Straight Into the Teeth: A Story of Logistics, Patience, and Firepower

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj
could you bypass Rangoon (such as take Pegu behind him) and backfill? Sure it doesn't open up the Burma road right away, but at least either cuts him off to make it easier, or possibly he sees the move in advance and pulls back leaving Rangoon underdefended.

That's a possibility but I would really need to commit fleet assets for such a move. And I'd probably also need to take the Andamans first but I do have some units getting ready there. I think I'm just going to continue to build up for a push on Rangoon sometime in spring 44. With high stacking limits and only 2x terrain, I think I have the ability to simply overpower the Japanese here.

[Sangeli]

December 16th 1943

Steel continues to rain on Nauru. The defenders are really getting battered. Bombardment ended up destroying all the non LCUs in the hex. Even so my attack was not able to take the base:

Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 21752 troops, 550 guns, 414 vehicles, Assault Value = 538

Defending force 5546 troops, 99 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 50

Allied adjusted assault: 198

Japanese adjusted defense: 41

Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
1105 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 42 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 20 (15 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
305 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Marine Regiment
754th Tank Battalion
19th Infantry Regiment
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
7th Infantry Division
249th Field Artillery Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion
226th Field Artillery Battalion
7th Marine Defense Battalion

Defending units:
88th Naval Guard Unit
26th Ind.Mixed Brigade
14th Garrison Unit
2nd Amphibious Bde /1

Nauru has taken much longer than expected and the Japanese have used the time to strengthen their defenses in the Marshalls. Right now there are around 400 fighters scattered throughout the Marshalls in addition to a SCTF of sort. But in that time I have also brought in engineers, base units, and supply into my newly conquered bases of Makin and Tarawa. Nowhere in the Marshalls is out of range of my LBA fighters but I have yet to seriously challenge the Japanese here. My P47s will have something to say to that soon, however.

And the day before I launched a major CAP trap at Port Moresby with my CVEs shooting down over 100 2E fighters. That gave my engineers a little respite. But they really need more supply. Probably will need a few more supply runs before Port Moresby can defend its airspace by itself.

[Sangeli]

December 18th

Nauru easily fell after that first attack so I focused my attention to the north east. The Japanese had ~500 fighters scattered throughout the Marshalls but as far as I could tell lacked any serious fleet assets. So I devised a plan to bombard the base under the air cover of my Death Star and smash the planes on the ground. But before I was to bombard the base, I turned naval attack OFF for my carrier based planes. In the past few months one of the trends on both sides has been the ineffectiveness of naval strike missions due to heavy CAP. Once again I underestimated the aggressiveness of the IJN and I was made to pay for my cautiousness:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Tarawa at 135,127, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Naganami, Shell hits 5
DD Onami, Shell hits 1
DD Shiratsuyu, Shell hits 4, heavy fires

Allied Ships
CVE Casablanca, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Anzio, Shell hits 8, on fire
CVE Manila Bay, Shell hits 4
CVE Battler, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
CVE Neosho, Shell hits 1
CLAA San Juan, Shell hits 2
DD Conway, Shell hits 1
DD Franks, Shell hits 1
DD Balch
DD John D. Ford
DE Parks
DE Bebas
DE Dionne
DE Doneff, Shell hits 1, on fire
DE Griswold
DE Martin
DE Wileman

The CVE Casablanca was sunk, the CVE Battler heavily damaged, and two other CVEs lightly damaged. All from a trio of IJN destroyers. They were sunk later in the day but the damage was already done. After this I was forced with withdraw my entire CVE fleet for repairs and regrouping.

[Sangeli]

December 19th

Despite the loss of those CVEs from operations, I proceeded with my plan as before. Luckily for me, thunderstorms concealed the location of the entire Allied fleet minus the slow BBs which were at Makin. I noticed there was a small cruiser fleet sitting at Ailinglaplap where the Japanese 200 fighters so I sent in two groups of BBs to take care of the cruisers and smash the airbase. Cruisers and destroyers hit the other bases while the slow BBs hit Mili. Things did not start well at Ailinglaplap:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ailinglaplap at 133,117, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara
DD Takanami, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Fubuki, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Usugumo
DD Isonami

Allied Ships
BB Montana, Shell hits 1
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Strong
DD Gwin
DD Carmick
DD Sterett
DD Flusser
DD Gilmer
DMS Hamilton, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 46% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards

Willis "Ching" Lee was the commander of that TF so it definitely was not an issue with the commander. It just seems like radar doesn't help at all in these engagements and I come out the worse each time.

The other bombardment TFs found their mark, however:

Night Naval bombardment of Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8-J Zero: 38 damaged
A6M8-J Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M8 Zero: 76 damaged
A6M8 Zero: 6 destroyed on ground
D4Y1 Judy: 34 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed on ground
B6N2 Jill: 15 damaged

Allied Ships
CA Boston
CA Baltimore
CA Wichita
CA Northampton
CLAA Oakland
DD Clark
DD Walke
DD Doyle
DD Gansevoort
DD Halford
DD Bush

Japanese ground losses:
367 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Airbase hits 30
Airbase supply hits 15
Runway hits 63
Port hits 20
Port fuel hits 8
Port supply hits 6


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Ailinglaplap at 133,117

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 287 damaged
N1K1-J George: 8 destroyed on ground
A6M8 Zero: 7 damaged
A6M8 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BC Strasbourg
BC Dunkerque
BC Repulse
DD Stewart
DD Benham
DD Helm
DD Blue
DD Frankford
DD Caldwell
DD Laffey
DD Dashiell
DMS Hovey

Japanese ground losses:
263 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 10 (3 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 82
Port hits 23



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Wotje at 135,115 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8-J Zero: 10 damaged
A6M8-J Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

302 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
DD McCook
DD Satterlee, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Bailey, Shell hits 3
DD Woodworth
DD Saufley
DD Hazelwood
DD Harrison
DD Eaton

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

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8
Port hits 4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Kwajalein Island at 132,115 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8-J Zero: 78 damaged
A6M8-J Zero: 5 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 63 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed on ground

227 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
DD Kuwa, Shell hits 2, on fire
SS I-19, hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham
CL Columbia
CL Cleveland
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 2
CL Leander
DD Le Hardi
DD Paulding
DD Brooks
DD Reid
DD Bancroft
DD Duncan, Shell hits 2
DD Fullam
DD Claxton

Japanese ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 18 (2 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Airbase hits 15
Airbase supply hits 16
Runway hits 103
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Wotje at 135,115 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8-J Zero: 43 damaged
A6M8-J Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

195 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
DD Waller
DD Trathen
DD Terry
DD Taylor
DD Stevens
DD Spence
DD John Rodgers
DD Ringgold
DD Philip
DD Bradford
DD Beale
DD Ammen

Japanese ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 32
Port hits 15
Port supply hits 2

That was enough to knock out all the fighters from the air. My sweeps hit nothing and my bombers flew in unopposed. In retrospect I should have turned on naval strike for my CVs so they could have sunk that small cruiser force which escaped pretty much unharmed. But about 100 fighters were destroyed on the ground and many more are damaged stuck on their atolls so it was a strategic success, even if at a higher price than I would have liked.


I also went after Mili with my slow BBs even though I detected no fighters. But the counterbattery fire at Mili was something else:

Night Naval bombardment of Mili at 136,121 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H8K2 Emily: 3 damaged
H8K2 Emily: 1 destroyed on ground

414 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 13
BB California
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 38, on fire
BB Arizona
BB Oklahoma, Shell hits 2
BB Nevada, Shell hits 36, on fire
BB Colorado
CL Jeanne d'Arc
DD Harwood
DD Tenedos
DD Vampire
DD Stuart
DD Allen
DD Drayton
DD Fanning
DD Hammann
DD Thompson
DD Sigsbee
DD DeHaven, Shell hits 1
DD Bullard
DE Levy, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
526 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 11
Port hits 20

I guess the Mili naval fortress has a lot of big guns. Many months earlier I decided to bypass Mili because it seemed too well defended. This definitely vindicates that decision.

[Sangeli]

December 20th

To be perfectly honest, before this turn I was relatively unsatisfied with my operations in the Marshalls over the previous two days. Yes I smashed his airbases and a bunch of planes but in doing so I lost some valuable fleet assets. No matter what, the BB South Dakota was going to be out for a long time. But having cleared the air bases, I turned naval strike back on for my CVs. My plan was to hit some support ships in port, but as it would have it the IJN decided to launch a major counterattack. Rev Rico would claim after the turn that he had been "waiting for weeks" to ambush me which I scoffed at as being typical for Japanese fanboys. Rev Rico might be as old as my dad but he lacks the patience I have had in this game. I have waited much much longer than few weeks for the moment to strike because I need the right conditions. Certainly luck was a factor here but the idea of charging at a fast CV fleet without adequate air protection is nothing less than a suicide mission. It's hard to imagine any outcome where at least a few Japanese BBs were not sunk because his fleets were certainly not going to disable all my CVs before they could launch planes.

The night started with the fast Japanese SCTF smashing into the damaged BB South Dakota and most likely sinking it:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ebon at 132,121, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CB Kasuga
CA Myoko
CA Haguro
DD Suzunami, Shell hits 1
DD Oshio
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Uranami
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
DD Flusser
DD Gilmer, Shell hits 1

Then the slower and larger SCTF found my carriers. This time my escorts did an excellent job protecting my CVs and managed to even get a torpedo hit on the BB Yamashiro:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Mili at 135,121, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
BB Mutsu
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CLAA Kinu
CLAA Kuma
DD Hanazuki
DD Urazuki
DD Kiyonami
DD Harusame
DD Momo
DD Take
DD Ume, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CV Essex
CVL Princeton
CVL Belleau Wood
CVL Monterey
CVL Varennes, Shell hits 1
BB Massachusetts, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Guest
DD Hudson
DD Kidd
DD Lardner
DD Hughes, Shell hits 1
DD Lang
DD Case
DD Humphreys

Then a third SCTF smashed into a Fletcher fleet. As we have seen many times in the past, single BB guarded by a couple of destroyers is a terrible matchup against a larger number of Fletchers. More often than not, the Fletcher torpedoes will find their mark against a big target at relatively short range:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Mili at 135,122, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagiri
DD Amagiri, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Beale, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Bradford, Shell hits 1
DD Philip, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Ringgold, Shell hits 2
DD Taylor
DD Waller, Shell hits 2

The Japanese got some revenge later with the other TF led by the CB Kasuga and sunk most of these destroyers but of course a Fletcher is only 1/20th the VP cost of a BB so I'll take that trade every day.

And finally, my CVs launched their revenge strikes in the morning. Japanese LRCAP was terrible and I shot down more planes than I lost:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Mili at 135,122

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 36
A6M8-J Zero x 4
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 25

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 93
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26
SBD-5 Dauntless x 104
TBF-1 Avenger x 114
TBM-1C Avenger x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8 Zero: 5 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 6 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 12 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 10 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CA Myoko
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 7, on fire
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 1
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
DD Uranami, on fire
CLAA Kuma
DD Take


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Jaluit at 134,121

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 11
TBF-1 Avenger x 2

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

And just like that I sunk two BBs, one CA, and perhaps a third BB as well. I believe the only CBs/BBs that did not participate in the battles today are the BB Yamato, BB Kirishima, and BB Kongo. So the losses today represent a good 1/3rd of the remaining ships of that category. But these losses could be compounded. I need to load up the game before I make a decision but I am considering send my fast CVs charging towards Ponape where the Japanese are likely to flee given that it's the closest base outside of bomber range. Very good chance the KB could be waiting for me but even with LBA from Ponape I think I still might have the upper hand. Alternatively I might try a multi-day approach and bring my surface assets under the protection of the Death Star and get Ponape in range for bombardment. Though fuel might be an issue there as I did lose 2 AOs during the surface battles.

[jwolf]

Kudos to both sides for some tough fighting but I think you definitely got the upper hand in these exchanges. Really nice to see those Japanese BBs go down. [8D]

[Sangeli]

December 21st 1943: Death of the IJN

Given that my carrier fleets were well intact, I ordered a full speed dash to cut off the retreat rout of the Japanese BBs. I had some concern the KB would pop up but bewilderingly after multiple days of battle they were nowhere to be found. In my opinion it was an enormous tactical mistake to send in a huge BB fleet without the KB as I could concentrate exclusively on those surface ships. Unsurprisingly, my carriers had no issues dealing with the remaining LRCAP an IJN in the Marshalls:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 8
Ki-61-Ib Tony x 1

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 177
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26
SBD-5 Dauntless x 144
TBF-1 Avenger x 99
TBM-1C Avenger x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-Ib Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 32 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 9 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CB Kasuga, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Asagiri
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Oshio, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
DD Amagiri, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Akatsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Take
DD Ikazuchi, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Suzunami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Harusame, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CLAA Kinu
DD Kiyonami
DD Hanazuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kwajalein Island at 132,115

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 196
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26
SBD-5 Dauntless x 134
TBF-1 Avenger x 79
TBM-1C Avenger x 4

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 20 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
CLAA Kinu, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CB Kasuga, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagiri
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ume, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Take, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
DD Harusame, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Momo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Urazuki, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CLAA Kuma, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Kiyonami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Hanazuki, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Just a pure bloodbath there. Allied fighters also found their mark sweeping the atolls of the Marshalls with very good K/D ratios. It looks like some of IJN ships might still be afloat but it's hard to imagine them going very far at this point. No more torpedoes left but I should be able to finish off the remaining ships with bombs alone. Assuming I do, that would mean I sunk a total of 6 BB/CB in just a few days which is more than I'd sunk in the war up until this point.

Rev Rico has basically admitted the IJN is gone at this point. Perhaps a little bit of an overstatement because I know he still has some CVs and perhaps two dozen cruisers but definitely this is a huge blow. But of course 1944 hasn't even begun yet and Japan still leads me in VPs and I don't even have a foothold in the Solomons yet. At this point I want to more or less continue my original plan of encircling Rabaul from the south, east, and north. But looking past that I considering some very aggressive strategies in mid 1944 and beyond. Auto-victory by 1945 should be my goal and in order to do that I'm going to have to make some bold moves.

[witpqs]

That was just a big beat-down.

[Capt. Harlock]

Just a pure bloodbath there. Allied fighters also found their mark sweeping the atolls of the Marshalls with very good K/D ratios.

A spectacular job! (I wonder if the flak guns were largely 25mm, which might account for the large number of damaged aircraft but relatively few outright losses.)

Ot of curiousity, what's the current situation for South Dakota?

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Just a pure bloodbath there. Allied fighters also found their mark sweeping the atolls of the Marshalls with very good K/D ratios.

A spectacular job! (I wonder if the flak guns were largely 25mm, which might account for the large number of damaged aircraft but relatively few outright losses.)

Ot of curiousity, what's the current situation for South Dakota?

Oh ya, most of the damaged planes were from the flak. All my fighters were flying at 10k feet (laziness because I didn't think they would be needed) but that seemed to keep the Japanese fighters from reaching the bombers so most of the damaged planes were from flak. I would imagine it was those 25 mm guns that caused most of the damaged planes. As we know historically those 25 mm guns were really inadequate when compared to the 40 mm Bofors guns that the Allies used extensively. And of course those 5 inch guns were even deadlier and in my CV battles often accounted for more losses than CAP.

The BB South Dakota is sunk. Oh well.

[Sangeli]

December 23rd 1943

Still mopping up the remaining Japanese capital ships in the Marshalls. The BB Mutsu is confirmed to have been sunk. The BB Nagato is confirmed still afloat disbanded in Maloelap. And the status of CB Kasuga is unknown.

To add further insult to injury I just put a torpedo in a Japanese CVL:

Sub attack near Truk at 108,112

Japanese Ships
CVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 1
DD Yayoi
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
SS Flier

Unsure if that means the rest of the KB is nearby.

[BBfanboy]

I hope your opponent has lots of antacid at hand ...

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I hope your opponent has lots of antacid at hand ...

Honestly I'm a little unhappy with all as well. I was really looking forward to a competitive 1944 where I would have to still contend with the IJN and LBA with my landings. Instead Rev Rico threw his assets into the fray right into the teeth of the Death Star and got burned, as expected. He lacked the patience and foresight to realize how important fleet-in-being tactics are in this game and how much the mere threat of the IJN appearing delayed progress in many theatres. Now that threat is mostly gone and I can move forward at will.

[Sangeli]

December 26th 1943

First landings in the Marshals after crushing the IJN:

Ground combat at Maloelap (136,117)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 7619 troops, 157 guns, 135 vehicles, Assault Value = 262

Defending force 2593 troops, 44 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 27

Allied adjusted assault: 192

Japanese adjusted defense: 3

Allied assault odds: 64 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied forces CAPTURE Maloelap !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
3785 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 137 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 40 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 59 (59 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (7 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 5

Allied ground losses:
236 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 7 (3 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
25th Marine Regiment
1st/102nd Infantry Battalion
I US Amphib Corps
14th Marine Defense Battalion

Defending units:
15th Indpt SNLF Coy
1st JNAF AF Unit
Maloelap Base Force
3rd Guard ADU Coastal Gun Battalion
Maloelap Naval Fortress
41st JNAF AF Unit

No large LCUs so the base falls easily enough.

And here is the current map of the Marshalls:



Mili and Majuro are going to be bypassed and left alone. Now that the IJN has been crushed I can pretty much do anything I want in the Marshalls. Hoping to wrap up landings within the next month.

And the latest VP screen:



Landings in the SoPac are coming up as well. Right now I think I'm mostly in a mopping up stage taking territory that Japan (should) be offering up basically for free. But this is needed to shorten my supply lines. I'm starting to have more supply issues in the Pacific because of the near constant bombardments and bombing raids. Having a straight LOS from Pearl Harbor to Townsville will be key if I want to push out of Darwin in the DEI.

[BBfanboy]

I like Mili and Ailinglaplap for their larger island size that allows more troops in the stacking limit. Very handy for consolidating forces for the next amphib invasion. Much easier to load a big invasion from a couple of bases than scattered throughout that string of atolls.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I like Mili and Ailinglaplap for their larger island size that allows more troops in the stacking limit. Very handy for consolidating forces for the next amphib invasion. Much easier to load a big invasion from a couple of bases than scattered throughout that string of atolls.

The problem is that the reverse is also true: larger island sizes means more defenders. I am not planning on taking either base for that reason. Furthermore, the 10k stacking limit on each island is nothing compared to the stacking limits on Nauru (25k), Tarawa (25k), and Tabiteuea (40k). Those are my true staging bases.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I like Mili and Ailinglaplap for their larger island size that allows more troops in the stacking limit. Very handy for consolidating forces for the next amphib invasion. Much easier to load a big invasion from a couple of bases than scattered throughout that string of atolls.

The problem is that the reverse is also true: larger island sizes means more defenders. I am not planning on taking either base for that reason. Furthermore, the 10k stacking limit on each island is nothing compared to the stacking limits on Nauru (25k), Tarawa (25k), and Tabiteuea (40k). Those are my true staging bases.

AH, I forget that different scenarios have different SL. In the vanilla game those bases have a 30K stacking limit.

[Sangeli]

December 28th 1943

As 1943 is ending, I am wrapping up my landings in the New Hebrides:

Ground combat at Vanua Lava (121,148)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1776 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 72

Defending force 11611 troops, 243 guns, 198 vehicles, Assault Value = 488

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

Assaulting units:
89th Naval Guard Unit
3rd JNAF AF Unit
1st Guard ADU Cst Gun Bn /4

Defending units:
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
6th Infantry Div /10
5th USA Defense Battalion
7th USA Defense Battalion

Nicely matched invasion force given the opposition here. Should have it wrapped up within a few days. Not too big and not too small. Afterwards I have another landing planned for Ndeni with another division. I have opted to bypass the rest of the islands here, including Luganville. These far flung possessions in the SoPac will be left to wither and die.

[Sangeli]

December 31st 1943

On the last day of 1943, the Grand Fleet assembles at Makin with the recent reinforcement of a few CVs. In total I have 7 CVs and 8 CVLs. A very formidable force. But today I will split them up into two groups. One group one will remain in the Marshalls to support landings there and the other will move to the SoPac. Either fleet on its own can match the KB and with CVEs in support would handily beat it.

[Sangeli]

January 3rd 1944

After the battles of Nauru and Tarawa where I was mirred on the beaches for weeks waiting bombardment to take effect, I opted for a different strategy this time around. At the loss of the element of surprise, I decided to suppress the defenses of atolls I wanted to land on well before I landed. Given the utter dominance of the USN at this juncture having smashed half the KB and most of the BBs, the loss of surprise was not concern. So for the last ten days or so I have been continuously bombing and bombarding Jaluit and Wotje. Today I landed on both atolls. And it is VERY clear that my firepower was doing its jobs:

Ground combat at Jaluit (134,120)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 7060 troops, 172 guns, 213 vehicles, Assault Value = 236

Defending force 545 troops, 10 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Allied adjusted assault: 98

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 98 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Jaluit !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender:
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
583 casualties reported
Squads: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 91 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Assaulting units:
766th Tank Battalion
2nd/102nd Infantry Battalion
138th(Sep) Infantry Rgt /4
181st Field Artillery Regiment
4th Marine Defense Battalion
2nd USA Defense Battalion
4th USA Defense Battalion

Defending units:
90th Naval Guard Unit
Jaluit Base Force
24th JNAF AF Unit


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Ground combat at Wotje (135,115)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 4223 troops, 71 guns, 208 vehicles, Assault Value = 200

Defending force 482 troops, 11 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 3

Allied adjusted assault: 192

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 192 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied forces CAPTURE Wotje !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
515 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Assaulting units:
21st Infantry Regiment
4th USMC Tank Battalion
3rd USA Def Bn /1

Defending units:
Wotje Base Force
49th JNAF AF Unit
14th Indpt SNLF Coy

How do you like that? Two atoll shock attacks with nary a casualty! Though I confess the landings themselves disabled a few dozen squads since some units were not at 100% prep. A few weeks ago my intel was showing between 4,000 and 6,000 defenders on each atoll. My ample use of firepower cut them down to a small fraction of the original strength.

Going forward I just have a few more landings in the Marshalls before I move on. The most heavily defended atolls of Mili and Ailinglaplap are going to be bypassed and starved. The next targets and Kwajalein and Roi-Namur. Kwajalein is going to be especially important given that it has a level 5 naval base which is larger than anything in the area. It will be turned into a giant logistical hub for further advances to the west.

In the SoPac things are easy. No Japanese interference at all. Since I crushed the IJN BB fleet in the Marshalls, the Japanese have really been quiet just about everywhere. It's been at least a week since we've even had air battles. Once I wrap up the Marshalls an the lower SoPac things will pick up. One advantage of this is that I have quite a large surplus of 4E air frames at this point. Think I might buy out a few more with PP and bring them to the front. Going forward I want to be able to sustain air offensives in the CentPac, SoPac, an SwPac simultaneously. 1944 is going to be a fun year [:D]