Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

Lesson one, don't make the Razor mad. Here was his intervention at the Samar landing site. It looks like Scott did not have surface ships to guard these LSTs and the Razor with his high aggression stayed around until everyone was sunk. These arne't worth much but every VP is helpful! And, it probably interrupted his supply buildup on Samar.

[John B.]

But the more interesting development is going to be my attempt to flood the zone in two days. Scott is keeping his main carrier TF east of Mindanao but he has surface TFs in the straits just north of the island. My basic plan is as follows. This turn I'm going to send surface TFs to the eastern and norther circle and the KB to the western circle. Assuming it goes to plan (hah!) they will disband and thus not be seen my his search planes. Then, the next day, I'll run the surface TFs down to the landing sites and move the KB where I can get a shot at his guardian surface TFs without running into the full force of the American fighter ball. Betties and Franceses from Manila will join in the fun.

Also, it occurs to me that I can't sweep over his carrier while they are at sea. But, I can sweep over his Mindanao base which will catch at least some of his carrier CAP and leave less defending the ships at sea.

Pretty sneaky.

[John B.]

What is it about the Phillipines that lures the IJN into making overly complex operational plans?

Here we go. As you can see, I have multiple TFs set to go towards the USN. Going from right to left, I saw that his surface TF at Samar is actually within normal range of my zeros at Manila. So, they will sweep Samar and Betties, Franceses, Jills, and even Emilys will come in low on torpedo runs.

Next, a 4 DD TF will head south and curve around to try to disrupt the US KB off the coast of Leyte.

Next, A CA TF and a CL TF will head from Palawan to the hex right next to Butuan. My aim is not to get through to the transports at Butuan but the surface TF and the CVE TF that is in the hex northwest of the landing site. They should arrive at night.

Next, two BB TFs, a CA TF, and a CL TF will head for that same hex. They may not arrive until mid-day.

The KB will patrol in the middle of the Sulu sea both to send in airstrikes on that hex (my range is set far short of the main American carrier force) and to provide fighter protection to the retreating surface ships who are instructed to head back to Palawan.

In the no plan is perfect category:

1. My ships did all disband and promptly lost their good TF leaders so the air commanders of the KB are bad, very bad. But, hopefully they can at least keep CAP in the air and maybe even send in some airstrikes. The Razor is resting but most of my surface TF commanders have naval and agression ratings in the 60s.

2. Surprise was lost. Scott sent out an APD to raid Palawan and it prompted an airstrike. It was a small one and the KB did disband but he knows the carriers are around. The APD may sink.

3. You can't see it on this map but there is a 6 DD American TF north of Palawan. I'm not sure why it's up there, but it may run into the KB on it's way back. That would be annoying but I hope my ships are smart enough to run away. The KB TF commanders have bad air ratings but very good naval ones.

I don't think Scott will move his CVs into the shallow water so I do have a chance to put some real hurt on his CVES and the BB TF.

Off to war!!

[Bif1961]

Anticipation is making me wait.

[John B.]

It is a battle that did not develop necessarily to my advantage. On the plus side, I sank a sub, 3 PT boats, and the pesky APD. Oh, and I think Scott lost 10 carrier planes or so.

On the minus side, I lost a BB, 2 CAs, a CL and a number of destroyers. I also have a damaged BB and a damaged CL.

[John B.]

The main problem was that the ships ran in as they were supposed to and then stuck around rather than run home during the daylight hours. You can see where they are located north of Butuan. Scott ran away and so his carrier planes were in range of my TFs and mine were not. I'm actually surprised I have a BB that is still afloat and only half damaged!

Plan for the day, we've come this close, let's see what we can do. So, I'm moving the KB in closer, the remaining BB will bombard Buthuan and if the KB does not attack ships the dive bombers will go for the Butuan airfield. This will preserve the torpedo bombers in case Scott has a big CAP over Butuan.

All of my torpedo bombers out of Manila missed Scott's DD TF that is now lurking in the midst of the Philippines and got 4 of my planes shot down. So, this turn they will bombard the other airfield at Samar.

My subs did put torpedos into an american BB and an Amercian CA which may at least take those ships out of the fight. Im not looking for surface actions anymore, my main concern is to shut down the airfields. Wish me luck for the second day of battle!

[Bif1961]

Good luck I will be praying at the Shinto Shrine for the souls of those departed and for your success.

[John B.]

Thanks!

[anarchyintheuk]

"Not necessarily to my advantage". Great phrasing. Made me want to read Hirohito's broadcast again. You may not want to . . . it might be bad juju.

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/hirohito.htm

[John B.]

anarchy, my thoughts exactly! However, it's just a flesh wound and I'm sure the warrior spirit of my pixel flotillas will prevail.

[John B.]

It was an annoying turn. Not much really happened except that the BB went in to bombard and met PT boats that hit it with one torpedo and then it went down. [:@] And, my carrier planes did not raid the airfield at Butuan so it's in good shape. [:@][:@]

I sank a couple of PT boats and it appears like two DDs so I got that going for me. The KB is staying and going into shallow water as I have another BB TF working its way down from Manila. We'll see if the next turn brings better news.

[John B.]

Here is the update. Scott is spreading throughout Mindanao like a virus. The KB hammered his central land force and killed quite a number of tanks. But it now has to head back to port to refuel. It's going back to Manila where it will join 3 BBs, several CLs and a number of DDs. More importantly, I have a regiment loaded to hit the beach at Butuan. Recon only identifies on small unit there and it's not too far for me to get down there. If (fingers crossed) I can land there in three days I may be able to get there before the American KB shows up.

He has paratroop forces going after me in Davao and he'll take that in fairly short order. My main goal here is to prevent American naval forces from interdicting the oil route to the HI.

[John B.]

But, the Americans are now building up on the Celebes and at Makassar. He'll be flying fighter sweeps over Soerebaja pretty soon. I'll just have to see what I can do. I'm taking everything out of Palembang that I can get my hands on. I think that the IJN can really only stop one advance right now and the Philippines are more important than Java. We'll see how long this lasts.

[John B.]

Not a great couple of turns but a disaster was avoided so I can't really complain. A US sub put 4 torpedoes into the Hiyo. And, luckily for me, one of them did not explode and the CV did not catch on fire. It's now disbanded at a base in the central Phillipines with 80 flotation damage but only 34 system and no engine damage (and many kudos for not sinking with three torpedo hits!!). It should be safe for a couple of turn and can make it to Manila. Scott also got an AP but it was able to make it to port and disgorge its cargo before it went down.

But, the Empire never won battles by crying about defeats.[:-] My latest plan is to launch a counter invasion at Surigao. Bombing by recon reveals on a Marine defense battalion there so if I can get some good shore bombardment and two turns of KB attacks they may just be pushed back and there does not seem to be much in Butuan so I can always switch the site to there.

The American CVs were spotted last turn and are gone this turn. They may have disbanded at Babledaob. We shall see.

[John B.]

Next turn. No sign of any allied ships except PT boats at Butuan. The landing is set for tomorrow at Surigao. I have a BB TF set to bombard the airfield next to Butuan as well as one set to bombard Surigao. The KB did a round of air strikes on the marine defense battalion that did some damage but not a whole lot.

The Razor has a CL TF in the Surigao strait to try to block any allied surface intervention.

Some unescorted SBDs flew after my AMC that has been trying to do mine sweeping operations and keeps getting chased away by the PT boats. 12 of them got shot down by KB air patrol.

Scott started bombing Light Industry in China. Typical war criminal.

News as it develops!

[John B.]

Well this annoying. Four separate shore bombardments and two strikes from the full KB and I could not even kill a squad. [8|]

My assault value took a real nose dive from one (-) but Scott's seemed to be ok despite having every possible (-) other than supply.

The worst part about this is you just know in your bones that this defense is going to lead to a spate of really bad WWII movies in the 1950s. Titles like "The Damned Don't Die" and "Destination Surigao!" You have been warned!!

[John B.]

Feeling sorry for myself time is over.

The new plan. I'm shipping in a paratroop battalion from Batavia with both Emily squadrons flying them into Manila. It looks like Butuan is empty since Scott moved reinforcements into Surigao. So, next turn, paradrop on Butuan!

[John B.]

Fighting soldiers from the sky, fearless men who jump and die, men who mean just what they say, the brave men of the Yokusaka 1st Special Naval Landing Force!

The small fragment of my para boys went in and, as recon had reported, the base was empty and fell to their airborne assault. The haul was 14 PBYs, 5,000 supply points and a scuttled US sub. It also has the advantage of cutting Surigao off from resupply for now.

It was also a good turn in the air with the KB fighters taking down 13 PBY Liberators and an airstrike on Davao killing 14 or so transports. Scott's main airfield on Mindinao is now the one in the center and it's still at a level 1 so I'm not sure how many fighters he can effectively cram on there. The KB has it targeted for an airstrike this turn and then it will go back to Manila to resupply and escort that next amphib TF bound for Surigao and carrying a tank regiment.

Of course, the US navy is going to have something to say about this. The Subs have already taken two CVs out of action and I'm pretty sure his boats are swarming these seas. I did lay a minefield at Bataan that his sub has not yet hit but I got one at the mouth of Tokyo bay with a new minefield. Two reported mine strikes and sinking sounds.

There was an unnerving socuting report of American carriers but I could not find them. They are likely on their way back to the fight unless Scott is planning on sending them elsewhere.

[Bif1961]

I think that Japanese song writer might have a case for copyright infringement.

[John B.]

Happy New Year everybody. 1944 dawns full of promise. I don't have a sense of foreboding at all! [:)]

Here is the current VP/PP total. I'm still more than 2-1 up on Scott so he's going to have a long road to hoe to not only catch up but to get up on me by 2-1. But, he is on the march. The longer I keep him away from the HI the better so there won't be the start bombing VP. My navy is still preserved and trying to keep open my windpipe from Palembang for as long as possible. He's basically taken Mindanao which hurts unless I can keep him busy there for awhile.