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I have been thinking about the fortchoming battle and I have been uncertain about how
much resources I should use to delay Andy's advance.

After 2-3 months I have finally re-built the Air Force and the Combined Fleet is at 90% readiness.
Should we preserve as much strength as possible and only use moderate forces to oppose the enemy now
and strike with fire and fury when the Inner Citadel is assaulted?

After much consideration I will go with the second option. Now I have to measure the term 'moderate forces'
I know that many of you would defend Palembang to death. I'm afraid it would do little good in the long
run though. If Andy wanted to he could mount a major bombing offensive and lay the place waste.

What I want is to gather a mighty force that will cause so many enemy casualties when the time comes, that even its
destruction will make the enemy impotent for months to come in regards to amphibious landings closer to the Home Islands.
Let's see how much consternation we can inflict upon the Decadent Westernes through cunning and good timing [8D]

Tomorrow I will go over my industry and turn of as many factories and production lines as possible.
Soon we will have to do with our natural oil reserves as well as our stockpiles. No escaping this, but
I'm still confident it'll be enough to let us operate normally for another year. The last few months will
be a struggle no matter what, then we'll scrape the kitchen sink... [;)]

[:D]

very nice piece of propaganda there, love the look of Churchill on the second picture

Propaganda [&:] [:D]

I've made stock of the Combined Fleet.
Let's begin with the remains of the KB.

4 Fleet Carriers: 280 ac

Taiho - fully operational
Shokaku - 16 sys damage
Zuikakau - 30 sys damage
Katsuragi - 15 sys damage

3 Ligh carriers: 90 ac

Ryuho
Chiyoda
Ibuki

3 Escort Carriers: Hold a mere 30 ac among them - more a diversion than anything else.

Shimone Maru
Yamashiro Maru
Chigusa Maru

9 Battleships: - do consider upgrading the Ise and Hyuga..if nothing but for the extra radar and 3A!

Yamato
Musashi
Mutsu - 20 sys damage
Hiei
Kirishima
Ise - 40 sys damage
Hyuga
Yamashiro
Fuso

9 Heavy Cruisers:

Takao (94 sys damage)
Maya (Takao class)
Chokai (Takao class)
Nachi
Myoko (Nachi class)
Mikuma (Mogami class)
Aoba (Furutaka class)
Kinugasa (Furutaka class)
Kako (Furutaka class)

7 Light cruisers:

Isuzo - 80 sys damage (Nagara class)
Noshiro (Oyodo class)
Kiso (Kuma class)
Yahagi (Agano class)
Kitakami - 15 sys damage
Katori
Kashii (Katori class - 18 knot training cruisers with good armament)

One last Agano cruiser will be completed in less than 2 months.

57 (3 damaged) Destroyers:

1 Shimakaze class
8 Akitsuki class
5 Yugumo class
3 Asashio class
4 Fubuki class
2 Kagero class
1 Hatsuhari class
------------------------------------
4 Mutsuki class
2 Minekaze class
3 Tomodzuri class
4 Otori class
3 Wakatake class
15 Matsu class (28 knot)

The last 31 destroyers will be used as escorts for carriers and slower battleships.
The 24 fleet destroyers will accompany our best surface combat units.

I envisage one last great surface battle were we damage as many of the enemys ships as possible.
I'm planning to use 20-30 20 knot PC (frigate type) vessels to disrupt the enemy and force him to expend
ammo before the main battle can begin. We also got 30-40 msw's and 20 other PCs that I'm willing to sacrifice.

Nice rundown, PzB![;)]

Bored [;)]

I leave it to others to calculate the actual survivability rate of the different ship classes based upon their
earlier combat engagements! [:'(]

What's your supply situation look like (supply, oil, HI, etc)? Are you running surpluses still or drawing down reserves -- and if so how much do you have left and what is the "burn rate"?

Any timetable for your next supply line raiding party? [:'(]

keep this fight
i start loosing hope after results of my last attack on allied CVs 

If you are really bored, would be nice if you show us your ship arrival lists. How much empty is it now?

Have you guys experienced kamikazes attacking land bases in your game? Nemo has said he has seen kamikazes wasted on land targets!![X(]

Ron,

Just check out page 106 of this thread... Also I gave two examples from my CRs in my initial thread...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/23/44 

 Air Combat

Several strange things happened today: Firstly our old bug were kamikaze ac
joins a ground strike and kills themselves... 15 Zekes, Grace and Jill on kami missions
joined a ground strike on Pamakasan and killed themselves.

Joe, this bug you must fix. Will send you a mail if you don't read this.

Day Air attack on Pamakasan , at 24,66

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 22
N1K1-J George x 13
B6N Jill x 7
B7A Grace x 8
Ki-84-Ia Frank x 14

Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 7

Japanese aircraft losses - vely funny [8|]
A6M5 Zeke: 19 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 4 destroyed
B6N Jill: 7 destroyed
B7A Grace: 8 destroyed
Ki-84-Ia Frank: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged

So, as you can see, long-standing and reproducible. It has been mentioned before.

I'm wondering if there is a correlation between ground attacking ones and what thier 'orders' were before conversion i.e naval primary/ground secondary, would they avoid ground attacks if just set to naval and no secondary before conversion.

Nemo- that 'may' explain why your AI units hit russia on a regular basis ? .. really should have posted this on the main forum .. sorry PzB.

Will post some industrial stats in the next post. Still business as usual, bringing in crude and resources from all parts of the Empire.
Regarding ground attack kamikazes: If you order planes on ground attack missions any kamikaze unit not stood down in the hex will automatically join the strike and crash into the ground.
Sent a turn to Matrix, so they know about the issue, hopefully a fix will come soon.

Not sure I can afford to send out 2 light carriers, want to keep my fleet intact in case Andy launches an all out invasion into the 'Citadel' soon.
Will consider a raid soon if a protracted campaign is opened in the DEI.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/17/44

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1051 encounters mine field at Banjarmasin (27,64)

Allied Ships
LCT LCT-140, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enemy approaching

Enemy fleet approaching...were will the landings be? Most likely at a lightly defended size 1 base.

Have to watch oil reserves over the next few months, I expect a slight decrease to begin if Palembang is closed.
Still got some 200k units enroute to the Home Islands in tankers.

Resources are so plentyful that no shortage is envisioned.
Reserves of HI are increasing, don't think Japan will be starved out of this game.

Industry stats:

I'm accelerating the cheap destroyers, need as many as I can get.

It takes 180 days to produce a Matsu class destroyer, and it's not possible to accelerate them before production has begun.
E.g DD Sumire, due in 186 days, will be laid down in 6 days. If I accelerate it we can have it ready in 3 months.

Ship arrival schedule

Previous industry stats for July and August 1944

As you can see my effort to bring in more resources has increased stocks!
Fuel and supply reserves have also been increased.
There's a slight decrease in oil stocks, but the decrease is less from August to September than it was from July to August.
The increase of HI reserves is also increasing steadily.

Still no worries in other words [:)]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/18/44

More mine victims at Banjarmasin:

TF 1103 encounters mine field at Banjarmasin (27,64)

Allied Ships
MSW Stawell
MSW Canso
MSW Junee
MSW Grebe
MSW Burnie
DE Fleming
DE Donaldson
DE Spangler
AP Empire Chivalry, Mine hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

I moved some special attack Nicks to Biak. 2 were shot down of Sarmi while the rest rammed
loaded landing craft just of Biak.

Day Air attack on TF, near Sarmi at 48,78

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 2

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 9
Kittyhawk III x 5
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 21
P-38J Lightning x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIb Nick: 2 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 47,76

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIb Nick: 14 destroyed

Allied Ships
LCT LCT-156, Kamikaze hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-167, Kamikaze hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-176

Allied ground losses:
116 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Were are they going?

hm, very intersting - it looks like he will bypass Java and land in NW Borneo... but where?

As for your industry: you have decent stockpiles of HI, and with small, but constant oil output in HI and China/Manchuria you should have enough to keep your industry alive until the end of the war in september 1945[;)]. Of course, not at the full strength...

It looks that you are short with Mitsubishi motors - check new ac types which are arriving in next several months. IIRC most of them using Mitsubishi engines...

The enemy formations move towards Singapore and unleashes a strike against our
surface combat group there. Fewer fighters than anticipated were on CAP and we
suffered damage. Our counter strikes were 'threatening' but ineffective.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/19/44

Air Combat

Rather large scale night air attacks. Unfortunately....no hits.
Why oh why can we never have any luck against Andy?

Night Air attack on TF at 24,57

Japanese aircraft
H8K Emily x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
H8K Emily: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Barnes
CVE Casablanca

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x H8K Emily launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x H8K Emily launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF at 24,57

Japanese aircraft
G4M2 Betty x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 16 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Casablanca
CVE Gambier Bay
CVE Sangamon
LCI LCI-331
CVE Savo Island

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M2 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1067 encounters mine field at 26056224,25

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses [&:]
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed
G4M2 Betty: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Cony
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A carrier sweep hits Singapotre - the crack Randy fighters fight well and down quite
a few Hellcats!

Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 22
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 20
Ki-84-Ia Frank x 24
Ki-102a Randy x 25

Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 39

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 6 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-84-Ia Frank: 4 destroyed
Ki-102a Randy: 8 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F6F Hellcat: 21 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrol ship sent to Toboali:

Day Air attack on TF, near Toboali at 22,57

Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 15
TBM Avenger x 21

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
PC Ch 13, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The surface combat group near Singapore was hit hard. I had hoped more CAP fighters would protect them.
Non of the ships will sink, but several vessels will require 3 months in the yards.

Day Air attack on TF, near Singapore at 23,50

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 16
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 14
Ki-84-Ia Frank x 20
Ki-102a Randy x 17

Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 33
SB2C Helldiver x 51
TBM Avenger x 55

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 7 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 8 destroyed
Ki-84-Ia Frank: 8 destroyed
Ki-102a Randy: 11 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
SB2C Helldiver: 6 destroyed, 20 damaged
TBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 21 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Maki, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kaya
DD Kashi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA Maya, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kitakami, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Chokai, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Hayashio, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Kiri
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A group of Kamikaze Zekes and escorts sortied from Singapore. Seems like the high altitude
kami bug has been fixed? All ac were shot down or turned away - as usual [8|]
Day Air attack on TF at 24,55

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 51

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
FM-2 Wildcat x 200
F6F Hellcat x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 40 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
FM-2 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CVE Copahee
CVE Nassau
CVE Sitkoh Bay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This attack was ordered to measue the enemy's CAP.

This is a secondary TF coming up in the Java Sea.
Day Air attack on TF at 25,62

Japanese aircraft
D4Y Judy x 2

Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 118
F4U-1D Corsair x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y Judy: 2 destroyed
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enemy near Singapore