AAR: Istfemer (A) vs zeke99 (J)

[Istfemer]

Situation on 3/07/43
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CBI:
Intense air war over Rangoon.
Air-to-Air losses: 87 Ki-43-II Hayabusa vs. 65 F4U-1 Corsair
Allied ground losses: 6 arty, 1 afvs.

150 Liberators from Dacca bombed Haiphong again. This time the supply depots were hit, for light damage.
Air-to-Air losses: 8 B-24 Liberator vs. 6 A6M2 Reisen, 6 Ki-43-II Hayabusa

8 P-38G Lightnings engaged 15 G4M Hamaki bombers during their night raid on Vizagapatam and shot down 5 of them.
The Night-Betties didn't damage any supplies.
Wellingtons from Calcutta bombed Andaman depots at night. They did Moderate & Moderate damage.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 10 squads, 18 arty, 3 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 7 arty, 1 afvs.

Central Pacific:
Japanese subs prowl near Ponape. Catalinas damaged one, but the sneaky thing still got away.
Allied B-26s and Corsairs/Dauntlesses have begun bombing Ponape and Nauru. Yes, Nauru is on fire again.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 12 Japanese merchants and 1 DE. Mark-14 torpedo problems solved at last?
Japanese submarines sank 1 Clemson DD (convoy escort). We sank 1 Jap sub in retaliation.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 3/14/43
'There are things out there that go bomb in the night and make other things go BOOM! in the night' — old wisdom
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CBI:
Intense air war over Rangoon.
Air-to-Air losses: 120 Ki-43-II Hayabusa vs. 79 F4U-1 Corsair
Allied ground losses: 6 arty, 3 afvs.

Allied long-range bombers pulled off another successful night raid on Andaman depots --- light, Moderate & light damage was reported.
Night-Betties continue harassing Ceylon. They struck Colombo this week. Light damage to supply depot was reported.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 7 squads, 9 arty, 2 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 13 arty, 2 afvs.

Central Pacific:
Allied planes in the Marshalls continue bombing Ponape and Nauru depots.
A recon flotilla of x6 Manley APDs has located the hunting [s]grounds[/s] waters of Japanese submarines. 7 squares east of Jaluit — that's where most of the sinkings of Allied shipping & escorts happen these days. This needs to stop. CenPac calls for enhanced active ASW measures --- and hunter-killer DD groups finally get the green light. Test deployment of several H-K destroyer groups on the most dangerous convoy routes is approved. Their weekly patrol logs will be given in a separate report, so that we may better evaluate their effectiveness.

Night-Betties struck Wake Island. Light damage to supply depot was reported.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 6 Japanese merchants, 1 tanker and 1 CD.
Japanese submarines sank 1 Clemson DD (convoy escort), again. We sank 1 Jap sub in retaliation. Again.
Why the sudden hate of Clemsons?

[Capt. Harlock]

Why the sudden hate of Clemsons?

(Sinsister voice) They have . . . outlived their usefulness.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 3/21/43
Rather unlucky turn for the Allies; for the Americans particularly so.
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CBI:
Intense air war over Rangoon is getting less intense.
Air-to-Air losses: 75 Ki-43-II Hayabusa vs. 32 F4U-1 Corsair
Allied ground losses: 5 arty, 2 afvs.

Andaman depots continue to be the RAF's favourite target.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 1 arty.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 8 arty, 5 afvs.

So few casualties on the Jap side this turn. Strange.

Central Pacific:
USN raid on Ponape ends on an unpleasant note.

What happened: I sent 2 tfs to Ponape (standoff 0 for both), in a move that might be best described as "aggressive reconnaissance".
My Bombardment TF did its job and retired without problems. My Air TF --- did not.
The latter was attacked by Betties from Rabaul and Saipan, and by Zeroes from Truk. Air opposition was not even THAT heavy.
I'd say it was rather moderate. (Zeroes were kinda numerous though) Anyway, this is how it all went:

1st Betty strike from Rabaul -- all 12 bombers are shot down.
1st Zero strike from Truk -- 21 Zeroes shot down for 18 Wildcats lost.
2nd Zero strike from Truk -- 12 Zeroes shot down for 25 Wildcats lost.
2nd Betty strike from Rabaul -- only 2 Betties out of 8 get through (6 are shot down), but one of them puts a 4**** 250kg bomb into Lexington!
3rd Zero strike from Truk -- 8 Zeroes shot down for 16 Wildcats lost.
Betty strike from Saipan -- Woohoo, night strike. Does nothing, everybody lives.

By the way, this was the first time in our game that I saw Betties performing a Night Naval Interdiction attack.
Thankfully, the bombers in that squadron were "unable to locate targets at night".

Result: Mitscher is KIA.
The orphaned task force has violated its return orders and keeps running circles 'round Ponape. Now I have to get this TF out of the harm's way somehow.

Zeke, apparently willing to capitalize on this sudden success, has recalled his squadrons to Ponape. Ponape (Airfield size 4) is currently isolated, so all flights from that base are reduced, but I can see why Zeke would try his chances.
Never miss an opportunity to sink your opponent's flattops, right?

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
No convoy sinkings this week. Zero convoy contacts, which is bizarre in itself.
One H-K DD group spotted a Japanese sub, but not before this sub greeted the leading DD with a 1* torpedo.
Clemsons depth charged the sub, but the sub got away. Definitely an unlucky turn.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 3/28/43
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CBI:
Rangoon was quiet-quiet-quiet.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: NONE.
Allied ground losses: 3 squads, 11 arty, 4 afvs.

What is this? I'll sack all responsible for this unauthorized suspension of air operations!

Central Pacific:
I sacrificed 6 British merchants to help the orphaned (formerly Mitscher's) ACTF get to safety.
These six cargo ships did their job just fine, I guess -- distracted Zeroes and Bettys long enough to allow my ACTF an opportunity to escape to Maloelap unattacked.
I'm not sure if this sacrifice was a practical thing to do, though. Probably not.
I was expecting ACTF reaction strikes and submarine attacks from the Japanese, but none occurred. Oh well. You never know.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 3 Japanese merchants, 1 tanker and 1 DE.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 4/04/43
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CBI:
Night-Betties (Medan-based) raided Calcutta this week.
The Japs expected they'd pull off a perfect bombing run on Calcutta's military warehouses, but something went wrong. Their squadron was caught into an awesome lightning storm instead.
No damage was done to Allied supplies or fuel and 9 out of 15 Betties were shot down by Lightnings on night duty.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 7 squads, 16 arty, 4 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 4 arty, 2 afvs.

Close-Air-Support ops have resumed after I sacked some useless senior air officers.
I wish I could do the same to all those useless logistics officers. It sure seems like I have plenty of them. The supply situation in Australia is ugly and is not improving at all. We all know that supply must flow. Like a river or something. My supply river, overheated by the fires ignited by Japanese bombs, has been reduced to a weak, tiny stream.

Central Pacific:
Ponape and Nauru islands continue to be hot zones. The USAAF bombs them every week.

I feel threatened by Zeke's carriers. There are just too many of them around.
If my estimates are correct, he should have 8 CVs, 4 CVLs, 4 CVEs operational at the moment.
I only have 4 CVs and 2 CVEs operational. The fifth (Lady Lex) is being repaired in a dry dock, so she doesn't count.
That translates to approx. x2.5 advantage over me, if not more. In reality, it's probably closer to x3. Clearly not a ratio favoring any Allied offensive naval ops.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 7 Japanese merchants and 1 tanker.
Japanese submarines sank 1 Allied merchant.
Twice my H-K DD groups spotted Japanese subs and twice those subs dived and evaded the hunters.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 4/11/43
Now is a happy time for offensive night air operations everywhere. Both sides are doing them.
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CBI:
Night-Wellingtons struck Nanning depots for light & light damage.

China doesn't often figure in my reports. The situation here is quite static and has been so for months.
It's a rare day/night in Kweilen when air sirens don't ring and AA guns don't fire. Kweilen has been bombed by the IJAAF for... I don't know how many weeks straight. Yet despite all this attrition the Chinese spirit has not been broken and KMT still has the will to resist. By now, world-class experts in aerial bomb dodging, the KMT armies shrug off most of the punishment that enemy planes deliver. Also present here is the 18th CW Div, nicknamed "The Stuck One", as the new game rules prevent it from moving to any other KMT base (and likely prevent it from retreating too!). It guards the gates of Kweilen against the possible Japanese advance from the south. The Brits lose afvs nearly every week.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 4 squads, 11 arty, 4 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 4 squads, 5 arty, 2 afvs.

Night-Betties (from Milne Bay) struck Rockhampton and did light damage to the supply depot. An audacious raid.
I'm struggling to keep my units near Townsville supplied and those Betties come and ruin my supply lines even further.
And they dare to do it at the time when my own planes sit it out in the hangars instead of bombing that undefended Townsville depot.
It's not the first (or fifth, or tenth) time my squadrons refuse to attack designated targets for no apparent reason and simply waste their turns.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 8 Japanese merchants and 2 tankers.
Japanese submarines sank 1 Allied merchant.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 4/18/43
This week brings in a nasty surprise for the Japanese Empire.
FLASH: B-24 Liberators attack the Home Islands from bases in Nationalist China. Bomb Nagasaki in broad daylight.
4000 civilians killed. Heavy industry damaged. (Moderate & light damage is reported)
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CBI:
The CBI HQ has been planning this raid for more than a year (both game time and real time), and it succeeded!
Seven B-24 squadrons departed from their bases Chungking and Kweiyang and headed for Nagasaki. 105 bombers participated in the attacks and 14 of them were damaged/destroyed by Japanese flak fire. I hope it was indeed a huge blow to Japanese morale, not to mention industry.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: 6 squads, 14 arty, 8 afvs.
Allied ground losses: 2 squads, 13 arty, 7 afvs.

Allied night raid on Cairns destroyed a few tons of enemy supply.
Night-Betties from Milne Bay tried another raid on Rockhampton, but this time my Lightnings were prepared to intercept them.
9 out of 25 Betties were shot down. Allied supplies weren't damaged.

Central Pacific:
Allied air attacks are becoming more organized. B-26 Marauder pilots are working hard indeed.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 1 Japanese merchant and 1 tanker.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 4/25/43
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CBI:
Lightnings and Beaufighters destroyed 18 planes on the ground at Andaman. Andaman lost large quantities of supply & fuel this turn.

Australia:
Air bombing campaign at Townsville.
Japanese ground losses: NONE.
Allied ground losses: 1 squad, 2 arty, 5 afvs.

I rebased 6 squadrons of B-24s to Rockhampton and attacked Cairns with them. 156 bombers struck Cairns airfields.
Losses: 23 Liberators vs. 28 Japanese fighters damaged/destroyed in the air. 40 enemy planes were destroyed on the ground.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 14 Japanese merchants.
Japanese submarines sank 1 Allied merchant.

[Capt. Harlock]

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 14 Japanese merchants.
Japanese submarines sank 1 Allied merchant.

A considerable improvement on last turn's results! Did you shift some subs around to new patrol areas?

[zeke99]

After months of planning and preparation the Japanese did a surprise attack and took Rockhampton after fierce fighting. [:)]

The main Australian LCUs are now trapped in Townsville, a Stalingrad moment looming?

Allied HQ should be in panic by now [:D]

[Istfemer]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
A considerable improvement on last turn's results! Did you shift some subs around to new patrol areas?

I shift my subs around nearly every turn. I usually assign 3/4ths to the known chokepoints with heavy convoy traffic, usually close to the Home Islands. The rest are sent to hunt on less travelled & less defended routes. I also employ a few tiny "scout" groups for spotting Zeke's tf movements in areas beyond the search range of Catalinas.

The x10 Gato sub group assigned to the square 42,19 (southwest of Nagoya) attacked convoys 19 times this turn. The rest of attacks (11 in total) came from 4 different sub groups. Allied submarine ops are incredibly random in our game. One turn the number of sunk Japanese convoys is in the dozens; next turn it's zero.

[Istfemer]

ORIGINAL: zeke99
The main Australian LCUs are now trapped in Townsville, a Stalingrad moment looming?

"Main"? They aren't. Even in the worst-case scenario I'll still have enough divisions and brigades to kick the Japs out of Australia.

By the way, Zeke's continued fixation on Stalingrad is decidedly unhealthy.
It's the second time I see him mention Stalingrad when talking about Australian bases.
Cairns was to be my Stalingrad last spring, you know. It didn't happen.
That said, current situation in northern Australia is looking bad for us Allies.
---

The Allied HQs are not panicking; they don't have time to.
They are preparing a major Allied (counter-)offensive.

[zeke99]

""Main"? They aren't." For me the 6th & 7th Aust.Div always were, but this is only my take [8D]

"By the way, Zeke's continued fixation on Stalingrad is decidedly unhealthy." I hope I get well soon[;)]

Anyway, have there been big encirclement battles in the Pacific theatre?

[zeke99]

update: we like to wait for the program update before continuing as we both have convoy supply problems.

[zeke99]

Unfortunately Istfemer has no longer time to continue the game.

Is anyone interested in a game??? [&o]

[Istfemer]

Yeah, I'm in kind of a crisis right now. Have been in one for a while.

Our game is not abandoned, however. I don't like to keep Zeke waiting like this (judging from his post above he's full of energy and would do a dozen turns in a row), but...

[zeke99]

Happy to hear that, ready when you are [:D]

In the mean time I hope someone is willing for an other game.

[Istfemer]

Good news: I'm ready and willing to resume this game. I'm sure Zeke is pleased as much as I am, if not more. [:)]
Before we can resume though, I'll have to make and post a long overdue report on the current situaton in our game. Shouldn't take long.

[Istfemer]

Situation on 5/2/43
Japanese forces succeed in cutting off a bunch of Australian land units in a surprise invasion.
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Australia:
Following a major Allied SIGINT blunder (a 'most regrettable failure of intelligence, both on part of the equipment and the brains', as one intel official unrelated to the incident privately characterized it), the Japanese launched a massive amphibious assault at Rockhampton -- and pulled it off, capturing the beat up base in the process.

The Japanese sent every major warship they could muster to Rockhampton, together with the bulk of imperial merchant fleet. I'm not kidding here; I could count at least 20 Jap Tfs in total splashing around off the coast of Rockhampton.
Among them:
Two strong CVTfs to screen the rest of the invasion fleet.
Three strong BBTfs, each of them consisting of 1 CVE,3 BBs,3 CAs,3CLs/CLAAs commanded by Kondo, Yamada and Kusaka.
One Tf composed of 5 CAs,2 CLs, commanded by Takahashi.
One Tf composed of 5 CLs, commanded by Omori.

Total Allied Lcu casualties from naval bombardments:
41 squads
76 arty
99 afvs

An extended series of amphibious landings followed. After initial supply troubles the invading forces of Lt.Gen Mutaguchi overwhelmed Rockhampton (Odds: 6), costing me quite a lot of capable aircraft. Prolonged lack of supply (primarily due to much too severe penalties to effectiveness of distant supply convoys that were present in recent EXE versions) was the deciding factor in its fall. General Wavell surrendered with the base. HQ Malaya is no more. A few badly battered Australian units retreat to Brisbane in the aftermath of the brutal end-of-turn battle, but others continue to hold their ground.

Also, I think the aforementioned intelligence fail contributed a lot. SIGINT failed to get the destination info from a suspicious enemy task force I spotted earlier. It failed 3 times in a row and I had no SIGINT points left to try my luck some more. I made a guess and boy, did I guess wrong. A D-Day scale Japanese invasion of the fortified Allies-controlled Australian mainland is not what I expected this week to bring about.


Total Allied & Japanese Lcu casualties from land combat:
Japanese lost:
546 squads
38 arty
16 afvs

Allies lost:
340 squads
27 arty
4 afvs

Also, 7 of my Rockhampton-based MCSs were either sunk in port or later at sea, as part of an escaping Tf.

The rest:
Nothing of much importance happened elsewhere this week. Just the small opportunistic raids on exposed supply depots & lcus -- the regular (and boring) Pacific War stuff.

Weekly sub/antisub operations:
We sank 4 Japanese merchants and 1 tanker.
Japanese submarines sank 2 Allied merchants.
1 Allied sub was lost to Japanese ASW.
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We require more carriers. Any carriers will do, really. [8|]