Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Today's ship losses.

[witpqs]

Today's air losses.

[Lowpe]

A nice day in the air for Japan, shows the importance of Franks and good pilots.

You really have been cleaning up against the IJN lately, without losing much.[:(]

Have you run into midget subs yet?

When will the first attack on Okinawa take place?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

A nice day in the air for Japan, shows the importance of Franks and good pilots.

You really have been cleaning up against the IJN lately, without losing much.[:(]

Have you run into midget subs yet?

When will the first attack on Okinawa take place?

This day in the air was not as good as the last day or two with respect to their sweeps, it's just that on those previous turns there were large losses elsewhere that masked their success in China. Still, considering that our guys are strictly guarding ships and troops over an area, I'm happy enough with the results. I just moved in two more P-47D25 groups (49 planes at the moment). With the better Allied service ratings on our side we'll see whose aerial horde gets fatigued first! [:D]

I think we partly got lucky (made our chance for good luck) with the quick pull back from Okinawa. We were still close enough for air strikes but dodged the nighttime surface attacks.

The air attacks on Naha are knocking the hell out of one division at a time so far. Mostly disruption, but BIG disruption, like 65%! It would not due to order an attack and have one (or even two) divisions heavily disrupted.

I'm 99% sure that I will stay with the plan - grab Daito Shoto and get PacAO working there. Or at the very least have all assault troops on Daito Shoto and working on it. I want Daito Shoto so I can shuttle bombard Naha. I want daily naval bombardments for several days, and a bigger dose on the day of the ground attack. Plus carrier CAP stopping all air attacks on our troops. If we have Daito Shoto, we can keep up a robust rotation. If that invasion is still in progress, we rearm all bombardment groups at Iwo Jima, cluster them near Okinawa under carrier CAP (which also protects the troops ashore), bombard for a few days and then attack along with a larger bombardment.

The difference is that cycle will take longer to repeat due to the distance from iwo Jima versus how close Daito Shoto is to Okinawa. Also, Nimitz in PacAO should be a help with troop inspiration rolls, but we'll go without that if we have to. In other words, we have a plan, if it works - great. If it does not work (fast enough), we will get on with Okinawa while Daito Shoto is still in progress.

Over the next few turns I am going to look for an opportunity to sprint a bunch of fleet and escort carriers next to Okinawa to ambush the day's bombing raids.

[Lowpe]

Great answers! [&o] It is so heartening to see Japanese bombers hitting Allied ground troops here in late 44.[X(][X(]

Not even a ton of flak losses.

I have no doubt you will be able to ambush those bombers however.[:(]

[aleajactaest10044]

Could you post a chart showing the status of the Okinawa troops? Thank you!

[witpqs]

Here is Nago.

[witpqs]

Here is Naha.

[bush]

George,

I saw your post to Luskan regarding startegy points, specifically interested in the training for bombers. I have noticed that your attack bombers really do take a lot of losses so I will be trying to train more of those than might seem to be warranted going by operational squadrons. Also, you described the milk runs to boost experiencxe. Question - would having your bombers fly transport missions, BEHIND the lines, make their experience pop faster than pure training missions?

[witpqs]

1944 October 22

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Port Swettenham

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments
Japanese Ships Bombarding Tandjoengbalai

Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto


Our subs got an xAK and an AK - back in action!

The road between Lang Son and Nanning is officially cut.

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Ground combat at 72,56 (near Nanning)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25556 troops, 404 guns, 435 vehicles, Assault Value = 851

Defending force 687 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 27

Allied adjusted assault: 874

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 874 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker: leaders(+)

Japanese ground losses:
728 casualties reported
Squads: 32 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 36 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

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

Assaulting units:
81st Infantry Division
32nd Infantry Division
Provisionl Tank Brigade

Defending units:
1st RGC Route Brigade


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In fact the weather was bad over the target hex and none of our 2EB attack bombers flew. They will start working over the unit east of Lang Son while the divisions and armor move to engage it. There are about 50% more troops seen in Nanning than yesterday, now 37,000 troops in 17 units, and some of them are moving west, to cross the river and take up a position NW of the road. The sea lift into Pakhoi continues splendidly. There were no big Imperial fighter sweeps today! Weather improved over Kunming and some 2EB got in to work with the fighters (the fighters are making low attacks) so we will try a ground attack tomorrow.

Good damage done to the Imperials retreating down the Peninsula.

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Night Naval bombardment of Tandjoengbalai at 47,78

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu

CL Jintsu firing at 7th Indian Division


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Ground combat at 50,72 (near Alor Star)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13943 troops, 108 guns, 1397 vehicles, Assault Value = 895

Defending force 10756 troops, 138 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 216

Allied adjusted assault: 558

Japanese adjusted defense: 347

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1654 casualties reported
Squads: 49 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 27 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 31 (26 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
150th RAC Regiment
268th Motorised Brigade
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
254th Armoured Brigade
18th Cavalry Regiment
255th Indian Tank Brigade
Gardner's Horse Regiment

Defending units:
11th/C Division
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
112th Infantry Regiment
63rd Inf Group Brigade
11th/A Division
104th/C Division
15th Army
29th Army
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
13th Field Construction Battalion
7th Field Construction Battalion
18th Field Construction Battalion



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The naval bombardment of Tandjoengbalai was expected so only recon and CAP are flying from there.

The armor will move back into Lang Son in anticipation of attacking as early as the day after tomorrow.

Defenders at Semarang are very weak and our forces on the spot will attack at once.

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Ground combat at Semarang (53,102)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 210 troops, 17 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 32

Defending force 324 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

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

Assaulting units:
2/9 Commando Battalion
462nd Airborn Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
60th JNAF AF Unit


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Soerabaja base facilities are almost completely repaired. The Repair Shipyard is now rebuilt to 3,000 tons capacity. Next attack at Denpasar tomorrow.

Another good naval bombardment of Daito Shoto.

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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
CA Portland

Japanese ground losses:
236 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 22
Port hits 14
Port supply hits 3

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Astoria
CA Astoria firing at Daito Shoto
CA Portland firing at Daito Shoto


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Three of our divisions at Naha have disruption percentages of 36%, 75%, and 70%. All units there except the infantry divisions have fortified to level 3, the infantry still at level 2. The troops at Nago are all still at level 2 but the better defensive terrain is thwarting the accuracy of air strikes. And then there was this.

1st USMC AA Battalion destroyed near Naha !!!

By Grabthar's Hammer, we shall avenge thee! And repurchase and rebuild, of course.

It looks as though the Imperial submarine horde have given up chasing convoys and are now standing in the waters between Daito Shoto and Okinawa, hoping for a shot at our carriers should they sprint for Okinawa. Gathering more ASW forces to clear the waters ahead of the carriers.

One more APA convoy to go at Guam, which will arrive tomorrow. Then we will form up new convoys for Daito Shoto. Two of the four fleet carrier TFs will arrive at Guam to replenish tomorrow.

Indochina.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[bush]

Do you run the myriad of BMB TFs with the capitol ship only, or do you give it (them) a little escort/

[Lowpe]

Western China is starting to look tougher! Perhaps Andav has dug in![X(]

A capitol ship without destroyers is usually a damaged or sunk ship....[:D]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: bushpsu

George,

I saw your post to Luskan regarding startegy points, specifically interested in the training for bombers. I have noticed that your attack bombers really do take a lot of losses so I will be trying to train more of those than might seem to be warranted going by operational squadrons. Also, you described the milk runs to boost experiencxe. Question - would having your bombers fly transport missions, BEHIND the lines, make their experience pop faster than pure training missions?

I am not one of the pilot training mavens, so you are advised to look elsewhere! Now that you have been duly warned...

I remember trying that way, way back in WITP days. As best I remember I did not think it was worth it. That might not apply to AE. Did I mention you should ask someone else? [:D]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: bushpsu

Do you run the myriad of BMB TFs with the capitol ship only, or do you give it (them) a little escort/

All get destroyers for escort! Going from some of my own game experience and tons of other players' experience, I:

- Keep ship speed and guns pretty well matched. The result is that BB, CA, and CL are usually in a TF with their own.
- Keep the TFs down to about 2x cruisers (either CL or CA) or 1 or 2 BB. In this game my old BBs got savaged by my dastardly opponent, so it is 1x old BB per bombardment TF. The reason for small packets is:
- Bombard as many days as possible. Keeping up the bombardment is more important than getting fewer "good" bombardments. At least that is my working theory.
- The vast majority of the time, the cruiser TFs get a Patrol setting to get to and wait a their station, along with some suitable React range. When their turn comes, the Patrol is cancelled, mission changed to bombardment, and the target given. But in the meantime they act as surface combat guards.

Having those small packets allows me to have a bunch of them, and due to distances allows me to bombard for more days. If I used larger bombardment TFs I would leave the enemy positions undisturbed on many more days.