mind_messing's (J) Marianas Mastery - vs XTRG (A)

[mind_messing]

So, I've decided to pick up a PBEM on the fly with the esteemed streamer XTRG.

We're playing the Marianas scenario with myself as the IJ and XTRG playing the Allies. XTRG hasn't played AE for the same length of time as myself, so we're hoping that the massive Allied advantage in quantity and quality will offset all that hard won experience I've gain by having various other denizens of the forum kick me around.

In a nice twist, XTRG will be streaming his side of the game, so I intend this to be the other perspective of the game.

I'd stream it myself, but I lack the proper equipment and a suitable voice for radio.

XTRG's perspective on the first turn can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyXXTproGDU

Usual OPSEC rules apply, so no spoilers either way please.

There's no house rules or any such nonsense, so we can get right in to the action.

[mind_messing]

First Turn Situation

The Japanese situation in this scenario is absolutely woeful. My task is to defend the Marianas Islands from the Allies as best I can against a much bigger and better equipped force. If I'm to win this match, it's going to be on points.

Looking at the VP value for bases, here's how things stand.



Saipan is where the bulk of the VP's are, as well as my best ground units in the Marianas, so I'll be concentrating my defence there.

Orders Issued to Ground Units

Elements of the 9th Tank Regiment on Guam will be transported to Saipan to bring the 9th Tank Regiment to full strength. I'd rather have 58 tanks on Saipan than 18 on Guam and 30 odds on Saipan.

The I/135th Infantry Bn will be removed from Tinian and sent to recombine with it's parent division on Saipan. This will leave a regiment, a naval guard and a tank company on Tinian.

The I/10th Infantry Bn will be withdrawn from Rota and sent to Guam to combine with it's parent brigade. This will abandon rota, but it's a worthless base with just a level one port.

The 1st Ind. Tank Coy is being withdrawn from Truk and sent to the Marianas. The exact destination I've yet to decide upon.

Orders Issued to Naval Units

I've not got anything bigger than a CL (at least until the CV's arrive to get sunk), so I'm limited in what I can do.

The usual ASW task forces have been set up, maybe we can get lucky and farm a few USN subs for easy VP's in the opening stages of the game.

IJN submarines are about the only force I have in big numbers, so I've divided them into three groups:
- Scout Force: Glen equipped subs that will try to spot the USN amphib forces moving out from Pearl
- Hunting Force: The long-legged and faster subs that will move to a holding position south of Wake Island. They'll wait there until I get some intel about the US Fleet's movements. I don't want to lose these subs needlessly, so they won't be operating in enemy waters unless I've a solid target. I want to sink big amphibs or CV's, not puny minesweepers and LSTs.
- Rowboat Force: So called for their "RO" designation and short-range. They're going to operate close-in to Guam and Saipan to try and sink CV's, amphibs and cripples.

I've a few Auxiliary ships to play with, so I'm deploying them as follows.

My single AD is going to Ulithi, which is a level 3 port. I have a fair few DD's arriving along with the Combined Fleet, so hopefully I can operate them from there and conduct hit and run raids on Allied shipping.


Orders Issued to Air Units.

All air groups have been pulled back from Truk to the Marianas, and everyone set to 100% training. I anticipate a lull of a few days as Allied units get in to position, and I want to guard my aircraft jelously. A little extra training will make my pilots a little less woeful - average Air skill on the best fighter squadron is 58. Not good enough.

IJN Tabby transports are re-locating to Guam - they'll fly to Truk, pick up the 66th Naval Guard from there and bring them back to Guam to bolster the defence. After this is complete they'll start flying the 52nd Division out of Truk as well.

Floatplanes have been dished out to try and get some sort of search programme running here. The gap between Marcus Island and Truk is massive, and I want as much warning as possible. With only 4 Glen subs and 13 long-range search planes (4 Mavis, 9 Myrt), I need everything that can fly search doing search missions. I'll even move Betties in to the Marianas in a few turns.

I've got a fair few night fighters that I don't really anticipate needing, so they're now earmarked as low-level night naval attack planes. Maybe waste some flak ammo.

Overall Strategy

I'm playing for VP's here. Japan starts with 1755 to Allied 28 VP's, and to win I need to keep the ratio as positive as possible.

My goals towards that are:
- Preserve my units on land, sea and air as much as possible by outright avoiding combat.
- Concentrate defences around the two main VP bases (Saipan & Guam).
- Use submarines to identify, track and attrition the Allied fleet as it sails to the Marianas.
- Avoid engaging the Allied carrier fleet directly at all costs.
- When the Allies are immediately prior to landing, or on D-Day, throw all air assets into an offensive aimed at sinking as many loaded amphibious ships as possible.
- Maneuverer Japanese carrier assets to attempt to strike Allied targets without the risk of a return strike.

Hopefully that should carry me through this hellish scenario!

[mind_messing]

Turn 1 - May 22, 1944

The first turn is quiet, as both side start with their naval and air bases mostly out of range of each other.

However, the Allies land the first blow of the battle, with the Angler putting a torpedo into the floatplane tender Kiyokawa Maru outside Babeldoab.

Submarine attack near Babeldaob at 92,97

Japanese Ships
AV Kiyokawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Angler

The Kiyokawa Maru is moderate damage all round, but moderate fires might be the end of it. It's limping back in to Babeldoab, where it can get some repairs. It won't be back to 100% condition before the scenario is over, but if the fires are put out I can hulk it somewhere and have the mechanics do some work on floatplanes from the wrecked tender.

The only other action involved Allied bombing raids on Truk and Wake Island. No real damage was caused as the bombers flew at 20k feet, so they didn't hit much, but conversely didn't take any damage to flak.

I'm a bit worried about Wake, as it only has a CD gun unit on it, and no actual combat units. However, there's nothing I can do. I'd pull the CD guns off it, given the chance, but it's well within Allied search range from Hawaii, so that's off the cards. Best bet is if the Allies attempt a hasty invasion and let the CD guns get some hits in.

I deploy around 38 midget subs, split between Saipan and Guam. They're pretty poor combat platforms, but they're cheap on VP's. A few well-placed torps and they'll pay for themselves. I've deployed them early in the hope that the crews build up a little bit of EXP between now and the Allied landings.

The light cruiser Oi and a DD are running a fast transport operation to put an aviation company on Anatahan, a dot hex north-east of Guam. That will be my secret floatplane station for Pete's and other short-ranged floatplanes.

My repositioning of troops outlined in the previous post is well underway. I load the 3rd Base Force from Babeldoab, and intend to put it ashore on Tinian. I did this because the 3rd BF is due a TOE upgrade that gives it CD guns, but the Command HQ in this scenario is the 4th Fleet, currently on Truk. Another unit that needs redeployed ASAP!

About the only thing I have plenty of in this scenario is naval mines, deployed from both surface ships and submarines. I've split off all the surface ships capable of laying mines off and sent them to top-up the 250 mines off Guam, while the short-legged IJN submarines are loading their torpedo tubes with mines to bolster the 200 mines off Saipan. I've about 800 mines in the pool, and I guess it will take about two weeks to lay all of them. Every little helps!

Some merchant ships arrived as reinforcement, and they're loading supply for Guam and thence to Truk to help load units there.

I also take the chance to replace a few commanders - the 31st Army HQ on Guam is the first on the list, and it gets a much more able commander. I replace a few of the divisional and regimental commanders on Saipan as well, but I lack the political points to fully flesh them out.

So far, so good!

[center]

Gato-class submarines like the Angler did the bulk of the heavy lifting for the USN Submarine force during WW2. Historicaly, Angler had a very successful career that included evacuating civilians the Phillippines and shelling Japanese factories on Hokkaido.[/center]

[AleRonin]

Nice AAR, thanks [:)]

This scenario is fourth on my list before the full campaign, I will follow with interest.

[Bif1961]

You are a brave man.

[JoV]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

You are a brave man.

If its the stock Marianas scenario I agree. Good luck [:D]

I played it through not so long ago as a PBEM. I agree on not confronting the Death Star directly. Its humbling to see what it does your strike packages in this scenario [:(]. My suggestion, if your opponent appears to be overly fixated on supporting the landings, would be a tricksy flank move to the rear to cut off retiring or late arriving task forces.

[AleRonin]

Is it a one side scenario?

[Anachro]

There are two sides: Japan and the Allies (or all Americans in this case I think). The other player is showing his side of the PBEM on his youtube channnel.

EDIT

If you mean, is this scenario one-sided, then, yes, probably. This was the scenario that historically produced the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and destroyed Japanese carrier power for the rest of the war.

[AleRonin]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

There are two sides: Japan and the Allies (or all Americans in this case I think). The other player is showing his side of the PBEM on his youtube channnel.

EDIT

If you mean, is this scenario one-sided, then, yes, probably. This was the scenario that historically produced the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and destroyed Japanese carrier power for the rest of the war.

Yes sorry, I mean one-sided [:)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

There are two sides: Japan and the Allies (or all Americans in this case I think). The other player is showing his side of the PBEM on his youtube channnel.

EDIT

If you mean, is this scenario one-sided, then, yes, probably. This was the scenario that historically produced the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and destroyed Japanese carrier power for the rest of the war.

The Allied superiority is offset by the victory conditions which pretty much require them to take all three islands (Guam, Tinian and Saipan) or two islands and a big chunk of the IJN. The Japanese aircraft and carriers cannot compete with the Allies, but the IJN has a huge strength in BBs and CAs that can smash anything it lays its guns and torps on.

I think the IJ player needs to throw everything at the Allies in a controlled manner - no long range strikes frittering away strength, no large separations between ACTFs (carriers) and SCTFs. Use the IJN carriers to provide air support over the SCTF - i.e. load them up with fighters rather than bombers. Use subs and long-range LBA to scout rather than strike so you know where there Allied TFs are. If you can smash one invasion force or the Allied carrier force you will likely win.

And of course, your strategy to concentrate troops on Saipan is part of keeping the most valuable island out of Allied hands. Bring in whatever you can from Babeldaob or Peleliu or Iwo Jima. That includes as much supply as your paltry numbers of xAKLs can bring. Don't worry about losing them - they will not be able to get through once the Allied landings start, so send them early at full speed to give the maximum unloading time.

PS - When the main IJN fleet arrives it is short on fuel and ammo so it needs about three days to get to Babeldaob/Peleliu to get ready for the big battle.

[AleRonin]

Great analysis, thanks.

[JoV]

One of the difficulties for the Allied player in this scenario is they don't have quite enough transport capacity at Pearl Harbor at game start to move everything across in one wave. Coupled with the need to take several islands, this means a quick smash and grab is pretty much off the cards, opening some opportunities for Japan...

Be wary of those subs though, there are a lot of them, as you've already discovered [:D]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: AleRonin

Nice AAR, thanks [:)]

This scenario is fourth on my list before the full campaign, I will follow with interest.

Hi Ale, there's more to come!

I really think this is an excellent scenario for some of the more advanced game concepts. Japan has to fight with stick and stones, the Allies still have to land in the face of serious opposition with strong assets, but careful Japanese play can cause a win on VPs.

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

You are a brave man.

It was a calculated decision between myself and XTRG. He's not been playing as long as I have, so it's only fair that I take the weaker side. Still, not sure my longer time playing AE will count much against Allied firepower...

ORIGINAL: JoV

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

You are a brave man.

If its the stock Marianas scenario I agree. Good luck [:D]

I played it through not so long ago as a PBEM. I agree on not confronting the Death Star directly. Its humbling to see what it does your strike packages in this scenario [:(]. My suggestion, if your opponent appears to be overly fixated on supporting the landings, would be a tricksy flank move to the rear to cut off retiring or late arriving task forces.

I've not got the super secret plans for throwing the Allies back to Los Angeles!

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Anachro

There are two sides: Japan and the Allies (or all Americans in this case I think). The other player is showing his side of the PBEM on his youtube channnel.

EDIT

If you mean, is this scenario one-sided, then, yes, probably. This was the scenario that historically produced the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and destroyed Japanese carrier power for the rest of the war.

The Allied superiority is offset by the victory conditions which pretty much require them to take all three islands (Guam, Tinian and Saipan) or two islands and a big chunk of the IJN. The Japanese aircraft and carriers cannot compete with the Allies, but the IJN has a huge strength in BBs and CAs that can smash anything it lays its guns and torps on.

I think the IJ player needs to throw everything at the Allies in a controlled manner - no long range strikes frittering away strength, no large separations between ACTFs (carriers) and SCTFs. Use the IJN carriers to provide air support over the SCTF - i.e. load them up with fighters rather than bombers. Use subs and long-range LBA to scout rather than strike so you know where there Allied TFs are. If you can smash one invasion force or the Allied carrier force you will likely win.

And of course, your strategy to concentrate troops on Saipan is part of keeping the most valuable island out of Allied hands. Bring in whatever you can from Babeldaob or Peleliu or Iwo Jima. That includes as much supply as your paltry numbers of xAKLs can bring. Don't worry about losing them - they will not be able to get through once the Allied landings start, so send them early at full speed to give the maximum unloading time.

PS - When the main IJN fleet arrives it is short on fuel and ammo so it needs about three days to get to Babeldaob/Peleliu to get ready for the big battle.

Yup, that's a pretty spot on analysis, thanks!

[mind_messing]

Turn 2 - May 23rd, 1944

Things don't start off great for Japan this turn, and just get worse.

First off, Angler makes a re-appearance and scores the first sunk ship of the scenario, putting two more torps into the already crippled Kiyokawa Maru. The Japanese seaplane tender, already wounded, takes her captain down with it.

Submarine attack near Babeldaob at 93,97

Japanese Ships
AV Kiyokawa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Angler

AV Kiyokawa Maru is sighted by SS Angler
SS Angler launches 6 torpedoes

This is a nice coup for the Allies, as I'd hoped to use the seaplane tender to bolster the already strained network of airbases in the Marianas. Seaplanes have a nice advantage in that they don't need a working airbase to fly from - and the Allies can't bomb the ocean...

Allied submarines still haunt Babeldoab, with the Cod deciding to fire two torpedoes at a small Japanese coastal freighter, but missing with both .

However, the Barb gets lucky, catching another Japanese seaplane tender sprinting out of Babeldoab:

Submarine attack near Peleliu at 90,99

Japanese Ships
AV Akitsushima, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Barb

AV Akitsushima is sighted by SS Barb
SS Barb launches 4 torpedoes

The Akitsushima is one of the best seaplane tenders Japan has, being a purpose built warship rather than a merchantmen. The damage to the ship is moderate, and she should survive if the crews can put out the fires and keep the flooding under control. The ship will limp to Woleai at 7 knots to try and make emergency repairs, and then transfer to Satawal to set up a seaplane base there.

The war under the waves is all in the Allied favour, as a Allied hunter-killer group of destroyer escorts catches the I-8 off Pearl Harbour and puts her under:

Submarine attack near Pearl Harbor at 179,109

Japanese Ships
SS I-8, hits 25, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DE Wileman
DE Whitman
DE Tisdale

SS I-8 is located by DE Wileman
I-8 diving deep ....
DE Wileman fails to find sub, continues to search...
DE Whitman fails to find sub and abandons search
DE Wileman attacking submerged sub ....
DE Wileman attacking submerged sub ....
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman fails to find sub, continues to search...
DE Wileman attacking submerged sub ....
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
DE Wileman is out of ASW ammo
SS I-8 forced to surface!
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Wileman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Wileman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Pearl Harbor at 179,109

Japanese Ships
SS I-8, hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DE Wileman
DE Whitman
DE Tisdale

SS I-8 is sighted by escort
DE Wileman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Wileman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Tisdale firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Wileman firing on surfaced sub ....
DE Whitman firing on surfaced sub ....
Sub slips beneath the waves

Another Allied sub takes a potshot at the DD escorting the light cruiser Oi, but misses.

About the only good news is that the Gurnard clears a mine, the hard way:

TF 497 encounters mine field at Saipan (108,93)

Allied Ships
SS Gurnard, Mine hits 1

Gurnard's luck turns later as even hurt, it still packs a punch. It slams a torp into a Japanese patrol boat unloading tanks at Saipan.

Japanese Ships
PB Kohuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Gurnard

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

While not sinking the patrol boat outright, it's almost certain to succumb to it's wounds.

The air war is a completely Allied affair - American Liberator bombers hit Truk and Ponape to no Japanese opposition. My scant bands of fighters are in the rear rapidly training to hopefully counteract two years of Allied qualitative advantages...

Some reinforcements arrive at Babeldoab this turn, consisting of some patrol boats, a tanker, an oiler, a submarine tender and a coastal merchantmen. The submarine tender will relocated to Uluthi to join the destroyer tender already en-route. The patrol boats and merchantmen will run supply in to the Marianas while the tanker and oiler load fuel and head north to give me a floating gas station north-west of the Marianas.

Other than that, there's not much to do this turn. Still waiting for more information on Allied movements, meanwhile troops on Saipan, Guam and Tinian dig in.

I've earmarked the Iwo Jima Naval Guard unit for redeployment to Guam if possible - it has a solid TOE with some decent CD guns and hopefully will make the landing that little bit harder for the Allies...


[center]


Guns akin to the 12cm 11YT CD gun will hopefully cause damage and disruption to any Allied landings on Guam...
[/center]

[ChuckBerger]

[/quote]

The light cruiser Oi and a DD are running a fast transport operation to put an aviation company on Anatahan, a dot hex north-east of Guam. That will be my secret floatplane station for Pete's and other short-ranged floatplanes.

That's a brave crew. Here's Anatahan a few years ago!

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: ChuckBerger

The light cruiser Oi and a DD are running a fast transport operation to put an aviation company on Anatahan, a dot hex north-east of Guam. That will be my secret floatplane station for Pete's and other short-ranged floatplanes.

That's a brave crew. Here's Anatahan a few years ago!


[/quote]

Just as well the floatplanes don't need dry land!

[AleRonin]

I just started this one as Japanese too, we will see how it ends.
Till the last man [:)]

[mind_messing]

May 24th to May 31st, 1944

Skipping over a lot of minor events within this week, as not much really happened of great interest. I'll focus on the main points instead.

At Sea

USN subs are scary in 1944.

Over this time frame, they sink:

1 destroyer tender
1 seaplane tender
1 minefield tender
1 oiler
1 light cruiser (Oi, the biggest IJN warship currently on the board)
5 merchantmen of various sizes.

This isn't terrible, but it's far from great. The Oi would have hurt more, but the ship had underwent it's late 1944 refits. These slow it down to 21 knots, but give it Kaiten human torpedos. In theory this gives it one of the most powerful naval weapons in the game. In practice, it's a slow, lightly armoured ship with destroyer armament. Still, would have preferred to keep it.

IJN subs, in comparison, fare terribly. 4 have been lost so far, 3 to surface ships and one to ASW air. There's no confirmed sinkings on their part either.

Above the waves, the IJN has completely the reshuffling of the units deployed throughout the Marianas, but more on that later.

The USN appear to be making a westward move from Pearl Harbour, as sporadic contact between IJN subs and USN ships occurs, but there's no solid intel on any Allied naval units other than some Allied ships far to the east of Truk.

On the Ground

The ground defence of the Marianas is about as ready as it will ever be. Rota has been abandoned, and all the fragmented units have been recombined. The Naval Guard from Truk has been flown out by air, and the Naval HQ is nearly completely flown out as well. Once that's fully at Saipan, the transports will start flying the infantry squads from the 52nd Division at Truk out also.

There's another IJA division, the 14th, on Peleliu. As there's no more need for shipping to move units around the Marianas, I might try to move some of the 14th in to Guam. However, I suspect the Allied assault to hit within the week, so I'm holding off for now.

In the Air

A few strikes on Wake and Truk are attempted by the Allies, but there's little on those bases to strike. Flak causes the Allies a few issues over Truk.

The entire Japanese air component (bar a few search units) continues training operations at full pelt. It's not much, and I'm never going to turn half-baked pilots into combat-ready pilots within a few weeks, but I plan to consolidate all my pilots once the battle for the Marianas is joined properly. Hopefully I can take the cream of the current pilots and fill at least a couple squadrons using the best planes with semi-decent pilots. I'll leave the leftovers to the untrained riff-raff. It's not much, but it might just be the difference between one bomb hit on an American ship or none, and sometimes that can make the difference in battles.

VP Situation

Current VP's are 1786 Japanese VP's to 219 Allied VP's.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

...The Oi would have hurt more, but the ship had underwent it's late 1944 refits. These slow it down to 21 knots, but give it Kaiten human torpedos. In theory this gives it one of the most powerful naval weapons in the game. In practice, it's a slow, lightly armoured ship with destroyer armament. ...

In all the time I have played this game, mostly as the IJ, I have never yet been able to see a Kaiten hit …

Just saying …

[8D]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

...The Oi would have hurt more, but the ship had underwent it's late 1944 refits. These slow it down to 21 knots, but give it Kaiten human torpedos. In theory this gives it one of the most powerful naval weapons in the game. In practice, it's a slow, lightly armoured ship with destroyer armament. ...

In all the time I have played this game, mostly as the IJ, I have never yet been able to see a Kaiten hit …

Just saying …

[8D]

Ditto. Google turns up no results as well. For science, I think I'll see if I can sandbox some Kaiten firing.