THE WAR COLLEGE-Rio Bravo (A) v. El Lobo (J)

[Rio Bravo]

[center]September 16, 1943[/center]


Highlights for Today


1.) The last of the ten trapped Japanese ground forces at Pegu were destroyed today.

2.) The Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet traveling at 5 knots to excite BBfanboy is 560 miles northwest of Guam and remains on course to invade Takao, Formosa and Pescadores.


Synopsis of Combat Action for Today


1.) Japanese bomb Chungking.

2.) Japanese bombarded near Chungking (hex 76,47).

No Japanese losses.

4 Allied casualties.

3.) Japanese bombarded Chungking.

No Japanese losses.

232 Chinese casualties.

4.) Japanese deliberately attacked near Nanning (hex 73,53).

No Japanese losses.

250 Chinese casualties; Chinese retreat.

5.) Allies deliberately attacked Pegu.

6,657 casualties; 26th Infantry Division destroyed.

50 Allied casualties.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for September 16, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]September 17, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


Allied Carrier Wildcats and Hellcats hammer Japanese Carrier Judys near Daito Shoto.


Synopsis of Combat Action for Today


1.) Allied Aircraft attack Pagan.

PB Yokae Maru; 3 bomb hits; sunk.

4 destroyed (Martlet IV).
4 destroyed (F4U-1 Corsair).

2.) Japanese Judys Attack Allied Carriers Near Daito Shoto (hex 98,76).

60 destroyed and 7 damaged (D4Y3-Judy).

No Allied Aircraft losses.

CVL Hermes; 1 bomb hit; on fire.

3.) Japanese bomb Chungking.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for September 17, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Takao, Formosa

Operation Bottle

Order of Battle

Invasion Date: September 23, 1943

3,000 Assault Value[/center]


Four Marine Divisions, one Marine Regiment, four Marine Raider Battalions, three Marine Parachute Battalions, five Marine Tank Battalions, Twelve Marine Defense Battalions, and three Marine FA Battalions accompanied by Naval, Troop, and Air Headquarter Units and accompanied by numerous U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Engineer Units of every type intend to invade Takao, Formosa on September 23, 1943.

All units are prepped 100% for the objective of Takao, Formosa.

737,675 supply will unload.

A Task Force carrying LBA Recon, Search, and Transport aircraft accompany the Invasion Fleet. If the port and airbase at Takao can be secured and built quickly, these aircraft squadrons will also unload at Takao and two squadrons of fighters and two squadrons of bombers will fly off the carriers to Takao.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Pescadores

Operation Cork

Order of Battle

Invasion Date: September 23, 1943

1,933 Assault Value[/center]


Four U. S. Army Divisions, seven U.S. Army Regiments, 2 Tank Battalions, 3 CD Units, Four AA units, nine FA Battalions, and Troop and Aircraft Headquarter Units accompanied by numerous U. S. Army and U.S. Navy Engineers of every type will invade Pescadores on September 23, 1943.

All units are 100% prepped for Pescadores.

780,383 supply will unload.

If the airbase can be quickly captured and built-up, Two Hellcat Squadrons and two Bomber Squadrons will fly off the carriers to land at Pescadores.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Amoy, China

Operation John B. Hood

Order of Battle

Invasion Date: September 23, 1943

3,000 Assault Value[/center]


Upon arrival off the coast of Pescadores, should the Allies detect that both Takao, Formosa and Pescadores are lightly defended by the Japanese, the U.S. Marines and all accompanying elements along with 737,675 supply will be diverted from invading Takao and instead will invade the Southern Coast of China at Amoy.

Some of the U.S. Army and accompanying elements presently scheduled to invade Pescadores will be diverted to also invade Takao, Formosa:

793 AV and accompanying support units along with 210,435 supply will unload at Pescadores.

1,200 AV and accompanying support units along with 569,898 supply will unload at Takao, Formosa.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[CaptHaggard]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If you have multiple daisy-chained follow orders the AI tends to get confused and does nothing. I think the AI tries to move TFs in numerical sequence but if the follow orders are not matching it gets stuck in a circular logic. NEVER have more than one leading TF with all the other following it.

BB—

Well, there is only one lead TF BUT I think you're on to something: The MS TFs had not been part of the TFG until that turn. Adding them to the TFG mid-voyage probably did confuse the AI.

Stand by. We may have CVs vs. CVs brewing...

Thanks, BB!

Hag

[Rio Bravo]

[center]We Found the Japanese Carriers

*chunkling*

September 18, 1943[/center]


Two Hexes Due East of Daito Shoto (100,69)

3 CVE.

Three Hexes Southeast of Daito Shoto (hex 100,71)

4 CV.

2 CV and 3 CVE.

Five Hexes Southeast of Daitoi Shoto (hex 99,74)

TF 535: CV Saratoga; CV Enterprise; CVE Nassau; CVE Altamaha; and CVE Copahee.

TF 582: CV Hornet; CV Essex; CVE Chenango; CVE Breton; and CVE Barnes.

TF 584: CV Lexington; CV Lexington II; CVE Suwannee; CVE Santee; and CVE Long Beach.

TF 587: CV Yorktown; CV Yorktown II; CVE Sangamon; CVE Corregidor; and CVE Avzio

Seven Hexes Southwest of Daito Shoto (hex 98,76...the hex outlined in white)

The Invasion Fleet is here.

TF 589 (stayed with Invasion Fleet; did not react to move toward Japanese Carriers): CV Wasp; CVL Independence; CVL Princeton; CVL Belleau Woods; and CVL Hermes.

The Invasion Fleet is 760 miles Northwest of Guam.

The Invasion Fleet is 920 miles Southeast of OWP (i.e., one hex due west of Pescadores); the staging hex from which Amphibious landings will launch to hit the beaches of Takao, Formosa, Pescadores, and possibly Amoy, China.


A map of the Daito Shoto vicinity is depicted below.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[pontiouspilot]

I smell blood in the water!!!!

[Bif1961]

Unless they needed to refuel.

[BBfanboy]

Putting your CVEs in the same TF as your CVs hobbles them from high speed moves. Better to put your 30+ knot ships in one set of TFs and your slower ships in another set. They can still normally travel in the same hex. I would rather risk the CVEs falling behind and being hit by the enemy than slow down my CV TFs and have them caught by an enemy SCTF.

[pontiouspilot]

BBboy really right!!++...you get lowest common denominator...same general rule for all TFs

[Rio Bravo]

[center]September 18, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


The Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet were ordered to move due west. The carriers that had reacted to the Japanese carriers were ordered to the same hex that the Invasion Fleet would reach by the end of the day. El Lobo's carriers did not pursue the Allied carriers nor the Invasion Fleet. Accordingly, a carrier battle did not take place today.


Synopsis of Combat Action for Today


1.) Japanese bombed Chungking.

2.) Japanese bombarded Chungking.

No Japanese losses.

260 Chinese casualties.

3.) Japanese bombarded near Chungking (hex 76/47).

No Japanese losses.

7 Chinese casualties.

4.) Japanese shock attacked near Ankang (hex 81/42).

47 Japanese casualties.

2,203 Chinese casualties; one unit destroyed and one unit retreated.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for September 18, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I smell blood in the water!!!!

pontiouspilot-


I smelled the same blood, but we must have been dreaming.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Putting your CVEs in the same TF as your CVs hobbles them from high speed moves. Better to put your 30+ knot ships in one set of TFs and your slower ships in another set. They can still normally travel in the same hex. I would rather risk the CVEs falling behind and being hit by the enemy than slow down my CV TFs and have them caught by an enemy SCTF.

BBfanboy-


I have received this advice numerous times in the past.

For the purposes of Operations Bottle and Cork I do not care about speed for the carriers.

I am not going to chase after any of El Lobo's ships nor will I run from them.

I am not concerned about El Lobo's Surface Combat Task Forces. The Invasion Fleet has six powerful Surface Combat Task Forces. If El Lobo attempts to attack the Invasion Fleet, he will limp home with only a few remaining combat ships.

The Allied carriers are going to stay right with the Invasion Fleet to, during, and from the invasion destinations of Takao, Formosa, Pescadores, and possibly Amoy, China.

The Allied carriers have only one job and that job is to protect the Invasion Fleet: 1.) Get the Invasion Fleet to its destination; 2.) Remain with the Invasion Fleet during the Amphibious landings; and 3.) Get the Invasion Fleet back to Pearl.

If El Lobo wants a carrier battle, the Allies will not be difficult to find.

There will be plenty of time for carrier speed down the road when the Allies impose Operation Blockade (i.e., the naval blockade of Japan Proper).

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Bif1961]

Protecting the invasion fleet is very Spruance of you.

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Protecting the invasion fleet is very Spruance of you.

Bif-


*laughing*

It seems the appropriate thing to do.

I have a feeling the Invasion Fleet is going to see lots of diving red suns.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]September 19, 1943[/center]


Highlights for today


1.) Japanese launched several airstrikes against the Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet today. It is evidentiary of several members of The War College's assertion that El Lobo will not stand for the Allies invading Formosa and Pescadores without a bloody fist-fight.

2.) The Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet traveling at 5 knots is 920 miles northwest of Guam and 720 miles southeast of its destination one hex due east of Pescadores.


Synopsis of Combat Events for Today


1.) Near Guam (hex 106,93), Captain Haggard's SC-633 pounds an El Lobo submarine.

SS RO-63; 5 hits; heavy damage.

No Allied losses.

2.) Near Tinian (hex 109,97), Japanese submarine attacks a cargo-empty Allied Tanker Task Force returning to Pearl.

SS I-154; 18 hits; sunk.

TK Athelmonarch; 2 hits.
TK Herborg; 1 torpedo hit; sunk.

3.) Near Ishigaki (hex 90,71), Japanese launch six airstrikes against the Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet.

1 destroyed (Ki84a Frank).
11 destroyed (N1K1-J George).
4 destroyed (Ki-49IIb Helen).
7 destroyed Ki-48Ib Lilly).
9 destroyed (G4M1 Betty).

1 destroyed (F6F-3 Hellcat.
1 destroyed (F4F-4 Wildcat).
3 destroyed (FM-1 Wildcat).

4.) Near Pagan (hex 110,89), Allies launch three airstrikes.

No Japanese Losses.

1 damaged (SBD-5 Dauntless).
2 destroyed (Martlet IV).
2 destroyed (F4U-1 Corsair).

5.) Japanese bombed Chungking.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for September 19, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Lovejoy]

Bagging a few of those Georges must have been nice!

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Lovejoy

Bagging a few of those Georges must have been nice!

Lovejoy-

Yes, I take great pleasure watching Georges go down in flames.

The problem is, now El Lobo has Franks!

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]September 20, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


The Operations Bottle and Cork Invasion Fleet traveling at 5 knots is 1,120 miles northwest of Guam and 520 miles from its destination one hex due east of Pescadores.


Synopsis of Combat Action for Today

1.) Near Daito Shoto (hex 100,71), El Lobo's E Boats bump into Captain Haggard's submarine.

E Matsuwa; 1 torpedo hit; heavy damage.

SS Cisco; 13 hits; sunk.

2.) At Pagan, Japanese launch two airstrikes: Here Come the Franks!

6 destroyed (Ki-84a Frank).

2 destroyed (Spitfire Vc Trop).
2 destroyed (F4U-1 Corsair).
4 destroyed (P-40N5 Warhawk).
4 destroyed (Kittyhawk IV).

3.) Near Itbayet Island (hex 84,69), Allied carrier bombers attacked Japanese Subchasers.

SC Ch 16; 2 torpedo hits; sunk.
SC Ch 19; 3 bomb hits; sunk.

4.) Japanese bombed Chungking.

5.) Japanese bombardeded Chungking.

No Japanese casualties.

165 Chinese casualties.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for September 20, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry