The Gamiest Game in Town - EL (J) vs Rio Bravo (A)

[PaxMondo]

Frank -r is a good plane, particularly in '44. mid-45 it will not be as effective, but it is still about the best you get ...

[el lobo]

GAME DAY Jan 14, 1944 Turn 769

On this game day I raised the white flag and handed my swards over to Admiral Bravo and Captain Haggard and they were accepted graciously.

I will post the events that led-up to this decision, but first I want to thank and commend Rio and Hag-san for a great game and congratulate them on their victory. They played brilliantly.

I would also like to thank Pax, Lowpe, GetAssista, mind-messing and all of the others who dropped into my AAR to offer advise and wisdom.

As a note, I have not read Rio's AAR nor opened their turn as of yet so what follows is pretty much how I perceived it at the time.

[el lobo]

FORMOSA Dec 10, 1943 Turn 734

Rio launched a vicious series of bombings at Taichu and attacks on TFs near Ishigaki. Air losses were heavy on both sides.

[el lobo]

CHINA Dec 14, 1943 Turn 738

Paoshan is abandoned.

[el lobo]

PACIFIC, SOUTH P.I. Dec 20, 1943 Turn 744

Something is happening here.

Search indicates something inbound so I put a lot of air groups at Davao, Malaybalay, and Cagayan.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Sorong at 83,105, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze
DD Akikaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAP Huzi Maru

Allied Ships
DD Evertsen
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1
DD Van Ghent
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Sorong at 84,104, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze
DD Akikaze
xAP Huzi Maru

Allied Ships
YMS BYMS-2168
YMS BYMS-2181
YMS BYMS-2204
YMS BYMS-2205
YMS BYMS-2217
YMS BYMS-2223
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Morotai at 84,101, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hakaze
DD Akikaze
xAP Huzi Maru

Allied Ships
CVE Battler
DE Decoy
DD Jupiter
DD Nizam

[el lobo]

PACIFIC, SOUTH P.I. Dec 20, 1943 Turn 744

Sure enough.

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Pre-Invasion action off Talaud-eilanden (79,97)

31 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
xAP Moreton Bay
xAP Largs Bay
xAP Rangitata
LSI(L) Dunedin Star
DD Gwin

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Amphibious Assault at Talaud-eilanden (79,97)

TF 126 troops unloading over beach at Talaud-eilanden, 79,97

Allied ground losses:
366 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 76 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 33 (1 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (0 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Every air unit flew. (Edited for brevity.) The CVE Battler sails away to fight another day.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Talaud-eilanden at 80,97

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 95 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 7
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 25
Ki-84r Frank x 15

Allied aircraft
Seafire IIC x 5
Wildcat V x 4

Allied Ships
CVE Battler, Torpedo hits 1
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Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 25

Allied aircraft
Seafire IIC x 2
Wildcat V x 2

Allied Ships
CVE Battler, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DE Decoy
DD Jupiter
DD Nizam

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Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 19

Allied Ships
xAP Rangitata
xAP Santa Barbara
xAK Examiner
LSI(L) Australia Star, Bomb hits 1
xAK Sea Barb
xAK Marpessa
LSD Lindenwald

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

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Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6
Ki-84r Frank x 14

Allied Ships
CVE Battler, on fire, heavy damage

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Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 19
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
CL Kenya, Bomb hits 1
CL Emerald
CL Newcastle

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Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 7

Allied Ships
CVE Battler, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: el lobo

GAME DAY Jan 14, 1944 Turn 769

On this game day I raised the white flag and handed my swards over to Admiral Bravo and Captain Haggard and they were accepted graciously.

What a great accomplishment you fashioned for your very first Japanese game, with so very little prior experience. Your play improved so much!

Great Job![&o]

[el lobo]

Thank you Lowpe and thanks for all of your help.

It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

[el lobo]

TALAUD-EILANDEN - FORMOSA Dec 22, 1943 Turn 746

Similar action continues at Talaud-eilanden.

Meanwhile fighting continues at Formosa. This is about the tenth hit on the Nevada, she is a great bomb soak for the Allies. It will be interesting to see the damage later.

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Morning Air attack on Pescadores , at 84,63

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 142 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 47 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y3 Judy x 9
N1K1-J George x 51

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 3 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 4 destroyed by flak
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 5 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

[el lobo]

TALAUD-EILANDEN - FORMOSA Dec 24, 1943 Turn 748

There is a lot of bombing by both sides on Formosa. More on this later.

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Morning Air attack on Taichu , at 86,64

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 19
N1K2-J George x 3
Ki-84a Frank x 4

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 17
B-24J Liberator x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-30 Ann: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

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

The Allies take Talaud-eilanden. The significance of the amount of Allied AV is two-fold. That it is not at Formosa tells me that he has more than enough on the way there from elsewhere, and that this is another staging area.
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Ground combat at Talaud-eilanden (79,97)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7099 troops, 138 guns, 123 vehicles, Assault Value = 672

Defending force 1765 troops, 20 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Allied adjusted assault: 356

Japanese adjusted defense: 9

Allied assault odds: 39 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Talaud-eilanden !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
525 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 21 (10 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
118 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

53rd JNAF AF Unit Wiped Out at Talaud-eilanden by attrition!!!
54th JNAF AF Unit Wiped Out at Talaud-eilanden by attrition!!!

[el lobo]

CHINA Dec 28, 1943 Turn 752

This is a big day, first China. Awhile back, I brought in an ID from Burma to Canton and started them with some other units towards Chaochow and Swatow. Rio twigged them and started bombing them. Over the next two weeks, with bombing only, he reduced them from 540 AV to AV 30. An average of ten bombings a day. This day alone ~2800 casualties and seventeen squads destroyed.

The next turns, I threw every type of a/c I had at him on LRCAP and they didn't even slow him down, The power of the Allied 4Es was a major element in my later decision to surrender the game.

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Morning Air attack on 4th Guards Division, at 81,60 , near Chaochow

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 19
B-24J Liberator x 9
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 27

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
850 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

[el lobo]

FORMOSA Dec 28, 1943 Turn 752

We went into Kagi.

I had a good Bombardment with a DD TF providing interference while a CA TF performed the Bombardment.

Here is how I crossed the river into Kagi. I split my troops into four waves and staggered their moves, (in Combat Mode). The first wave took the following losses, about half of the AV, which is about what I expected. The following waves did not Shock.

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Night Naval bombardment of Kagi at 85,64

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 12 damaged
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Nachi
CA Haguro

Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 5
Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

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Ground combat at Kagi (85,64)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 26146 troops, 234 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 905

Defending force 42911 troops, 795 guns, 864 vehicles, Assault Value = 1405

Japanese adjusted assault: 982

Allied adjusted defense: 1158

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
6930 casualties reported
Squads: 38 destroyed, 347 disabled
Non Combat: 10 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 19 destroyed, 33 disabled
Guns lost 28 (5 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (5 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
356 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Guns lost 13 (2 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (1 destroyed, 25 disabled)

[el lobo]

FORMOSA Jan 2, 1944 Turn 758

The rest of the units have moved into Kagi and we make our first DA. The results are good but now the foot-race is on. Can we take Kagi before reinforcements arrive?

Rio has been bombarding me every day south of Takao. My AV is steadily increasing but I can not keep supply enough to try another DA there.

We capture Chaochow.

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Ground combat at Kagi (85,64)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 108440 troops, 1077 guns, 1069 vehicles, Assault Value = 4181

Defending force 48545 troops, 901 guns, 981 vehicles, Assault Value = 1611

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 4615

Allied adjusted defense: 3100

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4

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

Japanese ground losses:
16117 casualties reported
Squads: 180 destroyed, 641 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 177 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 56 disabled
Guns lost 173 (17 destroyed, 156 disabled)
Vehicles lost 106 (10 destroyed, 96 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2613 casualties reported
Squads: 90 destroyed, 83 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 36 disabled
Guns lost 97 (13 destroyed, 84 disabled)


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Ground combat at Chaochow (81,61)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9411 troops, 212 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 152

Defending force 260 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5

Japanese adjusted assault: 9

Allied adjusted defense: 3

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Chaochow !!!

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

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

Allied ground losses:
260 casualties reported
Squads: 30 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1


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Ground combat at 85,66 (near Takao)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2254 troops, 191 guns, 126 vehicles, Assault Value = 997

Defending force 78737 troops, 769 guns, 334 vehicles, Assault Value = 2479

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

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 4, 1944 Turn 760

Speak of the devil, looks as though reinforcements may be on the way.

My first Mavis and Frances aces.

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ulithi at 96,89

Weather in hex: Clear sky

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

Japanese aircraft
H6K4 Mavis x 7

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 14 destroyed

Allied Ships
AKV Clan Macdonald, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AKV Doryssa

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Japanese aircraft
P1Y1 Frances x 13
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 11

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
P1Y1 Frances: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire VIII: 9 destroyed

Allied Ships
DE Baron
AKV Hammondsport, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AKV Malancha, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 5, 1944 Turn 761

The Allied fleet is on the way. At least I am getting a little better LBA action this time.

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 6, 1944 Turn 762

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 7, 1944 Turn 763

Lots of air action but nothing larger than a DD destroyed.

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 8, 1944 Turn 764

A bloody day.

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 9, 1944 Turn 765

Another day much like last turn.

Second and third kamikaze attacks. Not bad for a bunch of Nates.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Takao at 84,65

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 182 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 57 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 12
Ki-84a Frank x 23

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 89

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27b Nate: 5 destroyed
Ki-27b Nate: 2 destroyed by flak
Ki-84a Frank: 12 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
AP Gen. A.E.Anderson, Kamikaze hits 1
xAP Cape Newenham, Kamikaze hits 1, on fire
xAP Neptuna, Kamikaze hits 1, heavy damage
xAP Lurline
xAP Boschfontein, Kamikaze hits 1
xAP Merkur, Kamikaze hits 1

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-27b Nate flying as kamikaze

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Miyako-jima at 91,66

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 28 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 8
Ki-84a Frank x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ia Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Caldwell, Kamikaze hits 4, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-43-Ia Oscar flying as kamikaze

[el lobo]

PACIFIC Jan 10, 1944 Turn 766

The full KB launches some strikes, some ok, some pretty good.
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Pescadores at 84,63

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 105 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 34
B6N2 Jill x 11
D4Y3 Judy x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Blue
DE McConnell, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Hermitage
xAK Cape Ann, Bomb hits 1, on fire

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Takao at 84,65

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 81 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 201
D4Y3 Judy x 5

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 38
FM-1 Wildcat x 27
F6F-3 Hellcat x 147

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 6 destroyed
D4Y3 Judy: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
FM-1 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Pescadores at 83,63

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 30
B6N2 Jill x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Spence
DD Sproston, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pescadores at 83,63

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 205
B6N2 Jill x 52
D4Y3 Judy x 80

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 88
FM-1 Wildcat x 16
F6F-3 Hellcat x 73

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 17 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 8 destroyed, 12 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 4 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 15 destroyed, 17 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 15 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
FM-1 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVL Cowpens, Torpedo hits 1
BB South Dakota, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CVL Independence
CV Saratoga
CV Wasp
CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Belleau Wood, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CVL Cabot
CV Hornet
CV Essex
CV Bunker Hill, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Princeton
CVL Monterey
CA Louisville
BB Washington
CV Yorktown II

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pescadores at 83,63

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 39 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 43
B6N2 Jill x 19

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 25
FM-1 Wildcat x 2
F6F-3 Hellcat x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 12 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 9 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
FM-1 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Wasp, Torpedo hits 1
CV Yorktown II, Torpedo hits 1
BB Washington
CVL Princeton
CV Saratoga