Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

To what do you attribute the Allies, seemingly sudden, elimination of oil attacks?

Perplexing to me.

The immediate cause seems to have been the appearance of significant numbers of Irvings on night CAP.

Why, I don't know, but some theories:
1. He feels he now has enough bases for fighters to support daylight raids and is building up to hit Palembang hard.

2. He wanted to use the Liberators during the last full moon period to support his ground operations and will strike next full moon again.

3. He doesn't want to destroy all of my oil production for fear that would cause me to resign in early 1944 and he wants to see how the late '94 and early '95 Allied forces work.

4. He has mega-invasion plans to strike at Hakodate and plans to close Japan industry down so isn't worried about destroying oil power. The whole operation may have just been to try and persuade me to move forces South.

5. Something else...

How many planes do you need to get 110 Thunderbolts on LRCAP over you? Wow, nothing can stand against that!

Probably a couple of 100. There are about 200 N1K1-J over Palembang so a strike there could be interesting.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Hefty investment in Patsy! What are your planned uses for her?

Don't know. After experience with the game I have a feeling it won't be much use at all. Helen's can't hit a barn door in the face of any reasonable amount of flak so a plane with half the load is going to be worse off.

One use I may try is, if I have any isolated bases, using them as Kamikazes to strike at Allied convoys. The massive transfer range will be useful.

You need to come up with a nickname for the 83![:D]

No, that is for the Allies to do.

[Spidery]

Thoughts on supply usage.

To rebuild a Division costs some 12,000 to 15,000 supply. For that amount of supply I can deploy, and use, 500 to 1,000 aircraft (depending on type). So which will be more useful in damaging the Allies, 1 Division or 500 Kamikazes? It seems that the aircraft may be more useful.

That suggests I may be better off stopping reinforcements of squads and rebuilding just the artillery, engineering, support, and tank components of divisions to act as extra firepower for the existing divisions and those received as reinforcements.

[Spidery]

November 4th 1943

A Kiso class PB lost to sub-attack near Samarinda. Minor damage done to an Allied sub.

The isolated defenders at Merak have been finished off. Cadres of the divisions had been evacuated to Singapore and will start rebuilding. One division at Singapore the other will be sent to Manila to rebuild. However, I may now decide not to rebuild all the squad components, but will build the HMG sections and heavy weapons.

Increased Allied naval search over the Makassar straits.

Allied paras land at Finschhafen. There are 8 squads defending and it seems neither side can find the other:

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 300 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21

Defending force 117 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 17

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
1st USMC Parachute Bn /1

Defending units:
Sasebo 5th SNLF /3

[Spidery]

November 5th 1943

Turn 700!

Lots of sub action. SS Muskallunge takes two solid hits and three near misses off Jesselton.

Allies drop more men at Finschhafen and capture it.

Another MTB arrives.

[Spidery]

November 6th 1943

I-32 sinks TK British Energy (7150 tons, 20 VP) carrying fuel near Karachi, cheakily running without escort. However, she uses all remaining torpedoes and needs to return to Port Blair.

Lots of attacks on, and by, Allied subs but no significant results. SS Jack sneaks into the harbour at Miri (only port 2 so I guess expanding it to 3 would have been useful), misses a Tanker and is missed by a couple of ASW attacks. A DMS is handy so will send it there in case some mines have been dropped. Lots of claimed hits by ASW aircraft.

Concentration of Allied subs spotted around Woleai.

Last B7A2 factory fixed so looks like should be ready about December 6th.

Relative quiet allows me to convert a size 18 Air group over to the N1K1-J.

[Spidery]

November 7th 1943

SS Jack surprises me by staying at Miri. I sent lesser ASW teams into Miri leaving the best on the exit route.

The ASW teams sent after it fail to find her and I lose a Kiso class PB. Other sub actions all fail to find targets.

Allies clear the mines at Merak.

E Kanju as a reinforcement

[Spidery]

November 8th 1943

SS Jack is still at Miri; DD Hibuki empties her DC racks and scores 11 near misses.

An SC is lost near Woleai to SS Tarpon.

Massive sweeps hit Balikpapan in the morning and Liberators strike in the afternoon and destroy 54 oil wells. I had elected not to protect Balikpapan. 2 Liberators downed by flak.

Allies expand Batavia airfield to level 9.

[Spidery]

November 9th 1943

Allies sweep Balikpapan.

Minor damage to an Allied sub near Balikpapan.

2 Ki-74-I R&D factories have repaired so will have that plane about July 1944.

[Spidery]

November 10th 1943

Full moon and Liberators hit Palembang. I only have Irving night fighters up and they perform poorly. They retire out of ammo very quickly, shoot down just 1 plane (and lose an Ace pilot), and fail to stay around for the trailing strikes. 173 oil wells are lost. 5 Irvings lost for 8 Liberators (including ops losses). 143 Liberators attacked, 75 in the first two groups that met night fighters and 68 in the remaining groups. The first two groups managed 71 hits and the remainder 34 so maybe the fact that the night fighters didn't hang around isn't that important.

Good hits on the SS Amberjack near Jolo.

Ki-46-III KAI Dinah to 4/44.

32nd Ind. Mixed Brigade arrives, first of many units with significant AV. Will be sent to Hokkaido.

A second Ki-83 R&D factory is fully repaired.

Been noticing a problem with my CS task forces running from Fusan to Fukuoka. At Fukuoaka they can be empty but still marked as unloading and then don't return to Fusan.

[Spidery]

November 11th 1943

very quiet turn.

A few aircraft claiming hits on subs and light Allied bombing at Bandoeng and Buka.

B7A2 to 2/44

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

November 10th 1943

Full moon and Liberators hit Palembang. I only have Irving night fighters up and they perform poorly. They retire out of ammo very quickly, shoot down just 1 plane (and lose an Ace pilot), and fail to stay around for the trailing strikes. 173 oil wells are lost. 5 Irvings lost for 8 Liberators (including ops losses). 143 Liberators attacked, 75 in the first two groups that met night fighters and 68 in the remaining groups. The first two groups managed 71 hits and the remainder 34 so maybe the fact that the night fighters didn't hang around isn't that important.

20 Irvings up or 38? What were your CAP settings? Patrol altitude above or below or even with the bombers?

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Spidery

November 10th 1943

Full moon and Liberators hit Palembang. I only have Irving night fighters up and they perform poorly. They retire out of ammo very quickly, shoot down just 1 plane (and lose an Ace pilot), and fail to stay around for the trailing strikes. 173 oil wells are lost. 5 Irvings lost for 8 Liberators (including ops losses). 143 Liberators attacked, 75 in the first two groups that met night fighters and 68 in the remaining groups. The first two groups managed 71 hits and the remainder 34 so maybe the fact that the night fighters didn't hang around isn't that important.

20 Irvings up or 38? What were your CAP settings? Patrol altitude above or below or even with the bombers?

35 planes all piloted by TRACOM worthy pilots. 50% CAP, 0% Rest. 9000 feet. Allies bombing from 9000 feet although the approach altitude was reported unusually high for the main strike at 14000 feet. 80 NM, 27 minutes, raid warning on the main strike with a 34 minute reaction time.

Night Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-S Irving x 23

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 26
B-24J Liberator x 42

Japanese aircraft losses
J1N1-S Irving: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 6 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
B-24J Liberator: 7 damaged

Oil hits 61

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
251 Ku S-1 with J1N1-S Irving (0 airborne, 12 on standby, 5 scrambling)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 8000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes



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Night Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-S Irving x 1

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 17

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

Oil hits 10

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
251 Ku S-1 with J1N1-S Irving (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 9000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes



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Night Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 77 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 5
B-24J Liberator x 7

No Allied losses


Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-24J Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-24D1 Liberator bombing from 9000 feet
City Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Followed by 11 more, unopposed, fragments.

[Spidery]

November 12th 1943

Allies swamp the fighters at Palembang and then strike with dive bombers and torpedo bombers at task forces. 1 xAK, 1 xAKL, 1 PB, 1 E about 50 support squads lost and a TK on fire, will be able to make it to Singapore and get the fires out there.

In the air: 70 N1K1-J, 10 Ki-84a swapped for 10 P-38G, 8 P-47D2, 7 P-38H, 4 F6F-3, 1 F4U-1, 2 SBD-3.

Three well co-ordinated sweeps (including LRCAP) each of 200+ fighters clear the defenders so only 16 are left for the first bombing run which still has 180 fighters escorting it. They fail to get through to the bombers[:D].

Try a night naval strike at the task forces at Batavia, some Allied night fighters up and lose 4 P1Y1 for no hits scored. About 8 bombers launched torpedoes at heavy cruisers.

[Spidery]

November 13th 1943

In a bad guess I expected MrKane to press home his advantage and launch a massive day strike at Palembang. So I pulled the night fighters to make way for more day fighters. Instead, Liberators hit the airfields at night. Airfield damage is minor, 16 planes lost on the ground, but massive damage to morale. 3 Liberators downed by flak.

A PB spots, and avoids, an Allied minefield in the straits between Sumatra and Toboali.

Ki-84r to 1/44.

[Spidery]

November 14th 1943

Minor sub action scores some damage on SS Harder.

Allies just run usual strikes at Bandoeng and Buka. At Bandoeng I have a motley collection of fighters from Oosthaven and Billiton on LRCAP that find the 2E bombers without escort. 3 fighters lost for 26 bombers downed, nice (8 B-25D1, 7 CW-22, 4 139WH-3, 4 B-25C, 1 DB-7B, 1 Hudson III, 1 B-26B, not sure how many of these are obsolete models).

Ki-45 KAId Nick to 2/44

[Spidery]

Ponape

Ponape is a small island East of Truk and used as an occasional seaplane base. Surrounded by coral reefs there are few approaches to it.

An abiding mystery is what happened to the men of the 17th Garrison Unit on the night of the 14th November. On Sunday the 14th there were no reports of anything unusual. Come the morning of the 15th, the base encampment was unnaturally quiet. Over 4000 men, with all their weapons and equipment, vanished.

To this day, no explanation has been given as to how these men disappeared, were they washed into the lagoon by the torrential rains that plague that island? Were they were abducted by aliens? Did they forget their towels and meet the Ravenous Bugblatter beast of Traal? The mystery remains.

[FeurerKrieg]

Wow - haven't seen a reference to the Bugblatter Beast for a long time.

[Insano]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

Ponape

Ponape is a small island East of Truk and used as an occasional seaplane base. Surrounded by coral reefs there are few approaches to it.

An abiding mystery is what happened to the men of the 17th Garrison Unit on the night of the 14th November. On Sunday the 14th there were no reports of anything unusual. Come the morning of the 15th, the base encampment was unnaturally quiet. Over 4000 men, with all their weapons and equipment, vanished.

To this day, no explanation has been given as to how these men disappeared, were they washed into the lagoon by the torrential rains that plague that island? Were they were abducted by aliens? Did they forget their towels and meet the Ravenous Bugblatter beast of Traal? The mystery remains.

17th Garrison is one of the few Japanese land units other than the Thai army with a withdraw date. They hit the withdraw date and then - poof - gone in to the digital ether.

[Spidery]

November 15th 1943

Minor sub actions.

Disaster at Palembang. Allies sweep during the morning and Liberators strike the airfield in the afternoon. The airfield is wrecked (75% service, 95% runway damage) and only 7 aircraft are left serviceable. 41 planes destroyed on the ground, 65 in air-air. Allies lose 27 fighters and just 3 Liberators lost to flak.

I can no longer defend Palembang. Looks though that the remaining fuel and oil can be drawn from Northern Sumatra ports but this does mean using fuel inefficient small capacity tankers for the run over to Malaya.

Also, not that easy to evacuate troops from Southern Sumatra. Looks like about 6-7 weeks for troops to move to Medan. Also, can fly some troops back to Singapore and may be able to fast transport some of the heavy stuff out of Palembang.

Garrison units at Ponape & Lae disband.