Yes, the C6N is fully carrier capable - so I will try them out.
Our Judy's have such a crazy range anyway that I'm unsure about the gains....
Got 120 fighters at Rabaul with another 140 at Gasmata to cover our bombardment TFs that shuttle to and from Buna.
Not to keen on sending in our few battleships to hit a rather unimportant target, not worth the risk.
- We all know that sometimes bombardment TFs stay the night..RIP!
I tried with shorter range in today's sweeps and that worked better.
Last time I varied altitude only with a few thousand feet. The risk is that the units go in one by one, the ones going in low will
usually die when the enemy gets the dive on them.
Yep, I noticed that a single B-25 dropped its ordnance when attacked by fighters!
FOW made some numbers on us and the names of ships that were truly sunk finally appeared.
What's listed here now is probably the right ones.
Andy is continuing with his Guinea invasions; Merauke was invaded today.
In due time he will expand into the SRA and no doubt try to organize a Central Pacific landing and a landing in Malay area.
I would guess summer 44 is a good time for another major push.
Yes, only some B-17s continue to hit us in Burma while ca 150 B-24s operate our of Northern Oz.
No doubt Andy is prepping his air fleets for the next big push.
- Placing the Combined Fleet in the Marianas or Mindanao is probably the best choice; I believe in using LBA to weaken enemy invasions and support
before sending in the cavalry [:)]
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 25, 44
Tried sending in some MTBs today, they were useless!
5 large Shimakaze class destroyers were also ordered to intercept some convoys heading into Rangoon from the north.
They made contact but the enemy eluded them.
Our naval bombers also attacked but our escoirts took a heavy beating while the Judy's failed to score.
Our Frances bombers at Port Blair usually stay home, got a poor leader that is about to be replaced. Sometimes they sneak in....
Surface Combat
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,53, Range 4,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-151, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
MTB G-156
MTB G-159, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-160, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-161, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
MTB G-162, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships
DD Black
DD Caperton
DD Guest
DD Isherwood
DD Sproston
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,53, Range 2,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-156, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
Allied Ships
DD Black
DD Caperton
DD Guest
DD Isherwood
DD Sproston
Poor visibility due to Rain with 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 3% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 2,000 yards
DD Sproston fires at MTB G-156 at 2,000 yards
MTB G-156 engages DD Sproston at 2,000 yards
MTB G-156 engages DD Guest at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
MTB G-156 sunk by DD Guest at 4,000 yards
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 52,54, Range 30,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Arikaze
DD Takakaze
DD Hikokaze
DD Susukaze
DD Ishikaze
Allied Ships
LCT-321
LCT-322
LCT-323
LCT-362
LCT-363
LCT-364
LCT-365
LCT-366
LCT-367
LCT-368
LCT-369
LCT-370
LCT-371
LCT-372
LCT-470
LCT-471
LCT-472
LCT-473
LCT-474
LCT-475
LCT-477
Low visibility due to Rain with 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 3% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 28,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese radar detects Allied task force at 28,000 yards
Range increases to 30,000 yards...
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Allied Barge TF evades combat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,54, Range 5,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-163
MTB G-164
MTB G-165, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
xAKL Belray
Task forces break off...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Rangoon at 54,54, Range 5,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-163, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
MTB G-164, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
MTB G-165, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships
DD Charrette
DD Kidd
xAK Eastern City
xAK Shahzada
LST 8
Combat ends with last Japanese ship sunk...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air Combat
Night Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 139 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 18
Allied aircraft
P-39N1 Airacobra x 12
P-70 Havoc x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 2 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
DD Laffey
DD Frazier
Aircraft Attacking:
18 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 5,100 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 12
Allied aircraft
P-39N1 Airacobra x 5
P-70 Havoc x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
DD Laffey
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Combat
I have hundreds of fighters at Bangkok but relatively few took of to intercept the small shipping strike.
The reason is the lack of radar...we have 3 Air HQs in the base but none base units. So I have to send one with radar asap!
Morning Air attack on Pegu , at 55,53
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 12
Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 10
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 2 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x N1K1-J George sweeping at 30000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Pegu , at 55,53
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 18
Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 5
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 4
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 30000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 16th Naval Guard Unit, at 89,124 (Merauke)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
PV-1 Ventura x 13
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 17
Allied aircraft losses
PV-1 Ventura: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x PV-1 Ventura bombing from 5000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing from 5000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Also attacking 4th South Seas Gsn ...
Also attacking 16th Naval Guard Unit ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 4th South Seas Gsn , at 89,124 (Merauke)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 7
B-25D1 Mitchell x 12
B-25G Mitchell x 3
B-25H Mitchell x 3
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 17
Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 damaged
B-25H Mitchell: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x Mitchell II bombing from 5000 feet *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25H Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-25G Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level *
Ground Attack: 3 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Also attacking 16th Naval Guard Unit ...
Also attacking 4th South Seas Gsn ...
Also attacking 16th Naval Guard Unit ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Merauke , at 89,124
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 22
P-38J Lightning x 8
P-40N5 Warhawk x 9
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 24
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 39
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 54,54
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes
Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 8
N1K1-J George x 25
Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 7
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 7 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
DD Charrette
Aircraft Attacking:
8 x D4Y1 Judy bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
2 x N1K1-J George sweeping at 9000 feet *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Bangkok at 56,62
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes
Japanese aircraft
J2M2 Jack x 3
N1K1-J George x 21
Ki-61-Ic Tony x 26
Ki-84a Frank x 52
Allied aircraft
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 6
PV-1 Ventura x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
xAK Atlantic Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 3 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
Training flight from 68th Sentai has been caught up in attack
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invasions
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force
19 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
CA Frobisher
CL Birmingham
CL Mauritius
CL Ceres
CL Dauntless
CL Adelaide
CL Sumatra
DD Cummings
DD McCall
DD Radford
DD Philip
DD O'Bannon
DD Nicholas
PG Charleston
LCI-85
LCI-436
DE Hotspur
LCI-435
Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
CA Frobisher firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
CL Birmingham firing at 4th South Seas Gsn
CL Mauritius firing at 4th South Seas Gsn
CL Ceres firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
CL Dauntless firing at 4th South Seas Gsn
CL Adelaide firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
CL Sumatra firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD Cummings firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD McCall firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD Radford firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD Philip firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD O'Bannon firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD Nicholas firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
PG Charleston firing at 16th Naval Guard Unit
DD McCall fired at enemy troops
DD O'Bannon fired at enemy troops
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 6,000 yards
Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphibious Assault at Merauke (89,124)
TF 225 troops unloading over beach at Merauke, 89,124
Allied ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 42 (0 destroyed, 42 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (0 destroyed, 15 disabled)
11 troops of a AIF Inf Section 43 accidentally lost during unload of 4th Australian Div /5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground Combat
Ground combat at Merauke (89,124)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1440 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 97
Defending force 9985 troops, 155 guns, 134 vehicles, Assault Value = 372
Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
4th South Seas Gsn
16th Naval Guard Unit
13th JAAF AF Coy
Defending units:
4th Australian Div /19
10th RAAF M/W Sqn /1
10 RAAF Base Force /6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merauke Invaded
I've managed to hang onto the small bases like Merauke using small garrisons and building forts.
Andy landed a full Oz division today! Strangely our naval bombers didn't engage...didn't spot any carriers.
The questions is whether it's worth to attack this force in strength or not; will try with the resources available to us.
A para unit with 100% prep for Merauke will be airlifted; with 4 forts and 98 AV we may throw a spanner into the works here as in Buna!
