Killing Casey Kasem-Marianas style (CB v. Cap'n Mandrake)

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

Until then my fleet consists of rafts constructed with dried seaweed and snot (reference, anyone?), some popsicle stick transports and a couple guys in a sea kayak wearing loincloths and scowls.

"We busied ourselves chopping palm fronds and lacing them to bamboo with dried seaweed and snot." - Top Secret (the movie)

Nice catch, rtrapasso. [:D]

I'm still hoping that I can get a rubber stamp with 'Find him and kill him' on it. It would be so much more efficient than having to write it it by hand. [:D]

ETA: What a classic movie...

[Chickenboy]

Allied Turn 2:
Moving out from Pearl. Loading up replenishment TF to consist of AO, CVE(R)x4 and AEs. Heavily escorted, this group will make its way to Eniwetok.

What a relief! I got some more ships today! [8|] I was running low-I only had 130 DDs and DEs to order about. Most of the reinforcements are LCIs and other support ships. Over the next two weeks, I get a chunk of LSDs and LSTs-worth waiting around for loading.

Some contact with submarines SW of Pearl and an ASW TF.

I'm loading up an amphibious TF with supply and escort DDs. There will also be an AVD (newly arrived) in the bunch. In this scenario, Manus is a dot hex and Rabaul is NOT a base at all. The whole of New Guinea is devoid of any bases at all. [&:] I'll set up a remote base on Manus to provide some search abilities in the region. It may be useful to seal off this corner of the globe. After all, I'm thinking of hiding some of my IJ ships down in this corner later in the game if necessary.

[Chickenboy]

Allied turn 3:

Allied submarines around Saipan fire at two SCs and miss. Ineffectual return fire.

A Jap SS sitting astride the Pearl-Eniwetok carrier TFs is detected by carrier air. No attack on transitting ships.

I order one of my superfluous Hawaii base forces to Lysan island (N. of French Frigate Shoals, SE of Midway). The aviation support will be helpful to base naval search aircraft.

Another massive reinforcement of ships! Whew! My hand had almost uncramped from yesterday's ship orders. Before long, it'll be a useless claw if this keeps up-maybe I can bang it on the mouse in the hopes that some of the random clicking does some good.

Most reinforcements were LSTs, LSDs and a few more LCIs. Nice.

I've decided on Guam, Pagan and Tinian as my targets. All orders for Saipan assault are hereby cancelled. Forces have been reassigned to these targets. I should have plenty of assault strength to pull these three off. AA, NCB and HQ reinforcements (particularly for Guam) are also prepped accordingly.

I'm also ordering the capture of Yap with light to moderate forces. I can't afford to ignore such a nice airbase and port in proximity to the Marianas. LBA from there should be able to neutralize Babeldoab and Pelileau to the west.

Japanese turn 3:

An IJN SC is torpedoed by an Allied sub enroute to Saipan from Babeldoab. Oh no! There goes 3 VPs. I still hold a single point net gain in VPs since the start of the scenario-the Allies lost another plane to OPS losses. Whew. That was a close one! Seppuku avoided for another day at least.

An amphibious TF loads 47%of the Pelileu ID. Next stop-Saipan.

Minining of Tinian continues from the PB based at Saipan. It can only carry 15 mines per trip, but it will keep going there until its supplies are exhausted.

Cap'n Mandrake and I have exchanged emails proposing that we flip a coin. The winner gets to play the Japanese side for both of these games. Pretty light work.

[Chickenboy]

Allied turn 4:

No major developments. 3x Amphibious TFs created and sent to Malefafanonramu (sp? [;)]), Majuro and Tarawa in the Gilberts. These islands will be used to preposition the Guam assault forces. These islands are selected because of their ability to have up to 30,000 troops without penalty-so they're ideal for prepositioning forces closer to the action. They won't have to be there long before they're loaded back up for Guam.

I'd like to hit Guam before the IJN arrives. I have 13 days before this happens. Hmmm...on second thought, that may not be enough time with the slow-moving transports involved...I'll have to rethink this.

Japanese turn 4:

Training goes well for the IJNAF pilots in theatre. Another 10-15 days ought to help pilot quality noticeably. The bad news appears to be airframes. Most IJNAF units are in deficit. A 27-30-sized unit may have plenty of pilots (of dubious quality), but only 10 functional airframes. I think I get replacements of 10 A6M5s monthly. Whoopee skip.

I may have to dump some decent pilots into the pools and disband select airgroups to fill pools with available aircraft replacements.

[Chickenboy]

Allied Turns 4-6:

Fleet CVs and beaucoup support arrive Eniwetok. Will prosecute Truk and Tinian in order to destroy airframes, along with the help of LB navy air. Wake airfield bombed for moderate damage. Significant support craft and replenishment craft moved into Eniwetok to support.

Limited action: An Allied SS picked off a couple barges around Saipan. Another greased a small xAKL to the West of the Marianas. One Allied SS got pummeled at Yap and will limp back to Eniwetok.

Will load balance of Guam forces day after tomorrow and head into the Gilberts / Carolines to regroup.

Japanese Turns 4-6:

One of my CLs catches a fish from a patrolling Allied SS to the NW of Saipan. I had rerouted a large reinforcement fleet to the Northwest of Saipan, but to no avail. The CL should make port in Saipan, but this trip will be one way. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the reinforcement fleet. They should arrive Saipain tomorrow and be able to unload before the Allied CVs loom. The fleet contains approximately 4500 troops from the 14th (?) ID based out of Peleliu and will be a nice bullwark to the Saipan defenses.

I should have about 1100 AV at Saipan, somewhere between 250-350 mines, large CDs, forts between 5-6 and plenty of supply at Saipan by the time the Allies show.

The Allies have poor radio displine, it would seem. I'm able to spy a chain of at least three massive TFs extending up from Pearl, hooking left between Laysan and Midway. They are on a direct course for the northern Marianas.

Pagan may be on his list for the short term. In hindsight, it's not a bad call. Pagan has a very nice airfield and is practically undefended. It would be a good option for basing USMC and LBA naval aircraft. However...it is isolated. Transfer from other airfields (without taking Marcus and / or Wake) would be problematic. Supply (other than what is dropped off in the initial flush) would be similarly difficult. It's another two days sail from the nearest Allied base versus Guam, for example.

I've reset most of my SS fleet to patrol the region immediately ENE of the Marianas-several of them were caught out of position trying vainly to intercept some movement from Pearl to Eniwetok.

In other Japanese news, I've consolidated several air groups, disbanded others to scavenge airframes and populated the pilot rosters with the best that I could scrounge. It's a real dog's breakfast, I'll tell you what. How'd Tojo ever let pilot training come to this? Airframe preservation-moreso than pilot preservation-is the law of the land here.

The mining campaign is going reasonably well. Guam has 225 mines, Tinian 340, Saipan 245. The first iteration of sub-laid mines will return to Babeldoab tomorrow and reload 100 Type 88s. These go to either Saipan or Guam-Tinian's looking pretty good. I've placed an ACM there to help with mine preservation. Two other ACMs are in repair at Truk. If I can sneak 'em out of there and get them to the Marianas, I will.

The balance of the fleet arrives in 9-10 days.

[witpqs]

We want a full service AAR - screen shots!

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

We want a full service AAR - screen shots!

Alright. You'll get yours, peanut gallery. [;)]

I'll post some pictures with the next post update. Really not much to see just now, but there should be when the USN hoves into view.

[Canoerebel]

Hoves into view? Big word. As a vet, I figured you would say "hoofs into view."

What's your impression of the Mariannas Scenario thus far? Does it offer a fun match, at least when played in mirror games?

Enjoying your AAR.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

What's your impression of the Mariannas Scenario thus far? Does it offer a fun match, at least when played in mirror games?

Enjoying your AAR.

Thanks, Dan.

In a mirror setting, it's very interesting. The Japanese side has to do what it can with poor pool reserves of airframes and mediocre to poor pilots. However, they're the ones in a solid defensive position, particularly on Saipan. Time is to their advantage for pilot training as well as buttressing the defenses.

But the Allies have such a surfeit of available force that it's almost embarassing. If they are willing to stomach nauseating losses, they can take anything they wish, regardless of the defense.

So the question then is 'how much is too much' and 'how much is enough' for the Allies? Go for broke on Saipan? You may take the island, but at a crippling cost in ship points. There's no guarantee that your amphibious landing goes off well either, so it's not a given that things work in your favor.

The Allies are without opposition worthy of the title for 16 days in this scenario-a fine time to strike! Except they're about 1000 miles away from their destination and haven't loaded anything up.

Once the IJN combined fleet arrives, it's a different equation altogether. Allies still have a surfeit of power and can go where they want, but they can't do that *everywhere* they want. Now they've got to focus and support a single landing TF.

As the scenario ages, the Japanese situation is more interesting, but not without its flaws. It's outnumbered probably 2 or 3:1 in surface combatants, aircraft carriers and planes, but can put a sting into an unprepared Allied force.

This is a good scenario for a mirror campaign. Both sides get to try their hands at strategic and tactical defenses and make the best of what they have. Both sides get to wield the might of the Allied fleet to what effect they may. The mirror aspect of the campaign stirs things up by making sure that one gets *just* one more point between both sides of play than their opponent. That's a whole 'nother level of complexity.

As far as this AAR / game goes: All hell is going to break loose in about 4 days time when the Allies (Cap'n Mandrake's side) make a move on Pagan or Saipan. In the other game, I'm going to start my 'nickle and diming' strategy of denuding IJNAF LBA capabilities before my move-so it will be slower paced, I think.

[Chickenboy]

I get the Yamato and Mushashi in about 8 days as the IJ player. One thing that I'm not going to do is squander these fine fighting ships in an anti-aircraft role. If there's a landing underway, they're going in to cause what havoc they may, consequences be damned.

They'll be no running away from TF.3's CVE TF in this game, Yamato. [8|]

[rtrapasso]

 

[witpqs]

Thanks for posting a picture, Bob. Chickenboy won't. [:'(]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Thanks for posting a picture, Bob. Chickenboy won't. [:'(]

Here's a more detailed view:

[Chickenboy]

Tough crowd. [:D]

I've been laid low by Strep throat the last three days. Only managed to flip one turn (yesterdays) during this time. In my febrile delirium, I must have forgotten to take screenshots of the (nonexistent) action from this singular turn.

The Cap'n has the latest turn(s) and has also been the recipient of my prodding. Since I'm on the mend (God bless Beta-lactams!), I expect an update tomorrow at the latest.

UPDATE: I've just sent Cap'n Mandrake an email explaining that 'the usual thread monkeys are acting up in my AAR, so I'd better get an update to 'em soon.'

[USSAmerica]

Hmmm....I have a suggestion for something you can do while you're waiting..... [:'(]

[Chickenboy]

...

Battle stations...battle stations...

Of course this would be more meaningful if I had some fighting ships to provide these orders...[:D]

First, the obligatory screen shots to silence the teeming masses. Here, Tinian gets blasted by a concerted Allied CV airstrike:

[Chickenboy]

And the overall situation on May 31, 1944 for the IJ side:

[Chickenboy]

Here's the balance of the report:

1. Tinian and Guam airfields pummeled. I lose some 30 airframes on the ground. Allies lose 3x TBFs from OPS / AA. If I had a heavy CAP aloft, it would have been shredded by Corsair and Hellcat sweeps (36 planes apiece) to little effect. I lost the airframes, which sucks, but not the trained / training pilots.

I've evacuated all aircraft from Saipan, Guam or Tinian. They're not ready to resist the might of the Allies yet. I've sent them to either Yap, Babeldoab or Iwo Jima for the short term.

2. I've created 5x midget subs at Guam with restricted patrol orders to either Guam or Rota.

3. All submarines set for patrol in theatre are ordered to aggregate / swarm the area immediately East of Rota, return to Saipan for additional fueling / instructions or congregate off of Pagan.

4. The submarine mining TFs (containing 200 type 88s) are redirected to Guam. Once unloaded, there will be some 435 mines on Guam. Hope they brought beaucoup minelayers for the party. I've set them to fast speed, so they ought to make Guam about the time that the Allied Amphibious TFs show up.

5. CL Oi and DD Satsuki will sortie from Saipan towards the SE. They're taking a dogleg course, hoping to get into what appears to be a replenishment convoy just behind most of the surface / CVTFs in the vanguard. It would be entirely worth it to get a couple shells into some heavily laden AOs. More likely than not, they'll tangle with a supersized SCTF and get blown to pieces. But, like they say about the lottery-you can't win if you don't play. I'm buying me a ticket.

6. Pagan is interesting. It appears as though he is splitting his forces significantly here, with the Pagan assault being done 'on the cheap' with CVE coverage (and perhaps some SCTFs too).

I've reinforced Pagan's airforces to bring them up to strength. Currently, they stand at 39 A6M5s and 30 D4Y1s (Judys). The A6M5s are set to escort (range =2), D4Y1s naval bomb (range=2). Hopefully, they will be complemented by an ordered naval strike from Iwo Jima consisting of 42 A6M2s / A6M5s escorting a mere 8 G3M3 Nells on a torpedo attack mission.

Summary: My airforces are somewhat damaged, but live to fight another day. I just hope that the delay that I will impart is sufficient for the task. He's going for invasion before the Japanese fleet arrives, hoping to set up staging sites at Pagan and (guess) Guam before going for Saipan. I need to start collecting some bounty with my available "assets", as thin as they are.

[witpqs]

[:D] Hey Bob, we've been adjectivized - we're teeming! I suppose that's better than being "quivering masses". [:'(]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

[:D] Hey Bob, we've been adjectivized - we're teeming! I suppose that's better than being "quivering masses". [:'(]

Go, teem, go...

Of course, we were also classified as "Thread monkies" above...