Sailing in harms way: InHarmsWay (J) vs Andav (A) Scen2

[InHarmsWay]

The Marshalls have been liberated! Adm Wa had pulled out cadres from the remaining land forces that surrendered at Namorik, but it still felt good to squish the last holdout!

Sept 02 1942 Marshalls.jpg (273.1 KiB) Viewed 730 times

Several pieces of strategic mis information have now been put in place as well..

[InHarmsWay]

Admiral Harmasaki looks over the strategic map and ponders what Adm Was is thinking, and will he take the bait? Or more appropriately, decide to fishing is better in another pond? As he looks at the map, he reviews the chess board.

The feint...

1. Taking Namorik completed the reconquest of the Marshalls.
2. Landing at Luganville indicates a thrust to New Zealand.
3. The "chance" sighting of the Kaga transiting south after repairs from the June battles.
4. Recon overflights by Emilys out of Tulagi towards the New Caledonia and New Hebrides are ongoing...
5. Accelerated sub action off Perth, to simulate trying to cut off Australia...

The trap....

KB just put to sea from Singapore after upgrading most of the zeros to A6M5's. She will sail into NW and meet up with tankers to await a hopeful Admiral Wa move on Ceylon. Screening the KB from surprise will be several Glen subs, and extensive Emily's based in Trincomalee.

Current overview:

Sept 02 1942 overview.jpg (331.49 KiB) Viewed 728 times

I give this a 1 in 3 chance that Adm Wa will move there, but if I can catch the landing ships in transit, it could hamstring him into '43. Reason to entice him into the trap is that he has significant land units in India from the recent campaign, plus extensive land based air that can base near Ceylon. Ceylon really needs to be taken to allow further threats into the Indian ocean. I am banking on Adm's Wa's aggressiveness here to move early, similar to the Marshalls, but figure he can protect Ceylon by his land based air. If he thinks the KB and most of the Japanese are focused on the SW Pacific, he may decide fishing in the Indian Ocean is better....

[InHarmsWay]

So some bad luck here, but maybe good luck, we will see. KB ran over a dutch sub, however only the surface ships, not the CVs were seen in the combat replay. This happened twice over two days. Adm Wa, made a comment about a nasty surface TF coming for him. I did not correct that there were CVs as well. At the same time, a Brit CV showed up about 20 hexes north, and squished one of my long range surface raiders that was using float planes for recon.

So the question is, will Adm Wa try and hit my "surface TF" or at least try and ambush it with what CVs he has in the area? Or will he bolt from the area? Either way, KB is heading forward, and will go active the next 3-4 days looking to find something? Worst comes to worse, I will raid the Indian sea lanes, then retreat...

Next week could be interesting or a nothing burger...

[PaxMondo]

Still awaiting to hear about the Brit CV ... did you get it?

[InHarmsWay]

PaxMondo, getting close one way or another. I will be bombing Bombay tomorrow from long range with Nells on port attack (here is hoping no CAP!) ,it will not cause much damage, but hoping Adm Wa has some juicy ships there that will then retire to Karachi. If KB not spotted tomorrow (give it 50/50), I will then move between Karachi and Bombay and hope to catch the ships... we will see.

I did see a TF way out in the Indian ocean, spotted by float plane, with low intel. I am hoping Adm figures it is just another annoying glen and does not get spooked. Its a 50/50 chance that the TF is going towards Karachi/Bombay (may be loaded?) in which case KB will likely attack. Lots of moving parts here, so could end up going horribly wrong!

Either way, getting nervous with KB out of position!

Sept 17 1942 KB hunt.jpg (290.29 KiB) Viewed 636 times

[InHarmsWay]

Well Drat, the cat is out of the bag and I did not get any really juicy TFs.. Nells did not fly last night so I have no recon on Bombay. They have been ordered to fly again! Failure will not be tolerated. It looks like the TF I saw the day earlier was a troop transport TF that was empty. It was on its way to India, does that mean he is withdrawing troops out, or positioning them for an attack on Ceylon? I may have been too early in my master plan. At least he has several fewer xAPs now... Here is the results of the 2 KB strikes - neither were big.... There were a couple other smaller strikes at the nearest ASW group, sinking 2 small DDs.
------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Socotra at 19,12

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 15
D3A1 Val x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAP Cap St Jacques, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Denbighshire, Bomb hits 1
xAP Poelau Telo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Jefferson Myers, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Jefferson Myers

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Socotra at 19,12

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 58
D3A1 Val x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
xAP Varsova, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Poelau Telo, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Cap St Jacques, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Dunedin Star, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Jefferson Myers, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Forafric, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Nova Scotia, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Derrymore, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK City of Agra, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Poelau Telo
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Jefferson Myers
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Nova Scotia
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK City of Agra
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Dunedin Star

Sept 18 1942 KB hunt.jpg (245.16 KiB) Viewed 621 times

[InHarmsWay]

Ah gentle readers, it has been a minute. Admiral Wa went on vacation all last week. Something to do with checking out the Naval readiness in California or something along those lines. Back to the war. Two key event the past few turns. Admiral Wa has landed on the NW corner of Australia looking to evict the ever peaceloving Japanese Tourists located in Port Hedland. I have a battalion there, and he looks to have landed a rgmt. Not sure if he was expecting a Inf unit so we will see how it plays out. I have a small surface TF 2 days out, hoping to catch the landing force still unloading supplies. Elsewhere, KB found another xAP TF NW of India. Again, the Vals flew and this time caused some LCU casualties as the ships were ferrying a unit (unknown). I likely sank ~2 ships this time. The KB strike was small, maybe he will come hunting KB? Doubtful, and I will retire after trying to catch the remnants of this latest TF. I doubt he will sail another TF in the area for a while! Here is the Combat replay:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Socotra at 17,17

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 22
D3A1 Val x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
xAP Duchess of Bedford, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Empress ' Scotland, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Empress ' Australia, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires

Allied ground losses:
591 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 16 (3 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
12 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAP Duchess of Bedford

[PaxMondo]

....

Admiral Wa has landed on the NW corner of Australia looking to evict the ever peaceloving Japanese Tourists located in Port Hedland. ...

Ahh ... didn't recall you had started there as well. This should be interesting ...

[InHarmsWay]

Yes, Adm Wa is getting frisky. I think this is just a distraction invasion, but don't want to let him have a base on the north side of Aus. I think I surprised him with both a LCU at Port Hedland and air assets flying with Torpedoes here. I had a crack fighter group as well (Tainan KuS-1 flying A6M3a's) to support the ground attacks on the invasion force, I have disrupted ~20 squads so far, and he has not attacked yet. I will mobilize a counter invasion, and may be able to get this LCU?!

Sept 26 1942 Port Hedland.jpg (349.24 KiB) Viewed 488 times

[InHarmsWay]

My small surface TF down in Australia was able to ambush one of Adm Wa's TFs at Port Hedland. I believe his TF was a fast transport bringing in supplies, but not sure. Here is the combat replay. Gotta love those long lances!

I have a division loaded from Singapore and on its way to land and hopefully bag the Aussie Brigade and US base force that landed. Air cover is mainly LBA, but I do have two CVs that were upgrading at Singapore that will also be in the neighborhood. KB is transiting home to Singers as well.

FTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 27, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 57,129, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso
CL Kitakami
DD Oshio
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CL Java
DD Morris
DD Helm
DD Le Triomphant

Reduced visibility due to Thunderstorms with 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms and 92% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 2,000 yards
CL Leander sunk by CL Kitakami at 2,000 yards
CL Kitakami fires at DD Le Triomphant at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio launches Long Lance Torpedoes at DD Helm at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio launches Long Lance Torpedoes at DD Morris at 2,000 yards
CL Kitakami engages DD Morris at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Le Triomphant at 2,000 yards
DD Kasumi engages DD Le Triomphant at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Morris at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Java engages CL Kitakami at 4,000 yards
DD Le Triomphant engages DD Kasumi at 4,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Helm at 4,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Morris at 4,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[InHarmsWay]

Much rejoicing has commenced at Combined Fleet HQ. News was just received that the first George R&D factory has now gone active on Sept 27th, 1942! This combined with the current engine inventory of the Nak Ha-45 now standing at 491 means we will have the engine bonus timed almost perfectly with the start of the airframe research!. Visions of Georges flying in Feb 43 may now happen! I expect another factory to go active in a few weeks. I will likely have to further expand the Ha-45 production a bit.

[PaxMondo]

Much rejoicing has commenced at Combined Fleet HQ. News was just received that the first George R&D factory has now gone active on Sept 27th, 1942! This combined with the current engine inventory of the Nak Ha-45 now standing at 491 means we will have the engine bonus timed almost perfectly with the start of the airframe research!. Visions of Georges flying in Feb 43 may now happen!

OK, in Scen 1 the N1K1-J arrives 9/43. That is 11 months from your game date. Feb 43 is 5 months away. Right now, every 50 days, you advance an extra month. With the 2nd RnD working, that will happen every 25 days. That gets you close to the Feb (mid-Feb to late Feb depending upon the exact date the 2nd RnD center repairs fully).

I expect another factory to go active in a few weeks. I will likely have to further expand the Ha-45 production a bit.

Definitely. Look to your future. What is your final Frank production run rate target? 600/month? Something like that. 20/day may seem like a lot in '42, but an active defense will chew up a lot of fighters. Now add in Frances, Peggy, and Grace numbers .... that will put the Ha-45 production up to 30/day or more. So, yes, expand now. Use the engine bonus while you can ...

[InHarmsWay]

It has been a while gentle readers... Summer vacations are getting in the way of the war!!! Current update for those enquiring minds out there:

Update as of October 6th 1942

India front:
Adm Wa is moving SE from Dacca towards Chittagong with a 1200AV force, supported by alot of bombers and fighters based in Calcutta. I am retreating in good order here as fighting in the open feels like stupidity. Will put up a resistance line in Burma.

China front:
Chungking is isolated and been under bombardment for a while now. After my initial disastrous attack, I am thoroughly softening it up. I expect to attack again in 5-10 days. Quiet otherwise.

Australia front:
I have a counterlanding underway at Port Hedland. Adm Wa has a Inf Bgde and base force trapped there and I have just now landed the 4th Division. I dont know if he even knows it is there yet. Attack will go in tomorrow. A small slice of the KB (Zuikaku and Kaga) are loitering in the area (not spotted). He has moved his ships back, given Nells and Bettys are flying with torpedoes out of Koepang. A surface TF is covering Port Hedland. Over at Darwin, Adm Wa is again marching land units overland from Tennant Creek. I will let him extend his supply line a bit further, then counterattack. Unfortunately the 4th Division will be a bit late there, as it is needed to squash the hopes over at Port Hedland.

Central Pacific and SW Pacific have both been quiet....

Key Aircraft Research:

D4Y1 Judy production has been accelerated and I will start producing around October 24th (really need to retire the Val airframe.)

N1K1- J George production is coming along well. I have the engine bonus with 12 size 30 factories going. Currently the repair status is 30 / 29 / 27 / 27 / 25 / 21 / 21 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 19 / 17. Current availability date is July '43, but that will come forward!!

Best Frank factories are 21 of 30, 19 of 30 and 16 of 30. The at start 55 sized factory is 21 of 55.

[PaxMondo]

The at start 55 sized factory is 21 of 55.

ignore this one ... it won't repair much before you get the Frank. Just watch the others. How many centers total do you have on the Frank?

PS: I generally change this one to A6M2 at the start.

[InHarmsWay]

PaxMondo, good advise on changing that factory. I wish I had done that along with many other little things. Regarding Frank production, I have 11 factories currently researching Franks. Likely will not get Franks unit mid '43. Probably should have done a few more Franks and a few less Ki-84s (12 factories) but here we are!

Continuing to be slow days, but one highlight was the squishing of the Allied landing at Port Hedland. The Allied force at Port Hedland had been beat up pretty hard the past few days so was just a matter of time. Not sure he even got a cadre out of those units destroyed. Pretty quiet everywhere else. I am sure the allies are up to something!

Ground combat at Port Hedland (57,129)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13667 troops, 129 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 427

Defending force 2655 troops, 36 guns, 46 vehicles, Assault Value = 14

Japanese adjusted assault: 676

Allied adjusted defense: 3

Japanese assault odds: 225 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
233 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2511 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 426 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 42 (42 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 31 (31 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
4th Division
III./124th Infantry Battalion

Defending units:
13th Australian Brigade
142nd USA Base Force

[PaxMondo]

.... Probably should have done a few more Franks and a few less Ki-84s (12 factories) but here we are! ...

A bit confused. Ki-84 is Frank ....