Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)

[apbarog]

23 Dec 43

US cruiser force moved to Taihoku to bombard. Destroyer Kidd hit a mine. It is SYS 15/FLOT 13-7/ENG 1/FIRE 0 and will be fine. The bombardment caused 584 casualties and moderate base damage. The base will be taken after reinforcements move from Takao to join the US division already there.

BB Idaho did its nightly bombardment of Davao, causing 217 casualties and light base damage.

Bad timing at Pescadores. 12 B-24Js arrived to bomb the airfield. CAP was heavy, with 24 Franks, 8 Georges and 26 Zeros. Only 4 bombers lived long enough to bomb, but hit nothing in severe storms. All bombers were lost, with the survivors being ops losses. Then the US sweepers came in. In a rare instance of multiple aircraft types arriving in the same sweep, 11 P-38s, 36 P-47s and 9 F4U-1 swept. They did well. Total air losses were 26 Zeros, 11 Franks and 5 Georges for the cost of 13 B-24Js, 5 P-47s and 2 P-38Hs.

The fishing expedition caught something but it wasn't the big one. The AO task force spotted yesterday was seen arriving in Japan today.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Iwo-jima at 101,79

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 108
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 36
SBD-5 Dauntless x 36
TBM-1C Avenger x 18

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Kenan Maru, Bomb hits 10, and is sunk
E W-33, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Amagi Maru #2, Bomb hits 11, and is sunk
E W-27, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
E W-29, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
E W-28, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

Two of the cargo ships were carrying fuel.

The enemy is collapsing at Ternate. The attack is ordered to continue.

Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13223 troops, 256 guns, 297 vehicles, Assault Value = 422

Defending force 6026 troops, 56 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 63

Allied adjusted assault: 178

Japanese adjusted defense: 76

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
997 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 12 (9 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
177 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
193rd Tank Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
154th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
138th Infantry Regiment
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
11th Port Unit
8th JAAF AF Bn
28th Fld AA Gun Co
38th Field Const Co
67th JAAF AF Bn

The US 1st Cavalry Division attacked at San Fernando, and will continue.

Ground combat at San Fernando (80,74)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10433 troops, 163 guns, 116 vehicles, Assault Value = 306

Defending force 12604 troops, 274 guns, 127 vehicles, Assault Value = 82

Allied adjusted assault: 233

Japanese adjusted defense: 341

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

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

Japanese ground losses:
112 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
95 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st (Spec) Cavalry Division
I Marine Amphib Corps

Defending units:
31st Ind.Mixed Brigade
101st Machine Canno AA Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
62nd Field AA Battalion
1st JNAF AF Unit
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Army
24th JAAF AF Bn
12th Mortar Battalion
44th Field AA Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Ship Engineer Regiment
5th JAAF AF Bn
14th Mortar Battalion
209th JAAF AF Bn

Similar plan at Lingayen. Lingayen and San Fernando have enemy support units that were at Clark and Manila.

Ground combat at Lingayen (79,75)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14312 troops, 211 guns, 251 vehicles, Assault Value = 474

Defending force 7877 troops, 123 guns, 197 vehicles, Assault Value = 39

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 216

Japanese adjusted defense: 73

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
151 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 18 (2 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (2 destroyed, 26 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion

Defending units:
5th Air Division
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
8th Field Construction Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
6th Field Construction Battalion
7th Ship Engineer Regiment
16th Army
9th RF Gun Battalion
60th Field AA Battalion
20th AA Regiment
4th Air Army
31st Special Base Force

Vigan is captured, with the Marine Raider unit that had landed amphibiously and armor that just arrived from Manila. There was just an enemy ship engineer company there. Small US units will land at Subic Bay and Iba today. This will eliminate any enemy retreat from Clark, with all enemy bases also having US troops there.

[apbarog]

24 Dec 43

Enemy mines cleared from Taichu on Formosa.

Idaho bombarded Davao, as usual. 576 casualties and moderate base damage.

Small units landed at Subic Bay and Iba, to pin the enemy units and prevent any enemy retreat to these bases, which are harder to move to.

The P-38 sweep of Hong Kong didn't happen. Bad weather. Will try again today.

Patrol boat spotted north of Miri. I love the Beaufighters. 16 of the 500 pound bombs proved to be enough for the patrol boat.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Miri at 64,86

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter X x 14

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PB Santos Maru, Shell hits 13, Bomb hits 16, and is sunk

Tough going at Davao.

Ground combat at Davao (79,91)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 25012 troops, 438 guns, 246 vehicles, Assault Value = 675

Defending force 19971 troops, 205 guns, 87 vehicles, Assault Value = 484

Allied adjusted assault: 286

Japanese adjusted defense: 1132

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
909 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 20 (4 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1588 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 152 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 34 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Guns lost 24 (4 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Division
27th Infantry Division
151st Cmbt Engineer Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
82nd Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
38th Division
2nd Recon Regiment
24th Nav Gsn Unit
33rd Ind Engineer Regiment
63rd Field AA Battalion
6th Base Force
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
6th Port Unit
61st Field AA Battalion
41st JNAF AF Unit
66th JNAF AF Unit /1

Ternate, on the other hand, is about to fall.

Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13131 troops, 256 guns, 297 vehicles, Assault Value = 414

Defending force 5426 troops, 49 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 19

Allied adjusted assault: 82

Japanese adjusted defense: 46

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
750 casualties reported
Squads: 48 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 10 (6 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
193rd Tank Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
154th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
138th Infantry Regiment
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
11th Port Unit
8th JAAF AF Bn
28th Fld AA Gun Co
38th Field Const Co
67th JAAF AF Bn

And Clark does fall.

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39250 troops, 707 guns, 782 vehicles, Assault Value = 1131

Defending force 14918 troops, 159 guns, 240 vehicles, Assault Value = 292

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Allied adjusted assault: 687

Japanese adjusted defense: 340

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Clark Field !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1345 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 33 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 62 (48 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Vehicles lost 163 (161 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
846 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 77 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 45 (15 destroyed, 30 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th USMC Tank Battalion
Americal Infantry Division
34th Cmbt Engineer Regiment
37th Infantry Division
33rd Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
I US Corps
Sixth US Army
601st Field Artillery Battalion
226th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
602nd Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
30th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Tank Regiment
32nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Tank Regiment
1st Ind.Mixed Regiment
4th Air Army
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
16th AA Regiment
21th JNAF AF Unit

Lingayen falls also.

Ground combat at Lingayen (79,75)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 14292 troops, 210 guns, 250 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 6797 troops, 113 guns, 117 vehicles, Assault Value = 35

Allied adjusted assault: 360

Japanese adjusted defense: 31

Allied assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Lingayen !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
613 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 52 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 42 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 39 (35 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 69 (69 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Assaulting units:
4th Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion

Defending units:
16th Army
6th Field Construction Battalion
60th Field AA Battalion
20th AA Regiment
5th Air Division
7th Ship Engineer Regiment
9th RF Gun Battalion
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
8th Field Construction Battalion
31st Special Base Force

All ships for the Mersing invasion are now at Soerabaja. They will do some minor repairs. The last unit from Sumatra is being extracted from Oosthaven. It will go to Batavia, and then rail to Soerabaja. Then loading for the invasion will begin. Singapore defenses aren't what they used to be. I'm seeing fewer than 30,000 men. Still 150 fighters though.

[BBfanboy]

Nice job on isolating all the IJ units on Luzon, you brought a lot there so you could do exactly that. It should pay off nicely in a week or so.
Looks like you knocked out virtually all the enemy tanks at Clark Field. That should make the cleanup easier. [:)]

[Lowpe]

Nice to see Grunion live, and will be satisfying to see her sink something down the road.

You might want to consider using the KB as a super sweeper over Okinawa/China, or other places. You can sweep reliably at ranges greater than 7. Combined with a 4E strike, you can hit some surprising industry or port or runway concentrations.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Nice to see Grunion live, and will be satisfying to see her sink something down the road.

You might want to consider using the KB as a super sweeper over Okinawa/China, or other places. You can sweep reliably at ranges greater than 7. Combined with a 4E strike, you can hit some surprising industry or port or runway concentrations.

I am guessing KB s/b DS? If he has captured KB, that would be a first!

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Nice to see Grunion live, and will be satisfying to see her sink something down the road.

You might want to consider using the KB as a super sweeper over Okinawa/China, or other places. You can sweep reliably at ranges greater than 7. Combined with a 4E strike, you can hit some surprising industry or port or runway concentrations.

I am guessing KB s/b DS? If he has captured KB, that would be a first!

You are correct.

I wish we could capture ships...[:)]

[apbarog]

I will certainly plan a carrier raid at some point. I don't think this is the time. I need to finish taking northern Luzon and build up those bases. 2 US CVs are headed to Soerabaja for a January refit. The CVEs will support a Mersing landing.

Best I can tell, OPilot has lost 7 CVs and 2 CVLs, along with Yamato and Musashi. That leaves an unknown number of carriers and most of the battleships. I haven't seen any carriers since the battle of Balikpapan, just after the Java landing.

[apbarog]

25 Dec 43

Merry Christmas 1943. The troops have been promised that they will be home by Christmas 1944.

I-38 got into the right place to engage the US carriers near Ulithi, but destroyer Conner hit it with 2 depth charges.

I-36 missed submarine Perch with 2 torpedoes near Bataan.

Here's what was spotted by submarine Ray near Amami Oshima. Mouseover shows carriers there too.

Japanese Ships
DD Susuzuki
CA Myoko
CA Chokai
CA Takao
CL Kiso
CL Tama
CL Kuma
CS Nisshin
DD Kasumi
DD Arare
DD Asashio
DD Wakazuki
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Wakaba
DD Hatsushima
DD Nenohi
DD Hatsuharu

US troops are about to capture Ternate. Got a 3 to 1 attack and lowered the forts to 1. Lingayen enemy troops are being reduced after capturing the base. 6 units evaporated from attrition after the fight. A couple more to go.

US troops will attack at Clark today. US armor took Laoag from a construction battalion.

Could be fewer enemy aircraft based at Bangkok now. Doing a maximum effort there today, with sweepers and bombers.

Now to see what the enemy carriers are up to.

[BBfanboy]

I bet the enemy carriers are covering a reinforcement of the Ryukyus. Okinawa is always tough, but sometimes the adjoining islands can be taken fairly easily. They aren't as good bases, but they can help cover/suppress Okinawa. If I plan landings in that area I try to get everything up to and including Amami Oshima. That leaves an area of water before the islands just off Japan so his aircraft will have a bit of distance to cover when they want to sweep/raid.

[apbarog]

26 Dec 43

Idaho bombarded Davao again, and poorly this time. Just 97 casualties and almost no base damage. The daily bombardments have depleted the AKEs at nearby Digos, so they have to do some reloading before Idaho can continue. Digos is just a size 1 port.

I made a huge effort to bomb Bangkok's airfield, against 72 Tojos and 36 Oscars. It didn't go so great, although some bombers were destroyed on the ground. First, 14 Hurricane IIc's swept. That never goes well. Almost all were destroyed. Then P-47s, then P-51As swept, doing better. Then B-24s arrived, finding still 80 enemy fighters. Bombers were lost, and the flak was very rough. B-25s then arrived, with P-40 escorts, and did fairly well against a depleted CAP.

Total air losses were:
20 Tojos
8 Oscars
13 Sallys (on the ground)
12 Sonias (on the ground)
2 Topsys (on the ground)

for the cost of:
15 B-24Js (4 to flak)
14 Hurricanes
10 P-51As
5 P-47s
4 B-25s
2 P-40N5s

Some progress at Clark, with a 3 to 1 attack. About equal casualties, but lots of enemy squads destroyed.

Ternate was captured, with most units evaporating to attrition after combat.

Ground combat at Ternate (78,102)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13074 troops, 256 guns, 297 vehicles, Assault Value = 408

Defending force 4081 troops, 41 guns, 25 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Allied adjusted assault: 178

Japanese adjusted defense: 31

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Ternate !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
785 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 35 (35 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 31 (31 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
193rd Tank Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
154th Field Artillery Battalion
98th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
8th JAAF AF Bn
11th Port Unit
138th Infantry Regiment
28th Fld AA Gun Co
67th JAAF AF Bn

Enemy carriers near Okinawa disappeared, so BBfanboy, you may be right about them. US carriers moved southeast of Vigan, on a northwestern heading. Some were spotted. They'll continue on around to Manila for some repairs and fuel.

Loading at Soerabaja for the Mersing landing has begun. It will take a number of days, with the last units from Sumatra at Batavia now, and railing to Soerabaja. Unfortunately, OPilot started doing recon of Soerabaja again, and it's packed full of units and ships, including all of the CVEs in port, repairing. Originally, I was sending the troops to Semarang, a size 5 port on the north coast of Java. OPilot never looks there. I was willing to accept a slower embarkation for more surprise. But he stopped looking at Soerabaja, so I changed my loading location to there. Now it will be obvious that something is up soon, when all those ships and men suddenly leave.

I'm concerned, but not too concerned. My armada will be seen as it passes the northwestern tip of Borneo anyway. And there are no enemy combat ships anywhere west of Formosa, as far as I know. The enemy air threat will be there regardless of surprise.

5 divisions and lots of support will go to Mersing. The island adjacent to Singapore, Tanjoe-something-something, is a size 3 port and will be taken. Many engineers will land there to expand the airfield, and AKEs will base there, to support daily battleship bombardments of Singapore, eventually.

[Bif1961]

Or eating fresh Sushi for Christmas 44. [:D]

[apbarog]

27 Dec 43

Submarine Blackfish was hit by a depth charge from E-boat Kaji near Kanoya. With Formosa and the Philippines practically conquered, the US subs are going to have a lot harder time finding targets. No more enemy convoys to Singapore. They can still go to Shanghai and Korea, and south to the Mariannas, Truk and Rabaul. The southerly routes won't be used much, as the Solomons has become been quiet as I've bypassed it. The enemy has dug in well in the Mariannas, but the Allies aren't going there either. They'll get some supply and fuel once in awhile, but not a lot of sub targets. It is interesting to note a piece of SigInt received today. It said that a tanker was heading to Rashin, which is the base nearest the Russian line, northeast of Korea. It is a size 4 port. OPilot is apparently using it, instead of, or in addition to, much closer Korean ports. A sub is ordered from Dutch Harbor to sit to the south of Rashin.

I-185 took a shot at destroyer McKee, and missed. McKee is part of one of the US carrier task forces near Aparri.

There were no enemy aircraft at Pescadores yesterday. I sent a P-38 squadron in today, just to make sure, and found many enemy fighters: 34 Zeros, 35 Georges, 19 Tojos and 9 Franks. It was a nice trap. 12 P-38s were lost. 4 Zeros and 2 Tojos were downed. I want to clear Pescadores, but it's a tough base, with big coastal guns and lots of mines. A slow battleship is making its way to Formosa. It will start bombarding, mines or no mines, and a bunch of minesweepers will do their best there too. There will be losses.

Another US attack at Clark, and this one did better. The enemy is starting to crumble and is out of supply. The base was captured a few days ago. This is cleanup. Lingayen was completely cleared of enemy. The 4th Marine Division will move north towards Vigan to help there, while the 754th Tank Battalion will move south to help at Clark. Clark is no longer over-stacked, with the Americal Division having moved to Manila to recover.

The 2/9th Armoured Regiment pushed back a construction battalion east of Laoag. It retreated to Aparri, which will be attacked next.

Thinking about the end game, and how to win the war. Options include:

1. Landing on the southern home island of Japan.
2. Landing in Korea, cutting off Manchuria and China, and using bombers to win the war.
3. Landing on all of the islands from Formosa up to the Japan home islands, including Okinawa, and relying on bombers to win the war.

I've been leaning towards option 1. The key is to prevent enemy reinforcements from crossing from the north. Isolating the island is key. The difficulty is that the hex that needs to be defended is not a base hex, so I can't land there directly. No matter where I land, there will be time for the enemy to rail in troops from the rest of Japan.

Option 2 has the difficulty of having to defend against whatever the Japanese wants to bring south from Manchuria and from the west from China. There's no doubt that the enemy would collapse their lines in China and free up countless divisions to counter a Korean landing. It would be tough, particularly in early 1944.

Option 3 avoids having to fight the Japanese Army, for the most part. Just island invasions. Could I build up enough bases for the bombers to do the job? I don't know.

Not sure which way things will go yet. Maybe go with option 3 at first. It could be a stepping stone to either of the other options. It could be that the forward progress will just have to slow down. There just isn't much further to go, and the last step is a big one!

Don't forget, I still plan on a Chinese invasion, east of Hong Kong, after the Mersing landing. I want to take Hong Kong, and open up a supply line to the Chinese, but I don't want to fight the whole Japanese Army in China. I'd like to think that the objectives can be achieved and then most of the US divisons can be replaced with advancing Chinese. We'll see.

[CaptBeefheart]

I like Option 1. You might hit Kanoya first, since it's not easily accessible, secure it, and then when a lot of IJA LCUs are tied up there, land at Kurume or somewhere else with a lot more divisions (or reinforce success at Kanoya if that's working out well). Also, the clock is on your side now, but time will become an enemy before too long. The IJA gets a lot of calendar-dependent (as opposed to invasion-dependent) mixed brigades and the like as time marches on in 1944 and 45. I don't think there will be a lot in the Home Islands to throw at you if you manage to invade in March 1944.

Another thing is you won't have a lot of B-29s for a while, so you might as well invade the HI after picking up a few bases on the way.

Cheers,
CB

[Bif1961]

I like option 3, followed by your invasion east of Hong Kong, which may direct his attention and some resources, kamis to it as then you land using option 1 on a HI.

[BBfanboy]

You can isolate Kyushu by landing at Shimonoseki on Honshu. Sure, it will get all the troops on Honshu hurled at it, but that would happen to any base you were going to take on Kyushu anyway. It all depends on your sea access to the northern coast. Also note that the base behind Nagasaki (Kurume?) can be sea accessed from both Northwest and Southwest. Oite is kind of isolated too, should be an easy mark.

If that is too tough to secure, consider landing simultaneously at all three bases on Shikoku. That would give you fighter bases to escort your bombers and sweep western Japan. The sea approaches would have to be swept for mines and there are a couple of fortresses to pass by/neutralize, but fortresses are not very effective against passing ships in this game.

Personally, I like option 3 because the islands are more exposed, but only a few can be built into major air/sea bases (Tanegashima, Fukue Jima, and the other one next to Nagasaki.)

[apbarog]

28 Dec 43

Batan Island, north of Luzon, had some enemy search planes, and one ground unit. Battleships split off from the carriers going to Manila.

Night Naval bombardment of Batan Island at 85,70

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-III Dinah: 9 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Massachusetts
BB South Dakota
CA Portland
DD Conner
DD Chauncey
DD Bush

Japanese ground losses:
688 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 31 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 10
Port hits 13
Port supply hits 3

Cruisers will join in at Batan. AKEs are moving to Laoag to support. Batan has a size 2 airfield and could be a threat to shipping moving to Formosa. It hasn't been, other than the search planes, so far, and I want to keep it that way.

The enemy was eliminated at Ternate. The troops begin to prep for other locations, and shipping is ordered to Ternate to pick them up. I won't be going to Sorong or Babeldaob, so that's as far as we go here. Still need to end the stalemate at Ambon. US troops bombard every day, and cause some casualties. They will continue.

Cleanup at Clark continued. 767 casualties for the cost of 227. Lots of enemy squads destroyed, and the enemy is out of supply.

3 divisions start to load at Soerabaja for Mersing. 2 others will do so tomorrow. All other support units are already loaded. Almost time for my own Mersing landing.

[CaptBeefheart]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

The sea approaches would have to be swept for mines and there are a couple of fortresses to pass by/neutralize, but fortresses are not very effective against passing ships in this game.

I have to disagree with this statement. I've had TFs that inadvertently went past Tsushima and Shimonoseki get thoroughly shredded, with numerous sinkings and extensive damage to survivors. I'd avoid those bases like the... well... plague. I agree that Shikoku is a fairly safe target, but any approach to the bases on Shikoku should come from the south. If I recall correctly, there's an AAR where the Allied player landed on Shikoku. That might be instructive.

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

29 Dec 43

A mixed nation cruiser force bombarded Pescadores. Light base damage, decent number of ground troops hit. I want to keep the airfield out of action but have been unsuccessful so far. Bombardments will continue. A battleship is on the way to help. Lots of minesweepers will brave the fortress guns today. Losses are expected.

US cruisers bombarded Batan Island. It is out of action, and has a small garrison.

The 3rd USMC Parachute Battalion dropped on undefended Miyako-jima, east of Formosa. Coronados will start to ferry in engineers today. I want to take the other two islands between Miyako-jima and Formosa with minimal combat forces and get engineers there to start building. I don't think either of the other two islands are defended either.

Lexington and Saratoga will refit at Manila, along with the five nice CLAAs. It's a bit of a risk, so close to the front, but Manila is very well defended. I won't put all of the carriers there, though. The other US carriers, in need of some minor repairs, will move south to Zamboanga. Zamboanga isn't the best repair spot. It is a size 4 port, almost a size 5, but OPilot doesn't look there any longer. I want my carriers to stay in the Philippines but be unobserved. I'm moving 3 ARs to Zamboanga to help out.

The final two divisions at Soerabaja start loading for Mersing. Most of the transport aircraft that have been working at Ledo are moved to Rangoon, in preparation for a move to Sumatra. Several big Indian para units will drop into Malaya from Sumatra when the Mersing landing takes place.

Increased enemy air activity in the Solomons and NE Australia is noted. Enemy recon over Cairns, which hasn't happened in a long, long time, and Bettys are doing search in the Solomons now. Probably means nothing, but this area is a bypassed sector, and a raid out of Rabaul into the shipping lanes east of Australia is possible. Thinking as a Japanese player, there aren't many good options for what to do at this point. You want to strike back, but it's difficult and becoming more difficult. This area is a possibility, one which is probably lacking in air and naval defenses.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

29 Dec 43

A mixed nation cruiser force bombarded Pescadores. Light base damage, decent number of ground troops hit. I want to keep the airfield out of action but have been unsuccessful so far. Bombardments will continue. A battleship is on the way to help. Lots of minesweepers will brave the fortress guns today. Losses are expected.

US cruisers bombarded Batan Island. It is out of action, and has a small garrison.

The 3rd USMC Parachute Battalion dropped on undefended Miyako-jima, east of Formosa. Coronados will start to ferry in engineers today. I want to take the other two islands between Miyako-jima and Formosa with minimal combat forces and get engineers there to start building. I don't think either of the other two islands are defended either.

Lexington and Saratoga will refit at Manila, along with the five nice CLAAs. It's a bit of a risk, so close to the front, but Manila is very well defended. I won't put all of the carriers there, though. The other US carriers, in need of some minor repairs, will move south to Zamboanga. Zamboanga isn't the best repair spot. It is a size 4 port, almost a size 5, but OPilot doesn't look there any longer. I want my carriers to stay in the Philippines but be unobserved. I'm moving 3 ARs to Zamboanga to help out.

The final two divisions at Soerabaja start loading for Mersing. Most of the transport aircraft that have been working at Ledo are moved to Rangoon, in preparation for a move to Sumatra. Several big Indian para units will drop into Malaya from Sumatra when the Mersing landing takes place.

Increased enemy air activity in the Solomons and NE Australia is noted. Enemy recon over Cairns, which hasn't happened in a long, long time, and Bettys are doing search in the Solomons now. Probably means nothing, but this area is a bypassed sector, and a raid out of Rabaul into the shipping lanes east of Australia is possible. Thinking as a Japanese player, there aren't many good options for what to do at this point. You want to strike back, but it's difficult and becoming more difficult. This area is a possibility, one which is probably lacking in air and naval defenses.

Putting myself in the IJ shoes, I would see the need to evacuate the troops in the Solomons and Bismarcks. The activity along NE Australia would be a good way to distract and cover such an evacuation, and get intel on any of your forces that could intervene.

[apbarog]

30 Dec 43

Allied cruisers bombarded Pescadores again, a now daily mission. Light cruiser Leander hit a mine. The ship details show that it did indeed hit a mine, but ship damage is just SYS 1/FLOT 1-0/ENG 1-0/FIRE 0, so almost nothing. The force did bombard and did good work:

Night Naval bombardment of Pescadores at 84,63 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 damaged
F1M2 Pete: 1 damaged
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed on ground

17 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
ACM Choun Maru #21, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Canberra
CL Hobart
CL De Ruyter
CL Sumatra
CL Java
CL Achilles
CL Leander
DD Patterson
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Mugford
DD Helm

Japanese ground losses:
446 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 41
Port fuel hits 1

Amoy was bombarded by a destroyer force, which also did good work:

Night Naval bombardment of Amoy at 83,61 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 18 damaged
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed on ground (Actual loss was 6)
Ki-84a Frank: 26 damaged
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed on ground (Actual loss was 2)
A6M5 Zero: 23 damaged
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground (Actual loss was 4)
E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged

6 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
DD Eaton
DD DeHaven
DD Cotten
DD Conway
DD Claxton
DD Bradford
DD Black
DD Charles Ausburne

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 31
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 2

Searaven hit I-10 with a torpedo near Iriomote, sinking the sub.

38 Tojos swept Medan, where there were 25 P-51As on CAP. The Mustangs were shot down in droves. Not elite pilots in them. This was a target of opportunity for the enemy. Any place with just one squadron defending is a good target. A handful of Mustangs stayed airborn long enough to shoot down some unescorted bombers afterwards. Totoal air losses were 9 Mustangs while downing 6 Tojos, 6 Sallys and 5 Sonias.

Cleanup continued at Clark with a 9 to 1 attack. Similar activity at San Fernando, although with poorer odds. Aparri was captured and the 2 enemy support units there were destroyed.

The huge armada for the Mersing invasion headed out from Java and turned towards Singapore.