Lunacy in the Pacific: Mogami vs. Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Forgot to post the map, here's the map.

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

Here the scoretable for May the 1st. I went into negative PPs because I said to Churchill and First Lord of Admiralty to sod off when asked to return BB + 2 DDs.

Well since he has reached the pause without 4:1 ... isn't it effectively over ? Or do you think he can rack up another 5000+ essentially unanswered VP by the end of the year while you do nothing !?

[Oleg Mastruko]

Well yes he can. If he takes Noumea he will REDUCE my score by 1200, from 3800 to mere 2600. Then all he needs is 12000 (which he already has).

Noumea is the key to AV. If he takes Noumea and we both hibernate for 8 months he would win AV.

But then again I plan to start retaking some places by the end of the year... not necessarilly Noumea.

BTW I have "normal" game with Mog too, where I am IJN. I did nothing special, played boring IJN game, took all the required bases, sunk his CVs in one big battle where I did what I always do in CV operations and am well on my way to AV. If this game is most boring "lunacy" game, then that other game was most uneventful road to IJN AV ever (if I really manage to win AV, which is not a sure thing yet).

I have been saying for months - AV is not that hard to get, and you don't have to do anything crazy at all. I said right from the start lunacy game will degenerate to normalcy very fast. All this talk of lunacy... and we play this sedated game where nothing happens and YET he's on the verge of AV with bit of luck in couple key battles.

O.

[AmiralLaurent]

Achieving 4 to 1 in 1942 is not achieving AV on 1st January 1943. The first is easy, the second is not. The key in achieving AV is to attack something the Allied player will defend and win the battle, so killing troops, ships and air units when Japan is still able to do that. And reducing the Allied ability to score points before the end of the year.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Achieving 4 to 1 in 1942 is not achieving AV on 1st January 1943. The first is easy, the second is not. The key in achieving AV is to attack something the Allied player will defend and win the battle, so killing troops, ships and air units when Japan is still able to do that. And reducing the Allied ability to score points before the end of the year.

I know that Laurent, that's why I avoid to fight (so far) in this lunacy game.

Usually well over 50% of VPs for IJN player come from Allied army losses - largely ignored and unsung source of VPs, that no one ever posts about (I guess ASW, Zero bonus and disappearing leaders are more interesting topics [8|] [:-]).

In one of my games (not vs. Mogami) I invaded Johnston island, lost it, then invaded AGAIN for one and one reason only, to kill ~750 VPs worth of troops there (full US division + change). Vs very conservative opponent, this day was actually the most successful day VP wise for the Japanese in the whole war.

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Small naval victory for the Allies. Forgive me for being enthusiastic about this, but in a game where nothing happens for months, this small battle jumps out of any proportion [:D]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/04/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Sabang at 19,41

Japanese Ships
AP Kaifuku Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Nachisan Maru, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Nekka Maru
AP Fukkai Maru, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
AP Daitei Maru
AP Ronsan Maru
AP Yamagata Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AP Imizu Maru
AP Nagaragawa Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire
AP Miyako Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham, Shell hits 1
DD Encounter
DD Express
DD Isis
DD Pakenham

Japanese ground losses:
659 casualties reported
Guns lost 9


After taking Singapore, he started invading Dutch bases on the northeast coast of Sumatra. One or two already fell, but seeing his plans I sent small surface force from Ceylon to act as roadblock and at least slow him somewhat.

English are strong enough by now (note I paid 2600 PPS rather than return BB + 2DD last month) they could do perhaps much more to block IJN invasions there but.... hey, Dutch have to pay for humiliating the Royal Navy in Four day battle some centuries ago - let them squirm [:D]

[Oleg Mastruko]

7th May - China activates, sort of...

I notice 50+ units on the road from Nanchang to Changsha, and he sends preparatory strikes on Changsha.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Changsha , at 47,36

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 21
Ki-30 Ann x 36
Ki-32 Mary x 36
Ki-51 Sonia x 3
Ki-49 Helen x 90

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-30 Ann: 3 destroyed, 16 damaged
Ki-32 Mary: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 4 damaged


Allied ground losses:
97 casualties reported

Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 70

Strikes originate from Wuhan airbase, so tomorrow I send retalliatory strike from Chungking, infliccting solid losses on his paper aircraft:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 20

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 12
Wellington III x 32
P-40B Tomahawk x 34
B-17E Fortress x 59
LB-30 Liberator x 43

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 8 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 12 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 21 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 6 destroyed
Ki-30 Ann: 3 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 5 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 5 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 6 destroyed
Ki-15 Babs: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged
Wellington III: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
84 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 26
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 106

Obviously we're in for another round of air war over China.....

Oleg

[Oleg Mastruko]

Predictably, Mog's last attacks triggered a new round of air war over China... Only this time I am better prepared - have more stuff to throw at him, and better stuff too (English & their minions upgraded):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 47
A6M3 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 52

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
Wellington III x 27
P-40B Tomahawk x 30
B-17E Fortress x 54
LB-30 Liberator x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 16 destroyed, 15 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 15 destroyed, 17 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 4 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wellington III: 9 destroyed, 9 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 25 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 7 destroyed, 25 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 5 destroyed, 30 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 7
Runway hits 91


Last turn he lost ~130 aircraft to my ~10, this turn he lost 75 to my 52... so it's better than 3:1 for me in the last two turns and I am ready to continue this (even though I didn't start it)

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Okay.... 11th May.

My recon over Manila reveals number of units there actually *rising* - now it's 37. This is really puzzling, as I can't see any reason why would Mog mass units there.

Anyhow... after one day pause because of bad weather, air war over China continues:

Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 50
A6M3 Zero x 10
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 37

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
Wellington III x 36
P-40B Tomahawk x 20
B-17E Fortress x 41
LB-30 Liberator x 100

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 29 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 24 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 24 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 8 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 10 destroyed
Ki-30 Ann: 4 destroyed
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged
Wellington III: 13 destroyed, 10 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 4 destroyed, 18 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 19 destroyed, 54 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported

Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 276


Real losses this turn were 187:63 in my favor, so I maintain 3:1 ratio in this latest round of China air war, and have no reason to stop what I do.

Total air losses for the whole war are 1372:1143, still in his favor but I am getting dangerously close to 1:1.

Other theatres are quiet. He invaded and attacked Medan (NE Sumatra) and lost - he will succeed no doubt, but such small victories are sweet:

Ground combat at Medan

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13954 troops, 146 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 3005 troops, 21 guns, 3 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)


Japanese ground losses:
1242 casualties reported
Guns lost 10

Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

[Oleg Mastruko]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/12/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 4 troops unloading over beach at Medan, 20,45


Japanese ground losses:
228 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 4 troops unloading over beach at Medan, 20,45


Japanese ground losses:
35 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 11

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 6
Wellington III x 9
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
B-17E Fortress x 25
LB-30 Liberator x 58

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 12 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 17 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 destroyed
Ki-32 Mary: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 128


68:2 in a/c losses today....

[pauk]

good oldfashioned (?) Oleg "The Bomber" from UV days[;)]...

You are flying from Chungking, right? I'm not Allied expert, but don't you have problem with supply in China (or this info is classified?)...

I'm bit suprised that Mogami allowed you such "harvest" in the China....

[Oleg Mastruko]

Chungking yes. I have 3 bases in China that are level 5-6-7, all have 250 air support (Chinese, and US airbase units evacuated from PI), and enough supply. In fact my China is sending lend lease supply to Soviets [:D] His airforce does not have as many good bases and I don't know about support. Since this is lunacy game he could have pulled airbase units from Manchuria but I don't know whether he really did that.

Idea that basing ungodly number of Allied bombers in China will suck supply and.... and do something bad (what, exactly?) is a MYTH. I posted about this zillion times, and now have the opportunity to show it in the game. While I was conducting massive strikes towards Wuhan, I was happily over building Chungking airbase to level 7.

BTW Mog pulled his surviving aircraft from Wuhan, thus ending this round of air war over China.

Action lasted for only 5 days (one day all airfields were closed due to weather). He lost close to 470 aircraft in 4 days, I lost ~120. He's welcome to try again.

It remains to be seen whether the defeat in the air will mean stop to his plans for attack towards Changsha? I guess it will.

[Oleg Mastruko]

14th May (we had couple slower day because of the mail screwup - I was waiting for his turn, while he was waiting for mine, and turns were stuck on some mail server).

He sent his first strike towards Port Moresby today:

Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 48
G3M Nell x 104
G4M1 Betty x 26

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14

[Oleg Mastruko]

Okay days go on, I am slower to update the AAR because I am travelling, and am on laptop behind very slow modem line.

On 15th May I bombed Canton airbase from Chungking, destroying 30-some aircraft on the ground.

Though my air losses are still higher than his, for all practical purposes and intents overall ratio is 1:1 (1300+ vs. 1200+).

Occassionally intel shows something interesting like this on 05/17/42:
217077 men are based at Ominato.

05/22/42:
264816 men are based at Sasebo.

500k troops at Ominato and Sasebo? Why?

We're both building up lots of places (05/18/42):

Kanazawa expands airfield to size 2
Bangalore expands airfield to size 4
Pescadores expands airfield to size 5
Shanghai expands airfield to size 9

Surprisingly, he usually builds more than me. I explain this to myself it is because I still build more forts, than airbase or port levels (forts building are not reported in the game reports). He, apparently, builds ports and airfields first, forts second...

He is continually reconing Suva (on Fiji) from his new base on Luganville.

He continues his operations against remaining Dutch bases in NE Sumatra:

Ground combat at Kuala

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 15542 troops, 100 guns, 112 vehicles

Defending force 1770 troops, 11 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 34 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Kuala base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
258 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Allied ground losses:
263 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

I don't contest his Sumatra operations, although I think I could, using small surface forces.

Then, we still occassionally have days when nothing happens:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/20/42

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/21/42

[Oleg Mastruko]

Now get this. This is Mog's modus operandi - one quick recon overflight so as not to raise suspicion:

G3M Nell takes recon photos of Wake Island

and then...

He arrived in force. But before that, I must say something about Wake. He never attacked the place. However, what I did with it will have to remain secret for the time being. Starting port and air levels are unchanged.

Occassionally my Catalinas from Wake would spot large TFs travelling NW-SE route and the other way round. Couple times I thought it was the invasion coming in, but apparently it's just Mog running his conwoys for Kwajalein and further to the SE, without rerouting them from my sight.

So when I spotted what appeared to be one large surface and one large transport TF on 21st May I thought it's just the usual Japan-Kwajalein traffic, and didn't raise alarm.

However... it wasn't so.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/22/42

First his DD force hit the minefield (bwahahhaha I always love when my enemies hit the mines)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 22 encounters mine field at Wake Island (82,63)

Japanese Ships
DD Shikinami, Mine hits 1, on fire
DD Asagiri, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Then his surface force fought with mine (I assume Mog knew I was waiting for him from his recon flight). First battle was inconclusive and quick:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Shell hits 1
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
CL Natori, Shell hits 1
CL Kinu
CL Abukuma
CL Kuma
CL Tama
CL Kiso
CL Kitakami, Shell hits 2
CL Oi
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tanikaze
DD Yamagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi
DD Usugumo
DD Shirayuki

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 1
BB Idaho, Shell hits 3
CA Louisville, Shell hits 2
CA Chicago, Shell hits 3
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 1
CL Detroit
CL St. Louis
CL Helena
DD Blue
DD Mugford
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 1
DD Craven
DD Gridley, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD McCall, Shell hits 1
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Lamson
DD Cassin
DD Downes

Second round was more fierce. Since my TF was much stronger, I consider the result, although not a clear defeat, certainly a humiliation for USN (note the number of his torp hits):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CA Nachi, Shell hits 3
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
CL Natori, Shell hits 1
CL Kinu
CL Abukuma
CL Kuma, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CL Tama
CL Kiso, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Kitakami
CL Oi
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tanikaze
DD Yamagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Usugumo
DD Shirayuki

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Shell hits 1
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 2
BB Idaho, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville, Shell hits 2
CA Chicago, Shell hits 4
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 3
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 1
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Detroit
CL St. Louis
CL Helena, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Blue, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mugford
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Craven
DD Gridley, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD McCall, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Lamson
DD Cassin
DD Downes, Shell hits 2

He lost a CA to BB shells though, while I immediatelly lost only a DD (will lose more that's sure)

His DD force, damaged by mines, jumped my lone AV providing support for Catalinas on the island:

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Murakumo, Shell hits 1
DD Uranami
DD Shikinami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Ayanami
DD Asagiri, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
AV Tangier, Shell hits 28, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Again DDs, this time fighting vs. my big TF, which wasn't very clever move for the Japs:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Murakumo
DD Uranami, Shell hits 19, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shikinami, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ayanami
DD Asagiri, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 2
BB Idaho, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville
CA Chicago
CA Pensacola
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis, on fire, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, on fire
CL Detroit
CL St. Louis
CL Helena, on fire
DD Blue, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mugford
DD Ralph Talbot, on fire, heavy damage
DD Craven
DD McCall, on fire
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Lamson
DD Cassin
DD Downes

Daylight came, and his damaged ships had to endure air attacks from Wake:

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Day Air attack on TF at 82,65


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27
SBD Dauntless x 33
P-40B Tomahawk x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 10


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Kuma, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
9 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
9 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet

Bye bye Kuma...

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Day Air attack on TF at 83,64


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7
SBD Dauntless x 16
P-40B Tomahawk x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 3


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Uranami, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagiri, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
9 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet

Bye bye DDs...

All in all he lost 3 DDs to mines, shells and bombs, CL Kuma to bombs, and CA Ashigara (to BB shells). I lost a DD and an AV. I may lose couple more DDs, and BB Idaho which is heavily damaged after eating 2 long lances.

CA Ashigara is his biggest naval loss so far, followed by CL Kuma (we had VERY peaceful game when it comes to naval engagements)

Finally, on the other side of the map, my 4E bombers attacked Manila harbor flying from Wuchow:

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Day Air attack on Manila , at 43,52


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 11
LB-30 Liberator x 24


Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Asama Maru, Bomb hits 1
DD Hayabusa, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kozui Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Myoho Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ayaha Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Koan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Koryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD APD-36, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PC Sonan Maru #6, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Kyo Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Manila Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
67 casualties reported

Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

Mwahhahaha.

Idea behind this attack was to disrupt his shipping operations from Manila. He still had 30+ units there when I last looked, and I must assume he plans to move them - somewhere, sometime. Recon flights reveal lots of transports sitting in Manila harbor, and I wanted to damage as much as possible, to prevent them from being used to freely "distribute" Manila troops elsewhere.

Next turns could be interesting...

[ADavidB]

Second round was more fierce. Since my TF was much stronger, I consider the result, although not a clear defeat, certainly a humiliation for USN (note the number of his torp hits):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Wake Island at 82,63

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CA Nachi, Shell hits 3
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
CL Natori, Shell hits 1
CL Kinu
CL Abukuma
CL Kuma, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
CL Tama
CL Kiso, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Kitakami
CL Oi
DD Urakaze
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tanikaze
DD Yamagumo
DD Arare
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Usugumo
DD Shirayuki

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Shell hits 1
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 2
BB Idaho, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Louisville, Shell hits 2
CA Chicago, Shell hits 4
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 3
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 1
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Detroit
CL St. Louis
CL Helena, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Blue, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mugford
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Craven
DD Gridley, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD McCall, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Maury
DD Mahan
DD Lamson
DD Cassin
DD Downes, Shell hits 2

He lost a CA to BB shells though, while I

That's why I don't like to have big surface combat TFs. I find that a couple of smaller ones can cause more damage, particularly as the incoming enemy TF uses up its shells and torpedos.

I am surprised, however, that he didn't send any CVs in to provide air cover...

Good luck -

Dave Baranyi

[Oleg Mastruko]

Well it was a good fight and I don't think it proved big TFs are bad. I love big TFs and will remain big TF fanboy. High number of torpedo hits can be explained by his TF having both of infamous IJN torpedo cruisers (Oi and Kitakami - 80 long lance tubes combined!!!).

My cruisers, although hit, will live. I lost a DD and may lose 2 more (but no more than that). BB Idaho has 50-50 chance of surviving (would survive for sure had I built Wake to level 3 port, now I must retire the damaged behemoth to Midway).

If I don't lose Idaho he clearly lost this battle. If I lose Idaho it's his marginal victory (exchanged a CA+CL for BB).

Re TFs... I don't believe in CA-based TFs, not even from IJN side, and especially not from USN side (this battle showed very well that even an elite IJN CA TF will fare badly if it runs into BB based TF).

So, when building a surface TF I always start with two BBs as bare minimum. Now if I have 2 BBs I cannot have less than 2-4 CAs right? Then, I must add 2-4 CLs for good measure (USN CLs are best surface ships USN has). That's ~10 ships, and 10 ships must have at least 6 DDs as escort, and that's it LOL

If hard pressed, I may build a small 5-6 ship TF around couple cruisers, but will do that only as RN, IJN or Aus Navy - they all have torpedo armed cruisers, but I do this only in dire necessity or as raiding force. USN CAs are crap, and I'd rather run than base my fighting chances on surface TF built around them.

O.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Day later, I cought another of his damaged DDs:

Day Air attack on TF at 82,67


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 19
SBD Dauntless x 18
P-40B Tomahawk x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 39


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Hamakaze, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
9 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet

This one scored 11 VPs so I guess it's one of the larger post-Kagero class DDs. I scuttled one of my own damaged DDs. BB Idaho will apparently, survive (knock on wood). It does not have very high SYS damage, so if it does not sink from flooding, it should be back in service quite soon.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Wake raid aftermath. 1 is transport TF peacefully sailing to Japan, was never involved in anything, even though I suspected it may carry invasion force for Wake. Apparently it does not.

2 is lone CA, obviously damaged. 3 is another lone DD or CA.

4 is his main surface TF, they are all retreating towards Kwajalein (in fact, they retreat to some point east of Kwajalein, or at least it appears so).

[Oleg Mastruko]

05/25/42

I am still not 100% sure but it seems BB Idaho will live. If I were Mog I'd place swarm of IJN submarines on the expected retreat path to hunt for damaged ships after surface battle but Mog didn't do that. Well of course knowing what I would do as enemy, I put dozens of 4E bombers on ASW so had he actually sent subs to hunt, he would probably lose some too.

Anyway, as it stands, Idaho slowly retreats to safety, reducing flooding, but it's still not out of the woods yet. Thank god for USN damage control bonus.

In other developments, he correctly identified Wuchow as one of my main airbases in China (not that I could hide it) and sent a strike against it:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wuchow , at 42,39

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 27
Ki-21 Sally x 114

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 48
P-40B Tomahawk x 12
I-16c x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 12 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 54 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 17 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 4 damaged
I-16c: 3 damaged
LB-30 Liberator: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 1


Bad day for Sallys...

Using another of my Chinese bases (Changsha) I sent small strike vs shipping in Taichu harbor (one of bases on Taiwan), distributing 2 bombs each accross three APs.

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Day Air attack on Taichu , at 49,43


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 23


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Anzan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Bokuyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Haaburu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 2


Manila unit watch (to paraphrase Tom LOL) - down to 20-something, number of ships in harbor down to 5-6. Apparently, he moved dozen or so units - somewhere. I think we'll see soon enough where...