The Hive - Cruft PBEM (Japan, Scen 2 Beta + Stacking Limits)

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 14 1943

I have air transported a fragment of a JNAF Bn from Babeldoab to Nabir which comprises 4 aviation support squads. When the work is done I will simply air transport it back out again.

Now, onto the next turn, and it was not pleasing.


The US cluster of TFs appears to have stopped advancing north and are now moving west towards Darwin. Ambon managed only a single half-arsed strike of 30 Zeros and 13 Nells, over half of which got shot down for no results. The US CAP was larger this time and had some marine Corsairs in there alongside the Wildcats.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Wessel Islands at 81,122

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 42 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 33
G3M3 Nell x 13

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 49
F4U-1 Corsair x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 8 destroyed
G3M3 Nell: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Case

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(19 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 14 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 24000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
VF-3 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(18 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 14 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 24000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 44 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VMF-121 with F4F-4 Wildcat (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(12 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 22000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes
VMF-222 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 22000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 2 minutes

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 15 1943

Well it's all a bit puzzling. The CVs now appear to be returning from whence they came. I really have no idea what this was all about.

[House Stark]

Maybe he was just testing your defenses, or trying to get you to commit more to that area so he can strike elsewhere.

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 16 1943

"Just regrouping" is the official statement

Meanwhile, there are further developments.

First, the evil P-38s have re-appeared in Burma over Pegu. The house Tojos lost the numbers game but were numerous enough and damaging enough to hopefully make him think twice about trying to actually bomb the place.

Secondly, over in the Gilbert Islands we have some more intruders. According to naval search there are no CVs present, just transports and CLs/DDs. On the face of it it looks like they are heading for Nauru or Ocean Island rather than Tarawa. This is bad timing, since literally yesterday I had to withdraw the Chitose Betties from Roi-Namur. As a result I have very little anti-naval capability east of Ponape. Let's see what a few Emilies can do in the way of harassment ...

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 17 1943

Landings at Tarawa and Tabiteuea!

There are some "CV" ships in the TFs at Tarawa. I bet that since these are actually in the hex they are really CVEs. Regardless, due to the auto shock attack I now have an opportunity to actually Sweep over an invasion fleet. Two Zero Daitais from Roi-Namur and Maloelap will do the job. If they can seriously dent the CAP then I may try a daytime naval attack from Roi-Namur tomorrow. There are some Emilies and Nells there now, moved over from the Carolines. How I do like long range aircraft ...

Note: Tarawa is a size 0 airfield, and while he has of course landed several engineering units it cannot possibly be other than a size 0 airfield for the whole of next turn. Therefore my Sweepers, should they manage to fly, will only face naval CAP.

I am also sending in a wolf pack of 6 subs to Tarawa which should arrive tonight. These may achieve no more than simply getting sunk by USN DDs, but the idea is to trigger a night torpedo attack, again from Roi-Namur.

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 18 1943

No night aerial torpedo attack, but the subs did quite well on their own ...

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Sub attack near Tarawa at 136,127

Japanese Ships
SS I-16, hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Louisville, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB South Dakota
CA Northampton
CL Phoenix
CLAA Juneau
DD Selfridge
DD Wilson
DD Clark
DD Balch
DD Phelps

SS I-16 launches 6 torpedoes at CA Louisville
DD Clark fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Balch fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Phelps attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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Sub attack near Tarawa at 136,127

Japanese Ships
SS I-16, hits 5

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB South Dakota
CA Northampton
CL Phoenix
DD Selfridge
DD Porter
DD Wilson
DD Clark
DD Balch
DD Phelps

Ammo storage explosion on CV Hornet
SS I-16 launches 8 torpedoes at CV Hornet
DD Clark fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Balch attacking submerged sub ....
DD Phelps fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Balch attacking submerged sub ....
DD Balch loses contact with SS I-16
DD Phelps fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Balch fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Phelps fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Phelps fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Phelps attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub

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Submarine attack near Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-19

Allied Ships
AGP Mobjack, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

AGP Mobjack is sighted by SS I-19
SS I-19 launches 2 torpedoes at AGP Mobjack

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ASW attack near Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-34

Allied Ships
DD Kilty, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL Danae
CL Adelaide
DD Sims
xAP Edwin M. Stanton
xAP Alcoa Pennant
xAP Cape Alava
xAP Etolin
xAK William L. Garrison
xAK Moses Rogers
DD Shaw
DD Cummings

SS I-34 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Kilty
I-34 bottoming out ....
DD Shaw fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Cummings fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Shaw fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Shaw fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Shaw fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Shaw fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

In the air, a nice co-ordinated Sweep took out 15 Wildcats for a loss of 7 Zeros.

[Captain Cruft]

I was thoroughly pleased with the results above. If Tracker is to be believed a CA, DD & AGP have been sunk at no cost. I believe the DD and AGP, not sure about the CA ... My subs are all fine. Two have sys/flt of approximately 15/5 and will retire to Truk and it's ARD. The others will stay at and around Tarawa. I am still trying for a night naval attack by Emilies.

In the absence of further attention the Hornet will probably survive, but he may be more cautious as a result of it getting damaged.

There are now 3 Zero Daitais in the Marshalls, with another on the way, along with two small Kate units and an additional Rufe Chutai to supplement the existing one at Jaluit. None of these moves is seriously compromising my defences in other areas. This is the benefit of fighting at arms length all along the perimeter and having long-range aircraft which can shuffle from A to B quickly.

Obviously, once Tarawa has a built-up airfield I shall start to receive some serious ordnance delivery from 2E and 4E bombers which I will be unable to prevent. At this point I will commence serious evacuation efforts. However, I am actually starting the process now by flying out the naval construction battalion that is at Mili. This most vulnerable base has a fort level of 5, which will have to do. Level 6 would have been nice but I doubt it will make much difference in the scheme of things.

The basic idea of my strategic plan is to always win the tactical battle. This last turn was a fine example

[Captain Cruft]

USN CV Positioning

I reckon, based on CAP numbers and whatnot, that there are 2 CVs operating off NE Australia and 4 in the Gilberts. Not sure if he has any Essex class yet. Quite possibly I am just seeing the 6 original jobbies.

He has stated that the RN CVs will only operate in their own backyard (i.e. the Indian Ocean), and likewise I am only using IJN air in the Pacific with the IJAAF not operating beyond the DEI and Philippines.

Given this, I am almost tempted to unleash the KB in the Gilberts. However I won't since this would contradict the plan for the Decisive Battle. It would also burn lots of fuel since it's quite a trek from Guam.

Still, interesting that he is willing to split his resources like that.

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 19 1943

More sub attacks, none successful, but no subs heavily damaged either.

Emilies launched at night, but in Heavy Rain they decided to attack some destroyers to no effect. They will continue to try.

Another Sweep bagged 19 Wildcats for about 15 Zeros.

Tarawa is now a size 1 airfield. It took two whole days ... So I will stop the Sweeps and unless he lands somewhere else in the vicinity will basically just wait for the bombers to arrive over the Marshalls while working on my evac plans.

Elsewhere is totally quiet apart from the usual Resource carrying xAKs being sunk by the ever increasing number of US subs.

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 20 1943

Another small sub success. I-29 is hurt but should survive without further damage being applied. It is heading back to Truk along with all the other damaged subs.

I am going to start things happening in China to distract him. Not Operation Yak, which must wait until spring, but movements and attacks in the Hengyang-Changsha area. These are two bases I would still really like to take for the Hive perimeter. The plan is to reverse my previous "don't lose any troops" type of play and start seriously sacrificing IJA infantry in order to achieve my goals. The 4,400 AV stack at Changsha will perform a DA next turn to get the ball rolling.

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Sub attack near Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-29, hits 9

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
CL Adelaide
xAP Edwin M. Stanton
xAP Mount McKinley
xAP Santa Paula
xAK William L. Garrison
xAK Stephen M. White
DD Shaw
DD Cummings

SS I-29 launches 6 torpedoes at CL Danae
DD Shaw attacking submerged sub ....
DD Cummings fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[Captain Cruft]

Production note

I have had an epiphany and converted a boatload (ha ha) of Merchant Shipyards over to Naval Shipyards. The end result will be 2,100 of the former and 300 of the latter. This will consume 640,000 supplies and take at least 233 days.

The Decisive Battle requires as many ships that can fight as possible. So I better get making them ...

[obvert]

A bit confused by your statement on shipyards. Do you mean you'll have more naval or merchant shipyards now? Secondly, in either case, why?

You seem like the perfect person to ask about finding more units to field the Nick. Which ones have you used?

[Captain Cruft]

Oops my statement was the wrong way round. I will have 2,100 Naval and 300 Merchant yards. The idea is to get all the fighting ships built, preferably ahead of schedule.

Any IJAAF airgroup which flies a 1E bomber can convert to Nicks. Then there are 3 or 4 which naturally upgrade to it, and I have also double-converted some groups from 2E bombers to 1E bombers and then on to Nicks. I only used groups with at least 18 aircraft.

Next turn I will do an actual list.

[Captain Cruft]

Feb 21 1943

The Allied armadas are dispersing to east and west having delivered their payloads. Tarawa and Tabiteuea are now both size 2 airfields.

Sub I-34 attacked and probably sank a minelayer, but paid for it and got sunk itself by saying hello to 4 newly deposited mines.

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Sub attack near Tarawa at 136,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-34

Allied Ships
CM Terror, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-34 launches 4 torpedoes at CM Terror
Sub escapes detection

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TF 48 encounters mine field at Tarawa (136,128)

Japanese Ships
SS I-34, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

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TF 48 encounters mine field at Tarawa (136,128)

Japanese Ships
SS I-34, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

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TF 48 encounters mine field at Tarawa (136,128)

Japanese Ships
SS I-34, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

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TF 48 encounters mine field at Tarawa (136,128)

Japanese Ships
SS I-34, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

[Captain Cruft]

Nick Swarm

There are now 443 Nicks on the map, as follows:-

5th Sentai - 42 a/c
6th Sentai - 27 a/c
7th Sentai - 27 a/c
14th Sentai - 31 a/c
16th Sentai - 31 a/c
27th Sentai - 24 a/c
32nd Sentai - 27 a/c
34th Sentai - 27 a/c
45th Sentai - 27 a/c
62nd Sentai - 27 a/c
65th Sentai - 36 a/c
66th Sentai - 36 a/c
52nd I.F. Sentai - 18 a/c
264th Sentai - 36 a/c

They are located on a line which runs basically south from Takao to Kendari, with most being in Luzon and Mindanao.

[Captain Cruft]

Changsha

My DA at Changsha went about as expected.

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Ground combat at Changsha (82,52)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 125927 troops, 1128 guns, 362 vehicles, Assault Value = 4530

Defending force 107542 troops, 629 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4208

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Japanese adjusted assault: 6826

Allied adjusted defense: 12935

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
20467 casualties reported
Squads: 250 destroyed, 1709 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 220 disabled
Engineers: 47 destroyed, 188 disabled
Guns lost 135 (6 destroyed, 129 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1446 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 289 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 98 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 25 (1 destroyed, 24 disabled)

Assaulting units:
6th Division
40th Division
34th Division
36th Division
26th Division
15th Division
13th Division
60th Division
71st Division
8th Division
2nd Army
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
99th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
70th Chinese Corps
5th Construction Regiment
1st Chinese Cavalry Corps
37th Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
6th Construction Regiment
63rd Chinese Corps
20th Chinese Corps
39th Chinese Corps
87th Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
14th Construction Regiment
18th Artillery Regiment
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
27th Group Army
17th Chinese Base Force
19th Group Army
33rd Group Army
9th War Area
30th Group Army
1st Artillery Regiment
20th Group Army
56th AT Gun Regiment

The 6th Division is pretty much wiped out as fighting force.

What I would really like now is for him to try a counter-attack ...

Lots of movement to the west of Changsha which is what it's really about. The frontal approach was never going to work.

[Captain Cruft]

Mar 1 1943

We have reached March ...

Pretty much nothing has happened since the invasion of Tarawa. My forces are slowly massing to the west of Changsha. There should be action in this area within a week or so.

Japan now possesses 4,500 aircraft and has still only lost a single DD.

[Captain Cruft]

Mar 5 1943

Troop movements out of Changsha and Hengyang. Exactly what we want

Everywhere else is quiet.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

Mar 1 1943

We have reached March ...

Pretty much nothing has happened since the invasion of Tarawa. My forces are slowly massing to the west of Changsha. There should be action in this area within a week or so.

Japan now possesses 4,500 aircraft and has still only lost a single DD.

Amazing that's all you've lost for ships.

How is the economy doing? Any HI reserves? Do you have a good amount of oil/fuel moving to the HI?

[Captain Cruft]

The HI pool is at 1.175m, and there are well over 200 days worth of oil and fuel in the Home Islands. In addition there is a stockpile of over 1m tons of fuel split between Port Arthur, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Brunei and Singapore which is reserved for fleet ops, although it will also get consumed by the local industry.

No tankers are idle. I have converted lots of xAKs.

Allied subs continue to sink between 1 and 4 xAKs per turn, but I currently have 50-100 of these ships tied up in port since there is nothing for them to move.

It's amazing what you can do if you just sit on your arse and defend at arms length