Once Again into the Breach - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A)

[Mike Solli]

22 Mar 43

Sub War

The Allies got first blood today. The Sargo caught and sank the xAK Nichiren Maru (Gozan class) several hexes SW of Nagasaki. She was carrying resources from Amami Oshima.

Just off Amoy, a couple of PBs caught the Pogy and hit her with a DC. Hopefully, that’ll send her home.

The Tautog had been hanging around off Zamboanga, waiting for a TF at that base loading resources for movement to Manila. It just so happened that a minelaying TF from Singapore passed by on its way to lay a minefield at Babeldaob. One of the escorts, the E Tomozuru, hit her with a DC. Hopefully, she’ll go home too.

5 Fleet

The Oscars hit the Allied minesweeping TF once again sinking the only remaining YPS. The last ship in the TF will probably make it back to Dutch Harbor to tell its tale of woe.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

Combat in this area started with 5 Betties attacking shipping at Milne Bay. Of course they all missed. 91 missed sorties. When will it end?

Half a dozen P-38Gs swept Rabaul losing half their number in return for 3 Japanese fighters (no pilot losses).

Remember the sentai of Oscars that was going to ambush the P-39s and Mitchell bombers at Madang? Well, Ted swept the hex with P40Ks. I lost 6 Oscars (2 KIA, 2 WIA) to 3 P-40s, mainly because the Oscars were at 15k feet and the P-40s came in high. Figures.

Gasmata’s engineers repaired 16% of the airfield damage: 0-83-82

I noticed something very interesting today. For the first time in months, no Allied subs were spotted around Truk. Ted finally realized that it wasn’t worth the cost in subs. My ASW ships and planes there will remain vigilant. I will expand my search out from 2 to 4 hexes, just in case they’re still around. If they really are gone, I will be able to move KB/MKB/Combined Fleet units out at will. Very nice! I wonder how many subs Ted lost there.

SRA

Nothing to report.

Burma

The Chindits are moving! They just showed up as heading due east toward the road. I think he is planning on trying to cut my supply line, but I have something in store for him. I have several units enroute to that hex:

I have an infantry regiment (78% strength) that will reach the hex in a day or two.
There are 3x artillery regiments (150cm, 150cm and 100 cm guns) at Prome enroute.
There is a tank regiment and another infantry regiment (both full strength) at Rangoon enroute there. The tanks may make it, but we’ll see about the infantry.

There are no other units at Ramree other than the Chindits. If they do move out of Ramree, I’ll drop the 4 Parachute regiment in Ramree, cutting the Chindits off from any supply they had. Hopefully, the bombardments and bombing attacks disabled some of the Chindits and destroyed a significant amount of supply.

There was no bombing by either side today.

China

Bombing of Chengtu & Chungking’s airfields destroyed 3 planes and damaged another 10, with the airfield damage to Chengtu increasing.

I attacked Chihkiang today. Ted owns it with a Corps and I’ve had the 41 Division in the hex for quite a while. The 2:1 attack against level 2 forts caused 295(2) Chinese casualties to 117(0) Japanese casualties. His supply is low there. I’ll attack again tomorrow.

Other Stuff

Reinforcement:
E Matsuwa (Etorofu class escort) – This is a new class of ship for me with 6x Type 2 DC racks and 8000 (200 hex) endurance. If I counted correctly, I get 15 of these beasts. I swapped out the CO (as I always do if the current one sucks). I get two more of them in a few days. I’ll create ASW TFs with them and move them to Singapore for escort duties. That will free up some of the shorter ranged escorts at Singapore for other duties. I have high hopes for these little ships.

I am sending the following ships to Kobe/Osaka for their 4/43 refits (from Truk):

CV Akagi
CV Kaga
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara
CA Mikuma
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CL Natori
CL Sendai
4 DD escort (not upgrading)

I was reluctant to send the 2 CVs (72 Zeros, 36 Vals, 45 Kates) because of the possibility of invasion in the south. They pack a huge punch. Without them I still have quite a bit of carrier air though (Soryu, Ryujo, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Junyo, Hiyo):

183 Zeros
90 Vals
90 Kates

That doesn’t count MKB1 (Ryuho, Taiyo, Chuyo – 9 Zeros, 27 Vals, 21 Kates) off Burma and MKB2 (Hosho, Zuiho & Shoho – 57 Zeros, 24 Kates) ready to leave Truk for Etorofu to support Adak.

If there is action in the south, KB will remain north of New Britain, relatively safe, but still within range of Gasmata. Ted starts getting the Hellcat next month, so I don’t expect to see his carriers until late May, at the earliest. That doesn’t mean he won’t attack, just that it’ll be a limited attack. That means my carriers will be “relatively” safe. Being north of New Britain will protect them from most LBA in the area. Enemy subs, as always, are another story. If KB does move south, several ASW TFs will accompany then. Right now, I’m thinking 5-6 ASW TFs, all 18 of the Fubukis, which are currently at Truk.

[Mike Solli]

Back in December, Herrbear asked me for a list of my merchant ship routes and their composition. I finally got around to it. [8|] Anyway, here it is. Keep in mind that this is as of March 43. If anyone wants it in spreadsheet format, give a holler and I'll send it.

[witpqs]

You need one of these.

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[Mike Solli]

23 Mar 43

Sub War

My torpedo magnets (SCs and PBs) are actually getting better at ASW work. Today, the SC Ch-19 caught the Dutch KXVI and hit her with a depth charge in the deep water off Balikpapan.

5 Fleet

Adak's forts reached level 6 finally! And not a moment too soon. Ted has fleets all over the place around Dutch Harbor. I suspect he's got something planned. I wish my Judys would hit the theater. They're still on a ship several days out. I have MKB2 (Shoho, Zuiho, Hosho) heading north with a little AO support. There are only 55 Zeros and 24 Kates on board, not much offensive power. I'm still debating whether to send Junyo & Hiyo (54 Zeros, 36 Vals, 18 Kates) too. I'll make that decision in a day or 2.

The 7 Base force is short only 1 more DP gun and Adak has 24k supply. I'm ready for him, but I would like to have MKB2 up there. I hope he holds off another few days.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

23 more Betties missed Allied ships at Woodlark. That's 122 missed Betty sorties. [8|]

A supply convoy of 2x xAKLs with PB escort to Talasea were hit by 15 Avengers escorted by 6 Corsairs. Sixteen Zeros attacked and shot down 4 Corsairs for a loss of 2 Zero op losses. Unfortunately the Avengers got through sinking both xAKLs. At least they were tiny rowboats, and killing 4 Corsairs is a great thing!

Over Madang, I lost 2x Oscars to 3x P-40Ks.

No Allied bombers flew.

Gasmata's damage dropped to 0-83-64.

SRA

Nothing to report.

Burma

Nothing happened today. It looked the the Chindits stopped moving east from Ramree Island, but in an email Ted confirmed that they are still moving. Either way, I'm still reinforcing the hex the Chindits are aiming for.

China

My bombers over Chengtu and Chungking destroyed a couple Chinese planes on the ground, damaged a few more, and put a few more holes in the airfields.

I attaked Chihkiang again, getting 2:1 odds and reducing the forts to level 1, with minor casualties on both sides.

Other Stuff

Reinforcements:
xAK Hoshin Maru - Std-B - will convert to a TK
31 Mountain Gun Regiment - Shanghai - element of 31 Division - will head to Burma (where the infantry is) after taking on replacements
31 Tankette Company - Shanghai - element of 31 Division - will head to Burma (where the infantry is) after taking on replacements
31 Engineer Regiment - Shanghai - element of 31 Division - will head to Burma (where the infantry is) after taking on replacements

The Ki-43-IIIa R&D advanced to 2/44.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

You need one of these.

http://www.willowstreasures.com/Coins.html

Ya got me. I don't see the significance.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: witpqs

You need one of these.

http://www.willowstreasures.com/Coins.html

Ya got me. I don't see the significance.

It's a round tuit. After you get one, you won't have to put things off until you get a round tuit. [:)]

[Mike Solli]

24 Mar 43

Sub War

Nothing to report.

5 Fleet

I see a TF a couple hexes south of Dutch Harbor of 7x BBs headed west. Who knows what they are. Wish MKB was up here. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

I had my Oscar sentai sweep Unmak Island. They came across 4x P-400s and shot them all down for no loss. Easy experience.

4 Fleet

Nothing to report.

SE Fleet

Seven Betties missed again. 129 sorties… [:@]

Ted's air force went after Talasea's airfield. There were a total of 27 fighter and 71x 4E sorties. I had a handful of fighters from Rabaul overhead. I lost 9 to 1 Kittyhawk III. His fighters were flying high and my were at 15k. Fortunately, I lost only a couple of pilots, with a couple more wounded. Damage to Talasea's airfield was 0-30-40. I'm glad he went after Talasea. I have only a detachment of recon planes stationed there.

Gasmata's damage reduced to 0-83-39. Getting there. I want it repaired so the forts will reach level 6 (currently stuck at 5.92).

SRA

Nothing to report.

Burma

My infantry regiment is 1 mile from the hex the Chindits are moving toward. They'll reach it tomorrow.

MKB1 was hovering 6 hexes south of Ramree Island while the two bombardment TFs rearm and return from Singapore. They spotted the DD Nizam and PG Yarra, sinking both. One Kate was lost to flak. The escorting Zeros held off 4 Martlets, downing 2 while losing a Zero.

Unfortunately, MKB1 is now out of torpedoes. [8|]

China

Bombing of Chengtu and Chungking again.

I attacked Chiakiang getting 1:1 odds and reducing the fort to 0. I'll shock attack tomorrow to push the Chinese out.

Other Stuff

The D4Y2 R&D advanced to 12/43.
The Ki-100-II R&C advanced to 8/44.

The Ha-32 engines finally went above 500 engines in the pool (barely). The B6N2 doubled it's R&D. I just barely get extra engines each day so eventually all the R&D plane factories that use the Ha-32 will benefit.

The Ha-45 R&D factories will advance to 4/43 in 3 days. Then I'll start increasing them from 240 to 360 per month. Sometime in May, I should reach 500 engines in the pool and then the George will really start to accelerate. The George R&D currently has 5x30 and 1x28 factories. Soon, the 3 Tojo R&D factories will convert to the George as well.

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: witpqs

You need one of these.

http://www.willowstreasures.com/Coins.html

Ya got me. I don't see the significance.

It's a round tuit. After you get one, you won't have to put things off until you get a round tuit. [:)]

I need to get me one of these things! [:D]

[Malagant]

So early war for me, but I'm experiencing very similar Betty issues. Could you share what missions parameters you're using on them? (eg. altitude, rest/search/etc percentages, etc)

Thanks!

[Mike Solli]

The Betties are flying night ops, 6k feet, 17 hex range. None are resting but with night ops, few fly so fatigue is 8. At night, you can't search. I have plenty of search planes in the area. Here's a shot of the area with search showing:

[Lowpe]

How much of that is night search?

[Mike Solli]

None. Will that matter? They're finding ships, just not hitting them.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

None. Will that matter? They're finding ships, just not hitting them.

Always thought it would, guess I don't right really know! Add it to the list of things I have no idea about.

Captain Cruft was a genius at night attacks I seem to recall....and I think the important factor was pilot experience. He used 80+ I believe.

My thought was to get your Betty pilots up to 70 navT; then send them to China to get to 80 experience all thru 42. Somewhere in 43 you should have some night torpedo bombers that can hit. Never did it, just thought about it.

I guess you can cull your experienced bombers, and train them up on torpedo attacks too. Maybe I will do that.[:)] It would be nice to hit something instead of making torpedo runs on PT boats.[:D]

[Mike Solli]

One unit has average NavT experience of 68, the other is 72. *Shrug*

I'll look to see how many pilots I have with 80+ NavT experience. If I have enough, I'll move them all to one of those units. Can't hurt, right? [:D]

Edit: I'll try some night Naval Search too.

[Lowpe]

I think it was 80+ experience, 70 NavT+. Good luck finding them, I know you have them somewhere...like in the CVs that come in 45.[:D] Then they would lose experience flying a twin engine bomber...

[Mike Solli]

Heck, now I have to check again. I have exactly 14 pilots with 80+ NavT including 5 commanders.

[Mike Solli]

I have 21 pilots with 81+ exp (all 70+ NavT) and they are all in TRACOM. 15 months of war and not even enough to outfit a bomber daitai. Sheesh!

[Lowpe]

Darn, that is pretty good. Better than me, my best pilots are fish food...what can you expect when you have 15K plane losses.[:D] Emilies are the plane of choice with dual torpedoes, but you would take an experience hit putting them there...fill out a squadron best you can and see what happens. Maybe a 1/3rd.

I got to thinking about this, while shoveling snow, again[8|], and I think you can pull a whole bunch of Army Bomber Pilots with 80 exp, and then when the Peggy T comes along, train them up in NavT, and viola, a relatively safe long range night strike force with great experience just when you need them. We are talking long term deviousness, but really, you might get several strikes out of them, and during the day, they will pretty much die in one attack.

This strategy might bear fruit in 6/44 when we get some radar. The B5N2, 2nd Frances, G4M3a, and there is probably others.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli




Ya got me. I don't see the significance.

It's a round tuit. After you get one, you won't have to put things off until you get a round tuit. [:)]

I need to get me one of these things! [:D]

Amazon sells them - http://www.amazon.com/Round-Tuit-Tokens ... B008OVQZR4

[Mike Solli]

Of course Amazon sells them. They sell pretty much everything. [:D]