Notes from a Small Island

[Canoerebel]

6/8/44

A blessedly quiet day as Erik elects not to press the attack. I was a bit punch-drunk after yesterday's flurry of action, leaving my carriers out of position due to reaction. I wasn't sure I'd be able to corral them and get them organized for defense. But everything worked out well.

....although a sub got a shot at CV Intrepid and missed. Thank goodness.

Allied ASW damaged or sank more IJN subs.

Shikuka: Allied engineers worked hard to get Shikuka airfield to 2.40. That's an increase of 1.00 in a single day. More than 400k supply is ashore (most of that was imbedded in troop transports; I haven't touched the many hundreds of thousands of supply aboard xAKs yet). Shikuka airfield should go to level 3 tomorrow, which then makes supply storage unlimited. At that point, I can bring in many of the big TFs that are currently under Death Star's protection.

I'm hoping that the loss of so many naval aircraft yesterday forces Erik to reorganize for a few days. Right now, protecting the fleet and turning Shikuka into a fortress with teeth is job one.

I gave serious thought to sending Death Star and 250 empties east. That would give CV Hancock a window to head back to the West Coast while several CVEs came in from the Aluetians. Ultimately I elected not to do, choosing instead to fight forward. Supply shouldn't ever be an issue - at least this calendar year - so I might as well fight it out.

P.S. A nod to Lokasenna: I scuttled Essex, hard as it was.

[Canoerebel]

6/8/44

NoPac: I'm thankful that many enemy subs have been sunk...but just how many more are lurking in the shadows. Arg. I'm developing a case of the jitters.

[Lokasenna]

It's worth noting that LRCAP in the same hex as CV CAP just does not really work. It seems that you can't get around the restriction/penalty on it by setting another task force that is not carriers (say, DDs) and setting LRCAP over it, then placing it in the same hex. Just mentioning because you said something about his MKB being under LRCAP in addition to their protection.

I haven't even found "leaky CAP" to be that useful in supplementing CV CAP.

Edit - for numbers, we're talking like an additional 20 planes at most when I had over 150 set to be in the air. It was not a worthwhile return on investment, those planes would have been better used on escort - even for sacrificial strikes. This was as Japan.

[Drakanel]

I'd say the operation went pretty well, all things considered. I would be a bit worried about the Kuriles in your place, more because of the annoyance, rather than anything else. But still, you have your bases and you can build them up for the strategic bombers campaign.

It's also nice to see all those sunk subs. Japan does not have an infinite number of them after all

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

6/7/44

Ships Sunk: Enemy subs have taken a pounding over the past three or four days. This list is probably inaccurate but is representative; the number of Avenger hits on subs has been astonishing the past three days. (Or, astonishing to me; Erik's viewpoint may tell a different story, but I hope not.)

My experience playing sandbox games is that even with the pilots trained to the 60s in ASW, only about one in twenty reported hits is an actual hit. But they do also raise the D/L of the sub making it easier to avoid it and surface ASW to find it.

EDIT: After seeing your subsequent post of sub losses for the IJN, I am thinking that maybe my pilots' overall Experience is a factor in their lack of success. Your DS and CVE pilots may have very good Experience and a higher hit rate.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Drakanel
I'd say the operation went pretty well, all things considered. I would be a bit worried about the Kuriles in your place, more because of the annoyance, rather than anything else. But still, you have your bases and you can build them up for the strategic bombers campaign.

It's also nice to see all those sunk subs. Japan does not have an infinite number of them after all

I think so. I think it's gone well. If I had failed to take Shikuka or Toyohara, or if I'd lost scads of merchantmen or the ability to defend with combat ships and carriers, it would be a different matter. I'll be in the woods for a long, long, long time to come. But so far it's pretty encouraging.

[Canoerebel]

Putting it Another Way: In taking over the game on March 1, 1944, it was imperative to close on Japan ASAP. Somehow, I managed to accomplish that. In doing so, I've taken the high ground and Erik is attacking. So now the question becomes: Can the Allied commander effectively parry that Japanese attacks? That's a big If, but far better to be in this position that to be engaged in costly, island-hopping advances in CenPac or the DEI in mid-1944.

[BBfanboy]

My biggest concern is that the relatively few engagements by the two sides before you took over mean that the Japanese have also had time to hoard their strength, especially newer aircraft. Obvert has sent what was immediately available at you but, if he is going all-in the way he did in his other AAR, he will be bringing up all the scattered squadrons for a long series of clashes. Until you get some good secure ports nearby to fix up DS and friends you will be vulnerable to isolation when DS has to go back to the Aleutians (or further to find shipyards).

Going to be tense times, but I know you prepare well so the fireworks should last a long time!

[Canoerebel]

I agree. But there's one important difference. Instead of being the attacker - fighting over enemy airfields while advancing across the Pacific or through the DEI - I've flipped the tables on Erik. Now we're fighting over my bases. That may be a significant advantage. To me, the question becomes: Can the Japanese (in the hand of a gifted, experienced Japanese player) overwhelm the Allies in a knife fight in June 1944. The Japanese OOB is in good shape. But so is the Allied OOB. It's probably going to be a rip-roarer.

[CaptBeefheart]

This has become another great AAR to follow. Not that it was bad before, but it's more interesting now.

I have noticed that SS's seem to return to life at a higher rate than other ships (i.e. in those "not sunk" reports that come later). Still, the ones that do survive will have to go back to port to get fixed up.

Cheers,
CC

[Canoerebel]

It was pretty tame on the surface for a long time. I was the only one who had access to the engine beneath the hood, so it kept me interested. I think poor Erik was bored to tears.

[Canoerebel]

6/9/44

NoPac: A blessedly quiet day in NoPac as I begin juggling merchant TFs, trying to unload, trying to protect, etc. In the air, the Allies get a little bit of a victory over Shikuka. But this is gonna be tough fighting.

[witpqs]

The one thing I would not do here is send them back to the US. Land them and spread them out on the road outside of the bases to alleviate stacking issues if need be. Prepare them for where you want to now. There's a nice clear terrain base on Hokkaido facing your new bases and the kuriles so after you grab what Kuriles you feel you need that could be a place for starting attrition of the IJA.

The fighting in the air (and on the ground if you go to Hokkaido) will certainly be tough. With Japan's flexible production I presume he has stockpiled lots of airframes for wearing down your pools.

[ny59giants]

Franks are IJA fighters, so no re-size possible. Some IJN fighters do go to 49 later in the war. If you see any air group over 50, then that person has taken some extra liberties on what they can do. My personal rule of thumb is not to re-size any IJN groups above what is currently in play. FP to 24, F to 45, and any bomber group to 36.

[CaptBeefheart]

I would keep your ground forces there and prep them as you see fit for the next round. You have a lot of supply and it's going to be a lot easier to bring supply to Sakhalin than to the forward operating area in your other game. I personally like to open a clear path to allow auto resupply convoys, so that would mean clearing some of the Kuriles for LRCAP bases and suppressing the rest.

I'd send those empties back to Adak or wherever your big supply dump is (with a proper CVE and/or CV escort). You can't bring too much supply forward as far as I'm concerned.

Cheers,
CC

[Lokasenna]

Resize is possible for a very select few IJAAF units that have access to the Stella, once the Stella is available.

I think at least one of these units can then switch back to Frank.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

The one thing I would not do here is send them back to the US. Land them and spread them out on the road outside of the bases to alleviate stacking issues if need be. Prepare them for where you want to now. There's a nice clear terrain base on Hokkaido facing your new bases and the kuriles so after you grab what Kuriles you feel you need that could be a place for starting attrition of the IJA.

The fighting in the air (and on the ground if you go to Hokkaido) will certainly be tough. With Japan's flexible production I presume he has stockpiled lots of airframes for wearing down your pools.

+1
Being close to their next targets minimizes the time that Eric will have to react when they set sail for their invasions. Coming from the Aleutians he could get detection much earlier (assuming Kuriles are next on the list). Without any ground combat the supply you have brought will last a long time.

[Canoerebel]

6/10/44

NoPac: A quiet day. Quiet = Good, because I have so much logistics to attend to - unloading supply, troops, fuel, and attending to TF commanders.

[Canoerebel]

6/10/44

Shikuka: Fortress Shikuka beginning to shape up: 5.14 airfield; 600k supply; 200+ flak; lots of engineers and naval support; and 5000+ AV that's going to increase to about 8,500 in the next couple of days.

[BBfanboy]

Paramushiro Jima has a small naval fortress with something like four 6" guns. Not much but it can sting your transports if you don't embed at least some CAs.

PJ also is a trigger for Japan's emergency reinforcements. I don't know what they get for air squadrons, but they get a bunch of Depot Divisions which are new recruits that haven't finished training yet. So they are nothing to worry about but over the months ahead those units will fill out and gain experience and morale. That will increase the defence of Japan (except for the supply they eat!).

None of the other Kuriles trigger these reinforcements unless that was changed in this mod. Press 4 to see the country codes.