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US carrier & surface forces have been succesfully withdrawn from Kagoshima waters.
Some reconfigurations took place on Iwo Jima where three separate carrier forces were completed. One under adm. Mitscher with all remaining big flattops, two smaller - with few CVEs each. All carriers on short reaction ranges awaited Yamaguchi attempts to counterattack.
Surface combat forces have merged all BBs under adm. Scott (now level 8 naval commander) hoping to react with enemy battleships scheduled to bombard Anami Oshima, second force of all modern Baltimore class heavy cruisiers left to bombard nearby Bonin Island. No landings this turn.
US troops are fighting in Sorong and Kavieng. A succesfull landing was made in Bougainville, unopposed. Usual air battles in Saipan area.

then,

Japanese carriers under Yamaguchi arrived Kagoshima, luckily or not (do not know the details) triggering reaction of all US carrier forces. Japanese land based aircrafts have again clashed with carrier borne Hellcats and Corsairs. First, unconfirmed reports say that some IJN CVs were sunk for a price of a CVL and one or more CVE.

Good that Saratoga is going back after being repaired in San Francisco, bringing a CVL and many heavy cruisiers back to the Mariannas area, so there will be no pause in carrier raids.

B29 production started at least, so when the reality showed that invasion of Japan has to be postponed, some heavy bombing of home islands will be executed to destroy Japanese industry, which anyway suffered a bit from naval bombardment and fierce carrier attacks last weeks. Total number of Japanese civilians killed by US bombs is surely over 30000 now, many factories and shipyards were damaged as well.

details to follow

Compared to the third battle of Kogashima, Leyte Gulf was a Sunday School Picnic.

After previous week of successfull defense, Admiral Yamaguichis carriers attempted to return to port, but was hit three sparate times by allied carrier forces. Fortunately he was well supported by land air forces. But the result was still three CV and one CVL sunk on the Japanese side, for two CVL and 2CVE on the allied side.

Will the carnage ever end?

The week after last Kagoshima battle should be peacefull and quiet. Except of 4 full sized infantry divisions trying to capture Kagoshima no special activities are expected. All damaged carriers were sent back to US for repairs, Scott is still looking for a fight, pounding the Iwo Jima defense remnants in spare time. Some minor bombardment is also planned for Bonin Island.

A bit smaller force of adm. Mitscher carriers is hoping to attack ships evacuating from Japan.

No victory celebrations are held yet - first it is needed to capture Kagoshima.

Kavieng should fall definitely this turn, leaving New Guinea and Solomons open for Allies.

attached file contains ship looses for last week

A quiet week has passed.

Routine bombardments of Bonin Island, heavy air clashes over Anami Oshima, where three squadrons of P47 were struggling against few hundreds of Japanese fighters & bombers trying to protect Kinkaid's large transport TF withdrawing to Iwo Jima after resupplying Anami. Many transports (ten or even more AKAs) have been lost as well as few destroyers but Kinkaid managed it to Iwo. Japanese army AF lost at least 150 planes, and many brave idiots called Kamikaze, which anyway proved to be useful.

US intelligence is now trying to find out why those suicidical maniacs fly wearing helmets and why are they fastening the seatbelts?
For protection ?

Tanaka with 4 BBs is killing 400 US soldiers at Kagoshima every week. As for now they decline to attack althrough having excellent readiness level.

Allies have complete air superiority over Iwo Jima, Mariannas, New Guinea, Solomons. Japs are showing no activity in these areas.

9th Australian division, famous after battle for Lae, failed to capture Kavieng in first attempt. Looses weren't high but Mutaguchi is well dug in and experienced. No decision yet to take them back or resupply. Kavieng don't bothers.

Large forces of US ships are withdrawing themselves in eastern direction.

USS Independence is almost ready to battle in US port, Saratoga is on its way back. Two battleships are also almost ready.
B29 production is growing. In two months all heavy bomber squadrons would be switched to this superior plane.

Next week is going to see some minor landings. If US offensive cannot take Japan (without ocean of blood) I'll try to cut it off and let them starve ...

According to P. 34 of the original manual, land attack will take place if one player's activated force has a 4 to 1 advantage over his opponent, or if the leader passes an agressiveness check. If Graham has over a division, and my guess is that he does, then Peter doesn't have enough troops to consistently attack.

The Allies have lost twenty-eight light cruisers!?!? What's the score up to now?

Well, in numbers it looks bad for Allies, but You must consider that 80% of Allied ship looses are british tiny shippies. They did put a good fight in the beginning, but then failed to oppose whole IJN which stayed in the area for over a year.

The Brits withdrawed their main surface combatants before every serious battle, then British India became smaller and smaller - finally I threw all remaining forces to battle, which ended as it can be seen on the table.

Allies haven't lost any serious amounts of important ships, except some submarines and 3 carriers.

Regarding to Kagoshima invasion, Geiger is in command, all interested HQs have Kagoshima as primary target, units are at avg. 90% readiness. (It is weird - is it possible for RCS to reach non captured bases?). Troops there are belonging to Central Pacific with Nimitz in command (again, Halsey returned to command of the 5th fleet) which is having now 9 level land skills and good aggression level.


27-03-1944 will see invasion of Bonin Island. Japanese troops there are numerous, but they'll taste "full service naval & air bombing" (FSNAB) from all active US fleet.

9th AUS division have been withdrawn from Kavieng. After short rest at Rabaul (there are still some Japanese girls to be raped) they'll proably go somewhere else.

For me it is good to leave as many japanese LCUs deployed in isolated bases. If I would eliminate them they'll reappear in Tokyo which is not wanted.

Tokyo is going to be hit by my B24s from Iwo Jima. A slow process of destroying the Japanese industry is on it's way.
The next step would be cutting off the Philipines. Occasion is good because of fact, that entire Japanese navy and many many air wings are in Japan, mostly at Kagoshima.

Hmm, it look like Graham is more likely to win. Japan has lots of kill points. If that 2 x multiplier kicks in 1945, Japan will have way over 240 000 points.
I can almost see hippies gathering in the streets of America...

but in London, Melbourne and Delphi.

I'm afraid the math is off on Henhute6's post. Graham actually has just shy of 60,000 kill points, which are already receiving a 1.5 multiplier. The 2X multiplier in 1945 will net him only about 30,000 extra points, not enough at the moment.

However, based on the massive losses happening to both sides, what the situation will be in January 1945 is quite a bit different from what it is now!

Ok, Captain Harlock seems to know better this multiplier system. Even with 2 x multiplier to the original kill points Graham will be close to victory. How close, that depends how the war goes the next 9 months. We'll see.

While the allied force were off bombing the crap out of Bonin Island, a supply convoy finally made it though to Saipan....just in time, because total supply was down to 3 and readiness was so low that a troop of boy scouts with pocket knifes could have taken the island.

Bonin Island absorbed the full wraith of the entire Allied Navy prior to the landings. However, the defender is a full divsion with entrenchment 9 and experience over 80, and it easily withstood the more numerous but lower experience invasion forces.

Kogashima is more of a problem. Unless the Japanese command can reduce the readiness of the allies, they now have a permanent foothold on he Japanese home land, and it is only early 1944. Most of the Japanese airforce and navy is concentrated on that beachhead, with little obvious effect on the enemy troops ashore.

Over 200 Kamakazes were intended to wipe out the damaged warships which were limping away from Kogashima in small groups, but instead of taking out these easy targets, the foolhardy boys attacked the main allied carrier group at greater range than the prime targets. Without fighter escort......well, the term "Turkey shoot" does not adequately describe the result.

Most of the shorter range Kamakaze, were wasted against empty cargo ships and obselete Clemson DD, which were returning from Anami Oshami.

is not pink.

With soldiers stuck at Kagoshima, Amami Oshima flooded with kamikazes, Saipan still holding, Philipines fortified, carriers dead or badly damaged, battleships looking for shipyard, slow bomber production, lack of transports and cargo ships, low experience land units, poor leaders ...

Lucky that Graham wasn't born in Japan in year 1900 ...
Even Poles would be proably speaking Japanese (or German),

press relations could be like this:

"Major unrests over the border between Germany and Japan are reported"

It is a real pleasure to wage war against him

Graham has indeed done a terrific job keeping the Japanese in the fight. (Watch out when he gets the Ohka!) But there are a couple of reasons for the Allies to take heart.

First, looking at the November 1943 score summary and the March 1944 summary, Japanese industrial production has begun to go down. The industrial production points are already halved as indicated by the asterisk. (Almost certainly due to the National Oil Reserve being below 10,000.) In a war of attrition, which sounds like what you have at the moment, Graham will run out of equipment first.

Second, the Allies are actually destroying more enemy units than the Japanese. I calculate about 10,000 Kill Points to 8,000, though with the multiplier the Japanese added 12,000 to their total score.

One other interesting observation: the control points for BOTH sides have increased--probably due to those busy engineer units expanding the bases.

All in all, my guess is that the game will end in a draw, but with the Japanese slightly ahead on points. (It's a good thing you're not playing Version 3.2, or the game would go on to January 1947!)

Thanks Captain

The problem with low oil supply is not new. No matter what Ive tried with basing tankers and resting capital ships in port, my oil supply will not increase. Since January 1942, the highest oil supply I have had is about 7000. The average oil supply for the entire game has been about 4000. I have never managed to remove the asterisk......Im not sure what this might have done to my industrial production?

Resources have been an entirely different picture. After capturing India, my resource level kept going up, and when it hit 1,000,000, it reset to zero. Since that time, I have been creating dummy task forces to soak up transport ships, to prevent the routine convoys from bring in too many resources, and keep the resources below a million......why lose heaps of transport to submarine attack, for resources we dont need.

Supply has been a balancing act.....every time the Japanese deliver a supply convoy to the forward bases, the allies just bomb the newly arrived supplies to oblivion. Supply may decide the game.

Replacement squads has been sitting unchanged at 32000 for at least a year, but I have almost no replacement AFV or artillery in the pools.

I have never before played a 1944 scenario against human or AI, so I am really excited to see how long I can hold out against a superior force.

Unconclusive week has passed on Pacific.

Allied forces are still holding in Kagoshima, but refusing to attack, Japanese gunners from IJN Battleships are pounding the invaders, as well as all Japanese air force.
SIGINT has also revealed that Yamaguchi's carriers are on their way to Amami Oshima, which is now a level 4 airfield with 200 P47s stationed there. It won't be enough to protect the supplies and the troops there but a carrier counterstrike is deliberated.

US carrier forces have again 4 big flattops in line (Interpid, Saratoga, Yorktown, Enterprise), 5 CVL and 16 plane equipped CVE. They are grouped in two task forces stationed on Iwo Jima.
Allied surface combat forces consist 13 battleships alos grouped in two task forces, regarding to their speed. The rest of the fleet is on their way from states, or under repairs.

Tokyo, Nagoya and two other cities were hit slightly by air bombardement. B29 prouction allowed to switch first squadron to these new superior planes.

Last week some cargo and transport ships (around 200 pcs!!!) arrived Saipan and replenished the base.
Japanese army proably tried to invade Tinian (Graham says so, but I cannot see it on my battle report ??? ???) using 18th infantry division from Saipan, just a small stop on a way back. My forces have given strong opposition and the task force suffered a lot from my land based planes, so japanese took their forces back.
Graham hoped that I've left such an important base undefended.
:p

US forces need a new strategical plan to continue the offensive, which is seeming to have stopped last month.

Graham has left home for three days, but I hope he didn't went to Iraq, so we may continue the struggle.

After minor reorganization, US forces at Iwo Jima sailed north to Okinawa. The isle is defended by a complete 62nd division, together with the last (I hope) remnants of 48th division and some minor forces.
All carriers and battleships are scheduled to pound the defenders (using FSNAB method), three of four US division will make an attempt to take the island in first strike.

US divisions in Kagoshima are holding at good readiness. Althrough they have been halved by non-stop FSNAB made by Japs they still hold, keeping the whole japanese navy at Kagoshima. Yamaguchi has departed to Amami Oshima with all his carriers, so major carrier battle is possible around Okinawa.

Tokyo has been hit hard from B29's located at Iwo Jima, A6M5 factory suffered moderate damage, as well as many civilians.
This week B29's would be used to support landing on Okinawa.

My four brave sqadrons of P47 (and one with Spitfires VIII - just a test) are being replaced every week by a fresh ones, managing still to kill more japanese planes than own lost, but they can't prevent to stop Japanese planes in their attempt to isolate Amami. Situation is stable.

Two fresh CVs are on their way back from States.
Reports to follow

Okinawa held against three US divisions.

The lazy boys weren't in a mood for attack. Looses were almost equal, so they'll be proably taken back to Iwo. Resupplying such a deep position is too expensive under Kamikaze attacks.
(Supply of helmets for sailors isn't working properly)

More interesting was the airbattles around Amami Oshima and Kagoshima, where hundreds of planes clashed.
For a price of many pilots and planes US carrier-borne squadrons managed to bombard Japan.
A fine airbattle occured over Kagoshima, where 211 Hellcats with 68 TBMs from Mitscher's TF50 clashed with 226 Japanese CAP fighters, shooting down 202 of them in the air, and 44 more planes on the ground. 81 fighters and 11 US bombers were destroyed that hour.

Japanese airforce again put heavy bombing on Kagoshima an Amami Oshima troops. No other land battles ex. lazy fire exchange on Iwo Jima.

Carrier forces missed each other.
If Nimitz will withdraw his carriers to Amami (instead of Iwo) it would surely end in another big carrier battle.

next turn tomorrow

Over 1000 Japanese planes were downed last week, US forces lost over 500.

The most interesting question is - how many more do the Japs have. US pools are counitng over 14000 of spare pieces, including 5000 F6 Hellcats and over 5000 P47s so looses are no problem. Allied pilots are rarely under 80 experience.

As stated, US troops have been withdrawn from Okinawa due to too low readiness level.

The next resolution will be surely interesting, as allies scheduled all their major surface and carrier forces to Amami Oshima, now level 5 airfield, with 250 fighers based there, all with good experience, mostly P47s and some Spitfires VIII.
As revealed - some elements of Imperial navy will also go there from Kagoshima, so at least a major surface battle should occur.

120 heavy bombers from Iwo Jima would try to pound Japanese airfields in Kagoshima and Nagasaki in order to support protection of 5th Fleet ships.

Last air battles have shown, that japanese air experience level is quickly dropping, they also seem to lack modern planes like Ki-44 and Ki-84. Only few squardons use the Hiens.
Hayabusas and Toryus are widely used. In my opinion they should be replaced long time ago.

Astonishing is fact - where are Japanese battleships, there are only 4 seen bombarding Kagoshima, the rest is proably still under repairs.

US forces would also try to capture Cairns this week. 9th AUS division, well experienced and supported by heavy cruisier force will land there from Port Moresby. Eventual reappearance of Australian troops would surely shorten the war.

more reports to follow, if Graham haven't got any other plans for this evening

International Labour day was celebrated in Cairns as first day of freedom. 9th Australian Infantry Division took the city like a storm. Japanese 56th Regiment was completely surprised, they gave up the field without much fighting. Japanese press office stated that the soldiers there were too lazy after three years of plundering & raping of Australian citizens.

Japanese fleet with all major ships pounded Amami Oshima. The base took severe bombardment from all 6 Japanese battleships and carriers.

US task forces (also full pack of major warships & carriers) went to Amami as well, but luckily for Japs they have just stopped 6 hexes south of the island, refusing to go any further.

US heavy bombers form Iwo Jima did good job, destroying 100 enemy planes in Kagoshima on the ground plus many fighters in the air. Total air looses were 560 / 350.

US transports leaving Okinawa suffered heavy from Kamikazes, few AKAs & APs and one CLAA have been lost.

Next week, US Navy will try to engage enemy fleet going from Okinawa to Nagasaki.
As usual, Amami fighter squadrons have been replaced with fresh ones.

Biggest carrier & air battle just happened.

Japanese forces bombed heavily US forces withdrawing still from Okinawa, destroying many destroyers and AKAs with Kamikazes.
Japan Air Defence forces threw all planes to Amami Oshima to disable US fighters, which ended in heavy looses on both sides.
Then, US carriers arrived on the scene, engaging Yamaguchi's forces at Nagasaki.

First reports say that Japanese Navy lost at least 2 CVs and 3 CVLs in fierce battles. US forces have a damaged CVL (a sub attack) and some minor hits on big flattops.

If the reports are true, it means that Japanese carrier forces stopped to count as a real fighting force. Carrier presence at Amami Oshima means also the end of Japanese air attacks on that island.

No data yet if surface combat forces clashed, but I suppose not.
I must wait for Japanese navy to go somewhere again.
This time I won't allow them to escape ...



details to follow