See you in Tokyo Bay - Apbarog(A) vs Walker(J) DBB-B Scen28

[apbarog]

6 Oct 43

Sub Aspro finds an AK task force south of Hong Kong, just in the deep water. Aspro misses an AK with 2 torpedoes, and takes a depth charge hit from an E boat. Damage is light but enough to warrant a trip to base.

At Cox's Bazar, 3 enemy destroyers make a repeat appearance, and find PG Herald and 2 xAKs unloading supply. All Allied ships are sunk. I've noticed a pattern with Walker's movements to Cox's Bazar, in that the ships retire to the dot base to the south (the one that is always talked about for pushing supply into China...I've forgotten the name). Anyhow, it would be nice to get some mines there. I will work on that.

At Magwe, 25 P-40Ks sweep, and find 28 Oscars. The Oscars get the advantage and down about 4 Warhawks, losing a couple of their own. B-24s then bomb the oil and the airfield. About 10 planes are destroyed on the airfield, and the working oil at Magwe is now down to 36. Several bombers are downed by a strong flak presence.

On Java, Walker makes a very rare bombing run on Allied troops. Lilys and Marys, escorted by Oscars, bomb Allied armor west of Malang. Some tanks are disabled. The Japanese then attack, but find a much stronger Allied force. Allied armor will counter-attack today. A victory in this hex isolates the troops left at Malang.

In the contested hex near Akyab, lots of Allied medium bombers hit the enemy troops, softening them up for an attack. Results are poor in the jungle terrain. Hoping for disruption.

The Americal Division attacked at Boela, getting 1 to 2 odds and reducing the forts to 0. 432 enemy losses and 260 US losses. We're wearing them down. The enemy is noted to still have supply. Some must be arriving by sub and/or plane. The base should fall fairly soon. The other division that was here is now fully prepped but still recovering in Australia. Now that the base looks like it will fall without this other division, I started to prep it for a new target.

In the contested hex between Cox's Bazar and Akyab, an Allied attack gets 1 to 1 odds, causing 1097 enemy casualties, and taking 518 casualties. This hex will be taken very soon. We attack again today. The enemy will probably retreat into Akyab, and we will follow. There's just one small unit at Akyab, so it should fall quickly, as things are now. That will probably be the end of the advance in Burma for awhile.

An armada is gathering outside of Balikpapan for the next invasion. I did spot a battleship task force on the north coast of Mindanao. It is in range of my bases in the Zamboanga area, and Walker has spotted xAPs there, as well as some destroyers. He may make a run there. My 2 xAPs were unloading an air support unit, one that can provide torpedoes. I didn't quite get it all unloaded, and the xAPs and 3 DDs will now head south to safety. I'll fly in the remaining portion of the unit.

[Macclan5]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Macclan5, I am responding to your War Room thread "Seeking some experienced advice about the "restricted Indian Divisions'. Advice / Observations. "

First, note that my game is a DBB game, and the OOB does vary

I did recently purchase the restricted 23rd Indian Division.... at Cox's Bazar, about to get to the fight.

I have 4 other Indian divisions that are not restricted and being used actively. I don't recall if I bought any of these out. The 5th and 17th Indian divisions are in Soerabaja now. The 11th Indian division is in the fight near Akyab. Finally, the 39th Indian Division is in the jungle near Chittagong, holding the line in a hex with a part of the Imperial Guard Division.

Other restricted Indian units have been key in the push to Cox's Bazar, as that is still in Burma. Any further movement south requires unrestricted units. I used restricted ones as much as I could, saving the unrestricted ones for the push to Akyab.

Thanks for the observations.

Having followed your AAR I note you are making very effective use of Indian Divisions through a unique corridor of advance.

In fact while I didn't have a specific OOB list... I can see the divisions you were using..

...which fundamentally made me review the Indian OOB in detail in stock game ! [8D] Live and learn.

This discovery has probably occurred long time past among the experienced players but I was rather surprised by the number / firepower and eventual quality.

Further to the note about the upcoming Allied Liberation of Akyab....interesting.

1) I note in stock that permanently restricted units seem to be able to cross the border to attack / support Akylab at the least if they cannot move further another boon.

2) You dislike advances through Burma ? Due to slow movement ? Too many rivers choke points ? Weather ?

I would say your attacks there are at the very least giving your opponent pause and diverting assets you wont face in the Philippines.... he is devoting assets to bombard you and air corps...

If your attack "self stalls there" do you ramp up in the Gilberts or Northern New Guinea to add pressure on another front ?

I wonder if this is not somewhat dangerous as the natural path to re-deploy Burma forces is through the Phillipines...???

[apbarog]

My use of the Indian divisions, and the Chinese corp, came from my decision to not make the Burma front a major area of operations. It seemed that Walker had enough divisions here, and some reserve, to make an eventual big move here slow and costly. I didn't know what I'd do with those units in the Pacific when I started moving them out of India. But I moved a lot of units, almost 30. Most were support units. If Walker keeps a strong Burma defense, and I'm stronger elsewhere, it's a good move.

Since then, I have pushed to Cox's Bazar, and am now threatening Akyab.

As for your points:

1) Permanently restricted units are able to cross borders. The only thing that limits them is the players. We have a house rule that restricted units cannot cross borders. Pay the political points to make them unrestricted, then you can cross.

2) My dislike of Burma is just my choice. It's good defensible terrain for the Japanese. I made the arbitrary decision early that I didn't want to win the war coming from this direction. Just a choice.

With Java, I'll be happy if I clear it fairly quickly, or if Walker reinforces further and stalls my advance. Both are an Allied win. Palembang is already threatened by bombers. As bigger bases on Java become available, Palembang is doomed. If the advance stalls, Walker had committed troops that could be elsewhere, like in the Philippines. My main advance is not through Java. But taking Soerbaja, with its shipyard and big airfield, is very nice.

I have no shortage of units for the Philippines. Troops have been drawn down in the Solomons. Almost the entire US Army and Marines are available for the Philippines, around the Philippines, and beyond. The only danger in re-deploying forces away from Burma is a big Japanese offensive here, or a surprise landing on Ceylon or in India. Very doubtful. Walker does know where all of the US carriers are (near Balikpapan), but he's lost 6 medium/large carriers, and the Allies haven't lost any. He could land somewhere and accomplish nothing, in my opinion.

Walker is in trouble. I don't know if he knows it yet, though. By the end of 1943, I foresee Allied troops on Mindanao and Luzon, Java essentially cleared, Palembang's oil being bombed, north Borneo's oil destroyed, and 50 or so subs roaming the South China Sea. How long can the Japanese last with no oil from Java, Sumatra, and Borneo? I think we will find out.

[CaptBeefheart]

Well played, and interesting AAR, sir. Your position is indeed impeccable for October 1943:

1. DEI/Borneo oil is all but cut off, captured or within B-24 range.
2. Well positioned to take Luzon and/or Formosa within a few months, offering B-29s ready bases to hit the home islands when they arrive.
3. Burma will become completely irrelevant (except perhaps for VPs at Rangoon) once northern Luzon and/or Formosa are taken.

How big are the shipyards at Soerabaja and Manila at present?

Cheers,
CC

[apbarog]

Thanks Commander Cody. I think that my position is far better than my play, though. In my opinion, the war has hinged on several events, all that went poorly for the Japanese. The first was the Japanese invasion of India at Diamond Harbour. 5 infantry divisions landed but got stopped at Calcutta. After a long stalemate, the enemy evacuated, but 2 divisions were defeated. The second was the first carrier battle near New Guinea. The Allies were landing at Milne Bay. KB was to the north. I anticipated KB coming just far enough south to counter Milne Bay, but stay out of range of Allied carriers. I unexpectedly moved the carriers aggressively north toward Port Moresby, getting in range of KB on the other side of New Guinea. The key was that all of his carriers hadn't grouped up yet. They were still gathering. The third event was the second carrier battle, when the Allies were landing at Denpassar. KB came south from the Balikpapan area, and Allied carriers moved unexpectedly near Denpassar, and again got within range of KB before Walker expected a battle.

Walker has gotten increasingly shy of committing his forces aggressively. Every time he tried, he got hurt. A good deal of luck went against him. Now the Allied might is increasing, and may be unstoppable. It will be interesting to see where Walker commits aggressively. He has to. Somewhere.

Soerabaja has a size 10 shipyard. Manila is size 26.

[jwolf]

Soerabaja is size 8 in stock; I don't know if DBB changes it, or if Walker increased it while he owned it. But size 10 is a major improvement as now you can repair cruisers there.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Walker is in trouble. I don't know if he knows it yet, though. By the end of 1943, I foresee Allied troops on Mindanao and Luzon, Java essentially cleared, Palembang's oil being bombed, north Borneo's oil destroyed, and 50 or so subs roaming the South China Sea. How long can the Japanese last with no oil from Java, Sumatra, and Borneo? I think we will find out.

That is how I see it. He is in very serious trouble. I can't imagine Japan surviving this situation for more than 6 months. I suspect the war will be over by July 44. It seems that he is making decisions too late, responding rather than being proactive. As you say, maybe he is timid, having lost several key engagements, but with the allies pursuing a wide-front advance, he needed to get into counter attack mode 2 months ago. It is now too late, I think. The allies can play the game safe. The Japanese cannot and must gamble some. Losing one gamble cannot prevent the Japanese from gambling a second time. That is just the nature of playing Japan. Playing Japan is like playing poker... selective aggressive play... it is the only way... unless the allies opt for a narrow corridor of advance.

[apbarog]

All good points Aurorus. The point you bring up about a wide front advance is a good one. There were points in this game where the front was necessarily narrow. The jump from Gove to Darwin, and the jump to Timor. I think that these were critical points where the Japanese could have reacted aggressively and possibly done well. Once the Allies were on Timor, though, many directions opened up. I went toward Java first, with the main push following, north to Celebes, then Borneo. Walker couldn't prepare for every direction.

I play the Japanese like I know that I'm going to lose every ship and plane eventually. Try to lose them wisely, making it as painful for the Allied player as possible. Do so as early as possible, hurting their morale more than anything else. Most of my games as the Japanese ended early with the Allied player giving up when things went bad early.

I know, now, playing as the Allies, that there are so many reinforcements coming, that all you have to do is survive and not throw carriers and divisions away, and you'll be ok. Patience.

[apbarog]

7 Oct 43

Sub Grampus misses a subchaser near the Vietnamese coast.

West of Bataan, sub Scamp sinks another patrol boat on ASW duty.

Sub Tullibee elects not to fire at a tiny AG near Iba.

Sub Bluefish fires 4 torpedoes at TK Hakumi Maru in a big task force south of Cam Ranh Bay. All miss.

20 P-47s sweep Magwe and find 31 A6M2 Zeros. There's a noticable difference in enemy pilot skill. 15 Zeros are downed with no P-47s lost. 12 night-fighting Beaufighter VIfs sweep, and a couple are shot down by the same Zeros. This was an experiment. Trying to use night fighters during the day. We have a house rule against night bombing. Experiment not successful.

18 SBD's fly from Zamboanga, trying to hit a battleship task force at Surigao to the east, on the north side of Mindanao. A bunch of fighter squadrons at Cagayan fly ranged CAP. Some of each squadron intercepts, and I didn't assign escorts. Thought I had. No bombers reach the ships, and 15 don't return.

Near Samah, sub Haddo finds a different tanker convoy, but elects not to fire torpedoes. (Maybe it was looking at a small escort? Didn't notice.)

Sub Tullibee, regretting that it chose not to fire at an AG earlier, finds the ship again, fires 2 torpedoes, and misses.

Near Akyab, an Allied attack comes up 1 to 1 odds. 534 enemy lose, 910 friendly. We'll rest a day and go again.

West of Malang, the 3rd Carabiniers Regiment and 50th Tank Brigade attack weakened portions of 4 tank regiments and the 38th Division. Odds are 1 to 2, with mostly vehicles lost on both sides.

Malang still have some enemy, with the notable unit being an infantry regiment. This is a mountainous hex, and no movement is now seen from it. A US division is reinforcing soon from the east.

The next invasion armada will move from near Balikpapan to the northeast.

A sub west of Palembang was lit up by strong detection levels today. Is this KB? Could be. I'm assuming it is.

With an torpedo equipped base unit now at Zamboanga, I'm moving TBFs there, along with some fresh SBDs. We'll try again to go after that battleship task force, this time with escorts, and P-38 sweeps from Manado and Ternate.

[apbarog]

8 Oct 43

Medium bombers hit enemy troops in the contested hex near Akyab.
B-25s bomb the 3rd Tank Division which started the day to Tjepoe. Damage is light in the thunderstorms.

P-38s sweep Surigao on northern Mindanao, hoping to clear the way for SBDs and TBFs to hit a combat task force nearby. It's a good sweep, with about 10 planes downed for no loss.

Other P-38s sweep Butuan, but Zeros get the better of things, having twice the number of planes. About 4 P-38s lost. Then 21 TBFs escorted by 25 P-40Ks from Zamboanga arrive at Butuan, but find portions of 6 enemy fighter squadrons. It looks like 31 Zeros are based there, with the rest based elsewhere and contributing just a handful of fighters each. Unfortunately, and this has happened before, the naval target is a lone tiny minesweeper. The battleship task force, and anything of value, isn't seen today. AMc Mogami Maru is sunk by torpedo, at the cost of 12 P-40Ks and 11 TBFs. I decide to bring out the hammer today.

The Americal Division attacks at Boela, again, and gets a 1 to 2 attack, with about 300 casualties on each side.

West of Malang, the 3rd Carabiniers Regiment and the 50th Tank Brigade attack, get a 1 to 2 attack, and take 243 casualties. 196 enemy lost. An Indian division nearby starts to move here to reinforce.

At Tjepoe, the 5th Indian Division attacks. The enemy 3rd Tank Division was here, but moved south before combat. Tjepoe falls undefended. The 3rd Tank Division moved into the base where the big Chinese corp just moved. I'll dig in for now.

I will attack at Malang. A US division just arrived. An enemy infantry regiment is here, in the mountains. One attack will tell me whether to try to win this hex, or just move to control all of the hexsides and pin the enemy here, and let it starve. Mountains can be tough.

The next big set of invasions are approaching. US carriers and lots of invasion shipping head towards Mindanao.

[apbarog]

9 Oct 43

Adjacent to Laoag, just in the deep waters, sub Grayback spots one of the tanker task forces, but misses a patrol boat with 2 torpedoes. It looks like Walker is now rounding the northern part of Luzon with tankers, instead of passing north of Formosa. He has heavy air ASW on the west coast of Luzon.

4 Allied cruisers bombard the remnants of what Walker has left at Shortlands. No invasion is imminent. Just showing the flag here.

21 P-38s sweep Butuan, and have great success against A6M2 Zeros and Tojos. Then the B-24s start to arrive. Damage is light in the rain, and Liberators are downed.

Most of the B-24s go to Cagayan, and find a stronger CAP. More Liberators downed. Weather is overcast, though, and airfield damage is better, and enemy planes are destroyed on the ground. One squadron of F6F's sweep Cagayan late, flying from carriers. Losses are about even against Zeros and Oscars. The Hellcats just aren't that great with average pilots, but there are many Hellcats in the reinforcement pool. All in all, these raids were costly but necessary.

B-25s bomb enemy troops near Akyab.

B-25s bomb enemy troops west of Malang on Java. Over 200 casualties. Enemy troops at Malang are also bombed.

B-24s bomb Makin, for training, if nothing else.

US troops attack in the mountains at Malang. The attack goes at 1 to 2, and the level 3 forts aren't touched. Even so, the enemy casualties are 638 and the Allied losses are 182. Lots of armor here probably helps.

And in the hex near Akyab, the Allies finally win the day with a 3 to 1 attack:

Ground combat at 55,44 (near Cox's Bazar)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37739 troops, 707 guns, 907 vehicles, Assault Value = 1128

Defending force 15983 troops, 209 guns, 103 vehicles, Assault Value = 202

Allied adjusted assault: 753

Japanese adjusted defense: 247

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3860 casualties reported
Squads: 163 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 145 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 61 (36 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Vehicles lost 30 (19 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 6

Allied ground losses:
651 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Australian Brigade
11th Indian Division
23rd Indian Division
255th Armoured Brigade
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
16th Australian Brigade
268th Motorised Brigade
29th British Brigade
2/9th Fld RAA Regiment
XXXIII Indian Corps
85th British AT Gun Regiment

Defending units:
14th Division
124th Infantry Regiment
16th AA Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
48th JNAF AF Unit
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Army /2

One small enemy unit remains in the hex, and will be removed with another attack today. The other units retreated to Akyab, where there was just one small unit. There is movement indicated out of Akyab now. Akyab will fall quickly once I get there. The river line beyond, however, will end this offensive for now.

Today Dadjangas, on the southern tip of Mindanao, will be invaded. Cotabato will be invaded the day after. The entire US CV, CVL, and CVE fleet is here. Loading at Balikpapan has begun for the next set of invasions. APAs currently going to Cotabato will then go to Zamboanga to pick up the Marine division there for the next jump.

Some heavy bombers will bomb northern Mindanao bases today. All bombers on US carriers are tasked with a secondary mission of either bombing Cagayan or Butuan. I've split the altitudes into 2 groups, trying to minimize the effect of some mission fragmenting going after a tiny task force, or whatever. The CVs and CVEs will be one hex apart, with CAP ranging 1 hex to cover each other.

[Macclan5]

Great update.

Thanks once again... [:D]

--

Can you provide a bit of insight into your right shoulder / flank ?

As I recall there were troops planned for Sorong / Babo (?) and the North West tip of NG...

Perhaps you reallocated them - order wise ? Your left shoulder is well in hand and forward to the PI seems to be in order.

I would guess that Ternate / Molucuss now represent your right shoulder - big base - big supply - well fortified - well air covered...

.... and RECON shows nothing to threaten you...so onwards rather than sideways...

--

End of game considerations.

Indeed the Empire must be feeling the supply pinch eventually; I think most IJN players really really stockpile in anticipation but this is Oct 1943..

1) You are right - Allied patience is a virtue. [8D]

2) I think the "reaction move missed" was the Combined Fleet amassed at Kendari some 6 months ago.

July 1943 or about Page 46

Based on the numerous AARs I have read at some point - every Empire player - Carriers or no Carriers - has to try for a 'Kantai Kessen'.

When the Combined Fleet was at Kendari 6 months ago - with land based air cover - the IJN needed to take some chances to wreck havoc on your APA, AK, Tender, DD, CL, CA fleet. Or try to.

Hit and run - high speed counter attacks - whatever it takes to disrupt the initiative.

I thought it might come in the Solomans / Lae / Rabul to Noumea - but it didn't materialize.

So the opportunity missed was Kendari - July 1943 - and the consequence get worse and worse and worse.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

Great update.

Thanks once again... [:D]

--

Can you provide a bit of insight into your right shoulder / flank ?

As I recall there were troops planned for Sorong / Babo (?) and the North West tip of NG...

Perhaps you reallocated them - order wise ? Your left shoulder is well in hand and forward to the PI seems to be in order.

I would guess that Ternate / Molucuss now represent your right shoulder - big base - big supply - well fortified - well air covered...

.... and RECON shows nothing to threaten you...so onwards rather than sideways...

--

End of game considerations.

Indeed the Empire must be feeling the supply pinch eventually; I think most IJN players really really stockpile in anticipation but this is Oct 1943..

1) You are right - Allied patience is a virtue. [8D]

2) I think the "reaction move missed" was the Combined Fleet amassed at Kendari some 6 months ago.

July 1943 or about Page 46

Based on the numerous AARs I have read at some point - every Empire player - Carriers or no Carriers - has to try for a 'Kantai Kessen'.

When the Combined Fleet was at Kendari 6 months ago - with land based air cover - the IJN needed to take some chances to wreck havoc on your APA, AK, Tender, DD, CL, CA fleet. Or try to.

Hit and run - high speed counter attacks - whatever it takes to disrupt the initiative.

I thought it might come in the Solomans / Lae / Rabul to Noumea - but it didn't materialize.

So the opportunity missed was Kendari - July 1943 - and the consequence get worse and worse and worse.

If the allies advance along multiple fronts, or along a broad front, i.e. such as the whole DEI, the Japanese must try to counterattack. I am not sure about a "Kentai Kessen," after early 43, but a counterattack of significant intensity. Hopefully that attack will come from an angle and position in which the allied land-based air and CVs are at a disadvantage or not present (i.e. before the allies have a set of interlocking airfields), but if the U.S. CVs are present in force, then it will have to be the great battle Mahan always wanted.

If the allies try to come at Japan from only 1 avenue of attack, however, I do not think a large-scale couter-offensive is necessary.

[apbarog]

Macclan5, funny you should mention the right flank. Over time, I've watched a drawdown at Sorong. I have a task force headed that way now. I also have some paras prepped for the dot base that is adjacent. I will be attempting this without air cover. I know that Sorong's airfield is damaged, and has been for awhile. There is a nearby size 2 airfield on the east coast. A bit of a risk. This whole area has been quiet. I'm wearing down the enemy at Boela, slowly.

Taking Sorong will solidify the right flank, and make it possible to move to the east side of Mindanao, or towards Babeldaop. If I choose.

[apbarog]

10 Oct 43

Sub Grenadier fires 2 torpedoes at xAK Tarushima Maru near Phuket, but misses. Grenadier then sights an xAKL task force, probably a different task force, but there's no engagement.

The landing at Dadjangas begins.

Sub Sailfish spots a tanker convoy near Pescadores, but there's no engagement.

Sub Pargo spots a tanker convoy near Hengchun, but there's no engagement.

The grand plan of using lots of carrier aircraft to help shut down the airfields on northern Mindanao doesn't quite work out. First, 13 P-38s sweep Cagayan, downing a few Zeros. Then 18 more P-38s sweep Cagayan, downing a few more Zeros, but losing about the same.

The first carrier strike came from the CVEs, targeting the airfield at Davao. Davao hasn't had CAP, so this was the lowest risk attack. Except this time there was a massive CAP, despite none of the aircraft being based at Davao (as far as I can tell). Light rain adds to the misery, helping to cause almost no airfield hits.

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
A6M5 Zero x 13
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 4
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 31

Allied aircraft
FM-1 Wildcat x 18
F6F-3 Hellcat x 12
TBF-1 Avenger x 43

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
FM-1 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 4 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 17 destroyed, 11 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 2

The next strike on Cagayan was 17 B-17s. They find a weaker CAP and overcast weather, but airfield damage is still light. 12 B-24s then attack and get 16 runway hits. A bit better.

39 P-38s then sweep Cagayan, downing about 6 Zeros for no loss. Better. Cagayan's CAP has seemingly been knocked down now.

Carrier aircraft find a single xAK at Surigao:

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 57
SBD-5 Dauntless x 36

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

Japanese Ships
xAK Toko Maru, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk

Then another carrier strike, this time against a single ACM at Cagayan:

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 7
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 4

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 67
TBF-1 Avenger x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
ACM Eguchi Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

And then yet another carrier strike against an almost worthless single ship, a tiny minesweeper at Butuan:

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 18
SBD-5 Dauntless x 36

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMc Tama Maru #5, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

Then comes the afternoon activity. A huge carrier strike targets the airfield at Butuan. Unfortunately, although the skies appeared to be cleared over Cagayan, adjacent Butuan has a very heavy CAP in the afternoon. Thunderstorms mean almost no damage done:

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
A6M3a Zero x 9
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 45

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 42
SBD-5 Dauntless x 107
TBF-1 Avenger x 72

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 6 destroyed
SBD-5 Dauntless: 10 destroyed, 20 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 destroyed, 14 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9

So half of the big carriers targeted single ship task forces and didn't launch their strikes against Cagayan. The other half targeted Butuan and got chewed up, as did the CVE strike against Davao.

Total air losses for the day:

21 Zeros
5 Oscars
4 Tojos

37 TBFs
32 F6Fs
21 SBDs
15 FM-1s
9 P-38s

A total of 50 US pilots are KIA today. The only good news is that almost all carrier squardrons are immediately replenished from replacement squadrons in the area. Heavy bombers are more effective at shutting down an airfield. I knew this, but I thought that enemy CAP had been weakened.

Just north of Akyab, the remaining enemy unit, an artillery regiment, is brushed aside. Allied troops will now move into Akyab as the enemy appears to be leaving.

Today, Dadjangas should be captured. All APAs have unloaded and head back to base to load for another target. Cotabato will be invaded today. P-38s and bombers will hit Cagayan again today, but just a handful of both.

Sorong will be invaded.

[Aurorus]

Who was in command of the CVE group that launched on several insignificant targets? I have had this happen with Yamamota in command of CVs... sometimes for the good, sometimes the bad. His lower air and high agressiveness makes for a mixed bag. Perhaps something similar?

[apbarog]

The CVEs launched a strike against Davao airfield, not shipping. Some of the CVs went after the shipping. Primary mission was naval strike, secondary mission was airfield strike for all CVs. Some went after shipping. That's what I wanted. It's just unfortunate that the only naval targets were single ships at northern Mindanao ports.

The only thing I concern myself with carrier task force commanders is aggressiveness, and whether I want a higher chance of a reaction move. It may affect other things too, but I don't worry about it.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

The CVEs launched a strike against Davao airfield, not shipping. Some of the CVs went after the shipping. Primary mission was naval strike, secondary mission was airfield strike for all CVs. Some went after shipping. That's what I wanted. It's just unfortunate that the only naval targets were single ships at northern Mindanao ports.

The only thing I concern myself with carrier task force commanders is aggressiveness, and whether I want a higher chance of a reaction move. It may affect other things too, but I don't worry about it.

I also prefer higher aggressiveness CV commanders, which is why I usually put Yamamota in command of my main CV group. Their actions are more predictable. Air rating is important, however, for coordinating strikes and having a good CAP presence. There are times when I would rather have Yamaguchi in command. In a complex situation, for example, such as when facing a U.S. amphibious group, support groups, and a SCTF, accompanied by CVs, I would rather have Yamaguchi, because he is more likely to launch a focused attack. In a more straight-forward encounter or when I am on offense, I would much rather have Yamamota. That has been my experience, any way. Since you were on offense, I think aggressiveness was the correct choice. Unfortunate that he was a bit "overly" aggressive in pursuing his primary objective.

[apbarog]

I misspoke when I said that I "only" consider aggressiveness. I consider air rating also, always. Aggressiveness is the one that sometimes I prefer high, sometimes not. Air rating is always important.

[jwolf]

Kudos to Walker for putting the right assets in place at the right time. Admittedly luck was with the Japanese this time as well. But although this was painful for your air groups, the overall mission looks to be off to a successful start.