To Prome and Back Again... Xargun (J) vs Admiral DadMan (A) [No Admiral DadMan]

[RangerJoe]

Don't forget that the engines are also used for the research bonus. Another player either forgot that or never new that and he became a little frustrated.

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Don't forget that the engines are also used for the research bonus. Another player either forgot that or never new that and he became a little frustrated.

Yep I remembered - just couldn't remember how many you need - 500 to get the bonus

Xargun

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Don't forget that the engines are also used for the research bonus. Another player either forgot that or never new that and he became a little frustrated.

I'll say I was. I ran out of engines pretty fast that way! Never knew it.

[Xargun]

Surprise on the sleeping American was achieved and a great PH attack unfolded.

Turn starts off with SSX Ha-19 slipping into Pearl undetected and launching a sneak attack on BB Idaho - unfortunately the torpedoes miss and the sub was lost trying to escape.
Then SS I-166 found an allied xAKL near Kota Bharu and put 1 torpedo and 6 shells into it, leaving it heavily damaged and burning.
At Dawn, the KB attacked Pearl.

Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 68
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 134

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 11 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 11 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 10 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 17 damaged
D3A1 Val: 7 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 52 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 2 destroyed on ground
SBD-2 Dauntless: 16 damaged
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 142 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 2 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 13 damaged
A-20A Havoc: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 48 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 9 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 37 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 114 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 10 destroyed on ground
P-36A Mohawk: 38 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 5 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 6 damaged
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
C-33: 2 damaged
R3D-2: 2 damaged
R3D-2: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
AV Curtiss
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Idaho, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 4, on fire
YO-31, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Mugford, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Torpedo hits 2
AV Tangier
DM Sicard
AV Wright, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Worden, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CM Oglala, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Ralph Talbot, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Airbase hits 40
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 87
Port hits 20
Port fuel hits 5

Overall I think this was a great PH strike - much better than other ones in my past. If the report above is correct I count 5 BBs probably sunk plus another one either sunk or real close; plus 2 more heavily damaged. All of the bomb hits should be 800kg which will wreck anyone's day as well.


The air strikes on Clark Field were disappointing.

The air strikes on Force Z was dismal as well - although I cannot remember a single game where I sunk them both or even heavily damaged them. Force Z did not come out to play so I had to hit them at Singers where he had some cap.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Singapore at 50,84

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 26,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 6
G4M1 Betty x 13

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
BC Renown, Torpedo hits 1


A few allied air strikes attempted to interfere with my landings in Malaya, but my Nates did a good job breaking up the attacks and the few that got through missed everything.

Only 2 landings were made on Day 1 - Batan Island and Khota Bahru. Batan Island went as expected and I have a new airfield to support the landings in Luzon.

Pre-Invasion action off Kota Bharu (51,75)

43 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai
DD Shikinami
DD Uranami
DD Isonami
PB Tatsumiya Maru
SC Ch 9
SC Ch 7
AK Sasako Maru
DD Ayanami

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
395 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 42 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled

===
Amphibious Assault at Kota Bharu (51,75)

TF 85 troops unloading over beach at Kota Bharu, 51,75

Japanese ground losses:
72 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Overall I am happy with turn 1. I will have to make sure I adjust my SRA plans to keep an eye out for Force Z but since overall I move slow and cautious on the attack this should not be too difficult.

Xargun

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

Congrats, lots of torpedo hits at PH. Good luck on the rest of the game!

[821Bobo]

But lot of Zeros lost. That strafe at 100ft is not worth it.

[RangerJoe]

Bomb with Zeros at 10k at Oahu. Lahaina anchorage can be strafed with good results.

[jdsrae]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

How about an AAR name of "There's no place like Prome?"

All roads lead to Prome, or
When in Prome do as the Promans do.

[Xargun]

Turns are a bit slow at the moment, lots going on on both sides. Day two went without any major hitches. KB is making her way back from Pearl - for once I decided not to strike on day two. With the carnage I did to the BBs on day one I feel confident I put them out of commission for a long time. So I will save planes and pilots and get KB where I need her to be.

SS I-2 caught an American xAK east of PH and sunk her.

Khota Bharu fell as did Ocean Island.

My escorts at Ocean Island deserve the glory for taking that island with minimal losses
Pre-Invasion action off Ocean Island (130,130)

Japanese Ships
DD Asanagi
CM Okinoshima
CM Tokiwa
PB Nagata Maru

Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

then my Naval Guard unit wiped the beaches with the rest when they waded ashore.

Not much happened on Day 2 - a few air battles as unescorted British bombers harassed my landings along the coast of Malaya - but my fighters were up to the task either driving them off of knocking them out of the sky.

I am working on my ship building plan and accelerating and halting ship builds. Figure in a few more turns I will have that completely sorted and can begin to modify my naval and merchant shipyards to save HI. There are lots of CVs, CVLs and CVEs to choose from in this mod, as well as BBs and Cruisers.

Xargun

[Bif1961]

What were the ground loses for the search-float planes of those BBs you thought you may have sunk at PH. That will give you a better idea how many may have gone down?

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

Turns are a bit slow at the moment, lots going on on both sides. Day two went without any major hitches. KB is making her way back from Pearl - for once I decided not to strike on day two. With the carnage I did to the BBs on day one I feel confident I put them out of commission for a long time. So I will save planes and pilots and get KB where I need her to be.

SS I-2 caught an American xAK east of PH and sunk her.

Khota Bharu fell as did Ocean Island.

My escorts at Ocean Island deserve the glory for taking that island with minimal losses
Pre-Invasion action off Ocean Island (130,130)

Japanese Ships
DD Asanagi
CM Okinoshima
CM Tokiwa
PB Nagata Maru

Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

then my Naval Guard unit wiped the beaches with the rest when they waded ashore.

Not much happened on Day 2 - a few air battles as unescorted British bombers harassed my landings along the coast of Malaya - but my fighters were up to the task either driving them off of knocking them out of the sky.

I am working on my ship building plan and accelerating and halting ship builds. Figure in a few more turns I will have that completely sorted and can begin to modify my naval and merchant shipyards to save HI. There are lots of CVs, CVLs and CVEs to choose from in this mod, as well as BBs and Cruisers.

Xargun

If the mod has the same reduced bomb damage as Babes I wouldn't count on that much damage your attack did at PH as people are used to from vanilla

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

What were the ground loses for the search-float planes of those BBs you thought you may have sunk at PH. That will give you a better idea how many may have gone down?

According to the intel screen I sunk no BBs and no float planes were lost. But that could just be FOW.

Xargun

[RangerJoe]

Probably no BBs sunk but many in the body and fender shop for awhile.

[Xargun]

Day three

Once again not a lot of action as the mass exodus from Manila continues. I-123 caught a baby TK leaving Manila harbor and put 2 fish into her sending her to the bottom. A TF returning from Malaya had a run in with a dutch sub in the shallows and reports hitting the sub with two depth charges. If true thats good news.

Small air raids from British bombers trying to disrupt the landings at Khota Bharu, but my fighters drove them off. The exciting part was B-17s took to the skies today. They attacked CVL Ryujo's TF luckily missing her both times they attacked.

Japanese troops arrive at Kavieng, Aparri, Vigan and Nauru Island. Nauru falls to a shock attack and the rest simply landed - they are attacking this coming turn and should capture all three bases.

I have finished setting up my aircraft R&D factories so now the long process of sitting back and waiting.

Xargun

[Bif1961]

If you have the HR that no naval bombing by 4 engine bombers below 10,000 feet then it is not surprising early war American heavy bombers missed ships underway. There was an interesting story from Captain Hara of the Destroyer Amatsukaze. On 4 January, 1942 while resting anchor at Davao with a large portion of the Japanese fleet, including the carrier Ryujo, 4 B-17s made a high altitude bombing run. The heavy cruiser Myoko was struck atop a turret, which killed 20 sailors and put the turret out of action. They were caught totally by surprise and not a ship or plane responded to the attack until after the bombs had been dropped. So one hit while ships were anchored in a crowded harbor from high altitude B-17s early in the war making an unhindered bomb run resulted in only one hit. How much more difficult would it be fro high flying B-17s to hit ships at sea maneuvering at high speed? You were not lucky not to be hit, he would have been lucky to have hit you.

[RangerJoe]

But the B-17 did make low level naval attacks, even at night.

[Xargun]

Admiral DadMan and I have talked about it when I commented to him that B-17s showed their face and he asked if they attacked under 10k and I said no.. He said good, because he doesn't believe thats correct. I don't think its so much whether B-17s did or did not make such naval attacks, but in the way the game handles attacks by such aircraft. Maybe in a future game it will be handled better but its all we got so we make exceptions.

Scot and I also discussed other things we do to make sure we are fine with it... As expected, no problems on either side. Once we get up to speed this should be a good match.

Xargun

[Xargun]

12/10/41

Man I forget how slow these turns can be... It seems like it takes forever for my invasion TFs to go anywhere. Japanese troops landed at Miri and Legaspi today and will hopefully capture both bases next turn. IJA troops arrived in Hong Kong and will spend a turn just bombarding to see whats all there before we begin the main attacks next turn when the rest of the troops arrive.

Vigan and Appari fell to the Japanese troops and reinforcements and aircraft are being move into theater. My night bombing of Clark Field with long range naval bombers went pretty good - bagged a few planes on the ground and damaged others.

I am taking a risk and paradropping the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF into Bataan. Unless he moved very quick there is little actual combat strength there and I'm hoping my SNLF can take the base with the shock attack. This will destroy the CD guns there, which will open up Manila harbor. Once I take it I have dreams of holding it, an should be able to airlift the troops back out. But with the CD guns out of the way that should free up Manila harbor a good month or more earlier than normal after the allied troops retreat to bataan. It will also allow me to bombard them when they retreat there.


The landing force at Miri was attacked by some Helldiver float planes - never seen these before. Some Buffalo CFs escorted them in and they managed to drop a 1000lb bomb on an APD. Damage is heavy but she should survive. I have ordered some zeros fitted with drop tanks to provide long range CAP over the fleet for next turn.


IJN SS I-155 attacked multiple allied merchies fleeing south of Palembang, but only hit the tanker Pinna with a single torpedo - due to sinking noises later in the turn I believe she sank. An allied AM hit a mine at Lubang while attempting to clear them - believe she sunk as well. Neither of the new sunk ships showed on the Sunk Ship screen, so definitely FoW is being a pain already.


Long range patrol planes from Kwajalein spotted a couple allied TFs heading SW about 15 hexes east of Miri. Intel on one TF shows 3 CAs and the other is blank. I am guessing its at least 1 US CV TF, but not sure what else would be with them, unless he has grouped his CV TFs together already. I have some long range bombers ready to attack so maybe next turn we will get a peek. I am also redeploying some nearby subs to attempt an intercept.


KB and her tankers are north of Midway and steaming for home. Once past Midway, I will break the oilers off for Japan to unload and prepare for oil hauling duties. I have not decided where to send KB yet. Do I send her west and into the SRA area to support operations against Singapore and Palambang? Or do I send her south to support South sea operations around Rabaul? Part of me wants to break her into 2 CarDivs and send 3 CVs to each, but am leery of that move. I tend to do things like that and then run into the allied Death Star and lose my CVs that way. Although I don't think there is an allied Deathstar yet.

Since all my CVLs and CVEs are in the Babel area currently, maybe I reinforce them with 1 or 2 CVs from KB and then send the rest to support the attacks on Singers and Palambang? What do you guys think?

Xargun

[Xargun]

I would post a pic of the air losses screen but don't remember how

Xargun

[Bif1961]

It is not a matter of if they bombed below 10K historically, occasionally they did. My understanding is that the game modeling for that is over generous to their hit probability. Therefore, many HRs include the agreement not to have 4 engine bombers conduct naval bombing under 10K.