Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Some of those Dutch squadrons can also use Aussie pilots.

Really! I had no idea! Is there a way to tell which ones? Do you have to assign the squadron to an Aussie Air HQ?

There is a Dutch squadron that comes in under Aussie command if I remember correctly. As I am currently playing Japan with incidentally torpedoing the USS Enterprise with two torpedoes on 9 December 1941, I am unwilling to check on it as I want to hunt the Big E.

I’m not aware of any Dutch Sqns that can take Aussie pilots, but 18 Sqn RAAF starts with Dutch pilots from memory. Cant remember if it takes Dutch or Aussie replacement pilots.
120 Sqn RAAF is the same and in game I think there is a 119 Sqn RAAF that isn’t mentioned on the AWM website below:
https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibition ... tralia/nei

Those are probably the squadrons that I am thinking of, they really were Dutch but were formed after the collapse of the DEI. They can use Dutch or Aussie pilots.

May 19th, 1943

Been a bit distracted in real life, so slow in-game. Not to mention, John was traveling to see some cabooses so that gave me the excuse to be a bit slower with turns. This turn has mostly good things, but it also a bit unsatisfactory in my opinion (and then there is some good luck for which I breathe a sight of relief).

To start with, in the South Pacific/DEI, we open with minesweeps (clearing 64 mines) and a fast BB and BC bombardment of Horn Island, which is surprisingly ineffective (we elect to stay somewhat at arrange from fear of mines). I wonder if the lack of effect is due to the fact that John has two of his heavy CD units on the island somehow disrupting more focused bombardment(the 8th ADU CD Gun regiment, the 7th Guard ADU CD Bn). We cause some damage to forces on the island, but little damage to airfields and no planes damaged or destroyed on the ground. This is followed the following day by sweeps and bombing of Horn Island, which gets a good ratio and kills a decent number of Jacks. Nonetheless, the airfield at Horn seems to be relatively undamaged. If nothing else, we wear down his supplies.

Some frustrating things: in the DEI, we get a shot at a good Japanese AO and hit it, but the torpedo fails to explode (we do sink a minnow TK). Good luck: a Japanese sub gets a shot at CVL Independence with 6 torpedoes, but all miss. We are in a precarious stage of resupplying/reinforcing Tagula and Milne. We will have all the LBA to spare to protect this (Tagula and Milne airfields are fully operational). John will probably try and come in with fast DDs or CLs hidden in nearby dot hexes or bases. He already bombarded Tagula once at night with DDs without being seen. These supply ships are covered by DD task forces.



I'm going to assume the appearance of an AO coming south in the DEI means John has carriers and big boys coming.

In India/Ceylon, a submarine spotted the heavily damaged CB (w/e its long name is) leaving with escorts from Addu. We attempt a low-chance of success intercept with DDs, though it is unspotted. In good news, Allied forces take Dambulla with decent damage caused to fleeing enemy troops. Even better, a fresh division is arriving from the south to begin the investment of Trincomalee. John is moving forces north towards Colombo from Koggala, but a division is there with more arriving by transport.

Yes, the Princeton was lucky.

Sigint Report

6/19th Ind Com Engineer Regiment is loaded on xAKL Gozan Maru moving to Sabang.
54th/B Division is located at Pagan(110,89).
Radio transmissions detected at Oita (104,59).
308th Ship Eng Coy is located at Nagasaki/Sasebo(102,58).
Radio transmissions detected at Pontianak (56,90).
15th Garrison Unit is located at Sibolga(44,79).
Radio transmissions detected at Rota (107,95).
107th Ship Eng Coy is located at Manila(79,77).
a Type KRS class SS is moving to 160,47.
Heavy Volume of Radio transmissions detected at 97,83.
4/67th Division is loaded on xAP Baikal Maru moving to Port Blair.
2/6th Air Division is loaded on a Kanzyu Maru class xAP moving to Madang.
6th/B Division is planning for an attack on Chungking.
Radio transmissions detected at Bangkok (56,62).
Radio transmissions detected at Amchitka Island (158,52).
Radio transmissions detected at Sabang (44,70).
Kwantung Army is located at Changchun(106,41).
Northern Army is located at Sapporo(120,51).
13th Ind.AA Gun Co is located at Okayama(108,58).
203rd Ship Eng Coy is located at Adak Island(162,52).
20th Fld AA Machinecannon Company is located at Mishan(114,42).
33rd Field Const Co is located at Tokyo(114,60).
58th Infantry Regiment is located at Changsha(82,52).
26th Engineer Regiment is located at Kienko(78,41).
5/24th Air Flotilla is loaded on a Japanese CM moving to Hollandia.
116th/B Division is planning for an attack on Chungking.
1/Southwest Area Fleet is located at Rangoon(54,53).
69th JAAF AF Bn is located at Harbin(109,39).
15th Air Defense AA Regiment is located at Darwin(76,124).
China Expeditionary Army is planning for an attack on Kweiyang.
2nd Air Defense AA Regiment is located at Soerabaja(56,104).
1st RGC Route Brigade is located at Amoy(83,61).
4th RTA/A Division is located at Udon Thani(61,59).
41st JNAF AF Unit is located at Shimushiri-jima(132,51).
51st Air Division is located at Amchitka Island(158,52).
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade is located at 77,49.

I don't think those two bombardments look so bad.

1. Good MDL prior to the bombardment is helpful - did you recon the bases the previous turn?
2. Spotting is needed too, but neither combat report shows a spotting aircraft. I am sure you ordered one but sometimes weather prevents their operation.
3. I assume you only bombarded at night and retreated? Often the DL is not high enough to use up the available ammo so the ships return with magazines half full, and sometimes even more than half.
4. The Coastal Gun Regiment did draw most of the bombardment. That may have disrupted it enough that it was less effective for AA fire during the bombing raids.

1. Yes.
2. My CAs were spotting and did get some spots in; I might have forgotten to set my BBs to spot.
3. Yup. Didn't check ammo. Perhaps.
4. Yup. The base is cleared and will continually be sweeped and bombed. Trying tomaintian high damage to airfield over time. Let's sell that we plan to move towards Horn and beyond too. John is clearly reinforcing the areas north of Rabaul though, based on sigint.

I sent the turn, but I realized I forgot to set my DD TF to try and intercept the damaged CB, though it'd be a shot in the dark as I have no clear idea of its position. Oops.

All you need is one aircraft to spot for the entire task force. Which one to use? I usually pick the TF leader since it seems to fire first.

I think there was a change where a spotter plane only spots for its own ship. Usually it names the ship its spotting for in the combat report.

Looks like you might be able to bag some significant forces on Ceylon. Good one.

Cheers,
CB

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I think there was a change where a spotter plane only spots for its own ship. Usually it names the ship its spotting for in the combat report.

That's not a change I am aware of. I have always only used one spotter squadron, typically from the command ship, as Ranger Joe does, and have more often than not, gotten nuclear bombardments out of the effort.

Were the spotting aircraft set to night?

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: witpqs

I think there was a change where a spotter plane only spots for its own ship. Usually it names the ship its spotting for in the combat report.

That's not a change I am aware of. I have always only used one spotter squadron, typically from the command ship, as Ranger Joe does, and have more often than not, gotten nuclear bombardments out of the effort.

Here is a recent battle report.

Night Naval bombardment of Akyab at 54,45

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CL Naka
CL Sendai
DD Susuki
DD Hishu

Allied ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for CA Takao
CA Takao firing at 2/11th Fld RAA Regiment
E7K2 Alf acting as spotter for CL Naka
CL Naka firing at 2/13th Fld RAA Regiment
E7K2 Alf acting as spotter for CL Sendai
CL Sendai firing at 268th Motorised Brigade
DD Susuki firing at 2/11th Fld RAA Regiment
DD Hishu firing at 268th Motorised Brigade

May 20th, 1943

Another day, another sub misses a juicy AO. The sub war has been very frustrating for me; I have gotten so many CVs/AOs/BBs on target in the last few months only to see my subs miss (most of the time) or have their torpedoes not explode. For the third turn in a row, we target a good Japanese AO coming south in the DEI only to see the sub's torpedoes make no contact at all. Before you comment, I, of course, make sure all my subs' commanders have good naval skills and aggressiveness. The high AO activity clearly implies Japanese capital ships in my opinion.

We once again sweep Horn Island and John has Georges posted this time that do a good job against my fighters in the air (2:1 advantage against Spitfires, Wilcats, and Lightnings...these things are CV capable too I think...crazy). If they do this well, I shudder at a CV battle where I have to face these things using Hellcats, even Corsairs seem tough as they didn't perform great in a previous sweep of Horn. Nonetheless, thanks to bombing by my heavy bombers, the Georges and Jacks destroyed in the air and on the ground are greater than my own losses. We will continue this.

The big thing for tomorrow is the efforts to get more supplies and men on Deboyne and Tagula Islands. These are covered by destroyers (my CVs are refueling/repairing for a tiny bit and then will move) and LBA. I expect John to strike with LBA and little DD TFs in the next turn or so.

I'm going through the process we all dread...allocating targets to all my units across all theaters. Necessary so we can attack where John isn't; he moves, then we attack elsewhere after. Targets: India, DEI/New Guinea/South Pacific, Aleutians. Also, my experience lines up with witpqs. Individual planes spot for their respective ships.

All I can tell you is that when you get to September, your subs will be a lot more fun to use. [8D]
Here is a quick sampling of the first 24 or so days in Sept, 43

ORIGINAL: Anachro

I'm going through the process we all dread...allocating targets to all my units across all theaters. Necessary so we can attack where John isn't; he moves, then we attack elsewhere after. Targets: India, DEI/New Guinea/South Pacific, Aleutians. Also, my experience lines up with witpqs. Individual planes spot for their respective ships.

Must be a change in 1126b. I am running 1126a and only one spotting aircraft shows in the Combat Report, even if you have multiple bombarding TFs (I just used seven TFs to eliminate the fortress on Ishigaki island). All TFs had the first bombarding ship set with a night spotter and with remain on station orders there were daytime spotters too, but only the first TF to bombard showed one spotter aircraft during the night phase of the turn.
Weather was good during the turn (light cloud) which I know from carrier air strikes, so all spotters should have flown spot or recon during the turn.