Hairy Asian Experiences - GreyJoy (J) vs. Q-Ball (A)

[veji1]

this is awesome. to think it is your first game as japan and you are playing this awfully hard mod.. massive respect ! If you can finish him off properly, you got yourself 9 months of peace from sea operations, meaning he will have to focus on Burma and you have time to massively reinforce it with chinese troops.. Awesome.

[GreyJoy]

We fought bravely... 182 Zekes and 22 Rufes did their best.... again Radar worked well and the enemy was intercepted 31 min before the arrival...

40 enemies were shot down... many damaged by our CAP......

...but 60 of them got through....

[GreyJoy]

.... and japanese flak did wonders!!!!!!!!!!!!! [:D][:D][:D][:D]

Not a single ***ing damned hit! Not a single one! Not a bomb or a torp...nothing!!!!!!!!

[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

Gods were really on my side today...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Deboyne Islands at 101,139

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 22
A6M5 Zero x 182

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 35
SBD-3 Dauntless x 90
TBF-1 Avenger x 54

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 25 destroyed, 29 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 9 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku
CV Kaga
BB Kongo
CV Akagi
CV Shokaku
CV Hiryu
CV Junyo
CV Soryu
BB Haruna
CV Hiyo
CA Kumano
DD Yukikaze
CVL Shoho
CS Nisshin

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
1 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
801 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 7000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
11 planes vectored on to bombers
452 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
802 Ku S-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers
Akagi-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
32 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
28 planes vectored on to bombers
Kaga-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
26 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 14000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
35 planes vectored on to bombers
Soryu-1 with A6M5 Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
7 planes vectored on to bombers
Shokaku-1 with A6M5 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
Zuikaku-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
18 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
31 planes vectored on to bombers
Junyo-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
23 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
17 planes vectored on to bombers
Hiyo-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
24 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
29 planes vectored on to bombers
Shoho-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
19 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes
14 planes vectored on to bombers
Zuiho-1 with A6M5 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
20 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
24 planes vectored on to bombers

[GreyJoy]

And here's the butcher's bill of the day:

The enemy lost 1 CV, 1 BB and 2 CVEs, with one more BB in sinking conditions and 2 CVs badly hit

in the air we achieved some great odds, with 131 losses on my side against nearly 300 of his own!

[Rapunzel]

I hope you finish of another cv the next turn. [X(][&o]

[paullus99]

I'm sorry - that's frakin' ridiculous........

[veji1]

gosh !!

He is so dead!

If you can get 4/5 out of the 6 CVs you have secured yourself massive time to strengthen the perimeter.. This is really an ideal scenario...

Just have to wonder what the hell he was doing there, with his pants down in the middle of nowhere, away from his LBA...

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
seems like a recognition in force rather than a true invasion...

Sorry mate, I had the shot, there was no danger, I took the shot... [:D]

This has all the makings of a "back door" invasion that got caught out. Amphib troops, plus support, plus the very real possibility of an Air Drop at the same time. Plus it saves a lot of APA's & AKA's for another follow on hit soon after. This is how I see this offensive going, with rapid punches all around to keep you hopping & burning fuel.

My 2 cents

I agree mate! However he cannot do any big style landing without his CVs... his APA/AKA weren't here... and near Darwin it's been all an elaborate feint... so his real invasion must be waiting somewhere else...

It's also confirmed that a TF with at least 10 ships is sailing westwards south of Paramushiro....[X(][X(][X(]

[ny59giants]

Yes, it is true I have limited knowledge in this area, and you should rely on your military advisor, NY Gaints, for military advice. However,  I have mentioned this before....yet you persist.  And, Greyjoy, you KNOW how I detest having to repeat myself.  CAP at 100% with those assigned to CAP.  See how it works for you, lad.  If I have to REMIND you of this again, it will be with the snap of the whip!  That satisfied (okay, maybe a little drunk) smile will not mar your handsome features should that come to pass.

I was more of an economics minister in the begin and after the first few turns and getting Tracker up and running, Nic (GreyJoy) has been on his own. I offered to play the Allies for the first few months to get his feet wet, but GJ was too anxious and jumped into the deep end without a life preserver against a quality opponent in Q-Ball. [:D] I gave him some feedback on lessons I learned the hard way, but not too much. He knows he can drop me a PM if needed, but I tend to offer more overall strategic advise than tactical.

When it comes to CAP settings, I tend to go from 30 to 60% with 20% on Rest. I usually push the higher end when I expect just a single or two attacks. When there are multiple waves of attackers, I go with 40% CAP and 20% Rest. This was a recommendation from Joe W. from years ago and it works pretty well. The 20% Rest will keep the most fatigued pilots grounded. You also need to consider the SR of the aircrafts. The Frank and George are too high to keep them in the air for the whole AM or PM attack phase. The Tojo IIa & c models with a SR of 1 are great just by the fact that they will keep coming up throughout those major multiple strike raids.

GreyJoy, great job on your CV v. CV attack. Those Judys are worth their weight in gold for their range and payload they can carry. Watch out from getting too close to the Australian coast and his SBDs and TBs (Avengers and Beauforts).

BANZAI!! [&o][&o]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

I'm sorry - that's frakin' ridiculous........

Hi Paullus, nice to see you back!

What do you mean?

[paullus99]

Sorry - been lurking for a long while (kids & work considerations).

I just find some of these WiTP:AE results to be too ridiculous for words. I mean, great job, but to think that 60 bombers would score "0" hits is a bit more than I can possibly believe. I know the mods do make quite a few changes to the basic code, but really, I get a bit tired of seeing results like this.

Not to mention the coding disaster that ended your game with Rader........

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: veji1


Just have to wonder what the hell he was doing there, with his pants down in the middle of nowhere, away from his LBA...

Was a strange invasion indeed. He had with him only 4 or 5 big APAs, nothing else as transports...then he had the whole allied fleet...the cream of his ships...Seems like he was trying more to attract my attention than really seeking for an invasion

And the double feint he made...probably he wanted to draw the KB far away from my LBA...and he managed to!

Gotta say that he was really unlucky... his CVs reacted exactly in the worst possible way, while mine remained togheder...and that made all the difference of the world

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Sorry - been lurking for a long while (kids & work considerations).

I just find some of these WiTP:AE results to be too ridiculous for words. I mean, great job, but to think that 60 bombers would score "0" hits is a bit more than I can possibly believe. I know the mods do make quite a few changes to the basic code, but really, I get a bit tired of seeing results like this.

Not to mention the coding disaster that ended your game with Rader........

You should have seen the replay... my fighters got through the bombers formations and stayed there a lot, among them, killing more than half of them... so i think they arrived pretty in bad conditions over the target...and our flak did a great job too.
I think the difference between my strikes and his is that my bombers arrived always unmolested over the targets, while his got butchered for a long while before being able to deliver.

At least that's what i think

Also consider that this mod tunes down a lot the aerial torpedo accurancy, which, along with losing cohesion due to fighters intervention and along with flak fire, can really change the result

[Olorin]

That's what we call a crushing victory! Congrats!!! [&o]

[GreyJoy]

Thx guys. Was pure luck...as always with a CVs-CVs battle.
 
I think the whole battle, strategically speaking, was decided when we spotted the enemy CVs 9 days ago... seemed like a CVE near Noumea... but the intensive use of the rare F4 recon planes over Rossell and Milne Bay and the attention given by his 4Es to Woodlark Is. (the closest japanese AF) smelled like something was up.
 
That day we recalled our CVs from their trip to Menado (remember we had just spotted what we thought was an enemy CV south of Christmas I.O.). Since that moment we were able to track his movements using glens-equipped subs and Emilies... Don't know why Brad didn't use his paras... Rossell was empty at that moment... i still think he wanted to call us out...he knew he had been spotted and he went on...he also lost lots of time regrouping and loitering south of Rossell...waiting for don't know what... a couple of days earlier and we woulnd't have arrived in time

[GreyJoy]

Ok, now time to listen to Micheal... be carefull not to transform a victory into a defeat!
 
I now need my subs to do their magic once again. We will try to avoid his TB and SDBs once again... our AA ammos are almost over and weather is forecasted as horrible for tomorrow... he still have a powerfull surface fleet in those waters...wouldn't want to suffer what Obvert has in his PH strike (remember what Historiker did to his KB using slow BBs!?!?!?)...
...but those wounded CVs are tempting...and the loss of 300 planes surely has hurt his ability to project power... still we're on the edge of a great victory. We need to grab it

[guytipton41]

Hi GreyJoy,

<Cough cough cough> Looking at those results is like taking a punch in the gut (for an AFB). I swear that my CVs aren't going to come out to play until I have Hellcats.

F4F-4 Wildcat x 35
SBD-3 Dauntless x 90
TBF-1 Avenger x 54

And no hits... it's enough to make an AFB wake in cold-sweats in the middle of the night. (Surely the KB is the weapon of e-ville). For my PBEM game the big takeaway is don't f**k with the KB. I've been "trailing my coat" with allied carriers trying to get the KB to react out position but results like this are enough to make me reconsider: Is this mission essential -or- am I just sailing around because I have ships?

Congratulations on your victory. Reading your AAR I think you earned this one, or at least set it up so that Lady Luck could smile on you.

Cheers,
Guy

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: guytipton41

Hi GreyJoy,

<Cough cough cough> Looking at those results is like taking a punch in the gut (for an AFB). I swear that my CVs aren't going to come out to play until I have Hellcats.

F4F-4 Wildcat x 35
SBD-3 Dauntless x 90
TBF-1 Avenger x 54

And no hits... it's enough to make an AFB wake in cold-sweats in the middle of the night. (Surely the KB is the weapon of e-ville). For my PBEM game the big takeaway is don't f**k with the KB. I've been "trailing my coat" with allied carriers trying to get the KB to react out position but results like this are enough to make me reconsider: Is this mission essential -or- am I just sailing around because I have ships?

Congratulations on your victory. Reading your AAR I think you earned this one, or at least set it up so that Lady Luck could smile on you.

Cheers,
Guy

Thanks Guy! To be honest i think this result was more an exception than the rule. Normally a "no hits" strike of that magnitude shouldn't happen. Had he have more escort i think the whole stroy would have been different

[ny59giants]

If we translate what normally happens over a base to CV battles, then it is easy to see why it may have been possible for the Allied strike not to get hits. If your bombers get over a base and encounter little to no CAP, then often the amount of damage can be pretty high to the base. Even the Allied 4e bombers have poor aim and damage results when they have to go through a lot of passes by Japanese fighters. Without looking at Q-Ball's AAR, I wonder what percentage he had set for CAP?

EDIT - Just looked more closely at the Combat Reports.
Weather effects were:
Partial cloud when Enterprise and Prince of Wales hit
Overcast when Saratoga and Lexington hit
Moderate rain when Allies flew both strikes. Then a CAP of 196 M5 Zeros vs 39 F4F-4 and then 182 M5 vs 35 F4F-4. OUCH!!

The Judy makes a big difference vs the Val.

[crsutton]

Well he had some bad luck and that helped but I just really can't find the reason for a stand up carrier fight for the Allies in early 43. Japan just holds most all the advantages at this point. The big mistake is that he has fought and lost away from the protection of his land bases. He could not have left himself in a worse position. His cripples are doomed. He needed to only have waited three to four months and he would have most probably crushed you-given that he would have a few extra carriers and a few hundred hellcats. I sense a sort of reverse victory disease. Well, he has not lost the game by any means but he now has cancelled out any mistakes that you made in the first year of the war.

I know there is a risk but you will never have a better chance to crush his fleet. I would not withdraw but go after him with all I have. This is a critical point in the war for the Allied to not have a carrier force.

Nice job GJ...