Tales from the First Time -DanSez (J) vs Przemcio231 (A) - no Przemcio231 please

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Bold move, and perhaps a bit predictable although perhaps the Allies will think you will retire after several strikes already.[;)]

If you wind up in a few night engagements you might find the fuel to be critically low, and you chose an aggressive KB Admiral.[X(] Usually bad things happen when fuel is low...

You should have some kind of search flying out of Tulagi...extra search can never be bad.

I have fair coverage from Rabaul/Nauru Island with a couple of the larger Mavis PAs - one day, one night thanks to your suggestions. The combination of KB and CarDiv3 have a lot of search planes up in the air. One of the float planes on Mizho is night search.

My 'reading' of Allied High Command is that the bloody nose of the last two days might have him rethinking his aggressive ways. At least for now...

I am not plunging after the retreating Allied fleets, the Surface TFs are moving in a more agressive arch but there are the KB's Fleet oilers and another smaller (2 AO) refueler TF just off Nauru Island.

This attack might clear the field and the oilers can safely run down the Mavis search path to do any emergency refuels -- at least that is the intention.

KB Commander's Aggression is 61 -- not maniacal, but bolder than Nagumo's.

Back in the daze, the last three turns would be
Overhand right (lost Indominable)
Left to the mid section (lost Hermes and 'Hornet')
and now hopefully - left uppercut

ah the good old daze...
thanks

[Encircled]

Divide up your kate sqds and some will fly with Torps.

If your fuel is low though, it is not advisable at all to continue to advance, however appealing it may be

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Divide up your kate sqds and some will fly with Torps.

If your fuel is low though, it is not advisable at all to continue to advance, however appealing it may be

That is a good suggestion.
It is just the Carrier TFs that are starting to show orange in their endurance. SCTFs are all still good to go at least for now.


After this move, you are right. Time to head to the barn and plan for the next phase.
(1 CV from earlier I-boat)
2 CVs
1 CVL
and few of Light/Heavy Cruisers is a pretty good haul.
I hope to get one more CA or CL and then the I-boats will have to try and catch something heading South.
Turn is away already. Wish me luck.

[DanSez]

Mar 16, 1942

Solomon Overnight Sub Action
Submarine attack near Stewart Island at 117,138
Japanese Ships
SS I-15

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

No sinking sounds though...

And further South
ASW attack near Kirakira at 116,144
Japanese Ships
SS RO-33

Allied Ships
DD Mugford

ASW attack near Kirakira at 115,145
Japanese Ships
SS I-175

Allied Ships
DD Mugford

No luck on the torpedoes but no damage in return...

Solomons Daytime Action
No surface action

Striking in same area as the CA Minneapolis
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kirakira at 118,140
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5
B5N1 Kate x 1

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Henley

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Morning Air attack on TF, near Lunga at 114,138
Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 50
B5N1 Kate x 10

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 22
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses ** Really? **

Allied Ships
xAK Iron Chieftan, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Aylwin
xAK Silksworth, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Concord

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B5N1 Kate bombing from 10000 feet *
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
3 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet *
6 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet *
8 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet *


So that is about it, time to get out of Dodge, reload and patch up the small damage.
I need to spend some quality time searching for LCUs I can send this way.

[DanSez]

Sorry for the long delay. There comes a time when a noob just needs to curl up with the game screens and Tracker and try to figure things out. In this meantime, the KB pulled back to Truk, refurbished and supplied and is now on the brink of another Carrier Battle.

In other not so good news, as of this turn (Apr 05, 1942) Singapore, Palembang, Manila, Soerabaja are all still in Allied Hands. All are under some form of attack/siege, but all still hold out.

I have learned more about production and R&D. I have some other screens and notes I want to post later about ship production queues. China is progressing but slower than I would like and will give updated post too.

But for the 'fun stuff', it looks like the Battle of Santa Cruz is about to happen.

[DanSez]

Prelude to the Battle of Santa Cruz (assuming the Allies comply)

KB: RAD Yamaguchi Tamon
CV: Akagi, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu
BB: Haruna, Krishima
CA: Tone, Chikuma
CL: Yabari
DD: Hayashio, Shiratsuyu, Inazuma, Uranami, Oboro

CarDiv3: RADM Kusaka Ryunosuke
CVE: Hosho, Taiyo
CL: Kiso
DD: Amatsukaze, Oshio, Ariake

DesDiv2: CPT Kozai Torazo
CL: Jintsu
DD: Kagero, Shiranui, Urakaze, Hamakaze

/* **** SCREENER TFs

CruDiv3: CPT Sawa Masao
CA: Aoba, Kinugasa
DD: Yamakaze, Kamikaze, Asanagi, Tadeshiwa

SCTF 300: CPT Ishizaki Noburu
BB: Hyuga
CS: Chiyoda
DD: Makigumo, Yayoi, Yukaze

/* **** To the North

BatDiv1: RADM Shibata M.
BB: Matsu, Yamashiro
CL: Tenryu
DD: Asashio, Asagumo, Yudachi

KB TFO2: LCDR Nakagawa Minoru
DD: Amagiri, Akebono
5 Fleet AOs (currently set to refuel BatDiv1)

[DanSez]

To the North of Nauru Island are 3 DDs and 3DMSs with 2 other slower Oiler TFs.
A landing force of opportunity has been loaded at Saipan and now heading toward Nauru Island but still 3-4 days away from this area.

CV Soryu, finally fully repaired has gathered sufficient escorts and is heading toward the action but unfortunately will be 5 or so days in transit:

[DanSez]

Well, Allied High Command pulled up around Lunga.
He hase 3 to 5 Vindacator Squadrons there and hopes to pull me within their range.
No thank you...

I will see if I can beat up an easier target.

He is hitting me with 4E Bombers (a number reported damaged) from either Luganville or Nouema. Let's see how many of them I can kill on the ground and any ships in port.


4 Air Attacks around Duff Island
Morning Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 123,140

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVE Hosho
CVE Taiyo

Morning Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 123,140

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 28

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo

Morning Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 123,140

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

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

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVE Hosho

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Reef Islands at 122,140

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
E13A1 Jake x 10

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3
LB-30 Liberator x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
CA Aoba

2 Air Attacks on BatDiv1
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nauru Island at 125,135

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nauru Island at 125,135

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 4

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu

[DanSez]

Turn is off to Allied High Command.

I wanted to mention a great benefit from the Scenario 2.
You have the choice to build ships that were actually planned in some form but were cancelled in real life.
Like the Shimakaze line of Destroyers.

Here is Tracker report of the Ship Queue. If I keep accelerating these ships, I will have 4 of them by the 2nd of August, which is 118 days away from current turn (Apr 06, 1942).

[DanSez]

And I think it finally sunk into my skull how the 500 engine bonus works.

I have 6x(30) Factories fully repaired - and each turn I am assured of 6 points toward the 100 score needed to advance one month.

Now once I have more than 500 engines, each factory will take one of those engines and burn it, converting it into an additional point toward the 100 score.

So if I have at least 506 engines of the right model that goes with my 6x(30) R&D Factories, I will get 12 points per turn.

Now that I have 500+ engines of the Mitsubishi HA-35, my A6M5c and Ki-43-IIb are starting to make really good progress. But I am buring 11 engines per turn for the bonus, which as I calculate it cost (11x18) 198HI per turn.

With those 6x(30), I am advancing the A6M5c 1 month every 8.333 days as long as I can feed the bonus.
Current date of availability is 6/44. That is 2 years and 2 months away (26 months).
Roughly R&D+Time is 4 month shift of the delta per month of time, so roughly sometime in mid-late November of 1942, I should have the armored A6M5c completed.

And fuzzy math at this point says this will cost Japan 21,060(or so)HI if it takes 6.5 months from this day.

I am sure it has all been revealed before but you just have to snuggle up to the game and start calculating on your own to begin to get a real grasp of what is going on and what it is going to take to get those planes early and pizz off those grumpy AFBs.

If there are glaring errors in the above, I would appreciate correction.
Thanks

[DanSez]

Back to some 'First Time' notes if any noobs are along for the ride:

I have urged cautioun on not blowing up the economy.
Toward the end of March I started getting a 'Critical' note in Tracker about Global Vehicle points. I got a little enthusiastic in upgrading a couple of units, plus new units arriving required the TOE to be filled out and this is the series of warnings I got. Eventually everything recovered on it's own. I did add a few more Vehicle Factories to what I had already expanded. Nothing too much nor too fast until I get a better grasp of the repercussions of these decisions.

[DanSez]

Here is the World Famous WitPAE Industry Chart as of Apr 06, 1942:
I have been gathering a large convoy of TKs in the DEI to run oil to the Home Islands.

[DanSez]

Apr 06, 1942 - China Report

I last left off with a lot of strategic musings, few of which have come to pass. But that is not all bad news. One has to be flexible when facing the enemy and look for making profit on the cheap cuts...

In the Central China/Sian Front, my ponderous envelopment was too slow to isolate all the units in Nanyang. By the time I got 2 divisions close enough to snag the road just South of Sian, a thundering herd of fleeing Chinese Corps were already approaching. I didn't think sacrificing those two Divisions between the 100k plus moving in from Nanyang or the large force already sitting in Sian would be worth it when I am hoping to starve them down to size over the next couple of months.

I did take Nanyang with little loss and made a feint up the road toward Sian, spanking the rear guards but then started moving 2+ Divisions toward South China and another set of reinforcements to the Ichang/Changsha area. I want to make noise in this area and keep as many troops here bottled up in Sian eating up supply while I finish clearing the Southern coastal area Wenchow/Pucheng.

Let's see if my more limited goals are achieved in the next month.

[DanSez]

A few more notes from my recent sabatical with Tracker:
Not All Zeros Are Equal

Some might think the great investment in the A6M5c is a wonderful cure-all for the JFB and a bane to the existance of the AFB. Not so: It is a compromise and a tough one of power/speed/range.
Below is a direct comparison between the current model of the A6M2 vs the A6M5c. I will be using the A6M5c for the Land Based Zero squadrons mostly as I need the longer reach of the A6M2 until I can come up with a true Carrier Replacement model.

GREEN: Advantage A6M2
RED: Advantage A6M5c

[DanSez]

Zero Sum Game (cont)

I have so much invested into the A6M5c and it is not going to fill all my needs. The A6M2 will have to suffice for my Carrier Air Arm until I come up with a better plane.

The A6M3 becomes available on 6/42 without any added R&D. It is not the replacement plane I need.
Normal Range is shorter by 1 hex and Extended Range is shorter by two with only a very modest boost in speed. I am not going to build any of these.

The A6M3a becomes available on 12/42 without any added R&D. This is only a few weeks after the A6M5c is projected (with constant 500 engine bonus which is not certain). None of those R&D factories will be used for this model, but it looks like a good candidate for the Carrier Arm replacement:

Modest speed boost but the important thing is to maintain or extend the range advantage in this period of conflict.
For the Carrier Battles of Early 1943, I am planning on using the A6M3a and using the A6M5c armored Zero for Naval Land Based units.

[DanSez]

Zero Sum Game (cont).
At this point I can not project to the late '43 situation. The A6M5c may well become the Carrier Airplane once I completely shift over to a defensive posture.

The A6M5b may also be future Carrier Airplane. It comes online 6/44 without any R&D and at this point I am not sure if I need to invest in it. There are other planes calling for those factories.

[DanSez]

Major Action from Apr 06, 1942

As I hoped, he shifted some of his Vindicators over to Luganville to strike at my fleet. I am not sure how much Air Support is on the island as he probably moved most of it to Lunga. Here is the Butcher's Bill of his air attacks.
(no damage to my fleet)

[DanSez]

Action of Apr 06, 1942 (cont)

He had a cargo/transport task force in Luganville which I wasted about 50 torpedoes on... [8|]

Aerial Hit Parade:
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 52 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
B5N1 Kate x 7
B5N2 Kate x 30
D3A1 Val x 31

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Dent
DD Talbot, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ward
DD Allen
DD Schley, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Chew
xAK Am. Leader, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Coast Farmer, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Talbot

Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 104 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 44 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 25
D3A1 Val x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Schley, on fire
DD Chew
DD Dent, Bomb hits 1
DD Allen
DD Ward, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 109 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAK Am. Leader, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Chew
xAK Eldorado, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Schley, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Am. Leader
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Eldorado
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring an Allied DD

I got the 'sunk ship' sound effects later so one or more of these are now feeding the fish.

[DanSez]

Prep for April 07, 1942

At this point, two things concern me.
1. I do not know where his Carriers are now.
2. In the air attacks of Apr 06, with the KB staged forward to do the strike on those ships listed above, as the day wore on, the Air Cap grew weaker and weaker.

My thoughts are along three lines:
A. Shuffle forces to the East of Luganville and run in a surface task force and a bombardment force to do the max damage and then pull North to refuel.
B. Shift on down to Noumea and Port Strike whatever is there and then do a 'drive by' pasting of Luganville on the way back North to refuel.
C. Cut back toward Luganville hoping to catch his (unseen) Carrier force.
D. Pull back Northwest trying to draw his Carriers in an unwise 'reaction' out into the open.

Current intel around Luganville shows at least 2 task forces, one of which has Heavy Cruisers.

<<edit -- that would be 3 or 4 DDs below, not 34 DDs [X(]>>

[DanSez]

In other news --
Tarakan falls. Some damage to oil and refineries.
I am leaving Oil Repair ON.