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

[ushakov]

The story of the Dewey's escape was greatly enhanced for me when I discovered that the Ethel Edwards was apparently - there are few descriptions of her and no photos that I could find - a 150 ton coaster. Now picturing this tiny thing floating inside the Dewey all the way to Hawaii with fuel barrels stacked across every inch of the deck.

[apbarog]

It's the small stories, like Dewey's escape from the Philippines, that I'll remember 10 years from now.

28 Apr 44

[apbarog]

29 Apr 44

With Kagoshima captured, 4 YMS moved in and started to sweep the many mines there. Still work to be done.

Tsushima gets hit by B-24s and TBFs flying from carriers well to the southwest. The airbase and port are moderately damaged. 2 enemy subs spotted there, with more troops unloading, judging by the mouse-over. B-24s dropped mines at Tsushima to complicate things for those subs.

Greenling sank sub chaser Ch 43 near Wakkanai.

3 battered enemy divisions still at Kagoshima, showing 0 combat value in the replay. 1724 enemy casualties from the US attack. US troops mostly resting at Nagasaki, with just artillery firing. 154 enemy casualties with many enemy unit trapped there.

[apbarog]

30 Apr 44

The rest of the mines, over 200, were swept at Kagoshima. The port will start taking ships. YMS-293 was lost with a mine hit there.

2 enemy ACMs were spotted fleeing from Kagoshima, but they ran into a transport force and escaped. I knew they were there but didn't bother trying to track them down. Looks like they are headed towards Moppo in Korea.

Beaufighters from Kyushu hit AMc Ataka Maru at Tokuyama, near Oita.

AMc Ataka Maru, Shell hits 10, Bomb hits 20, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x Beaufighter VIc bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

Must have been bombed while sinking. Can't imagine 20 250 pound bomb hits on a tiny minesweeper.

Sub Cisco was sunk near Ominato, in deep water. E No. 17 hit it with depth charges, forcing it to surface. Cisco then exchanged gunfire with No. 17 and two other E-boats, No. 11 and No. 17. Two of the E-boat were set on fire by single hits from Cisco. It's just much more dangerous for the US subs right at Japan. US subs losses in the past month have exceeded losses for the entire war prior. OPilot has an extensive and effective air ASW operation going in Japan. It was mostly absent everywhere else earlier in the war.

Cleanup at Kagoshima. 2 of the 3 remaining divisions were eliminated.

Japanese ground losses:
4607 casualties reported
Squads: 42 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 622 destroyed, 133 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 40 (40 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Troops resting at Nagasaki, but the artillery did pretty well on its own.

Ground combat at Nagasaki/Sasebo (102,58)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 672 troops, 68 guns, 56 vehicles, Assault Value = 2182

Defending force 22211 troops, 240 guns, 106 vehicles, Assault Value = 87

Japanese ground losses:
258 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

This was one of those big planning turns. I may have to go beyond Kyushu to win the war, so I've made a plan. For the next month or so, Allied bases on Kyushu will build big and there will be a major air effort over Japan. If Japan is still standing, then 4 divisions plus support will cross from Kyushu to Shimonoeki. About 50000 enemy are already at Shimonoeoki, so that fight will not be won easily. I hope the crossing will draw more enemy to Shimoneoki. After a few days or so, I will then land 4 divisions plus support at Tokuyama, which is next to Shimoneoki and very near to Oita. A deeper landing will take place on the "north" coast at Tottori, where 6 divisions plus support will land. Landing at Tottori and moving from there one hex west would cut the island, isolating the fight at Shinonoeki. Tottori is clear terrain and is not heavily defended at the moment. Paras may be used if there is a target of opportunity that could contribute to the landings.

All of this won't happen in the next month. APAs are upgrading and I'm sending several battleships and a bunch of light cruisers to Manila to upgrade, which will take about 3 weeks. So, if bombing doesn't end the war in the next month, these landings should end the war not long after. The big prize of Hiroshima would be cut off and captured.

[Bif1961]

Captain Rockwell Torrey was relieved of command of his heavy cruiser at Pearl Harbor as it was torpedoed chasing the ghost of the KB. In the attack he was thrown against the bulkhead and hatch opening and broke his arm. Man he has had bad luck with injuries.

[apbarog]

1 May 44

All mines cleared at Nagasaki. An AMc and a YMS hit mines there and sank.

Enemy bombers made night port attacks at Naha, Fukuoka and Amami Oshima. Fukuoka and Amami Oshima had a few night fighters up. The bombers didn't hit anything, but it is annoying. Sometimes I react in the same manner with a big night raid. The Allies can do it ten times better than the Japanese can. Then night activity goes away for awhile. I just dislike the night air activity. It's a mini-game within the game that is used when day bombing is too costly or impossible.

I don't have problem with strategic night bombing though. I think that works out realistically. B-29s hit Okayama at night, but did little damage in severe storms.

US destroyers from Fukuoka headed northeast to patrol, and they found the enemy battleship task force just east of Ulleungdo.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Ulleungdo at 109,52, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei, Shell hits 2
CA Takao, Shell hits 1
CA Chokai
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 3
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 2
DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Takanami, Shell hits 1
DD Hamanami, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kiyoshimo, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Umigiri, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Lewis Hancock
DD Isherwood, Shell hits 1
DD Ringgold, Shell hits 1
DD John Rodgers, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
DD Sigsbee, Shell hits 3
DD Sproston, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage

Low visibility due to Rain
Maximum visibility in Rain: 15,000 yards

In the early fight, the US DDs did very well, tangling mostly with the enemy DDs and getting the better of the fight. After the US force was ordered to disengage, the range actually closed and Hiei and the cruisers became more involved, getting some damaging hits on 2 DDs. John Rodgers sank during the fight. Sproston sank just after combat. The other destroyers are minimally damaged. All in all, the US force performed well and may have prevented a bombardment of Tsushima. We'll see. The enemy was not spotted later in the day.

P-38s swept Okayama. The early sweeps found no CAP. The later one found Nicks training. 5 Nicks shot down. B-24s then bombed the city, doing more damage than the B-29s did. Slightly better weather for the B-24s, and day bombing.

Multiple P-47D25 squadrons swept Hiroshima, one at a time. The best of the best enemy fighters and pilots are at Hiroshima, the most front-line base. Initial CAP was 18 Zeros, 31 Jacks, 54 Georges and 80 Franks. The early Thunderbolt sweeps took even losses with the enemy. The later sweeps did much better. Corsairs and Hellcats swept last, which was the best scenario, but they did poorly and got shot down in big numbers. They just can't go up against the best Japanese planes and pilots, even after the enemy has been worn down. I have to stick to using my best against their best. Remember, this is a PDU OFF game. I like to keep all my planes involved, but some things just don't work out. Total air losses were 27 Jacks, 22 Franks, 15 Georges and 10 Zeros for the cost of 27 P-47D25s, 19 F6F-3s and 11 F4U-1As. The ratio had been much better before the Hellcats and Corsairs swept.

A US destroyer force headed towards Saipan from Okinawa, hoping to sneak in close and raid the port the next night. Many ships there. But they were spotted about 8 hexes NW of Saipan, and Frances attacked. All torpedoes missed. The DDs will retire to Manila.

Northwest of Rabaul, Boomerangs from Port Moresby found a surface group that had been spotted in the area recently. 5 Boomerangs shot down by flak.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Cape Gloucester at 102,123

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 23

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 4 damaged
Boomerang C-12: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
DD Minazuki, Shell hits 1, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Tama
DD Fumizuki
DD Satsuki
DD Asagumo
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Boomerang C-12 bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

and

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Cape Gloucester at 102,123

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 17

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 9 damaged
Boomerang C-12: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Fumizuki, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x Boomerang C-12 bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

A nuisance attack in a generally quiet area. The enemy makes supply runs to Lae occasionally, and may pick up troops also sometimes.

Sub Dorado sank ACM Kyo Maru #11 near Kochi. 2 ACMs were running east from Kanoya.

Kagoshima is cleared of the last enemy division. Some troops will move to Kanoya.

Ground combat at Kagoshima (102,60)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 41216 troops, 743 guns, 1102 vehicles, Assault Value = 1378

Defending force 2781 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 9

Allied adjusted assault: 619

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 619 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
3365 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 298 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Enemy troops isolated at Nagasaki will be attacked today. Lots of enemy there, mostly support troops.

[BBfanboy]

Fighters seem to be your main resistance at the moment. I'm not sure how many fighter factories you destroyed on Kyushu, but if you can figure out where they are you might be able to target your air attacks and invasions to match. For example, Gifu and the mountain base NW of Tokyo are big aircraft manufacturing bases. There is a chance the ground forces there are weak and a big para drop (sacrificial for the paras) might take the base and thereby destroy all that air opposition.
Recon of the bases would likely be taken as a prelude to a night Strat bombing attack rather than a para drop, so his fighters would be mostly set for night defence and he likely would not place more troops there. It's a gambit, but if you have lots of transports and paras it might be worth it.

[BBfanboy]

Re: the port attack at Ominato - are those hundreds of ships disbanded or in TFs. TFs call for naval attack and there is no way to set the target. If disbanded you will get great results with Port attack whether night or day - you could do both. Chances are fighter cover will be light.

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Re: the port attack at Ominato - are those hundreds of ships disbanded or in TFs. TFs call for naval attack and there is no way to set the target. If disbanded you will get great results with Port attack whether night or day - you could do both. Chances are fighter cover will be light.

The ships were all disbanded in port. A few weeks ago. A plan is in motion to hit whatever is still there.

[apbarog]

2 May 44

Sub Hackleback spots a huge convoy of xAKLs west of Ominato. 2 torpedoes missed xAKL Tihuka Maru, and Hackleback was hit by a depth charge from PB Kunitu Maru.

Fortunate events north of Fukuoka. A British task force with battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth were just north of Fukuoka, and east of Tsushima, guarding the approaches in case that enemy BB task force showed up. Judys and Lilys were moved to Korea, probably to hunt the US destroyers involved in the combat yesterday. But the dive bombers found bigger targets. Fortunately for me, I had some P-38s at Fukuoka on range 1 CAP. I intended for them to help cover Kurume, but they responded to the attack on the British ships. Many enemy were shot down, and many more were lost to flak. A few dropped bombs that all missed. 25 Judys and 19 Lilys were shot down.

Helldivers from a US carrier attacked the 2 ACMs at Moppo, still in a task force there. Both were easily sunk.

Cleanup continued at Nagasaki. The US troops really take a hit to fatigue and disruption with these attacks, so some rest is called for again. I'll let the artillery continue for a couple of days.

Ground combat at Nagasaki/Sasebo (102,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 63722 troops, 1041 guns, 962 vehicles, Assault Value = 2259

Defending force 22457 troops, 237 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 87

Allied adjusted assault: 583

Japanese adjusted defense: 101

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2799 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 73 destroyed, 134 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 79 (57 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 27 (14 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Allied ground losses:
143 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)

[CaptBeefheart]

Great to see Huey, Dewey and Louie in action. Let's hope they clean up in Ominato. You probably have, but I'd waypoint Fukuoka and maybe the hex to the NE. You're trying to go between Scylla and Charybdis there. One false move and Tsushima or Fusan could put a world of hurt on your ships.

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

Great to see Huey, Dewey and Louie in action. Let's hope they clean up in Ominato. You probably have, but I'd waypoint Fukuoka and maybe the hex to the NE. You're trying to go between Scylla and Charybdis there. One false move and Tsushima or Fusan could put a world of hurt on your ships.

Cheers,
CB

The northern carrier TF was trying to route through Tsushima, so I gave it a waypoint through Fukuoka. The others, however, showed safe movement through Fukuoka, so I didn't waypoint them. Maybe I should of. We'll find out.

[BBfanboy]

Rashin, where the sub saw the DD nearby, produces a little oil. It could be just a DD escorting tankers. Would be nice if you found Hiei though!

[apbarog]

3 May 44 - Thailand

Allied attack southwest of Bangkok. Didn't go well.

Ground combat at 54,63 (near Prachuap Khiri Khan)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 54252 troops, 910 guns, 812 vehicles, Assault Value = 1779

Defending force 33358 troops, 286 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 1005

Allied adjusted assault: 674

Japanese adjusted defense: 2437

Allied assault odds: 1 to 3

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

Japanese ground losses:
1325 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 154 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 31 (1 destroyed, 30 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2655 casualties reported
Squads: 28 destroyed, 443 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 66 disabled
Guns lost 69 (2 destroyed, 67 disabled)

Assaulting units:
20th Indian Division
268th Motorised Brigade
7th Indian Division
81st (West African) Division
5th Indian Division
33rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
112th Infantry Regiment
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
82nd Naval Guard Unit
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
11th Division
6th RTA/A Division
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Area Army
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th RF Gun Battalion

[apbarog]

3 May 44 - Japan

This task force makes me think that Ominato's port has been evacuated, with these ships (and maybe others) headed north further away from US bombers. (But not far enough)

Sub attack near Toyohara at 125,47

Japanese Ships
xAK Ryunan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Uzan Maru
xAK Teisen Maru
xAK Teiryu Maru
xAK Hiyama Maru
xAK Kiyo Maru
xAK Tamaki Maru
xAK Tamahoko Maru
xAK Ryuun Maru
xAK Tempei Maru
xAK Hoeisan Maru
xAK Seizan Maru
xAK Syokyu Maru
xAK Somedono Maru
xAK Hakodate Maru
xAK Toyokawa Maru
xAK Ryuzan Maru
xAK Koki Maru
xAK Yamagiku Maru
xAK Taian Maru
xAK Sekiho Maru
xAK Kaimei Maru
xAK Hokko Maru
xAK Seisyo Maru
xAK Hokumai Maru
xAK Kuwayama Maru
xAK Midori Maru
xAK Celebes Maru
xAK Atlantic Maru
PB Hakakisan Maru

Allied Ships
SS Finback

Sawfish sank LST T-111 north of Hiroshima.

Major enemy effort to bomb Nagasaki's port, at night. 20 Helens got 2 bomb hits on already damaged light cruiser Caradoc. The bombs caused +36 SYS, +3 FLOT and +1 ENG damage. It is now SYS 59/FLOT 62-60/ENG 13-8/FIRE 0, in Nagasaki's port. Unfortunately, Nagasaki's port is still 100% damaged, so the ship is not repairing. I hope to have the airbase repaired today or tomorrow. Then work begins repairing the port. I didn't have any fighters at Nagasaki, day or night, due to the airbase damage, but now the runway is fixed and the service damage is moderate and dropping fast. Day and night fighters have now been moved in.

More bombers over Nagasaki at night. 15 other Helens missed. 7 Peggys sank tiny AMc Waima with a bomb hit. 8 Peggys missed. 5 Helens missed.

CLAA San Diego ran into DD Wickes. San Diego is SYS 6/FLOT 11/ENG 22/FIRE 0. Wickes is SYS 6/FLOT 21/ENG 1/FIRE 0. Both have left the carrier task forces and now head to Okinawa, then to Manila for repairs.

A huge mostly Chinese attack is ordered at Canton. The first attack, a few weeks ago, was a disaster. There's still a lot of disabled squads. At that time, the enemy definitely still had supply. Now, judging from the lack of flak every day, I'm guessing that the enemy does not have supply now. I don't know if this attack will be an even bigger disaster than the first, or if it will be good enough to start to wear down the enemy. British cruisers have been bombarding Canton every day for months. Bombers hit Canton's troops every day. We're giving the attack a try. If it is a failure, I'll pull out most of the troops to recuperate at Hong Kong and just pin the enemy at Canton. After the troops have recovered, they'll push the front east. But I hope to win at Canton.

B-24s and B-29s are moved to Kyusu for a big operation.

[BBfanboy]

If your CVs are ending up in the hex where the point of the arrow is, they are six hexes from Ominato. Not sure if your target setting will override the five hexes you set, and if it does, not sure if your Naval Attack orders could go to Tokyo. Best to go one more hex I think, if that is not currently the plan.

Looking forward to the fireworks! [:)]

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If your CVs are ending up in the hex where the point of the arrow is, they are six hexes from Ominato. Not sure if your target setting will override the five hexes you set, and if it does, not sure if your Naval Attack orders could go to Tokyo. Best to go one more hex I think, if that is not currently the plan.

Looking forward to the fireworks! [:)]

This is a test case for me. I've never set a range limit that I wanted for a primary naval strike, and hoped that the secondary port strike mission would override the range setting due to the specific target selected. I don't know if they'll fly or not.

[apbarog]

4 May 44

Sub Bang missed tanker Goyo Maru northwest of Ominato. At least 6 tankers there. Pampanito sank patrol boat Kenkon Maru near Kanazawa.

Liberators bombed the city of Hakodate during the day. They found 19 Zeros, which was interesting, because no fighters were seen over Ominato today. 5 Liberators were shot down. No bombs on target in heavy rain.

Many heavy bombers hit Ominato's port during the day. As I said, no enemy CAP. In moderate rain, they hit a few ships. As suspected, the hundreds of enemy ships that were in port a few weeks ago were no longer there. They went north. Some damage done:

xAKL Fukuichi Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Takenora Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
SS I-30, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage

SS I-30, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

ACM Toshi Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

xAKL Atsu Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AR Yamabiko Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

xAKL Tatsui Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

About 100 carrier fighters then swept Ominato in the afternoon, but still no CAP.

10 B-29s hit Shikuka's port and found at least some of the bigger xAKs. No CAP, heavy rain. Mines dropped there also.

xAK Toho Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Hokumai Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Hakodate Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Asama Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, on fire

About a dozen B-29s bombed Toyohara's port, finding some small ships. Mines dropped here also.

PB Shirogane Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AG J-3128, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

33 carrier Helldivers sank 3 xAKLs near Niigata.

5 US destroyers made a patrol south of Japan, at Torishima. They were attacked by kamikazes from the north. 20 Sallys attacked. 2 hit. DD Braine is SYS 43/59-32/8-3/0. DD Bache is SYS 50/FLOT 30-16/ENG 10-4/FIRE 0. They'll head west towards Okinawa.

Canton was bombarded by British cruisers, same as every day for months. Many bombers hit the troops, a daily occurrence also. The Chinese tried an attack. They hoped that the enemy was out of supply. They were, but the results were not good.

Ground combat at Canton (77,59)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 183249 troops, 860 guns, 407 vehicles, Assault Value = 5392

Defending force 96682 troops, 836 guns, 348 vehicles, Assault Value = 2534

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 5859

Japanese adjusted defense: 10473

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
1185 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 103 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 54 (1 destroyed, 53 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
15840 casualties reported
Squads: 131 destroyed, 1454 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 150 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 176 disabled
Guns lost 71 (4 destroyed, 67 disabled)
Vehicles lost 33 (2 destroyed, 31 disabled)

Assaulting units:
54th Chinese Corps
254th Armoured Brigade
88th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps
IV Corps Engineer Battalion
98th Chinese Corps
73rd Chinese Corps
3rd Carabiniers Regiment
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
20th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps
11th Chinese Corps
62nd Chinese Corps
60th Chinese Corps
37th Chinese Corps
1st New Chinese Corps
56th Heavy Regiment
10th Group Army
31st Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
30th Group Army
25th Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment
7th Artillery Regiment
1st Artillery Regiment
Y' Force
39th Group Army
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment

Defending units:
116th Division
104th Division
51st Division
17th Division
22nd Division
8th Ind.Infantry Brigade
7th Ind.Infantry Brigade
64th Division
13th Ind.Infantry Brigade
60th Division
20th RGC Division
5th Air Army /1
4th Mortar Battalion
23rd Army
47th JAAF AF Bn
Canton Special Base Force
4th Air Div /2
10th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
9th Ind. Field Artillery Battalion
75th Field AA Battalion
13th Army /1

I've done all I could to try to make this work using primarily Chinese units. I have to conclude that they are just not up to this job, trying to dig out so many enemy divisions in urban terrain and high fort levels. I could have used the many US divisions that landed in China originally, but they would have needed months to recover and that would have meant that we wouldn't own most of Kyushu now. My new plan is to leave an occupying force in Canton, one that is too big for the enemy to be able to attack, and pull out most of the units to recover at Hong Kong. After recovery, (which may take longer than the war lasts), they'll head east towards Shanghai. Canton will continue to be bombarded and bombed, but not attacked by ground troops.

[BBfanboy]

Ouch! at Canton. You got 1:2 and dropped forts so next time you could probably get 1:1. Your bombardments should start having more effect with the lower forts too, and since they are out of supply the IJA can't rebuild forts. Take your time on recovering disabled squads and add a few more non-Chinese units if you have some nearby. The beat up Chinese units can go and do garrison duty while they recover. Once you get the upper hand at Canton, you should reap a lot of LCU points.

[apbarog]

5 May 44

Lots of enemy minesweepers clean up all of the mines dropped by B-29s yesterday. Sweeping also started at Toyohara.

Cruisers Quincy, Canberra and Richmond, with 3 destroyers, broke off from protecting the carriers to raid Maizuru. They ran into 6 sub chasers in 2 task forces, and sank them easily. The SCs did divert the cruisers from there assigned mission of bombarding.

Frances made several night attacks on the slow battleship task force at Fukuoka and a cruiser task force at Nagasaki. Nagasaki had night-fighting Corsairs defending, Fukuoka did not. All torpedoes missed. 2 bombers were shot down by Corsairs. 13 were brought down by flak. The cruiser force at Nagasaki then bombarded the isolated enemy, helping with the attack later in the day.

Sub Perch sank patrol boat Taikei Maru near Bihoro. The PB was escorting many xAKLs.

P-40N5 swept Sian, with other Warhawks and Spitfires on LRCAP, finding the usual Oscars there. But as before, the Oscars were too much for them. 22 Warhawks were shot down, downing just 7 Oscars. I was hoping to catch the occasional Sonia raid on Chinese troops in the clear terrain at Sian.

22 B-24s hit the city of Niigata during the day, starting 5616 fires. No CAP.

Another cleanup attack at Nagasaki. Good results, lots of enemy losses, but once again the attackers took a lot of fatigue and disruption. Artillery will continue for a couple of days while the others rest.

Ground combat at Nagasaki/Sasebo (102,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 76020 troops, 1299 guns, 1060 vehicles, Assault Value = 2315

Defending force 18772 troops, 182 guns, 93 vehicles, Assault Value = 66

Allied adjusted assault: 872

Japanese adjusted defense: 80

Allied assault odds: 10 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
5075 casualties reported
Squads: 110 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 156 destroyed, 162 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 81 (40 destroyed, 41 disabled)
Vehicles lost 19 (5 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
310 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled