May 27th to June 5th, 1945
Another month. Not many left.
Nicely, the Toka kami airframe goes in to production, which will hopefully be a nice boost over the training trash the IJN has for most of the kami squadrons. There's also a new radar set for IJA AF units, which is also nice.#
South China Sea
The Allied CV deathstar is cursing through these waters, and currently is a few hexes west of Kyushu. I've refrained from massed air attacks on the fleet as it's pointless. I've a few bomber squadrons on night settings around to annoy them, but I refuse to expend aircraft on Allied naval units until I see amphibs. That's where the real VP gains are to be made.
Loka is evidently using his 100% CAP settings again, as there's actually been no strikes from his flight decks. I suspect he's overloaded them with fighters and sent them in to the South China Sea to try and attract moths to a flamethrower.
My response -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3ofvkIEf2Y
China
Faced with an Allied flanking march via Ichang, I pull back my main infantry stack in China to Singyang. By accident, I leave most of the artillery park behind, but this is a mixed blessing, as it will delay the Allies for a day or so, giving the infantry time to pack on to trains and head for the northern Chinese cities. There's a weak Chinese corps blocking the rail line, but we should be able to brush that aside.
Panzerarmee China is on trains heading past Shanghai at the moment, also bound for the North China Plain. I'm hoping to use this force to jump the occasional Chinese corps that emerges from the wilderness.
The remnants of the Chungking defence force have, after a gruelling cross-country march, arrived in the open near Nanchang, and are also moving to link up with the tank force.
There's the occasional engagement between USN PT boats and my rag-tag river fleet on the Yangtse.
Luzon
Bataan falls, and the first deliberate attack brings Manila's forts down to level 8, but for heavy Allied losses.
With Bataan cleared, the Allies have started to bring warships in to Manila Bay to bombard. Despite this, I'm pretty confidant that Manila will hold out for the rest of June.
North Pacific
It's still a knife-fight here. On Shimushiri-jima, the Allies have the unquestionable advantage, but they're not having much success at pushing my troops off. What operational warships the IJN has are still doing what they can to defend the island and get supply in.
The CA Suzuya, the only IJN capital ship not in repair (and the last CA), leads a destroyer force to intercept an Allied bombardment force in the Kuriles. The initial engagement goes well:
Night Time Surface Combat, near Onnekotan-jima at 136,48, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 9
DD Wakazuki
DD Yoizuki, Shell hits 2
DD Tamanami, Shell hits 1
DD Fujinami, Shell hits 3
DD Sakura
DD Nire, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Odake, Shell hits 1
DD Hatsuzakura
DD Kaba, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Hatsuume, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Yadake, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
DD Satsuki
DD Hanekimo, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
CL Wilkes-Barre, Shell hits 4, on fire
CL Topeka, Shell hits 4, heavy fires Reported sunk
DD Lewis Hancock, Shell hits 1
DD Healy
DD Heermann, Shell hits 1
DD John Hood
DD Howorth, Shell hits 1
DD Luce
DD McNair
DD Mertz, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DD Owen
DD Halsey Powell, Shell hits 2, on fire
However, subsequent engagements lead to the loss of a further 4 IJN destroyers, so it chalks up as a tactical draw and an undoubted US strategic victory.
The Suzuya stays on station for a few days in the hope of another favourable engagement, but the party is ruined by the arrival of US CV's in the Kuriles on June 3rd:
Morning Air attack on TF, near Uruppu-jima at 130,53
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 2
Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 30
F6F-5 Hellcat x 30
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 12
TBM-3 Avenger x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
A7M2 Sam: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 6 damaged
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hatsuzakura, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Yaezakura
The Suzuya slinks back to Ominato for repairs. The IJN now has nothing left operational bigger than a destroyer.
Following up on this, the Allies land more troops on Shimushiri-jima on the afternoon of the 4th June.
On June 5th, however, the Empire strikes back. Another sacrificial flotilla of E-class ships draws off the surface cover of the US Fleet - the CB Guam sinks the three E-class ships without much hassle, but allows a trio of IJN destroyers with handpicked captains to get at the covering force.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Shimushiri-jima at 132,51, Range 5,000 Yards
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 19 destroyed
Japanese Ships
DD Takanami
DD Tamanami
DD Yaezakura
DD Katsura
Allied Ships
CVE Corregidor
CVE White Plains
CVE Ommaney Bay
CVE Munda
CVE Gilbert Islands, Shell hits 2
CVE Cape Gloucester, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CVE Stalker, Shell hits 1
CVE Striker, Shell hits 7, on fire
CVE Tracker, Shell hits 8, on fire
CVE Rajah, Shell hits 1
DE George E. Davis
DE William Seiverling
DE Stafford
DE Richard W. Suesens
DE Lawrence C. Taylor
DE Leland E. Thomas
DE Walter C. Wann
DE Rudderow
DE Chaffee
DE Day
While not as extensive a victory as I would have liked, the sinking of a 100 VP CVE is a bonus. What is even better is that the Allied CVE TF commander decides to withdraw, leaving the surface ships without cover come the dawn.
The Japanese Kami hordes on Hokkaido were waiting...
Morning Air attack on TF, near Shimushiri-jima at 133,51
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 69 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 32
N1K5-J George x 17
Ki-32 Mary x 27
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-32 Mary: 12 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 5 destroyed by flak
Allied Ships
CB Guam, Kamikaze hits 4, on fire All bounce off armour, but lots of topside damage
DD Caperton
DD Spence
DD Tingey
DD Wiley
DD Franks
________________________________
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shimushiri-jima at 132,51
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 1
P1Y2 Frances x 22
Allied aircraft
P-51D Mustang x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-51D Mustang: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
APD Amesbury, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DE Frybarger
DE Cronin, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Kline, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Emerald
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shimushiri-jima at 132,51
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 154 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes
Japanese aircraft
B7A2 Grace x 33
Ki-83 x 47
Japanese aircraft losses
B7A2 Grace: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
DE England, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
CL Emerald, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Arthur L. Bristol, Bomb hits 1, Kamikaze hits 2, and is sunk
APA Chilton, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DE Frybarger, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shimushiri-jima at 132,51
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 52 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes
Japanese aircraft
B6N2a Jill x 32
Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2a Jill: 18 destroyed
Allied Ships
APA Chilton, Kamikaze hits 6, and is sunk
DE Frybarger, Kamikaze hits 3, and is sunk
CL Emerald, heavy fires, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Shimushiri-jima at 132,51
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy x 13
Ki-83 x 47
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy: 3 damaged
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy: 1 destroyed by flak
Allied Ships
CA Tuscaloosa, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
There are also sundry attacks on LST's in the hex, but I'll omit from reporting them. Unsurprisingly a kami sinks an LST pretty nicely.
In the air, there was also extensive combat about Shimushiri-jima as Ki-83s on LRCAP interdicted Allied CV air efforts to bomb the fleeing IJN DD's.
At the end of the day, air losses were roughly 100 Allied (45 Corsiars lost on the CVE evidently) to 230 IJN (including about 100 odd Kami aircraft). While I didn't catch the Allied amphibs with troops aboard, I'll nevertheless take the victory.
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