Notes from a Small Island

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

The SSX torpedoes don't do a lot of damage. I think "critical damage" is more of a multiplier on the damage done (which starts lower for the 45cm midget torps) than damage relative to the ship itself.

The SSX torpedo device has an effect of 772. The regular IJN submarine torpedoes, 53cm, have an effect of either 893 (type 95) or 661 (type 89, some of the early-war smaller submarines). That you didn't see "heavy damage" on Alabama despite 2 critical damage torpedo hits speaks to this difference in effect, I think.

That's encouraging!

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: Hey, enough LRCAP remained to have an effect!

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: It seems likely that Erik will run low on small-fry before I run out of ships, forcing him to commit his bigger ships.

Most of the Allied combat TFs involved in the opening clashes have already retired to Toyohara or Shikuka to replenish. They'll be returning to Wakkanai vicinity beginning tomorrow, so the Allied fleet is in pretty good shape (excepting Alabama's troubles).

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2:

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: The fragment of 112th Cavalry left behind at Shikuka comes ashore after a quick sprint. I think I used two APA and a DE for this mission. So far, the valuable ships haven't been molested.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

Uruppu: This island secured now. All Allied units have changed prep to plan for pending ops.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: Allied artillery bombardment has a decent impact, but Erik is bringing in lots of reinforcements by air.

Allied armor and paratroops will attack again tomorrow, while the infantry rests for at least one more day.

To clear the way for the paratroops, Allied fighters en masse will sweep the base. I'm hoping that too will bolster the interception of enemy air transports.

BB Iowa/BB New Jersey TF to bombard tomorrow. I sweat all mission, but moreso tomorrow's given what happened to Alabama today.

I'll also work out a plan to make sure any enemy combat ship incursion, or any effort to reinforce by sea, is properly countered.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: Moderately heavy air losses again. I think Erik's guys will need some rest one day soon. IE, I think I can maintain this kind of attritional rate longer than he can. I hope.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

BB Alabama: Lokasenna was right - she's not too bad off. After modest repairs, she can probably stay in theater and fight. But more likely I'll send her back with the next egressing herd. I'm hoping to also send CA Boston back then - she can make about 20 knots despite the massive damage incurred during the Siege of Shikuka.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

Mysterious Enemy TF: Here's that mysterious TF. The only Allied shipping around is undetected, far to the east, and too close to Allied air in the Aleutians.

Perhaps this is actually an enemy ASW TF trying to find Allied subs. If so, Erik might be considering some kind of carrier or combat TF sortie this way.

[RangerJoe]

The way that it is set up with your invasion, those reinforcements are just more points for you. It would be worse if they had their heavy equipment so let the tanks do their job.

Do you think that if you were able to pound Ashigara by air that you could capture it with an airborne assault? You could concievably do so after the reinforcements pass through and trapping them in a non base hex.

[RangerJoe]

I forgot to mention, that was a very nicely placed minefield!

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: It is not yet clear whether ownership of this hex side will play a role in coming days. If it does come into play, however, the entire campaign could turn on it.

Allied troops can now move to and fro, from one hex to the other. A 42-AV tank destroyer unit has already moved to Wakkanai. A tank battalion will cross tomorrow. These units will help in the attack. Before any enemy stack can reach the wooded hex overland, I plan to get a strong garrison in place.

[Canoerebel]

The Allies had another seaborne operation underway. Yesterday, I ordered that force to alter directions in anticipation that the men but especially the combat ships and carriers can be put to much better effect in NoPac, where I think attrition will be high. Having had a day to think about it, and given what happened to Alabama, I approve of that decision. That force will move to NoPac.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

The way that it is set up with your invasion, those reinforcements are just more points for you. It would be worse if they had their heavy equipment so let the tanks do their job.

Do you think that if you were able to pound Ashigara by air that you could capture it with an airborne assault? You could concievably do so after the reinforcements pass through and trapping them in a non base hex.

I thought of that, Ranger, I swear! When Erik moves out his reinforcments, I'll monitor the garrison there and strike if there seems to be an opportunity (assuming I have any available by then - they are getting drawn into the battle quickly).

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2:

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: All of 112th Cavalry Regiment is here, now, and in fine fighting condition.

I'm beginning to think I need to land everything possible at Wakkanai ASAP in order to deal with the siege there and to substantially bolster the blocking hex. I have two divisions at Shikuka that are around 40% prepped. The Amphib Force HQ is about 80% prepped. Disablements would be high. I'll try to coax a few more days of prep - perhaps all the way to 50% - but I'll be antsy now. It seems like this campaign may crescendo sooner rather than later.

[Canoerebel]

12/23/44

L-Day+2: A survivor of Ketoi Jima, this small unit will land at Wakkanai to trigger a self-destructive enemy auto-bombardment. The unit loaded at Shikuka yesterday and steamed to Toyohara, where combat TFs could provide protection. Tomorrow it goes to Wakkanai full speed. There's a chance it will land in time. If so, the enemy will bombard prior the Allied attack.

Allied armor and paratroops to attack tomorrow. In addition, 1st Australian Div. will participate. Due to a bug, this unit is very strange. It includes no combat engineers but does have aviation support and other weird stuff. I may re-think this and may conclude it's better to combine it with the other infantry. They should be ready to attack in two days.

[RangerJoe]

If you have the units, could you appear to threaten Bohiro as well? After all, it is clear terrain and easily bombarded. You might even be able to shut down the airfield some. If any units left there to try and stem your invasion, they would be a little out of position.

Be like Patton and not Monty, appear to threaten everything in sight - just like a good cavalryman.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

12/23/44

L-Day+2: This hurts my feelings on two accounts. First, this TF only moved a couple of hexes and should have retired far towards Toyohara, meaning I either forget to set it correctly (unlikely this time) or the TF slowed down for reasons unknown. The second hurt is that Allied LRCAP didn't manhandle unescorted Jills.

That TF was the one involved in sinking I-24, which likely used up a lot of Ops points. Or possibly you had a "react" setting and during the day naval movement phase the TF reacted toward an enemy TF before it began its withdrawal?