Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Horn Island - You may have cut off part of the Combat Report, but did your CLs have night time recon set for the base?? Usually that shows up near the top of that part of CR.

Normanton to Mornington Island to Groote Eylandt - I moved some APDs (4 to 6) by Horn to Normanton and then used supplies to purchase barges to move forward. Even the short endurance ones can move fuel to Mornington to allow further advances. It may just be a side show, but it allows you to progress.

They had spotters, but it was a great bombardment for two CLs regardless.

You amy have missed the post where I outlined the current plans. After PM the goals are moving along both sides of the New Guinea coastline and also from Mornington out to the three base on the West side. I've been shuttling a billion landing craft of all types from Normanton for several months getting Mornington Island ready and pushing small troops there which will head over once I know what is happening with some DDs and the KB on the other side near approaches to Darwin.

My fast transports have more small units that will indeed scoot by Horn and land more little units in that area if possible. He has 30k= at both Horn and Merauke, so this looks like one of his lines in the sand, which I hope to brush aside by going around it. As opposed to other moves with small craft and little units, I think he'll treat this one with the utmost seriousness, so I have to be ready to use the response to my advantage. Just getting that part ready. [:)]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: obvert

[font="Times New Roman"]Air Losses[/font]

---

I know airframes are not the choke point for the Japanese, but it still can't be good for them to lose these kinds of numbers on a regular basis.

You have to look at the long view. To replace an air frame cost supply. Something that is not infinite for Japan. GJ has spent a lot of resources fighting in China and India. It is hard to say how this will affect him come 1/45 but I know in my completed campaign, my opponent gave up in 8/45 because he had nothing left. I don't think enough Allied players play the game with the long term in view. Japanese players too for that matter.

Having seen the effects first hand this is exactly my take on things. Everything is connected for the Japanese.

The more I play the Allies the more I also understand why fighting through the Solomons and onto New Guinea is actually a really good option. It's slow and steady, provides lots of LBA cover and uses the strengths of the Allied PTs and landing craft, which are virtually unlimited. At the same time it keeps the Japanese stretched out and invites them to use expensive stuff far from home.

Cent Pac is also good as it takes even more fuel for Japan to keep fighting out there, and once a base is isolated and invested it's tough and risky for them to do anything else to save it.

The sexy DEI invasions and early Kuriles or Marianas are just not smart in terms of making Japan use a bunch of resources defending forward early and also in terms of VPs. I actually want him to dig more now. To have to keep sending tons of supply forward. Sure, one of those moves might end the game early if everything goes to plan, but they can also postpone it a good deal if it doesn't.

There is a critical turning point though where more troops and 3rd gen fighters and strike planes start pouring in and the Allies have to really ramp up the schedule. I'm planning to really get moving by autumn 43.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have twice those losses, Japan can easily absorb those. The problem might be with pilot losses.
'

The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have twice those losses, Japan can easily absorb those. The problem might be with pilot losses.
'

The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

And that might be a problem. In other actions the Japanese have lost lots of planes sweeping, where pilot losses are really high. And then there are those bomber traps you have set also.

Japan should start getting large slugs of pilots in 44, but until then navy pilots might be hurting. On the other hand, he has limited squadrons with decent planes to staff so it may not be much of a problem especially since the carriers have been quiet.

PDU off is really interesting.[:)]

[font="Times New Roman"]May 20 -21, 1943[/font]

---

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] The S-41 gets smacked by DDs that are part of the KB, sitting in a fast BB TF near Merauke. We repay th favor near PM hitting RO-61 with 3 directs, and it seems a goner. Snapper finally breaks the dud string and nails a small tanker off the Chinese coastline.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]INDIA: [/font]At Dimapur there are 3 divisions, plus another at Jorhat. Both of those bases get some more air strikes and Silchar falls as the IJA pulls out there just in time. Damn. Wanted one more crack at it. Silchar and Tezpur will be hastily fixed up and will become our forward fighter bases to support the move on Ledo. Tanks are now 7-8 days out there. Two US Sherman units are aiming over the river and will keep going until a Japanese unit moves to the hex just between Jorhat and Ledo.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] The Marines are nearly back to 100%. About a week more and I'll try again.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] After the S-41 finds that the big TF nearby is only a SAG I turned the PM invasion around and went right in. The 41st Division and other units all landed easily. No air strikes and no surface interdiction. Only the tanks to finish on the 22nd. He has 6k troops here, and one is the 83rd Naval Guard. This shouldn't take long. [8D]

All assault shipping will high tail it out as will the CVEs. Some will circle around to Tulagi to pick up troops for Buin.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] The Japanese finally get the last fort at Paoshan and a 1:1. We may be too late to to do anything for Paoshan once Ledo is finally retaken, but this battle has taken a lot of resources for the Japanese and distracted them from the goal of Chungking. If I can get Ledo within two weeks and can avoid losing control of the airspace there, Chungking may hold. That's a bold prediction, I know, but with supply the Chinese can fight, and if they can fight and hold, they can grow.

A reserve of Hellcats will be waiting for the first sign of strikes at Chungking while the 125 P-40K hold the fort for now. Paoshan, a level 2 field, took three days of intense strikes to close. I would hope the level 5 Chungking with its numerous engineers and actually decent flak will take longer. Glad now that I built it that one level extra.

I could even fly in AT guns! This is thinking a step to far though. I have to get there first.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 20, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Merauke at 87,124

Japanese Ships
DD Wakazuki
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
CA Furutaka
CL Yubari
CL Kiso
CS Nisshin
DD Kiyonami
DD Yugumo
DD Susuzuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Hayashio
DD Yukikaze
DD Hatsukaze
DD Oyashio

Allied Ships
SS S-41, hits 18, heavy damage

SS S-41 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Wakazuki
DD Hayashio fails to find sub and abandons search

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Port Moresby at 98,132

Japanese Ships
SS RO-61, hits 8, heavy damage

Allied Ships
AVD Childs
SC-641
SC-705
SC-647

SS RO-61 launches 2 torpedoes at AVD Childs
RO-61 diving deep ....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Paoshan (65,45)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 14334 troops, 214 guns, 548 vehicles, Assault Value = 520

Defending force 18215 troops, 102 guns, 99 vehicles, Assault Value = 320

Japanese adjusted assault: 637

Allied adjusted defense: 391

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
344 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Allied ground losses:
537 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 109 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
8th Ind.Mixed Brigade
22nd Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
39th Indian Division
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
16th Indian Bde /1
1st Burma Auxiliary AA Regiment
33rd Base Group
62nd Chinese Corps
11th Group Army
32nd Chinese Corps
10th Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
Fourteenth USAAF
80th Chinese Corps
56th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
103rd RN Base Force /1
13th Chinese Base Force
104th RAF Base Force /2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 21, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Submarine attack near Foochow at 86,61

Japanese Ships
TK Ryuei Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Snapper, hits 1

TK Ryuei Maru is sighted by SS Snapper
SS Snapper attacking on the surface

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Port Moresby (98,130)

67 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
APD Hatfield
APD Sands
APD Humphreys
APD Kilty
APD Crane
APD Kennison
APD Crosby
APD Dent
APD Talbot
APD Stringham
APD McKean
APD Little
APD Schley
APD Chew
APD Litchfield
APD Fox

Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

APD Hatfield fired at enemy troops


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Bhamo , at 63,44

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 11

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 7 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 25000 feet *

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Port Moresby (98,130)

64 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Idaho
BB Tennessee
DD Stuart
DD Clark
APA U.S. Grant
DD Worden
DD Voyager

Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

BB Idaho firing at 26th Air Defense AA Regiment
BB Tennessee firing at 83rd Naval Guard Unit

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 75,47 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20291 troops, 346 guns, 1693 vehicles, Assault Value = 984

Defending force 36029 troops, 146 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1081

Japanese adjusted assault: 762

Allied adjusted defense: 880

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
852 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1692 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 150 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division
23rd Tank Regiment
1st Tank Division
9th Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
18th Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
12th Army
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
46th Chinese Corps
99th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Paoshan (65,45)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 13846 troops, 214 guns, 548 vehicles, Assault Value = 471

Defending force 17580 troops, 101 guns, 99 vehicles, Assault Value = 240

Japanese adjusted assault: 121

Allied adjusted defense: 460

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
830 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 67 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
650 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 56 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

---

---

[font="Trebuchet MS"]A bunch of Mavis are caught at PM with a big and low LR CAP from Buna. Pulling out critical stuff I imagine. Nice to get that many Mavis!

Again we were able to pick off some bleeding LR CAP in Burma. This is the closest we can get to actual air superiority missions I guess, using LR CAP and then finding out ways to battle the LR CAP with an advantage. [/font]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have twice those losses, Japan can easily absorb those. The problem might be with pilot losses.
'

The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

And that might be a problem. In other actions the Japanese have lost lots of planes sweeping, where pilot losses are really high. And then there are those bomber traps you have set also.

Japan should start getting large slugs of pilots in 44, but until then navy pilots might be hurting. On the other hand, he has limited squadrons with decent planes to staff so it may not be much of a problem especially since the carriers have been quiet.

PDU off is really interesting.[:)]

I wouldn't say limited, exactly. [:D]

This is DBB Scen 30, the equivalent to Scen 2 in stock, so extra troops and more air groups, plus ships appearing ahead of schedule. The difficulty in the end has often been paying for all of the pilots you have to have with the extra groups. So HI has been a factor. He may have been thinking this when he went for India, and he did get nearly a year of extra HI at several bases.

So yes, while there are fewer groups he'd want to sweep with, he has to use more groups, more numbers to make up for fewer advanced airframes. He does have one of the two most ubiquitous fighters on the map, the A6M, to its ultimate variant, with the other, the Oscar, on its way to the final version almost two years early. At the end of every line he should have a very good fighter too, so late it could be a vey different air war.

[font="Times New Roman"]May 22 -23, 1943[/font]

---

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Another miss on a big tanker.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]INDIA: [/font] Swept another 10-12 Oscars away over Myitkyina.

The tanks are now one hex out and moving on Ledo. It should be 3-4 days until they cross over. It looks like he's pulled a bunch of units out and there is only one guard here now. Dimapur and Jorhat still show movement but only a few small units have moved out. Since we're maxed out in the Dimapur hex the Jorhat division cold have trouble getting there without being subject to one battle at least.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] Looks like there is nothing to prevent more bombardments, so I've ordered the BBs to move in this time. Should be ready to DA at Mili shortly after they hit.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font]Port Moresby falls! Although he only had a naval guard here and wasn't using the base for anything significant, this is still a big day. It opens the paths on both sides of New Guinea and frees up prep for several large units. They'll now start prepping for Merauke. I'll be passing on Horn Island with its 35k troops.

A small investment at Salamua will land by barge in the next days and I'll also send a regiment to Lae by fast transport and landing craft.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] The IJA gets a 1:1 with its two tank divisions south of Chungking, but we appear to be getting to the tanks, with almost 100 vehicles disabled or destroyed. Another unit is already on the way and will get into the hex in two days ready to go full of supply from a visit to Chungking.

Paoshan sees around 270-90 bombers daily now. There are still some broken Corsairs and Hllcats on the field, and the troops actually have supply as some have been killed allowing the penalty from overstacking to lessen.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 23, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 8

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 6 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 25000 feet

CAP engaged:
1st Sentai with Ki-43-IIa Oscar (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(30 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Finschhafen , at 100,126

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
PV-1 Ventura x 12

Allied aircraft losses
PV-1 Ventura: 4 damaged
PV-1 Ventura: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
ACM Wa 4, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x PV-1 Ventura bombing from 8000 feet
Port Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 75,47 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19998 troops, 376 guns, 1693 vehicles, Assault Value = 908

Defending force 34586 troops, 146 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 925

Japanese adjusted assault: 731

Allied adjusted defense: 646

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
270 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 47 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 99 (9 destroyed, 90 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1905 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 166 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Tank Division
9th Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division
18th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Army
Tonei Hvy Gun Regiment
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
46th Chinese Corps
99th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15045 troops, 258 guns, 332 vehicles, Assault Value = 495

Defending force 5070 troops, 44 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Allied adjusted assault: 690

Japanese adjusted defense: 39

Allied assault odds: 17 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Port Moresby !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1221 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 69 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 21 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (23 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 4

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
763rd Tank Battalion
II Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
13th Field Regiment
XIV US Corps
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Provisional GMC Grp

Defending units:
83rd Naval Guard Unit
26th Air Defense AA Regiment
35th JNAF AF Unit
37th JNAF AF Unit

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

---

---

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Once Ledo is captured we can move tanks back toward Jorhat, pretty much forcing the Japanese to actually pull out to the hills. Loks like they're already moving back from Imphal. I hope he leaves a bunch in the jungle building forts. I don't plan on moving into this area of Burma at all. [:)][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"]SW PAC - SO PAC[/font]

---

Confirmation of the KB in the area near Darwin! Although this could be the mini-KB and a small CVE TF too. Not enough planes listed fr the full meal deal.

As shown the amphibs and CVEs are fleeing to the SE and heading for Brisbane and Tulagi. I'll see how the stuff at Rabaul reacts to the APAs showing up at Tulagi before deciding how to proceed up toward Buin. I have troops prepped for everything up the islands and even all of the way to Kaveign and I'm now just waiting until I have sufficient distract or obvious inattention by Japanese forces to strike.

I can probably sneak into Buin with landing craft and LST/LCI, as I've been moving these all over the place in the area with no reaction, but for a division sized landing this would take a lot of small craft. I'd rather get in and out with APAs if possible.

Mornington Island is supplied to 6k and has good AS and some units ready and pepped for next steps to Groote Eylandt and farther. I'll use some landing craft to deliver them once the dust settles. I'd like to land some with fast transports also but they're currently occupied. A very incomplete brigade is heading to Terapo, but last I check it was unoccupied.

Salamua is about to be invested and Lae will get a regiment if I can sneak it in. The base looks to have a naval guard and some construction units. I have paras prepped for Nadzab and they will go slightly after the Lae landing if it's successful. No sense in getting Nadzab before I can get more stuff in there.

This is an interesting almost contact near China. Probably an AV and tankers.

[font="Times New Roman"]May 24 - 25, 1943[/font]

---

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] An ASW TF around PM nails the I-17 and it looks to be a goner.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]INDIA: [/font] Nearly to Ledo.

Sent the heavies to hit Akyab to interdict his forward recon base here. No fighters present but 31 auxiliary aircraft found by recon. Destroyed a few Dinah on the ground and lost an equivalent number of 4E, but now the recon deep into India and Ceylon might not be as easy.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] A BB bombardment goes in to Mili but is just not as successful as the cruisers I've been using. Hmmmm.

A very fun and somewhat scary interaction unfolded 12 hexes East of Maleolap when an IJN picket PB ran into a small TF of one DE, two APA and one AO. The PB landed a shot on an APA before the DE stepped in, but APA Callaway actually landed one shot on the PB which was all it took to sink him. Should've had those boys on the CAs during the Doolittle raid and would've saved some ammo!

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SW PAC: [/font] Lae and Salamua are about to be invested.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] The Japanese get a 1:2 south of Chungking but definitely win the battle in terms of troop losses. One more Chinese unit headed in.

Nick throws the heavies at Wenchow and they do start some fires and knock out some HI.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 24, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Naval bombardment of Mili at 136,121

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB Arizona
DD Frankford
DD McCook
DD Endicott
DD Hobby
DD Saufley
DD Beale

Japanese ground losses:
353 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 6
Port supply hits 1

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Mississippi
BB Mississippi firing at Kure 5th SNLF

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Port Moresby at 97,133

Japanese Ships
SS I-17, hits 9, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SC-647
SC-705

SS I-17 is located by SC-647
I-17 diving deep ....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at 75,47 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 19513 troops, 376 guns, 1685 vehicles, Assault Value = 837

Defending force 33129 troops, 145 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 748

Japanese adjusted assault: 445

Allied adjusted defense: 751

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
356 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 51 (10 destroyed, 41 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1424 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 146 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 25, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
DD Urukaze
DD Yakaze
DD Hatakaze
DD Matsukaze
E Yugao
E Karukaya
E Fuyo
E Sanae
E Wakatake

Allied ground losses:
251 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Heavy Industry hits 1
Manpower hits 5
Fires 2567
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 21
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 1

BB Mutsu firing at Wenchow
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Maloelap at 150,116, Range 13,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Takuna Maru #7, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DE Austin
APA Callaway
APA Cambria, Shell hits 1
AO Monongahela

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 14,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 13,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
PB Takuna Maru #7 engages APA Cambria at 11,000 yards
PB Takuna Maru #7 engages DE Austin at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
DE Austin engages PB Takuna Maru #7 at 12,000 yards
PB Takuna Maru #7 sunk by APA Callaway at 12,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]

---

---

[font="Trebuchet MS"]Due t all the bases in India taken back the Japanese score has been relatively constant, if not going down, but the Allied side has picked up about 2k VPs in the past month! [8D][/font]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Absolutely criminal of him to leave Wenchow in your hands in 1943... [:-]

Seconded. He could have taken it with a IJA brigade, some collaborationist crap and some naval and air support. Granted, it wouldn't have been a swift capture and he'd likely trash the industry, but it's better for Japan to hold the base without any industry than it is to leave it in the hands of the Chinese with the industry intact...

Poor move, in my view, and you're right in making him pay for it.

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Absolutely criminal of him to leave Wenchow in your hands in 1943... [:-]

Seconded. He could have taken it with a IJA brigade, some collaborationist crap and some naval and air support. Granted, it wouldn't have been a swift capture and he'd likely trash the industry, but it's better for Japan to hold the base without any industry than it is to leave it in the hands of the Chinese with the industry intact...

Poor move, in my view, and you're right in making him pay for it.

I guess I should reveal what I have here. There is a Corps with 450AV and another with 300AV plus a big base force. So 800AV. Now if that had been starved out, yes, but the base has consistently had supply from it's own HI/LI.

To be fair I don't post what happens here every day. He's been bombing the base maybe 2/3 of the turns in the game, usually with a Sentai of Lilys dedicated to the job. A while back he moved in Sallys to give a bigger hit. He's also been bombarding daily for months in this recent stretch and intermittently before that. He probably thought for a long while that it was just out of supply and not a threat.

In retaliation I've flown in fighters whenever the fields were open. So if weather kept the bombers away for 2-3 days, or something else happened, he might find 15-20 P-40E sitting there unexpectedly, but mostly in the first 7-8 months of game. I've dropped over 300 mines in the port through the course of the game. I've also stationed subs on the approaches since the torps started working better.

If I were playing Japan I would take Wenchow early. I think it's something I don't want to worry about later. That's why in my game against Historiker I took SqzMyLemon's advice and sent a division there amphibiously and called the op SqzMyWenchow. I was criticized heavily at the time for doing that and taking an extra week or two to get that division to the DEI and to Palembang.

It'll be a big mistake to leave Wenchow until I can reinforce it with the Marines, but for now, it's just a minor irritation. It's not going to change the game and I think Nick's priorities are in the right place. He's going for stuff that matters and that will potentially alter his ability to defend the Chinese mainland, like Paoshan and Chungking. I sense that he's also thoroughly defending his outer perimeter instead of using any new troops on a rear area holdout. I think that's good preparation.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have twice those losses, Japan can easily absorb those. The problem might be with pilot losses.
'

The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

And that might be a problem. In other actions the Japanese have lost lots of planes sweeping, where pilot losses are really high. And then there are those bomber traps you have set also.

Japan should start getting large slugs of pilots in 44, but until then navy pilots might be hurting. On the other hand, he has limited squadrons with decent planes to staff so it may not be much of a problem especially since the carriers have been quiet.

PDU off is really interesting.[:)]

After my campaign with Viberpol he let me look over his side of the game. I was surprised to find out that after four years of brutal war and killing three Japanese planes for every two I lost and perhaps 2-1 ratio in pilot kills, that he had tons and tons of high experienced pilots. No fuel, no supplies, but plenty of pilots.

I think the point here is that with the ability of Japanese player to vastly expand training, no Allied player should think that killing pilots is going to do much for them. I thought it was a raw deal, but in the end Japanese pilot quality was not such a big factor.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

After my campaign with Viberpol he let me look over his side of the game. I was surprised to find out that after four years of brutal war and killing three Japanese planes for every two I lost and perhaps 2-1 ratio in pilot kills, that he had tons and tons of high experienced pilots. No fuel, no supplies, but plenty of pilots.

I think the point here is that with the ability of Japanese player to vastly expand training, no Allied player should think that killing pilots is going to do much for them. I thought it was a raw deal, but in the end Japanese pilot quality was not such a big factor.

that's the interesting bit. Expanding the training program costs supplies, and players tend to be so traumatized by real war experience problem and the impact experience can have on individual fights that they overinvest in pilots... I sometimes think that japanese players willing to train less pilots and have the best airframes 3 months later than with uberoptimized research would find themselves in a similar strategic situation in mid/late 44 but with lots more supplies (and some fuel) so that they wouldn't abruptly fall off a cliff.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert




The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

And that might be a problem. In other actions the Japanese have lost lots of planes sweeping, where pilot losses are really high. And then there are those bomber traps you have set also.

Japan should start getting large slugs of pilots in 44, but until then navy pilots might be hurting. On the other hand, he has limited squadrons with decent planes to staff so it may not be much of a problem especially since the carriers have been quiet.

PDU off is really interesting.[:)]

After my campaign with Viberpol he let me look over his side of the game. I was surprised to find out that after four years of brutal war and killing three Japanese planes for every two I lost and perhaps 2-1 ratio in pilot kills, that he had tons and tons of high experienced pilots. No fuel, no supplies, but plenty of pilots.

I think the point here is that with the ability of Japanese player to vastly expand training, no Allied player should think that killing pilots is going to do much for them. I thought it was a raw deal, but in the end Japanese pilot quality was not such a big factor.

Jan 1944 is when the floodgates open up for IJN Naval pilots. Prior to that there can be a squeeze depending upon activity and losses of course, but after 44 that particular barn door is wide open.

Army always has generous pools of pilots.

ORIGINAL: veji1

and have the best airframes 3 months later than with uberoptimized research would find themselves in a similar strategic situation in mid/late 44 but with lots more supplies (and some fuel) so that they wouldn't abruptly fall off a cliff.

I agree with that in a pdu on game. There is only a few air frames that really need researching.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: obvert




The game is so detailed that unless you remove them, some pilots will die even while their planes are hit on the ground.

And that might be a problem. In other actions the Japanese have lost lots of planes sweeping, where pilot losses are really high. And then there are those bomber traps you have set also.

Japan should start getting large slugs of pilots in 44, but until then navy pilots might be hurting. On the other hand, he has limited squadrons with decent planes to staff so it may not be much of a problem especially since the carriers have been quiet.

PDU off is really interesting.[:)]

After my campaign with Viberpol he let me look over his side of the game. I was surprised to find out that after four years of brutal war and killing three Japanese planes for every two I lost and perhaps 2-1 ratio in pilot kills, that he had tons and tons of high experienced pilots. No fuel, no supplies, but plenty of pilots.

I think the point here is that with the ability of Japanese player to vastly expand training, no Allied player should think that killing pilots is going to do much for them. I thought it was a raw deal, but in the end Japanese pilot quality was not such a big factor.

From the Japanese side I feel it's a huge factor, and it's my perception playing that side against the Allied aces that has made wining the pilot war a huge priority.

It's not the kills I get but how and where I get them. If I'm constantly sweeping over his territory and letting my guys go KIA/MIA more often than WIA, then I'm definitely not going to get an advantage in aces. If I fight over my guys, sweep in situations where I have a clear advantage, and create situations that make him think he needs to be offensive with his air force, then I might end up with a distinct advantage. I see this happening already, but on top of that I have some confirmation of it too, unless he's blowing some smoke.

An email exchange over several turns in game:
[font="Trebuchet MS"]
Nick: Took me quite some time for this one... damned pilots training :-/

Me: It is getting to be a chore with the pilots!

Here’s the next.

Nick: Giving you too many easy kills!!! You must be swimming with ace pilots by now

Me: Maybe. But I noticed we are virtually even in A to A kills, with your side slightly ahead!

Nick: YeAH but most of my aces are gone, long ago :-/[/font]

I think he's being honest here because as I noticed playing Japan it's really hard to keep aces when you need to use them a lot. The planes are just too fragile. You'll make more good pilots, but if the Allies don't serve up too many bombers on a plate, you may never get a guy over 15 kills. I think by '45 Jocke must have had some pilots with 40+ kills!

Another factor is that in a PDU-off game you have a lot more poor quality and very fragile, low durability fighters. His A6M5 pilots have no armor still. Soon it'll be different when the Frank arrives and the Jack and George have enough groups to be used more.

I've got P-40K units that have 5-7 golden boys each, and those are not my sweepers, just defensive planes! My Lightnings and Hellcats are getting several double aces each group plus a bunch of other aces. My Corsairs are getting even better.

All of this is in preparation for getting the P-47 and more and better Corsairs! [:)]

Japan doesn't keep "aces" alive long, but can keep a very decently experienced Air Force, with solid overall experience and specialized skills.

ORIGINAL: veji1

Japan doesn't keep "aces" alive long, but can keep a very decently experienced Air Force, with solid overall experience and specialized skills.

It's my aim to make that 'can' as difficult as possible.

Another interesting contact, made by a sub, unfortunately it's last as ASW air and 250kg bomb sent it down in the shallows.