Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

25 December `43

Allies sweep Taung Gyi.
Japan lost 82 planes (28 pilots) for 31 enemy planes(P-47, P-38, F4U and Spit VIII). No bombers. Two groups send to Rangoon to rest(should back to combat in 3 days) and where replaced with fresh units. Tomorrow 200 fighters will wait for another wave.

With proper rotation i should be able to hold for few days. I have 650 fighters in Burma.
As long as i keep below 3:1 against his best planes it is good.

Result should be better but Docup was using LCAP with at lest 25 maybe 50 P-47.
Somewhere deep i have mixed feeling with use LCAP as offensive weapon.

[JocMeister]

Regarding LRCAP you kind of have to.

Sweeping with a 25 plane unit against a 500 plane CAP isn´t a very good idea. [:)]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Regarding LRCAP you kind of have to.

Sweeping with a 25 plane unit against a 500 plane CAP isn´t a very good idea. [:)]

There is solution. Don`t sweep at all.

And seriously. I will not fight for another HR or something. I just don`t like it.
Plus I have no base on map that have CAP bigger that 200 planes (except Rabaul 400)

[JocMeister]

You will have soon enough! [:)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Regarding LRCAP you kind of have to.

Sweeping with a 25 plane unit against a 500 plane CAP isn´t a very good idea. [:)]

Not true. You did it quite effectively with P-47s for a year before you used LR CAP again at Luzon. It works fine if you use your best planes and pilots only from the max altitude.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

You will have soon enough! [:)]

I see reinforcement plus groups will resize to 49 size so i will have soon.

As to last battle.
I have 180 planes in Taung Gyi but only something like 120 participated. I think i made mistake setting high 60% CAP plus because deficit of Air support i have many plans siting in AF waiting to refuel. Tomorrow i will try 40 or 50% CAP. I should have lees planes in air for first wave but later more planes will scramble.

Also i again notice strange radar behavior JocMeister reported. For every sweep radar detect enemy raid but time to target was always between 2-8 minutes. No time to get above sweep not telling about scramble planes.

[koniu]

26 December 1943

Burma
Quiet. No sweeps today

DEI
Allied subs sunk AK, and damage another one. Escort manage to sunk sub.
They also hit two 8k tons AOs. One will sunk tomorrow. Second have some chances. I have 50k of fuel sailing to Ambon i delaying it by two days to add some heavy ASW escort.

Naval search
I lost in last two days ~20 G3M3 and G4M1 flying naval search all over map. I need to adjust my search arcs to avoid bases with heavy CAP

[koniu]

Report will be later. I have no time right now. But i have question.

Docup have some TFs in Babar. Some cruisers and DDs. I want to send SAG to intercept them in night phase. I have two Kongos BB and two CA in range. Should i split it in two TFs, first with BB second with CA, or send them as single TF. What will work better. Moon is low 3%.

koniu

[obvert]

I'd say two TFs each with 3-4 DDs in them. Float planes on night search and day search. I'd only keep react at 1-2 though so they don't hang around in the day.

[koniu]

27-28 December 1943

Banda Sea
We have to days of air and surface battles. I think I can call that small Japanese victory. Japan lost DD and 15 planes. Allies at lest 1 Fletcher DD, Damaged CL plus at least 3 damaged Fletcher's stuck in Ambon hex surrounded by 4BB, 4CA and 15 destroyers. I will try to sunk them tommarow

I sweep Saumlaki I shot down ~40 enemy planes (~10 F4U, 11 F6F, and some Kittyhawks) for 8 N1K2
Unlucky Level bombers don`t fly to plaster Saumlaki AF

Night Time Surface Combat, near Babar at 76,117, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone, Shell hits 1
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 1
DD Urakaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Arare, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CL Achilles, Shell hits 8, on fire
DD Bailey
DD Baldwin
-------------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Damar at 76,113, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CA Atago, Shell hits 1
CA Haguro, Shell hits 2
CA Ashigara
DD Asashimo, Shell hits 1
DD Hayashimo, Shell hits 4
DD Akishimo, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Abbot
DD Ammen
DD Aulick, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Bache
DD Beale
DD Boyd, Shell hits 1
DD Braine
DD Conway
DD Kidd, Shell hits 2
DD Ringgold
-------------------------------------------------

Day Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 77,110, Range 29,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo, Shell hits 2
BB Hiei
DD Sawakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 1
DD Yakaze, Shell hits 3
DD Nokaze

Allied Ships
DD Abbot
DD Ammen
DD Bache, Shell hits 1
DD Beale, Shell hits 1
DD Braine
DD Conway, Shell hits 3
-------------------------------------------------

Day Time Surface Combat, near Ambon at 76,109, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
DD Amatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Hagikaze
DD Kikuzuki
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
DD Abbot
DD Ammen
DD Aulick, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bache
DD Beale
DD Boyd, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Braine
DD Conway
DD Kidd
DD Ringgold
-------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Saumlaki , at 78,117

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 33

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 5
Beaufighter VIc x 7
Kittyhawk III x 16
F4U-1 Corsair x 21
F6F-3 Hellcat x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 3 destroyed
Beaufighter VIc: 3 destroyed
Kittyhawk III: 5 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed
-------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Saumlaki , at 78,117

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 32

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 13
F6F-3 Hellcat x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K2-J George: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 2 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 5 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
-------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Saumlaki , at 78,117

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 32,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K2-J George x 9

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 1
F4U-1 Corsair x 1
F6F-3 Hellcat x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
-------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 6
D4Y3 Judy x 18
Ki-84a Frank x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 5 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Boyd, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ringgold
DD Aulick, heavy fires, heavy damage
-------------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 76,109

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 4
D4Y3 Judy x 14
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Ringgold, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Kidd
-------------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambon at 77,111

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 20
D4Y3 Judy x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y3 Judy: 19 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Braine
DD Bache, Bomb hits 1
DD Abbot

[koniu]

Economy summary at end of 1943

[koniu]

next

[koniu]

And losses

[koniu]

i will give later some maps

[koniu]

Maps

[JocMeister]

Poor docup is really in for a challenge now! You have played very well koniu! Congrats! [&o]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Poor docup is really in for a challenge now! You have played very well koniu! Congrats! [&o]

I think he is in not as bad situation as it looks. If he will give enough pressure in multiple front sooner or later i will have to bend. I can defend in one or two places but it looks like he will push in Burma, DEI, north coast of New Guinea and in Marshals.
To much fires to put out.

Japanese OOB especially number of ships i have, cant handle that. I concentrate fleet in DEI and Salomons/Marshals area right now. That leave me with only small forces in Burma, Sumatra or N. Pacific. Even i don`t lose ships in battle it take lot of time to repair them. I currently have 3BB, 6CA, 2CL 9DD in shipyard. And another 7 ships waiting to be repair but they must stay in front.
He arleady have over 80 Fletcher's in service it is more that total numbers of DDs Japan has.

[koniu]

29 December 1943

DEI
My cruisers don`t manage to intercept Fletchers that stuck in Ambon hex during last turn[:(]
Well at lest damaged some of them.
20k fuel arrive to Ambon. All 20k where sucked by Fleet in Ambon. Lucky another 40K is 2 days from area.

Marshals
Docup every day is bombing Marshal island keeping my AF closed. Every day ~20 Liberators from Wake and another 20 LB and DB from Marshal island is bombing. Cant stop that right now.

Salomon's
F4U and P-47 sweep Gasmata shotting down 16 N1K2 for lose of 2 Corsairs. I totally forgot that i have that units there. Dont remember even why it was in Gasmata and not in Rabaul. 4 KIA, 9WIA pilots

China
I bought Tank Div from China for 1200PP. In month it will be transported to new home. Sumatra.

BB Yamato
Is repairing in Japan. Repairing one Major flotation point is taking 7-8 days in 100 size Shipyard. Still 7 to go. I think Yamato is having one maybe if lucky two battles waiting for him. After battles if survive he will prabably spend rest of war is dry dock.

[koniu]

30-31 December 1943

Burma
Quiet. During night Japanese bombers mined Rammre, Akyab and Chittagong

I see movement in hex north of Bassein. Allies have there ~60k troop. Strangely they are moving North-west

Burma Edit
It looks that Docup is also retreating some troops from hex north of Prome.
I will watch those moves closely.

DEI
Also Quiet. Allied 4E bomb Lautem two day in row.

Marshals
Time to retake control in this area.
Japanese Carrier TF (with 650 planes) enter area. I placed CAP from Carriers above Roi Namur. ~30 allied bombers shot down. Tomorrow Battleships will try to close Wotje and Maloelap. I they manage to do that it will be at lest week before Roi Namur will be operational again.

[PaxMondo]

Thanks for sharing the econ info. Very interesting read ...