Lightfoot (Allies) vs stjeand (Axis) 3.1 (no stjeand)

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Apr 11 Turn

The Great Carrier Battle Round 2 - Who will be supreme in the Pacific.

Kido Butai returns to the Marshall Islands in one more attempt to gain the upper hand in the carrier war before more US carriers arrive.

But this time they are at quite a disadvantage. I now have two bomber groups in the area and my fleet has been brought up to full strength of six carriers while theirs has taken severe damage from the previous campaign and is only fielding four carriers.

Kido Butai moves adjacent and just north of my Carrier Fleet.
II Bomber executes an Naval Interdiction attack: Loses 2, Kido only suffers 2 Air to Air losses.
But more critically Zuikaku CV takes 2 hits.

US Carrier Interdiction (shown in screen shot)
Combat US Losses Japanese Losses
Air to Air: 2 2
AA Guns: 4 4
Ships: 2 on Yorktown 1 on CL
2 on S. F. CA Zuikaku CV Sunk

Japanese Naval Air Strike: 12th Air loses 1 and no damage to US.
No Enemy Carrier Strike (probably used up all movement getting here).

US Turn's Attacks
I resupply my Bombers to increase their Effectiveness
XXI Bomber Attacks:
1st Strike: Air to Air US loss 2 Japanese loss 3
2nd Strike: Air to Air US loss 2 Japanese loss 2 and 2 hits on Shokaku CV

III Bomber Attacks:
1st Strike: Air to Air US loss 2 Japanese loss 3 plus 4th DD takes 2 hits.
2nd Strike: A miss

US Carrier Strike:
1st Strike: Air to Air US loss 0 Japanese loss 1
AA Guns US loss 2 Japanese loss 3 plus 1 hit on Takao CA
2nd Strike: AA Guns US loss 2 Japanese Shokaku CV is sunk.

Take note of the Air to Air losses. They were substantial and combined with the hits and sinking of Carriers left the Japanese fleet air power badly crippled. They will later withdraw without an attack.

The combat log shows to carriers sunk but the Ship casualty log doesn't match. I am trying to check back to see if this is a bug. Main problem now is I am not really sure how many CV's the Japanese have but my estimate is:

US Receives Reinforcements this turn of Yorktown II and Wasp II plus a CVL and BB.

This gives the US/UK vs Japan:
Fleet Carriers: 8 to 4
Light Carriers: 4 to 5
Escort Carriers: 0 to 1

This will considerably free my fleets for offensive actions rather than keeping Japan sea power in check.

[kennonlightfoot]

37 Apr 11 Turn Cont'd.

China - Snow

Australia - Hvy Rain

India

Made a minor attack in north to test the position. About equal damage.
I use my Supply Trucks to boost my forces around Bombay readiness.
Also use an air transport to resupply the cut off UK Corp and then advance to cut off the Japanese army.
Indian division enters Bombay as a reinforcement.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Apr 25 Turn

US Naval Air adv to 43.
Reinforcements: UK gets a division, US Fighters, India a Division.

Production:
UK: Supply Truck
India Division.
US 1 Fighter, 1 Supply Truck, 1 Transport, 1 Landing Ship, 1 Oiler.

Convoys - Unchanged.

Looks like garrison in Wotje starved or somehow left. For sure the Air unit flew out to safety.
Kido Butai withdraws.

China - Snow - No action.

Pacific - Rain
US Fleet moves to Fiji on way to Australia. Effectiveness down to 60%.
I land infantry on the undefended islands of Ponape and Wotje.

Australia - Rain

India - Monsoons start with rain in most of India.

Japanese land a marine behind my line at Bombay but Indian Air gets 3 hits in on them.
Japanese carriers and land air make a whole lot of strikes against my 14th Division.
The attack with infantry but it holds and their army stays cut off.

The surrounded Japanese 10th Army is attacked at 4:1 and shatters.
I advance into the vacated hex and replace the unit in Bombay with a reinforcement.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 May 9 Turn

US has fully upgraded their Torpedoes - wonder if my subs can hit anything with them.
Japan changes their codes. US attempts to break them and fails.
Kido disappears again.

Reinforcements: US gets Bunker Hill CV and Division.

Production:
UK builds 2 Trucks.
US builds Landing Ships, Oiler and Truck.
Canada builds a Truck.
India builds two divisions.

Convoys - no change.

China - Clear with Hvy Rain in south.
I do some minor test attacks but they are still to weak.

India - Hvy Rains - Monsoons are here for the next three months.

Pacific

Heavy rains through out the ocean areas and clear in DEI.
I am going to try to take advantage of this weather pattern as soon as my ships recover enough. Taking the DEI will cut off almost half of Japans oil supply. I am planning on moving in force into the Indian Ocean and Timor Sea (below DEI).

Moving troops toward Australia.
Subs move into the W. China Sea convoy routes to test there new torpedoes.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 May 23 Turn

UK Carrier Adv to 42.
Reinforcements: US Transport, BB and Sub.
Code Breaking: US tries again and succeeds. Again I can track what the Emperor is having for dinner.

China - Clear - but still to weak.

Australia and S. Pacific

I have 4 CV at 100% but the rest are still low on preparedness.
The weather clears in the Pacific so I send my subs to E. China Sea to draw air north.
Transports with troops for invading DEI move westward. So far have two Marine and one Infantry Corps.
Moved a BB and CVL fleet to Perth to support the invasion of DEI.
Moved my main carrier flet to Melbourne from Fiji although still had to leave some behind to recover.

India

Rain in central region and south limits movement.
Japanese pull back a hex in south and I follow.
A fresh UK division arrives in Bombay.

Production
US builds Transport, Landing Ship, Oiler and Truck.
India builds another division.

Convoys - No change.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jun 6 Turn

US Escort Fighters adv to 43.
Reinforcements: US CVL, Bomber and COMMIT.

Convoy Attacks: US Sub kill 1 lousy Merchant, Japanese Naval Air gets 5 hits on subs (at least didn't sink any).

Production
Australia builds a division.
India builds a division.
US builds Transport, Landing Ship and Truck.

Convoys - no change.

India - Rain
Small advancements along southern line.
UK fleet blockades Madra.

Australia

Hvy Rains throughout the S. Pacific, DEI and China Sea. Good to hid in. Also, blinds me.
My fleets, transports and invasion forces move into position in the East Indian Ocean well below DEI.
Everything depends on weather and visibility.
Right now the heavy rains make landings impossible. Considering there is only a 10% chance of this, the plan isn't getting off to a good start.

I am very much playing the weather odds:
DEI Islands are Equatorial with a 70% chance of clear, 20% chance of rain and 10% chance of Heavy Rain.
The coastal waters are Southern Monsoon with a 25% chance of clear, 50% chance of rain, and 25% chance of Heavy Rain.
The mid ocean waters are Tropical with a 40% chance of clear and 60% chance of rain.

My ideal weather would be for the Islands to be clear so I can move and attack when I land.
The coastal waters must be clear (preferred) or rain so my ships can support.
The mid ocean needs to stay rain until I have made my landings to keep the whole thing from being discovered.

The Japanese move an air unit to Batavia. Since it is only one it is probably just my opponent making adjustments.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jun 20 Turn

UK and India learn jungle fighting. Tarzan taught them.
I don't see any movement except in the E. China sea area. Hopefully that means my fleet movement into the Indian Ocean isn't spotted.

My Sub group manages to sink 2 Merchants at the cost of only 2 hits in return. No sinkings for a change.

Japanese Air unit in India gets 2 hits on the Glasgow CA.

Reinforcements: US gets a Bomber and a CVL. India gets a division.

Indian Ocean (massing of fleet to try to take DEI)

Heavy Rains in DEI. The chance of this was only 10%. Not a good start.
All I can do is move my fleets and transports to better positions in range of the DEI but not near enough to be spotted.
They are now in two groups. CVL's with transports and the main CV fleet in supporting distance.

Australia and S. Pacific - Heavy Rains ground everything.

India - Heavy Rains.

The blocking of supply had some effect. Japanese in south pull back further.
Allies follow but only able to execute one attack below Hyderabad.
6:1 attack causes 3 Allied and 7 Japanese losses.
Followed up with a 7:1 attack causing 1 Allied loss and 1 Japanese loss with retreat.
UK Corps is able to pursue for another 6:1 attack that causes another Japanese loss with retreat.
Getting close to being able to cut them off in the south.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jul 4 Turn

Hopefully the 4th July turns out luck day for the Americans. The invasion of DEI begins.
But first some paper work.

UK CS adv to 43 US Amphibious Op to 43.

Used a COMMINT on Rabaul to get intel. Not sure how this works. So far nothing.

Reinforcements: India gets a division.

Convoys - no change.

Production:
UK: 1 Landing Ship.
US: 4 Landing Ships, 1 Transport (preparing for losses)
Com. China: Supply Truck
Indian: Division.
NZ: Supply Truck

China
Com. Chinese attack above Sian driving back the Japanese unit with 3 to 6 loss.
Chinese attack line east of Chungking but just attrition result.

India - Rain
The Japanese continue to fall back and Allies continue to advance after them trying to cut them off.
A Japanese fleet with 2 CVL's attacks the UK blockading fleet at Madras sinking the Ramillies BB.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jul 4 Turn Cont'd.

The Invasion of DEI.
There is rain in the islands and offshore so conditions are poor but doable. But it means I won't be able to land and attack with any strength. I will be lucky if I can move.

The screenshot shows the landings in light blue arrows, fleet movements to support in dark blue, and land movements after coming ashore in green.

Light Carrier group (but has 2 CV's) moves south of Banda Lampung to trigger an air interdiction by the lone Japanese air unit (13th Air). 13th Air executes a Naval Air Interdiction taking 4 hits and causing 2 Air to Air hits on US fleet plust 1 hit on the Belleau Wood CVL.

A destroyer moves south of Batavia to see if it can trigger another interdiction. It does and takes 2 hits for its trouble. I withdraw the destroyer to Derby.

A sub group of four moves offshore Batavia on the E. China trade route to blockaded the port.

The US Reserve Corps lands SW of Bandar.
2nd Marine lands further up from Bandar and moves to cut the rail line to the oil fields.
3rd Marine lands on a Supply Dept on the NW side of Sumatra. This turned out to be useless. It either doesn't work or requires complete control of the DEI.
5th Marine lands SW of Batavia and takes out the mine field.
4th Marine passes through the minefield to land SE of Batavia.
Austi Division lands SW of Surabaya.
Austi 3rd FA Coastal division lands NW of Surabaya and takes Oil Field there.

Main US fleet with six carriers move off Surabaya to blockade it.
A Battleship flee moves NE of Bandar and is joined by the Bunker Hill CV.

This will cut off 37 Oil. It will also trigger a massive retaliation.

[John B.]

Congrats on the CV battle! That was a very nice result for the allies taking out 4 CVs! And, the threat to their oil almost certainly makes them come out to play before they get any significant reinforcements. You're also pushing them back in India so Japan may be on defense from now on barring some miracle fleet battle.

[kennonlightfoot]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Congrats on the CV battle! That was a very nice result for the allies taking out 4 CVs! And, the threat to their oil almost certainly makes them come out to play before they get any significant reinforcements. You're also pushing them back in India so Japan may be on defense from now on barring some miracle fleet battle.

And, then they get a miracle.

"The best laid schemes o'Mice an'Men, Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain. for promis'd joy!"

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jul 18 Turn

US Assault adv to 44.
Axis air resupplies critical surrounded units in DEI.

And, to the tune of "Monday, Monday"
Japanese rain bombs and torpedoes on my fleets. There are so many air strikes I lost count of them. And, for the first time waves of Kamikazes ripping holes through the decks of my carriers.

Naval Air Strikes lead by waves of Kamikazes for the first time send the Yorktown to the bottom and severely damage the Enterprise.

Then Kido Butai arrives which was suppose to be an inferior force of three CV's, 2 CVL's and a CVE that my mighty US Carrier fleet was suppose to send to the bottom with ease. Instead my attempt at a Interdiction strike turns into a disaster. With Enterprise sent to the bottom and Yorktown II and Wasp II taking heavy damage. They only manage to sink a lousy BC.

Strikes occur to my other fleets but at least not decisively.

The invasion of DEI that started so brightly on the 4th of July, ends in humiliating defeat sending all my ships fleeing back into the Indian Ocean. Leaving three marine, one army and a number of divisions trapped on the islands without supply.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jul 18 Turn Cont'd.

I leave subs behind to resupply the trapped troops but if the weather doesn't give them cover they will also be sunk in mass.

The crippled US fleets move west into the Indian Ocean. Hopefully out of range of any follow up attack.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Jul 18 Turn Cont'd.

China - Clear
But they are to weak to do anything other than some weak 2:1 attacks.

India - Rain

The only bright spot. The Japanese slowly retreat and the Allies follow. Pursuing UK Corps attacks the weak Japanese unit linking the trapped forces to the north and covering the Krishna river and destroy it completing the cut off.

[John B.]

If I'm reading it right you lost two CVs sunk and two CVs with heavy damage. A bad result but I'm guessing he used up LOTs of planes and you still have CVs it's only 1943 and you are ashore in the DEI. The losses only mean that your fleet is not overwhelming. If you can bear some risk send in ships to keep the guys on the DEI supplied! All is not lost!

[kennonlightfoot]

ORIGINAL: John B.

If I'm reading it right you lost two CVs sunk and two CVs with heavy damage. A bad result but I'm guessing he used up LOTs of planes and you still have CVs it's only 1943 and you are ashore in the DEI. The losses only mean that your fleet is not overwhelming. If you can bear some risk send in ships to keep the guys on the DEI supplied! All is not lost!

The land based air is proving deadly to ships trying to resupply. It won't be possible to do that without committing my already damaged fleet to close support. LBA's are probably over powered in the game. Kamikazes I am not familiar with so don't know what the cost/effectiveness trade off is for them.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Aug 1 Turn

Naval Air Strikes wipe out my submarine supply units. Bullhead, Hawkbill, Skipjack and Toro are sunk.
I also didn't realize that if subs resupply a land unit they immediately switch to Fleet mode making them even easier to kill.
The forces on DEI are probably doomed.

Reinforcements:
US receives Intrepid CV.
India gets a division.

The defeat in DEI definitely hurt my carrier lead but I can still field a superior force. The Japanese have lost five CV's compared to the US loss of four. The Japanese do have a lead in CVL's though. And, have apparently build some additional LBA units making venturing into Japanese held waters very dangerous for the US fleets.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Aug 1 Turn Cont'd.

China
Pretty quiet. Pushed back on garrison unit.

India - Rain along most of the front.
I have cut off the Japanese in the south but haven't closed the port to prevent their escape.
My defeated Carriers move back to India and help isolate the ports.
And Australian division is landed on Ceylon.

This is probably the move I should have made when I didn't get the weather I needed for DEI. An intact fleet with a large contention of infantry could have taken Colombo and possibly Calcutta trapping the large Japanese force in India.

Australia
Sending more bombers as they become available to northern Australia.

Produciton
US: Strategic Bomber, 2 Subs, 3 Landing Ships and 2 Inf. Div (lot of units to replace).
UK: Landing ships
Canada: Landing ships
Com China: Supply Truck
India: HQ

Convoys - no change

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Aug 15 Turn

US Carrier Op adv to 44. USSR Hvy Armor adv to 44.

Two more subs are sent to the bottom by Japanese air, Growler and Pike.
My infantry in DEI are doomed now.

Reinforcements
US Battleship and a Bomber.
Australia gets an infantry division.
India gets an infantry division.

Production
US builds Marine and Inf. division to start replacing the loses to come.
India builds an Inf. division.

Convoys are unchanged.

China
There seems to be a bug that cuts China's production to around 4 every once in while. One of those whiles was this turn. It also puts all the units in basic supply.
Japanese withdraw from Haiphong. I have no idea why but I quickly move to occupy it and get my first VP hex gain since I stopped losing them.

Australia
I moved a Strategic Bomber to Derby but it can't reach anything important.
Solomon Islands are in Heavy Rain.
But I take advantage to the suppressed air due to rain to occupy Namuga (SE of Guadalcanal.

India - Heavy Rains on the mainland.
I advance in the south tightening the noose on the Japanese there.
Still blockading Colombo waiting for it to get weak enough to take.
And, worrying about the Japanese fleet coming to break it. So far they are still hanging around DEI to make sure I don't come back there. Their main fleet is in Singapore which is also under heavy rain.
My main fleet is in Bombay but heavy rains keep it from recovering.

[kennonlightfoot]

43 Aug 29 Turn

In DEI the 4th and 5th Marines surrender.
China magically comes back in supply.

Reinforcements:
US: Division
India: 3 Divisions

Production:
UK: 2 Oilers, 1 Landing Ship, 1 Truck
US: 3 Landing ships, 1 Truck
India: 2 Divisions.

Australia/S. Pacific
Bomber attack against Surabaya to see how well that goes. 4th Bomber takes 4 hits Japanese 6th Air takes 3.
I land an Australian division on Dili to given me a closer base for Tactical Bombers.

China - Clear

Attrition attack that forces one retreat in the north. Slowly pushing the Japanese back into clear land.
Do a northward shift of Chinese troops to support the push into Japanese territory.