Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

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John 3rd
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RE: Great White North

Post by John 3rd »

Update coming.
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The Great White North

Post by John 3rd »

The Aleutians
June 19-23,1943


To say that things have been active up North is a vast understatement. Everyday features all sorts of give-and-take. In a war of attriting the Allied Forces, it doesn't 'appear' to be too bad a set of five days.

We left off with a Bombardment TF heading in to hit Adak. The TF had CB Kawachi, 3 CA, 2 CL, and 5 DD. These warships came from the screen of the active portion of Kido Butai (remember that we have taken a calculated gamble and ten flattop decks as well as a dozen warships are all upgrading in Tokyo or Yokohoma). The remaining portion (3 CV and 5 CVL) are moving back-and-forth around Attu.

June 19th
Adak
The Bombardment TF moves in and is intercepted by CLAA San Juan and 9 American DDs. Amazingly the Americans get SURPRISE on the Japanese and manage to put WORKING TTs into two CAs and sink a DD before a single Japanese shot is fired. Wow. Not a good start! As soon as the surprise wears off (must mention that CLs Isuzu and Nagara collide during the surprise gunnery round...) the Japanese are able to go seriously to work. CB Kawachi is the cruiser that the Allies THOUGHT the Japanese were building so they countered with the Alaska-Class. Kawachi BLASTS CLAA San Juan and sinks her while the remaining ships sinks DDs Frazier and Worden. Several other US DDs are seriously damaged. A series of fights then break out as the TF separate. The Japanese lose a second DD and sink DD Nicholas as well as two full AKs carrying troops.

Daylight.

Everyone retires without issue. The CLs are not badly damaged but the two CAs each need some yard time. They are sent back to the Home Islands.

Amchitka
Dan is seriously working on crushing Amchitka's AF. Sweeps by P-38s and---YIKES--P-47 wear down the Tony and Tojo protecting the AF while B-24 and B-25 begin gradually damaging the runways and AF.

LOTS of shipping moving about and I spot what appears to be a couple of TF heading that base just SW of Adak. Decide to take a risk that none of the 150 Fighters at Adak is on LRCAP and move KB away from Attu to hit this possible target.

June 20th
Sitkinak (I think this is the base)
I-36 Sinks LST-16.

The KB finds some nice, easy targets with NO CAP flying over it. Two strikes are flown that sink 3 AK and 2 LST. There are over 500 casualties reported as well as 70+ guns. Perhaps we seriously damage an AA or CD unit? Don't know but it works nicely.

Detach 2 CA, a CL, and 3 DDs to sweep this location and finish off any survivors.

Amchitka
The AF is taking steady damage and I order two A6M4 Daitai to 50% LRCAP over Amchitka to help with defense.

June 21st
The STF finds a lone AK trying to unload and it is sunk causing another 169 Cas and 18 more guns to be lost.

Amchitka
Decide to REALLY bolster the Fighters over the base. Order KB to move two hexes from the base and place five of the CVs Zeros on LRCAP. Should be a surprise!

Attu
A TF unloads two large Daitai of George's from Singapore. One is a 36 plane unit while the other is 48 aircraft. These should help to counter those damned P-47s.

June 22nd
The STF rejoins KB's screen.

Amchitka
WHAT A FIGHT! A total of 117 Zeros (M5b and M4) are found over this base as the American raids come in. The Americans attacks are: 16 P-38, 27 B-25, 12 B-25 and 5 B-24, 6 B-24, 6 B-24, and 18 P-47. The massed CAP swarms over each American wave and strength of numbers REALLY help. By the end, the Japanese lose 27 Zero (12 ATA and 15 in OPs) but only 5 pilots in exchange for nearly 50 Allied aircraft. NICE!

Decide to stay one more day with this.

I-171 sinks AK Jalaputra at Ulak. Its cargo goes down with it as well.

June 23rd
Amchitka
This day sees 87 Zero meet five successive strikes. Two of them are P-47 while the others are bombers. Down go about 24 Zero (9 pilots) in exchange for 30 of the enemy. Pull KB back to Attu. Certainly stung the enemy a bit and time to rest the aircrews a bit.

Reform a Bombardment TF of Kawachi, 2 CA, 2 CL, and 4 DDs. Will try to hit Adak again. No shipping nearby so there should not be any interference. Order 4 Daitai of Fighters to fly LRCAP over the TF.

June 19-23rd
Allied Losses: CLAA San Juan, 3 DDs, 6 AK, 3 LST and about 80-100 aircraft.
Japanese Losses: DDs Kishinami and Isokaze and a little over 60 planes. Nearly all of them are fighters.


This is the first time in the war where I truly find myself fighting over MY bases. Thank goodness. My pilot losses are really low and I am enjoying that a bit.

NOTES:
1. BB Musashi is almost ready to sail at Nagasaki. She should be ready by the end of the month. This BID BAD BOY will go north to raise some HELL!

2. Musashi will be joined by Kawachi's sister ship. This will provide me three Capital Ships (the CBs are strong with 6 14" guns but not very tough) to use for bombardment purposes.

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John 3rd
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Battle of Sumatra

Post by John 3rd »

Sumatra
June 19-23, 1943


Attack one at Sabang went well but the second attack missed a 1-1 and did not drop Forts. Decide to bring the kitchen sink and get up to nearly 92,000 of the 95,000 hex limit of Sabang. Take time to move the troops while I pull out two ID for refit at Langsa.

Decide to get to rocking the base with multiple Bombardments and make a very calculated gamble to bomb Sabang with my Sally and Helens. Last time the AA was horrific.

June 19th
Send a single Sentai of Helen over Sabang and they only lose one plane. OK. Order all 200 Bombers to go to work. There are nearly 30 support units in the coastal hex west of Sabang and I am willing to bet many of them are AA units. Makes sense in that he needs every rifleman at Sabang...

I-21 sinks AK Tak Sang near Diego Garcia

June 20th
A strong Bombardment TF of 3 BB and 2 BC smack the base quite well. They do 927 Cas, 42 Guns, 39 Vehicles, hit the runway 33 times, and destroy 14 planes on the ground.

Roughly half the bombers fly and hit the AF and Port. Lose about 12 planes but we're are now in this for the end count. Keep the bombers attacking.

June 21st
Have the earlier Bombardment TF unload the rest of its ammo doing 169 Cas, 18 Guns, 6 Veh, and smack the runway 16 times.

Bombers all fly and do some nice work while losing about a dozen again. They are flying at 16,000 Ft.

June 22nd
Two BC and 3 CA hit Sabang doing 656 cas, 30 Guns, 32 Veh, the runway is hit 58 times, and 8 planes are destroyed.

No bombers fly as weather closes off the Malay AF. Shift them to Ground Attack.

The last of the troops arrive with the 48th ID and another Engineering Reg arriving.

June 23rd
Bombers fly losing 9 of their number and nearly all concentrate on the beat-up 20th Indian ID and an American Regiment. Over 100 cas are caused as well as some guns are taken out.

At Georgetown all five AKE are emptied out as BOTH Bombardment TF are loaded up. Order them to Sabang as STF and to 'remain' at the target. We'll have them BOTH unload prior to the next assault.

Sabang Assault #3 scheduled for June 25th.


Should note that a reasonably strong Japanese CTF is upgrading and getting ready for action. CV Hiyo and CVL Zuiho are upgrading while 7 CVE wait for them to get done. Three cruisers and twelve DDs wait to form their protective ring around these boys. Got to imagine that Dan thinks all my decks are up north.

BB Mutsu was damaged long ago and hid for nearly 8 weeks at Port Blair and Victoria. Three months ago it reached Singapore and her damage is finally coming down to where she might be available within 20 or so days if needed.
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RE: The Great White North

Post by Capt. Harlock »

CB Kawachi is the cruiser that the Allies THOUGHT the Japanese were building so they countered with the Alaska-Class.

Okay, now I'm definitely rooting for this game to go to mid-1944, so we can see an Alaska vs. Kawachi duel!
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John 3rd
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RE: The Great White North

Post by John 3rd »

June 26, 1943

General Yamashita orders the 3rd assault on Sabang.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....my....

Stay tuned.
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Sabang, Rd 3

Post by John 3rd »

June 26, 1943

Sumatra
The Japanese have patiently worked their way up the Sumtra coast for months. A month ago they arrived at the last base of the Allied Army: Sabang. The TIGER OF MALAYA General Yamashita with 25th Army HQ at Sabang has watched two assault occur and now orders his third. Southern Area Army lends its considerable support from Langsa and Combined Fleet serves up its normal double bombardment.

It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO close to total victory.

The Bombardment:
1. At Midnight, 3 BB, 2 Kongos, and 8 DDs pound the actual perimeter doing 629 Cas, 29 Guns, 41 Vehicles and hit the Runway 10 times.

2. At dawn, 2 Kongos, 3 CAs, and 10 DDs add their shells to the building fury. This TF does 426 Cas, 29 Guns, 15 Vehicles, and smack the Runway 75 times.

3. The Japanese Army opens fire at dawn pounding a seam between the 182nd Ind US Reg and the 20th Indian ID.

4. As the order to advance is sounded throughout the line, nearly 100 Sally and Helens drop theirs bombs on the same two units causing over 150+ casualties.

Simply put. The Allied line COLLAPSES! Three Japanese ID punch through the hole. Only the 48th ID takes serious casualties as the other two race through and exploit the non-existent defense. The day sees the Japanese advance nearly 20 miles right up to the edge of Sabang and its massive AF. It is here as cooks and typists are thrown into the resistance that the Japanese effort stops. It is just an eyelash short of TOTAL VICTORY.

Wow. BANZAI!

Japanese Deliberate Attack: 3-1 (3995-1028)
Japan 3808 Cas and 68 Guns
Allies 4045 Cas, 114 Guns, 78 Vehicles THREE UNITS DESTROYED.

Total with Bombardment: 5146 Cas, 172 Guns, and 134 Vehicles

Debate on ordering another immediate attack to finish them off but cannot due to supply. Will wait 2 Days and then launch a SHOCK ATTACK with both Bombardment TF back to deliver their cargo...

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...not to be outdone...

Post by John 3rd »

The Aleutians
June 26, 1943

The glory does not only occur in the South. WAAAAAAY up north, Japanese scores another impressive result.

Bombardment TF: CB Kawachi, 3 CA, 2 CL, and 4 DDs slide into the harbor they know so well at Adak. There is no resistance this time and the Japanese carry out a slow, deliberate bombardment of their old AF. The results are spectacular!

612 cas, 11 Supply Hits, and 96 Runway hits. Recon reveals 75 destroyed American planes: 20 SBD, 16 P-38, 9 P-47 and at least 40 more planes crushes under the shell's weight.

No American Fighter Sweeps this day.

GLORIOUS!

A second, weaker Bombardment TF comes in tomorrow with 2 CL and 6 DD carrying the load.



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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by pws1225 »

Nicely done on both fronts. [:)]
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by obvert »

Nice work.

When you list the ground results you often list casualties which leaves the reader unclear as to how this affects both sides.

Is it possible to give a listing in squads instead of casualties? [:)]
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New Play Ground?

Post by John 3rd »

June 27, 1943
Marshalls


Looks like we might have a new play ground for the Allies to lose ships in. This time we are READY with Naval Air. Begin moving 350+ aircraft into position...


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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by John 3rd »

ORIGINAL: obvert

Nice work.

When you list the ground results you often list casualties which leaves the reader unclear as to how this affects both sides.

Is it possible to give a listing in squads instead of casualties? [:)]

...by your command...

Here is the Ground Result the Naval Bombardments had a higher proportion on destroyed squads.

Looks like a 'last stand' moment coming. He is moving troops from the west hex into Sabang. These are practically all support troops. Will take me two days before I can land a weighted attack.



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Lines

Post by John 3rd »

Evidentally Dan is too busy writing on his AAR to get a turn over to me. He thought I was at work so didn't do a quick flip of the turn. Am now headed out to have lunch so nothing for a bit.

If Dan is coming for the Marshalls, he will be surprised at the decision I made there starting about four months ago. As the battle was in full force in Sumatra and then in the Aleutians, I made a positive decision to tighten the defensive ring in the east. Japan slowly pulled troops back and relocated them as well as added a bunch of CD to the western side of the Marshalls. My defensive line is now Eniwetok--Ponape--Ocean--Lunga with nearly every major base from there west filled to maximum hex allowance.

Don't get me wrong, there are troops in the Eastern Marshalls but they are mainly Base Forces designed to allow my airpower to deliver some serious punches. Tarawa--Makin--Wotje--and Kwajalein are designated as speed bumps requiring troops to make costly assault landings to slow down the movement. I am holding back most of my aircraft for two days since I figure he will move his CVs forward to crush my planes. Not gonna play that game. There will be two concentrations of planes and their range will be set to only 3-4 so they hit only stuff closing in on them. Never tried anything like this so we'll see what happens.

If all goes well, I shall make him expend his bombardment ammo on his primary targets so he doesn't have that for the bases I have CD on. Additionally, there are a dozen SS I have kept back at Truk who are now released to raise havoc behind his invasion force. Dan made a monstrous error with Sumatra in landing in a wide enough sweep of bases. He corrected that in the Aleutians so I expect landings ranging from Maleolap--Kwajalein--Ailinglaplap--Tarawa. He'll grab the lowest fruit and then decide whether or not to continue on with his landings. My initial guess is that he won't even hit my real line until he's consolidated the eastern portion. My recon showed about 6-8 TF approaching and I expect there are a lot more. Its all guess work...

The loss of the far eastern central Pacific is no danger to the Empire. The Western Aleutians is. I shall keep the operational half of KB present there and continue to major fight up there. When my upgrades are complete the entire KB will reform and defend the Western Aleutians for the time being. With Sabang about to go then I shall free up a HUGE number of troops and nearly the entire surface portion of the Kaigun. They shall be available for action and counter-landings up in the North or over ground taken by the Allies in this upcoming move. This is the long game I am thinking about presently for late-1943.

Here is a screen shot of my Defensive Line:


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RE: Lines

Post by John 3rd »

His turn just arrived but I am going out for lunch so nothing for a couple of hours.
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by Yaab »

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
ORIGINAL: obvert

Nice work.

When you list the ground results you often list casualties which leaves the reader unclear as to how this affects both sides.

Is it possible to give a listing in squads instead of casualties? [:)]

...by your command...

Here is the Ground Result the Naval Bombardments had a higher proportion on destroyed squads.

Looks like a 'last stand' moment coming. He is moving troops from the west hex into Sabang. These are practically all support troops. Will take me two days before I can land a weighted attack.



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And the HQ bonus!!! [&o]
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by ny59giants »

And the HQ bonus!!![&o]

You don't know how many years of beating, I mean talking, to John about this to get him to do so. [;)] Command HQs are very important when attacking.
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...into the parlor...

Post by John 3rd »

Here he comes...

Aircraft at Roi Namur and Kwajalein are set to a short 4 and 3 hexes. Want to cover Wotje and Ailinglaplap. Lets see if this works.

There is some stuff approaching Baker as well but I don't care about that presently.


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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by John 3rd »

ORIGINAL: ny59giants
And the HQ bonus!!![&o]

You don't know how many years of beating, I mean talking, to John about this to get him to do so. [;)] Command HQs are very important when attacking.

SEE---I can be taught!



He has moved the 1st marines into Sabang. GREAT! Won't help.

Order a full attack on the hex the 1st Marines vacated.
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by obvert »

Thanks for the numbers CR post above. You're on the brink there. Just be patient until your troops really recover. There isn't really a hurry now.

As for the CentPac area, I like your consideration to move into a stronger position in a tighter defensive perimeter. It's still tough to take defended atolls, so he may stumble at one or two of them. Cent Pac is tough to move through in stacking limits games. I found that out the hard way. Almost every base is small.

The one thing I'd hesitate on is counter-invasions in these kinds of places, the Aleutians and CentPac. Those are too easy for the Allies to hurt you on and no reason to do it. Let him come to you.

If you want to counter invade somewhere I'd advise prepping troops for the next bases he might take, have them ready to go, and go in almost immediately after his invasion forces leave drop a few divisions on before he has the SIGINT to know what you're up to. It's too easy to predict months in advance otherwise.
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by John 3rd »

Good thoughts.

I have three ID prepping for Adak presently and a 4th for the next door base of Ulak. Don't know if we'll go or not but it is a good thought.

There will soon be NINE highly experienced ID available for use once I grab Sabang. Figure a couple will be used to liquidate the remaining hex but that won't take long.
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RE: ...not to be outdone...

Post by John 3rd »

I think my tactics has my opponent confused or perplexed. He is HESITATING. This allows me to move in over 125 Transports (Tina and Topsy) and start shifting some things around. Gives me more time to set the aerial defense as well. Don't know how much it will help but... We'll see how long he takes. I'll wager he takes a little nibble first to see what happens.

Buy out a Brigade from Shanghai and send it to Ponape in 18 Kn APs. Two reinforcement convoys leave Tokyo (one fast at 18 Kn and the other slow at 12 Kn).

Am really taking my time for the hoped for final punch at Sabang. Running in two more Bombardments as well as opening up with 5 Artillery Regiments that just arrived. Everyone will go in after that...
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