Rising Sun, Falling Skies: BTSL Bigred vs John 3rd

[bigred]

As Paul will attest, in the greater scheme of things, it isn't much but it IS something! Over my 18+ years of playing, I have sunk several Essex but never by sub. Very nice.

Nice to see some Japanese sub-action. Back in the day, I had a sub (I think it was the I-158) that took out an American DD on convoy escort to Hawaii. Images in my head of a flinty-eyed Japanese captain firing his tubes down the throat of a fast-charging destroyer flitted about in my mind as I read the report. I was a happy camper as I puttered about work that day.

I just finished catching myself up on this AAR today. I retired last year and since my last games with Roger and Joe, we moved to Reno, where my wife and I are having a blast. Thanks to you and Bigred for sharing your game - it almost gives me that itch to fish for another dance partner <laughter>.

Thank you DW for your kind comments. As to the future of this game from allied view I am down 25 APA and 120 xAP sunk. John has done a good job. We both have made mistakes. I am worried concerned about end game VPs and have a problem getting my divisions into forward positions to help take more VP. Going is slow which allows John to get ready.

[John 3rd]

I concur with Paul. Thanks for the comments. Appreciate a new reader.

[bigred]

44-5-7:
3Rd, 4th, and 15th Indian corps are progressing south and east of Pegu. Objective is to destroy the main Jap LOD.
Indian Special Service Corp/Div has just finished taking Pt. Blair.
Indian 33th Corp just has activated control of the Sabang invasion.

In NW AUS the USA 27th div plus 3 AUS brigades and some armor push on to Darwin.
!st AUS corp with the 6/6 (AUS 6th div and USA 6th div) advance on Lunga via Tassifaronga.
Stalled at midway

Landing in Kuriles. Sub Contacts indicate 2 IJN surface TFs headed to NW Japan.

[bigred]

44-5-8:

[durnedwolf]

44-5-8:

Tenryu is a CM? I thought she was a Light Cruiser...

[RangerJoe]

44-5-8:

Tenryu is a CM? I thought she was a Light Cruiser...

They are playing a modified scenario, if I remember correctly, in the original game the Tenryu could also carry mines.

[durnedwolf]

44-5-8:

Tenryu is a CM? I thought she was a Light Cruiser...

They are playing a modified scenario, if I remember correctly, in the original game the Tenryu could also carry mines.

Thanks for the FYI, Ranger Joe. Hey, John or BigRed - did the Tenryu start as a CL and then have an upgrade option to a CM? And does the CL Kitakami (Kuma Class) still have that killer long-lance broadside? I think the Kitakami was my favorite CL. I so wanted an option to convert all of the Kuma class to the torpedo-cruiser armament - lol.

[RangerJoe]

Tenryu is a CM? I thought she was a Light Cruiser...

They are playing a modified scenario, if I remember correctly, in the original game the Tenryu could also carry mines.

Thanks for the FYI, Ranger Joe. Hey, John or BigRed - did the Tenryu start as a CL and then have an upgrade option to a CM? And does the CL Kitakami (Kuma Class) still have that killer long-lance broadside? I think the Kitakami was my favorite CL. I so wanted an option to convert all of the Kuma class to the torpedo-cruiser armament - lol.

Think of finding the Allied Deathstar at night, range 2K, and with surprise on your side!

[bigred]

44-5-8:

[RangerJoe]

44-5-8:

Too many times, people give up too easily. They are beaten mentally.

[bigred]

Hey, John or BigRed - did the Tenryu start as a CL and then have an upgrade option to a CM? And does the CL Kitakami (Kuma Class) still have that killer long-lance broadside? I think the Kitakami was my favorite CL. I so wanted an option to convert all of the Kuma class to the torpedo-cruiser armament - lol.

Hi DW, I sent an email to John and a private message to FatR. They both designed the jap side of the mod. Hopefully One of them will post after they catch up with real life.

[durnedwolf]

Bigred - thank you for the Tracker screenshots. Those torpedo broadsides sure look sweet - yes?

[bigred]

44-5-10: Technical issues involving a laptop crash require review of daily activities from Washington.
Details are few because of FOW.
1. Allies continue to pour into the Kuriles on the third day of landing. IJN response was quick and brutal, as expected.
Land based fighter sweeps weakened the CVE CAP on landing sites and massive IJN CV strike ensued on the APA landing force. No Allied CV response because too many jap bases in the area with ships on port to operate at full range, but that may change as the last IJN CV force has show its location.
2. IJA forces north of Moulmein cleared w 10k IJA losses (3 depleted combat ineffective jap divisions).
3. Skirmish west of Phuket with IJN loss of 2/3 DDs to allied CV air.
4. Continued allied landings of 33rd corp near Sabang.
5. CW 3rd, 4th, 15th Corp with attached 1st Chicom Army Group (roughly 10 half/quarter strength Chinese units) continue to push thru to Chang Mai and beyond. The objective of the SE Asia CW army is to use allied supply advantage to grind into pulp any IJA units.

[bigred]

44-5-11:

[John 3rd]

May 11, 1944
The Kuriles

It is an interesting situation in the Kuriles. The Allies have landed and taken two fairly meaningless islands. Though Allied engineers are amazing, these places will be HUGELY vulnerable.

I do not often Post on this thread in a serious manner since the war was lost but this is an intriguing situation where my gut says Paul has made a serious mistake. Could be wrong but we are about to find out.

To say that hundreds of aircraft have moved and are moving into the theatre is an understatement. I have taken an older turn from over a week earlier to show bases with good AF for the Japanese to use. Last set of turns saw a limited strike by just two Daitai of Frances TB and one Daitai of Judy DB. The next few sets of turns will see that number triple or quadruple. Beyond those, I have nearly 600 first-line fighters flying CAP, Sweepings, and Escorting. This is no BS. The numbers are accurate and very real...

5-11-44.jpg (265.36 KiB) Viewed 1045 times

This will probably be bloody but I truly hope to get some serious sinkings...more of those APA would be GREAT! Already got one last turn as well as nailed some LSTs, AKs and a fewe DDs.

[John 3rd]

I was going to EDIT my above Post but decided to simply add this under the other. That Paul was coming this direction became obvious about 2-3 months ago so I grabbed a bunch of CMs and have been constantly laying mines at five of the AF sites. While not always effective, they serve as a fine detriment to make my opponent think once or twice about trying to bombard the more obvious targets. Any ship damaged by mines will become a pretty easy target--I HOPE!

There is a very strong SS presence as well. The sinking of the USS ESSEX as well as an AO was nice. There have been several other attacks. More I-Boats are arriving. WE are guaranteed to lose some but they will die FIGHTING!

Am also deploying more of the Japanese MTB. Will see how effective they can be at being nuisances.

For the GLORY of DAI NIPPON: BANZAI!!!

[bigred]

Waiting on replay. Flew in fresh FTR and flew out depleted FTR. May have a low CAP first day. it could be very bad.

[bigred]

44-5-11: Combat reports are arriving in from around the Pacific pre turn from John. A detailed jpeg will follow later as i get the turn from John and run the replay.

Some nasty surprises for the allies this turn. Should be expected that John is causing me problems.
1. Kuriles: John is using FTR sweeps to clear the air above Keti Ojima for his heavy LIZ G5n2 (b17 4e imitation) bomber. Copy of CBT report note the 8 port supply hits. each hit equals 5% of supply on base. So If I Dropped 100k supply at keto John just destroyed 40k in supply points.
Morning Air attack on Ketoi-jima , at 134,50

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G5N3 Liz x 44

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 11
F6F-3 Hellcat x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
G5N3 Liz: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
AK Pavo, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
AK Sculptor, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
APA Cavalier, Bomb hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
LCT-145, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LCVP 534H, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

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

Port hits 22
Port supply hits 8

[bigred]

2. Langsa/Sabang/Sumatra CW 33rd Corp area:
Recon platoon from 11 Pavo AR BN enter the outskirts of Langsa and Conduct a recon by Shock attack. I was shocked to see the reinforced 43rd IJA Div Present.
Ground combat at Langsa (46,74)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 144 troops, 0 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 27

Defending force 25615 troops, 156 guns, 90 vehicles, Assault Value = 610

Allied adjusted assault: 6

Japanese adjusted defense: 823

Allied assault odds: 1 to 137 (fort level 4)

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

Assaulting units:
11th PAVO Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment

Defending units:
3rd South Seas Det.
43rd Division
35th Ind.Mixed Brigade
4th South Seas Det.
11th Mortar Battalion
9th Air Division
89th JAAF AF Bn
6th JNAF Coy

[bigred]

My last surprise was to find another Jap division operating at Daly waters. I thought it would be a cake walk. The IJA 12th div is a battlegroup but reinforced by the IJA 34th Div. Not a cake walk.
Ground combat at Daly Waters (76,131)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 18966 troops, 292 guns, 162 vehicles, Assault Value = 638

Defending force 20846 troops, 239 guns, 78 vehicles, Assault Value = 549

Allied adjusted assault: 544

Japanese adjusted defense: 217

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), op mode(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
472 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1876 casualties reported
Squads: 113 destroyed, 130 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 52 (11 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2/6th Armoured Regiment
15th Australian Brigade
27th Infantry Division
22nd Australian Brigade
2nd Australian Army
2/3rd Light AA Regiment

Defending units:
22nd Ind Engineer Regiment
12th Division
34th Division
52nd JNAF AF Unit
47th JNAF AF Unit
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
80th JAAF AF Bn