Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Mike Solli]

31 Jul 43

Sub War

South of Tabiteuea, the I-5 ran across the AV Chandeleur. I thought she was a carrier at first! She missed. [:-] [8|]

5 Fleet

The BB TF (Yamato, Musashi, Nagato, Mutsu) did some upgrades and was headed to Truk via Dutch Harbor. They arrived in the wee hours, catching a supply convoy just as it arrived. They sank it:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 171,50, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 1
BB Yamato
BB Musashi
CL Oyodo
CL Agano
CL Isuzu
DD Tamanami
DD Murakumo
DD Ayanami
DD Sagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Sazanami
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
SC Adroit, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
SC Advent, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Manulani, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAK San Anselmo, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAK Willimoto, Shell hits 34, and is sunk
xAK George Taylor, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
xAK Clan Lamont, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

After they ran off a 4 ship YMS TF (sinking 2), they proceeded to bombard Dutch Harbor, probably sinking a few more ships:

Night Naval bombardment of Dutch Harbor at 171,50

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
BB Yamato
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
CL Isuzu
CL Agano
CL Oyodo

Allied Ships
SS Whale, hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS S-47, hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSI(L) Glenorchy, Shell hits 3, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (7 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Port hits 18
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 2

He never saw them coming.

4 Fleet

The Tabiteuea invasion force has completed landing the troops and has landed ~5600 supply. All was quiet here today with MKB hovering around, just in case.

SE Fleet

I detached 4 CA from KB to bombard Namatanai, trying to disrupt the Marines.

KB steamed to within 2 hexes of Manus to try and get some bombers. First, they ran into a dozen P-40Ks, trading 2 losses each (1 KIA). Then they caught 18 unescorted SBDs, shooting them all down for no loss. I'm getting lots of elite pilots. I'll replace some of them with pilots in the low to mid 70s when I get back to port.

In the afternoon, 9 Judies went after a small TF at Madang, putting 2x 250kg bombs into an APA there. I detached 3 Kongos to bombard the place and clean out any shipping tomorrow.

Ted spread his bombers around hitting troops today. Not much in the way of casualties, but their disruption and fatigue is climbing.

SRA
Burma

Nothing to report.

China

Well the vaunted first bombardment of Chungking happened. It took an hour to run! Is that normal. I had some other programs open at the time but that seemed excessive. Next turn, everything will be shut down. Here's the only time I'm going to post the whole thing, just so you can see what's there:

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 157837 troops, 1654 guns, 922 vehicles, Assault Value = 5541

Defending force 379454 troops, 1214 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 14647

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
354 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
17th Division
34th Division
15th Division
116th Division
39th Division
6th Division
104th Division
27th Division
22nd Division
110th Division
40th Division
41st Division
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
11th Army
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Army
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
23rd Army
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Army
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
12th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Mortar Battalion
13th Army
11th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
8th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
39th Ind. Engineer Regiment

Defending units:
62nd Chinese Corps
31st Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
80th Chinese Corps
55th Prov Chinese Division
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
7th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
64th Chinese Corps
17th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Corps
29th Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
9th Separate Brigade
98th Chinese Corps
8th New Chinese Corps
11th Chinese Corps
8th Prov Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
3rd Prov Chinese Corps
8th Route Army
85th Chinese Corps
89th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
259th Brigade
9th Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
33rd Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
7th New Chinese Corps
35th Chinese Corps
22nd Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
77th Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
47th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps
97th Chinese Corps
82nd Chinese Corps
13th Chinese Corps
16th Chinese Corps
1st Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
96th Chinese Corps
36th Chinese Corps
27th Chinese Corps
95th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
39th Chinese Corps
81st Chinese Corps
69th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
23rd Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
43rd Chinese Corps
90th Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Division
48th Chinese Corps
15th Chinese Corps
303rd Brigade
57th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
91st Chinese Corps
83rd Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Division
17th Construction Regiment
22nd Group Army
14th Group Army
12th Chinese Base Force
9th Group Army
China Command
14th Chinese Corps
24th Chinese Corps
20th Artillery Regiment
8th War Area
19th Group Army
23rd Group Army
1st War Area
4th Construction Regiment
38th Group Army
8th Construction Regiment
3rd Chinese Base Force
5th Construction Regiment
13th Construction Regiment
NCAC
20th Chinese Base Force
1st Construction Regiment
9th War Area
57th AT Gun Regiment
21st Group Army
3rd War Area
7th Chinese Base Force
19th Chinese Base Force
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
10th Construction Regiment
7th Construction Regiment
2nd Construction Regiment
Lusu War Area
4th Group Army
9th Chinese Base Force
10th Chinese Base Force
8th Chinese Base Force
4th War Area
17th Group Army
30th Group Army
35th Group Army
36th Group Army
15th Chinese Base Force
2nd Group Army
Jingcha War Area
7th Group Army
6th Group Army
17th Chinese Base Force
16th Group Army
5th Chinese Base Force
Red Chinese Army
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
18th Artillery Regiment
16th Chinese Base Force
60th Chinese Corps
13th Group Army
5th Group Army
3rd Group Army
CAF HQ
41st AA Regiment
15th Group Army
34th Group Army
1st Chinese Base Force
2nd Chinese Base Force
Central Reserve
13th Chinese Base Force
Y' Force
29th Group Army
14th Construction Regiment
31st Group Army
1st Group Army
24th Group Army
18th Group Army
6th Chinese Base Force
5th War Area
37th Group Army
27th Group Army
3rd Construction Regiment
10th Group Army
8th Group Army
39th Group Army
49th AA Regiment
21st Chinese Base Force
6th Construction Regiment
2nd War Area
12th Construction Regiment
4th Chinese Base Force
7th Artillery Regiment
56th AT Gun Regiment

Pretty anti-climactic, if you ask me.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement: SC Cha-63, ASW

The B6N2a R&D advanced to 6/44 (will become operational in 12/43). 3x30

Not a bad day overall. More cuts. [:D] We'll see what tomorrow brings. Just waiting for the turn now. [:)]

[ny59giants]

Even as Japan, I hit the "Esc" to fast forward through long, long ground combat. Sometimes even for A2A and ship vs ship.

[Mike Solli]

I tried that, Michael. Didn't work. I suspect I had too many programs running. Never had that problem before.

[Mike Solli]

I'm going to start buying out training fighter sentai from the Home Islands and Manchuoko to move to my main oil producing bases. They'll still train, but they'll do the final portion of the training to get defense up. So they'll have 50+ (usually 60+) experience and 70+ air skill with defense approaching 70+.

[ny59giants]

Hit 'esc' ONLY once. [;)]

[Mike Solli]

Ok, I'll try that. How did you know? [:D]

[ny59giants]

While doing your orders, hit the "P" button and adjust your various replay speeds using left and right clicks.

[Lowpe]

Arrow button on the right hand corner works too, hit it once with the mouse.

[Mike Solli]

Yeah, I think the issue was too many things open coupled with the bombardment from hell along with me hitting escape and the arrow button multiple times. [8|] Still waiting for the turn too.

I took a look at my training sentai/daitai that are available to change to an unrestricted HQ.

I have 7 IJAAF sentai in Manchuoko, 2 IJAAF sentai in the Home Islands, 2 IJAAF sentai in China and 5 IJNAF daitai in the Home Islands.

Here are the oil fields I'd like some fighter cover on:

Medan (210)
Palembang (900 oil)
Djambi (250)
Soerabaja (190)
Balikpapan (300)
Tarakan (90)
Miri (300)

I'd like 3 at Palembang plus 1 at each of the others for a total of 9 units. That ain't happening, so I'll decide what to move and prioritize. I rearranged the list in priority (sort of).

I'm thinking initially to pull 4 sentai from Manchuoko, 1 from China and 2 daitai from the Home Islands for 7 for starters. What do you guys think?

Edit: This doesn't include those units that are unable to change HQ.

[Zorch]

Sentai, Daitai, Maitai...what's the difference? [:D]

[ny59giants]

You can use some of your FFs (Rufe/Rex) at those bases with some disbanded AVs.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

Sentai, Daitai, Maitai...what's the difference? [:D]

Back in the WitP days, IJAAF were sentai and IJNAF were daitai. Just never got out of the habit. [:D]

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

You can use some of your FFs (Rufe/Rex) at those bases with some disbanded AVs.

Good idea. I never think of them. I have 7 or 8 Rex in the pool right now. I'm pretty sure all of the bases have AS. I'm making a comprehensive list plus all the reinforcements I'll get through the end of 1943. I'll add the FF to the list.

[PaxMondo]

Not sure about all those Fighter Groups ... once you get your perimeter secure, then the only attack can come from allied CV's until the B29's arrive and get in range. The LBA threat is calculable. Having all of those groups sitting doing nothing for months ... I would agree with Michael on this. Small groups of Rufe's, which can be training pilots most of the time ... I like to keep my fighter groups active to maximize my air ratios ...

[rustysi]

Couple that with the fact that some of my planes are SR3,

I think the key to keeping these guys in the air is lots of AS at their bases. I mean excess, as much as you can. Anyone else? Please if I'm wrong here let me know.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

You can use some of your FFs (Rufe/Rex) at those bases with some disbanded AVs.

I like to keep some Nick's back there as well. I usually convert some of the small single engine bomber groups (the 9 or 12's, 90 or 120 PP's) for this purpose. Heck they'll cost you 75 PP's to convert to twin engine bombers anyway. BTW, I don't build any single engine bombers from day one. There are enough around at the start of the game for my purposes.

[rustysi]

The invasion of Tabiteuea finally commenced.

Mike, been thinking about this and I have to say I like your aggressiveness. To my thinking doing nothing here is just inviting Ted to use another approach into the 'Empire'. Especially while you have your hands full in the SE Fleet region. Not that he won't be back, but as you say... Delay, delay, delay. If nothing else it'll teach him to jump big or stay home.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Not sure about all those Fighter Groups ... once you get your perimeter secure, then the only attack can come from allied CV's until the B29's arrive and get in range. The LBA threat is calculable. Having all of those groups sitting doing nothing for months ... I would agree with Michael on this. Small groups of Rufe's, which can be training pilots most of the time ... I like to keep my fighter groups active to maximize my air ratios ...

If I do this, those fighter groups would not be just sitting around. They'd be training, just as they are now. They'd just have better planes than Nates and Claudes. I need to look at the Allied bombers and see what their ranges are. I also need to see when the B-29s begin to arrive, but I'm sure Ted will make that painfully aware. [:D]

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Not sure about all those Fighter Groups ... once you get your perimeter secure, then the only attack can come from allied CV's until the B29's arrive and get in range. The LBA threat is calculable. Having all of those groups sitting doing nothing for months ... I would agree with Michael on this. Small groups of Rufe's, which can be training pilots most of the time ... I like to keep my fighter groups active to maximize my air ratios ...

If I do this, those fighter groups would not be just sitting around. They'd be training, just as they are now. They'd just have better planes than Nates and Claudes. I need to look at the Allied bombers and see what their ranges are. I also need to see when the B-29s begin to arrive, but I'm sure Ted will make that painfully aware. [:D]

Understood, but I would prefer to use lesser aircraft for training and lesser groups also if possible. Full size fighter groups (say +32) are just so valuable at the front ... assuming you can equip them with 1st rate fighters, which you can ...

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

Even as Japan, I hit the "Esc" to fast forward through long, long ground combat. Sometimes even for A2A and ship vs ship.

If goes even faster if you push escape, click into another window, wait a second (or probably 2 for one of this size), and come back in.