Oh, here is the last dance of the Hawkins.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Trimcomalee at 15,25
Japanese Ships
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Wakaba, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hokko Maru, heavy damage
AK Beryl, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CA Hawkins, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A shame about the lucky torpedo hit, Hawkins was doing a fine job up till then.
EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
-
DuckofTindalos
- Posts: 39781
- Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:53 pm
- Location: Denmark
RE: WARSPITE'S GLORY!!!!!
30th August, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
Japanese persistence means he got spanked again today.
Some heavy cruisers came looking for Warspite (currently rearming at Madras) and got hit by Beauforts and a swarm of heavies that blackened the sky. A lot of the bomb hits from the heavies were in fact 1000lb GP bombs, nice. CA Aoba has been reported sunk, the rest seem to be in a bad way.
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 10
Beaufort I x 13
Beaufort V-IX x 32
Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 damaged
Beaufort I: 4 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CA Furutaka
DD Yugure
CL Kashima, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Atago
DD Akatsuki
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 6
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 3
Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 3 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 2
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 24
Wellington III x 3
B-17E Fortress x 38
B-24D Liberator x 43
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1
CA Atago, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Michishio
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Half of 7th armoured is being shipped to Colombo, as part of my strategy of maintaining just enough force there, the barest minimum, to keep him pinned down. If I lose Colombo than landing troops on Ceylon suddenly becomes much more difficult - and besides, there are 400k of supplies at Ceylon which I can't allow him to capture.
CHINA
Every resource producing base in China now has a Spitfire squadron guarding it, so no more easy kills for him hopefully. The ground war is still indecisive, and he hasnt tried any more air offensives yet.
DEI
Still quiet from me, aside from subs. He still has naval units around Bali for some reason, but its too far for my heavies to hit him.
SOPAC/AUS
Two Aussie AF construction units are about 2 weeks from Derby now, when they arrive we'll begin to open up a real front in the DEI from my toehold in Timor. Plenty of fast transport capability, plus 16 Dakotas at Koepang - plan is we'll slowly creep up Flores to the point where Soerabaja is in easy heavy bomber range.
Bit wary of KB intervening, evidently he had CVLs only assigned to his Bay of Bengal ops. I presume KB is in refit at the moment, but so are my ships, so KB will be playing fairly soon I fear, and I wouldnt be at all surprised if the DEI is his target.
I have paratroopers and marine raiders building at Noumea, I think I'm going to start using them with harassing attacks in the Solomons. Lets make him feel the Allies nibbling at him in all directions at once.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
CA Vincennes led a task force to Kwajalein and raided his shipping the other day, but Vincennes got spanked by Kates on the way out. 67 flotation damage in the middle of the Pacific, looks bad.
The USN is mostly at Pearl now and set for the next update, with the exception of my 10 fastest DDs which are almost at Wake. Operations will be limited to harassment mining with DMs (also in refit at the moment but they fix quickly). I'm thinking of having the DMs team up with those 10 DDs and drop a big minefield in Kwajalein at night, timed with suppression with heavy bombers at Tarawa.
50 more Liberators arrive at SF soon, dear me. I have so many heavies I dont know what to do with them. [:D]
BURMA/INDIA
Japanese persistence means he got spanked again today.
Some heavy cruisers came looking for Warspite (currently rearming at Madras) and got hit by Beauforts and a swarm of heavies that blackened the sky. A lot of the bomb hits from the heavies were in fact 1000lb GP bombs, nice. CA Aoba has been reported sunk, the rest seem to be in a bad way.
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 10
Beaufort I x 13
Beaufort V-IX x 32
Allied aircraft losses
Vengeance I: 1 damaged
Beaufort I: 4 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CA Furutaka
DD Yugure
CL Kashima, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Atago
DD Akatsuki
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Vengeance I bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 6
B-17E Fortress x 12
B-24D Liberator x 3
Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 3 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 2
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,26
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 24
Wellington III x 3
B-17E Fortress x 38
B-24D Liberator x 43
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 1
CA Atago, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Michishio
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Blenheim IV bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Half of 7th armoured is being shipped to Colombo, as part of my strategy of maintaining just enough force there, the barest minimum, to keep him pinned down. If I lose Colombo than landing troops on Ceylon suddenly becomes much more difficult - and besides, there are 400k of supplies at Ceylon which I can't allow him to capture.
CHINA
Every resource producing base in China now has a Spitfire squadron guarding it, so no more easy kills for him hopefully. The ground war is still indecisive, and he hasnt tried any more air offensives yet.
DEI
Still quiet from me, aside from subs. He still has naval units around Bali for some reason, but its too far for my heavies to hit him.
SOPAC/AUS
Two Aussie AF construction units are about 2 weeks from Derby now, when they arrive we'll begin to open up a real front in the DEI from my toehold in Timor. Plenty of fast transport capability, plus 16 Dakotas at Koepang - plan is we'll slowly creep up Flores to the point where Soerabaja is in easy heavy bomber range.
Bit wary of KB intervening, evidently he had CVLs only assigned to his Bay of Bengal ops. I presume KB is in refit at the moment, but so are my ships, so KB will be playing fairly soon I fear, and I wouldnt be at all surprised if the DEI is his target.
I have paratroopers and marine raiders building at Noumea, I think I'm going to start using them with harassing attacks in the Solomons. Lets make him feel the Allies nibbling at him in all directions at once.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
CA Vincennes led a task force to Kwajalein and raided his shipping the other day, but Vincennes got spanked by Kates on the way out. 67 flotation damage in the middle of the Pacific, looks bad.
The USN is mostly at Pearl now and set for the next update, with the exception of my 10 fastest DDs which are almost at Wake. Operations will be limited to harassment mining with DMs (also in refit at the moment but they fix quickly). I'm thinking of having the DMs team up with those 10 DDs and drop a big minefield in Kwajalein at night, timed with suppression with heavy bombers at Tarawa.
50 more Liberators arrive at SF soon, dear me. I have so many heavies I dont know what to do with them. [:D]
RE: WARSPITE'S GLORY!!!!!
Oh, and I just paid another 1100 PPs thanks to British withdrawal - and Winston wants a battleship now, so I wont have any PPs, still, probably ever.
-2000 and going down.
-2000 and going down.
Back to the grind
4th September, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
He's fully disengaged now so the excitement is over. No supplies for Jap on Ceylon. Warspite is back at Diamond Harbour to be fixed. My naval operations here are actually very limited, as my submarine fleet has been rendered almost completely combat ineffective.
I've begun reinforcing Ceylon. Now, I judge, is the time to push. I have a second armoured division and a UK division earmarked for Ceylon, it'll take them the best part of a month to get in position.
Heavy bombers continue to flatten Trimcomalee, I'm going for the port mostly now as the airfield is at 100% damage. Blenheims bomb his ground forces, while the Beauforts at Mannargudi are set to naval attack/recon.
On the Burmese border my fresh divisions are beginning to be moved to Ledo, and the three malarial Chinese divs at Myritkina are being rotated out again.
CHINA
Ichang has come under Chinese attack, 2 corps are engaged now, 2 more coming. Assuming his fort level isnt too high I think I can kick him out.
Aside from that still stalemate across the board. My Spitfires seem to have dissuaded him from flying anything more than recon.
I'm eager for airbases now. Chengtu and Kunming I think it is are near airfield 4. An RAF HQ has been airlifted to Kunming. I want a nice bomber spot ready, in Dakota range for supply purposes, so as soon as I deem we don't need them anymore in Ceylon I can redeploy them to China.
DEI/SOPAC
Still quiet here, he's reinforcing Bali at the moment, so we're deprived of our quick victory. Aussie AF construction units on the way to Derby. Pulling out a lot of SoPac units, seabees mostly, mostly to mainland Aus.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
The USN is being upgraded, its going to take a long, long time. Three British R class battleships are past Pearl now, headed for the Seattle shipyards, they were the ones mauled by KB at Timor months back.
Two divisions and an artillery unit at Pearl are ordered to prep for Marcus Island... you never know. [:D].
I'm rerouting Seabees to Wake Island to turn it into a mighty fortress, the 71st Aviation Regiment is being moved from Pearl to Midway, and probably from Midway thence to Wake, when Wake is able to base heavy bombers.
I dont have enough transport ability to do this yet, but I plan on stripping Canton Island mostly, and moving that to Wake as well. My usual island garrison is a single RCT, but I have a full division at Canton Island which is really too much as its a rear area now, with Tarawa and Baker in allied hands.
BURMA/INDIA
He's fully disengaged now so the excitement is over. No supplies for Jap on Ceylon. Warspite is back at Diamond Harbour to be fixed. My naval operations here are actually very limited, as my submarine fleet has been rendered almost completely combat ineffective.
I've begun reinforcing Ceylon. Now, I judge, is the time to push. I have a second armoured division and a UK division earmarked for Ceylon, it'll take them the best part of a month to get in position.
Heavy bombers continue to flatten Trimcomalee, I'm going for the port mostly now as the airfield is at 100% damage. Blenheims bomb his ground forces, while the Beauforts at Mannargudi are set to naval attack/recon.
On the Burmese border my fresh divisions are beginning to be moved to Ledo, and the three malarial Chinese divs at Myritkina are being rotated out again.
CHINA
Ichang has come under Chinese attack, 2 corps are engaged now, 2 more coming. Assuming his fort level isnt too high I think I can kick him out.
Aside from that still stalemate across the board. My Spitfires seem to have dissuaded him from flying anything more than recon.
I'm eager for airbases now. Chengtu and Kunming I think it is are near airfield 4. An RAF HQ has been airlifted to Kunming. I want a nice bomber spot ready, in Dakota range for supply purposes, so as soon as I deem we don't need them anymore in Ceylon I can redeploy them to China.
DEI/SOPAC
Still quiet here, he's reinforcing Bali at the moment, so we're deprived of our quick victory. Aussie AF construction units on the way to Derby. Pulling out a lot of SoPac units, seabees mostly, mostly to mainland Aus.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
The USN is being upgraded, its going to take a long, long time. Three British R class battleships are past Pearl now, headed for the Seattle shipyards, they were the ones mauled by KB at Timor months back.
Two divisions and an artillery unit at Pearl are ordered to prep for Marcus Island... you never know. [:D].
I'm rerouting Seabees to Wake Island to turn it into a mighty fortress, the 71st Aviation Regiment is being moved from Pearl to Midway, and probably from Midway thence to Wake, when Wake is able to base heavy bombers.
I dont have enough transport ability to do this yet, but I plan on stripping Canton Island mostly, and moving that to Wake as well. My usual island garrison is a single RCT, but I have a full division at Canton Island which is really too much as its a rear area now, with Tarawa and Baker in allied hands.
RE: Back to the grind
7th September, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
7th Armoured is now ashore on Ceylon in its entirety, the second Indian tank brigade is on its way, and a UK division is getting ready as well. Constant air raids aimed at Trimcomalee continue, we hope his supply must be getting low. Quite a few port attacks as well, this should a) burn up his fuel, which he appeared to have precious little of, b) make future convoy missions even more fraught with danger by lengthening unload time while in range of Allied LBA.
CHINA
I shock attacked Ichang and bounced off - rating 6 forts. ATM I'm still sieging the place but I might pull back, no engineers to deal wit that yet. Supply in China is extremely tight,and he's begun a training program as well - which as an aside is burning yet more supply. Not good. China is the part of the map I'm least happy with - and also the part I can do the least about.
DEI/SOPAC
He still has cruisers sitting off Bali, and as Khan says, "He asks me, he asks me and I shall have him.".
The SC has hatched a devious plan to catch him hopefully unawares. APDs out of Derby are set to fast transport fuel to an island about halfway between Bali and Koepang. I'm gonna raid him with PT boats, though the range will require a rest stop on the way.
Kendari airfield is a wreck, but Soerabaja could intervene, and its a hefty fortress with Betties. 100 heavies are detailed to night raid to harass him. At worst, its a few APDs, eh? [:(]
On the plus side, Lightnings are beginning to come in, and the Koepang forces wait eagerly for the day when they get 72 toys of their very own to play with. Then Soerabaja won't be so safe anymore...
CENTPAC/NORPAC
A Jap convoy is sighted, again, about half way between Wake and Kwajalein. I got no idea what this is. A convoy to the Home Islands straying a bit too near my farthest forward outpost? Or something more?
Wake has 16 Dauntlesses and 12 Catalinas, 24 Wildcats are being uncrated. If its just a convoy it'll wear bombs if it gets too close.
My 10 DDs are sortieing from Wake as well, I'm going to see if I can rustle up a mid ocean intercept.
The upgrading of DDs is happening at a cracking pace, the destroyers at least will start to roll off the slips in about a week I would say, though it'll be some time to go before every ship is ready.
BURMA/INDIA
7th Armoured is now ashore on Ceylon in its entirety, the second Indian tank brigade is on its way, and a UK division is getting ready as well. Constant air raids aimed at Trimcomalee continue, we hope his supply must be getting low. Quite a few port attacks as well, this should a) burn up his fuel, which he appeared to have precious little of, b) make future convoy missions even more fraught with danger by lengthening unload time while in range of Allied LBA.
CHINA
I shock attacked Ichang and bounced off - rating 6 forts. ATM I'm still sieging the place but I might pull back, no engineers to deal wit that yet. Supply in China is extremely tight,and he's begun a training program as well - which as an aside is burning yet more supply. Not good. China is the part of the map I'm least happy with - and also the part I can do the least about.
DEI/SOPAC
He still has cruisers sitting off Bali, and as Khan says, "He asks me, he asks me and I shall have him.".
The SC has hatched a devious plan to catch him hopefully unawares. APDs out of Derby are set to fast transport fuel to an island about halfway between Bali and Koepang. I'm gonna raid him with PT boats, though the range will require a rest stop on the way.
Kendari airfield is a wreck, but Soerabaja could intervene, and its a hefty fortress with Betties. 100 heavies are detailed to night raid to harass him. At worst, its a few APDs, eh? [:(]
On the plus side, Lightnings are beginning to come in, and the Koepang forces wait eagerly for the day when they get 72 toys of their very own to play with. Then Soerabaja won't be so safe anymore...
CENTPAC/NORPAC
A Jap convoy is sighted, again, about half way between Wake and Kwajalein. I got no idea what this is. A convoy to the Home Islands straying a bit too near my farthest forward outpost? Or something more?
Wake has 16 Dauntlesses and 12 Catalinas, 24 Wildcats are being uncrated. If its just a convoy it'll wear bombs if it gets too close.
My 10 DDs are sortieing from Wake as well, I'm going to see if I can rustle up a mid ocean intercept.
The upgrading of DDs is happening at a cracking pace, the destroyers at least will start to roll off the slips in about a week I would say, though it'll be some time to go before every ship is ready.
RE: Back to the grind
8th Septemeber 42
There was a surface daytime action today off Wake, where my 10 DDs intercepted a Jap convoy guarded by an MSW, a CL and a DD.
Clearly, I need to include at least one cruiser in this raiding force as my DDs got blown to bits by the CL at 20,000 yards. End result - 1 US DD sunk outright, 1 US DD not going to make it, 3 US DD badly damaged, in exchange for 1 Jap DD torpedoed and an MSW raked by gunfire.
I had hoped for a night engagement, as thats what almost all actions have been up till now, but clearly on the high seas its not certain. Luckily those DDs were mostly flush deckers and so not too valuable. I think USS Phoenix (later to be the General Belgrano and sunk in the Falklands War!) will be included in a DD force to give some big gun firepower. Theres a big different between 6 inch and 4.7 inch.
There was a surface daytime action today off Wake, where my 10 DDs intercepted a Jap convoy guarded by an MSW, a CL and a DD.
Clearly, I need to include at least one cruiser in this raiding force as my DDs got blown to bits by the CL at 20,000 yards. End result - 1 US DD sunk outright, 1 US DD not going to make it, 3 US DD badly damaged, in exchange for 1 Jap DD torpedoed and an MSW raked by gunfire.
I had hoped for a night engagement, as thats what almost all actions have been up till now, but clearly on the high seas its not certain. Luckily those DDs were mostly flush deckers and so not too valuable. I think USS Phoenix (later to be the General Belgrano and sunk in the Falklands War!) will be included in a DD force to give some big gun firepower. Theres a big different between 6 inch and 4.7 inch.
RE: Back to the grind
12th September, 1942
Not much change, just more grinding away at Kwajalein, Trimcomalee and Kendari with heavy bombers.
Submarines torpedoed a tanker and an AP since last post. Also, APDs out of Derby smuggled some fuel onto Raba Island, halfway between Bali and Koepang. Using this fuel, PT boats sorted up to Bali and engaged him there - despite a CA as escort, they managed to sink an AP without loss. They are now retiring to Raba for refuelling, and will then go back to Koepang for torpedoes.
A UK division is loaded up onto AKSs at Mannargudi in readiness to be shipped to Ceylon. I'm going to ship a -lot- of troops to Ceylon I've decided, the bulk of the Indian force. He has 4 divs at Port Moresby, considerable forces at Rabaul - maybe another div - and 4 divs minimum stuck on Ceylon - surely Japan can't be everywhere at once.
Not much change, just more grinding away at Kwajalein, Trimcomalee and Kendari with heavy bombers.
Submarines torpedoed a tanker and an AP since last post. Also, APDs out of Derby smuggled some fuel onto Raba Island, halfway between Bali and Koepang. Using this fuel, PT boats sorted up to Bali and engaged him there - despite a CA as escort, they managed to sink an AP without loss. They are now retiring to Raba for refuelling, and will then go back to Koepang for torpedoes.
A UK division is loaded up onto AKSs at Mannargudi in readiness to be shipped to Ceylon. I'm going to ship a -lot- of troops to Ceylon I've decided, the bulk of the Indian force. He has 4 divs at Port Moresby, considerable forces at Rabaul - maybe another div - and 4 divs minimum stuck on Ceylon - surely Japan can't be everywhere at once.
RE: Back to the grind
13th September 1942
Just a quick note to say that on this day the heaviest aerial bombardment of the war happened.
140 Fortresses out of Tarawa blew the hell out of Kwajalein.
...this seems like a lot for '42. The scary thing is, the 50 Liberators there were resting so it could have been nigh on 200!
[X(]
Just a quick note to say that on this day the heaviest aerial bombardment of the war happened.
140 Fortresses out of Tarawa blew the hell out of Kwajalein.
...this seems like a lot for '42. The scary thing is, the 50 Liberators there were resting so it could have been nigh on 200!
[X(]
-
Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: Back to the grind
I have been running a PP deficit for the same reason you have, and after 3 months I noticed a lot of WOs assuming command positions. Some of them have been in AKs, but recently they have started showing up in regiment sized land units, submarines and some surface warships. This has caused me to reconsider my policy of keeping the ships.
Has this happened to you?
Has this happened to you?
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
I have been running a PP deficit for the same reason you have, and after 3 months I noticed a lot of WOs assuming command positions. Some of them have been in AKs, but recently they have started showing up in regiment sized land units, submarines and some surface warships. This has caused me to reconsider my policy of keeping the ships.
Has this happened to you?
I've got a lot led by "Staff Officer", and when I bring up the leader screen there are no leaders available at all.
I assumed this is the leader bug though, and that its affecting my opponent equally.
RE: Back to the grind
A thought... 15/10/42 means the 10th of OCTOBER, not September...
The SC can't even get the month the right. Just as well I only have Staff Officer ??? under me.
BURMA/INDIA
The Daks have real trouble lifting 105mm howitzers. They got some of them over but a few were stubbornly resisting. I have relented and sent these fragments over the trail from Ledo to Myritkina. The rest has gone. Aside from that my rotation of fresh units goes well.
In Colombo its now 50000 Allied vs 70000 Jap. I have 400,000 supply, he, I assume, has very little. He is also constantly harassed by aircraft, heavies going for the port, Blenheims going for the ground troops themselves.
Another division is coming, so then we will have parity. Then, I will test the waters with a deliberate attack.
DEI
I bit the bullet today and had a go at Soerabaja with the heavies. 50 Liberators are at Brisbane on the way, but clear weather moved the plan forward a day or two. The results were much better than I anticipated.
100 heavies hit Soerabaja, unescorted, against a CAP of 30 or so Zeroes. Fortress experience was >70, Liberator experience in the 60s. The end result was this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
A6M3 Zero x 13
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 4
B-17E Fortress x 43
B-24D Liberator x 43
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 14 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 6 destroyed, 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 5 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 8 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 2 destroyed
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed
MC-21 Sally: 1 destroyed
Ki-57-II Topsy: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 destroyed, 26 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
305 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 89
Aircraft Attacking:
17 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
13 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
17 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which I consider to be surprisingly good for the Allies. Total losses today were 13 frames for the Allies - and over 80 for the Japs. The airfield got a right good plastering as well.
...The idea that I'm not even employing my full force here, but a fraction of it, while similar tales are going on elsewhere, is a bit worrying. Don't people think the heavy bomber power of the Allies is a bit OTT? Its only (october) 42.
I'm of the opinion that in 43, even before maybe, he will be in deep **** here. This turn another 50 Liberators as mentioned, 60 Marauders and 72 Airacobras arrived - Airacobras that will be Lightnings by 43. SWPAC HQ is based in Derby, all SWPAC units are headed for this theatre.
SOPAC/AUS
Stil a backwater. I feel he has seriously over reinforced this area. At the very least, he should start pushing, it seems to me. An attack on Lunga or Noumea might give me pause right now.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Removal of units at Canton Island is proceeding ,but slowly due to lack of transport. It'll be some time before I'm done. I'm rendezvousing units at Pearl for ease of the SC's consideration later on, and a lot are beat up a bit too from those landings earlier.
Wake is being hurriedly beefed up. It now has 2 squadrons of Wildcats, in addition to the Dauntless squadron. Tarawa is currently home to 150 Fortresses [X(], when Wake is ready 50 of them are going there.
Believe it or not I actually do use Forts for naval search quite a lot, I had some in Lunga doing nothing but for a long time. [:D]. It reduces my shame somewhat for all the carnage those beasts inflict.
The SC can't even get the month the right. Just as well I only have Staff Officer ??? under me.
BURMA/INDIA
The Daks have real trouble lifting 105mm howitzers. They got some of them over but a few were stubbornly resisting. I have relented and sent these fragments over the trail from Ledo to Myritkina. The rest has gone. Aside from that my rotation of fresh units goes well.
In Colombo its now 50000 Allied vs 70000 Jap. I have 400,000 supply, he, I assume, has very little. He is also constantly harassed by aircraft, heavies going for the port, Blenheims going for the ground troops themselves.
Another division is coming, so then we will have parity. Then, I will test the waters with a deliberate attack.
DEI
I bit the bullet today and had a go at Soerabaja with the heavies. 50 Liberators are at Brisbane on the way, but clear weather moved the plan forward a day or two. The results were much better than I anticipated.
100 heavies hit Soerabaja, unescorted, against a CAP of 30 or so Zeroes. Fortress experience was >70, Liberator experience in the 60s. The end result was this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
A6M3 Zero x 13
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 4
B-17E Fortress x 43
B-24D Liberator x 43
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 14 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 6 destroyed, 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 12 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 5 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 8 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 2 destroyed
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed
MC-21 Sally: 1 destroyed
Ki-57-II Topsy: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 destroyed, 26 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
305 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Airbase hits 16
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 89
Aircraft Attacking:
17 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
13 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
17 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which I consider to be surprisingly good for the Allies. Total losses today were 13 frames for the Allies - and over 80 for the Japs. The airfield got a right good plastering as well.
...The idea that I'm not even employing my full force here, but a fraction of it, while similar tales are going on elsewhere, is a bit worrying. Don't people think the heavy bomber power of the Allies is a bit OTT? Its only (october) 42.
I'm of the opinion that in 43, even before maybe, he will be in deep **** here. This turn another 50 Liberators as mentioned, 60 Marauders and 72 Airacobras arrived - Airacobras that will be Lightnings by 43. SWPAC HQ is based in Derby, all SWPAC units are headed for this theatre.
SOPAC/AUS
Stil a backwater. I feel he has seriously over reinforced this area. At the very least, he should start pushing, it seems to me. An attack on Lunga or Noumea might give me pause right now.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Removal of units at Canton Island is proceeding ,but slowly due to lack of transport. It'll be some time before I'm done. I'm rendezvousing units at Pearl for ease of the SC's consideration later on, and a lot are beat up a bit too from those landings earlier.
Wake is being hurriedly beefed up. It now has 2 squadrons of Wildcats, in addition to the Dauntless squadron. Tarawa is currently home to 150 Fortresses [X(], when Wake is ready 50 of them are going there.
Believe it or not I actually do use Forts for naval search quite a lot, I had some in Lunga doing nothing but for a long time. [:D]. It reduces my shame somewhat for all the carnage those beasts inflict.
War getting brutal
18th October, 1942
BURMA/INDIA
He's retreating his ground units from Colombo, pulling them back along the trail to Trimcomalee. Success!
I tried shock attacking today but despite outnumbering him with tanks and artillery support the Japs were resolute, and are retreating in good order.
The heavies are having one more go at the port of Trimcomalee (recon tells us airfield 100% damage, port 40% atm), and then they are going to China. The situation there grows more untenable by the day, and I reckon I've got him bottled up on Ceylon solidly now. SEAC units previously at the DEI are now level with Ceylon on AKs, escorted by a Brit CV+CVL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Colombo
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 64845 troops, 636 guns, 998 vehicles
Defending force 28951 troops, 122 guns, 105 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
194 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
1392 casualties reported
Guns lost 62
Vehicles lost 7
(SuperJaps!)
CHINA
He has resumed his strategic bombing campaign, and my puny defences are unable to stop him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lanchow , at 45,25
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 16
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 8
Ki-21 Sally x 122
Ki-49 Helen x 27
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Oil hits 25
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The AVG do a pretty good job given the swarm they are expected to stop. I have a lot of fighters in China now but the problem is they have to be spread out to cover the resources, or he goes for the one left undefended. Clearly, the best defence is attack in a situation like this, and I finally feel forced to pull the heavy bombers from India to China. An airfield/4 has been constructing to house them now.
DEI
Timor must be really burning him now. Just under 120 Jap planes were were destroyed on the field of Soerabaja today with minimal losses despite fairly heavy Jap CAP. 3 heavy bomber squadrons now call Koepang home. He is being made to pay for aborting his attack earlier in the year and making foolish crusades to Ceylon.
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
A6M3 Zero x 8
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 7
B-17E Fortress x 40
B-24D Liberator x 81
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 11 destroyed, 8 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 9 destroyed
G3M Nell: 6 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 9 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 2 destroyed
Ki-57-II Topsy: 2 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 10 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed
MC-21 Sally: 5 destroyed
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed
(Gross underestimate, intel screen reports 120 aircraft destroyed on field, with Sallies as the biggest group)
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 destroyed, 18 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
300 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 114
Aircraft Attacking:
13 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
17 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This pressure will continue until the airfield is rubble or he successfully allocates resources to hold these guys off. Then, we go for the oil.
Units are getting into place slowly on the islands between Bali and Koepang - within Beaufort range so he'll have trouble intervening. Ttheres quite a big minifleet at Derby now. 20 DDs, several CLs, a CA. 3 battleships are at Sydney and coming the long way around Aus, two old US junkers and the Washington.
SOPAC/AUS
Still a backwater . Noumea is becoming my forward submarine base, I got a lot of subs being patched at Noumea/Sydney/Melbourne. The Aussie bases seem to not fix submarines at all - maybe the US ARs dont work in Aussie ports? Anyway, I moved em to Noumea and now the subs are being fixed, so whatever.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Wake Island is still being built up, it'll be at airfield 4 fairly soon now. More harassing tactics are planned meanwhile. 120 heavy bombers at Tarawa are set to go for Kwajalein airfield, and I have a small harassment force - 3 DMs, a couple of DDs and CL Achilles - setting off from Wake Island. The plan is they'll get in, drop a minefield at Kwajalein while the airfield is a wreck and get out - leaving many more mines than a submarine campaign could manage.
The Allied Central Pacific fleet - its enormous, 8 CVs, 80 (!!!) DDs, a few battleships - s in remarkably good shape. Might start beginning to use them again fairly soon. Raiding time!
Bit of a summary of where things are :-
Allied heavy bomber dispositions
~120 bombers at Bangalore, bombing Trimcomalee
~150 bombers at Koepang, bombing Soerabaja
~120 bombers at Tarawa, bombing Kwajalein
Allied aircraft carrier dispositions
CV+CVL near Ceylon (British)
8 CV at Pearl refitting
Battleship dispositions
Warspite battlegroup at Diamond Harbour (small TF, bit dinged up)
3x BB USN battlegroup departing Sydney for Perth (Derby final destination)
6x BB (3 brit ones) at Seattle being fixed
Rest at Pearl
Major Allied bases
Koepang (enormous, its rating 6 airfield is massively overloaded in fact. Hundreds of fighters concentrated here)
Bangalore (Indian heavy bomber base)
Derby (Naval base only really, also a staging point for a/c on the way to Koepang. About 30 warships, mostly light ones, also an AS reloading point for subs in the DEI but they go to Noumea when its refit time).
Noumea (Major submarine base, 4 AR + AS - once a big airbase but since stripped as SOPAC went quiet)
In the Central Pacific, which is the main focus of Allied offensive efforts at the moment, we have
Tarawa (50 Tomahawks, 120 Heavies, 60 Mitchells, USMC Div defending)
Canton Island (Some Wildcats, mostly stripped for Tarawa though, RCT defending)
Midway Island (Maxed out airfield, 270 support in position, but just some recon frames and a squadron of Dauntlesses atm - to be reinforced)
Wake Island (2 x Wildcat squadrons, 1 x Dauntless squadron, airfield 3 atm)
Pearl Harbor
Canton, Wake, Midway all have an RCT defending. All have CD guns and AA guns. Pearl Harbour has about 5 divisions in various stages of recuperation, and of course the mighty Allied Central Pacific Fleet.
BURMA/INDIA
He's retreating his ground units from Colombo, pulling them back along the trail to Trimcomalee. Success!
I tried shock attacking today but despite outnumbering him with tanks and artillery support the Japs were resolute, and are retreating in good order.
The heavies are having one more go at the port of Trimcomalee (recon tells us airfield 100% damage, port 40% atm), and then they are going to China. The situation there grows more untenable by the day, and I reckon I've got him bottled up on Ceylon solidly now. SEAC units previously at the DEI are now level with Ceylon on AKs, escorted by a Brit CV+CVL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Colombo
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 64845 troops, 636 guns, 998 vehicles
Defending force 28951 troops, 122 guns, 105 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
194 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 3
Allied ground losses:
1392 casualties reported
Guns lost 62
Vehicles lost 7
(SuperJaps!)
CHINA
He has resumed his strategic bombing campaign, and my puny defences are unable to stop him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lanchow , at 45,25
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 16
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 8
Ki-21 Sally x 122
Ki-49 Helen x 27
Ki-46-II Dinah x 8
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Oil hits 25
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
8 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
6 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
2 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 5000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The AVG do a pretty good job given the swarm they are expected to stop. I have a lot of fighters in China now but the problem is they have to be spread out to cover the resources, or he goes for the one left undefended. Clearly, the best defence is attack in a situation like this, and I finally feel forced to pull the heavy bombers from India to China. An airfield/4 has been constructing to house them now.
DEI
Timor must be really burning him now. Just under 120 Jap planes were were destroyed on the field of Soerabaja today with minimal losses despite fairly heavy Jap CAP. 3 heavy bomber squadrons now call Koepang home. He is being made to pay for aborting his attack earlier in the year and making foolish crusades to Ceylon.
Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
A6M3 Zero x 8
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 7
B-17E Fortress x 40
B-24D Liberator x 81
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 11 destroyed, 8 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 9 destroyed
G3M Nell: 6 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 9 destroyed
L2D2 Tabby: 2 destroyed
Ki-57-II Topsy: 2 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 10 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 8 destroyed
MC-21 Sally: 5 destroyed
B5N Kate: 5 destroyed
(Gross underestimate, intel screen reports 120 aircraft destroyed on field, with Sallies as the biggest group)
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 destroyed, 18 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
300 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 114
Aircraft Attacking:
13 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
17 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This pressure will continue until the airfield is rubble or he successfully allocates resources to hold these guys off. Then, we go for the oil.
Units are getting into place slowly on the islands between Bali and Koepang - within Beaufort range so he'll have trouble intervening. Ttheres quite a big minifleet at Derby now. 20 DDs, several CLs, a CA. 3 battleships are at Sydney and coming the long way around Aus, two old US junkers and the Washington.
SOPAC/AUS
Still a backwater . Noumea is becoming my forward submarine base, I got a lot of subs being patched at Noumea/Sydney/Melbourne. The Aussie bases seem to not fix submarines at all - maybe the US ARs dont work in Aussie ports? Anyway, I moved em to Noumea and now the subs are being fixed, so whatever.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Wake Island is still being built up, it'll be at airfield 4 fairly soon now. More harassing tactics are planned meanwhile. 120 heavy bombers at Tarawa are set to go for Kwajalein airfield, and I have a small harassment force - 3 DMs, a couple of DDs and CL Achilles - setting off from Wake Island. The plan is they'll get in, drop a minefield at Kwajalein while the airfield is a wreck and get out - leaving many more mines than a submarine campaign could manage.
The Allied Central Pacific fleet - its enormous, 8 CVs, 80 (!!!) DDs, a few battleships - s in remarkably good shape. Might start beginning to use them again fairly soon. Raiding time!
Bit of a summary of where things are :-
Allied heavy bomber dispositions
~120 bombers at Bangalore, bombing Trimcomalee
~150 bombers at Koepang, bombing Soerabaja
~120 bombers at Tarawa, bombing Kwajalein
Allied aircraft carrier dispositions
CV+CVL near Ceylon (British)
8 CV at Pearl refitting
Battleship dispositions
Warspite battlegroup at Diamond Harbour (small TF, bit dinged up)
3x BB USN battlegroup departing Sydney for Perth (Derby final destination)
6x BB (3 brit ones) at Seattle being fixed
Rest at Pearl
Major Allied bases
Koepang (enormous, its rating 6 airfield is massively overloaded in fact. Hundreds of fighters concentrated here)
Bangalore (Indian heavy bomber base)
Derby (Naval base only really, also a staging point for a/c on the way to Koepang. About 30 warships, mostly light ones, also an AS reloading point for subs in the DEI but they go to Noumea when its refit time).
Noumea (Major submarine base, 4 AR + AS - once a big airbase but since stripped as SOPAC went quiet)
In the Central Pacific, which is the main focus of Allied offensive efforts at the moment, we have
Tarawa (50 Tomahawks, 120 Heavies, 60 Mitchells, USMC Div defending)
Canton Island (Some Wildcats, mostly stripped for Tarawa though, RCT defending)
Midway Island (Maxed out airfield, 270 support in position, but just some recon frames and a squadron of Dauntlesses atm - to be reinforced)
Wake Island (2 x Wildcat squadrons, 1 x Dauntless squadron, airfield 3 atm)
Pearl Harbor
Canton, Wake, Midway all have an RCT defending. All have CD guns and AA guns. Pearl Harbour has about 5 divisions in various stages of recuperation, and of course the mighty Allied Central Pacific Fleet.
-
Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: Back to the grind
I think leader screen only shows leaders you can afford to buy, so your getting hurt by not having any PP left.
Though who knows, your hitting him so hard it is making less difference than it otherwise might.
How many CVs has he lost?
Though who knows, your hitting him so hard it is making less difference than it otherwise might.
How many CVs has he lost?
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
I think leader screen only shows leaders you can afford to buy, so your getting hurt by not having any PP left.
Though who knows, your hitting him so hard it is making less difference than it otherwise might.
How many CVs has he lost?
4, but only baby CVs.
Hosho, Taiyo, Ryuho, Zuiho.
No Allied CV losses yet. Hence my being bold in the Central Pacific, if KB comes to play I feel that the time is right for a challenge aimed at attrition.
May be re. PPs, I'm not sure. I dont think I'm ever going to have PPs at this rate though, by Christmas I'll be on -4000 at the rate of descent...
-
Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: Back to the grind
Well, your going to discover if keeping those ships is worth having an entire military commanded by staff officers.
Interesting question
Interesting question
RE: Back to the grind
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
Well, your going to discover if keeping those ships is worth having an entire military commanded by staff officers.
Interesting question
I'm pondering giving Winston what he wants next time. If Winston wants Hermes, a CA (Frobisher class it'll be) or a CLAA (Ceres class), I'll give up those old rustbuckets without too much moaning.
The USN is becoming huge. Up till now the RN has carried the can in the DEI and Bay of Bengal area - by the beginning of December that will have changed completely, so I won't need them so much then.
RE: Back to the grind
23rd October 1942
BURMA/INDIA
Not much to see here in terms of fighting. I moved the heavies to China, the mediums continue to harass his forces on Ceylon. HIs ground troops seem better than mine by 3 to 1. [X(]. I'm shipping massed artillery over, and an HQ unit, in the hope that this gives the Brits and Indians some spine.
Illustrious and Hermes are on their way to Diamond Harbour for refit after escorting a convoy of crated up aircraft - 3 squadrons of Spitfires, lifted from the DEI/Aus - Singers remnants - are being uncrated at Madras, which makes up for the British fighters sent to China.
CHINA
Ground is at stalemate, in the air he's still battering the ChiCom part, Sian and Lanchow. I now have 50 heavy bombers at Chengtu and another 50 at Kunming, they are badly fatigued though and today happens to be a storm forecast. The first raid hopefully takes place either tomorrow or the day after.
DEI
The heavy bomber campaign against Soerabaja goes badly. I can stand the loss in frames but I've got morale issues. Today I lost 23 bombers in air to air combat out of 120, a lot. He lost 120 a/c on the ground and the base got plastered, but the loss rate is too high for my guys. When the Zeroes attacked today there were a lot of bombers turning back.
Going to give them a week off, and then see if we can resume. Soerabaja airfield is at 31% damage according to recon.
SOPAC/AUS
Still waiting on a general movement of LCUs to the north coast. My US BB force is now about halfway between Melbourne and Perth. 70 Tomahawks from the US are at Perth as well, but these are earmarked for SEAC, not SWPAC - I've stiffened SEAC a bit with US units as I felt China needed help a long time back.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Kwajalein is on 97 percent airfield damage, got heavily mined by DMs without incident, and is surrounded by a sub screen. I think I'm going to give it a rest for a while, the place is a crater.
Wake has a rating 3 airfield. When it reaches 4, I'm going to contemplate my next course of action in the Central Pacific.
Wasp, Hornet and Enterprise are now all on 0 sys damage at Pearl, as are a lot of other warships. Of the 8 CVs there, Saratoga is worst off on 5, and Lex on 4, so we really have a navy again. Wary of using it as KBs location is very much unknown.
In fact, due to paranoia I've dispatched an MSW picket ship NW of Pearl Harbour, just to sit there and note for passing Japs. Plenty of Catalinas in all directions bar that one.
I'm convinced that if I make a try for Marcus Island, or possibly even the waters around Kwajalein, he'll sortie his carriers. I'd rather face his carriers in my waters than his.
BURMA/INDIA
Not much to see here in terms of fighting. I moved the heavies to China, the mediums continue to harass his forces on Ceylon. HIs ground troops seem better than mine by 3 to 1. [X(]. I'm shipping massed artillery over, and an HQ unit, in the hope that this gives the Brits and Indians some spine.
Illustrious and Hermes are on their way to Diamond Harbour for refit after escorting a convoy of crated up aircraft - 3 squadrons of Spitfires, lifted from the DEI/Aus - Singers remnants - are being uncrated at Madras, which makes up for the British fighters sent to China.
CHINA
Ground is at stalemate, in the air he's still battering the ChiCom part, Sian and Lanchow. I now have 50 heavy bombers at Chengtu and another 50 at Kunming, they are badly fatigued though and today happens to be a storm forecast. The first raid hopefully takes place either tomorrow or the day after.
DEI
The heavy bomber campaign against Soerabaja goes badly. I can stand the loss in frames but I've got morale issues. Today I lost 23 bombers in air to air combat out of 120, a lot. He lost 120 a/c on the ground and the base got plastered, but the loss rate is too high for my guys. When the Zeroes attacked today there were a lot of bombers turning back.
Going to give them a week off, and then see if we can resume. Soerabaja airfield is at 31% damage according to recon.
SOPAC/AUS
Still waiting on a general movement of LCUs to the north coast. My US BB force is now about halfway between Melbourne and Perth. 70 Tomahawks from the US are at Perth as well, but these are earmarked for SEAC, not SWPAC - I've stiffened SEAC a bit with US units as I felt China needed help a long time back.
CENTPAC/NORPAC
Kwajalein is on 97 percent airfield damage, got heavily mined by DMs without incident, and is surrounded by a sub screen. I think I'm going to give it a rest for a while, the place is a crater.
Wake has a rating 3 airfield. When it reaches 4, I'm going to contemplate my next course of action in the Central Pacific.
Wasp, Hornet and Enterprise are now all on 0 sys damage at Pearl, as are a lot of other warships. Of the 8 CVs there, Saratoga is worst off on 5, and Lex on 4, so we really have a navy again. Wary of using it as KBs location is very much unknown.
In fact, due to paranoia I've dispatched an MSW picket ship NW of Pearl Harbour, just to sit there and note for passing Japs. Plenty of Catalinas in all directions bar that one.
I'm convinced that if I make a try for Marcus Island, or possibly even the waters around Kwajalein, he'll sortie his carriers. I'd rather face his carriers in my waters than his.
RE: Back to the grind
28th October, 1942
Not much new really. We're at another slogging stage. Bad weather has seriously trimmed back Allied operations.
In China my heavy bombers havn't made much of an impact yet, and one the one day they flew they cut up by Tojo interceptors. I have 50 at Chengtu and 50 at Kunming - I don't have the aviation support to put them all in one base. Not ideal, as the raids are split up then. Currently its moot though due to bad weather.
Elsewhere an MLE is in position at Midway Island and 3 MLs and 4 DMs are hard at work mining the waters around Wake. I'll end that operation when we get around 3000 mines there.
And then... it is really time to start pondering our next move. I have a number of choices, and I only really want to make 1, rather than try multiple things. The Allies still havn't lost a carrier, and when Wake is up and running and mined I think most of the vulnerable Allied bases will exact a cost should Japan go for it, so I believe I'm still in a suitable state to make limited offensives.
My options.
a) India/Burma. I'm still fighting hard on Ceylon, there can be no Allied offensives here until thats dealt with.
b) China - no offensives from me, only desperate fighting up against the wall.
c) Bali. This is an option.
The pros :-
It'll threaten his oil, thus achieving a major strategic objective
Already have a reasonable fleet in position or soon in position - 3 battleships, many lesser craft
Support from Koepang is possible, though its at extreme range. Including Lightnings.
The cons :-
Bali is now garrisoned, recon suggests ~5000 troops. Recon could be lying.
Soerabaja is right next door, and is a mighty airbase. Attempts to close it up till now have been spotty at best
No CV support bar a UK CV+CVL, which barely counts
After I take Bali it'll be some time to raise it to airfield 4, during which time it'll be vulnerable
Aviation support is still a bit tight in northern AUS/DEI
d) Somewhere in SOPAC. Woodlark Island or Buin, I'm looking at. Woodlark would be slightly riskier than Buin.
The pros :-
Both have no Jap garrison
Cairns and Lunga are well garrisoned and well stocked with aviation support, so there can be plenty of backup
Area is a backwater, Japanese reinforcement may be slow
Could get a CV or three down there
Would apply pressure to Rabaul and especially Port Moresby, which IMO is over garrisoned with about 4 divisions. Pinning those would be nice.
The cons :-
Malaria
I'd have to resupply this forward base under the nose of Rabaul and Port Moresby
It isnt really in an area which I consider to be strategically important, and doesn't look like it'll shorten the war appreciably
e) Two options in CentPac. #1 is somewhere in the Marshalls, Eniwetok probably
The pros
Massive support possible with the Pacific Fleet
Would pin down all remaining Jap garrisons by putting every atoll within Mitchell range
Bombers from Tarawa/Wake able to assist, suppressing Kwajalein at least
He seems to have left a few decent atolls in the Marshalls ungarrisoned, so it need not be very bloody
The cons
Is it really necessary? Already got Kwajalein by the short and curlies anyway.
f) Centpac Option #2 is Marcus Island
The pros
Seems to be ungarrisoned
Massive support available from the Pacific Fleet
In his backyard, might put some pressure on him
Had a few divisions prepping for Marcus Island already just in case so we have some prep points
Possible springboard to Saipan or Iwo Jima later on - ie, it should shorten the war
The cons
Only base which can support is Wake Island, and its not ready yet
Getting very near Japan and the massed Home Defence units!
Line of supply getting awfully tenuous - if Wake or Midway was lost Marcus would be cut off.
g) Final option is a NorPac offensive, aimed at Paramashiimo Jima probably
The pros
Attu Island is well built up, and could be turned into a Fortress base if some av support is moved up there no problem
Supply very plentiful, supply chain to Paramashimo Jima wouldnt be much of a stretch given how fortifed Alaska is now
Would threaten Sakhalin, which I've had eyes on for some time
Pacific Fleet can support
The cons
It's October, ie winter
Paramishimo Jima has a pretty big garrison including meaty CD units
He can easily move stuff up there if he feels threatened
So far my thoughts lean towards Marcus Island, or a serious redistribution of Allied power aimed at Bali - ie, moving a significant chunk of fleet from Pearl to Derby.
Not much new really. We're at another slogging stage. Bad weather has seriously trimmed back Allied operations.
In China my heavy bombers havn't made much of an impact yet, and one the one day they flew they cut up by Tojo interceptors. I have 50 at Chengtu and 50 at Kunming - I don't have the aviation support to put them all in one base. Not ideal, as the raids are split up then. Currently its moot though due to bad weather.
Elsewhere an MLE is in position at Midway Island and 3 MLs and 4 DMs are hard at work mining the waters around Wake. I'll end that operation when we get around 3000 mines there.
And then... it is really time to start pondering our next move. I have a number of choices, and I only really want to make 1, rather than try multiple things. The Allies still havn't lost a carrier, and when Wake is up and running and mined I think most of the vulnerable Allied bases will exact a cost should Japan go for it, so I believe I'm still in a suitable state to make limited offensives.
My options.
a) India/Burma. I'm still fighting hard on Ceylon, there can be no Allied offensives here until thats dealt with.
b) China - no offensives from me, only desperate fighting up against the wall.
c) Bali. This is an option.
The pros :-
It'll threaten his oil, thus achieving a major strategic objective
Already have a reasonable fleet in position or soon in position - 3 battleships, many lesser craft
Support from Koepang is possible, though its at extreme range. Including Lightnings.
The cons :-
Bali is now garrisoned, recon suggests ~5000 troops. Recon could be lying.
Soerabaja is right next door, and is a mighty airbase. Attempts to close it up till now have been spotty at best
No CV support bar a UK CV+CVL, which barely counts
After I take Bali it'll be some time to raise it to airfield 4, during which time it'll be vulnerable
Aviation support is still a bit tight in northern AUS/DEI
d) Somewhere in SOPAC. Woodlark Island or Buin, I'm looking at. Woodlark would be slightly riskier than Buin.
The pros :-
Both have no Jap garrison
Cairns and Lunga are well garrisoned and well stocked with aviation support, so there can be plenty of backup
Area is a backwater, Japanese reinforcement may be slow
Could get a CV or three down there
Would apply pressure to Rabaul and especially Port Moresby, which IMO is over garrisoned with about 4 divisions. Pinning those would be nice.
The cons :-
Malaria
I'd have to resupply this forward base under the nose of Rabaul and Port Moresby
It isnt really in an area which I consider to be strategically important, and doesn't look like it'll shorten the war appreciably
e) Two options in CentPac. #1 is somewhere in the Marshalls, Eniwetok probably
The pros
Massive support possible with the Pacific Fleet
Would pin down all remaining Jap garrisons by putting every atoll within Mitchell range
Bombers from Tarawa/Wake able to assist, suppressing Kwajalein at least
He seems to have left a few decent atolls in the Marshalls ungarrisoned, so it need not be very bloody
The cons
Is it really necessary? Already got Kwajalein by the short and curlies anyway.
f) Centpac Option #2 is Marcus Island
The pros
Seems to be ungarrisoned
Massive support available from the Pacific Fleet
In his backyard, might put some pressure on him
Had a few divisions prepping for Marcus Island already just in case so we have some prep points
Possible springboard to Saipan or Iwo Jima later on - ie, it should shorten the war
The cons
Only base which can support is Wake Island, and its not ready yet
Getting very near Japan and the massed Home Defence units!
Line of supply getting awfully tenuous - if Wake or Midway was lost Marcus would be cut off.
g) Final option is a NorPac offensive, aimed at Paramashiimo Jima probably
The pros
Attu Island is well built up, and could be turned into a Fortress base if some av support is moved up there no problem
Supply very plentiful, supply chain to Paramashimo Jima wouldnt be much of a stretch given how fortifed Alaska is now
Would threaten Sakhalin, which I've had eyes on for some time
Pacific Fleet can support
The cons
It's October, ie winter
Paramishimo Jima has a pretty big garrison including meaty CD units
He can easily move stuff up there if he feels threatened
So far my thoughts lean towards Marcus Island, or a serious redistribution of Allied power aimed at Bali - ie, moving a significant chunk of fleet from Pearl to Derby.