Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Japanese naval search isn't great around the Sulu sea...so I suspect he will raid ports? or assemble at Cam Ranh Bay or even pull back (minor chance).

We have got 8 fleet carriers within 2 hexes, and 4 CVEs and all the other supports for them...

Kudat a size 2 AF (25%), landing one of those big 36AV 200+ engineering units at PuertoP. Need to get Kudat and PP runways built up to secure our LOC better....

Should have a window to dump troops and materials into Panay and get that built up...

I guess the paratroopers will be going in blind tomorrow all over...

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[Lowpe]

Lots going on...but seems clear Japan caught with strategic surprise...

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[Lowpe]

Repair facility at Sorong.

Added an AR and AD today, will be adding several more ADs and AGs tomorrow.

Within a week will have 1000+ Naval support squads tooo....and ARDs are slowly making their way forward.

c150 naval support squads equal an AR without the ability to repair major damage 5 and under.

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[Lowpe]

I don't recall that at all....is it unique to Dababes?

I looked in the manual and it does not state that but I remember something that stated there was no Viet Minh after 1942.

Here is CR Sutton's post from Dec. 29, 2016:


This is correct. China and Vietnam have been historic enemies for a very long time and the Viet Minh would have been alarmed if Chinese troops entered the country early in the war. But by 1943, the Viet Minh were solidly in the Allied camp, so there would have been no activation. If I am not mistaken there were Chinese troops in Northern Vietnam for a while after the war to help disarm the Japanese. The Chinese were responsible for territory north of the 16th parallel, the British south of the line.

I did a super fast search of the patch notes, can't find anything...except that the troops appear on the following day after activation.

[BBfanboy]

That is your second torpedo hit on CA Atago at 68,95. Indicates she was moving slowly between last turn and this one - didn't clear the hex. She's in real trouble - time for the Coup de Grace!

[Lowpe]

That is your second torpedo hit on CA Atago at 68,95. Indicates she was moving slowly between last turn and this one - didn't clear the hex. She's in real trouble - time for the Coup de Grace!

Nah, that is the same day....only one hit, and no fires, or heavy damage...suspect maybe 20 flood. IJN Heavy Cruisers can really take the torpedoes.

[BBfanboy]

OK, you reported it in two places and I didn't notice it was same day - my bad.

[jedwardpita]

This is a fascinating game. I have never seen an allied invasion of Vietnam, anywhere close to this early in the game. Having a narrow thrust adds speed but is more vulnerable to being cut off.

If this had occurred in real life, it would have major consequences in world history. Whether for good or bad, I have no idea.

Looking forward to seeing the results in the game.

[Lowpe]

July 24th, 1943

Listen to either Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie or Funeral March of the Gods in the background, please. Oh Fortuna by Orff works too. Sabaton for you heavy metallers.

The night starts off full of portent...moonlight a little more than 50 percent.

Our sub blockade of Balikpapen works...another torpedo, later in the day finishes the small tanker off.

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[Lowpe]

Leander, protecting some APA unloading a 36 AV construction engineer super unit at Puerto Princesa.

Leander, if I recall correctly, is a beast of a light cruiser and she pummels Yura with some penetrating hits. Craven provided cover, trying to disprove her name.

Is the convoy protected?

After the battle the Leander withdraws...

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To the south of Jolo I think, our escorting Fletcher DESRON breaks off and finds some Es....where they raiding, escaping, reacting to our submarines?

Night Time Surface Combat, near Gorontalo at 72,96, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Tsubame, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
E Tobui, Shell hits 39, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Conway
DD Hutchins, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Pringle
DD Strong


Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 60% moonlight: 6,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 5,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 5,000 yards
Daniel, H. crosses the 'T'

[Lowpe]

A small squadron of Avengers where on night attack duty, with bombs low, from near Quinhon...didn't find anything, didn't really expect it either.

Night Air attack on TF, near Cam Ranh Bay at 64,72

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 5

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CMc Ma 1
CMc Toshima

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Sub attacks all miss....must have had 4 attempts on enemy destroyers.

I had thought about a last minute diversion to Soc Trang...which felt safer on every count, but for speed.

Night view...progress to Quinhon looks promising, but what is that to the north?

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[Lowpe]

And then, suddenly, it happens....elements of the 2nd Marines storm ashore...and take a fair bit of disablements. No report of the Portland shelling the beaches?

Is there resistance...not much is known....dawn landings...

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[Lowpe]

There was several small trash ships at Cam Ranh Bay...so we sent Wahoo to sniff it out and looks for mines.

Wahoo engages in a pure gun battle here...till the ammo runs low.

Sub attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 64,72

Japanese Ships
xAKL Hokuhi Maru, Shell hits 12

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo, hits 1

xAKL Hokuhi Maru is sighted by SS Wahoo
SS Wahoo attacking xAKL Hokuhi Maru on the surface
SS Wahoo low on gun ammo, Kennedy, M.G. breaks off surface engagement and submerges

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[Lowpe]

Wahoo finds a mine.

TF 606 encounters mine field at Cam Ranh Bay (64,72)

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo, Mine hits 1

[Lowpe]

Vectored several subs to Ambon area, expecting Yamoto to end up there escorting a troop convoy....Swordfish scores but pays for her success. Was hoping to put a fish into Yamato...

Sub attack near Ambon at 76,109

Japanese Ships
xAP Tango Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
xAP Koronado Maru
xAP Palau Maru
xAK Nozima Maru
xAK Yokohama Maru
DD Tagonami
DD Kosugiri

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish, hits 10

SS Swordfish launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Tango Maru
DD Tagonami fails to find sub and abandons search

[Lowpe]

Wahoo conserves their torpedoes....at Cam Ranh Bay.

Submarine attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 64,72

Japanese Ships
xAKL Hokuhi Maru

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo

xAKL Hokuhi Maru is sighted by SS Wahoo
Captain of SS Wahoo elects not to launch torpedoes at this target

[Lowpe]

Night naval bombardment of Manado...will probably be used to provide escort for enemy raiding warships...6th Guards is way out of position!

Night Naval bombardment of Manado at 75,99

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 3 damaged
A6M5c Zero: 7 damaged
A6M5c Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 1 damaged
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Nashville
DD Wilson
DD Bancroft
DMS Hamilton

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

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 13
Port hits 3

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for CL Nashville
CL Nashville firing at Manado
DD Wilson firing at Manado
DD Bancroft firing at 6th Guards Division
DMS Hamilton firing at Manado

[Lowpe]

With the disappearance of enemy fighters at Rangoon....a switch to daytime bombing is enacted:

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 3
B-25C Mitchell x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 12

No Allied losses

Refinery hits 6


Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 12

No Allied losses

Refinery hits 3

Weather clears in the afternoon:

Afternoon Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 10

No Allied losses

Refinery hits 20

[Lowpe]

As we await news of the 2nd Marines at Quinhon...

Another large attack at Chungking.

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 36453 troops, 827 guns, 2408 vehicles, Assault Value = 3128

Defending force 132737 troops, 40 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2741

Japanese adjusted assault: 1584

Allied adjusted defense: 3143

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
3019 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 310 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 119 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 83 disabled
Guns lost 82 (8 destroyed, 74 disabled)
Vehicles lost 307 (33 destroyed, 274 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1923 casualties reported
Squads: 94 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
37th/C Division
1st Tank Division
11th Tank Regiment
15th/C Division
Guards Tank Division
3rd Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Division
27th/A Division
36th/C Division
37th/B Division
15th/A Division
37th/A Division
9th Tank Regiment
36th/A Division
39th/A Division
27th/C Division
15th Tank Regiment
15th/B Division
23rd Tank Regiment
39th/B Division
18th Tank Regiment
36th/B Division
2nd Tank Division
27th/B Division
39th/C Division
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Mortar Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
North China Area Army
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
1st Army
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
11th Field Artillery Regiment

[Lowpe]

This is a fascinating game. I have never seen an allied invasion of Vietnam, anywhere close to this early in the game. Having a narrow thrust adds speed but is more vulnerable to being cut off.

If this had occurred in real life, it would have major consequences in world history. Whether for good or bad, I have no idea.

Looking forward to seeing the results in the game.

Well, I did advance all across Australia and India and Burma....but I get your point.

Japan suffers from several serious structural weaknesses...and most JFBs don't take them into account. I am exploiting some of them, and have been all game....for example the early Marcus Island invasion.

Most AFBs assemble the DeathStar packed with Hellcats, gather the Kitchen sink, get 100 prep, rinse and repeat. Put way too much into Burma...not all, of course, but a lot. Every AFB I ever played was way too aggressive with their air forces...anyhow, buckle in for the next set of updates as we discover the fate of the 2nd Marines, the Escort Carriers, and the Deathstar (broken down into 2 Task forces). OH, and what happens to the Kuma and Leander! Spoiler: Wahoo lives.