The next generation - mortar (J) vs castor troy (A) - RESTRICTED!

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 26, 42
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Sub attack near Calicut at 28,37

Japanese Ships
SS I-123

Allied Ships
xAKL Louisianan, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage



SS I-123 launches 2 torpedoes

what was left by mini KB is now sunk by enemy subs... again I wonder how effective the enemy subs are with a single sub and a single freighter being in a 45nm hex and the freighter being sunk once more...

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Morning Air attack on Subic Bay , at 78,76

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 72
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 22
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 49



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 19 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Port hits 16
Port fuel hits 15
Port supply hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



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Morning Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 29,48

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 55 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
B5N2 Kate x 11



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 6
Hurricane IIb Trop x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAKL Pahang, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAKL Lipis
xAKL Raub, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk


one of the xAKL convoys that wasn´t attacked yesterday retired to Colombo instead of further fleeing North as I´ve expected mini KB to head North too but as it turned out today, mini KB moved South to get closer to the invasion convoys again... we´ve also moved a hundred Hurricanes to Colombo to fly Cap and the incoming strike from mini KB met halve of the available fighters in the air... can´t say my Hurricanes did extremely well nor did they bad, achieving a 2+:1 kill rate against the Zeroes on escort but not a single bomber was shot down by Cap... one bomber is shot down by ship based flak and the remaining 10 bombers achieve 9 bomb hits from 5000ft... yeah, 4E hit rate... tone it down, tone it down!!! On the same occassion, tone down Japanese abilities to realistic levels or we all should just forget realism and historic capabilities at all and let the game be a game. Miller´s thread about total US ship losses of real life really has to make you think twice because either it´s

a) the game that gives the Japanese uber abilities in all areas compared to real life

or

b) 100% of the Allied players are totally dumb asses and got no clue...


go figure



Pauk, AE=Allied Edition... [:'(]


Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.27 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(5 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
No.232 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 1000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
No.242 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 7000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
No.605 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIa Trop (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(6 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
K Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 2000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Raub
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Pahang


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Afternoon Air attack on Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion, at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 10
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 46



No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
285 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
11 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
14 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...


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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sampit at 55,97

Weather in hex: Clear sky

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

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 9



Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 26


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Nokaze
CL Isuzu
CA Chokai
CL Kuma
CA Maya

ordered the Dutch bombers to fly nav strikes against spotted convoys around Java but with one bomb each the 60 lownav trained bombers can´t hit anything in best weather conditions... the Dutch are obviously not flying Kates that are able to hit a fly´s sh*t from 5000ft no matter which type of target they attack... we pay a high prize as we lose quite some bombers today...

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
9 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
9 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
1st Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 29,48

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 56 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
B5N2 Kate x 9



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIa Trop x 4
Hurricane IIb Trop x 40


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAKL Circe, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAKL Lipis, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

mini KB also strikes during the afternoon and we again send up only 50% of our available fighters, again taking out a good number of escorts and again most of the bombers get through to achieve what? Nine bombers achieve nine bomb hits from 5000ft in heavy rain... yeah, realism is laughing out of my ass... or should I just compare it to what Allied bombers usually achieve? And no, I don´t forget thinking about skill.



Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.27 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (1 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
10 planes vectored on to bombers
No.232 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
No.242 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 2000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
No.605 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIa Trop (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
K Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 9000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Circe
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAKL Lipis



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sampit at 55,97

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 9



Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 8


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
139WH-3: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai



Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
1st Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (9 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead



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Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 69063 troops, 599 guns, 194 vehicles, Assault Value = 1997

Defending force 25596 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 627

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


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
17th Division
34th Division
116th Division
39th Division
61st Infantry Brigade
15th Division
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
88th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/B Corps
100th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


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Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1561 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 204 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 20

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment
Koepang Base Force


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Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 20727 troops, 308 guns, 183 vehicles, Assault Value = 845

Defending force 18969 troops, 167 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 641

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


Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
2/1st Ind Coy
30th Australian Brigade
Sparrow Battalion
1st Australian Division
3rd Motor Brigade
Lark Battalion
Port Moresby Brigade
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
17th MG Battalion
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
New Caledonia Det
131st Field Artillery Battalion
205th Coast AA Regiment
Eastern Command
147th Field Artillery Regiment
114th USAAF Base Force
6th RAN Base Force
115th USAAF Base Force
15th RAAF Base Force
148th Field Artillery Battalion
206th Coast AA Regiment
Rabaul Det. Base Force
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
144th Infantry Regiment
53rd Naval Guard Unit
146th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit

[Erkki]

one of the xAKL convoys that wasn´t attacked yesterday retired to Colombo instead of further fleeing North as I´ve expected mini KB to head North too but as it turned out today, mini KB moved South to get closer to the invasion convoys again... we´ve also moved a hundred Hurricanes to Colombo to fly Cap and the incoming strike from mini KB met halve of the available fighters in the air... can´t say my Hurricanes did extremely well nor did they bad, achieving a 2+:1 kill rate against the Zeroes on escort but not a single bomber was shot down by Cap... one bomber is shot down by ship based flak and the remaining 10 bombers achieve 9 bomb hits from 5000ft... yeah, 4E hit rate... tone it down, tone it down!!! On the same occassion, tone down Japanese abilities to realistic levels or we all should just forget realism and historic capabilities at all and let the game be a game. Miller´s thread about total US ship losses of real life really has to make you think twice because either it´s

a) the game that gives the Japanese uber abilities in all areas compared to real life

or

b) 100% of the Allied players are totally dumb asses and got no clue...


go figure

And yet there isnt a single AAR'd game, that isnt Scen 2 or such, where Japan survives to historical surrender date or looks like is going to. Let alone one where Japan has lost half of its CVs in 1942 and failed to secure Solomons, PM etc...

4E hit rate is semi-OK to me btw, thats what the game tends to do when there are lots of bombs and good aircrew. Its the inability to intercept and attrit even unescorted bombers that bothers me, and gives me no option but to do some serious, even gamey, R&D on N1K, Ki-84 and some other heavily armed fighters. And even they will struggle to achieve 1:1 against a similar number of unescorted heavies. Compared to bomb load and aircrew Jap bombers achieve just as many hits(as long as they dont get damaged by flak before the attack, esp. against naval targets) but once they meet fighters they die in droves without never, ever, destroying attacking fighters.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

one of the xAKL convoys that wasn´t attacked yesterday retired to Colombo instead of further fleeing North as I´ve expected mini KB to head North too but as it turned out today, mini KB moved South to get closer to the invasion convoys again... we´ve also moved a hundred Hurricanes to Colombo to fly Cap and the incoming strike from mini KB met halve of the available fighters in the air... can´t say my Hurricanes did extremely well nor did they bad, achieving a 2+:1 kill rate against the Zeroes on escort but not a single bomber was shot down by Cap... one bomber is shot down by ship based flak and the remaining 10 bombers achieve 9 bomb hits from 5000ft... yeah, 4E hit rate... tone it down, tone it down!!! On the same occassion, tone down Japanese abilities to realistic levels or we all should just forget realism and historic capabilities at all and let the game be a game. Miller´s thread about total US ship losses of real life really has to make you think twice because either it´s

a) the game that gives the Japanese uber abilities in all areas compared to real life

or

b) 100% of the Allied players are totally dumb asses and got no clue...


go figure

And yet there isnt a single AAR'd game, that isnt Scen 2 or such, where Japan survives to historical surrender date or looks like is going to. Let alone one where Japan has lost half of its CVs in 1942 and failed to secure Solomons, PM etc...

4E hit rate is semi-OK to me btw, thats what the game tends to do when there are lots of bombs and good aircrew. Its the inability to intercept and attrit even unescorted bombers that bothers me, and gives me no option but to do some serious, even gamey, R&D on N1K, Ki-84 and some other heavily armed fighters. And even they will struggle to achieve 1:1 against a similar number of unescorted heavies. Compared to bomb load and aircrew Jap bombers achieve just as many hits(as long as they dont get damaged by flak before the attack, esp. against naval targets) but once they meet fighters they die in droves without never, ever, destroying attacking fighters.

and is that because a) the IJ PBEM player throws in the towel or because b) the Allied have landed on Japan or have taken all Japanese area around Japan?

I would say 95% of the time it is a) as usually IJ players most often throw in the towel in 42 if KB is lost, means suffering a Midway. Nearly no player is playing it until ending up in a position Japan was in real life in mid 45. And those games that go well into 45 are those games when the IJ still owns 2/3 of the map while Japan was in a hopeless situation in 45 of real life. Before it gets "hopeless" PBEM games usually end and real life saw the Japanese being in a totally hopeless situation for more than 6 months. And with all this I bet all I will ever own that there will never be a single PBEM when the Allied only meet the real life timeframe with coming even close to what the Allied lost in real life. So this is either because all Allied players suck or because all IJ players are strategic and tactical geniuses. In fact it would be even a hard task to achieve this against the AI and end the game with equal or less (lol) losses than real life Allied.

It is a game and people should stop making the same claims that have come up since UV days that it is coming even close to realism as to what Japan is in the GAME. Would it be a sim I am sure 9 out of 10 IJ players (me included) would not even dare to try to play the Japanese. And still, so that it is a game and an absolutely great forum, 75% of the claims (mine in total too over all the years, outside my Allied AARs) are trying to justify Japanese abilities or are even asking to increase them. The game was designed to end in a more or less realistic timeframe (means 45 if played until the doable end), but balanced far enough to see the Japanese being able to inflict roughly 2-3 times the losses to the Allied in the average PBEM when the IJ player has a chance to achieve autovictory and the Allied to get where the Allied were in real life 45. What do you think would have happened in real life if the Allied would have lost 25-30 CVE plus dozens of other vessels in one turn? Imagine losing 10-20 times the PH losses of lives in one day in 44. What would have happened if the Allied would have lost 300 B-17 over Europe in one day?

Every none armored and defensively undergunned bomber should die in droves against fighters, especially cannon armed ones or fighters with 6 x cal.50, no matter if that bomber is Allied or Japanese. Problem for the Japanese, they got nothing else than not really armored and undergunned bombers, no matter when and all Allied bombers except 4Es are nearly as easily shot down as Japanese or what do you think happens when 50 Mitchells, Helldivers, Avengers, etc meet 100 Franks? You suffer a higher loss rate than ever happened in real life and could do that again a turn later.

In 7 years of playing WITP and AE I still have spent probably four times more time playing the Japanese than the Allied but whenever I play the Allied it strikes me that it seems to be impossible to come even close to achieve hit rates of Kates, Nells and Betties, no matter what (not talking about the uber pilots that start with 80+ skill, talking about trained replacement pilots of both sides, trained to the same level). And you know what? After all those years I have not figured out the reason for this. If you would have the time to go through each and every combat report of all AARs and count up the torp hits of KB based Kates against enemy carriers and also count all the TBF torp hits on KB then you will find out that the Kates achieve at least a 3:1 hit rate compard to the TBF in general. How comes? I don´t know.

My last PBEM against Rainer79 saw me attacking KB and whiping it out with one of my death stars and I had several goes at his BB and while I had literally hundreds 70 torp skill Avengers they failed and failed and failed while you see those perfect examples like real life against Force Z on and on and on from the Japanese torpedo bombers from day one until mid 45. A couple of times I would say it´s good or bad luck but over the course of 7 years and thousands of hours playing when you ongoingly see Kates achieving insane hit rates with bombs and torps with US bombers failing (with torps, not with bombs) then I only wonder.

As to fighters vs. 4E and the kill rates, not even German fighters achieved the kill rate you are asking your Japanese fighters to achieve, this with worse guns and cannons, worse engines and worse or nearly no armor. If they would have achieved a 1:1 kill rate vs. 8th Airforce´s 4E then the German would have won the fight over Germany.

[Erkki]

My first PBEM ended in June 1942 when my opponent quit after he lost both of his Lexingtons and a Yorktown + another crippled in IIRC May 1942 - I never reached Rangoon, PM, Wake or Tulagi and was having a stalemate in China. It goes both ways.

Germans lost about 1 fighter to each heavy bomber shot down until the Luftwaffe collapsed in early Spring 1944. Against already massive numeral superiority. Most losses were to USAAF fighters either near the bombers or on their way in or out from the battle - and not to heavies themselves despite of many Luftwaffe fighters being "vulnerable" liquid cooled inline engine Bf 109s, Bf 110s, Me 210/410s and later Fw 190 Ds and 262s.

I didnt say Jap bombers dying in droves was the problem(they should die in droves and thats what they do). They still have the defensive guns just as the Allied bombers. Difference is, I see even Blenheims shoot down Zeros and Ki-43s either directly or damage and they become OPS. But Jap bombers with just as many or only 1-2 fewer gunner positions and guns fail to even hit the attackers, let alone shoot or damage them. I've never seen them shoot down a fighter. And both G3M and G4M have a 20mm cannon shooting behind...

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

My first PBEM ended in June 1942 when my opponent quit after he lost both of his Lexingtons and a Yorktown + another crippled in IIRC May 1942 - I never reached Rangoon, PM, Wake or Tulagi and was having a stalemate in China. It goes both ways.

yes, it of course goes both ways but what does that change of what I've said above? [&:]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Germans lost about 1 fighter to each heavy bomber shot down until the Luftwaffe collapsed in early Spring 1944. Against already massive numeral superiority. Most losses were to USAAF fighters either near the bombers or on their way in or out from the battle - and not to heavies themselves despite of many Luftwaffe fighters being "vulnerable" liquid cooled inline engine Bf 109s, Bf 110s, Me 210/410s and later Fw 190 Ds and 262s.

I think 1 fighter per heavy bomber is as optimistic as 8th AF bombers´ claims to have shot down two dozen enemy fighters per 1000 sorties. If it would be 2 fighters for 1 bomber over Europe and 4-5 fighters for 1 bomber over Japan actually SHOT DOWN then I think we would be coming closer to what it really was and this against unescorted bombers. 1 vs 1 (or perhaps even better?) may be correct if you think about dedicated, heavily cannon armed twin engined bomber destroyers but not when you think about the majority of fighters which at all times were Bf-109. And this at a time when we were speaking about more or less unescorted strikes. I may be wrong here and can only think about the total numbers of losses I've read about but 1:1 actually shot down sounds very optimistic to me when you take a hundred B-17 meeting a hundred Bf-109 and usually there were more bombers than fighters when we are looking at the big raids. Only Schweinfurt comes to mind when there were actually 60 bombers lost to only like 30 or 35 German fighters while there halve of them downed by escorts. So that would even make it a 4:1 (if you leave flak aside) but that was the worst raid of the whole war. I think in greyjoy´s AAR he was speaking about losing 200 4E in one day to IJ fighters. Lol.

ORIGINAL: Erkki

I didnt say Jap bombers dying in droves was the problem(they should die in droves and thats what they do). They still have the defensive guns just as the Allied bombers. Difference is, I see even Blenheims shoot down Zeros and Ki-43s either directly or damage and they become OPS. But Jap bombers with just as many or only 1-2 fewer gunner positions and guns fail to even hit the attackers, let alone shoot or damage them. I've never seen them shoot down a fighter. And both G3M and G4M have a 20mm cannon shooting behind...

IJ bombers´ defensive armament is only comparable to very early Allied bombers while an early Zero or Oscar can not be compared to a P-40 in terms of what it is able to sustain nor what it can inflict on the enemy. So I guess even a Blenheim has a better chance to down a Zero than a Lilly has to down a P-40. I do agree though that IJ bombers 100% fail to ever down an Allied fighter which is purely wrong as I´m absolutely positive that there were Allied fighters shot down by IJ bombers too (as wrong as it is, it's not as wrong as if I would say IJ bombers should come even close to the defensive firepower of Allied bombers, not even the 1E or 2E types). So yes, comparing early (British) medium or light bomber models with Japanese ones is IMO ok in both def armament and and how fragile they are, but comparing a Zero with the already armored Allied fighters is a problem as a Zero can be lit up by a 7.7mm whereas it´s rather hard to do that with a P-40, at least it takes far more hits to do so. With the arrival of B-25 as the main medium Allied bomber there is nothing really comparable the Japanese have IMO, neither in the way it can absorb damage nor in the way it can put cal.50 bullets in the way of an attacker. It´s surely a difference if you have four belt fed cal.50 firing at a Zero coming in from behind on a B-25 and a single drum fed 20mm cannon with another 7.7mm firing at a P-40 when it comes up on a Betty. Let alone what the armament of the P-40 does to a Betty and what the Zero does to B-25 with only 60 rounds of 20mm cannon ammo. Same goes for German medium bombers, they never came close to Allied medium bombers.

[Erkki]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

ORIGINAL: Erkki

My first PBEM ended in June 1942 when my opponent quit after he lost both of his Lexingtons and a Yorktown + another crippled in IIRC May 1942 - I never reached Rangoon, PM, Wake or Tulagi and was having a stalemate in China. It goes both ways.

yes, it of course goes both ways but what does that change of what I've said above? [&:]

My point was that if Japanese players who dont quit, get lucky, are good or dont play an ahistorical scenario do considerably better than IRL(as you said: Allied casualties are way higher than IRL, Japan can conquer more land, extend offensive period up to a year longer even in Scen 1 etc.) then why do they still lose well before historical date?

Theres a lot of stuff "wrong" for both sides, in both Scen 1 and DBB, either nerfed or overpowered. And both players' hindsight, godlike micromanagement abilities etcetera still sum in Japan losing not only earlier than historical date, but also in points as Japan has to survive that long to get a draw or better.

In many extremity cases either side quits the game(japan loses all KB in 1942 and gets nowhere with offensives or Allies lose their CVs... you know what I mean). Those Japan players that actually do well and survive even to 1945 are getting screwed even harder than real Japan.

I do not believe its WAD by game design or balance. Probably related to the way higher than IRL operational tempo we often see... But Japan still loses not just the war but game.

[castor troy]

well, IMO the Japanese simply don't lose earlier than in real life. You should not mistake to quit (because surrender will be inevitable) with to lose. A PBEM that is in a state the Japanese were in real life long before they actually surrendered most often is abandoned already.



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 27, 42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Lubang at 78,78, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
xAK Maine, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

a supply freighter for the Philipines ends up being sunk close to it's destination... the old story, a single ship and a 45nm hex... as much as I welcomed the mid ocean intercepts, I think not including a die roll if the intercept happens or not was a mega mistake... the mid ocean intercept as it is is bullet prove which is plain and easy wrong...


Improved night sighting under 89% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 89% moonlight: 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Muranaka J. crosses the 'T'
CL Natori engages xAK Maine at 11,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Maine at 11,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Maine at 11,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Maine at 11,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Maine at 11,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Colombo at 28,46

Japanese Ships
SS I-153, hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Cornwall
CL Emerald
CL Enterprise
DD Nestor
DD Nizam


got several British cruisers and a BB at Colombo now as I want to guard the base from a nav bombardment now that the threat of mini KB was minimized by taking out most of it's aircraft... no doubt the enemy got more BB/CA in the area than us but if he attacks he would suffer too and while I still don't see Ceylon as anywhere close to being a vital base, I don't want to let the Japanese get it for free and I'm willing to accept some losses when we also inflict losses on the enemy...


SS I-153 is sighted by escort
I-153 diving deep ....
DD Nizam fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nizam fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nizam fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Nizam attacking submerged sub ....
DD Nizam fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Toboali at 51,93

Japanese Ships
xAK Kiyozumi Maru
xAK Nihonka Maru
xAK Kuroshio Maru
xAK Chihaya Maru
PB Shuko Maru #2

Allied Ships
SS KXVI

really crazy that those subs that actually carry working torps keep on failing that often... could there be an easier target than a freighter?

SS KXVI launches 4 torpedoes at xAK Kiyozumi Maru
KXVI bottoming out ....
PB Shuko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shuko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shuko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shuko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Shuko Maru #2 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Lubang at 78,78, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
xAK Erinpura, Shell hits 33, and is sunk

what did I say about a single ship and a 45nm hex? Creating a bullet prove mid ocean intercept routine in the end is worse than the WITP modelling when you had to guess and plan where the enemy would end up... now we have an unrealistic way to vacuum clean the ocean as it just always triggers a naval engagement as soon as two TFs are in the same hex at any time... more action in the game for less realism IMO...

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Japanese launch Long Lance torpedoes at 17,000 yards before allies detect Japanese presence
CL Natori launches Long Lance Torpedoes at xAK Erinpura at 17,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki fires at xAK Erinpura at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 14,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 6,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 6,000 yards
CL Natori engages xAK Erinpura at 6,000 yards
DD Nagatsuki engages xAK Erinpura at 6,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


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Morning Air attack on Subic Bay , at 78,76

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 72
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 23
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 49



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 16 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Port hits 17
Port fuel hits 8
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
21 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



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Morning Air attack on Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion, at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 18
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 76



No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
252 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
21 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Bandjermasin at 58,99

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 11


Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Chokai



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

feeling safe the enemy keeps moving around with his cruisers in range of my Dutch nav bombers and this time we even score a hit but a single bomb won't hurt the cruiser much... the ship being on fire convinces me though that the hit is not FOW...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 29,50

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes


Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Swordfish I x 10
Vildebeest III x 6


Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish I: 2 damaged
Swordfish I: 2 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
CA Kumano
BB Yamashiro
CL Nagara
CA Mikuma
BB Fuso

having knocked out mini KB's ability to guard the enemy battlewaggons I've moved in 65 torp skilled bombers and have set them to attack the enemy fleet at Koggala... not being Japanese super heroes flying Kates we score what? How could I hope for a torp hit or two on the slow enemy BB? We have seen Allied bombers and Japanese ships in the end, not Kates and Allied BBs... depressing at times... [:(]

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
6 x Vildebeest III launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Bandjermasin at 58,99

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 9


Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 2 damaged
139WH-3: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CL Kuma
CA Chokai
CL Oi



Aircraft Attacking:
4 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
4 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lae at 99,126

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 1,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-26 Marauder x 18
P-40E Warhawk x 8


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AMC Akagi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Durban Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Matumoto Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AMC Aikoku Maru, Bomb hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
135 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

this attack on an earlier spotted convoy later the day didn't really improve my mood, especially when only 18 out of 65 bombers attack this vital convoy... in real life, every frigin aircraft would have attacked this TF as it's a convoy to bring troops to Lae... but hey, there wasn't even a single bomber attacking in the morning so why complaining about 18 attacking in the afternoon... despite excellent weather the whole day we managed to fly 18 out of 130 possible sorties... we won't stop this convoy from bringing in all the troops as it will probably be fully unloaded tomorrow before we can fly new strikes and I'm not sure the bombers will even launch... still, moving in an unprotected convoy into range of PM is quite confident... 5 or 6 subs were operating against this convoy, not one even tried to attack...

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
4 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
3 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
3 x B-26 Marauder bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Calicut at 28,37

Japanese Ships
SS I-123, hits 5

Allied Ships
xAKL St. Quentin, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage

single sub, single ship...


xAKL St. Quentin is sighted by SS I-123
SS I-123 attacking xAKL St. Quentin on the surface
SS I-123 low on gun ammo, Bando H. breaks off surface engagement and submerges


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Lae (99,126)

TF 344 troops unloading over beach at Lae, 99,126



12 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 83rd Nav Gd /2
12 Engineers lost from landing craft during unload of 14th Naval Const Bn /3

having had the chance to strike at the convoy yesterday and all of today there should not be a single ship unloading here now...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 69252 troops, 599 guns, 194 vehicles, Assault Value = 2016

Defending force 25726 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 641

Japanese ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
116th Division
15th Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
39th Division
61st Infantry Brigade
17th Division
34th Division
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
28th Chinese/B Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1561 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 180 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 19

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 19 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment
Koepang Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 20801 troops, 310 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 845

Defending force 18982 troops, 167 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 643

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
Lark Battalion
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
Sparrow Battalion
3rd Motor Brigade
2/1st Ind Coy
Port Moresby Brigade
17th MG Battalion
1st Australian Division
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
New Caledonia Det
147th Field Artillery Regiment
131st Field Artillery Battalion
15th RAAF Base Force
6th RAN Base Force
148th Field Artillery Battalion
114th USAAF Base Force
206th Coast AA Regiment
Rabaul Det. Base Force
205th Coast AA Regiment
Eastern Command
115th USAAF Base Force
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
146th Infantry Regiment
53rd Naval Guard Unit
24th Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 28, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Calicut at 28,38

Japanese Ships
SS I-154

Allied Ships
xAKL Shan Tung, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

next xAKL sunk here... so far the enemy subs have had a ten times higher chance to attack and a 20 times higher chance to score a kill... our subs suck...


xAKL Shan Tung is sighted by SS I-154
SS I-154 launches 2 torpedoes at xAKL Shan Tung


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Cochin at 27,39

Japanese Ships
SS I-154

Allied Ships
xAKL Halvdan, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

and the damn sub of course follows the fleeing ships and kills another one... losing xAKL is far from being a tragedy, only the performance of IJN and my subs really strikes me... can't do much more than having them in areas where the enemy happily keeps moving over my subs and having the subs set to patrol the areas and react... oh well, the situation will change some time...

xAKL Halvdan is sighted by SS I-154
SS I-154 attacking xAKL Halvdan on the surface


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Mussau Island at 104,119

Japanese Ships
AO Ken'yo Maru
AO Kyokuto Maru
DD Akebono

Allied Ships
SS Seadragon

scoring MK-14 duds isn't surprising and I'm already happy when the subs even attack...

SS Seadragon launches 4 torpedoes at AO Ken'yo Maru
Seadragon diving deep ....
DD Akebono attacking submerged sub ....
DD Akebono fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Akebono fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Akebono fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Akebono fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Bataan , at 78,77

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 70
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 49



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 12 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 5 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 15

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
24 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 100th Chinese Corps, at 89,58 (Wenchow)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-30 Ann x 29
Ki-51 Sonia x 28



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
29 x Ki-30 Ann bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing from 6000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing from 6000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb
9 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing from 6000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 50 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 88th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 14th Chinese Base Force ...
Also attacking 28th Chinese/C Corps ...
Also attacking 28th Chinese/B Corps ...
Also attacking 28th Chinese/A Corps ...
Also attacking 100th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 28th Chinese/B Corps ...
Also attacking 100th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 14th Chinese Base Force ...
Also attacking 100th Chinese Corps ...
Also attacking 28th Chinese/B Corps ...
Also attacking 100th Chinese Corps ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on MLD , at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 51



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
80 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
14 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on MLD , at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 11



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lae at 99,126

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11



Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 15
SBD-2 Dauntless x 34


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAK Nichiryo Maru, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Durban Maru, Bomb hits 9, and is sunk
xAK Melbourne Maru, Bomb hits 1
AMC Hokoku Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Akagi Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Yamakaze Maru
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

replaced the Marauders with SBDs as those carry a 1000lb bomb and are more accurate... same as yesterday, no bomber decided to fly in the morning and in the afternoon we get 34 out of 54 bombers attacking the convoy that has unloaded all troops (but probably not all of the supply) and the USMC bombers wreck havoc within the targetted ships... guess with yesterday's hits on the convoy and today's attack the enemy will lose up to 9 or 10 ships of this convoy... our attacks did not stop the enemy though... guess the enemy ordered those Zeroes to LRCAP the convoy from Rabaul so they weren't effective at all while claiming two P-40... we've also spotted KB East of Rabaul today and I just have to wonder why KB wasn't used to cover this convoy? Port Moresby's strenght is growing and the base is built up but it is far from being a real threat to massed Japanese carrier support and even if attacking PM with KB would be a waste of precious ac, KB would be easily able to keep me from attacking such a convoy... the enemy operates still too careless for my taste... knocking out three of those AMC is nice too, won't see them raiding my lines deep in the Pacific like some IJ players tend to do...

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
6 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Chitose Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Nichiryo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Hokoku Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Durban Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Makassar at 63,104

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 10



Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 27


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 3 destroyed, 8 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CL Kuma
CL Oi, Bomb hits 1
CA Chokai

our Dutch bombers keep attacking but this time Oscars from Makassar were flying LRCAP over the TF really wrecking havoc within our obsolete bombers... we score another bomb hit but that could well be FOW...

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
4 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
1st Sentai with Ki-43-Ic Oscar (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(18 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 7000
Raid is overhead



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 50,99

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 5


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Nissen Maru #3
xAK Yamahuzi Maru



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 69778 troops, 599 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 2049

Defending force 25849 troops, 120 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 652

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 1396

Allied adjusted defense: 1594

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

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3547 casualties reported
Squads: 134 destroyed, 175 disabled [X(] LOL
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1920 casualties reported
Squads: 62 destroyed, 34 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 67 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 18 (13 destroyed, 5 disabled)

the enemy obviously also used units in this attack that were heavily disabled from earlier attacks already, which meant lots of destroyed squads today... serves me well...

Assaulting units:
61st Infantry Brigade
15th Division
34th Division
116th Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
17th Division
39th Division
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
28th Chinese/B Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
88th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 46,86 (near Sawahloento)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1037 troops, 5 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 41

Defending force 30 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 20

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1

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


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
22nd Recon Regiment

Defending units:
Zuid KNIL Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 44,74 (near Langsa)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 525 troops, 0 guns, 80 vehicles, Assault Value = 46

Defending force 446 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Japanese adjusted assault: 41

Allied adjusted defense: 4

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1

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


Allied ground losses:
189 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
14th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
NS KNIL Territory Regiment
Korps Marechausee Battalion


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Sandakan (70,88)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1181 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 42

Defending force 126 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 20

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Sandakan !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), preparation(-), morale(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 2


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
I./124th Infantry Battalion

Defending units:
107th RN Base Force
108th RN Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Lae (99,126)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1614 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 66

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 31

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Lae !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker:



Assaulting units:
83rd Naval Guard Unit
12th Naval Construction Battalion
5th JNAF Coy
14th Naval Construction Battalion

the enemy hasn't landed much combat power but those two construction units are a little concerning... not surprising the enemy is going to try to build up Lae, with the troops that are there now it will take quite some time but a level 3 or 4 airfield should be doable within the next months and I'm sure he will try to move in more troops and supply as this time most of the supply should have gone down with the freighters... in the meantime we are building up PM, nearly reaching a level 6 airfield... instead of going for Ceylon the enemy should have gone for Port Moresby with a couple of divisions as this would be a much bigger gain for the Japanese but as it stands now, I'm absolutely confident the enemy will never take PM which will be a serious problem for him in the next twelve months, especially as I'm also holding on Darwin which is near to reach a level 9 airfield already... [:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1556 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 54

Defending force 156 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 10

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 10 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment
Koepang Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 20851 troops, 310 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 849

Defending force 19033 troops, 167 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 648

Japanese ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
2/1st Ind Coy
Sparrow Battalion
Port Moresby Brigade
1st Australian Division
3rd Motor Brigade
Lark Battalion
17th MG Battalion
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
New Caledonia Det
114th USAAF Base Force
131st Field Artillery Battalion
Eastern Command
Rabaul Det. Base Force
6th RAN Base Force
115th USAAF Base Force
205th Coast AA Regiment
206th Coast AA Regiment
148th Field Artillery Battalion
15th RAAF Base Force
147th Field Artillery Regiment
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
20th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
146th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
53rd Naval Guard Unit
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 01, 42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Koggala at 29,50, Range 11,000 Yards



Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed
Seagull V: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Shell hits 3
CA Atago, Shell hits 4
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 4, on fire
CA Kumano, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Nowaki, Shell hits 1
DD Arashi, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Oshio
DD Michishio, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Arashio
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Dorsetshire
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Exeter
CL Hobart, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
CL Emerald, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Nestor, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Napier, Shell hits 1
DD Nizam, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk


lol... like I've mentioned a couple of turns before, it's no way a tragedy to lose the more or less empty Ceylon but the Japanese reached a line where I don't want them to get everything for free and with my ships in the area being BRITISH I decided to send them in to attack the enemy fleet at the invasion beachhead... I've spent around 150 political points to change ship and TF commanders and place the best available commanders on the ships of this TF...

one enemy TF with some BB was spotted to have moved out of Koggala so it was time to strike today, we expected to meet enemy CA and perhaps another TF with one or two BB and the rest of the invasion convoys still unloading supplies there... what also was important was the fact to see full moonlight and a good weather forecast, meaning the fight not starting at 2000 yards being threated by the IJN wonder weapon aka Long Lance immedietely...

so, we start off at 11.000 yards with both TF spotting each other and opening fire... and what happens first? A Japanese CA immedietely puts a torpedo into Revenge, this from 11000 yards... [&o] the battle has just right started and I was already shaking my head... Revenge fired a couple of rounds into empty space when the enemy fired and hit, fired and hit, fired and hit... the only thing that kept us from a total disaster at the early stage of this engagement was the fact that the gun hits on Revenge didn't penetrate and my cruisers were staying alive after medium and heavy gun hits...

but then? Then it was time to launch some torps again... IJN CA fires torps, boom... Allied TF fires back with guns, missed... IJN CA fires torps, boom... Revenge dead... Allied TF fires back with guns and torps, missed... IJN DD fires torps, boom... lol, I have been shaking my head about the IJN super hero, Allied dumb ass Navy so many times, all I was thinking was why am I ignoring my own knowledge just once more...

So after probably halve a dozen torp hits on my TF our heavy cruisers slowly started to hit the enemy, for every Allied hit that damaged the enemy, our ships received three damaging hits in return... mind you, here we see the all dominating IJN that fights the RN that has been at war for 1.5 years already, doesn't matter, as we all know, both the RN and USN were nothing but what the Japanese propaganda was claiming... in the end, my TF suffered a total defeat and all we got was a IJN DD sunk with an enemy CA probably being damaged enough to sink later on... this engagement has cost us 2 CL, 2 DD sunk outright and a BB and a CA being dead too already...

this is what you get from sending 1 BB, 3 CA, 4 CL and 3 DD against 4 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD... I should have known better, no, I knew better, I still sent my ships in... my own fault... the inferior force once again slapped our Navy just like that single IJN DD sunk two USN DD when she was outnumbered 10:1 facing several CA and DD while getting away unharmed... it must be either my ongoing bad luck when it comes down to nav engagements or the way it is is what the Japnanese were dreaming of which proved nothing but a flawed dream... in the game, the Japanese wet dream comes true in all aspects... I can't change it, I know about it, again, nothing but my fault to use my ships for surface engagements...

as a sidenote, of course none of the British torps hit...


Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CA Atago at 11,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CA Cornwall at 11,000 yards
CA Atago engages CA Cornwall at 11,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CA Takao at 11,000 yards
CA Atago engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
CL Emerald engages DD Usugumo at 11,000 yards
DD Michishio engages BB Royal Sovereign at 11,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages DD Nizam at 11,000 yards
DD Arashi engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages DD Nestor at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CA Atago at 5,000 yards
CL Emerald engages CA Mikuma at 5,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Atago at 5,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Emerald at 5,000 yards
CL Glasgow engages CA Atago at 5,000 yards
CA Atago engages CL Emerald at 5,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Arashio at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nizam at 5,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nizam at 5,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Arashio at 5,000 yards
DD Nizam engages DD Nowaki at 5,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Maikaze at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Kumano at 3,000 yards
CL Glasgow engages CA Mikuma at 3,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Atago at 3,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CA Dorsetshire at 3,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Glasgow at 3,000 yards
CL Emerald engages CL Jintsu at 3,000 yards
DD Arashio engages DD Nizam at 3,000 yards
CL Hobart engages CL Jintsu at 3,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Nizam at 3,000 yards
DD Nestor engages DD Arashi at 3,000 yards
DD Arashi engages DD Nestor at 3,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Maikaze at 3,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CL Hobart at 3,000 yards
CL Hobart engages CA Mikuma at 3,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Mikuma at 3,000 yards
CL Glasgow engages CA Takao at 3,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Glasgow at 3,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages DD Nestor at 3,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Arashio at 3,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nizam at 3,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nizam at 3,000 yards
DD Nizam engages DD Arashi at 3,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DD Nestor at 3,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Maikaze at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CA Cornwall at 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages CA Exeter at 2,000 yards
CA Atago engages CL Glasgow at 2,000 yards
CL Emerald engages CA Takao at 2,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Glasgow at 2,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CL Emerald at 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Enterprise at 2,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
DD Nizam engages DD Arashi at 2,000 yards
DD Arashi engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CL Hobart at 2,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Mikuma at 2,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CA Cornwall at 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Hobart at 2,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Hobart at 2,000 yards
CL Emerald engages CA Kumano at 2,000 yards
CL Enterprise engages CA Atago at 2,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Nestor at 2,000 yards
DD Nestor engages DD Arashi at 2,000 yards
DD Nestor sunk by DD Nowaki at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Kumano at 3,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CA Cornwall at 3,000 yards
CL Enterprise engages CA Atago at 3,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Hobart at 3,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CL Glasgow at 3,000 yards
CL Emerald engages CA Atago at 3,000 yards
DD Arashio engages BB Royal Sovereign at 3,000 yards
DD Nizam engages DD Michishio at 3,000 yards
DD Nizam sunk by DD Oshio at 3,000 yards
DD Arashi engages DD Napier at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Emerald sunk by CA Kumano at 4,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CA Exeter at 4,000 yards
CL Hobart engages CA Atago at 4,000 yards
CA Takao engages CA Cornwall at 4,000 yards
CL Enterprise engages CA Mikuma at 4,000 yards
CL Hobart engages DD Michishio at 4,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages DD Oshio at 4,000 yards
DD Arashi engages DD Napier at 4,000 yards
DD Nowaki engages DD Napier at 4,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages DD Maikaze at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CA Kumano at 5,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CA Cornwall at 5,000 yards
CA Cornwall engages CA Atago at 5,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CA Dorsetshire at 5,000 yards
CL Glasgow engages CL Jintsu at 5,000 yards
DD Usugumo engages DD Napier at 5,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Hobart at 5,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Michishio at 5,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages DD Nowaki at 5,000 yards
Moizumi, Shinichi orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 6,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages BB Royal Sovereign at 6,000 yards
CL Glasgow engages CA Mikuma at 6,000 yards
CL Enterprise engages CA Atago at 6,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages CA Takao at 6,000 yards
CL Jintsu engages CL Glasgow at 6,000 yards
DD Usugumo sunk by BB Royal Sovereign at 6,000 yards
CL Hobart sunk by CA Kumano at 6,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Napier at 6,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Napier at 6,000 yards
DD Nowaki engages DD Napier at 6,000 yards
DD Maikaze engages DD Napier at 6,000 yards
Somerville, James F orders Allied TF to disengage
Range increases to 11,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CA Kumano at 11,000 yards
CA Kumano engages CA Exeter at 11,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages CA Cornwall at 11,000 yards
CA Takao engages BB Royal Sovereign at 11,000 yards
BB Royal Sovereign engages CL Jintsu at 11,000 yards
DD Arashio engages BB Royal Sovereign at 11,000 yards
DD Michishio engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Arashi at 11,000 yards
CL Enterprise engages DD Maikaze at 11,000 yards
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Koggala at 29,50, Range 10,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 1
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
DD Yugumo
DD Yukikaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Nenohi
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba
DD Yugure, Shell hits 1
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CA Dorsetshire, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
CA Exeter, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

to my bad surprise we didn't only meet one or two enemy BB left at Koggala but actually four of them, but that doesn't matter as two or three DD would have been enough to mop up the what was left of the RN in this area... both Dorsetshire and Exeter suffered NO DAMAGE in the earlier engagement against the enemy cruiser squadron but of course are outright sunk in this engagement... so what? Bad luck again? Or is it just silly what happens here all the time... no, not asking for my cruisers to sink four enemy BB (no IJN cruisers after all, the IJN CA would have put 6 torps into each BB), I am asking for some realism and the UNDAMAGED cruisers just turning around and getting away... no, they are Allied, they just happily sit there being shot to pieces... on the other hand, a couple of turns ago I see a convoy of IJN freighters happily sailing away from three of my destroyers... how comes? Sorry, I can't have bad die rolls all the time... the four IJN CA mopping up my superior force for nearly no loss was crazy, but this engagement was even sillier...

with WITP´s routines transformed to real life I wonder why the Bismarck hasn't sunk the whole Royal Navy around Britain after Hood blew up... must be because Bismarck wasn't Japanese...

but hey, did I already say it is my own fault for even sending in my ships when I knew how it works? One has to wonder how silly I really am...


Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Tanaka, Raizo crosses the 'T'
CA Exeter engages BB Hyuga at 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages CL Nagara at 10,000 yards
DD Yugure engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages DD Hatsushima at 10,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages DD Yukikaze at 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
Magazine explodes on CA Dorsetshire
CA Dorsetshire sunk by BB Fuso at 10,000 yards
Somerville, James F orders Allied TF to disengage
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages CL Nagara at 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Ariake at 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Hatsushima at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CA Exeter engages CL Nagara at 6,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages CA Exeter at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Exeter at 8,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Exeter at 8,000 yards
DD Yugure engages CA Exeter at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Ariake at 10,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
BB Ise engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
DD Ariake engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Yugure at 10,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Tokitsukaze at 10,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Exeter at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Exeter at 9,000 yards
CA Exeter sunk by DD Ariake at 9,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk... [&o]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 6 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 5 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Haruna


Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Manpower hits 3
Heavy Industry hits 1
Fires 3525
Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 20
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

BB Mutsu firing at Wenchow
BB Haruna firing at Wenchow

damn it, the IJN nukes Wenchow exactly the night after I've flown in some fighters to deal with the IJAAF... quite a nice result for the IJN considering there wasn't even a float plane for spotting...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Alor at 69,113

Japanese Ships
xAK Yasukawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-36

can't be we've sunk a ship...

xAK Yasukawa Maru is sighted by SS S-36
SS S-36 launches 2 torpedoes


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Alor at 69,113

Japanese Ships
xAK Yasukawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-41

skipper of S-41 fells victim to victory disease and also puts a torp into the already sunk for sure freighter... have to think about the patrol areas for my subs anyway as there shouldn't be two ending up in the same hex even if they are set to patrol... kind of like in "Das Boot" when they've met the other sub in the middle of the Atlantic...


SS S-41 launches 2 torpedoes


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Lae , at 99,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 43 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 19


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 4 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
13 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet

ouch, that didn't go as well as expected... thought our sweeps would do better but the Zeroes had the dive... 26.000ft beats 25.000ft... no hr, only common sense but as the Zeroes have been flying strato patrols since day one we will see this game ending up at 40.000ft too... can't use common sense and keep my fighters between 10.000 and 15.000ft when the enemy has come in at between 20.000ft and 30.000ft for months...

CAP engaged:
Chitose Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 7 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes
3rd Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Lae , at 99,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 21


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
20 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000 , scrambling fighters to 23360.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 85 minutes
3rd Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000 , scrambling fighters to 19360.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Lae , at 99,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 21


No Japanese losses

No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
21 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 26000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 3 minutes


mind you, all coming from Lae and sweeps being what they've always been... separated with not even the squadrons being able to fly as a whole... been ther since release, nothing new...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Bataan , at 78,77

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 70
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 50



Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 10 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 5 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
O-47A: 1 damaged
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground


Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 14
Runway hits 74

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on MLD , at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 18
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 78



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
421 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)


Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Lae at 99,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 5
SBD-2 Dauntless x 34


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Yamazuki Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kinai Maru, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Melbourne Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Yamakaze Maru
xAK Matumoto Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

looks like there were far more freighters than I've thought... with the P-39 sweeping first the bomber strike didn't meet anymore fighters... nothing more to expect during thunderstorms, too many hits for "no fly" weather anyway...


Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
11 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Matumoto Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Kinai Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Arawe at 102,126

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes


Allied aircraft
SBD-2 Dauntless x 2


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuyuki



Aircraft Attacking:
2 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Lae , at 99,126

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes


Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 9


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet
3 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet
3 x P-39D Airacobra sweeping at 25000 feet

[:D][:D][:D]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 67293 troops, 598 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 1910

Defending force 24359 troops, 110 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 607

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 1085

Allied adjusted defense: 769

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2378 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 219 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 18 disabled


Allied ground losses:
1992 casualties reported
Squads: 50 destroyed, 126 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 37 (1 destroyed, 36 disabled)


Assaulting units:
17th Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
39th Division
15th Division
116th Division
34th Division
61st Infantry Brigade
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
88th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/A Corps
28th Chinese/B Corps
100th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese/C Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Tjilatjap (51,102)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13089 troops, 120 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 444

Defending force 3460 troops, 21 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 75

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 375

Allied adjusted defense: 33

Japanese assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Tjilatjap !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
84 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
2701 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 133 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (18 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
33rd Division

Defending units:
5th Coastal Gun Battalion
Van Altena Battalion
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
Tjilitap Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1542 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Defending force 138 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 19

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 19 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment
Koepang Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 20911 troops, 310 guns, 189 vehicles, Assault Value = 853

Defending force 19028 troops, 167 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 647

Japanese ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
Port Moresby Brigade
17th MG Battalion
3rd Motor Brigade
2/1st Ind Coy
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
Sparrow Battalion
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
Lark Battalion
1st Australian Division
New Caledonia Det
6th RAN Base Force
148th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Regiment
114th USAAF Base Force
131st Field Artillery Battalion
Rabaul Det. Base Force
206th Coast AA Regiment
205th Coast AA Regiment
15th RAAF Base Force
Eastern Command
115th USAAF Base Force
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
144th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
146th Infantry Regiment
53rd Naval Guard Unit
20th Infantry Regiment
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit



this day saw the total defeat of the RN to four IJN CA... what a disaster... instead of not seeing the Japanese to take Ceylon for free, we see them taking Ceylon for free and taking out the whole RN in the theatre... thanks to the master piece of design desicion called amphib bonus by the way that made this operation possible to begin with... I know about all this, once more, only my fault...

nevertheless would I see a real life operation like this without any notable carrier support to be disastrous as I wouldn't expect a couple of IJN CA being enough to whipe out the RN in a way the game models it and losses to the IJN fleet would be imminent for sure IMO...

[castor troy]

no IJN float planes destroyed on the ground, makes me sure about the enemy CA not being sunk... means we lose 1 BB, 3 CA, 3 CL and 2 DD to 1 enemy DD. Wonderful result...

[kfsgo]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

no IJN float planes destroyed on the ground, makes me sure about the enemy CA not being sunk... means we lose 1 BB, 3 CA, 3 CL and 2 DD to 1 enemy DD. Wonderful result...

Revenge can do 21kts at best. The cruisers are all much faster - 32kts except Cornwall, which can do 31, and the Mogamis, which can do 33. You would have had a much better performance without the battleship in there - including it slowed everyone down, so you were fighting a 32kt fleet with a 21kt fleet. Depressing, but not surprising, mate.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: kfsgo

ORIGINAL: castor troy

no IJN float planes destroyed on the ground, makes me sure about the enemy CA not being sunk... means we lose 1 BB, 3 CA, 3 CL and 2 DD to 1 enemy DD. Wonderful result...

Revenge can do 21kts at best. The cruisers are all much faster - 32kts except Cornwall, which can do 31, and the Mogamis, which can do 33. You would have had a much better performance without the battleship in there - including it slowed everyone down, so you were fighting a 32kt fleet with a 21kt fleet. Depressing, but not surprising, mate.

no, just like it is never surprising when it's the other way around and the IJN wipes the floor with a slow, old BB and the Allied got only cruisers. Not surprising then to find a reason for the IJN winning. Funnily enough, we always find a reason why the IJN wins 4 out of 5 times, no matter how one sided the odds are. I'm sure we find reason why a single IJN DD wiped the floor with a US TF consisting 3 or 4 CA (30+ knot CAs!!!) that were coming along with halve a dozen DD. Result was 2 US CAs sunk and the single IJN DD unscratched. Yes, we always find a reason. And the funny thing would be that if I only would have used the cruisers someone would have told me to use a BB because of it's firepower and armor.

We even find a reason why later on (supposedly) radar controlled Allied gunnery hits nothing but water while IJN gunnery shoots the sh*t out of Allied TFs. I also know the reason, it's how the game works and has always worked and that's why I said it's just my own fault in sending in ships when I can perfectly guess what will happen. Bet on the IJN and you will win 80% of your bets.

[kfsgo]

Sorry, that doesn't gel with my experiences at all. I can see that there may well be issues with single-ship or very small taskforces. That's not a "Japanese" problem - the other day I had a pair of American destroyers fight two Japanese cruisers and three destroyers to a stop in broad daylight, and it wasn't the first time I've seen similar performance out of them - I was banking on it, in fact. However, the performance of slow taskforces against fast taskforces is completely independent of any such issues - you just cannot reliably expect good results from that sort of setup. Maybe in daylight, if you're lucky, so as to keep the range open, but not at night - and of course the majority of battles seem to occur at night. You can get as angry as you want about it, but you have to work with what you're given, in the end, and what you're given is a system where the speed of a taskforce - as a whole - is an important factor in its ability to fight effectively. You'll get the occasional good result trying to fight fast units with slow units, but mostly you'll get bad results. Slower ships are easier to hit, have a harder time dodging torpedoes, seem to have a harder time returning fire...

Considering that the other force had four battleships - all of which are still faster than the Rs, at 25kts versus 21 - I'm not sure things would have been much better if you'd met them, anyway. Hell, a cruiser force would probably have been better off - at least it could withdraw.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: kfsgo

Sorry, that doesn't gel with my experiences at all. I can see that there may well be issues with single-ship or very small taskforces. That's not a "Japanese" problem - the other day I had a pair of American destroyers fight two Japanese cruisers and three destroyers to a stop in broad daylight, and it wasn't the first time I've seen similar performance out of them - I was banking on it, in fact. However, the performance of slow taskforces against fast taskforces is completely independent of any such issues - you just cannot reliably expect good results from that sort of setup. Maybe in daylight, if you're lucky, so as to keep the range open, but not at night - and of course the majority of battles seem to occur at night. You can get as angry as you want about it, but you have to work with what you're given, in the end, and what you're given is a system where the speed of a taskforce - as a whole - is an important factor in its ability to fight effectively. You'll get the occasional good result trying to fight fast units with slow units, but mostly you'll get bad results. Slower ships are easier to hit, have a harder time dodging torpedoes, seem to have a harder time returning fire...

Considering that the other force had four battleships - all of which are still faster than the Rs, at 25kts versus 21 - I'm not sure things would have been much better if you'd met them, anyway. Hell, a cruiser force would probably have been better off - at least it could withdraw.

yeah, as probably as my 30+ knot cruisers withdrew from the 25 knot IJN BB? If you go and read the majority of AARs, I have again to wonder if the Allied players are too stupid, have overall worse ships (how comes when they mostly get top notch modern ships) and we still see all those major IJN victories.

I am not disagreeing when you say I have to work with what I get, that's why I say I know how the game works, I know how it turns out and this is exactly why I say it's my fault to even use my ships. Out of the same reason I only expect USN torp bombers to overall score only 20% hits compared to their IJN counterparts, for what reason that ever is (it's not skill).

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 02, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Koggala at 28,50, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 3
CL Nagara
DD Yugumo
DD Yukikaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Nenohi
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba
DD Yugure, Shell hits 1
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 1
CL Glasgow, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Napier, Shell hits 1

the IJN BB manage to move faster than us and they kill the next light cruiser...


Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Enterprise at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yukikaze at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
BB Ise engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yugure at 11,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
BB Ise engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Napier at 12,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Enterprise at 12,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
DD Ariake engages DD Napier at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Nenohi at 12,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CL Enterprise at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Ariake at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Hatsushima at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Nenohi at 12,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
BB Ise engages CL Glasgow at 12,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yugure at 12,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Napier at 12,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Napier at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Enterprise at 11,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
BB Fuso engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CL Glasgow at 11,000 yards
DD Yugure engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Nenohi at 11,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CL Glasgow at 9,000 yards
BB Ise engages CL Glasgow at 9,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Napier at 9,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CL Glasgow at 9,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Wakaba at 9,000 yards
DD Nenohi engages DD Napier at 9,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages DD Napier at 9,000 yards
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Colombo at 26,49, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CL Nagara
DD Yugumo
DD Yukikaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Nenohi
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
DD Napier, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

of course they also manage to sink a nearly undamaged, agile destroyer... speed? yeah... the all killing Uranami killed two of my modern heavy cruisers in such an engagement and those cruisers move 10 knots faster than those really fast IJN BB... leaves me with exactly ONE British CL being left of what I've sent in... we killed an enemy DD... yeah, that is something I call perfectly realistic and it was still my fault for even thinking about sending in some ships...

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Nenohi engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yugumo at 11,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Napier at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
DD Nenohi engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Tokitsukaze at 11,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Napier at 11,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yukikaze at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages DD Napier at 10,000 yards
DD Napier engages DD Yugumo at 10,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages DD Napier at 10,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages DD Napier at 10,000 yards
DD Napier sunk by BB Hyuga at 10,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Horn Island at 93,130, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CL Naka
CL Tatsuta
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
DD Murasame
DD Oboro
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
xAKL Prominent, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
xAKL Soerabaja, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
xAKL Parigi, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAKL Schouten, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

we have spotted this cruiser TF and the freighters weren't fast enough to move ONE hex South while the incoming cruisers were moving three hexes to get into this hex... lol once more... result is crystal clear... trying to prove some more about the surface combats I've got around a dozen CA/CL and a BB TF in the area trying to engage this TF, just to wait for another one sided engagement...


Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
CL Naka engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
CL Naka engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
DD Minegumo engages xAKL Prominent at 11,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages xAKL Soerabaja at 9,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Prominent at 9,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Prominent at 9,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages xAKL Soerabaja at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
Massive explosion on xAKL Prominent
xAKL Prominent sunk by CA Kinugasa at 7,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Soerabaja at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Natsugumo engages xAKL Parigi at 8,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
CL Naka engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
CA Aoba engages xAKL Schouten at 8,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
DD Oboro engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Parigi at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Parigi at 9,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages xAKL Schouten at 9,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAKL Schouten at 9,000 yards
DD Minegumo engages xAKL Schouten at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
Massive explosion on xAKL Schouten
DD Murasame engages xAKL Schouten at 11,000 yards
CA Aoba engages xAKL Schouten at 11,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages xAKL Schouten at 11,000 yards
CL Naka engages xAKL Schouten at 11,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
DD Uzuki engages xAKL Schouten at 11,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAKL Soerabaja at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Schouten at 8,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAKL Parigi at 8,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
CL Naka engages xAKL Schouten at 8,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAKL Schouten at 8,000 yards
xAKL Schouten sunk by DD Murasame at 8,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAKL Parigi at 8,000 yards
xAKL Parigi sunk by CA Aoba at 8,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAKL Soerabaja at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
xAKL Soerabaja sunk by CA Kinugasa at 9,000 yards
xAKL Soerabaja sunk by CA Kinugasa at 9,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lubang at 78,78, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
AG Canopus



Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Allied Support TF evades combat


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Bataan at 77,77, Range 16,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Nadakaze
APD Aoi
APD Fuji
APD Tade

Allied Ships
xAK Florence D., Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage



Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
APD Aoi engages xAK Florence D. at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
APD Aoi engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
APD Nadakaze engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 11,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
Range increases to 16,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 16,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
APD Tade engages xAK Florence D. at 11,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
APD Nadakaze engages xAK Florence D. at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
APD Fuji engages xAK Florence D. at 17,000 yards
APD Aoi engages xAK Florence D. at 17,000 yards
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila Bay Defenses , at 78,77 (Bataan)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 67
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 50



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 14 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 8 damaged


Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
24 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
15 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion, at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 7
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 79



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged


Allied ground losses:
101 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
18 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Tjilatjap KNIL Battalion ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Commandement Marine ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion, at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 6 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 9



No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 65829 troops, 597 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 1745

Defending force 23092 troops, 109 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 506

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 959

Allied adjusted defense: 820

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2653 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 331 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
1270 casualties reported
Squads: 46 destroyed, 54 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 14 (1 destroyed, 13 disabled)


Assaulting units:
39th Division
15th Division
17th Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
116th Division
34th Division
61st Infantry Brigade
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1551 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 53

Defending force 30 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 39

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 39 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)



Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 21920 troops, 371 guns, 283 vehicles, Assault Value = 912

Defending force 19027 troops, 167 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 649

Japanese ground losses:
74 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Assaulting units:
17th MG Battalion
2/1st Ind Coy
30th Australian Brigade
Sparrow Battalion
3rd Motor Brigade
1st Australian Division
22nd Motor Battalion
Lark Battalion
Port Moresby Brigade
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
New Caledonia Det
115th USAAF Base Force
Eastern Command
131st Field Artillery Battalion
205th Coast AA Regiment
15th RAAF Base Force
6th RAN Base Force
114th USAAF Base Force
Rabaul Det. Base Force
206th Coast AA Regiment
21/22 Field Regiment
148th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Regiment
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
53rd Naval Guard Unit
144th Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
146th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit



this is where the enemy TF ends up, tried to get another of my convoys around PH... guess what, of course my 54 divebombers at PM did not fly, reason unknown, probably because it wouldn't be worth to attack an enemy cruiser squadron sitting one hex off the coast... being able to kill all the RN and USN and not being attacked by bombers 45 miles away it's a field day for the IJ player...

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 03, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Port Moresby at 97,131

Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
CL Tatsuta
CL Naka
DD Yuzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Uzuki
DD Minegumo
DD Natsugumo
DD Oboro
DD Murasame

Allied Ships
SS Gudgeon



SS Gudgeon is sighted by escort
Gudgeon diving deep ....
DD Oboro fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Murasame fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Murasame fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Murasame attacking submerged sub ....
DD Murasame fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Murasame fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 97,131, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CL Naka
CL Tatsuta
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
DD Murasame
DD Oboro
DD Uzuki
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
AM Lithgow, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Yunnan, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
xAK Aldinga, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

lol, the enemy again moved in faster than the freighters moved out while my cruisers were not able to catch the enemy while retreating South and going to Rabaul afterwards... at times I really wonder how movement is calculated and if it's side one to move and then side two to move or if both sides really move simultanously...


Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
Goto, Aritomo crosses the 'T'
CA Kinugasa engages AM Lithgow at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages xAK Aldinga at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages xAK Yunnan at 11,000 yards
CL Naka engages AM Lithgow at 11,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAK Aldinga at 11,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAK Aldinga at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages AM Lithgow at 11,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages xAK Aldinga at 11,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAK Yunnan at 11,000 yards
CL Naka engages AM Lithgow at 11,000 yards
DD Oboro engages xAK Aldinga at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages AM Lithgow at 8,000 yards
CA Aoba engages AM Lithgow at 8,000 yards
CL Tatsuta engages AM Lithgow at 8,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAK Yunnan at 8,000 yards
xAK Aldinga sunk by DD Asagumo at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CA Kinugasa engages AM Lithgow at 6,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAK Yunnan at 6,000 yards
CL Naka engages AM Lithgow at 6,000 yards
DD Oboro engages AM Lithgow at 6,000 yards
DD Murasame engages xAK Yunnan at 6,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAK Yunnan at 6,000 yards
DD Minegumo engages xAK Yunnan at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
AM Lithgow sunk by CA Kinugasa at 7,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages xAK Yunnan at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Oboro engages xAK Yunnan at 8,000 yards
DD Yuzuki engages xAK Yunnan at 8,000 yards
DD Asagumo engages xAK Yunnan at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
xAK Yunnan sunk by CA Kinugasa at 9,000 yards
xAK Yunnan sunk by CA Kinugasa at 9,000 yards
Combat ends with last Allied ship sunk...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Port Moresby at 98,130

Japanese Ships
SS RO-66, hits 4

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CA Pensacola
CA Chester
CL Trenton
DD Benham
DD Jupiter
DD Isis
DD Express

now the first of my cruiser squadron arrives...


SS RO-66 is sighted by escort
DD Jupiter fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Isis fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Express fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Express attacking submerged sub ....
DD Express fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Express attacking submerged sub ....
DD Express attacking submerged sub ....
DD Express cannot establish contact with SS RO-66
DD Express fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila Bay Defenses , at 78,77 (Bataan)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 69
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 24
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 50



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 16 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 10 damaged


Allied ground losses:
77 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
19 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
24 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
8 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on MLD , at 56,104 (Soerabaja)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

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

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 17
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 81



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 2 damaged


Allied ground losses:
284 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled


Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
17 x Ki-21-Ic Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
21 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
21 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking MLD ...
Also attacking Artilleriecommando Coastal Gun Battalion ...
Also attacking Soerabaja Base Force ...
Also attacking MLD ...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 50,99



Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 47


Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Yuri Maru
xAK Yamahuzi Maru
xAK Nansin Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Toei Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Havre Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Boston Maru
xAK Nitiryu Maru
xAK Kurogane Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Otori Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAKL Sakae Maru
xAK Rasin Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires


the only chance to get most of your bombers to attack and more or less all to find the target arriving in one big strike seems to be when the enemy is sitting in a base hex, I have yet to see something like this when the enemy is not sitting in a base hex... amazingly enough the enemy has no Cap for his freighters here, well knowing my Dutch bombers are flying nav strikes if they get the chance to do so... a couple of the bombers score some hits, probably accounting for two or three ships sunk... as it stands now I'm getting more out of my Dutch bombers than I've expected and I can only wonder why mortar hasn't attacked Malang yet where all those bombers happily sit on their airfield day after day...

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
1 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
9 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
8 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 50,99

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes


Allied aircraft
139WH-3 x 39


Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Kiyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAKL Sakae Maru
xAK Zuisyo Maru
xAK Hokuzyu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nitiryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Hague Maru
xAK Yuri Maru
xAK Kusuyama Maru

we even fly in the afternoon to score some more hits... there will never be a shortage of xAK but I would still not like to lose them as it is absolutely unnecessary...


Aircraft Attacking:
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
5 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
7 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
6 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
8 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
2 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet *
Naval Attack: 1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Wenchow (89,58)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 63824 troops, 595 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 1517

Defending force 22102 troops, 108 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 455

Japanese adjusted assault: 1484 [:@]

Allied adjusted defense: 742 [:@]

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Wenchow !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
3505 casualties reported
Squads: 64 destroyed, 177 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 50 disabled


Allied ground losses:
6651 casualties reported
Squads: 314 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 181 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 70 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 35 (34 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5


oh how lovely... multiply our adjusted av of 742 by 2 and what do you get? You exactly get the adjusted av of 1484 the attacker needs to score the needed 2:1... boy oh boy... can't complain about the overall result here, the Chinese did very well, mostly because of the way mortar attacked which means unnecessary losses for him here too...

Assaulting units:
34th Division
61st Infantry Brigade
15th Division
116th Division
17th Division
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
39th Division
8th Armored Car Co

Defending units:
88th Chinese Corps
28th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
25th Group Army
14th Chinese Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 70,116 (near Koepang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1561 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55

Defending force 30 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 21

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 21 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)


Allied ground losses:
33 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
Kure 2nd SNLF

Defending units:
Dili Detachment


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 22023 troops, 371 guns, 289 vehicles, Assault Value = 918

Defending force 19009 troops, 166 guns, 96 vehicles, Assault Value = 649

Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Assaulting units:
5th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
Sparrow Battalion
3rd Motor Brigade
17th MG Battalion
Lark Battalion
30th Australian Brigade
22nd Motor Battalion
1st Australian Division
6th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
2/1st Ind Coy
Port Moresby Brigade
New Caledonia Det
15th RAAF Base Force
131st Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Regiment
205th Coast AA Regiment
21/22 Field Regiment
206th Coast AA Regiment
115th USAAF Base Force
114th USAAF Base Force
1st Medium Regiment
Eastern Command
148th Field Artillery Battalion
Rabaul Det. Base Force
6th RAN Base Force
21st NZ Pioneer Coy

Defending units:
53rd Naval Guard Unit
24th Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
144th Infantry Regiment
146th Infantry Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
61st Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit

[Miller]

Hi Chris.

I take my hat off to you for playing such an aggressive game early in the war as the Allies, and it has paid off to a degree, especially on the ground. However, you know there will be a price to pay for doing so. The IJN surface ships are pretty much unbeatable for the first six months or so, and as kfsgo said, slow BBs are simply torpedo magnets. That Uranami result from a few days back was pretty hard to take though..........

[kfsgo]

ORIGINAL: castor troy

yeah, as probably as my 30+ knot cruisers withdrew from the 25 knot IJN BB? If you go and read the majority of AARs, I have again to wonder if the Allied players are too stupid, have overall worse ships (how comes when they mostly get top notch modern ships) and we still see all those major IJN victories.

Right, but looking at the combat log:

Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 100% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Tanaka, Raizo crosses the 'T'
CA Exeter engages BB Hyuga at 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages CL Nagara at 10,000 yards
DD Yugure engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages DD Hatsushima at 10,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CA Dorsetshire engages DD Yukikaze at 10,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
CL Nagara engages CA Dorsetshire at 10,000 yards
Magazine explodes on CA Dorsetshire
CA Dorsetshire sunk by BB Fuso at 10,000 yards
Somerville, James F orders Allied TF to disengage
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages CL Nagara at 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Ariake at 7,000 yards
CA Exeter engages DD Hatsushima at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
CA Exeter engages CL Nagara at 6,000 yards
DD Yukikaze engages CA Exeter at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards

What you've got is one cruiser being whacked by (I assume, given four hits to sink) a couple of heavy shells, only after which does Exeter bug out - just too late to avoid being damaged and slowed in doing so. You basically got unlucky there - visibility a little worse, or shooting a little worse on the part of the Japanese, and it'd have made it out.

I am not disagreeing when you say I have to work with what I get, that's why I say I know how the game works, I know how it turns out and this is exactly why I say it's my fault to even use my ships.

Well, of course they're going to underperform if put into a situation where they're fighting with one hand tied behind their backs - which, not to be rude, is basically what you arranged for them to have to do, without even touching on the firepower disparity.

Out of the same reason I only expect USN torp bombers to overall score only 20% hits compared to their IJN counterparts, for what reason that ever is (it's not skill).

This appears (without having run enough tests to be definite about it) to be a factor of range - the only relevant differences between the USN Mk. 13 and the IJN Type 91 are accuracy (33 vs 43) and range (6000yds vs 2000yds). "Practice" versions of each weapon (ie, altered so there's no duds and with effect and penetration set to a minimal value to ensure they don't actually damage what they're shooting at) seem to return a hit rate for the T91 of about 3-4 times the Mk. 13's; running a modified Mk. 13 with 2000yd range against the T91 seems to deliver approximately similar results. As I say, that's not off enough runs through to be statistically meaningful, but on the face of it it seems sensible - after all, if they're dropping from a longer range they're going to hit less. I will try to conjure up enough time in the next couple of days to run a more thorough test and see if I can 'confirm' it.

[castor troy]

yeah guys, I have been playing WITP and AE for more than seven years now, means literally thousands of hours PBEM (crazy enough) with 2/3 or more of the time as the Japanese and believe me, I don't do it much different than I do it as the Allied and won so many, uncountable naval engagements that it just can't be true to do it wrong on one side, being right on the other side. Both forums are literally full of decisive IJN naval victories you may want to ask where they are all coming from. There is a very good reason why I've been saying for years "don't engage the IJN with your ships at all if you don't have to". I'm obviously crazy enough not to listen to my own advice just because I seem not to believe it at times or for action in my games. Then I have to find out again that you can beat the IJN only with every fourth of fifth try and all the other times an equal or a little inferior IJN force wipes the floor with the Allied no matter when, while the IJN should be wiped off the map as soon as 43 turns around and most of the Allied ships are firing radar controlled only. When does this happen? Never. Not in WITP, not in AE. I say it is good for the game, nevertheless is it purely frustrating and plain wrong.

Neither was I expecting to take out the IJN at Koggala (referring to what I was saying in the cr) but not doing any damage at all to end up with all but a single CL being sunk is nearly as crazy as seeing a single IJN DD taking out two cruisers on his own to get away unharmed. Yes, there are crazy things happening in war, but heck, the crazy super hero results are so clearly happening on the IJN side when it comes down to naval engagements it's not the Allied players being dorks, especially not when they wipe the floor with the enemy as soon as they get their hands on Japanese ships. For a real life instance in late 42 I referre to BB Washington, guess I don't have to further explain something as we all know that battle. Now go try and do that in WITP or AE and you will get to hear "but don't you know the IJN got far better exp in night engagements, it's not unexpected to see Kirishima sinking Washington easily". It's just too onesided guys. This doesn't mean it can't happen in AE though, all sort of things can happen, the question is only how often. Having my ships sunk is one thing, the enemy having three times more rounds fired and getting a mutliple number of hits more than the British in my example, sorry, that has no real background to justify it. And once more, I know how it turns out most of the times so I should only complain about myself not listening to my own advice. The second engagement against my two undamaged cruisers is the perfect example for why I don't give much on the advice I should not have used my BB as those two CA were more than agile and were so easily taken out as nearly each and every round fired by the IJN was a hit. How comes? Are they firing radar controlled, are their sailors super heroes and the RN ones are silly kids? I tell you why, it all comes down to experience in the game as experience trumps and that's why an IJN ship is worth three Allied ships in 41 as well as in 45 because you will never get Allied ships up to those exp levels. The only way to do that would be nav engagements with the enemy but that also means dying at the low exp levels you are. And saying this after losing my highest night experienced ships on the map against even higher exp IJN ships.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Hi Chris.

I take my hat off to you for playing such an aggressive game early in the war as the Allies, and it has paid off to a degree, especially on the ground. However, you know there will be a price to pay for doing so. The IJN surface ships are pretty much unbeatable for the first six months or so, and as kfsgo said, slow BBs are simply torpedo magnets. That Uranami result from a few days back was pretty hard to take though..........

hey mate

actually I don't think I'm agressive at all, my (failed) move with the RN was the only real agressive move so far I guess and only because mortar moved a little too far for my taste now. As to the ground war, it's also not me being really agressive, it's really more like mortar having done quite pityful advances on my positions at Singapore and Clark Field as well for which he had to pay for. But then I had to pay for my silly move against Koggala too.