Castles in the Sand - Spidery(J) vs MrKane(A) no MrKane please

[Spidery]

VP change over the month of April

Allied controlled bases fell by 7 to 356 but the base VP rose by 219 to 4579 reflecting the base expansions.

Japanese controlled bases rose by 12 to 511 and the base VP rose by 518 to 8305. The capture of Lanchow contributed a lot and base expansions helped.

Allied air loss over the month was 62 and Japanese 186. Some of that comes from careless attacks and the rest from not realising how much better the Allied fighters could be.

Allied lost 561 LCU points and Japanese lost 50. Mostly this is in China.

Japanese ship losses are 20 ships worth 231 points. Mostly this comes from the losses from the raid on Noumea and from the AMC group that blundered into the Formidable. Allied ship losses are hard to tell they are reported as 24 ships worth 135 points reflecting that most of what has been sunk is very small stuff. However, neither CA Australia nor CLAA Atlanta are on the list and they may have been sunk.

VP ratio has dropped from 3.143::1 to 3.008::1.

[Spidery]

End May Economy

Change over the month:

Code: Select all

 Oil       -240
 Fuel      -39356
 Supply    -9845
 HI        +72298
 Vehicles  +2731
 Armaments +11064

The fuel decrease and small oil decrease reflects that a change to shipping has resulted in needing to turn off the refineries at Palembang to avoid fuel spoilage. Will correct this.

[Spidery]

Situation in China has not moved much over the month.

Sining still holds out just North of this map and there is an isolated group near Wenchow.

The hexes marked "A" are surrounded Chinese troops.
The hexes marked "X" are the ones I am currently trying to attack.

[Spidery]

Engine Production

Ha-33 production needs to continue to increase to at least 300.
Ha-35 production could do with a small additional increase.

[Spidery]

Aircraft Production

Including latest changes.

50 E13A1
20 A6M2-N
15 E8N2
9 E14Y1
6 H6K4

10 Ki-32
28 Ki-21-IIa
20 Ki-49-Ia
7 B5N1
20 D3A1
45 G3M3

40 Ki-44-IIa
30 Ki-45 KAIa
90 Ki-43-Ic

10 H6K2-L

Not producing but might

11 Ki-57-II
25 G4M1
62 A6M2
11 Ki-46-II
8 Ki-15-II

Later this month will start producing 60 Ki-49-IIa

[Spidery]

May 2nd 1942

Air Losses: 6 Japanese, 1 Allied, 4 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

A bombardment attack at Kweiyang suggests the defense is too strong to take without preliminary aerial attack. When the first Tojo arrive they will probably be assigned to here.

Pacific

Task forces are spotted near Vava'U. I-18 is damaged. Suva is reconned and has 123 fighters but only 4 ships in port.

More spottings of Allied subs.

DEI

Quiet

India

A sinking sound is heard - possibly the ship damaged yesterday.

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe again.

Austrailia

The B-17's return to the attack near Katherine. 3 divisions have entered Katherine and will attack tomorrow.

Engineering

Amchitka Island airfield to 2, Milne Bay to 3, Rabaul to 5, Lanchow to 6.
Allies expand various.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

May 3rd 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 1 Allied, 2 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Long Island(auto), Manokwari
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Air strikes grounded by weather and an attack towards Chungking fails.

Pacific

A 1250 size tanker is lost to SS Spearfish near the home isles.

ASW attacks near Noumea are ineffective.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe again.

Austrailia

The attack at Katherine finds forts 5 and 800 AV. A 1:1 result is achieved and forts are dropped to 4. Supply shortages prevent attacking immediately again.

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 43947 troops, 461 guns, 258 vehicles, Assault Value = 1419

Defending force 28770 troops, 304 guns, 417 vehicles, Assault Value = 854

Japanese adjusted assault: 1733

Allied adjusted defense: 1222

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2857 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 246 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Guns lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1242 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 133 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 40 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 21 (1 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Vehicles lost 32 (1 destroyed, 31 disabled)

Assaulting units:
4th Division
48th Division
16th Division
14th Tank Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Army
11th Ind.AA Gun Co
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
4th Aus Cav Brigade
8th Australian Division
2nd Australian Division
2/7th Armoured Regiment
2/10th Armoured Regiment
3rd Australian Brigade
2/2nd Ind Coy
2/8th Armoured Regiment
19th Australian Battalion
Northern Territory
Wyndham RAAF Base Force
Darwin RAAF Base Force
108th Anti Tank Regiment
Katherine RAAF Base Force

Engineering

Lao Cai airfield to 3. Prome airfield to 3. Port Blair airfield to 4. Akyab forts to 3.

R&D

A6M5 accelerated to 8/42.

Reinforcements

SS I-32

[Spidery]

May 4th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 0 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Good attack at Sining does damage and reduces forts to 0.

Pacific

Another sub attack near home isles.

For sighted Allied subs around Noumea see below. He seems to be putting a sighting screen in place - why? and how to exploiit this?

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe again.

Austrailia

B-17s attack an AA unit and do some disablements.

Engineering

Horn Island airfield to 4 (will stop). Shanghai airfield to 6.

[offenseman]

Maybe it is to give some warning should you move toward Suva

[Spidery]

May 5th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 1 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Continuing success at Sining.

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Austrailia

B-17s hit the forces at Katherine. Attack at Katherine reduces forts to 3 achieves a 1:1 result but disablements are heavy. Supply is short again but will attack again once supply restored

Engineering

Adak Island airfield to 3.

R&D

Ki-44-IIc advances to 1/44 (expect this will enter production in October).

Reinforcements

An 8150 capacity tanker.

[Spidery]

ORIGINAL: offenseman

Maybe it is to give some warning should you move toward Suva

Possibly, but my forces aren't at Noumea.

As I am using Noumea as a sub base it could be to intercept my subs.

I expect an attack soon but it could come against any of: Aleutians, Marshalls, Noumea or Australia. I'm not sure if the sub activity and the regular recce of Noumea are indicating an attention to come that way or are a feint.

[Spidery]

May 6th 1942

Air Losses: 1 Japanese, 2 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Quiet

Pacific

SS I-19 is damaged by the escort from a convoy North of Christmas Island

DEI

Quiet

India

CL Nagara, Yura, and 3 DD intercept a convoy West of India in daylight. DD Yugomo is lost and Kazegumo takes moderate damage. No Allied ships are confirmed sunk but sinking sounds are heard; VP total suggests 28 VP of ships sunk. As DD Yugomu is one of the best destroyers this would be a poor trade.

Thunderstorms result in visibility of 7000, 2000, or 4000 yards.

(Round 1)
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
CL Yura, Shell hits 1
DD Yugumo, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kazegumo, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
CLAA Van Heemskerck, Shell hits 12, heavy fires
DD Isaac Sweers, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Tjerk Hiddes
xAP Arawa, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAK Johilla, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Denbighshire, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage

(Round 2)
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CL Yura
DD Kazegumo, on fire
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Arawa, Shell hits 1, on fire

(Round 3)
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CL Yura
DD Kazegumo, on fire
DD Oshio

Allied Ships
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

I'm not sure how this works. He is very near the map edge, if he exits towards Cape Town can his ships take damage as they head for Cape Town? I know there is no fuel use or damage moving between off-map bases but moving from on map to off-map base?

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Successful strike against a cav regiment heading for Katherine disables many devices.

Engineering

Manila port expands to 6. Adak Island forts reach level 3.

R&D

Ki-49-IIa advances to 5/42 and enters production.
Nakajima Ha-45 advances to 4/43.

Reinforcements

DD Naganami, replacement for the lost DD Yugumo.

[Spidery]

May 7th 1942

Air Losses: 10 Japanese, 10 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Despite some excellent aerial bombardment an attack near Chihkiang fails.

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

A small carrier force chases down the survivors from yesterday and sinks CLAA Van Heemskerck and DD Isaac Sweers. xAP Arawa takes 3 bomb hits but fails to sink. It should be finished tomorrow by CA attack.

The various task forces get various levels of detection against them despite being some 14 hexes from the nearest land. It must be a very confusing picture for MrKane.

Burma

Lightning sweep Magwe followed by Blenheims under a heavy escort of Hurricanes. They target the airfield and do significant damage and destroy some planes on the ground despite it being lightly stocked. However, flak downs 4 of the Blenheims and 1 lightning is lost to ops.

Australia

Attack at Katherine reduces forts to 2 but disablements are heavy. 2 Divisions are now at more than 50% disabled with only 1 still effective. However, one more push should do it. Allied reinforcements are approaching.

Sally IIa fly at their ceiling under LRCAP from oscar 1c. The oscars do well at shooting down Kittyhawk 1A.

More supplies have arrived at Darwin and allow the various air groups to take replacements.

Engineering

Minor stuff

R&D

Quiet

Reinforcements

An 8150 tanker arrives.

Economy

Sakkhalin is down to 70,000 resources and Hokkaido to 130,000. The resource convoys will be streamlined to maintain that level.

Home Isle resource stock pile is 54 days, oil 247, fuel 280.

[Spidery]

May 8th 1942

Air Losses: 4 Japanese, 2 Allied, 3 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Sining continues to hold.

The cut off 35th Chinese Corps is at last eliminated after about a dozen attacks. A nice haul of VP:

Allied ground losses:
5896 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 679 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

The forces involved will move on to eliminate a pocket near Wenchow.

The 21st Chinese Base Force is eliminated near Lanchow. This closes the supply lines for a force of 30000 Chinese troops: 3 Corps and an Army HQ.

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

Overkill as 5 Long Lances from the Maya plunge into the badly damaged xAP Arawa, sinking it, quite a nice 20 VP xAP.

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe.

Australia

An attack against a small force near Katherine sees it reinforced but gets this unusual result:

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 983 troops, 4 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Defending force 2655 troops, 34 guns, 83 vehicles, Assault Value = 125

Japanese adjusted assault: 10

Allied adjusted defense: 213

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 21

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
99 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
9th Armored Car Co
56th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
3rd Motor Brigade
10th Cav Recce Regiment

Hopeless odds ratio. Allies have armoured units but there are no Japanese casaulties. Unfortunately, the B-17s are attacking the armour and it won't be able to stand and hold.

Engineering

Patung airfield expands to 2 giving an air base closer to Chungking.

R&D

Quiet

Reinforcements

A big lass joins the navy, the BB Yamato. Not sure what to do with her, she guzzles fuel, can't be rearmed from an AKE and if the paint is scratched will need months in the yard.

[Spidery]

May 9th 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 2 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Attu Island
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

The Chinese defending at Sining again hold with a 1:1 result achieved and forts at 0.

Pacific

Lots of subs seen around Noumea and many Allied recon/patrol planes.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Lightnings sweep Magwe.

Australia

B-17 Strike against the armour South of Katherine is nasty.

Engineering

Allies expand Daly Waters to 5 and Alice Springs to 6, plus some others.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

May 10th 1942

Air Losses: 2 Japanese, 4 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Shemya Island(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Sining still holds out despite repeated attacks.

Pacific

4 unescorted Catalinas strike at tankers unloading at Adak Island, 2 are shot down by zeroes and non reach the ships.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

B-17 strike again and a land attack destroys the 9th Armoured Car Co, this is the second time that company has been eliminated[8|].

Airfield attack against Katherine damages the airfield and destroys some supply.

Engineering

Lots of expansion but nowhere important.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

May 11th 1942

Air Losses: 3 Japanese, 1 Allied, 1 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Sining[:)], Pakanbaroe(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Sining falls[8D]! It has taken far too long. Only 5% damage to factories. Defenders retreat on the road West so will be chased down.

A good set of aerial bombardment against Chinese forces near Chungking.

Pacific

CA bombardment of Dutch Harbour does a fair bit of damage to the harbour, destroys 19 devices, and puts one shell hit in each of AS Otus and AV Tangier.

Betties also hit the port but only do port damage and do not target the ships.

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

Strike against the 3rd Motor Brigade does a lot of disables but does not destroy any devices.

B-17s do not attack.

Engineering

Same old.

R&D

Quiet

[Spidery]

May 12th 1942

Air Losses: 0 Japanese, 0 Allied, 0 Pilots
Japanese occupy: Agattu Island(auto)
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

[>:]

China

Quiet

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

Diego Garcia is bombarded inflicting some losses on the base force there.

Burma

Quiet

Australia

I-159 sinks a 3700 ton xAK near Geraldton.

Engineering

Kukong to 3, Patung to 3.

Allies expand airfields at Cooktown (2), Cairns (3), Tennant Creek (4), Townsville (7). Also Pendleton (3), Prince Rupert (4), Blagoveshchensk (7) and Seattle port to 8.

R&D

Quiet

[setloz]

ORIGINAL: Spidery

What use are Barges?

I have some 70+ of these that I can deploy but I can't see what use they have. They have a range of 3 hexes and are less fuel efficient than any xAKL in moving supply or troops. Any suggestions as to when to use them?

I think of them as expendable island hoppers for supply runs. Possible use - in the Solomons/New Guinea. They are also a nice CAP trap.

[Spidery]

May 13th 1942

Air Losses: 10 Japanese, 5 Allied, 8 Pilots
Japanese occupy:
Allies occupy:
Japanese land at:

China

Quiet

Pacific

Quiet

DEI

Quiet

India

Quiet

Burma

Quiet

Australia

I-22 puts a torpedo into BB Revenge off the South Eastern tip of Australia - but it is a dud[:@]. The enemy is not visible and I don't know if it was heading West or East[&:].

Ground attack at Katherine is chewed up a bit by Kittyhawks but not too badly. Attack at Katherine gets a 1:1 result and reduces forts to 1 but only 1 division is left able to attack.

Engineering

Allies expand.

R&D

Quiet