Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)

[apbarog]

4 Jul 43

Some fireworks for the 4th. US Fletcher task force storms into Truk, looking for the big enemy destroyer task force. That wasn't what was there.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truk at 112,108, Range 7,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 1
BB Ise, Shell hits 2
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 2
CL Kuma
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Anthony, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Beale, Shell hits 1
DD Converse, Shell hits 1
DD Conway, Shell hits 1
DD Cony, Shell hits 2
DD Hutchins, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD LaVallette, Shell hits 1
DD Philip, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Pringle

US destroyers fired torpedoes at battleships about 5 times, but all missed. Some shell hits on the battleships, but that wasn't going to do anything. One enemy destroyer badly hurt. The US destroyers retreated to the southeast. I had the task force set to patrol. In the past, I would have ordered them full speed to Truk as the destination, but I've found that they don't engage much if there are multiple task forces. They tended to engage once (and that could be a patrol boat), and head for home. I wanted them to really go after the enemy destroyers. Well, they really went after the enemy, but they weren't destroyers. The seven remaining DDs move back to Truk, still at night, and try again.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Truk at 112,108, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 1
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 2
CL Kuma
DD Satsuki
DD Minazuki
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Beale
DD Converse
DD Conway, Shell hits 2
DD Cony
DD Hutchins, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD LaVallette, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DD Pringle

Similar results, with fewer US torpedoes fired. Destroyer Pringle split off with a damaged destroyer, but the damaged ship sank, leaving Pringle still at Truk. It engaged the enemy by itself, but managed to escape unscathed. But not before midget sub SSX Ha-8 fired 2 torpedoes at it, which missed.

CVE Barnes and escorting destroyer McCook couldn't quite catch up with the other carriers. East of Truk, it ran into subchaser Ch 26 twice, with both sides choosing to evade combat. OPilot must be wondering what Barnes was doing out there almost by itself.

Then the naval battles at Truk became almost comical. With it now daylight, the four undamaged US destroyers retreated southeast of Truk, as if they were headed home, but with patrol orders, they kept going back to Truk. No less than six times. Back and forth. The enemy would try to hit the US destroyers at long range, the range would close a bit, then the US ships chose to disengage, and the range would open and the Fletcher destroyers would get away. Six times in a row. I don't know whether to give these captains a medal or to court-martial them. Maybe both. Fortunately, they got hit only twice during these fights, and the damage was minimal. Never seen anything like that before. I'd ordered them to patrol Truk and they certainly did so.

So, the naval battles at Truk didn't go so well. 4 US destroyers lost. A Japanese destroyer badly damaged. But quickly the day wasn't so bad.

Sub attack near Gorontalo at 72,97

Japanese Ships
CV Katsuragi, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CA Tone
CL Yubari
CS Chiyoda
CS Chitose
DD Oboro
DD Ushio
DD Sazanami
DD Akebono

Allied Ships
SS Haddo, hits 1

Ammo storage explosion on CV Katsuragi

Haddo attacked again later in the day, firing 6 more torpedoes at Katsuragi. One hit, but it was a dud. In the second attack, the carrier was reported to be on fire but with no additional damage noted.

Dutch sub KXIV hit xAK Victoria Maru with a torpedo near Madjene. The naval route between Batavia and Singapore has suddenly become very active.

OPilot sent over 100 fighters to sweep Tavoy after seeing my fighters there yesterday. (P-47s that didn't fly to Bangkok). But I'd sent the fighters away, so no CAP there.

Back to Truk. Time for the air battle. First, the sweepers went in. Yes, the B-24s arrived first, and many were shot down with over 70 enemy fighters up. Next in was the naval strike from my carriers, augmented with many fighters on range 1 CAP.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Truk at 112,108

Weather in hex: Light cloud

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

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 5
A6M5 Zero x 61

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 18
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
FM-1 Wildcat x 5
F6F-3 Hellcat x 34
SBD-5 Dauntless x 30
TBF-1 Avenger x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Martlet IV: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-5 Dauntless: 9 destroyed, 8 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 8 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
AV Kiyokawa Maru
BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 1
AV Kunikawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1
BB Ise
CL Kuma
BB Fuso

Well, the Allied fighters were in the area, but didn't do much. Just one torpedo hit and it wasn't even on a battleship. In the afternoon, the P-38s arrived, and did good work on the enemy CAP. Then the carriers launched a second strike on the enemy ships.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Truk at 112,108

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 1
A6M5 Zero x 8

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 13
F4F-4 Wildcat x 6
F6F-3 Hellcat x 30
SBD-5 Dauntless x 12
TBF-1 Avenger x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-5 Dauntless: 8 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
AV Kamikawa Maru
BB Fuso
DD Arashi
BB Ise, Bomb hits 1

There weren't many bombers available to begin with, but having fewer than half of the TBFs fly at all didn't help. Some SBDs didn't fly also. Total air losses were 22 Zeros and 2 Rufes for the cost of 17 SBD-5s, 12 TBFs, 12 B-24s, 6 Martlets and 3 F6Fs. The P-38s got all of the kills. None for the ranged CAP fighters.

With enemy battleships at Truk, the invasion of Truk is obviously postponed. KB was spotted where Katsuragi was torpedoed, just west of Manado. KB was probably headed towards Truk, but that's speculation. It's also speculation that it will now head to Truk, but with my carrier activity at Truk, and lots of spotted Allied transports at Ponape, I'll bet that KB is heading that way.

Now the Java invasion may be back on. Shipping for it is heading back to Port Hedland, with loading starting in a couple of days, if things look good.

We'll take Truk, but it won't be led off with a destroyer raid next time. It was a crazy replay, that's for sure.

[apbarog]

5 Jul 43

Allied ships moved swiftly away from Truk, mostly moving due east to the north of Ponape, then southeast towards Kusaie. There was at least one enemy sub northwest of Kusaie, along the expected retreat path, but nothing where they went. That I know of. All ships will retire to Tabiteuea for repairs. At Truk, the enemy battleship task force stayed, while every other ship fled in a shotgun approach, with some going south, west and north.

Shipping will start arriving at Port Hedland, where loading for the Java invasion will begin. Same for Broome and Derby. In a couple of days.

Damaged enemy carrier Katsuragi was not seen today, but subs in the area have 11/10 DL, so it, and probably the rest of KB, is still west northwest of Manado. KB may be trying to shepherd it to safety.

[apbarog]

6 Jul 43

Greenling hit xAK Nitti Maru with a torpedo in northern Japan, near Toyohara. The ship was carrying oil and burned. Greenling attacked again later in the day and finished off the ship with two more torpedo hits.

Heavy sub D/L just southwest of Mindanao. I spotted something near the coast there during the night. I'm guessing that the damaged enemy carrier is near the coast, and may be about to duck into a small port. A sub is ordered into the small port on the coast there. KB is spotted north of Ambon, possibly escorting another small convoy into Ambon. I have to be careful with KB. It's just one full speed move from striking Darwin, going from its current position. That kind of move would be out of character for OPilot, but the possibility has to be considered. Naval bombers are set up on Timor and at Darwin.

There's been a single enemy infantry regiment stranded behind the lines in Burma, just northwest of Lashio. I've been bombing it every day. I finally moved an Indian division into the jungle and destroyed the regiment. That'll free up a few small units that were keeping the line to the east and south of the enemy.

Ground combat at 61,45 (near Lashio)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12858 troops, 254 guns, 138 vehicles, Assault Value = 432

Defending force 2561 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 33

Allied adjusted assault: 183

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 183 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3508 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 115 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
9th Indian Division

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment

Shipping that had hoped to go to Truk is heading to Tabiteuea. Loading for the Java area invasions is ordered to begin at Port Hedland. KB isn't too far away, near Ambon, but at least it isn't at Soerabaja. A wider swing by invasion forces, moving northwest from Port Hedland and then north to Banjoewangi/Denpassar could hide the armada better. But with the last discovered move, they'll probably be more search in the area, and subs.

[Marcus Agrippa]

I’ve been slowly reading through the AAR over the past several weeks and have finally gotten to the end. I wanted to say I really appreciate your format. It’s clear, well explained, and detailed such that as an inexperienced player that has only done the smaller scenarios against the AI (never had the time to do the full campaign) I have learned an extraordinary amount. I’m sure it takes a fair bit to keep updating with in such an in-depth fashion and it is very much appreciated as well as being entertaining.

If I ever start a full campaign, you’ll have given me a lot of ideas to try. (*Eyes baby refusing to sleep in his crib*) Though that may still be many years away...

[apbarog]

Thank you Marcus for the kind words. I try to give the details of every day in the war and what I'm thinking at the time. You get to see my good ideas and my bad ones. There's a lot to learn, for the new player and the experienced one. I don't get a lot of back and forth discussion, but the thread does get read, so I'm happy to be able to be part of the learning process for you.

[apbarog]

7 Jul 43

Submarine Saury has the tough duty of patrolling the shallow water of Ambon. Saury spotted a battleship task force, with Kirishima and Hiei, with escorts. The sub wasn't able to engage and escaped. It then attacked AMC Kinryu Maru at Ambon, fired 4 torpedoes, but the one that hit was a dud. In the afternoon, Saury was hit by a depth charge. It will survive and is ordered to Darwin. The AMC is unloading men and/or supply. KB is nearby but not spotted.

Northwest of Singapore about 250nm, Trigger hit xAK Asaka Maru #3 with a torpedo. The sub then took some minor damage from near misses. Later, Trigger attacked the same cargo ship again, getting 2 torpedo hits, and sank the ship.

Still high sub detection levels on the southwestern coast of Mindanao, maybe a bit further north today. I'm going to guess that the damaged carrier is moving slowly north towards Zamboanga. I have a sub nearby, another north of Zamboanga, and another moving southwest of Manila.

Loading for the Java area invasions is now taking place at Port Hedland, Broome and Derby. The assault force will leave tomorrow or the next day, with follow-up troops to load as soon as the assault shipping leaves.

One Corsair squadron and two P-47 squadrons are now loading at Ceylon to go to Australia. Another Corsair squadron there was noted to withdraw in about a month, so it isn't worth moving. I sent all of the pilots for these units to the reserves. If the convoy gets ambushed on the say, I'll lose the planes but not the excellent pilots. The second Corsair squadron, with about half it's normal complement of planes, will train pilots for a month before withdrawing.

[Bif1961]

Truk is a medium Island and therefore has a stacking limit of 60,000 not 25,000.

[apbarog]

Truk has a stacking limit of 25,000 in our game. We are playing DBB-B with stacking limits. This may be different from a stock game. It's been so long since I've played a stock game I can't say for sure.

[apbarog]

8 Jul 43

I'm still tracking what I believe to be damaged carrier Katsuragi near Mindanao. High sub D/L has led me to believe that is was near the southern coast of Mindanao, going northwest. Today, near Cotabato, Pickerel was hit by 2 depth charges. It will survive, and it headed back towards Darwin. On the way, it passed through the island of Talaud-eilanden and hit xAKL Ryoyu Maru #21 with 2 torpedoes, sinking the small cargo ship. High D/L now north of Zamboanga. Also, a US sub was spotted near Bataan, so OPilot definitely knows that I'm hunting this carrier. If OPilot goes to Manila, he has a choice: the direct and shorter route, using some deep water hexes, or a bit longer route through many islands and lots of shallow water. I think he'll pick the shallow water, and 2 subs are ordered to interdict there. The sub near Bataan will move a bit south and east and wait. If Katsuragi changes course and heads towards Legaspi and then directly to Japan, it'll probably escape. The high D/L over so many subs has me thinking that other carriers may be escorting Katsuragi. If so, that would be a very good thing for the upcoming Java area invasions. Loading for it is slow at size 2 port Broome, but loading for the assault wave should be finished today.

There's still enemy unloading at Ambon. Just one AMC spotted. I think it's unloading vehicles for the division already there. The enemy battleships are still there, covered by fighters at Ambon. There's also 9 ships at Boela, which is unusual. No signs of carriers near Ambon.

[apbarog]

9 Jul 43

ASW attack near Tablas at 78,81

Japanese Ships
DD Isokaze
CA Tone
CS Chitose
DD Ushio
DD Akebono

Allied Ships
SS Pike

SS Pike launches 4 torpedoes at DD Isokaze

This is the task force that I believe has damaged carrier Katsuragi in it. It's now close to Bataan and probably will be safely at Manila tomorrow. I tracked it successfully from south of Mindanao, without ever actually seeing the carrier, but I couldn't finish it off.

Time to point out something from the manual. Page 214, under 9.4.1 Airfield Damage:

"Runway damage can limit the air operations at a base. A strike mission may only be launched from a base with runway damage less than 20 + (Airfield Size * 5). Patrol and CAP missions may only be launched from bases with runway damage less than 50 + (Airfield Size *5)"

Namlea is a size 2 airfield, and has been regularly bombed by Sallys and Bettys, keeping the runway out of action. But the damage had been slowly going down, with some poor bombing attempts, and yesterday I noticed that the runway damage was down to 58. With a size 2 airfield, the runway would be operational for CAP if the damage was less than 50 + (2 * 5) = 60. OPilot has been sending bombers in unescorted. Even though there are fighters at adjacent Ambon, I took the chance that they weren't covering Ambon, as they hadn't been so far. I sent a squadron of Spitfires to Namlea and set them to 9,000 feet patrol, expecting the usual bomber run at 6,000 feet.

Morning Air attack on Namlea , at 76,108

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 29

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

18 Sallys were shot down and no Spitfires were lost. I know this would only work once. OPilot will escort from now on, so the Spitfires are ordered back to Timor. This success was all about attention to detail.

Invasion shipping is leaving Port Hedland today. Shipping from Broome and Derby will leave tomorrow. Follow-up shipping to leave after that.

Heavy cruiser Baltimore has arrived on the East Coast. The Baltimore class cruisers will be a welcome addition to the carrier task forces, with 48 bofors on board.

[apbarog]

Destroyer Mugford

I posted the following four months ago:

1 Mar 43 - Ponape

North of Kusaie Island, I-15 spotted the ANZAC TF headed to Ponape and fired 2 torpedoes at destroyer Mugford. One hit. Mugford split off on its own, and is SYS 43/FLOT 93-67/ENG 34-26/FIRE 0. It's in very bad shape. It need 2 days to get to Kusaie, be lucky not to be spotted by another sub, and be very lucky to get good die rolls. It's unlikely to survive, but you know me, I'm trying to save the ship.

Well, Mugford was saved. It did get to Kusaie, where it stayed and repaired some damage. Over the next few months, it moved away from the front. It spent some time in an ARD near Tabiteuea, time to bring the flotation damage down to a level where I'd risk the move to Pearl Harbor. This week, it completed repairs at Pearl.

Saving Mugford was an accomplishment. With 93 flotation, and then being stuck at Kusaie, in danger so close to the enemy, and getting it to safety was a fun game within the game.

[CaptBeefheart]

ORIGINAL: apbarog


Time to point out something from the manual. Page 214, under 9.4.1 Airfield Damage:

"Runway damage can limit the air operations at a base. A strike mission may only be launched from a base with runway damage less than 20 + (Airfield Size * 5). Patrol and CAP missions may only be launched from bases with runway damage less than 50 + (Airfield Size *5)"

Thanks for that tidbit and well played. Another example of "you think you know this game, then..."

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

10 Jul 43

Trigger fired four torpedoes at destroyer Kuroshio near Bandjermasin. All missed. The sub then was not located in the shallow water.

Retribution was immediate for my Spitfire ambush yesterday at Namlea.

Night Naval bombardment of Namlea at 76,108

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
CA Kinugasa
DD Yunagi
DD Asanagi
DD Hayate
DD Onami
DD Naganami
DD Kazegumo
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
243 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 9 disabled

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 35
Port hits 18
Port supply hits 4

The port is completely damaged, and the airbase is out of action. Every bit of supply was destroyed. 5 damaged Spits remain at Namlea, and will do so until the base is repaired. Which may not be soon. It was worth downing 18 bombers though. An enemy bombardment of Namlea, which isn't that important, means no bombardment of Ambon, where a sizable US force is, including a USMC division. Supply at Ambon is sufficient, for now, but slowly decreasing.

Trout is patrolling the shallows north of Brunei and Miri. It spots a convoy of small tankers. Two torpedoes are fired at TK Kuremente Maru. One hit, and the tanker was carrying fuel. It burned and sank.

S-30 engaged two E-boats at Ambon. It fired 4 torpedoes at E Karukaya. One hit but it was a dud.

Near Balikpapan, Hake spotted the cruiser task force that Trigger spotted earlier in the day. Four torpedoes were fired at CL Yura but missed.

Wasp has met up with new Essex carrier Dewey at Hilo. Wasp waited a day for Dewey, after finishing repairs at Pearl Harbor, because its squadrons are currently in the Solomons. The carriers will proceed to Tabiteuea to augment the growing force for a future Truk invasion.

Cocos Island, in the Indian Ocean, was never occupied by the enemy. A US engineer unit is leaving Perth to go to Cocos, and a base force from Ceylon is loading to also go to Cocos. I hope to sneak them in while all the attention is between Java and Timor. Cocos will be a nice base to have when the push through Java occurs, and the landing on the west coast of Sumatra happens.

[apbarog]

11 Jul 43

[apbarog]

12 Jul 43

Cabrilla fired 2 torpedoes at xAK Shinryu Maru near Amoy. One hit but it was a dud. Multiple cargo ships here.

Tambor was hit by a depth charge from a patrol boat near Semarang. The enemy has been alerted to the danger and is starting to patrol the waters north of Java. All shallow water there. E-boat concentrations remain from Balikpapan to Manado to Ambon, but that could change.

Fletcher class destroyers Jenkins, Nicholas, O'Bannon and Waller storm into Soerabaja, arriving during the daylight and staying. They engage PB Zosen Maru and sink it easily. Later in the day they spot AMc Chiyo Maru, but the tiny minesweeper evaded combat. US carrier aircraft did not fly strikes against shipping at Soerabaja, as feared, so maybe the Fletchers did some good.

I-39, at Soerabaja, did fire 2 torpedoes at destroyer Jenkins but missed. The DDs couldn't locate the sub though.

Banjoewangi, on the eastern tip of Java, and Denpassar will be invaded today. It's a nervous time with KB's location not known. And OPilot has had 2 days to react to my approaching task forces.

[apbarog]

13 Jul 43

Dutch sub KXVIII hit PB Tokotsu Maru with a torpedo near Manado. An AO was spotted but not engaged.

Enemy sub fired 2 torpedoes at DE Express south of Denpassar. The sub picked the wrong task force to pick on, but somehow the destroyer escort TF on ASW patrol didn't find the sub in the shallow water. Later in the day, destroyers Reid and Tucker hit the sub with a depth charge. The sub was reported as I-124, but for me, the minelaying subs seem to be reported often where they are not, having been supposedly sunk a number of times already.

Banjoewangi was invaded. No defenders. A small minefield was found and is being cleared.

Denpassar was invaded. Only the 12th Port Unit there.

I've been a player of War in the Pacific from day 1. I bought the game the day it was released at the wargaming convention in Columbus Ohio. Many years of playing it and the Admiral's Edition. And yet, I still occasionally see something that I'd never seen before. LST-481 was sunk today at Denpassar, with this message in the Operations Report:

"LST-481 breaks her back while beaching at Denpassar".

This is one amazing game. I wonder how many hours I've played it, probably averaging an hour or two (and that's a conservative estimate) every day for 17 years...

It's not a game, it's a way of life.

[BBfanboy]

Congrats on the surprise landings!
That should set up a long grinding campaign for you to hold your new bases and him to try push you out.
Popcorn all round ...

[apbarog]

14 Jul 43

Landings continue at Banjoewangi and Denpassar. Landings begin at Mataram and Waingapoe. Enemy mines are cleared at Banjoewangi.

At Soerabaja, the bombardment force runs over I-39 and hits it with a depth charge. But then

TF 613 encounters mine field at Soerabaja (56,104)

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Mine hits 1
CL Montpelier, Mine hits 2
DD Tucker, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Reid, Mine hits 1
DD Cassin, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
DD Downes, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
CA Indianapolis, Mine hits 1

Every ship in the task force hit at least one mine! I've learned something about my opponent. I knew that he used mines sparingly, and generally right as an invasion was approaching or already started. Now I know that he'll create large minefields. Maybe very large minefields. This is the worst case of running into mines that I've ever encountered. Every ship hit.

Checking damage, though, one destroyer is moderately damaged, and the other three are badly damaged. West Virginia is barely scratched, and may not have a mine at all. Indianapolis is moderately damaged. I'm not sure how badly Montpelier was damaged by mines, because

Submarine attack near Soerabaja at 56,104

Japanese Ships
SS I-39

Allied Ships
CL Montpelier, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage

CL Montpelier is sighted by SS I-39
SS I-39 launches 6 torpedoes at CL Montpelier

Montpelier sank immediately. Then the ships bombarded, and did well:

Night Naval bombardment of Soerabaja at 56,104

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 31 damaged
Ki-48-IIb Lily: 4 destroyed on ground (actually 8 destroyed)
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 17 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed on ground (actually 7 destroyed)
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 10 damaged
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground (actually 2 destroyed)

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia
CA Indianapolis

Japanese ground losses:
424 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 19
Runway hits 30

I-19 was sunk by a DE task force escorting the carriers near Denpassar. Midget sub Ha-13 missed damaged DD Reid with 2 torpedoes near Probolinggo.

In the morning, 22 Tojos swept Banjoewangi and did well against 9 Sea Hurricanes and 22 Hellcats. Just one Tojo was downed with multiple Allied planes lost. This surprised me at first, since Banjoewangi started the turn as enemy and flipped to US control. I don't remember sweeping a friendly base before and wasn't sure if it was even possible. It's justified though.

3 Lilys with 16 Oscars then attacked shipping at Banjoewangi. 11 Hellcats and 2 Sea Hurri's defended and did well. 2 Lilys dropped bombs near CA Minneapolis but missed. In the afternoon, the same bunch attacked again. This time, none made it through the CAP. Total air losses, not counting planes destroyed on the ground at Soerabaja, were 20 Oscars, 3 Lilys and a Tojo versus 8 Hellcats and 6 Sea Hurricanes. 3 Hellcat pilots became aces.

The bombardment of Soerabaja was costly, with the mines hits and losing a light cruiser, but it did reduce the size of the enemy's naval strikes. Worth it? I'm not sure.

The US 7th Infantry Division attacked at Denpassar. I expected a quick win here but that didn't happen. The tiny enemy port unit held.

Ground combat at Denpasar (58,108)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12046 troops, 236 guns, 161 vehicles, Assault Value = 445

Defending force 876 troops, 4 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Allied adjusted assault: 36

Japanese adjusted defense: 10

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
174 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled

Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
7th Infantry Division
762nd Tank Battalion
822nd Aviation Engineer Battalion
3/592nd Boat&Shore Engineer Battalion
96th Coast AA Regiment
4th Aus Lt AA Regiment
1 Group RNZAF
249th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
34th MAG /1

Defending units:
12th Port Unit

That was quite a downgrading of assault value. The infantry division is green, with just 50 experience. The base will fall today, though. The tank battalion has finished unloading and will join the infantry in a shock attack.

No sign of enemy carriers or any other threat to the landings, so far. Catalinas have now moved to Banjoewangi and will provide much needed search coverage.

[apbarog]

15 Jul 43

Unloading continued at Denpassar, Mataram and Waingapoe.

The earlier spotting of Kongo west of Babeldaob probably did end up being the location of enemy carriers, now spotted southbound passing Balikpapan.

Sub attack near Donggala at 67,98

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi
CA Kinugasa
CL Yubari
CL Abukuma
DD Shiranui
DD Kasumi
DD Arare
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Amatsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Sawfish

SS Sawfish launches 6 torpedoes at CV Akagi

That would have been nice. KB, I'll call it, continued south during the day.

8 Vals from Soerabaja found damaged destroyer Downes at Banjoewangi. I had chosen to not cover Banjoewangi with carrier fighters when all of the shipping left yesterday. 3 bomb hits finished off the destroyer.

CVE Langley is pressed into action.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Waingapoe at 63,113

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 36
G4M1 Betty x 31

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CL Java, Torpedo hits 1
CL Sumatra
DD Napier
DD Nepal
CL Leander

Aircraft Attacking:
31 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

Langley's F4Fs downed 9 Zeros but didn't get to the Bettys. Langley is at Waingapoe, escorted by just 2 destroyers, and isn't attacked. CL Java is SYS 0/FLOT 21-17/ENG 0/FIRE 0 and will survive with proper error handling.

The enemy port unit that held against all odds yesterday at Denpassar was crushed today.

Ground combat at Denpasar (58,108)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 12709 troops, 239 guns, 288 vehicles, Assault Value = 442

Defending force 712 troops, 4 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 4

Allied adjusted assault: 602

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 602 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Denpasar !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
703 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 59 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
7th Infantry Division
762nd Tank Battalion
1 Group RNZAF
96th Coast AA Regiment
249th Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion
4th Aus Lt AA Regiment
3/592nd Boat&Shore Engineer Battalion
822nd Aviation Engineer Battalion
34th MAG /1

Defending units:
12th Port Unit

All invasion targets have been taken. The most forward bases, Banjoewangi and Denpassar, both have over 20,000 supply and a division defending, with support units. Mataram and Waingapoe are more weakly defended and most of the support units didn't get there in time to unload. With KB nearby, the bases will make do.

[jwolf]

I wonder if your minefield will be as fruitful as your opponent's was...