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

[Lowpe]

Nicely done.[&o] I have noticed that task forces on flank speed use quite a bit of fuel in each engagement.

[apbarog]

Loading for the Luzon invasion has begun. Most troops are on Java. The plan is to land at Batangas, Lucena and Boac, all south of Manila. Batangas has a huge airfield and is defended. SigInt listed an armor unit there. Lucena and Boac are unimproved and may be empty. 2 divisions are somewhat prepped for Batangas. 2 more for Lucena. A fifth will land in a follow-up wave. Off the coast of Luzon, Calapan and Busuanga will also be taken.

Manila is well defended. Bataan is also, and is mined. Manila will be a tough fight. If the timing works out, the four divisions on Mindanao could be used for an additional landing later, northwest of Manila. But that depends on Mindanao being cleared first.

The six US carriers that were in the Indian Ocean and helped the Sabang landing are now at Soerabaja.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Loading for the Luzon invasion has begun. Most troops are on Java. The plan is to land at Batangas, Lucena and Boac, all south of Manila. Batangas has a huge airfield and is defended. SigInt listed an armor unit there. Lucena and Boac are unimproved and may be empty. 2 divisions are somewhat prepped for Batangas. 2 more for Lucena. A fifth will land in a follow-up wave. Off the coast of Luzon, Calapan and Busuanga will also be taken.

Manila is well defended. Bataan is also, and is mined. Manila will be a tough fight. If the timing works out, the four divisions on Mindanao could be used for an additional landing later, northwest of Manila. But that depends on Mindanao being cleared first.

The six US carriers that were in the Indian Ocean and helped the Sabang landing are now at Soerabaja.

I have always wondered if Boac is on Luzon or on the island in the same hex. Let us know which!

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I have always wondered if Boac is on Luzon or on the island in the same hex. Let us know which!

An island with ground movement ability to Luzon.

[apbarog]

17 Nov 43

An Australian brigade continued to land at Boela. Most of it has unloaded, and the unit will attack what appears to be 2 weak units. It may or may not be enough to take the base.

Submarine Hoe missed a destroyer 7 hexes northeast of Babeldaob. Probably not an ASW task force, that far from base. Grunion missed a destroyer near Swatow. Other ships spotted included an AMC, an AK and an xAP. I have a feeling that Hong Kong is being reinforced.

6 Bettys flew a night naval strike from Manila, but only found PT boats at Taytay. No torpedo hits.

Heavy bombers flew to Miri to hit the airfield, but most of the bombers, based elsewhere, didn't fly, and they had been tasked to hit the oil there. They keep their orders for today.

The US 32nd Division was hit by Helens from Manila, and that hurt their attack at Iloilo.

Ground combat at Iloilo (79,84)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10264 troops, 202 guns, 124 vehicles, Assault Value = 266

Defending force 1659 troops, 8 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Allied adjusted assault: 27

Japanese adjusted defense: 12

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-), disruption(-), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
603 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 13 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division

Defending units:
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
209th JAAF AF Bn

But the results were still good, casualty wise. The base should fall today. P-47s will LRCAP the division today also.

The Chinese tried to take Kukong, having 3 corps going up against just a regiment. But an enemy division arrived just in time, and the Chinese were hurt.

Ground combat at Kukong (79,57)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27194 troops, 112 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 885

Defending force 17643 troops, 140 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 546

Allied adjusted assault: 580

Japanese adjusted defense: 2339

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
425 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2658 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 288 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled

Assaulting units:
21st Chinese Corps
86th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
116th Division
66th Infantry Regiment

I've ordered a general retreat back from Canton, and for units that have advanced to the east. The Chinese offensive will continue to the west of Canton, and may take the 2 coastal bases west of Hong Kong. I may have already over-extended the Chinese. With the enemy now concentrating and probably reinforcing China, I need to worry about reforming a good defensive line.

The mission to rescue the ships out of fuel at Miri was a success. All ships should arrive back at Jolo today. More loading on Java for Luzon. Loading at Batavia is ahead of loading at Soerabaja, by design. It's a longer trip from Batavia. Follow-up units are loading first, with assault units waiting for last. Since all shipping will travel together, that'll keep the assault wave off the ships for a day or two longer.

A side note: Nagasaki is showing 241 ships in port.

[apbarog]

18 Nov 43

Landings continue uninterrupted at Boela.

Carrier, battleship and cruiser task forces pass by Kudat and find that the enemy just dropped mines at the dot base Banggi. Destroyers clear the mines. Cruiser Baltimore hits a mine, what appeared to be the last one. That happens a lot. Baltimore is SYS 14/FLOT 36-33/ENG 2/FIRE 0 and safely made it to Jolo. It will now head towards Soerabaja, and then to a bigger repair yard. Probably Sydney.

Daily cruiser bombardment of Chinese troops at Canton. The Chinese are retreating north, back into the woodline, but it will be a slow process, in combat mode and with constant air attacks. I'll list today's enemy air action in China to highlight OPilot's concern, and my lack of it, at least my lack of wanting to do much about it. All clear terrain, of course.

42 Franks swept Liuchow, finding 32 Hurricanes. The Brits had it rough.
37 Tojos swept Liuchow, finding fewer Hurricanes, who had it even rougher.
26 Georges swept Liuchow, finding only 5 Hurricanes. I think all were downed. This is the first appearance of the George, a non-carrier naval fighter.

[EDIT: 18 Hurricanes lost. 3 Tojos, 2 Franks and 1 George downed.]

25 Sallys bombed the Chinese near Kanhsien. 453 casualties.
27 Nicks bombed the Chinese near Kanhsien. 106 casualties.
27 Sallys bombed the Chinese at Wuchow. 258 casualties.
27 Helens bombed the Chinese at Kanhsien. 127 casualties.
24 Helens with 8 Oscars bombed the Chinese at Canton. 116 casualties.
36 Sonias bombed the Chinese near Canton. 182 casualties.
11 Sonias with 4 Oscars bombed the Chinese near Canton. 15 casualties.
26 Sonias bombed Ankang, doing minor airfield damage. Oscars swept afterwards.

All I'll do for now is take the hits and look forward to taking Formosa. I wonder how effective the US air force will be bombing the Japanese in China. In clear terrain.

Silversides spots a big transport task force northwest of Manila, kind of out in no man's land. I don't know which way it is going. Here's the makeup of the task force, at least what was spotted.

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuzuki
E Hoko
AMC Asaka Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
AK Sagami Maru
xAP Kowa Maru
xAP Hakone Maru
xAP Tatsuta Maru
DD Wakazuki
DD Niizuki
DD Susuzuki

B-24s hit Miri's oil very hard. Miri now reports 129(172), so this raid took out over 100 oil. The bombers will go again today. No CAP and the airfield is damaged.

The US 32 Infantry Division gets a 3 to 1 attack at Iloilo and reduces the forts to 2. The base should be taken today. The enemy is being reduced at Malaybalay. This will continue unless enemy troops move in from Davao. They've shown a movement marker but no movement yet. We shock attack today to try to finish things off in the mountains.

Australians attack at Boela.

Ground combat at Boela (80,110)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1954 troops, 59 guns, 18 vehicles, Assault Value = 139

Defending force 1859 troops, 12 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 20

Allied adjusted assault: 52

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
15th Australian Brigade
10th RAAF Const Bn /1
17th RAAF Base Sqdn /1
3/593rd Boat&Shore Engr Bn /1

Defending units:
113th JAAF AF Bn
37th Const Co
20th Port Unit
14th JAAF AF Coy

The Australians should take the base today.

[apbarog]

19 Nov 43

Cruisers Chester and Richmond bombarded enemy troops outside of the base at Puerto Princesa. 116 casualties. 27 Zeros swept the base, then 11 Bettys with 36 Zeros bombed the airfield. Then 14 more Bettys. Then 27 Sallys bombed the US troops there. It's been a monumental struggle between two small armies. Very small. The US troops were disrupted from the air attacks today, so the attack didn't go well. But no losses.

Ground combat at Puerto Princesa (73,83)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2227 troops, 0 guns, 51 vehicles, Assault Value = 24

Defending force 590 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 7

Allied assault odds: 1 to 99

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

Assaulting units:
9th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
1st USN Special Construction Battalion
16th USN Naval Construction Regiment

Defending units:
22nd Port Unit

The US holds the base, so the enemy port unit is just a distraction really. But I'd like to eliminate it.

More troops, mostly base support and engineers, unloaded at Boela. The base is taken.

Ground combat at Boela (80,110)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 3895 troops, 63 guns, 40 vehicles, Assault Value = 140

Defending force 1458 troops, 8 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 110

Japanese adjusted defense: 5

Allied assault odds: 22 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Boela !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
363 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
15th Australian Brigade
17th RAAF Base Sqdn /1
10th RAAF Const Bn /1
3/593rd Boat&Shore Engr Bn /1

Defending units:
20th Port Unit
113th JAAF AF Bn
37th Const Co
14th JAAF AF Coy /1

All enemy units evaporated from attrition after the combat.

B-24s hit Sorong, and found that 21 Zeros came back to the repairing base. About 5 bombers and 5 Zeros were destroyed.

More of the same enemy air activity in China.

B-24s hit Miri's oil again, but there was bad weather today. Only 4 more oil shown as destroyed as compared to yesterday. Bombers will begin to rest up for the Luzon campaign.

Iloilo is taken, and the enemy units are destroyed by combat and attrition.

Ground combat at Iloilo (79,84)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 10304 troops, 202 guns, 124 vehicles, Assault Value = 267

Defending force 380 troops, 2 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Allied adjusted assault: 120

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 120 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Iloilo !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
338 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division
2nd RNZAF Base Sqdn

Defending units:
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
209th JAAF AF Bn

A base support unit will start to be flown in by Coronados. The runway is badly damaged. I'll be learning whether or not that affects the float planes. It shouldn't, but I don't know if the game differentiates between planes that need a runway and those that don't, when the runway is damaged.

More enemy troop destruction with an Allied shock attack. 315 enemy casualties. The enemy still shows movement from Davao to Malaybalay. There's no road there, but they've shown movement for quite a while. It would be unpleasant to have an enemy division appear in the mountains when I'm attacking. I switch to a deliberate attack for today.

It does look like OPilot is making a big effort to defend Luzon. I see movement out of Manila to the northwest and the southwest. And the troop count there has increased. Now over 38,000 men. He's trying to cover more bases now. Most of the invasion loading on Java is complete, with shipping starting to move north. The landings on Luzon should take place before the end of the month.

[apbarog]

20 Nov 43

2 Allied cruisers and 6 destroyers bombarded Sorong. They had broken off from protecting the Boela landing. 456 Japanese casualties and moderate base damage.

8 mixed nationality cruisers and 4 destroyers bombarded Bacolod in the Philippines. Bacolod has a port but no airfield. An enemy unit was spotted there. Moderate port damage and the ground unit was identified as the III/124th Infantry Battalion. Nothing to be concerned with, and not a base unit.

Bettys with Zeros from Manila hit the airbase at Iloilo. 9 P-47s were on LRCAP. 12 Zeros were shot down. Then 14 Bettys arrived, unescorted. Still 4 Thunderbolts overhead, and 9 Bettys were downed. No Thunderbolts lost. 27 Zeros swept, then 27 Sallys bombed, then 41 Tojos swept. But the P-47s were already gone when the sweepers arrived.

Yesterday the US engineers attacked at Puerto Princesa and got a 1 to 99 attack, with no casualties for either side. OPilot might have been encouraged by those odds.

Ground combat at Puerto Princesa (73,83)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 606 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Defending force 4152 troops, 6 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 24

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 31

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-), supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
22nd Port Unit

Defending units:
9th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
1st USN Special Construction Battalion
16th USN Naval Construction Regiment

But he got the same odds. Maybe it was a suicide run. I don't know.

Another Allied attack at Malaybalay got 9 to 1 odds, with 187 enemy casualties. 2 of the 4 enemy units there evaporated from attrition after the fight. We attack again.

[apbarog]

21 Nov 43

Battleships Arizona and West Virginia bombarded Davao. A squadron of Zeros had just arrived there, and many were damaged in the bombardment. None flew during the day when B-24s bombed. The airbase was moderately damaged for the day.

Battleships Oklahoma and Nevada bombarded Jesselton on Borneo. Moderate base damage. The one enemy unit there is the 2nd Sasebo SNLF Coy. A US engineer regiment is moving in from Kudat and will hopefully take the base.

Permit hit AK Sado Maru with a torpedo west of Luzon. Skipjack then spotted the damaged ship and hit it with 2 more torpedoes, sinking the ship.

East of Canton, in the clear, the Japanese attacked and almost got a 2 to 1 advantage.

Ground combat at 78,59 (near Canton)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21643 troops, 186 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 618

Defending force 12165 troops, 56 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 395

Japanese adjusted assault: 468

Allied adjusted defense: 248

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), disruption(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
931 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 196 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Allied ground losses:
621 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
65th Division
60th Division
20th RGC Division
13th Army
4th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
98th Chinese Corps

The 98th Chinese Corps gets pummeled every day by enemy bombers. It had a disruption of 90. It may or may not escape to the north, before it is forced north by retreat.

Another US attack at Malaybalay. All that's left there are the 8th Area Army and the 79th JAAF AF Bn, both of which are beaten up badly. But the 30 to 1 attack didn't eliminate them.

Shipping for the Luzon invasion is gathering northeast of Balikpapan. There appears to be an enemy division at Batangas now.

Tunny fired 2 torpedoes at subchaser Ch 12. One hit but it was a dud. There were 4 subchasers there. Ch 12 hit Tunny with a depth charge and some near misses. Tunny's captain, LCDR J.A. Scott, decided to fire on E-boat Oki soon afterwards, despite the sub damage. It was a mistake. Tunny was hit by another depth charge and more near misses. Tunny surfaced and was finished off quickly by the E-boat. LCDR Scott had a naval rating of 72, and yes he was aggressive, with a 76 rating. This is only the 10th Allied sub lost in 2 years of war. It was the 6th US sub, and only the 4th fleet sub, with 3 Gatos and 1 Sargo class lost so far.

In the game, previous to this turn, Tunny hit an xAK with a torpedo near Georgetown in December 1942. The next day, it hit a tanker near Medan. In January 1943, it hit a subchaser near Mergui. The next day, it sank AG Assam Maru near Mergui. In May, it hit an xAP near Sidate.

Here's more info on the real LCDR Scott's war record: https://uboat.net/allies/commanders/3473.html

[apbarog]

22 Nov 43

An enemy sub found a target today. There haven't been many ships lost to enemy subs. I think battleship Mississippi was the last Allied ship hit, and it survived. I-176 hit and sank xAKL Bust with a torpedo northwest of Sabang. The ship had been returning to Colombo after dropping supply.

Dutch sub KVIII missed xAK Gosei Maru northeast of Singapore. An AG was spotted also.

The enemy targeted Kweilin in China. I had moved a P-40N1 squadron there to LRCAP a hex to the south by Canton, but it was 4 hexes away. Too far for the Warhawks. So I put the Warhawks on CAP at Kweilin and moved in another unit for the LRCAP. First 25 Sallys arrived, and the Warhawks didn't catch them. Helens arrived next, unescorted, and 21 were shot down. That was the good news. Then the sweepers arrived: 24 Georges and 40 Franks. The Warhawks were massacred, with 16 lost.

I tried a big sweep of Manila for the first time. 22 P-38Hs and 38 P-47Ds swept in a coordinated sweep at 25000 feet, finding 27 Jacks, 41 Tojos and 35 Franks. Losses were fairly even, with 7 Tojos, 6 Franks and 2 Jacks shot down, for the cost of 6 P-47s and 5 P-38s. Manila is going to be a thorn in the side of the Luzon invasion.

The 23rd USN Naval Construction Regiment attacked at Jesselton after walking from Kudat. Defending is the 2nd Sasebo SNLF Coy, which had been bombarded by battleships yesterday. 46 Japanese casualties versus 34 US lost. But the enemy lost combat squads and the engineers lost non-combat and engineers.

Luzon invasion shipping now gathering northeast of Balikpapan.

[Lowpe]

What do you think Japan's strategy is for their iboats?

How do you think they should be used?

[apbarog]

OPilot's strategy for the Japanese subs has mainly been as a front-line barrier, protecting his forward bases. He's had some occasional success, but he's lost a lot of subs. Early on he did make an effort to go after my merchant convoys, but to be honest, I don't think he ever found my routes. He set up northeast and east of Pearl Harbor and never found anything. I know he was off of the West Coast, but I avoided his locations. He gave up after awhile.

For anti-merchant shipping convoys, I would use the Glen equipped subs as a spotter for a wolfpack of non-Glen subs. Two wolfpacks some distance apart would provide a pretty good idea which way the convoy is headed. I definitely think it worth going after shipping leaving the West Coast. It's the easiest way to go after Allied ground units. Get them while they are still on ships.

I'd also use the Glen subs as a way to show interest all over the map. Put one near Sydney. It'll become obvious that Japanese subs are in the area. Then move them. Now the Allies are making an effort in a place that you are no longer at. Play this cat and mouse game everywhere.

Glen subs in advance of major fleet movements are good too. The bottom line is that I value the spotting of the Glen more important than the action of the sub the Glen is on. Use the other subs for the attacking. Of course, over time, you use everything you have, and lose most of it.

[apbarog]

23 Nov 43

An enemy sub was spotted at Tapul, just west of Jolo. I suspected that mines were being dropped. Allied carriers had been loitering at Tapul a few days ago. A couple of US YMS's found mines and swept them quickly.

Dutch sub KVIII missed an E-boat near Kuantan. xAPs and AKs were spotted.

In far northern China, I had split some corps and advanced, threatening an offensive with units that were weak actually. With slow movement in the mountains, OPilot was able to counter and defeat a third of a corp that had been left in defense. I don't think that my defensive line will be beaten, but there's a chance of that now. The enemy division is advancing, but by itself, I don't think it can break through. I've ordered a few units around to help bolster the line.

Ground combat at 83,36 (near Kungchang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14296 troops, 122 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 437

Defending force 2104 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 73

Japanese adjusted assault: 398

Allied adjusted defense: 139

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1

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

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

Allied ground losses:
657 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
26th Division

Defending units:
4th Chinese Cavalry/A Corps

The Chinese have finally completely retreated out of Canton. The enemy has about 60,000 men there, and may be about to move back towards Wuchow, which the Chinese had recaptured recently. With Wuchow being clear terrain, the Chinese may not hold it. It could be back to the defense line in the woods to the north.

Still can't get the enemy 8th Area Army HQ to give up at Malaybalay. 29 to 1 attack yields 68 casualties, but the enemy is still there. Have to finish it off and get to clearing Davao.

Most of the Luzon invasion shipping will move to near Jolo today. A few straggler task forces are following, but nothing that will hold up the invasion.

[Lowpe]

It seems there is no real general consensus on how to use Japanese Iboats that I can tell.

I generally use them aggressively early war, and eventually rotate them out to intelligence use primarily. Early war I try hard to nail a fleet carrier in a night time moon less ambush. I allocate a lot of subs to this, and do all sorts of other things to give intel to the Allies so that I can predict or lure the carriers into a sub ambush.

Mid war scouting areas for Allied troop buildups so I can try to lure the Allies into ambushes.

I do use them to protect shipping convoys, crippled ships, run supplies, and raid too, though. I probably will also use them later war to lrcap and destroy search planes.

[apbarog]

Agreed. Lots of options. I think that I'm more effective with the Allied subs than the Japanese ones, in the long run. Of course, the Japanese torpedoes work, so that helps. My previous success with the Japanese subs has been more a matter of luck than anything else. I think that my plan is better with the Allied subs.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Agreed. Lots of options. I think that I'm more effective with the Allied subs than the Japanese ones, in the long run. Of course, the Japanese torpedoes work, so that helps. My previous success with the Japanese subs has been more a matter of luck than anything else. I think that my plan is better with the Allied subs.

I think another factor is you need to enjoy the mini game that is subs to do well with them. You clearly do!

[apbarog]

I do micro-manage the subs. Well, just about everything really. I also try to minimize my losses. My games typically have low aircraft and ship losses. That doesn't mean that I'm not aggressive though. I'm landing on Luzon in November '43. Just doing so without throwing away my ships and planes and men like they are just pixels. I like to feel like I'm fighting the same historical war, just in a different way. OPilot has the same historical connection. Having the 2 players be like-minded makes the game so much more enjoyable.

24 Nov 43

Just can't finish these guys off. The combat troops died of attrition days ago.

Ground combat at Malaybalay (80,90)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14095 troops, 268 guns, 152 vehicles, Assault Value = 418

Defending force 3174 troops, 0 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 371

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 92 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
69 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Marine Division
260th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
82nd Mortar Bn /1

Defending units:
8th Area Army

I discovered that I'm over-stacked now at Davao, so there's no point in waiting for the troops at Malaybalay. Davao is strongly defended, with a big division and over a dozen support units. I would use my slow battleships to bombard, but they are slated for the Luzon invasion in 2 days. 8 destroyers are ordered from Jolo to bombard Davao. At least it's something. Davao will take some time to reduce.

I moved a small commando unit to Puerto Princesa to help the engineers there finish off the enemy port unit. They attack today.

The biggest armada so far in the war is moving past Jolo and headed for Luzon. I'll count up all of the ships by type tomorrow, once all of the task forces are co-located. I know that there are 10 big US carriers there.

[CaptBeefheart]

I don't see any downside from doing a shock attack on that HQ on Mindanao. That might speed up its destruction a bit.

I've noticed HQs are often the last troops to go bye-bye.

Cheers,
CB

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

I don't see any downside from doing a shock attack on that HQ on Mindanao. That might speed up its destruction a bit.

I've noticed HQs are often the last troops to go bye-bye.

Cheers,
CB

HQs are the last to use up their supplies, because they inherently draw a significant supply to themselves and they don't seem willing to share with combat units that are out of supply. The other thing about HQs is that, since the game was patched to give support squads a certain defensive AV (one per 10 squads?), an HQ with a large number of support troops gets significant defensive denominator for the combat calculations. They'll blow a blizzard of paperwork at the attackers and then bury them under it!

[apbarog]

25 Nov 43

US destroyers bombarded Davao and did very little to the troops or base.

Sub Gurnard missed I-18 with 2 torpedoes southeast of Truk.

There's no doubt that the enemy still has a strong fighter force. They swept a lot today, and came up empty everywhere. I fear the Franks the most. They've been the most effective.

36 Franks swept Langsa.
36 Franks swept Iloilo.
42 Franks swept Kweilin.
36 Oscars swept Kweilin.
42 Oscars swept Langsa.
23 Georges swept Kweilin.
4 Franks swept Langsa.
Sallys and Helens bombed Kweilin.
Sallys bombed Langsa.
Sallys with 42 Tojos bombed Iloilo.
30 Tojos swept Langsa.
Helens bombed Kweilin.
Sonias bombed near Canton.
Sallys bombed Kweilin.
27 Georges swept Iloilo. Looks like this turn would have been a good turn to hit Manila, with all of the enemy planes sweeping Iloilo.

For the good guys, B-25s bombed troops at Davao, but didn't do much.

Some of the enemy air activity around Canton has been coming from Hanoi. B-24s from Rangoon hit Hanoi for the first time, and found Tojos defending. A handful of Sallys were destroyed on the ground.

First attack at Davao was a rough one. Davao will take some time, and the troops won't be ready for a northern Luzon landing any time soon. I may decide to just pin the enemy at Davao, leaving a sufficient force to keep the enemy from winning a battle there. If I close all of the hex sides, they'd be trapped there. I could do this with just one division, freeing up three others for a Lingayen landing. Thinking about it.

Ground combat at Davao (79,91)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39230 troops, 645 guns, 474 vehicles, Assault Value = 1173

Defending force 22285 troops, 211 guns, 91 vehicles, Assault Value = 579

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 3

Allied adjusted assault: 794

Japanese adjusted defense: 2413

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
928 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2067 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 95 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 35 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 17 (7 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 21 (4 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Assaulting units:
151st Cmbt Engineer Battalion
7th Infantry Division
27th Infantry Division
1st Marine Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion
XI US Corps
601st Field Artillery Battalion
82nd Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
38th Division
2nd Recon Regiment
24th Nav Gsn Unit
II./4th Infantry Battalion
33rd Ind Engineer Regiment
41st JNAF AF Unit
66th JNAF AF Unit
6th Base Force
63rd Field AA Battalion
21th JNAF AF Unit /1
6th Port Unit
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
61st Field AA Battalion
5th JAAF AF Bn /1

At Malaybalay, another 185 casualties from the enemy 8th Area Army, with a 104 to 1 attack. But still not eliminated by combat or attrition.

Southeast of Chiang Mai in Thailand, an Allied force, led by the Chinese, advances. Almost got a 2 to 1 attack, just missed. Resupply is slow here, but another attack will be ordered when that is taken care of.

Ground combat at 59,55 (near Uttaradit)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 26725 troops, 179 guns, 108 vehicles, Assault Value = 927

Defending force 6132 troops, 79 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 198

Allied adjusted assault: 246

Japanese adjusted defense: 127

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
940 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (1 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
477 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Assaulting units:
16th Light Cavalry Regiment
6th Chinese Corps
134th Field Artillery Battalion
3rd (Special Force) Division

Defending units:
1st INA Subhas Regiment
2nd INA Gandhi Regiment
3rd INA Azad Regiment
13th RF Gun (Pack) Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion
67th Construction Battalion

Allied shipping will approach Luzon today. Three naval bomber units from the carriers were replaced with extra fighters. All naval bombers still on the carriers are stood down, except for those proficient at ASW. I can't have the bombers fly to Manila, going after tiny ships, and run up against the 177 enemy fighters there. The order for the day is fleet protection. I counted 679 Allied fighters aboard the carriers. With bombers stood down, every fighter is on CAP.