At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

Solomons (that don't matter): JJ staged a little air ambush at Buin yesterday and shot down a B-25 so we switch over to Auki. This and a few more. We discover 16th Army HQ there.

Morning Air attack on Auki , at 115,136

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 11
A-20A1 Havoc x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 1

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 17

[Cap Mandrake]

Guadalcanal being sanitized by artillery fire alone. Cleaner that way.

Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 11054 troops, 257 guns, 163 vehicles, Assault Value = 784

Defending force 6878 troops, 68 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 45

Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
22nd Marine Regiment
2nd Marine/B Division
2nd Marine/A Division
5th Marine Regiment
102nd Cmbt Engineer Regiment
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
14th NZ Brigade
164th Infantry Regiment
1st USMC Tank Battalion
2nd Marine/C Division
1st Pioneer Battalion
181st Field Artillery Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
168th Field Artillery Battalion
226th Field Artillery Battalion
11th MAG /1
249th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Port Maint Engr Bn /1

Defending units:
10th Garrison Unit
14th Naval Guard Unit
Yokosuka 5th SNLF /1
III/19th Naval Guard Unit
86th Naval Guard Unit
3rd Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Sasebo 5th SNLF
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
41st Naval Guard Unit
Maizuru 3rd SNLF /1
18th Div /1

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Say hello to my leettle Ma Deuce!

Ground combat at Batan Island (85,70)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 919 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Defending force 523 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 23

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
158 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
47th Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
4th Marine Rgt /1

We just murdered an entire Naval Guard Unit.

I always did like the Ma Deuce. She is heavy to carry but I still like her.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

If you get stuck on the Princess Corona they give you free WiFi and a 100% credit on your next trip.

This is similar to '2nd Prize: Two Weeks in Philadelphia'.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Say hello to my leettle Ma Deuce!

Ground combat at Batan Island (85,70)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 919 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Defending force 523 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 23

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
158 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
47th Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
4th Marine Rgt /1

We just murdered an entire Naval Guard Unit.

Mountain of Cocaine not included [;)]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Pretend I did not read how ground replacement works. Does one simply press the "allow upgrade" button in a rear area to allow a US Army unit to upgrade to '43 squads?

There's the usual caveats about access / LOS to >20,000k supply and being within range of a relevant ground HQ unit. And you have to-you know-have '1943 squads' in your replacement pools.

And you can't have every other REMF sucking up your trickle of '43 squads before they get to the Philippines. ETA: Check your OPS report to see where your replacements are going. Usually it's near the end of the report in language to the effect of 'XX Unit gets replacements from YY location.' Turn off any XX unit at YY location that is siphoning off your desired upgrade squads.

Can't answer the question about pool of USA units in the Philippines though.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

We just murdered an entire Naval Guard Unit.

Technically speaking, they just murdered *themselves*. Some may say semantics, but the Japanese historically have taken it very literally.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
AS GO IS MY WITNESS I WILL NEVER FIX BOMB CRATERS AGAIN!

[&:]

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

We just murdered an entire Naval Guard Unit.

Technically speaking, they just murdered *themselves*. Some may say semantics, but the Japanese historically have taken it very literally.

Time for another episode of Samurai Naval Guard.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
AS GO IS MY WITNESS I WILL NEVER FIX BOMB CRATERS AGAIN!

[&:]

He meant GoT!

[T Rav]

Two things.

First: Thanks Cap for a thoroughly enjoyable AAR. I check it every day after work.

Second: Ranger Joe I couldn't agree more about the M2HB (Ma Deuce). Puts the point on the phrase "If a hammer won't fix the problem, get a bigger hammer." And your right, it's heavy!

T Rav

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: T Rav

Two things.

First: Thanks Cap for a thoroughly enjoyable AAR. I check it every day after work.

Second: Ranger Joe I couldn't agree more about the M2HB (Ma Deuce). Puts the point on the phrase "If a hammer won't fix the problem, get a bigger hammer." And your right, it's heavy!

T Rav

How does the M2HB compare to the MG42?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: T Rav

Two things.

First: Thanks Cap for a thoroughly enjoyable AAR. I check it every day after work.

Second: Ranger Joe I couldn't agree more about the M2HB (Ma Deuce). Puts the point on the phrase "If a hammer won't fix the problem, get a bigger hammer." And your right, it's heavy!

T Rav

How does the M2HB compare to the MG42?

Having fired the MG42 (but not the M2), I can say that the MG42 is comparatively lightweight. Even in its HMG mounting, I still think the M2 has it beat in terms of weight.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: T Rav

Two things.

First: Thanks Cap for a thoroughly enjoyable AAR. I check it every day after work.

Second: Ranger Joe I couldn't agree more about the M2HB (Ma Deuce). Puts the point on the phrase "If a hammer won't fix the problem, get a bigger hammer." And your right, it's heavy!

T Rav

How does the M2HB compare to the MG42?

Having fired the MG42 (but not the M2), I can say that the MG42 is comparatively lightweight. Even in its HMG mounting, I still think the M2 has it beat in terms of weight.

The MG42 equivalent would be something like the M60m the MG42 weights about 25 1/2 pounds and fires a 7.92 by 57 mm cartridge. Something like a 30 caliber high powered deer rifle. The standard Nato round is 7.62 by 51mm which is a .308 inch bullet.

The M2HB weighs about 84 pounds without the tripod and about 128 pounds with the tripod. It fires a 12.7 by 99 mm or a 50 caliber bullet. Think elephant gun. The bullet has 14,000 foot pounds of energy coming out of the muzzle. The ball round will go through about 3/4 inch of armor, the armor piercing round will go through about 2 inches of armor. A sniper firing a 50 caliber sniper rifle using the same cartridge put a bullet through a cinder block wall and killed three men behind the wall.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Zorch



How does the M2HB compare to the MG42?

Having fired the MG42 (but not the M2), I can say that the MG42 is comparatively lightweight. Even in its HMG mounting, I still think the M2 has it beat in terms of weight.

The MG42 equivalent would be something like the M60m the MG42 weights about 25 1/2 pounds and fires a 7.92 by 57 mm cartridge. Something like a 30 caliber high powered deer rifle. The standard Nato round is 7.62 by 51mm which is a .308 inch bullet.

The M2HB weighs about 84 pounds without the tripod and about 128 pounds with the tripod. It fires a 12.7 by 99 mm or a 50 caliber bullet. Think elephant gun. The bullet has 14,000 foot pounds of energy coming out of the muzzle. The ball round will go through about 3/4 inch of armor, the armor piercing round will go through about 2 inches of armor. A sniper firing a 50 caliber sniper rifle using the same cartridge put a bullet through a cinder block wall and killed three men behind the wall.

Aye. I've fired the Barrett M82A1 before too. It's like a whole 'nuther animal. The MG42 cartridge is no big deal. The selective fire M82A1 *hurts* to fire. Not in the shoulder with recoil, but with your face so close to the combustion chamber of the weapon, that large a volume of powder ignited smacks you in the sinuses, in the nose and eyes when you fire. You can feel your face deforming a bit and it's literally like somebody slapped you across your face.

But the penetrating power of the .50 round makes it almost worth it. I've shot through minivan engine blocks and steel tire axles / hubs. Makes it worth it. [8D]

[BBfanboy]

The heavy MGs were used in WWI for indirect fire - i.e. they fired over a hill to rain their heavy bullets on the enemy rear areas. I assume that a spotter balloon/plane or Forward Observation Officer was used to call in the fire and direct corrections, but even if they didn't, making the enemy rear echelons take cover instead of operating freely could slow the support to the front and add to the general misery of trench warfare. The ballistic arc range of an HMG was about twice the range of a MMG.

What no one has mentioned about the MG42 was its incredible rate of fire. Canadian soldiers fighting in Normandy commented that when their men got hit by one, it was usual for three or more bullets to hit the same man. The disadvantage for the Germans was that they had to bring a lot of ammo to the weapon; not good for an army short on vehicles.

[RangerJoe]

That is probably why the MG42 in the MMG/HMG support role had a soldier with a horse and cart.

Medium machine gun fire support role
The MG 42 mounted on the Lafette 42 tripod

In the German heavy machine gun (HMG) platoons, each platoon served four MG 34/MG 42 machine guns, used in the sustained fire mode mounted on tripods.[19] In 1944 this was altered to six machine guns in three sections with two seven-man heavy machine gun squads per section as follows:

Squad leader (NCO) MP40
Machine gunner (private) MG 34/MG 42 and pistol
Assistant gunner (private) pistol
Three riflemen (privates) rifles
Horse leader for horse, cart and trailer (private) rifle

The optimum operating crew of an MG 42 in its medium machine gun role was six men: the squad leader, the machine gunner who carried and fired the gun, the assistant gunner/loader who carried the tripod, and three riflemen who carried ammunition, spare barrels, entrenching tools, and other items.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_42

[Zorch]

Remind me never to get in a firefight with anyone on this forum. [:@]

[Chickenboy]

Well, we aren't even talking about the *big* stuff yet, Zilch. This puppy has a kick!

[RangerJoe]

A nice looking toy, a PAK 75mm if I am not mistaken.