PBEM campaign Graham vs Peter

[deVada]

as Germany surrendered this week.

US Commanders in Pacific are now hoping for extra troop deliveries to their theatre.
After taking Sydney, which was supposed to give US support of all Australian divisions, nothing much happened, ex. some minor ships appearing and 10 Australian aerial squadrons.
Adm. Crace is bombing Sydney with them and RAAF is under training and refitting from pre-war planes to modernest ones.
No factories though appeared.

This week seen was also plentiful in cathegory of land battles.
In Osaka and Nagasaki, Canberra, Sydney - different odds, looses generally equal. Japanese army seems to be fighting good without guns and tanks as well.
Heavy naval pressure on Japanese defenders in Sydney, Melbourne, Japan and Ambon Island created many widows also.

Japanese navy (the remnants of) keeps swimming all around trying to evade numerous hunting expeditions, which have now free hand operating anywhere. Japanese airforce shows no sign of life ...

see the scores for the status,
btw
anyone knows how much points are required to finish the war definitely ?

[AdmNelson]

It is my understanding that for the points to conclude the game you would have to a 2-1 ratio. If not then the game continues into 1946 as it stands now. I see that the score of your game you have already lost the muliplier for kill points so the game as it stands would go into 1946.

Adm Nelson

[Capt. Harlock]

Adm Nelson is correct: you need a two-to-one margin in victory points. In other words, the Allies would have to increase the total to almost 280,000 points!

Hmmm, it seems I was one-third wrong. Peter received the air squadrons and ships but not the LCU's, which of course was what he really wanted. Still, fresh ships and pilots are better than nothing. Did any Australian troops appear at SW Pacific HQ?

I'm afraid there will be no factories: once a city is captured by the other side, all factories present and future are destroyed. (I found that out the hard way when my opponent seized Calcutta in a Ver. 1.X game, and even though I took it back, virtually all British aircraft production ceased.)

[daniel123]

In order for the allies to get a 2 to 1 win they need to reduce the points the Japanese are getting for control of bases. If the Japanese 44,000+ can be reduced and the allied total increased they might be able to win before 1946. The allies need to attack those bases with the greatest point value.

[AdmNelson]

In order for the allies to get a 2 to 1 win they need to reduce the points the Japanese are getting for control of bases. If the Japanese 44,000+ can be reduced and the allied total increased they might be able to win before 1946. The allies need to attack those bases with the greatest point value.

As for victory points the answer is yes. As for the Japanese building bases, this can have negative issues later because of victory points and air bases that can used against you. Over building for the Japanese looks good in the begining, later it becomes the two edge sword. American land base air can dominate the surrounding areas. Sometimes you believe you have this air curtain to defend you from the Allied player, only to find one base falling and the entire defense line failing.

[deVada]

I see that having Graham defeated isn't possible.
I would need to take all bases, kill all his soldiers, rape entire womenhood of Japan - still having insufficient amount of my beloved victory points.

Emperor doesn't want to surrender on honorable terms so I got nuthin' else to do than take as many bases as possible, kill as many soldiers as possible and to rape as many women as possible ... :p

Last week I have started with conquest of Bali.
6th US and 9th Australian infantry divisions are already enjoying the attractions.

Fierce fighting in Japan and Sydney. Looses are still almost equal despite US Navy's efforts to kill as many a s s posible.

[deVada]

Washington Today,

Pride of United States Navy, USS Lexington was dreadfully attacked yesterday at night by Imperial Airforces while returning from mop-up mission in Tokyo.
Three enemy bombers of unknown type appeared from nowhere at 2 am, slipping it from the heavy clouds ... AA batteries of Mitscher task force opened fire instantly - downing two thirds of attacking planes but the last one has made it through - crashing in the middle of deck. Adm. Mitscher luckily survived the attack, but the carrier is almost crippled.
The ship has made it to Osaka escorted by 4 Fletchers... 92% damage ...

[Graham Smith]

Defeat of Japan is still possible, I think. If Devada keeps on inflicting casualties at the current rate, he only need to take about 20,000 to 25000 contol points off the Japanese score, add these on to the Allied score, and I think it will be close to 2:1 by end of 1945.

Japanese airforce still exists, but it appears mostly to react to air attacks and bombardments......it doesnt attack much anymore......presumably that is due to lack of fuel and preparation points

[Capt. Harlock]

It's possible, yes, but it's going to be tough. A Japanese base with a 9 airfield and 9 port is worth 180 victory points--in other words, you need upwards of 100 of those bases, and there just aren't that many. More typically, a base has a 4 airfield and 3 port, being worth 70 points. But that would mean capturing over 280 of them. Time to look for bases with extra points attached to them in the form of oil and resource points...

[deVada]

Japanese Empire still holds it on.

Heavy land battles in Nagasaki, this time IJA lost triple as many squads as allies - US commanders are glad that finally their human resources are showing to fail. No allied attack in Osaka though, Japanese presence in soldiers (no guns or tanks) is growing there, so after last weeks of bloodbath there is a pause.
However USN is keeping it's duty to bombard everything that moves, hitting Osaka, Nagasaki, Tokushima, Tokyo and Nagoya regularly. Sad thing is that in recent 6 months those escapades aren't as killfull as before - proably due to general numerical decerase of IJA forces in Japan. I.e. - in 1944 a raid of 6 US battleships accompanied by some heavy cruisiers was able to kill 500 or more Japanese soldiers in Tokyo, now the maximum is 300.
Hard to find a gun or tank there also. All CVE's and one of carrier squadrons are supporting the operations in Japan.

In Australia:
after taking Sydney and pushing Japanese army to Canberra US troops made another leap and landed few divisions in Melbourne.
They put up a good fight, but after two weeks of siege the looses are equal. Scott with all modern king size ships and Spruance with his carrier pack are supporting the operations there, but same as in Japan - it is hard to inflict severe looses to such poor enemy with no equipment. Efforts there would be continued.

In Java/Philipines theatre:
After taking Bali, Flores and Soembawa Isles (all defended by secret geisha squadrons only ) US forces regrouped instantly - taking Macassar last week and giving a large amphibous landing in Balikpapan. In recent days the base fell to second wave of attackers, supported by some naval forces and a carrier squadron. IJA presence there would be quickly smashed.
Regardless of some successes in land battling - IJAF shows teeth some time to time - scoring many ships (mostly DD and AKA&AP) with Kamikaze attacks and night operations. Having a large airbase in the area would surely help allies. Engineers from 43rd battalion are already deployed in Menando (now level 2 field).
US forces, using mainly P47N are trying to hunt Japanese shipping all around the war theatre, but without Kamikaze option - their biggest success as far is sinking of AKA plus some patrol crafts ...
After P51H became available - many squadrons have been converted to this superior fighter-bomber. US Army Air Force is now widely using A-26 Invaders, mainly against land units in Japan and Australia.
A big task force of 4 battleships (all on fire) accompanied by huge pack of AKAs was seen south of Fiji and attacked by P47N's form there, but strafing hasn't done much damage. All SIGINT forces are now looking for destination of enemy.

Still no Australian land units have appeared in Australia. Newly formed RAAF squadrons are now in active duty in Australia.
Adm. Crace is supporting mopping up of Sydney with his tiny force too.

See the map of Celebes for actual view of battles there.

[deVada]

What is the effect of atomic strike ?
Does it kills land units there ?

If not - I am afraid that there are no factories to be destroyed and no civilians to be killed (my surgical strikes are going well ), so 4 years of scientist's hard work may be wasted ...

see the actual scores ...
/a very simple is to only open the file from internet location, without a need to download it/

[Graham Smith]

Previous reports stated that Tanaka went down without a whimper, when his battle fleet quietly slipped beneath the waves
without so much as damaging an allied vessel.

However, Tanaka was found washed up on a beach near Melbourne and is again flying his flag on one of the three remaining Japanese battleships....however the flag is slightly fire damaged.

Now Devada reports a Japanese task force south of Fiji, .......if it were 1942, it would be a believable report, but surely a Japanese fleet cannot be roaming the South Pacific in 1945?

The explanation is Tanaka's secret orders: go to Argentina and pick up Doctors Messerschmitt and von Braun, take them back for the secret weapons program in the homeland.



Japanese armoured divisions, which a few month ago had 243 Infantry squads, a few hundred guns and over 200 tanks, are now reduced to 80 infantry companies, zero guns, zero tanks...how can you still call it an armoured division? What a shame that these divisions never got to fight the enemy, before bombardments destroyed their offensive firepower.

[Capt. Harlock]

I had thought that a successful Atomic Bomb mission destroyed all factories at a city. But, re-reading the manual, it destroys only one factory and causes a number of civilian casualties. (The number is determined at random.) Apparently, there are no losses to LCU's or LBA's at the base.

Personally, I would cancel the Manhattan Project and accelerate the development of jet fighters! But I have a feeling that there are an unlimited number of civilians--in other words, the program never checks to see if there are no more left.

[deVada]

Surgical strikes are better than A-bomb ?
What the hell I need it then for ?

I see taking Tokyo should be my next task ...

[Heeward]

Consider that you also receive VP’s for civilian casualties.

[Graham Smith]

Tanaka was reported on his way to Argentina, to pick up Nazi scientists. This was actually a cover story for the real reason Tanaka was going east......he had no fuel for the run past the allied subs, carriers and airfields in Australia.

Tanaka sent a refuelling party ashore at Nassau Island......only to run slap bang into a entire Chinese KMT army......what is a KMT army doing in the far south Pacific? By pure luck, this army had an experience of 15, and it surrended to a Japanese regiment !!!

Now Tanaka has enough fuel to really go to Argentina.


Cloncurry and Balakpapan have fallen to the allies. Tarakan and Melbourne are holding.

Kamekazi are active in the southern Phillipines.

[deVada]

US Goverment wishes to give heartlift thanks to Mr. Tanaka and his 16th Infantry Regiment for finding the base of those red fraction. CIA has almost found them anyway but eliminating them in this way is surely more political.
3000 skeweyes killed for 300 skeweyes. Good thing for nationalists in US.
San Diego (regarding to SIGINT) on high alert now. If one regiment can kill a division - landing of two IJA divisions would allow Tanaka to seize United States!

God bless America !


Worse is, that allied landing forces in Tarakan failed to take the base in first day, loosing over 1000 men for minimal Japanese looses.

[deVada]

A busy week for Allied land units.

Japan:
Both Osaka and Nagasaki saw thousands of deaths. In Nagasaki where IJA divisions are all at about 80 squads with no guns or tanks - Japanese looses are higher. In Osaka, IJA keeps inflicting more looses due to good entrenchment and fresh units marching from Tokyo. USN keeps bombing them as much as possible, but as stated before it doesn't bring much effect.

In Indonesia:
Tarakan is being still cleared of defending IJA units. Despite taking the base US troops are still loosing more men that Japs. Experience is the key. Balikpapan has been finally cleared. 88 Japanese soldiers fought against 4 full sized allied divisions for two weeks. Their long resistance was proably caused by impossibility to find them in the jungle ...
US troops are now having huge transport group at Balikpapan - ready for further actions in the area.
Two carrier forces are operating in the area - so finally Kamikaze raids from Kendari and Soerabaja have been stopped. In recent weeks - over 15 ships have been sunk by them, incl. 2 CL.

In Australia:
Melbourne still besieged. Week by week Japanese looses are incerasing... The end is close.
Bad thing are Japanese submarines operating there ... Last week USS Indiana received two torpedoes ... It needs repairs badly ...

Intelligence is reporting that some of IJN submarine groups have less than zero submarines ... They have promised to produce them after the war. Is it a kind of war debt ?

see the replay if You wish

[Graham Smith]

It is now August 1945....Japanes intelligence has heard about a secret project called Manhatten....but they have adviced the emporer not to worry, Sake is better than a Manhatten?

An Allied carrier group parked itself in the middle of the Phillipines, and systematically blasted every airfield from Clark to Davao. Japanese counter attacked with everything they had, but didnt even sight the smoke from the carier task force before the CAP wiped them out.

Japanese produced G4M in great number in during 1944, and held them for Okhu attacks....unfortunately, these have been absolutely useless. Only two attacks have taken place since March, and these only got a couple of transports. It seems better to just assign the Bettys for Kamikaze.

....and yes, Peter is right, most of my sub groups have a negative number of submarines. I was wondering why my subs were so useless......maybe a negative torpedeo hit repairs damage.

[deVada]

Intense air actions happened this week in Japan.
IJAF from Korea attacked twice a small task force of 2 CVE plus some destroyers, at anchor in Nagasaki.
Despite numerous CAP fighters, 50 kamikaze Ki-67 and Hayates made it through, sinking two CVE instantly as well as few destroyers.
CAP squadrons have been instantly reinforced.
Intense land combats brought four thousand killed soldiers totally on both sides. Japanese army still doesn't want to leave Osaka and Nagasaki.

First group of B29 (9th BG) from Bonin Island has been ordered for nuclear strike. No attack yet though.

In Australia - light combat in Sydney and Cloncurry.
Allied troops besieging Melbourne need an amphibous landing to have combat triggered. US carrier and battleship forces are playing with numerous japanese sub groups there, supporting the operation. Large amounts of supply are also swimming from Sydney to Melbourne regularly. USS Alabama together with USS Indiana are both in dry dock due to last submarine attacks.

Tanaka has been engaged by long range P47Ns from Hawaiian Isles south of the archipelago. Not much effect but at least he was spotted with his smoky battleships and transport. He is currently bound for Palmyra. A greeting comitee is ready.
If it comes to naval battle - it would be interesting to see a force of over 60 escort destroyers engaging heavily damaged battleships, cruisiers and transports.

In Indonesia - big US carrier force engaged japanese transport task force, attacking it with over 300 planes. The result was funny. Only 3 AKAs of over 50 in the task force were sunk.
A change in air combat task forces tactics must be done.
Huge groups will be splitted to smaller ones. The price is big risk of being hit by kamikazes but the current effects are annoying.

Tarakan was finally cleared of Japanese soldiers.
Enemy air wings were withdrawn from Java after several engagements with Halsey's carriers.

US high command hasn't decided yet where to next strike will go. Environment is very target rich. Previous plan of hitting India will be proably cancelled due to high enemy land unit presence in key bases reported by intelligence. Oil yards in Philipines and Java are also useless for Japanese Empire. They got no refineries anyway and no fuel in forward line bases.
It makes the atomic strike useless as well.

The draw resolution of game is looking more and more proable.