Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

June 9th, 1943

An IJAAF bombing run. Allied flak is such a killer, but I have to probe the Allies to get them to risk their air force flying LRCAP. Now with plentiful supplies in Burma...I can start doing more things like this.

I think the Allies have pretty lethal AA right around the 8-9K altitude band...so most of my runs will be made at 10K, unless I can figure out there is not much in the way of AA.




I swept this hex the day before with Tonies, and nothing was flying. That was the first offensive use of the Tony which has a dismal range.

[Lowpe]

Here, this squadron represents a 400% increase in my night fighters, as I only have the Endo Detachment right now of 2 planes.

A lot of Japanese players like to supersize their night fighter squadrons, but this one isn't eligible. Plus, I think it throws off the challenge of the strategic night bombing campaign.

This squadron, is of course, not eligible for supersizing, and if it could it would be only to size 24. However, it is dividable, and this will provide some level of night fighting at 3 Bases: Rangoon, Bangkok, and somewhere else most likely in Sumatra like Medan. As other sentai become available, it will reform most likely.

[Lowpe]

I have three ARD, floating dockyards in this game, which is real nice.

I moved the starting ARD back from Truk to Guam. They move slow, and are vulnerable to subs so I wanted to do it early.

Here you can see the first patient the ARD worked on. Just groovy.[:)]

I really got addicted to repair ships my last game, especially as all my shipyards were bombed back into the stone ages.

I have one ARD at Okinawa, and the third in the Kuriles. I plan on moving them back to Korea, and upriver from Shanghai eventually depending how the game goes. I would like to keep them all operational and create hidden repair ports.

I have two AR (2 more converting), 20 AD, 6 AS, and many AG, 3 APG, and probably 20 AKE.

Long live the repair ship!

[Lowpe]

Only one unit of 800 men and 3 guns here at Ledo, if recon is to be believed.

I will sortie 36 Helens at 6000K to visit some love on the runway there.

[Lowpe]

I boosted the attack on Ledo with another bomber squadron.

I upgraded a few squadrons, started production of the A6M5c, gazed lovingly at my 5 Frank A's in the pool, throttled up the A6M8 research (just switching the A6M5c factories to it).

Worked on Recon, getting more AV out and about, and putting some boots on the ground in different places. I know I forgot a few things, will see if it hurts.

[dave sindel]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I boosted the attack on Ledo with another bomber squadron.

I upgraded a few squadrons, started production of the A6M5c, gazed lovingly at my 5 Frank A's in the pool, throttled up the A6M8 research (just switching the A6M5c factories to it).

Worked on Recon, getting more AV out and about, and putting some boots on the ground in different places. I know I forgot a few things, will see if it hurts.

I have the same feeling every time I hit the "end orders" button !

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Here, this squadron represents a 400% increase in my night fighters, as I only have the Endo Detachment right now of 2 planes.

A lot of Japanese players like to supersize their night fighter squadrons, but this one isn't eligible. Plus, I think it throws off the challenge of the strategic night bombing campaign.

This squadron, is of course, not eligible for supersizing, and if it could it would be only to size 24. However, it is dividable, and this will provide some level of night fighting at 3 Bases: Rangoon, Bangkok, and somewhere else most likely in Sumatra like Medan. As other sentai become available, it will reform most likely.

It looks like you can resize it. Usually it's only those that have a set resize that can't be resized. I seem to remember getting that group to 24 myself. [:)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Here, this squadron represents a 400% increase in my night fighters, as I only have the Endo Detachment right now of 2 planes.

A lot of Japanese players like to supersize their night fighter squadrons, but this one isn't eligible. Plus, I think it throws off the challenge of the strategic night bombing campaign.

This squadron, is of course, not eligible for supersizing, and if it could it would be only to size 24. However, it is dividable, and this will provide some level of night fighting at 3 Bases: Rangoon, Bangkok, and somewhere else most likely in Sumatra like Medan. As other sentai become available, it will reform most likely.

It looks like you can resize it. Usually it's only those that have a set resize that can't be resized. I seem to remember getting that group to 24 myself. [:)]

Too late, they are size 9 forever now.[:)]

[Lowpe]

June 10, 1943

Buin invaded...

[Lowpe]

51 250 kg bombs hit the runway...no planes lost, but no planes damaged either.

[Lowpe]

June 11, 1943

Burma...strengthening my defenses here. 400 fighters at Magwe stand ready. The first Frank sentai will go here and sweep Silchar...80 Enemy fighters protecting 160 transports.

At Buin, the Allies bombard with light cruisers but no deliberate attacks. I am moving in some reinforcements, the largest units in the theater are the: 17th Independent Mixed Brigade, 90th Inf Regt, 17th Garrison Unit, and the 144th Infantry Rgt -- plus a handful of naval guards and snlf units. Woefully short of AA and ART.

Allied have committed a log of heavy and light cruisers all in nasty 10 ship task forces. 15 APDs do the Allied forward lifting. All in all a very commendable Allied attack. Over 350 Allied fighters in three strong points.



Monsoon season in effect (may to october)

[obvert]

If he's using APDs they may not have support and won't have supply unless another TF also dropped that.

This looks like the kind of thing I did with Greyjoy down there. Very tough to stop.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

If he's using APDs they may not have support and won't have supply unless another TF also dropped that.

This looks like the kind of thing I did with Greyjoy down there. Very tough to stop.

I think he has allocated a lot more than what you have...not to mention he isn't doing any of the surprise sub landings on dot bases. I am just very hesitant to tangle with 4 Brooklyns and 6 Fletchers.

I checked today, and his ships have to go pretty far back for resupply. I need to recon several dot bases and see if he is hiding AKE or Oilers there...but from watching the ships I think he is keeping pretty far back. The Mutsu and destroyers are hanging out there on the eastern flank...waiting for an opportunity. Just don't know where Allied carriers are...perhaps Sydney...perhaps Ceylon.

I counted a dozen Allied subs within 3 hexes of Rabaul. Cheeky barstard.[:D] Rabaul is a size 9 AF...we will see what several hundred bombers on ASW and Naval Search in a narrow focused short arc can do to the subs this next turn plus one hunter killer group of subchasers. He even has subs in Rabual itself, the 150 mines do nothing.

I just upgraded a fighter squadron of Tojo IIb to IIc at Rabaul. I will be adding the A6M5c here too...as they are actually a decent counter to Lightnings (must be the firepower).

It is a lot of fun fighting down here so far...but, boy, he has it on me with regard to a disparity of force. Which makes it even funner![;)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

If he's using APDs they may not have support and won't have supply unless another TF also dropped that.

There are 2 guns and 3 vehicles present, if my recon is to be believed. 3000 men landed. So you are correct.

If I clear out the subs, then I think I might send some heavy cruisers forward. Not sure, I don't really want to risk the ships in such a heavily searched area.

BB locations: Truk 1, Ocean Island 1, Sorong 1, HI: all the rest.

CA locations: 2 Sorong. 1 Roi Namur, 2 Hong Kong, 2 near Sabang all the rest in the HI.

CL: 3 at Ponape; 4 at Adak; rest HI.

CVs: 6 Now at Sorong; but two will go back for radar upgrades. The rest in the HI upgrading. Shinano comes in 23 days.

So, the IJN is in no way shape or form ready for a mix up.

[Lowpe]

I am starting to break down and look at the devices more in depth, and there is a pleasant surprise in that the navy
SNLF squads get a real nice upgrade to 43 squads, and a 25 point anti-armor strength. Really nice.

According to tracker I have 3200 such squads active; compared to 1400 IJA 43 Infantry squads. Bear in mind, a lot that I would normally have are being destroyed in California.

In bad news, it seem my plane carried torpedoes are substantially weaker.

AA seems fairly normally, although I have a fair number of 8.8 cm...more than what I remember from stock.

I have 144 flamethrower tanks...which I didn't have until late 1944 in stock.

Lots of changes to engineers and naval support.

Lots of surprises still in store for me I am sure...

[Lowpe]

In a few days I get the largest sentai of recon planes for the entire war I believe, the 10th Sentai flying Dinah II and a size of 29 planes or broken down into 1/3rds...9-10 planes each splinter.

For most of my last game I didn't really understand how recon works, and I was assigning search vectors, rest, etc, etc. I always wondered why I had such high fatigue in them units.

As I understand it now, a recon mission flies 4 planes to the target. That is it. Percentage searching, vectors and rest has no effect. So, if you break down a Babs unit into 3 planes per splinter and give them a recon mission all 3 planes fly if they aren't down for repairs.

No wonder fatigue was always high.

In addition, if you fly low you get shot by AA. Altitude seems to have no bearing on the quality of the DL gained. So fly high and make sure the squadron has more than 4 planes in it so that some can rest and recover.

To catch units moving cross country you need to assign that particular hex. Pressing W key often will give you an outline, if you don't actually spot the troops.

In China, I also use the Sonia and Ida as a recon--freeing up recon units for duty elsewhere. They have cameras and don't stink at it. I never had them, but the Patsy also carries a camera. Please note only the late arriving Ki95 has a camera, but by just being a recon plane the Japanese recons are good enough. One well trained sentai flying 4 planes over a base at max altitude should give you a 9/10 dl most days (weather, flak, cap, morale, etc can effect results).

Dinah III I use over heavily CAP'ed Allied bases at max altitude. They seem do do well at avoiding the fighters. Babs, which have a lower ceiling and slower , seem to get shot to pieces.

I like using Babs for as long as I can. Single engine and small runways, but as Allies improve their radar, concentrate their fighters, you need the better Dinahs I-II-III. Plus they have a range advantage too.

The Judy C and Irving C can both use drop tanks to really get in some long range recon, while the Judy can fly from a carrier...so you can get in some long port strikes on occasion.

I never got to use the Myrt, but it has radar...

[Lowpe]

Lots of sightings, not as many reported attacks, but a lot less subs spotted by the end of the day.

A few hits by ASW ships on the Dutch sub in Rabaul itself.





The Vals were on ASW from 10,000 feet so they could divebomb...not sure it matters though.

[Lowpe]

June 12, 1943

Lots of ground attacks, Burma, Paoshan, Changsha and California.

Allies attack with reinforcements here in Burma, get and suffer much greater losses than Japan.

Paoshan gets a 1-1 and drops forts to 2. Getting there.

Changsha sees a daring river crossing, horrible rolls and 5000 Japanese losses (but only 18 destroyed squads) so not so bad and forts are dropped to 5. My god, 6th level forts...glad this place was left for last.

Still fighting in California...an AA unit was destroyed, but the troops are still fighting...and dying.

[Lowpe]

Here is the attack:

Ground combat at 60,43 (near Katha)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 32641 troops, 480 guns, 501 vehicles, Assault Value = 1150

Defending force 23537 troops, 239 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 739

Allied adjusted assault: 690

Japanese adjusted defense: 1657

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
642 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled

Allied ground losses:
839 casualties reported
Squads: 18 destroyed, 99 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 58 (8 destroyed, 50 disabled)

Assaulting units:
50th Tank Brigade
7th Australian Division
77th LRP Brigade
9th Australian Division

Defending units:
19th Division
8th Tank Regiment
3rd RTA/A Division
17th Indpt Guards Regiment
4th RTA/B Division
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
54th Field AA Battalion
55th Const Co

[Lowpe]

I gotta laugh out of this attack. I have been bombing for weeks...

Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 72919 troops, 716 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 3096

Defending force 66293 troops, 335 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1903

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Japanese adjusted assault: 859

Allied adjusted defense: 3727

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
5637 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 874 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 65 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1769 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 92 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 31 (4 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Assaulting units:
59th Division
13th Division
39th Division
5th Ind.Mixed Brigade
34th Division
35th Division
40th Division
26th Division
NCPC Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
RGC Army
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
37th Chinese Corps
20th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
58th Chinese Corps
44th Chinese Corps
14th Construction Regiment
32nd Group Army
29th Group Army
9th War Area
27th Group Army
30th Group Army
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment