Rumble in the Southwest witpqs-A vs Andav-J 2011-11-29 to 2017-02-08

[Lowpe]

I thought your fighter pools looked pretty healthy.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I thought your fighter pools looked pretty healthy.

I think they are too, but the P-47D25 pool is now about 389 (with the recent Imperial sweeps) and the P-47N does not arrive until - is it March or April? - '45. The P-47D2 pool is in the 40 to 60 range. The P-51B has proved to be good, but no where near as effective and survivable as the P-47 models. The P-51D will have 50% more firepower - 6x .50 cal vs 4x - but still less than the P-47 (8x) and still durability 32 vs 35 for the P-47. Going by other AAR, the P-51D will have a hard time against the best Imperial fighters/pilots combined. At least a hard time compared to the production numbers.

I've managed my fighter pools very carefully, trying to make sure I had plenty for where and when I really needed them. That, plus Walter doing his best to limit the number of Allied fighter bases within reach of important targets has kept the air war a little on the modest side from a fighter standpoint. But that has also meant that the Empire has plenty in position to smite the B-29 raids.

[witpqs]

Adding: The point being if I use the current P-47 models for ground attack, I think I will run short of them for air to air work.

[witpqs]

1944 October 20

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:
Sibolga

There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Denpasar

Imperial Naval Bombardments
Japanese Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Nago

Allied Naval Bombardments:



Our subs are still tangling with warships near Japan.

Pakhoi airfield is now size 2 so two more P-47D2 squadrons are moving in. Our fighters again lost to the Imperial sweeps nearby, but not by a horrible margin. Our two USA divisions and tank brigade will contact the small Imperial unit that is now on the road across the river from Nanning. Showing as only 800 troops with 4 guns it's should take only one attack to move or destroy it. The Imperial unit that remains just east of Lang Son shows as 1,540 troops and 6 guns and should take just as long to move once reached. So, it's looking good for encircling the enemy within Lang Son. That's the good news and the bad news. Although we will be able to open the eastern road hex side and move through at will, those >54,000 troops must be dealt with. But we will have cut them off from all supply except air drops.

Sibolga capitulated. The 81st WA Div is now heading for Padang, but that will be a long march. Patani is now empty; we'll see how long it takes to auto-capture.

In Indochina there has been feverish activity moving troops into Haiphong as ever more come down the rail line from Thailand, and of course the continuous air strikes on Lang Son. The combat assault forces have been biding their time, recovering, while the encirclement is carried out. As soon as that is completed those that moved out of Lang Son to alleviate crowding will move back in for the next general attack.

Surprising stubbornness at Soerabaja. Denpasar held.

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Ground combat at Soerabaja (56,104)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12415 troops, 272 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 362

Defending force 3236 troops, 10 guns, 32 vehicles, Assault Value = 11

Allied adjusted assault: 499

Japanese adjusted defense: 2

Allied assault odds: 249 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2165 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 92 destroyed, 67 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 7 (7 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
Afdeling Ritman
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
30th Australian Brigade
147th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Jungle Regiment
134th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
Provisional GMC Grp

Defending units:
35th Army
1st Base Force


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Ground combat at Denpasar (58,108)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 817 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Defending force 369 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 13

Allied adjusted assault: 8

Japanese adjusted defense: 13

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2/2nd Ind Coy
2/1st Ind Coy
2/8th Ind Coy

Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy


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Tomorrow for certain! One Coy at Denpasar is 50% disrupted so tomorrow all rest. Known mines have been cleared at Soerabaja. A commando Bn has arrived at Semarang, where an enemy unit of unknown composition stands. An artillery Bn will arrive tomorrow to recon by fire, and a para Bn a couple of days later. Soerabaja Repair Shipyard has begun repairing.

Our destroyers found IJN destroyers near Haha Jima and bested them. A cruiser remnant of the IJN carrier force was chased and caught near Tanegashima, with our cruisers escaping to a safe enough distance by daylight.

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Haha-jima at 109,75, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Take, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Sugi, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Tanigiri

Allied Ships
DD Brownson, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Franks
DD Wadsworth

Reduced sighting due to 14% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 14% moonlight: 10,000 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...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 8,000 yards
DD Sugi launches Long Lance Torpedoes at DD Wadsworth at 8,000 yards
DD Sugi fires at DD Brownson at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Wadsworth engages DD Sugi at 5,000 yards
DD Wadsworth engages DD Sugi at 5,000 yards
DD Take engages DD Brownson at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Wadsworth at 2,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Franks at 2,000 yards
DD Brownson engages DD Take at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Wadsworth engages DD Sugi at 4,000 yards
DD Franks engages DD Sugi at 4,000 yards
DD Take sunk by DD Brownson at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Wadsworth at 9,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Franks at 9,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Brownson at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Brownson at 12,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Franks at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Wadsworth at 14,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Franks at 14,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Brownson at 14,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Wadsworth at 14,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Brownson at 14,000 yards
DD Brownson engages DD Sugi at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
DD Wadsworth engages DD Tanigiri at 13,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Franks at 13,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Brownson at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Wadsworth at 11,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Wadsworth at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Brownson at 10,000 yards
DD Tanigiri engages DD Franks at 10,000 yards
DD Brownson engages DD Sugi at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Franks engages DD Tanigiri at 7,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Wadsworth at 7,000 yards
DD Sugi engages DD Brownson at 7,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Tanegashima at 105,65, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Oi, Shell hits 34, and is sunk
DD Ume, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Momi, Shell hits 10, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Miami
DD Ammen
DD Lardner
CL Toungoo

Reduced sighting due to 14% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 14% moonlight: 7,000 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...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
CL Toungoo engages CL Oi at 6,000 yards
CL Miami engages CL Oi at 6,000 yards
DD Ume engages CL Miami at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
CL Toungoo engages CL Oi at 5,000 yards
DD Ume engages CL Toungoo at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Toungoo at 3,000 yards
DD Lardner engages DD Momi at 3,000 yards
DD Momi engages DD Lardner at 3,000 yards
DD Momi engages DD Ammen at 3,000 yards
Nomoto, Tameki orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Toungoo at 4,000 yards
CL Miami engages CL Oi at 4,000 yards
DD Lardner engages DD Momi at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Toungoo at 5,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Miami at 5,000 yards
DD Lardner engages DD Momi at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Toungoo at 8,000 yards
CL Miami engages CL Oi at 8,000 yards
DD Ume engages DD Lardner at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Toungoo at 7,000 yards
CL Miami engages DD Momi at 7,000 yards
DD Momi engages DD Lardner at 7,000 yards
DD Momi engages DD Ammen at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Miami at 8,000 yards
CL Oi engages CL Miami at 8,000 yards
DD Ume engages DD Lardner at 8,000 yards
CL Toungoo engages CL Oi at 8,000 yards
DD Ammen engages DD Momi at 8,000 yards
DD Lardner engages DD Ume at 8,000 yards
DD Ammen engages DD Ume at 8,000 yards
DD Momi sunk by CL Toungoo at 8,000 yards
DD Ume engages DD Lardner at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
DD Ume engages DD Ammen at 9,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
DD Ammen engages DD Ume at 14,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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Miami and Toungoo put serious hurt on Oi before any Imperial ships could fire back. Takao bombarded Nago again for no effect. All troops at Nago fort level 2. All troops at Naha level 2 except Sixth Army HQ at 3. At Naha 2nd Marine Div at 30% disruption and 1st USMC AA Bn at 66% and badly depleted - they got hammered from the air. We see four groups of IJN subs, operating in wolf packs of 3, 2, 2, and one lone wolf. Near the Okinawa group of islands there are four more wolf packs operating.

Two fleet carrier TFs are heading back to Guam to replenish while the other two take up station 2 hexes from Daito Shoto to guard the bombardment runs as they begin. The CVE all seem to have >90% sorties so they will stay around until the Daito Shoto invasion. Some of our rear guard destroyers a hundred miles south of Okinawa were attacked without effect by kamikazes from Amami Oshima.

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Ground combat at Naha (95,66)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 17677 troops, 158 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 1014

Defending force 86749 troops, 1246 guns, 2116 vehicles, Assault Value = 2863

Japanese ground losses:
237 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Assaulting units:
35th Division
75th Infantry Brigade
15th Ind.Mixed Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
34th Ind.Mixed Brigade
Det. 3rd Special Base Force
80th Field AA Battalion
3rd Medium Mortar Battalion
100th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
Nansei Shoto JNAF Base Force
81st Field AA Battalion
79th Field AA Battalion
39th Field AA Machinecannon Company
32nd Army
31st JAAF AF Bn
Okinawa Naval Base Force
244th JAAF AF Bn

Defending units:
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
3rd Arm Amphib Battalion
41st Infantry Division
6th Infantry Division
XIV Corps Engr Grp
766th Tank Battalion
710th Tank Battalion
194th Tank Battalion
25th Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
716th Tank Battalion
1st USMC Tank Battalion
43rd Infantry Division
2nd Marine Division
193rd Tank Battalion
767th Tank Battalion
Sixth US Army
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
3rd AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
XIV US Corps
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion


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Walter does not know why these bombardment attacks are occurring - they are not ordered and there is nothing that we know of to trigger them.

10x CVE finished their AA upgrades at Pearl Harbor and will make their way to the Marianas to relieve a batch now on duty to retire for upgrade.

Indochina.

[witpqs]

Malay Peninsula & Sumatra.

[witpqs]

Java Sea.

[witpqs]

Okinawa.

[witpqs]

Today's air losses. Air battles over China will be obscured in the air loss tallies below because our own P-47 sweepers of Manila had things all their own way.

[witpqs]

Today's ship losses.

[witpqs]

Complete combat report attached.

[RogerJNeilson]

My own experience is that provided you have some fighters on sweep over a hex 4 or less from the fighter base they will intercept any transports trying to drop/land supplies to a position. So Lang Son should be easily swept by one unit at either Hanoi or Haiphong.

Roger

[witpqs]

OK, thanks. I've got LRCAP there and it's so close to bases with so many P-47 types plus others that he's not trying to bomb there. Maybe I'll change a P-51B group to sweep after I box in the troops. Right now I doubt he's flying in supplies (or troops either direction) because the road is open and he clearly is leaving them there to be sacrificed.

[bush]

Hello George and those of you following this AAR. Whew, I finally have caught up to current entries. George has been most gracious in answering a multiude of questions and observations, some on points from years ago (both real time and game time).

In big amph assaults like the one at Okinawa where I felt I would have to wait a bit before starting my attacks, or even if I am anticipating a quick seizure of the base, I have always tried to include some SeaBee units to help produce forts, or quickly start the recouping of the base. Have others tried this?

[witpqs]

Many of these units have embedded engineers and they seem to be taking care of fortification quickly enough. Aside from assult troops, if I could have brought more of something at this point it would have been more AA units. But I am concerned about the stacking level.

[Lowpe]

Walter does not know why these bombardment attacks are occurring - they are not ordered and there is nothing that we know of to trigger them.

That seems to happen very frequently, autobombard after invasions. It takes a while for it to stop, sometimes it never does if the Allies keep landing supplies, or troops.

Really can weaken the Japanese defense.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Walter does not know why these bombardment attacks are occurring - they are not ordered and there is nothing that we know of to trigger them.

That seems to happen very frequently, autobombard after invasions. It takes a while for it to stop, sometimes it never does if the Allies keep landing supplies, or troops.

Really can weaken the Japanese defense.

Didn't know about that. This was the first I've noticed it happening when nothing at all was being landed, no opposing ships there, etc. I'll mention it to him.

We have the different situation where if I land additional troops the auto-bombard is triggered no matter how many troops I already have on the island, and usually the Japanese troops get devastated by the counter-bombardment. That was one reason why I really tried to get everyone landed in one shot. I was close, and the second day's bombardment had small results. Not sure, but possibly because I have a lot less artillery in this invasion? Maybe the counter-bombardments are more effective after the invading units with artillery have had a chance to fortify. Dunno.

As far as the auto-bombard with only supplies being landed, I've seen a mixed bag where sometimes there is a bombardment and sometimes not.

[Lowpe]

Considering this game is an abstraction, with tons hidden from us, I can speculate that auto bombardments might even be related to the aggression, or lack thereof, of the local commanders.

Certainly, I believe, that IRL the Japanese got involved in artillery battles they shouldn't have much to their detriment.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Considering this game is an abstraction, with tons hidden from us, I can speculate that auto bombardments might even be related to the aggression, or lack thereof, of the local commanders.

Certainly, I believe, that IRL the Japanese got involved in artillery battles they shouldn't have much to their detriment.

Good point. First time I've seen (or recall seeing) LCUs fight without player orders, but it certainly could be in the code. Remember there were various things in the code that were masked by bugs plus only showed up in the right circumstances.

[FeurerKrieg]

Yes, there are definitely those 'local commander' things in the game. I had an atoll invasion force of two divisions that had managed to get ashore on day 1. On day 2 they loaded up in the transports and headed home. All against my orders. I was surprised to say the least.

[witpqs]

1944 October 21

The Empire captured:


The Allies captured:


There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:


There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:


Imperial Naval Bombardments


Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto


Our subs got an E in continued heavy combat in the Okinawa region.

More sustained sweep action near Pakhoi, and our fliers fought to about even owing mostly to the first air battle where they took the upper hand. Aus 2/5th Arm Rgt is completely at Pakhoi and is setting out for the road to Nanning to reinforce the blockers. The two USA divisions and armored unit have contacted the unit there and will move it aside or destroy it tomorrow. Weather permitting a good number of 2EB attack bomber groups that have been training will make the day a field exercise.

The armour has caught the retreating enemy outside Singora and will attack tomorrow. On Sumatra the Rgt should make a river-crossing attack in two days.

The next attack at Lang Son will take place as soon as the blocking force now on the road can move into the jungle just east of Lang Son and close the trap. Cam Ranh Bay has built to a size 9 port.

Soerabaja is secured.

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Ground combat at Soerabaja (56,104)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12394 troops, 272 guns, 209 vehicles, Assault Value = 400

Defending force 1634 troops, 0 guns, 31 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 161

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 161 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
1411 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 213 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 42 (42 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
158th(Sep) Infantry Regiment
Afdeling Ritman
30th Australian Brigade
147th Field Artillery Battalion
871st Aviation Engineer Battalion
Fifth USAAF
134th Field Artillery Battalion
Provisional GMC Grp
205th Field Artillery Battalion
260th Field Artillery Battalion
131st Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Jungle Regiment
1st USN Naval Construction Regiment

Defending units:
35th Army


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The locals there hate everybody, so we'll have to sort out what to leave behind as a garrison. Recon says about 1,700 troops at Semarang, and artillery recon tomorrow will refine that count plus give us an AV number.

Our first bombardment of Daito Shoto went well.

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Night Naval bombardment of Daito Shoto at 98,69

Allied Ships
CA Ramree Island
CA Wichita

Japanese ground losses:
369 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 8 (1 destroyed, 7 disabled)

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 14
Port hits 7

OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for CA Ramree Island
CA Ramree Island firing at 36th Ind.Mixed Brigade
CA Wichita firing at Daito Shoto


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We are going to rotate CA TFs to bombard daily and will put CL TFs in the mix as needed to prevent gaps. Kamikazes did make an appearance against our naval forces SE of that island but were too few to penetrate CAP coverage.

Several convoys pulled into Guam today, more will arrive over the next couple of days and some will need about a day to unload the leftover supply.

Indochina.