John III vs. Wolfpack: The Japanese Version

[John 3rd]

April 5, 1942

SS Am re-establishing an SS line NE of Pearl Harbor. Perhaps I can get a second chance at Saratoga once he has her pumped dry...

Air
China
Yenen 28Z 38B Hit AF, destroy 2 planes, and 14 Cas
Changsha 111F 89B 140 Cas Will start pounding Changsha again and ready another Inf attack
Kunming 20F 29B 6 Resources

Manila 38F 39DB 22B Lose 1 plane, 45 Cas and AF/Pt

Johnson Island 70 B-17 Yaaaa... 37 Cas and AF

Soerabaja, Jv 19B 11 Cas 39B 105 Cas

36,89 Aust 97B 67 Cas

30,28 Burma 20B 42 cas

Ground
Landing more troops and supplies at Kodiak. Should take it with this round of reinforcements.

Bombardment:
Changsha 99 Cas
Aust: 36,88 27 Cas 19,89 11 Cas

Navy
I sent a bombardment TF towards Kodiak with Mutsu and she is attacked by 12 and then 22 B-25 from Anchorage--shot down 1 plane and Mutsu brushes off 2 bombs.

Bombard Kodiak for 118 Cas

Lose 2 PG from Johnson/Midway Operations

Forgot to mention that on April 5th, CV Hiyo joined the fleet. As soon as her Air Group fills out, I will send her to Dutch Harbor and join KB1.

Engineering Lingayen AF 3


April 6, 1942

SS My other SS Group meets up with the survivors from Pearl Harbor interdiction. I begin to spread out a fan of 14 SS in three lines NE of Pearl Harbor. I will have them about 8-10 hexes NE of the base.

Air
China
Yenen 23Z 37B Hit AF and destroy 3 planes
Kunming 21F 35B 7 Resources
Changsha 114F 68B 146 Cas

Manila 38F 59DB 22B 78 Cas and AF/Pt

US Strikes
Johnson Island 65 B-17 43 Cas
Akyab 24 B-17 126 Cas

Soerabaja, Jv 21F strafing get 16 cas

36,89 89B 90 Cas

Ground
Landing @ Pamakasan, Jv Deliberate Attack. 0-1 136J for 41D

Landing at Kodiak

Midway SHOCK ATTACK! 2-1 CAPTURE IT!!!! 232J for 1934 POW A Marine CD Btn and BF surrender. AF 6 and Port 2 are NOT damage and I capture nearly 20,000 supply! [:D] Immediately move two Daitai of Betty, 1 Daitai of Zero, and 1 Chutai of Emily there.

Soerabaja, Jv SHOCK ATTACK!!! 17-1 Fort drop from 3-1 201J for 6773 Dutch POWs! VICTORY!! [:)] [:)] I will let me 2 Ing Div, 4 Brigade, and support units rest a little while and then send most of them to Lingayen where we can deal with some guys named Dugout Doug...

Bombardments:
Changsha 224 cas
Kodiak Exchange Attacks 12J for 3 US
Aust
36,88 14 Cas
19,89 17J for 8 Aussies

Navy
As thought...BB Haruna sinks, an AP, and 2 PG also go down.

Zuiho is docked at Palmyra but Flotation keeps rising...now 39...so I start to transfer by air a Naval HQ to help. I also chance the Captain to one with higher Inspiration/Leadership. See if that helps.

Bombard Kodiak for 103 Cas

Send Zuikaku back to Japan for repairs. She has a System damage of 17. Shouldn't take too long to repair.

Shokaku will need a few more days to be pumped out at Kwajalein.


April 7, 1942

SS Nothing

Air
China
Kunming 20F 29B 4 Resources
Ichang 24Z 6B AF

Manila 72F 33DB 22B Destroy 1 Catina, sink one AK, 5 Cas, and AF/Pt

Akyab 4 O/6Z vs. 33 B-17 Lose 1 O and damage 5 B-17

Aussie X-Raods 40B 25 Cas 59B 46 Cas

Anchorage B-25s hit a DD with 1B on a reinforcement run to Kodiak

Ground
Bombardments
Changsha 87 Cas
Kodiak 9J for 68US Exchange Bombardments
19,89 33J Cas

Navy
Raid Anchorage with a CL-DD TF. Catch and destroy 1 PT Boat.

Lose 1PG

Zuiho's Flotation takes an alarming jump from 39 to 57! [:(] Hope the Naval HQ helps to save the ship...I HATE THE FLOTATION DAMAGE SYSTEM WITHIN THIS GAME...

[John 3rd]

Am glad to hear it will be downgraded! I assume that 1.8 will be loadable into existing campaigns like 1.7--RIGHT?? [&:]

Forgot to mention that Wolfpack lost one of his damaged ships at Pearl April 6th. CA Portland sank! That makes 3CA sunk from the earlier battle.

Any thoughts on my damaged and (apparently) sinking CVL? ONE 1,000lb Bomb and the TOTALLY inept (hear sarcasm here) Japanese damage control cannot save the ship??!! Grrr...

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Am glad to hear it will be downgraded! I assume that 1.8 will be loadable into existing campaigns like 1.7--RIGHT?? [&:]

Forgot to mention that Wolfpack lost one of his damaged ships at Pearl April 6th. CA Portland sank! That makes 3CA sunk from the earlier battle.

Any thoughts on my damaged and (apparently) sinking CVL? ONE 1,000lb Bomb and the TOTALLY inept (hear sarcasm here) Japanese damage control cannot save the ship??!! Grrr...

Nothing to say except that Wolfpack sank 3!!! of my fleet carriers with 6 bombs! 6 bombs for 3 fleet CVs isn´t that bad, isn´t it? But the fanboys told me that that´s normal and historical (full flight deck,....). But it nearly NEVER doesn´t happen to Allied CVs. Well those don´t have full flight decks, etc. No critical hits were scored on my CVs. They started with floatation dam about 20-25 and all three sank one by one! That´s WITP! Like 4E bombers as best ship killers from 6000 feet! Thank you fanboys!

[John 3rd]

Castor--You are PREACHING to the choir!

I ignited a firestorm in the CHS 'Zero Bonus' thread. How dare we leave something that actually BENEFITS the Japanese player...

How many times did Japanese CVs take one or two hits from 1000lb bombs and continue on? I think Shokaku took 3 at Coral Sea, Zuiho took 2 at Santa Cruz, Sho or Zuikaku took 4-5 at Santa Cruz...grrrrrr....

[jwilkerson]

High inspiration ship captain saved Soryu in one of my games .. she was 70s flotation and I wrote her off as she was several turns from port ... but she made it .. and her CPT was very high inspiration ... so I try to make sure I have good inspiration ship CPTs ...

Of course quickly getting back to ports with ARs and Fleet HQs and lots of levels is the best idea .. but have a high inspiration CPT also if you can ...

Also matters whether the hits are "criticals" or not ... I've had several bombs bounce off Hiryu ... but also had 1 bomb sink a carrier as well ...

[John 3rd]

I think the Ship Captain that I put there is in the 70s for inspiration. We'll see if that helps.

[John 3rd]

April 8, 1942

SS Nothing

Air
China
Changsha 22B AF
Kunming 21F 33B 3 Resources

Manila 80F 69DB 18B 6 Cas, AF/Pt

Pamakasan 7F 28B 26 Cas

NW Akyab, Burma (30,28) 16B 32 Cas

Land
Bombardments
Changsha 93 Cas
Kodiak 4J--89US
Aust (36,88) 12 Cas (19,89) 9J-4Aus

Java--With the fall of Java, I have the following units available: 56th Inf Div, 21st Brig, 23rd Brig, 35th Brig, 56th Brig, 2nd Para, 14th Tank, 14th Mortar, and 4th Engineer. I think that I will let them sit a few more days and then load up the ID, 3 Brigades, the Tk, and the Eng Regiments and send them to the Philippines. I will leave one Brigade, 2nd Para, and 14th Mtr to finish off issues within the DEI.

Sea
Lose 3 AP from Johnson and Midway Invasions.

Shokaku is pumped out at Kwajalein and send her home for repairs.

Change the Captain of the Zuiho to a higher Inspiration/Leadership Number to TRY and save her!

Form a TF around CV Hiyo (1BB, 2CA, 8DD) and send them to Dutch Harbor to join KB1.

Form up KB2 at Singapore (Akagi, Kaga, Hosho, Ryujo) and send them to Kwajalein.

I got my first "Moon-class" DD today and sent it with Hiyo! I love those AA DD...have all of them on accelerated construction to strengthen my CTF AA.

Flotation Status of ships at Palymra: Zuiho Flot 52 (down a little--good sign) and Maya Flot 76. Send two AR from Kwajalein to help.


Engineering: Noumea AF 4

Production Note: I just realized that I did not have enough Nakajima Engines being produced for my Zeros! The A3 is coming on line and I forgot to increase/change my engine production to budget for it. Shift two Mitsubishi Engine plants (150 Eng) over to Nakajima...


April 9, 1942

SS Nothing

Air
China Changsha 14B hit AF. The WEATHER has been terrible over China and I have had a lot of strikes called off.

Akyab YIKES! AVG Fighter Sweep. 42 P-40 vs. 6 O/3Z--shoot down 2-40 and lose 2O/1Z. If he wants to do this, I will try to arrange a HOT party for him. I have 3 Daitai of Zeros in Burma. Transfer another to Burma from China and put all on LR CAP over Akyab. We'll see...

Manila 60F 68DB 18B Lose 1 plane, destroy 1 Catalina, 21 Cas, Af/Pt

Pamakasan, Jv 7F 54B 108 Cas

Aust X-Roads 90B 122 Cas

NW Akyab (30,28) 24B 47 Cas

Anchorage B-25s strike Kodiak shipping! 12Z vs. 30 B-25 Morning/8Z vs. 21 B-25 Afternoon. Total for day: 5 B-25 Shot Down and 9 Damage for 2 Zero. He hits 3 MSW and 3 AP--for light to moderate damage.

Land
Capture Pamakasan, Jv! Shock Attack!! 9-1 99J for 3,448 POW.

Re-Capture Dadjangas, Phil 27J for 138 US

I am now reconning nearly every Hawaiian Base everyday

Bombardments:
Changsha 297 Cas
Kodiak 54 Cas
Aust: (36,88) 45 cas (19,89) 9J-6Aus

Sea
Lose 3 MSW at Kodiak

Lose 1PG and 1AP from Johnson Island/Midway Operations

Fotation Watch at Palmyra: Zuiho 50 (down 2) and Maya 71 (down 5).

Engineering: Hilo, Hawaii AF5


April 10, 1942

SS Nada...

Air
China
Changsha 243 Fighters and Bombers attack: Hit AF and do 383 Cas! That is more like it!
Kunming 21F 21B 7 Res

Akyab, Burma FURBALL! Two separate fights...37 B-17 vs. 37Z/37 P-40 vs 39Z. Totals for day: 7 B-17 are shot down with 20 Damaged [:D] and 5 P-40 with 2 Damaged for a total of 25Z. [X(] Ouch! Hmmmmm...not what I had in mind.

Aust X-Roads 25B 96 Cas 73B 87 Cas

Kodiak 6Z vs. 14 B-25/10Z vs. 16 B-25. Totals 5 B-25 shotdown and 3 Damaged for only 1Z. That is better! Have 2AP/1AK hit by bombs...

Land
Kodiak Shock Attack! 0-1 Fort 4 530 Jap for 97 US. OK...got to get serious here. Begin loading 1st Mixed Brigade to land there. Combined Fleet will support next attack.

Bombardments:
Changsha 132 cas
Aust: X-Roads 31 Cas (18,39) 14 Jap Cas

Sea
Lose 1AP from Kodiak attacks.

An American AK sinks between Hawaii and US West Coast.

Flotation Watch: Zuiho 54 (up 4) and Maya 70 (down 1)

[John 3rd]

April 11, 1942

SS A Glen spots shipping NE of Hawaii.

Air
China
Changsha A total of 253 Fighters and Bombers hit doing 123 Cas and AF damage
Kunming 18F 29B 8 Resource

Manila 66F 67DB 18B Destroy 1 PBY, 13 Cas, AF/Pt

Aussie X-Roads 88B 36 cas

30,28 Burma 4F 16B 16Cas

Ground
Landing at San Jose, Phil

Landing 1st Brigade at Kodiak

Landing at Lombok, Jv

Bombardments:
Changsha 132 Cas
Kodiak 4J for 19 US
Aust: 36,88 for 15 Cas and 19,89 for 7 Jap Cas

Sea
Lose 1PC from Midway/Johnson Invasions

Naval Bombardment of Kodiak 2BB (Mutsu/Nagato) 162 Cas

Form BB TF from Kwajalein of 3BB, 1CA, 3DD to support Kodiak attack and Anchorage Invasion.

Flotation Watch at Palmyra: Zuiho 58 (up 4--hmmmmm) and Maya 66 (down 4) Wish that was reversed.

NOTE: I have decided to invade Anchorage, Ala. Tried to do this and failed with Moses because I did not have enough troops and no pre-invasion bombardment. This time I will NOT fool around! 2 full Inf Div, a Reg of Artillery, a large BF, and an Eng Reg with 5BB should do it.

I feel dispersed right now. I need to CONCENTRATE my forces on my new operations. Casualties have been realitively lite to this point and I want to keep it that.

I will finish Kodiak and then take care of Anchorage. This will serve to protect my Northern flank. I have enough political points now to change a Chinese Inf Brigade to North Pacific. That Brigade plus the 1st Brigade will garrision Anchorage and Dutch Harbor. Dutch Harbor will convert into a SS Base. I figure he will bomb Ancharge frequently so I will use DH as my main base...

Those Invasion Forces will then transfer back to Kwajalein for future operations.

Thoughts??

April 12, 1942

SS I-22 (28,128) South Australia hits an AK with 1TT

Air
Kunming, CH 18F 32B 9 Res

Manila 68DB 22B 36 Cas, AF/Pt

Johnson Island B-17 Raid 121 B-17 do 287 Cas

Aust X-Roads 98B 84 Cas

30,28 Burma 3F 19B 67 Cas

Kodiak AMERICAN FIGHTERs APPEAR! 11Z vs 36 P-40 23 B-25/10Z vs. 30 P-40 14 B-25. Total for the day: 6Z for 10 P-40 and 3 B-25. 3AP and an APD hit...DAMMIT!

Land
Landing at Lombok, Jv Shock Attack! 1-1 Forts drop 2--1 111J for 15D

Landing at Kodiak, Ala

Landing at Nauru Island and CAPTURE it.

Philippines
43,53 SW Manila 46-1 a Phil Div retreats into Manila 8J for 123 Phil
Capture San Jose

Bombardments:
Changsha 421 Cas! [:D] Think it is time to launch an attack there. Finally got my 4th Eng Reg there as well as 2 Inf Div and 2 Brigades from Wuhan who have been resting.
Kodiak 18J for 45 US
Aust: (36,88) 12 Cas and (19,89) 20 Jap Cas

Sea
Load up 25th Army HQ, an Inf Div, 2 Brig, 1 Art Reg, and 1 Eng Regiment from Soerabaja, Jv for Lingayen, Phil. I let them rest nearly 2 weeks. Time to finish some guys named MacArthur!!!

Flotation Watch at Palmyra: Zuiho 67 (up 8---getting bad...) and Maya 66 (same). I cannot do anything for Zuiho! 2 AR will arrive tomorrow or the 14th. Perhaps that will help. SO FRUSTRATING!


April 13, 1942

SS Nothing

Air
Changsha, CH 7B hit AF

Manila 65F 68DB 22B 31 Cas and AF/Pt

Johnson Island 23 B-17 do 113 Cas

Aust X-Roads 84B 209 Cas

Lombok 4F 28B 30 Cas

Akyab, Burma 10Z vs. 40 P-40 and 21B from Calcutta Lose 4Z for 7 P-40 and 2B. They hit an AK with 6B.

Ground
Landing at Lombok, Jv Shock Attack! 2-1 41J for 35D Forts drop to 0.

Landing at Amchitka, Aluetians

Bombardments:
Changsha 145 Cas
Kodiak 18J for 37US
Aust (36,88) 122 Cas and (19,89) 6J for 4 Aus

Navy
Form KB1 to attack Kodiak with DB and Kate. They will sit three hexes SW of Kodiak so LBA cannot interfere.

Form my 2BB TF to hit Kodiak as well.

THIS TIME I AN SERIOUS ABOUT FINISHING KODIAK!

Flotation Watch: Zuiho 69 (up 2) and Maya 78 (up 10--ouch!)

[moses]

Changsha 421 Cas! Think it is time to launch an attack there. Finally got my 4th Eng Reg there as well as 2 Inf Div and 2 Brigades from Wuhan who have been resting.

I hope this goes well. I don't know whats holding China up in your game.

I always watch the artillery ratio. If you have a large ratio of artillery you tend to cause large casualties. i.e. 1000 pieces against 1000 and hardly anyone gets killed. 1000 vs. 100 and you wipe the enemy up. Doesn't make a lot of sence but thats what I see.

[John 3rd]

Sir Moses--MOST esteemed China Advisor!--I have good thoughts with this attack. It will be ordered tonight.

I did notice something last turn. Morale for my units surronding Changsha, in general, there seems to be hovering in the mid-40s/50s. Would THAT be an explanation for things?

Supply is still low but OK.

Artillery should be monstrously different. I think that I will field nearly 3000 pieces to his 500. We'll see...

[moses]

I think the ground combat model has been improved since I tested much of the China theater. I think it is much harder to take China now so some of the old doctrine may have to be thrown out. A full out defence may now be much more possible.

Still there can be no real defence to the strategic air bombardment you have subjected him too. Even if your attack fails his artillery cannot be replaced while yours can. Soon you will have 3000 artillery vs. 0 and you will reak havoc.

[John 3rd]

Cool! I will post specifics as soon as I have them.

[John 3rd]

Wolfpack and I haven't been able to get much done due to my schedule with school finishing and life at home. We got one turn in last night:

April 14, 1942

SS I am trying something new. I have two 8SS lines NE of Pearl Harbor. They are separated by 3 hexes (180 mile) and begin about 8 hexes from Pearl. I have decided (with the UBER ASW Model) to slowly work the lines towards the West Coast about 6-8 hexes and then swing them the other direction. This should make ASW interception more difficult. I have 2-3 Glen SS in each line to pick up convoys or TF.

Air
I got a good pair of Recon rolls from Betty's over Pearl Harbor and Lihu. I spotted 180F 180B 190 Aux planes at Pearl. [8|] At Lihu are another 100 planes of differing types... That is a lot of firepower... Only good thing I can think of is that many of them have NO combat Experience...

Changsha, Ch 69F 149B NAIL the AF and do 497 Cas! [:D] YUMMY! Could I have done that many Cas because of low supply or just good rolls?

Manila 69F 68DB 15B hit AF/Pt, destroy a PBY, and cause 58 Cas

Kodiak 26 P-40 14 B-25 hit the 1st Brigade and do 60 Cas

Lombok, Jv 4F 49B inflict 233 Cas

Aussie X-Roads 95B 159 Cas

30,28 (Burma) 3F 20B 47 Cas

This is a VERY nice round for my LBA. Most Casualties I have seen inflicted since the campaign began. Additionally, see planning notes for aircraft redeployment.

Ground
Capture Lombok, Jv Deliberate Attack! 30-1 (Thank you LBA!) 69J for 2180 POW

Capture Amchitka, Al

Bombardments:
Changsha 275 Cas Order a Deliberate Attack. With nearly 3300 Artillery pieces to his 500, I have HIGH expectations to FINALLY get this seige moving. Another good LBA day would SURE help...

Kodiak 14 Jap Cas

Australia (36,88) 78 Cas (19,89) 15 Jap Cas

PLANNING: Australia sits before me and I am REALLY tempted!
1. Wolfpack has committed a Corps HQ, 3 Bird Battalions, and 2 Inf Div to the Crossroads of 36,88. My LBA and Artillery Bombardments are inflicting at least 150 Cas/Day (today was 238). I have 1 Inf Div there with the 1st Parachute Regiment coming up to support.
2. I have 1 Brigade vs. his 1 Brigade at 19,89. I have another Brigade and Artillery Regiment moving there to begin a drive on Perth.
3. I just moved 2 Daitai of Bombers and 1 Daitai of Fighters to Broome to aid in this attack.
4. As soon as the Philippines fall...

Navy
The Imperial Fleet is concentrating at Dutch Harbor. Within 3-4 days, I will have 6BB and about 45 support ships there. These will then begin to pound Anchorage (Kodiak too---if it hasn't fallen).

KB1 Hiryu/Soryu/Junyo is SW of Kodiak and will attack the ground troops there. Hiyo will get to Dutch Harbor within about 3 days. She will then join them.

I ordered another BB Bombardment (Mutsu/Nagato) that will hit today in conjunction with the CV attack. I hope, like Lombok, it will be enough to enable to troops to make some progress there...

KB2 Akagi/Kaga/Ryuho/Hosho have rounded the southern Philippines on its way to Kwajalein.

Zuikaku is under repair at Maizuru (Sp?) and Shokaku will reach Home Waters within 2-3 days. Their air groups are fully intact (61 and 65 out of 72 each) and will be ready for action within a month or so.

Flotation Watch at Palmyra: Zuiho 71 (up 2) and Maya 72 (down 6).

Convoys have left Soerabaja for the Philippines (80,000+ men) and Kwajalein for Anchorage (60,000+ men).

[John 3rd]

All my ships have now docked from Operation Eastern Wind--Phase 1 and I feel like I can give some thoughts regarding how it came off.

Phase 1 goals were to take Palmyra, Johnson, and Midway as a prelude to a potential landing in Hawaii. The REAL goal was to force a fight with the US CVs and sink a few of them.

In this regard, the Operation was a complete success! I grabbed, for little cost in terms of troops, all three islands and forced a CV vs. CV Battle. Here is summation of ships lost during the three weeks of the operation:

SUNK:
Japan: 1CVL (Zuiho), 1BC (Haruna), 1CL, 4DD, 6PG, 5MSW, 9AP, 1AK, 3SS and 36 Carrier Planes.

USA: 1CV (Yorktown), 3CA (Chester, Portland, and Indianapolis), 2DD, and 74 planes (47 Carrier and 25 LBA).

DAMAGED:
Japan: 2CV (Shokaku--Moderate and Zuikaku--Light), 1CVL (Zuiho--hanging on by a thread at Palmyra), and 1SS.

USA: 1CV (Saratoga--CRIPPLED), 2CA, and 2DD.

Do not know if the American planes from the two CV were able to move to another base. Since they were 2-3 hexes from Johnson, I would tend to doubt it.

I still cannot believe how I couldn't sink Saratoga! 3B and 3TT just weren't enough...the DAMNED ASW Model prevented any chance of an interception.

I killed or took prisoner over 6,000 American troops for about 50% of that in Japanese losses.

If Saratoga had sank, I would rate this a GREAT victory. It is still good but not great. If I can save Zuiho then that will help. My losses were higher then planned because his CVs got a free day to attack my shipping before KB3 was able to intercept.

PHASE TWO Eastern Wind involves landing on the outlying islands of Hawaii. Since I have spotted nearly 650 aircraft there, I am nervous to make a landing...

I have three Inf Div at Kwajalein and 2 more that are on their way to Anchorage. Once the Anchorage Operation is complete, I will look to make the call on going after those islands. A tentative plan would be to land the Anchorage Divisions at Lihu and the Kwajalein Divisions at Kona. Hmmm....

[atomu]

Sempai,

I am encouraged by the fact that such great victories can be achieved even after splitting the valuable carrier forces...

I my AI games (I know, they are much easier than against human) I try to keep at least six in one group, as the rest of East Asian operations can be protected/aided by land-based air groups or the light carriers, as long as doesn't deploy them against the Brit carriers.

The advantage seems to be - if a game should work out in a similar fashion against human player: no damage at all to IJN carriers...

Main attacks in the Pacific can proceed with massive carrier advantage... because the allies can't be everywhere at the same time in 42 or even 43, small simultaneous landings are essential - while the First Carrier Fleet is always somewhere guarding the Pacific...

...so, while smaller simultaneous diversionary landings can be achievable without carrier support, there is a risk of loss of some smaller invasion forces if enemy carriers appear somewhere... But if they carriers appear - the First Carrier Fleet will know where to look for them... and hopefully engage and sink them all - with no loss.

However, I am speaking here with my limited AI experience...

So it is a great encouragement to see that IJN can fight in units even smaller than in the historic Midway operation...

Reading about the Zuiho... it's sad... but she is passing aways like a warrior...

This is a great AAR...

Best regards,

A

[John 3rd]

Thank You Kind Sir!

Appreciate the thoughts and spirit of the note.

I tend to differ with a lot of Japanese players with how I divide up the Carrier Force. Through 1942, I feel that a careful, thought out Japanese player can pool the CVs in groups of 4 and deal with anything the American throws at them. The key to this thinking is running into 2 US CV and not 3. Any commbination of 4 Japanese CV should take down 2 American CV but against 3 it could be REALLY bad. Principle of calculated risk...

In this campaign, it has succeeded twice. In late-Dec/early-January I took down Lexington and Enterprise east of Hawaii and in early-April I have sunk Yorktown and nearly put down Saratoga. Both were somewhat close but the organization worked and my pilot skills have not suffered horribly. In fact, KB3 has born the entire brunt of the CV vs. CV battles--Squadron XP is in the mid-60s and morale is excellent. KB1 and 2 have many squadrons in the high-70s and 80s.

The reason I do this split is so I can be in multiple places at any given time. Prior to this Carrier Battle, I had 1 CTF in the Indian Ocean, SE Pacific, and NE Pacific. Wolfpack had no idea where these could turn up at any given time. With this fight effectively knocking out 1 CTF ( I am NOT giving up on Zuiho), I still have one TF in the NE Pacific and another soon to be in the Central, Eastern Pacific.

[John 3rd]

April 15, 1942

SS A Glen picked up what might be a convoy approaching my eastern SS line.

Air
China:
Changsha 18B AF and 36 Cas Bad weather prevented all flights from Wuhan...
Kunming 19F 37B 6 Resources

Manila 76F 68DB 15B 61 Cas and AF/Pt

Akyab is hit from Calcutta by 41F 111B 241 Jap Cas

Aussie X-Roads 82B 131 Cas

Burma (30,28) 3F 15B 36 Cas

I will start hammering his Aussie Force at 19,89 next turn. I have two Daitai of Bombers with two Daitai of Fighters in support at Broome.

Ground
FINALLY!!! Changsha Deliberate Attack!!!! 0-1 FORTS DROP 9 to 8 (it only took four months of seige) The battle is of mammoth proportions:
Japan 381,497 Troops 3314 Artillery 42 Vehicles LOSE 19,456 T 439 G 12 V
China 197,906 Tr 544 Art 0 V LOSE 9,663 T 134G

With this finally working, I must ask my MOST WISE AND GREAT China Advisor (Moses)--Should I rest and bombard for 3-4 days and then hit again?

Bombardments:
Kodiak 71 Cas Order Attack for Tomorrow
Aust: 36,88 12 Cas 19,89 4Jap Cas

Navy
BB Bombardment of Kodiak 138 Cas Send them back in to attack tomorrow.

KB1 had bad weather AGAIN and could not launch any strikes at Kodiak.

All sorts of naval units approaching Dutch Harbor to support the final push and take out Anchorage.

I get a pleasant surprise---CA Northampton sinks at Pearl Harbor from damage due to Eastern Wind--Phase One. That makes 4 CA he lost in that operation.

Flotation Watch at Palmyra: Zuiho 71 (same) and Maya 67 (down 4). I have two AR arriving tomorrow. They should help as well...

[moses]

Ground
FINALLY!!! Changsha Deliberate Attack!!!! 0-1 FORTS DROP 9 to 8 (it only took four months of seige) The battle is of mammoth proportions:
Japan 381,497 Troops 3314 Artillery 42 Vehicles LOSE 19,456 T 439 G 12 V
China 197,906 Tr 544 Art 0 V LOSE 9,663 T 134G

With this finally working, I must ask my MOST WISE AND GREAT China Advisor (Moses)--Should I rest and bombard for 3-4 days and then hit again?

I don't know what the adjusted combat strengths were. Are you close or not? Without knowing this its hard to say. You need 1 to 1 eventually.

But clearly you are making progress. He should be down to 400 guns to your 3000 and yours can be replaced. Must bomb AIRFIELD every day or engineers will build back that fort. Watch the top 4 units in your stack as they take most of the losses. If they are near 50% disabled artillery then rotate to safe base and sit them there for a week to recover. No rush no hurry.

Those 19,000 losses you took are mostly not real. But they will be if you attack when you have lots of disabled troops. So rest them if need be. You have a nice safe well supported city just two hexes away by rail. His troops cannot replace anything.

In three weeks and 3 attacks he will have no arty left.

[John 3rd]

OK. I will check out those units. I have five Daitai of Bombers hitting the AF and 5 Daitai of Bombers hitting his troops. His AF is always damaged.

I have five rested units in Wuhan and four more in Hsinyang. I'll pull them down and move the same number up. Should keep the numbers near the same and I can keep up the pressure. Will plan to attack again in about 5 days.

The numbers were FAR closer! I was attack at nearly a 10,000--1300 disparity. Yesterday was 3,000--1900. I forgot to write it down, but that is somewhat close to it.

[moses]

If your 3000 def vs your 1900 attack then you are very close because a shock attack will put will double that and give you 3800 and enough for a 1 to 1.