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

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Today's air losses.

[witpqs]

Today's ship losses.

[Drakanel]

Well it seems the empire still manages to provide some attrition. Especially by subs. The situation at Naha is also not THAT good. Though I don't think he will attack, he can't know how disrupted you are.

The landing is at Daito shoto is really important, if you manage to get the base quickly then everything changes...
Very curious about the hopeful strikes at singapore. How many carriers do you have there? How many dive bombers/torpedo bombers?

[zuluhour]

ORIGINAL: Drakanel

Well it seems the empire still manages to provide some attrition. Especially by subs. The situation at Naha is also not THAT good. Though I don't think he will attack, he can't know how disrupted you are.

+1

The landing is at Daito shoto is really important, if you manage to get the base quickly then everything changes...
Very curious about the hopeful strikes at singapore. How many carriers do you have there? How many dive bombers/torpedo bombers?

[Lowpe]

I think Japan can always surprise you, if the player is motivated enough.[;)]

Andav is one of those semi rare Japanese players that keeps punching despite the setbacks of Pegu and Cam Ranh Bay.[&o]

But really, these kind of setbacks happen to 99% of Japanese players. The Allies invade where they are least expected and exploit.[:(]

What is neat here, is the landings at Okinawa and Daito aren't where Japan is weakest and that makes it so very interesting.

[witpqs]

Yup, Okinawa is just too sweet a strategic position, so strength on strength. I think I mentioned once that Andav makes the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail look like a flat out wimp.

Almost all the British carriers are heading for the strike on Singapore, 311 aircraft in total.

The load out might be a little lopsided. [:D]

DB
-none-
0 Total

TB
18 Barracuda II
42 Avenger II
12 Albacore
72 Total

F
48 Seafire IIC
21 Hellcat I
127 Corsair II
19 Martlet II
24 Wildcat V
239 Total

Here is a pic of the carriers in the TF (escorts scroll down).

[zuluhour]

Is not system damage (10) enough to make a flight deck no operable?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Is not system damage (10) enough to make a flight deck no operable?

Not at all. IIRC it is 1) any fire at all, or 2) combined damage of >50 (or >=50, don't recall).

[BBfanboy]

I know your overall plane numbers are not huge for 1944, but I would expect coordination problems with that lot, maybe even collisions! I would split the slow CVEs out into their own TF, but kept in the same hex as the CVs/CVL.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I know your overall plane numbers are not huge for 1944, but I would expect coordination problems with that lot, maybe even collisions! I would split the slow CVEs out into their own TF, but kept in the same hex as the CVs/CVL.

I agree, but I got used to the RN having a chronic shortage of escorts. Really don't want to devote that many more to another carrier TF just now. Maybe after they can join with the USN after Singapore falls.

[witpqs]

1944 November 01

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Allied forces CAPTURE Daito Shoto !!!

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Daito Shoto

Imperial Naval Bombardments
Japanese Ships Bombarding Kwangchowan

Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto


Our subs got an enemy sub near Okinawa.

A fairly quiet day in China.

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Night Naval bombardment of Kwangchowan at 73,60

Japanese Ships
E No.11
E No.5

Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

E No.11 firing at 7th Australian Division
E No.5 firing at 7th Australian Division


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Air attacks as usual and speedy movement by our spearhead. But it was so well covered the Imperial air polluters tried their hand over Lang Son (see below).

One more day for the troops to rest at Alor Star before a shock attack. Rawlings' carriers were stuck in bad weather all morning but got off a strike in the afternoon.

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Singapore at 50,84

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 12
Avenger II x 34
Barracuda II x 13
Corsair II x 42
Hellcat I x 6
Seafire IIC x 7
Martlet II x 11
Wildcat V x 17

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 4 damaged
Barracuda II: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CM Tokiwa, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CA Suzuya
PB Choko Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
ACM Takasago Maru
CL Abukuma

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Barracuda II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
4 x Barracuda II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
18 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
12 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
12 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
4 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo



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Lots of ships are evident in port but so are large numbers of guns covering them. The carrier planes would find the going very rough. They will remain on station for more shots of task forces.

First the Empire sent numerous sweeps over Lang Son, then placed heavy LRCAP which our escorts fought through to deliver the raids on target. See the air losses below. The ground assault at Lang Son was a bloody double edged affair, just like the last one.

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Ground combat at Lang Son (70,56)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 60438 troops, 706 guns, 387 vehicles, Assault Value = 1822

Defending force 29705 troops, 273 guns, 56 vehicles, Assault Value = 426

Allied adjusted assault: 637

Japanese adjusted defense: 133

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1721 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 34 (6 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (8 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1727 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
3rd New Chinese Corps
I Corps Engr Grp
23rd LRP Brigade
8th New Chinese Corps
27th Australian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
96th Chinese Division
36th Chinese Division
88th Chinese Division
XI Corps Engr Grp
9th Australian Division
1st Medium Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
IV Indian Corps
2nd Medium Regiment
14th RAAF M/W Sqn
II Australian Corps
85th Medium Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
18th SP Field Artillery Regiment
134th (East Ang) Regiment
417th Base Group
251st Field Artillery Battalion
312th Base Group
2/1st Med Regiment
87th Medium Regiment
8th Mahratta AT Gun Regiment

Defending units:
27th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
37th Division
58th Infantry Regiment
34th/A Division
1st Mortar Battalion
8th Recon Regiment
2nd Ind. Field Artillery Regiment
11th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
3rd Mobile AA Battalion
31st Mountain Gun Regiment


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I have not kept track and don't actually know, but my sense is that the bulk of casualties have been among the Chinese Army squads. BTW, not all of the units shown above participated in today's combat.

On Java the 2/6 Cdo Bn has reached Tjilatjap and will take control tomorrow.

The day in the Okinawa region started (in the wee dark hours) as bleakly as several have lately.

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Sub attack near Daito Shoto at 97,69

Japanese Ships
SS RO-105, hits 24, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CVE Attu, Torpedo hits 1
DE Duffy
DE Cabana
DD Barton
DD Farenholt
DD Duncan

SS RO-105 launches 4 torpedoes at CVE Attu
DD Barton fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Farenholt fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Duncan attacking submerged sub ....
DD Duncan fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Duncan fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Duncan fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Duncan attacking submerged sub ....
SS RO-105 forced to surface!
DD Barton firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Farenholt firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Barton firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Farenholt firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Barton firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Farenholt firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Barton firing on surfaced sub ....
DD Farenholt firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves


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She is out of operation but still with the task force. IJN subs were pounded in several ASW attacks, plus hits reported by air crew (always dubious those, though). Several raids hit our troops at Naha again but there was a slight lessening of intensity, the troops seem a bit better, and are well supplied. The bombardments of Daito Shoto looked on target and effective.

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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied Ships
BB Wisconsin
BB New Jersey
BB Iowa

Japanese ground losses:
409 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 11
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 2

BB Wisconsin firing at Daito-jima Naval Guard Unit
Daito-jima Naval Guard Unit firing at BB Wisconsin
BB New Jersey firing at Daito Shoto
BB Iowa firing at 30th Field Artillery Regiment


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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
CA Prome
CA Baltimore

Japanese ground losses:
234 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for CA Prome
CA Prome firing at 37th Ind.Mixed Brigade
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Baltimore
CA Baltimore firing at 36th Ind.Mixed Brigade


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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
BB Colorado

Japanese ground losses:
91 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

BB Colorado firing at 36th Ind.Mixed Brigade


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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 5
Port hits 2

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Idaho
BB Idaho firing at Daito Shoto


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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
BB Tennessee

Japanese ground losses:
108 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Tennessee
BB Tennessee firing at Daito-jima Naval Guard Unit


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During the day the USN carriers went hunting.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Tokara Retto at 100,62

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 2

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 29
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Sugiyama Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
E Iki, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
11 x SB2C-3 Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
59th Sentai/A with Ki-84a Frank (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Sugiyama Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring E Iki


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Later on 40x B-29-1 struck troops on Daito Shoto from 10,000 ft and almost 200 Avengers hit the defenses from 5,000 ft. The shore guns did some damage but not a great amount. Then came the decision.

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Ground combat at Daito Shoto (98,69)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6310 troops, 125 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 484

Defending force 59135 troops, 859 guns, 702 vehicles, Assault Value = 1829

Japanese ground losses:
169 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
36th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
1st Amph.Bde Tank Battalion
1st Ind.Tank Co
6th Tank Regiment
Kure 6th SNLF
37th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Daito-jima Naval Guard Unit
59th Field AA Battalion
16th Field Construction Battalion
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
25th Special Base Force
30th Field Artillery Regiment
7th Air Division
30th Special Base Force
19th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
4th Marine Regiment
93rd Infantry Division
112th Cavalry Regiment
3rd Marine Division
1st Marine Division
29th Marine Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
2nd Arm Amphib Battalion
1st Arm Amphib Battalion
102nd Cmbt Engineer Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
198th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
III Amphib Corps
4th Pioneer Battalion


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Ground combat at Daito Shoto (98,69)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 56483 troops, 858 guns, 702 vehicles, Assault Value = 1824

Defending force 19960 troops, 293 guns, 201 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 3289

Japanese adjusted defense: 101

Allied assault odds: 32 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Daito Shoto !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
3658 casualties reported
Squads: 58 destroyed, 150 disabled
Non Combat: 45 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 56 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 203 (132 destroyed, 71 disabled)
Vehicles lost 198 (185 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
4278 casualties reported
Squads: 60 destroyed, 276 disabled
Non Combat: 53 destroyed, 79 disabled
Engineers: 67 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 45 (16 destroyed, 29 disabled)
Vehicles lost 107 (50 destroyed, 57 disabled)

Assaulting units:
102nd Cmbt Engineer Regiment
29th Marine Regiment
4th Marine Regiment
93rd Infantry Division
1st Marine Division
3rd Marine Division
1st Arm Amphib Battalion
2nd Arm Amphib Battalion
22nd Marine Regiment
112th Cavalry Regiment
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
198th Field Artillery Battalion
III Amphib Corps
225th Field Artillery Battalion
4th Pioneer Battalion

Defending units:
1st Ind.Tank Co
36th Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Tank Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
Kure 6th SNLF
1st Amph.Bde Tank Battalion
37th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Daito-jima Naval Guard Unit
16th Field Construction Battalion
7th Air Division
30th Field Artillery Regiment
25th Special Base Force
59th Field AA Battalion
30th Special Base Force
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
19th JAAF AF Bn


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This part of the plan came together nicely! The assault units are exhausted and must rest before securing the island but the two artillery units will bombard, as will naval forces. Meanwhile, PacAO and some support units will head toward Daito Shoto (base force and engineer convoys will arrive in about 3 days, PacAO in 2 days). The combat units will begin repairs on the base, and as soon as feasible 2x P-47D25 squadrons will move in from Iwo Jima to begin LRCAP of Naha. Auxiliaries to support combat ships will also head in right away from Iwo Jima. There is probably more than 60,000 tons of supply still to unload at Daito Shoto.

China.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Daito Shoto - today's prize.

[witpqs]

Condition of the troops at Daito Shoto.

[witpqs]

Today's ship losses.

[witpqs]

Today's air losses.