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

[apbarog]

6 May 44

6 slow US battleships moved to Tsushima to bombard. The fortress there has proven to be formidable. First, though, the battleships hit mines, just as they did weeks ago. New Mexico, Tennessee and Arizona each hit a mine, but damage for all of them was negligible. Scratched the paint for a couple of SYS damage. Light cruiser Gambia also hit a mine. It is SYS 15/FLOT 5-4/ENG 0/FIRE 0 and will be fine. The task force did bombard, causing 346 casualties an hopefully hitting some of the big guns.

Following the big battleship task force, the invasion task force approached. The coastal guns hadn't been knocked out.

Pre-Invasion action off Tsushima (103,56) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

287 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Richelieu, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Salt Lake City
CL Trenton, Shell hits 1
CL Detroit, Shell hits 2
CL Concord, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Mugford, Shell hits 1
DD O'Brien
AK Etamin, Shell hits 1, on fire
AK Triangulum
APA Storm King
DD Maury

and

Invasion Support action off Tsushima (103,56) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

116 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City
CL Trenton, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Detroit, Shell hits 15, on fire
DD O'Brien
DD Mustin, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Sims, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
AK Prince Georges
BB Richelieu, on fire
AK Etamin, on fire
APA Storm King
DD Maury

and

Invasion Support action off Tsushima (103,56)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

25 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
AK Prince Georges, Shell hits 1
BB Richelieu
CA Salt Lake City
AK Ganymede, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Concord
CL Trenton, heavy damage
DD Maury
APA Storm King, Shell hits 1

The escorts did their job and shielded the transports. DD Mustin sank immediately after combat. Other damage was:

BB Richelieu SYS 18/FLOT 4-1/ENG 4/FIRE 0
CL Concord SYS 30/FLOT 44-26/ENG 1-0/FIRE 0
CL Detroit SYS 26/FLOT 15-5/ENG 1-0/FIRE 0
CL Trenton SYS 24/FLOT 54-38/ENG 0/FIRE 0
DD Sims SYS 17/FLOT 33-17/ENG 0/FIRE 0
APA Storm King SYS 11/FLOT 0/ENG 0/FIRE 9
AK Prince Georges SYS 12/FLOT 0/ENG 0/FIRE 9
AK Etamin SYS 43/FLOT 36-24/ENG 0/FIRE 0
AK Ganymede SYS 61/FLOT 25-6/ENG 2-1/FIRE 83

The AKs were carrying supply, much of which was unloaded. All troops were unloaded in good shape and an attack is ordered. Ganymede will probably burn up but it will try to make it to safety at Fukuoka, just one hex away.

After the landing began, 3 YMS arrived to sweep mines, which they did, but each was hit by 2 to 5 shells and all sank just after combat.

3 US destroyers were northeast of Fukuoka, on an ASW mission. They were also 2 hexes north of Hiroshima, and were attacked by bombers from there. 15 Jills attacked but all torpedoes missed. 27 Lilys attacked but all bombs missed. Weather was partial cloud. In the afternoon with clear sky, 36 Judys attacked. Ingersoll and Heerman were each hit, one by a bomb, the other by D. Handa who was "willing to die for the Emperor".

DD Heerman SYS 37/FLOT 25-11/ENG 8-2/FIRE 0
DD Ingersol SYS 26/FLOT 10-4/ENG 4-1/FIRE 0

Sub Perch spotted an interesting task force near Bihoro, a big support task force. 5 AS's, 4 AVs and an AKE, escorted by 2 DDs. Perch missed AS Rio de Janiero Maru with 4 torpedoes. These ships are going somewhere to hide. Later, Perch attacked the same task force but again missed with 4 torpedoes, this time fired at DD Wakaba.

Also near Bihoro, sub Trepang spotted a tanker convoy and hit tanker Hoyo Maru with a torpedo.

Kanoya was captured. All bases on Kyushu are now in Allied hands. Cleanup should be completed quickly, with just one enemy unit left.

Ground combat at Kanoya (102,61)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27764 troops, 481 guns, 860 vehicles, Assault Value = 1004

Defending force 3819 troops, 46 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 61

Allied adjusted assault: 929

Japanese adjusted defense: 49

Allied assault odds: 18 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kanoya !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
954 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 26 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 41 (34 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 18 (17 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
132 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
33rd Infantry Division
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
38th Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
4th USMC Tank Battalion
1st USMC Tank Battalion
5th USMC Tank Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
16th Naval Guard Unit
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Kanoya JNAF Base Force
64th JNAF AF Unit /1
57th Const Bn /1

Troops at Nagasaki will rest one more day while artillery attacks. US big carriers are now headed to Manila for some minor repair. I noticed that Nagasaki has 3 repair yards, which are mostly damaged now but are being repaired. When repaired, they are size 100, 100 and 50. That's a lot of repair capability! I don't know if Nagasaki starts this way or if OPilot expanded them. It could be that a captured Japanese shipyard reverts to a repair yard when captured.

[BBfanboy]

Yes, Naval and Merchant SYs revert to Repair SYs when captured.

[apbarog]

7 May 44

The enemy's night bombers were out again, now going after the airfield at Kurume. Peggys and Helens attacked, running into a handful of night fighting F4U-2 Corsairs. A few planes were damaged on the ground, and airbase damage was negligible and fixed by daybreak. A few enemy bombers were shot down by flak. More Corsairs were damaged by bombers than vice versa. Nothing like what happens against Allied heavy bombers, but too many damaged fighters for my liking. Just one thing I don't like about night air combat.

Sub Flasher spotted AO Kyokuto Maru and 6 sub chasers well south-south east of Ominato. The route from Japan to Saipan seems to go from Ominato or nearby now, not from Tokyo.

Many Allied bombers from Rangoon hit Bangkok's airfield, causing moderate damage. Just a nuisance raid. No enemy CAP.

2 enemy ships of unknown type were spotted 2 hexes north of Borneo yesterday. I sent 3 DDs from Soerabaja on high speed to the area, but I guesses wrong at to which base they were going to. The enemy went to Singawak. I hope to catch them there today. Allied subs are in the area also.

Tsushima's ground units were bombed heavily, but ineffectively. For me, I always have problems bombing fortress units. Most times, the bombers hit nothing. I think there is something about the make-up of these units, types of devices or something, that makes them more difficult to hit. Allied troops attacked. There had just enough strength for the job. It looked like it would be overkill, but the high forts made them necessary.

Ground combat at Tsushima (103,56)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 10294 troops, 150 guns, 57 vehicles, Assault Value = 347

Defending force 2433 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 225

Japanese adjusted defense: 27

Allied assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied forces CAPTURE Tsushima !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
335 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 23 (23 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
102 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
208th USA Regiment
503rd Parachute Regiment
5307th Composite Regiment
25th Australian Brigade

Defending units:
3rd Raiding Regiment
Tsushima Fortress


The last unit at Kanoya was eliminated.

Ground combat at Kanoya (102,61)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27687 troops, 481 guns, 860 vehicles, Assault Value = 996

Defending force 1171 troops, 7 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Allied adjusted assault: 674

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 674 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1580 casualties reported
Squads: 48 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 46 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (9 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
754th Tank Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
5th USMC Tank Battalion
38th Infantry Division
33rd Infantry Division
4th USMC Tank Battalion
1st USMC Tank Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
147th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
225th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
16th Naval Guard Unit

[BBfanboy]

The bigger Naval Fortress guns (check in the Editor) usually have substantial armor ratings, like the armor on the turret of a BB or CA. On top of that, high level forts can protect against bombing. But while bombing Truk I found that after months of bombardment and bombing the naval fortress was worn down and then disabled and finally destroyed. You have not been working on Tsushima very long so you are probably at the grinding down stage where you are getting fatigue and morale effects which you don't see in the combat reports.

Edit: Just noticed the CR that shows you captured Tsushima - that usually means the Naval Fortress will be destroyed "by attrition" since most of its makeup is static guns that should fall with the base itself. What is left no longer has the protection of the forts and usually no AV, so elimination will be quick. The Raiding Regiment shouldn't take long either.

[apbarog]

8 May 44

The 3 US destroyers found their prey still at Singkawang.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 23, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
xAK Sugi Maru, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Dashiell
DD Schroeder
DD Wadleigh

No men or fuel noted as loaded. Probably picking up supply for Thailand.

British battleships bombarded enemy troops isolated at Nagasaki, helping to finish them off. 613 casualties.

All enemy mines were cleared from Tsushima. Much easier without those big fortress guns.

Near Sapporo, sub Pogy spotted battleship Haruna. 2 torpedoes missed a destroyer, twice, and Pogy took some damage.

Beaufighters at Kurume sank a couple of MGBs at Matsuyama. B-24s sank 2 ACM in Kochi's port.

More cleanup at Nagasaki.

Ground combat at Nagasaki/Sasebo (102,58)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 76228 troops, 1299 guns, 1060 vehicles, Assault Value = 2391

Defending force 14300 troops, 133 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Allied adjusted assault: 1040

Japanese adjusted defense: 36

Allied assault odds: 28 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
4283 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 359 destroyed, 49 disabled
Engineers: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 69 (46 destroyed, 23 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (15 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Units destroyed 5

Allied ground losses:
262 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Cleanup at Tsushima also. Followed by a long list of enemy units disintegrating by attrition.

9th Tank Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
1st Mortar Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
21st Air Defense AA Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
25th Air Defense AA Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
21st Air Defense AA Battalion Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
3rd Raiding Regiment Wiped Out at Tsushima by attrition!!!
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
206th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
306th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
Sasebo 6th SNLF Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
108th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
208th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
109th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
209th Ship Eng Coy Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
Nagasaki Fortress Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
15th Ship Engineer Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
16th Ship Engineer Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
18th Ship Engineer Regiment Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
Kogetsu JAAF Base Force Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!
Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Tsushima
Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Nagasaki/Sasebo
Japanese Unit(s) Wiped Out at Nagasaki/Sasebo by attrition!!!

[apbarog]

9 May 44 - Kyushu is cleared of enemy units

Picuda spotted a task force near Shikuka. It had an AS, an AV and an AKE. 2 torpedoes missed DD Hatsuharu. Perch II spotted battleship Kongo and escorts near Ominato.

Peggys attacked Hong Kong's port at night, not hitting anything. P-70 Havocs defended. They are "too slow" to catch the Peggys. The newer Black Widow night fighters are accumulating slowly in the pool, and these Havocs will be replaced. Hong Kong is a tempting target as I am repairing combat ships there. And it will be more tempting, as 2 US carrier task forces are about to arrive for some minor repairs. All fighters are flown off to base at Hong Kong and defend. One group of P-40s will move to night fighting to help the Havocs. The base will be very well defended. But sometimes the bombers get through. It's a risk putting carriers there but Manila is always busy and will be getting the other 2 US carrier task forces for repairs tomorrow.

5 US DMS's swept most of the mines at Kanoya. DMS Hovey hit a mine. Its damage is only moderate, with SYS 12/FLOT 18-10/ENG 26-19/FIRE 0.

The last of the enemy was eliminated at Nagasaki.

Japanese ground losses:
5938 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 428 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 23 (23 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 54 (54 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

And the Tsushima Fortress unit was eliminated at Tsushima. Good riddance.

Allied units are now moving around on Kyushu, to group up at Nagasaki and Fukuoka, depending on which objective they are preparing for.

[BBfanboy]

If you still have CV Enterprise, she should have night fighting squadrons aboard now. The refit at the end of 1942 converted her to specialize in night fighting.

Haven't heard you mention them, so I will suggest the use of smaller shipyards at Pescadores, Naha, Nago and Kagoshima to take care of the small fry.
By the time you take Hiroshima, you will have a wealth of shipyards to work with, if you can provide enough air cover.

[apbarog]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If you still have CV Enterprise, she should have night fighting squadrons aboard now. The refit at the end of 1942 converted her to specialize in night fighting.

Haven't heard you mention them, so I will suggest the use of smaller shipyards at Pescadores, Naha, Nago and Kagoshima to take care of the small fry.
By the time you take Hiroshima, you will have a wealth of shipyards to work with, if you can provide enough air cover.

Not familiar with your Enterprise comment. I will look into it.

I'm using all of those smaller shipyards. I have destroyers in most of them at the moment.

[CaptBeefheart]

Historically, Big E carried night fighters toward the end of the war. In the game, you can put carrier-capable night fighters on any flattop. I don't think any suddenly appear on Big E.

Cheers,
CB

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If you still have CV Enterprise, she should have night fighting squadrons aboard now. The refit at the end of 1942 converted her to specialize in night fighting.

Haven't heard you mention them, so I will suggest the use of smaller shipyards at Pescadores, Naha, Nago and Kagoshima to take care of the small fry.
By the time you take Hiroshima, you will have a wealth of shipyards to work with, if you can provide enough air cover.

Not familiar with your Enterprise comment. I will look into it.

I'm using all of those smaller shipyards. I have destroyers in most of them at the moment.

I suppose Enterprise's role depends on your leaving the night fighting squadrons aboard when she returned from refit. Not sure how the game handles the squadrons themselves - upgrading current squadrons or swapping in the night fighting ones. Historically, Enterprise spent a long time in refit and repair because she had severe damage after Santa Cruz and Eastern Solomons and the night refit was fairly substantial - probably radars, communications, deck lighting, IFF and LORAN. Perhaps the Combat Ops Centre was also made more formal too (lots of displays and plotting boards, etc.).

EDIT: I looked at the Marianas scenario 11 and Enterprise has an extra detachment of four night fighting corsairs from VF(N)-101. That doesn't seem like a match to what I read about how Enterprise was used by Fifth Fleet when she returned from refit. She did get an additional radar - SK model - in the October 42 refit.

[BBfanboy]

Here is a piece of the Wiki on Enterprise about her return to duty in late 1943:

Return to duty
Captain Matthias Gardner relieved Ginder on 7 November. Back at Pearl Harbor on 6 November, Enterprise left four days later to provide close air support to the 27th Infantry Division landing on Makin Atoll, during the Battle of Makin, from 19–21 November 1943. On the night of 26 November, Enterprise introduced carrier-based night fighters to the Pacific when a three-plane team from the ship broke up a large group of land-based bombers attacking TG 50.2. Two of the three planes returned to the ship, with LCDR Edward "Butch" O'Hare the only casualty. After a heavy strike by aircraft of TF 50 against Kwajalein on 4 December, Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor five days later.

The carrier's next operation was with the Fast Carrier Task Force in softening up the Marshall Islands and supporting the landings on Kwajalein, from 29 January-3 February 1944. Then, Enterprise sailed, still with TF 58, to strike the Japanese naval base at Truk Lagoon in the Caroline Islands, on 17 February. Again Enterprise made aviation history, when she launched the first night radar bombing attack from a U.S. carrier. The twelve torpedo bombers in this strike achieved excellent results, accounting for nearly one-third of the 200,000 tons of shipping destroyed by aircraft.

[apbarog]

10 May 44

All enemy mines were cleared from Kanoya, but DMS Palmer (seemingly) hit the last one. SYS 8/FLOT 64-46/ENG 32-21/FIRE 0.

Helens tried to bomb Oita's airfield at night, but hit nothing. No night fighters there. Flak took down a couple of Helens.

Big carriers are now at Manila and Hong Kong. They'll do some minor repairs.

I'm making a big effort to bomb Maebashi. Many B-24 squadrons will bomb during the day, and the B-29s will hit during the night. 3 P-38 squadrons are ordered to sweep. Hope to start some fires.

I have a question about Gifu. It has no Manpower. It was my understanding that you target Manpower to start fires. Can this be done at Gifu? It has Resources and lots of aircraft factories.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

10 May 44

I have a question about Gifu. It has no Manpower. It was my understanding that you target Manpower to start fires. Can this be done at Gifu? It has Resources and lots of aircraft factories.

Correct, manpower starts fires...my experience you are better targeting actual targets if manpower is less than 7. But you cannot target what is not there (0 Manpower).

[CaptBeefheart]

A little OT, but I used to visit the Kawasaki plant in Gifu in the late 90s. There was a very, very good teppan restaurant on a riverbank facing a castle near the plant. The Kawasaki engineers liked the place.

The big three "heavy industries" (Kawasaki, Mitsubishi and Fuji) were my customers at that time. Mitsubishi was of course in Nagoya (they had models of all of their aircraft encased in the lobby) and Fuji, ex-Nakajima, was in Utsonomiya.

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

11 May 44

The enemy night bombing attempt was at Amami Oshima. 19 Peggys went after the port but hit nothing. 5 night fighting Corsairs were on CAP.

The Japanese still hold 2 small islands west of Kyushu: Tokara Retto and Iki-shima. Cruiser forces bombarded both. Not much defending either, but I don't have troops prepped for a landing and not ready to commit paras. At Iki-shima, the Iki Fortress shows its teeth. US ships tried to do the Iki shuffle, but 9 shells hit CA Cumberland, causing 9 SYS damage. It's interesting that the fortress was active. I've had many task forces passing through Iki-shima for weeks, going to Furuoka. I get the text message that the fortress is firing, and it shows on the replay, but nothing happens, and nothing passing through was ever hit. But a bombardment was engaged. I'm sending the 6 slow US battleships to bombard tonight. They are just one hex away at Furuoka.

P-38s swept Maebashi, finding 49 Oscars. The Oscars went down in droves. Many B-24s hit the city, with the highest Fire number being 33000.

P-47s swept and LRCAP Sian, finding 36 Oscars there, and many Oscars were shot down.

Total air losses were 38 Oscars for the cost of 3 P-47D25s and 2 P-38Js. Oscars aren't Franks.

[apbarog]

12 May 44

Sub Pargo spotted AKs near Nakhodka, up by the northern Korean/Russian border. This is the base that the enemy is using for moving men and/or material back to Japan. Pargo missed an E boat with 2 torpedoes. Sand Lance missed CM Tsugaru with 4 torpedoes near Toyama. So there's more mines being laid somewhere on the Japanese coast.

6 slow US battleships hit the Iki Fortress on Iki-shima, doing good work, causing 513 casualties and hitting guns. This mission will be repeated, and paras will drop in a day or two.

Sub Pampanito hit xAKL Shunten Maru near Kanazawa, but the hit was a dud.

P-38s swept Matsuyama, and found 16 Georges, probably on ranged CAP from nearby Hiroshima. Fairly even losses. Many B-24s, B-25s and British Liberators hit the city of Matsuyama. It appears that an aircraft factory was moderately damaged, and fires were started.

The enemy lost 9 Georges, with our losses being 7 P-38s, 3 B-24s and 2 British Liberators.

Today, B-29s will go to Matsuyama at night to try and build up the fires. Others will hit an oil producing base further east in Japan, during the day. Others will fly into Manchuria to hit the oil base next to Mukden. B-24s and B-25s will hit the Korean bases near the Russian border, hitting the ports, the airfields, and the one oil production facility there.

[apbarog]

For Those of You Keeping Score at Home

[apbarog]

13 May 44

Some B-29s hit Matsuyama at night, hoping to add to the fires there. Weather was severe storms, and some but not many hits were achieved.

Iki-shima was bombarded by the 6 slow US battleships again. They will do so again, and today paras will drop in. If it goes poorly, a bigger US para regiment, the one that was on Tshushima, will reinforce. The fight will be won, one way or the other, with the battleship support hitting the enemy in clear terrain. The only enemy on Iki-shima is the Iki fortress.

P-47s swept Kobe. It had 18 Zeros, 44 Tonys and 49 Franks on CAP. I picked Kobe because it had fewer enemy fighters than Hiroshima or Osaka, both of which have over 200. The first P-47Ds did well against the Tonys but not as well versus the Franks. The rest of the Thunderbolts did better with each successive sweep. Total losses were 32 Franks, 29 Tonys and 9 Zeros for the cost of 9 P-47D2s and 5 P-47D25s.

US bombers also hit Korean ports in the far north by Russia. Accuracy was poor as the weather was bad everywhere. Some airbase and port damage, and a few oil knocked out at Rashin. B-29s flew to Niigata to hit the oil there, but only got a few. Daylight raid and no CAP. Similar result at Fushun, in Manchuria. A few oil hit in bad weather.

Allied attack northwest of Bangkok, on the trail between Bangkok and Moulmein. Bad odds and not great results. Flying in supply to these units. Have another Indian division moving in to help. Don't think we'll get a breakthrough here unless we can attack when the enemy is low on supply. Hoping to put pressure on here and southwest of Bangkok, and hoping that the Japanese supply situation here is poor. Allied bombers are hitting Bangkok's airfield, which has had no fighters.

[BBfanboy]

Bangkok can be outflanked by taking Tavoy and/or Mergui and marching through the hex that leads to the road on the other side. He will have to pull back to avoid being cut off. Once you can get Allied tanks into the open terrain ENE of Bangkok you can cut off all of Siam from contact with China.

[apbarog]

Thailand