Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)

[apbarog]

12 Jul 42

Tandjoengselor was invaded. It is just south of Tarakan on the Borneo coast. This is a cleanup operation by the Japanese. There's a small Dutch unit there with a few support troops, nothing more. It has been bombed almost out of existence.

That suspicious APD task force that lost an APD to an "S" sub showed up outside of Port Moresby. S-38 didn't get a shot off and it wasn't hit by depth charges. My theory is that the APDs are for running supply in fast transport mode from Port Moresby to Portland Roads, the enemy base on the northeastern tip of Australian. Portland Roads did become a size 1 port today.

Near Milne Bay, Dutch sub KX keeps up the good work done by the Dutch subs. It hit xAK Mitu Maru with a torpedo out of 2 fired. Fire and heavy damage reported. It then reattacked and hit it with 2 more torpedoes, one of which was a dud. Sinking audio reported immediately after the combat. I count that as a kill, just as the sub commander would have, having heard breaking up sounds. Of course, they sometimes they were wrong, and I may be also sometimes. Earlier in the war, KX hit CVL Ryujo with a torpedo near Donggala.

There's an increased threat of an enemy breakthrough in far northern China. Units are moving as the Chinese retreat near and into the mountains. An armored unit was spotted and will be hit by the 6 Chinese bombers in the theater.

None of the ships moving for the Nauru invasion have been spotted so far. In a few days, I have a cruiser force at Townsville. It will make an appearance to the north at Cairns, which gets enemy recon every day. This diversion may get the enemy moving in that direction instead of towards Nauru. No sign of KB.

I have a wild-guess theory about the enemy CVLs. They were last seen hitting Colombo. My theory is that was a parting shot as it left the Indian Ocean. It could replenish whatever planes were lost at Singapore. And then head to the Aleutians. Just a wild guess. I've had SigInt of several enemy units prepping for the western Aleutians. It's common for the Japanese to target the Aleutians as the last low hanging fruit available. I think it will happen. I've decided not to send my carriers on a fishing expedition there, though. An ambush would be nice, but there's no telling how long they'd have to sit. I'm about to garrison Adak Island. 4 US destroyers are meeting a large transport force north of Dutch Harbor heading to Adak. Catalinas west of Adak haven't seen anything yet. I hope to get in, drop the troops, and get out. Then just build and hold.

[apbarog]

13 Jul 42

Dutch sub O21 missed destroyer Susuki with 2 torpedoes near Kiriwina Island, on the busy route from Rabaul to Port Moresby.

I-7 is taking a look at Dutch Harbor. It finds tiny YMS-100 but decided not to attack. The small ship trys to go after the sub but gets no hits.

Vigan flipped to enemy control. A few enemy units have landed on the west coast of Luzon.

The huge armada for Nauru and Kusaie Islands is slowing coming together east of Luganville. It will be a few days until they are all together and merged properly by target and function. Nothing has been spotted so far.

My big garrison convoy for Adak Island in the Aleutians will arrive there today.

[apbarog]

14 Jul 42

At least 5 enemy units at Lingayen on Luzon now.

Enemy bombers active every day in far northern China, hitting Chinese infantry in rough terrain and causing significant casualties. More alarming, enemy armor has appeared.

Ground combat at 86,36 (near Yenan)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 4206 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 212

Defending force 11461 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 359

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th Recon Regiment
17th Infantry Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
16th Chinese Corps

and

Ground combat at 86,37 (near Yenan)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8749 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 293

Defending force 5519 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 239

Assaulting units:
15th Tank Regiment
4th Brigade

Defending units:
8th Route Army

[apbarog]

14 Jul 42 - Northeastern Australia

[apbarog]

15 Jul 42

50 Sallys bombed Chittagong, doing minor airfield damage in heavy rain.
Same old bombing in China.

P-38s swept Portland Roads, finding about a dozen A6M3s Zeros from Horn Island. 10 Zeros are shot down for the loss of 2 P-38s. Another Lightning lost in the subsequent redeployment south to Rockhampton. 1 LT W.E. Dyess got his 9th kill at Portland Roads today. B-17s then hit the port there, but did minimal damage in the afternoon in severe storms.

I was wrong yesterday. The enemy cruiser force that had moved slightly west of Horn Island was spotted heading northwest from there, towards Darwin, not south towards Normanton. Divebombers at Cloncurry remain on alert for any enemy shipping showing up at Normanton.

Invasion shipping for Nauru will all come together east of Ndeni Island today. Task forces will be reorganized as planned. None of these many ships have been spotted yet.

Sub detection level of 3/3 four hexes south of Truk. Could be carriers, could be from planes from Truk.

3 light cruisers and destroyers will move just offshore of Cairns today, with fighter CAP. They are moving in range for a possible bombardment of Portland Roads. There are a few ships spotted at Portland Roads today. I don't expect to accomplish much. This is a diversion from the Nauru Island invasion coming. Trying to get enemy ships (maybe carriers) moving this way instead of that. A couple of destroyers from Noumea are moving out to a point southwest of Guadalcanal, to be spotted and be another diversion.

[apbarog]

16 Jul 42

RO-65 spotted 3 US destroyers coming out of Cairns. They are part of a task force with 3 light cruisers. All will head to Port Moresby and bombard, and maybe run into some ships there too. The enemy ships left Portland Roads and went to Horn Island. A task force from Horn Island headed towards Port Moresby. Thus the change in plans. The main thing is to act as a diversion and stir things up near Port Moresby.

16 B-17s flew to Myitkyina and were surprised by 40 Oscars. However, the Oscars never got to the bombers, and there was no air to air combat. Minor damage to the airfield with thunderstorms.

Enemy attack in China. This Chinese corp has been pounded by bombers every day, in rough terrain, which doesn't provide much cover. Tojos have been escorting, which shows the importance of this fight to OPilot. Just missed 2 to 1 odds.

Ground combat at 86,37 (near Yenan)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9141 troops, 76 guns, 71 vehicles, Assault Value = 293

Defending force 5361 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 224

Japanese adjusted assault: 275

Allied adjusted defense: 143

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
224 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
477 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
15th Tank Regiment
4th Brigade

Defending units:
8th Route Army

I brought in 2 squadrons of B-26s and 2 squadrons of B-17s to hit this stack today. Probably won't be enough to matter. And it may have LRCAP over it, no idea.

Nauru invasion is coming.

[apbarog]

17 Jul 42

Allied cruisers storm towards Port Moresby. Just outside of the port, 3 destroyers are encountered.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Sawakaze, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
DD Yukaze
DD Namikaze, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Tromp
CL Perth
DD Craven
DD Gridley
DD McCall
DD Maury

The two enemy destroyers surviving the first fight retreat into Port Moresby. The Allied ships follow them in.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 98,130, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yukaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Namikaze, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Tromp
CL Perth
DD Craven
DD Gridley
DD McCall
DD Maury

Not a scratch on the Allied ships. And Perth got a torpedo hit on damaged Namikaze, sinking the ship. The cruisers go on to perform their mission, bombarding the base.

Night Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 19 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 11 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
C5M2 Babs: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Perth
CL Tromp
CL Java

Japanese ground losses:
207 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 36
Port hits 2

Two A6M2s were destroyed. The Allied task force then returned towards Cairns. 9 hexes in, which was maximum full speed range, 2 ship combats, a bombardment, and a full 9 hexes returning. To top it off, they ended up in the rain and not spotted on the way home. Sometimes everything goes right.

Enemy troops that landed at Lingayen on Luzon pushed inland and captured Cabanatuan. All Allied troops are defending in place. A little supply is at Manila, but none anywhere else.

The Nauru invasion armada was not spotted today, but a seaplane did light up an enemy sub 4 or 5 hexes southeast of where the ships ended up today. This may get OPilots attention. It isn't impossible that a land based plane could have accomplished this, but it's unlikely. Today the armada moves to 3 hexes southeast of Nauru Island, and 2 hexes from Ocean Island.

[apbarog]

18 Jul 42

Heavy bombing of Allied troops at Clark on Luzon. Enemy troops approaching. No supply.

B-17s at Chungking go a bit behind the lines to the huge airfield at Kaifeng, hoping to find no CAP. None is found. Minor damage to the airfield and 2 Topsys, 2 Lilys and 1 Dinah destroyed. Fortresses go back to India.

I started a general withdrawal around Sian, with the goal being a line of defense in the mountains to the north, holding Sian on the front and the wooded hex to the south of it, forcing a river crossing to Sian to attack it. I'll post a map. I'm getting flanked to the north of Sian, and need to avoid getting encircled east of Sian. It'll take awhile for the enemy to accomplish this, but looking closely at the terrain, it can be done. Particularly with the large numbers of enemy bombers being used in the area every day. I need to get into the mountains and the woods. The problem with giving up Sian is that it is connected to enemy rail. Right now, the enemy is at the end of long supply lines. But if Sian is lost, all of that changes.

Allied armada approaching Nauru Island, and unbelievably not spotted in clear weather. There's obviously a hole in the enemy's search grid.

[apbarog]

18 Jul 42 - China

[DOCUP]

Nice gun battle. Congrats on that victory. Can't wait to hear how the invasion is going to go.

[CaptBeefheart]

Good luck. So, are you comfortable having a DS vs. KB fight in those waters?

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

Thanks CaptBeefheart. The Allied carrier force is as strong in numbers as it will be for a year, when the Essex carriers start to arrive. I have 6 US carriers and 2 British carriers here. I'm not comfortable, but it's a risk I'm taking. As I say below, however, I'm taking a bigger risk on the first day of landings by splitting my carriers.

19 Jul 42

S-27 spotted an AK and several destroyers just north of Horn Island. 4 torpedoes missed DD Maikaze. The sub was lucky to avoid any damage in the shallow water.

Dimapur got night bombers. Sallys showed up, fragmented in 3 waves of about 6 each. They did no damage and some were damaged by flak. Then Dimapur got a big enemy effort with fighter sweeps. Overwhelming. 37 Oscars, then 9 Oscars, then 4 Oscars, then 3. Then 27, and another 27. 15 Hurricanes and 26 Warhawks were on CAP, and some ranged CAP. By the time the last big group of Oscars arrived, there was no CAP left. But the defenders did rather well considering, downing a bunch of Oscars in the early fights before being worn down. Total losses were 31 Oscars for the loss of 10 P-40Es and 7 Hurri IIb's. More importantly, with the fight over an Allied base, far more enemy pilots were probably KIA.

Dutch sub KVIII torpedoed and sank PB Shonan Maru #8 near Phuket.

PT boats, going from Calcutta to Cocanada to disband, spotted I-165 near Vizagapatnam.

Oscars swept Chungking for the first time. There was no CAP. OPilot saw that I flew B-17s out of Chungking yesterday. There's a few damaged ones still there.

OPilot isn't initally sweeping to the southwest towards Sian like I thought he would in China. He's moving north with his big stack, to cut off 2 Chinese corps retreating west. They won't escape, not with daily bombing slowing them down. I'll try anyway. B-26s are brought in to hit his big stack in rough terrain. A squadron of Hurricanes flew in from Lego to sweep that hex also. With diminishing supply, I can't support a bunch of aircraft in China, and OPilot is using hundreds. In clear and rough terrain, the troops are target practice. I'm falling back to mountains and woods in the far north and by Sian, but the cost is giving up terrain. I may have to move more troops from the Sian area to the north.

Tense times. Nauru and Kusaie Islands will be invaded today. The US 1st Marine Division with prep 98 will hit Nauru. A USMC raider unit will hit Kusaie overnight, followed by one regiment of the 37th Infantry Division in the afternoon. The Marines are fully prepped. The Army regiment is prepped to 64. Another regiment of this division will be reserve and hopefully land after the base is taken. It is only prepped 27, so it would be nice to land it afterwards.

I'm splitting my carriers for today. Saratoga, Lexington, Enterprise and Yorktown will go to Kusaie. Wasp, Hornet, Formidable and Illustrious will go to Nauru. On this first day, I'm more afraid of Bettys from Roi Namur and maybe from Ponape than KB. But KB could be charging out of Truk full speed today to investigate the one task force spotted north of Nauru. Let's hope not. After today, I'll be more inclined to get the carriers back together, and maybe I'll see what is coming and from where.

The trick will be unloading all of the support forces on xAPs and xAKs. The invasion troops are on the nice APs, so that will go quickly, and I'll get those ships to safety as fast as possible. But the support ships will take some time. Time they may not have so close to Truk.

It'll be a nervous evening for me waiting for the next turn.

[Bif1961]

Good luck it is always nerve wracking to see such a major early counter-offensive from the Allies. If it goes badly it can be another year before you have the carriers to try another outside of land base aircraft range. However, if pulled off without major problems you will move the time table and pressure on Japan by 6-12 months.

[BBfanboy]

Lego Hurricanes, eh! Should be easy to repair if you don't lose the pieces ...

[apbarog]

I see, Lego! That's a good one. I'll leave it.

[apbarog]

20 Jul 42

S-39 got hit by a depth charge from destroyer Hagikaze south of Horn Island. An AK was spotted. The sub will survive and heads to Townsville. The enemy is running ships between Horn Island and Portland Roads. Multiple AKs at Portland Roads now, probably unloading supply.

A handful of B-17s bombed Horn Island's airfield at night. I don't like night bombing, but I'll respond in kind when OPilot does it. The Allies can and will do a lot more damage than the Japanese ever could at night. I'll use it appropriately. One A6M3 was destroyed on the ground.

Battleship West Virginia bombarded Nauru Island, and didn't hit a thing. May be nothing there.

Battleship Warspite bombarded Ocean Island and did minor damage to the port.

Both Kusaie Island and Nauru Island were invaded. Bombardment from the invasion task force was very effective at Nauru. Kusaie Island has no defenders.

Bettys with Zeros strike from Roi Namur.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kusaie Island at 125,118

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
G4M1 Betty x 15

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

and

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kusaie Island at 125,118

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
G4M1 Betty x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Trenton

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

They went after shipping at Kusaie Island. Allied CAP was a bit weak for my liking, but it was enough. Total air losses were 24 Bettys and 17 A6M2s for 6 F4F-4s.

72 SBDs hit the tiny 2nd Indpt SNLF Coy at Nauru, damaging it badly. The 1st Marine Division clears the island easily.

Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 12809 troops, 205 guns, 75 vehicles, Assault Value = 431

Defending force 43 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 390

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 390 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Nauru Island !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
1st Marine Division
205th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy

Followup shipping for both islands will start to unload today. I hope that Kusaie Island, which is not defended, autoflips to the Allies. If it does, the reinforcing infantry regiment (and support units) won't take heavy disablements from lack of preparation. I have to land now though. The enemy could show up today or tomorrow. I expect today, so I have to land everything I can as quickly as I can. (Oops, just realized that I didn't set my Kusaie units to attack. The island better autoflip!)

The dilemma is what to do with the carriers. OPilot knows that I split my carriers up. He saw CAP over Kusaie and SBDs hitting Nauru. This will encourage him to use KB if it is in the area. He could hit either spot. My guess is that KB was at Truk and will hit Kusaie. Closer to Truk, further from safety for the Allies.

I roll the dice and send the carriers covering Nauru to join the ones covering Kusaie.

All of the fast APs at Nauru have completely unloading the 1st Marine Division, so they head south. At risk at Nauru are xAPs and xAKs. Same for at Kusaie. So if I have a disaster at Nauru with enemy carriers showing up, the transport shipping lost is replaceable. I'm more concerned there about the support units starting to unload. Losing them would not be good.

Kusaie will get all of the carrier coverage. BC Repulse task force covers Kusaie. A strong cruiser force covers the carriers. Nauru is weakly covered with a small cruiser task force and embedded escorts in the landing task force.

I feel that there will be a big battle over and near Kusaie. I think KB is coming. Allied carriers should dish out some damage, but will take some too, as could the shipping at Kusaie.

My carriers will put up 126 F4F-4s and 35 F4F-3s on a ranged CAP covering the carriers and Kusaie. 180 SBD-3s and some TBFs, Swordfish and Albacores will be ready to strike. About 50 fighters are assigned to escort. Altitudes for naval strike were set to 10,000 feet for the 4 carriers that are already at Kusaie. I used 11,000 feet for the other carrier task force coming north. I don't want all of my fighters going with one strike, one that could be of lesser importance, then a large number of bombers going after KB with no escorts. This lessens the chance of that but prevents one huge coordinated strike.

Now we wait and see if there's an enemy response.

[apbarog]

21 July 42 - Invasion Situation Before I Plot the Turn

[apbarog]

21 July 42 - Summary

US minesweepers cleared the mines at Nauru. I-174 spotted multiple Allied task forces south of Kusaie Island. Fired 2 torpedoes at DMS Perry but missed.

For all of the tedious work this turn entailed, it's easy to explain what I'm doing. Everything is leaving Kusaie Island immediately and heading southwest 6 hexes. Most of the task forces south of the island, including the carriers, will rendezvous with the ships from Kusaie and end up 6 hexes southwest of Kusaie. There could very well be a carrier battle tomorrow. There wasn't today because of heavy rain being over the Allied task forces. Today there were 3 SigInt messages of heavy activity at Truk.

At Kusaie, all of the 148th Regiment of the 37th Infantry Divison landed. Most of the infantry of the 145th Regiment landed, but few guns and little support. All of the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion landed. All of the 2nd USMC Tank Battalion landed. Only 4 37mm flak guns from a AA unit landed. A good number of engineers landed: 59, but only 3 engineering vehicles. Air support is 27 (although there is no airfield yet). Most concerning is that there is only 3080 supply. And the ships are leaving. Sounds like Guadalcanal.

At Nauru, things are a bit better. All of the US 1st Marine Division landed. All of the 205th Field Artillery landed. 11 37mm AA guns landed. 81 engineers landed and 10 engineering vehicles. Supply is 7169.

Fragments left on ships are going to land at Tabiteuea probably. Catalinas were moved to Nauru to fly supply to Kusaie. Others were moved to Tabiteuea to fly supply to Kusaie, but it will be a number of days to get pilots in that unit that are trained in naval search only. This unit was well-trained in torpedo attack, and I don't want to lose these pilots flying supply.

The 3 US SST subs are landing supply on Nauru today. They'll start hauling to Kusaie when there's a port built.

Kusaie is out on a limb. It's going to get bombarded regularly, I know that. But anything short of a counter-invasion is ok with me. It's going to have the enemy's attention, and it's highly unlikely that there were any enemy units prepping for the location. If OPilot wants to counter-invade, it's going to take some time. He'll try prevent base building and destroy supply. Worst case, I can't get the airfield or port built, but the enemy's interest there will allow Nauru to get built, which will help Kusaie survive.

But for now, will there be a big carrier battle today?

[BBfanboy]

I am wondering how good your info on the IJN carrier force is? Credible D/L? Aircraft count? Number of CVs/CVLs/CVEs/BBs/CAs ?
There is every chance that what was reported initially was a mini-KB and that was the real reason it did not attempt to intervene at Kusaie Island.

However, I understand that it is your call on whether your carriers are ready to engage KB and if not, you can't take a chance on staying an extra day.
Good luck with the next few months doing the carrier dance!

[apbarog]

OPilot said that he "was shocked that we didn't have a massive carrier battle last turn". That leaves no doubt that KB is what I was seeing. We may have that big battle today. We shall see later today.