A strange turn. Herb is moving AKs north towards Akyab from Rangoon. Now I know he has been hurting Akyab - probably to stop aerial intervention - but this is still very hopeful. I do not load akyab with planes again - instead I load Chandpur with planes. They should still have range if he is going to be that keen. See the added attachment for details.
I have a nasty feeling this is actually a trap for the Royal Navy. Hang out a bit of bait and then let the RN carriers come in and.... Hullo there are jap carriers to meet them. Well the RN is in Panaji and I have no plans to move them in a willy nilly operation at present.
It looks to me like Herb is moving in an invasion force and will provide LR CAP from Pagan and that other base with aircraft near it. He will then put his bombers on Naval Attack since he has creamed your runways at Akyab. and you are probably correct, the KB will be within a day's steaming waiting to pounce upon your naval response.
What troops do you currently have in Akyab, and what is their condition and the supply level there?
Hi Dave - that could be what he is up to. It is strange if that is the case though as I have seen no surface ships and I would think twice about attacking the place when he knows the RN has been about. He may be offsetting that fear by bringing up the carriers - as we hypothesised. Anyway, his bombers have been destroying my aircraft but they have done stuff all to the base itself. It has 18.5K supplies, is size 3 port 5 airfield and has size 8 fortifications now. There are 3 base forces there, a tank regiment and an Indian Division (at about 1/3rd strength). In very close proximity are 3 Chindit groups with 3 Dakota sqds able to move them in. If he was really after it, why retreat teh 55th and 56th Divisions that were a hex south of their target but have since retreated - it will take a very long time to move them back into the action. He may instead be aiming for Chandpur or Diamond Harbour - but this is not the India that PzB attacked. It will be a far harder proposal now!
Another day of bombing at Akyab
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/02/42
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Sub attack at 42,50
Japanese Ships
TK Shinkoku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PG Sozan Maru
PG Nishho Maru
PG Hakkaisan Maru
Allied Ships
SS Saury, hits 2, on fire
The Saury finds a tanker north of the Philippines - presumably empty as no cargo appears to explode - very unlike the Depth charges that have done 52% float damage to the attacking sub. It is a long way to Darwin...
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 19
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 7
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 27
Ki-49 Helen x 40
He may still be attacking Akyab but many are being turned back now and we can see there are no planes destroyed on the ground. The spitfires are racking up the kills and he is not really damaging the facilities. Everything is fixed by morning and progress is even made on the forts.
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 18
Ki-21 Sally x 23
Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 8
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 4 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 32810 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 32810 feet
I've left the altitude in on this raid. I don't hit any bombers but they don't do much in return either.
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Day Air attack on TF at 27,30
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 14
P-40B Tomahawk x 24
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Borneo Maru
AK Clyde Maru, Shell hits 4
AK Cuba Maru, Shell hits 4
Some buffalos I have on naval attack have the legs to reach the ships sighted to the south of Akyab - they have moved North and to the West - away from marauding subs. Why is he using AKs though - to carry supplies? There just don't appear to be enough ships. The RN stay in Panaji awaiting events. More long range ACs are put on scouting missions - I need more info before the RN are deployed.
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Ground combat at 44,33
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 39753 troops, 235 guns, 75 vehicles
Defending force 17197 troops, 210 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 3 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
237 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Allied ground losses:
401 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
I attack the blocking force of 1 Jap division below Chungking and this time they are forced to retreat. They join another unit 1 hex to the south. Hopefully that is an HQ
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So the second day cames around and I thought I would move the Liberator group up to Akyab with the Tomahawks and another sqd of Spitfires. The spits for defence and the P-40Bs to escort the Heavies. The heavies had orders to hit ships and second the Rangoon airfield.
Lets look at how it actually came to pass - massive air battles again!
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/03/42
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 75
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 13
Ki-21 Sally x 99
Ki-49 Helen x 39
Truly huge numbers of bombers against Akyab again and again the spitfires do magnificently - only they have blown their bolt as it is all about numbers in this game. 75 zeros and 13 Tonys. Well the Tonys get hammered, the zeros take a poundding and the Spits - well they loose enough to require me to give up the airspace above Akyab. Again the fighters hardly bother the bombers despite the fact 2 sqds are perfectly position 1000 ft above the bombing height of the bombers. This time the damage to Akyab is noticed as 2000 supplies disappear. Once again the runways are open for business.
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Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 51
B-24D Liberator x 46
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
420 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
I thought I had turned my own heavy bombers in Cooktown off... Obviously not as the reach out and hit PM again. They are definately resting now.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 19
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 27
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 46
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 30
B-24D Liberator x 26
Japanese Ships
AK Malta Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Koyu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 10000 feet
Ahhh damn. The Liberators, with high morale and fighter support, decide Rangoon air is somewhere they can bust into to get at the shipping there. Unfortunately the Tomahawks are gutted in the attempt. I now only have 39 of these planes in the game! The bomb hits from 10K feet show the capability of the Liberator drivers though. So i revert yet another P-40E group - in Oz this time - to P-39s and this gives me the ability to upgrade the Tomahawk group to Warhawks.
I am going to have to give Herb Akyab air superiority until I can get these extra planes air worthy. I need to defend with a massive overkill number - it seems to be the only thing that stops strikes cold.
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Day Air attack on TF at 27,30
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 13
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Borneo Maru, Shell hits 8
Here my Buffalos reach out and touch the shipping I expected the Liberators to target. These guys are now an average of 69 Exp - I upgrade them to Spitfires - while the mauled sqds (that were at Akyab) are reverted to Buffalos. They will take on new pilots and start training again.
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Sub attack at 27,30
Japanese Ships
AK Borneo Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1
Allied Ships
SS KVIII, hits 2
One of the Akyab sub screen catches up with the target AKs. The hits she takes are not serious.
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Ground combat at Kweiyang
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 74695 troops, 853 guns, 22 vehicles
Defending force 61721 troops, 286 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
So the troops who have moved on Kweiyang outnumber mine there... I move some reinforcements back from Wuchow.
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Elsewhere I have 6 DDs retiring to Pearl for upgrades. I note some AKs on their way to Tarawa (I think) so they are deverted to cause some trouble. Baker Island is now airbase size 2 so some wildcats move there from Canton to provide support.
There are many ASW attacks this 2nd turn with none catching a sub. I have many deployed in his shipping lanes now and he has upped the ASW effort.
The main problem I have now is fighter numbers. The introduction of the P-38s should start to take effect but I will be low for some time. Burma is the main culprit and its hunger for aircraft has seriously reduced the defense of other locations. Thankfully I still have a few spits and Oz has Kittyhawks (with 200 in the bank) and central now has about 6 sqds of marine F4F-4s. I have no problem with bomber numbers - in Burma the largest bomber losses have been on the ground. My pilots are amazingly proficient.
So far I have lost about 2040s plane while herb has lost 1900. The fact he at last started to augment his attacks in Burma with naval zeros shows he not only is serious about this part of the world, but that he might be lacking army AC numbers.
Missed a turn of reporting again - couple of interesting things to report
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/05/42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Apamama at 86,92
Japanese Ships
PC Sonan Maru #6, Shell hits 1, on fire
PC Shonon Maru #11
PC Takunan Maru #2, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Takunan Maru #5, Shell hits 1
PC Takunan Maru #10, Shell hits 2, on fire
First is that I note there are ships at Apamama - previously reported as at Tarawa - it is obviously an ASW group - or should I say - was.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Apamama at 86,92
Japanese Ships
PC Sonan Maru #6, on fire
PC Shonon Maru #11, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PC Takunan Maru #2, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PC Takunan Maru #5, Shell hits 1, on fire
PC Takunan Maru #10, on fire, heavy damage
The DDs come back a second time and put a few more rounds where the sun don't shine (well it was a night engagement) both heavy damaged 'Takunana Marus' are reported sunk the next day.
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 2
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 58
Ki-49 Helen x 66
Allied aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
the turn I missed the weather kept the oversized mozzies away from Akyab but they return to rain more than malaria on the boys this time. In the morning though the little worker elves have been out with spade and needle repairing the runways and cobbling a new pair of boots for each squaddie - bless them.
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Day Air attack on Ndini , at 72,101
Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 3
Hudson I x 10
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2
the attacks against Ndini will be increased this turn with a group of recently arrived Liberators joiing the bombing.
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ASW attack at 62,84
Subs all around New Britain and lower are now being harrassed by ASW groups. They are being moved all over the place to shake the pests but it also appears they have dried up the transport ships. This turn, for the first time in about 6 turns, I have no sub success.
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Ground combat at Kweiyang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 81712 troops, 844 guns, 167 vehicles
Defending force 61836 troops, 277 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
1638 casualties reported
Guns lost 47
Vehicles lost 7
Allied ground losses:
578 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Oho hello - herb is attacking in Kweiyang which has the obvious problem that it will cut off Wuchow and Kweiwan (sp?). I have moved some forces north from Wuchow but he may be content to just cut off supplies with his troops. I think, if he really wants the place he will have to start bombing the defenders. A 12 plane sqd of spitfires moves in to defend at high altitude.
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In Akyab I think I will wait 4 turns before I will be back with a mighty armada of fighters only. Last time he attacked with bombers for 2 turns then swept with fighters on the 3rd - I will play with those numbers and be back by the 4th. If that is the case then I can hopefully cull alot of Jap planes which should allow me to move in some more supplies by boat. They seem to be frittering away altogether too quickly - down to 14K already.
The Liberators and Forts based at Attu Island are going to start attacking the Kuriles. I want Herb to think there are threats from all sides - and so he should.
Not alot more to add; the navy is still repairing damage done by upgrading and the air war is all about Burma.
Two days again today - multiple heavy bomber raids around the pacific as I try to muddy the waters as to where any counterstroke will come from.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/07/42
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Day Air attack on Paramushiro Jima , at 82,34
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 15
B-24D Liberator x 14
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1
The norhtern attack starts and it doesn't bring many spoils - first attempts do need o be made though.
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Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 62
B-24D Liberator x 46
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
912 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
Attacks on Port Moresby are a different story. Recon has the runway at 100% damage and the number of troops killed is a shock really.
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Day Air attack on Ndini , at 72,101
Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 5
Hudson I x 15
B-24D Liberator x 40
The Liberators also start to fly against Ndini.
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Day Air attack on 22nd Division, at 41,35
Allied aircraft
I-153c x 8
IL-4c x 4
SB-2c x 30
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
At Kweiyang I also want to supress the attacking Japs attempting to take the Wucho defenders line of supply. Best to knock them about a bit first.
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Ground combat at Homan
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 105884 troops, 716 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 117490 troops, 1287 guns, 14 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
392 casualties reported
Guns lost 13
Bombardments at Homan can still net alot of damaged squaddies.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/08/42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese Ships
PT Gyoraitei #1, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
PT Gyoraitei #2, Shell hits 1, on fire
PT Gyoraitei #4
Allied Ships
DD Crane
Day two and the 4 piper DD Crane, which has been sneaking up on Port Moresby, races into the harbour. I had scouted PT boats there and Crane gets amongst them in this and in another attack. Only the two damaged are sunk unfortunately.
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Sub attack at 77,46
Japanese Ships
AK Muroran Maru
Allied Ships
SS Sunfish
Normally I wouldn't add this attack into the report but this AK apears to be sat out in the ocean in-between the Kuriles and Wake Island. I think it may be a tripwire boat trying to be attacked before an attack on Japan. Either way I will keep the sub around to try and sink her.
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 24
Ki-21 Sally x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 9 damaged
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 16
Herb comes back to undefended Akyab. NO fighters stationed there at the moment. They are repairing and will soon fly in to defend the place in as much strength as I can muster.
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Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 54
B-24D Liberator x 32
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
467 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Airbase hits 8
Runway hits 113
Another strike against PM causes more casualties there.
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Day Air attack on 39th Division, at 41,35
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 19
I-153c x 9
IL-4c x 12
SB-2c x 25
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
The Chinese continue to hit attackers at Kweiyang.
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Day Air attack on 56th Chinese Corps, at 41,35
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
Ki-21 Sally x 40
Ki-49 Helen x 19
Allied ground losses:
108 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Herb now repays the favour - with interest - as he hit my troops defending Kweiyang. The spitfires based there are a meer hindrance - again I need more numbers if I am to attempt this properly.
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Day Air attack on 100th Chinese Corps, at 41,35
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 5
Ki-21 Sally x 43
Ki-49 Helen x 31
Allied ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
A very bug raid against Kweiyang - the spits may as well have stayed on the ground
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Ground combat at 45,34
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 41390 troops, 545 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10891 troops, 52 guns, 71 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
727 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Allied ground losses:
207 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
I was trying to advance some chinese down towards the crossroads above Henchow. The troops I was using managed to force two Jap Divisions to retreat a few days ago, unfortuantely when the took the next step forward they ran into a sizable Jap blocking force. I sumarily forced backwards - although delivering more pain than I take in the process.
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Ground combat at Kweiyang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 78379 troops, 748 guns, 157 vehicles
Defending force 60783 troops, 271 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
2230 casualties reported
Guns lost 34
Vehicles lost 5
Allied ground losses:
469 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Herb has another crack againt Kweiyang - last time he bought down a fortress level and lost a tonne of troops. This time he doesnt' even manage the fortress reduciton... and the cavalary are on their way.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/10/42
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Sub attack at 77,46
Japanese Ships
AK Muroran Maru
Allied Ships
SS Sunfish
The sunfish has another go at this lone AK out in the ocean between the Kuriles and Wake. There are no more forward facing torps on the ship so she has to head back to base: Attu Island. I divert an older but more likely to succeed S boat to this contact.
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Sub attack near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese Ships
AK Kiso Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS S-46
THe complete lack of defence in PM means the end of another AK. 2 torpedoes send her to the bottom. PM is not the most appetising of locations to be sent in the Jap area of influence.
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 55
B-24D Liberator x 37
I have to continue to supress Mandalay - can't have the forts getting too high.
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Day Air attack on Ndini , at 72,101
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 15
B-24D Liberator x 30
Ndini is a smoking ruin. Same thing as Mandalay although these Liberator drivers also need to bone up on skills.
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Ground combat at 50,27
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 22408 troops, 255 guns, 7 vehicles
Defending force 19973 troops, 141 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
2220 casualties reported
Guns lost 83
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
On the trail between Yenen and Homan I have a force holding the flanks against Herb. He decides to try and force the issue by advancing on these troops. Unfortunately there is a river in the way and my boys are well dug in - ouch Herb.
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Ground combat at 44,37
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 27976 troops, 371 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 7873 troops, 25 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 31 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
444 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Allied ground losses:
333 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Back by Kweilin he has more luck though. I think he is trying to cut off that city as this is in the hex NE of it. I move another Chinese division back into this hex in the hope of stopping any movement he is attempting in behind me. It is down to speed of travel. The bad thing about this situation is the Japs - still up a Kweiyang - are cutting off more supplies to these Southern troops.
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Ground combat at Homan
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 106035 troops, 717 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 117026 troops, 1261 guns, 14 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
819 casualties reported
Guns lost 46
Homan is turning into a Jap graveyard. The chinese must have added Sarin to this last attack.
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The trap I alluded to at the beginning of this note is the movement of 150 assorted fighters, at different altitudes, into Akyab; and the release of a supply convoy to go in under this umbrella of defence.
Herb did not fall for it - or at least the planes did not fly. Recon has shown that Rangoon is sinking under he weight of ACs he has there. The F-5s doing the recon duty get upwards of 80 fighters contesting their overflight.
In another scheme I am releasing a P-39 group from Oz to go to India. They will be carried by 3 AKs and once in Madras will convert to the first unit to fly P-38s. Burma appears to be the hotseat at the moment. I have 26 P-38s in reserve but I want to struggle on with the lesser ACs for a bit. Burma is first and then I will change a Central Pacific unit in order to cover the invasion of the Gilberts which is looking like the first place I attempt.
THe Yorktown refuses to loose any damage. She is in Seattle now and is the only ship there?? With 56 Sys damage I need her to make some headway.
The damage incured by the upgrades to ships is slowly being repaired. Many of the DDs are back in the green on sys damage again now.
THe Yorktown refuses to loose any damage. She is in Seattle now and is the only ship there?? With 56 Sys damage I need her to make some headway.
I have a "theory" about major ship repair in shipyards. It's probably dead-wrong, but this is what I've observed: when I have lots of ships being repaired in the four West Coast Shipyards big ships ( BBs and CVs ) don't get repaired until the little ships are repaired, even if the little ships are in different shipyard from the big ship. So, for example, I can have a BB in Seattle and nothing else , but have AKs, TKs and escorts under repair in San Fran, LA and SD, and the BB in Seattle won't repair until the majority of those ships in the other three ports are repaired.
Hey, I know that isn't how it is supposed to be working, but that is my observation over seven and a half game-months of trying to repair the Pearl Harbor BBs.
What I do that helps is that I send all my moderately damaged AKs and TKs to Vancouver for repair, and my badly damaged AKs and TKs to Prince Rupert for repair. I've been building both bases continuously since the beginning of the game so they are reasonably close to maximum size right now, and the ships in Vancouver repair quite quickly nowadays.
I think there should be a fixed rate of repair for all ship types.
Even with a single ship in Tokyo/San Francisco or other major repair yard progress is erratic at best.
A sys damage of 6 may take 2 full months to repair. This is clearly not the way it should be.
"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without"
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
I think there should be a fixed rate of repair for all ship types.
Even with a single ship in Tokyo/San Francisco or other major repair yard progress is erratic at best.
A sys damage of 6 may take 2 full months to repair. This is clearly not the way it should be.
The problem is that we are supposed to be sacrificing virgins to the Shipbuilding gods...and I don't know about your part of the world, but they seem pretty scarce around these parts the last few times I checked....
Hey guys - great to have you along. I've found that the game seems to take a while to realise there is a ship in the harbour. I moved one of the ships damaged at Pearl - West Virginia I think - to LA and it didn't loose anything for about a week. Then I forgot to look and I've since gone back (granted some time later) and it has lost about 20 Sys damage points. Maybe the game knows you are watching and is being infuriating? I think I'll go and sacrifce another virgin on the Polearm of Lurve and see if things will change - just go and get my trenchcoat and bag of sweets.... (straight to hell for me)
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/11/42
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Sub attack at 61,84
Japanese Ships
AK Kamoi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tasei Maru
MSW Tama Maru #5
MSW Tama Maru #3
Allied Ships
SS S-45
Another Japanese funeral pyre... And I'm putting out the pyre with gasoline... dum de dum
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Ground combat at Homan
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 106028 troops, 718 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 115969 troops, 1222 guns, 14 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
546 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
The bombardments at Homan are a thing to behold!
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Herb seems on the war path. The weather in Burma has turned to custard so my planes wont take off, and neither will his so no trap to spring again. Herb has changed tactics and is sending in a bombardment group. I mosy the planes out of Akyab - I can't afford to loose more on the ground. He has a line of subs to negotiate - so we shall see.
The RN is at last taking note. I make a fast attack TF of 2 CAs, 4 of the better CLs and 6 DDs. They will more at Chandpur with react orders. Obviously, with their current berth being Panaji these guys will not get there in time to stop this bombardment or maybe even the next.
I notice some APs at Paramushiro Island. Subs are sent to investigate and the Heavy bombers at Attu Island are given anti navy orders.
More enemy shipping is steaming towards Luganville - it appears Herb does not want my bombers hitting Ndini anymore. I put more Navy Dauntlesses and Avengers at Luganville to augment the Hudsons. PT boats head to Luganville as well. Hopefully we can slow a few bombarding ships down enough for the airpower to find them in the morning!
2 days in this one again. First sees attacks on an undefended Akyab but air and sea, and the second sees the trap at Akyab sprung to amazing results!
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/12/42
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Naval bombardment of Akyab, at 30,29
Japanese Ships
DD Yamagumo
DD Natsugumo
CL Tenryu
Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 1
Port supply hits 3
Akyab is hit by the local constabulary - they are not nearly as effective as his big BBs. The RN fast cruiser group is passing Ceylon on its way to stop this kind of bullying.
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 16
Ki-49 Helen x 35
Damage caused to Akyab is repaired - with no defenders this is a reasonable milk run.
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Day Air attack on TF at 69,100
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 12
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 2
DD Nowaki
CL Kinu
Bombing from a reasonably safe height of 4000 ft the kiwi Hudsons manage to put two 250lb bombs on the Ashigara. Both bounce but on the next day the imposing TF of combat ships has disappeared without attacking, so mission accomplished. I can move the Liberators back and start hitting Ndini again.
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I moved all the fighters back into Akyab - P-40Es on high altitude intercept (they have lower experience so may survive up there) and 4 sqds of Spitfires at 10 and 9K altitude.
Heavy bombers out of Cooktown aim at Gili Gili again.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/13/42
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 5
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 16
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 4 damaged
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 6
A few fighter leakers from the two airfields below Mandalay give the Buffalos a fright - none fall to them though. the heavy bombers at Dacca are lined up against Pagan to remind these guys we are still here.
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Day Air attack on Gili Gili , at 56,94
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 4
A6M2 Zero x 36
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 60
B-24D Liberator x 47
The heavy bombers out of Cooktown meet staunch resistance at Gili Gili. They are good crews though and knock more fighters down than they loose numbers themselves.
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Day Air attack on Homan , at 49,30
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 31
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 5
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 3 destroyed
Arggh - I move the spitfires out of Homan for a turn and Herb attacks with Tonys - 3 Mohawks are destroyed and I retire them to Chungking for replacements. 2 sqds of Hurricanes move into Homan.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 21
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 57
Ki-21 Sally x 10
Ki-49 Helen x 75
Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vb x 52
P-40E Warhawk x 45
Allied Ships
AK Empire Prince
AK Empire Johnson
MSW Cochin
PG Hollyhock
AK Empire Webster, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
The most vicious aerial attack of the war so far. The small convoy I had moved into Akyab with supplies is like honey to the angry bees. Trouble is there are wasps guarding the honey (they'd already stolen it from a bear that passed by a few months earlier). His fighters continued to attack until they were reduced to zero numbers - some ran away but by in large it was slaughter. The rookie P-40E pilots suffered a little but the spitfires were devastating. His collection of Tonys (although very large over Rangoon still) will take a while to recover I imagine. This time the fighters manage to get at the bombers - Helens suffer the most - however they do continue to put a torp into one of my AKs that is at low medium damage by the morning. This is alot of dead Jap pilots
After all is said and done he looses exactly double the 51 planes I do today. 1 RAF pilot is now my leading ace with 17 kills. 17 squad looses 3 pilots but is my most experienced with an average of 75.
The fighters stay here to cover the AKs.
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Ground combat at Kweiyang
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 68360 troops, 410 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 76610 troops, 707 guns, 150 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
126 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Vehicles lost 4
Allied ground losses:
1681 casualties reported
Guns lost 45
I reinforced the troops at Kweiyang and tried to repel the hostile Jappers - instead I suffer the losses he has lately. Reinforcments are on the way.
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There are 40 P-38s in the pool now and climbing. They wont be used until the P-39 group, currently training in Darwin, have made it to South East Asia. This appears to be the area of greatest trouble and a continuing drain on the Jap pilot pool will be worth it. The P-39 group is at 76 average experience and climbing.
The similarities in our two games continues.....Herb kept up the Burma air campaign so long he almost drained my British pilot reserves out. Was in the low teen's at the bottom.
If he could have kept up the pressure, it might have had a real negative effect on that front; though, I still had 1/3 of the air units in reserve, it would have forced the combination of some Spit/Hurri Sqds to prevent dilution of pilot skills. On the other hand, I think he was running out of good pilots also; have noticed the damnable training missions over Sinkep and Pakmasan increasing in activity....I hate that "technique"...so I have insituted "supply training" on most non combat bombers...though I hate that, I have to respond with something.
Sing to the tune of "Man on the Flying Trapeze" ..Oh! We fly o'er the treetops with inches to spare,
There's smoke in the cockpit and gray in my hair.
The tracers look fine as a strafin' we go.
But, brother, we're TOO God damn low...
Tabpub - thanks for the comments mes amis. Herb has a monster airforce in Burma at the moment and although I do have about a 140 Brit airmen in the pool they are being drained faster than they are being replaced - that's for sure. That is another reason for moving the P-39 group in Darwin up to India: I want to be able to pull pilots from the US army pool (which is nigh on bottomless). I do like to use the Buffalos and Wirraways as step-down aircraft upgrades and use those types to train the pilots. Even a 10% increase on the basic 60 experience pilot seems to make a difference to not only their survivability but their deadliness.
He also has a harder job of training in my game as he started with all the behind-the-lines locations in his hand. He therefore has to get lucky in China (or he is using the stranded troops North of PM extensively). China is dangerous as good fighters can pop up and ruin the plan as you have so ably shown with your AVG!
I don't know if I mind this tactic too much, it does seem to enhance pilots too quickly but then we loose them in far greater numbers than the real thing too.
herb pays me back, in an Akyab fashion, over Homan. The heavies also suffer with fighters over GG.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/14/42
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Sub attack near Paramushiro Jima at 82,34
Japanese Ships
AP Imizu Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS S-23
Japanese ground losses:
48 casualties reported
One of the Northern subs at last catches up to the shipping at the North of the Kuriles. Men are in the water and this should point to added defense on these islands - makes sense but it does make my thoughts of conquest more difficult.
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Day Air attack on Homan , at 49,30
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 35
Ki-21 Sally x 122
Ki-46-II Dinah x 4
A very large raid against Homan smashes through my 2 Hurricane sqds like they aren't there. I am toying with retiring all of my fighter squads with 60 or less average experience and conducting an intensive training campaign for a couple of weeks. The pilots in these planes were of this capacity and they didn't cover themselves in glory. Again numbers are making a difference though. This is difficult considering most of my reinforcments come from the States. It makes me more certain that moving the fighter group from Darwin to India is a good move.
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Day Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 54
B-24D Liberator x 47
The appearence of Tojos over Mandalay last turn caused me to order this attack. In combat recon shows fighters at the base. I organise P-40Es at Akyab to escort these guys in for another attack - weather permitting.
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Day Air attack on Gili Gili , at 56,94
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 3
A6M2 Zero x 32
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 15
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 37
B-24D Liberator x 26
Damn - forgot to rest the heavy bombers last turn and they take off to GG again. This time the fighters turn most of the Fortresses back and knock 12 of the large planes down. The gunners get their pound of flesh though and ultimately claim more planes than the opposition.
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Despite the total destruction of the hurricane squads at Homan and the damage to my Heavies over GG, I still destroy more ACs than he does this turn: 43 to 35.
Today was the delivery of more shipping and aircraft to the West Coast. The first replacement Aircraft Carrier - in the shape of the Nassau - gathers 5 DDs around her and heads to Pearl. 4 more subs set off for Pearl as well. Sub numbers are really starting to climb - most of them are at sea. I will rotate them back into port as they run out of fuel and at that point they can get their AAA and radar upgrades - the benefits of Pearl Harbour's repair facility really start to make themselves felt. Also along the west coast were the arrival of 2 F4F sqds, 1 Avenger, 2 Dauntless and 2 P-39 groups. That is quite a weight of aircraft! Last a grp of Liberators arrived as well - they headed to Pearl on their way to Luganville and bombing of Ndini. Things are slowly coming together to the point I have some firepower to take on the Japs in their perimeter locations.
Herb changes targets, tactics and it pays off for him big time. Tabpub - I looked again at the pool of Brit flyers and you are right - they are dwindling rapidly. Unfortunately todays losses are likely to exasperate the issue further.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/16/42
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Day Air attack on Kunming , at 39,33
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 31
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 35
Ki-49 Helen x 50
Ki-46-II Dinah x 4
Allied aircraft
I-153c x 16
I-16c x 17
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
This is the first time Herb has hit Kunming. All I had defending were the chinese and they are of dubious quality. I only get 10 of each per month and lost 22 and 15 of the chinese planes today. If I were to depend on the chinese to look after their own air space it would be a complete failure.
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Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
Ki-21 Sally x 141
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 12
Hurricane II x 5
I-153c x 12
Another change of target as he not only hits Chungking but he badly damages the heavy industry. With Chin
ese lack of supplies I can't repair the damage either. I move a Spitfire sqd from Homan to Chungking
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Day Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 49
Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 48
B-24D Liberator x 44
IN the worst news of the day Akyab is rained in so my P-40Es do not take part in this raid against Pagan. The massed Tonys that Herb moves in smash my expereinced WEllington crews. These guys had averagge experience at the mid 70s. They are now scattered over the landscape of Pagan - a black day.
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 10
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged
He also defends Mandalay for once and my training Buffalos get spanked. They are retired to Calcutta
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 7
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 7
US army pilots fly in higher than the Buffalos and get through relatively unmolested.
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Day Air attack on Dacca , at 31,24
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 28
Ki-49 Helen x 17
He changes tactics again! flying against my bases in Dacca! I only have an inexperienced hurricane sqd there and they are not up to the oscars. THey have little effect on the facilities though.
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Day Air attack on No. 112 RAN Base Force, at 54,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 98
A6M3 Zero x 13
No Japanese losses
Allied ground losses:
42 casualties reported
This is the last of 3 large attacks on the PM survivors from Rabaul. THey are flying off the carriers which are also at Rabaul. So at last the KB is found! I don't know what he intends to do with them but for the moment it appears they are in Rabaul and are training. I don't know whether there is opportunity in this. If he has all his fighters on ground attack orders they wont be escorting!
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So, a clever change of tactics from the Herb miester. I lost 83 ACs to his 46 and all of those importatn pilots - a very good move by Herb.
Interestingly he has had enough of the battle at Homan; all his troops are retiring down the road. The Chinese troops in Homan are some of my most experienced now.
My hoarded P-38s have suddenly all attached themselves to an unknown unit. I think they have gone to a reinforcement on its way but there isn't a P-38 unit due for over 100 days. Not exactly handy.
Well, you are going to have to come to a decision point like I did over there with the Brit flyers; either disband some of them to keep fighting squadrons up to trim or pull back and only accept battle over your own bases. Or both... Prefer the over own base thing for starters; I lost a metric buttload of Hurries to him (like a LOT 400+) but was mainly over my bases, so the pilot attrition was lessened by about 50% or so. Gained them some experience before the transition to Spits; and helped to cull his boys somewhat. The Brit pilot pool just can't sustain really heavy action against good competition otherwise; and get a 38 squad or two over there, he is scared of them. Got mine going over Chandpur and it smacked him to yesterday and he never has gone back.
Sing to the tune of "Man on the Flying Trapeze" ..Oh! We fly o'er the treetops with inches to spare,
There's smoke in the cockpit and gray in my hair.
The tracers look fine as a strafin' we go.
But, brother, we're TOO God damn low...
That is exactly the issues we have to face. I reloaded all the Wellington pilots and I really am in trouble now. The plan is to use the really rubbish pilots in the Wirraways and Buffalos before changing them to Spits. Hurricanes have taken a pounding against the better Jap fighters as well. He is not scared to attack me over my own bases but is swapping where he’ll attack with some regularity.
My main problem is not actually Burma, it’s China. The fact I am still causing him headaches here is because I have committed the Brits there. The Chinese themselves have not been able to hold a thing – and with complete lack of replacements this will not change until P–40 Ns arrive.
I’ve had another turn from Herb. I lost a sub and 2 other subs got into singleton AKs. A lot of bombing by both sides, neither of us flew against opposition so I loose 4 Acs this turn to his 9.
Recon over Rahaeng shows meager oscar defenders and many bombers on the ground. I move the American Mitchels and Liberators up to Akyab to take a stab at the place. The Brit Wellingtons have replacement planes and pilots now but none of their previous prowess.
My RN surface combat group makes it to Chandpur where it refuels under the cover of 2 Hurricane squads and the lion’s share of a P-40E group. They are set to Patrol do not retire and have a 6 hex alert setting. I want to hit any more bombardment attacks on Akyab – in fact I am surprised he hasn’t tried again with the transports I have there unloading supplies.
In Darwin my P-39 group is loaded aboard transports. For some reason I could not get the group to split into components so they are all aboard one AK. It has two escorts but it is rather dangerous sending so many planes aboard one AK like this. I’ll take a more scenic route in getting to India – I have no P-38s to change them to anyway.
Herb has moved some Oscars to Pamashiro Maru. They don’t do that well against the incoming heavies and actually loose 2 of the numbers. However, their presence is enough to make me stop the bombing to get a bit more morale up.
For some reason I could not get the group to split into components so they are all aboard one AK.
That means that all of the slots for split groups are used up. (IIRC, there only 18 air groups can be split at the same time.)
If you have existing split groups and you combine one of them you would then be able to split this one.
If you don't have any groups split, it means that your opponent has hogged all of the split slots and you should ask him to recombine some of his air groups and therefore free some slots up for you.
Hi David - thanks for that - but I have not split any plane formations other than between two bases because of repairs (you know 30 planes of the 64 can fly so you move the 30 and the others follow once repaired) - does this count?
The weather holds and the Americans hit Rahaeng
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/18/42
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Day Air attack on Rahaeng , at 31,35
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 6
Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 45
B-24D Liberator x 31
The Heavies take off from Akyab and hit Rahaeng with only a minimalist defense over the base. I loose 2 of the Mitchells - and they are the only losses for the day. Herb losses 43. The heavies are retired back to Dacca.
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Ground combat at 44,37
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 28129 troops, 371 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 8160 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 348 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
176 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Allied ground losses:
239 casualties reported
Guns lost 15
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
This is to the West of Kweilin. I moved this Chinese unit to cover an attempt by Herb to get in behind Kweilin. He was probably marching to the trail behind but had to stop and retreat this unit. This is a hard way to treat your men - being forced to retreat like this - but better maybe than being cut off completely.
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Herbs troops that retreated from Homan have continued down the trail. I think his next target is likely to be Ichang. I don't have much there to hold 120K of troops plus whatever else he can rustle up. It is dangerous to make these suppositions with the Chinese theatre though as if I make the wrong move the Japs can cut you off very quickly. There are still 9 units NW of Homan. I imagine they also are retreating, but there is an opportunity to cut them off, I just don't know if I have the balls to try it yet.
Hi David - thanks for that - but I have not split any plane formations other than between two bases because of repairs (you know 30 planes of the 64 can fly so you move the 30 and the others follow once repaired) - does this count?
No, that doesn't count. You have to use the "divide" button. That means that your opponent has hogged all of the slots. Ask him to recombine a few of his air groups so that you have a few slots available too. It's a Game limitation, so he has to be fair.
It's one of the things I like about CHS. All the Allied air units are broken down into squadrons. I believe some Japanese air units are in groups, but he gets all the split slots to himself since the Allies don't need them.
