Supplement to Zuluhours To young to die..

[Skygge]

But no - my first estimate was correct, it is passing south of Hawaii.
It is now past my subs and I do not have the fuel to try run it down.

Ohh well... no sunk subs

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Skygge

I thing this game is way better and more complex than anything else… by miles. – but I can not help thinking that there possible Is a flaw in the Chinese theater of operation, i.e. the Chinese being just a bit too fragile.

China is well balanced. Several AAR's have shown both how to hold and how to lose China. IIRC, Alfred has written one of his excellent pieces on it as well.

If your opponent has decided to cede Chungking, by all means take it. It cripples the Chinese and greatly improves your '45 situation in Asia. Try to take Kunming then. If you do, then the Chinese have no place for reinforcements to enter the board.

[Skygge]

Paxmondo,

I will not be the one to doubt neither Alfred nor you. My experience is not of such an extend as to valid this.

It just seems to me, that as soon as I had the Chinese on the run from my first "break through" there were little that could be done to stop me getting to the high plain around Chungking. That seems a bith harsh price to pay for a mistake made early in the game, but your post has made me rethink the whole event, and maybe there should have been a second Chinese "back-up" defense line.

Fortunatly for the game my worthy opponant is undaunted and full of fight, and the setback in China will not in it´s self decide the outcome of the war. I am sure the hardest fighting is still to come.
I have not been able to bring about a decisive naval battle.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Skygge

It just seems to me, that as soon as I had the Chinese on the run from my first "break through" there were little that could be done to stop me getting to the high plain around Chungking. That seems a bith harsh price to pay for a mistake made early in the game, but your post has made me rethink the whole event, and maybe there should have been a second Chinese "back-up" defense line.

That is the gist of the successful defense for China. In depth, in the 3x terrain around the Chungking plain. Once the Chinese troops are in 3x terrain with lvl 3 forts, very difficult to move them. Then wherever the axis of IJ advance, create the defense in depth to prevent breakthroughs.
The IJ offensive is to prevent the above from occurring.
Both are achievable, both take a lot of care to execution, both are subject to some luck. Ergo, well balanced.
Many allied players don't pay attention to china early and then get into a route situation from which it is difficult to recover.
If Kunming though is secure, and the above principle applied, then the Chinese can still survive until Burma is liberated. That is their only goal in any event. So your opponent is not yet lost, you have not yet won.

If you take Kunming, that is both a tactical and HUGE strategic victory. The +800 AV Chinese corps when in supply are VERY difficult to stop in '44 if properly used. By having both Chungking and Kunming, Chinese replacement cannot enter the board, so a dead Chinese unit stays dead instead of coming back at 30% strength in 30 days.

[Skygge]

Update Start March 1943

Big Picture :
China conquered late February 1943. The last bastion Changsha fell to overwhelming Japanese force in two attacks despite having level 5 forts and some 100.000+ defenders.
Now I have plenty units to choose from when buying out units - but with 11.000 AV together with 15 artillery units still in Manchuria the issue is PP.
Priority is buying out units to be able to form 1 and 2 Tank Divisions. These will go to Sumatra - not for beach defenses but as a Strategic Reserve.

Area Reserves are 3 crack Inf. Divisions as fast response force – all are ready for quick redeployment with transport already allocated.

Imperial Guard Div. in Singapore
14 ID in Soerabaja,
18 ID at Lunga Point (a whopping 93 xp div).

The 1 and 2 Tank Divisions will be strategic Reserves at Medan. These will react only to major allied offensives
or in the defense of Sumatra.


Fronts :
Lately the Burma front has gone quiet.
The massive allied forces previously employed there has gone elsewhere. I have no clue as to where.
In response I have pulled some units back to positions where they can react faster to new allied advances.

Southern New Guinea:
This is where most action has been lately.
Allied fighter sweeps have gone in with P-38´s and Corsairs followed up by both 2E and 4E bombers,
I have been holding back in responding to this, as I had hoped to have the N1K1-J George Fighter ready before
going toe to toe with the best allied fighters, but I have had to send in Zeros as a stop gap to contest allied air
Superiority –deployment of the George in force is still 2 weeks away.

To deter any major allied move in the Region I have paraded large surface forces in the Coral Sea – without any real intentions of actual actions.
I want the allied to only undertake major offensive operations with massive deployment of force; I want no quick land grab by a Marine Div. with supporting units

This will give me the opportunity to strike back at major forces but also require more planning and commitment from the allied to do anything.

This will - allow me to use an expression I have come across on this forum that I find at the same time both very appealing  but also very inaccurate: “Keep my opponent honest”.

My esteemed opponent is most honorable and I have him in the highest regard. He is resilient and humorous.
What else can you ask from an opponent?
I digress…

I have started a slow pull back from Fiji and New Caledonia. Not that I will abandon them, no there will be a fight. I just see no point in having 60.000 Japanese there and having only a weak defense in the Solomon’s.

I want the allied to see that it is possible to retake this area, and that an offensive here is most likely to succeed. I want a slow Island by Island campaign. If I will get it is another matter.

[Skygge]

E-mail from Kurt :
"I got the short end of that melee. The George is a different animal than the Zeke"

In running air battles over PM and Buna two Japanese Navy fighters take on the US.

Over Buna the George N1K1-J first tackles unescorted B-17´s and then P-38`s on sweeps
Over PM the old Zero A6M2 takes on unescorted B-25´s.

The George does well against some of the best planes the US can muster.
The Zero cuts up unescorted B-25`s. - I think Corsairs was supposed to have swept PM first, as they have done so before.

The funny thing is the battle rapports when held against the intelligence rapport.

In battle rapport few allied planes are lost

In the Intelligence rapport I loose in air to air 13 N1K1 against 6 B-17´s + 4 P38´s
+ 6 OP losses for a total of 19 George down - and that tallies with my actual loss of 19 N1K1´s when counting
my chickens, so I tend to believe the intelligence rapport.

I will make that exchange any day – especially as I loose only few pilots in total : 6 KIA + 6 WIA.

This is my first ever air battle using the George. The down side of service level 3, but I am happy with this airplane.
The next generation George is service level 2, so I have a heavy investment in developing this,.

Luckily over Buna allied fighters sweeps came after the bombers - and over PM not at all.

Here are some screen shots :

[Skygge]

N1K1 vs B-17

[Skygge]

2

[Skygge]

3

[Skygge]

4

[Skygge]

5

[Skygge]

9

[Skygge]

10

[Skygge]

May 1943 - The Allied is on the advance

Kurt pulled a fast one and took Wake in a lightning attack.

My forward warning stations failed me… or in other words I had left a gap in the screening line. I had directed my screening subs further down south and had forgotten to send new (repaired) ones to the abandoned stations.

A lone Patrol boats runs into an allied cover force and is obliterated by 6” shells, it does not give me any extra response time, as the allied invasion force ends up only 80 miles from Wake and is spotted by floatplanes anyhow

[Skygge]

Wakes defense rests on two infantry type units with some 120+ AV combined in level 4 forts.

This I thought will hold an allied surprise invasion for a day, and with a bit of luck for two days as there will be no prolonged softening up of the defenses.

Two days will given me time to bring the KB into play if stationed at Truck

[Skygge]

Up to April 1943 I had only upgraded two carriers from the KB.
Shokaku and Shikaku had their radar upgrade summer 1942, and the other carriers had no upgrades, as I would rather have the KB on station than have a few more 25mm AA guns. In 1942 the defense of the KB rests on the Zero.

1943 upgrades bring radar, and with allied carriers strength growing the KB need as much radar as possible and can use the extra AA.

So the KB was at Yokohama with 90% of the carriers just out of the dockyards a few days earlier. It had not gone to Truk yet as I was waiting for a last carrier and some destroyers to come out of the dockyards in a few days time.


As I did not think the allied would loiter for long at Wake, I figured the KB out of Yokohama could not do anything at Wake but could possible intercept the retiring allied between Wake and Midway - so course is set accordingly.

At the same time 2 surface forces with 10 Battleships sallies forth from Truk, but with little chance to catch anything …unless my ground forces can hold on to Wake for 2 days.

[Skygge]

The next day does not go well for the wake defenders.

The single allied bombardment is devastating. The covering bombardment is equally efficient and my AV strength is brought from 120 to 0.

The attacking force is a well balanced and is a hard hitting force.

The garrison goes down fighting. US casualties are high with one unit wiped out. I guess a tank battalion


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 20, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB New Mexico
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 8
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

BB Mississippi firing at Wake Island
BB New Mexico firing at Wake Island
BB Idaho firing at Wake Island


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Invasion action off Wake Island (136,98)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

36 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Arizona
CA Quincy
CA San Francisco
CL Richmond
DD Hobby
DD Bailey
DD Woodworth
DD McCalla
DD Lansdowne
LST-30
CVE Prince William
LST-26
LST-27
LST-29
LST-28

Japanese ground losses:
437 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

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

BB Arizona firing at 53rd Naval Guard Unit
CA Quincy firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
CA San Francisco firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
CL Richmond firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Hobby firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Bailey firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Woodworth firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD McCalla firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Lansdowne firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD McCalla fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Wake Island (136,98)

TF 219 troops unloading over beach at Wake Island, 136,98

Allied ground losses:
309 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 89 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (0 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 47 (0 destroyed, 47 disabled)

15 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 22nd Marine Rgt /2


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasion Support action off Wake Island (136,98)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

34 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Arizona
CA Quincy
CA San Francisco
CL Richmond
DD Caldwell
DD Bailey
DD Woodworth
DD McCalla
LST-30
CVE Prince William
LST-27
LST-26
DD Hobby
LST-29

Japanese ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 25 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CA Quincy firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
CA San Francisco firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
CL Richmond firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Caldwell firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Bailey firing at 53rd Naval Guard Unit
DD Woodworth firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD McCalla firing at Maizuru 2nd SNLF
DD Caldwell fired at enemy troops
DD Bailey fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 4,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards


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

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 6858 troops, 56 guns, 303 vehicles, Assault Value = 292

Defending force 3782 troops, 37 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 93

Allied adjusted assault: 120

Japanese adjusted defense: 18

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Wake Island !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
3234 casualties reported
Squads: 91 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 66 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 25 (25 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 4

Allied ground losses:
836 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 40 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 25 destroyed, 13 disabled
Guns lost 18 (13 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 93 (53 destroyed, 40 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
766th Tank Battalion
102nd Cmbt Engineer Regiment
151st Cmbt Engineer Battalion
22nd Marine Regiment
193rd Tank Battalion
11th Base Group

Defending units:
Maizuru 2nd SNLF
53rd Naval Guard Unit
105th Ship Eng Coy
13th Ind.AA Gun Co
1st JNAF Coy


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

53rd Naval Guard Unit Wiped Out at Wake Island by attrition!!!

[Skygge]

All that the Battleships now can hope for is to bring suffering to the allied now occupying Wake.

The KB still has a chance to catch the retreating allied if they go back towards Midway. As there are slow LSTs in the allied taskforce and air cover is from a few CVEs only, there is still a chance for a strike.
KB adjust course for an intercept closer to Midway.

Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 13 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 9 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
DD Niizuki
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Susuzuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Akizuki

Allied ground losses:
484 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 24 (14 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 64
Port hits 15
Port fuel hits 7
Port supply hits 5

BB Kirishima firing at 22nd Marine Regiment
BB Hiei firing at 193rd Tank Battalion
E13A1 Jake acting as spotter for BB Haruna
BB Haruna firing at Wake Island
BB Kongo firing at Wake Island
DD Niizuki firing at 22nd Marine Regiment
DD Hatsuzuki firing at Wake Island
DD Susuzuki firing at Wake Island
DD Teruzuki firing at Wake Island
DD Akizuki firing at Wake Island


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 27 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 4 destroyed on ground
F4F-4 Wildcat: 20 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Musashi
BB Yamato
BB Mutsu
BB Nagato
DD Ariake
DD Hatsuharu
DD Umikaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Yamakaze
DD Yudachi
DD Murasame
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Tamanami
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
1201 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 29 (9 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 17
Runway hits 46
Port hits 19
Port fuel hits 4
Port supply hits 3

BB Hyuga firing at Wake Island
BB Ise firing at Wake Island
BB Musashi firing at Wake Island
BB Yamato firing at Wake Island
BB Mutsu firing at Wake Island
BB Nagato firing at Wake Island
DD Ariake firing at Wake Island
DD Hatsuharu firing at Wake Island
DD Umikaze firing at Wake Island
DD Kawakaze firing at Wake Island
DD Yamakaze firing at Wake Island
DD Yudachi firing at 22nd Marine Regiment
DD Murasame firing at Wake Island
DD Shiratsuyu firing at Wake Island
DD Tamanami firing at Wake Island
DD Yugumo firing at Wake Island

[Skygge]

Long Range scouting planes flying from carriers spot the retreating allied. They seem to have moved only slowly; I guess they have refueled.

I love the Judy-C version, it brings naval search to a new level and is definitely a Japanese advantage-
The KB adjust course slightly sailing in 2 division : A faster 29 Knot 1st Division and a 25 knot 2nd Division.

[Skygge]

Next day brings a long range morning strike from the 2nd Division. The 1st Division is hampered by low clouds, but is able to send an afternoon strike.

Valuable APAs are hit hard as is an CVE, but there as still high value ships left with little damage.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kure Island at 150,89

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
A6M5 Zero x 36
B6N2 Jill x 10
D4Y1 Judy x 17

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 4 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 5 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 2 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Richmond
BB Arizona
CVE Suwannee
DD Hobby
CVE Prince William
CA Quincy, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
12 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000' *
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 6 on standby, 20 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kure Island at 150,89

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 77 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
A6M5 Zero x 34
B6N2 Jill x 3

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA San Francisco

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 10 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 30100.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kure Island at 150,89

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
A6M5 Zero x 42
B6N2 Jill x 72
D4Y1 Judy x 33

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 15 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 7 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Suwannee, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CVE Prince William, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Lansdowne
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2
DD Caldwell, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD McCalla
LST-28
DD Woodworth
APA Heywood, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
LST-26, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
LST-466, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
LST-465, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Richmond
APA George F. Elliot, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APA Hunter Liggett
AO Kanawha, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-32, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
35 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
34 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
10 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
8 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
8 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
6 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
11 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CVE Suwannee
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Caldwell
Fuel storage explosion on CVE Prince William
Massive explosion on LST-32