NFC East Showdown: Cribtop (J) vs NY59Giants (A) - Between the Storms

[John 3rd]

SECOND THAT!

[Cribtop]

The First Turn is away! Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

I did a few aggressive things, a few less aggressive things, and generally marveled at the new IJN toys. This will be a tough match, very much looking forward to it.

Thanks to John, Michael, Symon, Kitakami and the rest of the Between the Storms team for the hard work on this game.

Coming soon... the view of December 7th from Naval Ministry Headquarters. Hopefully the opening edition of many first person accounts.

One more thank you. I have to say to Obvert that I find myself posting lately just so I can stare at my cool Kongo fanboy art. Thanks again!

[John 3rd]

It is a beautiful piece of work. Well done Obvert!

Cribtop: Make sure you run the new toys through for players to look at and enjoy. They need to know what the Japanese have available. I know Michael will do the same for the Allies.

[Cribtop]

Will do, John!

[Cribtop]

Just watched the replay, pretty darn interesting. Update shortly but here are the highlights:

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Sub attack near Pearl Harbor at 180,104

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryukaku, Torpedo hits 1
DD Teruzuki
DD Tanikaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
SS Plunger

SS Plunger launches 4 torpedoes at CVL Ryukaku
DD Tanikaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tanikaze cannot establish contact with SS Plunger
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Urakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tanikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Hamakaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Urakaze fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Tanikaze attacking submerged sub ....
DD Tanikaze is out of ASW ammo
DD Tanikaze is out of ASW ammo
DD Tanikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Tanikaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 88
B5N2 Kate x 123
B5N2-C Kate x 3
D3A1 Val x 102

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 14 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 7 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 43 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 30 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 2 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 71 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 8 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 58 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 2 destroyed on ground
P-36A Mohawk: 29 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 29 damaged
SBD-1 Dauntless: 1 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 22 damaged
A-20A Havoc: 3 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 10 damaged
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
SNJ-3 Texan: 2 damaged
C-33: 2 damaged
R3D-2: 2 damaged
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Oklahoma, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB California, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 5, heavy damage
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1
ARD YFD-2, Torpedo hits 1
DD Blue, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Anchorage, Torpedo hits 1
DMS Wasmuth, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Minneapolis, Torpedo hits 1
BB Nevada, Torpedo hits 2
DD MacDonough, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

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

Airbase hits 26
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 58
Port hits 22
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 63
G3M2 Nell x 54
G4M1 Betty x 108

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AM Tanager, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS S-38, Bomb hits 1
SS Searaven, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AV Ely, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
SS S-41, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
SS Skipjack, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
SS Snapper, Bomb hits 1
SS Saury, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AO Trinity, Bomb hits 1
SS Sailfish, Bomb hits 2
xAK American Leader, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AM Bittern, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
AM Finch, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
YO-42, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Ethel Edwards, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AM Whippoorwill, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
xAK Tantalus, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Si Kiang, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS Sculpin, Bomb hits 2
PG Tulsa, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAKL Sagoland, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAP Rochambeau, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS S-37, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AS Canopus, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
SS Spearfish, Bomb hits 1
AVD Childs, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Sargo, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
PG Asheville, Bomb hits 1
PG Isabel, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AS Otus, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
SS Seadragon, Bomb hits 2
TK Gertrude Kellogg, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
SS Seal, Bomb hits 1
TK Hai Kwang, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Seawolf, Bomb hits 1
PT Q-113, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Neptuna, Bomb hits 1
ACM Colonel Harrison, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Repair Shipyard hits 3
Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Manila , at 79,77

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
B5N2 Kate x 53
B5N2-C Kate x 3
D3A1 Val x 45

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
SS Seadragon, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
SS Saury, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS S-37, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
SS Skipjack, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
YO-41, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS Seawolf, Bomb hits 1
SS Sealion, Bomb hits 2
SS Sturgeon, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
xAKL Dona Nati, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Tantalus, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PT-35, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS Sailfish, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
SS S-38, Bomb hits 1
xAP Rochambeau, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
SS Sargo, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
ARD YFD-1 Dewey, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SS Seal, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
SS S-41, and is sunk

Repair Shipyard hits 1
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1

[Cribtop]

A few comments:

1) CVL Ryukaku was a major brown pants moment. I didn't know there were Allied subs at sea near Pearl on 12/7 so I took no measures to stop it. Damage is 11/24/0/0 and speed is 24 knots. She should be allright if I can get her clear.

2) Pretty darn good strikes I thought. Never seen so many torps in a Pearl Harbor attack. Also seemed like a lot of planes shredded on the ground.

3) No death ride by Force Z, I had the CVLs waiting for them if they had.

4) The hits on the CAs and CLs at Pearl don't look like much but the bombs were all 800kgs and they often were reported as critical damage. They should be out of action a while.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

CVL Ryukaku, Torpedo hits 1
DD Teruzuki
DD Tanikaze
DD Hamakaze
DD Urakaze

Allied Ships
SS Plunger

SS Plunger launches 4 torpedoes at CVL Ryukaku

Bad luck there! But you will have to tell us what a Ryukaku is![:(]

Lots of torpedo hits at Pearl...are they less effective than in stock?

[Cribtop]

The mod presumes that Japan built Ryujo and didn't like it, then locked in on a Zuiho CVL. There are 6 CVLs at mod start with Zeros and Kates. Nice little increase in combat power for KB. Currently I have Akagi, Amagi, Shokaku, Zuikaku and 2 CVLs at Pearl. Hiryu, Soryu and another CVL are near Manila, 3 CVLs covering the upcoming Malaya invasions.

PS Amagi is Akagi's planned sister ship and replaces Kaga. I think Amagi was the ship destroyed in the yards during an earthquake IRL. Her addition and the dropping of Kaga make all KB CVs 30kts plus.

[Cribtop]

Full AAR entries are coming soon, still working through the first bestial turns.

In the meantime, a question on stacking limits: I can see the SLs in bases, but how can you tell in non-base hexes? Is there a hotkey to show SLs?

[JocMeister]

Thats a pretty brutal first turn for Michael to deal with! [X(]

Regardning SL: Press the hex and the SL will be displayed in the middle of the top brown bar.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Thats a pretty brutal first turn for Michael to deal with! [X(]

Regardning SL: Press the hex and the SL will be displayed in the middle of the top brown bar.

Shows up on the far right on mine and is partially covered by the buttons there.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Thats a pretty brutal first turn for Michael to deal with! [X(]

Regardning SL: Press the hex and the SL will be displayed in the middle of the top brown bar.

Shows up on the far right on mine and is partially covered by the buttons there.

I am playing stock and text/button conflicts appeared after I changed the screen resolution setting. Not sure Michael can program for every
possible screen resolution.

[Cribtop]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Thats a pretty brutal first turn for Michael to deal with! [X(]

Regardning SL: Press the hex and the SL will be displayed in the middle of the top brown bar.

Yeah, the House Rules allowed multiple port strikes so long as CV air participated. That plus the extra CVLs in the mod led to a rough day for Manila as over 150 LBA plus KB-3 hit.

The Pearl strike was decent too, obviously irritated at the sub torp, but probably sank 2-3 BBs, rest are a mess, and even got those CAs and CLs out of the war for a while.

I will soon post a screenie with the plan for the DEI. Doing things a little differently this time to minimize risk from the extra Allied ships and planes and in an effort to isolate areas for later disposal.

[JocMeister]

Lots of TT hits on those old BBs! But I think Micheal will miss the CAs and CLs more then the BBs. God those BBs eat fuel! [X(]

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop


Yeah, the House Rules allowed multiple port strikes so long as CV air participated. That plus the extra CVLs in the mod led to a rough day for Manila as over 150 LBA plus KB-3 hit.

A very, very good reason for AFBs to be very, very wary in agreeing to such a lopsided house rule in this scenario.

[Cribtop]

November 30, 1941
1040 Hours
Offices of the Naval Ministry
Tokyo, Japan

Lieutenant Commander Konai Jisaburo sat in the spacious waiting room of the Imperial Naval Minister, accompanied in tedium by two other staff officers of similar age and rank. The three had been summoned from Combined Fleet Headquarters in Kure and ordered to appear before the Minister as soon as possible. Although the men had introduced themselves and speculated as to the purpose of their mutual errand upon arrival, they were too intimidated by the power of their host to engage in much small talk.

Seated to Jisaburo’s left was Commander Toyoda Kenji, second son of an influential family from Nagoya. Toyoda was polite in the manner of a man used to the prominence of his place in the world. Proper, but somewhat dismissive of interaction with those he considered beneath his station. To the right was Lt. Commander Mori Yamashita. At 27, Mori was a bit younger than his companions, both in their early 30s. A native of Hokkaido, he was shy and somewhat lacking in social graces, but recognized as a brilliant mind and seen as either an up and comer or an upstart, depending on the perspective of the observer.

After a short wait, the men were brought before the Minister, who gracefully requested that his servants provide them with tea before getting down to business.

Yamamoto Isoroku was an odd choice for Naval Minister. Known for his contrarian views and preference to avoid war with the West, it was rumored that his appointment was engineered by Prince Kanoe to provide another anti-war voice in the Cabinet. With Tojo Hideki’s recent ascension to Prime Minister, most Naval personnel assumed that Yamamoto would be replaced, but so far he remained. More outlandish tales even hinted that the Minister was once again a target for assassination by the Army, as he had been several years earlier upon assuming the post. Whatever the truth of Yamamoto’s peaceful intentions, he had engaged in an expensive crash program to prepare the Imperial Navy for war since the late 1930’s. Perhaps he kept his job and his head because, in the Army’s estimation, what he did varied sufficiently from what he said to keep him just barely in their good graces. Speculation aside, the Minister was Jisaburo’s boss, for now.

“Gentlemen, you are each about to receive special assignments. Normally your written orders would suffice, but in this case I wanted to personally give you a more detailed understanding of your task. Each of you was chosen because you are seen by your superiors at Combined Fleet as intelligent, strategically sound and, perhaps more importantly, as thoroughly loyal.” Yamamoto paused as if to let that last phrase settle into the officers’ minds.

“What I tell you now is so secret that, frankly, you do not have the clearance to hear it. Nonetheless, given that you will be in transit within four hours, I deem the risk necessary and acceptable.”

All three of the younger men stirred a bit in their chairs as they internally speculated on overseas deployment, but none of them said a word.

“In brief, within a week or so, Japan will be at war with the Western Powers. Each of you will travel by air to the frontline naval headquarters of the sectors I believe will be most vital to the Imperial war effort. Toyoda, you will report to Southern Fleet at Saigon. Mori will travel with you before continuing on to Bangkok. Konai, you will take a different path to Saipan and Truk.”
Jisaburo wondered briefly how the capital of supposedly neutral Thailand would host a major part of the Imperial Navy’s war effort, but decided that Yamamoto must have his reasons.

Yamamoto continued. “Each of you will be my liaison officer in the Indian Ocean, Southern Resource Area and South Pacific, respectively. Your job is to cut through the fog of war and bureaucratic dissembling that is inevitable in any conflict. I need you three to be my eyes and ears at the edge of the sword – I want the unmodified truth as you see it. You will each use a unique cipher created for your correspondence to me. No one but the four of us and a single trusted staff officer here at the Ministry will be able to read it. Tell me whatever you think I really need to hear.”

The short and bizarre conference concluded, Yamamoto directed the unlikely triumvirate to depart for Yokosuka immediately. Large naval floatplanes would begin the long journey to the far outposts of the Empire before sunset.

November 30, 1941
Home of Takedo Natsumi, formerly Konai Natsumi
Tokyo
1830 Hours

“Beloved, it is good to see you. Your new uniform becomes you,” said Takedo Natsumi. While it was true she admired her husband’s new clothing, she dreaded that his sudden promotion to Major meant that war was coming soon despite the recent peace conferences.

“Thank you, dearest,” said Major Takedo Masato. He was quite happy to mentally refer to himself as a Major, a hard won promotion in the crowded and competitive world of the Army Ministry.

Gesturing toward an open bottle of Saki with two empty glasses in attendance, Takedo raised an eyebrow in question. “Did we have visitors today?”

“Indeed, Masato,” replied his wife. “My brother stopped by unexpectedly and I wished him a safe journey.”

“Journey?”

“Yes, it was all very sudden. He only had a few moments before leaving for a plane in the harbor.”

Takedo’s tone changed subtly. “Where was he bound?”

“He wouldn’t say, but he did mention the orders came from Minister Yamamoto himself. I got the sense Jisaburo was proud of his assignment, but I fear it is another sign that the clouds of war are gathering around Japan.”

“How very encouraging for your brother’s career. Now, what shall we have for dinner?” Takedo’s mundane words were not reflected in his calculating dark eyes.

Two hours later, a few quiet phone conversations with a Kempetai contact confirmed that two of the Imperial Navy’s biggest floatplanes had departed Yokosuka on unscheduled flights, one bound toward Kure and the other to Chichi Jima, well to the South. Yamamoto was up to something, and right on the brink of the Abyss. Takedo would have to let his superiors in the Army know. After all, what was the point of being the Prime Minister’s distant cousin if you couldn’t curry favor by spying on the Navy for him?

[Cribtop]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Cribtop


Yeah, the House Rules allowed multiple port strikes so long as CV air participated. That plus the extra CVLs in the mod led to a rough day for Manila as over 150 LBA plus KB-3 hit.

A very, very good reason for AFBs to be very, very wary in agreeing to such a lopsided house rule in this scenario.

Honestly, I thought it was rather tough on the Allies myself, but it was proposed by Michael. Can't blame me for accepting it, eh? [;)]

With all the damage at Manila I suspect the Thundering Herd will be more of a horsie here and a horsie there. We'll see I suppose.

[HansBolter]

Yeppers.

The greater number of flattops, even if they are tiny ones, offer many more permutations of combinations on carrier and LBA for those first turn strikes.

[Cribtop]

True, I even considered a combo strike on Singapore but thought it wouldn't be cricket. Also, not revealing those CVLs was part of "THE PLAN."

[Cribtop]

A word on the first person accounts before the first official AAR post. Due to time constraints, I probably can't do them as often as in the past. However, I wanted to have a mechanism to continue the tradition for the really big events, so to speak. While it is unlikely the last posting will be the cheers of victory in Tokyo like last game, it will be interesting to follow things to the bitter end this time around. Plus, you never know for sure, right? I may just pull another rabbit out of the hat for the Sons of Nippon.