26 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
25th Infantry Division
143rd USA Base Force
146th USA Base Force

Defending units:
2nd South Seas Gsn
8th Armored Car Co
Sasebo 7th SNLF
78th Naval Guard Unit
62nd Naval Guard Unit
34th Ind. Engineer Regiment
Det. 3rd Special Base Force /1

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]All remaining Allied ships seem to stay in the Marcus hex and the midgets have no effect there. I recycled the TFs to see if that brings some life into them, but with the Allied search there now I doubt it. [/font]

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[obvert]

Here is the research as it stands now. It feels like it's going well, but let me know if you guys notice any glaring oversights or overcommitments.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

No actually, just got another one back, so hopefully we're on track again. Maybe it was only sudden loss of BB syndrome (SLBBS). [;)]

The next was nice and quiet. Almost eerily quiet.

It's not a real game unless you've lost 6+ of them as the Allies.

[Lowpe]

Are those Sam factories since the beginning?



Why not bounce the other size 30 Frank a factory to R? The A is so close you can practically taste it.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Are those Sam factories since the beginning?



Why not bounce the other size 30 Frank a factory to R? The A is so close you can practically taste it.

I'll let those go to production. I already bumped the other two to the 'r' a while ago. So now I'll get 85 a month unless I decide to build them further, which I'm sure I will. I's just so hard not to do that in spite of trying to conserve.

I might have started the Sam late, I can't remember now.

[KenchiSulla]

Good job Obvert. Heavy system damage and fire is bad news for the battleships. They are probably gone...