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at Formosa the Marines + Americal Div and AUS 1st Armoured Bde land and take the base ... stage 1 of operation Pendulum is complete

Tanks help a lot, don't they?[:D]

Congratulations on a well-executed plan. (Did the QE really sink?)[:(]

Yes, she really did. But, actually, archaic Ki-32 from Formosa claimed this job.



And Ki-67 from Shanghai claimed only a heavily damage of a light cruiser.

The last battle of KB from other side:

The invasion on Takao forced Yamaguchi´s Kido Butai to react. He was comanding the formidable force - 5 of the best Japanese carriers - Shinano, Taiho, Kaga, Amagi and Katsuragi, all with the best pilots. Kido Butai slipped through allied fleets and chose the last one. All planes took off and found enemy carriers. Have they any chance of sinking any hated ships?

Of course not. I don´t like, what happend next. It was a nightmare. As usual, a single big group of fighters evaded my escort and erased 90 % of attacking bombers, so my attack was stopped even before most of fighters join battle. In comparison with reality, in Battle of Marianas, americans had many more fighters (well, only F6F) and japanese fighter pilots were much worse than my pilots. Still, quite a lot of bombers managed to get through CAP and attacked. Not in this game. It is a pity the bombers don´t have a chance to evade enemy fighters. It is a double-pity, because japanese escort do that regulary.

The counter-attacks ended with expected result. Taiho and one of Unryu´s sank and all remaining fighters destroyed.

En route home, Kido Butai was met by others allied carrier TFs. After numerous strikes, only 2 DD stayed afloat.

Another nice point. Shinano, the biggest and best armored carrier of those days (actually converted battleship with armored flying deck), recieved *** damage after hit by 500 lb bomb. According survivors, it was the worst hit. With numerous other bomb hits, even this mighty ship went down finally.

As usual, a single big group of fighters evaded my escort and erased 90 % of attacking bombers, so my attack was stopped even before most of fighters join battle. In comparison with reality, in Battle of Marianas, americans had many more fighters (well, only F6F)

I think that's a big part of the disaster. You were facing not only F6F's but F4U-4's.

3/19/45:  Operation Pendulum continues with an attack on Keelung - this time the Japs attack with G4Ms carrying Baka bombs, which strike home ... despite this the base falls to U.S. / Australian attack ... IJN counters by bombarding Takao, catching the Pacific Fleet off guard ... U.S. divisions left to defend the base are beat up, but so are the IJN surface units, which take a withering attack from F4Us, Helldivers and TBM Avengers ...

 3/26/45: Forces scraped up from across the Pacific launch Operation Detachment, the assault on Iwo Jima - no Japanese air or naval interference, so only the IJA has to be overcome, which is done after very heavy losses ... meanwhile a combined U.S. / British / Indian force assault Amoy, the lone IJA Brigade is quickly overcome ... U.S. airpower from Formosa continues to pound the IJN SCTF withdrawing from Takao, it appears Yamato, Agano and several other CL/DDs take damage ...

Yamato, Agano and several other CL/DDs take damage ...

Sounds a bit like the force composition for Operation Ten-Go. Again, the fact that the F4U-4 is a fighter-bomber makes it considerably more potent against Japanese ships.

Hi everyone -

Skip - Maybe I missed it but do you have Nukes?

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Tanks help a lot, don't they?[:D]

They sure do [;)]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Congratulations on a well-executed plan.

Thanks - it was nice to make progress after the blood-letting I suffered on Luzon. I simply cannot afford a battle of attrition at this point (no reserves) [:(]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

I think that's a big part of the disaster. You were facing not only F6F's but F4U-4's.

I have for the most part switched all allied CVs over to the F4U-4 - with it's 30 maneuver rating, I think that is decisive.

ORIGINAL: Koniev

Hi everyone -

Skip - Maybe I missed it but do you have Nukes?

Hi Koneiv - No Nukes as of yet, we are currently in mid-April, 1945. So probably a few more game months to go for Fat Man. [:D]

Benefit, hoping to hear more about this area