Empire strikes back- NJP vs Wargmr Game over :-)

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: savelius2

It sure is. Man those battleships are tough, no heavy damage from multiple mine hits for any of them. The accumulated damage should pull some of them off bombardment duty at least.

And you wouldn't believe it, Mike charged straight back into Tsushima this turn and another 4 BBs took mine hits. Looking at the combat summary the overall results appear to be negligible.

It was another massive turn and I should attach the combat report.

Doubtful I can hold this critical location [:(]

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

WOW! I have to think the Allies did not look closely at units with disruption / disabled squads .. or something
This is beyond "a bad die roll" ..

This result comes as a surprise to me. But it does say that in my opinion you are on to a strategy that with some refinement
might be the solution to a late IJ victory.

I do think Korea might be a little bit more a challenge if supplies were stockpiled in strategic locations before you opened the "Taming the Bear" card ..
Thus feeding the offense without needlessly moving supplies from far away locations ...

But keep it up! I see about 250 points? And units that need to be pulled out of the line ..

Massive turns now Dave. The biggest I have ever played.

What is happening on land is being dwarfed by the sea and air action. I am starting to think Mike might be making a more for the HI after all, which will be incredibly bloody for all sides.

Great game

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

WOW! I have to think the Allies did not look closely at units with disruption / disabled squads .. or something
This is beyond "a bad die roll" ..

This result comes as a surprise to me. But it does say that in my opinion you are on to a strategy that with some refinement
might be the solution to a late IJ victory.

I do think Korea might be a little bit more a challenge if supplies were stockpiled in strategic locations before you opened the "Taming the Bear" card ..
Thus feeding the offense without needlessly moving supplies from far away locations ...

But keep it up! I see about 250 points? And units that need to be pulled out of the line ..

If you look at the victory points earned in Russia...this is a viable strategy, it just needs more work as you point out.

Now, not every Allied player will be as aggressive, but still it is very impressive for a first go.[&o]

The addition of the Sam to the IJNAF would have helped a lot; and understanding how supply worked in a combat environment on Manchuko/Korea/Russia/China would have been of great value.

Well done!

Thanks Lowpe, clearly you are setting an excellent example in your own game by fighting the good fight against massive odds. I wish I had managed to snag those CVEs like you did a few turns ago.

I agree, the Sam would have made a big difference and next time I will ensure I will get it. Interestingly the first sentai is just about to enter service so it is likely some will see combat before I am destroyed.

Supply in combat is still largely a mystery to me [:D]

[njp72]

Approaching the end game here despite the continued good showing on the score board.

Mike has lifted his intensity and really smashing into the remaining forces in Korea and started the softening process of the Home Islands.

Casualties have been massive for both sides and thus there is a small glimmer of hope that the Allies may not be able to sustain this pace of operations due to their losses. Unfortunately for the Empire, despite pools being in good shape, the spectre of a supply crisis is looming in the back ground.

[njp72]

Naval combat has been less intense as the IJN has literally ran out of ships whilst the USN is struggling to find undamaged ones [:D]

The last ride of Haruna was a typical Japanese suicide mission which was attempting to damage as many fast BBs before it went down. I actually got lucky here and thanks to the veteran status of the crew, Haruna dismantled South Dakota in very rapid fashion. Unfortunately the other 3 surviving USN BBs than took their revenge.

My follow up task forces unfortunately missed engaging this taskforce [:(]

[njp72]

The air war is probably the most intense and still the closest thing to a fair fight, especially over the HIs. Mike has struggled to gain superiority even over the western Japanese islands but of course the IJN and IJA pay the price of this resistance in hundreds of air frames.

Mike continues to use his 4e beasts to break ground deadlocks and destroy key airbases. Cleverly he chooses one target per turn and than focuses all of his combined firepower on that hex.

Below a typical example of 500+ bombers in multiple waves hitting one target. [X(]

[njp72]

The only real ground action is still coming out of Korea where I have been broken up into pockets.

The key defensive positions continue to extract a toll from the Allies and the terrain assists somewhat from the massive air bombardments. The lack of BB bombardments due to the positions locations and the scarcity of Allied BBs is a godsend.

I suspect all organised resistance to crumble here by the start of July. I know the new Soviet mechanised armies will be on their way shortly. [8|]

[njp72]

Despite the tale of carnage here, it is still quite amazing the quality of fighter pilots still in the pools, especially for the IJA.

My pilots no longer have the ability to hit moving ships but they can still hit allied aircraft, especially when they ram them.

The divebomber and torpedo bombers crews new core skill is hitting water with them usually inside a burning aircraft. [8|]

[njp72]

Some of the hardest fighting sentais and hikotais still operating.

Probably the most battered and decorated who originally fought in oscars.

[njp72]

My favourite, full of IJN veterans and aces. Currently rebuilding again.

[njp72]

Another workhorse squadron. The A6M8 has still performed well in most air battles.

[njp72]

And finally a Tojo sqn.

Again despite being outclassed by the P47, has still put in a very credible performance.

[njp72]

The Battle for Fusan intensifies

In the picture you can just see the Allied escort. The bombers are at the bottom of the screen and there were over 400 hitting my units at Fusan in this one air attack.

[njp72]

As the desperation grows the lads continue to step up and perform the ultimate sacrifice.

Kamikaze rammings are really starting to sky rocket which is an indication of how bad the situation really is or how much my pilots hate B25s. Perhaps it is the paint scheme on this model of B25 which incenses my pilots to ram them.[:)]

[PaxMondo]

Yeah, your pilot attrition really rockets due to these individual kami's and there is really nothing you can do about it ... just be prepared with a large pool of trained fighter pilots.

Another reason I don't convert fighter groups to kami's ... already high losses to this kami effect, can't afford more.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Yeah, your pilot attrition really rockets due to these individual kami's and there is really nothing you can do about it ... just be prepared with a large pool of trained fighter pilots.

Another reason I don't convert fighter groups to kami's ... already high losses to this kami effect, can't afford more.

So true, I am really glad I didn't convert any fighter groups over to Kamis as I desperately need every one of them.

It is really annoying how good fighter groups are still withdrawing in May 45 only to be replaced by a stack of training groups with obsolete airframes.

Clearly they are designed to be converted into kamis but I don't need any more Kamis, I need more Frank and George airgroups.[8|] My fighter groups are the only thing standing between sustaining a reasonable fight and total annihilation.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: njp72


...My fighter groups are the only thing standing between sustaining a reasonable fight and total annihilation.

+1

[njp72]

Update late June 45

Pretty happy at the month thus far as the Empire continues to slug it out with the Allies.

Naval combat has ceased with both sides exhausted and the remnants of my fleet hidden by mass minefields and CD guns. Occasional skirmishes but neither side risking much (I have nothing left to risk except a stack of CVs).

All the action has been in the air as the allies have commenced big sweeps and strategic daylight bombing to put more pressure on the scoreboard and destroy a/c factories.

Thus far I have weathered the storm remarkably well thanks to vast pools of fighter aircraft and the fact that every fighter and flak unit are concentrated around key industrial centres.

600 bombers visited Nagasaki last turn but luckily I was ready [:D]

[njp72]

80K VP looks quite achievable now thanks to heavy Allied air losses.

I may even make it into late August despite losing so much IJA now trapped in shrinking pockets in Korea.

I know his air pools are hurting and I don't think Mike can sustain this loss rate. The air assualts have been playing to my strengths.

[njp72]

This snapshot clearly illustrates the massive air bases the allies are launching their assaults from.

Very close to the HI now and the sweeps include the feared P47N which is as every bit of a killing machine as I feared.

Offensively the P51D has been pretty ineffective and it is only the P47s that can cause damage on mass sweeps. I overwhelm the sweeps by sheer numbers and when the Allies feast on the poor Oscar bait at lower altitudes, the FrankRs and Georges exact their revenge.

However, when set defensively Allied CAP is awesome.

The pockets continue to shrink in Korea but they still hold.