PBEM campaign Graham vs Peter

[deVada]

Japanese rocket flak batteries are deadly.
Of over 100 planes intercepting Tanaka north of Auckland - 50 were downed for a price of 1 uneffective hit on Musashi ...
What are they doing wrong ?

As an experiment - there's savepack. Feel free to watch the replay. I haven't seen it but I hope that it is adequate.

Production level 820. It seems that additional bombing is needed.

Japs have a serious problem with allied air zones. Tanaka is refusing to go into them as it seems. Bad thing for allies. Battleships and carriers are more necessary in Japan to eliminate the stiff resistance given by Imperial GHQ units ...

[Capt. Harlock]

My advice would be to produce Invaders, and lots of them. The A-26 was the best medium bomber of the war, although it came too late to see as much action as the B-25 Mitchell or the B-26 Marauder. If you look at the ratings, it has the same bomb-load as a B-17 -- though not the range.

[deVada]

You were right about the multipliers.
It is 1st day of 1945 and Japs again have over 200000 points totally. I must strenghten the efforts to eliminate the industry.

Have You got any idea where to get additional land units from ?

Thanx for the tip with A-26. All factories switched.

[Graham Smith]

....well, unfortunately Devada was right: the Japanese battle group is a rabbit, and not a tiger.
I wasn't sure if Tanaka was not going where he was commanded, or not doing anything when he got there. The last move proved the latter....he just sat in New Calodonia and refused to bombard.

Tanaka's report to the Emporer went something like this:

"Tanaka San, the empire has given you nine fine battleships and it appears they are in the hands of a pacifist"

"Sire, give me some preparation points, and I will make the Pacific into a Japanese lake"

"Tanaka San, if I had five preparation points left in Combined Fleet, I would replace you for insolence."

"But Sire, cant you at least give Combined Fleet some of those preparation points that Imperial HQ is wasting, killing green boys in Osaka"

"Tanaka, you idiot, if Imperial HQ had any preparation points left after the homeland battles, I would be using the points to move my fine armoured division and my 15 fresh Imperial HQ Divisions, from Nagoya, Tokyo and northern Japan, to Osaka"

[deVada]

As stated by enemy unofficial press comment adm. Tanaka has failed to bombard our guys on Fiji. He went close to the harbour, but for unknown reason his ships sailed away before giving at least one shot. Adm. J.H.Smith commanding the base ordered all available planes for immediate attack. Two squadrons of Avengers, two squadrons of B29 plus many fighters rose to attack invaders. Over 20 hits were archieved, but unfortunately not one was lucky enough to do real damage to battleships. Japanese flak batteries are keeping high effectiveness.

On other theatres:
Sydney tasted the fury of Scott's bombardement force, comparising now of 3 Iowas, 5 South Dakotas and two Guam battlecruisiers. Halsey 1st carrier force supported the operation with his carriers shooting down all attackers & demolishing the defending force.
No landings though. Smaller force bombarded Brisbane in order to reduce readiness level.

Adm. Spruance, operating from Morotai with his 2nd carrier force went north to check Philipine defense system. He have managed to shoot down over 200 enemy planes and do some disruption before his safe return to home port, which is now a level 3 airbase.
Sorong has also grown to 3 level airfield, free of Japanese presence.

In Japan - over 2500 US soldiers stopped to grow old further. Japanese army there indeed seems to consume all preparation efforts - without a sign of weakening. Additional ships have been vectored to the area then, including the third carrier fleet under adm. Mitscher, and medium cruisier group under adm. Merril.
The rising looses must be stopped.
US Army and USMC Air Forces continued their efforts to destroy japanese industry, but the level of production is still nearby to 800 points.

USS New Jersey is going back from US docks.

Next week will see the final attempt to capture Brisbane.

[deVada]

3 last Japanese carriers have been sunk by US subs south of Melbourne. Total number of sunk CVs is 10 now.

Intelligence confirms also sinking a CVE.

The last Japanese carrier (unknown location and name) is CVL.


Next week is gonna be fantastic.
Three full sized battleforces are headed for Brisbane.
Tanaka is going to meet Scott with all modern ships standing on the station until the pride of IJN is destroyed.

There is also some air cover planned.

That's going to be cool !!!!

[deVada]

Both Scott's and Tanaka's forces made it on their full speed to Brisbane. Scott was first due to his speed advantage. Tanaka had to shot down some 150 allied planes operating from Spruance carrier force operating in the area in meantime. Numerous hits caused only some paintwork damage (regarding to Tokyo Radio).
After cleaning the sky Tanaka finally made it close enough to Scott battleforce, which was currently finishing a coordinated shooting excercise at poor little Japanese soldiers there, with all attentions focused on the fortress.
Having Scott surprised and taken from the rear side Tanaka ordered Musashi to fire one of its 18 inch gun to call the enemy for final decisive battle.
Directly fired shell went through the flag mast of US flagship - USS Winsconsin - breaking it into half, causing the flag to fall upon Adm. Scott - blinding him completely for several critical minutes. Before the engineering team was able to find admiral in reels of bunting - the crucial chance of attacking Tanaka has gone away.

For unknown reasons - Tanaka was calm also, so Tiger Hunting Week is extended.

See the VCR for details.

[Graham Smith]

Tanaka met Spruance in Brisbane, after which his once proud fleet is a sheet of flame and limping ofF, having suffered morre than about 100 bomb hits over a two week period. And despite all the pain, he still refused to bombard or attack enemy shipping

At the same time, Japanese attempted a Tokyo Express, which resulted in 10 fast cruisers being wiped out by Admiral Scott, without landing a single hit against him.....just plain stupid to have done that.

.....all this sacrifice to no avail, the Allies took Brisbane.

Allies also took Menando...defenders were starved and at 28% readiness before the allies even appeared on the horizon.


IT IS FEBRUARY 1945, DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO ACTIVATE OKHA MISSIONS?

[AdmNelson]

Okha missions---- If you are allowed Kamikaze missions your GM4 units can have Okha missions assigned. My experience with this is that this comes in March 45 or later. This was in PAcWar 2.3 but I believe this would apply to 3.2 also. If you have any A6M2 left they are great to use with Okha's but they will not last long. Your Okhas do have to survive against cap but not AA fire( when they hit they are deadly). You will know when you have Okha missions you will see it under the mission section of the GM4.

[deVada]

This week, Menando fell to several US task forces bound from Sorong. With some bombardement and carrier air support the base was taken after few rounds of intense fighting.
Now, engineers will need to take care of it, level 2 field isn't too usible.

Japanese air force has shown its teeth once again. 100 Japanese fighters operating from Ambon Island have managed to down 80 allied fighters in a furious battle, plus to sink several destroyers from Adm. Wilkinson fast destroyer task force which bombed their lair. 5 or 6 modern destroyers were lost. If enemy fighters are still there, 1st carrier sqdn will have a busy week operating there.

Regular bombing raids on Java and other oil rich areas would be soon possible. It will allow to reduce the Japanese industrial capacity finally. Factories are seeming to be almost completely wrecked, but the industrial factor declines to go under 600.

In Japan - another round of land battle of Osaka, Japanese troops defending the outskirts of the city were putten under heavy air and naval pressure so the looses are back higher on defending side. Next week those actions will be continued, as well as further air raids upon the factories.

In Australia - Tanaka has finally made it out of Spruance's carriers range. Having almost all ships on fire, battleship Kongo captured in Brisbane harbour two weeks ago he seems now to be retreating to Sydney in order to meet the remnants of heavy cruisier forces from those large transport groups described before.
Scott and Spruance were both scheduled there in another interception attempt, but enemy destination is proably fake.
Anyway - Sydney needs some shells desperately if cleaning of Brisbane is to be made.

Forces concentrated in Cairns and Sorong are launching a landing in Darwin this week. With support of 1st carrier squadron and all surface combatants in the area tha action is having some chances. 2nd carrier squadron will take care of Palau and Ulithi islands to cover a medium US transport group which entered the enemy air zones.

US submarines - after showing brillant results south of Australia, were concentrated there to sting Tanaka wherever it is possible.
Even the old S class "diving boats" were taken back from ports.

See the actual scores.

[Graham Smith]

Japan has called a national day of mourning for the loss of the gallant admiral Tanaka. With fires ranging around his bridge on the Mushashi (which seems to have a magnetic field which attracts bombs), he transfered his flag to the cruiser Myoko, only to have it sink under him, just from the weight of unexploded bombs embedded in the deck.

It is fitting that Tanaka will forever lie beneath the sea near my own hometown, Melbourne.

[deVada]

Huge US & AUS troop pack landed there finally after two weeks of swimming from Cairns, only to give japs bloodbath. Despite intense support from surface and carrier forces the city is still controlled by Japanese army.
No decision yet to keep sturming or to withdraw.
Last elements of Japanese army defending Brisbane have retreated to Sydney, only to be bombarded by Scott's heavy battleforce operating there.
Spruance's raid on Melbourne launched to meet the reorganized Japanese battleforce failed to find enemy ships, so the base was bombed instead.

In Osaka - tactic of massed air strikes merged with heavy naval bombardment seems to be working fine. Japanese soldiers have no tanks, no guns so their looses are incerasing, but no breakthrough has been made.
In Tokyo - succesful bombardment was made by all old battleships, unluckily japanese air force from Sendai took several destroyers. Over 100 planes attacked. Anyway, over 700 enemy soldiers have died due to shelling.

Minor air engagements in Mariannas and Sorong area.

[deVada]

Darwin fell finally to continued allied efforts to take the base.
Luckily, 16th Army Headquarters were destroyed also.
US Military Police is now seeking enemy commanders.
Japanese presence is still being felt, as the remnants of Japanese army are fighting a battle to withdraw to Broome.
Taking Cloncurry should also be finally possible.

On other theatres, Kenney's 8th Army is bleeding in Sydney, 6th Army under Stilwell is bleeding in Japan.
US navy has doubled the efforts to kill as many defenders as possible, thus continuing their industrial levelling struggle.
The industrial capacity is now 526. Few more hits and it is over.

[Graham Smith]

March 1945, and the Japanese fleet is now only good for target practice.

Japanese battle fleet of four battleships (including the mighty Mushashi, Nagato and Mutsu and a Kirashima class) and 10 Ca and 1CLAA, met the alliied fleet. The entire Japanese Fleet (except 3 crippled CA), slipped quietly beneath the waves, without inflicting visible damage on a single allied ship.

Presumably, the poor performance is due to low preparation points.......single digit prep points for combined fleet and Imperial HQ, single digit oil supply, single digit tank pools, single digit artillery pools, single digit factories........but aside from these minor problems, the Japanese empire is in great shape,we still have over 500,000 resource pool and .......well, I cant think of anything lse that the Emporer has in abundance except will to fight on..... Bonzai .

...and the kill multipier has suddenly disappeared.

But despite all these developments that are not fully within the war plan, the Emporer has called a day of national rejoicing to celebrate the sinking of an allied destroyer, by about a dozen Kamikaze strikes from Ambon, Kendari and Timor.

[Capt. Harlock]

Condolences to Graham for the fate of the Japanese surface fleet. (I would have thought the Mushashi could do some damage to anything the allies have.) And the single-digit pools are painful, but what does your infantry pool look like?

[Graham Smith]

Mushashi already had 22% damage from numerous hits by 500lb, a couple of 1000lb and a 2000lb bomb. She scored a couple of 18" hits in return , on an Iowa class I believe, but no damage was visible on the Iowa.

Infantry pool is still in good shape....it climbed to 32000 in 1943, sat exactly on 32,000 for 1944 and early 45, and has been rapidly dropping over the last few months..... now at less than 20,000. The losses are 300 to 400 squads every week, mainly from the homeland battles against heavy artillery and tanks, and from numerous bombardments from an allied fleet, that goes where ever it choses to go.

But the Japanese army is still a force to be respected.....it only have to survive for another 8 months.....but it is painfull watching the video every week, with the army sitting and absorbing casualties and dropping in experience, without being able to hit back. Devada has an interesting race against time !!!

[deVada]

is really stressing.

With no land units, poor experience of those existing conquest of the universe is really hard.
The only way to win the war I see is to kill as many Japanese soldiers and people as possible.
Maybe after capturing Sydney and Melbourne (I am currently knocking at the Sydney's gates) some of Australian units will arrive, then immediately a major offensive could be launched.

Regarding to damage done by Tanaka in the last great naval battle - there was no need to repair any ship. USS Winsconsin is at about 20 damage and the rest is OK. They're gone to Sydney this week to support land offensives.

Third thing - it is really hard to find Japanese tank or cannon. Imperial soldiers are seeming to be equipped only with rifles.

[Graham Smith]

Broome fell without much of a fight.......a Division and three Brigade size units, but they wer tired after the retreat from Darwin. The boys dont fight well at all without supplies of Sake.

803 land squads lost last turn......plus over 400 maniac pilots, trying to attack fleet carriers with no fighter support.

At least with the loss of all my carriers and most of my battleships, Combined Fleet preparation point are now reaching well into the double digit numbers.

......but it is all a cunning trick of the emporer, appear weak, let the round eyes get over confident, then wham!

[Graham Smith]

The resistance capacity of even the Japanese army is falling rapidly........odds in Sydney went from 2 to one, to 10 over a period of just one week. A total of 7 Divisions, Brigades and Regiments were defending, but they just cannot hold against the combined bombardment of battlefleets, carrrier groups and land airforce.

Allied battlefleets and carrier groups both intercepted Japanese supply and evacuation convoys last week.......just slaughter.

[Aussie]

Broome fell without much of a fight.......a Division and three Brigade size units, but they wer tired after the retreat from Darwin. The boys dont fight well at all without supplies of Sake.

I'm not surprised - that would have been one hell of a long hard slog from Darwin to Broome. Retreating troops would have taken several months to make the distance. Its a long haul driving on the modern highway. Don't know what the track would have been like in the early 40's, probably a small dirt one. Up to the late 1980s, there was a single lane sealed road between Darwin & Broome.