The Elephant Vanishes : obvert (J) vs Historiker_SqzMyLemon_Canoerebel (A)

[Anachro]

The IJN demands satisfaction for its honor and would much prefer to go out in a blaze of glory. Better to die a symbolic death than to languish in the chains of some inner harbor like a prisoner in a cage. So say I, a humble member of the Naval General Staff back in Tokyo.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert


It could still happen one day but I agree, with kamis it would be a more messy affair, and possibly more fruitful

For him, with all those free VPs!

+1.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert


It could still happen one day but I agree, with kamis it would be a more messy affair, and possibly more fruitful

For him, with all those free VPs!

+1.

Haha!

I plan to use them wisely, if I ever do get them. [;)]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

The IJN demands satisfaction for its honor and would much prefer to go out in a blaze of glory. Better to die a symbolic death than to languish in the chains of some inner harbor like a prisoner in a cage. So say I, a humble member of the Naval General Staff back in Tokyo.

Hear hear! I mean...erm..BANZAI! [&o]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna




For him, with all those free VPs!

+1.

Haha!

I plan to use them wisely, if I ever do get them. [;)]

Using them wisely still means giving up 50ish VPs (and about 600 supply) for potentially absolutely zero gain.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe




+1.

Haha!

I plan to use them wisely, if I ever do get them. [;)]

Using them wisely still means giving up 50ish VPs (and about 600 supply) for potentially absolutely zero gain.

Or for potentially significant gain. It's up to the implementation and use of them in a combined OPS attack. I wouldn't dismiss an important weapons platform out of hand apriori.

[obvert]

The Allied fleet decides to come for the cruisers at Sapporo. Numerous DD TFs surge in and pound away. The Allies at this point almost don't need anything bigger!

[obvert]

A few cruisers did show up. The Perth and Hobart took some licks from the CAs, but they and their escorts continued to add to the smoke coming from the IJN as well.

[obvert]

By the time the USN cruisers were engaged the IJN was not in tip top shape, and the US gunnery had it's way.

[obvert]

The Nachi did put some hurt on the Aussie cruisers and it looks like at least one might go under.

[obvert]

The day phase involved mostly some sweeps from the Sakhalin bases, but the KB didn't get heavily involved even though it was in range. No hits to the cruisers which were still hanging around Sapporo. Damn.

[obvert]

A sub finally did for the Perth though!!

[obvert]

Takao and Aoba do not make it.

In the balance it looks like Perth went under (Kingfishers lost on the ground) and the Allies lost about 8-10 DDs. So at least in a VP sense it wasn't the catastrophic day I'd expected.

[obvert]

In the air the small strikes that did fly lost some escorts and a dozen bombers, but the sweeps were about even.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Jan 9, 1945[/font]

---

I had no idea what to expect for the next turn, and wasn't surprised when the first combat was DDs chasing the IJN CAs. Luckily three of them had half their ammo left and sank one DD before escaping to Ominato.

Not much else happened in the Japan Sea, as the Allies pulled back their CVs and other surface forces apart from some PTs and subs.

Major strikes were sent in at night against Sapporo, but the NF fought well, and 10-12 bombers were shot down by them or due to flak, and less than 10k fires started. About 3-4 B-29s shot down and some other various 4Es.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 9, 1945
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Sapporo at 120,50, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Shell hits 2
CA Nachi
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 1
CA Kumano
CL Yura

Allied Ships
DD Quality
DD Racehorse
DD Relentless, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage

Reduced sighting due to 17% moonlight

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Night Air attack on Sapporo , at 120,51

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-Sa Irving x 11
Ki-45 KAId Nick x 22

Allied aircraft
B-29-1 Superfort x 5
B-29-25 Superfort x 3
PV-1 Ventura x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-1 Superfort: 4 damaged
B-29-25 Superfort: 2 damaged
B-29-25 Superfort: 1 destroyed by flak

Resources hits 1
Manpower hits 17
Fires 8905

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-29-25 Superfort bombing from 7000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Sapporo , at 120,51

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J1N1-Sa Irving x 3
Ki-45 KAId Nick x 4

Allied aircraft
B-29-25 Superfort x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAId Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-29-25 Superfort: 1 damaged
B-29-25 Superfort: 1 destroyed by flak

Manpower hits 2
Fires 12060

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-29-25 Superfort bombing from 7000 feet
City Attack: 20 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Sapporo , at 120,51

Weather in hex: Extreme overcast

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 24
A6M5c Zero x 9
A6M8 Zero x 47
J2M5 Jack x 10
N1K2-J George x 16
N1K5-J George x 7
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 20
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 8
Ki-84r Frank x 9
Ki-100-I Tony x 36

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M8 Zero: 1 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 1 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 4 destroyed
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[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Jan 10, 1945[/font]

---

January is already 1/3 done. What will be the next move for the Allies?

Well, all TFs pulled back from the Sapporo area, and now there is a clump moving toward the Kuriles again. The air strikes during the day suggest that there will be another Kuriles invasion or two. The 4Es hit Shimushiri-Jime and Etorofu today, closing the fields. I'd been moving a lot of troops back, so he may be seeing these are weakened targets, easy grabs. Fine by me!

If indeed the Allies are moving again on the Kuriles, that would make me relax a bit. I had feared a deeper, more debilitating move. I've now begun to prepare more for these moves, and will put more in place along the Northern coast of Honshu and across the three island bases of the Japan Sea in the next week. I've just dropped a rebuilding division on Sadogashima and forts have hit level 5 at all three this week.

The longer the Allies spend in taking Kuriles bases in sequence, one at a time, the more time the Japanese will have to catch up on airframes, build forts and fill out new units on the main islands. The block on Hokkaido South of Wakkanai is now up to 2200AV of decent divisions and lots of arty. So I think this will be a good first holding force, and if more moves in I have another 1200AV one hex back, in reserve.

Only a few contested actions today, and again my Ki-83 sweeps are poor. I've got to figure this out soon!
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 10, 1945
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Morning Air attack on Sapporo , at 120,51

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 29 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 33
A6M5c Zero x 9
A6M8 Zero x 39
J2M5 Jack x 10
N1K2-J George x 19
N1K5-J George x 7
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 20
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 12
Ki-84r Frank x 10
Ki-100-I Tony x 37

Allied aircraft
F4U-1A Corsair x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed

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Morning Air attack on Etorofu , at 128,52

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 64 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-25H Mitchell x 16
P-38L Lightning x 7
PBJ-1D Mitchell x 14
PBJ-1J Mitchell x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-56 Thalia: 3 destroyed on ground
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-25H Mitchell: 7 damaged
PBJ-1D Mitchell: 1 damaged
PBJ-1J Mitchell: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 26
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 44

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x PBJ-1D Mitchell bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Wakkanai , at 122,48

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 42,530 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-83 x 32

Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 3
F4U-1D Corsair x 8
Kittyhawk IV x 10
F4U-1A Corsair x 2
F4U-1D Corsair x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-83: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-83 sweeping at 41530 feet

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Afternoon Air attack on Bihoro , at 123,51

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 9
A6M5c Zero x 4
N1K5-J George x 5

Allied aircraft
P-38L Lightning x 17
TBM-1C Avenger x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38L Lightning: 2 destroyed
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x TBM-1C Avenger bombing from 5000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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I'll have to mess with altitudes now, but of course the reason I made so many of these is the mix of speed, guns, and high ceiling. Hmmm.

[ny59giants]

How is Japanese artillery doing this late in game? I'm only in Feb '43 and the Allied artillery still gets the worse of bombardment results.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum

How is Japanese artillery doing this late in game? I'm only in Feb '43 and the Allied artillery still gets the worse of bombardment results.

It depends on where and when. In Burma, where my best heavy arty and most experienced units are located, I can easily destroy 20-30 devices per bombardment in a counter battery salvo.

Up North where they face higher odds and better equipment, the Japanese suffer heavy losses every day as the Allied troops land continuously and force the auto-bombardments. If stationary, taking on an offensive hit and countering, the Japanese still do okay.

So it all depends. I've just gotten a load of decent new arty that is now on Hokkaido and will begin to mix it up soon, so stay tuned.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Jan 11, 1945[/font]

---

On the 11th the Allies land at Etorofu. The Allied units are again not fully prepped.

The air strikes during the day are oddly ineffective, but still keep up the damage on the fields.

I spent most of my turn doing pilot and airframe management. Filled out every fighter group on map with planes and pilots. I'll try to avoid major combat for a week or so to get a pool buffer going. I'll be producing about 30-35% more 3rd gen fighters than the Allies by next month with the arrival of the Sam pushing total fighter production over 1,500 airframes. At this point the A6M line will discontinue production altogether. I'll also get the Tony Ki-100 II, but since this is not using the Symon air fix, these are 367mph, not 380+. They're pretty equivalent with a Hellcat though, so not bad, and the CL cannons are good against the 4Es.
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 11, 1945
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Amphibious Assault at Etorofu (128,52)

TF 696 troops unloading over beach at Etorofu, 128,52

Allied ground losses:
485 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 57 (0 destroyed, 57 disabled)
Vehicles lost 53 (2 destroyed, 51 disabled)

13 troops of a USA Rifle Squad 44 lost from landing craft during unload of 31st Infantry Div

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Morning Air attack on Etorofu , at 128,52

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 21 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Liberator B.VI x 6
B-24J Liberator x 10
B-25H Mitchell x 16
B-29-1 Superfort x 8
B-29-25 Superfort x 41
P-51D Mustang x 7
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 6
PBJ-1D Mitchell x 14
PBJ-1J Mitchell x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator B.VI: 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 6 damaged
B-25H Mitchell: 5 damaged
B-29-1 Superfort: 5 damaged
B-29-25 Superfort: 3 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 5 damaged
PBJ-1D Mitchell: 2 damaged
PBJ-1J Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5

Aircraft Attacking:
14 x PBJ-1D Mitchell bombing from 7000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Ground combat at Etorofu (128,52)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 25652 troops, 63 guns, 58 vehicles, Assault Value = 650

Defending force 63594 troops, 833 guns, 1436 vehicles, Assault Value = 1997

Japanese ground losses:
245 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
35th Ind.Mixed Brigade
10th Exped.Force
44th Ind.Mixed Brigade
61st Division
Ichiki Det.
3rd Base Force
67th Construction Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
31st Army
2nd RF Gun Battalion
5th Air Division
37th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
1st Marine Division
CenPac Amphib Tank Brigade
110th Combat Engr Bn /1
96th Infantry Division
716th Tank Battalion
31st Infantry Division
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
12th NZ Brigade
775th Tank Battalion
364th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
XIV Corps Combat Engr Rgt /12
X Corps Artillery
XI US Corps
154th FA Bn
165th Field Artillery Battalion
9th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
IX Corps Artillery

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[Lowpe]

I am amazed there wasn't further landings on either Hokkaido or Honshu.