Empire of the Rising Lemon? SqzMyLemon (Japan) v Smeulders (Allies)

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Congrats! But do move more radars to Burma. They WILL help you in the defensive air war!

I have a question about this. Do more radars at a particular base help detect sooner and vector more planes on CAP more quickly? Or do you mean more radars spread around to all relevant bases?

Also, do the AA radars help the planes get int the air faster and vector in?

[Erkki]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Congrats! But do move more radars to Burma. They WILL help you in the defensive air war!

I have a question about this. Do more radars at a particular base help detect sooner and vector more planes on CAP more quickly? Or do you mean more radars spread around to all relevant bases?

Also, do the AA radars help the planes get int the air faster and vector in?

I think the radar only helps for the hex the battle is fought over. Doesnt matter which LCU the radar set is in - there are plenty of AAA units in Manchuria with 2 radars, they are useful as I think all IJN aviation LCUs lack radars until some time in late 1943. More and better radars --> greater chance of early detection --> more planes make it to the area before the contact, more planes get to engage the enemy, more plans get to take off and good part of the CAP/LRCAP reinforcements are GCI-guided to enemy altitude AND above it --> you will break the "dive loop" more often, and numbers help every time.

[obvert]

Nice work on Lunga! Banzai!

You ask what to do with these next? How about just leaving most of them back from the action in Rabaul or Truk, and using them in the same way again later, if the Allies commit to a destination you can support with LBA and the KB? Maybe leave one or two in the Solomons at critical points, leave the rest back to fill in as needed for reinforcing a spot later.

I also wonder about he layered CAP in Burma. My Tojos set high often don't commit to the battle until it's almost over. I have many radar base forces and AA units in the bases. This is even when the base they are stationed in is attacked and they are set for 50% CAP 0 hex reaction.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Congrats! But do move more radars to Burma. They WILL help you in the defensive air war!

I have a question about this. Do more radars at a particular base help detect sooner and vector more planes on CAP more quickly? Or do you mean more radars spread around to all relevant bases?

Also, do the AA radars help the planes get int the air faster and vector in?

I think the radar only helps for the hex the battle is fought over. Doesnt matter which LCU the radar set is in - there are plenty of AAA units in Manchuria with 2 radars, they are useful as I think all IJN aviation LCUs lack radars until some time in late 1943. More and better radars --> greater chance of early detection --> more planes make it to the area before the contact, more planes get to engage the enemy, more plans get to take off and good part of the CAP/LRCAP reinforcements are GCI-guided to enemy altitude AND above it --> you will break the "dive loop" more often, and numbers help every time.

Thanks. Since my radar AA units and more bases with radar arrived, I haven't faced any massed attacks. We'll see if this helps.

[KenchiSulla]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Congrats! But do move more radars to Burma. They WILL help you in the defensive air war!

I have a question about this. Do more radars at a particular base help detect sooner and vector more planes on CAP more quickly? Or do you mean more radars spread around to all relevant bases?

Also, do the AA radars help the planes get int the air faster and vector in?

This fight puts the sweep ahead of the CAP. Detection ranges and times are so short that the CAP is actually outnumbered and outclassed by the sweep..

AA radars do not help the fighters get in the air faster but they give them more warning so they launch earlier and they could be in a better position. You can't control what intercepts what though...

Try getting radar in every base you would like to defend! and make sure your groups are rested..

Now as for fighters, the Tojo does ok vs Hurricanes and P40Ks but you'll need something better as soon as possible (P47 sweeps are killers). My philosphy is:

Frank > Tojo > Oscar..

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

Try getting radar in every base you would like to defend! and make sure your groups are rested..

Thanks for posting everyone. Here's the rub though, I don't want to defend Meiktila and my orders and dispositions reflect that. My fighters have been stood down for a week and they had no fatigue.

I don't have radar equipped units at Meiktila. Why? I don't care about it. I do have AA and BF equipped radar units at Mandalay, Taung Gyi and Toungoo as these bases I actually want to defend.

This last turn ALL my LRCAP was set to target Taung Gyi and only Taung Gyi. Ranges of all air units were set accordingly. The LRCAP was layered with Nick's at 12k, Oscar's at 15k, Tony's and Tojo's at 20k and 22k respectively. Layered CAP does help, but only if the air model and AI commit it as intended. Here it was clearly not.

In the first attack the Nick's and Oscar's were hung out to dry against the sweeps. The AI provided no high altitude CAP to pounce on the enemy sweeps, despite the Nick's, Oscar's, Tony's and Tojo's all being based at the same airfield, Toungoo. Additional LRCAP (Oscar's) kept arriving at Meiktila to be continually subjected to the dive bonus and slaughtered.

The attack against the enemy bomber formations was a joke. I watched fighter after fighter peel off after being damaged. I have the actual number of bombers downed at home, but I believe them to be around 10-12 aircraft in total. Really? Against a majority of Wellington's, Blenheims and Mitchell's I can only down this few?

The Allied sweep of 100 aircraft was the decisive one, again. Why at this stage, is my CAP committed in driblets and at such a tactical disadvantage? Again, I suffered dive attack after dive attack. I get the numbers, there were a lot of enemy fighters, but of course they'll mop the floor when my CAP is committed in groups of no larger than 11 at one time. Why are my best fighters committed piecemeal in this engagement and a complete non-factor in previous ones? Where is my numbers advantage against the first Allied sweeps or bomber attacks of the day? Where were my Tojo's and Tony's in engagements where they would have made the difference?

So I get it guys. Radar puts more birds in the air from early detection. Layered CAP will offset the sweep and dive advantage. I know this and applied my tactics with all this in mind. However, it still is a crapshoot. My layered CAP never happened, my bomber interceptor's were committed against enemy fighters. My LRCAP did not protect Taung Gyi as ordered, but freelanced it to Meiktila and were committed in just such a way as to get massacred. 120 fighters lost over a base I DIDN'T want defended! If the time to intercept was as bad as it was, it sure as hell didn't prevent 120 of my fighters from arriving and getting destroyed either, again over a base I didn't want defended. If radar only affects the target hex, then having multiple supporting bases with radar doesn't mean squat and defeats the entire purpose of interlocking defence.

Imagine if the German fighter defence had to suffer as dumb a system in RL as we have here in the game? We want to protect Hamburg today, so order up all our fighters to protect it. Oh wait, Hamburg doesn't appear to be the target, that little town to the west where that favourite cheese the Fuhrer likes is made, but it doesn't have a radar set. Ok, here's what we do...forget Hamburg, vector every fighter we have to protecting that cheese! Too bad about no radar there though, as that means we'll not be able to apply sound tactics. Just send things in any old way. What could go wrong?

My LRCAP should have also stayed in the base it was ordered to defend, and that was Taung Gyi. What if a late enemy raid actually did target Taung Gyi? I'd be hooped since my entire fighter force had already been committed and destroyed over a base that it was never ordered to defend.

Sorry, but I stand by my comments, the air model is less than ideal and the way my forces are being committed is taking tactical gameplay away from me. All the Allied player has to do is order every frigging plane he has against one target and the AI will do the rest for him, rinse and repeat. It's a stupid system and favours the attacker big time. Heck, I can't even defend the airspace I indicate despite ordering my units to do just that. My fighter strength is now broken and defending any particular target in Burma is now almost impossible. Next attack, I set everything to 25k and see what happens, because right now, applying the proper tactics is nothing short of destroying my air force. I believe height remains king in air combat and I'm tired of seeing my fighters committed in such as way as to see them suffer dive and bounce bonuses continually. Since my interceptors are next to useless against bombers, I only really need to concentrate on destroying enemy fighters and that means get the height advantage.

This isn't even a rant, I'm just trying to indicate the conditions that none of you can see. I know what my orders were, I know the status of my pilots and aircraft. I know about radar and layered CAP. I know what I wanted to happen and where I wanted to defend. None of that mattered in this case. Once again, I lose huge numbers of aircraft due to a system that tends to do it's own thing and often completely ignores player input.

[SqzMyLemon]

Recovering the combat effectiveness of my air force in Burma is the number one defensive priority right now. The 3rd Air Division HQ is currently at Toungoo and it's command radius encompasses both Moulmein and Chiang Mai. Both these bases are ordered to stockpile 20k of supply to facilitate air replacements to arrive in Burma, not Tokyo. So far so good, as Chiang Mai received Oscar replacements during the turn. Moulmein still has a ways to go to reach 20k supply.

The Tojo and Tony Sentai's have been withdrawn by rail to Moulmein to recover. 89 Oscar's were lost last turn alone, but Ki-43-IIa aircraft are critically short and recovery will be slow as production tries to catch up with losses. I dropped the ball here.

The last component of the 2nd Tank Division is being railed to Toungoo, so the various formations can now combine into their parent unit. Elements of the 21st Division are now marching to Moulmein. An infantry regiment has amphibious unloaded at Rangoon and another is en route from Victoria Point. Japanese bombers are slowly making their way back to Burma, to add what they can to the impending battles.

In the Solomons, base expansions will continue as will the reinforcing of various bases. The bulk of the ground forces now on Lunga will begin withdrawing immediately. I will use fast transport missions primarily to get as many troops moving as possible. The lack of ports at both Lunga and Tassafaronga will make removing the larger equipment slow going. Plans are to leave at least an infantry regiment at Lunga for defence. Others will be deployed to Tulagi and Munda. Ponape will be reinforced with the 54th Division. That leaves three divisions yet to redeploy. They will be ordered to Rabaul for the short term.

This reduces the need for the majority of Combined Fleet to be in the Solomons. A withdrawal to Truk is most likely, and perhaps some more surface ships to Soerabaja. I have a number of CA's due refits in April so it may be time to withdraw some of them. KB will convert to Judy's as quickly as numbers permit.

The recent enemy supply TF operations off the northwest coast of Australia will be shut down and active raiding of the Perth sea lanes will commence utilizing CVL's and SCTF's.

There is now over 500k of fuel at Singapore. It's not moving and the large tankers are ordered it get it to the Home Islands. I'm tinkering with stockpiles and production in China to counteract fuel shortages at a number of HI producing bases in Manchuria and Korea. This is unacceptable, considering I have both Sian and Lanchow operating at full capacity. As my merchant navy reorganization finally kicks in, I should experience a huge increase in resource levels across the board in Japan proper.

I'm very excited about the next few months. Ships to refit, new aircraft becoming available and a resource stimulus package thrown in.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[SqzMyLemon]

Mar. 7/43:

Burma:

To add insult to injury the Allies now target Taung Gyi. Unfortunately, I no longer have a fighter force available to defend the base, since last being slaughtered over Meiktila. That may turn out to be the TSN turning point in Burma's air war. However, it's time to move forward and rebound as best I can. The good news is I have a substantial number of engineers available, and if I can prevent a few raids over Taung Gyi it may get a chance to recover.

Allied units are moving on Magwe.

China:

The "Horde" near Neikiang receive 2(27) infantry, 1(28) non-combat and 0(2) engineer squad losses totalling 392 casualties.

Kunming is hit for a whopping 3 Runway hits from 22 Sally's.

Chinese forces near Kienko suffer 1(15) infantry and 0(17) non-combat squad losses totalling 239 casualties.

Ground forces at Chungking are bombed for 1(0) infantry and 0(5) non-combat squad losses totalling 50 casualites. Sonia's hit the base for 3 AB and 25 Runway hits. An artillery bombardment follows and the results are not good. Chungking will be a tough nut to crack. AAR follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 29908 troops, 222 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 1090

Defending force 22217 troops, 83 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 709

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

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

Assaulting units:
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
32nd Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
5th Ind.Mixed Brigade
12th Army

Defending units:
62nd Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
5th New Chinese Corps
China Command
CAF HQ

Miscellaneous:

Japan:

Tassafaronga expands port to size 1
Vella Lavella expands fortifications to size 1

E Yaeyama beginning refit in shipyard at Manila
E Naryu beginning refit in shipyard at Manila
E Saishu beginning refit in shipyard at Manila
E Niizaki beginning refit in shipyard at Manila
E Hatsutaka beginning refit in shipyard at Manila
E Aotaka beginning refit in shipyard at Manila

Allied:

Port Hedland expands port to size 3

March 8/43:

Sub Ops:

SS I-29 survives a spirited ASW attack from SC's near Luganville. Unfortunately SS I-19 missed the SC-517 with 6 torpedoes!

Burma:

Allied bombers concentrate on Meiktila and Taung Gyi today. Lot's of smallish raids. I wonder why when I commit my CAP, I always end up facing a horde of enemy aircraft and they are always well coordinated. These raids over the last two days have been bite sized and massed CAP should be able to do a number on them.

The Allies capture Magwe.

China:

Kunming's base is damaged with 3 AB, 4 ABS and 14 Runway hits.

Chinese forces near Kienko are bombed for 0(11) infantry and 0(9) non-combat squad losses totalling 158 casualties.

Chungking's defenders suffer a few disabled squads from bombers.

An artillery attack against the "Other Horde" yields the following AAR:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 71,48 (near Kunming)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2845 troops, 268 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 4882

Defending force 444413 troops, 2480 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 17620

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)

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

Assaulting units:
3rd Division
40th Division
15th Division
68th Division
13th Division
34th Division
39th Division
104th Division
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
58th Division
51st Division
8th Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
11th Army
23rd Army
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
25th Chinese Corps
73rd Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
8th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
99th Chinese Corps
37th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
82nd Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps
50th Chinese Corps
86th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
19th Chinese Corps
31st Chinese Corps
60th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
15th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
87th Chinese Corps
24th Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Corps
74th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
11th Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
17th Construction Regiment
70th Chinese Corps
35th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Corps
26th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
10th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
6th Chinese Corps
21st Chinese Corps
12th Chinese Corps
22nd New Chinese Division
63rd Chinese Corps
65th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
59th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
64th Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
42nd Chinese Corps
44th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
40th Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
56th Chinese Corps
23rd Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
75th Chinese Corps
61st Chinese Corps
55th Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
94th Chinese/A Corps
19th Group Army
32nd Group Army
27th Group Army
33rd Group Army
7th War Area
29th Group Army
23rd Group Army
9th War Area
20th Group Army
30th Group Army
3rd War Area
14th Construction Regiment
12th Group Army
26th Group Army
6th War Area
10th Group Army
25th Group Army
1st Group Army
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment

Where's the skill involved in massing this kind of force? Can I accomplish anything against this insane overstacking? [8|]

Miscellaneous:

Japan:

Ichang expands fortifications to size 4
Toungoo expands fortifications to size 5
Chihkiang expands fortifications to size 2
Kweiyang expands airfield to size 4
Patung expands fortifications to size 1

Device NE turbojet advances R&D (available 10/45)

1st Sentai at Chiang Mai takes Ki-43-IIa Oscar replacements (this is extremely important in order for me to recover in Burma quickly)

Thoughts:

Get more fighters to Burma, especially the Tojo's and Tony's. Expand Tony production, 40 aircraft a month just isn't cutting it. Two of my better fighter Sentai's are sitting idle due to lack of aircraft. Oscar IIa production has also been expanded. I am kicking myself for reducing production of this vital aircraft months ago. It will takes months to build stockpiles up.


Then again, the Ki-43-IIb Oscar is available in two months. I'll be able to produce large numbers of this aircraft when factories switch production from the IIa.

Here is a screenshot of Burma, followed by China. These bring both theatres up to date.

Burma:

[SqzMyLemon]

China:

[obvert]

Looks good in China. That is a daunting stack.

If you want to flank Kunming, and you have some free troops available that can be flown, you could paradrop Mengtze, then fly in reinforcements. Or walk up that way from the Hanoi area, but that would take a while.

[SqzMyLemon]

Mar. 9/43:

Sub Ops:

SS I-30 whiffs on DD Waller with six torpedoes near Luganville. Enemy ASW attack scores one near miss DC hit.

Burma:

Heavy Allied air attacks occur almost daily in Burma. Supply to keep the enemy air units operating at this pace doesn't seem to be a problem. I'm listing the AAR's for enemy air operations in Burma today to provide readers the numbers I'm facing and how they are being committed. I'm trying to understand how Bart is organizing his fighters. It appears that almost no raid is directly escorted because the altitudes are different. Can anyone confirm that the P-40K's appear to be CAP or LRCAP that is providing a quasi escort capacity to sweep and bomber raids. Any ideas on how best to counter this from people with a much greater understanding of the air model and what is happening than I do? What is happening when raids contain both sweeping and patroling components at different altitudes? Is this exploiting the air model to get an advantage somehow due to the close proximity of opposing bases? AAR's follow:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Meiktila , at 58,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 19
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
P-40K Warhawk x 11 (is this LRCAP or CAP leaking into Meiktila?)

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x Martlet II sweeping at 22000 feet
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet

(What does patroling indicate? Are these escorts and if so, how can they coordinate at different altitude?)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Meiktila , at 58,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 25 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 29
P-40K Warhawk x 5 (Again, leaking LRCAP or CAP?)

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet
13 x Hurricane IIb Trop sweeping at 15000 feet

(Note here both Hurricane formations are at the same altitude. Are the sweeper's being escorted in this case?)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Meiktila , at 58,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
Hurricane IIc Trop x 15
P-40K Warhawk x 16

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet
15 x Hurricane IIc Trop sweeping at 20000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd RTA/C Division, at 58,47 (Meiktila)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
Liberator II x 28
Wellington Ic x 7
B-24D Liberator x 35
B-25C Mitchell x 7
P-40K Warhawk x 5

Morning Air attack on 2nd RTA/C Division, at 58,47 (Meiktila)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 10
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
Wellington Ic x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 11

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet
10 x Blenheim IV bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
9 x Wellington Ic bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
250 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet
16 x Liberator II bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x Liberator II bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x Wellington Ic bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x Blenheim IV bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Meiktila , at 58,47

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
P-40K Warhawk x 67

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet

This is the raid that consistently shoots down the majority of my fighters in the later stages of air combat in the previous two large air battles in Burma. Note only the Hurricane's have a patrol mission set. How are the P-40K's being committed and how come there are so many compared to previous strikes? Are they CAP, LRCAP, sweepers or escorts and how come no mission is indicated for them?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 2nd RTA/C Division, at 58,47 (Meiktila)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
B-24D1 Liberator x 8
P-40K Warhawk x 16

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane IIb Trop patroling at 15000 feet
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on 2nd RTA/C Division, at 58,47 (Meiktila)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-29A Hudson x 3
B-24D Liberator x 24
P-40K Warhawk x 21

No Allied losses

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

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x A-29A Hudson bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Ichiki Det. , at 58,47 (Meiktila)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 9
B-25D1 Mitchell x 10
P-40K Warhawk x 16

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Comments please. What is Bart doing that is so effective other than sheer numbers committed? I'm primarily interested in how the enemy fighters are being committed. If I can understand how, then perhaps I can counter them better.

China:

Chinese forces near Ankang are bombed in preparation for the ground assault and suffer 0(5) infantry and 0(4) non-combat squad losses totalling 61 casualties.

Most other bombing raids were grounded due to weather.

I tried one more bombardment attack on the "Other Horde" near Kunming. Results are mediocre so the bombardments will stop. It appears the Chinese are withdrawing further towards Kunming anyway and will not hold the crossroads.

The Shock Attack near Ankang fails to dislodge the defenders. I'm still in good shape though, so another Shock Attack is ordered for tomorrow. AAR follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 80,41 (near Ankang)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11876 troops, 94 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 440

Defending force 5852 troops, 64 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 164

Japanese adjusted assault: 358

Allied adjusted defense: 217

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

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

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

Allied ground losses:
441 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 24 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (18 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
35th Division

Defending units:
33rd Chinese Corps
47th Chinese Corps
1st War Area
2nd Group Army
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Chengtu (75,41)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 44429 troops, 433 guns, 890 vehicles, Assault Value = 2326

Defending force 5958 troops, 37 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 214

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 1270

Allied adjusted defense: 35

Japanese assault odds: 36 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Chengtu !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
280 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
3310 casualties reported
Squads: 95 destroyed, 159 disabled
Non Combat: 35 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 21 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 45 (14 destroyed, 31 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
63rd Division
20th Division
12th Tank Regiment
26th Division
23rd Tank Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Division
27th Division
11th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps

Chengtu falls easily, but what is discouraging is the trashing of the industry. Despite a small defending force, no engineers and no defensive fort levels the industry is hit hard. Manpower is 2(1), resources 58(122), HI 26(59) and LI 58(122). I've been hit rather hard at bases with production facilities I've captured all game, suffering heavy industrial damage. In some cases the industry is completely destroyed upon capture.

Next objective, Chungking!

Australia:

Betty's based at Koepang catch the enemy supply TF originally spotted near Carnarvon at Broome. Despite light rain conditions, the results are again disappointing by naval air strikes. Only one of two xAKL's is hit and sunk. The Betty's concentrated on the DD's unfortunately. At least 3 out of four transports were sunk from this small enemy TF in total though. I'm moving a small SCTF of a CL and DDx2 within range to try and finish it off day after tomorrow. I forgot to stand down the Betty's, so if they attack again tomorrow they will most likely encounter heavy Allied CAP and slaughtered. Dumb on my part to forget to stand them down and they are also due to withdraw in five days. I probably just threw a large number of experienced pilots away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Broome at 62,127

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
xAK Autolycus, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Kortenaer
xAK Gorgon
DD Van Nes

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Miscellaneous:

Japan:

Nagoya expands airfield to size 6
Manila expands fortifications to size 2
Long Island expands airfield to size 2

E Hashidate beginning refit in shipyard at Hiroshima/Kure
E Uji beginning refit in shipyard at Hiroshima/Kure
E Yurijima beginning refit in shipyard at Kobe

Allied:

xAK Autolycus is reported to have been sunk near Broome on Mar 09, 1943

[obvert]

Chengtu falls easily, but what is discouraging is the trashing of the industry. Despite a small defending force, no engineers and no defensive fort levels the industry is hit hard. Manpower is 2(1), resources 58(122), HI 26(59) and LI 58(122). I've been hit rather hard at bases with production facilities I've captured all game, suffering heavy industrial damage. In some cases the industry is completely destroyed upon capture.

Do you have a no strat bombing HR for China? If not, it might not matter what state it's in as a few 4E raids will finish it off.

If you do have an HR for this, then you can build it back and use it for quite a while once you clear the rest of S China.

[Crackaces]

Chengtu falls easily, but what is discouraging is the trashing of the industry

Most the the Industry in China starts trashed ...representing the war prior to 1941 ..

[Chickenboy]

Hi Sqzmylemon,

I can't quite figure out what Bart is doing with his fighters near Mykitlina either. My thoughts-in order of perceived likelihood:

1. The P40Ks are LRCAP directed to loiter over Mykitlina. Several squadrons are thus ordered, but not all fly on the same 'phase', resulting in 'lumpy' numbers over the city.

I don't know if there would be a stated mission associated with LRCAPing enemy aircraft, unlike the sweep notifications you're receiving from the Hurricanes.

2. The P40Ks may be "bleedover" from other hexes nearby. This is less likely, as my experience suggests that bleedover results in smaller numbers of aircraft over the target.

[Chickenboy]

Good going in China, Sqz...

It's fun to watch the 'nut' finally crack, no?

[Chickenboy]

SqzMyLemon,

I've found the railroad into Tuyun (near Kweiyang) is an extremely useful shuttle of men and material into the area around Chungking. When combined with the (comparatively) good roads that are in the area, have you thought about this being your main axis of advance? Relying on an excellent road system seems to have some merit to subordinate alternative axes, IMO. Would this speed up your land movement through China at all?

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Do you have a no strat bombing HR for China? If not, it might not matter what state it's in as a few 4E raids will finish it off.

If you do have an HR for this, then you can build it back and use it for quite a while once you clear the rest of S China.

Hi obvert,

As far as I know, we do have a no strategic bombing HR for China. Until when, I don't know. I may not repair the HI though. I'm running into real problems with HI production in Manchuria and Korea. I'm getting a lot of missed production now due to lack of fuel. I think trying to get fuel to flow to Fusan is messing things up. I'm going to stop fuel extraction from Fusan in the short term and try to get things stabilized. I may resort to shipping fuel purely from Singapore. At least there won't be spoilage using this route.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Good going in China, Sqz...

It's fun to watch the 'nut' finally crack, no?

Hi Chickenboy.

It has been a tough go in China, but I think the decision to fall back was premature. I think I'd still be grinding it out for bases like Kweiyang and Kienko had the Chinese not simply withdrawm from them leaving token resistance. However, I'll take it! My recent gains have caused minimal loss and my armies in China are practically still at full strength. More resources and supply for the Empire on the cheap.

As to your comments about the railway. All good points, but at this stage the majority of my troops are already forward and rapid troop movement isn't an issue. I'm sure the biggest benefit is the flow of supplies to forward units. What the railway also facilitates is the withdrawal of units bound for the Pacific. They rail from Tuyun to Kukong and then march along the primary roads to Hong Kong for deployment to the Pacific and Burma.

I totally agree with your point about using major roads to move supply and troops forward and to sustain combat operations on a high level. It appears the Chinese may abandon the crossroads east of Kunming which will allow me to flank south of Kunming much faster. It will be one less pure rough terrain hex side to cross, saving me upwards of two weeks movement.

Supply will be extremely important and if I can isolate Kunming from anything but air re-supply. I see no way that huge Chinese force will be supplied. I must hold Burma though until I finish off the Chinese. To that end, I'm risking everything on reinforcing Burma to buy me the time. I can rush divisions from Guadalcanal to counter any Allied attempt to get a lodgement in the DEI while I focus on Burma. Crushing the allied foothold in the Solomons should buy me even more time as the Allies continue to dawdle in the Central Pacific. A big push there would meet almost no resistance other than Japanese naval units.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Hi Sqzmylemon,

I can't quite figure out what Bart is doing with his fighters near Mykitlina either. My thoughts-in order of perceived likelihood:

1. The P40Ks are LRCAP directed to loiter over Mykitlina. Several squadrons are thus ordered, but not all fly on the same 'phase', resulting in 'lumpy' numbers over the city.

I don't know if there would be a stated mission associated with LRCAPing enemy aircraft, unlike the sweep notifications you're receiving from the Hurricanes.

2. The P40Ks may be "bleedover" from other hexes nearby. This is less likely, as my experience suggests that bleedover results in smaller numbers of aircraft over the target.

Thanks for this post. The large P-40K (67 aircraft) is the problem. The bleeders from LRCAP or CAP do suck up some passes meant for bombers, but this late sweep supplemented by massed LRCAP is the real killer of my fighter strength. I must figure out a way to deal with it. Perhaps I'll start sweeping Allied bases in an effort to draw bleeding CAP and destroy it piecemeal, as the Allies are doing to me. What is good for the goose and all that...

I'm hoping taking short term punishment in order to mass my Tojo's and Tony's will pay off. Let's see what happens to Allied air if I can get 150 Tojo's and Tony's into the fray all at once.