The rant goes on... PBEM QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[castor troy]

Intel! You can see that Hortlund still needs nearly 3000 points more to achieve an autovictory in 1/43 but I can´t see where he should gain them. It will be probably more like the way that we will take some high value targets back (like Noumea, which is worth 1200 points for us) and we will surely not lose 4:1 in aircraft losses in the next 6 months. I´m planning to get further ahead in aircrafts lost, mostly destroying them on the ground. A2A losses will surely be still in favour of the Japanese, but total aircraft losses will stay in our favour for the rest of the war! At least, that´s the plan! [:D]

What I really like are the shipping losses of the IJN! In my game against Swift, we´re 1 month ahead, I have taken far more ground as the Japanese but have only lost around 90 ships, mostly MSWs and other small vessels. More on the ship losses in my next post.

In China due to our "more or less" succesfully defense, we agreed on a truth that will last to early or mid 43, then I expect to see China lost except a handful bases. This will boost Japans victory points for the last time. Looking at the Japanese ground losses, we inflicted some 500 points for IJA equipment destroyed in China, which isn´t that bad either. Again the comparison to my other game, I lost 200 points for ground losses so far, but have taken most of China already (of course, also due to a different tactic of my allied opponent).

My political points will stay negative I´m not happy with sending ships home. Last month I should have sent a CV!!! and 2 DDs which wasn´t acceptable at all, but this has cost me a lot of pp of course.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: pauk


i assume that your first invasion will be in SRA (from Northern OZ) - if that is not forbidden by your house rules?

That is a weakest spot of the Japanese Empire.

No we don´t have a house rule on that one. As I´ve said, we only follow the "most common ones"... what ever those are. We mostly discuss things when they´re happening and one of us isn´t happy with them. That´s why we had a truce in China also, as Hortlund couldn´t advance in the South due to me sieging the urban hex of Canton, but he was advancing in Central China, trying to cut me off. So we agreed to the truce and my troops were ordered back to the historical line that Japan was able to conquer.

While we don´t have a house rule of not attacking from Northern Australia, I still have a "strange" feeling doing it when I would use the rail line to bring in troops. IF I decide to mount a major operation out of Northern Australia, then I will bring in all (or at least most) troops via ship - they would have to go around Australia. Same goes for supply and fuel. And this is what I was doing all the last months already, I had a lot of ships going round of Australia to build up the bases on the North coast as I expected to see Hortlund landing there. That was also the reason for me to defend Koepang, it was just about to delay the Japanese, which can be seen as a success (if you can see the loss of 25.000 troops a success). To go via the East coast would only be possible if we take back Port Moresby, but as I said before, PM is expected to be one of the most dangerous bases to be attacked in the next couple of months. I don´t know how Hortlund thinks about PM, but I would defend it at all costs with the current situation.

[castor troy]

and here are the shipping losses. I have to say, I won´t do that very often, as I REALLY hate to count up all those ships... [:(] what would I give about a feature that tells you how many APs, CAs, BBs,... are sunk...

The Japanese lost so far:

2 CA
6 CL
39 DD [:D][:D]
5 APD [:D]
6 SS
exactly 100 AP [X(][:D]
exactly 50 AK
1 TK
17 MSW
4 PT
8 PG
17 PC

I´m really happy with the loss of his ASW forces and with the loss of 100 APs. Even if Hortlund doesn´t need that many for the defense, with the reduced cargo capacity, you need a lot of them to shuffle around your troops. I haven´t counted up the cause of the ships sunk, but I would guess 40% of the IJN ships sunk are accounted as a sub kill...

The Allied lost so far:

1 BC... Repulse
3 CA
4 CL
21 DD
6 SS
73 AK [:(]
16 TK
2 AO
4 AP [:D][:D][:D]
3 AVD
1 AV
4 AS
1 AD
5 MSW
2 ML
7 DM
29 PT
5 PG

while it always seems the Allied have enough ships to do everything, I´m really lacking ships. Also due to the reduced cargo capacity. I´m mostly shipping troops, supply and fuel to Australia and it´s a looong way. While most of our ship losses are losses from the SRA, I could really need more. I´m happy about only losing 4 APs so far, takes some pressure of my AKs as I need 25 AKs to transport a single div. At San Francisco there are nearly no AKs/APs and no TK while we still lack fuel everywhere.

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/13/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,78

Japanese Ships
PT Gyoraitei #5, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Nestor

we wanted to kill the last PT at Lautern... there are still 2 at Koepang I think...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 34 encounters mine field at Kendari (33,71)

Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Shiratsuyu hits a MK12... what a pity it wasn´t the already damaged Murakumo, a MK12 could have been the end of the destroyer...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Nichiro Maru, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-46

3x4inch shells and a MK10 should finish the medium AP... the area around Amboina and Timor are very dangerous places to be for the Japanese...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 8

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
A6M3 Zero x 17
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 6

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged

Japanese Ships
PC Shimushu
AP Yamura Maru
AP Izumo Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

I have set my B-17 to max range nav attack, hoping to catch a TF at sea, not under a cap umbrella...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
A6M3 Zero x 14
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
A6M3 Zero: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Akashisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Chicago Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

2x500 lb bomb hits but I lost 3 B-17 today... not a success, considering the fact that the replacement rate is 16/month...

[castor troy]

A very intense round again...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/14/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Nichiro Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-27

another sub successfully attacks... [&o]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Chicago Maru, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise

and that´s nothing new... the Japanese keep sending ships to Timor and Amboina and I keep on attacking with my surface forces... that´s nearly like playing against the AI!! [:D][:D] sorry, Steve... [;)]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Nichiro Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Akashisan Maru, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise

3 APs were sunk today... so 4 APs of this TF entered Amboina and none returned home... the careless way my Japanese opponent is using his ships will at some point really hurt him...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
TK Mirii Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
TK Daishin Maru

Allied Ships
CL Enterprise

ahhh, what a pity... [:(] fuel loaden TKs. A 6.000 ton and a 11.000 ton tanker but we only hit the big one with a 6 inch shell... TKs must be our PRIMARY target right after CVs!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 23,41

Japanese Ships
AP Kumagawa Maru
MSW W.17
MSW W.18

Allied Ships
SS Permit

Permit escapes unharmed...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
let the carnage begin...

Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 45

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 92

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 17 destroyed, 11 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb: 19 destroyed, 54 damaged

those are our worst experienced Hurricane squadrons, mostly below or in the low 60s... Still we nearly manage to get a 1:1 with our sweep... the bounce more often would have come in handy, but we´re not having enough radar in that area...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chandpur , at 30,25

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21 Sally x 125
Ki-49 Helen x 52

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 12 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Boston: 4 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 83

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 11000 feet

for what reason ever, Hortlund bombs Chandpur... and doing that without escort! [X(] He just asks to get punished! [;)] don´t know what his recon tells him, but there are only 2 dozen aircraft... but this is also a base with only a couple of flak guns...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chandpur , at 30,25

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 32

No Japanese losses

ahh, we see... he wanted to sweep Chandpur first, but the bombers came early... [:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 6

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 30,29 [:D]

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 34

Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 34
P-40B Tomahawk x 37
B-26B Marauder x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 8 destroyed, 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 2 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 6 destroyed, 23 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuyuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Jintsu, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shikinami, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wellington III bombing at 6000 feet

we spotted a convoy steaming towards Akyab, that was the reason for our sweep and the ordered naval strikes. Out of 150+ bombers we get 56 to launch but all what was left of AVG escorted our bombers... it was the first time that we are satisfied with the performance of AVG, only one bomber was shot down by the enemy fighters... 4x500 lb bombs penetrate the deck armor of the CL, one was a belt hit...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 30,29

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 37

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 11
B-26B Marauder x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-26B Marauder bombing at 6000 feet

we launch again in the afternoon, with what was still operational of AVG. This time AVG had not much of a chance against the high numbers of fighters on CAP. Though the CL was again hit with a penetrating 500lb bomb. Means Jintsu was hit with 5x500lb bombs. Will be a gamble if she makes it IMO.

It´s amazing how many fighters were flying LRCAP today... there must be some 150 fighters on LRCAP over Akyab, the base is still reported being inoperational.

Following, the air losses for today. Hortlund told me he first wanted to see Burma as a side theater but with my "little offensive" he gets now serious about it. AND THIS TURN WAS ALREADY A SUCCESS!!!! [X(][X(] Wow! He considers this turn a success! Well, I told him, I can perfectly live with a Japanese success if it looks like this! High aircraft losses, DDs damaged, a CL in sinking condition and he considers that a success? While I don´t even know why he sends a CL and a couple of DDs to Akyab. To guard it against my cruisers? My superior British CAs / CLs would be clearly having an advantage when they would take on this TF. And they are far away anyway... or was it just a fast transport that was stuck?

What was also interesting is the fact that Betties were flying recon to India´s rear bases... [X(] I can´t think of an invasion, this would be harakiri at this point with my airforce being nearly equal to the Japanese and all my coast guarded anyway. So the only thing I can think of would be a couple of MINI paradrops again. I already told Hortlund that if I see those mini paradrops again and he would hit a base with ressources / oil / HI, then I would let my Wellingtons and B-17s lose on his ressources / oil... so I wonder if that has impressed my opponent... I have to say that it´s enough for me that I lost a couple of cruisers at Noumea to such a mini long range para drop...

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/15/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
AP Nichiro Maru, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Tjerk Hiddes
DD Griffin
DD Nizam

before we could fire a single shot, the AP decided to sink... [:D] No TKs anymore and also the TF with one of the 8000 dur PC in it left the base... a fruitless effort today...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 40,51

Japanese Ships
DD Kuretake, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Grampus

nice, Kuretake hit with a MK14... only 5 hexes to Manila, so not sure the DD will sink...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 17

Allied aircraft
Wellington III x 130
P-40B Tomahawk x 8
B-26B Marauder x 32

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 13 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 3 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 1 destroyed, 27 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
707 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 153

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Wellington III bombing at 11000 feet

hmm, mixed result I would say... first we had 130 P40E and Hurricanes at Imphal to sweep Mandalay to get rid of the Cap (which was expected to be higher anyway). Though Imphal was clouded, so my bomber armada went in with the remnants of the AVG. While we have 70+ pilots, there are only 25 Tomahawks left of which the most are damaged. The airfield was mostly empty, the IJA was out to bomb me in India, see the next battle below... but we achieved a good hit rate, the airfield looks heavily damaged. Don´t know how many eng there are, but as it is the primary IJA airfield in Burma I expect it not to be closed... 4 bombers are lost today

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Dacca , at 31,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Ki-21 Sally x 89
Ki-49 Helen x 75
Ki-46-II Dinah x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 5 destroyed, 18 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 5 destroyed, 21 damaged

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 28

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 11000 feet

even at 11.000 ft the medium bombers have problems with their hit rate, probably an effect of the HEAVY flak fire over Dacca. Dacca has the most flak guns of my bases in India. There are a couple of base forces of which every one has 48!!! flak guns. 12x3.7 inch, 12x40mm Bofors and 12x20mm Oerlikon... [:D] So the damage done regarding downed bombers isn´t that high but it seems the flak barrage worked as only 38 out of 656 bombs dropped found their target...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Dacca , at 31,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
G3M Nell x 10
G4M1 Betty x 100

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 24 damaged

Allied aircraft losses


Allied ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 58

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet

then the IJN bombers from Rangoon show up and surprisingly achieve a better hit rate than the IJA medium bombers that carry twice the bomb load... nevertheless, nearly a dozen IJN bombers are lost to flak and ops today while they achieved... nothing... [:D] our attacks were all flown simultaneously and both sides bomb empty airfields. In the end we get away better as we don´t lose as many bombers to flak and destroy a couple of planes on the ground...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71 [:D][:D][:D]


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 98


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Otori Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shiratsuyu, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage <----- sunk
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nittai Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Otake Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Sasago Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Gosyu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Unyo Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Toa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Dainiunyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Momoyama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Milan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Matue Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Matsukaze, Bomb hits 1
AP Sanfuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Kokko Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Tensyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mikage Maru #20, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Nozima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kogi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Okuni Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Yoneyama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Akatsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Murakumo, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
238 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Port hits 2
Port fuel hits 6
Port supply hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

we spotted no more Cap last turn and immediately ordered a strike. Before, there has been a low cap of not even 20 fighters all the time. Knowing that the flak defense at Kendari isn´t strong either we decided to hit the port from low alt as we spotted a lot of ships there... too many ships in the end as our bombers spread their load over all the ships in port and so far only DD Shiratsu was reported sunk. Most other ships should come away with damage only. But I take that for only ONE B-17 lost in this attack! [:D]

It seems that the Burma front is soaking up more and more Japanese fighters as Hortlund really seems to be serious about achieving something there. But this seems to have a high cost and risk when he lets his other fronts (where I have masses of bombers in range of his bases) unguarded. With flak alone, it isn´t possible to defend a target. And you don´t have 5 AA btn for every base anyway. While we´ve been seeing nearly 70 fighters on CAP over Koepang the last weeks, there are now nearly no fighters anymore. This means we will strike hard on Koepang and close the base down as we will do with the 2 other bases there also if Hortlund intends to build them up. I can assure you it´s a BIG mistake to move out all fighters from Timor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/16/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 141

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 4 destroyed, 53 damaged [X(][X(]

Japanese ground losses:
1302 casualties reported
Guns lost 23

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 65

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 11000 feet

looks like there´s a LOT of flak at Koepang... so far this has been the most intense flak fire we encountered on the map... would have been better to start off at 16.000ft, not going in at 11.000. At the end of the day 8 Mitchels were lost, including 4 crews. And it takes far more hits to close the base... still nearly 30.000 troops reported at the airfield so probably a lot of eng also. But if we manage to close the airfield than all the shipping going to Timor could be in real trouble as the IJN could then "only" fly LRCAP from Maumere which is a level 2 af now... but with the many Zeroes in Burma now (I expect that there are a couple of daitais in the Pacific also) there can´t be as many flying cover as in the weeks before...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on No. 112 RAN Base Force, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 33,63

Japanese Ships
AK Hokuzyu Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

KXIV has her main tubes damaged and we only fire with the deck guns... She was in port for weeks, repaired to 1 sys dam but the tubes never repair. Repairing damaged tubes doesn´t work in my version of the game... and no, the torps displayed are not the number it should have if all tubes are repaired so it´s not a display error...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Amboina at 39,73

Japanese Ships
DD Ayanami
DD Shinonome
DD Harusame
DD Michishio

Allied Ships
SS S-27, hits 1

one near miss, nothing serious...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near San Francisco at 139,46

Japanese Ships
SS I-121

Allied Ships
AK Empire Hartebeeste, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

I spotted this sub going to San Francisco last turn. So I created two DD ASW TFs and a MSW TF. The DDs went out into the path of the sub coming to SF while the DDs stayed there as we expected a mine layer sub (and I-121 is a mine layer). The result was that the sub went through our hexes with the DDs, then the dozen MSW at SF did nothing also and before the bugger laid some mines, it also sunk a big AK... well done ASW forces... [8|] tomorrow, the sub will move out through the hexes with my DDs again and I bet nothing will happen...

[castor troy]

What a great day!!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 116 encounters mine field at Palmyra (106,85)

Japanese Ships
DD Kazegumo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 117 encounters mine field at Victoria Point (25,39)

Japanese Ships
MSW W.17
MSW W.18
AP Kumagawa Maru, Mine hits 1

A TF moving towards Rangoon. I´m using my two Dutch mine layer subs to mine the shipping lanes to Rangoon...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 136,45

Japanese Ships
SS I-121

Allied Ships
PG Vancouver
PG Moncton
MSW Caraquet
MSW Guysborough

as expected, I-121 had no problem to escape from San Francisco again...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 37,60

Japanese Ships
AK Muroran Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

2 torps miss the target...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 6 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64)

Japanese Ships
AK Kuwayama Maru, Mine hits 1

when transferring my subs from the West coast to the front, they carry mines also... one went to Balikpapan... after laying mines they return to Darwin, our main sub port...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Rangoon at 29,34

Japanese Ships
AG AG-114, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS O20

mine layer O20 shoots up an AG during bright daylight in Rangoon harbour... [:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Imphal , at 33,26 [:D][X(][:D]

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
G3M Nell x 26
G4M1 Betty x 92
Ki-46-II Dinah x 7

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 42
P-40E Warhawk x 45

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 8 damaged
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed, 12 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 20 destroyed, 46 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 22 damaged

Airbase supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet

Hortlund rarely sees CAP over my bases in India, only if we have something important to guard. Most times he spots CAP he sends in a sweep the next day. If he only spots a fat dark airfield symbol, then he sends in the bombers the next day. We had our fighters / fighter bombers at Imphal stood down last turn, so he sent in the bombers this turn, when we had our fighters on 90% CAP! [:D] It was a gamble... and we clearly won! In future he will surely be flying a sweep before his bomber attacks or he comes with decent numbers of escorts. In this case he didn´t order a sweep and had an escort that soon turned back, as did a lot of the bombers. Still it was a massacre today (speaking for Nikmod). The Hurricanes had a hard time downing the bombers but the P-40s with a gun value of 12 mostly ripped the bombers apart. What was obvious is the fact that you can´t stop 100 incoming bombers with a Cap of 90 fighters (good...) but when I think of how many would have made it through if they wouldn´t have turned back due to low morale then I´m already REALLY scared to send in my carriers. A 100 bomber strike with 50 escorts could be the end of a couple of CVs easily...

nevertheless, this day was another victory over the skies of India. IMO the air offensive of my opponent has been a complete disaster. The date is still favouring the Japanese I think but they have lost some 200 aircraft in this area. It seems that this one CA bombardment turned the tide for the moment. We will try to keep the pressure up.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 32,64

Japanese Ships
AK Hokuzyu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

and we hit another AK... [:D]

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/18/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 40,67

Japanese Ships
PG Kozan Maru

Allied Ships
SS Dolphin

a single PG going North towards the Philipines...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 37,59

Japanese Ships
PG Kanko Maru
PG Toyotsu Maru
PG Kaiun Maru
PG Busho Maru
APD APD-31

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

all ASW vessels fail to locate our sub...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 37,59

Japanese Ships
PG Kanko Maru
PG Toyotsu Maru
PG Kaiun Maru
PG Busho Maru
APD APD-31

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

same thing again...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 29,30

Japanese Ships
PG Nishho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
PG Hayakafuku Maru

Allied Ships
SS KVII

one out of two 450mm torps hits Nishho Maru. Perhaps it´s enough to finish a PG... looks like another convoy is heading North towards Akyab, or it´s only a small ASW force. No cargoes spotted today... over Akyab and Mandalay there are around 150-200 !! [X(] fighters on Cap so this means there are at least 300 fighters in this area... I won´t fight my bombers through here and at Mandalay, recon tells us that there are 0 bombers now... If the Japanese are flying CAP with huge numbers but the bombers are taken back (not surprising eh, with the latest bomber strikes on India [:D]) then I will just sit back also and keep my head down until I see the next chance to strike hard. All those fighters in Burma will be missed somewhere else...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 22

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x A6M3 Zero bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 8


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Kashii Maru
AK Suruga Maru
AK Renzan Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet

supply convoy is attacked but those Mitchels in the low 50s aren´t worth anything...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Akyab at 30,29

Japanese Ships
DD Harukaze

Allied Ships
PT PT-38, Shell hits 4, and is sunk

for what reason ever we always see our PTs from Chandpur attacking at daylight, even that they are NOT set to patrol do not retire. The PT was supposed to go in at night of course... have seen this a couple of times here already... [&:]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 37,59

Japanese Ships
PG Kanko Maru
PG Toyotsu Maru
PG Kaiun Maru
PG Busho Maru
APD APD-31

Allied Ships
SS KXVII, hits 2

third time this sub is attacked today... [:(] two near misses... one S-class sub is in sinking condition retiring to Darwin. 80+ floatation due to a 250kg AP bomb hit earlier... I hate air ASW...

[castor troy]

a day with mixed results...


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/19/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 27,33

Japanese Ships
ML Kuroshima
ML Ishizaki
ML Katoku

Allied Ships
SS KXII

third time we attack a ML but we miss again... would like to get rid of those buggers...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 33,64

Japanese Ships
AP Kashiwa Maru

Allied Ships
SS O16

ASW attack? What attacked me?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Amboina, at 39,73

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Boise
CL Enterprise
BB Royal Sovereign

Japanese ground losses:
2706 casualties reported
Guns lost 31

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 21
Port hits 7
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 5

we wanted to catch some shipping but recon last turn showed no more ships at Amboina so I switched my TF to bombardment... a good number of ground casualties but that´s it... Boise took again 3 points of sys dam...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 30 encounters mine field at Rangoon (29,34)

Japanese Ships
PG Eifuku Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire

hehe, my Dutch mine layers have been effective so far... annoying, but nothing more...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kendari , at 33,71 [X(]


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 85


Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 59 damaged [X(][X(][X(]

Japanese Ships
AP Sanfuku Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kimishima Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
AK Gosyu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Izumo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Akatsuki, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Sekko Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Fumishima Maru, Bomb hits 1
AK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Montreal Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Mikage Maru #20, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
161 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Port hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet

it´s obvious that we were definetely attacking too low... last turn, we saw around 20 fighters on CAP and we decided that the bombers can fight through without fearing too many losses (every B-17 loss hurts though). To my complete surprise, not a single fighter defended Kendari... WHAT? [X(] What is Hortlund doing? Still having ships in port and no fighters in the air after I already did that kind of attack before? Hmm, don´t know if he wanted to lure me in some kind of flak trap. In some way, it worked but I really wonder if that´s what he was up to. Akatsuki and a couple of merchants could be in trouble of sinking in the small size 4 port. Flak guns must have been trippled since our last visit. Next time min alt will be 11.000, preferrable 16.000 but then we won´t hit a lot of shipping of course. In the end we lose 5 B-17s today (which is a third of our monthly replacement). If Akatsuki sinks then it was worth it for me. Only one of our "experienced" crews was lost. Average exp of the B-17s is 72 now...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 23

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x A6M3 Zero bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/20/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 21,47

Japanese Ships
ML Hoko

Allied Ships
SS Swordfish

[:@] fourth attack on a ML with a sub and the fourth time we miss...[:@]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1045 encounters mine field at Akyab (30,29) [8|][8|][8|][8|]

Allied Ships
DD Tenedos, Mine hits 1
CL Birmingham, Mine hits 1

have I switched back to UV or what?? 3 out of 4 times a surface combat TF or naval combat TF hits a mine if it enters a hex with Japanese mines in it. Now I´m used to (no matter what side I play) to see "non invasion TFs" very RARELY hit mines, even if they enter a hex with 10.000 Japanese mines in it. So I don´t know if this is now the norm (which would mean I can never ever send in any bombardment or other TFs into enemy hexes with mines) or if we just see the dices going wild in this PBEM.

Please, if there is someone reading this AAR, any thought about the mine hits so far? Japanese mines are causing me the most headache so far and that is STRANGE...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Akyab at 30,29

Japanese Ships
DD Harukaze, Shell hits 14, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Devonshire, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CA Exeter
CL Birmingham, Shell hits 2
CL Newcastle
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos
DD Arrow
DD Decoy
DD Norman

My TF was surprised... [8|] but no torps launched during the surprise phase... then the enemy DD was shot to pieces... Hortlund really seems to sacrifice his DDs for nothing... seems he uses them like other people use PTs...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Akyab at 30,29

Japanese Ships
PG Hayakafuku Maru
AK Toba Maru, Shell hits 50, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Devonshire
CA Cornwall
CA Exeter, Shell hits 1
CL Birmingham
CL Newcastle
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos
DD Arrow
DD Decoy
DD Norman

normally the escorts are shot to pieces and the merchants get away. This time when I would like to see the PG being sunk, the supply AK is sunk! You know the AAR title... I´m just ranting a bit... [;)]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Akyab, at 30,29

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
D3A Val: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Newcastle
CA Exeter
CA Cornwall
CA Devonshire

Japanese ground losses:
584 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Runway hits 13
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 10

this time we see a really pathetic bombardment... what was really amazing is the fact that we spotted BB HARUNA!!!! later, during the air search phase at Akyab. Means Hortlund had this (or more BBs) sprinting probably from Rangoon to Akyab to engage my TF if it stays there if wrongly set to patrol do not retire. This would have been suicide and I watched closely while giving orders anyway. Nearly 100 fighters were seen over Akyab so I´m glad my bombers aren´t on naval attack... they would just get slaughtered by the Japanese fighters and all my bombs would bounce off the BBs...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 29,29

Japanese Ships
SS I-166

Allied Ships
CL Birmingham

woooo, we were lucky here... torps miss...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77


Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 55
B-25C Mitchell x 118


Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed, 10 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
872 casualties reported
Guns lost 16

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 26

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 16000 feet
7 x Hudson I bombing at 21000 feet

5 bombers lost for nearly no results. Attacking at 6000 ft meant losing a dozen bombers but for better results also so I wonder if it´s better to fly one or two bloody attacks than 5 or 6 attacks like this one...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 23

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x A6M3 Zero bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on No. 112 RAN Base Force, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
12 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet


as you can see, there were no Betty strikes launched. All my TFs (two due to the mine hits) were spotted both in the morning and afternoon. Instead of using his Betties to attack my airfields he should set them to nav attack and all my ships would be probably gone now (of course I LRCAPed them, but there´s no Cap shield)... as it is now, there won´t be more of those adventures, Hortlund isn´t dumb and he´s already REALLY reacting...

[castor troy]

Hortlund managed to surprise us this turn...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/21/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 23

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x A6M3 Zero bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Chandpur, at 30,25 [X(][X(][X(]


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort I: 5 destroyed
Catalina I: 2 destroyed
A-20B Boston: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
CA Maya
CA Haguro
BB Hyuga


Allied ground losses:
400 casualties reported
Guns lost 14
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 52

this is a daylight bombardment!!! He obviously tried to pursue my damaged ships and I have to say I´m happy that they didn´t go to Chandpur but Diamond Harbour instead. From there we will move on further West. A very bold move but again, I would be just plain dumb to set my bombers on nav attack with the situation at the moment. We can´t harm the BBs and as I can see from 7 Zeroes and 4 Oscars lost to ops today, the Japanese are surely flying MASSIVE LRCAP over the 2!!! BB TFs. Haruna and Hyuga were spotted in different TFs today... looks like Hortlund tries to gain the initiative again...

A pity I lost 9 Beaufort I today as the replacement rate is only 10...

[castor troy]

I´ve never played someone who takes such a risk like Hortlund is doing it. He really seems to be trying to throw away the IJN for nothing... [X(]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/22/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Diamond Harbor, at 28,23 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! [X(]


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

21 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
CA Nachi, Shell hits 5 can´t Nachi´s armor be penetrated by those 9.1" CD guns??? [&:][&:]
CA Chikuma
BB Haruna


Allied ground losses:
352 casualties reported
Guns lost 10
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 11

what the hell is Hortlund doing? Attacking Chandpur was bold and risky, but now his BB TFs are sitting at Diamond Harbour. This is just asking for a DISASTER...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Chandpur , at 30,25

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 51
Ki-21 Sally x 75
Ki-49 Helen x 87

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 14 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 22 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
A-20B Boston: 5 destroyed
Catalina I: 6 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 144

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 6000 feet

not surprising, after the naval bombardment of Chandpur last turn, now the bombers are coming in. Verly low bombing run but the the achieved results seem to be excellent. Chandpur isn´t operational anymore (but I don´t need it anyway, never used it for something else than recon or nav search). 10 Boston and 9 Catalina I are destroyed and while it´s not a problem at all to lose those Bostons, the loss of 9 Catalinas is hurting. I only get 5 a month and I can´t upgrade the British patrols to something else...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Diamond Harbor , at 28,23

Japanese aircraft
Ki-15 Babs x 1

No Japanese losses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby Defense Brigade, at 54,92

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7

No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 29,28

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
ML Rigel, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

[8|][8|] what the heck... My ML ended up 4 hexes off Akyab... [&:] Looks like I was too excited last turn to give the right orders, don´t know why this ML was going towards Akyab...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Diamond Harbor , at 28,23

Japanese aircraft
Ki-15 Babs x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Kendari at 33,71

Japanese Ships
DD Ayanami
DD Shinonome
DD Harusame
DD Michishio

Allied Ships
SS S-36

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Diamond Harbor at 28,23[8|]

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Hyuga
CA Maya
CA Haguro
DD Hibiki
DD Hato

Allied Ships
ML Pro Patria, Shell hits 3, and is sunk

too make it even worse, the second ML was going to Diamond Harbour where the IJN was sitting...

wow, can you imagine what risk Hortlund is taking? If someone would tell me such a plan, I would simply call him stupid!! [:D] For what reason ever all my torp bombers stayed on the ground. I had a couple of Wellingtons and my Marauders on nav attack also, covered by 100+ Hurricanes and P40s, flown by my best pilots. And? Nothing happened. Not even a message that my strike failed to find the target or that the strike was cancelled due to bad weather. Our bombers seemed to just have missed all die rolls to even launch. What bad luck that must be is out of my imagination at the moment. 70 torp bombers launching from Calcutta to attack BBs at Diamond Harbour just one hex away, with only 40 Zeroes on LRCAP (which must have been super fatigued anyway) would be something I´m dreaming about... but there was just nothing happening...

in the end, the last couple of turns we lost something like 3 dozen aircraft for the same numbers destroyed on the Japanese side. Our aircraft lost on the ground (mostly types where it doesn´t matter anyway) and the Japanese lost a good number of Zeroes and Oscars on LRCAP, including some high exp. pilots for sure. Even if the IJN comes away without damage, taking such a huge risk to kill a couple of aircraft is just nuts IMO [:D]

bold... but nuts! [;)]

tomorrow we will try to strike back at an airfield. If Hortlund hasn´t moved out his aircraft or if they are resting than we will destroy 100 of them and his whole operation would then be a disaster, even if he hasn´t lost a BB. We are still leading easily regarding planes killed in the Burma theatre...


I´m sure Hortlund thinks that this day was a success also, like he did before, but again I have to say that we´re only in 6/42 and achieving a 1:1 in aircraft lost isn´t a whopping result and it´s even more sever for the attacker if he loses precious fighter pilots of which surely more than a dozen+ was lost in the last to days to ops alone. He has still 1000+ pilots in the pool but those replacement will come in at around 60 exp. and he loses pilots that are 70+. Pilots in the 60s flying Oscars or Zeroes can be shot down in a rate that favours us by our Hurricanes and P40s that are flown by pilots in the mid 60s to mid 70s. So all in all, seeing this attack with the IJN the last two days it was shocking but with the result in the end, I´m perfectly happy again. And this is the funny thing about this PBEM! We both are always satisfied with the results of our operations! [:D]

Here are the losses for today. As you can see the Japanese are already leading by 300 aircraft lost! [:D] This gap will further increase in the future when we will see more of the devastating attacks on a stacked airfield...

[castor troy]

super quiet turn, my airforce was grounded due to bad weather... target was Mandalay and it´s a shame... recon tells us about 300 aircraft and there was no cap in the air...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/23/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 65 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64)

Japanese Ships
APD APD-2, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30


Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 60
P-40E Warhawk x 63
A-20B Boston x 1


No Allied losses

my sweep goes in, no cap... my bombers stay grounded due to the weather... chance to torch 200+ aircraft on the ground missed...[8|]

[castor troy]

A sad day for the Allied and the Japanese are hopping up and down... [:(]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/24/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 27,32

Japanese Ships
DD Hibiki
CA Haguro

Allied Ships
SS Permit

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kendari at 33,71


Allied aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft losses
Walrus: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Shell hits 8
CA Atago, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Michishio, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage
DD Harusame, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shinonome
DD Ayanami, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CL Boise, Shell hits 2
DD Jupiter, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Nestor, Shell hits 2
DD Nizam, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

well... I sent in a TF that I would think is superior to the defending Japanese one. As usual the Japanese have their torpedo festival and I think 12-15 torp salvos were launched whereas we launched... ONE... We had 4 ships with radar. The BB and Enterprise have a night rating of around 80 so I thought they could defend theirselfs. The only ship that fought well was once again the Boise which inflicted the most damage. In the end we lose a DD and a CL immediately sunk for probably two IJN DDs sinking in the next days. The CAs take minor damage... It´s a fault to send in a TF of this size, it would be far better to just send in two Brooklyn or Helena class CLs, those would shoot up the Japanese CAs if they don´t get surprised before. But this isn´t the real disaster yet... [:(]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 39,56

Japanese Ships
TK San Diego Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS KXIV

in fact, that´s the only positive of this turn. The big TK should be sunk. Interesting was the numbers of torps launched with one salvo... 7!!!! KXIV has her forward tubes damaged and instead of launching 4 or 2 torps as a salvo from her forward tubes, she launches 7... [&:]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 37 encounters mine field at Palmyra (106,85)

Japanese Ships
MSW Himejima Maru
MSW Kyo Maru #3
MSW Kyo Maru #1
MSW Hakata Maru #7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 124


Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
94 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 12

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 16000 feet

Think there´s just no sense in attacking that high. If you want to hit something than you have to go in lower but then you lose a dozen bombers every turn to flak...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 104,67

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G3M Nell x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Case
DD Conyngham

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet

oops, two DDs end up in Nell range...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 10,86

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Summer, Bomb hits 2, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet

one of the ANNOYING CS is again around the North coast of Australia... [8|]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 10,86

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Summer, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
4 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 10,86

Japanese aircraft
E7K2 Alf x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Summer, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x E7K2 Alf bombing at 2000 feet
4 x E7K2 Alf bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 34,74 [:(][:(][:(][:(]

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 9 damaged

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet

The BB sank outright, it took only the first 8 bombers to sink her... I wasn´t able to launch my 150 bombers with 100+ escorts against the 3 BBs sitting 1 hex away at Diamond Harbour and one Daitai of Betties gets a shot of course. My TF was completely split up, the BB was on her own... as I said before, we won´t do that again... modern US CLs will be my main weapon for surface attacks from now on. I don´t need them for my CV TFs, I will put SLOOOOW BBs into my CV TFs. Those will act as bomb magnets, have a high AA value and carry a lot of fuel. They go at 3 hexes full speed when accumulated some sys dam and that´s just fine with me. I will use my CVs as cover for my invasions in the next year so I don´t need the 5 hexes full speed movements per phase...

as I said, a very sad day for the Allied...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 104,67

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G3M Nell x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Conyngham

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet

[castor troy]

BB Royal Sovereign sunk... [:(]


HMS Royal Sovereign (BB-1)
UK Battleship of World War Two
HMS Royal Sovereign was launched 29th May 1915 and commissioned in May 1916, but missed the Battle of Jutland During World War Two, Royal Sovereign did convoy duty in 1940-1941. In poor condition she spent most of1943 in refit in the United States. She went into reserve, but was loaned to the USSR (becoming the Archangelsk) in 1944. and returned to Rosyth in 1949 and was scrapped at Inverkeithing.

Displacement: 27,500 tons standard
Length: 624 ft
Beam: 88 ft
Draught: 28 ft
Propulsion: Steam turbines, eighteen boilers, four shafts, 40,000 hp
Speed: 23 knots
Complement: 997

Armament:
Eight 15 inch guns in twin turrets
Fourteen 6 inch guns in single casemates
Two 3 inch guns in single mountings
Four 47 mm guns in single mountings
Four 21 inch submerged torpedo tubes ???????? not in WITP...


Armour:
belt: 13 inches maximum, barbettes: 4-10 inches, turrets: 13 inch maximum

Part of her gun turret mechanism was later reused in the 250 foot "Mark I" radio telescope at Jodrell Bank.

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/25/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 48,47

Japanese Ships
AP Nissen Maru #2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Kyo Maru #7
PC Kyo Maru #6
PC Fumi Maru #3
MSW Takashima Maru
MSW Shonan Maru #7
MSW Kongo Maru #2

Allied Ships
SS Greenling

Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

our subs keep hitting APs. One of the big ones, doubt it will sink, only a couple of hexes to Takao, size 5... while we keep hitting the IJN shipping, the IJA bombers keep on hitting our subs. A S-class sub sunk today with a Gato calss sub being hit by a Sally today...[8|] I guess at the end of the war, 85% of the kills will go to the IJA bombers...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 2nd Tank Regiment, at 34,27


Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb x 53


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
134 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 6

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet

[&:] Hortlund sends a TK regiment from Burma towards India! What the heck is he doing?? I´m not afraid of one TK regiment that marches 2 miles a day... I wouldn´t be afraid if he would send ALL his TK regiments... no chance to attack India that way. He would need 10 divs from China, but due to our truce until mid 43 he hasn´t wiped out China and so he can´t use his divs to attack India. Seriously I have no clue what this TK regiment is doing on the trails. He has just provided me with a training target, that he either LRCAPs from time to time - and therefore has fewer fighters for CAP over Mandalay and Akyab - or my Hurricanes will train on the poor unit and destroy it..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 8,87

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Summer, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet

the annoying CS strikes again from 5 hexes range... those Jakes launched from the CS are achieving hit rates of which my LBA is dreaming about... As it looks now, the AK could even be in danger of sinking... lost all it´s 5500 supplies already... At some point I have to bring 200.000 supplies by ship to Australia´s North coast as one strike with my bombers eats a lot of supplies. Also all the fragments that were evacuated from the Philipines are rebuilding in the Darwin area and that uses up a lot of supplies too... 400.000 supplies in the Brisbane - Sydney area and no supplies are drawn over the railway to Darwin. First time the supply "system" works as I think there shouldn´t be supply be drawn to the North coast over this fantasy railway...

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/26/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 41,50

Japanese Ships
MSW W.12
MSW Fumi Maru #2
MSW Tama Maru
AP Kuroshio Maru
PG Hashidate
PG Chiyo Maru
PG Muro Maru
DD Nowaki

Allied Ships
SS Grampus, hits 1

escort of this convoy attacked first... one near miss...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Amboina , at 39,73

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 92

Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 11 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
462 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 80

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 11000 feet

since we´ve visited the place with our BB there´s not that heavy flak fire anymore...

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Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 175


Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
231 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 26

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 16000 feet

oh what a hit rate... exp of the bombers is still low (below 60) so those raids are more kind of training raids anyway...

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Day Air attack on TF at 7,89

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 2
E7K2 Alf x 26

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Summer, Bomb hits 20, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x E7K2 Alf bombing at 2000 feet

the AK sunk, the damn CS has proven to be more than annoying...[:@]

[castor troy]

very quiet again...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/27/42

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TF 168 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55)

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 3

sub laid mines...

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Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 11


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Taisei Maru
AK Suruga Maru
AK Asahisan Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet

but it seems we were able to sink a ship... small AK in trouble...

[castor troy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/28/42

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we see another night raid... still can´t figure out why Hortlund isn´t guarding his convoys. He seems to really think just because I lost Royal Sovereign my raids will stop. It wasn´t by accident that I engaged his cruisers, I was deliberately hunting them. In the future I won´t go hunting his warships but will continue to do strikes like this one... [:D]

Night Time Surface Combat, near Dili at 31,77

Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 18, and is sunk next DD sunk! [:D]
AP Kashiwa Maru
AP Koshin Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Morioka Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Muroran Maru
AP Sangetsu Maru
AP Siraha Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
AP Takunan Maru, Shell hits 14, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AP Toko Maru #2
AP Unkai Maru #3
AP Tatsutake Maru
AP Kokuryu Maru
AP Shoto Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Boise
DD Morris
DD Griffin, Shell hits 2, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
266 casualties reported

1 DD and an AP sunk immediately, the other AP should sink also... Griffin was hit by two 3 inch shells from an AP and is out of action with 21/10/8... Boise is getting a decent night experience with all those night engagements. It´s always a gamble against the Japanese at night and we always need ships with radar, otherwise it would be suicide. Also this time the Japanese DD launched torps at the Boise but missed...



unfortunately my airforce that was set to nav attack didn´t spot the big convoy the whole day... [:(]

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Day Air attack on Lautem , at 33,78


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 179


Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 14 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
414 casualties reported
Guns lost 5

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 46

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 16000 feet

as long as we would keep hitting like with this attack I would be satisfied. 2 Mitchels lost to flak today. 10 of those attacks and the base forces on Lautern would be mostly disabled and I could lower my alt to really smash the base... When I look at the CAP numbers in Burma then there must be something like 400 fighters there. No wonder down here everything seems to be unguarded (and I can´t understand that at all). Also the Pacific must be nearly empty of fighters, at least no real strong bases I think.

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Day Air attack on TF, near Dutch Harbor at 103,36


Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AK Asahisan Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet

we finish the AK that was hit last turn... half a dozen Japanese ships sunk this turn... also the big TK we hit with two torps...[:D]